27th July 1995

Lucius woke to find Narcissa glaring at him. She pulled her night clothes tightly about herself but said nothing. He must have done something in his sleep which had upset her. He shut his eyes and allowed the sunlight streaming through the silk curtains of the master bedroom to warm his lids. He tried to remember his dreams. It had been a few years since he had transgressed in his sleep but she always knew.

He recalled pale skin, slim arms and ginger hair. The previous day, from the other end of a corridor, he had glimpsed Percy Weasley travelling in a lift with his father. Lucius had felt the flesh memory of the youth's touch on his palm. Weeks had passed since they had last spoken, even longer since they had touched: a formal, public handshake.

Percy was growing up. He was still far younger than the witches and wizards whom Lucius usually pursued. There was something special about this one, though. Lucius had always known it. It was time for the chase to begin. Narcissa knew it already and now Lucius realised it himself.

He performed his toilet and chose his robes with care; at breakfast Narcissa did not meet his eye.

Lucius was good at gathering information and so he knew that Minister Fudge was away from the Ministry that noon. He placed himself carefully in the most opportune hallway and made sure to get in everybody's way. He also made sure that he looked stunning while he did so.

He was leaning ostentatiously on his cane, with his long hair falling in a sweep when Percy Weasley left his office. Lucius hailed him.

"Mr Malfoy?" Percy asked. Lucius did not miss the way his eyes skittered.

"Ah! Mr Weasley! What a relief to finally make contact with someone who knows what's going on around here. You see, I had a lunch appointment with Cornelius but I can't seem to find him. It's terribly boring."

"I'm afraid the Minister is out of the Ministry at the moment. He's not due back until late this afternoon," the young man replied efficiently.

"Oh dear." Lucius sighed. "I have come all the way from Wiltshire." Of course, it was only a floo ride, it would have taken roughly the same amount of time had he been coming from Camden or Inverness. Nevertheless he managed to pout in what he trusted was a becoming manner. "I suppose I shall just have to dine alone." Then, as though it had just occurred to him, "Unless, of course, you were free yourself ...?"

"Me?" Percy's composure dropped from him.

Lucius made eye contact. Percy flushed a deep red.

"Is that a possibility at all?" Lucius asked, very softly and so quietly that Percy would have to concentrate to hear him.

Percy swallowed, then looked away before nodding.

Lucius smiled broadly. "Marvellous!" he proclaimed. "There's a lovely little French place I was going to take Cornelius!"

"I'm n-n-not really d-d-dressed for ..." Percy stammered, looking down at his work robes.

Lucius waved a dismissive hand. "What time will you be free?"

"Erm, 'bout half an hour."

"Splendid." Lucius strode away down the corridor, confident that Percy would be watching him walk.

As Lucius had hoped, three quarters of an hour later when he returned to collect him, Percy had remembered that he was a wizard and had transfigured his work robes into something more appropriate. Lucius smiled. This confirmed not only that Percy was the impressive wizard that he had predicted he would be, but also that Lucius' presence had flustered him into forgetting his abilities.

They dined in an intimate, candle-lit French bistro. It was not the sort of restaurant where Lucius would have tried to influence Fudge's policy decisions at all, but Percy either didn't realise this, or thought it impolite to say.

"So. Percy." Lucius surveyed the young man over the rim of his wine glass.

Percy coloured and perspired enough to make his spectacles slip a little way down his nose. He returned eye-contact, though. His eyes were clear and blue through the clean lenses.

"Sir?"

"Please. We are dining together. Do me the honour of using my first name. And may I call you Percy?"

Percy swallowed. "I think you already did." His chin lifted.

A man, indeed. Possibly an equal, or at least someone who could give Lucius a run for his money. Lucius schooled his leer into a warm smile. "Did I take a liberty too far?"

"Not at all." Percy sipped his burgundy. "You may call me what you will."

"Thank you. I think I will call you Percy, then. In honour of our friendship. I do hope that you will allow us to be friends."

"That would be very welcome." Percy did look away now. He looked off in the direction the waitress had taken after noting down their order.

"I don't think your father would approve."

Percy's head snapped back round. "My father? No. Perhaps not. But I'm an adult and I can choose my own friends."

"You certainly are."

"He disapproves of most of my colleagues. Even my superiors, but I'm not about to to let that stand in my way."

Lucius patted Percy's hand, but the young man flinched from the touch. Too soon. Lucius leaned back and brought his hands with him. He looked down at the napkin folded beside his place before he asked, "And your girlfriend? Is your family in favour of her?"

Percy coughed. Lucius did not allow himself to look up. He wanted an honest answer, not a flustered one.

"I don't, um, actually, um, currently have a... I mean, I'm not seeing anyone at present. There was a girl but... things didn't work out."

Lucius looked up into Percy's face then; it was crimson.

"Actually," Percy blurted, "she was a Muggle-born and her family were – I thought they might hold back my career."

Lucius nodded his approval. Percy seemed surprised at that.

"You are ambitious?" Lucius asked.

"Yes. I'm not ashamed of it."

"I do hope that nobody has ever made you feel that you should be. Ambition is a very good thing."

Some loyalty made Percy visibly bite his tongue. He replied, "I think so."

"The Wizarding world needs able, focussed, ambitious young men like you. Where would we be without you?"

"Thank you, sir," Percy muttered. And then their food appeared.

Like an obedient employee, Percy refused a second glass of wine. They chatted about mutual friends and current politics and then Lucius escorted him back to the office.