A/N: I apologize to everyone that this update has taken so long. My muse is still on holiday but somehow I've managed to muddle through. Short chapter but hopefully the next one will be longer. Enjoy!

oOoOo

Lucius watched Draco closely during breakfast. The much anticipated dinner had taken place the night before but the boy gave no indication whether or not he'd met anyone he was interested in. A few subtle questions proved unenlightening, which left the elder Malfoy feeling annoyed. He knew that his son wouldn't give him any information if questioned directly either – perhaps because Lucius' style of questioning still leaned toward interrogation.

Of course the preferable thing would have been to ask Narcissa and Draco about the party once they'd returned home the previous evening. Unfortunately for Lucius, he hadn't been feeling well and had fallen asleep at the cottage long before that. Like it or not, he was stuck with general conversation and the hope that Narcissa would prove more enlightening – that is, if she ever made an appearance at the breakfast table.

By the time the lady of the house entered the dining room, the two men were finished with breakfast and Draco was already gone off to work. Lucius lingered over his coffee and newspaper, waiting for her.

"Good morning, dear," Narcissa placed a kiss on the side of his head and took the space adjacent to where he sat, "I didn't think to find you still here."

"I wanted to hear about last night. How did it go?"

"Reasonably well, I think," she helped herself to a cup of coffee and a scone from the platter on the table while waiting for an elf to bring her breakfast, "several of Draco's contemporaries from Hogwarts were there and he spent most of his time chatting with them."

"Any prospects?"

A smile curved Narcissa's lips, "One or two, from the looks of it. Almost every female eye in the place was drawn to him, naturally. He is his father's son."

Lucius snorted. "In appearance, perhaps."

"Oh, I don't know," she reached out to touch his hand, "he also exhibits your charm, when he wants to."

"And was he exhibiting it last evening?"

"Remarkably enough, he was. Considering that we forced him to go to the party, I expected him to sit in a corner sulking all night but I was pleasantly surprised. He told jokes and danced with some of the young ladies. I think, had this not been a chaperoned event, he might even have talked one of them into more amorous pursuits."

Shaking his head, Lucius laughed, "Perhaps he is my son after all."

"Most definitely," Narcissa reclaimed her hand in order to tuck into the breakfast that the house elf settled in front of her, "the woman that does end up with Draco will have to keep a very close eye on him."

"As you do his father?" amusement colored Lucius' tone.

Narcissa gave a sniff. "I believe I take the opposite approach with his father."

"That you do, my dear, and he is grateful."

"It's not as though I could stop your philandering if I wanted to."

"My philandering? Whatever do you mean?"

"Don't play innocent with me, Lucius. It doesn't suit you."

"All right, I'll admit that my eye might rove from time to time," he smiled at his coffee cup as he thought of Harry, "but I rarely shirk my duties as your husband, do I?"

"I shouldn't think that I have room to complain. Not many women my age have partners as attentive to their needs as you are to mine."

"There we are, then."

"Yes indeed. Here we are."

Leaning forward to rest his chin on one hand, he smiled suggestively. "As I'm not busy philandering at the moment, do you have any needs that I can meet, perchance?"

"Yes, you can let me finish my breakfast."

"Oh, if I must."

"I would appreciate it. You know I'm not one for frolics on the dining table."

"I've never understood why not. Where is your sense of adventure?"

"In the same place as your sense of propriety, I'm sure. Really Lucius, you've become quite the dirty old man."

"Become?" he contrived to sound offended, which drew another laugh from his wife, "I'll have you know that I've always been a dirty old man."

"Except when you were a dirty young man."

"Precisely."

Narcissa shook her head, still quite amused with the turn of the conversation. "Ah, my dear husband, as enjoyable as this banter is, we seem to have strayed very far from the point."

"What point might that be?"

"Our son and the dinner party last night."

"Ah yes. I did mean to ask if the Greengrasses were in attendance."

"They were. In fact, I think you might be onto something with the Astoria girl. She really is quite lovely and I caught Draco watching her, even though he pretended not to. I got the impression that she has changed quite a bit since he saw her last."

"Teenage girls have a way of doing that."

"I seem to remember, vaguely."

"Do you think she's mature enough for him?"

"Considering that there is no great difference in their ages and girls are always more mature than boys, I'm sure that she'll be fine. Once she's finished with school we should consider her a very strong candidate for marriage."

"What about her sister?"

"Not so much luck there. Daphne already has a boyfriend and seemed rather chilly toward Draco when he spoke to her. I didn't get the whole story but it sounded like there was some past drama involving the Parkinson girl."

"Will she cause problems later on if we pursue a match with her sister?"

"Hard to tell. It's probably best to cross that bridge when we come to it."

"You're right, as usual." Lucius rose and moved to give his wife a kiss. "I'll send an owl to their father so that we may find out if he's open to such an arrangement."

"Very good, darling. We could invite them for drinks to discuss the matter in a more intimate setting."

"But not too much more intimate as you don't approve of frolics on the dining table," he winked.

"Oh get out of here, you rogue."

"Will you do unspeakable things to me if I don't?"

"Yes, I'll set you to doing kitchen chores with the house elves."

"Narcissa, you are a cruel mistress!"

"You'd best believe it. Now go send your owl. I may have something else for you to attend to shortly."

Lucius smirked and went to send the invitation.

oOoOo

Harry was bone weary by the time he made his way home. He hadn't slept in nearly two days and his eyes felt like someone had held him down and poured sand into them. Scratching idly at the three-day growth of stubble on his chin, he wandered into the kitchen.

"Hi honey, I'm…oh," he stopped short as he realized that Ginny wasn't the only one sitting at the kitchen table, "sorry, I didn't realize we had company."

"'Ello Harry," Oliver Wood stuck out his hand as he rose from the chair next to Ginny. "Gin didn't know if you'd be home tonight but she didn't think you'd mind a spot of company if you were. It's been a long time!"

Harry grunted as he shook the other man's hand, "Yeah, it has." He really didn't want to be rude but sitting there listening to Wood babble about quidditch was the last thing Harry wanted at that moment. Ginny seemed to sense his mood because she gave him a sympathetic glance.

"You look knackered, Love. Why don't you go to bed?"

"Yeah, sounds like a good idea. You coming?"

Her gaze flickered to the other man and she shook her head, "Maybe after a bit."

"Right," there was an awkward pause, which Harry finally ended, "well. It's good seeing you, Wood."

"You too, Harry. Hopefully we can catch up next time."

"That would be nice. Good night." Without waiting for further pleasantries, Harry turned and walked into the bedroom. The bed looked so inviting and he wanted nothing more than to tumble into it, but the lure of a shower was too strong. Changing course, he turned into the bathroom instead.

After a brief, hot shower he felt almost human again; sleep would do the rest. Harry dropped his towel on the bedroom floor and then slid between the sheets with a sigh. Blessed oblivion washed over him like a black wave and he slept for several hours.

When he woke, Ginny was at his side, playing softly with the hairs on his chest. "Hi there," she smiled, "I haven't seen you very much lately."

"I see you haven't gone without substitutes."

She blinked. "You mean Wood?"

"Who else would I mean?" Despite his rest, Harry was cranky and spoiling for a fight. "You have other lovers?"

"I don't have any lovers besides you, Harry!" his wife replied, clearly incredulous and upset at his accusation.

"That scene I walked in on looked a little cozy for 'just friends.'"

Ginny gave him a narrow-eyed look. "I thought that beard was a disguise for your mission, but are you sure that you're not my husband's evil twin? The Harry I know wouldn't get jealous and assume that I was cheating just because I was sharing coffee with another bloke."

"It starts with sharing coffee, then dinner, and then all of a sudden you're in bed together."

"You sound like you've had experience."

That shut Harry up quick. His jealousy and his big mouth were leading him onto shaky ground indeed and any misstep now could lead to a landslide. "No," he replied more carefully, "but I've heard plenty of stories. How do you know that Oliver Wood doesn't have something more than coffee in mind?"

"Because I know him and he wouldn't do that. Even if he would, I wouldn't! How can you think so little of me?"

Harry couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't get him into deeper trouble so he stayed silent.

"Really, Harry, what is wrong with you? You've been acting odd ever since we got married. You're jealous all of a sudden; you're hanging out with Lucius Malfoy; you're doing favors for their family…"

"That's not against the law."

"No, I know it's not but what are you doing?" She looked at him, obviously trying to understand. "Are you investigating them for the ministry?"

He shook his head and then sighed, rubbing at his still-sore eyes. "To be honest it started out with Lucius bothering me about Draco. Then he wouldn't go away. I don't really know why but over the last few months we've gotten, well, friendly I guess." To say the least.

"But how can you be friendly with him after all that he's done?"

"I don't know, Gin. He's just," Harry sought out the right word but in the end just shrugged and shook his head, "he's different than he was."

Frowning, Ginny reached out for her wand and once she had it in hand, pointed it directly at Harry. "Finite incantatum!"

Harry just fixed her with an impassive stare. "Satisfied?"

She had the grace to look sheepish. "Can you blame me? What would you think if I started going around being friends with the Malfoys?"

"I'd probably think the same thing you're thinking but I'm not under the imperius curse, or any other curse for that matter. Lucius isn't a death eater anymore and though there's no excuse for what he did, I don't see a reason that I should avoid him like the plague." Ginny gave him a look that said she could think of hundreds of reasons and he stroked her hair. "You don't have to like him, Love, but I do."

"I just don't see it." She snuggled into his shoulder and gave a soft sigh. "He's still a bastard to me."

Wrapping his arm around her, Harry pulled her in close. "Muggles are fond of saying that a leopard can't change his spots. I guess that means that if something is a part of who you are fundamentally, it's never going to change. Lucius is a bigoted ass and I think he will always be a bigoted ass. Still, he has his moments."

"You're obviously getting to see something that I'm not."

Harry smiled. When it came to Lucius, he was getting to see many things that she was not. "I suppose so." Turning, he kissed her head. "Don't worry about me, Love. I'm not being corrupted by evil, I'm not cursed and I'm sorry for being a jealous git. I blame lack of sleep and several days spent in the company of some seriously shady characters. I guess it made me suspicious of everything."

"I forgive you. I just hate it when we fight, especially when it's over nothing."

"Think of it this way: if we didn't fight, we wouldn't get to make up."

A smile spread slowly over her lips and lit her eyes. "I take it that you'd like to make up now?"

"Unless you have some objection?"

"Not on your life."

"I thought you wouldn't." He winked and pulled her into a kiss.

oOoOo

It had been a long day. After several hours of planning strategy with his advocate about the upcoming wand request hearing, Lucius badly needed to relax. The fact that he hadn't heard from Harry was adding to his anxiety. It wasn't like the auror not to send word, even if he was on a secret and very important mission.

I'm starting to worry like an old fishwife. Malfoy snorted to himself as he changed into some well-worn trousers and a grey shirt, the sleeves of which he rolled up in preparation for tending to the family's magical plant garden. He hoped that the normally calming activity would counteract some of his uneasiness. Potter was a big boy and Merlin knew he that he could take care of himself. Still, Lucius couldn't shake the feeling that something was not quite right.

As he made his way down to the greenhouse, he resolved to get a grip and not let silly fears run away with him. Harry told you he'd be gone for several weeks and it's only been two. He'll be around soon, you'll shag each other through the mattress and all will be well again. And he felt better after that thought, he really did.

Once through the greenhouse door, Lucius paused to take stock. He hadn't been spending nearly enough time in here and it showed. The mandrakes – which for some reason Draco refused to go near – were the most in need of care so Lucius decided that was where he would begin. After finding several empty pots and a set of earmuffs, he set to work.

He was up to his elbows in peat moss when a silvery stag appeared, speaking quickly in Harry's voice. "Lucius help! They've found me out. Bruges, Belgium…"

Then the voice cut off abruptly and the stag winked from view. Lucius was on his feet in an instant. Harry was in trouble! But how on earth was Malfoy going to find the boy when he only knew what city to start in? There was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach akin to – yet far worse than – the sensation he'd felt as a Death Eater when aurors raided a safe house without warning.

He forced himself to move and hurried up to the house. Without his magic, Lucius had few options. It didn't feel right to involve Narcissa or Draco in the matter and they would only ask unwanted questions. That meant he would be forced to go to the Ministry to tell the aurors what had happened. They would ask questions too but he hoped that those questions would be less difficult to answer. If not, well, at least he was practiced at lying to aurors.

It did occur to him to wonder why Potter had contacted him for help instead of the Ministry or his wife but he didn't ponder it for long. There were much more important things to think about.

He reached his suite, already stripping out of his work clothes as he strode through the door. No matter what sort of peril Harry had gotten himself into, Lucius wasn't about to go rushing through the Ministry looking like a ragamuffin. He swapped his work shirt for a proper one, his ratty trousers for a freshly pressed pair and sat down on the edge of the bed to tug his boots on. The bedroom fireplace chose that precise moment to roar to life.

Lucius' head jerked upward and he saw a face in the greenish flames that he did not recognize. "Don't you know that it is highly rude to make a fire call to someone's bedchamber? Now bugger off! You have the wrong fireplace." Satisfied that he had sufficiently told the fellow off, he returned to his footwear.

"You Malfoy?" the man acted as though he hadn't heard a word that Lucius had spoken.

"I am Lucius Malfoy. Who the hell are you?"

"We got your boy."

"My boy?" Lucius' heart seemed to thud against his ribcage. Was Draco in trouble now too?

"Yeah an' if you want 'im back, you'll have ta pay for 'im."

"What are you talking about, you fool?"

"Don't play dumb wit' us. We know 'e works for you. If you want to claim 'im alive," the thug gave a nasty grin, showing half rotted teeth, "tha boss says ta bring 50,000 galleons ta Groene Rei 8/1-4 in Bruges. Elsewise you can fish tha bits of 'im outta tha canal."

The flames in the grate winked out as quickly as they'd appeared but Lucius' gaze stayed fixed to the spot. That man, whoever he was, had to be talking about Harry, but why on earth would they think that Harry worked for Lucius? The only explanation that made sense was that the auror had led them to believe such a thing in order to cover up his real mission.

It wasn't as though Lucius minded the subterfuge in principle but it did make things more difficult for him. He wasn't a skilled legilimens and though he did have some skill at subterfuge, he hoped that Potter would find a way to help him or the rescue mission would be doomed to failure before it began.

First things were first; he needed to get the money. Thankfully, that was the easy part. All he had to do was make a trip to his vault at Gringott's. There was no question that Lucius would pay the ransom. What else was he to do when he couldn't use magic? There was a chance that Harry would escape on his own – he was wily and resourceful as he'd often proved to Lucius' detriment – but Malfoy didn't want to take a chance. It was much safer just to give the men their gold and be done with it.

He dashed off a quick note saying that a friend had contacted him in dire need and he was going to help. After sealing it into a small envelope, he wrote Narcissa's name on it and propped it up against the mirror of his dressing table. Lucius would have to think of a plausible story before he arrived home, but that was better than having his wife think he was missing – or worse yet, that he'd left her. As he slung his cloak over his shoulders, he hoped that he'd be back before it became an issue.

A handful of floo powder later and he was standing in Gringott's. Squaring his shoulders, he marched up to the nearest goblin and presented his key. "I am Lucius Malfoy and I wish to withdraw 50,000 galleons from my vault. Quickly, if you please. This is an urgent matter."

The creature looked down its long nose at him and checked an entry in its ledger. "Very well. Wait here."

Lucius waited, very impatiently, until the goblin returned with a bag almost as big as it was. This it dumped at the wizard's feet before returning the key. "Fifty thousand galleons from the Malfoy vault. Is there anything else you need?"

"I don't suppose you have a broomstick I could borrow?" The goblin just stared at him like he was crazy and Lucius sighed as he picked up the bag. "No, I didn't expect so. That will be all."

The goblin nodded and climbed back behind its desk. "Good evening then."

Lucius turned without reply and left the bank, trying to figure out how he would make it to Bruges. It would have to be via broomstick. He couldn't apparate and he wasn't about to floo into an unknown location filled with possibly hostile wizards. Returning to the manor would be a waste of time...

But wait a minute! Lucius had completely forgotten the flat. When he and Harry started using it more often for their trysts, Malfoy had furnished it with common magical items that would be useful for him until he got a new wand. That included one of Draco's old but still serviceable racing brooms. Turning back inside the bank, he strode straight over to the floo and stepped through the flames into the dark apartment.

The main room seemed forlorn as Lucius passed through and he ignored an echoing pang of emotion. Telling himself that he was in far too great a hurry for sentiment, he went to rummage in the hall closet. Not that it was a rummage exactly. He and Harry hadn't been using the apartment long enough for there to be many things in there. The broom was propped up in the corner along with one of Lucius' spare walking sticks so Lucius separated the two and tossed the cane back inside.

Then he grabbed a warmer cloak than the one he was wearing because the flight would inevitably be cold; a pair of gloves, a hat and goggles completed the ensemble. Settling the broom on his shoulder, he stepped outside and looked around. It turned out that his luck was holding because there were no muggles in sight. Hoping that it would hold out for a few hours longer, Lucius made sure the door was locked behind him and then swung a leg over the broom and zoomed off into the night.