Lucius left the manor an hour before his meeting with the Granger girl. He wanted to stop by a few stores in Diagon Alley, and make his presence known to the wizarding population once again.
Everyone probably knew he was allowed out again, but he needed to make sure they understood he wasn't afraid to show his face.
As he walked past shops, one new storefront caught his eye.
"Muggle Oddities for the New Age Wizards"
Really? He thought, is that what these freaks are calling themselves now? What happened to the belief that nobility and heritage were of utmost importance?
He knew the answer, but he still wanted to believe that this bizarre love of muggles was a trend that would die quickly. He entered the shop.
It was the strangest place he had ever been in by choice. He was hoping the store would have some coherent theme, but apparently the theme was insanity.
"Ah Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasant surprise!" The shop owner ran over to greet him, leaving his other customers behind.
Lucius was surprised by how many people were actually in the shop. The overly friendly shop owner gave him a tour around the shelves of bizarre objects.
"We only have a small stock for now, but with the surge in popularity we hope to be adding more items soon. Over here we have office supplies and household objects. Very interesting things here, like pens. See, it works like a quill, but you never need ink. Apparently the ink is inside it already. Over here we have a section of things that use batteries. Here take this pamphlet. Back there are all the expensive electronics for the wizards who are very serious about embracing the muggle ways of life. We also have a catalogue with clothing selection if that interests you."
He was sure the man would keep him there forever if he didn't choose something and get out. He decided on one of those pens, since it might actually prove useful. Even if it was a ridiculous looking object, using it at his meeting would be a great way to make the Granger girl believe he really was taking steps towards understanding muggles. It was all about creating an image.
He arrived at the restaurant with time to spare. She had already made a reservation at a table in the back of the room. He sat down and looked over the pamphlet while he waited. It made absolutely no sense to him, and he couldn't see how anyone would believe wizards should adopt muggle ways of life. It was like asking a child to unlearn speech.
Muggles needed these weird objects to supplement their lack of magic, did they not? He pulled out his new pen contraption to see whether or not it actually wrote without an inkwell.
It wouldn't surprise him if it were all just a scam. If muggle objects were the trend, no one would care if they were sold useless junk.
Surprisingly it worked rather well, as he elegantly wrote the date on the top of his parchment. He planned to take notes at this meeting, partially so he had proof of his participation, and partly so the girl could gawk over his lovely penmanship. He prided himself on his excellent writing.
Of course, he prided himself on most things, but he found that when trying to impress it was the small things that made a big impact.
A little bell tinkled, signaling that someone had opened the door. It was a highly irritating object that a simple charm could replace, but such was the issue in the world of muggles. Not having magic, and having to use inconvenient little objects to take it's place. Apparently this establishment was sucked into the muggle-loving absurdity.
He saw her stop to speak to the waiter, who pointed her in the direction of the table.
Lucius had to admit that she had quite a nice figure for such an irritating wench. If she were able to keep her mouth shut for extended periods of time he might even find her pleasant to be around.
Unfortunately, her personality left something to be desired. It could have been worse, he supposed. The plan would be much more enjoyable with someone easy on the eyes.
She deposited a very large portfolio on the table before sitting down. She was significantly more composed today, the overconfidence restored to its abnormal levels. He caught her off guard yesterday, and she likely did not want that to happen again. He would let her think she had the upper hand for a few minutes before regaining control.
"Ah Miss Granger, how lovely to see you again." The words oozed with a sultriness he found himself using frequently. He could see her cheeks getting pink before she even opened her mouth. This was all too easy.
"Hmm, yes, afternoon Lucius. I suppose we ought to get right into it. I brought a list of suggestions and some background research on the corresponding material." She opened up her portfolio and started rifling through pages, refusing to look him in the eyes.
What a little overachiever she was. It would not surprise him if she had already established an entire plan to make him have a change of heart. It would be exactly how a naive little girl with a hero complex would think. Thankfully, he had a much better idea.
"This is a working lunch, Miss Granger, is it not? Perhaps, before we delve into your stacks of suggestions, we can order our meal." He motioned to the waiter, who hurried over to take their order.
"Now then, where were we?" He picked up the pen and wrote a heading underneath the date. He planned to list all her suggestions and offer to mull them over. He waited for her to begin speaking, but after a few moments of silence he looked up.
She was staring at his page, absolutely entranced by his writing just as he suspected. Her eyes moved between his elegant script to his muggle pen, unsure of what was more intriguing.
He managed to resist the urge to smirk, although he doubted she would even look up and see it. He was trying very hard to work his charm, but he could never resist the opportunity to deride when it was practically thrown into his lap.
"It is very rude to gawk, Miss Granger. I knew your manners were slightly lacking, but I expected a bit more of you." Now he smirked freely.
Her eyes shot upwards. The retort was there on her tongue, but she knew she had been caught.
Embarrassed, she went back to rummaging through her portfolio. Letting Lucius Malfoy establish the upper hand so quickly was a very indication of how this project would go.
He was completely abhorrent, but his handwriting was absolutely lovely. He also seemed to have purchased a muggle pen. Apparently there would be no end to the surprises.
"Yes alright then," she regained her cool, businesslike composure, "since we are tasked with introducing muggle culture to those who may not be very open to the idea, I think it is best if we start with something small. Perhaps an activity that doesn't involve too much work, or much of a time commitment."
He looked up from his notes (stupidly beautiful notes) and looked directly in her eyes. She could feel her ears getting warm, and this flustered sensation she seemed to be feeling more often was creeping up again.
How could he manage to take her normally calm and collected demeanor, and tie it into knots?
Lost in thought, she almost forgot that she was supposed to be explaining her plan. He apparently hadn't, and found her distracted state rather amusing.
There was that damn smirk again. Kingsley would certainly pay for the hell he was putting her through.
"If you haven't lost your train of thought, Miss Granger, I suggest you give some examples. You may not remember, but muggle activities aren't exactly my area of expertise." He smirked again. She felt her cheeks getting red, and returned to her papers.
"Of course I remember, I mean… I have a few examples here that might be of interest. We could showcase some muggle art, or perhaps watch a film."
"Art is interesting yes, but perhaps not attention grabbing enough for our first event. What are these films you speak of? I do not believe I have heard such a word."
Of course he hadn't. Why did he always find a way to make her look like an idiot?
"They are stories, like books, but told through moving pictures I guess. The best way to really explain it is just to see them for yourself." She always had a hard time explaining muggle concepts, but it was harder explaining them to him. It took patience, and being patient with a bigot was not high on her to-do list.
He would just have to figure out films for himself.
"An excellent suggestion Miss Granger. It would be best for us to watch them before choosing one for the event anyways. Why don't we say Saturday afternoon in your home?" He looked at her expectantly. He also seemed a bit smug.
That was not what she meant to imply and he knew it. Now she was trapped, yet again. Saying no would make her look like a child.
"I…well… does it need to be at my flat, Mr. Malfoy? I mean, I'm sure you really don't want to come there." She was losing her cool, but having him in her living space was an entirely new level of awkward.
We certainly do not have to. I have just spent quite a bit of time in my own home lately, you see. I also assumed the Manor was a place you were not too keen to…revisit so soon."
Ah, fair point. Having him over was much better compared to reliving those memories. She had pushed them from her mind a long time ago, and facing them would take some mental preparation.
"Saturday it is then. I will pick out a few films I feel are appropriate."
Watching movies with Lucius Malfoy. Wait until Ginny heard about this.