AN: Hello, all my lovely readers. I'm so glad you are enjoying this new story. I've loved the reviews you all have left so far. I'm still working on responding to some of you, so please don't think I've forgotten you. Here is chapter 2 and I hope you enjoy it as well. Take care.
Special Thanks: To my beta TabiPrewett, for giving this a once over. You are awesome and I don't deserve you.
Chapter 2
They arrived at the front of the Minister's home. The anti-apparating charms had been lifted for the party guests. A few years back, they had an incident with a woman that had too much to drink and her husband couldn't convince her to leave.
She had made quite a spectacle of herself before her husband had finally gotten her outside. So now, you could apparate out of the party from anywhere on the grounds, but still could only arrive near the front door.
Aurors were set all over the grounds to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Several were placed at the front door to guard against anyone getting inside that shouldn't be inside, others were sporadically placed to watch the exits or the hallways. All the Aurors were, of course, dressed for the party as well, so as to not throw off the aesthetics of the night's festivities. Whose idea that was, Hermione had no idea, since she thought worrying about the aesthetics of a party was silly where security was concerned.
The Minister had a special charm placed on him so as to not allow apparition out of the party within a 100-foot radius to prevent kidnappings. Not that was really an issue these days, but why take the risk of ignoring such things, especially when it had happened before. Granted, that was before the end of the war, but better safe than sorry.
Ginny knocked on the door, while Hermione suddenly realized she hadn't changed her dress before coming. Ron not caring to see her before she left had annoyed her so much she had forgotten. Damn him, she mentally snarked.
Hermione now remembered the skimpy dress and didn't want to go inside. Even as Hermione protested, Ginny had to almost drag her inside once the door opened. Ginny pulled Hermione past the front door and to the edge of the room where the party was in full swing.
The redhead pulled off her cloak and handed it to a wizard who was wearing traditional butler robes. The man took her cloak, running his wand over the garment, before next, running the wand over Ginny's hand to bind the cloak to her. That way it didn't get mixed up in the large room of other cloaks. The item would only be able to be placed upon the witch or wizard that checked the items.
Seeing Hermione holding her cloak to her like a life vest, Ginny smirked. "Mione, you have to take off the cloak to check it."
Hermione glared at her friend. "I don't want to check it. I happy wearing it, thanks."
Ginny reached over to take it from her, but Hermione jerked away. Ginny sighed. "Mione, you're being silly. Now take it off and hand it to the nice wizard to check."
Hermione continued to glare. "You know, I think I'll keep it. It looks a bit chilly inside anyway. Wouldn't want to catch a cold."
Ginny laughed, unable to help herself. "Hermione Jean Granger, take that damn cloak off or I'll use my wand to take it off." She tried to sound firm and menacing, but it lost something since she was still laughing.
Hermione lifted her chin. "Ginny, I'm not ready to show off this poor excuse of a dress that you all but shoved me into just yet."
Ginny lifted a brow. "I'll have you know that dress was made by a very fashionable and popular designer, thank you very much. It's not a poor excuse of an anything, and it looks divine on you."
When Hermione still wouldn't release the death grip on the cloak, Ginny sighed. "You know if you keep it on, people will notice you more and someone is bound to use their wand to make you take it off. You can either act like an adult and do so now, or you can look like a petulant child and have it taken from you later."
When Hermione loosened the grip on the cloak, Ginny quickly unclasped it and all but tore it from her shoulders. Hermione gasped in surprise as Ginny held it out to the now smirking wizard in front of them.
He performed the same binding spell to it as he had done all night, guaranteeing the cloak stayed until Hermione came back for it. With a satisfied smirk, Ginny took Hermione's elbow, as her friend continued to glare, and led her farther into the party.
They ran into Kingsley immediately and the man's jaw all but dropped at the sight of Hermione in her dress. Hermione blushed and stuttered a greeting. Recovering, Kingsley pulled her into a hug.
"Hermione, you look absolutely stunning. I almost didn't recognize you. How are you, my dear? I don't get to see you nearly enough at the Ministry." Kingsley said as he took another full look at Hermione's curvy body encased in the sapphire silk dress.
Ginny bit back a smirk at seeing how much their dear friend Kingsley was looking at Hermione. She had a feeling this was going to happen a lot tonight. Hermione never wore anything to show off her beautiful self.
"Thank you, Kingley. I am very well. It's no surprise we don't see each other at the Ministry since you are the Minister and are very busy these days." Hermione said, doing her best not to fidget under his gaze.
Kingsley smiled and looked over at Ginny. "My dear Ginny, how are you fairing these days? I see you even less than our Hermione here."
Ginny grinned. "I am well. Harry, as I'm sure you know, is well too. You didn't have to send him off before Christmas, you know." She chided gently.
Kingsley smiled. "I'm sorry, Ginny, but it couldn't be helped. However, I promise he will be back in a few days, well in time for Christmas Day."
She chuckled. "Well, thanks for that Kings. I appreciate it."
They chatted for a bit with Kingsley, then moved on to mingle in the crowd. Ginny took two empty champagne glasses, which filled instantly after she picked them up off a tray. She handed one to Hermione, who quickly drank it down in hopes that it would settle her nerves.
It again refilled itself instantly with the same expensive bubbly liquid. Hermione sipped it more slowly this time, as they moved through the crowd of people. Some were Ministry workers that held important positions, some were just high-ranking officials, or just rich members of society.
The guest list had been hand-picked so only the best of the best were invited. Which was why it was a big deal that she not skip the party again this year. It was an honor to be invited and she didn't want Kingsley to think she was snubbing him.
Hermione was tense a good chunk of the first hour or so of the party. She saw many people stopping to take a second look at her in her dress. She silently cursed Ginny for picking it out during that first hour. The dress really did show off too much skin in Hermione's opinion.
During Hermione's second hour at the party, she slowly started to relax. Her shoulders losing their stiff feel and settling back into her normal straight posture. Her head held high, her smiles becoming freer and easier. Her laughter flowing from her easily too, instead of feeling like it was being forced.
Hermione was starting to enjoy herself. The looks she was receiving no longer bothered her. She didn't even realize that the looks were not from people being rude, but were looks of interest instead. The single men and some of the married ones glanced her way more than once in appreciation.
The two ladies were unaware that they had been noticed earlier while Ginny tried to convince Hermione to take off the cloak at the start of the night. Pale gray eyes had taken in the scene with a slight smirk at Hermione's obvious reluctance to part with the item of clothing. It had made him wonder if her dress was that hideous underneath.
When she had taken it off, he had sucked in a breath. Merlin, she is gorgeous. Why would she want to hide such a wonderful dress? Especially, one that molds to her…surprisingly, lovely body? How did I miss the fact that she has turned into a rather beautiful young lady?
He knew how, since he hadn't really seen her in years. She had still been a child really, the last time he had seen her in person. Granted, he saw her in the papers now and then, but never looking like she did tonight. He had kept an ear out, of course, but not a full eye out like seeing her made him think he should have.
Plus, most of the photos had not been very flattering, nor had all of the stories in the paper. Rita Skeeter loved writing about the trio of heroes in a very unflattering light whenever she could. It seemed Hermione Granger got the worst of it all too.
If Rita wrote an article about any of them, Hermione was always portrayed in a harsh way. The owner of the gray eyes knew better than to believe what that obnoxious woman wrote, but he did wonder if any of the horrible things said about Hermione Granger were true.
He knew that she was engaged, though that had happened a few years ago. He never read about a wedding, but then again, he didn't really read the gossip pages. The only reason he heard about the engagement was because his wife had told him at breakfast one morning. Her voice icy as she commented on the mudblood getting engaged to the youngest Weasley boy. The slur had him clenching his jaw in annoyance, it wasn't a word he used any longer. Nor was it one he tolerated spoken in his presence either.
His wife didn't sit with him at breakfast any longer these days. She no longer lived with him either. He never had to lift his pale gray eyes at the woman and hear her cold words on anything. They were no longer married. Something he was very happy about. They had been divorced for over three years now.
His pale eyes followed Hermione during the whole party, since the moment he noticed her. He was hidden from view in his vantage point high above the large room where the party was taking place. It was a room that not many people were aware of. It's existence solely for observing without anyone's knowledge of being observed.
Lucius Malfoy was standing in a loft that let him see the whole room and even into the gardens outside. He had been shown this room by a former Minister of Magic, and since the house came with the job, Lucius usually spent his time in this same loft while in attendance to any Ministry functions hosted here.
He didn't like to mingle. Since Lucius' divorce, he had been decreed one the most eligible bachelors in the wizarding world. Which meant he was always hounded at these things. He didn't even bother bringing an escort anymore since it did no good. He still had women flirt with him or do whatever they could to get his attention. Even with his date standing next to him.
He knew what those other women wanted too. They wanted his money. He knew it and was fine with it, well, most days anyway. While, yes, he was handsome, it wasn't his good looks or his skills as a lover that they were after when they were with him. All these women really saw with him, was a way of life that they seemed to want above all else.
A lot of parties to go to, a lot of fancy clothes to buy and wear, a lot of jewels to acquire and show off. Lucius Malfoy, as well as, the Malfoy vaults that had been filled and refilled many times over the generations, were an easy way to escape from the day-to-day life that included working hard and not having much. He could have looked like a toad and they'd still fawn all over him for a chance at his pocket book.
Which was why Lucius doubted he would ever marry again. He didn't want to marry a gold digger. So, he had his little affairs. Affairs that did cost him money, but nothing like having a wife would cost him. He bought the presents, controlled what was spent and when, all while enjoying what the different ladies offered up as enticements, so that he might open his wallet. Though, maybe 'ladies' was not the correct word to use for what these women truly were. No real 'lady' would offer up their body as payment for a few precious jewels or expensive clothes.
Lucius' eyes still following the young witch in the sapphire silk dress, he wondered if the term 'lady' was accurate in her case. Knowing what he did about her, he'd bet his last sickle that it was, and that she wouldn't offer any kind of enticement simply for a shiny bauble. His eyes slipping down her curvy frame, a thought slipped in out of know where. What a pity.
The out of place thought brought him back to the party at hand, and he pushed the errant thought away. Lucius had seen her start out very nervous which he found interesting. She was a strong and brave little thing when encountered with something dangerous. She had fought so courageously during the war. Faced many Death Eaters, himself included, and each time she had lifted that stubborn chin of hers while staring them down. Why would a simple party make her nervous after what she's seen and done?
He watched her guzzle down her first glass of champagne like it was water and she was dying of thirst. He knew the spirits served this evening were very expensive and he hated seeing any good spirit wasted. He did see her breath deeply afterward and then only sip from her glass afterward.
Lucius realized she was hoping some liquid courage would help steady her. It made him smile. This girl, this woman whom had always seemed fearless, truly wasn't as brave as she made out to be. It seemed to humanize her a bit. Make her more like the rest of them.
Well, maybe not like him. Though, he wasn't fearless, but he hid it well. She normally hid it well too, apparently. Before tonight Lucius never would have guessed she had any real fears.
Maybe it does make her more like me after all, he decided, still following her with his eyes. No one had seen her nervousness thus far. No one was paying attention to her close enough to notice her fear. They were all too enamored with how she looked in her dress to look too closely at her face.
He watched, his pale silver eyes taking in not only her delectable body squeezed into a very expensive dress, but he took in her face. Her eyes that slowly warmed the more she talked with different ones. Her shoulders and back that seemed to relax as time passed.
The sight of her back had him frowning slightly. Are those dimples? He wondered as he gazed at her bare back again, before pushing the thought away.
Lucius noticed her head lifting, showing more stubbornness and pluck than earlier in the night. However, it was her lips that he noticed most of all. The shimmering full lips that seemed to smile more as the night wore on. The shiny flesh that parted and moved as she spoke, they drew his gaze more and more. He couldn't hear her laugh, but he saw how it lit up her whole face.
Yes, Miss Hermione Granger was a puzzle to him. Lucius had done his best to make amends to everyone in wizarding world that he had felt he wronged.
Whether it was by donating his funds to help the families that lost members due to the war, or by donating to rebuild what was burned or destroyed. He had done what he could to make up for the sins of his past.
Lucius had even hired a few private men to search out those few Death Eaters that had escaped incarceration, so that they could be captured and sentenced to life in Azkaban. It hadn't taken much to have their locations given up to Aurors, ones who only thought they were blending into the seedy pubs they were staking out while undercover.
Some might think he'd betrayed his brethren by helping them be captured. However, those Lucius gave up, didn't deserve any loyalty from him or anyone. They were the depraved souls that should never be free to hurt anyone like they had during the war. The ones that reveled in the torture and death of innocent lives. The ones that were ordered to get information from a person they'd kidnapped, and in doing so left more scars to the person's psyche than they did to their bodies. Sometimes leaving the person praying for death due to the violations that had been done to them or their families.
It had sickened Lucius to know what a few of his fellow Death Eaters had enjoyed. The platinum haired man had done his best to make sure they never saw the light of day again. If they perished while being arrested, or before Aurors even got to them, so be it. If they survived, only to end up spending their remaining days in a dreary cell that eventually leeched them of their sanity, that was fine with him too. Either way, they wouldn't harm another soul again.
During the repairs of the wizarding world, Lucius also did what he could to help the Trio of Heroes, as the paper labeled them, and their families. He had done his best to help the Weasley family, paid contractors to rebuild their oddly shaped home, though he made sure Arthur and Molly never knew it came from him. Landscapers were sent to replant their vegetable gardens and orchards, to put up new fences to keep unwanted pests out, and to build a new shed for Arthur to tinker in, all under the guise of Ministry laborers. Oddly enough, Arthur Weasley never checked to see who had sent them, he was just glad to have the help. Molly never wondered where to new pots and pans she received came from either, she was too busy cooking for all the hungry workers and her family.
With the family squared away, Lucius moved on to Ronald Weasley directly. Though it didn't take long to see how the aristocrat could help with him. All Ronald Weasley wanted was to get onto his favorite quidditch team. It hadn't taken much to get the head coach to give Mr. Weasley a second look after the boy had botched his original try out. A greased palm here and there, and the boy had found himself offered a spot on the team.
The young red head had been ecstatic to be able to join them. It had always been his dream, after all. He was happy to forgive the silver eyed man for his past misdeeds to able to play for his favorite team. Of course, Lucius had requested that the younger Weasley keep his role in getting on the team a secret. Explaining, that he didn't want the papers to get wind of it and make it a fuss. He'd hate for the Daily Prophet to make Ron's career hell by saying the young man had sold out.
The blond aristocrat knew it had sounded manipulative as soon as he'd said it, not that the boy seemed to notice, but it was the truth. If word had gotten out that Lucius Malfoy had gotten Ronald Weasley onto the team, it would have been a scandal the young man wouldn't have ever lived down. Any good the boy might do for the team would be ignored, and any bad would be dissected and thrown back at redhead again and again. He'd be miserable living that way, and it would undo any good that Lucius was trying to do.
Ron had been only too happy to accept these conditions, as he didn't want everyone to know that he hadn't been able to make the team on his own. That he'd failed after boasting for weeks that he'd be great and that the team would be lucky to have someone like him.
Of course, the young man's career didn't last long. He wasn't that strong of a player and after many attempts by the coach to help train him to be better, the redhead had been let go after only two seasons. Ron had still been happy to have been a part of the team and told the silver-eyed man that he still forgave him, thanking him for opening the door to begin with. Now the boy was back at Potter's home.
Harry hadn't any extended wizarding family to help. From what Lucius could gather, the Dursley's were not part of the war, they hadn't suffered at Voldemort's hands, and Potter didn't have anything to do with them after the war ended either. When Lucius approached the young man himself, Harry had turned him away. After many attempts to persuade the young man to at least listen, the silver eyed man had finally succeeded in getting Harry to hear him out. Once Lucius was finished, Potter had told him that if the aristocrat did what he could to help the families of those that needed it to recover from the war, then he could forgive the former Death Eater.
Since this was something he was already secretly doing, not that it stayed a secret for long, it hadn't been a problem. Lucius, still feeling guilty for his role in the war, had tried to do more, but Potter didn't want anything from him. Why would he? Potter had his own money to do what he wished and pretty young wife to keep him happy.
Racking his brain for weeks as more repairs were made, he'd finally been inspired. Lucius set up a foundation in the name of Harry's fallen relatives for orphaned witches and wizards. In doing so, his parents and his godfather would always be remembered and honored. The foundation ensured that any child that needed money to attend Hogwarts later, would be able to do so, no matter their circumstances. Whether it be for clothes, books, or simply some pocket money for trips to Hogsmeade now and again. Every child, no matter if they were pure blood, half blood, or muggleborn, would be able to attend the great school, and able to do so comfortably.
A few months after it had been announced in the papers, though the benefactor was never discovered, Lucius had run into Potter at the Ministry. The young man had stared hard at him when they bumped into each other in an empty lift. Several moments passed before Harry reached out and shook the blond man's hand. The softly spoken words of, "I forgive you" had barley left the young man's lips, before the elevator dinged and Potter stepped off, leaving Lucius to stand alone as a heavy weight lifted from his chest.
However, it was the third party of the trio that he never tried to make amends with, though he desperately wanted to. He didn't know what to offer, even with all that he knew of her. What can I do? What can I say to make things right with her? He still to this day didn't know. She had been the one who had been treated worse by him more than anyone.
She had lost her parents, lost the home she had grown up in, and been painfully tortured in his home. He had been forced to stand by and watch Bellatrix do it too. It was his son that Lucius had taught to hate those like her, his son that had tormented her for years during her tenure at Hogwarts. He and his son were the ones that had taunted her every chance they got with the filthy name of Mudblood. The word still left a bad taste in his mouth when he thought of it.
How can I even begin to make amends for what I did to her? For what I allowed to happen in my home? How would I even approach her? It was these questions that had made him reluctant to go to her at all in the last eight years. He didn't take rejection well, and he couldn't see her doing anything, but rejecting him and his efforts. Granted Potter had turned him away, but this…she was who Lucius felt the heaviest weight of guilt from. It was her absolution that he needed most of all.
However, watching her now, seeing how utterly lovely she was, was an absolute shock. He would never have guessed that the same girl he met ages ago in Diagon Alley with rat-nested hair, who was barely what some might call pretty, though from what Draco had told him was annoyingly smart, would turn into such a beautiful woman.
He knew she was still smart, but he wasn't sure of the annoying part. Her bushy hair was gone, or at least tamed tonight, so that all that was left were silky, full curls and ringlets that hung down her back. However, it was her face that kept drawing his eyes.
Her face held not only beauty, but also openness and honesty. It showed so many things. Her eyes alone spoke of what she thought and felt. He watched her be polite to a somewhat rotund man who was obviously flirting with her, but her eyes held not only humor, but blatant disinterest as well.
Of course, the man wasn't looking in her eyes, he was staring at her breasts. Her lush, creamy breasts that were very prominent this evening, what with the tight bodice of her dress showcasing them so very nicely.
Lucius smirked at he saw her eyes go from disinterest to annoyance at the man who didn't seem to get the hint. Her redheaded friend, he saw, was finally able to rescue her and pull her away before her temper got the better of her. Though, Lucius would have been amused to see her put the man in his place.
She was intriguing, no doubt about it. Though, intriguing or not, he stayed hidden in the shadowed loft up above the party. Happy to merely watch while several other men made rather foolish attempts to gain her attention during different conversations. She, of course, stayed polite, but anybody with any real intelligence could read that she wasn't interested if they would just watch her body language.
Lucius was good at reading people's body language. It was why he was so successful in all of his ventures. Not only financially, but personally as well.
The few Death Eaters that had escaped life in Azkaban and had been rehabilitated were normally very wealthy to begin with. Having changed their loyalties with the changing favor of the war's outcome. Those that had been spared life in prison had been forced to donate to those families in need and rebuilding. To spend their wealth fixing what they had helped to destroy.
Most Death Eater went broke while spending every dime they had trying not to go back to Azkaban. One Death Eater, though, hadn't been bankrupted by it all. He had been smart enough to use his powerful connections to keep his flow of money coming in faster than it was going out. Though, just barely at times.
However, with his good name restored, or as restored as it was likely to get, Lucius was just as wealthy now as he had been before the war, if not more so. He had served his time in Azkaban too. It wasn't as long as some of this fellow Death Eaters, but he'd changed sides in time to save himself a life sentence. Everyone had expected him to get off scott-free with only a few well-placed bribes needed to do so.
However, when it came time for Lucius' trial, he'd ended up serving one full year in Azkaban, plus another two years spent on rehabilitation while under house arrest. Some may not believe that only a single year in Azkaban was much of a punishment, considering his many misdeeds, but obviously they'd never spent even a single night in that hell hole. Lucius spent not only his full year after the trial, but all the months from his previous incarceration there too.
When he was offered parole with the conditions of rehabilitation and eventual community service, Lucius had kissed the feet of the man that offered such a blessing to him. A night in Azkaban was scary, a month was absolutely hellacious, but a full year or more? That was debilitating, not only to one's body, to a person's mind too.
Especially when you considered that visitors were not allowed, so your only company were Aurors that had no desire to speak to the inmates. Of course, there was always the occasional dementor that slipped inside now and then, to drain any hope or fleeting happiness from those that had no way to fight them off. The Aurors would eventually investigate the screams coming from the cells, but a good half dozen men would have been attacked before a decent Patronus was mustered up.
It had taken a long time before Lucius could even sleep a full night in bed without waking in sheer terror. Convinced a dementor had returned to make him suffer, to take any good thoughts from him, leaving him only with his regret and guilt.
He found himself thankful that Draco never experienced such a place. That his son was spared Azkaban and only had to go through rehabilitation and house arrest. The same with Narcissa. As much as he might be glad to be free of her, he would never wish those kinds of nightmares on his ex-wife.
Now, Lucius appreciated his home and freedom in ways he never did before. Appreciated the luxuries his home offered, with the house elves to care for those inside it. Creatures he no longer mistreated, but now valued for their services they willingly gave him. Creatures he'd offered freedom to, after having experienced losing his own, only to have them decline the clothing he offered.
Lucius had started donating very substantial amounts of gold to those in need after the war as soon as he was home. He didn't need the Ministry to demand it of him, he already knew he needed to make amends for his wrong doings. He knew he'd do whatever it took to never have to go back to that prison again.
After finally catching wind of Lucius' deeds, the papers glorified what he did. Since he started helping long before the Ministry demanded it of him, he was heralded for it. They practically made him out to be a hero to those that needed it, during a time when people needed so much. It was almost like what he had done was forgotten and forgiven. He knew too that everything he gave, actually helped those that really needed it. Which was why he continued to do as much as he did, even after it was no longer required of him by the Ministry.
He again was pulled from his thoughts as the orchestra for the night started to play and several couples started to dance. He tore his gaze from the beautiful Gryffindor and gazed upon the dancers on the floor. Most were nice dancers, but a few were obviously clumsy, and not used to the grace needed to perform the required moves and steps.
It didn't take long for Lucius' eyes to roam away from the dancefloor. To skate across the room until it found the lovely figure that he had watched most of the night so far. He saw her engrossed in another conversation with the Minister again. A beautiful smile shone on her face.
"Lucius." A deep silky voice said. "I thought I'd find you up here."
Lucius Malfoy turned his head and looked at his dear friend. "Ah, Severus. I didn't realize you had decided to join the party our dear Minister invited us to." His silver eyes taking in his old friend's black ones.
Severus curled his lip. "It seems our dear Minister, as you put it, informed me that if I didn't show up this year, he would personally make sure I attended the next one with an escort of his choosing to bring me. I highly doubt he would pick one I would enjoy either."
Lucius smirked. "Well then, I guess that explains your sudden appearance. Does the Minister know you are here?" His smooth and elegant voice echoing in the tiny room.
Severus sneered. "Oh yes. I made sure he was aware of my appearance immediately. I may be here, but I don't have to join in…the festivities, as it were."
Lucius chuckled softly before going back to watching Hermione. Both men stayed leaning against the railing above the room.
Severus made several comments on different ones. After not getting much response from Lucius, Severus glanced over at his old friend. It didn't take long to realize the blond man was occupied by whatever he was looking at instead. Severus frowned and tried to follow his friend's gaze. He didn't see anything particularly entertaining himself.
Finally, he spotted Ginerva Potter talking with a small group of ministry workers, but that didn't warrant as much interest as Lucius seemed to have on the small group chatting. Severus saw Lucius smile slightly and frowned again.
Then, his gaze fell upon a woman in sapphire silk. She was very nice to look at, but her face was turned away. He couldn't make out who she was exactly. Nor could he see what was so entertaining about the woman. She was lovely, yes, but Lucius was used to being around lovely women, so it had to be more than simply her looks that caught his intrigue.
Something caught the woman's attention and she turned fully towards them. Severus raised an eyebrow in thought. She looked familiar but…bugger me, is that…no…wait…yes, it is. It's that the annoying know-it-all Gryffindor. The girl who was the bane of my existence while a student.
Severus was so surprised he didn't even realize he had spoken. "Bloody hell, is that Hermione Granger?"
Lucius smirked, his eyes still glued to the woman in question. "The woman in the sapphire blue dress currently laughing? Yes, I believe it is."
Severus glanced over at Lucius. "What on earth is that dress she is wearing? I don't think I've ever seen her wearing anything so…provocative before." She'd certainly never wore anything that revealing while in school. Nor did she seem the type to ever wear anything like that. She always seemed kind of…dull, truth be told. A bit of a prude, really. Apparently, Severus had been mistaken about her.
Lucius chuckled softly. "That dress is from a very well-known designer, if I'm correct. She does the designer justice in wearing it."
Severus smirked. "You would know. You're probably correct too, with clothes you usually are. She does fill the dress out very well. I never knew what a nice body she was hiding under her school robes. Too bad."
Lucius looked over at Severus, who was already looking at Hermione again, so the dark man missed the slightly annoyed look he was thrown by his platinum haired friend. Lucius suppressed a sigh and went back to watching the woman that had held his attention for the majority of the night thus far.
Both men stood watching her for several moments longer, before suddenly, Lucius heard Severus chuckle. Tearing his grey eyes away again, he saw the dark man's lips slowly turn into a smirk.
"I may have to go down and be sociable after all. I'd hate to miss an opportunity to say hello to a former student." Severus said slowly rubbing his hands together.
Before Lucius could respond, the darker man was already leaving the hidden loft.
AN: A lot has happened since the end of the war and I wanted everyone to see Lucius' frame of mind. I've read a lot of stories where LM or even SS spends time in Azkaban and they come out fine, and I've never understood how that could be. I know cannon says they got rid of Dementors, but I could see some slinking back in for a few meals from the prisoners. I could see Aurors not being so quick to rescue the 'criminals' from the dark creatures that only stole their happiness and hope. Anyway, that's just my thoughts. More coming soon. Take care, and please leave me your thoughts.