A/N: Hello all my lovely readers. Thank you for the reviews, I thoroughly enjoyed them all. I haven't' had time to respond to them all, but I will. Here we see Hermione in her new flat and the reunion of our favorite pair. Enjoy!

Chapter 25

Another week had passed, and Draco was still not talking to Hermione. Not only that, he could not even be bothered to glance in her direction when he was near her. She still didn't understand, but he wouldn't tell her what was going on. If she asked, he kept silent.

Her floo had been activated and her wards were set to allow both Draco and Lucius to come through. Hermione had even gone as far as to set her apparation wards to allow them directly into her home, but neither had bother to show. She hadn't heard from Lucius, so she assumed he wasn't back yet. She missed him, and hated sleeping alone in her new bed, a bed she'd found was not nearly as comfortable as the one at Malfoy Manor.

Ginny and Harry came by her new place and loved it. Ginny had waited until Harry had gone to the loo to quickly ask how Lucius liked it. Hermione had sighed and said he'd been out of town for the past two weeks now and hadn't seen it yet.

Neither had realized Harry was back in the room until he spoke. "Lucius Malfoy isn't out of town. He was just talking to Kingsley the other day. Hermione, you can't really expect a man who you saw every day for the past couple of months, to come running over here just because you're not there to talk to him. You're just friends, and new ones at that."

Hermione had felt like someone knocked the wind out of her. Lucius had been home, at least for a few days, and he still hadn't come see her. He hadn't even contacted her.

Seeing Hermione's distress and knowing why, Ginny quickly distracted Harry before he noticed his friend's hurt look. Pointing out the view of the park and talking about how lovely it would be come summer.

It had taken a few minutes, but Hermione recovered and went back to entertaining her friends. Deciding that while Lucius might be back, he was probably behind on his other business stuff with him being gone for so long. Which could explain why he'd been to see Kingsley, but not stopped by her flat yet.

Ginny had given her a look as they went to leave, saying they'd talk later. Hermione had smiled and waved her off, saying she'd swing by Grimmauld Place one day soon.

Another three days passed, and Hermione was furious. Where the hell is he? He'd had been back at least five days, and he had yet to come see her or even owl her. Though she wasn't sure exactly when he'd gotten home, so it could have been longer. She hadn't seen him in almost three weeks now, and she wanted to know why he had not come to visit her. Didn't he want to see her at all?

Spitting mad, she had walked over to her floo, grabbed a handful of floo powder and called out Malfoy Manor. The fireplace roared to life with green flames, and stepping inside, she was whisked away.

The room she arrived in was very dark when she stepped out of the fireplace and cleaned off the ash. Calling out Lumos, her wand lit brightly and showed she was back in her borrowed bedroom. Since this is where it always dropped her before when she floo'd, she decided that meant that the wards had her tied to this one and only this one, unless maybe, she was more specific.

With a sigh, she moved to the door, killing her wand light as it opened. She hoped Lucius didn't mind, but she hadn't had a choice in her destination. She hadn't gone more than half a dozen steps when a hand on her shoulder had her squeaking in alarm.

Turning, she saw Lucius staring back at her, a curious look on his face. "Any reason you're skulking around in the dark, my dear?"

Her hand on her chest to calm her racing heart, she huffed out a breath, still annoyed at his lack of contact, and she was even more annoyed now that he'd scared her. "I wasn't skulking, the damn floo dropped me in my old room. It was dark, and I was coming to find you."

Lucius' eyes seemed to measure her, as if weighing her answer to him. The realization ticked her off even more. Not seeing a lie in her eyes, he shrugged. "I'll have to fix that for you. After you tell me where you'd like it to drop you, of course. Now, how did you know I was back?"

Hermione tilted her head slightly, confused at his words. "Well...Harry told me a few days ago, that he saw you a few days before that talking to Kings. I figured that meant you were back."

He hummed softly. "So, you're here...?" Waiting for her to fill in the blank for him.

Hermione frowned. "Well...I…I came to see you. I thought...I can go if you wish, I didn't mean to disturb you, if you're busy." Feeling unsure if this was as good of an idea as she had originally thought it was.

His eyes skimmed over her, taking in her fitted purple blouse with many lighter purple buttons, and her favorite muggle jeans that he thought should have been burned long ago. "Not too busy, no. Come with me."

Taking her hand, though she was still confused, Lucius turned and headed back towards his bedroom. Opening the door and leading her inside, there he turned to her, standing in the middle of the room. "So how have you been, my dear?" Seeming genuinely interested.

His question at odds with how he acted out in the hall. "I've been well, and you? How did your business trip go?" She said, a knit to her brow.

Lucius smiled. "As...expected, but I did manage to get some time by the pool at my hotel."

Hermione frowned slightly. "Er...that's good, I suppose…um…Lucius, I came to talk to you about something."

Lucius smiled as he moved the few steps until he stopped right in front of her, which made her have to tilt her head back to see him. "Did you?"

His finger reached out to trace her cheek, before he cupped it. Her eyes closed briefly at the contact as she sighed softly, she had missed him, but he was acting so strange.

Her eyes fluttered open, knowing she had to talk to him, but before she could utter a single word, he leaned down and kissed her. His tongue running along the seam of her lips as she automatically opened to him.

His arm slipped around her waist to pull her flush against him, her hands landing on his chest with the movement. His hand at her cheek moving to dive into her hair as he deepened the kiss, as her hands slowly slid up around his neck. It wasn't long before he was leading her, while he turned them both slightly, and walked her backwards, as he continued to kiss her. The back of her legs hitting something, made her grip tighten on him to keep from falling over.

Breaking the kiss, Lucius gave Hermione a gentle push, and the effect with her dazed from the kiss had her falling backward, with a small startled yelp. Only to have her back land on the mattress of his bed.

Lucius followed quickly, as she gazed up at him in confusion once again. His lips finding Hermione's as he moved them to the middle of the bed, laying width wise across the soft bedding. His hands instantly sliding down her sides, moving to caress her breasts while still clothed.

Lucius' hands found her shirt, quickly pulling it open, causing the buttons to fly every which direction. The cool air hitting her skin cleared her mind partially. Her hand at his chest, she broke the kiss and she gave a light press against him to stop him.

"Lucius, wait, we need to talk." She said as his mouth found her neck instead.

"I don't want to talk, my dear." His teeth scraping her tender flesh, just under her ear, and making her moan in pleasure. "I doubt you really want to either."

Lucius hands moved to her breasts, squeezing them through her bra, as his lips found hers again. Hermione was slowly losing herself in his kiss, as his scent, the one she'd missed while he was gone, surrounded her and made her head fuzzy.

Before Hermione knew it, her shirt was pulled from her. Her jeans unbuttoned as Lucius' hands cupped her rear and pulled her tighter against him, so she could feel his arousal.

Feeling it, Hermione tried again, breaking this kiss and pressing lightly against his chest. "Wait, Lucius, I really want to talk to you."

Lucius sighed and sat up, shifting away from her. "Actually, I have something for you, my dear. I picked it up on my trip, and I thought you might like it." Leaning over and opening his nightstand, missing her frown at his sudden change.

Lucius pulled out a brown parchment wrapped package and moved back towards Hermione. Holding it out for her to take.

Hermione looked at the rectangle in his hands, before looking back in his pale gray eyes. "Er...thank you. I...I didn't expect a gift." Not understanding why he'd changed the subject.

When Hermione didn't make a move to take it, Lucius shifted her hands so they were palm side up, so he could set it in them. She looked down at it and Lucius spoke again. "Open it, my dear."

Hermione moved slowly, unwrapping the twine around it and pulling the parchment from the package. The smell of leather hit her nose as she stared down at the thick book in her hands.

Hermione's eyes moved to scan the title, her lips parting at realizing he had gotten her a very rare book, a book on magical creatures and their true history. Not the stuff they taught at Hogwarts, but a book written over a century ago that spoke of the different creatures' true heritage and lore.

Hermione had heard of the book, but had never seen a copy, or even a reprint of the text hidden inside the aged leather. Her eyes met Lucius', finding him studying her intently. "Thank you, Lucius. I have no clue where you even found this book, but, thank you." Her voice soft, but sincere.

Setting it down to wrap her arms around his neck and hug him to her with her face resting on his shoulder. Lucius arms were around her lightly before pulling back and kissing her again. Hermione met his kiss, keeping it gentle, only he deepened it, bringing her harder against his frame.

Lucius pulled her over to straddle his lap as his hands skimmed over Hermione's curves once again. She knew they hadn't been together in a while, knew she wanted him as well, but this wasn't like him. To keep pushing her when she was obviously trying to talk to him.

When his mouth moved to her neck once again, she spoke. "Lucius, I'm trying to talk to you. Would you please stop long enough for me to do so?" Her voice coming out weak and almost as a sigh with what he was doing to her.

Lucius' thumb rubbing her nipple through her lacy bra, he nipped the flesh of her neck making Hermione moan before he spoke against her skin. "My dear, you've gotten your present, now I want my thank you for it."

It took Hermione moment for her brain to comprehend what he'd just said to her. A moment where she was starting to fully melt against him, but when she registered what Lucius actually said, all the heat pooling inside her vanished. The platinum haired man might as well have doused her with a bucket of icy water.

Hermione pushed away from him. "Excuse me?" She asked incredulously.

Lucius sighed again. "I've given you your present to make up for my absence, now I want to have you."

Hermione stared at him, her mouth opening and closing like a fish before she climbed off his lap. "You gave me a present and now expect me to sleep with you because of it?"

Lucius raised a perfectly groomed brow. "It's what I do, my dear."

Hermione frowned, not understanding his words. "But...I've never needed anything to be with you before. Why would you think I would now?"

Lucius stood, and she backed up a few paces. "Hermione, it's been lovely having you here at my disposal, but...it's how these things work. I take a lover, I give her gifts, and I get what I desire in return. What I desire is to have you in my bed right now. Otherwise, I have things to attend to."

She stared at him dumbfounded. Did he really just say that to me? "You make it sound like I'm...some kind of...kept woman."

Lucius smirked, his mask carefully back in place. "Let me see if I can help you understand this. You're an intelligent woman, you shouldn't need my help, but I'll give you a hand. You stayed here because of my generous nature, and you let me into your bed because you were...appreciative of my generosity." Ending his words with a shrug.

Hermione felt like Lucius had just slapped her. She stood there, her pants still unbuttoned and only in her bra, since he had torn the buttons on her shirt before tossing it away, and she couldn't believe what he'd just said to her. Lucius gaze flickered to the platinum chain around her neck, the one he'd been distracted from noticing earlier, before his gaze hardened.

Hermione couldn't understand him, here her heart was breaking and Lucius just stood there staring at her like it was her own fault. Forcing herself to try and ignore her aching heart, she lifted her chin and spoke quietly. "I'm sorry that is how you saw it, Lucius." Buttoning her pants as she spoke.

Hermione turned away and headed for his floo, grabbing a handful of powder, she went to throw it in, but Lucius hand on her arm stopped her. "My dear, you don't have to look so upset. This is how these things work, you're old enough to know that. Now, take your present and I'll see you soon, when you're in a much better frame of mind."

Lucius placed the book in her hand before moving away towards his balcony. Hermione stared at his retreating form, tears forming in her eyes. She tossed the floo powder and stated her destination, but nothing happened.

"I'm sorry, my dear, the floo in my room only works for me, but you may use another one. Your old room, the sitting room, my office, it doesn't matter which one." He said, his voice sounding bored as he looked back at her again.

Hermione closed her eyes as her heart cracked just a little more at his thoughtless words. Lucius mentioned his office like he didn't know she had a history with it. She had barely stood in that room before he left, and couldn't even step the rug, and she would need to do that to get to his fireplace. He knew that room terrified her too, and he tossed it so casually like her fears didn't matter. Or maybe they just don't matter to him, she decided.

Opening them again, Hermione's hand clenched around the book, before she raised it, ready to chuck it at him, but she stopped herself. Lucius saw her lower her hand again, and he raised an eyebrow at her, as a smirk formed on his lips at thinking she didn't want to risk destroying her present.

Hermione set the book down on the mantle, she didn't want it. She didn't want anything from the man smirking at her, but she wouldn't ruin the ancient text by throwing it at him either. She respected books too much to throw it at his head like he deserved.

Now the crystal paperweight on the mantle next to the book, now that was a completely different story. Grabbing it up, Hermione chucked it at him with all of her might. Lucius dodged it easily and his eyes darkened as it shattered on the wall behind him.

"You are a bastard, Lucius Malfoy, and I can't believe I thought..." A single tear escaping to run down her cheek as she let out a humorless laugh. "It doesn't matter what I thought, obviously I was wrong."

Lucius' smirk faded, and something in his eyes flashed in his eyes at seeing the lone tear. A frown marred lips, and his grey eyes grew thoughtful. Did I miss something? He wondered. Why the tears if…

Hermione backed towards the door, as he quickly ran everything though his head. "Don't worry about coming to see me later." She told him. "I don't want you anywhere near me ever again." Another tear escaping her.

Hermione ran from the room, missing Lucius' eyes widening and his lips parting in shock at the realization that he had made a serious error in his thoughts. The door banged against the wall with the force of her opening it, not caring that she was only in her bra and jeans, she just had to get out of there.

Hermione pulled her wand and tried to apparate as she left Lucius' room, but it didn't work. Thinking she was too upset, maybe, to properly manage the spell, she tried to focus her thoughts as she ran down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, Hermione tried to apparate again, and again it didn't work. It had her thinking that maybe she no longer had permission to apparate out of the house. Lucius could have changed it the moment he got back from his trip.

She would just use the floo in the sitting room, she decided as tears still rained down her cheeks. Speeding her steps, she was almost to the room she wanted when Draco stepped out the exact sitting room she was going for. Unable to stop in time, she ran into his chest. A loud oomp escaped them both, as his arms wrapped around her. Draco catching her was the only thing that stopped her from bouncing off of him and hitting the floor.

Draco looked at her, taking in her undressed state, along with the tears clinging to her lashes and openly running down her cheeks. "Hermione, what happened? Why are you crying?" The young man asked, also taking note of the sliver of wood gripped in her hand. He usually got hexed when she was upset and holding a wand. Granted it usually was his fault, but that wasn't the point.

Hermione jerked her away from him, a glare in her eyes. "Why do you care? You're not speaking to me, for whatever reason, right now anyway. Remember?"

Hermione saw Lucius headed towards her, and with Draco standing in the doorway of the sitting room, she quickly decided to hell with the floo. Instead, turned and ran for the front door. Once outside, she just kept telling herself that she only needed to get passed the wards as she sprinted down the walkway towards the gates. She heard one of them shout her name, but as soon as she cleared the wards, she apparated away.

The moment she arrived at her home, she immediately changed her wards, not wanting Lucius to just show up in her home. Assuming he tried, that is. In fact, she quickly blocked everyone from using her floo or apparating. She didn't want to see anyone, she just wanted to curl up in her bed that she didn't really like, and cry herself to sleep.

The next morning, she made a decision. With how long she had worked at the Ministry, she had tons of vacation time simply stocked piled. Not having an owl, she pulled on a pair of loose cotton pants and a t-shirt, flooing to work extra early. She made her way to her boss's office and quietly explained that she needed some of her vacation time traded in.

Her boss looked at her, saw the red rims of her eyes, along with her red nose, and knowing the rumors going around about her and Lucius Malfoy, he simply nodded without asking any questions. He handed her the request form and as she quickly filled it out, her boss quietly suggested that she make it two weeks instead of one. Thinking she might need the extra time if her tears meant what he thought they did, if the rumors about the couple had been true at all.

Hermione met his eyes, a tiny grateful smile on her lips, and thanked him for understanding. He signed the forms and told her not to step foot near her desk before the full two weeks either. Giving her a gentle smile as he said this.

Hermione had just made it into the apparation area, when she spotted Draco coming in. The young blond glanced her way and when she saw that he recognized her, he wavered for several moments before heading her way. She shook her head that it took Draco so long to decide if even he wanted to talk to her or not, and with a crack, she was gone before he reached her.

Once she was home again, she went back to bed.

A/N: Don't hate me. It can't be sunshine and roses all the time. Anyway, can anyone guess why Lucius was being an asshat? More coming soon. Take care and please leave me your thoughts.

PS...We are nearing the end of our story, just an fyi, so you can prepare yourselves as needed. I like a warning, so I try to give warnings when I can.