A Disclaimer and Author's note

I do not own Harry Potter, or any of the related characters. The Harry Potter series is created by JK Rowling. This fanfiction is intended for entertainment only. I am not making any profit from this story. All rights of the original Harry Potter story belong to JK Rowling.

This is my first attempt at fan fiction though I always loved reading and writing. As soon as I discovered Hermione and Lucius pairing I could not get enough of it. After reading heaps of Lumione stories I decided to craft my own. I wanted to keep it as close to the original series as possible but you'll see some changes especially in the upcoming chapters, changes that I felt were needed to take the story where I wanted it to go. The story is going to contain some adult themes but nothing explicit. Also, my aim is to make the actual storyline and the relationship between the characters believable so it will take time and significant events in the lives of both Lucius and Hermione before they end up together on that long and winding road.

Of course, honest feedback and reviews are very welcome :)

This chapter has been kindly beta-ed by Aylin Penrose xx

The Long and Winding Road

The First Encounter

Hermione Granger was around 12 years old when she first laid eyes on Lucius Malfoy. Mr Malfoy was a prominent figure in the Wizarding world, and held an influential position in Ministry circles.

Shortly before the start of her second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she was purchasing the necessary supplies listed on the Shopping List she had received by Owl Post and ticking them off as she went about the cobblestoned streets of Diagon Alley. This always excited her, the prospect of learning and expanding her wizarding knowledge. She was a Muggleborn, and up until two years ago, she had no idea she was any different from her Muggle peers, except for the personality quirks that set her apart from the typical tween girl crowd.

Of course, there had been incidents in her childhood that could not be explained away in any rational way. Like the time when she, as a baby, was desperately thirsty for milk and the bottle was entirely out of her reach. Little Hermione had somehow caused it to shuffle across the table until her plump hands were able to close around its rim and she eagerly pulled it to her lips.

Or when, still in her toddler years, Hermione left the neighbourhood grocery shop with her parents, drawing curious looks from other customers with her bitter crying after unsuccessfully trying to badger them into buying her a pack of Strawberry Chewits. Her parents, being dentists, insisted on a healthier array of sweets, and firmly placed the few packs their daughter had managed to grab back on the shelf. To their great surprise, they found that the candies miraculously re-appeared in their shopping bag upon returning home.

And of course, there was the incident with a couple of girls from her grade who were heartlessly mocking and making fun of her when she was sick at a classmate's birthday party. The next day both young ladies ended up coming down with a rare type of flu.

Other than that, nothing set Hermione apart, except for maybe her very unique name. So when one April morning she was ceremonially invited to the living room and stood face-to-face with a peculiar looking elderly woman, her surprise and slight shock were well justified. The woman had black hair, drawn into a tight lower bun, visible from under her black pointy tall hat. She wore a very last-century looking simple, yet elegant black dress, tucked away beneath an emerald green cloak with elongated bell sleeves.

This interesting guest turned out to be none other than Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, professor of Transfiguration, whatever that was, and head of Gryffindor, Hermione's soon-to-be wizarding school house. While she didn't elaborate on the other three houses, Professor McGonagall told her that Gryffindor was where those that were brave at heart dwelled and Hermione decided right then and there that that is where she wanted to go.

Fast forward several months and Hermione had completed her first year of magical education at Hogwarts, achieving high results and gaining new magical skills, much to her thrill. It was during this time that she also met Harry Potter, the famed Boy-Who-Lived, and Ron Weasley, the second youngest from an old and quite large Pureblood wizarding family, with whom she also became best friends with after a few bumps at the beginning of their acquaintance.

Toward the end of the school year, the trio had uncovered a mystery and prevented a very dark wizard by the name of Lord Voldemort from coming back to power, overcoming many obstacles on the way and nearly getting themselves killed (or worse, expelled, as Hermione was found to say).

Hermione was a typical bookworm in many ways, so when she entered Flourish & Blotts to get new textbooks for her second year, she couldn't conceal her excitement. What's more, when she heard from Mrs Weasley that a famous wizard by the name of Gilderoy Lockhart would be signing his books that day, she thought that fortunes were truly in her favour.

Having read one of his latest stories, 'Gadding with Ghouls', she was greatly impressed with his magical skill and prowess, as well as the bravery and nonchalant attitude he displayed toward danger. The fact that he was also rather handsome - she remembered the way he flashed his white teeth in a dazzling smile and winked from the back of the burgundy book cover- made her, as well as many much older witches swoon.

Now, the bookshop in Diagon Alley was stretched to its limits with witches, and even a few wizards, pushing, propelling and tugging at others in an exasperated effort to move forward in order to see their hero in the flesh and have their book signed by him.

Hermione was equally thrilled at the prospect of meeting Mr. Lockhart as well as the opportunity to browse through the long rows of books that invited her with their brand new covers and the smell of freshly printed parchment. She was clutching stacks of Lockhart's books under one arm while brushing over several book spines with her free hand, when she stopped at the sight of a familiar blond-haired boy who was leaning over the railing on the stairs that led to the next level.

"Hello Mudblood," he spat the words out with the characteristic venom as he eyed her up.

She knew he held Muggleborns in such little regard, that for him they were barely preferable to Muggles, and were thought to be unwelcome invaders to the Wizarding world and second-rate citizens at best, to be shunned at all costs.

"And of course here's the famous Harry Potter," said Malfoy, having made his way down the steps, "Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."

"Leave him alone," said Ginny, glaring at Malfoy. Ginny was Ron's younger sister, about to enter her first year at Hogwarts.

"Oh, look, Potter. You've got yourself a girlfriend," Malfoy sniggered, causing Ginny to go scarlet and Hermione's eyes to narrow as she watched."I can see the sidekick Weasley is also here," he said, his words dripping with disgust. "I suppose your parents will be going hungry for a month to pay for all those," he added, pointing to the armful of books that Ron was balancing.

In response, both Harry and Ron took a step forward and glared at him, but before things could escalate, a tall male figure appeared behind the blond boy, placing a silver cane topped with a serpent's head, on his shoulder.

Similarly to Draco, he had silky, platinum-blond hair, though his was much longer and reached past his broad shoulders. He was immaculately dressed, all in black and on his face he wore a sour expression, something that was also reminiscent of his son.

Hermione stole a peek at him and grudgingly admitted that he was positively handsome, even with the nasty smirk that had slowly spread across his face and was now on full display. She noticed his grey-blue piercing eyes, strong-shaped jaw and chiselled features. His figure, tall and brooding also held a regal quality and he towered over her and her classmates.

,"Now, now Draco, play nicely," he drawled, his voice containing a surprisingly smooth undertone.

He surveyed Hermione with an icy look and she swallowed hard, not willing to reveal how intimidated she really was. After all, she proudly wore the Gryffindor badge and had already gone through ordeals that would have overwhelmed many adult wizards and witches.

"Mr Potter," he said and extended his palm, hidden beneath the dark dragonhide glove, "Lucius Malfoy," he introduced himself, "We meet at last."

He shook the hand that was now in his, before suddenly pulling the boy closer, lifting his silver cane to Harry's forehead and moving his hair out of the way, intent upon examining his scar, "Forgive me," he said," Your scar is legend. As of course is the wizard who gave it to you," he simpered, his smile not reaching his eyes.

"Voldemort killed my parents," Harry responded gravely and Lucius let go of him, "He was nothing more than a murderer."

Undeterred, Lucius spoke again, "You must be very brave to mention his name. Or very foolish," he added, smiling smugly.

"Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself," Hermione boldly announced in an attempt to get his attention even though she couldn't quite understand the desire to do so.

Mr Malfoy's focus now switched fully to her, "And you must be… Miss Granger," he sought out Draco to confirm his assumption. Hermione stood her ground, staring straight back at him.

"Yes, Draco's told me all about you," the man continued, elevating his chin, "And your parents." Hermione followed his gaze to where her parents stood, engaged in a lively conversation with Ron's dad, Mr Weasley.

"Muggles, aren't they?" he inquired, his eyebrows arched. He looked sideways at Ron and his siblings, "Let me see, red hair, vacant expressions. Tatty, second-hand books, you must be the Weasleys."

Just then, they were all joined by Mr Weasley, "Children, it's too crowded in here. Let's go outside."

"Well, well, well. Weasley senior," said the blond wizard, nasalising his vowels. He stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering in just the same way.

"Lucius," said Mr Weasley, nodding coolly. The men exchanged looks, the atmosphere getting more intense every second.

"Busy time at the Ministry, Arthur," said Mr Malfoy. "All those raids… I do hope they're paying you overtime?" he paused, extracting a very old and very battered copy of 'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration' from Ginny's cauldron and rotating it in his hand, "Though judging by the state of this I'd say not.

"Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of a wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

Mr Weasley flushed darker than either Ron or Ginny. "We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of the wizard, Malfoy," he said.

"Clearly," said Mr Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Mr and Mrs Granger, who were watching apprehensively from a distance. "Associating with Muggles," he shook his hand in mock scorn. He closed the distance between himself and the other wizard and added, contempt written all over his face, "And I thought your family could sink no lower."

With another set of patronising looks, thoroughly convinced of their own superiority, the Malfoys withdrew from the group at last.

"I'll see you at work," Lucius said to Mr Weasley as he left.

Draco followed in his footsteps. "See you at school," he snapped at Harry.

That was all she saw of Mr Malfoy for that year. In the next few, their paths crossed a few times but their brief exchanges never extended beyond some unpleasant comment on his part, and a weighty silence on hers.

Hermione found herself thinking about the older blond wizard after each encounter. His upbringing and motivations intrigued her more than she cared to admit to anyone, even herself, and she would eventually have to consciously guide her thoughts into a different, more productive direction.