Chapter 7

Bliss over Brunch

Saturday morning came and Matilda was too nervous to finish her breakfast. She couldn't really understand why, she had gotten used to their Saturday meetings and she'd been looking forward to seeing him again all week. She wondered if perhaps she was nervous because they had been writing to each other all week and their conversing had become increasingly intimate. She wasn't sure she was ready to jump into bed with him yet, but she was certainly open to exploring smaller things. She'd completely enjoyed the kissing and even his needy attention to her breast. She'd never had anything other than her own hands on them, so to feel his mouth and tongue had been another level of sensation.

To distract herself, she got on with some revision until 11am when she needed to get ready for him to pick her up at midday. They would be spending the day together until 9pm, which would be the longest they've been in each other's company since meeting a month ago. She was honestly surprised that McGonagall was allowing her to remain with him for longer and longer with each visit. As far as she knew, none of her other housemates had even met their intended partners.

Minerva McGonagall had been wary of letting Matilda be with Lucius for longer than a few hours, but she had been reassured by Severus that he had no intentions of doing anything to harm her and that soon she would not only be of age in the Wizarding world, but also in the Muggle one. She would be fully capable of making her own decisions and would no longer need parental or guardian permission.

True to his word, Lucius had delivered her back to the castle exactly when he said he would after every meeting and Matilda had been perfectly content each time. She had been genuinely surprised that he had wanted to make such an effort to know his Ministry arranged bride, especially given her blood status.

Former Death Eaters may have gone through rigorous rehabilitation programs, but old habits die hard. It would take more than a program to unlearn a lifetime of cultivated beliefs. Were things different for Lucius? Was he truly seeing Matilda for the intelligent and thoughtful witch she was? Perhaps these weekends were for him to experience just that. She only wished other matchings had been quite as companionable.

Matilda chose the deep red dress and matching shoes, slipping a silk shawl over her shoulders for her walk through the castle, remembering the cushioning charm he'd taught her for the shoes, and putting on a quick spritz of a light floral perfume. She never bothered with much makeup, using only a light gloss on her lips, which were thankfully usually a pleasant pink.

She was early to the courtyard where he said he'd meet her, feeling a little exposed to the other students milling around, wondering what she was up to. She tried to ignore the stares as she clutched her bag to her, willing the time to pass quickly.

Just before her paranoia was starting to get the better of her, Lucius strode into the courtyard. He was impeccably dressed as usual, though as it was nearly June, he'd foregone his outer cloak, wearing only a finely tailored suit with some deep red edging around the pockets, and the waistcoat underneath matched the deep red of her dress.

She grinned widely as he approached, nerves turning to anticipation as he smiled back, his eyes wandering over her form.

"I may have to amend my statement last week about the blue dress… I think the red might suit you marginally better," he stated as he stopped in front of her and took hold of her hand.

She blushed at his words, which only deepened when he pressed a lingering kiss to the back of her hand.

"I do apologise for not writing yesterday, I was running errands and I had Severus over for dinner."

"Oh, it's okay. I won't hold you to writing to me every day."

"Exams soon start, do they not?" he asked.

"Monday is the first one. Charms."

"Are you prepared? I do hope you're not too nervous, I'm sure you're perfectly talented."

"I feel ready, but I am a little nervous. At this point, I'm ready for the exams to come and then be done. I think I'm just eager to start the Apprenticeship," she explained as he lifted her hand to his arm, leading her out of the courtyard and towards the main gates.

"Have you applied for the Apprenticeship at St. Mungo's?"

"Yes, but they won't give me a definitive answer until I get my NEWT results in August. I have a provisional place until then."

"That's good. I assume they offered the place based on predicted grades?"

"I think that's how it works, yes. It's actually pretty similar to muggle schools like that," she commented.

"What sort of things would you be learning in a muggle school?"

"English Literature and Language, Mathematics, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry, History, Geography, Art, Music, and numerous languages. The most common are French, Spanish, and German."

"What do you think you would have done, had you not come to Hogwarts?" he asked as they left the grounds and he turned them, apparating them to Diagon Alley.

"Uh, probably the sciences. I think I would have become a Doctor."

"A Doctor is a muggle Healer, yes?"

"Yes. The muggle world always needs more Doctors. It takes a long time to study to become one. At least seven years I think," she explained.

"I suppose it's understandable that such skill takes time to learn and develop."

They ambled down the alley, stopping a few times outside various shops. Lucius had already planned to take her into Twilfitt and Tattings to get her some more clothes and maybe a decent winter cloak. He knew winter wasn't for months, but he wanted to make sure she'd have one in preparation. He was also curious as to what wedding gowns they might have, though he knew they might have to venture into muggle London for that.

He could smell her floral perfume as they walked and he realised that he's smelled it every time they'd met. As lovely as it was and florals seemed to suit her, he thought she could do with an array of fragrances and so angled her towards Serena's Lotions and Potions which sold all manner of fragrances, soaps, and hair products.

Matilda was unsure why he wanted to go into such a shop, and for a brief moment she wondered if he thought she smelled, but she'd never had a hygiene problem and the way he'd been kissing her previously she was sure he wouldn't have continued.

"I want you buy you some more perfumes. Perfumes for all occasions. Miss Bliss can determine your unique chemistry and recommend particular blends that will best suit you."

Matilda blinked at him a few times. She bought her perfume from a muggle shop. They didn't really go that far when it came to choosing, though even muggles knew that perfumes would smell different on each person.

"Won't that be expensive?" she whispered as the proprietor, Miss Bliss, came towards them.

Lucius took her hands in his and pressed his lips to each one in turn. "It really isn't as expensive as you think. Besides, it makes me happy to give you nice things. My money will soon be ours."

Matilda swallowed thickly. She hadn't really considered that once they were married, she would be a Malfoy and would have access to the Malfoy money. She simply hadn't thought about it.

By the time she nodded, Miss Bliss had already waved her wand over her, determining what her unique chemistry would best go with from the array of perfumes in the glass cabinets. Spring florals came out on top, with daffodils being the most prominent, followed by peonies and forget-me-nots. Summer florals were next, with roses, lavender, and sweet pea being most suited to her. Musky and spicy scents didn't mix well with her pheromones, but Miss Bliss declared that Lucius was well suited to spices and woody scents.

"Oh, I'm all set for those," he stated.

Miss Bliss went right up to him and sniffed along his neckline. Matilda couldn't help the dark look of irritation that flashed across her face when she did so, Lucius noticing before Matilda could return to a more neutral look.

He cleared his throat and Miss Bliss stepped back. "Whatever scents you have that match with Matilda, I'll take."

When Miss Bliss went to collect the perfumes, Lucius took hold of Matilda's hand and pressed a long kiss to it, smiling warmly down at her. Any lingering irritation she had disappeared completely. He was perfectly polite with Miss Bliss, but the warm expression he gave Matilda was only for her.

Several perfumes were boxed and bagged, and they left the shop. Lucius stopped after a few steps and pulled her close.

"I must say, I rather enjoyed the little possessive streak," he commented, smirking down at her.

Matilda blushed furiously. She hadn't really known she could feel jealous. It had happened so quickly, she'd had no control over what flashed across her face when the proprietor got so close to him.

"I'm sorry, I don't know where it came from."

"Don't be sorry. It simply reinforces my decision to have met you in the first place. I think it would have done us a great disservice to turn up to the Ministry on the 1st August having never seen each other," he stated.

He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers, keeping the kiss modest. When he pulled back her eyes were slightly glassy. He gave her cheek a gentle stroke with his thumb.

"Are you hungry? We should find somewhere to have lunch."

"Uh… yeah, I could eat," she responded lightly.

"There's some good eateries down Horizon Alley. It's unlikely you'll have visited any of them, it tends to cater more towards adults."

"I've only ever been to Diagon Alley. We were always warned about avoiding Knockturn Alley, and were never told there were other Alleys. How many are there?"

"Well, there's also Vertis Alley, which is most known for selling antiques and ancient artefacts. Obnitor Alley, which mostly caters to offices for smaller news outlets, as well as publishing houses. Finally, there's Domus Alley, which is mostly residential."

"I had no idea… So, there's six? Have you visited them all?" she asked, taking his arm when he offered it to her.

"All except Domus Alley. I don't personally know anyone who lives there."

He led her past Gringotts Bank towards Horizon Alley. It made sense that she hadn't thought to go beyond Gringotts, she rarely visited the bank itself as her vault was woefully empty most of the time. She would deposit the £100 her brother gave her every month, which would be exchanged into Galleons. The exchange rate meant that she would only gain 20 Galleons per month, so she budgeted to ensure they lasted as long as she could get away with. She couldn't even hazard a guess as to how many Galleons Lucius had in his vault. She might have a few hundred in her own by now.

"You didn't need to stop at the bank, did you?" he asked when he noticed her looking behind her.

"Oh, no. Uh, not much point. In a few days there won't be anything more going into it until I can work. All the more reason to get that Apprenticeship."

Lucius frowned. He was perfectly aware that she didn't have much, but he wasn't sure what she meant when she said that her balance would stop increasing.

"What do you mean there won't be more going into your vault?"

Matilda looked down at her feet as they walked, unsure how to begin. This wasn't a conversation she was looking forward to.

Lucius stopped them and turned her to face him, setting a hand under her chin and lifting it gently. "What did you mean?"

"My parents have been sending money to my brother since I moved in with him when I was 12. They kicked him out when he came out, and after I got my letter they tried to ban me from going to Hogwarts. They refused to let me back into their house when I came home after my first year, so I went to live with my brother. He demanded they support me with money, or face being reported for abandonment. They've been sending him £200 a month since then, but as soon as I turn 18, they don't legally have to send anything. My brother has been sending me £100 a month so I can put it in my vault. I don't know if you know about the exchange rate, but it doesn't translate to much."

He'd always considered the Weasleys to be the poorest people he knew personally, but hearing how Matilda had been struggling all these years left the oddest feeling in his chest.

"Money is never a comfortable topic to discuss, regardless of how much or how little one has." He cleared his throat. "I had intended to wait a little, but I arranged for a second account to be opened in your name, attached to my vault. It's important to me that you have access to your own money. As much as I've thoroughly enjoyed spending money on you, and I fully intend to continue to do so, I don't want you to be without until you are earning an Apprentice wage."

Matilda blinked at him, eyes wide. She had no idea how to respond to that. He'd given her access to his money? She was still trying to wrap her mind around it when he kissed her lightly.

"You'll be a Malfoy soon, so it'll be yours anyway," he said when he lifted his lips from hers.

"But, I didn't earn it…" she said feebly.

Lucius laughed. "Not to sound too supercilious, but neither did I. I inherited it. The Malfoy name and fortune dates back more than a thousand years. I've been very privileged, I recognise that greatly."

She still wasn't sure she was comfortable just using his money. She'd been used to having so little for so long, she wasn't sure how to do anything else.

She felt his thumb brush her cheek. "I'm not expecting you to rush off on a spending spree, although, I would have no objections if you did. I merely wish for you to have some security."

Unable to truly vocalise what she was feeling, she simply nodded at him. He placed her hand back onto his arm and continued to lead them to a small restaurant specialising in tea and brunch. He got them seated in a small booth towards the back, always favouring privacy so they could speak freely without wandering ears. The new law had been the subject of the front page of the Daily Prophet for most of the month. His own name had appeared only this week and he had been approached for comment whilst running his errands the previous day. He had no intention of hiding, he'd done nothing wrong, but he wanted to protect Matilda. She would be far worse off than he would be if the papers put her picture all over the front page.

As he had the previous week, he undid the buttons on his jacket as he sat down, the waistcoat now fully on show with its little snake buttons and silver thread lining the pockets. Matilda slipped off the silk wrap she'd been wearing, earning a hum of approval from Lucius as more of her skin was on show. She smiled and blushed, turning her face towards the menu.

She ordered an eggs benedict when the waiter came, along with a peppermint tea. Lucius ordered scrambled eggs with smoked salmon on a five-grain toast and an earl grey.

He picked up her hand and kissed each finger. "You've gone very quiet."

She looked up at him. "I don't really know what to say. I'm starting to know who I'm marrying, but I hadn't really thought about everything that came with it."

"I know it must be overwhelming. What can I do to ease things for you?"

"I'm not sure how to say it without it sounding ungrateful," she said quietly.

"I'm lavishing you a little too much," he responded, nodding in understanding. In his opinion, he hadn't lavished her nearly enough, but he recognised that from her perspective, it was a bit much in a short space of time.

"I'm just… not used to it. Maybe just… for now, only what I really need?"

He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "If that's what you want, of course. I will wait for you to ask. But, I want you to feel comfortable asking if you do need something, no matter what it is. Can you do that?"

She nodded. "I'll do my best."

Their tea arrived, quickly followed by their food, and they talked mostly about her upcoming exams as they ate. Lucius slipped his hand around her and settled it on her hip, squeezing slightly. He used his wand to close the privacy curtain and caught the faint grin that broke out across her lips as he used a silencing spell so they were truly alone.

He let his eyes roam over her form, truly taking in the sight of her in the dress. Like the blue one she'd worn the week previously, this one sat low on her chest so she'd not bothered with a bra. He waited until shed finished her mouthful before leaning in to kiss her, catching a small amount of sauce from the corner of her mouth. As he deepened the kiss, he hooked an arm under her knees and pulled her fully onto his lap, her arm going around his shoulders.

She might be inexperienced with intimacy, but she seemed to have learned quickly how to respond to his kissing, her mouth practically mirroring his as his tongue swept gently against hers, his hand slipping down over her breast, eliciting a soft moan from her.

It amazed him how she utterly melted into his kisses. Despite their physical size difference, she fit perfectly against him, squirming in his lap and arching her back to push her breast further into his large hand. It was utterly addictive. He could feel her delicate hand clutching at his shirt as his thumb brushed over her covered nipple, swallowing the soft moan that reverberated in her throat.

He was completely hard, his throbbing bulge prodding against her thigh, but he ignored it as he shifted his lips, kissing down her neck and across her chest, hooking his fingers into the top of her dress so he could pull it down, exposing her breast as he had the week previously. Matilda let out a gasp but couldn't help the need to arch her back towards his lips. Lucius greedily obliged, swiping his tongue over her nipple, delighting in the little moans that continued to fall from her lips as he pulled her remarkably plump nipple into his mouth.

He could feel her thighs trembling and rubbing together as he licked and sucked at her breast, tugging her dress down over the neglected breast, moving his lips across to pay the same attention to as his hand replaced his tongue on the first breast.

Matilda tangling her fingers into his hair, her eyes barely able to focus as she watched him suck almost her entire breast into his mouth, marvelling at how hungry he seemed to be. She could feel how hard he was against her thigh, but he seemed to be ignoring it in favour of focusing on her.

The squirming was causing him to grunt as she moved against his bulge. He decided to test the water and slid a hand up her thigh, pulling up her dress so he could slip his hand underneath, trailing his fingers along her hip and down the seam of her knickers, repeating the motion a few times as she parted her thighs in response. He took that as a positive sign and slid a finger along the gusset, humming against her breast as he felt how warm and damp it was, encouraged to move his hand and slip it inside her knickers, his middle finger sliding between her lips, lightly brushing over her already swollen clit.

She gasped loudly causing Lucius to chuckle, his tongue still dancing over her nipple as he circled his finger a few times over her clit, feeling how her hips rolled in response. He gently pushed his finger lower, finding the utterly slick entrance and dipping inside. Matilda groaned when she felt him ever so slightly prod inside her, her hand tugging hard on his shirt as the other tightened in his hair. He responded by sliding his finger in further, muttering against her skin as her muscles clenched hard around his thick digit, thicker than her own ever were. When she relaxed, he could feel how warm, wet, and soft she was, his finger sliding in to the knuckle, crooking it slightly as he withdrew it so he could brush against that plump and pleasurable place within her.

Matilda was now moaning softly as he stroked his finger within her, her head dropping back as her hips sought to match his rhythm. Every time her muscles clenched around his finger he groaned, revelling in how wonderfully tight she was. He wondered how long he'd last when he was eventually able to slide his cock into her. It had been decades since he'd experienced a woman's first time and he wanted to make sure that when it did happen, it would be the best experience he could provide to her.

He used his thumb to circle over her clit as his finger moved rhythmically within her, her moaning soon turning to panting and her fingers tugging hard enough on his shirt to pop a few buttons. Lucius chuckled again and moved his lips up her neck towards her ear.

"You're so wet and warm around my finger," he whispered. "I want to feel you come…"

Matilda whined, panting hard as her hips rocked almost erratically on his lap. He felt the exact moment she began to come undone as her muscles quivered then contracted in quick succession, his finger becoming even more slick from her juices as she cried out, her face dropping to his shoulder as she rode out her orgasm.

He held her tightly to him as his finger slowed inside her, only removing it when he felt her go slack against him. She lifted her face to see him regarding his soaked finger, admiring her creamy arousal for a long moment before slipping the finger deep into his mouth. Matilda let out a soft gasp as Lucius grunted, his eyes closing as he savoured her taste.

He turned his head and smiled at her as he withdrew his finger. "Have you ever tasted yourself?"

Matilda flushed and nodded her head. Her breath hitched as he moved to push his finger back within her a second time, crooking it slightly before withdrawing it again, lifting it towards her lips, his heated eyes watching her as she parted her lips let him slip his finger into her mouth, an almost feral look crossing his face as she sucked her juices from his finger.

"You're utterly delicious," he drawled, then leaned in and kissed her, his tongue swirling around hers as they shared the remnants of her pleasure.

They sat entwined for a few minutes then Lucius helped her to slip off his lap. He was still hard, but he could deal with it later. Matilda pulled her dress back into place and blushed as she reached for her barely warm tea, taking a long drink.

Lucius did the same, watching her with a smirk. Whilst he had no intention of forcing the issue of intimacy, he was fully prepared to wait for her to be ready for full sex, he did long to get his mouth on her and had already been thinking of how he might be able to help her feel comfortable enough to want it.

Although he'd agreed not to spend unnecessary money on her, there was something he'd planned to give her.

"I wasn't sure when would be the best time for this, but I have something for you," he stated, retrieving a small box from his jacket.

Matilda looked at the box with confusion. "What is it?"

"Well, I know Muggles give engagement rings before marriage. For us, they're rather combined into one."

Lucius opened the box revealing the delicate platinum band of ivy tendrils, surrounding a single brilliant sapphire.

"You promised you wouldn't buy anything else…"

"I didn't. It was my mother's."

Matilda quickly shook her head, not altogether comfortable with the thought that she would be given a Malfoy heirloom that she assumed had gone to Narcissa.

"No, it should go to your son, surely?"

"This wasn't Narcissa's ring. She hated it. Hers was much more ostentatious and had emeralds. Her ring went to Draco's wife, Astoria. I wonder now if this one was perhaps meant for you," he explained.

Matilda looked at him. "I'd be worried about ruining it."

Lucius chuckled and removed it from the box, lifting her left hand and slipping it onto her ring finger, the ring resizing itself to her delicate dimensions. "It's perfectly protected."

Matilda ran her thumb over the ring, feeling it against her skin as her hand quickly got used to it. She expected it to feel like a foreign object on her hand, but it didn't. It was as though it had always been there.

They finished what was left of their brunch and made sure nothing was askew before opening the curtain so they could pay and leave. Lucius showed her around the rest of the alley and then they ambled down Vertis Alley, perusing the antiques. Lucius was always on the lookout for something rare, especially if it had particular Slytherin history.

When they eventually stepped into The Leaky Cauldron, a band was already playing, so they found a small table towards the back and just enjoyed the atmosphere, talking about everything and nothing, though Lucius was careful to avoid any talk of the wars. Matilda had only been a young child and he didn't want to overshare with things she might not be prepared to deal with. He knew that Hogwarts taught about the wars, but it was unlikely many of the gory details made it onto the curriculum.

He smiled down at her when he caught her looking at the ring, her fingers sliding over the design as though she was trying to memorise its shape.

"I can always get you something else if you'd really prefer it?" he spoke into her ear.

Matilda shook her head vigorously. "No, it's perfect." She pulled his left hand onto her lap. "Do men not wear rings?"

"Not usually. We don't really do the wedding band for men or women amongst purebloods. The ritual for the wedding itself is more important. Would you want me to wear a ring?"

"I don't know… I hadn't really thought about it. Decades ago, men didn't wear rings in the Muggle world either. Only women, because they were the property of their husbands. In modern times, it's changed. Now, both partners wear a band."

"I would wear one if you wish me to… Have a think about it…" Lucius said, giving her hand a kiss.

They stayed for several more hours, Lucius ordering her a sweet white wine and himself a firewhisky as the final band played their set. As it neared 9pm, Lucius apparated her back to the castle gates.

"I've been considering what we could do next weekend, as it's your birthday in the week. I thought perhaps you might like to spend the weekend with me?"

Matilda was stunned by the offer. She was tempted to agree until she realised she couldn't. "Um… I'm spending the weekend with my brother from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon." She bit her lip, feeling disappointed. "Um… Maybe… Maybe you could come by on Saturday? Uh, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if we spent Saturday together? He probably needs to run the club anyway."

Lucius listened to her, initially disappointed that he couldn't get her for the whole weekend, but intrigued to meet her brother. He'd at least be able to get one night with her.

"I could certainly collect you on Saturday if you prefer. Does your brother live in London?"

"Yes, not far from Paddington. I can give you the address. We're not connected to the floo network, but I'm sure you can apparate in…"

"I'll book us a hotel for the evening. A Muggle hotel," he stated.

Matilda grinned. "Have you ever stayed in a Muggle hotel?"

"No. But, as an expert, I'm sure you can teach me a few things," he responded, smirking.

"You'll need some Muggle money for that. I'm guessing you don't have a credit card?"

Lucius blinked. "I don't." He had no idea what a credit card was.

"Money will do. Maybe I could show you around Muggle London?"

Lucius smirked. "It'll be quite the educational weekend."

Matilda giggled, biting her lip as he lifted her hand and kissed over where her ring was now placed.

"I'll try not to write to you too much this week. I know you have exams and I wouldn't want to cause any… distractions…" he stated, smirking.

"Does that mean I can't blame you if I do badly?"

"Only if you blurt out my name in the middle of one."

Matilda laughed. She gave him her brother's address and they arranged for him to come pick her up at 11am so her brother could meet him and they could then spend the day together. It would mean telling him about the Marriage Law, which she'd so far been avoiding. Once she turned 18, there was nothing he could legally do to stop it, not that she expected that he would. She knew he wouldn't fully understand, but he knew that the Wizarding World didn't work the same.

Lucius pressed a final kiss to her lips and then apparated back to the Manor before he got carried away.