Chapter 11: Beneath the Street Lamp

Lucius towered over Hermione now that she stood to face him. "You want me to stay?" He asked.

"Your coat won't be dry if you leave right now, so you should stay until it's done drying." She headed for the kitchen but stopped shy of the door. "Would you like some coffee or tea?"

Lucius sat back down in the armchair. "Tea would be lovely."

Hermione returned shortly with two cups of tea on two small plates. She handed one to Lucius and held the other tightly between her palms. The air felt deathly quiet, and the only sound was the clinking glass while they took small sips of their tea. She would occasionally catch Lucius staring at her, but as a man of pride, he never shied away when she did. So she straightened her back, lifted her shoulders, and decided to give in and stare at all his gorgeous features.

"Thank you." She said as she sipped down the last bit of her tea, setting the cup and small plate on the end table between their chairs.

"For what?" Lucius did the same.

"For…everything I guess. Coming here, apologizing," she stopped as her cheeks began to turn burning red, but decided to continue anyway. "And for yesterday." She thought it was adorable how Lucius' nose turned a soft shade of pink when she brought up their time during her delivery service. "I'm sorry, too."

Lucius cocked his head ever so slightly, surprised that she was apologizing."What are you apologizing for?"

"I'm sorry to hear about you and Narcissa." His eyes suddenly pulled away from her, and the air between them was beginning to grow thicker. Hermione was happy not to dwell long on yesterday's events. She pressed on. "I know it's none of my business, but I am sorry. I can't imagine the pain you must be feeling." It felt like a hundred-pound weight was lifted off Hermione's shoulders. It felt so good to finally share those feelings with Lucius after seeing him in such a pitiful state.

Now it was back to silence, but now Lucius was looking everywhere but Hermione. She couldn't help but worry she'd struck a nerve, leaving the space between them to eventually be filled with resentment until Lucius would inevitably leave, and the two of them would never speak again. A chill traveled up Hermione's arms and legs as Lucius' eyes fell back on her.

"Why did you thank me for yesterday?" He finally asked. She had hoped they would avoid talking about the kiss they shared, maybe even letting enough time pass so they could forget all about it. But for Hermione, that felt all too impossible.

She thought for a moment, letting a thick wall of silence be built between them. She shrugged, "I don't know." She squeezed her folded hands together and took a deep breath. "This may sound silly, but it was the first time since I left Hogwarts that I felt wanted." She knew there was no going back. Goosebumps danced across her skin as his eyes stayed fixated on her. She wanted to pretend she didn't care, but she was melting inside.

Another memory came to mind. "Did you mean what you said?"

Startled by her question, he leaned over his knees as if he couldn't hear her. "About what?"

"About Ron yesterday. After I told you—

"Yes," he cut her off. "I meant it when I said he was foolish. I may come off as harsh and coldhearted, but I know love when I see it. It's a shame that Ron can't say the same."

"Did you love Narcissa?" The words seemed to slip out before Hermione could stop them. The question was on her mind since Maggie and Mrs. Humphrey told her about their divorce. It seemed to catch Lucius off guard as he sat straight up but leaned further into his chair. His eyes were lost in the grain of the carpet, as if he was reliving a moment in history, letting the scene play out in his mind before giving her an answer.

He sighed, and his shoulders fell as he fell into a slouch. "I did."

She could feel the familiar hot sting behind her eyes. She blinked rapidly, begging for a night without tears, especially in front of Lucius. Instead, she took her hand and placed it on his. The warmth of his skin sent a jolt of excitement through her body and into her bones. He placed his other hand on Hermione's, giving it a gentle squeeze that made her want to crawl into his arms.

With their hands still together, their eyes slowly moved up and found each other. There was a new feeling in Hermione's gut. She didn't feel frozen or nervous. She felt warmth and comfort in a place that once felt hatred for Lucius. Even though she was confused, she admitted that she enjoyed this new feeling.

"When does your boss come back?" She watched as his lips moved and contorted with every word he spoke, completely lost in the memory of how they felt against hers until she realized he had asked her a question.

"Maggie?" She asked. She wasn't used to the 'boss' title, she had always called her Maggie. Hermione looked at the clock hung in the kitchen that she could see through the glass door. "She won't be home for at least a few hours. Why?"

Lucius stood from the chair and Hermione followed, their hands still together. She gazed up at him in wonder, feeling utterly lost in the gray pools that were his eyes.

"Walk with me."

She didn't need to ask any questions. The store had been closed for almost an hour and she had already tidied up more than she needed to. She grabbed Lucius' coat from the back and quickly retrieved a coat from her room. She stuffed the key to the store into her pocket and followed Lucius out onto the cobblestone street. The rain had finally let up as she walked next to Lucius down the empty village streets. The glow from the street lamps lit up the differently-shaped stones, and the only sound was their shoes clapping against them until Lucius spoke first.

"Why did you decide to stay back here and not go home to London?"

Hermione considered his question, her hands in her pockets rolling a piece of fuzz between her fingers. "when I decided to stay I thought there might still be a chance for Ron and I to work things out. That idea seemed impossible if I returned home to London. I'm not so sure if the possibility exists at all now."

"I suppose you can never say for sure." Lucius looked straight ahead. Hermione glanced over to see his reaction, but his expression was blank.

"I don't know." She started. "I've sort of grown to hate the idea."

Lucius smiled and let out a small laugh.

"What's so funny?" She asked him. But he just shook his head. "Tell me!"

"Nothing, I just knew your brilliance would save you." He told her, the two of them keeping a steady pace next to each other.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What I mean is, Ronald Weasley allowed his incompetence to get the better of him when it came to you. I'm glad you allowed your brilliance to save you when it came to him."

His words flattered her. It still felt strange to receive compliments from Lucius, but regardless, it felt nice to get out of the store with someone other than Maggie.

"What about you? Do you think you and Narcissa will ever work things out?" She followed the stones on the path ahead of them, curious to see Lucius' reaction to her question, but decided his answer would suffice.

"No, I don't. Like you, I've grown to hate the idea." They both laughed and glanced at one another, keeping stride as they took a turn down another cobble-stoned path that would loop around and lead them back towards the store.

"You never told me why you came tonight." She said. Lucius gave her a side-eyed glance.

"I came to apologize for yesterday." The words seem to choke out of his throat. "My behavior was atrocious."

Hermione couldn't help but feel sad. A piece of her wished Lucius felt differently. Even though their kiss was a brief moment of weakness, Hermione didn't regret any of it.

"Do you regret it?" Her voice was small, but he heard her.

"As a gentleman, yes. I should never have put you in such a position while you were there to do your job."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "You're confusing, Lucius." He looked down at her smiling face, looking completely oblivious. She looked down and watched her shoes kick out from under her as they continued walking. "I swear, sometimes I don't know if you'd rather I hate or like you."

Suddenly, Lucius took hold of her arms and abruptly stopped the two of them beneath the glow of a street lamp. Now directly in front of her his tall frame loomed over her as his eyes seemed to puncture into her soul, drowning every fiber of her being in a warm gooey liquid.

"I'd rather you hate me." He whispered, his voice carrying a tone that was deep and rich in timbre. Hermione couldn't take it anymore, and she grabbed the lapels of his coat and brought their lips together. For a moment, Lucius stood there stunned and unable to move. Hermione's hands traveled behind his neck, desperate to feel the strands of his hair like she wanted to before as he cupped one hand around her cheek and the other in the nape of her neck.

Hermione felt like she could happily suffocate under the street lamp if it meant they could stay there forever. She tangled her fingers through the strands of his hair as he placed one of his hands on the small of her back, pulling her closer and deepening their kiss. As they fell in sync, small misty clouds floated around them from their hot breath in the cold air. Lucius pulled away but only for a breath of air, keeping Hermione in his embrace. She rested her head against his chest and could suddenly feel the rhythm of his heart. He rested his chin on her head, and she wondered what he could be thinking.

They pulled away from each other and continued their walk back to the store without any more words. Hermione felt relieved that they were only a minute or two away. She couldn't bear the sudden silence between the two of them. Once they reached the front of the store, Lucius pulled out a beautiful glowing white rose from his pocket and placed it behind Hermoine's ear. He turned and left, leaving Hermione standing there. She pulled the rose from behind her ear and rubbed the petals between her fingers.

Then she unlocked the door and went inside.