Redemption | By : triz Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Lucius/Hermione Views: 11391 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. |
Disclaimer - I own nothing! I'm just borrowing from J.K. Rowling!
Chapter 10
Arthur sighed deeply as he sat himself down behind his large desk in his office. He massaged his temples with his fingers. Ever since Hermione's release, everything had been problematic. He wasn't so sure he felt this much stress as he had during the war. Then again, when he thought about it, it was probably guilt, and that being guilt for her.
Surprisingly, being newly divorced didn't bother him so. It was quick and simple. Molly kept the house and he would give her supporting money monthly. There were no assets to fight over. He couldn't even fight for his marriage.
Basically, all his attentions were too focused on Hermione. Hopefully, if things would get better for her, then he could manage to get back into the graces of his family, and hopefully they would understand. He could only hope and nothing more. There were too many problems, and he couldn't handle them all at once. For now, Hermione was the priority. She needed as much help and support as she could get. Merlin only knew how ugly things could get, as it was already getting very ugly.
"Mr. Weasley," Lucius called as he stepped into the office. "You wanted to see me?"
Once disrupted from his thoughts, Arthur told the guard to release Lucius from his shackles and leave, letting them have their privacy. "Please do sit," he gestured towards once of the two seats across from his desk. "And it's Arthur. I'm sure we are past formalities, Lucius."
Lucius nodded in agreement, but didn't say anything. He frowned as he questioned himself yet again as to why he was called to the office. Usually, Arthur stopped by his cell and chatted to him about Hermione's progress. Suddenly, he panicked, eyes widening. "Is something wrong? Is it Hermione?" he questioned.
"She woke up yesterday afternoon. She panicked and curled up in a corner looking and calling for you," Arthur started to explain.
There was a tightening in Lucius' chest as he remained silent and continued to listen on.
"She has barely taken a single bite out of her food," Arthur paused for a moment before he continued. The news regarding Hermione's health wasn't going to get better. "Obviously, she's malnourished but not only that, Poppy has ran a complete physical on her. The miscarriages that you told Severus about… well, the scarring from the hanger… it's bad. Hermione won't be able to have children."
Lucius took a big gulp as he felt not only his chest tighten again, but his stomach twist. He remembered the hammer incident all too well, but he felt bad for Hermione. Last he was with her, he told her certain things—live her life happily, children, grandchildren even. She was out of Azkaban, and deserved that perfect happy life more than anything. But now it seemed that happiness was stripped away from her. It was something she didn't deserve yet again.
"Aside from her physical injuries, Poppy and the healer at St. Mungo's fear that her mental ones are just as bad, if not worse."
"I'm sorry, but I don't understand," Lucius said softly. His voice held an evident amount of concern and confusion in its tone. How could her mental injuries seem just as bad or worse when she seemed fine? Sure there were times she didn't speak much, but she did seem fine to him. He was certain that she wasn't insane.
"As of now, she really hasn't talked much to anyone, distancing herself in fear. That's understandable, but… it also seems as if she doesn't recognize or remember any of us."
"How can that be?" Lucius was in complete disbelief.
"Clearly it's the trauma. Or it may just take some time for us to get through to her. Maybe when Hermione isn't so fearful, she can talk to us, but it's really too soon to tell. Worse come to worse, the healer said that Severus would have to use Legilimens on her to see—"
"What?" asked aloud in complete shock. He wasn't skilled in Legilimens, but he knew the spell very well, and what repercussions could happen, especially to an unstable mind. "No, that can't be an option. It might hurt her further on. Severus himself wouldn't agree to such a thing."
"I didn't say that he agreed, because Severus doesn't. He doesn't want to do it either. But it might be the only way to clearly see how far the damage has gone," Arthur explained.
Lucius just sat there and shook his head as he looked at the floor. Things had to get better for Hermione, they just had to.
"I and a few others have no doubt in my mind that she trusts you and only you," Arthur stated. "And things might just get worse with Darren's trial in just a few days. Obviously we will do everything to keep Hermione away from harm. I hate to say it, but the press and everyone else has been quite harsh about her release. My family even disapproves, which has led to a sudden divorce from Molly."
"I am truly sorry, Arthur," Lucius said softly as he looked at him.
"My divorce wasn't your fault—"
"No," Lucuis interrupted. "I meant that I'm sorry for everything that I have done to you and your family in the past. Ridiculing you, your work, and not to mention your family."
Arthur was too shocked to say anything, and only nodded in return, accepting the man's apology. This was another side to the 'new' Lucius. There was no doubt in his mind that he truly was a changed man. Finally he then spoke, "We should focus on Hermione. Try and figure out how to calm her down and how we can earn her trust without you."
"… without you."
Those two words echoed in Lucius' ears, going down into his heart, and feeling it break even further. As much as he wanted Hermione in his arms, he knew that that moment would never return. Instead of pondering on his pain, he focused on the task at hand and that was Hermione. He had to help her, even if he was so far away from her, he would really do anything for her. Suddenly, like a light bulb that went on in his head, it hit him. "Chinese Tuesdays," he said.
"I'm sorry," Arthur frowned. "What Tuesdays?"
"Most or all of the time, just to get Hermione's mind off things, we imagine things together, or I do most of the imagining and she plays along. This imagination game is about anything really, she and I together, sometimes about travelling, but really mostly about the food. It's really just a game of the imagination, and Tuesday, it's really more about Chinese food."
"A game you say?" Arthur asked. This was interesting.
"We never really talked about reality so to speak. The game became something that we always did when we were together." It was our little thing, he thought. "She likes steamed dumplings with soy and chili sauce, steamed fish with ginger and a cool lychee drink. I prefer fried dumplings, or anything fried really, and it was something that we ended up arguing about. She always told me they were unhealthy." He sighed to himself, missing their little game.
"Very well, I'll tell Severus," Arthur said as he grabbed the phone, making the call.
"And maybe perhaps some clothes of mine from home. She could wear them and maybe imagine that it's me," Lucius suggested. It was another idea that just came into mind.
Severus burst through the foyer at Malfoy Manor, not waiting for his godson to greet him at the door. Instead, he rushed up the grand staircase heading towards Lucuis' suite chamber as fast as he could. There at the top, he saw Draco, but didn't greet him. He needed to be quick, clothes first then food after.
"What are you doing?" Draco asked him as he stood in the middle of his father's wardrobe. He watched his godfather accio a duffle bag in his hand, and start to rummage through his father's clothing, piece by piece, putting some of them into the bag. "Don't tell me he's getting out already. Fifty years is still far away!"
"These are for Granger," Severus said back, satisfied with the few items that he got. He could always come back for more if needed. He then walked towards Draco and looked straight into his eyes. "And I'm going to say the same thing, and suggest that you visit your father. He is a good man."
"And I will tell you again that I refuse to see him. And when has my father become a man when he has done too many inhuman things? Like I said before, I don't want anything to do with him," Draco spat.
As Severus watched Draco walk away, he knew he couldn't force him to do anything.
Hermione stiffened beneath the hospital blanket when she heard someone enter her room. She was still huddled up against the farthest corner of the room, never leaving that spot since the day before unless she had to relieve herself in the bathroom. It was also the place where she slept, or at least tried to. Lucius wasn't there to keep her nightmares at bay.
"Hermione?" Severus spoke softly as he settled the bag down on the floor along with the paper bag of takeout. When she didn't respond, he continued. "Someone told me it was Chinese Tuesday today."
Chinese Tuesday? Hermione slowly and cautiously pushed the sheet up, taking a peek at whoever was in her room. It was that man from yesterday. How did he know about Chinese Tuesdays?
Severus could clearly see her uneasiness. He then pulled out a shirt and a robe from the duffle bag. "Lucius wanted me to give these to you."
Lucius? Hesitantly, Hermione made her way towards him when he gestured her to take them. She crawled towards him on all fours, and when she got close enough to him, she straightened up on her knees. She stretched out a hand towards the clothes and pulled them to herself straight away. Quickly, she also grabbed the takeout bag and made her way bag to the corner.
The scent on the shirt and the robe, she knew that scent all too well as she inhaled it deeply, as she buried her nose against the soft material. It was all Lucius. Immediately, she took off her hospital gown and put the oversized shirt on. After, she wrapped incased herself beneath the robe. Not only did it smell like Lucius, but she imagined that he was holding her at that moment. Still in her little world, she started to eat her dumplings.
Severus watched silently for a while. At least there was some progress.
AN – Do you think there will be more progress? Reviews make me and my muses happy ;)
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