Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Captive	By : Dazzlious Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Lucius/Hermione Views: 27336 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from J K Rowling's fantastic books or films, I'm just borrowing and playing with them for a little while and get no monetary reward for doing so.

Chapter List
- 1-One
- 2-Two
- 3-Three
- 4-Four
- 5-Five
- 6-Six
- 7-Seven
- 8-Eight
- 9-Nine
- 10-Ten
- 11-Eleven
- 12-Twelve
- 13-Thirteen
- 4
- 5
- 6
Hermione had never seen so many books outside of a real library. Although Lucius had tried to give some idea of the scale of work ahead of her, she hadn’t really taken it in. Now she was looking at a room easily the size of a ballroom, staring around at shelves that stretched from the floor to the ceiling.
They weren’t just around the edge, either. One whole side of the room was dedicated to stacks of bookshelves that were groaning under the weight of some of the massive tomes, while the other side housed comfortable chairs and reading tables, all facing towards the French windows that revealed the most beautiful garden she had ever seen.
There was even a minstrel’s gallery overlooking the whole room, with yet more bookshelves and a couple of comfy chairs. Lucius had taken her up there to allow her to survey the whole of her new domain – if she decided to take the job. Hermione could feel a small shiver of delight run up her spine at the thought of working with all those precious books.
Lucius was right: it was her ideal job, even putting aside any other reasons she might have for wanting to spend time at Malfoy Manor; the house and gardens were enough in themselves for her to consider accepting. But the library was magnificent and even Madam Pince, the Hogwarts School Librarian, would be in heaven spending her time sorting out something as immense and complex as this, Hermione thought.
‘What do you think?’ Lucius asked eagerly.
‘I’m actually sort of flabbergasted,’ Hermione admitted. ‘I know you said you had a lot of books but this is completely crazy. You must have nearly as many as Hogwarts does.’
Lucius chuckled richly. ‘The Malfoys have always been big readers. We’ve been collecting books since the fifteenth century. Obviously, we’re hoarders, too.’
‘I like it up here,’ Hermione said, indicating the gallery. ‘It’s a comfortable little space, good for tucking yourself away and reading when you don’t want to be diverted by the majesty of the gardens.’
‘You could make it your base of operations. We can soon get a desk brought up here,’ Lucius suggested.
Hermione shook her head. ‘No, I’ll need to work down there. I need to be in the thick of it, but this would be a good retreat during break times.’
She pointed at one of the larger reading tables, not noticing Lucius’ smile, caught up as she was in her thoughts about where she was going to start and how she was going to arrange the work. Hermione looked back at Lucius, realising that she had already decided to take the job.
‘So have I managed to convince you it’s worth taking on or should I try to sell you the other benefits of moving into Malfoy Manor?’ he asked.
‘Are there more benefits?’ Hermione smiled.
Lucius moved towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
‘There is one major obvious attraction to keep you here,’ he answered quietly into her hair as his hard body pressed against hers.
Hermione felt a little uncomfortable being in Lucius’ embrace knowing that Narcissa was somewhere in the house. She knew what Lucius had told her about his marriage but that was only one side, and until she got confirmation that it was true she needed to keep away from him. The last thing she wanted was Narcissa to turn up now and see them like this, especially if Lucius hadn’t been entirely truthful with her.
She pulled out of his arms and headed for the stairs to return back to the library itself. Lucius followed trying to hide his disappointment.
‘Would you like to see the gardens in more detail? It’s a lovely day out there and not too cold. The wind has dropped considerably so it should be perfect for wandering, and we’ve got time before it begins to get dark. You’ll get to see the outside of the manor in all its grandeur as well,’ Lucius offered.
Hermione smiled at him again. ‘Why not? As you say, it’s a lovely day and the gardens do look amazing.’
‘They look even better in the summer when all the flowers are in bloom,’ Lucius said.
She stopped in the middle of the room and looked out of the window, down the vast expanse of lawn to a small lake with a large fountain in the middle.
‘It is idyllic here, always very quiet and peaceful,’ Lucius told her.
‘I assume Malfoy Manor is hidden from Muggles, is it?’ Hermione asked interestedly as they made their way into the garden and down towards the lake.
Lucius nodded. ‘There have been a lot of spells placed upon it to repel Muggles from coming anywhere near. Fortunately, we’re in the middle of a rural area so to them it just looks like another set of fields. No one’s ever questioned why it isn’t farmed or who actually owns it; all the local farmers just assume that it belongs to one of the others. We haven’t exactly confunded people, just made them forget it’s here unless they come upon it by accident, and then the repelling charms kick in so they soon leave again.
‘There’s about six acres of land in total, stretching from the woods over there, then down towards the village in that direction. You can just see the church steeple from here.’ Lucius indicated the directions as he spoke. ‘Past the garden wall in that direction is common land – good for riding as it doesn’t interfere with any of the farmers’ crops. The only bit of the grounds that leads to the road is the driveway at the front of the house, although there is quite a long tree-lined avenue before you get there.’
He turned and looked back at the house. ‘The house itself dates from the fifteenth century, with modifications added in the eighteenth century. The oldest part is that section at the end, the bit with all the ornate chimney pots and the timber fronting. Lucius pointed at it, proudly. There are ten formal bedrooms plus the nursery and servants’ quarters at the top of the house plus various studies, drawing rooms, and even a small ballroom, although we rarely use it for its intended purpose.
‘On the other side is the newest addition to the house, the glasshouse, which was added by my great grandfather — those Victorians loved their hothouses with all their exotic plants. Personally, I’d be happy to get rid of them all but I’m told they’re a delightful feature, and I suppose it does make for an agreeable place to take tea.’
‘This is a very pleasant spot,’ Hermione remarked. ‘I love the sound the fountain makes. I’ve always loved the sound of running water. It would be lovely to sit here and paint in the summer.’
‘Are you an artist, then?’ Lucius asked interestedly.
Hermione shrugged. ‘No, not really. I do attempt it every so often but I don’t think I’ll be displaying my paintings any time soon. It’s more of a relaxation thing than serious art.’
‘Well, we have several excellent spots for painting or even just relaxing. Over there are the rose garden and the walled herb garden, both of which come into their own during the summer. Try the herb garden in the evening; the scent of lavender and lemon balm on the hot evening breeze is truly delightful.
‘The rose garden, along with this area around the lake, was part of a design by the famous landscape gardener Lancelot Brown, better known by his nickname, Capability. He was a wizard but spent most of his life working for Muggles — he just loved creating garden designs and didn’t care who he worked for. He laid out designs for the whole estate but then got into an argument with one of my ancestors, no doubt because of his willingness to work for Muggles; as you know until now none of my family was ever open to interacting with those who weren’t at the very least Half-blood.
‘Brown left, having completed only the rose garden and the lake area. It’s a shame, really. I would love to have seen what the manor grounds would have looked like completely rebuilt to his original plans. I have occasionally considered getting someone in to complete the work he started but I have to admit the idea of the upheaval is a little off-putting, particularly when the garden is already so magnificent.’
‘Perhaps you could just do a small area to start with? Somewhere out of the way where you wouldn’t see the work being done,’ Hermione suggested. ‘There’s no reason to tear up the whole garden but there are probably small areas that would benefit from some work, aren’t there?’
Lucius considered her words for a while. ‘You might be right. Are you interested in garden design at all? You could take on the project in your spare time if you want.’
Hermione shook her head. ‘I like looking at gardens not working in them. Anyway, I think I’m going to be a bit too busy with that library of yours to think about re-landscaping your garden.’
‘So you are going to come and work for me, then?’ Lucius sounded pleased.
‘I think so. It’s certainly a more interesting prospect than staying at the Ministry, although don’t think that means I’ve given up my desire to help house-elves. That reminds me, you said you would talk to yours — have you done it yet?’ Hermione asked.
Lucius shook his head. ‘No, not yet. I thought I’d wait until you settled in and see how things work around here. Then, maybe, you can assist me in trying to convince them of the changes you suggested. I still don’t think it will work but we can certainly try.’
He looked back towards the manor, seeming to gauge something, then took Hermione’s arm and propelled her towards a path that ran around the building.
‘Time for you to see the glasshouse. It’s time for tea and I know Narcissa wants to talk to you about the library and your plans for it.’
‘I haven’t got any plans,’ Hermione said, suddenly panicked. ‘I’ve literally only just decided to take the job. I haven’t had a chance to give any thought as to what I’m actually going to do.’
‘I saw the look in your eyes while you were looking around. I could see that you were already planning how you would undertake the task,’ Lucius countered.
Hermione blushed. ‘Well, a little bit, I suppose. But I haven’t got a formal plan or anything.’
Lucius chuckled. ‘Don’t worry about it. I’m sure Narcissa will be interested in whatever you have to tell her and she’ll give you some ideas as well. She’s always full of good ones.’
Hermione wasn’t sure whether Lucius was being sarcastic so she sensibly said nothing as she followed him around the house until they reached the glasshouse.
It had the perfect name, Hermione thought; the huge and elaborate glass structure was exploding with lush, verdant greenery and exotic hothouse blooms, reminding her of a jungle. She stepped inside, expecting to be overwhelmed by heat and humidity, but actually it was relatively cool, particularly once they reached the centre where a large glass-topped wicker table was surrounded by comfortable-looking sofas and chairs; a little oasis in the centre of a rainforest.
Narcissa was already there, sitting prettily in one of the armchairs, dressed casually in an expensive pale cream linen dress. There wasn’t a crease in sight, Hermione realised a little bitterly. She was sipping tea from a bone china cup and she smiled as Lucius and Hermione joined her.
‘Was Lucius trying to tempt you into the job by showing you the gardens?’ she asked.
She put her cup back on the saucer then placed both on the table and rose gracefully, holding out her hand to take Hermione’s.
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you again, Hermione — you don’t mind if I call you Hermione, do you? —and in better circumstances this time, fortunately.’
‘Your house and gardens are truly magnificent,’ Hermione told her honestly.
She sat down on a sofa indicated by Narcissa. Lucius took another of the chairs and settled back easily as he watched the two women talk.
‘It’s Malfoy property. The Black estate isn’t anywhere near as grand nor is it quite so rural,’ Narcissa said. Hermione wasn’t sure if she could detect a slight tone in her voice.
‘Of course. Well, it’s amazing, anyway — as is this conservatory. The plants are beautiful, so lush and vibrant,’ Hermione told her.
‘I love it in here,’ Narcissa confided. ‘Lucius isn’t bothered, though. He’s not really into plants and stuff, are you, dear?’
Lucius gave a small shrug. ‘I don’t mind as long as I don’t have to do anything with them. It’s a pleasant enough place to take tea.’
‘Of course, how rude of me. I apologise, Hermione. Would you like some tea? It’s afternoon blend, although I can always ask one of the house-elves to bring you something else if it’s not to your taste.’
Narcissa reverted to playing the perfect hostess and indicated the large teapot that matched the rest of the tea service.
‘That will be fine, thank you, Mrs Malfoy,’ Hermione replied.
Narcissa gave a gentle laugh. ‘Please, call me Narcissa. Mrs Malfoy always makes me think of Lucius’ mother.’ She passed Hermione a cup and saucer then began to pour a cup for Lucius. ‘Help yourself to milk and sugar.’
Hermione put the cup and saucer down on the table and leant across to retrieve the milk jug. She added a small amount to her cup, stirring it with a silver teaspoon that she retrieved from a pile on the tray.
Narcissa clicked her fingers and a house-elf appeared. Hermione stared at it, surprised at how well-cared-for and happy it looked. She remembered that Dobby had once been one of the Malfoys’ house-elves; his bad treatment by the family, as described to her by Harry, had been one of the reasons she had become interested in house-elf rights in the first place.
‘We’ll have the sandwiches now, please, Jorry, and could you arrange for some more tea as well?’ Narcissa asked mildly.
The house-elf gave a small bow and disappeared with a pop.
‘I told you we treat our house-elves with respect,’ Lucius told Hermione quietly. He had seen her look of surprise. ‘I have to admit we haven’t always been quite so good — I know you remember poor Dobby. But we really have tried to improve our behaviour over the last few years and that includes the way we treat our servants.’
The little house-elf reappeared carrying a china cake stand that contained fingers of freshly cut sandwiches. Hermione couldn’t help feeling that she was attending an extremely posh afternoon tea like those held in some of the more upscale Muggle hotels.
Narcissa held out a small plate and Hermione took it.
‘We have a selection of sandwiches so hopefully, there will be something to your taste. Jorry, what have you prepared for us today?’
Hermione realised the house-elf was still there. It looked proudly at the three humans as it recited the contents of the sandwiches, clearly learned by rote.
‘Egg and cress and salmon and cucumber, both on white bread; Wiltshire ham and English mustard and rare roast beef and horseradish on wholemeal bread; and finally, Lyburn’s Winchester cheese with homemade pickle chutney on carrot bread, Mistress.’
‘They all sound extremely tempting,’ Lucius said with a smile. ‘Hermione, you really must try the cheese, it’s locally made and it’s quite excellent. It’s won all sorts of awards, as has the ham.’
‘They all sound really good,’ Hermione admitted, realising she was starving as she joined the others in adding sandwiches to her plate.
‘Another round of each, please, Jorry. I think we’re going to get through them this afternoon,’ Narcissa commanded the house-elf with a smile.
‘So has Lucius managed to convince you to take on the mammoth task that is rearranging the library?’ she asked interestedly once they were settled into eating and drinking.
Hermione swallowed the bite of sandwich she was eating before answering.
‘I think so. It certainly appeals to me far more than my current job, and the surroundings couldn’t really be any better. It will be a huge task, though. Lucius told me there were a lot of books but I didn’t comprehend quite how many there were until I saw the library — it is awe-inspiring.’
Narcissa gave Hermione another smile. ‘I’ve no doubt you’ll do a good job. Lucius is confident of your abilities.’
Hermione wasn’t sure whether yet again there was some undertone to Narcissa’s words, and for a moment she wondered whether the woman knew about what had happened between her and Lucius. She decided she was just being paranoid and reading things into Narcissa’s behaviour that weren’t really there. After all, if Lucius was telling the truth, Narcissa was unlikely to be bothered about anything they may have done together.
‘I’m not a professional librarian,’ Hermione replied. ‘I just love books and spent most of my time at school in the Hogwarts Library.’
‘Yes, Draco mentioned something about you living in the Library. He was the one who originally suggested you for the job,’ Narcissa said. She indicated the cake stand again, which now contained several varieties of scone. ‘Scone, Hermione? There’s clotted cream and two types of jam, strawberry and raspberry – both homemade locally, of course.’
Hermione looked at Narcissa with surprise. She had assumed Lucius had dreamt the job up as a way to get her to spend more time with him. She took a plain scone from the stand and cut it in half, then added a dollop of cream and some raspberry jam to each half.
‘Really? I wasn’t aware of that,’ she admitted.
‘Oh yes. He was quite effusive about you, actually.’ Narcissa shot a glance at both Hermione and Lucius, then smiled wickedly. ‘I think he’s got a bit of a thing about you, Hermione. It appears you’re a real lure for the Malfoys.’
Hermione had a feeling that Narcissa would like to have added ‘considering the fact that you’re a Mudblood’ but she just smiled and took another sip of her tea.
‘Well, I hope I can live up to everyone’s expectation of me. It’s certainly going to be a challenge.’
‘One I expect you’ll surpass beautifully,’ Narcissa assured her. She took a bite of her own scone. ‘I know you’ve only had a quick look so far, but have you got any ideas about what you want to do?’
Lucius stretched loudly, then put his teacup back on the table and stood.
‘I’ve got some work to do so I’ll leave you two to discuss the finer points of library cataloguing.’ He stared at Hermione, blatantly ignoring Narcissa which made Hermione cringe a little. ‘I’ll see you later, Hermione — drinks before dinner, okay?’
Hermione nodded, not sure what else to do.
‘Don’t you want any cake? I was just about to get Jorry to serve them,’ Narcissa said.
Lucius shook his head. ‘I’ve had enough for the time being. I’ll see you girls later. I’m sure you can gossip far more effectively without me here.’
Hermione watched him leave, then looked around the room once more. A display of stunning purple and orange orchids caught her eye.
‘Orchids are a favourite of mine,’ Narcissa told her, following her gaze. ‘The purple ones are Vanda, the orange is a Cymbidium hybrid.’
‘They’re beautiful,’ Hermione said.
She suddenly felt quite awkward without Lucius there to bridge the gap and was aware of Narcissa’s gimlet stare. The woman seemed to be sizing her up.
‘They take a lot of work but I think their beauty makes it worthwhile. I’m lucky that one of the house-elves has a real touch with them otherwise my displays wouldn’t be anywhere near as good.’ She paused for a moment then added, ‘Would you like some cake, Hermione?’
Hermione waved her hand to indicate no. She wanted to leave but had no desire to be rude, and she suspected Narcissa hadn’t finished talking to her yet.
‘I’ve had enough, thank you, Narcissa. The sandwiches were very tasty, and those scones were so light that I ate more than I should have. I wouldn’t say no to another cup of tea, though.’
She held out her cup and saucer as Narcissa lifted the teapot, pouring both Hermione and herself another cup of tea. Once they were settled again Narcissa looked pointedly at Hermione.
‘So tell me your initial thoughts about the library,’ she requested.
Hermione shrugged. ‘I didn’t really have time to formulate any specific plans as we didn’t spend that long in the library and I only looked at a fraction of the books. From what I’ve seen of the piles of books all over the room I guess the logical place to start would be to establish what you have. Once that’s done I can get an idea of the sort of sections I should be creating, then I can start the formal cataloguing. Lucius told me that you have some ideas. I would obviously be happy to follow your lead on anything you want to do.’
Narcissa waved her hand dismissively. ‘I’m happy for you to do whatever you want as I don’t really have any particular investment in the library, although I did once start making a list of the books in there if it will help you. You seem to know what you’re doing so I’m sure it will all come together eventually.’
‘I’ll probably speak to Madam Pince at Hogwarts,’ Hermione admitted. ‘I’m sure she’ll be able to point me in the best direction to start, although your list will definitely help. It does seem a slightly daunting task at the moment. I’m excited by it but there’s going to be such a lot of hard work to get it finished.’
‘You won’t be working all the time, though,’ Narcissa pointed out.
Hermione sipped her tea. ‘No. Lucius has already told me I’m not allowed to work weekends, although to be honest, I think that might change once I actually get going. I do have a tendency to become a little focussed on what I’m doing to the exclusion of everything else.’
‘I doubt Lucius will allow you become too consumed, although it’s good for him to have a project to work on, too. He has been at something of a loose end recently,’ Narcissa said musingly.
Hermione knew without asking that Narcissa was referring to his lack of employment for the cause of Voldemort. With him gone and the other Death Eaters dead or in prison, Lucius probably had a lot more free time than when the Dark wizard had been alive.
‘I’m sure you’ll be able to keep him fully occupied,’ Narcissa added with another small smile.
Once again Hermione could feel the undertone and it made her feel uncomfortable, although yet again it could just be her own guilt and anxiety projecting onto Narcissa’s words.
‘Are you sleeping with my husband, Hermione?’ Narcissa asked suddenly. There was no accusation in the words; they had come out as easily as if the older woman had just asked her if she wanted another cup of tea.
Hermione stared at her in shock unable to decide what to say. She felt her face flushing which she knew gave away the truth but she couldn’t help her automatic response.
‘No. I mean—’ She broke off and took another sip of her tea to try to calm down.
Narcissa watched her placidly, seemingly unaware of the anguish she had just caused.
‘Don’t get me wrong, Hermione, I don’t mind if you are,’ she said as Hermione continued to stare at her in astonishment. ‘Lucius and I haven’t had that sort of relationship for years — since before Draco went to Hogwarts, actually. And I know he’s not a monk so I’m sure he hasn’t stayed celibate all these years. I also know he’s been interested in you for some time — several years, probably—’
At these words a look crossed her face that Hermione was certain was disgust. Once again she remembered how she had thought Narcissa wanted to comment on her blood status. The woman was trying hard not to show it but she obviously wasn’t happy about Hermione being Muggle-born.
‘As I said, I really don’t mind. When Lucius started banging on about bringing you here it was pretty obvious what he was hoping for. He’s a handsome man; if you like the type. I can understand why you might find him attractive and I wouldn’t blame you one bit if you ended up between the sheets with him.’
Hermione opened her mouth to tell Narcissa that she had no intention of doing anything with Lucius but Narcissa held her hand up to stop her.
‘Once again, I tell you that I don’t mind if you want to have a relationship with him, Hermione. The only thing that worries me is that you’re so young. Maybe you know what you want or you think you do. I remember being your age and being certain that I knew exactly what I wanted in life. I was completely wrong as it turned out, but no one could have told me that at the time because I thought I knew better than everyone else.’
Narcissa stopped talking and poured herself another cup of tea as if giving herself time to order her thoughts before she continued. She waved the teapot at Hermione, who shook her head, waiting on tenterhooks for the older woman to continue.
‘If you want to be with Lucius then fine, do it by all means, but make sure it’s out in the open. Don’t creep around having an affair that no one knows about. I told you earlier that Draco admires you. Actually, I think he fancies you a lot and was hoping that if you came to work here it might give him a chance to woo you.
‘I’ll be honest, Hermione, I’m not ecstatic about Draco’s choice. You seem like a nice girl and you’re pretty but I had hoped for a slightly more advantageous match for my son, someone not — well—’
‘Muggle-born, you mean,’ Hermione said tersely, trying to keep the anger from her voice.
Narcissa shrugged as if that explained everything.
Her voice was slightly cooler now. ‘I just don’t want you mucking my son around, Hermione. If it’s definitely Lucius you’re interested in then I want you to let Draco know immediately so he can stop chasing after you and move on. But if there’s any possibility that you’re interested in Draco, you need to distance yourself from Lucius completely and give my son a chance to prove himself to you. I don’t want my husband and son fighting over the same woman and ruining their relationship with each other. You are not that special.’
‘If you’d rather I didn’t take the job I’ll tell Lucius I’m not going to come. I’m not trying to cause an argument in your family,’ Hermione said honestly.
She suddenly felt misunderstood and bullied by Narcissa and she wasn’t at all sure that the woman really meant what she was saying about Lucius. Maybe Narcissa knew something had happened between them and was jealous that her husband was more interested in her than in his wife. Perhaps she should just go, should give up the chance of the job of a lifetime, and leave Lucius and Narcissa to their games.
‘I wasn’t saying that. I’m just telling you to make a choice and stick with it,’ Narcissa retorted. ‘I suspect now you’re thinking of running away, but that would be a really stupid move for you if you’re as interested in the library as you indicated previously.
‘I’ve no idea what you’re doing at the moment but I assume it’s not anything particularly inspiring otherwise Lucius would never have lured you here in the first place — unless the job isn’t the reason you came.’ Hermione made to protest at this but Narcissa waved her hand to stop her talking. ‘Okay, so you wanted the job. So why walk away now, when it’s quite clearly yours for the taking? Just decide which way you’re going to go and make sure everyone knows.’
Hermione sat in silence for a long time considering what Narcissa had told her. Now that she was looking at it less emotionally she realised that the older woman wasn’t really trying to bully her. She wasn’t trying to force her away from Lucius, just asking her to make a choice between the two men in her life. No wonder Narcissa wasn’t happy with her. Hermione wouldn’t be either if she was on the verge of losing the two most important people in her life to another woman.
She had intended to say nothing, to go away and think it over, to consider properly what a relationship with either of the Malfoy males could mean, especially with Draco. Until Narcissa had mentioned it he would never have even crossed her mind as a serious contender for a relationship, but—
‘It would be Lucius.’ Hermione looked surprised that she had spoken, but having done so she now felt she had to explain. ‘Draco and I never got on at school so I never had the chance to really get to know him. I don’t feel anything in any way romantic for your son, and to be honest I don’t think I ever will. But Lucius . . . you know he rescued me when I was captured by Death Eaters . . . .’ Her voice trailed off, not sure how to explain.
Narcissa looked far more relieved than Hermione had expected.
‘I always wondered why he saved you. I mean, I know it was because he fancied you, obviously, but it was such a bold move, you being Muggle-born and him still working for the Dark Lord.’
Although she had no idea why Hermione suddenly had the urge to tell Narcissa the truth; to unburden herself of the secret she had kept hidden from everyone for so long.
‘He only did it because I paid him to,’ she admitted.
Narcissa looked momentarily confused. ‘You paid him? What on earth did you give him? He has no need for money . . . .’ A look of understanding suddenly crossed her face as she realised. ‘Ah, you gave him your body, didn’t you?’
Hermione nodded not looking at Narcissa, instead staring into the teacup she was holding.
‘Well, I have to give him ten out of ten for opportunism during a time of crisis,’ Narcissa said with a small, cold chuckle.
‘It was awful,’ Hermione said dully, remembering the night she had been abducted. ‘The Death Eaters were doing awful things to the people they had captured, torture and worse . . . sexual things. It was horrible. Lucius agreed to help me escape if I did something for him but when I came round from being Stunned I was in a horrible dark prison waiting to be used as bait against the Order of the Phoenix. At first, Lucius told me he couldn’t help me, but then he changed his mind.’
‘When you agreed to have sex with him,’ Narcissa said knowingly.
Hermione nodded. ‘But even then I thought he was lying because he left me again. He rescued me at the last minute. He risked everything to do so, even put you and Draco in danger, I think.’ She stared at Narcissa, wanting her to know she was being sincere. ‘I honestly had no idea that he was interested in me beyond what he could get as payment for my escape, not until after the trial.’
‘You helped him escape prison, Hermione. Why did you do that after what he had done to you if you believed him to be a liar and an opportunist?’ Narcissa asked.
Hermione shrugged. ‘When we were on the run — me, Harry and Ron — we broke into your sister’s vault in Gringotts.’
Narcissa looked surprised. ‘You did? Bella always said you had but no one believed her.’
‘We didn’t go there until after we escaped from Malfoy Manor. We were looking for one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes. Because of the way she acted when she saw the sword, Harry was certain Bellatrix was keeping one of them in her vault, along with what she thought was the real sword of Godric Gryffindor, which she assumed we had stolen. She never knew the one Professor Snape had put in there was fake. We always had the real sword. Griphook, the goblin who was there that night, lied to her because Harry asked him to. The sword was the only thing we knew of that could destroy the Horcruxes and we couldn’t risk losing it.
‘But trying to get out of Gringotts afterwards was a complete nightmare. We nearly died several times and ended up on the back of the dragon that was being kept captive down in the vaults. Between that escape and the other close shaves we had, I realised that Lucius really had risked so much for me, especially considering his closeness to Voldemort, that I probably hadn’t paid him anywhere near enough. The only thing I could do was to help him at the trial.’
‘So this adoration for Lucius is based purely on the payment and your guilt.’ Narcissa shook her head. ‘That’s not a thing to base life decisions on, Hermione, honestly. Take it from someone with a bit more experience than you.’
‘I saw him after the trial and I knew then that I wanted him as much as he wanted me . . . but he’s married,’ Hermione admitted in a small voice.
‘Although that isn’t really a problem, as I explained earlier,’ Narcissa pointed out.
‘But I didn’t know that when Lucius offered me the job. He told me it wouldn’t be a problem, that you would probably be grateful to me for taking him off your hands — but men lie, don’t they? And Lucius had lied to me before so I couldn’t take his word for it. When I came here to look at the library I really was only doing it with the view to taking the job and nothing else, whatever Lucius may have been hoping.
‘When you told me about Draco I was stunned. As I said, we never got on at school so the idea that he admired me enough to suggest me for the job was almost unbelievable. You telling me that he fancies me is even more so. I honestly thought Lucius had created the job in an attempt to get me closer to him and I was all prepared to turn it down, despite the crappy job I’m doing at the moment . . . then I saw the library. I can’t imagine anyone with an interest in books not wanting to tackle it, and for me, that was suddenly enough.’
Narcissa considered Hermione’s words for several long seconds, then replied, ‘I have to admit that given the choice I would much prefer you took Lucius rather than Draco, and it’s fairly gratifying to think that you’ll be keeping him entertained here so he won’t have to go elsewhere to find his fun and I won’t hear all sorts of dreadful rumours from my friends about his behaviour. Just make sure that you make it clear to Draco you’re not interested. I don’t want him thinking he’s got a chance with you.’
‘I will,’ Hermione promised, glad that she and Narcissa had finally come to some sort of understanding — and better still, one that allowed her to continue her relationship with Lucius. ‘If you don’t mind I might go back to the library and start looking at the books. I assume there’s a bit of time before dinner?’
Narcissa looked at her watch. ‘Dinner is at eight, so you’ve got plenty of time. I’ll walk with you and show you the way from here. I can dig out that list for you as well.’ She stood up.
Hermione stood, too. ‘Thank you for your help, Narcissa. I really appreciate it.’
‘I’m sure everything’s going to work out just fine, Hermione,’ Narcissa said, sounding satisfied.
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