Diamond in the Rough

She reached her bedroom and threw herself onto her bed, finally allowing the tears to fall. The last thing she wanted was to have Lucius see her cry. He undoubtedly would assume she was overly emotional or weak and not take what she had said to him in the library seriously. With no physical outlet to assuage her anger, she hugged a pillow against her face and finally let go of all the anger, frustration, and stress that had been building up within her since this marriage law had come to fruition. It appalled her to think that just a week ago she had been so very content with her life, proud of what she had carved out for herself. Now she felt as if everything she had worked so hard for was crumbling around her.

Lucius watched his little termagant of a wife storm out of the library; he stood there with his mouth open. He turned slowly to his chair next to the enormous fireplace and picked up his drink. He sat down and took a long sip of fire whiskey. He really needed to reassess how he dealt with his fiery, little tempest. Her fury had nearly singed off his eyebrows. Good Goddess the amount of passion in such a petite little package.

Lucius cautiously entered her bedroom. He was unsure as to what type of temper he’d find her in. Ahh, there she was huddled on her bed. She was still wearing her robes and appeared to be asleep. She looked quite young hugging her pillow to her face and breast. He approached her slowly, noticing tear tracks that had dried on her flushed cheeks. He touched his hand to the pillow she had cuddled against her, noting the dampness. He sat down next to her watching her as she slept. He felt a slight ache in his chest; he rubbed the palm of his hand against his chest as he watched her sleep, a slight frown marring his brow. He gently moved a tendril of honey brown hair away from her forehead. Her long curling, lashes fanned against the top of her cheeks. Gods, she was quite lovely. He stood up from the bed then bent down, picked her up gently and carried her into his bedroom. He laid her down on his bed, took off her shoes, robes and clothing. He dressed her in one of his fine cotton t-shirts then settled in next to her and pulled her tightly against him, spreading the sheets and blankets up over them.

She woke up to find white blond hair spread across her face and shoulder. She lifted her head and saw that she was in Lucius’ bedroom. She dropped her head back onto the plush pillow and sighed. She could feel the warmth of his body and closed her eyes, taking in his unique scent of cinnamon, sandalwood, and cloves. His scent alone seemed to now make desire begin to pull low in her body. The man was intoxicating, she liked the way he smelled, tasted, and moved that delicious body of his. If she could somehow separate that obnoxious personality… She curled in closer to him, burrowing into his heat. It was kind of nice waking up cuddled against someone. It dawned on her how lonely her perfect life had been. The solitude at first had been so needed but loneliness had begun to seep into the solitude.

Gods, he frustrated her with his domineering and controlling personality but she definitely wasn’t bored or lonely when she was with him. She began to run through a list of pros and cons of being married to Lucius Malfoy in her head. On the con side he was domineering, controlling, possessive, authoritarian, dictatorial, an ex death eater, arrogant and slytheran. On the pro side he was fiercely intelligent, his kisses seemed to make her toes curl and good goddess, he was unquestionably one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen. Her greatest fear in being married to this man was losing who she was when she was with him. She should be angry with him for up and moving her into his bedroom but she was tired of being irritated and angry with him. Though he didn’t have to say too much to set her off.

Strong arms moved across her body and pulled her tightly against a rock hard chest. “Good morning Poppet.” He rumbled against her hair. “Morning,” she said quietly. He rolled her under him and held himself up by his elbows and looked down at her. His look quite inscrutable. She looked back at him not daring to blink. What was he up to? He reached over to the nightstand and then placed a black velvet box on her chest.

“I have a little something for you. Hopefully you will like it.”

She placed her hand over the box and looked at him. “Lucius, you don’t need to give me anything…” He gave her a heart rending smile which reached his eyes making him so incredibly lovely to her.

“What?” She said unable to not smile up at him.

“You finally called me by my name, Poppet, it sounded quite wonderful coming from your lips.” She rolled her eyes at him, “I’m serious though; you don’t need to give me anything.”

He looked intently at her, studying her face, she really was quite lovely. He leaned down wanting to taste those plump lips. He sucked on her bottom lip then plunged his tongue into her mouth. She tasted sweet.

Pulling his head back he looked down arrogantly at her and said, “If I feel the need to give you something I shall.”

She pushed him off of her sighing, “You know if you didn’t take to opening your mouth to utter such stupid drivel to me, we’d get along so much better.” She sat up and began to slide off the massive bed. He grabbed her under her arms and lifted her back into bed.

“Quite disrespectful Poppet. I may need to begin to instill in you a healthier respect for me.” He said in a low silky voice. “Open your present,” he commanded.

She looked up at him and wrapped her fingers around the velvet box and in one swift movement slid off the bed and slammed it on the night table. “I don’t want your damn present.”

“Hermione, you are acting quite childishly. I do not want to see another temper tantrum out of you so soon.”

“Temper tantrum?” Hermione practically screeched at him. “Why is it that you deem your behavior above reproach and mine is childish?”

Sitting up slowly, he sneered at her, “I’m a Malfoy and our behavior is always above reproach.”

She laughed, he was unbelievable. “Oh yeah, being a death eater and running after a half blood megalomaniac is behavior above reproach.” She snorted.

“Excuse me?” He asked coldly, not quite believing what and how she had spoken to him.

“You heard me. Always above reproach, what a joke! And what’s with this royal “we”, who do you think you are the bloody queen? Lucius Malfoy, you are an ass.” She laughed her way out of his bedroom.

She was extraordinarily impertinent. He couldn’t quite believe her audacity in the way she spoke to him. No one spoke to him like that. She had also had the gall to not even bother to open the present he had gotten for her. Damn the chit.

After a nice hot, steamy shower, Hermione made her way down to the breakfast room to find Draco sipping coffee and reading the Daily Prophet at the table. He looked up at her; she was looking speculatively at him. “Something on your mind Granger?”

“Your mother must have been quite a remarkable woman.”

Draco’s brows lifted. “Seriously?”

“Yes, I’m quite serious,” she said as she seated herself at the table. Twilby appeared and handed Hermione a steaming cup of tea. She thanked him and looked at Draco. He looked at her and then finally said, “She was a woman of incredible patience.”

Hermione smiled at Draco, “she’d have to be given she was married to your father for so long.”

Draco smirked at her. “He does have a rather commanding personality does he not?”

Hermione snorted and then sipped her tea. “He’s a personality all right.”

Draco laughed outright then sobered. “He does mean well, Granger.”

“That remains to be seen, Malfoy.”

“Oh good Gods, can’t the two of you refer to each other by first names,” Lucius said as he swept into the room.

Draco and Hermione looked at each other then burst out laughing, “No!” they said together.

Lucius scowled, he felt like he was somehow the butt of a joke. He was not in a good mood, no thanks to that damned chit. He didn’t like walking into a room to hear his new tiny terror of a wife and son laughing so amiably together. He sat down at the head of the table and grit his teeth while Twilby set a cup of coffee down next to Lucius. He felt like throwing his coffee cup into the wall.

Draco very perceptive to his father’s moods stood up and stated he needed to get off to work, leaving Hermione and Lucius alone. Hermione picked up her tea and took a long sip, looking at everything in the room but Lucius. He glowered at her, mentally willing her to look at him. He silently counted to ten forcing himself to get his anger under control. Look at her sitting there looking as fresh and lovely as a spring morning. She was wearing those damned muggle jeans and t-shirt. Damn her.

“Hermione, where are the new clothes you bought from Madam Malkin’s shop?” He all but growled at her.

She finally looked at him and said far too sweetly, “I think they are going to be delivered today.”

“I don’t want you wearing those offensive clothes once they arrive,” he snarled.

She looked down at her t-shirt and jeans, “I like these clothes.”

“I don’t.”

“No.”

“I beg your pardon? Did you just say no to me?” He asked silkily.

She was watching him cautiously; he really did look quite dangerous when he was angry. She was closest to the door out of the breakfast room, she moved her wand silently from her jean pocket as stealthily as she could and held it on her lap under the table. She gently placed her teacup down and said, “You heard correctly.”

He leaned back in his chair and scowled at her. “Take them off.”

“No,” she moved to the edge of her chair.

“Now, Hermione!”

“No.”

They both moved at the same time, Hermione leapt up and Lucius leaned forward and she dashed through the doorway. With a gleam in his eye he ran after her.