Refashioning Affection

Chapter Ten: Willing to Change?


“I know a couple places I can take you, Hermione. A few in this office, but I would prefer the Manor,” he answered the question as he nibbled along her neck up to her ear.

“As tempting as that sounds, Lucius, I have a meeting with the Minister in twenty minutes.”

“Leave work early and come home with me,” he whispered. His voice was at a dangerously low octave and she felt the hair on her neck rise at the sound.

“I have invited Charlie over tonight.”

Lucius pulled back and stared at her in shock and anger. “You will not have that man in your house.”

“Excuse me?” exclaimed Hermione in outrage.

“He is desperate for you, even if you cannot see it. I will not have my witch entertaining randy wizards alone in a house.” He was staring her straight in the eyes, tightening his grip on her.

“You presume an awful lot after one kiss.” She pushed his chest to force him back to give her room to think.

“I assumed that…”

“Your first mistake; Lucius, you obviously don’t know me that well at all. Do not presume to have control over my life because we have finally admitted after a week of dancing around each other that there is a sexual attraction between us.”

“I don’t think…”

“No, if you want to have any greater part in my life beyond our work here, then you best listen. I have friends, many who are male, and yes, I have had sexual relationships with some of them in the past.”

“I wouldn’t imagine…”

“Lucius, I am not the type to have serious relationships. I am not expecting you to settle for what little I have to offer you. So, I suggest you think about this a while before we decide anything.”

“What do you mean, what you have to offer?”

Hermione sighed, “I can give you what time I can, I can offer you friendship and a physical relationship. You can have my advice when you seek it and my promise to be faithful to you if we decide to have a sexual relationship, but not much more.”

“What are you afraid of?” he asked as he processed what she had just told him.

“Of breaking your heart unnecessarily,” she looked him square in the face. “There is no point in loving someone who isn’t willing to give up everything for you. I can’t be everything you need, so I will be in your life as long as I can and walk away as a friend when I must.”

“You think I will let you go now?” Lucius had no intention of letting her go anywhere, at least not without him, despite her words.

“Think about it, Lucius. I need to go to my meeting.” She ducked out from beneath his arms that had her pinned to the wall.

He watched her in stunned silence, not sure how to approach her. She straightened herself and gathered her things.

In the doorway, she turned to look at him, “I will see you later.” With that, she left.

Lucius leaned on the bookshelf and growled to himself, “well done, you dense prat.”

~~~~~~~~~

Hermione returned from the meeting to find her office blissfully empty. She needed time to think about what had happened.

She had been honest with Lucius. She didn’t want anything serious and she definitely didn’t want anyone attempting to control her life, especially since she had worked so hard to make the life she was living.

She knew she wasn’t easy to be with in a relationship-- that is why she had warned every man she had ever been with before they started any type of relationship beyond friendship.

She also knew that despite all the changes Lucius had made to his life, he was still a Malfoy: cunning, possessive and controlling.

She wanted him, and he wanted her. But to what extent was she willing to take it?

She flopped down on the couch; she would have to talk to Charlie about it. He was always good with advice concerning men.

She pulled herself up and began to pack up some paperwork, she doubted she’d get much done with Charlie staying over, but she couldn’t leave it behind.

~~~~~~~

Draco was searching for his father. Alan said he had been in quite a state when he left earlier that day and Draco decided to investigate. He had searched the entire Manor, and with no sight of his father he made his way to search the grounds.

He found him slumped in his mother’s old greenhouse. He was sitting on one of the benches, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. A half-empty glass of whiskey sat on the ground beside him.

Draco gave a sigh from the other side of the glass wall; he was definitely going to need backup.

~~~~~~~~~

Hermione was in the kitchen dicing up some potatoes and onions when she heard the floo open. “In the kitchen, Charlie,” she called out.

Soon large, warm hands slipped around to her hips, pulling her back into a strong, heavily muscled chest. The warm scent of sage and something slightly smoky filled her senses.

“Smells good in here, Herms,” he rumbled next to her ear.

“Mmm, so do you,” she teased and he chuckled.

“Glad you think so.”

“You hungry?” she asked, a smile still on her face.

“Always, and for many things,” he said as he hands wandered, one down her thigh and the other just below her breast.

“You are such a…”

“Weasley,” he finished

“Yes, now go get the plates, cupboard on the left next to the sink.”

“Yes ma’am.”

*********

They sat down and ate, catching up with each other.

“So, any woman, or women, in your life Charlie?”

“Once in a while, but there is only one witch for me.” He smiled at her and grasped her hand from across the table.

“This witch isn’t for anyone.”

“Oh come on, Hermione. Are you going to make me wait another decade?”

“I cannot believe I made that pact. How drunk was I that night?”

“Pretty far gone; I told you not to drink that Romanian gin.”

“I hope in the next decade you will find a good woman who will give you everything you ever dreamed of. You know I would make a lousy wife.”

“Hermione,” he said with an exasperated tone.

“You know it’s true.”

“Stubborn woman,” he shook his head. “So, what’s for dessert? Pineapple upside down cake, I hope.” He winked and smiled at Hermione glaring at him.

“That was such a bad night.”

“What? I think it’s adorable your parents used to call sex that.” “You would.”

“Well, what can I say?"

“You are a randy prat that needs to have his memory erased where that night is concerned.”

“Don’t you dare. The rest of the night was rather amazing, if I do say so myself.”

“Conceited fool.”

“But good in bed. Shall we, my dear?” he asked, standing and offering her his hand.

Hermione hesitated for a moment as Lucius’s face flashed in her mind, but she was a free woman who could do as she pleased, and she definitely enjoyed Charlie Weasley.

She smiled and slid her smaller hand into his rough freckled one. “Lead on, good sir.”

He proceeded to scoop her up into his arms and carry her out of the kitchen in search of the bedroom.

~~~~~~~~~~

Severus looked at his friend with concerned dark eyes.

“You still have a chance, Father, she said so herself,” Draco tried to reason with his sire.

“Draco is right, you made a mistake, but she has forgiven you for far worse offences. You just have to change your approach.”

“What? Refashion my idea of affection?”

“Precisely, Father. Granger is notoriously independent and stubborn and if you make demands of her and order her around, she will shut you out completely.”

“You need to really think about how much you are willing to change for her,” Severus explained.

“I would give up almost anything for her, and that is rather unsettling in and of itself.”

“Then, apologize and let her control this relationship for the time being. Listen to her and make sure you make it clear that you are willing to live by her guidelines, at least for the time being,” Draco suggested.

“Listen to your son, Lucius. He may be young, and a brat most of the time, but he is right when it comes to Ms. Granger.”

“I am not a brat.”

“Yes, you are,” both men responded at the same time, causing them to laugh. Tomorrow was a new day and a new chance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was nearly dawn and Hermione sat in front of the fire wrapped up in a pile of blankets. Charlie was fast asleep, still in her bed.

Last night had been difficult. She had stopped it before anything could really happen between them. She felt guilty for some reason. The face of Lucius Malfoy would haunt her every time she closed her eyes and tried to enjoy what she and Charlie were doing.

Charlie had sensed something was off about her and asked. She couldn’t lie to him, and explained what had happened. He had listened and offered her the only advice he could, she had to do what she thought was right for her.

That was the problem: what was right for her? Her grandmother had always said she was like the wind, having to move constantly and always just out of grasp. Could she be the wind forever?

She gazed into the fire and let her mind wander. The idea of being stuck in one place forever scared her more then she liked to admit, but was she really set on being alone?

A new day was breaking; she would start again.

~~~~~~~~~~

A/N I told you things would not be easy for our leading man and his lady.

Muchas gracias to my beta!!

Kittycat30 & meankitty69: What can I say I like my men dominate and manly. Lucius is most def. both, at least in my head.

Voracious Reader: Partially was right but Charlie still had a nice warm bed to sleep with, even if it was empty most of the time.


xoxo Sarah
~Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't worry Lucius wont be in the dog house for long :D