Lights of Questionable Faith

Lovely Reviewers:

happybunny - I'm just good that way. Poor Parachute.

Voracious Reader - Hermione's good! She can hadle Mr. Crazy-Pants.

Lauriurix - Yes. She is great...What will Lucius do?

Pam - You are not a pest. I love all of my reviewers. Never apologzie for reviews. REVIEW MORE! Makes me feel special!

Hilda Malfoy - She is quite the hellion...just wait, Lucius will get her back...it won't be so very pleasant, but there is more to this chapter than revenge. It's going to be interesting.

Citten - You might be waitin' a bit longer to find out Lucius' method of revenge. This chapter had to do something else. Though Lucius is going to give it to Hermione sooner or later.

vamp_grl23 - Yes, Hermione is going start giving the devil hell.

Apple - It's made me sad not to hear from you. "Only Time" is so much sweeter and more lovely. Lucius is so much less mad there. He's crazy, not a jerk.

HermioneMalfoyFan - She needs to be calculating. She lived with Slytherins for quite a while. You knew she was not going to let herself be embarrassed that way.

It is the problem of the male population. I'm considering something fun for him to do to her...two things really...not sure about them yet.

"The Taming of the Shrew" is funny while she is a nasty wench...the end sucks...I would also like to take a moment to say that Shakespeare's sexuality is a matter of debate, though the ending of the afore mentioned play does show he believes men superior. WHICH THEY AREN'T! I don't need a king to be a queen...No, I don't.

Lucius is very confused and crazy. He needs hugs.

Heidi191976 - You'll just have to wait and see what Lucius has in mind for our uppity little Hermione. It's a matter of what is considered punishment as well. BWAHAHAHA! I feel better now.

Flowerchild - Lucius did have that one coming.

maddie50 - Angry sex...yes, it can be delicious.

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I hope y'all like this chapter.

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Lucius stared at Hermione as she walked into the ballroom. She was beautiful, but she would not be allowed to treat him like garbage. She’d treated him like garbage in the past. Like he could be used and refused. She wouldn’t doing that anymore. He would get her back, but he would have to do so with care.

She’d treat him with respect. She’d treat him with the love he deserved.

Mr. Malfoy strode after her and caught her arm before she could begin to walk down.

HOW UNFITTING! A lady should never enter a room alone. She should have been on his arm, at his side.

Hermione looked up at him. He glared at her with dark silver eyes as he tucked her hand against his arm.

“You will behave,” Mr. Malfoy said, plastering a pleasant smile on his face for the crowd before he began to lead her down the stairs.

“I’m not a niffler, Malfoy,” Hermione said with a smile of her own plastered on her face as pictures were being snapped.

“You are a Malfoy now as well, my dear. It would do well for you not to say your own name with such venom,” Mr. Malfoy said, pinching her fingers against him.

“Mr. Malfoy! Mr. Malfoy!”

“I see you Miss Parkinson,” he said, nodding politely to the pug faced girl.

Pansy simpered next to him as he took her hand.

“Granger,” Pansy said after Lucius brushed his lips over her knuckles lightly in greeting.

Mr. Malfoy bristled but didn’t respond as quickly as Hermione did.

“Actually,” Hermione said, smirking at Pansy and moving between Lucius and Pansy. “It’s Lady Malfoy now. Do try to remember it.”

Lucius looked down at Hermione.

HOW WONDERFUL WAS THIS! Hermione blocking him from other females. She was jealous of him! Wanted him to herself. She needn’t have worried. He was hers. He couldn’t cheat if he wanted to.

He slid a hand around her waist placing his hand on her belly before kissing the back of her neck.

“I’m afraid that we must excuse ourselves, Miss Parkinson. We have many guests to greet.”

Lucius tugged at Hermione gently. Hermione puffed her lips out and wrapped both of her arms around Lucius’ right arm. None of these inbred bitches were going to make her feel like she didn’t belong at Lucius’ side--whether she wanted to be there at the moment or not.

“You were lovely,” Lucius commented in between introducing her to the senior Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle as well as so many others that she’d lost count.

“Where are my friends?” she asked, looking around for them.

“Hermione, dear child.”

Hermione looked over to see Mrs. Weasley rushing toward her weaving through the crowd with her bulk expertly not brushing a single person.

“Mrs. Weasley.”

“Lady Malfoy,” Lucius said, squeezing his wife more tightly to his side.

“Lady Malfoy,” Mrs. Weasley agreed, and she smiled at Lucius as she'd been taught from childhood. “How are you?”

Hermione looked up at Lucius who peered down at her through his long lashes.

“As okay as could be expected,” Hermione said as Lucius hauled her against him.

Hermione pushed at his chest.

“My sweet, I trust you will dance with me later,” Lucius said, leaning down and forcing Hermione’s head up uncomfortably. He pressed his lips to hers before whispering in her ear. “You will need to dance with others here. I will have my eye on you. I don’t believe they would try anything, but I’m not risking you, Love. I must speak with the minister.”

Hermione glared at him as he took a step back.

“My new wife. She is rather attached to me already, wanting me to be close,” Lucius said by way of explanation.

Hermione reached for her wand which was tucked in the folds of her dress. She didn’t find it. She turned to look at Lucius who was sliding something into his robes.

Lucius slapped a hand on Kingsley’s shoulder and walked away with him. Hermione glared at his back wishing he would trip and fall on his pretty face. The bastard. He turned and made sure she saw him wink at her.

How she wished she had a wand. A good stinging hex applied to his arse would do him some good.

“Come along dear, the ladies are desperate to meet you,” Molly said, looping her arm in Hermione’s. “You must make a good impression on them.”

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Hermione sat on a chair with a small plate of cucumber sandwiches and a slice of vanilla wedding cake.

It had been a stunning cake just as she had expected, six layers of alternating chocolate and vanilla. The top, which was being saved, was completed by a tiny representations of her and Lucius who stood on either side of a tiny flowing length of blue stream of pulled sugar that shone in the light. The little pastillage people stood in the binding circle with slivers of black pulled sugar on the side with mini Lucius and clear on the side with mini Hermione. Mini Hermione’s expression alternated between frowning at the little Lucius and jamming her hands on her hips while mini Lucius’ expression went back and forth between a wolfish grin and a pout. Every five minutes the pieces of sugar pushed the two figurines up to meet each other forming a bridge over the blue sugar stream, and little Lucius would kiss little Hermione who would end up in his arms. Then it would start all over.

Except for a brief break to cut the wedding cake with Lucius, who was busy talking to the other men, she’d been listening to the prattle of the society ladies for over two hours. Did they never shut up?

Who cared if Lucy-Lindy-Bootsy’s dress was on sale when she bought it? So she didn’t waste money on a dress that would only be acceptable to wear maybe twice in her life; good for her. She beat the system.

She glanced over at Ginny who was slumped in her seat and half turned so she could stare out the window.

“So, Granger,” Pansy began.

Hermione whipped around to look at the rather hog-faced girl.

“Lady Malfoy, Miss Parkinson,” Hermione said, pursing her lips and glaring at the pig.

“I’ll be your daughter-in-law soon,” Pansy said, trying to wrap an arm through Hermione’s.

Hermione stood withdrawing from the pig’s touch.

“That remains to be seen,” she said, smiling as she gave Pansy’s left ring finger a pointed look. “Lucius and I must discuss any such arrangement.”

Pansy looked aghast at being spoken to that way. Her tiny eyes narrowed.

“You don’t think that Lord Malfoy is really going to care what a filthy mudblood thinks, do you?”

Hermione felt her hands clench at her sides. Lucius should have let her hold onto it just for using against worthless, stupid women in the room. If she had a wand…

“He may not care what I think. But I think he cares about the image his first-born son presents to society, and as such, I think he will choose a more worthy, well bred lady for the position.”

“Draco will have what he wants, and that’s me,” Pansy said, smirking as she stood up. She looked down at Hermione from the added height of her two inch heels.

“I’ve yet to see proof of the admiration you claim my step son feels for you. Today, I’ve not seen him so much as look at you, let alone speak with you. You weren’t at the binding ceremony. I would venture a guess to say that you would have been there if you were soon to be family of the Malfoys. Quite curious behavior for a family you claim to soon be joining, though I do recall seeing a very pretty young lady there,” Hermione smirked at her. “Also for future reference, if you want to continue being invited to my home, I would suggest deleting the word mudblood from your dismally limited vocabulary. My husband and I don’t appreciate the term used to describe my birth. Also dear, marrying me was all his idea.”

Hermione turned to walk away carrying the beautiful china plate and glass of champagne.

“Mud-” was all Pansy got out before a wand was right between her eyes, and she was shoved against the wall.

“I would hate for you to get cursed, Miss Parkinson. But if I hear that word come out of your mouth, I would be left with no alternative. As it is, I’m going to ask you to leave Hermione's and my home and never come back. All funding for your father’s business is hereby withdrawn. I wash my hands of your family.”

“But Draco and I are getting married!”

“Draco,” Mr. Malfoy said, turning to his son who was two steps behind him.

“Yes, Father,” Draco said, looking at his father.

“Are you and Miss Parkinson involved?”

“No, you told me to be sure the lady I wished to marry was present at your binding, and she was. I’m quite certain it wasn’t Pansy.”

Pansy looked ready to scream. Her face got redder and redder as she puffed.

“But Drake.”

“My name is Draco,” Draco said, sneering at Pansy as tears welled up in her eyes. “You insulted my family. Our friendship no longer exists.”

Draco turned and walked away.

“You should leave, Miss Parkinson. You’re embarrassing your family,” Mr. Malfoy said, and he draped an arm around Hermione’s shoulders. “Tibby.”

A tiny house-elf appeared then.

“Tibby, please see that Miss Parkinson vacated the premises without causing any damage. Tell her father that I will be in touch.”

Hermione turned and looked up at Lucius. She put her hand on his arm. She felt her heart melt a little as he pulled her close. He was being so good to her. Not letting her be insulted in his presence. She turned her face into him.

“Will you dance with me, Love?” Lucius asked, withdrawing his arm and moving to stand in front of her and offering her his hand.

Hermione placed her hand in his looking into his silver eyes. There was a strange glint in them that caused her to momentarily wonder if he was alright. Lucius smiled as she took his hand and he led her onto the floor motioning to the orchestra to begin.

She placed a hand on his shoulder and he a hand on her lower back as the first strains could be heard from the violins. Lucius took her hand, and they began to twirl around the dance floor in a perfect waltz.

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Don't worry y'all. Lucius will get even with Hermione for upsetting him so. But other things took precedent in this chapter. You'll get it later. And as always, I am still discovering the story. I know only slightly more about what will happen than you do. It's the best way to do it. Drop a review!

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