Refashioning Affection

Note: This chapter had not been gone over by my Beta, my apologies for any mistakes ahead of time, I will post the betaed chapter as soon as I get it, hope you enjoy it anyway. Now on to the chapter...


Chapter Fourteen: The Man Who Tainted Her.


Hermione woke the next morning to find a freckled, blued eyed, face surrounded by fiery hair next to her in bed.

"Rough day love?" she asked

"Harry sent you over didn't he," it wasn't a question.

"Yes and he told me everything. Now I want you, to tell me, what you plan to do about it today."

"I will have to explain myself to Lucius, but I don't know how to." She groaned in frustration and pulled the blankets over her head.

Ginny wasn’t letting her get off that easy, she followed her right under the sheets looking her straight in the eye.

"Just tell him the truth."

"What? That I am actually this permanently tainted witch who can't let go of her past?" she asked her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"What Samson did to you would have ruined many a witch, but you moved on and proved him wrong. Now prove him wrong again. You and Lucius are obviously good for each other."

"Humph," was her only response as Hermione pushed herself face-first into her pillow.

"Hermione Jean Granger!" Ginny scolded, mimicking her mother perfectly.

"Okay!" Hermione said into her pillow,

"Good, Ron said Lucius will be stopping by around lunch time so that gives you a few hours to get ready."

"Thanks Gin." Hermione reached over and clutched her friends' hand.

"That's what I'm here for, now get you lazy arse out of bed." They both laughed as Hermione swung her legs out from under the covers and headed to the shower.

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Lucius had been pacing for hours watching the seconds slowly tick by. The moment that the clocks chimed in midday he was on his feet and through the floo.

He appeared in Hermione's living room and scanned around for her.

"Lucius I will be right out, just fixing some tea." she called from the kitchen.
He smiled slightly, she sounded better, if nothing else. He sat down on the plush loveseat and waited.

It didn't take long for Hermione to come through, a large tray in her hands, her soft brown skirt swish around her calves, a warm cream-colored jumper hugging her torso.

Lucius couldn't help but admire her.

She placed the tea and sweets laden tray on her short coffee table and sat with him, tucking one bare foot under her-self.

"Tea?" she asked, avoiding eye contact.

"Yes please, milk, two sugars."

Hermione made their cups in silence. She handed Lucius his and took a sip of hers, steadying her nerves.

"I know Ron must have mentioned something to you about what happened yesterday." Still no eye contact.

"Yes, he only gave me a name, Samson Grey, and said the rest was for you to tell." Lucius explained.

"If you knew him, the name would be the only thing you needed." She half whispered.

"I can only comprehend that he must have hurt you a great deal, and that his actions still haunt you. I would like to know the extent of it, if and when, you are ready to tell me." He was tired of her looking away; this was not the stubborn, headstrong witch he had fallen for.

He took her hand and laced their fingers together. Hermione looked down at their interlocked hand with a face expressing many different emotions. Lucius saw confusion, hope, sadness and a hint of something he dare not dream of.

"You deserve to know." She said, finally raising her whiskey eyes to meet his silver ones.

***********
The Tale of Samson Grey

“It was the fall after my seventh year, Ron and I had just decided to end our relationship and be friends. I was heading off to my one-year researchers course at the Advanced Studies Academy, and Ron was off to start quidditch training anyway.

I met Samson Grey during my first day at the academy. He was there to study Charms so we had a course together on curse breaking.

It started out like any other relationship at that age I think. We would go out to eat, or I would cook, went for walks, and went book hunting, normal bookworm things.

As the months went by though, he started to change. I have no problem with a man being a bit possessive but he was starting to dictate my life, and I let him.

He started telling me things like 'you should rethink your career choice' and planning our future without asking my opinion. He said that when we got married it would be best if I didn't work so I could to take care of our children and watch over the house.

But that wasn’t the worst. He told me no man would love me for me because I was part of the ‘Golden Trio’ and they all just wanted the glory.

I believed him, and I told myself I loved him.

It only got worse because I didn't have the guts to argue or defend myself. He was my first real boyfriend, so I didn't want to royally mess up, and he was the first man I had ever had sex with.

That was only more power he held over me- since he ruined me for all other men, damaged goods, and other such nonsense-, which he liked to remind me of.

Then he just went to far. He went to my head professor, who was also my career advisor and told her I was pregnant with his child and would have to withdraw. This was with only two months left of the course.

Professor Hart had talked to me earlier about his strange behavior but I brushed it off as male protectiveness. She called me into the office to ask me straight out if any of what he had said was true. I was beyond shocked, but most of all, mortified because I didn’t have the strength to stand up for myself.

I had faced Voldemort for Merlin sake! And I had been manipulated and toyed with because I lacked self-confidence when it came to being wanted, as a woman.

I confronted him, finally. He admitted to tampering with my birth control potion to weaken it. But he was still singing the same to tune to justify his actions.

Before I walked out that night, and away from him forever, he told me I would never find a man who would settle for me. That no man would love me for me, and that, if I ever wanted someone to want me, I had better change.

Since that day, I have always kept men at a distance. I do not trust my heart to anyone. I keep moving, never staying too long; never thinking I can have everything, because it is not possible.

So that is why Draco’s words affected me so-obviously- yesterday. My worst fear is losing myself to something I am not. A good little housewife I will never be, and I will most likely never have a husband or children, even if some part of me wants that.

I understand if you walk back through that floo right now, and we go back to being nothing more than co-workers. I carry a lot of baggage, and not all of it contains blankets.”

She chuckled as she played with the fringe on a particular blanket she had purchased in Peru.

When Lucius didn’t say anything, Hermione looked up and said “The End.”

**************

Lucius was utterly at a loss for words.

He had never imagined such a thing happening to Hermione, but even with all her strength and wisdom, she was still a mortal, and still a woman.

He reached out to wrap his long fingers around hers that where still plucking at the blankets tassels.

“Hermione, I am sorry you had to live through that, but you have come out on top. You have a job that you are amazing at, and love. You have friends and family that love and adore you beyond words. And a wizard who is very grateful for the chance to be with you.” Lucius was looking at her pretty face; those whiskey eyes shining with unshed tears.

“I would never, could never, treat a woman I cared for, as Grey did. I hope that you know that Hermione. My past is far uglier than yours will ever be, and my ‘baggage’ as you say, is well known to the public. If you are willing to see past all of that, I will not be stepping through that floo, with the intention of stopping what we have started, until we both decide it is time.”

Hermione leaned her cheek into his hand, which had risen to brush away the frown.

“Lucius…” She whispered.

“Let me hold you darling.” He scooped her up into his lap and held her close. Her head rested on his chest.

Hermione listened to the steady, strong beat of his heart and it relaxed her to know that he was there with her.

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They stayed on the couch for the rest of the afternoon. They sat and spoke of a variety of things, always within each other arms.

It wasn’t until Hermione felt her stomach grumbling that she realized how much of the day had past; it was time to make dinner.

“Lucius, will you stay for dinner?” she asked her fingers playing with hair.

“Would you like to go out for dinner?” he asked.

“Cooking is rather, therapeutic, for me. I have a great recipe for eggplant parm.” She smiled at him.

“If you are sure, I would love to stay for dinner. Do you need any help?” he asked.

She looked up shocked “A Malfoy cooks?”

“Well no, but it is just like potions right?” he asked.

Hermione had a feeling things were going to get interesting in the kitchen.

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Dinner has gone better then she thought, once she figured out that you just had to keep Lucius busy with the chopping and stirring parts.

Hermione had asked him to spend the night after they had finished washing up. How could he refuse?

A few hours later Lucius found himself staring at the ceiling of Hermione’s bedroom. She was fast asleep on he shoulder, her little hand resting over his heart.

He had been honest with her when he said he would never do what that Grey fellow did, nor would he want to make her into something she wasn’t.

But he had to be honest with himself as well.

The images Draco had planted into this head. Those of Hermione, as his wife, and mother of his children, had stuck a cord in his heart.

How he would love for those images to be reality, but it seemed that they would all be a dream.

He closed his eyes, only to be taunted by his subconscious with a picture of Hermione in a binding circle, then her round with his child, and finally him with a little girl in his arms smiling up at him with whiskey colored eyes he knew very well.

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A/N: Again I am sorry for any mistakes or 'oddness' during the tale I wanted Hermione to sound a bit rambly and disjointed so that is why it had a strange flow to it.

So now you know why Hermione has some trust issues...

This chapter is also somewhat based on true events in my life so I wrote Hermione's speech to sound like what I must have sounded like explaining things to my family.

Thanks to all my reviewers, you support is wonderful

xox Sarah