Paper Faces

Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.Again, I make no profit whatsoever from this fanfiction. Harry Potter and all characters belong to J K Rowling.

This I have been working on for the Masquerade Ball challenge for Carapheonix over at Granger Enchanted. I will be multi chaptered and fun. :) Please read and review!

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Paper Faces

Chapter 2

“Gods damn it!” She screamed when she got back to Collette's home. Hermione thundered through the house, intent on finding the women, and possibly men, who were ruining her life and strangling them within an inch of theirs.

She waved her wand over the door to her grandmother's sitting room and stormed through, not surprised to see all of the women sitting there together. She looked each one in the eye with a menacing glare, but left the murderous look for Collette.

“What in Merlin's name were all of you thinking when you sent out those damn invitations?” Hermione asked, malice dripping in buckets through her words.

Her grandmother and Ginny both rolled their eyes at the same time. Collette picked up another cup and poured a cup of tea, motioning for her to sit next to her on the silk covered settee.

“Oh no! No trying to get me to calm down. Do you know who I ran into today Ginny? Mrs. Weasley? Grandmother?” She asked each one and gave a long pause as she waited for them to speak. “Well, let's see. Who could I run into that I absolutely hate and loathe enough to put me into this state?”

Ginny laughed and muttered Ron under her breath.

“Nope, sorry Ginny, it wasn't Ron. Think blonder.”

Molly smiled, “You know darling, Draco really is a sweet boy. He would be a wonderful catch for you.”

“Wrong again.” Hermione said as she tapped her wand in a fever on her knee, causing red sparks to fly out from the tip. “I just happened to have a little run in with Lucius Malfoy today and he was just saying the strangest things.”

“Well sweetheart, I'm sure he was just happy to see you and got tongue tied.” Her grandmother said sweetly, but Hermione didn't buy it for a second.

“Oh no, Grandmother. He spoke quite eloquently, in fact, he even told me how forward he was looking to attending the ball tomorrow.” She said coldly.

“Now, you see... the thing that I just don't get is why all of you, my family....” her voice rose quickly, allowing her rage to bleed through. “Would invite that man to my ball.”

“Look, Hermione...” Ginny started, but Hermione wouldn't let her go any further.

“Do you know the things that man has done? Do you know especially what his family put me through?” She questioned, looking each woman in the eye. “I've been called names, humiliated by them time and time again. Sweet Circe, I was tortured in the man's own home.” She shivered quickly as the old chill crept over her. “How could any of you want him here? Didn't you stop to think of me, at all?”

“This is all for your own good, Hermione. It's about time that you settled down.” Collette spoke up, not fearing the venomous tirade her only granddaughter was throwing about.

“My own good?” She asked, quite sure that if she was to look in a mirror, she would see her face contorted in a way that only circus freaks can manage. “I really fail to see the logic on this one.”

“As much as I hate to admit it, Lucius Malfoy has changed.” Molly intervened, trying to stave off the storm for a few moments longer.

“If that man has changed, then I have turned into Snape.”

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Ginny, who was snickering quietly behind her hand.

“Oh, you think it's funny do you, Ginny?” She asked, ready to remind her friend exactly why Malfoy was not to be trusted. “You seem to have forgotten that the man tried to kill you. He almost succeeded.”

“Yes,” Ginny agreed, with a slight furrow to her brow. “But, he has also apologized, Hermione. People do change. The war changed people. Lucius Malfoy was not exempt from that.” She finished in all seriousness.

“He may have apologized to you, but I haven't heard a words of apology from him.” She spat.

“Dearest,” her grandmother said kindly. “Please sit down. Let's have some dinner and some friendly conversation.”

She humphed loudly, but sat in the chair anyway, the fight leaving her body somewhat.

“Ginerva has brought along the stuff to make margarita's. So, let's enjoy the evening and that's that.” Collette finished with a triumphant smile.

“It's all fine and dandy. Flowers and rainbows.” Hermione muttered under her breath, earning her a scowl from Molly and her grandmother. Ginny simply laughed into her napkin.

“I'm an old lady, Hermione. I might not live to see the dawning of a new year. Indulge this old woman and stand up at your party and make your dear old Grandmother smile.”

Collette always had to get the last word in and if sheer force didn't work, she had no problem resorting to guilt.

“Oh, I'll comply alright.” She assured the women gathered around the table, with an odd gleam in her eye. “But, don't think for one second that I will hesitate to curse him if he steps out of line.”

~@~


“I don't know why you insisted on coming into work today.” Luna stated, looking at her from her desk across the room. “You've got a big night tonight, you should be resting.”

“I think not.” She replied. “All those traitorous women are at the house. They are like a gaggle of hens, each one of them intent on driving me batty. Besides, if I'm here than I can relax.”

Luna rolled her eyes and Hermione chose to ignore her. She felt at peace in her shop and desperately needed the relaxation before being put on display for the mass of single wizards that were sure to be at the ball later that night.

“Well, if you're going to be here, you can meet with the new supplier.” Luna said, placing a folder on her desk. “He gives me the creeps, but I know that you will handle him better.”

“Did the company say who would be coming on their behalf?” Hermione asked, her eyes skimming through the folder of information.

With profits up, she had decided that they could definitely do with a stationary line. Having been from the Muggle world, she had noticed that mostly all bookstores carried a range of stationary, be it personalized or ready made. She thought that it would make a good touch, especially with women and teens. Luna had agreed as well, and quickly sought out a supplier.

“No. The person I talked to only said that their rep would be here at one.”

“Well, that gives me a few more hours. How is that new set of ad's doing? Bring in any more customers?”

She had been hesitant to place an advertisement in the Prophet, because of the cost, but Luna had suggested that they place it. Their popularity had come from word of mouth, so she had worried that it would seem that they were greedy.

“I think it was a smart move. Sales have gone up a bit since we placed the ad, but it could be due to Malfoy Inc. giving out bonus' early.”

Hermione groaned. It seemed that the Malfoy name was on everyone's lips for the past few days. She was dreaded even being in the same room with them tonight.

“Well, isn't that just great.” She said sarcastically.

“I think it is.” Luna said, her blue eyes bright and shining. “People need the money, plus I guess they gave the bonus' out because Draco was about to become engaged.”

“Really?” She asked, shocked. She didn't know how any witch could entertain the thought of being the wife of Draco Malfoy. Sure, she could see it if it was for the money, but in her opinion, there wasn't enough money in the world that could make her deal with having Lucius Malfoy as a father-in-law. “Who's the unfortunate witch?”

“No one knows. I guess we will just have to wait and see.” Luna replied dreamily, a far away, too blissful look settling on her friends pale features.

Hermione didn't miss the look that crossed her friends face. It was out of the realm of possibility. There was no way that Luna and Draco.... She had to put her hand up to her mouth to stop from gagging.

She gave up on that line of thinking and pulled out a listing that Minerva had sent over.

With a sizable donation to Hogwarts, Madame Pince had decided to let go of some of their older books to replace them with new copies. The Headmistress had been kind enough to send over the categorized list so that she could have first choice. There were quite a few that she knew she could sell for triple the price that she would buy them for. A few of the names were also ones that she hoped to add to her own collection at home.

As she penned a note to McGonagall, detailing what they would take, an owl flew in through the opened window and landed on Luna's desk.

She gave the snowy owl a treat before sliding the scroll off the birds scrawny leg.

“The appointment has been changed.” Luna said, setting the scroll down when she had finished reading it.

“To when?” She asked, a bit annoyed at the last minute change. There wasn't anything she could stand worse than a lack of courtesy.

“The rep has requested a lunch meeting. I guess he will be arriving in straight from Paris and won't have the time to stop and eat before the meeting.”

Hermione ground her teeth in annoyance. “Send off a note to let them know that the change is fine. Find out where the rep would like to go.”

“Oh, umm...” Luna stuttered. “We don't need to send a reply as it wasn't a request.”

“What?” She asked, surprised that the new supplier was so arrogant. They were supposed to want her business, not the other way around. In her opinion, it should be them, bending over for her. “Luna, who is the supplier?”

“Oh,” Luna sighed. “Just a company that my father recommended. I think some wrackspurts were flying near my ear, because I can't rightly recall the name.”

Hermione took a deep breath and counted to ten to try and ease the strain on her nerves. Through ground out teeth, she asked where she would be meeting the representative for lunch.

“Reservations were made at Spectre for one sharp.” Luna read from the note. “I hear from reviews in Witch Weekly that the food is superb.”

Not long after, Luna stepped out to grab lunch herself, pinching her cheeks and smoothing down her pale blue work robes in the mirror before leaving.

She decided that it might not be such a bad thing to clean up as she had decided to come into work on a whim and was currently wearing a pair of dark denims and one of Charlie Weasley's quidditch t-shirts that she had stolen one night from the Burrow.

She made her way down the stairs and informed one of the girls at the register that she would be back in twenty minutes.

Five minutes later she was standing in the middle of Twilfitt and Tatting's, surrounded by robes of varying colors.

As she was looking at a set of black robes that resembled the Muggle business suits she liked, she was interrupted by a hand at her shoulder.

“A bit high priced in here for you, don't you think?”

She knew that voice and narrowed her eyes darkly before turning around. That voice had played too often in her daydreams. Of course, they were happy dreams, as she usually had the owner of that voice trained at wand point.

“Not today, Mr. Malfoy. Apparently the sales in the shop have increased since you gave your employees a raise, allowing me to profit from your loss of money.” She said snidely, determined to knock him down an inch or two.

“How delightful for you, then.” He drawled in that velvety voice that she wasn't sure if she loved or hated. “I do so enjoy helping out those less fortunate.”

She humphed at him and decided to ignore his presence and get back to selecting appropriate robes for her lunch meeting.

Hermione thanked the stars when the shop assistant finally wandered over to Malfoy, who, annoyingly, didn't walk away from her like she had hoped.

“I do not require your assistance, but my companion does.”

She whipped around quickly at his statement, knowing that he was talking about her.

“Thanks, but no thanks. I can pick out what I need just fine.” She bit back.

“Oh, I beg to differ, my dear.” A pale blond eyebrow shot into the air as his cool gray eyes raked over her form, making her feel self conscience. “No self respecting witch would walk out of her home dressed in that.... what is that?” He asked in disgust at her pants.

“They are jeans, Lucius.” She told him, not believing that he had never seen a pair before. “And for your information, I wasn't planning on going out today. Something came up and I didn't have a chance to throw on proper robes.”

“That is quite obvious.”

“You... you...” she stammered. “You are the most irritating man I have ever known.”

“Now, now, Miss Granger. We were just having a friendly chat. There's no need for name calling.”

“Name calling!” She exclaimed. “You've never missed a chance, since the first time I met you, to call me names.”

“I think you might be mistaken, my dear. You seem to confuse me with my son.” Lucius reprimanded her, making her feel like a child. “Being called a Mudblood is something that Draco has done. I, on the other hand, have never called you anything outside of your proper name.”

She tried to resort to her old method of counting to ease her frustration, but that didn't work so she moved on to the potions ingredients for a Draught of Living Death, intent on using it on him one day. She didn't know how the man was able to do it, insult her and sound so elegant all at once.

“Now, I think, and I'm sure this young lady agrees with me that these robes are a good choice for you.” He finished, holding up a black robe that went over a white linen pencil skirt and black sleeveless top.

Looking over at the shop girl, she noticed that the poor girl was nodding her head rather emphatically while looking up at Malfoy like he was Merlin's gift to the world. Whiplash was something that was definitely in the girls future if she continued moving her head like that.

She looked the robes over again and considered saying no, but it would have been childish, given that the outfit was something that she would have picked out herself.

Snatching the robes out of her hand, she made her way over to the counter, skillfully ignoring Lucius Malfoy with all her might.

The shop girl, Emily, she read on her name tag, walked over to the register to ring her up.

“It's seventy five galleons, eight sickles.”

Hermione couldn't help but stare at the girl dumbly. That was well over three hundred pounds. She grumbled as she handed over the card that linked to her vault at Gringotts.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a pair of stilettos come flying toward her.

“I assume you weren't planing on wearing those,” Lucius said from behind her, looking down at her trainers. “to wherever you are going.”

In truth, she had forgotten in her haze of annoyance for the eldest Malfoy. “Of course not, I was simply going to wear a pair that I had at the office.”

“Of course you were.” He nodded his head, not believing her for a second.

“However, I was looking for a pair of shoes and you just happened to read my mind on what I wanted.” She smiled brightly at him. “Isn't it wonderful, Malfoy, how alike we are in thinking.”

She got some kind of private glee as he flinched and almost dropped the shoes. All to sudden though, he was smiling back at her, stunning her with his quick wit and dazzling hair.

“A wonderful thing, indeed.” He placed the shoes on the counter, next to the bag that contained her new robes. “I believe that Miss Granger will be purchasing these as well.”

He turned to her then and lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to her palm. She was frozen for a moment and then turned to jelly as his tongue ran over her palm, shocking her but sending a delicious shudder through her body.

He pulled back almost as soon as he touched her, almost causing her legs to get out from under her.

“If you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to get to.” He said, bowing his head in her direction. “Until later, my dear.”

“It's ninety-two galleons, three sickles.” The girl said, handing Hermione back her card.

She cursed, that was the second time in twenty four hours that Lucius Malfoy had left her with a dumbfounded look on her face. She vowed that it would be the last.