Harvest Moon

After Hermione finished her conversation with Luna she pulled her head out of the fireplace. She knew her expression had to be one of stunned wonder because Lucius was looking worried about her. She frowned at him a bit, noticing the thin cigarette clamped in his lips.



“I didn’t know you smoked,” she said, watching the smoke curl upward. It certainly didn’t smell like the cigarette smoke she was used to in the muggle world.



“I don’t as a general rule,” he said, turning away to put it out. “Usually only in times of stress. I only smoke cloves because the other things they claim to be cigarettes are foul.”



“That they are.”



He leaned forward a little to peer at her more closely. She looked somewhat pale and skin of her forehead and around her eyes looked stretched too tightly. There was also the fact that every line of her body seemed strained. “What is it, Mine? You seem thunderstruck,” he said, gently touching the side of her face.



“It’s . . . I can’t discuss it with you, Lucius. I’ve already told you entirely too much concerning this case,” she said, leaning into the touch without any conscious effort.



Lucius nodded. “I understand. You’re free to use the fireplace if you need to contact Severus. It’s connected to his office at Hogwarts.”



“Thank you.”



“Mine, be very careful. Liren was never one to be merciful and it seems he’s only gotten more vicious over the years.”



Hermione chuckled a little and couldn’t resist teasing him a bit. “Concern for the lowly muggle born, Lucius?”



An odd look passed over Lucius’ face before he leaned down and put his forehead against hers. He wrapped one arm around her waist, holding her close to him.



“Please don’t dwell on that, Mine. I can’t say I didn’t mean it at the time. However, since then . . .” He sighed heavily. He’d never known apologizing was such hard work because he’d never done it and meant it previously.



“It’s fine, Lucius. I understand. I was never terribly fussed about it anyway,” she said. However, her heart had leapt at the apology, half hearted though it was.



“No, I don’t think you really do understand, Mine. To the Malfoy family, particularly my father’s generation, muggle borns were . . .” He cast his mind about for a moment, searching for the right analogy to convey the contempt in which his father and his cronies had held muggle borns. “Were lower than house elves. They were nothing at best, filth at worst. To be used and murdered without provocation. It would hardly shock me to find bodies buried about the grounds from that time.”



“That’s . . . that’s horrible.”



“Liren and I were raised with that. Taught to believe it from the moment either of us could speak. Before we ever had any inkling as to what a muggle born even was. By the time Liren supposedly died and Narcissa and I married it was so ingrained that I had no notion of thinking anything else about a muggle born.”



“Lucius, you don’t have to explain yourself to me,” Hermione began.



“No. I’d like to be allowed to explain to a certain extent. It won’t right the past but it might help in the future.”



“Carry on then.”



“I’m not certain when I began to change my mind about it all. However, I do know you were the catalyst in that change.”



Hermione blinked and stared up at him, completely at a loss for words for a moment or two.



“How could I have been the catalyst for anything, Lucius? You barely knew me as anything other than Draco’s school mate and working partner until recently.”



“True enough. I did have to listen to him go on and on about you every time he was home on holiday though. I rather think he had a crush on you all those years ago. What? You have that evil little sparkle in your eye, Mine. I take it you’re planning to tease him mercilessly about it.”



Her lips twitched upward into a smile. “No. I intend to tell Luna and she can tease him mercilessly about it.”



Any further conversation concerning muggle born witches and wizards was cut short by Bubble suddenly appearing in the room.



“Master of the house wanted answers. The other Mistress covered in darkness like Bubble has never seen. Was lighter before now darkness is taking over. That is all Bubble knows,” he said to Lucius. The elf then turned to look at Hermione. “Dark things not only strike in the dark.” With that he was gone, leaving Lucius and Hermione staring at the spot where he had been.



Lucius sighed. “Riddles, wrapped in puzzles, surrounded by enigma.”



“That made absolutely no sense,” Hermione said.



“He never does. You go talk to Severus and I’ll do some research to try and figure out . . . that,” he said, waving his hand toward where Bubble had been. He pressed a fast kiss on her lips then pushed her gently toward the fireplace. “Be safe, Mine.”



“Always,” she said absently, still feeling an odd buzzing sensation in her lips, as the emerald flame seemed to swallow her.