Librarian | Hermione x Lucius

Chapter 4.

Dinner had just finished and Hermione was sitting in the large expanse known as the Malfoy Manor Dining Hall, writing letters to the staff (which are to be magically copied of course), Lucius -who was currently sitting across from her- was writing a small memo to an unknown person while casually sipping on some Brandy. Only the sounds of the large white birds outside and the soft scratching of their quills could be heard, Hermione found it rather nostalgic as it reminded her of the Hogwarts libraries late into the night.

"You need to go pick something up for me," Lucius said breaking the silence. He leant forward sliding the memo -which was now in an envelope- across the table. Hermione quirked an eyebrow as most people would almost instinctually ask a house elf to do that sort of work.

"It is in Knockturn Alley, I wouldn't want to risk getting one of my house elves kidnapped, after all, they're not completely indispensable," Lucius reasoned, gesturing with his brandy glass. 

All though Hermione was not impressed with Lucius, she decided not to make a fuss about it and simply took the envelope and 'calmly' walked out.

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A small draft of cold air swept through the alleyway Hermione walked through, long gone were the times that the wind would be stifled by boxes and people that were here, since the fall of Voldemort these areas were avoided by the few Voldemort supporters who weren't arrested (or were let out prematurely), and even before that it was neglected, but now it relied solely on the dark of night to hide the grime and dirt on the floors. 

Hermione drew a sharp breath when she heard an unexpected meow echo through the seemingly abandoned alleyway. 

"Arrogant Bastard." Hermione cursed, angry Lucius would send her here for a party doo-dad. Even if it were with the best of intentions, what sort of thing do you to come to a place like this to get?

Hermione turned the corner to see a shop, a flickering lantern hung outside, illuminating the peeling black paint on the door. Hermione turned the doorknob, as the door opened she -along with a few mice- winced when it made a loud creaking noise.

Various bottles of potions, poisons and some questionable looking alcoholic drinks were stored on the tall bookshelves that occupied most of the space. The grungy shopkeeper stood at the far end of the store, he stared at Hermione as she cautiously walked through the shop.

"Good day." Cackled the shop keeper.

Hermione ignored his oddity and handed him the letter, the Shopkeeper tore open the letter and studied it at it for a few moments.

Hermione's eyes wandered over the old posters that were hung on his wall, many were dark lord propaganda, but by the fading pictures and peeling corners, Hermione could tell that they had simply been put up and forgotten. 

When Hermione turned her attention back to the shopkeeper it became apparent that he had left the counter while her eyes were wandering. Hermione, seemingly alone in the shop, became very aware of the sounds of the night, along with the concerning creaking of the building in the wind. One of the many downsides to life in the wizarding world was the old, creaky, ready to collapse buildings that haunted the place. 

Hermione snapped out of her trance when the shopkeeper slid back behind the counter, he shoved what appeared to be a few dozen shrunken down bottles of fire whiskey into Hermione's hands. 

"Money's 'ready sorted, so scram!" shooed the shopkeeper.

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Hermione arrived back at the mansion ready to go 'ham' on Lucius only to have a house elf inform her that Lucius had left shortly before her arrival, so Hermione settled for saltily finishing up her letters to the staff next to the warm fire in the parlour. 

As Hermione was tieing one of the letters to an owl, she heard the doors swing open and the soft clicks of Lucius' new dress shoes hitting the floor as he walked in. Hermione turned around preparing to unleash her rage upon Lucius only to be slightly mesmerised by him, he was dressed in an expensive looking suit along with a new cane that complimented his shoes. Hermione took the time to rethink her plan and decided to go with something that wouldn't get her fired. Nevertheless, Lucius slightly stiffened when Hermione had a rather sardonic smile on her face as she pointed to the bottles on the table.

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