Librarian | Hermione x Lucius

Chapter. 5

The clicks of Hermione's stilettos echoed through the long expanse of the hallway. One of the bottles of fire whiskey had broken in transit and the replacements went missing. Hermione had some clue as to who took them. She asked around, and according to Mrs.Vandell, Lucius had recently gone off to use the restrooms. Unfortunately for Hermione, the venue was not short on restrooms, and she had a long search ahead of her. 

She checked the west tower. No sign.

She checked the west corridor. Nothing there.

The South hallway? Nada.

Maybe one of the ones in the dining hall? Zilch.

After a frustrating walk all the way to the north-east section of the building, Hermione found Lucius sitting on the window sill, obscured by the curtains. Hermione had recently met Mrs.Vandell and her incessant babbling, so she could understand why he was hiding, but it was still odd to see him that way.

Hermione stopped in front of Lucius and loudly cleared her throat. 

Lucius' gaze flew up to hers as if he had only just noticed Hermione. Quickly he straightened up and sorted himself out. A quick quirk of his eyebrow symbolized him asking what he his attention was needed for.

"We're missing a bottle," Hermione said, any residue of a smile had been wiped from her face.

Lucius thought for a moment. "Forgetting the Gladwins?"

"The Gladwins?" Hermione asked, brows furrowed.

"The Gladwins."

Hermione still looked quite confused.

 "They're a family that claims they're weaned straight to vodka. Anything weaker won't suffice." elaborated Lucius.

"So you are saying that I lugged two extra bottles all the way here just to give them the opportunity to be lost or broken?"

"I would have told you, but who doesn't like a nice glass of whiskey after a long day?"

Hermione huffed and stared at him & his damn smirk with a disapproving look.

"Lucius Malfoy!"

The hearty chuckle came from no other than the Minister of Magic himself.

He was a short, plump man, whose heart was certainly made of gold. While less could be said about his brain, Lucius quite liked him, after all, he was the one that arranged Lucius' release.

"I must say the decoration here is spectacular." The Minister said absently.

"Most definitely. However, Minister, is there something you need?" Lucius inquired carefully.

"Oh! Yes! I nearly forgot... And you are both here. Perfect! I am holding a gathering of sorts, a gathering to celebrate the capturing of the remaining death eaters in the inner circle. But after all, a celebration isn't a celebration if I don't invite some couples!" The minister chirped.

"Couples?" Hermione asked

The Minister babbled on, seeming to not even hear Hermione's query. "The formal invitation should arrive by an owl in a day or two, but I thought a more personal invitation would suit you two better." The Minister babbled on, seeming to not even hear Hermione's query.

"Minister, you have-" Hermione started to correct him, only to be interrupted by Lucius' arm wrapping around her waist.

"You have our thanks, minister. We would be honored to go to your party. Wouldn't we Hermione?" Lucius said, flashing Hermione a stiff smile.

"Say, Minister, would you care for a drink with me? Hermione needs to go fix up some quick problems, but at the moment I would enjoy some company." Lucius asked with his most charming smile.

"That would be lovely."

And they strode off.
Hermione stood up there for a few moments, marveling at what "suck up Lucius" was like.

---The Next Morning, at the Malfoy Manor---

Draco had heard through a long chain of people that his father was dating his former classmate. Now he was lounging in a chair, waiting for Hermione to return to the library. He internally chuckled, his father used to have a fiery hatred for Hermione. Hermione the mudblood who got better grades than his own son. Draco left his thoughts as he heard the doors to the library open.

Hermione walked towards her desk and Draco, but halted, staring at Draco.

"I'm nearly as good looking as my father, I know." Draco sneered.

"That's most certainly not how it is. Whatever things you've heard about me and your father are bogus. We simply have a professional working relationship."

"I'm sure that's what he would say right after you finish "polishing" his "books"." Draco gibed with a smirk.

"Draco! You'd imagine your father doing such things?" Hermione yelped.

"It is nowhere near any meal times, and it's within your work hours, what else would you be doing?"

"Do you seriously believe your father expects me to strictly abide by my twelve-hour work shift? It really just means to be in the manor at the time. Also, as you probably know, the minister of magic is having a party, so I was making the proper preparations." Hermione said, crossing her arm with satisfaction.

Draco hopped up from the armchair and patted Hermione on the shoulder.

"A party that you are going to with my father." snorted Draco as he began walking away. 

Hermione yelled over to him, "That was just a misunderstanding by the Minister. Your father was the one who said we can't correct him." 

Draco stopped at the door, and turned around momentarily to reply "Perhaps you should just go with it, you'll find my father's friends are quite generous people." and with that, he walked out into the hallway, leaving Hermione with her thoughts.

While it pained Hermione to admit it, Draco was right, accompanying Lucius would have much more benefit than just keeping her job. However, this sort of thing would make headlines. And what would her friends think of her when they saw she was dating someone more than twice her age? No less a person who watched her be tortured by a crazy relative. What if they thought she liked that sort of thing?! 

Everything before this in Hermione's working life had been manageable risk, okay reward. But now she was thrust into either high-risk high reward scenario or possible homelessness. Perhaps she should just quit her job, and try to get a new one at a small tuck shop somewhere? But then she would be even further behind her high school friends. Both Harry and Ron were both now successful Aurors, who probably would be invited to the upcoming party. Even Neville had managed to get a respectable job teaching Herbology at Hogwarts. 

Perhaps she should give Neville a call, he has good advice...

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