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“Mister Malfoy?”
The sound of a familiar voice stirred Lucius’ musings. He was sitting in the 6th Floor Members' suite of The London Library in Muggle London. He looked up at the very confused Hermione Granger, holding a coffee cup in one hand and a notebook in the other. He sighed, thinking it was too good to be true to have found a place where he would not be accosted by members of the wizarding world.
He had started frequenting the library after a rather humiliating experience in Diagon Alley. He’d gone to visit Flourish and Botts, and found himself not welcome there. On his way back to the Leaky Cauldron, from where he would be able to floo to the manor, he’d found himself doused in rotten vegetables and hexes of various kinds.
He fully understood he was a social pariah. After all, it was only 3 years since the war. He might have fulfilled most of his sentence, but that did not mean people would welcome him with open arms after his lenient sentence. After the war, he’d assisted the Ministry in capturing various known and unknown Death Eaters, Snatchers and other unsavoury characters. As a result, he had been let off with 3 years in Azkaban, thankfully Dementor free, and another 6 months without a wand.
Everyone knew he was not allowed a wand for six months after his release from Azkaban; it had been spelled out on the front page of the Daily Prophet, after all. He had known he might receive a poor reception, being a former Death Eater and all, which was why he’d waited two months after his release before he visited Diagon Alley. Apparently, people had not forgotten about him, and not being able to do much magic had made him an easy target. Not that he would have retaliated, but an impervious spell and some deflection spells would have been nice.
So instead of taking the backdoor out of the Leaky Cauldron, he’d started taking the front door out of the Leaky Cauldron. Of course, not before another visit to Diagon Alley, as he’d needed Muggle funds. To avoid another mishap, he’d arranged a meeting with Gringotts before the formal opening time of the bank and the shops. Now, he was in possession of Muggle credit and debit cards. He had no idea how the Goblins managed that feat, but he wasn’t complaining.
It was a learning experience, being in the Muggle world. The first thing he had wanted to do was to buy some books to read so he would not be so out of place. This was how he found himself at Foyles with a stack of books at the counter. While waiting his turn, a young man asked him if he was planning to open a library and said it would take some time to rival The London Library. This had piqued his curiosity. He’d asked for directions, and had gone home with a London map with a mark where he could find the library on top of the stack of books. A few days later he’d found himself at The London library for the first time. He visited often, learned about Muggle history, Muggle culture and Muggle technology and found himself ashamed of his previous ignorance. Of course, it was important that the wizarding community was shielded. But why did he never question what he had been brought up to believe? Muggles may have once burnt what they perceived as witches, but that was a long time ago. In addition, during his visits to the Muggle world, he met few unkind people. Most people were polite and helpful.
He concluded he had been a fool. And, worse, he’d filled Draco’s mind with the same foolishness he had been led to believe. He’d made a lot of decisions that were detrimental to his family. His family was now in tatters, his marriage dissolved, his ex-wife emigrated to France. His son had gone with her, no longer wishing to be known as a Malfoy, and had taken his mother’s name.
This was how Lucius came to be here, in a Muggle library, to find distraction from his empty manor house and to avoid a society that hated him. But part of that society had now found him.
He sighed as he fully expected scorn from the woman he’d tried to hurt on a number of occasions - the woman his son had bullied mercilessly and who had been tortured in his home while he’d stood by.
“Good morning, Miss Granger,” he politely answered as he looked up from his coffee.
She looked different, which wasn’t surprising since the last time he had seen her was at his trial. At the trial, she’d still looked somewhat haunted and emaciated. She had clearly grown into her looks and matured into a lovely woman, although the slack jaw and surprised look with which she was staring at him somewhat diminished the loveliness. After a moment she composed herself.
“Mr. Malfoy, good morning. My apologies for staring; I am very surprised to see you here.”
Lucius, surprised at her polite tone, now stared at the young woman. After a few moments of silent staring at each other, Hermione was clearly becoming uncomfortable and Lucius decided to see how far the politeness would stretch.
“I can imagine.” He gave her a small smile and gestured towards the other chair at the table. “Would you care to join me?”
And there was the surprised look again.
Lucius noticed Hermione biting her lower lip, clearly pondering whether she should take a seat or not. They had a history, and not a pleasant one. He would not be surprised if she were to leave and not return. But, based on her facial expression, she was curious as well. Probably as to why Lucius Malfoy would be in the library, or even in Muggle London. Lucius understood the sentiment. The man she knew detested everything Muggle. Then again, she did not know him at all. Not really. Their history was one of sneers and hexes.
Curiosity won.
“Thank you,” she said as she sat down. “Please tell me why I find Lucius Malfoy, who in our previous encounters had nothing but disdain for anything Muggle related, in The London Library?”
To Lucius’ great surprise, she actually sat down with him. He was sure that she would turn and walk away. What was even more surprising was that there appeared to be no hostility behind the question. She did not seem to be afraid of him either. But, to be honest, she never had been, not even when he’d had a wand and was on the opposing side.
“And you’ve been coming here for weeks now? Have you been anywhere else, besides the library and Foyles?” Hermione asked after listening to Lucius Malfoy’s story. She had listened attentively and had commented that he must have been exaggerating when he told her about being pelted with rotten tomatoes. He made a very graphic description, and soon both were laughing.
After a life of pretence and trying to meet expectations as befitted a pureblood wizard of an old family, Lucius realised there was freedom to be found in the fact that nobody had any expectations anymore. He found himself relaxed and enjoying the conversation with the Muggle-born witch. Indulging in a bit of self-mockery was something he was not allowed growing-up and he found it very liberating. Having the rather lovely witch smile at him was doing wonderful things for his self-esteem.
“I actually did not dare to venture elsewhere, considering my attire is not quite Muggle-proof. While I am used to being looked at, the way Muggles are looking at me, one would think I am Xeno Lovegood.”
“Hardly. But you are dressed a bit formal for a library visit.” Hermione waved her hand between the two of them to point out the difference in attire. Him, in a suit and her in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. He smiled back at her, and then she surprised him again.
“If you want, I could go shopping with you so feel more at ease to, as you stated, venture elsewhere.”
This time his jaw dropped. He stared at her in disbelief. Apparently for too long, because Hermione started to get up.
“Right, I guess not. Well, I’d best go. Goodbye, Mister Malfoy,” she said hurriedly, as if embarrassed.
“Miss Granger, please wait. I apologise, I am just astounded by your offer. You most likely have more right to pelt me with rotten tomatoes and more than those who did, and yet you sit here and converse with me. And to top it off, you offer to go shopping with me.” He looked at her, flabbergasted but was relieved to see her offering a smile again at the rotten tomatoes remark.
“Everyone deserves a second chance, Mister Malfoy. So, do you want to go shopping?”
“I thought I already had and blew my second chance quite some time ago, Miss Granger. But if you are offering me another chance, I’d gladly take it. And yes, I would like to go shopping.”
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