Waiting | Lucius Malfoy

Chapter Nine | Gifts

The trip to Lisbon was fast approaching and nerves had begun to occupy Guinevere's every waking thought. Lucius had owled her the details earlier in the week, telling her what she would need to pack and how long they'd be staying. He'd arranged an array of meetings with some of their buyers and vendors, meaning that the short trip to check the renovations was now due to last several days.

Part of Guinevere was pleased to be getting away from London and the constant reminders of Draco. Each day, Draco was having the time of his life in Paris, often pictured with the same girl from the first article. They'd started to get more and more intimate as they uncovered more details about her life.

FORMER DEATH EATER DRACO MALFOY FINDS LOVE WITH OIL TYCOON'S DAUGHTER

Former Death Eater Draco Malfoy has been pictured once again, with Elouise Everly, daughter of American oil tycoon Jason Everly. The two were spotted at an invite-only nightclub in Paris on Tuesday night, where a fight appeared to break out between Mr Malfoy and his security. It was reported that Mr Malfoy, who will have to return to England shortly for his yearly parole hearing, received a correspondence which caused a disturbance. Was this him learning that his court date had been set, which would threaten to pull him from his romantic fling?

In the picture, Draco sat, drink in hand, as Elouise appeared to be trying to calm him down. He held a piece of paper, which he'd crumbled into a ball, pulling the collar harshly from his neck. She had her hand clasped firmly in his, as he tried to move away from her. Interesting, but no longer Guinevere's problem.

Her suitcase lay in front of her, with only a makeup bag inside. Guinevere had spent hours trying to figure out what she needed to take. She had a few outfit ideas but found herself worrying about the way she looked, far more than she had been when she accompanied Draco. Guinevere needed to look professional, but looking at her work outfits left her uninspired. A trip shopping was definitely on the cards.

Two days later, Guinevere found herself in the depths of Diagon Alley, hoping to cheer herself up as well as getting some clothes for the trip. It was busier than usual and she quickly felt claustrophobic as she walked into the latest boutique to open its doors in the alley. The name "Mystic" didn't inspire much confidence but Guinevere had given it a chance and found some of her favourite outfits there over the last few months.

Mystic was dark inside, but the glittering of candlelight lit up the racks that were dotted around the shop. There were clothes for every occasion, and it boasted that it had everything the 'modern witch' could wish for. Guinevere had to agree.

Behind the counter was Pansy Parkinson, her black hair sitting effortlessly in ringlets above her shoulders, chatting to a customer who was holding the most beautiful dress Guinevere had ever seen. It was champagne coloured silk, with intricate beading across the bust. Immediately, she felt the urge to reach out and stroke the fabric - wondering if it felt as soft as it looked. Pansy caught Guinevere's eye and called her over, inviting her to join their conversation.

"What do you think, G?" Guinevere cringed at the nickname but didn't feel she could tell her off in front of the customer who was standing beside them.

"It's gorgeous. Are you buying it?" She asked the woman, secretly hoping she wasn't interested.

"It's here under your name," Pansy replied, the two of them giggling.

"But, I haven't ordered anything," Guinevere replied, reaching out to read the tag attached. She almost fainted reading the price. "Pansy, I..." she shrugged awkwardly. "I don't even have that amount of galleons in my bank account."

"It's taken care of G. All of it." She motioned to a rack of clothes ranging from black tailored suits to emerald green summer dresses.

"I can't accept that Pansy." The two of them had grown to be acquaintances over the years, but not close enough that she'd happily drop thousands of galleons on buying Guinevere a new wardrobe.

"Well, you can send your regards to Malfoy. Says here that he's paid for it."

Guinevere burst into uncontrollable laughter. Draco must have still had a standing order of new pieces with the store. "Amazing," she muttered, as Pansy began magically shrinking the clothes into a bag. She counted how many pieces - twenty-four - and felt her cheeks blush as she pictured herself wearing them over the next few days. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, it was obscured by Lucius' words.

Pansy was to be covering for her while they were in Lisbon, yet she hadn't made a mention of it to Guinevere. Maybe, Guinevere thought, she couldn't say anything about taking on another job in front of those at Mystic. She wasn't sure what the protocol was for retail work and whether they were allowed to take on other employment - if she asked her about it, would Pansy be reprimanded?

Nonetheless, Guinevere said her goodbyes and left the store in a better mood than she'd been for days. She most certainly would not be sending Draco her thanks.

She contemplated inviting Theo round for dinner that night. The thought of the two of them drinking wine and looking through her new clothes filled Guinevere with happy thoughts but then would come the questions of why she needed the clothes. Why she needed to accompany Lucius to Lisbon. Why she now owned his shares in the hotel.

The conversation with Theo still weighed heavily on her mind. It was suspicious that he'd immediately wanted to attend The Malfoy Matriarch, mainly because he'd never been before. Why now? Was this somehow related to Draco? Perhaps he had learned of his father's shares being transferred and had put Theo on the case to investigate. Guinevere needed to ensure that she held her cards close to her chest.

It did get her thinking, however. Why had Lucius signed those shares over to her? He could have given Guinevere the house in Mayfair, which was in her and Draco's name and been done with it. And yet, he'd made a point of giving her something that was his right. Something wasn't adding up. She decided to put it on the back burner until she'd returned from Lisbon, but she'd make sure and keep an eye out for anything that was out of sorts.

After taking a look through all of the new pieces from Mystic and packing them securely, Guinevere poured herself a glass of red wine and sat in front of the fireplace. She had one more night before she would make her way to Malfoy Manor once more. After three more glasses, she got herself ready for bed and fell asleep swiftly, dreaming of nothing but what was to come.