Hand That Binds

3

The photographs in The Prophet were quite good, he thought. The night of the British Museum tour, she had worn a fine deep blue dress, one he had not seen from Malkin's, some sort of wrap dress that fell past her knees, but had a slit up her thigh. She had worn her hair down, only some sort of gloss on her lips, and the same black pearl teardrop earrings. She had held onto his arm, and in one of the pictures, they were walking around a display with one of the many looted Egyptian mummy cases.

He knew she had clipped several of the pictures, after reading him the articles.

"'Lord and Lady Malfoy attended a weekend tour of the British Museum, both looking very fine...'" she read to him at breakfast. Her manner was more comfortable, her way of moving less stiff and pained. "'It was observed that they seemed to know quite a bit about the art and ancient artifacts, going so far as to tell other attendees the extensive history of the New Kingdom...' Seriously, no one really knew what we were talking about, did they?"

Lucius merely smirked into his tea as she continued. That night two days before, had been nice, he thought. They had arrived at the designated Apparition point and made no scene by joining the others for the tour. Lucius noted that it was mostly old Purebloods, lesser in wealth, wanting an evening of culture, he assumed. Except for a few appearances of a Prophet photographer, they had been unmolested. Still, he knew a few of the older wizards were holding back leers at Granger. Otherwise, it had been a pleasurable evening.

The days since Andromeda's visit had been quiet. Granger never intruded on him and seemed to convalesce in her room. Maizy informed him that her 'period' had ended, and she was working at her writing desk most evenings. Lucius knew. He had watched her, just able to see her moving in her ensuite from the one-way in the wall. He knew that she was annoyed about not having 'the pill', whatever that was. He knew that she was working on arranging other outings, spaced with plenty of time to consider the next steps. He also knew that she had arranged a gift for Ginny Potter for the upcoming baby shower. It seemed the Potters were having a girl.

Lucius went about his normal routine, but still allowed Hurd to cook. They ate in the dining room in the evenings, and after a few nights, he could barely remember what the room had been like before. He owled the Apothecaries for more detailed reports on losses due to the illegality of contraceptive potions, found the loss to be rather devastating, and put his mind to something to make up for the loss beyond what his research and development department was working on.

The time slipped, he felt, and it was the morning of the welfare check. Granger was trying not to appear frantic as she poured his tea, looking at the post, the paper. It was raining again, and Lucius knew he could not escape to the gardens to brood unless it cleared. A letter had come outlining the visit, and it was clear that he was not to even be in the Manor when the check, interview, and examination were conducted. It would be done in her room.

"I have no idea who the MLE representative will be," she blurted out, snatching a slice of toast, ignoring the marmalade, the second jar since her arrival. "It could be Harry, for all I know."

Lucius frowned at this, and Granger noticed.

"He's not been in touch, and from what Ginny has implied, he's not happy..."

Lucius would think Potter was not. He was fully aware of how Potter felt about Granger, basically, the whole of Britain was aware. Best friend, sister, collaborator, Lucius had never really thought much about what Potter would think. He still thought of Potter as a boy.

"At least it isn't Ron..."

Ronald Weasley, he had read once, had left the Aurory to help his brother George in the ridiculous shop in Diagon Alley. Lucius wondered when exactly that had happened, and if it had been while still married to Granger.