∞ 15 ∞
AN AWKWARD MOMENT IN AN ELEVATOR
WITH TWO YOUNG WITCHES
Lucius come out of the court without the abhorrent choker, looking calm, but drained. There were bands of bruising on either side of where the choker had been that looked like two very long and narrow love bites. Their group took the elevator up to the main lobby where Lucius and Elliott took a moment to talk privately:
"Seriously Luscious can you please try and remember you're on 'Conditional' Freedom from now on, or else they'll leave it on next time. I'm running out of options here."
Lucius rubbed his neck and smirked at Elliott: "Thank you for this."
Elliott shrugged, instead of saying 'You're welcome'.
"You coming for dinner?" Lucius enquired.
"Na I... gotta get home for something," he said with some vagueness.
"A new one?"
"The one in the mezzanine bookshop," Elliott said with a wink, looking unusually enthusiastic and rather pleased with himself.
Lucius shook his head chuckling. Looking into Elliott's eyes, he grasped his solicitor's forearm firmly, giving him a subtle bow, to say goodbye and to indicate he respected and appreciated him. "I am certain I do not need to remind you to, 'enjoy yourself'."
Putting on a facetious look of smugness, Elliott departed with a spring in his step; his secretary trailing behind.
Lucius needed to go up to the infirmary to collect the potions they had prescribed for him, before they would officially let him leave the Ministry. He was waiting for the elevator to the Ministry infirmary, grumbling to himself how "bloody ridiculous" it was that they had him "traipsing around like a servant." Sander had been only a few metres behind the whole time, but the two never talked during the times when Lucius was 'alone' at work, or in quite personal moments like this; it provided Lucius some semblance of autonomy and did the same for Sander. The Everywitchway Elevator doors opened.
Camilla Fairchild, a stunningly beautiful Witch, who was secretary to Finlay Drake, the Assistant Vice Chairman of The Department of Intersocietal Commercial Contracts and the daughter of a business partner of Lucius's, was already in the elevator when it arrived. Seeing Lucius she seemed to be in a rush to get off, but realising it was the wrong floor, stepped back inside rather self-consciously.
Camilla was a pleasant, quiet tempered Witch, about 5 years ahead of Lucius's son. She was considered by many to be the most beautiful Witch of her generation – if not entirely the prettiest women they had ever seen (with the exception of her two older sisters who were considered more, or less equally as stunning). It was an opinion Lucius himself agreed upon. Even in his present morose state, Camilla's perfect, almost otherworldly physical attractiveness was impossible to overlook. Although her temperament certainly did not appear to support the notion, many thought the Fairchild girls and their mother Nina were part Veela (Magical beings who were somewhat like a combination of the Sirens and harpies of Greek mythology). Although he knew her father Acacius well, Lucius had only seen the young Witches and their mother on a few occasions and had himself never thought too deeply on whether they were, or they were not part Veela.
Camilla looked anxious, as if she were late for something, but managed to smile and seemed like she was making an effort to look mature and confident in addressing Lucius: "L--ord Malfoy, how – are you? I didn't realise you were in London today."
Lucius was glad to see Camilla. While he waited for the potions, he thought he might speak to her about the proposal for the Muggle telecommunications satellite licenses he and her father Acacius had submitted to Finlay's office the week previous. The elevator appeared to be undecided whether or not it was leaving. Huffing, Lucius punched a few buttons to get it to move, which seemed to make the matter worse. Just as the doors were finally about to close, another young Witch appeared, running toward the elevator from the centre lobby. She was calling out to Lucius: "Mr Malfoy! Mr Malfoy!" She reached the elevator and slipped through the closing doors just in time. Lucius was a little shocked and embarrassed by her shouting after him like that, so if he had known which button to push, he might have pressed it close if he were able to.
"Lord Malfoy," she said more quietly and slightly out of breath, once she was inside. It was Hermione Granger.
After formal greetings all around were over, there was a long, awkward silence between Lucius and the two young Witches. Only Sander, who wasn't really part of the conversation, seemed completely at ease. Camilla left off next stop, promising to push the license application up a little further in the queue if she could and to speak with her father in the evening to relay some news.
Hermione was a very thin, wispy girl, the same age as Lucius's son – the two had been school mates. She had nut coloured hair and a faint sprinkle of freckles across her nose, which could be seen, because she wore little or no make-up on her clear, pale skin. In contrast to Camilla, she had an ordinary, earthbound prettiness. As far as superlatives went: she was incredibly bright; she was in fact said to be the most intelligent Witch of her generation. Her magic for one so young was also quite potent.
"I never had a chance to thank you sir"
Lucius was speechless. Frozen. He looked down awkwardly. "You – have nothing to thank me for."
"Yes I do. You saved my life and Luna's that night – all of ours... And Harry's life that night when we moved him... And your wife, she protected Harry too – protected all of us. Those were noble acts. I don't think any of us have properly thanked you."
Lucius looked beside himself with embarrassment to the point that he started looking for things to look at, except being that they were an elevator –even a Magical one– the surroundings offered little options.
Hermione lost her train of thought. She had rehearsed in her head over and over what she would say when she had a quiet moment with him and had planned to say many things, but was thrown by his reception. He was a difficult Wizard to talk to – even now that after what had passed between them, actually meant that they were Doublebound and even though she now truly believed he was a good Wizard. The awkward moment was made more difficult with Sander also being there with them.
"Ehmm... I'd like to talk to you – alone." [Oh god that sounded weird!] "Uhmm – I mean, I wonder if you could come for a visit... me – with me." [Brilliant! How to humiliate yourself in front of important, older person and his hot bodyguard in three easy steps, Hermione.] "I mean like come over for tea... to my office... just to talk." [Good one, for qualifying 'just to talk'. I'm sure he's utterly devastated now. Stupid idiot!] Hermione cringed on the inside.
Lucius made a non-committal gesture that Hermione wasn't sure was a nod, or not and the doors opened to Lucius's relief. "Nice to see you again Miss Granger, I very much hope that you and your family are well," he said, bowed ever-so-slightly and left abruptly.
...He felt like dragon's shit being thanked. He did not feel 'noble', or 'valiant', or 'selfless' and truly, he wished people would stop saying those things! He felt like a fraud. He was a coward! He wished he could go back to that day when he agreed to be a Death Eater (or whatever they called themselves back then) and take the different path. He wished with every feeling inside of him that none of it had ever happened... that he had lead a different, even boring, life... trained as a doctor like Raj, like he was meant to and (apart from a repaired Apparition splintching, or a cured Wandgripitis) no one had anything to thank him for – or to hate him for. Logically Lucius knew his wishes were in vain, but having them gave his heavy heart half a spoonful of relief.