Lucius saw Hermione turn away from his peripheral vision and, curiosity overtaking him, turned to see what was bothering his wife. Even though her sobs were silent, he could see the shaking of her shoulders that betrayed her intentions. He couldn't just leave her be, for one Draco would never forgive him, and despite him and Astoria living in Malfoy Manor, Lucius knew his son would try his best to keep him away from his grandchildren should Lucius wrong Hermione in any way. Besides, the magic swirling inside him wouldn't leave him be about it either.

With a small, inward sigh, Lucius took the ring that Hermione had dropped on the seat and shifted to face her back. As he leaned over, he pressed a gentle kiss to her temple and carefully slid the cool golden right onto her finger once more.

"This is your day, Hermione, don't let it be ruined over something like this."

He murmured, his lips brushing against her warm skin as he brushed a few stray strands of hair from her face.

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Hermione couldn't help but tense and a blush to rise up on her cheeks as she felt Lucius' presence at her back. She hurriedly used the back of her hands to wipe her eyes and nose in a desperate attempt to pretend she was absolutely fine. Unfortunately she had a feeling he could see, or knew, just how pathetic she was. After all she knew she was pathetic. This whole situation was pathetic and in this moment of weakness she just wanted to cry. She could be strong tomorrow.

However Lucius' actions then proceeded to surprise her. Her eyes widened as she felt him kiss her temple, unable to stop herself blushing even more as she instinctively licked her lips. However her gaze diverted to her hand as she felt, and then saw, Lucius put her wedding ring back onto her finger. If she had been of weaker constitution she knew she would have swooned like those story leading ladies in the Harlequin novels when she felt Lucius' lips against her skin and his fingers brush some of her hair from her face.

Why had Narcissa left him? She didn't understand it. When he wanted to be he could be very charming. Then she remembered something. He had another wife... Her name began with A. Had she left him too? Although she longed to know more she knew this was not the time to ask. Especially since they had just arrived at her parents' home for the reception.

"Why don't you go see Draco? I'll see my parents."

She murmured softly, giving her husband an escape as a way of repaying his attempt to cheer her up.

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Lucius smiled gently as Hermione spoke, pressing another small kiss to her temple. What kind of man would he be to abandon his wife on there wedding day? He may not be particularly happy about it, but he would have to live with it for the rest of his life, so he may as well start learning to accept it.

"Actually, if it's alright with you, I'd prefer to stay with my wife during the reception."

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Hermione couldn't help the light blush that rose on her cheek from his gentlemanly kiss on the temple. It was almost as if he was a husband, in love, caring for her and her feelings. Not only that but he wanted to stay with her at the reception. There were wizards and witches there as well as muggles so if he was seen by her side, attentive, then it was sure to get out. If he wanted to keep his cold, Death Eater reputation then it would be completely destroyed by being seen with her.

Did he actually like her? Was he actually interested? Or was he just trying to save face and not get in trouble with Draco? After all she knew Draco could tell by now when she was upset even when she tried to hide it.

She decided to try and cling to the hope that maybe he did want her, care for her, in hopes of salvaging their wedding day.

"If you really want to. I don't want you to feel like you have to. I'd understand if you'd prefer to be with people you actually like."

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Lucius gave a simple shrug in response. Casual, but . . . vaguely defeated somehow. He had been a Death Eater for a good potion of his life. Sure, he knew some of these people, but that's all it was. Knowledge.

"With the exception of Draco, Astoria, and . . . you . . . I haven't actually liked someone in a long time."

He admitted. He couldn't deny that something about her drew him to her, though what exactly that was, he didn't know. She was mature for her age, yes, but she was still less than half his age. Merlin, he'd been twenty five when she was born. Still, better to help her pretend this was her picture perfect wedding.

"So yes, I would prefer to stay by your side."

He added after a dew moments of silence on his part. With a reassuring smile to his new wife, he stepped out of the carriage and offered Hermione his hand to help her out.

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He... liked her? He liked her. He really liked her. A small voice at the back of her mind, her logical side, told her he could be lieing but the thought that someone might like her as a man would like a woman was too good to ignore. She felt happy, a blush lining her cheeks, as she nervously fiddled with her fingers under his gaze.

It also helped he prefered to stay by her side then be with Draco and Astoria. He preferred her. He chose her over them, and the couple was his family first. Shyly she tucked a curl behind her ear before glancing up at him with a small, cautious smile.

"If you're sure..."

She responded softly, before watching Lucius step out of the carriage. She hadn't expected him to offer his hand, no one had ever done that for her before or any other gentlemanly thing, so she had started to rise with her skirt gathered up when she saw his hand infront of her. Happily surprised she tentatively put her smaller hand in his, hoping to god he couldn't hear the butterflies going on in her stomach or her heart fluttering beneath her chest.

With his help she descended from the carriage before catching sight of most of the wedding party, and now further extended family from both sides, inside the house and most likely in the back garden as well. Maybe it would be a good day after all.

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Lucius smiled softly as he curled his fingers around Hermione's hand. This was going to be a long evening, no doubt with much of her family demanding to know everything about him, but at least it was starting out alright.

"Who is going to be here? I would prefer to know what to expect from the guests in attendance."

He asked as he looked down to Hermione with a soft smile. There was something about what he was walking into that unnerved him. He'd never really been around muggles, ever. And now he would be surrounded by them. He was related to them. This went against everything he'd ever been taught.

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Hermione couldn't help but look at their hands entwined. He was actually holding her hand. His skin wasn't ice cold either as most would expect it to be. No, it was warm. It seemed warmer then hers too.

"Mm, well my parents will be here. Draco and Astoria along with her family. My grandfather from my mum's side will be here. I don't have any other grandparents left now, just him. There is also Mum's brother, Uncle David along with his wife Sharona, and their two children Simon and Toni, identical twins. They're very close. You rarely see one without the other. Also, I think Draco might have invited your mother and your sister... I didn't know you had any other family. Anyway, apart from that its pretty much just your circle of friends, Harry, Luna Lovegood, and the Weasleys."

She told him, rattling off the list in her head. She couldn't help but feel really nervous. Not only was she starting to think maybe she could have love in this marriage - after all he had just admitted he liked her and that was a hopeful sign - but she was now introducing her new husband, Ex-Death Eater (even if he wasn't the same man anymore), to her parents. Not only that but she was going to have to hope that Lucius wouldn't somehow contradict the whirlwind romance story she'd told her parents previous to the wedding.

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"Merlin witch, I thought you wanted a small wedding."

Lucius murmured under his breath. He wasn't intimidated—Malfoys were never intimidated—there were just more people than he had been expecting. And his mother, sister, and more likely than not his sister's family was all there. Perfect.

"Well then, can't keep our guests waiting too long."

He sighed as he started walking towards the house that loomed almost dauntingly before them. Then a sudden thought occurred to him.

"Did you tell anybody who you were getting married to before everything was set in place?"

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"I did. It is small compared to what I am sure Purebloods would have done for their offspring. Besides, I would have made it just immediate family if it meant you'd agree to do a wedding. You didn't want anything to do with it though so to compensate I tried my best to make it the dream wedding I always wanted."

Of course that completely failed. She had forgotten one thing when planning the whole thing. It wasn't enough to have someone to pretend to be an in-love-with-you husband. No, she needed a man to be in love with her, someone she was in love with in return, and to be marrying that man. Hermione didn't say this however even as she glanced away with a heavy ache in her heart. Maybe she'd try again one day...

"Don't be silly, of course I did."

What she said to her family however wasn't quite the truth however. She did describe Lucius' appearance truthfully. However when it came to his personality... well she used Gambit from X-men as inspiration (mostly for his flowerly language that made any woman swoon) and a slight mix of lead males from Harlequin romance novels. After all what she knew about Lucius could really only fit on one hand and most of it wasn't good in any way. She had to tell her family something, and they wouldn't have let her get married without approving of the man she was with.

Draco's opinion also helped in that matter. "He's just a far more maturer version of myself."

Which he was... just so far Hermione had been sure it was only in appearance.

"Whatever happens... just go along with, okay?"

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Well, she had a point pureblood were notorious for their celebrations, especially when it came to weddings and birthdays. Still, when she said a small weddjg that had been what he was expecting. Honestly he didn't care much, but he wasn't sure just how well some of Hermione's guests would react to him. Namely the Weasleys and Potter.

Still, there was not going back now. Whatever was going to happen, he would deal with it.

"Alright . . . might be better just to tell me what your family is expecting though."

He pointed out with a small shrug.

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Hermione bit her bottom lip nervously, concern and caution in her gaze before she reluctantly did as he asked.

"Well I described your appearance as it is. That much I do know, but as to the depths of your personality... What I do know might be out-dated somewhat, or I hope it is, and none of it was anything... positive. Since you said no to the wedding I felt... well it doesn't matter what I felt but the end of it all is I read quite a few romance novels. Fiction. I had to give my parents some kind of whirlwind romance story, especially since they knew nothing of you and we would be getting married so suddenly. I suppose you'd be surprised they weren't bothered by your age - apparently they always knew I was far too mature for my age group and thus expected this kind of thing. Although they did mention that they would have thought I'd take up with Professor Snape out of anyone though after reading and hearing all I tell about our world to them. Anyway thats not the point... The point is I described you as an eloquent, charming, masculine gentleman who can make a lady swoon with words and manners alone, but can equally be as much of a man's man that has a dominant feral side waiting to be unleashed."

She refused to mention the unleashing had ended up happening in her dreams a few times.

"I got a bit carried away whilst making up our courtship."

Hermione's gaze had refused to meet his the entire time she talked, and when she mentioned how she described Lucius a deep blush had risen on her cheeks.

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Lucius arched a dark eyebrow as Hermione explained how she had described him to his parents. This, was going to be a very long night. Good thing he was very good at acting.

"Any specific story I'll need to stick to?"

He asked, noting the blush that had taken residence upong her cheeks, but deciding against comment in on it.

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"Um... You know how there is this old wife's tale where apparently if a boy is mean to a girl, that he fancies her? Well, I started off with that premise. Then the War was over, Tom Riddle is dead, and you could finally be yourself, shedding the views he'd made you have. Kinda like Professor Snape really but you're... well, you're alive and you look different, and honestly, I don't think Professor Snape could ever be as eloquent and gentlemanly as you, so I guess just go along with whatever is said or happens unless I say or do otherwise."

Hermione responded. She wasn't surprised she'd brought up Professor Snape although it still brought a great deal of pain to her chest to think about him.

She shouldn't have left him there in the Shrieking Shack. She should have tried to save him. She could have used so many things - he probably even had the anti-venom potion he'd concocted for Arthur in his robe pocket if she'd searched. Instead she'd let popular opinion sway her and instead of doing the right thing, instead of saving a life of the most important person in the war, she had left with Ron and Harry. She had never forgiven herself for that. She'd even tried to find the Time Turner in Dumbledore's office that she'd used in a previous year but she'd never found it.

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"No one could ever be as eloquent and gentlemanly as a Malfoy, it's what we were bred for."

Lucius smirked in amusement as he looked down to Hermione. As he looked ahead of himself once more though—missing her pained expression—his expression shifted.

"As for a boy being mean to a girl, it's not an old wives', not always at least, but I understand where you're coming from with this."

He added with an internal sigh. Yeah, he would know. He would know better than anyone how much a boy being mean to that one girl could really mean.

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