"The Manor has many secrets. Some are known to the immediate family, some only by me. Others are still yet to be revealed, if and when the Manor deems it prudent."

"But why are you telling me?"

"Do you know the artist of this piece, Miss Granger?" He gestured to the tapestry, ignoring her question.

She blinked at him. "No?"

"The Manor has a vast collection of art and antiques." He eyed her coolly. "Though not all of the furniture is treated with the respect it deserves."

She blushed.

She spent the next twenty minutes in a slow walk back to the library as Lucius Malfoy led her through the Manor, pointing out family heirlooms, the architecture, even hidden corridors. Hermione felt a bit dizzy, her mind still trying to suss out his game. Perhaps forcing her to be his captive audience was some way of demonstrating control over her.

They stopped at the library doors. Lucius folded his hands behind his back and spun to face her. "And what, pray tell, are you researching so diligently these days, Miss Granger?"

Her heart pounded in its ribcage. If he knew, he'd certainly put a stop to it.

She cleared her throat, and closed the books in her mind. "I found a scroll that I believe was written by one of the earliest magical communities in Egypt. I've dated it around the 8th century B.C., but I won't know for certain until I can translate it."

Lucius raised a brow. Her heartbeat quickened.

"I know it sounds silly, but Ancient Runes was one of my favorite subjects, and it's… it's nice to have some normalcy." She trailed off, blinking. Thinking about her old classes brought a genuine lump to her throat. "And this would be an incredible contribution if I succeed. It might even be from one of the lost cities—"

"Fascinating." His voice was thick with sarcasm. "And might I ask why my son is so eager to help with this little project?"

"I asked him," said Hermione quickly. "He's a good study partner." She flushed in spite of herself. "We may get distracted at times, but we've made significant progress."

Lucius slowly curled his lips. "Very well. Do remember to take that Potion, Miss Granger." He turned on his heel and left her at the doorway.

Hermione stared after him. There was no way to know whether he'd bought it — only time would tell. She sighed heavily and pushed through the library doors.

Draco's head snapped up from where he loomed over their research table. He didn't so much as blink as she made her way over to meet him. "Well?"

She shrugged. "I don't know where to begin. The whole thing was just… odd, really."

Relief flickered in his eyes. He moved quickly around the table and placed his hands on her hips. "Start at the beginning."

She rose to her toes to place a kiss against his lips. His hands slid up to her waist, and he kissed her slowly before pulling away. "What did my father want," he whispered.