"We don't even know if Justin's gay! Let alone that he'd be interested in Draco."

"Well this is a way we can find out my dear."

"Lucius, setting Draco up with Justin is not a good idea. Apart from the fact Draco would never forgive you for it, imagine how they would both feel if Justin's not interested? Justin will feel bad and Draco will feel humiliated and rejected."

"I am not suggesting we leave them both a note saying 'meet me at the three broomsticks at seven. From your secret admirer'. I'm suggesting we have a few small social gatherings where they may get to know each other better."

"Since when do you have small social gatherings? Your parties are legendary. Suddenly going to change the habit of a lifetime? Do something nobody in our world expects?"

"I'm with you aren't I?" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"That hardly counts."

"How? How does that not count? Who expected that? You certainly didn't. Judging by the reactions of everyone at the graduation and the looks we've been getting since we left, I'd say not one person expected it. I didn't expect it this morning."

"Really?"

"I was hopeful Hermione, but I didn't expect it. I'm not that arrogant, especially when it comes to you." Hermione couldn't help the shy smile and blush that spread across her face at his words. She never understood how he could use a simple sentence to make her melt. It was a skill he'd perfected in their short time together.

Flashback

Hermione closed her eyes and rested her head on Lucius' shoulder. They were sitting in his study on a small sofa after a meal. He was sipping a cognac while his arm was draped across her shoulders. She felt incredibly relaxed and content. She let out a small sigh and heard him chuckle.

"Tired my dear?"

"No, just relaxed." He pressed a small kiss to the crown of her head.

"I'm glad Hermione." There was a silence and he thought she may have fallen asleep.

"Lucius?"

"Hmmm?"

"Am I plain?"

"I beg your pardon?" He asked in disbelief. She opened her eyes and sat up to look at him.

"Am I plain?" She repeated. He frowned at her.

"What kind of question is that? Good lord Hermione you know you're not plain." She looked at the floor.

"I don't." She said quietly.

"Sweetheart." He pulled her into a hug. "You listen to me Hermione; you are a beautiful, talented, intelligent young woman. You are the furthest from plain that it's possible to be."

"Ron said I'm plain."

"He's an idiot."

"He's a hit with Lavender."

"Who is also an idiot."

"I just...feel like no-one sees me as a girl at school. I'm just a bookworm who matches the walls." Lucius moved to look at her,

"Look at me Hermione." She raised her eyes. "You're beautiful. Remember all the males at your school are boys, silly boys. I'm a man, I've been around and I know what I'm talking about. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever had the good fortune to meet." She smiled shyly and looked down.

"Do you really think so?"

"I don't think so. I know so." She grinned up at him.

"You're sweet." She whispered.

"You're perfect." He replied.

End Flashback

"So let's make sure I'm clear." Hermione said crisply. "You organize some small social events that are really a cover for you making sure Draco and Justin get to know each other, hope they get together so Draco will be too preoccupied to disturb us."

"Exactly."

"And what makes you think Draco will disturb us, what exactly do you plan on us doing?"

"Darling, my manor may be big but we don't often use most of it. You remember when you stayed with me we only used about five rooms."

"That was mainly because we didn't want anybody to know."

"Who knew? The house elves were the only other ones there. Narcissa was in Italy and Draco was staying with a friend. The only room regularly used we didn't enter was the ballroom. Unless Draco decides to spend all his time in his room we're bound to bump into him. Even my study is not exclusive to me and I doubt you want to spend all the time in the bedroom? Or am I getting ahead of myself?" He asked with a smirk.

"Don't be so lecherous, Lucius." She tried not to grin at his expression and failed. "Much as I enjoyed our time in the bedroom, you said yourself our relationship was more than that."

"Why did you italicize the word relationship?"

"I still say the proper word is..." She glanced around to make sure no-one could hear her, and then lowered her voice just to be sure. "Affair."

"Well I do not, it was a relationship. An affair is what Ron and Lavender were up to."

"No Lucius, when Ron was with Lavender that was a relationship."

"I don't mean when they dated Hermione, I mean what they were doing behind your back this year."

"That wasn't an affair either. That was misguided sluttiness." Hermione said matter-of-factly, an edge to her voice. Lucius snorted.

"Sluttiness is not a word Hermione."

"Neither was courtship until Shakespeare invented it."

"William Shakespeare invented over 1700 words we still use, you saying sluttiness is not the same thing."

"Perhaps not but I am sure I'm not the first person to use it."

"I'm afraid by using it you are showing your age my dear; it makes me feel incredibly old."

"You are not incredibly old; you're not even middle aged by wizards' standards."

"You're not an adult by Muggle standards Hermione and I think that's a bad thing. How on earth are your parents going to react when they find out about me?"

"How did we go from defining relationships to talking about my parents? And what on earth do you mean by 'find out'? This isn't a secret relationship Lucius. Or have the past few hours left your memory?"

"Unless you plan to tell them Hermione they will, 'find out'." And in answer to your first question; it's the nature of conversations. Any subject can lead to any other. It's different for different people but it's not unusual for a conversation to start with something as mundane as the weather, and end with something as sensational as incest."

"You think incest is sensational?"

"As a subject matter when compared to the weather? Yes Hermione, I think it's sensational."

Hermione rolled her eyes. Then she realised Lucius had managed to steer the conversation away from the point.

"I still think it's a bad idea to set Justin and Draco up."

"I'm not setting them up. I'm pointing them towards each other."

"Okay, say you organise these events, Draco is shy, he'd never have the courage to talk to Justin."

"And that is where my brilliant plan comes in."

"You have a brilliant plan?" Hermione raised her eyebrows at Lucius.

"Of course I do, it's where you come in." She groaned.

"Oh no. Why do I get the feeling I'm going to hate this."

"Because you probably will."

A/N Sorry, I know practically nothing's happened but there will be more soon. Promise!

Kindest Regards

ER