How the Mighty have Fallen

A/N: Thanks to all readers, reviewers, and raters!! Special thanks to: Voracious Reader … don’t worry that chapter is coming up next if everything goes to plan.

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Lucius hadn’t seen Hermione until dinner Sunday evening despite spending the majority of his day in the common room. Although he got very little actual school work done, as his eyes kept shifting to her closed door, he managed to annoy Severus so greatly that he presumably left the relative safety of the common room for the library.


At quarter to six Hermione finally emerged and noticed Lucius fast asleep on one of the couches. She knew she should wake him up for dinner but he really was rather lucky that she was honorable enough not to hex him while he slept. Conscience absolved, she warded her door before leaving for the Great Hall alone.


Twenty minutes later Lucius meandered into the Great Hall looking impeccable once more. Scanning the Slytherin table quickly he spotted Hermione at the far end of the table, in a caramel colored dress curls swept away from her face, reading an Arithmancy book.


“Any reason you were sequestered in your room all day?” Lucius asked as he waved his hand impatiently to the right creating a space across from Hermione to sit down.


“Reading,” Hermione replied offhandedly not taking her eyes off of the book she was currently perusing.


Lucius was in a sour mood and frowned at her bent head. “It’s rude to not look at the person you’re addressing,” he bit out irritated.


Marking her place in her book, she made a great show of looking up and into his piercing grey eyes. “Hmm, it’s also rude to force people to move just because the seat you want is occupied,” she replied nonchalantly; smirking at him knowingly.


Assuming an expression of repentance he endeavored to gain her favor through flattery. “You are looking rather pretty today Hermione,” Lucius drawled quietly.


“Thank you Lucius,” Hermione murmured politely; shifting her gaze away from his unwavering eyes, uncomfortable with the compliment. “Where do you think Severus is?” Hermione wondered aloud in her discomfort.


“Probably still in the library,” he replied casually keeping his irritation from entering his voice but the tension was written on his face. Hermione sighed inwardly and thought she really was too nice as she decided to give Lucius the attention he was after. ‘After all how hard can it be to pretend interest in someone through dinner?’ she contemplated.


“Lucius,” she paused until she had his undivided attention, “do you have my timetable?” she asked with a sweet, expectant smile.


“No. But I can create one for you,” he offered congenially.


“Oh,” Hermione said lightly, “you know my timetable by heart?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.


“Well, I know my timetable by heart and your schedule is identical to mine,” Lucius informed her with a gleam in his eye.


“How convenient,” Hermione said wearing a rueful smile catching Professor Dumbledore’s eye who raised his glass in a cheery little acknowledgement. ‘He’s pulling all the stops’ Hermione mused.



October 4, 1971: Monday


Although Hermione had attended Hogwarts for the past six years she was as nervous as she had been on her first day. When she was particularly anxious she tended to fidget as a means to quell her nervous tension. As she smoothed her skirt for the third time during breakfast Lucius sardonically asked, “Nervous?” At his rather dry declaration Severus, currently smiling at his oatmeal over Hermione’s antics, couldn’t withhold the laughter he had been holding in any longer.


“It isn’t that funny,” Hermione said sullenly crossing her arms so she didn’t smooth her skirt for a fourth time; though she did start tapping her foot rapidly causing Lucius to join in the laughter. With a reluctant smile she begrudgingly admitted, “fine, you sussed me out, I’m nervous.”


“No need to be nervous love,” Lucius reassured soothingly.


It was a nice gesture, but his kind words sparked an entirely separate uneasiness within Hermione. Taking a fortifying breathe to calm her nerves she asked Lucius which subject was first.


“Double Potions,” he said after a quick sip of Pumpkin juice.


Before Hermione would have liked she was facing the dungeon door waiting for the Professor to arrive. With a flourish the doors opened and Professor Slughorn cheerily called, “come in, come in.”


“Ah, we have a new student,” he said kindly and paused, looking thoughtful for a moment, before saying, “Miss Dagworth pair up with Mr. Gray.” “Right at the front of the class on the right,” Professor Slughorn directed.


Taking her seat next to a handsome, raven haired Ravenclaw boy Hermione took out her Potions book and wand; the only supplies for that class that she had at the moment.


“Hi, Eltanin,” the boy introduced himself offering Hermione his hand to shake.


“Hermione,” she answered shaking his hand.

Lucius’ expression was a mix between incredulous and annoyance when he overheard how Hermione had introduced herself to her new potions partner. ‘Knows him a bloody second’ Lucius thought scathingly thinking how quickly they were on first name basis. He fostered a look of indifference as he began to harshly shred some boomslang skin realizing he had another reason to dislike the stupid git.

Lacking potion ingredients and equipment, Hermione decided she’d try charming her potions partner into lending the necessary materials. If all else fails, she was certain she could go bother Lucius for them.


Putting on a bright, warm smile Hermione murmured, “Eltanin, my supplies haven’t arrived yet… would you mind terribly if I borrowed some ingredients and a knife?”


“Of course not Hermione,” he whispered back.


When Hermione went to fetch a spare cauldron she had a bit of feminine swagger in her step at how easily she had gotten her way. Both Lucius and Eltanin enjoyed the slight sway to her hips.


Placing the borrowed cauldron down on the desk, she realized Eltanin had already divvied up the necessary potion ingredients; handing her the knife once she was seated beside him.


“Thanks,” she said politely.

Although Eltanin seemed rather nice and intelligent he was entirely too self satisfied to the point of bordering on smarmy for Hermione’s tastes. His excessively chatty nature, which focused primarily on himself and his vast intelligence, was starting to give McLaggen’s self-centeredness a run for his money.


“…and I successfully brewed Polyjuice potion the end of fourth year,” he boasted proudly.


‘And the winner is… Eltanin’ Hermione grinned at the thought but passed it off as a smile of congratulations; whispering, “impressive,” in as an appreciative voice as possible though it was a small feat as she had been able to brew that potion since second year.


Both Eltanin and Hermione finished brewing and bottling their respective potions with five minutes to spare.


Turning to face Hermione, Eltanin placed his left hand on her right knee and said, “You make an excellent potions partner.” Use to the odd bit of male affection Hermione thought nothing of the small gesture until he started to slowly trail his hand up her thigh. With widening, shocked eyes Hermione put her wand against the side of his body, under the table, and warned pleasantly, “I’m renowned for my wand work as well,” as she shifted her right leg to cross her left dislodging his hand discreetly; though not before Lucius noticed that her potions partner was copping a feel.

Lucius wanted to hex the wanker’s bollocks off; though with only a minute more before class was dismissed he restrained himself from retaliating as he could do so in the corridor without gaining a pesky detention for his efforts.


Hermione arrived in the corridor a few minutes after everyone else as she hastened to return the borrowed cauldron. She never expected two young men in an argument, over her, on the precipice of turning into a duel.


“Lower your wands,” Hermione yelled at both boys, neither of them listening to her.


As she attempted to lower Lucius’ wand arm down manually he briskly brushed her hand off and stood in front of her so as to protect her. Walking out from behind Lucius with a small scowl on her face she cast a very powerful shield spell between them at the same moment that they cast hexes at one another. Luckily her shield spell knocked them both to the ground allowing their rebounding curses to fly harmlessly overhead.


“What in Merlin’s name were you thinking?!” Lucius yelled at Hermione for her peace keeping efforts.


“Fine, blow each other up!” Hermione shrieked as she stormed off to the Slytherin common room.


By the time Hermione reached her destination she was more upset than before.


“Bloody stupid stone door… can’t even fucking slam the thing shut,” Hermione muttered angrily to herself unaware of a presence within the common room. Stomping over to her bedroom door she unwarded it for the sole purpose of slamming it shut. With the resounding bang Severus piped up, “bad first day?” With a low growl of frustration, aimed at no one in particular, Hermione silently re-warded her door and turned to answer Severus’ question.


“Yes,” she spat thoroughly angry; before she could elaborate Lucius entered looking as mad as she felt.


“Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to come between wizards ready to duel?” he asked his voice as hard as his narrowed eyes.


“Just because I’m a witch doesn’t mean I’m incapable of protecting myself!” Hermione countered; livid at the presumption that her abilities were inferior to his and men in general.


“I never said…” Lucius began patiently when Hermione interrupted him with, “your behavior sure implied it,” her eyes and voice as hard as his were moments before.


Taking out her wand she got into a dueling stance. When Lucius regarded her with a curious expression rather than raise his wand she prompted, “It won’t be any fun if you don’t defend yourself.”


“You want to duel?” he asked plainly, taking out his wand.


“Obviously,” she drawled irritably causing amusement to play upon Lucius’ lips and interest to light Severus’ eyes.


When Lucius bowed, to observe dueling etiquette, Hermione quickly and silently sent an Expelliarmus and disarmed him, catching his wand in her left hand, before he had raised his eyes.


“I won,” Hermione stated smugly.


“No, you cheated,” Lucius informed her tersely.


“What did you expect? I’m a Slytherin,” Hermione said lightly with a little shrug and smile. “Besides in battle niceties will get you killed,” Hermione informed him seriously.


“Since we aren’t at battle, I still say you cheated,” he informed her.


“Well I think you are a sore loser,” Hermione countered; stowing her wand away, as she walked up and handed Lucius’ his wand. As Lucius curled his fingers around his wand with is right hand, he grabbed Hermione spinning her around and pinning her in place with his left arm, his wand pressed gently against her neck; her back to his front.


“Alright Lucius, you’ve made your point,” she conceded on a sigh. Tilting her head up to look at him over her shoulder she said tantalizingly, “why don’t you hold me properly?”
Hastily putting his wand in his pocket he allowed Hermione to turn in his embrace so that they were facing one another; his right hand slowly running up her back. Smiling she leaned into the embrace running her fingers teasingly up and down his lean, muscular body. When Hermione felt him relax she grabbed the handle of his wand and cast a silent Petrificus Totalus; cementing a look of shock on Lucius’ face. Disarming him, Hermione stepped out of his embrace and watched dispassionately as he fell to the floor.


Stepping towards his prone form Hermione cocked her head to the side and teased, humor lighting her eyes, “You may have won the battle… but it seems I’ve won the war.”


“What do you think I should do with him Severus?” Hermione asked curiously.


When silence greeted her ear’s she turned and noticed Severus’ dumbfounded expression.


“Maybe I should leave him to be found?” Hermione said rhetorically. Although she could see out of the corner of her eye Severus shaking his head no; too shocked to speak.


“No, I don’t think he’d appreciate that very much,” she stated thoughtfully. “Though he might respect me a great deal more,” she added contemplatively.


Putting the tip of her shoe under Lucius’ chin to tilt his eyes towards hers as she stood over him she asked, “Would you like me to release you?” “I’ll release you as long as you promise to be a perfect gentleman,” she jokingly informed him. “Well?” she asked again taking entirely too much delight out of the situation for Lucius’ liking. “Of course you will,” Hermione answered her own question as if it was obvious.


Stepping back five paces, Hermione pointed Lucius’ wand in his direction and muttered, “Finite Incantatem,” releasing him.


Getting up with a stretch Lucius held out his right hand and said stoically, “my wand Hermione.”


Hermione shook her head no and replied cheekily, “Unlike you, I learn from my mistakes;” and made a dash for it behind the couch when Lucius lunged for his wand.


Both students were running around the room, Lucius telling Hermione to give him his wand back and Hermione screaming shrilly, though not actually frightened, as she evaded his capture.


“Hermione,” he repeated exasperated.


“No, you’ll hex me,” she countered, dodging behind an armchair.


As it seemed inevitable that he would catch her Hermione threw his wand over her shoulder as a diversion, running away from him as she did so.


Catching the wand deftly in his right hand he saw Hermione attempt to jump over Severus’ legs but he had began to draw them back inadvertently tripping Hermione causing her to rapidly descend towards the ground, though the impact never came. Opening one eye and then the other Hermione realized she was frozen in an impossible diagonal direction due to Lucius’ quick and accurate spell casting. Coming to stand next to her Lucius removed the spell and helped her to her feet. Between a fit of laughter Hermione thanked him for helping her instead of hexing her in retaliation.


As they left the common room for their next class Severus observed that Hermione didn’t seem all that bothered that Lucius had his hand at the small of her back.


Turning to Hermione, Lucius lightly promised, “Next time we duel I won’t go easy on you.”


Meeting his eyes, with a cheeky little grin plastered on her face she replied, “me neither,” giving him a saucy little wink for good measure.