The Seduction Game

Disclaimer: All of the Harry Potter characters and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling/Warnerbros. I am making no money.

Thanks so much to my reviewers! Keep it coming, and I\'ll keep the chapters coming... :)

Oh, and sorry if this is a slightly short chapter - it\'s just sort of establishing a few things, you know...

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CHAPTER TWENTY: NOT QUITE GONE YET

It wasn’t as if he’d never seen a naked woman before. Honestly, he’d lost his virginity as a fifteen-year-old, with no other than that awful Hannah Abbott. (Okay, so maybe he hadn’t paid too much attention to her needs, ahat hat was probably what had caused her very passive, unenthusiastic participation, but still.)

And after Hannah, there’d been more women – and better experiences. He’d even started caring about them. Eventually. Occasionally. It had never been love, though. Never anything special.

And although the woman he was currently looking at wasn’t even completely naked – hell, by some standards she was overdressed – it was still uncomfortable. Not bee ofe of her halfway opened dress, mind you, or her flowing hair or her swollen lips. No, that had nothing to do with his being uncomfortable. It all came down to one thing: Who she was, and who she was with.

Hermione Granger. In mid-snog with Professor Snape.

“Well, isn’t this cosy,” Draco commented smugly.

Snape’s hands – which were rather conveniently placed on Granger’s buttocks – jumped away as if they’d been burnt. Both the Professor and his ex student stared at Draco, open mouthed, apparently too shocker wor words.

Draco leaned against the door frame, his arms folded. Well, he couldn’t blame Snape, really. It appeared as though Granger really had developed in the right direction, she’d just been stupid enough to hide it under her school robes.

“Draco?” said Snape at least, pulling himself together. His expression slowly went from shock to annoyance.

“The very same,” said Draco pleasantly, taking a few steps into the room. In the corner of his eye, he noticed Granger’s rather shaky, quick administrations with her halfway undressed clothes.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” barked Snape angrily. “I suppose it runs in the family, entering before knocking.”

“Oh, sorry,” said Draco sarcastically, “was I interrupting your dinner, Professor?”

He shot a glance at the untouched food at the table in Snape’s chambers, then back to Snape, who was still invading Granger’s personal space. Interrupted his “dinner”, indeed.

Snape simply scowled. “If I recall correctly, Mr Malfoy, term doesn’t begin until September 1st, and – oh yes, that’s correct, you graduated two years ago. Or had you forgot?”

“I hadn’t,” said Draco, taking a seat in one of Snape’s stuffed armchairs. “Believe it or not, but I’m actually here for a reason.”

“Oh, that’s a relief to hear.”

“Oh, come now, Professor, don’t give me that tone. I’ve known you since I was just a baby; surely we’re past this stage.”

Apparently, Draco discovered, Professor Snape didn’t share his amused view on the situation. But this was just too classic to ignore: Snape halfway into bed with the Gryffindor know-it-all. Draco wouldn’t be too evil a man if he enjoyed that for a moment now, would he?

Snape’s eyes glittered dangerously. “You indeed haven’t changed a bit in all these twenty years, Draco, I must say. Now could you please explain to me what the hell you are doing here?”

“Just stopping by,” smirked Draco happily, “to visit you and your – er – beloved.” He shot a pleased smirk at Granger, who simply glared furiously back. “Tell me,” he continued, “where ever did you get that flattering neck bite from, Granger? Was it Potter? Weasley, or...?” He glanced at Snape with even more amusement.

“None of them,” replied Granger coldly, her eyes never leaving Draco’s. “It was your father.”

Things went from being very amusing to being very serious very fast.

“My Father
“Indeed,” snarled Snape, curling an arm around Granger’s waist – instinctively, it appeared. “Now explain to me why the hell you are here before I send you to him.”

Draco frowned. “I’m actually here because of Father, Snape,” he said finally. “Or rather, because of his Obliviation.”

Snape raised an eyeb

“I take it you’ve heard of what happened to him,” continued Draco. As Snape gave a slight nod, he continued: “Well, that perverse sod of a Spell Damage Head of the Board at St Mungo’s has somehow managed to pull both of us into it. I don’t know about you, Professor, but I’m not too keen on –”

“Stop,” Snape interrupted him, raising a hand for silence. “What do you mean, ‘pull both of us into it’? I know the Hea the the Board had you appointed guardian, but I fail to see what that has to do with me.”

“You mean you don’t know?” Draco looked at him in shock.

“Don’t know what?”

“You really don’t know?”

“What?”

“Father’s been talkabouabout you. I mean, not about you as such; he doesn’t know who you are any more. But he’s been repeating your name, over and over again. At St Mungo’s,” he added, catching Snape’s befuddled look. “In his sleep; awake; whenever he thinks no one’s listening...”

“That’s not possible.” Granger decided to join the conversation. “In case you’d forgotten, Malfoy, your father received a Complete Obliviation. He wouldn’t remember Severus’s name.”

Draco pointedly ignored Granger’s use of Snape’s first name, and replied: “Oh, figured that out all by yourself did you? Brilliant, brilliant little Gryffindor you are. Listen, you little Mudb –”

“Stop it right there,” warned Snape. “Or I will have you end up like your father.”

Draco sighed. “Fine. My point is, Father somehow remembers your name, Professor – despite the Obliviation. Don’t ask me how, though.”

Snape rubbed his temples, wearily. Granger slowly sat down in a chair, frowning; her eyes flickered back and forth between Draco and Snape.

“I take it you at least know he’s escaped,” continued Draco. “I don’t know about you, Professor, but I for one think that’s a reason for concern. First h217;217;s muttering your name, then he runs off. What do you make of it?”

The Professor was pacing, frowning, haze aze occasionally returning to Granger. What was going on between those two, exactly? And why had Granger said it was Draco’s father who’d made that scar on her shoulder...?

“I agree,” said Snape at least, stopping in front of the table. “It is a reason for concern. Not for you though, it would seem. I appreciate you telling me this, Draco. After all, it is not like you to care at all about threats directed towards other people. It’s rather impressive.”

“Stop your sarcasm, Professor,” snarled Draco annoyed. “It’s not as if this isn’t a problem for me as well. It’s my Father we’re talking about. Whatever he does or doesn’t do, it always reflects badly on me. This Obliviation was perfect! Father was out of my life – out of everybody’s lives – for good! I wouldn’t have to worry about him mucking things up for me ever again. But of course he had to go and do a runner, taking a piece of his so-called ‘lost’ memory with him on the way. Believe me, Professor, this is a problem for me. It’s a huge problem for me.”

“Well, then, thank the gods your main concern is someone else for once,” said Granger.

“Don’t snap, Granger, it doesn’t suit you.”

“She’s right,” said Snape sternly. “It’s about you again. Though I suppose you are right, this is a problem for both of us. For all three of us,” he added quietly after a moment or so.

Draco frowned. “What’s that’s supposed to mean? Seriously, Professor, what’s going on here? That bite on Granger’s shoulder – did Father really do that?”

“He did,” nodded Snape. “Now stopping asking. This concerns all three of us, let’s just leave it at that. Thank you for warning us, Draco. Despite your rather tactless way of doing it,” he added darkly.

“Hey, it’s my pleasure.”

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He glanced around the room. It was a pretty drawing room, but too plain to be described as comfortable. It had an uneasy air about it. As though its decorator had been a bit too desperate to show his or hers calm and poise. There were no windows in the big room, which suggested they were under ground. This was just guesswork, though, Lucius really couldn’t tell – he’d only just woken up an hour or ago.

“I don’t understand. Would you please explain this situation you spoke of to me properly?”

“Er – all right. Look, Lucius, it may be difficult to comprehend, but... We’ve managed to get ourselves into a rather awkward situation here.”

“How so? Explain it to me, then.”

“Well, it’s like this – I have explained to you about the Dark Lord, haven’t I?”

“Yes.”

“Well, you were, as I said, a great supporter, and so was I... at first. But things changed, and I – well, I ended up turning to the light, as one might call it. I explained how I’d been fooled, cursed, to do the Dark Lord’s bidding.”

“Had you been?”

“Er &1; n1; no. I’d done it all voluntarily. You’ve got to understand, Lucius – when the Dark Lord fell the first time – vanished, as it was – a lot of us got really scared. We were facing serious charges for our actions! And although the faithful thing would have been to be honest about our loyalty to the Dark Lord, well – it’s difficult. It was difficult, rather, and I managed to get myself out of it without too many scratches. I got a great job, new friends... I was happy with a new life.”

“And then the Dark Lord returned, did he not?”

“Yes, he did.” Pause. “How – how do you know that?”

“Never mind. Continue your story.”

“Very well, er – well, when he returned, I – I panicked. Naturally. I’d betrayed him, he was furious with me... As was all of his still faithful followers. I did the only thing that sprang to mind: I fled. Went into hiding, and stayed hidden for three years, approximately. But you, Lucius... You found me. Only months after my sudden disappearance, you sought me out and found my hiding. I thought I was done for. Obviously, I was a traitor, and you would be rewarded greatly for bringing mek tok to receive my punishment – which would be death, most likely.”

“Well, I must have done otherwise. You’re still here.”

A nod. “I am, and it’s thanks to you. I begged you, pleaded with you to spare me... To not take me to the Dark Lord. Said I’d do anything. So you made me swear, Lucius. A wizard’s oath. I’m a rather skilled wizard, and you knew this. You thought I could become useful someday. You made me swear that I was to dedicate my life to you, and to your wishes. I was going to remain hidden, but I had pledged my life to you. You owned me, in a manner of speaking.”

Lucius nodded. “So this is why you rescued me from my room at St Mungo’s, I take it?”

“Of course. I know you well – at least the you that you used to me – and I knew you’d never stand to be locked up in that Hospital. Bound by my oath from six years back I had to free you. Bring you here, to safety.”

“Only to discover what had brought me to St Mungo’s in the first place, am I right?” said Lucius with a slight smile. “My Obliviation.”

Another nod. “Correct. Once we’d gotten away it was clear to me you weren’t you as you used to be. No more the old Lucius Malfoy.” The stranger looked up, eyes filled with both anxiety and anticipation, mixed together. “What are you going to do now?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I can’t make any decisions – I’m bound to my oath, after all. You have to make the calls, Lucius, and I have to obey whatever you ask me to do.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Lucius asked, interested. “I don’t remember any of it, after all. You could have continued your life, and I would have been completely ignorant of this oath.”

“Don’t forget what the oath actually says. My life is dedicated to your wishes, Lucius. To what you want. To what’s best for you. I have no choice but to tell you everything I know, and to assist you in whatever you decide to do.” Another pause. “They’re probably looking everywhere for you.”

Lucius frowned, his right hand coming up to his chin. “Yes,” he agreed. “They may be. But I am not ready to go back to that place just yet. All right, my friend – I believe your story. Furthermore, I am going to make use of that oath you talk so much about. I want you to find out if they really are looking for me, and what they intend to do. You know, will they sea searching, am I going to be brought back to that – that cell... the works.”

“Of course, Lucius. I’ll do my best. In the meantime, make yourself comfortable... Just let me know if there is anything you need. They won’t find you here.”

He got to his feet and made for the door.

“Thank you,” said Lucius to the retrieving man. “The gods know I would have had a hard time on my own – I really appreciate your help, Igor. Know that.”

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Ah... That explains a bit. Reviews?