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.

Sorry it\'s been a while! My computer broke down, actually, so I had no choice but to wait for it to be repaired... But now I\'m back with another chappie at last...
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CHAPTER FOUR: FIRST TOUCH

Hermione made her way back to the British Department around two o’clock to get some lunch. She’d just finished her lecture, and was rather pleased with it. People had seemed impressed, and she’d spoken well.

However, she wasn’t really thinking a lot about her lecture - she was thinking a lot more about that man, Lucius Malfoy. It was the strangest thing, really, but ever since the dance last night Hermione hadn’t been able to get the picture of his smiling face out of her head. She’d awoken in the morning to find herself feeling warm and - what to call it - pleased, with the thought of him strongly present.

Hermione didn’t know what to think of this. What was this feeling? She’d never felt like this before, never, and it really scared her. Scared her, yet fascinated her. It was so confusing. A part of her enjoyed it, and felt a more exciting side of her personality taking form, yet another part loathed what she was thinking. Positive, warm thoughts about Lucius Malfoy? Where had they come from? What did they mean?

The negative part of her won over the positive, and she was trying to convince herself that the thoughts about Lucius were all imagination as she entered the dining hall.
However, this was quickly dismissed: By a long table in the dining hall sat Lucius himself, smiling as he saw her and waving, and Hermione felt once again the warm feeling wake up inside her. What was it?

Smiling back, she took a seat next to Lucius by the table, deciding she might as well sit with him when no one else she knew was present. Many other witches and wizards were there, too, important people they were, but Lucius seemed to only have eyes for her.

“I heard you lecture,” he said with a smile. “It was brilliant.”

“Thank you,” smiled Hermione, and she felt herself blushing. “I’m glad to hear you liked it.”

“You’re got some great theories,” continued Lucius. “Severus would have been proud of you. He always said you were a brilliant student of his.”

“Did he?” said Hermione proudly. “I thought he hated me.”

“I wouldn’t know about that,” said Lucius, smiling, “but he said you were a brilliant student. Your new potions experiments could be meaningful, I think.”

“Professor Snape is still here, isn’t he?” said Hermione. “I saw him yesterday.”

“Yes, he is. I’ve been spending some time with him, catching up on old times. He is, sadly, one of those who doesn’t seem to believe my story, I’m afraid.”

“Professor Snape has always been a bit sceptical and paranoid,” smiled Hermione. “He’s not easily convinced.”

“Indeed you’re right, my dear,” smiled Lucius. “But lets not talk about Severus. Are you planning on staying here throughout the conference?”

“Yes, of course!” said Hermione eagerly. “There’s so many things to be learned. I suspects I’ll get a lot of knowledge here, and quite a few surprises. I just feel it!”

Lucius smiled. Oh yes, she quitquite right about that! And he was about to cause the very first surprise... Putting his left hand down, he slowly moved it from his own thigh under the table, edging it towards Hermione’s. He then put it down slightly firmly on her leg, stroking gently up and down her thigh, smiling and focusing on his meal as though nothing particular was going on.

Hermione froze as she felt his hand. What was he doing? She had never experienced anything like it before. The warmth she’d felt earlier turned to real heat, his hand on her leg was like magic. Hermione had never even known she could feel such a thing. She glanced over at Lucius, but he was simply smiling to himself, consentrating on his meal. Slowly, but surely, Hermione could feel his hand moving... It slid across her thigh, moving higher and further in. Not even knowing what she was doing, Hermione almost unnoticably edged her chair a few inches closer to Lucius’s... His hand was bewitching.

Lucius smirked. His hand glided across her thigh and made it’s way between her legs, stroking up the insides of her thigh, higher and higher - but he stopped before he went too far. It would have scared her, and this was only supposed to be a tease. He completely removed his hand and started slicing pieces of bacon on his plate.

Hermione felt somewhat disappointed, as well as relieved. What had just haed? ed? Had Lucius Malfoy made a pass at her? Feeling rather confused, Hermione didn’t feel like finishing her meal. She quickly excused herself and got up to leave the dining hall.

Looking back to glance at Lucius, who was still focusing on his meal, she didn’t even notice Snape entering and bumped straight into him.

“Watch yourself, Miss Granger,” he snapped.

“Professor Snape!” said Hermione shocked. “I’m so sorry, I wasn’t watching my step.”

“I noticed,” said Snape cooly, seeing who she’d been looking at.

“It’s - it’s been a while. Er - how are things at Hogwarts?” asked Hermione friendly, feeling she had to ask. Snape had done so much for the Order, and for the wizarding world. Although she didn’t care much for him, she had to be polite.

“As dull as always,” he replied. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m in a slight hurry.” Without waiting for her to answer, he passed and took a seat next to Lucius by the table.
Watching Hermione’s back as she left the hall, Severus’s mind was racing. He really had to stop Lucius before things went further.

“I see you’re still as talented as always with the ladies?” grinned Lucius.

“I’m warning you now, Lucius,” said Severus in a low voice, “so it won’t come upon you unexpected later on. Keep your hands away from her.”

“Or what, Severus?” said Lucius with a smirk. “What will you do?”

Severus simply stared at him with the uttermost hatred. “You know what I’ll do,” he whispered.

“This has become rather personal for you, hasn’t it?” asked Lucius. “Is it because you feel you need to protect Miss Granger, or is it because you simply want her all to yourself? If that is the case you should really pick up your act, or you’ll never get what you want. And of course, there’s another matter to take into consideration,” he added with a grin.

“What matter?” said Severus simply.

“The matter that you have to compete with me for her,” smiled Lucius. “Because I am going to prove my point, Severus, and you can’t stop me.”

“I have no interest what so ever in Miss Granger,” said Severus dismissingly. “But I will not have you taking up on your old habits, especially not with young and innocent witches such as her.”

“I don’t really care what you think,” said Lucius, “because I want to prove my point to you. Besides, I think it could be quite enjoyable. Hermione’s taken a fancy to me, I think. It will be easy, and it will be fun.”

Severus glared at him. This man was unbelievable! A real bastard. Severus knew he had to act before this seduction scheme went out of hand. The problem was, he didn’t know how far it had gotten yet. What did Hermione feel? And what had Lucius done so far? Severus had no idea. He only hoped he had time to stop them before they had any kind of real body contact - then it would probably be too late. Had it gotten that far, it could make the situation all more complicated. Had Lucius first felt her flesh, or found himself thoroughly desiering Hermione, it could prove to be dangerous. Lucius had been a violent man in the past...

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Hermione had always dreaded everything that bore the label “love life”. Everything regarding it scared her beyond reason. The thought of having to deal with another person in every possible situation was just sickening.

More than anything, Hermione had dreaded the matter of having sex with someone. She’d never done it. She was turning twenty soon, and she had never had sex. The very thought made her blush - it was really quite unusual, wasn’t it? She thought it was. The thing was, she’d been cooped up in research labs the most of her time after Hogwarts, and there had just never been time for anything. As far as Hermione knew, every man in her life thought of her either as the best friend in the world or simply a brilliant colleague.

No wizard had ever had his hand where Lucius’s had been only hours earlier.

She was sitting in a park-like area that was located on the other side of the IMG Manor, facing the beautiful, waste landscapes of Spain. Although the area had many benches, Hermione had chosen to take a seat in the grass with her back against a great tree. She’d felt like sitting in the shadow of the strong, southern ofn of August.

No, Hermione had definitely no experience what so ever when it came to men. It concerned her slightly, she felt that even now, she wasn’t quite ready. Although Lucius’s hand had felt great and warming, she would have been terrified if he had kept at it for much longer. What was she to do? She didn’t know anything, nothing at all. If a man ever came on to her, how was she to act back? Hermione knew, if a man ever found an interest in her, he would have to be a patient one - she knew she just wasn’t ready, although she dearly wanted to be.

Slowly, her thoughts became lesser and lesser as she closed her eyes and soon fell asleep in the shadows of the great tree, the warm wind of August blowing in her hair.

It was dark by the time she awoke. Hermione realized all her work and preparations for the lecture must have left her quite worn out and sleepless, because she had been dozing off under the tree for a very long time indeed. The evening sky, lit with stars and a half moon was clearly visuable to her as she got to her feet, stretching.
It wasn’t exactly night, nor was it really dark - after all, it was August, and that meant that the light never really disappeared properly. It was rather dimmed, however, and colours had turned into shades of gray wherever she looked.

Hermione strawled back up to the Manor and entered. The stone halls were rather quiet, as were the corridors. She climbed the staircase leading to the left wing corridor, and saw there were none about. The darkness was only lit by small torches on the stone walls.

Suddenly, sounds were heard, and they startled her. It sounded as though more than one door was opened at once, and Hermione quickly turned to gaze back through the dark corridor. She’d found herself a bit scared by it all, and was relieved to see it was just a wizard entering the Bulgarian Department. Nothing to jump at.

However, something else was. Turning back, she suddenly looked straight into something black. This time she really jumped, instinctively taking a few steps towards the stone wall.

Her look fell upon a man, he’d clearly been the cause of the other door creaking, and had been right behind her as she turned back.

“You shouldn’t be running about in dark corridors like this, Miss Granger,” said the silky voice of Severus Snape.

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There we are for now...! :) Well, please review!