How the Mighty have Fallen

Authors note: A very heartfelt thank you to the reviewers!


Hermione awoke in the hospital wing feeling much better than she had in months. Darkness had fallen and she wondered if it was the same day. Pushing herself into a sitting position she looked to her left and found her wand neatly set next to a glass of water.


She was alerted to the arrival of another with the clearing of a throat and she turned her head at the sound and squinted in the dark to discover the identity of the visitor. Striding towards her was Lucius Malfoy.


“If you are feeling better I will escort you to the Great Hall; supper will be served in twenty minutes,” Lucius said with polite indifference. So, Hermione thought, fulfilling head boy duties.


“Yes, thank you; I’ll just go freshen up and get dressed,” she replied just as politely. And as Hermione got out of the bed she noticed that Lucius turned the other direction to allow her some privacy. “No one could accuse him of lacking manners,” she begrudgingly thought.


She grabbed her wand and headed for the lavatory and cast a quick scourgify before donning her new Slytherin uniform. With her uniform in place she gazed at her reflection; two spells later her hair was tame and pretty and with a bracing breath she was ready to face this new challenge.


“Hermione, is it?” Lucius questioned as they walk briskly to the Great Hall.

“Yes” she replied simply.

“I take it you have a surname,” Lucius prompted.

“I do,” Hermione replied evasively.

Lucius’ lips twitched with the effort to hold back his smile, evasive and witty he thought.

“Where did you attend prior to Hogwarts, if you don’t mind me asking” he ventured.

“Beauxbatons,” Hermione answered

“You’re fluent in French?” he pressed.

“No, I know a little but I used language and translation charms while school was in session,” she lied easily.


Lucius thought her answer plausible but had the nagging sensation that she was being untruthful, but before he could question her further they had arrived at the Great Hall and he led her to the table in silence. He gestured for her to sit before him, beside him, and she did so that she wouldn’t appear rude in light of the fact that he had been nothing but amicable. She felt uncomfortable sitting next to him and looked at her other housemates as a way to distract herself. When she caught Severus’ eye he asked congenially, “how are you feeling?”


“Fine, thanks” she answered.


Where were the Professors she wondered? But noticing that no one else seemed concerned she decided just to sit and wait for the feast to begin. The Gryffindor table seemed talkative; pity she couldn’t allow herself to be sorted there once again.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Gryffindor table

“It would seem the new girl has recovered,” Alexander, a fifth year, addressed his friend with a coy nod in Hermione’s direction.

“Yes and…” Mark remarked dryly.

“Weren’t you the one going on about her all morning?” his friend pursued.

Mark perked up and cheekily replied, “Well it isn’t every sorting we see some girl’s knickers,” he continued, “Besides she does have fan-tas-tic legs,” he finished.


“You should keep your voice down; she might hear you,” a girl, a few people down the table, piped up in a hushed whisper.


“So, let her hear,” Mark went on with false bravado.

“I’ll call that bluff,” his friend sniggered.


“What?” his friend said confused.


“I’ll give you ten Galleons if you repeat what you just said in front of the entire hall,” his friend enlightened him.

“I’ve the guts if you’ve the Galleons,” Mark responded.

“Yeah, I do; so go on then” Alexander prompted.

Mark stood up and pointed his wand at his mouth and muttered, “sonorous” so that he wouldn’t have to shout to be heard over the loud student body.


“Oi, loved the show this morning” he started. At his brusque announcement everyone quieted. They all knew what he was referring to but were shocked at this turn of events and all eyes turned to the girl in reference. Hermione noticed this but had absolutely no idea why she was now the center of attention and so she made no acknowledgement of the statement besides looking faintly perplexed.


“Are all your knickers just as sexy?” he questioned to clue the girl in.


Hermione blanched slightly and a quick look at her housemates told her that this had actually happened.


“So,” he continued, “legs like yours I’d give you a go, even if you are a Slytherin.” Hermione was looking stonier by the minute; which did not go unnoticed by the Gryffindor instigator or the head boy. Mark began to placate the girl with, “Don’t be mad love, that’s quite a compliment.


Lucius felt the comments were crude and inappropriate, although accurate, but he wanted to see how the new girl would handle this situation; if she couldn’t deal with it then he would step in and take points and shut the boy up. He watched as she stood up and made her way over to the instigator with her wand clenched in her hand but still undrawn at her side.


“Already wanted a go?” Mark questioned cheekily.


She cast quietus, silently, so that everything he said wouldn’t ring through the hall. But everyone was now so quiet, so as not to miss a word, that most heard the heated exchange regardless.


“No, but I’d like you to stop yelling about my knickers considering it is rather impolite,” Hermione stated as calmly as possible.


“No, I think I’ll continue. I’m having quite a lot of fun” he stated to be contrary and went to cast Sonorous again. Hermione’s patience ran out at that disrespectful disregard for her feelings.


“I’m telling you to stop,” she said firmly; redoubling her grip on the wand still at her side.


He just cocked his head to the side and looked at her in challenge.
Hermione’s eyes narrowed as she gave him two choices, “You can stop willingly or I will ensure that my knickers won’t be what everyone is whispering about,” she said menacingly.


“Put your wand where your mouth is then,” Mark fired hotly.


Hermione drew her wand so fast that it was a blur and she had Mark’s wand within her hand before he had realized what had happened.


She loudly proclaimed, “You may have your wand back when you acquire some manners.” As she turned to leave she spotted a wand leveled at her, curtsey of wandless wonder’s friend, and stupefied him before he had the chance to retaliate and with a self satisfied smile she strode back to her table.


She levitated the instigator’s wand to a high ledge while Lucius watched amused.


“You know, he will just summon it with a borrowed wand,” he stated smartly.


And with an exaggerated turn Hermione faced Lucius and smirked broadly saying amused, “I’d like to see him try.”


The questioning looks on Severus’ and Lucius’ faces were enough to make her laugh. They caught on to the joke quickly enough and Lucius gave her a calculating look before saying, “you put counter-enchantments on it.” Seeing it for the statement it was Hermione didn’t reply but assumed an expression of false shock and replied sweetly, “What do you take me for?”


“A Slytherin,” Lucius said knowingly.