A Muddy Secret

To Lovely Reviewers:

LadyVoldemort87: I always knew those "Potty Wee Potters" were trouble. Hermione got him, Black, and Sirius, but good. Hermione championed for Hagrid about a Hippogriff; I couldn't see her letting Severus rot. And loving Remus as I do, he couldn't get hexed. Plus I never felt he was truly a part of the teasing. I am planning a sequeal. That is the only answer you get to the rather impertinant question.

Heidi191976: Hope this one is as pleasing!

meankitty69: Waiting has ended.

Citten: Is Lucius really going to interfere with the girl that he likes getting vengence especially considering that it was just little Gryffindors she was cursing in the name of Slytherin.

Thisbe: I did update soon!

Shetan: Good.

Utopia: Before that person's ignorance gets to me, I must say.
I LOVE BRITISH PEOPLE! They are wonderful! And so CUTE! Y'all never see it. That makes it even cuter. That website is awesome! Thank you. How many terms for masturbate do Brits have?
As I live and struggle for breath, I knew they's shittin' me. They's jus' ignert. I knew they din't know what they's talkin' 'bout.
All misspellings and grammatical incorrectness above are purposeful. That is the sound of my deepest anger becoming riddled with the accent my mama had when she was angry with her children. Southern!
Our teachers must be friends, mine woulda skinn'd me 'live for such blatant disregard of the use of a "full stop." They are abbreviations and need full stops. They will snap.
Apologies about having her catch the Marauders. I know they got away with that poor behavior. It sickens me. I was a bit like Snape in school, antisocial with my head often in a book. I know how he felt. There is no excuse! Teachers did the same thing to me. Turning a blind eye to it. I have great empathy with Snape. I do not know why Snape was (essentially) locked naked outside without knowing where the hide-a-key was.

xineweber: I wish me lots of Ramen too! I have empathy with Severus, a great deal of it.

Voracious Reader: I think that Lucius was probably nearly as spoiled as Draco. I think that it is good for her to understand where they are coming from as well.

Lyssander: I am glad.

Lauriurix: More is on the way.
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On to Chapter V!

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The next day in the great hall, the Gryffindors were in an uproar about what had happened to Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter. The Slytherins were laughing raucously at the discomfort of two of them. (James had gone to Madam Pomfrey and been given a healthy dose of Skele-grow which he’d gagged on. His wand arm was almost fully healed. His arm was swollen from the whole ordeal though, and he was a quiet boy that morning, eating with his head down.)

Hermione sat at the Slytherin table and when the trio looked over at her, she raised her wand and pressed it to her lips. Severus Snape sat next to her. He had piled his plate with sausage patties, scrambled eggs, and a few French pastries that were filled with creams and jellies. He laughed at Sirius when “Slytherin Rocks!” flashed across his forehead.

Hermione looked down at the younger boy. She had never heard Professor Snape laugh. And at the pain two of his tormentors felt, he could laugh with childish abandon. He was so dour even at this age, and every time she had seen him in Slytherin common room, he had a frown of concentration on his visage and a book or inked quill in hand.

She nudged him, and he looked up at her with his normal gloomy expression on his lips but with a small sparkle in his eyes of malicious joy.

“The word for your feeling is Schadenfreude.”

Severus laughed again.

“What did you mean last night? I will be a great man.”

“When it is time for you to understand that statement, you will know what to do and what I meant.”

“Are you blessed with the sight?” Severus asked, gazing up at her curiously.

“I know things about the future that others don’t if that is what you mean,” Hermione replied, calmly as she took a sip of pumpkin juice.

Severus frowned.

“What did I miss?” a smooth voice asked.

Hermione shifted as she felt a hot thigh press against hers.

“What’re the Gryffindors are riled up about?”

“Just wait Lucius,” Severus said, bowing his head and beginning to eat quickly without sloppiness and bad manners. “And watch Black’s forehead!”

“Who do you think did that to Sirius’ face?” Lucius asked as he began to laugh again.

Severus shrugged as he finished eating his meal.

“Watch your back, Sev. Gryffindors’ll be after all of us,” Lucius cautioned as the pale boy swung his bag up.

“I will,” Severus tried to snark in return. Though it just came out as a bit puerile and whiney.

Hermione shook her head as she thought about the way his wits and tongue would sharpen. She nodded to him as he left.

“Why didn’t the teachers take the curses off?”

“Maybe they have to wear off,” Hermione said as she watched Sirius pull his hat lower to cover his forehead.

“I know you did it, Hermione,” Lucius said with a smirk.

“You know nothing.”

“I saw you,” Lucius said. “I could turn you in.”

“If you do, teachers will ask why you waited so long. You’ll be as screwed as me. All of Slytherin would be screwed for the House Cup. You won’t do it. The same as you didn’t stop me last night. You just watched the show.”

Hermione turned and smirked at him.

“Why are you so sweet to Snape but so witchey to me?” Lucius asked exasperatedly. "I've been nice to you, and Snape's never said a word to you."

He grabbed two pieces of toast and some of the scrambled eggs which he piled on it. Using his fork, he stabbed one of the honey smoked sausage patties and placed it on the toast before closing the sandwich. He cut the sandwich in half and began to eat.

“I am not witchey to you. I was nice to Severus because three Gryffindors followed him with the intent to do him harm. They would have left him there overnight for no reason. If it had been one-on-one, I might have left him to his own devices,” Hermione said as she took a bite of toast on which she’d spread orange marmalade.

“You are witchey to me. You never answered me last night. You just left without waiting.”

“Mal—Lucius,” she amended at the glare from darkening grey eyes. “I—”

His eyes softened at her use of his name and watched her every facial tick.

“What I mean—” Hermione tried to begin.

“Go on,” he said widening his eyes and puffing his lips into a pout.

“I have been—”

Lucius took a bite of sandwich to keep from urging her anymore while continuing to watch every movement.

“If you attempt to make me feel guilty or use what I say against me, then what happened to those Gryffindors will be nothing compared to what I'll do to you,” Hermione let Lucius know.

I can’t believe I have been so assimilated by these snakes, Hermione thought. I am just like them. Talking in little riddles and never just coming out with the truth. Threatening them.

Lucius nodded eagerly.

“I’ve not been fair to you. Your words last night have proved that to me. I have been judging you for someone I know from whence I come. It is not fair to assume that here and now you are the same person that yo-he is then and there,” Hermione weighed her words carefully and spoke in a way that she hoped was truthful without spilling out everything she knew to the cute blonde.

Shit! I almost blew everything. I've got to be more careful! Hermione cursed in her head.

Lucius listened to her words and gave her large puppy eyes and his puffiest lips.

She started to say "you" and changed to "he." Was she really from Beauxbatons or had she lied to him? He would work the truth from her.

“Perhaps, getting to know you wouldn’t be so horrible,” Hermione said, and she shoved the last bite of toast in her mouth.

“Is that a compliment?” Lucius asked after he swallowed the last bite of his sandwich and washed it down with his remaining pumpkin juice.

“It’s not an insult,” Hermione said. “But I want this to be clear if I am to get to know you as you seem so desperate to get to know me. If I ask for peace, I expect you to leave without giving me those cute puppy eyes and puffy lips. I do not want this ceaseless following of my person as you’ve been doing.”

Lucius lit on the word "cute" and did a silent cheer. She thought his pouty face was cute! She thought he was cute! He knew it! Attraction was good. Physical attraction would be the beginning.

“Very well, but I want to be allowed to spend more time with you than what is required for merely doing the projects we’re working on together.”

Hermione frowned. She’d hoped he wouldn’t catch the fact that she hadn’t qualified on what they would be doing in their time together.

“If we are to get to know each other, we must talk about ourselves to a degree. We can not always be talking of school work. Next Saturday is a Hogsmeade weekend. I propose that we go together. We shall get to know each other,” Lucius said with a smile at the idea.

He could take her to the Three Broomsticks and they could have lunch. They could go to the book store and browse. They could take a walk to the edge of the mountains and together back to the school around the far side of the lake. He could show her where the unicorns would be giving birth.

Hermione frowned and tried to find fault with his logic. She didn’t want to spend a whole day with him. She especially didn’t want to waste the day in Honeydukes and the quidditch store. What a crappy way to spend a weekend!

“I don’t have permission to visit the village,” Hermione said, forcing a sad smile as her shoulders slumped with relief.

Thank Merlin, I got out of that! Hermione almost sighed in relief in his face, but a twinge of guilt hit her at the way his face fell.

“Miss Beaumont,” Professor Slughorn called as he approached. “The headmaster says that you have permission to visit the village this coming weekend.”

Hermione bit back her groan and turned to glare at the headmaster who smiled at her raising his goblet.

Lucius smiled in pleasure.

Hermione drank in the look. What a change! Finally an expression of happiness that was not gloating in the discomfort of another. An expression of happiness that was not connected to anything more or less than pleasure at being able to spend time with someone. Normally, when she'd see him smile, it was connected to arrogance and pride. Pride at knowing his financial situation and his ability to sway all with it, pride in his name, his looks, his intelligence.

“So we’re going together, then?” Lucius asked with a hopeful smile.

Hermione scowled as she stood up.

“Lucius, we need to go and check on the potion we’re brewing,” she announced as she snatched her bag.

Lucius frowned. “You didn’t answer me. Are we going together?”

“We’d better hurry. If we don’t stir it with a silver ladle in five figure-eights in ten minutes, we are going to have a ruined potion.”

“Answer me. I want your word that you will spend the whole day of the Hogsmeade visit with me.”

“Every minute we are in Hogsmeade, I will spend with you—Happy?” Hermione said to placate him so their potion wouldn't be ruined. “Now move your arse! We have to hurry.”

Hermione clutched his arm as she dragged him from the hall.

Lucius stared at her hand on his arm. It was so tight as she dragged him along. He liked when she bossed him around. No other girl did that. His father only ever told him to "Get out!" He got anything he wanted; Hermione was the first witch to tell him "No" or "Get Lost" or "Drop dead!" or "Move your arse". It drove him absolutely wild when she told him what to do. He wanted to rebel and do what she told him at the same time.

It did not take much time to see to their potion. It turned a gorgeous shade of cerulean blue as Hermione lifted the ladle out of it.

“Excellent,” Lucius said, smiling at her. “Did I tell you how happy I am that you are my partner?”

“Yes, seventeen times in fact, when you were trying to flatter me,” Hermione answered as she paused and wiped the sweat from her brow.

“I mean it. You are the best partner I’ve ever had,” he purred looking down at her and moving to almost press his chest against hers.

“We have to go to class,” Hermione said.

She knew she should return his compliment. She had never had such a brilliant partner before either. He had often reminded her of when an ingredient needed to be added when she was in the middle of a book.

“Transfiguration,” Lucius said, and he stared at her lips feeling his eyes cross a bit.

Her face was a little flushed from hanging over the cauldron. Hermione nervously rubbed her lips together bringing blood into them.

“Let’s go,” Hermione said, stuffing the parchment with the instructions on it back in her shoulder bag.

Lucius nodded swinging his bag up and snatching the strap of hers.

“What are you doing?”

“Carrying your bag,” Lucius responded as he shouldered it.

“I can carry it.”

“No, I will carry it for you,” he said.

“Lucius, give me my bag,” Hermione said as they walked up the dungeon corridor to the entrance hall.

Lucius ignored her and walked a little faster until he felt a hand tugging his arm. Looking down, he saw a first year with a yellow and black tie around her neck.

“Can you tell me which way to go to get to the charms room?” the first year asked looking up at him with bright doe like eyes.

“Lucius,” Hermione called as soon as she caught up to him. She was breathing out heavily and grabbed a hold of her bag.

“Yes, the charms room is that way,” Lucius said, pointing down at a room off the great hall.

“Thank you,” the little girl said smiling at him.

“Lucius, you’re terrible,” Hermione said as she watched the little girl open the room to the side of the great hall.

Lucius discreetly pointed his wand at the door and murmured a spell to lock it as they walked on toward transfiguration. He loved irony! Flitwick would be teaching first years the spell to unlock things today. And the little first year would going to miss it because she was locked up!

“Lucius!” Hermione said. “She counts on you to tell her right.”

“It’s a joke,” he said, sighing exasperatedly. “Now we better hurry or we’ll be late.”

“We will not be late!” Hermione said, grabbing the strap of her bag that hung on his shoulder and dragging him along.

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Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Drop a review please.

Up next time, Lucius and Hermione's trip to Hogsmeade. Maybe some kissin'.

Apologies for what was happening there at first. Not sure what caused that! But it appears to be fixed now.