Not All that Glitters is Gold

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm running on two hours of sleep (did a lot of stuff over the weekend) but I wanted to finish up this chapter and post it up :) Also, look out for an upcoming story involving our favorite Slytherin and Gryffindor students!!!

Vixen - Thank you for your enthusiasm for the story. It's nice to know people look forward to reading it!

margaritama - Yup. Narcissa has left Lucius to his own devices. I tend to think of her as a rather intelligent woman, even if she has been deluded with her elitist thoughts.

---SORRY NOTHING MATURE THIS CHAPTER---

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She lay there, completely exhausted. Her eyes stared up at the ceiling, tracing over the beautiful serpent patterns. She had to admit, while the Malfoys literally had serpent designs throughout their entire mansion, from what she saw anyway, the way they decorated looked stunning. Hermione felt the warm hand of Lucius Malfoy trace around her concave belly. She sarcastically thanked starvation for that.

He was kind to her but demanding. He had spent nearly half the day rutting on top of her, placing her on her hands and knees and taking her from behind, and even spending considerable amounts of time 'improving her technique' as he called it. She wondered where he had gotten such enthusiasm for every part of their sexual escapade and worse, she wondered why her body enjoyed his touch. The last two nights were bearable. She was able to get some sleep but always felt uncomfortable when he asked, no told, her to sleep beside him.

Hermione figured out it was because he was lonely. Narcissa wasn't around and she didn't know why but apparently Lucius was not fond of sleeping alone. She'd lay there with her eyes closed as he snaked an arm around her and pulled her close to him. They cuddled. More like he pressed himself up against her and she was trying not to vomit. Every time he looked at her, she'd pretend she was sleeping. His icy pale eyes always sent shivers up her spine and she felt increasingly awkward when he'd stare at her for hours on end while she pretended to sleep.

What she wanted right now, more than anything, was to take a warm bubble bath. She needed to clean herself. Not because she was dirty, she was however, but because she felt dirty. Her skin crawled with disgusting images of what had happen to her. Compared to this, a life of this that is, torture was a walk in the park. She shivered lightly, thinking of everything that happened in the past. Losing her friends, fighting a losing war, and most of all being put in this particular situation.

Hermione jumped at the slight touch of Lucius. He gave her a tiny push, seeming to know what she wanted. It was odd how in tuned he was with her needs. She knew he wasn't reading her mind. Thanks to Dumbledore, Hermione was quite talented at shielding others from entering her mind. Something that Harry had difficulties with. It was all about compartmentalizing emotions and feelings. She was good at it, although it may seem she wore her heart on her sleeve. When it came to magic, that was a different story.

"What are you waiting for, my pet?" Lucius' soft velvety voice purred in her ear. It still sent shivers up her spine whenever he talked. He was poised, graceful, beautiful and dangerous. A lethal combination in her eyes. Hermione said nothing, having realized that her small quips didn't work very well against his wit. He wouldn't attack her angrily like Draco. He would turn everything on her and make her feel terrible. How? By making everything feel so wonderful, when it was clearly not.

"Go take care of your needs," he rolled away from her and she could feel him stretch out. She was a pet. To him anyway. She didn't know what she was to Draco. Maybe a punching bag, but somehow she felt an odd sensation when her words hit him. He was expecting her to fight him. It made her wonder if he was a sadist. He probably was. Stupid git.

Hermione had spent a long time alone in Draco's bedroom. Her eyes roamed freely, even with his presence, but Lucius was another story. He wanted her eyes on him and only him. Part of his sick twisted plan to dominate her, she suspected. Little did he know that Hermione was clever, too clever for her own good sometimes. Sure she hated him but she also knew that if she was succumbed to his wishes then he'd protect her.

As much as it pained her to follow through on some of the depraved acts he wanted her to commit, she wanted him to think he held power over her. Which he did to some extent, but she was very aware of it. After all, a great professor once encouraged her to 'think like a Slytherin.' What better way to behave than to manipulate. So it was a low blow to her pride and ego, it had to be done. This was war.

She crawled out of bed, feeling the unique tenderness between her thighs as she stumbled into Lucius' large, albeit extremely vain looking, bathroom. The tiles were pristine white. Everything was either plated in gold, or emerald green. It looked beautiful and strange all at once. It was nothing compared to Draco's room. When he first left her, and the house-elf (who she wiggled a name out of; Wilky) came with a tray of delicious foods, Hermione took advantage of her solitude and entered Draco's bathroom.

While it was beautiful in its own sense, this bathroom dominated his ten fold. As she neared the large bathtub, the one she had woken up to by Lucius' touch, the water instantly turned on. The aroma of sweet dandy lions filled the room and Hermione felt her body relaxing at the scent. She looked over her shoulder, expecting to see Lucius watching, but he was not. A small smile played on her lips, one that had been hiding for ages. She let out a sigh and stepped into the warm water.

It felt amazing on her skin. Her eyes fluttered close as she slipped deeper into the water, letting it wash over her like a tidal wave. The water stopped just above her shoulders but some how it felt extremely relaxing. She was enjoying this and it made her hate herself. Hermione opened her eyes and looked around, hoping to find a cloth or soap.

She jumped as her eyes landed on the tiny house-elf Wilky. "Wilky was told to bring misses these...." The house elf bowed down low and held out a tray with exactly what Hermione was looking for. She grabbed the loofah and soap with her hands and smiled kindly at the elf.

"Thank you very much, Wilky."

The house-elf smiled happily at Hermione and bowed again. "If misses needs anything, Master has told Wilky. He has told Wilky to get misses whatever she wants."

"Oh," Hermione was dumbstruck. She didn't know what to say, or even ask for at this point. She was hungry again but she didn't think she could eat while bathing. "Do you think you can get me something to eat? I mean, after I'm finished bathing?"

The elf only looked too pleased for the request. She piped up and nodded heavily, "Yes miss! Whatever misses wants, Wilky will try to get."

"Thank you again," Hermione said, smiling again as the elf disappeared. She sank slowly into the warm water and sighed contently. She wanted to fall asleep in this warmth and dream that she was back with her friends and family.

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Hermione sat in the tub for what seemed hours, until her fingers became pruney. She managed to force herself out of the water and towel dry. Looking at herself in the full length mirror, her eyes scanned over her body. She wasn't the same dumpy, bushy haired girl she was years ago. She had grown. Her hair, while still bushy because of the curls, was soft and framed her face perfectly. She had smooth long legs and smooth skin, despite all that she had been through.

"You look breathtaking...for some one with little value."

She jumped at the smooth voice of Lucius as he entered the bathroom, fixing the cuff of his shirt. His long blond hair was pulled back into a pony tail with a black ribbon, showing off his exquisite face. He too looked breathtaking, not that she'd ever admit that, she still loathed him and everything he and his family were. Yet, she couldn't help but blush when he stared gingerly at her.

He moved almost instantly and came up behind her. His hands rested on her shoulders and traced down her arms, pulling her to his chest. Hermione stared at his reflection, watching his hands caress her soft skin. His lips moved along her ear and neck, trailing small kisses across her form.

Her breath hitched as his hands roamed down her body, feeling every inch. It was as if he were memorizing every place that made her gasp or moan. She hated herself. She hated her body for what it allowed to happen. She would've been content with being battered and bruised, not treated like some little prize.

He suddenly stopped and Hermione's attention was drawn back to the mirror. Standing at the doorway was some one she had dreaded seeing, yet knew he'd return sooner or later. He sneered at the pair and watched as Lucius broke away from her, finishing fix his cuffs.

"Draco, my son," Lucius said as if nothing happened or matter for that reason, "How was Romania?"

Draco's eyes were piercing the reflection of Hermione, with enough hatred to send shivers up her spine. She averted her eyes instantly and felt Lucius tug her to turn around. Her hands moved idly to cover herself, now becoming aware of the tension in the room and suddenly feeling a little self conscious. Why did she feel that way? She should proudly flaunt what she had and rub it in their faces. She wasn't a shy little creature! She was a witch and a mighty good one at that!

"Pleasant, father." Draco said between clenched teeth, staring at Hermione still. "We caught up with Scarhead and Weasel but they managed to escape. Not before we got to Weasel's twin brothers."

He stepped into the bathroom and while Hermione tried to hide the change in her expression, he seemed to enjoy how it tortured her. "Aunt Bellatrix is torturing them right now."

Lucius sneered and cursed under his breath, "At her rate they won't be able to tell us anything."

"Which is why I was sent for you. Apparently, you're quite good at torturing information from people..."

Hermione's head was swimming. She didn't think she could handle picturing the twins, Fred and George, being hurt in any way. She suddenly felt faint but her mind told her to stand up and stop acting stupid. She narrowed her eyes and glared at Draco, who was now standing a few feet from her.

Lucius looked to Hermione only briefly, she caught a small grimace on his face before he became quite bored. "Very well." He moved past Draco, both purposely bumping shoulders before leaving.

Hermione could tell there was heavy tension in the air, but she didn't know why. She continued to glare at Draco, who only smirked. "What's the matter, Granger? Enjoying your life here while the rest of the Weasels are getting hunted down? I see my father has put you to good use. What has he gotten you to do for him? Get on your knees, suck him dry?"

"Go fuck yourself, Malfoy!" Hermione spat, feeling the uncontrollable urge to hit him again.

"They're going to die. The Dark Lord is going to torture them, gut them, and maybe send pieces back to that fat cow they call a mother." He was egging her on and she knew it. But she couldn't stand it anymore. She wanted to beat him, hit him, kill him.

Her fists clenched with anger as she looked defiantly at him. He only seemed to smirk and move closer, pinning her against the mirror. His eyes shifted down her naked form and back up. "I wonder what they'd think if they found out what became of you. While their family members are being tortured, you are living in the life of luxury."

"How dare you speak to them like that! They're ten times the person you ever will be!" Venom was seeping through her words and somewhere inside, she was hoping it'd scare him. But it didn't. She moved at that moment and pushed him away from her, hard.

He stumbled back a little and sneered, "Still on that high horse of yours, huh Granger? When will you learn that you're nothing!" He grabbed onto her wrist and threw her against him, holding her against his chest while she struggled.

She wasn't afraid, not of Draco. He was nothing compared to the rest of the world. He only seemed to think he was god and he was most certainly not. Hermione pushed against him, "Get off of me!"

Draco didn't budge, her held onto her tightly and turned, holding onto her wrist as he dragged her out of the bathroom and down the hall. The portraits all gathered around while Hermione dug her heels into the ground and continuously hit Draco. He stopped and swung around, Hermione thought she was victorious but she was wrong. He back handed her, sending her flying to the wall beside her.

Trying to scramble to her feet, she felt Draco grab her arm and toss her over his shoulder. "Let me down, Malfoy!" She shouted, kicking into the air and he strolled into his room and slammed the door shut with his foot.

He put Hermione back down and she wound her fist and socked him. It felt good. Real good. His head twisted to the side and he brought a hand to his jaw. Draco shot daggers at Hermione and reached for her, grabbing onto her arm and the back of her head. She never anticipated what happened next. Never in a million years.

Draco pulled her to him and leaned down capturing her lips with his own. It sent wave after wave of electricity through her and she was thoroughly shocked, her arms frozen in mid-air. His kiss wasn't rough or harsh, rather passionate and unexplainable. She felt her own lips part to his, his tongue tracing along the edge of her lips before diving into her mouth, playing with her own. She hated it. She hated him.

He pulled from her and she wound up her fist again and threw it at him. His hand easily caught her tiny fist in his palm and he looked utterly content. "That'd be enough of that, Hermione."