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.

This is my first Harry Potter-fanfic, so please be gentle... And review, I\'d love some. :)
Right, first chappie...
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CHAPTER ONE: ARRIVAL AT IMG

There was great anticipations regarding it - there wasn’t a witch or wizard not discussing the event as it was approaching its first day.

All over the world, magic people - and creatures - gathered up what they had of money, hoping it would be enough to bring them to Spain, as this was something nobody wanted to miss. It wasn’t exactly cheap, however, so far from everyone could afford it.

The International Magic Gathering of August, 2000 was on everybody’s lips. Hermione Granger could actually feel herself thrilled with anticipation. The IMG hadn’t been held for many years, the last time it had been arranged it had been so hushed down and discreet that hardly anyone in the wizarding world even knew it had taken place. This was all of course due to it being in the prime-time of Voldemort’s first “reign”. The fear of him attacking the event was too much to handle, and ever since then it had been too difficult for the several Ministries of Magic in the world to even attempt another go at it.

This year, however, was different.

The IMG was a spectacular event. It was basically the world’s largest conference, containing every subject and every matter possible in the wizarding world, having lectures held by famous Professors, certain different activities produced, and all of it combined with food and sleeping quarters for every participant. There was no big surprise to Hermione it had taken a while to arrange.

She had arrived in Spain by Muggle airplanes earlier, and was now on yet another old-fashioned looking train, much like the Hogwarts Express, heading through variated Spanish landscape as the train brought her and the other aboard far away from any Muggle site. She knew the place she was going to would be huge and beyond anticipation. It would be heavily affected by Muggle Repelling Charms, obviously, to make sure no hikers or anything like it would bewilder themselves into the magical area.

At long last, the train reached its stop, and Hermione got off, along with all the other witches and wizards who’d arrived with her.

Tomorrow was the official opening day of the conference, and she’d come a day earlier to prepare herself. She would be holding a lecture herself, even, being the youngest of the lectureres there.

The sight of the IMG’s Manor was just beyond stunning. Hermione stared up at what was decidedly a manor, but not like any she’d ever seen before. It was definitely at least five times as big as Hogwarts, with interminable towers and turns of it going almost, it felt, as far as the eye could see. It was fairly pompous, and had a feeling of Spanish architecture to it, naturally enough. Read in giant, shining silver letters over the big wooden enterance doors were the words: “International Magic Gathering of 2000 - Welcome!”

And Hermione did feel welcome, the place was teemed with magic folk, all going about with luggage and tickets, clearly keen to check in quickly and then get to explore the enormous manor.

Hermione smiled to herself as she grabbed her trunk and went in through the giant doors and into what was the greatest entrance hall she’d ever seen in her life. It was of course, bigger than the one at Hogwarts, with two large staircases on either side, going up into different wings, it would seem. Between them lay the reseption, and Hermione went to check herself in an get her room.

* * *

“Hermione! It’s so good to see you!”

“It’s great to see you too, Harry!” she smiled back, hugging her childhood friend fondly.

Hermione had been given a room on the west end of the manor, in what was known as the British Department. Logically enough, residents there of same nationality had been given rooms at the same Department - in Hermione’s case, the British one - so they’d at least find someone who spoke their own language.

The British Department was located just below the French, at the end of a long corridor with the Bulgarian Department next to it.

As Hermione had entered the great doors into the British Department, she’d come into a huge room - a lounge, evidently - filled with several set of old-fashioned tables with chairs for all the British to linger at, it seemed, and at the other end of this enormous room (which also contained a bar, a place to put a band and a part of the floor empty, reserved for dance in the evenings) there was a door leading to a long corridor which held all the rooms for the residents, single or double ones.

Hermione had met Harry in the big lounge just as she’d packed out her bags in her room, changed and walked out again. There were always some people in the lounge, few or many, all dressed in their witch or wizard’s clothing, discussing whatever field or whichever news they were interested in.
“I didn’t know you were coming here!” Hermione smiled to Harry.

“I wasn’t, really,” said Harry, “but then I learned there is a separate field of expertize here focusing on wizarding sports, amongst them Quidditch. There are seven Quidditch lectures here, held by Professors and players, I just couldn’t miss it.”

Hermione smiled. Her friend was the same as always.

“And I take it you’re here to get every lecture there is?” he smiled, winking.

“Pretty much,” she smiled back, “and holding one.”

Harry looked amazed. “Really? That’s amazing! In which field?”

“Well, I’ve been studying a lot of fields since I left Hogwarts, but I’ve focused a lot on Potions and I’ve researched particularly in mind-afing ing ones,” she said. “Manipulating Potions, as such. I’ve been working a lot on theories regarding antidotes for these particular Potions, and that’s what I’m here to talk about... Hopefully I won’t miss too many other lectures as I hold my own,” she added with a grin.

Harry smiled, but stopped as he saw Hermione’s expression had changed. She was looking at something behind him. “What is it?” he asked, turning.
“Over there,” said Hermione urgently, hinting towards the other end of the room, where several groups of wizards and witches stood talking. “Who are those two in the corner there, with the drinks?”

“That’s Snape, and Lucius Malfoy,” said Harry, with a very obvious hint of hatred in his voice. “They’re both here, I saw them yesterday, when I arrived.”

“I thought it had to be Snape... I didn’t know Malfoy got away after Voldemort’s Fall,” said Hermione. “I’ve been so busy lately, I guess I must have missed out on that...”

“Yeah, he got away,” said Harry darkly. “I bet he lost a bit of his big fortune in doing so, but it was worth it. He’s been declared innocent of all charges. They claim he was under the Imperius Curse, that’s what he said in his statement. Ridiculous, of course,” he added.

Hermione nodded, her face fixed on the two wizards in the corner, the contrasts between them clearly visible. Snape was as he’d always been, his black hair covering the most of his face, and myster, bl, black robes that billowed around him whenever he moved, an emotionless expression upon his face.

Lucius Malfoy, however, seemed slightly different than he had the other times Hermione had seen him. He still had his long, silvery-white hair, neatly tied in his neck, his every face muscle showing some hidden scheme. He, too, wore black robes, but more silky and decorative than Snape, and he still had his cane with the serpent’s head at the end. He seemed almost superior next to Snape, although they both radiated power and darkness. The difference was that Mr Malfoy seemed, well, more cheerful, if that was a correct use of words. He smiled frequently, all on occasions where Snape’s face didn’t change at all. Clearly Mr Malfoy found something in their conversation amusing.

Hermione shrugged and turned her face back to Harry as they started to eagerly update each other on what they’d been doing after graduation.

* * *

He’d halfway stopped paying attention to Lucius. It was her, wasn’t it?

Severus was sure, it had to be her. Though she had changed, he knew it was. She was wearing rather anonymous clothes, with a boring, simple robe over it all, but she still had the eager glow about her. The hair had calmed from being bushy to just slightly curly, and it had grown, now it reached the middle of her back, for the moment being held together at her neck with a clip.

“Severus, old friend, what do you say?” finished the voice of Lucius, and Severus was pulled back into reality.

“I’m sorry,” said Severus, “I was momentarily distracted. What did you say?”

Lucius grinned. “Something must have caught you attention. Oh - I see what it was. That’s two of your former students, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” nodded Severus, his gaze still directed towards Potter and Granger, though it focused on the last mentioned. Hermione Granger. She’d become something special - more special than before, in fact - there was no doubt about it. Severus admitted he’d been watching her closely during her two last years, she’d developed into a woman. It was even easier to see now, two years after her graduation at Hogwarts.

“It’s Harry Potter, isn’t it?” said Lucius, a slight sign of repulsiveness showing in his face. “It’s a miracle he doesn’t get any more attention drawn to himself, he must believe he’s some sort of hero, putting an end to Voldemort.”

Severus barely even nodded. Now that Lucius had the attention focused upon the two former students as well, there was no for for him to hide that he was watching Hermione. It was ridiculous, really. How old was she now? Nineteen, probably, or twenty. About half his age. It was rather amusing, even, the very thought of it... Severus pulled himself together, and stopped his thoughts from going too far.

“Who’s the girl with him?” asked Lucius. “Have I seen her before?”

“I don’t know if you have,” replied Severus. “She’s Hermione Granger. She was one of the brightest Know-It-Alls Hogwarts ever saw.”

Lucius laughed. “That was a beautiful combination of ridicule and brag, Severus,” he said. “I take it she was so brilliant it was thoroughly frustating?”

“Indeed,” smiled Severus. He really didn’t want to discuss Hermione with Lucius. The two of them weren’t really friends, and they both knew it. It was just an outward thing, really, they behaved politely and talked when possible. Severus though, in his quiet mind, loathed Lucius. The man was a vermin, and would always be the one to cause havoc if he could. Besides, he was always good at provoking and challenging Severus in the worst possible ways, he had done this for as long as they’d known each other. It made him feel superior, Severus guessed.

“Well, she’s brilliantly developed,” commented Lucius, observing Hermione at a distance. “I bet you noticed that when she was in your class, didn’t you? Lucky Severus, got to be up close to a developing woman who was so dedicated to your subject she’d be more than hato sto spend every hour of the day with you studying it...” He teased, there was no question about it.

“You really never stop, do you,” said Severus. “Eyeing every young female who enters the room. When will you ever learn you’re way too old to be attractive to them?” He smiled. It was said in a friendly tone, but had tons of insults hidden between the lines, obviously.

“Don’t underestimate me, Severus,” said Lucius. “Narcissa may not have cared much for me, but that doesn’t mean that nobody else would. Even now,” he added with a grin. “I can assure you, if I wanted to, I could have had every woman within this room. Believe me.”

Gods, the confidence of this man was unbelieveable. He was so cocky, thinking he could have whatever he wanted... Severus shook his head slightly, not believing it. “You mustn’t flatter yourself too much, Lucius. It could cause some - er - damage, to your own well being.”

It sounded almost like a threat, but Lucius knew better. “Really? You don’t believe me, I take it?” he smiled.

“To say the least,” said Severus, still on occasions glancing over at Hermione in the corner of his eye.

Lucius smirked. “When will you learn that I am always right. I can prove it to you, if you wish.”

“Yes, I am sure you could convince some poor, naïve witch within this room to believe it’s all for a good cause, just to prove me wrong,” said Severus. “That wouldn’t interst me at all, to be honest. Even if rumours were spread about you in the past, there are still golddiggers who’d be more than happy to oblige...”

“You really have a dark mind, Severus,” smirked Lucius. “You believe I could easily pick up any witch and she would be more than happy to let me have my way with her in exchange for a bit of money, perhaps... Yes, I suppose it’s true,” he added, smiling. “With the correct amount.”

“So you understand why I’m simply dismissing the idea,” said Severus. “Your thoughts about yourself won’t be proven right with this theory.”

“No, not with just any witch who’s after quickly earned money,” agreed Lucius. “But there are witches who aren’t, after all. Say -” he nodded towards Severus’s former student at the other end of the room, “- her, for example?”

***

Reviews? :)
Next chapter: \"His Seduction Plans\"... A small teaser here...:

Well, thought Lucius, that was a good first. He hadn’t impressed Potter, but that wasn’t to expect either. That one would hate him forever, there was no question about it. But Hermione Granger... She seemed to already have softened. She hadn’t actually participated in any of the very last battles, she’d been doing research for the Order of the Phoenix, and so she hadn’t seen Lucius do anything nasty that only a memory charm could erase...

Severus is going to hate me, concluded Lucius with a pleased look upon his face...