Hello all. So, some background.
This story takes place during Hermione's seventh year, after the war. This is very much an EWE, though apart from that I am trying to be as canon as possible, but, with a Lumione, that's a bit of a wash. Though I believe that, after the war, Lucius was greatly changed, as was Hermione, and they ar alike in enough ways to at least get on. Anyway, Hermione and Ron did not begin dating after the war, she needed space to sort through what had happened, what she'd been through, and he needed just the opposite. They remain friends, but he and Harry are both rather busy. Off auror-ing and whatnot. Review if the mood strikes you!
xx LionLace
Oh and, all of these characters, locations, and spells etc belong to JKR, and I'm making no profit here.
Hermione Granger was fast asleep, her head resting on her worn copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, quill still in hand. As a group of first years noisily made their way to the portrait hole, her head shot up. Agh my neck, ouch. Then, seeing the afternoon light spilling in through a crack in the curtains, Hermione checked her watch and gave out a loud yelp. She began haphazardly shoving books, quills, ink, and parchment into her school bag.
"Oh hell, overslept, late to potions, blasted essay finished though, damn damn double damn" she muttered while sprinting through the portrait hole. The halls were mostly clear, save a few stragglers rushing about, as late as she was. As long as I don't run into Peeves, everything will be fine, just fine.
Nearly sliding down the stairs that led to the dungeons, Hermione finally found herself in front of the doors to the potions classroom. The low rumblings of a lecture could be heard through the wood; perfect timing, as ever. She took a deep breath, crossed her fingers, attempted to push her hair down, straightened her robes, and opened the door. Looking down at the well-worn flagstones, she made her way quietly to her seat.
"Ah, Miss Granger, at last you grace us with your presence." Hermione froze, eyes fixed on her desk. She had forgotten that the new professor was beginning today.
Oh. Well. That's just perfect. Of course. She looked up, directly into the eyes of the new Potions Master, and froze.
"Miss Granger, do you have anything to say for yourself, or are we just too far beneath you to merit the use of your tongue." His voice was as sharp as it had ever been, the war had apparently not changed that.
Hermione blinked, the entire class was either looking directly at her, or staring far too intently at their potions books.
"My apologies sir, I seem to have overslept, I was up much too late studying, I had to finish the paper the previous professor left us, and other coursework, and I can't sleep well anyway, bad dreams, busy, very busy, schoolwork, things…" She was babbling. How comforting to know that when shocked and in a compromising position, she would begin to spout nonsense.
"Silence." Hermione shut her mouth. He had not raised his voice, but the coolness in his voice shut froze the words in her throat..
"Detention. Ten o'clock tonight. My office"
"Yes sir." He frowned slightly.
Turning away from her, he continued to write on the blackboard, unable to see the flush creeping up her neck. Oh god, I was going to prepare myself for this, I had plans to clear my mind, meditate or something. Blast it all, I'm an idiot. Detention. I've already gotten a detention, I deserved it, but still, I'm supposed to be setting an example.
"Now, instructions are on the board, I expect one phial of a recognizable attempt at the Volubilis Potion from each of you by the end of class. No phial, and you will find yourself with a zero for the day." As the professor settled behind his desk, and opened a large green volume, Hermione began to assemble the ingredients she would need, trying not to look up from her work. For the next half hour, she focused intently on her bubbling cauldron, only rarely glancing up at the professor, who seemed far more absorbed in his work than Hermione was in hers. He seems different enough now, but I can't be sure, I still feel a chill whenever he looks at me. I have got to be the bigger person, try and allow for forgiveness. Can I?
At that precise moment, he looked up, and right into her eyes. Hermione froze, just as she had at the beginning of class. She couldn't look away, her mind was racing through memories like a flip book: thick black curls sliding over her face, the cold stone floor beneath her head, and the pain in her arm, growing dull before lashing out through her body once again. She finally squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath, letting her ribcage expand as far as it could, before exhaling. She imagined all of her memories floating out onto the air with her breath. Twice more and the pages of the book were no longer turning. She opened her eyes. He was still looking at her, with concern, or mild disdain, she couldn't tell. He didn't seem to have a very wide range of emotion, so it could have been either. Glancing at the board, she swore under her breath and returned to the bubbling orange potion in front of her. She had almost certainly let it stew for too long, it had surpassed tangerine orange and gone right for sunset. She snatched up a few mint sprigs and got to work.
The remainder of class went by quickly, no more glances or accidental eye contact. Once her potion had settled in to a pleasant yellow shade, Hermione bottled up a sample and cleared her table. She looked around, despite her having been late, she had finished before most of the class. She could sit and read at her table, but, no, she wanted to get out of the dungeons and have some time to think before detention.
"Sir."
"Please address me by my full academic title Miss Granger, I don't care for the casual tone you have taken on."
"My apologies, Professor Malfoy, I will endeavour to avoid such a casual tone in the future." He raised an eyebrow at her words; did he detect a hint of sarcasm? "I have finished the assignment" She placed the phial in front of him. "Am I required to remain here for the rest of the period?"
He was silent for a moment before answering, his face expressionless, and his eyes narrowed.
"I see no need for your continued presence. You may leave."
"Thank you Professor Malfoy." She turned to go.
"And Miss Granger"
"Yes Professor Malfoy?"
"A foot and a half on the merits of a clear mind, as induced by a Sharpness Solution, when going into battle, due next class. Additionally, lateness to tonight's detention will not be tolerated." His low voice had a sharp edge to it.
"Yes Professor Malfoy, sir, I won't be late." Hermione's hands shook slightly as she turned and tried to walk calmly from the classroom.
That bastard. Assigning her that paper. Had he known what was running through her head when she looked at him? Of course he had, he likely had spotted her fear a mile away and he was probably a very accomplished legilimens to boot. Lucius Malfoy. Lucius fucking Malfoy. She would have to prepare herself well for detention.
Well, there you have it, tune in next time for some (not so) surprisingly salacious scenes.
Ah, and, in case anybody was wondering, the Volubilis potion appears in the HBP video game. In addition to altering the drinker's voice, it can reverse the effects of a silencing charm, namely, the silence bit.