Kuroshitsuji belongs to Yana Toboso, Harry Potter to JK Rowling.

This unlikely crossover idea and the words are mine though so please don't take them.

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Chapter 5: Breaking ice

When they came back for the dinner two days later, Sebastian told them they were not welcomed anymore. When this happened for the third time in the row Dumbledore noticed that something was amiss and called Harry to talk with him. He then demanded to talk with Ron and the latter never admitted what he was told. Eventually, they were let into Ciel's apartment for a dinner, as planned, but the Earl didn't say a word to them and the atmosphere was so unbearable that Harry skipped the next meeting on his own will. Despite Hermione's begging he missed another two meetings and that's when Dumbledore stepped in again but Harry only said that one couldn't force on a friendship.

Thinking about all that mess, Hermione sighed. It was almost Christmas and she wondered if they would really spend it in the Phantomhive manor, like Dumbledore suggested they should… before all that went to hell. She was now sitting in the library, doing some homework and she realized with the start that Ciel was standing in front of her, looking at books about wandless magic. Moreover – Sebastian was nowhere to be seen. Bracing herself she went up to him.

'Isn't wandless magic too advanced for a second year?' she asked, hoping that her tone was friendly and curious so that we wouldn't explode in her face. Not that he ever exploded, she thought – he rather imploded. He looked at her coldly.

'I don't plan to stay here much longer,' he said finally. She almost panicked but managed to stop herself on time.

'Do you want help? I studied it a bit before as well,' she asked, still hoping to sound friendly.

'Why but, I'm a lost cause so why would you waste your time?' his voice was icy again, laced with sarcasm. Hermione sighed.

'Look, you can't seriously listen to what that idiot is saying,' she said with slight irritation, obviously surprising him slightly. 'I love Ron like a brother, but he has no brain sometimes. He seems just interested in eating and quidditch,' she almost growled.

'Let's say I humour you,' Ciel replied though she could hear he didn't believe her. She supposed he just really wanted to learn wandless magic, but it didn't bother her for the moment. She could do that if it meant better protection for Harry. She smiled brightly and took one of the books.

'Let's start immediately then. I'm done with my essay anyway,' she said and moved to the table, noticing with the corner of her eye that Ciel followed. 'I guess we'll only manage to go through the theory today, because it's quite complicated, but it doesn't matter,' she completely forgot who she was talking to, being now in a teacher mode. Ciel was also a much better student compared to Harry and Ron. He really wanted to learn what she was saying and even though it was clearly visible that he didn't have too much experience with magic, he was doing his best.

They were not even nearly finished when Sebastian came to the library to tell his Young Master that the dinner was almost ready. Ciel looked at Hermione speculatively.

'Do you want to join me? That way we can finish with the theory today,' he asked politely and she couldn't sense any other motive for the invitation. Still… She smiled.

'Sure, it's not often that I find somebody who wants to learn things,' she said brightly and they left together, taking the book with them. They discussed during the whole dinner and the tea afterwards and finally it was almost curfew when Hermione rushed into the Gryffindor common room to be greeted by two worried faces.

'Finally! We were so worried when you didn't come for the dinner!' Ron exclaimed. The two of them have just about started talking again.

'We even brought some food for you, but it's all cold now,' Harry added, showing her a full plate. She smiled.

'How sweet of you, but don't worry, I'm ok. I ate with Ciel while we-'

'What?' Ron exclaimed, making few people look at the three of them. Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry only looked at her carefully.

'I met him in the library and then we spent all that time discussing wandless magic,' Hermione explained patiently. 'We wanted to be done today with the theory so he asked if I want to join him for the dinner.'

'He asked?' Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. Ron was just staring and Hermione felt irritation raising.

'Well obviously if you act accordingly he can be civil as well. Besides he wants to learn that magic, I don't think he'd invite me otherwise. And I'm doing it for you Harry, because Ron destroyed everything before and we were quite bad in Hogsmeade. The headmaster counts on us to manage and befriend him.'

'No, the headmaster wants to use his butler,' Ron corrected. 'We don't need to be friends for that.'

'Yes we do,' Hermione countered. 'Because if we're friends he'll want us to be safe. If not then he will not care. And if he won't care then you never know how long it'll take before both him and Sebastian decide that he's safe and they can get Harry to safety.' They didn't really know what to say to that.

})i({

'So you decided to get a playmate after all?' Sebastian asked with some irony. Ciel glared at him, but looked away rather quickly.

'Not at all. But she's smart, you know that as well as I do. And she's willing to help me so I don't care about her motives.' Sebastian smiled, secretly happy. He knew that there was nothing but learning between his master and that girl, but at least it was some contact with other people and at least his master left the apartment every once in a while. He didn't want his precious soul to get too inhuman, or at least that's what he told himself while wondering briefly if he really cared.

Miss Granger arrived that day as well, few moments after their short conversation and Sebastian watched from the doorway as his master and the girl fought wandless and non verbal duel. Even without knowing much about magic, he could understand that his master was progressing fast and he wondered if Miss Granger knew just how much effort he put into that. He was about to leave when he heard his master speak up.

'So what about that killing curse?' Hermione gasped.

'What about it?' she asked and Sebastian looked at her carefully. She licked her lips. 'It's one of the Unforgiveable curses,' she said carefully. 'Maybe we should sit down for that,' she added and Ciel pointed towards the sitting corner.

'Tell me then.'

'Right, so there are three curses, Cruciatus, Imperio and Avada Kedavra. The first one is a torture curse. If it is cast upon you, you'll feel terrible pain but – it doesn't leave any trace. The second one is forcing you to obey the person who casts it on you and the third one is a killing curse. It doesn't leave a trace either, you just die.'

'It seems to detach the soul from the body,' Sebastian commented and Ciel looked at him carefully. Yes, my lord, that is a problematic curse – he thought. Ciel nodded slightly and returned his attention to the bewildered Hermione.

'So you don't learn those curses?' he asked.

'What an idea!' Hermione seemed revolted. Ciel looked at her with his best display of naïveté.

'Well if you're at war? Doesn't it seem like throwing out a weapon to not learn them?' he asked sounding as innocent as possible – a perfect act of a twelve year old that he was. Hermione seemed thrown off her balance.

'But we're not like them, we're not murderers,' she countered firmly. 'We cannot become like them, even at war.' Sebastian had problems deciding if it was an act or not, that surprised look on his master's face.

'No?' he paused. 'Well then what do you to with the enemies that you capture?'

'Throw them in the jail.'

'Ah, didn't they escape yesterday?' Ciel asked, dropping the innocent tone and sitting back in the armchair comfortably. Hermione just stared. Yes, there has been a mass break out of the wizarding prison and it caused quite a stir. Even Dumbledore chose to remind Ciel about the obligation he took.

'I believe it's quite late, Miss Granger,' he stepped in, knowing that the last conversation would make the girl think. Even if she would choose to believe her headmaster, the seed of doubt would be there.

'Of course, sorry. See you tomorrow?' she asked Ciel, who nodded. The two have started a tradition of doing their homework together, both silently enjoying that there was somebody else in the whole school who seemed to want to learn.

'Good night,' she told them both and left. Sebastian glanced at his thoughtful master.

'Mr Dumbledore has issued another suggestion that you should meet with Harry Potter for dinner,' he said.

'Out of question,' Ciel replied. 'I have no intention of doing anything with him and his rude friend.'

'What about Christmas break?

'The mansion prepared by Dumbledore is enough so that we don't have to meet at all, should that come to be. But I can guarantee you that they will not want to come.'

'I'm sure that in that case Mr Dumbledore will want you to go with them to those headquarters.' Ciel visibly shuddered at the thought. 'In any case, it's late. Tomorrow we can continue with French lessons.'

'Right.'

})i({

Ciel made his way through the corridors proudly, ignoring the whispers that followed him wherever he met any of his fellow students. It was the new gossip of the school that he and Hermione were spending time together, studying. The girls were saying that Hermione liked younger boys (which made Ciel blush every single time), while the boys would laugh that she has finally realize that Harry and Ron didn't like her. Everybody agreed that the two of them had to be very boring to study so much.

He entered the library room where he and Hermione would always study and stopped dead. She smiled at him though he fancied it a rather forced smile.

'Hey Ciel,' she said with forced, cheerful tone. 'Harry and Ron decided to join us for studying today,' she added. He looked at her for a moment and turned to leave. He could read her pretty well by that time and he realized that it wasn't her idea, or even the idea of Harry or Ron. Regardless – he wasn't going to stay with the three of them, he witnessed the "studying" sessions that ensued – full of bickering and jokes, he didn't have time for that.

'I told him it wouldn't work!' He heard Ron whine behind him, but he ignored it, walking purposefully out of the library until a voice stopped him.

'Can't get just one of that package,' said a sarcastic voice and he turned to face none other than Draco Malfoy.

'And?' he asked, pretending that he didn't care but obviously Draco was good at reading people, because he smirked.

'You know, Granger isn't the only one who studies in that school. I can help you as well and I can assure you that no Weasels or such would disturb us.' Ciel glared at the older boy.

'And why would I want your help in anything?' he asked, but Draco glared back – he certainly was more compatible when it came to character than the golden trio.

'Don't take me for an idiot, Phantomhive. I know that Granger was teaching you wandless magic and I'm shocked that you managed to master non verbal spells even though I don't see you use them at all. Not to mention that the amount of spells you know must be hilariously small,' Draco paused. 'What I can teach you is the Unforgiveable curses.' Ciel narrowed his eyes at him.

'And what do you get out of that?'

'Now you're talking like a Slytherin. I get satisfaction,' Draco said but it was obvious that he wanted more.

'Malfoy! Leave him alone!' Hermione came to them, shouting to the disgust of the librarian.

'Granger,' Malfoy said coldly. 'Would you kindly not put your ugly nose into matters that don't concern you?' The girl stopped few steps in front of Draco. Ciel stepped back to observe the situation.

'It does concern me because I'm Ciel's friend,' she said firmly.

'Is that so? Should I repeat what I heard you say some weeks ago?' Draco asked with a trace of cruel amusement in his voice and Ciel wished he could see Hermione's face more clearly. 'And anyway, why would you have your "friend" exclusively for you? After all me and the earl share the house.'

'Yeah, well obviously he didn't want to hang out you from the beginning so you can quit trying to poison him with your hate and prejudices.'

'Me? Poisoning him with hate?' Draco laughed. 'I thought you Gryffindors assumed that all Slytherins are full of hate anyway.' Hermione fumed, but obviously lacked good arguments because she turned to Ciel.

'Come on. You really don't need to hang out with that ferret. I promise that Harry and Ron will behave,' she said and smiled invitingly, but Ciel looked at the other Slytherin – did he know something about him? Or did he just assume that everybody chosen to Slytherin had to be somehow twisted or evil?

'No, go on and babysit those two, I want to talk with Draco,' he said calmly, watching how the blond smirked, triumphal. Hermione seemed shocked.

'But-'

'Save it Granger,' Malfoy said, pushing himself off the wall on which he was leaning to follow Ciel, who was already walking away.

'Don't get too full of yourself,' Ciel said when he was sure that Hermione couldn't hear him, but the boy walking nonchalantly next to him smirked.

'You and me, my dear earl, we have more in common that you and those three together,' he said, but Ciel wasn't so sure. 'At least we both come from important families and know our manners, that should make a conversation much more bearable.' That was a point that Ciel couldn't deny but he didn't plan on any profound relation with the Slytherin. He wondered briefly if that was part of the plot to get him onto the other side. He heard of course from Harry, Hermione and Ron about Draco's affiliations and about the Malfoy family. He always found it ironic that the latter three didn't really know that much about his family.

'Where are we going?' he asked finally as they entered a part of the castle that he didn't really know. Draco smirked yet again.

'Somewhere, where we can chat in peace,' he said obviously feeling important. 'I do have questions to ask you.'

'Don't be so sure you're getting answers,' Ciel muttered darkly, almost wishing that he just chose to ignore both Draco and Hermione. Soon enough they went into one of unused classrooms that was obviously for some advanced class.

'Advanced defence against the dark arts, I thought it would be ironic.' Ciel smirked and sat on one of the desks, looking around the various objects in the room. 'It's only the sixth and seventh years that have lessons here and obviously there's none on the weekend.'

'And nobody will think to look for us here,' Ciel added, making Draco look at him sharply. 'Oh, you don't think that Dumbledore will appreciate you spoiling my pure soul, do you?' Draco openly laughed.

'Tell me, Earl Phantomhive – does our dear headmaster know anything about your soul?' he asked seriously, leaning towards the other boy.

'What do you know about my soul?' he asked back, careful not to lean away to not show fear. Especially since he wasn't afraid.

'Ah, not much but I know a bit about the Durless family.' That certainly caught Ciel's attention. Dumbledore hasn't gone past telling him that his aunt was a witch and the books he found didn't say that much either.

'Tell me,' he demanded.

'Malfoys and Durless were friends, you know. I guess you could say that in a wicked way we're cousins. Distant but cousins.'

'How?'

'Your mother was a cousin to Malfoys. Then of course she strayed from that road, but not from the world of darkness.' Ciel narrowed his eyes, demanding an explanation. 'I know the reputation of my family. It's been the same since the beginning and it was the same as the Durless. They were always into dark magic, into the more evil side.' Ciel felt a shudder running down his spine, but he forced himself to not show it – it wasn't the same "dark magic" that Draco was speaking of. 'Just as Phantomhives, though their darkness is purely muggle.'

'You seem to know more than Dumbledore.'

'Dumbledore knows that as well, at least about the Durless family. What he knows about Phantomhives I don't know. He probably checked the muggle books but since your mother was born as Durless and her parents approved of her marriage, the wizarding archives have a bit more information about the family.' Ah, yes – then of course Draco also knew that he was supposed to die soon… There was a glint in the grey eyes that said it.

'I don't know why you want to talk with me then,' Ciel said, moving slightly away, wondering just how detailed were the books Draco was talking about.

'I am curious – how it was in the times when dark magic didn't brand you as evil.' He looked doubtfully at the older boy.

'I have no idea about magic in my times.'

'Yes, but you're the "evil nobleman", aren't you?' It was Ciel's time to smirk. 'I'm bored in this castle and I think you are as well. Studying can only fill so much time so let's make a deal – I help you with magic and you amuse me with stories from the times of Queen Victoria?'

'Deal.' At least that promised to be more amusing and "weasel free" as Draco said it.