A/N: Again, thanks for all the reviews! Keeps me encouraged :) Sorry its short, writer's block
Lana curled her lip upwards as Lucius was busy trying to make his hospital clothes look more dignified. "Stop laughing Lana," he said a disapproving voice, but it didn't reflect his face. "Am I really that amusing?" he arched one elegant ashy brow at her. Her breath caught, she hated when he did that, it made him look more attractive-stop it Lana! Her mind had been headed down a forbidden path the more she spent time with him. But she couldn't help it. The man was utterly delicious. Oh dear, this wasn't good.
"Really Mr. Malfoy, you don't look thatbad," she teased him further.
"Easy for you to say Nefertiti," it was his name for her, and if she was fairer skinned Lana was sure he'd see her blush.
"Honestly Lu-Mr. Malfoy," she said in an attempt to distance herself, no use falling for the man, "you're here to get well, not look well." If he was bothered by her sudden formality, it didn't show. "Now desist with your vain actions and eat." She said motioning to a bowl of cream of wheat. One of the "solids" he was allowed to eat. In truth, he had lost much of the haggard appearance he had when Lana first saw him. And he was filling out more. It pained Lana to think that he would be leaving in a little over a week.
She liked apprenticing under Poppy, but if she was being truthful, much of that had to do with her patient. For the most part he was a silent man, but he did love to tease. And he was very particular about his hygiene. They were very similar. Yet, there was a darker, deeper side to him. The man seemed to devour dark arts texts, and history as well. He was highly intelligent, at least that's what she gathered not only from their own conversations, but upon seeing him conversing with Severus. That man didn't seem like the type to suffer fools.
"If I eat all of this, I will insist on you bringing me some ice cream," Lucius drawled.
"For breakfast?" He proceeded into making a puppy dog look which promptly sent Lana into a fit of laughter. "Oh you look so cute like that Lucius," she said still giggling.
"Finally, she says my name," his smile broadened, " please, enough with the 'Mr. Malfoy' stuff."
"But-"
He took her hand, "I want you to know me as Lucius." They stared into each other's eyes for a moment. Right then there was a knock. Poppy.
"You have a visitor, Mr. Malfoy," she said, ignoring her apprentice holding hands with a patient, though she smiled inwardly. Lana expecting, Severus, or perhaps even Dumbledore, was taken aback to see a young man come through the door. He was tall with, long shimmering blond hair. He looked incredibly like Lucius. For some reason that made Lana self conscious and she tried to remove her hand from Lucius'. Instead, he tightened his grip.
"It's ok," he whispered, "its my son." Then he turned to the young man still standing in the door. "Hello Draco."
Becoming Severus apprentice was not a bed of roses. He was a taskmaster relentlessly quizzing her, randomly about potions. She found herself constantly rattling off ingredients and debating with him. It was challenging and amazing all at once.
"Miss Granger," Severus let out in his signature velvet voice, "what is the active ingredient in headache potion?"
The answer was automatic, "Acetyl salicylic acid. It is a synthetic derivative of a compound, salicin, which occurs naturally in plants, notably the willow tree."
"Mmm hmm," he said stalking towards her, "what is the most effective form for this to be in?"
Huh? She bit her lip in confusion, to her arithmetic calculations it was effective in all forms equally. She decided to take a shot in the dark. "Dry?" she had tried to make it not sound like a question.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, are we guessing my dear?" he was closer now, speaking into the shell of her ear. "I think you'll find," he purred his hands taking liberties about her waist. She couldn't help but to inhale a breath, his voice doing wonders to her insides. He continued, "that you prefer things wet," he said while licking the side of her neck. She moaned as he continued to tease her body. Stroking her breast and placing small kisses on her neck. Not wanting to endure his onslaught any longer she turned to attack his lips. Suddenly he stepped away from her.
"End of lesson. You should study more on the effectiveness of ingredients in different forms. Focus on pain reducers." His dismissal was like being doused with cold water. Icy water.
Words struggled from her lips and she could only watch as he proudly sauntered away. Wicked man, two could play at this game. For now, she was headed to his library….