TW: Hermione is about to get hit by last chapter's Crucio.

Hermione fell to the floor in agony. She dimly registered her screams, but she felt them, tearing raw and furious from her throat, more than she heard them. Every nerve in her body was on fire, razors tearing through her veins. There was no room for thinking, for breathing, for strategizing. There was only pain, and more pain.

And then it was gone. And all that was left was echoes of the agony, still rippling through her, slipping up and down her nerves like lightning, splashing beneath her skin like acid.

Hermione forced herself to grip her wand and raise her head, doing her best to shake off the pain-induced fog that filled her mind.

"You're an idiot," someone was drawling. "Gryffindor, through and through."

It took furious blinking to clear her vision well enough to see that it was Lucius who was talking. Panic and betrayal gripped her heart for a horrible moment, and then she realized he wasn't talking to her, he was talking to—

"Peter," she hissed, and her throat pulsed with pain.

Peter Pettigrew glanced from Hermione back to Lucius. "Why did you interrupt me! I know what I'm doing—"

"What you're doing, is getting yourself expelled. What exactly was your plan here, Pettigrew?"

"I need her out of my way!" Peter shrieked. "She's doing something, keeping Sirius and the others from me! I can't complete my mission with her around."

Hermione rose slowly to her feet, and every movement hurt. Her grip on her wand was shaky at best and sent stabs of pain through her fingers and up her arm. She stayed silent, content to listen for the moment. Lucius had saved her. He had repaid his debt.

"So what, you were going to kill her?" Lucius scoffed. "You?"

Peter made an indignant sound.

"We both know she could best you in her sleep. And supposing you did succeed, you'd be dead. Dumbledore would expel you, and if by some miracle you managed to evade Azkaban, the Dark Lord would finish you off. You know her particular importance."

Peter huffed, but said nothing.

"I saved your ass, Pettigrew," Lucius sneered. "Now say 'thank you' and leave. I'll clean up your mess."

Hermione watched as Peter struggled with the directive. His pride warring with his sense of self-preservation. "Thanks, Lucius," he finally whined.

Lucius inclined his head sarcastically. "Now scram."

Peter skulked away, grumbling beneath his breath. Once he'd re-entered the Great Hall, Lucius flicked his wand at the doors. As soon as they were shut, Hermione slouched into the wall, doing her best to imagine that the coolness was easing her pain more than its solidness was amplifying it.

She looked at Lucius, the two eyeing each other warily. "You know I'm not going to let you Obliviate me, right?" she said, tense and ready to slip into battle mode at a moment's notice. But dear Merlin, only if absolutely necessary.

Lucius snorted inelegantly. "You couldn't even hold your own against Pettigrew." There was no poison in his words; he was teasing her. A whisper of their former tentative friendship rippled between them, but Hermione didn't know quite what to do with it.

"You're right," she said. "I should have known better than to let my guard down. Even here. Even now." She let a hint of a smirk touch her lips. "But we both know you couldn't take me now, when I'm on my guard."

Lucius frowned. "Let us hope we never find out."

Hermione really hoped his Occlumency was up to snuff. "You can keep him from this memory?"

"Of course." Lucius looked at her, scrutinizing, almost hesitant. "It's not me you should be worried about."

For a second, she though he meant herself, but the look in his eyes gave her pause. "You mean Regulus," she realized.

Lucius stepped closer. "He's not cut out for this," he said in a low voice. "He has a mission. One he is failing. The Dark Lord will not be impressed."

Hermione's heart clenched. He was going to die. Regulus was going to die, just as he had originally. "Why are you telling me this?"

Lucius' gaze flicked up and down the hall warily, then he gestured for Hermione to follow him into an empty room. He shut and warded the door behind them. His eyes burned with an intensity Hermione had never seen in a Slytherin before. Abruptly, she felt him slam viciously against the walls in her mind, testing them, assessing them. When he couldn't get in, he withdrew with a business-like nod.

"His mission is you."

Hermione's eyes widened slightly, and she pushed through the pain that still roiled through her body to focus her thoughts as they flashed over that piece of information. "He's supposed to be befriending me?"

Lucius nodded.

"Surely Voldemort—" Lucius visibly flinched. "—doesn't think I would spill Order secrets in casual conversation with anyone, nevermind a suspected Death Eater."

"He does not."

Hermione nodded once, her mind catching up, the truth becoming clear. "He wants Regulus to lure me away, then."

"You seem awfully calm," Lucius observed.

Hermione ignored the implied question. Of course she was calm. It was no surprise. She'd been expecting something like this since Bella had seen her in Diagon Alley. "Are you?" she asked instead. "Cut out for it?"

Lucius froze. For the briefest of moments, his expression went completely blank. Then a cocky smirk reached his lips. "I'm a Malfoy," he said simply.

Hermione thought back to Draco's haunted gaze and red-rimmed eyes. To Narcissa Malfoy's icy stance and empty eyes. To grown-up Lucius' ruthlessness in the Department of Mysteries. "Don't," she said.

"Excuse me?"

Hermione cast around for the right words, the words that might touch his tattered heart. "Narcissa loves you," she said finally. "Don't make her live her life with a man she doesn't recognize. Don't kill all the things she loves about you just to survive this war. Don't sentence her to a life that is empty and cold."

Lucius opened his mouth to reply, a flicker of rage in his eyes, but Hermione continued.

"One day, you'll have a son. An heir. Right? Just as you must, just as is expected. What kind of father will he have, Lucius? Who will you be for your children? For your wife? How far down can you push your goodness before it's irretrievable? Before you have nothing left to give them?"

Lucius was silent for a moment. "The things I've done… No one with 'good' in their heart could possibly survive it."

Rather than being moved, Hermione narrowed her eyes in challenge. "Then you'll just have to be stronger than everyone else, wont you?"

He was silent. Thinking, or rejecting, Hermione didn't know.

"That mark on your arm only defines you if you decide it does," she added. She glanced up at the clock. "We should get back before we're missed."

Lucius nodded slowly. "Narcissa will be looking for me."

"Congratulations," Hermione said. "On your engagement."

"Thank you," he said formally, though there was a flicker of happiness, of pride, on his face.

Hermione reached for the door, then hesitated. "Are we square now?"

Lucius scoffed, the Slytherin version of a laugh. "You risked your life and your position in the Order of the Phoenix to save my life," he drawled. "In return, I've more likely saved Pettigrew's life than yours, and have burdened you with Regulus'… situation." He fixed her with an unreadable look. "Are we even? Not nearly."

They walked down the hall and back to the dance in silence. Hermione's limbs were still trembling. She felt unsteady, and everything hurt. She pulled the door open.

"After you, Malfoy," she said with the barest hint of malice.

"Naturally," he sneered, sweeping past her in a swirl of Pureblood dignity.

Hermione hid a smile and glared at his back before heading in towards her friends.

"We were getting ready to form a search party," Remus joked, tugging her towards him. The press of his body against hers was like fire. She swallowed it down.

"I thought girls only took so long in the loo because they were chatting," Sirius added. There was a question in his eyes.

"Oh, bloody hell," Hermione cursed. "I never even made it there!"

Sirius' eyes narrowed, taking in her trembling form and the pain in her eyes. Hermione shook her head slightly, her eyes promising to explain later.

Remus was eying her with concern too. Probably he could feel her muscles twitching and quavering.

"Just got caught up with someone in the hall," she said offhandedly. "Remus, would you mind getting me some punch?" She kissed his cheek in a cheerful way that she hoped would be reassuring.

"Sure thing," he said, his concern not fading in the least.

Hermione bit back a sigh of relief as he released her, and settled gingerly into a seat. The rest of her friends headed back to the dance floor, not realizing anything was up. Except Sirius, who dropped into a seat next to her.

"Mya, what happened? You're shaking like a leaf."

Hermione reached out and grasped his hand. "I'm okay, Sirius. I promise. You know I can't ruin tonight with this - Tracey and Mel would kill me." She tried to smirk like it was funny, but neither of them was laughing. "Peter and I just had an… argument, okay? I'll tell you everything later."

His frown still didn't lift.

"I promise."

"Fine," he said finally. "We have a, uh, a thing… you're sure you're okay?"

Hermione smiled. "Go pull your prank. I'm okay, Sirius. Honestly."

Remus appeared with a glass of punch. "Sirius and Tracey have already spiked it—"

"Barely."

"—So go easy."

Hermione laughed and it felt terrible. "Yes, sir."

Remus paled slightly, even as a wicked gleam flickered through his eyes. "Sir, eh? Now I know what we should have dressed up as," he said slyly.

Sirius pretended to hurl all over the table. "I do not need to hear this, Moony!" He lowered his voice and leaned in toward Remus conspiratorially. "That was a Defence professor - school girl fantasy I just saw flash through your eyes, right?" Not waiting for an answer, he smirked and clapped Remus on the back. "Good on you, mate. Now, let's go find Prongsiepoo - we have entertainment to unveil!"

Hermione rolled her eyes at the entire exchange, and Remus offered her an apologetic smile as he was dragged into the crowd of sweaty bodies.

While everyone was distracted, Hermione quickly called for Hatty.

"Miss Hermione, is something amiss?" the elf squeaked as she appeared. She immediately clapped her hands to her large ears as the noise of the Great Hall hit her.

"Damn. Sorry, Hatty!" Hermione quickly cast a barrier spell that blocked most, but not all, of the sound.

"Thank you, Miss Hermione. What is you needing?"

Hermione steeled herself. "Could you please tell Poppy I've been hit with the Cruciatus curse and need a few potions?" Hatty's eyes widened in horror, but she didn't interrupt. "A pain potion, absolutely, and a muscle relaxer. And perhaps some Pepper-Up so I can make it through the evening without falling asleep."

The elf was still looking horrified. "Of course, Miss Hermione," she said with a quick bow. "Hatty is going straight away." She disappeared with a pop.

"Cruciatus?" Lily's voice came from just behind her.

"Oh bloody hell," Hermione said, spinning in her seat. "Look, I know this sounds bad, but we are not ruining the dance with this. I'm fine."

Lily opened her mouth to protest, but Tracey beat her to it. "You're completely safe? Right now?"

"Yes."

"We're safe?"

"Absolutely."

"And you'll tell us if that changes? Or if you need anything?"

"I promise," Hermione said with a wry twist of a smile.

"And I guess, you know, alcohol is probably out with all those potions you're about to take, yeah?"

Hermione laughed. "Yes."

"You poor thing." Tracey dropped into a seat next to Hermione and began drinking her punch.

Mel and Lily were both still staring at her, clearly shaken.

Hermione clasped her hands together to hide their shaking. "Hey. It's been dealt with, okay?"

Both girls hesitated, then nodded reluctantly and sat down too.

"Where's Gerard?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, um, he went to get us some drinks," Mel said with a shy smile.

A loud pop announced Hatty's return. "Madam Pomfrey is saying you is to get yourself to the Hospital Wing right away, Miss Hermione," the elf said apologetically. "She is saying, Miss, that if you is not coming, she is coming to get you herself."

Hermione sighed, not fully surprised. "I can't miss the prank."

"Hatty will wait in the hall, Miss Hermione. But please do hurry!"

She popped away, and Hermione lowered her sound barrier. "Sorry guys," she said, equal parts glum and relieved. She'd surprised herself by looking forward to the dance, but all she wanted now was to sleep off the Crucio.

"Maybe Madam Pomfrey will let you come back," Lily consoled, though she failed miserably at hiding how relieved she was that Hermione was being dragged off to Poppy's care.

Mel scoffed. "No chance. She'll at least keep her till morning. She's such a bear about these things."

Just then, the music stopped. Hermione's wand was in her hand in a flash. The lights dimmed, then flared, and before Hermione's heart could begin well and truly pounding, the Marauders appeared on (yes, on) the Head Table, looking for all the world like a real live wizarding rock band.

"Ladies and gents!" Sirius called. "The Marauders promised entertainment, and we are here to deliver!"

James grinned out at the crowd. "We know many of you have spent the last month worrying, trembling in fear, over our upcoming prank. Well, joke's on you - there isn't one! So without further ado…"

Remus rolled his eyes "on stage" then winked in Hermione's direction… and they started to play. Hermione had already known that Sirius could sing - and that James could not - but when Remus' voice joined in, her jaw dropped.

"Holy Hell, Hermione!" Tracey shouted. "Remus just jumped from a 7 to like… a 9!"

Hermione laughed and elbowed her, but she couldn't deny that Remus + guitar + singing equalled something incredibly sexy. She stayed to the end of the song - a recent Hobgoblins hit - then slipped away to find Hatty, pausing only to warn her friends against telling Sirius about the Cruciatus.

Sometime around midnight, an invisible presence crept into the Hospital Wing. Hermione woke immediately, her wand in her hand, and her mind fully present. "Accio Invisibility Cloak." The cloak rippled through the air and into her hand. Her heartbeat slowed in relief, then sped back up ever so slightly as she took in Remus' shadowed figure.

"Hey," he said softly, crossing to her bed. "You okay?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, but smiled at his concern. "Yes, I'm fine. Poppy is just being extremely… overcautious."

He smiled back, but it didn't reach his eyes. "She can be like that," he agreed. "The girls said you told them what happened… but they were very vague about it."

"Sirius must be furious," she said lightly.

Remus winced. "The only reason he's not here is that he's being completely unreasonable and volatile-"

"No! Sirius?" Hermione joked.

"Lily petrified him so I could sneak away. I wouldn't be entirely surprised if he tries to sneak up here without even the cloak or the map." He fixed her with his serious eyes. "Hermione… what happened?"

Hermione sighed heavily, lifting her gaze to the ceiling. "It's… embarrassing, quite frankly. And I know everyone is going to overreact…"

Remus merely raised his eyebrows in response.

"Peter caught me off guard with a Crucio," she mumbled.

Remus' fists clenched and his face darkened, a hint of wolf coming through. "I'll kill him," he growled.

Hermione reached for his nearest hand and forced a smile. "You'll have to fight Sirius for the honour."

"Not if I do it right now before he knows," he said darkly, though he made no move to do so. "The Headmaster knows?" he asked, after a moment.

Hermione shrugged. "I'm sure he does. Nothing happens in these halls without his notice, and I imagine Poppy would have informed him regardless."

"And what is he going to do about it?"

Hermione smiled wryly. "Probably nothing. For better or worse, Albus tends to let these things play out on their own."

Fury wrote itself across Remus' face. "Nothing? Peter cast an Unforgivable. He's a marked Death Eater! He sleeps in our room! I—"

"Not anymore he doesn't," Hermione said, sly as a Slytherin.

"What?"

"I made a stop on my way here. Peter can't get into the Gryffindor Common Room anymore. I've sent his things to the Slytherin dormitories via House Elf. If he tries to enter Gryffindor Tower, the Fat Lady can admit him, but he can't pass through the doorway - nor any of the windows."

Remus was staring at her in amazement. "That's… There's no way the teachers will let that stand. Slughorn, at the very least, is going to protest."

Hermione smiled winningly. "To whom?"

Remus stared at her some more. "Bloody hell," he breathed. "You are just…" he ran his fingers through his hair, "so damn sexy."

His words startled a laugh out of her, but the intense look in his eyes washed it quickly away.

"I… um… thank you?"

"Are you in pain?" he asked. "Can I kiss you?"

"No. I mean yes. I mean, please do."

He slid onto the bed next to her and pulled her into him, his lips devouring hers with a hunger she wasn't quite ready for - especially not in the Hospital Wing. But while his hands and his lips roved, he didn't push anything. And though her potions were wearing off and it absolutely hurt, it was worth every twinge.