Hey! I just wanted to thank you for your positive reviews and I want you to please send the best of vibes towards the very south of this continent (Argentina, Buenos Aires, San Isidro to be more specifically… I am the one with the red curly hair) because tomorrow I have a very important examination.

I hope you like this chapter; the end is near though. Like 12 more chapters to go.

So…well… here it is; chapter 28… enjoy!  

Chapter 28: An odd dinner

The ice on Hermione's water had almost melted when Lucius Malfoy turned his head and started speaking to her.

Before that, her husband and The most detestable man on the face of the earth had been sharing ideas and plans to destroy a man she loved like a father. Narcissa Malfoy, on the other hand, had been chatting non stop about the silliest of themes avoiding any possibility of actually hearing what these men were discussing. She could only depict the main topic of their conversation because of short simple phrases which had been clear- and loud- enough for her to portray the main concept behind their evil scheme: killing Dumbledore and drinking the sweet wine of revenge

"If you love it so much," Lucius had suggested trying, in vain, to tempt the icy Potion's Master, "you can have the post of Headmaster,"

"Being around idiotic children is not my idea of a reward, dear Lucius," Severus had replied with a sarcastic smirk on his pale face. His expressions were as empty as they had ever been and his perfect posture showed how confident he was of Lucius Malfoy's little intellect.

But just when things were running too smoothly to be true, Lucius Malfoy turned his head for the very first time to the dreadful direction of Hermione Granger. The moment he had feared all along had finally arrived.

"Let your wife decide then," Lucius had asked with a very wicked grin on his face.

It was just then when Hermione stopped staring intently at the ice cubes in her water and focused completely on Draco's father's piercing light blue eyes; the true eyes of malevolence.

"Hermione… Oh, sorry. It is alright for me to call you Hermione?," he asked innocently, obviously waiting for a reaction on her behalf that would compromise Severus' situation. But he was a fool if he thought Hermione Granger ignored his intentions.

"Only if you let me call you Lucius," she added with a smile on her rosy lips, turned suddenly violet because of her nervousness. It was a hypocritical smile that made her very insides flip but a grin that, even if she refused to admit so, would make him realize that she could be sinful like him; even more.

"Extraordinary then, Hermione it is," he answered with a bigger smile than hers, if that was possible, "As I was saying, given the chance… what would you choose from all the things in the world?," he enquired. If she hadn't been a muggleborn, perhaps he would have kissed her hand. However, her blood was not going to change at all. Not even her marriage to Severus Snape- one of his best friends; a pure blood wizard like him- could change her inheritance. What Lucius Malfoy really wanted to know, nevertheless, was what had taken over his old friend from school; the Head of Slytherin House and one of the strongest Death Eaters he had ever seen.

Hermione, meanwhile, was giving Lucius' question enough thought. Sure enough he had prepared a way to reveal her true nature; her most mysterious secrets. Little did Malfoy know, however, that he was sitting across a woman- for she was no longer a girl- who was the most brilliant student Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had seen in a century and that sure enough, she wouldn't be easily tricked by a blood thirsty assassin.

"I would, if given the chance to choose of course, like to kill as many traitors to the Dark Lord as I can and to own thousands of galleons in properties only built by slaves; muggle slaves," she lied, hiding her dream of owning Hogwarts Library. What she had just said had been so tragic that no one in the room dared speak. That was not her true nature at all but she thought that the more she managed to hide from him, the stronger she felt; the more power she possessed.

"You marry a very materialistic woman, Severus. And a true evil witch indeed. But, then again, which woman is not a materialistic evil witch?," he said; a big laugh escaping his lips and echoing through the enormous dinning room, "why did you marry her, Severus?," he finally asked, dramatically turning his head to where Severus was peacefully sitting, as if to notice any kind of abnormal behaviour.

"I married her for the only reason a sensible man of my age would marry: for love," he firmly said while pouring some port into his brandy glass.

"Of course; you marry her for love. The question remains, I am afraid… how could you fall in love with such a creature, Severus?," he whispered for only Severus to hear. Unsuccessfully, the words had managed to reach Hermione's ears, always alert.

"It is not so strange considering her beauty and youth, Lucius. Had you forgotten all about youth and beauty or should I remind you of your past actions?," Severus asked while tasting his port with his fine palate, "My dear friend, how can you not admire her astounding beauty?," he asked in a higher voice, desperately trying for Hermione to hear their conversation.

"But she is muggleborn, Severus," he said with a forced smile looking straight into Hermione's direction as if she was deaf and could hear nothing.

"I am aware of the fact," was all Severus said. Then reflecting upon his own words, he added, "I could not resist the enchantments of a beautiful woman who was born good, who has been good her whole life actually, and who has suddenly turned bad under my influence," he said taking one more sip of wine. It was not red for it was sweet but sure enough the red in the velvet chairs symbolised the blood of the innocent Lucius Malfoy had spilled throughout his life and who, like many other Death Eaters, remained unpunished still.

"No. But I only use their meat. I certainly do not marry them," Lucius explained.

"I felt in love," Severus said, "would you resist the beauty of a woman who betrays her own friends, her own nature, for one; for the pleasure one can give her?," he enquired knowing for sure he had made a point on Lucius' head.

"Especially if amongst those friends were the infamous Harry Potter," Hermione interrupted, making the conversation a lot more interesting by sitting on Severus' lap.

"I hardly consider this the proper behaviour a lady…," Narcissa started reproaching from the other end of the table were she sat alone. But as soon as Lucius had made a quick movement with his hand, she felt silent and continued eating her bittersweet pork.

"So, Miss Granger… you are, indeed, an ambitious woman. I like that in women. Beatrix had it in her; what a remarkable woman," he melancholy said knowing for a fact that if anyone would make a tremendous effect on Hermione's sensibility that would be Beatrix Lestrange; a woman who had dragged Harry Potter's godfather, Sirius Black, into his own death.

"I am ambitious, Lucius," she said, placing her hand on his, immediately forcing him to stand up as if she carried a plague or a mortal disease that could only be transmitted by mudbloods such as herself, "but above all, I seek vengeance," she truly said from the bottom of her heart where her detestation for the Dark Side boiled her blood in anger.

"Will you help my friend here kill Dumbledore?," Lucius asked the ultimate question while standing up and walking slowly all the way towards Narcissa's place where his pace died away.

"I will do what it needs to be done," she truly answered looking straight into his eyes, showing him she was not afraid of anything, "I know where my loyalty stands,"

"I can see now why you married her, Severus. Fine choice," Lucius said to Severus who had a proud smile on his face and a very attractive Hermione on his lap.

He then claimed Narcissa's hand and excusing themselves to their guests, they left them alone where they would finish their meal in their past places in case they decided to return.

Minutes after finishing, he asked for Hermione's hand and slowly but determined they climbed the stairs towards their rooms where they would discuss a lot more than Lucius Malfoy.