Disclaimer (have I ever had one of these?): I don't own Harry Potter (duh!)
A/n: this chapter just kind of wrote itself, so to speak, so if it sucks, its not really my fault. (but if it rocks, I take full credit) If you don't like the weirdly twisted L/H scene in this chappie, blame my History teacher for showing us "The Patriot", as Jason Isaacs has taken up temporary residence next to Tom Felton in my brain.
A/n2: I saw HP3, way better than the first two, but I thought they skipped an awful lot in the middle (or was it just me…?) Malfoy was deliciously….wimpy in it, but I enjoyed it nonetheless, except for the R/H hand-holding situation. RON SHOULD DIE!!!!
Chapter 6- Life's Occupation
(this is just a bit of Harry-flashback to make sure we all know what the heck is going on)
Harry watched as the young girl was taken with the Muggle policemen out the door of the café. How many bystanders will get crushed in this freedom fight? he wondered. Walking slowly, he turned and saw Albus Dumbledore spying on him from the corner.
"Harry," the old man said, taking him firmly by the shoulders. Though elderly and frail, Dumbledore still radiated a plausible power. "Harry, I fear Hermione is making a terrible mistake, going with Draco."
Harry rolled his eyes. "No way. I would give anything to know what he just said to her. What would make such a smart, sweet witch go with someone like him?"
"Would you give your life to find this out?"
Dumbledore's question hung in the air. Taking a deep breath, Harry asked, "What do you mean?"
Dumbledore stared at him, and said, "Hermione is much more powerful than I." The young wizard in front of him frowned. "It is true. She is one of the most powerful witched that I have ever seen. She is capable of doing and making things that you and I cant even imagine doing." The elderly wizard shook his head. "I need you to keep and eye on her. Make sure she isn't being misled."
"Professor, if Hermione is so smart and powerful, how could she be swayed by someone like Malfoy?"
"Either he'll enchant her with his personality," Dumbledore said solemnly, "or he'll enchant her with his wand."
Severus Snape's Private Potions Room
"Here you go, Potter."
Snape handed Harry a goblet of what looked like green pulp, then smiled, backing away. "Bottoms up."
Hesitating, harry glanced at his ex-professor, and swallowed. "Professor, what exactly will this turn me into?"
"It's Severus, Potter, or Snape, I suppose," he replied, walking up to the black curtain that separated the room. "Do you really wish to know what that Polyjuice Potion will turn you into?"
Harry nodded, than instantly wished he didn't. Snape gave him a rather nasty look, then pulled back the curtain, revealing a sickly looking body, with greasy blond hair and pallid skin.
Lucius Malfoy.
"Is…..is….is he?"
"Dead?" Snape finished Harry's sentence for him. "No, of course not. He's just had his memory wiped, and been Stunned a couple of times. He'll survive, if we want him to."
Harry surveyed his goblet once more, his stomach nearly emptying its contents onto the stone floor. On gulp, and he would become Lucius Malfoy. Yum.
:How long will I have to take this?" he asked, imagining a 90-year old Lucius attempting to mount a broomstick. The potions master chuckled at his disgusted expression.
"For as long as necessary. Since you have finally mastered Occulmency, the Dark Lord will never know that it is you. Lucius is well ranked among the Death Eaters, so you will be able to find out much about their plans, as well as spy on 'your' son, and his lovely new girlfriend. There might be a bit of a fuss when I suddenly show up with you in tow, but it should all smooth out in a matter of days. Take these," he through Harry some large robes, embroidered with silver. "Lucius is a wealthy man, and he enjoys showing it."
Harry sorted through the bundle, frowning slightly at a length of black satin ribbon. Try as he might, he couldn't imagine himself with long, blond hair for an extended period of time. It would make him go mad.
"Anything else I should know?" he said, backing off to the small room where he could transform, and dress. "Any special 'Malfoy' protocols?"
"Worship the Dark Lord," Snape said, then gave a full out grin, "and treat your son like a pile of bogeys."
Smiling slightly, harry shut the door, and, saying goodbye to his untidy black hair and lank build, he gulped down his potion.
Draco's Wedding, in the Bride's chambers
Harry felt like his robes were suffocating him, and if he had to wear the stupid mask for any longer, heads would begin to roll.
Was that Lucius enough?
He blew some stray strands of whitish-blond hair from his face. He had had half a mind to have it all chopped off, but he hesitated. He would hate to look strange, especially at his own 'son's' wedding, eh? To the gorgeous Hermione Granger, no less. He yanked off his mask.
Head's were going to roll.
The door opened, and in walked Hermione. She was a vision, wearing dress robes made of the finest green silk. Harry had suggested the green, as Lucius was probably squashing the Gryffindor out of her. Bu the real reason for the green was between him and Hermione, and she was none the wiser.
Walking up, he took her hand. "You look beautiful, my dear," he said, cringing inwardly at the lilted aristocratic voice that slipped through his lips. Almost a year had passed, and he still wasn't used to it, having his words spoken by one of his worst enemies.
She smiled. He raised her hand to his lips, and kissed is, letting his mouth graze slowly across her smooth skin. Taken aback, she unceremoniously yanked her hand back to her side. Quirking an eyebrow, Lucius-style, he asked, "Are you forgetting something?"
Pureblood wizard tradition said that the bride-to-be must give a kiss to her future father, sealing the joining of the two families. Normally, this wasn't a problem, but for Hermione, this meant kissing her handsome father in law, who seemed to have a more than healthy amount of interest in her.
She walked up to him, and, placing a hand on his broad chest to steady herself, she put a small peck on his lips. Harry was about to leave it at that, and save the old boy's reputation, but the touch of her lips undid him. He slammed her up against the wall, and pulled her hands up to his hair. Her large brown eyes stared at him, begging him to stop, but his pale grey ones were already closed to her silent pleas. His hand roamed her sided, pulling her closer to him, her form shaking under him, but slowly surrendering.
"Mr. Malfoy?"
The rather scrawny Death Eater at the door choked a bit, then muttered, "thelordisreadynowfortheceremony," and slammed the door.
Hands snapped away, and Harry stepped away from the wall, nearly tripping over his own feet. What was he thinking? He was Lucius Malfoy, for God's sake! What did he want to do, scar poor Hermione for life? He looked back at her, hoping to salvage the situation. She was standing there, eyes closed, lips slightly parted, winded. His hands fumbled, trying to slip on his mask, totally distracted by the beautiful woman in front of him. He yanked out his arm, which she dutifully took. Her face read confusion, surprise, and disgust, though not as much as he thought she would have. He shuddered, slightly, and thought,
'Weird family customs, these inbreds.'
3Years Later
"Severus, we need to talk."
Snape looked up from his drink. "Why, Lucius, I see something is upsetting you."
"I fear," he dropped his voice, "My granddaughter is learning a lot tonight."
Snape's eyes widened in recognition. "Ah. And you wish for her to end up well?"
Harry nodded, feeling Lucius's neat ponytail bob up and down on his neck. "Yes. She spends too much time with her mother."
Peeking over his shoulder, Severus dropped a small tablet into Lucius's drink, and handed it back to him. He pulled a face, but downed it entirely.
"Are you sure?" the black-haired man said, slipping a hand into his wand pocket. Harry/Lucius placed his glass back on a passing tray.
"Of course I am sure. Hermione has too much knowledge, and I am scared that she might not educate my grandchild properly."
Harry prayed that Snape could understand what he was trying to relay, for at that moment, Severus disappeared in a gust of silvery smoke, and Harry felt a familiar tugging in his abdomen…….
"What are you thinking about?"
Harry turned to face Hermione, who plunked down next to him of the couch. He shrugged.
"Stuff. My past activities, good and bad."
She sensed some tension growing in his voice, and decided to avoid his past for a while. Fiddling with her hem, she looked him in the eyes.
"I missed you."
He gave a laugh, tinged with barely hidden bitterness. "Wasn't Malfoy always there for you?"
"Of course!" she said, a bit to loudly. "I mean, of course he was! He was my husband, after all! But still, I wish I had a friend like you, to talk to when Draco and I fought."
"Did you fight often?" he asked, already knowing the answer. She shrugged.
"A bit. It was mostly over what to teach Fiona, like the Dark Arts, or defense against it. That was it, but still, we fought nonetheless. The only person I had to talk to was Lucius." She shivered. "He was helpful, but, well, creepy."
Harry stiffened. Him, creepy? "What did he do?" he asked, curiously.
"Well, he would treat Draco like a pile of toerags, to tell you the truth. He seemed to love Fiona enough, but when he was around me," she hesitated, "he would look at me differently. Like is wasn't his daughter in law. You know, Harry." She stopped, and stared at him. He was looking at her. Like that.
"What are you doing?" she whispered.
He stroked her hand. "What do you want me to do?" he paused, "my dear?"
Hermione gave a little scream, and jumped off the couch. He just sounded like…..
She ran.
A/n: eeeew, wouldn't it be creepy if your father in law started hitting on you? Poor Hermione is so confused! Draco will make an appearance in the next chappie, in the form of a flashback (im sorry, I know most readers hate those, but after the next chappie, there will be NO MORE FLASBACKS AT ALL. I just need them to tell the whole story right now)
Anasazi: I hope this cleared up why Harry was so stalker-like. Thanks for reading!
Jolene Smith: I wanted it to be him too, but it wasn't! I actually don't mind h/hr that much, as you will see sorta from this chappie (in a twisted way), but d/h is still the best!
Regina-terrae: oops, sorry. I kinda made them get together a bit, but thanks to Harry's creepiness (I have been using that word a lot) a h/hr romance in this fic is not possible!
Jbanana: I will never blame anyone for liking draco. Liking ron on the other hand……
Seed-of-Flame: I love messing with people's heads. evil
Ashton Rushing: Thanks!
In case you haven't noticed, I am going to be updating this fic regularly on Saturdays!