Disclaimer: I still do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: It seems there was some confusion last chapter, but to anyone who thought chapter 11 was the end of the story, you will be happy to see that's not the case. In face the end is still a ways away, Hermione and Draco haven't even finished their potion yet!

Also, to the few who reviewed thank you very much your reviews made me happy. But to all who read and did not review I shall say this. As of now, I have 46 reviews I'm not happy with the number of reviews I got for last chapter but I am posting anyway because I hate to keep you all waiting. However, the next chapter will not be posted until I have 55 reviews. I'm sorry if this is mean, but I want to know what everyone thinks of my story. So whether you like this chapter or not, please send a review, even if it is short. Thank you!

On with the story . . . . .

Chapter 12: Christmas Eve With Lucius

In the first days of break, Hermione found herself, deeply regretting allowing Ginny to catch her and Draco. Now she felt guilty every time she wanted to see him because she knew that Ginny would be wondering what she and Draco were doing. At the same time, her feelings and attraction toward Draco were growing stronger every time she saw him, she longed to be near him all the time. She rarely saw him anywhere besides the library because none of his friends were staying over the break, so he didn't hang around very many places besides the common room and the library. He purposely ate meals at awkward times to avoid having to see Hermione surrounded by her friends. He still could not stand to see them together, and he was afraid he might snap if he saw Weasley trying to flirt with her one more time.

Draco spent most of his time in the private room because then he got to see Hermione and avoid the loneliness of his empty common room. He spent the entire beginning part of the break completing the homework the teachers had assigned over the break, and he also wrote in his journal a lot. He normally would have spent time touring the grounds or the school, but was growing increasingly anxious about meeting Lucius, and working seemed to effectively keep his mind occupied. He did his best to not show any weakness to Hermione when she was around because he didn't want her to worry, and he was afraid she might tell Dumbledore, and that would be disastrous. Luckily for Draco, Hermione's presence always seemed to make him forget about his worries so that he was only concentrating on her.

By the time the 23rd rolled round, Hermione was burning with desire to see Draco, she felt bad that he was all alone all the time, despite the fact that she hated all his friends. She knew that he felt the same way towards her friends, but at least she wasn't alone. She crept off to the library after dinner while Harry Ron and Ginny went to play quidditch in the snow. Sure enough Draco was there, again writing in that mysterious leather bound book. Hermione sat next to him and slid her arm around his waist, kissing his cheek. He closed the book quickly, and she continued kissing him as she pulled the book out of his reach. In between kisses she whispered, "you're working too hard, you need to take a break and relax a little."

Draco, looked at her with an amused expression, "coming from you that's saying something, so I guess that means you must be right."

She smiled and kissed his lips. He kissed her back and leaned into her, she lay down on the couch. He lay on top of her, kissing her face and neck. His hands slowly moved down her sides, until he reached her hips. Her hands were exploring his body as well. Draco, had paused when he reached Hermione's hips, wondering if she would let him go farther. His desire overcame his rational thought, and he carefully and adroitly worked his hands underneath her shirt so that he was touching her soft skin.

Hermione let out a breath of longing, and Draco moved his hands further up her body, feeling the smoothness of her skin, and getting lost in his emotions. Hermione meanwhile was swept away; she took his lead and slid her hands underneath his shirt. She moved her hands up his stomach and chest feeling firm muscles running through every inch of his body. 'How can he be so strong, yet hold me so softly' she wondered in the back of her mind. Draco slowly slid his hands up Hermione's body until they were just below her chest, he made to touch her, but she snapped up without warning, throwing him off her.

Draco fell to the floor, looking lost and confused, his hair was all in his face, and he was out of breath. He looked to her imploringly, wondering what had happened.

Hermione meanwhile was tucking in her shirt and trying to straighten out her hair, which was equally disheveled. "I'm sorry," said shyly, he face was beginning to redden, "I'm just not ready for that." She was beet red now, and she avoided Draco's eyes. She was afraid he'd be offended, or angry, but she was not going to do anything she wasn't comfortable with. Her eyes began to water and she tried her best not to cry.

Draco, was furious with himself for making Hermione uncomfortable. He carefully got up and sat next to her. He took her hand in both of his; Hermione looked at him slightly afraid. "Hermione," Draco said in a soothing whisper, "I would never want to do anything that you didn't want to do, I just got wrapped up in the moment, okay? There is nothing to be sorry for." He looked at her with sweet and concerned eyes, and brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. "Hey it's alright, I'm sorry I tried to push you too far, really." He lifted her chin with his hand and gently pressed his lips against hers.

That simple action was all she needed to be completely swept away again. She closed her eyes, lost in emotion. When he finally broke the kiss, and their lips were still close Hermione whispered "I love you."

The words came out before she could stop them, and she didn't even realize that she had actually said them aloud until she looked up into his eyes. He was looking at her in complete shock, he let go of her and took an uneasy step backwards. After a long and very uncomfortable silence, Draco mumbled, "Umm, you should probably go; you don't want your friends to wonder where you are." He never met her eyes, he was completely unprepared for what had just happened and he had no clue how to handle it.

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow," said Hermione quietly, looking down at the ground to hide her embarrassment, and the tears that had again begun to creep into her eyes.

"Yeah" agreed Draco. He didn't look at her as she left, he just turned and walked back to the couch.

Hermione meanwhile left the room as fast as she could. She hadn't even consciously realized that she did love Draco. Inside she was kicking herself for saying it out loud, although now that she thought about it, she knew it was true. Deep down she was also disappointed that he hadn't reciprocated the feelings, but then again she probably shouldn't have expected him to, after all she hadn't been aware that she had been feeling that way until she said it.

The next day went by slower than any day Draco could remember, he didn't know why he was dreading meeting Lucius so much, he just had a feeling that whatever news Lucius had was nothing Draco wanted to hear.

For the first time all break, Draco ate lunch at the same time as Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione. Ginny saw this, and curiously looked between Draco and Hermione throughout the entire lunch. Hermione glanced towards Draco often, but he never once looked at her, he seemed to be lost in thought, and Hermione thought he looked rather angry. 'He's mad at me' she thought desperately to herself, 'maybe I shouldn't have made him stop. Oh why did I have to tell him I love him?'

"Hermione, are you alright?" Ron asked worriedly, "You look really upset."

Hermione looked up at him, trying to hide her emotions, "no I'm not upset at all."

At that time, Draco, who had finished his lunch, got up and walked silently past them without casting a single glance towards any of them. Hermione watched him go with a look of longing, but returned to the conversation when Harry spoke, "not so brave without Crabbe and Goyle around is he?"

"Of course not, he's just an overgrown cowardly ferret," agreed Ron.

Ginny remained silent, hoping neither of the boys noticed how Hermione was turning an angry shade of red, "hey, why don't we all go out and have a snowball fight?" she suggested. "It would be loads of fun!"

So the group went outside, and finally Hermione was able to relax a little and have fun with her friends like the old days, before she got tangled up with Draco. For once Hermione completely forgot about him.

When six o' clock rolled around, Draco met Lucius in the entryway, and silently followed him out the door and down the road to Hogsmeade. At seven, the four Gryffindor's made their way to the Great Hall for dinner, they were surprised to see that the house tables had been replaced by one large round table at which professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, Sprout, and Vector were sitting. There were four chair set up, which they each sat in. "Ah good evening, I thought it would be fun for us to have dinner all together tonight, since there are so few of us, it is easier for the house elves this way," professor Dumbledore explained, smiling at Hermione as he said the last bit. She smiled back at him blushing.

"Aren't you missing a chair?" asked Ginny.

"Of course not, I would never forget any of my students," smiled Dumbledore, "Mr. Malfoy will be joining us tomorrow, however, today his father is taking him out for dinner."

Hermione looked at Dumbledore in shock, she was on the verge of saying something when Dumbledore caught her eye and cast her, a searching look. Hermione closed her mouth and looked down at her plate, unable to believe that she had been so carefree all day, 'why didn't he tell me he was meeting his father?' she wondered. She ate her dinner in silence, only half listening to the conversation going on between the others, she was much too concerned about Draco, 'what if Lucius left him tortured out in the snow to die?'

Lucius and Draco arrived at a small restaurant in the corner of Hogsmeade, Lucius requested a private room for their dinner. Then ordered for them both, without consulting Draco as to what he would like. They sat in complete silence until their food was delivered, while they ate, and until the waiter took their plates away. The two left the restaurant and began walking through the alleyways, "I suppose you are wondering what this is about," began Lucius.

"Not particularly," responded Draco smartly.

"We're going to have to work on that attitude of yours, smart ass remarks are not appropriate in front the Dark Lord or his followers."

"Pity, maybe I'm not cut out for that life then," said Draco sarcastically.

SMACK! Lucius hit Draco across the face with his cane, taking Draco completely by surprise and knocking him to the ground. "I am getting tired of your stubbornness Draco, I have a reputation to uphold and I will not allow you to ruin that for me!"

Draco looked malevolently at Lucius, his eye now black and blue from where Lucius had hit him, "Then why don't you just tell me what this is about so we can both get on with our lives?"

"Professor Snape has informed me that you are working on an advanced potions project due to your O on your potions O.W.L."

"Yeah, so?"

"He also mentioned that you are working on it with none other than Miss Granger, is that correct?"

"I suppose," Draco said, feigning boredom. Inside he did not like where this conversation was going at all, what could Lucius possibly want with Hermione?

"Severus also informs me that you seem to be becoming rather friendly with Miss Granger," drawled Lucius, "is this true?"

For a fleeting second Draco's eyes widened, "of course not," he replied a little too forcefully. "I can't stand that filthy mudblood."

Lucius noticed the difference in Draco, "I see," Lucius calmly pulled out his wand and aimed it at Draco's heart, "I will not accept lies Draco! Legilmens!" The spell hit Draco, with such a force, he was knocked to the ground. Luckily all his years of closing himself off from his emotions prevented Lucius from seeing much. However in his unprepared state, one thought broke through, and it was the last thought Draco wanted Lucius to see. He was looking into Hermione's eyes, the desire to hold her burning in him. She was smiling sweetly up at him, he slowly leaned in and kissed her, and then she whispered "I love you".

"AAHHHH!" shouted Draco, closing his mind to any further penetration.

Lucius was looking at Draco with a mixture of loathing and triumph. For a moment which they stared at each other, Draco looking with wide-eyed fear, and Lucius glaring at his only son, his heir with pure hatred, "my own son, with a mudblood! glacio exanimus!" The pain was even more intense and faster acting than the last time, On top of the coldness outside, Draco was now freezing on the inside as well. His breath froze in midair, and icicles formed on his skin. After a long pause in which Draco remained half frozen on the ground, Lucius spoke, "I will give you two choices Draco," his voice was colder than the ice that lined Draco's skin. "Either you get rid of that piece of filth mudblood, or you continue to see her, and have the privilege of watching her die at your hand when you join the Dark Lord."

Draco looked at Lucius with the utmost hatred; he made to get up when Lucius hit him yet again with the glacio exanimus curse, causing tears of ice to freeze on his cheeks as he began to shake violently. He vomited all over the ground, and was gradually growing stiller, and less able to move as he literally froze from the inside out. He wanted more than anything to die right then and there to end all his pain. His body was stiff and completely covered in a thin layer of blue ice, he began to shake violently again, and then after one last look of pure hatred at Lucius, he passed out.

Back in the Great Hall, everyone was enjoying themselves having finished a wonderful dinner, and were now talking amicably amongst themselves as they ate desert. The only one who did not appear to be enjoying themselves (besides Snape who never looked happy) was Hermione. Everyone seemed to notice that she was very distant, and not paying attention, which was very much unlike her. Ginny, Ron, and Harry tried multiple times to engage her in the conversation, but nothing worked and Ginny was sure that this had something to do with Malfoy's absence.

Ginny excused herself from the table without finishing desert and invited Hermione to come. Hermione, who had not even touched her cake, got up and thankfully followed Ginny to the common room. "You alright?" Ginny asked as they sat facing the fire.

"No," admitted Hermione, "Ginny, his father is evil, he's tortured him every time they've seen each other this year!" Hermione then proceeded to tell Ginny about what really had happened in Hogsmeade, and Ginny listened.

"Wow! How could a parent do that to their child, even if it is Malfoy?" asked Ginny amazed.

Lucius levitated Draco back to Hogwarts, he then fed him a potion that woke him up, but left him still half frozen and in a complete daze with only memories of the pain he had just felt in his mind.

"Now, remember what I said," Lucius ordered, "either you break it off with the mudblood, or she dies, and you'll be begging me to only torture you as much as I did today."

Draco was too dizzy to respond, but Lucius wasn't waiting for a response anyway, he turned his back and left Draco standing in the Entrance Hall. Draco clumsily made his way through the hallway, and without thinking he led himself to the library. He was too exhausted to turn around, so he went to the private room, and crashed on the couch, immediately passing out again.

Hermione was gradually growing more anxious rather than comforted talking to Ginny and remembering the way he looked after the last two times he had seen his father. Unnoticed to either of the girls, the portrait hole opened, and Harry and Ron walked in silently behind them.

"Just forget about it Hermione," comforted Ginny, I'm sure everything will be fine, you'll see."

Hermione began to cry, "You didn't see him before! He looked like Hell after the last time he saw Lucius!"

Harry and Ron cast curious glances at each other, 'why would Hermione and Ginny be talking about Malfoy?' but they decided not to interrupt.

"You really care about him don't you?" asked Ginny.

Hermione nodded, then looked at Ginny with a look that was mingled with fear, guilt, desperation, and longing, she then whispered, "I told him I loved him."

CRASH! The plates of deserts the boys had been carrying for Ginny and Hermione fell to the floor, and the girls turned around with a start. Harry was speechless and staring at Hermione in shock and Ron was wearing a look of disgust and anger the likes of which Hermione had never seen on his face. "What!" he shouted.

"Ron, calm down," interrupted Ginny.

"Shut up Ginny! I'm not talking to you," yelled Ron, not taking his eyes off Hermione. "Is that true? You love Malfoy!" Ron's eyes were wide and he was practically shaking with anger.

Hermione stared at the boys terrified; she opened her mouth, but found herself unable to answer.

"What the Hell are you thinking Hermione?!" roared Ron, looking like he could attack at any moment.

"How long has this been going on?" asked Harry somewhat calmer than Ron, but still revolted.

"A while," Ginny answered for Hermione.

"So what have you been making out with him in the hallways or something?" pressured Ron.

Hermione was insulted, anger shown through her eyes past all the tears, "of course not!"

"You must be, because nothing else could possibly make Malfoy want to be around a girl, and we all know that's why Pansy likes him." Ron spat, he was no longer thinking about what he was saying, but even in his anger, he knew he went too far.

Hermione shook with rage, and she wanted more than anything to slap Ron in the face, but she suddenly didn't have the energy to do it. She looked at him, tears of anger running down her face now, the anger more pronounced than ever, and without warning or comment, she turned and rushed into her dormitory, slamming the door and locking it behind her. She closed the bed hangings around her, and just stared up at the ceiling, unable to concentrate any of her thoughts.

Ginny was furious, "Ron! How could you say that to Hermione! You know none of it is true!"

"Well, why else would Malfoy kiss her," Ron said defensively with unmistakable guilt in his voice.

"Ron, I can't explain anything about Malfoy, but we all know Hermione, and we know that she wouldn't go near Malfoy unless she was sure he had changed."

"I'll never trust him," said Ron stubbornly.

"Then good luck getting Hermione to talk to you again, because you heard what she said, she thinks she loves him," reasoned Ginny.

Harry and Ron cringed at the thought, "But it's Malfoy!" They said together.

Ginny just sighed, "I know, but he must have done something that made Hermione like him."

"Maybe he poisoned her, or maybe he's controlling her with the imperius curse!" Ron shouted triumphantly.

"Ron, that makes no sense and you know it," responded Ginny.

"Well it makes more sense than Hermione loving him," challenged Ron looking to Harry for confirmation.

"That is kinda far fetched on an idea Ron, then again, so is the other alternative," shrugged Harry.

Ginny rolled her eyes at the pair of them and then made her way to talk to Hermione, but found the door was locked. She tried knocking on it for about five minutes, but when no response came, she gave up.

I hope you all enjoyed chapter 12! And remember, no update until I get 55 reviews, so please send one and let me know what you think!