Disclaimer: See Prologue
A big thanks and a shoutout goes to:
Tenshisangel
olifantie-emma
The Gryffindor Drummer
Bob the Amazing Immortal Bouncing Goldfish Lord of the Exploding Plastacine Chickens – First off, I love your name. It's a classic, really it is. Second, I'm SORRY that you have to wait for a shitload of chapters to come out before we actually reach something that you haven't read. I don't know what was wrong with me that day...I uploaded the WRONG document twice before finding the right one.
Brillantblonde9 – I'm glad you enjoy it. It's always nice to hear from people who enjoy it.
siriusly lupine – Thanks, I'm glad you think that Sirius fits. And isn't Maya quite the character? I like her. Hehe.
Sermione – I have to say that that never gets old, hearing how great y'all think these stories are. I have to agree, Sirius/Hermione fics are great. And the nice Malfoy...well, Lucius just adds character to the whole thing, don't you think?
PandylBas – I'm glad you enjoy the songs. These songs are all chosen because I think they fit the characters, and because I like the song. I can almost guarantee that if I don't like a song, I'm not going to put it in here.
Jinger – LOL! Have you read any of my others? If you like this one, I think you may also enjoy By the Blood, I Commend You. It's the other WIP that I have, currently. Though, it's a HG/DM instead of a HG/SB fic. I'm trying to get one of almost all of the Hermione pairings in my writing.
Again, I'm sorry for those of you who read the crappy first edition that cut off quite suddenly with the unfinished fifth chapter. Yeah...I'm still working on that chapter. It's a hard one, because it covers stuff that isn't actually essential to the story. It's more or less the transition chapter. It marks the nearly halfway point in the RPG.
Yours,
Allison
"Learn from the Past
Live in the Present
Look to the Future" Maya Gurgeon
Kicking Buckets
Lalala Chapter 2 Lalala
"Leave it to Hermione to con her way onto a band, one way or another." Ginny said, smiling sadly. "She loves singing..."
"Yeah." Harry said. "She has always been a sucker for a guy that could sing, too." He paused when he heard a sound of pain come from Sirius...the first sign of life from his godfather since the story had begun.
Severus put a hand on Sirius' back before he took a deep breath and continued. "Maya and Lucius began seeing each other more than before...it was odd, to the rest of us. We couldn't understand why they'd like spending time together with the contest over..."
"Perhaps, Severus..." A smoothe drawl came from the doorway. "It is best if I tell this part?" The group turned to see Lucius and Draco Malfoy both standing in the doorway. Draco looked confused, while Lucius looked oddly sad.
"Of course, Lucius..." Remus began, but Harry jump in.
"What are you doing here, Death Eater?" He snarled, drawing his wand.
"Waiting for an old friend." Lucius said.
"Harry, sit down." Ginny said. "I want to hear the story!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him back down.
Remus continued as if nothing untoward had happened. "I assume you've told Draco what's going on?"
Lucius gave a curt nod, and then his gray eyes slowly unfocused as he looked out the window...finally beginning to speak...
SCENEBREAKSCENEBREAKSCENEBREAK
Maya was stretched out beside Lucius, putting the finishing touches on an essay for Defence Against the Dark Arts the day that the owl came. It was solid black, with burning red eyes...and all it did was land and shove a leg into Lucius' face. When he took the parchment tied there, it flew off...but only after giving Maya a good peck.
"Bloody owl!" She cried out, turning back to her essay, just to curse again. "That wanker shit on my essay! Scourgify!"
Lucius couldn't help smiling at her red face and fiery eyes as he opened the letter, but the smile fell away as he read...as did any color that was in his face. Maya must have noticed, because when he started trembling, she took the letter from his hands and handed him a warm drink. He sipped it, unseeingly...hey! That was pretty good! Chocolate! "W-what's in this?" He managed.
"Chocolate and milk." She said. "It's a muggle drink, called Hot Chocolate...wonderful for a stormy day." She was reading over the letter as he sipped again. He looked up sharply when he realized what she was doing, but after a moment she just sighed and set the paper aside. "Lucius...I'm going to tell you something that I want you to remember for forever, okay?"
"Okay..." He said, warily...wondering what this was about. Maya perched in his lap and leaned back against his shoulder, not looking at him as she rested the side of her face against his, staring into the fire.
"No matter who tells you what, you are your own person. You can listen to them all you want, you can flinch at some of their ideas, and you can feel like punching their faces into bloody pulps...but in the end, it's you that will be deciding what you believe in. I can't tell you what to believe, nor can Potter or Black...or even Severus or Lily. In the end, all that will matter is you and what you feel...what you believe in. Orian Malfoy is just another one of those people. Father or no...all he will be to you in the end is the voice in your ear trying to influence you. Just like I am, just like Lily and Severus are." She began to pull away, but Lucius wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly.
"Maya..." He whispered as she turned, slowly, to face him. "I..." She put her fingers gently over his mouth. After a moment, he leaned in and kissed her, her hand sliding from his lips to frame his face. After a few moments, they both pulled back and looked at each other.
"Did you...?" Maya began...but Lucius knew what she was asking.
"Not a thing."
"Me neither." She smiled, almost relieved, and laughed along with Lucius as he hugged her tightly.
"No offence, Maya..." He told her...but her heart was bursting too much from relief to take offence. "But you're more like my sister than anything else."
"Same here, Lucius." Hermione said. "You're like a brother to me...but I had to know."
"Yeah, me too." He smiled and hugged her one more time before letting her go. They settled back in to finish their homework, and it was in a comfortable silence that they left each other hours later to make their way to their respective common rooms.
Hermione muttered the password to the fat lady and stepped inside, yawning as she headed for the stairs.
"Another study session with Lucy?" She turned, dropping her bag and grabbing her wand at the voice. Sirius stood there with his hands out to each side easily, showing her that he was unarmed.
"Indeed. At least SOMEONE I know has an intellect." She said, donning the mask that she always assumed around the Marauders...a hauty look on her face. She couldn't afford to change the past...though she would love, with everything she was, to get to know this young Sirius...to learn to love him. And Remus and James as well. These were the people she loved with all of her heart...but she couldn't show it.
"I'm hurt, really I am." Sirius put a hand over his heart. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Are you quite finished?" She asked. "I would like to get some sleep before the game tomorrow."
"Why, going to cheer for your precious Slytherins?" He asked, sneering. She just looked at him, her face cold. "They won't win, you know. They never do."
"Oh, it's too bad." She replied smoothly. "Your ego could handle coming down a notch or fifty." She picked her bookbag back up and walked upstairs, where Lily was waiting.
"Hey...are you going out with Lucius?" Lily asked, anxiously. Hermione managed a smile.
"No...we're just friends. He kissed me..."
"He KISSED you!" Lily interrupted, eyes wide.
"...And there was no chemistry. We're more like brother and sister than anyone else." Hermione finished, ignoring her friend's outburst.
"That's a relief...Narcissa Black has been making threats behind your back...I think she might make good on some of them if you don't watch out, Maya." Lily said.
"I could handle anything she threw at me...but thanks for the warning, Lils." Hermione said, softly. "Come on...we'd better get to bed if we want to be well-rested for the big game tomorrow."
When she was sure that Lily was asleep, Hermione sat up and sighed, pulling out her journal and whispering aloud as she wrote. "Lucius kissed me today. He's just like a brother to me, though, so there was nothing to worry about...though I wonder who would worry anyway. Not like I'm sought after by any guys. It's hard...seeing James, Sirius, and Remus and not being able to get to know them. Not being able to get to know who they are, really and truly...Lils is my only true friend, besides Lucius and Severus. No offence to the guys...but I just feel so alone sometimes...even with the three of them. Christmas is coming soon...I think I'll get presents for the Marauders, even though they won't be expecting them. I just won't be able to handle not sending out presents to my family and old friends...and I don't want to think about what'll happen when I wake up on Christmas day and there are no presents for me...anyway...quidditch is tomorrow, so I'd better go. I almost wish I'd tried out for the team this year...but oh well. I'll just go and cheer for Gryffindor. At least I can do that right."
She slid her journal back under her mattress and rolled over, blowing out her candle and closing her eyes...never knowing that a certain redhead was laying in the bed next to hers, listening to her every word.
SCENEBREAKSCENEBREAKSCENEBREAK
"GO GO GO!" Hermione screamed, watching Remus throw the quaffle to another of the players. Sirius was flying around with the other beater, sending Bludgers flying towards the Slytherins, and James was hovering above the game, watching for the snitch. "YES!" She screamed again as Remus got the quaffle again and put it through one of the rings, giving Gryffindor ten more points.
"That makes the score 50 to 30, Gryffindor!" The announcer shouted, but Hermione ignored him in the next moment as she saw a bludger flying for Sirius' back.
"SIRIUS! BEHIND YOU!" She screamed. Lily looked over in surprise before adding her call to Hermione's. "SIRIUS!"
He turned, bringing up his bat in time to knock the bludger away. It circled around and came back towards him, and he tensed up, hitting it soundly down towards one of the Slytherin chasers. He glanced towards the stand and met Hermione's eyes, raising his bat a little in thanks, before he spun around and flew off to find and hit some more bludgers. Hermione ignored the weak relief that she felt, laughing to herself.
"GO JAMES!" She heard Lily scream, and she looked up to see Severus and James, neck and neck, chasing the snitch. She smiled, not cheering for either seeker...she didn't want Lily mad at her, but she didn't like James enough to cheer for him. She'd cheer for Remus in a heartbeat, but James? Nope!
"YES!" She screamed in the next moment, though, forgetting about not cheering for her team as James' hand closed around the snitch and he held it up in triumph. He flew straight down to Lily, who jumped onto the back of his broom, and the couple made a victory lap, screaming and cheering. Hermione looked up as Sirius flew over to her.
"What do you say, Maya?" He asked, holding out his hand. "Wanna make a lap?"
She hesitated, but when she spotted Viviane Riel running towards Sirius to accept, she growled softly and took his hand, jumping out onto the back of his broom. She regretted it in the next second, though, because she happened to look down.
Sirius could feel her panic as he started to fly around the stadium, and he called back. "Relax! I'm not going to let you fall! You should have told me you were afraid of heights!"
"It's not the height I'm afraid of!" Maya clung to him all the more tightly. "It's the ground at the bottom!" Sirius laughed softly, going even faster until Maya squeaked and buried her face in his back. His breath caught in his throat, and his seat on the broom became very uncomfortable all of a sudden. Both of the teenagers were relieved when he landed, and Sirius watched in amusement as Maya kissed the ground before running over to hug Remus. Hey! How come he got a hug!
He walked over to his friend as Maya ran off towards where Snape and Malfoy, who was the Slytherin Keeper, were standing. Malfoy turned and held his arms out to her and she hugged him sympathetically, making Sirius' blood boil. It was HIS victory! HE deserved a hug.
"Hey Gurgeon!" He shouted. "I knew you liked Death Eaters but I didn't think you would sink so low as to screw them!" He was rewarded by Gurgeon Paling and Snape and Malfoy flushing bright red, stepping protectively in front of the girl, wands out.
"Shove off, Black!" Gurgeon's voice was cold and clear. "At least they CAN get some!"
"SO CAN I!" Sirius shouted.
"Riel doesn't count, Black! She'd sleep with a hippogriff if it looked at her!" Malfoy shouted. Sirius flushed and reached for his wand, but Lily grabbed his arm.
"You DID start it." She said, coldly. "I'd have retaliated too."
"Yeah, but..."
"Jealousy doesn't give you a reason to hurt her." James said, softly. "Lily says she's really lonely."
"What?" Sirius turned.
"She writes in her journal at night. She talks aloud when she writes. She doesn't have anybody left, Sirius." Lily said, softly. "She doesn't think she's getting ANY Christmas presents."
"What! That just won't do!" Remus said, frowning.
"Hogsmeade trip, anyone?" James asked.
"Lovely idea." Sirius said.
"What has Gurgeon ever done to us?" Pudge asked.
"Shut up Pudge." James said.
"Don't be a fool." Sirius added. "We're a democracy, and as a democracy, we've decided."
"Of course, what we mean by democracy is that we choose what we do and you shut up...but the basic point is the same." Remus stated. Lily rolled her eyes and walked over to make sure her friend was okay.
Hermione relaxed against Lucius, when she heard an angry feminine voice shout her name. Sighing, she turned to see Narcissa Black storming towards her. "What a day..." She muttered to herself, stepping forward to meet the angry girl that was a year younger than she was. "Yes, Black?"
"WHAT IS UP WITH YOU AND LUCIUS!"
"Nothing." Hermione said, without blinking.
"THEN WHY ARE YOU HANGING ALL OVER HIM!"
"Because he's like my brother."
"Y-your brother?" Narcissa stuttered.
"Indeed." Hermione said, ignoring Lucius' snicker.
"He told me he kissed you!" Narcissa accused.
"Indeed he did. No chemistry at all. Terribly bland, really." Hermione said.
"Indeed." Lucius said.
"Oh..." Narcissa looked downright confused, so Hermione smiled and took pity on her.
"Listen...Lucius is one of my best friends...hell, he's one of my only friends. But he's only a friend...nothing more and nothing less. He's like my brother, my confidant, and my bodyguard all in one...but I don't love him like you do." Hermione said, softly. "I never will."
She stepped away from Lucius and took Severus' arm, pulling him away from the couple. Lucius hesitated for a moment, and the two of them spoke, and then Hermione saw them smile and link their fingers together. Lucius even leaned in and gave Narcissa a kiss on the cheek. Hermione grinned before hugging Severus.
"I'll talk to you later, Sev." She said, softly. "We're still on for the Christmas Eve thing before the dance, right?"
"Right. We'll be there, Maya." Severus said, smiling.
"Good. Dress for the dance...because we might as well just go straight there afterwards." Hermione said as she waved, walking back towards Lily and the Marauders.
"Gotcha!" Severus walked in the opposite direction...to retrieve Lucius and Narcissa and head inside. Hermione walked up to the Marauders and glanced at Lily.
"Well?" Her redheaded friend asked.
"Yeah, we're still doing it." Maya said. Before Lily could answer, however, Sirius jumped up on a rock and shouted.
"PARTY IN THE GRYFFINDOR TOWER!" The Gryffindors gave a cheer and ran for the castle.