Troubled Past

Disclaimer: Not a lot of this stuff is mine.

Thank yous: iamtherealmaverick, the-mpreg-spirit, orlin, im no muggle, RoschLupin-Black, Goddess of Gorgeousness, LiLy MaLfOy13, sophie, Beth5572, katriena, Shinigami, MionePotter2U, redrose2310, KAT15, and Aia Angel.

MionePotter2U: Harry has James's brown eyes in this. Potters don't tend to have green eyes in many of my fics.

Right, there is a death wish for Edward Potter, so, I may follow through with that or I may not.

I am going to try and pace the Lucius/James relationship as much as I can, but I'm not very good pacing…

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Chapter 6: Knowing You

It was mid-November now and the gossip around the school about James had not lessened much, even after the Headmaster had asked for it to stop during a feast one night. But even so, the seventeen-year-old Gryffindor was soldiering on, he now refused to go home or let the gossips and Slytherins get the better of him. Sirius, Remus and Lily were sticking by James's side like glue, and with both the Head Boy and Head Girl as close friends, a lot of people were given detentions for picking on James when Remus and Lily were nearby. Sirius, of course, tended to go more for the violence to stop the gossiping and taunting than just telling someone in authority about it. Though James didn't originally want his friends to fight his battles for him, he did truly appreciate what they were doing for him, the same with the teachers. A lot of the teachers were on James's side as well, especially Professor Malfoy, nobody would even mention James's name around the blond professor in case they were yelled at.

Things really were starting to look up for young James Potter. He was getting good grades in school, he had great friends, he wasn't as much of a focal point as he had been a month previous, he was keeping in regular contact with his grandparents who updated him on Harry every letter. On top of that, he was becoming quite attached to his Potions professor whom he had been helping out a lot recently.

…………

"James, if you do that, you're going to end up blowing up the dungeon," said Lucius in reply to James's potion mixture suggestions, which really were some horribly stupid ideas, and he felt sure that James knew that.

James gazed blankly at his professor, "Your point?"

Lucius rolled his eyes and went back to marking the essays he had just remembered about, one of his classes had been waiting nearly a fortnight for their results. "I happen to like it down here, and anyway, if you blew the dungeon up the entire school would cave in on itself."

James sat down across the desk from Lucius and frowned a little, "What about the Slytherin common room? Can I blow that up while they're all in there?"

Lucius smirked, "Now a contained blast we could probably handle."

"Is that a yes?"

"No, it is not," replied Lucius, he glanced up at the dark haired boy opposite him. He could see why some of the teachers had disliked James before he had been taken out of school, the boy really could be a talkative and cheeky little git when he opened up to you. "I know how much you would love to do that, but do digress, you're giving me ideas."

"That is what I was aiming for, Professor," replied James, emphasising 'professor' in an overly sweet voice. He widened his eyes innocently when Lucius scowled at him. "Was the Narcissa Black impression too much?"

"Far too much, are you trying to give me nightmares?"

"I'm not that cruel."

Lucius snorted quietly, "I'm sure. Anyway, don't you think you ought to do some homework?"

"I've done it," replied James, he noticed the blond's sceptical look. "I have."

"As long as you don't get behind."

"I won't," James watched Lucius work silently for a few moments before he spoke again, "Professor?"

"Call me Lucius, James, there's no one else around."

James shrugged, "Okay, Lucius. Can I ask you something?"

Lucius glanced up at him briefly, "I think you'll find you just did, but shoot away."

James hesitated for a moment, "I was just wondering…I mean…all the other teachers keep questioning my emotions and my psychological state since school started and…well, you haven't…"

Lucius put his quill down and folded his arms on his desk, he surveyed James thoughtfully for a moment, "Would you rather I did?"

James shook his head, "No, I mean, its nice that not everyone is doing it…I was just wondering…I just find it odd that you're being so nice to me and you haven't questioned me or anything…"

Lucius nodded slowly, "I understand to some extent how you feel, James, and I know I wouldn't appreciate it if my teachers kept sticking their noses into my business and alluding to the relationship I had with my father," he noticed James flinched a little. "My point exactly. I don't want to make it any worse for you than it already is."

James smiled slightly, "Thank you," he definitely felt far more than just a crush for this man now. "I have another question."

"Oh no."

James frowned, "No need to sound so happy about it," Lucius smirked at him and indicated for him to continue. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Lucius raised an eyebrow, a slightly amused look still on his face, "No, I don't, nor a boyfriend, before you ask. Anyway, don't be so nosy, or I may have to take points."

James shrugged, "Doesn't bother me…if you don't want me to be nosy, then why did you answer?"

"I don't know."

James grinned before getting to his feet; "I'll leave you to do your work now," he headed for the door to the classroom.

"James?"

James looked back to the blond that had captured his heart, "Yeah?"

Lucius gazed at the young man in his classroom, he was starting to feel something more than just a little friendly affection for the boy. "Feel free to come and bother me anytime of the day or night."

James smirked, "I may just take you up on that."

…

At breakfast the next morning, James was feeling quite happy and good within himself, and this vast change in mood was certainly being noticed by his friends, as he happily munched away at his breakfast.

Sirius raised his eyebrows at Remus and Lily before looking back to James who seemed quite blissfully unaware of the gazes he was getting, "Feeling all right today, Jay?"

"I'm feeling great."

As pleased as the three of them were to hear this, it was still a bit sudden, considering James had still been fairly down on himself yesterday, "Do you mind us asking, why?" asked Lily tentatively.

James glanced up at the three of them, just as his grandfather's owl landed beside him, he untied the letter as he spoke, "Well, I just figured why be miserable all the time? I mean, I'm not being harassed so much now, not everyone is abandoning me…that and I had a really good dream last night and I refuse to let anything spoil the visual in my head right now," he unfolded his letter and started reading it.

Lily raised her eyebrows, "It's a good change in you, I must say."

"I try."

Remus buttered himself some toast as he spoke, "How's Harry?"

James smiled slightly after he had finished his letter and put it in one of his pockets, "He can run around without falling over and hurting himself, and he can climb the stairs now; he is also right handed, apparently," he missed his son like crazy. Harry was another reason why he was staying at Hogwarts, he wanted to be strong for his little guy, whether he had to prove it or not. But at least he knew that he would be seeing his son again in December, he definitely planned on going home for Christmas with his friends in tow. "We have potions first, right?"

Remus nodded, "Yeah," he raised his eyebrows slightly at James's grin, though he, Sirius and Lily knew full well what he was so happy about when it came to that subject. It was becoming very apparent that James was completely smitten with their blond professor, who had also taken rather a liking to their friend.

Sirius snorted at the look on James's face, "You spend enough time with him, jump him if you have too."

"Shut up."

………

Another day was over and done with and James crossed it off on his calendar before flopping down onto his bed in the seventh year boys' dormitory; that was another way that he got through each day now. He wouldn't think about tomorrow, or the next day or next week, but just think in the present, and he would take each day as it came. It certainly worked for him, the only times he would think ahead were when he had homework or when he was thinking about Christmas.

"Oi, Jameo!"

James lifted his head to see Sirius enter the dormitory in his Quidditch robes, "What?"

"Quidditch practise!"

"Oh right, sorry," James forced himself to get up off his bed, "I'll meet you down there."

"Okay," Sirius grabbed his broom and headed off out the door, but before he left he stopped and turned back to James. "I went down to make sure we could have the pitch this evening without interruptions, and um…there are some Slytherins intent on watching our practise… just so you know."

James frowned a little, "Okay, thanks," after Sirius had left the dormitory the messy haired teenager yawned and stretched before he went about discarding his school uniform and pulling his Quidditch uniform and robes on. When he was ready he grabbed his broom and headed out of the dormitory and down through the common room to the portrait hole.

"James, wait for me!"

James stopped and looked over his shoulder to see Remus coming towards him, "I thought you didn't like Quidditch?"

Remus shrugged and followed him out of the portrait hole, "I don't, particularly, but Sirius will sulk if I don't turn up to watch you lot practise," James laughed; Sirius was certainly horrible to be around when he sulked.

…

Quidditch practise was going absolutely fine; the Slytherins that had turned up to watch and tease (James, most likely) hadn't said a single word because they had spotted Professor Malfoy down at the entrance to the pitch watching the practise also. They perhaps were not quite stupid enough to make fun of James right in front of the one teacher that really gets annoyed when people do that to. Remus was sitting with Lily in one of the stands opposite to the one that the group of Slytherins occupied, cheering on their House team and yelling sexual remarks at Sirius to make him slip up, which proved to be quite effective.

Now that he was back in the air and playing this sport, James felt like he had never taken a break from it; he felt more comfortable flying on a broom than he did walking on the ground, which probably became quite obvious to people if they watched him walk after he had been flying for a while. While he was playing and concentrating on catching the quaffle and scoring goals, he was very aware of the silvery gaze following him around the pitch, more than once he had been hit in the head with the quaffle because his own gaze had fallen upon the blond on the ground.

Finally though, practise finished and Sirius decided that he would be a little nice today as it was cold and his team was starving. "Let's finish up and go inside! Good practise guys!"

"Good practise except for you messing up, Sirius," snapped Elizabeth Chamberlain, a fellow seventh year and one of Lily's friends.

Sirius scowled at her and pointed at Remus and Lily, "Blame those two."

James snorted at the wounded look on Sirius's face; he decided to hold back when the rest of the Gryffindor team left because he had noticed that Lucius hadn't left yet. After they had gone he went over to Lucius who was apparently waiting for him, "Did you enjoy that? Going to give your little Slytherins a few pointers?"

Lucius raised his eyebrows, "As my team are pretty damn appalling at this game, there isn't really much point, is there?"

"Guess not," James slung his broom over his shoulder as the two of them started walking back up to the school. "So did you come out here just for leisure time or are you trying to protect me from those bastards back there?"

Lucius glanced at James out of the corners of his eyes and saw the curiosity shining in those brown eyes, "Would it bother you if I said I was looking out for you?"

James shrugged, "You wouldn't be the only one…not that I want others to fight my battles for me but…" he glanced almost shyly at his handsome blond professor. "I do appreciate it, thank you."

Lucius smiled slightly and ruffled James's already naturally messy and now windswept hair, "No problem at all, James, I'm happy to do it."

Always good to know, thought James, as he walked a little closer to his professor now and he felt absolutely sure that Lucius had noticed. He smells nice…

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A/N: Long time no update… that was shitty wasn't it? Be honest.

Next Chapter: The long over due Christmas chapter! James goes home though he doesn't want to leave Lucius's company. Lily, Remus and Sirius tag along to the Potters.