Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Thank you for the wonderful reviews. This chapter is not really what I want it to be, but it will have to do. The next chapter will be Slughorn's party!

Chapter 5

Birthday Surprise

Lucius sat in the drawing room enjoying what peace there was before those brats arrived for the girl's birthday. The house had remained silent since he left the girl's room that morning…eerily quiet. By lunch, Lucius began to worry slightly. After all, if anything happened to the girl he would be blamed being the only one in the house with her. As he ate, he called for the house elf, Blinky. With a pop, she arrived.

"Where is Miss Granger?"

Blinky looked at him.

"Miss Granger in her room, sir."

Lucius took a deep breath. Why was this girl staying in her room like a child?

"Does she plan on starving herself to death?"

Blinky shook her head.

"No, sir."

Lucius' eyes narrowed in suspicion. The house elf seemed nervous. Not like she had done anything to upset Lucius, but as if she knew something that may very well. And Lucius knew this house elf quite well, after all she came from Malfoy Manor.

"Blinky, what did Miss Granger say or do to you?"

It seemed odd to ask such a question. The Gryffindor would hurt no one it seemed, but Blinky's actions made Lucius wonder.

"Oh, Mister Malfoy! The Miss was quite angry! She refused to come down. I says 'wouldn't the miss like some company with the Mister Malfoy. He was kind enough to hold you through your nightmares." Blinky started shaking her head letting Lucius know this was Blinky's undoing. Lucius remained silent hoping she would continue. "The miss was angry! She yelled at Blinky! The miss says 'I would rather run straight into the arms of the Shadow than to wake up in that beast's arms again."

Lucius sent Blinky on her way and accepted the rest of the day without the little brat. It didn't stop him from fuming at the simple thought that she felt she had the right to be angry with him. What had he done? He spent the remainder of the day in the drawing room. Without warning the previous night's events would jump out of memory fogging whatever book lay open in front of him.

Lucius shut his book with a snap. Looking around the empty drawing room the silence and void of another person began to engulf him. Was he actually missing that insufferable Mudblood's company?

No.

Before he could think on it any more than that, he heard the front gates open admitting the birthday guests. Lucius reached the door at the same time the small group did. He opened the door and stood there with his head held high as he looked down his nose at the Gryffindors before him. He didn't get a chance to say a word to them…only sneer in utter disgust.

Her friends.

There was the sudden sound of feet pounding. Hermione was running down the stairs. Lucius turned to see her face alight in joy at seeing their familiar faces. She ran right past Lucius, nudging him aside on her way, and ran right into the arms of her friends.

"Merlin, Granger. You act as if you haven't seen them in a bloody month." Draco stepped from behind the group and walked around them into the house. His usual evil smirk appeared in his own amusement. "Oh, wait. You haven't seen them in a month."

Hermione stopped hugging her friends to turn and glare at Draco. The feeling of his father's cane on his shoulder stopped Draco's laughter.

"Play nice now, Draco. After all, it is Miss Granger's birthday."

Lucius forced a smile on his face as he looked at Hermione. Her glare struck him. He couldn't pull his eyes away and silently felt sorry for anyone who ever met her wrath.

"Like father like son."

Her voice was cold and malicious. Hermione brushed past Lucius. In the middle of the great room that made Hermione think a huge party could be thrown in it sat a large round table with birthday cake and gifts in the middle. Halfway to the table Hermione stopped and turned around.

"I know you would like to spend time with your son. Therefore, you are welcome to join us as long as you behave."

With a nod of acceptance, Lucius began to walk toward the table. He stopped next to Hermione who still stood halfway across the room. Looking down his nose at her he sneered at her, "I am not the child here, Miss Granger."

He heard a slight growl of frustration escape her throat as she turned toward the table once again. He followed suit, sitting next to his son—his only ally in the group.

Lucius remained at the table by his son. He could not help watching Hermione with her friends, no matter how much he hated them.

And her.

His face betrayed nothing. It was a mask of pure loathing that he always wore. He sat directly across from her at the round table. Her face was a ball of light while she talked and celebrated with cake. On occasion Hermione would look up and her eyes would meet Lucius'. He didn't miss what happened when this would occur. A cloud seemed to pass over her features each time this happened. A cloud that created a twinge of something unknown deep within Lucius and serving to only irritate him more.

Hermione sat across from Lucius trying to ignore his presence. It was impossible to ignore Lucius Malfoy sitting across from her with his head held high looking down his nose at everyone there. Images of the night before threatened to overwhelm her. More than anything, she wanted Lucius to act human for once…to treat everyone else as human beings. She wanted to reach across the table, place her hands on either side of his face and bring his head down to her level, to have to face her instead of looking down on her. The thought of doing such a thing brought a blush to her cheeks that didn't go unnoticed.

"Hermione? Are you okay? You look a bit flushed."

Hermione smiled at Ginny's concern.

"Yes, I guess it's just all the excitement."

Carefully, she avoided looking at Lucius. She thought if she did, she just might act on this sudden urge and she was still trying to figure out why. With a deep calming breath, she began to open the gifts her friends brought for her. Harry was the last to hand her his gift. Slowly, she unwrapped it. Lucius couldn't help but laugh on the inside at the stunned shocked look on Hermione's face before the blush covered her entirely.

"Harry!"

Harry looked up worried and defensive.

"Ginny picked it out!"

Hermione turned her eyes to Ginny who did not act ruffled in the least.

"Harry wanted to get you a costume for Slughorns little party. I picked it out. Have a bit of fun for once Hermione."

"I can't wear this!"

This piqued Lucius' curiosity despite himself. He remained in his seat with a look of complete disinterest in the silly girl across from him. His eyebrow rose at his son rising from the seat and looking across the table in the box. With a crooked smile, Draco sat down and stared at Hermione in utter amusement.

"Damn, Granger! What is wrong, afraid you'll freeze your arse off?"

She looked at him with a look somewhere in between exasperation and amusement. Resigning herself to the fact that this was her costume for the party, she thanked Harry and threatened Ginny.

About thirty minutes later found everyone in the drawing room listening to the Wizarding Wireless and talking amongst them. Lucius was sure he would be ill from the laughter that seemed to come in continuous streams. At least his son was putting forth some sort of effort here and he spoke frequently with his father. Draco stood in front of his father speaking about what Lucius was unsure. He was busy watching with narrowed eyes as Hermione led Potter out of the drawing room and toward the stairs. He felt a wave of unexplainable anger wash over him. Excusing himself, he followed the couple.

Hermione led Harry into her room and quietly shut the door. Turning around she looked at Harry.

"Well? Did you find anything out?"

When Hermione owled Harry about Draco's arrival for her celebration, she also told him about the strange snowflake gift. Harry agreed to do a bit of searching on her behalf. It worried her not knowing who sent it.

"Well, like you already mentioned, it is a rare piece of jewelry." Hermione nodded her head to indicate Harry should continue. As he spoke, Hermione paced around the room as if trying to piece it all together. "The phoenix tear in the center gives the necklace a protection to anyone who wears it…"

Hermione came to an abrupt halt and looked up at Harry.

"And none of you sent it?"

Harry gave her a withering look—they had been through this already.

"Then…then who would send me such a gift?"

Harry shrugged and then continued.

"Hermione, there is more." She looked at him with concern covering her features. "In the whole of the wizarding world there were only five necklaces made by the same man and these necklaces are seen as family heirlooms. They have already been through five generations at the least." Harry stopped talking to give it all a chance to sink into Hermione's mind. Questions ran through her head though—who would give her this gift instead of passing it down to a family member? Was someone trying to protect her? Finally, a thought struck her and she looked up at Harry.

"Do we know what families owned these necklaces?"

Harry smiled.

"Working on that one. I'll let you know as soon as I find something out."

Hermione's face softened a bit as she reached up to hug Harry.

"Thanks Harry. I don't know what I would have done without you."

As Harry hugged her back and told her no problem he noticed an odd piece of clothing laying across Hermione's bed—a pair of pajama bottoms. Before Harry could ask about them, Lucius' voice broke through the moment.

"Miss Granger."

They both jumped. Harry saw something strange pass over Hermione's features. Lucius looked between the two of them as Hermione turned to face him full on. Harry kept an arm around her instinctively. Finally, Lucius' gaze fell on Hermione.

"Do you think it is prudent to be shut up in your room with this…boy?"

Hermione stared at him for a moment. What was he inferring? And what did he care?

"I don't think that is any of your concern Mister Malfoy."

"Oh, but it is Miss Granger."

Harry's eyes and his mind kept shifting to the pajama bottoms laying on the bed. Looking around he could see the room was full of Hermione's belongings. These pajama bottoms were the only thing that seemed out of place as if they didn't belong to Hermione. Harry knew they didn't. Lucius saw Harry looking at the bed and followed his gaze. He was shocked to find the house elf had placed his pajama bottoms on Miss Granger's bed instead of his own. Lucius raised his eyebrow as Harry looked at him, daring him to say a word about it.

"What have you done to Hermione?"

Hermione turned to look at her bed to see what set Harry off even more. She did not get a chance to comment on what she saw. Lucius reached out like a snake striking quickly, grabbing Hermione by her arm, and pulling her uncomfortably close. He stared into her face and Hermione did her best not to look at him, instead she kept her eyes downcast to the right. With the serpent tip of his cane, he gently moved some hair off her forehead and ran the serpent head down the side of her face as he answered Harry's question.

"I did nothing Miss Granger did not want me to do."

Unconsciously, Lucius licked his lips. Hermione's heart was pounding so loud in her ear that she could barely hear herself think or hear Lucius' voice in her ear. He leaned down closer to her ear so that she could almost feel his lips moving as they spoke softly.

"Or asked me to do."

With a slight chuckle, Lucius let go of Hermione and waited at the door for them to exit the room. Hermione straightened herself just barely aware that she had been holding her breath. Harry protectively took a hold of Hermione's hand as they walked passed Lucius into the hall. Draco stood there looking between the three of them with an odd expression on his face.

"Lupin is here, Potter. We got to go."

Lucius was a silent shadow following them down the stairs and waiting in shadow as she said goodbye to her friends and his son. She paid him no attention as she turned from the door and went straight up the stairs to her room.

Hermione sat on her bed looking through one of the books Draco had given her for her birthday. Lying across the bed were Lucius pajama bottoms. Emotions stirred in Hermione. Anger was one of them. Why did he treat her like that? And in front of Harry? Her mind whirled at how to make him just as uncomfortable as she was.

Just as an idea came to mind, Lucius walked in to retrieve his pajamas. He glanced at her as he picked them up and headed out the door. Halfway across the room her voice stopped him.

"Mister Malfoy?"

Slowly he turned around.

"Why precisely were you so concerned about Harry being up here with me?"

Lucius just stared at her.

Bold one that one.

"Miss Granger, in my day it did not look well for a young…woman to have a boy in her room with the door shut."

Hermione snorted in amusement. She looked at him wide eyed realizing she had actually done so aloud and not just mentally.

"Sorry, you just talk as if you are ancient…and you are far from it."

His eyebrow rose as she said this and a slight worry began to stir deep within him.

Hermione stood up and walked straight up to Lucius. Her heart was pounding, but there was no time for questioning herself.

Just do it.

Lucius watched her warily. He stood in his usual position looking down his nose at the girl. Getting up on her tiptoes, Hermione gently grabbed a hold of his face and brought his head down. He had no choice but to look down at Hermione verses down his nose at Hermione like filth. He was forced to look at her as an equal who was only shorter than he was. She held his face as she spoke.

"In some warped way I find it very sweet…you defending my lowly honor like that…thank you, Lucius Malfoy."

Then she did the one thing he would have least expected beside the thank you. She stood taller on her tiptoes and as gentle, as she could she kissed him on the cheek.