Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Sorry it has been a while. It's been Christmas with the kids home my energies have been going elsewhere. Sorry for any blatant mistakes in spelling or grammar. I wanted to get this one out as quick as possible since you have had to wait so long.

Chapter 10

Voodoo

Hazing clouds rain on my head
Empty thoughts fill my ears
Find my shade by the moon light
Why my thoughts aren't so clear
Demons dreaming
Breathe in, breathe in…

--Godsmack

A rush of adrenaline surged through Hermione's veins—a rush not associated with her argument with Snape. On one hand, her mind went blank as if her only option was just to submit to the feelings this man stirred in her and the feeling of his lips on hers. On the other hand, there was a distant voice calling out to her, screaming, "This is Lucius Malfoy!" That is when it dawned on her. This same man hated her and any like her. Her mind quickly caught up with the rest of her as the man pulled away from her. The smirk fueled the adrenaline in her system urging her to fight or flight. As her fist flew forward she realized flight was not the choice she made, but possibly the one she should have.

She remained standing on the bed after her fist made contact. Immediately she clasped her hands to her mouth in realization as to what she had done. Lucius' cold eyes cut to her as he slowly dabbed the blood off his lip. Now, fear was adding even more adrenaline to her system. He glanced menacingly down at the blood he dabbed onto his hand and back up at the girl frozen in position. He could see a storm raging in her eyes.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WAS THAT FOR?"

Confusion ran through Hermione's veins as she couldn't truly answer him and she so wanted to be back in his arms again. Reason and logic seemed lost when she responded.

"I DON'T KNOW!"

Then she did the most unexpected thing. He was still within arms reach. Hermione reached out grabbing the front of his robes and seized him back toward her. She didn't stop to analyze this time. Instead, she allowed her arms to wrap around his neck and reveled in the feeling of his around her waist.

Once again, her mind seemed to cloud as if she were truly far off somewhere. It never felt like this when Ron kissed her.

Ron who?

Her mind was still a swirling cloud when Lucius abruptly and forcibly pulled away from Hermione.

"I need to be at Hogwarts in approximately fifteen minutes, Miss Granger."

Her mind slowly started to clear.

Miss Granger? Hogwarts?

"Mister Lupin has asked me to cover his classes while he is away. I'll return this evening."

He turned without another word and left the room. Hermione slowly sat down on the bed.

Merlin, what have I done? He is acting as if nothing happened.

With her head in her hands, she fell onto her side on the bed wondering if things could get any worse in the safe house. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. Lucius was leaving her in the house alone all day with Severus Snape.

Before Lucius reached the front door, he felt the trickle of blood on his lip.

Bloody hell.

He couldn't very well show up to teach a class like that. As if he was not angry enough with himself, he had a physical reminder of what he had done.

Brilliant Lucius.

Stepping into the drawing room, Lucius headed straight for the desk. A large antique mirror hung on the wall in front of the desk. Taking a quick survey of the damage done he reached for a medi-witch bag that Madame Pomfrey left for them. He found the ointment he needed to heal the cut. When he looked back in the mirror, he saw Severus walking in the room looking at him curiously. He saw the cut on Lucius' lip in the mirror.

"What did you do Lucius make a pass at the girl?"

The glowering look on Lucius' face served only to make Severus laugh.

"Well, Severus," Lucius said while observing how well his lip healed. "I take it you will not be attending any Death Eater meetings anymore?"

A sarcastic chuckle told Lucius his friend was not happy.

"No, the informed members of the Order find it is 'best for all involved' if I remain in hiding until further notice."

"It could be worse, Severus."

Severus rolled his eyes. As Lucius walked out the door, Severus stopped him with one quick statement.

"I'll talk to Miss Granger about my presence while you are out."

With a crooked smile on his face, Lucius walked out the door.

Upstairs in the combined rooms of Hermione and Lucius', Hermione was frantically placing ward after ward on the door and the room at large. No one, but Hermione or Lucius could get in that room.

After Hermione found her school bag in the corner of Lucius' room, Hermione remained in her own room working. She felt safe there. She still did not know why Severus Snape was in the house, but she was not about to make getting to her any easier for him. Worry creased her brow the remainder of the day. A small and a laugh came to her by way of a loud thud later that day.

Severus told Lucius he would try to talk to that insufferable know it all and tell her why he was there—she was in no danger from him. A problem in this plan resulted when lunchtime came and he found himself sitting alone at the table. The house elf informed him that the girl was taking her lunch in her room. A deep sigh and a grumble about "know-it-all," Severus climbed the steps to approach the girl in her room if he must.

Her door was closed, as was Lucius'. He knew they were connected by way of the arch Lucius created for her. He approached the door to knock on it, but never got the chance. The second he came with in a foot of her door an unseen force pushed him back to hard that Severus found himself flying through the air and into his own bedroom door.

"What the bloody hell!"

From inside the room, he could hear the peeling laughter from the girl.

Lucius returned to the safe house to find Severus in an uproar.

"That child warded the door to prevent my so much as knocking."

Lucius raised an eyebrow at his old friend.

"Are you telling me that chit of a girl warded the door so thoroughly you couldn't get near them? Do demonstrate, Severus."

Lucius held out his hand toward the door inviting Severus to go ahead and make another attempt. When Severus refused, Lucius strode up to the door and placed the palm of his hand on it.

"Well these 'wards' as you say must like me then."

Severus' eyes narrowed as he plowed forward grumbling about not being wrong. The moment he came within a foot of the door, he went hurling through the air again. As Severus picked himself up off the floor for the second time that day, Lucius laughed.

"I'll talk to her Severus."

Lucius entered the room with no problem.

Gently closing the door, Lucius noticed Hermione slumped over her desk. Her head was resting on her hands as she dozed.

"Miss Granger," her head jerked up and awake. "Quite the wards you set on these rooms."

He towered over her as he looked down at her as if waiting for a response. Instead, she looked around nervously. He couldn't help but to flash back to that morning.

"Miss Granger?"

She looked up slowly. Lucius stood there stony as ever holding out a piece of parchment. Tentatively taking the parchment, she stood up. With a nod of his head, Lucius headed back toward the door.

"Please read the letter now. Once you are done, I fully expect you to forgo your self-imposed prison and to see you sitting across from me at the dinner table. Is that clear?"

Hermione simply nodded her head feeling confused as to Lucius attitude change from that morning to now and whom this letter was from. Once Lucius was clearly down the stairs, Hermione opened the parchment. It was a letter from Harry!

Hermione,

I have wonderful news! We are all spending Christmas at Grimmauld Place and Remus thinks after the holiday you will be able to return to Hogwarts! However, there will still be precautions he has warned. I suppose you have heard about my run in with Snape by now. I can only imagine how you have felt knowing the great bat is in the safe house with you. I found it hard to buy at first also, but Hermione you must trust Snape right now…at least some. I'll never fully trust him, but Voldemort put him in charge of finding you and bringing you in. He didn't do it! Instead, he warned the nearest person he could think that could warn you without damaging his position among the Death Eaters. When you ran…well, someone saw Snape hide the two of you in that broom closet. Do not get me wrong, Hermione. I will never forget or forgive him for killing Dumbledore…he should have died rather than betray everyone who put the slightest bit of faith in him. But right now he is in hiding too and because of him you and Lucius were not handed over on Halloween. I'm not saying you should be his best friend or completely trust him, but remember you are both in the safe house and you do have the necklace. Wear it at all times just to be safe. Speaking of the necklace, I should have a list of families by Christmas.

Love,

Harry.

The two men sat next to each other at the table as the food arrived. Lucius glanced at the empty seat across from him. A couple bites into the meal and a few moments conversation later they both stopped eating as they noticed the figure that stood in the doorway. With her head held high, Hermione made her way to her seat directly across from Lucius. Severus watched in amusement as the girl kept her head held so high she could nearly look down her nose at them. His amusement increased as she very properly placed her napkin in her lap.

Hermione ate in silence as the two men talked as old friends do. She felt even more alone than ever. What kind of world had she fallen into where Lucius Malfoy had his friend there to talk to and she had…no one? Then her mind wandered off to the events of that morning. What had possessed her to bring Lucius back to her? He took advantage of her that is what happened. If he had not done so there would have been no pulling him back to her, no Lucius abruptly leaving, no Lucius acting as if she was some petulant little Mudblood child. As their laughter echoed in her ears invading her thoughts, she felt more alone than ever. Without a word to either of the men, Hermione stood up and left the room.

Lucius and Severus left the table. Somewhere between the stairs and the drawing room they stopped walking. Lucius could see Hermione sitting in front of the fireplace. She was on one end of the sofa with her legs curled up next to her. The tears glistened in the firelight before she wiped them away. Lucius felt something catch in his chest.

Did I cause this?

Severus looked from the quietly crying girl to his friend. Lucius' face gave nothing away, but Severus knew his friend too well.

"What did you do to the girl, Lucius?"

Lucius' look of exasperation at his friend was quite amusing.

"I did nothing to her as you very well know. I was not the one who was sent to bring her to her death."

Lucius glanced back at the girl.

"No, Lucius, not this time. But you are the one she was quite aware would bring about her death if given just half the chance less than a year ago."

Lucius felt an undeniable rage. Yes, it may have been true, but somehow it just fuelled an anger deep in Lucius. Through clenched teeth, he had his last say before going up the stairs.

"She is simply lonely, Severus."

Severus watched his friend ascend the steps before turning back to the drawing room. Walking in and leaning on the doorframe slightly he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Miss Granger, the wizarding world is in a war as you are aware I am sure." Hermione started and looked around at Snape. "When one is in such a situation they may find who they really are or what it is they are capable of." He paused eyeing her waiting for her interruption. To his amazement, she said nothing. She looked at him knowing he was not finished. "It's not always pleasant."

Hermione chuckled with obvious sarcasm as she turned back toward the fire. Severus walked over and sat on the other side of the sofa.

"I often find dueling to be helpful when those feeling become overwhelming."

Hermione turned to look at him scrutinizing his very presence. Since when did Snape offer warped fatherly advice?

"Dueling? And here I had you pegged as the sort to torture puppies and drown kitties."

"Only when no one is available to duel with."

Did Severus Snape just make a joke?

She saw the corners of his mouth twitching.

From up in his room, Lucius could hear the sound of Hermione's laughter. His stomach churned and a fire blazed deep within.