Disclaimer: not mine

A/N: Well one out of how many people has lost interest in the story. Can't make everyone happy. Thanks to the wonderful reviewers who actually pay attention to what they are reading to look beyond the surface. Please keep it up! I apologize in advance for the upcoming cliffy and don't worry. I will update as soon as I can. Sorry this one is so short.

Chapter 16

Missing

Hermione hesitated when she reached out for the door to the DADA classroom. Harry and Ron were in an animated quidditch discussion and did not notice her apprehension. Harry only fleetingly noticed Hermione stopped walking and reached around her to open the door for her. Smiling her thanks to Harry, Hermione stepped into the classroom.

Lucius stood at the head of the class watching down his nose as students filed in. His eyes stopped roaming the room when Hermione walked in. Hermione froze when she saw Lucius looking at her. Her conversation with Draco played in her head and it served only to confuse her more. She noticed a hand waving at her. In the middle of the room sat Draco motioning her next to him. She walked over and took the seat with Harry and Ron in tow sitting on the other side of Hermione.

Lucius sneered as he watched the bloody girl smile at his son when she sat down and begin to get her things out for the class. Lucius spent the first half of the class period lecturing. When he was finished, he told the class to get out their other book titled The Dark Art. This particular book held theories in forms of various academic research articles in the Dark Arts.

"Begin reading the first article: Aesthetics of the Dark Art. Once you have read it I want no less than one foot of parchment summarizing the article in laymen terms."

As Lucius turned to sit at his desk, he could hear the rustling of papers and books as the class got to work. In true fashion of the tenacious student he heard Hermione to be, she was already writing her summary. As he watched her, he wondered how many times she had already read the article. She was the only one to turn it in before class ended.

"No, Ronald. You should have done the assignment yourself."

By Wednesday at lunch, Hermione was tired of hearing Ron whining to her about not doing his Dark Arts assignment for him.

"Give it up mate," she heard Harry say when she turned back to her reading.

Hermione noticed people around her looking up at the head table and then looking away quickly. A few people looked rather pale as they did. Curiosity getting the best of her, Hermione looked up and saw Severus sitting next to Lucius. Severus nodded his head in acknowledgment of Hermione. She smiled at him and waved. A strange noise next to her caused her to look around. Neville sat there watching the exchange with not very well concealed fear.

"Oh, Neville!"

Harry cleared his throat.

"You know Hermione, when I wrote that letter to you I did not expect you to become best friends with Snape."

Hermione looked up and smiled at Harry.

"Yes, well, being trapped in that house with no one else around kind of forces you to get to know the other occupants."

Harry's eyes shifted from Hermione to Lucius up at the head table, but he said nothing.

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Hermione ran through the corridors. It was nearing seven and she did not want to be late. Despite her newfound friendship with Snape she did not want to face his wrath for being tardy. As she slid across the floor in her attempt to stop in time to knock on the door, the door opened. Panting and placing her hand over her chest, catching her breath, she noticed Snape was the one who opened the door. Lucius sat at his desk that gave him a perfect view of the corridor beyond the door.

"Miss Granger, punctual as usual…even if it means breaking numerous school rules in the process."

Severus shut the door behind her. As she stood there, she could feel the tension between Severus and Lucius.

"How are we doing this," Hermione asked desperate to break the silence of the room. Lucius stood up from behind his desk and walked around toward her and Severus.

"Simple, Miss Granger. Severus will cast the Imperius while I observe and watch."

Hermione understood why there had to be two people involved in these training sessions. It would be all too easy for the caster to use such an opportunity to their advantage. It was purely a safety measure for all parties involved. And oh what a trying one it was. The training session seemed to go on and on and on…

"You must concentrate!"

"How can I concentrate with you yapping at me the whole time, Lucius," Hermione hissed through gritted teath.

Lucius' eyes narrowed slightly.

"That is Professor Malfoy."

"Lucius," she whispered.

Severus was pinching the bridge of his nose between his eyes. Finally, Severus held his hand up to halt any further argument.

"Alright, that will do for tonight." He looked between the two. "Someone has to walk Miss Granger back to the Heads' dorm…she is not to be alone in the corridors as you know."

Lucius followed Hermione out of his quarters in order to see her to her and Draco's dorm. She walked ahead of him as if she were trying to stay as far away as possible. Hermione was tired of the constant company. If it wasn't Lucius it was someone else. Remus and the rest of the Order had made the stipulations of her returning to Hogwarts clear—she always had someone with her…watching. The only place she got to be alone at was in her bedroom.

Lucius watched Hermione rushing through the corridors. He watched her glance back a few times as if making sure he was still there and he watched as she disappeared behind the portrait leading to the Heads' common room. Turning around he made his slow walk back to his quarters alone.

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Ron had until Friday to complete his foot of parchment for DADA. Reluctantly, he followed Hermione to the library Thursday so he could work on it while she looked up resources for her ancient runes class.

"Bloody hell! Harry, did you read this?"

Harry looked up from his work and nodded his head.

"Is he trying to turn us all into Death Eaters like him?"

Ron jumped when Hermione slammed the book she was reading shut. Her glare made Ron look to Harry for help. Harry shrugged his shoulders as if to say, "you are on your own."

"No, Ronald. Professor Malfoy assigned that article in order to warn us."

Ron looked at Hermione like she had gone daft.

"Warn us of what? We already know he is a Death Eater."

Hermione took a deep calming breath.

"To warn us of…well…of the…seductive quality the Dark Arts hold."

Ron sat there flabbergasted. Hermione opened another book and mumbled just loud enough for the boys to be able to make out what she said.

"Besides, he's not exactly a Death Eater anymore."

"Yea?" Ron leaned over the table a bit. "I bet if given the chance he would hand you over to you-know-who." He sat back and looked at Hermione. "He will always be a Death Eater, Hermione. You know that."

Hermione stood and began roughly shoving her books into her bag. As she started to walk away, both boys began to stand to follow. She turned around so fast her hair swirl around behind her.

"Don't you dare follow me."

"Hermione," Harry began. "You know you are not…"

"I don't care Harry. I need time to myself."

Harry nodded his head okay, albeit nervously. Ron however reached out to grab her arm. With the blink of an eye, he was staring at the tip of Hermione's wand.

"Don't. Ronald."

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Lucius was standing out in the snow by the lake watching the giant squid. His mind was everywhere. A common thread ran through his thoughts though—Hermione. He was still in his thoughts when he felt the ice-cold wet hit his face. Brushing the snow off his cloak, he looked over at the person who threw the show at him.

Hermione stood there with another snowball. When he looked at her, she threw it as hard as she could.

"I hate you."

She threw another one.

"I hate you."

Lucius felt as if someone had just cut off the circulation to his heart. Deciding not to show that emotion, he brushed the snow off again. Hermione was angry. She missed the life before the events that placed her in that house with Lucius and Severus, she missed the life where Voldemort was a mere threat in theory to her, and she missed it when she so obviously hated Lucius. Life was not confusing then.

Lucius said nothing to the girl. She was trying to provoke him. Instead of giving her what she wanted, he stood there quirking an eyebrow as if waiting for her to say something else. With a cry of frustration, she threw a last snowball with everything she had in her, turned, and ran from the lake.

That was the last time Lucius saw Hermione.