Disclaimer: not mine, duh

A/N: please review…it keeps me going!

Chapter 23

Whispers in the Corridor

Hermione followed Severus through the corridors to Lucius' quarters. Severus removed the wards on the door and entered, inviting Hermione to follow him. She looked around nervously. Obviously, Lucius was not there. Tentatively, she stepped in and looked around in hopes that Lucius was there and aware of their presence, but he was not.

Severus walked over to Lucius' desk and opened a drawer, pulling something out. Walking over to her, he held whatever it was out to her. She took what was in Severus' hand. Looking down, she saw a stack of pictures…pictures of her. As she flipped through them, she paced around the room. They all seemed to be pictures of her at times she thought she was alone.

Hermione stopped pacing around and looked up at Severus.

"How did he…"

"The house elf, Miss Granger. Lucius instructed the house elf to take pictures of you."

Her forehead crinkled in confusion.

"One more thing," Severus said as he left the room and entered Lucius' sleeping chambers. Hermione placed the pictures on Lucius' desk and slowly followed Severus curious as to where he was going. She watched Severus walk over to Lucius bedside table and pick up an exquisite silver picture frame. He held it out to her.

Stepping further into the room, she took the picture from his hand. It was of her in her Halloween costume before they left for Slughorn's party. Her breath caught for a moment. What did this mean exactly? Hermione just stared at the picture.

"Miss Granger, do not be mistaken in thinking Lucius is pushing you away because of an animosity that clearly existed in the past. I believe he has done this because he loves you…Lucius does not protect those he hates."

Hermione continued staring at the picture allowing Severus words to sink in, all the while wondering how Severus always knew what someone was thinking. She said nothing as she plopped the picture frame on the bed and walked out of Lucius' quarters as fast as she could.

In the Head's common room, Lucius stood staring into the fire and Draco stood behind the sofa with his hands in his pocket watching his father's back.

"Draco, my choices destroyed your life and your mother's. It would not shock me if you hated me." Lucius paused for a moment. "I do not wish to place myself in such a position of importance in someone's life again that I held the power to destroy them."

Draco took a deep breath.

"Father, I never hated you." Lucius turned around to look at his son. "Father, did you ever think this is your second chance? You don't have to repeat your past mistakes, just learn from them."

"Draco…"

Lucius never finished what he was about to say. The portrait swung open and one Hermione Granger came bolting through the opening. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Lucius standing there. They just stared at each other for a moment. Lucius could see her forehead crinkled in confusion and pain and the residue of tears on her cheeks. Without a word to him, she turned and quickly walked through the room and up the few steps that led to her and Draco's dorm rooms.

She opened her bedroom door and quickly turned around to look down at the father and son.

"Draco, I need a word with you now."

Her voice was stern and commanding. Lucius' eyebrow rose as he looked from the seemingly angry Hermione and his son. Draco only nodded his head.

"I'll be up in a minute."

Draco turned back toward his father, but that did not go over well with Hermione. Her voice became very controlled and venomous.

"I…said…now."

Draco saw the corners of his father's lips twitch as Draco headed up the small set of steps. As Draco reached Hermione's door and slowly opened it, Lucius felt the twisting stab of jealousy. With his mind full of a million thoughts, Lucius left the Head's common room for his own quarters.

When Draco stepped into the room he found Hermione laying across her bed in tears again. She sat up and angrily wiped the tears from her face.

"Harry and your father should start a club."

Draco looked at her curiously.

"Pardon," he said.

She waved her hand in the air in front of her as if shooing something away.

"The whole 'we can't be together because it's the noble thing to do."

Ah…Draco knew what she was referring to. His father told him what he had said to the girl because upon Lucius' arrival to the common room Draco had asked about his feelings for Hermione. Draco stepped closer to Hermione.

"And you are going to let him get away with that?"

Hermione looked up in complete surprise. What was Draco saying? He saw the shocked and stunned look on her face before she even spoke.

"What are you saying, Draco?"

Draco took a deep breath suddenly feeling like he was dealing with a small child who had not been paying attention.

"Tell me, Granger, how did you got me into this room?"

She looked around her room as if realizing they were in her bedroom.

"I told you to get your arse up here."

Draco smiled at her and nodded his head before he swept out of the room with a "goodnight," over the shoulder.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The next morning Hermione woke up with determination running through her veins. She quickly dressed in her school uniform, leaving her tie loose and top button undone—she would straighten it when it was closer to class time. Throwing her school robe through the strap of her bag, she headed out her door and straight for the portrait. Draco sat on the sofa and watched her leave her room and the common room. He shook his head almost feeling sorry for what was heading his father's way.

Most everyone who was up this early was either still waking up in their common rooms or starting breakfast in the Great Hall. When Lucius heard the knocking on his office door he couldn't imagine who would come to his office at this time in the morning to ask him anything. Most students did not voluntarily arrive at his office to ask anything—they usually tried to avoid him being as his past was so known.

"Come in," he said, but continued grading the papers he had stacked neatly in front of him. When the door creaked open he didn't look up, but still spoke. "Yes, what can I help you with?"

His office door slammed shut shocking him out of the little bubble he seemed to be in. He looked up ready to yell at what student had the audacity to slam his office door. Hermione Granger stood there with her hands on her hips and her foot taping with impatience. There were two other doors in his office. The one to Hermione's right led to the classroom and the one to her left led to his living quarters. His eyebrow quirked as only a Malfoy's can.

"Yes, Miss Granger," he asked while stowing the papers back in his desk.

Her eyes narrowed on the blond man.

"Don't Miss Granger me, Lucius."

Her hands dropped from her sides, she moved across the room to the door leading to his quarters, and walked right through the door without asking permission. Lucius stood in shock as Hermione rushed through his quarters.

"What may I ask do you think you are doing," he called out to her.

His heart pounded when he saw her exiting his bedroom with something silver in her hand and then heading into his personal desk and pulled out something else. She walked right back into his office and tossed the pictures on the desk.

"Why do you have those," she asked pointing at the pictures.

Looking at the pictures, Lucius turned his head and looked down his nose at the girl.

"I am sure you are aware of the saying 'keep your friends closer, but your enemies closer?"

He wasn't sure what to think when Hermione started laughing. Reaching over, she picked up the silver picture frame.

"So, you keep a framed picture of 'the enemy' by your bed?" She watched his reaction, but received none. "Do you own enough silver frames for that?"

His eyes narrowed at her as she tossed the picture back down.

"Why do you have them, Lucius?"

Lucius didn't answer. Instead, he walked over to his desk and sat back down. He looked down at the pictures and gathered them up. Holding them up as if to say, "see" he proceeded to toss them into the fireplace.

"You may go now," Lucius stated as he reached across his desk for a piece of parchment. It did him no good, however.

Hermione had already crossed over the space separating her from his desk, pushed him back, and leaned against his desk in front of him.

"No," she said firmly crossing her arms over her chest. "I will not be dismissed."

Lucius looked at her; they were almost eye level. She saw him take a deep breath as if trying to control his anger.

"I want answers…now."

Despite their nearly level position to each other, Lucius still seemed to look down his nose at her. His eyes swept over her body.

"And what exactly is it that you wish to know?"

Hermione looked him straight in his eyes and with more calm than she thought she currently possessed she told him.

"I want to know how you really feel, Lucius. Those pictures," she pointed at the fireplace, "were not because you hate me."

Lucius was finding it difficult to concentrate on what exactly she was saying. She was right in front of him, within reach, yet not so reachable he kept reminding himself.

"How I feel is of no consequence. You are my student, nothing more…you are nothing to me…"

"Liar."

He looked at her and the anger flashed in his eyes. She dared to call him a liar?

"What did you say?"

She leaned over slightly so she was only inches from his face.

"I said you…are…a…liar."

Then she closed the distance between them.

When Lucius felt her lips on his he couldn't resist. He had wanted to do that to her since she walked through the door with flames dancing in her eyes. His lips never left hers as he slowly stood, lifting her up onto his desk. She felt his tight grip on the lowest portion of her hips. He kissed her as if he were a man lost in the hot dry desert who finally found the sweetest, purest water. The water he had been craving. Hermione felt him slowly pushing her back on his desk when he suddenly pulled himself away. Hermione sat up, still perched on his desk, thoroughly ruffled, and looked at him. Lucius said nothing. Turning around, he walked straight out of his office, leaving Hermione in there alone.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

It was close to lunchtime when Lucius stepped into the Headmistress' office where the aurors and the Minister of Magic were awaiting his arrival. He made it clear he wanted to be questioned first claiming that "Miss Granger has been through enough as it is." When he walked in, he noticed Severus was standing next to McGonagall and Remus was there. The room became deathly silent when Lucius walked in and walked straight up to Kingsley Shacklebolt and handed over his wand.

"There is no need to speak with Miss Granger. I killed Bellatrix."

Kingsley tentatively took the serpent-ended wand, eyeing Lucius with doubt.

"Test the wand if you do not believe me."

"I have no doubt that you did, Mister Malfoy," Scrimgeour stated coldly as he stepped forward to look down at Lucius. Scrimgeour took Lucius wand and within seconds shadows of past spells were spilling from his wand, including the shadow of Bellatrix Lestrange. "Once a Death Eater always a Death Eater." Scrimgeour looked at Kingsley and the other aurors. " I am no longer needed here. You know what to do."

McGonagall stood up quickly.

"Wait, does Mister Malfoy get a trial at least?"

Scrimgeour smiled sweetly at McGonagall.

"No, Headmistress McGonagall. You know the punishment for use of an unforgivable and he has just confessed."

Scrimgeour nodded his head goodbye to everyone and flooed back to his office.

Kingsley looked at Lucius still with disbelief on his face.

"I am sorry, Mister Malfoy, but we have to apparate so we will need to escort you out of the school."

Holding his head high, he nodded his acceptance. Kingsley held his upper arm while the other auror took the other and together with Remus and Severus, they began their exit from the Headmistresses office. Lucius just hoped he did not run across Hermione along the way.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Hermione left Ancient Runes and headed toward the Great Hall for lunch. She was scheduled to be interviewed by a couple of aurors after lunch. Hordes of people were outside in the corridors whispering to each other when she noticed Harry and Ginny holding hands. She smiled widely as she approached them and Ron.

"What's going on," she asked.

Harry just stared at her looking pale. The sound of footsteps and the increased whispering alerted her to the fact that whatever the cause was, it was heading down the corridor. She turned around in time to see Remus and Severus walking by with Kingsley and some other auror with Lucius held between them.

Panic surged through her body. Why were they taking him? They hadn't even spoken to her yet.

"What are you doing? Where are you taking him," she yelled out. When no one responded, she lunged forward and grabbed the wand sticking out of Kingsley pocket. It was Lucius' wand.

"NO," she yelled while holding out Lucius' wand.

A force seemed to erupt from the tip of the wand and traveled away from Hermione. Anyone too close to Lucius found themselves flying backward, away from him so that he alone stood in the corridor. Harry and Ron looked at her completely astounded as she stood there holding the serpent handled wand.

Lucius turned to look at her as she stood there holding his wand with that wonderful fire he loved in her eyes. The wand fell from her fingertips and rolled across the floor, stopping at Harry's feet. As soon as the wand hit the ground, she ran for Lucius. He saw her coming and he knew there were two choices: accept the embrace or be knocked to the ground.

His arms welcomed her. He could feel her holding him as if her life depended on it. Leaning his head on hers he heard her whispering through choked on tears.

"You told them you did it, didn't you? Why, Lucius?"

He felt her body tremble. Remus approached cautiously from behind and placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"Come on Hermione. He has to go."

"No," she cried. Remus looked over at Harry and Ron. The two boys looked at each other wondering if they should and decided Remus needed their help. Together, the three of them pulled Hermione off Lucius. She kicked and screamed as they pulled her away from him.

"Why! Why did you tell them you did it!" Lucius turned his back on Hermione when the two aurors resumed their positions next to him. It upset Hermione even more and Remus, Harry, and Ron were already having trouble keeping a hold of her. "Answer me Lucius Malfoy! Why!"

No student watching said a word, holding their breath, when Hermione yelled out his name. Lucius stopped walking and turned around causing the aurors to do the same. He looked angry, ready to kill, but who he was ready to kill Harry wasn't real sure. When he spoke, it was clear why he was angry. Hermione was giving him no choice but to say what had to be said aloud in front of half the school. He spoke as if he hated her, but the words didn't truly match what he said.

"Are my actions not enough to tell you why," he hissed. The corridor became as silent as death and Hermione stopped struggling momentarily. He sighed as if angry that this was how it was coming out. "Somewhere along the way I fell in love with you Hermione. Satisfied?"

As soon as he turned away to leave with his auror escorts, the words sunk into Hermione's very being and she began to thrash about trying to escape again.

"You can't take him! You can't!" She struggled harder. "Let go of me!"

"No," Remus said firmly.

Hermione shook her head frantically.

"No, you do not understand! You cannot take him! He did not do it! Let go of me!" She jerked even harder trying to get away. "He did not do it! I killed Bellatrix Lestrange!"

All movement in the corridor, all whispering in the corridor stopped again. All eyes were on Hermione as she fell to the ground on her knees shaking her head and whispering over and over, "I did it. I killed her."