Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Please…review. Sorry about my scene separators not working in previous chapters. I have no idea what happened there. Anyway, this took longer than I anticipated—I was sick along with all three kids. We were quite the miserable house. Okay…I hope you enjoy this one….let me know.

Chapter 7

Invisible

Had to to turn, lay down,
Your sting of disease.
Phase you out, should've seen this coming.
Go on confusing the soul,
Hold my breath 'til you rupture.

Three days aside,
Your rebirth can't hurt,
Branch out behind, pride.

--Chevelle

Lucius stood there, waiting. Hermione's mournful cries filled the cabin reminding Lucius of the Hermione he knew. She was so sad in the beginning and he knew why. The memory rushed into him as if it were yesterday…

He could see her small figure standing under a tree by the lake. The landscape was covered in a pristine snow. The only sign of a disturbance were her footprints that led him to her. The lake—partially frozen. She leaned back on the tree as she stared out at the frozen lake. The closer he got the more clearly he could see her face. Her face held such sorrow and something else he could never quite put his finger on.

Lucius approached the tree and leaned against it at an angle to her. They remained silent. He turned his head to look at her profile.

"Why are you always so sad?"

He heard her take a slow quivering breath before turning to look at him. Their faces were mere inches apart as she smiled sweetly at him and whispered.

"Just memories. Nothing for you to fret over."

Lucius turned to stand in front of her.

"Memories of what?"

She didn't answer him. Instead, she looked down to the ground next to them and closed her eyes as if composing herself. He reached out, placing his fingers under her chin and lifted her chin to make her look at him.

"Memories of what," he repeated.

"My parents' murder."

Her voice was a mere whisper, but to Lucius it seemed to echo in the pure snow—such an ironic surrounding for such a confession. As they stood in the middle of all that purity, she recounted the story of the faithful night the Dark Mark burned above her house...

Lucius watched Hermione in the moonlight. There was no way this was the same Hermione…no way. His heart pounded in excitement that it was, but also in fury that it was possible.

Hermione stood up, angrily wiping her tears away.

"You!" She turned to Lucius.

"If you plan on this little outing to see your son then you need rest. I won't have you killing over."

Lucius watched her curiously. She stood up with such anger. He was unsure if it was anger at herself or someone else. A fire seemed to burn in her eyes…a fire Lucius recognized. Realization struck Lucius. He chuckled and began to walk toward Hermione. This time she attempted to back away. Lucius kept walking.

Hermione's eyes widen as Lucius advanced on her. Suddenly she felt herself stop abruptly as she backed into the wall. A smirk crept up on Lucius' face as he leaned his hands against the wall on either side of Hermione, cutting off any escape. Hermione refused to look at him, turning her head to the side. That proved to be a mistake. She was faced with the Dark Mark burning on his arm. She closed her eyes and let out a small whimper.

"Now I understand why you have this…desire…to keep me well and alive."

His silky voice tickled her spine. Propped against the wall, next to Hermione, was Lucius serpent tipped cane that his wand was kept in. He reached out and picked up his cane. Hermione felt the cold silver under her chin as Lucius used it to force Hermione to look up at him.

"Yes…it is written all over your face, Miss Granger." His eyes scanned her face and then bore into her eyes as if seeing her soul. Hermione gasped as if catching her breath. Lucius leaned in a bit more.

"So, tell me what has Bellatrix done to you?"

He saw that fire flash in her eyes again. Her voice was very controlled, but thoroughly laced with anger, spite, and the need for vengeance.

"She murdered my family."

Hermione felt the cold serpent drop from under her chin. Lucius took a couple steps back and Hermione used this opportunity. Lucius just stood there watching her run from the cabin. Ever since she said Bellatrix murdered her family little pieces of a puzzle in his mind seemed to be clicking into place.

As Lucius slowly made his way to Hermione's owl sitting on top of a cage in the corner, images of the past taunted him. The puzzle was not complete, but the main picture was clear. He remembered what she was wearing when she arrived. There was only one thing to do, one thing that could stop all of this—he had to prevent her from going or make it so she would not speak to him when she did arrive.

Grabbing a piece of parchment on the desk next to the owl, Lucius quickly scribbled a note and attached it. He watched the owl fly off as his memories clouded him.

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McGonagall was sitting in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place in an Order meeting when an owl flew in from an upstairs window. Everyone watched in silence as the owl, recognized as Hermione's newest pet, landed in front of the Headmistress. McGonagall took the parchment and read over it quickly. With a quick nod of her head, she handed the parchment to Kingsley.

"I believe this is your department."

He nodded politely and took the parchment.

"Now, where were we…?"

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Hermione sat at her favorite table in the library with Harry. They both could feel the difference in dynamics without Ron there.

"I really am sorry about Ron," Harry said to her trying to make up for his friend.

They both left Ron in the common room entangled with Lavender. Hermione shrugged.

"Ron and I were never any good at the whole dating each other thing anyway."

Harry smiled as if saying he was still sorry, but deep down he agreed with her. Things were better when they were all just friends.

Hermione's mind kept traveling to Lucius and how to get him into the school. She did come up with a way. The only problem was Harry. She nibbled on her sugar quill as she looked around nervously. At least in the library Harry couldn't yell at her.

"Harry?"

He looked up curious. He watched her fidget for a moment and look around.

"Could I borrow your invisibility cloak for Monday?"

Harry's forehead scrunched up in confusion. Hermione never asked to borrow the cloak. Hermione continued to fidget.

"What for?"

Hermione froze in mid-fidget. She stared right at Harry and she could swear he could hear her heart. Once she began to fidget again she started to talk.

"Well, let me show you. But you cannot be loud and you have to let me explain."

Feeling slightly worried, Harry nodded his head in agreement. With a deep breath, as if preparing herself Hermione leant down into her bag and dug out a compact mirror. Taking a quick look around to ensure no one was watching Hermione slid the mirror over to Harry. He looked at the closed compact.

"Uh…Hermione. What are you trying to say?"

She rolled her eyes but nerves still controlled her movements.

"Just open it Harry."

Harry opened the compact and what he saw froze him in his seat with his mouth open. In the mirror was the image of Lucius Malfoy sitting by the fire reading. He closed the compact and slid it back over to Hermione without a word. Hermione's nerves were about to explode. As Hermione placed the compact back in her bag, Harry remained silent as if letting it sink in.

Finally, he looked up at her.

"Hermione, what are you doing?"

Quickly Hermione told Harry what happened when she first went to the cabin.

"…I won't let that woman kill someone else when I can stop it Harry, I just won't."

Harry could see the tears in her eyes and reached his hand across the table placing it over hers.

"It's okay…I just worry that he'll hurt you…"

She shook her head no.

"He's had the opportunity and hasn't yet."

"True…so how does the invisibility cloak tie in?"

She explained his desire to see his son. Harry sat quietly for a few moments thinking and planning.

"Okay…but I will have the Marauder's Map on me so if he tries anything I will know."

Hermione smiled at Harry, thankful she had one non-judgmental friend.

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Early Monday morning before breakfast, Harry met Hermione in the common room with the invisibility cloak. She took it gratefully and placed it in her bag.

"I really appreciate this Harry."

Harry stood with his hands in his pockets and watched her place the cloak in her bag. For Draco and a few select, others who recognized Lucius and re-told the story—the legend began with a mysterious masked man dancing with their Head Girl as if he were the other half of her soul. But it would still be much later for most—the legend most people knew started when Hermione reminded Lucius he should be calling her Mudblood. For Harry and those he would later recount the story to—this is where the legend began.

"I'm still uncomfortable with this. Just…be careful."

Smiling, Hermione kissed him on the cheek.

"Don't worry."

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Lucius was standing, ready to go when Hermione stepped into the cabin. Hermione wanted nothing more than to just get the day over with and walked into the cabin all business.

"Alright, Harry will have his map with him today, so don't try anything. If you do he will know."

"Map?"

Lucius looked at her with a curious eyebrow. She stopped fumbling with her bag as if she realized what she said. Slowly her eyes looked up into Lucius'. It was becoming harder for him to even try to deny it—those were Hermione's eyes. Hermione nervously went back to fumbling with her bag.

"Never mind that. Here."

She held out the invisibility cloak to him.

"You'll wear that, but when we are walking in the corridors you will need to hold on to my bag or something so I know you are there."

With a look of complete disdain, Lucius put the cloak on. Hermione nodded her head to let Lucius know he was well hidden. Once she placed her bag back on her shoulder she felt an added weight to her shoulder—Lucius had grabbed a hold of her bag. Together they walked out of the cabin and in the middle of the path, she rotated the serpent on her necklace.

Lucius followed Hermione through the corridors, carefully avoiding running into anyone or running Lucius into anyone. Based on the direction Hermione was leading him, he knew she had advanced potions first thing. When Hermione stepped into the dungeon classroom, she noticed she was the last to arrive. Harry watched her curiously as if mentally asking her if Lucius were there. She nodded her head as she took her usual seat across from Harry and felt Lucius sit in the usually empty seat next to her.

It was double potions. Lucius watched Hermione dutifully taking notes. Harry took notes, but not quite like Hermione. Occasionally, she would pause, chewing on her sugar quill in thought before continuing. Lucius felt a confusing combination of reminiscence, longing, and anger swirl in his blood. Lucius turned to the table next to the one he sat at to watch his son.

Draco's arms were covered by his school clothes, but Lucius knew what burned beneath them and why. What he could only describe as guilt mixed with the pride he felt for his son. Draco was smirking at Hermione though as if amused by something. Turning back to look at the girl, Lucius saw her watery eyes as her quill danced over her page of its own accord. The words "I am a filthy Mudblood" danced off the page in Hermione's handwriting. Hermione's wand sat in front of her pointing in the direction of Draco. A couple seconds later, a smile spread over Hermione's face as Draco's quill began writing for him "I am Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret."

"You'll get yours Mudblood," Draco whispered unknowingly over Lucius to Hermione. Hermione simply returned the gesture with a sweet smile as she went about making her potion. Lucius watched with a tinge of amusement and wonder. It would seem Draco's jibes meant nothing to Hermione but a reason for amusement, but Lucius knew better. He did see her in the mirror that day crying.

Lucius sat very still as Slughorn made his way to each cauldron to peek inside to see how the potion was progressing. When he came to the table that Harry, Ron and Hermione sat at he peeked in each cauldron and beamed.

"Yes! I though your Polyjuice Potions would be exactly as they should!"

The class turned to look at the three blushing teens.

"Rumor has it," Slughorn continued, "that you three brewed this in your second year!"

All three of them seemed to stop breathing which only caused Slughorn to chuckle jovially. Hermione felt frozen to her seat but not so that she did not hear the silky voice in her ear.

"You brewed this in your second year?"

She nodded her head slightly, just enough so that Lucius knew she was answering him without alerting everyone around them to her spontaneously nodding away.

"Impressive."

Despite the cloak, she felt his breath tickle her neck letting her know he was standing behind her. A sudden shiver alerted Harry to something odd. He looked up.

"Everything okay?"

She nodded and went about her work with Lucius standing uncomfortably close behind her. If Hermione was having a hard time, Lucius was having a worse time. He knew this was his Hermione—it was in her every movement…in her every smile…in her eyes. Just as in his seventh year, she pulled her hair up off her neck during potions to keep any strands from contaminating a potion. As the atmosphere in the classroom heated, Hermione removed her robes, loosened her tie, and unbuttoned the top few buttons of her uniform.

Lucius watched her small delicate fingers move from one button to the next. As she waited for the time to add the next ingredient he watched her hand slowly make its way up to the back of her neck where she rubbed it slowly as if to sooth pain and stress. Lucius unconsciously licked his lips. As she peered into her cauldron again, an unruly curl popped out of its confinement in the back. Lucius was taking a chance, he knew. But Hermione's back was to a wall…no one could really see something so small behind her. A hand edged its way out of the invisibility cloak and reached out slowly.

Hermione felt Lucius' fingertips graze the back of her neck and he reached out toying with the stray curl. She froze when she felt the odd shiver travel through her despite the heat of the room and the ten degrees her body seemed to go up at that moment.

"What are you doing," she hissed causing Harry to look up. She smiled weakly at him to try to ease his discomfort. She could tell by the look on Harry's face that the concern was there. Harry's eyes shifted to behind Hermione as if he could see Lucius standing there. With his eyes narrowed on that spot Hermione had to wonder if Harry could see through invisibility cloaks too.

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The trio slowly left the dungeons heading for lunch in the Great Hall. Hermione was not really hungry, but knew if she didn't go with them they would start questioning her…well, Harry would anyway. She could feel the extra weight of Lucius' hand on her bag. Suddenly, Draco pushed roughly passed her. Anger flared in Lucius. No, not because he realized this was his Hermione…she was a Mudblood after all—a lying Mudblood at that. No, he was angry because he never taught his son to hit any female—Mudblood or not.

"Happy Birthday, Mudblood." Draco stopped in front of her cutting off her path. "So did your parents send you anything good…oh…wait…no, I guess they didn't." He smirked at the look of despair on Hermione's face. He leaned in a bit closer. "Oh…I am sure Aunt Bella sends you birthday wishes as well."

With a self-satisfied smirk, Draco stepped back. He was unprepared for what happened next. She hadn't realized her fists were balled up at her side until her fist flew threw the air and made sweet contact with Draco's nose. He stumbled back and in what sounded like a war cry, Hermione launched herself on the blond Slytherin. It was ten times worse than in her third year—she wanted to hurt Draco. Lucius did nothing but watch in amusement and amazement. Has she always been such a little firecracker? Even the first time he met her as an adult and her as a child? Yes, he answered himself.

Wide-eyed Harry and Ron rushed forward and each grabbed an arm and her waist, pulling her off Draco. Without her arms, she kicked her legs. Nothing was going to keep her from pounding the ferret. Trying to get himself off the floor, he sat up only to have Hermione's foot make one last furious contact with his nose.

"Hermione," Harry yelled as they pulled her away.

She calmed down enough to allow the boys to pull her away. Ron was shaking his head.

"Bloody scary is what you are," Ron mumbled on the way out of the dungeons.

Hermione was still catching her breath as other students parted to let them through still in shock at the mangled Malfoy. Warmth suddenly spread through her with a central point being her lower back—where Lucius had placed his hand.

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Lucius paced the cabin. He was finally alone in order to think. His world seemed to be spiraling out of control. He knew the Mudblood was the same as his Hermione, but it tore at him and caused him to bounce back and forth in his treatment of her. She was a Mudblood, but it did not stop the occasional moments of tenderness he felt for his Hermione of the past—the Hermione he thought he knew. McGonagall had made the announcement at lunch—a masquerade ball on Halloween.

That was when it would happen.

He had until Halloween to figure out how to stop it or make her go hating him more than ever.

Lucius looked up at the stairs leading to the loft. Curious as to what kept the girl up there so long that day, Lucius slowly traveled up the stairs. The large covered object in the center caught his curiosity as it had Hermione. Without hesitation, he removed the cover to stair into the Mirror of Erised.

Staring back at Lucius was the reflection of Hermione in a beautiful elegant gown—the gown she wore when he first met her…her gown for the masquerade.

The sound of flapping wings could not pull his eyes from the mirror. The owl swooped in and landed at Lucius feet. Reluctantly, Lucius looked down. Hermione's owl had returned with its response.