Disclaimer: Not mine, as you all know.

A/N: Please…oh please review. Okay? Please? Oh and about the quote in the last chapter. A couple of you got it right! It was T. S. Eliot's "Little Gidding."

Chapter 14

The Legend Begins

Breathe in right away,
Nothing seems to fill this place
I need this every time,
Take your lies get off my case
Someday I will find a love
That flows through me like this
This will fall away,
this will fall away
You're getting closer to pushing me
Off of life's little edge
Cause I'm a loser
And sooner or later
You know I'll be dead
You're getting closer,
You're holding the rope,
I'm taking the fall
Cause I'm a loser, I'm a loser, yeah

--3 Doors Down

The moment Hermione's feet felt the ground of Hogwarts beneath them, she ran. She ran with every ounce of energy she had toward Gryffindor tower. Her heart pounded frantically. She ran across no one most of the way. It was passed curfew and the only ones who would be out would be prefects doing rounds. If only she could remember who was doing the rounds tonight so she would be prepared in how to deal with them if she did run across them. She turned the corner near the portrait hole and found herself abruptly stopped and then her world tumbled around her.

She looked up to see a very irate looking Draco Malfoy.

"Granger what the bloody hell are you doing? We do not have rounds tonight."

Without waiting for her to accept his hand in help, he reached out grabbing her arm and roughly yanked her up to her feet.

"I could ask you the same thing Malfoy," Hermione responded rubbing the redness of her arm.

"Granger, I am not running through the corridors like a bloody lunatic," Draco said and then looking her up and down he added, "plus I am not wearing Gryffindor robes, unlike you in a set of nice Slytherin ones."

A moment of panic surged through Hermione. In the total craziness of the night, she had forgotten she was now wearing Slytherin robes. Draco didn't notice the slight wand movement she made as she picked her wand up off the ground in an effort to avoid answering his question.

"Think again, Malfoy."

Quickly turning she began to head swiftly toward the portrait hole. She could still hear Draco yelling after her. He had looked down when she said that to notice how his robes were no longer Slytherin, but those of a Gryffindor. He fumed as he stormed off to the Slytherin Common room with thoughts of vengeance floating in his head.

Hermione entered through the portrait whole hoping everyone would be in bed now. She really didn't want to explain what she was wearing—not to everyone at least. As she took in the room before her relief swept through her. Only two people remained in the common room. Ron sat at a table copying Harry's homework and Harry sat on the sofa before the fire tinkling with the locket in his hands—the fake horcrux.

"Bloody Hell! What are you wearing Hermione?"

Ron looked up to notice Hermione standing there with a rather uncharacteristically dazed look upon her face. He took in her Slytherin robes and then the outburst escaped his lips. Harry's face slowly turned toward Hermione and upon seeing her, he stood and rushed toward her.

"Hermione? Are you okay?"

His green eyes were pleading and worrisome. With a sigh, Hermione looked up as Ron made his way toward her also.

"You both better sit down. This is going to take some time."

Together, as they always do when there is something needing to be discussed, they sat before the fire huddled together as Hermione told her tale of adventure in the past. When she finished with her story she waited for some sort of word from them, some sort of outburst…anger…anything. Harry sat in silence surveying her as if deep in thought about everything he had just been told. Ron was the first to utter any words.

"Bloody hell, Hermione."

Her lip quivered. It was so much to tell everything in one sitting as she did. It was overwhelming. She felt as if a million emotions had just collided in her very center and she didn't know which to feel. Harry noticed her lip quiver though. He put a friendly arm around her as he gave Ron a "not now" look.

Hermione was exhausted after telling her tale and excused herself. After she had retired to her room, Harry and Ron remained in the common room both staring into the fire. Both were processing the story they had been told in conjunction with the strange pictures.

"He's known this whole time."

Ron nodded his head agreeing with Harry's sentiment.

"Well, at least the whole time he was in the cabin anyway," Ron corrected him.

Harry nodded in agreement. Ron continued with various comments here and there about the strangeness of the whole ordeal. Harry nodded in absentminded agreement as his mind wandered to other aspects. The way in which the younger Lucius was watching Hermione in the past, lingered in his mind. Harry didn't look at Hermione like that and it seemed to pull at a thought in Harry's mind. Had Lucius been smitten with Hermione or actually in love with her? It would explain the dance at the masquerade. Both boys deciding they didn't want to think about Hermione's adventure of sorts with Lucius anymore drug themselves up to their beds.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The castle had an old familiar feel to it as Hermione traveled through the corridors to the Great Hall for breakfast. Not the typical old feel that it had every year she returned, but the feel as if she has known these corridors…known them in years, many years past. It caused a small smile to linger on her mouth as she walked through the doors to the Great Hall.

Home.

Harry and Ron stumbled in behind her playing with a couple of trick wands they snatched from Fred and George's old room at the Burrow. Not noticing Hermione had stopped walking for a moment, they nearly collided with her. Feeling the slight nudge from her best friends, she turned to look at them reprovingly. Noticing the look on her face, they straightened up their posture and looked down at their feet mumbling.

"Sorry 'Mione."

The corner of her lips twitched. It was so good to be home and she wasn't stupid. She could see both boys trying not to smile. It overwhelmed her to be surrounded by true best friends…one who knew you and loved you despite any "faults" they may see. Warm laughter escaped her causing both boys to look up. Their wide smiles were one of the things she had missed. Both sets of eyes danced at her in joy.

"We're just happy you are okay, Hermione."

She smiled at Harry's words, again.

"I couldn't ask for better friends than you two."

Then they noticed her smile fade completely from her face, as if they were looking at Hermione in a different place and time.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"I just wanted to say…thank you, Remus. It was very kind of you and Tonks to look after Draco."

Remus stopped outside the doors to the Great Hall and surveyed Lucius for a moment. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

"No need to thank me, Lucius."

They remained silent for a moment. Not really sure what to say to each other. Then the sound of mumbled apologies could be heard just on the other side of the door. Remus smiled slightly. He could only imagine what they were doing and what look Hermione had given the boys to cause such an apology. It reminded him of one more piece of business before he departed to take care of his Order business.

"Oh, yes. During breakfast I will need to fill you in on Harry's Dumbledore's Army…you will be required to supervise their meetings and aid where necessary."

The warm laughter of a certain female floated through the door. It caused a strange tug deep down in Lucius and his lip slowly curled into a snarl as he and Remus opened the doors to enter.

"I couldn't ask for better friends than you two."

You could feel the warmth of their friendship floating around them…settling in their very aura. It caused Remus to smile at the trio and Lucius to snarl rather unpleasantly. Hermione felt as if her heart had stopped dead in her chest. His cold eyes were on her, piercing her own. It was the past for him and she knew that, she understood that. For her, however, it had just happened. Just yesterday, he was her closest friend. Now, she stared into the same eyes…the eyes of the man that hates her. Harry noticed her jaw quiver slightly. Quickly, Harry and Ron told Remus they would speak with him later, and led Hermione away from Lucius.

As they sat at the Gryffindor table, they noticed Lucius sitting at the Head Table next to Lupin. The trio exchanged looks that all said the same thing. Why is he here? A thought occurred to Harry halfway through breakfast.

"You don't think he's taking over for Professor Lupin do you?"

Ron shook his head no.

"McGonagall is not Dumbledore. She wouldn't do that…hire a Death Eater to teach defense? No way."

He continued stuffing food in his mouth. Hermione's eyes drifted up to the table and something told her that McGonagall would do that and had done that. It did not settle well as her stomach started to churn with each bite until she gave up the idea of eating. She was no longer hungry anyway.

From the Head Table, Lucius watched and paid attention to what was happening at the Gryffindor table. Yes, there sat his little liar from the past. At the thought of her being a liar, something… a little voice in the back of his mind told him she didn't lie. He never asked if she were pureblood. But he silenced that voice in his argument: she was a smart girl, brilliant even, she knew very well, being in Slytherin it would be assumed she was pureblood and she said nothing to contradict the thought. She lied.

Hermione's face was buried in a book, having long since pushed her plate aside to read. McGonagall stood to get everyone's attention. Lucius watched her bright eyes that were working on filling her head with knowledge rise up to look at the Headmistress, a slightly quizzical brow gracing her features.

"Silence. Now, as you all know, Professor Lupin has left his post for an unknown length of time. As such, we have found a replacement. Please welcome Professor Malfoy to the post."

Lucius stood and bowed slightly. The Slytherin table was an uproar of noise. The other tables clapped politely. Lucius stood there, looking down his nose at the student body as if every one were beneath him. As his eyes scanned the crowd of students, one thing came clear into view.

Hermione was heading out the door.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The legend that most people in the wizarding world heard about began that day in Defense Against the Dark Arts. The words that would start the legend started when Hermione refused to raise her hand for his class.

Hermione sat at her desk, receiving odd glares of confusion from Harry and Ron. She knew she was acting like a petulant child, but she refused to give Lucius Malfoy the satisfaction of making this class easy for him by raising her hand with the answers when she was the only one to know them. No, let him actually teach a bit…let him sweat it out at the front of the classroom. She sat there staring straight ahead. It tore her up to think about how close they were in the past and how he never hesitated to call her foul names even after he figured out who she was.

"Miss Granger, no one else seems to be raising their hands and Professor Lupin has informed me of your brilliance. Could you please explain the theory Miss Granger?"

Her eyes turned slowly to look him in the face. He felt a slight chill at how dead they looked in that moment. The whole class watched, knowing the history of hate between Hermione and father and son Malfoy.

"You're supposed to say 'could you please explain the theory, Mudblood."

A few gasps were heard around the classroom. Harry and Ron both had their mouths wide open in shock and awe. With those few words began the legend that little girls everywhere would giggle about at bedtime. Lucius, who had been pacing rather slowly and deliberately in front of the class, stopped and looked down his nose at Hermione.

"Pardon me, Miss Granger?"

She kept her eyes steeled against any emotion threatening to flood her and stared deep into his eyes, piercing his for a change.

"It's simply the name you have always referred to me by…in the past, present and future…I have always been Mudblood Granger. Why change now?"

Despite outward appearances, her heart was pounding wildly in her chest. Lucius stepped up in front of her and leaned down to become eye level with her. To his shock, she did not flinch in the slightest.

"Detention, Miss Granger…tonight after dinner."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Gossip traveled fast in the corridors of Hogwarts. By lunch time not only was everyone still whispering about who the mystery man dancing with their Head Girl at the Masquerade was, but now they were talking of her behavior in DADA and how un-Hermione like it was. Little did they actually know.

At dinner, Lucius watched the young Gryffindor from the Head Table. The whispers were still following her around the school and now she sat at dinner simply picking at her food. He found his mind drifting to memories…memories of the past. She still had such a sad look upon her face when no one was looking. He watched her smile at Harry when he looked up to say something to her. He knew her heart was not truly in it though…the smile was merely on her shell and did not radiate from the inside as he had seen it do before. He wanted to shake those thoughts…it was just too much. The only consolation he had was the fact that she would suffer as he had suffered after her departure…to an extent. After all, Hermione Granger wasn't a Death Eater.

"Poor child."

The Headmistress' voice broke Lucius' thoughts and he turned to her quizzically.

"What do you mean, Headmistress?"

Taking a sip of broth, she nodded nonchalantly in the direction of the Gryffindor table.

"I am referring to Miss Granger." She took Lucius' silence to indicate he was indeed listening. "She hasn't been herself since her parents' death, but who would? She was left with everything of course and decided she wanted to sell the house she grew up in."

She looked up at Lucius who was listening with a look of boredom. She shook her head and took another sip of broth.

"Oh come now Lucius. You care more than that. After all, it was the night of the masquerade that Miss Granger went back in the past, was it not?"

She took another sip of broth as she watched him from the corner of her eye. He looked stiff as if he had just heard a great shock. He actually thought this was something only he and Hermione knew, but of course, it wasn't.

"Don't fret so, Lucius. Dumbledore mentioned it in some notes he left for me upon his death. But back to the issue at hand."

She delicately dabbed the corners of her mouth with her napkin before placing it in her empty plate. She turned to look at Lucius.

"A buyer has been found for the Granger residence. This weekend Miss Granger will need to go there and clean out any belongings she wishes to obtain."

"And what does this have to do with me?"

She smiled almost as if apologizing. Lucius knew he was not going to like this.

"She is a member of what your son has termed 'the Golden Trio.' Times are dangerous and an attempt has already been made on her life once. She will need an escort. You and Remus will escort her and act as her guard for the weekend."

Placing his own napkin in his plate, he looked at McGonagall.

"Is that wise Headmistress?"

"Yes, Lucius. I do not believe for a moment you would let harm come to her nor would Remus. If you are called away on…business, Remus will inform me and a replacement sent."

"Very well," he said, knowing there was no arguing when a plan had been set in motion. His eyes drifted to the Gryffindor again. She was leaning over the table with her head together with Harry and Ron's. He noticed his own son watching them with speculation.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Listen Harry, this weekend is a Hogsmead weekend. Just write Mundungus tonight and ask him to meet you somewhere."

Harry shook his head.

"I don't know Hermione. Why would he be honest with me after I tried to kill him over goblets last year?"

Hermione made a slight bow with her head.

"I concede your point Harry, but you have to try. You have searched Grimmauld Place and it is not there."

Harry sighed and rubbed his head slightly.

"You forgot about Kreacher, Hermione."

She looked at Ron. She had indeed forgotten about him.

"Yes, Ron is right. You should check with him too. He is liable to have taken the locket too."

After a couple more whispered sentences, Harry agreed he would check with Kreacher and Mundungus about the locket. That horcrux had to be found…and destroyed.

"Well, I'm off. I'll see you two after my detention."

They both gave her pitying looks. As they watched her walk out the door, Ron turned to Harry.

"I'm worried about this detention with Malfoy, Harry. What if he hexes her or something?"

Harry's eyes traveled from the spot Hermione had once been before the doors closed behind her to the Head Table where Lucius sat staring at the same spot.

"Don't worry Ron. Something tells me he wouldn't do that."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Hermione was nervous as she slid into the DADA classroom. The room was dark and forbidding. The only light was on the desk at the head of the class where Lucius sat looking over in-class essays from earlier that day. The light from the candle lit up his face so it gave the appearance of glowing as if he were some sublime creature sitting at the desk. His cold grey eyes rose from his work and found her warm eyes. He said nothing at first, only pointed to a chair that was pulled up on the other side of his desk.

Nervously, she made her way to the chair and sat down as if expecting to be thrown from the seat the moment she sat in it. He watched her settle herself in silence. For a moment he was in the library in his seventh year sitting across from Hermione watching her every move committing it to memory because he knew she would not be there forever. This was her detention though. He placed a large stack of parchments before her.

"First year essays. I find them incomprehensible. You will grade these."

Hermione nodded her head ever so slightly and set to work. An hour passed in silence. Lucius glanced up on occasion to glance at her. The words she whispered into his ear in the past echoed in his ears now. It was like a taunting warning that he did not heed. His eyes grazed over her…she still was not eating properly. He knew she did not eat dinner…he had seen as much. Standing up he walked over to the fireplace across the room. Hermione couldn't hear what he was saying, only saw that he was flooing someone. Deciding she shouldn't be caught doing anything other than what her detention dictated, she turned back to the first year essays.

Hermione had read the same sentence three times and it still did not make sense. That was when Lucius found his way back to the desk and placed a plate of sandwiches on the desk along with a butterbeer for Hermione. She looked at the plate and then up at Lucius. His eyes were still cold and hard as they looked at her as if hiding behind some wall. He sat back down to set back to work. He looked across the desk and down his nose at her.

"Eat Miss Granger. Starving yourself will not accomplish you a thing except a good scolding from Madame Pomfrey."