Chapter 4
Lucius' Reaction

Severus sighed, looking around his classroom after Miss Granger had left. It felt surprisingly empty, around him. He had enjoyed talking to the girl, even thought they had been speaking of such a glum topic.

His respect for her had grown in the past four hours, and this surprised him, for his respect for her had already passed the limit of student rank.

Severus stood from his chair and tapped a section of blank wall that was next to the black board with his wand. A black door appeared there, and Severus, muttering the password, stepped into his private quarters.

The room was lined, wall-to-wall with bookshelves, every type of book imaginable could be found here. From Shakespeare's "Macbeth," to rare texts of how to brew the most complicated potions. In front of a blazing fire were two black leather armchairs, a matching sofa and a crystal coffee table. The chairs and sofa had a few green silk pillows, matching Severus' dreaded house of Slytherin.

Severus picked up "Macbeth" from its shelf, feeling particularly in the mood for the play, and sat down, not really caring that he had papers to grade and projects to put together.

"Severus." The potion's master jumped and looked around, cursing. His eyes fell onto the fire, but there was no one there. "Room under the Drawing Room, if you please."

Severus sighed, he knew who that voice was now. Lucius must have gotten his letter about Miss Granger.

He threw a pinch of Floo powder in the flames and felt the familiar sensation of spinning in an oven. He stepped out of the fireplace.

Lucius was seated at an elegant black wood desk, with elegant bookshelves around him. Lucius stood, looking stoic, Severus remained were he was, a blank expression on his face.

Before Severus could speak, Lucius motioned to a black chair with two silver serpent heads on the head that was in front of him. "You said you found a medical chart with the name of Malfoy. A female," the blond said. Severus had never seen his body language this vacant. It was surprising, even for him, and he had known Lucius since he was in school.

"Yes," said Severus, keeping his voice calm and cool.

"Who is she then? Where is she?"

"She is at Hogwarts," said Severus evenly. "But I don't understand why she is so important, Lucius."

"I don't have time to explain, Severus," said Lucius, his voice growing impatient. "I need to know who this girl is."

"I will tell you, Lucius, I will tell you," said Severus, sitting down, as did Lucius. He paused, choosing his words carefully, and then said, "I only remembered your request to find this certificate last month, when I was going through my pensive. So I decided to try again and ask the seventh years to make a potion that would, unknowingly to them, tell me if they were truly purebloods.

"I was surprised to find that this girl, the Muggleborn I had told you about six years ago, was a pureblood. I investigated the girls papers and found that she had been adopted by Muggle parents when she had been two months old." He paused, looking at Lucius with his piercing stare. "Why are you so interested in this girl, Lucius?" he asked. "Do you know who her parents are?"

Severus was pleased that he had hit the mark as Lucius frowned and looked intently at Severus. "Are you certain she is the girl?" he asked.

"Positive," replied Severus.

Lucius paused, as if pondering if he should tell him or not. "Yes, I know who the girl's parents are," said Lucius finally, realizing Severus was not going to tell him anything more until he explained himself. "Bella and I are her parents."

Severus raised his eyebrows in fake surprise. "I didn't know things had gotten that serious," he said.

"Yes, they had at that time," said Lucius, a hint of regret in his voice. "But after the girl was born we cut the relationship off." Severus nodded for him to continue. "And I am so interested because she is my flesh and blood, I can not live any longer with the knowledge that I have a daughter out there that may need a pureblood's power." Lucius' cold narrow eyes turned back to Severus. "Who is this girl, Severus? What is her name?"

"You won't like it, Lucius," warned Severus. "But I will tell you. She is in Gryffindor--" Lucius blanched and cursed, "And she is friends with Potter and Weasley."

This made Lucius stand, every line in his face deeply creased. "Granger?" he spat. "What did I ever do to deserve this?"

Everything, thought Severus hotly. But thinking quickly, as he always did in these sorts of situations, said the first excuse for Miss Granger's friendship with Potter and Weasley he could come up with. "Lucius, I will say this for the girl, I don't think she is really friends with Potter and Weasley," he said, as he had trained his mind to do long ago.

Lucius froze. "What do you mean?"

"Her body language towards them is usually made in mock warmth, unless she is being picked on by others," he said, not even flinching at the look Lucius was giving him. "I think it may just be a mask."

This calmed Lucius slightly and he sat back down, although still tense. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"I am the most powerful Legilimens save for the Dark Lord, Lucius," he said, "I think you can trust me to read the signs of a teenage girl."

Lucius relaxed for a few seconds, then stiffened, looking at Severus suspiciously. "You will tell no one." It was not a question or a request, but an order.

"I will keep your secret, Lucius, unless you wish me to talk to Hermione, explain to her the events."

Lucius thought a moment then nodded slowly. "She would trust you more than me. Tell, her mother and I want to see her Christmas holidays. Explain everything, there should be a certificate in the Hogwarts hospital wing records, show her proof that we are her parents. Just don't let Dumbledore know, I would really hate for that fool to inform the Dark Lord of Hermione before I do in some way unknown to him." Severus nodded in agreement. "Try not to scare her off, Severus. I've felt obligated to reunite with my daughter for years, even if I now know her past. Tell her tomorrow, it is, after all, a Saturday."

Severus stood, shaking Lucius' hand in understanding that he would not tell anyone about this meeting. "I shall," he said, and turned back to the fireplace. "Lucius," he added, turning back to the Death Eater as he reached the hearth, "shall I tell her to contact you if she wants?"

"That's fine," said Lucius shortly, but consciously. "You know where to tell her to send her owls."

Severus nodded and stepped into the fire, green flames licking his sides.

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A/N-- Hello! The next chapter should be up soon...as in, Monday! Yay!

Eve