"What the hell is she doing up in the damn Astronomy Tower," James snarled at the map. Remus pinched the top of his nose and closed his book.

"Is she alone?" he asked his friend cautiously.

"Yes," muttered James sulkily.

"Maybe she's thinking," Remus offered logically.

"She can think just fine in her damn dormitory where the damn Slytherin prat can't get anywhere near her." James growled. Sirius walked in the dormitory munching on a chocolate frog. He tossed one to Remus who grinned his thanks, and carefully set one near James who was unbelievably touchy lately.

"Who, Lily? She's in the common room helping Peter with his homework," Sirius said with a slight frown.

Remus shook his head and pointed to his knee. Oh. Hermione. Sirius wasn't thinking about Hermione prancing about the castle with that unbelievable prat Malfoy. He very carefully didn't think about it quite often. He was upset on James' behalf of course, but he certainly had no personal feelings about the situation at all. James was muttering and snarling to himself as he studied the map.

"James, you know she's still upset with you," Remus said quietly. "You hurt her feelings…some of the things you said weren't very nice. She's probably just crying by herself up in the Astronomy Tower or something."

"Crying?" James sounded horrified. "Why would she be crying?"

"Er," Sirius stared at his friend for a moment. Surely he wasn't that thick, was he?

"You basically called her a Slytherin whore," Remus said coolly.

"I did not!" James argued indignantly.

"You sort of did, James," Sirius said quietly. Not James' proudest moment, that. And the look on Hermione's face had sort of twisted something in all the boys. She was a solid sort of girl, and they all liked her well enough. She was blindingly brilliant, had a wicked sense of humor, and some of her ideas for their pranks were down right ingenious. She also left them alone to do their own thing, and that made her first rate.

"Maybe I should go talk to her," James muttered shamefacedly.

"I think that would be a good idea," Remus continued in that cool tone. He wouldn't come right out and say it, but James knew that Remus was very unhappy with the way he'd treated his sister. All of the marauders liked Hermione and were fond of her, but Remus in particular seemed very protective of her.

Hermione stood in the Astronomy Tower looking out. Her arms were wrapped around her middle and her shoulders were hunched slightly. James stood uncertainly, shifting from foot to foot.

"What do you want James?" Her voice was icy cold. She didn't sound like herself…she sounded different. Worst of all was that she called him James.

"I'm sorry," James said miserably. He hadn't realized that he'd hurt Hermione this badly, but standing this close to her he could feel her pain. It was like an open jagged wound that lay between them, and his heart ached in his chest. She turned and looked at him, her hazel eyes shuttered.

"Why are you sorry now?" She asked dully. James knew exactly what she meant. She'd been sitting in the library with Malfoy two weeks ago. He had barely spoken to her since then.

"I…I've been very stupid," he said finally. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"That's the funny thing about words James, regardless of what you meant to say you said some very cruel, very untrue things in front of everyone we know in the middle of the Gryffindor common room." Hermione turned away from him again, as though she couldn't stand to look at him.

"I'll do anything you want," James begged. "Please, Hermione, just look at me. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I just—I lost it. I know that's not okay. I know I have a lot to make up for, but please Hermione—look at me."

It was like looking into a mirror, every time he looked into those eyes, but he'd never seen them filled with such pain, so hurt, so lost. It was like a punch to the gut, to see her this way. James felt his own eyes prickling, but he didn't care. It wasn't like there was anybody up here anyway. He moved closer to her and she didn't move away. She just watched him warily. That hurt, too.

"How could you, James?" Her voice was broken sounding, and she gave a shuddering breath. He realized with horror that she was crying, just like Remus had suggested. Fear pushed out all rational thought and he said the first thing that popped into his head.

"Because I'm gormless toe-rag?" He offered weakly. That only made her cry harder. Panicking, he pulled her into his arms and held her. She buried her face in his chest and sobbed. He stroked her back and whispered soothing nonsense in her ears and held her. She pulled back and hiccupped.

"You are, you know." She said with a frown. "I thought Lily was being mean, but you really are a gormless toe-rag."

"I am," he said miserably. "Hermione, I am so so—"

"Sorry, yes, you've said," Hermione said coolly. James flinched.

"My Own, I love you. You are so important to me, and I screwed up." James said even more miserably. He ran a hand through his wild hair and sighed. Hermione shifted slightly in his arms.

"I'm not going to stop seeing Lucius," she said quietly, not looking at him. James bit the inside of his cheek and counted to one hundred.

"Fine," James bit out between clenched teeth.

"You're going to be nice to him." Hermione said firmly. James made a strangled noise.

"Fine," he muttered.

"No pranks, Jamie," Hermione said sternly. James grinned at her.

"Sure," he said cheerfully. She frowned at him.

"You seem far too happy," she said, watching him. He grinned at her.

"You called me Jamie. That means you're not mad at me anymore." He said giddily, crushing her to his chest.

"No pranks," she insisted, a gimlet stare trained on her brother. He sighed heavily.

"Just on old Lucius, though, right?" James asked. Hermione smiled at him.

"You can hex the rest of Slytherin all you like," she said sweetly. He grinned back at her and hugged her again. They walked back to Gryffindor hand in hand.

Lily decided that James on his very best behavior was fascinating to watch. He catered to Hermione's every whim, did everything she asked without even questioning her first. He did silly things to make her laugh, to cheer her up. Lily watched all of it and wondered if maybe she was a little jealous. It was obvious that James loved his twin more than almost anything. He even convinced Sirius, Remus and Peter to act as servants for his beloved sister. She wondered what it would be like to be the center of James Potter's world and then she shoved that thought away and stomped on it. She also realized that Hermione was vicious when crossed. She almost ignored the other three marauders. She saved everything for her brother. Lucius escorted Hermione almost everywhere, and every single time they passed James she would smile sweetly at him and wave. Lily could almost hear James grinding his teeth as he would nod politely to Lucius Malfoy.

"James Potter! You dirty rat! You promised me!" shrieked Hermione bursting through the portal into the common room. James looked up from where he and his fellow marauders were sitting in front of the fireplace.

"Hermione, what are talking about?" James was genuinely surprised.

"As if you didn't know," Hermione hissed, her chest heaving in rage.

"Oh, er," Sirius spoke up from his spot where he was sprawled on the couch. "James actually didn't know anything about that."

"Know anything about what?" James demanded in irritation. Hermione shrieked in incoherent rage and pointed her wand at Sirius.

"Bat-Bogey!" She shrieked at him and then threw herself out of the portal again.

Hermione received admiring glances from fellow students for the rest of the day. Well, from the male students anyway. Most of the female students glared at her darkly for hexing the handsome, irrepressible flirt Sirius Black. Hermione glared back and thought of nonverbal jinxes she could cast if any of them irritated her. Several of the male students were stupid enough to try and approach her. A hand slipped around her waist and pulled her close to a hard chest. She looked up and smiled at Lucius.

"It wouldn't do them any good anyway, Lucius," she said with a slight smile at this display of jealousy.

"Still, that they would try to approach you, when we are obviously a couple," Lucius muttered frowning at the boys who scurried down the hall. "These are not men of morals."

"Are we?" Hermione asked shyly, tilting her head up so that she could see his face better. He frowned at her.

"What?"

"Are we obviously a couple?" She asked. Lucius smirked at her. He glanced down the corridor which was suddenly empty. Then he looked into her wide hazel eyes, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. Hermione stood there stock still, and let him kiss her. His lips moved over hers skillfully, his tongue licked at her bottom lip and her mouth parted in surprise. He was kissing her deeply, his tongue teasing hers. She responded after a moment, kissing him back eagerly until he broke the kiss to lean his forehead against hers and pant.

"Does that answer your question?" He asked. She smiled at him.

"Not really. I can deduce that you enjoyed kissing me, but it didn't answer the question." Hermione said quietly. He smirked at her.

"Yes. Yes, we are a couple. You are my girlfriend, I am your boyfriend. I will become jealous when other boys hit on you, and I do enjoy kissing you." Lucius drawled. He leaned down to prove it.

If only Harry and Ron could see you now.

This conversation is getting very old, very fast. He is NOT a Death Eater. He is NOT evil. He's a kid. Just like me. Besides, have you seen the boy kiss?

I will never, ever approve of this. Never, ever. What about Sirius? He's looking very handsome and sexy and stuff.

Yes, Sirius I-have-a-new-girlfriend-more-often-than-I-change-my-underwear Black. That's just the sort of man I ought to be with.

Ew. Surely, he changes his underwear fairly often. Doesn't he?

Of course he does, that's my point.

Oh.

Hermione's hair fell down her back in a cascade of black, unruly curls. The light of the girl's dorm room caught tiny jewels which had been pinned into her hair. Her dress was a pale mauve chiffon that was composed of floating layers of sheer fabric. Potter family diamonds glittered around her neck. She wore light make up: a hint of lipstick, eyeliner, mascara. She smiled at herself in the mirror.

"Wow," Lily said quietly when she came up to check on Hermione. "Are you ready?"

"I think so, are you ready?" Hermione asked while she smoothed the filmy fabric under her hands. Lily smiled.

"Yeah." Both girls went down the staircase and into the Gryffindor common room.

"You aren't wearing that, are you?" James sounded horrified, his eyes on his sister's dress. Sirius stood next to him, his eyes wide staring at her. The usually verbose Black was silent, and he looked slightly stunned. Hermione's lips tightened with irritation.

"What's wrong with it?" She asked tightly. James stared at his sister, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

"Your…your…they're there…and…people can see them…and," James sputtered helplessly, waving at her dress. Sirius' eyes darkened slightly. They were there, and you could see the gentle swell of them, and the sight of her creamy skin above the neckline did things to him. They made him feel warm, and his body feel tight.

"James Charlus Potter, mother picked this dress out for me, and if mother approves of it then you may be sure that it is in the best possible taste," Hermione's voice was dangerously low and her hazel eyes had narrowed on her brother.

"You look very nice, Hermione," Remus said softly from his spot in an armchair. Hermione walked over and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you, Remus," she said sweetly. James' jaw tightened, and then he sighed.

"You look beautiful, My Own," he said finally. Hermione smiled beatifically at him and kissed him on the cheek as well.

"Thank you, Jamie," she whispered against his cheek. Sirius started slightly and turned to Hermione.

"You look amazing," Sirius said softly, his dark grey eyes on hers. She smiled sweetly at him, and her lips lightly brushed his cheek, leaving the skin tingling afterward.

Lily and Hermione met Severus and Lucius, and the boys offered their arms to their dates. They strolled slowly, talking amongst themselves as they walked toward Slughorn's Holiday Party. Lucius' eyes had flared and turned to molten silver when he saw her in her dress. Hermione's cheeks had turned pink with pleasure.

"You are going home for the holidays?" Lucius asked politely. Hermione smiled.

"Of course, mother and father always make a big deal out of the holidays. James and Sirius act like little boys. They go to sleep really early, and they wake up at 5 a.m. and run downstairs to open presents." Hermione said fondly. Lucius frowned slightly.

"Black doesn't go home for the holiday?" He asked coolly. Hermione shook her head.

"No, his relationship with his family is…strained. He usually pays his respects and then comes to our house." Hermione explained. Lucius' frown became more pronounced.

"Family is everything," he said flatly. Hermione looked up at his face, and saw a flash of that other Lucius. The one that the other her remembered. She knew suddenly with awful clarity, that Lucius' fealty to his family would be the catalyst for what would happen to him.

"Oh, look, we're there!" Hermione said brightly.

Slughorn's party was just as sycophantic as she had recalled, and she forced herself to suffer through it. It was a chance for her to spend time with Lucius away from the demarcation of the Houses, and the prying eyes of her over-protective brother. She hoped that Lucius would want to talk after the party, but he just politely escorted her as close to Gryffindor as he could get.

"Lucius? Is something bothering you?" Hermione asked with a slight frown. He had seemed on edge all night.

"I am…anxious about the holidays, that is all," he said icily, not inviting further discussion. Hermione stopped in the corridor.

"Lucius, I think that you and I need to talk," Hermione said in an odd voice. "Now."

"Hermione, I don't think that now-," Lucius began, but Hermione cut him off.

"Now is the perfect time," she said in that odd voice. She did not appear to be acting like herself. She grabbed his hand and practically dragged him up and down some very strange passageways. They ended up in an unused classroom that his girlfriend broke into using nonverbal magic. Lucius' eyebrows shot up his forehead.

"Hermione, what is going on?" Lucius demanded when she shoved him in the room and shut the door behind her.

"Show me your arm," she bit out through clenched teeth, her wand pointed at him. He quirked a blond brow at her and rolled up his left sleeve to reveal an unblemished expanse of skin.

"When?" she asked through bloodless lips.

"Over the holidays," he answered coolly, staring at her.

"You don't have to do this," she said quietly. He frowned at her.

"Yes, I do," he said flatly. "If I don't, he'll kill my family."

"Family is everything," Hermione said numbly, staring at the sixteen year-old boy in front of her that suddenly reminded her of another young, blond man who was forced to make horrible choices to save those he loved.

"Yes," he said simply.

"Lucius, the choices you are going to make are going to destroy your family," Hermione argued. He shook his head.

"No."

"Listen to me, your family will be put in danger if he falls, you know that right?" Hermione tried a different approach. Lucius' eyes flared.

"I'm not going to talk about this right now," he said quietly. "I was going to talk to you…after."

"To tell me we couldn't see each other anymore?" Hermione guessed bitterly. Lucius did not deny it. "Fine, we'll talk. After."

"I really don't think there's a point, now." Lucius said, looking away from her. Hermione grabbed his arm and he turned back to look at her.

"Please. One more time, after the holidays." She asked. He frowned at her.

"I liked you," he said slowly. "Father never would have approved, the Potter family has made some dangerous decisions lately, but I liked you. I wondered what it might be like, if…"

"Lucius, listen to me carefully," Hermione whispered to him. "You are a skilled Legilimens, yes? An adept at occlumency?" He nodded.

"Never, ever let your guard down. Not even with your wife. Train your son, make sure he knows from a young age how to protect himself. You must be cunning, you must be so cunning," Hermione whispered in that strange, odd voice. "You will be given…things…to guard. They are not what they seem to be."

"Are you a seer?" He asked sharply. She frowned and shook her head.

"Don't change the subject, Lucius. Trust Professor Dumbledore, Lucius. When you are given these things to guard, you must figure out a way to inform him." Hermione begged him.

"I…," Lucius stared at her.

"To protect your family, you must do what you don't wish to do. To protect your son, your legacy, you must find a way to do what you do wish to do," Hermione said urgently.

"I don't have a son," Lucius muttered, frowning at her. Hermione shrugged.

"Your father will marry you off to one of his other supporters, I'm sure. You are bound to have a son, Lucius."

"Hermione, this makes no sense. You are talking crazy, what's wrong with you?" Lucius demanded. Hermione pulled Lucius' head down and kissed him passionately. After a moment, he responded and swept her against his chest, frantically kissing her back. His fingers slid into her silky curls and he kissed his way down her jaw. He placed a light kiss along her throat and then his lips were on hers again. His tongue stroked hers lightly and she moaned against his mouth.

"What the hell is going on?" James' icy voice came from the doorway. Hermione sprang back from Lucius, and tripped almost falling. Lucius put out a steadying hand and caught her elbow. "Step away from my sister, Malfoy."

"Put a sock in it, Potter," Lucius growled thoroughly out of patience with his girlfriend's brother.

"Hermione! Are you going to let him talk to your brother like that?" Sirius demanded from behind James.

"Merlin's Beard, Jamie! Did you bring every last damn Marauder with you?" Hermione hissed at her brother.

"Now, see here, Hermione, you are the one who is in trouble, not me," James argued. Hermione snorted. He frowned at her. "You are in a deserted classroom, at night, sucking Malfoy's face off. You are coming back to Gryffindor tower with me now."

"Well, Lucius, I suppose this is good night. I had a lovely time," she lied effortlessly, a smile on her lips. Lucius smirked back.

"And I as well, Hermione. You will haunt my dreams, tonight," He purred at her.

"Like bloody hell she will! Hermione, I forbid you to go skipping about sodding Malfoy's sodding dreams!" James growled. Hermione rolled her eyes at her brother.

"I don't have any control over that, James. Don't be an even bigger ass than you already are." She snapped at him before she stalked out of the room.