CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Strange things were happening all over the castle. Sure you'd occasionally hear about a student tripping and falling on a set of moving staircases, but not like this. There were rumours of students rolling down multiple sets of stairs, injuries that could only be sustained by malicious hex, pumpkin juice at breakfast poisoning people, and people with no known allergies of any kind suddenly suffering anaphylaxis. There were never any witnesses, nor suspects to these "accidents". No one individual was a suspect, however, it soon came to light that all of the victims were Muggleborn.

Hermione was nervous. Being in Slytherin, she knew she was technically safe from these atrocities that were occurring all over the castle, but being a Muggleborn, she couldn't help but be scared. Her thoughts were constantly with all those in the hospital wing, and especially those who needed to be transferred out to St Mungo's for treatment. It was a scary time for everyone. The bright spot for many was the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend. In two days' time, she and her friends would be free from the cold confines of Hogwarts.

The night before Hogsmeade, there was a meeting in the common room. Lucius stood before Slytherin house as a whole and informed them that the Headmaster had set specific rules for the visit the next day. He mentioned that there was a list of guidelines every student needed to follow, including not traveling alone. Then he said that the whole list would be posted on the bulletin board for those who felt the need to see what the rest of the school would be doing. Chuckles came from many of the sixth and seventh year boys, as if they were above the rules of the school. Then Hermione remembered what House she was currently in and who some of her housemates were.

A shudder ran through her at the thought that more than a few of them were probably responsible for the ill fates that have befallen more than a few of her school mates.

The next morning, Hermione, Margie, Liz, and Serendipity made their way toward the gates of the grounds. They were discussing plans for the day, things they wanted to see, and people they wanted to meet up with. When they reached the path to the village, they met up with Andromeda, Jupiter Wilkes, Galerius Avery, and Rabastan Lestrange. Andromeda and Hermione allowed themselves to fall to the back of the group as the rest paired up and walked joyously toward their day of frivolity. Down in the village, a good time was being had by all. Shopkeepers were smiling at the influx of Galleons coming in, students were laughing and celebrating the beginning of some nicer weather, and Hermione was just content to hang back with Andromeda and talk quietly about the boys in their lives…or rather, the boy in Andromeda's life. Hermione really wasn't sure what she and Lucius were anymore.

Deciding it was time to eat some lunch, the two witches made their way toward The Three Broomsticks. They were so deep in conversation that they didn't notice the people running about and trying to get into the establishment until they were almost knocked over by a wizard in violent fuchsia robes. He was yelling something about mediwitches and aurors as he brandished his wand and apparated out of sight with nary a pop. The two girls looked at each other warily before cautiously entering the eatery.

Inside, it was chaos. There were people huddled in the corners and under tables. Chairs were knocked over, some tables completely out of place, and in the midst of it all, three Gryffindor boys lay unresponsive on the floor, eyes open and unseeing. Hermione gasped, throwing her hands over her mouth, unable to take her eyes off of the scene before her. Andromeda spotted their regular group of friends in the corner, so she took hold of Hermione's shoulders and guided her to them. Once there, Hermione found herself listening to near-silent laughter from those around her.

Anger overtook her. 'What in Merlin's name could possibly be funny at a time like this?' she seethed. 'Those boys are dead!'

It was Rabastan who answered her. 'Calm down, Mione. They've obviously just consumed Draught of the Living Death,' he chuckled.

'I've told you repeatedly to NOT call me that, Lestrange. And how in the sodding hell would you know? Did you do this to them?'

But it wasn't Rabastan who responded. Lucius Malfoy stepped out from behind a few others and turned her attention to him rather than the innocent boy she was arguing with. He took her by the hand and moved them apart from the group.

'Calm down, love. They'll be right as rain in no time. Besides, they're only Mudbloods.'

She recoiled as if he'd physically struck her. Knowing that he was now officially a Death Eater was one thing, but seeing the hate and disdain coming from him was something completely different. This was no longer her friend standing before her, but rather the impenetrable force from her youth, the one who scared her so completely back in the Department of Mysteries all those months ago. This was the man she hated, not the one she thought she might love.

'Mudbloods?' she hissed, but her voice quickly rose in volume. 'MUDBLOODS?! They're PEOPLE, Lucius! They're STUDENTS!' She was yelling now, garnering the attention of more than just those in her immediate vicinity. 'They're CHILDREN! They just wanted to grab a bite to eat! Just like you! Just like me! How can you be so cold as to stand here and make light of this?'

'Come now. It's just a harmless prank and-'

'Harmless? What about all those students back at school? The ones who had to be sent to the hospital wing? Or the ones who had to leave and go to St Mungo's? Were they just victims of "harmless pranks" as you call them? Or were they "only Mudbloods", too? Didn't they fit into your perfect Pureblooded world? You can obviously stand by while people get hurt, but could you stand by and watch someone die? What if this little prank backfired and these boys were really dead? Then what? Would you tell their parents that it's ok because they're "only Mudbloods", Lucius?'

The pub was silent around them as Hermione railed against Lucius. She was screaming at him as he implored her to keep her voice down, but every time he tried to remove her from the establishment or get her to calm, she only got louder. After a few minutes of standing in shock and listening to her yell, Avery finally nudged Lucius and told him to do something about her before someone else did. Pulling his wand, Lucius cast a Silencing charm on Hermione. It took her only a second to realize what he'd done. With tears in her eyes, she swung her right arm through the air and slapped him soundly across his left cheek before running from the pub.

Hermione knew someone was following her as she trudged up the path from the gates of the grounds to the doors of Hogwarts. That same someone had been following her all the way from The Three Broomsticks. Not wanting to be slowed down, she didn't look behind her. If she was being honest with herself, it was partially from fear that she never stopped to see who it was. She was afraid that it was Lucius trying to find the right thing to say to her, but also afraid that it was someone else and that he had stayed behind, not bothering to follow.

She didn't really cry on the long walk back up to the school, but there was a steady stream of tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. When she finally made it back to the common room, she was forced to stop and open the portrait. That was when she saw that it was Andromeda who had followed her from Hogsmeade. This was all it took for Hermione to dissolve into a sobbing fit that lasted the better part of a half hour.

'Shh,' crooned Andromeda softly. 'It's ok. You're ok. Those boys are ok.'

The two witches just held each other until Hermione calmed enough speak, having been told that Andromeda had reversed the Silencing charm the moment she'd gotten close enough to Hermione to do so. Hermione used the sleeve of her sweater to wipe the tears from her eyes before taking a tissue to blow her nose. The tears were still coming, albeit slower now, but Hermione finally felt calm enough to speak.

'He doesn't care. Those boys could have been seriously hurt and he just stood there playing it off as if they deserved it because they're not the same blood as he is. He doesn't care… He doesn't care…'

'Come on, Hermione. You know how it is with our type of families; blood is everything. If you're not Pure-'

'I'm Muggleborn.'

The confession came out of nowhere, and realizing what she'd said, Hermione expected to soon find herself waking up in the hospital wing as she had before. But nothing happened. She was fine. Chancing a look around, she was happy to discover that they were alone in the common room, but even if they weren't she was almost certain that she'd whispered the words. No one but Andromeda would have been able to hear them.

'Why didn't you tell me? I knew you weren't a Pureblood, but a Muggleborn? Why didn't you trust me?'

'I had to be sure, Andy,' she replied, adopting the nickname the other witch would use later in life. 'I had to know that you weren't a fanatic like the rest. But they can't know. Oh God, Andy, they can't know!'

'Shh. I won't say anything. After all, you haven't said anything about Ted, and now I know why.'

The two shared a watery smile and laugh as the entrance to the common room opened and Lucius walked in. He walked up to them looking almost contrite as he asked Hermione to accompany him for a walk. Andromeda stared him down for a moment before taking her cue from Hermione. Holding out his hand, Lucius beckoned Hermione to her feet and the two walked quietly from the common room together.

They walked in silence, Hermione a half step behind Lucius as he led the way through the castle. She expected him to start talking at any second, but he merely followed a well-known path to his destination. Stopping in front of a blank stretch of wall on the seventh floor, Hermione realized that he'd meant to speak with her in private without any chance of being interrupted. The door appeared and the two made their way inside to find a quaint sitting room complete with two cushy armchairs, a small loveseat, and a roaring fire. Not wanting to set the wrong tone, as well as to show her displeasure with Lucius, Hermione moved the loveseat out of the way and pulled the chairs to be facing each other in front of the fire.

They sat. Neither of them said anything; nor were they looking at each other. Hermione didn't want to be the one to talk first. Besides, it was he that came to her and asked for this discussion. She would wait him out.

It took a few minutes, but finally he spoke.

'I took the mark on Valentine's Day, but you know that already,' he began without taking his eyes off of the fire. 'I had no choice. My father promised all of his children to the service of the Dark Lord.'

'All of his… Lucius, do you have siblings?'

'No. Mother… Pregnancy wasn't kind to my mother. But rest assured, had any of those pregnancies gone to term, we all would bear the mark of our Lord. Once promised to him, you take up with him or you're made an example to others. The Cruciatus is no fun, no matter who is casting it, but when the Dark Lord releases his anger onto someone…' Lucius trailed off, obviously lost in thought.

Just when she was about to prompt him to continue, he spoke again, 'He was angry with me for seeing you. He saw us together in my thoughts, saw how I wanted to be with you and not the witch chosen for me. He knows nothing of you, mind, so he couldn't be certain that you weren't some usurper just after my position and my gold. As if any of that matters to him. That's what he said, but I could tell it was more that he wants me focused on the cause rather than chasing a skirt. No offense.'

'None taken. Besides, on your list of offenses, that would rate exceedingly low, if it even made the list.'

'I am deeply sorry for silencing you this afternoon. Had I not done it, Galerius looked as if he might have stunned you to shut you up. Now, just wait. Before you say anything, you need to realize that appearances need to be kept. The last time we discussed this, you ended up fainting on me and I really don't fancy having to rush you to the hospital wing again, so keep your seat. I Iam/I a Death Eater now. The ones responsible for today's incident were still in attendance. Would you rather have seen me cursed, or worse?'

'No. Of course not.' Hermione sighed, reluctantly understanding where he was coming from. After a moment, she met his eyes. 'I'm sorry I slapped you.'

Lucius took out his wand and cancelled the glamour he had obviously cast on his cheek. There, in startling contrast to his pale complexion, was a perfect, dark red impression of her hand. Without thinking, and unable to stop herself even if she wanted to, Hermione moved from her seat across from him and closed the distance between them. She kneeled before him and took his face in her hands, examining her handiwork.

'I'm so sorry.'

'No, my love. I'm the one who is sorry. I deserved this.'

She was overcome with emotion at his words. He brought his hands up to cup her cheeks as he leaned in to kiss her sweetly on the mouth. She kissed him back, uncaring that her knees were getting sore from the hard floor beneath the carpet she was kneeling on. When she pulled back from him to adjust her position, she caught site of the Dark Mark on his arm. Getting to her feet, she walked over to the loveseat and put her head in her hands. How did I get here? she wondered to herself. Lucius rose and joined her.

'I might have to leave soon,' she began, fight back tears. 'I can't go into detail just yet, but my parents are trying to work something out. My time here might be almost over.'

Now it was Lucius' turn to sigh. 'Then let's make the most of it and not fight anymore.'

She nodded and he stood. The hour was getting late and they needed to be heading back to the common room. Sharing one last lingering kiss, they then left the Room of Requirement and walked hand in hand to the Slytherin Common Room.