A/N: Response was SO FANTASTIC to chapter one, I decided to post chapter two earlier than anticipated! Thank you so much to everyone who has favorited/followed and reviewed!

Beta: Glitter

Hermione wakes up the next morning to the sound of her insistent phone alarm. After turning it off and staring at the ceiling for a long few moments, she rubs her eyes and sits up. She stayed up far too late after completing her homework for the week working out a schedule to propose to Dr. Snape for her assistantship.

She knows she dreamt the night before, but the memories are hazy and indistinct now in the light of the morning sun: only a vague impression of shadows and heat and rope.

Sighing, she swings her legs over the side of the bed and stands up with a huge yawn, glancing over at her still quietly snoring roommate before grabbing her toiletry bag in order to get ready for the day.

. . . . . . . . . .

Tom saunters into Severus' office, smirking at the scowling black-haired man. "Good morning, Severus! I see you're wearing your happy face this morning, as usual."

The man in question glances up at the intruder and sneers. "Tom, if you did not bring more coffee, you can bugger off."

He laughs and makes himself comfortable in Severus' guest chair, crossing his legs and brushing at some bit of imaginary lint on his knee. "Now, now, Severus. That's hardly the way to treat your esteemed colleague and best friend."

"Who is Severus' best friend? This is news to the world! We should all rejoice he's managed to keep anyone around for more than a day with that scowling face of his !"

Black eyes roll as Lucius Malfoy strides into the room, grinning at the two other men. Severus sighs and pinches his nose, glowering. "It is far too early for this shit."

Lucius chuckles and leans over, setting a distinct white paper cup on Severus' desk. "Just for you, Severus. From your actual best friend." He flashes a brilliant white smile before leaning one hip against the side of his desk, dislodging the spool of twine in the process.

Tom mimics Severus' eye roll and smirks. "Thank you, Lucius. We all know what a suck-up you are. What are you even doing here? You have no business at Hogwarts today."

"Actually, brother, I was here for a meeting with the Chief Warlock." They all smirk at their nickname for the headmaster. "Dumbledore wished to speak about Draco's grades. The boy keeps skiving off in his horticulture class. Why he is even taking such a ridiculous class is beyond me, but he claims to enjoy it despite constantly skipping it. His mother has always enjoyed working in the gardens like some kind of commoner; who am I to deny my only son?" He smirks, long fingers idly twisting the dark, woven bracelet around his left wrist.

Severus grumbles into his coffee, drinking deeply and ignoring the other two men in his office. Tom just chuckles again and shrugs one shoulder. "What can we say, Lucius? The boy is intelligent - very much so. But he's a bit lazy. He knows he'll take the business from you once you've reached your dotage. Which, as we know, isn't so far off. Is that a grey hair I see, Lucius?"

The blond man scowls at Tom, flicking his fingers through his long hair. "As if you can speak, Tom. Apparently you have forgotten you are older than me."

Severus sighs and raises his head from his cup. "Would you two please stop sniping at each other? You're worse than a couple of women."

Tom grins unrepentantly and shrugs, leaning back into the chair. "Speaking of women, Severus, Miss Granger came by my office yesterday. She's going to be working as your assistant for the rest of the year?"

Severus looks up at the ceiling. "Christ help me, yes. She came by yesterday begging for the 'privilege.' I signed the paper and sent her off to you. It doesn't surprise me that she went straight over; the girl is nigh on insufferable."

Lucius tilts his head; an eyebrow quirks. "Miss Granger? I believe Draco has spoken of her: little slip of a thing, a crazy amount of wild hair? I've seen her around the grounds, I believe."

Tom nods, his eyes narrowing at Lucius' expression. "Yes, she's the top of the class. Even if Draco weren't a lazy child, he wouldn't come close to her scores. She's already been accepted to Oxford's medical programme. They only requested a few more lab hours before she leaves Hogwarts."

Severus arches a brow, looking at Tom for a long moment before glancing at Lucius and smirking at his vaguely impressed expression. "Don't try so hard, Lucius. You'll hurt yourself. Yes, the girl is exceedingly brilliant. However, she hangs around the Weasley and Potter brats who, I'm sure, are dragging her IQ down the drain."

Lucius huffs and shakes his head, flicking his hair back over his shoulder. "The girl must be impressive if she's been accepted to the medical programme so early no matter what you say, Severus. I suppose I'll be meeting her at some point in the future. I wonder if I could induce Draco to take her out for a date; perhaps her studious nature would rub off on him." He smirks widely. "Among other things."

Tom shifts in the chair, blue-green eyes glittering like ice for a moment before he brushes his thumb along his lower lip. "No, she wouldn't be interested in Draco."

"What makes you so sure, Tom? She sounds like someone who could shake him up a bit, get him back on track! I highly doubt she comes from the proper type of family for marriage, but a school romance, just until he gets into university? I cannot see why not." The blond tilts his head, pale grey eyes narrowed in thought as he watches his old friend.

Tom tugs the cuff of his Oxford, sniffing quietly in derision as he looks at Lucius from underneath his eyelashes. "No, I cannot see why she would be at all interested. Miss Granger is far too intelligent for Draco."

Lucius tilts his head in an oddly bird-like movement before a smile begins to tug at his lips. "Now, Tom, are there not rules against fraternization between teachers and students?"

His eyes snap up and narrow at the blond and he sits up straighter in his chair. "Yes, Lucius, there are. And that's a ridiculous accusation."

Lucius spreads his hands and adopts an expression of pure innocence. "Of course it is, brother. I was just… clarifying the rules, you know. No harm intended." He flashes his brilliantly white, straight teeth in a roguish smile at Tom before glancing over to Severus. "Be sure to remember that as well, Severus."

Severus sighs deeply, leaning back in his chair. "I am surrounded by idiots." He reaches out and adjusts the spool of twine on his desk Lucius jostled earlier, returning it to the proper position. "And please remove your hind end from my desk, Lucius; it is not a chair."

Chuckling, Lucius straightens and brushes his fingers over one lapel of his immaculate suit. "No, but since Tom has taken the only available chair, I was forced to make do. And do remember who brought you that cup of very dark, very expensive coffee you just inhaled as though it were the common swill from the cafeteria." He sneers at the thought of drinking anything from a cafeteria. "I must be going, anyway. You two have … classes to teach and I have a meeting this afternoon."

Tom stands as well, nodding to Severus. "I'll stop by once classes have concluded for the day and we can look over Miss Granger's proposal for her assistantship, and I'll buy you another cup of that ridiculous coffee if she hasn't already completed an entire schedule from now until graduation." He smirks at his long time friend before waving his hand at Lucius. "Let's go, Lucius, I'll walk you out. We wouldn't want you to get lost."

Lucius huffs and rolls his eyes to the ceiling. "Goodbye, Severus. I will see you Saturday, correct?" He barely waits for Severus' nod before walking out of the office.

Tom smirks back over his shoulder. "Have a good day, Severus." He walks with Lucius from the office, striding down the hall. "Is it already the first Saturday again this week? I must have been quite busy this month. Are you prepared?"

The blond smirks. "Am I not always, Tom? Of course everything is prepared. You must only attend. Of course, it would be much more interesting if you brought a… companion. It's been some time since you brought anyone along to our parties."

Tom sighs and rolls his shoulders. "After the last one, I've needed some distance. I am fairly sure Severus still hasn't forgiven me for that fiasco." He chuckles and pushes through the doors to the outside walkway, scowling as the wind ruffles his hair and pushes it into his eyes.

Lucius smirks, ignoring the way his hair floats and dances around his face in favor of eyeing Tom. "It's been months and he is still whinging about that girl. I think she traumatized him." He lets out a laugh before his eyes narrow into the distance. "Oh, ho. Speaking of girls. Isn't that the illustrious Miss Granger?" His grin widens as he notices Tom's eyes snapping towards the girl walking with two boys, the three of them chatting as they walk.

Tom clears his throat and nods. "It is. As well as Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley."

Lucius wrinkles his nose. "Weasley? He must be Bill's youngest brother, the football-kicking idiot. And Potter; why do I know that name?"

The dark-haired man beside him nods as they reach the next building, but he makes no move to go inside just yet as the trio moves closer. "Yes, that Weasley. He's already been approached by a number of clubs. And I would imagine you'd know the name Potter from a few years back. James Potter was a footballer and his wife Lily was a new faculty member here at Hogwarts, over in the English department. They were killed in a car accident, oh, ten years ago? It must have been my second or third year here. He's lived with his godfather, Sirius Black, since."

"Sirius Black? That washed up old rock and roller? He's some distant cousin of Narcissa's, you know." Lucius smirks. The three students are almost within hearing distance now, so he lowers his voice just a touch. "But Miss Granger: she's an attractive little thing. Her hair is atrocious, but that's easily fixed. Just look at those long, slim legs. I can only imagine how they would feel…"

"Lucius," Tom growls softly, snapping at his friend. "Enough."

His pale eyes snap back to Tom, brows arching. "So sorry, old friend. She is your student, after all. How inappropriate… of me." He touches his hand to his chest, bowing his head slightly, all the while grinning unrepentantly.

The three students have reached the two men and Hermione has been watching them since she first saw them leave the sciences building. She knows Dr. Riddle, of course, and can only assume the blond with him is Draco Malfoy's father. Harry's glare in her direction doesn't even phase her chipper greeting. "Good morning, Dr. Riddle."

Tom's eyes flash as he looks away from Lucius and back to Hermione. "Good morning, Miss Granger. Potter, Weasley." His gaze flickers down her body, lingering for a moment on her legs before he looks back to her bright brown eyes. "I will be coming to the lab to meet with Severus once classes are over for the day. Please be sure to join us so that we may go over your proposed schedule for the assistantship."

She grins brightly and nods, shifting her worn leather bag in her hands. "Of course, sir! I actually put one together last night - well, one of a few drafts. I was planning on giving it to Dr. Snape later today."

A smirk tugs his lips as he looks down at her. "Of course you did." His fingers twitch before he glances over at his amused companion. "I'm being rude. I don't believe you would have yet had an opportunity to meet Lucius Malfoy, your classmate's father and one of the governors of the school among other things."

Hermione blushes as she watches Tom before forcing her eyes over to the blond man beside him. "Oh! I've had a few classes with Mal- I mean, with Draco. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Malfoy."

Lucius smirks, his pale eyes making a show of looking her over with no attempt to hide his expression. "Oh, trust me, Miss Granger, the pleasure is all mine."

Harry grumbles under his breath before tugging Hermione's sleeve. "So sorry to interrupt, sir, but we have to get to our classes before we're late." The tone of his voice conveys his complete lack of sincerity (or any emotion resembling sincerity).

Hermione glares sideways at Harry before she returns her gaze to Tom. "Harry is correct, sir. We'd better go. I look forward to seeing you this afternoon in the lab." She bites her lower lip and blushes, realizing just how that sounds. "Erm, it was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Malfoy. I look forward to seeing you again in the future." She smiles and nods before allowing Harry and Ron to drag her off down the sidewalk and to the science building.

The two men watch the students walk away before Tom glares at Lucius. "You are inappropriate, old man."

Lucius lets out a soft laugh, shrugging his shoulders just enough not to wrinkle his suit. "Please, old man. I'm not her teacher, and she's old enough! I am allowed to look."

Tom growls again as he turns and moves into the head building. "Get out of here and go to your meeting, Lucius. I'll see you at the end of the week."

Lucius laughs again, smirking after his long-time friend. "Of course, Tom. I shall see you then."

. . . . . . . . . .

Hermione smacks Harry's arm as they walk into the sciences building, hissing at him. "That was uncalled for, Harry! It was so rude of you."

Harry rolls his eyes as he walks down the hall, Ron trailing along on his other side in a bleary haze of sleep. "Did you see the way Malfoy was looking at you, Hermione? That was rude! Not to mention perverted. He's at least twenty years older than us and his son is one of our classmates."

She blushes as she recalls the look of Mr. Malfoy's face and she bites down on her lower lip. "Well, yes. It wasn't particularly appropriate. But he wasn't being rude like you, Harry. And I was talking to Dr. Riddle and you were rude right there in front of him. I really want him to give me a good recommendation in the future, too. He's extremely well known in the field and having his letter in my file would be amazing!"

Harry rolls his eyes and huffs, crossing his arms. "He's still a prat, Hermione."

Hermione stomps her foot and glares at him, clutching her bag to her chest. "Harry, I love you, but you're getting on my nerves this morning. Go to class, the both of you! I'll see you at lunch. Goodbye, Ronald." She whirls around and stomps off to the stairs to head up to her class.

"Huh?" The redhead looks up from his shoes, blinking sleepily. "What did I do?"

Harry huffs and shakes his head. "Nothin', mate. Come on, we better get to biology."