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The Last Gift	By : AndreaLorraine Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Lucius/Hermione Views: 9747 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Author�s
Note:� So, I finally got the time and the
inspiration to continue this.� I think it
stands alone quite well, but the muse has some more ideas so I let her go�hope
you all enjoy.

Days later, at the most populated Order meeting to date, Hermione
told everyone of the way Lucius had helped her and
what had become of the rest of the Malfoys.� Of course she had not elaborated in full.� She
still didn�t understand the connection that had drawn their bodies together and
doubted very much that anyone else would.�
It was one thing to say that Malfoy had
changed sides; it was another to say that she�d had sex with him in a dirty
side street in Knockturn Alley.� People would think her daft,
or entirely rattled by what she�d been through.�
Maybe she was, but she felt remarkably sane.� What bothered her more was that they would
also think him sick and predatory, and while there was a kernel of truth in
that, their encounter had been one free of manipulation by anything other than
their magic�s will.

Sometimes, though, she felt like his stamp was all over her.� Uncharacteristic thoughts or gestures would
break through, things that were his � a sneer, a darkly sarcastic thought, an
idea that she never would have entertained before because it skirted the rules
a bit too much for her comfort, or, strangest of all, an insatiable urge for
strong black coffee.� She thought it was
kind of ironic; Lucius Malfoy,
the (outward) picture of English propriety, preferred coffee to tea.�

Of all of the changes, people had only noticed the coffee.� Either her extended wizarding
family were incredibly unobservant, didn�t know her as well as she thought they
did, or they attributed it all to the trauma of being captured and
tortured.� Perhaps it was a combination
of the three.� In the meantime, she was
content to bask in their ignorance.� She
had never been one for brooding, but it seemed like the right thing to do at
the moment.� People were generally
sympathetic, knowing she had suffered much and had every right to be
emotional.�

The Order was more indebted to Lucius
than they liked to admit; the pockets of his cloak had yielded a virtual
treasure trove of useful documents.�
Shockingly, a quarter of his fortune had been transferred in writing to
the care of the Order of the Phoenix the very same day his wife, accompanying
her certifiably Imperiused and Confunded
sister, had taken the horcrux from Bellatrix�s vault.�
They could only conclude that Lucius had
recognized the need to get out of his current situation.� No one would go so far as to say that he�d
seen the error of his ways, not morally.�
It was a perfect plan, really, very Slytherin;
the money and the information they could have offered would placate the Order,
the Horcrux would stave off Voldemort,
and the Malfoys might have been able to disappear
without incident.� Everything had been
set in place � but then, Harry broke the taboo and it all fell to pieces before
it could be executed.

By the time Hermione had encountered him, Lucius
was genuinely repentant and aggressively seeking to tear down the thing that
had destroyed him.� It was obvious that
he had been trying to find someone to impart his knowledge on.� His cloak had also contained notes on the
remaining horcruxes (which were, as they suspected,
the Diadem of Ravenclaw and Nagini),
an extensive list of people in Voldemort�s employ,
and a list of properties Lucius owned that no one
knew about.� He had more or less given
them money, a blacklist to work on, and a wealth of new hideouts.� People were pleasantly surprised by his
sudden, complete turnabout, but sad that it had taken the death of his entire
family to provoke it.�
�� Lucius got
the last laugh, though.� Voldemort had not only suffered losses at Hermione�s hands
that night; the moment life left the Malfoy
patriarch, vicious wards were triggered.�
The Dark Lord should have known better than to stay in the house of a
man he�d wronged.� Everyone in the Manor
at that time died, as did anyone who was foolish enough to venture in
afterwards.� Fortunately, neither group
contained anyone they cared about.� In
fact, the only survivors were the house elves; they were spared through purposeful
quirks of warding and that simultaneously made a little piece of her inflate
with joy and shrivel up in disconsolate agony.�
Lucius had protected the elves on
purpose.� She had no idea what it
meant.� Was it an apology?� Dark irony?� A flagrant bit of spite to
the ideology that had gotten him where he was?� Perhaps it was a bit of all three.
�� Rumor had it that the Dark Lord had
entered Malfoy Manor since; he was, of course, immune
to the deadly curses.� He tried to remove
the wards but the house wouldn�t have it.�
In the end, Voldemort lost his base, his
secrets, and thirty-two of his most devoted followers.
�� It had put him on the
defensive.� For the first time, Harry and
the Order were on the attack and seemed to have most of the advantage.� Arrests were made, traitors rooted out, and
attacks anticipated.� The resistance was
able to operate in the open.� They all
knew it would still come down to a climactic battle and that Voldemort was never to be underestimated.� However, it was a comfort to know that when
the time came, they might not be the underdogs.
��
�� Through it all, Lucius�s
body was never found.� People whispered
endlessly about what the Dark Lord might have done with him.� No idea was grisly or perverse enough to
satisfy the general public.� It drove
Hermione insane.
�� She knew that he might never be
found.� She also knew that a body wasn�t
much of anything without its life-breath, not to mention its soul.� It was impractical to feel such emotional
attachment to an organic husk that would return from whence it came, yet she
desperately wanted to find his body and lay him to rest properly.� The fragment of him inside her was strangely
dormant when she thought about it.� She
hadn�t the time or the energy to reason out why.

�� That day they�d dreaded was here
now.� It hadn�t taken long; only six
short weeks had passed.� Voldemort knew his chances were fading so he went for
another ace.� It was Ron this time.
�� She knew that Harry would sacrifice
himself for his best friend.� Others
tried to stop him but she didn�t; she had faith that Harry could choose his own
path.� Or maybe that was Lucius exerting his Machiavellian logic on her; it wouldn�t
be the first time.� A dozen people were
aware of Nagini.�
If Harry died before the snake was killed, then she or Ron or someone
else would keep trying until the she-serpent was destroyed.� When that happened, anyone could kill Voldemort.�
Logic
aside, if there was one thing she had learned in this war,
it was that sacrifices were never in vain.�
Harry didn�t want any more sacrifices.�
That was why she was following him through the corridor to the Shrieking
Shack.� It was crazy.� Everything was crazy.� But Harry was the leader here; all her smarts
would do no good in this situation.� Only
Harry�s instinct would lead them to the other side.

�� Snape was
there.� It should have made her blood boil,
Snape the traitor standing stoically next to Ron�s
hog-tied, unconscious body.� But somehow,
a frisson of calm confidence hovered around her, much like the snake Nagini, who floated in a transparent bubble of
protection.� If she were Voldemort, she wouldn�t even have brought the snake.� It was too great a risk.� However, she was not Voldemort
and she was very, very glad that he was prideful enough to think that he could
win even with his greatest weaknesses out on display.
�� She watched Snape
with a predatory intensity.� If he tried
to harm Ron�but all he did in the Dark Lord�s absence was glance down at the
red-haired boy.� His eyes scanned the
bruised flesh, the caked blood, and his brows drew together.� Was that�concern?� Disapproval?� If she knew Snape,
it was both.� Why would he show concern
for his enemy?� There had been no concern
for Dumbledore.
�� She pushed the thoughts away and
looked at Harry.� He was crouched just in
front of her, as intent as she was.� The
line of his body was taut with tension, like the string of a bow.� She still didn�t know what he thought they
could do for Ron or for anyone.� With Nagini alive and that blasted Diadem of Ravenclaw
still conveniently missing, they couldn�t hope to defeat Voldemort.� They should be in the castle searching for
the Diadem.
�� That was Lucius
talking.� She knew it in her gut.� She, Hermione, wanted to be here, with Ron so
close, his rescue at hand if they could figure out how the hell to pull it
off�and Lucius wanted only to be certain of Voldemort�s end, human toll be damned.� The two desires stretched her, appealing
equally to her heart and her mind.� At
least she was strong enough to choose her heart.� Once she chose, that little fragment of him
seemed to know; it wrapped about her emotions, shielding them, for it knew that
there would be death�
�� As if on cue, Voldemort
entered.� Her entire body bunched with
hatred.� That was definitely a mutual
feeling and she needed no spurring from Lucius to
feel it.� Neither did Harry.� She saw more and more how Harry wished to destroy his nemesis.� Not maim, not kill, destroy.� He was still everything that people believed
him to be; benevolent, tolerant, and loving, but whatever pity had resided in
him for the man who was once Tom Riddle was now gone.� Voldemort had
ensured his own demise by trying to take everything from Harry.
�� I see our prisoner is still
unconscious,� the Dark Lord said, glancing at Ron as if he was nothing more
than a pile of dung.
�� Yes,� Snape
agreed neutrally.� �He has a concussion.�
�� Concussion or no, I want him
conscious when we march on Hogwarts,� Voldemort
responded callously.
�� He will wake with a spell.� It will be as you command, my lord.�
�� The Dark Lord nodded tersely.� Then his scarlet eyes traveled over Snape coldly and�greedily.� Hermione�s fingers curled into fists.� She knew the raven-haired man was in danger
from that look alone.� She didn�t know
why she should care.� Snape
had betrayed her, betrayed all of them�
�� I am sorry, Severus.�� She saw Harry raise himself up a bit higher
at the tone in Voldemort�s voice.� It said that he was not sorry at all, but
that he was most definitely going to do something that called for an apology.
�� My lord?� Snape asked haltingly.
�� I need that wand.� It is the Elder wand, Severus.�
�� Then it is yours.�� The dark-haired man held out the wand without
hesitation.� He had scented his danger
and knew that blind acquiescence might be the only way out of it.
�� Unfortunately it doesn�t work that
way, my young servant.� You had to kill
to gain possession of it, and so do I.�
�� My lord, surely it will work for
you without--�
�� Goodbye, Severus.�� With a flick of his wand, the bubble around Nagini began to expand.
�� Hermione knew with leaden certainty
that this was Severus Snape�s
last moment of life.� He knew it, too; he
didn�t struggle or shoot any spells.� He
stood still, facing death with more bravery than she�d wager his master would.
�� That didn�t mute the impact when Nagini struck.� Harry
twitched and Hermione had to stifle a gasp.�
The snake�s fangs were absolutely wicked and probably as long and thick
as her finger.� Hermione had never been
terribly afraid of snakes, but being this close to one as it struck made her
very aware of why others were.�
�� There was so much blood.� The snake had bitten him in the lower part of
his neck, where it met his shoulder, and Snape sunk
to his knees, already pale.� To her
surprise, she couldn�t muster any glee in the Potions Master�s death.� Her stomach felt like a stone had settled in
the bottom of it.� It seemed wrong to
watch him die, almost like she was witnessing a private moment that she
shouldn�t; Harry reached back to grasp her hand.� She knew they only stayed in the hopes that Voldemort would leave, giving them an opportunity to rescue
Ron.� She leaned her face into Harry�s
shoulder blade.
�� A moment later, she felt the muscles
beneath her cheek tense.� A strange,
unexpected wiggle in her stomach made her look up.� She had to stifle a scream.
�� Standing behind the Dark Lord in the
cobwebbed doorway was Lucius Malfoy.� The shadows made him look pale and
wraith-like.� He lifted his arm
slowly.� Voldemort,
in his arrogance and joy at watching Snape die,
didn�t notice him.� Not until he took one
step forward and pressed the tip of his wand into the back of the once-human
warmonger�s neck.
�� The Dark Lord�s red eyes went
wide.� Before he could respond, Lucius murmured a spell.
�� Petrificus
Totalis.�
�� Voldemort
dropped like a board, unable to balance with his body gone stiff.� With a disdainful look, Lucius
stepped over his prone figure, but not before depriving him of his wand and the
one he had taken from Severus.� Both wands disappeared up his sleeve, which
was a little too long and rattier than usual; the clothing obviously wasn�t his
own.
�� Then Lucius
turned an appraising eye on Nagini.� The snake had withdrawn into her bubble,
leaving Snape bleeding and twitching on the
floor.� She hissed at Lucius,
baring fangs bathed in crimson.� He
ignored the serpent and crouched down to examine his fellow Slytherin.
�� He didn�t even look at the
wounds.� Hermione wondered what he was
doing when he began to unbutton Snape�s long,
restrictive topcoat.� She frowned.� It became clear a second later when Lucius began to rummage in the man�s many pockets.� She heard the clink of glass.
�� Come on, you fool, I know you
always carry the antidote with you,� he muttered, thinking aloud.� He examined the potions he had
extracted.� �But would you mark which one
it was, my secretive friend?�� Lucius sat back on his heels, frowning at the vials in
front of him.� �I suppose I have to
guess.�� He cast a sardonic look down at
the dying man.� �I�m certain that if you
were not in central nervous system failure due to venom, you would be
screaming.��
�� He picked up one of the vials and
then repositioned himself, propping Snape�s head on
his thigh.� He grasped the man�s chin in
the way of one who knew how to administer a potion to an unconscious or
uncooperative person.� Then he uncapped
the vial and poured the contents down Snape�s throat.
�� Hermione and Harry waited, taut with
suspense.� If he had chosen the wrong
potion, Snape would probably die.� A moment later Snape�s voice issued weakly into the air.
�� Need to�stop the bleeding�it�s�subclavian��
�� Lucius was
one step ahead of him.� He had already lit
one of the spare wands and was holding it between his teeth while he attempted
to stem the bleeding.� It took a few
minutes and several spells neither onlooker had ever heard of before.
�� Venous reparo.�� He pulled back slightly, one hand almost
black with blood.� He wiped it on his
pant-leg.� The he removed the extra wand
from his mouth.� �Merlin.� Is there any blood left inside you?�
�� Given the fact�that I�m
alive�yes�but�need�blood replenisher��
�� Lucius
held up the remaining potions vials.� �Which one?�
�� Snape
evidently tried to point and couldn�t.�
�Damn it to hell.� Bloody snake��
he groaned.� �Second
from left.�
�� Lucius
administered the potion he�d indicated.�
It was like night and day; as soon as it went into effect, Snape was able to laboriously sit up.
�� She got my brachial plexus�I can
barely move my arm.�
�� Lucius
rolled his icy eyes.� �You�re
welcome.� Now, are you going to help me
destroy her?�
�� Snape gave
him a dirty, if half-hearted, look.� Lucius raised his wand and pointed it at the protective
bubble around Nagini.�
That was when a powerful panic rose in Hermione�s chest; if Lucius didn�t know that only certain objects could destroy
a Horcrux, Nagini might
bite him and Snape
was fresh out of potions.
�� Wait!� she cried, pushing Harry
aside and scrambling out of the hidden passageway.�
�� Hermione!�
Harry protested sharply, making a grab for her and missing.
�� What in the name of�� Lucius trailed off.�
His eyes widened and what little color there was in his face drained
away.� �Are you mad, coming here?� he
whispered.
�� Of all the reckless--� Snape began.� That
was when Harry emerged and jabbed a finger at the dark-haired man, viciously
enunciating,
�� You shut up!�� The hatred in his tone effectively silenced
everyone.� Harry then turned his green
eyes to Lucius.�
�You know you can�t kill the snake with just anything.�
�� I do,� Lucius
said slowly.� His eyes slid from Harry to
Hermione.� She was paralyzed by the
realization that he was real, alive, and that his voice just moments before had
held unconcealed worry.� �I was not
planning the most�humane death for Nagini.� If it will disturb you��
�� Do you think I�m some delicate
flower?� Hermione demanded, not knowing where the burst of ill temper came
from.
�� No,� he replied, his eyes never
leaving her face.� �I know that you are
not.�
�� A slight shiver went through
her.� The way he said it, and the way he
looked at her�it made her remember the alleyway.� He had not been delicate.
�� Harry and Severus
were staring at the two of them.� The air
had grown thick with some unidentified tension.�
It fairly sizzled between the tall blond and the short brunette.� They couldn�t look away from one another.
�� Lucius
took a step forward.� He towered over
Hermione now, looking down at her without a trace of his usual disdain.� Her body vibrated with his proximity.� It felt like her magic was moving under her
skin, tickling and pulsing.� His eyelids
had dropped low and his lips parted slightly.�
All he had to do was lean down and his lips would be over hers�just the
thought drove the myriad questions completely out of her mind.� She wished he would do it.
�� Neither saw Snape
and Harry exchange their first glance free of mutual hatred.� Dark eyes met green ones and a question
passed between them.
�� What
the hell?
�� Severus cleared
his throat.� Both Lucius
and Hermione started visibly, blinking and turning to look at their forgotten
companions at the exact same time.� Snape frowned at their expectant faces.� Their pupils were dilated, a sure sign of
physical and magical attraction.� He
catalogued that away for later consideration.
�� Ehm�just
how were you planning on killing Nagini?� The quicker we are out of here, the better,� Snape said.
�� Oh.�
Yes.�� Lucius
collected himself.� �Since she is
contained in the bubble, I believe Fiendfyre is the
most useful.� It will kill her and burn
within the bubble until there is no more oxygen.�� He rolled his wand between his fingers.� �Perhaps the most useful thing is that
whoever conjures such a spell only needs to place their wand inside the bubble,
instead of deactivating the entire thing or revealing any part she can strike
at.�
�� Fiendfyre?� Hermione asked.� �Are you sure the bubble can contain it?�
�� Yes.� Severus, did you
happen to hear what spell our dear ex-lord used to expand the bubble around
you?�
�� I did.� It was impendo ebullio.�
�� Excellent,� Lucius
said matter-of-factly.� He tossed Snape�s wand back to him, which he caught with his
unaffected hand.� �Then you can avenge
your brachial plexus.�
�� Lucius,
only the Dark Lord can command that bubble,� he said.
�� I know,� the blond replied.� He strode over to the still form of Voldemort and turned him over quite carelessly.� Then, with a wave of his wand, the Dark Lord
rose to a standing position.� �He may be
immune to death, but he isn�t immune to other Unforgivables.�
�� Snape
smiled.� It was the strangest sight Harry
and Hermione had seen in a long time.
�� Imperius,�
the Potions Master said.
�� Exactly.� Miss Granger, Mr. Potter�feel
free to play along.� I promise I won�t
tell,� Lucius smirked.� Then he placed the tip of his wand right
between Voldemort�s eyes.� �Imperio.�
�� Hermione exchanged a glance with
Harry.� She saw in no uncertain terms
that Harry was going to assist Lucius�and found that
she had absolutely no problem with that.�
The Hermione of old would have protested Harry using an Unforgivable,
reasoning that he was sinking to his opponent�s level.� However, after what Voldemort
had done to him�taking his parents and his godfather, going after those who
mattered most, torturing him, toying with him�after all that, Voldemort deserved everything he got, Unforgivable or
otherwise.

She nodded at Harry.� He
gave a small, grim smile.

�Remember, Potter,� Snape said
quietly.� �You have to mean it.�

�Oh, I mean it,� Harry responded callously.� �Imperio.�

All three men looked at Hermione expectantly.� She took a deep breath.� Voldemort had hated
her for existing.� He had tortured her,
humiliated her, and made her feel like she was less than dirt.� She raised her wand in a trembling hand.� Tears peaked in her eyes as she pointed it.

�Imperio.�

And she knew it was working because a powerful sensation of being
in control hit her, one that was dizzying and incredible.� It was the knowledge that she could make Tom
Riddle do whatever she wanted.� However,
forcing him to assist in destroying a part of his own soul seemed suitably
vindictive for her tastes.

�Finite Petrificus
Totalis,� Lucius
intoned.� The Dark Lord�s rigid posture
broke and he stood on the moldering wood floor of his own accord.� However, he stayed still, doubtless commanded
by Lucius and Harry.�
Cautiously, Lucius extracted Voldemort�s wand from his pocket.� He looked at it for a moment and then turned
to Snape.

�Let�s add insult to injury.�
Use his wand.� If you leave it
inside the bubble, it will be destroyed.�

�You are wicked,� Snape breathed.� He tossed his wand back to his compatriot,
who in similar fashion tossed Voldemort�s bone-like
wand.� With the exchange complete, Snape nodded.

�Once this is in his hand, he will fight us with everything he
has,� Lucius warned, gesturing with Snape�s wand.� �We
cannot let him win that fight.�

�Never,� Harry replied.

Lucius
nodded.� He took hold of Voldemort�s pale, skeletal hand and slipped the wand into
it.� Hermione felt the surge of resistance
immediately.� Voldemort
was fighting, trying desperately to break through the Imperius
while he had the wand.� She narrowed her
eyes and reinforced her willpower.� There
was no way he would win.

�Now,� Lucius murmured, �the spell.�

Hermione hurled her command at Voldemort,
willing him to speak the words.� She knew
Harry and Lucius were doing the same.� Jerkily, the pale hand rose.

�Impendo�ebullio,� he
spoke in a choked voice as he was forced to flick the wand.

The bubble began to expand.�
Snape lifted Voldemort�s
wand, waiting.� Slowly, inexorably, it
engulfed the pale, morbidly carved wood.�
The Dark Lord�s hand moved again, stopping the bubble�s growth.

�I swear to Merlin, you son of a bitch, if I can�t brew anymore
because of this, I will force you to remove your own testicles,� Severus growled, staring right into Voldemort�s
hateful red eyes.� �Fiendfyre.�

The fire sprung forth, erupting from the wand.� Nagini only had
time to hiss and bare her fangs before the flames formed themselves into a fiery
mimic of her and struck.� A high-pitched
sound emitted from the snake as she was incinerated.� It only took a few seconds to kill her, but
as she was a large snake, it took almost two full minutes to burn through her
fleshy body.� Then it began to reduce her
bones to ash.

Harry made a pained sound.�
Hermione tore her eyes away to look at him; his face was contorted in
agony.� He had broken out in a sweat and
his scar stood out against his pale forehead, a red, welt-like bolt.� She knew he was feeling the Dark Lord�s
silent rage, and this close it was probably close to excruciating.� But Harry held on, trembling violently.

As the fire began to gutter, quickly burning through what little
oxygen existed inside the bubble, Lucius removed Snape�s wand from Voldemort�s
possession.� One by one, they released
their Imperius curses.� The Dark Lord only made it partway through a
murderous lunge for Lucius when the aforementioned
man hit him with a Petrificus Totalis
and he dropped to the floor once again.

�Can we go?� Harry gasped.�
�Please?�� The scar on his
forehead had split and actually begun to bleed.�
Hermione went to him, wrapping an arm about his shoulders because he
looked like he was about to keel over.

�Yes,� Snape said.� �Go back to the school and take Mr. Weasley with you.� I
will stay.� I�ll delay the Death Eaters
as long as I can.�

�They�ll kill you when they find out,� Lucius
protested.� �Come with us.�

�This isn�t Hogwarts.� I can
apparate away.�

�Your arm � if it isn�t treated, there may be permanent damage.�

�If you don�t find that last Horcrux,
there may be permanent damage to all of us,� Snape
grumbled.� �Now get out.�

Lucius
nodded.� He turned and aimed his wand at
Ron.� �Levicor--�

Ron�s voice interrupted him.�
�If you undo these ropes, I can walk.�

Hermione gasped and Harry looked up with a tired grin.

�Were you conscious this entire time?� Snape
questioned, sounding suspiciously amused.

�Yes,� Ron said.� �I figured
if I played dead, he wouldn�t be tempted to torture me.� Cause, you know, what fun is torture if the
person is unconscious?�

�He could have made you conscious if he really wanted to,� Snape replied.� �But
I have to admit, Mr. Weasley, that is one of the more intelligent things you have ever
done in my presence.�

Lucius shook
his head and flicked his wand.� The ropes
that constricted Ron unwound themselves.�
The redhead stood up slowly, wincing.

�Um, thanks, I guess,� he said.�
An awkward moment of gratitude enveloped the strange group.

Hermione broke it a moment later; Harry was bloody heavy!� �Ron, help me with Harry,� she pleaded.

�Of course.�� He crossed the floor and took up most of
Harry�s weight, hefting him toward the trapdoor.� Hermione moved to open it and together she
and Ron carefully helped Harry to lower himself in.� Lucius followed,
but cast one lingering glance back at Severus.

�You�re sure about this?�

�I am.� You�ll fill them in,
I trust?�

Lucius
nodded.� �Don�t die.�

�You, either.�

He nodded again.� And, as
before, he did not tell Severus the truth � that he couldn�t die, not as long as Hermione Granger was
alive.��

A/N
2: So what�s the verdict?� Should I keep
going?
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The Last Gift