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The Senior Project	By : Lizski Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Lucius/Hermione Views: 37490 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
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.

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Chapter 26

"Well, other than knitting baby booties - I don't think you're mother is going to volunteer for that task," Hermione added as a side-note, "I could really use your help with Harry. I have an idea - I need to talk with Lucius and Draco, first, and see if they think it will work, but I may need help with Harry."

Okay," Ginny nodded.

"It's not exactly easy, though. See, I've already told Harry about the baby, and about Lucius, but he's been sworn not to say anything to anyone. Needless to say, he wasn't really thrilled about the news," she continued, seeing the red-head's surprised look. "But I think we are going to need him if we want to end everything with Voldemort. The baby booties would be a real bonus, though," she smiled.

"Of course. You don't think I spent 16 years in my mother's house and don't know how to knit, do you? But what about, ah, everything?" She spread her hands, trying to encompass what she couldn't find words for.

"School? I'll finish. Professor Dumbledore says that I can take my N.E.W.T.s anytime - although I think I'll wait until Voldemort is dealt with. And I've got more than enough credits to graduate. Besides, I'll graduate before the baby is born." That certainly sounded easy she thought, ironically.

"And then what? I can't exactly see Lucius as the type who will let his wife work." Ginny looked a little dubious.

"It's not Lucius' place to say, I think," Hermione stated definitely. "But, I would like to be able to stay with young Finbar - at least until he's old enough to start school." Hermione started to explain.

"Finbar? Are you serious? Is it a family name or something?" The younger witch's dubious look took on new dimensions.

"No. It's an Irish name. Finbar was a wizard, ironically claimed by a major Muggle church as a saint," she added, uncertain if that would make any sense to Ginny. "He helped protect witches and wizards from religious zealots in the Middle Ages. But I don't think that's what he'll really be named. It's just what I call him now. When I talk to him, you know."

Ginny nodded, not knowing at all, but fascinated with the matter-of-fact manner that Hermione used when talking about her pregnancy. And her child's father. Somehow she seemed wiser - not just smarter, like she had always been.

"I think I'll probably work from home," Hermione continued. "At least while he's young. I've got a number of research projects that I'd love to work on, and Lucius certainly has the space and the resources. I really don't want to leave my son to nannies and nurses. I don't think it's the right way to raise a child."

Ginny was surprised. Hermione had always struck her as the type that would want to do everything. "Funny. I always thought that you'd be want to off running some potions lab for the Ministry, doing high-level work. I never would have imagined you as a stay-at-home mother."

The older witch grinned. "I didn't imagine myself as one either. But things changed. Pretty rapidly. Besides, I could still run a potions lab. One that just opens onto the nursery."

This was definitely a different Hermione than the one who had started her final year, Ginny decided. Would the rest of the world be the same, now that Hermione was so much more than just a bookworm? Flashing quickly on the issue of Voldemort, the obvious answer was a resounding 'no'.

"So, what color would you like those baby booties in? And he'll need caps, and blankets. And definitely a cape," Ginny began to run through a list of objects that her bewitched knitting needles could create, while Hermione let her mind wander a bit. It was comforting to know that she hadn't lost her best friend. Friends, actually, thinking of Draco, as well. Then a thought struck her. Perhaps, no. It wouldn't work. But maybe Ginny and Draco could at least become friends. It would be nice to see Draco have someone else who cared about him. Hmm. She'd have to work on it. But it was a thought. A definite thought.

&&&&&

Harry looked up at the Head Table and burned with anger. Hermione was absent, which was surprising, given that her demon lover was sitting next to Dumbledore, sharing pleasantries. Hermione and Lucius Malfoy? How could she? How could she possibly have lowered herself to the extent that she would have slept with him? What power could the wizard possibly hold over her?

Poor Hermione. And yet she seemed so cheerful about it. She was either suffering from the effects of a very strong version of the Imperius, or she was just desolate, and felt she had no other choice. She said she loved Lucius, and that she was thrilled about it, but anyone under the influence of the Imperius would say the same thing. How could he have reviled her so, when she was clearly operating under a curse, and a horrible curse, at that? How had he abandoned her like that? She had stuck with him throughout the years, despite overwhelming negative press, and yet he had turned away, when she had turned to him for help. What sort of a friend was he?

Why hadn't he gone to Dumbledore, immediately? He was the only one who could help her. Hermione had stuck with him through everything, including that horrible 5th year. How could he leave her now? How could he blame her? She said she had gone to Lucius willingly, but why had he believed her? Why hadn't he seen through all of that? Obviously she hadn't gone willingly. He had ignored all of the warnings of the Ministry - no matter how useless they had seemed - and had blamed Hermione for behavior that clearly was not her fault.

He wanted to knock his head against the wall. What had he been thinking? Maybe the Hermione-Draco thing was wrong and evil - no question about that, actually - but to believe her about Lucius? What was he thinking? And why hadn't he gone to Professor Dumbledore? What was he thinking?

Looking furtively around the Great Hall, Harry sent a note:

Dobby. I must meet with Professor Dumbledore after lunch. Make it happen.

Before the treacle, Harry had received a response.

The Headmaster will meet with you in his office after the dishes have been cleared away. Enjoy the chocolate cauldrons.

Fully aware that he had just finished treacle, Harry noted the password, and was picking up his books as the dishes vanished.

&&&&&

"Professor. I should have come sooner. I'm sorry. But I need to talk to you. I'm certain that Mr. Malfoy is here to deceive. He's got Hermione under some sort of curse - the Imperius, perhaps. I think he's raped her, and she somehow thinks she's in love with him. You can't let him go loose about the school. Who knows how many other people he'll do this to," Harry implored to his Headmaster's impassive face.

"How did you come by this information?"

Harry struggled to speak, his mouth unable to speak the words that his brain formed. "I just know it, sir. He's got to be stopped. Mr. Malfoy, I mean."

"Harry," the headmaster began slowly, "You have not been aware of Lord Voldemort's thoughts, again, have you?"

"No. Sir. I would have come to you if I had." Harry looked around the Headmaster's office, surprised at the attentiveness of the portraits on the wall.

"What makes you think Lucius Malfoy cursed Hermione?" The Headmaster was probing.

"I- uh, I, uh, I just know that he did."

"She's been spending a lot of time with Draco, perhaps you are mis-interpreting things?" The headmaster asked softly. Of course Harry would have had feelings for Hermione.

"I thought I was, sir. I mean. She-" the words were stopped in his throat. Damn that Room of Requirement. "I have reason to believe, sir," he tried again, "That she has come under the uh, the influence of Mr. Malfoy. I think something has happened. I think she's-" the words caught in his throat again.

The headmaster nodded thoughtfully. So Hermione had tried to talk to Harry, and he hadn't been able to accept it. He'd have to ask her later about how she managed to keep him quiet about it; she had already been a powerful witch, but clearly her pregnancy had only added to her strength. A good sign. He knew he was right; this child was a blessing.

"I understand that you are concerned about her, Harry. She has been under a lot of stress, with her Head Girl duties, and the importance that she places on school, not to mention her concerns about the Death Eater attacks. But perhaps you have misunderstood her. I think if Ms. Granger had been attacked - on school property, especially - I would know about it."

Harry tried to hide his frustration. How could he let the headmaster know that he knew what was going on? "Sir," he decided to try another tactic, "What is Mr. Malfoy doing here?"

The headmaster sighed. The Order wanted to talk to Harry this afternoon. It was necessary, if the prophecy was true, as so many expected that it was; Harry would have to be involved in the attack against Voldemort. And it was best to have this conversation now, so that nothing in the meeting came as a surprise. At least nothing of importance.

"Harry." He modulated his voice to take on the Concerned Headmaster tone that he cultivated for moments like this. "There have been some developments that need to be discussed. It is true that Mr. Malfoy is here, as are members of the Order of the Phoenix. There have been some developments concerning some of the students of this school, that have implications for our entire future."

Harry sat down; this was clearly going to be a long discussion. "Please, sir, explain these developments to me. Especially since some of these developments likely involve my friends."

Professor Dumbledore smiled indulgently. "I believe that you are aware of some of these developments, although perhaps you are not aware of certain nuances of these developments." He paused, smiling benevolently. 'I feel certain that Ms. Granger has already spoken to you about her current situation," he shook his head when Harry attempted to speak, stalling him, "Even if you can't talk about it. I understand her need for secrecy. And as a friend of hers, you should understand it, as well."

Harry started to speak again, and yet again the headmaster subtly shook his head. "What you may not know is that Lord Voldemort has demanded that Hermione and Draco be brought to him. Lucius Malfoy is here to see that that does not happen."

"What does Lucius care? I'd think he'd want Draco to join him, and if Hermione were turned over to the Death Eaters, he could have her whenever he wanted." The young wizard's eyes narrowed. "I don't trust him."

The Headmaster nodded. "Given your experiences, I am not surprised. But I am in possession of knowledge that you are not. We were going to discuss this at the meeting of the Order this afternoon, but perhaps I should fill you in now, to save time." Harry's glower at being not being kept informed of the latest news was not lost on the older wizard. The boy was still young, especially for a wizard, but unlike Hermione, he was still emotionally immature. Did he honestly expect to be kept abreast of everything, no matter how apparently inconsequential? Stifling the irritation that rose briefly in him, he explained about Lucius' role in the foiled Death Eater attacks, Voldemort's demand for Hermione and Draco, and the subsequent cursing of Lucius. He concluded with the meeting of the Order yesterday, and the decision by the members to accept Lucius. He only discussed Hermione peripherally. When he was finished he allowed Harry to ask questions.

"How do you know that Mr. Malfoy didn't leak the information about the Tarpoley attacks just to gain your confidence? How do you all know that he's not just going to betray us all? After all he's done, how can you possibly trust him?"

"On the other hand, Harry, after all he's done, how can I not trust him?" Harry began to splutter a response, but the headmaster raised a hand, requesting silence. "If we were to distrust everyone who made an attempt to join us, we would be no better than them, always looking into the shadows, afraid of what we might find." Albus paused, removing any hint of acrimony from his voice. "Given the current circumstances, I must take chances. And I believe that Lucius is sincere. I cannot share certain confidences, as they are not mine to share, but believe me when I say that Mr. Malfoy has proven his loyalty to the Order." And to Hermione. But it wasn't his place to add that.

The dark-haired wizard shook his head. "If you say so, sir. I don't trust him. This whole business with Hermione," he coughed, his throat feeling slightly tight, "-this just seems too contrived. Did you ever find out what he was doing here, originally? I just can't believe that you'd let him do what he's done, and then accept him as an ally."

Albus sighed. "Harry. You have had the advantage of always knowing that your convictions are true. You've never doubted that you are on the right side, have you? No matter the things that have happened, you've always known you were right, haven't you?" The headmaster looked intently at him.

Under the older wizard's direct gaze, Harry pondered, images of his years at school flitting through his mind. Even when the rest of the wizarding world had cast aspersions on him, he knew that he was right. "Yes, sir. I have." His voice felt a little stronger as he spoke.

"You are lucky, Harry. Most of us have doubts, at some point or another. But we quash those doubts, either on the advice of friends, or because we listen to our hearts, or because it's easier to push the doubts away than to seriously examine your beliefs. It takes a lot of courage to really question our beliefs. And it takes even more courage to accept that the beliefs you have adhered to for years are wrong. I have spoken with Lucius at length, and he had made that courageous decision. He came to us uncertain of our response, and yet he came anyway. He is risking everything - his life, his property, his name, and his family - if he, if we, fail. This is not a decision that was made lightly." He paused again, this time allowing his lips to part in a smile. "So yes, Harry. I trust him. I believe we must."

Harry licked his lips, trying to process all that the headmaster had said. It wasn't the old wizard's words that struck him, but his surety. If the headmaster didn't question the senior Malfoy, how could he? He trusted Professor Dumbledore. But he's an old man. Maybe Lucius had hoodwinked him. But what about the other members of the Order? Had Lucius deceived them, as well, like he had Hermione? But Hermione had to be protected. And it sounded like the Order was going to attempt to defeat Voldemort now. He had to be involved in that. He couldn't let someone else fight his battles for him. He'd have to confront Voldemort. And keep an eye on Mr. Malfoy. Because if that blonde bastard was even thinking about going sideways, he'd find himself on the receiving end of an Unforgivable. For the second time in a week, he quickly reminded himself. The cruciatus. Did he really go through that for Hermione? If he did it to trick the Order, and not for Hermione, it was a pretty elaborate trick. Still, he'd keep an eye on him.

Suddenly he realized that the headmaster was still looking at him, expecting a response. "I'm with you, sir. I'll have to see him for myself, but I'm with you and the Order."

Albus nodded. He couldn't expect any more than that. It was time that Harry learned to make his own judgments. "Thank you, Harry. The Order will be pleased to see you."

****
Hermione was lost to him. He had known that. Hades, he had probably known it within seconds of realizing that Hermione had been interested in him. He was too late. As always. He'd been too late with Lily, and he was too late with Hermione. It was as if the gods were toying with him. He'd joined the Death Eaters after Lily had rejected him. It would be ironic if he returned to them now, after Hermione had rejected him.

How the hell did Lucius manage to slide his way through all of this, ending up smelling like myrrh? How did Lucius always win, and he always lost? What had his family done that cursed him so? Maybe the rumors were true - maybe Lucius' ancestors really had sold themselves to the Dark forces for eternal worldly goods. It would make sense. How else could they have survived for so long? And it would explain Lucius' extensive collection of Dark Arts items. It would also explain how Lucius was able to seduce Hermione, and end up with her clinging to his arm, proclaiming her love for him. And as long as he'd known Lucius, the man had always had an unnatural ability to convince people of his sincerity. Thor's balls. Even Albus had bought Lucius' fool's gold.

Was it too early in the day for a drink? Possibly. But today wasn't an ordinary day. A quick nip of scotch was definitely in order. Especially if he was going to have to spend the next few hours listening to Lucius charm the gullible members of the Order. He poured himself a generous splash and downed it in a single swallow. What was he doing here?

He had joined the Death Eaters in part because of Lily's rejection. And had left them because he couldn't tolerate the rampant bloodlust. He had approached Albus because he'd wanted to be free of the Lucius Malfoys of the world. And now the Order had joined with Lucius. How could he work for an organization who had just welcomed a wizard he had sworn to eradicate?

Voldemort wasn't the real threat. He was a driving force, certainly, but once Voldemort was gone, his power would be lost, and the wizarding world would return to the family struggles that had dominated the history of wizards. In 50 years his name would be nothing but a few paragraphs in the history books. With Voldemort gone, and Lucius the beneficiary of Albus' goodwill, the blonde would be in an excellent position to make his own bid for power. And with his Dark alliances, Lucius would succeed. His professed change of heart was just a scam, of that he was certain. Hermione was bewitched, of that too, he was certain. Even his treachery with the Death Eater attack, rather than being a sign of Lucius' change of heart, was a sign of his increasing perfidy. He had no doubt that Lucius was definitely looking to place himself in a position to fill the void left by the Dark Lord.

And he'd joined to Order to prevent that from happening.

He poured another splash of scotch into the empty glass. Another swallow couldn't hurt.

Why was he still here? He had promised Albus his allegiance, but he had done so with the intent of making sure that Lucius' plans never came to fruition. Lucius had just proven more slippery than even he had anticipated. Winning Hermione over had been very calculated; by ensuring that the most trusted student at Hogwarts was on his side, he was able to easily insinuate himself into the Order. He couldn't let Lucius succeed.

There was only one thing to do. And in doing so, he'd still be true to his original intention with Albus. But it had to be done. With Hermione lost to him, he had no other choice.

But he'd only be useful if he knew Lucius' plans. He couldn't leave until after the meeting.

&&&&

"Herm, can I talk to you?" Harry was rushed. He wanted to talk to her before the Order met. Maybe if he talked to her, he'd be able to get a better sense of whether she was with Lucius of her own free will, or if there was something else going on.

"Harry. I'd love to, but, er, I've, ah, got to talk to, ah, someone. I'll see you in a little bit, I promise. Because I need to talk with you, too. Let me just check out a few things." She dashed out of the Gryffindor common room before he could say another word. Harry's eyes followed her retreating form. She didn't seem like her usual self. She'd blame it on the pregnancy - he still shuddered at the thought of another Malfoy entering the world, but he thought that it went beyond that. Dumbledore might believe Lucius, but he wasn't won over that easily.

A/N: Yeah. I'm back, again. I've been working on the next couple of chapters, and if the gods are with me, I'll get them posted here in relatively short order. I'm ski racing like a fiend, so that is sucking up a bunch of my writing time. However, I haven't forgotten this. I promise!
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The Senior Project