Gone and Back Again

Chapter Nine

Hermione was pacing the room of requirement. She had an hour before needing to be in Professor Slughorns class, although she despised the man and his teaching skills. Absolutely useless waste of a teacher. She knew now, of course, how to pass his class this time. She had all but perfectly duplicated the text Harry had used for his class. The text Severus had used. Is using. She couldn't recall him ever teaching out a text.

Focus.

She racked her mind, but couldn't remember where to find the diadem exactly. It had all been such a blur. Mountains of of unused books, displaced cabinetry, and classroom equipment all burning like hellfire.

Damned, Crabbe! What an idiot!

Hermione weaved her way through the mountains of junk, trying to picture how Ravenclaws diadem would look undisturbed.  Fingertips trailed over the rough grain of forgotten desks, amber eyes scanning. The vanishing cabinet came into view. The thought of destroying it crossed her mind for only a split second before she noticed, resting atop a stack of  obsolete herbology books, was a box. Out of place, and a royal blue despite the obscuring grit.

An excitement bubbled in her stomach the closer she got. One hand gripping her satchel, the other extended towards the box while she cautiously toed onward, as if it would lunge at any moment. Memories of the Fiendfyre, the fear, the war, began to flash in her minds eye as she traced the latch of the box. 

"Curious thing, aren't you?" She whispered when the wood hummed beneath her touch.

Opening the box, she found the object of her anxiety. She pulled a silk cloth from her satchel, carefully removing the adornment, and wrapping it.

"Underland?" The sudden break in silence was enough to startle Hermione, a charm slipping past her lips in a whisper as she slipped the diadem into her bag.

She turned, picking up an old text, to make eye contact with none other than Lucius fucking Malfoy. A wave of nausea turned in her jaw as he smiled at her. His slender form stepping out of the vanishing cabinet reminded her of a swan.

Or a snake.

"Can I help you, Lucius?"

She pressed her lips, forcing a smile, as she made to move past him.

"Yes, actually." He matched his stride to hers. She felt as if his eyes were boring into her.

"Well? Spit it out then."

Lucius stepped between her and her way out. Tremors began in her fingertips, crawling up her hands as he closed the distance between them.

"I wanted to properly apologize for the other night. Of course, it's against my personal policy to apologize in front of Severus, but that's besides the point."

Hermione huffed, protectively crossing her arms over her chest.

"When Riddle asks for something, he wants it immediately. I enjoy living, and you spared some poor unsuspecting girl from lifelong trauma, as Sev saved you."

An involuntary giggle left her throat "you've got to be kidding"

Lucius raised an eyebrow in surprise before a somber look covered his face "with all that being said, love..." he heaved a breath, eyes level with hers "He is asking to see you again."

FUCK!

Her heart thudded against her rib cage, but her face remained impassive. She needed an escape. She needed to think.

"I'm late for potions, but I'll be sure to think on the offer." She smiled sweetly and made for the door as he side stepped out of her way.

The adrenaline rang in her ears, her body on auto pilot as she bobbed through other students. Her chest was caving in, anxiety working against her as her body slowed to help her make sense of the corridors. Two first years pushed past her, knocking her onto her hands and knees. Hermione felt as if she were going to collapse onto the stone, her limbs weak. Why was she so scared of Riddle as he is now? Images of dead schoolmates littering the courtyard, the abused who barely survived, limping back to the great hall. A harsh sob shook her body, her eyes squeezed shut to banish the memories.