Darkness Falls

Eleven

1992 - Second Year

Draco tore out the page from the book he had been reading, the page he needed detailing Basilisk's weaknesses. His eyes found Hermione once more as the thoughts of different scenarios in which he could talk to her danced around his head. Eventually, he decided the only way to get even close to her without raising suspicion would be to pick a fight with Harry.

"Famous Harry Potter, can't even go into a book shop without making the front page," Draco sneered as he walked into the path of the group heading towards the door. Hermione's eyes instantly moved to his and he watched as her face lit up entirely at the sight of him, a smile appearing on her lips.

"Leave him alone," A small, younger girl stepped forward with a glare on her face she wore solely for Draco.

He moved his eyes to the smaller girl, breaking his stare away from Hermione, smirking at her clear detest towards him, "Look Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend," Draco sniggered before his smile was wiped off his face as he felt the familiar tap of his father's cane on his shoulder.

"Now, now Draco, play nicely," his father drawled as he pushed his son to one side for a better look at the group in front of him, "Harry Potter," he marveled, holding out his hand for Harry to shake, "Lucius Malfoy," he introduced himself.

Draco took this opportunity to glance at Hermione who had paled at the sight of his father. She was right to feel fear when she saw him.

Hermione's stomach had done a backflip once she realized that the man before her was Draco's father. She was suddenly overwhelmed with the memories of Draco informing her of his father's beliefs - how she didn't deserve her magic, how being academically better than Draco warranted physical abuse towards his own son. She felt pure hatred as she looked towards the man, slight fear, but mostly she despised every inch of his being. Drawing her eyes away she found herself moving behind the group towards Draco, her mind screamed at her to stop but her body moved towards him anyway. She had missed her friend and the stories Draco had told her about his father made her want to protect him from the monster who confronted Harry.

Harry stretched out his hand and took hold of Lucius's and within seconds Lucius had pulled Harry forward. He used his cane to push back Harry's fringe to get a closer look at his scar on his head, "Forgive me, your scar is legend - as is the man who gave it to you," Lucius loosened his grip of Harry as he finished examining the scar.

"Voldemort killed my parents, he was nothing more than a murderer," Harry glared at the man as he stood back.

"You must be very brave to speak his name.. or very foolish," Lucius gave him a half-crooked smirk.

Silence from Harry had brought Hermione's attention back to the situation at hand and she felt a compelling urge to stand up to the man, "Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing it's self," Everyone turned to her as she finished speaking, including Lucius.

"You must be, Miss Granger?" Lucis looked toward Draco for confirmation and he nodded to his father, eyes wide as his unspoken words of disgust bore a hole into him. It hadn't gone unnoticed by Lucius that Hermione had made her way closer to his son, "Yes, Draco has told me all about you, and your parents," he finished.

Hermione turned to glance at her Mum and Dad, Lucius's gaze followed her as he crinkled his nose, "Muggles aren't they?" He asked, turning his eyes back to Hermione who's face turned into a scowl, whilst her ears burned red.

"Let's see, red hair, vacant expressions... Tatty second-hand books-you must be the Weasleys," he said as he picked up a book from the smaller Weasley's cauldron.