Dark, Twisted and Time Turned

Chapter 10: The Dark Lord

(*Warning: Language, allusion to violence)

When Saturday came, Hermione finally took up Tilly's offer to borrow her face cream. Chaylee made such a big deal out of it, that she had somehow persuaded Hermione to wear hair curlers the night before, and then had taken the time to help her put her hair in them. Because it was the weekend, she had the freedom to dress down, and so she had put on a simple blouse and green skirt. All of her textbooks were tucked into her satchel as she waited patiently in the common room for Abraxas. They had agreed to meet at lunch, and so she had spent the morning in the library, adding books to her personal collection.

"Hermione! Ready to go?" She turns to smile at Abraxas as he comes through the doors, but it drops when she notices the bruise around his throat. He notices her looking. "It's nothing, really. Just the result of a disagreement. I won it," His big smile returns, albeit slightly forced. "It's quite nice out today, so I thought we could go out by the lake. I've brought lunch." He gestures to his shoulder bag, and she forces a smile and loops her arm through his.

"Let's go." They ignore the stares of several students as they walk thought the halls, and Hermione takes a moment to admire Abraxas's entirely black ensemble, dress shirt with sleeves rolled to his elbows, giving her a moment to stare at his forearms shamelessly. His left one was wrapped in a bandage, and she says nothing, too busy looking at him to bother thinking critically. His loose pants were, once again, dressy, as well as his polished black loafers.

"You know, Hermione, if you keep looking at me like that I'll have to give you more of a reason to." He looks at her side-eyed, and her cheeks flame. "I mean yes, you look lovely as usual, and that rose perfume is really quite nice, but you don't see me ogling you."

"Sorry." She mutters, and he grins.

"I was under the impression we were studying today, but plans can change if you'd like."

"Abraxas!" She hisses, her face and neck red. "Shut up!"

"Hold my hand? Please?" He asks, holding it out to her. She hesitantly takes it.

"Salazar, why is it so cold?" he doesn't answer as they step out onto the castle grounds, the sun warming them as the trek across the grass towards the lake. Abraxas coughs quietly, turning away from her to do so.

They seat themselves under a big oak, and he watches with amusement as she unpacks all her books. "Do you think you have enough?" She ignores him. "I have some more for you." He opens up his satchel and fishes out a few books, only two of which were textbooks. She frowns as he hands her a stack of novels. "I know what you said you'd like, which I did get, but I figured I'd expose you to some Wizarding fiction. Gideon Hornbeam, one of the best novel writers I've ever had the experience of reading. Lance Cygnet, I think you'd love his Enchanted series. Louisa Filly, I simply adore her Black Soul trilogy." She laughs, placing a hand on his arm.

"They all sound excellent, Abraxas. Thank you, I'll return them by next week."

"Return them? No, no, I got them for you. It's no worry at all!" He adds, when she reaches for her coin purse. "I can afford to buy a friend a few books. Please, they're a gift."

"No more. I don't need you to buy me things, thank you." She takes the books and tucks them away. "Now, can we talk about metamorphmagai? I don't fully understand it yet."

Never did Hermione think that she would enjoy herself so immensely in the company of Abraxas Malfoy, lying on her stomach with her hip pressed against him, scrawling on parchment with a book propped up between them. He really was an excellent tutor, correcting her on several accounts, and cross referencing every book to ensure what he was helping her with was accurate. By the end of it, there was seven feet of study notes, several rather rude drawings of Dumbledore, as well as laughing about their friends. By four o'clock, his head was in her lap while she read, and he flicked his wand at a grasshopper aggressively.