NOVEL SIMPLE Ch 60 – His Warmth
Professor Snape snarled his nose, "Then if I may speak about something else... the four of them may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time..." he said, his sneer curling around his face, doubting the very words he just spoke, "but we do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why were they in the Upstairs Corridor at all? Why were they not at the Halloween Feast?"
All but Lucifer launched into an explanation about the Death Day party, “- there were hundreds of Ghosts, who'll tell you we were there-"
It was now, Hermione's turn to defend, she slipped her hand into Lucifer's in an attempt to gain some courage.
Or maybe, slightly because she wanted to, because his soft skin against hers felt great and she craved more.
Ever since the 'Talk' with Professor McGonagall, Hermione's having even more naughty dreams about Lucifer, and her in a new light, and that light just kept getting bigger and brighter.
She pulled him back into her and held his hand tightly.
Hermione hadn't even realised her hand was in his, it just felt natural.
"But why not join the feast afterwards?" His black eyes glittering in the candlelight, "Why go up to that corridor?"
"Because -because-" Harry seemed to be having trouble finding an excuse, “We were really tired and just wanted to go to bed!”
"Without any supper?" Snape asked, a triumphant flicker of a smile on his face, "I didn't think Ghosts provided food for the living at their parties."
"We weren't hungry," Ron said loudly as his stomach growled just as loud.
Everyone facepalmed.
But it did cause Snape's nasty smile to widen sickeningly, "I suggest, Headmaster, that they aren't being entirely truthful. It might be a good idea if Potter was deprived of certain... privileges until he is ready to tell us the whole story. I personally feel he should be taken off of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team until he is ready to be honest."
"And how would that benefit you, Severus?" McGonagall asked him, "Potter is not the only Seeker Gryffindor has now. Taking him away would only put Morningstar in the action. So really, what would that prove? Besides, there is no evidence that Potter has done anything wrong at all."
Dumbledore eyed Harry, like he was looking right into his soul, "Innocent until proven guilty, Severus.”
Snape snarled angrily, looking furious.

Filch looked equally so, "My Cat has been petrified!" He shrieked, "I want to see some punishment!"
"We will be able to cure her, Argus," Dumbledore said, having extreme patience with Filch, "Professor Sprout recently managed to procure a sizable amount of Mandrakes, and once they have fully matured, she will be able to make a Potion for Mrs. Norris that will revive her."
"I'll make it," Lockhart said, reminding everyone of his presence, "I must've done it a hundred times. I can whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep-"
"Excuse me," Snape said icily, "I do believe that I am the Potions Master at this school!”
There was an awkward pause.
Dumbledore looked at the four of them, "You may go."
They all hurried out of there without breaking into a run.
Hermione still holding onto Lucifer's hand like her life depended on it.
When they were up a floor from Lockhart's office, Harry ushered them all into an empty classroom, "D'you think I should've told them about that voice I heard?"
"No," Ron said without hesitation, “hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the Wizarding World.”
Indeed, that's why Lucifer didn't think it would be best, if mentioned about hearing voices, like Harry did.
He'd seen first hand, the treatment this boy received, and how ugly it could get here.
Harry suddenly asked, "You do believe me, don't you?"
Lucifer tried his best to keep a straight face, after he muttered that.
"Of course I do," Ron said, almost too quickly, "but you gotta admit, it is weird..."
"I know it's weird, the whole thing's weird!" Harry was a little frustrated, that no one was going to believe him again, “That writing on the wall about? Chamber Has Been Opened...What's that supposed to mean?"
"You know. it rings a sort of bell..." Ron said slowly.
“I think someone told me a story about a secret chamber at Hogwarts once... might've been Bill...”
"And I remember Neville saying something about this last year at the start of term banquet after everyone had been sorted, but what's a Squib exactly? I never figured out what it meant," Harry told them.
"A squib is a person born into a Wizarding family that has no magical properties at all,” Lucifer explained letting go of Hermione's hand, while Ron stifled a snicker, "If Filch is a Squib, then it explains why he detests students, he's bitter about us being able to use magic.”
"I actually feel a little bad for him, now..." Hermione said, while looking down at where their intertwined hands used to be and frowned.
It didn't feel natural anymore. Just cold.
A clock suddenly chimed somewhere, "Midnight," Harry said, "we'd better get to bed before Snape comes along and tries to frame us for something else...”
“He's right, you know?" a random person in a portrait said.
"Oh, shut up!” Ron moaned to the painting.
********
For a few days, the Hogwarts students could talk of little else aside from the attack on Mrs. Norris.
Filch made sure to keep it fresh in everyone's minds by pacing the spot where she had been attacked, as though he thought the attacker might come back.
Harry had noticed that he'd been trying to scrub the message on the wall with Mrs. Skower's All- Purpose Magical Mess Remover, but to no effect; the words still gleamed as brightly as ever on the stone.
When Filch wasn't guarding the scene of the crime, he was skulking red-eyed through the corridors, lunging out at unsuspecting students and trying to put them in detention for stupid reasons like 'breathing loudly' or 'looking happy' and it was getting on Harry's nerve.
As a pet owner himself, he'd be absolutely devastated if something like this happened to Hedwig, but he wouldn't lash out at anyone and everyone without probable cause.
Lucifer noticed that Hermione had been spending a lot more time in the School Library than usual, probably looking for the same thing everyone else was, but she always comes back in a shitty mood, than last.
On Sunday, when his roommates went to play in the Quidditch Grounds, Lucifer was just having a day off, sleeping in bed.
It's just, Hermione, who made a plan to have fun, stormed up to his dorm room and knocked on the door furiously.
“Lucifer!! Lucifer!!! Open the door!!"
“Alohomora...” she heard him say behind the door.
The door clicked and she pushed it open, ready to give him a piece of her mind.
But she stopped and lost her train of thought when she saw him.
Lucifer didn't wear any shirt, lying on the bed in his usual position, head now facing the door.
His blanket over the legs, eyes looking very tired, with a sleepy mood.
“Morning?" Hermione asked, barely above a whisper.
Not even a single noise is made.
She directly marched towards him, arms crossed over her chest, with an extremely unhappy look.
Looking down at his face, with her reprimanding eyes, “Whaz's rong, 'Mione?" the boy asked, drowsily.
“You!” Hermione looked taken aback, “Didn't you just promise yesterday, to play with me?!!” shouted like that on his face, troubling Lucifer's poor sleep.
“I did?” Infuriating boy groaned at her face, even dared to pull up the blanket, only for Hermione to snatch it away from him.
“You're going to get washed, brush your teeth and come with me down to the Black Lake!” Hermione gave him an order, using her mother's tone, looking very superior.
______________
Author's Note
If you want to Read 32+ Advanced Chapters ahead of everyone. Support this novel, join me on Patreon!
Link - patreon.com/SmutDxddy
Bonus Up to Chapter 135 has already been posted there.
(3rd-year has started on Patreon!)