A few days later, an interesting article had been published in the Daily Prophet.
It had nothing to do with Lucifer, but instead it was mainly, or almost entirely about Harry.
Apparently, while Lucifer was out of it, they had the Wand Weighing ceremony.
Rita Skeeter, of course, had interviewed the Champions, and Lucifer had read the Prophet this time, seeing a lot of things he was sure Harry didn't even say, because this did not sound like Harry at all.
'I suppose I get my strength from my parents. I know they'd be very proud of me if they could see me now...
Yes, sometimes at night I still cry about them, I'm not ashamed to admit it... I know nothing will hurt me during the Tournament, because they're watching over me...'
On pages two, six, and seven, Skeeter wrote entirely about Harry.
She briefly mentioned the Champions of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, misspelling their names, and Cedric wasn't even mentioned at all.
"You're a real piece of work, Skeeter..." Lucifer mumbled to himself.
She also seemed to interview other people about him, and this was something Lucifer actually scratched his head at:
Harry has at last found love at Hogwarts. His close friend, Colin Creevey, said that Harry is rarely seen out of the company of one Hermione Granger, a stunningly pretty Muggleborn girl who, like Harry, is one of the top students in the school.
'Does Harry like Hermione? Does she like him back? Maybe Hermione moved on after all?'
He had thought to himself. He hadn't expected Hermione to move on quickly, if at all, honestly.
'What the fuck am I thinking? Rita Skeeter is a dishonest, lying cunt. Of course Hermione wouldn't be in love with Harry. But is he in love with Hermione?'
Lucifer had always thought Harry was more into Cho with the way he'd seen him looking at the Ravenclaw girl, but maybe he'd been wrong?
In the end Lucifer decided that wasn't important right now.
The one thing that Lucifer hated the most about Skeeter's article was how she callously dragged Hermione into the spotlight.
Hermione might be upset with him just by disobedience of her not wearing his plug said anything.
But that didn't mean he didn't care a great deal for her.
He had promised her father, after all, that he'd watch out for her.
He'd have honestly done that even without promising her father.
In the next Potions class, Pansy had to put her two cents in, "Stunningly pretty? Her?!"
She had shrieked, and Snape, as expected, said nothing, "What was she judging against - a chipmunk?"
Lucifer heard Hermione's voice beside to ignore it as Harry had already been ridiculed relentlessly by the Slytherins since the article was published.
But he wasn't going to let Pansy get away with it, though, "You know... that's funny coming from someone who looks like a Pug, Pansy."
Just by using name, she felt Lucifer cursed her. He didn't use other people's name much, and if he does....it's definitely not making people feel any better.
"Morningstar, that's Ten Points from Gryffindor for speaking out of line," Snape snarled at him.
"Oh no," Lucifer's voice was a mixture of sarcastic, snarky, and uncaring, "look at all these fucks I give, you biased fuck."
Snape, surprisingly, only snarled his nose, but continued on like Lucifer didn't exist.
While Hermione spent a lot of time in the Library with Harry in order to help him get prepared for the First Task, whatever it would be about.
She noticed Lucifer was spending an absurd amount of time with those Harlots, especially Eve.
She was sure they weren't actually Harlots, but she detested them so much, she couldn't help but call them that.
She could also tell that Harry was missing Ron's company greatly, and that she was getting on his nerves, but he had to understand that he had to survive the Tournament.
Someone wanted him dead, and she was to help foil their plan.
Lucifer was also supposed to help, but Hermione blamed herself on that for him not being with her to help Harry, or just with her at all.
While in the Library, she noticed that Viktor Krum spent an awful lot of time in there as well, but that was only because he always made such a racket while in there, and his fangirl following wasn't exactly quiet either.
"He's so ugly and bald, I don't understand what they see in him," she muttered to herself.
Being right beside her, Harry had heard and responded.
"He was in the Quidditch World Cup, and he's a Champion in the Tournament. That's probably what it is...."
"I guess, because it surely isn't his looks they like," Hermione said, another glance at Viktor before returning to her work. "Harry... I know you're getting tired of my company-"
"No, no not at all," Harry said quickly.
"You can't fool me, Harry, I know you're missing Ron. You and him have more in common...."
Harry sighed, "I'm sorry, Hermione, but I don't find this fun like you and Lucifer do..."
Hermione went quiet after that.
Since he wasn't helping, she had hoped to just put him out of her thoughts for the time being.
She was successful until Harry said something about him.
"It's not meant to be fun, Harry," she started slowly, "it's to keep you alive through to the end of this. Or would you rather wind up in the History book about being killed in a Tournament you shouldn't even be in!?" She tried to control her voice, but Madam Pince ended up shushing her anyway.
Harry looked remorseful and his head fell so that his gaze was on the book in front of him.
"I'm sorry, Hermione... you're right... I should be putting forth a better effort," he looked at her again, "but how do I know what to prepare for when I don't even know what the First Task is going to be about?"
"That's why we will just have to prepare for anything," she said, looking at him, and she then noticed something behind.
Emily Weir and her Lucifer Morningstar fan group were sitting in the chairs, shamelessly creeping in her boyfriend's direction who sat with Eve...
The girls looked enchanted, and even summoning love hearts out of thin air which would vanish after a couple seconds.
Their shirts....
She had obviously caught sight of the shirts the fan group were wearing.
It was just a large picture of Lucifer's face with lipstick stains on each cheek and the forehead.
Poke! Shred!
Hermione tore into her book..
"H-Hermione?"
She looked and saw that Harry was looking at her, "Hmm?"
"Are you okay? You zoned out... have you been sleeping well?"
She blinked at him.
This had to be a dream, how did things go so wrong but she couldn't slap herself to see.
Harry would think she's gone mental,
"Yeah, I've been sleeping well enough..." she felt her cheeks burning ever so slightly, when remembering how nights usually go in Lucifer's bed....
"We can stop for the day if you want? The First Task is still two weeks out," Harry suggested.
"Alright, you're right, let's pick this back up tomorrow. It's almost time for dinner anyway..." Hermione began packing her stuff up and they left the Library a few minutes later.
When they walked into the Great Hall, Hermione saw Lucifer sitting alone, waiting for the food to appear on the Golden Plates.
She hesitated for a second, finding it difficult to gather her courage, exact opposite during Potions.
"Are you and Lucifer okay?" Harry suddenly asked as they both sat down.
"....I got upset with him about the way he handled Professor Snape, and he tried to justify his actions for it... It caused me to forget my plug and got edged...not much else to it," Hermione said, shrugging, only for a second later to realise later what she really said out.
Her face went scarlet.
"So that's reason enough for you to not go over and talk to him?" Harry asked her, just as Eve sat down across from him.
???
"He kicked me out, and now clearly been too busy talking with Miss Veela over there, why should I interrupt?" Hermione asked Harry, but her eyes were on Lucifer the entire time.
"He's your boyfriend, Hermione, it's not like he and Eve are dating. You have every right to sit next to him if you want to," Harry was looking at her.
"I could say the same for you and Ron, you know... yeah he's a prat, but he's still your best friend, Harry," her eyes went to Harry as she finished talking.
Harry pursed his lips, but said nothing else as food appeared on the plate.
The Cowardice part of Hermione kept glancing at Lucifer the entire time during dinner while others screamed inside her head.
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