The Love of a Woman
(Last chapter before epilogue; lots o' lemons)
Molly
POP! They reached the Burrow and paused just outside the door, "ready?" he asked quietly.
They could hear the Weasley matriarch singing softly in the kitchen. Hermione took a deep breath and nodded her head.
Harry took her hand and led her to the door. He knocked then opened it calling out to announce their presence, "Molly? Arthur?"
They heard shuffling then footsteps, "Harry?" Arthur called from around the corner as he recognized the voice.
Two red heads emerged from the hallway with smiles that faltered slightly when they saw the two visitors standing in the living room.
"Oh," Molly said trying to smile despite her irritation at them both.
When he and Ginny parted ways, his relationship with the Weasleys suffered as well, he no longer felt like he was completely welcome at family gatherings, especially when he was certain Ginny told her parents about the reasoning for the break up.
It had been just over a year since he had been back and now wished he had been more assertive in keeping up with how they were.
Arthur had no problem with his smile, "Well hello you two," he said moving in to hug the two 'kids' he'd helped raise.
"What brings you here for a visit?" Arthur asked, wondering why his wife of 40+ years was silent.
Harry shifted balance from one foot to the other and cast a sideways glance to Hermione. He could feel her tension, "I received owls from Molly and Ron and wanted to come clear the air, so to speak," Hermione answered.
"Oh that," Arthur said grimacing.
Hermione nodded and Harry squeezed her hand in support.
"Well, why don't we sit, then," Molly suggested, wiping her hands on her apron and motioning towards the still tattered couch.
Everything was just how Harry remembered; an old faded orange couch resting in front of the front window, two overstuffed chairs covered in a tweed fabric that was light blue and white checked pattern; a small table in the middle and a thousand photos crowding the walls surrounding them.
Harry found one of the three friends taken the summer after the Tri-wizard tournament. They had been De-gnoming the garden and were sweaty and dirty. Hermione had smudges of dirt on her nose and cheek, her hair a wild mess. She was sitting on the ground laughing at Ron as he tried to sit on her lap; she was trying to push his large frame off her smaller one. Harry was equally as dirty and laughing so hard he was bent over grasping his stomach.
The scene just kept replaying and Harry couldn't help but smile at the happy time in memory.
Arthur noticed, "You guys were so close," he said quietly.
Hermione followed their gaze and smiled as well, "So, you've formed a triad with Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy. Have you learned nothing, girl?" Molly interrupted sharply.
Hermione's head snapped back to Molly Weasley. The older woman, though a powerful witch in her own right, was weary of Hermione Grangers temper and quickly schooled her features to look as nonthreatening as possible.
She was aware of the younger witches power and skill with a wand, not to mention the veritable encyclopedia of spells the girl memorized in her quest for knowledge during her school years. Molly didn't think much had changed since the war ended. Hermione would still be a book-worm even in adulthood.
Hermione closed her eyes and mentally counted to ten. When she opened them all eyes were on her, "Where should I start?" she asked, expecting to tell them the entire story.
Molly summoned tea from the kitchen and when it came, she poured a cup for each of them, "The beginning, dear, is always a good place to start. Why you left, why you stayed away, why you came back… everything," she said.
Hermione nodded, "all right. After the war, I felt like I couldn't breathe. I was having anxiety attacks just stepping outside the door… I didn't want to live like that. I watched Ron and Harry constantly looking over their shoulders and all we talked about was the battles, time on the run, the horcruxes etc etc… We were so young… " she paused looking down at the cup of tea in her hands.
"To be honest, I was tired of always being the brunt of everyone's jokes. Bushy -haired know-it-all swot. The book worm. The tag along riding on the coat tails of the boy-who-lived," her voice was tinged with bitterness.
Harry interrupted, "Everyone knows you saved my life countless times, Hermione, how could you think that your role was less than … than invaluable?" he asked.
"I know I was important to our goal, Harry, but I wanted to accomplish some things on my own without being chastised for not wanting to stay home, or for doing research, or even for erring on the side of caution. I was just so tired of always being the one snickered at.
Did you know that if I made even a minor mistake, I wouldn't hear the end of it for weeks?" she asked, her voice shrill, looking at Molly.
A new voice from the entry way, "you were always so keen on making sure everyone knew how smart you were, that when you were wrong it was just nice knowing that you were human like the rest of us," Ron said sitting down next to his mother.
Hermione didn't buy it; Ron was always quick to judge her or cast her aside or take his friendship back. She didn't respond to him and looked at Arthur.
"I made the decision to leave, because I figured if I was that disliked or whatever, my absence wouldn't matter.
I went to Spain after NEWTs. I had been accepted to an Institute there and am now an accredited Potions Mistress and I have a master in Charms. I own a shop in Diagon Alley called Creation," she said and looked at Molly when the older witch made a surprised 'oh!'.
"I've been meaning to go in there. I heard that the owner customized house hold spells and I wanted to share some of mine." Molly said looking sheepish.
Hermione's brows rose into her hairline and Molly continued, "I have some pretty handy cleaning spells I created. A house full of boys and all that," she said.
Hermione continued leaving the best for last, "…and I am the proud mum of two of the best children ever," she said with a smile.
Arthur, keeping them on track, but pleased by this new development, "they're the reason you came back then?" he asked, happy that she was back, but wanting to know the details.
She nodded, "A bit after I arrived in Spain, I ran into Draco Malfoy. Long story short, we became friends. I loved him – platonically, but loved him none the less. He was wonderful. Well, one night we got … uh," she didn't know how to put this without sounding like a tramp.
"…Half polluted?" Ron supplied with a smirk.
Hermione gave him a half smile in appreciation and nodded, "and … well …"
"A bit of in and out?" Ron supplied again this time Molly smacked him on the side of the head for being crass, Hermione scowled and Harry and Arthur chuckled.
In the end, he was right and Hermione nodded slowly, "We found out a week later we were pregnant."
They all made the connection and were staring at her in shock. She expected Ron to blow up, but he didn't and that impressed her.
She sighed, "He was there the entire pregnancy, loving them, and talking to them… he was going to be a wonderful father. They were born in the early morning hours and he was there every second of the way. A few hours after they were born he was killed on duty, though, I'm sure you already know that part." She said, willing the tears not to fall.
"I wanted them to know their family. Draco didn't have a chance to tell his father about them and it took me a while to work up the nerve to face the fact that I needed to come home. I used up every penny I had in savings and bought the shop.
I've been here just under a year. Lucius walked into my store and the twins came running out. He knew immediately they were Malfoy's, no one can deny that fact," she said flatly. Harry nodded in agreement.
"We've become acquainted in a short time and he's just not the same person he was, or he was never the person we saw, whichever, I like him and he loves his grandchildren. He asked us to move to the Manor and we agreed."
"You were tortured there," Ron stated, surprised by her choice.
"I know," she said, but didn't elaborate.
"And Severus?" Molly asked, looking like she caught a whiff of something rotten.
"We're friends and colleagues and the twins love him," Hermione answered wanting to smile at the memory of her children flocking towards the dark wizard.
"He doesn't even like kids," Ron whined.
"He likes them," she replied.
"Colleagues?" Arthur asked.
Hermione nodded, "I'm renting him lab space and together we'll be brewing Wolfsbane potion. We can reach more werewolves with us working together than we can alone. We'll also be able to offer it cheaper if we pool our resources."
"Well you've certainly made a name for yourself, Hermione, I'm proud of you," Arthur told her and then added, "You know, there were some, in the Order, who understood how important you were to the cause. We knew that without you not only would Ron and Harry not be alive today, but we wouldn't have made the connections and had the victories we did without your research. I'm sorry you felt under- appreciated by us." He said his face sad and regretful.
She offered a reassuring smile, "my own insecurities, mostly. I don't regret going away, but I should have made an effort to stay in touch," she conceded.
She looked at Ron and he smiled at her, "'Mione, I missed you," he said and moved to hug her, knocking all three of them to the ground in a fit of laughter and clinks of tea cups dropping.
"I missed you too; friends?" she asked
Harry watched from his precarious position, his feet on the ottoman and his body on the floor, Hermione's arm under his shoulder.
Ron seemed to understand what she was asking, "Of course," he answered and pecked her on the lips.
He stood and pulled Hermione up who in turn pulled Harry up, "I'm starving!" Ron said rubbing his stomach and walking to the kitchen.
Molly stood to go fix them something to eat; Harry and Hermione laughed, "Something's never change," she said.
Arthur caught her before she left the room, giving her a knowing look he pulled her into a hug, "I think you 'like' Lucius Malfoy more than you're letting on," he said pulling back to watch her reaction. When he saw her eyes widen a bit and her mouth open to speak he spoke, "Whatever you decided to do… with Lucius, you are always welcome here," he said.
She smiled, teary-eyed, "thank you, Arthur, that means the world to me," she said, hugging him tightly, surprised that the man she thought was not the most observant, had nailed her feelings on the head… and called her on it.
They walked in the kitchen and Hermione sat down, "So Molly, you want to share some of your spells?" Hermione decided not to ruin the mood by bringing up the contents of the owl Molly sent, instead opting for a clean slate; one as adults.
Molly looked excited and started chatting actively about which spells she wanted to market and how they were constructed.
They all ate happily, enjoying the discussions and looking forward to renewed relationships, both business and personal.
"Molly, come by the shop on Wednesday and we'll get started," Hermione said, looking forward to adding Molly's spells to her repertoire of household charms.
Hermione kissed them all good bye, with promises for lunch and get-togethers and Apparated back to Malfoy Manor.
It was silent, eerily silent. She wondered how Lucius was able to live in this deafening quiet for so long.
"Parish?" she called. The house elf appeared and bowed, "Yes Miss?"
"Are the children and Lucius around?"
"Out back, Miss," he said and winked out.
She made her way to the gardens and down to the lake, where her children were laughing gleefully.
He sensed her presence and looked up to see the small form shadowed by the sun walk confidently across the grass.
She smiled at him and then giggled as Lilla splashed her brother.
"How did it go?" he asked patting the spot beside him.
"Well, actually. Molly wants to market some of her better house hold spells," she said and then added, "they were very accepting."
"…of you," he said.
She looked at him and smirked, "of you as well," she said, touching his forearm.
The heat from his skin burned her fingertips and she wondered if his whole body felt like that. The mood shifted so suddenly her head was spinning.
He swallowed and looked at her with his penetrating gray eyes, "I want you, Hermione," he asserted, making her lips part in surprise.
"I know that a union between us would be …unconventional, considering these are Draco's children, but I am not a man to waste an opportunity like this one," he returned focus to the children.
She couldn't speak just yet, so she let him continue.
"I feel a connection to you, emotionally, intellectually and physically. I think you're a beautiful witch and incredibly intelligent, I want you, Hermione," he said again leaning closer to her.
"I want to feel you around me, legs around my waist, and arms around my neck. I want to bury myself in you, hear you scream my name…"
She was pretty sure if the kids were not a stone's throw away, this man would have been mauled. His words and deep velvety voice were wreaking havoc on her body and mind.
"I'm an older wizard, I don't like games and I have always known what I want. Will you have me?" he asked.
She didn't see vulnerability or uncertainty in his face; she saw desire, intelligence and confidence – she leaned in.
She didn't hear him snap his fingers as he claimed her lips in a demanding and heated kiss, she didn't hear when the house elf popped in and he pointed to the children; she only felt a small twinge of discomfort when he Apparated them back to his bedroom and she didn't open her eyes when he pulled her up urging her to wrap her legs around him.
He pushed forward into her heat and swallowed her moan of pleasure at the pressure.
She carded her fingers through his silky hair as his tongue explored her mouth.
He laid her gently on the bed, his large frame between her legs ankles hooked at his back.
He pulled her shirt apart, the buttons popping. Her bra, lacy and satin, was unclasped and pulled down her arms.
He stared at her, memorizing every detail; her pale skin, her rounded shoulders, her plump breasts, her rosy nipples pebbling in the chilled air, her narrow waist, her flat stomach… She watched him watch her; he saw the blush settle on her cheeks and chest.
"Exquisite," he whispered, lowering his mouth to her breast, suckling and nipping.
She arched her back and he sucked harder, she tugged at his hair and sighed in pleasure – he bit her then laved the pain with his tongue, "Gods Lucius…" she breathed, her eyes closed, her breasts pressed to his face.
He moved to the other breast biting and licking, sucking and nipping, she wanted to feel more, "bite me again…" she commanded.
He complied, biting her nipple making her gasp in pain, and then licking the area softly. He repeated the process until he couldn't think anymore; he needed to feel her skin on his skin.
He whispered a spell, removing their clothes; heat. His skin on her skin, hot and slicked with sweat; his erection touching her thigh.
She could feel how large he was, she wanted to touch him, but couldn't make her hands move from the fisted position they had in his hair as he paid close attention to her sensitive bosom.
Her hips were circling, attempting to desperately seeking release, seeking that friction needed for release.
He was kissing her again, his large hands were everywhere now: her hair, her cheek, her shoulders, her breasts, her waist, her hips, her thighs… they stopped at her thighs and parted her legs widely.
He kissed down her stomach leaving red bite marks along the way; leaving her writhing in pleasure keening for him to bite harder and not to stop.
He loved that she liked it a little rough; he could be gentle and knew he was a good and unselfish lover, but she made him feel out of control, she made him feel.
He whispered a spell; her hands were bound above her head. She gasped in surprise and the force of the spell, "Lucius…." She sighed and watched his gray eyes darken with desire.
"Hermione, Do you want me?"
"yes," she sighed
"Will you have me?"
"yes"
He gripped harder on her thighs and swiftly moved open mouthed to her core. He ate like a starved man licking her from arse to clit, lapping at her opening like a kitten with milk.
"so good," he said and bit her thigh.
She screamed in the pleasure pain.
She could feel the pressure building and tried to move her hips to meet his tongue, but was held steady by his hands.
She was moaning and panting, encouraging him to press harder to lick faster to bite her more, she gasped when he took her small bundle of swollen nerves with his teeth while his tongue flicked back and forth.
She arched her back and closed her eyes as the orgasm, so intense, produced stars behind her eye lids.
She opened her eyes to feel him still pleasuring her, but slowly – languidly. His grip on her hips had loosened and his thumbs were making circles on her sensitized skin.
"Hermione," he called softly looking at her.
She looked at him and remained silent as his large muscled body covered hers, "Will you have me?" he asked again willing her to understand.
"Lucius?" she asked.
"Will you have me? I want you and the kids with me… until … the end," he said still holding her eyes in an intense stare.
She swallowed hoping that this wasn't some mitigation for the guilt he felt for his sons life. As if he read her mind, "this has nothing to do with Draco. This has to do with me wanting to be a father to Lilla and Roman and to be a husband to someone I feel very strongly for, someone I want desperately, someone …" he didn't finish, he didn't need to, she understood, "Yes," she said and grunted when his large girth pushed into her body stealing her breath away, "You're so tight, witch," he said through clenched teeth.
He pulled out and pushed back in closing his eyes to the heavenly feeling of her tight, wet heat surrounding him.
Pumping steadily he sat up and placed her feet on his shoulders, soon his strokes were harder more erratic, his breathing labored, "oh Hermione…" he said and moved his thumb to lightly pinch her clit, driving her over the edge – her pulsing walls were too much for him and he fell apart a second later spilling his seed deep inside of her.
Their breathing resumed to it normal rate after a while, wrapped in each other's arms, they both thought it felt right, "Did you just propose to me?" she asked a smile evident in her tone.
He huffed humorously, "Yes and you agreed," he redirected.
She propped herself up on her elbow and looked at him, "Is this for real? Isn't it kind of … sudden?"
He nodded and kissed her lips, kissed her cheek, palmed her large pliable breasts, pulled her nipple, "I can't think when you do that!" she huffed, but was already arching her back pressing her breast into his hand.
"I love your breasts, they are delicious," he said leaning in to lick one.
His other hand made good time traveling south rubbing lightly on her, once again, swollen nub; she spread her legs.
After another round of biting, kissing and some spanking they got up to find the children eating and singing with Ralph the house elf.
"Where were you?" Roman asked his eyes bouncing from one to the other.
Lilla perked up and announced, "You're getting married!"
Hermione and Lucius looked at the girl with unmarked surprise. The little girl snickered as if she had a secret and wasn't telling. However, she had a brother, "Ralph thought you may want something to eat too, so he popped in and then popped back out. He said you were talking and then Lilla bribed him to tell us what you were saying." he tattled.
"Did not!"
"Did to!"
Lilla stopped and looked at her visibly flustered mother, "Can I be a flower girl?"
Epilogue next.
