If Hermione had made a bet she'd end her night in London in a muggle bar, music playing sandwiched between Draco and Severus she would have lost every sickle she had betting against herself.
But here they were surrounded by muggles, Draco looking very comfortable wiggling his bum, singing madly along off tune. When had he found time to learn the lyrics to Livin La Vita Loca?
Severus with several single malts in him had slowly started to unwind, even sharing a story with them of going to a pub with Lucius in their youth which had ended with Lucius slapped, and the bouncer chucking him out ass over tea kettle.

Hermione realized how little she knew of these men as she snuggled into Draco's the more openly affectionate of the pair arms, while holding Severus's hand under the table; the bond sated at the touch. She was sure there had been looks, after her third glass she had soundly kissed Severus on the lips, whispering apologies for perceived or actual wrongs he was unsure, lighting him on fire? Yes. Not standing up to the boys enough? She could hardly be held accountable for the dunderheaded pair's idiocy! At the fifth drink, a vile green concoction named sex on the golf course which contained atleast five different liquors mixed at the heavy handed bartender's fancy, she had tired to stand to toast to her husbands but Severus had threatened to hex her with the tarantallegra. So she had snogged Draco instead. She was pretty sure their fellow bar patrons thought them some kinky threesome which was true to a point, and besides she'd never see any of them again anyway

Five hours later they were pissed, well Draco and Hermione were, Severus was no more drunk than he had been after his first drink, a little more open, but no singing or dancing, Draco had patted him down looking for sobering potion, there was none the man had an amazing ability to consume liquor, and not show a hit of inebriation!

The bar was at last call the other patrons ordering final rounds when Severus had made it known it was time to leave. They, Draco and Hermione that is, had stumbled out of the bar draped around Severus who had navigated them to a alley tucked them close to him and apparated them to Prince Hall, fed them a potion of his creation that would ward off their impending hangovers, and tucked them into bed before climbing in himself.

Draco awoke to breast against his back, he slowly peeked where was he? Whose breast and soft breath was against his back? White drapes, white bedding, a hotel? Why was he at a hotel? He heard a door close, surreptitiously reaching for his wand he sat up to a very amused Severus,

"Would you like some wit sharpening potion? You seemed a tad disoriented."

Draco sneered at him

"No I feel quite well, better than I should, thanks"

Severus smirked and started to dress giving Draco the view of his back.

"You're welcome."

Outside the door Couton, Plum and Maize stood, Plum's face was grim

"They haven't sealed the bond."

Maize huffed, wizardkin was too damn temperamental, waiting until the last minute to do what needed to be done, unwilling to cull from the start.

"Give them food for the day and seal the suite!"

Couton's large eyes bulged even more

"But Masters and Mistress.."
"Are taking too long Couton! What we do has limits and they test them, 3 days! The old ways, 3 nights not the hours they use, today is the last day! Get the food Plum and I will take it to them."

Couton looked to Plum who nodded, he wasn't old enough to know these things, these secrets kept by his elders, he deferred to them on this, and left for the kitchen.

Hermione awoke to the bond singing through her body with desire. Draco's desire she tasted it on her lips sweet with heat, pepper jelly, so unlike yesterday's waking feeling of immense anguish as the power struggled to be released. Maybe Whimble had been correct she needed her bond mates, severing them from her consciousness in the bond clearly had deprived them of a flow where she atleast could function fully in all situations. She'd have to ask Severus. It was then she realized they were talking, Draco was telling Severus about Gawian she guessed he meant the head of the Aurors and a job he'd been offered, and she was warmed when he said he needed to wait on her so they could all discuss the impact, when Severus spoke.

"Gryffindors, how they lack any sense of stealthy manner, and you Hermione I am ashamed pyromania, pilfering, a violent streak a mile wide Dolores Umbridge can attest too and you can't pretend to sleep worth a damn!"

Hermione sat up, the sheets slipping down to her waist, unknowing giving them the view of her dusky nipples through the pale pink of her nightgown.

"I wasn't listening to your conversation I'll have you know, I was laying here thinking."

Draco sitting at the end of the bed turned to her,

"About what Gran.."

He never finished her name, she felt his awareness of her as his desire for her blossomed the heat waned, whatever he felt for her lacked the bite of what he felt for Severus she realized to him she was sweeter with an astringent after taste, she licked her lips pomegranates, his desire for her was flavoured like pomegranates.

She wondered if they tasted anything when she looked at them. She had never thought of them sexually before, Draco was attractive, and no matter his ethical standings for the first 6 years she'd known him she would grant him that. She may not have given a thought of him in that way, but she could acknowledge his attractiveness.

And Severus Snape, the man had animal magnetism. He prowled, he snarled, watching him duel was a thing of elegant deadly beauty. His eyes when he looked at you, truly looked at you, it was as if he flayed your skin found your soul gazed at it and found it sorely lacking. Yes Snape, she had thought about him once as she rubbed herself to completion after someone, Ron, had pointed out that Viktor wasn't that attractive just a younger Severus Snape. She had thought about it and found it not disgusting. Severus Snape's power even then unattainable to her, but there had been a tangible draw to the sour man. There was something about the bastard that made several girls in her year wonder just what that focused passion directed at them would feel like, but then he'd snarled at her in potions the next morning taking fifty points, and that fantasy became fleet footed.

Severus cleared his throat and threw Hermione a robe,

"We should go down for breakfast."

Draco laughed

"Or we could eat in bed"

The look that crossed his face clearly said that he would prefer to eat the food off of a body of his choosing rather than plates.

Severus's nose flared "Don't be vulgar Draco."

"I disagree Severus I'm certainly not vulgar, I am however hedonistic!"

He gave a wicked smile and wiggled his eyebrows, Hermione couldn't help it she broke into gales of laughter.

The knock on the bedroom door was soft, the door whisked open the elves not waiting to be given permission, Severus thought he'd have to have a chat with them on this rudeness, when a table, chairs and matching sideboard appeared replacing the comfortable reading area in the sunlit corner of the room and platter after platter topped with doomed silver cloches were floated onto them. Behind the food came Plum, and Maize stern faced, the three wizards looked at each other, they were being given the look as if they were errant children caught sneaking a snack before their meal in the kitchens of Hogwarts, they had definitely done something wrong.

Severus sneered "Really all of this food for breakfast, we shall be corpulent in months if you continue to feed us thusly."

Plum smiled, but Maize flicked her finger and they found their lips sealed, then she spoke

"It is good then Potions Master that we have no intentions of feeding you so much, that is your meals for the day, prepared and perfect."

The little elf looked at the three, shaking her finger

"Three days we tell you and you spend your 2nd night in your cups! This bond will be sealed today! There sits your breakfast, lunch, tea and supper, you will not leave this room until the bond is sealed or the Potions Master is dead"

She flicked her finger an assortment of wines, and beverages appeared on the sideboard.

"You are lucky tonight the moon wanes gibbious, but when it rises red in the sky and you have not bonded you shall die Potions Master, don't take too long to make up your mind the young Lord and Lady may want to leave if your choose death, our stories say the pain is of a thousand deaths."

Maize looked at them one final time and left the room, Plum approached touching each wizard unsealing their lips, ignoring their questions. She looked at them with large, kind wet eyes and closed the door behind her.

They sat at the table silent, Severus refusing to look them in the eye, Draco folded in on himself sipping sweet milky tea, Hermione looking between them understanding that something had passed between these two and she had no idea what.

"What am I missing?"

Severus stayed statue like in his haughty refusal to communicate, Draco looked at her with sad eyes,

"He's prepared to die rather than have us complete the bond"

"No one is that stupid Draco, least of all Severus Snape he gave us his word and he will bloody well keep it, or he won't need to wait for the power to kill him!"

The threat was clear, Draco gave her a considering glance. The Potions Master swivelled slowly, power started a slow crawl down her spine settling at the base.

"I am not prepared to die, I am" he paused, "concerned for your futures, at what the world will say."

Hermione bit her lip.

"That you gave me a potion? That I'm a Death Eaters whore? That I fucked you for my grades? That I'm fucking Malfoy for his money? I don't care! I made a commitment to you and I am keeping my word!"

Draco shrugged, "I'm already a traitor twice over, I don't care what people think."

He grabbed a muffin his appetite back, flashing a wicked smile

" Hermione will you be Granger-Malfoy-Snape? Or Malfoy-Snape?"

Severus scoffed and in a reasonable mimic of the pitched voice most elves spoke with said.

"Prince my Lord you are all Prince."

They shared a comfortable laugh.

********shdshdshdshdshdshdshdshdshdshdshdshdshdshd shdshdshdshd********

Hermione looked from Severus to Draco, how could they all 3 do this? Freshly showered and dressed in what Draco believed to be suitable virgin deflowering wear that or high priced courtesan wear she wasn't going to ask which he'd modelled her lingerie after, she sat on the side of the bed plucking at the lace edge of her robe, the charmed vial to hold her virgin blood was on the night stand, she was about to have sex! With Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy! Her mind wandered over the logistics of 3 people in bed and she paled.

It was Draco who spoke first

"Stop thinking so much Granger...Hermione."

He sat next to her gingerly running finger along the lace edge of her chemise looking at her with an entirely open facial expression, eyes weary, waiting for her to pull away. The bed on the other side dipped, and Professor Snape, oh god would she always think of him in unguarded moments as that! Severus approached her from the other side, he held himself stiffly

"You do not have to do this Miss Granger."
She looked from Draco's pale grey into his black fathomless eyes

"I want to."

And it was true she wanted this what ever it was, them the light and the dark. Severus released the tight control of the bond they had no clue he had been holding, leaving her and Draco breathless, panting puppy like for breath and watched them. His eyes holding more promise than she ever knew eyes could hold.

Draco kissed her demurely holding himself back, then hugged her

"Go to him, he won't make the first move"

He said said it aloud for Severus to hear he didn't care. Hermione looked at the dark man dressed in black, and beckoned him with a finger. They met half way, the kiss soft, gentle, her tongue tracing his lips, his lips barely whispering over hers. Draco sighed behind her, wrapping his arms around her, ghosting his fingers over her breast, she deepened the kiss spurned on by Draco and the emotions he was pushing through their bond; Severus moved, one hand held her cheek, the other met Draco's hand on a breast over her chemise. She didn't know who was holding, and whose fingers traced circles around her nipples as she felt her desire unfurl. Draco moaned the hand holding her breast tightened and the one tracing the nipple began to roll it softly between fingers, she broke the kiss looking into onyx eyes

"Too much Hermoine?"

That voice was illegal!

"No, more."

They stilled, then moved as one, predators hunting. Her robe and chemise were gone in the blink of an eye, if she was thinking clearly she would have looked for a wand, she would have reached for the sheet to cover her body, she would have done something; but then she was pushed back against the plush bedding, Severus's dark head slipped between her legs. Draco smiled as he slipped down her body and breathed across her nipple, anticipation sped her heart, together they devoured her.

Draco laved her nipples, then blew warm breaths across them, a tongue flicked it's way up and down her inner thigh and backup again pausing at her inner labia, Severus breathed teasingly across her clitoris and she raised her hips, a breathless "please"
Severus laughed and parted her lips, running his tongue up her slit and over her clitoris, her body alight with sensations. The first tug of her clit between Severus' tongue and the top of his mouth she felt the deep throb intensify. He slipped a single finger inside, patting the roughness of her gspot with the pad of his finger. Her entire body trembled at each touch of the tiny spot inside of her, Hermione felt a warming rush starting at the base of her spine, climb. She tried to speak but the words were an incoherent mess, higher level functioning gone she growled, hips lifting off the sheets grinding against Severus's face, she came, and light shattered.

Flush from her orgasm, legs still shaky and more than a little breathless Hermione lifted her head to Severus's hooded gaze between her legs, his lips still moist from her juices, she blushed

"I didn't know. That was amazing!"

Draco laughed,

"It gets better."

Severus sat up, his thumb gathering her juices from his lips in fluid movement

"No! I want to taste her on you."

Draco sat very still waiting on Severus finger still touching his lips for an answer, the later who tilted his head slightly giving Draco a considering look then a small sharp nod. Draco crawled to Severus slowly as if not believing he'd said yes, settling on the side of Hermione leaving Severus between her still splayed legs.
He started on the thumb first, his first lick was tentative, accompanied by a moan, running his tongue from base to tip it seemed much more phallic like watching him. When Severus tipped his head up with one finger under his chin, the blond bleed desire so strong Hermione moved to pull her legs closed, but they pinned her legs open as her need scented the air. Draco didn't move, he let Severus dominate every movement of the kiss until they broke apart and he laid tiny kitty like licks on Severus lips.

"Premièrement, notre Hermione, puis je vous prendrai mon amour "

The younger man shuddered, his eyes fluttered closed

"Qui"

Hermione looked between the two men,
"You do know I speak french?"

Draco opened his eyes,

"Vraiment? Bon. Je veux regarder Severus, Va te faire foutre, je tiens à vous regarder orgasme comme il vous comble. Comprenez-vous que notre Hermione?"

He started a slow crawl up her body

"Did you understand that Hermione?"

She nodded, her eyes watching him, the silk of his pants gliding on her legs.

"What do you understand Hermione? I want to hear you say it."

"Severus is going to make love to me."

Draco looked her in her eyes and laughed.

"Yes I suppose he is, but what about me Hermione? What will I do?"

It was a dare, what was the opposite of making love? Hermione's cheeks blazed red,

"Fuck me."

He kissed her passionately, one hand tangled in her hair and the other pressing on her mons, a finger rubbing her clit, she moaned into his mouth. With her eyes closed her nose filled with the scent of Draco, and Severus, leather and spice. Hermione understood the bond in that moment, she felt it and knew what no book written would ever say, it was a ravenous beast knitted within each of them, in their magic, set out to make sure that they created a single soul, a single magic, a multi conscious oneness .
She would draw from Kants and Plato years later to explain what this dawning felt like, this ghostly entity that knew her better than she knew herself and laid her bare at her bond mates' needs, she understood she muggle born could have never comprehended the half of what this bond was if presented in words alone, no words could explain as she spread her legs, pleading, knowing that as he would sink into her they would be one, this second bonding would make whatever had happened in the dungeons of Hogwarts seem like a single flame in a forest fire.

"Hermione?"

Her eyes opened Severus replaced Draco above her,

"Pleasee Severussssssss"

"You understand?"

"Forever? Always. I will see you both in my next life? Yes!"

He took her then one fluid movement breaking her maiden head and stilled, nuzzling her neck murmuring softly at her yip of pain filled surprise. He stayed unmoving letting the vial do it's job, the bond sang, magic crawled along her skin as she became accustomed to his size and his magic.

She looked for Draco as Severus began a slow rock, he sat at her head and she reached for him, he came.

"Look at him Hermione."
She did, Severus eyes were lidded to mere slits, naked his magic halo-ed his body, she looked at him tautly muscled, each movement sending thrills through her body, her eyes crept lower she watched his hips as he snapped them driving into her. Draco plucked a nipple, the magic arced between them, she arched her back and closed her eyes, they played her body and she whimpered as sensation after sensation lapped her body, he asked the question then in Latin

"Hiscine vinculo isto? Vis autem iudicium gratiam?"

Hermione's climax began it's roll through her body, she spoke breathless as she started to grind into Severus's thrust

"Imo"

The word left her mouth a rushing flame, hot, unstoppable, daring anything to stand against it and be whipped apart by it's power; she felt that same flame of power remake her magic, voiceless it called her witch powerful beyond measure, it called them wizard creation incarnate as it flared whipping screams from their throats. The power strummed soul deep and screamed for more, eating them alive with broad swaths of power.

Behind her closed eyes she saw two large cats play pouncing on each other, the smaller one looked at her and crept close, grey blue fur its eyes pale and cold hunter's eyes, it sniffed in her direction once, twice and ran back to the larger black tiger before running forward again sitting with its head on his paws watching her with a feline smile, the larger tiger prowled towards her lethal power radiating and sat at her feet chuffing, behind them in shadow a golden lioness stood, she never moved, the bond tightened and Hermione knew she had seen Draco's and Severus's animagus forms and potentially her own, she sank into a peaceful sleep a small smile on her lips.

Draco Malfoy was a snuggler, pressed between him and Severus, Hermione questioned her need to use the bathroom but her bladder reminded her quickly that it was master of its domain. She looked between them and choose the lesser evil, one eye carefully keeping Professor Snape in view she moved to poke Draco and heard Severus clearly say

"I'd prefer you didn't wake him."

But his lips didn't move!

"How?"

He pursed his lips, giving her a look she's only seen previously used on horny hufflepuffs caught in rose bushes, Ron and Harry.

"The bond Hermione"

She gave a hopefully contrite look

"That look would only be effective if the bond were not so strong that I knew your only thought was of not relieving yourself in the bed."

She bushed deeply, scrambling over him and out of bed rushing naked to the bathroom.

"Lovely arse witch"

She shouted through the door

"Don't be vulgar Severus!"

"I am never vulgar I was merely complimenting you witch, while you are in there the vivid pink vial is yours to take for …... soreness"

Hermione fingered the empty vial, the incandescent drainings of the peppermint flavoured potion making small rainbows before putting it down and coming out, pink tinged at her nudity.

"How will I keep you out of my head?"

"Occlumency, pray that you are a more skilled student than Pot ..Harry, Draco is adequate, we can shield from you but it would be most appropriate if you could learn not to project every thought"

"Great praise from you for Draco."

"He learnt under a particularly stress-filled situation, Bellatrix teaching methods were often crude ... he is not unskilled."

Hermione remembered Draco's scarred body, his father, his aunt and the dark lord, how did he survive?

"His mother's love."

Severus rolled from the bed taking the time to slip into his pants, his face melancholy, Hermione didn't ask. She knew Bellatrix was mentally unstable at the best of times. Obviously he knew what Draco went through and it disturbed him, she could only imagine and preferred not to. She stood naked in pooled sunlight streaming thru the windows, finger tracing where her lover's aunt had once carved into her skin, and stared at the sleeping man.

Severus stood in the bathroom door minutes later looking at Hermione still standing watching Draco sleep, mind tumbling at how he at done it, how he'd survived how he had borne so much, silent tears making trails down her cheeks and on to her naked chest.

"Hermione, come..please"

She stayed unmoving in her vigil, he came to her standing behind her his lips to her ear.

"Do you think he wants your pity witch? He survived, he lived, do you have tears to spare for Vincent Crabbe martyred to his father's hatred, too stupid to think for himself? Do you cry for Caeruleo Hopstiff?

She looked at him puzzled

"That name means nothing to you, nothing but the fact that he too lied to the Dark Lord saving my undeserving arse one night taking so many bouts of crucio he choked on his tongue and died, save your pity for those who didn't survive, for those who have nothing and no one.
Do you know Draco uses the Black legacy left from his mother and aunt to help provide for the children of the death eaters left orphaned? Cry for them, cry for children who were sired by rape and have no one, no magical family, a muggle mother who wishes never to see the eyes of her rapist abiding in the body of a child she bore. But do not be so disingenuous as to pity that man, he has fought too much in his short years to have a woman in his bed whose heart is softened by mere pity."

She didn't stop him when he turned leaving her alone in her self appointed vigil, she knew he was right pity had no place in a relationship.
Wine and a warm bath are amazing restoratives, Hermione sat in scented water to her chin languid limbed and relaxed, Severus hadn't bellowed about her "mental apocryphal snake that was threatening to send him to the Janus Thickey ward" for at least ten minutes, Draco sat at her feet reminding her to still her mind, "encase, keep within, do not allow any thing out."

She looked at him, his hair was brushing beyond his collar it was the longest she'd ever seen it. He held himself with a certain gravitas, long gone was the youthful arrogance she remembered from their first years at school, he carried his patrician looks well, then her apocryphal snake of a brain took off and she wondered aloud

"Draco have you ever been with … with another man?"

He looked at her quizzical, then something dawned and he smiled.

"You have no idea do you?"

She returned his questioning look

"Purebloods do not limit who you part take of sexual pleasure with, before you quote Molly Weasley to me you have to remember they have turned away from pureblood ideology and that would include the sexual aspects I believe"

Hermione sipped her wine

"So if it's acceptable to have a relationship with a man why are they so few same sex based relationships?"

"Are they?"

"Well I know Albus"

"The second oldest Weasley?"

"Charlie!"

Draco laughed and stood water dripping from his body,

"Wait until I take you to the club."

"You never answered my question Draco."

"Oh you are smart enough Hermione, you'll figure it out at some point."

Tea was a light affair atleast what the elves had set out had been light relatively, a selection of scones, crumpets, clooted cream, treacle, jams, and fruit, then Draco and Severus got to it. The roasted leg of lamb that had been Hermione presumed for dinner had been sliced and placed back under stasis, heavy yeast rolls also part of the dinner menu and thick slices of tomato came together for a sandwich, Draco found an Argentina malbec declared it "decent" and poured glasses, the tea in the charmed pot stayed hot and un-touched

Draco in what Hermione was beginning to see was his own irrepressible way, announced mid tea time conversation if Hermione should try to find her lioness before starting her apprenticeship that he'd like to have "a proper ménage à trois, unless either of you are opposed, of course."

Severus choked on his lamb! Hermione forgot that she was a witch and ran to beat him on the back and in a moment beckoning back to her mother's reaction to stress filled situations started to repeat the Great Litany a line slipping out before she stopped herself. Draco stared at her as if she was mad, waving his hand he said a charm Severus breathed easily. Hermione clutched her beating heart, Draco shook his head pouring more wine wishing he'd laced it with a touch of calming draught.

Severus took it in stride

"So I suppose we'll be expected to go to Christmas Eve or Old Years Night mass?"

Hermione gave a bright smile

"Midnight Christmas Eve mass."

He cringed, Draco smiled excited

"I've never been in a actual church before!"

Which got him a sneered

"Don't forget your cushioning charm or you'll never want to go back either."

That earned the Potion's Master a nasty look from Hermione.

Draco looked at them,

"Will we always do this? Pick at each other like children? Test every boundary?"

Draco drained his glass and walked to the window eyes watery, they came to him wrapping him in their arms, Hermione kissing his cheek

"You know picking doesn't mean we don't like each other, Harry and Ron are like bothers to me and we pick at each other all the time!"

Severus and Draco's eyes met, Draco's eyes widened Potter and Weasley as brothers in law, they needed a good stock of fire whiskey.

They stood looking out the window wrapped in their own little worlds watching the faery children in the garden, Draco looked at Severus staring at the faery dust flittering down,

"Galleon for your thoughts?"

"I believed the going rate was a knut."

"That's not how I was taught, however you may set it at any rate you wish as long as you tell me what you were thinking about."

"Nundu blood, I have twenty thousand galleons worth of it in my potions stores, and it has no value beyond dark magic. Enough of this dreary talk, I can think of a million ways I'd rather spend tonight than talking of the dark arts."