Chapter Fourteen
Lucius and Hermione continued to follow the ledge that ranged along the edge of the deep, dark chasm. Their only source of light came from their wands and from the unnaturally red glow of the torches that lined the walls of the cave far above their heads. The only sounds they could hear came from the drips of water far ahead, and the dragon occupants who seemed to outnumber them greatly.
"I wonder just how many dragons are in here," Lucius speculated as they mounted his broom together yet again to get past a portion of ledge that was too narrow to traverse.
"It could be hundreds," said Hermione. "Maybe thousands."
"Yes, I gathered as much," he agreed. "I've been thinking, my dear, about your abduction earlier. About why they didn't eat you. This dragon princess may very well be quite cunning. It could have been some sort of a test, to see how worthy one of us might be to break the curse. Perhaps she was testing your bravery, or my heroism, or something of that nature."
"Yes, you could be onto something with that," Hermione agreed. "But we should take a break so I can read a bit more, I think. It would be unwise to go up there with no idea what we're up against, and besides, we've been walking for the better part of a day. I'm almost sure of it."
"I think you're right, on both counts," he agreed. "You can read while I unshrink us something to eat. Luckily I had my sack of goodies along when all hell broke loose."
"Lucius, you're an angel," Hermione told him, and kissed him between the shoulder blades.
"I've never been called that before," he chuckled as he maneuvered the broom back to the ledge and they dismounted again. "Now how about a proper kiss instead?"
Hermione laughed as he turned up her face and kissed her quite thoroughly before he let her go with the book in her hands. She sat down and flipped through the pages while Lucius busied himself with preparing their meal.
"Here we are, it's not much, but it should fill your belly," said Lucius after a bit. Hermione took the sandwich from him and set the book aside so she could eat it. "I didn't bring any cups along, so we'll have to share the canteen. But since we've been swapping spit lately, I hardly think it matters."
Hermione raised a quelling brow at him as he took a swig of water, and he almost sputtered the drink back out again on the laugh that welled up in his throat. "Hey, you don't have to put extras in there while you're at it," she chastised him as she took the thing away. Lucius nearly choked as he swallowed his gulp of water and laughed even harder.
"Granger, I swear I'm going to invest in a new pot of ink this very minute."
"Better get a new quill and a few extra scrolls too if you intend to keep track of me," she answered wickedly.
"Oh, really?" he asked as he sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her, nibbling her neck playfully.
"Hey, do I look like lunch to you?" she grumbled.
"You look more like the main course," he told her. "I've definitely got that wrote in for a better time and place than this, you can be sure."
"Do you really?" she inquired sweetly. "I rather thought that had to be something agreed upon by both parties."
"I'm fairly certain it will be," he said as he kissed the side of her mouth. "Now eat your lunch, my sweet, we've got a lot more adventuring to do yet, and we've got to keep our heads in the game."
"Aye, aye, Captain," she agreed with a salute, and Lucius chuckled again as he moved to a less tempting distance from her and nibbled his food instead.