Disclaimer:- I neither own nor earn anything from this story. Harry Potter and his world are the intellectual property of JK Rowling and associates. I'm just happy that she allows us to explore our plots with her characters.

sHs

A/N:- Thank you to you all for your continued support of this story, and especially to all those who took the time to reply by both review and PM to the question in my last A/N, your input has been invaluable to me. As one of my responders said in her PM, balance has almost been restored, and of course this signals the end of this story, and I agree – hence my question to start with.

After consideration, I think I now have a plan. While this story is only a couple of chapters from its natural conclusion, I am planning to start of sequel that explores what Severus and Lucius are talking about at the end of this chapter. Never fear faithful readers, this story will only end in title, and the next story will chronicle our intrepid quartet through many more amorous adventures and some added political intrigue that might end in a surprise. I'll keep you posted, and supply a link to the continuation at the end of this story when that time comes.

Just to tell you, there is a small amount of femslash in this chapter, just in case this is not your thing.

gLg

Chapter Twenty nine – Fantasies and Realities

Since the newlyweds had returned from their honeymoon, Lucius and Severus had gone back to their normal routine of travelling to France once a week to oversee their European business interests. This had become their usual practice when Severus wasn't at Hogwarts, and today was the first of these trips since the wedding.

In order to fit everything into one day, the two wizards put in extra hours for their board meeting which meant it was well into the evening before they returned. Board meetings did not interest either of their witches, and it is suspected that they didn't interest the wizards either, but business was business.

In the past, Hermione and Ginny had spent the day shopping while their wizards were busy, but today the two witches had opted for staying at home waiting for their men to return while they used the time as a girl's day… and night. The two witches had spent the day picnicking with the children in the woods and tonight they had shared an evening meal with them and Hermione was currently helping Ginny bath three very tired children.

Of course James had a bathroom adjoining his bedroom for his privacy, and he had already bid his aunt and mother good night after dinner.

Hermione was now watching Mrs Cummings collecting a clean Lucy from her hovering, safety position in the bath, where Ginny had supervised as Lily and Albus helped wash their little sister. The nanny dried and dressed Lucy before placing her in her crib and charming her mobile to spin around playing its lullaby while the infant waited for her mother to come and feed her before sleep.

Lily insisted that Hermione be the one to dry and dress her, the novelty of having her aunt there at bath time was just too great for the little girl. After she had dried, dressed and tucked Lily in, she had allowed herself to be coerced into reading three stories, the third of which she didn't get to finish. Smiling Hermione kissed the head of the sleeping little girl and quietly closed the door.

Walking back up the hallway, the chestnut-headed witch was trying to contain her excitement. She couldn't wait to be able to share such a scene with her own child, and she absently rubbed her stomach as she walked. She met Mrs Cummings returning from the bathroom with a wet Albus wrapped in a towel.

The nanny said, "Madam is feeding Lucinda, she said to tell you to go in, good night, Ma'am."

"Oh, okay, thank you, Mrs Cummings. Lily's asleep, she flaked during her third story," Hermione smiled.

Hermione's statement alerted Albus to the fact that there was the possibility of his aunt reading him a story and the little boy stopped and pulled on her arm with one hand, his other one occupied with holding the fluffy towel around his chest. "Auntie 'Mione could you read to me too?" he asked.

"Of course, Albus," Hermione replied, happily. "Shall I help you dress too?"

The two witches watched him as he pondered this. Albus was a pretty child; he had curls of Ginny's red hair and his father's emerald eyes. Finally, he grinned at them, before solemnly stating, "No, Papa Lu says that Nanny must earn her keep, so she better dresses me. I don't want her to get burned."

"I think you might mean fired, Albus," Hermione corrected, trying to keep a straight face.

"Oh yes," and he looked at his nanny, "Sorry."

Hermione smiled at the look in Mrs Cummings' face, and the Gryffindor witch followed them up the hallway.

By the time she had read Albus four stories and the little boy had fallen asleep, she was sure Ginny would be finished feeding, but when she got to the door of Lucy's room, Hermione could still see Ginny, sitting in her usual feeding chair.

The chestnut-haired witch became quite engrossed watching Ginny happily feeding her daughter. It was something special. Eventually, her friend saw her and looking up from her baby she smiled. "Make yourself comfortable, I'm almost finished."

Sitting down on the lounge in the room, Hermione curled her legs up under her and sighed. "I've had such a wonderful time helping you with all this tonight. I can't wait until I have my own to do this with. I will happily retire and devote myself to doing so twenty four seven," she stated happily.

Ginny snickered and brought Lucy up over her shoulder for a burp. "Yes, I never tire of doing it. I can understand now how mum ended up with seven of us." She cocked an auburn eyebrow and asked, "How many are you and Severus thinking of having?"

Hermione smiled. "We're thinking of two." They were both silent a moment, before Hermione ventured further. "If you'd had a choice how many would you have had?"

"I don't know," Ginny shrugged, "I don't think I'd like to emulate mum, but I would like to have at least one with Lucius, but we haven't even talked about that yet."

Hermione laughed. "Love, if you have two more children with Lucius you will only be one off your mother's tally, you know."

Chuckling Ginny said, "I didn't think about that. Well maybe I will overtake mum. Did you know that Lu always wanted more than one child?"

"Yes," Hermione nodded. "The night he broke up with that French witch he was seeing… oh, I can't even remember her name now." She was thoughtful for a moment. "Well anyway…" she shrugged, but something else clicked into place in her mind. "You know I think that was the night he also realised he'd fallen for you. Sev and I had gone back to Hogwarts and Lucius came crashing through the floo at two in the morning, pissed as a parrot. He tripped over the coffee table and landed on the bottle of Firewhisky he was cuddling."

Ginny eyes opened wide. "He never told me that."

"I doubt he remembers much of it."

"Was he hurt?"

Nodding, Hermione tutted, "Men," and she nodded her head. "Well, of course the bottle broke and embedded itself in his arm. The three of us had a very blurry eyed trip to the Infirmary, and he cried all the way. It was cruel to see him so miserable, well, anyway, it was through all of that that I found out—Sev probably already knew—that among other things he was upset that he didn't have the huge family that he always wanted."

"Oh, my poor love," Ginny cooed. "Well, I'll give him as many children as he wants because I love big families as well."

Hermione laughed, "Well, you came from one. Sev and I were both only children. While we want to have more than one, because we've both expressed the opinion that being an only child sucks, we're unsure how many we could manage."

"You know, you adapt," Ginny laughed. "I thought that when I was pregnant with Albus, but after about two weeks everything just started to slot into place. The same happened when Lily arrived and this one is easier still because we have Mrs Cummings now."

Hermione watched in silence, as Lucy fell asleep while she was being burped. Ginny placed her in her crib and applied some monitoring charms and some more to herself before doing up her top.

"May I ask what charms you just used?" Hermione inquired, curious.

"Oh, just some stuff mum taught me. You know; one that alerts me if Lucy wakes up, a drying charm and a charm that vanishes any milk that might leak because I'm not wearing a bra."

"Oh, I don't know any of this," Hermione lamented.

"Don't worry, sweetie, I'll help you when Snape junior arrives," she snickered, patting Hermione's tummy. "Do you know if it's a girl or a boy yet?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, we want it to be a surprise."

Ginny nodded, and threaded her arm around Hermione's waist as they walked to her private sitting room, where they made themselves comfortable and Ginny ordered them some refreshments.

"I hope Sev is as hands on as Lu is when our baby arrives," Hermione said, as Ginny handed her a glass of pumpkin juice.

The redheaded witch snickered, "I'm still having a hard time equating the Severus Snape I know now with the foreboding Potions professor I knew through school, but I'm sure he will be a wonderful dad. He certainly seems to be looking forward to it."

Hermione smiled, "Yes, he is," and she took a sip of her juice. "Did Harry and Ron ever help you with the kids?" she asked, out of the blue.

"No, they thought that was women's work, and of course they were in a relationship themselves. I don't think…" her voice faltered. "I was their beard, the perfect front to his dream. He didn't care about me or the children… Well, unless one of us did what he considered the wrong thing. Then we all knew about it."

Hermione noticed that Ginny's eyes went hollow as she remembered her former marriage, and the chestnut-haired witch suddenly felt bereft for her and shimmying forward pulled her into a hug. "I'm so sorry, love," she told her, "You didn't deserve what happened to you."

"Neither did you," Ginny said, pulling back a little to look at her. "But look at us now." She sat back against the arm on the lounge and beamed at Hermione. "Have I told you exactly how happy I am that we're friends again?"

"No, but I think I get the idea," Hermione grinned in return.

xox

It was now close to nine o'clock and they were still discussing the children and indirectly, their wizards, while they gave one another pedicures. "I could have strangled Luna talking about bloody werewolves in front of the kids. Sometimes I wonder where her brain's at, you know?"

"Mmm," Hermione replied, remembering her thoughts the day of the dress fitting before the wedding. "Is James all right now though?"

"Yes, the nightmares seem to have stopped, well at least he hasn't had one since we came home."

"Well, that's good, poor little man," Hermione sympathised.

"Yes, I feel sorry for him, I guess he's the only one who will remember his father. Although I think he was growing to hate him, and that terrified me. Do you remember that day at The Leaky Cauldron, when Harry hexed you and Severus snotted him?"

"Do I! That Stinging Hex hurt," but then her smile turned misty in remembrance.

"What?" Ginny asked, forgetting her line of thought at the look on Hermione's face.

"That was also the day Severus first 'comforted' me," and she waggled her eyebrows. "The aftermath of that attack was absolutely amazing."

Ginny laughed, "I thought I was going to swoon when Lucius caught me. I just wanted sink into his arms and stay there, even then." She shook herself, obviously fighting the feelings that were rising in her. "Then when Severus punched Harry," she smiled at Hermione. "No one had ever stood up to Harry Potter, but our wizards are not ordinary wizards, are they?"

Hermione nodded, "They certainly are special." Then noticed that her little denim skirt had ridden right up as she'd been moving her legs around in the process of getting her toe-nails painted, and she was currently giving Ginny an eyeful of her tiny lavender lace thong, and the thought of her friend's eyes feasting on her made moisture start to gather in the before mentioned garment.

Severus had been very appreciative of this little denim skirt earlier, although when he had been there I had no knickers on under it and I was up a ladder in the library. She thought back to their morning encounter. Yes, he had been very receptive, and she smiled quietly thinking of the orgasm his mouth and fingers had given her as she hung on the ladder wantonly pushing her pussy onto his mouth.

While she would never consider wearing this skirt in public, however the Manor, just as much as their cottage was home and Hermione found her heart beat speeding up remembering their play before Severus had left this afternoon. She was suddenly consumed with the thought of opening her legs further and pulling the crotch of her knickers aside to allow Ginny to see what she was obviously already imagining.

As they silently finished their painting task, Hermione couldn't help wondering if it was just her pregnancy hormones making her so randy. Why am I feeling so insatible today? God, I've had sex twice already, and my brain's still consumed by it all. Then this also made her remember the long look and the amorous rub on the backside Lucius had given her that afternoon while he held Ginny in his other arm, saying goodbye to her, before he and Severus had left. She had been in Severus' arms at the time, and he had only chuckled at his friend's attentions to her, there were no secrets between the four of them.

Ginny pulled her out of her thoughts, by asked excitedly out of the blue. "Would you be my bride's maid?"

Hermione beamed. "Yes, it would be an honour," but then she bit her lip, and glanced down at her stomach. "How soon are you planning to have the wedding?"

Knowing where Hermione was going with her question, Ginny asked, "When is Snape junior due? You were married Midsummer, so…" and she counted from June on her fingers. "Err, so middle of March," and then she got a wonderful smile on her face. "Lu and I could do what you and Sev did; after all we were engaged on Midsummer at your wedding. Would you mind?"

"I can't see why we would, ours was a brilliant wedding. It was a great way to get married."

"Fabulous, I'll talk to Lucius about it." She leaned forward and grabbed Hermione's hands in excitement. "So, what are you going to wear to my engagement party?"

"Oh… oh yes, I thought I would wear a dress I picked up in France. What are you wearing?"

Ginny grinned. "I think we need to do much shopping before we decide that." Then their attention was arrested as they heard masculine voices approaching the room. The redhead squealed as Lucius and Severus walked through the door. She got up and ran to her lover, stopping to give Severus a peck on the lips on the way before jumping into Lucius' arms and engulfing him in a passionate kiss as her legs locked around his waist.

Severus chuckled and slid by the kissing couple to reach Hermione. They had always had a different approach to their zealous companions. It was more smouldering; their eyes locked as he walked, and Hermione smiled. On reaching her he leant down, capturing her lips, and they both sighed happily into their kiss, as it quickly became just as heated as the couple in the doorway. Without breaking their kiss Severus sat on the lounge, guiding Hermione up onto his lap.

She eagerly straddled his legs and sat, sighing as his mouth started to work its way from her lips down the column of her throat. "I've missed you, tonight, love," he whispered as he continued to work his lips on her neck.

"I've missed you too," Hermione groaned, encouraging his head lower. She saw him raise a questioning eyebrow as she all but forced his face into her cleavage. "Severus, I feel so… so in need," she said by way of answer.

"Well, far be it from me to complain," he smoothed in that sinful tone he knew she loved. He was well aware of what his voice did to her, and watched her shiver as her face twisted in pleasure. "This is exactly the welcome we needed after such a boring day," and his eyes glanced over Hermione's shoulder at Lucius, spinning Ginny around so she was up against the wall.

Severus was nibbling and kissing as far down as he could reach, at the same time as he slipped a hand under her skirt. Pulling her knickers aside, he ran a finger up and down her sodden pussy. "Oh, you are, aren't you? Randy as a little bunny all slick and ready," he crooned, sliding the same finger inside her.

Hermione groaned, deep in her throat and started riding his finger. She felt him add another and she threw her head back and pulled her top up, almost disjointing his nose in the process. "Ahhh… Severus," she demanded.

He only laughed at her and obliged, his eyes eagerly watching her pleasure, and hearing Ginny moaning loudly from up against the door, accompanied by the pictures on the wall rattling in time as Lucius thrust into her.

What an excellent idea, Severus thought, as he started undoing his belt. He loved it when they were almost completely dressed but Hermione was riding him. They both hissed as he replaced his fingers with his cock, and his witch grabbed hold of his shoulders and started rising and falling on him in earnest.

For a time all that could be heard in the room was heavy breathing, rattling pictures, squealing witches and grunting wizards. The whole cacophony reached the peak of its crescendo, first with the couple against the wall and secondly with the pair on the lounge.

Lucius managed to get himself and the still aloft Ginny to the lounge following their coupling, where they collapsed next to the similarly panting Severus and Hermione.

Sitting there side by side, both witches were still impaled on their lovers, and both had their heads resting on his shoulder, Hermione on Severus' left shoulder and Ginny on Lucius' right, allowing the two witches to watch one another.

Both witches were bare on top, only wearing their skirts below, and Ginny's fingers started wandering. "You're so beautiful," she whispered to Hermione, and her finger traced her friend's forehead, cheek and then lips. "All I could think about earlier while we were giving one another pedicures was seeing what you were hiding under that scrap of lavender lace."

Hermione smiled and brought her tongue out so that the tip teased Ginny's finger tip. "So are you, I was thinking about showing you," she murmured in reply, giggling lazily.

Seeing where this was going, Lucius and Severus shifted slightly so that their shoulders were touching.

The witches only giggled at the knowing move, and leaning further forward, they stuck their tongues out to play. Ginny licked Hermione's lips, and Hermione, Ginny's.

Ginny moaned, and sat up straighter on Lucius. She started rocking her pelvis in circles and took Hermione's face in her hands, pulling her head to her. Their kiss grew in fervour and soon both were being guided up and down again on their partner's once more rigid members after watching the girl's display of passion.

That was as far as they took their playing this time, becoming engrossed in their men once more, and soon the four of them sat, sweaty and sated on the lounge.

This time when they had recovered from their activities, Lucius suggested a moonlit swim to relax and revive everyone. The four of them wandered out to the pool in their various states of undress and removed the remainder of each other's clothing before they quietly sank into the water to cool off.

xox

The next week was a difficult one. There had been several small things that blighted it, but also a serious one that had left Ginny quite shaken. Without thinking—she had always done it when she needed to—she slipped into Diagon Alley to pick something up that she wanted.

None of them had realised while they had been away that a lot of bad feeling had been stirred up, and her absence from her ex-husband's funeral had not been taken well. The way the funeral was reported by the Daily Prophet meant that this among Potter supporters—and it appeared there were many—these emotions had festered, because the wizarding public remained generally misinformed about the circumstances surrounding Harry's life and death.

It seemed that Shacklebolt's smoke-screen had been a complete success, and neither of the couples had spent much time out and about since their returns.

Lucius hadn't foreseen Ginny taking an unscheduled trip to Diagon Alley, or he may have advised against it. None of them were aware that emotion over the demise of the wizarding world's 'saviour' was still running so high. These feelings spilled over when people saw Ginny—who they believed had dumped Harry, regardless of the lack of information—alone and walking out of Flourish and Blotts as bold as brass.

Of course she shouldn't have gone by herself and especially while Lucius was away in London for the morning, but she hadn't thought anything of it. However, now, hearing the intent in the voices of the witches surrounding her, she was shocked at their accusations. The redhead glanced at the front of her brother's shop up the road but knew she couldn't make it that far as the insults and accusations started flying at her thick and fast.

No matter what she said in rebuttal it just seemed to incense them further. They obviously firmly believed that she had sold herself to the devil and made an unholy pact with Lucius Malfoy, even if they didn't know the circumstances.

"It's not like that," Ginny pleaded, tears stinging her eyes.

Of course they didn't listen to her and her world suddenly span out of control as one witch spat at her, before telling her, "You're an unfit mother."

Another slapped her. "Poor Harry, he's children deserve better than you."

"Slut," someone else added.

"You don't deserve his children," and Ginny sank to the ground and yet another witch kicked her.

By pure chance Severus was also in the alley this morning. He saw what was happening and stalked forward through the gathering crowd.

Dazed and confused Ginny only vaguely heard him disperse those around her with his famous scowl and infamous icy voice. "Idiots, get out of my way," he barked and then she felt him pull her upright and against his chest. Everything was spinning and she sagged in relief as she felt the pull of apparition take her.

When they landed in the front of Wood Cottage, Ginny let her tears start. She glanced up at her rescuer and saw Severus looking at her with an angry but concerned expression. "You silly witch, why did you go to Diagon Alley alone?"

Through hiccupping gasped breaths Ginny said, "The new Bumper Bear book came out today, I wanted to get it for Albus before it sold out," and she collapsed against him, sobbing. The Potions master enclosed her tightly. "Shhh, don't cry, love, you're safe now," he told her. He had grown very fond of this witch over their time together.

It was at this point that Hermione heard the noise and came out to see what was going on. She took one look at the scene before her and panicked slightly. "What's happened?"

Severus related how he had been in the alley ordering the school's Potions supplies when he had come across Ginny just outside the entrance of Flourish and Blots with an angry mob of deluded, misinformed dunderheads accosting her and screaming insults at her. Handing Ginny over to Hermione, Severus took a deep breath and sent a Patronus message to Lucius before he followed their witches into the cottage.

"Come on, love. You're safe now," Hermione encouraged, as she led her still shaking friend in and sat her on the lounge. Severus collected some Potions and returned to help, at the same moment as they heard what sounded like a gunshot outside and Lucius ran into the cottage as the sound of his alarmed apparition was still echoing in their ears.

All traces of his usual grace left him and he landed on his knees in front of Ginny. "Are you all right, my love?" He held her at arm's length and examined her. There was an angry red hand print on her cheek and several other bruises forming, where she had been kicked and jostled.

Severus told his friend what had happened and Lucius instantly saw red. "We'll go straight from here to the Aurors," but he knew they needed more than that. He tried to think of a solution as he held her, watching Hermione and Severus treat her injuries while tears continued to stream down her face.

Once he was happy that his witch was settled enough, he handed her back to Hermione and pulled Severus aside. "Fuck Shacklebolt, he's no better than that idiot, Fudge." He glanced back at Ginny still taking comfort from Hermione. "And this brings up a more immediate problem. I cannot in good conscience allow James, or for that matter perhaps even Scorpius to attend Hogwarts if this is the extent of the public's perception of the situation."

"Indeed, the boy's will not be safe there, even with Hermione and I there as well." Severus looked loving at his wife, "Perhaps Hermione shouldn't go back either, she does not need any trauma, especially not while she's carrying our child."

Lucius nodded, "I agree, but I believe I may have thought of a way to guarantee their safety though, but it will take some time, and perhaps it is also a way for Ronald Weasley to earn some of his redemption with our girls," he smoothed.

Catching on quickly Severus smirked. "That would take out Shacklebolt as well."

"Mmm, yes it would," Lucius gave Severus his best sly smile, "and not only him," the blond wizard whispered, and then answered his friend's raised eyebrow with a riddle. "Which, gold digging bitch, of our former acquaintance has recently been seen on the Minister of Magic's arm?"

"Oh Lu, several birds with one stone, well done." Severus smirked, "That old Slytherin saying, revenge is definitely a dish best served cold, is a good one, isn't it?"

"It most certainly is, come we have some arrangements to make."

Lucius walked back to Hermione and Ginny. "Will you two be all right for a few hours, we have some things to attend to?"

"I'll take care of Ginny, and we'll walk up to the manor when she feels up to it," Hermione said, still allowing Ginny to rest against her.

"Good girl, pet," Lucius said, and gave her a kiss. He then sat down next to Ginny, and took her into his arms.

Hermione rose to give them some privacy, and went to Severus who was watching from the doorway. "What are you going to do?" she asked, coming into the circle of his arms.

Giving her a kiss, Severus said, "We have a plan, don't you worry about us. You and Ginny have a nice bath and relax before you head back to the manor." His lips travelled to her ear, and he whispered, "Then once you're relaxed start preparing a list of questions that you'd like to fire at Weasley. I'll explain further tonight," he continued softly as he saw Lucius approaching, and he smiled, whispering, "Later, my darling," rubbing her backside. "Have fun together, and with that list," he finished suggestively.

"Oh indeed, yes, pet," Lucius enthused, catching on to what his friend had said. "And good thinking, Sev, that will give us a head start," he agreed, patting Severus' shoulder as they left the girls to themselves.