Chapter 37

Lucius was grumpy the next day. His sleep had been troubled and he felt tired. There was no doubt, he wanted the girl, but the price was too high, it would mean undoing the good work he'd done. No girl was worth that. He wasn't an animal after all, he could control his baser instincts. He used to be supremely good at it.

He left the house early, but nothing seemed to go right for him today. People were annoying him, they usually did, but even the less annoying ones were getting on his wick.

He wondered what the girl was doing. Roaming around in his house, all alone. The thought was kind of erotic, but he dismissed them as soon as they entered his mind. It would not due that he was thinking about her all the time. Maybe he should get rid of her, he wondered. Let her go back to where she'd been. But the thought didn't sit right, something in him flatly refused and he couldn't quite understand why as she completely disturbed his peace.

He got a note from Draco saying he would be joining them for dinner. Lucius wasn't too excited about it. He didn't like having people for dinner when she was there, even if it was his son. He liked the idea of having her separate from the rest of his life, but admittedly it wasn't working out that way. Narcissa was endlessly fascinated with the girl, for whatever reason, now his son would be spending the evening in their, her presence.

He didn't like it, but had some things to discuss with the boy. He put his discomfort aside. The day passed slowly.

He was aware of the fact that he didn't quite know what to expect when he apparated home in the evenings. It added a degree of uncertainty to his life. She could be angry, she could be seductive, or she could be ignoring him. The lack of control over her bristled.

But tonight he heared voices, a spike of anger shot through him. He didn't like the idea of others speaking to her. He recognised the voice of his son, he'd forgotten about the dinner engagement. He still didn't like it.

He found them sitting at the dinner table, imbibing pre-dinner drinks. They looked civil. They weren't fighting. He would prefer it if they were fighting. It would be safer if they didn't like each other. He was exceedingly happy that Draco lived elsewhere.

"I was just telling Granger that she should see the Hester Algawrath exhibit at Cosco's. The innateness would appeal to her." Draco said.

"I told you." Hermione said. "I am not allowed to leave the house."

"Nonsense." Draco said. "Isn't that right father. Miss Granger is a guest here."

Lucius would have burned his son into oblivion if he could manage to shoot hot flames out of his eyes. He didn't like being challenged or having his established structures challenged. "Of course, she is a guest. She must enjoy the cultural delights of our community."

Hermione's eyebrows raised slightly. "In that case, I might go along and see the exhibit tomorrow. I would be much easier if I had my wand."

"Don't push your luck." He warned quietly. He had conceded much more than he wanted to already. In fact, he wanted to throw them both out of the room and cancel dinner, but manner were too ingrained.

Draco continued to chat about some stupid quidditch game while dinner was brought in. He was putting on a show for the girl, he realised. Draco was rarely animated during dinner. He wondered if the boy had designs on the girl. A wave of anger travelled through him. Rage flared within him every time she looked in Draco's direction. It wasn't necessarily suggestive, but it irked him none the less.

She did look amazing the red dress she was wearing. Doing her best to highlight her Gryffindor colours. Red did suit her very well, it made her skin look like caramel. The dress wasn't revealing, but it skimmed her curves suggestively. At least to someone who was familiar with the curves underneath. He didn't like others looking at her.

Dinner progressed in a slower than usual fashion. Draco even made her laugh once. He experienced intense jealousy because making her laugh was not something he had readily achieved. Well, not since his Hogwarts memories. Her laugh now, brought those memories back. But he used to be able to make her laugh. He wondered for a moment if there was something lacking in him now. Or perhaps laughing was only for the young. Laughter was foolish anyway, he knew.

After dinner they retired to the drawing room. He used to particularly enjoy this time with his son, but with the girl here, he didn't. Maybe he should get rid of her, then maybe his life would go back to normal. Saying that, though, he had not enjoyed the time when she left for the colonies. But maybe he was passed whatever vexed him. On the other hand, in the colonies she would be at the mercy of all sorts of annoying and well meaning people.

Draco and the girl had finally gotten into an argument. It was like music to his ears. Draco excused himself and retreated to his study, saying he had some business to attend to. The exact same thing that he did when something annoyed him. It pleased him to see his own behaviour in his son.

"Are you going to let me go?" Hermione asked.

"No." He answered before he really had any time to think about it.

"But you will let me leave the house." Hermione said. "So I am allowed to leave the house, but not to leave. You know, guests are allowed to depart when they want to."

"Your status is still in dispute."

"Dispute?" She said. "Is there another party involved with this other than you? I would really like to hear these allegations against me."

He refused to answer.

"Because, all I can see," she said, "is that you're keeping me here without cause."

"I suppose that is a privilege of mine." He said. "I can keep you here, as long as I want, as I see fit."

She stood up and put her glass down. She was angry, he could tell. She walked behind his chair towards the door. His head got yanked back by a force. He identified the localised pain and realised that she had pulled his hair.

A levy holding back all his indignity, rage and discomfort broke with this act. This would not do. Adrenalin coursed through his veins as he stood up. He pursued her. We could not show the indignity of running, he walked briskly after her. She walked briskly as well, down the corridor and up the stairs.

He wasn't sure what he was going to do, but he was going to do something. He had to exercise all this pent up aggravation that she had caused. The ceaseless disruption to his life. He would bring order. He would exercise control.

She had made it to the hall up the stairs by the time he clasped his hand around her elbow. He yanked her back and got his hand around her neck. She stared up at him with defiance in her eyes.

He pushed her back against the wall, it made a slight thud. Draco, in his study, did not seem to notice. They were both complicit in their silence. He was slightly surprised that she didn't shout out. But she remained silent.

He wasn't putting pressure on her neck, but he did hold her in place. Her skin felt so soft and warm. He could feel her pulse under his fingers. Calling him like a siren to its steady beat. He moved his thumb along her jaw, its soft curve, with the firm bone underneath. He shouldn't be doing this, his mind screamed at him, but his thumb continued on its path. His mind transfixed when it reached her soft lips. He stroked the bottom lip, felt her breath on his skin.

He wasn't entirely sure how, but his thumb seemed so slip inside her lips and surrounded by the wet warmth inside. The sensation made him gasp, and practically loose his senses completely as her tongue moved against the sensitive skin of this thumb pad. He couldn't tear his eyes away, he wanted to taste her, more than anything he could recall ever wanting.

He had absolutely no control at all when he moved closer, moved to taste her. Her lips parted to him and he was lost in her mouth, feeling the warmth of her body against him. Her legs wrapped around him, parting in welcome. The deeply seductive notion of being wanted. It was not something he was well used to, he was tolerated or deferred for his power and his money, or what he would achieve for people, but not plain old wanted.

It demanded to be explored. He kissed her neck and listened to the little gasps coming from her. His skin on fire where she stroked his back, pulling him closer. His offending thumb which had caused all this trouble demanded more, it travelled up her thigh, exploring the smooth skin, but heading towards her centre. The warm moist folds only confirmed that he was wanted. Knowledge hitting him like a blow to the chest.

He couldn't pull back even if he wanted to. Something inside him needed this, needed to be wanted. He managed to free himself and slide into her warm, tight body. He might just give up the ghost now, because there was nothing beyond this. This silent communion.

He could feel her body start to clench around his as he repeated pumped into her, which brought his quivering world into a higher and more urgent level of need. He gasped silently into her mouth as she drew shuttering breaths. He wanted her to take his breath. He wanted her to take from him as she was just about to take his essence. His world suddenly melted outside of the exquisite join of flesh.

Oh, he hadn't meant to do that. He was still buried in her body, and it was still glorious, but he hadn't meant to. She was just so... He hated his own weakness. She was his weakness, she had been for a while now. He was weak around her and he was miserable away from her. The trap she had laid was complete and inescapable.

He pulled back from her and straightened. There were no indications that their indiscretion had been noticed. She was flushed and leaning on the wall. She still looked so tempting in the dishevelled afterglow. At least he affected her. She was discomposed and it pleased him.

"I recall our negotiation." He said sharply. He never back down from an agreement come hell or highwater. If you were silly enough to enter a bad agreement, you were deserving of living with its consequences. He had told his business partners that once or twice.

Hermione nodded. He'd always felt safe within the confines of a bargain, but it was grating on him now and he wasn't sure if it was because it was a bargain he was compelled into or because he yearned for an absence of strings. That was just ridiculous, he chided himself, bargains were the lifeblood, parties knew where they stood and what was expected. It would be absolute chaos in their absence.

"I find your charms compelling." He said trying to steady his breath. "Hence I must fulfil the terms. You might regret this bargain, Miss Granger. I will give you a last chance to back out, because I fully intend to utilise my side of the bargain to my hearts contend. I will wear you out."

"I can take it." She said with challenge. "I won't be backing out."

He was both pleased and displeased. Displeased logically, completely over the moon with everything else.