Hey guys apologies for the delay in updating between being poorly and a dying laptop life got a tad complicated. So thanks as ever for continued support for this story, for reviews, follows and favs, more apologies for any faux pas.
And it would appear I am not the only one in need of feeling better...
Whilst the sun continued to shine brightly, at the end of March its rays did not contain the same strength as they did during the summer months. As midday, had moved into early afternoon and it dipped lower in the clear blue sky over Malfoy manor, a distinct chill crept into the now slightly shaded area of the grounds. Hermione couldn't supress the small shiver that emanated from her body or the tell-tale movement in her shoulders. She hoped that Lucius wouldn't notice, his thoughts still so far away. It was a foolish notion, very little escaped the sharp, ever watchful eyes of the man at her side.
"It's getting chilly." He said softly, his voice sounding a little distant. "We should go inside."
Hermione didn't want to move, fearing it would break the connection she and Lucius had forged, but as the spot they occupied became even more immersed in shade, she knew with the thin indoor clothing she wore, it wouldn't be long before her teeth began to chatter with the cold. She nodded reluctantly in agreement,
Lucius rose first, as always offering her his arm for the short stroll back to the manor. The dogs obediently remained, looking after their master and their new friend.
Hermione stopped alongside Lucius, casting a glance back at the two beautiful hounds, she looked at Lucius, who tilted his head in curiosity. Hermione gave him a small smile, once more looking at Kauno and Isa and then looking in the direction in which they had been heading. Lucius returned her smile, a little weakly but genuinely. It was the first time she had seen him look anything other than pained in some considerable time.
"Kauno, Isa, come." His voice was soft but firm and the two dogs obeyed his command immediately, rising and coming to his heel, they trotted along gracefully behind them as they moved back towards the manor.
Miffy was in the kitchen, when they returned through the back door, Hermione couldn't make out what shocked the little elf more, Lucius presence in the kitchen or the two hounds that followed in his wake, her wide eyes darting from one to the other and back again. Clearly the Master never returned to this house through the kitchen, and certainly not with the dogs in tow. She imagined there were many ways to gain access from the gardens to the house, Narcissa's sitting room being a point of fact.
The tiny nervous elf's eyes moved to Hermione, looking as if she was about to speak before thinking better of it. She shifted from one bony foot to the other, anxiously tugging at the ragged shift of cloth she wore. Her eyes flitted back to Lucius, her mouth opening and closing once more. Hermione felt Lucius tense at her side, knowing he was probably more than a little fractious after their conversation in the garden, she quickly intervened, positioning herself between Miffy and her Master.
"Is there something wrong Miffy?" Hermione asked gently.
"No Miss Hermione, nothing is wrong but I have a message for you"
Hermione got the distinct impression, the for you part wasn't the most surprising part of what Miffy was about to say. She heard Lucius draw an impatient breath and threw a look in his direction, it was accompanied by a raised eyebrow and a look which screamed at him not to say a word, unbelievably the dark wizard remained silent.
"Go on Miffy." Hermione encouraged.
The elf's eyes once more darted to Lucius and back to Hermione.
"Master Draco asked me to tell you, he has gone into town and then might finish the visit he cut short."
Miffy had clearly been given strict instructions by Draco as to how to word the message, instructions which she carried out with great care and diligence. Draco obviously felt enduring his mother's guest, preferable to any further outbursts of temper from his father. The lesser perhaps of two evils thought Hermione, or perhaps Draco was being considerate, giving them space to talk, allowing her to do what she had come her to do, without any further hindrance from him.
"Thank you Miffy."
The elf vanished almost immediately with a loud pop, leaving Hermione alone in the kitchen once more with Lucius and two rather bemused looking dogs, indoors was clearly all very new to them, but after a few moments wandering around they soon took advantage of the Aga which burned in one corner, seeming to realise they were not about to be banished back to the yard, the settled in front of the warm stove.
Hermione found herself on rather strange ground. She could hardly spend every moment here at the manor with Lucius, she certainly didn't want to crowd him in his own home. However, to excuse herself and go to her room would appear rude and she certainly didn't want to offend him. She didn't want to push him in terms of any further conversation, she was sure he'd had quite enough for one day.
He looked quite drained, his handsome face, paler than ever, and he looked so very tired, his beautiful eyes befallen by dark, heavy circles. He sat himself back down at the table, seeming quite comfortable there now. Hermione couldn't help but notice the soft smile which curved his lips as he looked at Kauno and Isa, now sleeping soundly on the stone floor, she also noticed him stretch his neck and rub his temples. They hadn't spoken since he had commented on the change in temperature, enjoying a companionable silence as they ambled the short distance back to the house.
Putting the kettle on yet again, she moved behind the dark wizard.
It was a reflexive action, one which she had seen her mother do to her father a hundred times or more, when he had returned tired and aching from a long day in his surgery. The recollection causing a little apprehension to flow into Hermione's veins, fearing she was being fanciful, she cast it aside quickly. Lucius jumped at her unexpected touch, tensing ever so slightly as her slim fingers tightened about his neck, Hermione almost forgot whom she was addressing as she shushed him kindly and told him to relax. Moving his silky mane of hair over one shoulder, Hermione's thumb and forefinger moved just below his ears, squeezing gently but firmly, she felt him relax beneath the carefully applied pressure of her fingertips. The muscles in his neck were knitted together tighter than a ball of Molly Weasley's wool. Hermione could feel them rock hard and unyielding as her she increased the pressure of her hand. His shoulders fared no better, feeling the tension knotted together on either side as both hands firmly massaged them. The kettle behind her started to whistle and she stopped, moving towards the steaming sound.
"Don't stop, it feels so good." His voice had that far away sound in it, but this time it was a drowsy, fatigued sound.
Her hands rested lightly on his shoulders, it was an easy gesture, all too easy in fact: "Your muscles are as hard as rock Lucius; five minutes of unoiled kneading is really not going to help at all. You need a prop…." Hermione stopped herself short, realising what she was about to say, she moved quickly towards the kettle and the all resolving cup of tea.
Her wrist was caught by his large hand: "I need a what?" He asked pointedly, his tired eyes fixed her to the spot.
Even if she could have thought of a good substitute for what she had been about to say, Hermione simply could not lie to the man.
"I was going to say you need a proper massage. Hot oils, warm stones, to be prone and relaxed."
"Will it feel as good as what you just did to my neck?" Lucius could still feel her hands on him, firm and assured, with a softness which drew the tension from his body.
Hermione laughed. "Well, in theory it should feel even better and hopefully so should you at the end of it."
Lucius brain was filled with the six words she had mentioned, he had no clue what the massage would entail, but his body was already revelling in the thought of her small hands covered in hot oil, relaxing his prone body, although even through his weariness, part of his body was far from relaxed at the idea.
"Make me feel better." He said, his voice took on a dark incredibly sexy timbre, his words somewhere between a harsh command and a heartfelt plea.
Hermione's throat constricted as his words, implying so much more than simply asking her to pick up where she had left off. That aside, she had only dabbled in full massage, a gentle rubbing of the neck, certainly didn't count. Her test subjects being Ginny and Luna, who had both sung and groaned her praises, saying she should take it up for a living. Like phycology though, it was not something that was really practised or recognised in the wizarding world, usually the wave of a wand or some revolting potion sorted out knots in shoulders, aching backs and pulled body parts from Quidditch. The thought of covering a prone and semi naked Lucius Malfoy, in scented oil and massaging his muscled body with or without the aid of a hot stone, was a very different scenario to your two giggling, slightly tipsy and very biased girlfriends. But how could she say no?
Her brain tried to equate Lucius' request to make him feel better, to work. Treating the body as well as the mind, the two went hand in glove. Unfortunately, her traitorous body was not singing from the same song sheet, finding the equation even more difficult when Lucius immerged from the bathroom adjacent to her bedroom with just a towel loosely tied about his broad hips.
When Lucius had asked Hermione to make him feel better, he really had no idea what he was asking. All he knew was he wanted more of that blissful sensation that had encircled his neck and seeped into his shoulders, slowly kneading away the tension that gripped his already taut muscles. Relishing how her small but assured hands hand felt against his skin, obliterating his physical and mental pain as only she could. Not for one moment however, had he expected his request would find him face down on the bed in Hermione's room with nothing but a small towel draped across his arse. His body was filled with both trepidation and excitement as he felt the bed dip under her weight and her lithe legs straddle his barely covered body.
Asking Lucius if there was a single bed in Malfoy manor, or transfiguring something for him to lay properly on, might have been a better option, but that seemed like hard work in the long run, and a lot of faffing about for something which was supposed to be relaxing. In the end Hermione went, with quick, easy and less fuss, even if it was possibly a lot more intimate, but then all things considered that really didn't matter all that much.
She knew, somewhere at the bottom of her extended travel bag were the other things she needed, put there in case a girly evening or weekend suddenly presented itself. Massage was good fun to share with her friends, along with some wine and of course the promise of gossip or equally girly revelations. She wasn't sure how it was going to work with Lucius, but she was certain this was one revelation she would definitely not be sharing with Ginny or Luna.
Whatever else came out of this day, and despite all of the things she had heard thus far, she would at least have one pleasant recollection etched indelibly on her memory. The shock on Lucius' weary face when she had told him, to properly appreciate his massage and reap the full benefits, he would need to strip. The look had been compounded still further when she had dismissed him into the bathroom, suggesting he wrap a towel around himself, then return and lie face down on the bed. Clearly he had no concept of what was about to happen or what Hermione was about to do to him. The young witch breathed a sigh of relief, at least he would have no expectations and she would not find herself having to live up to anything.
Having retrieved everything, she needed from the bottom of her bag, Hermione had neatly arranged oils and stones on the nightstand, using only the briefest of magic to heat them as required. She'd slipped off her shoes and jeans, keeping on her long t-shirt and underwear, with Lucius laid out on the bed before her, she could begin. In her head, she tried to imagine it was Ginny or Luna, but without the giggling or the gossip and sadly without the wine, she could really do with something a little stronger than tea right now. She reminded herself, this was a form of therapy, treating the body and mind, she silently recited it to herself, needing to concentrate and keep herself focused on the task, at hand.
Hermione found herself desperately wanting to make Lucius Malfoy feel better, in any way that she could, she was beginning to realise, doing so on a personal level was becoming easy, she had to remind herself an awful lot more about the professional these days.
