Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay on this chapter. Life got in the way hardcore and it was hard to get motivated with everything going on. That being said huge thank you to my Beta's LadyWinterlight and AerisAimaraCiren who motivated me to a. write more and b. to keep my chin up even when I couldn't find it in me to write. They and you guys have all been so patient and I totally appreciate it.
Warning about this chapter there are slight lemons in store so please keep that in mind! Nothing too crazy but just a heads up!
This chapter though hard to get out I think ended up as one of my favorite. I hope you all enjoy it and please keep all the comments and kudos coming. Every single one of them keeps me inspired and excited and totally helps! Enjoy this chapter and I can't wait to hear what you think!
Chapter 53
Hermione flounced into the cavernous room that was her ensuite and heard the chuckles of her wizards trailing behind her. She closed the door with a slam and wandlessly threw up her best locking charms. She purposely did not throw up the silencing spells she had used so often when trying to escape the boys on the run or hiding from the rest of the harpies she had shared a dorm with for so long.
Call it a gut instinct but Hermione wanted to hear what her two wizards were going to be discussing and most likely doing. She was sure they would be talking about Harry, her emotional reaction and possibly planning revenge on her best friend. If that were the case she wanted to be sure she could rush out of here and save Harry. Or at least send her patronus to warn him. Looking into the mirror she reminded herself, "Harry deserves a hex or two for what he did and how quickly he rejected the offer of much needed help once again."
The only time she had really raised her wand at Harry was when they were on the run and she shot a stinging hex at her best friend. It had been for his own protection and had ended up saving them when Draco was 'unable' to recognize Harry thanks to his inflamed face. Sure, she had playfully punched Harry's arm or smacked him when he had gotten out of line but he had never been on the wrong side of her fist or wand no matter how much he may have deserved it.
Hermione was not the type of witch who would let a wizard or really any man stand up for her. She was a strong independent witch who had fought in a bloody war starting at the age of twelve, for Merlin's sake. She could take care of herself but that didn't mean she didn't want someone to take her side or defend her. Harry had rarely done it and Ron, who was supposedly her other best friend, had certainly never had. In fact, he was the one frequently who was dragging her down verbally and emotionally. For once she was not going to put up a fight about these wizards, her wizards, defending her if that was their plan.
She wouldn't stand up for Harry this time but she wasn't going to leave him totally unprotected. Hermione decided, as she stripped and began to fill up the enormous bathtub that appeared to be about as wide and as deep as a swimming pool, that she was not going to put up any silencing spells. If Lucius and Severus did she wouldn't take them down but she wouldn't put up any of her own. Hermione was simply going to relax and was ready to admit that she was truly looking forward to the first real bath in over a year. It was one of the simple pleasures that she had missed the most while on the run and she was going to luxuriate in the fact that she could soak to her heart's content now.
Soaking in the tub had been her absolute favorite way to relax and clear her head before going on the run with the boys. Hermione had adored the the Prefect's Bath at Hogwarts; aside from the library, it had been her favorite hideaway at school, and this bathtub was somehow even more luxurious than that one. She was certainly not going to mind relaxing in the luxury her wizard's had provided for her.
As she stepped and sunk down into the steaming, perfumed water Hermione made a mental note to thank Severus for making all of these wonderful bath oils and products especially for her. The scents and warmth were surrounding her with the most comforting feeling and putting her completely at ease. As she luxuriated in the sensations that surrounded her, she muttered to herself, "This is almost as relaxing as those mind numbing orgasms Severus and Lucius have been giving me. Those can clear every single thought out of my mind like nothing else…"
As she started to relax into the tub she realized she had not heard the doors to her suite open and close. Severus and Lu must have been having a lie in or something. She wondered just what the 'or something' was until she heard muffled talking and moaning. It was then that Hermione decided to cast a little charm she had been working on since she had first seen the Weasley twins' Extendable Ears.
It amplified the sounds of whatever room it was placed on so that you could hear conversations without having the easily seen Weasley product. She had only used it a few times, but this seems to be an ideal opportunity. She wasn't spying on her lovers, per se, but it was niggling at her, wondering what they were discussing.
Whatever Hermione had been expecting, it was not the moans of pleasures that met her ears, but she wasn't going to complain. Her hand immediately traveled between her legs and as she heard Severus begging Lucius to lick and suck at his balls. Hermione began to circle her suddenly once again throbbing clit and filed that plea from Severus in the back of her mind as further reference for things that her darker lover liked.
Hermione was a little shocked at how well her charm was working. She hadn't thought she had put that much magic behind it but she could hear almost every slurp and sound that Lucius and Severus were making in her bedroom and it had her turned on beyond belief. She was furiously rubbing her clit as she heard Lucius pop off of Sev's balls and it was one of the most erotic noises she had heard. She moaned and inserted two of her own fingers into her throbbing pussy and nearly came then.
When Severus started to moan and shouting that he was cumming in Lu's mouth, his voice sent Hermione over the edge. She moaned loudly along with his shouts and was fairly certain that her two lovers didn't hear her as she came with them. Her moans certainly echoed in her giant bathroom, but Sev's shouts could have brought the whole house down.
Her initial thoughts, once she finally started to come out of her self created orgasmic high, was that Lucius clearly had a spectacularly sinful tongue and mouth. She knew that for herself, of course, but to hear that much emotion and noise from the what she thought was normally very quiet and collected Sev, well clearly it must have been spectacular.
She was about to cancel her charm when the next few words that Lu and Severus spoke caught her attention. She knew they had been a bit put off that she had never really been on a romantic date before. Sure she had gone to the Yule Ball with Viktor as a friend and she had felt slightly like a princess that night but it had never gone beyond a few chaste kisses and hand holding before she had informed the Bulgarian she was only interested in being friends. Trying her hand at a relationship with a world famous Quidditch star with everything that had been happening with the Tournament & Rita Skeeter, it had nearly broken her. For Hermione, all of that combined had been simply too much and too distracting what she felt was most important in her life, her best friends and her schooling.
After that no one had, to her knowledge, taken notice of her besides Ron, slightly - but she couldn't imagine that buffoon planning a date for her that didn't involve Quidditch or eating with his mouth open. She was glad she had never really had to suffer through his attempts at romance. She actually grinned as she wished good riddance to Ron and whatever trauma of mundane dates Lavender would have to go through before producing the team full of children that Ron wanted.
Still Lucius and Severus were planning a date for her? Draco was involved? Hermione certainly appreciated the sentiment but wasn't appreciating them taking total charge like this. Taking charge occasionally was not something she would normally frown upon. Planning this major event with absolutely no consultation from her and no consideration for how she was feeling more that what they saw in passing moments, that was another story. That simply was not going to work for Hermione.
Quite frankly, she didn't want to go on a date tonight at all. It was a bit annoying that they apparently thought they could plan all of this out without a bit of consulting with her. Neither of them had bothered to ask. She had reacted positively to their surprises so far, but if Lucius or Severus had bothered to ask, they would have known she hated surprises. She hated not knowing what was coming or what was planned. There was a reason she made timetables upon timetables and even color coded them. There was a reason she had thought of nearly everything they would need while on the run and figured out how to carry it in the easiest way possible. She didn't want to be caught on the unawares or off guard. It was a feeling she hated more than anything.
These two wizards may be her soul mates, and they may have a soul bond, but they clearly didn't know much about her as a person. Yes, Severus had watched her and taught her for many years, but he didn't know what she had done on the weekends, how she spent her free time (besides the library) or what her general likes and dislikes were. This was something that would come with time but it didn't stop her from being annoyed now at how these two were apparently planning an elaborate surprise and date for her without actually asking her out or giving her time to mentally prepare.
She quite frankly wanted to spend the next few days cuddled with her two wizards decompressing and getting to know them. Away from the prying eyes of the press and public. Away from everything that would inevitably remind her of the war, her time on the run, her parents or any of the other friends she had lost. It had been a more than trying past few years and the last few days had taken that to the next level. From the Final Battle, to the cleanup, to finding out that she was destined for a triad, it would have been a lot for anyone to take it. Then to add to the fact just who her destined mates were, true she wasn't just anyone but even all of this was a bit much for Hermione.
If she were totally honest, Hermione knew having gained all of the information she had in the past few days would have put most normal witches in the Janus Thickey ward. Hermione knew she could handle it, but taking a few days to absorb it all before emerging from the protective cocoon of their home was something she had certainly hoped to have. These two seemed hell bent on taking that option away.
The more she thought about it, the more annoyed Hermione became. She began to rationalize her anger out loud to herself; it was one of the ways she had been able to think the best and it had also helped her flesh out her plans for the next moves on the Horcrux hunt. Everyone thought Ron was the great strategist, but really all he was good for in Hermione's opinion was maybe a decent game of Wizard's Chess, She and her one-sided discussions had helped solve many of the issues Harry had faced over the years. At least when she could get Harry to listen to whatever she and her brilliant mind had eventually agreed upon.
She was a little thrown off by how her angry one sided conversation seemed to be amplified in the massive cavern that was her bathroom. Still, after her first utterance had echoed she began to see the advantages of being able to yell and rant and feel it reverberate off the walls. With that, Hermione began to once again to talk out her anger and how she was going to make her two Wizards listen to what she actually wanted, not what they thought she needed.
"Who are they to think that they can just whisk me away? Yes, I am sure it would be quite romantic and I suppose had we not just finished fighting for our lives I would be all for it. But shouldn't I have a say in when my first date should be? My first date with these two will be my first and last first date and I should get to say when it takes place. They can plan it to perfection but they can't assume I will say yes!" Hermione harrumphed after she had nearly shrieked the last word. Her magic was cackling and making the water around her bubble as if boiling.
She realized her magic, which had been fairly strong before was only growing more powerful the closer she got to her two wizards. Thinking about how quickly things had been moving between them, Hermione simply wanted a chance to breathe. She didn't want to be dressed in finery and trotted out. Her bones and soul were still weary and she still had questions. The rise in her magic was rather scary, to be frank. She wanted answers about that. She had always been a powerful witch. She couldn't count the times she had been called scary smart, powerful or wicked. She had never liked the connotations that adjective had drawn and she certainly didn't like being scared of her own power.
Hermione was determined to cut what was supposed to be, and truthfully had started out as, a relaxing soak in the swimming pool that was passing as her bath. She was going to have to make them pay for that as well as their impudence. She was an independent witch and she didn't need her first date decided for her. Granted it sounded lovely and she was sure it would be when it happened but Hermione was sure it was going to be just as lovely next week or the week after. There was nothing wrong with decompressing more than 72 hours after nearly dying.
She stepped out of the tub and looked at the still steaming and fragrant draining water thoughtfully. Oh she had seen the note slipped under the door. She knew what it said and if a spa worker was coming that was fine. Whoever it was would have to wait until she had a few words with her scheming Slytherin wizards.
She waved her wand at her mass of curls and watched as thanks to whatever magic Severus had put into her bath oils that her mane was at least reasonably manageable. She once again used one of Sev's custom blended lotions but didn't savor the scents as she had before. She had wizards to take to task and plans to stop from being put in motion. She needed to make sure she caught Severus before he left the house to do whatever he planned to and she certainly hoped she made it to Lu's study before he interrupt what she was sure was some very nice quality time between Kingsley and his brother. Hermione chuckled to herself and thought aloud, "If Draco and Kings had thought they were being subtle after the final battle, they had another thing coming."
She walked back into her bedroom and was once again amazed at just how perfectly the house elves were able to silently put a room back to rights. It didn't look like she and her wizards had ever tousled in the bed just a short time prior. She looked at the door to her expansive closet and thought about how she could be positively Slytherin in how she approached her manner of dress, seductive, slinky and teasing. Hermione's Gryffindor sensibilities, however, were never hidden that far below her surface and were roaring to the forefront. She somehow already knew that comfort and quickness were going to win the inner battle at this moment but Hermione knew whatever Slytherin was in her would be needed to win the war over this date she was supposedly going on this evening.
She put her hand out and not more than a beat later some of her father's old football shorts, a bra and white vest flew into her hands. Hermione had to smile at what she had been able to summon from her closet wandlessly. It was comfortable, quick to throw on but that didn't mean she couldn't still make that seductive or attractive. She was no fool, her shorts were a deep maroon and sported the crest of West Ham United, her father's favorite team. It was another small connection to her parents that had her eyes misting slightly and a smile on her face.
Hermione was sure her beloved father was rolling over in his grave even all the way in Australia as she rolled his beloved shorts up making them just shorter than decent. It was enough to pique the excitement of Severus, who was clearly a leg man. It didn't hurt that the polyester fabric hugged her bum in all the right places and hopefully made it painfully obvious to her wizards that she wasn't wearing knickers. She knew that would distract them if all else failed.
The bra that had flown into her hand had Hermione raising her eyebrow in a way that she was sure would have made Severus most proud. It was a shockingly pure white and lacy concoction that hardly actually covered anything. Oh yes, there was fabric and she noted an emerald green ribbon woven through the seams. It stood out with near blinding color when as it was contrasted the snowy whiteness of the lace that made up the cups and band. She doubted this bra had an underwire but she could almost feel the magic thrumming through this beautiful gossamer like garment. This was a piece that had Lucius written all over it and Hermione found she didn't seem to mind. She slipped the piece on and felt it tighten and adjust to a perfect fit and her jaw dropped slightly at how supported this mere wisp of fabric could make her feel. It made her smirk widen when she went to pull on the white vest. The green piping would be clearly visible through the slightly thinning fabric of what was one of her favorite casual tops. She was nearly positive given the chance her nipples would almost certain be visible to the wizards as well.
Hermione look at the mirror that stood near her door one last time before she left and was slightly shocked by how tarty she could make comfy and casual look. She had to admit that in the little amount of time she had with her wizards so far they had both made her feel so attractive and wanted that she had no problem strutting through this house, their house, wearing an outfit that was built to play up her physical assets to her best advantage in a way that made it clear just how little she wanted to leave tonight, or for the next few days.
She stepped out of her the door to her suite and realized she had no idea how to get back to Lu's study let alone his floo room. Hermione also didn't know which room he was in. Also she wondered should she be going to Lu first or searching for Sev to stop him from leaving the house. She may have been comfortable around her wizards dressed like this but she was not leaving their home in simply what she had on. She wasn't even considering the fact she wasn't wearing shoes as a part of the reason she wouldn't be going outside.
Looking down the hallway and trying to make a choice Hermione muttered out loud and mostly to herself, "So I try and wander and find Lu first? Could he already be trying to set things in motion? Or should I see if Severus is getting ready to leave? I can't imagine him leaving without at least showering and shaving. He seems like a stickler for keeping certain grooming habits. Perhaps I should look for Lu first, I imagine I will have a few moments before Sev begins to depart."
As she was speaking aloud to herself, Hermione failed to notice the barely audible pop of Spiffy making an appearance. The elf had quietly watched as Hermione had paced back and forth talking to herself and when there was finally a pause in the one-sided decision making, Spiffy made a small squeaky throat clearing noise. "Excusing me Missie Hermione," the elf sounded slightly squeaky and unsure for the first time since Hermione had met the creature.
Hermione didn't know if she was more shocked at how Spiffy seemed to appear right when she needed her or how unsure the elf sounded. Was this the same little elf that had been practically bouncing off the walls to show her around the day before? Or the one that greeted her with open arms and tears of joy and thanks?
She quickly shook out of her slightly stunned state and stammered a bit and then said, "Good Morning Spiffy. Were you looking for me? Can I assist in some way? Is something wrong with Lucius? Or Sev? Or Harry?"
"Well no Missie Hermione nothing is wrong with the Masters or Mister Harry Potter. They's all are fine. But yes, Missie Hermione, Spiffy was looking for you but not on Masters orders. No Spiffy wanted to help Missie Hermione if she was lost so set a ward to know when Missie left her room." Hermione nodded and frowned slightly at the elves admission of the ward on her room.
Spiffy saw the frown and quickly spoke up. "No bad ward, Missie Hermione. Only set this morning after the Masters had left. Missie still doesn't know her way around the house and Spiffy is going to be your guide. Spiffy heard you talking in the hallway and Spiffy can take you to those places. Master Lucius said not to be interrupted but Spiffy hopes she will not be punished for bringing Missie Hermione to him. Spiffy thinks Missie Hermione might be the exception to Master Lucius' rule." Spiffy was frantically bobbing her head and pulling at her ears as she said all of this.
Hermione quickly had to stop the ear pulling and eyes watering. It was one of the things she couldn't bear to see house elves do! She quickly tried to diffuse the upset Spiffy and hopefully get the elf to stop punishing herself. In a calm but slightly urgent voice Hermione said to the elf, "Spiffy, you are completely right. I should have trusted you about the ward, you have been nothing but a good, loyal and noble elf. I know Lucius and Severus would never be upset at you bringing me to them, Spiffy. I would not allow it. Now you mentioned you could take me to Master Lucius? Would you, Spiffy, and would you make sure I see Severus before he leaves the house? I want to make sure I am able to catch him before he leaves. Can you help me with this, please, Spiffy?"
The elf clapped her hands loudly and quickly jumped up and down in place. "Yes! Missie Hermione! Spiffy is happy to help! Spiffy is lucky to have a Mistress as kind and as generous as you, Missie Hermione!" Spiffy was close to shrill by the time she finished her excited dance.
Without giving Hermione a chance to calm her from being quite so excited, Spiffy grabbed the witch's hand and Hermione all of a sudden found herself gaping and staring at a very confused Lucius Malfoy. Lu had his hand in the jar of floo powder in a room that was very clearly his floo room. Hermione did not fail to notice that the room was just as lush and sumptuous rooms she had seen so far in the house.
Hermione watched as Lucius looked between his handful of floo powder and herself. She was sure she still looked more than slightly flustered and frazzled from Spiffy's quick action of popping her into the room. She had to hide the smirk that threatened to appear as Lu began to view her outfit - or what she was sure he consider her lack of one. She wasn't shocked when it took Lucius a few moments before he regained his bearings and dropped his handful of floo powder back into the beautiful crystal bowl.
Hermione nearly shivered as Lucius began to speak in a near purr, "Sweetling, I thought you were relaxing in the bath?"
Hermione almost chuckled at how Lucius was trying very hard to look like he wasn't in the midst of planning something. He was the consummate Slytherin to be sure and could be sneaky if he needed to be but Hermione could also see in his eyes how excited he was about whatever he and Severus was planning. She didn't want to douse his excitement completely but she was going to have to put a damper on it. No matter how charming she found the flashes of almost boyish glee dancing in his eyes and smile.
With what she hoped was as close to a seductive purr as she was going to get Hermione flashed a brazen grin at him and began to let Lucius know exactly why she had cut the bath time she was so looking forward to short. "Well my darling, I was relaxing in the bath. In fact Lu, I had just gotten it to the right temperature and had gotten the right oils and bubbles into that swimming pool you are calling a bath and was finally starting to truly sink into bliss when something caught my attention. I realized Lu, and I am nearly sure that you and Sev noticed this as well, that I had put up a few of my best locking charms and wards but had forgotten to put up a silencing charm."
The absolute shit eating grin that Lucius sported as she brought that up confirmed what Hermione was saying and thus she continued, "Ah, so you two did notice. I doubted that was going to escape out from under the noses of two of the best spies the wizarding world has ever known. So Lu, imagine my surprise as I just as I was getting relaxed I began to hear some of the most erotic sounds I had quite frankly ever heard. What do you think I did upon hearing those sounds, Lu? Can you even imagine what I might have done in that warm bath all by myself?" She let the silence and implication of what she said linger in the air for a few beats.
The audible intake of breath and the way Lu flushed and his pupils dilated in arousal let Hermione know that he most certainly was imagining what she had done to herself in that tub. "I can tell, Lu, that you have some ideas floating around in that amazing mind of yours but let me put most of them to rest my darling."
Lucius started to look a smidge disappointed as she said that and Hermione smirked in a downright devious manner when she began describing how she had brought herself to orgasm to the platinum haired wizard. "Oh Lu, don't look so upset. I think you had the right idea. In fact if you were picturing me touching myself and bringing myself to orgasm while listening to you suck that delicious cock that belongs to our Severus then you are quite right. I just had wanted to give you a more vivid image of what happened but if you would prefer your imagination to take control, well far be it for me to ruin things."
Before Hermione could even finish the end of her previous sentence Lucius had shouted "NO!" He quickly realized just how loud that shout had been and tried to reign himself in a bit. "No, no, Hermione, my sweet lovely witch. No, I would love to hear about how you brought yourself pleasure. I want to know just how you touched yourself while bathing, my minx. Please tell me… the anticipation of hearing those dirty words fall from your luscious and ripe lips is almost too much."
"Well Lu, I would hate to keep you in anticipation for too long but perhaps I could share this information with you and Severus, together. I mean, I did get to hear the two of you alone together and I would love to tell both of you just how the sounds of your mutual pleasure made it impossible for my hands not to wander…"
Lucius was close to panting now and nodding along with the idea of hearing about Hermione's bathroom adventure with Sev. Hermione knew she had the blonde right where she wanted him. She was once again glad that in growing up, her cunning and devious side had grown with her and become something that she was honestly quite proud of. She didn't think of it as manipulation, she thought of the way she dealt with problems as directing and guiding people to the path of the correct answer or choice. So far Lucius was following the trail she had built like Hansel following a breadcrumb trail.
"Lu I would love to tell you and Sev all about it. Really in fact I would say let's call him into your study and I could maybe even add a bit of show and tell to what I will be relating to you…"
Lucius was nodding along in a way that was so frantic that it nearly resembled Spiffy's nods when she was excited. Hermione could feel a giggle bubbling up that would very well blow the entire way she was directing this conversation. She bit it back and then flashed as close to doe eyes as she could make at Lucius and continued in a softer voice.
"Like I said I would love to do all of that for you Lu, and I would love to include Sev too. What I heard after what quite frankly will be burned into my memory as my most erotic eavesdropping adventure I have ever had, well that has me a little put off and a bit worried about timing and about how much you two really deserve that reward and pleasure."
It was comical the way Lu's face had dropped. He now looked like a mix between a confused puppy and a scolded schoolboy. Hermione thought it was actually quite cute, not that Lucius would ever really appreciate that adjective being attached to his person.
"Sweetling, what was wrong with what we were talking about later? Maybe you misheard something? Sev and I would never try to do anything to upset you. We only want to make you happy and give you experiences that you have unfairly missed out on thanks to the dreadful war that took up most of your young life so far."
Lucius sound quite upset and Hermione almost felt bad. The key word there, though, was almost. While Hermione understood the intentions her two wizards had behind their sneaky planning, she also understood herself and just how uncomfortable this date would be if they went through with it tonight. She was still healing and she had no doubt the two wizards who would doing the planning were also most likely still healing as well. They had probably seen more horrors than she could imagine and had endured more torture than anyone else had during the war.
She knew that she personally needed time to gather her thoughts and breathe before leaving the house and trying to go to any public space. It was going to be a big change for her to walk among the general wizarding public not trying to hide due to her former status under Voldemort's regime. She was also sure that no matter how much press was put out about the true allegiance of her wizards, the public at large was not going to be very kind to them for the first few months and maybe years. Hermione needed to be under control enough to know that she was going to be able to stop herself from lashing out at the fools who dared breathe a word of disrespect towards her brave, wonderful wizards.
Hermione took a deep breath and then said, "Lu, I heard you and Severus talking about this date idea. I know you wanted to get the ball rolling and decided together that this was a grand plan and an excellent way to show me that this wasn't purely physical. However that is the problem: you two got together and decided this. Neither of you stopped to think about me. You never once stopped to think to ask me if this would be ok or if I even wanted to go on a date tonight?"
Lucius opened his mouth to rebut, looking a bit pale and frustrated. Hermione held out a small hand in an indication to just wait and continued, "It's not that I don't appreciate the thought or the gestures behind it, Lu. I don't want you to think that I am ungrateful at all because that is the furthest thing from the truth. I am so grateful for all you have given me physically, emotionally and financially. However, you two never stopped to ask me my opinion. There is nothing I hate more than people trying to dictate my life for me. I can't stand people making plans and just assuming I don't need a say in them. You and Sev also didn't stop to think about some of the most important things about the first date for a witch or wizard who is being taken out."
Hermione could see she had Lu's full attention even if he was a tad confused and possibly a little hurt. With a heavy sigh she continued to explain, "I understand your excitement and the sentiment behind trying to lift my spirits after a trying few days but Lu, it is has been more than just a trying few days. It has been a trying few years. I want a chance to for a few days stay safe inside with you and Sev and get to know the real versions of the two of you. Not the spies or the masks they wore. I want to know a bit more about my actual soulmates. I need to finally feel comfortable in one place for more than 72 hours and I need to get acquainted with my home. I think that we all could deal with letting the fact that the war is actually over sink in for more than two days before rushing out into more excitement even if this is a happy occasion. Lu, I am used to, for more than the last year, going outside and being a public enemy. Give me time to let that shake that off. I want to go on a date with the two of you. I am truly looking forward to it, to be honest. I think I am more excited at the prospect of going out with the two of you thank I have been for almost anything in my life, short of maybe getting my first wand or seeing Hogwarts for the first time. But Lu, I want to truly enjoy it. I don't want to be nervous because of anything other than it being our first date together and my first date period. I don't want to be nervous because of every noise and every shadow. That is what kind of state I am in now and if I had to hazard a guess Lu, it is the same for you and Sev. I think we all need to decompress and let the stains of the war settle and wash away for a few days before we head out on the town."
Lucius looked slightly defeated but clearly understood what she was saying. He was nodding in a slightly forlorn way but with acceptance in his eyes. It was time to go for the jugular of her argument. The portion that would strike at Lu's intelligence and rational side as well as his chivalrous and gentlemanly nature. "If I can be absolutely honest as well Lu, aren't I supposed to get the thrill of being asked on said date? Aren't I supposed to have the excitement of choosing my own outfit and feeling aflutter and excited about getting ready to go out on the arms of my wizards for the first time? This will be the first time I go out with anyone in the romantic sense and it will be my last first date. Aren't I allowed to experience all the trappings that go with it? I love being swept off my feet, Lucius, and I will allow it almost all the time but please… let me get my feet firmly on the ground first."
She looked at him and hoped that her honest and earnest desire was showing through in her eyes. She knew they were glistening a bit with tears. Even more of a sign to Hermione that she wanted to stay in. The mood swings she was feeling, even if they were slightly tempered by the balance her wizards provided, were not normal. The effusive emotion and tearing up at the drop of a hat, that was not Hermione Granger.
Yes, she had a frightful temper and she could be kind and conscientious but it took quite a bit these days to actually make Hermione cry. Having been through the last year and having experienced, felt and saw all she had, Hermione could barely process it all no matter how mature or collected she appeared. All of what she had suppressed during the last few years of the war. The pain, the guilt, the fear and the absolute anguish that she had tried to ignore and push down seemed to be attempting to burst out at odd times. Hermione was thankful that it seemed to be hitting her not all at once but in waves. She was at least thankful that it wasn't one crushing blow. However she felt like at times like these when she was just feeling like she was getting her bearings only to be swept under by a torrent of emotions that maybe having one big crash wouldn't be so bad after all.
She tried not to let the tears slip out of her eyes and blinked rapidly in an attempt to stop them. One stubborn tear, however, crept out and down her cheek and she felt Lucius' warm lips descend upon it and stop the sad descent. Hermione felt the warmth of the blond wizard begin to comfort her. He wrapped one of his strong arms around her waist and pulled her, stumbling slightly, closer to him. He used the other hand to tilt her chin up so that she could clearly see his eyes. They were so open and honest it caused Hermione to gasp.
He placed a soft kiss once again where he had stopped the lone tear that had trekked down her face. Then Lucius pulled back and looked Hermione in the eye with a completely candid look. He began to speak quietly, "Hermione you are right. I am a proud man, my witch, and I rarely admit when I am wrong because I am truthfully very rarely wrong; however, this time I am and have no problem admitting it to you of all people. You will have to forgive Severus and I for our eagerness but also for our complete lack of sensitivity and frankly also for the fact that we are actively avoiding the giant blast-ended skrewt in the room that is the war."
Hermione could only nod in awe, at first, at the fact that this was Lucius Malfoy admitting that she, Hermione Granger, was right and he was wrong. She knew that soul mate or not, this was a rare thing before Lu even admitted it. However, when it came to what Lucius was asking for forgiveness for, well for Hermione there was nothing to really forgive. It was a part of learning and growing in their relationship and getting to know one another. To her, this was just an example of how important communication really was going to be. She began to say that to Lu but he kissed her into silence before she could get more than a beginning breath out.
When he had finished kissing Hermione near breathless Lucius smirked and in a bit more of a confident voice than what he been using, Lu simply transformed. Hermione watched as he seemed to draw from her positive response and began to look and sound much more like the Lu she was getting to know.
"Hermione for so long it has been simply Severus and I when we could get away from everything. We have been waiting for you for so long. When we finally found you, we both had to live with knowing we were the cause of some of your suffering… it is something either of us would give anything to change. Watching you blossom and having to keep our distance and, in some cases, watch your pain unfold before us, it was a pain I would not wish on my worst enemy. Hermione, we aren't trying to buy your affection or make up for the war but you will have to forgive Sev and I. We want to prove ourselves worthy of a witch like you. Beautiful, kind, intelligent, loyal and honorable. You are truly a bastion to this community of what any young witch should want to be. We will forever be trying to be worthy of you, witch." Lucius was passionate in his speech and it had absolutely brought a fresh wave of tears that were threatening to spill out of Hermione's eyes.
Lucius reached up with both hands and cup her face and used his elegant thumbs to wipe underneath her eyes stopping any more tears before they could leak out. Then, in a way that made Hermione feel as though she was the only witch Lucius had ever seen, he began to speak once again in a quiet yet confident voice that seemed to surround her while being no more than a whisper. "Hermione, forgive two old wizards for wanting to impress, wine, dine and spoil the witch we have waited so long for. We have dreamed of the moment we could take you out for so long and then with you being so upset earlier, the two of us just assumed you would want to take your mind off of it. But what is that muggle saying Severus is so fond of… Something about assuming?"
Hermione felt slightly awkward as she barked out a laugh but Lucius' deep and melodic chuckle joined her she suddenly felt a bit silly for feeling awkward at all. She finally was able to speak between her peals of laughter, "Assuming makes an ass out of you and me?"
"Yes! That's it!" Lucius was able to exclaim but only just before also dissolving again into laughter.
It was as if the laughter and joy was contagious and quite frankly hearing such joy warmed Hermione's soul right back up and she was smiling again. She finally was able to catch her breath again and sighed out, "Of course that has to be one of the few muggle phrases Sev would claim."
Lucius' grin could have rivaled the Chesire Cat from her Lewis Carroll books. "Yes that is so like our dear Sev. He clearly only chooses the best, brightest and cleverest in whatever he chooses to remember or claim." Lucius winked at her as he said that last bit and it had Hermione giggling again.
"So yes, Hermione, we made asses of ourselves. We assumed you would be interested in going on a date, what witch wouldn't? We knew it was your first and were going to make it extra special but we forgot some of the most special parts for witches and we forgot a key portion of every good date, the excited and willing party who has accepted our invitation. In this case I have no idea how we could have forgotten about you, Hermione,our witch, the witch we know is the only one for us." Lucius was passionate and near forceful by the time he had finished his apology.
Hermione nibbled at her lip as she listened and when he finished she looked into his unblinking eyes. She leaned forward quickly and pecked him on the lips and then snuggled into Lu's strong, broad chest covered in a wonderfully soft button up collared shirt. She nodded her head at first before quietly saying, "Of course I forgive you, Lucius. You listened to my reasoning and actually heard what I was saying. Do you know how rarely that happens, Lu? That someone actually takes the time to listen to me? Or my reasoning? Not only that, but from what you've said and displayed so far it is obvious that you are clearly not going to continue with these plans for tonight. While I truly do look forward to when I do see them in motion, right now is just not the time. I will just certainly be more open any and all of your scheming and pampering when we have all had a bit more time to settle into the bond and come to terms with the end of the war. So Lu, you listened to me and took into account what I wanted, what more could I ask? What else would I have to forgive Lu?"
After that last question she looked up again into his molten silver eyes and then slowly and with determination reached up and began to languidly kiss Lucius with passion and heat unlike any she had known herself to show before. Their tongues began to lazily play back and forth with each other. Just as things began to get a bit more passionate and Hermione was ready to push the blond wizard back into the large leather chair he had placed in front of the fireplace, a loud pop announced an entrance into the room.
It was in that moment Hermione cursed the fact that Spiffy had clearly remembered her instructions to get her before Severus left. She didn't curse the elf, she was simply cursing herself for planning ahead and being blissfully unaware of just how wonderful and soothing a nice snog could be. She grinned at Lu and then placed one final kiss on his lips and backed away.
"If you will excuse me Lu, I will find you again just as soon as I have a similar talk with Sev. I look forward to spending this afternoon and evening at home with the two of you today and for the next several days in the future. I suggest you get comfy Lu, I think we should have a movie day today! I have a charm I can show you that will help project muggle movies!" She was excited and cheery at the prospect of getting comfy and cuddling with her wizards as well as showing off. Lucius could only grin as the smiling and giggling witch popped off to chat with their more dour partner. He was still absorbing their emotionally wrought tete-a-tete and was more than interested to hear how the conversation between Sev and their witch went.
