ATTENTION: This chapter will contain a graphic scene.
Hermione was still wearing that black silk dress from past year, because she didn't own anything nicer, and there Narcissa was, just like the first time they met, leaning against her doorframe, clad in nothing more than a morning gown.
"I am happy to see that it still suits you perfectly" the blonde Malfoy matron noted, faintly smiling at Hermione. The young witch flushed a little and looked away before she smiled back.
"I still adore it, thank you. Are the other … guests … all gone?" she asked after a brief hesitation. Narcissa nodded silently and it was only as she walked into the room that Hermione noticed that she was holding a glass of red in her right hand. The older witch pushed the door closed behind her with a bare foot and slowly walked towards Hermione, her hips swaying dangerously in her silk gown.
When she had met the four-posters, to Hermione's greatest relief, she chose to sit down in a nearby armchair rather than next to her on the silver sheets. After she was seated, she took another sip of her wine, all the while detailing Hermione's accoutre, before she finally discarded the glass and spoke once more.
"Bella has gone to her hiding place, but I must say that you made quite the impression on her" Narcissa announced absent-mindedly, though Hermione guessed she cared more than she would have liked to. "She doesn't trust Severus as much as I do, though. She believes that he is hiding something about you. And I don't think that she is completely wrong." She went on.
Hermione shifted uncomfortably on the bed. "I …"
But Narcissa was quick to cut in. "I don't mean to question what he said about your parents. I am more interested in why exactly he took you in and how you cohabitate."
The young Slytherin studied the older one's serene traits, trying to gauge her intentions. Yes, Narcissa and her had been intimate more than once, but Hermione was far from properly knowing the woman. For all she knew, Narcissa could merely be using her as a distraction while Lucius was away. Moreover, she would probably strongly disapprove of her blood status if she knew about it, and so would probably all Malfoys – Draco included. And yet, the blonde didn't seem to be interested in it. All she cared about was the nature of her relationship with Snape.
To be fair, Hermione often wondered about it herself. Severus Snape was probably the last person one would consider as a substitute father; Hermione's choice to reach out to him had been more than odd at the time. Yet, somehow, that day, he had been the first person she thought of. That year, she had spent months perfecting her spells technique at Hogwarts and putting a little money aside by tutoring younger students – hell, she had even stolen a wand from the lost ones at Hogwarts. She had also prepared the story she would tell the Ministry when they would come around because of the Trace. And throughout that entire preparation, she hadn't thought once about where she would go afterwards.
It had been late afternoon already when a ministry official knocked on their door about an hour after the owl came. By then, she had already manipulated her parents' memory so that they would leave for Ireland the next instant and she had destroyed the wand she used to cast the spell. She had told the Ministry official her parents were out to dinner at a friend's place and that she had been left behind so that she could go on with her readings. She had taken her most innocent voice when she had explained that she was reading about spells and had tried one out even before remembering she wasn't supposed to, outside of Hogwarts. The old man had seemed to believe her, but asked to check her wand nonetheless. Hermione had planned that: the last spell she had cast with her own wand was indeed a memory spell, but a failed one. And her plan worked perfectly; the man seemed relieved to see that no one had been harmed and he simply recommended she would keep her spellwork for Hogwarts if she didn't want any further trouble. Never in a million year would he have considered that a Third Year could have pulled that elaborate trick on him.
For a moment, Hermione had considered living in her parents' house on her own, since they would never come back from their sudden trip to Ireland. But she soon realized that their neighbours would start asking questions and that she would soon run out of money if she had to take care of the household herself. It was then that she remembered that time she walked in on a drunk Professor Snape past Halloween when she was looking for her discarded favourite quill. He had been seated behind his desk, his greasy hair array around his pale face, an empty bottle of something facing him. He had seemed to be in some sort of trance and didn't notice Hermione's coming in, nor talking to him.
When she had walked closer to him, Hermione had realized the empty bottle she had taken for Firewhiskey had clearly been full of something else, for its bottom still contained a few drops of a strange dark potion. Even now, she couldn't guess what it had been – probably one of Snape's own inventions. What she did guess though, was that it had the most bizarre effects on her professor. He was mumbling things between clenched teeth, holding on so tightly to his glass that Hermione's feared it would shatter into pieces.
Then, at last, Hermione had noticed that Snape wasn't piercing holes through thin air but was actually watching a scene that was happening on his very desk in some sort of large platter. There were young children talking to each other, a dark-haired boy and a ginger girl. "Do you also live in Cokeworth?" she heard the younger girl ask. "Yes, but on the other side of Spinner's End. It isn't as nice as your side of town" the boy answered. "You know where I live?" the ginger girl wondered, and the dark-haired boy flushed to his very ears. It was only then that his crooked smirk struck Hermione. Snape was watching one of his own memories! Which meant that this platter of dark water could only be a pensive.
The next moment, Hermione had left the dimly lit classroom without a second thought for her quill. She had feared that, despite his very strange state, Snape had noticed her obvious presence, but he never mentioned anything about it over the following weeks. For a moment, Hermione even forgot about that incident herself. Yet that very fortuitous conversation between two children came back to her on the day she was left alone at her parents' house. It was risky, to say the least, but she had concluded that threatening Snape with that memory would force him to help her out. She knew enough to pretend that she knew much more.
She thought that Snape would curse her the moment he opened the door on her and her trunk. She thought he would tear her into piece when she suggested what she had seen. But he only seemed startled and a little impressed. He had been furious in the first instants of course, but he had soon seemed to realize that Hermione had no intention of betraying him if he took her in. Though Hermione never understood what it was, something about that memory was confidential enough to force him into working against his own current.
Of course, he never became welcoming or friendly towards her. He forced her to stay in the attic whenever he was home and only agreed to let her touch his books after a year of pleading from her part. It was only when he was away on missions that she wasn't supposed to ask about, that she could read a little or prepare a few snacks that each of them would eat in their own part of the house. No, Snape never acted like a father towards her, not even like a roommate. He only reluctantly gave her a shelter because she promised to keep quiet, to let him forget about her existence and to never mention their cohabitation to anyone.
It was only when Narcissa bore deeper that Hermione realized that she had spaced out. "So, don't you want to tell me how you mastered to conquer our cold Potion Master's heart?" she reiterated with a sarcastic smile.
"Well I … I wouldn't go that far. Let's just say that I had information he didn't want anyone else to know about" Hermione breathed out, startled by Narcissa's amused expression.
"Oh, you manipulated him? Very Slytherin, I like it!" the older woman appreciated, suddenly rising from her armchair to pace around the room.
"Do you, now?" Hermione asked with a relieved smile, for she instantly felt lighter when the blonde's eyes weren't trying to bore through her head. She watched Narcissa's dancing frame as she strolled over to the dresser to have a look at the other clothes Hermione's had brought with her, and Hermione couldn't help noticing how little her gown hid from her. The silk hugged every perfect curve of her slender silhouette and discovered her nude white calves. A few strands of blonde hair fell from her bun when she suddenly turned her head over her shoulder to look at Hermione.
"Yes, it is very enticing" she said, throwing Hermione a smouldering wink. Goosebumps instantly ran over the brunette's body and she felt herself flush once more. "You know, we should have a shopping trip sometime soon. None of this is very fitting for a beautiful young pureblood such as yourself" Narcissa went on as she resumed roaming through Hermione's closet.
"Yeah, that should be fun, walking straight past the deserted Leaky Cauldron and Ollivanders' destroyed shop to Mrs Malkin's. It would surely make for a nice ambiance. We should definitely stop at Florean Fortescieu's afterwards." Hermione ironized.
Narcissa threw Hermione a surprised look over her shoulder before she started smiling despite herself. She then left the dresser to walk back to the bed, though this time she walked straight to Hermione without stopping at her armchair. "You know" she started when she had sat down on the bed next to her "I was really scared for you at dinner earlier" she went on, lifting a hand to tuck one of Hermione's locks behind her ear.
"I guessed so" Hermione answered, thinking back to the sheepish approval she had faked earlier. She then looked up to Narcissa's eyes and was surprised to find them a little wet. She felt her own traits soften as she reached out to hold the blonde's hand in her own. "You are in a hell of a situation, aren't you?" she asked after a moment.
Narcissa nodded, though she knew the younger witch wasn't really looking for an answer, and slowly let her head fall on Hermione's shoulder, still tightly holding on to her hand. As Hermione slid an arm around her shoulders, the Malfoy matron went on: "Oh Hermione, you have no idea how it is. When Draco is here, they all hold back a little, but when it is only me at the Manor, they …" Narcissa didn't go on for her voice started shaking.
Hermione didn't think for a second without turning on herself and pulling the trembling woman into her arms. She felt her breath in deeply, inhaling her natural perfume, and slowly stilling. Hermione had thought that Narcissa would fight out of her embrace, but it seemed like she was only giving into what she had desperately needed for months. After a moment, the blonde even felt appeased enough to slowly lift her chin so that she could nibble on Hermione's neck.
"Darling" she breathed lowly, sending shivers through Hermione's spine. "I have missed you so direly".
The next moment, she was pushing the zipper of Hermione's dress all the way down and urging the younger witch to step out of it. When they both stood up, Hermione's dress fell to the floor, leaving her in nothing but her underwear and tights. Narcissa then drew her wand from somewhere beneath her gown – Hermione couldn't explain how she had hidden it that well until now – and with a flick of it, the brunette's tights were gone. "You should really consider stockings; it makes the undressing much easier" Narcissa noted in an amused tone.
Hermione's eyes rose to the ceiling and she smiled despite herself. "I don't believe that said undressing has ever been difficult from you to me" she argued while reaching out to the silken belt of Narcissa's gown.
"Sly …" the blonde approved as the silk parted to reveal her naked frame clad only in a lace thong. Hermione licked her lips in apprehension at that sight. She remembered now how she had been able to betray her best friend in such a way: Narcissa Malfoy wasn't a woman you could resist.
Though Narcissa was petite, her legs seemed to go for miles until her curves rounded into her feminine hips, before narrowing into her tiny waist and filling the perfect globes of her breasts. And all that exposed skin was of the purest white, marked by nothing but the redness of her nipples and the darkness of her lace underwear. Hermione could have drooled to that sight. She stayed transfixed for so long, her mouth standing a little open, that Narcissa gave out a light chuckle.
"You should put that mouth to better work" she mused, before cupping Hermione's chin her kissing her softly. The brunette swallowed difficultly and answered to the demanding kiss. She reached out to Narcissa's neck as their kiss deepened, and while their tongues were dancing, she released the blonde's hair. Their only broke about to breathe in, their hands now freely roaming over each other's body. The next moment, Narcissa unclasped Hermione's bra, and the younger witch pushed her lover out of her evening gown.
When they were both in an equal state of undress, Narcissa leaned back against the bed and pulled Hermione on top of. Once they had settled in the middle of the four-posters, the brunette straddled her and finally took in the beauty of her body. She hummed in pleasure were her fingers glided over her hips and travelled up to her erect nipples. While her hands were slowly rolling these pink nubs between their fingers, she bent over to kiss down her jaw and neck, taking in her intoxicating smell.
"No teasing darling, please" the blonde urged her, shifting anxiously beneath her. Narcissa kept moving her hips to grind her core against Hermione's, their wetness staining each other's underwear. Hermione was only too happy to oblige and started to kiss her way down her body. She couldn't help stopping for a moment at her breast, latching at these perfect mounds. Narcissa's moaning became stronger and her shifting became more insistence with every time the brunette sucked on her nipples.
When, finally, Hermione's hands pulled her thong off her legs, she let out a deep growl of consent. She lost no time before reaching out to the brunette's tamed mane and pushing her head between her eager legs. The younger witch smiled to herself and gave in. She spread the blonde's thighs wider and lowered herself so that her legs could rest over her shoulders. She then darted out her tongue and spread Narcissa's inner lips to slowly lap up and down her slit.
"Good Lord, Hermione, yess!" Narcissa moaned above her, still grinding her core against Hermione's ministrations. The brunette then slid her hands around the blonde's waist to still her and control her movements, for her tongue had now travelled up to her clit. She started by toying with it lightly, enthralled by the sweetest sounds Narcissa was giving out. When she felt the older witch getting closer and closer to her peak, she increased the speed and strength of her tongue until the blonde was merely mewling incomprehensible sounds. The moment Hermione finally slid two fingers into her drenched channel, she started spasming, an untamed chain of "yes"s leaving her dry mouth.
Soon after, she came hard against Hermione's mouth and the brunette lapped all her cum off her like a content kitten. By the time her glistening face emerged from her thighs, Narcissa had come a little down from her high and was crooking a finger to order Hermione to come closer. She obliged happily and lay down next to her on the crumpled sheets. "If I didn't know better, I would say that you had some training" Narcissa breathed out after a moment.
"Would you mind if I had?" Hermione boldly asked. Narcissa cocked an eyebrow at her and the next moment she was pinching Hermione's right nipple hard. "Yes" she murmured into her ear, nearly threatening. Narcissa had never been as loving with Hermione as she was with her. She would let the young witch pleasure her tenderly, and then she would claim her. Indeed, she seemed to consider that Hermione's pleasuring her was enough preparation, for she was now sliding two fingers into her opening.
"Uh, Narcissa" Hermione breathed out in surprise, still adjusting to the sudden intrusion.
"I can't be harder to take than Severus's dick, darling" Narcissa taunted her, pounding into her relentlessly.
"I… never … oh god" the brunette spoke out, her voice strained by Narcissa's assault. "We don't sleep together … Narcissa" she finally pleaded, though she had now adjusted to the blonde's size and rhythm and was now starting to enjoy it.
Narcissa seemed to be gauging under her furrowed brown, and as she finally kissed her savagely, Hermione considered she believed her. The blonde's ministration did get a little gentler and soon the brunette was toppling over the edge of her own orgasm, her entire body covered in a light sheen of sweat. "God, Narcissa, you know no mercy" she muttered when her heartbeat started stilling.
"Did I hurt you?" the Malfoy matron asked in honest concern.
"No, it's alright. But there is definitely something going on with you that you don't want to tell me" Hermione answered, propping herself up on an elbow to look over the blonde's exhausted face. Narcissa herself was now lying flat on her back, also recovering, and it took her several seconds before she could look into her lover's eyes.
"I thought you knew, living with Severus. But apparently he really is a man to be trusted" she said after a moment. "Yet maybe, if you knew, you could … No. He know that I spoke to you. Severus is a skilled legilimens, but you couldn't hide it from anyone …" she went on, seemingly thinking out loud.
"Is this about Draco's plans this year?" Hermione cut in after a moment. "I know something's going on."
"Yes, he was foolish enough to think that he could hide it from you, wasn't he? I am sorry that were hurt in the process. Did you receive my narcissus?" the blonde asked, looking over to Hermione. Narcissa really seemed at a loss. Now that sex had rested her traits, you could see how much sleep she was lacking and how her blonde strains had turned white on her temples.
"Yes, thank you. But, you know, I want to help him. I know that he is facing something that is too big for him, even though he won't admit that – even to himself".
Narcissa stared at Hermione for long seconds, a little bewildered. It seemed that, every time they spoke with another, Narcissa discovered anew how bright the young Slytherin could be. After a moment, she sighed deeply and seemed to have reached a decision. "Do you still study ancient runes?" she asked.
"Yes, why?" Hermione wondered.
"Before you leave, I will slip you a piece of parchment. But don't read it before you are safe and sound at Hogwarts or Bella will see it in your mind. Understood?"
"Understood."
Hi! Given the current situation about corona virus (yep, I'm going full on news), I found time to write a little, because my Uni is closed for the time being. As always, I would really like to hear from you. I see from the stats that a lot a people read chapters 4 and 5, but no one reviewed … I am one of these authors who needs to know that they write for someone in order to go on, so please tell me your thoughts!
