Cho's Chic
Chapter 3
Nervously, Cho entered the cubicle with the trousers over her arm. However, Lucius seemed to have calmed down, and was soon standing there wearing the midnight blue trousers. Cho opened the parcel from the shoemaker's, and looked up in admiration. "These are beautiful, Mr Malfoy. Such soft leather, and a perfect match - you obviously have a good memory for colour." Lucius nodded at the compliment, and Cho knelt at his feet to help him put the dark blue ankle boots on, and then to pin the trouser hems. She avoided staring at him, for his closeness almost suffocated her, she really wanted to stroke the soft nap of the suit and rub her face against him.
Malfoy checked himself in the mirror once more, smirked at his reflection, and pronounced himself satisfied.
Cho was back behind the counter when Lucius came over to her. She waited for him to say his farewells, but he stood there expectantly. She looked at him. "Was there something else, Mr Malfoy?" she asked him, praying he would leave before Harry returned. Lucius smiled at her, and this time it reached his usually cold eyes. He produced a cream envelope, and handed it to her. "Your handiwork is superb, Miss Chang. As a token of my appreciation, I'd like to invite you to a house party at the weekend at my Scottish home, Glen Moy Castle. There will be a selection of country pursuits during the day, or if you prefer, you can merely stroll round the grounds or relax by the fire. On Saturday evening is the annual Glen Moy Ball. Draco and some of his friends will be there, so you'll know a few people. I think you'll find it an excellent opportunity to meet potential clients. Many of the best connected witches and wizards will be there."
Cho gasped, and sliding the elegant invitation card from its envelope, she glanced at it. There was a magic picture of Glen Moy Castle on it, giving a short tour of the castle and grounds. "Thank you very much indeed, Mr Malfoy. I don't know what to say."
"There is no need to say anything. Just promise to be there. I expect you to wear something stunning at the ball, of course. You will be an advertisement for your craft."
A look of panic suddenly came over Cho's face. "Oh, Mr Malfoy, did you want the blue suit for then? Only you're not due to pick it up till next week."
Lucius shook his head gravely. "No, indeed Miss Chang. I shall be wearing traditional Highland wizard dress." He stressed the word "traditional", leaving Cho feeling rather puzzled. He seemed to be laughing at her again. Lucius gave Cho a deep bow, and left the shop with a dramatic sweep of his cloak.
Cho quickly thrust the envelope into a pocket, and was about to go and see Alan and Hermione, when the shop door opened again, and in came Harry. It seemed he had missed Malfoy, but he would find out soon enough, thought Cho. She took Harry through to the flat over the shop. Hermione smiled at them both. Cho closed her eyes, expecting the other woman to castigate her for dealing with Malfoy. She waited, her heart thumping, but Hermione gestured to the fabric swatches, and indicated two pieces. "I can't decide between these two, the black or the red."
Cho, relaxing a little, said, "Well, it depends what effect you want. Black is very sophisticated, but it can be very unforgiving too unless your colouring is right. Red is a happy colour, but it also has the scarlet woman associations. You send all sorts of subtle messages wearing red. Somehow, I think the colour would overwhelm you. Can I make a suggestion, Hermione? I think black is too harsh for you. I think you need a colour that will set off your eyes and hair. Your hair is a lovely golden brown, and your eyes are hazel. I think a shade of brown will suit you very well, look how about this one?" Hermione looked doubtful. "Trust me, Hermione, I know my job. Come downstairs, and I'll show you it against your skin and hair in front of the mirror."
Hermione and Harry eventually left Cho's Chic, Cho having persuaded Hermione to trust her, and have a dress made in deep brown with a burnt orange trim. When she had told them how much it would be, she expected a shocked reaction, even though she felt she had reduced the price as much as possible for her old Hogwarts schoolfriends. However, Harry and Hermione pretended that it was what they had expected, and Harry handed over the deposit in gold galleons.
When they were alone, Alan put his arm round Cho. "Time for a cup of tisane yourself, my love?" he asked. Cho nodded. "I'm exhausted," she said. "Do you think Hermione will say anything to Harry or not? I kept waiting for her to spill the beans."
Alan shook his head. "No, she won't. She said to me that after thinking about it, she realised that you had to deal with the old wizarding families, as they're the ones with money. She said you couldn't afford to be selective, and she appreciated that it was just business, no more."
"Oh, Alan, but it's not now. Look." She showed him the invitation. "Of course I have to go. Mr Malfoy is right, it will be a marvellous opportunity to meet new clients. But I don't think he's only asking me because he likes my tailoring. He must have had so many women, he must be able to tell that I fancy him so much I dream about him. I don't know how I'm going to remember I should hate him, when I'm with him I just want him to ravish me."
Alan kissed Cho on the forehead. "He'll love you and leave you, you know, my sweet."
"I know he will. But I want him so much, I'm even prepared to take what little he throws my way."
"Well, Uncle Al will always be here to pick up the pieces." He gave her a hug.
It was the evening of the Glen Moy Ball. Cho had made a spectacular entrance into the baronial hall, wearing a skin tight red dress with one long sleeve, and the other shoulder exposed. She knew all the symbolism attached to wearing red, as she had told Hermione, and felt shameless as she effectively made a bold statement that she was available. Her hair was loose at the back, hanging to her waist, and pinned back at the sides with white orchids. She wore long gold drop earrings set with rubies and diamonds. Heads turned as she went into the ballroom alone. Draco Malfoy eyed her with undisguised admiration, and started to make his way over to her, but he was beaten by his father, who strode to Cho's side, took her hand, and kissed it, holding on to it for just a fraction longer than necessary. This time, there was no mistaking the lust in his eyes, but he was decorum itself as he escorted her round the room, and introduced her to "the rich and famous" as Alan had so accurately put it.
Cho was exhausted by chatting to so many people, and dancing with numerous rich men, most of whom were very old, and not only held her far closer than was comfortable, but made no secret of their attempts to peer down her dress. Following this, she then had to deal with a string of sharp-tongued elderly matrons, who eyed her closely after observing the reaction of their menfolk. Cho's warm and friendly personality soon dispelled their suspicions that she was attempting to steal their husbands, and she was glad that she had brought a large supply of business cards in her red leather clutch bag.
She now found that her stock of cards was nearly finished. She felt very hot, the crowded rooms were so airless. She made her way to the open French windows, and wandered out into the relative cool of a warm summer evening. The sky was still showing light across the western horizon. She saw the moon reflected in the loch, and walked slowly to the edge of the water, her feet crunching on the shingle. A slight breeze blew off the water, and she shivered a little, but the lights dancing on the surface were so beautiful that she was loath to go back inside.
A crunch of footsteps behind her attracted her attention. She saw Lucius, his pale hair shining silver in the moonlight, as he approached her. She held her breath.
Lucius halted very close to her, and looked down at her. "You're shivering, I see," he said gently. He was wearing full Highland dress - a kilt in the Malfoy tartan of green and black, a silver buttoned black jacket over a white shirt with ruffles at his throat and wrists, a sporran fashioned from a green and black snakeskin, knee socks with a small, deadly dagger tucked into one, and black laced dancing shoes. Over all he wore a tartan plaid pinned to one shoulder by a golden snake-headed brooch with emerald eyes. He now unpinned the brooch, arranged the plaid around her shoulders, and pinned the two sides together over her breast. As he fastened the pin, his hands brushed her nipples, and she gave a start. Cho looked at Lucius Malfoy, captivated by him, her body on fire, feeling foolish and vulnerable, yearning for him to touch her, yet fearing it too.
Lucius smiled at her. Her stomach turned to water, and she found she was not breathing. He put out a finger and ran it down her jawline. "You're very beautiful, Miss Chang," he said throatily. He stood and regarded her steadily. "Miss Chang, we are not children," he said to her. "I find you very desirable. I think you feel the same about me. If you wish, I shall return to the house, and no more shall be said about this. I will continue to be your client because you have a great skill with your hands. However, again if you wish, we can consummate this desire we both feel. Here and now. There is a summer house across the lawn where we will not be disturbed. This is a once and final offer." He leered at her. "I would dearly like to discover what other skills your hands have." Lucius stood tall and proud, and stroked Cho's hair gently with one hand. She turned her head so that his hand ran over her ear, down the side of her cheek, and down to her neck. She tried to reply, but could hardly open her mouth to speak, it was so dry. "Yes," she whispered, opening her arms to him. He wrapped his arms round her in such a strong hug that she gasped. Their lips met, and they kissed each other hungrily.
Cho had enough presence of mind to ask, "But your guests, your wife..?"
Lucius purred into her hair, "Don't worry about them, my dear. They're all quite accustomed to entertaining themselves." Cho noted that he was effectively telling her that she was not the first woman he had seduced in the middle of a large gathering. He was giving her a final chance to say no. She knew she wouldn't - couldn't - say no.
Lucius broke away from her, took her hand, and led her across the lawn. Cho stumbled in her high heels, and Lucius turned, concerned. "I'm sorry," he said. "Of course your shoes are not suitable for outside." In one sweeping movement, he lifted her, and carried her away to the summer house. With her arms around his neck, Cho thought that this was like a bad novel, where the cad carries the heroine off to do unspeakable things to her. She leaned her head against his shoulder, rubbing her cheek against the golden tresses. Please, she thought, do unspeakable things to me.
In the summer house, Cho noted that the room was ready prepared for a seduction scene. If she had not guessed as much before, it was now plain to her that Lucius had planned this move meticulously: there were oil lamps around the room giving a soft glow, and the room was furnished with a wide couch covered in furs. There were also furs on the polished wood floor, and on a low table were two crystal glasses and a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket. Lucius set Cho down on the couch, deftly opened the bottle and poured the sparkling wine into two glasses without spilling a drop. He handed one to Cho. She discovered that she had gulped down most of it without noticing, she was so nervous. She set the glass on the table and looked at Lucius, casting a long shadow across her, the light behind him making his spun gold hair gleam softly. He was so close, she could feel his body radiating warmth. Impulsively, she threw her arms around his thighs, and hugged him to her, her face pushed uncomfortably into the sporran. In a moment, he had removed it, and she felt him stirring underneath the thick, heavy tartan. She ran her fingers up his thighs underneath the kilt, feeling the slight roughness of the hairs become smoother as she travelled upwards. There was something very erotic about exploring his unseen body under the garment. When her hands reached his buttocks, she looked at him in surprise, as she met nothing except skin.
He smirked at her. "Don't you know what 'traditional' dress means, my dear? Nothing is worn under a kilt. In fact, as the old joke goes, it's all in perfect working order." Cho giggled, and her fingers traced themselves around to the front, to find him indeed standing proud. She dared to touch him, running her fingers carefully along the shaft, and round the tip. He gasped slightly, then knelt before her, clasped her to him, and kissed her deeply, his fingers exploring first her neck, then running downwards tantalisingly slowly. When he reached her erect nipple, she groaned.
Lucius Malfoy knew how to give a woman pleasure. Cho had had other boyfriends, but none of them so accomplished. Usually they were in too much of a hurry, not realising that women need time. In fact, if Lucius had taken her with the same speed as the younger men, she would have been more than ready, she was on fire and longing for him to enter her long before he finally did. He knew how to drive her to the edge of desperation by avoiding the touches she craved on her most sensitive parts, so that when he finally kissed her nipples and ran his fingers over her female sex, she dug her fingers into his back and whimpered with pleasure. Finally, he laid her naked on the couch with the sensuous touch of fur against bare skin, removed his own final items of clothing, and entered her gently. She wrapped her legs around him, and he simultaneously teased her womanhood with a gentle finger while moving his hips in ever more urgent thrusts. Waves of pleasure washed over her as she cried out in release. Her body continued to shudder uncontrollably, and he held her close while waiting for her to relax. Judging that she was ready, he began again, and as she felt the shuddering of his climax, she gripped his perfect behind in her small hands, and her body answered his a second time.
Engrossed as they were in each other, neither Lucius nor Cho saw the face at the window, watching them with a knowing smirk.