Cho's Chic
Chapter 6
That evening, Lucius returned to find Cho appropriately welcoming. Subtle oil lamps and scented candles illuminated the small space. She was wearing a watered silk negligée woven in two colours, so that depending on how she moved, it appeared to be emerald green or brilliant turquoise. This made Cho look like a tropical bird.
Handing Lucius a glass of Glen Foy single malt - a nice touch, thought Lucius - she led him by the hand into the bedroom, and upon entering he noted that she had put fresh cotton sheets on the roomy bed. Cho shivered as Lucius ran his fingers over the silk, feeling almost every inch of her body through the material, but deliberately avoiding her nipples and the cleft between her legs, meanwhile kissing her face and neck, and then exploring her mouth with his tongue. Cho writhed against him, and stroked his silky hair and his firm back, and clung on to his buttocks. His hardness pressed between them, and she slid her hands over the warm bulge in his trousers, massaging it maddeningly so that he longed to feel her hands on his skin. Lucius removed Cho's negligée, and slipped the straps of the matching nightgown off her shoulders, exposing her small, rounded breasts. He knelt in front of her and kissed them, nuzzling the nipples, feeling her pressing them urgently against him as she responded to his caresses, running her fingers through his hair and clutching his head in her small hands. He knew she wanted him, and deciding that the lady's wish was his command, he helped her to undress him, revelling in her hands exploring his body as his flesh was gradually exposed. Following his afternoon exertions, his need was less desperate than hers, and he was able to pace himself so that when Cho finally climaxed together with him, she screamed at the peak of her ecstasy, and he thought her shuddering response would never stop.
For a split second, he felt protective towards this exotic creature clinging to him as he pleasured her, and held her so close that she could hardly breathe. He knew from experience that the feeling would pass, and it no longer worried him that he should care so for another person. Years before, in the early years of his marriage, he had felt the same way towards his young, equally slightly built wife. Now, they both took their pleasures elsewhere.
Later, as they lay relaxing in the bed, wound together against the shock of fresh, cold sheets, for their union had taken place on top of the covers, Lucius asked Cho about the appointment with his wife. He kept his voice neutral and casual, aware of the taboo of talking about his wife while his mistress was in his arms. Lucius was no fool: this was a subtle hint that she was to expect no more from him than the carefully apportioned periods of time that suited him. Cho did not seem surprised, however, but paused before she replied: "She knows about us, doesn't she?" She did not add, Did you tell her? Do you talk about me together? but the unspoken lay between them.
Lucius replied apparently carelessly, "Yes, I'm sure she knows about you. My wife knows me too well. She knows what kind of women I like. You see, I don't need to hide anything from her, she doesn't care. She has a string of mainly younger men herself. We suit each other perfectly. We never discuss our private lives. Was she mean to you?"
Cho said, "Well, she was very distant."
"Don't worry about that, my dear. She's always like that, especially with shop owners. Her family think trade is far beneath them. It was nothing personal. The important thing is, did she order something expensive? And did she take your advice, or tell you what she wanted?"
Cho smiled in relief. "Oh, I'm so glad you told me that. Yes, she did order a very expensive dress. She knows what she likes, but she did listen a bit, so I think she'll look nearly as good as she could. Actually, she does know what suits her - and she's lucky, she's so slim she can wear almost anything."
Lucius then asked, maintaining the casual tone, "And Miss Granger? What did she say to you about me?" He felt Cho stiffen. He waited. Eventually, he said, "Well?"
"She was really surprised to see you, but - well - she wasn't as surprised as I would have expected. It's as if she knew about us, but just didn't expect to find you here. I expected her to walk out, and decide not to buy the dress, but she didn't. Do you think Draco told her?"
"Possibly," said Lucius, stroking her shiny black hair. "I thought the same as you when I met her, she wasn't surprised enough. I didn't warn Draco off telling Mudbloods. I'm sure your business will be very successful without their custom." He had said this deliberately provocatively, to see how she would react. He didn't really care if Cho dealt with the Granger girl or not, as long as he didn't have to meet her again. He felt Cho flinch, but she said nothing. Good, he thought. She may not agree with me, but she won't argue in favour of her friends. His eyes softened, he smiled at her and kissed her again, running his hand gently down her naked breast. "Are you ready to do it again?" he whispered into her ear, his breath making her shiver in anticipation.
Hermione called at Cho's Chic as arranged. She had mixed feelings about this appointment, which was to serve two purposes. As yet, Cho only thought that Hermione was going to collect her dress, and try it on for the last time. Cho had asked Hermione to call early, but would not tell her why. "Just wait and see," she had said, then added, "Look, you want Harry and Ron to be impressed, don't you? So please come then." This arrangement suited Hermione too, so she did not argue.
Once in the shop, she was greeted by Cho and Alan, then Cho took Hermione to the flat, leaving Alan at his most charming, dealing with an elderly witch who simpered at him as he told her she could not possibly be old enough to be a grandmother. Cho smiled at Hermione who was shaking her head in disbelief. "She loves it. He's great with older women, he flatters them and they want to mother him."
Cho was carrying a large dress cover on a hanger. She hung it over a hook on the back of the door, and began to unpack Hermione's dress. Hermione put her hand on Cho's arm. "Wait please, Cho," she said, "I want to say something first. Can we sit down?" Cho looked a little surprised, but the two young women sat at the coffee table.
Hermione took a deep breath, and silently produced a large package, from which she took the incriminating photos, laying them before Cho on the table. She explained about the owl delivery, and how, after puzzling over the matter for a long time, she now thought she had recognised the owl as one of the Malfoys'. Then she waited.
Cho looked at the pictures, and she flushed hot and cold as she saw the evidence of her lovemaking. Stricken, she looked at Hermione. "Oh, no," she whispered. "I know Draco saw us, he came here and told me, but I didn't know he'd taken photos." Her eyes widened. "Do you think he's sent copies to anyone else?"
"I wondered the same," said Hermione. Cho looked at her in surprise. Hermione seemed so calm, she had expected disgust and recriminations if she found out. Cho did not know what to say. To explain would make it all seem so much more sordid. Hermione smiled at her. "Don't worry, Cho, I won't say anything. Let's just hope that these are the only copies. You keep these and do what you like with them."
"You're so kind, Hermione. I thought you'd hate me if you found out. I always assumed Lucius Malfoy was just cruel and wicked, but then I spoke to him. He can be very charming too, and…"
"Please, Cho, don't tell me. I don't want to know," said Hermione hurriedly. Disturbing images flashed through her mind: Lucius' hostility whenever he met her, Lucius at his most evil as he carried out Voldemort's every whim; Lucius naked in the lamplight…
She shook her head, and asked to see her dress.
Hermione stood in front of the mirror in Cho's bedroom, speechless with pleasure and disbelief. The dress transformed her into an elegant young woman, emphasising her curvy shape, and was so well cut that as she moved, she felt it was something she had been born to wear. The colours complemented her hair, skin and eyes, and Hermione felt like a million galleons. Eyes shining, she thanked Cho effusively.
Cho stood behind Hermione, and said, "Now all you need is some new shoes - I recommend Larsen & Schoen - and a new hairstyle." Hermione opened her mouth, but Cho shook her head. "No, listen Hermione. I've seen what you do when you dress up. You use a smoothing spell to try and make your hair look straight. But Hermione, your hair has the most beautiful curls. It only looks so bushy because you don't know how to treat it properly. You've been brushing it to within an inch of its life. You mustn't ever brush curls like that. Now, look, watch."
Cho fetched her wand, and chanted a few words in Chinese as she waved it over Hermione's head. Her hair freed itself into coils. Cho cast spells on them to ease out the frizz on each lock, then arranged Hermione's hair so that it was partly pinned up, and the rest cascaded in natural curls down her neck. "Now look in the mirror."
Hermione was amazed, she looked so glamorous. "Harry and Ron will be here any minute," said Cho. "You wait here. I'll send Alan up now, and I'll give you a call when they arrive. Then you can make a dramatic entrance."
Harry and Ron were not long in arriving, and Hermione came down the stairs on the arm of Alan, who had dressed in a dinner jacket to complement her. The stairs were a little narrow for the grand entrance, but Harry and Ron still stared at their friend in disbelief. Hermione was very gratified at the effect her appearance had on them, and smiled at Cho in thanks, as Harry said, "You look really nice, Hermione." Ron, inarticulate as usual, added, "Yeah, what have you done to yourself?" Hermione chose to ignore any insinuations in this statement about the way she normally looked, and merely smiled graciously, and blushed.
"Give the boys a twirl," encouraged Alan, and Hermione turned round slowly so they could see the back as well. "Er - the back looks really good too," said Harry, sounding surprised. "Nice arse," said Ron, giving a low whistle. Hermione blushed even more - for once, Ron had said the right thing! Cho had shaped the back of the dress very cleverly to emphasise her natural shape, and Hermione's behind had never looked so pert. This dress was going to be worth every last knut!
When the three friends had left, with Harry offering to carry the large box into which Cho had packed the dress in tissue paper, Cho turned to Alan, and they smiled at each other at a job well done. Then Cho suddenly remembered the pictures, and her face fell. Alan looked at her questioningly. "What's wrong, Cho?" he asked. In reply, Cho said, "I'll tell you after we close."
After the front door had been locked, standing in the flat, Cho told Alan about the photos, flushing profusely as she did. Alan looked at the package, and raised an eyebrow. "So you don't know whether there are more of these?" Cho shook her head. "How bad are they? I mean, is there any doubt who they're of?"
"No," she said. "There's no doubt at all - oh, hell, take a look." She handed Alan the packet. He looked doubtful, then slid out the top photo, took a quick look, and put it back immediately. "I see what you mean. I don't need to see the rest. What are you going to do with them?"
"Burn them!" said Cho angrily. She took her wand, lit a fire in the grate, then threw the package on to the flames. They watched the photos curl up and burn away to ash. Alan put an arm around Cho's shoulders. "There's nothing you can do, my love," he said, "You'll just have to wait and see, and pray that Draco doesn't send copies to Harry or Ron." He shook his head. "I know there's no point in saying you shouldn't have got mixed up with the Malfoys. I could see from the photo that you're not going to walk away now. Just be careful, eh?"