The Female of the Species

Chapter 6

It was the middle of the night, and Cho awoke. At first, she could not remember where she was, and when she did, she realised the possible cause of her waking was that Lucius' breathing had changed. She was lying on her side with her back towards Lucius, so she turned over carefully, and found herself staring into a pair of calm grey eyes: Lucius was awake, he was quiet, and he knew she was there. Cho smiled at him, tears springing to her eyes. "Lucius," she whispered, "How are you?" Lucius looked back at her with a slightly puzzled expression on his face. "Why do you ask that?" he replied, "And why are you crying?"

Cho could not reply, partly because she was tongue-tied with relief, and partly because she just did not know how to answer Lucius' question: it was obvious that at this moment he did not remember what had happened to him. Instinctively, she threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him full on the mouth. She had expected this to be merely a brief contact, but he responded in such a way that she would never have guessed he had just regained consciousness. He pressed his lips against hers, and pushed his tongue gently into her unresisting mouth, encircled her with his arms, and pulled her towards him. Cho could hardly believe it, and her mind whirled. The last time she remembered seeing Lucius awake, he had told her that he no longer wished to continue their relationship. Now he seemed to have forgotten all about that event too. How long would it take him to remember? Cho then suddenly also remembered that they were not alone. She raised her head, and looked towards the chair, but Poppy was already discreetly on her way to the door. She turned and saw Cho watching her, gave a ghost of a smile, and went out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Cho turned her attention back to Lucius. She could not believe that he was feeling so amorous. She melted into his arms and let him take the initiative, as he kissed her mouth, then the sensitive skin of her neck. Opening the buttons on the yoke of her nightgown, he kissed her shoulders and then worked his way slowly down to her breasts. When he took a nipple into his mouth, she gasped with pleasure, and leaned back to allow him maximum access. All worries forgotten for the moment, she gave herself up to sensuous enjoyment, feeling how much she had missed this man who knew her body even better than she did herself. Lucius had not shaved for about two weeks, but Cho put up gladly with the scratchiness, and found that when he caught her nipple with his unshaven chin, a shock of pleasure shot from her breast to between her legs. She felt herself moistening with desire.

Cho stroked Lucius' golden head, and, ignoring the fact that his hair was untidy and greasy, she wound her fingers into it. Lucius was wearing black silk pyjamas, and Cho undid the jacket buttons slowly and slightly awkwardly with her other hand. Then she traced her fingers down his chest, enjoying the feel of his muscles and soft skin under the downy hair. Her hand travelled downwards curiously, and she found the pyjama trousers were straining to contain his warm erection, which seemed to take on a life of its own when she gently touched it. She felt him push himself into her hand, and so she slid her fingers into his waistband, and gripped him firmly, running a finger over the sensitive tip, and spreading his wetness over it. In reaction, Lucius groaned, and nipped her nipple with his teeth, eliciting a soft moan of pleasure from Cho.

Realising that, in spite of Lucius' apparent readiness for action, he was still weak from his ordeal, Cho took the initiative. She calmly disengaged herself from his arms, and sat up so that she could remove the practical and unglamorous cotton nightgown over her head. She tossed it aside, then gently turned Lucius over so that he lay supine, and sat him up to enable her to take off his pyjama jacket, one arm behind him supporting his weight. Lucius co-operated with her actions, but when she tried to lay him back down afterwards, he resisted, and put his head down to her breast once more. Again, his unshaven face caught her nipples, and when he released her breast from his mouth after another playful nip, she deliberately drew her nipples across his chin so that she could enjoy the agonising sensuality of the feeling. Her vagina contracted once more in reaction to the touch.

Lucius lay down, and regarded Cho steadily through eyes darkened with lust as she removed the lower half of his pyjamas, squeezing his perfect buttocks as she slid the trousers over his behind. Cho then straddled Lucius, kneeling over him, and, guiding his manhood with one hand, she lowered herself on to him, enjoying the sensation as he filled her completely. She almost ground him into the mattress as she pressed downwards, taking in as much of him as she could hold. She then began to raise and lower herself, shifting her weight to make him rub against her most sensitive spot on each downstroke. She parted her own lips to expose herself to his touch, and began to ride him with increased urgency.

Initially Lucius lay back and allowed Cho to do all the work, but as her breathing came in shorter gasps, he reached forwards and placed a finger over her clitoris so that each time she came down on him he pressed upwards in response. With expert timing, he waited until he was about to orgasm himself, and then massaged her with the tip of his finger, catching her deliberately with the smooth edge of his fingernail. As Cho felt Lucius' seed exploding into her, simultaneously his knowing touch brought her to a climax. She contracted around him, and cried out in ecstasy as bolts of pleasure shot from her centre into her whole body. Cho shuddered as her orgasm seemed to last forever, wave upon wave. Eventually, she lay forward on top of Lucius, her head on his shoulder, both of them covered in a thin film of sweat. As this began to cool on her exposed back and behind, Lucius pulled the covers back over them both, allowing his hands to linger on Cho's buttocks as he did so, and then wrapped her in his arms.

"That was a nice way to wake up, don't you agree?" he purred into her ear. Cho opened her eyes and looked at him. She could not help smiling back. For a moment, she was happy again, lying in a post coital semi-stupor with Lucius apparently restored both to health and to being her lover once more. But then she looked at him more carefully, and became thoughtful. Lucius still did not look completely well, whatever had attacked him had left its mark. Also, she was convinced that he had only accepted her presence because his period of unconsciousness had affected his memory: eventually he would remember that he had dismissed her from his life. She hoped he would not be angry with her for presuming to return. Lucius had threatened Cho many times, but so far had never had cause to actually mistreat her. But she had no doubt that he would hurt her if he decided she deserved it.

It was still the middle of the night, however. Cho realised by Lucius' breathing that he had fallen asleep once more. She too felt the arms of Morpheus reaching out to claim her, and when Poppy cautiously put her head round the door, she saw her Master and his lover asleep, lying like a pair of spoons, she with her back pressed against his chest, he with a protective arm about her.

Poppy reclaimed her seat, and sat on guard, her eyes gleaming in the dark.

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The next day passed in a kind of daze for Cho. Lucius spent part of the day awake, and part asleep. He ate a little, though Cho and Poppy were careful to ensure that he was given only small portions, knowing that gorging himself on an empty stomach would be very unwise. Poppy also washed him down as he lay in bed, for he did not seem to have the strength in his legs to walk to the bathroom. Later, one of the male house elves shaved away Lucius' partial beard growth. Cho flushed a little as she watched this process, remembering the sweet sensations caused by the abundant whiskers.

Lucius still did not know what had happened to him, there seemed to be a large blank space in his memory. However, Cho did not attempt to pursue the matter, for she dreaded his remembering for two reasons: somehow she knew that the thing that had attacked Lucius was too terrible to contemplate, and ignorance was bliss. This thought was confirmed when, periodically throughout the day, Lucius was in such agony that his whole body became rigid, and he had to clamp his jaws together to prevent himself from crying out. Poppy dosed him with a potion Narcissa had left for this purpose. It deadened the pain, but did not prevent the spasms.

But the second reason was purely selfish, for somehow she also knew that if he remembered what had attacked him, Lucius would also remember that he had ended their affair: for the first time, Cho called their liaison "an affair" to herself. While Lucius desired her – she had never fooled herself that he loved her – she wanted him equally strongly. When he had announced the end – and she had always known that it would be he who chose the manner of its ending – she had been shocked and astounded. She had not seen it coming, they had been getting on so well. She had expected that Lucius' interest in her would fade, or another pretty face would attract him away from her, but one morning following an idyllic visit to Glen Moy Castle, he had told her coldly and dispassionately that it was over, and then walked away without a backward glance.

Since Lucius' departure, Cho had spent many hours thinking about him. Every time she returned to the conversations she had had with Alan. He had once pointed out that Lucius may only be wooing her as a way of finding out more about her grandfather, for Sun Chang and he were deeply involved in a very large business deal. A lot of money would change hands, and Lucius needed all his subtlety to bargain with Sun Chang, whose reputation as a negotiator was legendary. It was not by chance that Sun Chang controlled the world price of jade, having bought out all his would-be rivals when he was still a relatively young wizard. Cho frowned. That elusive memory nagged at her again. There was something about the business deal she couldn't remember, and she knew it was important. But she did remember that it had been concluded, and it was shortly afterwards that Lucius had left her. She had reluctantly begun to believe that she been used as a pawn in a much bigger game.

Cho sighed, and did not know what to think. Half of her still loved Lucius – his beauty, his romantic gestures, his knowledgeable and thorough lovemaking, when he had made her feel like the luckiest woman on earth. The other half of her felt she should hate him, for now she felt unclean, and nothing more than a Death Eater's whore, as Harry had once called her. But when she looked at Lucius now, she found she could not hate him. In his present weakened state, his vulnerability combined with his ravaged beauty made her want to heal all his hurts, and she longed for his touch again.

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The sun was rising as Narcissa Malfoy apparated beside Loch Moy. Rosy fingers appeared over the dark silhouette of Glen Moy Castle, and the lightening sky took on a transparent greenish hue. Narcissa took a moment to enjoy the view, and breathe in the cold predawn Highland air.

She had not slept well, in spite of satisfactorily concluding the sale of the Cap Ferrat property. Her purchaser admired not only the house and its beautiful location, but also its beautiful owner. Even though he must have been aware that Narcissa was desperate to sell, he neither enquired the reason for her change of heart, nor tried to use this fact to lower the price. He had been, as ever, a perfect gentleman, almost courtly in his manner to her, kissing her cheeks in the French manner on meeting and departing, and kissing her hand frequently during their discourse. Narcissa spoke French fluently, for her maternal grandmother was French, and she had attended Beauxbatons for a year under the Witchcraft Schools Exchange Scheme. She loved the romance of the language, and allowed herself to be charmed by the Provençal wizard's attentions, relaxed in the knowledge that he was far too aware of the proprieties to attempt to seduce any married woman, least of all one who was married to a Malfoy. For a few moments at a time, Narcissa had been able to forget the trouble she was in, and merely enjoy the attentions of her platonic but ardent admirer. The Frenchman had also been most helpful as regards the money: he had supplied her with a large number of bags of gold galleons, left neatly in a row by the fireplace, ready to be sent via the floo network to wherever Narcissa wished. Before returning to Scotland, she had despatched them to Mark Chang in London, requesting that he forward a receipt to Glen Moy Castle.

Tearing her eyes away from the vista before her, Narcissa walked into the castle. Her entrance was as ever greeted by a waiting house elf. Once divested of her travelling cloak and boots, her first thought was of Lucius. Narcissa mounted the stairs quickly, and entered Lucius' bedroom. The curtains were drawn, and the room was full of grey shadows. She made out the profile of Poppy, sitting on guard beside the four poster bed. Poppy heard her footsteps, and turned round suddenly. Poppy's bulging eyes were round and wide with astonishment; she looked back at the bed, and then towards Narcissa once more.

"Don't be alarmed, Poppy, it's only me. I woke up really early, and decided just to come back. With the time difference between here and France, it took almost no time to get here," said Narcissa with unaccustomed kindness, for although she did not physically abuse the house elves like Lucius did, she generally treated them as part of the furniture. She was surprised to note that Poppy's expression did not change, in fact she looked even more worried. Narcissa followed Poppy's gaze as the house elf looked at the bed once more. Then she saw the cause of the elf's consternation.

Outlined against the whiteness of the pillows lay not one head but two, and from their closeness it was clear that Lucius Malfoy and Cho Chang were pressed together under the covers. Lucius' pale hair spread out behind him, his sleeping face partially hidden by Cho's dark, silky tresses. Narcissa thought she could discern the outline of an arm wrapped around Cho under the blankets.

Narcissa closed her eyes, and swallowed. She waited for the familiar ache to begin again in her heart, and when it came, she could hardly breathe. She felt tears welling up in her eyes, and when she opened them again, she could see nothing but a blur. Maintaining her dignity as best she could, Narcissa Malfoy turned and walked carefully out of her husband's bedroom, finding her way so precisely merely because she had trodden the route so frequently. Entering her own room along the landing, she softly closed the heavy oak door behind her.

Poppy's sharp house elf ears caught the sound of an almost inhuman howl from her Mistress's room. She shook her head slightly in sorrow, and continued her vigil.