A/N: Well look at that, I actually managed to update again, aren't you all so very proud of me:D I really am very sorry that it has taken me so long to get back into the swing of things, and I will try very hard to stick with it again.
LittleMermaid325: Well, I hadn't intended for it be a filler chapter, I was simply trying to set the scene for the party, and I just couldn't resist having them kiss again, I know that we have all been dying for it to finally happen.
decadentserenity: I am very glad that you enjoyed it my dear, I am always so happy to see a review from you :) And of course, as always there was a delightful dose of tension, sexual and otherwise. I don't think that Severus and Hermione can be together without some level of tension between them.
Applekissis: Thank you, I'm glad that you are enjoying the story so far. And yes, poor poor Hermione, what can she do but tie him down to the bed and ravage him? Oh wait, thats what I would do :D ahh well, I suppose she will just have to wait and hope that he will finally give in to what he truly wants.
Velvet Storm: Ahh my dear, as always a great pleasure to hear from you. How are you doing sweety? Do not worry, everything is fine, it has just been a little hectic around here, and my muse decided to take an especially long vacation, evil evil muse, but it seems to have returned with full-force, as you can well see considering that you are reading all three of my recently updated fics, hopefully I can get some more work done on the others as well. Such sweet kisses they share, don't you think? Ahh, it makes me swoon just thinking about it, what a lucky girl our dear Hermione is. Ah yes, a delicious dose of Lucius in this chapter, not to mention Severus continuing to be a terribly naughty boy, tsk tsk, bad Sevvie needs a spanking :D (once again, more of my own wishful thinking)
deadlyabyss12: Was this soon enough? ha ha
We Are The Walrus: Well thank you very much :) I am glad that you are enjoying the story, and I have been trying very hard to find a happy medium for Severus, I cannot simply allow him to suddenly melt into a snivelling and gushing version of himself where he falls down on his knees and professes his undying love for Hermione, but at the same time, his cool and hard exterior does need to soften a little, so hopefully I have succeeded in doing so.
Well, that seems to be everyone for now, hope you are all enjoying the ride and stay tuned, there shall soon be yet another Malfoy making an appearance ;) Oh, and on a completely unrelated note, is anyone else as completely in love with the Phantom of the Opera movie as I am? I've probably watched it about 5 or 6 times in the past 2 weeks and was watching it on the telly again today while writing this chapter. It is so sad:sniff:sniff: ahh, utterly beautiful, though I still want her to end up with the Phantom, poor fellow. Remind anyone else of Severus somewhat? Anyway, enjoy!
Hermione felt the nauseating and disorienting sensation of someone hooking her behind the navel and pulling her swiftly forward as she clung tightly to Severus, her eyes squeezed firmly shut while her face was buried in the fragrant collar of his shirt, the lace surprisingly soft against her cheek. A cacophony of noise met her ears as she and Severus apparated into the grand receiving room of Malfoy Manor, her hands still firmly clasping the folds of his traveling cloak as she fought to regain her balance and waited for the feeling of dizziness to past. After several long moments she began to disentangle herself from Severus' embrace, feeling a sudden heat flood her cheeks as she realized that there were several other people in the room, most of them casting disapproving glances in their direction. Clearing her throat nervously Hermione's eyes darted about the room, skimming over the multitude of faces turned towards her, settling instead upon the grandeur and beauty of the room. Smooth marble gleamed everywhere her gaze alighted, the walls shinning lustrously beneath the light of a magnificent chandelier above their heads, the air filled with the soft tinkling of crystal as a gentle breeze flowed throughout the room. Severus' hands were a comforting warmth as he grasped her shoulders and guided her forward towards a set of large solid oak doors. The doors stood partially open to the next room, affording Hermione brief glimpses of the crowd beyond, an eternally writhing sea of brightly colored fine robes and gowns, accompanied by the sound of clinking glasses and tinkling laughter, underneath which was the faint ebb and flow of a fast-paced waltz. As they drew closer to the door, following in the footsteps of the couples before them Hermione studied the intricately carved panels of the open doors, each one a myriad of flowing vines interwoven with dozens of snakes, the centermost portion of each door baring a large and elegantly scrolling "M." How utterly and predictably Malfoy she scoffed to herself as Severus continued to guide her forwards.
Yet she could not deny the fact that even its simplicity and functionality the room was both breathtaking and awe inspiring. The walls, though utterly astounding in their own right were adorned with a multitude of brilliantly colored tapestries, each one detailing the life and achievements of an infamous, if not necessarily well-respected Malfoy who had once upon a time inhabited the grand estate and brought ever more riches and notoriety to the family. As Hermione gazed upon the closest tapestry she barely managed to stifle her gasp of surprise as the embroidered figures began moving back and forth across the aged fabric. A simple trick Severus' voice all but sighed wearily in her mind, his tone conveying a bone-deep weariness and perhaps a hint of apprehension, while outwardly he was the ever stoic and unshakeable Potions Master who would reveal no inkling of weakness to anyone, let alone a gathering of Death Eaters and supporters of Voldemorte. True he was a sullen man with no real desire to live, but he by no means had a death wish, he was intent to die upon his terms and when he was good and ready. I would have thought you Miss Granger, after having spent so many years at Hogwarts would have become accustomed to such cheap parlor tricks, but it seems that I underestimated your intellect he mused with all the fluid sarcasm and scorn that came to him so easily. Biting the inside of her mouth sharply in an effort to hold back the string of curses that hung precariously on the tip of her tongue, Hermione simply cast a disapproving glare towards the dark man beside her, while her fingers instinctively curled around his arm as a rotund man with a startlingly red face and great bushy mustache bustled past her, all but knocking her off her feet.
"It would seem that we are causing a delay Miss Granger, I suggest we enter the manor, unless of cause you wish to remain here all evening surveying the tapestries and being jostled about" Severus crooned silkily into her ear as he leant down towards her, his voice barely above a whisper while his warm breath skimmed over her skin, tousling the few loose tendrils of hair that curled at the nape of her neck. Lowering her eyes in chastisement Hermione failed to see the leaping arch of Severus' brow or the ghost of a smile that briefly graced his lips as he watched the flush rise to her cheeks and the subtle tremor pass through her body when he snaked a hand beneath her cloak to rest upon the bare flesh of her back, gently guiding her forward once more.
As fast as the quickly gathering crowd would allow, Severus and Hermione moved forward one step at a time, being pressed upon from all sides now as the receiving room was filled with an endless stream of apparations. As Hermione fought to stay on her feet while being pushed this way and that Severus was focused entirely upon the feel of her deliciously smooth skin beneath his hands, his fingers suddenly itching to explore the smooth planes of her exposed flesh as well as that which was still encased in the shimmering blue satin of her robes. The sensation of warm flesh against his own sent a buzzing electricity thrumming through his veins, leaving in its wake a blazing fire of desire to pull her aside and thoroughly plunder her mouth, his mind swirling in the fog of memory as he recalled the taste and feel of her lips beneath his own. Feeling far too much like cattle enclosed in the crowded space Severus was infinitely glad when finally a space opened up before them and he was able to quickly guide Hermione forward. Another startled gasp escaped her still partially kiss-swollen lips when she came to face to face, or more accurately knee to face with a wizened old house-elf. However, this elf was clad in something much finer than the customary toga-like pillow case that was donned by all house-elves Hermione had met, this elf though diminutive of statue as was usual among their kind, was in all other ways wholly unlike any house-elf she had ever met. Standing stiff and as tall as he possibly could, for she could only guess that it was indeed male, wore a fine though somewhat shapeless toga-like outfit of pristine white, with a dark green velvet sash that crossed over the left side of his chest, where it was monogrammed with an impressively scrolling "P" that had been embroidered in fine golden thread. Upon closer inspection Hermione could indeed see that the outfit was not as pristine and well-maintained as one would first assume, a multitude of painfully tiny and immaculate stitches traversed the fabric where someone had time and again meticulously made repairs, while the edges of the velvet sash were beginning to fray and show the signs of wear. Though she would never admit it out loud, to Hermione many of the house-elves looked the same, all of them with large watery eyes the size of saucers, rimmed with red from crying and self-chastisement, long ears that flopped haphazardly all over the place, though she often suspected that their ears were so long from hours upon hours of fretful pulling, and bulbous noses that were constantly smudged with dirt. However, the elf that stood before her barely resembled any other she had ever met, his features were slender, his eyes smaller and possessing a look of cool scrutiny, while his ears drooped only slightly at the sides of his face, all in all he looked much more like an incredibly short human as opposed to the house-elves she was accustomed to seeing.
As Hermione continued to stare at the diminutive house-elf his posture grew stiffer, his narrow and boney shoulders squaring rigidly and his chin lifted a touch too high to be entirely comfortable, though she got the distinct impression that it was not so that he could better see the illustrious guests he was greeting, but rather from a deep rooted arrogance that in the elf world was as strong as that of the Malfoy's in the wizarding world. Severus' movement to retrieve the invitation from a pocket inside his robes brought Hermione quickly back to her senses, a subtle flush suffusing her cheeks as she realized that she had been staring quite rudely. After meticulously studying and scrutinizing the proffered invitation the elf thrust it back towards Severus and then proceeded to bow so shallowly that one might mistake the gesture for the action of the elf merely taking a passing interest in the appearance of his toes.
"Tis good to have you back at Malfoy Manor, Master Snape" the elf stated in a smooth and entirely un-elf-like voice as Severus slipped the invitation back into the voluminous folds of his cloak. With a subtle node of his head Severus replied,
"As it is good to see you still here Percival, you serve your Masters well." A glimmer of disgust passed over the elf's face at the mention of the word "serve" as thought it was as foul and offensive to him as "Mudblood" was to Hermione.
"Thank you Master Snape, it has been an honor to provide for this illustrious family this many years" the elf stated smoothly, bowing once more, this time low enough to cause the tips of his slightly flopping ears to brush across the gleaming marble floor, one slender arm sweeping out with a great flourish to gesture Severus and Hermione through the great oak doors. Once they had passed through into the entryway and were well out of earshot of the proud and strange little elf Hermione leant close to Severus' ear and said,
"What a peculiar elf, surely not all of the Malfoy's house-elves are as proud as that, Dobby was terrified of the Malfoy's, he would never have acted in such a way." Severus chuckled low and deep, the sound like the finest and richest dark chocolate to her ears while his chest rumbled against her shoulder as he guided her forward.
"Proud is not the word I would choose to describe the way that Percival feels about being a slave to this family. He feels disgraced by the crimes that have been committed by the Malfoy's. Though hard to believe, this family once was as respected as they would like you to believe they are now. Many generations past the Malfoy name was met with great esteem. There was no one in the wizarding world who had a bad thing to say about them, and none who had not in some way benefited from their generosity and good nature. Those were the days when Percival was born to this house, the days when it was indeed an honor to serve this family. So no, I would never say that he is proud to serve the Malfoy's that reside here now" he replied in a silken whisper against her ear, the soft caress of his breath flowing over her skin once more causing a burning heat to rise to her cheeks. Stunned for a moment, Hermione could do little more than stare at Severus in shock before her infamous curiosity took over and in a low voice she asked,
"When did the Malfoy's become what they are now? Why did they become so hateful and evil?" Removing his own traveling cloak and waiting Hermione to do the same he handed them off to a passing house-elf, this one clad in the typical dingy and somewhat disgusting pillow case that marked the status of house-elf. With a gentle pressure on the warm skin of her back Severus guided Hermione forward towards another set of open double doors that lead into the ballroom which was already filled to bursting with laughing and talking people, each one heavily laden with jewels and all manners of fine silks, satin and brocade. Continuing to look up at him expectantly as he continued attempting to guide her into the constantly writhing mass of bodies, Hermione suddenly stopped and turned to face him head-on.
"Well?" she asked almost petulantly, her hands rising to rest on her hips while the stubborn set of her jaw caused him to chuckle richly.
"You truly are insatiable my dear" he whispered silkily into her ear as he leant dangerously close to her, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear instantly causing her to shudder as a small whimper of pleading flowed from her parted lips. The flush that had previously been confined merely to her cheeks suddenly spread from the roots of her hair deep down into the plunging neckline of her dress.
"I… I…" she began to stammer in both embarrassment and indignation as she fought to control the burning heat in her face and chest. Waving off Hermione's weak attempt to regain some semblance of composure Severus rolled his eyes dramatically and with a theatrical sigh replied,
"Very well my dear, I will satisfy you undying hunger this once." For a moment he paused watching Hermione's cheeks darken all the more, her chocolate brown eyes flashing a honeyed gold as lust rippled throughout her body. With a barely restrained mischievous grin and in the darkest and smoothest voice he could muster continued against the softness of her hair,
"However, I may indeed call upon you later to feed my own ravenous needs." His tongue snaked out deftly to pass a solitary sweep along the curving line of her ear, the small and unnoticeable action sending Hermione crashing down into a swirling pool of raw desire that caused her to shudder from head to foot, her fingers reflexively clawing at the front of Severus' frock coat imploringly. Sweet Merlin, what on earth am I saying? Severus thought through the haze of desire as he gazed down at the young woman who now clung to him wantonly, her large eyes appearing glassy with lust as she looked up at him, her plump and tantalizing lower lip currently being worried by her teeth, a sight that was almost too much for him to resist. Oh how I want to kiss that lip, to ease the swollen and sore flesh with my own. Damn Lucius, damn Dumbledore and damn me for getting myself into this his mind cried woefully as he fought back the desire to crush her to him and completely ravage her mouth on the spot. Drawing back from her slowly he removed her hands from his person and turned, guiding her away from the open ballroom doors, his fingers feather-light upon the skin of her back as he drew her towards the grand and sweeping staircase that lead down from the second floor. Into the shadows behind the staircase he drew Hermione quietly, his tone containing all of the evenness and authority that it did when he was teaching.
"Four generations ago, the owner of this estate was a man named Lucendo Draconis Malfoy, he was Lucius' Great-Great-Grandfather, and the downfall of the Malfoy name. In his youth, Lucendo Malfoy was a great man, it was believed that he would achieve many great things in his lifetime, for why would he not? He came from a long line of respected and honored Malfoy's, and indeed he seemed to be following in that prestigious family's footsteps. But alas, Lucendo's father Augustin Duval Malfoy, was to be the last that would bear that great name and be held in esteem by the wizarding populous. It was no particularly great tragedy that befell Lucendo, nor any occurrence that has not happened a million times over during the time of men. The name of Malfoy fell from grace for the same reason that many have before and since that time, the Malfoy's became malevolent, twisted, callous and cruel because of one simple thing, because of a woman." Severus watched with great amusement as a surge of indignation and outrage instantly swelled up within Hermione, her mouth opening to spill forth a barrage of protests in defense of a woman whom she had never met and knew nothing about. With he a chuckle he drew Hermione towards him, wrapping an arm around her shoulders while pulling her deeper into the shadows, the feel of her against him the most exquisite torture.
"Now, now my dear, before you feel compelled to jump to the defense of this woman and all members of your fair sex, allow me to finish explaining what occurred those many years ago, for you know as well as I that without all the correct information you cannot come to an accurate conclusion." Having appealed to her unwavering need for truth and stubborn Gryffindor desire for justice, he watched with great pleasure as she snapped her jaw closed and crossing her arms over her chest gazed at him expectantly. Drawing away from her once more Severus relaxed casually against the wall, folding his arms across his chest he glanced around as though drudging through the cobwebs of memory while in fact surveying the shadows for any sign of anyone who might happen to overhear them. Finally he turned back to face Hermione and began once more,
"Her name was Annabelle Virendra, and she was the most beautiful woman in all of wizarding Europe. She was known far and wide for her stunning appearance, the same features that now mark one as a Malfoy, the hair like fine spun silk that is the color of fresh butter, and eyes as cool and fierce as a storm, this was the gift she gave to the Malfoy, that and the hatred of Muggleborns, but not in the way you might think. Annabelle was charming, kind and infinity generous as well as beautiful, she was a perfect match for any Malfoy, but it was not just any Malfoy to whom she was betrothed, it was Lucendo Malfoy. Lucendo and Annabelle were married, and being the ever perfect bride, she soon bore him a child, a male child who was strong and healthy, a child who would carry on the great name of Malfoy. But as we all know, and as is inevitable in any tale all was not well in paradise. It was well known and indeed accepted that Annabelle's beauty would attract admirers from far and wide, in fact Lucendo was quite pleased by the attention that his most beautiful wife received. He was proud of this attention, proud that he had married such a beautiful and good-natured woman, but his pride would be his downfall. You see, when one possesses something that is so truly and completely beautiful that it steals your breath away, you seek to protect that beauty, to flaunt it and intensify it until you no longer value it for its true worth, but simply for its outward beauty. And so it was with Lucendo and Annabelle, he began to parade her about like a fine mare, to showcase her beauty with the finest of robes and jewels all of which were like rags and mere pieces of glass in comparison to her, and over time Annabelle began to see the truth. Lucendo did not love her for the woman that she truly was, nor even the son she bore him, he treasured her only for how good she looked upon his arm. That moment of Annabelle's realization was the moment that the Malfoy dynasty began to crumble. Driven from her husband by his material and wholly selfish affections she found love in the arms of another man, a Muggleborn wizard of little money but great goodness. As you can well guess, the news of this…"
"Showed my Great-Great-Grandfather the truth about Muggleborns" Lucius drawled slowly as he emerged from the shadows beneath the staircase and strode towards Severus and Hermione with the grace of a beast on the hunt. "Tsk, tsk Severus. Telling my family history? Shame on you my friend, our dear Miss Granger might feel unwelcome here should she learn of the dark secrets these walls have born witness to" he continued with all the fluidity and coldness of water rushing beneath the surface of a frozen stream while his pale eyes flashed fiercely like diamonds in the faint light. Drawing closer to them, Lucius reached out with a leather clad hand to run a single finger down Hermione's cheeks, chuckling deeply as he watched her try to fight the urge to pull away from his touch.
"Of course my dear friend, I see that you neglected to tell the tale of how your own family's once equally prestigious name fell from grace. Though yours is a much more frightful story than that of a cheating wife, is it not? Indeed, perhaps a story best saved for another time" Lucius continued as his eyes first swept over Severus, his gaze full of dark threat and malevolence, before drifting towards Hermione, pinning her with an utterly feral and hungry stare. "Now, come along, you are missing all the fun hiding out here in the shadows, I do believe my dear, that you will thoroughly enjoy this evening's entertainment" he crooned as he held out one leather clad hand towards Hermione, her hesitant gaze first locking on Severus who gave an almost unperceivable nod before once more settling on the pale man before her. Hesitantly she extended a delicate hand towards him, biting back the urge to scream as Lucius took her proffered hand and placed in upon his arm. Curling his fingers over hers none too gently Lucius cast a sneering smile over his shoulder towards Severus before turning back to Hermione and pulling her swiftly along beside him and into the ballroom.
"Come along Severus, you shall not want to miss this evening's delights" Lucius crooned coolly to the man now standing at the foot of the staircase and shooting daggers with his eyes at the blonde man's back. Indeed, this shall be a very long night Severus thought to himself as he squared his shoulders and followed them into the ballroom, attempting to convince himself that he did not look like a dog trailing along behind its master.