Antonin returned that night, and we passed the rest of the week in relative calm, if you didn't count several rounds of bed-shaking sex.

Friday morning, I awoke to Antonin pulling on his traveling cloak. "I am travel to Russia today," he explained, "I should be back before you go to bed."

"What are you doing in Russia?" I asked conversationally.

He fixed me with a long look, which reminded me that despite the way we bumped along comfortably, we were enemies outside of this bedroom.

"Just making conversation," I said quickly, "Who in the world would I tell anyway?"

He grunted and grabbed his wand.

"Stay out of trouble, mishka," he warned me with a smile.

"I'll do my best," I replied, returning his smile.

As the door shut behind him, I sat back in the bed to think. Yesterday, Snape had brought news of an attack on an Order headquarters in Hogsmeade, which reminded me that as a spy I'd been pretty much useless lately. The tricky part is that the Death Eaters are a purposely fragmented organization, so the members don't even discuss their assignments among each other without Voldemort's permission. The details of their knowledge tended to remain locked inside of their heads.

Finding myself with too much restless energy, I set to practicing some of the wand-less spells that I'd been learning. I'd never realized before how much easier modern witches and wizards had it with wands, compared to the ancient druids who had worked magic with their bare hands. Even levitating a book in front of me caused my forehead to break out in a sweat. When I switched to shield charms, my shield flickered miserably.

At last I sighed, lowering my shaking arms. As usual, distracting my mind from the problem had helped me decide on a course of action.

I determined that if I couldn't bring myself to invade Antonin's mind, I'd have to pursue another option. I'd seen Lucius following me with his eyes all week, but Antonin had hardly let me out of his sight. Today would have to be the day.

After my shower, I sauntered over to the closet in my towel and perused the selection of clothing. I decided to start with some nice foundational garments. I chose a black, lacy set with gold embellishments and tried not to think about how Pansy Parkinson had once worn these.

Then, I selected a lovely pair of brocade robes with a high collar and a low neckline. I couldn't resist breaking into a little dance when I saw how perfectly they fit me. Oh, this man was in trouble now!

I swept into the kitchen and grabbed a scone. I didn't really feel like sitting through a long breakfast with everyone. I peered into the dining room and saw that Lucius's seat was already vacated. Perfect.

I sauntered down to the drawing room that Lucius had requisitioned for his office and tapped lightly on the door, turning up the pheromones just a touch. I wasn't even sure I needed them, but I didn't want to let my arrogance prevent me from completing this mission.

"Enter," Lucius called regally.

"Hi, Lucius. I hope I'm not bothering you?"

"Not at all, my dear. I was just about to take coffee. Will you join me?"

I assented and we settled ourselves at a small side table. I noticed that Lucius's chair had somehow landed right next to mine.

We sipped our coffees quietly for a moment.

"So what can I do for you, Hermione?" He asked smoothly.

"Well it's a bit strange, really, but I'm just curious about who my family was. Severus told me you knew my parents?"

This was a blatant lie, but I figured that most Purebloods knew each other. Anyway, I just needed a pretense to get him alone.

"Naturally," said Lucius with a smile, "Your mother, actually. She was a beautiful woman, much like you."

I looked down at my lap and blushed, "You're too kind, Lucius."

He tipped my face back up with a finger under the chin, "Nonsense. You have the same fine, aristocratic features."

I breathed deeply to bite down a laugh at his ridiculousness, since in reality I couldn't possibly look anything like Emmaline Vance. Hopefully he'd think it was a sigh of desire. He laid a hand on my arm.

"You have the same fine figure, and the same fiery spirit."

"Lucius..." I began, but he cut me off.

"You've been avoiding me all week, Hermione."

"Why should I do that?" I demanded with a smile, meeting his eyes at last.

"Maybe you've been worried about what I'd do with you if I get you alone again," he purred in an entirely sinful voice.

"And yet here I am," I countered with a smirk.

With a tug of my arm, Lucius pulled me into his lap.

"And this time you won't be getting away," he murmured. I briefly imagined Antonin's reaction if he walked into this situation, but I pushed those thoughts away. War, I reminded myself, this is war.

I wasn't sure who moved first, but suddenly we were kissing each other. My hands were in Lucius's soft, silky hair and his were running down my spine. I found myself surprised again by how intoxicating it was to kiss him. His lips trailed down my neck and I moaned softly.

"Stand up, Hermione," he whispered in my ear.

I stood obediently and he pushed me back against his desk. I sat on top of the scrolls of parchment, and he pulled me towards him. He slid my robes down over my shoulders and attacked my bared breasts with gusto, nibbling lightly on one as he rolled the other nipple between his nimble fingers. I sighed contentedly and trailed my hands down his chest to unzip his pants. His cock sprang free and I started to stroke it lightly. He groaned and nipped one of my nipples hard. I squeaked, arching into him, and he laughed against my skin.

Lucius's warm, soft hands trailed up the outside of my thighs and delved under my skirt. As his fingers slipped past my silky underwear and inside of me, I began to prepare my mind. He curled two fingers inside of me and I gasped softly, rocking against his hand and fisting his open shirt, heedless of damaging the fine cloth.

Suddenly, he withdrew his fingers to be replaced by something much broader nudging at my entrance. As Lucius slid inside of me with a groan, I dropped my head to his shoulder and nibbled on the skin there. I rocked against him again and opened up the connection between our minds.

Lucius was in a dark corridor that I recognized as the ministry. He pulled Bowle into an alcove and passed him a bag that clinked suspiciously. "All is in order?" he hissed. "Yes, the aurors will never know we've re-activated their traces," Bowle responded.

I arched into Lucius as he fucked me slowly, cupping my ass in his hands.

Lucius sat on a beautiful persian rug, tickling a squirming, blonde-haired toddler. He laughed a deep, genuine laugh that I'd never heard from him before.

Suddenly, Lucius placed his hand on my collarbone and pushed me down on the desk. His pace increased, and he leaned against me, grasping my shoulder. I wound a leg around his waist and let my head fall back on the desk.

Lucius and Bellatrix were chasing a young woman down a street. Lucius hit her with a stinging hex, and Bellatrix cackled madly.

I wrapped both legs around his waist, urging him on, "Lucius, I'm so close!" I whined, "Harder please." He obliged and I felt a familiar warmth spreading through my body. I could feel my mouth fall open as I broke, and dimly noticed his eyes drink in the sight of my breasts bouncing as my back arched off the desk. I felt his body tense with the effort of not following me, and he slowed down to rock against me with shallow, measured thrusts.

Lucius kneeled in front of Voldemort. "My lord, I believe we are losing control of the werewolves. They are threatening to defect unless we will promise their children an equal place in wizarding society."

As my body calmed, I slid off the desk and drew Lucius around to stand in my spot. With a smirk, I sank to my knees and took him in my mouth.

Lucius had Draco pinned against the wall with his hand on his son's throat. He was screaming in his face, "I don't give a shit what you believe. This isn't about values. This is about power and survival."

After only seconds, Lucius dragged me back up to a standing position and bend me face-first over his desk. I shivered in anticipation as he pushed my skirt up over my waist. I spread my legs, but instead of his cock, I felt his fingers enter me.

"Fuck yourself on my fingers," he breathed. Despite being a smarmy bastard, this man teased me in just the right way. I ground back against his hand and whimpered as I felt a light smack on my ass.

"Good girl," he growled. Abruptly his fingers were replaced with his cock and in no time at all, we were both coming hard. My heart was racing, both from the exhilaration of successfully getting the information and from the double orgasm. After a few seconds, Lucius pushed himself off of me and straightened his clothes. I did the same and perched on top of the desk, grinning at him. He smirked back. I could tell that he was feeling like he'd gotten one over on my husband.

Lucius summoned our coffees, and stood in front of me in silence as we finished our cups. He had an uncertain look on his face, something I'd never seen before. I decided to take pity and spare us both the awkwardness.

"Well that was fun," I said lightly. I hopped off the desk and kissed him on the cheek, "But we'd best not make a habit of it."

Lucius looked a bit put out, but recovered quickly, "Regrettable, but probably a sensible idea."

"Thanks for the coffee," I said, and walked calmly out the door. I considered going up for a shower, but decided that some of the information should get to Severus immediately.

I walked into the basement lab, and Severus immediately took stock of my flushed cheeks and swollen lips.

"Getting in trouble so early in the morning, Hermione?" he snarked.

"Don't be an ass," I rejoined with a smile, "I have dirt."

"Dirt? For plants?" Severus seemed genuinely confused.

I sighed, "No. It's a muggle expression for gossip, information."

Severus raised an eyebrow, but I didn't want to get bogged down in muggle idioms just now. I told him everything that I'd seen in Lucius's mind.

"I'm not sure what to make of all of it," I mused, "but by putting together the pieces, it seems like the important bits are that Bowle is betraying the Order, the Aurors all have some sort of trace on them, we might be able to sway the werewolves to our side, and that we might be able to flip Draco."

Severus nodded thoughtfully, "Quite the treasure-trove."

"There's more. I also saw Theo trying to use a bunch of wands to access Gringotts vaults. The goblins were refusing without notarized letters from account holders,"

"Hmm, interesting. Perhaps the Dark Lord is trying to drain prisoners' accounts. Good work, Miss Granger. I'll let Kingsley know immediately. And I'll do some digging into Draco's situation myself."