Disclaimer: JK Rowling is the creator of the HP universe and its characters. I do not own anything except the rather strange plot bunny, and I solely profit in reviews.
Years Ago From Now: Chapter Twenty
September 19, 1980
Peter Pettigrew walked to the billing department of St. Mungo's, struggling not to fidget. He had left his mother's room. She had been having a good day, and he appreciated the time he had spent there with her.
He had been planning to tell Sirius and Remus that night about how the newest potions seemed to be working when he was stopped by the nurses station and told he needed to go speak to billing.
He had, of course, received the numerous owls sent. The bills had started simple enough and then the parchment had become thick a rigid, colored a light pink in warning. The latest one had been a howler of sorts. When he had finally opened, it spoke in a chastening tone, reminding him that he hadn't paid anything in three months.
His mother had started to fall ill years ago, shortly after seeing Peter off for his sixth year of Hogwarts. She had been vacationing with a muggle man she had been dating (without Peter's knowledge) in Ephesus. On a tour of the ruins in Ephesus, she had wondered into an area she shouldn't have on her own. She found herself glued to the wall and the muggles seemed to look right over her.
Her boyfriend had alerted the muggle authorities, and they had searched all over the place. They had walked by her countless times, pressed against a hidden part of a wall near the Library of Celsus as she was stuck there in some sort of stasis. Considering Peter didn't go to the school that his mother had told her muggle boyfriend he went to, the magical world didn't learn she was missing until another magical on vacation had stumbled upon her and called the magical authorities
She had come home seemingly intact but as time passed her memory started to fail. It was becoming progressively worse, and the accident in Turkey seemed to have started the whole thing. St. Mungo's had been struggling to help her.
His mother didn't have much money, and being just out of Hogwarts with less than stellar NEWTs and no job made it rather difficult to pay for the experimental countercurses and potions they were using to try to help her.
Unfortunately, St. Mungo's charity could only go so far.
He approached the desk, feeling his stomach churning as he expected to be reprimanded or told that his mother would have to leave without being healed.
The woman sitting at it was an older witch with a tall behive hairstyle in a rather odd periwinkle color that was in rather dull contrast to her lemon yellow robes. "Hello. My name is Peter Pettigrew. I am here to see about my mother's account, Wilhelmina Pettigrew."
The women looked up at him with a nod. "Ah, Mr. Pettigrew. Thank you for coming by. I told them to keep an eye out for when you visited your mother."
Peter nodded, trying to stand tall to receive his dressing down.
"Your account was squared away as of early this morning. Also, another two hundred galleons was paid in advance with the request that we bring on a healer from the region of Turkey your mom was cursed. The healer en route is very well versed in antiquated spells."
Peter's eyes bulged. "My… what? But I… I owe a…" he stammered off, trying to remember the latest bill's amount.
"A donor came by. He requested that I pass on this card to you. It was quite generous of him, though considering what I know the man myself… he is known for being willing to spend a few galleons in the way to helping others. If only we all had the means to be so altruistic. He's a valuable friend to have," the woman gushed. "Much better than his father. Went to school with that one. Very slippery."
She held out a thick, weighted envelope with his name written in flowing script across the front. Peter took it and stumbled away from his desk, clueless as to who would have done such a thing for him. His hands shook as he opened it and pulled out the missive.
The Malfoy Family sends its regards and invite you for drinks. Sunday evening via floo at Malfoy Manor. 8.
Sincerely,
Lucius Malfoy
Peter squeaked as the paper slipped from his grasp.
September 21, 1980
Hermione and Lucius were on the couch in Lucius's office, awaiting the arrival of Peter Pettigrew. Lucius was trying not to fidget, distracting himself by running his finger around the rim of his glass of brandy. Hermione watched the smoke from the fire rising up into the chimney at the fireplace.
"Did you know him?" Lucius asked, quietly.
"Hmm? Oh, Pettigrew. Yes. Not well, though."
"Are you sure you want to stay?" he continued. He had asked her this several times throughout the course of the day, and she had thus far only answered by looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
This time, she sighed, drumming her fingers slowly on the arm of the chair. She didn't look away from the fire. "My relationship with Pettigrew was never really direct. I know what he's capable of. I know his core nature. Still, I am curious as to how quickly he will give in. How weak he could he possibly be?
"We both know I am not going to push hard this time. We are playing a long game, love."
Hermione nodded, never breaking her stare into he flames. Lucius stood from his chair and came to stand behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders and rubbing the tight muscles there. "Yes. I've just always been curious… Harry said that Dumbledore once said thought it was possible Hogwarts sorted too soon. I've always wondered… how did Peter ever get into Gryffindor to begin with? The house of the brave yet… he was so weak. So… sniveling and pathetic. Of all the people I have met here for the second time… its possible I am most curious about him."
"Surely Potter can sense his weakness? Why let him hang around?"
Hermione tilted her head, resting it against one of Lucius's forearms. "I wasn't send back far enough to see that. The only thing I can gather is that he counted on Peter being so reliant on him that he wouldn't even think to play the other side. To betray him."
"Did he seem like a true follower? A Bellatrix at the end?" Lucius queried.
Hermione snorted. "He's not wizard enough to be half the threat Bellatrix is, but… no. I think he honestly just thought his best chance of survival was with the Dark. He bet on the wrong horse. The cause doesn't matter to him, but his life does. I think, ultimately, he needs to be continuously on his toes. We need to feed his need to feel as if he desperately wants to remain on our good side. While simultaneously making sure he knows that he does not want to be on our bad side. That's why I think this plan will be a good start."
"Are you sure, though? It is… unsavory at best."
Hermione snorted. "I don't think he will see it that way."
They quieted as they heard footsteps approach. Hermione was hidden from view in her current position, the high back of the chair was between her and the door. She stayed seated and Lucius slid his hands to the back of the chair as Boden came in. "Master. Mr. Pettigrew to see you, sir."
Lucius slid on a look of arrogance as he turned to greet his guest. "Pettigrew. I appreciate your prompt arrival." His slid his eyes over the portly man, sneering slightly at the soot that was on the man's knees, sleeves and hands. He must've fallen out of the grate when he arrived.
Peter wiped his hands on his legs as the two men walked to meet each other, then reaching a hand out to shake Lucius's.
"Mr. Malfoy, I… I don't believe we've ever been introduced. I was… uhm.. surprised that you paid my… to help my mother."
Lucius nodded, ignoring the outstretched hand as he walked around Peter to the drink cart next to his desk, grabbing a glass and pouring some brandy into it before passing it to Peter. He then lifted his own glass again.
"To magical solutions," he said, taking a dainty sip. Peter followed in kind, and Lucius gestured toward the chair facing his desk, facing away from the fire. "Please, have a seat."
Peter sat down, his hands shaking slightly as he rested the glass lightly on his knee. The liquid inside sloshing a bit as he tried to be still.
"The healer I have hired is supposed to be one of the best in her field. I have high hopes for your mother," Lucius said.
Peter nodded. "Yes. I am to meet with her in the morning just before noon. I… I am very grateful for your help, though… I… well, I was very surprised to receive it. I… I am afraid I don't know when exactly I will be able to pay you back, but I will send you whatever I can, Mr. Malfoy. I will repay it."
Lucius shook his head, gesturing to the grand, wood paneled room around them. "Obviously I am not hurting for a few hundred galleons, Pettigrew. My wife and child will not starve for loss of it."
Peter gulped nodding. "Yes. Uhm, yes, I read that your wife had a son. Congratulations. How are they doing, if I may ask?"
"Mr. Pettigrew is asking after you, Narcissa," Lucius called in a slightly louder voice. Hermione smoothly stood from her chair as Peter looked behind him in surprise, seeing her silhouetted with the fire behind her. He gulped as she walked toward him, wearing a daring dark red gown that had a deep v-neckline, dropping to reveal an impressive amount of cleavage. She sauntered her way toward the man, smiling slightly as he stood to greet her, visibly shaking.
Holding back her disgust at what she was doing, Hermione walked around his desk chair and put her hands on his shoulders, leaning down to place a kiss just to the side of his mouth on either cheek. "How very kind, Mr. Pettigrew. I am doing quite well."
The sound of sparks caused Peter's wide eyes to jerk from Narcissa's cleavage to watch as Lucius lit a cigar, putting it to his smirking mouth. "Motherhood suits Narcissa very nicely, I believe. She is absolutely stunning, is she not, Pettigrew? Please, sit… relax."
"I… yes. Mrs…. Narcissa. You look… you look…"
"Delectable, even," Lucius said, looking at Hermione with lust-filled eyes. She smiled in return, guiding Peter back to his chair and going to stand behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders.
Peter looked absolutely baffled as to what was going on, turning his head from looking up at Narcissa to in front of him and Lucius. Malfoy, to his shock, was watching his wife with a rather pleased smile on his face. Peter felt as if he was in some strange alternate reality. He brought his drink to his mouth and took a large gulp.
"As I was saying, Peter, we aren't in a rush to get the money back. We want your mother to return to good health as soon as possible, and from what the healers have told me… she is deteriorating quickly?"
Peter cleared his throat, trying to ignore the hands than had started rubbing at his shoulders and neck, even slightly creeping with long red fingernails onto the front of his chest. "Uhm, I think so. That.. that is to say that her memory seems to be getting much worse lately. Which is why… the uhm… the loan is so helpful."
"What are friends for?" Lucius said, watching Peter struggle to keep his composure.
"F-f-f-friends?" he asked, spilling a bit of his drink finally as it almost fell off of his knee. He quickly put it on the desk in front of him.
Lucius's smirk got bigger, starting to gain a slightly predatory look. "Yes. Friends. I do favors for my friends. Eventually, when they see the need, they return. We also have gatherings… give gifts… spend time getting closely acquainted with each other's… families," the last was said with a glance at Narcissa. Peter looked up to see her own smile widen as she looked at her husband, and he felt one of her fingers flick over the top button of his robes. He swallowed hard.
"Uhm, yes. Friends," Pettigrew stammered.
Hermione sighed, "Well, I will leave you two to become better acquainted. I'm off to bed." She squeezed Peter's shoulders very tightly, once, causing him to wince in pain. Then, she walked around the desk to Lucius. He put his cigar down for a moment, wrapping his arms around his wife as she leaned down toward him.
Hermione tried her best to ignore the man watching them as she engaged Lucius in a deep kiss. It was, in all honesty, a little too wet for her liking, and she was sure Lucius would agree. Still, she moaned into it, pulling away slowly with Lucius's lower lip between her teeth. She finally released him, letting go of his lapels as he removed his hands from her hair, having released it from its previously pinned state.
She brushed her hair behind her shoulders as she stood tall once more, turning to sashay toward the door. "I do hope you don't stay up too late. You know how I despise waiting."
Lucius's eyes were locked on hers as he answered. "Business before pleasure, dear."
She pouted slightly, putting her hand on her door knob. She then stuck a finger up and made a small sound as she turned back around, looking at Lucius.
"One more thing, love. I noticed a rat in here earlier," she turned her gaze to Peter, smirking as she continued. "You know what I think of rodents. No matter how impressive their… size," She slid her eyes down to Peter's now crossed legs "… unless they serve a purpose, they are better off dead."
Even Lucius looked puzzled for a moment, though neither Peter or Hermione saw that, as they were too busy looking at each other. One set of eyes filled with shock and lust, the others seeming to laugh while her mouth showed off a beautiful set of pearly, white teeth. It took Peter several seconds to look back at Lucius, even after the door had shut after his wife had left.
An hour and two drinks later, after Peter had left, Lucius walked into their bedroom to see Hermione lying on the bed reading a book, completely naked. He walked across the room and took the book out of her hands, throwing it across the room as he climbed on top of her.
"Sweet Merlin, woman… as long as I block the image of that man out… that was the most erotic thing I have ever witnessed."
Hermione laughed, wrapping her legs around his waist as her hands found their way to the buttons of his vest.
He pulled back, looking at her. "If I could stand the actual idea of another man touching you…"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Shut up and kiss me."
She woke up the next morning with hair in her mouth. In her prior life, this had been nothing unusual. Her bushy, brown curls were legendary for having a mind of their own. This hair, however, wasn't bushy and brown. It wasn't even hers.
She sputtered as she wiped her husbands long hair out of her mouth and sat up. She gagged as a loose piece tried to partially go down her throat when she swallowed. Lucius, woken by the noise and the groggy, angry movements, leaned up onto an elbow, watching in amusement.
"Everything okay, Cissa?" he asked, holding back some amusement if the look on his face had anything to say about it.
She glared at his playful look and pushed his shoulder, knocking his arm out from under him so he landed on his back with a slight "oomph".
"I never imagined someone's hair could be as obnoxious as mine. I swear, I am going to cut your hair in your sleep if you don't keep it better restrained, Lucius Malfoy!" she said, climbing out of the bed and taking the sheet with her as she walked into the bathroom. The sound of Draco crying caused Lucius to sit up and swing his legs out of bed, pulling on some pajama pants from atop a nearby chair on his way to the door that connected to the nursery.
He came back in a moment later to see his wife sitting at her vanity, pinning her hair up. "Your mummy must have had some long, crazy hair before she got here," he cooed at the baby, tickling him as he walked up to stand behind his wife.
Hermione stopped her task for just a moment, hands still as she listened to him.
She truly didn't want Lucius to know who she had been until it was absolutely necessary. She knew it would only make it more difficult to treat the small muggleborn version of herself as he had to if he knew she would grow up to be the woman he loved. For this reason, she truly tried to watch what she said, but she thought drawing more attention to small slip ups would just make them stick in his mind more.
Draco was handed off to her for his first meal of the day with Lucius dressed.
"How did it go after I left last night?" she asked, curiously. She and Lucius had fallen asleep rather quickly after making love, and they hadn't spoken of Pettigrew. It would have ruined the mood.
"Well enough, I suppose. I think he's caught somewhere between being terrified of you and in love with you. Not that I can blame him, mind. You played your part masterfully," Lucius commented, fingers working at the buttons of his shirt.
"You didn't press him for information, though?"
"No. I talked to him about favors and vaguely threatened that his mother would fall very ill again if he didn't have a good relationship with me. He seemed to understand. He also," Lucius broke off, chuckling slightly, "he also requested I keep my donation anonymous as his friends would not understand our generosity. As if I would be eager for them to know…"
Hermione nodded, switching Draco to her other breast.
"What was the rat thing about, by the way?" Lucius asked, pulling on his outer robe as he turned to look at her.
Hermione laughed at this, shaking her head. "Yes, well… I know you will find out later, but he is an illegal rat animagus. I wanted him to feel like we already had some leverage over him."
Lucius looked at her in shock and disgust. "A rat? How… appropriate… still, I am surprised he was able to become one to begin with. It is supposed to take quite a bit of work and skill."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I think the difficulty is exaggerated to an extent. So few people truly try. The mandrake leaf aspect is enough to make most not see the point. And I think it no coincidence that his friends turned out to be much larger, stronger animals. It is telling. Though, yes, a rat is appropriate. I'm sure he will believe that we have had eyes and ears on them for much longer. Should make him less likely to lie if he believes we have people that are watching so closely as to know his most well-kept secrets."
Lucius nodded before kissing her on the cheek. "I'm off. I have a meeting at the ministry today to talk to Parkinson and Scrimgeour about the proposition to fire the killing curse at Death Eaters."
Hermione sighed, "A shame the stance you will have to take," she said quietly. "Scrimgeour is pretty quick. Careful."
Lucius nodded, "I have no doubt he will see right through me as far as everyone else is concerned. And, I am quite positive I will be pleased the Aurors won't be shooting to kill when it is me and…" he threw a glance at Draco. "when there is more to lose. There is Severus to think of, as well."
Hermione nodded, hugging her baby tighter to herself. "Yes, I suppose that is true. I have no clue how many skirmishes you were involved in earlier on, but… yes, I'm pleased that you won't have to dodge killing curses."
Lucius leaned down, kissing his wife and son before walking out of the room. Hermione took her time as she took Draco down to breakfast. She put him down on a blanket on the floor while she looked through the prophet and ate her own breakfast.
It was later that Mink came in with the journal she shared with Lily, handing it to her delicately.
Narcissa,
Our current location leaves a lot to be desired. James is finding plenty of reasons to go to headquarters and get out, but I just am not comfortable taking little Harry yet. I am going a bit stir crazy if I am honest. I hope things are well there with you and Draco.
I know it is strange as we met only a handful of times, but I really miss you. I also miss being able to go out in public without worry, but James's letter has put a bit of a target on our heads. He's caught quite a few overt stinging curses when going through Diagon Alley, even once in the ministry. Nothing serious as it is so public, but enough to keep us on our toes to be sure. I wonder how many people are truly attached to the Dark Lord's cause, be it active or sympathizers. I am sure that is not information you can share?
I have started keeping a diary. Mostly things about myself and James, what our families have been like with us, and small moments with Harry. I hope they get shared with him one day. The one I am writing in is also one of a pair. The copy that will duplicate everything written will be in the wooden box within our vault, amongst other things. I believe it might be wise for you to do something similar. It will be helpful in remembering things that have come to pass that might be useful later.
Sincerely,
Lily
Hermione smiled thinking of how pleased Harry would be to receive that journal some day. She greatly looked forward to the day that Harry could read his mother's words, and she hoped he would be receptive of the truths it would reveal.
Author's Note: Hope all is going well for you! Your reviews make me so eager to keep writing, and I love to hear your thoughts. Thank you so much and keep them coming! I think I have broken through the writer's block mostly. Firmly into Chapter 32 now with solid outlines squared away. :) I just keep finding so many little things to add that I am worried I will miss something!