Chapter 4
Hermione gulped quietly than turned around slowly to stare at the wizard standing ever so close behind her. Hermione clutched her child a little tighter as if he would rip the child from her arm and apparat away with him. "Lucius, please let me explain."
The wizard stepped closer to her, backing her further against the door, his eyes moved from hers than down to the child than back to hers once more. A sneer was contorting his features as he spoke, acid dripping from his usually smooth, cultured voice.
"Oh yes, witch, please do, explain to me how you have kept not only my child from me for over a year but the fact that you were pregnant at all from any of the newspapers?" Hermione stared up into the face of the man she had dreamt about for so long, his face slowly contorting into a rage. Her son began to squall and flailed against her, not liking the raised voices happening around him.
Hermione tried to soothe him but rocking him to and fro, shushing him gently. "I am sorry, Leo, it is okay." She breathed against his ear while patting him on the back gently. Hermione looked back up to see Lucius face, but he had become strangely silent.
Seeing that he no longer seemed to be yelling, Hermione though it might be best to take this conversation inside. "Would you like to talk in my place, or would you prefer to be still standing in the hall for this conversation?"
Her words seemed to bring him back from were every he had gone off too. Lucius only nodded curtly while she opened her door so they could step inside. He could not believe she had a child or the fact that she had kept it from him. There was no mistaking who that baby belonged to. He may have curly hair on top of his head like hers, but it looked pure white as he did and his son Draco's and many of his lines before him.
When he had seen the baby in the great hall, he knew instantly, and instead of giving him the chance to process it, she had fled with his child in her arms as if they very hounds of hell were on her heels. Lucius, at that moment, then only felt rage; getting up, he went after her for some answers.
How dare she, that is my baby, and she did not even feel the need to tell me. No, she kept it from me, and almost everyone, apparently the only one who did not seem shocked that she had a kid, was Minerva. However, I suspect she had been shocked at the apparent parentage of the child by the look on her face.
Why would she not tell me, though? Did I not deserve to know. Could she have been afraid I would try to take the baby or corrupt the child like I once did to Draco? Those days are long gone. I work at Hogwarts for Merlin's sake.
They had stepped into the sitting room that looked quite cozy with its stuffed chairs and little fireplace. She had a tea table and a small couch for two. He watched as she took the baby into a room with a crib set in it. Lucius watched as she magicked a mobile to play cheery baby music. His son cooed and laughed while reaching for it standing up in the crib.
Hermione came back into the room now that her baby was currently occupied. Coming and sitting down, she shyly looked at her hands rather than at him. When the silence stretched too long for his liking, he grew impatient.
"Well, I am waiting for that explanation, witch. I have all night but would rather not spend it sitting here in silence." He snapped, and she winced at his words. Hermione seemed to take in a fortifying deep breath before slowly exhaling it.
"There is no excuse. I know this, I wanted so many times to tell you, but I did not know-how. I felt that an owl was too impersonal and the last time I saw you, we ran into each other in Diagon Alley. I had been about to tell you then, but I saw a gift for a woman, and I realized that I could not destroy your happiness with someone, for my own sake. It would have been unfair to you. So, I fled without saying anything."
Lucius thought back to that day in Diagon Alley. The last day he had seen her until now. He tried to remember what he had been doing, and then it dawned on him. He had gone and bought a gift for Cissy for her birthday.
"Hermione, that had not been for anyone in my life. I bought that for Narcissa's birthday present. We might not be married anymore, but she is still the mother of my son. I have not been with anyone since you."
Hermione felt such shock as his words penetrated her being. Has he been with no one else? I could have told him then that I was pregnant with his baby, and we could have raised him together. Oh, you foolish, foolish girl, how could you be so smart but so dumb sometimes. You hear that he has been with no one since you. At that, Hermione promptly burst into tears.
Lucius watched in horror as the witch in front of him began to cry. Not just cry but great heaving sobs. He had expected many things, but not that. Lucius had to admit he never really had to deal with to many crying women before, so he felt at a loss as to what to do. Cissy never cried, nor did any of the other women in his family.
"Bullocks!" He muttered under his breath so his son would not hear in the other room. Lucius moved over to the couch than awkwardly wrapped an arm around the weeping female's shoulders. "Please do not cry, Hermione. It seems an honest mistake. You thought I found someone and did not destroy what I had by telling me you were with child. I admit I am not too pleased that I did not get to share in his first birthday or watch you grow with him inside you, but I know now, and we can try to make the best of it."
Hearing this seemed to calm her down; some of her heaving sobs turned to slight hiccups instead. Once they stopped altogether, she lay spent against his shoulder. At that moment is when his son began to cry, finding the mobile boring and wanting attention once more. Hermione moved to get him, but Lucius stayed her with an arm on her shoulder. "Allow me. He needs to get to know his father, now doesn't he?" Lucius tried to give her a small smile to reassure her that he planned on sticking around.
Hermione only nodded at the same time, wiping the tears from her eyes. She watched as Lucius Malfoy stood and walked into Leo's room, picking him up gently than cradling the little boy to his chest.
"Hello Leo, I see you are not enjoying that toy anymore. How about you and I go and see mama, and you can come to spend some time with me? Does that sound good?" Leo gurgled at him then began to take a whole fist full of Lucius's hair and try to eat it.
She could hear his deep laughter at his son's antics. "Ahah, young man, that I assure you is not food and will not taste good. If you are hungry, why do we not see about getting you something to eat." Lucius than carried their child out into the sitting room.
Hermione admitted to herself that she could live to be a thousand years old. The picture of Lucius Malfoy with a baby in his arms would never stop being a shock and a turn on as well. The fact that he had all his silver strands swept to his other shoulder so Leo could not reach them. His blue eyes were laughing as the baby found something else on him to be fascinated with, made Hermione slightly lustful.
Down girl, he is not here because of that, and you need to stop feeling such things. After today you would be lucky if he even looked at you with any amount of kindness, let alone feelings of desire. You did keep such a secret from him that was life-altering after all. Well, it is not like I intended to forever. Both sides of Hermione's conscious argued back and forth over what she should have done and what she had planned to do, which both were a moot point now.
Shut it! He is here now, so there is nothing else for it. He can watch our son grow-up for the rest of his life, even if he cannot and will not want or love me, he has Leo, and that is all that matters.
Hermione watched Lucius play and feed Leo a bit of baby food. Even though her breast felt full, she did not feel comfortable pulling them out in front of him, so she would wait until he left than nurse Leo privately. Hermione watched the two and knew when Leo became fussy and started pushing the spoon away. Causing the food to splatter all of Lucius clean robes that Leo was ready to nurse.
"Oh, my goodness, Lucius, I am so sorry!" Hermione rushed over her wand, raising to clean him, but Lucius held up his hand. Taking out his wand, he cleaned himself off in a flash; he picked up Leo and began to rock him back and forth, singing a lullaby in hushed tones. Leo calmed down immediately, all the while gazing up at him, blue eyes meeting blue.
Hermione stared in awe at the two. She had never been much of a singer, so to hear someone with such a lovely voice sing to Leo gurgled at his father happily before settling down to suck his thumb.
"I have never seen him take to anyone before, not even Molly Weasley. She flushed, recalling who she talked too. He had a one-up on Molly by being her son's blood. Lucius smirked at her slightly as if reading her thoughts just by the flush on her cheeks.
"Hermione, did anyone ever tell you, you are cute when you blush." His remark made her blush even deeper while casting her eyes down. Lucius watched the witch while holding his son. He could feel himself growing hard as he remembered what her skin looked like with the blush underneath him. No woman stirred him the way she did. He looked down to see his son sleeping. Lucius walked over to his room and laid him back over into the crib.
Once he tucked him in, he walked back out to where Hermione stood in the same place. Lucius strolled up to her. She seemed to be deep in thought; he placed a finger under her chin to she could look at him.
Hermione stared up into the eyes of the man who had taken her virginity and left her with something far more precious. Now he stood there staring at her deep in the eyes. He only spoke one word, but that seemed to be all that was needed.
"Hermione," came her name out of his lips. Hermione could not say who moved first, but the next thing she was aware of was they were kissing heatedly. His mouth pressed into her, their lips sliding sensuously against one another.
Lucius could not say what happened; all he knew was that he had Hermione wrapped in his arms, their lips, and tongue in a mating dance as old as time. Next, he knew he had lifted her by her bottom in his hands, and it took about ten steps till he had her pressed against a wall. Their bodies were sliding together in desperate need.
Hermione moaned against Lucius's mouth, her hands tangled into his long blond hair, her legs wrapping around his firm, strong hips. His hands felt like they were everywhere all at once. She could not help gasping as his lips came to land on her neck, sucking and licking the sensitive patch of skin he found there.
One of his hands cups her over sensitive nipples causing her to brake their kiss with a wail being ripped from her throat. Oh, cerci, I forgot my breasts are so full. How am I going to take care of that without embarrassing myself thoroughly?
Lucius looked at her with a bit of concern before his eyes dropped downward. He noticed a wet patch spreading on her chest; it dawned on him that she still might be nursing their son.
He could not help teasing her slightly at the knowledge that she might need relief in a different area. "Well, what do we have here? I believe you. My dear are wet in an entirely different way." He reached up and pulled the cups of her shirt and bra down, exposing her tits to him.
Lucius had to bite back a groan at the sight of her ripe, swollen breast leaking milk. "Would you like some help with that?" His voice sounded husky and rough. His eyes were looking into hers as he leaned his head down toward her left breast. He moved slowly so she would have time to say no.
Hermione would not have said no for all the world as she watched his head descend towards her nipple. She had to bite back a gasp as his lips touched down on her flesh. Hermione nearly orgasmed as he began to lick and suckled her nipple while flicking his tongue back and forth or swirling it around. Eventually, he pulled back to look at her face.
Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but there came pecking at the window, breaking the moment between them. Lucius released her so she could answer the window. Hermione righted her clothes before heading to the window. She opened it to admit the owl. It handed her the note before flying away.
"Who is it from?" Lucius inquired as he came up behind her. Hermione opened it reading the contents, then groaned. "Headmistress has requested to see us. Now, apparently. I have not even been on staff for a day, and already I am being summoned to the Headmistresses office." Hermione all but wailed quietly in frustration. Lucius did not help the situation by laughing softly at her shocked tone.
"Hermione, everything will be alright. Do not worry. Let us go and get this over with, shall we?" He placed her hand in his than summoned Beebe to watch over the baby will he slept. Hermione and Lucius headed out to the spiral staircase, ready to explain everything about tonight to McGonagall. They knew she would not sack them because it happened a long time ago. Besides, she is the one that always went on about inter-house relations and coming together. She may not have meant literally but figuratively. Well, beggars could not be choosers.
They arrived together and went up the stairs together. Hermione knocked on the door lightly, and there came a tight voice telling them to come in. Once inside, Hermione could see McGonagall at her desk. Her classes were off, and she pinched the bridge of her nose as if she were trying to ward off a headache. The older Headmaster portraits seemed to have scattered.
McGonagall waved them to a seat. Hermione sat, wringing her hands. She looked over to Lucius, who sat in the chair next to her, looking for all the world calm, cool, and collected. Hermione felt it wasn't fair that he should get to be so while she felt a nervous wreck at the moment.
The Headmistress looked at them both in the eyes and stated simply. "I take it Hermione Granger's son is yours, Lucius?" The glare she leveled at him would have made a first-year cry, but it did not seem even to faze one such as Malfoy. Instead, he cool replied.
"It would seem so Minerva. It could not be anyone else's now, could it." He then looked over at Hermione with a brow arched, and she knew he asked her in his own way if she had slept with anyone after him.
Hermione flushed bright red but shook her head no, effectively giving him his answer and the answer to the Headmistress as well. McGonagall than in a pinched voice as if she loathed having to ask the next question but knew it was necessary.
"I must ask this. I assume Hermione was of age, and this encounter did not come out of force or coercion?" Hermione squawked at being asked such a question, but she also knew it is necessary so that Lucius would not lose his job. No, that he needs it. Hermione could not help thinking to herself.
"Of course not," Lucius sniffed haughtily at the thought that he would have to resort to such a thing. Hermione knew he must have felt slightly outraged to at the assumption that he would force himself on her in any way.
"No Headmistress Lucius in no way forced himself on me. I wanted him." I still do. Hermione spoke inside her head so no one else could hear. Hermione looked down at her hand instead of the other two in the office. She missed the look on her son's father's face at hearing her words spoken out loud. She missed the speculative stare of the Headmistress as she gazed at each of them in turn.
Minerva could tell that these to had something going on between them and not just the baby in question. There seemed to be an undercurrent of tension running between these two. She felt she had gotten the answers she needed, so she told the two that they were dismissed and bid them good night.
Once the two left her office, McGonagall told Albus he could come out now from hiding. "So, what do you think?" She inquired of her old friend. Albus just laughed heartily. "I do not think you need to worry about inter-house mingling anymore. The fact that those two came together and produced a baby is shocking enough. Wait until the Prophet gets wind of this. You will be very popular for a while, Minnie." Albus chortled. Minerva glared at him. "Don't you even be thinking of dropping that bomb in their laps either you old coot. Those two and their son need to bond; I will not have their lives bombarded by the media.
Albus threw up his hand is subjugation, not wanting Minnie mad at him. "I swear they will not hear it from me Min. Now one of the other portraits I cannot promise, but it won't be me." Minerva sighed once more. Her life seemed to get a whole lot more complicated in a short amount of time.
"I just hope they get to know each other because that baby deserves both parents." Albus nodded his head above the current Headmistress. "That little boy is going to have a lot of love from those two. Let us hope he doesn't know the hatred and scorn of years past but only love and kindness going forward."
Minerva had to dap her eyes at Albus' words. That is all any of them could wish for. Hogwarts had been trying to promote kinship between the houses since the school reopened. In the hopes that they would never have to worry about a dark lord rising in their lifetime again. After all, their world had seen two in the same century. It would be a tragedy for there to be another.
"I hope the two of them can set a good example for the rest of the houses. I do not know about you, but I need a drink." With that, Minerva got up and went to her stash of liquor. Normally she would not drink if the school were open, so she could count herself lucky that at this time it was not.
Taking a dram of Ogden's finest, she saluted Albus and the coming year may it be calm, and drama free. Albus nodded his agreement but kept his opinion to himself that with those two, there could be anything but drama-free. The old headmaster could not have known how right he would be.