A/N: Hi all, thanks for the reviews! Btw Perpetual Nonsense, you are really delivering with the suggestions for this story- much appreciated!
Chapter 4.
Hermione whimpered as Fleur climbed up on top of her in her cell cot. Fleur was so beautiful it was almost painful. Hermione lifted a shaking hand to run it through Fleur's silver-blonde hair.
"I can't believe this is happening," Hermione murmured. Fleur's eyes were the deepest blue as she gazed down at her.
"'Ermione," Fleur sighed before biting her lip. She rolled her hips against Hermione. Hermione's breath hitched in her throat. It felt so damn good. Hermione ran her hands up Fleur's body as Fleur nuzzled into her neck. Fleur began to kiss at Hermione's neck and roll her hips against her again.
"Jesus, Fleur," Hermione moaned, "Damn…"
Hermione awoke with a start, painfully aware that she was lying alone in her prison cot. But she was not alone in her cell. The tall and imposing figure of Lucius Malfoy was standing leaning against the small desk. Hermione jumped.
"Fleur, huh?" Lucius smirked, "Fleur Delacour-Weasley? Your lawyer? That's hilarious. Dreaming of her getting you off?"
Hermione ignored his taunting, still tense at his presence. Lucius was one of the ringleaders in the prison block and who she suspected was behind the prison yard attack that had left her so battered.
"What do you want?" Hermione asked suspiciously.
"Getting to know my new neighbour," Lucius said amiably, "How is the Golden Girl finding her new home?"
"Very funny," Hermione said darkly, sitting up in her cot. She felt quite vulnerable alone in her cell with this hulking Death Eater.
"I'm just surprised you had it in you to murder that Bones girl," Lucius smirked, "By all of Draco's accounts, you were never the Dark Magic type."
"Do you know who set me up?" Hermione asked with a scowl. Lucius laughed.
"Set up?" Lucius laughed, "No, no… I would say you're exactly where you should be."
He stepped forward, posing an even more menacing figure as he rose to his full height.
"What's happening in here?" Pansy asked, ducking into the doorway of the cell. Lucius looked in the doorway and grinned innocently.
"Why, hello Pansy," Lucius said charmingly, "I must say you are growing into a fine young woman in this place."
"What're you talking to Hermione about?" Pansy asked, narrowing her eyes. Lucius regarded her curiously for a moment before smirking again.
"I thought you and Draco never got along with our Golden Girl here?" Lucius said.
"Yeah, well, times change," Pansy said, walking into the cell and standing in front of Lucius, "Did you need something?"
Lucius smirked, looking between Pansy and Hermione for a while before shrugging.
"Nope," he said finally, "We can catch up another time Ms. Granger,"
Lucius swept silkily out of the room, his long white blond hair fluttering. Pansy looked at Hermione.
"You okay?" Pansy asked, "He didn't try anything, did he?"
Hermione shook her head.
"No, no," she replied, "He creeped me out though."
Pansy sat on the bed beside Hermione, facing her.
"He's a creepy guy," Pansy said with a smile, "I never liked him when I used to go round to Draco's place back at school. You sure you're okay?"
"Yeah…" Hermione said with a sigh, "Its just tiring being in here, constantly having to be on guard."
Pansy cupped Hermione's cheek, stroking it with her thumb.
"It'll be okay, Hermione," Pansy said softly, "I've got you. I won't let anything bad happen."
Hermione smiled, relaxing a little for the first time since getting into Azkaban. Pansy smiled back.
They sat like that for a while, looking in each other's eyes. Pansy slowly leaned in, swallowing nervously before lightly brushing her lips against Hermione's. She drew back quickly, looking apologetic.
"Shit, sorry, that's not why I'm doing this, I swear," Pansy said, dropping her hand from Hermione's face. Hermione smiled.
"No, its okay."
Hermione was doing sit-ups in her cell. Her mind was awash with thoughts. Thoughts of Fleur, thoughts of Pansy… thoughts of how good it felt to kiss the soft lips of a woman. How could she not have noticed she was interested in women? She was Hermione Granger, she was famous for being attentive.
But meshing sickeningly with those thoughts were concerns about the Death Eaters who seemed to constantly be lurking nearby. How long could she realistically fend them off? Lucius had managed to get into her cell without even waking her. Fleur was yet to even name an exact date for her bail hearing.
Hermione sat up, clutching briefly at her aching abdomen before beginning to pull herself up on the bars of her cell. Sweat was beginning to drip down her forehead but she was being fuelled by her fear.
Greg came and watched her for a while on the other side of the bars. Hermione inwardly groaned. She was wearing a singlet with no bra underneath and her sweatpants and socks. She hoped he wasn't perving on her.
After a while, Greg interrupted by knocking on the bars. Hermione dropped to the floor, panting and drenched in sweat.
"What?" Greg was hardly Hermione's favourite guard in Azkaban.
"Lawyer visit, come on," Greg said, banging on the bars again impatiently. Hermione frowned.
"I'm covered in sweat, can't I at least change?" Hermione asked. Greg laughed.
"Nope, come on Golden Girl," Greg said with a smirk.
Greg didn't even give her a chance to catch her breath, pulling her from the cell and rushing her down the hallways at pace. Hermione puffed as they reached the usual door, scowling at Greg. He laughed and shrugged.
"What? You didn't want to finish your workout with a brisk run?" Greg said, opening the door and gesturing for Hermione to enter.
Hermione shook her head in annoyance at Greg before entering the door, which he locked behind her. Hermione leaned against the cool door, panting and leaning her head back. Her eyes fluttered shut in relief at the coldness on her overheated body. She swore the guards must all have a sadistic streak to be working at Azkaban.
"Are you okay?"
Hermione jumped at how close the voice was to her, snapping her eyes open. Fleur was close enough to her that she could feel her breath on her neck. Hermione was struck by how intense her eyes looked. Fleur's pupils were larger than usual and her eyes had never looked so blue.
"I… I always thought you were taller than me…" Hermione said, feeling stupid. A smile ghosted Fleur's lips.
"I am a couple of centimetres taller when I wear heels," she replied, "I'm not wearing any today, I had to rush in."
Hermione wiped the sweat from her brow and Fleur stepped back, an unreadable expression crossing her face as her eyes ran down Hermione. Hermione blushed.
"Yeah, sorry, Greg pulled me out in the middle of my workout then rushed me all the way here," Hermione said, self conscious about her sweatiness and frumpiness in front of the ever-fashionable and prim Fleur Delacour-Weasley.
"Je suis desolee, I told him it was urgent," Fleur said, her eyes still on Hermione's body. She seemed distracted.
"Urgent? What's going on?" Hermione asked, suddenly worried. Fleur's eyes snapped back to hers immediately, a look of guilt tinging her features before she paled.
"Ron and Harry… Despite our best efforts… They've gone missing…" Fleur said in a tense voice.
"What?!" Hermione screeched, losing it. Harry and Ron were brave, sure, but they had a horrible knack for diving headfirst into dangerous situations when she wasn't there to do the thinking for them.
"Hermione… We tried to keep an eye on them," Fleur said apologetically, "They were insistent on helping the aurors."
Hermione swore, her temper flaring. She grabbed Fleur roughly by the shoulders, turning them around and shoving Fleur so she was the one against the cold door.
"Fleur, you said you would help me," Hermione growled, pushing into Fleur's personal space. Fleur's pupils dilated again and she appeared flustered.
"I… Hermione…" Fleur uttered, before blushing uncharacteristically. Hermione sighed heavily.
"I'm sorry," Hermione said, stepping back and running a hand through her hair, "Its just so fucking frustrating being stuck in here and unable to help or do anything useful."
"I'm working on that," Fleur said, regaining her proud composure, "When I leave here I'm on my way to work on having your bail hearing moved up."
Hermione relaxed a little.
"Okay, good," Maybe all was not lost after all. Fleur gave a small short smile.
"I should go," Fleur said.
She kissed Hermione on both cheeks, a habit she had long lost with the brunette, before flicking her wand to end the session.
Greg led Hermione to the start of the cell block hallway, unbinding her hands before giving her an encouraging shove.
"You aren't going to walk me back to my cell like usual?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows.
"I've got better things to do," Greg shrugged, turning and walking away.
Hermione watched him, confused, before walking down the hallway. It was so strangely quiet and empty.
There was a sudden scuffle and Hermione felt a strong male body grab her from behind and a blade move to her throat.
"How does it feel" hissed the unmistakeable voice of Lucius, "Knowing you will die in this hovel while your friends struggle blindly without you?"
"Stop," Hermione choked, struggling against him. But he was too strong.
"This is for the Dark Lord," Lucius growled.
There was the dreadful sound of a blade stabbing heavily into flesh and a gasp. Hermione began to shake as the body grasping her went slack and fell to the ground behind her. Hermione whirled around to see Lucius, pale, gasping in a pool of his own blood. Standing behind him was Pansy, a small knife in her hand.
"Hermione," Pansy said, looking at the paling brunette in front of her, "We need to get out of here, fast. Before anyone can pin this on us."
Hermione nodded dumbly as Pansy gripped her tightly by the arm and tugged her away.
For once, Hermione's mind, overwhelmed with all the events that had occurred, froze. She followed Pansy, her mind turning blank.