A/N: A bit more adult time in this story. Enjoy!
Lucifer woke up to the sound of the shower starting. He cracked open one eye to see Hermione return to the room. She bent over to kiss him.
"Just started warming the shower. Join me?"
He opened both eyes and rolled out of bed, following Hermione into the gently warming bathroom.
Hermione turned, about to question whether they would fit into the shower, wings and all, when she saw he had hidden them.
"How do you do that?" she asked gently, having sensed some hesitation on his part, last night.
"Well, they don't disappear. I still feel them there. But people can't see them, and they pass through things, like clothes for instance."
"May I?" she asked, reaching her hand forward to touch him.
He nodded, slightly, and turned to show his back. When she looked, there was long, lean muscle, and a great, taut ass, but nothing to indicate the presence of wings. She gently ran her fingertips on his lats. As she continued her gentle exploration, she saw Lucifer begin to relax. What she also saw was a faint shimmer. Moving her fingers towards what now looked like a hologram, she touched his wings. Lucifer tried to look over his shoulder at her, feeling her touch on what should have been invisible wings.
Hermione let out a small, satisfied laugh. Then Lucifer laughed too.
"I guess the way my magic recognized you, your wings recognized me?" Hermione offered, as a hypothesis.
Lucifer turned and pulled Hermione into a hug.
"I suppose so," he replied, before taking her lips into a deep kiss.
"Mmm, shower?" Hermione offered lazily.
The shower wasn't huge, "intimate" was an understatement. It fit the pair of them, which excluded the once-again invisible wings. Luckily, the pair of them didn't need a lot of personal space, since they spent the time exploring each other's personal space.
Lucifer started on his knees, lapping at Hermione, until she came, yelling his name.
Hermione returned the favor, taking to her knees, and taking Lucifer in her mouth. When he came, he slammed the palm of his hand against the tile wall, cracking several of them as he shouted "Hermione!"
After the shower, and after Hermione used her wand to fix the broken tiles, they made their way downstairs. In the kitchen they found an owl with an invitation to brunch from Harry, and the promise of an apology from Ginny. With Lucifer in agreement, Hermione quickly scribbled an acceptance on the back of the letter and sent the owl back to the Potter residence.
With a few hours until their reservation, Hermione offered to show Lucifer her workspace in the basement. There, she checked on the potions brewing, making a small adjustment to one, and explained what some of the more fancifully named ingredients were for.
Hermione watched Lucifer, as he read labels and occasionally risked sniffing ingredients. Now that they had bonded physically, there wasn't pain when they separated, but there was still a longing to be close. This brought them together for a snog multiple times that morning.
Close to their reservation time, the pair of them made their way back upstairs. Hermione was explaining what the final details of the divorce were.
"Because he insisted we buy some overpriced mansion, I have to wait until it sells before I get my half back. So, I'm just renting this little place until then."
"So, do you have something against mansions?" Lucifer was trying to make mental notes on the subject of things to buy, or not, during the conversation.
"No, I just have something against overpriced ones." Lucifer nodded in understanding. He had bought a lot of property over the ages, but over-paying for a piece of real estate was never high on his to-do list.
"Um, Hermione?" Lucifer was in the living room, while Hermione was in the powder room, wand in hand, fixing her hair in the mirror.
"Yeah," she said, a bit distractedly, as there was a renegade curl being unresponsive.
"What's the dress code for this place?"
"I'd say smart casual, why?" she had moved from hair to some small touches of makeup.
"I feel "topless" isn't appropriate, then."
She looked at him. He had slipped his trousers back on, but his shirt and coat had been ruined, so he didn't bother with them this morning beyond throwing them out.
"Can we stop by your place to get you something?"
"If you can apparate us there, sure."
Having never been to the hotel he was staying at, she was worried about arriving in a room with an unknown layout. But she wondered how strong this connection with Lucifer was. Holding his hands, she told him to think about his room, and where they would be standing in it.
And . . . it worked. They landed in the sitting room. Lucifer walked into the bedroom while Hermione looked around. The suite was massive.
"You can afford this place on a club-owner's income?" Hermione didn't know what kind of money clubs in LA made, but was impressed.
"The club, and some other investments over the years." He emerged from the bedroom, in a new suit, a pale grey, and a starched white shirt.
She stepped over to help him button his cuffs. Lucifer bent to kiss her forehead while she worked.
"I'd like to bring you back here tonight, if I may. There's an excellent restaurant downstairs, and an amply stocked bar and wine cellar." Lucifer pulled Hermione into his arms, where she readily snuggled up close to him.
"Sounds like a date to me."
They stood there, holding each other for a while. Now that they had bonded, they weren't driven by lust, they could just enjoy each other's company.
They were roused from their contentment by a ringing phone.
"Shit," Lucifer declared.
Hermione answered her phone. "Yes . . . we're on our way."
"I'm sorry," Lucifer apologized to her when she hung up.
"Don't be. I'd happily be late for you," she paused, and then said, "plus, after what Ginny did yesterday, I want her to sweat a little."
"Mmm, devious. I approve," a sentiment he finished with a deep kiss.
"I guess we can go?" Hermione asked after their kiss.
"Let's," Lucifer said, offering Hermione his arm.
She took it, and apparated them to a little restaurant in Kensington.
They joined the Potters, already seated at the window. When Hermione and Lucifer approached, Harry stood to kiss Hermione and shake Lucifer's hand. Lucifer pulled him in for a bro-hug, keeping their shaking hands between them, but hugging with the remaining hand, of course finished with a firm pat on the back. When the two males parted, they were beaming, having made friends with someone so famous. Ginny, however wore a look of disgust, and Hermione saw it.
When Ginny turned to Hermione, she quickly changed her expression of sadness.
"I'm so sorry about the other day, can you forgive me?"
"I'm fairly certain that it was Lucifer you shot with a fireball, not me. Perhaps you should talk to him."
Apparently, Ginny had expected a different response, because her facade cracked slightly, for a moment, before she could regroup. She spoke to Lucifer next, but didn't face him, keeping her smile pointed at Hermione.
"Lucifer, you'll have to forgive me. I just want the best for my best friend, and your reputation does precede you." She said it in a tone that implied attempted homicide is just water under the bridge.
Lucifer stepped around Hermione, to pull her chair out for her at the table. Then sat down himself.
"You'll have to forgive me, most of my interactions with attempted murderers is in a strictly professional setting," Lucifer's reference to Hell was clearly understood by the witch.
The waitress chose this moment to stop by for a drink order.
"Yes please!" Lucifer chimed in, while his point settled in with Ginny. "Are we doing mimosas or Bloody Mary's? Oh, let's do both. You only live once. Well, humans, anyway."
Hermione gave Lucifer a small smirk at the slight, while Ginny looked appropriately uncomfortable. Harry on the other hand had smartly pretended not to hear the exchange, instead focusing on his menu.
Hermione noticed Ginny playing with her necklace, a new one, clearly wanting some attention paid to it.
"Lovely necklace, Ginny, is it new?" Hermione offered, already knowing it was.
"This? No, I think it was my grandmother's. I always loved wearing it." Harry expertly turned his laugh into a cough. Ginny either hadn't noticed or chose to ignore it, and went on playing with the necklace. It was a cross. Apparently, she thought Lucifer was a vampire.
Lucifer reached across to touch and examine the necklace, his tall frame and long arms able to bridge the divide quite easily, compared to the much shorter stature of his dining companions.
"Lovely," was all he offered her.
Ginny was taken aback. She quickly recovered, attempting another path to shoot barbs at the male she thought of as replacing her brother.
"I'm sorry, it must be so insensitive of me, flaunting your enemy like that." She smiled, apparently proud of her comment.
"Enemy? Hardly, no. Jesus is my brother, well, half-brother technically, on my Father's side. It's just remembering what humans did to him, that's what really gets to me." He showed Ginny a glimpse of the fire behind his eyes. If she wanted to play with fire, she wouldn't stand a chance against The Devil.
For the first time since Lucifer and Ginny met, she did the right thing and kept quiet.
The rest of brunch went smoothly. Hermione and Harry discussed their current projects, Harry and Lucifer traded stories of confronting evil-doers, and all of them, well three of them at least, enjoyed the time talking and getting to know each other.
After a couple hours, Ginny insisted the Potters had another engagement and promptly apparated out of there. Lucifer and Hermione took the opportunity to walk around Kensington, slowly making their way to Hyde Park.
They walked hand-in-hand, recounting stories of years gone by. While they talked about loves lost, neither of them hurt like they once had, knowing however rocky the road before, it brought them here together.
"I should get ready, if we're going out to eat tonight," Hermione prompted, realizing it was getting later in the day.
"Sure, of course," Lucifer responded. "Did you want to be alone for a while? I realize we dove right into this and haven't had any alone time, but . . ."
"No." She interjected. "I mean, I don't have to be alone. You could feed Crookshanks for me, while I get ready?"
"Wonderful," Lucifer was getting domesticated fast, but even upon realizing it, he didn't mind.
Hermione offered her arm to him, which he took, laughing as she did it, and they apparated back to the garden.
Lucifer fed Crookshanks, and changed the water in his bowl for some fresh stuff. Crookshanks nuzzled appreciatively, and sat next to Lucifer as he waited for Hermione to finish.
"On a scale of "cocktail dress" to "an evening at the palace", just how fancy is this restaurant?" Hermione called from the bedroom.
"I'd say cocktails with the Duke, but definitely not dinner with the Princess. Does that help?" Lucifer stood and wandered over to the bedroom, finding her in lacy bra and matching panties, wand in one hand and dress in the other, being adjusted ever so slightly.
"Yes, actually. It helps a lot." She finished with the dress, went over to kiss him quickly, then shimmied into her dress. "Your turn?" she asked him.
"Actually, yes, let's." And she grabbed her clutch and apparated the pair of them to his suite.
Lucifer stripped.
"You did that quickly."
"I've had practice," Lucifer replied, regretting it immediately. "I just mean . . . "
"It's okay, I'm not worried." Hermione hadn't known that she wasn't worried. In fact, by all normal measures she should be worried. Her soon-to-be ex had cheated on her, and Lucifer was the most prolific supernatural playboy there was. Any sane witch would assume the worst, but whatever happened with their bonding, she knew she was safe with Lucifer.
He looked relieved when she said it. Lucifer moved towards her, to kiss her, but she held her hands to stop him.
"If you come over here, completely naked, and start kissing me, we'll never get to dinner. And I haven't eaten since brunch. We're not missing dinner."
"Understood. I'll just be a minute."
He was two and a half minutes, but when you have a wardrobe as polished as his, getting ready takes no time.
"Shall we?" Lucifer inquired, as Hermione fastened his cufflinks.
"Apparate?"
"How about the elevator?"
"Good idea."
Stepping into the hall, Hermione realized his suite was a penthouse suite, and there were only two.
"How much are you spending to stay here?" She asked Lucifer, suddenly worried about the bill.
"Why? Do you want to go Dutch this evening?" He chuckled. They stepped into the newly arrived elevator, to head to the lobby.
"It seems like a waste of money when you could stay with me. It's impractical."
"And crash your bachelorette pad? I would feel I'm an imposition."
"We could find something else? I can work from anywhere. Besides, you have a life to get back to, I couldn't keep you tied here."
"If you're tying me up, I'm game for it anywhere." He pulled her against him and she felt the heat emanating from his body.
Hermione placed her hands on his pecs, knowing the elevator would be open in just a few, quick floors.
"I'm serious, we need to figure out arrangements. I can be content anywhere - I can apparate or floo wherever I need to go. I'd hate to keep you away from your work, because you're worried about inconveniencing me."
She was right, he had been. In Britain she was famous and had friends and family, elsewhere she would be his next girl. Lucifer hated the idea that people wouldn't know about the amazing witch he would spend eternity with, which hardened his resolve.
"I'm in the limelight a lot, are you sure you want to be there with me?"
"Honestly, it's a bit terrifying. But I'll be with you, so it won't be that bad. So long as none of your friends try and attack me the way Ginny did you."
They chuckled as the doors were opening. And that's when the demon charged into the elevator.
In a flash, the elevator had closed the three of them in and the emergency pull was activated, locking the car in place. Hermione was knocked to the ground, a hand around her throat and knife against her ribs.
All of this was a blur to Hermione. But Lucifer responded quickly. One-handed he removed the attacker from Hermione, pinned them against the mirrored wall of the elevator, which cracked on the impact. Lucifer stared the individual down, his dark, scaled, devil face alight with fire in his eyes. Staring back at him was Maze, unphased by the lack of oxygen at the present.
Lucifer transformed his face back to normal, but kept his hand on Maze's throat, and her body pressed against a spider-webbed mirror.
"Hermione, allow me to introduce Mazikeen. Mazikeen, this is Hermione, my better half."
"Pleasure," Hermione said, standing, rubbing her sore neck.
Maze rolled her eyes, as she was still unable to breathe, and therefore unable to talk.
"I'm going to let go Maze, and you aren't going to touch her. Do I make myself clear?" Lucifer inquired.
Maze closed her eyes, trying to fight answering, and gave one quick nod. Lucifer let go and Maze involuntarily gasped; she was dropped, landing in a squatting position, but remaining on her feet. Maze rose to her feet, glaring down at Hermione, who she was several inches taller than.
"'Better half?' That's quite a title for your latest piece of ass."
Hermione stepped in front of Lucifer, before he could grab ahold of Maze again.
"Can we get to our dinner? I'm pretty hungry," Hermione offered.
Lucifer reset the emergency stop and the door reopened on the lobby.
"Talk to Amenadiel, he can fill you in," Lucifer said as the pair left, slightly late, for their reservation.