Chapter 25-Dark Magic

Hermione stared at her father-in-law for a long time before she finally answered his question.

"I would do anything, including give my own life to save Draco."

"And your soul?" Lucius pushed.

"I would sell my soul," she acknowledged tears rolling down her checks as the realities of war closed in upon her. The moral certainty she had held when she joined this war was slowly slipping away. There was no longer a black and white for her just so many shades of grey.

Lucius seemed to sense her thoughts;

"We all do what we need to in order to survive and to protect the ones we love." He told her, "I might have thought differently once but that is all I now seek to achieve. As will you at the end my dear. Whilst not all ends justify the means, we all have lines we will not cross; even though they may be marked differently, the boundaries we had when we began have blurred. No one fights a war and survives without regret."

Draco had remained silent as his Father spoke but now interceded;

"Hermione you don't have to do this," he told her reassuringly.

"No," she responded, "your Father is right.

Draco didn't respond rather he pulled her back into his arms and nodded in acknowledgement of a tacit agreement between them that his once innocent wife would stain her soul to keep him safe, to keep them all safe.

Over the next few hours Lucius instructed Hermione in various dark spells and curses. As well as the unforgivables there were other curses that Lucius himself had invented. Hermione realised he was showing her an unexpected level of trust in sharing with her these 'speciality' curses. She also had in her arsenal Snape's speciality 'sectumsempra' which she highly doubted Snape would have shared with Bellatrix.

"You have to mean it Hermione," Lucius told her as she prepared to learn to cast an 'adava', "there has to be no hesitation and clear intent."

She levelled her wand at the spider Lucius had provided for this task. She hesitated;

"Expelliarmas," Lucius cried causing Hermione's wand to fly towards him, "too late," he cautioned her, "hesitate and you will lose Bellatrix will not stop to consider her actions neither must you."

Hermione hung her head in frustration; she couldn't even kill a spider how as she supposed to kill a human being even if they were a foul vicious Death Eater?

Lucius sighed, "Enough- you will just need to find other means," he told her masking his frustration and hoping if it came to it Hermione would not hesitate.

"It's late," Draco announced and I believe there is another mater I must take care of before we retire, "after all the Dark Lord expects my wife to be well used by me before morning."

"Indeed," Lucius commented looking a little uncomfortable discussing this subject with his own son.

"Well goodnight Father," Draco said encouraging his Father to leave.

"Lucius," Hermione called after the older man as he turned to leave, "I just want to …"

"Thank me tomorrow," he interrupted the implication hanging there; if you live to do so.

Alone again with his wife Draco turned sad grey eyes on his witch. I promise not to hurt you but this must look realistic. We can use numbing charms first to dull the pain; I expect to look like you fought me too. Bite marks, bruising and scratches are to be expected.

He raised his hand as if to strike her and lowered it as she flinched.

"I've never hit women in my life," he told her, "I can't do this."

"Make love to me first Draco," she said pushing him hard against the bed post, "make love to me," she said grasping his hair and pulling him hard towards her," make it count." She challenged as she bit his lip hard drawing blood.

"Witch," he growled at her biting lightly into her neck ensuring he broke the skin enough before licking it better.

"Wick boy," she teased biting his earlobe.

He knew what she was doing she was trying to rile him up. Whilst he would never be prepared to hit her he was quite happy to pay her back for the nips and bites she was now making all over his body. She was driving him crazy alternately biting and kissing and licking his fresh.

"Hermione," he moaned.

She drew his fingers into her mouth and sucked on them. It was so erotic, so enticing and then she bit him.

"Damn it!" he hit out not meaning to push her into the bed post. There was a sicken thud as her head connected with the carved wood. Blood began to trickle down her face.

"I'm sorry," he immediately tried to apologies, "Merlin you're hurt."

"It's nothing Draco, a small scalp wound they always bleed a lot and we'll need to look like there was a struggle."

"I don't want to do this Hermione; I want to worship you not beat you." He told her petulantly.

"Then I must punish you," she said beckoning him nearer.

Thwack, the sound of her slapping his face echoed across the room.

"Now we are even," she told him but with little real malice.

"I guess I deserved that," he said knowing that it would leave an impressive bruise on his alabaster skin.

"Yes you do, for leaving me without a word," she reminded him.

"Would you have let me leave?" he asked,

"Of course not," she admitted, "but now that I'm here I think I ought to kiss you better."

"Come her witch," he laughed pulling her towards himself, "have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" he began intent on a slow seduction and determined to not leave her alone until she screamed his name in pleasure.

"Which bits are beautiful she challenged?" laughing as he rolled her onto her back.

"This elbow," he said kissing her left elbow,"And this wrist," he continued taking up her arm and gently brushing his lips across the pulse point at her wrist,"And this ear," he shifted his weight so he could breathe into the shell of her ear,"And your throat," he dropped his head so he could drown in her scent as he buried is nose against her clavicle. Her scent was like a drug to him, he knew he could lose himself in that heady smell of jasmine. He growled as he drew in breath. "You are so bloody beautiful" he told her.

He wanted to worship her; he smattered her with kisses moving to her breast. They were soft and firm and he nipped them gently with his teeth causing her to moan and arch her back. He almost purred like some self-satisfied cat at the noise he was eliciting from her.

"So beautiful," he told her again his voice barely above a whisper, as his fingers, feather light, skirted her sides. He drew gentle circles around her naval slowly spiralling out and then he struck. Draco's index finger plunged between her folds, stroking her in firm maddening circles.

"Look at me;" he asked her, "I want to see you fall apart from my touch."

Hermione met his gauze and held it like some kind of dark magic. Her pupils were shot wide with desire.

"Draco," she demanded his attention and he was happy to give her more desperate for that closeness they had shared so infrequently. Slipping first two then a third finger into her moist entrance causing her to writhe with need.

"Draco I need you," she demanded slipping her hands between them to find his firm length. "I want you," she said now caressing his manhood insistently. Draco groaned tugging away at this belt and zip wanting nothing more than to satisfy her. Hermione used her heels to push his pants from his hips never losing her grip. He sprung forward his need more than obvious.

"Draco," she was insistent guiding him toward that soft moist place where would thrust forth and drive his witch to ecstasy. She let out a feral groan as he entered her. Her hands now clawed at his back and buttocks to drive him forward to force him deeper. Sweet Merlin, nothing had ever felt as good as her warmth around him. He thought whilst still capable of coherent thought. He moved slowly deliberately pulling almost all the way out before plunging deeper. Gradually building rhythm and pace until he thought he couldn't hold it anymore but then she came, pulsing and quivering in the throws of her own pleasure.

"Draco," she screamed his name and he was lost to all sensation but the overwhelm flood of pleasure he felt as he came apart inside her.