CHAPTER TWO

Theodore Nott met me at the door to his home, dressed in sexy casual. He could have passed for my husband's brother, both of them having grown out of the painfully thin frames they'd had as teens and into fully male, well-developed bodies. Their hair was a similar shade of platinum blond, and their eyes close in tint, too. He was handsome and masculine enough to make me nervous.

His smile was genuine, but thin, just like mine. "Come in," he graciously offered, his voice a soothing tenor.

Suitcase in hand, I stepped through the entrance to his Manor House. I'd only been here only half a dozen or so times since Draco and I had married, but the once-grand Nott residence never failed to strike me as a sign that the Era of Elegance was officially over. Theo's family had hailed from the aristocracy, from the time of William the Conqueror, and they'd been wealthy once upon a time. His father had squandered away most of the family fortune gambling when he'd been younger, and then Theo had been hit with paying monetary reparations on his dead father's behalf after the elder Nott had participated and been killed in the war. It didn't matter that he hadn't been a Death Eater – his father had, and the sins of the man had been passed down to his son post-mortem. Theo had had to find work to pay the bills after that, and had joined the MLE as a Hit Wizard. The salary of such a position, however, was not enough to keep up the caretaking of such a massive estate, and as a result, it was starting to fall into obvious disrepair. I felt sorry for him that he was stuck in such an awful position, but Theo didn't seem to mind – at least not openly. In his words, it was just part and parcel to having been born into such a cursed family.

My host extricated my bag from my hand and took it up himself, having no house-elf servants. "This way," he indicated. He led me through the foyer and hallway beyond to the stairs heading up to the private suites. The house was much smaller than Malfoy Manor, but it still boasted eight private bedrooms and baths, I knew.

I wouldn't need my own room though. I was staying the night in the Master Suite.

Theo's bedroom was relatively modern in design. Dark, rich chocolate-coloured paint covered the walls, and the bedding matched, to be offset with brown-russet and black pillows. The bed itself was King-sized – enough to roll around and then some. The curtains were a dark gold. The settee at the foot of the bed was covered in earthy-toned leather, the cosy chair in the corner was done in pale cream upholstery, and the rest of the wood furniture was tinted varying shades of dark brown. I took a deep breath, and the scent of clean skin and a spicy musk rolled across my tongue. It was a room that spoke of power and elegance and control, and it tantalized my senses.

My host set my suitcase down on a dresser across the way. "Have you eaten?" he asked, and I nearly jumped out of my skin as he disturbed the silence that had lasted between us from the front door to this point.

"Yes, thank you. I'd like a bath, though, if you don't mind?"

Theo turned to face me and nodded an easy consent, and again, I was struck by how similar of feature he looked to Draco. The blood tests we'd done had proven out that they were fourth cousins on his father's side (far enough removed for what we were going to do), but his blood's Rh type was negative – O-negative to be exact, just like mine – meaning any child we conceived wouldn't be seen by my immune system as a foreign infiltrator.

"The bath is through here," he indicated an adjacent room and led the way. The room was longer than it was wider, with a tub that was set-up the same way along one wall. The shower at the end of the room, however, was big enough for three or four, with glass doors you could see-through. The vanity, storage cabinets, and mirrors were similarly streamlined. The toilet was inset into a hidden alcove in the wall across from the sinks. The room was marble and wood and thick-cut glass – no chintzy tile or faux panelling, or easily breakable things in here.

"I bought you some oils and soaps, just in case," he indicated a small basket on the vanity. "Draco let me know what fragrances and brands you liked best. I hope it's to your liking."

My husband's name brought up so casually in conversation as it had been set off the panic attack I'd been holding back. I slumped against the doorjamb as my breath was squeezed from my lungs and a shaking started in my limbs.

Theo was there in an instant, gathering me to him and protecting me in his strong embrace. "Hey, it's alright, Hermione," he soothed, gentle in his touches and tone. "It's alright. Just relax. Take deep, calming breaths."

I tried to do as he asked, really, but it was hard to make my body obey. "I'm scared," I whispered around panting breaths.

My husband's best friend pressed his face next to my ear. "Me, too," he admitted, and left a light butterfly kiss on my temple. "But, it's going to be alright. I've called Draco. He's coming."

I started back, tilting my head up – way up – to meet his eyes. Gads, he was tall! "You what?"

He blinked down at me. "Narcissa Floo-called me just before you got to the front door. It was a quick explanation, but I got the gist. I immediately called Zabini's place, and told him to sober up Draco. Dumb sot was already well into his cups. He'll be here in a few minutes, I'm sure. Potter and Blaise promised."

Instantly, I felt better. "You don't mind?"

Theo smiled. "No. This is about you, not me. I'm merely the means to your ends."

It struck me then what we were doing to Nott. He was graciously willing to give up his own son or daughter – his heir, as he had no wife or child of his own - to another man. We were using him and then we were going to take his baby from him, and never let it know its biological father.

Tears flooded my eyes. "Oh, God... I-I-I can't do this to you! I can't use you like that!"

I smelled my husband's cologne the instant before he took me from Theo's arms.

My husband.

"Shhhh, baby, it'll be alright," Draco crooned in my ear, holding me to his familiar heat. "I'm here."

"Draco," I cried, pressing my face into his fine, cotton shirt. "I can't! Oh, God, it's so wrong!"

He walked backwards with me over to the bed and he sat down, pulling me into his lap. I wrapped my arms about his neck and hid my face away in the tuck of his shoulder.

"Hermione, I won't force you to do anything you don't want," he vowed. "But I want you to know that if you go through with this, I'll be right here with you tonight. Theo and I... the both of us together will make love to you, if you want. It won't be cheating and you won't have to face this alone."

I struggled to get my tears and my composure under control. It took a good twenty minutes or so. By then, I felt more rational – enough to give seriously contemplation to what my husband had just said.

A ménage a trois. A threesome. Draco, Theo and I - together.

Me, sleeping with two attentive, attractive, adoring men at once. I'd be guaranteed to orgasm continuously thanks to the Lust Spell we were going to cast. I'd be able to try out things I'd always wanted to in the secret vaults of my mind. It could be romantic. It would definitely be sexy. The scenario was every woman's fantasy, and I could live it for one glorious night.

But the issue of conceiving a child convoluted things. Theo was offering to do this for us without any strings attached out of a deep, abiding friendship with my husband that spanned nearly their whole lives. We owed the man more than a simple, 'thanks a lot' and 'see you later' come dawn.

"Draco, if I get pregnant, it'll be Theo's baby, too," I explained, pulling back to look him in the face. "It's not right to take that from him. He's doing this for us, but it's still not right to deny him his own child. I want all three of us to share the responsibility, since all three of us will be involved in the conception - if he wants that, too." I looked over at Theo. "Would you?"

He blinked; the expression on his face was as surprised as if he'd just been wacked sideways by a bludger. His eyes darted to my husband and then back to me. He licked his lips, as if the suggestion were enticing. "How... would that work exactly?"

I considered it. "We could make one of the baby's middle names 'Nott,' and we could put you both on the birth certificate as the father."

Draco's contemplative gaze moved to his friend's. "That might cause quite the scandal, if it ever got out."

"Not if we say it's done in honour of the man who is like a brother to you and who saved your life during the war," I thought up on the fly. "Technically, letting you stay here at Nott's house for the whole summer after sixth year kept you from Voldemort's temper and gave that madman time to cool down. If not for that, I'm sure you would have been murdered for failing to kill Dumbledore."

Her husband tweaked an eyebrow at her. "A plausible explanation."

"And no one needs to know who the real biological father is unless they wish, like in an adoption case. The courts only care who the legally responsible party will be," I stated, having worked in MLE long enough on the advocate side to know how things worked in the courts, "which will be the both of you, if you're listed as Dutch-fathers. As for physical traits, well, you both look very much alike, so I doubt there will be an issue there. Besides, the baby would most likely take after me in colouring – brown curly hair, brown eyes are the dominant trait."

"What about raising him?" Theo asked.

"Or her," I was quick to point out.

He came over to the bed and sat next to us. "I mean, it seems too complicated to keep moving him... or her... back and forth between residences. We'd have to timeshare."

"We can think up something that will work for all of us," Draco stated.

I looked at my husband. "You don't mind? I mean, if our son or daughter calls him 'daddy,' too?"

His eyes shifted over my head to his friend. "You both know I've never been good at the sharing thing. But this whole situation has flipped a lot on its head, and... I've had to come to accept some things that would have made me uncomfortable in the past. The thought of you" – he addressed the other wizard specifically – "touching my wife... well, we've talked about it, in depth. But she's right. This will be your child, too, and you've never asked for anything in exchange for this opportunity. So, I guess... no, I won't mind so much. Like you said," – he looked at me now – "if we'd adopted, our child wouldn't have been either of ours biologically, but I'd still have loved it. And I guess if there's anyone I wouldn't mind sharing with, it would be Theo."

It was the bravest thing I'd ever heard my husband say in all the years I'd known him.

I took a deep breath and made the commitment for all of us. "If Theo agrees, and you're with us tonight, I think... yes, I can do this." I turned in my husband's arms and gave my full attention to our host. "What do you want?"

His eyes shot between me and Draco. He swallowed, and the action moved his throat in a way that drew my attention. He really was quite a striking man.

"I was willing to... to give you this and walk away, but if you're offering me a shot at being a father, then yeah, I'll definitely take it," he nodded. "As long as you'd let me make parenting decisions with you, and I could name him or her in my Will as my heir, I'm good with this."

Draco's arms held me tighter to him, and he rested his cheek on my hair. "We can work out the legalities tomorrow, but the arrangement is acceptable to me, too."

I let out a relieved breath. "Then... maybe we should..." I could feel my cheeks heating, and cleared my throat. "I'd really like a bath."

That seemed to jolt the three of us into action. Draco let me stand, and I had control of my limbs once more, my shaking and panic eased. I wasn't sure it wouldn't come back the moment we were in bed together naked, but for now, I felt marginally well enough to take my bum into the bathroom on my own two feet. "Can you give me, say half an hour?" I requested from the door frame, looking at the two men as they stood to give me some privacy.

"Sure," Theo easily replied. "I've already taken a shower, so I'll wait out here." He turned to Draco. "You should clean up, though." He nudged his chin at the bathroom.

"You saying I stink?" my husband smirked at him.

Theo snorted. "Like Firewhisky, Floo powder and sweat. Nasty business, mate. I don't want that shite on my sheets."

Their familiar boyhood banter was the much-needed ice-breaker, making us all breathe a little easier. I walked the rest of the way into the bathroom, turned on the taps and blocked the tub. Putting my long, wild hair up in a bundle on the top of my head with an easily cast spell, I began undressing. My husband joined me a moment later. Theo remained in the other room.

Draco and I watched each other with heat as our clothes fell to the floor, piece by piece. "I'm going to fuck you a lot tonight, Hermione," he stated in a very assured manner that had my belly warming and my toes curling into the small bath rug at the foot of the tub. "I going to watch you get fucked, too." He stepped in close, pressing his naked, fully-erect length against me. "Do you think me perverse for finding that idea a turn-on – watching my best friend shag you?"

My temperature rose several degrees as an idea occurred to me right then and there. "You've done this before with him, haven't you? Shared a witch, I mean."

He didn't reply, but he didn't deny it either. I could see the affirmation in his gaze, though.

"Back in school or after the war?"

His fingers trailed across my cheek, and he watched them, rather than hold my curious gaze. "After. Before you, though, and only twice. But I didn't love those women, Hermione. It was just sex then. It's different with you." He paused, his fingertips sliding down my throat, over my shoulder, and across one nipple, causing it to go instantly taut. I shivered. "A part of me is insanely jealous of the idea of him touching you. You're mine. But there's this other part..." He grabbed my hand and put it over his steely erection, gliding us together up and down. A groan emitted from between his compressed lips and his eyes rolled back into his head as his lids squeezed shut. "The idea of watching his cock slide in and out of your pussy, of him coming in you - it makes me burn with need. I'm so hard at just the thought."

This was a side of Draco I'd never known. In all our years together, I'd never guessed he'd had such a secret fantasy, too. That we were finally confessing these dark desires made me feel more intimately closer to him than I'd ever felt before.

"Let me wash you," I requested, stepping back and letting him go to turn off the water.

We stepped in together and sat down, and the water hit me at just above my breasts. Reaching for the provided soap and washcloth, I lathered up and reached for his right arm. We talked about what we wanted and expected from the night while I cleaned him up.

After I washed him up, he washed me. And he massaged my shoulders, helping to relax me.

"We'll go at the pace you want," he promised, pressing a kiss to my cheek as I leaned back into his arms. "You say 'no' and we stop. If you want us to explain something, we will. But you have to make your needs clear, right? We can't read your mind, baby."

I nodded in understanding. We got out and dried off, letting the tub drain.

TO BE CONTINUED...