Disclaimer:- I neither earn nor own anything but the plot, but playing is such fun.

sSs

A/N:- Thank you to FalconLux for her beta work and suggestions on this chapter, and also to stronghermione for her opinion and support. I am sorry dear readers, in order to keep within the M rating I have abridged this chapter, which unfortunately has made it short. This chapter in its entirety is available for reading at The Maple Bookshelf, and AO3 (An Archive of Our Own). The warning to underage readers still applies, if you're reading this and you're NOT OF AGE, get!

hHh

Chapter Three - Casanovas and Charmed Mirrors

It was technically tomorrow morning. Severus was reclining with cognac for company, in the wing of rooms Lucius had commandeered, for his use at Malfoy Manor. Draco was now Lord of the Manor, but was happy for his father to utilize the unused wing. Better still, it contained the extensive library, Draco and his wife seemed to have no use for. These were the same rooms Abraxas had retreated to when Lucius married Narcissa. However, he had never allowed his son to use the title of Lord.

The Potions master had thrown off his regalia. His attire now consisted of, black dress trousers, white silk shirt open to the middle of his chest and his long black silk tie hanging loosely around his shirt collar. His long legs were stretched out in front of him, as he lounged, ankles crossed, on a wide Slytherin green velvet recambier.

Severus had to admit he was happy here and assumed this was where he would live while they were here in England. However, tonight as he'd landed at the gates of Hogwarts. He found that most of the negative recollections of the place were gone. He'd experienced an overwhelming sense of belonging and home, when he'd seen the gigantic stone edifice.

Scoffing, he thought, the orphans of Hogwarts, now there's a dubious list. Suddenly he not only realised that both he and the Dark Lord were on that list, but Hermione was also. The Potions master wondered. Maybe getting her away from Hogwarts might be a good thing. She needs options, Lucius and I have only opened up enough rooms for us.

There were many more rooms available to them. He could have his own suite of rooms if he chose to. While he could invite Hermione here any time he wished to. Merlin, she could live here with me if I had a suite, he thought, grinning obscenely.

The two friends had spent their first day here, debugging all Abraxis Malfoy's still active traps. One of which, contained the skeleton of a house elf. This explained to Lucius, why this wing of the mansion was so neglected. It had taken both men and a team of, assured they would come to no harm house elves, all of the five days since their arrival to make the place habitable.

The two friends had spent the last ten years, calling various places home, both together, and apart, while renewing their reputations abroad. Lucius had been intent on building up his depleted reserves, following his settlement with Narcissa. Even with his hidden Swiss funds still available, his ex wife had put a hefty dent in his finances. Now, after nine years Lucius still couldn't say her name without snarling.

Severus on the other hand found many uses for his skills as a Potions master to bolster his already extensive resources. He had many patents to his name before the war, which he had strategically transferred in the hands of French solicitors for management before the final battle. Both men found their good reputations quickly re-established and preceding them everywhere they went throughout Europe and Asia.

Now, ten years later, they were both known as honourable, although in Severus' case snarky academic philanthropists, of great skill and influence, and not for a stupid mistake they'd made as teenagers. Professor Severus Snape and Lord Lucius Malfoy were wizards who often donated their services to worthy causes, both Wizarding and Muggle.

The only place either man was still reviled; was here in England. This explained, to a certain extent, why they had been so reluctant to return. However, both had also become curious about hints that they should come home, embedded in correspondences from Draco.

Lucius had also been acutely aware that he hadn't met either of his grandchildren. Scorpius was ten and his sister Adela six, and Lucius was determined that the children would not fall prey to the beliefs of his ex wife.

Gone were any pretensions of pureblood supremacy, Lucius Malfoy, had pledged those ideals dead with Voldemort. He'd learnt to hate the influence a parent can have on a child, and how it can be twisted and manipulated so the child finds itself sprouting the trash the parent believes, without thinking about it.

Severus looked up as the floo flared, and Lucius strolled out with his outer robes over his arm, wearing a very sated expression. He took in Severus sitting quietly. "You look perplexed," Lucius drawled.

Severus snorted, "Honestly Lucius, I don't know what to feel. I still can't believe no one told us what was happening to Hermione." He stared at his drink, "She is such a rare find and she's being treated like dirt. The people who have been protecting her haven't been able to stop the abuse. To tell the truth, after I forced myself not to give her a proper good night kiss and I came back here, all I've wanted to do was go find Potter and Weasley and tear the little bastards apart," he growled menacingly.

Lucius listened as he got himself a drink and refilled Severus' glass. The Potions master gave his friend a serious look, "Minerva needs a Potions Professor," Severus stated out of the blue.

"That's one way to get Hermione," Lucius grinned, "Or you could just roger her senseless and convince her to marry you." His grin became mischievous. "That would be more fun, wouldn't it?"

Severus grunted. "You know you're never going to change, are you?"

"I assume that's a rhetorical question," Lucius purred imperiously, examining his perfectly manicured nails. "Why would I wish to change what's already perfect?"

Severus chuckled. "There really is no limit to the Malfoy ego is there?"

Lucius smirked. "No," he stated, one eyebrow raised as if this was a well known fact. Then he suddenly went still. "Although..." but didn't finish the sentence.

The blond wizard sat in deep thought for a moment, then pursed his lips and ran the pad of his index finger around the rim of his glass. It made the pure ringing note of good crystal. "Seriously though, I take it you intend to claim the delightful Hermione?" He inquired finally, cocking an eyebrow.

"I think, I made that abundantly clear tonight, don't you?" Severus contemplated his own drink a moment, "I thought to start with that I was competing for her," he raised an eyebrow.

Lucius tsked. "Now that would ruin a perfectly good friendship and cause a great deal of undue stress," he stated plainly.

The Potions Master watched his friend a moment. "Your charm failed you, didn't it?"

Lucius could see the expression changing on his friend's face. The aristocrat breathed out audibly. "Not entirely... but Severus, the delicious Miss Granger is rightfully your chance for happiness my friend. I will merely flit around the edges adding pleasure where I can, if you catch my meaning."

"Mmm," Severus droned thoughtfully. He drained his glass. "That is uncharacteristically honourable of you Lucius."

"Severus, you wound me deeply," Lucius smoothed, pouting.

"Indeed," the Potions master barked a laugh, and then thought a moment. "However, I appreciate what you're offering as well. We shall see."

Lucius shrugged, reflecting a moment. A sly smile starting to twist his face. "You're up to something," Severus accused.

"Possibly," he smoothed before once more becoming serious. He lifted his eyes away from his glass to Severus. "This is the first time I have ever seen you take such an avid interest in a witch and one who appears to have long held desires for you." Lucius smirked at Severus' rapid intake of breath at the suggestion. Looking at the clock and sculling the rest of his drink he continued. "Well, it's frightfully late, if you plan to get anything done before your err... interview tomorrow afternoon, we should try to get some sleep."

xox

As the two intrepid protectors wandered off to bed, Hermione was still deep in contemplation. When she'd trudged sleepily to her rooms that night her thoughts were lighter than air. Her knight in black armour had definitely faced down one of her bully's.

She'd conjured a vase and water for her roses, and yawning made a wish, I hope I don't wake tomorrow and find it was all a dream. Her reflections were loud inside her head and vibrated slightly, as things do when you're tired. After sitting for some time just gazing at her roses, she started getting ready for bed.

Both her mind and body were humming, as her thoughts revisited the sensations of Severus holding her tightly on the way here. Then his declaration of protection, and the sweet goodnight kiss he'd given her. Fighting as she undid all the fastenings on her dress, she sighed in relief when it finally pooled like a green meringue on the floor around her feet.

There would be time in the morning to clean up if her elf didn't finish up tonight, right now she was shattered, and very pleased she'd placed cushioning charms on the matching forest green shoes she'd found. However, no matter how tired she thought she was, her brain was too active to settle.

Hermione was by no means prudish or frigid as had been suggested. Stepping out of her dress, she observed her still very needy body in her mirror and sighed as she rubbed her thighs together. She was a little disappointed that Severus had been such a gentleman with her, but on the other hand she was also grateful he'd been so careful.

"So how do you think the fantasy would go if he had escorted me home, ay Mirror?" She arched an eyebrow decadently and smiling slid her hand smoothly over her stomach with the aim of heading further down.

Her imagination and inventiveness had been able to supply her with a substitute Severus, a few years ago. The already charmed mirror; had been enhanced with new spells of her invention, making it a passable likeness to her remembered Potions Master.

Said mirror had been watching her, exploring the limits of her underwear, his face ghosting into view when she'd addressed him. Taking her in standing in her low cut green lace bra, black lace, top stay up stockings and forest green stilettos. The voice spoke to enflame her further. It was a charade they often played together. "You're looking very wanton tonight my little dove," Hermione gave him a coy smile. "Care to show me, how wanton?" The customised mirror, smoothed seductively.

Parting her legs a little and moaning longingly, Hermione hooked her thumbs into the top of her green lace underwear. It felt so deliciously wicked.

Once she was sans the scrap of lace and the cold air enveloped the moisture on her flesh she shivered deliciously. "Oh you darling little girl, look at you. You wanted to have a very naughty time tonight, didn't you?" The mirror murmured in a voice she'd imagined Severus' bedroom voice to be.

She had taken a lot of time getting the nuance of his voice just right, when she'd created this spell. The man could wield his voice to cut to the quick or smooth like silk, it was an amazing skill.

Hermione gave a contented sigh and nodded. "Good girl, now sit on your chair so I can watch you," the mirror encouraged.

The lonely witch literally went weak at the knees, doing as she was told without further encouragement.

"You're such a naughty girl, aren't you, little dove?" She moaned again, as the face in the mirror watched her avidly. His dark eyes appeared hooded with lust as he licked his lips, in anticipation of her answer.

"Oh yes," she moaned. As usual, she giggled and thought. This is a piece of spell work I'm never telling Flitwick about.

Still watching her fingers moving, the mirror smoothed. "Good girl," and she couldn't hold back a guttural moan of pleasure.

Her ministrations increased, and her fingers danced. "That's a girl," and all coherent thought left her with those sensuously enunciated words. They sent her into delight, before she sagged into the welcome support of the chair.

The mirror murmured obscene nothings to her as she was coming back to herself. "There you go my needy little dove," it announced. "You should be able to settle," it smoothed licking its lips again.

Relaxing further back into the chair, the mirror continued to study her actions. Hermione's thoughts again circled back to the subject that had made her so needy to start with, the dashing Slytherin she'd so recently bid goodnight. "Still not settled love?" The mirror was watching her fingers.

"No," she said dreamily, "He's so sexy," Hermione sighed. "I've loved him for so long, Mirror."

"Is that why you're in such a state?"

"Finally being in his arms tonight sent me over a threshold I can't step back from," her voice was almost lost in her activities. "Mmmm, I want him so much it almost hurts," she moaned throwing her head back and closing her eyes.

"Look at you. You're perfect, teasing yourself to ecstasy. He's a lucky man."

Hermione's only comment was a deep groan as her body tensed then fell easily over the edge once more just from the voice in her ears and the fantasy playing through her head, of Severus' pale fingers on her. "You are simply magnificent," the mirror stated still watching her intently.

Finally her eyes started to grow heavy, and the motion of her tongue stilled and her hand fell back to her thigh. "Get up and go to your bed Hermione," the mirror offered gently.

"Mmmm," she sighed, stretching cat like in the chair and finally, unhurriedly pushing on the heavy mirror with her foot to help her up. Swaying tiredly on her high heels, she leant forward and kissed the mirror. "Thank you," she sighed drowsily.

"My pleasure, little dove," and the face watched her wandless hand movement to make the remainder of her clothes slither off before she slid between her crimson satin sheets. As she mumbled, "Nox," her substitute lover shimmered out of existence once more. Hermione was too tired now to worry about anything, her thoughts still whirling around the dance floor in Severus' arms. Finally her eyes flitted shut and the image of his face followed her into a restful slumber.

xox

Severus had been in his luxurious bed in total comfort, for about two hours now, but sleep was still eluding him. He looked to the empty space beside him for about the hundredth time. He'd never had the urge to share his bed with anyone. Any sexual activities he engaged in were definitely not of the continuing type, and he'd never even contemplated them in his own bed.

This was his sanctum sanctorum, his most private place. Yet all he wanted at this very moment was one curly chestnut head resting on the pillow next to him. He imagined what her luscious body would look like. Of course, once he'd done that he had a rather enormous problem. Sliding up the pillows he glanced down at the tent in the bed clothes and sighed.

If he counted rightly, that was the seventh time Hermione had aroused him tonight. No woman had ever managed that, since he was a teenager. In fact, he thought of himself as very hard to enflame. He only rarely felt the urge to pick up a woman, or pay a whore.

Sharing women with Lucius to create a threesome on occasion for something different and once even a quartet, but mostly he kept to himself. His friend liked to be watched, and both of them had voyeuristic tendencies. However, he'd never felt what was coursing unchecked through his system at the moment, and it truly amazed him.

Since entering adult hood Severus had rarely found he needed to masturbate, there was normally an abundance of available witches on offer. He cackled sharply, after all he lived with the Slytherin sex God extraordinaire. Kicking off the bed clothes and bringing up the lights, he curled his hand around the rigid shaft in a graceful sweeping movement.

In his mind the face of the chestnut haired woman who had caused this problem, swam irresistibly in his fantasy as he closed his eyes. He imagined her soft and delicate hand caressing him, and her sweet bow like mouth, licking her lips in anticipation.

"Oh, yes my little Angel, that's a good girl," he whispered, and he whimpered as his traitorously vivid imagination supplied him with the details of what those lips would do. Severus shuddered deliciously as he imagined, his hands buried in her wild tangle of chestnut curls.

Soon the picture changed, he let his head drop back as he saw her, rising to mount his hips, lowering her beautiful body onto his, enveloping him.

"Severus," she's sigh, shuddering, head flung back, leaning against his drawn up thighs. An utter Angel, riding him, keening for him.

"Hermione, my sweet... oh!" His image of Hermione was vivid as she stilled in anticipation before pulling her arms up and wrapping them around her head adrift in her own shuddering ecstasy and he was lost. Hand plunging madly up and down now, his head thrown back, he felt the himself falling into pleasure.

He fell back, exhausted, breathless. "That's a brilliant bloody fantasy," he panted quietly to himself. He hadn't done that in ages, and this is just my imagination.

Lying back against his pillows, he thought of what Hermione would actually be like in real life. "Oh little Angel, I think we'll be perfect together." He finally yawned.

Picking up his wand with the other hand Severus muttered a cleansing spell and summoned the covers. Leaving his hand on his member, for comfort, he finally dozed off.