Disclaimer:- I neither own nor earn anything from this story. Harry Potter and his world are the intellectual property of JK Rowling and associates.

sSs

A/N:- I know, it has been too long since I updated this story, my apologies, things did not fall into place with it and I was stuck. I have now become unstuck and the next chapter will follow closely (I promise). Thank you for all your wonderful reviews, and kind words. I know I promised the wedding this chapter, but my muse took another route, the wedding is coming in the very next chapter. I have also abridged this chapter to keep it under the M rating for this site, if you wish to read the MA version please proceed to AO3. I hope you enjoy this offering...

hHh

Chapter Twenty Four – Three Becoming Four

The next week flew by, taking all the occupants of Malfoy Manor along with it. During this time Severus and Hermione had been house hunting, and finishing preparations for their nuptials.

The couple had searched long and hard for a suitable residence, and they had failed to find anything. Hermione was getting stressed about it, and the children constantly under foot were still difficult, and Severus just wanted some private space.

Well, they hadn't found anything until today. Severus had been in need of some Valerian root, and hadn't been able to find any suitable plants in the garden. Lucius had been puzzled about this but told him that he remembered a hardy clump of the plant deep in the woods behind the manor, and he suggested making a picnic of the occasion.

Despite it being years since Lucius had seen it, they had easily found the plant and Severus had harvested what he needed and sent it back with his house elf. Hermione and Ginny had wandered further into the forest, following the winding path while Lucius and Severus had stopped at the plant.

After the ingredient was collected the men went in search of their witches. They found them gazing into a clearing containing a moderate sized two story cottage, and arrived in time to hear Hermione gush, "Isn't it just perfect."

"It's a wreck, a long time since anyone has lived here," Ginny stated, turning her head on the side and furrowing her brow, as if that might allow her to see something different.

"Oh no," Hermione told her friend earnestly, "It could be fixed up. I wonder whose it was?"

Severus looked at Lucius and his blond friend nodded. "Yes, this is a splendid solution. Just far enough away for you, but I still get to keep you." The blond wizard smiled. "It's the old gamekeeper's cottage, from the thirties, when father kept a wizard gamekeeper on the estate. I'd forgotten about it, but it could be fixed up and renovated for you two... any other's that may wish to join you in the future." Lucius watched a slight smile blossom on Severus' face, so he walked forward and slung an arm around Hermione's waist pulling her towards him. He kissed her hair and said, "If you want it, pet. It's yours and Severus', our wedding gift to you both."

Hermione's excited eyes met Severus', and he nodded. They had found their house. It was just about perfect, just far enough away from the manor for some privacy but close enough and perfectly secure. "You're amazing. Lu," she crowed, launching herself into his arms, "Thank you," and she kissed him heartily, but suddenly turned towards Ginny wondering if she might be miffed.

Ginny was just watching calmly, but her eyes were alight with interest. Hermione was uncertain of this step, but reached her hand towards her friend, and stepping forward gave her a peck on the lips. "Thank you, to both of you," she murmured.

Severus knew that Lucius did not expect him to act the same way, but convention made him approach Ginny and quietly kiss her cheek. "Yes, thank you to both of you."

Hermione watched Severus offering the same thanks as she had and she grasped him as he withdrew from Ginny's personal space. "Can we stay here tonight, love?"

Severus laughed, "We'll let's see what kind of state it's in first, shall we?"

The four friends walked forward into the yard, and into what turned out to be a charming—already furnished—sitting room. It had mullioned windows and French doors at the back leading out onto a still well—if quite overgrown—backyard.

"Oh, it's beautiful," Hermione told them. "This is exactly what I've always wanted."

On closer inspection, they found that it was mostly only tatty from neglect, and Lucius summoned a party of house elves and set them to work cleaning and airing. He led his three companions out into the backyard and they set up their picnic under the cover of the willow trees next to the small pond.

Hermione took it all in before sitting on cushioned rug that Lucius had just provided for their comfort. She grinned around at Severus, who sat behind her and pulled her close, and she looked out over the waterlily encrusted pond which was currently inhabited by two swans and a male mallard duck. The duck was keeping close to the bulrushes at the side as if he was patrolling them, and Hermione suspected that they may be privileged to see duckling on the pond soon.

After they had had their lunch, the two couples lay in the shade of the willows in their own little sanctuary. Hermione was cuddled up beside Severus looking up at the canopy of green. "Remember that morning by the lake in spring?" she asked him suddenly.

Severus chuckled deeply, "Mmm; that was a delicious encounter."

"Pray do tell," Lucius murmured, his languid grey eyes looking almost green in the filtered green light of the trees.

Severus smiled, noticing that Ginny was asleep. "I found a nock by the lake years ago, and I'd always thought it would make a wonderful love-nest, with some privacy protections added of course." His eyebrow sailed up as he glanced at Hermione. "And I was right, it may have taken over twenty years to prove the theory, but my lovely witch looked exquisite only adorned by the morning dew while lying in deep luscious clover."

"I bet she did," the blond wizard smoothed seductively. Merlin I miss the intimacy we used to have together, he pondered, but then glanced down at the sleeping witch curled up to his side, But now I have a proper family, and that's very important to me. Just keep remembering how much you hated being alone, he thought, as he watched Severus roll on top of Hermione and start undoing buttons as they kissed.

The Potions master glanced at his friend to ascertain how far he could go in their current circumstances, and found Lucius watching the progress of the developing tryst with eager interest, and there was already a prominent bulge present in his trousers, Severus' eyes flicked down to it and he smirked. "Yes?"

"Oh, yes indeed," Lucius replied running his free hand down to cup himself, "Do as you please," he drawled, his eyes following Hermione's hand.

So, Severus happily went back to his activities, without fear that they would be going too far. Hermione had spent the almost unspoken conversation between the two wizards stroking her wizard's clothed erection while she watched and listened to their words.

She was wearing a cotton sundress which Severus quickly had the front undone. Lucius had been aware that she'd had nothing on under her dress from when she had hugged him earlier. He watched her creamy breasts spill out before him as Severus moved down her body, mouth attending to her left nipple and one hand pinch her right one while the other hand was already busy.

"Tell me what you want, my little dove?" Severus crooned, around his mouthful.

Hermione was panting, her hands were running up the sides of her body and through her hair, fanning it out on the ground, like a halo, and she moaned, "Ohhhhh," and arched her back. "So close, ohhh Severus, please... just make me come."

Lucius sighed. He had missed this type of interaction with them, and he quietly brought himself to completion watching Severus taking Hermione at a passionate but lazily decadent pace. He couldn't wait until they could include Ginny in their games, Severus had told him once that Hermione had a desire to experience a woman, and Lucius knew that Ginny would be interested. His witch had already told him that she was bi-sexual, and he had seen her watching Hermione's body. She had provided some interesting adventures to his Pensieve collection as well, bless her.

He had also allowed her to see the interactions between himself and Severus and Hermione, and she had been very interested. She had especially loved the encounter where Lucius had been licking Severus' cock each him it appeared between Hermione's legs. She had asked him after they had experienced that memory if he and Severus had every gone any further. To which he had admitted that when they were at school they had been lovers, but hadn't once they had left school.

Despite her history, she had told him that she wanted to see them together one day. Lucius felt her move beside him, and then he felt her hand curl around his still exposed shaft.

Glancing around, Ginny took in the aftermath of the scene she had missed. "What you been doing while I was asleep?" her still drowsy voice asked.

Severus and Hermione were now dozing together in a post-coitus stupor, and they were still in a state of undress, in fact Lucius was pretty sure that they were still joined.

Ginny now perused their naked bodies. "They're just as beautiful as us. Why didn't you wake me?"

"Because you were up to Lucy twice last night, and you needed your sleep, and besides it was a good introduction for them to having you present as well," he crooned close to her ear.

For some reason that actually made sense, but she was horny and she was sick of the ban on them expressing their love. "Lu, I've missed fucking," she said, writhing up against him.

"I know you have, love, but only a few days to go. In fact it will be the night of the wedding, and you are safe because you're breast feeding.* Are you upset that I watched them and didn't wake you?"

"No, I know you'll show me later. I know Severus is not quite comfortable with me yet, and besides we couldn't have participated any further than you did with my mess of a body at the minute," and she squirmed against him. "Lucy must be due for a feed, I'm rock hard."

Lucius kissed her forehead in thanks for her understanding, and then sighed at the actions of her hand. "Your body is beautiful, not a mess, and you expressed for her before we left."

"Mmm, but I'm still hard and sore. Can you take us home?"

"Certainly," Lucius glanced at the still dozing couple and then tightened his arms around Ginny.

xox

At the Lycan community Remus Lupin was becoming more concerned about Harry Potter's state of mind by the day. Finally, after he had taken measures to ensure his own family's safety he summoned Kingsley Shacklebolt. Although Harry had not threatened Andromeda, Dora or any of their children, Remus was now starting to wonder if having him here was wise. The quiet werewolf had filled Kingsley in on his concerns before they had met with Harry, and alarm bells were now clanging loudly in his head as he watched Kingsley actually considering the demand.

"I want my children," Harry told the minister without preamble.

"Perhaps a visit can be arranged," the minister said, not wishing to acquiesce, but for some reason feeling unable to deny Harry completely either. "However, I'm not certain that their mother will," he never got to finish the sentence.

Harry all but growled, making Remus bristle as well, and he slammed his hand down on the table. "I don't care what that bitch wants, she only ever had to look good and be quiet." He saw a glance between Kingsley and Remus, and it made him suspicious. "Where is she anyway? Where has she taken my children?"

"Ginny is not your property, Harry," Remus told him in his usual quiet way. The wizard's attitude was shocking his host.

"Yes she is," he answered, "My plan was going well until those two Death Eater bastards came back. "Now I'm stuck here with no wand in the back-docks. If she's emptying my vaults I'll kill her. I want statements, the deeds to the houses," and he slammed his hand on the table again. "I want my children."

There was such anger in his words, Harry had always been angry, he had a right to be to start with, but now it seemed that malice was all that was left.

Remus glanced and Kingsley and saw that the minister was to some extend being taken in by Harry's petulance, and suddenly he understood why this situation had gone on for ten years. That was something both he and Dora had struggled with, how Harry Potter could have been allowed to get away with what he had been doing, for ten long years.

They hadn't understood how that could happen, but Remus saw now how things were, and it was the same reason why Harry hadn't been put straight into Azkaban for his crimes. The minister of magic was pandying to him, just as Fudge had when he was a teenager. Shacklebolt appeared to be using the Lycan community as a safe house for Harry Potter, so he didn't have to deal with the problem.

What Kingsley doesn't seem realise was that Harry still had the mind of a passionate seventeen year old. The curse he had been under had not allowed his mind to grow to adulthood. Then for ten years the same curse had urged him to do the basest and debauched acts, and he wondered if there was any semblance of the Harry he had grown to respect the year he taught at Hogwarts left.

The cruel part was that everyone was a victim here, even Harry. He had been under a powerful curse, and it had stunted any good that was in him. Really, Azkaban was not the right place for him either. He needed to be somewhere where he could get assistance to recover, and perhaps he needed some memory modification to help that. Then Remus looked at Kingsley, and it looks like we need to make sure that our minister of magic is still loyal as well.

The meeting only ended in a stalemate, and Kingsley returned to the mainland and apprehensively headed to Wiltshire and Malfoy Manor to see if he could broker a deal.

xox

"I'm not saying that, Lucius," Kingsley assured him. "But, would a visit on neutral ground hurt?"

"Yes, I will not subject Ginny or the children to it. None of those children have had a male role model, they have been brought up entirely by their mother," Lucius stated.

The minister of magic turned to Severus. "What if you as an accomplished Legilimens were to ascertain that his mental state was stable enough," he suggested.

"You must be joking, why would I want to do that? Listen to what Lucius is saying, no means no. Neither our witches nor any Potter children are going to be subjected to something that may well put them at risk. Potter's little tantrums have caused my fiancé much trouble, and I will not subject her to any more worry over the little twerp."

"Personally, I cannot fathom why he is still at large. Should he not be incarcerated in Azkaban?" Lucius questioned.

"If we did that, we would have to bring it to the public's attention," Kingsley tried, knowing who he was dealing with here, and aware that his argument was significantly flawed. He rubbed his face.

"Why is he getting preferential treatment, anyway?" Severus wished to know. "If it were a common criminal, there would be no leniency."

"This is true, but we do owe him something."

"Pardon me, Minister, but bullshit," Severus stated curtly. "Voldemort was so far up his own arsehole by the time of the final battle that Tinkerbell could have disposed of him," Severus watched Lucius nodding in agreement as Shacklebolt glanced at him. "What Potter did was not that wonderful, and he only did it because the Prophesy told Albus Dumbledore that he had to. Prophesies are not definitive, you know? So don't give me any crap about what he did. I was a spy for twenty fucking years... we both were in the end. I have had to bow and scrap, kiss the tails of that disgusting wizard's robes, and what did I get for my trouble? I was thrown into a rotting cell half dead and left there in the hope that the neglect would finish the job before they had to spend money on a trial for me."

Severus was right on his high-horse now, and all the bottled up anger was flowing freely. He pointed to a place outside the room. "You people have let Potter run roughshod over everyone for ten years, you stood by, knowing he was making life impossible for Hermione, and all because she help Lucius and I. No one lifted a finger to help her other than Minerva and Hagrid, and I assure you minister if Harry Potter causes anymore trouble, I will curse first and ask questions later, do I make myself clear?"

Kingsley nodded, "Perfectly, Severus. I am sorry for how you... and you, Lucius were treated at the end of the war. It was wrong, but chaos was rife at the time."

"Oh, and that makes it all right?" Lucius said, now joining the argument.

"No," Kingsley replied tiredly, "It does not make it all right." He sighed, as they continued to stare him down, and finally he took his leave. "Good day, gentlemen."

Neither wizard offered any words on Kingsley's exit from the room. Once he was gone, Severus looked to where Lucius was standing next to the French doors, resting his forehead on the cool glass, and he heard his friend say, "I will not allow either of those fools anywhere near our witches or the children," he muttered.

The raven-haired wizard came over and squeezed his friend's shoulder. "No, we won't," and changing the subject, he chuckled," I better prepare the potion I was planning on brewing after I collected the Valerian this morning."

Lucius smiled despite his mood. "This morning took on a decidedly delightful twist, didn't it?"

"Most certainly," Severus smiled. "Your gift was very generous, my dear friend, thank you."

"Severus you are my best friend, and Hermione has become very special to me, if I can't give things to the people that I love, what use is all my money?"

"You made Hermione very happy," Severus drew a deep breath. "Are you content with the direction your life is taking?"

"Oh course," but Severus saw him stiffen slightly. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just that while I was watching you this morning, I thought I saw something like resignation in your eyes, do you wish to talk about it?"

Lucius sighed, and poured them both a drink from the carafe beside his chair. He motioned for Severus to sit opposite him. "I am happy," he said, levitating a tumbler towards Severus. "Very happy. Ginny is a wonderful girl, but I do miss the freedom to engage with whom I please when I please." He paused and took a sip of his whisky. "Then I remember what it was like when I was so alone, and I never want to be like that again."

"Do you mean how we were before you settled down with Ginevra and acquired a new family of four children?"

"Yes and no. I always wanted a large family, I hated being an only child, and now I have my wish and it's wonderful, but I would be lying if I said I didn't miss the easy camaraderie that you, Hermione and I had." He sighed again, "It's probably the lack of intimacy right now that's got me, I'm sure things will be fine."

"What, aren't you doing anything?" Severus asked, shocked.

"Of course we are, but there's a difference between playing around and serious fucking."

"True, very true," Snape agreed, nodding, "and you're right, you're a creature of instant gratification, you've never had to wait before. It will be fine once you've overcome this hurdle."

"Yes, I'm sure you're right." Lucius thought silently for a moment. "So, is there anything else we need to organise for Saturday?"

"No, I believe everything is in place. Mrs Longbottom has been a wealth of information concerning Mid-summer festivals and Hermione has been lapping it up. I must admit though that I will be glad when it's over, it seems like this has been building up for a long time, and I just want to settle down with Hermione."

"And that you shall, my friend; that you shall."

oOo

Notes:-

*I know it is an old wives tale about not being able to get pregnant while you breast feed, but I know that it sometimes works for people. I know people that it has and hasn't worked for, but imagine that it does always work in the wizarding world.