Chapter 12
Life with Marcus was bearable, even fruitful. He gave her quite a bit of jewellery. Mostly to show off for Draco. Draco did seem to notice these things. He gave her some new dresses as well, although she didn't think she needed anything. But she supposed it was the principle of the thing. Can't having her show up in some other man's gifts.
Draco was not happy about the situation. In fact he sulked. He wasn't running away anymore, but he looked murderous whenever she was around. He was still drinking, but he wasn't enjoying the evening. He would sit and watch the evening's festivities. Occasionally running his hands through his blond hair before returning to his feral looking scowl.
Marcus also slowed down his drinking, preferring to stay a little more sober than usual. There was some kind of silent conversation going on between Draco and Marcus. Obviously some kind of pissing contest.
This was an opportunity according to Connie. One to be capitalised on. Two interested men, trying to outdo each other. Not that Draco could participate, but it made Marcus more attentive.
Hermione could not believe that they were having some kind of contest for her. The girl they had both derided in school. Now they were competing. Although saying that, she would not trade the bit of payback she felt at Draco's anger and dissapointment. Stupid boy. He was a man really, but how could you think of someone as a man considering what he'd done and how childish he was now acting.
She was still staying at Grimmauld place. She had not been asked to leave, so she stayed. If it had been some other place, she would have felt uncomfortable staying after their 'arrangement' had now ended. But it was Harry's place, it didn't really belong to Draco anyway. So she felt alright with staying there.
With Marcus taking care not to drink too much, the likelihood of sex at the end of the evening was higher. She didn't mind. The potion made it easy. It was actually a nice escape from the stress and the tension, and it required nothing of her. No need to determine that she felt right about this person or what it would mean for the future or their relationship, it just was what it was. Pleasure. Induced, but pleasurable none the less.
Marcus was not a bad lover. Enthusiastic, wanting to try different things, which Hermione didn't mind while on the potion. It all felt good.
Connie sent her a note one morning asking her to meet in Diagon Alley that afternoon. Hermione found her sitting on one of the elegant little cafes meant for the wealthiest of this society. Dressed exquisitely in satin, looking like a tropical bird amongst the dowdy looking pureblood wives.
"I have found a patron for you." Connie said enthusiastically as Hermione sat down.
"Oh?" Hermione asked excitedly.
"His name is Augustus Merrimen. Mid to late thirties. Descendant of a muggleborn, hence the low position. Quiet man, a clerk at the Ministry with few social prospects. Probably few professional prospects as well. Not really an ambitious man. Are you sure you want to go this route?" Connie said uncertain.
"I'm sure." Hermione said. "I am not cut out for this kind of life."
"He has some money. An okay cottage that he inherited out in the Cotswold somewhere."
"I love the Cotswold." Hermione said.
"He eats lunch late in the afternoon." Connie said. "Right over there, she said pointing at a sandwich establishment across the road. He should be here any minute."
Hermione couldn't help but be curious. She ordered herself a tea of the disapproving waitress and waited while Connie kept an eye out.
"Here he comes." She said and discreetly pointed at a man in plain gray robes.
He had almost yellow wavy blond hair that reached down past his ears. All in all a plain man, who Hermione would not honestly have looked at twice. He was confronted by two women coming out of the shop and he stepped back and bowed slightly as they passed. They didn't acknowledge his presence.
"He has a good nature apparently." Connie said. "Has an interest in birds."
He wasn't ugly. He had intelligent looking eyes. Kind almost. Hermione felt like she was evaluating a puppy at the pound.
"Single obviously." Connie continued as they watched the man buy his sandwich and then walk out of the store. He smiled at someone he met then tucked his head down and walked back the way he came from.
"It would not be an exciting life." Connie said unenthusiastically. "But it would probably be quite stable. Particularly if you can bring yourself to care about birds."
Hermione felt compassion for the man. The poor, gentle man who didn't have the means to find a wife in this horrid world. He must be very lonely, she concluded.
"He might do." Hermione said quietly.
"Think it over." Connie said with a hint of distaste.
And she would, she decided. A puppy is for life, not just for Christmas, she told herself. She needed to think this over.
Marcus called for her that night. She spent the night looking pretty at the club where Draco had gambled her away. She made much more of an effort to look nice these days. The gambling didn't prove nearly as interesting tonight. Marcus refused to go near the gambling table. She and Marcus left early, followed by the angry eyes of Draco Malfoy as they left.
"You know the potion only amplifies." He said later that night as he lay on his back catching his breath after a particularly vigorous session.
Hermione lay next to him, feeling the sensations and heat starting to drain away after a very satisfying culmination. It wasn't much unlike what it had been like with Dean, although it skipped all the teasing and build up, the potion went straight into the heart of it. Hermione didn't mind, she didn't want some great meeting of heart and soul, she just wanted to get off and it did the job beautifully.
She found these regular releases affected her whole life. She was generally calmer and less worried, because she had a consistent and intense release of whatever pressure she felt. She hadn't even realised that she had missed it after Dean left. The sex that was. She had been so focus on the failure of the relationship, she had not given the sex itself that much thought.
"It does nothing for some girls." He continued. "With you, its wild. That means there already was a wild little thing inside you all along. The potion just brings it out. Who knew, the little prissy know-it-all. A heathen under all that primness."
He was smiling as he rolled over towards her. It wasn't meant as an insult. He wasn't telling her anything she didn't know. Or that Dean didn't know. She smiled to herself at the memories of some of their evenings spent together.
"And he knew." He said.
"Who?" Hermione said, surely he couldn't be talking about Dean.
"Malfoy."
"What?" Hermione snorted. "Malfoy can't see beyond his own reflection."
"That's why he wouldn't use it on you." Marcus said and circled a finger around the heated skin of breast.
"Please." She said getting annoyed that he was touching her so intimately. "He wanted it to be as uncomfortable for me as he possibly could."
He didn't say anything, but Hermione got the feeling he didn't believe her. Hermione got out of bed and reached for her dress. Marcus stayed on the bed, sitting up slightly against the headboard, watching her.
"You're a fantastic fuck." He said and reached for the drink he had beside the bed. Still completely nude.
Hermione stopped and looked at him. She wasn't sure what to say. She knew he meant it as a compliment, but as a girl, it just didn't sit right. Particularly not with these circumstances. It kind of made it sound like this was what she was supposed to be doing and that hurt.
"Thanks." She said.
"I would love to keep you."
That got her attention and she stared at him. Was he getting rid of her?
"But he is not going to stop, you know." He continued.
"Who?"
"Draco."
Hermione didn't know what to say or think.
"But he lost." She finally said.
"For now." Marcus said. "I've known Draco all my life and he will not stop. He will get you back. And as much as I like having your company, there is only so much I can take before..." He drifted off.
Hermione was disconcerted by the statement. She had liked being Marcus' girl, but its not like she expected him to go into battle for her, and he made it sound like that was required to keep her safe from Draco.
He was trying to warn her about how things would go. She always appreciated how he would inform her how things would play out.
"I would prefer to stay with you." She said and he smiled brightly. It was true, but it was also a bit of a reward. Maybe Connie was rubbing off on her.
"I will hang on as long as I can." He said. His eyes sparkling with mischief.
Hermione went home. She never stayed the night. It was a firm policy now. A bit of control in a world where she had very little.
A part of her was hurt that Marcus would sell her out, but she also knew that this was not a world with loyalty, particularly for girls like her.
She hoped beyond anything that Marcus was wrong about Draco. If it was true and Marcus would not want to go against Draco, what chance would a man like Augustus Merrimen have. It would probably end badly. She was increasingly growing fond of this man who blended into the furniture even though she had never met him. He was her future after all. Her saviour in a sense, even if he had no idea.
This is what arranged marriages must feel like, she told herself. It had been done for thousands of years, still was in some parts. The world did not fall apart because of arranged marriages, she would make this work. It could work out really well. And if it didn't, it wasn't a marriage after all, she could just try again. But she decided that it was better to sit on the Merrimen plan for a while until things settle down, or at least until Draco starts turning up with another girl.