Chapter 6 – The Talk

The pair retreated to the Leaky Cauldron, nodding to acknowledge Hannah Abbott as they headed to an empty alcove in the corner. Hannah had joined the Leaky Cauldron as a waitress upon graduation from Hogwarts. Three years on, Tom was itching to retire and Hannah was the only one he trusted with the running of the inn/pub.

Severus placed two bottles of butterbeer on the table and eyed Hermione expectantly. Hermione pushed down her hood, sipped her butterbeer and steeled herself to meet Severus' intense gaze. "Severus I – "

"I'm sorry."

"What?" she spluttered, surprised by his words.

"I'm sorry. For kissing you. For causing such a public outrage. I – I shouldn't have." Severus' normally stoic expression had melted into a grimace. His eyes had glazed over and he was staring at his hands. Impulsively, Hermione reached over and took his hand. He snapped and looked right into her eyes, making to pull his hand back. But she held on, tight.

Hermione stroked his thumb with hers, tracing circles into the pad of his thumb. She entwined her fingers in his and turned his hand over, palm up. She began tracing runes into his palm. "These hands, these long elegant fingers. Back in school, the thought of your hands on my bare skin used to drive me to near distraction. How would the rough edges feel against the smooth, tender expanse of mine." She placed a light kiss on his palm.

"Hermione…"

"And your voice – the silky baritone. My hair used to stand on end and my skin tingled when you caome up behind silently to criticize my potion. Many a night I've spent fantasizing of you coming behind me and whispering, with that silky baritone of yours, sweet nothings into my ear." Hermione paused and her eyes flickered to meet his. Severus' eyes were drilling into hers, staring right through her, into her soul. "Your eyes. Those black bottomless pits – "

Severus interrupted her by pulling her up and towards him, capturing her luscious lips with his. His fingers found their way, entangling themselves in her hair and pulling her closer towards him. His tongue flicked her lips gently before sliding in and stroking her tongue with his. A low moan escaped her lips as she grabbed hold of the front of his shirt, tracing a finger up his neck, to the back of his ear.

They broke apart breathlessly and he pulled her to his side of the alcove. Keeping her hands in his, Severus sought her eyes and whispered "Hermione I am almost twenty years your senior, your fathers best friend and the godfather of your brother! How would this work out?" Hermione flashed him such a sly smile that Lucius would have been proud. "Father, ah, approves. And from what he's told me, Draco wouldn't mind much either; as long as you treat me right." She leaned in a little closer and whispered "Age is but a number Severus. I don't want another boy, I need a man."

His hand snaked around her waist and he smiled at her indulgently. "Are you sure? As much as I've always wanted you and admired your brilliance as well as your beauty, I am a complex man and I do not want to hurt you." Severus stroked her hair gently and placed a kiss on her temple, pulling her a little closer. She tilted her head up slightly and was greeted with another gentle kiss. "Slow Severus. We'll start slow."

"Slow" he agreed.

In the next alcove, unbeknownst to them, a tall blonde wizard and his raven-haired companion were listening intently and grinning. The pair had not meant to eavesdrop but when Severus and Hermione had slid into the alcove next to theirs, leaving would have spoilt the moment. Draco had placed a firm hand on Harry's arms and pressed a finger to his lips.

"What the hell Malfoy. We cant -"

Draco growled and caught Harry's lips with his. He gave his trademark Malfoy smirk and ran his tongue lazily over Harry's. They pulled apart and Draco gave him a cheeky wink. Harry was stunned for a moment but he slowly began grinning and leaned in for another kiss. The pair continued exchanging kisses until they heard Severus murmur "Slow"

Grinning, Draco pulled Harry up and they both peeked into the next booth. "Well aren't we cosy?" Draco said. Severus turned abruptly and pinned his godson with an almost half-hearted glare. Hermione reached over and gave her brother a shove. "Eavesdropping aren't we?"

"Oh no, no." Draco denied, taking Harry's hand in his. "We were somewhat… Occupied."

Hermione looked from their clasped hands to Harry's blush and his kiss swollen lips. "Rita Skeeter would have a field day with this one." She murmured under her breath. They laughed and slid into the couches across them. Severus put his head in his hands and muttered something that sounded like Merlin give me patience. Hermione giggled and took his hand in hers beneath the table.

The group descended into a very comfortable silence as the individual couples snuggled against each other and sipped on their butterbeers. "So." Hermione broke the silence. "The two of you are an item now? My brother and my best friend?"

"Mhmm…" Harry murmured, taking a gulp of his butterbeer.

"Where does this leave Ginny?"

Harry choked and positively spluttered "What?" Draco thumped him on the back. Harry stared at Hermione with a very panicked look in his emerald eyes. "What am I going to do with Ginny? I bet she's back at Grimmauld Place now, tearing up the place because I went for the ball." He got up abruptly and gave Draco a very quick yet thorough kiss. "I think I need to go speak to Ginny." There was a sudden fire in his eyes. "If her mother and brother cannot accept my best friend for who she is and have the audacity to call her a slut, then I think I should get my priorities straight." He bent over to give Hermione a peck on the cheek, shook hands with Severus and apparated away with a pop.

"That boy can face the Dark Lord head on but honestly, voluntarily standing up against the Weasley females takes the cake. I have to admit, my respect for that boy is growing." Severus stated minutes after Harry had gone. He finished the last of his butterbeer and prodded Draco and Hermione to get up. "Come. Your father wants us back for lunch."

Lucius sat in his office, drumming his fingers impatiently against the arms of his chair. Who does that Skeeter woman think she is, making him wait like this? He was not a patient man and did not like to be kept waiting, especially when that someone he's been waiting for is hurling nonsense about his family.

A house elf knocked on the mahogany doors and peeked in. "Master Lucius sir, Ms Skeeter is here."

"Thank you Mimsy. Please bring her here."

Moment later, Rita Skeeter herself walked in through those doors – impeccable pink suit, blonde hair in a perfect chignon and quick quotes quill ready at hand. She sat herself down across Lucius, crossed her legs and beamed at him, moving her chest slightly hoping that he would notice her cleavage.

His nostrils flared and he struggled to rein in his temper. Bring his hands to his chin, he smiled and drawled out "Welcome to the Manor Ms Skeeter. It's a pleasure to have you."

"Pleasure is all mine Mr Malfoy. And call me Rita. Lucius sounds too delectable that formality can wait." She positively purred at him. He smirked and strolled over to the antique beverage pushcart he had in the corner.

"I must say, you are quite the journalist. So what possessed you to write that inane dribble about my daughter?" Lucius poured himself a glass of fire whiskey and turned to fix her with his cold grey eyes. He held her eyes with his cold, unblinking stare for a few more moment, watching as Rita squirmed under his gaze. Small beads of sweat broke out on her forehead. Lucius' lip quirked at the edge and he drawled out "Beverage?"

Lucius could see her sigh with relief when he finally broke the silence. "Just water, love." He smirked and set a glass of water in front of her before returning to his seat.

"Now, where were we? Ah yes. My daughter." He fixed her with another stare and continued "Have you no other skills or methods to boost your readership then writing about scandalous mistruths?"

Rita sipped at her cup and smiled "My, my Lucius. So quick to jump to defences. Is there something that you want to hide?" She pulled out her notepad and quick quotes quill. "Everyone loves a scandal, Lucius, and what better scandal then one involving the wizarding world's most influential pureblood family and the muggle born they so publicly detested."

Lucius gripped the arm of the seat, stared at her notepad and quill and silently summoned them towards him. They floated in the air before him and promptly burst into flames. Rita glared at him and jumped from her chair "How dare you Lucius Malfoy."

He mirrored her actions and with an arrogant smirk shouted "Well how dare you Rita Skeeter. Toying with my family like that wasn't very wise." He walked over to her side of the table, strolling languidly around her "Let's see how you like your dirty little secret aired out for all to see. Perhaps the front page with the headline Prophet Reporter Illegal Animagus accompanied with a moving picture of you transforming from your current hideous self to a far more hideous little beetle."

Rita's breath hitched as Lucius came up behind her and stood entirely too close with his breath tickling her neck. "Or," he whispered, conjuring up a very familiar glass jar strengthened so as to be unbreakable "Perhaps you'd like another elongated stay in this very humble abode. I am sure you enjoyed your time in there." Lucius dangled the jar in front of her.

"What do you want from me Lucius." Rita growled, gritting her teeth, gripping the side of her skirt tightly.

"I want a public apology from you, published on the front page of The Daily Prophet by tomorrow morning. In that article, I want you to state your apology, of course, and that you'd be retiring and moving far away from here."

"Is that it?"

"No. You are never to write again and if you do, even in the smallest of publications, I will find out and you will pray you had never entered journalism."

"And if I don't?"

"Let's just say I am indeed, very influential and I have weekly meetings with members of the Ministry representing the appropriate divisions. They would love to apprehend another illegal animagus. I do believe you know what the consequences are. Or I could handle you myself and my dear, you will definitely feature on the front page of every news publication you can think of, as the bright but rather unfortunate journalist who lost her sanity."

Rita fell back into her chair, suddenly feeling very weak in the knees. Satisfied with the effect his words had on her, Lucius resumed his seat and watched her. She was trembling now and her lips were pale beneath the hideous shade of pink she had slathered on.

"I believe we have an agreement?" Lucius ventured.

Rita nodded, unwilling to shift her gaze from her lap.

"Mimsy?" Lucius called out.

The house elf appeared with a soft crack. "Yes Master Lucius?"

"Do see Ms Skeeter out."

Rita followed the house elf silently and when she reached the door, Lucius called out to her "Tomorrow morning." She stiffened for a moment and continued out, slamming the door behind her.

He leaned his head back against the chair and heaved a sigh of relief. One problem solved. Now, about that Weasley problem… He had barely ventured into thinking of what he might possibly do with them when his doors creaked open and Draco and Hermione peeked in. "Was that Skeeter we just saw, pale as a sheet and stumbling out the front door?" Hermione asked.

"The very one. Now." He got up and walked towards his children "Lunch?"

I had the sudden burst of inspiration and just had to get this out of my system. I guess this is my way of making it up to all of you for making you lot wait so long for a new chapter. I'm glad you all liked the previous chapter and I do hope you've liked this one too. It was definitely fun writing this chapter and I promise to have another chapter up real soon.

Eva