A/N: Thank you for the favorites, follows, and reviews!

I posted this chapter super early because I felt bad for torturing all of you with Hermione's predicament.

The Hazia plant was taken from Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea series.

9

Previously:

Lucius watched as Dolohov sauntered into the room sans shirt and bracketed his arms around Hermione's body on the bed. It was in that moment that Lucius started to plan every single gory detail of Antonin Dolohov's death. It would be long and painful and was going to be delivered meticulously by his own hand.

**HGHG**

Fear choked Hermione as Dolohov came nearer. His wand was never in her reach, and she could tell that this time was no different. He had a look in his eye that told her that she wasn't going to scare him off with a few well-chosen words. Not this time. Her blood began to sear her veins as it flowed faster and hotter than ever before. Lightning crackled at her fingertips and through her curls. She could feel the fear clawing its way up her stomach to settle in her throat. She couldn't allow him to hurt her. She didn't spend half her life suffering only to end up like this, a broken doll at Dolohov's mercy. Bitterly, Hermione wondered if she had imagined the ripple around the chair. Perhaps there was no one there, no one to save her. There was no more time to wait for better opportunities, no one to collaborate with, no amount of talking her way out of whatever Dolohov decided to do to her. She had to act. Now.

The glorious rage she had felt in the shower came back to her as if she had summoned it. Her pupils glowed golden, and a non-existent wind swirled through the room. If no one was going to come for her, she would have to save herself.

"Don't move." Her voice ordered in triplicate. Hermione froze; the sound of her order, so foreign to her ears made her fear whatever it was that she had awoken deep within her. She watched as Dolohov barely paused, ignoring the magical warning in her voice. His eyes swept the line of her body before shrugging off whatever he saw that he refused to acknowledge and lowered his face, so that only a feather could fit between them.

She watched in slow motion as he came near, dread making her extremities feel leaden. She cringed back, using her hands on his chest to push him away. Dolohov, being twice her size, merely used the weight of his body to pin her. She could see in his eyes that no longer was he going to stop. In his mind, she was his and he was going to plunder her until he had what he wanted.

A ball of blue light left the center of her body and knocked into Dolohov. His body slammed into the wall across the room seconds before another blue stunner hit him from the side. She could hear heavy breathing coming from her right and looked around in surprise at an enraged Lucius Malfoy. His wand was out, his fingers clenched around the handle, and a look of coldblooded murder was a promise on his face.

His other hand was fisted and he kept it at his side but his wand hand trembled as he reached out to her face. Lightly, he caressed her, cradling her face as if she were a china doll or a spirit he had willed into being. It was like he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Is he dead?" Hermione asked dispassionately. Where before she was drowning in fear and fury, now she was frozen and numb. Putting herself on autopilot was second nature until she could break down somewhere safe. Fighting a war honed those deadly and life-saving instincts with precision. The only other time she felt so out of control was when Bellatrix had tortured her at Malfoy Manor. She shook her head, refusing to think about that now.

"No."

"How did you get in here?"

"Magic."

Her lips quirked up. Lucius flicked his wand over her leg and chanted a beautiful melodious counter-curse as he healed her festering wound. The sweetest feeling of cooling and tingling flooded her limb and she slumped with relief.

"He told me that only he would be able to heal me." Hermione mumbled.

"No one in this castle would dare to, and not many outside would have the knowledge needed. Today, you are in luck. He often used this spell while I was still alive and I happen to know the counter."

"Did I ever tell you how amazing you are?" She asked breathlessly as she massaged her leg.

"No," He purred. "but I wouldn't mind hearing it one more time. Perhaps, the both of us deserve the praise. It was your wandless magic that blasted Dolohov across the room. It was no more than he deserved." Lucius said coldly and flicked his wand at Dolohov's unconscious body. Ropes shot from the tip that quickly wrapped around Dolohov's entire body. His eyes flicked to his fist and he slowly uncurled it, a small smile on his face as he glanced at whatever he was in his hand

"I don't know how I did that." Hermione whispered.

"We can figure it out when we get home." Lucius walked over to Dolohov and prepared his prisoner for transport.

"Home…" She murmured wistfully. "Where is home?"

"Malfoy Manor is your home, your stronghold. You belong with us. The four of us are a team."

"Malfoy Manor was destroyed."

"It should be fixed by now." He murmured as he levitated Dolohov's body to float along at his side. Hermione's eyebrows rose in skepticism but she kept her opinions to herself.

Hermione stood gingerly, using the bedposts for support as she tested out her ankle. She could have wept with relief at the lack of pain, not only from her leg but also from leaving the bed without Dolohov's permission. Had they not been in the center of enemy territory with Dolohov's unconscious form on the floor, she would had thrown Lucius on the bed and learned all of the planes of his body. Her body and soul thrummed with his proximity. Adrenalin began pumping through her system now that Dolohov was efficiently taken out of the picture. The numbing of her emotions gave way to the euphoric lust that crashed around her. Now was not the time.

"Come with me." Lucius' calm voice was in direct contrast with the burning rage in his eyes. He held out a hand for her to take, if she wanted.

With a soft look, she slid her hand into his, her skin tingling with the contact. He lightly tugged her into motion, using his body to separate her from her tormentor.

They walked into the bathroom and to the far wall where a painting of a hooded man holding a scythe was mounted behind a heavy black curtain. With a nod from both man and painting, the floor to ceiling portrait swung open, a stone passageway behind it.

"Do you know how disheartening it is to find out exactly how close I was to a secret passageway this whole time."

"Don't feel so bad. Not only is it not on the Marauders map, but only Snape and Rosmerta can open it. Even if you had known exactly where it was, you wouldn't have been able to use it."

"Is Snape at the other end then?" She asked quietly as she watched the painting close behind them.

"No, Snape and Potter took Narcissa to the resistance to find a healer. Rosmerta opened the passageway for us."

"She opened the passageway for the Malfoys?" Her surprise was evident in her tone. His lips twitched. "I hope she was not imperiused this time."

"Draco will be so glad to hear of your opinion of him." He teased.

"I didn't mean…"

"It's fine. We both have a lot to make up to you for. Years of mistreatment. I have no defense except my ignorance which isn't a defense at all."

Hermione bumped her shoulder lightly into his. She didn't condone their methods but she could offer her forgiveness for their past actions against her. After all, they did die trying to help her. She squeezed his hand that she still grasped. Her heartbeat sped up slightly when he squeezed back. His blond hair gleamed in the wand-light and as she studied at him out of the corner of her eye, she thought how incredibly dashing a figure he cut. His shoulders were broad, his muscles defined and sculpted, his power pulsated around his body. It undulated around him as he moved, and she could feel it as it brushed against hers, the deadly power that laid deep within her core. She had felt it during times of great stress and fear but never had it manifested until Dolohov tried to rape her.

She pushed all of those thoughts back, vowing that she would address these issues someday, but today was not that day. A doorway opened at the other end of the tunnel and Hermione dropped Lucius' hand and sprinted toward the light. Draco met her halfway, and tried to wrap his body around her protectively. His face was buried in her neck and he was babbling.

"Are you okay? That bastard didn't touch you, did he? I thought I was going to lose you, I was so scared…"

"I'm okay. He didn't hurt me. He wanted to, was going to, but I stopped him. I'm here. I'm okay."

"Thank Merlin." He mumbled before pushing his fingers into her hair on either side of her face and pulled her lips to his. Hermione's arms were wrapped tightly around his torso, she almost feared that if she let go, he would disappear and she would wake up back at the castle, Dolohov's body the one wrapped around hers.

From behind, she heard a strangled grunt and pulled back to look at Lucius. His neck was a blotchy red, and his face twisted with tension and desire. There was a warped grin on his face, his eyes a mite too bright, as if he wanted to appear happy but had failed miserably in the attempt. At her questioning glance, he turned away, dropping the pretense of a smile all together. His face quickly retreated back into the shadows.

"Don't mind him," A warm gravelly voice greeted. Abraxas sauntered forward and pulled her out of Draco's arms and into his body, tucking her head under his chin. He guided her out of the tunnel and smiled at Rosmerta who had watched their greetings with incredulity. He dropped kisses over the crown of Hermione's head as they moved, his hands stroking her shoulders. He leaned in close to her ear. "He is just jealous that you haven't kissed him yet and he was the one who came and got you."

"How do you know I haven't kissed him yet?" She asked curiously.

"He would not look like that, if you had." He chuckled, not feeling an ounce of pity for the man. He hadn't yet gotten a kiss either. He was almost envious of Draco's impetuousness. Almost.

Hermione untangled herself from Abraxas and walked to Rosmerta with a huge smile. She could feel her break down coming. It was the metallic tang of fear that still coated her mouth. Not yet, she pleaded with herself. It took her a moment to realize that for the few minutes that she was in the arms of Draco, Lucius, and Abraxas, the panic had given way to something much more delicious. It was certainly something she intended to explore. Especially, if it kept the terror at bay.

"Thank you for helping to rescue me." Hermione said to Rosmerta. The barmaid flushed with praise or guilt. It was hard to tell.

"I nearly didn't. If Dumbledore's portrait hadn't vouched for them, I wouldn't have opened it."

"Well, I am glad you did! I don't think I would have done well in that castle for much longer. I felt too vulnerable without my wand."

Rosmerta pulled Hermione into a hug.

"I heard about Ron and I am so sorry for your loss. I remember the three of you in my pub drinking bottles of butterbeer when you were only this big." She said holding her hand only slightly above her waist. Hermione chuckled.

"Back when our training to fight in the war truly began. We were relatively safe under the knowing eye of Dumbledore, even as we battled against horrific odds. It could have been worse I suppose." Hermione had come to terms with the war long ago, something in which she wished Harry would follow her. He had a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas.

"If there is anything I can do, you know where to find me." Rosmerta said. Hermione did not miss that it was mostly directed to Abraxas and her. "You may want to disguise your souvenir." She muttered to Lucius as he passed. He flashed her a smile and with a needlessly sharp rap of his wand, he disillusioned Dolohov.

With a soft pop, Lucius and his prize were gone. Draco smiled at Rosmerta uncertainly before he too, left. Abraxas slid his hands to Hermione's elbows and pulled her back into his chest.

"Thank you again, Rosmerta." He said gratefully. "Ready, Love?" He murmured to Hermione. She nodded, unsure if they were actually going to the Manor even if Lucius did say that it was being rebuilt or something. She felt his movement as he pushed them into the tight tube of apparition, the unsettling feeling only dissipating upon their arrival.

Hermione looked around with wonder. She was standing in the famous Malfoy library that didn't look at all as if it had recently been reduced to mere rubble, only a little more than twenty-four hours before. A day that felt like a lifetime ago.

**HGHG**

Snape stood toe to toe with Helena Macmillan, both stubborn- both spitting mad. Narcissa laid on the bed, eyes wide as she watched the argument like a ping pong match.

"You have ruined everything! You brought You-Know-Who straight here!" She screeched.

"And I told you that the very second that we entered this camp, I erected the most powerful wards known to wizard kind. There is no way he is getting through them without giving everyone enough time to flee!"

"You can promise that, can you? That the rest of us will not be cannon fodder, so that you can take her to safety at the first disturbance? You are a great bloody bastard Severus Snape!"

"Heal her then and we will go our merry way!"

"It's not so simple!"

"What do you need? Whatever it is, I will get it or do it."

"I need a potion,"

"Damn! We are completely fucked then, aren't we? Where the hell are we going to find someone, who can make one of those?" His sarcastic tone was laced with contempt.

"If you would let me finish…" She trailed off. "Asshole." She muttered under her breath. He glowered at her and raised his brows impatiently. "I need Hazia root and there is only one place on earth you can find it and only one day a year you can harvest it. It also needs to be no older than a fortnight."

His sneer dropped immediately as his already pasty face, paled at the news.

"Do you have any contacts that could procure this for you?" He asked slowly, already knowing the answer.

"Anyone who dealt with me in the past is going to treat me like a plague carrier. No one outside of England wants to get involved with this war. Do you have any contacts?"

"Perhaps." He muttered. If he went, he left not only the Narcissa but the whole camp vulnerable. He couldn't entrust Narcissa to the boy wonder but neither could he send Potter overseas in his stead. He was stuck between a rock in a hard place. He lifted his eyes to meet Helena's with a dangerous thought. The Malfoys. Drawing a small medallion out of his pocket, he began to slowly rub the metal with his thumb. The tiny coin heated with his request. He smirked knowing that Lucius was going to be furious when he realized that Snape had included his small coin in their little protean charm without their knowledge. He was almost sad he would miss the reaction.

Meet Teesdale -S

Unbelievable

5?

Fine

Snape smirked and pocketed his coin, his gaze softening as he met Narcissa's concerned gaze. Taking the cue, Helena quietly left the small tent, giving Snape and Narcissa some privacy.

"What did you do?" Narcissa asked in a low voice.

"Why do you think I did anything?" He asked slyly.

"You only get that look, when you bait Lucius. So, what did you do?"

"I included myself in Lucius' protean charm without informing any of them." He muttered proudly. It had always been a pissing contest between them even if they were really good friends. Narcissa chuckled and shook her head. She reached out and patted his hand. He turned serious and took her hands in his. "At least you are out of the castle. I thought you were going to die there, under his thumb. I don't care if I've blown the only link the Order had to his inner circle. I'm actually relieved. No more torture and double talk, trying to toe the line of double spy. I think you deserve safety after everything you have been through and it would be an honor and privilege to provide it for you. That is, if you would have me."

"Severus," She whispered, her eyes lowered and latched on their joined hands. "Until this war is over, I refuse to make any long-term plans. I have no intention of jumping from one bad marriage to another." Snape opened his mouth to refute that they would have a bad marriage. She lifted a hand to cut him off before he could even start. "and before you ask, I don't think we would have a bad marriage per se, just that I need time for me, to see what I want out of life. I refuse to wrap my entire being around another man until I am certain that is what I want. I refuse to hurt and disrespect us both by starting something that neither one of us is truly ready for. You deserve better than a broken woman and I deserve better than to be broken."

Snape understood. If anyone could identify with what she meant, it would be him. He was a powerhouse of guilt and regret. Like calls to like, he supposed. He leaned forward and tenderly laid a kiss to her temple.

"Rest. I am going to meet with Lucius. I won't be long."

"Be safe."

He pivoted and without another word exited the tent. He had only taken a handful of steps before Harry Bloody Potter fell into step beside him.

"So, Severus Snape does have a heart." Harry baited, but before the former Professor could say anything, Potter smiled. "I'll keep her safe. Merlin knows how many times you saved my life and the lives of those that I care about. Just, come back. Yeah?" Harry looked like he wanted to say something more, but obviously thought better of it and walked away instead. Snape shook his head, not knowing whether to be grateful to the idiot or fear for Narcissa's life. Although, Potter had a way of making it out unscathed. He hoped that in this one instance, it would extend to Narcissa as well.

Once he got to the edge of camp, he apparated just outside of the cave that Lucius and Snape used as young men at Teesdale. It was hidden by layers of spells that they had woven on it over the years. It had become the place they would heal each other from skirmishes and punishments during the first war. The moment he walked through the wards, he was met with a barrage of stunners that he easily deflected. It was almost a ritual between them. Lucius looked annoyed. Good.

"You summoned me?" Lucius sketched a bow to go with his acerbic reply.

"Healer Macmillan can heal Narcissa but she needs a specific potion and to make this potion, she needs Hazia. Fresh Hazia. We already know he can find her no matter where she is and the Order doesn't want her to stay in camp with them. I can't leave Potter in charge of her. She would end up another one of his casualties."

"You want me to either go get the Hazia or offer to protect Narcissa. And we both know that he could draw on her magic and destroy the Manor- again, which puts Hermione at risk. So, tell me, old friend- which do you prefer to ask of me?"

"I ask that you harvest the Hazia."

"I assume you know that the only night of the year this can be harvested for medicinal use is summer solstice."

"Yes."

"That is in three days."

"Yes."

"It will take two just to get there."

"Yes."

"Leaving the country is not going to be easy." Lucius sighed as Snape nodded.

"How did the rescue go?" Snape asked changing the subject, no one was in a blind panic and the Malfoy's weren't all dead so things must have turned out fine.

"She's at the Manor. I captured Dolohov. She was his reward and now he is mine." He sneered. "He is going to regret every lustful thought and glance he had for the rest of his very short life."

"I want to be there."

"No."

"He was one of the men who did things to Narcissa over the years. I want to be there."

The two men squared off, neither one backing down. Both had a claim to Dolohov's death and they knew it. Together they would revel in his screams and watch as hope for rescue or absolution slowly drained from him. Lucius offered a nod, not one to waste words when a gesture would do the trick.

The men griped their forearms and silently left. There was nothing more to say at the moment, nothing to make the horrors of war recede from where it had already touched them and their loved ones.

**HGHG**

Hermione jumped when she felt the light touch on her back and swiveled around, her wand tightly clenched in her fist. That was the first thing she did upon entering the Manor, was take back her wand and kiss Abraxas' face repeatedly as he pulled it from a pocket of his robe. She could tell he was pleased by her attention and praise. He cradled her face and held her chin in his rough hand, forcing her face to meet his.

He crashed his lips against hers, sweeping her slightly open mouth with his tongue. Dominating was second nature to him but it wasn't intimidating with him like it was with Dolohov. She knew that with Abraxas all she would have to say was no and he would back off. She was the one who held the power here. It was heady and made her feel sexy, knowing that this powerful man's actions were determined by her wishes alone.

His tongue was velvet as he caressed the sensitive skin of the inside of her lips and the underside of his tongue. He was everywhere, surrounding her with his scent, everything that made him who he was. Strong, capable, fierce, loyal, ruthless, hers. She wanted it, all of him. Her heart sped up as he pulled back and watched her pulse thrum in her neck as she gasped for air. His pupils were blown with a wild look in them that would have made a lesser woman quake. Never had she seen Abraxas so unkempt; his hair was askew, and his robe was mussed. If she didn't know better, she would say that he was tormented over her capture. Perhaps he was.

At Rosmertas, he had been calm, so well put together. He was the rock for their family. It seemed that once he was assured of her safety within the confines of Malfoy Manor, he fell apart. Only to be held together by the feel of her in his arms.

"I'm okay." She murmured to him. He let his head fall onto her shoulder as he took great shuddering breaths.

"In all my life; I had never once felt so helpless then when he took you from us. I always thought there was something lacking in my soul that I never once felt fear like the people around me. If there was a problem, I solved it. If I needed to protect my family better, I learned how. Nothing shook me. I did unspeakable things. Things that were necessary for winning the war. When he took you; I lost it. I turned feral, a wild beast that was let out of his cage to massacre its enemies. I thought I would be one of those men who would burn the world down for what I wanted. But I learned that I am a man of icy fury, stone cold at the center. I saw what I needed to do in every excruciating detail. I followed along the path of breadcrumbs like little butterflies that flutter from bloom to bloom. I was cold and detached and then you were in Draco's arms relatively unscathed and I melted. I burned. I still burn."

Hermione rubbed his back, not knowing how to answer his confession. She could feel the heat of him through her robes, as if he truly was on fire. His grip on her tightened as she moved to take a step back. He couldn't let her go, she knew that. He was shaking but she also knew he needed something from her, forgiveness, understanding, reciprocation. It didn't matter. She only knew that Abraxas, Lucius, and Draco chased away the agony in her soul. She had been vulnerable at Hogwarts, had been reduced to a weak doll to be handed out as a prize. Her hand tightened again on the handle of her wand. She was determined never to be caught so unguarded again. Whatever power that had surged in her core when Dolohov made his move, needed to be harnessed and trained so that even without a wand, she could defend herself from her enemies.

She pushed the fear to the back of her mind as she kissed his neck. She moved his hair to the side and wondered what he would taste like. He smelled so good that she ran the tip of the pink muscle past his jugular and along the ridge of the tendon. He moaned into her skin and lifted her as he walked forward to one of the many magically restored tables that the elves had placed in the library.

Neither one of them thought about Draco who had left to pilfer the kitchen. Whether he had come back and decided to give them privacy or was still in the kitchen was the farthest thing from their minds. At that moment, Hermione wondered if she would even care if he was at the massive doors watching. In fact, that thought made her even wetter than she already was.

"I need you." Abraxas murmured into the skin that he had begun to taste and nibble. The sensation of stubble combined with his firm tongue made her think of all the places on her body that she would like him to explore. With gentle fingers, he began to unfasten her robe, going slowly, as if asking for permission. If that was what he was waiting for, she gladly gave it. He burned through her veins, the lust and need rushed through her body in waves. Her hands reached up to meet with his, taking over the task of disrobing much faster than he was going. She was impatient. She was ravenous, starving for his touch. She wanted to possess him as much as she wanted him to possess her.

Once her robe was laying on the table below her and her bra and knickers had been removed, Abraxas pulled away. He was too far and she frowned. His eyes roved over her naked skin. She was impatient but he kept just out of reach.

"I want to look at you." He smiled sweetly, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly. "You are so beautiful."

"Come back to me." She said, reaching out for him. Her eyes must have been as desperate as his because he was in her arms and pillaging her mouth within seconds. Her fingers scrabbled at his buttons, damning men's wizarding fashion to the fiery pits of hell where they came from. Too many bloody buttons. His lips trailed over her collar bone and down in the valley between her breasts. His thumb teased the peak of her nipple. Blowing on the skin lightly as it puckered and elongated. He drew the dusky pebble into his mouth and flicked his tongue in time to his powerful sucks. Hermione threw her head back as the tugging on her nipple strummed the taunt cord that went straight to her core. The pleasure rocked her entire being.

The one other time she had had sex was a disappointment to say the least. There was no heat, no spark. Just a sense of missing something and the feeling that sex shouldn't be so hard to get into, to enjoy. This was wholly other. He consumed her. Every brush of his hand, every kiss and swipe of his fabulous tongue was a new reason to fall into whatever this was. As he worshiped her body, she delighted in the way he treated her. As if she was his goddess bestowing her wiles on a mere reverential mortal. She had never felt like that until they came into her lives. How could a man so wholly masculine make her feel like she was the powerful one, the one in control? It didn't matter. She drank it up as if he was passing ambrosia from his mouth directly into hers.

His lips moved down her body, her stomach clenched with the tender kisses he trailed on her. Questing fingers skimmed her thighs. Lightly, so lightly that he was barely touching her, his hands moved. They cupped the inside of her thighs and pushed them apart. He looked down at her spread before him as if she were a feast laid out solely for his enjoyment. His eyes glowed as he studied her groomed mons, and her glistening pink folds. She blushed, growing more self-conscious the longer he stared.

His eyes focused back on hers as he sank to his knees between her spread thighs. The first lick was like lightning. She gasped and arched her back off the table. She could feel his smile, the scruff of his face scratching the delicate skin of her inner thighs. He teased her mercilessly, bringing her close and backing off over and over again so that she was a groaning, writhing mess on the table.

"Please." She begged, her head thrashing from side to side as she buried her fingers in his hair. Pulling him closer, grinding herself against his face. Or she would have, if he let her. He chuckled as he lightly flicked the sensitive bud until she was incoherent and at the last moment, right before she hurtled off the precipice, her sucked her nub into his mouth with a strong pull. She was gone. Shattered into a million pieces before riding the waves that kept crashing her as he continued to flick and suck.

"Ah." She panted over and over, her over sensitized body, set her teeth on edge. He lazily circled her clitoris with his tongue and slipped first one finger that another into her wet passage. He slowly moved in her, turning his fingers, scissoring them until he was satisfied she could take him. He stood with one last kiss to her center and slid the gaping robes off his body. She watched in a half-lidded haze as he stripped for her, leisurely and with an arrogant smirk. Once he got to the placket of his trousers, her body had once again started to heat in earnest. He was exceptionally well toned and she could only think that it was a bloody waste that he hid such sexy masculinity beneath all of those layers and buttons.

"Like what you see?" He asked. His voice was low and husky. Seductive. He could easily talk a woman out of her knickers with a voice like that.

He moved between her legs and bent over her, guiding her legs around his waist. Running his fingers up her torso, he pinched her erect nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. His mouth was on hers, the salty taste of her mingled with the spicy taste of him. It was something that she could easily get addicted to. She could feel his heavy erection as it settled between the lips of her mons. He thrust lightly, rubbing his shaft through her body's lubrication. Every time his glans hit her sensitive bundle, she gasped. It sent shock-waves through her whole body. Lightly she ran her nails on the ridge of muscles of his back, pulling a lusty moan from Abraxas.

"I'm ready." She murmured. He wasn't going fast enough. She needed him inside of her.

He reached between their bodies and lined himself up, pushing in only enough so that his tip was encased in her waiting warmth. For a moment, he looked down at her, an adoring look on his face. She was held captivated in his hypnotic gaze. All of the stars in the universe could have exploded in that moment and she would never have noticed, she was so entranced with his naked devotion.

He slowly moved in her, thrusting in time to the ticking clock behind them. He watched her, the way she bit her lips, the way she arched to meet him. Quickly she learned his rhythm, working with him to reach the primordial bliss that awaited. Hermione could feel her body tense and work itself back into a fever. He was hers. She thought fervently, her eyes narrowing with concentration and possession. She knew in that moment she could never walk away from them. They were in her blood, under her skin, wrapped around her very soul.

"You're mine." She whispered as her orgasm crashed over her, her nails digging into the tender skin of his back.

"Yessss." He hissed. His thrusts turned irregular as her body clenched around him. A choked gasp was ripped from his throat as he threw his head back as his thrusts slowed and halted. His face was in the unguarded relaxation of post coital bliss. "I'm yours." He murmured, his hands smoothing her wild hair.

**HGHG**

Dolohov woke up in a darkened room that stank of bodies and blood. The reek filled his nose and choked him. He was strapped to a cold table completely naked. His flesh pimpled and the fine hair stood on end. There was moaning but it sounded far away, the sound of prisoners who had given up long ago.

"Welcome back, Dolohov. I am so pleased you made it to the party." Lucius purred, stepping into his line of sight, the only torch lit in the room casted him in shadow.

"Lucius." He snarled. He was silenced only because the table grew even colder below him, his sweaty skin from the hot air sticking painfully to the metal.

"You are lucky. You have a three-day reprieve. I suggest you spend that time thinking of ways to convince Snape and I that we shouldn't spend the next two weeks letting the life slowly leech from your body. If we were merciful, we would just kill you, but alas, that is just not how we were trained to treat our enemies. Especially ones who knowingly seek to harm our family."

"I will not beg." Dolohov declared proudly.

"That sounded like a challenge. I would be happy to prove you wrong." Lucius moved closer and laid the tip of his wand to Dolohov's neck. A spark of electricity was easily conducted through his skin and Lucius continued speaking as if Dolohov choking was a minor inconvenience. "And I am sure Snape would agree."

Dolohov panted for air as the muscles in his throat relaxed. He listened as the booted feet of Malfoy grew ever more distant, and the room grew hotter by degrees. The sweat rolled off his body. It became excruciatingly painful to move as he realized that his sweat had frozen him to the metal surface of the table.