XXI
Immortal Roses and Seduction Plots
Warning: It get's somewhat M-rated in this chapter.
Hermione and Remus quickly moved into a schedule of many hours spent working on the Wolfsbane research, both in Snape's lab and in the newly renovated greenhouse. However, on Hermione's first day of true work in the greenhouse, she found herself delayed by none other than Narcissa Malfoy.
It was almost nine in the morning. Remus and Hermione were making their way through the gardens and towards the greenhouse when Hermione spotted a figure coming from the small pond. As the figure drew closer, Remus confirmed her suspicions of who it was.
"Is that Narcissa?" He squinted at the approaching woman, "I'm surprised she's left her room. Haven't seen her in days."
Hermione shushed him just before the woman stood before them. "Hello, Mrs. Malfoy," she smiled politely.
"Hello," the woman nodded at both Hermione and Remus, and it was only then that Hermione noticed how close she was standing to Remus. She took a half step away from him. "Please, call me Narcissa," she said, "I find that my surname is no longer a very pleasant title to be reminded of."
Hermione belatedly realized how awful she must have felt to have everyone calling her Mrs. Malfoy, especially after what seemed like a nasty fight between her husband and herself, at least according to Draco. "Of course- uh- Narcissa."
Surprisingly enough, Narcissa proved that she could actually show a genial and not-snobbish smile. "Thank-you," she said. "Miss Granger, may I speak with you for a moment?" She motioned behind her, towards the garden path.
Hermione's brows pulled together. "Oh. Of course you may." She turned to Remus, who looked blatantly suspicious. Yesterday while they were working in the lab he'd told her about how Narcissa was a few years ahead of him at Hogwarts. Back then there was apparently no love lost between the Marauders and Narcissa, especially once she became betrothed to Lucius Malfoy. "Go onto the greenhouse without me, Remus," Hermione said, "I'll be along."
With a slightly wary nod at Hermione and Narcissa, Remus retreated. Hermione soon fell into pace beside Draco's mother, very curious to know what this conversation would entail.
They proceeded through the gardens, passing the roses as they went. Narcissa must have noticed Hermione's inspection of the roses, because she spoke up then. "They're called Immortal Roses," she said, eyeing the blossoming flowers.
"Really?" Hermione furrowed her brow, "I don't think I've ever heard of them before."
"It's an old Pureblood tradition," the woman explained, "the roses symbolize the purity and longevity of the family that cultivates them."
Hermione was beginning to lose some of her appreciation of the roses. Before they had seemed quite beautiful to her, but now she didn't know that she could admire them any longer. "
They are supposed to live forever," Narcissa continued, "hence the name." She reached out and lightly touched one of the flowers before speaking again, "their immortality symbolizes the immortality of the family bloodlines. Once the bloodlines die out, the roses will wilt and die."
"Is Professor Snape the last of his bloodline?"
Narcissa nodded. "If Severus does not produce an heir, when he dies these roses will do the same."
Hermione must have had a sort of sour expression as she watched the flowers flitter in the breeze, because Narcissa chuckled. "I can see that you don't appreciate the Immortal Roses very much. You might find it interesting to note that they have many useful qualities as ingredients for healing or restorative potions, especially fertility potions."
She crinkled her nose even more. It was useful information, but she really did not care much for these roses anymore. She turned her gaze to the woman beside her. "What did you want to speak to me about?"
Narcissa sighed, "I wanted to thank you, Miss Granger."
"You can call me Hermione," she interjected quickly.
"Hermione," Narcissa corrected, "I wanted to thank you for all you've done for Draco and myself." The pair began walking past the rose garden, further into the decayed flowerbeds surrounding the roses. "I know that Draco spoke to you, but I felt that I ought to do the same. Albus informed me of the role you've played in Draco's life over the past few months, and I must tell you how grateful I am for that."
Frankly, Hermione was shocked by this admission. She couldn't help but mutter a quiet, "really?"
Narcissa nodded. "Draco has always taken after his father, and it has always pained me greatly. Lucius is not a good person in the slightest degree," she paused, looking at Hermione as if inspecting her closely. "I'm sorry for what my husband did to you and Miss Weasley," she said at last.
"Thank you," Hermione stuttered out. "I appreciate you saying that."
"Well," the woman sighed, "I only hope that Lucius hasn't permanently harmed anyone, though I fear he may have already caused quite a few problems in many of our lives."
Hermione narrowed her eyes. Did Narcissa know about her Lycanthropy? Was it possible that Dumbledore told her? Or that Lucius knew? Draco's mother definitely seemed insightful, but Hermione didn't think anyone had told her about the infection, and she couldn't imagine the woman figuring it out. Hermione straightened her shoulders, "Lucius failed in his attempt to kill me, and although he has caused me and my friends many problems, some good things have come of it as well."
A secretive, rather Slytherin-looking smile crossed Narcissa's face. "Yes," she muttered slyly, glancing back towards the greenhouse, "I can see that."
Hermione was sure she was blushing. Her gaze traveled to the greenhouse. Remus' shadow could be seen through the panes of glass, moving around the small space.
Narcissa said goodbye not long after that, leaving a flustered Hermione to return to the greenhouses and Remus.
"What did she want to talk to you about?" Remus asked, inspecting a vine of ivy that had infested one wall of the greenhouse.
"Nothing important," Hermione mused, pulling a piece of parchment from her pocket and placing it on the table. "She just wanted to thank me."
Remus nodded in acceptance. Hermione referred to the parchment. "Alright," she muttered, pouring over her list of plants and herbs, "the first thing I think we ought to attend to is the ginger. Then we can work on planting the fluxweed…"
Together, Remus and Hermione proceeded in their cultivation of the greenhouse, enjoying each other's company above all else.
When the evening came around Hermione ended up sitting in a corner of the drawing room, reading. Around her, the drawing room was full of noise and movement, most of which Hermione was able to drown out. The thing that she wasn't able to drown out, however, was an approaching redhead with a determined glint in her eye.
Ginny plopped down onto the couch beside Hermione, a smirk on her face and something suspicious in the way she looked around the room, making sure no one else was listening in.
The closest people were Harry, Ron, and the twins, who were involved in an intense debate over whether they should go outside and play Quidditch, against Snape's direct orders. On the other side of the room, Sirius, Remus, and Tonks were huddled around the fireplace, discussing what Hermione assumed to be their plans for dueling lessons. Remus had been keeping Hermione up to date on the progression, and it seemed that lessons would begin very soon.
"What's going on?" Hermione asked, focusing her attention back on Ginny.
A larger grin broke across the redhead's face. "I was wondering," she began dramatically, rubbing her chin, "if you were ever going to tell me where you've been going at night."
Hermione blanched. "Y-you noticed?"
Ginny huffed as if insulted. "Of course I noticed, Hermione. So, is it who I think it is?" Her eyes flickered over to the corner where Remus sat.
Hermione could resist her small smile.
"I knew it!" Ginny burst out, getting up to kneel on the couch excitedly, "you have to tell me all about it!"
Hermione hushed her friend, "Okay, okay, just try to be more quiet about it."
"I'll do you one better," Ginny mumbled, removing her wand and casting a Muffliato.
"Where'd you learn that spell?" Hermione began, shaking her head after a moment. "Oh, never mind. What do you want to know?"
Her excitement almost made Ginny's hair look like it was sparking, "everything, of course!"
Hermione chuckled quietly, deciding that she truly needed to share everything with Ginny. She had to talk this through with her best female friend, both to get some advice and to get these secrets off her chest.
After a long explanation of everything that had happened over the past few days, Ginny was still beaming. "Hermione, I'm so jealous of you. You get to sneak around and meet him in his rooms and… it's so exciting! Harry and I rarely get that kind of exciting secrecy anymore."
"It's not all excitement and fun," Hermione mumbled, her gaze trained on Remus where he sat across the room. "I mean, can you imagine what would happen if someone found out? He's really afraid of it. I can tell he doesn't really want to go any further than snogging. It's like he's ashamed."
"That's just his personality," Ginny waved her hand dismissively, "you need to be more persistent. Merlin, I can't believe you've only snogged him!"
"He's just- he's difficult," Hermione replied, watching as Remus spoke to Sirius and Tonks. Her eyes fell on Tonks after a moment. The Metamorphmagus was smiling at Remus in a way that made Hermione just a bit uncomfortable. "Ginny?" Hermione began, still watching the pink-haired witch across the room.
"Yeah?" Ginny replied, following Hermione's gaze.
"Do you think Tonks flirts with him?" She felt sort of silly asking the question, but at least she wasn't asking Remus. She would feel childish and petty showing him how jealous she was. Ginny wouldn't judge Hermione for this sort of thing.
The redhead considered the question for a long time. "I suppose you could say that she flirts with him, but honestly, Hermione, that's just who Tonks is. She flirts with everyone. I don't think you need to be worried."
Hermione nodded absently.
"Enough about Tonks, though," Ginny leaned forward conspiratorially, "we need to figure out how you're going to get into Remus' pants."
Hermione choked on the mug of tea she'd been sipping. This was sure to be an interesting conversation…
"You do- you do realize why this is troubling me, Hermione, right?" Remus picked up his head from where it was resting on the back of the couch and looked at her.
Hermione swallowed dryly. So far Ginny's plan for seducing Remus wasn't going so well. "Well of course I do, but-"
"I don't know if you do, actually," he interrupted, his tone clipped. Suddenly, he stood from the couch, beginning to pace in front of the fireplace. The only light in the large library was that of the flickering fireplace and the moonlight streaming through the window.
Hermione crossed her arms, sitting up straighter on the couch, "well explain it to me then. Why is the fact that you're spending time with me so troubling to you?" Tonight, it seemed, Remus had decided it was time to discuss some of those things they'd left out in conversation so far. At this point, Hermione wasn't enjoying the discussion all that much.
He looked at her with an expression that was almost strangled. "It's not spending time with you. It- it's what we're doing. I'm a man in my thirties, Hermione. It's hard for me to reconcile touching you and kissing you when you're only eighteen."
"I'm technically nineteen," she grumbled under her breath, thinking of all those extra days and months the time turner added on.
"Fine, nineteen." He held his hands up in the air, as if in surrender. "Can you imagine what people would say about me? What they would think?" The bright fire flickered behind him.
"It doesn't matter what they think!" She retorted quickly, "I thought you of all people would care a little less about how others see you."
"You may have me pinned wrong, then, Hermione," he said, his voice low as he stared into the fire. "The things they would say about me…"
She stood from the couch, striding towards Remus and standing before him. Despite being almost a foot shorter, she tried to look intimidating. "I think you have this idea in your head that everyone would suddenly see you as a wretched, lecherous, manipulative man, but you don't realize how different this situation is. The people around us – the people who really care about us – know how awful these past few months have been," she paused, feeling her throat grow constricted; a sure sign of impending tears. She stamped her foot on the ground, chiding herself afterward for how petulant she looked. "Damn it, Remus! You're a wonderful, caring person who has gone through far too much! Nobody could look down on you for developing this kind of bond with me!"
Tears were forming in her eyes. Hermione wiped at them hastily. Remus stopped her movement, however, with a sudden embrace. His arms came and pulled her against him; just like a hug they'd shared only the previous evening.
"Do you understand what I'm saying?" she whispered, her voice muffled against his shirt.
She could feel him nodding. His arms tightened ever so slightly around her. "You're right," he said at last, "I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too," she admitted, "I know this is hard for you."
"I'll survive," he mumbled wryly, kissing the top of her head. After a moment, he spoke again, "Come on, let's go to my room."
She nodded, tucking herself under his arm as they proceeded towards the exit of the library. Remus cracked open the door, peeking outside to make sure no one was around. The coast was clear. He quickly pulled Hermione by the hand just down the hall to his room. Once safely inside, he locked the door behind them.
The moment the lock clicked shut he turned and began to kiss her. His lips were persistent and heated. Hermione could feel the swell of tension within her, something she had come to associate with the beginning approach of the full moon. She let out a quiet moan when his teeth nipped lightly at her lower lip, and Remus' enlivened response was to grip her hips and pull closer to her. He was definitely feeling the symptoms of the full moon as well.
It was only a few moments until Hermione was pulling Remus' jumper up, desperately trying to feel his skin against her hands. He mirrored her actions, pulling at her blouse impatiently. Once they were both divested of their shirts, Hermione unclasped her bra, letting the bit of black cotton fall to the floor.
Remus continued to kiss her, his hand now coming up to cup one of her breasts. She gasped at the feeling of his cool hand against her bare chest, his fingertips moving to brush her nipple.
She must have made some other sound of pleasure, because Remus allowed a deep chuckle to rise in his throat. She drank in his breath, standing on her toes and pressing her body firmly against his. She could immediately feel his hardness against her lower stomach. It was exhilarating. She pressed into him more.
In seconds Remus had her on the bed, laying spread out with his body moving up beside her. "Tell me to stop," he mumbled hastily, his mouth working it's way down her neck and over her clavicle and then down to her chest, paying each nipple special attention.
She arched her back up into him. "No," was her broken response. Why would she ever want this to stop?
Suddenly his teeth lightly bit down on one nipple and she couldn't help letting out a strangled cry. She felt desperate for more contact… more of him. When his hand started trailing down to the waistband of her jeans she shifted up further, pushing his hand onwards.
He seemed quite hesitant about it, but after another moan on Hermione's part, his hand undid the button of her jeans, tugging down on the zipper and slipping beneath with an air of impatience. His mouth had found her lips again, kissing her hungrily. She couldn't help but bite down on his lower lip when his cupped hand finally pressed against her center.
She knew that she had been wet, but she could definitely tell now, and she knew Remus could tell too. Despite feeling a little embarrassed by it, that emotion was quickly done away with by Remus' enthusiastic response. He kissed her with more vigor than ever before, his free hand coming up to her breast and kneading it lightly.
It was possibly one of the most divine feelings ever, especially when the base of his palm began to shift and grind against her clit. She was sure that she must have been letting out a million throaty moans, but she honestly didn't care so long as he didn't stop.
Hermione could feel the pressure rising within her, and she could tell that it was satisfying some deep-seated need that she had. It was as if there was something that had been lying dormant within her for a long time, only to be awoken now in a way that made it feel as though this was what she had been looking for all along.
Suddenly, his hand twisted ever-so-slightly in a move that felt expertly practiced. Something within Hermione snapped, and she was arching up against him and her toes were curling and her eyes were fluttering shut. "R-Remus," she cried, almost inarticulately, clutching his shoulders and tipping her head back. A wave of pure pleasure washed over her, leaving only happiness and an acute sense of belonging in its place.
Remus' hand retreated from beneath the waistband of her jeans. Hermione almost protested the loss, but then she didn't quite mind because he was kissing her again, and she could feel his erection grinding against her center through several layers of fabric.
He kissed her for several long moments, his tongue pressing into her mouth with heat and need. Eventually, however, he pulled away, moving to the side and sitting up in bed. The scars that marred his chest and back showed just a sliver of contrast to the slightly darker tone of his skin. "Forgive me if I got carried away, Hermione," he said, taking deep breaths.
"You didn't," she replied, sitting up as well and shifting closer to him. Her chest was heaving, and for a second his gaze fell to her breasts. She inspected him closely. His eyes looked dark as they bore into hers. "Can I…?" she began.
"You don't have to," he said quickly, "not tonight."
She shifted closer, suddenly irritated by her jeans, even in their undone and slightly pulled aside state. "But I want to," she murmured, suddenly deciding to stand up from the bed and take her jeans off, revealing only her black knickers.
He stood tall and resistant for about ten seconds before she could see his resolve crumble. She climbed back onto the bed, crawling over to his side. "I really do want this," she whispered, seating herself on his lap and leaving open-mouthed kisses against his neck and jaw.
Soon Hermione began to – half for her own sake and half for his – rock against him, moving her hips just minutely enough to make him shift forward. His ragged breathing alone was enough to tell her that he would give in.
After allowing herself suitable time to mentally go through what Ginny had instructed, Hermione shifted backwards on his lap, her hand reaching down to the button of his trousers. He hissed when her hand brushed against his hardness through the fabric. Hermione felt a heady sense of pride at the sight of what she alone had done to him. All her insecurities about herself and her slight jealousy over Tonks were long gone in this moment.
She undid the button of his pants, pulling the zipper down at a slow enough pace to get anyone frustrated. Remus did get frustrated. It was only about a second and a half before he was tugging the zipper down for her and pulling his cock out of his pants. His erection sprung free, and his hand instantly came around it, moving at a slow pace up and down.
Suddenly feeling a bit bashful, Hermione extended a tentative hand. "Can I…?" she said, echoing the words she'd muttered only several seconds ago. Remus nodded hastily, his eyes half-lidded in pleasure. Knowing that she wasn't quite sure of herself, Remus' hand came to guide hers towards him, wrapping it around his cock.
His head fell backwards when she gripped him. Hermione reveled in the pleasure such a simple thing had given him. Remembering how he'd been doing it seconds before, she began to pump her hand up and down. His hand continued to guide her for a couple strokes before letting go, allowing him to lean back and brace himself against the bed.
"Fuck, Hermione," he moaned, opening his eyes and sweeping his gaze over her heaving chest and black knickers. Soon he was thrusting a little into her hand, as if prompting her to move faster. She did so compliantly, her thumb flicking over the tip of his cock and then continuing to trace its way up and down.
When his thrusts grew shallower she knew what was happening, with a shudder and a deep, rumbling groan, he came in her hand, thick and hot. She studied his shrinking erection and the white ropy liquid for a long moment while he regained his awareness. At last, Remus summoned his wand and performed a wordless Scourgify.
Hermione picked her head up, meeting his gaze and not even trying to hide her triumphant smile. She'd just gotten Remus off. A part of her would revel in his loss of control and look of complete pleasure for a long, long time. Another part of her was already hungering to do more. God, she didn't ever want to leave his bedroom.
His hand tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, and she was pulled from her thoughts. Remus sat staring at her, his lips tugging up in a fond smile. "Thank you," he said softly, "that was wonderful."
A brilliant grin broke across Hermione's face, and she couldn't help leaning in and kissing him soundly on the lips again. "Thank you as well," she whispered against his lips.
"We should get some sleep," he muttered, his arms encircling her waist, "you've got a big day tomorrow, what with becoming an official member of the Order of the Phoenix."
Hermione hummed an affirmation. Tomorrow was the first Order meeting at the Prince Estate. Most of the Order that wasn't already staying here would be arriving sometime tomorrow afternoon. Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Ginny would be inducted at the meeting. A flutter of nervous excitement rose in Hermione's stomach at the thought.
"Well," she sighed languidly, "we should get some sleep then." Before Remus could do or say anything else, she pulled back the duvet and sheets and slid beneath them, her head falling onto one of the pillows. Remus watched her with obvious amusement.
"Come on, then," she said impatiently, patting the empty space next to her, "I'm already getting cold."
He probably knew that she wasn't actually cold, but he still shucked off his trousers just like she had, climbing into bed in his boxers and curling his arms around her. Hermione drifted off to sleep with a happy smile on her face. She would definitely have good news to report to Ginny tomorrow.