A/N: Hello and Happy Valentine's Day to you all. I know you all were anxious to see how this plays out, so here is what happens after they leave the party. This is a really long chapter, mostly because I couldn't break it up without it losing something. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you thought of it.
Special Thanks: To my beta, TabbiPrewett, who did fabulous work with getting this back to me. You are an awesome lady!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to the Harry Potter universe, I just play with the characters for fun, for free, and as an outlet to my perviness. lol
Chapter 15
They arrived with a pop and after Hermione was steady on her feet, she looked around. "Where are we?" She asked, taking in the plush chamber around them that she had never been in before. The humungous bed, along with the rest of dark and heavy furniture that dominated the décor of the room, all screamed that it belonged to a man. There was nothing feminine or dainty about this room.
Lucius glanced around and bit back a curse. He hadn't meant to apparate them directly to his bedchamber. He was simply trying to get them to leave as quickly as possible. "This would be my bedroom, my dear."
Hermione looked up at him, and with all the comments she'd listened to, her patience was gone. Anger filled her at thinking that he thought that with all the different innuendos that had been said at the party, his business friend being the final one, that she would actually sleep with him.
"You arrogant sod. I don't care what people think is going on between us. I have no intentions of sleeping with you just to make it true." Hermione said with a glare.
Lucius raised an eyebrow at her. "I never assumed you did."
Hermione huffed out a breath. "Oh really? Is that why you just happened to bring us to your bedchamber mere moments after your friend, Mr. Pruitt, commented about you enjoying me?" Her eyes sparking.
Lucius fought down the anger building inside of him at the witch's accusations that impugned his honor. He had done nothing, but try to help her this evening, along with simply enjoying her company, and now she stood there accusing him of doing things that he actually wasn't trying to do. Lucius may have had a plan, but it didn't include bringing her to his bedroom tonight. Hermione wasn't the kind of woman to bed a person easily, something he quite liked about her. If he'd only wanted an easily beddable companion, he'd have simply stuck with the women he usually dallied with.
Before Lucius could refute her allegations, she went on. "Just because you implied to Ron and that brainless bimbo that you and I are shagging, doesn't mean it's going to happen. We may have shared a kiss or two, but I have no desire to take it any further. I have no desire, what-so-ever, to sleep with you."
Lucius' jaw was clenched, and his anger was beginning to boil over. His eyes on the witch glaring up at him, he reached out and gently, but firmly, grasped her upper arms pulling her up to her toes so her gaze was level with his. He wanted to make sure there was no way she could misunderstand his next words.
"Witch, I didn't bring you in here on purpose. I was simply trying to get us away from that damnable party." Lucius ground out, his eyes the color of steel as he stared at her.
Hermione swallowed nervously as Lucius grasped her, easily pulling her closer to him, in order to stare into her eyes. Not with fear, but with more desire, causing the butterflies she had in her stomach to explode into a frenzy. His scent, with as close as she was to him, was again filling her head making her brain slow down.
Hermione licked her lips as heat started to fill her. She may say that she had no desire to sleep with him, but part of her knew she was lying. She had been aware of him all night and now with him so close, angry or not, she found she did actually want him.
Lucius continued to stare at her, only seconds having passed while she came to her realization. "I am well aware of what we have shared. You tried to claim previously that it was the heat of the moment, that in your distress you had impaired judgment, and I showed you at breakfast yesterday, that wasn't exactly the case."
Hermione swallowed again as she remembered the kiss they'd shared. Both of them in fact and the heat was spreading more. He had tasted good. Had they not been interrupted the first night, there was no telling how far it would have gone. If he hadn't pulled away the following morning, she might have just let him take whatever he wanted then too.
"If you don't want to take things beyond a few kisses, then fine, but don't stand there and act like you didn't feel the same thing I did when we kissed. I knew you wanted me, as much as I did you, and I know you know it too. I didn't mean to bring you in here, I only wanted to get you away from that blasted party before anything else happened. I wouldn't expect you to sleep with me simply because of what anyone thought. I would hope that you'd know me a little better than that." He said, starting to take note of the heat filling her eyes. Damn, the lust potions kicking in, he thought.
Hermione swallowed again. "You're right. I did want you." She said softly, her own eyes darkening as thoughts of what exactly she wanted started to fill her mind.
Lucius sighed, knowing he needed to get a counter-potion into her before it forced her arousal any further. He knew she wouldn't concede this easily on her own, especially since she argued every point he tried to make normally.
Her gaze dropped to his lips before meeting his eyes again, a small smile curving her lips. "I'm sorry for what I said. You're not an arrogant sod, at least not lately that I've seen."
When she started to lean towards him, he pushed her back slightly, afraid that if he kissed her that he'd forget it was just a potion making her give in. "I need to get you a counter-potion."
Hermione frowned, not understanding why he had stopped her from kissing him, nor could she quite discern what he was talking about. "Counter-potion?"
Lucius nodded. "Yes, for the lust potion that Miss Brown slipped into your drink."
The heat died instantly in her eyes as what he said fully registered in her brain. "Lavender slipped me a lusting potion?"
Lucius couldn't fathom how all of the warmth and desire he'd seen moments ago in her eyes vanished. Most potions were too strong to fight and from what he understood, and she'd had a lot of the one Lavender gave her.
Lucius nodded slowly. "She had hoped you'd make a complete spectacle of yourself tonight. It's why I was trying to get you to leave so quickly and how we ended up here. I was more focused on simply leaving, and didn't pay attention to where we might end up in my haste." He said, still a bit confused. How is she fighting it?
Hermione eyes iced over, and she jerked out of his grasp. "I'm going to kill that stupid cow when I see her again. With a crowd full of people, highly influential people...I could have lost my job, or worse."
Seeing her under control, lust wise, Lucius began to wonder if the potion had been a dud. He watched as Hermione started to pace, her anger rolling off her in giant waves at what the tasteless woman had done. He didn't blame Hermione for being angry, but he didn't like to see her upset either.
"Then, what I said to you on top of it all." Hermione stopped and hung her head slightly as her eyes closed. "I'm so sorry, Lucius."
Lucius moved towards her, not wanting her guilt. "It's alright, my dear. I understand." His hands closed around her shoulders, turning her to face him. He slipped his arms around her, offering comfort.
Hermione leaned into him as he held her. This man had done nothing, but be kind to her again and again, as of late. She should have known better than to assume Lucius meant anything with where they landed. She herself had landed in a different room than she'd intended to when apparating to Grimmauld Place. Ending up in the library due to thinking of a book she was reading, instead of her bedroom, where the book actually was. Or the kitchen simply because she was thinking about how hungry she was, instead of ending up in the living room like she'd initially planned.
Lucius stroked her back, resting his head on top of hers. He felt her arms start to move around him, creeping up to his neck and simply shifted his hold on her to accommodate her. When she pulled back to look into his face, he barely registered the intense heat in her eyes before her lips landed on his. He didn't get a chance to push her away before her tongue invaded his mouth and moved with his.
Lucius' desire for her had been so close to the surface since the kiss that they had shared in his office, that all it took was for her to kiss him again to forget the potion that was spurring her on. Her taste was so divine he could easily lose himself in her.
Lucius' arms pulled her close, ravishing her lips as his tongue warred with hers. Hermione's own arms were already around him and pulled him even closer as she fought him for dominance in the kiss. His fingers digging into her hips, he broke the kiss to attack her neck. Her head fell back to give him all the access he wanted as he kissed and nipped at the tender flesh.
She pushed his outer robes off his shoulders, the garment hitting the floor without him even realizing it as he sank his teeth into the spot just below her ear. She gasped as the bite sent electricity shooting up and down her spine and sent a wave of pure heat to pool in her belly. Hearing her gasp of pleasure, his member swelled and ached to have her.
The buttons open on his shirt, a few having popped off in her haste, she slid her hands up his pale chest, marveling at the muscles hidden underneath once again as her nail scraped along his nipples. The sensation pulling a groan from him as he moved to kiss her again. Her taste, and the lovely sounds she made, were driving him to distraction. With how passionate she was already, Lucius knew she would be a hell cat once he got her into bed and under him.
The thought of how passionate she was being, broke through his clouded mind at last. Reminding him why she was this passionate already. She wasn't acting out her desire for him alone, she was acting like this because she'd been drugged to act this way.
He tore his lips from her as his hands found her wrists, and it took more willpower than he cared to admit, to pull her questing fingers away from his skin. "Hermione, this isn't you. This is the lust potion. We need to stop before I lose control and take more than you might actually want me to."
Hermione laughed softly. "Lucius, I want you. You know I want you. Don't you want me?" Her voice husky, her words intentional. She knew he did. Knew he wanted her very much, since she had felt his erection pressing against her as she kissed him.
Lucius closed his eyes, fighting to hold on to the control he knew he possessed. Which normally wasn't a problem for him, but with her, in this moment, it seemed like an almost impossible feat. "I do want you, Hermione, but not like this." His eyes opened again. "I want you in my bed because you want to be there, not because some silly twit thought it would be entertaining to pull a prank."
Hermione, not caring about the silly twit, pushed against his grip and was able to reach his lips again. His hands were still holding her wrists hostage, but his mouth moved with hers. Lucius' desire fighting against what he knew was right.
It took Lucius a moment to break free from her heavenly kiss, but he managed to do it. "Hermione, I don't want to take you like this."
Hermione pulled free from his grasp, and instead of moving towards him again, she backed up a few steps with a smirk, and reached behind her. Finding the zipper on the back of her dress, she slowly pulled it down, before letting the dress fall to the floor. She knew he wanted her, and she knew he couldn't argue with her forever.
The potion was blocking out any logic and only bringing out Hermione's desire for Lucius. It had been so long since anyone had touched her, even before her breakup, and she had never wanted anyone to touch her like she wanted him to right now.
Lucius felt his mouth go dry at seeing her only in her knickers and stockings. The black lace at the tops of the silk garments encasing her legs drew his gaze and made his resolve crack even more.
Lucius loved thigh high stockings on a woman. He had a weakness for them that he had never been able to shake since his teenage years. He loved taking a woman who wore those lovely things, and only those lovely things, while he made love to her. He loved running his hands up and down the sheer material, while those same legs were wrapped around him, as he made the woman scream in passion for him.
That same weakness of Lucius' was now standing in front of him, encased around the legs of the woman he already wanted more than any other woman before her. Though, Lucius still wasn't sure how that had happened in such a short amount of time. At least, it seemed short to him. However, that particular query vanished from his mind as he silently admired the lovely creature before him.
Lucius' pale gaze slipped up her stocking encased legs, to the black lace knickers directly above them. His eyes roamed over her wonderfully curved hips that the waist band of said knickers were resting on, already imagining his hands holding those hips as he made love to her. Next, his eyes moved up her smooth belly, to rest on her rounded breasts that didn't have any barriers blocking his view. Her dress hadn't allowed for any such contraptions this evening. The aristocrat saw her nipples were already puckered in the chilled room, and they were begging for his lips to tease and torment them. Perfection, his mind whispered to him.
Lucius' hands itched to touch all of the golden skin exposed, but it was her breasts that kept his full attention. It was the rounded flesh that he wanted to touch and taste, with their dusky pink nipples, that made his control shred to pieces. She was incredible, and he had to have her.
Hermione watched him watching her, watched as his eyes darkened from pale gray, to deep silver as his desire thickened the longer he continued to look at her naked body. When he finally moved, she did too.
Meeting him halfway as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to kiss her. Lucius' hands wrapped around her waist, fingers digging in once again as he devoured her lips. His tongue fought for dominance with hers and won with his lust matching hers at last.
Lucius hands slid up her bare skin, creating gooseflesh as he went. His mind fogged over with nothing more than thoughts of sinking into Hermione's softness and not coming up again all night. However, as his hands neared her breasts, a tiny part of his brain was still functioning. Still trying to push reason in, reminding him that if he took her now, he might never have her again afterward.
His thumbs were nearly grazing the undersides of her breasts, when Lucius suddenly pushed her away from him forcefully. Not meaning to be so rough or to make her stumble, like she almost did in her heels, but he only had the tiniest strip of control left in him.
Trying to draw in air and push the fog in his mind back, Lucius forced his gaze from her and growled. "Hermione, no. Let me get you a counter-potion, and if you still want me afterward, I'll take you straight to my bed."
Hermione regained her balance, annoyed that he pushed her away. "I want you Lucius, and not because of some silly potion. I want you to take me. I want you to lay me down and fill me up, until I scream so loud that I have no voice left. I want to feel you around me, and inside me."
His eyes closed at her description. She lowered her voice to a soft plea, seeing his hands trembling with his struggles. "Lucius, please. Don't make me beg you."
It was Hermione's softly spoken plea that broke him. With another growl Lucius strode to her and pulled her against him. His hands cupped her breasts as his mouth latched onto hers again. A moan escaped her at Lucius touching her at last, making his hands tighten on her soft skin. His thumbs flicked over her nipples, rolling them between his finger and thumb, making her moan again.
Not breaking the kiss, Lucius' hands dropped to her waist, and he picked her up. Hermione's silk encased legs wrapped around his waist as he carried her with determined strides to his bed. The satiny comforter slid against her skin, as her back hit the soft mattress. He followed her down instantly as his mouth broke from hers to move down her neck.
Lucius nipped at her flesh, before moving down and taking one pouty nipple into his mouth. Hermione's back arched as she whimpered at the exquisite feeling of him feeding off her breast. He suckled at her nipple desperately, before he took it between his teeth and gave it a soft bite, making her gasp as another bolt of electricity shot through her. His hand kneaded her other breast, as he tasted the first. She was absolutely enrapturing, and he was losing himself more and more in her.
Lucius moved from one breast to the other, not about to leave any part of her untouched. He glided his hands down her body as he feasted on her flesh. Hermione's hands already in his hair, pushing him to take more of her into his mouth, a task he readily accepted.
One of Lucius' hands slipped to her rump, squeezing as Hermione lifted her pelvis to ground herself into him, while he simultaneously pushed himself against her in return. Wanting her to feel just how much he wanted her.
Another moan tore from Hermione's lips, this one wrapped around his name as she guided him up to meet her mouth again. Wanting to taste him as her hands pushed his already open shirt off of him. She slid her fingers along his bare skin, which made him shudder at her touch.
Lucius' hands found the delicate silk of her stockings, and he groaned as he stroked the sleek material sliding along his waist, as her legs shifted to wrap even tighter around him. His hands glided down to find her heels, pulling them off of her one by one, and tossing them to the floor.
His own shoes hitting the floor with loud thumps as Lucius kicked them off as well. His hands slid back up her legs, before he reached around and cupped her bottom in one hand, the same bottom that had drawn his gaze several times while she wore her faded jeans. His other hand drifted up her beautiful body to dive into her hair.
Lucius pulled the charmed hair comb out of it, which sent her curls cascading down so he could sift through the heavy mass. With a handful of silken locks, he turned her head slightly to change the angle of the kiss as the platinum comb fell to the floor with a soft thump on the plush carpet.
It was her hands on his belt that drew his attention. The jingle of her getting it free, moments before she unbuttoned his trousers, snapped him out of his own lust filled haze. His conscience rearing its damnable head.
As much as Lucius wanted nothing more than to bury himself deep inside the petite witch, he knew Hermione was still under the effects of the lust potion. He knew that he'd feel guilty for taking her like this, no matter how much he wanted her right now, and no matter how much she seemed to want him in return.
Unable to help himself, Lucius kissed her again. Taking hold of Hermione's hands, he pulled them up above her head to rest against the headboard, the action making her breasts press and rub against his chest more and almost broke his resolve once again.
With a wave of his hand, and a silently thought spell, though he had no clue how he was able to think properly with her under him, her hands became bound to the headboard with soft and silky ropes. Since he was still kissing her, she didn't fight the bindings. Only confirming that the potion wasn't letting any logic at all enter her mind.
He slid his hands down her arms, still kissing her, to gently grasp her legs. Unwinding them from his hips as he shifted to allow them to close under him. Another barely thought spell and they too were bound together at her ankles.
Lucius used every ounce of strength and control he had ever possessed to break the kiss and pull away from her sweet body. Knowing if he looked at Hermione while she lay almost naked and tied to his bed, the miniscule amount of control he had would be snapped and gone, he turned his back on her. Calling to his wand, while she looked at her hands in confusion, he waved it at her, and she was suddenly dressed in her burgundy pajamas.
It took a moment for Hermione to realize that they weren't just pausing, and to see that, in fact, Lucius had stopped altogether. Realizing this, Hermione felt confusion fill her. "Lucius, what are you doing?" She asked, not understanding why he'd stopped. She tried tugging at the soft and satiny ropes keeping her from moving, but they wouldn't budge.
Lucius sighed as he rebuttoned his slacks again. Torn between silently cursing his conscience and being pleased at having one these days. Before his first trip to Azkaban, prior to the war ending, he knew he'd never realized he actually had one. He'd had a few boundaries, of course, but that was all. He never raped women or tortured children, but just about anything else had been fair game. He had ruined many a men's lives, whether as a Death Eater or a businessman.
Now, Lucius was a different person. Now he had real morals. Amazing really, when you thought about it. Granted, even though he was no longer a Death Eater, he was still a shark when it came to business. However, now he only took from those that could afford it. He didn't destroy the common man that barely scraped by on their small wages, Lucius only decimated those that had other holdings to survive on. It was fun to humble those that thought they were untouchable, and the added funds allowed the aristocrat to do more for those that needed help.
Taking another deep breath to steady himself, Lucius spoke to the witch still bound to his bed. "I'm sorry, my dear. I can't...not while you're under the effects of a potion." He wasn't a morally corrupt man any longer, and his desires for her wouldn't cause him to become that kind of person again either.
Hermione gaped at him, before she started jerking at her bindings again. "But...I want you. I want you to make love to me. Why won't you make love to me?"
Lucius finally turned his head, taking in her flushed cheeks and the bite marks on her neck that her pajamas didn't cover. "I will, my sweet, but not tonight. At least not until I get something in you to counter the potion already running through your system. I won't have you embarrassed and regretting me touching you when the potion has worn off."
Hermione growled and started saying that she wanted him now, tonight. Her voice turning into a plea as she spoke more and more. "Lucius, I want to feel your body pressed against me. I want your breath mixing with mine as you taste me, and I want to feel our sweat slicking over us both as you move inside me, any way you want, as long you make me scream for more." But that wasn't all she said to him either.
Lucius' eyebrows rising higher with each thing Hermione said. His surprise growing at hearing her speak in a manner, that he knew that under different circumstances, she'd never be able to utter half of what she said without turning the color of her pajamas. Though he had every intention of giving her exactly what she was asking for, just not as she was right now.
Painfully aroused, even more now with her descriptions, Lucius sent a silencing spell at Hermione, afraid if he heard anymore, he'd say to hell with the consequences. Afterward, he mumbled a quick 'excuse me' as she struggled still against the ropes, silently ranting at him now. Even as her eyes were brimming with pure desire.
Lucius walked into his attached bathroom, and after shucking the rest of his clothes, he stepped into his shower. He let the ice-cold water wash over him, while hoping it washed his desire away. Thinking he might just strangle Lavender Brown himself when he saw her next.
If it wasn't for the potion the twit had used, Lucius might have still gotten the little minx, who was probably still ranting at him, into his bed, even if that hadn't been his plan. Only he wouldn't be having to leave her without satisfying them both. Nor would he be standing in the freezing shower that turned his skin red and covered him with gooseflesh. Though, the cold water didn't help as much as he'd have liked with his erection.
When Lucius was done, he pulled on his robe, hoping it warmed his chilled fresh and walked back out into his bedroom. A quick glance showed Hermione was indeed still ranting, all while pulling at her bindings too. The sight made him smirk as he moved into his closet to dress.
Hermione was going to be angry as hell when he got the counter-potion in her and was able to set her free. She might attack him again, though with completely different reasons for doing so. He doubted she'd appreciate any of the spells he'd used on her this evening, even if they were only to stop her from trying to coax him into having sex with her.
Pulling on fresh trousers and another shirt, making sure it was fully buttoned, he walked back out, hair still damp from his shower. He moved to his fireplace, and after throwing in some floo powder, he waited until the green flames roared, before poking his head through.
Severus was sitting in his den, drinking a glass of wine as he read a book, when his floo activated. He glanced over at it and saw Lucius.
"Did things not go as planned, old friend?" Sarcasm lacing Severus' voice. He was rather upset at what Lucius had conned him into doing. The dark man now owed Hermione and he figured the witch would be spitting mad since he didn't show up to the party.
Lucius sighed. "No, they didn't. I need your help."
Severus scoffed. "Why should I help you again? The last time I helped you, I had to lie to Hermione, who oddly enough has become my friend, and then I had to stand her up. She's going to be furious when she sees me, and it will be all your fault. I told you your plan to come to her rescue after being left on her own was foolish to begin with. She isn't going to fall into your arms simply because you saved her from a group of annoying socialites at a boring party, Lucius."
Lucius glared at the dark man, while gritting his teeth. "If you're quite finished, it's Hermione that I need your help with. Someone spiked her drink and I need your help with a counter-potion."
Severus stood quickly, fearing poison had been given to the witch. Being a Death Eater and a spy for over twenty years, its where his mind instantly went with a spiked drink being mentioned. He barely waited for Lucius to move before stepping through the floo. Snape saw Hermione tied to the bed, screaming silently when she saw him, and paused in confusion.
"Why is she tied to your bed if she was poisoned?" Severus asked, though he couldn't help but admire her squirming form in the silky pajamas. Her pajama top that had ridden up and was showing her belly with all her movements.
Lucius rolled his eyes as he stood from his fireplace. "I never said she was poisoned. I said someone spiked her drink." The blond man looked again at Hermione, and seeing her top riding up to show her ribcage now, he sighed and with a flick of his wand, the garment was back covering her.
Severus looked back at Lucius. "What was the potion and why is she silenced?"
"It was a lust potion, and she is silenced because the things coming out of her mouth are downright shocking coming from her." Lucius said, able to make out a word here and there due to shape of her lips as she said them.
Lucius swore she said the name Severus in there too and decided it was best that he didn't hear what she said. The blond man didn't think he could stand to listen to her proposition Severus on top of everything else this evening.
Severus smirked, since he could well imagine exactly what the small witch was demanding if she'd been fed a lust potion. "Alright, tell me which potion it was, and I'll get you the counter-potion."
Lucius looked at Severus. "I don't know what kind of lusting potion it was, I didn't see the bottle, nor did I administer it. Can't you just make her something to stop it?" The pale man had a feeling he was about to hear an answer he wouldn't like.
Severus sighed loudly. "Lucius, there are many different types of lusting potion, as you know. It could be a simple one or it could something as strong as Amortentia. I can't just give a quick fix without knowing what I'm fixing. Each one has a different ingredient that keeps it running and without knowing which one, I can't give you something to counteract that specific ingredient. There isn't a universal potion to fix being doses with something without your knowledge. I'd have made a bigger fortune than even you have by now if there was. Did you at least bring me the glass she was drinking from, so that I may examine the contents?" At least that way the Snape could try a spell that would help him identify what had been used.
Lucius rolled his eyes again. "No. Hermione finished her drink and gave it to a passing waiter, who was gone before I could get it. I overheard the witch that drugged her, and she said that a few drops would keep her lusting for more than an hour or so and she gave Hermione half the bloody bottle."
Severus looked at Lucius, wondering how the man hadn't thought of the obvious solution already. "Why not find the witch that drugged Hermione, since you know who it is, and make her tell you what she used?"
Lucius wanted to smack his forehead for not thinking of that, but he refrained. It wasn't dignified, after all. His grip tightening on his wand, he looked to Severus. "Let us go to Grimmauld Place, then."
Realizing that meant either Weasley or his hag of a new girlfriend had done this, Severus was even more furious. He gave a dark smirk as he realized this would give him the perfect opportunity to deal with the boy that had cheated on and hurt Hermione. Lucius, seeing Severus' smirk, knew what the wizard was thinking, and smiled darkly as well.
They flicked their wand, but unfortunately, they didn't apparate. Apparently, they didn't have permission to apparate into Hermione's home. Though Severus, before the war, had been able to do just that. Meaning Potter had altered the wards when he became master of the house.
Both men sighed and turned to the fireplace as Hermione continued to silently scream and struggle. After a few attempts, it became clear that they couldn't open a connection for them to step through either. Potter, surprisingly, had been thorough in updating his wards. Only occupants of the home could open the connection to allow entry into the dwelling. Anyone else could only make floo calls to the home, and nothing more.
Even with the skills the two men had developed in their former lives, they couldn't break the Auror's wards. Which bewildered both men, though Severus suspected Potter had help setting them up. There was no way the boy he'd taught in school, that barely managed to pass his classes, could have set wards this strong on his own. The duo might have been able to break them, if they wanted to spend hours trying to do so, which they didn't. Especially, since it was now illegal to break into an Auror's home, regardless of why you were doing it, and neither wanted to risk having to spend more time in Azkaban.
Frustrated, Severus glared at Lucius, who glared right back at him for several minutes as they both tried to think of a way to get into Potter's home. The dark man's gaze flickered to the witch that was still ranting at the pair, and he threw up his hands in defeat as a new thought hit him. "She is probably the reason we can't get in, you know. Potter was never a good enough student to figure out such strong wards, but that little swot definitely is. With the way she devours texts, new and old alike, she probably used some ancient complex spell that no magical person even uses any longer." Severus snarked, both proud of the witch he'd taught to think for herself instead of just regurgitating what she read, and resentful to realize he was probably the reason she thought outside the box so well.
Snape hated not being the smartest person in a room too. Lucius gave him a good run for his money with his intelligence, and now it seemed the dark man had a third opponent to consider. It would make his life more interesting, that was for sure, but right now, it was a pain in his arse. Blasted little know-it-all, the dark man mentally grumbled to himself, still equally annoyed and proud.
Lucius blew out a breath as he realized his old friend was right. Potter, even as an Auror, wouldn't have been any match for them, but Hermione, she was a force to be reckoned with. Without a hint at where to start, they'd never be able to crack the wards. She could have gone ancient Sumerian for her wards, or Aramaic, Latin, Myan, Grecian, the list was endless. So long as a person knew a good translation spell, they could read anything. If she'd added in Ancient Runes into her spell work, it only made it increasingly impossible bring them down.
Lucius didn't want to give up, they needed to know what potion had been used on Hermione, but he was running out of ideas. Weasley would never open the connection to them himself, even if they threatened to have him arrested. They didn't have any real proof anyway. Lucius hadn't seen the twit dose Hermione's drink with the potion, he'd only overheard them discussing it. The damnable hag could easily say anything to get out of the accusations too.
"What now?" Severus asked, and the dark man saw that Lucius hadn't a clue. Glancing at the witch this was all for, Severus had an idea. "Why don't we just have her open the blasted thing for us?"
Lucius shook her head. "She isn't in her right mind, Severus. All she wants is…well, sex. She won't be able to think rationally enough to see why this would be to her benefit. All she'll do is proposition us further to bed her."
Severus pondered that, before with a nod, he started moving towards the witch.
Lucius caught his arm, stopping him. "You are not going to bed her, Severus." The blond man said firmly. If he wasn't getting to sleep with her, Severus sure as hell wouldn't be doing it either.
Severus rolled his eyes. "I've no intention of bedding her while she's drugged, Lucius. I would hope you'd think a little better of me than that, considering our years of friendship." Seeing his friend nod and ease his grip, Severus went on, though he kept his voice down so the witch wouldn't hear him. "I've an idea on how to get her to comply without either of us having to resort to bedding her while she's under the potion's influence."
Walking to the edge of the bed, Severus saw Hermione still silently speaking. From what he could make out, based on the shape of her lips, she was indeed trying to proposition them both. Severus found himself a bit uncomfortable at making out her offer of full access to any hole on her they wanted, so long as they'd just shag her already. It wouldn't be his first threesome, if he accepted her offer, but the dark man found he really didn't want to have one with her. Hermione was his friend, and she had made it abundantly clear that they would only be friends. He had no plans of violating that friendship, especially with someone he respected as much as he did her. Besides, it wasn't like he had so many friends that he could afford to throw any away.
Staring down at her still, Snape knew there was only one way to get her to stop talking. Drawing on his years of teaching, and other talents, he forced a stern look and altered his voice accordingly. "Miss Granger." He said, and indeed it got her attention and shut her up momentarily since he now looked and sounded just like the unyielding man that she'd grown up with during her school years. "I will give you the relief you need…"
Lucius' lips parted in shock. "You what?" He barked, Severus said he had a plan, but it sounded exactly like what the dark man had already said he wouldn't do.
Severus didn't bother looking at the blond who was back to glaring at him. "I need you do something first, so that I may give you what you need. Do you understand?"
Hermione quickly nodded. She'd agree to anything if they'd just do something to stop the burning in her belly. The heat flowing through her veins for both men was driving her insane. She didn't care what part of her they shagged, so long as they both slid inside her quickly. She'd never been penetrated by two men at once, or even back-to-back, but it seemed in her mind, like the most amazing thing in the world right now.
At her nod, Severus continued. "I will remove the silencing spell, and take you over to the fireplace, but only if you open the connection to your home. I will take care of your problems after you comply to these terms. Do you accept?"
Hermione quickly nodded again, her mouth already moving, silently promising to pleasure them both if they'd just untie her. She could handle two men in her mouth at once, right? She seemed positive her mouth would stretch to accommodate them both at the same time. The impossibility of such a thing not even breaking through her lust filled mind.
Severus quickly cut her off, while trying not to read her lips. He didn't think he wanted to know any more of what she was willing to do. He wanted to be able to look her in the eye after tonight, after all. "Miss Granger!" He snarked, effectively silencing her again. "You will remain silent until I have you in front of the fireplace, you then will only speak what is necessary to open the floo. Do you understand?"
Hermione nodded again.
Severus breathed deeply. "If you do not fully comply with what I've told you, I will not offer any relief to your issues. No speaking, no touching either of us, you will do nothing until I give you full permission to do it. Have I made myself clear?"
Hermione nodded again, eyes brimming with lust and need. Seeing this, Lucius knew once again, that the potion wasn't allowing anything to get through to her. If she'd been in her right mind, she'd have told Severus off. Hermione didn't allow anyone to dictate to her what she would or would not do.
Severus used his wand to untie her feet, and he altered the spell on her wrists. They were still bound, but now they were bound together and free of the headboard. Hermione quickly rose from the bed, and went to move towards Severus, but he backed away from her. Remembering what he'd said, she forced herself to wait, though it was killing her to do so.
With a wave of his hand, he indicated for her to move to the fireplace, where Lucius was waiting. Her eyes devouring the blond man and her steps speeding up with her need to have him touch her.
"Stop." Severus barked just before she could press against Lucius. "I said no touching, did I not?"
Breathing heavily with the strain to do as she'd been told, and with the burning still coursing through her, Hermione nodded and stopped just in front of the fireplace. Lucius picked up the crystal bowl of floo powder and held it out for her.
When she maneuvered her still tied hands to grab a handful of the powder, Severus removed the silencing spell. Hermione threw the powder down into the grate and called out Grimmauld Place, and as soon as the words left her mouth, Severus silenced her once again. Not even waiting for the green flames to roar to life before he did it. There were some things he didn't want to hear, and her offering her body to them both so shamelessly was one of those things. Not that Severus held it against her. He knew the potion was to blame for her actions tonight. Snape simply wanted to be able to look her in the eyes later without either of them feeling uncomfortable about it. No need to lose a friend simply due to embarrassment. Again, he didn't have many friends to begin with.
"Good girl." The dark man cooed, urging her back to the bed. "Lie back down, and we will take care of you as soon as we return." Hermione gave a whimper they couldn't hear, but she did as she was instructed. A flick of Severus' wand and she was bound back as she had been before.
Both men breathed a sigh of relief, before turning back to job at hand. They had a Weasley and a hag to deal with. After everything it had taken just to get the way opened to them, both knew they'd make Weasley pay dearly for it all.
With the green flames still burning, they each stepped through one at a time.
They arrived at Grimmauld Place and had their wand out in the darkened room. They didn't know what either occupant might do when they saw them. Past experiences, from their Death Eater days, dictated to ease on the side of caution.
The living room was empty as they used their wands to cast soft light to see. They each searched the downstairs rooms separately to speed up the process. Both coming up empty on finding anyone.
Meeting back at the stairs, Severus saw that Mrs. Black's portrait had finally been removed somehow. Glad that the woman's shrieks wouldn't give them away, they quietly moved up the steps. Severus remembered, and silently warned Lucius, to skip the few steps here and there, that creaked when stepped on. The sound would announce their presence. Something neither wanted just yet.
They made it to the second floor without accidentally waking any portraits that had remained in the house. They checked a few rooms and found them empty and obviously unoccupied. Severus moved to the only closed door, and after doing his best to make sure the door didn't squeak, he opened it.
A cursory glance showed that no one was in it and by the neat and orderly way it was kept, plus the thick books lining the shelves along one wall, they knew it was Hermione's room. Her lingering scent from her perfume confirming that it was indeed her room too.
Lucius wouldn't have minded looking around, taking a chance to get to know her a bit better by inspecting her room, but they had other things to deal with first. Shutting her door again, making sure it was silent as it shut, they moved on.
They were about to move up another level, when they spotted another door at the end of the hallway of the same floor. This one hidden in the shadows and almost making them miss it.
They reached for the knob, but their hand flew away. With a frown, they each waved their wands. Severus found the heavy wards placed on it that would take quite a while to try and break. Lucius scanning for the magical signature to tell him who set them in first place.
"It's Potter's wards. This must be his room." Lucius said so softly that Severus almost didn't hear it.
Severus nodded. "Yes, and Hermione's Runes that are strengthening the wards." He said, just as softly in return, pointing out the spelled carvings all around the door frame.
Since they had no need to get into Potter's room, they moved on up the stairs to the next floor. Though Severus wondered why Potter hadn't taken the Master bedroom at the very top that once belonged to Sirius. Maybe the boy is still too sentimental over the mongrel to be able to live in it. The dark man thought to himself. Even after all these years he still hated Sirius Black. The marauder had been nothing, but a bully to the dark man his whole life. Even death didn't seem like a good enough reason to forgive the shaggy haired mutt's horrible deeds. It wasn't like the mutt had ever apologized for any of his transgressions anyway. In Snape's mind, no apology, no forgiveness. Even Hermione's squib therapist couldn't persuade him otherwise. Though she had tried on multiple occasions.
On the next floor, it didn't take long to find Ron's room. It was a mess, and it was also empty. Meaning either they weren't home yet, or the couple didn't plan on returning here tonight. Either way, their trip was a bust.
A sigh escaping each man, they quickly made their way downstairs. Not bothering to keep quiet in the empty house. One of the portraits on the wall baulked at the noise, which made Lucius pause and apologize for waking the aging wizard in the frame. Severus eyed the portrait and asked if he knew if Weasley would be home soon. If he'd overheard the redhead's plans at all. The wizard, a relative of Blacks from ages ago, glared at Severus for several moments before saying that he heard the rather loud and rude couple comment about not being back before tomorrow. Something about staying at Lavender's flat.
Lucius thanked the portrait, knowing Severus wouldn't, and they floo'd back to the Manor, not having any idea where Lavender Brown lived. Arriving in Lucius' bedroom to find Hermione scowling at both of them before she started in ranting and squirming all over again. Her eyes still full of heat, letting them know the potion was still in full effect.
Severus smirked. "You know, I can't give her anything to help the effects without knowing what she was given. Hermione won't calm down until she finds some kind of relief, so you might as well shag the witch and be done with it."
Lucius glared at Severus. "You want me to shag her while she is under the effect of a lust potion."
Severus shrugged, gazing at the luscious witch moving about. "Why not? She's willing and can't blame you for taking her up on at least some of what she's so blatantly offering. You're only human after all. You can't be blamed for giving in with her repeatedly throwing herself at you. I know what I'd do given your situation, assuming Hermione hadn't already told me where I stood anyway. Has she directly told you that she isn't interested in you?"
Lucius sighed. "She hasn't directly said it, no." Hermione did this evening, but she'd been angry, and Lucius doubted she fully meant it anyway. Not with how she'd kissed him before the potion incident.
Severus chuckled, moving to the fireplace to go home since there was nothing he could do, and she wasn't in danger of anything, accept Lucius mounting the pretty witch and making her sore as hell come morning.
"Then, I'd do anything and everything she'd let me." Severus said with a slight smirk, though he knew the blond wizard wouldn't actually do it, nor would he for that matter. It was too close to rape, something neither of them had the stomach for. Something they were both glad hadn't been forced on them by the Dark Lord either.
Neither had appreciated what the Dark Lord had considered treats for his loyal followers, though both were glad of the choice to partake or not. The dark wizard's treats were usually women held against their will and they always were violated repeatedly while the Dark Lord watched on in glee. When his men had each taken their turn and were done toying with the woman, the Dark Lord would kill her. Your number in line to rape the woman showed how pleased the Dark Lord was with you. It also was incentive to do better, since everyone who partook of the treats, always wanted to be the first to sample the prisoner's goods.
Lucius shook his head. "You really are no help at all, Severus." Doubting his friend would really do as he said, even if he'd been given the opportunity.
Severus chuckled again, grabbing a handful of floo powder. "If you really won't help...ease her discomfort, then, might I suggest a sleeping potion. It would at least make her sleep and get her to stop trying to break through the ties binding her. I would also suggest a dreamless one, otherwise she'll be having dreams all night that are anything, but sweet and innocent considering the lust potion will still be raging in her system." Severus knew she didn't like taking dreamless sleep potions, but there wasn't any other option at this point. One, every now and then, wasn't addictive. It was taking them over and over again on a daily basis that was.
Severus dropped the powder and called out Spinner's End. Before he stepped through, Lucius called out to his friend. "Thank you again, Severus for all your help. I'm sorry tonight turned out the way it did. I know that if I hadn't asked you to help me get Hermione to the party, none this would have happened."
Severus met his long-time friend's gaze. "No matter what you did to arrange tonight, none of this is your fault, Lucius. You didn't arrange for Weasley or his companion to attend the damnable party this evening, nor did you arrange for Hermione to be drugged by one or both of them. It might have been a ridiculous and foolhardy plan to win her affections, but it was made with good intentions. Let's just hope she has no memory of what all she offered, otherwise, she won't be able to look at either us after tonight."
Lucius smirked. "I hope I have no memory come morning of you cooing to her that she's a good girl. That is a bit too much even for me to stomach."
Severus chuckled. "If it helps, had she chosen me, instead of you, I'm sure she would have been a very good girl on a regular basis, and I'd have repeatedly shown her how appreciative I was about it."
Lucius' lip curled in distaste at thinking of Severus praising his witch in such a way, or Hermione doing anything to earn such praise from the potion's master. "How in heavens is that mental image supposed to help me?"
Severus gave another dark grin. "It isn't. Goodnight, Lucius." He was gone with a flash of green flames.
Lucius sniffed in disdain. "Wanker." He muttered before looking back to his bed and its occupant.
The witch was still squirming against her bindings. It would be easy to just let Hermione loose and have his way with her, but...he didn't want to run the risk of losing her before he'd really had a chance to have her.
Going into his loo, he found a dreamless sleeping potion, and brought it back out, before sitting on the bed beside Hermione's squirming form. Though she had stopped looking angry that they hadn't followed through with Severus' promise to give her relief. Now, she simply looked at him with a plea on her face.
He pulled the silencing spell from her.
"Please, Lucius. I want you so much it hurts. Please, please, make love to me." Her voice slightly horse from her earlier constant ranting.
Lucius sighed, knowing he would give anything to hear those word from her lips, but not as she was right now. "Alright, my sweet. Drink this down and I'll help ease it all for you."
Hermione gave him a beautiful smile and happily drank the potion, again confirming that no logic was getting through. Otherwise, she would have at least asked what it was first. Probably demand what it was, instead of asking, but still at least wondered none the less. When she had swallowed it down, he leaned down and touched his lips to hers. Allowing her to draw him into a deep kiss, as he kept his hands only on her hair.
When he felt her movements becoming sluggish, he pulled away. Her eyes glazed over and grew heavy as she tried to lean up as much as she could and kiss him again. He gave her a final soft kiss, before she succumbed to the potion and fell asleep only seconds after he pulled away again.
Lucius closed his eyes a moment, trying to force away the desire to have her from just the one passionate kiss after the sleeping potion. He might be a fool for not taking what she so willingly offered, but he at least wasn't a bastard for taking it either. The blond man moved away and changed into his silk pajamas pants, these a deep charcoal color. His chest bare since he never wore a shirt to bed, something he debated before leaving it as it was, bare.
Lucius debated moving her to her room, but he decided against it. If she woke due to the sleeping potion fading, while the lust potion was still active, he wanted to be close by to give her more of the sleeping one.
Lucius moved to the opposite side of the bed and climbed in. Making sure Hermione was fully covered and pulling her into his arms, after releasing the slightly altered Incarcerous spell he had mentioned to Weasley earlier in the night. He might not be willing to make love to her, but that didn't mean he couldn't at least hold her in her sleep.
A/N: Whew. So, there you have it. Lucius has a conscience, as does Severus, it seems. If anyone is disappointed that he or they didn't sleep with her, sorry, but I have one too, and that seems too much like non-consent to me. Though, it almost went down that way a time or two before I fixed it. Also, I so loved the banter between the two ex Death Eaters. I laughed my tail off writing them snarking at each other. Anyway, more coming soon, which includes her waking in Lucius' bed. Anyone want to feather a guess on how Draco might take Hermione being in his father's bed? Anyway, take care and please leave me your thoughts.