Chapter 28

Cigarettes and Feelings

The stars shone over the balcony at the villa in Rome. Blaise wrapped his arm around Luna and drew succour from her touch. He'd extinguished all the torches so that they could see the stars better. The warming charms kept the chill of the night away, but Blaise didn't think that any cold could reach him regardless, not with Luna here with him.

"What do you think that Draco will say when he finds out?" Luna asked, staring up at the stars, her expression even more thoughtful than normal.

"That he'll be glad we never had an orgy with the four of them. Theo tried to set that up a couple times," Blaise quipped, grinning at her.

"Blaise, be serious," Luna scolded, despite the frown not quite meeting her twinkling eyes.

"I am being serious, Lu," Blaise replied, kissing her temple and smelling the floral scent of her hair. His arms tightened around her waist and he pulled her flush against him.

"As though first cousins never shag or even marry in our world, please Blaise." Luna scoffed. "I'm serious though. Will he be happy that I'm related to him, or will it push him even further away? It's so strange to say that the closest that he and I have ever been emotionally is when I was a prisoner in his home. Sweet Rowena, and that is the home my own mother grew up in. And Lucius Malfoy had to have known who I was…that I think may be the most horrifying part. He had to have realised that he had his niece imprisoned in his dungeons."

"No doubt some weird guilt about it contributed to how bloody pissed he was all the time during the war, but honestly I don't think the wizard even has feelings. That man is pure evil Lu, I'm sure that he doesn't even consider you his niece. His sister was disowned, so she was no longer his sister as far as he was concerned."

"From Draco's stories in group and when we would hang out in the Heads' Dorm, I think Lucius had a drinking problem. Almost every story of abuse he told started with his father drinking. I'll bet Lucius' father, my grandfather, was abusive, too. What did Cordelia say 'hurt people hurt people'?" Luna leaned into Blaise, soaking in his warmth, letting him hold her up and support her.

Blaise nodded, his head on top of Luna's fair head, breathing her in.

"Not that there is any excuse for mistreating your children. I'd never do such a thing. I remember my mother being nothing but kind as well. It's just a lot to take in." She murmured.

"Honestly, I'm not surprised," Blaise admitted. "I should have made a bet with Theo. I could have raked in the galleons."

"And why weren't you surprised?" Luna asked, snuggling back further into his embrace.

"First, no one but you two has hair that pale, I mean Draco's is even closer to white, but still, even some of the other Ancient and Noble Houses that have blonde hair don't come close to that shade. Second, you are terrifying when you want to be."

"That's not just a Malfoy trait," Luna pointed out.

"Maybe not but the Malfoys are masters at it," Blaise shrugged. "And you ooze otherworldliness. My mother told me once that Malfoys made a deal with the fae to build the Manor there, that it had been a fae stronghold, even Draco admits the Manor is situated on ley lines. The first Lord Malfoy in England had to take a fae princess as his bride in exchange for holding the land in perpetuity and that each firstborn legitimate heir in their line would always be male and would always live long enough to sire their own son. Their second child they had to give back under the hill to be the new faerie king or queen, my mother never said which. The Malfoy line has been unbroken since then. You always struck me as someone who could be part fae. Draco too, albeit for different reasons."

"How would your mother have heard such a story?" Luna asked in wonder, "That sounds like secret family lore." It was the kind of information her father would pay thousands of galleons to do an exclusive of in the Quibbler. Those sorts of family secrets were always so tightly guarded.

"Isn't it obvious, my love?" Blaise's smile could be heard in his voice.

Luna turned to look up at him in confusion, wondering where her love was finding mirth in this situation.

"Your mother must have told her when they were girls."

Luna's lips changed into a surprised "o" as she considered that probability. It was entirely likely.

How very uncanny.

...

"Our girl is wet," Pansy clucked her tongue."Is it the champagne or is it for us? I believe that I'll have a taste to find out." Her lips pressed against the fabric, before she moved it to the side to give herself better access. Her lips and tongue drank in Hermione's arousal as she basked in the sound of the witch's moans.

Theo dripped the last of the champagne onto his tongue and then attacked the column of Hermione's throat with his lips.

Hermione's breath was coming in swift desperate pants as her three snakes took complete control of her pleasure.

"Shouldn't we be spoiling Draco?" Hermione nearly sobbed out as her core pulsed under the onslaught of Pansy's experienced tongue.

As Theo took his place holding Hermione up, Draco pinched her nipples, looking up into her flushed face, as her swollen lips fell open.

"Who says that I don't feel spoiled?" Draco murmured, before he claimed her lips with his.

Kissing Draco while Pansy licked at her dripping pussy and Theo's mouth latched on her neck caused wildfires to race across Hermione's skin, Hermione thought that a person could die from such overwhelming pleasure. Draco began to use his tongue to clean all the remaining stickiness from the champagne that they had poured over her skin.

"I can't. I can't. I can't take it," Hermione's breaths were harsh, her whole body wound tight as she felt her inevitable release drawing ever closer. The muscles in her abdomen tensed and though Pansy's mouth expertly licked her and sucked her, it was Draco and Theo each sucking on one of her nipples that finally pushed her over the edge. Their two mouths were warm and wet but different and those differences were making lightning flow through her body where her blood ought to be.

Her vision went white with the incredible force of the orgasm. Her scream was wordless and loud as she shook and trembled.

"Maybe we should have silenced the room before we really got started with our celebration," Theo laughed.

"Pretty sure the entire floor of the hotel or at least this wing heard us," Pansy pointed out as she pulled back from between Hermione's legs. "Delicious Mi, as always." She nipped at Hermione's thigh leaving the ghost of her teeth in the tan flesh there.

...

Hermione snuggled down into the fluffy pillows on the king-sized bed where they would be sleeping for the next couple of nights. She sighed in contentment as Draco kissed the back of her neck and shoulder.

"This is like sleeping on a bunch of clouds stuck together with a charm," Hermione sighed dreamily. "This is the most comfortable bed that I have ever slept in, although it ought to be for the cost of the room."

"Was it expensive?" Theo asked. "Three thousand galleons a night didn't seem too bad, when it comes with the muggle equivalent of house elves and it's much nicer than where we stayed last night and they charged me nearly two hundred galleons, plus an extra fee for allowing me to set my own wards."

"And the decor here is really nice." Pansy added, curling into Theo's arms. "I was quite impressed with the floral arrangements. They don't actually mean anything, but still the designs are quite artistic."

Hermione laughed, "I don't think that you Slytherins could be more posh if you tried."

The three Slytherins chuckled as well, as they cuddled together, bringing their hands and legs together as much as possible, twining and cuddling in the large opulent bed until they all drifted off into an exhausted sleep.

...

Sunday morning, Theo woke up early and found that the witches had enfolded one another in their embrace. Their legs and arms were positioned in ways that pulled each onto the other's body. Theo looked across the bed and found that his wizard was missing and he would be lying if he said that that didn't make him horribly nervous.

And then he heard it.

The sweet sounds of Draco's lap harp drifting through the hotel suite. The music had a haunting ethereal quality in the quiet that had settled over Muggle London. It seemed strange that such a busy city would be so still just before dawn.

Theo came out into the sitting room and found his missing love. Lounging on the blue couch, Draco was only wearing his pyjama pants and had his harp on his lap as he strummed a melody, carefully picking the strings to pull sounds from them that Theo barely thought were possible.

Draco constantly amazed him. Theo thought of the portrait that he had painted in the Heads' Dorm and now listening to the beautiful music that Draco could bring forth from his instrument, Theo had to admit to the artistic skill of his beloved. Perhaps it was true that artistic genius was fed by suffering. Draco had certainly had enough of that in his lifetime.

Leaning against the doorway, Theo couldn't look away from his very own Orpheus, so fair and perfect. Theo felt truly blessed.

...

Draco straddled Theo's lap and the two wizards were exchanging slow deep kisses, when there came a knock at the suite door and Pansy, still in nothing but a thin black silk dressing gown, answered it.

Theo didn't even bother to stop kissing Draco at first, his hands holding Draco's neck and head, smiling into each and every kiss.

Draco thought he could melt into Theo and be perfectly content to cease to be a separate person.

Pansy coughed, then added, "If you two could come up for air, Reginald's come and he's brought a selection of pastries as well as a coffee and tea service."

The butler was setting up the serving table in the dining room with everything Pansy had mentioned.

Theo snuggled Draco closer and enjoyed the way the blonde was submitting to him. Draco was absolutely Theo's baby. He could admit that at least to himself. Theo was the daddy to Draco's sweet submissive. And Theo felt so lucky. Between his three lovers, every desire that Theo could have was amply satisfied.

"Reginald," Theo called as the man came back through the sitting room. The butler didn't even look the slightest bit shocked at the two young men or at Pansy's state of undress.

"Is there a place that has a good brunch that we might enjoy? We went out last night to a club that we quite liked, but we were hoping to find something similar where I might be able to hold hands with my boyfriend in the light of day."

Reginald nodded. "Yes, my lord, I think I know what sort of place you mean. I will call the concierge and get a list. Enjoy the light repast and beverage service in the meantime and I will return in short order."

After Reginald left, Pansy returned to the room with a cup of coffee. "You are going to scandalise the man. Also, how are you going to explain not knowing anything about London?"

"My father kept me tightly confined at our country estate and he recently passed and left me the title and the fortune. I'm sowing my wild oats now." Theo grinned at the dark haired witch.

Hermione emerged from the suite's massive bathroom wearing nothing more than a towel and looked at everyone in confusion. "What did I miss?"

"Well darling Reginald barely missed you in a towel, Mi." Pansy laughed. "Do you want coffee or tea we've been delivered?"

"Coffee, please, sweet and pale," Hermione replied, "Just let me get dressed and we can do whatever you three like." She disappeared back towards the bedroom.

"Pans, can I get my nails painted before we go out," Draco asked, looking at his hands pressed against Theo's chest.

"Of course, Draco darling," Pansy sipped her drink, her pale leg exposed in her robe as she crossed her legs.

"Oh me too, please," Theo requested eagerly.

Pansy shook her head, "Of course Theo, you too." Her laughter was low and husky. If Theo hadn't already been half hard from snogging Draco, Pansy's laughter would have done it.

...

The Savoy Hotel's chauffeured Bentley dropped them off at an establishment with large posters of performers in heavy makeup and large wigs outfront. The concierge had called ahead and gotten them a VIP table in the front of the restaurant.

"Lord Nott," the host in his flamboyant gold suit said as they entered, Hermione wondered if he had seen the car from the Savoy or if the concierge had described Theo over the phone. "Welcome. Your table is waiting this way."

Theo leaned over to Hermione, "So this place is like a dinner theatre, but for brunch?"

"Exactly." Hermione replied, smiling. She hoped that they would enjoy it.

"Your server will be right with you to take your drink orders," the host smiled brightly.

It wasn't more than a moment before another stunningly handsome man with a tray of mimosas appeared. "Brunch this morning comes with complimentary bottomless beverages. Let me know if these are to your liking or I can bring options that are spicier," the server said with a wink.

After the server had handed them menus and headed to check on another table, Draco whispered. "What is this beverage?"

Hermione laughed. "It's called a mimosa and it's Champagne and orange juice, although I think this one is passion fruit. They are bottomless to a point and are part of the entry to the show this morning."

"Hermione, the waiter said the bottomless bit already, but I can see quite clearly that the glass has a bottom," and Draco proved his point by draining his glass and showing her. His confusion was clearly written on his face.

Hermione had to bite the inside of her cheek to prevent the laughter from getting out, because she didn't want to discourage him during his first exploration of the Muggle world. "It's a muggle expression which means that they will keep your glass refilled for as many times as you like while we eat and watch the performances."

"Bottomless drinks," Pansy mused while sipping her own mimosa. "Muggles are brilliant."

Theo nodded in agreement. "Now what options does the menu have? I want to try something that I have never eaten before."

...

The mimosas were delicious if sweet, but Draco knew that he needed to pace himself because this was likely the beginning of what the four of them were doing for the day. He wanted to be able to keep up with everyone else and he had no experience with Muggle alcohol. The last thing he wanted to do was embarrass himself in public or cause them to end a fun day together early.

Draco wasn't sure that he liked this loud place, but there were men in elaborately done hair, makeup and gowns which led them to believe that he and Theo could touch here.

Even better, Draco found that when he held Theo's hand and kissed him on the cheek he got no reaction at all. No one at any of the tables around even looked at them, in fact he saw other couples showing their own affections to their partners, women sharing giggly kisses and men stroking their boyfriend's arm. The casual hand holding was mind blowing, he tried to imagine holding Theo's hand at the Slytherin table and found that he couldn't stretch his imagination that far. For this kind of freedom of public affection, Draco could tolerate the bombastic nature of the entertainment.

Looking at the performers' long colourfully manicured hands, he admired his own black painted ones and smiled. It was lovely to see the brightly coloured and decorated nails that the performers sported, but he liked his glossy and black. Their darkness matched his preferred aesthetic.

The performers were not singing the songs themselves, they were moving their lips along with songs that were being played loudly by some muggle device. They had elaborate dance routines and, more than once, he caught Hermione humming along or singing the song under her breath. Pansy was grinning at Hermione, playing with one of her curls as she sipped her mimosa and ate the sliced fruit that adorned her plate, occasionally putting a sliced strawberry on Hermione's tongue. Pushing her plate of food entirely to the side, Pansy pulled Hermione onto her lap as she'd seen one of the performers get too close (in Pansy's estimation) to one of the patrons at a nearby table. She called it her 'Mi Protective Buffer,' which caused Hermione to giggle as she sipped her mimosa.

"I think," Draco whispered in Theo's ear, "That you would look fantastic in an evening gown. Definitely sapphire blue to bring out your eyes."

"Could you imagine my father's face? He would probably die on the spot. I could save the Ministry the cost of an executioner and show up to visit him in one. Wouldn't that be something?" Theo laughed mirthlessly.

"Don't get melancholy on us now, my Lord," commanded Hermione from her place on Pansy's lap.

"Listen to Mi, Theo. And the outfits really are incredible," Pansy considered, "I wonder if they all hand sew their clothes. I doubt that such things are from the ready-made shelf, especially in those sizes."

When several of the performers came by their table to thank them for coming, Hermione laughed as Pansy got into an excited conversation with two of them about their intricate hand embroidery which was one of Pansy's hobbies. Hermione couldn't stop grinning like an idiot at the happy expression on the face of the witch that was often so austere and serious especially when they were among people beyond their foursome.

Theo was amused when a couple of the performers curtseyed deeply and called him by his title. The Muggle world was certainly deferential to titles of nobility.

"This may be one of my favourite things to do in the world," Theo said, slightly tipsy, as they left. "I love Drag Brunch. It's magical. Ten out of ten."

...

"I want to visit the British Museum and look at all the antiquities," Draco requested. "We have done two loud activities since we have been in Muggle London and I haven't complained, but now I would very much like some quiet time looking at art." Draco looked at his companions as they waited for the cab that the host had called for them after their meal and the show was over.

"Oh, I've always wanted to go too," Pansy added, looking quite interested.

"Not that I am not thrilled to go, because I love the collection there, but how do you two know about the British Museum? It's a Muggle place," Hermione inquired, curious.

"Ah Hermione, love, that is where you are wrong. There is an entire magical wing hidden under the earth. It's well warded but I know the charm in order to enter," Theo smiled at her little gasp of surprise. "Although I prefer it when such gasps are because of what I am doing between your legs. I know that knowledge is the key to your swotty little heart." He nipped at her ear, rubbing small circles on her hip with his thumb.

Theo pulled back and lit one of his clove cigarettes only to sigh in disappointment when their cab almost immediately showed up. Hermione climbed in the cab first, letting the driver know where they wanted to be taken. This ride seemed to go a lot better for the three Purebloods, the driver was much more cautious than their late night ride from the club. Hermione realised that it probably helped that none of them were quite as drunk as they had been coming back from the club the night before.

Hermione was in awe of the British Museum as always, despite the questionable acquisition process of all the antiquities, Hermione could never help but gaze agog at all the amazing things that ancient hands had made. The four of them made their way past the Rosetta Stone and into the Egyptian wing, because of course the entry into the Wizarding section of the museum was in the Egyptian section.

Behind a giant statue of Bastet, Theo subtly flicked his wand and then walked right through the wall behind the statue, reminding Hermione of the magic of Platform 9 ¾. She knew that there had to be more magical places that had the same sort of entrance. She had always thought that the spell was far too useful and unique to only be used by those going to the Hogwarts Express.

Not for the first time she wondered what other things she had missed out on by being Muggleborn.

The magical section of the British Museum was just as Hermione had imagined it once Draco had mentioned it earlier. The space was sparkling and pristine. The entrance was staffed by a smiling witch who handed them a map of the exhibits and pointed out how to use their wands to activate the charm on the information labels that would read the descriptions aloud to them, and where to tap if they needed the information in another language. Hermione deeply appreciated the attempts at accessibility.

The first couple of galleries were fairly empty so Theo took Hermione's arm and Draco took Pansy's as they strolled through looking at the cases filled with magical idols and talismans. One case was entirely cursed artefacts that had been removed from the main British Museum. Hermione listened, entranced, to the voice of the curse breaker who was speaking about the attempts to remove the curse from a particular talisman, then she paused. Then she listened again, paying closer attention.

"That's Bill Weasley's voice!" Hermione said in surprise, thinking of Fleur and Bill for the first time in weeks. She hadn't been a great correspondent over the summer which was unusual for her, she'd need to correct that immediately and send a letter to them both, hearing Bill's voice at the museum was an excellent excuse.

"Which Weasley is that?" Pansy asked. "That doesn't sound like the prattish Head Boy."

"Bill is the eldest. He married Fleur, the Beauxbatons Triwizard champion, during the war. He's a curse breaker for Gringotts. They invited me to stay with them prior to coming back for the reconstruction camp."

"I recall," Theo said, his eyes narrowing as he remembered Fleur's letter that Hermione had received after the debacle with the Weasel's article in the Prophet.

Hermione tilted her head at Theo, "Theodore Nott, are you jealous?"

Theo snorted, "I don't do jealousy."

Hermione made a little noise of agreement, but internally she was cackling.

The foursome continued their way through the exhibit before coming to a gallery labelled, "The Abraxas Malfoy Collection - on permanent loan."

Draco sighed, "Oh I forgot all about this. We don't need to go in." He probably ought to have said, please can we not go in, he realised when he saw his companions' reactions.

Pansy raised an eyebrow in his direction, "As though I want to miss looking at whatever your grandfather loaned to the Museum permanently."

"If we must," Draco sighed, guiding Pansy through the ornate archway. He was truly dreading visiting this exhibit, but it was hard to put into words why exactly he didn't want to go.

This gallery was much more crowded than the previous ones. And opposite the entrance was a giant wizarding portrait that must have been Abraxas Malfoy. The wizard was clearly related to Draco. Hermione saw that people were starting to stare at the four of them. The occasional sneer was no surprise, but Hermione found it all ironic when considering that they were perusing an exhibit that had been donated by the Malfoys.

The cases were filled primarily with giant gemstones that were clearly unwearable. There was also a giant display dedicated to the land grant that the Malfoys had received from William the Conqueror along with letters of commendation to the family from Queen Elizabeth the First and King Edward the First amongst others.

Draco looked distinctly uncomfortable looking at all his family treasures on display.

"It's not all his family wealth," Theo murmured, and Hermione grimaced when she realised that she must have spoken aloud. "In fact it's probably less than a percent of what's in his vaults. These are just things that his grandfather thought had historical value to the Wizarding community as a whole. Also the man was more egocentric than Lucius and I think the idea of his name being permanently on display here at the Museum tickled him. Despite how out of favour the Malfoys now are, the museum can never remove this exhibit. It was part of the loan agreement. I think as long as the Museum itself remains standing, this exhibit must continue."

Hermione nodded, because of course that was the sort of thing that Draco's grandfather would have done. It appeared that Lucius hadn't fallen far from the paternal tree.

"Mi," Pansy called. "Come and look at this ruby. It's the size of an apple."

Hermione's eyes widened at the size of the stone, but it was the colour that truly took her breath away. It was like crystallised blood. How exactly had the Malfoys even come by such a thing?

...

Draco really wanted to get out of the exhibit hall without catching the attention of the magical portrait of his grandfather; unfortunately for him, the crowd around the portrait had dissipated by the time they were about to leave the hall and the portrait spotted him. Draco could not be mistaken for being anything other than a Malfoy.

"Who are you?" The portrait demanded, imperiously.

"I'm your grandson, Draco," he answered, wishing in vain that he had never asked to come to the museum today. Pansy stepped off to the side with Theo and Hermione pretending to look at a case with journals dating to the invasion of William the Conqueror open to pages of historical significance.

"Lucius' son?"

"Of course, who else's son would I be?" Draco asked, confused, but then he remembered. "My aunt! You thought I might be my aunt's son."

"I don't know what you are talking about," the portrait crossed his arms and looked around making certain that others weren't eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Lucius let it slip when he was in his cups before my third year at Hogwarts," Draco hissed at the portrait. "And Headmistress McGonagall confirmed that I have a cousin. She's to introduce us if my cousin consents. Although who would want to admit connection to a family such as ours. You've had to have heard that your son is going to get the Dementors' Kiss in Azkaban in December. I'm sure someone would have wanted to rub that in your face."

"But you are the heir of our Ancient and Noble House and you are free," the portrait began, but Draco cut it off with a wave of his hands as he stepped so close that one of the security guards looked at him in concern.

"And if I have anything to say about it, my children will not be Purebloods. So you can sit in this frame knowing that I will end the Pureblood lineage of the House of Malfoy or die trying. Good day, grandfather."

Draco walked away leaving the portrait spluttering in his frame, with Theo, Pansy, and Hermione following in his wake.

...

There were a number of other interesting exhibits in the wizarding section of the museum; if he hadn't gotten in an argument with his long dead grandfather, then perhaps Draco would have enjoyed them more. He had really wanted to look at the magical portrait gallery. There were a couple magical portraitists whose use of light and colour he always found inspiring.

Pansy announced that it was her turn to choose the next activity and she wanted to go shopping for Muggle clothes. Hermione guided them all to the nearby cab stand and they quickly piled in, the Slytherins already getting more used to Muggle style conveyances.

...

Pansy emerged from the dressing room in a black dress with thick petticoats giving volume to the skirts that barely came to her mid thigh. All three of her companions lost their ability to breathe for a minute, let alone speak.

"Pans," Theo said breathlessly, "You have to allow me to buy that for you. It's breath-taking. In fact, please allow me to buy you whatever it is that you would like if it looks like that on you."

"Far be it from me to refuse a gift, Theo," Pansy tossed out before she went back into the dressing room.

That same interaction was repeated several times until Pansy had quite the stack of new dresses, including a few that she had chosen specifically with Mi in mind, without letting the other witch know of course.

The girl at the counter called the style of the majority of the dresses that Pansy had chosen Lolita. She gave Theo a card for when the next reason to shower Pansy with gifts came along, a little wink in his direction that was certainly flirtatious.

Once they were back on the street, the air in London was rough on their lungs in comparison to Diagon Alley as they walked around. Hermione found herself wondering, not for the first time, how the Wizarding world managed to keep the pollutants from the Muggle world from drifting into places like Diagon Alley.

While Theo and Pansy argued about whether a dress in a window display was suitable for a midsummer garden party, Hermione distractedly looked up at the street sign trying to figure out exactly where they were.

While she wasn't particularly paying attention to her surroundings, she realised that someone was trying to get her attention as they crossed the street nearby.

"Hey girl, that's a very nice arse and pretty mouth you have. What do you say I make use of both?" Hermione looked up in distaste at the young man in front of her with his bad teeth and leering expression. He had an equally disgusting friend just behind him who had probably encouraged the foul attempt to obtain female attention.

Scowling, Hermione opened her mouth to tell them to get lost, but Draco stepped up behind her, his large hand possessively placed on her hip and stomach.

"Is everything alright, darling?" Hermione started at the endearment on his tongue in such a public setting, but leaned into him, accepting the protection that he was offering. Draco turned his most malevolent glare on the two guys who quickly took off.

"I could have handled that," she pointed out, still enjoying the warm feeling of him against her back.

"Yes I know, but you don't have to." Draco wrapped his arm around her waist and guided her back to Theo and Pansy who were jumping up and down.

"Mi, I've had a brilliant idea!" Pansy looked at the other witch in barely leashed excitement.

"Yes, Pans?" Hermione smiled, she never thought she'd seen the Slytherin girl look so giddy.

"Let's get tattoos!" Pansy said, pointing to a tattoo shop across the street from where they had been perusing clothing stores.

Full Moon Tattoos and Piercings was painted above the window in golden paint on the black facade. It looked like a nice spot, not a seedy place like the tattoo shop in Knockturn Alley.

"You know what, fuck it, yes, let's do it!" Hermione agreed.

"Look at you Hermione, the Golden Girl being such a rebel." Theo ran a hand over her cheek as he looked both ways before crossing the street. He'd almost been run over twice so far while they'd been out shopping and she was grateful that he was finally starting to be more aware.

Theo pushed the door to the shop open and a bell rang.

The stereo was playing David Bowie singing about being afraid of Americans.

A green haired girl was leaning on the counter flipping through a magazine and a few other artists were drawing or lounging at their stations. One woman in the back corner was getting a tattoo on her ankle and kept scowling.

"Can I help you?" The girl at the counter drawled, her Welsh accent thick.

Draco stepped forward first, "I'd like to get an old tattoo covered up." He pulled up his sleeve, showing the girl his Dark Mark. He couldn't help but flinch when she touched it.

The green haired girl looked at Draco's Dark Mark with a critical eye. "The artist went really heavily on this. Covering it up is going to be a real bitch and take hours. Are you sure? I mean it's kind of cool."

Draco flushed and began to pull his arm back. Hermione put a supportive hand on his elbow and explained.

"It's ...um...a gang tattoo and we just got done at the court. He was acquitted, but it would be a ...positive sign …to his ...probation officer ….if it was covered up."

The green haired tattoo artist nodded and ran one more finger over the Dark Mark. Draco tensed at each pass of her finger.

"TOMMY!" The green haired tattoo artist yelled towards the back. "I got one that's all you."

Out from a back room came one of the biggest men that Hermione has ever seen that wasn't part giant. He was nearly as large as Hagrid. He had a shaved head with a dragon tattoo on the side and his arms were huge and covered in tattoo scenes that looked like Greek mythology, but Hermione wasn't sure what specific myth was depicted. She thought she spotted the Acropolis and Medusa.

"Gang tatt cover up," the green haired girl informed him.

The giant man grinned, "My specialty. Follow me kid."

Hermione and Theo offered reassuring smiles and Pansy gave him a friendly shove.

"Go on," the raven haired witch said. "Surprise us with something cool."

He led Draco to his station in the back across from the scowling girl whose tattoo appeared to be wrapping up. The huge man pulled out strange Muggle books that Draco hadn't seen before, apparently his art portfolios, the images gripped by three metal teeth that kept the pages inside.

He took a hold of Draco's left arm, examining the Dark Mark while Draco flipped through the pictures.

"So who got you in the life, kid?" The man asked as he watched Draco flip through the books.

"The life?" Draco asked, confused. He wished Granger was over here instead of looking at the flash art at the counter with Pansy. He needed a translator. Tommy tapped the Dark Mark and looked at him meaningfully.

"Oh my father." Draco said grimacing. "My aunt and uncles were involved too. They had been since before I was born."

"My da' too." Tommy said. "So we are gonna need a lot of black to cover that up, flip to the back, it has the cover ups."

Draco looked at the various images and kept coming back to the images of space, stars and planets, things he'd never seen outside of the muggle studies book he'd stolen from an unattended library table in third year.

"I am named after the Draco constellation, do you think that would work? I would also like a narcissus flower for my mother if possible."

"What if I did a whole dark band of space on your arm with Draco centerstage on your inner forearm and then I do the narcissus on your inner wrist. It will be alot of black, but it will suit you. It will definitely cover the gang tattoo as well."

"I like Norse runes," Draco said. "Do you think you could put some protection ones on either side of the flower for my mother?"

"Easily done lad," Tommy replied, tapping his pen against his lip. "Is she still in?"

"No," Draco said. "She never was, not really. Her house was just often invaded by my father's ...friends… and he has just been sentenced to prison time. It's hard for her.'' Draco wondered why on earth he was sharing so much with the huge muggle who was now using a constellation book and was tracing Draco's constellation out, prepping the design.

"So here is what I'm thinkin'." Tommy showed the design to Draco after a few minutes

The moment Draco saw it, he smiled.

"Perfect."

...

Theo was flipping through one of the tattoo books on the counter on tattoo symbolism and his eyes widened as he stared at one of the images and he felt in his soul that this was the one he needed to get. He scanned a few more pages just in case and then there it was, his second tattoo.

Coming back over to the green haired girl, Candy, Theo smiled charmingly at her as his witches continued to peruse the flash art on the wall looking for something that suited them.

"I'd like to get two tattoos. Are two artists available to work on me at once?" Theo grinned. "I love a little threesome action when I can get it."

"You sure that won't be too much pain for you?" Candy asked sceptically.

"Pretty sure I can handle it." Theo winked. She didn't have a clue how much pain he was capable of handling.

She shrugged, "What are you thinking then?"

He pointed to the two pieces in the book that he wanted.

"Oh, traditional. I like it. Where are you thinking for placement?" Her eyes traced over his body as though she could see through his clothes.

"I want the bloody black rose on my left chest and the knot on my left wrist."

She nodded, sliding her fingers into the pages and summoning two of the men reading magazines in the middle of the shop.

Charlie and Hux weren't twins, but Theo was fucked if someone wanted him to tell them apart at wandpoint. He wouldn't have been able to do it. They both had shaggy brown hair and denim vests covered in patches and spikes.

They had the designs for the traditional pieces he wanted already and just had to trace them and then transfer the design onto his skin so he could approve placement. It was a little nerve wracking removing his shirt, he dropped the glamours on his skin first, but he was so afraid that Hermione would see the destruction his father had wrought on his back. It was hardly attractive. Draco and Pansy knew they were there, but he didn't really like them seeing his father's handiwork either if he could help it. The last thing he wanted was pity.

In order to accommodate the two artists working on him at once, Theo's legs were spread wide so that the one artist could work on his left pectoral while the other placed cushions on a small table to raise up Theo's left wrist to give the height he needed to work on the knot.

The pain that the tattoo machines brought felt so good, Theo tried to distract himself so that he didn't get hard. Hux, or was it Charlie, was uncomfortably close as he worked on Theo's chest and would definitely notice.

"Two at once, huh?" Asked a woman with a bright pink Mohawk as she came out of the loo.

Theo smirked at her, "It always takes multiple people to satisfy me."

"Theo," Pansy called from the front of the shop. "Stop being naughty or I won't spank you later."

Suitably chastened, Theo replied, "Yes, Mistress." Hux, or was it Charlie, choked back a laugh.

And Theo attempted to behave, but it hurt so good. It was extremely challenging, but he would do anything to keep Pansy happy.

...

"Alright," Pansy commented. "I have decided what I want." Turning to Candy, "Do you have a piercer in the shop today?"

The pink haired girl came up to the counter and looked Pansy up and down. "Yup," she popped the final p sound. "What are you thinkin' gorgeous?"

"I'd like a little green nose stud. Precious gem if you have it." Pansy tapped her nostril.

She nodded, "I do."

"No ink for you?" Candy asked.

"Oh I definitely want a tattoo. That heart shaped lock with the key on the flash wall please. On my lower back."

"Sounds great. That's Stephen's stuff and," she turned around and looked at the man who still had his feet up on a desk, leaning back as he read a dog-eared paperback. "He's still not working. Stephen, you and Lils are gonna tag team the lovely…"

"Pansy," she supplied. "And Lils has a much better chance."

"Duly noted," the pink haired woman, Lils, smiled. "Well let's get your nose done and Stephen will get everything prepared for your tattoo."

Pansy rounded the counter, excited to do something else that her parents would find abhorrent.

...

"It was lucky you weren't busy when we came in today," Hermione stated as she looked again at some of the flash artwork on the walls.

"Oh luck had nothing to do with it. We had a hen party booked at noon and when they showed up, they were already three sheets to the wind. No self-respecting tattoo artist will work on someone that's been drinking. Also they bleed too much, and then the ink falls out and then they bitch that you did a shitty job." She smirked at Hermione. "They were mad as a basket of bees that I turned them away."

"Hmmm," Hermione responded, guessing that this was something new that she was learning today.

Hermione watched as all her lovers were getting themselves modified and the shop was filled with the buzzing noise of the tattoo machines.

"And what about you?" Candy asked her.

"I can't decide what I want to get," Hermione admitted. "Nothing has quite struck me as something I would like to get on my skin forever." She unconsciously rubbed at her arm where her mudblood scar was hidden under glamours.

"Would you like to look at my portfolio; it's a little different from everyone else's work. I have a bit more of a painterly style. I go for a kind of watercolour effect with a lot less black."

"Oh. I'd really like that." Hermione smiled and Candy pulled out a huge binder from under the counter, dropping it into Hermione's hands.

...

Theo looked over his tattoos with pleasure, the sting of receiving them had been so pleasurable that he was already considering what else he might like to have etched into his skin. Pansy had already finished and had popped out to a shop next door that her tattoo artist had recommended. Hermione was turned away from him, her artist hard at work on her chest piece which was clearly on the larger side of things. He felt a tiny spurt of jealousy that the green-haired Muggle's hands were on Hermione's breasts, but he tried to tamp down the feeling. He'd had two Muggles with their hands all over him just a few minutes back, so he needed to get himself under control. Hadn't he told Hermione at the museum that he didn't do jealousy?

Theo could not wait to see what their Golden Girl had chosen to adorn her perfect body with. Draco's artist hadn't taken any breaks and was working with fifteen small cups of colour laid out in front of him as though he were painting. At least half of them appeared to be different shades of black and deep blue. The swirls of space were slowly taking over Draco's arm sending the Dark Mark into an oblivion of Muggle ink.

It was so interesting what they could hide, Theo thought as he fiddled with his Nott signet ring. What things about themselves that they would be able to transform given the opportunity.

...

By the time they were finished with their tattoos, it had grown very late. In fact, Theo's larger tattoo took about four and a half hours, Hermione's five and Draco's nearly seven. It was after midnight by the time Tommy finally put his machine down, examining his work.

Candy was waiting at the front desk for them to finish up, her green hair now pulled up into a messy bun.

When Theo realised that no one had paid yet, he went up to the girl and handed her his card, "I'd like to pay for everyone's ink and Pansy's piercing and jewellery."

"Are you sure? That's gonna be a pretty penny," she looked at his card. "Oh for fucks' sake. A bloody lord. I knew you sounded posh, but do you have cash? It's easier for me to pay the individual artists that way."

Theo nodded, putting his card back in the muggle wallet and pulled out a stack of bills. He left a couple in his money clip just in case he needed them, although so far his card had been taken everywhere they had been.

"Is this adequate, including tips for the artists?" Theo asked, really not sure if it was enough. He was not yet entirely clear on Muggle money and what the exchange rate was with galleons.

Candy's eyes widened as she counted out the money. "Yeah this should cover everything and then some."

"Brilliant," Theo smiled at her. "If anyone else from our party tries to pay you can give it to their artist directly as an extra tip." He winked and went to sit next to Hermione and Pansy. Pansy had nodded off, her head on Hermione's shoulder. Additional shopping bags from her foray next door littered the floor around her feet.

"The Tube is gonna be closed. Where are you kids staying?" The big man asked as Draco came out to the front of the shop, his arm all wrapped up.

"We have a suite at the Savoy," Theo answered. "Can you call a cab for us? Or the concierge at the hotel? They'd probably send a car if they know it's for me."

Tommy looked at him in confusion, but Candy was already flipping through a book and dialling a number on the shop's phone. "Hello, this is Full Moon Tattoos and Piercings in Soho calling. We've got Lord Nott and his entourage here and he was hoping you could send a car for him, so he didn't have to take a cab. ..Yes that's our address…Yes, we'll keep them safe inside the shop…Fifteen minutes? Alright. Yes, I'll let him know. Thank you."

Tommy's mouth was repeating the words, Lord Nott under his breath and Theo grinned.

"Did you take good care of my boyfriend, sir?" Theo winked at the big man.

"Turned out great," Tommy stated, completely unphased by the admission. Theo figured he wouldn't be bothered considering the girl on girl flirting between Candy and the pink-haired piercer. "Now remember what I said about aftercare, will you Draco?"

"Of course. And I'll be back to get another piece when we finish school." Draco smiled at the man.

"Still can't believe you kids are still in school," The big man shook his head in disbelief. "And boarding school at that. Makes sense though, considering."

Draco pulled out some money and handed it to Tommy. "Is that enough?"

"Shite, more than." He reached out and shook Draco's hand. "It was a pleasure working on you."

Tommy and Draco missed Theo and Candy's shared smirks. Theo had enjoyed the entire tattoo shop sojourn, in fact the entire day in Muggle London had decimated his expectations of what they could do and how they could be together publicly.

If only the Wizarding World could embrace the four of them together in such a way.

...

Hermione had managed to have her new tattoo covered in wrap and tape and hidden away under her shirt before anyone else had seen it.

On the other hand, Draco's had taken so long that everyone else had ended up watching him for a while. Hermione had been so impressed at how stoic he was as the giant tattoo artist covered his Dark Mark in so much heavy ink that the symbol of genocide was no longer visible. It was long after midnight by the time Draco was done and combined with Pansy's slow rhythmic breathing on her shoulder, Hermione had ended up falling asleep in one of the chairs in the front of the shop.

When their wizards woke her up, there was a car from their hotel waiting out front. Hermione quickly fell back asleep on the short ride back to the hotel. When she woke up, Draco was carrying her in his arms like a bride into the lift. She pretended to still be asleep so that she could enjoy being held so tenderly for just a bit longer.

She could almost pretend that he really loved her.

...

"Words can not express how much I adore this room and its muggle house elves. It really is a special kind of opulent," Pansy sighed, sampling the number of dishes that Reginald's late night counterpart had delivered from their personal chef, her feet hanging over the side of the chaise lounge in front of the window overlooking the Thames.

Her new nose piercing sparkled in the light. She'd also removed her top so that her hem wasn't rubbing against her new tattoo. Theo casted healing charms on it but it was still a bit itchy especially when something touched it. Her breasts were perfectly on display in their grey silk bra with its intricate embroidery of vines and snakes.

Theo was carefully healing Draco's arm after gently unwrapping it. His wand work was elegant as he mumbled the incantations under his breath.

"You are very good at those," Hermione noted.

"Living with Thoros Nott meant that I needed a great deal of healing knowledge very young and then when the Malfoys went and had the noseless one move in and everything kind of went to shite in the not getting hurt department especially for Draco, I needed to learn more charms and faster." Theo finished a couple final incantations, wiping the new tattoo gently with a damp cloth. "Although Pansy is more than capable of doing these as well, our Empress is just a bit too tired for this kind of magical output." He gestured over to where Pansy was.

Hermione saw Pansy had laid her head down and had stopped snacking.

When he turned toward Hermione with his wand raised, she shook her head. "I'd like it to hurt for at least a few more hours. Isn't the pain part of the fun?"

"Now you are starting to sound like me, sweetheart." Theo laughed. "We'll make a pain slut out of you yet."

...

"You know Hermione didn't get to choose an activity while we were out and about," Draco pointed out, his head in said witch's lap as she ran her fingers through his pale blond hair and ran her nails over his scalp, causing him to purr in pleasure rather like Crookshanks Hermione thought. She did hope her cat was doing alright at Hogwarts in their absence.

"Honestly, it's no trouble. I'm just glad that you were able to enjoy Muggle London. And we still have one day left. The Express doesn't leave until Tuesday." She smiled at Pansy who was curled up into Theo's arms, clearly fighting sleep.

"Obviously, the only answer must be to reward you with orgasms," Theo answered.

"But not tonight," Pansy sighed, burrowing even more into Theo's chest. "It's nearly dawn and I need my beauty sleep."

"As you command, my Queen," Theo smiled down at her.

"Pansy's right," Draco sighed. "It's really late, so late that it's early. I wouldn't mind doing a bit more Muggle London exploration tomorrow, but I won't be up for anything unless we get some sleep now."

"Alright then, under the blankets everyone." Theo gently commanded, slipping Pansy's legs under the bedding for her and easing her down onto the pillows. Hermione scooted in next to her and Pansy, already falling deeper into sleep, shifted pulling Hermione into her arms.

Once Pansy was spooning Hermione, Theo's arm went over the two of them. Draco in front of Hermione with his head in her curls and his long fingers on her waist where they tangled with Theo's.

"Good night loves," Theo whispered as his breathing too fell into the cadence of sleep.

Hermione felt tears prick at her eyes. She had never felt so much intensity for either of the wizards that she had slept with prior to whatever this was.

Her three snakes always made her feel so treasured, like she was the centre of everything. Could this really work? The four of them? Could it really be more than friendship with benefits? Hermione knew what she wanted and knew what Cordelia's books had said, but she was so afraid.

What if she tried for more than fun with them and everything fell apart? Or worse, they rejected her?

Perhaps it was better to not say anything about her increasingly overwhelming feelings?

She didn't think that she could survive them breaking her heart.