Hermione noticed a brief surprise from the man beneath her as she returned his kiss, but he only stopped for a heartbeat The second Lucius Malfoy noticed that she was no longer resisting, his kiss became even more intense. Without taking his lips from her, he lifted her slightly to place her on his lap, her legs spread wide. It wasn't long before Hermione could feel his hard arousal beneath her. Intimidated, she broke off the kiss and pulled back.

"Please," Lucius whispered desperately, "please stay."

Shocked at the weakness of the previously cold Death Eater, Hermione paused. She knew what this man wanted from her right now, but she also knew she couldn't give it to him. As much as she craved tenderness and intimacy, any notion of sex was overridden by the memory of Snape. Again, she tried to slide off his lap, but he held her with all his strength.

"I need you."

The soft words struck Hermione directly in her heart. What she had only suspected before now became a certainty: this man felt as lonely as she did. And although he didn't like her any more than she liked him, she was just about the only available person who could alleviate his loneliness. Even as Hermione came to this realisation, another thought occurred: she had power over him.

Hesitantly, still unsure if she really wanted to do this, she opened up to him again, initiating a kiss herself, giving herself over completely to the feel of his warm lips and strong hands on her bare bottom. Perhaps if she closed her eyes and forgot everything around her, he could help her overcome the trauma of the rape. Sighing, she broke away from the kiss to let her head sink onto his shoulder and snuggle even closer.

As if he understood what she was trying to tell him, Lucius released her buttocks to unzip his pants and free his hard cock. Then his hands wandered back to her butt, gripping firmly to knead the soft skin. Knowing full well how difficult what was to come would be for her, he sought her entrance with the fingers of his left hand. Carefully he penetrated her first with one, then with two fingers, massaging her clit and trying to evoke arousal in her as well. He could feel the delicate woman's body tense in his arms, her breathing quicken, and a gasp escape with each thrust of his fingers.

He took his time. While his one hand continued to pump into her, his other found its way into her hear, gently stroking her neck and the back of her head. She still had her face buried on his shoulder, and he could feel her hot breath washing over his neck. He wanted nothing more than to just bury himself deep inside of her, but he held back. If she was not ready for him, he would wait.

Even as he hesitated, summoning all his self-control, he felt her wrap her arms around him, her face still hidden on his shoulder, and whisper very softly, "Take me." His heart skipped a beat, but he needed no more prompting. Carefully, he lifted her hips with both hands, positioned himself directly beneath her, and then let her slowly take him inside her.

He noticed her body tense further, but she didn't pause as she lowered herself onto him. When he finally filled her completely, he waited for her to signal him to move. Just as he was about to pull back again, there was a very soft moan and a barely perceptible roll of her hips. And with that tiny hint, his self-control was gone. Hard he grabbed her ass, began to thrust into her while lifting her ever so slightly in the same rhythm, only to pull her back against him with all the more force. Faster and harder he thrust into her, driven by Hermione's soft, sometimes pained, sometimes lust-filled moans. She herself didn't move, just clung desperately to him, smothering her sounds in his shoulder. But he needed more. As he inexorably approached his climax, all thoughts of his surroundings, his family, the political situation in the country disappeared. There was only him and the willing young woman on his lap.

So engrossed was he in his lust that he didn't even notice the slight tingle of his magic. Hermione, however, sensed that something in the room had changed and looked up. Her eyes met Draco's straight on, standing in the open doorway with his wand in his hand. She could see his horror turn to anger and then to indescribable hatred. She saw his gaze move down her to where his father was thrusting into her, heard the excited gasp of the man beneath her, felt the movement of her body caused by him as she looked into his son's blue eyes. Unable to say anything, she watched as the young man turned on his heel and disappeared.

Lucius sensed Hermione's motion, but paid no attention to it. He was too absorbed by her scent, the feel of her warm, soft skin, and her hot wetness. Another sound from the woman finally brought him to climax. With a suppressed moan, he poured himself into her. Eyes still closed and with his chest rising and falling rapidly, he clung to her for a moment longer, then gently lifted her from him.

He wanted to say something, anything, but her fear-filled look brought him abruptly back to reality. Had he done something wrong? Had he only imagined that she was willing, and unwittingly done to her what Severus had done before? The uncertainty seemed to be written all over his face, because Hermione just shook her head silently and pointed to the door. Questioningly, he turned around - and froze. The door he had sealed with magic stood open.

"Who ...?" he croaked.

"Draco," came the immediate answer. And something in Hermione's voice told Lucius Malfoy that it was not good that they had been seen together in this situation by his son, of all people.

oOoOoOo

He was not at dinner. Narcissa Malfoy didn't seem to mind, but Hermione clearly noticed that the master of the house was troubled by his son's absence. He had every reason to be, though it probably wasn't as clear to him as it was to her. Neither parent knew how violent and insane their son had become since Voldemort had won. How could they know, after all, his hatred was directed at her, the Mudblood. Although Hermione couldn't interpret what his kindness in the morning had meant, she was sure that now that he had caught her having sex with his father, he had fallen back into his old, hate-consumed ways. And the fact that he stayed away from dinner certainly didn't bode well.

Sighing, Hermione made her way back to the kitchen. The house-elves would see to it that the dishes magically found their way into the kitchen, where she would be allowed to wash them with her bare hands, as she always did. She felt uneasy. She had overheard that Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy were going to the theatre together - a social event that was less about the play and more about being seen, making and keeping relationships, or simply exchanging the latest gossip. It never ceased to amaze her how much the wizarding community still lived by the traditions that Muggles had discarded a hundred years ago.

But at the same time, the absence of the master of the house meant that she and Draco were the only people in the manor - a thought she didn't like. Hesitantly, she turned her attention to the dishes. It was irrelevant whether she hurried or not, the son of the house would ambush her sooner or later either here or in her little room. The certainty that he would not spare her this time caused her considerably more anxiety than the uncertainty about his future course of action that had plagued her in recent days.

A cold wind blew through the old wooden door from outside into the kitchen, making Hermione shiver. The dishes were done by now, the kitchen clean, her chores done for the day. She had no choice but to make her way to her bed. Just as she cautiously stepped out the door into the hallway, a spell hit her directly in the back. Without a sound, she slumped unconscious.

oOoOoOo

She felt that she was lying on a soft bed covered with silk, noticed the stuffy smell of many candles. She did not dare to open her eyes, but she felt the gaze of another person resting on her. She didn't even have to look to know who was staring at her. Trying to brush an offending hair from her face, Hermione found to her horror that her wrists were in tight loops. Surprised, she snapped her eyes open.

"You're awake," she was greeted by Draco's icy voice. He was leaning against one of the posts of the large four-poster bed in which she lay, facing her, eyeing her narrowed. Only now did Hermione register that she was completely naked. Unable to make even a sound, she watched helplessly as he pushed himself off and slowly crawled over her on the bed.

"I almost fell for your little lie this morning," he told her in a chatty tone, "your acting of the scared, broken girl was really excellent. Too bad the lie was blown, huh?"

As he spoke thus to himself, he gently stroked one hand across her stomach, up her chest to her neck. With surprising strength, his hand closed around her throat as he came within inches of her face. "I won't fall that you again, Granger! You've clearly shown me whose side you're on. Your lies have come to an end here!"

Panicked, Hermione kicked her legs, but she did not reach Draco, who paused above her. The grip around her neck nearly cut off all her air.

"Malfoy," she gasped desperately, "please ... I can't breathe!"

"Oh, you can't breathe?" he asked mockingly, "You're like me then. I feel like I'm suffocating too whenever I see you with my father."

Another attempt to reach Draco with her legs succeeded. Violently, her knee landed in his side, knocking him almost off her. Hastily, she sucked in air while he was busy trying to regain his balance with both hands. Immediately Hermione regretted her attack - the expression on Draco's face was murderous. With force, he punched her first once, then twice, and finally, without holding back, indiscriminately. Unable to protect herself with her hands, Hermione was helpless against the slaps.

"Why?" he suddenly shouted at her, "Why did you do it? It could have all been over, but you ... you betrayed everyone!"

Shocked, Hermione noticed how the beating subsided and gave way to a heavy, utterly despairing sob. Tears ran down Draco's cheeks and dripped onto her bare chest. She saw that his whole body was shaking, then he collapsed on top of her.

"I hate you," he brought out between sobs, "it's your fault I'm in this position. Why? Why?"

Hermione didn't understand a word of what Draco was saying, but she sensed that there was no more danger from him for now. Carefully, hoping not to stir up his anger again, she asked, "What did I do?"

"You switched sides!" whispered Draco, exhausted, "If you hadn't betrayed Potter to Snape, the Dark Lord could never have won."