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"Hello, everyone," said Harry as he popped into view in the middle of his living room at 12 Grimmauld Place. Ginny had invited Ron and Lavender over for dinner tonight, and the three of them were waiting for him.
"Harry!" said Ginny happily as she came to kiss him. "What took you so long?"
"Actually, I went to see Hermione," he explained, still reeling over the fact that she had not been in need of rescuing.
"Hermione Granger?" Lavender sniffed. "What did you do that for? She didn't have the decency to tell anyone where she was off to, she hardly deserves our pity."
"That's just it," Harry said with a shake of his head. "I went to make sure she wasn't taken to Malfoy Manor against her will, but do you know what she said? She said that she and Lucius needed each other and that she actually means to go through with it."
"She really means to marry Lucius Malfoy?" Ron gasped, almost choking on the tea cake he had been nibbling. His face turned a bright, purple shade, and no one was exactly certain if this was caused by the food, or by the news he'd just heard.
"Well, I for one think she's finally showing some good sense," Lavender pointed out. "Lucius is a very rich and powerful wizard, and Hermione could become just as influential in her own right if she becomes his wife. For a Muggle, marriage would have to be her only true means to climb any higher than she already has. Maybe she has come to the same conclusion herself. I hope you wished them happy for us all, Harry."
"Well, I might have done if I hadn't happened upon the pair of them snogging their brains out in the middle of the hallway," said Harry, shaking his head again at the memory. "They looked like they could have went at it right there against the portrait of Lucius's dear, dead mother."
Ron choked again, and this time Lavender had to slap him on the back to get him breathing again. "You actually saw Hermione snogging with Lucius Malfoy?" he clarified.
"Oh, yes, most definitely. They looked like they needed a good hosing down," he said. "I've never seen Hermione like that before. She was like some wild animal in heat or something. And worst of all, Mr. Malfoy looked more than willing to quench the fire."
"Ew," Ginny exclaimed with a quiver of dread. "Must you be so graphic, Harry?"
"But that doesn't make any sense. Hermione never acted like that with me," Ron pointed out. "You must have imagined it, Harry. Hermione isn't even a good kisser, let alone the rest of it."
"You know, my dear, I'm sure none of us wants to hear about your brief relationship with Hermione Granger," Lavender mentioned pointedly. "You know that you're my Won-won, and not hers now. So it doesn't matter if the two of you were sexually attracted to each other or not. Which obviously you weren't, by the sound of it."
"That's the thing, Lav," he said as he put an arm around her. "I always thought she just didn't like sex. She never seemed to want it with
me."
"Maybe you just don't do it for her, Ron," Ginny pointed out with a chuckle. "I mean, you certainly can't wonder what Lucius has got that you haven't, can you?"
"Like what?" Harry inquired, making Ginny blush.
"I mean, from Hermione's point of view, that is," she added swiftly. "Lucius is tall, handsome, straightforward and intelligent-all traits she attracts to. Not to mention, he's a bit of a bad boy, also clearly attractive to Hermione. I mean, look at Viktor. He was at the top of the game, too, wasn't he? Handsome, popular, powerful. If he'd had any kind of a brain to go with all of that, she probably would have kept him."
"You really think Hermione is all about powerful, handsome, tall men?" Ron scoffed as he folded his arms over his chest and leaned back into the sofa cushions. "If that's true, then what did she want with me to begin with? I'm not overly tall, and I'm certainly not the most popular person around, and she knows tons more spells than I do."
"Exactly my point, Ron," Ginny told him. "Tall, handsome, popular and powerful you most certainly are not. And as for bad? No way!"
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, sis," Ron grumbled.
"I think you're perfect just as you are, Won-won," Lavender cooed in his ear, earning a blush and a kiss in return.
"Well," said Ginny briskly. "Dinner is ready when we are."
Hermione's emotions were soaring in so many directions all at once that she could not possibly name them all. Lucius was walking her to her bedroom, their hands joined companionably. Periodically he would swing them as they walked, and now the two had finally come to her door.
"If I go in there with you right now, it won't be just anticipation," he told her softly as he drew her into his arms. She felt the hardness of his need pressing against her belly and thought wildly that she hadn't realized he was so much taller until just then. His lips brought forth a heady desire within her, and she realized with a start how tempted she was to explore that bit of anatomy she had just discovered a bit more fully.
"Not even just for a little while?" she inquired, the disappointment clear in the tone of her voice.
"Woman, you've got me in such a state," he said then. "I'm not at all sure I could leave you."
"Then don't leave," Hermione suggested wickedly as she tugged until he followed her through the door. Lucius unceremoniously picked her up and carried her to the bed, set her on it, then laid on it beside her. With a cheeky grin, Hermione turned to her side and started drawing little circles on his chest.
"Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to be in this exact position?" Lucius asked as he moved over top of her and grinned suggestively.
Hermione blushed. "N-no," she managed to answer before his lips crushed hers and his eager tongue swept in to explore her mouth thoroughly. His hands were not idle either. One roamed over her torso and found her arse, while the other had started by cupping her face, but somehow found its way downward to hold one of her breasts instead.
When his fingers brushed over her nipple, Hermione gasped. Only Ron had ever touched her there before, but when he'd done it she hadn't thought much of it. But Lucius's gentle touch sent molten heat from there to her thighs in a wave of pure desire. The difference was so incredible Hermione couldn't believe it. She put her arms around his neck and pulled him even closer, devouring his face for all she was worth.
"Slow down, Hermione," he finally admonished her. "This isn't a decathalon."
She blushed, and stared up into his gray eyes in wonder as his other hand came up and he was playing with both breasts at once as he smiled down at her. Hermione groaned and shut her eyes tight, trying to do as he asked, but he was driving her crazy with his gentle touches. When he kissed her again he did so in a slow, languorous manner that made her blood heat to a boil. His lower torso, still clothed of course, moved against hers, making her womanhood throb with the desire to sheath his bulge.
"Lucius," she pleaded softly, not even sure what she was asking for but wanting it desperately.
"Not yet, Hermione," he whispered as he leaned his forehead to hers. "I'd better go."
"N--" she began, but he Apparated away from her, quick as a flash.
Hermione's body was on fire, but she made no move to ease it. Instead, she called out, "Millie!"
The little elf popped into view. She looked up at Hermione inquisitively and asked, "Yes, Mistress?"
"Would you make sure that Master doesn't do--um--that--for me?" she said with wicked glee. "After all, it's only fair that if he's going to make me wait, he should have to wait, too."
"Yes, Mistress," Millie agreed, trying not to chuckle as she popped out of sight again.
Hermione sighed contentedly as she snuggled under her covers and went to sleep.
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