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Hungry Thirsty Crazy	By : AndreaLorraine Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Lucius/Hermione Views: 47434 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 18
- 19
- 20
Author�s Note:� Well,
so much for that not taking as long as the last update!� I think it was about the same.� Fortunately, I have fewer shifts at work in
November, so hopefully that means more time to write.� One thing to address�the muse took over and
the kitten naming is STILL not in this chapter.�
I�m sorry.� I know I suck.� I PROMISE that it will be in the next
chapter.� This is actually better timing,
anyhow, because as I said I will have more time to write the winner�s one shot
in November.

Responses, in absolute disorder:

Morganabythesea: It�s funny that
you said �real� people, because that�s definitely what I�ve been striving
for.� It�s very tempting to have Lucius and Hermione disregard all the things that have been
floating between them the last few chapters, but love is never that easy.� Their characters and the situation don�t
allow it.� As for trust, I think it would
be easier for Harry to eventually accept Hermione�s choice.� Ron, I�m not so sure.� You�ll just have to wait and see how it all
plays out.

Muffy: De rien.� Are you visualizing their sexy acid
trip?� Hehe.� Thanks for the lovely comments.

Ithilwen: Thank you.� They are both definitely reluctant to let
go.� Their mouths are saying one thing,
but their bodies and their actions another.�
Keep that in mind.

Kazfeist: You�re a smarty
pants.� Tiresias
is indeed the sort of Healer one could apprentice under.� I�m glad people like him so much.

Dreamweaver: Thank you!� Yes, I do plan on writing my own novels
someday.� I�m hoping that once I�m done
with graduate school and working for a few years, I can start on original
novels.� Til
then, I hope you continue to enjoy being a fly on the wall of my fics!

Sapphire: Yes, reality does suck.� But as I said to Ithilwen,
they are reluctant to leave each other.�
They�re very much in limbo right now.�
They won�t be for much longer, I promise!

Mara: Hehe don�t get in trouble at
work on my account.� I know the end of
last chapter was a bit of a bummer, but the two of them are trying to be
realistic.� They may not succeed very
well. :)

Damiana: Thank you.� This is the first prolonged romance I�ve
written and comments like yours make me feel like I�m pulling it off!

LaBibliographe: No worries about
the kitten naming.� I�m sure that people
have other things to do besides thinking of names for fictional felines.� Isn�t it always full steam ahead with Lucius, especially when he�s got the clit between his teeth?� LoL.� Yes, all along I�ve
tried to stay with Hermione�s POV.� She
is hard enough to write; if I had tried to do both of them, my head might have
exploded.� I think it�s more fun to view
him from her POV.� It lends things a
little more edge and makes it more compelling, because it�s like living it
vicariously through Hermione.� I�ve tried
to include enough clues via what he says and does for
you guys to not feel like you�re completely shut out of what Lucius is thinking.�
Hopefully that�s working.

Gertie: Thanks!� I hope you did have lovely citrus and Lucius scented dreams.

Voracious Reader: Thanks.�
I am planning to continue Sang Froid, but
right now I�m pretty swamped and am trying to focus on my bigger fics.� Once I get
this semester out of the way, I�ll probably pick it up again.

Megan: Thanks, here�s some more.

Michi:� Everyone gets snuggles.� I SHOULD have had the dirty old woman make a
comeback at the party.� Deleted scene for later, perhaps.� Hehe.� Lucius
will get rolling on the book shortly.

Mia: I think every romance has its share of sadness and
heartache, because it is your heart on the line, after all.� But no, I would not take Lucius
and Hermione on this journey if I wanted them to end up like the characters in
A Farewell to Arms.� This chapter is a
bit emotional, too, but I think you will like the ending.

Linneh: I know it takes me forever
to update.� Think of it this way: when
the original Harry Potter books were being released, we sometimes had to wait
YEARS between books.� So is a month so
bad?

Meankitty69: Thanks.�
Hermione isn�t a Gryffindor for nothing.�
She won�t back away from a confrontation with Ron or Harry.� Much of her hesitation stems from uncertainty
about whether or not Lucius is really worth going
through that confrontation � if he�ll continue to be a good man.� He has to prove himself a bit�

Bluezauza: Thank you.� I think this is the most concurrent chapters
I�ve written with sex in them, but honestly, when you�re at that phase of new
attraction, and dare I say it, love, you just can�t keep your hands off each
other.� I�m glad the quantity is not
affecting the quality.� Stay tuned for
how things are going to play out with Harry and Ron.

HermioneMalfoyFan: Don�t get
yourself too worked up � sometimes pragmatism can�t overpower attraction.� Glad you enjoyed the chapter and enhanced
your vocabulary!

Heidi191976: Thanks.� Yes,
it�s hard to know where Lucius is, mentally and
emotionally, since I�m not writing from his POV.� You�ll find out soon enough.

NutsAboutHarry: Thanks, glad
everyone seemed to enjoy their little trip.�
And maybe I will have a go at Neville and Hannah someday.� I saw a t-shirt in Hot Topic with Neville on
it that said MY HERO in big letters and really wanted to buy it.� They didn�t have my size. :P� I�m a sucker for those unsung hero types and
Neville pretty much owns in book 7.

Jessie: Propose?� Hehe.� How do you think he should do it?

Tambrathegreat: Glad you like Tiresias�there should be more doctors like him, I
think.� It seemed so Lucius
to be annoyed at a taste of his own medicine.�
Yes, the runes have been activated and there�s no telling what effects
it will have.� However, Sinistra did say it�s pretty benign.� And their banter is just too fun to
write.� Hope you enjoy this next
offering!

<><><>

That night they kissed.� They kissed and kissed and kissed, twining
together in the bedclothes, sadness invading their embrace.� They kissed to chase the sadness away but in
doing so it seemed only to feed the ache.�
Yet they didn�t stop.

�� Eventually
they slept.� It was amazing how tired
they were after spending half the day unconscious.� The thing was that their minds had never
rested.� They had reeled on, caught in the
rush of serotonin and dopamine, so awake that their bodies couldn�t handle the
strain.� Now the high was gone and they
had crashed back to earth.

�� They slept
until the sun was high in the sky, recovered from its nap behind yesterday�s
rain clouds.� Even after waking they lay
there for a long time.� The bed had
become their sanctuary, the place where they could ignore the world and their
circumstances.� It was the center of their
carefully structured charade.

�� Eventually Lucius sighed.� It
was a heavy exhalation, one laden with stress.

�� Are you
nervous?� she asked, tracing figure eights on his chest.

�� Well, it
is not as if I frequent muggle gatherings.�� He turned his head to look at her.� �What will it be like?�

�� Probably just lots of talking and food.� Maybe some dancing or
games.� What are pureblood parties
like?�

�� He
snorted.� �Lots of cognac, cigars, and
stale conversation with vapid people you don�t even like.� Sometimes there are waltzes.� That�s a little better.� At least you can move and look down your
partner�s dress.�

�� She
couldn�t help but chuckle; his words conjured an image straight out of a period
movie.� �Waltzes?� Really?�

�� Oh, yes,
with dance cards and everything.�

�� Has anyone
informed the purebloods that it�s no longer the 19^th century?�

�� He shook
his head.� �Most still wish it was.� Though it�s not as if I have any idea what�s
going on in pureblood society anymore; I�m a social pariah.�

�� I�ll never
understand how people can be so fickle.�

�� Prison
more or less ruins a person�s status no matter what stratum they inhabit, I
think.�

�� Hermione
rolled her eyes.� �They all believed the same
things you did.� I�d bet that some still
do.� They�re miserable hypocrites.�

�� At any
rate I am not missed and I do not miss them in return,� he shrugged.

�� Really?�

�� Really.�� He toyed
with one of her curls.� �It was not as if
they were my friends.�

�� She nodded
against his chest.� That much she was
sure of.�

�� I suppose
you will have to dress me,� he said.� �I
don�t know what one would wear to a muggle party.�

�� Your
clothes are fine.�� A thought occurred to
her.� �Unless you want
to go shopping for something new.�

�� Should I?�

�� It�s up to
you.�� She smiled a little at how anxious
he was.

�� You are
supposed to tell me yes or no.�

�� As if you�d listen.�

�� That made
his lips quirk upwards for the first time since they�d awakened.�

�� I would
listen.� I�m sure you�ve noticed that I
don�t like being told what to do, but I dislike looking like a fool even more.�

�� You
wouldn�t look like a fool in your own clothes.�

�� Then why
suggest I shop for something new?�

�� She rolled
her eyes at his over-analysis.� �All
right, I confess, it�s because I am unhealthily curious what you would look
like in current muggle clothing.�

�� Draco has taken to wearing such things occasionally,� he
shrugged.� �Much of the younger
generation has.�

�� I wasn�t
talking about Draco, I was talking about you.�� Hermione watched him closely, hoping that he
would cave to the idea now that she had confessed its source.� She really did want to see him in muggle
clothing.� She had the feeling he would
look devastating in a well-cut, expensive suit.

�� His thumb
rubbed absently along her forearm.� �All right.� But you
had better not put me in anything ridiculous.�
I will know and you will be duly chastised.�

�� It turned
out that he looked devastating in just about anything.� She and the store owner, the same woman who
had dressed her the day Lucius was missing, were
dumbfounded.� He was standing there in a
suit, grey with a subtle pinstripe, and a blue dress shirt underneath it.� What made it incredible was
the trousers; they were cut perfectly,
and when he turned in a circle at Hermione�s behest, she heard the other woman
mutter, �Dio mio��

�� My God was
right.� It was warm outside, but she was
fanning herself with a rumpled magazine for an entirely different reason.� She was rather enjoying subjecting Lucius to another childhood game � dress-up.

�� Is that a
look of horror?� Lucius asked glibly.� That was as insecure as he got.

�� No,� the
two women responded at the same time.� Neither elaborated.�
He shrugged and went to try the next thing they had picked.

�� The owner, Valentina, shook her head.�
�He would look good in a burlap sack,� she said under her breath.

�� I know,�
Hermione agreed.� Oh, boy, did she know.

�� Valentina appeared shifty-eyed for a moment.� Then she leaned over and whispered fervently,
�Does he have any brothers?�

��

�� Lucius surprised her and purchased a few things.� It was nothing he could wear to the party,
but even he knew when he looked good in the unfamiliar clothing.� The two salivating women might have had
something to do with it.

�� Hermione
smiled.� Poor Valentina
� Lucius had no available relatives that she knew of,
but she had had an errant thought.�
Healer Smythe didn�t wear a ring on his left
hand.� Oh, Merlin, she was turning into
Molly Weasley.

�� The
reminder of Ron made her wince.� Then it
melted away into a slightly harder expression; though he had claimed in his
letter that he would come see her on Saturday, there had been no
follow-up.� The git
was probably hoping she had forgotten and was certainly na�ve enough to believe
that she had.

�� Regardless
of what happened tonight and tomorrow and whatever emotional upheaval she was
going to subject herself to, she intended to break up with Ron.� He had never for even one moment made her
feel the way Lucius did in a week.� Yes, Ron was safe, but as many women before
her had discovered, safe did not necessarily equal passionate, exciting, or
beautiful.� A small part of her mind knew
that in a perverse sort of irony, Ron must not find her particularly passionate, exciting, or beautiful if he
consistently chose auror training over her.

�� Breaking up
with him could be a disaster.� Ron was
beyond hot-headed.� He rarely thought
before he spoke even when he was in a good mood; there was no hope for him if
he was upset.� She wanted things to be
amicable but she just knew there would be hurtful words exchanged.� Ron was the type that couldn�t accept blame
for something without prolonged thought on the subject.� His initial reaction was always to blame it
on someone else.� No matter how many
sound, logical arguments she presented to him, they wouldn�t get through for a least
a week � and that was her being both generous and optimistic.

�� Harry wouldn�t
be happy about it, either.� However,
Harry had once admitted that he wasn�t quite sure what kept her and Ron
together.� He had been heavily drunk at
the time; Harry would never talk about his best friend that way when his mind
was clear.� But, as they
said, in vino veritas.

�� More than
anything, Lucius had shown her that she needed to
change.� She needed to change herself,
her life, and everything.� Since the war
she had been soldiering on, doing everything that was expected of her and what
felt safe and familiar, but that was all.�
She hadn�t done anything that she wanted.� Every dream had been put on hold, every brash
confidence discarded in favor of settling for what was right in front of her �
because after nearly dying, seeing so many others die, and the year of
unspeakable stress, what was right in front of her seemed like paradise.

�� She hadn�t
seen the difference between convenience and true happiness.� The two things were supposed to coexist.� Sometimes they did, but neither of her cases
fell into that category.� Ron was
convenient but didn�t make her happy, not as a boyfriend.� On the other hand, there was nothing convenient about Lucius and he made her dangerously happy.� It figured.

�� It was this
prolonged rumination that allowed Lucius to find her several
minutes later, standing there in her knickers with three dresses laid out on
the bed.� He walked into the room and
embraced her from behind, his large, warm hands tickling across her stomach.

�� I think
you should go to the party just like this,� he smirked.

�� Only if you dress to match.�

�� I would
like to undress to match.�� His fingers trailed along the top edge of her
knickers.� She pinched his wrist gently.

�� Lucius, there are only 25 minutes until the party.�

�� He pinched
the smooth skin of her abdomen in retaliation.�
�That is more than enough time.� I
can just bend you over the bed right there and��

�� An
involuntary shiver coursed through Hermione�s body.� It felt good to be held this way by him, her
back to his chest and his arms around her.�
She was having a hard time preventing her mind from picturing exactly
what he had suggested.� She would have
thought that their dismal conversation last night might have lowered the flame
of their chemistry.

�� Not a
chance.� Encouraged by the fact that she
didn�t immediately turn him down, Lucius brushed her
hair aside and kissed the spot just below her ear.� His other hand trailed up and cupped her
breast through the molded fabric of her bra.�
Merlin, she had no willpower with him.

�� Okay,� she
breathed anxiously, �but I don�t want to be late, so be quick about it!�

�� He laughed
and muttered, �That is the first time I�ve had that request, but your wish is
my command.�� With that, he hoisted her
into his arms and quite literally flung her onto the bed.� Hermione squealed and giggled at the same
time, secretly delighted at his manhandling.�
Then he descended upon her, all lips and hands, and coherent thought
deserted her.

��

�� She still
wasn�t entirely lucid twenty minutes later when Lucius
practically herded her out the door.� He
seemed to have recovered his wits, though his cheeks were pink and an
uncharacteristic little smile was firmly fastened on his lips.� Her mind slowly assembled itself as they
walked.� That was when she noticed.� Hermione stopped in her tracks halfway down
the path and turned to him with a horrified look on her face.

�� Oh my God,
I�m not wearing knickers!�

�� He grinned
wickedly.� �I know.�

�� She glared
at him.� �I have to go back!�

�� No, you
don�t.�

�� I cannot go to this party with no underwear
on!� If I forget to cross my legs��

�� He raised
his eyebrows.� �The answer is simple: don�t
forget to cross your legs.�

�� I�m going
back.� You don�t have to wait for
me.� Make my excuses to Paolo and I�ll be
a few minutes behind you.�

�� I�m not
the one who cares about being late,� he pointed out smugly.� �And if it makes you feel any better, I�m not
wearing knickers either.�

�� Hermione
blinked at him.� Where was this
playfulness coming from?� She shook her
head, agitated.

�� That�s
socially acceptable for men, sort of.� I
can�t� I don�t do things like this!�

�� Lucius reached out and took her hand, lifting it to his
lips to kiss.� �Do it for me.� I�ll be able to survive the muggles better if I can think about how you�re knickerless and I could ambush you at any time.�

�� Don�t you dare, Lucius,
that is absolutely not acceptable behavior and--� she cut herself off,
realizing that he was just trying to wind her up.� His smirk said so.

�� Go back if
you must.� I�ll wait here.�

�� Hermione
looked back at the villa. �It loomed
scenically in the distance.� Then she
glanced at Lucius; he loomed much closer, examining
his nails.� He clearly expected her to go
back and get her knickers.

�� No.� I don�t need them,� she shrugged.� One of his brows inched up.� �And who knows, maybe I�ll be the one
thinking about how you�re knickerless and could be ambushed at any time.�� She crossed her arms and resumed walking,
purposely brushing against him as she went past.

�� He was
still for a moment.� Then he began to
walk, too, his pace steady.� He caught up
with her easily

�� It may be a bit early to show your ace,
don�t you think? he asked.

�� Hermione
smiled to herself.� We�ll see.� As long as they
were playing games, a little seduction wasn�t out of place.

�� As they
approached the end of the Briatore road, Lucius fell quiet.�
He wouldn�t admit to it, but she was certain that he was incredibly
nervous.� She felt a buzzing discomfort
in her gut and intuition told her it was his nerves being shared between the
runes� bond.� That was what it was for,
after all.� She took his hand and
squeezed it.

�� You�ll be fine.� It�s like any other party.

�� He nodded and gave a brief
squeeze in return, before extracting his hand.�
She didn�t take any offense at the action.� He didn�t strike her as the hand-holding
type.� That same intuition told her that
he was grateful for the gesture, though.

�� I should have done a shot of firewhiskey before we left, he thought wryly.

�� She
resisted the urge to lecture him on how alcohol was not a good coping
mechanism.� She was a little hypervigilant with that and he was only kidding.

�� It was firewhiskey
or me, she jabbed.

�� I made the right choice, then.

�� Damn right
he had.� Hermione couldn�t control a
slight surge of smugness.� It was quickly
replaced a moment later when Lucius leaned close to
her ear and whispered,

�� A man
could just as easily become addicted to you.�

�� She blushed
and rearranged her hair, flustered by his honeyed voice.� Point Lucius.� His smile was charming but calculating as he
held open the gate to Paolo and Elisabetta�s
sprawling yard.� It was going to be a
long night.

�� Long was an
understatement.� Dinner alone had taken
nearly three hours and had contained so many courses that she felt like she
might explode.� She couldn�t help but eat
too much; everything was so delicious!� Lucius had eaten more sparingly, but well for him.� There had also been a liberal amount of wine,
three glasses of which enabled both of them to loosen up.

�� The ease
with which Lucius could talk to people amazed
her.� He had nothing in common with these
muggles, yet he could carry a conversation
seamlessly.� She tried to imagine just
how smart he had to be to remember all the lies he was telling and keep them
consistent as the conversation shifted.

�� Pretty damned smart.�
She would have become confused after two concurrent lies.� She suspected he was enjoying himself as he
completely and utterly fabricated his life story to fit the questions the muggle guests asked him.�
The only thing he didn�t lie about was Draco.� Hermione was surprised that he didn�t fudge
that, too, but then realized that in Italian Draco
was not all that strange of a name.

�� As Hermione
had had a muggle upbringing, it was easy for her to
respond to the questions that were directed at her.� Those questions were numerous.� No one had ever been so interested in her
life, except for maybe Viktor, bless him.

�� At present
she was with a group of women, most of whom were a little older than her but
not by much.� She had no idea who was
related to who and by what.� It didn�t matter;
they were already treating her like a sister, telling her gossip about people
she didn�t even know and asking her about �Luciano�
and how she knew him.

�� She didn�t
know what Lucius was telling the men he spoke with,
in regards to her.� Perhaps they weren�t
like the women and didn�t ask.� She
noticed more than one set of wandering eyes, though, so she doubted it.� She would have to talk to him later about
corroborating their stories.� A small
smile graced her lips; she felt like a spy.

�� As the hour
grew late, the wine flowed more freely and someone began to play music.� Couples and groups began to dance, while some
others lingered on the sidelines, smoking and talking.� At last Hermione was able to break free from
the cluster of women.� She hadn�t expected
to spend the entire party glued to Lucius�s side, but
the sheer number of talkative people here was a little overwhelming.

�� She sat at
one of the now-abandoned tables.� It was
nice to have a moment alone, and to have a moment to appreciate the beauty around
her.� The sky was clear and star-strewn
and for the first time, she thought she saw the color that was referred to as
midnight blue.� The land that surrounded
the house was sprawling and fragrant.�
Makeshift torches had been set up to light the gathering.� Garlands
of paper flowers had been strung up on the fence and the murmur of conversation
and laughter was a pleasing lull.� She
closed her eyes and just listened to it.

�� A moment
later a warm hand came to rest on her shoulder.�
She opened her eyes, feeling very relaxed.� It was Lucius.� He, too, appeared quite relaxed as he swung
into the seat next to her.

�� Circe�s
tit, these people can talk,� he sighed.

�� She gave
him a sidelong glance.� �You seemed to be
holding your own.�

�� It�s easy
to talk out of your arse.�� His lips rose in a smirk.� �Slytherin
specialty.�

�� I�ll bet,�
she smirked back.

�� He reached
over and took the wine glass that was loosely clasped in her left hand.� His fingers trailed briefly over hers; he
hadn�t forgotten their little game.

�� What are
you drinking?� he asked.� �I�ll be a
gentleman and refill it for you.�

�� Are you
trying to get me drunk so you can take advantage of me?� she responded
flirtatiously.

�� I don�t
have to get you drunk to do that.�� He
smiled knowingly.� It was so nice when he
smiled.� She wished he would do it more.

�� I suppose
not,� Hermione shrugged, giving in to the truth.� She let her hand wander casually to his thigh
and stroked her fingers along it, scratching lightly with her nails.� She felt the muscles beneath her palm twitch.

�� Careful,�
he warned softly, very close to her ear.

�� I�m always
careful.�

�� Hmph,� was all he said to that.� Then, to her surprise, he leaned closer and
placed a light kiss against her earlobe.�
�I suppose I�ll have to improvise on your drink.�� He stood up, her wine glass in hand.

�� Pinot
noir,� she said, just as he turned.� He
didn�t acknowledge it but she was certain he�d heard.� Hermione just sat there, slightly bemused,
touching her earlobe where he had kissed it.�
It tingled.

�� Paolo stood
with his wife, watching the party teem around them.� It was turning out to be immensely
successful.� Everyone was full and tipsy
and happy.� He squeezed Elisabetta contentedly.�
His wife was distracted by something because she was slow to squeeze
back.

�� What are
you thinking about, dearest?�

�� Your friend Luciano and Miss Hermione.�� She lifted her chin to indicate where the
aforementioned twosome was sitting.

�� He looked
over.� They were at an empty table,
sitting close together; her hand was on his thigh and his was on her opposite wrist
in the guise of taking her wine glass.�
From what he�d heard, both of them were playing their cards close to the
chest, insisting that they were only friends.�
However, those were not the touches or the body language of friends.��

�� Do you
think she�s his mistress?� Elisabetta asked.

�� He watched
the pair banter back and forth, exchanging smiles.

�� No.�

�� She looked
back at him.� �What makes you say that?�

�Just instinct.�

�It�s interesting.� She is so much younger.��

They both watched Luciano drop a gentle, seductive kiss on Hermione�s
ear.� Then, when he retreated, Hermione�s
hand went automatically to the place his lips had been.� She had a mildly dazed expression on her
face.

�They�re in love,� his wife said.

He considered it�and found that he
hoped she was right.�

He had heard her, for he returned
with the correct wine.� He brought a
glass of his own, as well.� They sipped
in silence for a few moments.� Hermione
contemplated him over the rim of her glass.

That pink flush had never faded
from his cheeks.� It was still there, as
if he had just walked out of the villa on the hill after shagging her
silly.� She was sure the wine had something
to do with it, but there was something more.�
His face was so relaxed.� He had
actually kissed her, however chastely, in front of all these people.� True, they weren�t of much consequence, but
they hadn�t displayed their strange relationship to anyone save for Jo-Jo.� Poor Jo-Jo had no choice in the matter.

�So are you managing to enjoy
yourself?� she asked, savoring the taste of the wine lingering on her tongue.

�I am.� Muggles are
delightfully rude.�

She nudged him in the side with her
elbow.� �As if
purebloods are any better.�

�Well, most purebloods have the
decency to cast a Muffliato before they talk about
someone who is present a few yards away,� he chuckled.

She had to smile.� She�d witnessed the exact same thing in the
circle of women.� �Did you speak to�what
was his name?� Domenico?�

�Yes.�

�And?�

He shrugged.� �He is an architect, moved to Rome, married, had two
children, divorced, married again, divorced, and is now a bitter old man � his
words, not mine.�

�He sounds lovely.�

Lucius
chuckled.� Then he looked at her
thoughtfully.� He stared so long that
Hermione started to feel slightly paranoid.

�What?�

He lifted his hand and grazed her
cheek with the back of his knuckle.� �Nothing.�

You�re
really laying it on thick, aren�t you?

His pale brow rose.� Shall I
stop?

Hermione drew in a breath.� That small caress had set her heart racing in
her chest and awakened every sensory receptor she had.� She was becoming drunk in more ways than
one.� She knew she was being seduced by a
master, and each gesture was designed to do this � to melt her.

No,
don�t stop.�

She had a funny feeling that
whatever hovered behind the touches and looks and flirtatious banter was more
than just a desire to bed her one last time.�
Again, it was that color in his cheeks�and the warmth in his eyes.� He was an excellent actor, but even he couldn�t
force affection to beam serenely out at someone.� That was one talent he�d never had.� And wine or no wine�that affection was there.

She took another sip and then set
her glass down.� �Let�s dance.�

�I�m content to sit here.�� He looked at the area where couples had
congregated and were now swaying to the mellow music.

�Are you a terrible dancer?� she
challenged.� �Is that your deep dark
secret?�

�Of course not.� I could do every dance necessary for life by
the age of seven.�

�And you�re turning down a chance
to show off?�

�Show off?� he asked
innocently.� �Do I strike you as that
type?�

Hermione collapsed into giggles.� He tried to keep a straight face, but
couldn�t quite manage it.� Lucius took a sip of wine to negate the contagion of her
laugh.� A few moments later, when she got
control of herself, she smiled up at him.

�Come on.� I thought you liked dancing.� You can look down my dress, remember?�

�Ah, yes.� Well, in light of that, I can�t refuse.�� He pushed back his chair and stood up,
offering her his hand.� �Dance with me,
Hermione?��

At first she felt a little
self-conscious molded against his body in front of so many people.� It felt like everyone was watching.� Then she realized she was being silly; the
dance floor was, in reality, full of couples who only had eyes for one
another.� The only awareness for others
was to make sure they didn�t collide.

He was an excellent dancer.� She wasn�t a great one, but could manage; his
steady guidance made her appear much better than she was.� It felt wonderful to relax against him.� His body felt so warm and solid, and his hand
so sure against her lower back.� She knew
he had gone to that sensory place, the one where he was feeling and not
thinking, and she tried to do the same.

Some people disliked slow dancing.� She was � or had been � one of them.� The close touch, the shared space, the
quiet�it was too intimate for people who did not truly feel anything strong for
one another.� She thought she would feel
differently with Ron, but he was so awkward that a slow dance was not an
enjoyable experience.� This,
however�this was different.� And
if she was honest with herself, the reason she had pushed him into dancing was
because she had the feeling it might be.

She leaned her cheek into Lucius�s chest and let her eyes slip shut.� He continued to guide them, his arm wrapping
around her waist.� The silence was
comfortable as they moved but eventually Hermione was unable to keep her brain
content with just the sway.

�So what do you think of muggle music?� she asked softly, tilting her chin up toward
his ear.� That put her nose right in the
vicinity of the base of his neck and her train of thought was temporarily
derailed as she realized how bloody good
he smelled.

�I have no problem with it,� he
murmured.� And you smell wonderful, as well.�
Like apples and sex.��

Her eyes fell closed again.� God.� She was far outclassed in this game of
seduction.

The song changed and she felt his
hold loosen, as if he meant to let go.�
She reached back to keep his hand where it was.

�One more.�� Her ears tuned to a familiar string of
notes.� �This is a good song.��

He pulled her in closer, bringing
their hips flush against one another.� �I
will say this for muggle music�it is more sensual.�

She couldn�t agree more.� She felt like the song was enveloping them,
driving everything else away�and she imagined swaying with him without the
barriers of their clothing.� His lips
would trail along her neck and his hands would slowly wander, tickling her skin�

I
think we need to go.� You win.

She felt him smile against the
crown of her head.

You
wanted one more dance.

And Hermione knew the wine was
hitting her, because she held on to him for dear life, the world and her
emotions spinning.� At least, she hoped
it was the wine�

She didn�t know what excuse Lucius made to their hosts, but she did notice a brief
glance exchanged between Paolo and his wife.�
Their chemistry had not stayed confined to their little dancing
bubble.� Others had noticed.� Hermione didn�t care; that was often the case
with people who were�

Who were what?� Compatible?� Meant to be?

Thankfully, Lucius
didn�t give her time to get bogged down in thought.� Inside the door to the villa he backed her
into the wall and began to kiss her neck in exactly the way she had
imagined.� Softly, teasingly, with the
occasional suck and dart of his tongue.�
His hand slid down her side and then around to cup her behind and press
her against him.

Her breath left her.� She couldn�t seem to get enough air as he
ravaged her neck.� She wanted him so badly.� It eclipsed everything else; she began to
fumble with the buttons on his shirt, desperate for his skin, his scent�him.

As she struggled to dismantle his
shirt, he raised his lips to hers.� His
kiss was achingly sensual.� It seared
through her, along with the taste of the wine on his tongue.� It had to be the wine doing this to her�it
had to be�

Hermione whimpered against his
lips.� He gave an answering sigh and lifted
his free hand to cup her cheek.� The
unconscious stroke of his thumb along her jaw made her knees weak.� Nearly blind with passion, she gave up on his
shirt in favor of his trousers.

He didn�t lift his lips from hers
until her small hand found his cock.� A
low, sighing groan escaped him and he thrust forward against her grip, scoring
her palm with the heat of his arousal.�
The warmth and cadence of his quickening breath as he bestowed his mouth
upon her neglected ear drove her mad.�
She struggled to focus on pleasing him; his teeth and the tip of his
tongue were worrying her earlobe so exquisitely�

�We need to get to the couch if you
don�t want to be up against the wall again,� he whispered.

She didn�t say what she was
thinking � that she�d endure any wall if it meant making love to him � but he
probably heard it, anyhow.� Gently, he
disengaged her hand and pulled her away from the wall.� He led her across the villa, his other hand
holding his loosened trousers up; she wished he would just let them fall.� Nonetheless, their hand-in-hand walk felt
curiously shy and new, like they were doing this for the first time and didn�t
yet know one another�s bodies or the sound of the other�s moans.

When they reached the couch, he
finally let his trousers slide down his hips.�
They were gone after he toed off his shoes and socks.� He also conquered the two buttons that had
proven too much for her.� Then he was
completely nude, standing like some pale Adonis in a temple that had been built
around him.� His wand appeared in his hand
and he waved it; she knew it was the spells.�
The only barrier left was her dress.

He sank down to the couch, watching
her.� Hypnotized by the sight of him,
Hermione reached back to unzip her dress.�
The look in his eyes told her that this was particularly erotic to him;
she slowed down.� She almost wished she
was wearing more clothing.� As it was,
she only had the dress and a strapless bra on.�
If she had known he enjoyed a striptease, she would have gone the whole
nine yards with stockings and sexy lingerie.

There
is nothing sexier than your skin.

She looked up at the sound of his
voice in her mind.� Then, with a demure
smile, she let the shoulder of the dress slip down.� The other followed and it was slinking down
her body like liquid.� She turned as it
fell, giving him a view of her back.� The
fabric caught around her hips, prolonging the tension.� She wiggled and it dislodged, coasting the
rest of the way down her legs.� He was
treated to the vision of her bare backside as she stepped out of the garment.

She felt unexpectedly sexy in just
her shoes and bra.� With a coy glance back
at him, she reached back to unhook the strapless.� All too soon it was undone and being
discarded onto the floor.� Slowly, she
turned.

His face was full of lust.� Lust and something else, something she
couldn�t quite pinpoint, but it frightened her.�
Not because she feared for her safety or distrusted him; that wasn�t the
kind of danger it posed.� No, this was
something too raw, too out of place on his features.� It was�

It was something that had to remain
nameless, for both their sakes.� She
strode forward, her heels clicking on the floor, and climbed into his lap.� Her lips found his as if by magnetism.� His kisses were passionate, consuming her,
needing her and owning her at the same time.�
Instinctively, she flexed her hips forward, stimulating him.� His neck lolled back as he groaned and she
went for the vulnerable flesh.� She
needed to capture his scent, his taste, the feel of his slight stubble against
her tongue and lips�

As she rolled her hips and kissed
over the muscles and arteries and slight protrusion of cartilage in his neck,
she felt him carefully removing her shoes.�
The heels fell away, clacking on the floor.� She couldn�t stop kissing him.� Her head was full of white noise.

When the feeling of his hands on
her hips, lifting, cajoling, registered in her brain, she looked down.� Somehow, he had managed to apply the condom
and do the spells without her even noticing.�
Then again, she had been a little preoccupied.� With the guidance of his hands, she sunk down
over his shaft.� They shared a sound of
relief and pleasure as their bodies merged at last.

It occurred to her that they had
been in this same position just a day before.�
It couldn�t feel more distinct, though.�
Everything was different.� Everything.

His lips sealed around her nipple as
she began to rock in his lap.� He sucked
and laved, lavishing each breast with attention while she set the pace.� His arms wrapped around her in a loose
embrace.� And when she began to move too
fast for his lips to maintain their attentions, he held her, lifted her,
encouraged her, even begged her, whispering
things�things that should not have come out of his mouth.� Things like I need you and please love me and don�t ever
stop.

When they came, one after the
other, the world spun.� Not even their
accidental acid trip could match it for intensity.� It brought tears to her eyes and Hermione
found that she couldn�t blink them back.�
They trailed down her cheeks.� She
was almost afraid to look at him.

His eyes were glassy.� And though she had seen him cry twice before,
these were the only tears that made her uncomfortable.� These were the ones she feared.� The ones she wished she didn�t see.

He lurched forward, slamming his
lips to hers.� The kiss was hard, angry,
frustrated, and everything in between.�
But when it was done, when he drew away�his face wasn�t angry.� Carefully, he rose with her in tow and
carried her to the bedroom.

Hermione woke in the middle of the
night.� The wine had finally gone to her
bladder and she had to get up to use the loo.� Lucius didn�t stir
when she extracted herself from the bed or when she climbed back into it a few
minutes later.

She started to drift off
again.� That was when he shifted, shaking
the bed slightly.� She thought he was
only turning in his sleep, but then his fingers gently stroked her hair.� She stayed very still and kept her breathing
even.� She was afraid of what he might
say if he thought she was awake.

Hermione thought after a few
minutes that she had fooled him.� But
then:

�Ego solvo vos.�

It was no more than a whisper,
followed by the unmistakable sound of a wand being laid down on a table.� Then he settled back down and lay motionless
beside her.

Hermione was frozen, completely
stunned.� Ego solvo vos.� I
release you.� He had just released her
from the Unbreakable Vow.� She hadn�t
even asked.� He had just done it.� Her eyes filled with tears.

A minute later, she sat up.

�Lucius?�

But either he was playing the same
game of pretend, or he was really asleep.�
Hermione lay back down with her mind racing.� She twisted the bedclothes with her fingers,
unable to define the feelings that were barraging her.� She quickly gave in to her confused tears.� What a fool she was and what delusions she
had.� For up until this moment�up until
those three little words�she had actually thought she might be able to leave
him.
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