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Harvest Moon	By : vbruce Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Lucius/Hermione Views: 46151 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter that is J.K. Rowling's honor. Making no money, just enjoying writing.

Chapter List
- 18
- 19
- 20
Not sure what's going on with this, it keeps spontaneously scrambling the chapter so I have to delete and repost it. *sigh*

To heidi191976, Taz, Lex, Meankitty69, Voracious Reader and margaritama, thank you so much for the reviews. They really do mean a lot to me.
Answering CoCo.M's question about Tazura. No, she isn't modeled after Lady Heather from CSI, though there are similarities. Tazura is basically an amalgamation of several Dommes and tops I've known through the years. Most of them are what is classed as "old guard". We'll not discuss the conversations I've had with them concerning internet silliness in the community. But that is another story all together.

Now, on to this one.

***

From the west comes old Death

A-riding on the storm

With hungry eyes for funeral fires

To burn till the morrow's dawn

For tis the night, here comes the dead

Unbound from the Underworld

Hermione stared up at Malfoy manor as though not recognizing it. In all honesty, she didn�t. There was still a certain amount of gloom about the place but it was to be expected from a building so old. But a great deal of the cold shadows that usually hung over it were gone, replaced by warmth and light.

She made her way up the path through the heavy iron gates of the estate, being careful to avoid tripping over her long skirt. She took several deep breaths, just enjoying the season she had always loved. The air was crisp and carried the smells of apples, cinnamon and bonfires on the breeze.

As she started up the path to the front door, she noticed trenches had been dug on either side of the walkway and rows of fire lit the way. She noticed the brightness of marigold petals under her feet leading her toward the house. Set on opposite sides of the door were two long tables laden with apples, nuts, pumpkins, corn and sheaves of wheat. There were also several coins scattered along the tables as well. Mostly gold and silver. All of it offerings for the dead.

She smiled a little to herself. Who would have guessed Lucius observed the ancient traditions for the holiday rather than the secular ones. She smoothed her gown one last time and knocked on the door. When it opened her ears were assaulted with a cacophony of noise from the other guests.

�Hello, Miss,� Tweak said, opening the door completely to allow her inside.

�This looks to be quite a party,� Hermione said, watching a satyr chase a giggling nymph across the foyer and into the other room.

�Oh, it is, Miss,� Tweak said, her huge eyes shining with excitement. �Tweak hasn�t seen a party like this here since she was very small.�

�Um, Tweak,� Hermione said, glancing around at the many people milling about in costume. �Is this not a formal gathering?�

It was Lucius who answered, coming down the stairs in very formal dress robes. �It is. Those costumed are simply the entertainment for the evening.�

�Ah, I see,� she said. Looking up at him she had the strangest memory flash. Not one of him in his usual finery but the one destined to be forever burned into her brain it seemed. As stunning as he was in dress robes he was even more so without part of them. Hermione shook her head to clear it of the image and sincerely wished she could control the blush that spread over her cheeks at the memory.

�Well, that�s a lovely addition to your evening look, Hermione,� he said, taking her hand as he reached her. He brushed a kiss over her knuckles before smiling down at her. �Dare I ask what you�re thinking to make you turn such a becoming color?�

�I was just thinking it was rather warm in here,� she fibbed. Sweet merciful goddess what was wrong with her? She thought, firmly kicking her mind out of the gutter. Her brain just seemed to dwell there when she was around Lucius. Hardly surprising really. The man all but screamed carnal bliss.

�Would you care for a walk outside then? The bonfires are lit but we can stay away from those if you are too warm.�

�I think a walk outside would be lovely,� Hermione said, taking his offered arm and allowing him to escort her out the wide French doors into the garden. It struck her as rather odd how naturally they fell into stride together. Almost as though they had been walking through the gardens together for years. They wound their way through the rows of late blooming flowers and small shrubs. Walking through the mazelike garden reminded Hermione of the TriWizard tournament so many years ago. The distant look on her face drew Lucius� attention more firmly to her.

�What are you thinking about that has you so far away?� he asked.

�The past,� she said. �People who are no longer with me. Be it through them passing or simply drifting away due to time and life changes.�

Lucius nodded. �That is the theme of this night after all. Remembering those who are gone from us. Honoring the ways they made a difference in our lives. Mister Potter and Mister Weasley are who you were thinking of, I presume.�

She nodded. �I miss them. Even though I still see them in passing every once in a while, it isn�t the same.�

Lucius sighed, suddenly feeling very old and quite tired. �Though we may deny it, people change and move on. It�s sometimes hard to see things for what they actually are instead of what we want them to be. Especially concerning the people we care for. ***The heart holds tightly to love long past the death of the last ember of affection."

"You sound like someone who has found his hands full of ash,�*** Hermione said.

Lucius smiled tightly, bitterly. �That is true enough. So, on to other subjects. Do you have plans to arrest me yet?�

�That was an abrupt and odd subject change. As for having plans to arrest you, I wouldn�t tell you if I had, Lucius,� Hermione said, frowning up at him.

�Of course not. But you must admit, all evidence seems to point in my direction,� Lucius said.

�I think you�d hide evidence better if you were the killer, Lucius.�

�So, you believe I�m being targeted?�

�I didn�t say that.�

Lucius surprised her by laughing. �You are the most frustrating little witch.�

�Says the most evasive wizard on the planet.�

�Touch�. Have there been any other bodies?�

�You know I can�t tell you that. Did anyone go missing from the club around the full moon?�

�Not that I�m aware of. You�d have to ask Tazura about that. I hardly keep track of the Gilded Lily�s employees.�

�Why not? You�re their employer, after all,� Hermione said nonchalantly.

�When, pray tell, did you figure that out?�

�Just now,� she said with a shrug.

�Tricky little witch too. I am most impressed, Hermione.�

�Should I be flattered?�

�Without doubt. May I ask why you didn�t arrive with my son? I�d expected you to come together.�

�So had I. But evidently he got a better offer.�

Lucius� eyebrows went up. �Really? The lovely MME I presume.�

Hermione looked at him curiously. �Yes, as a matter of fact.�

�Finally! I thought he�d never get around to asking her.�

�Actually, she asked him. Or told him, rather.�

�Really? I knew I sent her an invitation for some reason.�

�Playing matchmaker for your son? Who would have thought you had a soft spot for romance.�

Lucius snorted a little. �Hardly. I was simply tired of him moping about the manor on Friday nights.�

Before Hermione could comment on Lucius� last statement a scream shattered the night air.

And the fires shall burn

And the wheel of life shall turn

And the dead come back home on Samhain

And in the night sky on the lunar light they fly

And the dead come back home on Samhain

At the Sabbat high on the funeral hill

Wait the witches at the feast

For the first winter's day

The first winter's sun

A-rising in the east

For Death has come for the summertime

And to take the leaves of spring

Hecate, Nemesis, Dark Mother take us in

***Mad Ramblings aka Author�s Notes***

Samhain is rich in traditions and lore. I�ve only listed a very few of them here since to try putting forth everything would take up an entire book in itself. But I�ll give explanations for those who might not understand the significance of certain things. Keep in mind that I�m pulling from my own background of Celtic traditions in doing so. I�m sure it�s different in various places around the world but almost every culture has one day for honoring the dead.

As late October was usually the end of harvest time Samhain is often called Last Harvest. So, things such as apples, the last sheaves of wheat, corn, rye, pumpkins, etc were gathered to be preserved and stored away for the winter. All of these things, including portions of meat from animals slaughtered were set out as offerings for the dead. If you were a person of wealth, money could be left as an offering to the dead as well as food. Keep in mind that in the days when these traditions were started, death during the winter months due to cold, disease and especially starvation were very real possibilities. Therefore, it was especially important to get in good with the dead since you never knew if you�d be joining them soon. Often torches were lit and placed along the path from wherever a burial place was, in one�s own yard if you were poor, to the deceased�s home. Lighting the way in a sense for them to return to family and friends for one night of the year. Marigolds, sometimes mums as well were scattered along a path to much the same purpose. Okay, enough with the lesson.

Words enclosed in *** in the story are quotes from my ever so wonderful friend Katami-san�s epic Bleach story Shadow Of What Was. I asked her if I could borrow those lines because I�ve always thought they were profound, beautiful and so very true.

The song used in this chapter is Samhain by Inkkubus Sukkubus.

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Harvest Moon