Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Precious Mudblood	By : magentasouth Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Hermione/Voldemort Views: 79302 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 6
Disclaimer: I neither own nor profit from any part of the Harry Potter universe

Chapter List
- 1-Precious Mudblood
- 2-Ch 2
- 3-Ch 3
- 4-Ch 4
- 5-Ch 5
- 6-Ch 6
- 7-Ch 7
- 8-ch 8
- 9-Ch 9
- 10-Ch 10
- 11-Ch 11
- 12-Ch 12
- 13-Ch 13
- 14-Ch 14
- 15-Ch 15
- 16-Ch 16
- 17-Ch 17
- 18-Ch 18
- 19-Ch 19
- 20-Ch 20
- 21-Ch 21
- 22-Ch 22
- 23-Ch 23
- 24-Ch 24
- 25-Ch 25
- 26-Ch 26
- 27-Ch 27
- 28-Ch 28
- 29-Ch 29
- 30-Ch 30
- 31-Ch 31
- 32-Ch 32
- 33-Ch 33
- 34-Ch 34
- 35-Ch 35
- 36-Ch 36
- 37-Ch 37
- 38-Ch 38
- 39-Ch 39
- 40-Ch 40
- 41-Ch 41
- 42-Ch 42 (edited. longer)
- 43-Ch 43
- 44-Ch 44
- 45-Ch 45
- 46-Ch 46
- 47-Ch 47
- 48-Ch 48
- 49-Ch 49
- 50-Ch 50
- 51-Ch 51
- 52-Ch 52
- 53-Ch 53
- 54-Ch 54
- 55-Ch 55
- 56-Ch 56
- 57-Ch 57
- 58-Ch 58
- 59-Ch 59
- 60-Ch 60
- 61-Ch 61
- 62-Ch 62
- 63-Ch 63
- 64-Ch 64
- 65-Ch 65
- 66-Ch 67
- 67-Ch 67
- 68-Ch 68
- 69-Ch 69
- 70-Ch 70
- 71-Ch 71
- 72-Ch 72
- 73-Ch 73
- 74-Ch 74
- 75-Ch 75
- 76-Chapter 76
- 77-Ch 77
- 78-Ch 78
- 79-Ch 79
- 80-Ch 80
- 48
- 49
- 50
�Great Merlin.. is that you Severus?!��

Lucius
looked decidedly overdressed as he walked up the sand, his wand drawn and
pointing at them, a house elf clinging to his robes.

�Let go, would you,� there�s a good creature.��

The elf nodded solemnly and stepped away a bit with big brown eyes.�

Lucius
walked up and stopped at the foot of the mattress, looking down at the black
haired boy..man.. with an
expression of extreme interest.� His eyes
were dark and stormy, Hermione noted, worried.�

She crawled closer to Severus and he put his arm around her, gripping his aimed
wand and never taking his eyes off Lucius.�

The nakedness that had been so
comfortable and natural before now just left her feeling exposed.��

�Father.�� Draco acknowledged guardedly as he stepped up
behind him suddenly, naked and dripping wet, his hair in white strings, holding
his wand trained on him with a steady hand. �Lucius whirled
slightly, startled.�

�Draco.. what are you..��

His head whipped and he glared at Hermione nastily. �Oh I see.� Well done, little
whore. �And to think Draco referred to
you as a Gryffindor princess. You are
obviously quite adept at Slytherin tactics.� �

She shrank back slightly.�

�Give me your wands, father� Draco
said in low voice �Both of them.� You are
outmatched.��

Lucius
snarled, showing his teeth.

�Draco.. I am your father.
You are a Malfoy.� You would betray your
line for dirt and half-dirt?� Assist me
and we will take them both..� We will share them.� They will be branded and kept as Malfoy chattel.��

There was a long caught breath
moment as Draco seemed to consider this.�

Then he stunned Lucius.��

Hermione found herself gasping for
breath, almost in tears.� Severus had
launched himself upon the prone Lucius immediately
and was removing items from him.� He
pressed his wand to his mark in the process.�

Draco meanwhile went to her and
knelt beside her, pulling her to his chest and stroking her soothingly.

�Shhhh.. it�s ok.� You�re safe.�
I won�t let him hurt you.��

There was a bang as Tom apparated
to the sands nearby and took in the situation.�
His face was dark with fury.�

�I had thought Lucius
more intelligent than that.� I believed
he would attempt to feel out the
situation before risking my anger..but it seems that
rationality-� he laughed, not sounding particularly amused �-does suffer
somewhat when it comes to you, Hermione. ��

Tom suddenly looked at Draco with
narrow suspicious eyes.

Hermione gripped the boy more closely� �Draco saved us, Tom.� He had nothing to do with it.� You brought him here yourself � he was
sleeping, you know that.� Lucius and Severus had wands on each other and Draco
stunned him��

Draco looked up at the Dark Lord
calmly.� �You can look for yourself, my Lord.� I will not occlude.� My loyalties are to you.� I regret ever wavering.� It was an error.��

Tom rolled his eyes.� �That is not the reason for your choices and
we both know it well, but now is not the time, and provided the end result is
the same, it ..barely.. irritates
me that your first loyalty is to her.��

He turned to the tiny trembling house elf on the sand.� �Send your house elf away Draco.� If any Malfoy house elf returns to this
beach, I will kill both you and your
father and they will be unemployed.��

The elf on the sand started to
shake violently �Oh no Sirs.. please
not..� it squeaked.

Tom continued �As it is, I will be
very surprised indeed if you do not
inherit the entire Malfoy fortune, manor and elves included, by the end of the
night.� As such..
You will be their kind and beneficient master and they will not risk unemployment if they remain far from this beach.��

The little elf looked from Draco
down to Lucius and back to Draco.� Then it bowed and said �Master.. do you wants Nadger
and other elves to stay away as the sir says?��
It looked hopeful.�

Draco nodded

�yes.� Return to the manor and ready it
for guests. We may have a death in the family in the near future.��

He added, grudgingly ��..Thank
you.��

The elf startled and smiled,
nodding, then popped away immediately.�

Hermione restrained a small smirk.�

�Draco..are you normally halfway decent to your elves
or is it just when I�m around?�� The
blonde looked at her.�

�Well..� You
seem to like it, Granger � after all that business with vomit or whatever you
called it.. and I like it
when you look at me as if you�re surprised I�m not a complete bastard.��

She snickered and kissed his
cheek, hugging him to her.�

�Enough, stop simpering, Draco.�
Tom sounded irritated.� �Severus restrain Lucius.� I need to retrieve Harry.�� Tom disapparated
again.��

Severus, with some measure of satisfaction vanished Lucius
robes and underwear and cast a form of incarcerous that Hermione didn�t
recognise.�

Lucius
lay limply, his arms restrained behind him and rope bound in a loop around his
neck.� His legs were tied at ankle and
knee and a rope connected his ankles to his wrists loosely, also looping
between his legs and around his genitals, much like his neck.�

Severis got up and seemed to hesitate, a dark rabid
expression on his face.� Hermione had the
feeling he was considering hurting Lucius in some
way.� The hand that gripped his wand was
white knuckled.�

Before he could do anything
further however, the Dark Lord reappeared with Harry, releasing him toward the
mattress.�

Harry rushed forward and embraced Hermione
from the other side.� She turned and put
one arm around him too.

�Are you ok, Mione?� he gushed.�

She nodded and put her cheek to that of the blonde boy with his arms around
her.�

�Thank you Draco-� she breathed. �-for saving me again.��

Harry, hearing this, scowled and
tried to pull away.� She didn�t let him
go.�

�Harry.. everything is fine
now so don�t be like that.�� He stopped
pulling but looked unhappy.� �Finally he exchanged an ashamed avoidant
glance with Draco and mumbled�
�Sorry. It was just.. you
kissing her.. I shouldn�t have��

Draco nodded dismissively and shifted
his gaze to his defeated father.� His
expression was troubled although it was difficult to determine what exactly was the cause.� Faint
flickers of guilt flashed through his eyes. �

Tom levitated Lucius
and walked up the beach a way.�

Setting him down he raised his arms and began
transfiguring walls, the sand flowing up like liquid and becoming pale
stone.�

A cabana stood when he was finished. Open on two adjacent sides it faced out
toward the ocean with a leafy verdant roof reminiscent of palm fronds and
ferns.�

Gathering more sand a long comfortable white linen angular sofa was created,
low and relaxing, with a long brown wooden coffee table.� The alcohol, pot and their glasses were
summoned to the table and, with a wave, tom transfigured the mattress Hermione,
Harry and Draco knelt on back into sand.�

�I guess that was a hint� Hermione
muttered and got to her feet, pacing after Severus down to the cabana.�

Lucius
lay on the sand in front of the table still stupefied and Tom stood beside him
looking down pensively.�

Hermione took a seat on the sofa
next to Severus and Harry and Draco then tousled for a moment as they each
raced to get the seat on her other side.�

Harry won, simply because he tripped Draco and planted himself quickly, looking
up at him with a smug expression.

Draco glared down at him.�

�Allow me to assist you, Draco� Severus
offered in an overly generous voice.� The
next minute he had dragged Hermione onto his lap and held her cradled against
him facing away from Harry.�

She shifted uncomfortably, skin on hot skin as Draco smirked at Harry and sat
down on Severus� other side, lifting her legs into his lap.�

Harry growled in irritation and Severus laid a hand on his thigh
teasingly.� Hermione could see Severus
black eyes dance in amusement as Harry threw one of his miniature silent tantrums.�

�Enervate!� Tom�s voice cut through their childishness.�

Lucius
gasped and struggled, then gagged and yelped as the unexpected ropes cut off
his air and tightened around his rod and tackle.�

Severus pulled Hermione back and she could feel his breath light and fast
against her ear as he nudged her into a more comfortable position.� She wasn�t sure but it felt a little like he
was hardening against her buttock.��

�Welcome back, Lucius�
Tom said, standing behind the man out of view.�

�My Lord?!�
Lucius seemed shocked and terrified.� �You are here with..��
his eyes fell on the naked assemblage on the
sofa.� The three young men draped in Hermione.�

Severus youthful face was twisted in dark satisfaction at the confusion Lucius displayed.

Harry and Draco flanked him like handmaidens at a throne. Lucius�
eyes wandered among them disturbed.

�I am.. very disappointed.. in you, Lucius�� Tom intoned
and Hermione recognised it as his �Lord Voldemort voice� even if he wasn�t
wearing the snake visage.��

Lucius started to shake but he said nothing.� He had had enough experience of the Dark Lord
to know how futile it would be.�

Tom went on.� �Did you think that I would
allow you to betray me?!� To take by force what you were informed belonged to me?!� Oh Lucius.. I have forgiven much
you have done in the past.. but
this is beyond the pale.�� He walked
around Lucius and seated himself upon the coffee
table, crossing his legs in a relaxed pose.�

Lucius
mouth fell open and he spluttered in distress.�
�My Lord?!� Your.. face!��

Tom smirked and raised an
eyebrow.� �You seem disturbed, Lucius.� Shall I
comfort you with a more familiar glamour?�

He raised his hand and waved it before him, shimmering into the serpentine
guise of Lord Voldemort.�

Lucius
seemed to become considerably more afraid but choked out� �How long?!.. How long has it been a glamour, my lord?! �Why?!!
Why would you choose...��

Tom laughed.

�Are you insinuating this face is
unappealing to you Lucius? How impolite.� I am insulted.��

The Dark Lord did not look
particularly insulted, he looked like he was having a lot of fun, Hermione
realised.�

Draco used his wand to summon the
bowl of pot and the papers and started to roll, Severus gifted him with an
approving stare.

Hermione frowned at them both in absent disapproval and returned her attention
to Tom and Lucius.�

�My Lord..
I was merely... I ..sought her in order to question
her about something she kept from me earlier. I did not intend��

Tom burst out laughing.� It sounded much
crueller when he wore this face.�

She registered Harry�s shiver behind her and Severus comforting stroke of his
thigh. �Simply a mask, Potter.� He murmured barely
audible to her but Harry seemed to still again.�

�Lucius.. you are a card.� Here you are �
caught with your hand IN the safe and coins scattered all around and you�re
trying to fabricate.�

You used an elf to get to her here � this suggests to me that you realised she
was outside the blood wards surrounding my domain, albeit highly shielded and
warded, and thought to take the opportunity to acquire her if you could.�

Perhaps you believed her weakly defended - that I would not use such extensive
shielding if I were by her side to protect her.��

�Hermione.. come here� he
said quietly.�

She stood and went to him and he
pulled her down into his lap.� She looked
up into the flat alien face which she ...unaccountably..
was finding more of a turn on the less she got to see
it.�

He recognised her desire, his red eyes glittering and kissed her hungrily.�

She hummed in pleasure and smiled happily when he ended the kiss and looked
back down at the bound Malfoy patriarch on the floor.

�She is mine, Lucius.� She told you so herself.� The merest possibility that it might be true should have been sufficient for you to back off and speak to me
about the matter.� Yet you did not..�

In fact I believe you were quite convinced it was true, which was why you opted to try to steal her, rather than
even enquire. ��

And this after I had graciously
allowed you to spend an evening with her, no less.� This is how you repay my generosity.�

Hermione heard the sound of
smoking behind her and the pleasant pungent odour filled the air.�

Lucius
face grew appalled as he stared past them at Draco, passing the joint to Severus
while Harry looked on impatiently.�

Tom snorted and clicked his
fingers, reaching his hand back toward the oldest boy.�

Severus sulkily took a large puff and placed the joint in his fingers then
turned to Potter and captured his mouth, kissing him and sharing the breath
back and forth.� Draco watched
enviously.�

Tom, smirking at them one last
time in his Lord Voldemort face, turned back to Lucius
with the joint pressed between white fingers.�
He inhaled deeply and Lucius looked like he
could have been pushed over with a feather, if not for the fact that he were
already hogtied on the ground.�

Tom apparently found his reaction so amusing that he almost choked and quickly
puffed the smoke out, passing the joint to Hermione and grinning broadly.� �Oh Lucius��
he snickered as if the
man were adorable.�

A thought seemed to occur to him... �I wonder..Did
your father ever tell you about your grandfather Abramelin?..��

Lucius
looked confused. �He was a merchant of sorts I believe�� he answered stiffly.�

The Dark Lord rolled his eyes �He
was a pirate, trafficker and
bootlegger of sorts, Lucius, as you well know, but
that�s neither here nor there � no.. I was referring to how he came to pass
away.� �

Lucius
frowned and tried to lean back to relieve the pressure on his throat.�

Hermione puffed out smoke inexpertly and Tom gifted her with an indulgent
expression.�

�He..was
killed in a duel over land rights� Lucius responded,
perturbed.��

Tom laughed.� �Well technically.. that is a diplomatic way of viewing it I suppose.� He was killed over land..money..other holdings.. really.. let us lump it all under the rubric of inheritance rights.� He
threatened to disown Abraxas for his refusal to work with him in �the family business� as it were.�

Your father, Abraxas, was my man by
then and I required his services in other matters.�� Tom paused, a nasty little smile on his
face.��

�I found it endlessly amusing when you
came to me, confessing you had done the very same thing and for such an idle
reason.� All you had needed to do was
study... or alternately bribe and
blackmail.. your way to
perfect grades.�

Also a quite acceptable means of progression through life.�

...But I am hardly one to cast blame in matters of fratricide and Abraxas really...
really.. should have known better.��

There was a disgusted snort from
behind them. �You killed your father?� Draco spat.� �over grades?!��

Severus chortled, amused.

�I had to tutor him in potions.� A second
year student!.. and he still got an E.��

Hermione tried not to feel sorry
for Lucius but it was hard.� She knew what it was like to have the
pressure of expectations weighing down upon you.� And not everyone found school easy � Harry for
instance had struggled.� She noticed that
he wasn�t saying anything.� In a sense Severus had tutored him too when
he�d got his hands on the half blood prince�s old potions text.�

Tom stroked her face.� �So compassionate..�� he kissed her lips
gently, chastely. �...not a trait I usually
value.��

Lucius
burst out furiously.� �Why
are you fawning over a mudblood, my Lord?!� She is nothing!� You of all wizards should know that - you
have dedicated so much to destroying her kind.��

Tom took the joint back from her
and sucked on it deeply, contemplatively, before handing it back to the three
at the back where it was reclaimed by Draco with eager anticipation.�

He tried to speak without breathing out.�
�Do not suck down the whole
thing again Draco��

Draco looked mildly recalcitrant but took a single lungful and passed it
on.��

Turning, Tom pressed his lips to Hermione�s
and passed her the air in his lungs.� She
blinked surprised and he turned away, pressing a single finger to her lips
while she frowned and tried to hold her breath.��

�Really, such rhetoric was primarily for the pureblood peons that
serve me.� A muggle used a similar tactic
to gather power while I was a young boy.�
Harnessing fear and predjudice is very
effective.�

Personally � I respect magical power
and knowledge over all else.� I have long
known that so called purity of blood
was no guarantee of either.��

�I am a half blood myself, Lucius.� Did the
hypocrisy never occur to you?� �

�But this is somewhat beside the
point as Hermione is not merely a mudblood..

There is something about her � which is why you
wanted to steal her.�

Do you want me to tell you what it is?�

I can see that you do!� ...I can�t think of a single reason why you
will be leaving this beach alive so I see no real harm in it.��

Lucius
eyes widened.�

�It was an error, my lord.. a
slip.. I have served you faithfully for so many years.� Surely-..��

Tom waved dismissively.� �You have failed me often and you have
invariably served yourself foremost, Lucius.�

At present I am merely unsure whether I shall kill you or whether that honour
will fall to Draco.�

It would be a shame, after all, to break the family tradition.��

Lucius
eyes looked past them and Hermione knew that Draco was looking back at him.� She felt a strange tug in her heart.�

Lucius had taken her to walk by the lake.�

He was a terrible person..and he had horrible bigoted
beliefs.. but he had held her hand..� he had protected
her..

perhaps because he didn�t want to share her.. but all the same she felt a sense of reluctance in seeing
him hurt.�

He gave her his own shoes and socks to wear.�

He didn�t have to offer to take her
for a walk. ...He caught her when she tripped.�
He hadn�t hurt her that
much.� He-..

Tom was looking at her with mild
consternation.�

�I am beginning to recall why I
abhor compassion.�

If you want to walk by the lake that
badly, my dear, I assure you � It will be made available to you.� Lucius however.. is a threat I will not ignore
simply to indulge your kindness.��

The man in question closed his
eyes and swallowed uncomfortably against the ropes.�

He spoke quietly. �If I am to die.. then yes..I�d know why the ..girl.. won�t leave my mind.��

Tom hesitated looking him
over.� �She is a conduit�� he said after a
while.� �A channeler of raw magic.�

It is why her magic is bound.� She is too
dangerous.� Not only to myself..but to the world..to
reality.�

The reason you can�t get her out of your mind, my ..once loyal..servant...is
that she unconsciously produces an effect on all those that come into close
contact with her rendering them less likely to want to destroy her.�

A naturally occurring amortensia if you will.� Although it does not appear to be a substance
in any way traceable, or I would have had Severus find an antidote.� It occurs on a different level perhaps.�

You have been..affected.. by it... as
have we all.��

He turned to Hermione and
inspected her, tilting his head slightly with a faintly dreamy expression.� She wondered if he was stoned.�

He smirked and kissed her nose.� �slightly� he murmured. �

Lucius
was gazing up at her with a confused face.�
He looked almost wounded � disbelief, awe, loss and frustration passed
over his features.

Tom went on.� �Had you obeyed me..
had you remembered your promises to me, Lucius, I would have had mercy on you and allowed her to
visit you occasionally.�

Had you treated her with decorum, I might have let you spend time with her
regularly.��

�But.. it is not to be.

�� you were not
content with my generosity � you are incapable of sharing anything you desire.�

I am certain that.. in the
impossible circumstance that you had abducted her and made her..Malfoy property, as you wanted.. you would eventually have killed
your own son in a fit of jealousy.. or threatened to banish and disown him.. at
which point he would have killed you for her�.�

�Draco...I believe Draco would do
anything for Hermione.��

�He begged me to allow him to be
her pet � her familiar, Lucius.� Can you
believe it?� I had to allow it.. it was too amusing.�

Last night he slept in a cat basket in my
chambers.� He walks on a little diamond
collar and leash..��

You look confused, Lucius.� Don�t tell me you never even knew your son was an animagus?!� Did he not tell you?� I wonder why..��

The Dark Lord grinned.� Half turning he
cast a speculative eye over Draco.� �Do
you want to show him?� Does it still
matter to you what he thinks?��

Draco looked nervous and
unsure.� His eyes darted to Hermione and
then to Severus beside him.�

�Everyone else here is already
aware� Tom reminded him.�

Lucius
was looking at Draco as if he didn�t recognise him.

�That is quite something.� ...Few wizards
can become animagi..� he
said faintly. �I...even
so...I am proud.�

I would ..like..to see. �Show me, Draco.� Please.��

Draco,
extremely reluctantly to judge by his face, got up and flicked his wrist to take
up his wand.�

He stepped forward and then shrank down and became a ferret.� For a moment, he wavered slightly on the
floor, unsure of himself and then he scampered to Hermione�s feet, standing up
on his hind paws against her leg.�

She leaned down and picked him up
gently, putting him against her breast and stroking him.�

Tom looked into the white animal�s face and, astoundingly, lifted a hand and
stroked his head.�

Lucius
seemed wistful.� �It is a good form, Draco.� Useful and appealing.� You are fortunate.��

The ferrets head shot to him in
surprise and then he turned away and placed his face against Hermione�s skin. She
continued to pet him affectionately.�

Harry groused from the background.. �You can be damn
sure she wouldn�t be all over you like that if you were a snake, Malfoy.��

The ferret seemed almost to smirk
and he licked Hermione�s jaw tauntingly.�
Tom rolled his eyes.� �Yes
alright.� Put him down now. Bootlicking little wretch. �Go away again, Draco. You are provoking
me.��

Hermione put him down on the sand
carefully and Draco scampered a metre or so then unfolded into his human form
and continued forward without breaking a step. �He returned to the couch and Severus caught
him as he was about to sit down and pulled him onto his lap.

Draco was surprised but not opposed as the long haired boy pulled him close and
began to kiss him ardently, with visible satisfaction in the act.

Lucius face twisted in anger..within
which twisted both jealousy and vengefulness.�

�My son, Severus?� You practically raised Draco.. have you no sense of decency?!��

Everyone else in the room collapsed
into laughter.�

Even Hermione had to snicker.

Tom smirked down at him. �Lucius.. you
are unsuited to an argument about decency.�

Come now.. I�ve told you about Hermione.. and I�ve even allowed you to
witness the magical potency of your son..

I don�t see that we have anything further to discuss.� it is time to finish
this.��

Draco stopped kissing Severus and
looked up with a grim reluctant expression on his face as Lucius
seemed to panic slightly.

�Tell me about Severus! Tell me about yourself.. your appearance!� You
are healed � you are young.��

Tom seemed impatient. �Yes, yes,
and I am immortal too.. as is
he.� You have a brain, Lucius..
you know it was her.� Stalling will give you but minutes
more.��

�Show me your real face again!� Lucius demanded desperately.

Tom waved the glamour away and Lucius looked up at him sadly.

�You are younger than you were
when I first met you.�

You are...beautiful. �

With age you became a handsome man.. but when you were young as you are now, but still full of
innocence, you must have been something to behold. �...I remember you had striking blue eyes.. �

Toms
expression did not change. �I was never
innocent. Be thankful that you did not attend school in my time, Lucius.�

If you had attempted to do with me what you did with Severus, you would not
have lived��

Lucius
looked down. �I ...know.� But..he-� Tom hissed through his teeth. �No excuses, Lucius! Please.� Do
not bore us all.� �

The Dark Lord seemed to collect
himself again and spoke quietly, respectfully..

�The fact remains � Had you not brought Severus to me to increase your own
position, I might not have met him.�

For that I am grateful.� I will be merciful.� You will feel no pain.��

He hesitated..

�Draco.. do you wish to end
him?��

Draco responded softly. �I�ll do
it if you ask me to.� But
no. �I don�t really want to.�

I�m sorry father.. I wish things had been different.��

Tom nodded and raised his hand at Lucius.

�Wait!!� Hermione said, clutching
at his arm.

�Do you have to?� Surely you could just make him take an oath
or obliviate him or something...��

Tom looked at her,
exasperated.� �No, Hermione. He is a
traitor.. he is dangerous..
He makes Rodolphus
dangerous.

If I allow him to live I am certain I will have to destroy Rodolphus
in the end.�

Now that they are on favourable terms once more, Lucius
would inevitably incite him to unacceptable excesses.�

I could no longer trust him with you and would need to remove his blood bond in
the only way possible.�

Lucius has an heir..while the Lestrange bloodline would die with your vampire.� Moreover, Rodolphus
is more loyal.. more useful..

But beyond this...Lucius� continued existence
would be a threat whether or not he
remembers why he wants you � I cannot remove his obsession, whether he
comprehends its source or not, and oaths can be broken if one is determined
enough.� ��Hermione, he is not a good person or a nice man.� You are being
silly.�

You may have two minutes to make your peace with him and then he will receive the
killing curse.�

There was a shuffle behind
them.� Severus and Draco each looked like
they wanted to say something.

Harry just looked excited and full
of anticipation.�

Tom rolled his eyes. �Oh for the
love of Nimue.. fine.. Take ten
minutes then, you weak sots.�

Lucius.. you�ve
quite spoiled my afternoon.� They�re all
going to be morose now, look at them!�

The blonde smiled grimly. �Yes my
Lord. �I know exactly how that can be. I
would have more sympathy if it weren�t my own neck on the block though.

Could you..untie me.�
This is a rather undignified way to go.��

Tom scowled and waved a flippant
hand at him, vanishing the ropes.�

Sliding Hermione to her feet, he
edged past her, walking to the back of the room and sitting next to Harry.�

When he ran his fingers through the boy�s fringe, brushing it to the side in a
manner faintly reminiscent of the way he wore his own hair, Harry frowned and
mussed it up again.� Tom smiled at him.
�Such a mess..� he chided affectionately and kissed
him lightly.�

Hermione watched the look on Lucius� face.� He really did have a huge thing for young
black haired boys, clearly, to judge from the raw hunger skewing his features
now.�

He sat up and massaged his wrists
and then his throat, unable to tear his eyes from the two pale pretty boys now snogging.� Tom was
pulling Harry onto his lap to straddle him.�

�<erlin...� Lucius
whispered with feeling.

�Yes.. aren�t they lovely together?� Hermione said softly.�

�Tom and Severus are beautiful together too.��

Lucius
dragged his gaze from them to her face.�
He looked at her with confused need.�
�I..�� he faltered.�

She stepped forward and knelt down next to him.�
�I�m sorry� she said softly.� �If
I could I would save you.� I don�t think
he�s going to listen to me this time though.. and I have nothing left that I can offer for you.� He has everything now.��

�Its ok,
Granger� Draco said from right behind her and she felt his warm hand on her
shoulder.

�I can�t think of anything worse than what you promised him for my life and if there were something worse to sacrifice than a
soul..my father probably wouldn�t deserve the price.��

Lucius looked back and forth between them in shocked
admiration �She gave her soul for you..� he murmured weakly, bewildered.� His eyes blinked rapidly as if he sought to
contain his emotion.� Draco got down to
his knees next to him.�

�Father..�
Draco stared in helpless anger. he seemed like he
wanted to say something but couldn�t find the words. �

Lucius tilted his head slightly and feasted his eyes
on his son, as if memorizing the lines of his face.

�I know Draco...� I�ve been a fool in so many ways. Following
the m..girl�s blood here was only the latest
error.�

But..I should have noticed you growing up. ..I should
have noticed you at all.�

�...Your mother and I were unhappy
together for a very long time, you know... Since before you were born in fact..

...and you...simply reminded me of
her.� You reminded me..
in an unwelcome way.. of the
promises I�d made.�

I regret...that I have failed you.��

Draco�s eyes filled with tears and
he blinked them angrily away, his face set in rigid fury.

�Too late.� It�s
too late for this conversation,
father.�

I..I want you to know that despite everything.. I..I loved you. I l..love..�� His voice
cracked slightly and he got up hurriedly and marched out of the cabana and
around the corner of the walled side.� Hermione
heard his feet kicking up sand as he ran down the beach away from them.�

She looked at Lucius miserably.�

�I�m so sorry� she said in a tiny tight voice.�
�I wish I�d never met you. �This
is my fault.��

Lucius
seemed conflicted as he shook his head faintly.�
�There was nothing you could have done� he said slowly, the words
seeming to ring true with him as he found himself saying them. �our meeting was inevitable.��

Hermione,
dropped her head unhappily and then thought of something.� She leaned in quickly and put her arms around
Lucius neck.� Uncertain,
he returned the gesture and wrapped his own around her waist, laying his hands gently
in the small of her back.�

She whispered in his ear.� �Draco and I
shared the Gelfthornberry liqueur.�

Lucius
started, shocked, and anger swept over his face momentarily. �What?! Have you any idea-..�

�Yes.� She interrupted him
wearily. �Yes I know how irreplaceable it is.. how valuable.� We saved some.� Hopefully we�ll find a way to replicate
it.� But I wanted to tell you what it was
like..��

Lucius
eyes widened and he looked curious.

�Yes..?�

She thought for a moment.

�Its duck egg blue..and very sweet... It�s thick
like syrup! �It smells like all the good
memories you ever had.� We both agreed on
that.�

It tastes..very
strange.. Like strawberries and the scent of magnolia and like summer and
raindrops.. a lot of strange
things, not all of which even have tastes.

The taste makes your mind flow to moments in your life that were good...pure... things that make you feel..well..happy is too simple a word
for it.. things that are important to you though.� Things
you value...

Moments you treasure.�

And Draco told me about his best
memory while we were drinking it. ...It was of you.��

Lucius
startled and looked at her with wide scared eyes ��Me?! But-..� His
eyes became wet and glassy and filled with tears. �...What was it?�

She held him tightly and whispered
in his ear �When you taught him to fly a broom ...and he fell ...and you caught
him.

His best memory was when you yelled
at him as you held him.�

In his whole life that was what he treasured most � your fear for his safety...your
love.��

Lucius
made a small strangled sound of pain and bowed his head. She felt hot tears
falling down onto her shoulder and he clenched her close. �Thank you� she
thought she heard him gasp through his breathy gulps.�

She turned her head and kissed his cheek. �I�m sorry Lucius��

He brought a hand up� and covered his
eyes, taking in lungfulls of air and trying to get
himself under control again.� She stroked
his back and let him go reluctantly. �A
hand on her shoulder again made her jump.

�That was kind of you.�� Severus said softly. �I want to speak to my
friend now Hermione.� Please..�

She looked up at him unhappily,
tears on her own face and stumbled to her feet.�

She felt irrationally scared of
going too far away from him in case Tom thought they were finished and came and
killed him.� She didn�t want Lucius to die.��

She wandered� five
or six paces away and hovered uncertainly.�

Tom and Harry were gone and Draco
hadn�t come back.�

She watched Severus.� He was speaking very softly with Lucius and his face was sad.� Lucius was nodding
and crying silently. �He suddenly looked
into Severus eyes and smiled a strange thankful smile. He pulled the young boy
to him and hugged him tightly.�

When he let him go Severus leaned in and kissed him.� Lucius wound his
fingers in Severus hair and the kiss was gentle..tender.
Passionate but full of a sweet sorrow as if they knew it would be their
last.�

And while they kissed, suddenly before Hermione could even react, Severus had
raised his wand to Lucius head and there was a green
flash.�

She screamed and fell to her knees.� Severus
had stopped kissing Lucius and his own face was tear streaked. He sniffed, his face
tight and pinched in pain, blinking, trying to see the other man�s face through
his tears as he laid him gently down on the sand.� And then he bowed his head and put his hands
over his face and wept.�

Hermione stumbled to her feet and fell
out of the cabana onto the sand, veering off up the beach away from the water,
inland.

Stumbling up the low cuttygrass covered embankment
she found dunes and ran up them, sliding down the other side..
anywhere just away. Away away away.�

The sound of a moan made her turn
her head and she saw Harry and Tom at the bottom of the dune, kissing and
moving against each other � obviously in the midst of a tryst.�

She let out a low choked cry and ran in the other direction, climbing the next
dune and running, stumbling and running on and on.�

They were fucking while Lucius died.� As if it was nothing.� Damn Tom!�
And Harry was just as bad.� Damn
them both.�

She trudged on.� The sun was low and orange.� It wasn�t sudden � it had been sinking for
hours but for the first time she noticed it.�

The sun looked different here.� Sinking
over the dunes it looked fat and burnt.� Dying. The sun was dying.. Lucius..�

She plopped down in the sand on
the slope of the next dune and just lay still.�

The waves.. a slight breeze
here.� He had protected her from Avery
and Mulciber, he held her and shielded her.� He gave her his shoes, she thought incongruently..and she
let him die.

It was Tom who
came for her later on, when the sun had sunk below the horizon and it was beginning
to grow cold.�

He apparated into the sand a metre away and fell onto the slope, trying to
catch his balance on the uneven ground.

She looked at him numbly.

He didn�t try to hold her or pull her up.�
He didn�t talk.� He just sat beside her looking at her calmly.�

Eventually she asked.� �What did you do with him?�� He shook his head and looked away.�

He spoke softly, his voice
fatalistic �Severus had already taken care of it when I returned.� He was very drunk..or
stoned. Both.�
Most of the alcohol and all the pot was gone.� He pointed at the sea when I asked.�

I presume he transfigured him into a stone. If it is important to you I will
find out.��

She shook her head.�

�I don�t know where I want to be�
she said, no more than a breath. �I don�t want to go back.��

Tom looked at her, his brow furrowed.�

�you don�t want to go back to the beach or you don�t
want to go home?�

She nodded.

He asked tentatively �Are you not
tired?� You have been awake more than
thirty hours now.� ...Surely you will
feel better after you sleep.�

She turned her face away.

�...Bring him back!..��

Then he did go to her and pick her
up, cradling her in his arms.� He sighed
wearily

�I am afraid that is not within my power, precious.�� He kissed her forehead feather light.�

�and even if I could.. I would not.�� He tried to take you from me.� He would try to destroy me next in order to
have you.� Lucius
is a proud man.�

He frowned and amended� �..was..a
proud man.� Hermione found herself crying again.�

�Severus..
he... ... ...and I just stood there.� Her words disintegrated into bitter sobs of self
recrimination.

Tom held her against his chest and
rocked slightly.�

�Shhhh.� Shhhh.. It will be alright Hermione.� I think Lucius
would have chosen to die by Severus
hand.�

He never quite..got over..him
somehow.� I believe..for him it was a good death...and he felt no pain.�

Hermione nodded blindly.� She swiped at her tears and took deep breaths
trying to stop crying now although the tears continued unabated. �Where-s..Dra-co?� she gulped breathily.

Tom responded softly �He is down
on the beach sitting at the water�s edge.�
Will you see him?�

She nodded.�

He pulled her closer and apparated.�

They stood on the sand halfway
down the beach.� It was dark. No moon
yet.�

She blinked and wiped at her face but her hands and arms were wet from wiping
her tears away already and it had little effect.�

Tom walked with her in his arms
down toward the sound of the waves.� She
felt him lowering himself onto the cold sand.�

�Granger!� Draco said in surprise, concerned.

�Draco!� she sobbed anew and
scrambled out of Toms arms to her knees in front of him.

�I�m ...so..so..sorry Draco.� She said, in pleading tones, curled down
over her knees helplessly, feeling like there was a vast hole in her chest and
wind was blowing through it

�I�m sorry! It happened so fast
and I couldn�t stop it and its all my fault and I�m SO SORRY!!!� she wailed slightly,
helplessly sobbing. �

�Granger.. stop!� Come here.�
Calm down! Its ok!�

She shook her head frantically� - it wasn�t.� It was her fault.� He lost his father because of her.

�As..as
soon as Tom frees me I�ll bring him back.. I promise.. I swear Draco.. I�m sorry..
i didn�t want it to happen..
I can�t.. I didnt.. he�s-..��

Draco picked her up by her upper arms and dragged her against him, wrapping his
arms around her.� �Shhh.
Don�t say that Granger. It�s not right.��

He juggled her with difficulty into a better position, cradled in his arms. �She was limp and useless. She blinked tearily and Tom was gone. When had he left?!�

Draco rocked her back and forth slowly, a frown on his face. His voice sounded
quite calm when he spoke.

�It�s better this way,
alright?� And it�s not your fault. Don�t
be ridiculous! You didn�t make my father an asshole. He was one before you were
even born!��

They sat for a long time rocking
slowly and the waves were soothing.� She
felt herself drifting off to sleep against him.�

�Granger?� he whispered softly. �you awake?�� she mumbled that she was.�
And she was sorry.��

He lowered his head and kissed her lips lightly, chastely. �I know.� He whispered
sadly. �I am too.� But it will be fine in
time.��

She turned her face against his chest and nodded slightly. They rocked slowly
for a while and she started to drift off.�

She wasn�t sure if she heard or dreamed it when Draco lowered his lips to her
ear and breathed that he loved her.. the waves were soothing and Draco was warm and strong and
gentle and she slept.�

Author note.

Review replies can be found at
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Precious Mudblood