Six

Many thanks to my lovely betas Anogete and Dacian Goddess.

JKR's, not mine.

~*~

Hermione woke up with a content little sigh. When had been the last time she had slept so well? She had had the most marvellous dream of Lucius; Severus had been there, too. Really nice, she thought as she snuggled back into the smooth soft pillow.

Hang on, since when did she own a pillowcase that felt like that? Suddenly very much awake, her eyes snapped open. She lay alone in a large unfamiliar bed under an equally unfamiliar duvet. Not a dream, then. If she had had any doubt as to last night's activities, her sore muscles confirmed that the dream had, in fact, not been a dream. Apparently, the potion had worked. For a moment she had the impulse to burrow deep under the duvet and wait for the world to pass her by. Unfortunately, she well knew that the world was not likely to do that.

She carefully swung her feet out of bed, only to realise that there were, indeed, a number of body parts that remembered last night. She looked around the room and saw that someone had brought up her clothes. Apparently, they had been cleaned as well, as they lay neatly pressed and folded on a chair nearby, together with a stack of the fluffiest towels she had ever seen. The dentist's daughter in her appreciated the new toothbrush that lay on top of them. The towels had also been spelled with a warming charm, Hermione discovered when she grabbed one and wound it round her middle. From last night, she vaguely remembered a bathroom with an obscenely large bathtub. Taking the stack of towels with her, she carefully padded across the corridor. Luckily, she found the bathroom behind the first door she tried. The bathtub was a welcome sight, though there were no taps to be found. Hermione was about to go back to retrieve her wand when the bathtub started to fill. She dipped a finger in to find that it was just the temperature she found pleasant. A closer inspection of the shelf above the tub showed a number of bottles apparently containing bubble baths and bath oils. None of it looked familiar, so she sniffed at a couple of them before she settled for one that smelled of roses.

After indulging for a while in the hot, pleasantly scented bath, pampering herself with a lotion of the same scent that had appeared after she had got out of the tub, brushing her teeth, and finally getting dressed, Hermione felt ready to face the day ahead.

She made her way downstairs and was greeted by Tinky who showed her to the dining room. She hadn't realised how hungry she was before she saw all the food on the table in the corner and smelled fried eggs and freshly brewed coffee. Coffee seemed like a wonderful idea. Unfortunately, there was already someone standing at the table pouring himself a cup.

At her entrance Severus turned around, his posture suddenly becoming rigid.

Hermione sighed. This was going to be even more difficult than she had expected. 'Good morning, Severus,' she said as brightly as she could manage.

'Hermione,' he answered.

'As you can see, breakfast is a rather casual affair round here,' he said, taking his cup and his plate back to the table and burying his face behind the Daily Prophet.

Hermione decided that now was as good a time as any, so rather than running from the room, she walked casually over to the table and inspected the food. She selected fried eggs, beans, and toast and poured herself a cup of coffee.

Sitting down at the table, she started to eat as if this was the most ordinary thing in the world; besides she really was hungry.

She managed to get down about two bites before she asked, 'Are you going to talk to me?'

She didn't get an answer until a considerable time later; Severus folded the newspaper and said, 'That was an interesting potion you used. The Testimonium Amoris am I correct?'

Hermione nodded. 'Yes, but I increased the dose of Ashwinder eggs to achieve the desired results if the requirements were met.' She was blushing again. Lately, this seemed to become an annoying habit of hers.

Severus raised an eyebrow. 'That is not a very common potion these days.'

'I found it in a book.'

A corner of Severus's mouth was curling upward. 'I suspected as much; it's not found in your standard potions book though.'

Hermione felt her face warm again. 'It was in a book I found in the library, or rather the book found me. It's a very old book without a title, and most of the pages are blank unless the book decides to open itself at a page and reveal its contents. I've checked it; it shows no sign of Dark Magic,' she added quickly.

Severus was looking at her very oddly. 'Did the book find you here in the library at the manor?'

'Yes, why?'

Severus's intense gaze held hers as he continued. 'That book is called Ars Amatoria; it is very rare and can only be found in the oldest pure-blood families or rather, in most cases, it cannot as it reveals itself only if it recognises someone who needs direction and clarification.'

Hermione said, 'But I didn't need direction.'

Severus raised an eyebrow. 'The pages the book shows its current owner will hold whatever the book thinks the reader needs, which in your case was the Testimonium Amoris.

Hermione was puzzled. 'But I still don't understand why that potion.'

'The answer to that question is between you and the book. In ancient times this potion was often used by young women to test if their suitors were really in love with them or simply after their family's wealth. As you are aware, the potion will only work if the drinker already reciprocates the affection of the giver, otherwise nothing will happen, hence its name. Though usually its effects are not that intense.'

This time Hermione felt that she was definitely blushing.

'So, now you know,' Severus said.

'Now I know.' She looked at Severus who averted his gaze and suddenly seemed to find his empty coffee cup very interesting.

Hermione sighed. He probably felt hurt and betrayed, and she couldn't really blame him. Without the potion would he have ever let her know how he felt about her?

'Severus...'

'No. Let's leave it at that.' With that he stood up and left.

Hermione stared after him, shocked by the stricken look on his face.

Then she remembered the things Harry had told her. How Severus a long time ago had been in love with his mum. Harry hadn't said much else, but Hermione had gathered that it hadn't ended well. She also had the sneaking suspicion Lily hadn't been quite the saint a lot of people made her out to be, though that was something she would never tell Harry. She buried her face in her arms. What had she done?

She sat for a while before she went in search of Severus. She had no idea where to look so she went to the first place that came to her mind. When she opened the door to the library, she was glad to find him in his usual spot.

'Severus?' She walked slowly over to the table, coming to stand next to him.

'I am working.' He didn't even look up from his book.

Hermione squinted at the title of the book. 'No, you are not. This is a book on the care of owls for Merlin's sake. Unless you are looking for a new profession, I'd say you are prevaricating.'

Severus snapped the book shut. 'Right, what is it then?'

Hermione simply bent forward and touched her lips to his. Apparently, she had caught him by surprise because he didn't draw back.

Hermione continued what she was doing, lightly running her tongue over his bottom lip, until he responded to her kiss. He brought his arms up around her and pulled her onto his lap. Some time later she said softly, 'Will you listen to me now?'

'It seems I don't have much of a choice.'

Hermione threaded her fingers through his black strands as she went on. 'You...that came as a bit of a surprise. A very nice surprise. And...and I asked you to stay because I wanted you there. And I don't think I want to let you go.'

In response, Severus drew her closer and kissed her again...and again.

They remained lost in each other's kiss until Severus's fingers found their way inside Hermione's robes. Hearing her appreciative little whimper, he proceeded to open them. He looked for a long time at the scar on her neck until Hermione was becoming uncomfortable under his scrutinising gaze. To distract him, she began on his countless buttons until she could reach his neck where she inspected his scar now. Bending forward, she kissed the whole length of it and then went on to devote similar attention to the other parts of him she uncovered. Severus, meanwhile, had shifted his concentration from her neck to her breasts much to Hermione's appreciation. He bared them and stroked the sensitive nipples with his thumb, causing Hermione to gasp and rock against him.

Their tender exploration of each other quickly turned into urgent need that had them lose most of their clothes in the process. Severus set Hermione on her feet and stood up as well, nudging her toward the table. They embraced again, and Severus pushed her gently backward until she lay with her back on the table. Hermione eagerly reached out for him, wanting to feel his hands and his mouth on her again. His lean body was hot to her touch as she felt him on top of her. He kissed her again while his erection nudged at her entrance. She willingly opened her legs further, welcoming his length inside of her. Severus moaned into her neck and started to thrust forward. Hermione stroked her hands along his back. Meeting his thrusts, she kissed him passionately, bringing them both ever closer until they tumbled into a world of sensation, colour, and light.

They lay calmly for a while, content in each other's embrace until they scrambled off the table and made it over to the little couch in the corner.

Hermione lay snuggled up against him, his arm around her waist. 'Lucius and you...' She let her question trail out.

'We are friends.'

That was not what it had looked like last night. 'And lovers?'

'Yes...does it bother you?'

She remembered what she had seen last night, and a familiar tingle spread out from her lower stomach. 'No. Do you think you could find room for me as well?'

'It seems we already did.' Severus chuckled softly into her ear. At the unfamiliar sound, Hermione looked up at him. It was a very nice sound, but there was something else she wanted to know.

Severus sighed. 'I can see another question in your ever inquisitive mind. So, why don't you just ask?'

Hermione hesitated. Snuggling a bit closer to Severus she asked, 'Does it... does it turn you on? Seeing Lucius and I, you know.'

Severus said softly. 'Yes, it does. You two look very enticing together.'

She smiled at the images his sentence invoked. 'I like seeing you with him as well.'

In response Severus pulled her even closer to him and just kept holding her. It was nice, just lying in his warm embrace, Hermione thought as she dozed off.

When she opened her eyes again, it was a welcome sight to find Severus smiling at her, but something else kept nagging at her mind. 'Do you think he's very angry?'

Severus started to play with her curls as he answered. 'It's hard to say with Lucius. He obviously enjoyed last night, and what you did is just the kind of thing he would appreciate, but seeing that he was on the receiving end of it, he might be a tad miffed.'

Hermione sighed. 'Right, I think I better go and find him.'

~*~

Hermione found Lucius in his study when she tentatively knocked at the door.

'Good morning, Miss Granger, did you rest well?' Lucius looked up from the papers on his desk.

'Yes, thank you and thanks for the towels and everything.'

'My pleasure,' he said returning his attention to the parchment in front of him.

'Are you angry with me?' Hermione blurted out. Admittedly not the most subtle approach, but she just wanted to get this over with and the whole mess sorted out.

Lucius's eyebrows went ever so slightly upward. 'No, Miss Granger. It was very entertaining, and you showed an admirable cunning. It also reminded me to be more wary of my guests in the future.'

Entertaining. Hermione stared at him, trying to blend out the memory of what was under those impeccable robes. It didn't work. If anyone asked, she would say that and his smooth, polished, calm demeanour were responsible for what she did next.

She pulled out her wand, aimed it at the paper bin in the corner, and watched with satisfaction as it exploded. Having Lucius's full attention now, she leant over his desk, shoved her wand under his chin and yelled, 'You are the most infuriating, arrogant bastard I've ever met, and frankly, I have no idea why I even like you!'

She saw Lucius's hand twitch in the direction of his own wand for a second before he thought better of it and said, 'Now, let's not overreact. Why don't we talk about this calmly?'

Hermione didn't move her wand. 'Go on, then. I am listening.'

'I'd prefer not to talk at wandpoint. Why don't we do this over a nice cup of tea?'

Hermione ever so slowly lowered her wand but kept it in her hand. 'All right.'

Lucius relaxed visibly. 'On second thought, let's make it a cup of coffee. And you are not handling it.'

'Coffee's fine with me.'

Lucius ordered the coffee from another elf, and they settled down on the couch.

'Dosing someone with a lust potion is a strange way of showing your affection,' Lucius said.

'I thought you'd never notice me anyway because I am Muggle-born.'

'It would be very hard not to notice you, and besides, I have found that all this emphasis on blood is overrated. Just look at the people running the Ministry now, all pure-bloods and incompetent fools.'

Hermione edged a bit closer to him. 'It wasn't that kind of potion. I used a spiced up version of the Testimonium Amoris.'

Now Lucius looked at her, his silver eyes warm with interest and something else. 'That is a very rare potion. It's usually only used to determine if one's affection is reciprocated.'

'That's why I used it.'

An arm found its way around her shoulders. 'I see. And how does Severus fit into this?'

'I hadn't planned that, but I am very glad it turned out that way.'

'As am I.' With that, Lucius drew her into a kiss.

Hermione enjoyed the feeling of his lips on hers, but there was still something on her mind. 'And while we are at it, do something about the way you treat your elves. It's abominable.'

His reconciliation kiss so rudely interrupted, Lucius stared at her. 'The way I treat my elves?'

'Yes, don't you see how afraid they always are.'

Now Lucius started to smile. 'Much as I'd like to take credit for that, it's not me they fear, at least no more than they ought to. It's you.'

'Me?'

Lucius was smirking now. 'You see, your reputation precedes you. They are afraid you might present them with clothes.'

'But that was years ago.' Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing.

'House-elves have long memories. Mine, on the other hand, is woefully short when it comes to certain things, so I would appreciate it if you could help me to refresh it.' Lucius pulled her close to him again and pressed his mouth on hers, more insistently this time. They spent a pleasant morning as their bodies remembered each other.

~*~

A few weeks later, Hermione was sifting through the things that had piled up on the desk in her office to determine what needed her attention and what could wait when a bright orange memo landed flapping on a stack of parchments. Whoever had thought up that obnoxious colour coding of the memos, choosing orange for those of the highest priority, deserved to live with an excess of that colour for the rest of their life in her opinion. On the other hand, seeing who ruled the Ministry now, they probably already did. The memo let her know that she was to report to Undersecretary Percy Weasley at once.

Percy resided on the fifth floor. The plaque on his door read "Percy Weasley, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister; Head of the Department of International Cooperation." It was well-lighted and about four times as large as the drab little cubicle Hermione shared with Susan.

'Ah, Miss Granger, thank you for coming. Do take a seat. I am afraid I have rather bad news for you.'

At his words, Hermione felt a tight little ball curl up and start to bounce around in her stomach.

Percy continued. 'Due to the upcoming elections, we will be in need of all employees at the Ministry, therefore I am sorry to inform you we will have to terminate your leave.'

The ball in her stomach was growing. 'I understand. When?'

'As of today. We expect you back here on Monday. We also feel that your abilities would qualify you better for another department. Please report to Mr Macmillan at Broom Regulatory Control at nine a.m. on Monday morning. That is all. Thank you, Miss Granger.'

She felt completely numb as she went back to her office. The ball in her stomach had turned into lead that was slowly sinking down.

~*~

Testimonium Amoris ... Proof of Love