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It was well after midnight when Hermione entered the darkened London apartment she shared with Harry. She laid her keys on the sturdy walnut table that sat near the television and made her way to the chocolate-brown leather couch. As she sat down, she felt something much firmer than the cushions...there was someone asleep on the couch. It had to be either Harry or Ron, but it was difficult to tell which one in the heavily shadowed room.

'Who's there?' Harry asked groggily as he slowly sat up and flicked on a light.

'It's only me, Harry. Go back to sleep,' she said and flopped down in an overstuffed matching chair, propping her feet up on the scrubbed wood apothecary table.

'Nah... I'm awake now. So, what happened to you this weekend? You left suddenly, not even taking the time to pack or leave a note. Ron and I were worried something happened to you. We thought you had been...'

'What, you thought I had been kidnapped? Like I would let that happen. C'mon, Moody taught us better, remember? "Constant Vigilance." I'm too much of a fighter to let someone do significant damage to me.' Hermione grinned and glanced over at Harry, who was looking at her sceptically. Attempting a change of subject, she asked, 'Where's Ron?'

'Why do I get the feeling you're not telling me something? You didn't answer my question, Hermione. If something didn't happen to you, where in the hell did you disappear to for so long?'

'I went... er... to see a few old friends.' Smooth Hermione thought. Great, he's not going to believe me now.

Harry saw a sudden but brief scowl cross his friend's face and wondered what had caused the expression. Surely it wasn't aimed at him because he hadn't done anything yet.

'Let me get this straight; you went to see old friends over the weekend without packing so much as a toothbrush? That doesn't sound like you, Hermione. You always plan things in advance. Take our camping trip for example, you packed everything but the kitchen sink. You're always prepared.'

Hermione grinned. 'Well, I received the invitation at the last minute, and I didn't have time to pack.' This was partially true, so she didn't feel too bad for lying.

'Something tells me you're not being honest with me, but since I'm not your keeper, I can't force you to tell me anything. I just wish you would.'

'There's nothing more to tell, really.' Hermione took in Harry's face: he was frowning slightly, his eyes looked sad and doubtful, and she could feel the disappointment drifting off of him in waves. She felt bad for lying to him, but she had made a promise to Lucius. Lucius had saved her life when he didn't have to. She was afraid that Harry would get angry and go after Lucius before she had the chance to fully explain the situation.

She and Harry sat in companionable silence for several minutes.

Hermione was the first to break the silence. 'If there's nothing else you want to chat about, I'd like to go to bed. It's been a long weekend, and I'm exhausted.'

'It's okay. You go on to bed, and I'll see you in the morning.' Harry rose from his position on the couch and went to hug Hermione. As he embraced her tightly, he whispered in her ear, 'If there's anything you need, I'll be here for you. Anything at all, Hermione.

'I know you will because you're a good friend, Harry...the best. G'night.'

With that said, they broke their embrace and walked to their separate rooms.

Hermione shut the door to her room and leaned against the cool wood, sighing and closing her eyes briefly. It had indeed been a long weekend, and she was glad it was finally over. She never thought she would so look forward to a Monday in her life.

***

More than a month had passed since her kidnapping, and Hermione had settled back into her life, though she always kept a wary eye out whenever she went out alone. Although she had recovered from what had happened, it had made her more aware of her surroundings.

One sunny morning as she was sitting at her escritoire, a large eagle owl tapped its claw on the tiny, dirty window to her room. She let it in and it dropped a letter with the Malfoy crest on the back of the envelope.

Opening the missive, she began to read the minuscule brush script.

Hermione,

Lucius Malfoy

Hermione reached for a quill and heard Erebus hoot at her as she hastily wrote her reply. When she was finished, she tied the scroll to its leg; the owl hooted at her once more as if to say "It's about damn time" and then flew off.

***

Later on in the early evening, Hermione finished getting ready and Apparated to the front gates of Malfoy manor in Wiltshire. She opened the heavy wrought iron gate and was greeted by Indian Blue peacocks and Green peafowls which came up to her.

'Well, look at you. Aren't you gorgeous!' As she spoke, she lightly stroked the green and gold plumage of one peacock.

Lucius strode up to her, and all but one bird scattered away from them. 'Yes, I am gorgeous, Hermione. I can't help but notice the way you're admiring and stroking my cock. Do you like him?' he teased and smirked at her.

Hermione could feel the blush stain her cheeks as she looked at him. Feeling a tingle rise in the pit of her stomach, she thought he was a sight to behold with his white-blond locks bound loosely at his neck and the black silk of his shirt lightly clinging to his chest. His trousers cupped him in all the right places, showing off his well-toned physique.

'Er...' Hermione paused, trying to find a way not to embarrass herself.

'Short on words, Hermione? And here I thought you always had something to say.'

Hermione knew pursuing this topic of conversation was dangerous, so she tried to change the subject by asking about Severus. 'I thought Severus would be joining us tonight. Where is he?'

'Ah, the fine art of evasion,' Lucius chuckled and moved forward, gesturing toward the garden.

Severus chose that moment to emerge from his place in the garden. 'You asked about me, pet? I'm right here, of course. Where else would I be?' He tilted his head toward her and let his eyes linger on her pink, pouty mouth before gazing at her generous curves accentuated by a violet satin dress. He felt a warm tingle travel down his spine and directly to his cock as he thought about removing her dress and taking her from behind.

'How did you know I asked about you? You weren't within earshot of the conversation.'

'Or wasn't I? You forget, I am aware of everything that occurs in my vicinity.'

Skirting over the awkward moment between his two companions, Lucius said, 'Now that you both have arrived, shall we have dinner? I'm starving.'

Hermione saw Lucius dart his tongue across his lips, and she got the distinct feeling he wasn't referring to actual food. The hint of heat behind his icy grey eyes as he looked at her revealed his true desires. She wondered if he was thinking about pushing her to the ground and having her unbutton his trousers. Then, once his trousers were at his feet, if he would take his thick shaft in hand, and guide it inside of her mouth. She faintly smiled as they walked inside the manor.

Dinner was a casual but sumptuous affair spent with glances that lasted just a little too long between Lucius and Hermione, and scorching touches of fingertips on hands as each passed food around the candle-adorned dining table.

Severus merely sat back and watched the flirtatious way Hermione toyed with her honey-coloured tresses, trapping a long tendril between her thumb and forefinger, then twisting and releasing it. Lucius kept looking at her heatedly and trying to covertly ogle her sweet breasts. He could tell that Lucius would devour her right on the table if he thought he could get away with it.

As the evening wore on, he toyed with the idea of introducing Lucius to one of his and Hermione's games. Judging from the current tableau, neither of them would mind very much; in fact, it would probably go over very well.

***

Around eleven o'clock, right before Hermione left for the night, Lucius invited her back for dinner the following weekend, and she graciously accepted.

'I'm glad you could join us tonight, Hermione. It was a true pleasure,' Lucius said and kissed her knuckles, making sure to brush his tongue across her supple skin in an effort to have just one small taste.

Severus watched Hermione flush prettily at Lucius' gesture. She probably thought Lucius meant well, but he knew otherwise. He knew what Lucius was after.

As Hermione disappeared for the night, Lucius invited Severus to stay for something stronger than the Pinot Noir they'd had with dinner.

'Have a glass of absinthe with me, old friend,' Lucius said as he crossed to his liquor cabinet and withdrew two highball glasses, a miniature silver container, spoons, and a crystal decanter of absinthe.

He poured them each a measure of the golden liquid and set the rest of the things they needed on the table before them.

Severus took a sugar cube from the ornate silver container, placed it on his spoon, and said a spell to melt the sugar into his drink. Once the right amount of sugar was in his absinthe, he lifted the glass to his lips and savoured the flavour of aniseed and wormwood as it slid smoothly down his throat and pooled in his stomach. It had been too long since he had danced with the green faery.

'So, you want Hermione,' Severus said to Lucius as he set his empty highball glass on the table.

Lucius nearly choked on his drink. 'What? Where did that come from, Severus?'

'Hmm. You can drop the act, old man. I know you want her; it's obvious from the way you kept staring at her tits at dinner, and then earlier with the comment about your cock. You used to be so subtle. I think you're getting lazy in your old age.'

'Old, who are you calling old? Surely you can't mean me? I'm only in my forties,' Lucius said in mock contempt.

Severus curled his lip. 'Just admit that you want her. I won't be offended.'

'Fine, I'm attracted to her, and yes, I'd like nothing more than to fuck her senseless. But I won't do anything since you and she are together.'

'Oh, that's big of you. So now you're being honourable? What did you do, get a personality transplant, Lucius?'

'You wound me.' Lucius slapped his hand to his chest.

'Ever the drama queen, eh? So, you wouldn't act on your desires even if asked?'

Lucius shook his head because he thought he misheard Severus. 'What exactly are you saying? Spell it out for me so I don't misunderstand.'

'What if she or I were to invite you to join us? Would you?'

'I think you're up to something, Severus. Why don't you stop playing the "what if" game, and just come out with it. Be honest.' Lucius sat forward on the couch and looked at Severus.

'Fine, then. I want you to join us for one of our sessions. You want her, and it's apparent she wants you, too, so why not indulge?'

'That would be acceptable. When would you like this to happen? And how should we go about it?' Lucius clasped his hands together in his lap.

'You act as though you've never had a threesome before, and we both know you have. You aren't exactly innocent. I was thinking about next weekend since you already extended an invitation for then. I also thought we could make use of your dungeon and the element of surprise. The less she knows or expects, the better this will be.'

Lucius breathed in deeply and began to formulate a plan of what exactly he wanted to do to Hermione in his dungeon.

A/N: Thanks to kittylefish whose beta powers are like those of a superhero.