Chapitre Trois

Chapitre Trois

Waiting patiently in the head of a perfectly replicated horntail, Severus watched the lights of Paris play across the sky while he stood at the window. Behind him, Lucius studied the view. He remembered Paris from his youth. This Paris was, for lack of a better word, more French than the one he remembered.

At that moment, Hermione came through the door. Her figure was swathed in a red satin dress, laced tightly up the back. The garment hugged her form, accentuating every curve, emphasizing her pale skin. Her chestnut locks were pulled up in a sophisticated chignon, and her hands were encased in grand, black velvet gloves to her elbows. Standing just inside the door, she placed her hands on her hips, smiling enticingly.

Severus' eyes grew wide, but he quickly recovered, clearing his throat. "Good evening, mademoiselle," he greeted, moving closer, raising her hand to his lips.

"Is it... hot in here? Oh, just let me get more comfortable, will you? These costumes can be murder sometimes." Hermione laughed breathlessly.

Severus nodded when she turned back before slipping behind a partition on the far side of the room. Soon, the slither of satin reached his ears as Hermione hung her dress over the screen.

Sighing, Hermione reappeared adorned in black lace. "Mm, that's more comfortable, isn't it? Perfect for a poetry reading, don't you think?"

"Yes, yes, of course!"

"How about a little Ogden's or some pumpkin pasties?" Hermione offered, grabbing the bottle of amber liquid.

"Well, I was hoping we could just get it on? Er, I mean, get on with it."

"Oh, well... if that's what you want," she replied, returning the bottle to the table with a thump. Spinning around with an alluring smile, she moved to the generously stuffed bed and sat down. "Then why don't you join me over here..." She trailed off, rubbing the blanket beside her.

Running his finger around his high collar, Severus swallowed almost audibly. Lucius swallowed hard too, even though no one could see him, at the sight of this Hermione, this smoldering temptress.

"A – actually, I prefer to stand," Severus told her. Her deep brown eyes examined Severus then frowned in puzzlement.

"You see, it's quite lengthy... and at times I find it hard..." He stopped abruptly as her eyes widened, and she let out a cooing sound. "Uh, I – I mean – what I do is very contemporary, and it might feel odd at first. But I really think you'll like it."

"Then let's get started – if you like, of course." Hermione spread her arms out.

"Indeed, started, started," Severus muttered to himself.

Lucius frowned as he studied Hermione and Severus. He could plainly see they were not talking about the same thing. His lips tugged up in a smile as he was struck by the mirth of the situation. Hermione remained on the bed while Severus paced back and forth nervously, muttering to himself. Suddenly, the dark, young man spun around.

"L – like a spell, I – its tendrils a fine green..." Severus trailed off, turning back around. "Uh, uh..." His eyes scanned the room, desperate for words he was having trouble finding.

Dropping her hands against the bed, Hermione got up with a sigh of frustration. "Perhaps I can help you?" she offered.

"No, you see, sometimes it takes a moment to awaken the Muse, but..."

"Oh, I see. I'm up for a threesome if you are," Hermione told Severus, advancing like a predator hunting food.

At her comment, Lucius' eyes grew hungry as he watched the others dance around the meanings of their words. He reached out his hands, trying to touch them both, but his fingers passed right through.

"Uh, that isn't what I meant. Inspiration is..." Severus began to explain, but Hermione grabbed his coat-front and threw him on the bed.

Jumping on top of him, Hermione leaned over and ripped open his shirt. Buttons fell like gentle rain, pinging surfaces as they flew in every direction. "I think I can give you inspiration," she told him, her hands traveling to his pants and tugging them open.

Gasping, Hermione looked up at Severus. "Merlin's beard!"

Attempting to look the other way, Lucius found his eyes drawn to Severus' groin, and his eyebrows rose in surprise. Abruptly, there was a clatter against the window above, and Lucius saw Sirius hanging upside down outside. The dwarf's eyes grew big when he realized what was going on, and he quickly motioned for someone to pull him up.

"Mm, let's make love. I need your words now!" Hermione moaned, breathing hard as she pinned Severus to the bed.

"Yes, of course! You have awakened her!" Severus managed in exasperation, pushing Hermione back on the bed when he got up. "It's a little bit funny... t – this feeling inside. I – I'm not one of those who can easily hide." Severus paused when Hermione sat up, gasping for breath.

"Wha..."

"Is this acceptable?"

'Hm, oh, yes, yes! That is what I want, magic words! Your words are like magic..." She slid to the floor.

"I don't have much money, but boy if I did, I'd buy a big house where, we both could live," he continued.

"Yes, yes... moorre," Hermione begged, moaning and writhing on the floor. Running her hands across her thighs seductively, she wriggled her hips with wanton abandon.

Severus turned away, pacing to the window. "If I was a sculptor, but then again, no..." He turned back as Hermione moaned again. "Or a man who makes potions in a traveling show, I know it's not much but it's the best I can do."

"No, no! Don't stop. Oh, oh, oh, yes, yes, yes." Hermione continued to thrash about on the floor, her body bucking wildly in the seeming throes of an orgasm when she abruptly stopped at the sound of Severus' singing.

"My gift is my song and this one's for you."

Lucius looked at Severus with surprise. He had no idea the man's voice sounded like that or he had such words inside him.

"And you can tell everybody this is your song

It may be quite simple, but now that it's done,

I hope you don't mind

I hope you don't mind that I put down in words

How wonderful life is while you're in the world

I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss

Well, a few of the verses, well, they've got me quite cross

But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song

It's for people like you that keep it turned on

So excuse me forgetting but these things I do

You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue

Anyway, the thing is what I really mean

Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen"

Trailing off at the end, Severus spun Hermione around, holding her close in his arms.

Staring at Severus as his words died away, a light entered Hermione's eyes. "That was wonderful; I think I'm in love. Finally, I have found love with a young, breathtaking, song-writing duke."

"Duke?" Severus frowned. "I'm not a duke."

Frowning, Hermione pushed him away from her. "Not a duke?"

Shaking his head, Severus replied, "No, I'm a writer..."

"A writer!? No! Please tell me you are not another one of Sirius' adopted, struggling wizards?"

A worried look crossed Severus' face. "But, Sirius said..."

Turning away from him, Hermione paced agitatedly. "I don't understand. I was supposed to meet the duke..." Her words were cut off as someone knocked on the door.

Swinging the door open wide, Hermione gasped. "The duke!" she cried out and slammed the door in Horace's face. Spinning around, she covered the door with her body. "It's the duke, you have to hide. Hide!" she ground out through clenched teeth when Severus just stood there, looking shocked.

At the sound of the door opening behind her, Hermione quickly Transfigured Severus into a black ferret and shuffled him under her robe at her feet.

"Ah, my little Snidget, where have you been?" Horace queried, entering the room, the duke just behind him.

Whirling around, Hermione answered him breathlessly, "Why, I've been waiting for him. A – and practicing my rrrrrrrrrhumba." Rolling the r to cover Severus' sudden ferrety chitter, she moved forward and back, swaying her hips in a maneuver to keep the ferret beneath her robes.

Striding forward, his eyes gliding down to her swinging hips lustily, the duke extended his hand. "A kiss on the hand may be quite continental." He took her hand when she offered it, raising it to his lips.

"But diamonds are a girl's best friend," Hermione countered, looking mischievous.

"I'll just let you two get to know each other better," Horace announced, backing out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Chuckling, the duke began to move toward the table of food. "How about some refreshment, my dear? All of that dancing must have worked up an appetite."

At that moment, Severus as ferret ran from beneath Hermione's robes under the dangling tablecloth. "Oh!"

Pausing half way to his destination, startled by her abrupt exclamation, the duke looked at Hermione like she had coughed up a Phoenix. "Is something wrong?"

Running her hands seductively down her body, she turned toward him and the table. "I'm not hungry, I – I – you see, it's a little bit funny... this feeling inside. I'm not one of those who can easily hide," she told him, running her hands along his lapel.

Severus poked his head between the duke's legs, looking up at Hermione.

Seeing him, she slid down the duke's body, moaning. "Mm, I don't have much money," she told him breathlessly, "but boy if I did..." She grabbed Severus and shoved him toward the window, mouthing for him to go out that way, then climbed back up the duke. "I'd buy a big house where we both could live."

Lust filled the duke's eyes as he looked down at Hermione when she began to sing.

"I hope you don't mind

I hope you don't mind that I put down in words

How wonderful life is now you're in the world."

A light shone from the duke's eyes. "That song is very beautiful..."

"It's from Magnificent Magnificent," Hermione whispered. Her gaze graced the floor and spotted Severus the ferret heading back toward the duke. Abruptly, she grabbed his coat and pulled him down onto the bed. "Let's make love!"

"What?"

"Oh, you are such a virile man. So... poignant, so..." Hermione grasped for words as she pulled the duke to her bosom and searched for Severus over his shoulder. Waving her arm, she mouthed for him to go out the window while she distracted the duke.

"You want me, don't you?" she asked, looking back at him after ensuring Severus was heading for the window.

"But, of course, my dear."

"Oh, Duke," she breathed, showering him with kisses. She pulled his head back to her breasts to check Severus' progress. Her eyes widened when she saw Severus rise up on two legs, watching their lovemaking.

"My dear..."

"Actually... we s – should wait."

"Wait?"

"Yes, you are absolutely right! We should wait until opening night to make love," Hermione told the duke, convincing him it was his idea while keeping his eyes on her and away from Severus.

"I am?"

"Oh, yes!" she exclaimed, shuffling off the bed and dragging the duke with her. "I agree. We should wait. I mean, we will see each other often enough with rehearsals. Now, out you get. Goodbye." Hermione practically threw him out the door.

Turning around quickly, wand in hand, Hermione changed Severus back into his true form. "Do you have any idea what he would do to you if... he... found..." Hermione began gasping for air and fell forward as her eyes rolled up in her head.

Jumping up from his position on all fours, Severus managed to catch her before she hit the floor. Shaking her gently, he murmured, "Hermione? Hermione?"

Hermione hung in his arms, and he shifted, looking around the room. Spotting the bed, he shuffled over to it and laid her down gently. Straddling her, he softly caressed her face, attempting to wake her. At that moment, the door swung open, and the duke walked in.

"I apologize, my dear, but I seem to have forgotten my ca..." he began, pausing as his gaze fell on Severus lying on top of Hermione.

Hermione regained consciousness, instantly recognizing him. "Oh, Duke!"

"It's a little bit funny... this feeling inside!" he bellowed, his face flushing with anger.

"You remember the lines, how wonderful?" Hermione wheezed, struggling to sit up, but Severus was still on top of her. "Let me present the writer." She reached up, turning Severus' face toward the duke.

"The writer?"

"Yes, w – we were... just rehearsing a scene from the play." Hermione and Severus moved quickly to the edge of the bed.

Pulling his wand from his pocket, the duke advanced on them, forcing them off the bed and toward the window. "Am I to believe that you are rehearsing a show, in the middle of the night, indecently dressed, in the arms of another man, inside a dragon?"

"Did the spell wowk fow the wehearsal?" Sirius called out as he stepped from behind the curtain by the window with a drink in his hand. "Oh, look! We have a guest fow the wehearsal!" he informed, turning toward Harry, Neville and Remus who emerged from behind the drapery as well.

"Go' day, mate!" Harry saluted as he walked by the duke to the piano.

"Your Excellency." Remus nodded, proceeding past Severus and Hermione, wand in hand. He was casting his Patronus, its white shape a whisper in the air, over and over.

"He has talent, you know. He really does," Neville told the duke, leaning into him when he backed away. When the duke didn't respond, Neville shrugged and made his way to the piano by Harry.

As the crew charged past him, the duke stood rooted to his spot, dumbfounded. Hermione and Severus also looked confused at first, but then an air of knowing replaced it, and they nodded as Sirius and the others passed them.

The duke found his bearings and closed in on Hermione once more. "If this is a rehearsal, where is Slughorn? Surely he would be here, too." He looked at her with a self-satisfied smirk.

With a crash, the door banged open, admitting Horace to the room. "Duke!?"

Moving forward, blocking the duke's view of her face, Hermione smiled at Slughorn. "Horace," she greeted breathlessly, "how lovely you have finally joined us. Now we can really get started with the rehearsal."

"Rehearsal?" Horace frowned, then a smile lit his face. "Ah, yes, the rehearsal! I wouldn't miss it for the world, my girl. When I saw the work that Percy..."

"Y – you mean the work that Severus..." Hermione began, eyeing Horace piercingly.

"Yes, of course I mean Severus! Slip of the tongue, you know, ha, ha," Slughorn chattered nervously, watching the duke's reaction.

Raising one eyebrow, the duke sniffed derisively and crossed his arms in front of him. "Rehearsal, you say? Well, if I am to invest in this... show... then what is your story? Don't you think I should know the story in order to truly invest?"

"The story?" Horace laced his fingers together and rocked on the balls of his feet. "Of course, Siriu..." Hermione cut him off.

"Severus, you mean. Severus, tell the duke about the story."

Standing silently in the center of the room, looking self-conscious, Severus glanced around as all eyes fell on him. "W – well..."

"It's a stowy about twue love!" Sirius announced, raising his hands and tucking them beneath his chin sweetly.

"Love?" the duke questioned with surprise.

"Yes! And it's set in Newfinland! Ha, ha," Sirius continued excitedly.

Half the faces in the room frowned and echoed, "Newfinland?"

"Uh, h – he means Scotland!" Severus chimed in quickly.

"Scotland," the duke repeated with a considering expression. "So tell me the story. If you want me to invest, I need to know the story."

"You see... there is an evil sorcerer who casts a spell on a beautiful courtesan – the most beautiful courtesan in the land. And in order to break the spell, the courtesan must lure the evil wizard into a web of seduction," Severus informed, looking directly at Lucius' likeness. The other man frowned in concern at the implication. Abruptly spreading his arms wide, building the suspense, Severus went on, "But on the night of the deception, she mistakes the sorcerer's song-writing..." he breaks off, looking around the room for inspiration. Spotting a Potions apparatus, he grabs a vial from the set and swivels around, his face newly concentrated on his tale. "...Potion maker for her target and falls desperately in love with him."

"You see, the Potion maker had just perfected the Polyjuice potion the evil sorcerer had requested from him to fulfill his evil plan to take over the world. The Potion maker was only testing it; he was not trying to deceive her at all," Severus finished, his eyes softening as he looked at Hermione.

Running forward, Neville snatched the vial from Severus' hand, wielding it like a sword. "I will play the tango-dancing, song-writing, Potion maker! I can dance like no other, even without Felix Felicis!" he said forcefully.

"Yes, well, what happens next?" the duke inquired, intrigued.

"The song-writing, Potion maker and the courtesan must hide their love from the evil sorcerer, or he would surely cast Avada Kedavra on them," Severus explained, and the duke nodded.

"Oh! And the potion vial contains Veritaserum..." Harry added, but was cut off by Sirius.

"Ah, it is a magical potion vial of Vewitaserum, and it only speaks the twuth. I will play the magical potion vial. Bubble, bubble, toil and twouble... you are beautiful," he announced, facing Hermione. "Bubble, bubble, toil and twouble... you are ugly," he continued, turning to face Horace. "Bubble, bubble, toil and twouble... you are..." Sirius was stopped from making his pronouncement by the others as he faced the duke.

"I see... the truth serum gives the ruse away," the duke added, giving them all a smirk.

"Exactly!" Horace chimed in. Leaning toward the duke, he announced in a hushed tone, "It will be the coup de grace of shows! It is a broom-soaring, fire-breathing, lust-filled, edge-of-your-seat, wonder-filled bedazzlement! And it encompasses all the thrusting... the rapture... the beauty... the ecstasy... the sexuality... the spectacular majesty of the magical bohemian revolution!"

"What do you mean by that?" the duke asked, looking shell-shocked by Slughorn's description of the play they would produce.

Horace moved to his side and spread his hands wide. "Magnificent Magnificent... No words were ever Merlin sent... which can describe this thrilling tale, not even from beyond the veil...." He trailed off, giving a sense of mystery to his words.

As he moved to the other side, the duke's eyes followed him, and then Horace leaned over his shoulder to continue with the pitch. "Profits will mount if you invest, and Gringotts' goblins do the rest... And on top of your fee..."

Severus, Hermione, Sirius, Neville, Harry and Remus joined Horace and advanced on the duke. Together they sang, "You'll be involved artistically." Taken aback by their forward movement, the duke fell back into a chair behind him.

"So spellbinding, viewers need a breathing charm.

Mesmerizing, for years and years you'll see them swarm.

So spellbinding, viewers need a breathing charm.

Mesmerizing, for years and years you'll see them swarm."

The duke's eyes lit with curiosity as the others dispersed about the room. Severus danced with Hermione, leaned back and shouted, "Hippogriffs!"

Harry played the piano and dragged his fingers across the keys. When he stopped, he yelled, "Flicking wands!"

Wrapping himself in a rainbow afghan, Sirius announced, "Weasleys!" Then he curtsied and said, his voice laced with sensuality, "And couwtesans!"

Horace bent forward, close to the duke's face, and roared, "Pixies! And Phoenixes!"

Behind Horace, casting his Patronus, Remus chimed in mysteriously, "Veelas! Dementors!"

By the piano, Severus leaned nearer to Neville, and they sang, "Dragons! And Potionists!"

Hermione danced up behind Severus, and they added together, "Intrigue, danger and romance!"

Then, all their voices united as they converged in the center of the room and advanced toward the duke. "Flying spells, sorcery, with vast amounts of energy!"

"So spellbinding, viewers need a breathing charm.

Mesmerizing, for years and years you'll see them swarm.

So spellbinding, viewers need a breathing charm.

Mesmerizing, for years and years you'll see them swarm."

Backing away, they all continued, "Magnificent Magnificent, no words were ever Merlin sent, which can describe this thrilling tale, not even from beyond the veil."

With the sounds of snake-charming music and serpentine hand movements, they sang, "The hills are alive with the sound of music..."

"So spellbinding, viewers need a breathing charm.

Mesmerizing, for years and years you'll see them swarm.

So spellbinding, viewers need a breathing charm.

Mesmerizing, for years and years you'll see them swarm."

As their words flowed longer, all the men Levitated Hermione, and they all raised their arms in finale. But the duke leaned forward and inquired, "But what happens in the end?"

Hopping up, Severus, Harry, Horace, Sirius, Hermione, Neville and Remus ran around, Summoning items to them and bumping into each other. Flicking his wand, Severus caused the heavy, red drapes in front of the door to fall closed, concealing his comrades. Spinning on his heal, he threw up his arms, and the torches on the walls lowered. "The courtesan and Potions man..." he began, trailing off as he moved his arm, and the curtains rose, revealing Neville and Hermione in a passionate embrace. "Are pulled apart by an evil plan..."

"But in the end, she hears his song," Hermione broke in.

"And their love is just too strong," they finished together.

From his seat, the duke eyed them wearily. "It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside..."

Hermione and Severus' eyes widened, but all the bohemians jumped up and crooned the main stanza of the show.

"So spellbinding, viewers need a breathing charm.

Mesmerizing, for years and years you'll see them swarm.

So spellbinding, viewers need a breathing charm.

Mesmerizing, for years and years you'll see them swarm."

Recovering himself, Severus sang on, "The Potion maker's secret song helps them flee the evil one – though the wizard rants and rails, it is all to no avail!"

With a flash of smoke, Horace appeared in front of Hermione and Neville. "I am the dark sorcerer! You cannot escape!" Neville moved in front of Hermione, clasping her to him in a move of protection.

"Oh, excellent, Horace, I knew the part would be perfect for you!" Hermione told him excitedly. Horace grinned wide.

Sirius aimed his wand at the duke's henchman and quickly Transfigured him into a Hippogriff. He then mounted him before the man could gather his senses while everyone moved in for the finish.

"So spellbinding, we'll make them laugh, we'll make them cry!

Mesmerizing...!"

The duke cut in, "And in the end, should someone die?"

Everyone looked at each other, but didn't comment about his question. They simply seemed to avoid it altogether.

"So spellbinding, viewers need a breathing charm.

Mesmerizing, for years and years you'll see them swarm...!"

Panting heavily, the verse died from their lips, and everyone seemed to hold their breath as they waited for the duke's final verdict on whether he would invest in the show.

"Generally, I like it," he said after some consideration.

His announcement was met with cheers from the players surrounding him who all converged on him, Levitating him in the air with their joy.

When the noise died down, Horace accompanied the duke and his bodyguard to the office to discuss the details. The others took their leave from Hermione: Severus to write the show and the others to party with the girls downstairs in celebration of their new financier.

---

A/N: My sincere thanks go to ladyinthecloak for all of her hard work and help with this piece. Also, many thanks go to Sempra and OSUSprinks for their suggestions.

Songs featured in this chapter:

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend ~ Carol Channing

Your Song ~ Elton John

*Also, some featured lines are from Bah Lurman's film ~ Moulin Rouge

**The song Magnificent Magnificent is a filk of the song Spectacular Spectacular from Moulin Rouge, and the tune was derived from Galop Infernal(Can-can) by Jacques Offenbach