Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I make no money here.

AN: Many thanks go to my betas, Talesofsnape and Shiv5468, who both answered my plea for a beta so I could post to the lm_hgficxchange at Livejournal. Thanks to Tales for the lovely banner. And extra thanks to Clairvoyant for polishing up the final version.

Hermione did indeed have a hard time looking Lucius in the eye for the next few days. She tried to avoid being alone in a room with him, which was extremely difficult, as he seemed to show up wherever she was. He was everywhere.

When she got up early and slipped down to make the coffee, he was sliding in behind her, brushing against her backside while reaching for the bread to make the toast.

When she thought he'd gone down to the basement to practice his dueling, she went into her study to work, only to find Lucius ensconced at her desk watching internet porn. Looking over his shoulder, Hermione couldn't help but notice that it was a threesome flick involving two men and a woman. Without meaning to, she moaned softly, feeling a blush creeping up her cheeks as she saw what was happening on the screen. Lucius turned in the chair, and upon seeing her there quickly closed the laptop, apologizing for taking up her space.

When she went upstairs late at night, thinking Lucius would already be in bed, she still managed to run into him coming out of the bathroom. The towel was slung low across his hips, his hair still damp from his shower. Merlin! He smelled delicious. Goddamn it, the man was everywhere!

After several days, when Lucius didn't bring up that night with Severus, Hermione's awkwardness began to fade, and she was at least able to function normally around him. She really wanted another get-together with Severus to relieve the sexual tension she was feeling, but he seemed to be avoiding her calls. The bastard!

*~~*

Two weeks of having Lucius living in her house had passed quickly. They seemed no closer to finding his stalker now than when they started. Every tip had led to a dead end thus far.

After much complaining on Lucius' part about being held prisoner, the Auror team had agreed to allow him to go out into Diagon Alley. He was under close guard, of course, flanked by Harry and Draco with Ron following some distance back. Things had gone fine at first.

Hermione had entered the Alley with them but then separated herself from the group and gone about her own business with plans to meet up later for lunch at a new French restaurant, Les Sorcières Brassent. After spending a pleasurable hour in Flourish and Blotts and another thirty minutes perusing the wares at Quality Quill and Parchment, she was making her way toward the meeting point when she was overcome by a strange feeling of being watched.

Hermione was looking over her shoulder, trying to determine the source of her unease, when she heard Ron shout her name. Spinning around, she was hit by a slicing hex. Had she not turned, it would have hit her square in the chest. As it was, it barely caught her shoulder. Seconds later she was knocked to the ground by Ron as he fired Stunners down a dark alleyway.

While Ron quickly examined Hermione for injury, they heard a commotion from down the street.

"Ron," she gasped. "I was the distraction. It's Lucius they're after. I'm fine, really. Go help them."

Ron tore off down the street as Hermione pulled herself to her feet. She hurried after him and sprinted forward in a panic when she saw Lucius lying on the ground with Draco crouching over him like a mother dragon guarding her pup. He turned his wand on Hermione until he realized it was her and then pulled her behind him as he scanned the street for danger.

Hermione dropped to her knees next to Lucius and quickly began casting diagnostic spells over him. The spells revealed he'd caught a Stunner, but there appeared to be no other damage. She told Draco that his father was fine and that she was going to Side Along with him through her wards and back to her house.

Before she could gather Lucius in her arms, Draco's wand was pointed directly at her heart. "Before I let you Disapparate out of here with my father, tell me something to convince me you really are Hermione Granger."

Hermione huffed, but in reality she knew Draco was doing the smart thing. "You, Blaise and I spent a weekend in Venice. I brought a beautiful green evening dress but never got a chance to wear it because we didn't set foot outside the hotel room all weekend."

Draco grinned. "Thanks, Granger, I had to be sure."

"It's all right, Draco. I understand the necessity. I don't think he needs to go to Mungo's. It looks like just a strong stunner. I'll take him home; you and Ron and Harry get there as soon as you can."

Hermione held Lucius close to her and Apparated into her living room. Levitating him onto the sofa, she knelt next to him and gently brushed his hair out of his face. She stroked his cheek before she cast Rennervate. As he came to, opening his eyes and looking up at her, Hermione finally lost it. She burst into tears.

Lucius wrapped his arms around the sobbing witch. "Shhhh... don't cry. It's all right. Tell me what happened. I remember hearing shouting. Potter and Draco shoved me behind them. I think I actually heard someone cast an Avada Kedavra. But I'm not sure. There were spells flying everywhere. Was anyone hurt? Is Draco all right?"

"Just you. You were hit by a strong Stunner. But when I saw you lying there... I thought... I thought they'd finally succeeded. Oh, Lucius, I thought you were dead."

"And would that have bothered you? At least then you would have got me out of your house," he teased.

Hermione drew back and thumped him hard on the chest. "Oh you... you... you infuriating man!"

As she struggled to get to her feet and escape, he wrapped his hands around her elbows and pulled her forward onto his chest again. "Oh, no, witch, you aren't getting away from me that easily," he declared as his lips closed over hers. He kissed her lightly at first, then deepened the kiss. As his hands slid up her arms, she winced, and when he pulled away he saw blood on his hand. "Hermione, you're bleeding."

"Oh, it's just a scratch, really," Hermione explained. "They used me as a diversion. I think attacking me was supposed to pull them all away from you, leaving you alone like a sitting duck. But Ron shouted to warn me. Good thing, too, or that slicing hex would have hit me square on instead of just glancing off my shoulder."

Lucius shoved her back, looking from the blood on his hand to her shoulder. He looked absolutely furious. He pulled off her jacket to reveal her shirt beneath soaked with blood from shoulder to wrist. Taking the material of her shirt in his hands, he ripped it away to expose her wound. The very fact that he didn't use magic was very telling to Hermione as to how upset he actually was.

It was a bit more than the scratch she had called it: a clean cut through the meaty part of her upper arm about three inches below the shoulder. It was deeper than she'd thought at first, but still, it could have been so much worse if she hadn't turned away. When she explained that to Lucius again, instead of reassuring him, it only seemed to make him more livid.

"You could have died. Died! And it would have been my fault."

"Your fault? What on earth are you on about? You didn't throw this hex at me. Some maniac did."

"Because of me, you stupid, stupid girl, because of me!"

"Don't call me stupid! And I'm not a girl either. I'm a full grown witch, and I can take care of myself, thank you very much."

"I can no longer stay here. I am putting you in danger."

"Listen you stubborn man, that's why you were in the first place because you were in danger. Did you just realize that? You're safer here than just about anywhere."

That was how Harry, Ron and Draco found them–standing nose to nose, shouting at each other, Hermione's blood dripping down her arm and soaking into the carpet–when they Portkeyed into the room. Turning to look at the three Aurors, Hermione suddenly felt the whole room begin to spin. Clutching at Lucius with her good hand, she crumpled, but he managed to catch her before she could hit the floor.

*~~*

Hermione woke up in her own bed. The room was dim and she was thirsty. She was trying to sit up when she noticed a dark shape in the chair next to her bed.

"Severus?"

He gently pushed her back down onto her pillows. "Lie down, witch. You aren't going anywhere for awhile."

"I'm thirsty," she rasped.

Severus poured her a glass from the pitcher beside the bed and held it to her lips as he supported her shoulders.

"Thanks. But why are you here? Not that I'm not happy to see you, you understand."

"Lucius insisted I come and bring some Blood-Replenishing Potion from my personal stores. It seems for some reason he didn't trust the Auror department to supply adequate potions." Severus gently slid his hand over hers and twined their fingers together. "You gave everyone quite a scare there, love."

"Sorry, I guess I'd lost more blood than I'd realized. I was more worried about Lucius at the time. He was lying there on the street in Diagon Alley with Draco hovering over him. I thought that maniac had succeeded at last. Oh, Severus, I was so scared."

"I know, but he's fine and so are you."

"He was talking about leaving, insisting he'd put me in danger by being here. That's so stupid. No one even knows he's here. He's safer here than anywhere else."

"Yes, I think they have managed to coerce him into staying. I believe Harry may have convinced him that you need someone to keep an eye on you, and Lucius has been volunteered. So, for the time being it appears that you are more or less confined to the house. But it will keep Lucius here as well."

"If that's what it takes, I'm fine with that," Hermione replied, her eyes drifting shut, suddenly too heavy to hold open. "Severus, you bastard, did you slip a Sleeping Draught into my glass of water?" she mumbled.

Bending down, he brushed a thumb across her lips as he dropped a kiss onto her forehead and whispered, "Perhaps I did, love. You really must beware of us Slytherins. We're a tricky lot, you know."

Damn you, she thought as she drifted off.

*~~*

When Hermione awoke again it was the very early morning, not even dawn yet. Severus was gone, and Lucius was dozing in the chair at her bedside. He had on his silky dressing gown, and she had the absurd urge to reach out and tug on the belt. He smiled at her when he opened his eyes and saw her watching him. She smiled back.

"Feeling better this morning?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine really. It was just a cut. It was worse than I thought at first, but I'm fine, honest."

"I shudder to think what could have happened if you'd been struck full on with that hex..."

"Lucius, I'm fine. Don't dwell on it. Okay?" Reaching out, she took his hand in hers. "Will you do something for me?"

"Anything. What do you need?"

"I just need... I... Will you hold me? Please, just hold me."

Slipping off his slippers as Hermione pulled back the covers, Lucius slid in beside her and gathered her close. She rested her head on his shoulder as he enfolded her in his embrace, and she knew beyond any doubt that things had changed between them.

*~~*

When she woke again it was eight o'clock, and she was alone in the bed. Lucius had held her until she'd fallen back asleep, and nothing else had happened. Hermione wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed.

Feeling refreshed, she dressed and headed downstairs to find a fresh pot of coffee brewed and Lucius sitting at the table reading the Daily Prophet. Seeing her pouring coffee, he popped two slices of bread into the toaster and pushed the lever.

Hermione sat at the table, and they looked at each other awkwardly for a few seconds before they each tried to speak at the same time.

"Hermione..."

"Lucius..."

"I'm sorry, ladies first," said Lucius.

Hermione wished he weren't so damned polite. "Very well then. Yesterday, seeing you there lying in the street, thinking you'd been killed, I realized that somehow, Lucius, I've come to care for you. Three weeks ago, if someone had told me that this would be the case, I would have laughed in their face and told them they belonged in the Janus Thickey Ward at Mungo's."

Lucius smiled and replied, "I concur, my dear. I'm attracted to you, although I would not have admitted it myself. But when I saw your blood on my hand and realized that had you not turned away when you did, you could easily have died..." He reached across the table, laying his hand over hers. "Hermione, I do not want to hide my feelings for you any longer. I feared rejection because of my age, my background, and who I am. But after yesterday, I feel we must speak plainly to one another."

Hermione turned her hand over and clasped Lucius' hand in her own. "Very well then, we have much to discuss. There are certain things you must be aware of before we can even think of proceeding."

Hermione swallowed, finding the discussion difficult. "Embarrassingly enough, you saw me with Severus, so you are obviously aware of our relationship. And I know he talked to you afterward, so you know of our history. I'm twenty-nine, not a blushing virgin. Obviously, I've been with other men."

"Hermione, your past does not concern me. I'm sure we both have a history, so to speak."

"You're right Lucius, but this is important, and I want to be up front with you. You do need to know at least this part of my past. Draco and I had an affair that lasted for several months. I know that he never told you about us. His reasons are his own. But I couldn't even think of pursuing any kind of relationship without revealing that to you. I wouldn't want you to find out later and think I was hiding it from you. We chose to break up, but have managed to remain friends. However, not friends in the same sense that Severus and I have remained friends. Just so you know, I haven't been with Draco since last autumn, nearly a year ago. If this changes your feelings about me, I will, of course, understand."

Lucius was silent for several minutes, and assuming the worst, Hermione tried to pull her hand away from his. Lucius tightened his hold and looked into her eyes. "I was not aware of your relationship with my son at the time. However, Severus inadvertently revealed it to me the other night. I will tell you what I told him: you and Draco both seem to have moved on. I am fine with it." He smiled softly. "In my opinion it shows what good taste my son has. Nevertheless, it is his loss that he did not work harder to keep you when he had you, my dear. Draco's loss is my gain."

"The break up was mutual. In our romantic relationship... there were issues... things we couldn't seem to overcome," Hermione said as she walked over to the pot to refill her coffee cup.

"These... issues... Did they involve Mr. Zabini?"

She whirled to face him. Unsure of his reaction, she leaned back against the counter and studied him closely. "Damnation, just how much did Severus tell you?"

He stepped closer to her. "Everything," he answered.

Her throat tightened and she swallowed hard before asking, "And are you appalled by my past, my preferences? Scandalized? Disgusted?"

Suddenly, he was encroaching on her personal space, so close she could feel the heat of him. It made her heart pound, her breath coming in short, desperate pants. His hand came up to cup her cheek. His gaze traveled over her face, dropping down to her mouth. The tip of his tongue moistened his lips. Then his eyes rose and locked with hers. Just before his lips claimed hers, he breathed, "Intrigued."

tbc