Chapter 3

AN: This was originally written and posted at the 2011 Lucius Big Bang fest on LJ (I post on LJ as madeleone). Many thanks to my betas: Softobsidian, who beta'd it for the fest, and Clairvoyant, who is polishing up the rough edges.

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

Within a moment, Lucius had dropped the wards and opened the door. Grabbing her arm, he jerked her inside. He immediately locked the door and reset his wards, adding a few more for good measure. Once he was satisfied, he turned back to Hermione, meaning to give her a piece of his mind.

"Hermione...," he started, but before he could say another word, she launched herself at him and clung to him like a limpet. He then realized that she was shaking badly and her breath was coming out in shuddering little sobs.

He'd been shocked and furious to find her there in his hallway, much less in the midst of a confrontation with Mordecai Jones, who was probably the biggest crime lord in Knockturn Alley. A tough thug who had been known to make wizards disappear out of mere spite, and she had called him a putrid little puke and basically threatened to kick his arse. Thanks to the gods he'd arrived when he had, or who knew what could have happened? He'd thought that she was being an arrogant Gryffindor, going up against Mordy. But he now realized, if her reactions were any indication, that she'd been terrified and trying to tough it out.

"Shhhh... it's alright now. It's okay... Shhhh, sweet baby, shhhh... It's all over now. I've got you." He soothed her, but her trembling didn't stop, and if anything, it got worse. She kept making these pitiful little whimpering noises that made his heart ache. He scooped her up and sat in the armchair, holding her in his lap. He Summoned a blanket off his bed to wrap around her. He held her there, patting her back and stroking her hair, all the while whispering words of comfort. "Shhhh... You're fine, just fine. Hold on to me... That's a good girl. Shhh... You're safe now, and I won't let anything happen."

After several minutes, her tremors began to subside. Lucius pushed her hair back and tilted her face up so he could see her eyes. With his thumb under her chin and his fingers splayed across her throat, he could feel her pulse beating erratically. "By all that's holy, what were you thinking to come down to this hellhole in the first place?"

"After the way you left, I was afraid you wouldn't come back at all. I just had to find you, to talk to you. I didn't know it would be this bad here, and I figured I could Apparate away if I needed to. I didn't realize..."

"New rule here: no one can Apparate from Knockturn. The Ministry has Anti-Apparition wards up. Only the Aurors can breach them. It makes it easier for them when they are pursuing criminals."

"Well, yes, I realize that now, but I had no idea of it coming in. By the time I figured it out, it was too late to turn back. I just hoped and prayed that you would be here when I finally found the place." She made no move to get off his lap; in fact, she snuggled closer and laid her head on his shoulder. "By the time your creepy neighbor accosted me, I was sure I was going to be raped or tortured or murdered or all of the above. It's been years since I've had to deal with something like this; I'm a librarian, for god's sake. All I could think of was that Severus used to tell me to never show your fear. People like that feed on your weaknesses, so don't reveal them. He told me once all was said and done you could have a meltdown but not during."

Lucius' arms tightened around her. "Yes, well, I think it's safe to say that Severus would have been proud of you tonight, love. Standing out in that hallway, I had no idea at all that you were frightened. Foolish, yes--to be confronting and taunting Mordecai Jones...but frightened... not a clue. Not one."

She smiled at his words, then yawned so loudly he heard her jaw crack. She nuzzled into the curve of his neck and mumbled, "I really need to talk to you, Lucius, but I'm just so knackered I can't even think straight right now... I wanted to tell you... tell you that..."

Looking down, he realized she had fallen asleep. Not surprising; terror tended to drain one. He'd been exhausted nearly every day those last two years of the war. He studied the way her long lashes lay like twin black fans against the paleness of her cheeks and noticed that, even while sleeping, she nibbled on her bottom lip, sometimes sucking it between her teeth. He lifted his wand, and with a flick, he enlarged the bed and folded back the covers. With her robes still covering her, he charmed her clothes off and one of his shirts onto her like a nightshirt. Then he spelled her robes off her as well.

Lifting her in his arms, he carried her to the bed and set her down on it. He tried to pull away, but she clung to him and whimpered in her sleep. "Don't go... Stay." So, he slipped out of his clothes and donned a pair of sleep pants, more for her modesty than his, and lay next to her, pulling the blankets up over them both. She curled into his body, snuggling as close as she could get, one leg insinuated between his, an arm thrown across his chest, holding him tightly.

Lucius slept more soundly than he had in years. At least, he did until the erotic dreams started. They played off all the 'woolgathering' fantasies he'd had since he'd started working with Hermione. He felt her hands running over him, sliding down to caress his torso, over his stomach, down to his groin, teasing all around his cock but never quite touching it. Then her fingers moved to his thighs, over and between, finally tickling and gently squeezing his balls.

In his dream, the bed shifted as she moved down, and she tugged at his waistband as she whispered, "Lift up, love." He, of course, did as she asked, and she slipped them over his hips, pulling them off. Then he felt her moving up his body, her hair dragging over his legs as she settled between them. One palm grasped the base of his cock to slide to the tip and back down as she simultaneously rolled his balls between the fingers of her other hand. He groaned aloud and muttered, "Oh, sweet Hecate! Yes!"

A second later, her mouth closed over the end, slid down as far as she could go, and sucked her way back up as her tongue teased around the tip, flicking back and forth over his glans. He very nearly levitated off the bed.

His eyes flew open and he realized in that instant this was no erotic dream but the real deal. Lucius shot to a half-sitting position, propped up on his elbows, and gazed down at the naked witch between his legs. "Hermione, what are you doing?"

She giggled and nearly choked as she pulled off briefly to answer him. "It's called fellatio, Lucius; now lay back and enjoy," she said as she reached up with one hand to shove him down onto the bed and returned to her task. She licked her way up his shaft, circled the end, probed the slit with the very tip of her tongue, taking her time to explore and play, asking him what kind of things he liked best. She finally established a rhythm, slowly sliding him nearly to the back of her throat, hollowing her cheeks and sucking as she pulled back, her tongue working him the whole time. As he got close, he became more vocal, moaning and spewing filthy words, urging her on.

His sack tightened in her fingers, and he cried, "Gods, Hermione, I'm going to..." He tried to ease her away, but she refused to be moved. "Fuck! I'm coming... Oh, my sweet girl, I'm coming!" It felt to him as if it went on forever, but in reality, it was most likely only a matter of seconds, and then his entire body went slack. Seconds later, he opened his eyes to gaze down at her, and she stared back at him with a self-satisfied look in her eyes and a saucy little grin on her face. Never taking her eyes from his, she slithered up the bed. It was true; he wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen her with his own eyes. The Gryffindor Princess actually slithered up and draped herself half across his body. Her leg lay over one of his, which put her pussy so close to his hip he could feel the heat and wetness of her against his skin. Twining one arm across his chest and the other around his neck, she pulled him close for a kiss. He could taste himself on her tongue, and he liked it. He deepened the kiss, never wanting to let her go.

A moment later, he broke the kiss, and looking up at her, he placed kisses on her forehead, her chin, both cheekbones and the very tip of her nose. "Don't even think the fact that was best blow job of my life is going to get you out of trouble for coming down here alone last night," he warned.

"It wasn't a bribe for last night, Lucius." She stopped suddenly, as if she'd just realized what he had said. "Wait... really? The best?" Her face lit up with a crooked little smile of accomplishment.

"Don't fish for compliments, darling; it's not attractive," he admonished, trying to keep the smirk off his face.

He toyed with her hair, her wild, curly, beautiful, untameable hair. His other hand explored her, from her luscious breasts down to the curve of her hips and over her arse. Although he didn't even think she was aware of it, her hips were unconsciously undulating against him, pressing her mound into the sharp curve of his hipbone, and he suddenly realized he could smell the scent of her arousal. Poor baby, she'd been so generous to him, and she was probably aching for fulfillment.

He rolled her onto her back and propped himself up on one elbow to gaze at her body. "Oh, my dear, what absolutely lovely tits you have. Do you know how long I've wondered what color your pert little nipples were?" he asked as he ran the tip of his finger over and around her nipple, watching it pucker to a tight little bud.

"Well, hopefully not since the first time I met you," she replied jokingly.

He frowned for a moment, unsure of her meaning. Then he recalled the very first time he had ever seen her, Draco's nemesis, the indomitable Hermione Granger. It had been Draco's second or third year at Hogwarts when they were buying his school books in Flourish and Blotts.

"Good Lord, woman!" he roared. "Of course not; you were a mere child then. It was the day you broke my nose when I came to apply for the job."

"That was not my fault; you startled me!" she defended.

"Well, be that as it may, it was when you were examining the back of my head for bumps. When you bent forward, I could see straight down your shirt."

"You were looking down my shirt at your job interview?"

"Not intentionally. But they were right there in front of me, and any man would have looked," Lucius protested, smiling fondly at the memory. "You wore a low cut lacy bra, and I thought for sure these little gems were going to pop right out. Bit of a disappointment when they didn't. I've wondered ever since what color they'd be."

He bent to nuzzle the tip of one breast with his mouth before finally closing his lips over it and suckling. Hermione moaned low in her throat and pushed towards him, encouraging him to continue. After several moments of worshiping her breast, Lucius pulled back for a moment, disengaging with a pop as she gave a slight whimper of disappointment. "Glad I finally got to find out for myself, though. They're even prettier than I'd imagined," he said before he continued on the other side. She sighed her approval as she twined her fingers in his hair and held him close.

As his lips continued to pay homage to her glorious breasts, his hand moved south to explore her more intimately. He found her wet and slick. She was so hot and sexy that his old todger quickly rose to the occasion, eager for another go. He slid two fingers through her slippery folds and up inside, and crooking them forward slightly, he pumped his fingers in and out while his thumb circled her clit.

Hermione moaned. "Uhhnnn... Lucius. Oh, gods... Please..."

"What do you want, sweet girl? Tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you."

"Oh, god. You. I want you, Lucius. Your cock, inside me... Please, please fuck me." Hermione was nearly sobbing in her desire.

"Yessss!" he breathed. "Take it, take what you want. Here, straddle me, ride me." She swung her leg over, and he helped her get in position, his fingers still buried in her cunt. When he pulled his fingers out, his hand was drenched with her juices. He eagerly licked at it, sucking his fingers. The sight of him cleaning her juice from his fingers made her moan again, and she grabbed his hand and sucked on his finger just like she had sucked on his cock earlier. After she'd sucked it clean, she raised up on her knees and positioned him at her entrance. He surged up at the same time that she pushed down and he was buried to the hilt. She paused there, breath held, savoring the feeling.

"Ohhh... gods... Lucius, you feel so good."

"Oh, sweet Hecate. Yes," he said. "You look simply marvelous there astride my cock. And it feels just as I'd imagined."

Hermione giggled a bit. "You imagined this too, did you?"

"Oh, lord, yes. The same day I first saw your breasts. Move a bit there for me... Oh gods, yes... just like that," he said as she raised up and dropped back onto his hard cock.

"Wait, Lucius. Are you saying you imagined this too, us together like this, doing this, on that day you came to apply to the job?"

He chuckled low in his throat, the sound gruff and sexy and just a tiny bit sinister. Hermione shuddered, and he took pride in the thought that he could affect her so. "Oh, yes. You had asked me if I would be willing to work under you, and this particular scenario immediately sprang into my mind. Me under you, but we weren't working, at least not at anything library related." His hands rose to cup her breasts, to pinch and tease her nipples. "I've imagined you like this, us together, ever since that day. But I never really expected my wish to come true."

Hermione rose and fell on his cock, moving almost in slow motion. "You have quite the naughty imagination, sir." She leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "And I'd love nothing better than to make all your wicked wishes come true, you dirty boy." She pulled back just a bit, balanced one hand on his chest as she brushed his hand away from her breast and cupped it in her own hand; presenting it to Lucius like an offering, she rubbed her nipple across his lips. "Suck it!" she ordered.

He complied, muttering, "Oh, dear Merlin, another fantasy down. Are you sure you aren't a Legilimens?" Then she was riding him hard as he sucked her breasts, first one and then the other. He ran his hands over her body, squeezing her arse and pushing her onto his cock as she urged him on with filthy words. Just when he knew he couldn't hold out even one second longer, he felt his orgasm overtake him, and Hermione cried out his name, collapsing on him with a satisfied groan.

"Oh, dear god, Malfoy. You're going to kill me," she mumbled just before she dozed off in exhaustion.

Lucius gathered her close and whispered against her hair, "I beg to differ, Granger. I think it's just the opposite. You're bringing me back to life."

~*~

Hermione didn't sleep long, and when she awoke, she had a chance to look around Lucius' flat. A quick perusal showed that the 'flat' was actually only one room and a rather small room at that. She could tell he had made the best of what there was. The bed they were lying in was a full size, but Hermione was quite sure when she had entered the room with Lucius last night it had been the size of a small love seat, so she assumed he transfigured it each night. The armchair where Lucius had held her sat next to a window that she knew was an illusion, as it looked out over a sunlit gardens rather than the alley next to the bordello. In the corner was a narrow ceiling-high book shelf, and next to it sat a lovely antique drop-down desk and matching chair. Across the room, a small drop-leaf table held a bowl of fruit, a tea set, and a packet of biscuits. Everything was neat and orderly. Hermione's heart was nearly breaking at the thought that Lucius had been freed, only to be held captive in this tiny one-room prison.

Turning her head, she realized that he was awake and watching her.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, his voice gruff and his eyes betraying his embarrassment.

She smiled gently at him and replied, "I'll tell you what I am thinking. I am thinking you have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. I am thinking that you are an amazing wizard to have created this little haven of tranquility in this cesspool of a place and to have somehow managed to keep your sanity over the last ten months. You don't deserve this, Lucius; you served the time they deemed suitable as your debt to society. I am thinking they took all your worldly goods, and even your family heritage, and they are still trying to punish you by forcing you to live in this dismal place. And I'm sure now that you were right, that they were somehow hindering you from finding a job. I'm thinking that someone at the Ministry needs to be taken to task for these petty acts of revenge, and Hermione Granger is just the witch to do it. I intend to find out who is behind this, and believe me, they won't know what hit them."

Lucius hand reached out to stroke her cheek. "You would do that for me? Why? Why would you risk your good name and reputation defending a former Death Eater? One who just a few short years ago would have liked nothing better than to see you driven from the wizarding world, who in truth would have gladly done it himself."

"No, you're right, I wouldn't do it for that man," she answered.

Lucius' hand dropped from her face, but she caught it in her hand and laced her fingers in his as she continued. "But I would do it for the Lucius Malfoy I have come to know and care for. The man who knows his world has changed and is who willing to change with it. The man who I have come to admire for his work ethic, his intelligence, his integrity, his pride, and yes, even his bloody Malfoy stubbornness. For that man, my love, I would risk everything."

Lucius leaned in to frame her face with his hands and kissed her deeply. Pulling back, he said, "I don't deserve you."

"You're probably right. But you're stuck with me," she teased.

After a few more heated kisses, Hermione pulled back to say, "As lovely as all this snogging is, I really need the loo. Please tell me I don't have to go downstairs or something."

"You're in luck," he declared. Rising from the bed, he threw open a door she had mistakenly assumed was a closet. It wasn't much bigger than one, but it did hold a toilet, a sink and a teeny, tiny shower stall. She couldn't believe Lucius could even fit his wide shoulders into the shower. There would definitely not be any joint showering going on here, but at least she could pee and have a wash.

By the time Hermione finished showering and getting dressed, Lucius had a pot of tea ready, as well as a basket of fresh croissants with strawberry jam. They were flaky and still warm. "Oh, Lucius. I hadn't realized how famished I was; these are delicious. Where did you get them?" she asked as she gobbled down a second one and seriously considered a third.

"A gift from Mordecai," he responded as he buttered a croissant.

"What?" she gasped, nearly choking on her tea.

"Believe it or not, there's a bakery over on Nightshade that makes the most delicious scones and croissants I have ever eaten. So delicate and flaky, they simply melt in your mouth." At Hermione's irritated look he continued, "Oh, don't worry, they aren't poisoned or anything. Mordy and I often share a bit of breakfast together."

"But I thought last night you said you didn't trust him," she said as she sipped her tea.

"Oh, I didn't, especially not where you were concerned. It was clear he wanted you for himself, and after the way you insulted him, I was a bit worried he might attempt some sort of retribution. But it appears that he finds you cute and your impertinence refreshing. Plus, he now believes that you are officially mine and, therefore, off limits to him. He says you will be good for me. I believe his words were something to the effect of, 'Tidbit is just what you need to put the spring back in your step, old man. She'll keep you on your toes; there's no doubt about it. A word of warning, though, since I know you're a bit out of practice; the walls are thin and a Silencing Spell wouldn't be a bad thing to remember...just for future reference.'" Lucius repeated this conversation with a huge grin on his face. "Then he offered the basket of baked goods as a gift for you. He said that after such a vigorous night, you would surely be in need of sustenance... Tidbit."

"Oh, dear Merlin!" she exclaimed, her face buried in her hands. "No Silencing Spell. The entire house must have heard us."

Lucius laughed at her reaction and helped himself to another croissant. "I find myself in need of sustenance too."

~*~

After breakfast, Hermione finally learned what had made Lucius so angry after his meeting with his MAF. It turned out that since he had started working at the library, his Ministry stipend had been rescinded. No big surprise there.

What he hadn't known was they had simply continued to confiscate his rent from his library check. But instead of just taking an amount equivalent to sixty percent of his monthly stipend, they had decided he now owed them sixty percent of his total income for rent on the tiny flat. In addition, they had even created a variety of other taxes and fees to levy against him.

When he informed them he would simply move from the flat, they produced some trumped up documents stating that as a condition of his parole he was required to live either with his sponsor or in the Ministry-supplied housing until such a time as he had managed to save the equivalent of two years rent. With the amounts they were taking from him, he would never have the amount they demanded in the bank.

Hermione was furious! If it hadn't been Saturday and the Ministry offices closed, she would have stormed down there and torn someone apart. "It is crystal clear that they are doing this on purpose, Lucius. It's just as you suspected. I'll admit, I thought in the beginning you were just being paranoid, but someone is surely out to get you. They don't intend to let you get on with your life at all."

"I agree, my dear, but what recourse do I have? It's the bloody Ministry; if I challenge them, they may revoke my parole. And I would do almost anything not to go to Azkaban, even if it means living in this dismal little place."

"Give me those papers, Lucius," she demanded sitting down to read them carefully. After a bit, she asked, "Wouldn't you even consider living with Harry? I'm sure he would let you stay there."

"With Potter?" He grimaced and shook his head. "I would rather not. I am already so far in his debt... I suppose as a last resort perhaps, but I'd really rather not."

Hermione sighed. Men...they were so difficult...putting such store in debts of honor and who owed what to whom. She continued reading. After going through the whole sheaf of papers several times, she kept coming back to one particular passage. Suddenly, she whooped, "This is it, Lucius! I've found your way out."

"What... Where?" he demanded.

"Here... It says you must live with your sponsor or in Ministry-approved housing. But this clause states that if it is a requirement of your job to live on site, that is an acceptable alternative."

"But it's not a requirement of my job," he said bluntly.

"Your two month trial contract expires next week, and although I haven't, as yet, mentioned it to you, I really do think we need someone to stay on site. We have all those valuable historical documents and such; we really need someone there, don't you think?" she asked with a sly grin on her face.

"Why, yes, I do think that is an excellent idea." Lucius smirked as he took the papers from her to read the page containing the clause. Then a frown marred his face, "But it says if I were to live on site, they will still deduct a portion for administrative expenses. You know, Hermione, they are just going to siphon off everything I earn."

"Maybe not, Lucius. Read this part up here." She pointed to another section. "In the past you, were well known for being a generous benefactor, a philanthropist, right?"

"I don't see how this is helpful. It says that I am allowed to make tax-free charitable donations. They are already stealing most of my income, so how can giving the rest away help me?"

"Because," explained Hermione with an evil grin, "you are allowed to donate the money before they deduct their fees and taxes. The Cedric Diggory Memorial Historical Research Library is set up as a trust...it runs on donations. You believe strongly in the importance of the library, Lucius, do you not? If you were to generously donate a good portion of your wages to the library, the Ministry would look foolish to object."

"Although I would gladly donate to the library, Hermione, I don't see how that helps prevent me from ending up penniless."

"As the head librarian, I am in charge of the budget for the library. If you were to accept the permanent position as the librarian's assistant, then of course it would be necessary for you to have access to certain funds. Petty cash, let's call it."

"Hermione, I can't let you do anything that could jeopardize your position. If the Ministry suspected you of diverting funds to me under the table, they could bring you up on charges. I certainly won't allow that."

"It won't be under the table or illegal, Lucius," she assured him, setting the papers aside and settling herself on his lap. "I hadn't told you this before, but I've already talked to Amos Diggory about hiring you permanently. In spite of past circumstances, he knows that you have a great desire to preserve the history of our world. He told me he was very pleased to have you on board. I'm sure if we go to him and explain the situation, with his cooperation we can make this work. Amos is no fan of the Ministry bureaucracy himself since he had to deal with it for years before he retired. He'll be on our side. I know he will."

Hermione kissed and nibbled her way up Lucius' jaw until she was sucking on his ear lobe. "So what do you say, Mr Malfoy?" she whispered in his ear. "Are you willing to accept a permanent position under me?"

"Ummmm... I think that could be arranged, as long as it was clearly understood that sometimes it would be you under me," Lucius answered, sliding a hand under her blouse.

"Oh, I can guarantee it, Lucius. In fact I absolutely insist on it," replied Hermione. She gasped as he popped the front closure of her bra, and her breasts spilled forth. He tweaked one nipple just as he suckled on her neck. "Oh, Lucius...," she moaned squirming a bit. "Oh... Oh... Oh, dear... Don't forget the Silencing Spell."

TBC