Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Game, Set....

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"Professor Granger," Lucius Malfoy began. "I want... to beg for your forgiveness," he paused, clearly ruffled, "and ask for your endorsement."

Hermione stared at him in dumbfounded shock, watching as he carefully assembled an expression on his face that was part humble plea and part insouciant sneer.

A hundred questions queued up to fight for the use of her larynx. What the hell do you mean? Why didn't you lose everything as you should have done at the end of the war? Why did you follow Him? Why did you let her torture me? How did you survive? What is Draco doing, touching Severus like that? But they were so huge that they were impossible to say aloud.

What actually escaped her lips was an abstract whirring sound.

Lucius frowned, clearly disconcerted by the odd noise she had emitted.

Hermione tried again. "My... endorsement?" she asked. "For what?"

Lucius darted another look about him and cleared his throat. "I am tired of being on the outside, Professor," he said. "I need to matter again in our world."

Hermione sat back in her chair. "And you think...?" she began.

"Professor Granger, it has been a long time since the end of the war. I saved what I could of my property and financial reserves through the transfer of money from the goblins," the sneer in his voice was unmistakable, "to Muggle bank accounts in Panama, Monaco, and the Seychelles... served my time in Rehabilitation... and then settled down to a life of peaceful obscurity and humble penance."

He twirled his cane again. The emerald eyes on the serpent's head glittered in the bright sunshine, catching her attention.

"But it was not enough," he continued. "Of course I enjoyed learning how to fit into Muggle society, attending their theatres and museums... I even learned to understand their financial institutions and their sporting obsessions. For a few months, it was a pleasant diversion. My wife even took up tennis." His face twisted slightly at that. "But for all the financial rewards I have achieved in Muggle society, for all the ways in which I have been able to contribute towards that society through charitable works and my financial patronage... I feel a terrible loss, Professor. A terrible loss."

His voice was carefully pitched, low and pitiable.

"And so I need your help. I want to return to our people, Professor." There was yearning in his voice.

"You said you wanted my forgiveness." Hermione said flatly, not taken in.

"Yes. Yessss, of course." Lucius hung his head a little. "What happened in my home. To you. Was... unfortunate. Despicable. I regret it deeply." He bowed his head even further... and waited.

Hermione looked at him suspiciously.

"Oh, he means it," offered Nott from beside her, still with that peculiar sting in his tone. "He has been bored for months. After all, there are only so many routines from Singin' in the Rain and Mary Poppins that you can learn, eh, Lucius? And," he leaned forward and wagged his finger, "he's also missing his missus, aren't you, sir?"

Lucius' lip pulled back, and the fingers on his cane tightened until she could see the white bone of his knuckles through the translucent flesh. "As you say, Mister Nott. I want my wife back." He lifted his head to level an unblinking stare again at Hermione. "And a public recommendation from one of the Golden Trio will undoubtedly go a long way towards raising my standing in wizarding society... which will no doubt prompt Narcissa to return...."

A public recommendation... So that's what the slimy bastard is after, she thought grimly.

"So that your Manor – which you transferred into Narcissa's name immediately after The Fall to avoid its confiscation – will once again recognise its legal owner, and the property will restore itself to its former glory," supplied Nott, again with an edge to his voice, "and with your endorsement, Hermione, Lucius will then be able to transfer all his holdings back into his name, fully resume his Gringotts account without fear of additional confiscation, be invited to all the best parties, stand for membership of the Wizengamot, become ever richer and more powerful, and live truly happily ever after...."

Lucius made a mocking little bow. "As you say, Theodore, happily ever after." He smiled tentatively again at Hermione, his face a perfect mixture of bashful entreaty and charming encouragement.

"No." Hermione said it quietly, but in the false silence of the Muffliato charm, the word was clearly audible. She cleared her throat. "No," she repeated, louder.

"Ahhhh," Lucius stroked the top of his cane again. "Draco thought that you might be a little reluctant to accept my entreaty. In that case, Professor Granger, may I propose... a trade?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione scoffed. "You have nothing that I could possibly..."

Lucius held up a finger, effectively cutting her off. "On the contrary, Professor. I think that I have something that you do want, very much indeed."

Moving slowly, the long, pale finger gestured towards the two silent men sitting four rows below them, one as dark as nightshade, the other as pale as mistletoe.

***

Severus could feel Draco's soothing fingertips on the sensitive skin above his collar. The pleasure was indescribable. Arousal skittered along his nerves. If he had been able to move, he would have arched into Draco's touch. "How could you ever have cared for that silly witch?" the boy asked him, close and breathy in his ear, "when you could have had me?

Not silly, he thought stubbornly. Beautiful. Intelligent.

Hermione... Hermione. He tried to think.

Draco's fingers stroked his skin again. Aaaah! The pleasure of it.... Severus shivered.

Draco was whispering to him again. "Another strawberry, Severus?"

I don't like them. I don't want it. No. He tried to pull away, but his body would not move.

The boy's fingers played across his flesh again, and Severus almost fainted from the delightful sensations that they brought.

Yessss....

He opened his mouth.

***

Hermione stared at Lucius, then looked again at Severus bending into the touch of the fawning blonde beside him.

"What the hell do you mean?" she hissed angrily, her hand curling around the polished wood of her wand.

Malfoy purred, "Why, it's a simple exchange, Professor Granger. You scratch my back... and I will ensure that Severus is, ahhh, scratching yours again by the end of the day."

He giggled slightly as his own joke and sat back in his seat.

Hermione felt herself grow very cold.

She stared again at the two men sitting below her in the Royal Box. She watched Draco offer Severus another strawberry and the older man bite slowly into the fruit.

"I don't think it is a simple as that," Nott said.

Lucius flashed him an irritated look. "Draco will do as we agreed," he muttered flatly. "Severus is nothing to him. It was a temporary infatuation, nothing more. As you well know, Mister Nott."

"Oh, don't be so naive, Lucius," Nott spat bitterly. "It's never been about you, you arrogant prick. Draco wants Severus. He always has, and the Malfoys have a way of getting what they want."

"Draco's in love with Severus?" Hermione stammered.

"No. Gods, no." Nott laughed unhappily. "I'm not sure he knows the meaning of the word anymore."

Lucius' eyes darted between Nott's ruddy face and the pale perfection of his son's coiffure. Hermione could tell he was on edge.

"Wh-what are you implying?" Lucius blustered.

"Look, you were able to send me packing, you bastard, even though Draco and I were together." Nott blushed furiously. "But Draco wants something more in return for what Severus did to him after the war. That's why he developed Iago."

"What?" Hermione swivelled in her seat to fix Nott with a fierce glare. "What the hell is 'Iago'? What is going on, Theodore?"

Nott's face twisted into unhappiness, but whatever he was about to say died on his lips as his eyes widened.

The Muggle spectators around them were stretching and standing, their actions curiously silent thanks to the Muffliato Charm Hermione had cast. It was obviously another break in the play beneath them.

That was not the reason for Nott's tension and his silence.

Severus and Draco had turned around.

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A/N: Uh--oh.... just what has Draco got planned for them all...? How much does Theodore Nott know? Will Severus be able to withstand Iago long enough to save the day? And are Lucius' dancing days soon to be over...? All these questions will be answered in the final chapter of this tale which will be posted on New Year's Day....

Thank you to those of you who take the time to review!

Beaweasley2 and Clairvoyant are wonderful, and so is JKR. I own nothing and make no money from this work of fiction.