Chapter Six

"What am I going to do, George?" Hermione whined as her head met the top of the table in the Leaky Cauldron.

"What you should have done from the start," George said, stealing a chip from her plate. "Go home and shag them senseless. In fact, I've got a new product at the shop that might help you out."

Hermione groaned, lifting her head to stare at him. "I don't think I'll be introducing any Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes sex aids into my bedroom anytime soon."

"Why not? Could be fun."

"We often have different ideas as to what constitutes fun," she reminded him.

"Are you still miffed over that fantasy book? Really, you weren't trapped in there very long. And you did admit to having a nice shag, even if it was in your mind."

Hermione couldn't help smiling at the memory. It had been a good, if imagined, tumble.

"This isn't just about the sex, is it? It's about the magic," George guessed, taking a bite of Shepherd's Pie.

"That too," she agreed, pushing her lunch around her plate. "It's just not fair," she said, tossing her fork down.

"You know better than most that life isn't fair and that goes double for any dealings with the Ministry," he said pointedly. He took a long drink of butterbeer. "I have to ask," he continued, "why the famed library-lover Hermione Granger did not research this binding beforehand."

"Well, it all happened so fast," she said defensively. "I thought it was the normal type of bond used in marriages. I had no idea they were using something so archaic."

"So now you are adopting the 'what's done is done' attitude? That's not the social justice crusader I know and love. Where's the fight? Where's the dashing off to do research to set things right? Where is Hermione Granger, representative of hopeless causes and defender of lost rights? Is she too caught up in her sex life to think beyond the bedroom?"

Hermione glared at him, not because of his words, but because she knew he was right. She'd done nothing but wallow in self-pity. She should be out there looking for ways around their situation.

"I have to go," she said, standing abruptly.

"It's always nice chatting with you, Granger," George said, saluting her with his bottle as he watched her walk away.

~*~

It was late when Hermione returned to her flat, her beaded purse filled with books, files, and copies of everything she could find on the binding that had been used on the three of them as well as other types of bindings used to control magic. Perhaps she could find a way to reverse the spell or to at least lessen her control over the men's magic. She felt somewhat better about the situation knowing that she was now being proactive. Research had yet to fail her. She refused to think this time would be any different.

"Hermione?"

She was startled to hear Remus' voice call out to her from the living room. It was still an odd sensation to come home to a house that had others in it.

"Hi," she said, peeking her head around the doorway.

"Where have you been? We've been worried," he asked, coming to hug her. Over his shoulder, Hermione could see Severus looking at her with wary eyes from a chair next to the fireplace.

"I met George for lunch in London, and then I had some research to do."

"Research?" Snape asked.

"I want to know more about our bonding," she said.

"So you didn't run away because of what happened this morning?" Remus asked with care.

"No," she lied.

"Good," he replied with obvious relief as Snape snorted, raising his eyes to hers.

"You never were a good liar," he said, standing. "Come," he said, taking her hand and leading her into the kitchen. "Knowing you, you've probably been working for hours and haven't eaten since lunch."

Hermione took a seat and watched as the two men easily moved around her kitchen, preparing leftovers from their meal for her. She nearly laughed at the reverse of the traditional domestic roles. Severus Snape, cooking me dinner. Who would have guessed?

As if he heard her thoughts, Snape turned to her, one eyebrow raised as if daring her to make a comment. She merely smiled sweetly and motioned for him to continue.

It wasn't long before a bowl of stew, warm bread, and a glass of wine were set before her. She tucked in as the men took seats at the table, pouring their own glasses of merlot.

"This is delicious," she said, swallowing another bite. Food was normally an afterthought for her, and as such, she subsisted more on take out and sandwiches than cooked meals. "I could get used to having you cook for me," she said cheekily to Snape.

"And what would you do for me in return, I wonder?" Snape asked silkily.

Hermione tried not to choke on her food.

Before she could reply, Remus interrupted. "Did you find anything of interest in your research?"

"It looks like Mr. Weasley was right. There is no way to reverse the bonding. Yet."

"Yet?" Snape asked.

"Just because it doesn't exist now, doesn't mean I won't find a way," she assured him.

"Hermione," Remus said quietly, "what if we don't want you to break this bond?"

"What? Why wouldn't you?"

"Well, we would end up back in Azkaban for one," Snape reminded her. "This bond is the only thing keeping us out."

Hermione's face fell.

"If you don't want to be tied to us, we do understand," Remus said immediately.

"It's not that," Hermione said with a wave of her hands. "Of course I don't want you going back to Azkaban. I just don't want this imbalance of power between us."

"We've made it quite clear that we are fine with this arrangement," Snape reminded her.

"You can't be," she insisted. "And even if you are, I'm not."

She pushed her plate away, her appetite lost. Snape merely shoved it back toward her. "Eat. You can't expect to find an answer on an empty stomach."

She started up at him.

"We all agree that the bond cannot be undone," Snape stated. "What we need to make you feel better is a way to counterbalance the unlimited control you have over us, correct?"

She nodded.

"Well, then, where are the books?"

"Books?"

"Surely you didn't return home from a day of research and not bring anything back?" Lupin chided.

Hermione smiled as she Accioed her bag, which flew into her hands with such force that she nearly toppled off her chair.

The men stared at her wide-eyed.

"That," she said tossing her bag on the table, "is why we need to restore balance. My spells now have the force of three people behind them, one of which is an extremely powerful wizard," she said, looking pointedly at Snape. "I can't control this amount of magic. I nearly risk my life every time I Apparate!"

"I doubt the Ministry really thought their decision through," said Snape. "I can't imagine Cresswell would be willing to give you access to so much magical power."

"If all the bonders' magical abilities are being amplified like yours, Cresswell is creating a very powerful group of allies," Remus added.

"Or enemies," Hermione countered darkly.

The men smiled wickedly as she reached into her bag and started pulling out piles of books and parchment.

~*~

"You're being unreasonable!" Hermione railed, tossing her quill down.

"We're being unreasonable?" Snape said incredulously. "What you are suggesting is completely out of the question!"

"Really, Hermione," Remus implored. "You couldn't possibly believe either of these would be acceptable solutions!"

They were three days into their search for counter spell when Hermione felt the need to point out two basic ways to right the situation.

"Blood spells are powerful magic," she insisted.

"Yes, but unless you have conveniently forgotten, I am a werewolf. I will not risk infecting either of you," Remus said.

"The risk is so slight, it's practically nonexistent!"

"Hermione," Remus sighed, collapsing back into his chair. "I am not willing to take that risk. The answer will remain no."

"Severus," she pleaded, flashing her hopeful eyes to him.

He looked at Remus for a long time before answering quietly. "I can't take that risk either."

"Then we do the mark."

"No!" Snape growled, slamming his palm hard on the table. "No dark magic. No marks."

She huffed in exasperation. "There must be some way that by giving you power over me, it will cancel out this bond."

"These aren't the answers," Snape said. "I suggest we keep looking."

~*~

"We need coffee," Harry mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "Or Redbull."

Hermione laughed at the confused looks the other wizards were giving Harry. They were nearing the fifth day of straight research, looking for any way out of their current situation. Hermione was more than grateful when Harry and George offered to lend a hand.

"I'm going to make a caffeine and sugar run," he said, yawning. "Want me to pick up some dinner?"

"That would be great," Remus said as Snape nodded.

"Curry sounds good, mate," George added. "Want me to come along?"

"Sure," Harry said before tapping Hermione's head to draw her attention from the book to him. Harry waited patiently for her eyes to refocus on him, long used to Research Mode Hermione. "Do you want some dinner?"

"What?"

"Dinner? You know, food, nutrients, brain power," George prodded.

Hermione stared at him blankly.

"I'll take that as a yes," Harry mumbled.

George knelt in front of Hermione so they were eye level.

"Don't worry, luv. We will find an answer," he assured her.

Standing to leave, he turned toward her. "Have you tried kissing yet?" he asked with a smirk.

"What?" three voices sounded.

"You never know," he said with a shrug. "What if it were as simple as your Muggle fairy tales? You know, the evil wizard casts a spell that can only be broken with a kiss...love conquers all, and all that nonsense."

She sat motionless, staring at him blindly for a few moments, her mind arranging pieces of the puzzle and finding that they did, indeed, fit.

"That's it!" Hermione said, jumping up. "That's the answer!" She threw her arms around George, hugging him tight before raining kisses all over his face.

"I knew you wanted me, Granger," he joked.

Hermione swatted at him as she pulled away, neither noticing the hard glares from Lupin and Snape.

"Care to share with the rest of us?" Harry asked.

"Love!" Hermione said expectantly.

"Love what?"

"Merlin, that's brilliant!" Snape said in awe.

"Care to fill the rest of us sorry saps in?" George asked.

"Love conquers all. True love. The greatest magic is love," she said, beaming as she grabbed a book and quickly sifted through its pages, stopping at a ritual titled Soul Mating and thrust it toward Harry.

"But how do you know if you are soul mates?" Harry asked, glancing over the page.

"You don't need to be, Potter," Snape said. "Amortentia and a strong lust potion would recreate the effects of true love long enough for the ritual to take place, and then afterward, when the potions wear off, so will the effect of the ritual."

"Meaning?" George prompted.

"Meaning the ritual will override the bonding, and when it dissolves, so will the Ministry's spell, only as that spell is never directly acted upon, they will never know that it is gone," Remus said, putting it all together.

"How long will it take to brew the potions?" George asked, his voice full of excitement.

"They'll be done by morning," Snape asserted.

"I'll spread the word to the other bonded couples. They were hoping you'd come up with a solution to thwart the Ministry," Harry said, heading toward the Floo.

"Just one more thing, Potter," Snape said, his eyes never leaving Hermione's. "Remind them that this ritual does actually require physical mating."

Silence fell heavily as eyes glanced from person to person, until eventually, all eyes focused on Hermione's.

"Um," she cleared her throat. "There is that."

After another pause, Remus broke the silence. "Unless we come up with another solution soon, I suggest Severus start brewing. In the meantime, we can continue researching alternate plans."

Everyone nodded, and Harry began to make a series of Floo calls to update the others on the plan.

"Pansy and Draco and Narcissa and Lucius are in, as are Claire Underbrush who is the bonder of Stan Shunpike," Harry reported.

"All the others that are bonded are couples. Quite lucky, that," George pointed out, catching Hermione's gaze.

"Well, you'd have to feel something for someone to agree to such a bonding in the first place," Harry said, immediately paling as his own logic sunk in. "Hermione, can we talk?"

"A little slow on the uptake, hey, Potter?" George laughed.

"Come on," he said, grabbing Harry by the arm. "Let's go get that caffeine you were going on about earlier. I'll fill you in."

"And what exactly might Mr. Weasley be telling Mr. Potter right about now?" Snape asked Hermione once the three of them were left alone in the room.

"He might be saying something to the fact that perhaps I might have some feelings of some sort for certain men in my life," she muttered, twisting her laced fingers in her lap.

"I am so glad that was cleared up in a precise and decisive way," Snape smirked.

She grinned sheepishly, knowing full well she was being vague, but uncertain if she could express her true thoughts.

"And what might those feelings be for those 'certain men' in your life?" Snape pressed as he walked toward her until their bodies were just a breath apart.

"I've been considering your proposal," she started, looking up into Snape's intense eyes. Her mouth went dry at the look of desire she found there. "I think I may be amenable to it."

"Hermione, you do understand what this ritual will require of us?" Remus asked, coming to stand behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders as Snape's circled her waist.

She nodded.

"And how do you feel about that?" he continued.

"I think I'd enjoy it very much," she admitted in a shy voice.

She wasn't sure which man growled and which moaned as Severus' lips crushed against hers as Remus' tongue teased a particularly erogenous spot under her left ear. Feeling their hard bodies pressed up against her from both sides made her feel light-headed and weak-kneed. She was grateful for the support of their hands, which were currently roaming the planes of her body. She was right; she would enjoy this very much.

Severus pulled his lips from hers, but before she could protest, she saw his mouth seek out and find Remus', and she moaned in pleasure as desire washed over her at the erotic sight of the two men she wanted kissing above her shoulder. A hand, she didn't know whose as she couldn't bring herself to look away from the kiss, began a trek under her shirt, playing with her pert nipple, as another delved below the waistband of her jeans, teasing her through her panties. Her senses were quickly overwhelmed, and she came fast and hard between the two men.

When she finally came down from her high and opened her eyes, she was still trapped between the two men, both wearing very smug grins.

"And that, love, wasn't even true foreplay," Remus teased. "Imagine what will happen later tonight after our friends leave."

Hermione closed her eyes, lustful at the thought of what it would be like to be in this position, only naked.

"As pleasurable as this was, I believe I should get started on the potions," Snape said, untangling himself from her.

Opening her eyes, she drew him close for a kiss.

"Don't you want dinner?" she asked when they broke apart.

"I'll wait for dessert," he said with a smirk before heading downstairs to Hermione's small potions lab.

Harry and George returned shortly with takeaway and several forms of caffeine. Dinner was a rather quick affair as neither Harry nor Hermione seemed to be able to look at each other without blushing, and George, who apparently was enjoying seeing his friends uncomfortable, launched into a detailed description of his new products and how, perhaps, some of the bonders might like to try them out during the ritual. By the time he finished describing all the pleasures an automated riding crop could give, Harry looked as if he were in physical pain.

"As enlightening as this has been," Remus laughed, "I believe I will take a plate down to Severus and see if he needs help with the potions. You three can continue researching if you choose."

"Do we choose?" George asked Hermione once Remus left the kitchen. "Or are you content to finally have a reason to get into bed with them?"

"George!" Harry hissed, looking a little green.

"Come off it, Harry," George said, rolling his eyes. "Hermione is a grown woman. If she wants to shag a werewolf and a former Death Eater, then let her."

"You just wish it were you," Hermione joked.

George sighed dramatically. "Yes, I've always dreamed of being in the middle of a Snupin sandwich."

All three burst out laughing, the uneasiness banished as they decided that their current solution to the bonding problem was probably their best bet.

~*~

"I brought you dinner," Remus said as he entered the lab. "You'll need to eat in order to face dessert," he said cheekily.

Snape smirked as he took the plate and set it on the table before pushing Remus against the door and kissing him soundly. "What if I changed my mind," he asked, nipping his way down Lupin's neck. "What if I don't want to wait for dessert?" Lupin gasped as Snape's hand fondled his cock through his trousers. "What if I want you now?"

"Take me," Lupin whispered. "God, just take me."

"Shhh," Snape breathed in his ear. "You don't want them to hear, or do you?"

Remus reached for his wand to cast a silencing spell, but Snape stopped him. "No magic. She'll know."

"And what if she does?"

"Then you'll have to make it up to her while I finish the potions," Snape said, turning Lupin toward the door.

Lupin bit back a moan as Snape's fingers then tongue prepared him. He whimpered with pleasure when Snape's thickly lubricated cock slid inside him.

"I want you to fuck her tonight, Lupin," Snape whispered in his ear as he thrust hard. "I want you to drive her crazy with desire to the point she begs for both of us to take her. Think of your cock thrusting into her while I drive mine into you."

Remus bucked his hips, nearly coming at the words Snape uttered. Just thinking of having Severus fuck him while he was sheathed inside Hermione was enough for him to lose control. Snape moved faster in reaction to the pace of Lupin pushing back against him.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Snape's breath was hard, his voice ragged. "Or would you like for both of us to be buried in her. To feel our cocks moving inside her together, separated by a thin layer of skin."

With that thought and one last thrust, Remus was sent over the edge, taking Snape with him.

When their breathing finally slowed, Snape cast a quick cleansing spell before kissing Lupin once more.

"Take her to bed while I finish the potion," Snape repeated. "You're first time with her should not include me, nor with the influence of a potion."

"But..."

"Do you want her, Remus?"

"God, yes!"

"Then have her," Snape said. "There will be plenty of time for all of us."

"Do you think this will work?"

"The logic is sound enough."

"What will happen when we are no longer bonded?"

"That is for Hermione to decide."

A/N: The reference to the fantasy book is a tip of my hat to all the wonderful stories that came from the "Lost in a Good Book" challenge.

Before anyone threatens to hex me, I promise the next chapter will contain the scene you've all been waiting for.