Twenty

Disclaimer: I have never owned the characters and still do not. There is plenty of evidence that suggests that the earth...or any planet...is hollow and inhabited. Probably more so than evidence to the contrary. Paper was not wasted in creating this tale for the simple reason that my printer decided to rebel and I was unable to print anything. However, the electrons... well, let's not even go there. They were peeved enough to break two computers during the writing of this fic. I am so not amused. Who'd have thought electrons have a mind of their own?

For the sixth time, Hermione woke up to the twelfth full moon of the year sandwiched between Lucius and Severus. She stretched languorously, knowing very well the effect it would have on her two wizards.

"Oh... that day," Lucius said, his voice full of sleep but his hands very much awake.

"Oi, don't leave me out!" Severus demanded, his hands suddenly becoming equally active.

"Divine Law," Hermione whispered.

"Always, love," two voices answered in unison while four hands made their way from her neck downward, caressing her with feather-light touches, tickling her just so, applying some pressure where they knew she'd appreciate it, each mouth busy with one nipple, and then took turns stimulating her core until she came undone.

Just as the love-making had become a magickal ritual, so had the reminiscing that followed on this day.

When Lucius started, "Remember when..." both Severus and Hermione grinned.

"The trial?" Hermione asked. "Yes, I do. Vividly so."

Lucius shook his head slowly. "It still amazes me that you let her get away. I mean, you could have asked for a life sentence in Azkaban, and yet, you asked for no judgement."

Severus chuckled. "Ah. Lucius, learning ever so slowly in your old age." The look he cast him was affectionate.

Hermione snorted and turned to her blond lover. "She was, at that point, already unable to see us. Entirely stuck in a dimension we'd just left behind where the only others around were as lost as she; all were, and probably still are, entirely self-serving. In Azkaban, she'd have a comfortable life compared to what she ended up having, being surrounded by self-serving beings who fight over control and instil fear amongst each other." Hermione stopped for a moment. "Her day of judgement will be here soon enough, but it wasn't my responsibility to pass it on her. I have a feeling she's perfectly capable of doing that herself."

"Clever witch," Severus said in a low voice that wakened her passion anew.

"Indeed," Lucius agreed and pulled her closer. "I understand. I'm in awe how fast you had grasped the idea, considering that woman turned your life upside down."

Hermione laughed. "And for that I shall be forever grateful to her."

Following that statement, her lovers once again indulged in the delight of pleasuring their witch. Two hands slowly travelled down one side while another two busied themselves with the other, occasionally as slowly, but mostly with intent, determined to find their destination to become the cause of the greatest pleasure.

Hermione shuddered with anticipation as she realised it was an occasion for playful competition between the two wizards.

One hand was caressing her breast while the other found her core. Another hand attended to the nipple of her other breast as its partner stroked gently down her torso with feather-light touches. Then the hand left it in favour of its owner's mouth, the tongue of which nibbled, licked, retreated. She felt air blow over the nipple, and a whimper escaped her.

Severus switched his position now and guided one of her hands to his shaft while ignoring her other, which grabbed a fistful of sheets as Lucius slowly entered her.

As soon as an easy rhythm was established...her hand's up-and-down movement in unison with Lucius's up-and-down movement inside her...Severus bent down to her core. His tongue flicked over it, licked it, nabbed it gently, and then he blew over it only for his tongue to start again.

Competition, no matter how friendly and playful, was forgotten now as the three focused on pleasure, not for themselves, but each focusing on granting the world's available, abundant supply to the other, thus multiplying the pleasure for each one, reflecting it out into the universe, ensuring unlimited abundance for days, weeks, and years to come.

The perfect opposite of a vicious circle, Hermione thought dazedly as her insides contracted and announced the reflection of Creation.

Later in the day, Severus left to tend to his still-thriving potions business with Lola, Lucius took off to visit Karl, and Hermione headed to the library in Agharta where Rose studied under the ancient librarian who was preparing to relocate to Utopia to join the Council of the Wise and hand over the reins of the library to Rose.

Before Hermione even entered the library, she could feel Rose's particularly exuberant joy. Living beneath the surface of the earth...with a distinct lack of any form of negativity...had made her senses much more acute, her perception much clearer, and had wrought an inner comprehension that went far beyond the meaning of the word.

"Hello, sweetheart," Hermione greeted her daughter, grateful that they once again lived near each other. "How are you doing?"

Rose beamed at her. "I have news, Mum."

Hermione smiled. Her intuition had been right again. "Oh?" she asked.

Rose nodded. "Hugo is joining us for dinner at Hogwarts tonight and then coming back here with us to start his apprenticeship with Severus!"

"Oh, wonderful, darling!" Then, Hermione grinned. "Has he had enough of Ron?"

Rose laughed. "I don't think he ever wanted to stay with him. He felt the need to help Dad get back to normal, and I think he's achieved that. Dad has spent long enough regretting what he did, and it's time for him to move on and have a life."

"My bright girl," Hermione said, her voice filled with pride. "I'm glad to see Ron live a happy life again. And I'm so happy that Hugo is joining us!" They talked for a while longer, and then Hermione returned home to get ready for the evening out.

Later on, Rose arrived with the craft, and they left for Hogwarts, Severus and Rose bantering over who should steer the craft, which had become a tradition ever since both had mastered the skill with Karl's assistance.

It was dark when the craft landed silently a few steps from Hogwarts' majestic front doors, which opened the moment the four climbed down the ladder.

"Oh, it's so good to see you again! We really should make this more than an annual occasion," Minerva said as she embraced each one. When she reached Severus, she held him at arms' length. "You still don't look a day older, dear," she stated and pulled him close. "Hermione is good for you."

"As is Lucius," Severus said, his voice austere, and Minerva nodded hesitantly.

"I'll never get my head around you three being together, forgive me. Or the Potters and young Mr Malfoy. They're here already, as is Hugo and his father, so let's go inside."

Hermione was grateful for the suggestion. Spending most of the year in an environment with a constant, comfortable temperature left her sensitive to the harsh Scottish winter weather. She also felt the tug of impatience of seeing her godchild again. Levanah had been born thirty-eight weeks after the magickal ritual. She had the Malfoy hair...blonde, full, and straight...but she had Harry's striking, green eyes.

The group reached the dining room, and enthusiastic greetings were exchanged with those already present. Levanah flew into Hermione's arms and hugged her fiercely. "It is wonderful to see you again," she said, and Hermione was again instantly awed by the child's incredible maturity. She might look like a child, had a voice that clearly was very young, but there the resemblance ended. Her speech had never been childlike since the day she'd begun to talk, her choice of words always sophisticated, and her wisdom evident.

"I'm happy to see you, too, love," Hermione said softly as she hugged the child.

"That is good." Levanah looked at Hermione with a mischievous glint in her eyes that reminded the witch of a young Harry. "I wish to visit you and Severus and Grandpa," she said matter-of-factly.

Standing next to Hermione, Ginny sighed. "I think you are too young to stay anywhere overnight."

Levanah shook her head impatiently. "My soul is older than yours, Daddy's, and Father's combined. How can I be too young to stay for a few days with people I love?"

Hermione distinctly recognised the Malfoy confidence in her godchild and grinned. "You'll have to leave it to your mum, Levanah. I'll be happy to have you any time."

"And Lola would love to meet this young lady." Severus had approached the two witches unnoticed, and Levanah squealed, spreading her arms, and flew into Severus's arms without another glance at Hermione. While he hugged the child, he asked conversationally, "Did you know Lola is a Moonchild? She was also the only one until Levanah's birth."

"Lola?" Ginny asked. "She is one amazing woman!"

Hermione nodded thoughtfully, remembering how out of bounds she had felt when she'd first met her and Karl. "What was the occasion for her conception, do you know?" she asked Severus.

He grinned. "I believe the goal was to bring about the end of the American Civil War."

Two pairs of eyes stared at him incredulously. "She's that old?" asked Hermione.

Severus laughed. "Yes. And Karl is a good fifty years older. Does it surprise you? Do I look like mid-sixties? And I've only lived there a quarter of a century. Look at yourself! Have you aged in the past few years? You look younger now than you did the first time we met in Buenos Aires, love."

"Oh, she does," Lucius drawled and invited his grandchild into his arms, who promptly complied, her face one of angelic joy.

Minerva interrupted the chatting by calling everyone to the table where dishes of scrumptious-looking food had appeared in typical Hogwarts manner seemingly out of nowhere.

As Hermione sat down between Severus and Lucius, she noticed Ron for the first time since they'd arrived. "Ron," she said softly.

He looked straight up at her. "Hermione."

Hermione smiled. Luna was seated next to him, and there was a clear cord that connected the two.

"Hermione." Luna smiled at her. "I hope you don't mind. I've always had a soft spot for Ronald, and I didn't feel guilty, as I knew there was no accord between the two of you."

Feeling hands on her legs on either side of her, she smiled. "No, that's perfectly fine, Luna. I hope you and Ron will be happy together."

Ron seemed to choke on whatever he was eating. "Thanks, Hermione," he coughed. "Appreciate it."

She turned to look at Lucius, then at Severus, and she smiled at both of them. Next, she looked at Rose, who was sitting suspiciously close to Scorpius Malfoy, and then to Hugo, who was seated between Minerva and Severus. Hugo, her little boy, would start his apprenticeship with Severus in a few days. Rose was already well on her way in taking over the library of Agharta.

Levanah caught her eye. The little girl smiled widely at her, and Hermione couldn't help smiling back. She could almost hear the little girl thinking, I won't be the only Moonchild for long.

Life was good.

For prompt details, please see Chapter One.

Macshefa, whose Hebrew skills rule as much as she does, went out of her way to find a name for the Potter-Malfoy trio's daughter, born out of a magickal ritual. I asked her for a suitable translation for Moonchild, and she provided it. Thank you!

Southern_Witch_69 has turned this into a readable tale, and I owe her great thanks for that. Further thanks go to HogwartsClassof91 and kittylefish for jumping in as betas when SW69's internet was knocked out for a few weeks by Hurricane Gustav. Many thanks also go to blue_paris for the artwork and the education on lingerie. Both were enlightening! Mistakes are mine.

More thanks to kittylefish and HogwartsClassof91 for concrit in this last chapter.

Thank you for accompanying me through this tale. Thank you for reading, thank you for reviewing, and thank you for voting this into third place of the Potter_Place Anything Goes Challenge.