Shadows Of The Past

Chapter Twelve: Well Meaning Friends







Where others try to be helpful.











Hermione lounged in a tub of hot, bubbling, scented water. The heat seeped into her muscles and the soft scent of lavender wafting from the water soothed her nerves and relaxed her further. She had been exfoliated, moisturized, massaged, plucked, waxed and buffed to within an inch of her life since arriving at the Pampered Goddess that morning. Her finger and toenails were cut, shaped and polished into an immaculate French manicure. Her legs and bikini area were waxed, her brows plucked into a perfect arch above her eyes. She had gotten a facial that left her skin glowing and a potion was applied that whisked away the dark circles that tended to form as a result of a busy life.







Her body had been rubbed down with a sea-salt and natural mineral exfoliates then slathered with thick, scented cream that gave her an all over sun-kissed look. From there she had been served lunch in a quiet room with soft music. When she was finished she was sent into a shower that felt more like rain falling over her before being led into a candlelit room where she received a full body massage that lulled her to sleep. Her boneless body was then led into a salon where she received the full treatment for her hair. The wild tangle of sable curls was cut and conditioned then styled into a wave of silky, bouncy curls that were now pinned to the top of her head as she relaxed in the aroma-therapy bath.







She definitely felt like a pampered goddess. It was probably the most wonderful gift she had ever received next to Elias. She was relaxed, truly relaxed for the first time in ages and she felt incredible. She couldn’t wait to put on her new dress and see Lucius. She was even excited to don the new underwear that Jessa had bullied her into buying the night before. She couldn’t fight the smile that lifted her lips as she recalled the previous night’s adventure with Jessa.







They had put the inventory into the stock room to sort later and left the bookshop in search of a new lingerie wardrobe for Hermione. She had insisted that it was too late to be out shopping, nothing was going to be open. But her argument was quashed quickly by Jessa who told her that the places that sold what they were looking for were always open late.







There had been nothing out of the ordinary about the small shop front in a quaint brick building in the retail district. It looked like every other little boutique with the pretty pink lettering on the window and awning. But as soon as they stepped inside Hermione was overwhelmed by…well…sex. She couldn’t deny that it was tastefully arranged. Muted shades of pink and cream drew her in, made her comfortable as she took in rack after rack of lingerie. In the back of the boutique shelves filled with candles and lotions lined the walls. She didn’t get much of a chance to browse before Jessa shoved her into a changing room and began passing hangers through the door.





Over the course of nearly 3 hours Hermione tried on various styles of bra. Bras that pushed her boobs in and up, bras that barely covered her nipples, bras that were lacy, silky, sheer and combinations of all three. She tried on strapless bras, racer backed bras, bras that were not meant to serve as bras but as titillation for a man with their cut out nipples or impractical fabrics. She even tried on a couple of corsets before it was all said and done. Jessa was more knowledgeable about lingerie and what men liked. She didn’t hesitate to reach in and adjust Hermione when she didn’t quite have it right, at one point she had been in the changing room with both Jessa and the salesgirl having her breasts lifted and jiggled into just the right position. She had been fondled more in those few hours by the two women than ever before in her life, though it was more embarrassing than anything else.







Once she had chosen a few bras for purchase Jessa moved on to the knickers. Thongs, t-backs, bikinis, hipsters and boy shorts in a variety of colors and fabrics were brought to her attention. She didn’t relish the idea of the skinny little string rubbing between the cheeks of her bottom so she settled on the hipsters and a few pairs of boy shorts, making sure to get some that matched her new bras. She spent more on herself than she could ever recall doing before and felt guilty almost immediately. But Jessa wouldn’t hear of it, she told her that she deserved it, she deserved pretty things that made her feel sexy and beautiful. But as a mother she couldn’t seem to get that through her head. Not when she thought about all the things she could be buying for Elias. Still she had gone home with her packages and thanks to the collection of toys provided for sale in the back room and her shameless friend’s explicit demonstrations, a wealth of knowledge about the handling of a man’s equipment.







Maybe, just maybe, she would have an opportunity to test her new found knowledge, if things went well. It was still highly possible that without Elias there they would fall flat and fizzle. She certainly hoped not, not after what she had endured from her friends to have him in her life. She was tired of being lonely, it would be nice to have a man in her life, someone who desired her and found her pretty. It would be nice to see what it could have been like between them had they come together on different terms five years before. As the clock across the room chimed her stomach began to flutter. She would have her answers soon enough.











~@~









Draco entered his father’s study to find him standing behind his desk staring at the black suit that was draped over the back of his chair. Several different colored silk ties were laid out on his desk and he had a puzzled look on his face.







“Another muggle suit?” Draco asked, coming to stand beside him.







“Yes. I thought wizarding robes were complicated.” Lucius said, frowning as he stared back at the line of neckties. “The clothier sent an entire box of ties and I have no idea which one to wear.”







“For what?” Draco asked, his brow lifting when he read the designer’s name on the garment bag. His father certainly had taste in muggle clothing.







“I have a…date…with Hermione.” Lucius mumbled, reaching out for a bright red necktie and holding it up. “When did clothing get so complicated?”







“It’s just a necktie, Father. Wear the black one; it’s simple and elegant, perfect for an evening out.” Draco said, replacing the red tie draped across his father’s fingers with the black. “Why are you wearing a muggle suit instead of dress robes?”







“Because we are going to be in London, I prefer that our first date not be plastered all over the papers.” Lucius put the tie around the hanger and tucked his suit back into the garment bag. “My hope is that we can soon move freely through the wizarding community and not have to keep our activities restricted to the muggle world.”





“All of the exposure to muggle things and muggle clothing starting to get to you?” Draco teased as he leaned against his father’s desk. Lucius reached for another garment bag beneath his suit and unzipped it to reveal a black woolen dress coat from the same designer.





“I don’t mind the clothing so much. I found the denim trousers rather comfortable actually.” He said as he zipped the bag once more, apparently satisfied with his purchase. No doubt he had hired someone to procure the clothing for him; still, it was a rather big step for Lucius. “I do not like the insane books that Elias is so fond of. Rubbish about obnoxious cats wearing hats and creatures called Whos, and ridiculous games that have rules that make no sense at all to me. I look forward to the day I can take him into a wizarding establishment and buy him proper toys and books for a young wizard.”







“It sounds as though you are getting close.” Draco watched as his father used his wand to send his clothing to his chambers and then settled into his chair. He looked nervous and Draco found that amusing.







“Yes, I don’t think my relationship to Elias will be a secret from him much longer. Now that Hermione and I are…becoming involved, I believe he will begin asking more questions.” He drummed his fingers on the desk, checking his wristwatch for the tenth time in an hour.







“Nervous?” Draco smirked. Lucius frowned at his son’s smug expression. Of course Draco would be enjoying the situation, like father like son.







“It is my first date in over thirty years, Draco. What do you think?” Lucius scoffed, running his fingers through his hair as he leaned back in the chair. He had been in his seventh year at Hogwarts when he began courting Narcissa and it was always to proper society events. They were never left alone, her sister Andromeda had always been present and when she wasn’t available a servant was sent to chaperone. His first moment alone with her had been on their wedding night and it had been so nerve wracking it had given him a headache. Things were different now. A chaperone was not required with Hermione. He could be alone with her; he could be intimate with her without anyone interfering. It was intoxicating to consider.







“Are you certain that you wish to become involved with Granger?” Draco asked, his head tilted to the side. “She wasn’t raised in our world; she wasn’t raised in pureblood society.”







“What are you getting at, Draco?” Surely he wasn’t trying to convince him not to spend time with her because she was a muggleborn? After all their family had gone through because of such ignorant racism, surely he knew better?







“Mother was raised a proper pureblood lady. She was raised to ‘know her place’ which meant that she turned a blind eye to certain things. Like you keeping a mistress. Hermione is not the kind of woman who turns her head and bites her lip in silence. She will not tolerate infidelity. Being with her will mean changing the lifestyle you were familiar with in your relationship with Mother.” Draco explained.







“If there is one thing I have learned in the last few years it is that my old life wasn’t working for me. Change doesn’t bother me as much as it once did. And if I am honest with you…I have no interest in other women…only her.” Lucius admitted, sounding as though he were confused by the notion of desiring only one woman. After Draco had been born he had kept a mistress, not because he didn’t care about his wife, but because he didn’t with to impose himself upon her. Narcissa never refused him but she never seemed to have a sex drive that equaled his, so he took his urges elsewhere to have his needs met.







“That’s good, I wasn’t trying to talk you out of seeing her, I just wanted to make sure you understood that she is a modern witch with modern ideals and modern expectations. She will not be content to be “the little woman” sitting in the background with her needlepoint, she is going to be a lot for you to handle considering what you are used to.”







“I’m sure I can adapt.” Lucius said.







“Do you have protection?” Draco asked, trying desperately to hold back his smirk.







“I have my wand, but I don’t expect the area we are going to will be dangerous.” He said.







“That isn’t what I meant.” Draco said, biting his tongue to hold his laughter at bay. “I’m going to assume that you don’t.” He said reaching into his back pocket and withdrawing his wallet. He tossed two little gold foiled packets onto the desk and put his wallet away. “Don’t worry, I always carry a couple just in case.”







“A couple what?” Lucius picked up the packets and turned them over in hand.





“Condoms.”







“Oh for the love of Merlin!” Lucius said, dropping the packets back onto his desk. “Do you have no shame?”







“Hey! I’m not the one with a history of impregnating young witches.” Draco managed through his laughter. His father looked absolutely horrified.







“I don’t plan on bedding the witch! I just began courting her!” Lucius shook his head, but eyed the condoms. Would she expect him to have them? “What happened to contraceptive spells and potions? Were they banned without my knowledge?”







“No, but you didn’t exactly remember to use it before, did you? Of course, there is no guarantee that you will remember to put one of those on in the heat of the moment either, but it does protect you from anything she might have…or protect her from anything you might….”





“Stop right there!” Lucius held up his hand to silence him. “I’m not worried about that, she…well, there has only been me. And I wasn’t exactly living it up in Azkaban and I had a full medical when I was released, so I am perfectly healthy. You may keep your….prophylactics.”







“I have plenty, why don’t you hold on to those…just in case.” Draco said, nodding towards the little packets. “Wouldn’t do for you to make any more little Malfoys outside of marriage.”







“You are….very much a Malfoy.” Lucius sighed as he got to his feet. “I am going to go shower and get ready for my evening. Would you mind having my car brought around?”







“Ah…the new penis on wheels you bought?” Draco teased. He shared his father’s love of driving, though he preferred something low slung and fast.







“Just have Shaw bring it round, please.” Lucius said as he exited his study.







“Shaw!” Draco shouted and instantly a house elf appeared in front of him. Shaw was the head-elf and the only servant his father was even semi-fond of.







“Yes, Master Draco?” Shaw made certain to keep his eyes lowered, showing proper respect to the family he served.







“Father wants his car brought around for his date this evening.” Draco smiled and reached for the little foil packets lying on the desk. “He forgot these, could you go up to his room real quick and put them in the trouser pocket of his new suit? The one in the Armani bag.”





“Of course, right away, Master Draco!” Shaw bowed quickly and vanished from sight, the condoms clutched in his hand. Draco crossed his arms, feeling very much like a father sending his child on his first date.













AN: So….new chapter before I begin prepping for a ridiculously large party at my house tonight. =) So you’re all suspicious of Jessa now are you? Good…..Ill only say that there is more to Jessa than meets the eye, but it’s not what you think. =) Is that mean to tease you so? Well…..we’ve got Jessa forcing her into naughty underwear and Draco tossing condoms about…..seems everyone is anxious for Mione and Luci to bump uglies…But Lucius wants to take her out on at least one proper date first…..Thanks for continuing to read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!