Love Thy Enemy

CHAPTER 13: Discombobulated





Hermione was sitting in the sunroom of her new home, enjoying the late afternoon sun as she had tea with Ginny.





“So, that photo of you and Lucy on the front of the Prophet looked pretty cozy.” Ginny said, smiling at Hermione over her cup.





“I know, it looks terribly romantic doesn’t it?” Hermione looked down at the paper again. It was taken by Skeeter’s photographer. Lucius was standing behind her, his face turned into her neck, one hand resting on her shoulder and the other against her stomach.





“Like the cover of one of those romance novels actually.” Ginny said, pulling the paper over so she could look at it as well.





“Funny thing is we were bound by the stupid spell because he was thinking about pushing me over the rail.” Hermione said with a laugh.





“It has to be inconvenient. You two can’t stand each other; you must find yourselves constantly together.”



“More often than I care to be, but it’s usually my fault. I hate to admit it, but Lucius is much better at controlling his thoughts than I am. Usually when the fault is his, it’s because he found the thought amusing, but the spell doesn’t distinguish between amusement and malicious intent.” Hermione set her cup down and looked out over the expansive gardens of the Malfoy estate. Soon spring would settle in and it would be abloom.





“Are you still finding it difficult to resist his kissing?” Ginny asked. Hermione reached up and unconsciously stroked her bottom lip, a telltale gesture that had Ginny smiling.







“Hermione!” Lucius bellowed as he stepped into the sunroom. Instantly she was pulled from her chair and thrust into his arms. He settled his hands on her hips and glared down at her.





“Ouch you ogre, do you mind not sneaking up on me with your wicked thoughts!” She reached up and tugged on a lock of his hair.





“Stop that you little harpy!” He said, pinning her arms to her sides, completely unaware of the redhead sitting there watching in open amusement.





“What pixie bit you in the ass this time Lucius?” Hermione asked. She wondered if there was a spell or a potion she could take to make her reactions to him less intense, in all ways.





“Care to explain to me why I just received a letter from St. Mungo’s thanking me for my generous donation?” He asked. Hermione’s lips pursed around a small “oh” as she stopped struggling.





“You told me I had free access to your accounts.” She said, shrugging her shoulders.





“I meant for clothing and jewelry and the like, not for you to be funding an entire hospital wing!” He said, shaking her slightly.





“I don’t care about those things and I wanted to do something to better wizard kind.” She said fractiously.





“Well, it may please you to know that the Malfoy Center for Muggle Medicine will be operable by Christmas!” He said. Hermione smiled gleefully.





“They named it for you?” The irony was too hilarious not to point out. “A hospital wing named for the treatment of the very race you tried to eradicate! Oh my goodness that is too funny!” Hermione began to laugh hysterically. Lucius was staring at her in appalled amazement. Hermione did not have one of those false, vexing, shrill giggles like other women he knew, instead she had a full throated belly laugh that should have been unattractive if he weren’t so astonished by the real emotion.





How sad that he was so used to counterfeit reactions from people that he ended up completely discombobulated by the first real emotions he came face to face with.



“I will thank you to allow me to handle our charitable donations in the future, if you have an interest in such things, we can discuss it together.” Lucius said harriedly.





“I’m sorry, Lucius. I didn’t mean to make you look so magnanimous to society.” The little witch was still laughing at him. “Is that all you needed?” She asked.





“No, an event planner will be here in the morning to speak with you.” He said, letting go of her arms and resting his hands back on her hips.





“An event planner for what?” She asked. She was unsure what to do with her hands so she gripped his biceps, smiling slightly when she felt him flex beneath her hands. Vain creature, she thought.





“We are going to hold a ball, in honor of our marriage.” He said.





“Whatever for? It isn’t as though we are swimming in bliss over this unfortunate partnership.” She frowned.





“Ah, but they don’t know that, do they? That little photograph in the Prophet just makes them all even more curious about their choice of punishment.” A wicked smile spread across his handsome face. “Consider it a belated wedding reception. Just a small, overtly ostentatious event of maybe two or three hundred people?”





“Two or three hundred?” She asked in astonishment.





“It can be larger if you like.” He smiled. “Just make certain you have a ball gown made, something bridal.”





“Where will we be holding this absurd event?” She asked, wondering if this man was always going to be so dictatorial.





“Here of course. There is a grand ballroom off of the formal dining room.” He looked down at her. “Haven’t you toured the estate at all?”





“I keep getting lost.” She replied. “Any further instructions?”





“Just make certain it is an event without compare, the planner should be able to assist you with that and spare no expense. Despite your hopes, your little venture into philanthropy didn’t even scratch the surface of my fortune, so there is no need to be thrifty.” He winked. “I want this event to make a lasting impression.”





“Fine, now if you wouldn’t mind….” Hermione’s eyes widened and she gasped softly when his hands slid down over her bottom.





“I do think this little spell has its advantages. It forces you to pay attention when I want to talk to you.” He drawled, pressing her closer.





“Lucius, I have…” She was trying to tell him that she had company, but he was ignoring her.





“Very pretty lips.” He said without meaning to. His unusual compliment stunned her momentarily before his lips closed over hers. She whimpered softly before responding to his kiss, opening her mouth and allowing his tongue to sweep inside and writhe against hers. Her nails were biting into his upper arms, the sharp little pain intensifying his desire to possess the little witch body and soul.





Thoughts of making her feel something for him kept interceding and were making him increasingly uncomfortable. He drew back slowly, pulling her fleshy lower lip between his teeth before breaking the kiss completely.





“I was trying to tell you that I have company.” She said softly as he set her away from him. Lucius frowned and looked over at the heretofore unnoticed Ginny Potter.





“Don’t mind me.” She said, smiling brightly.





“Pardon me Mrs. Potter; I had not realized we had a guest. If you will excuse me.” Lucius bowed his head and with a last heated glance at his wife he left them alone.





Hermione reached behind her for the back of her chair to steady herself as she settled back into her seat.





“Is it always like that with you two?” Ginny asked. She had never seen anything so insanely arousing in her life. The passionate banter between the two of them and then that kiss, her heart was all aflutter.





“Yes. We can’t seem to help it.” Hermione said, reaching for a glass of iced water and downing it quickly as though trying to cool her heated state of emotion.





“Holy shit, no wonder you were in tears! The room was practically aflame with the energy between the two of you. I’m sorry sweetie, but maybe Kingsley was on to something when he married the two of you. You guys are positively explosive!”





“It’s not a good thing, Ginny! I detest the domineering beast!”





“Not entirely, you seemed to like certain aspects of him just fine.” Ginny said. “That kiss looked intense.”





“It was, they always are. That’s what is making me so crazy! How long can I keep denying it before it bites me in the ass and I end up on my back?” She was clearly frustrated and Ginny began to think that maybe ending up on her back with a certain wizard was just what Mione needed.





“Stop denying it then. Let it happen. Believe me, nothing softens a man quite like regular sex. Trust me.”





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AngelBaby – word one down, we will see if we can work on the next one LOL