Mastering Temptation

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: 3 Wizards and a Witch Pt. 1







When the taxi pulled to a halt in front of The Underground, the three wizards filed out onto the sidewalk and Lucius reached in for Hermione’s hand to guide her from the vehicle. Draco made his way to the tall, dark skinned man holding a clipboard, completely ignoring the queue of people running along the front of the building. The dark man nodded and spoke into his mouthpiece briefly before saying something else to Draco who smiled and nodded.





Hermione stood with Lucius and Severus while Draco arranged for them to get in. As she had expected the two men were the subject of conversation for almost every woman in line and the object of envy for the men. She had tried to convince the two of them to dress a bit more “muggle” but Lucius absolutely refused. He looked rather piratical to be honest in black trousers and shoes, crushed velvet robes and royal blue waistcoat. His long blonde hair was loose and his ever present cane was held firmly in his gloved hand.





Severus looked as he always did. Hermione wondered if the man owned anything other than the severe, black button down suits. She could tell he had his arms crossed over his chest beneath his wool cloak as he took note of all the attention they were getting.





“Hey, come on!” Draco called them as the dark skinned man released the velvet ropes for them to go in. People in line groaned in irritation that they were allowed entrance ahead of them. Dean Thomas was waiting for them when they got to the door.





“Hermione! Good to see you.” He said, pulling her into his arms for a brief hug. He stiffened when he noted who was behind her. “Please tell me you didn’t bring Snape and Lucius Malfoy with you.” He whispered into her ear.





“Be nice, Dean. Snape is my boss and Lucius is my friend, they came for my birthday.” She said.





“I’ll be nice as long as they don’t pull their wands on anyone.” Dean muttered as the two older wizards followed Hermione and Draco inside.





“Mister Thomas.” Severus said, nodding in greeting.





“Professor……erm…….headmaster Snape.” Dean said, his stomach knotting the way it always did when he was a student going to potions. Lucius merely scowled and lifted one brow as he passed by the young man.





“What on earth is he doing here?” Severus asked as they stopped off at a small window to check their coats.





“Dean is the manager of this club, that’s why we don’t wait in line.” Draco said, shoving some bills in the direction of the young woman behind the counter. The girl was barely twenty-one and she was damn near drooling as she collected Draco’s leather coat, Hermione’s coat and Lucius and Severus’s cloaks.





Hermione rolled her eyes when the girl tripped over her own feet rather than turn around and look where she was going. With a tight smile, Hermione took the claim checks and tucked them into Draco’s pocket.



“I can already see that we are going to be the center of attention.” She said as they approached the inner doors to the club. Two security guards dressed in black ran hand held metal detectors over Hermione and waved her aside.





“What is that?” Lucius asked.





“It detects weapons.” Draco said over his shoulder as he stepped up between the guards. When he was cleared he stepped aside and motioned for Severus who frowned the entire time, then stepped away for Lucius.





“Sir, you need to check the cane.” One of the guards said as he reached for the serpent headed walking stick.





“Touch it and I will hurt you, muggle.” Lucius said softly, his silver eyes narrow and heated. The guard backed up in astonishment. Hermione hurried to Lucius’s side, afraid that things would get ugly if she didn’t intervene.





“He needs it, he has a bad leg.” She said, pressing the heel of her boot into Lucius’s foot when he started to protest.



“Oh, no problem then.” The guard said, waving them inside.





“Well I didn’t have a bad leg, but now I think I have a crippled foot.” Lucius groused, reaching for the door and holding it open for Hermione to pass ahead of him. She smiled as one of her favorite bands was taking the stage just as they entered. She made her way through the bar and headed for the table Draco had reserved for them.





She looked over her shoulder to say something to Draco, but no one was behind her. Hermione turned abruptly and scanned the room. She sighed and shook her head when she found her escorts, completely surrounded by women and trying to get away. She straightened her spine and schooled her face into the most intimidating expression she could manage and strolled across the room to rescue the trio.





“Excuse me ladies.” Hermione nearly shouted as she shouldered her way through the women. “Hello boys.” She said, smiling at them when she got to the eye of the storm. “Is everyone in one piece?” She asked, tilting her head to the side.





“These women are insane!” Lucius said, looking around at the sea of muggle women in horror. “Do they attack every man who comes in the door this way?”





“No, let’s just say that you and Severus are not the average Joe these women are used to seeing around here.” She said, laughing slightly. Lucius curled his lip in a sinister scowl that should have made the women back off, but instead it only made him appear dangerous and they found that appealing.





Severus peeled yet another hand from his arm and cast it aside as though he were removing an annoying piece of lint. Hermione met his gaze and she could see that he was not at all interested in standing there a moment longer among their admirers.





“Alright, which one of my men will take me on the dance floor first?” Hermione asked loudly to the handsome trio of wizards.





“Your men?” A high pitched voice asked from behind her. Hermione turned around and came face to face with a young muggle female.





“Yes, my men.” Hermione said, her brows lifted as though challenging the woman to correct her.



“All three of them?” The woman asked incredulously. Hermione’s lips twitched slightly.





“Yes, all three of them.” She answered. The woman glanced from Draco, to Lucius, to Severus and back to Hermione.





“What do you need three of them for?” The woman asked. Hermione looked over her shoulder at Severus who gave her a look that said he was waiting to hear her answer.





“The big blonde there is my sugar daddy, the little one is my plaything, and the dark one, well he’s my master.” Hermione said with a slight smirk. Draco started laughing hysterically while Severus fought his smile. Lucius looked confused when their audience gasped in surprise.





“I don’t understand.” Lucius said softly behind her.





“Hermione just claimed the three of us as her lovers.” Draco said through his laughter. He stepped up and kissed Hermione on the side of her neck. “I’ll go get our table, Darling.” He pushed his way through the crowd who now parted to watch in astonishment.





“That’s not fair, share the wealth, love!” A woman said, staring up at Lucius with a come hither expression.





“The tall one there can be my master anytime he likes.” Another woman quipped.





Hermione could barely hold back the laughter as the horrified Deatheaters shifted closer to her. She reached for Lucius’s hand and looked up at Severus.





“Shall we go?” She asked. Severus took the hint and wrapped his fingers around the back of her neck and nudged her forward. She pulled Lucius by the hand behind her, hoping that they made it through the crowd before he decided he had had enough and began to hurl hexes.





“What exactly is a sugar daddy?” Lucius asked as he slid into a chair.





“A rich guy who dates young women and spends all his money on them.” Draco said, laughing still as the women in the bar scowled enviously in their direction.





“Well why did I get to be the sugar daddy and Severus the master, why couldn’t I be the master?” He asked, his brows furrowed.





“Perhaps it’s because you have on more jewelry than half the women in London?” Severus drawled from beside Lucius. The blonde wizard glanced down at the large diamond ring on his hand and shrugged.





“Severus looks more menacing.” Draco said. “At least she didn’t claim you as her whipping boy.”





“I’ll have you know I am far more menacing than Severus ever dreamed of being.” Lucius boasted as though it were something to be proud of.





“Merlin’s beard, Lucius, does it matter? You aren’t really my sugar daddy and Draco isn’t really my plaything, I just said it to get you away from those women, so can we drop it.” Hermione gave an exasperated sigh and turned to watch the band.





“What about Severus?” Lucius asked. Hermione gave him an annoyed look over her shoulder.





“What about him?” She asked.





“You clarified that Draco and I weren’t your sugar daddy or your plaything…you didn’t mention Severus.” A slow, arrogant grin began to lift the corners of Lucius’s mouth as he watched her face flush brightly.





“I was distracted by the band.” She said, glancing at Severus and noting the heated flicker in his eyes.





“So would you care to clarify now?” Lucius asked, watching them.





“Clarify what?” Hermione asked, her eyes locked with Severus’s.





“Clarify Sev’s position as your master.” Something was definitely going on there, Lucius thought.





“He’s my boss…” Hermione said softly, tearing her gaze away from his reluctantly.





“Come on, darling, I know you love this band, let’s dance.” Draco said, pulling her from her chair by the hand.





“I’m not your darling….” Severus heard her say as she was pulled from the table and towards the dance floor.





“She never did clarify.” Lucius said, gesturing for the waitress and ordering a scotch for Severus and himself. “Are you?”





“Am I what?” Severus asked, looking askance at his friend.





“Her master.” Lucius smirked.





“Shut up, Lucius.” Severus said, focusing his attention on Draco and Hermione on the dance floor and ignoring the wizard chuckling beside him.