Lord of the Land

Chapter 18

Draco didn’t come home until the next afternoon.

Hermione was in the library reading when Draco marched in and pushed her shoulders into the chair she was in.
“Let me inform you now my dear wife if you interrupt me again in having fun you will be punished,” he announced. She could smell the alcohol on his breath.

“Next time send me home so I don’t have to interrupt you and your sleazy company,” Hermione commented back.

Draco had an all-knowing smile on his face.
“Sleazy company? She was doing your job of pleasing me, pleasing your husband. And she enjoyed every minute of it.”

“That’s what you pay her for Draco. They pretend to like it, to like you,” she said disgusted.

“I don’t pay them. I own them. They’re in servitude to me until their family debts are paid off.” he said proudly, “and if you’re not carefully you’ll be working there too.”

“It was your hotel, your brothel?” she said cautiously, a sick feeling coming over her.

“Yes, it’s been in the family for years. I must say you looked lovely last night, pregnancy agrees with you,” He said in a pleasant tone.
He stepped towards her and she took a step back.

“God I’d make a small fortune with you. Some men enjoy fucking a pregnant woman. A few men noticed you last night.” Draco put his hands on her breasts as though he was judging them, “Your breasts are getting bigger as well as your belly. If I didn’t know how trim you were before I would guess that you were half way through your pregnancy. Your belly plumping out like that. ”

She slowly and carefully pushed his hands off her hoping not to anger him.

“Yes, you are getting bigger fuller figured. But since I can’t touch you myself…well perhaps the next time you are pregnant.” he sighed with a disappointed tone.

Hermione was going to argue with him that she would never in a million years go and work in a brothel, but she was hoping and praying that what ever Harry was planning would get her out of there before she had the baby.

“Oh and the tailor is coming here to drop off Posy’s new corsets and dresses. He’s going to make you some appropriate dresses that will get bigger as you get bigger.

Madame Pomfrey came once a week to see how Hermione was doing.

Draco wanted an update to know when he could have his rights back as Hermione’s husband.

“Mr. Malfoy your wife may not be able to have relations until after the child is born,” the nurse said.

Madame Pomfrey looked at Hermione and asked, “So any inkling on whether it a boy of girl?”

Hermione thought for a moment she felt that spinning sensation again, rubbing her belly,
“It’s a boy,” she paused, feeling sensing something,
“Yes it’s a boy. My son,” tears forming in her eyes as she cradled her belly

“I got that same feeling too. I haven’t been wrong yet.” Madame Pomfrey hugged her.

“Are you going to tell him?” signaling to Draco who was in the other room.

“Yes,” she said, knowing if it was his, she would tell him and she was sure he was listening to the conversation.

Madame Pomfrey put a hand on her shoulder and said,
“I’m sure he’ll be happy having a son. Well, I will see you next week unless you need me,” and she walked in to the fireplace.

Hermione walked into the other room and announced
“Draco, it’s a boy. I’m going to have a boy, a son.”

Draco smiled and touched her belly for a moment, “Of course it’s a boy. You’re carrying my heir. To bad your uncle is dead. He’d be working some of his own land now. Strange how he can’t sell your family’s land? Well we’ll see how it does this season if it yields a good harvest I won’t sell it.”
Hermione kept her mouth closed and didn’t say anything.

Hermione got to go to the farm a few times each week, but Draco stayed with her. Barely letting her out of his sight.

He fell asleep while they were in the field. It was hot day and it hadn’t rained for a few weeks. Hermione was checking to see if the crops were drying out at all, to make sure the rivers and streams hadn’t dried up.

She could sense something or someone.
Draco was a few feet away, snoring when Hermione barely heard some say her name in her ear.

She walked towards a large tree and the quite suddenly she was pushed behind it.

Harry came out of nowhere snatching her up in his arms.
His lips covered her lips and the surprised noise she made out of shock.

Hermione worried that Draco could catch them so she pushed Harry off of her, looking back at Draco.

“What’s wrong?’ Harry asked.

“What’s wrong? Draco’s only a few yards away if we caught….” she whispered.

“He’ll do nothing!” Harry interrupted,“ He’ll be mad as hell but he wouldn’t hurt you right now because of the baby. Though he might challenge me to a duel,” Harry said smiling.

“Harry that’s not funny. He’d try his damnest to kill you.” Hermione said softly.

Harry looked in the direction of where Draco was sleeping,
“Don’t you think I would do the same?” he said in serious tone,
“I’d kill him now, just to free you from him, but then the authorities may want to know how he died, I’d have to make it look like an accident. And if we are found out they could imprison you and hang me.”

“But you’re a lord?” Hermione commented.

“If a queen can loose her head so can I. We have some diplomatic immunity but murder is murder,” he said seriously.

He kissed her wanting to change the subject.
“God I missed you mouth …so sweet,” as he hungrily covered her lips with his again. Their tongues caressed each other’s in a long deep kiss.

The kiss was broken by a snore from Draco.

“Hermione, there’s going to be a big dinner party at the Lovegood estate. See if you can get Draco to take you. I don’t want to promise you anything yet. We may get a ring maker to take a look at your ring and see if there’s another way to get it off,” Harry said running his fingers through her hair.

“I hope so. He’s beginning to look at me again, and not for himself. His family owns brothels. I have get out of there before the baby’s born.” Hermione said with great concern.

Draco was starting to wake up.
Harry kissed her again and then disappeared under his cloak before she had a chance to say they were going to have a boy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Draco and Hermione were invited to the dinner party.

They got dressed up for the dinner and as they got into the carriage Draco reminded Hermione that she was to stay in the same room as he.

They got to the party. There were hundreds of people there, many of them from high society or very wealthy.

Draco couldn’t wait to mingle. The Malfoys had the money but not the status.
As soon as they entered many people wanted to talk with Hermione.

Her farm had been an age-old landmark and of course her family’s produce had always been the biggest and juiciest around.

“Has the drought hit you hard?” one man asked.

“Not much, the streams are still flowing high enough to water the crops. I’m not sure what I’ll do when the streams dry up. It’s a few more weeks before harvesting time we’ll just have to hope and pray it doesn’t get any hotter.” she commented.

Hermione and Draco made their way around the rooms.
Draco found a group of men talking about quidditch and told Hermione to go to the other room and talk with the women in there.

Hermione followed his instruction and went in to the other room where she talked to the other women. News got around that Hermione and Draco were expecting a son and many people congratulated them both.

Luna came up to Hermione and shook her hand hearing the happy news, ”You must be so happy having a son. There someone here who wants to ask you something,” and she guided Hermione in to an other room.

There was a young women sitting in a chair looking uncomfortable in her surrounds.

“Hello. Are you looking for me?” Hermione asked.

“Hermione…? Malfoy?” she asked.

“Yes.” Hermione answered curiously.

“Hello,“ and held out her hand to shake Hermione’s or so she thought.
The young women pushed it away,
“No the other hand please.”

Hermione gave the young woman her left hand.

The women examined the ring very closely.
She took out her wand and tapped it.

“Are you a jeweler?” Hermione asked.
The girl nodded.

The jeweler tapped the ring again and said
“Show me your mystery of your metals and spells.”
The ring turned blue and then it glowed red and orange.

“Wow, this ring.” she whispered.

“Is what?” Hermione posed.

“The ring must make your life a hell, it has a dutiful wife charm, a suti curse, both illegal, and a self mending spell on it.”

“Suti curse? What that?’ Hermione asked.

“A very nasty thing, when your husband dies you..” she took in a deep breath, “well the ring will kill you, set you on fire.” the jeweler answered.

“Is there a way to get this thing off of my finger?” Hermione said with alarming tone.

The women smiled, ”Yes. I’ll have to make a ring. You put it on the same finger and it draws the power off of it. Pull them both off at the same time and you’re free.

“How long will it take to make the ring? How fast can you get it to me?” Hermione asked.

The girl pulled out a ring and put it on her finger.

“Is that it?” Hermione asked excitedly.

“Sorry no this is to see what size you are. It will take a few weeks am afraid. I’ll be as fast as possible.” The jeweler said.

The jeweler made a few notes and said,
“I’ll give the ring to his Lordship and he’ll get it to you.”
And in a blink of an eye the girl was gone.

Hermione went back into the room of chatting women and sat down to think. ‘Don’t get your hopes up to high. It sounds easy but something could go wrong like last time.’

Suddenly there was a man in front of her,
“Mrs. Malfoy?” he asked.

“Yes,” Hermione cringed at the sound of that name.

“Hi I’m Mr. Lovegood, Luna’s father,” shaking her hand.

“Oh, nice to meet you sir,” nodding her head slightly and smiling at her host.

“Yes. Nice to meet you too I know you are a great at growing things on your farm. I would very much like to show you our gardens,” he said with great enthusiasm.

Hermione had a feeling it was going to be boring but she was a guest and didn’t want to be rude.
They went over to Draco.

“Mr. Malfoy would you like to join us. I’m going to give your lovely wife a tour of our gardens it will take only a hour of so,” Mr. Lovegood said.

Hermione looked at Draco was having a great conversation about Quidditch.

Draco looked uninterested and before he could open his mouth, Hermione turned to her host and said, “I wouldn’t mind taking the tour by myself just the two of us. I would like to see the flowers up close and it may take me more then an hour to see all of it. My husband can take the tour a bit later after his conversation is over.”

Mr. Lovegood said, “That’s a splendid idea.”
Draco looked relieved and nodded turning back to his group conversation.

He walked Hermione to the garden gate and stopped.
He point to the several gardens..
“This is the rose garden, vegetable garden, herb.. “ pointing to patch of green vegetation as they walked quickly toward the main hall, “Flower garden over here over behind the flowers, hedges and the ponds after that.”

He kept walking briskly towards the hall up to the entrance. Hermione’s was wondering where they were going.

Mr. Lovegood opened the door and said,
“And this is le jardin d’amour. The garden of love,” as he signaled for Hermione to go in.
Hermione went in and down a few steps. It was a dark stone structure with a very cool and dreary in appearance, but beyond the door way she could see beautiful flowers of sorts.
Hermione walked toward the opening when she saw something move in the darkness.

It took her a few seconds to see it was Harry dressed in dark clothes.

By the time Hermione took two steps Harry was in front of her.
Without saying a thing his lips met hers in a long passionate kiss.

Mr. Lovegood excused himself quietly and left leaving them alone.
Harry’s lips moved down to Hermione’s throat as her head moved to give him more access.

Harry pulled her toward the wall and hiked up her dress. He urged her legs to part and pulled one onto his hip. A moment later he was inside her sliding in and out of her panting with each thrust. He filled her and sent ripples pleasure through her body.

She felt the only skin exposed to her was between her legs and it felt wonderful, though she missed making love in bed with Harry.

Hermione had her arms around Harry’s neck trying to hold on. He was carrying her weigh leaning her again the wall.

He exploded quickly, with moans of ecstasy and caressed her now swelling belly with a wondrous smile on his face,
“A boy?”

She nodded,
“I wanted to tell you last time we met but you’d left to fast.”
She explained feeling his cheek and feeling disappointed at not being the one to tell him,
“How did you find out?”

“Everyone at the party was talking about it.” Harry enlighten her,
“I hate to say it but I’m sort jealous of Draco,”

“What ever for?” Hermione asked.
“I have to stay silent,“ he said sadly, ”while he boasts about having a son, an heir.”

“But he’s yours,” she laughed.
Hermione gave him a sweet kiss and then pulled out her wand and did a cleaning spell on them both.

They walked through the garden.
“I got news for you, Remus sent me a letter. It was your father who was ill and the women who was nursing his back to health was your Aunt. He’s doing better thou he is still weak. He should be here in a few weeks just in time for the tribute.”

They walked some more.
“I should get the ring at the tribute or before then. If the ring doesn’t come off with the ring maker’s ring then I will demand that the Malfoys debt to my family be paid in full that day. I can insist them paying three hundred gold pieces. I’m sure they don’t have that much on hand.” He paused and “I’ll claim you as payment of their debt.”

“Harry!” Hermione shook her head, “You’ll ruin your good name. I can’t let you do that, not again.”

“My name didn’t suffer as much as I thought. In some ways I have more respect from the village than I did before.” But Hermione was scared. What if they did have the money on hand? What if it took her father months to get back on his feet and come home to fight the marriage being valid? Then what? She didn’t want the baby living in the Malfoy Estate.

“Harry I want you to promise me something.” Hermione said very seriously.

“What that?”

“If I’m still at the Malfoys estate after the baby is born, please the first chance you get grab the baby. Take your son. Start looking for a wet nurse now just in case something goes wrong. Please promise me?” she begged.

“You’ll be out of there before then.” Harry protested.

“Please just promise me.”

“I promise. But you’ll be gone from there in few weeks.” Harry commented.

Harry looked around. There were high shrubs around them.
He cupped Hermione’s cheek and said,

“I came too quickly earlier,” kissing her “so I’ll make it up to you now,” guiding her into the high bushes. Their clothes seemed to fall off of them as they lay on the soft vegetation.

‘Yes,‘ Hermione though to herself ‘making love in a garden is wonderful.’ and then she thought of the first spill but that was driven out of her as Harry entered her slowly and gently.
He whispered wonderful things to her,
“You’re too beautiful too wonderful for words.” Harry breathed out.
He pushed himself deep inside her.
“Your breasts are growing,” he said as he cupped them.
“I don’t know how something so perfect can get better, but you do,” taking her right nipple into his mouth and gently sucking on it.

Hermione moaned and laughed at his compliment,
“I’m just getting bigger I have a belly now. I had to get new dresses. I can’t wear a corset now. I can’t see my toes when I look down. And soon I’ll be very big and slower than a turtle.”

“I can’t wait to see your belly get bigger and rounder, full with our son.” Harry whispered.

“Oh really!” Hermione sighed out as Harry slowly slid in deeper making her head spin.

His body moved over hers. Hermione’s hands ran from his shoulders to his chest to his stomach, feeling his skin and his toned muscles.

Harry arched his back as he thrust farther in to Hermione and let out a moan.

He covered her mouth with his in a passionate kiss moving in and out of her slowly with long slow strokes.

Hermione had her legs on his hips wanting to give him more access and squeezed them when he gradually pulled out.

Harry grunted.

Hermione squeezed his cock when he was sliding out of her teasing him.
“You ‘re going to make me explode much faster than I want if you keep that up,” he warned her.

“I like making you explode. I’d like to think I satisfy you.” Hermione admitted.

“Oh, you do. You do.” Harry moaned and then started to pick up the pace.

He began going in and out of her with all speed, making her mind spin and sending goose bumps over her skin.

Faster and faster he went.
Hermione went higher and higher. Hermione tried to meet with all of his thrusts but he was going faster than she could.
Harry pulled her legs over his shoulders and pounded himself into Hermione. She went higher than she ever had and then she felt her own release, a flood of wetness.

Harry let a surprise moan and pulled out of Hermione.

The next moment he was licking her wet folds pulling her entrance to his mouth. His tongue was licking, exploring, and entering her, going deep down inside her.
Harry hummed and moaned with excitement that always tickled Hermione thighs.

Hermione just laid back closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation.

A flash of bright light made Hermione open her eyes.
There were hands on her naked body pulling and pinned her down.
A flash, she saw Harry hanging from a noose in the middle of the village.
Another flash and she saw herself in the mirror naked covered in sores, diseased. Then all was dark.

She woke up in Harry’s arms lying on the ground.
Harry was looking very upset. They had their clothes back on.
“Harry what happened?” She asked him.
“You had a seizure or something. Just lie still until the doctor gets here.” Harry whispered to her, kissing her cheek.
Hermione closed her eyes as tears formed in them,
“I’m sorry Harry. I’m so sorry,” she said softly.

“For what?” he asked.

“Ruining the only time we have together,” she said tears rolling down her face.

“Nonsense. Now the doctor will be coming soon just try to relax.”
He looked around and seeing that they were still alone, Harry kissed her passionately.

The muggle doctor came and examined Hermione but couldn’t find anything wrong with her.
Hermione told Harry, ”Get to the party. I don’t want to have to try to explain things to Draco.” He nodded and asked Mr. Lovegood, who had come with the doctor, the fast way back to the house without being seen.

Draco appeared as the doctor was leaving.
“What’s going on here?” Draco asked.

“The young girl had a some sort of an episode. She seems fine now,” said the doctor, “Just see that she gets plenty of rest. She may have done a little to much today.”


Draco looked at Hermione and had the expression of ‘you had to ruin my fun again,’ But there were other guests around now and they had to play devoted husband and wife.
“Well Hermione why don’t we find you a place to lay down and rest a bit?’

“Yes Draco that’s all I need, a little rest. I just walked to far. I wasn’t taking my time. Sorry I didn’t mean to worry you Draco.” she said in a soothing manner.

His mood changed to a little irritated expression,
“I know you didn’t mean to worry me. Let’s go find you a nice quiet place to rest and relax.” helping her up onto her feet.

He had his arm around her waist and whispered,
“What happened?”

“I fainted is all. I got too warm.” realizing she was indeed hot and sweating.
“This weather is awful. There’s not enough rain. I’ll have to go to the farm and see how bad things are there.”

“Fine, I want to stay a little longer. A few of the men are scheduling a few games of Quidditch in the next week or so and they’ve asked me to play with them. One of the players is Viktor Krum.

They got to the house and Mr. Lovegood showed Hermione to one of the guest’s room.

Not-so-fun facts
Sati (also suttee) is a Hindu funeral custom, largely defunct in Modern India in which the dead man's widow used to immolate herself on her husband’s funeral pyre. (Basically burnt alive).
Some were voluntary, lying down with their dead husband. Others jumped or walked into the fire. Some widows were drugged while others were tied to the pyre. Some people said the women were poked with long poles to keep them on the pyre so they couldn’t escape.