The Taming of the Shrew - Wizard Style - COMPLETE
22. Masquerade
10-30-09 F
Thank you, thank you, to all who reviewed. So many fascinating observations. I appreciate them all!
A tiny bit of bad news - I’m on vacation next week so there will be a one-week hiatus. Apologies, friends. Back again on November 13. Good news – there is no smut in the November 13, next chapter either, so you won’t feel too disgruntled, I hope, at missing any hot stuff.
And now on to the answers to comments -
Rini – Lucius IS slow to understand that a Muggleborn isn’t deficient somehow in the finer nuances of life. I think he’s learning more quickly now. LOL how many of us have ‘little’ crushes on Severus? I blame it on his voice, but the rest of him can come along, too. If you use that ‘loathesome’ remark on your sister, don’t tell her you got it from me. I’m innocent. I’m sorry, but Hermione’s Mini is probably going to stay in her new garage. But I’ll think about it.
jw – One roadblock removed – Hermione now knows Lucius has been labeled a pervert. And she’s on his side. Lucius is sexier than Dumbledore (but who isn’t?) Have you seen Dobby in action against Lucius in Chamber of Secrets? Hermione should be safe with an elf.
Draco_Lover - Hermione’s free pass to her new hobby of baiting Lucius and getting spanked, has now dried up. Re a threesome, have you read Dream_Dragon’s three chapter, “Triangular Tangle” on Granger Enchanted? [http://www.grangerenchanted.com/enchant/viewstory.php?sid=451&ageconsent=ok&warning=1 ]
moregoth – In my take on the Harry Potter world, Lucius is a very complex character. It’s why I love to write him. He’s not all good and not all bad, but the bad parts are mesmerizing! Snape and Narcissa together, came out surprisingly well for my low expectations. I merely wanted to be kind to Narcissa for once. She so often gets divorced from Lucius in my stories (laughing).
Lilashannah – Thank you! (smiles happily)
lemonade8 – Just a few more chapters and your impatience will be rewarded LOL. Se is learning to read him. What will she do with that knowledge?
BeaBibliophile – Ah, the sheep. No, Lucius didn’t indulge. Hey, (grins) the more different Snapes, the better, I say. A Severus smörgasbord. Hermione wants - and doesn’t want - Lucius, simultaneously. Bad boy syndrome – we’ve all had it. “Gile and bile” – lovely phrase. Hogwarts does bring a sea change as the plan takes over the storyline.
blue artemis – Lucius has quite a few areas of his life he never wants Hermione to know about; the marriage contract is just one more. He’s well able to keep his secrets – I think he’s wired that way. Opening up to anyone is much harder for him.
Insolence - You had to get polluted on your hubby’s wine to read chapter 20? Or were you dipping into Snape’s sangria supply? OR are YOU Snape’s secret second wife? Totally confused by your wine comment…
Chapter 21: - It’s a truism that in vino veritas. Hermione took arms against the blundering School Governors to defend Lucius. Her loyalties have shifted. || (Grins) this could have been a one-shot if I didn’t have the lovers sidetracked a few times. Would you have believed Hermione falling on Lucius’ neck in everlasting love in a couple of chapters? (Well, she might have been trying to bite him in the jugular, but that’s not what I mean.) You may need to count Hufflepuffs another time, so keep them handy.
hotgoose123 – Hey, hotgoose! I am happy you like the story! New update now, but I will skip next Friday to visit family. I will return with another chapter Friday, November 13th. Friday the 13th? Hmm, well, anyway, please tune in again then. 8-)
pittwitch – I’m always happy to share with you, Pitt. Hugs.
mrequecky – More coming up now. Hope you enjoy this chapter, too. 8-)
Sirsevchick –Yes, this chapter had a lot of internalizing, helped along on Hermione’s part, by some wine LOL. I am dragging our two recalcitrant lovers toward each other, but it’s like herding dragons. Hermione would not easily decide a former Death Eater suited her perfectly without quite a bit of angst involved Yeah, even if he looks like Lucius – snicker. I don’t see either of them as fluffy characters and the syrup factor isn’t allowed much in my story. Not that they can’t be tender with each other – I just don’t want a sugar overdose. That’s not what attracts them to each other, after all. (Preens happily at your wonderful compliments.) Smut? Be careful what you wish for…
Devourer - Welcome! All the characters have so many facets to their personalities it is easy to write them. I am happy you’re enjoying the story! You said re ‘Beyond the Veil,’ “I am curious how the Veil played a role in their situation and wonder if they will ever run into anyone else from their time.” I am not sure what you are asking. Can you elaborate? Feel free to email me at LaBibliographe@yahoo.com. 8-)
Gilly_sirl – Hey, Gilly! Welcome! I applaud your taste in Lumione fiction. Don’t worry about where the story winds up. I like happy endings. Read any of my other stories with the same guarantee. Snape is definitely a secondary character, but he has a long history with this Lucius and they are so snarky together it makes for some lighthearted relief to the trials of our two lovers. Lucius is the central male and he never leaves the stage. Smut? Lucius hasn’t taken a vow of chastity, so I think more smut will come along… fairly soon.
Scary Bear Hair – Hermione is finally starting to wake up to the nuances of her husband, beginning to use them for herself. She’s opening her eyes to his attractions, although her worry that he doesn’t really want her still linger. How could such a handsome man who previously had such a beautiful wife, really want her? That question bothers her – she can’t see past their surface looks, being somewhat hypnotized by Lucius’ looks herself. Lucius isn’t really cut out to be a Casanova type. He’s more hearth and home, but usually people never think that of someone gorgeous. It’s so easy for beautiful people to attract, so they must constantly be enjoying it, right? Unfortunately, His looks will play against him at Hogwarts, when he’s confronted with a school full of horny teen girls.
dragon37 – Lucius as Headmaster kinda excites me, too LOL. Hermione will definitely have her hands full (of what I won’t say, heh, heh). Lucius is eye candy, no doubt about that. Lucky girl students.
Aliciana - That’s right! You have firsthand experience of horny teens and… horny profs. In my story the profs are more set upon than leering. Lucius’ and Hermione’s intimate communication isn’t what it could be; Lucius is the original clam about his feelings. Revealing them might make him vulnerable. Have a lovely time on holiday. I’m gone next week, also. Next chapter due November 13, Friday.
aliciana – Part 2: I, too, hate to find I’ve misspelled anything. I read my reviews and remove and re-write them if I find a mistake. I use Word to write all my reviews and I keep them, so it isn’t difficult to correct and re-post. Definitely anal. Librarian habit.
Serin Blackmoon – Yes, (waggles finger) you should have known those two couldn’t find their feelings with an Accio spell (giggles). Use silk ropes for Lucius when you tie him down. He wriggles out of the fuzzy cuffs.
Onward...
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Masquerade
Lucius had a lot to think about as he tried his devious best to find his way into his wife’s psyche while struggling to retain his position as master in his own home. What was the secret to unlocking her interest in him as something more than a male body with the capacity to make her scream with pleasure? To unleashing her potential as a willing vixen in bed? She had definitely shown signs that she was capable of more adventurous behaviors.
He turned those behaviors over in his mind, examining all the nuances of her reactions to him, both good and bad, but couldn’t see his way clear to a surefire way of bringing her into a true married life - with the added fillip of the adventurous sex he craved.
It was obvious her body liked the little he had introduced - when they were actually in bed she was easily seduced, but her mind was a powerful force for rejecting him. Lucius knew she was conflicted and hoped it was more her anguish at discovering she liked sex with him than just purely hating him. Any advantage he could pursue he would grasp; if she saw him only as a convenient stud for her to play with, he would have to use that to breach her defenses against him as a true husband.
Lucius was dissatisfied at the patchwork relationship they currently had. Neither shared their daily lives with the other, neither knew the other’s concerns and upsets. Their only connection was in bed and it was not enough. The blond wizard knew much of the lack of communication was his fault; he was so beleaguered by his failing empire that he spent little time with her. Also, she had her research company and stayed in her rooms most of the day…avoiding him if he did happen to leave his study.
The wizard sardonically saw the pit he had fallen into; she was supposed to be part of a plan, but he’d been lying to himself and worse, he suspected Severus saw it clearly. Lucius wanted a happy marriage like Snape’s. The irony that Snape had made something wonderful with the woman Lucius had failed with so miserably, constantly jabbed at the platinum-haired Pureblood.
He wasn’t jealous so much as envious. He and Narcissa had been a mismatch, but it still rankled that he was unable to bring Hermione to give him a chance when he sensed she would be a much better match for him. She wasn’t afraid of him, she didn’t cower when he lost his temper, and she told him exactly what she thought if she disagreed with him. Vociferously. But so far it was like trying to command smoke – acrid, toxic smoke. Hermione could be so much more to him if he could find a way to pry open her distrust and let him in.
In the following weeks before they left, he and she continued to brangle, with her poisoned verbal barbs finding their way under his skin, espousing ideas that ran counter to his entire traditional way of life or scathingly repudiating his snobbishness - and he would finally reach the end of his patience and chastise her – verbally or with his hand or a hairbrush when he had had enough.
Oddly, it more and more felt as though she actually invited his explosions of temper, almost angling for those sessions with his hand or the hairbrush, but she was always subdued and sulky the next day. It felt like she used him, then blamed him. Lucius was enjoying the spankings less and less as the process was never for mutual fun.
When she had been so abrasive he couldn’t ignore her blatant disrespect, he gave her only the most cursory of spankings, feeling that he was being played for her latest sexual thrill while again reducing him to a sex toy. Hermione still had no interest in him as a person. He didn’t even bother to require her collar any more. To him it was a love trinket and there wasn’t any love growing between them that he could see.
The only continuing bright aspect of their marriage was the sex itself. Lucius had decided that if he was merely a sex toy, he would invade her bedroom instead of offering his own when he was interested in sleeping with his wife. At least he would be a presence in her private domain; it would be more difficult for her to forget his existence if his imprint was constantly being reinforced in her space as well as on her backside.
As he began his siege, most nights he was found under Hermione’s white eyelet coverlet, releasing the day’s tensions caused both by the escalating disasters in his financial and social dealings, and by the incessant, daily verbal barbs and actions of the young woman he had married.
Lucius felt it was only fair for her to heal at night what she had torn apart each day with her prickly attitude and acidulous words. He hoped that her increasing defensiveness arose from a desperate effort to keep him out of her life, but his optimism was fading.
Strangely, Hermione didn’t make much fuss over being the object of his sexual forays in her bedroom. In a way, that bothered him as much as her nasty comments. Perhaps more, because he sometimes mentally squirmed to think she was using him for her pleasure in increasing ways while giving him not a jot of true respect or care.
Only the previous night, Lucius had entered his petite wife’s bedroom suite as usual to find her sitting at her desk in one of the slinky lingerie sets he’d finally presented to her, busily writing something and scanning a large tome beside her between scribbles. She’d irritably waved him through to her bedroom with her quill, not even looking up, just as though he were a house elf delivering towels, except he was pretty sure she wouldn’t have treated an elf with such disrespect. Standing there in his normal naked state, he was mortified to be subjected to such impertinent, negligent behavior.
Blinking in shock, Lucius went on into her bedroom and straight through out her hall door, returning to his own bedroom for the night. He was so angry he was shaking and didn’t trust himself to confront his wife in his current mood. By the next morning he had calmed down enough to meet Hermione at the breakfast table with a measure of distant courtesy.
After giving her husband a quizzical stare, Hermione addressed their latest clash. “You’re angry with me for not greeting you as soon as you came into my rooms.”
Lucius gazed impassively at his wife, making no facial gestures to give her any hint of his attitude. His body was at ease, but his face was carved in stillness, cheating her of any information on his temper.
“I had a deadline I had to meet. I was almost through and would have finished the report in another ten minutes when you walked in.” She sighed. “I should have stopped long enough to tell you that, but I didn’t want to lose my focus or train of thought. Nevertheless, I was discourteous and I apologize.”
Lucius watched his wife for a few seconds, then thawed and nodded, accepting her apology. He started on his breakfast in silence.
Thinking to make more amends, she continued, “I’m finished with the report now. Tonight I am free for whatever you design for our pleasure.” At her words, Hermione saw her husband’s face go rigid again as though she’d insulted him. She hastened to add, “I did miss you last night.” Lucius’ lips went tight and his chin went up and Hermione was concerned that he didn’t believe her. She was at a loss how to retrieve her thoughtless act and so let the conversation lapse.
Lucius left the table soon thereafter, more certain than ever that he was only a sordid entertainment to be had when his wife didn’t have more important business. She hadn’t missed him enough to find him in his bedroom. Nevertheless, he did return to her bed that night.
No more was said about the incident. However, Hermione felt a small, cold chasm between them that hadn’t been there before.
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As the move approached, however, both the newlyweds became more and more short-tempered as the reality of going again to the scene of the battle sank in. Neither had really wanted to go to the school ever again, but it had occurred to Lucius, if not to Hermione, that if they had any children together it was going to be impossible not to return occasionally - unless they sent their children to Durmstrang or Beauxbatons. The idea of switching schools didn’t at all appeal to the wizard.
Malfoys had gone to Hogwarts for hundreds of years and he hoped even Muggleborn Hermione could appreciate that argument, but he wasn’t entirely sanguine about it. Her views on everything so often ran counter to his, she might take exception to schooling their children at Hogwarts just to annoy him. Better, he thought, not to raise the issue until more time had passed and just hope she hadn’t thought of the problem in the meantime. And maybe their upcoming sojourn there would put their upsets to rest.
As their jitters increased, Lucius decided to offer a way to take their minds off the move. He also wanted to try to erase his lingering sense of humiliated hurt; his pride still smarted whenever he remembered standing there nude and being dismissed. Hoping it would be a bridge between them, the elegant wizard broached his idea one morning at breakfast. “Hermione, there is a masquerade dance at one of the Muggle nightclubs tomorrow evening. I would like to go with you. Narcissa came by and invited us to go with them.”
“Narcissa was here?” Hermione’s voice was nonchalant, but her face took on a hard cast. The spoon she was stirring her tea with began clattering against the fine china in an agitated tattoo.
“Hermione,” Lucius reproved, “you’ll break the teacup. It’s not designed to withstand that harsh, banging motion. Please have a little care for the delicate ware.”
Hermione carefully set her spoon in the saucer and put her hands in her lap, ostensibly to rearrange her table napkin. She hadn’t been chastised for her manners in a while and Narcissa’s visit was instantly blamed for Lucius’ scold. Her appetite disappeared as she peeked up at her husband through her lashes. Having Narcissa visit Lucius so informally that Hermione wasn’t even told his ex was in the manor was making the little witch fume. The beautiful older witch never failed to bring Hermione’s insecurities to the surface.
Lucius was so handsome and the blonde witch was so lovely that Hermione couldn’t fathom how he could even want to touch her own unprepossessing self. That he did, and so often, was a continuing mystery. More than ever after her stupid blunder, Hermione carefully made no effort to repulse him and so she assumed she was likely experiencing the phenomenon of a highly sexed man with a convenient outlet close to hand…and lips…and cock. He was nothing if not thorough between the sheets.
Hermione tossed the idea of the evening out around in her head. She had gone to Muggle nightclubs before with friends and had a good time. It was a little loud, but the change of pace might settle her nerves. She’d rather dance than sit in her rooms fretting about Hogwarts and the new distance she was feeling from her husband.
“I’d like to go,” she said, but I haven’t a costume.” It wasn’t her preference to go with the Snapes. However, she and Lucius were quite awkward with each other lately and the second couple might help ease their evening.
“I think I’ll go as a Viking. My hair will go well with that costume so I won’t have to wear any itchy wigs. Come with me and we’ll select something for you.” Lucius gave her a challenging smile that encouraged her to go with him.
Hermione was intrigued at what manner of costumes Lucius could organize in the mansion and she went to him and took his proffered hand. In seconds they were back in that odd room where Lucius had strung her up and made her scream with his heavenly mouth.
She blushed to remember exactly what the man had done to her and instantly a shaft of sexual electricity shot through her pelvis. Attempting an air of sophisticated nonchalance, Hermione gazed with disinterest around the room. “Why are we here?” she squeaked, embarrassed at her giveaway tone instead of the sophisticated murmur it was supposed to have been.
“You’ll see,” said Lucius as he strode over to a large wardrobe at the far end of the room. “Here,” he threw open the doors and Hermione saw the wardrobe was really an entrance to another room.
Entranced by the colors and glitter she could see, she walked through the open entry and turned in a full circle gaping at the array of costumes. “Oh my,” her mouth formed a perfect ‘O’ as she touched this fabric and that headdress, goggling at what looked like a mermaid’s tail (was that where Lucius got his mermaid’s tight arse comment?) and several crowns, scepters and an ermine stole, before fastening on a ragged scrap of a dress that barely would cover the essentials.
Hermione looked up at Lucius as she fingered the ragged dress. “What on earth?”
“King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid.” He smiled reminiscently, “That was one of Narcissa’s favorite roles. I should probably send that to Snape. I can’t imagine that type of role would be your ideal.”
Hermione wrinkled her brow, “You and Narcissa playacted using these costumes? Why?”
The wizard sighed, “Really, Hermione,” Lucius shook his head, “Is it possible to die of terminal naïveté? If so, you’re doomed. Remember I mentioned role-playing and we discussed me as a pirate captain? Did you think we were going to read scenes from plays?” He took her hand and said gently, “No my dear. The play-acting Narcissa and I did always wound up in the bedroom. Do you understand now?”
“Um, you played a pirate captain and Narcissa played…what?”
Lucius expanded, remembering some good times, which he hoped he hadn’t seen the last of, just with a new wife. “She always chose submissive roles. Slave, captured ingénue, the Minister’s virgin daughter. You might like to BE the pirate captain. Or perhaps the fiery Spanish senorita who needs to be subdued by main force.” Lucius was getting excited by the panorama of possibilities spreading out in his mind’s eye. Then he shook himself mentally and walked past Hermione. “For today, we just need a costume for the nightclub. Do you see something you like? I can transfigure any costume to fit you. Or if you have an idea that you don’t see here, I can make it up for you if you like. I’m good at transfiguring.”
Hermione wandered around the room, touching a costume occasionally, drawn by color or material or sparkles. Finally she saw a costume that surprised her and she pulled it out. “What about this one?”
Lucius lifted one eyebrow at the choice his bride had made. “A wedding dress? Is that a slap at me?”
“No,” she said a little wistfully. “I just wanted to wear one once.” A determined shove buried the dress behind several other costumes and Hermione wandered on.
“Hermione -” Lucius began.
She turned on him fiercely, “No! I don’t want to talk about that – ever.” A raised chin dared her husband to make any other remark. Seeing him shrug and acquiesce, she quickly yanked out a costume and said, “This one.” It was brief and tight-fitting, a red, low-cut, long sleeved top and tights with a pointed tail attached to red shorts. Hung on the hanger was a pair of red felt-stuffed horns on a hair bandeau designed to top the head.
Lucius smiled grimly, “You want to be the devil. Well, I suppose it’s better than you picking it out for me to wear. I’ll have it transfigured to your size and a house elf can bring it to your room. Excuse me, I have work piling up in my study.” Lucius disapparated, leaving Hermione alone to wistfully finger the wedding dress for a moment. It wasn’t even a Muggle design – the old-fashioned robe was nothing she would have chosen. Drawing an unsteady breath, she crammed the dress behind the other costumes again and left.
~~~~
Are you ready, Hermione?” Lucius entered Hermione’s bedroom and looked around, but she wasn’t there.
“I’m in my closet. I’ll be ready in a minute,” her voice came from behind the closed door and Lucius took that to mean he wasn’t to go in. He retreated to Hermione’s sitting room and settled on her sofa, warily eyeing Crookshanks who was snoozing on Hermione’s desk in the last of the sunlight. An armed détente comprised his current relationship with Hermione’s pet and after one glare, Lucius ignored the orange, furry beast.
“I’m ready now,” Hermione announced, coming through the door into her sitting room. “What do you think…” a short gasp ended the sentence and Hermione stared openmouthed as Lucius rose with his normal good manners. She blinked and then stared some more.
Before her stood six feet of carved, primitive, blatant masculinity and Hermione was dimly coming to understand the attractions of role-playing as her brain began belatedly to fire its neurons in sequence again. “Oh, my…”
“Are you ready to go?” Lucius asked, standing patiently, a rolled paper in one hand. His chin was slightly raised as if he expected another nasty remark.
“Oh…oh my…” Hermione stood and stared.
“Hermione?” Lucius waved a hand in front of her face, relieved she hadn’t taken another opportunity to puncture his ego. “I like your costume,” he said. Hermione wore all red - top and shorts, the pair of shorts hugging her hips, with the stuffed felt tail swinging from her derriere and little horns peeping from her curly hair. She held a short black pitchfork made of wood. “It fits perfectly, Hermione, and – don’t take it the wrong way – it suits you. You look very good in red.” He teased, “my little red silk devil.”
Hermione tried to take him all in at once and failed. She began slowly noticing the details of Lucius’ costume starting with his hair. He had pulled the crown back into a low ponytail leaving the rest of his hair loose; two thin braids hung in front of each ear. Tiny beads weighted the ends of the braids so they stayed hanging straight down, only swinging as he moved. The lower half of his hair was down over his shoulders as usual.
His black leather jerkin hung halfway down his hips and was entirely sleeveless, opening widely down the front to display not only his solid biceps and the tops of his muscled shoulders, but the pecs and washboard stomach he kept in trim. Each biceps had a gold armband hugging it. A wide brown leather belt with a pewter, snake-design buckle wrapped the jerkin at his narrow waist emphasizing the contrast between his bare stomach and the form-fitting black cloth leggings that encased his legs. Low-heeled, hide boots molded his calves and had leather lacings wrapping the hide to his legs.
Two items completely floored Hermione. The obvious bulge at his crotch (no underwear as usual) was enhanced by the way the leggings split at his groin with an underlayer of scarlet material between. Somehow that deep red, distended triangle was even more erotic than seeing him walk through her door naked every night.
But even that undeniably erotic view paled next to his icy eyes, which were so hypnotic she couldn’t look away once they'd gathered her in. It was pure showmanship, but wildly effective - Lucius had lightly lined his eyes in kohl and he looked so spectacularly carnal Hermione wanted to pin him to the floor with her little pitchfork, shimmy out of her little red silk shorts, and impale herself on that scarlet hump.
“You…oh, my…Lu…Lucius,” Hermione whispered.
“I borrowed your Muggle magazine.” He threw the paper he was holding down on the low table. “I copied my eyes and the braids from the picture on the magazine cover because he has long hair, too. I like it, but perhaps you don’t?”
Hermione looked down at the Muggle entertainment magazine and saw Captain Jack Sparrow from "Pirates of the Caribbean" staring up at her from the glossy cover of the cinema magazine. Then she fell into Lucius’ eyes again. “N-no, leave it. You,” she took a breath and realized it was the first she’d fully inhaled since she walked through her door, “you look, uh, very nice.”
It took a full fifteen minutes for Hermione’s concentration and self-possession to return, but she managed to become more blasé about her mate’s maddening eyes as he helped her on with her outer wear. It was only Lucius after all. With some black lines around his eyes. Hermione told herself that simple truth a few times and relaxed enough to talk coherently once more. She did, however aim a covert drying charm at her red silk shorts when Lucius turned away to don his own cape.
tbc...
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With his long hair, fur lapels, and velvet capes, Lucius has always been a bit flamboyant in his clothing. Dress-up would hold no problems for him.
Don’t forget this chapter’s pics -
http://labibliographe.livejournal.com/53066.html
I shall faithfully return in a week and will answer all your reviews then. Hugs to you all until then.
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