The Raven and the Snake

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Chapter 3



Nexi looked across the blanket she was seated on. She could hardly believe that Lucius Malfoy was lounging across the other end. It seemed impossible that her parents were allowing her to entertain a man who was definitely not available for marriage. At least not to her, thank Merlin. But here they were, a month before school was to start and once again Lucius was here lazing about with her.



“Penny for your thoughts,” Lucius murmured over the book he’d taken from her stack.



She smiled and sat down her own forgotten book. “I’m thinking about how perfectly wicked you look lounging there.” She crawled over to him and he was struck by how catlike she looked before she pounced on his chest.



His lips grazed hers as he dropped his own book and slid his hands through her hair. She felt so soft on top of him and his body reacted quickly to the heat of her. Nexi wiggled feeling his hardness through their robes and Lucius rewarded her with a nip to her lip.



“Sometimes being around you is pure torture,” he moaned as she pressed her weight down and rocked against him. “Need I remind you we are in full view of the house where your parents are currently sitting?”



She gave a wicked grin and wiggled harder. “Does that bother you, Lucius?” Nexi whispered before flicking her tongue at his lower lip.



The witch was making this incredibly hard, no pun intended. Lucius shifted, moving her off him and to the blanket beside him. He wasn’t sure what he was doing with her, but he couldn’t stop coming to see her, to touch her and taste her. In a month he’d be married and he didn’t think he could give her up when the time came.



“What am I going to do with you, Nexi?” He asked, playing with one of her curls and looking into her clear eyes.



Nexi rolled over so she was laying on her back and looking up at him. She cleared her throat and sighed. “I could offer a list of possibilities, but I don’t think that’s what you mean.”



He watched her laying there, so perfect and unsoiled. How he’d managed to not take what she’d been offering was beyond him, but he wanted their first time to be special, not rushed. Their first time? Dear Merlin he was supposed to be breaking this off, not planning ahead. He groaned and joined her laying down and looking up into the willow tree they were seated under.



“You deserve more,” he started, hoping that she’d take the reins and end it herself.



Nexi laughed. He was trying so hard, maybe she should just tell him to stop visiting. “Lucius, I thought I made myself perfectly clear. I don’t want to get married. I don’t want ‘more’.” She watched the sunlight play on the willow leaves and smiled at the light breeze blowing over them.



He raised himself onto one elbow to look down at her again. He couldn’t be in her presence and not look at her. And looking wasn’t enough, he thought as his finger slid over her cheek. He had to touch her too. It was like he was cursed or under a spell. She called to him. She filled his dreams, his thoughts, his very being and it was driving him mad. Maybe he should just have sex with her and be done with it. Maybe that’s all this was, lust.



Sighing he tried a different approach. “Your parents aren’t going to be happy with me coming here forever. They want you married and settled, not mucking around with a man about to marry someone else.”



Nexi turned to look into his eyes. His hand was cupping her cheek and his thumb smoothing across her lower lip. Why was he making this difficult? Couldn’t he just enjoy what they had and not beg for problems?



“Lucius, if it bothers you that much, then stop coming by every day.” She offered, knowing that it wasn’t the answer either wanted. “I’m not going to start searching for a proper husband, regardless of your being here or not. As for my parents, they’ve been disappointed before, they’ll survive it.”



Lucius sighed. She was right, he should just stop coming by. He could do it. No he couldn’t. A day without seeing her was a day he didn’t want to see.



“I’ll break my engagement,” he said, shocked by this new twist.



“Like hell you will,” Nexi said sitting up. “You will not break your engagement, not unless you have another fiancée lined up in the wings. And don’t look at me. I don’t want to get married to anyone. That includes you.”



He was shocked at her certainty. Shocked that she wouldn’t even consider marrying him. He never wanted her more. Sitting up, he turned her toward him and took her lips in a heart stopping kiss. He yanked her over until she was on his lap again and his hands slid down her arms and up her waist. He cradled her breasts in his hands and flicked her hardening nipples through her robes. She moved, until her legs straddled him and held his head to hers answering his tongue flick for flick.



Their moans and heavy breathing masked her father’s footsteps. Neither heard him until he was standing directly over them with his wand drawn. They realized he was there when they were forcibly yanked apart. Nexi’s father stood panting with a look of murder on his face.

“In the house now,” he commanded in a voice that brooked no argument.



Lucius and Nexi scurried to their feet and rushed toward the house. Nexi thinking that her father was going to murder Lucius in front of her and then hide his body in the wine cellar. Lucius was having similar thoughts, only his focused on removal of his manly parts before death. They stepped into the hall off the garden and noticed Nexi’s mother waiting with pursed lips. Apparently they’d finally pushed too far.



“Sit down, both of you.” Morrigan O’Dwyer commanded and pointed to a small sofa.



Lucius felt like a scolded school boy but couldn’t find his voice to argue with the parents of the girl he nearly took in the garden. He and Nexi sat on the sofa, keeping enough space between them for three house-elves. He swallowed hard as Nexi’s father walked in and joined them.



“You two have gone too far. Too far. It’s one thing for the flirting and kissing, but what you both were about to do out there in the garden was unfit for an unspoken for young woman and a spoken for man to be doing. What the hell were you thinking?” Nexi’s father boomed. “I expected more from you Malfoy, far more than what my wife and I just witnessed. You’re to be married in a month and here you are playing about with my daughter. My daughter!”



Beside him Nexi was shaking, but he daren’t look to see if she were sobbing. In front of him her parents raged, with good reason. Suddenly Nexi erupted from beside him.



“ENOUGH!” Hearing Nexi’s scream her parents stopped in astonishment. “I’ve heard enough. I’ve told all of you that I do not want to be married. So enough of the nonsense that I’m being ruined for potential husbands.” She stood up and faced her parents. “Lucius and I aren’t going to be married. We’re never going to be more than lovers, at least if I have my way. Get used to it. In fact,” she said, turning to Lucius, “you should get used to it too. Either we’re lovers and nothing more or stop visiting. I don’t want to hear that you’ll end your engagement.” At this Nexi’s mother gasped in hope. “I do not want to be Mrs. Lucius Malfoy. I don’t want to be Mrs. Anyone.”



Her parents started sputtering at this announcement, though Lucius was hard pressed to say which part made them more upset. He was astounded. She wanted to be his mistress. She propositioned to be his mistress. What the hell was he going to do about this?