What a Witch Needs

Hi everyone, I’m back. LOL I had to take some time to feed my other fictions and now I’m back to my most exciting project – this one! Thanks for all the responses you’ve been sending me, they really make my day! Enjoy:

This chapter was Beta’d by gardengirlgarden and Narcissa Black. (To them my undying gratitude and a jar of One Thousand Tongues LOL)

Disclaimer: I can claim no ownership of the characters or places used in this fiction.




Judgment by Mist


Hermione, Draco and Harry turned to follow the old woman through the opening she had made in the crowd of villagers while Mr. Edwards hesitated behind them. “I’m not quite sure we should just follow her…” Mr. Edwards called.

Draco turned his head and look at him saying, “Suit yourself, Edwards. If you wish to stand out here all night, then by all means do so.”

Mr. Edwards glanced around at the villagers glaring at him and he quickly decided to trot along behind his charges. Marlston was not a place one wanted to be at night by oneself.

The hag led them to a weather worn inn at the end of the road, outside of which hung a sign that read, “The Black Dragon.” When they entered, Hermione jumped at the sight of the enormous dragon head in the middle of the room. Its large gaping jaws were open wide and a fire burned hotly within it. She glanced back at Harry saying, “Interesting hearth.” The furnishings were shabby and in need of care and the walls and floors had also seen better days.

The old woman stopped and called out, “Belinda!”

A middle aged woman came out from a back room and looked at the lot assembled in her inn. There were very few visitors to Marlston these days and her mind quickly assessed that they seemed wealthy and would be able to pay well.

“These are bound for the Manor,” the old woman told Belinda. “The young miss has finally come home.” The old woman turned and patted Hermione on the cheek affectionately.

Belinda’s eyes whipped to Hermione. She stepped closer and scrutinized the details of her face. Belinda, however, didn’t look as convinced as the hag. Over the last fifteen years there had been some pretenders coming to Marlston, claiming to be the missing heiress or that their adopted child was the very one. But never had Meri brought any to her before and Meri had a very acute second sight. “You’re certain Meri?” Belinda asked as she continued looking Hermione over.

“Aye, she’s the one,” Meri confirmed. “Just like her mum, she is.” At these words Meri and Belinda both looked at Draco and Harry. As Harry had come to expect, Belinda paused a while and studied him in an awkward silence. Harry had stopped covering his scar with bangs when he decided to grow his hair long last year. He figured that people eventually found out who he was sooner or later anyway.

Hermione assumed that the two women were referring to her looks. She had never seen a picture of her natural parents yet, so she could not agree or disagree at this point.

Mr. Edwards now stepped around the teenagers and into view. He looked at Belinda, interrupting her perusal of Harry. “Excuse me, Madam, we are searching for transport to Marlston Manor. Would you happen to know of any one who may assist us?”

Belinda’s disgruntled face turned towards Mr. Edwards. “And just who are you?” she asked.

“Dominicus Edwards,” he bowed in introduction. “I am Lady Marlston’s solicitor, handling the transfer of the estate into her possession.”

“We’ll just see about that,” Belinda said. She turned and called to a house elf that scurried into the room. “These four wish to go to the Manor.” The house elf’s eyes widened in fright as he looked at the visitors before he turned and ran to the back room.

“Will… the elf be taking us?” Hermione asked.

“No miss,” Belinda said. “You just don’t go traipsing up to the Manor. You’d never find it. Enchantments and protection spells surround Marlston Manor.”

“Then how will we get there?” Draco asked. “We do have the key with us.”

Belinda looked surprised at this news, “You do? Let me see it!” Belinda knew what the key to Marlston looked like as she had been entrusted with this knowledge by the former Lord and Lady. Mr. Edwards pulled the key from his pocket and held it up. Belinda studied it as it gleamed in the firelight and recognized its familiar shape. Of course, someone else could have made a copy of it, assuming that they had seen it before as well.

“That key won’t matter none. Not yet anyway,” Belinda said. “You won’t be going to the house tonight and you’ll have to stay here.”

Draco frowned, suspecting that the woman just wanted to make some money off of them by having them stay here. “I suggest you tell us how we can get to the Manor now,” Draco said in a snappish voice.

Belinda looked at him and snickered, “That’s just not possible.”

Harry felt pain shooting through his little toe as Draco covertly moved his foot and pressed it down onto his. He glanced at Draco, his eyebrows knitting together in anger. Then he realized that Draco wanted him to do something about this situation. Harry wasn’t used to being impolite to people or demanding under normal circumstances so he had to imagine he was someone else for a moment. An image of Lucius Malfoy came into his mind and he thought to himself, “What would Lucius do?”

Harry stepped up beside Hermione and said, “You’ll tell us how to get there or The Black Dragon Inn will become nothing but ashes.” The dragon hearth in the middle of the room suddenly shot flames towards the inn keeper and she jumped in surprise. Meri seemed amused by this and she cackled in glee.

Belinda was no longer smiling however, and she looked at Harry with a bit of fear. “I can’t do that, sir,” she said, wringing her hands.

“My Lord,” Harry demanded. “You’ll address me as ‘my Lord.’” He could feel Draco smirking in satisfaction next to him. Hermione glanced up at him with a different expression however.

“Yes, my Lord,” Belinda now said. “You see, for centuries people traveling to the Manor had to stay here. Then I and my ancestors before me would send word, as I just have, my Lord. If they were truly an invited guest of the Lord and Lady’s, then a carriage would come for them in the morning. It’s the only way. Marlston comes for you.”

“Well I hardly think we’re expected,” Mr. Edwards said. “There is no one living there to allow anything. In fact, the current Lady is standing right before you. Can she not enter her own home without permission?”

Meri and Belinda exchanged knowing looks. Then Meri said, “Marlston Manor is not empty. It is kept by Those-Who-Dwell-Below. It is they who will judge whether you are who you say you are. They cannot be fooled for they will see through you.” Then she looked directly at Hermione. “When they find that you are indeed Lady Marlston, they will serve you faithfully for the rest of your days.”

“That is why you must stay the night,” Belinda added. “They’ll come to you and judge you. It’s the only way.”

“But who are Those-Who-Dwell-Below?” Hermione asked, shaken that others were already occupying Marlston Manor.

Meri seemed to know immediately the concern Hermione had and said, “They aren’t people, miss. No… and not any other creature you’ve ever known. No one really knows what they are. You can’t see them unless they wish to be seen and they can take any form they wish. They are not ghosts either, for they have never had their own flesh.”

“They live at the Manor?” Hermione worried.

“Beneath it,” Meri said. “But they know everything that goes on inside the house, especially if it concerns you, my Lady.”

Draco sighed and said, “So these… things… whatever they are, are going to come tonight while we sleep and pass judgment on us?”

“Aye,” Belinda nodded. “That is the way of it.”

Hermione and Mr. Edwards exchanged nervous glances. She wasn’t sure she cared for the idea of unknown creatures examining her during the night. What other choice did they have at this point? Not even Harry’s threats would change things apparently. She shrugged and said, “I suppose we must do this then.” Then she turned to Mr. Edwards and said, “Mr. Edwards, I’m sure you must have a family waiting for you somewhere. I don’t want to have to keep you from them all night. If you wish to return home, I think we’ll be all right.”

“Oh no, my Lady, I couldn’t leave you here in the village. Dumbledore said you’d only be safe in the Manor,” Mr. Edwards worried.

Meri cackled again and said, “And you suppose you can keep them safe? This young man is all the safety she’ll need.” She looked appreciatively at Harry.

“She’s right Mr. Edwards,” Hermione said. “Harry will be with me.”

Mr. Edwards looked at them in indecision. Then he said, “I’ll just take a room anyway and leave in the morning when I know you’re safely on your way.”

“All right then,” Hermione said. “Thank you for your concern.”

“Well, goodnight then,” Meri said as she turned to leave the inn.

“Wait… Meri,” Hermione said, stopping the old woman. “You seem to know a lot of things about Marlston. I was wondering if perhaps we can talk again soon. Can I come see you sometime?”

Meri nodded at her and smiled in approval. “Yes miss, you may. Welcome home.”

Hermione gave her a small smile and nodded before Meri turned and left through the front door.

Belinda, meanwhile, had summoned another house elf and asked, “Are the rooms ready?” The elf nodded and waited for them to follow him up the stairs.

“We only got three rooms here at the inn, so two of you will have to share,” Belinda said.

“Actually,” Hermione said, “we shall only require two rooms. One for Mr. Edwards, and one for the rest of us.”

Belinda lifted her eyebrows in amusement, “You are just like your mum, my Lady. Goodnight.”

Hermione wasn’t sure what to make of that comment as she turned to follow the house elf. She didn’t feel the need to hide her relationship to Harry and Draco anymore, now that they had decided to come into the open about it. People will just have to get used to it, she decided. But there was a more important reason why she didn’t want to spend the night alone tonight and it had to do with these mysterious guardians that were to come.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

“I can’t sleep!” Hermione declared after two hours of tossing and turning between the bodies of Harry and Draco, twisting the sheets around and uncovering her lovers. They had been just as restless as the three of them dreaded this ‘visit’ they would be having.

“Neither can I,” Harry said.

Draco sighed heavily and added, “I wish those blasted… creatures… would just come and get it over with.”

“I’m always tired after a good shag,” Harry said hopefully.

“But what if they come when we’re in the middle of it?” Hermione worried. It was the reason why they had not done anything tonight, despite having a bedroom together.

Draco turned on his side towards her and put his hand on her thigh, inching up her nightdress as he said, “According to that hag, they could be watching at anytime and we wouldn’t know it and I’ll be damned if I’m not going to fuck for the next two weeks.”

His palm cupped her sex as his fingers wiggled into her folds. “For someone who doesn’t want to have sex, you are very wet, my dear,” Draco grinned against her ear as he nibbled on her lobe.

Her hips began to move, pressing her pussy delightfully against his palm even more as she said, “I can’t help it. Either way I turn on this bed, I’m looking at one of you naked.”

Harry had now turned towards her and his head descended on her chest, his hot tongue wetting the fabric over her nipple. He bit the fabric between his teeth and pulled on it. Then he said, “Why do you think we didn’t put pajamas on, Hermione?”

“Because you don’t care if the creatures see you nude,” she said, her voice becoming more breathy with her growing arousal.

“No, because we had hope that you’d change your mind,” Harry replied, bringing his lips down to hers and tonguing her senseless.

Draco now had worked two fingers up inside of her and was rhythmically rubbing her G-spot while his thumb sawed pleasurably on her clit. Hermione’s hips began lifting off the bed in greater need and she tore her lips from Harry’s saying, “Take it off me!”

Draco kept pumping his fingers into her as Harry sat up and grinned at her mischievously. He grabbed the V neck of her gown on both sides with his fists and tore it apart down the middle.

“Harry!” Hermione gasped. “I liked that gown!”

“I’ll buy you a dozen more,” he said as he lowered himself down, pinching one nipple with one hand and sucking the other into his mouth where his tongue and teeth could play with it.

“Don’t be greedy, Harry, give me the other one,” Draco said. Harry moved his hand away from her other breast and Draco descended it on as he continued finger fucking Hermione’s bucking pussy.

Hermione reached with both her hands and grasped their cocks, making them harden even more as she moved the hot skin up and down their stiff lengths. Now they were all groaning and moving their hips as they pleasured one another.

“Oooooh, ahhhhhhhhh,” Hermione cried as her pussy began contracting on Draco’s fingers and gripping them.

“That’s it, love,” Draco said breathlessly, loving how she looked when she came. He kept his fingers in her, letting her ride out her contractions on them. Then he removed them with a pop and stuck the glistening digits in his mouth, sucking on them. “Mmmm, I want more. How about a nice triangle?” Draco suggested.

Harry and Hermione nodded and they moved themselves into position on the bed. Draco now had his head between her thighs. Hermione had her head positioned next to Harry’s cock and Harry had his mouth near Draco’s cock.

Draco groaned when Harry took his cock into his hot mouth and began pulling on it with its wet, hot strength. “Fuck! Yes!” Draco moaned against Hermione’s clit. Harry would move his mouth down to his balls, sucking and tonguing them madly while he pumped Draco’s cock with his hand.

Hermione sucked on Harry’s cock and had become quite good with her tongue, probing his tip and swirling it around the head until he leaked more and more of his salty fluids in her mouth. Harry loved the feel of her sweet lips when she would do a sort of sucking nibble all the way down the length of his cock, onto his balls and back up to the tip. He always made sure to make lots of noise when she did this because he knew that she would continue doing it as long as she knew he enjoyed it.

Draco was busy having his own feast as he lapped the length of his tongue slowly up her clit, spreading the pink folds. Then he would move his tongue quickly against her pleasure nub before descending on it to suck it up into his mouth. He had to hold her legs steady when he did this as she would jolt and shake with his pleasurable assault. Being upside down also gave him an extra advantage when he decided to move his tongue to her hole and fuck her there or in her anus. This way his chin could press onto her clit while he lapped at her juices. Hermione would moan against Harry’s cock, which would make Harry suck Draco with more gusto, a win-win situation for them all.

They were all so good about knowing exactly what the others liked that it didn’t take long to drive each other into an enormous shared orgasm, shaking the bed violently as they spurted and trembled, groaned and moaned.

Afterwards they crawled back into their previous positions, Hermione spooning Harry and Draco spooning Hermione, cuddling and calming themselves to finally fall into slumber.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A dark mist seeped under the door and into the room where the three teenagers lay fast asleep. It swirled about the bed gathering in strength and thickness. A tendril of the mist reached out and was drawn into the body of the girl as she took a breath through her nose. The girl whimpered and moved her head, but did not wake up.

After a few minutes, the mist moved out of her with an exhale and girl slept peacefully again. It did not bother with her companions. If their mistress accepted these two, then they would too. They saw her love for the boys, it was all inside her. They now knew everything they needed to know about her.

The mist swirled once again and stole back under the door to prepare for her arrival.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

When they came downstairs in the morning, Mr. Edwards was already sitting at breakfast waiting for them. Belinda bustled in happily when she heard them and smiled widely, “Good morning, my Lady and my Lords.”

They paused and stared at her curiously, wondering what had brought such a change over the previously unfriendly inn keeper. They approached the table as Belinda poured coffee in each of their cups.

“Your carriage is waiting outside whenever you’re ready to go,” Belinda said, pointing towards the window. They looked outside and saw a shiny black coach attached to four jet black horses, each wearing fancy black plumes on their heads.

“You mean they came last night…Those-Who-Dwell-Below?” Hermione said with wonder.

“They must have my Lady, or that coach would not be here,” Belinda said. The inn keeper had not seen that coach arrive for over fifteen years. That was proof enough that this girl was who she said she was.

“We didn’t notice. They didn’t wake us.” Hermione said.

“They’re silent, those ones,” Belinda answered.

Mr. Edwards seemed satisfied with the situation now that the inn keeper was in better spirits. He breakfasted with them and took his leave after making certain they had their port key back to Hogwarts.

“My Lady, it’s been a pleasure. Please don’t hesitate to call upon me if you should be in need of any of my services,” he bowed.

“Thank you Mr. Edwards, you have been very kind,” Hermione responded.

Soon Hermione, Draco and Harry had boarded the driverless coach, finding that the house elves had already loaded their things on it. Belinda stood beside it and said, “Now don’t hesitate to send for anything you might need, my Lady. There’s plenty of people here willing to help you if you need it.”

“We may need food and linens,” Hermione answered, wondering why she hadn’t thought of that before.

Belinda waved her hand and said, “Bah! Don’t you worry about those things. They’ll already be there. Good bye for now.”

The horse began to move, already knowing the way. The three of them looked around at the villagers as they came out of their homes to gawk. This time, however, they smiled and bowed as the coach passed. Hermione could hear some of their shouts as they spread the news to one another, “It’s the young miss! She’s back! She’s been found!”

Hermione sat and wondered how her Death Eater parents could have been so well liked as to have caused the villagers to be excited about another Marlston arriving. This did not fit with her own beliefs that everyone feared and hated Marlstons.

“They seem to like you,” Draco commented.

“It’s most curious,” Hermione said. “Mention Marlston anywhere else in the wizarding world and people shiver in fear, but here they almost seem admiring.”

“You saw how they reacted when we first arrived,” Harry said. “They were very protective of Marlston. I believe they consider themselves your people Hermione. They probably enjoyed certain rewards or protection for their loyalty in the past. Maybe they think good times will come again now that you’re here.”

The carriage turned up a path that became ever steeper and narrower as it climbed a hill. Twisting and turning, Hermione felt queasy as she glanced over the side of the carriage to the long drop beside the edge of the road. “I hope this ride is a short one,” she said.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N Ah… now the fun really begins, for me anyways! I look forward to working on the following chapters, as those will be my favorite kind of writing. Hope you like it too. If you don’t, then just hang in there. They’ll return to Hogwarts eventually… or will they? Muuuuu waaaaaaah (evil laugh)

Please, (with a cherry on top or maybe with Harry, Draco or Hermione on top) send me a review and let me know your thoughts on this chappie. Thanks!