Beyond the Veil -- COMPLETE

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updated 8-3-08


Well, sad to say, no one owned up to yelling, “We want lemons!” I have my suspicions, though.

Some answers and responses to your comments -


Damiana – I’m happy you got a kick out of Lucius’ lack of Muggle background. And his cross-cultural abilities in the sack. [grin]


nitesfool – Oh, nitesfool, forgive me - I’m always in the doghouse with you. I’ll bet you’d be unhappy if there weren’t a lemon, but now you’re strung out because there IS one. Shall I chip in with some money for your water bill for all the cold showers you’re forced to take? If you make it warm water, Lucius might be induced to visit you…think about it, okay? I’ve never heard the term, f**ksh*t before [quickly adds to vocabulary]. Does it mean something good for me?


Visitkarte – Yup, I think those red shoes were a catalyst of sorts for our hero. Hermione didn’t do too badly out of the conflagration either [snicker].


Snapes_Goddess – Yes, Hermione had enjoyed the champagne at the ball. Then she enjoyed a jealous wizard. It was a fine night all around for her. Glad you liked the lemon. I do like writing them.


Clare1984 – Oooh, yes, I think ‘possessive’ is an excellent word for our wizard. He’s at his dominant best when he runs the show in bed. Um, well…I don’t think feeding the Azakaban guards cookies and sponge cake in order to visit Lucius was exactly what they had in mind. I think the word ‘copulate’ came up (except they didn’t use that word, not being intellectually inclined. I’m cleaning up their word if not their offer). You might be able to substitute a sponge ‘bath’ for them. It’s your choice, but watch out for the skinny one. He’s all d*ck.


Coraline – Hi Coraline! I’m so glad you’re still aboard and liking the story. You became an LM/HG shipper from my stories? [does happy dance] Thanks! I’ll be serving more lemons soon.


helensgirl – Yikes! You’ll need a very soft chair if Lucius has been brandishing his wand. He’s not much for moderation when he has a nice, rounded derriere in his sights. Maybe you’ll take the pressure off of Hermione a little as she becomes more used to Lucius’ kinky ways. Or not.


Muffy – I’ll assume you like a no holds barred Lucius, too. He’s quite something in action. I’m happy you’re enjoying the story.


doodle – The ball helped Lucius - the predator, the investigator, the lover - in quite a few ways. What is it about red shoes that appeals to so many? They don’t go with much, but they’re very seductive in the shoe store.


pittwitch – I’ll take it that you liked the last chapter [grin]. Lucky Hermione indeed! I didn’t mean to wear you out from the lemon, but the bodies are piling up around here. I guess the Malfoy mansion has enough bedrooms for all…


FlowersBecomeScreens – Lucius needs a few lessons in old Muggle films and childrens’ tales. Maybe as time goes on with those two, he’ll learn more. Lucius is pretty impervious to negative opinion unless he cares. I hope they’re both on the same page for awhile. They apparently need to cover their butts if they are being blamed for more Squib-bashing.


winters – “Lucius Unleashed!” That could be a great story title. Lucius is so multi-faceted, he always fascinates me. Not all bad, certainly not all good. Successful, charming, and a bit venal, with a soft underbelly he mostly hides from the world.


Dragonnurse - Hi Dragonnurse! Welcome! I allow anonymous reviews on my stories. There may be some authors who don’t. It’s an option. I think your question on Hermione telling Lucius about the Wizard of Oz is answered one way or another in this next chapter.


Scary B – I guess the Oz movie can be scary, Scary. I wasn’t around for the first-run release and then too old to be scared when it hit television. Hermione as Lucius’ little lambchop! Funny! Does that make him a big, bad wolf? Hmm, obvious answer there. Lucius’ jealousy has been building, was exacerbated at the ball, and blew up into a whirlwind with the Wizard of Oz song. Hermione is one lucky female. But who is really in power now in their relationship? Hermione submitted to Lucius. Lucius submitted to his feelings for her.


pumkin – Thank you! I have more twists (of course I do, snicker) so I’m glad you like them.


sheherazade - Dorothy didn’t get into Hermione’s trouble with the red shoes, but I’ll bet red shoes are responsible for a lot of that kind of behavior. So what exactly did I scorch with the lemon? Your eyeballs? I guess not your eyeballs if you went back to read it again, heh, heh.


CoCo.M – Hi CoCo.M. I’m so glad you’re reading your way through this story. Yes, it is 1817, just after Waterloo. It has a ways to run yet. You’ll be able to get up to speed with the latest chapter and then suffer along with the rest. Won’t that be great? I’ll lose, though, because I won’t get all your reviews as you’re reading all the chapters – which I have enjoyed immensely. Oh, yes, we’ll have UST and to spare. Just ask anyone else here. And yes, I believe there were quite a few of us in that tub with Lucius and whatshername LOL. Most of my characters’ behaviors have a reason behind them. The rest are just glaring plotholes, sad to say. The agony is in not knowing which is which. I do love your many reviews. I’m glad Lucius is dressed to your excellent taste.

I fixed the sexy Lucius link for you. I’m glad you mentioned it wasn’t working any more. Many thanks for that.

For the curious:
http://pics.livejournal.com/labibliographe/pic/0000sszk

with all credit and thanks to Rainboweye (from whom I could unfortunately no longer directly link this pic):
http://www.rainboweye.de/Start.htm


Mrs_Helene_Snape – Hi HS, welcome. Thanks for the reviews of the one-shots. That’s the bad thing about this site. Author’s replies to reviews aren’t organized well. With one-shots, it’s impossible. I’m pleased you like the premise so far!


Rini – I did have fun creating gawdawful evening gowns for a few of the women at the ball. Bad taste existed in all eras, I’m sure. Luckily Lucius has exquisite taste in clothing - excessive interest, but great taste. Read on for if Hermione broaches the subject to Lucius about the Wizard of ‘Auds’.


Heidi191976 – Thanks, Heidi. More is on the way.


LadyVoldemort87 – Thanks! It’s a wonderful compliment that you liked the last chapter. You’ve got red Oz shoes? Do they sparkle? Can you wish with them? I think I know what you’d wish for…


Utopia – I am the gutless wonder with any kind of suspense, so Anita Blake’s first book put me off. I finished it, but didn’t pursue the series. Book five, huh? I might peek at it just for the smut. Yes, Hermione was slightly tipsy from the tasty champagne when she got home, but really, she was just also in good spirits. Stupid me, I didn’t know bridesmaids got ucky dresses to make the bride look good. That explains the mustard, georgette, long-sleeved granny gown I wore for a friend. Well, pooh. Ah, the words. I love words. I hope I don’t get toooo carried away in my tales. Those two need to talk about his bedroom behavior, but Hermione DID have a good time.


blue artemis – Lucius is more act first, ask questions later (or not at all). It would save him some heartburning sometimes to ask. Hermione wasn’t enthralled with him at first. His insecurity probably stems from that. He worries he’ll slide back into her bad books and he has no intention of losing her.


tambrathegreat – That cracks me up. You were reading that lemon at work? I agree Lucius wouldn’t like to think of himself as sweet. (The sweetie.) Who could compete with him? Especially looking like that pic above. [Give me a heads up on your next chappie, please.]


sisterae – Yes, Lucius IS quite passionate. It’s what has always gotten him into trouble, both personally and politically. He appears cold-blooded, but he’s not. Not at all. It’s what I enjoy about the character so much. Thank you for the lovely compliment.


Tenar10r - LOL! I haven’t un-puckered around Lucius since I started writing him. He lends himself so delightfully to smut, with his air of command and that platinum hair draping his shoulders. Lemony goodness.


Citten – Lucius lies to himself almost as well as he does to others. Something of a failing for him, I suppose. Perhaps he doesn’t like that he’s not perfectly in control. It could be a holdover from his father’s exacting parenting. We saw his behavior toward Draco in the films. Repeating his father’s treatment of him, do you think? Lucius certainly didn’t like Hermione singing about another wizard. His control was shot.


Anon – Thank you for the compliment, Sabine! I can’t answer your questions. Wish I could, though. Your surmises are now on record for good or ill.


Lady Miya – No, Hermione has not told Lucius she loves him. She hasn’t arrived there. Would a crafty Slytherin put himself forward and be the first to say he loved her? Apparently not.


angelprince – A celebrity is reading my story (a celebrity Munchkin, but it’s all good). I’ll bet you just wanted to wear the red shoes. Instead, did you get those curled toe slippers? Yeah, I like Lucius in his possessive mode, too. If Hermione keeps the Wizard of Auds as her weapon to promote jealousy, will it be like poking a stick in a hive? I’ll bet you just got a polite peck on the cheek behind the arras at the ball. Or you’d be crowing.

The morning after...


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Chapter Thirty-Three


Blackmail

“I want to know why you let the discussion with Madam Armbruster die last night at the supper table,” Hermione sat at the breakfast table adding salt to her poached eggs.

Lucius looked up from his plate full of ham, eggs, toast and other hearty selections. He was famished after his gloriously satisfying night of sex with his wife. The blond wizard smiled at his sprite feeling that all was right with his world. She’d said she was his, only his. Still, if that wizard of Auds came across his path, Lucius might be tempted to hex a pair of male nuts off their owner.

“Mrs. Armbruster obviously didn’t want to add any more to her flash of spleen, not in company. If she was referring to blackmail, she wouldn’t want to tell us any more about it in public. I’ve decided to ask her and her husband for a private discussion here, maybe today if I can arrange it. This might be an important break for our investigation. I hadn’t suspected there was blackmail involved, had you?”

“Not at all,” Hermione replied, lifting her teacup for a sip of Earl Grey. “I was very surprised, but it does make some sense, now that I think about it. Was your uncle actually blackmailing families with Squibs? For what? Money? That would be ludicrous. He had more money than he could ever spend already. I had thought maybe he was financing some project to segregate the Squibs, but I hadn’t thought of blackmail. There were many payments going out from the Malfoy coffers, but no monies coming in that didn’t have a normal reason.”

“I didn’t see any odd income when I checked the books either,” Lucius concurred. “So the question becomes where did any blackmail money skimmed off the victims go? There may be a secret account somewhere, but why would 'Uncle' bother? He could have swept the blackmail money into his bank vault easily with no one ever asking questions. The Gringotts goblins couldn’t care less where anyone’s money comes from - they’d actually be pleased to know the humans were preying on each other. We aren’t their favorite species, as you know. But there are no unusual amounts in there either. I’ve inventoried the vault contents and nothing has been added for several years.”

Lucius looked pensive, “Nothing has been removed from the vault either. So perhaps ‘uncle’ wasn’t the one doing the blackmail. The Gringotts vaults are the most heavily guarded financial entity in our world. Whoever has been helping themselves to blackmail must not have access to the Malfoy vault.”

Hermione artfully covered her grin behind a piece of toast at Lucius’ comment about the security of the Gringotts vaults, loath to remind him of their unpleasant past history so she merely asked, “Why do you say that?”

“A blackmailer’s goal is usually money. If he or she had access to the Malfoy vaults, do you think all the money would still be there?” Lucius was steadily working his way through his breakfast as he spoke, waving his fork here and there for emphasis.

“Good point,” Hermione agreed. “When will you know if the Armbrusters are coming today?”

“I’ll owl them after breakfast and let you know. Where will you be? Ah, that was a stupid question,” Lucius grinned.

“Very funny. First I’m going to Diagon Alley for some shopping, then I want to do some more research on the Veil, so yes, I’ll be in the library later.” Hermione patted her lips and set down her napkin.

Lucius asked, “What do you need at Diagon Alley?”

“Ollivander’s is having a wand sale,” she replied, smiling.

“You already have a wand,” Lucius’ forehead wrinkled with confusion.

“I do, don’t I?” Hermione cheerily waved hers in the air. “It’s a sale, Lucius. Have you never heard of window shopping?” She rose from the table and jauntily sailed toward the door to the hall.

Her buoyant mood infected her mate and he smiled with her, shaking his head at the shopping mysteries of the female, but he rose too, and met her at the dining room door, taking courage from her lighthearted mood to speak of the previous evening.

“Last night was a wondrous experience for me, Hermione. I hope you weren’t too upset with me when I took exception to your singing. I do trust you. However, I seem to have minimal tolerance for hearing you extol other wizards. I’m sorry for that.”

Hermione took her husband’s hand and held it to her cheek, “Lucius, I wasn’t singing about another wizard, not a real one anyway. The ‘Wizard of Oz’ is a Muggle children’s book that was made into a video…um, a moving picture story. The moving picture story has a song in it about a wizard who helps the heroine get back home to her family. The heroine, Dorothy, wears red shoes and socks and I was pretending to be her because of my red shoes. I guess I enjoyed the champagne at the ball a little too much. I never meant to make you think I cared about another wizard. This was just another chasm between the magic and Muggle cultures.”

Hermione saw Lucius beginning to be distraught by his gaffe and she hurried on, “It turned out wonderfully for both of us, though, didn’t it? I see that you’ve been pussyfooting around me in bed, not letting loose with your full desires. I’ve been hurting you and I never knew. I’m so happy to have discovered a new facet of bed sport that we both enjoy, aren’t you?” She peeped up at her mate, “Last night was spectacular for me. I wonder if I have a bit of your predilection for a soupçon of pain with my sex? I think tapping my red shoes together really did make my wish come true.” She wrapped her arms around Lucius’ waist and hugged, “I just didn’t know what I was wishing for at the time.” She rested her chin on his waistcoat as she gazed up at her tall husband.

“Nevertheless,” he answered, “I behaved poorly and now to find out my rival is a Muggle children’s storybook wizard is a mortifying lesson to me.” A chagrined Lucius hugged his wife close, kissing the top of her wild curls in apology. “I admit I’m still finding my balance with you. If you discover you like occasional pain with your pleasure, we can explore that, but I can promise I would never damage you in any way.” Lucius grimaced, “My behavior wasn’t such that you would be likely to trust me, however. My jealousy was uncalled for and insulting to you. I owe you better than to assume you would betray our vows.”

“True. Thank you for the apology, but you’re stuck with me, I’m afraid.” Hermione reached up on tiptoe and kissed his chin, “I’ll be in the library in a couple of hours. Let me know if the Armbrusters are coming and I’ll alert the elves to have tea or something for our guests.” She stepped away and left the room.

“Stuck on you also, my love,” Lucius murmured to the empty dining room, then he left for his study to write the note to the Armbrusters.

~~~~~~~

“So, Madam Armbruster, Mr. Armbruster, I think you know why my wife and I have asked the two of you here today. I was frankly dismayed at the idea that anyone would think I was blackmailing them. I do hope you will be generous in giving us, not the reason for your blackmail, but perhaps the circumstances under which you were contacted and how you made your payments.”

The four had just finished a lavish afternoon tea and all of them had set down their cups in preparation for the real reason for their meeting.

Madam Armbruster regarded Lucius for a moment, her face giving nothing away, but her husband touched her hand and she looked at him, then nodded slightly and turned back to Lucius, “Please, my name is Leticia and my husband is Harmon. I never had any proof, but I always thought your uncle was behind the blackmail. He had access to some damaging information we would rather didn’t become public knowledge and he hated Squibs, so I just thought he was guilty. The blackmail first consisted only of our forced agreement to keep our Squib daughter from marrying anyone magic. She was welcome to marry in the Muggle world, but not to anyone in our culture. She had been affianced to a young wizard, but their family withdrew their agreement out of the blue. They wouldn’t tell us why, but they suddenly seemed to have quite a lot of money and their son became engaged to another witch from an old Pureblood family. The connection was strange because he wasn’t a Pureblood, but not really bizarre I suppose. More recently, demands have also been made to us for money. That is as much as I can tell you. If our daughter can now look for someone else in the magic world, we would prefer that. Can you guarantee we won’t be blackmailed any more?”

“For right now, Leticia, no, I’m sorry. Because I am not the blackmailer, I have no idea who it is or how to stop it - yet. But my name and reputation are being smeared and for that I am going to investigate to see what I can to stop the harassment of the Squibs.” Lucius stood, helping Hermione to her feet and the Armbrusters stood, also.

“Well, if you can stop this, I for one will be extremely appreciative,” said Harmon Armbruster. “We aren’t the only victims, but so far none of the others wish to come forward. You understand, I’m sure. Leticia and I will write out the directions for how we make our payments and the history of our original contact with the blackmailer and owl the information to you to do with as you will.” Madam Armbruster took her husband’s arm and they disapparated leaving Lucius and Hermione with more questions than they had before.

“Somehow, my dear ‘uncle’ was mixed up in this, but I can’t see exactly how yet,” Lucius sat again with Hermione on the brocade settee in the formal reception room they had chosen for the meeting with the other witch and wizard. Lucius had selected the formal, but smaller setting because he knew Hermione wouldn’t want to enter the main drawing room and neither of them wanted to share their comfortable library space with strangers.

“What if the money I saw leaving the account books was the money that young wizard’s family suddenly had? Your ‘uncle’ might have been paying off wizarding families to reject Squibs and blackmailing Squibs to marry outside the wizarding world. That would fit in perfectly,” said the little bluestocking witch – her mind was beginning to fit together pieces of their puzzle.

“The amounts written down as LOAN stopped with his death. But apparently the blackmail is continuing.,” she said. “Either we have two entirely different unknowns working to undermine Squibs or we have two who were working together to scuttle the Squibs. One of which I believe was your ‘uncle’. We heard why he would have gone down that path, being rejected by his choice years ago. I’ll bet the young woman who rejected him is the same as the one in the old wedding announcement cut from the Daily Prophet I found at the back of the armoire in the study.”

“We are certainly getting a picture of a man who was focused on a single crusade and was ruthless in carrying out his agenda.” Lucius put his arm around his wife and settled her back against him on the uncomfortable settee.

Hermione nodded, “Rather like another Malfoy I know,” she turned and laughed up at her spouse, devilment in her warm, brown eyes. At his sudden, somber, arrested stillness and stricken expression, she snaked her fingers into his waistcoat and tickled his ribs causing her wizard to double over and scoot away with a quick bark of laughter. “Lighten up Lucius. If I can’t ever joke about our past, we’re going to have a very long and tedious marriage. So what shall we do now?”

Lucius relaxed and offered, “I have a suggestion, but I don’t think it’s quite what you were asking.” He raised one hopeful eyebrow in question, but was immediately shot down.

“Later. I want to finish up matching the few names you couldn’t identify on my genealogy list in the Daily Prophets to see if they are also Squibs. The marriages are announced in the paper and I have approximate dates of those LOANs. I only have a few left. I’ve been reading that several of the names married Muggles. That fits with what Leticia Armbruster told us. I want to develop a list of likely people for you to charm and find out if they were forced to find Muggle mates or not.”

“For me to charm? So now, far from castigating me for my use of my physical attributes you’re singlemindedly focused on your crusade and will use whatever method helps you carry out your agenda? Rather like a couple of other Malfoys I know,” Lucius mimicked her recent words. “Welcome to the tribe.”

Lucius was a little disgruntled that Hermione would put him off just for some research, but decided she might also still be a little sore. He tried to be gracious about his rejection and said, “When you’re finished and ready, why don’t we walk in the garden for awhile until dinnertime? The roses are blooming and the days are long right now. I can work on the bordello books in the study while I’m waiting for you.” He rose from the settee and offered Hermione his hand, helping her up.

“I’ll come to the study when I’m finished,” Hermione reached up to get a kiss and Lucius obliged, pulling her up against him and turning the quick peck into a leisurely exploration of her lips and mouth until she finally had to tickle him again to get him to let go.

“Don’t overuse that technique to get what you want, kitten, or I may decide to re-enact one of the more unusual paintings. You have two hours for your research. Then I’m coming to the library.”

Hermione shivered a little at her husband’s sexual threat, but she wasn’t entirely sure if it was fear or anticipation. Her last expression before she apparated to the library was a combination of uncertainty mixed in with a healthy dose of speculation – giving Lucius a slight shock at his wife’s possible prurient appetites. He wandered up to his study deep in thought.

~~~~~~

Exactly two hours later Lucius appeared in the library to see Hermione hunched over some papers with stacks of the Daily Prophet at her elbow.

“Where did you get all the Daily Prophets?” Lucius couldn’t imagine his family would keep years of the newspaper in their library.

“Oh, the Malfoy name got me these copies. I just asked the Ministry library and they transfigured them for me. I must say, you do have your uses, Lucius,” Hermione grinned at her bemused spouse.

“Happy to be of service and your two hours is up,” he replied, pulling her chair out from the table and raising her up from the seat by her elbow.

“Oh, Lucius, I just have a few more names to go!”

“And they will still be there tomorrow. We have a date with some roses, my dear, and they may not be there tomorrow,” Lucius gently removed Hermione’s quill from her fingers and placed it back on the table, swiftly apparating them both outside into the sunny afternoon.

“I need a bonnet, Lucius. My complexion will darken if I don’t keep my bonnet on,” Hermione wailed.

“You are kidding me, aren’t you? When have you started caring about your complexion? You don’t want to look like those witches at the ball, I hope. They all look like the blood was drained from their bodies. I was reminded of a collection of fish bellies. If that is your ambition then I absolutely forbid it.” Lucius turned Hermione toward a garden path that led through a large selection of rose bushes, “Relax and smell the glorious perfumes of the roses.”

“But Lucius, I won’t fit in with the other witches. They are already telling me you won’t be pleased with me if my skin has this unbecoming color.”

“Hermione,” Lucius growled, then he heard a tiny snort and frowned at his wife in suspicion.

“Ooooh, Lucius,” Hermione began laughing, her face smug with her joke, “you should have seen your face. You thought I was turning into one of those simpering idiots. Your description of fish bellies is really good. I hope you never develop a taste for dead white skin. It’s terribly ugly, isn’t it?” She continued chuckling as she bent to smell a rose and didn’t see Lucius come up behind her. Suddenly she was airborne and apparated into a new place – a small gazebo surrounded by a tall hedge. “Where are we?”


tbc...


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I know everyone wants this to be a smörgåsbord of smut, but we do have to advance the plot once in a while, too. Lucius will return to his erotic buffet soon, I promise. I also believe a cooling off period was in order. Huh? No?


All reviews welcomed. Anonymous reviews are accepted for this story. You can 'sign in' as Spock or Sherlock Holmes or anyone you wish. Thanks!!

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