Harvest Moon

April & mrequecky: Glad you enjoyed the last line.

Zets: Yes, Andrew was in the story earlier when Tazura was first introduced. To the other statement, I’ve learned certain jobs are just too big for one person and you need more than one angle if anything is going to get solved.

VR: Thank you sincerely. The compliment is most appreciated.

Taz: You may be right, m’dear.

To everyone else reading, I hope you enjoy.

***



It would be twenty four hours before anyone could talk to Tazura. The healers had given her a sleeping draught, hoping she’d be able to better recover from the massive shock and blood loss that way. In the meantime, Andrew had stayed with her and had written out his statement then owled it to Harry, since he was the lead investigator on the case. He’d sent another letter to Hermione and Lucius privately, explaining what had happened as best he knew.



Hermione, who had come over to the Manor house as soon as Lucius had owled her after getting the letter was now rereading it for the tenth time while seated cross-legged on the thick Persian rug in front of the library fireplace. She sighed and rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hand. Evidently, the culprit had stunned Andrew, secured him in the nearest closet and taken a few of his hairs in order to get close to Tazura. After all, who would anyone trust to get close to them more than their fiancé? It had been a simple, yet effective plan. One which also seemed very familiar to her. She shook her head to clear it of thoughts concerning her younger days and sighed heavily.



“What’s wrong, Mine?” Lucius asked from somewhere in the stacks of books. “That sigh was loud enough to carry all the way back here.”



“Just thinking of things best left to the past,” she said, glancing over the letter again briefly. “Lucius, who would know that Tazura and Andrew were engaged?”



“Anyone who worked at the club or saw them out and about together, I’d imagine,” Lucius said, coming around one of the massive bookcases. “When not involved in the machinations of the club they’re disgustingly cuddly. Why?”



“I was just wondering how the perpetrator knew to choose Andrew as the one to impersonate to get close to Tazura.”



“Again, anyone who worked at the club or saw them in public together,” he said, coming to sit behind her and resting his chin on her shoulder. “What has you so bothered by that thought?”



“What thought?” she asked absently, noticing the tickle of Lucius’ hair against her cheek.



“The thought of them being cuddly and cute. I saw your expression when I mentioned it.”



“It just . . . doesn’t gel with what I know of them.”



“You mean the Domme and submissive. Mine, like Taz said before, it’s very rare for most people to choose it as a lifestyle. For most it’s an occasional indulgence or a passing curiosity.”



Hermione chewed her bottom lip for a moment. The curiosity concerning Lucius’ love life was almost killing her but she surmised it would be better not to intrude on something so private. She felt Lucius chuckle against her shoulder and back.



“You’re dying to ask, aren’t you,” he said.



“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said primly. Turning her eyes, if not her attention back to the letter in her hands. The man behind her was entirely too distracting.



“Oh, I’m certain you do, lovely Mine. You’re simply too polite to pry,” he said, sliding long legs on either side of hers and putting his arms around her waist.



It seemed rather odd to Hermione that she was instantly comfortable with the position they were in. She felt that she should at least offer some token protest but couldn’t quite muster herself to complain.



“I occasionally like a little pain with my pleasure. However, it is by no means the only interest I harbor. Rose petals and lace are just as erotic as whips and leather as far as I’m concerned.”



She turned her head a little to glance at him from the corner of her eye. “What of you and Arabella?” she asked. That part of her which wanted to squirm away from the close contact had prompted the question. She thought she might know where this was going and wasn’t at all sure if she was ready or even willing to explore getting more deeply involved with Lucius than she already was.



“You already know the answer to that question,” he said, playing with the riot of curls within his reach. “We’re playmates. Add to it, aside from Severus, she’s one of the few true friends I’ve ever had.”



“That is just sad, Lucius,” Hermione said, leaning back into him a bit more.



She felt more than heard him sigh. “I never said it wasn’t sad, Mine. It simply is what it is.”



The mention of Snape sent Hermione’s mind mulling over what he’d said to her when she’d spoken to him last.



“What is rolling around in that brilliant mind of yours that has you making such a face, Mine?” Lucius asked, sounding amused.



“Lucius, how well does Professor Snape know you?”



“That was an odd question. However, I would have to say he probably knows me best out of anyone. Why do you ask?”



Oh, this was the mother of all bad ideas, Hermione thought to herself. But if she didn’t get it out of her system it would most likely plague her for the rest of her life.



“I’m not certain if he was being his usual obnoxious self and said it just to try confusing me or if he was telling the truth,” Hermione said, leaning her head forward and hiding behind her hair.



Lucius sighed and scooted around her a little to get a better look at her before brushing her hair back from her face and tilting her chin up. “What did he say that has you so worked up, love?”



“He said that you l . . . care for me,” Hermione hedged. Not knowing exactly how he might react to what was said.



“No, he didn’t say that,” Lucius chuckled. “He said I love you, didn’t he?”



“Do you?” she asked before she could quite get control of her mouth.



“I am . . . unsure as to how to answer that,” he said honestly. “I have no familiarity with the emotion aside from as a father. Gods know Cissy and I certainly didn’t love one another. Before you ask, marriages between pureblood families tend to be simply contracts between families rather than love matches.”



“You live in a very sad world, Lucius,” Hermione said.



“Truly and properly accused, Mine. Getting back to the subject at hand. Would it be such a terrible thing, being in love with you?”



“I don’t know if I can justify . . .”



“No. What does your heart tell you instead of your head? No rationalizations, complications or issues, just you and I.”



“I think, if I allowed it, you could be my entire world,” Hermione said honestly.





***Author’s Notes aka Mad Ramblings***



Anyone who has read just about anything I write knows I tend to err on the side of romance just because I don’t think my smut writing is exactly up to par. Hope you all enjoyed it anyway.