CAGED

present day, Azkaban Prison.

Lucius was in the middle of another sleepless night. He suffered from horrific nightmares and night terrors, but they had worsened since he was put in Azkaban, he knew it was because he was away from her. He was trying desperately to go back to sleep, when he woke from his nightmares, sometimes he would wake himself up from his own agonizing screams. It had always been the same dream, he would see Hermione being tortured and raped by Voldemort and always woke up screaming, usually calling our her name. That night had been no different, the last thing he saw in the dream was the light leaving her eyes.

The dream always began with her in his arms, then she would be ripped from him, his hands always reaching out into the blackness for her... her hands being ripped from his as she was brought to the Dark Lord, the snake like man would rip her clothes off and beat her savagely as he forced himself inside of her. Her screams pierced his ears as he saw her blood drip down Voldemort's thighs and onto the floor. She locked her gaze on him, pleading for help, she would scream his name over and over again "LUCIUS HELP ME! PLEASE!!!! LUCIUS!! he was always frozen in place and would struggle with futile rage against the shackles that held him in place.

This night he had screamed out her name in the depths of Azkaban like all the other nights before. His heart would always be pounding out of his chest and felt his throat constrict painfully. He remembered when she use to be there lying beside him, he would cling to her till the pain subsided. He reached out into the blackness and the weight of the world came crashing down on him... he was handed a life sentence, he was in Azkaban and she had obviously moved on with her life...since seeing that article in the Daily Prophet, and he had not seen or heard from her since. He couldn't blame her, they were from two different worlds, he only wanted her to be happy after all. He only could bring her pain and suffering, he thought back to the first time she had witnessed his first night terror....
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The Manor, about 3 years ago...

Hermione could feel him thrashing beside her in their bed in the panic room as it was equipped to serve as one, they had begun to share a bed out of necessity and to cut the bitter loneliness that would consume them both. He gasped so hard it ripped her from her sound sleep. It was plain to see he was having a nightmare, but one that was consuming his mind...she could feel the ache and panic at not knowing what to do for him. She tried to wake him... she shook him violently, she gave up and merely clung to him, trying to absorb the screams and thrashing. He shot up in the bed "HERMIONE!!" he bellowed in agony. His hands groping the air for her... she took his hand, her hole body shaking along side his own. She could feel his heart pounding out of his chest.

She wrapped her arms around him "shhhh I'm here... it was just a dream, Lucius I"m here!" He wrapped himself around her hard enough to break a rib... "Don't ever leave me.." he managed to rasp out, while she tried to rock him back to sleep. "It was just a dream... I"m here... go back to sleep, it's ok Lucius.. everything is fine" He was quietly sobbing and he buried his face in her stomach to hide his shame and weakness. "I love you... we're safe, I'm right here"

That was the first time she had said "it"... that she loved him, it hit him so hard he thought he was going to fall of the bed. He didn't question if she meant it... only stored it within his mind as a little glimmer of hope...
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Azkaban, present day

She told him she loved him that night... than how could she let him rot in this place and just move on without even saying goodbye? He thought back to the night he had told her of his plan and the real reason he had taken her prisoner... she had been so true to her word, and he had never seen another woman look so enchanting than the way she did that night, he could almost imagine the feel of her silky skin... and see the way her creamy breasts were bursting out of that emerald dress...
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The manor

He had given her time to bathe and take a nice long nap before entering her room, he set out the gorgeous emerald gown on her chair and had given her time to stir from her sleep at the sound of his entrance. "Hermione, I picked out a gown I thought you might like, I"ll be back in about an hours time to get you for dinner"
Lucius was wearing his usual black attire, an exquisitely tailored black suit with silver cufflinks. He gazed briefly in the mirror, he had looked good, but then again when didn't he? he mused to himself. He just had the kind of looks that were low maintenance, but were devastatingly attractive, it was all in the genes. He sauntered into the ballroom and summoned his great grandfathers harpsichord into the corner, it was one of a kind and elegant, it was almost pure gold and ivory. He charmed it to play light background music to the dinner. With a flick of his wand he lit all the magnificent wall sconces, and the mesmerizing chandeliers.

Hermione had just managed to catch the glimpse of his long platinum hair before the door closed. She stretched and felt the ache in her muscles "I knew I was going to pay for that run sooner or later" she said to thin air. She creaked and popped her aching joints as she got up from the bed. She was still a little tired even after the nap, but the good tired that comes from a lot of activity and excitement of the day. She shuffled over to the chair and her eyes beheld the emerald dress, it was sleeveless and had cascading ripples for the skirt. She slipped out of Lucius's shirt that she still chose to sleep in "because its comfortable" she told him, and "because it smells just like him" she confessed to herself.

She stepped into the magnificent gown and shimmied it up her body, it fit perfectly, she wondered how he could get it so perfect to her form. She gazed at herself in the mirror, it was very low cut and pushed her breasts up through the top, it was form fitting to her torso but billowed out in waves of emerald silk at her hips. She smoothed her curls and pinned them up so that the curls cascaded down her back. She pinched her pale cheeks for a little color and licked and pursed her lips to make them look more inviting. She even pushed her eye lashes up in an attempt to curl them. She gazed at herself in the mirror, she no longer had dark circles under her eyes or was too thin, she wasn't even as stressed out as she was before Lucius brought her to the manor. The last thought weighed on her mind a little too heavily. As she adjusted her breasts in her dress she had but one goal tonight : to get answers out of him.

She had whiled away the time fixing her hair and adjusting her gown that she jumped when Lucius entered the room, she blushed when she caught his eyes staring at her breasts in the gown. "ah, your ready... dinner is waiting for us" he offered her his arm and guided her to the ballroom. She was amazed at how the ballroom looked at night, having never been there but in the daylight, the moon was shining outside the manor and the candle glow and music were warm and inviting. He pulled the chair out for her and sat at the other end of the dark cherry table. She took him in with her eyes, he looked particularly immaculate tonight, as he always did but he was ravishing in the contrast of white and black against his platinum hair.

She savored the sumptuous dinner prepared for her in the comfortable silence between them. She could feel his eyes on her and glanced up at him, for the 10th time in a matter of minutes she had caught him staring at her. She sat down her fork and folder her hands in her lap and stared him down, waiting for him to meet her gaze. God he was gorgeous she thought, she knew he had always been attractive in the general way, even when she thought he was an evil git, he had been very tall with a powerful build, high cheek bones, delicate lips, not to mention that long white gold mane of his, but she found herself attracted to every little thing about him. The way his eyebrows were so expressive and well defined, his eye lashes were almost black.. which she knew was strange for having such naturally light hair and his scent alone could drive her wild with desire.

Her gaze was awarded with that famous smirk, her secret smile of his. "Do you not like your dinner?" he asked with genuine concern. "Oh it's marvelous, I just want to know why you keep sneaking glances my way is all" she said quite bluntly, cutting him to the quick. He gave her a guilty look and took a long swallow of his wine. "cat got your tongue... Lucius?" she said very low and deliberate. "a witch such as yourself should know the answer to that question" he gave her a playful wink before returning to his meal. Did he just WINK at me? oh lord... calm down Hermione, get ahold of yourself... a man can't make your knickers wet with just a wink, or could he? "as much as I love your little innuendo, I'm afraid I still am lacking an answer from you". He set down his fork this time and locked gazes with her "your stunning... and I have an eye for beautiful things" he said matter of factly and returned to his wine.

She lowered her eyes and blushed beautifully for him "I"m hardly stunning, but thank you anyways" His face hardened a little before responding "you may not believe it, but you are stunning and beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all". She mulled that over in her head, storing it away to play over when she was alone in her bed late at night.
She wanted to know his secret for making her feel like the most captivating creature on earth... she had never been the raving beauty, just the bushy haired bookworm, but he made her feel like a goddess, desired and magnificent with only his silver eyes. "Lucius... I have to thank you for your hospitality and I owe you a great deal... but am I not correct in the understanding that I am still your prisoner?". He raised a golden eyebrow to her question "you are not correct... but only as of tonight... now no more questions... there will be time for that later, finish your dinner like a good girl" he finished her off with a sly smirk.

The two finished their meals between idle chat about her progress of her legs and how full the moon was tonight, and how beautiful the music and ballroom were. He found himself swell with pride at each compliment she gave the Manor, having always assumed his guests were accustomed to such splendor. When they finished their dinner Lucius gripped his chair and brought it over to Hermione, chair in one hand, glass of wine in the other. When she saw him moving towards her she thought at how similar to a fairy tale this was becoming for her, like beauty and the beast... but her beast was always the gorgeous prince. He slid a chair up to hers and poured her another glass of wine as well as himself another glass, he sat on the chair backwards and rested his arm on the back of the chair. "we might as well make ourselves comfortable... this may take awhile"

She loved him when he was relaxed and casual... always exuding confidence and charm... but human, with human quirks that made him all the more endearing. "all right... done" she said as she crossed her legs and took her glass of wine in hand. Lucius let his eyes roam over how the wine tinter her lips and put a blush to her cheeks. He shook himself from his reverie, and set to business "I'll get down to it then... what do you know about the last horcrux?" her breath hitched slightly, not truly understanding if he was completely neutral as he said he was in this war.

"it was what we were discussing at the Order meeting you... before you brought me here, it's the horcux that holds most of Voldemort's soul, why?" Lucius gave her a piercing glance "what I'm about to tell you will put you in danger, and myself in an even more compromised position... but I beg of your trust, do I have your trust?" She wasn't sure why she had let her words gush out of her like they did, but she knew they felt right and she actually did believe it "I do". "I have the last Horcrux" he said bluntly.

Hermione's eyes went large with realization "we have to destroy it! Lucius this could really help the light... where is it?!" Lucius held up a hand to stop her rapid fire questions "destroying it is the last thing we want to do, let me explain, the last horcrux will make Voldemort mortal, all the other Horcruxes are mere fractions of the amount of his mortal soul that is in the last horcrux".
Hermione was becoming impatient "I know all that aleady! why wouldn't we want to destroy it?" "my dear... because it is the weapon by which Potter is to vanquish the Dark Lord, it will make him mortal and will destroy all the other horcruxes, drawing his entire soul intact in one body, it is part of Harry's prophecy to destroy him, it must be with the last Horcrux". "So only Harry can destroy him... and only using the last Horcrux?"

Lucius reached into his breast pocket and removed an egg shaped orb that looked like a black pearl, it pulsated an eerie green light. "it's an egg?" she said in surprise. "for rebirth obviously... now do you want to know why I took you prisoner? the real reason?" She nodded slowly, examining the egg he placed in her hands. "you have a link with Potter, a mental connection... Voldemort was going to use that link to weaken him, to always be a step ahead of him, Voldemort couldn't destroy the Horcrux because it would mean he would not be able to make any other Horcux, and also destroying it would make him mortal again, its the seat of his power essentially, what's left of his human essence... I was entrusted to hide the Horcrux within the manor, which is heavily guarded with centuries full of powerful magic, it would be safe with me... I realized what I had to do, I had to keep you and the Horcrux from the Dark Lord..." Hermione interrupted his thought "my link with Harry is weak at best... I've only recently been able to communicate with him long enough to tell him I'm safe... and why isn't Voldemort storming the Manor as we speak?"

"your link with Harry is strong enough to arouse suspicion within Voldemort's ranks... and I faked my own death to throw Voldemort off my trial, it's only a matter of time till he will come searching for the Horcrux... but we will be protected, well you will be for certain" he trailed off as he tilted her chair towards his own and rested his hands on her shoulders. "do you believe in fate?" his eyes pleading with hers "I don't know where your going with this... I believe that we are masters of our own destinies... and that fate moves us along our own paths.. I guess I believe both ways... why are you asking me this?"

"we are fated to carry out this mission Hermione, I have to protect you and the horcrux long enough for you to get it to Potter so he can destroy the Dark Lord... I'll probably lose everything in the end.. but I know it will be worth it, for the first time in my life my path is clear... I can't live like I did before, with Voldemort slowly draining the soul out of my life...your right we are master of our own destinies, my destiny is to help you defeat the Dark Lord Hermione"

She studied his face for traces of lies but found none, she couldn't believe her ears. "you will help the light? because I must tell you that if this is a ploy to use me to get to Harry you might as well kill me now" she stood in front of him with fire in her eyes. "I will prove to you that I am sincere... first I must return this to you" he reached into his pocket and handed her wand to her. Her hands were shaking as she grasped the wood, she felt the familiar warm zing surge through her body when she held it. She looked into his eyes "thank you Lucius". "this means you are no longer my prisoner and if you desire... you can leave here at once and never look back". She squared her shoulders, and planted her feet "and second?" he gave her that secret smile she loved so much.

"I want to perform a bond of blood charm on you" Hermione felt her heart flutter against her emerald green casing. "are you sure you want to do this? It's very serious Lucius..." Lucius gripped her hands in his as she stared down at him. "I have watched over you for the past year, before I brought you here I watched your every move, you are a truly talented witch and your loyalty and heart has reminded me exactly what I have been lacking all these years... if you promise to join me in our mission, I will protect you with my life"

"you have my complete trust Lucius... we will see the end of this chaos soon" she said as she brought his hands up to her lips and placed a gentle kiss on them.