The Spring of the Satyr

Lucius chose a small cafe with a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower. A florists' stall stood very close to them and the aroma of roses and carnations filled the air. A street artist has set up his canvas down the street and was delicately adding brush strokes to his work. Hermione thought she had never even heard of any place this romantic. A pretty young waitress hurried to their table and Lucius spoke to her in perfect, fluent French. He ordered an expensive bottle of wine and the waitress hurried away. "Do you like it here my darling?" He asked.

"Oh yes." She replied. He smiled and she thought her heart would melt.

They talked through the meal, Lucius telling her about his life to this point, explaining how the expectations of his family had formed the man he'd become. He talked of his relationship, or lack of same with Narcissa and his hopes for Draco. Hermione noted how his eyes lit up when he discussed his son. She couldn't bear to tell him that she had once punched the precious Malfoy heir in the eye. The day was so perfect, why spoil it? He even spoke of his alignment with You-Know-Who, whom he still referred to as the "Dark Lord". Nothing seemed taboo. He asked her questions about her life, her friends, what was important to her, yet he never asked her anything about Harry or Ron that she would have felt traitorous to reveal, for which she was grateful.

There was a moment’s pause when she asked him what he would do if Voldemort ever fully returned to power. Would he rejoin the side of darkness? Lucius thought carefully, afraid to give an answer, then, lowering his eyes, admitted that he would. "I would have no choice. The Dark Lord hates those who stand against him, but he hates those who turn their back on him even more. I pity those who turned against him in the end." He rubbed his forearm absently, as if the mark branded there had suddenly begun to pain him. "You wouldn't care to know how he deals with traitors. I believe he would take Draco from me first,,, always what you love the most." He would take you Hermione,, if he ever found out how I feel about you. Lucius thought.

"But you are so powerful Lucius! That spell you cast this morning was one of the most spectacular feats of magic I've ever heard of! Why don't you,,, I don't know,, " she grabbed his hand away from the mark on his arm. "Stand up to him!"

Lucius smiled sadly. There was no way he could make her understand the pure evil of Lord Voldemort, the dark magic the wizard possessed. Lucius knew some of the methods Voldemort had used to obtain his power - he didn't want to contemplate the ones he didn't know about. To the best of his knowledge Voldemort could not be killed, not permanently anyway. It would not be worth his life if he tried to destroy his former master and failed. "Enough Hermione." He whispered. "I am who I am. I'm sorry if it displeases you, but it is fact."

Hermione kissed the hand that she held. She looked at the table, food and wine long gone, and wished she had not asked the question. She would accept him as he was and if fate placed them on opposite sides she would deal with it. Words she would never say out loud swirled around her head, words of acceptance, affection and,,, love. She met his gaze, unspoken words written plainly on her face.

"Have you ever been to Prague?" Lucius asked, startling her out of her reverie.


*****

They toured the Royal Palace in Prague, were serenaded, tunelessly Hermione thought uncharitably, by an overzealous old gondolier in Venice, ate a magnificent dinner in a quaint oceanfront restaurant in Key West and were making passionate love on a balcony overlooking the night skyline of Tokyo. A strong, cool wind blew through the sweaty shambles of her hair and stung her eyes as she bent shamelessly, fearlessly over the rail, hundreds of feet in the air. A million different colored lights shimmered below, zipping cars so tiny they looked like Christmas fairy lights. As she felt Lucius slowly thrusting into her from behind, Hermione knew that she could never possibly be this happy again, even if she lived to be as old as Nicholas Flamel. She reached for him, arching her back to wrap her hands around the back of his neck, his hair blowing to tangle around her fingers. Lucius' hands came around to cup her breasts. With a deep moan in the back of his throat he kissed her neck.

"Yes,," She hissed, incoherence only a moment away.

With boundlessly unflagging passion he began to pound himself into her, watching in delight as the cheeks of her bottom jiggled with his motions. She had such a magnificent ass! He spread her legs farther apart and leaned her over to place her hands on the ground. He picked up her hips so that he could support her weight and pulled her as tightly against him as he could manage. Holding her firmly, he rocked into her. Hermione thought she could feel him hitting her tonsils, so deeply was he inside. When he reached a hand around to cup her from the front Hermione screamed so loudly that several pedestrians below stopped and looked up.

Lucius lost all sense of purpose, completely under the control of the organ thrusting into the spasming witch. With a last violent stroke and sharp cry he emptied himself into her and still attached, pulled her back into the hotel room. He fell without grace to his back on to the floor, Hermione on top of him. His breathing was harsh and ragged. Hermione lay beside him, curling herself around his heaving body. She showered fluttering kisses across his forehead, eyes and cheeks, stopping to pull his mouth into hers, melding their faces into one.

In the small, circular glass shower she lathered every inch of his body lovingly as he sagged against the wall. Dark circles shone prominently beneath his closed eyes, yet a grin touched his lips. Both were completely exhausted, but with their allotment of time running out, neither could consider sleep. There would be plenty of time for sleep after,,,, Hermione couldn't let herself consider what that meant,,, the after. She had only really known this man for a bit over forty eight hours. How could her life be changed so completely? She began to cry silently as she thought of never touching him, never feeling this,,, feeling again. She was smart enough to know that there would undeniably be others, perhaps even a man she could love openly - still, she couldn't imagine anyone else filling her heart, and her body, so completely. Turning off the tears along with the faucets she took his hand and pulled him out of the shower.

Lucius stood on wobbly legs and let her dry him. "I really do think you've imperioused me Hermione." He grinned. "I think this was all part of some dastardly plot to shag me to death!"

"How much more will it take?" She giggled, bending to dry his calves and feet.

"Not much my love." He surprised her by grabbing her tightly against him. "Want to see?"

Hermione rolled her eyes in protest. The contents of the little brown potion bottle had long since been emptied, by both of them. He had offered to return to Malfoy Manor for a refill, but Hermione refused. She wanted the physical pain he would leave behind. Still, her entire body protested at the thought of going at it again so quickly. "Let’s wait,,, just a bit." She grinned.

"Thank the Gods!" Lucius laughed. "Perhaps the little witch wants me to live after all." His face lost all amusement and he stared into her soulful eyes, pain stabbing at his gut. "We should go back to Bath darling. It's been two days. Your parents will be worried about you."

Hermione clutched at his shoulders, holding on tightly as the dam broke. "I don't care Lucius." She said, not bothering to fight the tears that swelled her throat painfully. "I don't care if we ever go back! Can't we just,,, stay here? No one knows us - we could live as muggles,, we could be so happy." She knew she was beginning to sound hysterical and more than a bit desperate but didn't care a whit. She met his eyes, and tears poured down her cheeks. "How can you just walk away from this?" She cried. "Is it always like this for you,, with,, every woman? Am I just like all the rest?" Her sobs were making the words harder and harder to express.

Lucius Malfoy, hard, cold, marble Lucius Malfoy saw the agony in the little witch's eyes and felt something break inside him. He wondered how he could possibly express how entirely different this time with her had been. "I love you Hermione." He stated it simply, a sparkle of moisture blurring his sight. "I swear it to you - I know it is impossible, I know it’s wrong, but I have never felt like this for any other."

She gazed at him in shock. He had said it - said the words she had been struggling with since the cafe in Paris. She cried harder and let him pull pick her up and carry her to a chair in the room. He rocked her back and forth, murmuring nonsense words of love until her tears dried. Relaxing in his arms, she fell asleep.

"It's almost morning in England love." He said later, forcing her to stand. "I've got to go to back today or questions will be asked."

Bravely, Hermione nodded and put her clothes on. She stared at her swollen face in the bathroom mirror. She thought she looked different,, so much older than just two days ago. She saw him standing behind her, watching in the glass. "I'm ready Lucius." They kissed again, both longing to imprint every sensation, every memory, every taste of the other. The broke apart and Lucius cradled her head against his shoulder.

Hermione felt the pulling sensation that until now had been so much fun. She opened her eyes to find them in the forest, close to where she'd first seen him. She noted her abandoned backpack distractedly. How fitting. He let go of her and grabbed a handful of leaves. He began to place them strategically in her hair and in the folds of her clothing. "You fell asleep out here and then got lost." He said, giving her an explanation. "They'll be angry with you at first, but it will be alright."

Lucius sat down on the forest floor, sagging against a tree trunk. Hermione sat beside him and he took her into his arms. "Believe me Hermione. I will never forget you."

Unable to keep control of her agonized emotions, Hermione sobbed and grabbed fistfuls of his shirt. "I love you Lucius."

Lucius smiled sadly. She had finally said it. As she stared trustingly, longingly into his eyes, she didn't notice him remove his wand from his pocket. Hot, molten liquid seared his vision and collected in the lines of his face as he pointed it at her. "I'm sorry darling, but I promised I would not hurt you." Her eyes widened in surprise as she realized what he was about to do.

"NOOOOO!" She screamed, horrified.

"Obliviate!"