The Snake and The Lioness

At the request of my favorite reviewer, you know who you are, I decided to put in another chapter about Lucius and Adrienne on a date.I hope no one minds this extra chapter. Oh, and I hope it was long enough.


Adrienne decided that since Lucius had invited her on most of the dates, it was only right to invite him to the next one. It took her some sneaky planning to get everything ready because she was completeing her work and Christian was always arguing about her dates with Lucius.

She didn\'t really know how to surprise him. Lucius was really hard to surprise. All she told him in her invite was that she would be at his house around seven. Hopefully, he would be surprised at the effort she had put forth at decorating the park area she had picked out.

She sprinkled rose petals of white, black, and red around the black, silk blanket. She brought plenty of food. Most of which, she had prepared. There was roasted chicken with potatoes. Sweet rolls and steamed spinach. Then for dessert there was a strawberry cheesecake.

She made sure everything was ready. That the veiw of the lake was beautiful and clear. The moon was starting to peek over the hill and Adrienne warded the area and went home to get ready.

Christian was snogging Nina on the bed in his room. They both waved to her as she passed. Adrienne shook her head, wondering how they even knew she was there. She took a quick shower first, then went about finding some clothing.

She wanted to be comfortable, so she put on some capris and a camisole under a sweater. Then she put on her platform, wicker sandals. The ones that tie up her leg. She looked at herself in the mirror, hoping she didn\'t look too much like a little girl with her hair in pigtails.

Adrienne went outside, beyond the anti-apparation wards and appeared in front of the Manor. The Manor looked more beautiful everytime she saw it. She knocked on the door. Lindsey, the youngest house elf, answered the door. Adrienne sat down in the informal sitting room, waiting for Lucius.

She almost laughed when Lucius came down in a very formal robe and a cape. She knew that he wouldn\'t really want to wear that to where they were going.

When Lucius saw what she had on, he looked at her with curious eyes. That\'s when Adrienne couldn\'t hold in the laughter anymore.

\"Lucius, you may have overdressed a bit.\" Adrienne said, biting back laughter.

Lucius took another look at her and then pulled out his wand. He instantly changed his outfit. Lucius stood before Adrienne in some very tight jeans, that showed off Lucius\' very shapely arse. He also had on a simple white shirt. Adrienne could see the well-earned muscles that peeked through the shirt. Adrienne\'s legs felt like water.

\"Shall we go?\" Lucius asked. Adrienne stopped her drooling and apparated them to the spot she picked out.

Adrienne watched Lucius\' face for approval....or possible disgust. The look on his face seemed to say that he approved. Adrienne breathed a sigh of relief and led him towards the site. She took down the wards and they both sat on the blanket.

\"This is a very delectable spread. May I ask where you got it from?\" Lucius asked, eyeing the food spread out before him.

\"I cooked it, silly.\" Adrienne laughed at Lucius\' obvious surprise. \"What? I can cook. It won\'t kill you.\"

Lucius wiped his hands and picked up a roll. He tasted it and closed his eyes. It was truly one of the best things he had eaten in a long time.

\"Your food is quite acceptable. Your housemates must make you cook all the time.\" Lucius said, pulling Adrienne over and making her sit in his lap.

\"Actually, Harry does some cooking. Christian is not into cooking at all. Nina cooks sometimes, too.\" She said, getting comfortable sitting between Lucius\' legs.

\"Nina. I\'ve heard that name on your lips a few times. May I ask who she is?\"

\"That\'s Christian\'s girlfriend. She doesn\'t actually live with us, but she spends a lot of time there. Usually, if Christian has time off and doesn\'t want Harry or I to interrupt his alone time with Nina, he takes her to our new estate.\" Adrienne said, taking Lucius\' hand and examining the rings on his fingers. She wondered if it was normal to have a fixation on someone\'s fingers.

\"I didn\'t know your parents had an estate here, assuming it is here. I know of the one in France.\" Lucius said, watching her with great interest. Was she that interested in those rings? He thought.

\"Yeah, they bought it shortly before they died. It\'s not really furnished, except in places where Christian has been, I would guess.\" Adrienne suddenly was overcome with an urge to take those well-manicured fingers in her mouth. \"Lucius, you take wonderful care of your hands.\"

\"My hands? Fingers? I thought you were admiring my rings.\" Lucius said, surprised that someone actually noticed his hand upkeep.

\"The rings are beautiful, but so are your hands. I\'ve never seen a wizard with his hands so....\"

\"So what?\"

\"So....well taken care of.\" Adrienne said. Her stomach started rumbling. \"We should eat.\"

\"All right.\" Lucius said, sitting up more as Adrienne got to her knees and moved away.

Adrienne took some extra clear glass plates. She cut some chicken and put it on both plates, then she arranged the potatoes and spinach accordingly. She handed one plate to Lucius and she sat the other plate in front of herself. They ate for a moment in silence. Then Lucius decided to try and get Adrienne to open up some more.

\"Adrienne, are you ever going to tell me what happened to your wrist?\" Lucius said, raising an eyebrow. Did she trust him enough to tell him?

\"It wasn\'t anything important. It wasn\'t while I was packing-\" Adrienns started.

\"I figured that. All you brought was a sleeping gown and some toothflossing stringmints. They weren\'t in a suitcase, if you remember.\" Lucius said, waiting for a explaination.

\"The truth is, Christian disapproves of this and...\" Adriene stopped short. She couldn\'t say that she told Christian it was for her job. \"He got a bit physical.\"

\"Wasn\'t Potter there?\" Lucius asked, anger boiling up inside him. Adrienne nodded. \"Why didn\'t he do something?\" Lucius asked.

\"I don\'t know. I mean, it wasn\'t anything serious. Christian just grabbed my arm. Probably by accident.\"

\"No one accidently leaves a bruise on someone\'s arm.\" Lucius said in a hiss.

\"No, they don\'t. Christian\'s never been violent before, but you know how protective older brothers are. He thinks that you might do something to me.\" Adrienne said quickly. She saw that Lucius was getting angry. He was holding that glass so tight, it would break in a moment.

\"I would never hurt you. You know that. You should tell young Christian to mind his own bloody business. Tell him that you will call him if you require help, but for now, you don\'t need him in your business.\"

\"That\'s easy for you to say. My parents made it clear that when they died, Christian would become head of the household. I must do what he says. I may already be in trouble for this.\" Adrienne said. She meant for the last sentence t hea heard in her mind, but it came out.

\"In trouble for what?\" Lucius asked, angrily. \"Going out on a date?\"

\"You see....the thing is....I have a curfew and....I plan to break it. I do want to spend time with you. Christian is just so impossible. It\'s bloody awful trying to get him to see my side of things.\" Adrienne said, turning back to her food. She didn\'t want to talk about this.

\"A curfew? Who is he? Your father? He may be the head of the household, but that gives him no right to control you as he is. You must realise this.\" Lucius said, putting his fork down. This conversation was actually making him angry.

\"I do realise it. I have no control over this. I am sorry if being the second born or being a girl is so bothersome. If you go ino the muggle world, you would see that the wizarding world is ages behind on women\'s rights.\" Adrienne argued. It was true. Wizards were held in a much higher regard then witches. Just recently, about fifty years ago, witches were seen as being better than muggleborns.

\"What women\'s rights? You forget that we are not muggles. You see how muggle women are. They are free, they are educated beyond need, and they are much too equal if you ask me.\" Lucius said.

\"You don\'t like those kinds of women. I\'m that kind of women. I am highly educated. I try to be as free as I can in this society. I feel that I should be equal. What makes a wizard so much better than a witch?\"

\"I don\'t want to get into that right now. This discussion is driving a wedge between us and it is ruining a lovely dinner that you have worked so hard to prepare for me.\" Lucius said, turning back to his plate.

\"Yes, only for you.\" Adrienne said, sarcastically in her mind.

When Adrienne and Lucius were filled, Adrienne got up and stripped down to a one-piece bathing suit. She walked over to the lake and jumped in. Lucius could feel the cool mist spray over him. Adrienne looked bloody sexy in that bathing suit.

\"Come on Lucius. Join me.\" Adrienne said, disappearing under the water.

Lucius looked hesitant at first. He didn\'t want to splash around like some little boy, but the water did look inviting. Lucius magicked his clothing into some swimming trunks. He walked, slowly, over to the water. He walked in until the water was up to his knees, then he sat down.

Lucius slowly made his way to the middle of the lake where Adrienne was waiting. They swam around each other for a moment, then Adrienne splashed Lucius. Lucius swam away.

\"Don\'t splash my hair.\" Lucius said, casting a quick drying spell on it.

\"Let loose. You can always fix your hair later. My hair is wet and you don\'t see me complaining.\" Adrienne called to him.

\"That\'s because you have common hair. My hair is very special.\" Lucius said, putting a waterproofing charm arm on his hair.

\"My hair is not common.\" Adrienne said, swimming towards Lucius and pulling him underwater.

Lucius surfaced and pushed Adrienne under the water. Adrienne screamed and swam away from Lucius. They played in the water for a long time, until Adrienne\'s wand starting glowing and beeping. Christian was calling her home.

Adrienne growled and got out of the water. She cast a drying spell on herself and started dressing. Lucius followed her lead. The date was ending so soon. Again. Lucius was getting sick of Christian cutting their dates short. He slowly got dressed and cleared everything with his wand.

\"Well, I guess I better be getting back. It\'s pass one in the morning.\" Adrienne said, shyly. She felt like she was three years old.

\"Yes. I guess so. Will I see you soon?\"

\"Yes. Tomorrow evening. I have a meeting in the morning at the Ministry. But nothing will keep me away from coming to you tomorrow night.\" Adrienne said, kissing Lucius on the nose. Then Adrienne apparated away.

Lucius looked around. The memories of the night still fresh in his mind. He was really beginning to like Adrienne. She was growing on him. It was strange, but when she would leave him it felt like his heart left with her.