CAGED

good reviews loves... and VERY good point Bella, were almost there *lol* patience my sweet! This one was written in a frenzy at work so if it's not perfect spelling... my sincerest apologies, but I promised to deliver the goods :) - Love Esme
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----------Azkaban, present day ------------
He was lifting weights on the tiny patch of grey earth they gave the convicts here. He was able to get out of solitary for an hour here and there on good behavior. More like he felt completely broken and had just give up... he had no fight left. He took out what aggression he had left on those weights and had sculpted a powerful and chiselled torso during his short visits to the yard, it gave him some fresh air to simmer with his thoughts...

He had sacrificed how much of his fortune and life to the Dark Lord so that his family could surive... and now Draco was serving a sentence along side his and Narcissa was dead. He knew deep down it wasn't all in vain, he knew he would do it all again if it meant saving her... living beside her if only for a short time. He was thankful for the time he was given... he had recently been able to shorten Draco's sentence to another year by lengthening his sentence to a double life sentence. He knew he did his part, his job was over and now was the time to atone for his past sins. He didn't want to admit it, but without her he was welcoming his second death...
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the manor

He felt her soft warm lips on his hands and wanted nothing more than to feel those lips on his... He imagined how she tasted similar to how she smelled... like honeysuckle and vanilla.

"we must get this back to your room" he said as he took the Horcrux from her. "I've created a decoy Horcrux for Voldemort to find here, while the real one will be safe with us... your room is the safest place in the manor" She followed behind him, eyes on his broad shoulders and long flowing platinum hair. When he stopped at the door she ghosted a hand into his hair but retracted her hand as soon as he turned abruptly and held the door for her. She gave him a slightly guilty and nervous smile before entering her room.

She sat on her bed looking quite the China doll in her perfect gown. She had motioned for him to sit next to her, but before placing the egg in a hidden brick in the wall he brought his chair over to sit closer to her. "I don't bit you know". "I know you don't, but I might" he said with a sad smirk. He had not trusted himself around her, knowing his talent for infidelity, it was too risky to seduce her, he didn't want to mar her perfect image inside his head, besides the fact that he might never see her again... if he was captured and the Dark Lord reigned.

"Lucius I trust you, and I know your very capable of performing this bond of blood... you do know it's most basic principle right? It's based on..." "Love" he chimed over her sentence. "it's ancient magic, before the dawn of time... it's what saved Harry from Voldemort, it's what makes this world unique and beautiful... ancient magic is love, something Voldemort has no understanding of... something so strong and pure nothing can break it" She gazed into his eyes, they were sparkling with life and a fire, she had never seen his eyes so alive than tonight.

A heat crept through her body, was he saying he loved her? Lucius... loved?.. let alone loved her. Her mind was swimming, but she couldn't hold back that inferno of hope inside her... she felt the tiny flame of love flicker inside her heart for him for some time now, she knew with a little fuel it could consume her. Lucius knelt beside her on the floor and took her hands in his "Hermione, I have watched you grow up, and from a distance have always admired your fire and intelligence... the light inside of you is so strong it makes the darkness in me fade away, I will risk my life to protect you, Hermione, I love you"

Hermione felt the tiny flame explode into an inferno within her, he loved her... and that was all that mattered in the world, or could ever matter. "I love you too Lucius" the light emanating out of her in waves, her smile spread across her face and the tears were brimming behind her eyes. "will you bond your blood with mine tonight?" "I will"

Lucius began to unbutton his shirt and exposed his muscled chest. "the blood in my veins will run through yours, as yours will run through mine, in this way... if anyone tries to harm you, they cannot because you will be protected till the end of our days" Lucius got up from the floor and extracted a small dagger from the desk in the corner and stood in front of her "we have to share our blood to cast the charm, and it must be willing" he cut a shallow line exactly above his heart and looked Hermione in her wide eyes "I offer you my blood, protection and love, drink of me Hermione"

She tentatively placed her shaking hands on his stomach and brought her lips to his chest and licked her tongue over the shallow cut over his heart, his blood staining her lips red. He closed his eyes and ran a hand through her hair. She could taste the iron in his blood as she licked her lips and placed a light kiss over the cut. She stood from the bed and Lucius sat where she was sitting. "over my heart?" she asked shakily. Lucius nodded, handing her the dagger, still intoxicated by the feel of her lips on him.

She struggled to get the buttons undone when Lucius wrapped his hands on her hips and gently turned her around, he slowly undid the buttons of her dress and slid it down her torso till he saw the flawless alabaster skin of her back, he could just make out the curve of her breasts as her chestnut curls were cascading over her shoulders and back. She turned slowly and dropped the front of her dress, locking gazes with him. He had seen her naked probably thousands of times before, but never like this... all the other times were out of utility... to either bathe her, heal her or clothe her, this was somehow different for her, she felt so exposed and hungry for his touch, perhaps it was the look in his eyes that told her that this is what it is to be in love. Lucius felt as if he was taking in her milky skin for the first time, her small round breasts inches from his face, she had never looked as enticing as she did now before him. She gripped the dagger in her hand shakily as she felt his breath across her nipples, his blood was was like fire in her veins, making her temperature rise. "I... I don't know if I can do it, please, do it for me?" she said as she offered the dagger to him, she looked at his pleading eyes "it has to be willing love... do you want me to help?" "please" she said breathlessly.

He gripped his hand with hers over the dagger, and steadied her with his other hand at the small of her back, she was standing between his knees, her bare chest eye level with him. He guided her hand over her breasts and guided the dagger slowly and gently between her breasts, slightly over the curve of her left breast. She let out a small hiss as the dagger broke the skin. Lucius released her hand and slowly licked the cut clean, following the curve of her breast. Hermione's head tilted back and the dagger fell out of her hand to the floor. He trailed light kisses over the cut and Hermione wrapped her arms around him, pulling his face closer to her breasts.

Her knees gave out in the pleasure Lucius was giving her, his lips on her chest sending shivers up her spine. Her nipples aching and hard. She collapsed into Lucius and he wrapped his hands around her hips as she gripped his shoulders for support. She stared into his eyes and her lips were centimeters from his, both of their mouths ghosting over each others. Lucius was about to close the gap when he felt the ceiling above them vibrating above them and heard a loud CRACK as Voldemort and a handful of Death Eaters had worked through the wards on Malfoy Manor.

She sighed with the tension building up in her, and sagged in his arms "what was that?" she said in a forced whisper. "he's here... to get the Horcrux" Lucius voice was strained and tight "we have to be quiet...I have to tell you the way this room works, you must stay strong for me, the greater our will to stay concealed is, the harder it will be for Voldemort to enter this room, he thinks I am dead... but I know he needs proof of it.. he will be searching the manor for the Horcrux and myself... I've made a decoy Horcrux for him to find... now you have to concentrate Hermione, you can't let your fear show, you have to want to stay concealed greater than he wants to find us"

They sat gripped tightly in each other arms. "Hermione look at me, dont look away.." "Lucius.." her voices quavered as she looked in his eyes" "Shh shh...focus on me, we will be ok, everything is going to be fine" he said as he slowly tugged her dress up and bagan to button up the back of her dress for her. They heard  the echoing sounds of Death Eaters rampaging around the Manor.  He tried to sooth her nerves by rubbing her back, he held onto her like he did with Draco when he was small and so scared of thunderstorms.

She gripped onto him as they heard the high wicked laugh of Voldemort himself. She clung to him and he could feel her heart pounding against his chest. Hermione began to make little moaning sounds and Lucius could barely make out what she was saying into his neck "No... not now, I'm not ready to let go". Hermione blocked all her surroundings of her mind and tried to think of something that would give her strength and and hope, like a patronum requires joyful memories to create a protective form.

The walls shook around them as Voldemort became aware of Lucius's prescence but could not locate him within the Manor. His anger running like black waves, permeating the warmth of the stone Manor. waves of icy air settled around them.
Hermione felt Lucius hands and arms holding her so tight she thought she would break, he felt her trembling in his arms.

She closed her eyes and curled a finger into his long hair, the other clutching his back. She imagined she was no longer in the manor, but in a bright beautiful bedroom with large windows, the bright morning sun streaming through. She looked down as the sun shone through a thick mane of platinum hair resting on her chest. She saw him stir and look up at her
with a content smile across his face.  "Morning love" he said before he laid his golden head back down on to her
chest and snuggled into her.

She loved the warmth that emanated off his body and stroked her hand over his hair and strong back. She looked around the bright and beautiful room and noticed the door was slightly ajar and she saw a tiny blonde head and big silver eyes staring at her "BOO" the little sprite said as she bounded towards the bed. Hermione hid the smile from her face and feigned surprise "Oh Cassie.. you scared me! what are you doing creeping about this early?" she said as she tickled her daughter playfully with her free hand, the other wrapped around Lucius.

The tiny blonde giggled with mirth as she skitted away from her mother and grabbed on to Lucius leg and climbed onto the bed. She crept up and sat on his back "are you sleeping Daddy?" she said in a loud whisper. Lucius let out a low grumble into Hermione's chest, pretending to still be sleeping. "Daddy I said - are you sleeping?!" she said louder as she bounced on his back. "I want a pony ride..." Lucius looked up into Hermiones eyes as the toddler was shaking her fathers shoulders. "I believe your daughter is awake... and is trying to break my spine" he said with a wry grin. "Cassie.. easy on daddy he isnt as young as he use to be.."she said playfully, throwing a wink at Lucius.

The blondes curls jostled around her head vigorously in a "no" motion "Daddy is still a big strong horse!" Lucius untangled himself from Hermione as he rolled over and caught his daughter in a big bear hug. She squealed with delight as he swooped her up and sat her on his stomach.

"you've killed your horsie Cassie... you broke his back "he said as he rested his head back on the pillows dramatically.
He let his eyes sink back into his head with the toddler sitting on his stomach staring at him with horror in her eyes. a smirk across his lips as he peaked at her through a half shut eye.

"oh don't die daddy! I didn't mean to break your back!" She said as she rested her head against his chest and hugged him tightly with her tiny arms. "Well in that case, Im not dead" he said as he tickled her feet with his hands and she squaled with delight until she was out of breath and she turned her gaze onto her mother as she rested her her on her fathers chest, her golden halo of curls tucked under Lucius's chin.

Hermione looked at them adoringly "my my Lucius... isn't little Cassiopeia Lily Malfoy beautiful?"
Lucius wrapped a curl of hers around his fingers, admiring at how soft it was, as she wrapped her fingers around his free finger. "you both are the most beautiful witches in this world" he said as he gazed at her "isn't mommy beautiful Cassie?"
"She's more than beautiful Daddy" Hermione had never felt happier in her life than when those two sets of siler eyes gazed lovingly at her. 

She gazed into Lucius's fearful silver eyes as she was shaken out of her fantasy. "Cassiopeia" she whispered to him, she thought she saw a little light of recognition behind the fear in his eyes... he was shaking her gently "Hermione
He knows we are here.. we can't hold him any longer, I'm going to give you the key and I want you to stay in the cage.
Hermione stiffened "Please no.. not again" "I'm giving you the key, you'll be safe, please we dont have time, here is the key
here is what we need to do...On my signal you must destroy the horcrux. Lucius loosened his grip on her and went to the wall to give her the horcrux, , he stuffed the the egg into her palm and she shuddered as he drug the cage from the corner.

"You'll be safe... please?" She shut the bars of the cage after she crawled in, the layers of her gown absobing the hard iron of the cage. Lucius leaned against the wall on the side of the door, Hermione's eyes locked on him. He pictured Voldemort walking into the room, willing him to do so by releasing the wards on the room. He was stunned at the realization of what he must do, the prophecy was wrong, was the last thought that went through his head as he raised the dagger, still coated in their blood, infused together. Hermione's heart pounded as she saw the red eyes of Voldemort, his wand raised, without thinking she saw the glimmer of Lucius silver dagger flash and smashed the egg onto the hard stone floor with everything she had.
She felt strong gusts of wind as the fragments of Voldemort's soul flew into his body, making him mortal.

To Lucius everything happened at once, Voldemort aiming his wand at Hermione "Avada Kedavra!" he screamed out, but the spell deflected off her skin and her cage and back into his black heart, just before Lucius plunged the dagger deep into Voldemort's chest. Before Lucius sank to the ground, absorbing the aftershock of the curse, he saw the blackened fragments of soul seeping back into Voldemort and a silver shimmer leaving his own skin before he blacked out, Hermione's screams fading away.