Learning to Trust

Chapter Six


Hermione lifted her face up, feeling warm firm lips caressing their way over her neck. She let out a sign of contentment and slipped her fingers through his hair.


Looking down at Lucius’s blond head, she murmured, “Mmm, I always get so close, but then I fall asleep.” She felt him chuckling against her neck. “May be I should get some pepper up potion?” He looked into her eyes. “Okay, I won’t, but I need to work on my stamina.”


“Your stamina is fine, love,” he murmured, moving so that they were face to face. He ran his knuckles over her cheek, making her purr as she turned her face into his touch. “Marry me.”


This had her going still and looking into his eyes. “Marry?” She laid her head near enough to keep looking into his eyes. “I’m stubborn.”


“As am I.”


“I can be a prig.”


“True, but it is nothing you cannot be talked or kissed out of.”


“I want children.”


This had him pausing, but only for the second it took to magically bring the Malfoy ring into his hand to show to her.


“As do I,” he murmured. “It was my late wife that only wanted Draco. She could be very conventional in her views of marriage.” He slipped the ring onto her finger. “Please be my wife?”


“But the children won’t be…” He hushed her by pressing his mouth with his own with a quick kiss.


“I don’t care,” he told her. “Or haven’t you been noticing the face that neither one of us have been taking our contraceptive potions for the past week?”


Hermione sat up straight in the bed, hand to her belly. She could be right at that very moment pregnant! Turning her head slight, she saw her lover there looking at her with an ill concealed worry.


“Well, we don’t know if I am or not yet,” she said, pushing him so that he was lying on his back. “We should make certain.” She kissed him languidly. “We need to make certain, don’t we?”


“Yes, that we do, my imp,” he growled, pushing up into her.


***


Harry arrived at the Malfoy manor and was on his way up to talk to Draco when he caught sight of Hermione sitting the library. She was sitting on the sofa, absently stroking Lucius’s hair as she read. The older wizard’s eyes opened and looked straight over to Harry who was standing in the doorway.


“You have company, luv,” he whispered.


“Hmm, okay,” she murmured, looking up to Harry. “Hi! Come in. I can’t get up right now.” Harry walked in and kissed her on the cheek. “How are you doing?” She asked, patting his cheek. “You’re looking healthier than I’ve seen you in…well, in ever. How are you?”


“Better,” he whispered. “I’ve been going to a person to talk. He’s been helping me more than I can say. And how are you?”


She smiled. “I’m good.”


“So when is the wedding?”


Hermione looked down into Lucius’s eyes. “Hmm? I was thinking something very quiet here at the house with the roses in bloom, but seeing as I will be about ready to give birth at that time...”


“Yes, imp, the sooner the better,” Lucius interrupted, looking over to Harry. “Isn’t that correct, Uncle Harry?”


“I’m going to be an uncle?” he asked in shock, looking over to Hermione whose grin grew wider. “Merlin! I’m going to be an uncle!”


Draco came rushing over when he heard this, blinking at them in shock. “What was that? She’s…” He looked to his father who was now sitting up and watching him intently. “I always did want a little brother or sister.”


Once they left the room, Hermione slipped into Lucius’s lap. Kissing his neck, she asked, “So when do you think they’ll get married?” When he didn’t say anything, she said, “He can get married to Harry you know? And if it’s a matter of needing an heir, let me remind you that he can get a surrogate to carry for him, if need be.”


“No, that’s not the issue,” he murmured, rubbing her hip. “I was wondering who would be the bride.”


“That’s not funny,” she lectured him, but paused and added, “But given the fact that Harry will try anything once, I wouldn’t put it past him.”


“Now who is the glib one, my dear?” he asked, laughing quietly.


***


Hermione danced slowly with Harry. Quietly she looked around them. Ron was chatting with Oliver Wood, more than likely about quidditch, but did so standing intimately with the older wizard’s hand at the small of Ron’s back. She went on to look over to Ginny dancing with Neville Longbottom, looking happier than she had seen the younger witch in ages. Severus was off in the corner with his fire whiskey and even saluted her with it when she looked to him. She looked back over to Harry. He smiled down at her.


“You’re glowing,” he murmured.


“I’m happy,” she whispered. “Thank you, Harry. I didn’t want anyone but you giving me away.”


“I think Mr. Weasley was upset that you didn’t ask him, but the moment you told him that he was going to be a grandfather again made up for it I think,” he said, looking towards Mr. and Mrs. Weasley who were playing with their other grandchildren. “I have some news for you.”


“Hmm?” she replied and waited.


“Draco and I…we’re a couple now. He’s been supportive and helped me so much. I can’t imagine my life without him.”


“And I you, handsome,” Draco said, cutting in. “Now if you don’t mind, I wish to have a dance with my wizard.”


“But of course…son!” She escaped before he could do much more than laugh at her retreating back.


Hermione went over to Severus and slipped into the chair next to his. Taking a deep breath, she said, “So do you know what his present to me is?”


“Yes, and no amount of sweet talking will get me to tell you,” he told her.


“Not even if I tell you that you’re the baby’s godfather?” she asked him.


He stopped in mid-sip and looked at her. “Are you serious?”


“I don’t joke well with people’s emotions,” she murmured. “I was thinking about Harry, but he is already the baby’s uncle. Ron is ecstatic, but again an uncle. You’re my husband’s best friend and someone we both trust beyond words. It would be such an honor if you could please be our…daughter’s godfather.”


“A girl? A little girl?” he breathed. “I would be honored.” He paused. “And I’m still not telling you.”


“I didn’t think so,” she replied, kissing his temple. “You’re the first to know the sex of the baby other than the mediwitch and myself. So keep it close to the vest until I tell Lucius, please?”


The wizard in question came over and slipped his arms around his new bride, asking, “Planning on making off with my witch?”


“On the contrary,” he said. “She was asking me to be the godfather to your child.”


Lucius smiled down to her. “You went off and asked him, imp?”


“Yes, that I did,” she told him. “My feet are killing me in these shoes, luv. Please tell me that your present to me is a pair of warm fuzzy slippers.”


Chuckling he answered, “Alas, no, but I will be massaging your feet later.”


“I love you,” she said quietly. “And not just because you rub my feet on demand.”


Relaxing against her new husband she looked over to see yet another witch from Harry’s past finding out the hard way that he was no longer on the market. She looked at the two kissing men in shock before screaming and running away. “They better get married soon. I don’t think the wizarding world’s ears can take much more of this.”


***


Hermione was in front of her vanity removing her makeup when she heard it. Lucius was singing in the shower. It was a mix of songs that had her laughing to herself as the combination made no actual sense. The fact that he added his ‘dear old granny’ here or there didn’t help her keeping her chuckling at bay either. She stripped and went into the bathroom, slipping into the shower.


“It’s a sauna in here,” she said casually taking up the soap and began scrubbing his back.


“Just because you like your showers as cold as the Arctic, imp, doesn’t mean that this is volcanically hot water,” he pointed out to her. He turned and kissed her nose.


“So when are you going to give me my wedding gift?” she asked him, hope was gleaming in her eyes.


“Hmm, I wonder,” he murmured. “Very well, as soon as we are finished washing up, I’ll give you your gift.”


Hermione tried to hurry up the shower, but Lucius would have none of it. He kept her from rushing by giving her an orgasm that had her gasping for breath even as she was pleading with him to hurry up.


“If you faked that…”


She swatted his arm, still gasping for breath as she snapped, “Fake? You…arse! As if…I could…ever…with you!”


Cleaned and dressed in their sleeping gowns, Lucius pulled her through the mansion. He tickled and teased her as they went. She spotted the house elves every now and again, watching them happily. But when the couple reached their destination, everything seemed to go still as if they were waiting to see how she reacted.


Lucius swung the doors open, stepping aside so that she could see the room in front of them. It was a rather ordinary looking room, she thought. This was her gift? She looked over to him and saw him motioning to her to go inside. She took a step in and froze. Color bloomed inside the room. It filled with rich woods, brushed bronzes, and shelve upon shelve of books. Gasping she rushed over to touch one of them as if confirming that it had really just appeared and was there in front of her.


Her went over to her, taking her into his arms. “I was right.” Kissing her cheek. “Let me tell you a story…”


***


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