Adventurous Hearts Part III: Merlin's Tomb

Chapter 7: Back to Normal Life









Hermione stood inside a canvas tent and stared down at the diagrams of the tomb. A warming charm had been cast to keep the interior warm but she could hear the wind howling outside. If they were muggles there would be no way they could be excavating in the dead of winter, but it was one more reason to love magic, they could work in any weather.





She was nearly ready to breach the doors and go inside; she just had a few last minute plans to make. She yawned, and shook her head to clear the fog. She was working during the day then spending her nights with a wizard who was nearly insatiable. If he kept it up she was going to start slipping sleeping potion into his wine.





“Doctor Granger?” Claire stuck her head inside the tent’s opening, her eyes blinking rapidly.







“Yes, Claire, what is it?” Hermione asked distractedly. She was trying to figure out the best way of handling the excavation. She heard a slight commotion and a gruff voice say Get out of my way you foolish chit! Hermione smiled just as Severus shoved Claire out of his way and let himself into the tent that served as her makeshift office on site.





“Hello, Minute. Ready for tea?” He asked.







“Sev, she is already terrified of you.” Hermione laughed. “Do you have to make it worse?”





Severus removed his cloak and tossed it over the back of a chair before making himself comfortable in the plush arm chair brought in for her comfort.





“That girl is a ninny. I don’t know why you keep her around.” Severus snarked.







“She’s quite efficient, just annoying.” Hermione said. “Did you bring food?”







“No, I thought to take you to the café.” He said, speaking of her favorite little place in Diagon Alley.





“Oh, that sounds wonderful!” She said. “Before we go, would you mind taking a look at this?”







Severus got up and peered over her shoulder at the layout. It was laid out in a pentagram. A large inner chamber with five smaller antechambers.







“How did you get the layout? No one has been inside.” He asked.





“Revealing spell, something new that the Department of Spell Creation came up with. Works beautifully for finding tombs and such hidden beneath the ground or within mountains.” Hermione said.







“Well, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the inner chamber will be filled with an elaborate shrine. The antechambers with various burial goods and if an actual body lay within it will likely be in the most Northern point of the star.” Severus said.





“I agree. Thanks, Sev.” She said, leaning up to kiss his cheek.







“Am I interrupting?” They turned towards the tent entrance to see Lucius stepping inside. He was resplendent in his fur lined woolen cloak and matching hat. He was the perfect image of a wealthy pureblood wizard in his finery.





“Nice hat, or did a weasel decide to nap atop your head?” Severus asked with a slight smirk. Lucius merely lifted a finely arched brow and Hermione thought it equivalent to giving Severus the finger.







“I had thought to take Hermione to tea.” Lucius said, bending down to kiss his witch lightly on the lips.







“Oh, Lucius, Sev and I meet every Thursday for lunch.” She said looking back over her shoulder at the dark haired wizard who had gone back to his seat in her armchair.







“You could join us.” Severus said with a smile. “It’s been awhile since the three of us were together.”





Hermione laughed, but Lucius didn’t look as though he found it all that funny. He was staring at Severus with a rather annoyed expression.







“We are going to the Diagon Alley Café, Lucius, do you want to go?” She asked, laying her hand in the center of his chest. He looked down and laid one of his own leather clad hands over hers.







“I would like that, my darling.” He said softly.







“Excellent!” Severus said, rising from the chair and snatching Hermione’s leather coat from the hook on the tent’s center pole. “Here, Minute, it’s cold out.” He said, holding her coat as she slid her arms inside.







“Don’t you have a proper cloak?” Lucius asked, staring at the short, leather bomber style jacket she wore.







“Sure I have a couple of cloaks, but this is what I wear in the field. It’s short and thin, but it’s charmed to keep me warm. Sev got it for me a few Christmas’s ago.” She said, removing her gloves from the pocket and sliding her hands inside.







“Severus, do you never get her a gift that isn’t practical for her job?” Lucius asked. “Nothing pretty or frivolous?”







“No, she wouldn’t appreciate it.” Severus laughed. “She’s not one for frivolity.”







“Hello, I’m right here!” She said. “I swear if you two get into another pissing contest I will throttle you both.” She said.







“But the end result was so much fun last time.” Severus purred.







“Don’t hold your breath, Sev. That was a one time only performance.” She said firmly.







“You can’t blame a wizard for trying.” He said, swinging his cloak around to drape over his shoulders, loosely tying his Slytherin scarf around his neck. “I suppose you two will turn into one of those stodgy old couples who never have any fun.”







“I wouldn’t say that, Severus.” Lucius drawled as he slid his arm around her waist. “We will simply be having our fun just the two of us.”







“Alright you two, that’s enough! If you are going to fight over me like a piece of meat then I will simply get something to eat on my own.” Hermione said, frowning at the two of them.







“Really? So it is alright for you to get into a physical altercation in my solarium with my ex-wife but we are not allowed a little good natured competition?” Lucius asked.







“You got into a fight with Narcissa?” Severus was a bit surprised, she hadn’t mentioned that.







“It wasn’t one of my proudest moments.” Hermione snapped. “She interrupted a perfectly nice breakfast with her haughty attitude acting as though she were still lady of the manor. It rubbed me the wrong way.”







“So you hexed her?” Severus asked.







“No, this little witch couldn’t be bothered to reach for her wand; she came out swinging as it were. She gave Narcissa a fat lip and a bald spot.”







“Really, Minute? I’m not sure that was fair, I doubt Narcissa has ever engaged in a fight before.” Severus said laughing.







“It was rather entertaining to watch, to be honest. I’ve never been the subject of a cat fight before.” Lucius chuckled. “Then just to rub salt in the wound this little minx cast an amplification charm and seduced me in the hall, making certain that the former Missus heard it all.”







“I always knew you were more Slytherin than Gryffindor, Minute.” Severus laughed.







“Well I have certainly spent enough time with them, it is only logical that some of your tendencies would rub off on me.” She said. “Now if you don’t mind, I am starving and I do have a project to attend to.”







“Alright, grump, let’s get something to eat.” Severus said, sliding his arm around the other side of her as the three of them apparated to the walk in front of the Diagon Alley Café.







Once they stepped into the warmth of the building a young woman greeted them and led them to their normal booth in the back. Lucius slid onto the bench beside Hermione and Severus sat across from them. It hurt a little to see them together, but he knew she was happy and that was all that mattered to him in the long run.







“It is good to see that you have come to your senses, Lucius. I was damn near ready to call you out.” Severus said, staring at his friend pointedly.







“Yes, well feeling as I was I would have let you and not bothered to try and block any curse you threw my way.” Lucius said, his arm coming around Hermione’s shoulders. “But all is well now, and I am happy.”







“What are your plans for the New Year?” Severus asked.







“I don’t really have any.” Lucius said. “Yours?”







“Minute and I will be attending the Ministry Gala.” Severus said, smirking slightly at the irritated look on Lucius’s face. “As friends, we go every year.”







“You could join us, Lucius. I’m certain it would come as quite the shock for society to see you there, and I know how you love to stir the cauldron.” She chuckled.







“That sounds lovely.” He looked over at Severus. “It will also allow me to make certain that my witch is not molested.”







“She likes it when I molest her.” Severus laughed.







“Stop it!” Hermione snapped.







“You know, it will be interesting to see others reactions when you arrive on both our arms, Minute. They will likely think that we are in a polyamorous relationship.” Severus said.







“Let them think what they want, I don’t much care.” Hermione said. They gave their order to the server and settled in to visit.





Lucius looked down and smiled slightly when she slid her hand beneath his and threaded their fingers together. Holding hands was something young people did, though he had to admit that it wasn’t something he himself had ever practiced. He found that he rather liked it, holding her tiny little hand in his beneath the table. It was intimate and formed a connection between them.







“Tell me why it wouldn’t bother you for people to think you were involved in a triad relationship.” Lucius said. “Bigamy is against the law in Muggle society as well is it not?”







“Yes, it is, but we aren’t talking bigamy. That would mean that I had married both of you. Polyamory would describe our relationship, were we involved that way.” She said. “Three people in a loving committed relationship with each other.”







“That would imply homosexuality!” Lucius said in a rough whisper. Severus started to laugh and Lucius shot him an annoyed look.







“Not necessarily. There are no set rules except for what the trio agrees upon.” Hermione said. “For instance, were the three of us actually involved and you and Severus had no desire to have sexual contact with each other then it would be off limits for discussion.”







“It certainly would be!” Severus scoffed. Hermione looked over and smiled at him.







“Would it? I have to say watching the two of you in a lip-lock was one of the hottest things I’ve ever seen.” She said, enjoying the way the two of them colored.







“Well it is a good thing that you have a photographic memory, Minute. You won’t be getting another opportunity.” Severus said, leaning back as their food arrived.







“If you say so. You certainly looked like you were enjoying it.” She said with a shrug.







“It wasn’t the kiss we were enjoying, my dear; it was you and your reaction to it.” Lucius said.







“And if I asked prettily?” She was batting her eyes at them and pouting.







“A pretty pout will not get you your way, it is beneath you.” Severus said. Hermione felt the little imp inside her clamoring for some playtime. She remained silent for a bit, watching them tuck in to their meals.







Lucius watched as Hermione pushed her plate towards Severus and the two divided their food in half to share with the other. It was obviously a habit between them. It bothered him to a certain degree but he knew that if he wanted her in his life that Severus and her close friendship with him came with her. He swallowed down his jealousy and focused on his own food.







“Want some?” Hermione asked, sliding her plate closer to him. “I had a turkey bacon club and Sev always gets the Rueben.”







“No, thank you though. I am fine with my pasta.” He said. “Would you like to try some?”







Hermione smiled and nodded. Lucius was a little appalled. Sharing food in private was one thing, in public it was something else entirely, but he scraped a portion of his pasta onto her plate indulgently. If Severus could change from a cold hearted bastard into the warm, affectionate man he was with Hermione then Lucius could certainly relax a little and become more easygoing.





Severus didn’t hesitate to stick his fork into the pasta on Hermione’s plate and steal himself a bite. Smiling at Lucius the entire time.







“So, if a pretty pout isn’t going to earn me a repeat performance of that delicious snogging session then what will work?” She asked.







“Absolutely nothing.” Lucius said. “Why on earth would you want to watch that? I admit I didn’t understand why you wanted to see it the first time but I was too…well I was too stoned and too randy to care at the moment.”







“It was beautiful.” She said softly. She saw their confused expressions and explained. “It was seeing two men who I love, one dark and the other light coming together. It really was a sight to behold.”





“You’re a twisted little witch, Minute.” Severus laughed. “I’m so proud to have debauched you so thoroughly over the years.”







“I suppose I could create a pensive….”







“Anyone could stumble across that!” Lucius exclaimed nervously.







“True…well what if I was to make it worth your while?” She teased.







“Oh it would have to be something really impressive for me to kiss that bat again.” Lucius said.







“You weren’t complaining so much the next morning when you were humping my backside in your sleep. Or were you awake?” Severus drawled. If they hadnt been in public Severus would have gotten the finger.







“What if I were willing to submit to you completely?” She asked quietly, trying hard not to laugh. “Would you do it then?”







Both wizards looked up from their plates. Black and Silver eyes glittering as images of her on her knees in complete submission began filling their vision. Lucius had always preferred being the dominant partner when it came to sex, though he found Hermione’s demanding sexual nature to be quite the turn on. He never really entertained thoughts of dominance and submission, though imagining Hermione waiting to serve his every demand had a certain affect on him.







She wanted badly to smirk at the two men wriggling uncomfortably in their seats. She knew the thought excited them, especially Severus who enjoyed dabbling in BDSM from time to time.







“You uh…you would go that far just to see a kiss?” Lucius asked, his voice hoarse.









“Would you do it? For me?” She asked. The two men looked at each other, neither wanting to actually answer the question for fear of the other’s answer. Hermione lost control of herself then and started laughing.







“You little tart!” Severus said, joining her in the laughter. “I should have known you were bluffing. You’ve never been able to handle playing at submission, you always backtalk.”







“Ah…and what would you have done if we had accepted your offer?” Lucius asked.





“I suppose I would have gone along with it. It would be worth it to see you two snogging again.” She laughed.







“Interested in a repeat of that night on the island, Minute?” Severus asked. “I still have a rather large number of those incense disks.”







“As much fun as it was, Sev, I find I am a one wizard witch.” She said. “Individually you are overwhelming; together the two of you nearly killed me.”







“Well, if you change your mind…” Severus didn’t finish the sentence, he was laughing too hard at Lucius who was snarling at him from across the table.







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