Lucius\' Bookshelves

Chapter 8


Lucius was surprised when he entered the library, and he saw Hermione in Muggle clothing – jeans and a t-shirt – very pale, curled up in a window seat, staring blank at the rain beating against the windows. He approached her and gently put a hand on her shoulder. “Hermione. What’s wrong?” For once, he wasn’t actually feigning interest. He had been surprised to discover that not only did he lust for her, but ctuactually liked her, and he had found himself looking forward to seeing her at the end of her day. But something was definitely wrong today; she was usually full of energy and enthusiasm.

Hermione looked at Lucius. Her eyes were dry, but they were rimmed with red. “sorrsorry. I’m just having a crisis of faith at the moment.” Lucius looked at her, and shook his head, not at all understanding what she was saying. “They – the Ministry – burned those books I sent to them. They burned them,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

That’s it? She was upset that the Ministry had burned the books? Disappointing, yes, but not all that surprising. He had expected that they probably would.

“I’m just glad I didn’t send them anything of any real value yet.” Gods. She really was disturbed by the Ministry’s book burning. “And, I, uh, I’m not sure I want to,” she finished softly.

Lucius looked at her, amazement, and even a little admiration blazing in his eyes. Maybe she wasn’t just another Ministry flunkie. How very interesting. For both of them. The day definitely was looking brighter to Lucius. “Maybe you need to take some time off, and just relax. Come with me to look at my orchids – some of my latest cross-breeds are blooming. They might brighten your spirits a little.”

Hermione nodded and followed Lucius, still numb from the Ministry’s betrayal. They had lied to her. And she had believed them. She shook her head sadly. She still couldn’t believe that the same people she had worked along side with to defeat Voldemort would turn around and deceive her like that. Lucius paused at the door and watched her. As he had suspected, the Ministry had completely ignored whatever promises they had made to her. This was his chance. He’d have to go slow, though, as hard as that was going to be. This was his golden opportunity, if he handled things correctly. And Malfoys were not known for missing out on such windfalls.

It was still raining, so Lucius cast an Impervious spell – explaining that it was a modified version of the one he used to keep the pool area warm and dry during inclement weather. They walked to the greenhouse, the rain still beating down, neither of them getting wet.

Hermione entered the greenhouse, and immediately felt the warm moist air on her face. Looking around, it was obvious that this was Lucius’ passion; the greenhouse was neat and orderly, and every plant looked carefully tended. She smiled sadly – her grandfather would have loved to have had a place like this. Suddenly, she gasped, “Is that an arachnostylis? That is absolutely gorgeous – I didn’t know that they grew that big…” Her voice trailed off as she began to look at some of the other plants. “Wow. You’ve really got quite a collection here. These are fantastic.”

Lucius glowed with genuine pride as she praised his orchids. Gods. The woman was amazing. Not only could she discuss medieval wizard philosophers, but she knew orchids, too.

Lucius took her by the elbow and guided her to a dark red orchid with silver flanges. “Do you wha what this one is?” Hermione shook her head. She’d never seen anything like it. It was beautiful.

“This is a Malfoy Cymbidium. A family breed – it has been cultivated for several generations. Unfortunately, they don’t reproduce regularly, or easily. Much like the Malfoys themselves, I’m afraid,” he added with a wry smile. “Although it’s not for lack of trying,” he added with a sly smirk.

Hermione noticed the shadow of sadness that crossed Lucius’ face before his last remark. She put her hand briefly on his arm. “Have you heard from Draco?” Lucius barely shook his head. “Why don’t you write to him? Even if he doesn’t respond right away, he’ll know that you care about him. And maybe he’ll, uh, he’ll want to reconcile.”

Lucius pursed his lips and nodded thoughtfully. It was worth a try. Still he had more pressing issues on his mind at the moment. “Would you mind helping me today? I’ve got a few plants that I’d like to pollinate today, and it’s always easier with another set of hands… And it might be a nice break for you. If you like to, that is,” Lucius added smoothly.

Hermione smiled. “I’d like that, thanks.”

It might have been the humid, fragrant air of the greenhouse, or the rain beating on the glass windows, or possibly even the flash of sadness that had appeared on Lucius’ face when she asked him about Draco, but Hermione felt comfortable and relaxed. And besides, she smiled to herself, there wasn’t a manacle or thumbscrew in sight.

Lucius walked over to one of the garden sheds and carried back some tools and some pots. Yes, he decided. This would be the prime location. Not nearly as threatening as the dungeons. Just take it slowly, he counseled himself again, knowing that it was going to be hard.

Hermione watched as Lucius then picked up a couple of plants – another cymbidium and a cypripedium -- and brought them over to his low worktable. He was definitely a different man, here, with his hair pulled back with a leather thong, a loose blue shirt and black pants. Much more casual than she had seen him before. And certainly a different creature from the one who kept a stocked surgical lab and enchanted manacles in his dungeons.

Lucius smirked as he caught Hermione looking at him. Clearly the relaxed atmosphere of the greenhouse was having the desired effect. Oh yes, this could be the day.

“I’m going to breed this plant,” he indicated the cypripedium, “to this one,” he pointed at the cymbidium. If you could separate the petals, I will harvest the pollen.” Hermione nodded. She had helped her grandfather with this process numerous times before.

Gently, she held back the petals of the cypripedium, allowing Lucius to access the stamen, trying hard not to let other fertilization-related images seep into her mind. And yet she couldn’t help it. Not with Lucius so close to her – in fact, with his arm positioned under hers as he delicately began to remove the pollen from the plant, his faint scent of juniper and sage invading her senses. Merlin! She needed focus on the task at hand, and yet she was mesmerized by the deft workings of his hands as they manipulated the delicate reproductive parts of the plant.

Concentrating on his work, Lucius still noticed that Hermione was very aware of him. He reached for the second orchid. Deliberately, he softly stroked the petals of the flower protecting the stigma of the flower. See, Hermione. I’m not all whips and chains. I can be gentle and tender when the need arises. Yes, I’d just as soon knock all the damn plants off the worktable and take you right now with absolutely no hesitation, but I can be gentle. And I will be. For now. Until you feel comfortable enough with me to let me help you discover your dark side.

Hermione watched his slim digits, transfixed. Merlin. Hermione released the breath she didn’t realize she was holding in a soft, strangled gasp as Lucius’ index finger lightly traced the outer petals protecting the flower’s fragile organs. The familiar dense heat between her legs was building as she watched the hands she had fantasized about for so long. Gods. To have those hands stroking her instead of that flower.

Calculatingly, Lucius ‘accidentally’ brushed one of his fingers against Hermione’s hand. In response, Hermione tentatively moved so that her shoulder was pressed against Lucius’, their focus still directed toward the two plants on the worktable. Contact with Lucius in even a casual manner like this was sending diffused heat through her body.

Lucius held back a triumphant grin. Yes. This was going to work. Very slowly now, but have patience - this will work. Knowingly, he trailed his finger along the side of her hand, and then shifted his own position, moving so that he was standing behind her, one arm under hers, his head looking over her shoulder.

“Perhaps you could spread the petals for me, so I have better access,” he whispered, ostensibly still focusing on the plants. Hermione nodded, her body tingling at the sound of his request, so soft and intimate. Almost involuntarily, she stepped her legs a little further apart. Lucius smiled at her body’s response. Yes! She def definitely ready for him.

The heat of her body against his chest was slowly driving his own heat directly to his groin. Gods. He continued the pollination of the flower, brushing his fingers against Hermione’s hands frequently, his attention straying to the creamy white skin of her ne Fin Finally, mercifully, he finished the task. He hesitated for only a moment, before reaching up to run his fingers along the skin he had been eyeing moments before.

Hermione’s breath caught in her throat as Lucius’ fingers caressed her skin. Oh gods. “I want you. I wanted you before, and I still want you. You’re making me crazy,” the hot mutterings sent fire racing through Hermione’s veins. Gods. Was this really what she wanted? She suddenly knew with a striking clarity that she wasn’t going back to the Ministry. Subconsciously, she had realized that right when the note from the Ministry arrived. But to turn from the Ministry to Lucius…

Not wanting to analyze her choice too closely at the moment, Hermione turned around, slipping her arms around Lucius’ shoulders, not missing the slight smirk on his face. She smirked in return, bringing her lips to his. Lucius buried his hand in her hair holding her mouth firmly against his as he thrust his tongue into her mouth, trying to possess her. She met his thrusts, trying to capture his tongue with her mouth, thrilled at the growl that emanated from deep in his throat.

Lucius was rapidly finding himself even more aroused than he had expected, as Hermione’s tongue battled with his. He wrapped his other arm around her waist, holding her snugly to him. Hermione reveled in the strength and power of his arms. Abruptly, he pulled her head back and began lick, kiss, and suck the fine skin of her throat. Hermione’s gasps quickly turned into mewls of pleasure as Lucius’ mouth continued to stroke her skin. The slick heat between her legs was becoming a strong ache.

Hermione reached for Lucius and began to slowly unbutton his shirt. There was a muffled chuckle from Lucius, and he pulled back, surveying Hermione, her eyes bright with lust, her lips full and red, her nipples hard and quite visible tgh hgh her flimsy shirt. Her brought his hand gently to her cheek as she continued to unbutton his shirt.

Gods. She had to taste him. She unbuttoned his shirt completely, tugging the tails out of his slacks, and then taking a half step backward to look at him. Merlin’s cloak! The man was even better looking with his shirt off. Her eyes raked the strong torso and defined muscles. His hair was coming loose, and his eyes gleamed with desire.

She stepped back to him again, sliding her hands under his shirt, feeling his skin against her hands as she kissed him briefly, and then slowly trailed her tongue down his neck, pausing briefly to suck on the ridge of his collarbone, before moving on to tease his nipples with light flicks of her tongue. Lucius hissed as he sucked in breath through clenched teeth. He’d have to return the torturous favor.

Lucius pulled Hermione’s shirt out from her jeans, and slid his hands under it and up, his thumbs brushing against her full breasts. “Enough of that, vixen. My turn,” he hissed as she nipped at his skin. She stood up, and Lucius’ hands worked her t-shirt off her, and quickly unhooked her bra. The leer on his face was unmistakable is fis fingers brushed her nipples.

Lucius lowered his mouth to her breasts, his tongue and mouth licking and biting her nipples. Hermione arched her back, wanting more, as Lucius’ mouth sent jolts of heat through her body to her core. She moaned deep in her throat, her fingernails grazing Lucius’ skin.

Gods. His cock twitched in his slacks as Hermione groaned again. The woman was so responsive, and it was getting harder for him to keep from losing control. In a quick move, Lucius slid his handtweetween Hermione’s legs, feeling her damp heat through the denim. He was rewarded with a moan. “Lucius… please…” She reached for him, her hand finding the hard bulge encased in wool trousers. He rubbed his fingers between her legs as she moved her hips against his hand, before reaching for the button on her pants. Hermione sought his mouth again, and drove her tongue into his mouth, insistent and demanding. Lucius responded in kind, as his hands unzipped her pants and slid into her panties.MerlMerlin! Hermione stroked Lucius through his pants, fumbling with the buttons as she tried to get at his cock. She had never felt this level of intensity with anyone ever before. Lucius’ fingers delicately teased her slick, hot flesh as she clung to him. Gods. The ache between her legs was becoming unbearable as the slim fingers circled and then gently stroked the hard nub of flesh between her legs.

“Please, Lucius… oh gods… please…”

“Please, what?” he responded, his own breathing coming in ragged gasps.

“Please, fuck me, Lucius….” Her mouth buried itself in his neck…

“If you insist,” he whispered back, knowing that he woul be be able to hold on too much longer. Next time, he could take his time, but not now. It had been a long time. “First, though, lets get the rest of these clothes off you…”

Hermione nodded, and quickly kicked off her shoes and stepped out of her jeans and panties. She wrapped her arms around Lucius’ neck again, her mouth finding his, as his hand slipped between her legs again, sliding one finger in, feeling her slippery heat as the tip of his thumb teased her more delicate flesh. Hermione moved her hips urgently in response to his hand.

Reaching with one hand, Lucius quickly moved the two plants off the worktable, gesturing to Hermione with a slightly raised eyebrow: are you certain?

Hermione nodded in response, and got on the low, wide table – slightly less hard the the stone floor of the greenhouse – as Lucius removed his pants. Hermione sat up for a moment, watching him, drinking in his body, with the strong thigh and calf muscles, the short white blond hair on his body. His erection stood out proudly, and Hermione gently stroked the shaft, and then tip, smearing the clear fluid with her finger, before bringing her fingertip to her mouth to taste him.

Lucius’ eyes widened ever-so-slightly in a pleasantly surprised response before gently parting her legs with his hands. He positioned himself at her entrance and slowly thrust forward, groaning deeply as her wetness sheathed him and the two joined in the time-honored rhythms of their bodies. Hermione wrapped her legs around his waist, and moved her hips quickly in response to Lucius’ thrusts – she needed relief quickly. His mouth found hers, and their tongues mimicked the lower action.

Wanting more friction, Lucius lightly pushed Hermione back onto the table, and he positioned himself over her, his weight on his forearms, his mouth on her neck. Hermione moaned as she encircled Lucius’ hips again with her legs, and he thrust deep into her. The heat that had been burning within her was now molten-hot, and exploded within her, her inner muscles convulsing on Lucius’ cock. He grunted with pleasure and increased the speed of his thrusts, his world having been reduced to his flesh and hers. Oh. Yes. He couldn’t control himself any long, and his body shuddered in ecstasy as he released himself deep inside her.

“Gods, Hermione. You are magnificent. Next time. Next time we’ll have more time. We can go slower,” he murmured into her ear as the sweat on their bodies began to cool

Moments later, standing up and still naked, but cleaned up with the flick of a wand, Lucius couldn’t stop himself from still touching her. Gods. Now that he’d had her once, he knew that he couldn’t let her go. She too too exciting for that. He couldn’t let her go back and work for the Ministry, turning into some pale, dusty vision of the woman she really was. But he’d have to approach her about that later. Now, he just wanted to run his fingers lazily over her body one more time before she dressed.

Hermione shivered as Lucius’ fingers gently caressed her. Merlin’s robes! The man was incredible. Better, by far, than anyone she had ever been with before. Even now, his fingers were working a relaxing magic, and she pushed any stray thoughts of the Ministry further out of her head.

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A/N: I was able to get this up quicker than I had anticipated. Unfortunately, work now beckons. But a few comments about this chapter first.

Just in case I got a little too technical with the parts of the flower, the stamen is the male reproductive part of the plant, while the stigma is the female reproductive part. (I actually don’t know too much about plant cross-pollination, so please don’t flame me if I’ve messed up the technical bits. I just needed a good seductive vehicle, and this seemed like it could be a fun one…).

Yes, the actual sex doesn’t take too long here, but Lucius has had a, er, dry spell for a while, but he’ll have some time to work on his staying power…. (In other words, there will be more smut in upcoming chapters. Heehee. I just have to take some time now, and outline the rest of the plot – I’ve got an idea, but I want to work it out before I keep writing.)

Thanks again for the wonderful reviews – I really appreciate them!