LUCKY

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this tale, and receive no proceeds from it. All borrowed courtesy of Ms. J.K. Rowling

CHAPTER EIGHT

Lucius was in more than a snit. He was utterly furious. He was unused to being dismissed. Oh, Narcissa would have made him sweat, but she would have accepted his gift, hinting at the matching earrings and bracelets she would need to complete her happiness. Simple greed and ambition he could understand. But this self-righteous nonsense that Hermione was about always smacked him of falseness. These supposedly altruistic motivations could not be what they seemed. There had to be something underneath it.

A knock on the door of his study startled him into answering, “Enter!”

Hermione opened the door wide enough to slip through. She closed the door behind her and moved towards Lucius, who sat on the corner of his massive desk. He saw the pearls around her neck and felt a moment triumph before an odd feeling of disappointment swept through him. She was no different than any other woman.

Raising an elegant brow pointedly, “What is it you would like, Hermione? I am not in the mood for anymore of your temper tantrums.”

Hermione was proud of her control. Though the inside of her cheek would be raw from biting, at least she did not betray her anger. “I’m willing to call a truce. Arguing will get us nowhere. I’m not sure if I’ll become Minister of Magic, but I suppose we should aim high.”

Lucius gave a short bark of laughter. “I’ll never accuse you of lacking ambition, Mrs. Malfoy. I suppose in that we are well matched.” He gestured towards the necklace. “I suppose you are willing to accept my gift, then?”

She raised a hand to gently caress the pearls and smiled enigmatically. “I have no intention of keeping them, Lucius. I wore them as a sign that I would willingly cease animosities. Purely in the interest of furthering my career, of course.”

Sitting in one of the leather chairs placed in front of the desk, Hermione continued. “Of course, being absent for a week is not the best thing immediately after a promotion. But I’ll deal with the fallout next week. I can take this week to regroup and begin to plan.”

“Well, you’re certainly letting no grass grow under your feet. As a matter of fact, there is a project that Brutus and I are working on currently. We’ve recently purchased a particularly interesting device and need to test some modifications. There are a few sensitive areas of testing that we are not quite willing to involve our normal team. It requires someone familiar with complex charms.” Lucius felt that Hermione would be discreet, as long as she did not know who the inventors were.

“What is it? How soon will you need testing done?” Hermione was intrigued and flattered that Lucius would consider bringing her on board. He was the holder of several patents for magical inventions, and quite a portion of his income was derived from various ones that were used in almost every household.

Nearly smiling at her obvious enthusiasm, Lucius knew that this was a good idea. “I’ll set up a meeting with Brutus this week and we’ll discuss it then. Suffice to say, it’s highly confidential. Trust me when I tell you succeeding with private projects will help to boost your career into the spotlight.”

Lucius had no desire to be Minister of Magic himself. Being in the in the public eye, there was too much scrutiny into your private life. Not something that he would enjoy. In truth he was hoping that Hermione did not completely succeed, but would find a high ranking position that would satisfy both their desires. He rather fancied himself as the force behind her potential success.

“I hope it’s as interesting as you’ve made it seem. How long do you expect testing to take?” Hermione was hoping for a clue as to the nature of the device.

Lucius smiled slyly, “I’m not sure. It depends on how well the preliminary testing goes. I’ll know this week. Our meeting will clarify all your questions.”

“What would you like to do for the rest of the day?” Lucius had his own thoughts as to how to while away the time. “We can go somewhere for lunch if you like?”

“No, I think I’d like to eat in for a change. I’m not up to the scrutiny of all and sundry just yet.” Hermione felt the tension of the day clamouring for release and she stretched her arms over her head. Unknowingly, this brought her breasts up, a fact Lucius could not avoid noticing. As she lowered her arms, Hermione felt his eyes on her. Not liking the glint in Lucius’ eyes, she stood to escape. “As a matter of fact, there’s the new book by Baldir the Skald that I’m eager to continue.”

Hermione stood and smiled slightly at Lucius and moved around the chair to face the door. As soon as her back was to him, the nervous witch heard him move. She knew she had to make it to the door that was just a few quick steps away. Yet fate mocked her as she felt her husband’s hands catch her arms and pull her into his heated embrace.

As Lucius’ front came in contact with her she could feel every inch of him against her. His right hand moved to caress her stomach and to pull her even closer to him. She could feel the buttons on his shirt pressing into her back. Even his belt buckle seemed to imprint itself into her back. His other hand travelled across her shoulders and dipped to gently grasp her right breast, thumbing her nipple into attention.

“Are you sure you want to spend your afternoon reading a boring Baldir? I promise I have much more exciting activity planned.” His sexy growl was followed by a lightening quick swipe of his tongue on the top of her ear. Hermione nearly hyperventilated. She had to gain control of herself. The realisation that the hand splayed against her stomach had begun to move downwards galvanised her in to action. Panic gave her more strength than she normally had as she ripped herself from Lucius’ embrace to face him.

“I told you earlier that I would not willingly bed you again, Lucius. I meant it.” Hermione could only hope he did notice the quaver in her voice echoed by the quiver of her body. “You’ve already had me. Isn’t that enough?”

Emitting a humourless laugh, Lucius’ baritone deepened, “Only the chaste would ask such a question. No, I have not had enough of you. In fact, I had planned on gorging myself not only this afternoon, but for the remainder of our ‘honeymoon’. You can’t be serious about keeping me from your bed.”

Hermione squared her shoulders to respond. “I did not want to marry you, Lucius. You forced me into this. I don’t think that abstaining from sex will affect your plans to regain respectability. I will cooperate and play the part of the devoted wife in public and will honestly do whatever I can privately to further both our business desires. But I will not whore myself to you. You don’t love me. And I certainly don’t love you. I would prefer not cheapen what should be an expression of love any more than we already have.”

The desire drained from Lucius face as Hermione set out how she saw their future. His marriage to Narcissa had been very much along these lines. Mutual goals, but lacking in passion. This was what he sought to avoid by marrying Hermione. The depth of her response to his advances had encouraged him to take a chance and leap for what he hoped would be the golden prize. Only to find that all the while it was only leprechaun gold. He supposed the only difference was that Hermione was willing to work hard to advance. However, Lucius might be gaining a potential business partner but had lost the cachet and respect the Black name commanded.

“How quickly you take to the role of lady of the manor. Already barring me from your bower, milady? How enticing. Is this your way of keeping me keen, Hermione? If so, it’s not having the desired effect you sought I fear.” It was pride the spurred him to add sneeringly. “In fact, I’ll have a house-elf prepare the adjoining chamber today. I wouldn’t dream of disturbing what I imagine is your requisite beauty rest.”

Alarmed at Lucius’ snide answer, Hermione tried to diffuse the highly combustible moment. After all, she had come to his study to find a solution to the current situation not to argue. Keeping her voice low and soothing, she attempted to appeal to his common sense. “Lucius, let’s be reasonable. You can’t be happy to find yourself saddled with a muggle wife, regardless of her political value. It’s not as if this were a love match. Why can’t we be adult about this?” She reached out a hand out, only to see him flinch angrily away from her touch.

“Adult? An adult wouldn’t treat sex a weapon, Hermione.” His stormy eyes shone with malice as he stalked her. Hermione stepped back reflexively, exposing her latent fear. His sure movements soon had her back against the wall with Lucius arms bracketing her head. “Why are you so afraid? It’s just sex after all.” A muscular leg insinuated itself between her thighs. She could feel the brush of it against her sex and it was electrifying. A small moan escaped her parted lips.

Lucius could see the flush that rose in Hermione’s cheeks. The little liar. She still wanted him. “You’re so sexy when you fight. Did you know that?” He nearly yelled in triumph when Hermione’s hands came to rest on his chest. He wanted those tiny hot hands quite a bit lower. Lucius lowered his head like a steel filing hurtling towards a magnet. It was inevitable that his lips would land where they did.

The contrast between Lucius’ cool lips and warm breath was her undoing. It was a sensory overload for Hermione. The feel of his tongue plunging into her heated depths brought an instant recall of the night before and how incredible it had been. A strangled sound of submission was swallowed in their carnal kiss. When the curve of her neck was suckled so that she was sure it would be marked permanently, Hermione’s hand came to tangle themselves in the bright locks urging Lucius to continue.

“I can’t wait to see you naked again.” Lucius brought his hands to cup her bottom, kneading the taut, young flesh.

His words were like ice trickling down her spine. Naked. She wasn’t supposed to do this. Give in to him. Hermione groaned in anguish and self-disgust. She tugged his head from her with urgent hands. Defiant hands.

Pulling back out of self-preservation, Lucius tugged at his own hair unable to comprehend the newest barrier to his desires. “What! What now, Hermione?”

Enormous brown eyes held the answer. From lips swollen and reddened from his kisses came, “No. I can’t. This is wrong.” Before Lucius could answer, Hermione slipped from the room. The sound of breaking glass let every house-elf know that the master was not to be disturbed. Not a soul heard the mistress as she soaked the musty mattress of the unmade bed in the bedroom of her suite.


A.N. Thank you to every reviewer!! I’ve started Chap. Nine, but I am in the midst of searching for a beta. I would love to repost with nicely edited chapters, but am too impatient to wait. So you will probably see it up before I find one.