Upside Down

You guys are so awesome. And I know that I haven't had the slightest hint of lemons yet...but I have to set the stage. The first Dramione story I did I felt that I had them jump each other's bones waaaay too quickly...and I know nobody complained...but I'm going to take it a little slower this time...but not much...you'll be rather happy with the way things go in this chapter...
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Draco threw back his head and laughed a genuine laugh.

“Indeed it is, father….” He said softly. “Should I fetch mother? She will want to see you.” Draco added. Lucius nodded, a smile playing at his mouth. Draco left the room swiftly, stopping at the door to dry his eyes before he travelled into the den, walking as if nothing had happened.

The sight that met him amused him to no end. Bellatrix was kneeling in front of the television in rapt attention, watching a dancing yellow rectangle, while his mother, Granger, and the little American stood by and snickered.

“So you’re saying he’s a sponge….who talks…and wears pants….and has a starfish for a friend, an octopus for a co-worker, and a crab for a boss?” Bellatrix asked, scratching her head.

“Yeah. His name is Spongebob.” Ruby said, trying to hold back her laughter.

“It’s like…a moving sketch…” she said.

“That’s exactly what it is…” Hermione said. She looked up, and spotted Draco, and snorted at the look of incredulous amusement on his face.

“Umm…as amusing as this is to watch, I must interrupt. Father is awake.” Draco said. As the last word passed his lips his mother practically ran past him, rushing into the room to see her husband. Hermione followed behind so that she could ask Lucius how he was feeling…among other things. Ruby followed because she was curious. Bellatrix ignored them all, enthralled with the high-strung yellow sponge on the television.

“How do you build a fire underwater?” she mused. “This sponge must be a sorcerer!”

Narcissa was already at Lucius’ side, peppering his face with kisses and chanting a mantra of adoration and love. Lucius finally reached out a hand and pressed two fingers against her lips, stilling her face and mouth.

“I love you too, kitten, but now isn’t the time.” He said softly, spotting Hermione standing behind Narcissa.

“Of course, Lu.” Narcissa said softly, and stepped aside just enough for Hermione to approach the bed.

“How are you feeling, Mr. Malfoy?” Hermione asked politely.

“I’m feeling much better than the last time I was conscious, Ms. Granger, but I’m sure that you have more important things to ask about than my well-being…” Lucius said softly. Hermione gave a tight smile, and nodded.

“Where do your loyalties lay, Mr. Malfoy?” Hermione asked.

“Ah…straight to the point. My loyalties lay with my family, first and foremost.” He said. He was out of his element in this tiny little bed. He was used to looking down at people. And he was good at it, too, being well above normal height. He was tall, and he used it to his advantage. On this little bed, he had to look up to Hermione, who was standing. The symbolism of this was not lost on him, and it humbled him just a bit.

“Should your family decide to pledge loyalty to the Order of the Phoenix, would you follow suit?” she asked.

“If my family should decide together that they wanted to pledge their loyalty to a bedroom slipper, I would support them faithfully in their decisions. My opinion has caused enough trouble. So to answer your question; yes I would follow suit.” He said. Hermione smiled.

“That’s good. Because I think I can come up with a way to help both parties. I can keep you and yours out of Azkaban in exchange for…services.” Hermione said. Draco raised an eyebrow.

“Granger….if you were lonely….you should have just asked…” he said softly. It took Hermione a moment to catch his meaning, but when she did she blushed scarlet.

“No….Draco.” she ground out. “I meant services to the Order!” she added. Draco grinned.

“I don’t know, Granger….Shacklebolt is a big man…He might hurt me.” He said. Hermione closed her eyes from mortification, and Ruby tried to hold in her snickers. Lucius clicked his tongue impatiently.

“Draco…now really isn’t the time to be joking around. Ms. Granger is trying to help us…” he said softly. Draco smirked softly, but was silent.

“Now…my suggestion is simple: First, I suggest you all take Unbreakable Vows to keep the information you might hear here a secret, even if you decide you do not want to help the Order.” She said. All agreed, and the entire Malfoy family made a Vow not to speak a word of this information to anyone. But Hermione didn’t stop there. She had to pry Bellatrix away from the TV to make her take a Vow as well. She then brought the woman into the conversation.

“Okay. I have a suggestion that will affect both Mr. Malfoy and Mrs. Lestrange.” She said. Both Lucius and Bellatrix scoffed.

“Please, Ms. Granger, call me Lucius. Mr. Malfoy was my father…” he said, a charming smile on his face. Hermione rolled her eyes.

“And Mrs. Lestrange was Rodolphus’ mum….I shudder….just call me Bellatrix.” She said. Hermione nodded.

“Okay, if we’re done with name-time…” she said, looking between the two. They nodded softly, both looking annoyed. “Now. Lucius and Bellatrix are the best duelers.” She said. Bellatrix puffed up proudly, a smirk on her face when Draco made a small growling noise. “I will suggest that they help train new Order recruits. You both know the weaknesses of the Death Eaters in battle. You know how they fight, and you can teach the Order how to fight more efficiently.” She said. Bellatrix frowned, and put a hand to her chin as if thinking.

“I don’t know….this sounds a lot like betrayal…” she said softly, tapping a long, elegant finger against her full bottom lip. Everyone in the room stared at her for a moment.

“It is….” Hermione said softly, as if speaking to a child. Bellatrix looked around at everyone in the room, then flashed a slightly mad grin.

“Well that settles it, then! One betrayal for another! Proceed, Granger…” she said, immediately fading back into her semblance of a sane person. Hermione cleared her throat nervously. The woman really was mad…

“Mr.- Er…Lucius….your Midas Touch with finances is legendary, and with Order funds depleting rapidly each year…it’s also necessary. So your duties will be two-fold.” She said. He nodded silently. While he wasn’t looking forward to either of his duties…he supposed it could be worse. He could be dead…or without his family. He would do these things as a favor to Hermione, who had been the one to preserve both his life and his family’s life. Other than that, he would not change. He refused to.

“What about me, Ms. Granger?” Narcissa asked.

“I haven’t come up with anything particular just yet, Narcissa, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be needed. Draco…your assignment will be aerial training with Harry and Ron.” Draco groaned audibly. “Shut it!” Hermione snapped, and Draco stood a bit straighter. “Two men can’t teach them all aerial maneuvers. All three of you are brilliant on broomsticks, and a new opinion won’t hurt anything. Okay? Great. You’re all free to do practically what you want…I have to go to Harry’s birthday party at the Burrow. Which means I have to go get a gift. Ruby, you’re in charge. Please don’t let anyone set the flat on fire…” she said softly.

Bellatrix ‘hmphed’ softly. “I was just trying to learn how to work the stove….besides…I told you I’d replace your precious pot-holder…” she said.

Draco stepped forward, moving his shoulder awkwardly. “Granger…before you go…my back is itching something awful…anything you can do?” he asked, reaching over one shoulder to rub at the bandages.

“Itching means that it’s healing nicely…but I think I have something here that will help. Take off your shirt and sit backwards on a chair.” She said. Draco unbuttoned the cotton shirt that Hermione had bought for him right after he arrived, and hung it over the back of a straight-backed chair, which he then straddled backwards, leaving his back clear for treatment. Hermione tucked a tube of something into her pocket, and then proceeded to peel off Draco’s bandages. He winced when one bandage caught, but it was relatively painless otherwise.

Hermione disposed of the used bandages promptly, and then used a spell to clean off the residual antibiotic and the loose parts of scab. Draco closed his eyes to ward off the slight discomfort. Then Hermione squeezed a liberal amount of a sweet-smelling ointment onto her palms.

Draco draped his arms over the top of the chair, and rested his chin on them, waiting for Hermione to apply the ointment. He stiffened slightly when her hands first pressed against his back, but he relaxed immediately when the medicine began to take effect. The horrible itching ceased where her hands touched, and he practically melted under her fingers.

His back still looked terrible to the untrained eye, but to an amateur healer, he looked damn good. The whip lashes had all scabbed over nicely, and the edges were even fading slightly, leaving behind pink scar tissue. The lashes only really hurt if he put too much pressure against them, or stretched too far. It was the itching that was getting to him, and he had been forbidden to scratch. This medicine was heavenly, and her fingers were having a profound effect on him. It had been so long since he had been touched by an attractive female.

He hadn’t been able to get a girlfriend his final year at Hogwarts, and his social life and been nil after he graduated…Granger was the first pretty woman to lay hands on him, and he could feel it all the way down to his….shite….he was straddling a chair, and if he judged the odd look he was getting from his father correctly, Hermione’s hands were effecting more than his back. His face colored lightly, and he hoped that his mother and the other women had disappeared.

“Better?” Hermione asked. Draco nodded mutely.

Hermione had to admit that Draco’s physique was pleasant to look at. Even with the rough scabs, she could feel the muscles in his back and shoulders jumping underneath her fingers. And the view from the front wasn’t bad, either. He was as fit as he had been at Hogwarts. Quidditch had helped then, but she had a suspicion that Voldemort had his Death Eaters stay in top condition. The only fat Death Eater she had ever seen was Peter Pettigrew….and he wasn’t exactly accused of being the fiercest.

“Well…there you go…” Hermione said softly, and withdrew her hands. “I think that you should let that ointment dry, and then we’ll let your back breathe, so I won’t put back on any bandages. If you start itching again, get Ruby to put this stuff on your back.” She said, and handed Draco the tube of medicine. He nodded, and put the tube into the pocket of his loose-fitting jeans.

“All right now, boys. Be good.” Hermione said, affecting a voice as if she were talking a group of children. Draco rolled his eyes.

“Yes, Mum.” He said, and she laughed as she walked out the door. When she was out of ear-shot, Lucius began to chuckle. Draco turned to him, the tops of his cheeks pink with embarrassment.

“My, my….it appeared to me that you wanted her to rub more than your back…” he said slyly, the corner of his mouth turning up in a smug smile. Draco blushed deeper.

“Father…that’s none of your business….” He said. Suddenly he frowned. “Wait…you…you don’t care?” he asked. Lucius gave his son a genuine smile.

“You’re a grown man, Draco. I won’t tell you who you can or cannot be attracted to. Purebloods are dying, and dying quickly. The magical world is assimilating with the Muggle world…and…if you had to pick someone who wasn’t of pure blood….there are worse options…” he said softly. Draco knew that statement had to be hard for his father, and returned his father’s smile.

“Well I’ll keep that in mind in case I decide to have fuzzy-headed babies with Granger…” he said. A gurgling sound broke the silence that ensued.

“Um….Draco? Would it be possible to get something to eat? I’m absolutely famished…” Lucius said. Draco nodded.
“Ruby would be happy to fix something. She makes great food…almost better than the Manor House-elves….almost.” he said.

“I don’t care what it is…” Lucius said. Draco nodded again, and left the room to ask Ruby to fix his father something. When Draco was gone, Lucius sighed. The old ways were still niggling at the back of his mind…telling him he should have berated Draco for becoming aroused at the Muggle-born’s touch. But she was pretty enough, and he knew that his son hadn’t had female companionship in a very long time.

Besides…nothing would ever happen between those two...

Right?
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I don't know Lucius...will they?

Bellatrix is watching Spongebob Squarepants, and setting Hermione's flat on fire....ah....amusement.

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