Adventurous Hearts Part III: Merlin's Tomb

Chapter 8: Stroke of Midnight









Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape stood restlessly in the sitting room of Hermione’s small house in Salisbury. Both men looked quite dashing in their dress robes. Lucius chose to wear a silver and black brocade waistcoat in place of the traditional white. Severus had opted for all black, including his shirt. The only bit of relief coming from the jet studs in his shirt with the silver dragons etched onto the tiny surface.







There was an odd understanding between the two men. Lucius was well aware of how much Severus loved Hermione and he couldn’t help but admire the man for being willing to sit back and let her go. He was such and integral part of her life that he was present for every major event and that meant he would be continually subjected to Hermione and Lucius together. Lucius could admit that he wasn’t strong enough to withstand such torture. It really said something about Severus’s character that he would withstand such pain out of love and friendship.







Severus leaned against the mantle, toying with his cufflinks, he was comfortable in her home and it was obvious that he had spent a lot of time there. It seemed that nearly every flat surface contained some knick knack or another or a framed photograph, most of them of her and Severus. There was one of them in Italy, Hermione in her bathing suit on the beach laughing at Severus who had only rolled up his pant legs to the knee and was standing in the surf with a scowl on his face.







There were others still, the two of them dressed in their finery at a gala and another of them in Egypt standing at the base of a pyramid. Lucius picked up a frame from her side table and watched as the two of them stood atop a mountain, Severus frowning while Hermione pulled a knit cap over his head and flipped the little pompom on top with a laugh. He moved on, looking over various photos of her by herself, smiling to himself when he noted how happy she looked.







“Her favorite is on the writing desk over there.” Severus said, gesturing towards the desk beneath the window. Lucius picked up the brass frame and stared at the photo. Severus and Hermione were standing in front of Hogwarts and as he watched she leaned up and whispered something to him and he smiled.







“It is the only photograph in which you are smiling.” Lucius said. “This room is filled with pictures of the two of you yet you are never smiling. Why is that? Goodness knows you spend most of your time around her grinning like an idiot.”







“I don’t like being photographed. I never understood why she wished to be photographed with me.” Severus said. “As for the smiling, she has a way of making a man act differently, better.”





“Well, I honestly don’t know why someone would want to litter their home with photos of your sour self but Hermione adores you. She says you are all she has, her family.” Lucius said. “And I know what you mean. She makes me wish I had met her long ago, maybe my life would have been better, I could have been better.”







“Our past shapes who we are, yours made you stronger, wiser.” Severus looked up and smirked. “And it added a few lines to your face that give you more character.”







“Sod off.” Lucius grumbled and Severus chuckled.







“She will begin photographing you soon enough, she is somewhat camera happy.” Severus said.







“The last photo I had taken was my prison photo, aside from the ones in the papers.” Lucius picked up a figurine of a man; he had no face but had an enormous penis. “Interesting.”







“African fertility statue.” Severus said. Lucius set it back down and picked up a set of tiny rag dolls, a boy and a girl, neither of them had faces. “Amish, from America.”









“She has a rather eclectic collection of items around here.” Lucius said.







“She tends to keep mementos from all her projects, not all of them are on the up and up mind you.” Severus said. “For instance the tapestry hanging in her bedroom, she took that from the temple the two of you were trapped in. And she kept the journals from the island.”







“Whatever happened with that? Did she go back?” Lucius asked.







“Oh yes. She found a descendent of the Pendragon line, then disillusioned herself and him, snuck into Buckingham Palace and seated him on the throne, certain that she could use the literal translation of the curse to break it. When that didn’t work she obliviated the poor chap. When she realized there was no breaking the curse she took a team of mercenaries onto the island then after sundown she actually sealed up all of the caves so that come morning the creatures all disintegrated at sunrise. The island is now clear of the walking dead.” Severus told him.







“Why doesn’t it surprise me that she would go back and try to free those people?”







“Because it is in her nature to root for the underdog, to stick up for the downtrodden and to redeem the unredeemable.” Severus laughed. “Look at us, we were certainly considered unredeemable yet here we are, former death eaters domesticated by one little bit of a witch.”





“Could be worse, I suppose.” Lucius said. “What is taking her so bloody long?”







The words had barely passed his lips when her bedroom door opened and she came strolling into the living room. Neither man could speak; they could only stare in amazement at the woman stealing the oxygen from the room.







She was draped in ice-blue satin from shoulders to feet. The straps at her shoulders were gathered with little rhinestone clips. It had a cowl neckline that dipped low, draping loosely over her breasts. The back plunged to barely conceal the upper swells of her bottom and the side split revealed a generous amount of soft, creamy thigh. She was stunning with her hair pinned up and little diamond studs twinkling in her ears.







“What are you staring at me like that for?” She asked, looking down at herself. “Did I get something on my dress?”







“No, you look incredible.” Lucius said.







“Don’t sound so surprised, Lucius. I do clean up well for a mudblood.” She said.







“That dress should require a permit, Minute.” Severus said, looking her over with a heated gaze.







“Thank you, Sev. Now stop staring at my breasts.” She laughed.





“Impossible.” He said. “Lucius, are you still breathing?”







Lucius shook his head and looked over at Severus who had a smug look on his face.

“What was that, Severus?” He asked.







“I was just wondering if you were still breathing, you went a little comatose.” Severus chuckled.







“I apologize if I was rude…I just wasn’t expecting…you take my breath away, Hermione.” He said softly. Hermione smiled brightly and lifted onto her toes to kiss him.







“Thank you.” She reached for a small silver bag lying on the table and shoved a lip-gloss and some money inside.







“Where is your wand?” Severus asked suddenly. Hermione smiled and extended her leg, opening the side split of her dress to reveal a blue garter with a silver ribbon, her wand tucked neatly against the silky smooth skin of her thigh. “Now that is damn near the sexiest thing I have ever seen.” He said with a low whistle.







“Damn near? What was the sexiest thing you have ever seen?” She asked with a smile.







“You, baking a cake for my birthday in nothing but an apron.” He smiled. “I can’t help it, the idea of you as a domestic goddess turns me on.”







“The wind blowing in the right direction turns you on, Sev.” She said as she curled her arms around Lucius’s bicep. “Enough chatter, let’s go and get this over with.”







“You aren’t looking forward to it?” Lucius asked.







“It will be our first official outing together, people are going to gossip like mad, the press is going to be all over us and I will be publicly snubbed by the people I once called friends. What is there to look forward to?” She asked.





Severus came up to her other side and extended his arm. She smiled and threaded her own through it. She really would rather sit at home and watch a video or just share a bottle of wine with her best friend and boyfriend, but they would have to face the world at some point, at least this way she looked incredible.







“I dare any person there to make a single comment to upset you.” Lucius said softly. “Resorting to old habits would be easier than one might think.”







“No one will ruin our evening, Minute, we will make certain of it.” Severus said. She felt loved and protected standing between the two men who meant so much to her. She knew they would take care of her and make her New Years a pleasant one.







With a loud crack and a slight tug they disapparated together and reappeared in the visitors entrance of the ministry of magic. Just as she expected, the press was all over them as soon as they appeared. Questions, many of which were inappropriate were flying at them from every direction as they pushed their way through the throng of media and into the ballroom.







The three of them made a rather interesting picture standing in the doorway. Hermione on the arms of two wizards with seedy pasts, a smile on her face as she took in the reactions of those around her.







“Well, this is fun.” Severus sneered.







“I told you people would stare.” She said softly. “Especially with Lucius being here.”







“It isn’t as though this is the first Ministry event I have attended.” Lucius grouched from her left.







“It’s your first as a convicted criminal.” Severus said. “And your first as the date of a muggleborn.”







“How about we get a drink and find our table.” Hermione said, pulling her wizards towards the bar. Lucius ordered himself and Severus a fire-whiskey and Hermione a glass of champagne. He had just handed her the glass when they heard someone address them.







“Well isn’t this a cozy little date.” The three of them turned to face their guest. Molly Weasley stood there, wearing a black dress that was at least two decades old and out of fashion. Arthur, in a set of dated dress robes stood behind her looking decidedly uncomfortable.







“Hello, Mrs. Weasley.” Hermione said politely. Lucius and Severus both bowed slightly in greeting.







“Two wizards? Aren’t we greedy.” Molly said, looking over the girl who she once thought would become her daughter.







“Severus is here as my friend, Lucius and I are in a relationship.” Hermione said softly, she didn’t want a scene.







“A relationship? With Lucius?” Molly began to laugh hysterically for a moment then stopped suddenly when Lucius put his arm around her waist and kissed her temple. Molly snorted in disgust at the display of affection. “First Snape and now Malfoy? You really are a little tart.”







“Mrs. Weasley, that is enough.” Lucius said, his voice soft and low.







“What a lovely dress, perhaps if you had taken the time to fix yourself up like this when you were with Ron he wouldn’t have turned to men.” Molly snapped. Arthur laid his hand on her shoulder to halt her but she shrugged him off. “No, I will not be silent anymore!” She said to her poor befuddled husband. “When you and my poor Ron were together you lived in track suits and denim, your hair always pulled back into a tangled mess, no makeup, nothing! You ignored him, putting school and work first so that he ended up turning to men! Then you take up with Severus Snape and then suddenly you are strutting about all dressed up and fixed up for him!”







“Molly, Ron is gay, he didn’t turn gay he was born gay.” Hermione said softly. She had known for a long time that Molly blamed her, and the others too.





“Nonsense! Ron always liked pretty girls; look at that girl Lavender he was so fond of before he started up with you!” Molly defended. “It was you; you didn’t love him enough…”







“Stop it, Mother!” Ron Weasley stepped up behind his mother and put his hand on her shoulder, turning her so that she could see the angry expression on his face.







“Ron, I was just…”







“You were just laying blame at Hermione’s feet for something she had no control over. Her looks were never an issue nor was her drive to succeed, I used them as excuses to punish her while I denied my own sexuality. I was hurtful and deliberately cruel to her near the end of our relationship. If anyone has the right to be angry it’s her.” Ron looked over at Hermione and smiled. “You look beautiful, Mione.” He stepped away from his mother and went to stand in front of her. “I’m sorry for their behavior. I had no idea it had gotten this bad until Harry came to see me when you got stuck on that island. You were in no way responsible for the way things turned out, you loved me and you were perfect, I just couldn’t be what you needed me to be.”







“It’s alright, Ron.” Hermione said, reaching for his hand and giving him a squeeze. “I appreciate the apology though, it means a lot to me.”







“So…Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape, eh?” Ron smirked. “Very nice, Mione.” He said looking to either side of her at the two men who looked as though they would attack at any moment.





“Don’t get any ideas; they are as straight as they come.” She laughed. Ron leaned in and kissed her cheek.







“As long as you are happy.” He said.









“Are you finally happy?” She asked. Ron looked back beyond his parents to the man waiting there anxiously. He had sandy hair and big brown eyes with a sweet face and lanky build.







“That’s Stephen, and yes, I am finally happy.” He said. “Which is why I expect this crap to stop with everyone blaming Hermione.” He growled at his parents. “It’s not her fault.”







“You know, Molly, it’s not your fault either.” Hermione said, looking at the older woman. She saw her cheeks flush and her eyes well. “Statistically when a family has a large number of male offspring one of them is likely to be gay or bisexual. It isn’t something a person chooses or something a person is forced into, it is just who they are.”





Molly didn’t say anything, she just wiped her eyes and buried her head in Arthur’s shoulder.







“If you will excuse us, Hermione. Lucius, Severus, have a good evening.” Arthur said as he led his wife out of the ballroom. Ron gave her a little wave and walked away with Stephen, leaving her standing with her wizards, confused and tired.







“Well, being with you is never dull, Hermione.” Lucius said.







“You are certainly good for a bit of drama, Minute.” Severus added. “I am starving; shall we sit down now and pray that whatever they bring is palatable?”







“You are always starving, Sev.” Hermione laughed as they found their table and sat. They enjoyed a decent meal, Severus deciding that it was alright to eat most of Hermione’s as well as his own. They listened to Kingsley address the crowd, commenting on the exciting year that they were leaving behind and his hopes for the one they would soon be entering.







Hermione danced with Severus and then with Lucius, she even shared a dance with Kingsley who was rather curious about her dates. As the evening wound down and they began counting the seconds to the New Year Hermione was standing between the two men who meant the most to her in all the world and she realized how lucky she was. As the cheers went up in celebration and Auld Lang Syne began to play she kissed Lucius and then turned her lips up to Severus and kissed him too.







“Happy New Year, Minute.” He said softly.







“Happy New Year, Sev.” She turned to Lucius and smiled at him. “Happy New Year, Lucius. I love you.”







“Happy New Year and I love you as well.” He said pulling her into his arms as they joined in the round robin of well wishes.









It was early morning when the trio made their way back to Hermione’s home. She was wrapped within the heavy folds of Severus’s cloak, sound asleep in Lucius’s arms thanks to one too many glasses of champagne. Severus had her shoes dangling from his fingers, her bag tucked beneath his arm as they took her into her bedroom and laid her on the bed.







“I’ll floo back to my house now.” Severus said as he laid her things on the top of her dresser. He bent over the bed and kissed her forehead.







“Mmm…Sev.” She said sleepily as she opened her eyes. “You leaving?”







“Yes, Minute. I will see you in the morning for breakfast.” He ran his fingers over her brow and smiled as she curled back into his cloak. Oh how he loved her.







“How do you do it?” Lucius asked as he followed Severus into the living room. “How do you stand it?”







“Because she is happy.” Severus said. “You just make sure she stays that way.” Without another word Severus tossed some floo powder into the grate and opened the connection to his house, disappearing through the hearth.







With a weary shake of his head, Lucius undressed slowly, draping his clothes over the chair in her room. He helped the sleeping witch out of her gown and then curled up behind her, cuddling her close as the New Year began.









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So glad you are enjoying the story!!! I have had so much fun writing it, but was also relieved to complete it so that the other plots in my head, all 63 of them, no, Im not joking, can finally get their day. LOL….Draco is currently the center of attention, and soon I visit Sev and Remus before heading off to play with Lu again…..geez Im a wizard whore LMAO





Don’t Worry…more smut is coming and a major event….I promised a friend to find a way to redeem Ron…..though I personally am not a fan, she loves him…..so D….here you are!







Off to work everyone!