Laying the Blame

Disclaimer: Obviously, not mine. I am making no money off of this. All belongs to JKR.


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Laying the Blame

Chapter 1

Hermione glared at her father-in-law as she angrily ate her soup. Although the whole family was seated around the large elegant table, no one spoke. She had come to realize that the Malfoys were not a talkative bunch and most of their meals were eaten in silence. She wanted to scream at them all in frustration. What had possessed her to join such a family?

It had seemed so practical at the time and Hermione was nothing if not practical. Draco had needed a wife and she had been ready to get married. She was under no illusions that Draco was in love with her. She had given up on romance a long time ago.

Although Hermione was only twenty three, she had started to feel she was missing out. Most of her friends were settled down and the truth was, she just didn’t want to be alone anymore.

Hermione Malfoy.

Mrs. Draco Malfoy.

She shook her head at her thoughts as she stabbed at the next course in front of her. Ron especially had been mystified at her choice. She could still hear his voice screeching in her ear.

“You are really going to marry the ferret?”

She had tried to explain to him that Draco had changed. Well, not changed as much as just grown up, actually. He had matured. Something that Ron desperately needed do.

Draco was still sarcastic, insolent, and egotistical. Some things never change. After living in the Malfoy home and being around Malfoy senior, she could understand where he acquired those traits.

The main thing that had changed was that Draco no longer made fun of her for being muggle born. He had grown out of the adolescent need to put others down to make himself feel superior. After all, he was a Malfoy. He already was superior to everyone else.

Hermione had to admit her husband was very attractive. He had a muscular body without being too muscular, piercing grey eyes, and a disarming smile. He took particular care with his appearance, was well groomed, and always smelled incredible. He also had the Malfoy wit and charm that often times could be even more devastating than his previous maliciousness. Draco was a good companion. When they were out together they got quite a few stares; they looked good together. Hermione was ashamed to admit that she enjoyed the attention. Although she knew she was pretty in an ordinary sort of way, when she was with Draco she felt beautiful.

She wondered if some of this predicament she found herself in was her own fault. She had worked hard after graduating from Hogwarts. She continued with her education and graduated from a University. She now had a good job. She definitely didn’t marry Draco for money. She just found that after all that time she was alone. It wasn‘t like she didn’t get offers. She just hadn’t had time for men. She had some sexual experiences but nothing serious.

Then Ginny and Neville got married and she felt she was the only single person left. It was true that Harry wasn’t married but she knew he had been in the same relationship for the last five years. She felt not only alone, but lonely.

So maybe this was her doing.

No.

It wasn’t her fault.

It was his.

She stared once again at the wizard at the head of the table.

Lucius Malfoy.

He was the one to blame for all her troubles.

This was all his idea.

She remembered when he first approached her. She had been shocked that he could even suggest that she marry his son. Draco had been her nemesis. She didn’t have one happy memory of Draco from her time at school. Oh wait, there had been the time she had punched him. That had brought a smile to her face.

Lucius had taken that as encouragement and had pressed on. She wasn’t sure how he managed it but he seemed to be able to prey on her weaknesses. He knew what she wanted, what she needed. The older Malfoy exuded sexuality and while that frightened her a bit, it also excited her. If Draco had even one ounce of that vitality, she knew she could be a happy girl indeed.

Lucius convinced her to meet with Draco. That was all it took. Hermione had been if not in love, definitely in lust with her future husband. What more did she need?

As she shoved a potato into her mouth, she looked over at her new husband. She was not so much angry with Draco. He hadn’t deceived her. He hadn’t told her he loved her, or even that he desired her. He told her she was beautiful and that he was lucky to have her as his wife. She thought that the last part was certainly true.

And she couldn’t blame herself really. Even Ron had thought that Draco would be demanding and difficult to live with. So how could she be blamed for her assumptions?

Could she really be blamed for thinking that life as a Malfoy would be frightening yet exciting and passionate?

How wrong could she possibly be?

She found out on her wedding night. Draco had been gentle, considerate, and sweet. All the things she never expected.

It wasn’t that she was looking for a selfish, demanding lover. Her eyes inadvertently drifted up toward Lucius as she thought this. He smirked at her as if he could read her mind. She lowered her eyes once again. She didn’t know if he knew Legilimins but she wasn’t taking any chances.

No she didn’t need a harsh, punishing, lover…but maybe some passion would be in order. That was what Draco lacked. Passion. It was if he was playing quidditch. No, that was not true. He showed more passion when he was playing quidditch.

It wasn’t that he was not attentive. He was, overly so. They had been married for a month and they now had sex several times a week. At first she had tried to make it work. She did everything she could think of to get him to a frenzied state. Nothing worked. He was able to perform his husbandly duties but he lacked any emotion while doing it.

Hermione even resorted to violence. Not that she was a violent person but nothing else had worked. Even pain was better than just going through the motions. She wanted him to feel something. She didn’t do anything drastic. She just pulled his hair, and raked her nails over his back. No reaction. She should have realized he would not respond to pain. Draco wasn’t the type to enjoy getting hurt or hurting someone else.

Her eyes once again found Lucius. She wondered if he was into pain. She could definitely see that. Of course, the fact that he was currently yelling at a house elf and threatening to punish him harshly may have helped her with that perception. She knew she should have been indignant at his treatment of his servants but her traitorous mind wondered instead at the kind of punishment he could inflict.

Hermione slammed her goblet of pumpkin juice down. She was frustrated and angry. She had been left to her own devices to satisfy her needs and it was not enough. It didn’t help that her husband did not come to mind during these occasions. Instead it was her father-in-law’s face that rose unbidden in her fantasies.

It was definitely all his fault!

“Hermione?”

She looked up in surprise as the object of her thoughts spoke in a silky voice.

“Is there a problem? You seem upset.”

She gave them all a false smile. “No, I am fine.”

Just shut up and go back to your bloody silence, she thought uncharitably.

This was his fault and he would pay. She just had to figure out how.

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Hermione leaned back into the bath. The warm water enveloped her and she felt some of the stress leave her body. She had always loved taking baths. It was the only place she felt totally free. No one wanting anything from her. She could forget the world while she relaxed in the luxurious feeling of the silky bubbles caressing her skin.

No work, no Ron or Harry, no Draco, and no Lucius.

Damn. She had been determined not to think of him but now his imposing figure loomed in her unguarded mind. She had to think of something else, anything else.

It was no use. Her body had already started to react to just the thought of him. With a sigh she gave in and let her mind wander…

She walked into the library. He was there. She knew he would be. It was his sanctuary. No one was allowed in that room. Not even his wife, Narcissa. He looked up angrily as she walked in the door.

“How dare you come in here. Leave. Now.” His voice challenged her to defy him.

She did.

She walked over to his desk and perched on the edge. He stood up as she did so and she defiantly stared up into his handsome face. They were very close to each other. Hermione could see his nostrils flaring in indignation.

“Or what?” she inquired calmly.

“I will have to punish you for your disobedience,” he answered angrily.

Hermione squirmed in the tub. Just the thought of him threatening her had her aroused.

“I am not afraid of you.” She saw the anger change to admiration and something else. Something sinister.

“You are very brave today, Hermione,” he whispered huskily to her as he moved closer. “I wonder why that is.”

Lucius raised the cane he held at his side. He gently ran the silver snake tip over her bare arm.

“Because I know your secret, Lucius.”

“Do you?” He let out a low chuckle. “How delightful. I wonder which one you are referring to. I have so many secrets, you see.”

Hermione did not answer. She could not. She was unable to speak as the cane had changed course and was now continuing its journey over her left breast. Her nipple quickly hardened in response.

“Ah, no matter,” he continued silkily. “For I know your secret as well, Hermione.”

He moved forward swiftly and Hermione had no time to protest. His face was inches away from her as he whispered in her ear. “A secret you have tried hard to keep.” As he spoke he ran the cane slowly up the inside of her thigh. Hermione gasped as the tip grazed against her already soaked panties.

In the bath, Hermione gave into temptation and her hand followed the path of the imaginary cane.

“Lucius.” His name escaped her lips. He smirked at her as he quickly removed the cane and brought the tip to his face. He watched her closely as he deeply inhaled her scent.

“I don’t know what to think of this. My son’s wife. Standing before me like a whore, her knickers drenched from her arousal.”

He watched her reaction to his words, his eyes staring intensely.

“I cannot let this go. I have been watching you, Hermione. I know what you want, what you think about. I know you fantasize about me in the bath.”

The thought of him watching her as she fantasized about him, drove her even further.

“Your fingers touching where you want me to touch. They move quickly as you imagine me stroking you… kissing you… licking you.”

Hermione was breathing hard and her pulse was racing. She ached for him to touch her. He was so close she could feel his heat. He continued to whisper huskily to her, his breath hot on her skin.

“Deny it,” he commanded her. She could not. She had no voice.

He grabbed her hair with his left hand and pulled her head back.

“I said, deny it!” he commanded her.

“I don’t,” she stated breathlessly.

“You don’t what?” He was relentless.

“I don’t think about you.”

“What don’t you think about?”

“I don’t think about you touching me,” she obeyed, noticing the way her words were arousing him.

“I don’t think about you kissing me,” she continued becoming more daring in the process. His eyes darkened dangerously.

“I don’t think about your mouth on my breast or about you bending me over your desk and thrusting roughly into me.”

“Enough!” He suddenly turned her around and pushed her face into the desk. His hand moved between her legs. He pulled her knickers off, ripping the delicate material.

“It is time for your punishment.” He pulled her skirt up revealing her naked bottom to his gaze.

“Do you want me, Hermione?” She wasn’t sure what he wanted to hear so she guessed.

“No!”

“Liar,” he stated calmly as he smacked his hand on her bottom.

She must have guessed correctly.

The pain coursed through her and but she didn’t want him to stop.

“I don’t want you to touch me any more.” Another smack.

“Or ever, again.” Smack.

In the bath, Hermione imagined those long fingers striking her bottom. She was so close…

“So you do not want this?”

“No.”

He stopped striking her and slipped a finger down into her. She gasped. It felt so good.

“At this moment, I am finding that hard to believe,” he smirked as he continued to tease her.

Hermione pressed against that wonderful hand as she came close to climaxing. Suddenly the hand was gone as he removed his clothes. He then quickly thrust himself inside her pushing her over the edge. He continued to thrust bringing himself over the edge as well.

It didn’t take Hermione long and she bit her lip to keep from calling out Lucius’ name. It would not do for her new husband to know of her increasing fascination with his father.

As she dried herself off, Hermione felt the familiar shame overcome her. She had always believed that when you married someone it was a commitment for life. She would never cheat on her husband and felt bad for even thinking of another man.

It was difficult being in the same house with Lucius.

She also felt ashamed of the content of her fantasies. She didn’t think she would actually enjoy being demeaned, or yelled at, or even spanked. While in her thoughts it was exciting, it was also safe. She knew she could never actually do any of it in real life.

It was just that Lucius Malfoy brought out all the naughtiness within her.

Yes, she told herself…It was definitely all his fault.