Oh hey, sorry I am late in posting I was just distracted by the WORLD WIDE PANDEMIC going on. Seriously, I hope that you are all staying safe and healthy and financially stable during this crazy time. Thank you for reading and I would love to hear your thoughts. I do not own this world and have a wonderful week.

Hermione was lost in the mist again. Her hands reached out to the sides trying to feel anything at all. A warm hand found hers and grabbed her tight. She pulled the hand to her and smiled when she saw his face. "Theo." She said happily.

"Hermione." His eyes ran over her face. "I was wondering if I'd see you.

Once again, she ran her hands across his face, her fingers ghosting across his lips. "You still feel so real." She marveled. " Although, I am dreaming, aren't I?" And then a realization came to her. "But you're under a curse." The sound of the heart monitor charm that St. Mungo's used sounded faintly through the mist and a look of realization crossed her face. "Theo, is this really you?!"

"Who else would I be?" Theo sounded mildly amused. He noted the troubled look she gave him and stilled. "What's happened?"

"Well." Hermione wrung her hands together. "A witch named Valentina cursed you with a curse of unrequited love. What did you do to her to make her that mad?" She shook her head and continued. "Sorry, and your body is in a deep sleep and currently at St. Mungo's." She became very uncomfortable. "That witch told Draco and Harry that you wouldn't wake unless the person you loved could love you back. She expects you to stay that way until you die of natural causes. She believes that you don't love anyone."

"Fuck!" Theo swore. "I knew she had a vindictive streak, but this?" He scrubbed his fingers through his sandy brown hair. "So what? I'm to stay here in this place? Indefinitely?" He began to pace as the mist swirled about them.

Hermione watched him warily. "Theo? I'm here, with you. I believe that I am sleeping in the physical world next to Draco and I can hear where your body is at St. Mungo's, but I am here, with you. Why is that?"

Theo laughed harshly. "You need to ask? As smart as you are?"

Color rose to her cheeks and she looked down. "I see." Was all she could manage to say. Theo stopped and stared down at his feet looking forlorn. Instinctively she stepped toward him and placed her arms about him. He tensed for a moment and then turned toward her and buried his face into her soft hair.

"This is so fucked." He murmured. His arms came up around her and he held her to him. "I'm going to hold you like this so I don't have to see you me face when I tell you what she's done. "I believe that this is the somnulus meusdilectustuus vivulis curse. I call it somnulus for short." He smiled into her hair. "Now you can go look it up in the library when you wake.

"I heard that you can't wake up until the one you love, loves you back?" Hermione was glad she couldn't see his face. He had been right about that.

"That's about right." Theo sighed.

"And I'm here." She felt her cheeks blushing.

"You are here." He said sadly. "It seems you were in my heart all along, though I had convinced myself otherwise."

"You kept that drawing." Her fingers ghosted down his back, offering support.

"I did." Embarrassment tinged his voice. "Please don't ask me why right now."

"Alright. I won't." Hermione's hand found his. "Is there a way to get you out of here? Without, you know."

Theo cleared his throat. "Not that I know of but I'm sure if there is a way you will be the one to find it."

Carefully avoiding the subject she grabbed his hand and tugged him. They began walking through the mist. "What happens when I'm not here? Is it still the same?" His hand gripped hers gratefully and felt warm and oddly right encasing hers.

"I'm here, in this never ending mist. When you disappeared suddenly I spent a long time wandering and calling your name. Sometimes I can see my body at St. Mungo's and other times, the times I was wanting to see you the most, I could hear you talking. I couldn't make out your words. Only that it was you."His cheeks colored. "I could...hear you."

Hermione realizing what he must have heard happening between her and Draco looked down in embarrassment. Thinking over what he had just said she came to a realization. "I think the you are both between worlds and trapped in you own mind. I read about a similar predicament once and the witch under the curse could manifest a living space for herself if she concentrated hard enough. At Theo's questioning look she continued. "Try picturing your bedroom or even a place that you once stayed that you particularly liked."

Theo nodded and closed his eyes. "OK, I've got a place in mind." The mist cleared a little and she could see a ground made of hard, black earth. "Is something supposed to happen?"

"It's supposed to form the room in your thoughts. The mist cleared a little at any rate." She glanced around. The mist still hung about in a grey sheet but it did not swirl about their bodies. "Try again. Concentrate on your magical core." Theo closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. The landscape did not alter.

He opened his eyes. "Nothing? Figures." He was frustrated. A piece of his hair fell into his eyes.

Hermione reached over on instinct and pushed it back. The strand was silky beneath her touch. Against her will she wondered what it would be like to run her hands through his hair. "I can't bear to think of you here." She murmured. A line formed between her eyes as she thought. Tentatively she brought her hands around him. "Can I tell you about our home?"

At his nod she began to describe the manor to him. "The walkway is made up of enchanted marble. It gleams white, even on the darkest nights. It winds from the wrought iron gates which have a dragon on one side and a lion on the other. It's goblin made of course, and the figures move and sometimes they seem to argue but mostly they are on friendly terms. Should the manor ever be in danger we are told that they will leap from the gates and protect what is theirs. The white walkway winds around the gardens. Neville helped us plan it. We collected so many rare plants on our travels."

Theo's eyes closed once more as she continued to describe each room in detail. Little tidbits of information about her and Draco's family life were slipped in. At length she stopped and he opened his eyes again. A pained expression on his face. "It sounds like a beautiful life you have. And the children..." He broke off as he looked around. They were standing in the foyer of the Manor.

Hermione's lips turned up in a smile. "I know, considering the circumstances, this might seem awkward. I remembered that the witch I read about said that you truly had to love the place that you envisioned. I was hoping that it might work if I tried."

"Well, it's true enough that I haven't ever truly had a home to love." Hermione's heart clenched at his honest admission. A look of realization crossed his face. "Do you remember talking to me when you wake?"

After thinking on it a moment she nodded. "I remembered, of course, I thought it was a dream at the time. I tried to tell Draco and Harry but you slipped from my mind when I tried."

Theo nodded. "I read that was part of the curse. It's unlikely that you will be able to speak of these visits with me with anyone. No one in recent history has been the recipient of it. It's an ancient spell. Frankly I don't know what Valentina was thinking." He glanced about the beautifully appointed foyer. "Well, I suppose I do. This is a revenge so complete that I'm not sure even she was aware of it. I suppose you'd better show me around." He said in a resigned tone.

Hermione gestured to the right and they started walking. "Why were you with someone who would do this to you?"

He shrugged. "She was beautiful. We worked together. I wanted to love her. It seemed easy. I was warned about her but I didn't want to think the worst of her. As you know, I don't make friends easily."

"I noticed. You always were one to keep to yourself." Hermione led him to the bedroom where she slept with Draco. "You can choose any room you want but...here, this is our bedroom. I thought you might want to know. Theo looked appreciatively around the blue and silver room.

"You've really made a beautiful life together." He was wistful. "I guess it won't be too bad to stay here. I'll look at the rooms and pick one." He looked around the bedroom again. "He's going to hate me? Isn't he? Draco I mean. When he finds out."

"I don't think he could hate you Theo." Hermione was thoughtful. "But you do know that he can be prone to jealousy. I mean, that's calmed down quite a bit over the years. And now when he mentions you it's with nothing but affection. He's told me that you were one of the only people who gave him any sense of hope during the darkest parts of his childhood and I thank you for that."

Theo nodded. "I feel the same for him. I had a pretty shit childhood and, for a while I felt like Draco was one of the only people who could truly see me or cheer me up." He walked over and ran his fingers over a small carved onyx statue of a dragon on Hermione's dresser. "All the times that I can remember actually laughing until my sides hurt when I was younger were with Draco. I loved him like a brother. And when we got older and grew apart I was always on his side. You know? I wanted the best for him. You don't know what it's like to live unloved and unwanted save for one childhood friend in a dark world." His index finger explored the contours of the dragon's back. The statue turned and regarded him with unblinking eyes. "I would never want to complicate his life like this." He heard her come up softly behind him and felt her small hand on his shoulder. Reaching up he captured her hand in his. "But I don't want to be trapped here forever." He whispered fearfully. "Hermione, was there ever a time when you...thought maybe...with me?" The seconds ticked by and Theo felt his cheeks flush. "Never mind, I shouldn't have..."

"I did. Before I knew about the extent of the bond between Draco and I and before I fell in love with him. When we kissed and then in the library, you told me about, well, having a crush on me."

A harsh laugh burst out of him. "Yes, my crush, do go on."

Hermione was embarrassed. "No! I don't mean to minimize it! I used the wrong word. Let me finish alright? When you confessed your feelings to me I wanted more. I wanted to kiss you again. You had done so much just to be able to speak with me without fear. How could I not have wanted to explore more with you?" She flushed. "But things were so complicated with Draco so I had to shelve those feelings for all of our sakes."

"Yes, your lives were in danger. I stepped aside. What else could I do?" Theo turned to look at her, his eyes searching hers. "Hermione, can you do something for me? I once asked Draco a question about the three of us. If you can remember seeing me at all could you ask him if his answer is the same?"

"Why? What did you ask him?" Hermione was curious.

"Please?" Was all the answer she got.

"Alright Theo. I'll ask if I can remember." She had a sinking feeling she knew the answer. A memory of kissing him for the first time by the Black Lake flashed into her mind.

She had kissed him to prove a point and had been shocked at the sweetness of him. A shiver ran up her spine as she remembered his soft lips on hers and the long, lean, lines of his body pressed up against her. Theo had been so present and surprisingly hot. Her eyes flew to his lips involuntarily. They looked soft as they had been the day by the lake. Draco had been so stunned and angry. Draco. Horrified at the turn her thoughts had just taken she looked up to find Theo's eyes on her.

Hermione took a small step away from him. "You and I will have to talk about this tomorrow. I...I need to think, to talk to Draco." Anger flared up in her for being in her current predicament. "Theo, why? When you know the ancient magic chose Draco and I? Why? All these years? Didn't you try with anyone else."

Theo huffed out a frustrated breath. "Don't you think I tried?" He almost shouted. "There were other witches. Some were smart and funny or incredibly interesting. I just couldn't! In every crowd I found myself turning and hoping that it was your curls I saw from the corner of my eyes. Hoping it was your laughter I heard instead of a co-worker's. What the hell Hermione? If there had been any other way I would have found it." He was breathing hard and he lifted a shaking hand to move the hair from his eyes. "The memory of you haunted me and seeing how wonderfully happy you were and are with Draco made me keep my distance. Every fucking time I saw you my heart broke all over again. The way you look at him! Like he's the only Merlin damned wizard in the world. And when you were pregnant with his child. You glowed with happiness and you were so fucking beautiful. And I wanted..." He looked around the opulent bedroom breathing hard.

"Theo, what am I supposed to do?" Hermione pleaded her heart thudded painfully in her chest. She took a step toward him and he faded from view.

"Wake up, love." A voice was whispering in her ear. She felt strong arms surround her. "Shhhh, I've got you. Wake up."

Her arms reached back and surrounded him. "Draco." She whispered into his chest. She breathed in his smell and felt comforted.

"Shhhh." Draco said again. "You were having a nightmare. I felt you. It woke me up. What was it this time? Did you dream about Potter and the war again?" It had been a common enough recurrence over the years.

"No, it wasn't about Harry. I saw..." Hermione's eyes glazed over for a moment. "I...I don't remember." She sighed and willed herself to remember Theo and his question. It seemed that every time she tried to tell someone about seeing him a dreamy feeling would come over her.

Draco's hand were slipping underneath her pajama top. "Have we time before the little dragons wake up?" He whispered.

Hermione's body responded to his touches immediately. Guiltily she thought of Theo and his admission of being able to hear her but she was lost in sensation as Draco explored her body. As a result of their magical bonding desire could rarely be denied as the other would feel it equally. His fingers slipped into her folds and began caressing her insistently. "Gods I love you!" She gasped.

Chuckling he moved over her his silver eyes boring into hers. Tenderly he kissed her forehead, nose and lips. Using her hips and legs she flipped them over so that she was on top. Seeing the determined look in her eyes he gave a delighted laugh. "It's like that then?"

Her lacy pajama top floated to the floor, exposing her breasts. The sunlight showed through her hair causing her to look as if she had a golden halo. Even after all these years her beauty often made him catch his breath. He reached his hand to caress her but she quickly grabbed it and pinned it down to the mattress with hers. She raised an eyebrow at him. He remained docile as she removed his clothing kissing and licking each exposed new part as she went.

At last she crawled back up the nude length of him and hovered over him, smiling into his eyes she positioned the top of his cock at her entrance. He could feel the wet heat of her as she teased him. Her lips quirked into a mischievous smile. Not able to take anymore Draco sat up bringing his arms around her. He moved them back so that his back was against the headboard.

He entered her with one upward thrust causing them both to groan in pleasure. She gripped the headboard and clenched down on him tightly and rode him while whispering his name. He was large and able to use every inch for her pleasure. Surging forward he had her on her back. The hot slickness of her passage welcomed him deeper. Her hips rose up to meet his. Draco propped himself up over her and enjoyed the sight of her breasts bouncing with every thrust. Hermione's head arched back and she clenched about him even tighter. He kissed her throat as she came and then groaned as the pleasure that she felt overtook him and he pulsed deep within her.

It took him awhile to come back into himself. A benefit of their bond was that the effects of their orgasms could be doubled if they came together. He turned and kissed her sweat slicked shoulder, his tongue enjoying salty taste of her. She snuggled into his side and sighed happily. "I'm so glad that you are mine and mine alone." He said.

Her head arched back so that she could regard him quizzically. "Why do you say that?"

An unknown fear had gripped him and he pulled her closer to him. He didn't answer and let his gaze land on the small dragon statue on her dresser which was stretched out luxuriously and arching its back contentedly like a cat being pet by an unseen hand. Draco's grip around Hermione tightened.

...

Later that afternoon Hermione burst into her study. Spotting Draco she huffed our and exasperated breath. "I've been looking everywhere for you!" She rushed over to him with an armload of books. "I've just come back from your parent's. They send their regards and want us to come over later. I need to show you what I've found in their library." Her steps slowed when she saw the look on Draco's face. "What is it?" She was concerned.

Draco's grey eyes were filled worry and sadness. He was seated on the sofa with one of her sketchbooks held limply in his lap. Quickly placing the pile of books on the table in front of her, she sat down next to him. "Draco? What's..." her words trailed off and her gazed snagged on what he was holding. "Where did you find that?" Gently she took the sketch that she had made all those years ago from him and studied it.

"It was splayed open on your desk this morning. Did you put it there?" Draco's voice cracked as he asked.

"I didn't, you know I like to keep my workspace tidy. I don't even remember drawing this, but I must have." Her fingers traced her signature and the date. She smiled. "I'd forgotten all about the drawing and what happened that day. How did it come to be out do you think?"

She watched at Draco's long finger traced around the ring above his head to the ring above her head and, after a moment's hesitation he traced the line up to the third ring. Hermione looked at him with questions in her eyes. Wordlessly her finger traced the path his had taken. When her finger reached his at the third ring and touched they both gasped.

The French doors flew open and a wind danced through the room. A familiar feeling of arousal coursed through them and the image of a man with gleaming green skin, antlers sprouting from his head and a wicked smile entered their minds. The wind died down and the doors creaked back closed, locking themselves automatically.

"The third ring." Hermione whispered thoughtfully. Closing her thighs and her thoughts to the lustful feelings the antlered man always wrought, her mind began to piece things together. She remembered her promise to Theo but could not think on how to ask Draco without it slipping her mind. She turned and looked deep into his eyes willing him to understand. "What do you think this means? The presence of a third ring?"

Sensing her question and her deeper meaning Draco sighed and sat back. He looked up at the ceiling and appeared to be debating with himself. "Theo once asked me to consider making us a triad. I told him that I didn't share."

Hermione breathed out slowly. "Why did you never tell me this?"

"Why?" Draco sounded irritated. "Because I don't share Hermione as you know very well. And with the way we were bonded I didn't even think it was an option." He shrugged as if that were the end of it.

"Let's just say for a moment, that Theo were still in love with me as he was all those years ago." Hermione began carefully.

"But he isn't!" Draco countered. "He told me so several times.

Throwing an admonishing look his way for the interruption she continued. "Use your imagination then. If it took me loving him back as a lover to bring him to himself, back into this world where he belongs and wants to be, would you want me to take that chance?"

Draco sat regarding his hands. When he spoke again his normally pale cheeks were flushed with rage. "Do you not forget that I am a Malfoy? I can't believe you would even ask." Abruptly he stood up and began striding out of the room.

"Draco! Where are you going?" Hermione stood up as well. "Draco?" He paused in the doorway without turning around. "Draco he could live the rest of his natural life and die in this state."

His blond head dropped forward. "I know it. Do you love him Hermione?"

"He would be awake if I did." She told him softly.

Draco looked over his shoulder at her and nodded. "I'm going out for a bit." He told her. "Don't know when I'll be back. I just need to think about some things."

"Alright." She agreed. They had been together long enough for her to know that Draco needed his space when he was angry. "I'll see you for dinner?" He nodded once before leaving. Hermione could hear the faint pop as he apparated. She sighed and looked down at the books she had brought. She feared that Draco was not going to like what she had found at his parents library.

...

Theo Nott lay pale and unmoving under the stark lights of St. Mungo's. Draco stood at the foot of the bed regarding his old friend. "Theo? Can you hear me?" Theo did not stir.

"It's me. It's Draco." He sighed and walked over to sit in the comfortable armchair by the side of the bed. He glanced around to ensure that they were alone and then cast a quick Muffliato. "This is a shit situation you've got us all in my friend. I felt your magic today in our bedroom. In our bedroom! I'd recognize your magic anywhere!"

His head dropped into his hands for a moment before he looked up again with silver eyes blazing. "You've no right to ask this of her or of me. We are perfectly happy with each other." He was silent a long moment. "But you didn't want this. Did you? That's why you stayed away." His gaze traveled over the face of his oldest friend. "I don't think I can do this Theo. Even for you. I love her so much."

Draco sighed. He knew that Hermione's heart would go out to him. Would she fall in love with him? Could she? Fear gripped him. And in all honesty he did not want to let Theo lay here for the rest of his life rotting. Draco knew deep down that, had the situation been reversed, Theo would do almost anything to bring him back. Would he share Hermione? If it was Theo who got to make love to her and go through life with her, brilliant and sparkling by his side, would he sacrafice that for Draco's sake? Hermione he knew, was going to have plenty to say on the subject when he arrived home. Draco didn't know what to do. The third ring of the drawing preyed on his mind. The antlered man had perhaps been planning for this all along. "Go away." He said into the silent room but whether he was speaking to his old friend, the antlered man or to their fates he was not sure.