Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own anything recognizable, and I make absolutely no profit off this, so please don't sue me, k?

Notes: This was written for the 2011 Lucius Big Bang on LJ. My eternal love, adoration, and cuddles goes to lorcalon for all the work she put into betaing this and helping me beat my muse into submission. I'm not sure this would have been possible without her.

She was beautiful when she let herself go for him. Leaning back against the cold stone wall of the dungeon room, Lucius allowed himself a moment to drink in the sight of her, savouring the release that wracked her body. The chains holding her arms suspended above her head rattled quietly, her hands curled around them in a white-knuckled grasp as her body trembled. Candle light flickered in dark crystal sconces along the wall, catching in the welts that marred the otherwise perfect flesh of her shoulders and back, the swell of her arse red and slightly bruised from the beating it had taken, earlier in their session.

Drawing his eyes away from her body at length, Lucius turned and replaced the leather-tailed flogger in its holding place, before approaching the woman shackled to the wall. His boots thud-ed softly off the stones as he stepped up behind her, wrapping one arm around her waist to steady her as he pressed himself against her back. With an unsteady breath, the witch leaned back against his chest as best she could, holding herself still for him as he reached up to unfasten the metal restraints around her wrists.

"Hold on to me, little one," he ordered gently, waiting for her to comply and wrap her bruised wrists around his neck before bending enough to hook his other arm beneath her knees. Lifting the woman as though she weighed nothing at all, Lucius cradled her to his chest as he strode out of the dungeon cell and up toward the main level of the Manor.

Her head nuzzled against his shoulder with a quiet whimper as he walked, arms tightening around his neck as he heard the first hiccoughing sniffle escape her. "M-Master..." she whimpered, lashes fluttering against his neck as her eyes fell closed, the faint touch of wetness against his flesh giving away the tears she'd tried to restrain.

Shushing her softly, Lucius turned his face toward her and pressed his lips against the sweat-soaked curls clinging to her forehead. "Hush now, pet; we'll speak in a few moments." The woman in his arms gave a small, obedient nod before clinging tighter to him, sniffling loudly as she pressed her face against his neck.

Lucius carried her into the library in silence, gently depositing her on a long, narrow couch. "Time to let go now, pet," he urged, when her arms remained twined around his neck. "You know I'm not going anywhere." Reluctantly, she lifted her face enough to look at him, her eyes already puffy and swollen with tears, and the bit of make-up she'd worn now streaked along her cheeks. He waited patiently for her accepting nod, offering her a brief smile as she unwound herself from him and leaned back against the couch with a wince of pain.

"Lie on your front for me," Lucius ordered after a moment, summoning a jar of healing salve with a quick flick of his wand. She complied without hesitation, stretching herself out across the couch and curling her arms beneath her head for support. Placing a gentle hand in her hair, Lucius tucked a few wayward curls that had escaped the collection of pins back behind her ear. "That's my good girl."

Where her nudity had never been a source of modesty or embarrassment, it was the simple compliments he gave her that brought a wave of heat rising in her cheeks. Her warm, brown eyes darted to him without lifting her head, the faint tint of pink in her otherwise pale flesh enticing him to lean over her and brush his lips against her cheek. "Beautiful..."

"Th-thank you, Master," she whispered, before turning her eyes shyly away from him again.

"You're welcome, little one," Lucius told her, reaching for the salve and twisting open the jar. "Now, how are you feeling?" Her breath hitched as the first touch of the cold salve came in contact with the bruised flesh of her arse, and her face scrunched in pain as he began to gently work the floral scented cream into her skin. "Speak through the pain, pet."

"I...hurt, Master," she answered after a moment, her voice trembling and cracking slightly as Lucius's fingers probed a particularly sore spot where her arse met her thighs. "I'm drained and sated as always, but I ache..."

"Your body or your mind?" Lucius's tone was enquiring, but there was an underlying note of expectancy, as though he already suspected what her answer would be. Reaching for the salve again as she turned his question over in her mind, he began working it into the welts that crossed her back.

"Both," she whispered after a long pause, the waver of her voice giving way to a sniffle for the first time since he'd set her down. Turning her face to bury it against the cushion of the couch, she took an unsteady breath to try and calm herself. "M-my body aches in the best of ways, but my mind..."

He'd been expecting it to happen, sooner or later. She was a remarkably responsive woman, and when her walls came down during their sessions, it was akin to opening a flood gate for her. Every doubt and concern she harboured in the recesses of her mind was washed away for a few, blissful hours of peace and freedom, only to come back with force as their time together began winding down.

"Breathe, Hermione," he ordered softly, murmuring a cleaning charm over his hands before threading his fingers into her hair to soothe her. "Everything will be all right, my little one." Rolling onto her side, Hermione shifted closer to the edge of the couch, reaching for Lucius with unsteady arms as her lower lip began to tremble.

"Hold me, Master... please..."

Sending her home at the end of every session was a special sort of torture for the both of them. Her wild curls brushed neatly back into the same proper bun she'd worn when she left her home in the morning, and her clothes straightened and buttoned modestly, Hermione looked nothing like the wantonly sexual woman she became beneath his hands. Instead, she looked every bit the façade she had built around herself over the years- prim and bland, and strangely suited to the marriage she had walked so naively into, six years earlier.

It put his mind and his heart thoroughly at war with each other every time they were forced to say their goodbyes for the week. When he longed to pull her closer, his hands gently pushed her away, aided by his traitorous mouth reminding her of the husband waiting at home for her return. More than once, he'd found himself on the verge of asking her to stay, and finally put an end to the games, but with each attempt, the words had died, unspoken, on his tongue. It was not in him to display his hand so easily, at the risk of losing her entirely for an impractical whim.

"You'll return on Wednesday, as usual?" he asked against her hair as her arms wrapped around his back. Even after the intensity of their session, and the sheen of sweat that had coated her less than an hour before, she smelled clean and enticing. A faint scent of ink clung to her clothing from her work, mixed with the whispers of the soap she'd used that morning and an underlying smell that was distinctlyHermione.

"Always, Master," Hermione whispered against his shoulder before finally forcing herself to step away from him. One hand instinctively reached to her throat, her expression tinged with sadness as her fingers brushed against the bare column of flesh where her collar had rested until only minutes ago. A tiny shimmer of tears welled at the corners of her eyes before she turned her face toward him again, curling her palm fully against her throat. "Lucius?"

"What's wrong, Hermione?" Pulling the witch into his arms again, Lucius tipped her face up with a hand on her cheek until he was able to look into her eyes. She'd had her share of hesitations when it came to be time to leave the Manor, but something in her tone and demeanour pulled at him. Hermione leaned kittenishly into his touch, her lashes fluttering against her cheek for a moment as she savoured the contact.

"What... What if I wanted to leave him?" she asked, her voice so quiet it was nearly inaudible. At his sharp intake of breath, Hermione's eyes peeked open to look up at him, a flash of worry crossing her features.

Grazing his thumb over her cheekbone to calm her, Lucius examined her closely. The flicker of worry still held in her eyes as she waited for his response, her teeth pressing into her lower lip as they always did when she was anxious. "You know that my door is open to you, pet," Lucius answered after a long moment, his own words barely above a whisper. Her face brightened, and he saw her hand moving toward the buttons at the neckline of her blouse. Grasping her wrist firmly, Lucius stopped her, lowering her arm back to her side. "But this is not a situation to rush in to, Hermione."

"Y-you don't want me to stay?" Hermione's words took on a slight whining quality, her lip trembling as she released it from between her teeth, leaving it enticingly swollen. "I... I'm sorry, Master, I-"

"Hush," Lucius reprimanded, shifting his hand to grasp her jaw when she tried to look away from him. "I would like nothing more than to keep you here with me, pet," he assured her, letting his sincerity show in his eyes as she looked at him. "But I will not have you regretting this decision in the future."

With a hint of reluctance, he released his hold on her and took a small step back, nodding toward the Floo behind her with a sober expression. "Go home now, pet, and think on it. If it's still what you think you want, then we'll discuss it more next week."

The light of hope returning to her eyes, Hermione nodded, expelling a quiet sigh of relief. "Yes, Master... Thank you, Master."

"About what I mentioned last week," Hermione started awkwardly, her back toward him as she began removing the blouse she'd worn to work that morning. Her fingers flew along the row of buttons before she shrugged the fabric from her shoulders. Unexpectedly, Lucius's hand grazed against the back of her neck as he stepped up behind her, pushing her hair aside and circling the warm, leather band of her collar around her throat.

"You know the rules, Hermione. This sort of talk is saved for later." He saw the embarrassed flush rise in her cheeks as she murmured her apology, the last of it breaking off into a startled gasp as he pulled her blouse from her arms with one quick but gentle tug.

"Thank you, Master..." Withdrawing from her, Lucius crossed to the opposite wall of the room as he left her to finish undressing. From the unsteady stop-and-start sound of the zip of her skirt being lowered, her hands were trembling, and he turned back toward her to examine her. Hermione's fingers fumbled with the zip several times before she managed to open her skirt and shimmy herself out of the tight fabric.

"Pet," Lucius sighed, snapping his fingers loudly to draw Hermione's attention to him. She twisted around toward him obediently, the subtle way her hands shook more apparent as she reached for the fastenings in the front of the bra she wore. "Stop and come here."

The blush that had risen in her cheeks deepened, but Hermione lowered her hands to her sides and stepped closer to him. She moved to lower herself to her knees once she stood in front of him, but Lucius quickly reached out to stop her, tilting her face up to look into her eyes.

"Although it is not our usual protocol, I see it would be best for you to speak your piece now, so that you will not have to struggle through our session." Her face relaxed with a soft huff of relief, and he offered her a small quirk of a smile. "Sit," he ordered, pointing at the floor in front of the lonely chair in the dungeon space.

Hermione murmured her thanks before moving, gliding down to her knees to sit back against her heels. She looked up at him as he stepped around her, seating himself and pulling her back against his legs. Lucius threaded his hand into Hermione's hair, occasionally twirling a strand around his finger.

"You have thought about your decision then, pet? Do you still wish to leave your husband?" he asked once she had relaxed against him.

"I do, Master." Tilting her head back, Hermione looked up into Lucius's eyes, her own shining with her sincerity and affection for him. "I cared for him at one time, Sir, but he is no longer the man I want. Hasn't been for quite some time," she added in a softer tone.

"This is not a choice to make lightly, little one. You likely will not be able to salvage your marriage, should you change your mind."

Hermione shook her head and raised on hand to grasp at his. "I won't change my mind, Master. I've never been more certain of what I wanted."

She caught him by surprise when she burst through the Floo only an hour after he sent her away, a haphazardly-closed bag dropping to the floor beside her feet as she stumbled. "Hermione?" Lucius asked, placing his wineglass aside before standing to cross the short distance to her. Her eyes, red and swollen, turned up toward his face as he stepped closer. He hardly had the time to brace himself before she threw herself into his arms, his own curling around her after a moment as she clung tightly to him. "What's happened, little one?"

The witch in his arms shook her head silently, shaking free a few ringlet curls from the tight bun of her hair. With a quiet sigh, Lucius straightened, slipping two fingers beneath her chin and tilting her face up to meet her eyes. He noted with a small bit of satisfaction that some of the redness had eased from them, although she looked hardly better than she had the moment she stepped through the Floo. "Sit down, Hermione; tell me what happened t-"

"No!" Hermione interrupted, the slight tremor of her voice more obvious than she'd intended as her eyes widened a fraction. "No," she repeated, her tone softer and more smooth, as she leaned closer to Lucius with a familiar gleam in her eyes.

"What do you need, then?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly at her expression. To his surprise, Hermione tangled her fists in the fabric of his robes, pressing herself against him.

"Beat me, Master..." She spoke so softly, he couldn't be certain he'd heard her properly at first. When she tightened her hold on his robes with a hopeful- if hesitant- smile, a frown pulled down the corners of his mouth as he shook his head.

"No, Hermione. Not when you're like this," Lucius told her firmly, reaching up to pry her fingers from the handful of fabric she clutched at. Immediately, Hermione crumpled to her knees at his feet, leaning forward until her forehead was nearly rested against them. Her hands splayed palm-up on either side of his feet, offering herself to him with the small gesture as she leaned in the short distance to press her lips against the polished leather of his shoes. "Don't-"

"Please, Master," Hermione persisted, reaching one hand into her hair and yanking it free of the pins holding it up with a sharp tug. Her hand returned to its former place as her curls sprang free, several of the wire pins dropping to the floor after being yanked so carelessly out of place. Tilting her face slightly, Hermione shook the last of the pins loose before pressing her lips against Lucius's other shoe. "I beg of you..."

"Hermione-"

"Your slave pleads with you, Sire," she interrupted, resorting to an honorific they rarely used outside of only a handful of play sessions. He felt a tell-tale pressure against the top of his shoe, the light sheen of saliva when she pulled away to kiss the other confirming Hermione had dashed her tongue over the leather. There was a faint desperate edge to her voice as she whispered against his shoe, "Please..."

Sighing, Lucius reached down to tangle his fingers in her hair. "Get up," he snapped, giving her hair a sharp tug until Hermione was pulled up onto her knees. Her hands settled against her thighs as her head remained bowed, despite Lucius continuing to pull at her hair in an attempt to force her to raise her eyes to him. "Look at me!"

"Lucius..." Her voice broke as she sobbed his name, finally lifting her face enough to meet his gaze. The puffiness had returned to her eyes, drawing his attention to the unshed tears that welled at their corners. "Please, just... give me this tonight, and I'll tell you everything afterward," Hermione pleaded, sinking her teeth into her lower lip sharply when it trembled. "I need this."

For one, long moment, Lucius considered her in silence, weighing his decision carefully before releasing his hand from Hermione's hair. "You will strip here, slave," he ordered coldly, taking a step back and steeling his features, despite the wave of concern he felt for her behaviour. Any other night, he would have continued to refuse her for so obviously trying to relieve her emotional pain through their play; but seeing the desperation and honest need in her eyes had worn him down. "Then, you will crawl with me to the dungeons. I see no reason to allow you walking privileges after the way you have behaved."

One corner of Hermione's mouth twitched into a faint and fleeting smile as she nodded. "Yes, Master. Thank you, Master," she murmured as she reached for the buttons of her blouse. She made faster work of her clothing than she had earlier in the evening, folding each article before setting them aside in a small, neat pile on the rug beside the table.

Settling herself on her hands and knees, Hermione glanced up once at Lucius and flushed as she met his hooded gaze. "Follow," he said simply, striding around her kneeling form as she bowed her head and set off crawling after him. He caught the occasional, uncertain glances Hermione cast in his direction as he led her toward the dungeon stairs, but refused to acknowledge her until they were perched at the top of the narrow staircase.

"Mast-"

"Silence," Lucius hissed sharply, leaning one shoulder against the wall as he folded his arms over his chest and finally looked down at her for the first time since they'd left the library. "Unless you wish to use your safeword, you will not speak for the remainder of the evening unless I give you permission to; is that understood?" He saw her pupils dilate as she nodded, her throat working to swallow back the nervousness that washed over her; he'd never restricted her speaking that way before during a session.

Satisfied with her answer, Lucius nodded stiffly at the stairs. "Watch yourself going down, girl. I'd rather you didn't break your neck." Hermione hesitated, looking uncertainly at the stairs and then back to him, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. "Hermione," Lucius sighed, crouching down in front of her and gently tipping her face up. "You asked me to give you what you need tonight, and I will do that. But I am not in a mood to fight with you along the way." Leaning in, he pressed his lips to Hermione's forehead before straightening to loom over her again.

"You know what will happen if you go down the stairs, little one. If that is what you want, then start moving; if not, then say your safeword and we will return to the library." Releasing her lip from between her teeth, Hermione lowered her eyes in a show of obedience as she turned away from the staircase and began backing down it carefully. Lucius watched her every movement until she settled back onto her hands and knees on the cold stone floor, finally descending the stairs after her and striding past her without a word.

Hermione padded after him, the sound of her hands against the stones echoing faintly as he led her toward one of the cells. He heard her breath hitch behind him as she realized which space she'd been brought to. Without turning toward her, Lucius gestured at the low bench positioned in the centre of the room as he moved past it to the wall, considering the row of implements arranged there.

Plucking a slim, rattan cane from its place, Lucius turned toward the bench to face Hermione again, quickly masking a satisfied smile at her position. Her body was stretched out along the length of the bench, and her hands gripped at the leather-covered wood above her head. Circling around behind her before she caught sight of what he'd chosen, Lucius kicked her legs further apart against the legs of the bench.

"If you move from this position, I will restrain you," he warned coolly, snapping the cane against his palm and watching the small twitch of her back at the sound. "Is that understood?"

Turning her head to one side, Hermione pressed her cheek against the bench, trying to put him in her line of sight and failing. A nearly inaudible sigh slipped from her lips before she pressed her eyes closed, hands tightening around the end of the bench in anticipation. "Yes, Master..."

Without acknowledging her agreement, Lucius stepped back from her and snapped the cane against his palm again, watching the anticipation play across Hermione's face.

"Master?" Hermione's voice was hardly above a whisper, breaking through the brief moment of silence between switches of the cane against her arse. Lucius stilled his hand before bringing the length of rattan down upon her flesh again to lean over her back and slip one hand into her hair.

"Already?" he asked, feeling her shudder beneath him at the simple touch of his fingers winding through her hair. Her breath caught in her throat as he shifted and his groin pressed against her reddened arse.

"Please, Master," she whimpered. Leaning in, Lucius pressed a kiss to her cheek before he straightened, flicking the cane against his palm and watching Hermione flinch in response.

"Five more, little one. Count them." Hermione's hands shifted around the edge of the bench, tightening her hold on the leather as she tried to suppress her groan of disappointment. He did not wait for her to openly agree or acknowledge the order, instead choosing to bring the cane down across the swell of Hermione's arse. The sharp snap of the rattan against her flesh was accompanied by her gasp of 'one' and a small wiggle of her hips as she squirmed against the bench. Hermione's arse glowed pink as the following blows landed, their welts overlapping with those that already marked her cheeks. Lucius flicked the fourth strike high against one thigh, quickly following Hermione's squeak of the number with the final switch on the opposite leg.

"Five," Hermione hissed. "Please, Master-"

Leaning over her again, Lucius cut her off by tangling his fingers in her hair again, allowing the cane to clatter to the floor. "Come for me, pet."

The orgasm that rippled through her was subdued and quiet, leaving her trembling against the sweat-drenched leather as her breathing gradually slowed. Lucius eased her hands from around the end of the bench, helping her to flex them a few times to loosen the stiffness in her fingers. "Up you go, little one," he murmured, gently peeling her body from the bench and turning her to sit at one end. When she swayed unsteadily, he balanced her with a hand on her shoulder before she could fall to the floor.

He considered Hermione for a moment, waiting to see if she would be able to support herself in a moment, before ultimately deciding not to take the chance of her stumbling on the stairs. "Hold on to me," Lucius instructed as he bent over her to slip his arms between her body and the bench. Her answer of 'Yes, Master' was lost in her contented sigh as he lifted her and cradled her to his chest.

Keeping his gait slow and smooth to avoid jostling her, Lucius carried Hermione back up into the library. Her breathing had evened out from shallow pants to the slow, steady rhythm of a woman half asleep by the time he brought her into the room. "Hermione, let go," he said quietly as he lent over the sofa to lay her down. She unravelled her arms from around his neck without a fight, rolling onto her stomach and settling comfortably against the cushions. "That's my girl."

The corner of Hermione's mouth pulled up into a small smile, but she did not speak as she nuzzled her cheek against the sofa. Stroking her hair gently, Lucius summoned a clip to pin the tangled mess up and away from her neck and shoulders. "Rest, pet, while I heal you." Hermione's reply was an inaudible murmur as she shifted and tucked her arms more comfortably beneath her head.

Straightening from his crouched position in front of the sofa, Lucius pressed a light kiss against Hermione's forehead. "Beautiful," he murmured to himself, knowing she had already nodded off to sleep.

"Master?" Hermione asked quietly, her voice still rough with sleep as she peeked her eyes open at last. Closing the book he'd held open with his free hand, Lucius set it aside on the arm of the sofa, tightening his hold on Hermione's waist as she shifted in his lap. After heeling the myriad of bruises and welts that had covered nearly ever inch of Hermione's arse and upper thighs from the caning, he had gently pulled her into his lap to hold her while she rested.

"How are you feeling, pet?" he asked, bringing his hand up to tuck a stray curl behind her ear. She wiggled in his lap, nudging his hand further down her waist until it was draped loosely around her hips so she could stretch. Finally satisfied, her mouth curved up into a small smile.

"Much better, Master. Thank you." Hermione shifted, nuzzling her cheek against Lucius's shoulder as her eyes fluttered closed again with a soft, kittenish purr.

"No you don't," Lucius chided. "You have some explaining to do before retiring for the night, Hermione." Shaking her head, Hermione attempted to burrow into his robes as she pressed her eyes closed, ignoring the command in his voice. "Hermione," he repeated in a firmer tone, narrowing his eyes in warning. Hermione pulled her lower lip between her teeth, turning her face into his neck until Lucius slipped his hand into her hair and tugged her head back sharply. Her eyes opened with a quiet gasp, nervously meeting his stern gaze.

"Please, Master-"

"I do not have the patience to argue with you tonight, girl. You asked for me to give you what you needed in exchange for an explanation when all was settled; I have done my part, and you will do your own, or you will be punished."

Hermione pouted, attempting to free herself from Lucius's hold on her hair. When his fingers only tightened, she stilled and took a measured breath, calming herself and working up her courage at the same time. "Yes, Master," she murmured at length. Lucius's hand finally relaxed and Hermione curled herself against him again with a quiet sigh. Nuzzling her face against his shoulder, she took another deep breath and pressed her eyes closed.

She remained silent for a moment longer, and Lucius was readying himself to have to lecture her again when Hermione opened her eyes, her expression smoothing over into a mask of numbness. "Ron was having an affair," she said softly, her gaze focused on the fireplace rather than Lucius. "Lavender Brown was just leaving when I made it home to the flat."

"She was practically wrapped around him when I stepped out of the Floo, and the look on Ron's face when he realized I was there said it all." Hermione's expression shifted briefly, giving away a glimpse of her hurt before she shook it off again. "The bint nearly shoved me aside to get out of there before I snapped, and Ron didn't even have the decency to try denying it."

"Would it have been better if he had?" Lucius asked when he recognized the signs of her getting herself worked into a snit. Bringing one hand up, he gently caressed her hair, hoping to soothe her as she began to tremble. After a moment, she shook her head in answer.

"That would have been worse," she admitted. "Still... I know that I have no right to be so upset about it, considering... this-" Hermione waved her hand vaguely at the two of them. "But you know how hard it's been for me to accept what I've been doing for this past year. How hard I've fought with my guilt over betraying him like this."

Lucius nodded, threading his fingers lightly into Hermione's hair. "You think he hasn't had similar problems?"

"I know he hasn't," Hermione snapped sharply. Her breath hitched when Lucius closed his hand around her curls in warning, and she closed her eyes again as she took another steadying breath. "I'm sorry, Master," she murmured, leaning against Lucius's chest when he relaxed his grip. "I don't mean to take it out on you, Sir; it's only..."

"You're upset, pet," Lucius finished for her when her voice trailed off. "That is understandable. Now, tell me the rest."

Hermione nodded in acknowledgement of his order, lowering her gaze to her hands as she began to fidget. "We started arguing as soon as Lavender was gone. I threw every insult I could think of at him, and probably repeated several of them, but all he would do was stand there in silence until he just got tired of listening."

"When he started moving toward the Floo, I completely snapped. He said he was going to Lavender's until I had 'cooled off', as though I would want to sleep in our bed after finding out he'd been sharing it with her for months. I might not have been faithful to him either for the past while, but at least I respected the home we had. More than he did, apparently."

"Hermione." Lucius's voice was quiet, hoping to steer her back toward the point. Sighing, she reached up to grasp Lucius's wrist and remove his hand from her hair in favour of pulling it around her waist.

"I told him not to bother going; that he and his little hussy could keep the flat and that I would go. That's when he finally thought to accuse me of being unfaithful as well. I'm sure you can imagine that revelation did not go over well..."

"Ron was more concerned with who you were than the fact that I had been seeing another man at all. If it had been anyone but you, he might not have reacted so badly. But-"

"His wife preferring a widower and former Death Eater to him would be a rather difficult blow, I imagine." Hermione nodded, curling one arm awkwardly around Lucius and bringing a faint smile to his lips with the gesture. "It's all right, pet; I know what I am."

"He doesn't know you the way I do," Hermione whispered, gently nuzzling her cheek against Lucius's shoulder. "But he refused to let it go. Once I told him I'd been seeing you, there was no more point in speaking to him at all, any more. That was all he would focus on and he was off on his own tirade. Most of it I could ignore, while I started packing my things."

Hermione's voice trailed off, her expression growing distant for a moment as Lucius looked down at her. "What did he say that you couldn't ignore?" She gave a small shake of her head, turning her face into his shoulder. "Tell me, Hermione." A quiet whimper escaped her at the firmness in his tone, and Lucius wrapped his arms protectively around Hermione's waist until she relaxed against him.

"That he should have listened to Lavender and left me months ago, if I was willing to lower myself to sleep with a Malfoy..."

"No..." Lucius looked toward the door to the loo at the sound of Hermione's startled voice. "No, no, no, this can't be happening!" Her voice trembled as she muttered loudly to herself, and Lucius pushed himself from the bed. Hermione's muttering continued on the other side of the door, her tone increasingly more desperate. There was no answer when he rapped his knuckles against the door, although her voice faltered for a moment.

"Don't... Don't come in," Hermione shouted hurriedly when Lucius began to turn the handle, and he saw a plastic bag and the scraps of what had once been a box fly from the sink counter as the door opened. Hermione threw herself between him and the counter, dashing the back of her hand across her eyes, although it did nothing to quell the steady stream of tears that flowed from them.

"What's wrong?" Lucius asked, his voice laced with concern; in the two weeks since she had begun staying at the Manor, he had never heard her sound quite so terrified or upset. He stepped forward to reach for Hermione, only to have her retreat and stumble, her foot catching and toppling the waste basket. Hermione caught herself on the toilet and lowered herself down onto its closed lid, quickly bending over to attempt pushing the garbage back into the bin.

"N-nothing, Lucius-"

"Do not lie to me, girl," Lucius snapped sharply. He listened to her breath hitch in response to his tone, but her trembling hands continued to scramble desperately with the rubbish. Sighing to himself, he withdrew his wand and Summoned the ripped box she had tried to hide from him. Hermione grasped for the scraps of cardboard with a choked sob, but was not fast enough to stop him from snatching it from the air.

"Please, Master," Hermione tried, meeting his gaze with tear-filled eyes again.

Lucius shook his head, lowering his wand to tuck it into his robes. "You are distressed, pet; and clearly the source of that is this... object." Looking away from her and ignoring the quiet whimper that slipped from Hermione's lips, Lucius examined the tattered box curiously. The pink and white colours suggested a feminine product, though he saw no reason for such a thing to put her in such a state.

Not bothering to read the small text that covered one side of the torn backing, he turned the box to its face, his eyes narrowing in confusion at the image of a plastic stick. It took him several moments to finally process the words 'pregnancy test' stamped across the top above the image, and Lucius looked up to find Hermione's face buried in her hands. Her shoulders shook with silent sobs as he stepped closer, letting the box tumble from his fingers and land against the marble flooring.

"Kitten," he murmured as he crouched down beside her, circling one arm around her shoulders. He rubbed the length of her back soothingly for a moment, until Hermione turned into him and burrowed herself against his chest. Lucius's arms wrapped around her, pulling her from the toilet as he carefully sat back onto the floor, allowing her to curl up properly in his lap.

"You're pregnant." Hermione's sobbing, which had quieted somewhat, returned with force as she nodded against his shoulder, and Lucius tightened his arms around her back. Turning his face in toward her, he pressed a gentle kiss against her temple and made a shushing sound as his hands began to rub over her back again. "Calm down, little one. Everything will be all right."

"It won't," Hermione choked out. Her hands grasped at the front of his robes, and he could feel her tears soaking through the fabric over his shoulder. "It won't be all right, Master."

"It will-"

"No!" Her voice broke off as another sob wracked her body, and she tightened her hold on his clothing until he could see her knuckles turning white. "I don't even know who the father is..."

Sitting back, Lucius tucked one hand beneath her chin to tilt her face back, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Then you will inform your husband, so that he is aware, and we shall handle things from there." Hermione's face showed her desperation and anxiety, and he leaned in to kiss her forehead lightly. "No matter what the outcome, love, I will not abandon you."

Lucius stepped into the doorway of the bedroom to find Hermione sitting in the centre of their bed, wringing her hands as she attempted to focus on a book splayed open in her lap. He paused for a moment to observe her before stepping fully into the room and clearing his throat to catch her attention. Hermione's head snapped up and her hands clenched as she quickly looked away from him.

"Hello, Master," she whispered.

"Pet... What is on your mind?" Lucius asked as he began unbuttoning his robes. Turning his back toward her while he divested himself of the fabric, Lucius tossed the robes over the back of the chair in one corner and considered his reflection in the mirror. He adjusted his shirt as he waited for Hermione to speak, and narrowed his eyes at her reflection when she remained silent. "Hermione."

Reluctantly, she raised her gaze to his and her hands trembled as she closed her book. "I've just been thinking is all, Sir. About the baby," Hermione added at Lucius's expectant expression when she did not at first elaborate. "And... telling Ron."

Lucius sighed and turned to face the bed, considering her with a stern expression. "We've discussed this before, Hermione. If you cannot be certain-"

"But I'm almost sure that it's yours!" Hermione piped up. Her voice was desperate and pleading as she spoke, scooting toward the edge of the bed as she met Lucius's eyes. "He and I have only been together once in nearly three months, where we've-"

"When?" Lucius challenged. "I am not ignorant of the way these things work, girl. Or have you forgotten that I have already had one child." Hermione paled and sat back, bowing her head as she mumbled under her breath. "Speak up."

"Four weeks ago," she snapped, and Lucius watched her hands clench into a white-knuckled grasp around the sheets in her lap. "The night after I first mentioned the divorce to you. I needed to see if I could still feel anything with him, and I just..."

Stepping up to the bed, Lucius reached out to grasp Hermione's jaw, turning her face toward him. "Look at me," he ordered when she stubbornly kept her gaze averted. Hermione obeyed, although her eyes shined with a mixture of anger and desperation as she looked up at him. "You and I may have been much more activethan you have been with your so-called husband, but that does not guarantee that this child is not his. Especially if your last night with him was at a fitting time."

Hermione's expression soured further at his words, and she wrenched herself free of his grasp to scramble backward on the bed. "What if I don't care to tell him?"

"Then it is much too bad for you that you will have to anyway," Lucius answered without hesitation. Perching himself on the edge of the bed, he reached for Hermione, grasping her hand firmly on the second try when she pulled it away the first. "Hermione, you are not a child," he snapped.

She had the grace to blush at the reprimand, and her struggle against his hand on hers ceased with a quiet sigh.

"Love, I know this is difficult. Given all that happened when you left, I am aware that you do not wish to have to speak to him." Hermione nodded in agreement, and a flash of hope entered her eyes, only to quickly be snuffed out as he continued. "However, if this is his child, he has a right to be a part of its life."

"I know that," Hermione admitted softly, bringing a hand up to wipe at her eyes as she felt tears begin welling in their corners. "But... you weren't there, Lucius. He won't want to see or speak to me, any more than I do him. I don't want to go through that."

Lucius reached out and pulled Hermione into his lap, cradling her in his arms as she laid her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry to tell you that you have to, Hermione. It is only fair to him that he knows now, rather than after the child has already been born."

Sniffling loudly, Hermione shook her head against his chest. "If the baby isn't his, he'd never have to know at all, my way..." Suppressing a frustrated sigh, Lucius leaned back to tuck two fingers beneath Hermione's chin, lifting her face up to look at him.

"If I were in his place, I'd have expected you to show the courtesy of telling me now, even if it wasn't certain."

He watched the turmoil of emotions that crossed her features over several moments, before she finally relinquished. "You're right..." Satisfied by her agreement, Lucius wrapped Hermione in his arms again, threading his fingers through her hair.

"Ron, you can't just-"

"Yes, Hermione, I can."

Lucius hesitated as he passed the library, frowning at the sharp tone of Weasley's voice. Taking a few steps back, he peered through the small gap between the door and its frame and frowned. Hermione was settled on her knees in front of the fireplace, her arms wrapped protectively around her still-flat stomach. Ronald Weasley's head poked through the flames, looking at once annoyed and apologetic as he shook his head.

"If you hadn't been running around on me, it would be different. And I know-" he continued more sharply, cutting off Hermione's retort before it could begin. "I'm just as guilty as you, but to be honest, it doesn't matter to me."

"Ron, please-"

"No, Hermione." Weasley's expression hardened, and Lucius found himself hard pressed not to push open the door to move to Hermione's side. It was only the thought that his presence might make matters worse for her that kept him firmly rooted in the hallway instead. "You can't even guarantee that it's mine. I will not subject myself- or Lavender- to months of getting invested in a child that could ultimately be another man's."

"And if it is your baby?" Hermione snapped angrily. Her arms tightened around herself as she tossed her head, flicking a curl away from her face as her chin raised defiantly. "What then, Ronald?"

There was a shift as though his shoulders had shrugged, and Weasley looked back at Hermione with a calm disinterest. "Then it's too bad you went and fucked another man." His reply left Hermione speechless, and before she managed to find her voice to retort, his head withdrew from the flames and the connection closed.

Lucius hesitated in the hall for a moment, forcing back the wave of anger that washed over him before pushing open the library door. Hermione did not turn to look at him, although he knew the sound of his boots on the floor was quite audible. Her shoulders tensed as he came to a stop behind her, and she let out a sharp gasp when his arms circled around her. Lucius lowered himself to his knees at Hermione's back, refusing to release her from his arms as he moved, although it would have been easier.

"Master?" Hermione whimpered, her voice unsteady. Tightening his arms around her, he pulled her back against his chest and buried his face in her mass of curls. A broken sob burst from her lips, and Hermione jerked herself away long enough to turn and throw herself at him. She clung to Lucius desperately as he pulled her against him again, winding one arm around her waist while the other threaded soothingly through her hair.

"It's all right, little one. I'm not going anywhere."

"Master?"

Hermione's eyes were puffy and her voice held the same gravelly quality that it had for the past week when she spoke to him through the bedroom door. Lucius folded the morning issue of the Daily Prophet at her question, tossing it carelessly onto the table as he looked her over. She hadn't taken Ron's dismissal well, and it showed in everything from the days old make-up smeared around her eyes to the dishevelled state of her hair and nightgown. He couldn't be certain, since she'd holed herself up within her own private rooms only hours after he'd comforted her, and refused to speak with him except for through the door, but Lucius suspected she hadn't changed once since stepping into the silk slip.

Waving her forward, Lucius pushed his chair back from the table and reached for her once she stepped near enough. His arms circled her waist and pulled her into his lap, leaving his hands resting on her waist when she made no move to resist. "You look terrible, little one."

"I feel it, as well..." She let out a quiet sigh and leaned against his chest, dropping her head onto his shoulder. "I'm sorry..."

"For what?" Lucius asked, smoothing his hand over her back. Hermione sniffed loudly and nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder, wiggling in his lap until she managed to wrap her arms around his waist.

"For hiding like I have been, Master. I've treated you horribly..."

Lucius sighed and stilled his hand on Hermione's back to wrap his arm around her. "You've done no such thing, pet. These past days have not been easy for you. I may wish you'd have allowed me to comfort you, but you know your needs, Hermione. If you needed time to yourself, I would not begrudge you that." He felt her smile against his shoulder and leaned down to press a kiss against the tangled mass of her hair. "You do look dreadful, though."

Hermione chuckled softly and nodded. "I know, Master. I was going to clean myself up before I left my room, but..." A blush rose in her cheeks as she lifted her head to look up at him and gave him an uncertain smile. "I wanted to see you so much..." Her smile quickly began to waver, and Lucius brought his hand up to caress her cheek in a reassuring gesture.

"It's all right, Hermione."

"But I look so bad," she whined, burying her face against his shoulder with a groan. "Why did I let you see me like this?" Lucius could not prevent himself from chuckling as he draped his arms around Hermione's waist again.

"Because you know I still find you beautiful," he murmured softly. "Even now."

"You're mad," Hermione muttered against his shoulder, although her tone had taken on the playful edge that Lucius had sorely missed. He felt her relax in his arms, and she began to wiggle after a moment, until she was turned around and leaning back against his chest, her head dropped back against his shoulder.

Lucius looked down at her for a moment, bringing a hand up to slowly comb through her tangled hair. Several times it tugged at her scalp and he frowned. "Hermione?" She made a soft humming sound in question, but did not look at him until Lucius reached around to grasp her chin and turn her face toward him. He looked into her eyes and sighed, shifting his arm up around her shoulders as he hooked the other beneath her knees.

Hermione let out a startled shriek as Lucius rose, holding her close to his chest, and began to move. "What are you doing?"

"Taking you back to our rooms, love. It's been too lonely in them without you, and I believe you need to be taken care of today." Hermione blinked owlishly at him for a moment before she settled back against his chest and curled her fingers around a handful of his robes.

"Thank you, Master," she whispered.

Lucius did not answer, but placed a kiss against her forehead. Hermione remained still and silent as he carried her, although she resisted letting go of him once they arrived at Lucius's quarters. She had only shared them for a little over a week before the discovery of her pregnancy, and only a few days after, until her conversation with her husband had driven her to hide in an opposite wing of the Manor.

"Hermione, let go," Lucius ordered when she continued to cling to him when he attempted to set her on her feet. "Now, girl." Whimpering softly at the firmness in his tone, Hermione obeyed and unfurled her hand from the fabric of his robes, steadying her feet on the floor as Lucius set her down. "That's my girl," he murmured in a more approving tone.

"Go run yourself a bath, pet. The sort you'd want to pamper yourself with," Lucius added as an afterthought when Hermione nodded and began to step in the direction of the loo. "This is to be enjoyable and relaxing, not your usual bathing ritual." There was a hint of reluctance to Hermione's second nod, but she ducked into the loo without complaint. A moment later, he heard the taps begin to twist, and set about searching through the wardrobe in one corner of the bedroom for a fresh change of clothing for Hermione.

The house elves had only moved her things that had still been packed when she relocated to her own rooms, and all those things she had already arranged in her half of the wardrobe had remained in their room. Most of what he found was daily wear, which he pushed aside with a frown. It took him several moments to locate a silk slip tucked at the very back of the wardrobe, and he removed it to lay across the foot of the bed.

He heard the taps twist off in the other room, followed by the quiet sloshing sound of water as Hermione stepped into the bath. Satisfied by her apparent obedience, Lucius plucked a crisp shirt of his own out of his own side of the wardrobe and laid it, along with a pair of simple black trousers, beside Hermione's slip before divesting himself of his robes.

"Flixy!"

There was a loud crack as the elf arrived in the room, bowing low before raising her eyes to Lucius. "How can Flixy be servings you, Master Lucius?" Flixy asked in a high-pitched squeak.

"I need two large, freshly laundered towels placed in that chair, under a warming charm, within twenty minutes," Lucius instructed, pointing at the chair positioned in one corner of the room. Flixy followed the direction of the gesture and nodded, squeaking her understanding before Lucius dismissed her and she disappeared with another crack.

Taking his wand, Lucius rapped his knuckles against the door to the loo before opening it. Hermione turned her head against the back of the tub and smiled at him as he entered, lifting one suds-covered hand in a half-wave. She took a moment to notice his lack of clothing, and her eyes roamed appreciatively over him before she sat up to make room between herself and the back of the tub. "Come to join me, Master?"

"I did," Lucius said, setting his wand within reach before stepping into the tub. He settled himself against the wall before pulling Hermione back against his chest, breathing in the scent of raspberries and vanilla that clung to her skin from her soap. She settled against him with a contented sigh and nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder when his arms wound around her waist.

"I've missed this..." she murmured after several moments of silence. Tightening his arms around her, Lucius nodded.

"I've missed you."

"Do not do that to me again, Hermione..." Shifting her head against his shoulder, Hermione looked up at Lucius with her brow slightly furrowed in confusion. His hand at the base of her spine shifted to trace a soothing line up the length of her back. "Hide from me like that."

Hermione made a soft 'oh' sound of understanding and ducked her head, hiding her face against his shoulder as she snuggled closer to his side. The sapphire-coloured silk slip slithered against her skin when she moved and sent an involuntary shiver rippling through her. "I wasn't sure you'd want to be around me when I was like that, Sir."

She let out a startled gasp at the swiftness with which Lucius moved, removing his arm from around her to push her onto her back. He gathered her wrists in one hand, and in one smooth motion, pinned them above her head as he leaned over her.

"Have I ever failed to be there for you when you've needed me?" he asked in a low growl. Her eyes widened slightly as she shook her head, but Hermione made no move to struggle against Lucius's hold on her. Bringing his free hand up, Lucius cupped her cheek and sighed. "I care for you, little one. If you require space and time to think, you will have it. But do not simply cut me off from you like that again."

"I'm sorry, Master..."

Lucius saw tears begin to well in the corners of Hermione's eyes and quickly swiped at them with his thumb. "It is not your 'Master' who was hurt, Hermione," he whispered. "It was me."

He did not attempt to fight her when Hermione pulled her wrists free from his grip, but stilled when she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. Taken by surprise, Lucius allowed Hermione to tug him back down beside her on the bed and curl against his chest before his arms wrapped around her waist. "What was that?" he asked when he heard the quiet murmur of her voice, muffled against his shoulder.

Hermione unwound her arms from his neck and allowed her hands to slide downward, resting against his chest. She tilted her face back to look at him, and Lucius reached up to wipe away a tear that slipped free from her eyes. "I said, I'm sorry, Lucius."

Offering her a small, comforting smile, Lucius leaned in to press his lips to hers. "It's all right, now, Hermione."

"Stunning," Lucius murmured, more to himself than to her. An obvious shiver worked its way up along her spine at the whispered compliment, and her breath hitched audibly when Lucius reached a hand out to stroke his fingers over one hip. Stopping in his slow circle around her, Lucius pressed himself against Hermione's bare back, closing his hand over her hip.

"Master," she whispered, leaning back into him when she felt his erection press against her arse through the fabric of his trousers. Lucius's hand moved from her hip, tracing the curve of her side up toward her breasts.

"Did I say you could speak, girl?" She stilled at the question, and he saw from the slight shift of her jaw that she bit down on her lower lip as she whimpered. Bringing his free hand up, Lucius threaded his fingers into Hermione's hair and jerked her head back sharply, baring her neck to him. He leaned in to trace the column of her throat with his mouth, starting at her jaw and working down toward her shoulder. Hermione trembled beneath the soft caress of his lips against her neck, and let out a low, needy moan when Lucius bit down on her shoulder.

Hermione moved against him, rubbing her arse back against his erection until Lucius pressed his nails into the soft flesh of her hip to still her movements. "Are you wet, little slut?" Lucius purred in her ear, using his hand on Hermione's hip to hold her firmly against him. She let out a quiet whimper as she nodded, followed by a sharp gasp when his free hand curled itself around her throat and squeezed. "I asked you a question, Hermione. Are you wet?"

"Yes," she breathed, her eyes fluttering closed as Lucius's grip momentarily restricted her windpipe. As quickly as he'd grabbed her, though, he lowered his hand in favour of pressing his palm to her breast and sliding it downward over the small swell of her stomach. Hermione arched into his touch, pressing her hips forward to encourage his hand lower until the tips of his fingers brushed against the thatch of curls between her legs.

A low growl rumbled in Lucius's throat as his fingers sought out Hermione's clit between her slick folds. She stiffened as he pinched her clit between his fingers, pressing the tips of his nails into the sensitive tangle of nerves until her face scrunched in pain. Her breath left her in a rush as he released her clit and began tracing soothing circles around the nub.

"What do you need?" he asked when she bucked her hips into his hand. Lucius dipped his fingers lower through her wetness to find her entrance and press two fingers against it insistently. Hermione tried to press herself down against them until Lucius tightened his hold on her hip to a bruising grip. "Answer me."

"You, Master," Hermione whimpered. "I want you..." Withdrawing his hand from her quim despite her disappointed groan, Lucius stepped back from Hermione to seat himself in his usual chair. Hermione turned her head to watch him over her shoulder as he settled in, ducking her head when he raised a hand and waved her forward.

Hermione stepped closer to Lucius's chair, shifting uncertainly in front of him as his eyes lazily raked over her body for a moment. She bit down on her lower lip to keep from speaking until he reached out to grasp her wrist and pull her down into his lap.

"Master?" Hermione asked, her breath hitching as Lucius leaned in to brush his lips against her throat. His arms circled her waist and held her to his bare chest, grinding his still-clothed erection against her arse. She pressed herself back down against him with a soft moan, looping her arms around his neck. "Please, Master..."

"Patience, love," Lucius murmured against Hermione's neck. He stroked his hands over the small of her back, down toward her arse. Gripping her firmly, he pulled her down against the bulge in his trousers, grinding her over the fabric until she left a glistening smear of wetness behind. Lucius glanced at the stain before he turned his eyes to Hermione's face with a knowing and satisfied smirk.

"Well, well; you are needy tonight, aren't you?" Hermione hummed her agreement as Lucius squeezed her arse in emphasis. A dark blush suffused her cheeks as she dared a glance downward at his trousers, and she unwound her arms from his neck to fumble with the fastenings with trembling fingers.

Lucius grasped her wrists to still her movements and pull her forward until his lips hovered only a few centimetres above her own. "What do you want, Hermione?" he asked he in a low, husky tone. Hermione's eyes glazed over in the instant before they fluttered closed and she leaned into him.

"Fuck me, Master..."

"Father," Draco greeted as he entered the formal dining room of the Manor. His eyes darted to the table and his brow furrowed briefly as he noticed that three places had been set. Focusing on Lucius again, he made his way toward the seat to his right, directly across from the unoccupied setting. "Shall I assume we are expecting another guest?"

"We are, although she won't be along for another few minutes." Lucius leaned forward and offered Draco a faint smile. "How have you been, Draco? You have been away on business for far too long."

Draco gave an ungraceful shrug as he considered his wine, swirling the dark burgundy drink around in the glass. "The financial result is quite enjoyable, but I do not have much tolerance for the circular debates many of my colleagues are intent to engage in during every meeting."

"Dignitaries have always been more fond of discussion than of action, Draco." Lucius smirked over the crystal edge of his glass as he took a sip of his own wine. "They are more interested in the sound of their own voices than the sensibility of their suggestions." Draco nodded and replaced his wine to the table, untouched. "What of your wife, Astoria? Has she handled your absences well?"

One corner of Draco's mouth quirked. "As well as any Slytherin woman in her prime would, I imagine. We... manage." Lucius nodded with a quiet chuckle, his mind wandering briefly to Narcissa at that age with a fond smile. For a moment, a comfortable and familiar silence passed between them before Draco spoke. "Would the 'guest' we are waiting for be a new partner of yours?"

Lucius nodded, his gaze shifting toward the doorway of the dining room as he heard a distant sound of movement. "She is. As I've said in my recent owls, there is news I wish to share with you that is best done face-to-face, rather than through a letter." Draco's expression seemed to soften, somewhat, and a flicker of a smile crossed his face as he took up his wineglass to take a sip.

Before either man could speak again, Hermione stepped into the dining room and Lucius stood from his chair. "Sorry I'm late, she murmured shyly, her gaze flicking to Lucius as he approached her. "I couldn't... nothing fit," she whispered to him with an embarrassed flush. Lucius smiled and brushed a stray curl back behind her ear and circled an arm around her waist.

"You look beautiful."

Hermione's breath hitched and she shuffled closer to his side as the two of them turned to find Draco watching them with a murderous expression. His hand was closed in a white-knuckled grasp around the stem of his wineglass, and he turned an accusing eye to Lucius. "She is who we've been waiting on?"

Lucius's expression did not waver as he met Draco's gaze, although his arm did tighten around Hermione to reassure her. "Do watch your attitude, Draco. You were raised to be much more composed than this."

"Damn your ruddy composure," Draco spat, his glassware shattering against the floor as he pushed himself to his feet. "What the hell is this? You cannot have a serious interest in her!"

Lucius arched one eyebrow at Draco's outburst. "You believe you know my mind that well, Draco?"

For a moment, Draco could only sputter in his anger before he turned his attention to Hermione. She tried to raise her chin in defiance, but her uncertainty and fear could not be entirely disguised. "You're half his age," he seethed, narrowing his eyes as he noticed, for the first time, the small bump of her stomach beneath her dress.

"She's pregnant?" Draco hissed. He turned back toward Lucius without allowing Hermione to respond. "Is that what this is about? Some foolish sense of obligation for an accident?"

Hermione stiffened, and Lucius's composure began to crumble as he looked at Draco from across the table. "I will not justify my private affairs to you, Draco," Lucius growled in a dangerous tone. "I wished to share pleasant news with you, but I will not listen to you insult this woman out of some childish remnant of spite." Draco's eyes narrowed as he opened his mouth to retort, but Lucius stopped him by holding up one hand.

"I believe this dinner is quite finished. Flixy!" The elf appeared with a loud crack and bowed low in front of Lucius. "Please escort my son from the Manor," he ordered before turning his eyes on Draco. "Perhaps we will reschedule when you have regained a measure of decorum."

Draco set his jaw in silence, and strode from the dining room after Flixy without sparing another word or glance at either Lucius or Hermione. Lucius waited until he was certain Draco had gone before he returned to his seat with a weary sigh.

"Lucius?" Hermione said softly as she stepped up beside his chair. He raised his gaze to her, and Hermione frowned at his expression, slipping herself into his lap without a word. Her arms circled around his neck, and she rested her head against his shoulder.

Lucius did not move at first, but after several moments of her comforting presence, his own arms wound around Hermione's waist. "I apologize if he upset you, love," he murmured against her hair. "I did not expect-"

Hermione made a quiet, shushing sound as she nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder to comfort him. "You are not responsible for his behaviour, Master. He'll come around when he feels ready." Her words brought a faint smile to Lucius's lips, and he pulled back to press a kiss against her cheek.

"I love you, Hermione..."

Hermione stirred in her sleep as Lucius stroked his hand over the small swell of her stomach from behind. She nuzzled her cheek against her pillow and let out a soft hum as his palm passed over her navel, and he paused when she began to shift, his hand lingering high on her belly. Leaning in, Lucius buried his nose in her hair, murmuring softly to her. His breath caught in his throat and he fell silent, however, when he felt a small twitch in the flesh beneath his palm.

He stilled his hand over the same spot and waited with bated breath, half convinced that he had imagined the sensation. After only a few seconds, Lucius felt another small twitch, that seemed to come from inside Hermione, against his hand, and he let out a sharp bark of a laugh. Hermione started at the sound and rolled onto her back to blink up at him through her sleep-clouded eyes.

"Lucius-"

Silencing her with a quick shake of his head, Lucius reached for Hermione's wrist, moving her hand to lay over her stomach just below his own. Her brow furrowed and she opened her mouth to question him again, only to cut herself off with a sharp intake of breath.

"You felt it?" Lucius asked, his voice thick with emotion as he gave Hermione a watery smile. She nodded mutely in response, struggling for words until she felt another tiny kick against her hand. Without warning, she rolled onto her side and threw her arms around his neck, clinging to him as she let out a sobbing laugh.

Lucius wrapped his arm around her waist as she moved, burying his face against her neck as he held her. "Is this the first time, love?" he asked her quietly, stroking his hand over her back as she alternated between giggles and sniffles against his shoulder. Hermione gave a jerky nod and pulled back enough to dash her hands across her eyes.

"I think-" She broke off with another loud sniff that turned into a gasping laugh as she smiled at him. "I think I've felt him move before, I just... didn't know it." Lucius arched an eyebrow at her, and Hermione blushed and shrugged her shoulders. "Or her..."

Smiling, he shifted closer to her to lay his head onto the pillow and look into her eyes as his hand continued to wander over her back. "Do you have a preference, then?"

Hermione shook her head, reaching up to lay her hand on Lucius's chest and idly toy with the faint dusting of platinum hairs there. "I'll be happy with either, really. Although..." She briefly glanced up at his face through her lashes before she snuggled herself closer to him. "I am sort of hoping for a boy."

Tucking her head beneath his chin, Lucius hummed in thought, closing his eyes as he listened to the rhythm of her breathing for a moment. "Would you be disappointed if it were a girl?" he asked at length. Hermione tilted her face back to look at him, and flashed him a small, sweet smile.

"Lucius," she murmured, moving her hand up to lightly cup his cheek, Hermione pulled his face down closer to her own. Leaning in, she pressed her lips against his in a tender kiss as she stroked her thumb across his cheek. "I promise you, love; I won't be disappointed, no matter which it is."

"Why did I ever marry that bloody wanker?"

Sighing as he laid aside the issue of the Evening Prophet he had been reading, Lucius took in Hermione's furious expression with a raised eyebrow. She wrenched at her jumper to tear it off over her head, and his gaze wandered appreciatively over her as she turned toward the mirror. Her fingers fumbled with the button of her jeans that she insisted upon wearing, despite their tight fit, and Lucius watched her reflection as she pushed them down over her hips. The former bump that had signalled her condition had swollen drastically over the past month, and at six months pregnant, Hermione finally looked every bit along as she was. Her hand stroked over the curve of her stomach for a moment before it dropped to her side again with a small scowl.

"Shall I assume you have received yet another rebuff from Mister Weasley then?" Hermione's eyes narrowed at his reflection in the mirror. "What's happened, love?"

"The same thing that always happens, only worse," Hermione huffed. Shaking her head, she made her way toward the wardrobe and began to fling through the hanging clothes in search of something to wear to bed. "I owled him after the Healer left, to tell him how things are progressing, and instead of simply sending the owl back like he usually does, I find myself with a Howler from that bint girlfriend of his."

Lucius slipped himself from the bed while she spoke, stepping up behind her to gently grasp her wrist as she reached for one of her silk slips. Her hand trembled in his grasp as he lowered it and turned her around to face him.

"She was screaming about me being too pathetic to let Ron move on, that I have to keep trying to lure him back with my pregnancy..." Hermione's voice trailed off as she finally raised her eyes to his face, and Lucius saw the hurt reflected in them. "Ron answered my Floo long enough to tell me he knew she sent it and that if I continue trying to involve him, he'll send his own next time. He really wants nothing to do with me, Lucius..."

Lucius pulled Hermione into his arms with a quiet sigh, holding her to his chest as she clung to him. "It's all right, little one," he murmured, stroking her hair to soothe her. Hermione stubbornly shook her head against his chest.

"What if... what if it's his... baby?" she hiccoughed, grasping at his shoulders when Lucius made to step back. He caught her hands with his own and guided her toward the bed in silence, sitting her at the edge of the mattress as he crouched down in front of her. Still clasping her hands, Lucius gave them an encouraging squeeze as he looked up at her.

"He's made his decision now, love. You cannot force him to want to be a part of this." He dropped one hand to Hermione's stomach, pressing his palm gently against the swell of it, just above her navel. "You've done more than your part by informing him there was a chance, and you have tried to make him a part of the past several months, on the chance that this is his child. If he refuses to have any more to do with you- or with the baby- then it is entirely his loss, Hermione."

Wiping the back of her hand across her eyes, Hermione sniffled loudly. "I'm afraid," she whispered.

"Don't be," Lucius said, rising to sit beside her on the bed. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her easily into his lap, cradling her against his chest. "However this plays out, pet, I promise it will be all right." Reluctantly, Hermione nodded against his shoulder after a moment, and Lucius pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Into bed with you, then," Lucius told her as he slid her from his lap. Hermione moved toward the wardrobe once again, but he caught her wrist and pulled her back toward the bed. "I said 'into bed', girl, not 'get dressed'."

"But, Master-"

Laying both of his hands on Hermione's stomach, Lucius offered her a small, affectionate smile. "Why do you insist on hiding this beautiful body from me lately, little one?" Her cheeks flushed crimson as she turned her face away, and Lucius reached up to grasp her jaw lightly. "You worry about maintaining my interest?"

She remained silent as she nodded, continuing to avoid meeting his gaze until he leaned in to press his mouth to hers. Lucius's other hand never moved from Hermione's stomach, and began to caress the curve of it as she leaned into his kiss. When he broke away at length, her eyes had fluttered closed, and the blush that had risen in her cheeks had spread.

"You are a lovely woman, Hermione, and grow more so every day," Lucius assured, moving his arms to wrap around her waist and pull her closer. "These past months have only added to your beauty, as well as to my love for you. You do not need to hide from me." He saw tears begin welling in her eyes as she smiled at him, and Lucius carefully pulled her down into his lap, stroking his hand over Hermione's back.

Her smile began to waver as a tear slipped down her cheek, and Hermione curled bonelessly against his chest. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and clung to him, burying her face against his neck.

"Thank you, Master..."

"Stop that," Lucius warned, glancing down at Hermione where she was curled up around his feet. Her face lifted, still holding the fabric of his trouser leg between her teeth. The charmed tail that sprouted from the base of her spine twitched as she looked up at him, giving a playful flick before she tugged again at his trousers. "Hermione."

Unperturbed by the threat in Lucius's tone, Hermione gave another jerking tug before letting go of the fabric. She shifted carefully onto her hands and knees, mindful of her swollen belly as she moved. At seven months pregnant, she had filled out beautifully, rounding out her natural curves and adding an extra softness to her body that had been previously lacking.

When she lifted her face and mewed up at him, Lucius sighed. Closing his book with an amused shake of his head, he laid it aside on the arm of his chair and leaned forward to smooth his hand over her hair, brushing against one of the cat's ears that sprouted from beneath. "Seeing that you are intent to keep me from my reading until you've had your way, what does my lovely kitten desire?"

A grin flashed across Hermione's face before she turned and wiggled her arse invitingly, letting her tail sway from side to side. She twisted to look over her shoulder at him with a hopeful expression that drew a dark chuckle from Lucius. "Is that it, then?" he asked rhetorically, knowing that once she slipped into her current headspace, Hermione would not speak unless he forced it out of her- or if he pushed her too far.

Crooking a finger for her to scoot back nearer to his chair, Lucius placed his hands on the curve of Hermione's arse and squeezed. "Such a beautiful little thing," he murmured to himself, sliding one hand down to slip between Hermione's legs. She shifted them farther apart to accommodate him, letting out a nearly inaudible gasp as the tips of his fingers brushed against her dampened curls. "And needy, as well."

Hermione's cheeks flushed crimson as she ducked her head, allowing her hair to fall forward and shield her face from view. Her arse wiggled again beneath his hands as a frustrated whine slipped from Hermione's lips. The corners of Lucius's mouth quirked upward in amusement as he drew back his hand, landing a sharp blow against one cheek of Hermione's arse and eliciting a soft gasp from her.

A faint tint of pink rose in her flesh where his palm had struck, and Lucius smoothed his hand over it gently. "Make yourself comfortable, kitten," he instructed, scratching his nails over Hermione's arse. She obeyed and began to shift in front of him, spreading her knees wide so that her stomach could comfortably hang between them. Folding her arms beneath her head, Hermione rested her cheek against them, arching her back to press her arse up toward Lucius.

"Good girl," Lucius murmured, swatting his hand across her arse again, on the opposite side. Hermione sucked in a sharp breath, letting out a quiet hum of approval a moment later. "What will you do if it begins to become too much?" he asked while his hands massaged the spot where the second blow had landed. Hermione's lips peeled back in a feeble, half-hearted hiss that caused a laugh to rumble in Lucius's throat.

"Louder and more forceful than that, but yes, pet, that is the idea." Leaning forward, Lucius ruffled Hermione's hair affectionately before straightening in his seat again. Hermione's tail flicked in his face, and a yelp of surprise burst from her lips as he curled his hand around it and pulled. "Behave yourself, kitten, or your spanking won't be entirely for pleasure."

Hermione let out a quiet whimper and curled the tail around her waist to keep it out of Lucius's way. Lucius stroked the base of the tail gently with an approving smile until Hermione relaxed again. "That's my girl," he said softly, allowing his fingers to slide over Hermione's arse as he drew his hand back for the next blow.

Hermione was mostly silent as Lucius delivered several more strikes, in quick succession, to the curve of her arse. More than once, he moved his hand to strike against her thighs to watch her jump in surprise. He paused to run his hands over her arse after it had turned a deep shade of pink, and a dull heat radiated from her warmed flesh. She squirmed beneath his touch, her tale unwinding itself from around her waist to flick from side to side in a show of happiness.

Lucius dipped his hand between Hermione's legs, toying with her damp curls until she began pushing herself back against his hand with a quiet whimper. "Do you want something, kitten?" he asked, receiving another whimper in answer. Chuckling, Lucius pressed his palm to Hermione's quim and allowed her to grind herself against it.

"Is the petting not enough for you?" Lucius asked when the soft keening sounds Hermione had begun to make filtered off into desperate whimpers once again after only a few moments. She shook her head and let out a mew, turning to look at him over her shoulder when he still did not move. Grinding herself against his palm again, Hermione let out a low, drawn out mewl.

He slipped two fingers into her folds to circle her clit, waiting until Hermione was keening with need to glide them downward to press against her entrance. Hermione fell silent in anticipation, her body trembling faintly but otherwise unmoving as she waited for him to move again. When Lucius only traced small circles with the tips of his fingers for several moments, a quiet growl rumbled in her throat as she twisted to glare at him.

"Is there a problem, kitten?" Lucius asked as he roughly thrust his fingers into her, watching her body tense with a sharp gasp. Hermione shook her head in answer as he twisted his fingers inside her, seeking out her spot and curving his fingers to brush against it. A heady moan burst from her lips as he did, and her back arched to press herself back against his hand.

"That's better, little one. Now, show me how well you can control yourself."

"Lovely," Hermione murmured, looking up at the sunset as she snuggled back against Lucius on the lounge chair. The garden around them was growing shadowed as the sun edged lower beneath the horizon, setting the sky ablaze in shades of red and purple.

"You certainly are," Lucius whispered in her ear, laying his hand on the swell of her stomach. Hermione tilted her head back to smile at him, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek and hesitating when someone cleared their throat from the doorway behind them. Both of them twisted to look, and Lucius stiffened as his eyes settled on Draco.

Hermione was the first of them to move, awkwardly pushing herself upright and offering Draco an uncertain smile. "Would you like me to leave you two, or-"

"No," Draco said quickly, glancing between Hermione and Lucius as he took a step nearer to them. "I actually came to apologise. To both of you." Draco moved toward the unoccupied chair beside their own and seated himself to face them, leaning forward to brace his elbows against his knees. His gaze focussed on Hermione as he spoke, rather than Lucius.

"I was a prat that night, and I realise that, now. I hope you can understand, Gra-Hermione," Draco corrected himself with obvious effort, "this came as quite a shock for me. You and I may never have gotten on, but that was no reason for me to behave the way that I did, and for that, I apologise. I was in the wrong, for the things I said, and-" Draco's gaze shifted to Lucius for the first time since he began his apology as he finished, "-neither of you deserved that."

Lucius looked down at Hermione, uncertainly, and met her gaze. The tension in his shoulders eased when she flashed him a smile, and he pulled her back closer to his chest as he turned his attention back to Draco.

"It's all in the past, Draco," Lucius assured, the corners of his eyes crinkling with a hint of a smile. Draco sighed in relief and reached into a pocket of his robes, withdrawing a small, wrapped package.

"I brought a gift for you," he said, drawing his wand and tapping the box to enlarge it to it's original size. "Well, for the baby, actually." Draco pushed himself to his feet and offered the box to Hermione, hovering uncertainly beside the lounge chair as he watched her pull at the wrapping.

Lucius peered over her shoulder as she removed the paper and opened the lid of the box. She let out a soft 'oh' of appreciation as she removed a stuffed bear with snow-white fur. Her fingers caressed the fur for a moment, and Lucius moved his hand to brush his own against it, feeling the soft texture.

"You got this in Muggle London, didn't you?" she asked after examining one of the bear's feet. Hermione turned her face up toward Draco and Lucius watched her smile widen when his son nodded. To his surprise, she twisted around and held the bear out to him, pushing the box into his hands as well. "Lucius, would you go put this in the baby's room for me?"

His brow furrowed at her eagerness to put the gift away, but her expression left him little room for argument. With a small nod, he carefully extracted himself from behind her and stood.

"I'll only be a moment," he said, placing the bear back into its box and offering Draco a genuine smile before stepping past him into the Manor. Rather than make his way to the room they had already begun arranging for the baby, Lucius hovered just inside the door and peered out, watching as Hermione stood and wrapped her arms around Draco's shoulders.

"Thank you, Draco," Hermione murmured, her voice carrying through the otherwise quite garden. She stepped back and smiled at Draco's stunned expression. "The fall out was killing Lucius, you know," she said, by way of explanation.

Draco's shoulders slumped and he nodded, returning to his seat. "I would have apologised sooner, but-"

"You're his son, Draco. He wouldn't ever turn you away, you're too important to him."

"But I'm not to you," Draco said, raising his gaze to Hermione's face again. "Why would you forgive me so easily?"

Lucius felt a swell of warmth wash over him as Hermione answered. "We both love Lucius, and you're his family. I don't hold grudges against my family."

"Family," Draco repeated, looking a little Confounded. "That... may take some getting used to."

Hermione smiled at him. "I think we have the time."

"Colour!"

Lucius paused in his reading to look down at Hermione, laying with her head in his lap and staring up at him intently. A Muggle magazine was splayed open against her stomach, turned to a two-page spread of an infant's bedroom. Several small arrows pointed at various bits of the décor and bedding, which were named and priced along the bottom of the pages. Looking away from the magazine to meet Hermione's eyes, Lucius arched one eyebrow.

"Colour?" Hermione's expression soured slightly at his question.

"Yes," she said in a tone that said he should have understood her meaning. When Lucius continued to look back at her blankly, Hermione heaved a loud sigh and thrust her magazine up at him. "We haven't chosen a colour for the baby's room, Lucius."

He looked down at her in silence for a moment, taking in the slight edge of urgency in her gaze. "You do realize we do not know the gender of the child, correct?" he said reasonably, as he slipped the magazine from her hands. "It is rather difficult to decorate a bedroom without such information."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him as she began struggling to sit upright, her hands alternating between pushing at the settee beneath her and scrambling for the magazine in Lucius's hands.

"Fine then, if you don't want to help-" she snapped, breaking off with a huff as he laid a firm hand on her shoulder and guided her back down until she was lying down again.

"I did not say I had no desire to help, love; only that it will be difficult to choose any sort of décor without knowing what we are expecting." She snatched at the magazine again until Lucius caught her wrist. "Hermione," he said, with an edge of warning in his tone. Hermione continued to glare up at him for a long moment before letting out a resigned sigh and dropping her arm.

"Sorry," she muttered, looking away until he grasped her jaw and turned her face toward him again.

"I know this is important to you. But the sharp responses are rather uncalled for." Smoothing a hand over her hair, Lucius watched the stubbornness slowly ease from Hermione's features. "There is still nearly a month of time before the baby is due. We do not need to make all of these decisions immediately."

"I know, Master," Hermione sighed as she relaxed beneath his touch. "It's only that I'm..."

"Excited?" Lucius supplied when she trailed off into silence. One corner of his mouth pulled up into a small smile at her nod. "As am I, pet." Her face lit up at his words, and Lucius helped her to sit upright when she began struggling to move. A low chuckle rumbled in his throat as she threw her arms around him and laid her head against his shoulder.

"I love you, Master," she murmured, shifting herself to curl against his side. Draping one arm around her waist, Lucius held her magazine open in his lap so that both of them could see the page.

"And I love you, Hermione," he told her before placing a small kiss against her temple. "Now, show me what you've been looking at."

"Breathe, love." Lucius laid his hand against Hermione's forehead, stroking a wayward, sweat-soaked curl away as her face scrunched. One of her hands uncurled stiffly from the sheet she was lying on, reaching up to close around the front of Lucius's shirt. A soft whimper that sounded like his name slipped from her lips, and Lucius leaned in toward her, continuing to lightly stroke her face in a soothing manner. "It will be all right, Hermione; you're almost there," he encouraged.

"Lucius-"

"One more push, Ms Granger," interrupted the mediwitch. "The little one is nearly there."

Hermione released a shaky breath, cracking her eyes open to look up at Lucius for strength. The corners of his mouth turned up into a small smile as he brought one hand up to close over Hermione's where it was tangled in his shirt. "You can do this." Her lower lip trembled until she bit down on it sharply, shaking her head while squeezing her eyes closed again.

"I can't," she whispered in a desperate tone, her hand flexing beneath his. "Please..."

Lucius's expression hardened as he gripped Hermione's jaw. "Look at me," he ordered sharply, waiting until Hermione's eyes opened to look at him to loosen his grasp. "You will do this, pet. Now breathe-" He allowed his voice to trail off as he leaned in closer, angling his head to bring his lips beside Hermione's ear as she inhaled deeply. "Hermione, push."

Her throat worked to swallow before her eyes fluttered closed again as she released her breath and took another. Hermione gritted her teeth and gave a small jerk of a nod. The mediwitch between Hermione's legs murmured encouragements as Hermione's body went rigid from the effort of pushing. Lucius kept his gaze focussed on Hermione's face, stroking her cheek soothingly until her head dropped back against the pillows with a relieved- if still pained- groan.

A quiet, hiccough of a cry drew his attention toward the mediwitch, and his eyes crinkled with a smile as he looked over the baby she cradled in one arm, casting diagnostic spells over it with quick flicks of her wand. Finally satisfied, the witch sheathed her wand and raised her eyes, meeting Lucius's gaze and smiling sweetly at him. "If you would, Mr Malfoy?" she said, offering the newborn to him as he straightened and stood. "Ms Granger is not quite finished."

Nodding, Lucius left the mediwitch to push Hermione through the final moments of the birth and the healing that would be necessary after. He cradled the baby gingerly in his arms, moving to a seat farther from the bed to avoid putting himself in the way. The soft cries that had originally drawn his attention had grown silent, and Lucius took the opportunity to gain his first proper view of the child.

Bright blue eyes that were so common in the early days following birth blinked up at him, although Lucius could see small flecks around the edges of the iris that hinted at the warm, brown colour of Hermione's eyes. Gently, he pushed the white blanket back from the newborn's face, revealing a head full of wispy, ginger hair. His throat constricted as he traced one reddish-orange curl, watching in awe as a hint of a smile seemed to edge into the baby's eyes.

"You're all done, now," the mediwitch chirped, turning toward Lucius and waving him forward toward the bed again. "You can hold your daughter now."

Lucius's eyes widened as he stood, looking down once again in awe of the newborn cradled in his arms. His mouth curved up at the corners into a smile as he approached the bed. Hermione watched him with an anxious expression, her eyes darting frantically between himself and the bundle of blankets that concealed their daughter's hair from her view.

"Lucius?"

Unable to find his voice to speak, Lucius sat on the edge of the bed beside Hermione, leaning over to gently deposit the baby in her arms. Hermione's attention immediately snapped to the child, looking her over with a smile before her hand moved to the blanket where it had shifted back over the crown of their daughter's head. She trembled as she nudged the soft fabric back, revealing the wispy curls again, and he heard a cry lodge itself in her throat.

Seeming to consider Hermione's reaction the norm for a new mother, the mediwitch offered her brightest smile over the edge of a clipchart in her hand. "What is her name?" she asked, a quill poised over the parchment as she looked between Lucius and Hermione expectantly.

"Rosalyn," Hermione choked out, stroking her thumb across the newborn's cheek. "Rosalyn G-"

"Malfoy," Lucius interrupted. Hermione looked up at him with a startled expression that quickly morphed into one of confusion. She opened her mouth to speak, but Lucius silenced her with a nearly imperceptible shake of his head. "Her name will be Rosalyn Malfoy." For a moment, only the scratch of the mediwitch's quill across her parchment could be heard, until the woman looked up and smiled at the three of them again.

"All right, you're all settled then. I'll leave the three of you to rest, now; and do remember, Ms Granger- lots of rest for the next while, until you're cleared by myself or another maternity mediwitch." Hermione nodded silently, her attention still on Lucius, and the mediwitch shook her head with another small smile. "Right then. You know how to reach us if there are any problems. Congratulations on the birth of your daughter."

Without waiting for a reply, the mediwitch ducked out of the room, and Lucius heard the Floo activate to whisk her away. Hermione continued to stare at him for a moment longer before she finally brought herself to speak, blinking back the tears that had begun welling in her eyes.

"Why... Why did you do that?"

"Do what, Hermione?" Lucius asked, shifting closer to her side and draping one arm around her back, tucking her gently against his side. "Give my name to our daughter?" He lifted his hand to brush away the tears that spilled down along her cheeks, turning Hermione's face back toward him when she attempted to hide them by looking away.

"She isn't... Look at her hair, Lucius! She's-"

"She's my daughter," he interrupted firmly. "Perhaps not by blood, but you have taught me... blood is not as important as I once believed." Laying his hand against her cheek, Lucius stroked his thumb across her cheekbone affectionately. "I love the both of you." The pain in Hermione's eyes eased slowly, fading away as a watery smile pulled at her lips.

She curled herself more comfortably against his side, tilting her head onto his shoulder and cradling Rosalyn closer to her chest. "We love you, too, Lucius."