Originally written for RomioneSmut's FuckFest2015
The lift doors opened with a soft chime accompaniment. The people within streamed out, flowing around the couple waiting in front of the doors. The tall man stepped forward, but the short woman holding his hand hesitated. He smiled gently, murmuring encouragement. The security guard indulgently stopped the water bottle delivery woman, nodding in the direction of the couple. Claustrophobia in elevators was not uncommon, and he knew that uncrowded elevators were less intimidating. Or maybe she was headed up to the dentists' office that just opened on the 16th floor and was nervous about needles. Either way, the financial firm on 12 could wait for their bottled water. That short woman looked a nervous wreck but stepped inside with the ginger bloke, and the guard liked to do a little kindness where he could. The lift doors slid shut and the chime sounded again. The guard took a deep breath and asked the delivery woman if she'd cut her hair. He'd been working up the courage for this conversation for two weeks. She smiled and bit her lip.
Inside the lift, Ron rubbed Hermione's back with one large hand as he pressed the circle stamped with "16" so it lit up. He only needed one pace backwards to rest against the rear wall. Hermione turned to face him.
"How can you be so relaxed!? They've not spoken to me since they've returned. Maybe we shouldn't be visiting like this. Just because it's where they work doesn't mean they'll remain civil. Let's just go back to the Burrow and see if we can get your dad's telephone working again. I'll call and leave a message on their machine at home and give them a chance to call me when they're ready and make an appointment. Yes, that would -"
"Hermione, the phone's been connected to whatever it is you and dad connected it to for two months. George has used it a couple of times for Wheeze's business. Your parents could have called, but they didn't. You all need to just get past the initial resentments and start talking. Even if it's weird, it'll start the conversation. Then you'll talk a little more, and then things start getting back to normal."
"How do you know? We aren't like your family, Ron, just talking things over and hugging and maybe some yelling and then it's better. We're more reserved, more... British."
Ron waved his hand dismissively. "You're a family. I have enough family that I've dealt with every type of person. I promise, once you get past the initial weirdness, everything is on its way to being fine."
"I hope you're right." She leaned against him and they rode in companionable silence for a moment.
"Hey, this is a muggle building, right? Is there music playing in here?" Ron looked around for speakers, which he was pretty sure needed those metal strings... wires! to carry electricity. "Those are speakers in the ceiling, right? How do they work? Arresto momentum!"
The elevator stopped at floor 9, according to the indicator panel. Ron reached up to poke at the speakers with his right hand. Hermione sighed. His Arthur-ness had increased since their trip to Australia. Well, there were worse hobbies than to be fascinated with the culture of her childhood.
"Yes, they just use the electricity that runs the lift to bring music to the speakers as well. Lifts often just play songs with instruments instead of singers. It helps people stay calm in the small space, but isn't overwhelmingly loud. It's kind of a sign that a song isn't popular if you hear it in a lift because it was inexpensive to buy the rights to it." Hermione shifted her posture with the intention of standing more erect, but Ron's left arm kept her pelvis in contact with his thigh.
"This song was pretty popular in Australia when we were there, though. I heard it all over in restaurants and shops."
"Yes, but it wasn't as successful here. A lot of music plays on radio stations or on television around the world, but countries have different tastes. I think this song was really popular in America for a while, and Australians liked it well enough, but the English just didn't take to it."
"I like it! It's about my favorite things." He winked and gently swatted her bum.
"Ron, really. We're out in public."
"We're alone in a magically stopped lift. I doubt some other wizard is anxious to meet with his accountant. There are five other lifts in the lobby for the muggles to use. And you're not nervous now, are you? You're annoyed, which helps you think clearly and drives you to action. And what's wrong with liking cherry pie and lemonade?" A rather satisfied smirk crossed his face before he recomposed his face to an expression of what he hoped was nonchalance.
Hermione pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. Suddenly, her face and stance relaxed.
"You're so good for me, Ron. I work myself into a circle of thought, and you pull me out of myself and into the world with such skill... I'd be a mess without you." Tears welled in her eyes.
"Hey, don't fall over the other side of the broom, now that you've righted yourself. Do you want me to lift the charm?"
"No. You know what, I have more lift facts for you." She rested her cheek against his chest and traced the outline of his bicep with the fingers of her left hand.
"Really? You have a catalog of spells and charms and historical facts in your brain, plus you have room for all sorts of muggle information as well? All right, teach me the ways of the lift."
"As I was saying, lifts often play music, and they usually have emergency controls, like these buttons that will open or close the doors, this one calls for emergency help, this one -" she stared pointedly at him " - is an emergency stop. But it alerts authorities, I think, so the charm you used is probably the best choice in our situation. Some lifts have security cameras, but I don't think this one does. There would have to be a bit of dark glass to conceal it behind, and I don't see any, do you?" They both looked about themselves, but found no such surface. "Cameras deter vandalism, primarily, and assault. But, back to your song here, some couples use the privacy of the lift for what's called a 'quickie.' And as there don't seem to be any cameras, and no one's been alerted to the stalled lift..." Hermione raised her eyebrows and drew a small circle over his heart with her finger.
"Really? I presume by the name that speed is the objective? Is it customary to, um, achieve any other goals?"
"Well, it's nice, I'm sure, but the thrill and risk are sort of the highlights. I suppose a couple might, shall we say, reconvene later to finish anything left undone."
"Mm hm. Not a lot of time for preparation built in, I suppose, so the parties would just have to be prepared to get right to the main bits, then? I have to say, I am loving muggle culture and I am ready to participate in this custom. If you are."
"Yep." Hermione undid Ron's flies as she stepped out of her flats. He popped the buttons on her trousers through their buttonholes with alacrity. She stepped back to slip just one leg free from trousers and knickers while he dislodged his member and bollocks. "How shall we do this?"
"um..." Ron wrapped an arm around Hermione's waist and stroked her slit with the other hand. He just couldn't go right to it without being sure she was ready, not after the many thorough lessons his brothers had instilled in him. Out of habit, he circled her clit with his thumb. A surprised squeak escaped her lips.
"We should be quick! On the floor?"
"Nope." Ron disengaged his hand. He gripped her hips, lifted and laid her against the wall next to the button panel, and slid right inside her warm, open body. After meeting her eyes to check that this was acceptable, he adjusted his grip on her hips by wrapping his long freckled fingers around the curve of her bum, nuzzled his face into her hair so that his forehead could rest on the wall without touching it directly, and began thrusting rapidly. Hermione bit her lip and thunked her head back against the wall, next to Ron's. The loose leg of her green trousers waved gaily in the air like a banner advertising lift lovemaking.
"Oh... be quick, but right there, yes, just there..." she squeezed her eyes shut, willing her orgasm to happen speedily. Ron turned his head slightly and made a low moaning sound that usually served as warning that his end was nigh. The association was enough for a small but definite - and still toe curling - orgasm to burst through Hermione. Ron gasped his completion through clenched teeth, smacking her bum a couple of times in coordination with his final thrusts for good measure. Hermione collected her thoughts first, as usual. With a laugh, she gently patted her daring darling on the shoulder to signal him to release her. She fished her wand from her twisted trousers, wordlessly performing a cleansing charm and the glamour charms she used daily. Ron tucked himself away and needed only a quick zip and a hand through his hair, but Hermione was still wrestling herself back into her knickers and the loose trouser leg when Ron waved his wand to restart the lift.
"Ron! I'm not ready!" she hissed.
"You will be when we get there. You'll be ready, plus you'll be the ideal balance of relaxed and agitated to be forthright with your parents. You'll be the Hermione we all know and love." He kissed her on the forehead as she buttoned the final button just as the chime sounded for their floor. Hermione squinted up at him. There was nothing to do now but turn on her heel, march into the dental practice, and ask her parents to meet them for dinner at the end of the day. She could do this. Ron pulled a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans from his pocket, smiled, tossed a bean in the air, and caught it in his mouth.
***
The lift chime sounded in the lobby. The ginger bloke and the short bird exited from the same one they took upstairs, looking quite at ease. The security guard and water delivery woman shyly bid each other farewell, pocketing business cards with hand written numbers on the backs. The delivery woman tilted the hand truck back towards herself with practiced ease and steered it towards the lifts. She entered the one the other couple had occupied and pressed the button for 12. As the doors slid shut, she sniffed. It smelled of... sex and candy.