The Secret to a Good Jumper
Hermione opened the door of the room she shared with Ginny and Fleur, very carefully, and took a look at the corridor. This was insane, but so very thrilling. Breaking rules was usually well beyond her boundaries, but then again, Harry, Ron and her had broken plenty of rules in the past. And she had liked that transgression, though she would never admit it. Keeping her target in mind, she quietly tip-toed her way through the house, casting all sort of spells. The floorboards groaned, and some of the walls did as well when she leaned on them, and she absolutely had to make her way unnoticed. The Burrow was full of people, as it usually was around Christmas time, but Percy had guaranteed that they could be alone for a while in his room.
After the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Percy had come home one summer night, to swallow his pride and apologize to his family. He had stumbled upon Harry and Hermione there as well, sat at the table with his family. It hadn't been easy, earning everyone's forgiveness, and Ron and the twins were still pretty crossed with him, but Hermione had rekindled quickly with him. They had been close at Hogwarts once, sharing the same love of books and rules.
The rekindling had evolved into something else over the summer, then over the letters they exchanged while she was at Hogwarts. They had found ways to meet in Hogsmeade during the weekends, without letting anyone else know of their relationship.
The thought hadn't even crossed their minds, she was sure, but she was still slightly fearful of her friends' reaction. Harry would be fine with it, but Ron would probably be hurt. He would see her relationship with the brother he scorned as some sort of insult, and he had a way to sulk about things for weeks before coming to terms with them.
Now, though, all she could think was of the wizard waiting for her upstairs. She had been cold at first, and so put on her grey jumper with an 'H', a gift from last year's, but she was starting to feel rather warm, flustered even. Still, making her path to Percy was going to be a challenge and daydreaming wouldn't make it any easier. She had successfully sneaked out of the room without waking up any of the two other witches there. Next, she had to make her way from this floor to the second. The thing was, Bill and the twins also slept of the second floor, and she had no wish to stumble on any of them. Not to mention Remus, who was also at the Burrow, in Bill and Charlie's room, though Charlie hadn't come home for Christmas. She was thoughtfully choosing the places where to step on the staircase when a loud series of banging noises startled the soul out of her, making her sit down on a step, steading her heart.
Her knuckles turned white as her hands clutched the edge of the step. It turned out not everyone was asleep yet, for she could hear one of the twins, George she thought, open the bedroom door and climb the stairs, telling Ron to shut the ghoul up on his way to the attic. Ron replied something she couldn't understand, and then Mrs. Weasley's voice ordered them all to be quiet and go back to bed. Hermione sat there, nearly praying, hoping that none of them would think to come downstairs. Her heart thudded against her ribs, and her lungs had a hard time filling up with air. She muttered a couple of spells not to be noticed, just in case.
When no one came her way, and after she had heard three doors close, she returned to her mission. She had to fight every instinct she possessed not to sprint down the corridor on the second floor, but she forced that irrational urge down and walked with measured steps to Percy's bedroom door. Hermione pushed the door ajar, very slowly, pointing her vine wood wand at the door hinges, keeping them quiet.
A tall and thin figure awaited her on the other side. She smiled at it, slithering in the room and shutting the door close behind her. She leaned on the door, waiting in turn, moving her hips from side to side boldly. When the figure didn't move, she felt a spike of panic in her mind. Ron was tall and thin as well, could she have made a terrible mistake? Had the boys switched rooms for some reason?
Her lungs ceased breathing while the young man emerged from the shadows, but then she saw a brief reflection of light on glasses and her heart raced for another reason completely.
"I've been waiting a long time for you," he whispered, walking towards her and placing both hands on the door, one by each side of her head. He wasted no time, setting to pull her grey jumper over her head. He dropped it next to her feet, then wrapped his arms around her and dragged her to his bed.
He sat down on the mattress and pulled to straddle his lap. He removed her pyjamas top and tossed it over his shoulder, not really caring about where it would land. Hermione plucked his horn-rimmed glasses from his face, and kissed away any resistance he might have put up. Usually, he would grumble something about not being able to see, but then they had to keep the room dark, and the faint moonlight allowed for little more than the outlines of their bodies; so Percy didn't protest. She buried her hands in his short, vivid red hair, and kissed him for all he was worth.
He buried his hands on her flesh, now fully exposed above the waist, and he groaned as she grounded her pelvis against his.
"Hush, Percy, they can hear us."
He didn't reply. He stood with her legs wrapped around his waist, her heat punishing him through his trousers, then lay her on the mattress, climbing atop her. He kissed her for a long while, enjoying the way she writhed beneath him, winding her up and up and up. He was in a hurry all of a sudden, tugging on her pants, making the task of undressing her harder with his haste, then he hooked his thumbs on her knickers and dragged those down her legs haphazardly.
Percy rose from the bed and just stared at her for a long moment, apparently struggling to breath.
"If you wanted to see me naked, all you had to do was ask," she told him cheekily, squirming where she lay splayed on his bed.
"Merlin, I've missed you," he got rid of his own jumper, then his shirt. He pulled his belt and he pushed his trousers and his underwear down together, kicking them off his legs together with his shoes, which towed his socks. He climbed back on top of her, slithering a leg in between hers, allowing her to find the friction she needed, just as he knew she liked.
They were breaking the rules together, and that made it far more exciting. They could be caught, and wouldn't that be something. The holier-than-thou perfect pair that loved books and rules and proper behaviour, sneaking around under everyone's nose. Hermione felt her nipples harden at the mere thought, and Percy was quick to take advantage of that, latching on to one while he teased the other with his fingers. He could be clumsy, and quite shy, but he could learn. And they had learnt together, they had learned every curve of their bodies, and what made them loose their minds to the white oblivion that came with bliss.
She could feel his arousal, hard and pressing against her belly. She was in the process of wrapping her hand around it when she heard something.
"Percy, wait a bit," she had to extricate his head from her bosom and stare into his eyes to get his attention, "there's something at the door."
"It's probably the ghoul moving stuff around in the attic, don't worry." He bent his head down again, already sucking on that point in her neck, but she struggled under him.
A loud meow sounded beyond the door. Then a scratch at the door and another meow.
"It's Crookshanks, we have to let him in before he wakes up the entire house, Percy."
He looked so frustrated at the that she thought he was going to curse her pet, but he placed two fingers on her lips, lifted his body off her and out of the bed and walked, butt naked to the door. He opened it just enough to let the cat in, and he walked right back to bed.
"That thing better not climb in here," he said, capturing her lips, "because I'll fling out the window, I swear."
"Oh, he won't," she replied in an airy tone, already losing her bearings again, but still capable of taking a peek over Percy's shoulder.
Crookshanks had clearly taken offense at their state of undress, so he was lying down in the corner, facing away from the bed.
He resumed his kissing, lavishing her body with his lips. She kissed him in return, matching him kiss for kiss, one for every freckle on his pale skin. Her right hand caressed his manhood, feeling it grow and twitch in anticipation. She wanted him just as badly.
"I'm on a contraceptive potion, Percy," she told him between kisses, "I found one that will last me until I'm done with school." She moaned into their kiss, as Percy delved into her folds with two somewhat clumsy fingers. She wrapped her hand around his, directing his movements on her quim.
"No, Percy, not like that. Here, touch me here," she explained, moving his thumb to her nub, "just draw circles, hmmph, yes like that. Bend your fingers now, hook them, you'll find, ahhh-" She was at a loss for words then, for Percy had touched that elusive place within her, which made her back arch and her head tilt, and made her mind go white.
"That's my witch," he said, smiling down to her, then he groaned as Hermione tilted her hips and his fingers burrowed further into her, "Merlin's sake, Hermione! We're supposed to be quiet." He gave her a meaningful stare, and received a wicked little smile in return.
"It's not like we can't cast all sorts of spells and be as loud as we please…"
Percy stumbled out of bed, stepping on Crookshanks at some point in his struggle to find his wand, making him meow and hiss. Hermione shushed them both, throwing her arm over the edge of the mattress to search her pile of clothes. Her wand must have been in there, somewhere. She could hear Percy muttering spells, silencing their voices, the floorboards, and the bed. She soundproofed the bedroom itself and made sure to lock the door three times over. She sat up in bed, biting her lower lip and liking the effect that it had on Percy, and then, in one last act of defiance of propriety, she pointed her wand at his cluttered desk.
"We'll make a mess of my reports… Fuck it," Percy mumbled, throwing his wand onto the bedside table and making his path back to bed, "I'll fix that mess with the help of an exceeding clever witch." He smirked, taking hold of her right wrist and pulling her up, out of bed and into him. He palmed her buttocks and staggered backwards, then he turned them both and raised her to sit on his desk, on parchments, quills and all.
She expected him to enter her at once, but he kneeled, pressing his mouth to her nether lips, using his tongue and his fingers to please her. He carried her back to bed somewhere amidst her orgasm, and she was still clenching as he buried himself in her and lost himself to an unhinged pace, a punishing rhythm that made her soar again.
Hermione was naked in his arms when she regained her bearings. She had completely lost track of time, but she knew that they were running out of it tonight. But she was so very comfortable here, her head on his shoulder, under the blankets with him.
"Hermione, I'm afraid I've been thinking." He broke the silence, nuzzling her hair with his nose. He liked how wild it could be, and he told her often.
"A dangerous pastime," she replied, further burrowing into his chest. She would be asleep soon if she wasn't careful.
"I know," he moved a hand from her waist to her breast and pinched her nipple," don't fall asleep on me, witch. This is important."
"Alright, then, give me a minute," she reached for her wand and siphoned the mess they had made on his sheets, casting cleansing spells that made them feel refreshed and awaken, "there now. What have you been thinking about?"
"I want to join the Order," he held his hand up in the air, assuming his most professorial look, "now, before you interrupt me, I'm well aware about your stunt last year, so don't try and talk me out of it. I'm joining the Order. I'm fighting for a better world for us."
"Percy, you work at the Ministry…"
"Precisely. They promoted me to keep tabs on my family, but I'm keeping tabs on them as well. It will have to be kept a secret, but I'll fight with you, Hermione."
She turned in his arms, pressing her body against his and kissing him for all that he was worth. She teased him, knowing they both were hungry for more, but their rational side quickly got the better of them. It was getting late and they had to part ways for the night.
They dressed in silence. Hermione felt for her jumper on the floor, not daring to light her wand, and pulled it over her naked skin, completely forgetting about the top of her pyjamas. Percy slid her knickers back on, much more carefully than he had taken them off, kissing her legs as he went, and then tied he pants around her waist while she kissed him one last time.
Hermione listened at Percy's door. When no sound was heard, he opened the door for her, slapping her bottom just once as she glided past him, earning a bewildered glare. Crookshanks was fast to make his way downstairs, probably eager to catch a mouse and forget about what he had seen, but Hermione took her time, picking the places where to step, making sure to be quiet.
And when she was almost there, safe and sound and back in her own bed, Hermione froze on the landing of the first floor. A mess of light brown hair streaked with grey was moving towards her. Remus was coming up, and there was no way they wouldn't meet; it was too late to walk back up into Percy's and wait for Remus to walk by, so she quickly thought of an excuse.
"Up for a walk in the dark, Hermione?" He kept his voice very quiet, but something in the glint of his green eyes told her that he was somehow into her secret.
"Just going downstairs for a drink of water. The room is crowded, it gets hot in there," she lied, and she knew her lie had failed her when Remus raised a single brow and smirked.
"You would be hot in one of Molly's jumpers," he nodded, letting his smirk grow into a grin, "I heard the secret to a good jumper is the love you put into it." He carried on upstairs chuckling under his breath, leaving a very upset looking Hermione behind.
She was annoyed. She made her way downstairs to uphold her farce, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she had been surpassed in her wits somehow. She poured herself a glass of water in the kitchen, musing, but the sleeves on her jumper felt off, so she pushed them up to her elbows, exchanging the glass between hands.
Hermione snorted, choking on the water, as realization dawned over her. She put the glass down hastily, not caring about how loud she was being for a second. She tugged on the front of the jumper and looked down. This was not her grey jumper. She was wearing a reddish brown jumper, one that featured a very obvious "P".
She ran as silently as she could back to Percy's room, and she didn't bother knocking.
"Hermione? Good, you left your pyjamas top here. Well, I tossed it over my shoulder, so I apologise for that."
"Percy, stop talking," she sounded harsher than she meant to, "I walked past Remus wearing your jumper! He saw me, he knows!"
"Oh, I guess your jumper is in here somewhere…He won't say anything until we do, too. It's fine," he moved towards her, offering her the top of her pyjamas, "now get out of my jumper and put this on."
Hermione stared at him for a moment, catching her breath, soothed by his calm. He was right, Remus wouldn't say a thing until they did. She pulled the jumper over her head, but her arms were still in the sleeves when Percy circled her naked waist with his cold hands, making her gasp. She lowered her arms, tangled in the sleeves still, and she tilted her head back as he brought his hands to her breasts and his thumbs to her hardening nipples. He proceeded to devour her lips, and her neck, and the hollows behind her collarbones.
"The spells are still in place, you know?" He asked her, in a voice so quiet she could barely listen to the words being spoken at the shell of her ear.
"I can't stay, we'll be caught for sure," she managed to extricate her arms from the jumper, then she caressed his chest, feeling his skin prickle at her touch.
"We've been caught already," he chuckled into her skin, letting his right hand drift bellow her waist and insinuate itself inside her pants, "we can just let everyone know in the morning, by walking out of here-"
"Oh that you will not!"
They nearly jumped out of their skins at the sound of Molly Weasley's voice coming from the door, which happened to be wide open now. They stood half naked in each other's' arms, looking positively terrified now that they had been found.
"Get dressed, young lady, I will not have you two sneaking around in the middle of the night. You will return to Ginny's room, Hermione, and we'll talk in the morning about this. Percy, I'll have Bill sleep here with you from now on, there's no need to crowd Fred and George. And pick up your reports!"
Hermione got dressed as quickly as she could, and left the room feeling as meek as she had ever felt.
"It's fine dearie, I had suspected," Mrs. Weasley said, with a surprising warm smile all things considered, "I'm just punishing Percy for lying to his mother. I asked him about you two, three days ago. Off to bed with you now." She sent her off with an amused look on her face.
Hermione didn't argue, such thought never even crossed her mind. She went downstairs, into Ginny's bedroom and climbed inside her bed in utter silence. She curled up on her side, letting Crookshanks climb in bed with her and cuddle against her belly.
A little chuckle came from the bed across her, and then Ginny asked.
"Mum caught you two, didn't she?"
Hermione sat up in bed, displacing Crookshanks, who made his displeasure heard and then settled at the feet of the bed.
"Did you all know? How did you all know?"
"I saw you two leave the same inn in Hogsmeade, Hermione, and after those stares in the summer it wasn't hard to guess," she nearly laughed out loud, not really caring about waking Fleur up, "we got a bet going. I won, because I said Mum would eventually walk in on you. So, how bad was it?"
Hermione's answer came in the form of a pillow hurled at where she supposed Ginny's head would be.
"Look, we can talk about this now or tomorrow at breakfast…"
"Your mother walked in on us half naked, kissing, and that's it Ginny. Go to sleep."
Ginny had to bite into her pillow not to laugh.
"I told Fred you'd be naked! That's a five galleons bonus for me."
Author's Notes: Prompts and Challenges
Assignment 10 Religious Education Task #6: Write about someone trying not to get caught doing something.
December Writing Club – Disney Challenge: Dialogues 3. "[Name], I'm afraid I've been thinking." / "A dangerous pastime." / "I know."; Cookie's Cooking Corner 4. Snickers: Write about a guilty pleasure; Book Club Miss Lupescu: (character) Remus Lupin, (colour) grey, (creature) ghoul; Showtime 19. I'll Cover You: (genre) romance; Count your Buttons Characters 3. Molly Weasley; Lizza's Loves 6. Alt: Write about bad-timing; Angel's Arcade 9. Dex: (action) correcting someone, (character) Hermione Granger, (emotion) annoyed; Sophie's Shelf Other Themes 1. Smut;
Advent Calendar – Day 8 – Rare Pairs: Hermione/Percy
Winter Bucket List: 5. (object) a Weasley jumper
Winter Funfair – Southern: The Naughty List 9. Angel - (dialogue) "If you wanted to see me naked, all you had to do was ask."; Northern: Building a Snowman - Stony Eyes (word) cold; Eastern: Christmas Market Gingerbread Pet Perfume - (character) Crookshanks
365 Prompts Challenge 99. Dialogue - "I've been waiting a long time for you."
Word count – 3 448