A/N: Written for Prompt 21 of The 150 Drabble Asks.

xx-Kitten.

The Art of Perfect Snogging

By Kittenshift17

"He's a bad kisser," Nymphadora Tonks warned in a teasing, sing-song tone when she spotted Hermione Granger eyeing Charlie Weasley hungrily over the rim of her wine glass.

Slanting a glare in the pink-haired witch's direction, Hermione waited for her to explain.

"He is," Tonks insisted. "I know you're thinking that all that burning man-flesh would be just the ticket, love, but he's a truly unfortunate kisser. I had to snog him several times back in Hogwarts when there was mistletoe and when games of spin-the-bottle and truth-or-dare got out of hand. I would sooner snog a troll than ever subject myself to Charlie's kisses again."

Right at that moment Charlie walked up to them.

"Are you disparaging my reputation again Nympho-dora?" Charlie demanded, purposely mispronouncing and emphasizing Tonks's name.

"It's no disparagement to insist that you cannot kiss, Weasley," Tonks sniffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "You're rubbish at it."

"She's lying, Hermione," Charline informed her. "She's got to tell herself I'm rubbish, else she'd start sobbing over the loss of my snogging in her life now that she's gone and gotten herself hitched."

Tonks rolled her eyes.

"Oh, please, I'd take kisses from Remus over that slobbery mess you practice any day - even when he's got wolf-breath following a full moon."

Across the room, Remus Lupin looked over in their direction, his eyes wide and his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk's thanks to having just gobbled up a chocolate muffin. He looked like he didn't know if he should be outraged over the notion of wolf-breath or flattered that she would still be willing to snog him during those moments.

"You're twisted," Charlie accused her. "And that's hardly saying anything. Remus is a stud. We'd all snog him at every opportunity if he'd hold still."

Hermione grinned behind her wine glass when Remus started coughing and choking on his mouthful of muffin at Charlie's proclamation.

"Of course he is, but that's not the point. The point is, you're a complete squid, Charlie Weasley," Tonks informed him. "And now look what you've done to Remus!"

She pointed in Remus's direction as he struggled to dislodge the half-masticated hunk of muffin from his throat, slowly turning redder and redder. Shaking her head at Charlie in disgust as though it was all his fault, Tonks shot Hermione a sly wink before stalking off to pound Remus on the back.

Charlie laughed, watching her go.

"She's lying," he assured Hermione when they stood side by side watching the woman and her husband begin to bicker over the notion of her ever having snogged Charlie in the first place before busting into a finger-pointing match where the words "wolf-breath" were uttered more than once.

"I'm sure," Hermione said. "But then, you've hardly snogged yourself, so how would you know?"

Charlie turned his head in her direction.

"That sounds mightily like a challenge, Hermione Granger," Charlie said, grinning widely. "In fact, I don't think I can let you leave tonight thinking I'm a rubbish kisser... Prepare to be amazed!"

Hermione squeaked a little in surprise when he pried her wine glass from her hand and set it aside before taking her hand inside his own and tugging her out of the main room where his mother and father were celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary. In the hallway outside, Charlie steered her around in front of him before closing in on her slowly. Hermione's breath caught in her throat when he slowly walked her backward until her back hit the wall and he planted a hand either side of her shoulders, caging her in.

From so close it became apparent to Hermione how truly powerful Charlie Weasley was. His body was imposing, his arms bulging with ropey muscle, his shoulders broad, his chest deep, his abs tight and his legs long. Hermione had to tip her head up to maintain eye contact with him, but she didn't mind. In fact, watching the way he licked his lips as he slowly lowered his mouth toward hers, intent on snogging her silly, Hermione rather liked it.

True to his nature that had seen him spending his life working with dragons, he was a patient hunter when he wanted to be and as he closed in on her lips, he was patient while her anticipation built to bursting. Hermione's breath began to come a little faster, her legs pressing together needily at the very thought of his mouth on her own. Charlie's lips twitched into a grin as he watched her, leaning ever closer until he stopped just a hairsbreadth from her mouth. Then he simply waited. Waited for her to close to distance; waited for her to come to her senses and push him away. She couldn't be sure. All she knew was that her whole body throbbed with need for the man and all he'd done was take her hand and lean in close.

When she closed the distance between their lips, he seduced her with his kisses. Tonks, it was clear, had never been on the receiving end of a devouring and lustful kiss from Charlie Weasley. No, if she had ever been kissed like this, Hermione was sure the woman would've married Charlie, rather than Remus. Gods, right then she wanted to marry him. His lips tasted of fire-whiskey, surprisingly soft and warm against her own and he took his time seducing her. For the longest time he simply kissed her, lips on lips, before, finally, his tongue flicked out to beg entrance at the seam of her lips. Merlin, the clever way he used that muscle had her legs clamping together all over again when she imagined him doing the same thing at her other lips.

His tongue was careful and gentle when she opened to him, but when she leaned into him, her hands lifting to fist in the front of his shirt needily, he devoured her. When he was certain she wanted it; wanted him; he took her mouth like a conquering barbarian. He kissed her hard, bruising her lips with his intensity. He licked. He nipped. He suckled. Merlin, he claimed her. Right then, in that moment, Charlie Weasley owned her, and Hermione wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

When they broke for air, he trailed a line of kisses along the curve of her jaw and to the sweet spot below her ear. Hermione trembled, clinging to him needily, her knees growing weak and her knickers growing damp.

"Still think I was just talking myself up, Granger?" Charlie breathed into her ear, raising gooseflesh along her arms and drawing a very soft whimper from her lips.

Hermione shook her head, and Charlie chuckled huskily.

"Good," he murmured. "I'd hate to waste my time trying to seduce you right out of your knickers if you disliked my kissing."

Hermione trembled, quivering under the tickle of his lips at her ear.

"Charlie…" she whispered, pressing herself against him insistently, craving so much more than what he'd given her.

She could feel him smiling and Hermione's cheeks turned pink, but she didn't pull away.

"You want to get out of here?" he asked her huskily before nibbling her ear lobe in such a way that her knees buckled.

He scooped an arm around her middle to keep her from sliding down the wall.

"We could go to my place," she offered, knowing that while he was home, he tended to stay with his parents at the Burrow and not wanting to impose on them for the intent of getting Charlie into a bedroom.

Charlie nodded.

"Lead the way," he instructed, stepping back a little to give her room.

Not wanting to waste a single second on saying goodbyes or walking anywhere, even though her building wasn't far, Hermione curled her arms around Charlie midsection snugly and Disapparated the pair of them with a resounding crack.

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