Hurt
Hermione limped about a corner and he watched as she winced while she grazed a chair. His eyes narrowed, watching her as she escaped from the crowd and slipped into the house.
"Bill?"
His eyes met his brother's, Charlie, and saw him nod towards Hermione, "I may not be gifted like you, but I can clearly see the stain on her skirt," he groused out and Bill nodded. "Keep an eye on the couple will you?" he retorted and both men looked up at their youngest brother with his new gal.
She giggled at his side and Bill felt his hands clench, "I can't believe he brought her here," he growled and Charlie sighed, "Just go check on Hermione," he reasoned as he patted a strong hand to his shoulder. Bill nodded and with a sigh, escaped the on looking eyes of his own former love and followed after Hermione while Fluer watched him questioningly.
He walked into the kitchens and watched as Hermione stopped dead at the sound of his entrance. "Hermione," he observed and she felt her heart race another notch faster as he literally stormed over to her and caught her tucked in waist.
"Bill, what are you doing?!" she hissed and he lifted her up onto the counter, easing himself between her legs all the while his large hands pushed her skirts up. What in the world did he think he was doing?! She shook her head at him, and as she tried to protest, she failed. She scrambled to fight with him until his thumb touched exactly what she'd been hiding. She froze up, "Wh-Wh-Wha-What are you d-d-do-doing?!" Her words stammered out, but she stiffened up in pain.
He saw her expression was one of pain, her eyes had been wide until they screwed shut into a wince.
He could smell the blood.
His fingers followed behind pressing into a minor but rather painful wound. It was only about three inches long; a piece of glass was lodged neatly in her thigh. She winced, her back arched as her hands caught up his shirt and caught a hard hold. She held onto him and his lips parted to ask, "Have you done anything for this?" he asked.
She writhed against him. And he felt her press tightly against him, bracing herself. She grimaced and complained, "Was that really necessary?" Her lips had brushed his neck and he took a small step away from her.
She panted for a well-endowed breath and shook her head, saying, "I didn't have time, it was an accident," she reasoned. He touched it again and she arched once more, gasping out, "William!" He sighed. "Let me take care of this before you go back out," he pleaded and she sighed, "I can do this myself, please….it was an accident," she repeated, "Rosy…and the dishes, she…dropped one, it was only an accident."
And then, as quick as a seeker he removed the glass and placed a warm hand over her leg, putting slight pressure on it, while he tossed the offending glass aside. Her hands tightened on his shirt, pulling the small chest hair that covered his broad chest and he slowly growled a small warning.
She didn't understand that not only he could smell her anger, her fear, the blood that slowly seeped past his fingers, but to him…she smelt enticing. Wonderfully arousing and downright maddening, and there he was touching her soft skin and her petite hands curled tightly in his hair. He murmured spells and words passed his lips and Hermione could feel her pain begin to subside.
And as he whispered his magic, on cue the door opened, and they both stopped dead. Bill's head rose while Hermione eased back resting her head against the cabinets while her lungs pleaded for a better breath until…
Until, she saw him. Ron stood there with his new girl watching the both of them. She felt her heart drop into her stomach and Bill mentally cursed his youngest brother as Hermione scurried to fix her skirts. She wobbled then, and in her rushing she clumsily fell against Bill and off the counter. Her name was Sariah, Hermione remembered, it was a name that matched her. She was beautiful, and she sighed, she would never be beautiful like her.
Ron frowned, Sariah eyed her then looked at Bill and arched a brow, "You haven't had enough Weasleys?" she asked cockily. Hermione merely bowed her head in submission to their hurtful looks and words, and though Bill knew she could place them straight he knew she had no reason to prove herself to them. She was a single parent now, all the while Ron ran around with his women.
"You've cut your fingers," she observed. She walked Bill over to the sinks and rested his hands there as she washed them. And only then did he see why she turned away from Ron and Sariah, her tears were falling. He frowned, and said, "Ron you better take Sariah to meet mum before she gets upset."
Ron frowned then, his eyes widening at the sight of broken glass before his eyes slipped shut and he sighed. He knew he was the partial cause of Hermione's pain in that moment, the way her eyes had flickered with emotion when they had fallen to look upon him said so.
And as he had walked in, he had assumed there was something promiscuous happening between his brother and his now ex-wife. He felt the guilt in his gut, knowing that though she had been physically hurt. He caught up Sariah's hand and guided her away, then said words that caused Hermione to start shaking, "Come on love."
He paused then, feeling his throat tighten, he looked back at Hermione and saw her washing Bill's hands. He shook his head, and guided Sariah out of the scene and Hermione turned away from Bill then, going to hide from him as well. "Hermione," he began and she shook her head, "William please leave me be."
"Why don't you stand up to him?" he growled then and she stopped dead in her retreat. "Please do not ask me this," she pleaded and he walked right over to her, curled a hard hand about her shoulder and turned her to face him. "Tell me why you haven't gone to find another partner as well?" he whispered and she shook her head, "I do not believe that is an issue you and I need to be discussing with one another," she bit out.
He arched a brow, "Someone will bring it up to you," he retorted smartly and she rolled his hand off of her. And just as her face turned into a scowl she spat harsh words, "And what about you William Weasley? Has anyone ever shoved your own words back into your mouth?" she demanded.
He took a small step back and she nodded then before she went to escape him once more until he said softly, "It hurts all of us to see you so lonely, no one ponders about my loneliness," he whispered. She stopped once more and her hands tightened into hard fists, "William I worry about you," she said brokenly.
He fidgeted under her eyes and changed the subject back to her. "Hermione I have a co-worker," he said then, "he's very interested in you." And her eyes widened, "Bloody hell, I feel poor enough having your mother do this," she cursed, "William I do not want to hear about another blind setup with a random man and I certainly do not need someone reminding me of how terrible I am," she growled so threateningly she could've been a wolf herself. She went to say something else and his frustration got the best of him.
"STOP!" he roared, and she shook her head as he nearly prowled over to her, "William what about Rosy? What am I supposed to do about her?! Should I go about telling people, 'Hello I'm one of the greatest witches of my time and I'm a single parent with mudblood flowing through my veins'?!"
He stared at her and she demanded, "What about you? You have no right to tell me what to do, when you're one of the best-"
His fists clenched then shot open as he caught her up then and kissed her. Just to stop her words, but truly he didn't know why, but in that very moment she seemed so fragile and so alone and she stopped dead underneath him.
"If anyone understands how you feel I do," he whispered brokenly as he pulled away, "Please be happy, for me," he begged then added, "I want to see that smile you carry even if it's forced." Her wide eyes looked at him and he sighed.
"Hermione please, you're not at all a terrible person, you still allow Ron to visit with his children, Fluer has refused me to see mine, trust me when I tell you, you are a beautiful and caring person. You will never be as wretched as Sariah, as Fluer, or any other woman."
Her honey brown eyes met his then and she felt more tears well, "William," she cried and he paused, frowning, "What?" he whispered and she wiped away her tears, "I'm so sorry, I'm so selfish," she cried miserably.
His jaw dropped, how could his brother let go of such a kind hearted woman? He caught her up in his arms and pulled her close, "Shhh," he cooed. She shook her head and he pulled her closer, "Hush, my mother is going to think I hurt you," he joked weakly and a small giggle fell from her muffled lips. He pulled away from her and kissed her forehead, and she arched a brow, "Is this going to become a trend with you?" she asked and he eyes widened.
"I kissed you because-" he stammered and she nodded, "I thought so," she reasoned fretfully, "and now I've made this awkward," she laughed nervously.
He shook his head, running his hands through his hair, "I never thought, well," he reasoned and her eyes widened. "You thought that if Fluer, a beautiful woman, would deny you, that every woman would deny you," she groused as she crossed her arms.
She shook her head in disbelief, "William I'm going to go back out to the party," she announced. She moved away from him and he sighed, "Hermione might I ask a question?" he pondered and she paused in the open doorway.
"Why do you call me William?" She smiled that sweet smile and answered truthfully, "Because after Greyback's attack you were no longer the man you were before, you weren't Bill. And unlike Fluer I would accept you as you are." His eyes widened and she disappeared away from him.
He leaned back against the cabinets, before looking down upon his hands seeing them freshly healed. He smiled before his mind went elsewhere, these hands had touched her skin, felt the silk of the skin covering her thighs and he sighed heavily with a shudder. And he grinned like a fool as he rushed back outside.
His eyes searched for her, found her holding her young daughter with that bright smile she owned. And his gaze narrowed as he watched Ron walk over to her and groused out words that he heard all too clearly.
"Are you dating my brother?" Ron pondered and nearly everyone paused their actions while Hermione sighed going to answer until Bill practically yelled over the scene, "Hands off of her Ronald!" he roared and Hermione giggled nervously, "I wouldn't say dating, but I am enjoying his company," she reasoned as Bill walked back over to them.
Her smile was his now, and he took great pride in knowing that.
END