The sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains, expanding and widening before dissolving. Dust danced whimsically in these errant rays, shifting continuously in no perceivable pattern. Clothes were strewn across the room messily, hanging off the occasional piece of furniture. A casual bystander would either think the room was inhabited by an incredibly well-dressed pig or recently came face to face with a hurricane. Two bodies lay entangled in a large queen-sized bed. The bodies were a mess of limbs snaked around one another and covered barely by a thick red duvet.
The bed shook slightly as one of the bodies began untangling itself from the other. It had long, slender limbs covered by skin that was neither tanned nor fair. Surrounding the body was a kind of surreal aura that portrayed fragility and strength at the same time. Perched on a delicate neck was a rather angular head, hidden under a mop of silky bronze tresses. The body – which obviously belonged to a female – extracted herself to her feet and stretched. In what many would call extremely sensual, she raised both her lithe arms and pushed them up as high as they would go.
The body still blissfully asleep on the bed started to stir. Slowly and steadily, as if it was still escaping the tendrils of sleep that overcame it the previous night, the body sat upright in the bed. A hand reached up to rub the last grains of sleepiness from the body's eyes.
"Mmm…as much as I enjoy ze view, where are you going mon chere?" the sitting body asked. The body, also a female, had a voice that was as smooth as the finest silk; practically flowed out. Due to her accent each word was over enunciated and crystal clear.
"I have to get to work." the standing body replied curtly. As opposed to the previous voice, this voice was much more rigid. One would match this voice to a worn out accountant dealing with his last client for the day. It was strained and quick.
"Why zon't you take a personal day and come back to bed with me?" The 'p' in personal day was stretched out and ended up sounding like a contented cat's purr.
The standing figure shuffled around the room before finding what she was looking for, a sleek, dark brown stick of no more than ten inches. With a muffled word and a quick flick of her wand, her clothes, utterly hidden by the mess of the room, floated towards her. "I can't."
"Why…?" the sitting body whined, collapsing back onto the bed. Her head was facing the bed and her blonde locks fanned out. It seems that she was attempting albeit without much effort to suffocate herself.
"I'm sorry Fleur. You know the arrangement." The standing body was standing in the path of the meager light entering the room thus only her silhouette was visible, outlined by the glow of early morning light.
Seeing as her technique to persuade the standing figure to stay was not working, Fleur lifted her head up and put on probably the biggest pout on the face of the Earth. Her ruffled hair and statuesque features made her look like an angel.
"Ermione…" Fleur pleaded. Inside she knew that it was futile, despite the fact that her pout was lethal to roughly ninety-nine percent of the worlds population, Hermione belonged to the one percent that remained unfazed in the presence of her pout. Hermione, whom by now had finished putting on her undergarments and was now proceeding to buttoning up her office jacket, chuckled.
"You know that doesn't work on me." she admonished. Her fingers had some difficulty buttoning up the buttons on her work jacket as they trembled incessantly. "Results of last night's festivities no doubt" she mused. Indeed last night had been wild; fervent kisses and an insatiable Fleur. The thought alone sent shocks through Hermione's spine, causing her to shudder involuntarily.
The shivers Hermione experienced were not lost on Fleur, sensing that she might have a shred of opportunity left, she quickly pounced. And by that I mean she literally jumped up and hugged Hermione.
"Ahh! Fleur!" Hermione chided. She had turned around in a pointless attempt to at the very least save some modesty and now was fully regretting her actions. The full body hug was totally unexpected, although not necessarily unwelcome. "W-What are you doing?"
"Me? I'm not zoing anyzhing," Fleur's voice trailed off as she started to pepper kisses along Hermione's neck. Hermione had to fight the overwhelming urge to tilt her head to give Fleur more room to work with. But boy was it tempting…
"Fleur, stop." Hermione sighed. Fleur mumbled something in agreement but did not cease her ministrations. The kisses were growing in intensity and Fleur's hands had taken to undoing the buttons that had taken Hermione nearly ten minutes earlier.
"Fleur please stop." Hermione sighed. As much as she would love to strip down and have another round with Fleur, the job came first.
"Stop now." the playfulness had been stripped from Hermione's voice, this was a command not a request.
A frown found its way onto Fleur's face. Her nose crinkled up and furrows formed on her forehead. Both of her wandering hands had stopped and her lips were now drawn in a taut line. The skin on Hermione's neck tingled slightly, an aftershock of the tender kisses. It felt similar to phantom pain from the loss of a limb but nicer like phantom pleasure. Hermione sighed, knowing that she had upset Fleur, and turned around to peck her on the lips. She made sure that the kiss was chaste and quick so as not to lead her to believe that anything more could happen right now.
"I'm sorry but I really must be getting to work." Hermione said sadly.
"Why zo you always find 'easons to leave afzer we spend the night togezher?" Fleur questioned.
"Its part of our agreement remembers? If memory serves you were the one that put in that clause." Hermione pointed out. With a wince, Fleur withdrew from Hermione's slim frame and gave her some space to fix the buttons that had come undone.
"I know." Fleur muttered quietly. These words, that were barely whispered, caused a wave of nausea to pass through Hermione. The pure sorrow contained in those few words made Hermione retch with guilt. The pain was so transparent and intense that Hermione wouldn't even wish it upon her worst enemy. No one, dead or alive, should ever have the misfortune to experience such unadulterated sorrow. And yet Fleur was and it was all Hermione's fault.
Fleur sighed; Hermione was right as always, can't she read between the lines? These sporadic nights together were pleasurable, definitely, but her heart now craved more. Her very soul yearned for the pure ecstasy of being on the end of one of Hermione's smiles; not the ones that she pastes on her face to show the world but the honest to god, real smile. Hermione had become a drug that she was utterly and irrevocably hooked on.
"It makes me feel cheap." Fleur blurted out. Hermione, who by now was completely clothed, turned around and stared Fleur in the eye. Her stare was firm and unwavering.
"Don't ever think that." she admonished. It was one thing for Fleur to feel upset but this, this was unforgivable. Never should she feel 'cheap'. Even as she said the word in her mind, she resorted to a hoarse, cruel tone.
Fleur sighed resignedly; it seems yet again they would not be together the day after coitice. Once again, Hermione would leave and leave her alone. Loneliness hurts worse than pain once it sinks in…
"Won't you at leazt watch ze sunrise with me?" Fleur asked. Hermione smiled warmly and nodded. "In bed?" Fleur added hopefully.
With rolling eyes, Hermione led Fleur back to the bed. A short incantation later, the window that was once shielded from the outside world by satin curtains, was now enlarged and completely free of obstruction. Fleur released a sigh of pure bliss as she was spooned by Hermione. For the first time, Hermione noticed the view that existed outside the window.
London in the morning was like a petulant child. The city itself seemed to wake in steps. As the sun climbed ever higher, a pale blue sky was revealed. Clouds curdled like huge, fluffy pieces of opalescent cotton candy. The roads of the city were still largely empty, only the occasional car rumbled by. The aroma of freshly baked bread was just starting to waft through the air as bakers prepared their first loaves of the day. It seemed like a dense fog was just dispersed and now everyone was starting to awaken. Lights in other apartments flickered on and birds left their nests to escape the moisture that had accumulated overnight.
Bright orange streaks cascaded through the light blue sky; another magnificent sun rise. Fleur treasured these moments where she didn't have to deal with Hermione leaving. For a while, she could pretend they were two lovers who were simply spending some time together. For a while she could be happy…