Chapter 4

He leaned forward. He looked at me, staring into my eyes, searching. What he was looking for, I couldn't begin to guess, but he seemed to find it… or maybe he just wanted to find it so badly he made himself believe it was there. He leaned forward, moving slowly, giving me the chance to stop it before anything happened. I couldn't.

He pressed his lips onto mine, softly at first, but with growing desperation. I was too shocked to respond, but he couldn't be deterred. His hands wound their way into my curls, and his lips moved against mine. He tried to deepen the kiss, and after a few moments, I let him. I could not stop, as simple as that. I knew that I shouldn't allow this; he hadn't proven anything to me. But I had missed him so bad. I was drunk on his flavor; I could feel him in every cell of my body. I was on fire, responding to his touch in ways I thought I would never feel again.

He continued to kiss me passionately and his hands began to roam, untangling themselves from my hair and traveling down my body. He stroked my sides and hips, pressing his body against me as we kissed. I felt his hands on the buttons of my blouse, and almost stopped him, but at the last minute allowed him to continue. At least this way if he leaves again, I will know how it felt. I'll have the memories, if nothing else.

He pulled off my blouse, but left my tank top and bra intact. He gently stroked my collarbone, and began to kiss his way down my neck. He reached my cleavage, lavishing the tops of my chest with kisses. It felt incredible, each kiss igniting a spark inside me. I lay back, drowning in the sensations he awoke in me. I had reach a state of only partial consciousness, barely aware of what Cedric was doing, only how it felt. I hadn't felt this alive in so damn long.

The first thing to drag me sharply back into awareness was his hand, tracing the line of exposed skin directly above my waistband. I blinked quickly, regaining a bit of my composure and collecting my wits. I felt Cedric's hands at the button of my pants, and I jerked away as well as I could.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" I gasped out. He looked up, shocked, and opened his mouth, only to close it again. I sat up, pulling away from him and righting my clothing. I grabbed my blouse, buttoning it as fast as I could.

"How stupid. I cant' believe how stupid I was…how stupid I am! Why did I think you..." I shook my head, talking to myself. Then I looked at Cedric.

His hair was a mess, standing up and thoroughly tousled from my hands. His face was rosy, with two bright red spots high on his cheekbones. His eyes were shining and his lips were slightly swollen and pink. He seemed to be having trouble wrapping his head around the sudden change.

"Leave," I whispered quietly. I pointed towards the door, and shook my head. I couldn't look at him much longer, with the thoughts of what could have…almost did just happen hanging over my head. I had almost just let him in in more ways than one, and I had almost just given him the one thing that I had left.

"Hermione, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, please! I just got so caught up and…I mean…please, Hermione, please don't do this," Cedric stumbled to apologize, tripping over his own words in his haste. I stood on shaking legs, and Cedric threw himself onto his knees in front of me.

"Hermione, listen to me. I know how horrible I was, and I know that this must be really hard for you, to give me a second chance and all, but you've got to believe me. I'm back because I care about you! I'm not just here because I've got nothing better to do, or because I want to be with you like… that. I'm here because I really really care about you Hermione. Please, please believe me!" he cried. I looked down at him, unsure. I had no idea whether or not I should still trust him, but he looked so damn sincere. He appeared to be on the verge of tears was on his knees in front of me…. I've never seen him like this before.

"Okay. Okay. You… you can stay. I guess… that was my fault too. I should have stopped it before it got too far. But no more, understood?" I looked down at him, and I swear the smile on his face was brighter than the fire crackling warmly in the hearth.

"Thank you! Thank you so much Hermione! I promise I wont ever do anything like that again, I swear. We can just be platonic friends from now on. But thank you, thank you so much!" He grinned up at me, looking way too happy for his own damn good, and then he slowly got up and pulled me into a tight hug. After a minute, I relaxed into his arms, and just let him hold me. He leaned his head forward, and quietly breathed into my hair.

"Thank you, Hermione. And I promise, I will never hurt you. Not ever again, Hermione." I didn't say anything. I just nodded, and let him hold me.