The Steps to this Dance

Steve and Hermione have been together for six months. This might be the next step.

Pairing: Hermione/Steve
Rating: mature
Warnings: none
Tropes: Coworkers (SHIELD), Fade to Black, AU – Repealed Statute of Secrecy
Words: 967
Original Release Date: 20 Oct 2018
Square: B3 - "I can do this all day."


Hermione's legs were shaking so much she had no doubt that if the door hadn't been at her back she would have toppled over already. She had both hands tight in his hair, fingers curled around soft blond strands as she held on to something. Everything was so overwhelming, her skin felt like every nerve ending was alight with pleasure. She shrieked and tightened her grip and the last of her strength fled as she slid down the door. She panted and blinked bleary eyes at Steve.

He was grinning, his chin coated in slick from where he'd had his face buried between her thighs.

"I think you're trying to kill me," she mumbled as she tried to catch her breath. "Aren't you—isn't your tongue tired?"

His grin slipped into a brighter smile as he looked down, a blush spread across his cheekbones. "I could do this all day." He glanced back up at her from under his lashes and her heart gave an extra hard thump in her chest. Merlin, he was gorgeous. "Want to move this to the bedroom?"

"I don't think I can walk just yet."

"That's okay. I didn't expect you to," he said. He stood and scooped her up like she weighed nothing, carrying her from the front door of his flat where they'd barely made it inside to his bedroom. He didn't bother turning on the light as late afternoon sunlight was still filtering through his curtains.

She glanced at the clock on the bedside table. "I guess we're not going to make it to Tony's soiree?" she teased as he set her down on the bed.

"Pfft." He'd already started peeling his thin shirt from his torso, damp with sweat. "I'd much rather spend the night with you."

She smiled as she worked on pulling the last of her own clothes off. She desperately wanted to feel his hot skin against hers. Her arms felt like they were made of jelly and she didn't get very far in taking off her top before she got stuck. "'elp!"

He chuckled at her predicament and helped her remove the offending item of clothing. "Who knew an orgasm would wear you out so fast?"

"An orgasm?" she questioned but couldn't stop laughing. "Try three, you madman!"

He had that adorably obnoxious grin on his lips like he was pretending to be innocent. She rolled her eyes at him. He knew what he was doing. He stripped himself the rest of the way and joined her on the bed and that was the last time she glanced at the clock all night.

In the morning, Hermione awoke to the smell of sausage browning in the kitchen. She laid there and stretched, working at all the sore muscles from the night before. She wondered if it was worth getting up or if she could justify laying in bed all day.

She and Steve had started dating six months ago and the sex started shortly after that yet she still felt a little awestruck after every time. He was a generous lover and enthusiastic in his desire to learn what worked for her. And it made her fall just a little more in love with him every day.

She hadn't told him yet; she was still too scared that she was just a replacement for Peggy to him. She hadn't even told Peggy when she'd gone to see her in the nursing home. Hermione felt it wouldn't be right to bring it up. She knew Peggy had got married in the past but she hadn't been when they'd met and Hermione had never thought it her business to ask.

The door opened and Steve stood there with a tray. "I made you breakfast."

She smiled and sat up, grabbing his shirt from where he'd tossed it last night so she'd have something covering her. He set the tray over her lap and relaxed at the foot of the bed to watch her eat.

This was new.

He'd usually make breakfast but he'd never brought it to her. "It looks, and smells, great, Steve," she said. It did at that, sausage, two thick waffles with just the right amount of butter and drizzled syrup, a sunnyside egg, and a tall glass of orange juice. It wasn't a fry up but she knew she'd enjoy it anyway. She took a bite and moaned a little.

He was smiling but there was a tension around his eyes when she looked back at him. She set her fork down. "What is it?"

"Huh?" he said, trying to play off the tell of emotion on his face. He seemed to realise that she would wait him out if he tried to distract him. "I was just wondering... Would you..." He bit his lip and then met her gaze. "Would you move in with me?"

She smiled and picked up her fork. "Yes." She speared a sausage link and held it out to him. He dutifully ate it and she waited for him to swallow before asking. "Was that really your question?"

His gaze dropped to the bedspread, rumpled underneath them. "Uh. Not exactly." He looked back up at her. "I don't know how this is supposed to go, Hermione."

"I don't know either, really, but I do know that I would love to move in with you. So we'll start from there."

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her. She had to grab the glass of orange juice so it didn't fall over.

She was happy. Moving in was a good step. She would have to mention the miscegenation laws in the United States eventually but living together would expose him to all the marches and rallies she attended for equal rights for Magicals. It was a good start.