Harry spotted her heading over and offered a sheepish smile, knowing she will be angry with him later for not telling her he would be there. For now, he steadied himself as she threw her arms around her best friend and squeezed him in the bear hug she always gave him. He didn't even care that her plait swung around and smacked him in the face. This was his best friend and he was goddamn happy to see her and feel her warmth in his arms again.

"I've missed you so much…" she whispered, squeezing him tighter for a moment.

"I missed you too. I'm sorry it's been so long, it's been….complicated…" he began but she was already pulling away, frowning at him.

"Not here and not now. Maybe later?" she suggested, as they were drawing quite a few curious gazes.

Harry nodded, relieved that she was not cross enough with him to demand answers immediately. Hermione turned back to Bill who took her hand in his and led her towards a table in the front as Charlie and Harry followed them, glad to all be seated together. The ball was opened by the Minister himself, who praised their efforts of magical cooperation and thanked them for their work to save their reserve.

"Nou I invite Miss Granger and Mr Weazley to join me," he said with a politician's smile as they got out of their seats and up on the stage to the great applause that swept the room. The Minister's wife in elegant midnight blue robes came to stand by his side with a large rectangular case that held the orders. "It is my honor tunite, to prezent yu both viz de Order of Dracul, avarded for service to Romania and its vizarding community," he picked up the beautiful gold pin in the shape of a coin, with a dragon eating its tail curled around the perimeter. An ouroboros. It was beautiful.

First he approached Hermione and gently pinned it above heart to the fabric covering her bodice, before picking up the second one and pinning it to the lapel of Bill's suit jacket. They stepped forward and bowed slightly, to show their honour at being rewarded with such an exclusive order, as etiquette dictated.

As the clapping once again died down, the Minister invited them to the dance floor to open the ball. He took Hermione's hand just as Bill offered to lead the Minister's wife, and they began a graceful waltz around the dance floor.

"You are a zplendid dancer, Miss Granger," the Minister complimented as he led her into a turn and other couples began joining them.

"Thank you, Lord Vasilescu, as are you," she returned the compliment gracefully.

Unlike many other politicians, the Romanian Minister of Magic was an honourable man and remained a perfect gentleman throughout the dance. The moment the song ended however, so did the official part of the evening and their duty as the honourees has been completed. They stepped away from each other with a small bow, and headed for their seats for the refreshments now that the ball has been opened.

Bill pulled out Hermione's chair for her and poured her a glass of the rich red wine as their food arrived. She thanked him with a smile and turned to Harry whom was surprisingly exchanging a very familiar look with Charlie.

Hermione observed them for a moment before picking up her glass and taking a sip. "How long have you been together then?" she asked softly, once Harry's attention was on her again.

He looked a bit sheepish, not really sure from her expression what she thought of the situation. "Nearly a year now. We occasionally worked together in the past but never really had a chance to talk much. That is until we moved our headquarters to Romania, to be more central to Europe," Harry admitted.

"Are you happy?" she asked gently, always wanting to know that her best friend was now living the life freely and happily after sacrificing so much when they were younger.

"Yes, very much so," Harry admitted, pushing a messy strand of the shoulder-length hair behind his ear again.

Hermione looked to Charlie who was indeed gazing fondly at his partner and had to smile. "I'm very happy for you," she reached over and squeezed his hand encouragingly.

Harry looked relieved at how well she took the news and raised a curious brow when she chuckled. "What?"

She snickered and took a sip of her wine. "Well, I guess Molly still gets to have you as part of her family, though I'm not sure this is the way she imagined it," she teased. "You haven't told her yet, have you?" she guessed.

Harry shook his head. "Not many people know yet," he admitted as they dug into their food.

From then on it was easy to get back into catching up. Hermione told him all about her business and Harry talked about living in Romania and how they were house-hunting with Charlie. Throughout the whole dinner, she felt Bill's warm presence. He shifted his chair closer and casually lay an arm around the back of her chair, encouraging her to lean subtly into his body heat. She was starting to realise their mission would soon be over and she would probably not see him again for a long time, and the thought did not sit with her well at all.

Bill for his part could not help himself. She smelled delectable, her warmth was tantalising, and the hibiscus lotion mixing with the natural scent of her skin was making him want to lower his lips and nibble the freckles he could see peaking out from her dress. All he wanted to do was ravish her, his instincts telling him to claim this woman and never let her go, but he held back. He needed to know she desired him just as much as he desired her, the sting of divorce still making him cautious.

"So how come you ended up working with Charlie in the first place?" Hermione asked, wondering what the true beginning of their journey was, now that she heard the rest of their love story.

"It was a case I was investigating that led me to the reserve, it revolved around smuggling magical creature parts," he explained, his gaze briefly flicked to Bill.

"Investigating?" she asked curiously before it suddenly clicked. Harry was investigating…they moved headquarters to Romania…he traveled a lot, just like Bill…who had a silent business partner, a detective. She pulled away and turned to look into those regretful green eyes. "So Harry is your silent business partner and you knew the whole time we were working together," she voiced her conclusion.

"In my defence, it was not my place to say anything until Harry was ready. And to this I took a vow on my honour," he explained, hoping she would not be too cross with him.

Hermione nodded and turned back to look at her best friend. "I know you have your reasons, I just wish you were ready to share this part of yourself with me earlier. I am very happy for you, I just missed my best friend," she said softly before getting up. "Please excuse me," she said and headed for the ladies room to freshen up.

Bill watched her go and sighed. He did not like to see her this way and realised he was rather deep into his feelings for her when all he wanted to do right now was pull her into his arms and hold her close for comfort.

"I'm sorry, I just wasn't ready," Harry said softly, hoping the eldest Weasley son was not angry with him too.

Bill just shook his head. "You don't have to apologise to me, just make sure to stay in her life. She should be cherished," he said before he could stop himself.

"Yes, she should be cherished, by someone worthy of her, an equal to her mind and heart. Do you know of any such man, brother?" Charlie asked, a knowing look in his eyes.

Bill growled at him for such cheek before getting up from the table and heading towards the bathrooms. He leaned against the wall outside the gentlemen's and waited patiently. Hermione didn't take long to come out from the door on the other side of the hall that was the ladies room. She still looked a bit sad but took a moment to take a deep breath and started heading for the ballroom before noticing the redhead.

"Bill, what are you doing here?" she asked, surprised that he came to wait for her.

He stepped closer and reached for her hand, bringing it to his lips. "I truly am sorry, I hope you are not cross with me for keeping Harry's secret," he kissed her knuckles in silent apology.

Hermione shook her head and squeezed the hand holding hers. "I don't, and I really am happy for him and Charlie," she stressed before her gaze was drawn to those sparkling green eyes. "I hope we'll be able to see each other more often now. And that I will perhaps see you..sometimes…for lunch, now that we're not working together," she added, hoping she wasn't too forward but really not ready to let the man slip from her life.

Bill's gaze was warm and darkened slightly as he regarded her with a different intensity. "I would like that, very much," he agreed and pushed a stray curl that escaped the plait behind her ear.

She noticed a glint of gold and saw the ring on his pinky finger that she never noticed before. And on it was a very familiar coat of arms. Hermione reached for his hand and stilled it, observing the familiar carving with a lion and swords. "What is this?" she asked.

Bill was surprised she took such an interest. "It's our family's coat of arms, it's been in the family for centuries. Why?" he asked curiously.

Hermione observed it and remembered a snippet from two of her dreams, the same coat of arms on a ring and a leather wrist band. The coat of arms on the man who was her husband and beloved in every one of her dreams… "I just recalled I saw it somewhere before," she answered truthfully but her heart fluttered within her chest. Could it be? Has she been dreaming about Bill loving her? Has it even been Bill? And were they dreams? "Shall we dance?" she asked just as a new song began, only too aware of his sharp senses observing and knowing there was something on her mind.

"If you wish," he kept a hold of her hand and led her to the dance floor where they joined the other dancers who have also finished their food.

It was another waltz and Hermione allowed herself to be drawn closer than perhaps necessary in Bill's embrace as they glided gracefully around the other couples. His hand was gentle but firm in its support on her back, and his eyes never left hers. How they didn't bump into anyone, she didn't know. What she did know was that somehow this felt very right. This, being in his arms, being this close to the man she has admittedly fallen for in the short time they've been investigating together. Was it even possible to feel so connected to someone in such a short amount of time?

She looked into his eyes and saw the way his gaze took her in, caressed her body and her mind with how far it reached into her being. She couldn't be wrong about this. Maybe there was an explanation for him being in her dreams, maybe she should do some research… For now though... for now she stepped just a little closer into his arms on the next turn and instinctively leaned her head to the side just a fraction, offering her neck to Bill's now hungry gaze.

Thankfully the song was coming to an end and Bill guided them off the dance floor gracefully, and smoothly headed for the atrium where they could floo. Hermione summoned her clutch, wondering whether they should say goodbye to Harry and Charlie, and briefly felt guilty that they didn't but then the green flames engulfed them and they arrived back to their suite at the Hilton, suddenly engulfed in the still darkness. They were not still for long though as Bill pulled her into his body once more and their lips finally met. Impatiently, demandingly, hesitantly, there was no pattern, no real rhythm at first. Their hearts were beating wildly, their teeth clashed a little as they deepened the kiss, unused to each other yet but learning quickly.

She tasted divine. Bill groaned against her lips and guided her backwards towards his bedroom. She nearly tripped on her trail but he steadied her as she kicked off her heels. His warm, solid body pressed her into the door of the bedroom and she gasped when she felt the evidence of his enjoyment. It had been too long for Hermione and she could feel how ready she was for this, how much she missed another's touch. Her nimble fingers slipped into Bill's hair and tugged him closer as they kissed with need and impatience.

There was no need for words, neither could wait to touch and feel each other, and there was no patience between them to take time. Later, they had all night if they wanted to. Right now they just needed to finally give into the tension that has been humming between them for days. Hermione swiftly divested Bill of his jacket and began working the buttons of his vest and shirt impatiently, trying to keep her focus despite the incredibly distracting lips on her neck.

Bill couldn't help himself but taste the freckles he had been longing to lick all evening. His hands were finally allowed to feel the beautiful curves that have been tantalising him for days. He chuckled at the soft triumphant sound Hermione let out when she finally managed to get through the last shirt buttons and pushed the material off his scarred body. The chuckle however turned into a groan of pleasure when her teeth teasingly nipped his perky pink nipple, small hands wasting no time in undoing the ties of his slacks and slipping into the folds of fabric to find her prize.

Hermione hummed into the kiss that was devouring her lips as she felt Bill's length, hard and heavy in her hand and firming further as she began stroking it in a teasing tempo. Bill's hips thrust into her hand in reflex before he managed to grab hold of himself and felt around for a zip on the blasted dress that separated him from naked flesh. He felt his wand leaving his pocket and a gentle caress of magic as Hermione's dress unfastened and the bodice became loose enough for him to pull it off her body. He was not prepared for the fact that she wore nothing underneath the elegant gown but a pair of lacy shorts.

Her cheeks were rosy and eyes alight with anticipation as she stepped out of the pooled fabric and wrapped her arms around Bill's neck, wanting to enjoy his skilled kisses once again. The curse breaker however had other ideas and swiftly picked her up and kicked off his shoes on the way to the large bed. He lay her down, legs still hanging off the edge of the bed and knelt on the floor between the spread thighs, tugging the last piece of clothing off her body. Without shame or shyness, he leaned down and breathed in the scent of her arousal before diving in like a man starved of sustenance.

Hermione gasped sharply, her back arching as an agile tongue circled the sensitive nub before hot lips sucked it in momentarily, sending bolts of pleasure through her nervous system. Bill wasn't holding back, a purr rising in his throat as he tasted her musky essence and dived between the velvety folds to taste her deeper. His nose inadvertently stroked the tender nub as his tongue delved into her slick channel and groaned as tense fingers slipped into his hair and tugged appreciatively at the tresses every time he rubbed her tightening walls just right. Hermione was torn between pulling Bill up and finally getting to really feel him inside her, and urging him to keep that angle as it was just. so. good.

As if reading her thoughts, Bill slipped his hands beneath her plush, dimpled bum and lifted her hips closer to his lips and conquering tongue, not willing to give up the taste of her just yet. There was nothing else to do but surrender and she allowed herself to give into his persuasion and thrust impatiently against his face. She was getting close and she needed just a bit more to get there. Bill returned to her little nub and circled it with his tongue, rubbing against the side of it just right without making it too sensitive, feeling her body starting to tighten in pleasure. He left her moist core only for a moment and with a steady but swift movement had two of his fingers buried inside the writhing witch, feeling for that elusive spot with a different texture to the silky walls. Hermione arched off the bed and took a sharp breath in as she was filled so well, feeling the beginnings of her orgasm.

She tried to get some purchase on the edge of the bed, to thrust against the fingers filling her but her foot slipped, accidentally making her press into the touch anyway and making her breath hitch nonetheless.

"Bill…I'm almost…" she whined, so close but needing more.

Bill lowered his lips to her little nub as he stroked the silky walls firmly, feeling them tightening fast. All it took was for him to suck on the sensitive bundle of nerves as he thrust his fingers just a bit harder and deeper within her, and he was rewarded with a passionate cry as Hermione undulated against his lips and hand, wrecked with a wave of pleasure. He felt her clamp around his fingers harshly and suppressed his own desire, wanting to feel her tighten around him again.

Hermione rode out her pleasure before falling back against the soft mattress, panting and letting her body catch a breath and cool off a bit. Her walls hungrily clenched once he pulled out, seeking to feel filled again and she hummed in anticipation as he leaned over her and claimed a kiss from her lips. He could taste salt from the perspiration on her upper lip, his lupine senses delighting in her primal smell and taste. Hermione chuckled against his lips, tasting herself on his tongue.

"You have a beard," she grinned, gently wiping herself off his clean shaven cheek with a thumb before licking it clean with a wink.

"Cheeky," he growled playfully and pushed her higher up on the bed so he could join her.

Hermione welcomed him into her arms. She may have just come better than she had in months, but that didn't mean she was anywhere near done or sated. She picked up her discarded wand from the bedside table and cast the necessary spells, making sure she used extra protection because her body felt this needy and hungry only once a month - when she was ovulating. Bill grinned, recognising the heat in her scent now. No wonder he has been wanting to smell and taste her all day, her body has been seducing him with its moon cycle.

"You are delicious, witch. I could taste you all day long…." he hummed against her lips before claiming them again, as their bodied pressed together intimately.

"Hmm… you don't want me to ride you then?" she asked, wrapping a lithe thigh around his hip and rubbing her moist core against his length, eliciting an approving groan from him.

Who was he to deny her?

The cold autumnal sun tickled her nose and she rolled over with a tired groan, her body deliciously sore and way too warm under the blanket with the heat of her companion's body pressed against her. She turned onto her back and pushed her messy plait out of her eyes, seeing it was falling apart after last night's activities. Bill was still dozing though he reached out with his arm, taking ahold of her side and pulled her closer, nuzzling into the soft skin of her belly contentedly. He took a deep breath and purred at their combined scent so close to his sensitive nose, falling back into a deeper sleep. Hermione smiled at him fondly, glad she had gotten up earlier during the night to pee or she would have to disturb him now for sure.

She felt deliciously sore after three rounds of lovemaking, and a bit dehydrated from the wine and exertion, but otherwise her body felt better than it had in a long time. She summoned a glass and cast a silent aguamenti, drinking it down slowly before summoning her currently favoured novel from her bedside table to read and let the redhead rest. They were in no hurry, all the paperwork was finalised and they've done their diplomatic duty last night by receiving the order and opening the ball.

A few chapters later, she was just getting into the interesting part of the plot, fingers gently carding through Bill's messy morning locks, when her tummy decided to grumble loudly in protest of no food. Bill woke up suddenly to the sound and looked at her, disoriented for a moment before realising what the sound was. Hermione shrugged, much to his amusement.

"Hungry, love?" he asked, rubbing her soft belly as he pulled himself up higher on the bed to give her a morning kiss.

"Hmmm, worked up an appetite," she admitted, not ashamed of her food carvings, especially this time of the month when she could eat a horse.

"We can order in room service?" he suggested, caressing her smooth side, following a couple of the soft silvery stretch marks with his touch, until they led him to her still damp lady garden.

She tutted and caught his hand in hers, pulling it up to her lips to kiss his palm. "I'll need a day or two to recover. Room service sounds great though," she admitted.

Bill leaned in for another kiss but broke it off soon, not wanting to make her wait too long for breakfast. "Would you mind starting the shower while I make the call?" he suggested. They could definitely freshen up, though he hoped she didn't plan to wear too much clothing, wanting to be able to smell her delicious scent.

Hermione got up and stretched languidly before heading for the bathroom that joined their rooms. Thankfully it was a modern walk-in shower that would easily accommodate them both so she set the right temperature and washed the night out of her hair and off her face, feeling the small mascara clumps clinging to the ends of her lashes. Bill joined her a few moments later, his arms wrapping around her form in a way that felt entirely too familiar and they set to wash themselves before the breakfast arrived.

They settled across from each other at the small dining table, bathrobes tied around their nude forms, Hermione's heavy hair soaking the towel turban, and the cooked breakfast making their tummies growl. She couldn't help but notice the comfortable silence between them as they settled in to eat and both picked up a different newspaper to peruse while they finished their coffee. Hermione folded the paper once she was done and got up, pouring out the left over coffee between them. Bill put the paper away and pulled her close by the pocket of her robe, letting her settle comfortably in his lap.

"Morning," she hummed and leaned in for a kiss.

"Hmmm…good morning. Feel better?" Bill asked, the brunette in his arms sure had sated his appetites earlier.

"Much. Thought I'm not looking forward to packing," she hinted, wondering what would happen now.

Bill contemplated her for a moment, his intense gaze regarding her own. "Well, we shall have to pack, maybe do some shopping because I didn't bring a swimsuit," he mused with a small grin.

"A swimsuit? Now what would you need that for?" Hermione humoured him as her fingers carded through his damp coppery locks.

"The beach….in Portugal or Spain maybe?" he suggested. "If you have a few more days to spare in your busy schedule?"

As if he had read her mind, Hermione mused. "I have until the end of the week," she agreed with a playful smile.

It appeared the fates conspired to bring this man into her life and she would enjoy every moment they had.