Thank you for all your lovely reviews!
A little treat for all of you today. Warning: the second part of this chapter has lemons in it, so older readers only please. Also, if you don't like, it don't read it. I always saw the whole leading up to this moment, rather than just sex, I see it as a pivotal moment for Remus and Hermione, purging away their pain and allowing them to begin to move on.
After this there are only two chapters left. This little story has been fun to write and has allowed me to get back into fanfiction so that I can finish my other story, I Wish I Was The Moon.
Disclaimer: unfortunately I don't own Hermione or Remus or the wonderful world in which they live.
Enjoy :)
'Come inside,' Hermione murmured, taking his unusually cold hand in one of hers and gently pulling him through the door. She locked the door and Remus simply stood there, dripping wet, staring at nothing.
Hermione reached up and wiped away a drop of rain that was slowly making its way down his cheek. Remus's eyes seemed to focus on her when she touched him, but he didn't say anything.
'Remus, tell me what's happened,' Hermione said in a worried voice.
'You were right,' he said, his voice husky.
'Oh, Remus,' she said and wrapped her arms around him. He rested his cheek on the top of her head and she felt rainwater dripping onto her. They embraced for what seemed like a long time, but it was probably only about a minute. Hermione listened to the regular rhythm of Remus's heartbeat and didn't say anything at all for a while.
Soon, she drew away but she held onto his hand. 'Let's get you dry.'
She got him a towel and he took off his sodden shirt and rubbed his head until his hair was slightly drier. Hermione quickly glanced at his defined chest- something she couldn't help- but was distracted as she noticed his hand, the skin of his knuckles red, the cuts still fresh. 'How did you hurt your- never mind,' Hermione began but then thought better of it. 'Let me get you something for that.'
She returned with a flannel that she had dampened with warm water and a small bowl of Murtlap Essence. Remus was sitting on the sofa with the towel wrapped around himself. Hermione carefully sat down next to him.
She swallowed and glanced at him, feeling nervous. She had known him for years, he was her best friend and she was closer to him than anyone else but right now she just didn't know what to say to him. She had been through what he was going through. She had discovered what Ron and Tonks had been doing, but even so, she couldn't think of a single thing to say that would make it better.
She gently picked up his right hand to examine it more closely.
'Remus, there's glass in your hand,' Hermione said, slightly alarmed.
'Is there?' He said blearily, barely even glancing at his hand.
Hermione swallowed again, afraid to ask what had gone on. She gently placed his hand in her lap, noticing that he felt a lot warmer now. She cautiously picked the glass out and then used the flannel to clean his hand and wipe off any blood and then she dipped it into the Murtlap Essence. Remus sat in silence and watched her tending to his hand. He didn't flinch or make any sound when Hermione carefully submerged his hand in the bowl, even though it must have stung.
'Keep that in there for a few minutes,' she said to him. 'I'll make you a cup of tea.'
When she handed him his drink Remus took it wordlessly and she sat down next to him again. He was staring at his hand in the bowl of Murtlap Essence.
'I'm sorry,' Remus said eventually, his voice quiet but more lucid now.
Hermione frowned. 'What for?'
'For not believing you,' he said, looking her in the eye. 'You tried to warn me about them and I wouldn't listen. I was a fool.'
Hermione shook her head. 'No you weren't, Remus. It was a hard thing to have to hear.'
He swirled his hand in the bowl and then slowly took it out, drying it on the towel. He smiled wryly at her. 'I punched a mirror. Seven years bad luck. Or maybe my only bad luck was when I met her.'
Hermione felt sad, wondering again what on earth had go on. 'What happened, Remus?' She said slowly. 'Did Tonks tell you what she's been doing with Ron?' The look on his face told her that it was worse than that, so she waited for him to explain.
Remus began to tell her what had happened when he had gone home after work. She gasped when he told her that he had walked in on Ron and Tonks having sex.
'Oh, Merlin,' Hermione said, feeling queasy, and actually grateful that Ron had chosen to tell her rather than letting her walk in on something like that. 'I'm so sorry, Remus.'
He told her that he had thrown Ron and Tonks out and described his anger afterwards. Hermione held his hand, careful not to hurt him and open up the cuts again. After Remus had told her everything she put her arm around his shoulders and drew him closer until his head rested on hers again.
'I hate that you had to find out like that,' she whispered.
Remus sighed. He was quiet for a moment and then he murmured, 'At least I know now, I suppose.'
'Do you want to stay with me for a while, until you decide what to do?' Hermione asked him.
He shook his head and sat up, leaning back against the sofa. 'I know what I'm going to do. Me and her are over. God, how could I have been so stupid?'
'Remus, no,' Hermione said gently. 'You were in denial, you didn't want to your marriage to end... maybe you even saw the signs but didn't chose to ignore them...'
'You know what the really stupid thing is?' He asked, and answered the question immediately, 'I don't even love her.' He gave a harsh laugh. 'I haven't for a long time but I only just realised it. Literally, in that moment when I walked in on my wife sleeping with another man, I was still under the illusion that I loved her but you know, as I sat here talking to you, it hit me like a ton of bricks: she means less than nothing to me. Those two are welcome to each other.'
'Remus, don't you think it's awfully soon to be so accepting of what's happened?' Hermione said slowly, remembering Ginny telling her that Remus didn't love Tonks anymore, but not completely believing it.
'Oh I'm accepting that it's over and that I don't love her,' he said roughly, 'but I'm not accepting that you should treat someone the way she treated me.'
'You've been through a lot, maybe you should-'
'No I'm certain about this. And I do know exactly what I'm going to do. Tomorrow I'm going to the house and I'm going to throw out all of Tonks' things, and she can collect them when she wants. She's not staying there anymore. I paid for that house, it's in my name.'
Hermione nodded, knowing that talking about it anymore wouldn't help matters. 'But... will you at least stay here for tonight? I don't think you should be alone.'
'Okay,' he agreed, glancing at the clock. 'It's getting quite late... you must be tired. I can transfigure the sofa into a bed for tonight.'
'I'll get you a pillow and a blanket,' she said and went out into the hall to fetch them from the cupboard. When she returned, the sofa had become a rather comfortable looking double bed. She put the pillow and blanket on the bed. She turned the TV on and handed him the remote. 'Here, you can keep this on tonight if you want. You're probably going to need it to distract you from your thoughts, I know I did.'
He thanked her and before she went into the bedroom he drew her into another embrace and he quietly thanked her for what she was doing for him.
That night Hermione fell asleep quicker than she'd hoped. But as soon as she did, she was in a dream that she couldn't escape from. She dreamed that she was back in her flat with Ron, brushing her teeth in the bathroom before bed. She smiled as the diamond in her engagement ring caught the light.
''Mione, are you coming?' Ron said playfully but impatiently from the bedroom.
Hermione rinsed her mouth and put her toothbrush back. 'Ready,' she called back.
She walked into the bedroom, smiling at Ron but she stopped when she saw who was with him in the bed. She stared at them in shock. Ron was lounging in the middle of the bed with the duvet pulled up to his waist and his arm cuddled around Tonks. Tonks was lying on her side, resting her head on Ron's chest. She beamed at Hermione.
'What are you waiting for, babe?' Ron asked, drawing back the duvet with his free hand. 'There's always room for you.'
Before Hermione could say or do anything, the dream changed. She was now in the kitchen of her old apartment and Ron was sitting at the table with Tonks. Standing at the stove, frying bacon in a pan was Lavender, Ron's ex-girlfriend. She turned around and tipped six pieces onto Ron's plate and then turned back to cook more bacon.
Tonks was flicking through a magazine, sipping orange juice. Her hair was long and bimbo blonde (exactly the same shade as Lavender's). Both she and Lavender were wearing wedding bands. Tonks beamed at Hermione as she approached the table.
'Sit down, 'Mione,' Tonks said, 'and look at these beautiful dresses. We still need to pick one for your big day.'
'I think 'Mione would look great in a princess gown, like I wore,' Lavender said enthusiastically. 'Although they are a bit expensive, aren't they?'
Ron shrugged. 'Only the best for my- what is it now?' He pretended to count them, 'Third wife.' And then he shoved bacon into his mouth. He continued to talk, with his mouth full now, 'Although when we're married I want you to dye your hair blonde so you look like my other lovely ladies.'
'I- I didn't know you wanted three wives,' said Hermione in surprise.
Ron looked confused. 'Well, you know it's the law, babe- at least three wives. Us purebloods have to propagate. You ladies are lucky that I chose you as my wives.' He grinned in satisfaction.
Hermione looked at her future husband in horror and then, without anything really happening, time seemed to jump forward. She was now in the living room of the flat. Ron was sitting on the sofa next to Tonks, who was heavily pregnant. Lavender was sitting in the armchair, with her feet up, knitting. Hermione gaped at her. She was also pregnant but not quite as far along as Tonks.
Tonks sipped a glass of water and sighed. 'Merlin, I'll be glad when I can drink wine again.' Ron put his hand on her belly and rubbed it.
'I'll be glad when I can drink caffeinated coffee again,' Lavender said wistfully.
Ron continued to rub Tonks's swollen belly and he looked up at Hermione. 'When are you going to give me a baby, 'Mione? By the end of the year Nymphie and Lav will have given me two each.'
'Ron,' Tonks said, almost reproachfully. 'You know how hard Hermione works at the Ministry. Her career is important to her.'
'I gladly gave up work as soon as I fell pregnant,' Lavender said. 'My job is motherhood now, and I'm happy knowing that my man can provide for his family.'
'Maybe I shouldn't let you work, 'Mione,' Ron said thoughtfully. 'The stress is probably stopping you getting pregnant. Merlin knows we do it enough, and there's obviously nothing wrong with me.' He waved his hand around the room indicating Tonks and Lavender.
'Maybe she's just barren,' Lavender said snidely.
Hermione glared at her but before she could say anything, a baby started crying from somewhere in the flat.
'Oh that'll be little Molly,' Lavender said. 'Poor thing is a bit colicky. Hermione do you mind going and seeing to her? My back is killing me.'
'And while you're there, babe,' Ron said. 'Can you check in on Ron Junior?'
Hermione left the room and the baby's cries got louder and louder. Hermione hesitated outside the infant's bedroom and then she pushed the door open and went inside...
The next thing she knew, Hermione was awake and sitting up in bed, breathing heavily. She looked around and was comforted by the familiar but small bedroom of the flat above the book shop. She breathed a sigh of relief and checked the time. It was two o' clock in the morning. She quietly slipped out of bed and into the kitchen.
She poured herself a glass of water and then stood facing the window, sipping it and thinking of her dream. Or was it a nightmare? She couldn't imagine anything more awful than being part of some wizard's harem, or even being a little wife, with her only purpose to carry her husband's babies. She wanted a little more out of life than that.
But perhaps the most disturbing part of the dream was something she couldn't even really describe. It was a feeling. A miserable, lonely feeling of wanting to be Ron's wife, but his only wife. A feeling of being desperate for his attention and affection. The thought made her nauseous. What did it mean? Do I still want to marry Ron? She thought to herself, and then snorted. No way. She didn't love him, not at all, but a small part of her missed the life that she'd had.
'Couldn't sleep?' Remus said quietly, walking up to her in the kitchen.
She turned around and looked at him. 'I had a nightmare,' she said with a shudder. 'Weren't you asleep?' His hair was tousled and all he was wearing was a blue t-shirt and his boxers, she couldn't help but look.
'On and off,' he said. 'My mind kept going over and over things.'
She nodded and poured him a glass of water. She handed it to him and they sat down at the kitchen table. He sighed and then drained his glass in one go.
'Do you want me to come with you tomorrow when you go home?' Hermione offered.
He shook his head.
'Are you sure?' She said. 'I can help you throw Tonks's things, that would be very satisfying.' She smiled at him.
'No I can handle it, Hermione, don't you worry.'
He sighed again and Hermione's heart sank. Remus seemed really down, which was to be expected but she hated seeing him like this. She tried to distract him by talking about all the things they could do. They were both single and had more time on their hands and neither of them were the type to go out clubbing or getting drunk, so they talked about all the things they'd enjoy doing, like visiting the British Library or seeing the latest Shakespeare play beingperformed at the New Globe Theatre or even just arranging their Lord of the Rings movie night. In fact, they had planned enough to keep them occupied for the next few weeks.
'Okay,' Hermione said, her voice becoming slightly more serious. 'But what are you going to do?'
He thought about it for a moment and then looked her in the eye. 'I don't know yet.'
'Well I do,' she said. 'I'm going to university. And I'm going to get a degree in Potioneering and open my own research lab- but don't worry I'm still going to help run the business.'
He laughed. 'You're very certain about this aren't you?'
She nodded before continuing. 'And another thing I'm certain of... I'm not going to look for love, I'm going to let it find me. I'm not going to be with another man like him. I'm going to be with a man who thinks I'm interesting and beautiful and intelligent. I want to be with someone who treats me with respect and thinks...' She paused for a moment, trying to find the right words. 'Thinks I'm everything.'
Remus smiled at her.
'I sound silly, don't I?'
'No, you don't,' he said softly. He looked into her eyes, an expression on his face that she couldn't quite describe. She wondered what he was thinking.
'Thanks,' she said and got up from her seat. 'I'm going to try to get some more sleep now, even though I probably won't be able to. Goodnight, Remus.'
She started to walk away but before she got through the door, Remus spoke quietly.
'Hermione,' he said quietly, standing up and walking towards her. She turned around and looked up at him; his eyes were bright and his gaze was tender but intense at the same, making her stomach do a little flip.
'You are everything,' he said, and then he put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him, lowering his head and kissing her.
At first he kissed her gently, as though he was waiting for her to respond. She sighed softly and drew her arms around his neck, and he circled one arm around her tightly and tangled one hand in her hair, holding her head gently. He deepened the kiss and Hermione felt herself opening for him and then his tongue was tangling with hers. Her desire awakened.
Without even stopping he picked her up and sat her on the nearest counter and continued to kiss her hungrily while his hands held her waist. She reached up and ran a hand through his short hair while the other hand gripped his shoulder hard. Remus's lips left hers and nibbled her ear lobe.
'Are you sure you're okay with this?' He whispered.
She nodded immediately and he bit her earlobe gently before kissing down her neck right to the sensitive spot where her neck started to slope towards her shoulder. His kisses were hot, his lips were ever-so-slightly rough, and he made her skin tingle.
She groaned and he made a soft, appreciative noise. His hand left her waist and cupped her breast, his thumb brushing against her nipple through the material of her nightdress. She groaned again and pushed her breast further into his hand. Seemingly encouraged, he circled her nipple and then brought up his hand to circle the other one. Her breathing became heavy and she instinctively opened her legs, allowing him to stand between them. Her desire spiralled higher.
'Remus,' she murmured.
'Yes, Hermione,' he whispered back, his voice deep.
She didn't say anymore but drew her arms around his neck again and tried to pull him closer. He continued to circle her nipples with his thumbs and they were hot and hard, and she wished she could feel it without clothes in the way.
Remus stopped circling and cupped her breast gently with one hand. His mouth sought hers again, and she gladly gave it to him. With his other hand he stroked down her body, from her waist to her stomach to her legs until he reached her knee, which was where her nightdress came down to. Tentatively, his hand went slowly beneath the material and she felt it stroke her thigh.
'Yes,' she breathed, as his hand went higher and higher up her leg.
He stopped, and the quiet of the kitchen, filled only with her laboured breathing, was palpable. She squirmed, willing him to touch her again. And then she felt the lightest touch against her knickers and she groaned loudly again. Remus inhaled sharply and she realised that her knickers must be soaked with her desire. He stroked her through the material once again and then she felt him teasing the top of her knickers, making her desperately want his hand down there touching her.
'Oh God, more,' she moaned, her eyes squeezed shut.
'Are you sure about this?' He asked quietly.
Hermione opened her eyes and looked at him. 'Remus please.' She couldn't bear it anymore, she knew his hand simply had to be down there.
Without saying another word, Remus's fingers went under her knickers, parted her folds and found her clit and stroked it lightly. She jerked onto his hand.
'You're so wet,' Remus almost hissed as he stroked her again. 'So soft and warm. Merlin, Hermione, I want you.'
His fingers circled her clit and she threw her head back and closed her eyes. To Hermione, the world suddenly became very small. All there was was her clit and the fingers rubbing it. It felt like her body began and ended with that little nub of flesh.
'God... Hermione,' Remus said. 'I could do this all night.' She opened her legs wider, giving him better access.
She opened her eyes and looked down at their bodies. She had never seen such a sight before: her splayed out on her kitchen counter, with a deliciously handsome man stroking her core. She saw the tent in Remus's boxers and it turned her on even more. She took a moment to pull down his boxers and release him, marvelling at the size of him. And then she took him in her hand and started to pump up and down slowly.
'Faster,' Remus moaned, and as soon as she did, he started to stroke her clit even more fervently.
Her body started to shake and she squeezed his harder. He reached further down and pushed two fingers inside her and he moaned again, his thumb now taking over, touching her clit. If he carried on, she would come spectacularly very soon.
He seemed to realise it as well, and after a moment he stopped, moving his hand away. Hermione cried at the loss and looked at him, slightly frustrated as she stopped pumping him.
He leaned towards her ear and his words made her ache for him even more. 'I want to be inside you,' he said, his voice almost a growl. 'I want to feel you come around my cock.'
Without waiting for a response he swept her up into his arms and carried her swiftly into the bedroom and then he put her down so she stood a foot away from him.
'Come here,' he said gruffly and she immediately stepped into his arms and stretched up on her toes to kiss him, opening her mouth to let his tongue in.
They stood there for a while, their kisses getting more and more passionate until she felt his hands brush lightly against the skin of her thighs. Then she felt him lifting her nightdress up. He had to stop kissing her to pull her nightdress over her head. He dropped it on the floor and looked down at her body, his breath catching as he saw her like that for the first time.
Not wanting to be the only one so exposed, quickly ripped off his t-shirt and slipped his boxers down, his erection jutting out insistently. She looked up at him and her eyes locked with his and then he leant down hungrily towards her and captured her lips in another searing kiss.
Hermione stepped even closer to him, feeling the warmth coming from his lean frame. Still kissing her, he backed her slowly towards the bed and then he picked her up and lowered her on top of the duvet. She settled on the bed, moaning slightly in anticipation.
Remus knelt on the bed in front of her, looking at her lithe body waiting for him. He swept his hand up her thigh and groaned. He reached her knickers and slowly, languidly, drew them down her legs and threw them carelessly on the floor.
'You have never looked so beautiful,' he murmured. He lay between her legs and rested his arms either side of her. He kissed her lightly and then murmured in her ear, 'I think I know what you want but I have to ask, are you absolutely sure about this?'
She nodded, looking into his eyes again. 'I've never wanted anything so badly.'
Without looking away from her, he gently pushed the tip of his cock inside her, her walls stretching to accommodate him. He grunted with pleasure and the slowly pushed all the way in, her walls enveloping him magnificently.
'God, you're so tight,' he moaned when he was all the way in.
He paused for a moment, letting her get used to the feel of him and then he kissed her quickly and started to pull out until only the tip of him remained inside and then he was sinking back inside as deeply as her body would allow.
'You don't have to be so gentle, Remus,' Hermione said with a moan. 'I've waited too long... I want you so badly.'
He looked down at her, lying prone on the bed, and he didn't need telling twice; he braced himself on the bed with one hand and with the other he took hold of one of her legs, angling it just the right way to allow him even better access into her. He began to move faster, and with each stroke he pulled up until he was nearly out of her and then quickly pushed back in fully again. Hermione cried out as he rubbed against that place inside her that coiled her pleasure tighter and tighter.
'Hermione...' he groaned. 'You're amazing... you're so wet- I've wanted to do this for so long.'
She wrapped her legs around him, pulling him even closer to her. And now as he went in and out, he was rubbing against her clit, and she shut her eyes, concentrating on the pleasure, which was intensifying with each stroke of his cock inside her.
Everything seemed to fall away and Remus was the only thing she was aware of. All she could see was his face close to hers, his eyes shut tight and all she could hear were his groans, his heavy breathing. And the core of her being became the most important thing in the world- the only thing in the world apart from him, the wonderful, unbearably sexy man who was worshipping her so sublimely.
Hermione's pleasure had built until she thought it couldn't build anymore and for a split second, everything froze. And then she was experiencing the most powerful orgasm of her life. She trembled uncontrollably, feeling electrified from head to toe as her pleasure washed over her in wave upon wave.
'Remus,' Hermione cried as her orgasm continued.
Hermione's pussy pulsed around his cock, squeezing it tight and he smiled as he watched her breaking apart underneath him. He couldn't hold back any longer and he was coming with a roar, his seed shooting into her once, twice, three times. Exhausted, his head fell on Hermione's chest as her orgasm finally faded. Both of their hearts thudded in their chests.
Hermione leaned over and kissed his forehead, slick with sweat. Slowly he lifted his head up and kissed her slowly and sweetly and then, almost reluctantly, he pulled out of her and rolled onto his back. He put his arm around her and drew her closer to him. She rested her head on his chest and they lay there recovering from what was, quite possibly, the best moment of either of their lives.
I don't know about you but I love a good lemon ;). I'd love to know your thoughts on this chapter, so leave a review if you wish!
Also, I'm delighted to have finally set up a Facebook page dedicated to my fanfiction account, Gryffindork11. See my ff profile for a link and leave a like on Facebook! I will keep the page updated with info about my stories, geeky procrastinating and general mancrushing- it'll be fun!