Chapter 11: Aftermath
The days that followed the first task were filled with whispers and cautious looks as Jade walked the campus. Since the second task wasn't until the middle of March, Hermione was trying to spend time with Jade as well we as Neville, preparing him for the task. The Oracle Stone was like the golden egg four years ago, there was a secret to opening it and Neville was working hard to try and figure it out.
Jade, on the other hand, hadn't tried yet for certain reasons. Halloween had come and gone without much fuss due to the ruckus at the first task. It was now December third and Hermione was with Neville in the forest trying to help him figure out the strange crystal in his possession.
"I just don't understand." Neville said as his stone sat on the ground. He was pacing circles into the crisp leaves that had fallen and Hermione was sitting on a bench along the path. "Oracle Stones are supposed to reveal their secrets with a touch." Neville was talking to himself and Hermione tried hard not to laugh.
"Perhaps it's a certain kind of touch, Neville." Hermione had read many books about Oracles, but Oracle Stones were a newly created artifact within the past few centuries. Not many, but their creators knew how to get them to speak, which was the main purpose of having them.
"I dunno." The tall boy sighed, frustrated with the difficulty of this challenge. "Why aren't you helping Jade anyway?" Hermione sighed and closed the book she was flipping through on ancient oracles in different cultures to look for clues.
"She's been…" Hermione thought out her words carefully. "Distant. We haven't spoken in over a week." Jade had been more than just distant, she was cold.
Something in Jade changed when she met her father, she had never said much to Hermione about it, but their time together was mainly silence now with Jade having a pained look on her face most of the time. They hadn't spent the night together in a while and every night was harder to resist the urge to sneak into Jade's room and crawl into bed with her. She thought back about the conversation she had heard while she sat outside the Dean's office waiting for Jade after the first task.
"Why didn't you tell me he was going to come for me?" Jade's voice was muffled by the heavy wooden doors that separated the girls. "Why didn't you ever tell me I would shift!? You said I wouldn't because my blood wasn't pure, because I lived so long as a human! I…I…What am I supposed to do now?" Jade's voice had grown quieter and wounded.
"I'm sorry, dear, truly." Reaver spoke softly to the girl in his office. "I never thought he would try and take you again. After he…" A pause…a tortured pause. "He killed your mother…my, my sister…I thought he wouldn't come back. I'm sorry Jade; I underestimated his will to have his pack. I know you're angry with me, but I did all I could to prepare you for something like this. I knew one day he would try to take you back, to complete his pack. In retrospect I should've told you sooner so you could prepare, but I never anticipated an attack so soon. I raised you like my own Jade, and I know I should've told you about your shift, but I wanted you to have the most normal childhood you could." Hermione heard chair legs scrape against the ground as Jade stood up.
"I appreciate what you've done for me…I do." Jade said slowly. "B-but I'm a…a monster. I could've hurt someone…and what they did to Rayna…I…her life is over because of me! She'll never be her own person ever again." Jade paused again and Hermione wanted so badly to know what was going on between the two speaking. "He…he said he made her for me. What does that mean?"
"He wants you in his pack, Jade." Reaver answered. "When you broke up with Rayna, he must've found her and offered a way to get you back while she was weak and wasn't thinking. He'll do anything to get you to join him, but you mustn't. You are a powerful witch and it adds to your power as a lycan. Lycans can't use their magic when they shift, but you can control it since you're so proficient with magic." Hermione heard Jade's steps pacing against the stone floor hastily.
"I won't let him hurt anyone. I can't…"
Hermione sighed again as she and Neville walked back to the campus to join the others for dinner. She hadn't seen Jade all day; she had been skipping classes for almost the whole week to avoid the questions and glares she received. The two Gryffindors entered the dining hall and started preparing plates for themselves.
Ginny and Harry were sitting at a table with Luna and Draco, who had surprisingly, after the war, became good friends with Harry. As Hermione sat down, she watched as Elise and Evette entered the hall with Jade behind them. She looked emotionless following the blonde twins who were staring daggers at a couple of Dalgang students who were glaring at them.
"I can't believe dey let dat beast stay here." One Swedish girl spat as Jade walked by. "She's a threat to everyone here." The dark haired boy sitting next to her was trying desperately to keep her quiet as the blondes stared them down as if daring them to say another word, which of course the girl did. "Why don't you get that monster out of here?!" A few shouts of agreement came from around the hall as Jade stood there unaffected and continued to go and get food. Her two body guards, on the other hand were ready to fight as they whipped their wands out aggressively.
"You better watch what you say, Hilda." Evette's voice was dripping with venom as her green eyes narrowed into slits. "I'd be more than glad to get a suspension to teach you a lesson. You're a guest here and you should act like it before I curse you into-." A hand fell on Evette's shoulder.
"Don't bother with her, Eve." Jade was quiet and refusing to make eye contact with her friend. "She's not worth the energy." Empty dark eyes looked over and made a connection with Hermione's brown ones.
Anguish and confusion were swimming in Jade's eyes while her face was still stone solid. Hermione wanted so badly to get up and run to her, to tell her things were going to be fine and to not pay any mind to that girl, but her body wouldn't move or listen to her brain. When her body failed to move, she averted her gaze when the disappointment rose into those blue eyes. Hermione wanted to cry. She felt a pain rise in her chest as Jade left the hall without another word.
"So what's going to happen to you guys now?" Ginny asked thoughtfully seeing the look on Hermione's face. "Are you broken up? Or…?"
Broken up? Hermione winced at the word as it invaded her thoughts. Were they? They hadn't discussed it, but it could be a possibility with their lack of contact the past few days. Hermione decided then to find out.
"I have to go." Hermione stood and briskly walked through the hall to the exit in search of Jade. Thankfully with her lack of emotion, Jade's gait had slowed significantly and Hermione caught up with her within seconds.
The dark haired girl turned to face her when she heard the rush of footsteps getting closer. They stood there for a moment, just staring at each other in the dark under the lamps that lighted the paths to and from buildings. Hermione was slightly out of breath and panted quietly, but was given away by the cold air turning her breath into mist.
"Jade." Her voice was almost a whisper as she took a step closer and Jade looked away.
"I'll understand." Jade's voice was raspy and low as she spoke. She finally turned her gaze back to Hermione who had a look of misunderstanding on her face. "If you don't want to be with me anymore, I'll understand." The words stabbed Hermione in the heart as they reached her ears.
"Is…is that what you want?" Something was stinging her eyes. Hermione willed herself not to cry, but the tears were threatening to flow from her eyes. She heard Jade sigh softly and took a few steps forward until she was standing arm's length from Hermione.
"I don't want to hurt you." Jade's words were being muffled by the blood that was rushing to Hermione's ears. "I don't want you to be ridiculed for being with me. So if you don't want to be with me anymore I'll understand." Hermione felt Jade step closer until she felt her breath dance with her own. "I just want you to know." Jade gently ran a smooth finger along Hermione's jaw making the girl look up at her. "That I do love you." The eyes Hermione had gotten lost in so many times were back to a bright blue as Jade's face softened upon looking into brown orbs that were brimming with tears.
"If you love me," Hermione managed to choke out between struggled breaths to keep her from crying. "Then don't you dare leave me." She looked up at Jade with sad anger in her eyes. "I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you in my life Jade." Her Gryffindor courage over took her and Hermione launched herself into Jade. She felt the girl stiffen as she wrapped her arms around her thin waist. A moment passed before Jade finally gave in and embraced the crying witch in her arms tightly. "I don't care if you're a lycan." Hermione cried into Jade's chest. "I only care if you're the same as when we met. If you're still Jade, I don't care WHAT you are. As long as you still love me…I just don't care."
Hermione buried her face against Jade's shoulder and sobbed. She couldn't keep the emotion in anymore, the time apart, the emptiness she felt without Jade in her presence. It was too much to handle on her own, and she wasn't as strong, as much as she wanted to be, she wasn't strong enough to fight the invisible tie that bonded them. Jade started to gently rub Hermione's back to try and calm her.
"I'm sorry 'Mione." Soft whispers played against chestnut hair and warmed her chilled ears. Jade pressed her lips against the curve of Hermione's neck and kissed her softly. "I've been, unsure of myself lately. With my lycan blood awakened…I feel like I'm losing myself. Like it's constantly fighting me for control. My uncle has been teaching me to become one with it, to make it a part of me, but I have a hard time accepting that part of myself."
Jade hugged the brunette closer as she wrapped her cloak around Hermione's shivering shoulders. Whether from crying or the cold, Jade wasn't sure, but she wanted it to stop. "I don't want you out of my life, I…I need you, I need you to remind me who I am. When you're with me, I don't feel pressured or confused, I just feel, calm. You make it so easy to just be myself instead of being the perfect student like everyone else sees me. With everything that happened though, I didn't want to force you to be responsible for keeping me sane essentially. So I thought maybe, if I distanced myself, you could think clearly about us."
Hermione took that moment to lean up to Jade's lips. It felt like months since Hermione had felt the softly touch of Jade's lips on her own, when in reality it had only been a few days. The kiss was light and innocent in essence, but it said so much to both of them. Security, reassurance, love, and protection. A promise to one another without uttering a word, this kind of silence Hermione could tolerate. She moved her hands up to snake around Jade's neck and pull her down closer and in turn, Jade's hands rested at the small of the shorter witch's back.
"I thought you had changed, Jade." Hermione admitted quietly as they came up for air. "I thought you didn't want to be with me anymore because we didn't talk about anything and you were acting so cold. I was scared that you were gone."
"It scared me, Hermione." She felt Jade lazily drawing her fingers up along Hermione's back. "I didn't know how to tell you what was happening inside me, how to explain that it was clawing at me trying to get me to let it out. It…it wanted you, it still wants you Hermione and I'm scared that I'm going to end up hurting you, but the only way I can learn to control it is with your help, your presence always brings me back."
Hermione nodded slowly against Jade's shoulder as she dried her tears. She should be scared to know the wolf in Jade wanted Hermione in such a way that it fought to be released, but the thought of losing Jade was too hard to comprehend. Lycan or not, Hermione was there to stay.
"I'm not going anywhere." She whispered finally as she pulled away just enough to look into Jade's eyes again. "I love you, and I will help you in any way that I can." Hermione leaned up again and caught unsuspecting lips in a passionate kiss. She had known in the back of her mind and in her heart that she loved Jade before either of them admitted it, but saying it out loud brought warmth to Hermione's body that rivaled a hot summer day. It coursed through her body from her face to her feet.
Hermione felt Jade's lips part slightly and took the initiative, gently biting her bottom lip. She was rewarded with a soft moan from Jade as the lycan girl pulled Hermione flush to her own body and wrapped her arms tightly around the brunette's waist. Jade's tongue played along her bottom lip slowly, tantalizingly, and Hermione whimpered in anticipation.
The blue eyed girl smirked playfully as she tilted her head to deepen the kiss. Tongues began to tease and touch as passion turned to hunger, and hunger became need. Hermione needed to feel Jade, to taste her, to touch her and quench the heat that was growing in her stomach and slowly spreading down. She pulled away slightly and saw Jade's eyes glowing bright blue with her arousal. Jade saw her eyes reflect in Hermione's and blinked hastily, trying to will the color away.
"Sorry," She whispered deeply as her eyes began to fade to their normal hue. "They…change sometimes when I get angry or…excited. Whenever my heart rate increases really." Hermione smiled lovingly at her as she kissed her lips again.
"Would it be all right if I spent the night with you?" Hermione desperately wanted to actually get a restful sleep tonight, but she knew it wasn't going to happen without Jade. All the sleeping potions in the world wouldn't stop her from dreaming about Jade or give her the comfort and security that Jade's arms brought. "I…I've really missed sleeping with you."
"I haven't slept." Jade gave a small smile as she watched Hermione's eyes carefully. "Not since before the first task…I'm afraid of what I'll dream of, and without you I can never seem to fall asleep." Hermione felt warm hands slip into her cold ones and it almost burned her skin Jade was so warm. "So to answer your question, yes, I'd love if you'd stay the night with me." She began to lead Hermione back to her dorm as snow started to fall from the darkness above them.
Hermione felt Jade wrap her cloak around her shaking shoulders as they walked in silence. As they reached the dorm building, she opened the door for Hermione, who gladly walked from the cold into the inviting warmth. There wasn't anyone in the common area except for Jenson and Evette who smiled warmly as they journeyed past and up the spiral stair case. Jade waved her hand to unlock the door and walked in.
As she waited for Hermione to enter, she flicked her wrist, lighting the room instantly before shutting the door after the brunette. The room hadn't changed much except for the fact that there were more books on her shelf and several scattered pieces of parchment and thick tomes on her desk. Jade must have been doing a lot of research about herself.
"I'm assuming those books aren't all homework?" Hermione asked hanging up their cloaks in the closet. Jade smiled softly and shook her head.
"I've been doing some work of my own." Jade answered as she loosened her tie. She undid the first couple buttons of her dress shirt and slid off her shoes. "I had to find something to occupy my time while I wasn't sleeping." As Hermione slid off her shoes and removed her sweater, Jade went and lay down on her bed with a heavy sigh.
The Gryffindor smiled before joining her girlfriend on the bed. They laid there together in silence before Hermione scooted over and rested her head on Jade's chest. The steady rise and fall soon was making her groggy. Jade grinned as Hermione's hand started to undo the buttons of her dress shirt while keeping her head on Jade's shoulder. As she finished with the buttons, Hermione's hand snaked around Jade's waist and she felt the dark haired girl shudder at her chilled touch.
"Sorry." Hermione whispered pressing her face against Jade's neck. "It takes me a while to warm up in this weather." Jade rolled onto her side to look into the brunette's eyes. She reached over and started to loosen the Gryffindor's tie and pulled it over her brown locks.
Hermione started to blush as Jade's deft hands easily undid her shirt. Putting her worries aside, Hermione mustered all the courage she had and slipped her shirt off her shoulders. Jade's expression was priceless. Not ever had the younger witch seen the look of shock and tinge of red on her girlfriend's face in the months they had known each other. Hermione was pleased to know that she had some control over the lycan.
The brunette's hand slyly slid under Jade's shirt and moved it down her arms slowly. Hermione leaned up and barely brushed her lips over Jade's, trying hard to keep her breathing slow. As the blue eyed girl wiggled her arms out of her sleeves she, leaned over to take control of the situation. Hermione laid back obediently as the gravity around Jade pushed her down onto the bed. Her heart was starting to beat erratically while Jade leaned down and brushed her lips delicately against hers.
"We don't have to rush into anything." Jade's whispers were barely audible to the drumming of Hermione's heartbeat in her ears. "Although, I will admit, it's getting harder to resist you." Hermione blushed slightly under Jade's intense, yet loving stare.
It had been a while since they had been together alone like this, so the will to deny her touch or proximity was immensely difficult for Hermione. The week they had spent a part only helped to build the tension that was growing between them when they were by themselves. The only thing that Hermione could think clearly about was being near Jade.
"I know we don't." She laid back down and pulled Jade with her slightly. "But it has been hard to ignore the…feelings I get when I'm with you." Jade smirked playfully at her before lying down next to the young girl and kissing her temple.
"It will happen when it happens." Jade said softly into Hermione's hair. She was getting tired feeling the warmth from the body next to her.
Hermione relaxed slightly resting her head against Jade's. She couldn't remember the last time they were together and she'd forgotten the feeling of serenity that came with just lying with her. Jade left momentarily to the bathroom and returned wearing just a tank top and underwear. It was very obvious to Hermione's traveling eyes that Jade had removed her bra which caused Hermione's face to burn.
As Jade returned to bed, Hermione slipped off her jeans and slid under the top sheet. She noticed that Jade's eyes were straying away from her half-naked body lying in her bed. Jade waved her hand and the lights dimmed before she climbed into bed next to Hermione. It was only seven o'clock in the evening, but spending time together in bed was the best way to end the day for the girls.
Jade clicked to the television on, and Hermione recognized it as the muggle history channel. As Jade lay on her back with her right arm behind her head lazily watching the show on Greek history, the brunette rolled towards the older witch and rested her head on her chest. Jade's right arm lowered and started drawing circles on Hermione's exposed skin on her back with caused the girl to get goose bumps.
"I've really missed you." Hermione whispered as she pressed her face against the heat of her girlfriend's shoulder. She started gently scattering light kisses on the pulse point of Jade's neck and up to her jaw. Blue eyes closed as she leaned down and captured the soft lips with her own. She felt Hermione lift herself up to deepen the kiss and Jade reciprocated by gently running her hand down the younger girl's slender side.
Hermione's breath caught in her chest as the heat from Jade's hand almost burned her skin and her fingers left trails of fire down to her hip. The brunette's hand found its way up and tangled itself into the black satin locks that fell gracefully over slender shoulders. The tension was building in the air as Jade's lips parted and the young witch took advantage by running her tongue along her bottom lip.
Jade sighed feeling the sensations that were running through her. Everything was becoming a blur as her heart rate started to increase and her senses became heightened with the rush of adrenaline. She ran her hand up Hermione's back and easily unclasped her bra with her one hand. Hermione gasped in surprise, but Jade didn't let her get any more of a reaction before she tilted her head and slipped her tongue past her girlfriend's parted lips.
Hermione let out a satisfied groan as her tongue mingled with Jade's slowly as the kiss intensified. She felt Jade's fingertips run over her shoulders to slip her bra straps off and Hermione tossed the barrier aside. Jade's breath was getting ragged. She could feel the wolf growing in her with her arousal. She tried to keep control, but the more she let herself fall into Hermione's want, the more the wolf fought to be freed.
Hermione could feel Jade's mouth getting rougher, gentle nibbles on her lips were becoming bites that were driven by hormonal lust. Jade's hands went from gently caressing her skin to kneading her possessively. A moan escaped when Jade pushed the shorter girl back against the bed and drifted over top of her.
This only drove the lycan girl to lean down and gently bite a sensitive spot on Hermione's neck. She knew she had found a good spot when Hermione's hips jumped off the bed and she threw her head back, biting her lip to stifle her throaty moan. Hermione's heart was racing and her breath was uneven.
Arms wrapped around Jade's neck as Hermione felt swift lips move down past her collarbone to the swell of her breasts. Her head was hazy, her entire body was on a high so that every touch, kiss, or bite made the heat in her stomach spread farther down. She suddenly felt a satisfying weight move in between her legs and she moved her hips to try and quench the need that was growing there.
Jade smirked at the action and ran her hands down Hermione's side to her thigh. She lifted her knee so she could fit herself better in between the brunette's legs and her girlfriend whimpered feeling the pressure against her aching center. As she heard the symphony of Hermione's moans and whimpers of pleasure, Jade pressed her hips against Hermione's gently at first, until she felt the pressure returned with earnest.
A deep growl was released as she felt the heat rise from her core and spread to her entire body. The wolf was howling now, clawing and biting at Jade's cage she had locked it in. She didn't trust it; she didn't want to hurt Hermione in the climax of their lust. Jade tried her best to block it out, but the heat resonating from her body was getting harder to ignore.
Her vision started to become substantially better and every breath Hermione moaned was all Jade could hear apart from her own sounds of appreciation. The younger witch started to grind harder against Jade as the ache between her legs got worse. Jade moaned and ran her hands up over Hermione's stomach to gently cup her breast. The sensation in between her legs grew stronger as she felt Jade's hand run over her hardened bud and gently grope her breast.
Hermione couldn't hold back her ragged breathing or the guttural moans and cries of pleasure that were uncontrollably escaping from her lips. Every touch now was electricity. Hermione looked into Jade's bright blue eyes and was surprisingly turned on to the fact that she could make her react in such a way. She leaned up and gently bit Jade's bottom lip a bit harder than necessary as Jade's hips moved faster as the overwhelming pressure in between Hermione's legs grew stronger.
Finally, the brunette let out a loud cry as her body shook from the release. Jade's hips slowed to make the sensation last as long as possible before feeling Hermione's nails dig into her back. They lay in that position for a while as Hermione slowly came down from her high. A light sheet of sweat covered both of their bodies as they looked into each other's eyes. The glow was slowly fading as Jade's heart started beating normally, but Hermione's eyes were still dark with lust and it made a coy smile creep across Jade's lips.
"That was…fantastic." Hermione whispered in between breaths. Jade leaned down and laid soft kisses along her girlfriend's face. The satisfied Gryffindor closed her eyes and reveled in the last few moments of her release. She felt Jade lean down and kiss her neck gently.
"It gets better." She breathed before running her hand down Hermione's body in between her legs and started to caress her inner thigh. Her other hand slid down her thigh expertly removed the barrier between them.
Hermione, feeling rather brave with the lack of her over thinking, slipped her hands under Jade's tank top and slowly drew it up over her head. Brown eyes raked over the toned body before her as she subconsciously ran her hands over forbidden flesh. Jade smirked evilly and ran her hand over Hermione's slender stomach before reaching the heat in between her legs. Hermione moaned at the contact and bit her lip as she felt practiced fingers massaged her gently.
Jade leaned down to kiss the pulse point of Hermione's neck and gently nibbled down, leaving lingering trails of electricity between her breasts and down her stomach. As she felt a finger slowly find its way between her glossy folds, Hermione was shocked at how aroused she was and how easily Jade slipped a single finger into her gently. A whimper filled the air when she heard Jade moan at the sensation of finally feeling Hermione's arousal.
A strong arm slipped under the lithe girl's waist as Jade's finger moved slowly in and out. The anticipation was killing the young girl; the feelings she was experiencing by Jade's ministrations made her hips shake and roll in sync with the motion inside of her. Hungry hands found Jade's bare shoulders and grabbed them desperately to keep her on grounded. Nails dug into flesh when Jade hit an extremely pleasing spot that caused Hermione's hips to jolt forward, seeking more. Another finger slid in with a smooth motion and the sensation almost caused Hermione to cry out.
Jade groaned as Hermione's back arched, grinding her hips into her fingers harder, giving her the incentive to thrust faster. A pleasurably pain shot through her body as Hermione's nails scraped over her shoulders agonizingly slow. Jade felt her eyes glow as the burn from her wounds drove her further to pleasuring her lover. She angled her fingers slightly to hit the spot Hermione loved and began to worship it leisurely.
"Don't tease." Hermione breathed out as she leaned up slightly to look into Jade's eyes. A playful smirk played on Jade's lips and she increased her speed (barely) to obey her girlfriend's wishes. She chuckled as Hermione collapsed back down and closed her eyes before working her hips with Jade's fingers, which caused her to lean down and softly flick her tongue over the bundle of nerves just above her fingers.
Instantly, Hermione's hips jerked up and a sharp gasp rang in the air. By now, Jade was determined to end the game, she began running her tongue over the swollen nub faster and thrusting her fingers harder against Hermione's sensitive spot. She heard the build-up of ragged breaths mixed with soft whimpers.
Nails buried sharply into Jade's scalp, keeping her glued to that spot. Hips rolled faster with her hand as she sucked softly on the nerve. Hermione felt the heat and pressure rising up from her core. Arching her back and trying hard not to yank Jade's hair out, she released a scream as the pleasure erupted from her body.
Before she could even catch her breath Jade's lips were on hers gently. Her fingers were still working slowly to get Hermione's climax to last a little longer. The brunette's hips continued to grind slowly as tremors shook her body in waves. Jade gently bit her bottom lip and sucked as the last of Hermione's orgasm washed over her and another wave shook her body as she felt Jade's fingers leave her pulsing core. Hermione let out a slow sigh as Jade lay down next to her panting faintly.
"I thought you were just being cocky when you said it got better." Hermione whispered, voice ragged as she leaned her head against Jade's chest. The taller girl smiled softly at her exhausted lover and finally took in the naked body in front of her as her eyes were clear of lust. She leaned down and softly kissed Hermione on her forehead.
"You're so beautiful." Jade mused as a smile spread across Hermione's lips. "I don't know if I've ever told you." The air was still thick with their sexual escapades, but Hermione could feel her temperature lowering as she moved closer to Jade's everlasting warmth.
"Why are you always so warm?" The brunette rolled on her side to face Jade and an arm wrapped around her back to pull her flush. She felt heat rise in her face as their breasts pressed against each other. Thank Merlin it was dark.
"It's a lycan thing." Jade answered softly as she started ghosting her fingers along Hermione's lower back.
As the girl closed her eyes and sighed softly, Hermione leaned up and placed a soft kiss on parted lips. It wasn't laced with lust like previous kisses; it was full of appreciation and content as Jade reciprocated gently. For being Hermione's first time, she was extremely pleased with how it happened. She didn't regret it like some of her friends had when they told her about their first experiences.
Before she got too comfortable, the Gryffindor went to you the bathroom to finish her nightly routine and freshen up. Hermione was glad her first time had happened with someone she cared so much for. As she returned to bed she saw that Jade had pulled back the comforter on Hermione's side of the bed.
The brunette smiled and slipped under the warm blanket next to her girlfriend. Jade gently laid her head on Hermione's and closed her eyes. Brown eyes were already closed and the dark haired girl could tell from her breathing that she was drifting to sleep. With a lazy wave of her hand the TV shut off and the lights were doused.
The moon was the only light that filtered into Jade's room, shining softly on Hermione's side laying figure. Hermione laid on her back and took a deep sigh as sleep was starting to take her. The muscles in Jade's body were starting to ache as she lay next to her lover and she draped her arm around Hermione's waist. She pressed her lips to the spot behind her ear gently.
"I love you, Hermione." Jade whispered softly before kissing her shoulder.
"I love you too." Hermione's voice was muffled by fatigue and Jade smiled as she cuddled next to her and drifted to sleep.