A/N: What do you say we start flirting with that rating? Not there yet, but it's coming. No pun intended.
(Hermione POV)
Molly, Arthur, and George showing up at the box had been unexpected, but not entirely unpleasant. It was nice that, in light of the sudden upwelling of noise from the crowd, Molly's fussing over me had been kept to a minimum. Ron showing up, however, was a completely different story. Without so much as a greeting he rushed over to me, pulling me into a tight hug, the smell of stale sweat and day-old firewhiskey washing over me. I doubt he's showered in two, maybe three days. And it hurt me to see him like that, but inside I was thanking Merlin we couldn't have our 'talk' with his family and Jacob around.
"Thank Merlin you're okay," he sobbed into my t-shirt. "I was so worried when I heard. I tried to get the address of where you were staying, but with Harry not talking and Madam Pomfrey and Snape as the only other options I couldn't. No one would let me send a healer, either. I wanted to come get you, there's a wizard hospital in Seattle…"
"Ron, I'm fine," I said tersely, disentangling myself from his grip. I chanced a glance at Jacob, and was startled by what I saw. He was drawn up to his full height, head looking dangerously close to the ceiling, jaw set, and looking closer to an angry wolf than a man in that moment. There was something behind his eyes, something that went way beyond the feelings one normally has for someone they just started seeing, the type of look you'd might expect from someone protecting their soul mate. Somewhere deep inside me I knew Jacob's feelings for me were deeper than he portrayed in that instant, but Ron's voice distracted me from the thought before it had a chance to turn into a nagging realization, and it was driven from my mind.
"Why in the world didn't you let the magical healers take care of you?" he asked.
"I was in capable hands," I replied.
"You were in the hands of vampires and werewolves!" he half-shouted.
I could feel my eyes narrow. "Who told you that?"
"Snape," he replied unabashedly. "I found him wandering Diagon Alley the day after it happened. Got him to tell me everything he knew but the address."
I scoffed at the idea that Ron 'got' Severus to do anything. Severus probably gave up the information willingly in the hopes of getting me away from La Push. Severus probably refused to betray my wishes himself, but no doubt had no qualms about manipulating Ron to try to do the task. Ron might succeed in breaking Harry where Severus could not without the use of magic, which he refused to use against anyone unless in a life-threatening situation. The man was as smart as he was insufferable, but after everything Harry had been through he was not as easy to read or to break anymore. I'm not surprised he kept the information from Ron. My health probably depended on it.
"Those vampires and werewolves took very good care of me," I said, trying not to snap.
"Those vampires and werewolves are the reason you were hurt," he shot back, and I could have sworn I heard a low snarl erupt from Jacob.
"I was attacked by a vampire that wasn't in the family that took care of me, and the wolves saved my life. Jacob here pulled me out of the ocean after I was knocked out. If he hadn't I would have drowned."
It was Ron's turn to scoff. "You're a witch. You wouldn't have drowned."
"I was burned on half my body with several broken bones and unconscious. There was nothing left in me to do magic."
"Kids!" Molly's voice cut over my own. "That's enough! If you need to talk, the Burrow is empty."
There was no bloody way that I was going to go to the Burrow alone with Ron. Jacob would probably go ballistic, he looked half homicidal right then.
"Sorry, Mrs. Weasley," I said sheepishly. Ron and I could barely spend three minutes together without it escalating towards shouting match, but I was sure by the end of the night Molly would be pushing hard for a reconciliation. And Jacob would probably be more upset by that. This was turning into a huge bloody mess.
Another roar from the crowd drew my attention, and I went to go sit down. Somehow I wound up with Jacob on my right and Ron on my left, each with their arms resting near mine, which I decided to cross tightly over my chest. Jacob looked from his hand to Ron's to my arms and smirked, like he had been in this situation before, but his smirk was replaced with a scowl as Molly, who was sitting behind me leaned forward.
"Are you back for good then, dear?" she asked.
"I'm back as long as it takes me to do my presentation," I replied, trying not to sound upset that it was starting so soon.
"Oh, are you going on another assignment?"
"Actually I was thinking of taking some time off. The mountains in the area are so beautiful, and the beaches… I was thinking it might be nice to take a bit of a vacation."
"That sounds lovely," she smiled, and I knew the shoe was going to drop soon. "Ronald, don't you have some time off as well?"
And that 'thunk' you heard was the sound of shoe meeting floor.
"I have about a week left, Mum," Ron replied, and this time I was sure that Jacob was snarling softly.
"Perhaps you should go with Hermione. You look as though you could use a break as well," she said, effectively inviting him on my vacation.
"Actually, Mrs. Weasely," I cut what was probably Ron's enthusiastic 'yes' off, "I was going to do a bit of research, but since it's not for work I've got to use my vacation time."
"Really? What kind of research?" she asked, sounding disappointed.
"About the vampire family in the area," I replied truthfully because Ron and George were both studying my face, and each would be able to tell if I were lying. "They're vegetarian, they live and work around humans, and apparently they recently ignited a spat that started a newborn army in the area that they and the pack had to take care of. And I'm interested in the fact that they seem to function more like a family than a coven. More so I'm interested in the patriarchal figure of the family. Dr. Cullen is a doctor working on patients who are bleeding in front of him. It's fascinating. I just feel the need to ask more."
Molly Weasley has this look, according to George, that could draw the truth out of the most seasoned liar. The look that prevented him and Fred from wrongdoing on many an occasion when no one else in the vicinity had a clue what chaos was about to descend upon them. "Weasley-tiserum" he called it, and he said the only prayer one had against it was to tell a half-truth and hope that your face didn't betray the lie buried within. I was pretty sure I was being subjected to that look because I had the sudden urge to confess that I wanted to spend days at a time wrapped in Jacob's strong, warm arms. It was a struggle not to bite my lip and give myself away, but luckily for me George and Arthur's joint cries of dismay distracted her, and the urge passed.
"Foul!" George was shouting, leaning over the barrier into the stadium and shaking a fist in the general direction of the field. I could see Ginny not far away swinging back onto her broom and the terrifying look of an angered Weasley written across her face. I didn't have to be close enough to hear what she was saying to tell that there wasn't a single nice word in the string of words that I could see her mouth forming. Luckily the ref called a foul and Molly, who had no more an idea than I about what had actually happened, went into a protective rant over her little girl. The game turned rough, and Molly was distracted for the remainder, and even if she hadn't been my horrible explanations of what was going on to Jacob and Ron's dismayed corrections held my attention for the rest of the thankfully short game.
"Hermione, dear," Molly said as we exited the stadium. "We were thinking of popping over to Florean Fortescue's for a treat. Why don't you join us?"
"Oh, I'd love to, Mrs. Weasley," I stammered, thinking fast. "But Jacob and I left his friend, Sam, at Grimmauld place not feeling well, and I want to make sure he's okay. We took a Portkey from Washington State, and I think I pushed it a little too far for first-time users."
"I see," she murmured, and I could see the wheels turning in her head as to how to get Ron and I in the same room again quickly. "You'll be having dinner at our house the evening after your demonstration, then?" she said, and it was not so much a question as a demand.
"With Jacob and Sam," I nodded. If the woman can RSVP me for a dinner that didn't exist fifteen seconds ago, I can pad the guest list. Two etiquette wrongs don't make a right, I know, but I have found this is the best way to deal with Molly Weasley. Fight fire with fire. I love the woman like my second Mum, but if I'm not careful I'll wind up back with Ron with no recollection as to how it happened.
"Very well. I'll see you then," she said, wrapping me in a sincere hug. I know she is only pushing for a reconciliation because she wants me as an official part of the family, and because it would make Ron happy, and if she realized my true feelings for her son I'm sure she'd back off. I just don't have the heart to sit her down and explain everything that was wrong between Ron and I.
"I'm looking forward to it," I replied. I motioned for Jacob to follow me towards the Apparation point, but I found it was Ron who was at my side.
"Can we talk when you come to the Burrow?" he asked in a low voice.
"I know what you want to talk about, and I don't want to give you hope," I replied in a voice barely above a whisper.
"What do you mean?" he asked, looking surprised. "I thought when you left…"
"I know I said I'd think about it, and I did. I just don't think I could love you the way you deserve to be loved. The more I step back from our romantic relationship the more I realize that you are more a brother or a best-friend. I just don't think we had as much as we could as a couple."
He was quiet as he looked at me. "Do you think that maybe, with more time…"
"No, I don't. I think it would be unfair to both of us to try to force it. I'd rather take a step back and try to salvage what we had before we became a couple, because as much as we got on each others nerves I really loved those times."
I hated the look that crossed his face just then, but I had to pretend I didn't see it or my resolve might crack. A couple seconds later he nodded, a solemn nod, but one that seemed to admit that I wasn't going to waver. "It's going to take me some time to be ready to go back to that stage," he said quietly.
"I understand. I just hope we can get there eventually."
"I think eventually," he said with a weak smile, and he stepped forward for a tight hug.
"I want you to be happy, Ron. And I think in the end you'll be happier this way."
"Sure," his voice was strained, and I could tell he couldn't disagree more with that statement. But he was doing as the old saying goes, setting me free in the hopes that I'd come back. I could only hope that he didn't wait too long for me to come back. I would have to enlist Harry's help at trying to convince him to put himself back on the market.
"We'll take this at your pace then?" I asked as I pulled away.
"Thank you," he nodded, squeezing my hands one more time. "Nice to meet you, Jacob," he muttered before Disapparating away.
I stared at the spot for a moment. As far as breakups went, that seemed to go over quite well, though I had nothing to really judge it on. Silently I reached out for Jacob's hand, and when I felt the warmth of it engulf my own I turned on the spot to take us back to Grimmauld Place.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
(Jacob's POV)
As we landed back in the empty library of the old house I had a sinking feeling in my stomach that had nothing to do with Apparation. I had just witnessed Hermione seemingly making her breakup with Ron official, but instead of feeling happy that it appeared Ron was no longer a block in our relationship I felt nervous that Hermione might be clinging to me as a rebound, and that what she would feel would change dramatically the further she got away from her relationship with Ron.
"Jacob?" she asked, touching my arm.
"How do you feel about me, Hermione?" I asked, looking down into her eyes.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"I mean that I really like you, and I want to be with you. But I've been hurt badly in the past. And I don't want to give my all to a relationship with someone whose heart is somewhere else."
"You know I need to take this slow," she muttered. "But I do want to take this somewhere," she added reassuringly.
"I'm not Ron…" I started.
"A desirable quality," she murmured.
"This is no time for jokes," I breathed.
"If you think I'm trying to push you away…"
"I don't. I'm just afraid that you will."
She stood on tip-toe to kiss my cheek. "If you don't stop worrying you risk it becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy." She then turned my head towards hers and captured my lips in a kiss. "And I would hate for that to happen," she added, so close her breath sent shivers down my spine.
I couldn't help but smile.
"If you go hunt Sam down I'll start cooking dinner," she chirped, and bounded down the stairs before I could say a word. I stood on the spot for a full minute, debating whether I should go get Sam for dinner, or if I should go downstairs under the guise of wanting to help her just to get her alone. How I wanted to completely distract her from anything to do with food at that moment. Thinking of getting her alone in the kitchen and what I wanted to do to her sent a rush of blood to my groin, which made it even harder to not go to Hermione. But I was afraid of pushing things too hard, afraid that she'd think I was only interested in one thing, so I headed up the stairs to the room Harry had set Sam and I up in.
"Honey, I'm home," I said as I entered the room without knocking.
"And how was it?" Sam asked, looking up from My Life by the Moon.
"The game? Outstanding."
"And spending time alone with Hermione?"
"Her ex-boyfriend showed up with his family and kind of threw a kink in that one."
"That sucks."
"Not as much as you'd think," I said, before telling him everything, ending with Hermione breaking it off for good with Ron and Ron seemingly accepting that fact. "One less thing I have to worry about," I finished.
"Now your list is down to, what, ninety-nine million or so?"
"You could shut up now."
"I would, but it's so easy to get you riled up. And fun, too."
"You know, I came up here to do something nice, like tell you to come downstairs for dinner, but if you're going to be an ass you can stay up here and starve. You are supposed to be under the weather from the trip, after all."
"If I have to miss another meal I think beta might be on the menu."
"You kill me and you're going to make an awful mess in here. And that little creepy thing is going to have to come in and clean it up. It'll probably take hours, so you can just have fun with that elf-thing."
"I think I'm just going to go to the kitchen," he grumbled, marking his place in the book and standing up.
But going to the kitchen to avoid the creepy little elf thing proved an exercise in futility as it was running around the kitchen, attempting to stop Hermione from cooking, and doing tasks behind her back when she wasn't looking. Hermione was telling him to take a break, but the thing looked like it might have a heart attack at the thought.
Dinner was delicious. Halfway through Harry and Ginny came home, and asked if we'd all like to go out to some place called the Three Broomsticks with the rest of Ginny's team for a celebratory drink. Hermione said she was out, she had to prepare for her presentation the next day and wanted to be on top of her game, and because she was out Sam and I were out, too. Which was fine by me, since neither of us had gotten much sleep the night before. We retired early, but I stayed awake in our room, staring at the ceiling and wondering what Hermione was going to have us do. It was hoping beyond hope to think she might get her hands on a blood-sucker for us to tear apart. We would probably just have to show off our strength and speed, and let Hermione do the rest. I doubt that a group of witches and wizards would just take Sam and my word for what we did, or even listen to us in general. I wondered where this demonstration would take place, and if it would require another Apparation. It wouldn't do our tribe any good if Sam and I both got sick immediately upon arrival. As I was debating whether or not to ask Hermione to take Sam and I on a few more practice trips to get used to the feeling nature decided to call. So I slipped out of bed and tried to move as quietly as I could towards the bathroom down the hall and up one flight.
I had relieved myself and was heading back to my room when I passed a door. As quiet as I was I could hear what was going on, and could immediately tell the soft, feminine moans coming from the other side were from Hermione. I froze, and several scenarios started flowing through my brain. She might have still been hurting from her accident. Or she might be having a nightmare about what happened to her during the war with Voldemort. I placed my hand on the doorknob, the other hand poised to knock when I heard something else. Her breathing changed, from measured and even, speeding up, becoming more uneven and ragged before there was the sound of another moan, and there was nothing painful sounding about it. That moan sounded like it came from a place of pure pleasure, and I realized that I had overheard Hermione as she was physically pleasuring herself. Another rush of blood settled below the belt, and I was thankful everyone else in the house was either asleep or at least in their rooms so they couldn't see me growing excited.
I listened as Hermione panted a few more times, then the sound of her breath cut off, but within moments she whispered, "Jacob," with another, slightly louder moan. She panted for a couple seconds, then regained control of her breathing.
For the second time that day I was rooted to the spot. For the life of me I could not even think of how to walk. Hermione had been thinking of me as she touched herself, had said my name as she brought herself to orgasm. This was the highest high I could ever even think of as the images of her doing just that, lying in her bed, her hands running over herself played in my brain.
There was no way that my erection was going to go away without the attention it was craving after that, so when I finally remembered that my legs could move I turned around and returned to the bathroom.