Author's Note: A ginormous thanks to my mom, who helped me through writer's block to come up with the idea of how to link last chapter and the upcoming one, which were both already planned out. Not Rowling.
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Hermione was sitting at one of the outside tables at Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, slowly eating her cinnamon ice cream with crushed toffee and listening as Ginny happily gossiped about the new girl for the Harpies, her eggnog ice cream with a raspberry swirl melting away in the summer sun.
"So how are things with you and George?"
Hermione sighed. "He's marvelous. He's a gentleman, he's kind, he's funny, he's a gentleman, I just adore him…he's a gentleman." She looked up from her ice cream to see Ginny licking her spoon happily, her eyes glazed over. Hermione sighed exasperatedly. "You're not even listening to me."
"Yes, yes I am! He's a gentleman."
"Yes. Yes, he is that," replied Hermione, her tone one of suppressed frustration.
"What? What is this? What's going on?"
"He's too much of a gentleman!" Hermione looked at Ginny desperately, who just looked at her blankly.
"Too much of a…oh, OH!" exclaimed Ginny, finally catching on. "Oh, so you want-" Hermione nodded. "And he won't-" Hermione shook her head. "Because-"
"Gentleman," Hermione replied dejectedly.
"Gentleman," repeated Ginny, nodding her head while mulling things over. "Well, let's fix this. Let's write a list," she said happily, digging through her purse to find parchment and a quill.
"A list?" asked Hermione, somewhat skeptical.
"Yes," replied Ginny determinedly, dipping her quill in the ink and readying the parchment. "So, how to seduce George. What an odd topic for me to be helping you on. I suppose it's repayment; after all, Harry is like a brother to you. Hmmm…so….well, first off, you want this to be in your control, so it would have to be at your place. So that means cleaning up your apartment and readying it for a date. Next, you have to sexy yourself up."
"Excuse?" Hermione said, laughing.
"Sexy yourself up. You know, wear a tight, revealing outfit, make your hair and makeup all lovely and sultry. Sexy yourself up."
"I don't think I own anything tight. I tend to not prefer feeling like a sausage."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Fine, then we'll go shopping after this."
"Ginny-"
"Hey, you want help, you listen to me."
Hermione sighed, knowing Ginny was completely right. "Continue."
"Alright, so cleaned up house, sexied up you…Ooh, cook him his favorite meal. Yeah, and wear nice lingerie. You do own that, don't you?" She gave Hermione a doubting look.
"I have been in a relationship before."
Ginny raised her hands, proclaiming her innocence. "Jus' checking. Alright. So here you go." With a proud smile, she handed Hermione the list.
Seducing George: A List for Sexually-Frustrated Hermione.
1) At Hermione's house.
2) Clean house (bed)
3) Sexify
4) Favorite meal
4) Nice lingerie
"What that title truly necessary, Ginny?" she said, looking up from the impossibly short list. Ginny just grinned cheekily at her and pulled her up from the table, ushering her out into the main street.
"C'mon, let's go get you something to wear."
…
Hermione got back to her apartment around two in the afternoon, and looked around. Her brow wrinkled as she thought of all the ridiculous preparation that would go into one night. She looked down at the open garment bag and bit her lip nervously as she surveyed the cerulean bandage dress.
"What have I gotten myself into?" She looked up and into the mirror that hung above her bed and in that moment, she made a major decision. "Screw it, it's tonight or never."
…
George was working hard in the store, which was packed to the bursting with customers. It always was during the summer, as the students had ample amounts of time to while away, looking at all the new products and planning their newest pranks. It was six when he finally closed up, all alone as Lee had headed home early to ready himself for a date with his newest conquest, a Greek bird named Alastrina. He yawned and stretched, checking to make sure everything was fine before heading up to his apartment. As he walked up the stairs, a delicious smell wafted through the air. Confused, he headed to the door and opened it.
"What is that- phwuh." His speech had been cut off by every coherent thought flying out of his brain at exactly the same moment. There, in front of him, on his small dining room table, were jacket potatoes and a Yorkshire pudding. And to complete this already delectable picture, his girlfriend, dressed as he had never seen her before, was setting a Sunday roast onto the center of the table. Once his eyes had registered that this was indeed real, his eyes moved to Hermione. Her curls were calmed and spilled down her back, like never-ending waves of molten chocolate, while her body, Oh Merlin, her body, was sheathed in a very tight blue dress that ended just above her knees and was cut lower than anything else she owned.
Good Godric, this is like something out of a dream. A naughty dream, but a dream nonetheless. Oh dear Merlin. Okay, okay, eyes up. Eyes at her face.
"Hey love. Well, this is a fantastic surprise. And you look simply ravishing." He headed over and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "What brought this about?" he asked, sitting as Hermione gestured for him to do so.
"Just wanted to do something special," she said with a smile. But it wasn't a normal smile. There was something behind that smile and he couldn't figure out what it was.
"Well, it's lovely. Thank you so much, love."
"You're very welcome." There it was! There was that mysterious smile again! He watched her curiously as she served him food. The dress hiked up a tad as she leaned over to get the pudding, and the way she was bending, he could see right down her top to… wait, Hermione owned a lacy bra? He gulped and his eyes snapped up just in time. She turned and deposited the plate in front of him. Dear Merlin, why did she keep bending like that? It was hard enough trying to keep his cool without the constant views of her quite generous cleavage. No! No! Be a gentleman, George, be a gentleman.
They ate and talked about his work or the new book she was reading or her day with Ginny, picking out clothes for Teddy, but his mind wasn't completely there. It was taking a considerable amount of energy just to keep from drooling and staring at the body he knew had been there, but had never known was that amazing.
"So what do you think?"
"Huh?" He blinked, realizing he had been having a staring contest with the plate of Yorkshire pudding as he resisted the temptation to stare at her in a very un-gentlemanly way. "I'm sorry, I missed that. Could you repeat?"
She smiled at him, a slow, knowing smile that lit up her eyes. "Sure," she said slowly, as if rolling the word around on her tongue, savoring the taste before releasing it to the air. She started talking again, and this time, it took all his energy to focus on what she was saying. When they were done eating, she excused herself and headed to his bathroom. Has she always walked that way, with her hips swaying? Has she always had that nice of a bum? George! Get a hold of yourself! That is not the right way to go about this! He drank two glasses of water quickly, trying to calm the inner fire that was burning despite his best efforts to prevent it. He stood up and, with a wave of his wand, the rest of the meal neatly packaged itself and zoomed into the icebox while the dishing soared to the sink and began to wash themselves. Pleased with the quick cleanup, he turned around. What? When did she get right behind me? I didn't hear her leave the loo. Why is she smiling at me like that?
Before he knew what was happening, her lips were on his and her arms were wrapped around his neck, one hand already on the nape of his neck, her fingers toying with his hair. He kissed back, surprised but pleased. As they kissed, she pushed him backwards until he was sitting in his chair again, Hermione now sitting sideways on his lap, as one would do when riding a horse side-saddle, her ankles crossed. He held her close as she deepened the kiss – Well, if she wants to take initiative, that's fine with me – his hand straying lower and lower down her back until he rested it on her thigh. She kissed him with more fervor, more urgency, as if fearing if she didn't kiss him now, she wouldn't be able to later. He knew what he wanted, and he knew how easy it would be, but it wasn't the right thing to do. He broke the kiss, rather abruptly, and stared at her, conflicted and breathing heavily.
"Hermione, I think we should stop."
"Why?" Her voice almost sounded like a whine when she said it.
"I just-, I can't pressure-," he tried to say, but his brain was currently having issues making sure air was going in and out of his lungs, let alone forming sentences that were approved of my his brain, but violently objected by his heart and his body.
"Bloody hell, this is ridiculous!" she shouted angrily, getting up and looking at him, exasperated. He watched her, completely at a loss. "I know you're forever the gentleman, but honestly? This is bloody ridiculous." His mind finally clicked into place as he saw her in front of him, her cheeks flushed, her hair mussed, her dressed hiked up to halfway up her thighs from having gotten up quickly from sitting, and her lips swollen from the intensity of their kissing.
"Wait," he said while getting up, feeling incredibly slow. "Are you upset that we haven't-"
"YES!" she shouted. "And I have tried, and I have tried, and I appreciate you being so respectful, but this is getting-"
He cut her off as he pulled her to him roughly and kissed her hard. They broke apart and, a seductive grin spreading across his face, George replied quietly, "Hermione, all you had to was ask." And with that, he kissed her as he had that night at the pub, finally letting his heart take over and forcing his brain into the backseat.
