A/N: This chapter is an M. I'll put a spoiler at the end since something big happens mid-smut, as if it's not obvious. There are three Xs before, three after if you wish to skip it.
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As always, enjoy and please review.
Edward opened the door to the hotel and stood aside for Hermione to enter first. She paused long enough to straighten the tight black and pink sparkled halter dress Alice had talked her into, then stepped through the doors. It was obvious the moment they entered where the party was, loud music played to the left. Edward excused himself to go check into their room. When he returned he offered her his arm and they entered the party together.
"Hermione Granger!" George was standing near the entrance and waved her over.
"Hullo, George," she smiled, kissing each of his cheeks.
"Edward," George shook his hand with a smile. "Just in time, they're starting an eight-table poker tournament in about fifteen minutes. Twenty galleon in."
Edward turned with a sinister smirk towards Hermione.
"Don't you think that's a little unfair?" she raised an eyebrow at him.
"Please?" he pleaded.
She sighed, dug in her bag, and handed him a sack of galleons. "Have fun," she shook her head. He leaned forward for a passionate kiss before disappearing into the crowd.
"You've met my girlfriend," George smiled as Angelina Johnson appeared next to him bearing two drinks.
"How are you?" Hermione asked excitedly as Angelina moved forward to hug her.
"I'm great. How have you been? Who is the hottie?" Angelina gazed towards the poker tournament.
"I've been good..." Hermione trailed off slightly
"For a vampire?" Angelina smiled.
"George told you?"
"I hope that's okay. I'm not bothered by it at all. He said you were living with some coven that survives on animal blood?"
"My new family. Edward introduced me to them, and I've been an animal-feeder ever since."
"And as such I ordered a special treat," George motioned for one of the waitresses, who came over bearing a small box. "I got Honeydukes to make these special," he said, holding out the box for her.
She took it and opened it. Inside were a bunch of dark-colored lollipops.
"Blood pops, made from Nile crocodile blood," he explained.
"Nile crocodile blood?" she raised an eyebrow.
"I thought it was something you probably haven't had before, and I heard you mention once that the more dangerous the animal, the better tasting the blood. How much more dangerous could you get?"
Hermione took a pop and hesitantly gave it a little lick. It was as good as the Acromantula blood, but there was something else. A warmth she felt over her icy tongue. She pulled it out and looked at it curiously. A waiter appeared and took the box for safekeeping.
"It might have been a crocodile that had a few too many Butterbeers," George smirked.
"It's really good," she smiled at him, licking it again. This time she could feel the warmth spread throughout her mouth. When she swallowed it warmed her insides, just like the Butterbeers from the Three Broomsticks. The burning in the back of her throat seemed to subside.
"Glad you like it. I want to make sure all my guests are taken care of," he smiled warmly.
"'Mione!" a voice sounded behind her. Someone crashed into her from behind, and she stumbled forward from the shock.
"Hullo, Ginny," Hermione turned when the person let go of her. She turned to see her redheaded friend standing, smiling widely, wearing a short, silver mini-dress.
"Where's your boy?" she asked, looking around.
"Poker tournament. Where's yours?"
"Poker tournament, though probably not for much longer if he's at the same table as yours."
As if on cue Harry appeared next to her.
"That was quick," Hermione stared at him.
"I was sitting next to Edward. He pushed me all in on the first hand. I had an king-high flush, he managed to pull out a full house. Prat."
The girls laughed.
"The way he's playing I'd be surprised if anyone at that table lasts more than another few minutes. Even Seamus, and he's the best poker player I know," he shook his head.
"I told him it was unfair," she sounded apologetic. "Though if you had learned Legilimency you would have been able to block his thoughts."
Harry rolled his eyes. "How about I take the two prettiest girls in the room out on the dance floor before Edward finishes off the table and takes you over again?"
"Well, I know I'm cute, but where's the other pretty one?" Ginny pretended to look around.
"Watch it, snack," Hermione sneered, but she followed Harry out to the large open floor where many people she recognized from her years throughout Hogwarts were dancing. Several of them turned towards Hermione in shock, both from seeing her alive and from her new appearance. She tried to ignore them, but she couldn't stop from looking around as she could smell each of them. The burning in the back of her throat started to become uncomfortable. She pulled out the blood pop and stuck it in her mouth to keep the burning at bay.
A couple blonde girls she didn't know stood out, and her gaze lingered on them a little longer than it should have. The girls suddenly looked somewhat fearful and disappeared into the crowd.
"Are those girls Beauxbatons?" she asked, looking after them.
"There are a couple somewhere around here," Harry replied. "A few Durmstrang, too."
Hermione gasped. "Not Viktor, right?"
"No, not Krum," Harry replied. "George invited him, but he said he had some Quidditch game."
She visibly relaxed.
"Now get over here," Harry smiled playfully. "How often do I get to dance with two hot chicks?"
"Never again after we get married," Ginny laughed, pulling Hermione in so they could dance with Harry.
A few minutes later Dean Thomas sauntered over. "Mind if I cut in?" he asked Hermione, holding his hand out.
She smiled at him and took his hand. They started dancing about a foot away from each other.
"Seamus taken down yet?" she smiled after Dean had told her how good she was looking. She was getting a little tired of hearing it.
"No, but it won't be long. He's playing defensively now. That Edward guy is beyond good. Have you met him?" Dean moved a little closer.
"I should have. He is my boyfriend."
"Boyfriend?" Dean looked surprised.
"Yeah. We've been together since a little while after the Final Battle."
"I see," he looked somewhat disappointed. "It was a little surprising, getting an invite to a 'Welcome Back, Hermione' party."
"A what now?" she asked in surprise.
"You didn't know? George billed this party as your big welcome back."
"It didn't say anything like that on my invite," she closed her eyes and tried to remember the simple scroll George had handed her at Christmas. "What did he tell you?"
"He said you had run off to America to be with some guy. I thought he was full of it. I guess he wasn't kidding, huh?"
"Did he tell you anything else?"
"Oh, the vampire thing?"
"He told you?"
"No. I kind of figured it out. I did get top marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"Well, as long as you don't think I'm going to rip your neck apart," she smiled.
"I wouldn't think George would invite you if you were dangerous," he rolled his eyes. "Though he has been known to do reckless things in the past."
"There's dangerous reckless and then there's idiot reckless. George has been consistently the latter," Hermione pointed out.
"Sometimes they're one and the same," a silky voice sounded behind her. They turned to see Edward smiling at them, Seamus standing next to him looking upset.
"What's wrong, Seamus?" Hermione asked kindly.
"This guy," Seamus jerked his head at Edward. "I swear, he managed to cheat or something."
"Or something," Edward smiled, moving to put an arm around Hermione. "Care to dance?" he murmured in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. Seamus and Dean disappeared as he pressed herself to her back. She started moving her hips against his, and she heard him growl behind her. She closed her eyes and started moving her body seductively against his, causing him to grab her hips and press her as close to his body as he could.
"Good God, Hermione," he muttered as she reached back and ran her hand through his bronze hair.
"Upstairs?" she breathed.
XXX
He didn't respond verbally. He grabbed his hand and pulled her through the crowd. He didn't wait for the elevator, he pushed open the door to the stairs. Once in the deserted staircase he started running, and was up to the fourteenth floor in seconds. It took them less time to get down the hall than it did for Edward to open the door with the keycard. The second the lock clicked his lips were on hers.
He pushed her against the wall, hands running over the delicate dress. They quickly found the zipper in the back and roughly pulled it down. The dress fell from her figure and pooled around her black stilettos. She hadn't worn a bra, and the sight of her bare breasts was too much. He lowered his head to her nipple and flicked it with his tongue. His other hand massaged her other breast, and her head fell back in a moan.
"Hermione," he groaned as she pushed him back on the bed and sat on top of him. She moved her hips slowly against his, and he pressed his up to meet hers. She reached down and tore his shirt from him, and bent her head to gently kiss his chest. He groaned in anticipation as she kissed him lower and lower.
Slowly she undid the button on his jeans. As slowly as she could she pulled them off his legs.
"Please, 'Mione," he begged as she brushed her lips against him. She responded by taking him in her mouth and working him slowly, his head fell back and his fingers played absentmindedly in her hair.
Her fang brushed lightly against him, and he winced. Rather than risk anything more he sat up, grabbed her, and threw her on the bed under him. His lips met hers with fierce desire, a growl emitting from his throat as a moan came from hers. He reached off the bed, so quickly she thought he might have slipped, and his tongue was back battling hers in her mouth.
She felt something slip onto the ring finger of her left hand, and she broke the embrace to look down at her hand.
"Edward?" she whispered, looking at the ring that was now resting on it. It was white gold with a large square diamond in the center, the whole ring contained smaller round diamonds.
"I was going to ask you at midnight, but I can't wait any longer," he muttered into her hair. He shifted so he was looking directly into her eyes. "I need to know, will you be mine forever?"
Part of her felt like it was too soon, part of her felt like vampires getting married was somewhat of a farce, but when she spoke she followed what her heart was screaming, and she whispered, "Yes."
His lips crashed into hers again, with renewed passion, and she wrapped her body around his. He slipped himself inside her causing her to gasp with pleasure. She ground her hips into his, needing release, her hands clawing into his back. His lips enveloped hers again as they moved together, moving more and more quickly, each needing a quick culmination to the sudden bond between them. His fingertips found her nub and he started gently pressing it, causing her fingernails digging into his back as waves of pleasure swept over her. Her tightening against him brought his own climax, and he groaned deeply into her hair as he spilled himself into her.
He collapsed next to her and drew her to him. He kissed the skin of her neck gently, and reached down to finger her new ring.
"You're not kidding, right?" she whispered.
"About marrying you? Why would I kid about that?" he answered, kissing her jaw.
She didn't answer, just ran her fingers lightly over his chest.
XXX
With twenty minutes to midnight they decided that it was time to head back downstairs. She slid off the bed and lifted her dress back around her. He stepped to her back and slid the zipper slowly back up. He hurriedly got dressed and they made their way back to the party.
"How do I look?" she muttered in the elevator on the way down.
He reached over to pat her hair. "You look like you've just had sex," he smiled at her. "Meaning absolutely amazing," he cut her off by pressing his lips to hers again.
"'Mione!" Harry, Ron, Luna, and Ginny came over to them as soon as they re-entered the party.
"Where in the world have you been?" Ron asked, a little wobbly on his feet, looking over Hermione's slightly disheveled appearance.
"Think about it," Harry rolled his eyes. "Sorry, 'Mione. He's had a whole lot of firewhiskey."
Hermione laughed. A waitress appeared next to them holding the box of blood pops.
"Here you are, Miss Granger," the waitress said disdainfully.
"Pansy?" Hermione turned to find her Slytherin former classmate staring daggers at her. "What in the world are you doing here?"
"Can't all be heroes, can we? Some of us have to work for a living, Mindy's Magical Catering was hiring."
"Well, good luck with that," Hermione smiled, trying to sound sympathetic but coming off as sarcastic. She took one blood pop for herself and one for Edward.
"Bite me, Granger," Pansy hissed.
"OK, why don't you go over there and find someone who paid attention in Defense to tell you why that was, quite possibly, the dumbest thing you ever said," Harry smiled, pushing Pansy away.
"Oh, that is a beautiful ring you have," Luna commented airily, gazing at Hermione's hand.
"Thanks, Luna," she muttered, trying to slide her hand out of sight, but the damage was done. Ginny grabbed her arm and forced the hand and ring into full view.
"Merlin! Look at that thing!" Ron exclaimed. "Looks like you have half the mine on your hand! Don't go swimming, you might sink to the bottom."
"Thanks Ron," she muttered.
"Seriously, 'Mione, Edward, congratulations," Ron raised his glass to them.
Hermione was studying his face, but Ron didn't look mad or upset at all. He looked genuinely happy for his friend. She hugged him as congratulations were passed all around.
As she pulled away from Luna's second hug the DJ announced that it was one minute until midnight. A large television screen which had been used for Karaoke switched over to the news, where an attractive blonde pop star started the official countdown.
"Get to your sweethearts!" George shouted as the clock passed twenty seconds to go.
"Ten... nine... eight..." the party counted down in unison.
Edward pulled Hermione close to him, gazing into her eyes.
"Three... two... one... Happy New Year!"
His lips were on hers, moving passionately, making the room melt away. In the background people started singing Auld Lang Syne but Edward wouldn't relinquish his hold on her.
"Cullen!" George's voice sounded to the side, and with a soft snarl Edward's lips left Hermione's.
"What do you want, Weasley?" he asked.
"Final table's starting up," George gestured to the single remaining poker table, already surrounded by excited looking people looking to see how quickly the new guy could take down the others.
"Back in forty," Edward whispered into her ear. "Meet you on the dance floor?"
"Make it thirty and you got yourself a deal. The quicker you win your ill-gotten gold, the quicker we go upstairs for round two."
"It's a date," he replied as she watched him disappear towards the quickest slaughter at a final table poker had ever seen.
Spoiler for those who skip the smut: In the midst of their interlude Edward slipped a ring on Hermione's finger and asked her to marry him.
