Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

"Traveled far for this lover, who she was she was not. But honestly it don't matter, aliens ain't farmers."

Chapter Thirty
"Courage"
Zacharias and Hermione

Brows furrowed as knuckles turned white against strained palms, fingernails digging into warm flesh as blood pounded through their heads. And it all came down to competition, always competition.

And it suited her, really, his over grown ego and her pride stomping prowess. It was stubborn against level-headed, narrow minded against free willed. It was a challenge, but in part, that was what she liked most.

She loved that he didn't give up easily, that she couldn't walk all over him just for the hell of it, she loved that he would grab her by the shoulders and kiss her senseless, that his very presence made her tremble.

And the fights always ended in the most exquisite shagging since the last time she was beneath him, on top of Professor Binns desk, her back arched as her hair spilled around her, her breasts glowing peaks in the pale moonlight as he bent to take one of them into his mouth, pulling at it lightly with his teeth as she groaned loudly.

And it was always teeth with him, a bite to her neck to remind her of his control over her, a nip to her lips when her tongue seemed to fight too roughly for his for dominance. It was all about control, it was all about being on top.

It was all about competition.

And sometimes she wondered if that was all he got out of those nights, hours spent perfecting the art of subduing and dominating, whole minutes where nothing other than a fire inducing climax was on their mind, their skin already set aflame.

And she couldn't help but give it to him, the bite marks reminders of his promise to her, one she knew was true, one she knew she would never get out of.

I've ruined you for other men.

And at first it didn't register, at first she thought he was being arrogant and of course he never made any sense, nothing that came from his mouth mattered but her name, a seductive allure on his perfectly formed lips she couldn't shake.

But then, when Ron's inexperienced lips touched hers for the first time that cold October night, she knew exactly what he had meant. Exactly what meaning was behind those cryptic letters, for there was nothing behind that kiss, and nothing behind those lips.

Not for her anyways.

Not anymore.

Not ever.

And even when that redhead unbuttoned her top and his shaking hands snaked up her thigh and his fingers dipped into that pooling liquid velvet she could barely produce so much as a moan as those teeth, ones she didn't recognize, buried themselves into her neck.

And at first it drove a moan from her dry lips, a second where she relapsed and actually felt him, felt him behind everything she had anesthetized for that arrogant bastard. But then, she gasped, her hands, already snaking through his beautiful red hair grasped tighter, his teeth digging into her skin with the pressure as she screamed.

Ron blushed.

Hermione stood to straighten her clothes.

Ron apologized.

So did Hermione.

Not only to him, but to herself...her own vulnerable self.

--

Dedication: To my lovely friend, C. Adrien Cummings, the last one of this batch! I'm so excited! I hope you like this one, I changed it around a lot until I was content with it P:

Author's Note: Hope it flows ok :D Song by Alien Ant Farm, Review! --Delta