Lost in Translation
Chapter Ten
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters.
A/N: Happy New Year, everyone! Thank you all so much for the lovely reviews. This chapter is a bit short, but I am hoping to get another update out by the end of the weekend. Happy reading!
I've seen better days
Sometimes life's hard to take
It gets hard to face it all alone
You looked into my eyes
Your face I memorized
Didn't say a word but you felt like home
Fill my head up with dreams and melodies
Think I'm needing you more than you need me
Please don't let me go, don't leave me alone
Think I'm needing you, but I don't wanna know
If the sky's about to fall, or if we lose it all
If we make it or we don't, I don't wanna know
If the music starts to fade and this feeling slips away
Don't wake me when you go, cause I don't wanna know
I don't wanna know - GOLDHOUSE & Mokita
Conflicted
Hermione's eyes opened sleepily. She felt drunk although only having consumed 1.5 glasses of champagne at the gala hours before. Hermione shifted her head on her pillow to view Ron sleeping soundly beside her. Their legs were intertwined and he had one hand draped around her waist.
Hermione stirred with desire as she gazed passionately up at Ron. She craved more. She wanted more, even after their fevered lovemaking a few hours ago that had left them both completely and utterly exhausted.
She raised her knee to press into Ron's groin and heard him grunt softly in response, his legs closing around hers tightly.
Hermione bit her lip and repeated the same action as she lifted her hands to play with the soft, auburn hairs on his chest. She felt a thrill coarse through her body as his hands traveled lower to cup her bum and press her middle into his. Hermione noted that his eyes were still closed but he was starting to stir.
He was almost fully erect now, as she slid her wet heat against him in slow, controlled movements. She muttered a quick contraception charm before grabbing his thick member and sliding him into her.
Hermione watched his face closely as his eyes shot wide open, dawning recognition of what was happening. "Bloody hell, Hermione…" He grunted as he lowered his lips onto hers, plunging his cock in and out of her slowly.
Hermione moaned deeply and wrapped her legs around his body to draw him closer. He withdrew his mouth to peer back at her, eyes misty. He slowly reached down to touch a curl that had fanned delicately across the pillow and the action was so tender that it sent shivers down her spine. She barely had time to process the notion before he was swiftly turning her over so that her breasts were pressed into the sheets, her bum high in the air. "Ron…" She breathed out just shortly before he entered her roughly from behind. "OH!"
The new angle was welcomed with several moans of appreciation as he slid in and out of her over and over. "Yes, Hermione…" Ron called out, listening to the sounds of their skin slapping against each other.
"More," She demanded and Ron grinned down at the greedy witch below while granting her request with a faster pace and deeper thrusts.
Hermione reached her hand out to grip onto the headboard in front of her to maintain her balance, as she rocked her hips in sync with Ron's. The positioning was oh so satisfying. He filled her completely.
"Fuck fuck fuck!" Ron exclaimed as he was hit with a powerful orgasm that shook through his whole body. He heard Hermione's pleasurable whimpers from below him as she came. Ron let his body collapse on top of Hermione's bare back and he nuzzled his face into her hair.
"Mmmm...delightful," Hermione moaned, steadying her breathing.
"Hermione Granger...should've known you'd be an absolute minx in bed," Ron chuckled. "The way you woke me up like that was so hot."
He rolled off of her and Hermione shifted her body so that she was now curling her frame inward towards him. Ron leaned over to brush the mass of curls off of her sweaty forehead.
"Hmm...just needed someone to tire me out a bit more," Hermione grinned as she let her head rest lazily against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and snuggled her close.
"Mission accomplished," he murmured, just before they both drifted off into a deep sleep.
Hermione awoke suddenly to the sound of an owl rapping against a nearby window. She moaned groggily and adjusted her eyes to her surroundings. Memories from the night before came flooding back and she instantly smiled to herself as she felt Ron's arm wrap tighter around her front to snuggle her close as a response to her stirring. She felt his warm breath tickle the back of her neck.
What in the world got into us last night? Hermione thought to herself, sighing in contentment, prepared to settle back into a slumber. Just before dozing off, Hermione's eyes snapped open wide. Billy. What in the world did I just do?
Thoughts from her secret messenger came flashing through her mind quickly, forcing her to sit straight up into the bed in shock. She had never moved so haphazardly through her emotions before, switching from joy one moment to regret in the next. Do I regret last night though?
She peeked over her shoulder to view Ron's still slumbering form and watched as he yawned to himself and turned over less than gracefully to face away from her. Hermione bit her lip. Ron made her feel so frustrated, yet amazing and sexy and...wanted. Billy also made her feel all of those things, but will she ever be able to put a face to her name? How can she be so sure that Billy is actually a real person and not just a figment of her imagination? A figment of who she wishes he could be. And how was she going to be able to convey these feelings to Ron without outright admitting the details of her secret pen pal? How would he even begin to understand?
Ron's deep snore broke her from her thoughts and Hermione hastily made her way off the bed in search for her dress and shoes that were displayed in a rather disorganized fashion across the floor. Hermione made a rash decision to attempt to sneak out of Ron's flat in order to give him more time to come up with an excuse and a plan before speaking to Ron directly. She just couldn't face him right now. For all she knew, he was just thinking that it was a one night stand to clear up any pent up sexual frustration between them.
Hermione was in the middle of strapping on her last heel, when a voice rang out, "Hermione? What's going on? Where are you going?"
She turned slowly to watch Ron rub his eyes tiredly before giving her a curious look. She noticed that he had managed to pull on his boxers before settling into bed after their last escapade, but she still blushed at the sight of his bare chest and disheveled hair.
"I'm...I need to go. I have work to do this morning," Hermione lied, breaking eye contact as she continued to work the last buckle behind her heel.
"On a Sunday?" Ron speculated, kinking an eyebrow.
Hermione opened her mouth to spill out another fib, when sudden movement behind her caught Ron's eyes. Distractedly, he moved swiftly across the bed, muttering, "Blimey, Pig. Such a clumsy creature." He opened the window to take the letter dangling from Pig's mouth and scanned it. "It's from George - he wants to meet at WWW in Diagon Alley later to discuss something."
Hermione slid her purse strings around her shoulder and was about to express her goodbyes when Ron asked, "Why don't we go into Diagon Alley together? We can kip over for some breakfast before you head home to do your...work." His nose scrunched up at the end in disbelief.
Hermione's heart melted at the thought. How domesticated did this life feel already? Night well spent followed by breakfast in the morning? She quickly shook the unrealistic thoughts from her head and panicked, knowing she had to say something more for him to let her go.
"Ron, I..." Hermione paused and looked down to the floor. She felt so ashamed.
When she looked back up, his face had curved downward into a frown. "What's wrong? I mean surely you can stay for breakfast at least? Everyone eats breakfast! We don't even have to go into town, we can stay here, I can whip up some..."
Hermione held out a hand to pause his rambling. "No, I...I can't Ron. Please. It's not fair to you." She desperately wanted him to accept her answer so that she wouldn't have to give away anything more.
"What's not fair to me?" He questioned almost immediately. His arms crossed firmly over his chest.
"I didn't mean for this to happen..." Hermione urged. She felt her eyes watering.
"Didn't mean for what to happen? If this is about last night and the fact that we work together, I would like to think we can still manage professionally even with the clear personal changes in our relationship," Ron responded with such determination that it almost made Hermione want to pull him straight back down into bed.
Hermione heaved out a sigh as she sat down cautiously on the bedside, pulling her face into her hands. This was not going as planned.
"I have to say, Hermione, you are a woman of few words right now. Quite uncharacteristic of you, I should add." She could hear the growing frustration in Ron's voice, yet still a glimmering of amusement suggested in his tone.
"There is someone else," Hermione croaked out dryly, head still in hands. Oh God, why did I just say that?
Several moments passed in silence until Hermione finally worked up the courage to face Ron, who now dawned a stony expression on his face. She felt incredibly intimated as his eyes bore into hers.
"Someone else," he repeated flatly.
"Yes...I mean maybe, I mean...I'm not sure." Hermione almost whispered the last bit, looking down at her hands in her lap with confusion.
"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Ron retorted angrily, moving closer to her so that he was leaning up against the dresser and facing her directly.
"It means...I'm not sure that this can be more than what it was last night...right now," she added after a brief pause, still holding hope in the back of her mind somewhere. Ron. Billy. Ron. Billy. Her mind bounced back and forth silently.
She watched Ron's shoulders sag and his arms reached behind himself to brace his body against the wood. After what felt like the longest minute, Ron whispered so softly that Hermione almost didn't hear him. "This wasn't meaningless to me, Hermione."
Hermione's heart broke at Ron's confession. It wasn't meaningless to me either. But, what came out of her mouth was, "I know...I...I'm sorry." She hung her head in defeat.
"Go," Ron spoke hoarsely.
Hermione looked up with tear stricken eyes. "Ron..." She almost pleaded. This was not supposed to happen this way.
"I said go," he shot back forcefully, striding over to the window so his back was turned away from her.
Knowing there was nothing else she could say, or really should say in that moment, Hermione made her way out the door and apparated away.
"Oi! Little brother…you've got quite the angry face," George commented almost immediately as Ron stepped into the shop.
Ron raked a hand through his hair, ignoring his statement. "I'm here. What's up?"
George raised his eyebrows. "Lady trouble?"
"Not anymore," Ron retorted. "So you needed something?"
Deciding that Ron wasn't going to be willing to share any additional information with him, George resigned to answering. "Yeah, yeah I did. I know you've been working a case and you can't tell me the details of it, that's fine. But, I thought you should have this." George handed over a piece of paper that Ron took curiously.
Ron Weasley. Hermione Granger. Eliminate.
Ron froze after reading the words on the paper. "Where-where did you get this?"
George frowned. "I found it on the ground on my way into the shop this morning. Looks like someone dropped it…Ron, what does it mean? Who do you think it's from?"
Ron had an idea. Belinda Williams. It would make sense. She worked in Diagon Alley and, after Hermione's conversation with her last night, it was clear that she was after them. Likely, Declan Ritter, too.
"You're right, it is related to the case, I think…"
"Ron," George urged, "If you're in any danger…"
"I can handle it," Ron interrupted. "Trust me, it's my job, remember?"
"I didn't realize Hermione was so involved in your work. Unless…" George eyed him curiously.
"No, it's definitely related to work," Ron shot him down. He wasn't about to get into a conversation with his brother about his romantic escapades last night. "I've got to go, thanks for this."
Ron left the shop swiftly, leaving a rather confused and concerned George behind.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Bennison," Ron greeted faintly as he stepped into the book shop. Bennison looked up from his reading in surprise and smiled at Ron.
"Oh, hello…" He watched Ron carefully as he moved towards the location of the journal.
Ron flipped the book open and was surprised to find that the most recent letter written was still his own.
"Oh. She hasn't been in?" Ron questioned.
Bennison pressed his lips together, " Your friend was in here a bit earlier. She read your letter, but it seems as if she left without writing a response."
"Really? Did she say why?" Ron glanced down at the book, confused.
"I'm afraid not, sir. Perhaps she will be back a bit later?" Bennison offered hopefully.
"Yeah...yeah, maybe. Thank you," He smiled sadly before placing the book back where he found it and exiting the shop silently.
What is happening today?