Just a bit of Sunday afternoon Smuff. FYI this is definitely an M rated chapter.

If you told me on Monday, that I would find myself that Friday evening sitting in my bathtub with a very naked and very wet Ron Weasley sitting across from me, I would have laughed at you. And then went to bed fantasizing about just that scenario.

But, I didn't have to fantasize it, because come Friday evening, that's exactly where I was.

We were approaching the weekend before Thanksgiving, and I had just about accepted the fact that I would not see Ron for more than another five weeks still. He was even set to leave for London the day before Thanksgiving, and would return to New York the morning after Christmas. That same morning, I would deliver Rose to her dad's for her holiday visit, and then have another week of Ron to look forward to.

But it was so very far away. Ron (and Rose's) anticipation for Christmas was rubbing off on me. I longed to see him again. He was the only gift I wanted to unwrap.

Our daily texts and talks were wonderful, don't get me wrong. We were getting to know each other in so many deeper ways. He made me laugh harder than anyone ever had. He was funny, witty, just the right amount of sarcastic, and yet a tad bit aggravating at the same time. He pushed my buttons, but somehow in a good way. Whenever I got off of the phone with him, my eyes hurt from rolling them so much but my cheeks hurt just as much from smiling so hard.

But I wanted to see him, feel him...kiss him. And it didn't seem as if it would be possible until December twenty-sixth...

So, that particular week, when Rose requested to spend that weekend with her best friend Cassie's family at a lodge in Pennsylvania, a light bulb quickly went off in my mind.

"I know it's last minute mom," she was saying, already jumping into her arsenal of pleading tactics to win me over, "but I'm way ahead on my schoolwork, and would only miss one day since we'll leave early Friday and be back Sunday night. Plus, it's Cassie's birthday and -"

"Of course you can go Rosie."

"- you know Ms. Marcy well enough to...what?"

"I said, of course you can go." Rose stared at me slightly bewildered. I guess she thought she would have had to fight harder than that. She acts as if I never allow her to do anything sometimes...is this what I have to look forward to when she's actually a teenager? "I know and trust Marcy very well, and I'm sure you and Cassie will have a wonderful time. What time will they be picking you up Friday morning?"

Okay...so I obviously had other motivations for allowing her to go, but even if I didn't have an attractive red head to call to see if he could possibly drop his weekend plans to come and spend two nights and two days with me, I still would have let her go. I'm not some kind of inflexible mom. In fact, I happen to think I'm very flexible and liberal. I'm a cool mom! Rose only sometimes agrees...

I did, however, have an attractive red head to call. And he gladly dropped his plans - even took a half day on Friday, in fact - to take the drive up to Connecticut and steal away with me for the weekend.

"I didn't have plans this weekend," he had told me when I called him later that day. "I keep my weekends open just in case an opportunity such as this arises." I rolled my eyes at him and gave him my address and directions.

And now, here we were, soaking in my (thankfully) large tub amidst bubbles and surrounded by candles and glasses of wine. He looked so adorable with his wet hair sticking to his forehead, and had taken it upon himself to begin one of the best foot rubs I'd ever received in my life.

I sighed and closed my eyes - his strong, calloused hands were magical. I was convinced that Ronald Weasley was a wizard. A tall, handsome, ginger, British wizard. With a wicked magic wand. And I was so ready to be his wicked, wicked witch.

I smiled at myself...the wine was definitely getting to me. Goodness, why am I such a lightweight?

"You look like a mermaid," he said softly. The low timbre of his voice seemed to vibrate across my body. We'd already went at it twice since he'd arrived - our "hello" kiss rather quickly became a "hello" quickie up against the front door, followed by a more thorough and slow session once we finally made it to my room - and yet I felt ready to go once again.

"How so?" I asked, my eyes still closed.

"The way your hair is loose and wild, and long, and perfectly covering your tits like that." I giggled, and knew he was likely enjoying watching them jiggle a bit. "All you need are fins." I gasped when I felt his mouth close around my toe and suck gently.

"Ron!" I opened my eyes and caught him grin just as he released my toe, a devilish twinkle in his eye. "You're bad."

He shrugged. "Nah, I just really, really missed you." His eyes were so clear and open, as if he was truly showing me every ounce of his feelings in that moment.

"I missed you too."

He smiled and switched feet now, giving my right the same quality attention he had given my left. "I know it was only a week, but I got so used to having you around that when you left...I don't know...I've just felt as if something was missing, all this time."

"I know what you mean," I said softly. "I felt silly, but I was so sad driving away from the city...from you."

He smiled at me as his fingers began to lightly caress my ankle and then leg. "So, what are the plans for the weekend madam hostess?" He teased. "Or do you just hope to keep me in this tub for the next two days?"

"That actually isn't a bad idea. We'll just stay here and get all pruny," I giggled. This time I watched as his eyes watched my breasts and his brow raised. "Stop that!" I laughed with a small splash. "You're such a hornball!"

He shifted to crawl towards me. "If that means I'm a randy sod, then yeah," he was on his hands and knees now hovering over me, his nose touching mine, "I guess I am a hornball. But only for you." His kiss was soft yet passionate. Goodness I was addicted to kissing this man.

When his lips finally released mine, I made room so he could ease in behind me, his legs wrapped around my legs and his arms engulfing me. I leaned back against his chest and sighed as he moved my hair so he could drop kisses along my ear and neck. "We can almost stay right here all weekend," I said softly, pulling myself out of my daze to get back to our conversation, "except for dinner tomorrow night."

"Oh yeah?" he murmured against my skin.

"Mmhmm," I pulled my hair completely to the side to give him more room. "My best friend found out you're here. She's adament that she meet you." I turned my face to look at him, "Make sure you're...up to snuff by her standards."

Ron grinned. "Meeting the best friend for approval huh?" I nodded. "Will it just be the three of us?"

"And her husband. Seamus and Lavender Finnegan. He's actually from -"

"Ireland?" I nodded. "I can tell by the last name. Looking forward to it."

"But," I turned and kneeled in front of him, "until then I want you all to myself." As I kissed him his hands pulled on my thighs and dragged me to straddle him. I could instantly feel him hard and insistent against me and moved my hips on him slightly.

"Right here?" He asked as his lips left mine and found my jaw and then neck.

"I've never...in water..."

"First time for everything," he murmured. I raised my hips a bit and eased myself onto him.

"This is nice," I grinned. "New." He smiled up at me as I moved carefully above him, attempting - unsuccessfully - not to splash too much water out of the tub.

Ron's hands spread across my back and he pulled me as close as he could, our wet bodies sliding against each other. I swung my wet mop of hair to the side and attacked his lips with a moan. Everything about this felt so good: his hands, his lips, his chest, his...

"Ooohhh," I pulled away for air and threw my head back moaning loudly. "RON!"

He groaned and growled against my neck and chest. I could feel his body tensing around me - we were both so close.

"Yes, love," he panted, "almost..." I nodded, my mouth hanging open. I couldn't think...speak...could barely breath. I just needed to finally catch that feeling I was chasing, that feeling only Ron could truly bring me to.

I arched my back and he growled again, pulling my nipple into his warm mouth - and that was my undoing.

"RON!" I moaned out again, jerking against him.

"FUCK!" His face was buried between my breasts as he held me close, releasing deep inside me.

We sat in the water holding each other and recovering. One of his hands was lazily tracing up and down my lower back in the water while the other gave the nape of my neck light caresses. I pulled back just enough to bring myself face-to-face with him, the tips of our noses just touching as we each caught our breathes. His eyes looked into mine and I felt completely open and exposed - like all my thoughts were on display to him. But I wasn't scared. I didn't want to hide. I wanted him to know everything. See everything. See me...completely.

"I..." I stopped. I what? I know what I wanted to say...but did I? Could I? And so soon? And could he? Shit...

Abort! Abort!

I smiled coyly instead and said, "keep that up and you'll have a hard time ever getting rid of me Mr .Weasley."

He smiled back and seemed to thankfully miss my moment of absurd vulnerability and then panic that I somehow expertly covered up with lust. Thank goodness.

"Ms. Granger," he cooed, his hand now brushing a wet curl from my cheek, "haven't you realized it yet? I think you're just as stuck with me."

I smiled at the three seated at the table with me. We were in a small Italian restaurant in my town, and the night was going great. Ron and Lavender's husband Seamus were hitting it off, it seemed. Seamus rarely had the opportunity to bond with a "bloke from my side of the pond" as he so put it, and they were talking about everything from football (soccer, not the football I grew up watching, of course) to different places in Ireland and England. It was obvious that they were already the best of friends.

"Well," Lavender said suddenly, "I'll be right back." She stood to excuse herself and sent me a pointed look that the men missed. Ah.

"I think I'll come with you," I smiled at Ron who smiled back and squeezed my hand as I stood, before turning back to Seamus. I rolled my eyes - yet again - and left the table with Lavender.

"Girl!" She squealed when we were just far enough away. "He is H-O-T hot! Honestly, if I didn't love my Seamus..."

"Well, it's a good thing you do," I laughed as I opened the bathroom door. "Because he is also M-I-N-E mine!"

"You lucky bitch," she cheeked. "Totally helps that you look, as Seamus would say, very 'well shagged', too!"

"Lavender!" I slapped her arm playfully. Jeez, was it that obvious?

We paused our conversation for a moment to step into our own stalls. Once we were back at the sink, she smiled at me in the mirror. "But seriously, you look incredibly happy, Hermione. Honestly."

I sighed. "I feel happy. He's...I mean this is all...it's fast though, isn't it?" I leaned against the counter drying my hands while Lavender messed with her hair and makeup in the mirror. She was always a fanatic about her physical appearance. To others it would seem that she was extremely superficial. Although she had her moments, once you got to know her, you learned that she was actually pretty deep and very real. She just really enjoyed makeup! To the point that she made it her career.

"It's only fast if you think it is, Hermione." She paused and looked at me. "Do you think things are moving too fast?"

I thought for a moment, my eyebrows furrowed. "No...I suppose not." I smiled thinking about the day we spent together. After a late morning spent in bed, we finally got up to make breakfast together. He was only in his boxers and I simply threw on a pair of panties and an undershirt. We ate, cleaned up the kitchen - after a soap fight that also needed to be cleaned up - and then ended up having an impromptu dance party in the living room followed by an afternoon curled up on the couch ignoring the movie playing on the TV to talk to each other (and kiss, of course). "I think," I said slowly, "that things are moving at the perfect pace...for us."

"Well then that's all that matters. If anyone tries to tell you thing's are moving too fast, you tell them to shove it. Better yet, tell them to come and see me. Because this," she waved her hand to indicate me and the man who was sitting out in the restaurant, "whatever this is, is clearly working. You are glowing. And that man very obviously cannot get enough of you. In fact, I think we need to get back out there before he comes looking for you and gets on me for pulling you away for so long."

I laughed as she started to pull me out of the bathroom by our elbows. Outside the door I stopped and pulled her back. "Lav...do you think that he...well maybe not now but do you think he could..."

She leaned in close. "Hermione, if that man doesn't already love you, he's very much on his way. I can tell. Now come on!"

"That was way too fast," I said against Ron's lips. It was Sunday afternoon. Ron's bag was beside him ready to go - Rose was due back within the hour. I couldn't believe how quickly my weekend with Ron went. "I don't want you to go."

Gosh, I felt like such a needy child. My arms were wrapped tightly around his neck and I was practically hanging off of him. But, at any rate, he seemed just as reluctant to release the grip he had around my waist that left me lifted in his arms, my bare toes barely touching the floor.

"I don't want to go either, sweetheart," he said softly into my ear. "But I'll see you soon. Five weeks will fly by, yeah?" I could tell he was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince me.

I just nodded, willing myself not to cry. Goodness, why was I so emotional?!

I looked back up into his eyes and, dear me, there was that look again. Our eyes locked and I wasn't even sure if I was still breathing. I felt dizzy and lightheaded. And my eyes stung from the effort not to cry.

I was falling for this man. And hard.

No! Too soon! It's too soon! How could I love him after only a few weeks?

How could I not?

I took a deep breath to steady myself and rested my forehead to his, closing my eyes. "Call me tonight? When you're off the road and all of that."

"Of course," he whispered. He pulled back and cupped my face, staring into my eyes one more time. "Blimey, Hermione," he muttered. Before I could question him, his lips were on mine, claiming me. That's the best possible way I could describe the kiss.

Too quickly, he stepped back and dropped his hands. He picked up his bag and looked me over one more time as if memorizing every inch of me. Before I opened the door, he leaned in for one more quick kiss. "I'll see you soon love," he said softly. I blinked and he was walking out of the door.

After he pulled off, I closed the door and slid down the back of it. I finally allowed the tears to come, knowing that Rose could be home soon and I really needed to let it out. But I felt so silly. Like a love struck teenager. How did this happen?

This was all too much, too soon...and yet it was exactly how I wanted it to be. I love him. And I could only hope that he felt even a fraction of that for me.