His gaze on her had turned dark, and his eyes became hooded. All he could think about at that exact moment wasn't the beauty of the night, or how calming the night air had been. Instead his thoughts were entirely on her. To be more specific, her body. She had gained several pounds in the last few days considering that they had gone from eating morsels for months, and had replenished themselves significantly when the food became available after the search for the horcrux's.
The added pounds had complimented her figure well, giving a further curve to her hips and her face had become fuller. It was the first time he had truly taken her in, seeing as they had a lot going on during the last few months… no, that wasn't accurate. They had a lot going on during the last few years.
Following the length of the dress she was still wearing, his eyes rested on her legs, a creamy white. He had always admired her legs, even before his mental images of them had included them being wrapped around the low of his hips. His eyes followed back up her body, and he noted that her breasts were perfectly rounded once again, the weight gain helping that fact.
She laughed softly, and the noise had caused him to look up at her face. The low light available in their current position, had caused her hair to look as though it were a dark brown rather than the Auburn curls he was so accustomed to. Admiring her hair, he reached a hand out and curled a single strand around his finger. He smiled wistfully, appreciating the feel of even that from her.
Slowly, his hand released the tendril and made it's way down the side of her face, taking in the chill of her skin. It hadn't been so cold as to make either of them require a jacket or cause them discomfort, but still her skin had absorbed the outside temperature. To his surprise, she clasped her hand over his, guiding him down her slender neck and coming to the dip of the front of her dress.
Meeting her eyes, he silently questioned her. In return, she gave a small nod, and unconsciously bit her lip. Damn…she knew what that did to him, and he was certain it was entirely intentional. Following her lead, he slid his hand beneath the light fabric, finding each of breasts easily. His touch was light, almost teasing, though he was merely enjoying the feel of her bare skin, and had not yet reached the peaks pressing against the hard material of her bra.
She laid back into him, her head resting against his chest. This gave him more access—and more of a view. Gazing down at her, he found her eyes lightly closed, clearly relaxed in his arms. His gaze traveled past her face and rested at the cleavage he could now see due to her position against him. She was perfectly shaped to him, he thought, appreciating how full his hand was when he gripped one of her breasts.
Though his grip on her was soft, she still let out a low hum of a moan, enjoying the feel of him touching her. Tilting her head back further into him, his hands found quicker access to her, her bra now creating a larger space for his hands. He gripped her more firmly and rolled her now hardened nipples between two of his fingers. Her body squirmed slightly against him, clearly aroused.
He removed his hands from her then, slipping out of the top of her dress. Placing his hands over the fabric, he moved down the length of her torso, finding the bottom hem. Taking the material in both of his hands, he pulled it upward, resting the fabric just below her bellybutton.
She let out a soft gasp then, readying herself for his pleasure. Feeling his finger slip beneath the sheer fabric of her underwear, her heart quickened. At first, he simply felt around the skin of her there, running his fingers along the smooth surface. She was becoming impatient, wanting more from him.
He felt her body begin to release an intense heat and his hand soon traced down to her sex, needing to feel her. Entering her slick folds, he found her opening easily. He slipped a finger inside of her, he felt just how wet she already was from his touch, and he reveled in it.
She was soft beneath him, and he could feel her short breaths of air as he held her. She was entirely his, and he planned to show her just how true that was. Sitting straighter, his body forced hers to cave in as she was propped against his torso, and the movement made his finger deepen within her. Letting out a soft moan, he brought his free hand to her face, now inches to the side of his, slightly below him.
With a single pull of her chin, his lips were on hers with a hunger he had not yet allowed himself to show to her. Her eyes opened, widening, and she pulled away. Searching his eyes, she relented and fell back into him, her tongue feverishly finding his and enveloping him entirely.
He grunted and purred against her mouth, desiring her more with each passing second. Unbeknownst to him, his movements within her had quickened and he became aware of it when her shoulders slumped against him and her abdomen clenched. Letting out a low growl, he turned her to him, causing her to lay flush against him, his hand still inside of her.
She propped herself on her knees, allowing him more space to continue his motions, and she slipped from his grasp only to find his erection with one of her hands. Gingerly, she moved her hand against him through the fabric of the sweat pants he had chosen to wear that day—and she was glad for that. The sweatpants made him more easily accessible to her, perhaps he had done so on purpose, she pondered.
Her face lifted to watch him, and immediately found his gaze on her, a look of pure pleasure and hunger across his features. Watching his head fall back, he let out a single word.
"More…" he whispered, and his free hand flew to the band of his pants, shifting them down to give her full access. Obeying his words, her hand came up to grasp him and she began a slow rhythm. Clearly pleased, she heard a murmured moan of her name against his lips.
Hearing her name from him lit something within her as it always had, and her mouth eagerly came down to bring him in. An excited gasp fell from him, and she smiled against him, using her hand to twist up and down, her tongue teasing the end.
Finally, she brought him fully within her, savoring the exotic taste of him.
Unable to handle it any longer, Harry grasped her shoulders and pulled her face to his, taking in her tongue as he plunged into her.
Not expecting it so quickly, she fell forward, her hands plastered against the blanket beside his head. Appreciating the new angle, he pressed his face into her, his tongue quickly enveloping her peaks through the fabric. Her excitement building, she moved of her own accord against him, and he allowed her to take the lead.
Hands clutched now at his shoulders, she used the support to ride him more quickly, noticing how the rhythm brought her closer to climax. She brought herself to her brink, and just before she orgasmed, she pulled herself from him and returned her mouth between his legs.
"Mmm…. " He moaned, taking in the warmth of her mouth on him. His head was spinning from the pleasure she gave him, and he found no strength to gain any advantage over her. Instead, he laid back and watched her as she moved up and down against him, making his heart race with anticipation of his own orgasm.
Only now noticing that she had been pleasuring herself as her mouth was on him, he groaned in agony, unable to contain himself much longer. Finally, with each cry echoing their own, he came undone against her tongue, as she released her own pleasures.
"Mm…it is nice out here, isn't it?" she asked, coming up to lay beside him. He quirked a brow at her, amused that those words from coming from her in that moment.
"Nice out here, or nice to do that, out here?" he responded, smiling.
"Both." She said simply, her voice sounding drunk and uneven.
Silently, he tucked an arm beneath her head and together they laid there beside the stream, and watched the stars. Hours later, he stood and took Hermione's hand. Not wanting to leave, she reluctantly took his hand as he led her back inside.
Before they were able to make it to the bedroom, a silver light had formed in the center of their living room, Molly's face appearing within it. Harry and Hermione watched as the face opened its mouth, and began to speak.
"Hello, Harry dear," the familiar voice crooned. "Arthur and myself would like to come visit you and Hermione tomorrow evening. Ginny and Ron are coming too, it's been too long since you've all truly spent time together. Please respond and let us know if you're available. We love you both dearly."
When Molly finished speaking, the silver light dissipated and Hermione turned to Harry, a worried expression adorned her face. Harry met her eyes, and he found himself unable to put her mind at ease. He couldn't imagine Ron in their home, what issues that would cause.
Deciding that they would eventually have to see him, Harry lifted his wand and recorded a response.
"We will see you tomorrow evening and look forward to seeing everyone." Short but sweet, Harry nodded and sent the message out. He turned to Hermione then, her expression slightly less concerned.
"Well… we'd have to face him eventually, right? Might as well be in our own home." Hermione said, resuming their walk to their room.
Waking for the first time in their bedroom, Hermione found Harry spread out beside her, the soft light cast through the window lighting his curved, uncovered back. Running her hand across his thick muscles briefly, she placed a soft kiss to his shoulder and rose from the bed.
She slipped on her silk robe, the smooth white fabric covering her bare skin. She tied the sash around her waist and walked barefoot in to the kitchen.
Opening the newer, larger fridge that Harry had insisted on, she quickly found fresh orange juice and poured herself a glass. Next, she chose two blueberry muffins and plated them before setting herself in a large bean bag chair that sat on their back porch.
Taking a sip of the orange juice, she set her eyes on the woods beyond the stream. She pondered for a moment, wondering if Harry was likely to go hike with her that day. The morning air was too cold for a long walk, but surely the heat would come in the early afternoon at the latest. Mentally picturing the trails she had memorized within the woods, she chose a path that they would take, had he agreed to go with her.
Hearing the sliding glass door behind her, she lifted her head, and found Harry standing in the door way. His eyes bright from sleep, she smiled and stood, walking over to him. He immediately wrapped his arms around her, enjoying the way she felt in the silk fabric.
"Good morning" he said softly, placing a kiss to her forehead.
"Good morning" she replied. "Can I make you some breakfast?"
"No, I'll fix something. Go sit and enjoy your breakfast, I'll be right out." He said, motioning for her to resume her seated position. She did, and watched him as he closed the door behind him, appreciating the lack of clothing he had decided to wear when he got out of bed. Dressed in only his boxer briefs, his toned muscles were easily visible and she smiled at the thought of what they did the night before.
Releasing her from her thoughts, Harry was back outside and took a position beside her. She took a bite of her muffin and looked to him, noting that he was taking in the stunning scene before them just as she had minutes before.
"I was thinking we could go for a hike a little later, when the sun has risen more."
"Sure, that sounds wonderful." He replied, taking in her beaming smile as he did.
Turning to his breakfast, he took a sip of his dark coffee, appreciating the taste of it. He couldn't believe how long they had each gone without real sustenance. It amazed him that they were both still alive, and hadn't expired from the starvation alone.
The warmth of the drink suited well with the morning weather and made it easier to sit in the cool air so under dressed. He had no desire to dawn on more clothing, he saw no need for it considering they had no neighbors and it was just the two of them. Well, for now at least.
"Shit." He muttered under his breath. She had heard him and her head turned to him quickly.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
"Hmm? Oh, I just remembered that we will have company later today."
She sat a little straighter then, and her eyes cast downward. She had forgotten all about that, well, almost. She had been so tired last night that she had fallen asleep only moments after covering herself in the bed. She didn't give herself time to think about what would happen later this evening, but now she was forced to consider all of the possibilities.
Her mind now focused on what could potentially occur later in the evening, her gaze fell from the imagery before her. Instead, her mind filled with the image of Ron, and his horror stricken face as he would learn of her and Harry's relationship. Would he yell at them? Would he attempt to fight Harry? She just didn't know.
Noticing her concern, Harry took her hand in his, causing her too wide eyes, lost in thought, snap back to the present. She turned to him and gave a sheepish smile, fully aware that he knew what was on her mind, he always seemed to know. Giving her hand a light squeeze, he smiled back at her.
"It'll be perfectly fine. Remember what Molly and Arthur said?" he asked, searching her eyes for recognition. When none came, he said, "They told us that Ron already knew, the day of the battle. Surely he's already mulled it over and will be calmer than he would have been if he had only just found out." She gave a small nod then, still not entirely convinced.
He placed his mug down on to the table beside him, deciding to change the mood of the conversation. Taking her hand in his, he led her in to the bedroom. Feeling his way along the far left wall with his free hand, he found the panel. Pulling it, he turned to watch as Hermione's eyes widened in shock—the closet was something she hadn't yet seen and he had been eager to show her, knowing how happy it would make her.
The wall opened before them, and bright white lights were illuminated within the room. Yes, she thought, it was an entire room of a closet with rows of clothing stretched out on each side, one for each of them. Down the center was a long shoe shelf, in it had at least six pairs for each of them for all occasions.
She walked in to the area, her hand instantly moving up to feel along the clothing on her side. She gasped as she found several expensive dresses of a sheer material, clearly something a man had picked as she noticed the low plunging necklines on nearly all of them.
She turned then and smiled back at him, finding him watching her.
She turned back, choosing one of the simpler dresses. Pulling it from its place, she held it in front of her, admiring the dark silver material. She turned to find matching shoes that laced up her calf, and set them aside for their dinner later in the evening. Hearing hangers clash behind her, she turned.
Harry was on his side of the closet, also choosing what he would wear for the same occasion. She watched as he took out a tight fitting back t-shirt and dark blue jeans, deciding on back boots and a dark silver dress coat. Her lips curled, excited to see how he would look in the outfit.
"We should get dressed for the hike while we're here." Harry said, his hands finding yet another panel within the room, leading to a hallway of active gear including hiking backpacks and tents.
"You've thought of everything. " she said, admiringly. She was truly amazed that he had gone to such lengths for their home.
He chuckled lightly.
"I try." Was his only response.
Stepping in to the newly exposed hall, she found her clothing. She knew that he was watching her like he had before, and she turned her back to him to slowly slip out of her silk robe. She smiled contentedly as she heard him release a low breath of air. She hoped that she would still have this effect on him in twenty years, in thirty. She smiled more broadly, thinking about their future together.
Deciding on something slightly warm for the hike, she dawned a loose fitting white sweater, green waterproof pants, and her dark brown hiking boots. She picked up an empty hiking bag and filled it with an extra pair of wool socks, and a light rain jacket, just in case. She turned, finding him dressed in a deep green sweater much like her own, black pants, and black hiking boots.
"Should we take one, or two bags?" she asked.
"One should be fine, we won't be gone too terribly long."
With that, she headed in to the kitchen, finding protein bars in the pantry and water bottles in the fridge. Placing the items in her bag, she double checked that they had everything and closed it.
"Ready?" he asked, now behind her.
"Ready." She said, smiling up at him. She was eager to explore the woods around their home, and they had never really hiked together—at least, not for the enjoyment of it. All of their explorations together had been centered around the war, and now that it was finally over, they could enjoy themselves without the fear of anything bad crossing their path.
They stepped out of the sliding back door, following the path from their patio to the entrance of the woods. The air smelled clean, and wet. She could feel a storm coming, but she didn't expect it to come until after they were in for the evening. The new weather would provide them with cool air and a light breeze, making it the perfect opportunity for a hike. She watched him as his eyes lifted to the tops of the trees, a smile on his face.
"What is it?" she asked, curious as to what held his attention.
"It's beautiful out here…"
"It is…but we've been out here before, just last night and yesterday morning."
"Sure, but I still find myself amazed at everything here. Just to think, we were in those woods just last week, searching for firewood and food. It's kind of ironic that we are back here, enjoying it now with the comfort of our own home."
She smiled, understanding the notion. She too, found herself in awe of the world around them, like nothing and no one could interrupt the peace they felt. They both knew that the location they chose their home to be placed, was perfect for both of them as they each enjoyed the outdoors and the location itself had significant meaning for them.
Stepping forward once more, they continued on to the dirt path set out in front of them. The stream came through the woods as well, carrying the scent of pine and the sound of running water. The atmosphere soothed them both and soon, the thoughts of the Weasley's visiting was washed from their minds.
Hand in hand, they came across a meadow. Within it held two does, which ran from the clearing upon sighting them. Choosing it as their location to stop and rest after a two hour trek, they settled down into the bright green grass and withdrew Hermione's bag to retrieve the protein bars and bottles of water.
Harry looked over at her then, now realizing that she had a few pine needles that had fallen into her hair. Reaching forward, he lightly brushed his fingers across her tied back hair, releasing the needles.
"Oh, thank you." She said, looking up at him. "Oh, what's so funny?" she asked, noting the smirk on his face. The tiny smile immediately flattened, in a jokingly manner.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He said, trying to hold back a laugh and failing to do so. He couldn't help it, the mock insulted face she wore was hilarious. She smiled widely, and took a bite from her bar.
"Mm. These are really good." She said, surprised. Most to-go bars she had tried weren't very tasteful. The one she was eating had chocolate chips and oatmeal and it tasted like dessert to her.
"They are." He returned, taking a bite of his own blueberry and strawberry filled bar. "We will have to get more for days like this. I'm sure there will be plenty."
She smiled again at that, thankful that they had both enjoyed similar things like that. Allowing her thoughts to picture more activities they would enjoy together, she imagined them cliff diving at a spot not far off of their area, something new and thrilling they could experience.
His movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention and brought her from her reveries. Standing, he began placing their trash back into the bag and dawning it on his own back to give her rest.
Watching him, she found that his posture was more stiff, his gaze distracted. He was worried about that evening, she knew. The sky was growing darker, their company would soon arrive, and she couldn't help but worry too.
She shook it off, knowing that he needed her right now, she didn't have time to worry about herself. Rising, she walked the few paces to where he stood and took his hand. His attention finally came back to the present and he gave her a small, sad smile.
"I'm sorry," he said, his head bowing. "I just can't imagine this going as smoothly as we would like for it to. This hike was a wonderful distraction, but now we have to face it." He gave a deep shrug, slouching when he released. Her heart dropped—she hated seeing him like this, though she understood entirely.
"It could never go back to the three of us being as close as we were… too much has happened, even without us being together. I'm sure it isn't easy for him, or for his family, but we owe him at least this." She said, hoping she wasn't making it worse for him. He straightened, and pulled her into him, her scent and feel alone beginning to calm him. After their hike she had smelled of sweat, dirt, and pine…and she was perfect to him.
Her head was pressed into his chest, her ear right above his heart and she could hear the beat slowing. Closing her eyes, she let out the breath she had held while trying to figure him out. After several moments of his embrace, she heard his heart finally beat normally again. She felt his cheat expand far deeper than normal, and she knew he was okay again.
"We've got this." He whispered into her hair.
"Of course we do." She pulled away from, and placed a soft kiss to his lips, than to his nose, making him smile. "Now, are you ready to head back?" he nodded. Taking his hand again, she led him back down the path, toward their home.
They dressed for their company, and Hermione found herself gaping at Harry. He had looked even better than she thought he would when he first picked the clothing. He noticed her attention and cocked a dark grin, walking to her.
"You look…" she cut off, unable to continue.
"So do you." He responded, meeting her eye and winking.
The knock came. They both stiffened. Another knock.
Harry took her hand, and squeezed. She nodded in return and watched as he turned her back to her, walking to the front door. When the door was opened, he first saw Molly and Arthur, each smiling broadly at them.
"Harry!" Molly cried, her arms instantly outstretched and pulling him down to her in tight hug. Harry gasped, the shock of how quick her hug was, and how tight, had made him lose his breath for a moment. Arthur was at her side and pat Harry on the back, a firm three times. The amount of love from them was as it had always been—and he was so glad for that.
Finally, Molly released him. His vision cleared and he had caught his breath, only to lose it again. Behind Molly, was Ron.
- I've been so excited, watching this story unfold to places I didn't know it would. Thank you for the amazing feedback this has already had, and please continue to let me know how you're feeling and what you'd like to have incorporated. I know that the potential pregnancy is not mentioned here, but it's coming, don't worry(: I wanted to spend this chapter exploring their home and the land within in it, and explore more of their connection I hope you all enjoy this chapter!