Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters.
A/N: An M-rated continuation of a previous drabble - "It's Always Been You". Enjoy!
Always Will Be
Hermione held onto Ron tight without the intention of letting go for the rest of the evening. They continued to sway on the dance floor, long after most of the guests had departed, oblivious to the happenings around them.
"We probably should stop dancing sometime soon," she finally whispered, her breath muffled by the way her cheek was resting on his shoulder.
"Why?" His lips vibrated into her hair. "There are no rules. We can dance for however long we want to."
Hermione's mouth split into a grin, not able to hide the sheer happiness she felt from being in his arms again. "We could...or we could go elsewhere and continue this reunion in private."
Ron lifted his head from her hair, his eyebrows raised with expressed interest. "I like the way you think, Granger."
Wordlessly, she tugged on his hand and pulled him back towards the Burrow, extending the long trek up the creaky stairs in silence.
They didn't stop walking until they had made it back to Ron's tiny bedroom at the very top, closing the door softly behind them so as not to be interrupted.
Ron enveloped Hermione into his arms, taking her breath away by how he captured her lips.
She moaned in pleasure at the contact, her lips tingling from the electrifying sensation of his lips against hers.
However, when Ron's hand curved around her hip and trailed lower to her backside, she flinched and took a reflexive step back, putting an abrupt stop to their passionate embrace.
"What is it? Are you okay?" Ron asked in between heavy breaths, eyes unfocused as he seemingly tried to make sense as to why she pulled away.
Hermione sat on the edge of Ron's bed, biting her lip, unable to quell the nerves that bubbled up inside. Why am I so nervous around him?
She felt the mattress cave in as Ron sat next to her. He put his hand on Hermione's leg, sending an unexpected shockwave through her body. She bounced back up into a standing position at once, instead choosing to rest her back against the wardrobe adjacent to his bed.
"Yeah-yeah. I'm fine."
She wasn't quite sure how to admit to him that touching him so intimately, in private, was making her entire body shudder.
A look of deep concern crossed Ron's face. "Seriously, Hermione. Don't do that."
"Don't do what?"
He let out a loud exhale, leaning forward to place his elbows on his knees. "We've got to talk if something is bothering you. We don't want a repeat of this last year, do we?"
She was unraveling. "I'm really not sure—"
"No more running away." Ron's tone was firm, and his eyes never left hers. "So we are not leaving this room until you admit what is going through that little head of yours."
Hermione knew he was right. Taking a deep breath, she mustered up the courage to express her fears.
"Well, you know that I'm really happy that we are together again, and I love you so much. But...it's different this time around, isn't it?"
Ron tilted his head to the side, as if trying to make sense of her words. "How so?"
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, almost positive she was going to chew a hole straight through her sensitive skin. "It's just...it's been so long since you've...touched me."
When she received only a blank stare back from Ron, she added, "I mean, like really touched me."
His lips parted and he placed his palms flat on his bed behind him, leaning back. "Oh."
Hermione threaded her fingers through her curls that were starting to loosen from her updo. "I'm just not quite sure how to be close to you like we used to be, you know? It's just — oh, how could I put this eloquently? When you touch me, it feels like…"
She paused. How could she convey the sensation to Ron in a way that he would understand? Finally, it clicked.
"It feels like I've chugged a whole bottle of Firewhisky, causing my body to burn from the inside out."
"Brilliant." He rubbed the back of his neck, his face growing a distinct shade of deep red.
The brief silence that followed was awkward, yet Hermione found it adorable how Ron scrunched up his face as he stared at a spot just above her head, as if he was trying to think of a solution.
And he found one. "Well, okay then. We should do something about this."
Hermione nodded her approval.
"However, I will say this once and only once," Ron began again, looking her straight in the eye. "Avoiding me isn't the answer."
"I know." Her response was shy and quiet.
"How about...well...let's start off slow, yeah? Maybe we should go for a hug?"
Hermione smiled, pleased by how willing he was to take it slow. He patted the spot next to him on the bed and she made her way over to him. Their knees bumped together as she sat, making Hermione outwardly shiver in a way that Ron didn't miss.
He held out his arms to invite her in. Hermione gave him a hesitant smile before leaning into his embrace, curling her arms around his neck and burying her face into his shoulder.
"So, how is this?" He murmured after a few lingering seconds.
"Mmm, lovely."
Okay," he murmured back, his hand slowly starting to stroke her back in a circular motion. "How about now?"
Although Hermione's skin tingled underneath her dress, she found the action soothing. "Just right."
After another, relaxing minute, Ron asked, "Are you ready to try something else?"
Hermione nuzzled her nose into his shoulder. "Yes."
Ron lifted his head and pulled just far enough out of their embrace so that he could brush a few curls out of her eyes. He took a moment to study her face. "Just so you know, I'm going to kiss you now."
A rush of excitement rolled through her body, and she gripped onto his elbows in hopes that the contact would help steady her breathing. "O-okay."
Ron curled his lip upward and ducked his head, grazing his lips over hers with the lightest touch. Hermione sighed into his mouth, reflexively sliding her bottom lip between his two, feeling him suck her lip even further into his mouth in a move that was both familiar and new to them both. Their movements were slow and unhurried — taking their time to explore each other again after so much time apart.
All too soon, Ron was pulling away, out of breath. "Are you alright?"
Hermione beamed from ear to ear. "I'm more than alright."
"Brilliant." His smile matched her own. "Are you ready for more?"
Hermione answered him by crashing her lips to his once more, making him grip the bed sheet behind him so as not to topple over from the impact of her attack. He groaned as her tongue slipped into his mouth.
With a newfound sense of courage, Hermione swung one leg over Ron and straddled his lap. Ron gasped as she pressed down on his hips, feeling his very evident arousal through his trousers. He placed both hands on her cheeks and forced her lips away from his — his eyes appeared glazed over as he searched her face one more time, appearing to be silently asking Is it okay to go further?
He was so handsome, dressed in his dark navy suit. His concern for her — the way he touched her, and the way he took great care to ensure that he had her consent before moving any further — all qualities about Ron Weasley that made her fall in love with him in the first place. She couldn't even remember now why she was so nervous to be around him before.
"It's okay," she whispered, crashing her lips back onto his as her hands delved underneath his suit jacket to slip it freely from his shoulder. Hermione was very aware that his own fingers were now trailing up her thighs, under the thin, silky material of her dress, not stopping until they reached the lining of her knickers.
Hermione moaned and lifted her arms up over her head, knowing that her dress was loose and flexible enough for him to pull it off over her head. Ron grinned and completed the action, eyes instinctively moving to the swell of her breasts now visible — she was surprised to find that she did not feel the least bit vulnerable under the heat of his gaze, clad in only her bra and knickers.
It was Ron — he was hers, and she was his.
As he guided her down onto the bed and hovered over her, one last thought drifted through her mind before she allowed herself to be consumed by their expression of love for one another.
It's always been the two of them, and it always will be.