Disclaimer: the characters belong to J.K.Rowling. I borrowed 2 lines from "Bridget Jones's Diary"
Chapter XIII - All Sorts of Revelations
"Gringotts. Officially"
"And unofficially?" Hermione was seething.
"The Ministry of Magic. I never pictured myself working for the establishment, but what the hell, it's an interesting job!"
"Why would the Ministry care about our activity?"
"Ordinarily, the Ministry wouldn't interfere in your business, but you're looking for something that would better be left alone. Yes, I mean the Osiris papers. Most people think they're just fairy tales. Most of the few who've heard about them that is"
"I still don't see how is this the Ministry's concern" Oliver went on.
"If the papers exist, which is not yet ascertained, the spells contained in them would still be too powerful for this level of civilisation. After the Voldemort era, the Ministry isn't taking any chances"
"You must be joking!" Hermione exclaimed. "Are you trying to prevent us from making a huge discovery? Something that could prove a step forward in the way we understand magic and the limits of our powers? Why?"
Oliver smiled. About a month ago, she was the one who expressed doubts about uncovering the manuscript.
"Didn't you learn anything from the episode with the philosopher's stone? Something as powerful as that is more dangerous than it is useful"
"No one knows that! The documents might be dangerous, I agree, but it's a part of our past, our heritage. If we had the knowledge to create it, if we had the wisdom to hide it rather than use it foolishly, we have no right to keep it hidden, forgotten. Do you know exactly what it contains? Maybe we have already transcend that level, maybe we're more advanced now"
"You can't be that naïve!" Bill grinned. "What this people has forgot, we can't even begin to comprehend. Besides, the fact that Osiris was one of us is controversial"
"What?"
"Well, there is a theory... that he was an alien" he whispered the last word in his cup of coffee, slightly embarrassed.
"And you believe it?" Hermione looked at him, incredulous.
"This would explain a lot. The Ancient Egyptian civilisation was so amazingly advanced that it's odd the way the forgot so much of it"
"Yes, but..."
"Forgive my interruption" Oliver stepped in the scholars' discussion "but don't you think we should figure out what to do now? The Institute wants to go on with the research. The Ministry hasn't made any formal requests to stop the investigations, but people were made not to divulge information. What's going on?"
"The Ministry doesn't want to make it public. After all, this might be just a fairy tale. They swept the memories of everyone in Port Said. It was like a rerun of «Men in Black»"
"That and the fact that you don't really have the authority to forbid it" Oliver was very cool minded about the whole thing.
"Yeah, that as well" Bill smiled affably.
"So? What do we do now?"
"Do you want to give up the research, just because I ask you nicely?" they shook their heads, in a silent no. "Didn't think so"
"Then why bother asking?"
Hermione was getting pissed. All her hard work, not to mention the discovery, within her reach, to be abandoned... She hated this sort of frustration.
"Never hurts to check if the door is unlocked. As I said, the Ministry's eager to keep this under wraps, but if you persist in it, I'll just have to join you. Percy's boss is talking to the big knobs of the Institute right about now"
"He's gonna make them an offer they couldn't refuse" Oliver's voice was dripping with irony.
"Something like that"
Bill's cell phone rang at that cue. The Ministry of Magic, at Arthur Weasley's recommendation allowed its field agents to use whatever means necessary to mingle in the Muggle communities.
"Well, it's official! We're a team"
"We need the confirmation form our superiors"
"Of course. When you get back, you'll probably find the new directives waiting. See you both tomorrow! I hope you don't consider sneaking out on me an option. It would be an act of ill faith"
Hermione's chamber, an hour later
"What are we going to do?" she looked up from Dr. McNaulty's letter, which confirmed what Bill had said.
"What's there to talk about? They stroke a bargain and now we have to work with the Egyptians in the Valley and with the Ministry in Port Said"
Oliver laid back in her bed. He was not happy with the way things were going.
"You look tense" Hermione blushed when he discovered her staring at him. "Anything I can do to help?"
"I could use a massage right now" Oliver stretched his body, lazily.
Hermione climbed in bed, next to him.
"Then turn over" she ordered him.
Oliver kept his eyes shut. He wanted to feel her hands on his body. In different circumstances, he wouldn't have thought twice about saying yes, but this time... Well, this time it was Hermione offering the massage. His self-control was worthless around her.
The little devil inside him won. I can enjoy her touch and not jump on her, ruining everything he lied to himself.
Oliver rolled on his belly, leaving Hermione to do her magic. This open invitation took her breath away. If she touched him, there would be no turning back. She was going to seduce him or lose him. She paused for a heartbeat. Her desire exceeded the affection. It was not the same as it had been with Harry. Harry's friendship was far too precious to risk. Oliver... well Oliver was a constant temptation. A sin that was worth burning in hell for.
"You wear too many clothes for this"
At these words, Oliver's body reacted promptly. Luckily, he was on his laying stomach, so she didn't notice the way his trousers were about to explode. He took off his robe and his shirt, making Hermione sigh at the sight of his naked back. He might have given up Quidditch, but he was wonderfully fit.
At the first contact between her fingers and his skin, Oliver shuddered. Hermione didn't notice because her own hands were shaking with desire and fear. She wished she had never started this. The old doubts came back.
What if he doesn't wants me?
She started rubbing his skin, firmly, trying to hide her urge to caress him. After five minutes, he moaned and she stopped, scared.
"Hermione, I think you'd better stop!"
"Am I hurting you?" her voice trembled.
Oliver turned around and immobilised her hands. He drew her closer, looked into her eyes and whispered, menacing.
"We may not be in the Garden, but that doesn't mean I'm dead. If you keep touching me like this, you'll have to accept the consequences"
She found his low, threatening tone deeply arousing.
"What are the consequences?" she flirted, feeling the heat rise inside her.
The man pulled her closer still. His lips were now so close to hers that she could feel the electricity spreading through her body. Hermione closed her eyes, unable to bear the tension, in anticipation of the kiss. She wasn't disappointed. Oliver pulled her to his chest, pressing her body against his while his lips were touching hers, in the gentlest of kisses. Only when he felt Hermione answering the kiss he dared to make it more intense, as his lust demanded. He clutched his hands in her hair, pulling it until she sighed in delicious pain. He took advantage of her instinctive reaction and slipped his tongue inside her mouth, tasting her sweetness, exploring her, learning her taste, her texture, her warmth.
He finished the kiss with a flick of his tongue over her swollen lips. He rolled her over placing himself on top of her.
"Wait a moment" she gasped, dizzy with the delicious sensations stirring in her body. "Nice boys don't kiss like that"
"Oh, yes, they fucking do!" he groaned, kissing her again.
Hermione was dying and was born again in the sheer pleasure of his touches.
"Who's overdressed now?" he murmured, nibbling at her ear.
A wave of delight washed over his body when her nails dug in his back at this suggestion. He lowered his head and launched an assault of kisses against her neck. His teeth were sinking in her white flesh with the voracity of a tiger and the tenderness of the summer rain.
He stood up a little, pinning her to the bed between his legs, while he was taking off her clothes and setting the atmosphere. With his right hand he unbuttoned her robe, with the wand in his left hand he turned off the lights. He took off her shirt and lit the candles. He turned on the music and walked slowly, on his knees until he was on the edge of the bed, sliding off her skirt. Oliver paused for a while, watching her in silence, intoxicated by her beauty. Her delicate, black lace lingerie soon vanished under his expert fingers.
He was not in a contemplative mood. His senses were whipped by a thousand sensations, all pushing him to act. He started memorising her body with his fingers and his mouth. With every caress, Hermione was reaching new peaks of rapture. Oliver's tongue circled her hardened nipple, his shadow beard bruising her breasts in an arousing friction. The arousal made her moan.
"Oh, Oliver, please"
"What pleases you pleases me" he made the effort of a lame joke. "Do you like it?" he asked while he was stroking her inner thigh.
She clutched the sheets in her fists, unable to utter anything else than
"Oh, God, please!"
Before the completion of their union, Oliver hesitated. This gave her time to organise her thoughts a little. Hermione wanted to give him as much pleasure as he had given her. She kissed him and let her hands wander all over his body, trying to take control of the game for a while, to show him just how much she wanted him, how much he had pleased her.
"No, darling" he stopped her gently, "this is all for you"
Thank you for your sweet reviews!
Please don't hesitate to point out the shortcomings of the story. I take them in consideration and do all I can to make the story correct.
Miss Perfectionist, Oliver was a keeper, I made the changes in the first two chapters.
Ryoko Blue, I upped the rating. You were right and I wanted to do it before, but it just slipped my mind.
Juvenus, I was happy to see you've appreciated my swiftness with the last chapter. LOTRHPLver, blackroseangel, thanks for sticking with me.
Lauren (is it Lauren or Luaren? You spelled it both ways in the reviews), I'd like to read your story - I've just discovered LotR four days ago - but I don't know your pen name. You could write me a mail or leave a signed review.