Alesco
Chapter Fifteen---Pillow Talk
*
Ron slammed the Invalesco Mirror down onto his bed. He had hoped it may shed some light on what was happening with Bill. Instead, it showed him the night Harry and Ron had gone into the Forbidden Forest to talk to Aragog. Rotten mirror, he cried to himself.
~*~
Dumbledore had called him into his office that night. He detailed what Professor McGonagall had already told Ron. That was when Ron had erupted.
"What was he doing down there, that late at night?" Thinking back now, Ron figured he shouldn't have shouted so loudly at the Headmaster. Professore Dumbledore didn't seem to mind, but now it seemed rather unfair.
"Your mother seems to think he was visiting a pub in Diagon Alley. They have a different clientele then the patrons of The Leaky Cauldron." Dumbledore left it at that.
"Why did they take him? How are we going to get him back? What if he's already dead?" Ron had felt his face heat with anger, as he had propped himself over the Headmaster's desk on outstretched palms. All the Headmaster said in reply was that aurors were searching all of Diagon and Knockturn Alley, and that hopefully Bill would be found soon.
Ron had sat down, fuming, at that point, and then Professor Dumbledore had stood up and walked over to where Ron sat. He had levitated his chair next to Ron's, sat down, and said, "I have finally persuaded your parents to allow you to begin training sessions with Professor Forester. For the first week, you will meet with her every day."
Ron had sat up at that, and had stuttered, "But, Professor...I had a feeling that Professor Forester..." From the moment Ron had heard the news that Bill had been taken, he a strange feeling that Professor Forester had something to do with it.
Professor Dumbledore had nodded, as if he had known what Ron was thinking. "Bill was very upset the night he came with your mother and was told about our plans for you. He revealed to me...some history he had with Professor Forester. I have since spoken with her, and I am convinced it was all a terrible, youthful mistake. A mistake Professor Forester regrets deeply." The Headmaster sighed. "Professor Forester refused to work with you until I received the full cooperation of either your parents or Bill. I've now received that permission, and so I ask that you meet with her tomorrow afternoon, after your classes." The Headmaster gave a deep nod, and then had said almost apologetically, "I'm sorry to inform you of this, but I think it may be a good idea for you to temporarily relinquish your position as Gryffindor Quidditch Keeper--"
"But, Professor Dumbledore--" Ron got up at that point. He could not believe the Headmaster was asking him to give up one thing he was proud of. At that had said, "What will I tell Harry? Or the rest of the team?"
Dumbledore apparently had been expecting that question. "Tomorrow morning, you, Mr Potter and Miss Granger will meet here before your classes. If you would like, you may also invite your sister--that is your choice. We will inform them of what is happening, but it must be kept in strict confidence."
~*~
Now, Ron was hidden behind the curtains of his four poster, glaring down at the Invalesco Mirror and racking his brain for a reason why Bill had been targeted. Ron had placed an impenetrable and silencing charm around his bed, but he could still hear Dean, Harry, Neville, and Seamus in the dormitory, talking about professional Quidditch. All this seemed so far removed from the worries now clouding his mind.
A long while after Ron lay back on his bed and closed his eyes, the room became dark and quiet. I don't want to fall asleep, Ron thought. He would only hear the terrible screaming, and repeatedly awaken.
It must have been at least an hour later when Ron thought he heard his name being whispered from right outside the curtain. He realized at that moment that he hadn't changed into his pyjamas, and was still wearing the shirt, jumper, and trousers that he had worn all day during classes. Shaking his head and grumbling darkly to himself, he took his wand out from under his pillow (he'd seen Harry doing it earlier in the year, and figured it was a good idea) and muttered, "finite incantatem" to the curtains. He'd just muttered "lumos" when a small hand pushed the curtains open, and a female figure wearing a dressing robe jumped in. It was Hermione.
Ron's mouth dropped open, and he watched as she automatically placed the impenetrable charm on his curtains again, and also performed a silencing charm. Then she turned to him, and Ron was pleased when she hurled herself into his arms. His wand fell to the center of his bed, still casting the a soft glow to the inhabitants on the bed.
"Oh, Ron, I'm so sorry about your brother!" Her arms were clasped around his neck, and he reciprocated her hug by tugging her to him from around her waist. "Hermione..." He said huskily, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. No matter what was happening, he could always depend on her to make him feel better. They'd spent a lot of their efforts helping Harry, and now it seemed that Hermione was every bit as supportive to Ron that she had been to Harry.
Ron looked down at her, feeling frustrated. "Dumbledore told me that aurors are looking for Bill. That's a good thing, I suppose, but I don't know why he was taken. For all we know, he could be dead."
Hermione pulled back now, looking a combination of worried and bashful. "No, Ron, don't say that. He can't be dead! I just wanted to come in here and tell you that...I didn't have much of a chance tonight. You had that meeting with Professor Dumbledore, and I must have just missed you in the common room when you got back."
At that, she looked into his eyes. "I know this isn't a great time to talk about this, but I really love my ring, Ron. Thank you for giving it to me." She then looked down at her hands, and the ring on her finger.
Ron licked his lips and said, "I gave it to you for a reason."
"I know."
"It doesn't matter to me how much it cost." Ron said darkly.
"I know that too, Ron, I'm sorry." Hermione said softly, looking into his eyes again. Ron desperately wanted to reach over, grab her, and kiss her senseless...to release his frustrations through his passion. The only problem was, he was sure that hadn't been Hermione's intention in visiting him here. She would probably be very angry if I did that, he told himself.
"Ron, are you getting enough sleep? You seem to have that tired look in your eyes again. You're not even dressed for bed!" She reached over and brushed a warm hand over his brow. Oh, Merlin, it felt so good. He couldn't handle this any longer.
He leaned over and pulled her into his arms again. She let out happy sigh, and curled close to him.
Suddenly, he heard her let out a tiny yelp of surprise. She was pulling something out from under her. "What's this?" She looked up at him inquisitively.
It was the Invalesco Mirror. He had forgotten that he'd left it on the bed. Normally, he would have placed it under his mattress. "Oh....that's....something Professor Forester gave me." Ron said awkwardly, as Hermione moved a little out of his grasp.
"She...gave it to you?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"Yes." Ron ran a hand through his hair, and pulled the mirror out of her hand. "It has to do with what's been happening to me. Do you remember when I..shouted at you..a couple weeks ago?" He hated bringing up that incident, but he was going have to in order to explain this.
"I remember." She smiled. "I remember that day well."
"Oh." Ron had forgot that was the same day they'd first kissed. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. "Well, I was pretty upset that day, so the Professor gave this to me. It's really helped me from being...so upset." He turned around and slipped the mirror under his mattress.
"You're right, it has worked." Hermione said dimly, and then pushed her self up against the head of this bed. She sat with her knees pulled up to her chin, and her arms around her legs. Through the continuous glow of his lit wand, Ron suddenly noticed that she was wearing soft muggle pyjamas under her dressing robe. They were peeking out from under the robe and visible just above her bare feet.
Ron hadn't even noticed Hermione's feet before, but they were actually very small, with long elegant toes. He then took another look from her feet, up her legs, and to the face perched on her knees.
"Hermione....Professor Dumbledore has asked us to meet him tomorrow morning. He's going to let me tell you everything about what's been happening. I need to tell Ginny before she goes to class. I want her to know everything, too. If you see her early tomorrow, can you please ask her to meet us at 7 a.m. in Dumbledore's study?" Ron asked, with a hitch in his voice.
"That would work, Ron, if I was actually staying in the girl's dormitory tonight." Hermione said very softly, so softly Ron wasn't sure he had heard right.
"What...what are you talking about?" Immediately, Ron felt that the air passage in his throat wasn't large enough to admit air into his lungs. He struggled to take a breath as he looked at her.
"Can I just stay here with you tonight? I am so lonely, Ron. I just want to sleep by you, and make sure you sleep, too. Please?" Her voice held a sound of desperation. Though this is what Ron had wanted for a very long time, he couldn't ask Hermione to stay with him. For one thing, he knew he wouldn't want to just sleep with her in his bed. For another thing, even if he did sleep, he'd keep waking her up with his nightmares.
On the other hand....it would be very nice to wake up with her in the morning. No matter how terrible the night would be, he'd have the pleasure of waking with the one person he'd dreamed about since...well, since forever.
He stared at her for a moment longer, before saying softly, "Fine. Is it okay for me to wear just my undershirt and underpants to bed? I don't want to go out there and wake up the others to get my pyjamas."
Hermione blushed a deep crimson, and simply nodded. She closed her eyes tightly. Ron's face heated, too, and he wasn't sure if it was appropriate for him to simply start taking off his clothes while she was sitting there. Finally, he decided that was what she wanted him to do...as her eyes were shut to the point of pain. He pulled off his trousers and threw them toward the foot of his bed, and had just thrown his jumper in the same direction, when he noticed that Hermione was looking at him curiously.
"Hermione!" Ron said, trying to put his bare legs under the quilts. His body burned with embarrassment. "I thought you had your eyes closed!"
Hermione was trembling and red-faced. "I'm sorry, Ron. I thought you were done. You've taken so long." Suddenly, she was right against him, and rubbing the bare knee he hadn't had a chance to put under the quilt. "Your skin is so different from mine." Then, without further comment, her hands were gently unbuttoning his shirt. Ron had abandoned the tie earlier, the moment he had come up to the dormitory. So he watched, entranced, as Hermione slipped the shirt from his body. Then she reached up, put her hands into his hair, and kissed him shyly.
Ron's body reacted immediately. How could he not feel intense desire with her in his bed, kissing him like she was? He crushed her to him, and rolled her underneath him. He was on top of her now, trying to extricate her from the heavy dressing robe she was wearing. Once he did, he put his hands against her soft pyjamas. Frankly, he wished that he was touching bare skin, but he would not do that unless Hermione gave him a sign that was okay.
Hermione's hands were now underneath Ron's undershirt, rubbing against his chest. She was trying to push the fabric up, apparently in order to see him. He sat up, and pulled the shirt off, throwing it in the general direction of his other clothes. Hermione gave a strangled sigh, and then she placed her hands on his chest. Just having those soft hands touching him there was enough to drive him wild...but when she leaned forward to nibble on one of his nipples, he groaned.
"Gods, Hermione!" Ron muttered, and before he could give her a good, long snog, she said huskily, "I've wanted to do that for so long."
Ron smiled, and leaned down to take his kiss, but Hermione wasn't finished. "There's another thing I've wanted to do." She said, and then leaned up to whisper in his ear. "You're so beautiful."
Nobody had ever said anything like that to him before. He didn't really imagine men could be called beautiful, but it was very nice knowing that Hermione thought he was. "Really?" He whispered down to her.
"Oh yes. Your red hair, your freckles, your body....drive me to distraction. Every day." Hermione's hands were touching him again, but this time they were threateningly close to his underpants. "I've long wondered if you have freckles all over your body."
Ron became hotter than before, and he grabbed her hands before she did what he thought she was going to. "Hermione! I don't think...I mean...I'm...." He had to admit to himself how strange it would be for Hermione to see him naked in this condition (any condition, for that matter). What if she didn't like what he looked like, and in the morning regretted looking at him? In the same token, if she took off his underpants, where would they go from there? He didn't want to do anything Hermione didn't want to, but what if she chose to and then regretted it later?
He was surprised when she said softly, "Okay, Ron." It didn't stop him from noticing her looking at the obvious bulge in his underpants....rather longingly, in fact.
Ron took the long-awaited snog, and they spent several pleasant moments simply touching and kissing each other. Hermione didn't touch below his waistline, and Ron didn't get a sign from Hermione that she wanted him to touch her in....those places Ron wanted to.
Finally, they lay back, this time under the quilts. Ron was holding her tightly against him, kissing her softly every now and then. As he became sleepy, he whispered in her ear, "I do have freckles all over, by the way." He burned with embarrassment. Hermione simply cuddled closer to him.
"I thought so." Hermione said into his ear. "Ron....tell me."
"Tell you what?"
"What it feels like for a man to come."
"Holy shit, Hermione!" Ron didn't feel very sleepy anymore, and his arousal increased. Just when he thought it had been going down a bit.
"Ron, that was so loud." Hermione said, in only a token protest. She tried to push him away, but they were tangled so closely together it was impossible for him to budge. Finally, after a moment of tense silence, Ron said in her ear, "I suppose it feels the same as for a....woman." He choked on the last word.
"No, it doesn't. Not in the books I read." Hermione muttered.
Ron felt a chuckle begin deep in his chest. "Books, Hermione? Now what HAVE you been reading?"
"Never mind." Hermione said irritatedly. After a while, she uttered, "They simply state the men's orgasm differs from the woman's, but they won't go into specifics. It's very upsetting when authors do that."
She was talking so matter-of-factly about this, Ron had a feeling that she could very well have been talking about History Of Magic.
Ron could not contain the gleeful smile that was forming on his lips. This was his chance to give Hermione some information she couldn't receive from a book. He became hot when he realized what he was going to tell her, but he shrugged. He hoped this would make her happy.
"Well...I suppose it's like building up to something you know will be really good. The first time, you're pretty scared, not sure if you should be doing...that. But it feels too good to stop. Then, you kind of hold back and let go...it makes...it...feel better. Finally, there's this point where you know you need to go forward or fall back. When you go forward...there's a burst of liquid heat inside you, and it explodes. I guess, like a volcano. Then...this really nice feeling that lasts for a while." His breath had ran out, and he was shaking a bit. It was so strange talking to her about this...but at the same time it was so right.
"Thank you, Ron." Hermione said softly. "That was lovely."
"You're welcome." He said it hoarsely.
"I suppose it does feel similar to a woman." She said this sleepily, and he noticed that her eyes were now closed.
"You can sleep now, Hermione." He said, brushing her lovely hair away from her face.
"Not until you do." Her voice was decidedly groggy.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead. By the time he had placed himself comfortably against her again, she was deep asleep. He watched her for a long while, until he took his wand, whispered "nox" to put out the light in its tip, and drifted into a very short, very disturbing sleep.
Chapter Fifteen---Pillow Talk
*
Ron slammed the Invalesco Mirror down onto his bed. He had hoped it may shed some light on what was happening with Bill. Instead, it showed him the night Harry and Ron had gone into the Forbidden Forest to talk to Aragog. Rotten mirror, he cried to himself.
~*~
Dumbledore had called him into his office that night. He detailed what Professor McGonagall had already told Ron. That was when Ron had erupted.
"What was he doing down there, that late at night?" Thinking back now, Ron figured he shouldn't have shouted so loudly at the Headmaster. Professore Dumbledore didn't seem to mind, but now it seemed rather unfair.
"Your mother seems to think he was visiting a pub in Diagon Alley. They have a different clientele then the patrons of The Leaky Cauldron." Dumbledore left it at that.
"Why did they take him? How are we going to get him back? What if he's already dead?" Ron had felt his face heat with anger, as he had propped himself over the Headmaster's desk on outstretched palms. All the Headmaster said in reply was that aurors were searching all of Diagon and Knockturn Alley, and that hopefully Bill would be found soon.
Ron had sat down, fuming, at that point, and then Professor Dumbledore had stood up and walked over to where Ron sat. He had levitated his chair next to Ron's, sat down, and said, "I have finally persuaded your parents to allow you to begin training sessions with Professor Forester. For the first week, you will meet with her every day."
Ron had sat up at that, and had stuttered, "But, Professor...I had a feeling that Professor Forester..." From the moment Ron had heard the news that Bill had been taken, he a strange feeling that Professor Forester had something to do with it.
Professor Dumbledore had nodded, as if he had known what Ron was thinking. "Bill was very upset the night he came with your mother and was told about our plans for you. He revealed to me...some history he had with Professor Forester. I have since spoken with her, and I am convinced it was all a terrible, youthful mistake. A mistake Professor Forester regrets deeply." The Headmaster sighed. "Professor Forester refused to work with you until I received the full cooperation of either your parents or Bill. I've now received that permission, and so I ask that you meet with her tomorrow afternoon, after your classes." The Headmaster gave a deep nod, and then had said almost apologetically, "I'm sorry to inform you of this, but I think it may be a good idea for you to temporarily relinquish your position as Gryffindor Quidditch Keeper--"
"But, Professor Dumbledore--" Ron got up at that point. He could not believe the Headmaster was asking him to give up one thing he was proud of. At that had said, "What will I tell Harry? Or the rest of the team?"
Dumbledore apparently had been expecting that question. "Tomorrow morning, you, Mr Potter and Miss Granger will meet here before your classes. If you would like, you may also invite your sister--that is your choice. We will inform them of what is happening, but it must be kept in strict confidence."
~*~
Now, Ron was hidden behind the curtains of his four poster, glaring down at the Invalesco Mirror and racking his brain for a reason why Bill had been targeted. Ron had placed an impenetrable and silencing charm around his bed, but he could still hear Dean, Harry, Neville, and Seamus in the dormitory, talking about professional Quidditch. All this seemed so far removed from the worries now clouding his mind.
A long while after Ron lay back on his bed and closed his eyes, the room became dark and quiet. I don't want to fall asleep, Ron thought. He would only hear the terrible screaming, and repeatedly awaken.
It must have been at least an hour later when Ron thought he heard his name being whispered from right outside the curtain. He realized at that moment that he hadn't changed into his pyjamas, and was still wearing the shirt, jumper, and trousers that he had worn all day during classes. Shaking his head and grumbling darkly to himself, he took his wand out from under his pillow (he'd seen Harry doing it earlier in the year, and figured it was a good idea) and muttered, "finite incantatem" to the curtains. He'd just muttered "lumos" when a small hand pushed the curtains open, and a female figure wearing a dressing robe jumped in. It was Hermione.
Ron's mouth dropped open, and he watched as she automatically placed the impenetrable charm on his curtains again, and also performed a silencing charm. Then she turned to him, and Ron was pleased when she hurled herself into his arms. His wand fell to the center of his bed, still casting the a soft glow to the inhabitants on the bed.
"Oh, Ron, I'm so sorry about your brother!" Her arms were clasped around his neck, and he reciprocated her hug by tugging her to him from around her waist. "Hermione..." He said huskily, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. No matter what was happening, he could always depend on her to make him feel better. They'd spent a lot of their efforts helping Harry, and now it seemed that Hermione was every bit as supportive to Ron that she had been to Harry.
Ron looked down at her, feeling frustrated. "Dumbledore told me that aurors are looking for Bill. That's a good thing, I suppose, but I don't know why he was taken. For all we know, he could be dead."
Hermione pulled back now, looking a combination of worried and bashful. "No, Ron, don't say that. He can't be dead! I just wanted to come in here and tell you that...I didn't have much of a chance tonight. You had that meeting with Professor Dumbledore, and I must have just missed you in the common room when you got back."
At that, she looked into his eyes. "I know this isn't a great time to talk about this, but I really love my ring, Ron. Thank you for giving it to me." She then looked down at her hands, and the ring on her finger.
Ron licked his lips and said, "I gave it to you for a reason."
"I know."
"It doesn't matter to me how much it cost." Ron said darkly.
"I know that too, Ron, I'm sorry." Hermione said softly, looking into his eyes again. Ron desperately wanted to reach over, grab her, and kiss her senseless...to release his frustrations through his passion. The only problem was, he was sure that hadn't been Hermione's intention in visiting him here. She would probably be very angry if I did that, he told himself.
"Ron, are you getting enough sleep? You seem to have that tired look in your eyes again. You're not even dressed for bed!" She reached over and brushed a warm hand over his brow. Oh, Merlin, it felt so good. He couldn't handle this any longer.
He leaned over and pulled her into his arms again. She let out happy sigh, and curled close to him.
Suddenly, he heard her let out a tiny yelp of surprise. She was pulling something out from under her. "What's this?" She looked up at him inquisitively.
It was the Invalesco Mirror. He had forgotten that he'd left it on the bed. Normally, he would have placed it under his mattress. "Oh....that's....something Professor Forester gave me." Ron said awkwardly, as Hermione moved a little out of his grasp.
"She...gave it to you?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"Yes." Ron ran a hand through his hair, and pulled the mirror out of her hand. "It has to do with what's been happening to me. Do you remember when I..shouted at you..a couple weeks ago?" He hated bringing up that incident, but he was going have to in order to explain this.
"I remember." She smiled. "I remember that day well."
"Oh." Ron had forgot that was the same day they'd first kissed. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. "Well, I was pretty upset that day, so the Professor gave this to me. It's really helped me from being...so upset." He turned around and slipped the mirror under his mattress.
"You're right, it has worked." Hermione said dimly, and then pushed her self up against the head of this bed. She sat with her knees pulled up to her chin, and her arms around her legs. Through the continuous glow of his lit wand, Ron suddenly noticed that she was wearing soft muggle pyjamas under her dressing robe. They were peeking out from under the robe and visible just above her bare feet.
Ron hadn't even noticed Hermione's feet before, but they were actually very small, with long elegant toes. He then took another look from her feet, up her legs, and to the face perched on her knees.
"Hermione....Professor Dumbledore has asked us to meet him tomorrow morning. He's going to let me tell you everything about what's been happening. I need to tell Ginny before she goes to class. I want her to know everything, too. If you see her early tomorrow, can you please ask her to meet us at 7 a.m. in Dumbledore's study?" Ron asked, with a hitch in his voice.
"That would work, Ron, if I was actually staying in the girl's dormitory tonight." Hermione said very softly, so softly Ron wasn't sure he had heard right.
"What...what are you talking about?" Immediately, Ron felt that the air passage in his throat wasn't large enough to admit air into his lungs. He struggled to take a breath as he looked at her.
"Can I just stay here with you tonight? I am so lonely, Ron. I just want to sleep by you, and make sure you sleep, too. Please?" Her voice held a sound of desperation. Though this is what Ron had wanted for a very long time, he couldn't ask Hermione to stay with him. For one thing, he knew he wouldn't want to just sleep with her in his bed. For another thing, even if he did sleep, he'd keep waking her up with his nightmares.
On the other hand....it would be very nice to wake up with her in the morning. No matter how terrible the night would be, he'd have the pleasure of waking with the one person he'd dreamed about since...well, since forever.
He stared at her for a moment longer, before saying softly, "Fine. Is it okay for me to wear just my undershirt and underpants to bed? I don't want to go out there and wake up the others to get my pyjamas."
Hermione blushed a deep crimson, and simply nodded. She closed her eyes tightly. Ron's face heated, too, and he wasn't sure if it was appropriate for him to simply start taking off his clothes while she was sitting there. Finally, he decided that was what she wanted him to do...as her eyes were shut to the point of pain. He pulled off his trousers and threw them toward the foot of his bed, and had just thrown his jumper in the same direction, when he noticed that Hermione was looking at him curiously.
"Hermione!" Ron said, trying to put his bare legs under the quilts. His body burned with embarrassment. "I thought you had your eyes closed!"
Hermione was trembling and red-faced. "I'm sorry, Ron. I thought you were done. You've taken so long." Suddenly, she was right against him, and rubbing the bare knee he hadn't had a chance to put under the quilt. "Your skin is so different from mine." Then, without further comment, her hands were gently unbuttoning his shirt. Ron had abandoned the tie earlier, the moment he had come up to the dormitory. So he watched, entranced, as Hermione slipped the shirt from his body. Then she reached up, put her hands into his hair, and kissed him shyly.
Ron's body reacted immediately. How could he not feel intense desire with her in his bed, kissing him like she was? He crushed her to him, and rolled her underneath him. He was on top of her now, trying to extricate her from the heavy dressing robe she was wearing. Once he did, he put his hands against her soft pyjamas. Frankly, he wished that he was touching bare skin, but he would not do that unless Hermione gave him a sign that was okay.
Hermione's hands were now underneath Ron's undershirt, rubbing against his chest. She was trying to push the fabric up, apparently in order to see him. He sat up, and pulled the shirt off, throwing it in the general direction of his other clothes. Hermione gave a strangled sigh, and then she placed her hands on his chest. Just having those soft hands touching him there was enough to drive him wild...but when she leaned forward to nibble on one of his nipples, he groaned.
"Gods, Hermione!" Ron muttered, and before he could give her a good, long snog, she said huskily, "I've wanted to do that for so long."
Ron smiled, and leaned down to take his kiss, but Hermione wasn't finished. "There's another thing I've wanted to do." She said, and then leaned up to whisper in his ear. "You're so beautiful."
Nobody had ever said anything like that to him before. He didn't really imagine men could be called beautiful, but it was very nice knowing that Hermione thought he was. "Really?" He whispered down to her.
"Oh yes. Your red hair, your freckles, your body....drive me to distraction. Every day." Hermione's hands were touching him again, but this time they were threateningly close to his underpants. "I've long wondered if you have freckles all over your body."
Ron became hotter than before, and he grabbed her hands before she did what he thought she was going to. "Hermione! I don't think...I mean...I'm...." He had to admit to himself how strange it would be for Hermione to see him naked in this condition (any condition, for that matter). What if she didn't like what he looked like, and in the morning regretted looking at him? In the same token, if she took off his underpants, where would they go from there? He didn't want to do anything Hermione didn't want to, but what if she chose to and then regretted it later?
He was surprised when she said softly, "Okay, Ron." It didn't stop him from noticing her looking at the obvious bulge in his underpants....rather longingly, in fact.
Ron took the long-awaited snog, and they spent several pleasant moments simply touching and kissing each other. Hermione didn't touch below his waistline, and Ron didn't get a sign from Hermione that she wanted him to touch her in....those places Ron wanted to.
Finally, they lay back, this time under the quilts. Ron was holding her tightly against him, kissing her softly every now and then. As he became sleepy, he whispered in her ear, "I do have freckles all over, by the way." He burned with embarrassment. Hermione simply cuddled closer to him.
"I thought so." Hermione said into his ear. "Ron....tell me."
"Tell you what?"
"What it feels like for a man to come."
"Holy shit, Hermione!" Ron didn't feel very sleepy anymore, and his arousal increased. Just when he thought it had been going down a bit.
"Ron, that was so loud." Hermione said, in only a token protest. She tried to push him away, but they were tangled so closely together it was impossible for him to budge. Finally, after a moment of tense silence, Ron said in her ear, "I suppose it feels the same as for a....woman." He choked on the last word.
"No, it doesn't. Not in the books I read." Hermione muttered.
Ron felt a chuckle begin deep in his chest. "Books, Hermione? Now what HAVE you been reading?"
"Never mind." Hermione said irritatedly. After a while, she uttered, "They simply state the men's orgasm differs from the woman's, but they won't go into specifics. It's very upsetting when authors do that."
She was talking so matter-of-factly about this, Ron had a feeling that she could very well have been talking about History Of Magic.
Ron could not contain the gleeful smile that was forming on his lips. This was his chance to give Hermione some information she couldn't receive from a book. He became hot when he realized what he was going to tell her, but he shrugged. He hoped this would make her happy.
"Well...I suppose it's like building up to something you know will be really good. The first time, you're pretty scared, not sure if you should be doing...that. But it feels too good to stop. Then, you kind of hold back and let go...it makes...it...feel better. Finally, there's this point where you know you need to go forward or fall back. When you go forward...there's a burst of liquid heat inside you, and it explodes. I guess, like a volcano. Then...this really nice feeling that lasts for a while." His breath had ran out, and he was shaking a bit. It was so strange talking to her about this...but at the same time it was so right.
"Thank you, Ron." Hermione said softly. "That was lovely."
"You're welcome." He said it hoarsely.
"I suppose it does feel similar to a woman." She said this sleepily, and he noticed that her eyes were now closed.
"You can sleep now, Hermione." He said, brushing her lovely hair away from her face.
"Not until you do." Her voice was decidedly groggy.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead. By the time he had placed himself comfortably against her again, she was deep asleep. He watched her for a long while, until he took his wand, whispered "nox" to put out the light in its tip, and drifted into a very short, very disturbing sleep.