The Romanticism of Simplicity
Chapter Ten
Night brought with it immeasurable grief and worry. Every twinkle of the stars overhead, every crunch of the glittering powder below, even every fluttering snowflake became harbingers of the misery to come.
As they drew closer to The Three Broomsticks, Gemma could feel the wind pick up, howling painfully as if in an attempt to push them back. She listened intently, trying to discern it's words, but the warnings were distant and dream-like - a reverie not meant to be heard, simply percieved.
"This is as far as we go," Lupin (Moody sat this one out) exclaimed, peering around the same corner as the night before and discovering a disserted street. He turned back around and cupped Gemma's shoulder. "The rest is up to you love."
She nodded, shifting nervously on her feet.
"Ready?" he added.
"I think so," Gemma examined, gripping the cool wood of her wand before withdrawing her hand from her pocket.
Ron took her arm and guided her to him.
"I'll be waiting for you," he whispered, encompasing her waist.
"I don't know if I can do this," she announced, holding on to the collar of his coat and looking up into his eyes.
"We'll all be here."
"I love you."
He reached down and brushed her lips with his. "You know how I feel."
With that, they realeased eachother and she set off towards the dimly lit pub, accepting encouraging smiles from Harry, Hermione and Lupin on her way.
Ty, who was waiting at one of the small tables by the door when she arrived, immediately rose to join her, looping her hand through his and ushering her back outside.
"Where are we going?" Gemma asked, staring hard at his face.
"Somewhere we can be alone."
He didn't appear to be in any hurry which helped to ease her fear that they were being followed.
"The room we were in last night seemed to suit our needs just fine," she asserted.
"But you have to admit, it wasn't exactly five star quality."
Gemma snickered. "I didn't know we were at the five star level in our relationship."
He grinned down at her, admiring her soft features, pink from the cold.
"So where is this place?" she continued, ignoring his friendly gaze and peering up the street. They were just a few feet away from the alley she just came from.
"It's not far."
Harry turned around quickly to face his friends.
"What is it?" Lupin questioned.
"They're coming this way," he stated. "We need to duck out of sight until they pass."
They each maneuvered into the shadow, waiting with bated breath as Gemma and Ty's footsteps grew to a crisp crescendo and then slowly faded into the distance.
"Where do you think they're going?" Hermione asked after casting an invisibility charm on each of them.
"I dunno, but we have to stay close if we're going to keep up," Harry answered, falling into step behind them.
Ron eyed the man hooked at Gemma's side and wasn't surprised to encounter a wave of jealousy. His body ached with pent up fury and the closer he got to him, the harder it became to keep it under control. He watched as the bloody bastard squeezed and kissed her and muttered in her ear. The whole thing made him sick and he promised himself that before it was all said and done, he'd get at least one good blow in.
About ten minutes later, they all wound up at a small, three story building tucked behind a row of shops and Harry, Hermione, Ron and Lupin lingered behind as Gemma and Ty dissappeared inside.
Ron was the first to revoke the invisibility charm and the rest followed suit. His blood was boiling, making him unsuceptible to the fridgid winter air.
"Try not to think about it," Hermione suggested, patting his back soothingly.
He gawked at her furiously. "Are you kidding me? The son of a bitch was all over her Hermione!"
"It could be worse," she proclaimed.
"You're right," he agreed, crossing his arms over his chest. "He could be fucking her. Oh, wait a minute! Wait just one bloody minute! I think he is!"
"Ron, you have got to get a hold of yourself," Remus sighed. "We need you clear headed and on your toes."
"It's not that easy. I can't just pretend that none of this is happening," Ron explained.
Harry had been scanning the windows and watched as one to the right on the middle floor lit up with bright, orange firelight and two smoky shadows came dancing into view.
"There they are," he pointed. "Second window to the right."
"I suppose we better make ourselves comfortable then," Lupin declared, leaning against the trunk of a lone, ominous tree. "There's no way of knowing when she'll be back down."
Inside, Ty was popping the cork out of a bottle of aged rasberry wine and motioning for her to take a seat.
"Where are we?" Gemma questioned, glancing around the small living area and letting her eyes settle on a framed picture on the coffee table.
"My flat," he spoke.
She picked it up and surveyed the group of teenagers, all smiling and waving.
"What year was this?" She called to him, spotting herself beside a robed James.
He handed her a wine goblet and peered over her shoulder at the memory.
"Sixth I think. Brooke and I were still together," he said, aiming with his forefinger at a dark haired girl. "See? She's holding my hand."
"Whatever happened to her?"
"Dunno. Last time I saw her was our last day at Hogwart's."
"She was nice."
Gemma stared a little longer, tarrying on the image of herself and James. She had never noticed the way he looked at her. How he stood just close enough to feel her next to him.
"Anyhow," she breathed, replacing the picture (if she looked at it any longer she'd be fighting off tears) and turning to face him.
He sat down on the overstuffed couch, leaving room for her to fit nicely beside him.
"C'mere," he ordered.
She did as she was told, taking a nice long swig from the crystal glass.
He sat his own down and bent over to slide off her scarf.
"Not wasting anytime I see," she said, allowing him to lay her back and climb on top.
"You're too beautiful to put off," he assured her.
He outlined her chin with soft kisses, gradually finding his way to her lips and pressing into them. She tasted smooth and pure, reminding him of vanilla.
"God I love kissing you," he moaned, relishing her bottom lip.
Gemma took hold of the bottom of his jumper and tugged it over his head, tossing it aside. She started with his jeans, but he pulled away, standing up and lifting her with him.
"What are you doing?" she inquired, following him down a small hallway.
He pushed open a wooden door, exposing a large bedroom.
"I want to do this right," he said, propping her up on the edge of his bed and un-doing the toggles of her cardigan.
After, getting off her top layers and bra, he stood her back up and slid off her jeans, leaving her in only her underwear.
"My turn," she declared, working off the rest of his clothing, as well as her last article, and pressing herself firmly against him.
He thorougly enjoyed the sensation he received from having her supple breasts crammed against his chest and from the heat of her breath on his skin. Everything about her was brilliant, right down to the way her thick hair fell about her naked shoulders. When their eyes met, it sent his head whirling and he had to laugh at the weakness in his knees. Their lips collided again and this time, he made it a point not to let her go. With every brush of her fingertips and every stroke of her tongue she was bringing him to life. She sent electricity coursing through his veins.
"Cold?" he asked, sliding in next to her under the plush comforter.
She nodded, positioning herself underneath and wrapping her arms around his waist.
As he bent to begin the task of warming her up, he brushed a few loose strands of silky hair out of her eyes.
"Tell me what you need," he told her. "I want this to be for you."
She wished she could have told him that what she needed was to be with Ron and not pretending to be smitten with someone she didn't want to be involved with, but instead, she settled for the safe option of telling him where to go.
About two hours later, Gemma crawled out of the bed and started rumaging around for her clothes.
"I'd really rather you stay," he said, helping her on with her cardigan.
"I can't."
"What's stopping you?"
"I have to be somewhere," she glanced down at her watch. "And I'm already late."
He wanted to know what it felt like to wake up next to her. He wanted to spend the entire night with her in his arms.
"I'm sure whatever it is can wait," he presumed, hugging her and kissing the top of her head.
"I'm sorry Ty, but it really can't."
She sat down to tie her boots, but he beat her to the punch, bending down in front of her and hoisting her foot into his lap.
"Thanks," she muttered, a bit taken aback by his courtesy.
"Gemma," he began, grabbing the other foot. "I really want to see you again."
She struggled with getting her tongue to form the right words. "You do?"
"Yeah," he said, handing her her wand. "But not like this. I want to spend time with you. Get to know you."
Exactly the thing she didn't want to hear.
"I-er...well...I-I suppose we could do that."
"I just, I..." he couldn't quite put it into words what he wanted to say. "I guess I missed you."
"You didn't seem to miss me all that much last night," she retorted.
"I hadn't realized it yet."
"Oh."
"So...will you meet me here tomorrow?"
Gemma walked over to the bedroom door and flashed him a smile. "I'll be here at ten."
A big, stupid grin stretched from ear to ear over his face and as soon as she was gone, he couldn't hold in his excitement. 'Maybe this really can work,' he thought to himself. 'Maybe...'
Back down on the street, Gemma ran into her four chaperones, practically frozen to the core.
"Sorry it took so long," was all she could say.
"Are you all right?" Ron asked her.
She shrugged. "He wants to get to know me."
"Get to know you?"
"I'll probably never get out of there tomorrow."
"This is good though," Harry sounded, releasing Hermione whom he had been holding for the past hour. "Now we can take the next step."
"Harry's right," Hermione agreed, a tad dazzled by the sudden lack of warmth. "This entire ordeal may not take as long as we thought."
"Let's discuss it in the morning," Lupin yawned. "My ass could pose as an ice cube."
It was settled at the next meeting. The tips would be sent out to all the wizard papers that Gemma Herrin had been permanently suspended from the Ministry of Magic and stipped of her rights as an auror. They would be told that these severe actions were taken on account of her fraternizing with the enemy and giving out valuable information as to the security of several protected wizards, including the minister of magic, Cornelius Fudge. By noon, everyone, except those involved and Fudge of course, would hear of the accusations made against her and be well on their way to deciding on how they feel about the matter. Later, when Gemma would go to meet Ty, she'd pretend to be completely distraught over the situation, and in a fit of anger, beg him for a chance to join his group of problem makers. 'It would be the perfect way to get back at them' she'd tell him. 'They'll be sorry for what they've done if it's the last thing I do.' The plan, if carried out correctly, was fool-proof.
"Are you scared?" Ron asked Gemma that afternoon at the Burrow. They, along with Harry, Hermione, Lupin, Sirius and Tonks, had decided to bide their time by having a late lunch with Ron's family.
"Don't I look it?" she replied, tucking her knees to her chest.
"It'll be a miracle if we pull this off. We're fooling a lot of people."
"It'll work. We just have to stick with it."
There was along silence between them as they both gathered their wits.
"It's difficult," Ron finally said, studying his hands.
"What is?"
"Giving you up to him like that."
"It's difficult being with him," she breathed.
"There's so much that could go wrong Gemma."
"I know. We just have to trust that it won't."
He peered over at her, eyes heavy with burden, and reached out to grasp her hand. She tumbled over into his arms and melted against his body.
"As long as we have eachother nothing else matters," she proclaimed.
Ron squeezed her tighter. "I love you so much it hurts."
Finally, around five o' clock, owls were sent to the Burrow with every wizard paper in London.
"Look at this," Harry said, unrolling the Daily Prophet and examining the front page. "'Traitor Discovered At The Ministry'," he read, handing it to Gemma.
Her insides wrenched up into a tight knot as she gripped the pages and scrutinized a picture of herself with Fudge. It had been taken the day she became an auror.
"Look at this one," Fred gushed. "'Witch Accused of Tipping Off Possible Death Eaters'."
"Hey this one mentions us!" Ginny exclaimed, walking over to sit in the old lounger beside the couch that Ron and Gemma were occupying.
"What does it say?" Ron pondered, scooting to edge of the cushion to get a better look.
"There's a picture of you and Gemma and underneath it reads 'Weasley's Linked To The Enemy'."
"Oh my God," Gemma muttered, thinking she might be sick.
Ginny continued. "'Gemma Herrin, an auror for the Ministry of Magic, was relieved of her duties today after being accused of handing over information regarding the protection and safety of several prominent wizards to the mysterious group that has been terrorizing London for the past three months. Our sources were tipped that she has been seeing none other than Ronald Weasley, the youngest boy of the Weasley family who is known for his support of Harry Potter. "They're very happy together," says Draco Malfoy, a friend of the couple. "Been together for quite some time now." Could this mean that we can no longer trust one of our most respected wizarding families'?"
"That's crazy!" Ron cried, snatching up the paper.
"Trust me," Hermione said. "They'll think of worse things to say before it's said and done. Remember Rita Skeeter? The old bag was relentless."
"This one talks about you and Harry," George informed them, sitting on the arm of the couch next to Gemma. "Questions his loyalty."
She stood up, desperate for fresh air, and stumbled outside, collapsing on the wood railing for support. It hadn't even entered her mind that her friends would be dragged into it. Because of her, their reputations were being put on the line. She sucked in a deep breath, the cold stinging her lungs and choked on frustrated tears. A part of her wished the whole thing would blow up in her face just so it would be over, but the other part, the sensible part, wanted to see it through. Afterall, everyone was relying on her.
"All right out here?" Harry's voice rang out from the door way.
"Sorry about the articles," Gemma said, turning around to face him.
"It's not the first time I've had my loyalt questioned," he shrugged. "And it probably won't be the last."
"It hadn't even occured to me that they'd bring you all into it."
"They'll say anything to keep people reading."
There was a short silence between them in which Gemma tried to sort out her feelings.
"Listen," she finally said. "Tell everyone I said bye and not to worry okay?"
"Where are you going?"
"Home. I need to be by myself for a while."
He watched her step off the porch. "Be careful."
She apparated into her living room and stood for a long time just going over everything in her head. What would Ty say when he found out about Ron? Did he already know? What would she tell him? How in the name of Merlin was she going to convince him that she wanted to be a part of his group? Was he even still a part of the group? The attacks were becoming more frequent, but there was no way to know if he had been involved in any of them except that one. How did he even get mixed up with those people to begin with? It was all so overwhelming. In fact, it was too overwhelming. After a few moments of the tedious battling that was taking place in her head, Gemma couldn't take it anymore. She had to get it all over with. So, she checked for her wand and with one last scan of her flat, dissapparated, winding up at Ty's door.
"Ty!" She bellowed, rapping on his door. "Ty, it's me! Are you home? We need to talk!"
There was a loud click and the sound of the door handle turning.
"Gemma?" Ty asked, giving her room to step inside. "What are you doing here?"
She spotted the Daily Prophet scattered across the coffee table. "Did you hear?"
He nodded solemnly.
Suddenly she switched into 'go' mode and the words just came spilling out. Uncalculated and raw.
"The fucking bastards took away my liscence!" (A/N: I'm not sure what the requirements are for being an auror.)
"I know. I'm sorry."
"How could they do this to me!? After everything I've been through..."
"They had reason Gemma."
"They had nothing! There's not a shred of evidence to support their decision!"
"What about the past couple of nights?"
She met his eyes. "What about them?"
"Well I don't exactly have the best record."
"You had nothing to do with it! You never even came up!"
He looked relieved. "Then this isn't because of me?"
"No. This happened because they're getting paranoid. Screwing me over was just a way to ease some tension."
"So...they don't know about us?"
Gemma took a few steps closer to him. "No. And that's exactly why I came here."
"What do you mean?"
"I want you to help me."
"Help you with what?"
"I'm not going to sit back and let them get away with this!"
He eyed her nervously. "What are you talking about?"
"I want to be a part of that group."
His heart lept into his throat. "What group?"
"Your group Ty. The ones you were with that night in Romania."
"Gemma..."
"Think about it," she began. "What better way to get back at them than to become a member of the problem?"
Ty turned away from her, unable to believe what he was hearing. "You don't know what you're saying."
"I know EXACTLY what I'm saying!"
"You're upset and..."
"Of course I'm upset! I've lost everything Ty! EVERYTHING!"
"What about Ron?"
The question hit her hard. "Ron?"
"Have you lost him as well?"
He captured her eyes again and for a split second she could have sworn she saw a hint of remorse.
"I lost him a long time ago," she retorted.
"From what I hear, you two are madly in love."
"Whatever we had...it's over. None of it matters anymore."
He searched her face for a trace of the truth. "How do I know you're not lying?"
"Look," she sighed, changing the subject. "I came here because I thought there was something between us. But if you're not going to help me, then I'll go to someone else."
She started towards the door and had just reached the handle when he called her back.
"You have no idea what these people are capable of," he asserted. "You don't just join up with them when you feel like a bit of revenge."
"You're not telling me anything I don't already know."
"Once you go looking for them, there's no turning back. You're in it for the long haul."
"Just tell me where to go and I'll worry about the rest," she ordered.
He didn't want to be the one that ushered her into that world, but he didn't want to know that someone else had either. At least if he was the one to show her, he'd be able to keep her safe.
"Are you sure you want this?" he questioned.
Gemma reached out and grabbed his t-shirt, pulling him over to her. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."
He stared down at the flustered woman in his arms and couldn't help but feel dejected. What right did he have to thrust upon her the mess that he himself had been in for so long? How could he possibly live knowing he'd fed her to beasts that were the following? She'd be torn to peices and he'd have to stand back and watch.
"Stay with me tonight," he said, taking her face in his hands.
"What about..."
"Stay with me. We'll worry about all that in the morning."
She nodded. "Okay."
His kiss was gentle, timid at first. She put her arms around his waist and he groaned and pulled her to him.
"There's something about you," he murmured, brushing her hair from her eyes. "I dunno what, but whatever it is, I can't get enough of it."
"You have to promise me something Ty," she whispered.
"What?" he asked, caressing her cheeks and neck.
"Promise you won't fall in love with me."
This made his heart ache painfully in his chest. "Gemma I..."
"Please," she begged, gripping the small of his back tightly.
"I think I already have."
Guilt was steadily encompasing her body, burning a whole in her throat and threatening to come tumbling out.
"Lie to me," she urged.
"What?"
"Lie to me. Tell me anything."
He didn't know what to say. There was no way he could deny what he was feeling for her. If anything, he needed to get it all out.
"Ty?" she continued.
"You're asking alot," he stated.
"I'm sorry," she said, stepping away from him.
In that instant, watching her turn her back to wipe away exasperated tears, he decided that it would be better to have her and not be able to tell he how he felt, than to tell her and lose her all over again.
He swept her back up in his arms, kissing away the moisture on her cheeks. He may not be able to express his love verbally, but he could show her. He reached behind her waist and found the bottom of her jumper, pulling it gently above her head and letting it fall to the floor. He traced small kisses along her jaw, down her neck and over her breasts, finding the clasp of her bra with his right hand. With an expert tug, it too fell to the floor and stood back, admiring her supple body. He knelt down slowly to unbutton her jeans and slide off her lace underwear.
A soft sigh escaped her throat as he caressed her thighs and without warning her knees gave way and she fell into his arms.
Ty carried her into his bedroom, sitting her down on the bed.
They began drifting towards the pillows, but she pulled back, standing up.
"Not yet."
A faint smile curled the corners of his mouth.
Slowly, carefully, she undressed him. One article at a time, knowing that every second she wasn't touching him was torture.
When everything was off, she took him in. It was as though she was seeing him for the first time. The tight lines of his muscles, the faded scars on his stomach and arms. He was...in a word...lovely. She tried not to gawk, but it was all too astonishing. What had happened to the Ty she had known all those years ago?
As she venerated his appearance, he did his best to remain perfectly still. He wanted her to see him, to know him.
After a few moments, she timidly reached out to touch a particularly deep scar just underneath his rib cage. He shivered under her touch and took her hands, pulling her down to him, his chest grazing the tips of her breasts.
With one hand, he held back her thick hair, giving himself access to her neck. With the other, he caressed the curve of her back, lightly pressing each knot of her spine.
They stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity before he finally guided her down to the bed.
He brushed his lips against her hard nipples and she jumped a little out of pleasure. He laughed and she would have too if her ragged breaths would have allowed it.
"You're beautiful." He smiled, kissing her nose, her cheeks, her lips.
"Ty..." she heard herself say.
He lowered himself onto her, his thighs around hers.
She could see anxiety in his eyes. He didn't want to hurt her. He didn't want to be hurt.
She tried to whisper, tried to call, but her whisper became a gasp and her call a sigh.
Gemma wrapped her arms tightly around him. She wanted him. She needed him. Somehow they found eachothers eyes and she watched as his anxiety faded.
She didn't know how long she'd been asleep, or even if she'd been asleep at all when she heard Ty's voice beside her.
"There's something about you."
Gemma turned over tiredly and laid her head across his chest, closing her eyes.
"There's something about you."
Chapter Ten
Night brought with it immeasurable grief and worry. Every twinkle of the stars overhead, every crunch of the glittering powder below, even every fluttering snowflake became harbingers of the misery to come.
As they drew closer to The Three Broomsticks, Gemma could feel the wind pick up, howling painfully as if in an attempt to push them back. She listened intently, trying to discern it's words, but the warnings were distant and dream-like - a reverie not meant to be heard, simply percieved.
"This is as far as we go," Lupin (Moody sat this one out) exclaimed, peering around the same corner as the night before and discovering a disserted street. He turned back around and cupped Gemma's shoulder. "The rest is up to you love."
She nodded, shifting nervously on her feet.
"Ready?" he added.
"I think so," Gemma examined, gripping the cool wood of her wand before withdrawing her hand from her pocket.
Ron took her arm and guided her to him.
"I'll be waiting for you," he whispered, encompasing her waist.
"I don't know if I can do this," she announced, holding on to the collar of his coat and looking up into his eyes.
"We'll all be here."
"I love you."
He reached down and brushed her lips with his. "You know how I feel."
With that, they realeased eachother and she set off towards the dimly lit pub, accepting encouraging smiles from Harry, Hermione and Lupin on her way.
Ty, who was waiting at one of the small tables by the door when she arrived, immediately rose to join her, looping her hand through his and ushering her back outside.
"Where are we going?" Gemma asked, staring hard at his face.
"Somewhere we can be alone."
He didn't appear to be in any hurry which helped to ease her fear that they were being followed.
"The room we were in last night seemed to suit our needs just fine," she asserted.
"But you have to admit, it wasn't exactly five star quality."
Gemma snickered. "I didn't know we were at the five star level in our relationship."
He grinned down at her, admiring her soft features, pink from the cold.
"So where is this place?" she continued, ignoring his friendly gaze and peering up the street. They were just a few feet away from the alley she just came from.
"It's not far."
Harry turned around quickly to face his friends.
"What is it?" Lupin questioned.
"They're coming this way," he stated. "We need to duck out of sight until they pass."
They each maneuvered into the shadow, waiting with bated breath as Gemma and Ty's footsteps grew to a crisp crescendo and then slowly faded into the distance.
"Where do you think they're going?" Hermione asked after casting an invisibility charm on each of them.
"I dunno, but we have to stay close if we're going to keep up," Harry answered, falling into step behind them.
Ron eyed the man hooked at Gemma's side and wasn't surprised to encounter a wave of jealousy. His body ached with pent up fury and the closer he got to him, the harder it became to keep it under control. He watched as the bloody bastard squeezed and kissed her and muttered in her ear. The whole thing made him sick and he promised himself that before it was all said and done, he'd get at least one good blow in.
About ten minutes later, they all wound up at a small, three story building tucked behind a row of shops and Harry, Hermione, Ron and Lupin lingered behind as Gemma and Ty dissappeared inside.
Ron was the first to revoke the invisibility charm and the rest followed suit. His blood was boiling, making him unsuceptible to the fridgid winter air.
"Try not to think about it," Hermione suggested, patting his back soothingly.
He gawked at her furiously. "Are you kidding me? The son of a bitch was all over her Hermione!"
"It could be worse," she proclaimed.
"You're right," he agreed, crossing his arms over his chest. "He could be fucking her. Oh, wait a minute! Wait just one bloody minute! I think he is!"
"Ron, you have got to get a hold of yourself," Remus sighed. "We need you clear headed and on your toes."
"It's not that easy. I can't just pretend that none of this is happening," Ron explained.
Harry had been scanning the windows and watched as one to the right on the middle floor lit up with bright, orange firelight and two smoky shadows came dancing into view.
"There they are," he pointed. "Second window to the right."
"I suppose we better make ourselves comfortable then," Lupin declared, leaning against the trunk of a lone, ominous tree. "There's no way of knowing when she'll be back down."
Inside, Ty was popping the cork out of a bottle of aged rasberry wine and motioning for her to take a seat.
"Where are we?" Gemma questioned, glancing around the small living area and letting her eyes settle on a framed picture on the coffee table.
"My flat," he spoke.
She picked it up and surveyed the group of teenagers, all smiling and waving.
"What year was this?" She called to him, spotting herself beside a robed James.
He handed her a wine goblet and peered over her shoulder at the memory.
"Sixth I think. Brooke and I were still together," he said, aiming with his forefinger at a dark haired girl. "See? She's holding my hand."
"Whatever happened to her?"
"Dunno. Last time I saw her was our last day at Hogwart's."
"She was nice."
Gemma stared a little longer, tarrying on the image of herself and James. She had never noticed the way he looked at her. How he stood just close enough to feel her next to him.
"Anyhow," she breathed, replacing the picture (if she looked at it any longer she'd be fighting off tears) and turning to face him.
He sat down on the overstuffed couch, leaving room for her to fit nicely beside him.
"C'mere," he ordered.
She did as she was told, taking a nice long swig from the crystal glass.
He sat his own down and bent over to slide off her scarf.
"Not wasting anytime I see," she said, allowing him to lay her back and climb on top.
"You're too beautiful to put off," he assured her.
He outlined her chin with soft kisses, gradually finding his way to her lips and pressing into them. She tasted smooth and pure, reminding him of vanilla.
"God I love kissing you," he moaned, relishing her bottom lip.
Gemma took hold of the bottom of his jumper and tugged it over his head, tossing it aside. She started with his jeans, but he pulled away, standing up and lifting her with him.
"What are you doing?" she inquired, following him down a small hallway.
He pushed open a wooden door, exposing a large bedroom.
"I want to do this right," he said, propping her up on the edge of his bed and un-doing the toggles of her cardigan.
After, getting off her top layers and bra, he stood her back up and slid off her jeans, leaving her in only her underwear.
"My turn," she declared, working off the rest of his clothing, as well as her last article, and pressing herself firmly against him.
He thorougly enjoyed the sensation he received from having her supple breasts crammed against his chest and from the heat of her breath on his skin. Everything about her was brilliant, right down to the way her thick hair fell about her naked shoulders. When their eyes met, it sent his head whirling and he had to laugh at the weakness in his knees. Their lips collided again and this time, he made it a point not to let her go. With every brush of her fingertips and every stroke of her tongue she was bringing him to life. She sent electricity coursing through his veins.
"Cold?" he asked, sliding in next to her under the plush comforter.
She nodded, positioning herself underneath and wrapping her arms around his waist.
As he bent to begin the task of warming her up, he brushed a few loose strands of silky hair out of her eyes.
"Tell me what you need," he told her. "I want this to be for you."
She wished she could have told him that what she needed was to be with Ron and not pretending to be smitten with someone she didn't want to be involved with, but instead, she settled for the safe option of telling him where to go.
About two hours later, Gemma crawled out of the bed and started rumaging around for her clothes.
"I'd really rather you stay," he said, helping her on with her cardigan.
"I can't."
"What's stopping you?"
"I have to be somewhere," she glanced down at her watch. "And I'm already late."
He wanted to know what it felt like to wake up next to her. He wanted to spend the entire night with her in his arms.
"I'm sure whatever it is can wait," he presumed, hugging her and kissing the top of her head.
"I'm sorry Ty, but it really can't."
She sat down to tie her boots, but he beat her to the punch, bending down in front of her and hoisting her foot into his lap.
"Thanks," she muttered, a bit taken aback by his courtesy.
"Gemma," he began, grabbing the other foot. "I really want to see you again."
She struggled with getting her tongue to form the right words. "You do?"
"Yeah," he said, handing her her wand. "But not like this. I want to spend time with you. Get to know you."
Exactly the thing she didn't want to hear.
"I-er...well...I-I suppose we could do that."
"I just, I..." he couldn't quite put it into words what he wanted to say. "I guess I missed you."
"You didn't seem to miss me all that much last night," she retorted.
"I hadn't realized it yet."
"Oh."
"So...will you meet me here tomorrow?"
Gemma walked over to the bedroom door and flashed him a smile. "I'll be here at ten."
A big, stupid grin stretched from ear to ear over his face and as soon as she was gone, he couldn't hold in his excitement. 'Maybe this really can work,' he thought to himself. 'Maybe...'
Back down on the street, Gemma ran into her four chaperones, practically frozen to the core.
"Sorry it took so long," was all she could say.
"Are you all right?" Ron asked her.
She shrugged. "He wants to get to know me."
"Get to know you?"
"I'll probably never get out of there tomorrow."
"This is good though," Harry sounded, releasing Hermione whom he had been holding for the past hour. "Now we can take the next step."
"Harry's right," Hermione agreed, a tad dazzled by the sudden lack of warmth. "This entire ordeal may not take as long as we thought."
"Let's discuss it in the morning," Lupin yawned. "My ass could pose as an ice cube."
It was settled at the next meeting. The tips would be sent out to all the wizard papers that Gemma Herrin had been permanently suspended from the Ministry of Magic and stipped of her rights as an auror. They would be told that these severe actions were taken on account of her fraternizing with the enemy and giving out valuable information as to the security of several protected wizards, including the minister of magic, Cornelius Fudge. By noon, everyone, except those involved and Fudge of course, would hear of the accusations made against her and be well on their way to deciding on how they feel about the matter. Later, when Gemma would go to meet Ty, she'd pretend to be completely distraught over the situation, and in a fit of anger, beg him for a chance to join his group of problem makers. 'It would be the perfect way to get back at them' she'd tell him. 'They'll be sorry for what they've done if it's the last thing I do.' The plan, if carried out correctly, was fool-proof.
"Are you scared?" Ron asked Gemma that afternoon at the Burrow. They, along with Harry, Hermione, Lupin, Sirius and Tonks, had decided to bide their time by having a late lunch with Ron's family.
"Don't I look it?" she replied, tucking her knees to her chest.
"It'll be a miracle if we pull this off. We're fooling a lot of people."
"It'll work. We just have to stick with it."
There was along silence between them as they both gathered their wits.
"It's difficult," Ron finally said, studying his hands.
"What is?"
"Giving you up to him like that."
"It's difficult being with him," she breathed.
"There's so much that could go wrong Gemma."
"I know. We just have to trust that it won't."
He peered over at her, eyes heavy with burden, and reached out to grasp her hand. She tumbled over into his arms and melted against his body.
"As long as we have eachother nothing else matters," she proclaimed.
Ron squeezed her tighter. "I love you so much it hurts."
Finally, around five o' clock, owls were sent to the Burrow with every wizard paper in London.
"Look at this," Harry said, unrolling the Daily Prophet and examining the front page. "'Traitor Discovered At The Ministry'," he read, handing it to Gemma.
Her insides wrenched up into a tight knot as she gripped the pages and scrutinized a picture of herself with Fudge. It had been taken the day she became an auror.
"Look at this one," Fred gushed. "'Witch Accused of Tipping Off Possible Death Eaters'."
"Hey this one mentions us!" Ginny exclaimed, walking over to sit in the old lounger beside the couch that Ron and Gemma were occupying.
"What does it say?" Ron pondered, scooting to edge of the cushion to get a better look.
"There's a picture of you and Gemma and underneath it reads 'Weasley's Linked To The Enemy'."
"Oh my God," Gemma muttered, thinking she might be sick.
Ginny continued. "'Gemma Herrin, an auror for the Ministry of Magic, was relieved of her duties today after being accused of handing over information regarding the protection and safety of several prominent wizards to the mysterious group that has been terrorizing London for the past three months. Our sources were tipped that she has been seeing none other than Ronald Weasley, the youngest boy of the Weasley family who is known for his support of Harry Potter. "They're very happy together," says Draco Malfoy, a friend of the couple. "Been together for quite some time now." Could this mean that we can no longer trust one of our most respected wizarding families'?"
"That's crazy!" Ron cried, snatching up the paper.
"Trust me," Hermione said. "They'll think of worse things to say before it's said and done. Remember Rita Skeeter? The old bag was relentless."
"This one talks about you and Harry," George informed them, sitting on the arm of the couch next to Gemma. "Questions his loyalty."
She stood up, desperate for fresh air, and stumbled outside, collapsing on the wood railing for support. It hadn't even entered her mind that her friends would be dragged into it. Because of her, their reputations were being put on the line. She sucked in a deep breath, the cold stinging her lungs and choked on frustrated tears. A part of her wished the whole thing would blow up in her face just so it would be over, but the other part, the sensible part, wanted to see it through. Afterall, everyone was relying on her.
"All right out here?" Harry's voice rang out from the door way.
"Sorry about the articles," Gemma said, turning around to face him.
"It's not the first time I've had my loyalt questioned," he shrugged. "And it probably won't be the last."
"It hadn't even occured to me that they'd bring you all into it."
"They'll say anything to keep people reading."
There was a short silence between them in which Gemma tried to sort out her feelings.
"Listen," she finally said. "Tell everyone I said bye and not to worry okay?"
"Where are you going?"
"Home. I need to be by myself for a while."
He watched her step off the porch. "Be careful."
She apparated into her living room and stood for a long time just going over everything in her head. What would Ty say when he found out about Ron? Did he already know? What would she tell him? How in the name of Merlin was she going to convince him that she wanted to be a part of his group? Was he even still a part of the group? The attacks were becoming more frequent, but there was no way to know if he had been involved in any of them except that one. How did he even get mixed up with those people to begin with? It was all so overwhelming. In fact, it was too overwhelming. After a few moments of the tedious battling that was taking place in her head, Gemma couldn't take it anymore. She had to get it all over with. So, she checked for her wand and with one last scan of her flat, dissapparated, winding up at Ty's door.
"Ty!" She bellowed, rapping on his door. "Ty, it's me! Are you home? We need to talk!"
There was a loud click and the sound of the door handle turning.
"Gemma?" Ty asked, giving her room to step inside. "What are you doing here?"
She spotted the Daily Prophet scattered across the coffee table. "Did you hear?"
He nodded solemnly.
Suddenly she switched into 'go' mode and the words just came spilling out. Uncalculated and raw.
"The fucking bastards took away my liscence!" (A/N: I'm not sure what the requirements are for being an auror.)
"I know. I'm sorry."
"How could they do this to me!? After everything I've been through..."
"They had reason Gemma."
"They had nothing! There's not a shred of evidence to support their decision!"
"What about the past couple of nights?"
She met his eyes. "What about them?"
"Well I don't exactly have the best record."
"You had nothing to do with it! You never even came up!"
He looked relieved. "Then this isn't because of me?"
"No. This happened because they're getting paranoid. Screwing me over was just a way to ease some tension."
"So...they don't know about us?"
Gemma took a few steps closer to him. "No. And that's exactly why I came here."
"What do you mean?"
"I want you to help me."
"Help you with what?"
"I'm not going to sit back and let them get away with this!"
He eyed her nervously. "What are you talking about?"
"I want to be a part of that group."
His heart lept into his throat. "What group?"
"Your group Ty. The ones you were with that night in Romania."
"Gemma..."
"Think about it," she began. "What better way to get back at them than to become a member of the problem?"
Ty turned away from her, unable to believe what he was hearing. "You don't know what you're saying."
"I know EXACTLY what I'm saying!"
"You're upset and..."
"Of course I'm upset! I've lost everything Ty! EVERYTHING!"
"What about Ron?"
The question hit her hard. "Ron?"
"Have you lost him as well?"
He captured her eyes again and for a split second she could have sworn she saw a hint of remorse.
"I lost him a long time ago," she retorted.
"From what I hear, you two are madly in love."
"Whatever we had...it's over. None of it matters anymore."
He searched her face for a trace of the truth. "How do I know you're not lying?"
"Look," she sighed, changing the subject. "I came here because I thought there was something between us. But if you're not going to help me, then I'll go to someone else."
She started towards the door and had just reached the handle when he called her back.
"You have no idea what these people are capable of," he asserted. "You don't just join up with them when you feel like a bit of revenge."
"You're not telling me anything I don't already know."
"Once you go looking for them, there's no turning back. You're in it for the long haul."
"Just tell me where to go and I'll worry about the rest," she ordered.
He didn't want to be the one that ushered her into that world, but he didn't want to know that someone else had either. At least if he was the one to show her, he'd be able to keep her safe.
"Are you sure you want this?" he questioned.
Gemma reached out and grabbed his t-shirt, pulling him over to her. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."
He stared down at the flustered woman in his arms and couldn't help but feel dejected. What right did he have to thrust upon her the mess that he himself had been in for so long? How could he possibly live knowing he'd fed her to beasts that were the following? She'd be torn to peices and he'd have to stand back and watch.
"Stay with me tonight," he said, taking her face in his hands.
"What about..."
"Stay with me. We'll worry about all that in the morning."
She nodded. "Okay."
His kiss was gentle, timid at first. She put her arms around his waist and he groaned and pulled her to him.
"There's something about you," he murmured, brushing her hair from her eyes. "I dunno what, but whatever it is, I can't get enough of it."
"You have to promise me something Ty," she whispered.
"What?" he asked, caressing her cheeks and neck.
"Promise you won't fall in love with me."
This made his heart ache painfully in his chest. "Gemma I..."
"Please," she begged, gripping the small of his back tightly.
"I think I already have."
Guilt was steadily encompasing her body, burning a whole in her throat and threatening to come tumbling out.
"Lie to me," she urged.
"What?"
"Lie to me. Tell me anything."
He didn't know what to say. There was no way he could deny what he was feeling for her. If anything, he needed to get it all out.
"Ty?" she continued.
"You're asking alot," he stated.
"I'm sorry," she said, stepping away from him.
In that instant, watching her turn her back to wipe away exasperated tears, he decided that it would be better to have her and not be able to tell he how he felt, than to tell her and lose her all over again.
He swept her back up in his arms, kissing away the moisture on her cheeks. He may not be able to express his love verbally, but he could show her. He reached behind her waist and found the bottom of her jumper, pulling it gently above her head and letting it fall to the floor. He traced small kisses along her jaw, down her neck and over her breasts, finding the clasp of her bra with his right hand. With an expert tug, it too fell to the floor and stood back, admiring her supple body. He knelt down slowly to unbutton her jeans and slide off her lace underwear.
A soft sigh escaped her throat as he caressed her thighs and without warning her knees gave way and she fell into his arms.
Ty carried her into his bedroom, sitting her down on the bed.
They began drifting towards the pillows, but she pulled back, standing up.
"Not yet."
A faint smile curled the corners of his mouth.
Slowly, carefully, she undressed him. One article at a time, knowing that every second she wasn't touching him was torture.
When everything was off, she took him in. It was as though she was seeing him for the first time. The tight lines of his muscles, the faded scars on his stomach and arms. He was...in a word...lovely. She tried not to gawk, but it was all too astonishing. What had happened to the Ty she had known all those years ago?
As she venerated his appearance, he did his best to remain perfectly still. He wanted her to see him, to know him.
After a few moments, she timidly reached out to touch a particularly deep scar just underneath his rib cage. He shivered under her touch and took her hands, pulling her down to him, his chest grazing the tips of her breasts.
With one hand, he held back her thick hair, giving himself access to her neck. With the other, he caressed the curve of her back, lightly pressing each knot of her spine.
They stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity before he finally guided her down to the bed.
He brushed his lips against her hard nipples and she jumped a little out of pleasure. He laughed and she would have too if her ragged breaths would have allowed it.
"You're beautiful." He smiled, kissing her nose, her cheeks, her lips.
"Ty..." she heard herself say.
He lowered himself onto her, his thighs around hers.
She could see anxiety in his eyes. He didn't want to hurt her. He didn't want to be hurt.
She tried to whisper, tried to call, but her whisper became a gasp and her call a sigh.
Gemma wrapped her arms tightly around him. She wanted him. She needed him. Somehow they found eachothers eyes and she watched as his anxiety faded.
She didn't know how long she'd been asleep, or even if she'd been asleep at all when she heard Ty's voice beside her.
"There's something about you."
Gemma turned over tiredly and laid her head across his chest, closing her eyes.
"There's something about you."