Author Note: Thanks for the reviews guys! Here's chapter three, hope you all like it! If you could do me a favour please try and let other people who might be interested in this story about it, because I really find the reviews and fact that people are reading my working inspiring and encouraging J
Croft – Hehe, nah I'm not sure William does do it for Bill. Thanks for the two reviews! Yes Bill and Hermione remind me of that couple too. Here's the next chapter, lots of Bill for you! And yes the chapter was meant to end there... not sure where the 'Harry she' came from to be honest!
Eve – Nope no code, I dunno what the 'Harry she' is, hehe. I probably just left it there accidentally after cutting and pasting or something. I'm glad you like the story so far, here's chapter three!
MovieStarMissy – Glad you like, heres another chapter.
Cammie – Here's more for you and yes Bill/Hermione is underrated but not without its supporters! Plus it is fun to write.
Linis – Yay, I'm happy you think it's well written that's really important to me as well as having an interesting story and characters. No there are hardly any Bill/Hermione stories, only ones I know of are Jewel of The Nile by Anna – which is amazing. And Summer Holiday, another of my fics.
Alanze – Glad you like it J I hope it is better than Summer Holiday – I have writers block on it at the mo... nightmare.
Claribel – "really well written, nicely paced, with an interesting story line" –Blush- Thankyou. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.
The Hidden Soul
Chapter 3.
Harry wiggled his eyebrows at her and replaced the phone into its cradle.
"Alright, well Bill will be over in about half an hour. He said anything's fine for dinner." Harry added with a grin. Hermione wrinkled her nose at him.
"Hadn't you better be going?" She asked looking pointedly at the clock which was ticking just past eight o' clock
"Shit!" Harry swore, "Uh...yeah. Well have fun 'Mione," he said dipping down to kiss her cheek briefly, then he grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. Just as he reached it he spun and shot her a playful look,
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do..." he quipped, winking roguishly. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Great, that means I can do everything," she said breezily, pushing him out of the suite with a grin. She spun around and leant against the door. An evening with Bill. Alone. It was the alone part that posed the problem, in hot, sweaty clubs it was easy to get away with lingering touches, provocative dancing, sensual glances. But alone, well, it was going to be an interesting evening. Hermione glanced down at her towelling dressing gown, and wandered distractedly into the bedroom.
She emerged dressed in a light, floaty cream skirt that hugged her hips before flaring out and skimming her knees. She had teamed it with a simple white strappy top, which revealed her tanned shoulders and scooped in a low but just about modest 'v' at her neck. She had pulled her curls away from her face and pinned them loosely at the back of her head. She padded barefoot into the small kitchenette and to the cupboard above the stove. She threw it open and groaned in despair. Empty.
Bollocks. Hermione thought in irritation. The cupboard didn't contain anything that she could possibly turn into a meal, a pepper pot, salt shaker and box of dried herbs and spices wouldn't create a tasty dish, in the hands of even the best chef. Hermione gritted her teeth, thinking desperately of something to do. She headed to the fridge and pulled it open, hoping for a miracle. The complimentary ingredients for a continental breakfast had vanished, Hermione silently cursed Ron's never-ending hunger pangs. All that was left was half a box of butter and a single, solitary mushroom. Hermione groaned again. She paced back into the lounge and poured herself a large glass of red wine. She drank it slowly, and was halfway through her second one when an idea struck, there had to be take-away in Egypt. She set down her glass and picked up the phone, she was about to dial for the reception when a knock at the door made her drop the handset. She looked at the clock. It was quarter-to-nine.
"Shit." Hermione muttered looking around hopelessly. Sighing, she smoothed her skirt, walked to the door and pulled it open.
Bill was leaning casually against the doorframe. His reddish blonde hair was tousled and the waves brushed the collar of his cream shirt. The shirt was unbuttoned, revealing once again that enticing trail of golden curls; Hermione gulped and tore her eyes away from them. Summoning courage wasn't as hard as it might have been; Hermione had the pleasant feeling of confidence provided by the glass and half of house red. Bill grinned at her, his teeth dazzling white against his deep tan. Hermione smiled back, warning herself not to get lost in the two sparkling pools of turquoise.
"Come in," she said stepping back to let him enter. Bill obliged. Hermione sat down on the sofa and shot a sheepish look up at him.
"Uh... I have a bit of bad news..." she admitted biting her lip. "You see – we have no food. I was about to ring for take away when you came!"
Bill chuckled his blue eyes twinkling,
"What you got in the kitchen?" he asked, Hermione shook her head.
"Pepper, salt, butter and a mushroom." She replied, causing Bill to guffaw in laughter.
"Oh, just the one mushroom?"
"Just the one," Hermione nodded with an apologetic shrug. Her eyes swept the room and rested on the minibar. "Actually..." She began with a grin, "You did say anything was okay for dinner didn't you...?"
"Yes..." Bill agreed cautiously. Hermione beamed at him,
"Okay, well I had an idea. I'll tell you what, you go and have a drink on the balcony, and I'll... uh... lay the table!" she suggested, pressing the open red wine bottle into his hands. Bill held up another bottle that he had obviously brought with him.
"Alright," he said taking both bottles and a glass out onto the muggy balcony. Hermione grinned and quickly swept the tourist magazines of the small, glass coffee table. Then she dropped to her knees in front of the minibar and began to empty it.
"Okay, Bill!" Hermione called five minutes later. Bill pulled back the glass door and found himself standing right in front of Hermione who was blocking his view into the room. She smiled at him and resisted the temptation to run her hands over his broad, muscular shoulders.
"Close your eyes..." she said a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Bill looked at her sceptically.
"Well okay..." he said, shutting them obligingly. Hermione told him to stay still a moment, he felt her take the wine bottle and heard her footsteps pad away from him and the clink of glass on glass as she set it down on the table. She returned to in front of him and took his hands. She tugged gently, and led him across the carpet. She knelt down and pulled him next to her.
"Sit here," she said positioning him on a cushion. She settled opposite him, cross-legged, regarding him across the low coffee table.
"Can I look now?" Bill asked. Hermione snickered softly.
"Alright. Go,"
Bill opened his eyes and burst into laughter. Hermione had draped a hugely over sized white table cloth over the tiny, stumpy table. It was laden with the strangest assortment of food. A box of salted peanuts had been emptied into a large mug.
"No bowls," Hermione explained sheepishly.
Next to the peanuts, was a packet of biscuits, several bags of crisps and a few chocolate bars. There was a tin of sun dried tomatoes, a small glass jar of jelly beans and a pot of dried apricots.
Bill chuckled surveying the feast.
"Yum!" he said finally grinning at Hermione. Hermione giggled.
"Let's get stuck in!" she suggested, plucking a peanut from the mug and popping it into her mouth. Bill nodded and took one himself, before filling his and Hermione's glasses.
"So..." Hermione said fixing him with a gaze over the top of her drink, "What exactly are you up to here in Aswan?"
Bill took a gulp of wine and inserted a second peanut into his mouth before replying.
"Well, Gringotts isn't just a bank. It's an organisation involving all aspects of Wizards wealth. I got sent out to Egypt as a curse-breaker. You see, wizards are entitled to the treasures of our kind. So muggles aren't allowed to take any of the stuff that our ancestors, like the ancient priests hid in the pyramids."
Hermione ripped open a packet of crisps and began munching them, watching him intently.
"So anyway, my job is lifting some of the nasty shit these wizards put to protect their treasure. I got transferred here from Cairo, I'm working down in a temple at the moment, but I've run into some horrible liquid ceilings."
"Some what?" Hermione asked,
"They concocted some pretty evil potions and put them into the ceilings of corridors and rooms so they rain down on people when they enter."
Hermione wrinkled her nose.
"Nice."
Bill laughed.
"Not really. Anyway, enough about my job already," he downed the remainder of his wine and refilled his glass, smoothly topping up Hermione's as he went. They ate in silence for a few minutes. Then Bill chuckled again, Hermione looked up.
"Are you laughing at my dinner?" She asked, raising her eyebrows. Bill shook his head still chortling.
"No, no. It's delicious. I've just found if you squash a tomato in between a cracker it almost tastes like pizza," he said holding up his creation, pinched between his fingertips. Hermione eyed it,
"Can I try?" she purred softly.
Bill swallowed, his eyes meeting hers. He didn't trust his voice to reply, so he nodded and held his hand out across the table. Hermione knelt up, her strappy top pulled upwards, revealing a slash of taut, tanned stomach. Bill gulped again, his eyes suddenly on her mouth. Hermione nibbled the corner of dry cracker out of his fingers; it didn't taste remotely like pizza she noted, not particularly caring. She let her tongue drag gradually across the tips of his fingers and heard Bill take a sharp intake of breath. She pulled away slowly. She and Bill stared at each other across the peanut strewn tabletop for a few seconds, and then, before either one quite grasped what was happening, they had leant across the mess, their lips connecting.
It wasn't what she'd expected. But that was probably because she hadn't expected it. It was just so different. Miles from her first fumbling kiss with Victor Krum, miles in another direction from her numerous kisses with Harry when they dated. This kiss was electric. Hermione moaned lightly, suddenly aware of the table restricting her, simultaneously they shifted sideways, Hermione fell back onto the soft, creamy leather and Bill fell beside her as all conscious thought evaporated. Bill felt her mouth open beneath his and let out a groan of pure fervour as he finally tasted her.
It was better than all the imaginations he'd had the past few days. He could recognise the fruity red wine, the tang of the sun dried tomatoes, but the flavour he'd been seeking was underlying, subtle. It was like lemons and honey mixed with something else, something unquenchable and unrecognisable, Hermione. He savoured it, his tongue tracing patterns on the roof of her mouth, and duelling with hers.
Hermione felt like her lips were on fire, her head was spinning, the wine, the way her body was reacting, the lack of oxygen. She tore her mouth away and they gazed at each other. Bill's forehead was resting against hers, his usually cobalt eyes were a deep, dark navy. Sparks seem to zap from them to her coffee coloured ones. She took a gulp of breath and locked her hands around his neck, pulling his face back down, his lips to hers.
Somehow they moved from the sofa into her room, and fell back onto the sheets. They knelt, facing each other across the bed; Hermione's eyes were drawn for the countless time to the golden curls. A smile curved her lips as she reached across and unbuttoned the cream shirt, pushing it off his shoulders. Bill's hands ran down her arms, and settled at the bottom of her thin top. She helped him tug it over her head. They discarded it, quickly followed by the floaty skirt, and crashed together on the sheets. Hermione lay on her back, her hair unpinned and the curls falling wildly across the deep red pillows. Bill towered over her, and her hand snaked out, to finally reach the golden trail. Bill shuddered with pleasure as Hermione's palm spread out across his chest, her fingers tracing the curls of hair. His breathing was ragged as he looked down on her, taking in the dishevelled waves of glossy, chestnut hair, her flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, down, the hollow of her throat that begged for his lips, her perfect body, all encased in flawless, silky soft skin. Bill's hands stroked across the plane of her stomach, one moved upwards and tangled in her curls. Their lips met again, the fire re-igniting with as much zeal as before. Hermione's hands danced down the trail, and swiftly unfastened the large, buckle on the leather belt; she began to push down the khaki green trousers when a sound in the living room made them both freeze. Static for a nanosecond, they stared at each other in alarm.
Hermione sat bolt upright, causing Bill to roll off the bed and land with a thump on the carpet. Hermione stifled a giggle and leapt out after him, pulling on her dressing gown. Bill was wriggling hopelessly, his trousers, pooled around his ankles were stopping him getting up. Hermione bit her lip hard to stop her laughter and rushed to help him. Snickering, they managed to re-dress him in a few seconds. They flew into the lounge. It was empty. Hermione glanced at the clock it was half two in the morning. Another shuffling sound made them jump and spin to stare at the door. There was muffled conversation followed by a tentative tap.
"Errr... Hermione?" Ron's voice called, slurring slightly.
"She's probably asleep. I told you. We better ask at reception for an extra key." Harry's voice, equally incoherent came distinctly through the door.
"If you hadn't forgotten yours..." Ron muttered grumpily.
"You forgot yours!" Harry retorted.
"So did you!"
"You did too, you – !"
Hermione rolled her eyes at Bill and wrenched open the door. Ron and Harry jumped guiltily.
"Alright 'Mione?" Harry slurred warily.
"We thought you were asleep." Ron added grinning at her. Hermione raised her eyebrows.
"No, we were just on the balcony," she lied. They nodded at her stupidly.
"Good night you two?" Bill asked amusedly eyeing the two males as they swayed drunkenly.
"Fantastic!" Harry exclaimed, "Went to some great clubs, and bars –" he added as he and Ron lurched into the suite.
"Yeah," Ron agreed earnestly, "This one bar, called Gregor's, famous for its –,"
"Tequila?" Bill finished with a chuckle. "Yeah, I've been there before."
"Anyway..." Harry announced, rocking slightly on the balls of his feet. "We'll just be off to bed now. Night,"
"Yeah – bed!" Ron grunted, grinning insanely at his brother and best friend. Hermione nodded.
"Okay then, night," she said, watching them stagger to their separate rooms. She shook her head and turned back to Bill.
"Thanks for dinner," he said with a grin. Hermione shrugged,
"Anytime," she replied nonchalantly, before laughing. "Thanks for coming over... I had a nice time,"
"Me too," he said his eyes twinkling mischievously. A loud retching sound ensued by a croaky wail of "'Ermione..." made Hermione bite her lip,
"I better go..." she said frowning lightly. Bill chuckled.
"I'll see you soon. I'll ring or pop round," he said, making Hermione smile at him.
"That would be good."
"Night," Bill leant down and pressed his lips to hers quickly, holding the kiss for a lingering second before drawing away.
"Night," she echoed closing the door after him. She sighed after a second groan, called her to Ron's room.
She walked resignedly through the room and into the en suite; Ron was leant over the toilet, groaning. Hermione wrinkled her nose as he heaved again.
"Oh Ron," She sighed dropping gingerly to her knees beside him and massaging his back lightly. "Honestly,"
"'Ermione, do dat charm fuh me?" Ron wheedled, his slurred voice muffled slightly by the toilet bowl. Hermione sighed.
"You should have to deal with this; it's your fault you drank to much tequila..." she scolded him lightly, still smoothing his shirt affectionately. Ron let out an almighty groan and she stood up,
"Alright, alright," she said plucking his wand from beside the sink, she directed it at his back and muttered,
"Rectify," Ron's head snapped up and he smiled weakly at her.
"Thank you Mione. Love you, seriously," he murmured rubbing his head. Hermione rolled her eyes and grinned at him.
"Yeah, I know you do," she said taking his hand and helping him to his feet. "Wash your face and brush your teeth while I check on Harry, I'll be back," she said patting him lightly on the arm and heading out of the door.
Harry was sprawled, fully dressed across his bed, snoring loudly. Hermione smirked and spotted her camera on his bedside table. Sniggering quietly, she snapped the button. The flash caused him to twitch in his slumber and snort loudly. Hermione snickered again as she examined the photo. Propping it up on his bedside cabinet, she pulled off his shoes and threw a sheet over him. Then she plodded tiredly back into Ron's room, he had stripped of his liquor stenched outfit and was dressed in his boxers. Hermione grinned at him and he yawned widely.
"I'm – just – gonna – go –," He mumbled pointing vaguely at his bed, before flopping onto the mattress, fast asleep. Hermione shook her head and tugged the sheet over him and ruffling his hair. She wandered into her bedroom, thankful that she could finally have some time alone to contemplate the night's very eventful events. Smiling to herself she shed her dressing gown and fell back onto her bed, burying her head in her pillow, she took a deep breath and swore she could still smell him.