AN: This is much longer than I had originally planned on waiting before posting a new part but work and such just seemed to get in the way. So I'm sorry for the delay, but here is the next part and I definately hope you will find it worth the wait. We're starting to get towards the end now. Just one part left actually. This definately isn't the longest story I've ever written. Anyway, enough of my rambling. Enjoy the story.
Previously…
Suddenly no longer hungry, I get up from the table, leaving the young lovebirds to themselves, feeling slightly annoyed with them. So annoyed am I, in fact, that as I storm out of the Great Hall making for Gryffindor tower, I completely miss the form lurking in the corners of the entrance hall.
Part 7: Broken Illusions
Strong arms grab me around the waist from behind, effectively pulling me into the shadows of the hall. A startled noise escapes my throat, but a soothing voice in my ear soon puts all worries aside.
"Shh. It's me," Ron's voice whispers softly. His hot breath tickles my skin as he breaths softly in and out against my neck, sending a shiver down my body. And despite the chill of the castle air, that shiver was definitely not from the cold.
I quickly relax in his grip, the feel of his arms pressing me back against his chest a heaven I never thought I'd experience. Just as I'm starting to get used to the feel of his arms around me, Ron lays a kiss to the sensitive skin behind my ear, making my breath hitch.
He takes no heed of my reaction though, and soon his mouth is traveling down the side of my neck, placing hot, open-mouthed kisses in its wake. I can't help but close my eyes at the sensations his actions cause. It's like every part of me, every cell is on fire, and his kisses are the only thing to tame the flames…while at the same time they only make it burn hotter.
Having thoroughly worshiped one side of my neck, Ron moves to the other, giving it the same treatment. My head falls to the side of it's own volition, allowing him more access. I have to concentrate hard to prevent the moan that is attempting to burst forth. It's only a matter of time before someone walks by, and we can be so easily seen…but for some reason, I don't stop.
It isn't until I actually hear someone walking out of the Great Hall that reality seems to hit me. We could be seen, by anyone. It really isn't good for the Head Girl to be caught snogging her…best friend? What are we now?
Stop kidding yourself Hermione. This doesn't change anything. This is all an experiment, remember? It's just the potion talking…at least for him.
This thought seems to sober me, and it's not until this moment that I realize Ron has the first three buttons of my blouse undone granting him better access to my neck and collar.
"Ron!" I say incredulously, as I bat away the hand working on the fourth button.
He drops his hands completely and a reality seems to set over him as well. "S-sorry," he stammers. "I got a little carried away."
"It's alright," I say, turning to face him, while trying to redo a few of the buttons. A part of me can't help but miss having his arms around me. "It's just that anyone can see us," I say in a hushed voice. "I thought you wanted me to meet you in the common room?"
"I couldn't wait," he murmurs, and even in the darkness of the hall I see the blush coming over his face.
I laugh a little, surprised at the comfort I feel around him. I would have thought that after that little er…moment…I would have been a tad embarrassed to say the least, if not shy. But instead I feel somewhat empowered, if that makes any sense. Just the thought that I could make Ron so…out of control… Well, it puts a smile on my face, potion or no.
Ron's voice interrupts me from my thoughts. "So you're…you're not mad at me or anything?"
"No, of course not," I say soothingly. "It's not like you have complete control over your actions, with the potion and all." However, at the moment, I'm having a hard time getting over just how 'normal' he seems...despite the lust driven acts of course.
"Right," he says. "The potion."
I look at him curiously after that statement. For a moment there I swear I see a glimpse of something in his eyes. I'm not quite sure what it is…but too soon it's gone and the mischievous grin takes over his face.
"Should we return to the common room then?" he says, reaching his hand out for mine. I take it somewhat awkwardly, but as he runs his thumb over the back of my hand, it pushes everything else from my mind as I follow his lead towards Gryffindor tower.
"Ron, what is this about? Where are we going?" I ask, slightly out of breath. We had been heading towards the Gryffindor common room when suddenly Ron switched directions, heading down an unknown corridor, and dragging me begrudgingly behind him.
"I just realized something," he says in answer, never stopping our furious pace through the castle.
"And what is that?"
He stops so suddenly in front of me that I run straight into his chest. I would have fallen backward from the impact had it not been for Ron's arms winding expertly around my waist preventing my fall, and conveniently bringing me flush with his chest at the same time. How does he do that so effortlessly?
I look up into his face to see the smirk that turns my insides to mush, and the bright blue eyes that haunt my dreams. One of his hands comes up and brushes the hair out of my face and back behind my ear, his eyes never leaving mine.
"I haven't properly kissed you yet."
"Oh," I say, not knowing how else to respond. This wasn't exactly the answer I was expecting, not that I really had any idea what I was expecting. And even with the blush that I can feel covering my cheeks, I can't tear my eyes away.
And before I know it, he's kissing me. His warm lips press urgently against mine, while the hand that had brushed back my hair, now tangles in it behind my head. I kiss him back equally as fervently, trying not to think about the consequences tomorrow will bring. How am I supposed to explain to Ron why I kissed him back so enthusiastically?
I brought my arms up so they were wrapped around his neck, allowing myself to become totally lost in the feel of his lips against mine. We'll deal with explaining everything when that time comes.
This seemed to be all the invitation he needed to pull my body close to his, his arms closing around my waist and his tongue running across my lips searching for entrance. My mouth opens of its own accord, my mind lost in the feeling of him.
I don't know how long it is before we break apart, but it is only the sound of voices coming up an adjoining corridor that broke through our sensual haze. We hastily step apart, running hands over clothes and hair to fix our appearance. None to soon we finish to find two fifth year Hufflepuffs coming around the corner
We nod in their direction as they pass us by, trying to look nonchalant. I don't know how well we accomplished this, but we received no odd glances or comments so it couldn't have been too terrible.
That was a bit too close though. And not for the first time.
I turn to Ron as soon as the other students are out of sight, not quite sure what to do now. He looks at me, and despite the interruption, I can still see the fire burn deep within his eyes. He brings a hand up to the side of my face, cupping my cheek and caressing it gently before running the hand into my hair. I have to close my eyes savoring the slow and gentle movement, such a contrast to the passionate actions that ruled us earlier.
In a flash Ron grabs my hand and begins pulling my down the corridor in the direction we'd originally been moving. I'm so surprised by the action that I'm practically tripping behind him, not able to keep up his pace.
"Ron," I gasp, breathing more heavily. "Where are we going?"
"Somewhere where we can be alone," he replies casually, as he turns quickly to give me a brief smirk before moving on.
"Alone?"
"Yes," he's definitely grinning now. "We can't very well continue to carry on like that in the hallway, can we? Not after we almost got caught."
I'm silent after his proclamation, not sure how to respond and imagining all the possibilities that continuing our earlier actions might bring.
Before long I find we are moving down a familiar corridor, but we're practically inside the room of requirement before I realize where we're going. Ron pulls me inside, and shuts the door while I look amazedly at my surroundings. The room is an exact replica of the Gryffindor common room…with one major difference; Ron and I are the only Gryffindors in it.
"How…how did you manage this?" I ask amazed.
"I'm not sure," he replies, looking as uncertain as I felt. "I guess I was just thinking about everything I wanted to do to you, and being alone with you…and this was where I pictured us."
His face is flushed and the tip of his ears quite red after this admission. It amazes me how one moment he's flush against me, kissing me senseless, and the next he's rubbing his neck nervously and won't meet my eyes.
But his anxiousness somehow gives me a boost of confidence I didn't even know I had, because before I know it, or could stop them, words are tumbling out of my mouth.
"So, now that you got me alone, what are you going to do with me?" I ask coyly.
His eyes snap up to mine then. I'm sure that he's just as surprised as I am at what I just said. But I can't take it back now. Not after he looks at me with that feral smile and those lust filled eyes.
He walks toward me slowly, and somehow despite the urge I feel to back up, I keep my legs still. I'm not going to run away from this. In just a few steps he's in front of me, standing dangerously close, but not close enough for our bodies to touch. Just a small move of my hand, that's all it would take. But I hold my ground. I want to see where he's going to take this.
"Oh, I can think of a few things," he says, his eyebrows rising.
"Oh really, like what?" I don't know where this teasing note came from, but I didn't really care. It's practically torture having Ron so close, but not close enough. Knowing we both want it, but neither making a move to embrace the other. The air around us crackles with desire, the tension mounting.
"I could tell you…" he starts. I know where he's leading. And if he wants in engraved invitation…
"Or you could just show me."
That's all the enticement he needs as one arm grabs me around the waist, dragging me to him as his lips descend on mine. The kiss is urgent, as it had been before, but underneath it holds something different. A desperate need to savor the moment, to memorize that kiss. As if it could be the last.
And something about that kiss reminds me of what we're doing, why this is happening, and I have to pull away.
When I break the kiss, we're both breathing heavily. His arms are both securely wrapped around my waist, while mine are pushing gently against his chest, holding him back.
"What's…what's wrong?" Ron asked, breathing heavily, the question in his eyes.
"Nothing…I just needed a breather," I explain, rather clumsily.
"You sure?" he asks, and I can tell he isn't buying it.
"I'm fine. Really," I say smiling the most convincing smile I can muster.
"Ok," he says lightly with a smile, that turns my insides to mush, and I momentarily forget my misgivings. One hand grazes my face in a motion I can only describe as loving before his lips descend to mine in a chaste kiss. This is so different from our previous encounter that I'm a little taken aback.
I look into his deep eyes questioningly, but he simply moves to kiss my nose, my cheek, behind my ear… He slowly starts to trail kisses down my neck and the sensation is practically unbearable.
Finally, my reservations find me, and I'm asking the questions that have been bothering me since this affair started.
"Ron?" I question, trying to get his attention.
"Hmmmm," he mumbles into my neck.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"I suppose," he mumbles again, still not stopping his attentions.
"How does the potion affect you?"
This seems to finally catch his interest, as he stops what he's doing and steps back a bit to look into my eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, how does it make you feel? What does it do?"
"Well, uh…" he starts. "It makes me want this," he said, motioning between the two of us as if demonstrating his point.
His earlier bravado gone, I can barely hold in my laughter as he fumbles over what he's trying to say.
"Meaning?"
He's silent for a minute, as if thinking. "It makes me want to kiss you," he says, coming closer to me again, "and hold you," he wraps his arms around me, "and touch you," he rubs an arm up and down my back, "and never let you go."
"But how come you seem so out of control one minute, but then you seem yourself the next?"
He brings his face close to mine, letting his lips brush over mine as he speaks, his warm breath dancing across my lips. "'Cause that's what you do to me," he says before kissing me again. This kiss is softer, gentler, but still full of all the passion that I felt before.
I break away. I want my answers. "But why are you so in control sometimes and not the next. I mean, I expected the out of control—"
He interrupts me with a kiss. "Enough talking," he says briefly before kissing me again.
"But—" I start, but again he silences me with his kisses and finally I give in.
I don't know how long we were kissing before we made our way to the couch sat in front of the fire; neither do I know how we got here. We're side by side, Ron pushing me into the back of the chair with the urgency of his kisses. In one swift motion he picks me up and sets me down astride his lap, only stopping for a moment.
"Stop me if it's too fast, ok?"
I nod my head, a smile breaking out on my face from where I now tower slightly above him, before lowering myself down to kiss him again. His hands graze up and down my back causing a shiver to run over me. I just love the feel of his hands on me, his lips touching mine, what more could I ask for?
Taking a page out of Ron's book, I trail my mouth across his cheek, coming to rest at his ears that turn that glorious shade of pink when he's embarrassed. I nibble a little on the flesh there, loving the gasps and moans that I receive in return, before moving my way down his neck.
Ron's hands aren't idle as they temptingly travel under the back of my blouse to search out the skin beneath. The feel of his hands on my bare skin is almost my undoing.
I'm lost completely in the touch and feel of Ron, this heady feeling taking over my senses. I lick a little spot at the crook of his neck and this elicits a response I never could have expected.
"Merlin, I love you."
Those three little words stop me in my tracks. Oh how many times have a dreamed about Ron saying those words to me, but it was never like this. Never were they the result of some wayward love potion. Never had those words sounded so insincere in my ears.
Those words sober me like nothing else ever could. And soon I find myself climbing off his lap hastily, and standing in front of him a good distance off.
"I uh…I think we should go now. It's getting late. We should head back to the common room."
"'Mione," he starts, but I can't hear it right now. I just can't.
"Please Ron." My voice sounds tired, helpless. He must notice the tone too, 'cause he takes a deep breath and his eyes fall to the floor.
"Sure," he says, sounding defeated as we trudge through the room towards the door.
We don't speak all the way up to Gryffindor tower and as soon as I reach the common room I excuse myself and head up to the dormitories. Grabbing a fresh pair of pajamas and towel I head to my private bathroom, adjoined to the Head Girl's room, to take a shower.
I strip numbly, getting in the warm water and letting it wash the tension from my body. It's not until then that I let everything hit me, let all of the emotions wash over me, and let the tears fall.
AN: Please don't hate me...