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Chapter Seven

A Visit to Lockhart's Room and A Mix of Emotions

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Lockhart stood up, lifting Hermione easily into his arms. The bitter wind gusted around them, billowing Lockhart's black robes and blowing Hermione's hair into a tangle. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his neck. She could feel the warmth of his skin against her cheek, and smell his clean, but somehow masculine scent. His arms felt so secure around her, that for the first time in.....in years, she reflected, she felt the knot of anxiety in her stomach, which had become so part of her she no longer noticed it, loosen.

Lockhart strode briskly through the double door leading back inside the castle, and still holding Hermione close, he turned and shut the door behind them. Without speaking he walked back up the corridor towards his room. Hermione remained with her face pressed against his neck, her thoughts a jumble of both confusion and desire.

"So that's what a kiss is like.....oh please let me be able to kiss him again..." she thought, not noticing that Lockhart had paused to open his door and walk inside his room. She finally raised her face and realized she was in Lockhart's bedroom. He walked over to his bed and gently sat her down. She glanced around her, seeing the large marble fireplace flanked by two stone gargoyles, the tall mahogany bookshelf full of fat volumes, and a large burgundy throw rug in the center of the room.

"Caleficio" Lockhart said pointing his wand at the fireplace, and immediately the grate was full of flames that threw out so much heat that the room was instantly warm. He sat down carefully on his bed next to her. She gazed into the fire, not knowing what to say. Random thoughts kept flying through her mind...

"He's a teacher it's not allowed......his eyes are so blue....is he angry.....does he like me....."

A minute passed and neither Lockhart nor Hermione spoke. She was acutely aware of his nearness, could feel his arm pressed lightly against hers. She wanted to speak, to break the silence but she was scared that if she said anything it would all end right there and she didn't think she could bare it if that happened. No, better to stay quiet and relive the moment Lockhart's lips met hers, to keep the feeling of his arms around her.

Suddenly Lockhart laughed out loud and took one of Hermione's hands in his own. His laugh was unexpected, but all of a sudden she felt calm and relaxed. His hand around hers was warm and smooth.

"I think we need to have a talk Miss Granger"

Hermione gave a small laugh as well and finally managed to look up at Lockhart, He was looking back at her calmly.

"I....I'm sorry about before....I didn't mean...." She started to say

"I sincerely hope you're not sorry Miss Granger" Lockhart said looking at her in such a serious, teacher-like way that Hermione couldn't help the smile that broke over her face.

"You're a teacher, I'm a student. This isn't supposed to happen"

"Hermione...." Lockhart began "Neither of us planned this".

She felt a small stab of guilt at this, it was true that she had always had a crush on Lockhart, but those meetings, trying to make him like her, it had all been manufactured.

"Except my feelings" she thought, "I never knew I could feel this way about anyone, I never planned that".

"I know" she whispered squeezing his hand tightly "When you came back to Hogwarts, you were...um....different. Every time we met...it felt so....good" she finished softly.

Lockhart laughed ruefully.

"I've tried to change. It hasn't been easy, sometimes I still catch myself smiling in the mirror.....ahhh those lovely letters from all the Witch Weekly readers" he said grinning. "And I really miss lavender robes sometimes" he added with an even bigger grin.

"I always liked the baby blue ones the best" said Hermione with a mischievous smile.

"Well I have to admit, they did match my eyes rather well" Gilderoy said musingly.

Hermione turned her head and looked seriously into his eyes. The dim light made them seem a deeper blue than usual, the flames reflecting tiny pinpricks of gold in the centre.

"Yes...." She said slowly "They definitely did......"

They held each others gaze for a long moment, the humour they had shared a moment ago now transformed into an intensity that caused Hermione's breath to catch in her throat. Slowly Lockhart moved forward, till his face was so close to hers that she could see every thick eyelash. She closed her eyes as his lips again met hers. This time his kiss was different, more gentle, but somehow more passionate. She let herself be swept away in the feeling of his smooth warm lips on hers, gently exploring his mouth with her own. His hands moved over her shoulders, pushing back her robes, and then they were gently running over her arms and across her back. She twined her own arms up around his neck pulling him closer to her, so their bodies were pressed together. Their kiss became more fervent, until Lockhart pulled back.

"I...ahhh....Hermione" he said breathlessly "That was amazing, you're amazing. I think I need to stop now, or I don't know what might happen".

"I don't care what happens" she said "when I'm with you".

Lockhart put his arms around her and pulled her close against him.

"Hermione, I've never felt like this before" he whispered next to her ear. "I want everything to be perfect between us, let's not rush things".

She hugged him tightly, again breathing in his smell.

"Can we see each other again?" she asked softly.

Lockhart drew back and looked at her.

"See each other again?!" he exclaimed. "Hermione, if I don't see you again....I don't think I could survive".

She couldn't stop the huge smile that spread over her face at his words.

"Hermione.....do you know how truly beautiful you are when you smile like that?" he asked.

Her look of total surprise made him laugh out loud.

"You are so stunning and you don't even know it, do you?"

Hermione's emotions were still in a roll, she couldn't believe it was really her sitting there, with an utterly attractive man sitting next to her saying these things.

"Any minute I'll wake up, back in my room with Lavender in the next bed" she thought at the same moment that Lockhart pulled her back close to him and wrapped his arms around her.

"Stay here with me awhile before going back to your room" he said "I don't think I could let you out of my arms just yet".

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