Chapter 5: Twenty-Seven Buttons
It took Hermione a ridiculous amount of time to pull herself together. With his weight finally off her, she cast a quick cleansing spell on herself and hiked her skirt down. She perched on the edge of her desk in her bra and skirt, her heels still on, chewing her lip and watching as the blonde man who'd just rocked her fucking world crawled on her floor in his impeccable trousers and nothing else searching for the tiny button from the cuff of his shirt. Like an idiot. He's mad. Was her conclusion.
"Found the blasted thing!" he crowed happily, holding the little fastener aloft.
"Couldn't you just accio buttons?" She questioned, still not sure she could stand on her legs after all her bones turned to jelly under his touch.
"You'd think." he smiled up at her as he lounged comfortably on the floor of her office, his prized button rolling between his fingers. "Tried it once when I lost one on Diagon, twenty-seven buttons flew at my head, and many were less than sanitary." he grimaced, full of animation. She watched his easiness with an awed wonder "nearly ripped the blouse off a street vendor who called me a pervert and walloped me with one of the stuffed owls she was trying to sell. Want me to find your button?" he smiled up at her, his face more open than she'd ever seen it.
"I think you already did." she chuckled and felt a blush rise to her cheeks, regretting her glib statement until he laughed back. "as for the blouse, I'll just transfigure a spare button to match the others." she smiled nervously as she pulled said blouse back over her shoulders.
"Fuck." he shook his head, "I never thought of that Granger. That's why they call you the brains." he shrugged as he pushed himself to stand, grabbing his shirt and pulling it over his arms. The beginning of what might be awkwardness settled upon them as she struggled to close her garment.
"Give me another one," he said suddenly, a little too loudly, cutting through the tension.
"Excuse me?" she turned, her fingers still fumbling with the remaining buttons.
"Your stories, I want another… please." he reached out his hand and made a little grabbing gesture toward her private drawer. She moved toward it, eyebrows raised, still silent. "I promise not to fold this one?" he offered, as though it were his ham handling of the parchment that was giving her pause.
"You want to read more?" She was stunned. This indeed had been a one-time thing. A strange encounter of the single kind, a release valve in her overwrought brain.
"I want to read them all, but baby steps and whatnot. Anything set in a library?" he inquired and leaned over her desk, casting his eyes down to stare more intently on the closed drawer, like an enthusiast preparing to flip through a load of vinyl in a record shop.
"of course, there is," she responded guardedly, almost conjuring the spectre of the still alive Ms Pince.
"well, hand it here then, Granger." he made the little grabby motion again, and she couldn't help but grin at him. He was exceptionally goofy for someone perceived as the smoothest gentleman in wider circles. "I need something to tide me till your inspection." he narrowed his eyes playfully. "I'd suggest you hand it over unless you'd like me to pop over every day of the next week just so I can look at the desk where I fucked you twice and made you cum." he smiled smugly, triumphantly. "A feat so many men have failed at!" he crowed.
"Not SO many men, I wondered when the smugness was coming ." she couldn't help but crack a grin at him peacocking for her.
"I really did hold out for as long as I could," he beamed, "and let's say a few great men then, I still beat them, though… Weasley? Beat Weasley, didn't I?" He had his lip trapped playfully between his teeth as he leaned into her and quickly pressed a chased kiss on her cheek.
"Yes, you did." She conceded. She felt heat spread from the spot where his lips had touched her. She'd give it to him. Ron had way more opportunities to at least score a single point and had failed over and over. He'd never even really tried. "And… since you're giving yourself plaudits… Bulgarian Quidditch legend, Viktor Krum too." she offered him a little more praise, enjoying the pride he was taking in his work.
"There is something in this world I am better at than Viktor Krum, and it's making love to Hermione Granger." he looked at the ceiling with a shake of his head, missing the bulge of Hermione's eyes at his use of 'making love' "as if my day couldn't get any better." he laughed. When his eyes returned to her, it was to find her flicking through her file of stories, her head bowed.
"here." she handed him a tan folder containing a single sheet. "Don't look at it till you're at home." she stammered when his thumb moved to open the file.
"Of course, where are my manners." he bowed his head. "Thank you, Granger, it's been a truly spectacular evening." he smiled at her sincerely before lurching forward and pressing a long kiss on her cheek. And then he was gone.