This chapter has some saucy bits at the end - If that's not for you maybe skip this chapter!
Chapter 16
Hermione sat behind the counter at work reading a soppy love story. She'd hoped reading about someone else's happiness, even fake happiness, might distract her from her own sorrow. Sadly, it was only making it worse. "Hello, dear." Margaret tottered up the aisle towards Hermione, placing three new cookery books on the counter and fiddling with her purse. "Amelia told me of your night out a few weeks ago." Margaret started conversationally, "Thank you for making her so welcome."
Placing down her book, Hermione stood and picked up one of Margaret's selections, scanning it under the barcode reader and tapping a few keys on the till, "It's not a problem. Amelia is a lovely person, it has been nice to have a friend in town."
"She told me you've been getting close with that Theo?" Margaret's eyes shone under the light in the shop.
Hermione tried to laugh but it even sounded forced to her own ears, "You know what alcohol does."
Margaret smiled knowingly, counting out notes and placing them into Hermione's hand, "That boy loves you, I can tell. Whenever he's around you, he doesn't stop looking at you."
Rolling her eyes and counting out change, Hermione laughed, "He definitely does not, he told me that he thinks we are better off as friends."
"I think he's scared to tell you the truth." Margaret turned to leave and Hermione sank back into her chair, she picked up her book and then slammed it down in frustration, sick of reading about love.
After their talk, Theo had tried to lull them back into normality, he'd been cooking for them and they'd even played a few games of Wizard's chess. She'd been pulling away more and she realised it wasn't fair on either of them. She was running again, because that's what she knew how to do, and it wasn't fair on him.
"Hermione?" Theo walked into the kitchen, "I know I've asked a few times, but the hotel is having another dinner with the board and I wondered if you would like to accompany me… as friends." He rushed to finish.
She was about to turn him down again, but something stopped her. He was trying so hard, so the least she could do was meet him halfway. "Okay."
The beaming smile he gave her was worth it. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." She said, turning towards the stairs, eying her tracksuit bottoms and hoodie and feeling through her hair, "I'll need about an hour to get ready, is that okay?"
"Definitely," He followed her up the stairs, keeping a respectable distance, "It's evening wear, some sort of Christmas Ball." He said, waving his wand, "I bought you an outfit in the hopes that you might want to come, it's on your bed."
Christmas Ball? She hadn't even realised that the holidays were approaching. The weather was getting colder, it had even snowed a few times last week, but she had not even realised December was upon them. For the last few years, she had ignored the holidays, going to sleep early on her own and just waiting for the next day to roll around.
She opened her door, finding three boxes on top of the duvet. They were wrapped in white paper with big green ribbons, "You didn't have to do that-" As she was speaking, she was pulling the ribbons off the boxes, "Theo, it's beautiful." There was a silver tulle dress with long sleeves and a plunging neckline, coupled with a pair of sparkling heels and a collection of emerald jewelry that glistened even in the low light of her room. "How much did you spend?"
"Peanuts." He smiled back, "Happy early Christmas, Hermione. Did you realise it's Christmas Eve?"
"No." She looked down, holding the dress in her hands as she turned to him, "I didn't get you anything?"
"Coming to the dance with me is a gift enough. To be able to dance with the most intelligent, beautiful woman in the room will make my night." He turned to walk into his room, "Now get ready, we don't want to be late."
The tiles were cold as she stepped out of the shower; the bathroom was covered in steam and she wiped the mirror so she could see her reflection. Finding her wand, she decided to try some makeup and hair styling spells, in hope that they might help with the tired look on her face.
She tried her best, admiring the end result she created. Her hair was in an intricate updo with a few pieces trailing down her neck, coupled with natural makeup that hid the bruises under her eyes. She slipped out of the bathroom and picked up the dress Theo had so kindly purchased for her, admiring it and running her fingers over the soft fabric. It was the nicest piece of clothing she had ever owned. She slipped it on, using her wand to zip it, and admired herself in the mirror.
"Hermione?" Theo knocked on her door, poking his head round when she told him to come in.
She looked up from the shoe she was slipping on and smiled at him, "Are we ready?" She stood, grabbing the purse Theo had also picked out for her - he really had thought of everything - and walked towards him.
Theo stood there, stunned, watching her. "You look beautiful." He complimented her and she flushed. She smoothed down the front of his suit and straightened his emerald coloured bow tie, smiling at the fact that he'd ensured they matched.
"Thank you." She said, lacing her arm through his as he prepared to apparate them to his room in the hotel. He wanted to kiss her, but refrained, focusing instead on apparating them safely. They spun on the spot, landing in the hotel in less than the blink of an eye.
When they emerged from his room in the hotel, he escorted her down the corridor towards the lifts. They walked in silence, the tension between them had eased slightly but it was still there. "Hermione," He turned to her as they waited for the lift, "Thank you for coming with me tonight."
"You're welcome, Theo." The lift dinged, and they stepped into it, arms linked. She had never been in the hotel before, there had been no need, but, now that she had, she could see it suiting Theo's aesthetic perfectly. It was luxurious, fancy and grand.
There were garlands and wreaths adorning the banisters and doors, glistening icicle shaped decorations hung from the ceiling creating a winter wonderland style look. Men in suits and ladies in ballgowns danced around the occasion room, picking canapes off trays and sipping from champagne flutes. She often forgot Theo was filthy rich, as he acted so down to earth, but watching him interact with the other individuals in the room made it much clearer. "This is my… Hermione." Theo tried to introduce her to an elderly gentleman, but stumbled over the words. He looked at her, smiling, and held tighter to her waist.
"Hemione, it's a pleasure." The white haired man with a full matching beard bent at the waist and pressed a kiss to her hand, "I hope you have a lovely evening. We have been trying very hard to convince Mr. Nott to join us here at the Belvedere, but he drives a hard bargain."
Hermione smiled, not quite knowing what to say to that. Thankfully, Theo jumped in and rescued her, "I drive a hard bargain, Mr. Williams. But tonight is about pleasure, not business."
"Of course, Mr. Nott," Mr. Wiliams nodded, motioning for them to enter further into the occasion room.
Theo took her hand in his elbow and pulled her towards the dance floor. "At risk of becoming a broken record, I don't know how to dance like this." She looked at the waltzing couples on the dance floor, sweeping past in time with the music coming from the live orchestra that sat to the left.
"Trust me. I'd never let you make a fool of yourself," He kept hold of her hand and pulled her out onto the dancefloor. He counted for her, teaching her patiently how to move in time with him, one hand on her waist while the other kept a gentle hold on hers. She stepped closer to him, letting him twirl her in and out as her gown swung around her.
When the song ended and she'd quite finished stepping on his toes, he led her from the dance floor to the bar, introducing her to people along the way. She held onto his hand like a lifeline, not wanting to let go and risk sending them spiralling into the weeks of distance they'd experienced since their last kiss.
"Cheers." He handed her a glass of champagne and clinked their glasses together, "You really are the most beautiful woman here," He smiled.
She blushed, heat rising through her body, "You flatter me too much."
"I most certainly don't, I have thought you were the most beautiful woman since our Hogwarts days. I can't believe you never noticed me staring at you from the back of all our classes." He took a long drink of his champagne.
She laughed, a melodic sound that brought an even bigger smile to his lips, and tapped his chest lightly with a hand, "You did not!" She could feel herself falling again, but reminded herself of his words and pulled away.
The rest of the night flew by; there were speeches from the hotel directors, many people that wanted to speak with Theo and engage them in idle chit-chat, and many more passes around the dance floor. At one point, she discreetly cast a cushioning charm on her feet, as each step bit into her. She didn't know how the muggle women were managing.
At midnight, Theo took her hand, "Ready to head home?"
"Yes." She nodded, beaming at him, the bubbly gone straight to her head. He took off his jacket, wrapping it around her shoulders and hugging her close to his side. He hadn't taken his hands off her all night, a fact that she really rather enjoyed - but was trying not to read into. She thought back to the night at the club, they'd had the same interactions then, and then it all shattered. She didn't want to get her hopes up, just to have them fall once more.
When they stepped into the lift, the door closing on them, she looked at him under her lashes, "I had a nice time tonight. These last few weeks have been hard and lonely." She confessed, finding some of that Gryffindor bravery that now often eluded her.
"I really am sorry for pushing you away." He knew there were reasons he did, but he just couldn't find it in himself to care. He would have to cross that bridge when he came to it.
"Just don't do it again," She nudged his arm gently with hers, and then let him hug her. "Somehow you have managed to slither your way into my life, how has that happened?"
"I am particularly slithery," He laughed, leaning against the mirrored surface of the lift.
When they got home, she wasn't ready to go to bed. She flicked her wand and music from the Wizard radio blared to life. Kicking off her shoes in the corridor, she walked into the kitchen, pulling a bottle of wine from the fridge and brandishing it to Theo to uncork as she fetched two glasses. She wasn't ready to take the dress or the jewelry off; she felt like a princess who had caught the eye of a handsome prince and she wasn't ready for that fantasy to end.
"How about a new game tonight?" She asked, not in the mood to play a game she knew she'd lose, "Give me a chance?"
"What did you have in mind?" He leant against the kitchen island, "Pick the hardest one you have, I want to give you as much of a running start as possible."
She flicked him with a finger and a soft, "Ha ha." Walking past him, she pulled another box from the shelf, "How about scrabble?"
"You will have to teach me this time,"
"Trust me, I'll never let you make a fool of yourself." She echoed, sticking her tongue out at him and dancing out the way as he tried to catch her.
Somehow, Theo managed to beat her at scrabble too. She was destined to lose all board games to him, it appeared. "Better luck next time." He smirked as he placed down the tiles with a flourish, finishing the game and gaining a tripple word score to boot.
"I hate you." She pouted jokingly, standing and brushing down the chiffon of her dress with delicate fingers, "Bed time, I think."
They moved into the bathroom, brushing their teeth and nudging each other teasingly with their shoulders as they jostled for position in front of the sink. He helped her to release the spell on her hair, the relief of the constricting updo being released just what she needed, "Thank you."
"No worries, I'm glad you've been leaving it natural." He pulled on a ringlet, watching as it sprung back into place.
"You aren't the one who has to brush it," She laughed, cleaning the makeup off her face and washing it with the running water. She used a towel to pat dry her skin and then looked up at him as they stepped out of the landing and into the hallway, "Goodnight, Theo."
"Goodnight, Love." He didn't move and neither did she. They stood, surrounded by the darkness, watching each other. Waiting for someone to speak first.
"Stay with me... please." Her voice was small, quiet in the dark, not knowing if she had read him wrong all evening. She linked her fingers with his, pulling him gently into her room, leading him to the bed and sitting with him on the edge.
He was still, frozen, wanting so badly to hold her but worried any movement he made might shatter the ease that had settled over them that evening.
Her dress had fallen open where the slit danced up her thigh, and her bare leg brushed against his hand as she moved closer, her skin so soft against his fingertips. Her head was against his shoulder, her cheeks red and flushed. When he turned his head to look at her, she was looking up at him, their lips so close they almost brushed together when he spoke. "I can't, Hermione."
"Why not?" Her eyes glistened in the moonlight streaming in from the window. Because I'm a liar, because I will hurt you, because you'll never forgive me when you find out why I'm here... All those thoughts melted away when she whispered, "I want you to hold me. I want you."
With that he pressed their lips together, he was only human after all. She tasted like mint and vanilla, her lips soft and delicate as he carefully kissed her. He'd dreamt about her lips every night since their ill-fated kiss at the club.
He quieted the voice in his head that told him he was making a mistake and let Hermione move gently to sit in his lap. Her lips brushed against his and his heart jumped in his chest, beating frantically as she sighed into his mouth. He was embarrassingly, achingly hard and had to run quidditch statistics through his head to stop himself exploding as she moaned into his mouth.
Hermione pulled away from his kisses and he instantly froze, watching her, "Are you okay?" His eyes watched her, darting over her face, checking for any signs of distress.
She smiled, soft and gentle, brushing a hand through his hair and letting her fingers run over the skin of his shoulders, "I've missed you." Tears sprang to her eyes, but she blinked them back frantically, offering a weak smile.
"Don't cry, my Love." He smiled, wiping a gentle thumb across her face. "I'm sorry to have been so distant, but I thought it was better for you... I..." He trailed off, not knowing what to say.
He lifted her chin up with his fingers, forcing her to meet his eyes. It was like the rest of the world melted away, looking into the stone grey eyes that had once haunted her dreams but now made her feel safe and protected. Hermione decided she didn't want to talk anymore. She rolled her hips, relishing in the moan she brought forwards from him, "I want to feel you... all of you." She wanted him to love her, hold her, whisper sweet nothings - keep the magic of the evening going as they welcomed the daylight.
Theo's eyes widened, his gaze searching her face for any signs of uncertainty, "Are you sure?"
She didn't answer, instead rocking her hips against his erection and smiling as his composure crumbled with a moan. It wasn't how he'd imagined their first time would be, when he indulged that particular fantasy. Reality, it turned out, was less romance and roses and more eager need, but it was perfect. She lifted herself up slightly so that he could unbutton and pull down his suit trousers and boxers, whispering a protection spell as she did so.
If this was going to be his one and only time with Hermione Granger, he wanted to lavish her with all his affection. He wanted to tell her she was beautiful, pepper her whole body with kisses, watch her flush as he made her fall apart again and again... all his plans disappeared as he felt her fingers slip around him. She was already wet as she joined them with a moan. "Fuck." She sat against him for a moment before she rocked her hips. It was better than he'd ever imagined; the feel of her, the way she threw her head back, he had no mental capacity left to chide himself as Hermione filled every one of his senses. His biggest fantasy bought to earth shattering reality. She was still wearing his jewelry, the emerald necklace sitting in the dip of her breasts, the ring on her finger glinting. It was stupid but it turned him on more knowing that she was wearing his gifts.
Hermione moaned again, letting her body take over. She'd wanted this so much that she hadn't even taken her clothes off, instead pushing her knickers aside and joining them before either of them could change their minds. There would always be reasons not to, but they both needed each other at this moment.
They rocked together, the tension building until she almost couldn't bear it anymore. She was so close, all she needed was his fingers... right there. Theo read her mind, reaching between the apex of her thighs and rubbing until they came together, their lips finding each other as they both moaned their release. She clung to him, her fingertips digging into his shoulders but he didn't mind the pain one bit.
In the aftermath of their love making, Hermione's forehead fell to his shoulder for a moment and she pressed a kiss against his sweat-beaded skin. As she tried to move, he held on tighter, not wanting to let go. "Theo?" She sat up to look at him.
"You don't regret this do you?" He asked, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. The intimacy of the gesture, coupled with the fact they were still joined, made her blush.
She smiled, pressing her fingertips to smooth out the creases appearing on his forehead. "No, I don't regret it. Do you?"
"Certainly not." He laughed, "I just don't ever want to let you go."
"Well," She joined his laughter, "I will need to eat and shower and work."
"Very well, if you must," He conceded, with a kiss to her collar bone. "But just one minute longer."
"Happy Christmas, Theo." She kissed him again, letting him reach round to unzip her dress. It pooled at her waist, baring her chest, and as she lifted her arms he lifted it off her. She sat before him, naked, wearing nothing but the emeralds and a very tiny pair of knickers.
He kissed her again, unbuttoning his shirt and pulling it off. "Happy Christmas, Love." They were still joined as he lifted her up, setting her down gently on the duvet as he moved above her. He was hard again - her naked, above him, was the most erotic thing he'd ever seen in his life. He was going to make love to her all night, if she'd let him. He wasn't going to waste one moment.
