Chapter 8
Storm had stuck to her guns when it came to Hermione, something she was incredibly proud of herself for doing. Over the few weeks that followed their very real conversation they had kept to their routine. The brunette had been around even more than before, something that Storm found mildly amusing. Though it had tested her resolve exponentially.
She had set her spare room up for Hermione so she could continue staying. They both found solace in the company the other provided, and Storm hadn't seen why it needed to be a physical relationship for that to continue. She was always grateful for another person in the house, it never seemed so big then, never so daunting and never so empty.
Hermione had been surprised by the gesture and had been quiet for a while once she had been shown into the room. It was light and airy, and next to Storm's own. It seemed that she couldn't quite believe she was still allowed to be so entirely close to the shifter.
Though every time she stayed, she'd lay awake and her clever mind would turn itself into a torture chamber. Taunting her with just how near the shifter actually was, tempting her with thoughts of just going to join the younger woman. Chanting at her to just go and allow herself to be wrapped up so entirely and give in to all the want that had bubbled beneath the surface as soon as she cut herself off.
She knew she had made a mistake as soon as it had happened and that fact had only been driven home each time she was around the younger woman. Every time she reached out to brush stray hair from Storm's eyes. Every time she lent into the Shifter's side. Each time moved to place a hand on her thigh just as a way of grounding herself. She hadn't been aware of how much she actually touched the younger girl until she just wasn't allowed to do so anymore.
It wasn't just the touching that she missed, it was the closeness and the safety of knowing Storm was just there. There had never been any questions, or pressure. It had actually been the most relaxed she'd ever found herself in a relationship and that point had hit her in the gut as soon as she had realised it.
What they had been doing had been a relationship whether or not she had wanted to see it at the time or not. She had been fooling herself whenever she had said it was no strings attached. She wanted it to be, she wanted to believe she hadn't been ready. The idea of being able to move on so quickly taunted her, made her feel like someone she just wasn't.
But that thought sparked new thoughts. She wasn't the same person who married Ron, she had changed so entirely. She had been ready for their marriage to end for such a long time that really, she hadn't moved on quickly at all. She had simply gotten lucky enough to find someone so entirely… Storm. She hated the fact she hadn't realised that sooner.
She figured it could be much easier to just admit her feelings to the younger woman. But that idea had struck guilt deep into her belly and left it there. There had already been so much she'd put Storm through, and she'd seen the way she flinched away now from the touches she'd once lent into. She had seen how she had pulled her walls up without really changing all that much.
Storm had remained as kind as ever. Making Hermione tea in the morning, and having dinner's ready for Friday night. She had still made sure Hermione got home alright on a Saturday night, and once she had been asked to stay so Hermione didn't have to be alone, she settled herself on the sofa that was far too small. She still wrote to her almost daily asking how her day had gone, making sure she was alright.
The worst part about the whole ordeal was that she hadn't lost Storm at all, she was still there. Still putting her own feelings quite firmly to the side in order to make Hermione happy. It was hard to be so close to her without being closer. Reminding Hermione daily of what exactly she could have had if she had just had her shit together.
But Storm never blamed her, never accused her or told her she should have done better. She had just understood what had happened, she had accepted it for what it was and hadn't brought it up again. She had just irrevocably and undeniably put Hermione and her feelings first, regardless of what it had done to her.
There were small smirks, and rolling eyes every time Hermione had been caught staring too long. Teasing remarks and nudges as the brunette blushed so furiously being caught looking a little too appreciatively. Storm simply quirking an eyebrow in question and continuing what she was doing as if there was nothing abnormal happening.
Hermione had soon figured that these little moments amused the shifter to no end. Hermione had never really told her about just how attracted to her she was, though she guessed it wasn't really a secret. There had been many occasions that previously would have led them straight to the bedroom, or the sofa, or the kitchen counter. But instead, now they had just led to an incredible frustration.
Storm had been just as bad at hiding her own lingering stares. Hermione had caught her on numerous occasions just watching her, watching every move she made. Dark eyes sharp and piercing as if looking deep into her very being. It was almost just… too much to take. But she had, she'd taken them all with a quiet blush each time.
Somewhere deep in the pit of Hermione's conscious she was aware that knowing Storm still felt the same as before was comforting. It brought her great pleasure knowing there was still an attraction there. It gave her hope that actually, maybe something may continue after all. After time, after a bit more healing had been done. Maybe after she decided to get a grip and actually talk to the shifter about her feelings it'd be different.
She had gotten so used to hiding herself away, ignoring certain parts of herself that hadn't been right for the relationship she had tried so hard to keep. She had gotten so used to it, that she had almost entirely forgotten about just what it could be like to embrace them. She could do what she wanted to do with Storm, be who she wanted to be and Storm was happy either way.
These thoughts had been all consuming, they had plagued her every minute of every day. She found herself sat behind her desk, unable to really concentrate on what she was supposed to be doing exactly. Though she figured she didn't have to worry too much, she was already weeks ahead of schedule after all.
It was a Friday, and she knew she'd be subjected to a weekend chock full of the Shifter she had come to be so very fond of. They had their usual dinner planned, and then Storm had invited her to their game the next day. She wasn't sure how she felt about going, but Harry would be there and she figured it would be nice to let her hair down.
She guessed she could get involved in the excitement a game brought. It had been years since she'd been to a Quidditch game, and they had been something she had enjoyed at Hogwarts. She had never been watching Storm back then though, not really. There had been times when the shifter had pulled a stupid stunt that had everyone on their feet, but otherwise she can't really remember much else. The parties that would explode after wins like that had always been loud and a little bit annoying to deal with. Obviously, Storm and Ginny had always been at the centre of them.
The thought of the shifter still playing so recklessly dawned on her, and she found herself nervous for an entirely different reason. Her keen mind flicking back to a pretty recent Prophet article reporting on Storm leaping from her broom in order to grab the snitch before the other Seeker could get to it. The photo that had gone with it had shown the younger woman dangling from her broom waving towards another player, not at all phased by the death-defying stunt she had just preformed.
Hermione had guessed she wouldn't really have any problems; she'd just shift like she did back in Hogwarts and land safely. The brunette was sure that would get her suspended from play at the very least. It was definitely an unfair advantage to use, and this wasn't a game back at Hogwarts.
She sighed as she tapped her quill against the bottom of the small ink pot sat opened in front of her. Her dark eyes flicking up to look at the clock stood in the corner of the small space. The ticking noise being drowned out by the bustle of the Ministry just outside her door. It was only just going four and the prospect of another hour confined within these walls would absolutely be the end of her sanity.
The decision had been made before she had even realised it, and she was reaching for her wand. With a few quick spells, she was packing away her things for the weekend. Locking her drawers up tight, shrugging on her thick winter jacket and finally double checking everything was in order. With a quick nod to herself she straightened her shoulders out and made for the door. Locking it up before disapparating with a soft pop.
She was standing in her own living room soon after, moving quickly to get herself together and get changed before heading over to see the younger woman. She hadn't ever been this early before and wondered briefly if that would be alright. She figured if the younger woman wasn't home yet she could just sit and wait for her. Though she knew Storm's practice finished about midday, so guessed that would be a problem.
She pulled a few things together for the night ahead and the next day. Storm had warned her the stands got pretty cold this time of year and had suggested she bring a few extra layers. Though Hermione had reminded her they were indeed witches and that wouldn't be too much of an issue. But she packed extra anyway, just in case.
By the time she was ready to go it was only just going quarter past. She noted it was a good two hours earlier than she had ever been. The notion of being needy crossed her mind but she shrugged it off. She hadn't seen Storm since Wednesday and even then, that had been only a few hours with Harry and Ginny. It had been a long and stressful week and she was really looking forward to a cold butterbeer she knew Storm would have in her fridge.
Without further ado she disapparated once again with a small pop. The room she was once stood in giving way to wide open space. The decking a little squishy beneath her feet as she realised it was drizzling a little sadly, the clouds above dark and angry looking. A cold wind was coming off of the incredibly choppy sea and had begun whipping her hair around a little violently.
She had been happy to see that the back door was open as usual, and the lights in the house were on. But as Hermione went in everything seemed quieter than it normally was. There was usually music playing or the television filling the silence in the background. She guessed Storm wasn't actually home in that moment, but figured she'd settle herself at the kitchen table and wait in the warm.
Hermione was grateful then for her forethought, and pulled a half-read book out from the bottom of her bag. Wandering over to grab herself a glass of water before getting too comfortable, she caught sight of a dark figure making their way up towards the house. That answered the mystery of where Storm actually was.
She seemed to have come straight out of the water, and as she got closer to the door Hermione moved towards the entrance to greet her. A wide smile spread across her lips getting even wider as Storm realised she was there, leaning up against the door frame. The shifter waved though they were within speaking distance and Hermione couldn't fight the butterflies that erupted within her stomach.
"Are you not freezing?" The older woman questioned in lieu of a proper greeting. Storm was absolutely soaking wet, water still dripping onto her shoulders from her hair that had been slicked back. She wore very little, a pair of swim trunks and a bikini top. Her tight muscles that lined her stomach completely visible and clearly tensed through use. Her chest was heaving and falling as if she had just run a marathon and Hermione didn't need three guesses to figure out what she had been doing.
"Nope" Storm spoke with a wide grin, her teeth on full display as she shook her head gently. The action sending more water droplets cascading around the area. "You forget I'm a Shapeshifter, I swear" She laughed as she morphed her ears until they were covered in fur and pointing towards the sky for just a moment before they changed back.
"You don't do it often, or talk very much about it" Hermione quipped as a matter of factly, her jaw raising just a little bit as she raised both her eyebrows. "Well, not unless it's willy week. You don't stop talking about that particular ability then." She quipped wryly. Her tone teasing as she regarded the younger woman's indignant quirk of her brow. She had been a little shocked the first time she had experienced such a week.
Though she had been told of it during their first meeting, she had been surprised when Storm had refused any physical activities during that week. The shifter had claimed it wasn't something she was entirely comfortable with, though had preferred it to the alternative. She had explained it had only ever been Cho to have seen it, well Cho and Ginny. A fact Hermione had been floored by until Storm had explained the redhead was curious and had bugged her until she had been shown.
Between the two of them it seemed they'd come up with the nickname. Often making jokes about it at Storm's expense. Hermione had been curious, very curious but hadn't pressed her once she'd been told it was a little bit of an insecurity for the woman before her. She figured it really didn't matter that much, and Storm would loosen up a bit eventually.
"Hermione, those things are very much in the way and very much sensitive!" Storm defended herself as she pulled her wand from a strap on her thigh, muttering an incantation to dry herself off. A crimson blush had begun creeping up her neck then and she cleared her throat. "It can be quite traumatic" Storm stated once again, moving to brush herself past the older woman. Pausing as they were both in the doorway, an eyebrow raised teasingly.
"Besides, if that's the only shift that you actively think about…" She spoke then, her voice dropping to nothing more than a whisper. Hermione could almost feel her chest rising and falling in tandem with her own. The proximity raising goose-flesh along her skin as she inhaled deeply in an attempt to calm the fire that had begun to bubble in the pit of her stomach as soon as she noticed the younger woman's state of undress.
It did nothing to settle the flame, instead it merely stoked the heat. She could smell the crisp salt water coming from Storm's skin so strong it hit her tongue and made her mouth water. Her dark eyes had flicked up and had met equally dark eyes, iris' blown entirely in a way that was so familiar to her.
"Well, I don't actively dwell on it" She quipped, though her voice wavered. Storm's smirk told her she hadn't quite pulled it off. At this distance Hermione noticed the slight blue hue that tinted her normally pink lips, something that told her Storm was indeed cold. At least in this human body.
She reached her fingers up to cup the younger woman's jaw, dragging the pad of her thumb across Storm's lips briefly. She noted the way Storm's smile changed from an arrogant grin, to a warm smile. It was the first time in what felt like an eternity she'd been allowed this type of touch.
"Whatever you say" Storm laughed then, shaking her head as she moved to motion for Hermione to make her way inside. Though she made no attempt to move any further away. They lingered just like that for a moment until Hermione finally conceded and stepped back into the kitchen.
The door sliding shut behind the both of them was the only noise that permeated the silence for a little while. Storm had grabbed them both bottles of butterbeer from the fridge and had them open before she spoke again. "You're early today, is everything alright?" she had questioned gently.
Hermione figured there was no point in lying to her, though she really didn't have a specific reason for things not to be alright exactly. She wanted to tell Storm, wanted to tell her about every thought she'd had since that Saturday morning. Though she figured that really wasn't her place to do so anymore.
"We're almost done with the divorce; Ron signed the paperwork and it should be finalised by Monday" She spoke before pulling the bottle of butterbeer to her lips. Though as she sipped, her dark eyes never left Storm's face. She watched for the expression, whatever it may be.
Storm just nodded as if understanding what that meant. Hermione had been very honest since the beginning with how exactly she had felt about the whole thing. "I see" She spoke quietly, "So, do you fancy going out instead of staying in then? We can take your mind off of it" She questioned with a small smile.
"Where to?" Hermione asked then, unsure if she liked the idea of giving up alone time with the woman before her. They never really went out; they were both very homey people and that had been good for them up until that point.
"We can go see a muggle movie, or we can go to the local pub for a few pints and get a Chinese on the way back. We can even do both if you wanted to, my treat" Storm offered up the ideas, and Hermione sat back in the chair she had settled in. Her dark eyes taking in the fact Storm had still not yet made a move to put any more clothes on. Instead, she was leaning against one of the counters quite casually sipping on her own butterbeer.
"We can do both" Hermione decided finally the tension already leaving her shoulders at the thought of being able to do something, anything with the younger woman. Grateful for the fact Storm wasn't really a sit down and hash out feelings type of person. She was if that's what Hermione needed, but never pushed for it. She simply offered different solutions for the problems at hand.
"Well, let me go grab a shower and get rid of the saltiness then we can go" Storm grinned, downing the rest of her beer before setting the empty bottle down on the countertop. "You know where the remote is Hermione, help yourself to whatever. I won't be long now" She stated simply, moving to wander from the room.
Hermione was finally left to her own devices for a while. She decided to make her way into the living room with her book and her beer. She'd take the opportunity to really enjoy the calm the quiet house afforded her. The Ministry was always awash with sounds, and most of the time it was a very welcome change. But that day it had just been too much. The noise from outside mixing with the noise from inside had been just a little bit overwhelming.
From where she sat she could hear Storm's shower start up and briefly regretted the decision to move in from the kitchen. She shook the thoughts from her mind, focusing instead on the book now open in her lap. Though that didn't really last as long as she would have liked. Thoughts of the night ahead now filled her mind.
She couldn't remember the last time she had been in a muggle pub, or a muggle theatre. Since coming into the magical world she had been separated by their traditions and lifestyles. Especially considering she had married a Weasley. Arthur had been the only one to really be interested in the muggles. She was fond of her heritage regardless, and found she was actually quite looking forward to getting stuck into a muggle pastime.
She didn't have to wait too long for the shifter, and soon fast footsteps on the stairs caught her attention. Though when she turned to look there was nobody there. When Hermione turned back Storm's presence startled her causing her to nearly jump out of her skin. She was stood smirking her usual amused smirk, an eyebrow raised as she took in Hermione's expression.
"Are you alright Hermione? You look a little surprised there" She laughed as she straightened out the watch that was now wrapped around her wrist. She looked casual wearing a pair of dark jeans, and a white long-sleeved t-shirt. She moved to grab a heavy pair of black boots from beside the front door, and Hermione noted she didn't think she'd ever seen it actually open.
"Brilliant" Hermione quipped wryly, standing from her own seat; her book forgotten on the side. "Are you ready to go?" She questioned as she grabbed her own jacket, she had discarded it on the back of one of the kitchen chairs once she had arrived. Shrugging it on over her shoulder's as she watched Storm do the same with her own out of the corner of her eye.
"Always ready to go me" Storm stated, "I can't wait for a Chinese!" She spoke excitedly, rubbing her stomach as if to prove her point.
Hermione just rolled her eyes, of course that's what Storm was excited for. She was always excited for food of any sort and was very often hungry. She had thought for years that Ron had been a bottomless pit, frequently moaning about just how much food she'd had to get while doing the shopping for just the two of them. Though since meeting Storm she had counted herself lucky, the Quidditch player having shrugged and said she needed to eat as she's always moving.
Finally, they both made their way towards the back door once again, Storm sliding it open enough for Hermione to step out and into the drizzling rain once again. Following hot on her heals, leaving the door open as she normally did. Hermione had noticed this particular habit, though never really questioned it. In the moment her curiosity got the better of her and before taking Storm's offered hand she asked.
"Why is it you always leave the door open? Are you not worried someone might get in?" She quizzed; an eyebrow raised as she watched Storm's smile get wider.
"This whole place is charmed Hermione; nobody I don't want to get in is getting anywhere near it. But if someone I did want to get in needed to, the door is always quite literally open for them." She explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"You know that's just a saying? Don't you?" Hermione pointed out as she finally reached out to grab the younger woman's bicep. Readying herself for the discomfort side along apparation caused.
"It doesn't have to be just a saying." Storm stated simply before turning her wand for them to disappear with a pop. The first part of the evening ahead well and truly underway.