Chapter 9: Lie back and think of the Ministry

Hermione awoke to the sound of rustling paper, the sunlight shining through her closed eyelids. It must be morning then, she realised, her eyes flying open as soon as she remembered where she was and why. And indeed, there was the bedroom of her honeymoon suite, Percy sitting next to her in bed, reading a book. He looked different than the day before, less… put together and it wasn't just because his hair was still wet, indicating that he'd taken a shower. As he sat there reading, Hermione was struck but how… attractive he looked. When Hermione had imagined mornings with her eventual husband when she was younger, she was surprised to say that it did look a lot like this. Excluding the cheesy sheets and heart shaped couch, she had always imagined waking up to a mussed husband, reading in the sunlight, his hand in her hair. Percy was… close. With his hair out of place and his dark dressing down, he looked more messy and relaxed than she had ever seen him. How long had he been awake? Or had he even slept?

"What time is it?" Wiping the sleep from her eyes she blinked at him, seeing his eyes flicker towards her while he snapped the book shut.

"Quarter past ten, I believe," he answered neutrally, putting his book aside.

"You should have woken me. I honestly didn't mean to fall asleep. Must have been the champagne or…"

Percy sighed but Hermione could sense the frustration in it. "It was a long and exhausting day. I don't blame you for falling asleep and neither should you. How do you feel?"

That was actually a good question. She felt better, a little less nervous even. "Rested," she answered him though, her brows knitting together as she studied her husband. He was wearing a silky black dressing gown, his body leaning against the headboard of the bed as he looked down at her with blue inquiring eyes. "And you? You must have been up for quite a while already, as you already took a shower. How much sleep did you get? And do you want me to take one as well before we… continue?"

"No. Stay," Percy said, his hand reaching for her hand that was resting on the blanket between them. "I just faced my usual issue of being unable to sleep for much longer than four hours and so I decided I might as well get ready for when you wake up."

Hermione nodded, filing that bit of information away for later. "I see. I could at least go and quickly brush my teeth or…"

Percy silenced her by capturing her lips into a kiss. It was so unexpected that Hermione stared at him in shock for a moment before her eyes finally fell closed.

"Stay. Or don't," he whispered against her lips in between kisses, his right hand cradling her head and pulling her into another kiss. "I don't care if you have morning breath or…" He broke off, seemingly distracted by kissing her lips over and over until her heart stuttered in her chest. She couldn't deny that her body was reacting to him because what she felt while she returned the kiss wasn't just nervousness any longer. There was almost something like anticipation - or was it excitement that she felt as her fingers entangled themselves in his wet hair?

Percy's reaction was immediate, as he leaned down further, positioning his body above hers before he deepened the kiss. This time she was prepared for the feeling of his tongue as it brushed against hers and, deciding to be bold, she used her own tongue to explore his mouth. He tasted of mint, she registered as she carefully traced his teeth with her tongue, pulling back a moment later deciding that this was a rather strange thing to do. Percy seemed to have liked it though, as he was breathing heavily when he broke the kiss shortly after. He didn't say a word, only gazed at her like his eyes were trying to convey a message, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw in an almost loving way. Feeling uncertain she reached out for him as well, cupping his cheek that he must have freshly shaved, going by how smooth it felt. He sighed, his eyes fluttering shut as she moved.

"I like it when you touch me," he told her, his thumb tracing her bottom lip. "And I wish I could touch you without you hating it."

As to underline his words he kissed her once more, his lips moving against hers with an urgency that was dazzling her. She tried her best to match his pace but a part of her felt overwhelmed already, unsure how to deal with this man that was suddenly so very unlike the calm, collected Percy Weasley she knew. It scared and excited her at the same time.

Trying to push her doubts away she let her hands wander, spurned on by his words. She could swear she could feel goosebumps on his skin as he brushed her fingers down his neck and then there was his dressing gown, the silk cool and soft against her skin. Hermione could feel Percy's hard angles through the material, especially his shoulder blades that she was surprisingly fascinated with. At least until her husband distracted her once more, his mouth moving from her lips towards her ear and then down her neck. She gasped, her fingers digging into his back as she tried to fight down the conflicting feelings starting to rise inside her. A primal part of her was clearly growing excited, her heart hammering faster and faster against her ribcage while her mind started screaming, pointing out that this wasn't natural, wasn't right. Under normal circumstances, she and Percy would have never found themselves in such a situation, she would have never gotten close enough to taste him, to learn how it felt when he kissed and sucked her skin. Oh, Merlin, how much further down did he plan on kissing and how much of her was even still covered by that blanket?

Panicking, she started to fidget, her hand trying to grab the blanket and pull it higher. Immediately, Percy froze, his eyes seeking out hers.

"What's wrong? " he asked, his voice sounding deeper than she remembered it.

Suddenly Hermione felt stupid. "No, it's just… the blanket had started moving and I… Never mind."

The man sighed. "You are a beautiful woman, Hermione," he assured her, his forehead coming to rest against hers. "There's no part of you that you need to be ashamed of. But I can relate to the feeling of self-consciousness about one's body, as I have experienced the same sentiment countless times. I am well aware that I am not as attractive as my siblings. If you are uncomfortable with me looking at you, I can cover us with that blanket, though."

She shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'll have to get used to being naked in front of you eventually…"

Percy nodded, his lips twitching into a shy smile. "How romantic."

Hermione blinked. "Did you just make a joke-"

Before she knew what was happening he sat up and untied his dressing gown, the silky material falling open and exposing the very naked body below. Immediately her eyes were pulled towards his penis, taking in the fact that he was half-hard already, before they snapped up again, her cheeks blushing over her lack of self-control.

"Sorry," she murmured but Percy only smiled as he shrugged the robe off.

"Don't be. You're curious, which is a good thing given the circumstances. It's also one of the things I like about you."

His compliment made her blush even further. "It's one of the things we have in common I suppose? Curiosity, I mean?"

Percy nodded. "Obviously. I'll try to reign it in though." Quietly, he climbed next to her under the covers, pulling the blanket up to cover his lower half. Then he turned towards her, his long fingers combing through her hair before brushing against her naked shoulders and down her spine. She didn't react, only watched him, trying to read his expression and to guess what he'd do next. Therefore his kiss came as no surprise and this time she was prepared for it. She was also prepared for his hand brushing down her side but when it kept moving even lower, towards her thigh, her heart stuttered once more and the urge to pull away from him grew. But there was nothing for it. They both knew what would have to happen and considering it was almost noon, their time was running out.

Deciding that being more active would probably help to end things more quickly, Hermione reached out for him, letting her hands run down his back towards his hip. Sucking his lip into her mouth she pulled him on top of her and even though she saw his eyes widen with surprise he quickly readjusted his weight, making sure not to lean onto her too heavily. Yet she felt his penis brush against the naked skin of her thigh but she tried to ignore it for now. She didn't dare touch it and maybe she wouldn't have to. Instead, she tried turning Percy on with her kisses, tuning out the feeling of his hands and where they wandered. That was until he suddenly broke the kiss, shifting his weight once more as to reach between her legs. Holding her breath she waited with closed eyes, not daring to look at him as he pushed her knickers down, waiting for her to kick them off with her legs. As soon as she was done, his hand returned to touch the carefully trimmed hair between her legs.

First, he gently raked his fingertips through it, drawing slow circles onto the sensitive skin lying below. But soon he parted her folds with his fingers, brushing them up and down with feather-light strokes. It didn't take him long to find her sensitive spot and circle it with his fingers, his lips starting to wander from her mouth towards her neck. There they kissed and sucked and nibbled with growing intensity. It did nothing to arouse her though, not because she wouldn't have liked the touch under different circumstances, but because she couldn't stop thinking how awkward and strange this all felt. This was what had happened with Ron too. She knew it was supposed to feel good but any pleasure was overwritten by her anxiety. Perhaps she just wasn't made for sex at all.

Her thoughts stilled as Percy's finger dipped inside her, not far, just a bit as if to test the waters. In and out it went, his other fingers continuing to rub and Hermione waited, biting her lip while she asked herself how much longer this would take. It was nearly impossible for her to even get herself off, so that she rarely even attempted it these days. It seemed like a waste of time, because it took forever and Hermione felt that the result wasn't really worth the effort.

A second finger soon joined the first one and for a moment Hermione was surprised how full she already felt, before she was distracted by the sensations she was flooded with. This didn't feel bad, she realised, definitely not painful which was at least a small mercy considering their task.

"Percy? I think I'm ready. You can… I mean, could you…" She couldn't bring herself to say it and so she prayed he'd understand nonetheless.

"Are you sure? You seem…" Percy looked up at her, only waiting a second before sighing. "We need to make sure there's enough lubrication or this is going to be very uncomfortable. I could use my tongue first…"

"No!" Hermione stared at him with wide eyes. "I'd rather not… Isn't there a spell we could use, for lubrication I mean."

Percy hesitated. "There is. But it shouldn't be necessary if…"

"Could you use it? Please?" Hermione asked, seeking out Percy's eyes. The man sighed.

"Are you sure this is what you want? Once I start… well, I can't undo it. Your first time should be-"

"It doesn't matter, really. I never expected to actually … climax, so…" She trailed off, shaking her head. "Just do it…"

Percy blinked, a frown appearing on his face. She half expected him to decline, to want to keep touching her, but after a moment he sighed with a nod. "Very well. As you wish. This is your decision and I'll respect it."

Hermione sighed with relief. "Thank you." Calmly, she watched the man grab his wand from the nightstand, casting a non-verbal spell at her. The effect was immediate as she felt suddenly dripping wet.

"That should do." Percy put his wand away, his eyes scanning her face as he reached for his penis. At first, Hermione didn't understand what he was doing until she saw him stroke himself with his hand, his eyes never leaving her face as she did so. Her eyes widened in realisation of what he was doing and why. Humiliation flooded her. She was making this super awkward and difficult for him. He definitely didn't look like he had much fun either; he was as much a victim of that blasted law as she was.

"Oh, Merlin. I'm so sorry. Wait, I can do that," she offered quickly. "I didn't realise you…" She shook her head, embarrassment flooding her. Suddenly she felt like an idiot for assuming Percy would be ready if she clearly was not. She hadn't even tried touching him until now. "But of course, wait…"

"Are you sure?" her husband asked again, his hand letting go of his cock. Pulling herself up into a sitting position, she nodded and reached for him. This was the least she could do to make this even remotely pleasant for him. Curling her small hand around him she started to stroke him, fascinated by the silky feeling of his skin and the sound of his stuttering breath. Hermione wasn't a novice to this part and therefore she had a vague idea of what to do and going by the hardening penis in her hand and the suppressed moan coming from the man in front of her, she was doing something right. Looking at his face she realised his eyes were no longer open but pinched shut, his mouth gaping slightly open while his head had fallen back. It was the most fascinating thing, seeing him come undone like this, especially as she knew she was the one doing this to him.

With Ron things had been different, rushed as they always needed to dodge his mum, afraid that they would be discovered. There had never been enough time to explore and experiment especially as there had never been a place where Hermione actually felt safe and undisturbed, which might have been the major reason for her inability to enjoy those intimate moments with Ron. Now, things were different. No one would disturb her now and Percy would probably let her experiment and touch him all she wanted. And Hermione found that she was actually looking forward to it.

"Enough. Stop."

It couldn't have been more than one or two minutes until Percy's hand covered hers, stopping her from moving further. Disappointment flooded her of having let to go already, now that she'd finally started to figure it out and enjoy something about this. But then she remembered that they weren't doing this for fun. Nodding, she pulled her hand back and leaned back until she was lying on the mattress, spreading her legs open for him. Now or never, she thought, biting her lips in nervous anticipation.

Percy did not react right away but watched her for a few seconds, his blue eyes studying her intensely. He looked like he wanted to say something but merely sighed.

"Tell me if I'm hurting you," he instructed her before he carefully climbed on top of her, his eyes never leaving hers. "I'll be as gentle as I can."

For a moment she wanted to stop him, ask him if they couldn't snog a bit more or if he'd allow her to touch him again. But no, she'd been the one claiming that she wanted this to be over and that she didn't need an orgasm. She couldn't suddenly change her mind now or she'd come off as completely fickle.

"Don't worry about me," Hermione whispered and following a spontaneous impulse she cupped his face and kissed him. It must have been the right thing to do, as he kissed her back with what felt like desperation, his forehead coming to rest against hers as he kissed her over and over with almost painful intensity. Yet it could not distract her from how he slowly aligned their bodies, the tip of his penis coming to rest against her opening, ready to enter her. But instead of pushing forward, like she hoped he would, his one hand reached down again, resuming to touch her with gentle but firm strokes. Hermione tried to enjoy it this time, trying to make the best out of this awkward situation. But something in her mind held her back, a silent voice that kept analysing his touch and that simply would not shut up. It was the most frustrating thing. No, this wasn't working. Not today, not like this, under someone else's decree.

For a while she let him touch her, returning his kisses with as much passion as she could. But soon she felt herself losing patience and started to wiggle against him, hoping he'd get the message. He did. Sighing, he broke the kiss and nodded, pulling his hand back up to steady himself on the bed. Then he started pushing, his hard cock stretching her ever so slowly, while his eyes studied her as if they were looking for the slightest sign of discomfort. But there was nothing for him to find, as this wasn't nearly as painful as she'd expected from the stories she'd picked up from the other girls during the last years. Hermione experienced much worse in her years at Hogwarts and on the run. Comparatively, the short pinch she felt when Percy buried himself inside her barely registered with her.

"Are you alright?" he asked nonetheless, his eyes shining with worry as he waited, unmoving, on top of her.

"I'm fine. You didn't hurt me," she assured him, her hand cupping his face. She felt him lean into her touch, his eyes closing as he hummed with contentment. "I think you can try moving now."

Nodding with closed eyes, he did as he was told and Hermione tried to help by moving alongside him, trying to match his rhythm. Luckily, it didn't hurt and therefore she could put her whole concentration into studying Percy as he became more and more aroused, his lovemaking growing more and more hectic until he finally moaned her name, tensing on top of her. She could even feel his penis twitching as it pumped his husband's seed inside her and all Hermione felt was relief that this was finally done, that they were properly married now. In the end, this hadn't been too bad but she was aware that this was thanks to Percy and his willingness to do as she asked him to. If he'd keep doing so in the future, it wouldn't be too bad to have sex with him once a week at least until she could find a way out of this sham of a marriage.