I'm pretty sure none of you will mind but the next few chapters are going to be completely smut/fluff filled with tiny bits of other stuff. I LOVE Christmas. It's my favourite and these two are so delightful to write at this time that it's just too easy. I've easily got at least two or three chapters out of them, although that may change after editing. Anyway, thank you for your comments and reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter xxx
Ron whisks Hermione away for a night of romance.
The sky was pitch-black when the portkey unceremoniously dumped them at their destination, although Hermione was not surprised as it had to have been well past midnight.
Luckily, Ron managed to get a firm grip on her during their travel and he eased them expertly to the ground; he knew how much she hated travelling by portkey and the champagne would only make he feel worse. He felt her shiver in the cold mid-winter air and he pulled her closer briefly, wrapping his robes around the both of them.
Hermione took the opportunity of being snuggled under his robe to catch her breath, closing her eyes and wishing the nausea from the booze and travel away. It was almost five minutes before she spoke.
"Where are we?" She wriggled out of his hug and laced her fingers with his. She started to walk, immediately regretting wearing heels as she felt the gravel underfoot.
"Cirencester." Ron tightened his grip on her hand and led her up the drive. "I booked us a room in a place called the Barnsley House. It's one of those posh boutique spas muggles seem to like. I checked us in and brought our bags over earlier."
Hermione frowned but followed him down the gravel drive, slipping slightly under the frosted stones. Suddenly, the house came into view and she couldn't help but let out a small gasp.
The path was lined with carefully manicured bushes, strung with muggle fairy lights that gave off a warm glow. Although it was dark, she could see the lower half of the stately home was draped with greenery. It looked to be a small manor house; smaller than the ones her parents used to drag her to for golf events and dentistry conferences, but it didn't diminish its appearance in any way.
"Wait a minute!" Hermione stopped at the path, taking a second to admire the holly wreath that hung on the grand brown door before turning to eye Ron. Her hands were firmly on her hips. "When exactly did you check us in? You've been with me all day!"
Ron watched her with an amused smile. Her cheeks were still flushed with the effects of the champagne and the chill of the air, and her eyes were giving her smile away, despite the suspicious look she was attempting to give him.
"When you were busy obsessing over where the baubles should be placed on the tree at Primrose Cottage!"
Ron's smile grew as Hermione's look switched from suspicious to incredulous. "You were so busy decorating; I was able to pack a bag of your things without you noticing. Don't worry though, Ginny gave me a list so you don't just have a bag full of your smallest underwear!"
"You said you were going to your flat!" She poked him hard in the chest and Ron could see the goosebumps on her arms.
"Well I did go to my flat and then I came here! Now, are you going to stand outside in the cold shouting at me and waking up all the residents or are you going to come inside with me and get warm!" He waggled his eyebrows at her.
Hermione grinned at him and let him slip an arm around her waist. She leaned into him for support and let him open the front door. He steered her past the wide staircase and down a long corridor. She gave the night worker manning the reception desk a wave as they passed him.
"This place is so beautiful. Every inch of it is covered in Christmas. I love Christmas!" Hermione kept up her commentary as they walked further into the building, probably waking everyone up as they moved. Ron couldn't help but laugh at her.
"I know you love Christmas. Although not as much as me!" He eventually stopped outside a room with a posh name on it. "Just wait until you see the room though…" He carefully helped her to lean against the wall as he dug out the key from his robe pockets. He opened the door then swept her up into his arms, shushing her as she let out a loud squeal.
"Will you keep quiet woman?!" Ron laughed as he easily carried her across the threshold of the room. The look on her face was perfect and he wished he had a camera with him. Her deep brown eyes sparkled with childish delight and her hair had given up the restraints of the intricate knot, which is how he preferred it anyway. He couldn't resist dipping his head to give her a kiss.
Once he pulled away, he carefully pushed the door closed and turned around so she could see the room properly. The décor was clean and fresh and the tasteful Christmas decorations in the entrance hall were continued in the bedroom. In front of them was a king-size four-poster bed made out of the lightest pine wood. The sheets were white and crisp. At the foot of the bed was a comfortable looking sofa and a small glass coffee table, where a bottle of expensive-looking champagne was waiting for them in a bucket of ice. The curtains had already been drawn closed, but the room was lit softly and Hermione could spot a sitting area in the large window. She couldn't wait to see the views in the morning.
"Okay, put me down. I want to explore!" Hermione wriggled slightly in his grip and he did as he was told. She immediately kicked off her heels and started to move around the room, pulling out drawers and opening doors.
He dug in the pocket of the suitcase he packed for them and pulled out a selection of vials. He sat down on the sofa and removed his own shoes, watching her with a fond smile as she headed into the bathroom.
"There's a roll-top bath Ron… I've always wanted a roll-top bath!"
"We'll have to try it out later…"
At the sound of Ron's voice, Hermione turned quickly in the bathroom doorway, almost tripping over her own feet again. Luckily, this time she caught herself using the doorframe and gave him a sheepish grin. In the time she'd been inspecting the bathroom, she'd removed the last of the pins from her hair and her wild curls were now framing her face.
She started to wander slowly towards him and he gulped hard. She had that wicked look on her face; the one that let him know that she was plotting something and he really didn't like his chances.
"You want this?" He held out the vial of sober-up potion but laughed as she swatted his hand away. "Don't you want to take the potion?" He watched her, eyebrows raised as she attempted to climb onto his lap with the grace of a drunk giraffe, which wasn't surprising given the amount of champagne she'd drunk.
"Maybe later…" She wrinkled up her nose. "I don't like the taste!"
"Well, that's the point. If it was tasty, like butterbeer or pumpkin juice or something, then people would abuse it and take too much of it. In fact, I think you're the one who told me that!" He helped her to get comfortable with a soft laugh. She was straddling his lap and facing him now, pushing him further into the soft cushions on the sofa. She was trying her best to be sexy, something that didn't come naturally to her; although Ron always found her the sexiest when she wasn't trying - when she was just lounging around without make-up on and in his jogging bottoms. Whatever she was doing, it was working and he shifted uncomfortably underneath her.
He tried to ignore the small voice in his head that was determined to remind him how much she'd had to drink and instead focussed on the feel of her fingertips as they skated around his collar, slowly loosening his bow tie. He slipped one hand to her backside, holding her safely on his lap and let the other run slowly through her curls.
"You sound like me…" Hermione furrowed up her brow in concentration, abandoning the now tangled knot of his bow tie briefly. "When did that happen?"
"Yeah, this whole role reversal thing is weird isn't it? Do you want me to start being less sensible again?!"
"Yes please, if you don't mind!"
Hermione's words were starting to get less slurred and Ron guessed the glass of water she'd downed before their portkey must be starting to work. She finally got the bow tie unfastened and pulled it out from around his neck.
"I need to get you out of these robes, although you do look incredibly handsome in them…" Her fingers started fumbling with the buttons of his shirt.
"You're not that bad looking yourself…"
The sight of his bare skin as it was revealed to her was almost as intoxicating as the champagne and Hermione leaned forward, taking a deep breath. She loved how he smelt; all earthy and manly with a hint of the cinnamon that had been prevalent at the party. She couldn't help herself as she pressed her tongue against his skin.
"Hermione…" Ron groaned softly and tightened his grip on her, sliding one hand under the material of her dress. He danced his fingers along the lace of her underwear; he knew they were black; he'd watched her getting dressed earlier that evening and had been counting down the minutes until he could get her back out of them.
Fuelled by his groan, Hermione abandoned the rest of his buttons and started to kiss a hot trail starting at his exposed chest and working her way painfully slowly up to his jawline. She grinned at the noise her lips made as it brushed against his stubble.
By the time she fell into a hungry kiss with him, he was so hard he was actually aching for her and the voice that had been warning him about how drunk she had been was pushed far to the back of his head. It was very clear that she was completely aware of what she wanted and he was not going to risk her wrath and deny her it. He was painfully aware that they were both wearing far too many items of clothing. He let go of her, trusting her to keep her own balance so that he could shrug out of his robes, letting them pool around where they were sat on the sofa. He untucked his shirt from his trousers and worked on unfastening his remaining buttons.
Hermione tore her lips from his as she felt him moving. Carefully, she slid from his lap and steadied herself on her feet, almost bumping against the coffee table as she moved.
"Don't you dare move!" She pointed a finger at him, trying to look authoritative although Ron just found it incredibly sexy. She reached back slowly and started unzipping her dress. Eventually, she let it fall from her body and stepped out of it, pushing it away with her foot. Ron let out a groan as he finally got to see those black lacy knickers again.
"You'll be the death of me Hermione…" He stood up too, taking the opportunity to relieve himself of the rest of his clothes, risking a bollocking later by throwing them haphazardly across the room.
Surprisingly, the witch just laughed and waited until he was settled back on the sofa before removing her knickers, throwing them across the room with the rest of his clothes.
Ron laughed too and pulled her back to him, nestling his lips against her neck as she once again made herself comfortable on his lap.
"I love you…" His voice was muffled by her skin, but she knew exactly what he'd said and it sent electricity racing through her body, making her heart pound in an irregular rhythm.
"I love you too, so much!"
She carefully slid her hands into his hair and pulled his lips up to hers, falling into a deep, hungry kiss with him. Every inch of their skin was touching and yet she felt like she needed more of him. She didn't break the kiss as she lifted her hips and carefully slid onto him. He gasped against her lips and she pressed her chest tighter against his. She didn't stop until he was buried to the hilt and she groaned against his lips.
They stayed joined like this for a while; fingers exploring each other's skin as if it were the first time again. Their tongues danced against each other, causing Ron to feel a throb of need for her. He slid both hands under her backside, encouraging her to move her hips. He moaned as she took the hint and slowly started to rock against him.
Ron let out a guttural groan and tore his lips from hers, throwing his head back to rest against the sofa. This was nothing like he'd experienced before. They were so close together, the friction between their bodies was heightening his pleasure and he knew she was moving painfully slow, just to wind him up.
"Hermione…" He gave her a warning, nipping at her jawline. She moaned her reply, which only served to drive him crazier but despite his best efforts, she refused to pick up the pace.
"Right, that's it…"
He carefully stood up, laughing at her protests. He dropped her unceremoniously on to the mattress and climbed over her. "You're a pain in my arse, Hermione Granger!" He placed his lips to her stomach, kissing low along her bikini line.
"I know and yet you keep coming back for more!" She giggled and squirmed underneath him, attempting to push his head lower. "I'm ticklish, stop it!"
"Serves you right!"
He pushed back against her, dipping his tongue into her belly button before working his way back up her body. He slipped a hand in between them, seeking out her sensitive bundle of nerves the same time he pressed his tongue to her nipple.
"Jesus Ron!" Hermione arched her back, pushing her chest into his mouth.
Sometimes, Ron thought he was a boob man and then he'd get a good look at her backside or the curve of her neck. He remembered one time, towards the end of their time in Hogwarts, he'd been turned on just by the sight of her elbow peeking out from underneath her rolled-up shirt sleeves so he figured he was actually just a "Hermione-Man" instead. He absolutely loved her body and tried to spend as much time as he could just worshipping her and making her feel good.
Eventually, he removed his hand and nestled back in between her thighs, slipping into her with ease. She was so turned on; he decided that Hermione was definitely a "Ron-girl". He kept on pressing kisses against her chest, making sure that neither breast was neglected as he thrust against her.
It didn't take long for her to hit her peak and he didn't give her long to recover before he picked up the pace again. He only let himself go when she'd come for the second time. The sight of her lying underneath him, completely undone and desperately trying to catch her breath spurring him on.
Eventually, he collapsed down on her carefully and lay his head next to hers, his nose nestled against her cheek happily. He felt Hermione wrap her arms around him and he let out a content sigh.
"Do I still need to take the potion?" She stroked a finger down his spine.
Ron raised his head. "Yes, although if you hadn't mentioned it, I might have forgotten." He smirked and carefully untangled himself from her. He got up from the bed and crossed the room, picking up the vial from where he'd discarded it on the sofa without bothering to cover himself up. He grabbed two bottles of water from the mini-fridge and threw one to Hermione, laughing as she fumbled the catch.
He waited for her to sit up before passing her the vial.
Hermione pulled the plug on the vial and downed the potion in one gulp, wrinkling her nose in disgust. It tasted almost of nothing, but with the strongest aftertaste of tabasco sauce. For a moment, Ron wondered if she might throw up but the nauseous look on her face passed. She put the empty vial on her bedside table and took a sip of the water.
"Come here…" He lay down and held an arm out for her, letting her cuddle up to his side. He pulled the duvet up over their bodies and stroked her hair softly.
Hermione was grateful to get a quiet 5 minutes to unwind before bed. Her ears were still ringing from the loud music at the party and her head was starting to pound. She closed her eyes and let out a happy sigh.
"Better?" Ron watched her closely.
"Yes. Sorry I got drunk…"
"Oh, I think you made up for it!" Ron reached for his hand, using it to turn the lights out in the room with a small mutter of a charm.
"Tonight was perfect, although I don't know what I've done to deserve it!"
Ron put his wand back on his bedside table and trailed a hand over her back. He breathed in deeply. "It's been a strange year, hasn't it? You started it in Australia and me… well, I wasn't with you!" He laughed softly. "We've both dealt with some shit and I thought we love Christmas so why not start it off on a good note. We've got just over a week off work now, you're spending your first Christmas at the Burrow…"
Hermione lifted her head and pressed a soft kiss against his lips. Ron smiled as he could taste the sober-up potion.
"Thank you, Ron. I still don't feel like I deserve you after the way I treated you last year…"
"We've moved past that now Hermione, don't you think?"
"I just don't want you to think I take you for granted. I know how lucky I am to get a second chance with you…"
Ron smiled widely as she settled down next to him. He was glad he decided to give Hermione a second chance and all their hard work was finally paying off. "Do you remember our last Christmas together?"
"Yeah – that week was amazing. Just spending the time chilling with you. New Years Day was my favourite though… that ring you got me…" Hermione let out a happy sigh and sat up suddenly, smiling down at him. "Oh, that ring was so beautiful. Have you still got it?"
Ron took a deep breath as she started rambling on about the ring. He knew she'd eventually bring it up. He tried his best to focus his thoughts on staying happy. "I don't know, it's somewhere probably…" He shrugged.
"Can I have it back, do you think?" Hermione's eyes were bright with excitement and expectation.
Ron suddenly felt cold, and he drew the duvet tighter around himself. The ring held bad memories for him, getting it delivered back to the flat via long-distance owl mail was one of the worst things he'd experienced recently. It brought up all the insecurities he thought he'd gotten rid of when he faced Riddle's locket. "I don't know Hermione. I don't know where it is at this exact moment!"
"Well, we can go back to the flat on our way to the Burrow tomorrow. A quick Accio charm should help us find it."
"Hermione! Ron felt his jaw set as she pushed him over his line of calm. "Will you just leave it?" He rolled onto his side, his arms folded across his body and closed his eyes.
Hermione stared at his back, feeling confused. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just tired. It's been a long night. Just go to sleep!"
"But Ron…"
"Fucks sake Hermione. I asked you to drop it! Why'd you have to push it? Go to sleep!"
Hermione felt tears burn in her eyes. She wasn't sure what she'd done to upset him but she knew it was best to drop it before she made things worse. She rested her head back down on her pillow, trying her best to fall asleep but even when his soft snores started filling the room, she was still wide awake.