We walked out to the lake at around 11 o'clock, hand in hand. Looking out on the lake was the second most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. The stars sparked through the night sky, reflecting back on the lake and up at us.
"Hermione, I know this is moving a bit fast, I mean we've only been on one date, but I've felt this way for 4 to 5 years now. Mione, I love you, I'm in love you, and I never want to live without you." I looked into her eyes, sparkling with the reflection of the lake, and pulled her close.
She leaned forward and pulled me close into a passionate kiss. "I love you too Freddie." She whispered as she pulled away. She grabbed my hand and led me to the tree next to the lake.
"Mione, this is my house. You don't have to show me where to go." I chuckled. "Not that I mind you taking control."
We layed down under the tree, our toes in the water, the stars twinkling all around us like little drops of rain filled with sunshine and light, even though it's night.
"Wanna go in?" Hermione asked playfully.
"Well you see Mione, that depends. Do you feel like being a little torture machine, or are you going to behave?"
"Depends on your definition of torture. What I did earlier was only torture because your family was here and you couldn't do anything about it. Now, we have the lake and the night all to ourselves." She nodded suggestively and took off her shirt.
"Why aren't you wearing a bathing suit?" I asked puzzled. I looked down at her lacey bra to confirm it was in fact, not a swimsuit.
"Well I was thinking…" she started.
"If that sentence ends with skinny-dipping, believe me, I'm down." I said ripping off my shirt faster than you could say fizzbang.
"The only thing is, we have to be careful, and NO SEX!" she yelled, laughing while clearly admiring my chiseled torso.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, I wanna get in." I said, with a lot more urgency than I intended.
"Turn around. No peeking. Better yet, you get in with your swim shorts still on and don't take them off until I'm under the water and I say so."
"But Mione, I'm going to see it anyways. Why wait?" I asked.
"Some things are just worth waiting for Fred and you need to learn that." She made motions towards the water and I walked in, fully submerging first my legs, then my torso.
"Fred, can I ask you something?" she questioned, clearly getting in by the noise of the water.
"Sure, Mione. Anything."
"How does it feel? How does sex feel?" she touched me on the shoulder softly. I turned around to look her in the eye, admiring just how beautiful she looked. This moment was my idea of perfection.
"Mione, can I tell you something that not even George knows?" I asked, stroking her face with the back of my hand.
"Of course. I won't tell anyone. My lips are sealed." She smiled, looking deep into my eyes. I felt like all of my insides were visible to her eyes. I could feel all of my secrets forcing their way out of my head the more her eyes looked into mine.
"I've never… I haven't… Mione, you'll be my first. I decided the moment I laid eyes on you that you were the girl I wanted to marry and it's very hard to make love to someone when your heart belongs to someone else." My soul began to spill out of my chest. I felt so much weight lifting off of me even though that secret wasn't even that big.
Hermione blushed and then began, "What about Angelina the night of the Yule ball?"
"I told her I couldn't do it. I told her my heart was meant for another girl and she smiled, tears in her eyes for a few seconds before we spent the whole night talking instead about how great she is for understanding and how great I am for not allowing her to get attached to me. I felt like such a jerk that night. I only wanted to take you, and even though I knew that, I still took Angelina, hoping I could push those feelings aside."
She smiled at me again, and then turned around. "Your turn." she said. "Take your shorts off. I can't be the only one skinny-dipping."
"Your wish is my command." I said, eagerly taking my shorts off and throwing them into the tree on the shore. "Now turn back and look at me. I need to see your beautiful eyes when I say this to you."
Hermione turned back to look at me and I pulled her body close to mine, feeling the warmth of her breasts against my skin, but not even caring that the only girl I have ever wanted was naked and wrapped around me. I only cared that she knew how I felt.
"Mione, it's always been you. You're the only girl I've ever wanted, sexually or otherwise. I couldn't stand to see any other guy wrapped up in you and I wanted more than anything to be in this moment, right now. I have always, and will always love you." I wrapped her hair in my hand pulling her face into mine and kissing her with everything in me. She grabbed at my back with her soft hands and I ran my free hand around her back too.
We kissed for about 5 minutes, the passion rising more and more with every second, and then Hermione pulled away, her taste lingering in my mouth.
"Fred, I told you no sex. I don't know if I'm ready yet. I've always thought I should wait until marriage but after the war, I don't know how I feel anymore. I just don't know what to do." Hermione looked more concerned than I had seen her since I woke up.
"Listen, Mione, I won't do anything if you're not ready. I won't push you to do anything you don't feel is right to do yet. I was just kissing my beautiful," I kissed the left side of her neck, "sexy," I kissed the other side, "girlfriend, under the night sky while we both happen to be naked under water. I hope you don't feel like I'm trying to pressure you into moving faster than you want to go. I really don't want you to be uncomfortable. I would wait a million years if you asked me to."
"How do I know if I'm ready, Fred? I feel ready but my head keeps telling me it's too soon and I need to wait."
"Mione, I can't tell you when you're going to be ready. I don't know what it feels like. I know I am physically ready, as are you," I paused and laughed for a second before continuing, "but I can't tell you when you're going to be emotionally or mentally ready. I don't even know if I'm emotionally or mentally ready. I am willing to take that dive whenever you're ready, but I can also sit back and wait if you need me to."
"Do you think you're ready?" She asked quietly, not breaking eye contact as she came closer to me, her body pressing against mine again.
"I think so, but I don't know for sure. Are you ready?" I asked in response.
"I think so. Let's take that dive now and see." She pulled me so close I couldn't breathe anymore. I didn't know what to do next. She pressed one hand deep into my back, the other in my hair pulling me into the most amazing kiss I had ever felt in my life.
I trailed my hands up and down her body feeling every little groove and detail. Her skin was soft. I continued to pull her close to me, kissing her deeper and deeper with every passing moment. I then pulled away for only long enough to ask if she was ready before she pulled me back into the kiss, nodding.
Sorry again for it taking so long. I have been extremely busy and I feel so bad for making you wait this long. Hopefully it was worth waiting for. Thank you to all of you who have supported me. Next chapter should be coming soon.