On exactly the first, the centaurs agreed to the terms of the treaty. Hermione promptly delegated all the paperwork to her subordinates, then, with Kingsley's urging, took that Friday off. Hermione was beside herself with the tingling feeling of accomplishment. This was her first project that hadn't been sabotaged by archaic wizarding laws, nor had it been put off indefinitely by her hateful colleagues. Ginny decided they'd take the whole day to celebrate, so with the boys at the Burrow, Hermione found herself under the professional hands of masseuse Brendan, lying alongside Ginny, who groaned as Celestio worked her shoulders.
"Are there any areas that need extra care, Miss Granger?" Brendan's voice was so calming, like an ocean breeze.
"My neck, please," Hermione said. "And my arms. And hands, especially my wanding hand. Oh, and my lower back."
"She's been worked to the bone, Brendan," Ginny said as Celestio drummed along the backs of her calves. "Just give her a good rub down everywhere. Merlin knows she needs it."
"Ginevra," Hermione hissed.
Brendan laughed. "Point taken, Miss Weasley." Hermione opened her mouth to something snarky about Ginny's love life, but couldn't think of anything fast enough. A wisp blew out of the 'Ahh-romatherapy Mister,' which Celestio had explained contained a very light potion that induced extreme relaxation. Hermione felt everything un-tense slowly, and she set her head back down and happily let Brendan do his job.
XXX
"Alright," Ginny said, pulling open the pamphlet for Le Serpent Rouge. "We've done the Ahh-romatherapy massage, the mandrake body wrap, the hot chocolate facial." She turned the paper over. "You know, I'm ready to be finished with all this rejuvenation shite and move on to the Beautifying Department."
Hermione sipped her complimentary pumpkin juice, certain it had been spiked with some draught or another. "Sounds good to me."
She and Ginny then were at the whims of Cynthusa and Serene, two witches trained to know every beauty charm imaginable, for the better part of two hours. When they were finished, Hermione had honey highlights, deeply-conditioned curls, a light bronzer, and, at Ginny's encouragement, nearly all her body hair hexed off (despite the fact that Hermione had insisted there was no one to appreciate it). Ginny'd walked away with much the same, except her hair sported burnt umber lowlights that Cynthusa'd promised would make red clothing much more compatible with her complexion.
"What now?" Ginny asked as they left, each holding a gift bag from the spa. "Shopping?"
Hermione relented to one store, and where she was promptly swept away by an emerald maxi dress. "Oh, Gods that looks fabulous with your highlights," Ginny said, stepping out of the dressing room in a crimson, sweetheart-necklined number.
"That," Hermione said, gesturing to Ginny, "is unbelievably flattering."
Ginny turned to the side in the mirror. "Good Godric. I had my doubts, but Cynthusa was right. I ought to owl her another hefty tip."
"Harry's eyes are going to pop right out when he sees you in that."
"Let's wear these to Fleur's birthday tomorrow," Ginny said, grabbing her by the hand. "Please. I never get to dress up for parties at the Burrow, and I'll feel utterly daft doing it alone."
"Fleur's probably going to all dolled up."
"You know what I mean! Us mere mortals."
"Uh, sure." Hermione twirled and laughed. "Yeah, I'll wear this."
"Besides, Charlie's favorite color is green," Ginny said pointedly and walked back into her dressing room. Hermione shut her dropped mouth and decided to ignore that little slight.
"Are you ready for dinner, Gin?" she said as she changed.
"Definitely. Then call it a day. I miss my little men."
XXX
"What illicit substances have you smuggled in this time?" Hermione asked Harry as he and Ginny finally fell in through the floo.
"Say what?" Ginny asked, her cheeks pink.
"Well, Molly said you'd left the boys here but had forgotten something important? I assumed you went back for a bottle to liven things up."
"Well, no, actually," Ginny said.
Harry looked at the floor. "We, uh, forgot the present."
"But neither of you even have a present—" Hermione stared at them for a few seconds then burst into laughter. "You mean you dropped off the boys at the party early so you could go have a shag?"
"Hermione! You said so yourself that Harry's eyes would right pop out when he saw me in this." Ginny gestured to her dress. "Well, turns, out, his eyes weren't the only things to—"
"La, la, la," Hermione sang loudly, putting her fingers in her ears. "I'm not listening."
Ginny laughed as Harry turned various shades of crimson to match the dress. "You're certainly not innocent, woman. Stop acting so prudish. Speaking of which, is Charlie here yet?"
This time, it was Hermione's turn to pinken. "I don't know what you're insinuating, Mrs. Potter, but I suggest you stop that immediately. He and I are friends. And, no, it appears as though Charlie is running late."
In fact, Charlie had sent an owl to the Burrow ahead of him for Hermione, specifically, to let her know that he'd be there after about an hour or so. This gave Molly pause, but then she came to the conclusion that he'd probably need one-on-one time with his new best friend-slash-therapist and told Hermione that she and Charlie could talk anywhere they liked once he arrived. Hermione had no idea what words he used to describe the terms of her emotional support, but she reckoned it was enough to guarantee alone time with Charlie for the rest of the year without raising suspicion from the matriarch.
Ginny, on the other hand, was another matter entirely. Hermione eyed the redhead as the boys raced to hug their mummy's legs. Harry interrupted Hermione's thoughts with an arm around her shoulders. "Actually," he said in a low voice. "I did bring a bottle of bubbleberry wine."
"Harry James Potter, you know what that beverage did to me the last time—"
"Aw, come on. I like Drunk Hermione."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine. But just a sip for me, Harry."
Harry went to the kitchen and discreetly poured glasses for her, Gin, Fleur, Bill, George and Percy. It certainly did liven things up, as by the time Charlie arrived, all intoxicated adults were trading stories and laughing their arses off in the living room. Molly was delighted at everyone's good mood, which also meant she remained ignorant to the cause of such cheer.
"Hey, Charlie," Bill shouted, and they greeted one another with a handshake. Charlie kissed Fleur on her cheeks before handing her a wrapped gift, then gave everyone else an awkward wave on his way to Hermione.
He put a hand on her shoulders. "I hope it's alright that I borrow Hermione for a few minutes. We'll be right back."
Before anyone could respond, Charlie apparated them to a darkened room which smelled of cedar and pine. "Charlie!" Hermione yelled, looking around. "What on earth—"
He stopped her sentence with a long kiss. Hermione could find no urge to continue her scolds, and so she wrapped her arms around him and opened her mouth to his tongue. Charlie lifted her up and placed her on a smooth table without breaking the kiss. She let her hands wander under his shirt, over his abs and hips, and he'd fitted his hand in the neck of her dress, teasing her nipple.
He slithered his other hand up her dress and maneuvered it into her knickers. He slid a finger inside her and groaned. "You're so fucking wet."
Hermione gasped as he curled the finger against a very sensitive spot. "What are you going to do about it?"
He took a half step back and unbuckled his belt and opened his trousers. By the time he'd positioned his length on her, she'd wriggled her knickers down her legs and onto the floor. He sank into her and she cried out.
Charlie pumped into her so hard that the table edged away with every thrust. Hermione bit his neck to keep from screaming and he growled into her ear. She felt the warmth of an orgasm just begin when he muttered, "I'm not going to last very long, love."
Hermione laughed, delirious enough just being in his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist as tight as she could and said, "I don't care, Charlie."
He thrust for a few more minutes, then came with a deep moan that Hermione mentally shelved away for masturbation fodder at a later date.
He held her for another minute, catching his breath. Then he said, "You didn't come, did you?"
Hermione shook her head. "It's not a big deal."
He scoffed, then pulled back to look at her with raised eyebrows. "I don't like to leave a lady dissatisfied."
Hermione chuckled and said, "You made me come so much last time, I thought I was going to pass out. Why not call it even?"
He shook his head and lowered his body. "I don't think so." Then he pulled her, once again, to his mouth.
Six minutes later, and she arched her back and pulled his hair while whispering, "Oh, fuck, Charlie."
She was surprised to feel the head of his cock on her cunt when he pushed up. "Again?" she asked. "So soon?"
He gave her a half-smile and said, "Something about your saying my name does it for me."
"Really," she said, pulling his hips to hers hard.
"Really," he choked out, eyes rolling back.
This time, he took his time with her, trying slightly different angles until he found one that made her practically speak in tongues. As she came once again, she put her mouth to his ear and moaned his name, which caused him to release immediately thereafter. A couple minutes later, as he dressed himself, she leaned back onto the table and let out a very sated sigh. "I don't think I can even think about moving."
"So don't," he said, kissing her inner leg. She closed her eyes and felt his lips press against her right thigh, then the outside of her calf. When he made it to her left inner ankle, she realized, with a sudden warmth in her chest, that he was kissing each freckle and birthmark. It seemed like such an intensely intimate act, something so loving and reverent that she wondered briefly if this was more than just sex for him. Then she shooed the thought away. The man lived in Romania for Godric's sake, she reminded herself.
"Where are we, anyway?" she glanced around.
"The gardening shed," Charlie laughed. "I haven't any idea why I brought you here. Was planning on taking you to one of the guest rooms, but my mind sort of stopped working when I saw you in that." He waved a hand over her dress, and then dropped his head to kiss a pale spot on her knee.
Hermione smiled. "Well, I guess it's less suspicious here, anyhow."
Charlie frowned slightly as Hermione edged down. "Where are my knickers?" she asked.
"Oh, here." He pulled them out of an empty plant pot.
She cast unusually strong cleansing spells before pulling them on, then said, "I suppose we should be heading back, yeah? But let's just walk, okay?" After a romp like that, she wasn't certain apparition was in her immediate best interests.
"Sure." He held out an arm and they made their way to the house.