Author's Note: Sigh. This turned out just so cute and pretty. I love it so much. In fact, I've loved all of the Holmes for the Holidays fics and I hope you have too. I appreciate all the feedback I've received! Thank you! Only three more after this plus the bonus New Year's one which will be the second part to Light the Way! Thanks again!

Thank you to GaeilgeRua for beta reading and helping find me pics for the aesthetic! Much love, xxDustNight

Disclaimer: All non-original characters, plot points, and information belongs to J.K. Rowling, BBC, or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The story plot and dialogue belongs to me. I do not write for profit.

Holmes for the Holidays Playlist: htt*ps:/open*.*spotify*.*com/user/12464*01351/playlist/1prfNYC9f8LMVVqPzgjs5l (remove * to visit link)

. . . .

Melt With Me
Rated: M
Written for Duchess_of_Strumpetness who encourages me to write anything and everything, but especially all the slash! Thank you for being super supportive and encouraging. I can't wait for you to read this! Much love!
Prompt: they've been out ice skating and one or both end up with a wet bum from falling over, they head home to have a hot bath to warm up
Song Recommendation: "Baby's it's cold Outside" duet by Idina Menzel and Michael Buble
Summary: In which an ice skating trip doesn't go according to plan but Sherlock's scheme to get Hermione to spend the night does.

. . . .

"I wish I knew how, to break this spell."
"I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell."
- Baby it's Cold Outside,
Idina Menzel & Michael Bublè

. . . .

It was excessively cold outside, and Hermione and Sherlock had just returned from ice skating at Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland. They'd only been dating a few short months, so this was their first holiday season together. Of course, Hermione insisted they try to participate in as many winter festivities as possible in order to get to know one another better. Sherlock being himself, took on the challenge, eagerly wanting to show Hermione he was willing to get better at the whole relationship thing. And he'd been doing so well…

Ice skating was not Sherlock's forte. At all. In fact, he was rather horrid. For all the poise and grace he displayed on a normal basis, throwing the brilliant detective onto ice wearing nothing but a pair of rental skates was problematic. Sherlock had wobbled to and fro, as well as side to side in an attempt to stay upright. Hermione had bit back so many giggles from watching her boyfriend try not to fall that her bottom lip was sore! Nevertheless, Sherlock hadn't wanted to admit defeat and insisted they stay even after Hermione suggested they try the rides or visit one of the two circuses instead.

So the pair of them had attempted to skate around the rink together, dodging other skaters as Hermione tried to help Sherlock remain upright. It was fun, in Hermione's opinion, even if her boyfriend probably disagreed. Hermione gave him credit, though, he really kept his spirits up through the ordeal. That is, until his ankles started to get sore and his balance became even worse. That's when the falling started and Hermione simply wasn't strong enough to hold him up. Gosh, it must have been about four or five times his skates had flown right out from under him, sending him skittering across the ice on his bottom.

Poor Sherlock, Hermione thought as she stood outside the cab waiting for him to finish paying for their ride. As the cab drove off, Sherlock finally turned and and frowned at her, disappointment clearly etched across the furrow of his brow. "Come on, love," she mumbled, hiding a smile as she took his hand. "Let's get you and your soggy bottom inside before you catch a cold."

"My bottom is not soggy," Sherlock replied a bit snippily, but he took her hand all the same. Allowing her to lead him inside 221B and upstairs to his flat, he continued to frown over the entire situation.

"Really, Sherlock… It's okay that you're not good at ice skating. I'm horrid at flying on a broom and Wizard's Chess, so it's nothing to be so torn up about," Hermione told him as they entered the flat, letting go of his hand so she could remove her coat and boots.

"I wanted you to have a lovely evening," Sherlock admitted, removing his own coat and hanging it up before reaching for Hermione's to do the same. "I fear that our evening was cut rather short. Did you even enjoy yourself at all?"

Laughing a little, Hermione stepped close to Sherlock and wrapped her hands around his waist as she laid her head on his chest. Sighing happily, she waited for his own hands to wrap around her before she spoke. "Of course I had a lovely time, Sherlock. Anytime I'm with you, whether it's picking you up off the ice or wrapped in your embrace, I'm at peace." Not waiting for a response, Hermione slid up onto her tiptoes and kissed him lightly.

Returning the kiss, his tongue slid into her eager mouth. She tasted of hot chocolate and smelled of snow and ice. Moaning, Sherlock felt the stress of the evening beginning to melt away the longer he held Hermione in his arms. She was the one constant in his life, always willing to embrace his flaws even if he, himself, wasn't. When he pulled away, breathless, he stared down into her warm eyes and figured he'd take a chance on the witch.

"Stay with me tonight?" he asked, unsure if she would accept his offer. They'd been together for just over three months, their relationship still so new. They had yet to spend the night in one another's arms, let alone go much further than kissing. Tonight, however, Sherlock felt he was ready to take that next step with Hermione. In fact, he could surely see spending every night for the rest of his life with her, but that was a thought to ponder further down the road.

Hardly able to keep the smile from her face, Hermione reached up and cupped his cheek. "As much as I would love to, I have to work early and you know how Ginny whines when I leave her alone at the flat." When he frowned, Hermione sighed and took off her hat. "I can stay for a little bit longer, though."

Sherlock inhaled and nodded, lips pursed as he tried to hold back his disappointment. "Okay," he said, not really knowing what else to add. "I am in need of a change of clothes and perhaps a quick bath; that is, if you don't mind keeping yourself occupied for half an hour?"

"That's no problem," Hermione agreed, running a hand through her disheveled hair and glancing around the room. "I can easily read a book or something for that long. Then, do you want to watch a Christmas movie?"

"Sure." Sherlock would do whatever she asked, so long as she stayed with him this evening. Perhaps, if he played his cards right, he might actually convince her to spend the night. "You may pick. I have no idea what the difference between a regular and a holiday movie is…" He flashed her an obnoxious grin, earning him a laugh.

"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione started to say and then realized, he was probably telling the truth. "Never mind. Hurry up and take your bath. I'll be waiting!" She pushed him lightly in the direction of the loo, giving him a playful swat on his damp behind for good measure.

Sherlock smirked to himself as he hurried toward the bathroom, shutting the door so that it was merely cracked open and then began to strip out of his clothes. He put his damp clothing in the hamper and then prepared the bath, filling it with hot water and adding some sort of scented bubble mixture John insisted was good for the skin. Within moments, Sherlock found himself relaxing in the bath, his aching bottom a forgotten memory as he tried to formulate a plan of action. Luckily, he didn't have to think for long, Hermione giving him the perfect excuse to orchestrate a reason for her to remain here tonight.

"Hey, Sherlock?" he heard Hermione call from the kitchen, the sounds of her rifling through his refrigerator echoing down the hall and into the small bathroom. "Do we have any wine?"

Smirking, he cleared his throat and decided he might as well give it a try…

"What?" he shouted, although he'd heard her just fine. He needed to get her into the bathroom for this to work.

"Wine!" Hermione called again, "Do we still have that bottle or did we drink it?"

"I'm sorry, love," he said just loud enough for her to hear. "I can't hear what you're saying!" When he heard the refrigerator click shut and then the soft padding of feet on the floor, Sherlock knew he had her. He waited patiently for the knock on the door, her knuckles rapped softly as if unsure she should enter. Sherlock smirked and settled lower in the bathtub, the water covering his body so she wouldn't feel uncomfortable. "You may come in."

Hermione pushed open the door slowly, her eyes averted and her cheeks flushed. "Sorry, I thought you might be able to hear me if I shouted loud enough…" She bit her lip and hesitantly moved closer to the bathtub, looking everywhere but at him.

"Strange acoustics in this old flat," Sherlock deftly lied, bringing his hand up out of the water and gesturing at the ceiling. He smiled as her gaze followed his wet hand, and then finally settled on his face. "So what were you shouting about?"

"I was wondering if we had any wine in the flat, or if we drank it all last week when I was over." Hermione's heart was racing as she tried not to sneak a peek at Sherlock. His body was submerged in the bubbly bathwater so everything was covered, but she didn't want to seem imprudent. The skin of his upper chest and neck was slightly pink from the heat of the water and she found herself slowly inching closer toward him. "If not… I can make tea."

"It should be in the kitchen somewhere," Sherlock informed her, casually extending his hand to her. She took it without thinking, a move she would either regret or look back on happily. Brushing his thumb across the back of her hand, Sherlock smiled up at her, his sea-colored eyes twinkling. "Although, I have a much better idea of how you can pass the time waiting for me to get out of the bath than looking for wine."

"Yeah?" Hermione asked, still completely oblivious to the situation she'd walked into. "And what's that?"

"You can join me," he said bluntly, and then proceeded to tug her into the bathtub with him.

Her wide-eyed look of panic was comical, as was the way her arms flew out in front of her in an attempt to keep from falling into the bathwater. Sherlock caught Hermione easily, wrapping his arms around her so she wouldn't hit off the sides and injure herself as water splashed all around them. This was meant to be fun, not painful, and as she settled against his chest, eyes squeezed shut, he exhaled in relief. He'd been successful, and now he waited for her to either be furious or find mirth in the situation.

"Sherlock!" Hermione sputtered, shaking water and bubbles from her face and hair. Blinking down at her boyfriend in shock, Hermione realized he was trembling with laughter. Laughter! He was laughing at her! Smacking his naked chest, she tried to untangle herself but her wet clothing was making things difficult and she found herself face-planting right back against him. "Ooomph!"

Now Sherlock was laughing aloud, his body quaking and causing the already disturbed bathwater to slosh about precariously. He suspected a good amount had already found its way onto the floor, a fact Mrs. Hudson would probably murder him for later. "Do be careful, Hermione," Sherlock managed to say through his laughter.

"Really, Sherlock? Be careful? You just pulled me into the tub. Fully clothed!" Again Hermione attempted to get free, but Sherlock held her still.

Shifting slightly, and ignoring the furious glare from his girlfriend, Sherlock spread his legs so she could kneel between them. "I'm sorry, but the opportunity presented itself and I couldn't resist."

"You're insufferable, did you know that?" Hermione sighed and ran a hand through her ruined hair. Placing her hands on Sherlock's chest, she suddenly realized the position they were in. "My clothes are soaked."

"You could take them off," he suggested, trailing one finger along her jaw. He felt her shiver, but not from the cold.

"Sherlock…" Hermione trailed off, suddenly realizing where this was headed. They hadn't talked about moving forward in their relationship but it appeared he was showing her he was ready. As a shiver of desire ran through her body, Hermione realized she was too.

"Shhhh," he told her, placing his finger over her lips, eyes full of such passion that Hermione was sure she would melt if made of ice. He found the bottom of her sweater and lifted the slick material, thankful when Hermione's arms rose to help him. He let it hit the floor beside the tub with a slap and then returned his gaze to Hermione. He reached around her back and unclasped her bra, and then that too joined her sweater.

Slowly, Hermione moved to stand in the bathtub, eyes never looking away from Sherlock as she undid the fasten on her jeans and shimmied out of them and her knickers. Sherlock lifted them out of the tub, obviously not bothered by the amount of water now flowing over the bathroom floor. Feeling her cheeks burn, she tried not to feel embarrassed at being so utterly exposed. It wasn't like she was a blushing virgin, and neither was Sherlock if what John had told her about The Woman was true. Still, this was their first time, and she wanted it to be special.

"You're beautiful," Sherlock breathed out, his words reverent as he worshiped her with his eyes. She blushed prettily at his compliment, her mumbled thank you barely audibly over the beating of his heart. Taking her hand again, he helped her back down into the water, immediately embracing her and capturing her lips for a kiss.

Hermione relaxed into his arms, their skin sliding against one another easily in the bubbly water. Sherlock turned their bodies so that they were laying in one another's arms and she could feel his erection against her hip. She moaned into the kiss, her hand moving to card through his wet curls. Tugging lightly, she deepened the kiss, wanting more of him. Why had she declined his offer to stay the night again? As his tongue slid against hers, tasting and teasing, she could no longer remember. Pulling back to take a breath, she met his eyes and whispered, "Please, Sherlock?"

"Are you sure?" he asked, still uncertain if this was what she wanted; after all, she had originally wanted to go home.

"Yes." Hermione nodded, her hand sliding from his hair to rest at the base of his neck. Watching his eyes light up and a smile grace his lips, Hermione felt her heart swell with happiness. "I want you, Sherlock."

Instead of replying, Sherlock kissed her and shifted so that his cock was aligned at her core. As he slid inside of her, she gasped in pleasure, ending their kiss. He wasted no time, helping her hook one leg around his waist as they began to rock together. Water sloshed around them, but they paid it no mind. The bathroom was already drenched and could be taken care of later easily enough with a spell. Dropping his face to the crook of her neck, Sherlock panted as he filled her over and over, and over again.

Hermione found herself incapable of speaking as Sherlock made love to her, their bodies moving together in perfect harmony. Desire continued to coil in her lower abdomen, signaling the beginning of the end. She wanted this moment to last forever, this first time with Sherlock beautiful and fun all at the same time. He thrust into her over and over, causing her to mumble words of affection against his chest. Within moments she felt her orgasm cresting, his ministrations sending her over the edge into oblivion.

As she came apart in his arms, Sherlock continued to move within her. He held such affection for the witch and wanted her to feel complete and loved in his arms. They weren't quite ready for such declarations, but he felt it all the same. Unable to hold back any longer, Sherlock moved his lips back to hers for a kiss and finally allowed himself his own release. Hermione smoothed her hands over his shoulders and down his back, her hips meeting his thrust for thrust as he emptied himself entirely.

As their bodies slowed and the water stopped threatening to splash over the edges of the bathtub, Sherlock let himself slide from her body before pulling her into his arms. Together, they rested, regaining their breath and wrapping their minds around what just happened. Sherlock was unable to keep the grin from his face, a fact Hermione did not miss. She smirked and shook her head in an attempt to be annoyed.

She failed miserably.

"I really should be furious with you, you know?" She teased, trailing her fingers down his chest. "What if I had plans tonight?"

"I knew that you were free," Sherlock told her with his typical smugness.

"Always so clever," Hermione mumbled, placing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. They were quiet for a spell, Hermione simply enjoying the feel of the warm bath as it eased any remaining trepidations she had regarding Sherlock and their relationship. Eventually, Sherlock used his thumb and forefinger to lift her chin so he could look in her eyes.

"So, does this mean that you'll stay the night with me, after all?" Sherlock asked, still unsure if she would agree to his request. As she rolled her eyes playfully and then flicked some bubbles at his face, he realized he was certainly falling for this witch.

"I'll stay with you, Sherlock," she said and then as if to assure him further, captured his lips in another kiss that left him breathless and wanting more. "Now, we'd better get out before the water goes cold and we freeze to death." After cleaning up the bathroom, dressing, and finding that missing bottle of wine, Sherlock and Hermione spent the rest of the evening curled together on the sofa, perfectly content in one another's arms.