Chapter 2: Hermione's Shock Insight
Neville and Luna carefully picked their way down through the piles of rubble that littered, and in some places, filled the corridors. As Luna climbed over some of the piles of fallen masonry, she felt the small amount of material that was the sole support of her dress tearing even further. As they passed the fallen stairway up to the Ravenclaw dormitories, she looked sad.
"What's the matter, sweetness?" said Neville, showing some concern.
"All my other clothes are up there," said Luna, "But I can't get up there to change."
"We can't do much about that tonight." said Neville, "We'll see if we can get up there when it's daylight, even if I have to fly up on a broomstick."
"You'd actually do that for me?" asked Luna.
"Of course," said Neville, "You know I'd do anything for you. Anyway, it'll be fun to see their reaction when we walk in on them as we are."
Neville noticed that a wispy filament of light had joined the brightly glowing tips of their wands.
"What do you think that means?" he asked.
"I think it means that we're perfectly matched to each other." said Luna, "Isn't that so wonderful. Suddenly, I don't feel so bad about walking into the common room dressed in tatters, showing so much skin. I've got nothing to be embarrassed about."
"No, you haven't." said Neville, "I think, even if your rather tattered dress fell right off, you'd still walk totally naked into the common room with confidence."
"I would," said Luna, with a twinkle in her eye, "And you'd be holding my hand. That might be something to look forward to."
She smiled and winked at him.
"That would be something." said Neville, grinning, "By the look of what's left of your dress, that might actually happen."
Neville had noticed that the half inch of fragile fabric that had supported her dress when she arrived at the astronomy tower had now been reduced to a few threads.
They eventually returned to the place where Ravenclaw and Gryffindor shared a temporary common room. Just before entering, they embraced and kissed deeply. They opened the door and entered, hand in hand, to be greeted by Ron and Hermione. Ron was sitting in an armchair with his arms folded, some way away from Hermione, who was on one of the two sofas. She was barefoot and wearing a calf length, long sleeved dark brown knitted woollen dress. Luna removed her shoes. The room was otherwise empty as everyone else had gone to bed. Hermione looked shocked at Luna's appearance, but Ron couldn't resist the temptation to make a comment.
"You two look as if you've been having a lot of fun." said Ron, surveying Luna's tattered dress.
"We have!" said a brightly smiling Luna, "We've found each other! We're so happy."
The couple once again embraced and kissed, before sitting down very close to each other on the other sofa, facing Hermione. Neville put his right arm across Luna's back, and caressed her bare right shoulder.
"You two certainly have found each other," said Ron, "And how. It must have been quite a wild night."
"It wasn't like that." said Neville, "She came to me on the astronomy tower. We've spent most of the evening up there"
"What happened to your dress?" asked Hermione, "Was that Neville's doing?"
"No! Of course not!" said Luna, "It got torn in the battle. Death eaters grabbed my dress, so I escaped by letting them tear bits off it. They just ended up with a bit of cloth – or nothing. When we finally met on the Astronomy tower, we were so happy to be back together, we just gave in to our overwhelming feelings for each other. Neville was very careful when he removed the remains of my dress, so as not to damage it further. He was so passionate, but really tender when he made love to me in the gentle moonlight."
"What!" said Hermione, her eyes like saucers as it dawned on her that Neville and Luna had made love to each other, naked, outdoors, "You did it?! - Naked?! - In the open?! - By moonlight?! "
"Yes, we did," said Luna, still smiling brightly, "It was amazing! We were both naked and it felt so wonderful under the stars. You should try it sometime."
"I'd like that!" said Ron, winking at Hermione.
"In your dreams!" said Hermione, sharply, "My body always stays covered."
She folded her arms and scowled at Ron.
"Spoilsport!" commented Ron, bitterly, looking a bit sullen.
"How do you know until you try it?" said Neville, "It felt absolutely wonderful and completely natural. I'm normally a bit shy about my body, but with sweet Luna, I wasn't even embarrassed. It felt so natural being naked. We're completely comfortable with each other. We're totally in love."
"Weren't you worried someone would see you?" asked a still shocked Hermione.
"What! Right on top of the astronomy tower?" said Luna, "Nobody would be flying at that time of the evening. That platform can't be seen from anywhere. It's almost as private as the room of requirement."
"It must have been uncomfortable on bare stone." commented Ron.
"Luna conjured up a lovely soft king size mattress." said Neville, "She seemed to have everything organised. She's wonderful!"
"Well!" said Hermione finally, folding her arms, "You'll never get me doing anything like that. There are parts of me that will always be kept hidden."
"You shouldn't be ashamed of any part of your body, Hermione." said Luna, "It's completely natural and it's your means of physical expression. Your intimate 'bits' are just as much part of you as your face, so don't be so uptight. You'll end up feeling frustrated, unfulfilled and angry. You're already beginning to act like a bitter old maid."
"Am I?" said Hermione, shocked at Luna's perceptive observation.
"Ron loves you," observed Luna, "He loves you a lot. But you seem to be keeping him at arm's length. I sense he's beginning to question your feelings for him. Why, for instance, is he sitting with his arms folded a full twelve feet away from you?"
"I suppose you're right," said Hermione, wistfully, "You usually are. But I'd have to overcome a lot of my hang-ups before revealing any part of my body to anyone. It took a lot of nerve to wear that dress at the yule ball."
"Wow!" said Luna, "You're more inhibited than I thought. I didn't think that dress was all that revealing."
"It was to me." said Hermione, "Anyway, I'll go and find Ginny. She's about your size. I'm sure she'll find you a dress you can wear until you can get at your own clothes."
"Oh, thank you so much!" said Luna, "But don't go just yet."
Luna felt thirsty, and made to get up to get a drink of water. She was not quite sure how it happened, but as she stood up, the few remaining threads gave up the unequal task of supporting the weight of what was left of her dress. It fell to her ankles, rendering her completely naked. It could have been that Neville was sitting on the bottom edge of the dress. Hermione gasped. Ron's lower jaw dropped and his eyes opened wide. Neville said "Oh so sorry. Did I do that?"
"No, you didn't." said Luna, "That could have happened before we got down here, so don't worry about it. I did say I'd walk in here naked, holding your hand if that had happened."
Completely unfazed, Luna stepped out of the remains of her dress and walked elegantly and confidently across the room, obtained her drink, downed it in one, returned, and sat down next to Neville and directly opposite Hermione with her legs apart. Neville put his arm across her shoulders, ensuring that her hair was behind them. He cuddled her as a gesture of reassurance.
Ron's eyes had followed her all the way there, and all the way back. Hermione noticed.
"Have you never seen a naked girl before?" asked Hermione, angrily.
"No!" said Ron, with a hint of bitterness, "As a matter of fact, I haven't. Not a real one, anyway."
"Before you go to find Ginny, Hermione," said Luna, "There's something I want to ask you."
"What's that?" asked Hermione, "But don't you want to get dressed first?"
"It's a very warm evening," said Luna, "So I'm really comfortable like this, especially with Neville's gentle arms holding and caressing me. I feel totally at ease with myself. It feels wonderful." She looked intensely into Hermione's eyes and smiled sweetly before continuing, "Does my pretty body disturb you?"
This question rendered Hermione speechless. She blushed scarlet. She was not sure quite how to answer it. She didn't want to admit to the very self-confident Luna, that she found that the sight of a beautiful girl's naked body made her feel uneasy. She decided that the safe option was to take the conversation back a couple of steps.
"Anyway," said a still somewhat flushed Hermione, "What was it you wanted to ask me?"
"When we were coming down from the astronomy tower," said Luna, "We were using both our wands to light the way. I noticed that a filament of light had formed between the points. You're probably the most knowledgeable witch here. What do you think it means?"
"I think you know what it means." said Hermione, gently, "It means that you two are totally in love with each other in every way it's possible to be. It's confirmation that I was right about you. You are made for each other. I'm not surprised that you two expressed your physical feelings for each other on the astronomy tower. You have truly become part of each other. I'm so happy for both of you. Try to stay together if you can, or the result could be tragic. You two are so deeply in love that I don't believe either of you could truly live without the other."
It was clear that while Hermione was giving this answer, she was feeling more and more uncomfortable. She felt she was beginning to lose control of the situation. Her voice was becoming tremulous.
"Thank you." said Luna, "I did think that's what it meant, but I wanted an answer from someone who would know about such things."
"And someone who doesn't know how to express her love for those closest to her." said Hermione, as she broke down completely, collapsed onto the sofa and started sobbing uncontrollably and convulsively.
This was a totally unexpected reaction. One thing was known about Hermione. It was that she never cried in company and was always in total control of her emotions. Luna got up from her seat and moved across to be next to Hermione. She gently cradled the sobbing girl in her arms and let her cry for a while before speaking.
"Oh, Hermione, I'm so sorry." said Luna, soothingly, as the sobs began to subside, "I didn't mean to touch a raw nerve."
Hermione embraced Luna, caressing her naked back and, once again, burst into tears. She had suddenly realised that she wanted, indeed needed, to be gently caressed in the way she was stroking Luna. She wanted Luna's gentle hands to be caressing her skin. She had come to realise that she was gradually cutting herself off emotionally from her friends. Even Ron, who she realised loved her, was becoming a little more distant. She was even trying to keep her own emotions at a distance. They were frightening her.
"Luna," said a tearful Hermione, "I know this seems an unusual request coming from me, but could you unzip my dress and stroke my back inside it?"
"Of course." said a surprised Luna.
Complying with Hermione's request, she tentatively slid Hermione's zip two thirds of the way down, and started gently stroking her newly exposed skin. Ron looked on, somewhat surprised by this development.
Hermione found Luna's tender caresses applied directly to her skin somehow calming and reassuring. She gradually calmed down and stopped crying. Gaining confidence, Luna slid the zip fastener the whole way down. Meeting no objections from Hermione, she unclipped her bra, spread the top of the dress, and the bra straps off her shoulders and caressed the full width of her back from her waist to her neck, paying particular attention to her shoulders and shoulder blades. Hermione found that being tenderly caressed by Luna was remarkably soothing. Luna could sense that her gentle caresses were beginning to reduce the pent-up tensions in Hermione's body.
"This feels so relaxing." said Hermione, "Please carry on. I find it so relaxing."
"I'll make it easier for you." she said after a pause.
To both Neville's and Ron's utter astonishment, Hermione withdrew her arms from her dress and let it drop to her waist, taking the bra with it and revealing her breasts. Ron gasped with amazement. This allowed Luna to fully embrace Hermione's now naked upper body. This, she did. The two girls held each other in a tender embrace for some minutes. All this time, Luna was gently caressing the whole of Hermione's bare back. As she did this, she felt the tensions in Hermione's body further subsiding in her consoling and comforting embrace. Luna disengaged her full embrace, sat next to Hermione, and put one arm across her back, caressing her shoulder and upper arm. Her other hand softly stroked and explored Hermione's belly, at one point lightly probing under her clothes down to her most private region. Hermione felt a surge of arousal and gasped. She now realised that what she had been missing was the tender and gentle tactile attention of another human being. She could not remember any time when she had felt so contented and tranquil.
"Do you feel better after that?" said Luna, soothingly.
"Yes, I do. You were so soothing!" said Hermione, "I just don't know how you did it, but I became totally relaxed in your arms. I'm so calm, that I don't even mind that you've somehow persuaded me out of my dress, in company, without making me feel at all embarrassed. Thank you so much for everything."
Both Hermione and Luna stood up. Hermione's dress fell to the floor and, surprisingly, she stepped out of it. She was only wearing a miniscule thong. She put her arms above her head and stretched to her full height. Ron gasped. He looked surprised, but ecstatic. Despite their long and intense relationship, this was the first time he had ever seen so much of his girlfriend's body.
"Surprisingly, I do feel good without my clothes." said Hermione, "I feel so free. It's lovely. I actually feel like me. You're right, Luna I don't need to feel embarrassed letting Ron see my body. After all, it is me."
"I think my work is done, Hermione." said Luna, "Now, give Ron a hug. He looks as if he does really need one right now."
Ron stood up. Hermione walked towards him. He was pleasantly surprised but slightly apprehensive. Hermione embraced him. After a few seconds, her hands found their way inside his t-shirt and explored his back. She kissed him tenderly, but passionately before lifting and removing the garment. Ron, though amazed, co-operated and took advantage of the situation to caress the whole of his girlfriend's naked back while they were embracing. Hermione found that she did actually enjoy the feel of Ron's warm hands gently stroking her bare skin and his warm body against her chest. She also explored Ron's back with her own hands, really relishing the contours of his body and the feel of his skin. At one point her hands found their way inside his trousers and squeezed his buttocks. Ron, for his part, really relished the feel of Hermione's gentle hands caressing his bare back.
"Aaaah! That's so lovely!" sighed Ron, who was now in a state of ecstasy.
Hermione now realised that this intimate embrace had brought him closer to her, emotionally as well as physically. This was the embrace that made her realise that she should have let Ron unwrap and caress her naked body a lot earlier in their relationship, rather than trying to shut him out.
"Thank you 'Mione." said Ron, as they disengaged, "You felt wonderful. You are wonderful. I hope that was the first of many intimate embraces. It felt completely natural. I love you."
"It was the first of many." said Hermione, once again embracing Ron, "Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it as well."
Luna resumed her seat next to Neville. He put one arm across her shoulders and the other on her stomach and gently caressed her. Ron and Hermione also sat together on the other sofa. Much to Ron's surprise, Hermione didn't even resist when he leant across, cupped her breasts and gently tweaked the nipples. He then kissed them. This developed into a full passionate embrace. What happened next surprised, and in a very strange way, reassured Ron. Hermione started crying again, but wanted to speak.
"Oh, my lovely Ronald," sobbed Hermione, "I'm so, so sorry. I know you love me, but I've been so cold to you recently. I've shut you out from my feelings so many times, but I do really love you. Please, please forgive me."
"Of course I will." said Ron, holding Hermione gently, and still caressing her, "I was beginning to think you were drifting away from me, but tonight you've shown me that you are, after all, the lovely, warm, intelligent girl who makes me think I'm worth something. Now you've shown me your beautiful, gentle, warm body, I love you even more. I now see the real Hermione Granger. You're absolutely wonderful!"
"Oh, Ron," said Hermione, her voice still somewhat tremulous, "That was such a sweet thing to say about me. I didn't realise that I meant that much to you. I love you so much. I really enjoy the feeling of your warm, tender, loving hands stroking me. I've realised what I've been missing all the time I've loved you."
Ron continued his affectionate attention to Hermione's nearly naked body, softly caressing her shoulders and back, until her sobs ceased and she relaxed. They looked into each other's eyes, smiled at each other, embraced fully and kissed again.
Luna, meanwhile had succeeded in relieving Neville of his shirt, with the comment that he was overdressed in present company.
At this point, Ginny entered the room to be confronted by a shirtless Neville in a passionate embrace with a totally naked Luna, and a shirtless Ron in a full romantic embrace with an apparently naked Hermione.
"What in the name of Merlin is going on in here?" asked a shocked Ginny.
"Ah, Ginny," said Hermione, disengaging from Ron's passionate embrace, and rapidly recovering her composure, "I'm glad you're here. Luna's dress was almost destroyed in the battle. A little time ago, it just fell right off her. That's why she's naked. You're about the same size, so could you lend her one of yours until she can get back to the Ravenclaw Tower?"
"Of course," said Ginny, "But why are you naked?"
"Long story," said Hermione, "But sufficient to say that Luna has made me think differently about my body. She showed me how nice it was to be held and have my skin gently stroked by another person. It was such an enlightening experience when she held me. All my tensions seemed to evaporate under her warm gentle hands."
"I'll go and get a couple of dresses." said Ginny, blushing and hastily leaving the common room.
All four friends saw the funny side of Ginny's unexpected appearance. Even the usually straight-laced Hermione joined in the laughter after Ron's little sister had left.
"Well, that was an entertaining interruption." said Ron, once the merriment had subsided.
To her surprise, Hermione, realised that she hadn't even been embarrassed by Ginny's arrival. For the present, her state of undress felt normal and natural.
"I think we've found each other as well." said Ron.
"We have," said Hermione, sweetly, "At long last! Now let's begin to explore each other."
She resumed her snogging session with Ron, feeling more and more comfortable with his intimate presence, even letting his fingers explore inside her thong, which he untied, letting him explore her slit. She gave another shiver of pleasure and arousal when he did this. Neither Neville nor Luna noticed, as they were so deeply involved with each other.
"I really hope I've succeeded in reviving their relationship." whispered Luna, "Hermione seems to have accepted Ron's amorous advances. They do look very happy."
"Yes," whispered Neville, giving Luna's back a caress and gently squeezing her shoulder, "Hermione did need a wake-up call, otherwise Ron would have given up and left her."
By the time Ginny returned with a couple of dresses for Luna, both couples were deeply involved in getting to know each other. Luna was exploring Neville's shoulders with her lips. Ron, meanwhile had succeeded in completely removing Hermione's thong. She was now fully naked.
"Hello you four." said Ginny loudly as she entered, "I'm back."
The two couples stopped their intimate activities and disengaged their embraces. Hermione stood up and, once again, stretched to her full height, with her arms over her head.
"Wow, 'Mione!" exclaimed Ron as he saw the whole of Hermione's now completely naked body, "You are so amazingly beautiful. You're perfect. Thank you for showing all of yourself to me."
"Thank you for your attention and your sweet words." said Hermione, retrieving her thong from the floor and putting it back on, "I'll be a lot more open with you from now on. You can be sure of that."
Neville embraced Luna's slender naked body tenderly and intimately one last time, before Ginny offered her one of the dresses. She put it on, almost regretfully.
"I suppose all sweet things have to come to an end." said Luna, wistfully, "I've really enjoyed the last couple of hours."
"Of course," said Ginny, "You used to play naked in the Shell Cottage garden when you were little."
"I did." said Luna, smiling brightly, "I felt so lovely and free, and you were naked with me."
Ginny smiled remembering those happy, innocent times.
Hermione retrieved her bra and her dress and put them back on. The two boys put their shirts on. Ron looked reflective. Hermione noticed.
"Don't look so worried." said Hermione, "I won't hide my body from you anymore. I've seen the light. Luna has made me realise that my hang-ups about being naked were beginning to drive you away."
"I must admit, they were." said Ron, "I was genuinely beginning to believe that we were drifting apart. You seemed to be becoming such a cold, remote person."
"As I said, I'm so sorry I gave you that impression, sweet and gentle Ron." said Hermione, "I'll be a lot more accommodating from now on. You mean too much to me. Luna's made me realise that I should be at ease with my body and enjoy it, all of it."
"Thanks!" said Ron, smiling and moving towards Hermione, "Actions speak louder than words."
Now both fully dressed, the couple once again warmly embraced and kissed in the full knowledge that Hermione was now going to be more compliant. Ron felt that their relationship now had a glowing future. Neville and Luna also expressed their deep love for each other.
"It's after midnight." said Neville, "We've got a lot to do in the morning. We'd better find somewhere to sleep."
The two couples left the common room for the temporary dormitories, found mattresses to lay on and slept peacefully, but not without pleasant dreams. Ron dreamt about his relationship with a less repressed Hermione. Hermione's dreams concerned being completely relaxed and uninhibited when she was with Ron. Neville and Luna dreamt about each other and their mutual love.
The next morning, Neville and Luna did fly up the Ravenclaw tower on broomsticks and retrieved some of Luna's clothes. Neville had proved that he would indeed do anything for his sweet Luna.
Hermione, meanwhile, had been given food for thought by Luna. She came to realise that playing 'hard to get' only worked for a time, and if pursued to its conclusion would drive the object of her desire away. Had she persisted, it would not have been long before Ron got fed up with her cold attitude and found someone else more accommodating. Ron was the one boy she loved deeply and didn't want to lose. She resolved to be warmer towards him and satisfy his desires. After all, she had promised him that her naked hug was going to be the first of many, and she was one who kept her promises. Her resolve was to be tested in a couple of days, when she had a clear afternoon, together with Ron, Neville and Luna.