Acrid smoke and masonry dust coated his face while warm crusty and enthusiastic lips encased his swollen ones.

What the bloody hell? Hermione's kissing me! What got her to react like that? House elves. Bloody house elves got her to snog me. Why did I wait 'til now to talk about the little buggers?

Whoa there, settle down. You can't let her know you're that into her. She doesn't need to know that you've fancied her for years.

But she's outta my league. There's no way she really means this. Come on, Harry's standing right there. She'll quit snogging me and leap on him. Bugger, she's still kissing me. Oh hell, is she –"

Fingers pulled through his hair and scraped his scalp. He fought the automatic sway of his hips.

Oh sweet Merlin! When did she learn how to kiss like this? Lavender was nothing this good. I couldn't stand her pulling my hair. But this is oh so fuckin' good. If she kisses this good now, I wonder what she'd be like –

Oy! There's a war going on here!*

Oh no, don't quit kissing me like this. Sigh. Best let her down to the floor before Harry says anything else, the git he his. There he is and I hope that she doesn't do the same for him. I'd not know what to do.

Oh ho ho. Bloody hell! She's grasping my hand and it so small and so warm and what I'd – she's squeezing my hand. She's not going to go to him too. She's staying in my arms and snuggling in there.

"I know, mate," said Ron, who looked as though he had recently been hit on the back of the head with a Bludger, "so it's now or never, isn't it?" *

Hermione hadn't left his arms until she let go so we could get the basilisk fangs.

Brilliant!

Did he just say that about House elves? He recognized their value and sanctity of their lives? I need… We could live so much in an hour.

Lavender, if we survive, I will buy you a subscription of Witch Weekly. Oh dear sweet Jesus, he knows how to kiss. Too late to act restrained. Why did I do this now, with Harry watching? I hope Ron doesn't think I act like a bint with him too. Oh! He's squeezing my bum! His hands are so large, so strong. What can I do to show him? Oh, I know.

Oh he has such strong hands. His hips are moving. Is that – why yes it is. Oh sweet Jesus! This is fantastic. He does know how to keep rhythm, with his hips and tongue.

I know what he's done with her but I sure hope we live through today. I want him to show me what he can do with those hands and those lips. Oh yes please, keep squeezing. Oh! Is that what I –

Oy! There's a war going on here!

I pulled back from Ron's very swollen lips and waited for him to let me down slowly to the ground. For once, I couldn't bear the thought of seeing Harry looking lost like this. But I don't want Ron to think I'm leaving him either.

Yes, his hand will do. It will do very nicely since it was just squeezing my bum.

"Never mind that, what about the Horcrux?" Harry shouted. "D'you think you could just - just hold it in, until we've got the diadem?"* I blushed and released Ron, mortified but still needing to stay on task. We bent to collect the basilisk fangs we tossed in our haste. As soon as we had our arms full, he never left my side again.

A/N: * - All references are from HP & the Deathly Hollows, American edition (2007).