"We're home," Hermione announced, bracing herself as the Knight Bus screeched to a halt outside a cottage nestled in the hills of Devon.
"I have been on dozens of ships," Hux grumbled as they gathered their things and disembarked. "Crossed the galaxy several times. Entered some of the most volatile, hostile atmospheres available, and still have never experienced a ride as unpleasant as that bus."
"Don't be so dramatic. It was either that or Apparation," Hermione replied, opening the gate and crossing the garden.
"You lot are magic, I would think you could find a simple, pleasant way to travel by now."
"Perhaps that is what you can do when I turn you loose at the end of the summer," she sighed, unlocking the door. "Good news is, I have two guest rooms, so your days of sharing are over."
"That is good news," Ren said, a smile playing across his face.
"Upstairs, and you can fight over who gets which room," she said, levitating their things up the steep, narrow staircase and leading them up. There was a master bedroom to one side, and two smaller bedrooms to the other with a shared bath between them. One of the guest rooms had a larger bed, the other had two smaller, and Ren and Hux exchanged a look.
"I'm going to let you two decide," Hermione said, starting for the stairs. "I'm going to Apparate into town to get something for dinner and grab a few more things. You can unpack while I'm gone." Before waiting for a reply they heard her grab her bag from the table near the door, then Apparate away.
"I suppose you want the room with the bigger bed," Hux muttered, walking into the room with two one-person beds.
"There's something I need to speak with you about," Ren said, sending his things into his room with a wave of his hand and following Hux.
"Can it wait? That bus ride disagreed with me."
"No, I don't want Hermione to overhear," he replied, standing in the doorway.
"Go on," he crossed his arms.
"Over the past few nights I have found out some... information from Hermione."
"Was this information obtained with her consent?"
"Not strictly speaking."
"Which means no," he sighed. "You couldn't help yourself, could you, Ren?"
"That is not something I'm willing to argue with you about," he snapped. "What I saw concerns you."
Hux raised an eyebrow.
"It seems I am not the only one Hermione has feelings for," he said softly.
"I haven't touched her, if that's what you're insinuating," Hux replied defensively, a flash of fear in his eyes.
"I didn't think you had," he shot back. "However, it seems that if you did she would not find it unwelcome."
"I wouldn't. She's yours, Ren," he said darkly.
"More than that, her desire doesn't seem to be limited to either of us, but rather both of us."
Hux looked stunned. "She wants two relationships."
"Yes she does, but it's a bit more complicated. When I say she wants both of us I mean she desires both of us."
"At the same time?" Hux looked taken aback.
"Yes."
There was a moment where neither man spoke.
"Are you bringing this to my attention because you are entertaining the idea?" Hux asked, sounding perplexed.
"Obviously."
"I would love to hear why you suddenly have a desire to share something when you've never shown an inclination before."
"Because I care for her," he replied. "I want her happy."
"You don't think you could make her happy on your own?"
"I think it's a small sacrifice to make for someone who has made large sacrifices for us."
Hux turned his head and looked out the window for a moment while he thought. "How do you propose we approach her about this? Are you going to admit what sounds like your repeated violation of her mind?"
"I thought, perhaps, you could show your own interest in her, and when she seems open to that then we could approach the subject."
"Why would she be open to that? You're together, and she seems happy about it."
"You can try, and if she's not open to you then we can forget this conversation ever happened."
Hux nodded once, and Ren retreated from the room without saying another word.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
The first two weeks of summer went by quickly, and Hux approached things carefully, falling slowly back into the charming, flirty relationship they had before she had started seeing Ren, but he seemed hesitant to go any further with Ren around. For Hermione's part she didn't notice the shift between the men, other than they were perhaps a little more polite to each other, a subtle shift she attributed to both having their own space. Away from the school their lessons were nearly constant: Hermione took them into the nearby village to teach them about England's monetary system and to teach them to shop, and around the house she had them help cook, clean, maintain the house, and even plant a small garden to provide some food during the summer. In the afternoons Hux would read as Hermione would take Ren outside to practice spellwork using her wand. Hermione kept him busy enough that he had yet to take his saber out all summer, much to her and Hux's silent relief. Ren had yet to use the room he moved into for anything other than changing his clothes, his nights were spent in Hermione's room which, to Hux's relief, had the same quieting charms on it that her rooms in Hogwarts had.
"I was thinking of staying inside today," Hermione said to Ren one day over lunch. "I know you probably hate the idea, but learning a few domestic charms never hurt."
"Actually, I was going to take a walk," Ren replied with a pointed glance at Hux. "Maybe into the village to buy some things for dinner."
"Okay. I'll come with," she said brightly.
"I was going to go alone. I think I can handle a trip to the grocery by myself."
"Oh," she raised an eyebrow. "Right. Brilliant. I'll give you some money."
"You almost look disappointed," he smirked.
"I do not feel the need to be with you all the time. You are not nearly as charming as you think you are," she smiled up at him as they stood, then she stood on tip-toe to kiss his cheek.
"I never said I thought I was charming," he pointed out as she went to retrieve her bag.
She rolled her eyes as she held out some money to him. "Do you need me to pin a note to your shirt with my address in case you get lost?" she asked innocently.
"You are not as clever as you think you are," he shot back with a wicked smile.
"Yes, I am, or so I've been told for the last twenty or so years."
He bent his head and gave her a prolonged kiss. "I know it'll be hard, but I think I can manage. I'll be back soon."
"Take care," she watched him leave, then sat back down next to Hux.
"He tries to be his father around you," Hux said softly.
"What?" she raised her eyebrow.
"I never met the man, but the stories were difficult to avoid, even when they were passed around as only stories. But from what I heard the man was attractive and, according to some of the girls who concerned themselves with that kind of story, he was 'sex personified'."
"But you don't know for sure," she chuckled.
"As I said, I never met him, but Ren does act differently with you. Considering the type of woman who he was around during his time in the Order I don't think that act would be considered attractive, but in present company..." he trailed off.
"So what else was his father supposedly like?"
"I know he was a famous smuggler," he shrugged. "Participated in the war, though the stories vary on whether it was enthusiastically or reluctantly. Knowing what I know of smugglers he must have been somewhat cocky. He was apparently charismatic enough to woo a princess..."
"Princess?" she raised an eyebrow. "I thought Ren's mother was a General?"
"She was a princess first," he shrugged. "I know more of his mother than his father, because it was more pertinent to know my enemy and I dealt with her after our surrender, but her personal life was never of much concern to me. I understand she did not like the title of 'princess' because of what happened to her planet."
"Which was?"
He looked up, unsure of how she would react. "Starkiller was not the first of its kind, remember. There were others..."
"Oh," she cut him off.
"My original point was that Ren's personality is different around you."
"Well, if he's originally sullen and short-tempered perhaps a bit of a personality shift is in order."
"It wouldn't hurt," he replied with a smile. "Would you like to do some work out in the garden?"
"Probably not a bad idea," she smiled. "If we get those pumpkins into the ground I should have a few good-sized ones for Halloween."
The garden wasn't large, and Hermione tended it with magical products, which meant things were already growing. She grabbed a basket from next to the door and they walked outside. He laid a cushion down for her to kneel on as they started to strip a patch of vines of pea pods.
"Have you given any thought to what you would like to do when I return to school?" she asked.
"None," he admitted. "I think it would be beneficial for me to spend the next week or so learning about different industries and make a decision while you're still here to help me."
"I do not want to go back to Hogwarts without making sure you're settled somewhere."
"I don't want to inconvenience you."
"Not at all," she smiled. "I took you in, it would be poor form for me to leave you unprepared and without a plan."
"You have gone above and beyond," he replied.
"It's nothing," she blushed, reaching for a bag of 'Sprout's Quick-Grow Fertilizer'. "Care to plant the pumpkins with me?"
"Of course," he nodded, standing and holding a hand to help her up. They went to the one corner of the garden that wasn't already filled with plants, and they started working the soil.
"You know, as much as I enjoy gardening with you, I doubt it is going to be one of those things I'll be doing after this summer," Hux mused as he prodded at a worm with a trowel.
"Why?" she said, picking up the worm and moving it out of the way. "It's not that difficult."
"You're using magic to make it grow quicker," he chuckled. "When I am living among the Muggles I won't have access to things like your cheater fertilizer."
"Cheater fertilizer!" she repeated, trying to sound affronted, but unable to hide her smile or chuckle.
"You plant seeds one day, and have a mature plant within a week. I may not have tended garden before, but I am quite sure the process usually takes much longer. As such, most would consider that cheating."
"I am using means necessary to take a task that would otherwise take most the summer and make it pay off nearly immediately," she replied. "If it is a commercially available product I hardly consider it cheating."
"Whatever you must tell yourself," he chuckled.
"How about you use some to grow some manners?" she smirked, flicking a little at him and hitting his shirt above his heart.
"That was mature," he chuckled, wiping it off his shirt. "And my manners are impeccable."
"Whatever you must tell yourself," she mimicked his words.
"Perhaps you should use some to grow up," he retorted, flicking the fertilizer back at her, but doing it a little too forcefully so it hit her in the cheek.
"That's it," she growled playfully, grabbing a handful of fertilizer and lunging at him, grinding it into his shirt, but he grabbed her wrist with one hand and tossed a handful of dirt at her mid-section with the other. For a full minute dirt, fertilizer, and the occasional tomato flew between them until he finally managed to grab both her wrists and hold them so she couldn't move.
"You look a mess," she laughed, looking him over.
"You are one to talk," he raised an eyebrow, but his eyes were alight and he couldn't help smiling. He dropped one of her wrists and pulled some grass out of her hair.
"I guess I'm going to have to do laundry today," she murmured, brushing some dirt from his shirt, fingers moving a little slower than necessary as she felt his muscles tense below the fabric.
He smiled, and cupped her cheek to wipe the fertilizer from her skin. "My apologies for hitting you in the face, Hermione."
"It's alright," she murmured, subconsciously pressing her cheek into his fingers. "Sometimes it's fun to be a little immature."
"Or very," he replied with a chuckle.
They were silent for several seconds as Hux's thumb continued to caress her skin. She closed her eyes and sighed, looking a little conflicted, and he decided to take his chances. He leaned forward and pressed his lips gently to hers. She sighed and leaned into him, deepening the kiss and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He wrapped a hand into her hair and his other on her waist, drawing her tightly to him. As they kissed he couldn't hide the fact that her proximity and enthusiasm was turning him on, and the longer they kissed the more his erection grew until he could feel it pressing into her lower abdomen. It was this which seemed to bring Hermione back into reality.
"I can't!" she cried, breaking away from him, eyes wide. "Ren!"
In one quick motion she stood and ran into the house. He watched her go, sinking onto the ground once she had. He took a few deep breaths, then went back to tending to the garden. After the weeds were gone and the pumpkins planted he went inside, placing the basket of peas on the kitchen counter, and going upstairs to take a quick shower. Hermione was locked in her room, and he couldn't hear anything as he dressed in clean clothes and went back downstairs as Ren was coming in.
"Well?" Ren demanded, putting the bag he was carrying down.
"Hello to you, too," Hux shot back.
"Hermione is upstairs, feeling guilt. I'm assuming something happened between you that made her feel that way."
"There was, but not so much as you'd think," he sighed. "I kissed her."
"And she enjoyed it?"
"Until she remembered you," he snapped. "As soon as she did she looked frightened and ran off."
"Hermione would view what she did as cheating, and she's not the type to cheat. Which is why she's upstairs feeling guilty."
"So what you're saying is that you're going to have to show her you're okay with her having another lover."
"Probably."
Hux looked up towards Hermione's room. "I'll finish putting these things away," he muttered, digging in the bag. Ren turned and went upstairs, knocking softly on Hermione's door, and a second later he heard it unlock. He went inside and closed the door. Hermione was sitting on her bed, wearing clean clothes, her hair still damp from the shower she took. A book sat on her lap, but it was obvious she wasn't really reading it.
"Everything alright?" he asked, sitting on the bed, moving behind her, pushing her hair to the side, and kissing where her neck hit her shoulder.
"I... yes," she murmured. "Well, no. It's not. I, well... I..."
"Kissed Hux," he filled in for her.
Her head whipped around to look at him. "You know about that?" she whispered, looking afraid.
"Obviously," he smirked, turning her head to the side and kissing her neck.
"You seem remarkably unconcerned about it," she said, sounding confused but leaning back into him.
"Do you desire him?" he asked.
"Ren..."
"It's alright," he murmured, kissing her jawline. "I promise I won't be upset."
"Yes," she said tentatively.
"Do you want him, too?"
"Too?" she pulled away and turned to look at him.
"I'm not giving you up, Hermione," he smirked, reaching out to wind his fingers into her hair. "However I want you to be happy."
"I don't need a second lover to be happy," she muttered, turning her face towards his.
"But if you want to take one I'm agreeable."
"Even if that one is Hux?"
"For you, love," his hands slid to her breasts, and she moaned softly, eyes fluttering closed, body melting against his. "Should I call for him?"
"Now?" her eyes flew open and she looked at him in surprise.
"Of course," he chuckled, pulling her shirt up and over her head, then pulling her bra from her, discarding it by tossing it across the room. "What better way to introduce the two of you than having him seeing you like this?" he waved his fingers, and the door flew open, revealing Hux, who had been heading to his room. Hux stopped dead in his tracks, and turned to look, catching Hermione's eyes, seemingly unable to look away. She bit her lip, stifling a moan as Ren rolled her peaks.
"If you're joining us, you might want to come kiss her," Ren said almost lazily. "She's not going to want to wait much longer to have someone inside her."
Hux approached cautiously, and Ren backed away, going to sit in a chair next to the bed. Hux sat on the bed facing Hermione, reaching out to touch her face.
"You're alright with this?" he asked softly.
"Yes," she replied, her voice low and husky, as she reached out to unbutton his shirt.
"I can't..." he started, but stopped and swallowed hard as she pushed his shirt off and started tugging at his undershirt. He grabbed her wrist to stop her and looked her in the eyes. "It can't be just this once," he said softly.
"It won't be," she promised with a playful smile, pulling his undershirt off.
He kissed her, and she responded enthusiastically, swinging her leg over his so she settled herself on his lap. His hands slid up her sides to her breasts, massaging them and rolling her peaks as she writhed against him. He got goosebumps as her fingernails raked across his shoulders and she nibbled gently on his bottom lip.
Without warning she pulled herself away from him and moved off him so she could pull his pants off. She removed her own before kneeling down in front of him, looking in his eyes as she took his length into her mouth. Hux inhaled sharply, clutching the side of the bed as his body went rigid.
"There's no one here you need to keep your composure for, General," Ren's voice sounded in his ear. "Let go and watch her, she has such a talented little mouth."
Hux relaxed and watched Hermione's movements as though looking away might cause her to stop. Ren moved around the bed, pulling off his tunic as he moved, before sinking to the ground next to her.
"How does he taste, minx?" he asked into her hair as one of his hands slipped between her legs, fingers circling her nub lazily as her eyes fluttered shut and she let off a groan in the back of her throat that made Hux hiss as he could feel the vibrations in his cock. She groaned again as Ren slipped one finger into her, then another, her mound grinding desperately into his palm.
"Ren," she moaned, pulling herself off Hux. "Please..."
"Him," Ren ordered. "I want to watch you ride him."
Hux scrambled to lay on the bed, struggling to keep his breathing steady as Hermione climbed on top, positioned himself over his erection, and, after locking eyes with him, lowered herself slowly onto him.
"Hells," he breathed as he slid into her warm center. She placed her hands on his chest and started moving slowly against him, lifting herself off before lowering herself again. His hands rested on her hips, feeling each motion as she moved against him. She bent to kiss him, more passionately than they had before as her hair brushed his face and he slid his hands along her sides, wanting to feel as much of her as he could. Then she straightened up and looked over to Ren, beckoning him to her as she continued to grind herself against Hux. When Ren got close enough she grabbed his shoulder and pulled him roughly to her, crashing her lips into his as she reached down to undo his pants and take him into her hand. Hux guided her hips as Ren wound his fingers in her hair and held her to him.
"Kneel. Over there," she ordered against his lips, motioning to a spot by Hux's shoulder. Ren removed his pants before complying. She bent over and took him into her mouth, quickly finding a rhythm that had both men groaning in unison. She started slowly, taking her time and savoring the feeling of both men, then tilting her hips and speeding up as her body started to tense as her climax started to build. Hux's hands left her hips and started to play with her breasts, and she began to grind more incessantly against Hux, while taking as much of Ren into her mouth as she could. At last her walls tightened around Hux and, with a few quick thrusts of his hips, he sent her over the edge, quickly following her with a groan of his own. She pulled herself off Ren so she could catch her breath, but Hux pulled her down to kiss her. Above them Ren chuckled softly.
"I'm not through with you, Hermione," he murmured, then he nudged Hermione's shoulder. She took the hint, lying down next to Hux. Ren nestled himself between her legs before sliding into her. Hux turned over, nuzzling and sucking on her breasts while two of his fingers found her clit and started to circle. It wasn't long before she found herself close again, and Hux moved to kiss her neck as Ren lowered his head and flicked his tongue against her peak.
"Come, our beautiful witch," Hux whispered. "Come apart for us."
Her head fell back and her eyes closed, her breath becoming ragged as she tightened against Ren, who had tensed with the effort of fighting off his own release until she shuddered and came with a loud cry, and he spilled into her with a shaky exhale. She kissed Ren, then Hux before Ren laid next to her. She moved so she was resting on his chest, but reached behind her to pull Hux to her. The blanket at the foot of the bed pulled itself up to their chests and the curtains drew against the setting sun. She turned her head to give Hux a long, slow kiss, then turned back to give Ren the same before settling against his chest and falling asleep.
"She looks happy," Hux whispered once he was sure she was in a deep enough sleep she wouldn't wake.
"That's all I want for her," Ren replied.
"Me as well," he nodded, lightly kissing her shoulder. "She is a fantastic woman."
He nodded in agreement before kissing the top of Hermione's head and closing his eyes, following her into sleep moments later. Hux stayed up a while, looking at them both pensively before finally settling against Hermione's body and falling asleep as well.