Chapter 2: I Do Love You
The next afternoon was a beautiful spring day along the castle grounds. Wearing a light and airy Hogwarts uniform, Hermione flitted down the stone steps to the boathouse. Neville blinked rather rapidly upon seeing her, ready with a rowboat.
The oars cutting across the glassy, sunlit water, Neville rowed himself and Hermione out onto the Black Lake. Hermione watched him from the opposite end of the vessel, reclining with a parasol in her hand, to shade herself from the sun. She found herself blushing when she noticed how Neville could not seem to take his eyes off her.
"What are you looking at?" she giggled.
Neville grinned shyly. "I'm looking at you, love."
Hermione drew in her breath sharply, startled by Neville calling her 'love.' But that wasn't the only surprise she was in store for. Neville seemed to forget himself for a moment as he actually stood up in the rowboat and practically shouted, "Will you marry me?"
Hermione blinked in astonishment, and before she could properly wrap her head around the fact that Neville Longbottom had just proposed to her in the middle of the Black Lake, the boat rocked dangerously, and Neville tumbled headfirst into the water.
Hermione didn't even think. Abandoning her parasol, she dove in and swam to Neville's rescue. Laughing, the pair climbed back into the rowboat by the light of the sinking sun.
It was dark, and a heavy rain had begun to fall, by the time Neville and Hermione made it back to the boathouse, soaking them through much more than they already were. Neville winched the rowboat up out of the watery slip a good few inches, and then hopped down. Holding out his hands to Hermione, he helped her down.
The pair froze like that for a moment, Neville's hands about Hermione's waist, her palms on his shoulders. Then, before Hermione fully knew what she was doing, she threw her arms about Neville's neck and kissed him passionately on the lips.
It took a moment or two, but Neville finally relaxed into the kiss, his hands sliding about Hermione's slim waist fully and pulling her flush against him. Smiling against his mouth encouragingly, Hermione guided his calloused palms to wander lower, groping her bum as she deepened the kiss.
Kissing Neville was not what she had expected. It had only occurred to her that day what it might be like to do so. All the blood seemed to rush to Hermione's head, the lack of oxygen as Neville attacked her mouth taking away with it her sense of logic. Suddenly inspired, she spun Neville around, pushing him down into an empty rowboat and daringly moving to straddle him.
"Mmm - Hermione..." Neville whimpered, briefly breaking the kiss.
"Ssssh..." Hermione put a finger to his lips. "Neville, I... I think I might love you." And she kissed him softly again, a feathery peck. Neville soon raised his head and captured Hermione's lips with his own. His arms slowly wound about her tightly, surer and stronger all the time, as his mouth parted hers and he slipped his tongue into the space. Hermione closed her eyes, purring as she enjoyed the kiss. She began to kiss her way down Neville's face, pausing to unbutton her white blouse and toss it over her head, revealing no bra underneath. Sitting up, she shimmied out of her damp skirt and panties, pushing both articles down past her hips and nearly to her ankles. Languidly stretching out over Neville again, she kissed him once more, allowing his big hands to clasp her close. Slowly, Hermione began to rock her hips, her core, over his erection, which she delicately worked to free from his trousers.
Being deep night, no teachers or other people disturbed Neville and Hermione as they began to make love in that rowboat. Hermione quickly built up a rhythm, as she began to bounce and jiggle up and down on Neville's member. He matched her in his thrusts with growing confidence, slamming up into her. Hermione threw back her head, her eyes clouding over and rolling back into her skull, as she gave a guttural groan:
"Mmmmm... Uhhhhhh... UHHHHHHH! HUHHHHH! Oh... Godric... Merlin's pants... Neville, love, that's it! Harder - faster... I'm so close, so close..."
Neville hit her in just the right spot and she screamed:
"OH, NEVILLE!" Hermione's entire body seized and then wilted as she came all around him, the juices of her orgasm cascading down her creamy thighs. With a weak slam, two, Neville spewed up into her, spilling all his seed. Her petite frame still trembling, Hermione collapsed across her new lover's chest, pressing tiny kisses along his chest. She admired how much he had slimmed down in the past few years.
"Neville?"
Neville drew Hermione closer. "Yes, love?"
"I bloody like it when you call me that. And I bloody adore it when you snog me. And I bloody love it when I shag you. And I... fancy the idea of marrying you, but first I want us to go out properly and see if this works, and then I'd like you to ask me again. And... Hmmmmm..." Hermione's rambling was cut off as Neville gave her a deep kiss, and she melted into his embrace. When they broke apart at last, Neville was grinning from ear to ear.
"I think that, love, is an excellent idea."
And Neville and Hermione snogged and slept together for the rest of the night in that boathouse.