The tent went pitch black as Harry whispered his spell. Hermione gasped slightly as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.
"Harry…" her voice a breathy whisper as clung to him. He deftly maneuvered through the tent and climbed the few steps their sleeping area. A small sliver of moonlight made its way through a crack in the tent's roof and fell across Hermione's face. Harry stilled his movements as he studied the way her skin looked, like delicate porcelain – so fragile, but so resilient. Just like Hermione.
Gently, Harry lay her down on his bed, placing a small kiss on her lips as he stood back up, grabbing his wand and murmuring "Engorgio" while pointing at the tiny cot. Hermione let out a small scream as the bed began to grow and soon became a giant king sized bed that engulfed their tent.
"Engorio? Well, if I remember correctly, that's not a spell you'll have to use elsewhere." Hermione quipped as she smiled shyly at Harry. Harry's jaw dropped as he stared at the brown haired vixen on the bed. Did she just say what I thought she did?
Hermione felt her confidence grow as the perplexed look on Harry's face remained. She had never had this power before, to render a man speechless. But this wasn't a normal man – this was Harry – and she rendered him speechless.
Feeling a bit bold, she leaned forward and grabbed Harry's belt loop and pulled him onto the bed, grinning at the look of surprise on his face.
"Oh you're not the only one who can be impulsive Harry. And now that Ron's not here, I don't feel the need to …" she bit her bottom lip and looked away "censor myself as much."
Harry's brain finally kicked in as he replied, "Hermione, don't be anyone but yourself around me. I mean, I wouldn't want my girlfriend to pretend to be someone else."
"Girlfriend?" Hermione tilted her head as she let the word roll around on her tongue. "Is that what I am now? I mean, I don't remember agreeing to anything."
"Oh but you did." Harry explained. Hermione lay back on the bed, propping her head up with pillows as she arched her eyebrow - prompting Harry to continue. A mischievous grin popped up on his face as he began crawling towards her. He put a hand on each side of her as he pulled her closer to him and began kissing her neck.
"You agreed the minute your lips touched mine," his lips left a trail of fire on her skin and Hermione's pulse began to race. Hermione closed her eyes and sighed softly. Taking this as a sign to continue, Harry gently bit down on her neck and smiled as she let a small moan escape. He chuckled quietly as he continued kissing her skin, his hand rested on thigh, squeezing it softly. Hermione's head began spinning. Dizzy with lust, passion, insecurity and a number of other emotions, she felt herself losing control, about to give in completely to sensation and it terrified her. Quickly she pushed Harry away and began moving to leave the bed.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Harry grabbed her hand and tried to catch her eye. "Hermione, what's wrong?"
Hermione shook her head and refused to speak. Harry, concerned, grabbed his wand from the side of the bed and illuminated the small lantern that hung above them. The light was instantly blinding and Harry turned it down, giving the tent a gentle glow. He turned back and faced Hermione; he kissed her knuckles and waited for her to speak.
"I just…I just need a minute." Hermione ran a shaking hand through her hair as she looked anywhere but into those deep green eyes. She squeezed Harry's hand as she took a deep and shaky breath, finally letting herself look into his eyes. "Harry, I just…"
"Hermione, you can tell me anything you know that right?" His hand cupped her face, and he gently tried to rub the small wrinkle out from the middle of her eyebrows. She felt herself relax and took another calming breath.
"Thank you." She said while giving him a small smile. "It's just that, this is all happening so fast. I mean, I know you've snogged Cho and Ginny before and everyone just assumes that Viktor and I have. Well I mean, we did kiss, but it was nothing like with you. I mean, I have never felt anything like I'm feeling right now and I'm… just confused and a little scared by it."
Harry knew he should have been more concerned with Hermione's well being, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in knowing he was the only one that made Hermione feel that way. His chest puffed up slightly and he tried to hide his smile. His face must have given him away because the next thing he knew, Hermione had a pillow in her hand that was on a straight path towards his face.
"Oh no you don't!" Harry exclaimed as he tried to dodge her attack.
He lunged forward and tackled her down onto the bed but she wasn't giving up that easily. She reached behind her and threw another pillow at his unsuspecting face, hitting it squarely and knocking his glasses sideways. Her laughter rang out through the tent as he tried to grab a pillow and retaliate.
A wicked though crossed his mind and he smiled triumphantly as he pinned Hermione's arms above her head and began tickling her side with his free hand.
"Harry!" She cried out, breathless and laughing. He quickly joined in with her laughter and continued his attack. "Ah, OK! OK! I give in! Harry! You win, you win!" Hermione's voice cried out and Harry stilled his hand, letting his fingers rest on the skin under her shirt.
Harry looked down and took in the sight below him. Hermione's face was flush, her cheeks bright red and beautiful; it was almost as beautiful as her smile. It seemed to reach her eyes, twinkling from the light of the lantern, those enchanting brown eyes that could make Harry's tongue turn to ash, were focused completely on him.
"Hermione, "Harry paused, unable to put into words everything he wanted to say to her. "We can go as fast, or as slow as you'd like. Please just… know that I've been waiting for years to do this. Those other girls, they were just a distraction. I'd actually fooled myself into thinking that I could care for someone other than you."
Hermione felt her eyes begin to water and willed the tears not to fall. She remembered the first time she found out that Harry actually fancied someone and the weight that settled onto her chest when she realized it wasn't her. She remembered how she let Viktor escort her to the Yule Ball, the letters they exchanged and how they were almost always about Harry. She had let Viktor kiss her because she too, had tried to feel something for someone other than Harry.
Harry released Hermione's arms and wiped a stray tear off her cheek. Leaning down, he let his forehead rest against Hermione's and exhaled slowly. Closing his eyes, he let himself actually feel for Hermione. For the first time in his life, he let himself become overwhelmed with her and the emotions she brought with her. The mood in the tent shifted and now, Harry couldn't stop himself if he tried.
But it was Hermione that leaned up and captured his lips. Her hands sliding under his shirt, desperate to feel his skin, to be as close to him as possible in that moment. This kiss was different from their first, filled with a mix of desperation, need, lust and passion. It was an intimate translation of their unspoken emotions, it was every urge they'd ever suppressed and every word they never said.
Hermione pulled Harry onto her, his body flush with hers and welcomed the weight of him. Their kiss deepened, lips parted and tongues met. Hermione gasped as Harry's hand made contact with her skin, his fingers trailing up her sides and causing her to shiver. Hermione nudged Harry, prompting him to sit up and her to follow.
Keeping his eyes locked on hers, he tugged at the bottom of her shirt – asking her silently if this was alight. She nodded and lifted her arms as Harry removed her shirt, and his quickly after. She crossed her arms around her torso reflexively. Harry shook his head and uncrossed her arms, placing her hands on his waist.
"Hermione, you are… breathtaking." His voice strained as he chose his words carefully. It wouldn't do to blurt out how sexy she was, especially when she wasn't trying to be. That her skin was like velvet and he relished in the taste of her lips. That he had imagined her like this more than once…and usually without clothes on.
"Harry, are you alright?" Her voice held a jesting tone, as if she knew what he had been thinking. She smiled contentedly and sat up on her knees. Harry mirrored her position and rested his hands on her hips, rubbing his thumbs in small circles on her skin. "Thank you Harry. You make me feel…like the most desirable woman in the world."
"That's because you are Hermione." He smiled. "More enchanting than any Veela I'd bet. And you've got me under your spell, you wicked,wicked witch." His voice teasing as the flush on her cheeks grew.
"Well, if I'm so wicked, I guess I should just leave you be." Her eyebrow lifted, daring him to respond the wrong way.
"Never." He replied, tightening his grip on her waist, pulling her body closer to his. "Never leave me be. I love your wicked ways."
"Oh Harry, you've no idea how wicked I can be." She said before pushing him backwards onto the bed. Hermione had never been bold or brazen before, but something about how Harry looked at her made the minx in her come alive. She wanted to unspeakable things to the boy on the bed, but it was a bit too soon in their relationship for that. Although, it didn't mean she couldn't try a few things out first.
She took a minute to stare at him, before placing her legs on either side of him and resting a hand on his chest. She smiled as her fingers trailed down to his stomach, tracing the contours of his body. Harry took his glasses off and closed his eyes; the feeling of her skin on his was almost too much. Hermione leaned forward and placed a light kiss on Harry's collarbone, her lips ghosting over his skin as she began a slow trail of kisses across his chest.
Harry bit down on his knuckle, the sensations overwhelming him, but was unable to stop the low moan that left his lips. He shut his eyes and tilted his head backwards, surrendering completely to Hermione's will. He gasped, suddenly surprised by the flicker of her tongue against his neck as she placed an open mouthed kiss behind his ear.
"Hermione," her name came out like a whisper as he licked his lips and dug his fingers into her hips. She continued placing chaste kisses on his skin, tracing his jaw with her lips and occasionally biting the skin gently. With painstaking slowness she made her way to his lips and she had to stop herself from ravishing him right then and there. Just as her lips were about to touch his, a noise outside the tent grabbed both of their attention.
Harry was reaching for his glasses as the tent flap opened, and Hermione scrambled to cover up and put on the first shirt she grabbed. She couldn't stop the smile as Harry's familiar scent surrounded her as she realized whose shirt she wore.
"Who…whose there?" Hermione's voice shook slightly and Harry positioned himself between her and the tent door.
"Oi – show yourself!" Harry's voice was more forceful, but still held a bit of apprehension as the outline of a wand became apparent. Harry reached for his wand but was blinded by the lantern above the bed glowing brighter. Hermione squinted as she tried to make out the mystery figure. Her hand flew to her mouth and she gasped loudly.
"What are you doing here!" It was not a question but Hermione's voice demanded an answer.
Stepping forward, the figure became more pronounced and soon Hermione didn't need an answer to her statement. The red hair. The look of anger on their face. The smug sense of entitlement. It was the last person she expected in that moment, considering the events of that night.
"I had to make sure you were OK." The voice said softly, its statement not directed towards Hermione. Harry scratched his head and suddenly placed the voice.
"Ginny?"