I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters
--
Godric somehow managed to clamber up the tall staircase towards his room, legs heavy and head spinning from the massive consumption of Firewhiskey, courtesy, as always, of Sirius. He fumbled with the door handle, vision blurred and with the room swaying before him. It swung open, and with a rather bemused expression on his face, he walked through, feeling quietly proud that he somehow managed to find his way correctly and had reached the room falling over the record number of just three times. Yet something seemed slightly wrong with the room, and he could not quite decipher how his bed had duplicated and changed position... he was on the brink of querying that minor detail to thin air, when the familiar and somehow painful voice of Hermione sounded from the windowsill, where she sat with her head rested on her knees, which were tucked tightly to her chest, hair messy and eyes red.
"What do you want?" She said softly, and he could hear the threat of tears, tears on the brink of cascading from her eyes and flowing fast down her soft cheeks.
Godric tried to think up a reasonable excuse for appearing in her room, but none seemed plausible, and so instead, he frowned repeatedly, opening and closing his mouth several times, before losing his balance and falling sideways into the doorframe. Hermione sobbed and looked out the window, averting her gaze from him.
"Go away Godric."
"I sleep..." he pointed a swaying finger in the vague direction of the bed, then frowned. "I should sleep... here... rooms gone..." he shook his head and grinned ever so slightly. "Drunk again."
She didn't even spare him a glance as she jumped to her feet and stormed from the room. He vaguely caught the scent of her hair as she passed him, and he closed his eyes for the slightest of seconds, until he heard the stamping of feet on the stairs, and the strangled sobs that tore from her throat echoed through the dark house. Godric could only sigh, stumbling over to the nearest bed and falling onto it gratefully, inhaling the sweet smell that he'd come to associate with Hermione's neck, before passing out.
--
He knew there would be questions, even as he awoke with the familiar splitting pain in his head that told him he had exceeded his optimum alcohol consumption, and was dangerously dehydrated. He knew that the moment he stumbled from her room in the early hours of morning, someone would ask something, and he would have to explain that in his drunkenness he had somehow managed to mistake her room for his... he could not understand it, because his room was the floor below... and yet it seemed not to matter as his hand slid under the pillow and withdrew a purple silk nightgown that made his breath catch. He didn't recognize it, which was odd, as he thought he had see the best part of her wardrobe, but it did not phase him as he clung to the thin material as though it were a lifeline. His eyes closed as he tried to block out the intense longing that overcame him, only to be interrupted by the door opening. He looked round to see Hermione, whose expression was one of shock and horror, and Sirius, whose expression showed utter delighted amusement.
Hermione stared at him for several moments, then managed to hiss, a rather impressive feat, considering her usual gentle voice, "why are you holding Ginny's nightgown?"
Godric dropped it abruptly, embarrassed and horrified. Sirius snorted and attempted to cover it up with a cough when both Hermione and Godric glared at him.
"I thought it was yours.." Godric tried to argue, voice weak, face red.
"And that makes sniffing it alright does it?" She snapped at him, storming in and grabbing some clothes from the trunk at the base of the bed opposite.
"The bed smelt like you!" Godric reasoned. "I wasn't being a pervert or anything like that! I just wanted to be near you!"
"You're pathetic!" she retorted loudly. "It's not like you wouldn't know if it was mine or not!"
"I thought maybe you got new ones.." Godric replied sheepishly, looking down.
"Yes," Hermione said angrily, "because I'm simply going to buy new lingerie because you and I are over! Why? So I could 'get over you'? You're ridiculous!"
"I'm not being ridiculous," Godric said, standing up and attempting to straighten himself out. "I thought maybe you'd got some for Christmas or something!"
She stared, then turned, apparently defeated, and ran quickly from the room.
Godric groaned. Sirius roared with laughter. "That was the most poorly fabricated story I have ever heard!"
Not answering, Godric threw the offending garment down and headed to the other bed, throwing back the sheets and letting out a rasping breath at the familiar black lace garment in Hermione's bed, which he remembered particularly from mere weeks ago, when she had shown up in his room all of a sudden wearing this and nothing else.
"You might want to leave that well enough alone, it might be Molly's!" Sirius' joke earned him a glare, and Godric did not reply, instead he left the room, not bothering to throw the sheets back on his way.
--
She could feel his eyes on her, feel the familiar heat pooling in her stomach, as it did every time she looked at him, thought about him even... she tried desperately not to look, not to think... then he cleared his throat, and she was game, turning her head to meet his stare with equal longing and hurt, unsaid words of regret passing between them, but neither moved to rectify it. Hermione felt tears building again and shook her head, looking away and focusing on Molly, who was cooking rather half-heartedly at the hob, a result of her hangover from the night before.
"Godric dear, could you pass the tomatoes from the side?" Molly's voice stretched over the kitchen, and Hermione felt clouds descend on her, seeming to drench her in cold and misery. Godric didn't seem to hear, and Hermione looked round to find his eyes still fixated on her, lids slightly lowered so that it was not quite so obvious to Molly and Sirius, the only other two in the room.
"Godric, could you pass the tomatoes?" Molly repeated. He didn't move, or even seem to register her request. She slammed over to the other side of the kitchen, throwing Godric her most angry look and grabbing the bowl of tomatoes.
Sirius looked from Hermione to Sirius knowingly, then smirked and said quietly, "really, stop staring at him, he'll get the wrong idea," before standing up, heading from the room with a wave of goodbye. Hermione flushed briefly, then tore her gaze away, heading from the room quickly in an attempt to erase his warm look from her mind. Taking the stairs to her and Ginny's shared -though not since she was back with Harry- room, she locked the door and sank onto her bed, hugging her pillow to her in an attempt to relax.
--
Pass the tomatoes? He thought, staring at Hermione and succeeding in making Molly think he had not heard her request. Why the hell would he pass the tomatoes? So that he could stop looking at Hermione, perhaps, and then somehow manage to overcome the feeling in his stomach that reminded him distinctly of churning butter? No... he would stare at Hermione, and Molly be damned if she thought he would look even for a second at a bowl of red balls that had no aesthetic appeal when he could looked at something much more attractive.
She was looking back at him, and he was trying to read the look in her eyes, desperate to see some kind of familiarity, some similar feeling reflected in her brown eyes that shone from his too. He could see Sirius out of the corner of his eye, looking particularly smug as he looked from one to the other of them. Godric felt a violent urge to knock the other man to the ground, but resisted, reasoning only that to do so would be to look away from Hermione.
She really was beautiful, he thought, looking at her with renewed warmth and desire in his heart. Her eyes shone bright, though he knew not whether it were from tears or joy. Her hair was gently curled today, twisting and twirling at random, yet somehow perfectly complimenting one another... her skin seemed flawless, her lips were shimmering... he breathed a sigh of happiness as he remembered her lips pressed to his, then sighed as she stood up, following Sirius from the room, not looking back as Godric stared after her.
"Godric, could you watch the pot?" Molly asked gently. He sighed, looking around and nodding briefly before putting his head on his hand.
She knew how to make life difficult, didn't she?
--
Remus showed up an hour or two later, and Hermione was shocked at how suddenly Godric leapt to his feet, pulling the other, slightly bewildered man, from the room and closing the kitchen door as they entered the hallway. She was almost tempted to jump up and listen, when Molly suddenly sat down opposite her, a stern look in her eye that said this was not going to be a friendly conversation.
"Now Hermione, I realize that there is something of a... relationship..." her voice strained as she said it, apparently finding it rather difficult to emit noise from her throat, "but," she continued more strongly, "I see no reason for the two of you to act like teenagers who have had a row! You are both adults, and it is by no means fair for the rest of this house to have to put up with the... tension.. between the two of you."
Hermione had a feeling she knew what tension Mrs Weasley was referring to, and blushed. She supposed it must be rather obvious when they couldn't stop looking at each other that something was going on... though she had thought they were slightly more covert...
"Don't worry Mrs Weasley, we're avoiding each other to make it less difficult for everyone else... nothing's going on anymore though."
It was clear that Molly did not believe it. Her severe gaze made Hermione look at her hands and attempt to stop them shaking. "I see... in that case, could you help me peel the potatoes?"
Begrudgingly, Hermione reached for the potato peeler, knowing full well that this was one of those moments where magic would simply not be allowed.
--
"Please Remus!" Godric whined. "I can't go out and get it! You know I can't!"
"And I cannot simply waltz into that shop and purchase something so..." Remus grimaced, trying not to cringe, "personal!"
"But..."
"Godric, it isn't a question of not wanting to help you, but I think you must agree that..."
Godric struggled with the urge to hit him, but quickly decided on a better course of action. "Fine. Give me one of your hairs and I'll make some of that potion Sirius was on about... Poppyfoos, or whatever it was!"
"Polyjuice," Remus said helplessly, "and I won't permit you to use one of my hairs to walk into town! Aside from that, you couldn't find your way around!"
Smiling smugly, Godric said, "well in that case... I suppose you'll just have to go for me.." And he left the other man alone, smirking as Remus let out a groan of annoyance at his own foolishness.
--
"You been blackmailing Remus?" Sirius asked from the next floor as Godric trudged up the stairs. With a smirk, Godric glanced up.
"Of course not. I simply used cunning and intellect to get him to do what I wanted."
Sirius' eyes flashed warily, as though something in Godric's words was poison. "Right... sure... fancy a drink?"
The temptation was strong, Godric thought, but he'd rather be sober when Remus returned, given that the ball would be in his court as to whether or not Godric got his way. "No, thanks," he replied sadly. "I'm going to lie down." And so he did, heading into his own room this time and throwing himself down onto his bed heavily. He forced himself not to think, closing his eyes and attempting to forget the last few weeks and imagine that he were lying in bed, in his room at Hogwarts, Hermione lying beside him, head resting on his chest as she spoke to him quietly...
They were by the lake again. She was naked, coming out of the water, apparently unphased by their surroundings, or the fact that it was still light and that anyone might glance out of an upper window... Her hair was wet, thrown over her shoulder carelessly. Water trickled down her chest and stomach, towards the apex of her thighs, which drew Godric's attention like nothing else. He sat up on his elbows, transfixed on her soft, supple skin, gently dusted with brown curls... he breathed raspily as she approached him, watching in awe as she settled herself astride him, stroking his hair lightly and affectionately before leaning forward to capture his lips, her breath blowing warmly on his face as she whispered, "I love you."
His heart pounding, he gathered her close, rolling her onto her back with an equally soft reply of 'I love you too'. The grass beneath them disappeared, and suddenly they were on a soft, red silk duvet, which dipped lightly on the bed as they moved as one. His hands slid down her body, lips falling to her neck and chest as he lifted her, sliding into her slowly and gently, her gasp of pleasure mixing with his own... He stilled for a few moments, then drove deep into her, pace increasing as she moaned and writhed beneath him. The bed groaned beneath them, one...two... three times it creaked, and suddenly it was faster than his own pace, and the world began to spin...
Godric awoke to the harsh rapping on the door to his room. He hissed his displeasure, checking himself quickly to make sure he was not erect- thankfully, it seemed as though an unwelcome knock on the door had a somewhat deflating effect, and he traipsed over to the door half-heartedly, opening it just slightly to see who was on the other side.
Remus looked incredibly nervous and embarassed, and with a smirk, Godric let him in, not daring to say anything for fear of making fun and sending him away.
As soon as the door closed, Remus turned on him and began speaking hurriedly. "I never want to discuss this again! The trouble I went to to get this... it doesn't bare thinking about! I had to convince Tonk's that I wasn't having an affair when she realized it wasn't for her! And then before that there was the slight matter of having to enter a shop that was, to say the least, not my favourite scene! She better damned well like it because so help me I'm not going back there again and..." Godric took the small bag from Remus' hand and checked its contents with a smirk.
"It's perfect. Thank you." His sincerity seemed to calm Remus down, who nodded absently, waving his hand.
"Fine... I suppose it wasn't all bad... I mean... it wasn't exactly... well... they weren't really... it was quite..."
"Maybe you should go and join Sirius for a drink," Godric suggested gently, hiding an amused grin as the other man flushed and nodded.
"You know, I think I might do just that..."
--
He checked the landing briefly for others, then opened the now somewhat familiar door into Hermione's room, slipping quietly through and heading towards her bed, the small package in his hands as he went. He vaguely hoped that she would be there, asleep, so that he could stroke her hair away and perhaps kiss her forehead gently... The other part of him reasoned that this way, he was less likely to scare her to death and get throttled as she awoke in a state of shock and fear. Gently, Godric ran a hand over the indent of her pillow, sighing at the thought that her head had laid just there... he caught a hair in his fingers, his breath catching in his throat... he twined it around his finger, placing the package on her bedside table before withdrawing his wand. No thought went into it; he simply waved his wand, and the hair coiled around his left middle-finger, turning into a thin band of pure gold and glinting in the pale moonlight that came through the window. He smiled, pleased.
--
Hermione didn't stay up late; she couldn't with Godric sat opposite her, watching her over the rim of his glass, talking to Sirius easily but never averting his gaze... she shivered repeatedly, whenever she lifted her eyes, his would meet them, holding them firmly for several moments before he would knowingly sip his Firewhiskey, eyes dancing teasingly. More than once, her stomach twisted and her thighs burned, and she seriously considered throwing herself at him simply to settle her annoyance. Yet more than that carnal desire, there was the trickling warmth that spread down her spine at the sight of him; her heart pounded, her hands went sweaty, and all she wanted was to settle herself in the crook of his arm and listen to the pounding of his heart. She was certain he could tell what she was thinking, certain he was a Legilimens, who could tell exactly what thoughts ran through her mind at the sight of him; every memory, every kiss, every dream shot through her repeatedly, and she felt as though he read each and stored it, waiting to hold it against her when she next clashed with him, in another of their heated arguments in the corridors perhaps, or when she next had to avoid the question he seemed ready to poise every moment their eyes met, but never did because somehow, thankfully, Sirius, Remus or Molly would choose that moment to interrupt.
She went upstairs before ten o'clock, her footsteps echoing through the house, the din of the living room fading away as she neared her own bedroom and slid through the door, closing it and placing a silencing charm so that she might perhaps have some privacy and silence.
Busying herself with getting ready for bed, she washed her face, combed her hair and pulled her shirt and jeans from her body, sliding under the covers in bra and knickers, resting her head on the cold pillow, the moonlight throwing eerie shadows through the room. Only after several minutes of thought, and another few of tossing and turning, did she notice the small package wrapped in deep red paper, set carefully on the corner of her bedside table. She sat up, fear and excitement coursing through her. She wondered if she dared to open it; she didn't doubt who it was from, but doubted her own resolution to keep away if it was something she might like... it didn't look like her usual sort of gift, admittedly; it was not rectangular, thick and heavy, but square, and from what she could see, rather soft. She hesitantly reached for it, tentatively running an explorative hand over it. She frowned, feeling the soft edges, but then the oddly hard, thin and spindly length of something she couldn't begin to guess. Curiosity, it seemed, overcame sense, and in moments she was peeling back the tape that held the package together, carefully, as her mother had always taught her, but impatiently. When the tape was removed, she nervously unfolded the paper, to find a single square of parchment placed atop a deep red, silken nightgown, with lace hemming and straps. She picked the parchment up, frowning, and read it by the light of the moon.
I always thought red was more your colour.
x
There was no name, but she had no doubt who it was from; she recognised the writing from letters that she had tried to ignore in the past, and then other letters and notes that had made her stomach dance during lunchtimes and while she scoured the corridors on her midnight rounds. She put the note aside, lifting the fragile garment gently into the air, gasping as she felt the wonderfully flowing material, the soft, delicate lace that was woven in intricate patterns of roses and creeping ivy. There was a loud thud as the garment unfolded, and something fell from the centre of the gown, hitting the floor and echoing around the room, reverberating in her ears. She swore, momentarily forgetting that she had placed a silencing charm, before gently placing the gown on the bed, falling to her knees and searching with her hands for the fallen object.
She groped for several seconds, her hand brushing through cobwebs, dust and discarded quills, before she found a hard, cold handle that felt much like the objects she'd felt through the packaging. She pulled herself to her feet, her frown deepening as she moved into the light and saw a sparkling silver spoon, through the handle of which was looped a piece of thread, which was punctured through another, folded, piece of parchment. Urgent for an explanation, she unfolded it hurriedly, her mind working desperately, trying to find a reason for giving her a spoon... as she read, her face split into a smile.
Merry Christmas, my beautiful Sunrise.
Here's hoping I've not become a spoon just yet.
All my love,
Yesterday, today and tomorrow,
Godric
x
--
:-)
Mage of the Heart