Chapter Eighteen
All of Hermione's senses were in overload as her mystery man moved above her, her pupil's were at full dilation, leaving only the merest ring of sultry brown showing. He pressed his firm body against her and she could feel his passion growing. She raised her body up to grind against him as molten desire flooded from her wanting body. He took her arms in his hands and raised them above her head where he held them in place as he traced kiss after sensual kiss over her neck and décolletage. Hermione groaned with desire as her body rocked against his. He moaned with his own fiery desire as his urges became unbearable. Then she felt his body tense.
"I can't!" He said, frustration oozing from him with each gruff word. "It wouldn't be fair."
He released his grip on her arms, and Hermione sighed, her whole body was trembling.
"I don't care," she whispered.
"No but I do," he said, "I want this to be real. I don't want you to regret anything and if I take you now, I would feel like I was betraying your trust. Isn't it worth the wait? If it's meant to be you will come to me when you know the whole truth." He raised himself off of her and stood up. She couldn't fault his self control as she could clearly see how much he wanted her. He patted his trousers down and then offered her his hand. Hermione took it and he pulled her to her feet.
"I can't flipping wait to find out the truth," she thought as he led her out of the room and back down through the house.
When they arrived back in the ballroom they were surprised to find out that they were only the eighth couple to return. Hermione wondered if the rest of the party had likewise been engrossed in games of their own.
"Congratulations," Neville said to the pair, "You have won an all expenses paid weekend to the romantic city of Venice, clear your diaries for the weekend after next." Neville handed them an envelope each. "Of course you don't need to take the break together, there is an option for two single or one double room, your discretion." He laughed.
"Wow, thank you Neville," Hermione said, "that is so generous of you!"
"It was all Luna's idea," he said, "she has developed an irritating habit of trying to match make all of our single friends at the moment."
Hermione giggled, her mask fortunately hiding her blushes.
"Neville," her partner said, remembering the incident upstairs, "could we have a quiet word with you?"
"Sure, hope everything's okay? Just wait for me in the parlour and I will come and find you when the tenth couple have returned.
The mystery man took Hermione's hand and squeezing it, led her to the parlour.
"We need to get to the bottom of what happened to you upstairs." He said calmly to Hermione as the sat in the sumptuous chairs of the parlour, "I hope you don't mind, I just want to make sure you aren't in any more danger."
"It's fine," Hermione said, "I want to know to."