Chapter 7

"I don't want to go to work!" she sighed stroking his cheek.

"Then stay here with me!" he whispered in her ear as he nibbled it gently.

"I can't! Some of us don't have a month's leave; if I don't go in the boss will do his nut!"

"We'll tell him that I kidnapped you; let me get into trouble!"

"Like you can ever put a foot wrong!" she joked. "Oh," she moaned when his lips travelled down her neck kissing her intermittently as his hands began to stroke intimate areas of her body, "I can't," she moaned.

"You can," he whispered leaning up on his elbows and locking her arms by her side as she tried to get out of bed then he trailed his kisses along the top of her chest and down to the luscious breasts which excited him more than ever. "I won't take long!" he chuckled moving to lay between her legs and pushing them apart with his knees. As his mouth closed over one of her nipples she relented the half hearted push she was giving him to escape from his caress and moaned softly.

"James," she whispered and he returned her name in an equally excited and hungry voice as he pushed himself into her and rose and fell above her swiftly.

The result was that she then ended up running around his bedroom in a panic grabbing everything she needed as she was going to be late to work. She glared at him but could not be angry as she had wanted it as much as he did; now however she was a mess and had ten minutes to get to the ministry and up to her office before the boss caught her. "Argh," she shrieked as she rifled through her handbag.

"What's the matter?" James asked sitting up in the bed.

"I don't have my badge! Oh I have to get more organised when I'm staying here I forgot to bring clean underwear last time!"

"I remember," he chuckled wiggling his eyebrows as he recalled the day he knew she had walked around the ministry all day with nothing beneath her long dark brown work robes.

"James," she shrieked throwing a pillow at him which had fallen to the floor when they made love, "I'll have to go without it today; Beerney's going to go mad!"

"Why don't you start leaving a few bits here," he said casually as he stretched and yawned, "then you don't always have to go home first and get changed."

"What?" she gasped, "are you...are you serious?"

"Of course," he replied reaching out for a pair of trousers which he had dropped on a chair by his bed the night before, "why?"

"Because...well how are you going to explain that to people?"

"Maybe I won't need to for much longer," he said coyly standing up and walking towards her.

"James Potter are you getting serious on me?" she asked half joking and half hopeful. It had been almost two weeks since he had said he loved her and they had barely spent a night apart since then; she was completely in love with him too and hoped that now they had reached another milestone it would not be long before they could officially be a couple. She still refused to push him into it knowing he would do it when he was good and ready; but she waited patiently everyday for him to say or show that the time had come.

"Is that a problem?" he asked taking her in his arms and giving her a soft kiss.

"No," she replied barely audibly, "only that I really don't want to go into work now!" He laughed and kissed her again, passionately, before walking her to the door of the bedroom and over to the fireplace where she reluctantly jumped in and prepared to disappear. "I have to go out with the girls tonight," she said to him wishing she could come straight back here and talk; it was her best friend's birthday and the girls, most of whom were members of James' family, were going out alone to the Three Broomsticks so she wouldn't even be able to meet him slyly in the cellar doorway.

"I know," he nodded at her, "come back here when you're finished; I'll be at the Cauldron with Salamander and my brothers but I won't be home late. I'll wait in there!" he laughed cocking his head towards the bedroom they had just vacated and she smiled at him. "Now get to work and find out what Beerney's got in store for me next week when I'm back!" he finished patting her bottom and watching as she threw floo powder into the air whispering for the Ministry floo.

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The day seemed to be dragging endlessly for her as she sat in her office filling in paperwork for the aurors; it had been bad enough going to work everyday when she knew James was out at Azkaban but having to go in now, while he was luxuriating in the bed they had shared almost every night for the last couple of weeks, was tantamount to torture. They worked in the same department but rarely ran into each other on a day to day basis which meant they had had no trouble hiding their secret relationship at work. She was quite high up in the administration department and had actually worked under his ex girlfriend, Annemarie, when she had first got the job almost a year ago. Of course James had known she worked at the department the first time he had taken her home but he was not unused to shagging colleagues even before he went out with Annemarie. They always left for work separately and had nothing at all to do with each other in the office unless they passed in the corridor when they would give one another a polite greeting.

At lunchtime she passed the pile of parchments she had been working on all morning to the newest assistant, Zelda, who so far had managed to do nothing more than annoy her on a daily basis; she walked around the office in barely any clothes holding meaningless conversations with people which only proved she had an IQ average of around seventy five. "Can you file these for me?" she asked the blonde haired girl when she stepped into the office at quarter to twelve, "and then you can go to lunch, Zelda."

"Thank you Miss," she replied taking the pile from the end of her desk and walking back out without another word; she always found it strange to be called Miss at work by people who were around her age but she was in a higher position and knew it was used to show chain of command, even in the administration department.

She had managed to avoid the head of the department, Mr Beerney, all morning and so had not been reprimanded for not wearing her badge yet; he was a stickler for the admin staff wearing them though he let the aurors get away with murder. At twelve on the dot though she grimaced as she passed him in the corridor on her way out for lunch, "How is anybody supposed to know your name Miss..." he chided angrily, "if you never wear your badge." She cursed James as she looked apologetically at her boss and tried not to cower under his stare;he had wanted her at the flat by half past five the night before and after racing home and changing she had grabbed her work robes and thrown them into a bag but left the small metal badge on her nightstand.

"Sorry Mr Beerney," she said.

"Just make sure you have it on Monday," he growled.

"Yes Sir," she nodded as she passed him by.

When she returned after lunch she could hear a familiar voice drifting through the main door to the department and as she turned into the office she noticed him standing at the reception desk where Zelda and one of the other receptionists were laughing at a joke or tale he had just told. The blonde haired new girl was stood right next to him at the desk and as she watched for a few minutes while they continued their conversation she noticed that the girl kept pushing her hip up against James'. Hiding the tinge of green from her eyes she walked confidently into the department and up to the desk where she nodded at the girl behind it before saying politely, "Back from Azkaban Mr Potter?"

"Yes, Miss..." he pretended to squint and look for the missing badge on her chest while smiling cockily and then added, "sorry without your badge I'm afraid I don't know your name!"

"It's-" Zelda started.

"Thank you Zelda," she interrupted, "but Mr Potter is well aware of my name even when I am not wearing my badge; I have worked here for a year now. And when you have finished being chatted up I need a few files bringing down from the upstairs office if you don't mind."

"Yes Miss," the girl replied as she turned to walk back to her office and caught a sly look from James who flashed the briefest of smiles at her. At the end of the corridor she heard Zelda squeal childishly again and she turned to see her leaning on James as if to catch her balance; her hand resting on his chest and she grimaced. She completely trusted James, even though he was still keeping their secret under wraps, but she was not sure how much she trusted the new girl who was obviously coming on to him in the most unsubtle way possible. She was used to seeing people fawning over James, it happened everywhere; and she had seen it in the office even when he was seeing Annemarie; James was a handsome man and she knew many girls who were desperate for some of his attention. She smiled slyly to herself then as she remembered that she was currently the only one getting that attention from him, even if it was hidden from the rest of the world.

Half an hour later Zelda had brought the files she had asked for but one was missing and instead of sending for the incompetent girl again she decided to go searching for them herself. Using a short cut James had shown her through the back of a book stack in the research room she climbed the stairs and came out in a quiet upstairs corridor; she passed the door to a supply closet and shrieked as the door opened quickly and a hand grabbed hold of her. She was dragged into the small, dark closet where she was pushed against the now closed door and a familiar smell wafted past her, "Missing something," said a husky voice as a thin folder was waved under her nose.

"James," she chided in the darkness, "you took it?"

"Well how else was I supposed to get you alone?" he asked sliding one of his hands along the curve of her waist and up her body to her face where he held her cheek and leaned down to kiss her vigorously, "it...was...easy...to...get...it...away...from... that...bimbo," he went on intermittently kissing her lips as she smiled.

"You looked like you were having fun out there with her," she said, "she's just your type, blonde hair, big boobs and cotton wool between her ears."

"Was, my type," he corrected, "in case you haven't noticed I'm hiding in a supply closet with a stunningly beautiful brunette who has much more than cotton wool between her ears, though she does have a fair sized pair of boobs!" he chuckled putting his hand over one and massaging it gently. "I'm not interested in her; she was just easy to sweet talk so I could sneak this folder out of her pile and get you alone!" He leaned in and kissed her again then pushing her further into the door as he waved his wand casually and ignited the heavily sooted gas lamp on the wall above them.

"And why would you need to get me alone?" she asked cheekily seeing the playful light in his eyes reflected by the slight glimmer that the gas lamp gave.

"Because you've been naughty Miss..." he pretended to look down at her badge again pulling his head back and inspecting her boobs with his hands, "how is anybody supposed to know your name when you don't wear a badge?" he went on in an almost perfect imitation of their boss. "I think you need to be taught a lesson so you remember to wear it in future."

"And exactly how do you intend to do that?" she asked as he leaned down to kiss her neck; she was still pinioned against the door by his body and didn't want to be anywhere else.

"Well first," he began huskily as he continued to kiss her neck sensually whilst pulling her hair out of the way with one hand, "you need a little spanking," he went on softly patting her bottom with his other hand and then pulling her close to him so she could feel his desire against her. "And then," his kisses trailed along her shoulders as he pulled back the top of her blouse, "a good shagging ought to show you what's what," he chuckled pushing himself between her legs and grinning.

"James, you're insatiable," she giggled in reply feeling her body keel to his as her arms wrapped around his body, "but I'm working."

"Then take a break," he whispered leaning back and slowly unbuttoning her blouse to slide his hands inside it.

"What if we get caught? Someone might hear us," she went on.

"Muffliato," he whispered pointing his wand at the door and then dropping it into his jeans pocket; his hands left the inside of her blouse then and trailed down her legs to the bottom of her full length ministry robe skirt. They slid beneath it and up her soft legs until they reached the delicate cotton pants that she wore, "Oh," he moaned, "I was hoping you'd really forgotten those along with your badge! Oh well, I'll just have to deal with that as well," he went on sliding the thin material down her legs. He discarded them and lifted her skirt up again so he could see her full bare legs; then he lifted her up and pushed her against the door of the room; she wrapped them around his back as he kissed her again, passionately and hard. The door rattled from their movements and he swung her around to face a wall which shared itself with another old storeroom; she gasped at the fierceness of his move but wrapped her hands around his back and pulled his head to rest between her breasts which he freed from their bra in one swift movement.

"James," she groaned deeply feeling her own desire quickening and he quickly grabbed up his wand and used it to hover her against the wall as he swiftly unfastened his trousers and released the throbbing penis from inside it. He pushed into her quickly and moaned quietly; the same moan which she echoed over and over again as he pushed her further and further to the boundaries of passion; it culminated in them both crying out simultaneously as James stopped moving and she wrapped her arms around his head and pulled it between her breasts again. He whispered her name repeatedly as he kissed them furiously and she breathed in and out raggedly feeling her heart beating wildly in her chest.

"You are amazing," he whispered lifting his head up and looking at her face; she looked dishevelled but sated. Her blouse was open and her bra sat above her large breasts while her long brown skirt was wrapped around her waist. They were still joined as one person and James made no attempt to move for a short while.

Eventually when their heartbeats had almost regulated she whispered reluctantly, "I have to get back to work; I'm already in Beerney's bad books and I don't think this will go down all that well with him."

"Tell him it's therapy," he whispered making no move to let her go but kissing her shoulders again.

"Therapy?" she asked looking at him curiously and touching his face with her fingertip.

"For me, after being in Azkaban!" he chuckled staring at her with an impish look on his face. "It's the best cure I've found so far!" he went on realising just how quickly he had got over his experience in the wizarding prison; something he wholeheartedly put down to the beautiful woman in his arms.

"Not that I'm complaining but how come you came in today?" she asked quietly.

"I got bored in bed alone," he teased, "and wanted to see you, or rather do you!"

"Is that all you think about?"

"Well it's not my fault that you're so sexy and because I'm off work at the moment my mind keeps wondering to your beautiful, naked body, which I won't be able to get my hands on until much later!"

"James," she whispered coyly enjoying the compliment as he finally let her legs fall down to the floor and her skirt fell around them. "I really want to go back to work now," she chided re-fastening her open blouse before picking up her knickers and sliding them back up her legs beneath the skirt. He watched her dressing and smiled as he fastened his trouser zip and picked up the folder he had slipped out of Zelda's pile when she was laughing at his joke and dropping her hand on top of his. Two years ago he would have hankered after her like a dog on heat until he had shagged her; and the obvious attempts she was making to steer him in that direction now would have amused him and turned him on. However now she just came across as desperate and while he would not offend the girl he knew there was no way he would ever go near her now that he had such a marvellous woman to love.

"You'd better go out first," she said after straightening up her clothes and running her fingers through her dark waves, "don't want anyone to catch us!" she chuckled. Though the comment was completely innocent on her part he still felt a pang as he remembered that he was still keeping them hidden away and he realised that sidling into work for a quick shag with the girl no one even knew he was seeing could look to her like he was just using her. "What's the matter?" she asked seeing the frown cross his face, "are you feeling guilty again?"

"No," he lied turning away so she could not see the truth in his eyes.

"I was only kidding," she went on turning his face to look at hers, "stop it," she went on leaning up to kiss his lips. "I quite like sneaking around, it's exciting!" she finished thinking over the lust fuelled sex they had just shared. He smiled at her knowing she was just trying to ease his conscience but appreciating it all the while; she was a patient and understanding girl but he knew one day that the patience and understanding would run out.

He left her with one more longing kiss and then checked the corridor before hurrying out of it and back down to the reception desk. As he approached he found the blonde girl talking to a different familiar looking girl who he had had little contact with lately, even though they still worked in the same department. "James," she said when her head lifted at the sound of his footsteps on the corridor.

"Annemarie," he replied suddenly wishing that he had her at his side as he suddenly had an overwhelming urge to show his ex-girlfriend that he was happy again, with someone else, someone he knew he could trust. He knew at that point that he was completely over the sheepish looking girl standing beside the reception desk and could not now recall why he had ever favoured her over the woman he now loved; someone who he had actually known a lot longer than Annemarie.

"How...how are you?" she asked when he stopped at the desk to say goodbye to Zelda.

"Fantastic," he answered thinking over the last twenty minute he had spent locked in a supply cupboard with a woman worth ten of her, "thank you, and you?" he went on brightly.

"Good...good, you know," she replied looking guiltily away from him.

"Well I must get back to my days of leisure," he went on smiling at the blonde girl eying him seductively. "Zelda, Annemarie," he said nodding at each one in turn and then he glanced back down the corridor behind him to catch the eye of the gorgeous brunette walking up it still looking a little bit flustered as she headed for her office. He winked inconspicuously at her and she smiled before noticing who was stood at the reception desk; her smile turned to a frown as he disappeared through the main entrance and disappeared; leaving James Potter in bed every morning was bad enough but being left after a thoroughly enjoyable and passionate shag in the office was even worse and she wasn't quite sure how she was going to get through the rest of the day.

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At five o clock she closed the last folder of parchments that she had been working on and tidied her desk up before leaving her office and walking down the corridor to the elevator. She was taking it her up to her friend's office, also at the Ministry, where they were meeting before heading back to her house to get ready together. Going out was the last thing she felt like doing this particular Friday night; as James was not working he had kept her up late every night for the last week and though she enjoyed their late night steamy sex sessions followed by long talks into the early hours she was absolutely beaten. She currently wanted to do nothing more than crawl into bed for a long nap before going back to his flat for another night of passion, if he was still up to it after two sessions already! But it was her best friend's birthday so she donned her happiest smile and tried to wipe away the traces of tiredness on her face which were becoming harder and harder to explain. Last week one of her friends had commented on the deep bags under her eyes and suggested she go to see a healer, perhaps her Aunt Ginny, in case she needed an iron replenishing potion for her blood. The only thing she needed was a sleep replenishing potion so she could go the distance with James at the moment but she had simply nodded her head and said she would if she didn't feel better soon.

Her evening at the Three Broomsticks was fun even though she couldn't drag James into a seedy corner for a quick kiss; all the Weasley girls were there to celebrate their cousin's birthday and she listened and nodded along politely as they speculated again on James' love life since his split with Annemarie. Of all the Potters and Weasley's who were not still in school he was the only single one now, to the rest of the world anyway, barring Charlie Weasley who was never going to settle down, and they were constantly discussing the fact that they never saw him taking anyone home anymore. She just laughed along and agreed with them that maybe he was changing all the while secretly knowing it was because he loved and wanted her, but in secret. This was the only time she would get fed up of James' need to hide their relationship; listening to their ideas of who to set him up with and why they would be perfect for him was exhausting and she knew if they ever tried to do it he would struggle to find a way of getting out of it.

By midnight she was almost asleep in the booth and after waiting for two or three other members of their party to leave she excused herself and said she really needed to get some rest; a stern look from her friend made her promise to talk to their Aunt Ginny soon. She left via the floo network quietly whispering the address of James' flat so that no one would hear her. True to his word he was sat up in bed reading a wizarding magazine when she arrived; he dropped it on the floor immediately and beckoned for her to join him in bed. Undressing quickly she climbed in beside him and leaned in to snuggle against his chest, "Everything okay?" he asked sincerely as she sighed a little.

"Yeah, I'm just so tired," she replied, "you never let me get any sleep!"

"Well you shouldn't be so sexy then," he giggled stroking her naked body with his hand as it snaked around her back to hold her close.

"Sorry," she breathed with a smile.

"Are you sure that's all that's bothering you?"

"Yes," she replied smiling up at him. He hugged her close and she started to trace circles on his chest before closing her eyes. "What's the matter with you?" she sighed at him when he didn't attempt to turn her on; her eyes opened again wearily.

"You need some sleep," he replied hugging her close once more and he watched her eyes close again; she was asleep within seconds and he left her but lay awake himself for a while longer worrying a little about her mood; he knew she was getting fed up of being a secret, whatever she said to the contrary, and now that he was in love with her he knew he should really bring them out into the open. However it was harder than he thought it would be and a tiny part of him was also reluctant to share her with the rest of the world. He quite liked that they could be alone with each other without the constant need to attend things together, like the weekly family dinner; but he also knew it was taking its toll and would soon start to affect their actual relationship as well, a relationship he was enjoying being in more than he had ever enjoyed being with Annemarie.