The world had stopped moving. Everything had frozen in time. The surroundings had become a blur. From as far as he could tell, his senses had stopped working. He couldn't feel anything – except for the weight of her lips on his.

The contact lasted just for a moment – 2 seconds to be precise – but he felt like he had grown familiar with her lips. Their taste was mixed with salty tears and sweet...apples? Or was it some sort of candy?

He didn't know – and he didn't care. The sensation itself was amazing, so he continued exploring her, pushing the boundaries of the friendship they once had…

…until she suddenly pulled away, leaving him empty and withdrawn.

"Sorry! Oh – I'm so sorry!" She sniffed, hastily wiping her tears. "I don't know what came over me. I didn't mean to...kiss you out of nowhere –"

"Oh no. It's okay, Hermione," he said, still in a daze. "It's fine."

In reply, she smiled sheepishly at him. She had never felt this embarrassed in her entire life. Here he was, the boy of her dreams, and she had flung herself at him like a nobody who had lost her bearings.

Well, she didn't expect her first kiss with him to be this...sudden. He must have hated it.

She didn't know how wrong she was...

Her brief kiss had awakened something inside him. A gnawing in his chest...as if he had finally found what he was looking for. The missing puzzle piece. The key to the locked case of his heart. And he needed more of it.

"Would you mind if we...did it again?" he asked tentatively.

An awkward silence followed his words…broken only after she gave a low chuckle, her cheeks hurting from blushing too much. She couldn't meet his eyes as she answered. "No, no. Of course not..."

Without thinking, he smiled a little. Her shy demeanour. Her bashful face. The way she had averted her eyes – she was so different from his so-called girlfriend. From every other girl he'd ever met. He loved how she was flushing crimson. It made something flow through him...light as a breeze but daring like a wild broomstick ride. As he watched her, the corner of his mouth turned up in a crooked smile.

Fuck boundaries. She was his, and he was hers.

Feeling brave all of a sudden, he edged forward, his eyes on her face while she kept hers on her slightly trembling hands.

She didn't know why he was making her so nervous. Couldn't understand why his mere presence was making her shake like a leaf. Or why it had created this queasy, upside-down feeling in her stomach – as if she was soaring high and dropping through a free fall at the same time. The feeling…it was incredible, and she smiled despite herself.

Maybe it was because he was him.

Her sudden little smirk made his heartbeat quicken. He could see she was scared of what was going to happen next. But the smile showed how she was enjoying it, too.

Just like he was.

He stepped closer to her until there was no distance left between them. He placed his palms on her waist once again, but he was persistent this time – way more than before – so he pulled her to himself, the sudden move making her gasp and hold the tendrils of his sweater to avoid tripping over. Out of instinct, her eyes met his. She could see desire and longing in those beautiful irises. His passion was mirroring hers.

And that made her little smile develop into a wide one.

Her hands inched upward to rest on his shoulders, her fingers grazing his firm skin underneath the fabric. His own dug into the soft skin of her waist, which he could feel through the thin material of her shirt. His pulse sped up as he leaned down to link his forehead with hers. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, basking in his homely scent and his protective aura. She was ready. He could take her as he pleased because she was his and no one else's.

Entranced by her relaxed face, his hands moved forward until his arms encased her whole body. She opened her eyes once again, her breaths becoming rapid as she stared up at him, waiting for him to proceed...

And he did.

He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. The slight contact made their heartbeats accelerate. Disappointment for not being touched enough rose inside her – until he tilted his head and closed his lips around hers.

This time, both of them didn't pull back. This time, both of them felt what it was really like to kiss each other.

Her breath became hitched in her throat when his teeth scraped her bottom lip. His heart pounded madly when her hands clasped his neck.

They could fully feel the atmosphere they had created among themselves. Their shared breaths, their hearts beating in a matching rhythm, the overwhelming sense of pleasure that had made them close their eyes – they were aware of it all.

Now that he was kissing her properly, he realised it wasn't just the taste of her lips that intrigued him; it was the shape, too. Her lips were full, soft. Passionate. And responded to him at just the right time with just the right pace. The kind of lips he had never encountered before...and the kind of lips his own couldn't bring themselves to part from.

She resisted the urge to gasp when he suddenly leaned forward and pressed his mouth even more against hers. The second their lips had touched, an electric shock had gone through her body, kindling a newfound desire.

She felt a strange, overpowering thirst that could only be quenched once she had every piece of his heart. Every imaginable element of his soul. Everything that resided within him until it consumed her and made them one. She breathed in his scent, mesmerised by the effect he was having on her. If a single kiss could lead her body to become so out of control, then she could only wonder what a relationship, a deeper and more profound connection with him, would be like.

But there, standing enclosed in his arms with her lips exploring his, she didn't care about anything. Anything at all in the world. Not about how things would be once this was all over. If their friendship pact was damaged beyond repair. If she was ruining her life by letting him take her like this. None of that mattered…as long as he was holding her like she was the most precious thing he had ever seen.

The stirring in her chest increased at her rumination, making her press her soft palms against the sharp slope of his jawline. She didn't want them to stop. Not now. Not ever.

But he wasn't listening to her thoughts because he suddenly pulled back, the abrupt space between them leaving her hollow.

Her taste lingered on his lips as he caught his breath, his chest rising and falling at a rapid pace. Their noses tickled each other's, the distance still very little between them as they shared the same air. This time, she didn't shy away from him and held his gaze without missing a beat. She could see the reflection of her eyes, half-closed due to the pleasure coursing through her body, in his glasses. The lenses did nothing to hide his beautiful eyes, which were returning her gaze quite steadily. Sighing, he rested his forehead against hers again, his hands placing a gentle hold on her waist. But that gentleness soon vanished when he pulled her forward, making them join by their lower bodies. He wanted to touch her more…but would she allow it?

She didn't give him a chance to ask because she suddenly leaned up and kissed him, hard. He, surprised and thrilled by her eagerness, returned her kiss, holding her firmly so she wouldn't fall. Pang after pang of sensuous pleasure greeted their bodies as their kiss turned fervid and intense. She gasped when his tongue accidentally entered her mouth, but knowing she had liked it, he continued to taste her like no one had ever done before.

She was a mess. A mess in his hands. And she loved it.

Another moan escaped her lips, muffled by his mouth. She grabbed the nape of his neck with one hand while the other grasped the back of his head, its fingers getting buried in his short, black as midnight, tresses. He was showing her what he was truly capable of. She was making him unleash his hidden lover self, but it was all for her. He knew.

But this wasn't enough.

He broke off their kiss, his eyes boring into hers. Her heart pounded furiously as he spoke up.

"Can I –"

"You don't have to ask," she whispered, interrupting him. She knew what he wanted.

And she wanted it, too.

To show that she had understood him, she pushed her ponytail over her left shoulder, clearing her neck for him.

He could kiss her wherever he wanted to as long as she could touch him wherever she wanted to.

He seemed to get her message because he had closed the distance between them once again. Never breaking eye contact, he lifted her hands to place them on his shoulders. Her grip tightened when he leaned down and pressed his lips on the side of her neck.

A sharp gasp escaped her throat when he did that, her bare skin responding to his touch.

Her neck had a salty taste, but he could also sense the utterly delicious flavour he could only get from the girl he loved.

He took it slow, his lips and tongue gently caressing the soft side of her neck. She was moaning in earnest now, her clear signs of pleasure shooting spasms of the same enticement down his own body. But he still wanted to make sure she was comfortable with his intimacy.

"Is this okay for you?" he whispered against her skin, his voice tingling her senses.

"Y-yes," she managed to stammer out.

"Does it feel good?"

Feel good? It felt amazing!

"Yes, Harry," she replied, stroking his hair as he looked up at her. "I love what you're doing. Don't stop."

Despite the precarious situation induced by their first time with each other, he gained a sarcastic smirk. "As you wish, m'lady."

She laughed and leaned down to kiss his forehead. "Thank you, sir."

She closed her fingers amongst his hair, ready for his assault, passion, or whatever he wanted to give her.

But he knew how he wanted to do this. He wanted to take it slow, but please her as much as possible.

So he leaned in and gently pressed his mouth against the dip of her neck; his tongue coming in contact first, followed closely by his lips.

She let out a little gasp as he continued kissing her skin leisurely and fervently, and her hands clutched his hair in a tighter grip. With a thudding heart, his lips trailed a route from her neck to her side. He pulled her shirt a little so he could kiss her bare shoulder blade.

She gave a chuckle when he did that, his mouth tickling her skin. Enticed by the little display, one of his hands left her waist to press itself against her navel, exploring her softness. She bit her lip as he continued to touch her, but he, feeling like he could never have enough of her, fixed his arms on her body, lifted her up (she was surprisingly light), and sat her on the table behind them.

The sudden lack of gravity made the air leave her lungs, but she loved what he was doing. His lips were still working their magic on her collarbone as she secured him with her legs and wrapped her arms around him in a headlock. She feared she might melt from all the heat travelling up their bodies, but the feeling only increased the pleasure she was already receiving from him.

As he went on with his sensuous touches, his entire body lurched every time she groaned because that told him that he, as a passionate lover who only wanted to taste the girl he desired, was successful in his attempts to please her. The full intimacy of their actions was arousing him to a level he didn't deem possible before. But then again, he was a boy who never gave up and only relaxed his shoulders, which were tense at the moment, until he got what he wanted…

She hung her head back as the intensity of his kisses on her skin increased, pleasure riding her body like a strong ocean wave. She could get used to this…

But he pulled back from her, the sudden absence of his head and the brush of cold air on her neck making her quiver.

Their rapid breaths encircled each other as he leaned in to rest his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes, letting her satisfying touch linger as her fingers trailed him from his hair, the rim of his glasses, his cheekbones, to his strong jawline with its slight stubble.

Taking his break as a cue for her turn, she leaned forward and planted soft kisses all over his face. Her velvety lips came in contact with his forehead, his cheeks, his nose, the corners of his mouth, his chin, his bobbing Adam's apple. She didn't stop there, and resumed her trail down his throat and pulled at his sweater so she could kiss his collarbones.

He let out a long whoosh of breath and found himself twisting her ponytail around his hand. Her lips were driving him wild, and suddenly, he couldn't bear a second away from them. Without warning, he grabbed her chin as she was about to mingle with his shoulder blades and pulled her at eye level with himself. He stared into her surprised brown eyes, looking almost ethereal under the flickering lights of the tent.

"Harry?" she whispered, her heart pounding in her ears as she tried to process him. But she didn't complain when he suddenly leaned forward and kissed her, long and hard. His fingers left her ponytail to intertwine with hers, which she gratefully accepted. Amidst their kiss, he leaned even further onto her, making her lean back on the table, their bodies pressing together in a scalding heat only the intense passion they had for each other could create.

Although she liked to stay alert at all times, his lips were making her senseless. She didn't care if somebody could walk in on them. Didn't care if they could get ambushed by a horde of enemies. The only thing she cared about was the feeling of his lean body pressing onto her petite one as she laid herself on the table while he hovered over her.

With an overwhelming sense of need, he relished the state they were in. She was lying on the same parchments they were working on just some minutes before. Reality was so different back then. It was crazy how fast time could change if the right words escaped one's lips.

He broke off their kiss to once again dive into her neck. Her body responded to him; her hands reaching up to feel his sturdy back.

"You're delicious," he murmured against her skin, making shivers run down her spine. "So bloody delicious."

"Oh, Harry…"

"I love you, Hermione. You and your –" He kissed her neck "– delicious skin. You're beautiful."

She giggled, both at his sentiment and the way his teeth were tugging her skin. "I love you, too, Harry. I love the way you feel…"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah…I…" she trailed off, at a loss for words. "I…I have never felt this way before. How are you so good at this?"

He leaned back to look at her and smiled. "Honestly? I dunno."

"I don't believe that." She laughed.

"No, seriously. Maybe it's you, Hermione," he said, lightly kissing her forehead. "Maybe you made me an expert at this stuff."

"Well…" She caressed his jawline, gazing up at him. "Even if you were sloppy and bad, I would have still loved it."

He could tell that she had meant what she said. With a lingering smile, he laid down beside her on the table and took her hand in his. For a moment, they wallowed in a now pleasing silence, their eyes searching each other.

Now that they were cooling down, her head started coming back to its senses, letting the reality of the situation kick in.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"What's going to happen now?"

He sighed. He was thinking about the situation, too.

"I have no idea, Hermione," he finally said, rubbing her knuckles with his thumb. "But I don't care. The truth had to come out. We couldn't keep lying to ourselves."

"I know," she replied, gently touching his cheek. "I don't regret any of this."

"Yeah, same here." He mirrored her smile. "So we can bear whatever happens."

"I hope so." She bit her lip, frowning. "But Ron –"

"– probably saw this coming," he finished for her, getting off the table. "Otherwise he wouldn't have said such things, right?"

"Yes, I know that, but…" She paused, letting him pull her back to the ground. "We have proved his allegations."

"Gives him more reason to believe in himself. Which is good." He grinned, attempting to make her worry disappear. But she mustered a half-hearted smile and kept her eyes on the floor.

He sighed and took her hands in his. "Look, Hermione. I don't know what the future holds for us. And I don't know how Ron, or anyone else, would react after finding out about this relationship. But y'know what? I'm not worried." He lifted her chin with his finger and smiled at her. "I don't give a bloody damn what other people might think about us because I love you, and nothing in the world is going to change that, okay?"

Before she knew it, she was grinning, his confession making her warm all over. She leaned up to give him a quick kiss. "Okay. I believe you, Harry."

"Good." He smoothed her hair as she pushed herself into his arms. Silence surrounded them – until she voiced a question.

"So, what are we going to do now?"

Her question led him to ponder – and a smile gradually lightened his features.

Before he could answer, she already knew what he was about to say. His wand had appeared, and with a flick of his wrist and some indecipherable words, the once-dead radio had come alive again. The harmonious tones of a song filled the tent, and she could already feel a smile forming on her lips as he offered his hand to her and declared.

"May I have this dance?"

And that's a wrap! Sincerest thank yous to all the readers for staying on track with this little story I had thought one day about writing and publishing XD I might post more short stories (Only Harmione, mind you) so keep your eyes peeled! If you didn't get enough of my writing, do check out my other, much longer, story, 'Harmonizing with Him', which is still in the works and hopefully will be done soon. Byeee :D