Chapter 07:
Hermione had Kingsley under her thumb the next morning and he finally relented. Her plan was simple! Since infertility was the only way she could beg for separation, she would do just that. And to ensure that she would not get pregnant, because Kingsley told her that she would have to consummate the marriage to ensure they were not caught by the strong wards placed on them on the wedding day, he would give her special potions. He agreed to that because she refused to help the aurors any further after her wedding begging the chances of pregnancy and expressing her wish to keep the unborn child safe. He grit his teeth in and relented.
"You realise your intended may not like this?"
"It's best for him. He'll understand. He'll love this girl soon enough, she's perfect for him."
"And may I be so bold as to ask what about you Hermione?"
"Well, I'll be documented as almost infertile, so the law won't apply to me after the separation. If and when I meet someone, I'll take it from there," she smiled at her older friend then. "Thank you Kingsley, it means a lot to me" she hugged him and kissed his cheek before leaving. She was asked to leave for another mission immediately, so she just sent two letters – one to Oliver and one to Ginny and was gone. It was a short mission this time, Kingsley needed her here for the ball, after the debacle her absence had caused at the press conference he was not taking any more risks!
!
Hermione came back late on Thursday night and slept through Friday. Ginny woke her up at four for food and then the two dressed up for the ball.
The two girls walked down the stairs and Harry and Oliver immediately turned their heads towards them, their breathes caught in their throats. All the others had left already, with their dates or to fetch them at their homes. They were all to meet directly at the ministry in the ball room.
Ginny almost ran down the stairs, eyes looking only at Harry and went straight into his waiting arms for his lips. They kissed really quick, he looked deeply into her eyes and told her how beautiful she looked, held her hand and moved his gaze towards Hermione. "You too look breath taking Mione. Everyone at the ball are gonna eat their hearts out looking at you two." Hermione just gave him a small smile thanking him for the compliment. "I'll see you two in a bit at the ball." Nodding his head in Oliver's general direction, he left with Ginny for the apparition point, hand-in-hand.
As soon as the couple was out of sight, Hermione shifted her gaze towards Oliver. Boy, he cleans up well she thought and then smirked internally thinking what a vast understatement that was! In a formal wizarding robe, all in black, Oliver Wood was nothing short of drop dead gorgeous! She was sure she was going to have to come up with subtle ways to remind herself to breath every so often all through the evening if she was to survive it without passing out on the floor!
Smiling shyly, she looked up at him, about to speak, when her breath caught in her throat. He was regarding her in such a way. She didn't know how to describe it. His eyes were dark, darker than she had ever seen, and they seemed to reflect emotions she didn't know she could put names on. Oliver she gasped. That seemed to shake him off. The moment he stirred, the spell was broken and Hermione came crashing back to her senses. "Uhm…Shall we leave then? If you're ready that is" she stammered.
"In a moment" he replied. "I actually have something for you." Saying that he handed out a beautifully packed box to her.
"Oh! I can't take that. You didn't have to." Hermione exclaimed, eyeing the box wearily.
"I've bought it especially for you and I am not taking it back. Would you like to send back the first thing I've bought for you? Is that the story you want me tell all our kids and grandkids?"
"Kids….and grandkids…" Hermione's brows almost disappeared into her hairline.
"Yes! And trust you me, if you make me take it back, I will make sure to put it down in all the Wood family stories books for posterity to know!"
She laughed at that. The sound warmly washing all over him yet again. "Wood family stories books…..?" She cocked an eyebrow at that.
"Alright, I agree there no such thing like that yet. But if you do not accept my first ever gift to you, rest assured there will soon be a series of those, recording all your atrocities against me, for all of the future Woods to know," he threatened her lightly.
She knew she was going to have to accept it one way another now.
"Really, is it that difficult to accept a gift from your betrothed?"
"Uhm.. when you put it like that… No, I guess not."
"Good. That settles it then. You'll accept it graciously. Start calling me Oliver from now on. Thank me for the lovely present. Give me a big kiss for a good measure. And then we can leave for the ball."
For the second time that evening, her breath was caught in her throat. And she had been with him for less than 10 minutes! She could already see herself as a puddle at his feet at the ball. She looked up at him then and saw the mirth dancing at his lips and the laughter in his eyes. The cheek. Well, two could play this game she thought. "How about I give you two out of three," she offered all too innocently.
"Alright then, skip the thank you, call me Oliver and give me a big kiss" he deadpanned without stopping to think.
She turned scarlet at that. He knew it wasn't the thanking that had her reacting this way.
"Ok. So open up. The gift I mean. Have a look."
She looked at the gift box in her hand as if just realizing it was still there. She opened it with shaky fingers and saw a hand-woven black pashmina in it. It was beautiful, soft to touch and had small silver highlights all over it "It's beautiful," she breathed.
"I'm glad you liked it. It took me forever to find something for you. But the moment I saw this one I knew it was the one for you. It felt as soft as your skin when I touched it," his cheeks reddened over a little at this, though he quickly recovered. Still smiling naughtily at her again, "So time for my return gift I guess."
Hermione was sure her blush was going to be a permanent fixture on her!
"How 'bout I guide you through the process?" he offered, "Just say Oliver, walk over to me, kiss me and then we leave hand-in-hand and suffer through this damned ball together." Still looking at her intently, keeping his face studiously blank he tried again. "Come on Hermione. I swear it is not as difficult as you think. Or would you rather have our first kiss of the evening, in front of all those people and the paparazzi?"
It was not the mention of people and paparazzi but her name that did it for her. Her name. On his lips. She knew she was a goner. Slowly, taking one step at a time, keeping one foot in front of the other she walked towards him. She carefully looked up in to his eyes and saw them going dark. Dark and darker still. She softly gasped out "Oliver." She went on her toes, tilting her head back and placing a small hand on his chest and an arm around his neck, pulling him closer to her 5 foot 2 length, "Thank you for my lovely gift, Oliver," she whispered and then pecked him on his lips. She intended to keep the kiss chaste and simple but the minute she touched her lips to his, all her thoughts of chastity flew out the window. Heat spread through her and she found herself kissing him, nibbling his hard lips and sucking on them for her dear life. All her pent up feelings were expressed through that one kiss.
A wave washed over Oliver when Hermione ran her tongue on his lower lip silently asking him to open up. He almost stumbled back but held himself in check at the last minute when her tongue dueled his in his mouth. To say he was surprised was the biggest understatement of the year. His hands instinctively moved around her waist, spanning it as he held her flush against himself. He was fighting an inner battle to stop himself from pulling her closer to him and returning the kiss with fervor, making her beg to skip the ball and asking him to have his wicked way with her right then, right there. But he held on. He took whatever she gave but did not press for more. He did not want to scare her away by rushing into this too soon. He kissed her back but let her control the kiss. Finally, when he was sure he would break and take her with him, she slowly broke the kiss. They stayed like that together, holding on to each other for support, joined at the forehead just happy at that moment, craving for much more but content in what they had found, for the next few minutes.
"If that's the sort of thanks I am gonna get, I swear I am gonna get you many more gifts," he spoke after a long pause, still holding her close to him.
"Don't you dare," she shot back. They broke from their embrace and moved away from each other. She took a deep breath to shake herself out of her current predicament, draped her new pashmina on her shoulders and started walking towards the apparition point with him, hand-in-hand.