Chapter Fourteen
It was hardly the first time in Hermione's life that a truly loud and upsetting argument with a man was interrupted by a kiss. A couple of her ex-boyfriends discovered quickly in the past that when she was in the middle of a tirade there was a very effective method to getting her to shut up. The same move would also work when she was anxious and unable to stop babbling. She used to find it patronizing even as she willingly allowed it to happen. Usually what came after the unexpected kiss was a great deal more fun than obsessing over something she likely had no control over in the first place and couldn't hope to change.
Whether Igor was aware that that was a helpful tactic or he just wanted to see what it felt like to kiss her, she had no idea. Likely it wasn't ever going to be a question she asked. Even as she tried to convince herself she wished he would keep his soft lips to himself, she knew that a part of her would be insulted and hurt to find out he only wanted to make her stop ranting.
Of course she'd been curious to know what it would be like to kiss the wizard. If she was honest with herself, something she tried to be under ordinary circumstances, she'd been curious the first night they met. Even as he had already begun annoying her nearly to tears, she hadn't missed how full his lips were, how attractive his mouth was. He looked like a man one would enjoy kissing. As it had been a long time since she could remember being with someone like that, she'd been interested. The added benefit of being unable to whinge about paradise while his tongue was in her mouth was also not discounted. She would be willing to make the sacrifice if only to save her ears and her frayed patience.
Igor possessed more confidence in his kiss than should have been legally allowed by law. It truly wasn't fair that he was as handsome as he was and still could kiss like that. When he set his mind to do something, he made certain that he gave it his all. She didn't struggle against him. No, never even once considered pushing him away and demanding that he stop. If he was using the kiss as a way to distract from the fact that he had made a terrible error that could've ended badly for both of them, for the immediate present she would allow it.
He loosened his grip on her wrists enough that she was able to pull them back entirely. For a brief moment his body tensed as he waited for the onslaught to resume. When it didn't happen and she actually leaned even further into the kiss, a deep groan from the back of his throat interrupted the near silence of their hotel room. His empty hands went straight to her arse to pull her entire body against his. There was no escape. He could no longer hide the ferocity of his desire for her when she could feel it pressing against her stomach. She had to smile even with his mouth attached to hers knowing the effect she had on the man.
Sometimes a woman just needed to know she was desired. It didn't always have to be a big production or even the perfect man. Truthfully, she didn't even have to always like the one involved. But, as Hermione slid her hands around his neck and through the dark waves she'd secretly been wanting to touch since the night they met, she had to admit that she didn't dislike him all that much anyway. He could even be a lot of fun to pester and annoy when she got him riled up. Perhaps not the healthiest of reasons to seek out another person's affections, but as she didn't expect anything to happen once they left that room and returned to reality, what did it matter if she indulged in a harmless fantasy?
Being dead hadn't robbed the man of the ability to kiss and leave his partner hungry for more. Was that what he did all day long in the damned paradise he could never shut up about? He claimed that he was losing his memories the longer he was alive again, but what if that was a lie he told just to keep from having to admit the truth? She almost wished she had asked him more questions about what it was like being dead. It was odd the thoughts that came into her mind when she kissed him.
Maybe she should have pushed him away when he kissed her for the first time. Emotions were high. After finding the flat ransacked and their mutual worry about Crookshanks, it wasn't exactly a shock that they weren't thinking clearly. When the haze and fog of that night cleared in the morning, they would be embarrassed, ashamed that they couldn't control their own actions. Or so she assumed.
There was something undeniable between them. Was that why they were constantly at the other's throats? Why neither of them wanted to admit their true feelings? If nothing else, they had physical chemistry. Hardly any effort was needed at all once the kiss began to escalate the experience.
Later she would probably be annoyed with herself that she was the first one to reach for the buttons on his shirt. There could be no denying that she was the one to initiate the removal of their clothes. Would he hold that against her later? Mock her and irritate her until she grew angry enough to curse him right in the middle of his beautiful face? Probably. But as she uncovered each bit of his flesh with the undoing of each button, she discovered she didn't care all that much.
Igor only removed his roaming hands from her body to assist in pulling his arms out of the sleeves. Once the garment was drifting to the floor in a puddle of fabric, he was touching her again, behaving as if he was trying to memorize the outline of her body through touch alone. She had no complaints. Every brush of even her clothed skin resulted in goosebumps she couldn't deny or ignore. A shiver went up her spine that had nothing to do with the temperature in the room.
There was no talking. Maybe they both subconsciously thought speaking would ruin the moment. Certainly it was easier to convince herself that they were doing nothing wrong when she had her eyes closed and the only sounds she could hear were their heavy breathing and the smack of their lips against each other. No doubt if he spoke he would annoy her enough to push him away. He was an intelligent enough man to know when he should remain as silent as possible.
Only when the dress she'd worn to the Ministry that day fell to her ankles did Hermione realize the wizard had a purpose for his hands. She didn't even feel the zipper being lowered until it was far too late to order him to stop. Not that she would. Not for a single second. She had already begun the mistake. What was the harm in fully committing it? Knowing his quest was to get her naked, she helped by stepping out of her shoes. His cheeky grin against her lips forced one of her own. Damn it all, but she wasn't hating what was happening.
Left wearing only her underclothes and her stockings, Hermione was all but pushed back onto the only bed in the hotel room. Usually she would be horrified at the very thought of touching the linens in such an establishment without casting at least fourteen different kinds of scourgifies. Hotel rooms weren't exactly known for being the most hygienic and sanitary of places. Feeling Igor lay his firm, muscular body on top of hers robbed her of any of those thoughts.
She gasped when she felt the bare skin of his chest press against hers. Even though there was still a thin layer of lace and cotton keeping her breasts covered, the touch was still quite intimate. Far more intimate than she ever expected to allow when it came to him. In the back of her mind, she could finally hear that little, quiet voice telling her that she needed to stop before she let it go any further. They were treading on dangerous territory. There would be no going back to what life was like before that night. Was it worth it for a few minutes of pleasure she would likely come to regret?
Feeling Igor's sinful mouth close around one of her nipples convinced her it was. She'd been too busy trying to ignore his conscience to realize he was trailing his lips down her neck and chest. A simple tug on the garment that she wished was a little sexier and not quite so utilitarian removed all barrier. How had he managed to unhook it behind her back without her realizing it too? The man was full of surprises.
"Maybe we… oh."
A flick of his tongue was all that was required to get her to stop the last of her feeble resistance. Not that it was likely to have been all that successful anyway. It wasn't as if she didn't want what was happening. No, she very much did. If she could finally start being honest with herself, she'd wanted it since long before she saw him standing in the kitchen without his shirt on. Possibly even from the moment she first saw him whether she wanted to admit that or not. There was something about him that she couldn't help but desire.
He reduced her to nothing but incoherent moans. Would he have tried that sooner if he knew the effect it would have? How many times had he complained about her talking too much and wishing he could find some way to shut her up? Well, he'd discovered it. And if he wanted to, she might even be willing to allow him to use what he learned again in the future. Except not in the middle of an argument she was winning. Probably.
A little whine of disappointment came out of her involuntarily when the wicked wizard stopped his licking and suckling. He'd been so thorough and careful to lavish each breast with an equal amount of attention she didn't want him to stop. She opened her eyes to see him smirking. Oh, he was definitely going to bring that up later to shame her and tease her. It was almost enough to make her push him away with a hateful remark. If he hadn't kissed her stomach and hooked his thumbs inside her knickers to pull them down seconds later, she might have.
It should have shamed her at least a tiny amount to know that she lay on the bed in the strange Muggle hotel room without a single stitch of clothing on while her unwanted houseguest stood at the foot staring. Not one to relish the idea of exhibitionism no matter how much her ex-boyfriend tried to convince her that there was nothing more exciting than engaging in intimate acts in public places where they could potentially get caught, she possessed a sense of modesty that apparently went out the window where Igor was concerned. The predatory gaze he looked her naked body up and down with was enough to make her forget all of her insecurities and fears about her own body. She was far from frightened by what was going to come next.
Before he returned to the bed, the wizard removed the rest of his clothing. They would be equals. Rarely had she witnessed a man rip his own clothes off his body that quickly. If that wasn't a compliment, she didn't know what one was. So was the obvious effect she had on his body. She couldn't stop the pleased smirk that appeared on her own face when he stood in front of her with nothing at all to cover up. Any other lover she might have been tempted to make some sort of remark about how impressive and big he was. While she certainly felt that way about him too, she couldn't form the words. Likely he would think any sort of kind comment wouldn't be serious or that she was taking the time to mock him or tease him. Once more she knew that words probably weren't the best option in that situation.
Soon it didn't even matter. She wouldn't have been able to form a coherent sentence or phrase if her very life depended on it. Kissing wasn't the only talent the man possessed with his mouth. It had been a surprise when he didn't immediately climb on the bed to cram his cock inside her. If asked before that night what sort of lover she thought he would be, she never would've guessed that he would be more interested in giving pleasure than receiving. He didn't seem the type. Of course even as she could do nothing but gasp at the feel of his tongue sliding confidently up and down her most private of places, she had to admit that she didn't really know him.
"Oh… uhh… fuck."
If she'd been able to open her eyes in the midst of the onslaught of wicked pleasure, she would've seen the humor in his blue eyes. He was very much enjoying every second he had her reduced to nothing but babbles and sounds that weren't actually words. Her first heavy moan excited him enough to moan too. She thought she would die at the feel of the vibration of his mouth against her. Another one immediately followed.
She could never be sure how long the wizard who claimed to despise the very ground she walked on kept up his sinful exploration with his tongue and lips. Long enough that she couldn't even think. He paid close attention to the touches and actions that made her squirm and pant the hardest. If he was intent on torturing her to death with his face between her thighs, she wouldn't have minded. There were worse ways to go.
A scream tore through her throat that caught her entirely by surprise. Igor tightened his arms around her hips and kept his tongue thoroughly engaged through the whole trembling process. She couldn't recall the last time she came that hard or even if she had. That was not something she was prepared to admit to the man. His head was already far too big as it was.
Unable to do much of anything with the last tremors subsided, Hermione just lay there trying to catch her breath. Igor's soft chuckling should have annoyed her. Any other day it would've. Even just a few hours earlier. She supposed that he was allowed the right to laugh after what he just did. It was a small price to pay for seeing stars in her vision and being unable to move.
Igor was the sort of wizard who went straight after what he wanted. It was an admirable trait in most. With all of the confidence she used to think he had no right to possess, he squeezed underneath her thighs to gently pry them apart again. One determined thrust connected them fully. While she gasped at the welcome intrusion, she didn't miss how low he moaned and how he had to close his eyes. She knew what it looked like when a man was satisfied with what they discovered. He had no complaints. Just like she wouldn't admit he possessed a skilled tongue out of fear he would tease her about it later, he offered no flowery compliments about how amazing she felt. No, he didn't want her to hold that over his head later. Funny how much she learned about the frustrating man in just a few weeks.
They had chemistry. There was no denying it. From the first roll of the hips, both of them were lost in the pleasures of the moment. It no longer mattered that their partner could annoy them faster than anyone else in creation. Only animal instincts existed in that bed and then later on the floor when they had a rather inelegant tumble to the carpet. Biting, scratching, fucking, that's all it was. Just an itch to be dealt with and nothing more.
Eventually even the most determined and athletic of animals ran out of energy. She'd tried to keep count of the number of times the wizard made her come, but it was too impossible to think that hard. Usually she was unable to experience even one unless she was with a partner who had learned her body well. How was it so different with him?
Reality came crashing down when she woke up in the late hours of the night. Thoroughly exhausted by his impressive performance, Igor lay on the pillow next to hers lost to his dreamworld. Without him touching her, she could no longer forget her worries. What was going to happen next? They had gone too far.
"How are you even awake right now? I thought I did a better job than that."
Hermione fought the urge to roll her eyes when she heard Igor's sleepy voice break through the silence. His eyes were open and he didn't looked pleased by that change.
"I'm wondering what's going to happen next. When we leave here, what do we do?"
He sighed as he sat up. It was evidently a conversation he felt they needed to have fully awake. She tugged the sheet up underneath her arms to cover her up and sat up too.
"We could always wait until the morning to have this conversation."
There was no reason to argue with him. He was right. Why she felt the need to disturb the peace of the night with something they couldn't control and could worry about later, she didn't know. It was in her nature, she supposed.
"But, I know you won't be able to sleep until we talk about it."
It was a little annoying how well he had come to know her too.
"My flat isn't safe anymore. Whoever was in there could easily come back again."
She hated the thought of abandoning her home. While Igor might have continued to have problems with where she lived, she loved it. Few places had ever made her feel so secure and comfortable. Knowing that it had been violated was difficult to process.
"We don't have to run. We could return in the morning, strengthen the wards so no one can get in again, and stay."
"I would think that you would look for any excuse you could to leave my hovel."
The corner of his mouth twitched like he wanted to smile. Just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. In its place was an expression that could only be described as shame and embarrassment.
"I used to run in the past. A lot. Far more than I should have. I regret it."
Hermione knew it wasn't easy for him to admit something so personal. He cleared his throat and seemed a little more confident.
"I have a second chance at life. Maybe this time I can not be a coward."
If she had anything to say in response to his statement, she wouldn't have been able to say it. Perhaps as a way to keep their conversation from traveling down paths he wasn't ready to yet, Igor kissed her again. All thoughts were pushed from her head except for one. With her hand on his chest, she gently pushed him away.
"Just because I let you kiss me and we… well, I just don't want you to get the wrong impression, Igor. I still don't think we're soulmates."
His handsome face split into a wide grin and he chuckled.
"Neither do I."
He pulled her back to his lips to kiss her. Their night was far from over.