Happy Friday, my freaky darlings. As tomorrow is a busy day for me, have your chapter early. I own nothing or things would be much, much different. Enjoy! Sleeping under the Northern Lights is a bucket list thing for me. Since my husband complains if the thermostat goes below 68, I have a feeling an ice hotel is out.
Chapter 4 Ice Hotels
Forty-five minutes later they checked in at Sorrisniva. "I have you booked for three nights in the Valkyrie suite. Tomorrow night you have the Reindeer and Sami Experience under the lights. Then the river boat ride on the morning of the 18th, followed by a spa appointment. We have you checking out on the 19th. Correct, ma'am?"
"Yes, thank you."
"Would you like to add dinner reservations on the 18th?"
When Hermione hesitated, Marcus replied, "Yes, please."
"Wonderful. If you will follow Henrik, he will show you where you can lock up your belongings."
After Henrik gave them personal space to secure things Marcus whispered, "Amazing translation charm, what is it on so I don't accidentally remove it?"
"The charm is on you. Your skin actually. Just has to be renewed every twenty-four days."
That is useful. Can you teach me?"
She blushed at his praise, "Certainly. It isn't that difficult."
"Thanks, so food?" he asked hopefully.
"Ah, the male appetite appears. This way." They returned to Henrik. "Best place to eat without reservations?"
They followed his directions to a local cafe in Alva. Marcus held the chair for her, gaining approving looks from older patrons. They ordered and waited for their food. Hermione played with her glass. She examined him through her eyelashes. Age softened his features. She suspected Pucey or Boles dragged him somewhere for manscaping as his eyebrows were separated. And his teeth were straighter. Not that she judged, or had the room to. She and Padma let Pavarti drag them to facials and her hair calmed down with a flattering haircut. And she had used magic to fix HER teeth. Fidgeting with the salt and pepper dispensers, she broke the silence. "Do you like being a hit wizard?"
"Absolutely. I hated having to stand back and watch everything. I like protecting people who can't protect themselves."
She nodded, "I understand. I felt similarly during the war. And in my job."
"What do your parents think about it?" he asked.
"They tell people I work with exploited beings. They travel a lot with their work. Which might be for the best. We live in different worlds."
"Mine pretend this is a phase I will grow out of. One morning I will wake up, quit my job, and join my father and brothers in business."
"What do they do?" she followed up.
"They manage two subsidiary companies for Malfoy Industries. They neither need nor really want my help, but it was expected."
"Heaven forbid you not do as expected," she said sarcastically.
"Right?" he laughed. They lapsed into silence as their food arrived. When conversation resumed they traded childhood tales before Hogwarts and their early years. "You're not quite the goody two-shoe rule follower Malfoy complained about are you?"
She chuckled, "You have no idea. He has no idea."
"I have to ask, the rumor about breaking into Gringott's?"
"Liberated a dragon to escape." She took a drink. "Goblins agreed to let bygones be bygones when we pointed out one of their own helped us and the item we removed was stolen in the first place and an abomination. But don't go telling anyone. They mostly let things drop to avoid the negative press."
"My lips are sealed," he promised. She beamed. He decided he wanted to see that expression more often directed at him. "Fancy a stroll before bed?" He wanted to stretch the evening out and keep enjoying the casual feeling between them.
She beamed again, "Sure."
They walked back to the taxi stand. Hermione reached out once or twice to take his hand but restrained herself. She thought he would wrap his arm around her at one point, so she tried to keep her body language open. They discussed the sights around them. Their light banter having a flirty edge in her opinion.
"Marcus?" a deep male voice called. Tensing, Marcus looked around and identified the speaker. "Marcus Flint, what are you doing in Alva?"
He eyed the tall blond man with annoyance. Not his least favorite person, but also not someone he wanted to see. "Johann, why are you in Alva?" he asked in greeting.
The other man laughed, "My grandparents wanted to see Eleanor for the holidays. So we came for a visit. You?"
Internally Marcus groaned, knowing the gossip wouldn't leave without details. "Staying at the ice hotel before a work trip."
"Aren't you going to introduce me to the famous Hermione Granger?"
"No." Marcus could hear the strain of annoyance in his voice. "Why would she want to meet you?" he added, hoping Hermione would pick up that it was Johann he was embarrassed about.
"Why wouldn't she want to meet your brother-in-law?" Johann countered. He paused for a moment, determining the proper avenue of attack to gain information. "Are you having a secret affair?" he widened his eyes dramatically. "Worried what your parents might do or say?"
"Hardly," Marcus rolled his eyes. "Furthermore you just called her famous. Most pureblood parents would give their eyeteeth to get their sons a shot with her." He glanced at her nervous he had put his foot in his mouth.
Hermione chuckled deep in her throat, the sultry sound going straight to his crotch. Using slinky movements, she tucked her arm in his. She leaned against him, "Only their eyeteeth? I'm slipping. Lucius Malfoy nearly offered me his wand arm to be seen in public with Draco."
He looked down at her. She raised her face and gazed adoringly at him. "I picked a body part, okay? You know what I mean. No one's getting disowned for dating you."
"Sure, but next time wand arm. Makes me sound more desirable," she batted her eyelashes at him.
"Minx, you know how desirable you are," he growled playfully.
"Do I?"
A cough drew their attention back to Johann. "I'll tell your sister and niece you said hello, shall I?"
Marcus shrugged, "If you like."
"Come round for dinner while you're here?"
"Unlikely, we have plans for both evenings then we're gone."
"To the enclave?" he asked eagerly. Marcus simply stared at him silently. "Right, off I pop."
Once his annoyance-in-law turned the corner, Marcus turned to Hermione, "I apologize. Johann is a huge gossip. I have no idea why my sister married him. No, I know why she married, I just don't know what she saw in him in the first place."
" Maybe he's great at sex," she suggested. "Eleanor is your niece?"
"Yes. Now, stop deflecting my apology, for both his interruption and insinuations."
She waved him off, "Rita Skeeter got people to believe worse when I was a 15-year-old nobody."
"Still, thank you for playing along."
"Who said I was playing?" She winked, kissed his cheek, and turned to hail a taxi. Before he finished processing the possibilities they were in the car headed for the hotel. Feeling bold and brave, she rested her hand on his thigh. She felt the muscle constrict, then relax. Slowly, she brushed her thumb back and forth. A sideways glance revealed he kept clenching and unclenching his fists, his hands occasionally jerking towards hers. Marcus groaned and shifted closer to the bench seat, moving her hand further up on his leg. He refused to look at her but placed his own hand on her thigh, the large appendage covering most of it. He rubbed along her outer thigh with this thumb. The driver continued describing the landmarks they passed, blissfully unaware of the tension building in his backseat. Back at the hotel, Hermione paid him, then took Marcus's hand. Quickly, they collected their night clothes and headed to their room.
Backlit pictures glowed where they were carved into the walls. Ice sculptures decorated the halls. Majestic reindeer pranced towards a hammer wielding Thor. In their room, a carving of a Norse warrior woman soaring over a field illuminated their room. Ice blocked created a box supporting a king size bed. Reindeer furs covered an extreme weather sleeping bag. Hermione looked at the double bag and began stammering an apology, "I am so sorry. When they said sleeping bags, I assumed we'd each be in one separately."
"A few warming charms and we'll be fine," he assured her. He stepped into the room and let the heavy furs drop over the opening forming the door.
"Not what I meant," she muttered under her breath. "Let's get changed, shall we?" she said louder. She silently cast a warming charm on her wool pajamas and swiftly changed her clothes. Her thick pajamas were spring green with fluffy sheep jumping over fences. She turned back to see Marcus examining them quizzically. "My dad's family goes camping in the winter at least once a year. His sister, my aunt, buys everyone silly pajamas."
"I like them. Tough, no nonsense, badass Hermione Granger wears fluffy animals to sleep." He stepped closer, running his hands down from her waist to the swell of her hips. "Soft, fluffy animals." Before she could retort, he lowered his lips to hers and silenced her with a kiss. She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck.
The seeping cold drew them apart. She shivered despite the warming charms. "It's getting cold in here."
"Wonder why?" He pressed his lips to her forehead. I'm not against more kissing, but would like to be a bit warmer." She tensed. "Don't worry. I don't have sex on the first date."
"You considered this a date?" she asked in a curious tone. She climbed up onto the bed and into the sleeping bag. He ensured the furs covered the bed before joining her.
"Not at first, it became a date when you kissed me and started playing with my leg." He pulled her closer. He pressed open-mouthed kisses along her neck. She
melted into his embrace mewing her approval of his ministrations. His hand roamed across her wool-clad torso. Slowly he moved back up and resumed kissing her soundly. His hand moved lower to stroke her center through her clothes. She arched her back, pushing against his hand.
She reached between them to rub his crotch. He started and she used his surprise to flip him over, laying on top of him, straddling his hips. She pressed down, grinding her groin against his. He raised his hips to match her movements. Later she would be horrified at how juvenile it all seemed, embarrassed at how quickly she allowed it to escalate. But in the moment she reveled in the feelings. The pleasure pulsing through her at the strong hands caressing her and the substantial hardness beneath her.
Marcus gripped her hips with both hands to urge her to move faster. He groaned when she complied. The suddenness of her orgasm took her by surprise. She threw her head back, panting. Before she could move, he stiffened below her moaning himself. She waved her hand cleaning both of them. She slumped to the mattress next to him still in the curve of his arms.
Sunshine glowed through the ice walls. Hermione woke as the little spoon. She smiled to herself and snuggled into the embrace. She didn't have to face her impulsive actions from last night just yet. She examined her feelings. No regrets, not for initiating and not for what happened. She might feel embarrassed about the juvenile snogging but preferred that to actual intercourse. She took a deep breath, determined to go back to sleep. Marcus tightened his drip on her.
When he felt her stir he expected her to get up and start toward the sauna. Instead, she snuggled back against him. Perhaps she would want to pretend last night never happened. Possibly she'd welcome a repeat performance. He realized she hadn't gone back to sleep when she took a deep breath. He steeled himself and spoke up before he could overthink things and lose his nerve, "Good morning."
Her eyes flew open, she tried to slow her racing heartbeat. "Good morning," she wondered if she should move away.
"Can we talk about last night?" he asked quietly.
"Sure," she tried to keep her voice level and neutral.
"I'll go first," he cringed, wishing he hadn't offered. He pushed forward, better to get it over with and know one way or the other. "Last night was near perfection from start to finish."
"Nearly?" she questioned.
"I could have done without seeing Johann, but everything with you I enjoyed immensely.
"Me, too," she heard the smile in her voice.
"I don't want this to be an isolated event," he admitted.
"I agree, but I don't do casual flings. I need an emotional connection. I want one," she whispered the last part, "with you."
Marcus tightened his arms around her, "I know this is technically a work trip for me, but I'm hoping we can begin exploring this." He held his breath.
"I think I would like that," she replied softly.
"Brilliant. With that goal in mind, let's get this day started." He released her and climbed out the bed. "The sauna to warm up and then breakfast?"
"Sounds good. Then some exploring and possibly some shopping, because while your niece comes to Norway mine does not."
"You have a niece? I thought you were an only child." He held her coat for her.
"I am. It is an honorary thing." She slipped her arms in and stepped forward.
He thought for a moment, "Wait, I thought Weasley has a boy?"
"Ron Weasley has a son. Bill and Fleur Weasley have a daughter, my goddaughter. Do you have others besides Eleanor?" she asked twisting the subject a bit.
"Yeah, my brother, Ethan, has two monsters with his wife, Gemma. And by monsters I mean wild hyperactive boys."
Are you the youngest?" she asked as they reached the sauna.
"No, my sister was home-schooled because of everything and married young." He looked briefly embarrassed. "She got herself in the family way and my parents are extremely traditional if you get my meaning. But, Johann is good to them. Delphine and Eleanor adore him, and he, them."
They parted ways briefly to remove their clothing. Hermione approved of the large towels that covered her modestly. They joined an older couple on the wooden benches, steam floating around the room. The other couple smiled welcoming, "Good morning, I'm Yelena and this is Askel, we're newlyweds," the women gushed.
"Congratulations," Hermione said.
"What about you two?" asked Askel.
Marcus spoke first, "We're honestly not sure. Taking it one day at a time."
Hermione nodded, "We're headed for a work conference and decided to mix business and pleasure for a few days while we figure it out."
Yelena and Askel insisted the younger couple join them for breakfast. Upon hearing they intended to collect souvenirs the older couple suggested several nearby shops. By lunch, they had pewter jewelry boxes for their nieces and model Viking ships for their nephews. Hermione bought one for Teddy and Hugo. Marcus remained silent, deciding not to ruin the trip by asking about complicated topics. She bought her parents a reindeer fur and a thick hand-knitted wool sweater for Harry. On an impulse, she got one for Marcus, too. The ministry might be compensating him, but she wanted to thank him never-the-less. They spent the day wandering where the whim took them.