The Meeting
by Ydream08
Chapter 7
While she lay awake, Hermione concentrated on the softness of her blanket which was so puffy and warm that its comfort on any other day would lull her into a slumber. Her room here in Hogwarts, the one adjacent to her office as a professor in the ancient school, was identical in furnishing to her old dorm in the Gryffindor Tower. With that long history, she would have thought the familiarity alone would ease her. However, her restlessness stemmed from something else altogether.
It wasn't about her constantly whirring mind questioning her position in the school as a professor, still feeling alien in those very shoes, especially now that the Board of Governors were questioning her eligibility.
Yeah, there was that, but Hermione has learned to sleep with those doubts skipping boisterously in her mind.
Tonight, a distinct tingling travelled up and down her body. One which Hermione had refused to entertain no matter its potency of having her wide awake the past hour.
Godric, her thighs have grown numb from squeezing them together!
Closing her eyes, Hermione listened to her own breaths and direly wished—oh, begged, for her mind to stay as black as possible.
His chest was firm against hers, his lips soft and his tongue very very wet.
The next moment, she was an onlooker who had come across that couple (which definitely included herself) on the sidewalk. She was intimately embraced by a tall dashing man, his arms were around her waist, and she was cupping his face to kiss him thoroughly.
Hermione gasped, opening her eyes immediately. Shite. A sweat trickled down her brow. She was getting too worked up by this. She shouldn't. She really shouldn't.
Reliving the kiss she shared with Corban Yaxley was nothing but a torture, considering that she had already sent the infamous letter to the man and had received his reply.
They were to meet tomorrow.
She would admit her attraction to him.
There was no chance for them, she knew, but Hermione would explain her situation in length to him and give him her only offer.
No marriage. Maybe a relationship. Definitely sex. No deadlines.
Since she knew he would not accept it, they would amicably part ways.
So, fantasising about the man or touching herself to the thought of him, was most definitely a catastrophic idea.
Hermione knew herself inside and out. Her little crushes were like snowballs rolling down a hill. It was better not to make the snowball in the first place (sadly, passed that chance) or act as the smart resourceful woman that she was by not hollering the damn thing down the highest of hills.
Unconsciously her hand left the blanket, and came to rest on her belly. Knowing it was a bad idea, but without strength of will, Hermione slipped her hand under her shirt.
Merlin! Her skin was smooth, hot and soft. It felt perfect that she couldn't resist moving—Imagine the release if she went further down!
Was she in the fertile days of her cycle? Damn her if she was.
But really, why was she denying herself again?
Oh, yeah, because of Corban fucking Yaxley.
Because the man was hell-bent on marrying, starting a family, and being all-around proper.
Surprising herself with the amount of distaste towards attributes she would in normal circumstances admire in a man, Hermione cursed at the vain joke of the universe.
On top of all those, did he have to be so handsome, mature, and fit?
With sharp eyes that met her every expression…
Thick hair so smooth in her hand…
His built stately and so very solid against hers…
And his conversational skills so very very much above most of her acquaintances!
He was almost perfect.
Hermione Granger did not enjoy everyone's company for over fifteen minutes, and passing a two-hour mark was telling.
She could talk to him for hours and would doubt her own coherency under his intent gaze!
Fuck. Her knickers were sticky. She could feel it between her legs…and oops—her hand had involuntarily searched down, and her fingers felt the wetness of the fabric.
Finally! Hermione whined at herself. What had taken her so long! Merlin curse it—denying herself this short happiness felt ridiculous now.
Pressing her palm flat under her knickers and pulling her shins closer to her bum, Hermione took one of her favourite positions. It was so easy to imagine him between her legs, his torso hovering above her with his heat enveloping her body all over.
Taking deep breaths, she arched her back and slided her camisole so that both breasts spilled to the sides. Clothed but revealed at the same time, she felt hot and sexy.
Oh there was one more trick: She wiggled her sleeping shorts down to her ankles but did not get out of them. Her blanket grazed her legs where it previously could not reach while the restriction of her shorts reminded her distinctly why she was in this position.
Only his eyes were absent.
She would have shivered under his slow deliberate leer.
Her breath quickened at the thought of him.
If anything, Corban Yaxley was a patient man and Hermione predicted he would not touch her until he saw her trembling. How long would she plead?
He would count her pleas. She wanted him to count them, so that he could remind her the amount later.
Her mind skipped some delicious minutes and suddenly she imagined herself on all fours, Yaxley teasing her cunt from behind, just when he strikes at her right arse cheek. It stings. "Six," his deep voice would crack.
She gasped—
Rising her hips, her fingers blindly dove into her folds, because damn her if she didn't remedy the clench in her abdomen.
The room was stuffy and blazed with heat. Tossing the blanket away, Hermione sighed at the evaporation of the sweat drenching her camisole.
She was cursory, her fingers were wet, and for once her impatience overpowered any finesse she could have mustered.
Her orgasm was taking so long, Godric help her!
Without Yaxley actually inside of her, she had to think of something else to get herself off the edge.
Groaning, she flipped over and jutted out her arse. It was harder to reach her cunt like this, her shoulder ached and arm tingled at the angle, but Hermione didn't care once she began to shake her hips.
Oh, Godric, in her imagination they would pick up the pace immediately—
"You're so beautiful," he would say. "So tight. So right. I can't help myself."
Hermione moaned. She thrusted her hips more fiercely. Pressed her fingers more urgently.
"Lovely. So fucking amazing," he would say and his hands would be everywhere.
Her breath caught, leaving her stiff and tense, just before a wash of coolness calmed her incomparably.
Finally!
Really, when was the last time she has done this? Why on earth has she given such a long break?
She dropped face down on the mattress, her arse still comically in the air and hand between her thighs.
In all honesty, she did not want to remove her hand before securing a napkin. Last thing she desired was making a mess, especially since she had already showered before retiring to bed tonight.
Whining at the technicalities and careful not to touch anything, Hermione managed to find strength in her limbs to drag herself to the bathroom. Her shorts that restricted her ankles posed a bit of a challenge but she managed.
When she was back in her bed again, her mind drifted to Mr Yaxley.
In a perfect world they would really be possible.
He was older, yes, but he was also accomplished, well-mannered and earnest. With how he invested in their conversations, she felt valued in his presence. Considering all of that, it was safe and smart to take a chance with him.
Hermione was positive that, in the case they did not work out, they would walk away cordially and with dignity. One of the many things Ronald Weasley and nearly all of her previous flirts had lacked. Thanks to that confidence, there was no guilt blemishing her heart as she finally surrendered to sleep with thoughts about him.
"Excuse me, madam," Corban Yaxley halted the first available person he came across. Propriety demanded he ask a man, but early afternoon was when men mostly worked, even those who were Muggles. And the neighbourhood happened to be exactly where they lived. Muggle London.
The Muggle woman was around his age, eyes pale blue, the sole colour against her all brown attire.
Her startelement for being addressed shifted into amusement, so Corban cleared his throat. Not wanting to give her any untoward idea, he decided to be quick in his inquiry.
"I'm looking for this bakery… Bright Biscuits, it's called. Do you happen to know its whereabouts?"
"Meeting a friend?" she suavely asked, but quickly proceeded to say, "It's not nearly one kilometre to the east, you'll see the sign at a red building. I'll be heading to the same street, if you'd like me to accompany you."
Salazar's balls were dry if this woman happened to be telling the truth! He had obstructed her path which had been in the opposite direction to his own where the bakery happened to be apparently.
Could the woman be making a move on him?
Not being accustomed to such forwardness, Corban stiffened. He had to extricate himself immediately out of this situation. In the recent past (besides the war and its following few years) there had been a few offers for him here and there, but they had been proper, formal, and easy to refuse.
He deliberately kept his voice polite. "Thank you, madam, for your instructions. I'm afraid I have to decline the kind offer. I'm in a hurry."
Bidding farewell with a crisp nod, Corban walked away in the direction of the bakery. Discreetly glimpsing over his shoulder, he noticed the woman walking a few paces behind. Hopefully, she had told the truth about her next stop, or her insistence of following him would be quite disconcerting.
The best course of action would be to overlook the woman, but to his dismay, she has walked close enough that holding the door for the lady would only be the polite thing to do.
Corban intentionally avoided her eyes and nodded to her in a final farewell. "Now excuse me."
He had spotted Ms Granger.
The young witch was at a two-seated table at the far corner of the bakery. Her caramel curls were haphazardly bound in a bun while a few strands escaped loose. Corban was familiar with Muggle fashion (thanks to his dear friend Dunmore) so he wasn't much pertuberated by Ms Granger's denim pants and high boots. She wore a mustard coloured jumper on top, which was a thick one for a cosy little bakery like this, even if it was the middle of February.
She looked gorgeous.
It was different from her professional look. Admittedly, Corban found her very desirable in skirts but like this there was an air of intimacy. He was aware not anyone would get to see her like this.
Maybe he should have dressed a tad more informal as well, so that he could match her, but Corban Yaxley was an old school man.
Clearing his throat, he removed his hat and coat before walking to Ms Granger.
Her eyes had been on him the moment he set foot in the bakery. She was excited, Corban could tell that easily.
"Ms Granger," he nodded, then reaching for the back of the chair across her, he said, "May I?"
"Of course!" She smiled fleetingly.
Corban caught her eyes glimpsing something over his shoulder. Slightly shifting to check what in the name of Merlin could she be seeking, Corban realised the Muggle woman whom he entered the bakery with must have piqued Ms Granger's attention.
Unsure of how to clarify that, Corban absentmindedly looked at their table. There were two cups of steaming tea and a large portion of French toast.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Ms Granger blurted out. "I already got us some tea and toast. They are under a Stasis charm, so please go ahead. Though, if you prefer coffee, I could…?"
And just like that, the unwanted little detail was out of the way.
Corban continued, "That's agreeable, thank you. I'm more of a tea person, anyway."
Ms Granger's smile brightened. "Are you? How do you take it? I didn't want to presume so…"
Corban reached for the milk to pour it himself. "Only a drop of milk. I used to drink with two spoons of sugar, but that was a long time ago."
"My parents never drank with sugar so never have I." Ms Granger shrugged. "They are -were- very strict about candies and chocolate and whatnot. They are -were- dentists. That's doctors for—"
"Teeth." Corban cut her. Maybe too eager to show he knew that.
Ms Granger's mouth hung slightly open in an "o".
"Oh, don't be so surprised," Corban chided her.
Ms Granger giggled. "Can't I?"
"Fine," Corban conceded, a smile on his lips too.
"Why aren't you taking any sugar?" she asked when she prepared herself a new cup of tea. Her with only milk too, but definitely much much more.
"It wasn't until my early thirties when I cut it. Desserts are fine, I only eat them occasionally. But drinking tea as I do? My Healer was adamant I quit adding any sugar. That or I had to exercise."
Ms Granger raised her eyebrows in disbelief. She took one careful look at him. "Surely, you must have done both?"
Corban chuckled. He has had thinner figures in the past (especially the two times he had recently gotten out of Azkaban) but the last five years that he has had to make-do without magic, he had developed a healthy routine for himself.
"I do love fresh air. Taking walks or occasionally jogging. I like the time it gives me with nature."
"I see." Ms Granger nodded. "I go around the castle now and then, too. Hogwarts has marvellous grounds, and sometimes the Forbidden Forest is the only place that I can go to avoid the students."
Corban grimaced in good-nature. Her comment did discourage him a bit, but… "Do you not enjoy children?"
Her sweet brown eyes popped open in genuine embarrassment. "Not like that! I mean, I don't always love them, and not all of them I must admit—but, you know, being a professor is a whole year's job. I don't even get to have an apartment for myself. It just gets so overwhelming sometimes."
"Surely, the Headmistress doesn't keep you from living somewhere else?"
Corban wasn't allowed to use the Floo-network, but surely, Ms Granger could solve her living situation with that simple option.
"Of course, not. But it's not practical. Not since I took on this whole 'new curriculum project'. There is so much workload after the class hours that I don't think I could manage an apartment on my own."
"I understand. Hopefully, you can soon make arrangements to your desires. The Board meetings will add up to a conclusion. If it is in the affirmative, you can request an assistant."
That halted Ms Granger. Corban had to blink again to make sure he wasn't imagining the look of pure enlightenment on her flushed face.
"That's a brilliant idea!" she shrieked. Her hands clapped near her mouth, which showed the biggest smile Corban has ever seen on her face. "Godric, why haven't I thought of that before!"
Corban smirked. The answer to that was easy. Even for him who has only seen this new Hermione Granger three times, today included.
"Because you clearly convinced yourself that you can handle it."
He sipped his tea mostly to freely watch Ms Granger purse her lips and scowl. Salazar! That was an expression too endearing to be made in public. He wanted to do something that demanded privacy.
"I can handle it," she said adamantly.
"You don't have to."
"I'm not incapable of—"
"I didn't say that. You don't have to." Corban refused his mirth to surface. Ms Granger wouldn't take kindly to his humour right now. "Use people. You are in a position of power. You have to learn to wield it. Don't ignore it."
Sensing that Ms Granger wouldn't reply soon, Corban picked a toast. When he had seen the time of their meet-up on the letter, he knew he would become hungry during it. He had hoped they would proceed to have dinner.
With that idea and in order to dissipate the mood, Corban decided to tease her. "I bet you'd love ordering an assistant around. You'd be good at it."
Corban saw the pink hue to her cheeks and she really looked away. He couldn't help but snigger.
"Though I warn you, don't hope to be as good as me," he challenged her, curious for her reaction.
"Oh, Minister of Education card?" Her lovely brown eyes were drawn back to him. She had the biggest smile on her wide-open mouth. "That's rich, mister. If you wanted to discuss the shortcomings of your department, you should have told so from the beginning."
"I. Would. Love. That," Corban drew out every word. He was finished with his toast. "But may I propose going to dinner for that?"
Already a restaurant in mind, Corban stood from his chair and wore his hat.
"Corba—Mr Yaxley?"
He did a double-take, and noticed then that Ms Granger had remained seated. For a long moment, Corban was rooted on his two feet, his coat over his arm and hat already worn. Ms Granger should join him. Stand up and take the crook of his arm. Maybe he could even be bold as reaching for her lower back to guide her outside.
Yet, Ms Granger did not move.
The pit of his stomach clawed up at his neck, squeezing his breath on the way.
"Please. Let's just sit for five more minutes," Ms Granger asked. She must be so brave to stare into his eyes like that, he thought. But there was no denying the fear flickering in the depths of her beautiful eyes. She was reserved. Scared. Apprehensive.
Corban scraped his chair back. To sit down, he had to remove his hat again. To anyone else, he would look like a bloody lunatic. Raving mad. It was humiliating.
He had a hunch it wouldn't become any better.
Dutifully, Corban removed his hat and sat. He collected his hand over the table and waited.
"I asked you..." she started and quickly dropped her gaze. Apparently not so brave anymore. "I asked you to meet me here, so that we could have a word. Last time you clearly said you were looking for someone to marry and start a family."
Corban didn't say anything. Was he supposed to? But Ms Granger wasn't continuing.
Silence made her look back at him. The oldest trick in the book, Corban knew. He didn't even need to plan that.
She looked to be in the throes of a dire dilemma.
Corban had to help her if he wanted anything to do with her. He wasn't a brainless twat.
"Yes, Hermione." He deliberately used her given-name to remind her of the exquisite dinner they had had. The one when she ended up snogging him like a woman parched with him as the water.
Had that meant nothing to her?
"Corban," she desperately uttered. "I'm not ready to marry. I'm not ready to date seriously either. I need to live my life. I want to enjoy my life. I deserve that, don't I?"
Corban didn't know what to say. Her eyes glistened with tears. He watched them drop down the contour of her face. If he reached and touched her cheek, she could easily break.
"You must try to understand me. My childhood wasn't an easy one. The war… It took a lot from me."
There was a veil in front of her eyes; Corban doubted she saw him. If she had, she would have heard his unsaid words: It stole from me too. More than you. Longer than you. And I'm left with so little while you have plenty to collect.
Hermione would understand. Corban sensed she would. Would they decide to learn more about each other, Corban felt she could.
But Ms Granger did not want to.
"This is not what I need right now," she whispered. Corban watched her eyes focus back to him. "I want to spend time with you."
Corban was startled. That's not how he imagined her to proceed. "Ms Granger?"
"Hermione."
"Ms Granger," he intentionally grounded out. "Are you hearing what you're saying?"
She nodded fiercely. "I want to see you. Meet with you. Have dinner. Go for a walk. Fly with a broomstick for all I care. But I can't promise you what you want from a relationship."
Corban held his breath. If he let himself speak, he would contradict her.
"I want you…" Ms Granger fidgeted in her seat. The flush of her cheeks deepened to a crimson all of a sudden. "I want to do more than snog you. But you don't want that either."
Corban wanted to shout at her that all he really wanted to do was 'to do more than snogging'.
Merlin's balls! His jaw hurt from clenching down too hard.
"It is your choice to make," Ms Granger finally confessed. "I'm aware of the outcomes. I'm honest. And I will respect whatever you decide to do."
The high-pitched noise in his ear was a sign that something had definitely snapped in his head. Corban Yaxley could not explain it otherwise, but he was sure of one thing.
His decision was crystal clear.
The story's follower number is interestingly at 69! Hahahaha. I love that.
Hope you enjoyed it.
Fingers crossed for what happens next!
xo