"Stop!"
The harsh command was followed without hesitation. She immediately dropped her trembling arm and pointed her wand to the floor. Her eyes closed and she prepared for the third lecture on how her stiff wrist was altering the spell's strength.
Draco sighed heavily in frustration and she listened to the clack of his shoes against stone as he crossed the few feet of empty space between them.
When the sounds of his approach stopped, she kept her eyes closed, not wanting to see the look of disappointment on his face. "I don't know what is wrong with me…"
It was a lie, of course. She knew the specific reason she couldn't relax and allow the fluidity needed to complete the motion correctly, much less prolong the time for her rushed searching. A second accidental romp through the cranky wizard's mind was highly probable if she accomplished her goal… And that was a particular horror show she didn't want to revisit. The tiny flashes as she searched for an adequate memory were sufficient.
"Let's try something different then… Starting stance."
She groaned her displeasure but did what she was told. Her arm raised from where it hung limply at her side and extended forward until her wand was pointed at an imaginary target. Once she was sure her form was perfect, she opened her eyes and stared at the spot he usually occupied.
"Keep your arm outstretched exactly like this or I will leave you to train with your little friends for a while." He instructed, using his index finger to lift her aim a few inches.
The new positioning put the slightest strain on her tricep indicating his definition of something different included corporal punishment. She risked glaring after him out of the corner of her eye when he moved behind her. If she didn't need to practice the practical application on a human mind she would have had no hesitation in telling him to fuck off…
"Think of it like kissing, pet." His voice was low as he stepped close enough for her to feel his body heat on her back but not touch her. "You can smash your lips together like depraved brutes..."
She felt his fingers brush the nape of her neck, right under where her slack ponytail sat. There was no warning before he slipped his fingers into the mass of tethered curls and clenched them in a fist. The modest tug that followed was to direct the tilting of her head into the pose he wanted, not cause her pain.
He kept his gaze on the tip of her wand, making sure she obeyed his direction to maintain the increasingly challenging arrangement he had purposely placed her in. When she was bent at an angle that allowed for him to lean over and claim her lips, he demonstrated his meaning ruthlessly.
Stiff, rushed, and wet- the inverted kiss was off-putting on its own but then his free hand snuck up and clawed at her breast through the crisp white fabric of her button-down. Hermione's response was automatic. A huff of discomfort was blown into her face as the elbow of her idle arm connected with his ribs and broke the awful incursion. Before he could notice her lapse, she quickly elevated her lowered wand back to the proper height.
Smirking down at her, he released the hold on her hair and continued on with his unorthodox lesson, "Or you can choose to be a bit more polished and go slow…"
Exhausted from overuse, the muscles in her shoulder and arm started to quiver in retaliation. She went to voice her aggravation over the unachievable task given to her but was distracted by the sensation of his silken lips on the skin of her exposed neck. Her complaints were quickly swallowed as her head rolled to the side to offer him better access.
He nipped at the tender flesh and earned himself a soft moan. Intent on making sure his lesson was understood, Draco sustained the delectable onslaught on her sensitive flesh until she was breathless from the effort to keep her eyes open and arm aloft. His palm settled on her stomach while his fingers began to fidget with the placket of her shirt.
Rendered useless by his brilliant caresses, she surrendered, letting her arm fall as she turned her head to press her lips to his. The hot breath from his amused chuckle brushed the stray hairs from her face and her questioning gaze shifted from his talented mouth up to the billowing storm that was found within his covetous stare.
"Do you see now? Sometimes being patient gives the reward easier than demanding it."
As soon as his lips claimed hers, she knew something was amiss. An uneasy feeling settled into the pit of her gut and she went to pull away to ask what was wrong but understanding promptly followed. She was dreaming. Reliving the memory of their latest Obliviation lesson, her overactive imagination had taken hold to play out the conclusion she had wanted… Instead of the rather rude smack on her behind that accompanied his parting words about not wasting his time and having fun with her rats.
Happy to oblige her perverse subconscious, Hermione didn't stop the dream version of her hero as he worked each button of her shirt open…
-\/- -\/- -\/- -\/- -\/- -\/- -\/- -\/- -\/- -\/-
Ginny's laughter filled the empty room as she stood in the fading sunlight. Framed by the fire of her waist-length tresses, she raised a suggestive eyebrow and teased, "Good Gods girl… No wonder Mystery Guy is willing to risk the wrath of a thousand snakes…"
"I told you to stop saying stuff like that!" Hermione whined, fanning at the immediate heat in her cheeks, "I don't want to be blushing and someone is going to end up walking in here!"
Her embarrassment at asking for help hadn't been adequate payment. Every single time that she had rearranged herself into the pose they had discussed the witch had to say something provocative to color her skin a bright red.
"You cast the enchantments yourself."
"Says the one who is not nearly naked! It isn't funny anymore, Ginny!"
"I have no clue what you're talking about. I find this whole thing hilarious."
"Just take the damned picture!" Her scolding was modulated. There was no reason to chance Kismet and somehow actualize her unfounded worries with the screeches she wished to use.
Ginny covered her strangled giggle by clearing her throat and lifted the antiquated camera from where it hung on the leathered strap. "Alright then, let's go. I still need to find Colin and trade the note for his key."
"How did you get Harry to agree to write 'Colin rules. Dennis drools.' and sign it?" She asked, hoping to distract the girl from another vulgar compliment as she slipped back into the calculated position.
Head tilted away from the window and towards her bare shoulder so the pile of teased curls behind her added to the little obscurity offered by the shadows that were cast on her face. Their uniform sweater, half-buttoned, pulled down and bunched at her pubic bone to shield the most secret part of her from view. Her left breast was on full display in the plunging neckline the tension on the gray fabric caused would have to be tempting enough. Back arched ever so slightly to embellish her curves and the only other adornment on her body. Tiny diamonds sparkled in the dying light, her locket had been returned to its newest owner and didn't need to be kept hidden from the sight of the intended viewer.
"I told him the truth. I owed Colin a solid and, technically, he didn't sign it." The correction was partnered with a quick wink before Ginny brought the camera up, focused the sight, and pressed down on the button. "He used his initials."
Hermione fought the impulse to roll her eyes and ruin the shot. She glanced up from the spot on the floor she had been staring at and looked directly into the camera, giving the harsh glass of the lens her best approximation of the sultry bedroom eyes she had seen on hundreds of magazine covers.
Over quicker than was warranted for all of the worry, preparation, and affectionate harassment she'd had to endure…
The other witch raised her finger after a few seconds, ignoring the thick puff of purple smoke that was belched from inside the device in her hands, and returned to their conversation, "Do you think he would write me a note saying 'Ginny is the moon, sun, and stars. The most perfect being to ever grace this world with her presence. While all of her brothers are big smelly dunderheads who will never measure up to her greatness.'? Or would that be pushing it too far?"
"You don't mean that." Hermione rebuked as she shifted the sweater so it covered as much of her body as possible.
"Harry said the same thing about Creevey. Must be an only child thing, I guess."
"Two things… One, are we taking another?"
"Oh, no! Go ahead and get dressed." Annoyed with the skeptical look given to her, Ginny continued. "You perfected the pose two jokes ago. You needed some heat behind those smolders so I provided it for you. You are welcome for that, by the way."
"You are absolutely sure?"
"Yes, but it doesn't matter, the agreement was one note for one frame."
"W…What?!" Her jaw dropped at the revelation.
"I didn't tell you because you would have reacted like this and never trusted me, or yourself." Ginny gestured at her mortified expression as evidence for the decision. "Breathe. You are gonna look like a fuckin' model. And I promise you, Mystery Guy will get the boner you are after. He is a boy… You could slobber all over your wand or something else nearly as foul and he would still stand at attention."
"I… You…" Justified anger at the omission was curbed by the sound logic surrounding her presumed reaction. Crass flattery notwithstanding, she decided to heed the advice and trust her friend. An outburst wouldn't change whatever had been captured on film. After taking the encouraged breath, Hermione made her way over to the table she had deposited her belongings on and began to dress.
"Second question?"
"What is an only child thing?"
"Not getting that your siblings are this weird combination of perfect saints who you have had the privilege to grow up with and horrid monsters who were crafted in the pits of Hades, specifically to torment you with years of teasing, practical jokes and so much whining about the witch of the day that it could make your ears bleed." The explanation came close to morphing into an intense rant at the end but Ginny huffed her frustration. "I can't blame Colin. Sometimes, when you are really pissed, having the ability to pull out the reminder that they are, in fact, slobbery goobers would be nice. Made even better if it is proof that your childhood hero agrees…"
Grateful for the excuse to stay quiet during the lengthy blustering, Hermione finished slipping her arms into the sleeves of her shirt before she had to respond, "Yes, I am sure the confidence booster is worth the risk of discovery by said siblings… Who are also friends or fans of said idol and would be devastated if they happened to read it."
"If they are snooping in your things they deserve the devastation."
"You know, I can remember these very awkward family dinners when I was younger." Her fingers worked the line of buttons closed as she told the short spontaneous parable. "My father's sister used to vehemently lecture my parents that I was going to end up being spoiled and selfish while my cousins bickered over the last roll in the background."
"At least we know who to thank for your bad habits then," Ginny's smile widened with her apparent epiphany. "...I knew your parents were too nice to have raised such a nag."
"We all have our faults."
"How objective of you."
"Why, thank you!" A responding smirk was all it took to ease what remained of the tension and they both started giggling.
Once she gained control of herself again, the other witch gave an exaggerated wink. "There is the gratitude I have been waiting for…"
"Puh-lease, I have done nothing but kiss your bum since you agreed to help."
"As you should, I have done the hard work for you. Including but not limited to acquiring the Holy Grail of personalized autographs for an extremely hesitant wizard to agree to let me borrow his most prized possession, have unsupervised access to his darkroom, and give step-by-step instructions on how to develop film." Oddly chipper for the massive weight upon her poor shoulders. Ginny ticked off the four examples on a corresponding finger.
Nodding along with each point as it was made, Hermione acknowledged the tremendous effort given but couldn't stop herself from interjecting as she slipped her shoes on. "Yes, you did. Whereas I was off rewriting your Charms essay from scratch and keeping Ronald preoccupied while you and Harry sneak away to suck face at every opportunity."
Unfazed, the witch skipped over and hooked arms with her. "Supportive friends, we are."
"Mmmm…"
"Dependable too." Ginny began to lead her towards the door.
"I would hope so."
"What about trustworthy?"
The inquiry slowed her guided advancement across the room. She concealed the hesitation by making a show of checking that the clasp on her bag was secure. "Of course."
"Then I wouldn't be mistaken in thinking that I have done enough to earn your forgiveness if I disregarded a boundary for a second?" Nervous for the answer to her guarded question, Ginny kicked at a notch in the stone floor. Her eyes were downcast on the blight in anticipation of a hurtful rebuff.
"Depends on which one… For example, as a Prefect, I would never forgive you if you snuck into the kitchens to swap out the Slytherin's deserts with their Snackbox equivalents. No matter how funny you think it would be." Despite her sudden nausea, she attempted to lighten the somber mood with bad humor.
"I know…"
"Good, if the house elves didn't catch you in the act, Pomfrey would figure it out and have you cleaning bedpans until you graduate." It was her turn to link arms and try to escort the immovable pillar her friend had become to the exit. A desperate and unsuccessful distraction from the harsh trajectory of the conversation.
"No, Hermione... I know that Mystery Guy is Malfoy."