FIC: Seven Year Itch, 3/8 R
Aug. 23rd, 2006 11:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sparkysparkyTitle: Seven Year Itch
Pairing(s): Ron/Harry, Harry/Hermione, Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ron/Hermione
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sparkysparky
Rating: NC-17 (This chapter only PG)
Chapter: 3/8
Warnings: Highly graphic sex, het and slash, threesome, bondage, light D/s, spanking
Summary: Harry and Ron are happy. The sex is great. They've been in a committed, fulfilling relationship for years and see no need to change anything. Until they realize they've falled into a rut and need something to nudge them out of it. And then Hermione stumbles back into their lives. Fresh out of a painful divorce, she needs some comfort and excitement. When she seeks out her two best friends who she hasn't seen or spoken to in seven years, she gets more than she bargained for. They all do.
Disclaimer: I have to deal with the fact that these characters do not belong to me. *SOB*
Word Count: 3,580(8,980 approx. total)
Updates: Every Tuesday
A/N the 2nd: Sorry this is a night late!! I'm a lazy arse who spent yesterday at the beach and forgot to update when I got home! But...you got an extra 1,000 words out of me this time! So, YAY!
Previous Chapters: Memories Seven_Year_Itch
Hermione took a deep breath and pulled open the door to Paddy’s Pub. She’d never been here, but Harry swore it had the best fish and chips in the city. She looked around, liking what she saw. The booths were worn brown leather, and the lighting was dim, but the gleaming mahogany bar more than made up for the rest of the atmosphere. It smelled of Guinness and chips, and was so far removed from anything French it made her smile.
She stepped inside and scanned the pub. Her stomach was jittery and her palms were sweating and she had no idea why. It was just Harry and Ron, after all. Harry and Ron were the closest to brothers she’d ever had. She cringed. She’d never even kissed either of them, but for some reason, thinking of them as relatives seemed somehow…incestuous.
She stuffed her clamming hands into her trouser pockets and spotted a dark head of wild hair peeking out from above a booth way in the back. Smiling, she wove her wa through the front of the pub.
Ron saw her and his face lit up.
“Hermione!” He sprang from the table and enclosed her in a hug that should have, by all rights, crushed at least three of her ribs.
She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back, savoring the feel of sinew and muscle beneath a layer of well-worn cotton. He smelled like the outdoors, like wind and sun and rain. She caught sight of Harry who had slid out of the booth and now stood beside them.
He looked down at her and shook his head. He tapped Ron on the shoulder. “For Merlin’s sake, Ron, let her breathe. You’re crushing her ribs.”
Ron relaxed his embrace but kept one arm wrapped firmly around her waist. “Are you kidding? Hermione here’s a regular Amazon. I bet she could take us both with one arm tied behind her back.” He frowned down at her. “Right? I wasn’t hurting you, was I?”
She shook her head. “No, not at all. I needed a really good hug.” On the last word her voice cracked and she was mortified to realize she was fighting tears.
“Hey,” whispered Harry, reaching for her. “What’s wrong?” Then he put an arm around her shoulder, and Ron tightened his grip on her waist and that’s all it took.
The dam burst and tears flooded her eyes. A moment later she felt herself compressed between two warm, firm bodies, sobbing against Harry’s shoulder while Ron stroked her back and whispered soothing words in her ear.
She continued to cry, long and hard, far past what she’d imagined herself capable of. Or perhaps she just hadn’t realized how deeply her ex-husband had cut her, how lonely she’d actually been.
The more she tried to stop the tears, the harder she cried. She was beginning to think the well would never run dry when she heard Harry say over her head, “See? See what you did?”
“What? What the hell do I have to do with this?”
“Are you kidding? Every woman you’ve ever touched as ended up in tears at some point.”
“Oh, go on and pull the other one, Harry.”
“Face it mate, you’re cursed.”
“You bet I’m cursed. Cursed to have to put up with someone like you for a best mate.”
“Oh yeah. Here we go…”
In unison they said, “With friends like you, who the fuck need enemies?”
Hermione laughed, and gave them both a mighty shove. They moved back, but not far.
“See?” said Harry, his grin a poor mask for the concern that haunted his eyes. “I told you she was an Amazon.”
“Honestly, you two…” She shook her head and was startled ot feel Harry’s thumbs on her cheeks, brushing away the last of her tears.
“Better?” he asked.
Feeling more than a little self-conscious, she pushed his hand away and tried her best to smile. “Yes, I do. Other than the fact that I could eat a whole cow, I’m fine.”
Ron clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Great, that’s what I like to hear. So what do you say? Are you up for fish and chips greasy enough to clog your arteries for the next year?”
Feeling better than she had in months, Hermione smiled. “Sounds better than caviar and champagne to me.”
The two men nodded agreement as the motioned for her to snuggle back in the corner of the booth and waved down the nearest waitress.
***
Ron sat back in his chair and watched her. She was smiling and laughing now, no doubt thanks to his and Harry’s banter and antics. They’d very deliberately not asked her about the outburst, focusing instead on more happy topics.
Ron had related some of his more spectacular saves as Keeper for the Chudley Canons, and Harry had her laughing over some of Scrimgeour’s more ridiculous notions as Minister. They’d told her about Neville and Seamus’ shocking romance, and Dean’s wife and children. No mention was made of the War, or of their Hogwart’s days.
Harry hadn’t yet told her he wasn’t married to Ginny, and was in fact, involved with Ron. They’d agreed to wait until after dinner to make that announcement. They only hoped their relationship wouldn’t cause her to rethink rekindling their friendship. They’d both missed Hermione terribly, and wanted her in their lives.
Harry had just finished telling Hermione about Ron’s fan girls, most notably one Lavender Brown who had thought Love Potion #9 would cause Ron to forget all about his other fans and marry her. It hadn’t led to very auspicious conclusion.
Ron dropped his head on the table and moaned. “Oh, Merlin, please don’t bring that up again! The explosion when she threw it at me blew out half the field and they had to replace two sections of seats.”
Harry laughed and laid a comforting hand on Ron’s arm. “At least the Canons didn’t sue you for damages.”
“And that no one was seriously hurt,” Hermione added. Or at least, that’s what she assumed, since Harry was so amused by the whole incident. Neither Ron nor Harry said anything different, so she knew her assumption had been correct.
“They almost threw me off the team! If I hadn’t just won them the League Championship, I’m sure they would have! It was all very humiliating.”
Harry drained the last of his Guinness. “Humiliating perhaps, but it did make you a happy man for weeks afterward.”
Hermione leaned closer, put her head on Ron’s shoulder and batted her long, dark eyelashes. “Did the potion work, Ron? Did you fall in love with Lavender, despite the explosion?”
Ron moaned and dropped his head into his hands. “May I live to forget that awful time.”
Harry laughed. “I had to put up with weeks of ‘Wonnie-Kins’ and ‘Wuv yous’. It was all very painful.” In more ways than one, he added to himself. Though the potion had eventually worn off, those three weeks that Ron thought himself in love with Lavender were the some of the worst of Harry’s life. And that was saying something. “They dressed in matching outfits, Hermione. Burberry.” He shuddered comically, making Hermione laugh
“But you seem to have muddled through and come out alright,” Hermione said, kissing Ron on the top of head in sympathy.
“Barely,” Ron groaned.
Hermione turned to Harry and said, “So, I know the technicalities of Quidditch, but I don’t know much about your department in the Ministry. Tell me about it?”
Harry grinned. “Well, after the war I kind of drifted a bit, spent a lot of time on the couch in our living room, drinking beer and watching football, but it gave me a lot fo time to think. And one issue I kept coming back to over and over again was how we Muggleborns, or Muggle-raised as I was, were at such a disadvantage early on at Hogwarts. Not so much, you, Hermione, since you were so clever and had memorized the entire history of Hogwarts by the time school began, but people like Justin Finch-Fletchy and the Creevy brothers, and me, we were kind of left to flounder the first few months at school. There was so much day-to-day details that we didn’t have a clue about, that it left us at a clear disadvantage later on in classes.” Harry paused to take a drink of his Guinness. “So, I drafted a proposal to the Minister out-lining my concerns for the next generation, so to speak, and he agreed to give me ten years to prove that educating Muggleborn wizards and their families would lead to higher integration of those wizards into Wizarding society after Hogwarts.”
Hermione looked thoughtful. “So, you randomly chose some Muggleborns to participate, or contacted everyone on the Hogwarts registry would start and finish Hogwarts within ten years?”
Harry smiled. “I actually chose a random sample of students from the Muggleborns who would be in their 1st year at Hogwarts two years after the start of my program, so they would take their NEWTS at the end of the 9th year and have one full year as fully-trained Wizards before I have to present my findings to the Wizengamot.” Harry finished off his Guinness and motioned for Ron to order another round. “So, now the program is in its sixth year, and the findings have been so promising I’ve gotten the Minister to agree to implement a Muggle Education Program, where each Muggleborn wizard’s family is paired with a Wizarding family to guide them through our world, and to teach them our customs. I’ve also gotten the Board of Governors to make Muggle Studies a required class for all purebloods and half-bloods starting this school year. It should be interesting.”
Hermione’s eyes couldn’t possibly have gotten any larger. She just stared at him in wonder, eyes wide open and unblinking, the warm amber color searing him down to his soul. Harry felt himself being drawn to her in a way that he hadn’t thought possible. He’d always thought she had one of the most beautiful women; mind, body and soul; he’d ever encountered, but he’d never really felt attracted to her in any sexual sense of the word. The new sensation surprised him, threw him off balance and he had to fight to ignore it.
“Harry, that all sounds wonderful! I’m so proud of you,” Hermione exclaimed. “Hopefully with more education, some of the prejudices against Muggles will disappear.”
“That’s what I hope. Time will tell,” Harry agreed, trying to push his newfound attraction for her to the back of his mind.
“I really don’t think you could ever tell me anything that would surprise and please me more than this. I was so afraid you’d never get past the war, and to find that you’ve found a way to turn something ugly into something so wonderful make me so happy.” She threw her arms around him, the position slightly awkward as she had to lean halfway across the table to reach him.
“So, what about you, Hermione?” asked Ron, his voice soft and compelling. “What happed in Paris that has you so tied up in knots?”
Hermione stared at her beer, lifted it to her lips and then set it back down on the table. “My husband did his very best to destroy every aspect of my life, and nearly succeeded.” Hermione forced her voice to stay level as she continued, “Emotionally, intellectually, financially, you name it, and he did it. He did everything but screw around on me.” She laughed, but it was edgy, nervous. “Hell, at least that I would have known how to deal with.”
Ron and Harry remained silent, waiting for her to finish the story in her own time.
She took a large swallow of beer and, her eyes trained on the glass, continued. “We worked for the French Ministry of Magic. We’d both been advanced rapidly through our Departments and had, I thought, a lot in common. We were both in charm development and research, and had known each other professionally for several years before he began hinting at a more personal relationship. I thought we were well suited, and he was attractive, so I accepted when he asked me to dinner one night. In hindsight, I’d say our marriage was more of a business partnership than a romantic attachment, but I thought we dealt well together and could have a real future. But,” she drained the last of her beer, “what I didn’t realize was that he was presenting my research as his own, and when the chance for promotion to Head of the Department came, he made it look as if I was piggybacking on his work and not pulling my weight. I couldn’t prove that he was the one stealing my research and his lie got me fired.”
Ron and Harry moved to either side of Hermione, cuddling her between them. “Oh, Hermione, I’m so sorry,” Harry murmered into her hair, Ron nodding his agreement.
“That, of course, was the end of our marriage, and of my career. He later confessed that he’d only married me to get access to my personal research, and that being married to a cold fish had been torture.” Hermione’s voice broke finally, and she squeezed her eyes tightly to avoid spilling any tears.
Harry leaned forward. “I know people,” he whispered. “You know…people who don’t mind bending rules a little to…”
Ron leaned in and joined the conspiracy. “Yeah. You know…” he shot a covert glance at the table next to them, “People who can take care of this ex husband of yours.”
Harry waggled his eyebrows. “We could have someone clean it up without ever pointing a finger in your direction.”
Hermione laughed and the mood instantly lightened. “You two are so full of it.”
“Maybe,” Ron said through a grin. “But we’re cute as hell.”
Hermione looked at him, and then shifted her gaze to Harry. “I have to agree with you there. You two look great.” Her gaze shifted back to Ron. “Really, really great.”
Ron preened. “You hear that, Harry? She wants me.”
“Actually,” said Harry, “I think she wants me.”
Hermione grinned. “I want both of you. Always have, you know. Always will.” She grabbed the check. “But I guess I’ll just have to satisfy myself with buying you dinner.”
“Hey!” Harry tried to snatch the check out of her fingers, but she held it close.
“My treat,” she insisted. “The least a damsel in distress can do is feed her white knights.”
“Well,” said Ron, “when you put it that way…”
A few moments later the trip stepped out into an uncommonly warm spring evening. Although the lights of the city disguised the night sky, a soft, warm breeze toyed with their hair. Hermione looked so beautiful, her face lit by the streetlight and her eyes brimming with something Ron hoped was happiness.
They walked to the corner, heading for the nearest Underground station. “Are you okay to get back to your hotel?” Ron asked. “Because if not…”
“Can I stay with one of you?” Hermione clapped her hands across her mouth and took a step back. “Oh, damn. I can’t believe that just came out of my mouth. I’m so sorry.”
“Hermione—“
“It’s just that when I walked into that hotel room it felt so cold and empty and I am so tired of being alone. Even when I was married I felt so alone, you know? Somehow over the years he just got so cold and distant, and I didn’t know what to do about it. I just gave up and after a while it we even stopped have sex and—“ Tears brimmed in her eyes again and her cheeks grew red with a blush. “And I can’t believe I just told you two that.”
“Hermione, it’s okay,” Harry said, reaching for her.
She took a step back. “No, it’s not. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“Yes you should have.” Ron glanced at Harry. “It’s just…”
Harry finished for him. “We have something to tell you.”
“I should go back to the hotel.”
“No,” insisted Harry, his voice more forceful than Ron had heard since the war. “No, you shouldn’t. We’d just like a minute to talk it over, okay?”
She took a deep breath, galced from Harry to Ron and nodded. “Okay. I should go back in and use the toilet anyway. So…” she nodded again. “I’ll be right back.” And with that she retraced their steps back to the pub and disappeared inside. Only when the pub door had closed did the two men relax.
“Fuck,” Ron swore.
“Exactly. What do you think?” asked Harry.
“I think she needs us,” Ron replied.
“I know that, you berk. And I want to help but…” Harry leaned against the lamppost they were standing under, shoved his hands in his pockets. “But if she stays with us, we’re going to have to tell her the truth. And I’m afraid…with all she’s been through; if we tell her we’re together it might be too much for her.”
“Harry, you’ve always treated her like she was breakable, and that woman is made of steel. She’s stronger than you think.”
“And she’s more vulnerable than you think.”
“She can handle it.”
Harry glanced back toward the pub. “Maybe she can.” He looked back at Ron. “But can we?”
Ron wet his lips. “What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean. She wasn’t kidding when she said she wants us.” He leaned in close to Ron and whispered. “And thing is, we want her too.”
Ron closed his eyes. “I know. I felt it, but I wasn’t sure you did.”
“Oh, yeah. I felt it. It was like that missing piece finally fell into place.”
“Exactly.”
Harry moved closer to Ron, so that mere inches separated their bodies. Ron’s heart started hammering in his chest. Harry’s lips were brushing against Ron’s throat, and Ron shivered when Harry whispered, “The thing is, I’m wondering if it’s such a bad idea.”
Ron hooked a thumb inside the waistband of Harry’s denims, breathed in the unique scent of Harry and power and springtime. “What do you mean?”
“We’re bored, Ron. We need some shaking up. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed it, haven’t felt it.”
He hadn’t. Not really. But now, hearing Harry say it, he knew it was true. “Yeah,” he admitted, “I guess I did.”
Harry pulled back a little, just far enough to be able to look up and meet Ron’s eyes. “And maybe this is exactly the kind of shaking up we need.”
“Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?”
“You know I am.”
“And what if it’s not what she needs?”
“I think it is.”
“But what if it’s not?”
“All we can do is ask.”
“But first we have to tell her.”
Something flickered in Harry’s eyes. ‘I think I have a way around that.” And then he brought their lips together in a fiery kiss.
***
Hermione stepped out of the pup and started down the street to the corner where she’d left Ron and Harry. She could see the two of them standing close together, Ron leaning against a lamppost and Harry in front of him. They were deeply absorbed in conversation. They stood close, very close. Almost too close. There was something about them. Something about the way they—
She stopped dead in her tracks and watched in stunned silence as Harry pressed himself against Ron and did the unthinkable. Harry kissed Ron.
He leaned up and covered Ron’s mouth with his own and kissed him hard. Open-mouthed, their lips melded together and broke apart, came together again. Tongues warred and teeth clashed. Harry plastered himself to Ron’s front, and Ron’s hands came down and gripped Harry’s ass possessively. Harry feverishly ran his hands over Ron’s shoulders, into his deep red hair, and finally fisted in Ron’s shirt.
It was a provocative sight. To see two men, silhouetted in lamplight—two broad shouldered, narrow waisted men—locked in such a passionate exchange was…arousing.
She stumbled backward. This was Harry and Ron. These were her closest friends. Tow men she had known for over half her life, had shared so much with and now…now this?
She took a step closer to them and shouted, “You bastards! You complete bastards!” And then, her cheeks damp with tears once again—she turned and fled.
***
Harry and Ron broke apart as if Hermione had slapped them.
“Shit.”
Ron slammed a hand against Harry’s chest. “Nice going, genius.”
“You’re the one who said she was made of steel.”
“Made of steel, you idiot. Not solid fucking stone.”
“I just thought—“ Harry growled low in his throat. “Shouldn’t we go after her?”
“Yeah, we should.” And with that Ron sprinted off down the street.
Harry waited only a heartbeat before taking off after them.
Sneak Peak of Next Week:
Hermione ran until her lungs burned. She ran past quaint boutiques and antique shops, darted beneath wrought iron streetlamps and swerved around strolling pedestrians. Her thighs began to tighten and a cramp took root in her side. But still she pushed on. Rage was a powerful motivator.
“Hermione! For Merlin’s sake, stop!”
It was Ron, and she had no doubt he was gaining on her. She pushed harder.
Pairing(s): Ron/Harry, Harry/Hermione, Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ron/Hermione
Author:
sparkysparkyRating: NC-17 (This chapter only PG)
Chapter: 3/8
Warnings: Highly graphic sex, het and slash, threesome, bondage, light D/s, spanking
Summary: Harry and Ron are happy. The sex is great. They've been in a committed, fulfilling relationship for years and see no need to change anything. Until they realize they've falled into a rut and need something to nudge them out of it. And then Hermione stumbles back into their lives. Fresh out of a painful divorce, she needs some comfort and excitement. When she seeks out her two best friends who she hasn't seen or spoken to in seven years, she gets more than she bargained for. They all do.
Disclaimer: I have to deal with the fact that these characters do not belong to me. *SOB*
Word Count: 3,580(8,980 approx. total)
Updates: Every Tuesday
A/N the 2nd: Sorry this is a night late!! I'm a lazy arse who spent yesterday at the beach and forgot to update when I got home! But...you got an extra 1,000 words out of me this time! So, YAY!
Previous Chapters: Memories Seven_Year_Itch
Hermione took a deep breath and pulled open the door to Paddy’s Pub. She’d never been here, but Harry swore it had the best fish and chips in the city. She looked around, liking what she saw. The booths were worn brown leather, and the lighting was dim, but the gleaming mahogany bar more than made up for the rest of the atmosphere. It smelled of Guinness and chips, and was so far removed from anything French it made her smile.
She stepped inside and scanned the pub. Her stomach was jittery and her palms were sweating and she had no idea why. It was just Harry and Ron, after all. Harry and Ron were the closest to brothers she’d ever had. She cringed. She’d never even kissed either of them, but for some reason, thinking of them as relatives seemed somehow…incestuous.
She stuffed her clamming hands into her trouser pockets and spotted a dark head of wild hair peeking out from above a booth way in the back. Smiling, she wove her wa through the front of the pub.
Ron saw her and his face lit up.
“Hermione!” He sprang from the table and enclosed her in a hug that should have, by all rights, crushed at least three of her ribs.
She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back, savoring the feel of sinew and muscle beneath a layer of well-worn cotton. He smelled like the outdoors, like wind and sun and rain. She caught sight of Harry who had slid out of the booth and now stood beside them.
He looked down at her and shook his head. He tapped Ron on the shoulder. “For Merlin’s sake, Ron, let her breathe. You’re crushing her ribs.”
Ron relaxed his embrace but kept one arm wrapped firmly around her waist. “Are you kidding? Hermione here’s a regular Amazon. I bet she could take us both with one arm tied behind her back.” He frowned down at her. “Right? I wasn’t hurting you, was I?”
She shook her head. “No, not at all. I needed a really good hug.” On the last word her voice cracked and she was mortified to realize she was fighting tears.
“Hey,” whispered Harry, reaching for her. “What’s wrong?” Then he put an arm around her shoulder, and Ron tightened his grip on her waist and that’s all it took.
The dam burst and tears flooded her eyes. A moment later she felt herself compressed between two warm, firm bodies, sobbing against Harry’s shoulder while Ron stroked her back and whispered soothing words in her ear.
She continued to cry, long and hard, far past what she’d imagined herself capable of. Or perhaps she just hadn’t realized how deeply her ex-husband had cut her, how lonely she’d actually been.
The more she tried to stop the tears, the harder she cried. She was beginning to think the well would never run dry when she heard Harry say over her head, “See? See what you did?”
“What? What the hell do I have to do with this?”
“Are you kidding? Every woman you’ve ever touched as ended up in tears at some point.”
“Oh, go on and pull the other one, Harry.”
“Face it mate, you’re cursed.”
“You bet I’m cursed. Cursed to have to put up with someone like you for a best mate.”
“Oh yeah. Here we go…”
In unison they said, “With friends like you, who the fuck need enemies?”
Hermione laughed, and gave them both a mighty shove. They moved back, but not far.
“See?” said Harry, his grin a poor mask for the concern that haunted his eyes. “I told you she was an Amazon.”
“Honestly, you two…” She shook her head and was startled ot feel Harry’s thumbs on her cheeks, brushing away the last of her tears.
“Better?” he asked.
Feeling more than a little self-conscious, she pushed his hand away and tried her best to smile. “Yes, I do. Other than the fact that I could eat a whole cow, I’m fine.”
Ron clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Great, that’s what I like to hear. So what do you say? Are you up for fish and chips greasy enough to clog your arteries for the next year?”
Feeling better than she had in months, Hermione smiled. “Sounds better than caviar and champagne to me.”
The two men nodded agreement as the motioned for her to snuggle back in the corner of the booth and waved down the nearest waitress.
Ron sat back in his chair and watched her. She was smiling and laughing now, no doubt thanks to his and Harry’s banter and antics. They’d very deliberately not asked her about the outburst, focusing instead on more happy topics.
Ron had related some of his more spectacular saves as Keeper for the Chudley Canons, and Harry had her laughing over some of Scrimgeour’s more ridiculous notions as Minister. They’d told her about Neville and Seamus’ shocking romance, and Dean’s wife and children. No mention was made of the War, or of their Hogwart’s days.
Harry hadn’t yet told her he wasn’t married to Ginny, and was in fact, involved with Ron. They’d agreed to wait until after dinner to make that announcement. They only hoped their relationship wouldn’t cause her to rethink rekindling their friendship. They’d both missed Hermione terribly, and wanted her in their lives.
Harry had just finished telling Hermione about Ron’s fan girls, most notably one Lavender Brown who had thought Love Potion #9 would cause Ron to forget all about his other fans and marry her. It hadn’t led to very auspicious conclusion.
Ron dropped his head on the table and moaned. “Oh, Merlin, please don’t bring that up again! The explosion when she threw it at me blew out half the field and they had to replace two sections of seats.”
Harry laughed and laid a comforting hand on Ron’s arm. “At least the Canons didn’t sue you for damages.”
“And that no one was seriously hurt,” Hermione added. Or at least, that’s what she assumed, since Harry was so amused by the whole incident. Neither Ron nor Harry said anything different, so she knew her assumption had been correct.
“They almost threw me off the team! If I hadn’t just won them the League Championship, I’m sure they would have! It was all very humiliating.”
Harry drained the last of his Guinness. “Humiliating perhaps, but it did make you a happy man for weeks afterward.”
Hermione leaned closer, put her head on Ron’s shoulder and batted her long, dark eyelashes. “Did the potion work, Ron? Did you fall in love with Lavender, despite the explosion?”
Ron moaned and dropped his head into his hands. “May I live to forget that awful time.”
Harry laughed. “I had to put up with weeks of ‘Wonnie-Kins’ and ‘Wuv yous’. It was all very painful.” In more ways than one, he added to himself. Though the potion had eventually worn off, those three weeks that Ron thought himself in love with Lavender were the some of the worst of Harry’s life. And that was saying something. “They dressed in matching outfits, Hermione. Burberry.” He shuddered comically, making Hermione laugh
“But you seem to have muddled through and come out alright,” Hermione said, kissing Ron on the top of head in sympathy.
“Barely,” Ron groaned.
Hermione turned to Harry and said, “So, I know the technicalities of Quidditch, but I don’t know much about your department in the Ministry. Tell me about it?”
Harry grinned. “Well, after the war I kind of drifted a bit, spent a lot of time on the couch in our living room, drinking beer and watching football, but it gave me a lot fo time to think. And one issue I kept coming back to over and over again was how we Muggleborns, or Muggle-raised as I was, were at such a disadvantage early on at Hogwarts. Not so much, you, Hermione, since you were so clever and had memorized the entire history of Hogwarts by the time school began, but people like Justin Finch-Fletchy and the Creevy brothers, and me, we were kind of left to flounder the first few months at school. There was so much day-to-day details that we didn’t have a clue about, that it left us at a clear disadvantage later on in classes.” Harry paused to take a drink of his Guinness. “So, I drafted a proposal to the Minister out-lining my concerns for the next generation, so to speak, and he agreed to give me ten years to prove that educating Muggleborn wizards and their families would lead to higher integration of those wizards into Wizarding society after Hogwarts.”
Hermione looked thoughtful. “So, you randomly chose some Muggleborns to participate, or contacted everyone on the Hogwarts registry would start and finish Hogwarts within ten years?”
Harry smiled. “I actually chose a random sample of students from the Muggleborns who would be in their 1st year at Hogwarts two years after the start of my program, so they would take their NEWTS at the end of the 9th year and have one full year as fully-trained Wizards before I have to present my findings to the Wizengamot.” Harry finished off his Guinness and motioned for Ron to order another round. “So, now the program is in its sixth year, and the findings have been so promising I’ve gotten the Minister to agree to implement a Muggle Education Program, where each Muggleborn wizard’s family is paired with a Wizarding family to guide them through our world, and to teach them our customs. I’ve also gotten the Board of Governors to make Muggle Studies a required class for all purebloods and half-bloods starting this school year. It should be interesting.”
Hermione’s eyes couldn’t possibly have gotten any larger. She just stared at him in wonder, eyes wide open and unblinking, the warm amber color searing him down to his soul. Harry felt himself being drawn to her in a way that he hadn’t thought possible. He’d always thought she had one of the most beautiful women; mind, body and soul; he’d ever encountered, but he’d never really felt attracted to her in any sexual sense of the word. The new sensation surprised him, threw him off balance and he had to fight to ignore it.
“Harry, that all sounds wonderful! I’m so proud of you,” Hermione exclaimed. “Hopefully with more education, some of the prejudices against Muggles will disappear.”
“That’s what I hope. Time will tell,” Harry agreed, trying to push his newfound attraction for her to the back of his mind.
“I really don’t think you could ever tell me anything that would surprise and please me more than this. I was so afraid you’d never get past the war, and to find that you’ve found a way to turn something ugly into something so wonderful make me so happy.” She threw her arms around him, the position slightly awkward as she had to lean halfway across the table to reach him.
“So, what about you, Hermione?” asked Ron, his voice soft and compelling. “What happed in Paris that has you so tied up in knots?”
Hermione stared at her beer, lifted it to her lips and then set it back down on the table. “My husband did his very best to destroy every aspect of my life, and nearly succeeded.” Hermione forced her voice to stay level as she continued, “Emotionally, intellectually, financially, you name it, and he did it. He did everything but screw around on me.” She laughed, but it was edgy, nervous. “Hell, at least that I would have known how to deal with.”
Ron and Harry remained silent, waiting for her to finish the story in her own time.
She took a large swallow of beer and, her eyes trained on the glass, continued. “We worked for the French Ministry of Magic. We’d both been advanced rapidly through our Departments and had, I thought, a lot in common. We were both in charm development and research, and had known each other professionally for several years before he began hinting at a more personal relationship. I thought we were well suited, and he was attractive, so I accepted when he asked me to dinner one night. In hindsight, I’d say our marriage was more of a business partnership than a romantic attachment, but I thought we dealt well together and could have a real future. But,” she drained the last of her beer, “what I didn’t realize was that he was presenting my research as his own, and when the chance for promotion to Head of the Department came, he made it look as if I was piggybacking on his work and not pulling my weight. I couldn’t prove that he was the one stealing my research and his lie got me fired.”
Ron and Harry moved to either side of Hermione, cuddling her between them. “Oh, Hermione, I’m so sorry,” Harry murmered into her hair, Ron nodding his agreement.
“That, of course, was the end of our marriage, and of my career. He later confessed that he’d only married me to get access to my personal research, and that being married to a cold fish had been torture.” Hermione’s voice broke finally, and she squeezed her eyes tightly to avoid spilling any tears.
Harry leaned forward. “I know people,” he whispered. “You know…people who don’t mind bending rules a little to…”
Ron leaned in and joined the conspiracy. “Yeah. You know…” he shot a covert glance at the table next to them, “People who can take care of this ex husband of yours.”
Harry waggled his eyebrows. “We could have someone clean it up without ever pointing a finger in your direction.”
Hermione laughed and the mood instantly lightened. “You two are so full of it.”
“Maybe,” Ron said through a grin. “But we’re cute as hell.”
Hermione looked at him, and then shifted her gaze to Harry. “I have to agree with you there. You two look great.” Her gaze shifted back to Ron. “Really, really great.”
Ron preened. “You hear that, Harry? She wants me.”
“Actually,” said Harry, “I think she wants me.”
Hermione grinned. “I want both of you. Always have, you know. Always will.” She grabbed the check. “But I guess I’ll just have to satisfy myself with buying you dinner.”
“Hey!” Harry tried to snatch the check out of her fingers, but she held it close.
“My treat,” she insisted. “The least a damsel in distress can do is feed her white knights.”
“Well,” said Ron, “when you put it that way…”
A few moments later the trip stepped out into an uncommonly warm spring evening. Although the lights of the city disguised the night sky, a soft, warm breeze toyed with their hair. Hermione looked so beautiful, her face lit by the streetlight and her eyes brimming with something Ron hoped was happiness.
They walked to the corner, heading for the nearest Underground station. “Are you okay to get back to your hotel?” Ron asked. “Because if not…”
“Can I stay with one of you?” Hermione clapped her hands across her mouth and took a step back. “Oh, damn. I can’t believe that just came out of my mouth. I’m so sorry.”
“Hermione—“
“It’s just that when I walked into that hotel room it felt so cold and empty and I am so tired of being alone. Even when I was married I felt so alone, you know? Somehow over the years he just got so cold and distant, and I didn’t know what to do about it. I just gave up and after a while it we even stopped have sex and—“ Tears brimmed in her eyes again and her cheeks grew red with a blush. “And I can’t believe I just told you two that.”
“Hermione, it’s okay,” Harry said, reaching for her.
She took a step back. “No, it’s not. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“Yes you should have.” Ron glanced at Harry. “It’s just…”
Harry finished for him. “We have something to tell you.”
“I should go back to the hotel.”
“No,” insisted Harry, his voice more forceful than Ron had heard since the war. “No, you shouldn’t. We’d just like a minute to talk it over, okay?”
She took a deep breath, galced from Harry to Ron and nodded. “Okay. I should go back in and use the toilet anyway. So…” she nodded again. “I’ll be right back.” And with that she retraced their steps back to the pub and disappeared inside. Only when the pub door had closed did the two men relax.
“Fuck,” Ron swore.
“Exactly. What do you think?” asked Harry.
“I think she needs us,” Ron replied.
“I know that, you berk. And I want to help but…” Harry leaned against the lamppost they were standing under, shoved his hands in his pockets. “But if she stays with us, we’re going to have to tell her the truth. And I’m afraid…with all she’s been through; if we tell her we’re together it might be too much for her.”
“Harry, you’ve always treated her like she was breakable, and that woman is made of steel. She’s stronger than you think.”
“And she’s more vulnerable than you think.”
“She can handle it.”
Harry glanced back toward the pub. “Maybe she can.” He looked back at Ron. “But can we?”
Ron wet his lips. “What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean. She wasn’t kidding when she said she wants us.” He leaned in close to Ron and whispered. “And thing is, we want her too.”
Ron closed his eyes. “I know. I felt it, but I wasn’t sure you did.”
“Oh, yeah. I felt it. It was like that missing piece finally fell into place.”
“Exactly.”
Harry moved closer to Ron, so that mere inches separated their bodies. Ron’s heart started hammering in his chest. Harry’s lips were brushing against Ron’s throat, and Ron shivered when Harry whispered, “The thing is, I’m wondering if it’s such a bad idea.”
Ron hooked a thumb inside the waistband of Harry’s denims, breathed in the unique scent of Harry and power and springtime. “What do you mean?”
“We’re bored, Ron. We need some shaking up. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed it, haven’t felt it.”
He hadn’t. Not really. But now, hearing Harry say it, he knew it was true. “Yeah,” he admitted, “I guess I did.”
Harry pulled back a little, just far enough to be able to look up and meet Ron’s eyes. “And maybe this is exactly the kind of shaking up we need.”
“Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?”
“You know I am.”
“And what if it’s not what she needs?”
“I think it is.”
“But what if it’s not?”
“All we can do is ask.”
“But first we have to tell her.”
Something flickered in Harry’s eyes. ‘I think I have a way around that.” And then he brought their lips together in a fiery kiss.
Hermione stepped out of the pup and started down the street to the corner where she’d left Ron and Harry. She could see the two of them standing close together, Ron leaning against a lamppost and Harry in front of him. They were deeply absorbed in conversation. They stood close, very close. Almost too close. There was something about them. Something about the way they—
She stopped dead in her tracks and watched in stunned silence as Harry pressed himself against Ron and did the unthinkable. Harry kissed Ron.
He leaned up and covered Ron’s mouth with his own and kissed him hard. Open-mouthed, their lips melded together and broke apart, came together again. Tongues warred and teeth clashed. Harry plastered himself to Ron’s front, and Ron’s hands came down and gripped Harry’s ass possessively. Harry feverishly ran his hands over Ron’s shoulders, into his deep red hair, and finally fisted in Ron’s shirt.
It was a provocative sight. To see two men, silhouetted in lamplight—two broad shouldered, narrow waisted men—locked in such a passionate exchange was…arousing.
She stumbled backward. This was Harry and Ron. These were her closest friends. Tow men she had known for over half her life, had shared so much with and now…now this?
She took a step closer to them and shouted, “You bastards! You complete bastards!” And then, her cheeks damp with tears once again—she turned and fled.
Harry and Ron broke apart as if Hermione had slapped them.
“Shit.”
Ron slammed a hand against Harry’s chest. “Nice going, genius.”
“You’re the one who said she was made of steel.”
“Made of steel, you idiot. Not solid fucking stone.”
“I just thought—“ Harry growled low in his throat. “Shouldn’t we go after her?”
“Yeah, we should.” And with that Ron sprinted off down the street.
Harry waited only a heartbeat before taking off after them.
Sneak Peak of Next Week:
Hermione ran until her lungs burned. She ran past quaint boutiques and antique shops, darted beneath wrought iron streetlamps and swerved around strolling pedestrians. Her thighs began to tighten and a cramp took root in her side. But still she pushed on. Rage was a powerful motivator.
“Hermione! For Merlin’s sake, stop!”
It was Ron, and she had no doubt he was gaining on her. She pushed harder.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-24 06:50 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-26 03:49 pm (UTC)I'm really enjoying this!
Date: 2006-08-24 11:16 am (UTC)It was just Harry and Ron, after all. Harry and Ron were the closest to brothers she’d ever had. She cringed. She’d never even kissed either of them, but for some reason, thinking of them as relatives seemed somehow…incestuous.
I'm a bit confused about who called Hermione an Amazon, though.
Re: I'm really enjoying this!
Date: 2006-08-26 03:50 pm (UTC)Great icon! lol
Re: I'm really enjoying this!
Date: 2006-08-26 03:54 pm (UTC)Glad you like that icon.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-24 01:57 pm (UTC)But the characterizations you have going are great. Harry and Ron's nervousness, their protectiveness and Hermione's uncertainty.
Can't wait for next week.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-26 03:50 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-24 04:45 pm (UTC)That is utterly terrifying!!!!!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-26 03:51 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-25 12:48 am (UTC)The missing piece--right in the middle...Perfect!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-26 03:51 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-27 06:41 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-31 11:50 pm (UTC)Seven Year Itch
Date: 2006-09-14 01:00 am (UTC)Just read this off of 'Table For Three'. When are you going to update?
I love it!
LouHQ
9/13/06
Re: Seven Year Itch
Date: 2006-09-14 04:03 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-09-14 05:10 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-09-26 04:59 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-03 02:59 am (UTC)This chapter was great as I said; I really liked the way they start looking at each other in a new and more mature fashion. I also really liked your choice in depicting Hermione’s response to seeing the boys kiss. My best friend is gay and I’ve known that forever, but when I turned round one day to see him devouring the face of one of our mutual friends it was a real shock to the system. It was real life slash playing out in front of me but it was someone who was as close as a brother. I couldn’t deal with it and just fled. I could really relate to Hermione in this scene, I think if you had just had her walk up to them and all three slip off to have a merry threesome it wouldn’t have been plausible.
Hope to see more of this fic soon, as I’m really enjoying it. I just started college again so I can understand the pressures of the beginning of the semester. Hope the gods of fanfic free up some writing time for you soon so all us loyal fangirls can get out fix!
Thanks again for talking to time to share this awesome story!