Escape
Hello
I've waited here for you
Everlong
Tonight
I throw myself into
And out of the red, out of her head she sang
Come down
And waste away with me
Down with me
Slow how
You wanted it to be
I'm over my head, out of her head she sang
And I wonder
When I sing along with you
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I'll ever ask of you
You've got to promise not to stop when I say when
She sang
(Everlong-Foo Fighters)
~*~
She turned to look at him, a look of pain and longing on her face. "Thank you," she said softly. The sky was turning orangey-purple with the evening sun and the first of the crickets began to chirp. She was so close to him.
"You're welcome," his voice was low and husky. Hermione had to get out of there before she did something really stupid. Like re-enact their night together. And oh, did she want that so badly. To feel his arms around her, his hands roaming over her body, his weight over hers.
Oh God, she wanted him.
Harry felt it. The line between being friends with Hermione to being…something else. It was frightening, scary and intimidating. But oh so tempting. It beckoned and called him and he stepped to the line.
"Harry? Hermione?" Tonks called out.
Damn it!
Hermione looked up at him, the hint of a promise in her eyes as well as fear. She stepped away from him. Please don't he pleaded silently with her but his face mirrored his confusion inside him.
"Oh here you are," she said. By now, Hermione was a safe distance away from him but the looks of anguish were plain on their faces. "Mundungus is here," she said, oblivious to the teens, "he wants to have a look at Ron and that mirror."
"I don't want to go if you're going to wake him up again," Hermione rubbed her arms. "I can't stand it when he calls me names."
"You don't have to," Harry said softly. "I'll be with him."
He finally broke the look between the two of them to leave her in the garden and Hermione released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She sank to the ground and quickly wiped away the tears that spilled down her cheeks. God, why did it hurt so bad to want someone so much?
Dinner wasn't that great either. Tonks kept her company while everyone else was upstairs with Ron. She couldn't eat, it felt as if something violent wanted to jump out of her stomach.
"He'll be okay," Tonks said gently, placing a hand on hers. "We'll find a way to get Ron back."
After dinner she sought solace in the library but she could hear shouting coming from Ron's room whenever they ennerverated him. She couldn't concentrate so she took some books and went to her room.
~*~
Nothing.
Moody couldn't figure out a way to get Voldemort out of Ron or to destroy the mirror. A well placed hex on the object bounced back and hit Moody and he swore violently as Voldemort-Ron laughed derisively.
Harry stunned Ron yet again. He was getting tired of this and to be honest, his mind was elsewhere, wandering over new-found and mildly distressing thoughts about his female best friend.
"We'll try again tomorrow," Lupin said reassuringly as everyone filed out to leave. Madame Pomfrey fussed over Mundugus' injury while Molly sniffled sadly with her husband out of the door.
"Are you coming Harry?" Lupin asked.
"No, I'll just sit here a moment," he replied.
Lupin nodded and left the room, leaving Harry alone with Ron. He rested his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward and rubbed his hands together. Sighing he got up and scooted his chair next to the bed.
"I could really use your help right now, mate," Harry said to him. "You could beat some sense into me." He sighed and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "I don't know what she's doing to me. Well, you probably do but, merlin, she's really, really…something."
Remus came back in after awhile and told him he would watch over Ron. Harry reluctantly left his friend's side and walked out into the hallway. He walked upstairs to the next landing, passing by Hermione's room. He paused a moment but forced himself to walk past. He couldn't face her right now and besides, there wasn't a light under the door.
Hermione lay on the bed awake and listening to Harry pause outside her door before he walked by. Don't get up. Don't go after him. Leave him alone! She sighed heavily and rolled on her back, staring up at the ceiling above her. Her heart pounded in her chest and she summoned up her courage to sit up and get out of bed.
The wood of the floor was cold underneath her bare feet and she shivered slightly as she opened the door and walked out into the hall. There was a faint light under the door, probably from Harry's bedside lamp. She knocked softly on his door and waited.
Harry knew who it was and he hesitated to answer it. Opening that door would open a can of worms that he wasn't sure he really wanted to open. But he was always a glutton for punishment and he turned the knob to reveal Hermione on the other side, still dressed in her purple shirt and jeans.
The first feeling that went through her was dread. Oh, what was she thinking coming here? She was probably disturbing him. Harry could see her hesitancy and knew that at any moment she was going to turn and run. Before she could, he reached out for her and took her hand as he led her into his room, closing the door behind her.
The kiss wasn't gentle or tentative.
It was raw and consuming as he reached out for her, bringing her flush against his body, his hands tangling in her hair as he cradled her head. He demanded entrance into her mouth and he was rewarded with the delicious taste of it. She was his lifeboat in this swirling sea of emotions of late. Any protests he had were shoved to the back of his mind as he relished in the feel of her pressed against him.
Hermione's hands tangled in his hair, pressing and holding his face close to hers. His hands radiated warmth through the fabric of her blouse. And, oh, he tasted wonderful! Her mouth left his to kiss his neck, feeling the slightly rough stubble beneath her lips. When did he grow from the scrawny insecure boy to the young man that was currently pressing her back against the wall with his hands on her waist? She let out a soft moan when Harry reciprocated her affection, placing soft kisses just below her jaw as his fingers deftly began to undo the lowest button on her shirt.
Slowly, he made his way up her shirt, feeling the warmth of her skin a breadth away from his fingers. After he undid the last one, Hermione reached up for him, placing a gentle hand behind his head to press his lips to hers. He let out a contented sigh as he slightly parted her shirt and slid his hands around the bare skin of her waist to her back. She purred contentedly as they moved from her back to her front, resting just beneath the fabric of her bra.
His thumbs brushed over the lacy fabric, over the nubs of her nipples eliciting a moan from her lips. He moved her from the wall and walked her backward, kissing her until the backs of her knees hit the edge of his bed. She broke the kiss to scoot backwards onto the mattress, pulling the shirt over her shoulders and off of her body. Harry climbed up after her, wrapping his arms around her to unhook her bra as she wrapped her arms around him.
His touch set fire wherever they fell on her and Hermione burned it into her memory. His lips left hers to trace the path of his fingers as he slid the strap of her bra off her shoulder, repeating the action on the other side until he took the front of the wonderful garment and slid it completely off her body. Hermione's hands immediately went to the hem of his grey t-shirt, lifting it over his head. It caught on his glasses and Hermione, seductively, bit her lower lip as she reached up and gently took them off his face. He groaned softly at her action, yanking the t-shirt over his head and tumbling with her onto the soft mattress.
The feel of his bare skin against hers sent more blood rushing to his loins and he kissed her neck feverishly as his knee parted her thighs. Once again, he maneuvered himself between them and pressed himself against her. Hermione sighed at the contact and Harry ran a hand from her waist up her side, his thumb brushing against the swell of her breast and continuing up to her arm then her hand where he found his glasses. He took them from her hand and she kissed his neck, running her hands up and down his back in slow repetitions. With his glasses in hand, he reached over and placed them on his nightstand. His eyes fell on the picture he kept there of the three of them taken at Hogwarts during their first year, so young and innocent then. Harry could hardly believe that the same bushy haired little girl in the picture was the same one that he had underneath him. He reached over and put the picture face down before returning to Hermione with renewed zest.
She moaned when his lips fell on her nipple, gently sucking and tugging on it. His hand reached for her other breast, caressing it gently before switching over to lavish attention on it. As she arched her chest into him, Harry slid his hands under her back, using the new leverage to grind harder against her. He needed to feel her again and his hands moved to the button of her jeans, undoing it and sliding the zipper down.
Hermione lifted her hips as Harry tugged her jeans over her hips and down her legs. The more she was revealed to him, the more his desire for her flared. The pink and white fabric triangle led to her smooth and creamy legs that ended in delicate feet with toenails painted red. It drove Harry mad. He shuffled back up to meet her lips, his hand that rested briefly on her hip for leverage once again made its way underneath her knickers to insert a finger inside her.
She moaned against his lips at this action as she ground herself against his hand. He slipped another finger inside her and once again she gripped her hands tighter around his biceps. She felt something pleasurable building within her, a tension that coiled and coiled with each movement of Harry's hand. Oh, what he was doing to her felt soooo good. She wanted to reciprocate and she let go of his arms to move to the button of his jeans.
Harry stifled his groan against her mouth as he felt her wrap her warm hand around him, stroking his already unbelievable hard length. With her free hand she did her best with Harry's help to pull his jeans down past his bum revealing to her a pair of black boxers. Suddenly she let go of him to once again to reach for his arms as she suddenly gasped out his name, arching her back slightly off the bed. He realized what he was doing to her and fought down the urge to let out a shout of triumph as she continued to gasp and writhe under him. She was so unbelievably hot and wet and it forced him to think of his own unfulfilled need as she once again began to tug down his jeans. He never shuffled out of them so quickly in his life and as Hermione took off her underwear he lifted the comforter to let her slide underneath.
Hermione did her best to keep her thighs from trembling as she let Harry settle between them, the warmth of his body covered hers as his forearms rested on either side of her. He slid a hand underneath his pillow and withdrew his wand. He hesitated above her. He could stop this now. It wasn't too late to stop and just go back to what they were, right? No. He wouldn't stop this, he wasn't sure if he could and he'd die if she suddenly changed her mind with all this lust running through him. He cast the contraception charm that he had been taught in a wizard health class at Hogwarts. The same charm that his dorm mates prayed they'd be lucky enough one day to use, the one the twins ribbed him and Ron about whenever they decided to embarrass them about the opposite sex.
And now he was actually using it on Hermione.
She couldn't stop shaking and her heart was beating so loudly in her chest that she was positive that Harry could hear it. He cast the charm and she felt a warm sensation in her abdomen as Harry put away the wand. He lifted himself off of her slightly to reach down between them, guiding himself to her. He kissed her once more as he brought his forearm back to rest at her side, breaking the kiss to concentrate on the task at hand.
We all have to grow up sometime, she thought as she looked over his shoulder, her hands coming to rest on his back. She instinctively fought his intrusion, tensing up as he pushed his way into her, the unfamiliar sensation of being invaded in that way. Harry felt her tense beneath him and he slowed down but it took all the strength he had to do that. She felt so hot and wet and he had to shove down the instinct to just thrust himself inside of her. She took comfort in the fact that she felt Harry trembling slightly as well. Maybe he was just afraid as she was and she took a deep breath to relax as Harry continued to push into her.
It wasn't pleasant and she felt herself being uncomfortably, yet pleasurably stretched. Harry stopped when he reached her barrier, his desire for her was overwhelming and the sensation of her warmth and wetness surrounding him was too much for him to take as he lifted himself off of his forearms to his hands and thrust himself inside of her. He immediately regretted this action when she cried out.
"Ow!" she whimpered, tears springing to her eyes, "Harry."
He stopped immediately. "I'm so sorry, Hermione," he whispered in her ear. "I'm so sorry." He silently cursed his lust and his weakness to it.
"No, it's okay," she whispered. "Don't stop." Reluctantly, he complied but he couldn't help it. The more he pressed into her, the more he could feel her surrounding him and that was a very good thing.
She was clinging painfully to him, she knew she had to be as he resumed moving into her. The burning pain of her lost virginity still stung as he continued to stretch and fill her. He withdrew from her only to move into her again, repeating this action over and over. Images flickered through her mind as he moved above her; him taking on the troll their first year, watching him as he flew through the air to catch the snitch, the way he looked at her at the Yule Ball; the way his eyes would light up when he saw the benevolent halls of Hogwarts; his sleepy concentration as he pretended to study. All these things he was to her, things she kept up locked and private and now she would add this. The way it felt to have Harry so intimately.
Her moans were interspersed with gasps and whimpers as he continued to move in and out of her, his pace slowly picking up. She felt unbelievable wonderful and he never knew there could be a better feeling than flying. He felt a tension in his lower abdomen and his instinct told him to continue on, go a little faster. He knew he was hurting her still but he was unable to stop himself as he finally released himself into her, gasping her name out.
Hermione felt his warmth spill into her with each thrust he gave and she felt sad that it was over. He was sweating slightly and breathing heavy as he looked down at her. She brushed his bangs from his forehead and he dipped his head down to kiss her lips. His arms were burning and he reluctantly left her warmth with a small gush of fluid following him. She had a dull ache within her and she rolled over to face Harry, tucking his sheet around her. Whatever happened to the both of them in their future, she would always remember that he was her first, that he had taken her virginity. And surprisingly, she felt as if it was the way it should be. Harry smiled softly at her and moved forward to place a soft kiss on her lips. Where did they go from here? What was going on between the two of them? He wondered if she felt awkward right now and that she would leave. He felt a slight panic at that thought but she didn't look like she was going to move any time soon. How could he tell her that he wanted her to stay without sounding like a complete fool?
Sometimes the simplest gestures are the best and he got out of bed to put on his boxers, handing Hermione his grey t-shirt. She took it and put it on after she had found her knickers in the pile of clothing and they both climbed back into bed. He suddenly felt very sleepy as he rested beside her and he pulled the comforter over them, pulling her body close to his. She reached under his pillow and took his wand.
"Nox," she said softly and the light went out.
~*~
"OW!!!"
"Concentrate, Potter! Concentrate!" Aberforth said sternly.
Harry rubbed his stinging wrist, the result of a hex thrown by his teacher. He couldn't help it, he was very jumpy this morning. Breakfast this morning was torture and he was sure that he had a sign on his forehead that read: VIRGIN circled with a giant slash through it. The simple question: scrambled or sunny-side up was interpreted as: Did you have sex with Hermione last night? Or: Toast or coffee was You on top or she?
Harry shook his head and cleared his mind, preparing for the next onslaught as he shuffled away the memories he absolutely did not want Aberforth seeing.
"Again!" he announced and Harry quickly cleared his thoughts of last night as he felt his mind being penetrated. Clear your thoughts. Clear your mind. For some reason he thought of flying, how it felt to be up in the air racing on his broom. He felt Aberforth thumb through this thought before he heard Ron shouting and cursing from inside his room and Aberforth was able to pierce through his memory of what happened that night.
"So you were telling the truth then?" he said as he withdrew from Harry's mind. Harry felt drained, he didn't mean for Aberforth to see the events that took place in the garden. "The boy did touch the mirror and somehow Voldemort had passed into him."
Harry looked up at the man irritably, his head had a dull ache. "Of course I was telling the truth," he snapped. He wondered if the Order had asked Aberforth to do this. Maybe learning Occlumency wasn't a bad idea after all, he could do without people trying to pry truths out of him.
"You had the right idea earlier," Aberforth said. "Eventually, you will be able to filter your thoughts, let me see what you only want me to see. Flying, eh?" Harry was still in a sour mood and gave him a dark look. These lessons weren't the most pleasant of activities. "You know, you might want to think about learning legilimency."
Harry looked up at him sharply at his words. "I think we're done for today," he said coolly, "Don't you?"
Aberforth pursed his lips together in thought as he gazed at Harry. Harry looked away to avoid his eyes before he turned and left the room.
He found Hermione in the library…of course. She was sitting at a table, flipping through a large and heavy looking book. Harry took a moment to dwell in the comfort he found with this scene before stepping into the room and invading her privacy. She looked up at him and her brow furrowed.
"You alright?" she asked.
"You know how much I love these lessons," he answered dryly as he flopped down on an armchair.
"Are you making any progress at all?" she asked with concern.
"He says so," Harry sighed. "He, uh, actually suggested that I learn legilimency. You know, to help with the Occlumency. What?" he asked looking up at Hermione. She was looking at him with a guarded expression on her face. "You think it's a good idea?" he asked incredulously.
"I don't know," she buried herself back into the book. "It's not a bad idea."
Harry sat up straight. "Hermione," he insisted, "forcing your way through a person's mind isn't my cup of tea. The whole idea just…weirds me out. I don't think its something I really need right now."
"Harry, I think you of all people are justified to learn this," she said looking up at him and shutting the book. "You, of all people, need to know if people are lying to you. We don't know who we can trust nowadays."
Harry was forcibly reminded of Snape's betrayal to Dumbledore and he winced. Snape was a very successful occlumens, he fooled Dumbledore and Voldemort. Maybe Hermione had a point after all.
"Hey, I thought of something during my lesson," Harry said, changing the subject. "What if we try re-enacting how the switch happened in the first place?"
"What, the fountain?" Hermione looked alarmed. "There's no way we can get Ron out there without attracting all sorts of attention from inside the house."
Harry scratched the back of his head. "It doesn't have to be the fountain. Any pool of water should do…" The look of mild alarm on her face didn't surprise Harry. The incident with the fountain was traumatic enough. "We have to try something, Hermione."
She sighed. "I know."
He walked over to her and knelt down by her chair, reaching out and rubbing her arm. "Hey, we can do this," he said softly. She nodded reluctantly and leaned down to kiss him softly on the lips.
**
The opportunity for the two of them to be alone with Ron came that night when Hermione volunteered to watch over Ron while Harry went off to "sleep". Waiting until two o'clock in the morning he walked over to the room where they were keeping his friend. Hermione stood as he entered and took the bundled mirror while Harry levitated Ron's body and they walked out of the room.
They snuck into one of the many bathrooms, sealed the door and silenced the room. Hermione stared uneasily at the porcelain claw-footed tub so prominently placed in the room. Harry set Ron down and began to fill up the tub.
"This will work," Hermione said aloud, mostly to convince herself.
With the tub full of water, Harry picked up their friend and propped him on his knees in front of the tub. Hermione partially unwrapped the mirror, careful not to touch it or look into its reflection. They placed the handle of it in Ron's hand then dipped it under the cool water. She then positioned herself on the other side of Ron, taking a deep breath to still her nervousness.
"Are you ready?" Harry asked and Hermione barely nodded.
"Okay," he breathed, a shadow of a doubt crossing his thoughts. "Here goes nothing. Ennerverate!"
As soon as Harry cast the incantation they dunked Ron headfirst into the water, holding him down. Nothing happened at first, Ron still held the mirror but soon he let go of it and began to struggle violently against the two of them.
"Hold him down, Hermione!" Harry said encouragingly.
Oh God, oh God, oh God. Her panicked voice swam through her head. Ron continued to struggle against them and Hermione couldn't take it any longer.
"Harry stop! We have to stop! It didn't work, we're only drowning him!"
"No!" Harry replied not letting go.
"Harry!" she pleaded and she let go, forcing Harry to do the same.
Ron was flung backward by the force of his own momentum and he fell sprawled on his back, coughing and spluttering. Harry and Hermione waited with baited breath.
"You moronic--," came the high-pitched voice from Ron's mouth and Harry immediately stupefied him. Hermione began to shake with silent sobs while Harry swore violently. He swooped down on Ron, getting close to his ear.
"Get the fuck out of my best friend you sick bastard!" he shouted. He grabbed Ron by the front of his shirt. "GET OUT!!" he shouted as he shook his friend. "GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!"
"Harry! Stop! Please!" Hermione pleaded through her tears and she scrambled over to the two of them. She pried Harry off of Ron and he fell into her arms, tears sprang to his eyes.
"I thought it would work! It had to work!" he sobbed. Hermione cried at the sight of their soggy and lifeless friend.
A lifetime seemed to pass before they cleaned up the room and cast drying charms over everything, including Ron. In silence they carried him back to the room and Hermione once again resumed her watch with Harry keeping her company. She climbed on top of Ron's bed, over the covers and settling herself next to his cold body. She wrapped her arms around him and cradled his head to her.
"Come back to us, Ron," she whispered as she stroked his hair. Harry pulled up a chair next to the bed and rested his arms on the mattress. He set his head against his arms and looked up at the two people who meant the most in the world to him.
~*~
A gentle shaking of his shoulder woke Harry from his shallow sleep and he looked up to see Molly smiling down on him with a hint of concern.
"I can take over," she said. "You should get some sleep."
She moved over to Hermione and did the same, Hermione groggily opening her eyes and upon seeing who it was promptly scrambled off of the bed.
"I, uh…" she floundered for something to say but Molly smiled kindly at her.
"Go to bed, dear. Try and get some rest."
Hermione nodded then quickly left the room.
"Harry," Molly called to him as he moved to leave. "Please stay for a moment."
Harry obliged her. "I wanted to apologize to you," she said. "I feel horrible about what I had said and what I--,"
"Mrs. Weasley," Harry interrupted her. "You don't have to apologize. I understand that you are only concerned with your son."
"And you," she said. "Harry, you're like a son to me as well. I worry for each of you and I know that you would never do anything to harm Ron. I was just very upset."
Harry looked at her, seeing her in a different light. He had once thought of her as an infallible maternal figure. And a little part of him always will but seeing her standing here in front of him, he realized she was just like everyone else. Just trying to get by and survive this war, desperate to keep her family intact.
"Thank you," Harry said softly then turned and left the room.
He walked to his room and opened the door. The sight of the empty and lonely bed filled him with a strange sadness in his emotional turmoil. He didn't want to be alone tonight. He walked down to Hermione's room and knocked softly on her door. She answered, already changed into her pajamas, a white tank and flannel plaid pants that rested on her hips. She let him into her room, closing the door softly behind him. She stood on tiptoe to place the lightest of kisses on his lips. Harry responded immediately, deepening it as Hermione led him back to her bed.
It didn't hurt as much this time and Hermione was grateful for that as Harry entered her. He was still so new to her but she welcomed the escape it gave her from the awful events of the day. Harry kissed her lips, drowning himself in her presence. His hips rocked against hers as he buried himself within her, feeling her warmth all around him. He began to hit a spot that sparked something pleasurable within her and she gasped out in delight.
"Oh," she moaned as he pushed her closer and closer to something…wonderful. He was getting lost in the frenzy of her sighs, her hot heat and the random clasping of her fingers on his arms. He picked up his pace and began to thrust himself a little harder into her. He never thought anything could feel so good.
He was wrong.
Her already hot and wet walls suddenly clenched all around him.
Oh…WOW!!
In a wonderful motion, her hands tightened around his shoulders as her back arched off the bed as a sudden wave of pleasure she had never experience before broke against her. A feeling so good radiated over her body from the place that she and Harry were so intimately joined.
"Harry!" she gasped aloud.
That was his breaking point. She was already so hot and tight, pulsing around him and his name on her lips like that just made him lose his mind as he came to completion inside of her.
He gently moved out of her after catching his breath and collapsed as a useless lump of flesh next to her, a ridiculous grin on his face. She, too, had an odd smile on her face and she looked a little flushed. She gathered the sheets around her and snuggled against him as he brought his arm around her, burying his face in her hair as they both drifted off to sleep.
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