Thanks guys for all the positive reviews! Here's the next chapter, but I want to remind you guys that the reason why I'm updating so fast is that I had already written a great deal before I even posted it. So, you guys are almost caught up then I don't know how frequent the updates will be. Hopefully not too long, because this story is really flowing out of me right now.
~HM
Mo Chroi
Chapter 4
They slid boneless to the floor and found themselves flat on their backs staring up at the ceiling. Their breaths were choppy and their skin was sheen with sweat. The smell of sex hung the air and a uncomfortable silence grew between them.
Harry didn't know what to do or say to her. Neither of them had planned this or expected this, but it happened nonetheless. When Harry finally opened his mouth to say something, Hermione sat up from the floor and started to get dressed. As he watched her fasten her bra back into place he lifted his hips to yank his jeans up over his hips, then sat up to look for his shirt.
He tried desperately not to blush when Hermione held it out for him, but then gave up on that attempt when she picked up her ruined blouse. "Er…sorry about that."
"No problem," she said and pulled her wand and did a quick reparo on it and the scattered buttons flew off the floor and into place. Once her blouse was on she got to her feet, straightened her skirt, then pulled her ripped knickers and fixed them up before sliding them back on.
Harry stood up as well and watched her walk to the door, mumbling something before leaving the room. Alone, Harry sat on the end of the bed, sighing heavily as he leaned on his elbows and covered his face with his hands.
What in the hell was he thinking? He had no business using Hermione like that. None. Why didn't he just send her on her way and go after Frenchie? It would have been simple, less complicated, smarter and…and not nearly as good.
He groaned at the remembrance of how he felt inside her and the way she responded to him had made him bloody well go insane. He made love with….no, not made love, he had yet to make love to someone. He had sex…mind blowing, out of control sex with Hermione.
Now what? He was going off to fight Voldemort at dawn and the last think he wanted was to leave Hermione with the awkwardness between them. He needed to make it right. He needed to talk to her, apologize and let her know how much her friendship meant to him. There was a damn good chance he wouldn't come back alive and he did not want that stretch of silence and awkwardness to be the last thing between them.
He was just about to go find her when the door opened and a tray with two steaming bowls set on top came floating through and Hermione followed close behind. She closed the door behind her and took the tray from the air and walked over to Harry.
"Take one."
Harry took one of the bowls of beef stew, still staring while Hermione took the other one. "I don't really have an appetite."
"Then treat it like medicine," she said sitting herself down next to him. "You need to eat."
He wanted to argue but figured it would be pointless, so he grabbed the spoon and scooped up his first bite. "Hermione," he said after a few bites. "I want to…"
"Don't," she interrupted as she set her spoon down to hold up a hand. "Don't apologize. You did nothing wrong."
"But…"
"We both knew what we were doing, Harry. If I didn't want you to touch me, all I'd have to do was say so and you would have stopped."
"Why didn't you?" Harry asked before unconsciously taking another bite of the stew.
"Why should I have?" She stood then, taking her half empty bowl to the tray. "We were both seeking comfort and not the kind where a simple hug would do. You needed it and I quickly figured out I needed it as well." She walked over to the bag, lightly tapping it with her fist. "Do you regret it?" she asked looking back at him.
"No," He answered without the slightest hesitation.
"Well then, there you go. Neither do I."
With that said she started to hit the bag with different combinations Harry taught her, while he finished up his stew. "You're a natural at it," Harry said, then blushed when she raised a brow at him. "At kickboxing…I meant…you're a natural at kickboxing…not that you're not…er…good at the other thing….you are but…I meant kickboxing."
She let out a small laugh, blushing slightly as she turned back to the bag. "Thanks."
Harry set aside his bowl and went to the bag to hold it for her. He watched her do a few punches then surprised her by quickly reaching out and lightly slapping her on her right cheek.
"Hey!" Hermione exclaimed rubbing at her cheek. "What was that for?"
"Hands up," he said grabbing her right wrist and pulled it up to her face. "That's your weakness. You forget to keep your hand up while the other is punching. That's why you never quite got me on my ass."
"Got Ron on his ass more than enough times," she reminded him.
"Considering you were way better than him and he wasn't nearly as coordinated, that's not saying much. Keep your hands up."
"Fine," she grumbled and went back to punching.
Harry reached out to lightly slap her again, but this time she easily blocked it, making Harry grin. "Thatta girl."
Hermione returned the smile. "I learn from the best."
"That you do. Try some of your kicks." Harry held the bag while she did sessions of spin kicks, side kicks and front kicks, giving her pointers along the way.
"Hermione?" Harry asked after a moment of silence when Hermione paused to get her breath. "Do you think…do you think Ron would have disapproved of what we did?"
Hermione sighed, smiling softly as she leaned against the bag, resting her cheek on it. "It's funny…I was wondering the same thing."
Harry leaned on the bag from the other side, his head loomed over hers. "Really? I'd like to think he wouldn't."
"I don't think he would at all," Hermione said lifting her face up to him. "He was head over heels in love with Luna and…and when he lost her…he wasn't the same. Like half his soul had died with her."
"He wanted revenge," Harry said sadly. "It controlled him and although he got his revenge against McNair…it cost him his life."
"It's easier for me to accept his death if I imagine them together…at peace."
Harry smiled softly. "I'm sure they are…they were quite a pair. And happy."
"Yes," she agreed as she matched his smile, but then her lips faltered when he saw the look in his eyes. "What is it?"
"Was it Ron?" Harry blurted out before he could stop himself. "Was your first time with Ron?"
"No," she said simply. "Our short-lived relationship didn't last that long."
"Oh." He waited a beat, then sighed. "Are you going to tell me who it was?"
"Are you going to tell me your first?"
"How do you know you weren't my first?"
Hermione snorted out a laugh. "Harry, you knew exactly what to do…exactly where to touch me. No virgin could have been that good."
"Ah, well," he said slightly embarrassed. "I guess I'm guilty."
"Ginny?"
"God, no," he said quickly with a laugh. "Ginny and I never even got close to that. It was just some muggle girl I met over the summer when Dudley had a party. It was just a one night stand…didn't mean anything." He gave a little shrug. "I almost brushed her off, but I guess I just didn't like the idea of dying a virgin. If I was a seer and knew this was going to happen, I'd have never had done it."
Hermione couldn't help but smile. "Really?"
"Really."
"Me too," she admitted shyly. "I did it for the same reason. It was when I was in Paris last summer with my parents." It had been a quick trip, but she wanted one last moment with her parents before she went off with Harry. "I ran into Victor."
"Krum? You had sex with Krum?"
"Yeah. I almost said no, but like you…I wanted to see what it was like."
"Oh," he said as he all of the sudden felt stupid. "I guess he knew what he was doing…being older and all."
"Hardly," she said with a hint of resentment in her voice. "He wasn't exactly concerned with giving me pleasure and he wasn't exactly gentle with me."
Harry narrowed his eyes. "He hurt you?"
"It doesn't matter," she said shaking her head. "It already happened and I can't change the past."
"That may be, Hermione, but it does matter." He reached up and touched her cheek softly. "If I had known your first was so horrible I would have been more gentle."
"Than I'm glad you didn't know," she said as she covered his hand with hers. "Gentle wasn't what we needed. You know I'm right," she continued when she saw the guilty look on his face. "So stop with the guilt."
"All right, but you should know that there are other ways." he brushed her bottom lip gently with his thumb before pulling his hand away. "It's not all just the 'wham bam thank you mam'. There's more to it."
"Gee, Harry, you going to give me a lesson on Sex Education?" she teased.
The corner of his lip tilted up. "Maybe." He then slowly moved around from his side of the bag to face her, towering over her while her back was against the bag and Harry's hands gripped the straps on top of the bag to keep it still. "Or I can show you."