Unofficial Portkey Archive

AN: For whomever may still be reading…

Just One More Thing

Chapter 44

JOMT

And it doesn't make your eyes water in the least?" Hermione asked, surprisingly intrigued.

She and her friend were in the bookstore still discussing the sexual escapades of the night before which took place between the relatively newly wed Malfoy's.

Ginny cocked her head from side to side. "It stung a bit the first time around. But hey, practice makes perfect right?"

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "You mean this is a regular activity for the two of you?"

"Not too regular," Ginny mused. "I mean I usually save it for a special occasions like his birthday, you know things like that."

"And last night's occasion was?" Hermione asked.

"Well what with the hormones and everything I've kinda been treating him a little bit like shit lately, so I thought what the hell."

Hermione couldn't quite believe what she was hearing, though, she did find it comical. "So instead of apologising like a normal person, you just let him fuck you in the arse?"

Ginny gasped in mock shock, a grin appearing afterwards. "Oh Hermione, I love it when you talk like that, it makes me feel closer to you."

Hermione laughed with a shake of the head, "so birthdays and apologies?"

Ginny held up a hand dramatically. "Oh wait, you haven't heard the best of it yet."

"Oh god," Hermione smiled, her expression betraying her eagerness to hear the rest.

"Yes, birthdays and apologies," Ginny confirmed, "along with anniversaries when they come along, which to my knowledge at the time, we had none."

Hermione inwardly grinned. "Go on."

Ginny leaned closer for effect. "Now, bear in mind that this is the man whom forgets my birthday virtually every year. Ever since I gave him the green light to go in the rear for special occasions, we now have an anniversary for the first time we met," she stated, raising her hand and pressing her fingers to accentuate her points before continuing, "our first date, our first kiss, the first time we had sex, the first time we had sex on a broom…"

Hermione, who had been laughing the whole time, suddenly appeared serious. "You had sex on a broom?"

"Incidental," Ginny smirked and waved the question away with her hand, causing the smile to reappear on her friend's face. "My point is, that he thought I was stupid enough not to realise that we have never celebrated any of these instances in the whole time we have been together. He was also stupid enough to think that I wouldn't demand backdated gifts for all of these said anniversaries that he missed, for every year that we've been a couple!" the red head squealed proudly with a slap to her thigh.

Hermione regarded her friend admirably. "Oh, clever girl."

Ginny narrowed her eyes playfully. "That will teach him to try and outsmart me, the dumb fuck. Come this weekend, I will be dripping in more Diamonds and Pearls than Prince."

"All I can say is that he must really love going in the rear," Hermione chuckled.

"Yeah, you should have seen him last night when I told him he could do it. His eyes lit up like a fucking Xmas tree."

Hermione looked thoughtful. "I just don't know whether I could deal with Harry going back there, you know?"

Ginny smiled knowingly. "You're scared because he's packing a horse dick huh?"

"What?!" Hermione screeched, her face scrunching up in mild disgust. "Nooo!"

"Uh-huh," Ginny hummed unconvinced.

"Ginny, that's not it."

"Hmm."

"It's not!"

"Hermione?" Ginny smirked.

"What?" Hermione tried to sound normal but failed. "It's not the reason, I tell you."

"Have you forgotten who you're talking to?" the red head enquired smugly.

Hermione threw her arms in the air exasperated. "Ok," she gave up. "It may have…a little something to do with it."

"Uh-huh," Ginny smiled triumphantly. "Babe, I really think that you're worried about nothing. Sure it'll stretch, but it'll go back to normal."

"Gin, I just-"

"Exactly how big are we talking here?" Ginny asked in all seriousness.

"Excuse me?" Hermione blushed.

"How big is Harry's dick?" Ginny pressed.

Hermione went crimson and briefly glanced upwards. She could not believe that she was engaging in such a conversation. "Ok, we are actually talking about this," she said more to herself than her friend.

"Is it fat?"

"NO!" Hermione replied almost defensively. After a few moments, her facial features began to relax and her eyes began to glaze over as a dreamy look graced her face. "It's beautiful."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Beautiful?" she repeated, bringing her friend back from her Harry induced haze. "Are you fucking kidding me? You need to give me something more than that."

"What more do you want me to say?"

"I don't know, is he long? Thick? Work with me here!"

"We already talked about this," Hermione reminded her.

She had told Ginny from the very start of her sexual relationship with Harry, that her fiancé was very gifted in the penis department.

Harry was big.

She wasn't quite sure what her friend expected from her. Was she expecting dimensions or some crazy shit like that?

Ginny shrugged. "But we never talked about it in too much detail."

"What do you want me to do, measure him or something?" Hermione snorted with a grin. The brunette watched open mouthed as Ginny smiled widely. She could almost see a light bulb glow above her friend's head. "That was a joke!" she stated seriously.

****

Silence.

It was uncomfortable.

It was arse clenching.

It was grave, even.

But most of all…it was pissing her right off.

Natasha had been waiting for the wizard in front of her to open his mouth and spout some of the same excuses that she was used to hearing from him, but instead, all she got was silence. She didn't know what was worse, not hearing him try to lie his way out of what she had just uncovered, or him not having the decency to at least open the hole in his face at all. The longer the silence went on between on them, the angrier she was becoming. She was about to break into a tirade of expletives when a voice in the back of her mind made her think against it.

You bought this on yourself. You're not a couple. You told him it would be fine for the both of you to date other people. You made him believe that you slept with Ryan.

It's your fault as much as it is his.

Feeling her bottom lip beginning to tremble, she looked up into Dean's eyes, which were looking straight back at her, and she could have sworn she saw…pain. She quickly brushed it aside. She had to be seeing things. The man in front of her was exactly what her friend likened him to; `a fucking robot'. He didn't do feelings. He had made that clear from the start and only now was she finally beginning to believe it. She hadn't wanted to of course. She had fallen deeply in love with him but she didn't have the strength for this anymore. If she was honest, she didn't have the strength from the beginning; her motivation was simply that she didn't want to lose him.

Just then a bitter thought flew through her mind; he had never been yours to lose.

She couldn't hate him, though, that would have been so much easier. This whole thing between them was a mess and she hated that she was responsible for half of it. She had wished and prayed that things would be different if she just gave him time, but it was now time for her to admit defeat and walk away with what little face she still had. Whatever this was, was now clearly over, not that it ever really started in the first place.

There was only one thing left to do, and that was to keep her dignity.

She licked her lips as her heart thudded painfully against her chest. She couldn't deal with this. She didn't have any idea what to say to him, well, nothing that wouldn't come out as rambling rage, so she settled for the only sentence she could form at that particular moment. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you."

"Natasha…" Dean finally managed to speak.

"Goodbye Dean."

The finality in her tone sent a searing pain through his chest, but before Dean could say anything else, Natasha dissaparated.

He closed his eyes and let his head thud against the door frame.

"Stupid," he berated himself softly.

After a few moments he lifted his head and closed the door, not looking forward in the least at the prospect of dealing with what was inside, though, having to deal with the complete and utter mess he had just made with the only woman he had ever loved was going to be much worse.

He walked through the corridor towards his bedroom and heard the shower running as he passed the bathroom. He sat on the edge of his bed and breathed deeply.

He didn't even know where to begin in order to fix this.

****

"So, basically what you're saying is that we know nothing?" Harry asked his partner.

"Not nothing," Draco gestured, "just not everything."

Harry rolled his eyes, "Why thank you Draco, that's helpful without being any help whatsoever."

Harry had surprised himself with his calm demeanour as of late, especially when it came to Steven Atkins' disappearance without apparent trace. With his and Hermione's wedding drawing ever near, he still had his guard up to the full extent and was eager for information that at this moment in time, his work colleagues could not give him. His frustrations were matched on the faces of Draco Malfoy and Remus Lupin, who were also keen to hear of a breakthrough in this particular case, which seemed to have no conclusion in sight.

Remus blew out a breath. "Auror's around the world have his description; he's been elevated to the top of our most wanted list but still no sign."

Malfoy shook his head. "I get the Polyjuice thing okay, but if he's managing to evade capture at every turn especially after this period of time, surely his stock levels must be running low. I mean, he must have had a vault load of the stuff."

Harry huffed. "Either that or he's related to fucking Houdini!"

Remus put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I realise that this is most frustrating for you son, but I can assure you that we're doing everything we can."

"I know that, Remus," Harry accepted. "I just really wish we had some kind of lead."

Draco patted his friend on the back. "Don't worry bud, if that little twat even thinks about showing up at your wedding to cause trouble, I'll personally kill him with a brick."

Remus and Harry's eyebrows rose at Draco's violent statement. "Or you could simply stupefy him and turn him over to Aurors." Remus reminded him.

"Yeah, but where's the fun it that," Draco winked.

Harry smiled; he wouldn't lie to others or himself. It wouldn't cause him a single ounce of discomfort to see Steven being beaten to death with a brick. In fact, he'd rather welcome it, especially after what the evil beast had put his family through. Contemplating the word `family', he shook the thoughts from his head and suddenly felt the need to be near Hermione.

"Well, if there's nothing to report then I'll be heading off," Harry announced.

Draco nodded. "You know that if we hear anything you'll be the first to know."

"I do know that," Harry acknowledged. "Thank you."

Remus gave Harry another reassuring squeeze of the shoulder. "Trust me Harry, everything will work out the way it should. You just go back to taking care of Hermione, and making sure that the baby continues to come along nicely."

****

Hermione tried to take on board everything that was coming out of Ginny Malfoy's mouth, but it was proving difficult. Ginny's enviable comfort when talking about sex was sometimes overwhelming to her, though, the more she heard of her friend's experiences, the more she got used to it.

This particular topic, though, was testing her newfound ease.

"Hermione, there is no reason why you can't," Ginny concluded.

Hermione sighed. "Ginny, I just don't think I have it in me to do that at the moment."

"But you're missing out on so much. Don't tell me that the two of you are still shy around each other?" Ginny prodded.

"We're not shy, so to speak," Hermione defended. "We're just… still learning I guess."

"But you wouldn't even have to tell him what you're doing it for?"

"How do you figure that one out?" Hermione asked sceptically.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh my lord, have I not taught you anything? Hermione, whenever you bring up the subject of a guy's dick, all whilst having an impressed look on your face, it's yours to do with do as you please. The fucker won't even begin to question the motive behind it."

"But isn't that dishonest?" Hermione questioned dubiously.

Ginny looked deadpanned. "Seriously, have I not taught you anything?"

"I don't know," Hermione mused hesitantly.

"The man is going to be your husband Hermione; it's your god given right as a woman to do whatever you want to him without an explanation," Ginny stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Now stop talking like a crazy person and step up to the task at hand.

"Why can't I just…talk to him about it?" Hermione offered.

"Because you know as well as I do that the very second you bring this up to Harry, and the words `initial pain' are thrown in there, that he'll put the kaboosh on the whole thing."

"I never said that there was going to be a thing to put the kaboosh on!" Hermione pointed out.

"But there could be if you measured up for reassurance," Ginny retorted.

Hermione laughed sarcastically. "Gin, I don't need a weather man to tell me when it's pissing it down ok, and I don't need a ruler for this. Its `big', end of discussion!"

"What's big?" Harry chimed as he walked into the bookshop.

Startled, Hermione and Ginny both looked round to meet Harry's curious face.

"My ego," Ginny covered quickly.

Hermione rolled her eyes but was quite happy to have dodged a bullet. "You're back sooner than I thought you'd be," she told him as he approached her.

"Yeah Harry," Ginny agreed, "I hope you don't do everything that fast."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at her before kissing Harry on the lips. "Ignore her," she advised.

Ginny poked her tongue out jokingly. "So, did you find out anything about Hermione's creepy ex?"

Before Harry had a chance to answer, Hermione sighed loudly. "Do you have to refer to him as that? I mean it's bad enough I have to live with the knowledge that I had some kind of relationship with the thing, no matter how insignificant. You think I want to be reminded of it as well?"

Ginny held up a hand defensively. "Duly noted."

"So did you find anything out?" Hermione pressed.

Harry shook his head. "Not really. He's on the most wanted list and every Auror around are keeping their eyes open, though, in our world it doesn't really help matters."

Ginny nodded. "Yep, our world's great until you need to catch a bad guy, then you're really up against it."

Hermione shrugged. "I don't care as long as he stays as far away from us as possible."

Harry was slightly taken aback by his fiancée's attitude.

"He's a murderer, Hermione," he reminded her. "He needs to be caught and brought to justice."

"I know that Harry," she accepted sourly. "I don't mean to come across as insensitive to the situation, but it's not as if I haven't gotten more important things on my mind right now."

Ginny backed her friend up straight away. "That's true, Harry. Hermione here has just taken over a business, you guys have the wedding coming up, and what was the other thing," she stopped to tap her chin for effect, "oh that's right, you have a baby on the way."

Harry's facial features softened at the mention of his baby, or rather, potential babies. "I just wish I didn't feel so helpless at times."

Hermione moved closer to him and cradled his face in her hands. "You're anything but helpless." She kissed his nose tenderly before pulling him into a hug.

Ginny observed the couple and decided to add further wisdom. "Just try and put him out of your mind for a bit, at least until after the wedding. Let's face it; the guy is a complete looser who ran off with a tail between his legs because he was too chicken shit to face the consequences of his actions. I don't think we'll be hearing from him again in a while, if ever."

Harry`s chin remained on Hermione's shoulder as he spoke. "I want to agree with you, but the phrase `famous last words' refuses to allow it." He shook his head as a sign to get off the subject and gave Hermione a quick kiss on the cheek before releasing his hold on her. "Anyway, I don't want to talk about him anymore."

"Neither do I," Hermione concurred.

Ginny clasped her hands together. "Good, new topic!"

Harry went over to the counter and began idly going through the books that were on top of it. "So, what did you girls talk about while I was gone?"

Hermione's eyes shot up in alarm whilst Ginny smirked.

"Oh you know, this and that," the red head answered coyly.

"And?"

"That and this."

"What does that mean?" Harry smiled.

Hermione remained speechless as Ginny continued to grin. "We were just discussing your better half's approach to certain aspects of her life, especially when it comes to discovering new ways of doing things."

Harry nodded obliviously. "Such as?"

"I think maybe she needs to relax a little you know, live a bit more impulsively," Ginny offered thoughtfully.

"How's that now?" Harry queried.

Hermione laughed falsely, and warningly stared at her friend briefly. This conversation was quickly becoming too close for comfort. "Ginny just means that she doesn't always agree with my well thought out, logical applied methodology to certain situations," she bitingly got out.

Ginny jokingly pointed at Hermione accusingly. "See, she can sometimes be so anally retentive, that she uses sentences like that just to confuse me, and to get out of answering the question at hand."

Hermione was about to lash out when Harry held up both hands and stood in-between them. "Okay, I have to say that you're both confusing the hell out of me here. Ginny, I have no idea what this conversation is about, but I'm pretty sure that was an insult?"

"I just like to have all the information before I go blazing in is all," Hermione defended. "And if memory serves me correctly, my reluctance to go barging in without considering every possible variable came in handy at school on more than one occasion."

"But that was school, which I know you were really good at, so I'll give you that," Ginny pointed out brazenly, "But I'm talking about now. Live a little," she smirked once more. "Measure up."

Hermione went beetroot whereas poor Harry was more confused than ever. "Measure up what?" he asked innocently.

"Measure up," Ginny repeated, "Assess."

Hermione narrowed her eyes whilst Harry continued to look bewildered. "Assess?" he pressed for elaboration.

"Potential," Ginny replied simply, causing Hermione to fold her arms and roll her eyes.

Harry looked between the two as if he were keeping track of a ball in a tennis match. "Potential," he repeated dumbly. "Potential for what?"

Hermione gazed at her soon-to-be husband, the cute bewildered expression on his handsome face making her heart warm, and then chanced a glance at her friend who was looking particularly pleased with herself. The smile that was slowly creeping up onto Hermione's face would be stopped by nothing. She tried, but there wasn't any way she could be angry at her friend. Ginny had a particular way of doing things, and even though it wasn't conventional to most, her reluctance to give up without a fight in the most comedic of ways was very enthralling, even if you happened to be her dupe. It was just the way she was. She meant no harm, she was never going to change, and Hermione didn't want her to.

The situation that she currently found herself in was ridiculously amusing. It was her own fault for engaging in a subject of this nature with the youngest Weasley, whom she had already learned a long time ago, had no shame. So in the end she did the only thing she could think of, and came out with a retort that she knew the red head would appreciate.

"Ginny, don't you have a newspaper to run into the ground?" she asked proudly.

Ginny smiled broadly. "That I do chick, what am I doing here wasting my time with you two!" She gathered her belongings, and then gave both her friends a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you guys later."

"Bye Gin," Harry waved.

Ginny opened the door, but not before glancing back at Hermione. "Call me," she told her, wiggling her eyebrows. "Oh and by the way, `Fluffers' are having a sale this week on Vaseline, its `two for one'.

"Get out," Hermione waved.

Ginny just laughed and walked out onto Diagon Alley, leaving the couple alone

"What was that all about?" Harry implored with a shake of the head.

"Nothing," Hermione answered feebly.

"Hermione?"

"It was nothing Harry, you what Ginny's like," she brushed off.

"So, it's the pregnancy hormones making her go even more crazy than she already is?" Harry suggested.

"I guess," Hermione prevaricated.

"Well if that's the case then I'm in for a real treat," Harry stated wittily.

Hermione playfully punched him in the arm. "Hey!"

Harry rubbed his arm in feign hurt. "Seriously, was she giving you a hard time about your insane need to over analyse everything?"

"Oh, so you don't agree with her then?" she asked sarcastically.

"No, of course not," Harry fibbed.

Hermione regarded him unconvinced. "You don't think I'm spontaneous, do you?"

"I never said that."

"You implied it," Hermione accused softly. She gathered some books into her arms and walked over to some nearby shelves where she began to stack, Harry hot on her heals.

"I never said that you weren't spontaneous, darling," he assured her soothingly.

Hermione stooped what she was doing and looked into his eyes. "So, you don't think that I over analyse things?" she asked gently, a question to which Harry's mouth bobbed up and down in response to. "You do don't you?" she squeaked.

"Not all the time," Harry said truthfully, only to be glared at. "Particularly not over the last few months, which have been the best in my life by the way."

Hermione's face softened. "Keep talking."

Harry reached up with one hand and caressed her cheek tenderly. "I love that you are so together, that you're able to look at things from every angle and make a decision without being pushed into a corner by anyone, no matter how strong a personality they may have. It's saved my arse more times than I can remember. The strength of your convictions and beliefs are inspiring, and I wouldn't want you to abandon that part of yourself for anybody, least of all me. It's one of the many things that made me fall in love with you to begin with. And I can't wait to start spending the rest of my life with you."

Hermione wiped away a happy tear that begun forming in her eye. "I can't wait either."

Both slowly leaned in for a kiss, when Harry suddenly stopped barely a millimetre away from her lips with slightly widened eyes. "You were talking about sex weren't you," he stated confidently.

Hermione's eyes ventured everywhere except at his, and then finally opted to rest staring guiltily at the floor

****

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