WTR #33: Restoration (Hermione/Teddy)
Title: Restoration (Worth the Risk #33)
Pairing: Hermione/Teddy
Summary: Teddy and Hermione have a Serious Talk
Word Count: 5155
Rating: Adult
Betas: florahart & heather11483
Note: This contains spoilers for Deathly Hallows. Previous chapters of Worth the Risk can be found here .
There is no lingering over dinner. Once they finish, Hermione argues about paying half the total until she finally gives up because Teddy’s being stubborn. The smile he flashes as he puts down the Muggle pounds is almost worth the defeat. Not quite, though, as she knows she’ll pay next time before he has an opportunity to protest. The fact that she can think ‘next time’ after the last week is liberating, in a way, and she can’t seem to stop touching Teddy casually or looking at him.
Of course, the touching happens beneath the table because she just isn’t fond of displaying affection in public, whether she’s hiding a relationship or not. She held hands with Ron and would occasionally kiss him lightly but the latter wasn’t a common occurrence unless it was on the cheek. That habit isn’t something that’s likely to change, regardless of who she’s dating.
Still, she’s been absolutely daring tonight over dinner. She’s stroked his leg with hers, fondled his knee, and deliberately leaned towards him in ways that draw attention to her breasts. It doesn’t sound like much compared to some of the tales she hears from friends, but it’s more than she normally does. She isn't sure whether this is because she's come to accept that the relationship is moving forward, or because she's simply too weak to resist the impulse to touch him.
By the time he receives his change, she’s ready to go back to his flat for their serious talk. Depending on how that goes, she's also hoping for something more to happen after. Teddy holds the door for her as they leave the restaurant, and they start walking back to his building. They haven't said anything since they left the restaurant, but the silence between them isn’t awkward: it’s tense in the way that she’s missed. Her skin is tingling and she feels flushed from some of the thoughts in her mind, so she focuses her attention on their upcoming talk and not her depraved fantasies.
Teddy, however, has other ideas because he suddenly reaches for her hand and pulls her deep into a dark alley. She doesn’t even have time to ask what he thinks he’s doing before she’s pushed against a brick wall as he kisses her. Her thoughts of protesting such behavior are replaced by desire as she tangles her fingers in his hair and pulls him closer. She can distantly hear the street noise and knows it’s too dangerous to snog in an alley where anyone walking past might see. Besides, she's been so focused on them having their talk and now, here they are alone, and she's already snogging him. This is not talking! But she can’t make herself pull back yet.
“Want you so much,” Teddy whispers in between kisses. He moves his hand behind her and grips her bum as he moves his other hand to her breast. When she feels him press against her belly, she whines softly and deepens the kiss.
The feel of her skirt sliding up her legs rouses her sensibilities, and she reluctantly breaks the kiss. “We can’t,” she murmurs, reaching down to grip his wrist lightly. She glances at the entrance to the alley, glad to see that no one is there.
“We’re alone,” he points out as he kisses her cheek. “So far down here that no one's likely to see us in the shadows.” He nibbles on her neck. “And you know we’re not going to be able to talk until this is out of our systems, not after all that foreplay during dinner, you flirt.”
“It wasn’t foreplay,” she protests, moaning as his teeth scrape against the sensitive spot beneath her ear. “And someone could see, even with the shadows.”
“It was foreplay. The touching and licking your fork and looking at me as if you wanted to do the most sinful things imaginable to me and my poor defenseless body.” He punctuates the last few words with nips and licks while he squeezes her breast. Her nipples are hard, and he moves his thumb slowly back and forth over her shirt, torturing her as he rocks forward.
“Teddy, you should stop. We can't do this.” Her words are more breathless and aroused than forceful and commanding, which might explain why he ignores her and slowly pulls her skirt higher.
“Why not? God, you wear these bloody stockings just to torment me,” he accuses as he drags his fingertips along the bare skin above the silk. “I know you do. All I can think of when I see them is these gorgeous legs wrapped around my waist or over my shoulders as I slide into you over and over.”
She squeaks and shakes her head when the back of his hand presses against the crotch of her knickers. “This isn’t talking,” she says. “And stop talking in such a way.”
“It's not talking but I need to stop talking?" His tone is amused, and she doesn't have to see his face to know he's smiling.
"You know what I mean." He licks her neck, which is quite distracting when she's trying to argue. "Don't say such things."
"Why? Because it drives you wild even if you don’t want to admit it?” He smirks before he presses his hand more firmly against her dampening knickers. “You like hearing the things I want to do, hearing my fantasies and acting them out. Words excite you, even if you foolishly feel ashamed for finding it arousing.”
“What have you been doing the last week? Because you certainly weren’t this bold before.”
“I’ve had a lot of time to read. Those silly romance novels of mine are good for more than just escapism.” He lowers his head and kisses her hard, curling his tongue around hers as he runs his finger up and down her slit, pushing the cotton of her knickers against her as he does the things that he knows make her wet.
The sound of a loud horn pulls her back to herself. She turns her head to stare at the street and then pushes his hand out from beneath her skirt. “No. Not in a dirty alley like this.”
“Okay,” he finally says. He kisses her again before he slowly pushes her skirt back down. “I just thought---you kept looking at me like you wanted to now without waiting. I, uh, well, I figured maybe it was one of your fantasies, since you still haven’t told me any.”
“It’s fine,” she says. She bites her lip before she decides to be honest. “It’s not that I wasn’t enjoying it, Teddy. I just don’t like doing such things in public, even if we’re hidden by shadows.”
“What if we’re hidden by magic?” he asks, waggling his eyebrows as he holds up his wand. “There are some benefits to being a wizard, you know?”
She has to laugh and shakes her head. “Not tonight. I think this is about as daring as I can get for one evening.”
“Ah, but not tonight insinuates that you aren’t ruling out the possibility. That’s good enough for now, I suppose,” he decides. He runs his fingers through his green hair and smiles sheepishly. “Mind if we Apparate to my flat? I, uh, don’t think anyone out there needs to see this.” He glances down at his obvious erection and then nods toward the street.
“Oh. Right. Uh, that might be for the best.” She takes his hand and concentrates before they arrive in the sitting room of his flat. “There. This is much better for talk---”
His lips capture her words as he kisses her. Once again, she feels a wall behind her back as he presses her next to his bookcase. Without the threat of being seen, she gives in to her desire and returns his kiss while she pulls his shirt up so she can touch his bare skin. He fumbles with the zip of his trousers, and she pushes her knickers down and wiggles until they fall around her ankles.
“Ow,” she mutters as she hits her elbow on the bookcase. She looks at him and arches her brow. "You do understand that this doesn't mean we're not going to talk, right?"
“Careful. And, yes, talking. As much talking as you want. Just after.” He finally gets his zip down and pushes his trousers and boxers around his thighs. She stares at his erection as he strokes it, licking her lips as she kicks off her knickers and leans against the wall.
“Planning to play with it all night or put it to use?” she asks in a bossy tone that she’s noticed he seems to enjoy. Tonight is no exception as his penis practically throbs in his hand when she speaks.
“I wanna see your tits. Unfasten your blouse and show me,” he growls softly. She shudders at his tone, narrowing her eyes when she notices him smirk knowingly.
“Say please,” she challenges, lifting her chin slightly as she waits.
“I’m through saying please. Do it now,” he says in that same gruff tone that causes heat to spread throughout her body. “Or I’ll do it for you.”
She moves her hand beneath her skirt and lightly strokes herself, watching his reaction as he stares at the fabric hiding her hand from his view. “Do it then if you won’t ask nicely.”
“God, you’re killing me,” he accuses lowly before he lets go of his erection and reaches for her. He grips the sides of her blouse and rips, sending buttons flying all over the room.
“Bad boy. That’s a favorite shirt,” she scolds even as she arches her back and presents her breasts to him. He shoves her bra up and leans down, licking and sucking her hard nipples until she forgets all about the shirt.
“I’ll fix it later,” he mutters between licks and sucks. He rubs up against her leg, rocking forward to press his erection more firmly against her. He raises his head, hair falling across his eyes, and stares at her. “I want to be inside you, Hermione. Here. Now. No more time and waiting. Just---please?”
“Yes,” she whispers, reaching out to brush the turquoise and green colored locks away from his pretty eyes. “Here and now.”
He groans and kisses her while he pushes her skirt around her waist. He moves against her, but misses his target, sliding his erection along her wet lips without penetrating her. He tries again. The third time, she reaches down to grip him and help. It’s awkward, with the wall and standing up, and the angle is all wrong. She frowns and shifts when he starts to enter her, holding onto his shoulders as she tries to get into a better position.
“The stupid books never mention this part.” His words are soft and amused, which makes her laugh.
“Those books of yours are obviously not very realistic. Here, why don’t you grip my bum and lift me up. I’ll wrap my legs around you and try to use the leverage to, uh, bounce?” She grins. “Does one bounce when they’re pushed against a wall?”
“Guess we’ll find out.” He smiles and slides out of her so he can follow her instructions. Once he has her lifted, she moves her legs around him and they try again.
“Oh, that’s much, oh, better,” she says, gasping when he pushes inside of her completely. He glances down at her breasts, which are right there offered up to him, and leers.
“I like this,” he decides before he begins to move. After they shift into a better position against the wall, he watches her breasts as they begin to bounce. “I like how they move. Does it hurt with them flopping like that? Hurts a bit when I, uh, when I’m not supported.”
The tips of his ears turn red, and she bites her lip to keep from giggling. “Teddy, we’re shagging against the wall, which it seems you’ve been trying to do since we started dating, and you’re asking whether my breasts are sore?”
“Just concerned. I love watching your tits but not if it’s painful for you.” He kisses her when she starts to laugh and squeezes her bum just hard enough to make her whine. She returns the favor by moving her hand beneath his shirt and scratching his back, feeling him shudder as he thrusts forward hard.
Amusement is forgotten for the moment when the kiss deepens and he moves faster. She rolls her hips and pushes down against him, meeting his thrusts as her shirt gapes open even more. God, she loves kissing him. Tonight, he tastes of wine, tomatoes, and Teddy, and she can’t get enough of him. She loses herself in him as they keep moving together until his thrusts become faster and his hips jerk suddenly. She feels him spill inside her as he pulls his head back and grunts, arching his back as he buries himself deep inside her and comes.
His eyes are closed and his hair is now solidly green, his full lips parted as he inhales sharply, and she admires the muscles in his arms and neck as he trembles in release. For a second, she thinks he might drop her, because his grip loosens and he seems to have forgotten their precarious position, but he tightens his hold and leans forward to rest his head against her shoulder. She listens to the sound of him panting and wiggles slightly, trying to get friction where she needs it most.
“Let me,” he murmurs as he shifts her and balances her between himself and the wall. She feels his fingers on her clit as he slowly rocks against her, his spent cock moving in and out as his release drips on the floor. It doesn’t take much rubbing before she gasps and holds him while she comes.
After she stops shuddering, they just lean against the wall while they catch their breath. Eventually, he eases out of her, and she unwraps her legs. The floor is a mess, their clothes are in total disarray, and her stockings are damp from sweat. Another pair ruined, most likely, not that she can complain. They kiss again, slow and thorough, before he steps back.
“When you mentioned talking, I, uh, didn’t intend for the wicked way to be had first.” He smiles. “Though I think I’d be much more inclined for serious talks if it always happened in this order. You know, if you ever need incentive in the future.”
“I’ll remember that.” She laughs softly before grimacing at the floor. “We need to clean up then we do really need to have that talk. As enjoyable as this has been, it doesn’t solve anything.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I’ve been wanting to shag you for the past week, so it certainly took care of that. Surprisingly, though, it didn’t actually solve anything because I still want to shag you. A lot. And eventually in an alley where we might get caught just so I can see if you’ll be able to keep quiet or if you’ll end up making all those amazing noises that I love.”
“Hmph. I’m not at all shocked that you're still thinking about shagging,” she tells him dryly. “Now, we made a mess on the floor and you need to find buttons since you had the audacity to rip my shirt.”
“Do you think maybe we’re doing all these things to keep from having that talk?” he asks curiously. He uses his wand to summon the buttons while she performs a cleaning charm on the floor.
“Maybe,” she says honestly. “It could be unconscious, I suppose. If all goes badly, we’ve at least had one more time together first. Something like that.”
He looks at her steadily as his hair fades from green to purple. “Go use the toilet and then we’ll talk. No more putting it off, unconsciously or otherwise. This wasn‘t a last time, Hermione. It was just---well, us not resisting the urge for once.”
“By us, you mean me.” She holds up her hand. “No, it’s okay. If we’re going to talk, we need to promise to be honest and communicate or this won’t work at all. I’ll be right back.” She goes down the hall to use the toilet and clean up. After she washes her hands, she looks in the mirror and can barely recognize herself. Her hair is a complete disaster, there are marks on her neck and chest, and she looks happier than she has in days.
When she goes back into the sitting room, she smells fresh coffee and sees Teddy nervously pacing. He’s taken his shirt off and is just wearing a pair of black trousers that ride too low on his hips to be decent. She tries to be quiet so she can enjoy observing him in this unguarded moment, but a floorboard creaks, announcing her presence.
As she enters the room, he looks up at her and smiles. “I put coffee on, but I can put on the kettle if you prefer tea,” he offers.
“Coffee is fine. If you have my buttons, I’ll fix my shirt real fast.”
“No, I’ll do it later. I said I would, after all. And, yes, that is me being a man since it means I get to ogle your chest while we talk.” He leers playfully and bites his lip. “So, how do we do this talking thing?”
“How do we talk?”
“I mean, do we sit and go over issues? Do you have an agenda? I remember how much you love those.”
“Teddy, I don’t have an agenda for this, and my initial plan won’t work considering our dinner and shag. I assume that normal talking would be sufficient.”
He nods. “Okay. I can do that then. Let me get the coffee then we can start.”
She sits down and gets comfortable while he fixes the coffee. She takes the cup from him and moves over slightly so he can sit next to her. “This is nice,” she says after a sip.
“It’s some foreign blend that smelled good. Bit strong, but I like it that way.” He looks at her expectantly, and she realizes he’s waiting for her to start.
“I still have worries and concerns about a relationship between us. No, let me talk. I think I’d have many of the same concerns regardless of whom I was dating, because the children would be affected regardless and my friends and family might dislike whomever it was, so I realized during the last week that maybe those issues are just a part of life.”
“They are,” he agrees. “I know we’re different, because of the age and closeness we’ve had over the years, but some problems are just part of any relationship. You take the good with the bad, you know?”
“I know that now. Despite my best efforts not to, a part of me compares this with my relationship with Ron, which isn’t fair at all. It’s not the same. But it’s the only relationship that I’ve ever had, so I just don’t have anything else for comparison. With Ron, we started dating when I was eighteen, were married a few years later, and had started a family a couple of years after that. It seemed that everyone knew from the time we were teenagers that we had feelings for each other, so there weren’t really any issues beyond my dedication to work and somewhat selfish tendencies, and his lack of direction at first and the standard quirks that any relationship tends to have.”
“You have been selfish, but I, uh, wasn’t necessarily that mature,” he admits. “I knew you had these worries, could even understand most of them, but I was impatient and didn’t understand nearly as well as I thought I did. I talked to Gram about us this week because I just needed advice from someone who might understand you or at least could help me figure out why these fears you have meant more than I did.”
“You talked to your grandmother? About us?” She blinks at him and blushes, just imagining what Andromeda Tonks must have had to say about that. “She must want to kill me.”
“Nah. She likes you better than most people. When I told her about it, she said she’d be shocked if you considered giving it a second go because I’d behaved like an impatient child. I love her, but she can be brutal sometimes. The talk with Harry was much better. Hell, talking to Ron and being beaten up was better than listening to Gram explain things about your situation that I should have known or taken into consideration.”
“Really?” She doesn’t necessarily believe him, and her tone indicates her doubt because he looks at her intently.
“She didn’t want me hiding, not after, well, she knows what that’s like, so she was rather angry with me for getting myself into such a situation. She knows that emotional stuff isn’t something you can control, though, so she stopped ranting finally and really tried to help me.” He frowns. “I knew you worried about Rose and Hugo knowing, but it never honestly occurred to me how things would go if we don’t work out. I never thought about how it would be for you if they don’t approve of me as anything but ‘cousin’ Teddy and don’t want me anywhere near you romantically. I didn’t think that anyone who cares about either of us would possibly care as long as we’re happy, but Gram reminded me that people don’t work that way usually.”
“No, they don’t. Ron and Harry both disapprove, even if they’re willing to accept it, and they’ve been my best friends since I was twelve. I know that they’re logically closer to the situation, which means those who aren’t so close to you might not care that much at all, but their reactions do skew my expectations in that regard right now.”
“Yeah. Well, Gram forced me to see a few things that I’d not paid a lot of attention to or acknowledged, so it was good, even if it was bloody awkward discussing my love life with her. I just knew that she might understand, and I wasn’t sure what to do. Harry asked me to leave you alone unless it was work, cause he said you needed time to figure out your head and heart, but my promise to do so lasted until Monday afternoon, which means I utterly fail as a godson and a mature adult. Gram didn’t make me promise anything, but she did suggest that I spend a few days seriously thinking about everything so I could decide if it was still worth the risk once I had to accept everything beyond the great sex and conversation.”
“I’m rather horrified, beyond belief, at the idea of your grandmother using the word ‘sex’ in relation to me and you. Just wanted that out there, with the honesty and everything.” She takes a drink of her coffee before she sighs. “You were right. I was terribly selfish by thinking only of myself and not considering everything you were jeopardizing, too. I liked controlling everything and trying to keep myself from getting hurt.”
“I know you’re a control freak,” he says. “I mean, that’s sort of obvious to anyone around you for more than a few hours. I don’t even mind that much because I can be stubborn and demanding when it’s something that really matters, but you kept hiding behind your issues without ever talking with me about them and kept saying that you needed more time. I just felt like we were hiding and nothing was actually advancing. I was scared that that you'd, uh, never want to stop keeping the secret, and I just can't live that way.”
She looks at him. “My divorce from Ron was amicable. We realized we weren’t in love anymore and it happened gradually, but we agreed. It did hurt, especially at first when I realized we’d lost something that used to mean the world to me, and I felt like a complete failure. I know he was partially responsible, but it was one of those times when logic doesn’t really matter as much as how you feel about yourself. I promised myself back then to never get into a similar situation because I couldn’t see how any other relationship could possibly work out when Ron and I couldn’t. I’m sorry if you were hurt because of my self-protection. I never intended for things between us to escalate and reach a point where I actually had to make myself vulnerable.”
“I sort of figured that out.” He smiles wryly. “Temporary and casual. You kept saying I was too young and that’s all I wanted, but, really, it’s all you wanted because it meant you wouldn’t become emotionally involved and there wouldn’t be a chance of getting hurt. That’s basically it, right?”
“I’m afraid so. I convinced myself that it was just lust and a crush, and that you’d get tired of me and how complicated, yet boring, my life is, but you didn’t. It scared me, too, because I was starting to feel things I shouldn’t if you might end things at any time. In recent years, I've just developed the habit of avoiding emotional entanglements, especially when things become too serious and complex.”
“But you’re here now, not avoiding it.”
“A dear friend reminded me that life is too short to live in fear. I managed to find my courage after a little manipulation.”
“Ah. George?” He ducks his head and his hair flashes pink. “He’s rather good at that manipulation when he focuses. Did he, uh, tell you---”
“About his advice?” Hermione smiles. “Yes, he did. I think he put two and two together last Friday and decided to meddle. I’m glad he did this time because I needed it or else I’d have continued thinking and letting my worries control me.”
“The worries are still there, Hermione. I mean, on Monday, Entwhistle mentioned a promotion, and I’m not stupid enough to think that our going public wouldn’t stir up gossip that could hurt your chances. I know we wouldn’t be taking out adverts in the newspaper by any means, but if we’re not hiding, people will notice and talk and I don’t want your career hurt because of me. I also wouldn‘t want you to be forced into a situation where you had to choose between your children and me, not that there would ever actually be a choice if it came to that.”
“I know they’re still there, Ted. However, any promotion at work will be based on experience, performance, and merit. And I’m prepared and willing to fight anyone who dares suggest that I’d not be suitable for the position due to my private life. As for the children, you’re right. There isn’t a choice, and they might not accept us being in a relationship, but they might need time before they’re okay with it no matter who I’m dating, so I can’t really not take the chance out of fear of their reactions.”
“What about the gossip? I’ve seen it with Muggles, and it’s so frustrating because it’s none of their business. People who know us should accept anything if we’re happy and not doing illegal things, but will they? I just don’t know anymore.”
“People will talk and there will be nasty gossip, but I’ve been at the center of such ridiculousness several times throughout the years, including a particularly dreadful time when I was sixteen, and I managed to survive. Would you, though? Would you prefer for us to just end this tonight and not be forced to deal with all the issues that might arise? I’d understand if you’ve had a change of heart, and I could accept it.” She pauses. “It isn’t going to be easy. No new relationship is perfect or easy, and, in our case, we have even more issues than a normal couple. It might not last, it might turn into something we wish we’d never tried, but, well, it might last and might turn out to be something we never realized we even needed.”
“The best things in life are rarely simple and easy,” he tells her quietly. “I’ve heard gossip since I was a child. Father was a werewolf, mother was killed by her own auntie, said auntie was an evil Death Eater, member of a family well known for Dark Wizards, Potter’s Godson, and the list goes on and on. I used to let it bother me, but now I just pity those who are so caught up in spreading hurtful rumors and trying to ruin people’s lives because it’s pathetic and only works if you allow their opinions to control you. Regardless of my last name, I’m a Black, and I’m the son of two heroes, one of whom was a werewolf and one of whom was a metamorphmagus, who died fighting to save this world, and my godfather is a nice man who just happens to have a scar on his forehead. I don’t really see why adding ‘the manfriend of a sexy brilliant older woman’ to that list is something that I’d ever be ashamed of.”
“Manfriend?”
“Well, boyfriend sort of emphasizes the age difference, yeah?”
“Wait. Boyfriend? What if I'm just after you for your body and youthful stamina?”
“Manfriend. And I don’t mind you being after me for my body, but I’m after you for that and a lot more. So I guess that means it’ll just have to be a compromise.”
“Boyfriend. Fortunately, it's not just your body that interests me, so compromise is good." She pauses. "What exactly is a lot more?”
“Sex slave. If we’re going to shock the socks off people, let’s go all out." He grins as his hair becomes turquoise again. "A lot more is just that. Maybe if you’re really focused, you can seduce it out of me one of these days.”
“Fine. Manfriend. See? I can compromise.“ She snorts. “Oh, yes, because I’m such an expert at seduction.”
“I think you are, so that’s all that matters.” He tugs on her hair and kisses her lightly. When he pulls back, he caresses her cheek. “Are you really sure?”
She brushes her fingers through his hair, which floods with a familiar burnt orange color she’s not seen lately, and considers his question seriously. Finally, she kisses him and whispers against his lips, “I’m sure, Teddy.” She waits for the rush of panic and fear, but it doesn’t come. Instead, she feels happy and determined. She smiles up at him as he takes her cup of coffee and sets it on the table before he kisses her again.
End Chapter 33
WTR #32: Intention. Teen. | WTR #34: Delectation. Adult.
Pairing: Hermione/Teddy
Summary: Teddy and Hermione have a Serious Talk
Word Count: 5155
Rating: Adult
Betas: florahart & heather11483
Note: This contains spoilers for Deathly Hallows. Previous chapters of Worth the Risk can be found here .
There is no lingering over dinner. Once they finish, Hermione argues about paying half the total until she finally gives up because Teddy’s being stubborn. The smile he flashes as he puts down the Muggle pounds is almost worth the defeat. Not quite, though, as she knows she’ll pay next time before he has an opportunity to protest. The fact that she can think ‘next time’ after the last week is liberating, in a way, and she can’t seem to stop touching Teddy casually or looking at him.
Of course, the touching happens beneath the table because she just isn’t fond of displaying affection in public, whether she’s hiding a relationship or not. She held hands with Ron and would occasionally kiss him lightly but the latter wasn’t a common occurrence unless it was on the cheek. That habit isn’t something that’s likely to change, regardless of who she’s dating.
Still, she’s been absolutely daring tonight over dinner. She’s stroked his leg with hers, fondled his knee, and deliberately leaned towards him in ways that draw attention to her breasts. It doesn’t sound like much compared to some of the tales she hears from friends, but it’s more than she normally does. She isn't sure whether this is because she's come to accept that the relationship is moving forward, or because she's simply too weak to resist the impulse to touch him.
By the time he receives his change, she’s ready to go back to his flat for their serious talk. Depending on how that goes, she's also hoping for something more to happen after. Teddy holds the door for her as they leave the restaurant, and they start walking back to his building. They haven't said anything since they left the restaurant, but the silence between them isn’t awkward: it’s tense in the way that she’s missed. Her skin is tingling and she feels flushed from some of the thoughts in her mind, so she focuses her attention on their upcoming talk and not her depraved fantasies.
Teddy, however, has other ideas because he suddenly reaches for her hand and pulls her deep into a dark alley. She doesn’t even have time to ask what he thinks he’s doing before she’s pushed against a brick wall as he kisses her. Her thoughts of protesting such behavior are replaced by desire as she tangles her fingers in his hair and pulls him closer. She can distantly hear the street noise and knows it’s too dangerous to snog in an alley where anyone walking past might see. Besides, she's been so focused on them having their talk and now, here they are alone, and she's already snogging him. This is not talking! But she can’t make herself pull back yet.
“Want you so much,” Teddy whispers in between kisses. He moves his hand behind her and grips her bum as he moves his other hand to her breast. When she feels him press against her belly, she whines softly and deepens the kiss.
The feel of her skirt sliding up her legs rouses her sensibilities, and she reluctantly breaks the kiss. “We can’t,” she murmurs, reaching down to grip his wrist lightly. She glances at the entrance to the alley, glad to see that no one is there.
“We’re alone,” he points out as he kisses her cheek. “So far down here that no one's likely to see us in the shadows.” He nibbles on her neck. “And you know we’re not going to be able to talk until this is out of our systems, not after all that foreplay during dinner, you flirt.”
“It wasn’t foreplay,” she protests, moaning as his teeth scrape against the sensitive spot beneath her ear. “And someone could see, even with the shadows.”
“It was foreplay. The touching and licking your fork and looking at me as if you wanted to do the most sinful things imaginable to me and my poor defenseless body.” He punctuates the last few words with nips and licks while he squeezes her breast. Her nipples are hard, and he moves his thumb slowly back and forth over her shirt, torturing her as he rocks forward.
“Teddy, you should stop. We can't do this.” Her words are more breathless and aroused than forceful and commanding, which might explain why he ignores her and slowly pulls her skirt higher.
“Why not? God, you wear these bloody stockings just to torment me,” he accuses as he drags his fingertips along the bare skin above the silk. “I know you do. All I can think of when I see them is these gorgeous legs wrapped around my waist or over my shoulders as I slide into you over and over.”
She squeaks and shakes her head when the back of his hand presses against the crotch of her knickers. “This isn’t talking,” she says. “And stop talking in such a way.”
“It's not talking but I need to stop talking?" His tone is amused, and she doesn't have to see his face to know he's smiling.
"You know what I mean." He licks her neck, which is quite distracting when she's trying to argue. "Don't say such things."
"Why? Because it drives you wild even if you don’t want to admit it?” He smirks before he presses his hand more firmly against her dampening knickers. “You like hearing the things I want to do, hearing my fantasies and acting them out. Words excite you, even if you foolishly feel ashamed for finding it arousing.”
“What have you been doing the last week? Because you certainly weren’t this bold before.”
“I’ve had a lot of time to read. Those silly romance novels of mine are good for more than just escapism.” He lowers his head and kisses her hard, curling his tongue around hers as he runs his finger up and down her slit, pushing the cotton of her knickers against her as he does the things that he knows make her wet.
The sound of a loud horn pulls her back to herself. She turns her head to stare at the street and then pushes his hand out from beneath her skirt. “No. Not in a dirty alley like this.”
“Okay,” he finally says. He kisses her again before he slowly pushes her skirt back down. “I just thought---you kept looking at me like you wanted to now without waiting. I, uh, well, I figured maybe it was one of your fantasies, since you still haven’t told me any.”
“It’s fine,” she says. She bites her lip before she decides to be honest. “It’s not that I wasn’t enjoying it, Teddy. I just don’t like doing such things in public, even if we’re hidden by shadows.”
“What if we’re hidden by magic?” he asks, waggling his eyebrows as he holds up his wand. “There are some benefits to being a wizard, you know?”
She has to laugh and shakes her head. “Not tonight. I think this is about as daring as I can get for one evening.”
“Ah, but not tonight insinuates that you aren’t ruling out the possibility. That’s good enough for now, I suppose,” he decides. He runs his fingers through his green hair and smiles sheepishly. “Mind if we Apparate to my flat? I, uh, don’t think anyone out there needs to see this.” He glances down at his obvious erection and then nods toward the street.
“Oh. Right. Uh, that might be for the best.” She takes his hand and concentrates before they arrive in the sitting room of his flat. “There. This is much better for talk---”
His lips capture her words as he kisses her. Once again, she feels a wall behind her back as he presses her next to his bookcase. Without the threat of being seen, she gives in to her desire and returns his kiss while she pulls his shirt up so she can touch his bare skin. He fumbles with the zip of his trousers, and she pushes her knickers down and wiggles until they fall around her ankles.
“Ow,” she mutters as she hits her elbow on the bookcase. She looks at him and arches her brow. "You do understand that this doesn't mean we're not going to talk, right?"
“Careful. And, yes, talking. As much talking as you want. Just after.” He finally gets his zip down and pushes his trousers and boxers around his thighs. She stares at his erection as he strokes it, licking her lips as she kicks off her knickers and leans against the wall.
“Planning to play with it all night or put it to use?” she asks in a bossy tone that she’s noticed he seems to enjoy. Tonight is no exception as his penis practically throbs in his hand when she speaks.
“I wanna see your tits. Unfasten your blouse and show me,” he growls softly. She shudders at his tone, narrowing her eyes when she notices him smirk knowingly.
“Say please,” she challenges, lifting her chin slightly as she waits.
“I’m through saying please. Do it now,” he says in that same gruff tone that causes heat to spread throughout her body. “Or I’ll do it for you.”
She moves her hand beneath her skirt and lightly strokes herself, watching his reaction as he stares at the fabric hiding her hand from his view. “Do it then if you won’t ask nicely.”
“God, you’re killing me,” he accuses lowly before he lets go of his erection and reaches for her. He grips the sides of her blouse and rips, sending buttons flying all over the room.
“Bad boy. That’s a favorite shirt,” she scolds even as she arches her back and presents her breasts to him. He shoves her bra up and leans down, licking and sucking her hard nipples until she forgets all about the shirt.
“I’ll fix it later,” he mutters between licks and sucks. He rubs up against her leg, rocking forward to press his erection more firmly against her. He raises his head, hair falling across his eyes, and stares at her. “I want to be inside you, Hermione. Here. Now. No more time and waiting. Just---please?”
“Yes,” she whispers, reaching out to brush the turquoise and green colored locks away from his pretty eyes. “Here and now.”
He groans and kisses her while he pushes her skirt around her waist. He moves against her, but misses his target, sliding his erection along her wet lips without penetrating her. He tries again. The third time, she reaches down to grip him and help. It’s awkward, with the wall and standing up, and the angle is all wrong. She frowns and shifts when he starts to enter her, holding onto his shoulders as she tries to get into a better position.
“The stupid books never mention this part.” His words are soft and amused, which makes her laugh.
“Those books of yours are obviously not very realistic. Here, why don’t you grip my bum and lift me up. I’ll wrap my legs around you and try to use the leverage to, uh, bounce?” She grins. “Does one bounce when they’re pushed against a wall?”
“Guess we’ll find out.” He smiles and slides out of her so he can follow her instructions. Once he has her lifted, she moves her legs around him and they try again.
“Oh, that’s much, oh, better,” she says, gasping when he pushes inside of her completely. He glances down at her breasts, which are right there offered up to him, and leers.
“I like this,” he decides before he begins to move. After they shift into a better position against the wall, he watches her breasts as they begin to bounce. “I like how they move. Does it hurt with them flopping like that? Hurts a bit when I, uh, when I’m not supported.”
The tips of his ears turn red, and she bites her lip to keep from giggling. “Teddy, we’re shagging against the wall, which it seems you’ve been trying to do since we started dating, and you’re asking whether my breasts are sore?”
“Just concerned. I love watching your tits but not if it’s painful for you.” He kisses her when she starts to laugh and squeezes her bum just hard enough to make her whine. She returns the favor by moving her hand beneath his shirt and scratching his back, feeling him shudder as he thrusts forward hard.
Amusement is forgotten for the moment when the kiss deepens and he moves faster. She rolls her hips and pushes down against him, meeting his thrusts as her shirt gapes open even more. God, she loves kissing him. Tonight, he tastes of wine, tomatoes, and Teddy, and she can’t get enough of him. She loses herself in him as they keep moving together until his thrusts become faster and his hips jerk suddenly. She feels him spill inside her as he pulls his head back and grunts, arching his back as he buries himself deep inside her and comes.
His eyes are closed and his hair is now solidly green, his full lips parted as he inhales sharply, and she admires the muscles in his arms and neck as he trembles in release. For a second, she thinks he might drop her, because his grip loosens and he seems to have forgotten their precarious position, but he tightens his hold and leans forward to rest his head against her shoulder. She listens to the sound of him panting and wiggles slightly, trying to get friction where she needs it most.
“Let me,” he murmurs as he shifts her and balances her between himself and the wall. She feels his fingers on her clit as he slowly rocks against her, his spent cock moving in and out as his release drips on the floor. It doesn’t take much rubbing before she gasps and holds him while she comes.
After she stops shuddering, they just lean against the wall while they catch their breath. Eventually, he eases out of her, and she unwraps her legs. The floor is a mess, their clothes are in total disarray, and her stockings are damp from sweat. Another pair ruined, most likely, not that she can complain. They kiss again, slow and thorough, before he steps back.
“When you mentioned talking, I, uh, didn’t intend for the wicked way to be had first.” He smiles. “Though I think I’d be much more inclined for serious talks if it always happened in this order. You know, if you ever need incentive in the future.”
“I’ll remember that.” She laughs softly before grimacing at the floor. “We need to clean up then we do really need to have that talk. As enjoyable as this has been, it doesn’t solve anything.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I’ve been wanting to shag you for the past week, so it certainly took care of that. Surprisingly, though, it didn’t actually solve anything because I still want to shag you. A lot. And eventually in an alley where we might get caught just so I can see if you’ll be able to keep quiet or if you’ll end up making all those amazing noises that I love.”
“Hmph. I’m not at all shocked that you're still thinking about shagging,” she tells him dryly. “Now, we made a mess on the floor and you need to find buttons since you had the audacity to rip my shirt.”
“Do you think maybe we’re doing all these things to keep from having that talk?” he asks curiously. He uses his wand to summon the buttons while she performs a cleaning charm on the floor.
“Maybe,” she says honestly. “It could be unconscious, I suppose. If all goes badly, we’ve at least had one more time together first. Something like that.”
He looks at her steadily as his hair fades from green to purple. “Go use the toilet and then we’ll talk. No more putting it off, unconsciously or otherwise. This wasn‘t a last time, Hermione. It was just---well, us not resisting the urge for once.”
“By us, you mean me.” She holds up her hand. “No, it’s okay. If we’re going to talk, we need to promise to be honest and communicate or this won’t work at all. I’ll be right back.” She goes down the hall to use the toilet and clean up. After she washes her hands, she looks in the mirror and can barely recognize herself. Her hair is a complete disaster, there are marks on her neck and chest, and she looks happier than she has in days.
When she goes back into the sitting room, she smells fresh coffee and sees Teddy nervously pacing. He’s taken his shirt off and is just wearing a pair of black trousers that ride too low on his hips to be decent. She tries to be quiet so she can enjoy observing him in this unguarded moment, but a floorboard creaks, announcing her presence.
As she enters the room, he looks up at her and smiles. “I put coffee on, but I can put on the kettle if you prefer tea,” he offers.
“Coffee is fine. If you have my buttons, I’ll fix my shirt real fast.”
“No, I’ll do it later. I said I would, after all. And, yes, that is me being a man since it means I get to ogle your chest while we talk.” He leers playfully and bites his lip. “So, how do we do this talking thing?”
“How do we talk?”
“I mean, do we sit and go over issues? Do you have an agenda? I remember how much you love those.”
“Teddy, I don’t have an agenda for this, and my initial plan won’t work considering our dinner and shag. I assume that normal talking would be sufficient.”
He nods. “Okay. I can do that then. Let me get the coffee then we can start.”
She sits down and gets comfortable while he fixes the coffee. She takes the cup from him and moves over slightly so he can sit next to her. “This is nice,” she says after a sip.
“It’s some foreign blend that smelled good. Bit strong, but I like it that way.” He looks at her expectantly, and she realizes he’s waiting for her to start.
“I still have worries and concerns about a relationship between us. No, let me talk. I think I’d have many of the same concerns regardless of whom I was dating, because the children would be affected regardless and my friends and family might dislike whomever it was, so I realized during the last week that maybe those issues are just a part of life.”
“They are,” he agrees. “I know we’re different, because of the age and closeness we’ve had over the years, but some problems are just part of any relationship. You take the good with the bad, you know?”
“I know that now. Despite my best efforts not to, a part of me compares this with my relationship with Ron, which isn’t fair at all. It’s not the same. But it’s the only relationship that I’ve ever had, so I just don’t have anything else for comparison. With Ron, we started dating when I was eighteen, were married a few years later, and had started a family a couple of years after that. It seemed that everyone knew from the time we were teenagers that we had feelings for each other, so there weren’t really any issues beyond my dedication to work and somewhat selfish tendencies, and his lack of direction at first and the standard quirks that any relationship tends to have.”
“You have been selfish, but I, uh, wasn’t necessarily that mature,” he admits. “I knew you had these worries, could even understand most of them, but I was impatient and didn’t understand nearly as well as I thought I did. I talked to Gram about us this week because I just needed advice from someone who might understand you or at least could help me figure out why these fears you have meant more than I did.”
“You talked to your grandmother? About us?” She blinks at him and blushes, just imagining what Andromeda Tonks must have had to say about that. “She must want to kill me.”
“Nah. She likes you better than most people. When I told her about it, she said she’d be shocked if you considered giving it a second go because I’d behaved like an impatient child. I love her, but she can be brutal sometimes. The talk with Harry was much better. Hell, talking to Ron and being beaten up was better than listening to Gram explain things about your situation that I should have known or taken into consideration.”
“Really?” She doesn’t necessarily believe him, and her tone indicates her doubt because he looks at her intently.
“She didn’t want me hiding, not after, well, she knows what that’s like, so she was rather angry with me for getting myself into such a situation. She knows that emotional stuff isn’t something you can control, though, so she stopped ranting finally and really tried to help me.” He frowns. “I knew you worried about Rose and Hugo knowing, but it never honestly occurred to me how things would go if we don’t work out. I never thought about how it would be for you if they don’t approve of me as anything but ‘cousin’ Teddy and don’t want me anywhere near you romantically. I didn’t think that anyone who cares about either of us would possibly care as long as we’re happy, but Gram reminded me that people don’t work that way usually.”
“No, they don’t. Ron and Harry both disapprove, even if they’re willing to accept it, and they’ve been my best friends since I was twelve. I know that they’re logically closer to the situation, which means those who aren’t so close to you might not care that much at all, but their reactions do skew my expectations in that regard right now.”
“Yeah. Well, Gram forced me to see a few things that I’d not paid a lot of attention to or acknowledged, so it was good, even if it was bloody awkward discussing my love life with her. I just knew that she might understand, and I wasn’t sure what to do. Harry asked me to leave you alone unless it was work, cause he said you needed time to figure out your head and heart, but my promise to do so lasted until Monday afternoon, which means I utterly fail as a godson and a mature adult. Gram didn’t make me promise anything, but she did suggest that I spend a few days seriously thinking about everything so I could decide if it was still worth the risk once I had to accept everything beyond the great sex and conversation.”
“I’m rather horrified, beyond belief, at the idea of your grandmother using the word ‘sex’ in relation to me and you. Just wanted that out there, with the honesty and everything.” She takes a drink of her coffee before she sighs. “You were right. I was terribly selfish by thinking only of myself and not considering everything you were jeopardizing, too. I liked controlling everything and trying to keep myself from getting hurt.”
“I know you’re a control freak,” he says. “I mean, that’s sort of obvious to anyone around you for more than a few hours. I don’t even mind that much because I can be stubborn and demanding when it’s something that really matters, but you kept hiding behind your issues without ever talking with me about them and kept saying that you needed more time. I just felt like we were hiding and nothing was actually advancing. I was scared that that you'd, uh, never want to stop keeping the secret, and I just can't live that way.”
She looks at him. “My divorce from Ron was amicable. We realized we weren’t in love anymore and it happened gradually, but we agreed. It did hurt, especially at first when I realized we’d lost something that used to mean the world to me, and I felt like a complete failure. I know he was partially responsible, but it was one of those times when logic doesn’t really matter as much as how you feel about yourself. I promised myself back then to never get into a similar situation because I couldn’t see how any other relationship could possibly work out when Ron and I couldn’t. I’m sorry if you were hurt because of my self-protection. I never intended for things between us to escalate and reach a point where I actually had to make myself vulnerable.”
“I sort of figured that out.” He smiles wryly. “Temporary and casual. You kept saying I was too young and that’s all I wanted, but, really, it’s all you wanted because it meant you wouldn’t become emotionally involved and there wouldn’t be a chance of getting hurt. That’s basically it, right?”
“I’m afraid so. I convinced myself that it was just lust and a crush, and that you’d get tired of me and how complicated, yet boring, my life is, but you didn’t. It scared me, too, because I was starting to feel things I shouldn’t if you might end things at any time. In recent years, I've just developed the habit of avoiding emotional entanglements, especially when things become too serious and complex.”
“But you’re here now, not avoiding it.”
“A dear friend reminded me that life is too short to live in fear. I managed to find my courage after a little manipulation.”
“Ah. George?” He ducks his head and his hair flashes pink. “He’s rather good at that manipulation when he focuses. Did he, uh, tell you---”
“About his advice?” Hermione smiles. “Yes, he did. I think he put two and two together last Friday and decided to meddle. I’m glad he did this time because I needed it or else I’d have continued thinking and letting my worries control me.”
“The worries are still there, Hermione. I mean, on Monday, Entwhistle mentioned a promotion, and I’m not stupid enough to think that our going public wouldn’t stir up gossip that could hurt your chances. I know we wouldn’t be taking out adverts in the newspaper by any means, but if we’re not hiding, people will notice and talk and I don’t want your career hurt because of me. I also wouldn‘t want you to be forced into a situation where you had to choose between your children and me, not that there would ever actually be a choice if it came to that.”
“I know they’re still there, Ted. However, any promotion at work will be based on experience, performance, and merit. And I’m prepared and willing to fight anyone who dares suggest that I’d not be suitable for the position due to my private life. As for the children, you’re right. There isn’t a choice, and they might not accept us being in a relationship, but they might need time before they’re okay with it no matter who I’m dating, so I can’t really not take the chance out of fear of their reactions.”
“What about the gossip? I’ve seen it with Muggles, and it’s so frustrating because it’s none of their business. People who know us should accept anything if we’re happy and not doing illegal things, but will they? I just don’t know anymore.”
“People will talk and there will be nasty gossip, but I’ve been at the center of such ridiculousness several times throughout the years, including a particularly dreadful time when I was sixteen, and I managed to survive. Would you, though? Would you prefer for us to just end this tonight and not be forced to deal with all the issues that might arise? I’d understand if you’ve had a change of heart, and I could accept it.” She pauses. “It isn’t going to be easy. No new relationship is perfect or easy, and, in our case, we have even more issues than a normal couple. It might not last, it might turn into something we wish we’d never tried, but, well, it might last and might turn out to be something we never realized we even needed.”
“The best things in life are rarely simple and easy,” he tells her quietly. “I’ve heard gossip since I was a child. Father was a werewolf, mother was killed by her own auntie, said auntie was an evil Death Eater, member of a family well known for Dark Wizards, Potter’s Godson, and the list goes on and on. I used to let it bother me, but now I just pity those who are so caught up in spreading hurtful rumors and trying to ruin people’s lives because it’s pathetic and only works if you allow their opinions to control you. Regardless of my last name, I’m a Black, and I’m the son of two heroes, one of whom was a werewolf and one of whom was a metamorphmagus, who died fighting to save this world, and my godfather is a nice man who just happens to have a scar on his forehead. I don’t really see why adding ‘the manfriend of a sexy brilliant older woman’ to that list is something that I’d ever be ashamed of.”
“Manfriend?”
“Well, boyfriend sort of emphasizes the age difference, yeah?”
“Wait. Boyfriend? What if I'm just after you for your body and youthful stamina?”
“Manfriend. And I don’t mind you being after me for my body, but I’m after you for that and a lot more. So I guess that means it’ll just have to be a compromise.”
“Boyfriend. Fortunately, it's not just your body that interests me, so compromise is good." She pauses. "What exactly is a lot more?”
“Sex slave. If we’re going to shock the socks off people, let’s go all out." He grins as his hair becomes turquoise again. "A lot more is just that. Maybe if you’re really focused, you can seduce it out of me one of these days.”
“Fine. Manfriend. See? I can compromise.“ She snorts. “Oh, yes, because I’m such an expert at seduction.”
“I think you are, so that’s all that matters.” He tugs on her hair and kisses her lightly. When he pulls back, he caresses her cheek. “Are you really sure?”
She brushes her fingers through his hair, which floods with a familiar burnt orange color she’s not seen lately, and considers his question seriously. Finally, she kisses him and whispers against his lips, “I’m sure, Teddy.” She waits for the rush of panic and fear, but it doesn’t come. Instead, she feels happy and determined. She smiles up at him as he takes her cup of coffee and sets it on the table before he kisses her again.
End Chapter 33
WTR #32: Intention. Teen. | WTR #34: Delectation. Adult.