It Happened One Night

A sweet chapter about healing.......









CHAPTER 22: Not a Dream







Hermione opened her eyes slowly, they were dry and itchy as she tried to focus and figure out just where she was and what was going on. Her gaze met Remus’s and she sighed in relief. Aside from a few minor scratches on his cheek and one across the bridge of his nose, he didn’t look too bad. He had her pressed into the back of the sofa with his back to the fireplace; obviously he had moved her from the floor and carried her to the sofa when he changed back.





“You look pretty good this morning, all things considered.” She said her voice raspy from sleep and the events of the night before.







“I don’t care about how I look……are you alright?” He asked, pushing her hair back from her face.







“It wasn’t just a bad dream was it?” She wanted it to be. She didn’t want to believe that her first love, her friend, had assaulted her and tried to kill her husband.





“No, love, I wish it were so I could just give you a kiss and tell you to go back to sleep and it would go away.” Remus whispered as he stroked her curls soothingly.





“He tried to…..oh god Remus he was going to cast the killing curse on you!” Her eyes filled with tears and she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight enough that he grunted in her arms.





“He wouldn’t be the first wizard to try and fail. I can’t believe you knocked him out.” Remus said, pulling from her embrace slightly so he could breathe.





“I couldn’t let him take you from me.” The throw covering them shifted and Hermione could see the wounds on his chest and arms. “Oh look at you! Let me up so I can tend to your wounds and get you a healing potion.” She said trying awkwardly to sit up.





“No need, I’ve already been up and taken care of it.” He said, holding her in place. “I want to make sure you are alright. Did he hurt you other than the bruise on your cheek?”



“My arms hurt where he grabbed me, but other than that I think my injuries are all emotional.” She said sadly, tears rolling slowly down her cheeks. “That was not Ron, Remus.”





“Alcoholism is a disease, love. It steals everything you ever recognized from a person and replaces it with something ugly.” He wanted her to cry, knew she needed to get it out before she could begin to move beyond the events of the previous night.





“I never dreamed he would hurt me, that he would try to…..I’m so glad you were able to get out.” She sighed heavily as though all the strength and energy she had left her body.





“Nothing was going to keep me away from you. I would have gotten to you one way or another. I just wish it had been before he got the chance to touch you.” Remus said, fingering the torn edge of her shirt.





“I need to take a bath, Remus. I don’t feel clean.” She said, suddenly feeling as though she were covered in filth.





Remus nodded and stood, pulling her to her feet. He wrapped the throw around his waist and led her through the house and into the master bathroom. He leaned over the large Jacuzzi tub that he had installed to help with the aching after his transformations and turned on the taps so it could begin filling with steamy water. He grabbed a healing potion from a cabinet and poured it in. He wasn’t going to leave her alone for any reason and he intended to join her.





Remus turned back to Hermione and reached for the hem of her shirt.



“Let’s just dispose of these entirely, shall we?” She raised her arms and let him pull the destroyed garment from her and fling it into the waste basket. He tugged the drawstring at her waist and let the bottoms fall to the floor so she could step out of them. They joined the shirt in short order.







“You shouldn’t be taking care of me; it should be me taking care of you.” She said as Remus picked her up and stepped into the tub, settling her on his lap.







“We take care of each other, love. I feel fine, just relax and let me make you feel better.” He said, softly kneading her shoulders and back.







“You know how much I love you, don’t you?” She asked him softly.







“If I didn’t before, I do now. You spent the night with a werewolf lying in your lap; if that isn’t love I don’t know what is.” He said, kissing her shoulder.





“That new formula is amazing, Remus, you were in complete control the entire time. At least as far as I could tell, though I thought for a moment you were going to bite Ron.” She said, leaning back into his chest and resting her head on his shoulder as she let the hot, bubbling water soothe her.





“I was. I would have killed him if I hadn’t heard you pleading with me.” He said, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight against him. “I was so afraid I wouldn’t get to you in time, love. I hated feeling so trapped.”







“You could try staying with me…..”





“No, I can’t risk it.” Remus reached for the soap and began to rub the softly scented lather into her skin. “I will never take chances with you, ever. I will be changing all of the protection wards on the house, teaching you more elaborate ones to keep you safe.”





Hermione closed her eyes and just took pleasure in his hands moving over her, washing away the evil that tainted her skin.





“I don’t want to talk about it now. I just want you to keep touching me.” She said softly, her head rolling against his shoulder. Remus slid his hands over her breasts, unable to stop him from fondling her nipples before sliding one hand between her thighs and stroking between her heated folds. “Yes…..make me forget…..” She moaned, writhing against his fingers.





Remus understood that it was less about desire and more about needing to feel something other than distress, betrayal and violated. She needed his touch, the touch of someone who loved her and wanted to take away the pain and he was more than willing to give her whatever she wanted.





Hermione rocked her hips against his hand, quickly becoming aware of his increasing arousal pressing into her backside. She grabbed his wrist, stopping his hand as she turned on his lap to straddle him. She didn’t waste time. She grabbed the back of his neck and held him still as she slanted her lips over his and lowered her body over his erection, taking him inside her.





It wasn’t gentle. Her hips were slamming down hard against him as she lost herself in the feel of him. Remus let her lead the way, let her take what she needed from him because regardless of what she did, his pleasure was guaranteed. Her lips never left his as she began to grind her hips into his until she finally bit into his lower lip and moaned sharply into his mouth, her orgasm clutching him tightly as he followed her over and emptied his release inside her.





She rested her head on his shoulder and turned her face into his neck as she struggled to catch her breath.





“I love you.” She said.





“And I you.” He replied, rubbing gentle circles over her back with his fingertips. “We should get out before we shrivel up completely, love. Harry will be here soon to escort us to court.”







“I suppose there is no getting out of it is there?” She asked, sliding back from him to wash away the evidence of their passion.





“Not if you want him to get the help he needs, love.” Remus said, helping her from the tub and wrapping her in a warm, fluffy towel.





“You will be with me the whole time?” She asked, hating the insecurity she felt, but she just couldn’t stand the thought of being away from him.







“I wouldn’t leave you alone for anything in the world, I promise.” He smiled.



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So we are coming to a close soon……….