A Married Man

A knock at the door drew the attention of one, James Potter as he sat reading in the parlour with his wife. A fire crackled warmly and the room glowed and flickered with the flame.

James stood, smiling at his wife, who was still reading the ‘Prophet’ as though she hadn’t heard the knock. “I’ll just get that,” he said quietly, her, “Hm-hm,” his only indication that she had heard. “Kids ‘trick or treating’ I expect.”

“Well I’m sure you can find the sweets,” she replied absently without looking up.

With a sigh he made his way down the hall to the door and flung it open only to step back and gasp at the vision that stood there.

She was his dream, his darkest most forbidden fantasy, his son’s best friend and at twenty-five just as breathtaking as she was when first he saw her seven years ago. They’d found a way to bring both him, Lily, Sirius, and Remus back from the dead and the first thing he’d seen on opening his eyes was Hermione. Wild hair, flashing eyes, wicked smile, and he had been lost.

“Trick or treat, Mr. Potter,” she purred from where she stood on the top step.

He lowered his gaze to take in her long black coat, which looked rather similar to the one he was wearing the last time he ‘dropped in’ to borrow sugar, and accidentally left behind. It was buttoned up tight, and his mind reeled with the possibilities of why.

“Well hello there Miss Granger,” he drawled. “That’s a very nice coat you have.”

She grinned wickedly, her brown eyes flashing in a way that wrapped right around his cock and tightened almost painfully. “Thought I’d just drop by and return it before I head off to the Halloween party.” And slowly she started to unbutton the coat her gaze never leaving his.

“Her… Hermione maybe you shouldn’t…” He stuttered, but all words were forgotten when she pulled it open to reveal an obscenely short, grey, pleated skirt, crisp white, undersized blouse straining over her full breasts, and matching tie. His mouth fell open and he wondered briefly if he was drooling as his eyes drifted downwards, gasping at her knee-high socks and rather prim buckle shoes, a secret and embarrassing fetish of his, that only Hermione had knowledge of.

Her long, curly hair hung over her shoulders in two loose pigtails and James withheld a groan at the wave of desire and deep-seated affection he had for this woman. Leaning against the doorframe he shook his head and reached out to caress her jaw, then the curve of her breast.

“I love you,” he breathed.

*

Hermione inhaled and pressed her face against his long, searching fingers, loving the way they seared as they caressed. She turned her face so her lips were against his palm and kissed. It had taken all her courage and quite a few firewhiskeys to put on her old uniform and shorten the skirt so scandalously. The shoes, now they were another issue. It had meant so much that he had revealed to her a secret so personal, that she just had to indulge him on this their final night together.

He didn’t know it, and wouldn’t until later. For this night she wanted everything to be perfect and a part of her wanted him to remember that she was the woman who gave him this. Not his wife. That cold heartless woman who simply couldn’t see the wonderful, intelligent, and passionate man that was James.

Why did he have to look so damn good? Low hanging jeans and white shirt, sleeves rolled up, and his short black hair all mussed and glasses askew. He was a picture of sexy masculine goodness and it only added to the man that was James Potter.

“I love you,” she whispered and took his thumb into the hot depths of her mouth, slowly, sensuously, loving the way his eyes widened when she sucked on the slightly calloused pad.

“Who is it James?” Lily’s voice snapped from the parlour.

“Yes indeed James, who is it,” she thought as she gently bit down on his fingers, pulling a gasp from his lips and making his cheeks flush with lust as his eyes remained on her full red lips.

“Just some local kids, Lil,” he called over his shoulder, swallowing hard when Hermione arched a single brow, stepped closer, and pressed her hand firmly against his rock hard cock, stroking it almost roughly through the brittle fabric of his jeans.

“Come with me,” she whispered, rising on tiptoes to run her tongue over his lips. “I’ve been a very bad girl.”

“I can’t,” he rasped against her lips. “God I want to, but…”

“But what?” she said with a smirk, “You think I put all this on to go to some silly party?”

“Hermione, you have no idea how much this means, or how fucking hot you look.” he whispered against her mouth, eyes flicking to the parlour door. “But you know I can’t just leave.”

“Make something up,” she whispered back and flicked her tongue sensuously over his upper lip. “I want you. Don‘t you want your present?”

“Oh Merlin,”

She grinned knowing that she was breaking his resolve and knowing just how to make him jump. She stepped back and pouted, giving him a good look at the outfit she had worn just for him, then nipping her lip she dropped to her knees and gripped his thighs. Her eyes on his she slowly licked her tongue up his zipper, feeling his cock jump and swell behind the material and feeling at inner thrill at the way his teeth bared in a hungry growl as he looked down at her.

“I could just give you your present here, I suppose,” she said thoughtfully and ran her teeth over the hardness behind the restricting jeans, and smiling when his fingers weaved into her hair. “Or maybe I could go to that party after all, you know Sirius will be there. What do you think he’ll do when I tell him what a bad girl I’ve been?”

With a primal growl he yanked her to her feet and slammed her against the doorframe, his mouth muffling her shocked cry. “Mine,” he muttered against her mouth, baring his teeth and nipping her bottom lip almost painfully. “If he touches you I’ll kill him.”

“Then come make me yours,” Hermione purred, slipping a piece of paper and a key into his hand, before pulling herself free and walking away, down the path, hips swaying.

~*~*~

James stood in the parlour, facing his wife who continued to ignore him even as he watched her. He had loved her once, he was sure of it, or maybe it was the idea that had been her, the promise of love and family that he had craved. But in all honesty before he could really analyse his feelings towards her after Hogwarts and after his Auror training she was pregnant and it was too late.

He had tried to make it work, wanted to be a good husband and father but… He had the feeling that she felt the same way. They had been attracted to one another, but it had been little more then a school crush, once in the real world it had dissolved into a comfortable friendship that slowly became a quiet resentment at the fact that neither could satisfy their deeper need for love and passion.

For a long time he simply resigned himself to this life of loneliness, his son his only passion and light. That perfect little grin managing to always cheer him making it all worthwhile. Then Voldemort had shown up at the front door, he wished it had been a more dramatic entrance, or exit as it were. He didn’t even think to grab his wand before answering the door and then it was all over.

But that was the past and quite frankly he was sick of just being James Potter, reborn father of the great Harry Potter. Not that he minded, he loved Harry and was proud to be his father but the boy scarcely needed a man only a couple of years his senior telling him what to do.

James ached for happier times, when things were simpler. When he and Lily had been first together a touch of his hand would bring the prettiest smile to her face and send her into fits of giggles as she would throw herself into his arms. There had to be something left and he owed it to himself and to her to try before he was unfaithful again.

An image of Hermione floated before his eyes. Her warm smile, the way she listened when he spoke and could happily talk with him for hours. That was love, that was passion the way she came apart in his arms… No!

He shoved the image away. It was wrong. She wasn’t his wife, Lily was and it was wrong to want her the way he had never wanted his wife, wrong to feel as though he could be himself and proud of the man he was with Hermione and yet felt inferior with Lily.

He shook his head and watched as his wife laid aside her book and walked past him without even the slightest acknowledgement. Pulling in his remaining courage and dignity he turned with her and followed. With a cheeky grin he crept up behind her and wrapped his arms around her slim waist, kissing her shoulder and neck.

“Lets go out tonight darling, like we used to, we could…” but before he finished, Lily yanked herself from his grasp and spun around to glare at him.

She was looking at him as though he were the lowest creature, almost as though he were a stranger grabbing and hugging her. “What are you doing?”

“I was hugging you,” he said, half laughing at the absurdity of the question. “I am your husband, remember?”

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Fine, lets go upstairs but can you hurry up I want to finish my book.”

James couldn’t believe what he was hearing and was stung by the harshness of her tone and blatant slur at his sexual desires. As though he could ever just have sex knowing that she wasn’t interested, in fact they hadn’t made love in years because of her lack of interest.

Something inside him broke as he looked at his wife. “I was going to suggest that we go see a movie, the way we used to.” he said coldly and was at least partly relieved to see her look abashed.

~*~*~

Hermione huffed and paced the small cabin. An hour had passed and James still wasn’t here. She knew what he was doing. He wouldn’t be James if when given a moment to think he didn’t try to do the right thing. He had probably tried to talk to Lily, tried to get her to look at him the way he longed to be looked at, loved the way he longed to be loved. The way Hermione loved him.

She cringed at the thought that maybe this would be the day. The day when Lily realised that she wanted those things as well and took her husband back.

Hermione sat on the bed and laughed bitterly, this was why she was leaving, why this, if he showed would be their last time together. She couldn’t do this any more. Loving James Potter was killing the young witch. He spoke of love and of feeling free in her arms, but in the end it was his wife he returned to and his wife that he wanted to love him. Hermione was just the other woman, and though she knew he cared about her as well as enjoyed her body, he would never be hers and would never want to be.

He wasn’t coming.

It was a fact and she had to accept it. He had tried one last time to make his wife notice him for the man he was and she had said yes. They were making love at this very second she could feel it, see it behind her eyes. Him groaning as he took her slowly, savouring the feeling of the woman he loved. She wondered if he would think of her, if he ever did when he was with Lily.

This was a mistake. She should never have challenged him that way. One of the reasons she loved him so dearly was because of his honour and goodness. And now he was gone, lost to her forever and she didn’t even get to say goodbye.

A single tear rolled down her cheek as she gathered her bag and rushed to the door. All she wanted to do was go home and cry into her oversized stuffed stag, that he had won for her at the show three years ago. Then she would throw it away, along with all the photos and other things that reminded her of him and leave.

But just as she pulled open the door she was met by the stunned face of the man in question. “James?” was all she could manage in the confusion.

He stepped inside and looked her over slowly, eyes settling on her bag slung casually over her shoulder. “Were you leaving?” he said, a flash of hurt making her heart break as she looked at him but as his gaze shifted to her face and the thin wet trail down her cheek.

“I… I didn’t think that you… I mean I thought that maybe you’d…”

But when she looked up at him his expression was that of wonder as he stepped closer and gently wiped away the traitorous tear with his thumb. There was so much she wanted to say and so much that she wanted to hear, but at that moment none of it mattered.

With breathtaking tenderness James cupped her face and kissed her, deep, passionate and she could feel the depth of his feeling in every caress. She responded in kind, kissing him with equal vigour, wrapping her arms around his throat and legs around his waist.

“Gods, Mione,” he rasped against her lips, kissing her over and over making a loud smacking sound with each. “I’m a selfish bastard. All I seem to do is take - take - take,” he said punctuating each word with a kiss as he balanced her weight against the door and ground his groin against hers. “And Merlin help me I can’t get enough of you.”

“James, yes…” she moaned and tilted her head back to give him free reign over the long column of her throat, crying out softly when his mouth seemed to devour her whole.

“Why?” he murmured, lips searing up her throat and across her jaw. “The hot little outfit, the cabin, why?”

“It’s Halloween, silly,” she said, giggling as he growled against her ear. “The one night of the year when we can be anything we want to be.” She smiled coyly and licked her lips. “I thought every school boys dream was to have a naked Gryffindor on top of them.”

James chuckled, “Why Miss Granger, I’m shocked.”

Hermione laughed and gasped in delight as his long fingers dipped between them and he dragged his thumb over her clit. “Noooo,” she moaned and had to struggle to gain her composure back. “Just for tonight, I want you to be mine.” she nipped her lip as she felt him still his movements, burying his face in her shoulder, and went on. “And I want to bring your naughtiest fantasy to life. For tonight I’ll be anything you want me to be, do everything you tell me to do, I’m yours.”

James groaned roughly against her and took her mouth in a deep hungry kiss. “Fuck, Mione,” he breathed raggedly, gasping when she nipped at his bottom lip. “You are so fucking hot, do you know that? My hottest, filthiest fantasy has always been you.”

And with that his mouth crashed down on hers again, hot and demanding as he barely tore open his pants to free his rock hard erection then hastily yanked her panties aside, bent his knees and thrust home.

Their mouths fell wide on that first almost painful thrust; he was a big man and had to spread her body wide to fill her. Hermione let her head fall back against the wall, eyes fluttering closed in bliss as her lover took her, hard and fast.

It was all she could do to grip his shoulders and feel as he grunted and thrust over and over. She opened her eyes only to see him staring right back with an intensity that made her heart flip and the sensations in her lower body reach a fever pitch.

She couldn’t get past how undeniably sexy he was. His mussed black hair, those glowing hazel eyes behind those strangely exciting, thick-rimmed glasses. And there was something so sordid about being filled so completely by his thick pumping cock while they were both fully dressed.

“Merlin, James,” she cried and dropped her head to his shoulder, lost to his merciless thrusts, lost to the sensations growing and tightening inside her, lost to the depth of emotion flowing with every pleasured moan and growl from his lips.

“God damn, Mione,” he gritted against her ear and thrust faster, fingers digging into her thighs as he shoved his length deeper. “If they only knew what a dirty little slut you really are.”

His words should have enraged her, but they had the opposite effect and with a startled cry the tightness in her body released, flinging her head back and contracting around his pumping cock.

James rode her climax till the end, gritting his teeth with the strain of it. “That’s it lover, come for me. Your mine, my whore - Mine - Mine…” He grunted punctuating every word with a deep thrust till he finally ploughed deep and came with a shuddering groan, Hermione whimpering with the aftershocks as she felt his hot seed splash against her cervix.

A little later they lay on the bed together, Hermione crushed beneath his weight as James made love to her more slowly.

They kissed languidly as he slid his thick length in and out, slow and deliberate.

Cherished. That’s how Hermione felt and her heart ached with the knowledge that he would never be hers. This would be the last time they were together this way

James cupped her face and kissed her gently, lips caressing hers so softly and tenderly it took her breath away. “I love you,” he whispered, kissing around her jaw as he thrust faster, groaning with pleasure at the way she tightened around him and swirled her hips.

Hermione wound her legs around his waist and threaded her fingers into his hair, looking right back into his intense hazel eyes. “I love you, James.” she sobbed and arched, meeting him thrust for thrust.

~*~*~

When James woke up, he was alone.

“Mione?” he sat up and looked around, his muscles aching in that wonderful ‘I’ve been shagging the woman of my dreams’ way. But a deafening silence greeted him.

She was gone.

Something about that felt wrong. She had never just left him before, not without kissing him goodbye or at least letting him know she was going. It was one of the things he loved about her, she always made sure that he knew she was thinking of him. He grinned and shook his head, pushing away that ominous feeling.

But it returned with a vengeance when he saw the note pinned to the door. He tried to calm his pounding heart but as he took the thin piece of parchment, he knew what it was going to say.

James,

By now you know why I wasn’t here when you woke. I bet you worked it out long before you opened this letter. I love that about you, the way you always know what I’m doing, how I’m feeling often long before even I can put it into words.

What we have been doing is wrong, and I know that eats you up as it does me. Lily is a good woman and I know you still love her, and long for her to love you back; love you the way you know I love you. I hope one day she does, because you deserve it, of all the things I know, (and considering all the time I spend reading in the library, that’s quite a bit) I know that more then anything else.

You made me feel special and beautiful, and showed me that the romantic, passionate love I’ve read about really does exist. But I need to find it with a man who is free to be mine, as I am to be his.

So this is goodbye, my darling James. I will always remember you as my first love and you will remain dear to my heart, but from this point on I am your son’s best friend and nothing more.

All my love

Hermione

James crushed the parchment in his hand and shut his eyes tight as his tears escaped and ran freely down his flushed cheeks.

His life stretched out before him empty and lonely.

“No,” he muttered throwing the letter aside as images flashed through his mind.
*****

Opening his eyes after what felt like seconds, but what in fact had been 16 years of death, to see her. The war had apparently just ended, and his son had killed Voldemort. She had been dueling and her hair was a mess of wild curls, her brown eyes flashed as she held her wand ready, glaring down at the newcomers.

It hadn’t been until Sirius jumped to his feet and swept the young woman into his arms that she finally let down her guard and hugged the sinfully handsome wizard back. James remembered the twinge of jealousy that had confused him so much.

*

The two had kept a polite coolness between them over the next two years. Both seeming to feel the need to not be alone together, a sort of mutual wall that they both happily maintained without either acknowledging it or really knowing why.

Then one day she and Harry had stopped by on their way to visit Neville and Luna. Lily being the mother had taken Harry aside to ‘fix’ his hair leaving James and Hermione alone for the first time. James felt like a trapped fox, Hermione looked stricken for a second but quickly covered it by taking a long drink of her tea.

After a moment of awkward silence Hermione had stood and asked if he minded her perusing his bookshelf. He had smiled with a wave of relief that they were no longer sitting together.

But he had watched her as she glanced over the books, most of them Lily’s, self help, romance, some horrors; Hermione didn’t seem interested in any of them till she reached the three shelves containing his meager collection. He was caught of guard by her sudden gasp of pleasure as she tipped her head to the side to see better, her fingers almost caressing over the spines of the titles that she obviously recognized.

With a wide smile she pulled out the book that just happened to be his favourite, George Orwell’s ‘Down and Out in Paris and London.’

“Have you read this?” she asked, her eyes shimmering and her full pink lips curling into the prettiest smile he had seen. Sure he’d seen her smile before and admired her curvaceous form, but this was the first time she had really smiled at him and for a moment his head felt light and his heart beat faster then a racehorse.

He closed his eyes and he repeated the first paragraph of the book from memory then grinned madly into her pleasure filled face, “If there is a better beginning to a book, I am yet to read it,” he said and she laughed going on to repeat the second paragraph from her own memory. “Nor I,” she breathed, her eyes fluttering open to meet his.

Their breaths stopped, both inhaling sharply and holding as their hands caressed over the book and in that moment they knew why they avoided each other.

*

It was another year before they met again, both having rather successfully managed to avoid the other. Quite a feat considering the close circles they moved in.

Their next meeting happened at a charity ball thrown by the Malfoy’s in which they were all invited and inclined to attend.

On arrival, his wife on his arm, James eyes had immediately sharpened, unconsciously seeking out the muggleborn and honing in when he spotted her. She looked beautiful in that sexy, low cut gold dress with that full length soft flowy skirt, cut high to show a large amount of long toned thigh.

He watched her for a moment, she seemed to be looking for someone.

Her eyes widened when they landed on him, and she looked away quickly only to look back, his steady gaze seeming to bring a pretty flush to her cheeks. She smiled, it would have been rude not to, and he smiled back. But, as he was about to attempt a tentative wave a tall dark figure of Sirius Black sidled up behind her, weaving an arm around her waist and whispering something in her ear that both made her laugh and forget about him.

It was much later that evening that Hermione joined the small grouping of James, Harry, and Ginny. Sirius was quick at her side and winding his arm around her waist to pull her close.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight, Mione?” Sirius purred into her ear, making James grit his teeth and more so when she smiled at the dark haired wizard and flicked a small fleck of lint from his immaculate deep purple robes.

“No, and I was most affronted,” she teased, blushing again under the charmers gaze.

James wanted to rip Black away, beat the smug bastard to a pulp and… And what? He was a married man, and had no right to want to vie for Hermione’s attentions… But did she have to look so pleased with Black’s? And why the hell did she have to flirt so proficiently, with lines that made him smile and that he could think of at least ten to come back with and that he knew would make her laugh and smile at him rather then bloody Sirius.

Sirius whispered something, scandalous earning himself a light slap.

Hermione laughed, “Now, now Sirius, you’re in great danger of making me swoon.”

“Don’t worry, Sweet-thing, I won’t let you fall.” Sirius crooned, arching an eyebrow suggestively, but his expression became one of mild shock when she dropped her head to his shoulder and started laughing.

“I’m sorry, Sirius,” she managed to gasp out between giggles, “But of all your lines, that one was the worst.”

James couldn’t help it he let his head fall back in his own laughter a strange kind of joy filling him and scaring him at the same time.

*

He and Lily invited them all over for drinks after the Ball and conversation flowed easily around the cosy living room. James and his wife sat on either side of the room, Harry and Ginny sharing the love seat, Remus and Tonks on the floor by the fireplace, Hermione sat in an armchair and Sirius curled up at her feet.

He tried not to look at her, he really did, but she looked so damn pretty and the sound of her laughter sent the sweetest thrills down his spine. With a jolt of jealousy he noticed that he wasn’t the only one who enjoyed the sound of her laugh, and from the looks of it, Sirius was quite enjoying the feel of her leg as his arm wrapped around it.

After more drinks and conversation the hour grew late and it was time to go. Lily instructed James to walk Hermione home, unless Sirius was, and with a rush of anger James went looking for them since they seemed to have disappeared.

He found them talking in the hall and was more then relieved that that’s all they were doing.

“Come on sweetheart,” Sirius purred, his hands either side of her shoulders against the wall. “We’d be amazing together and you know it. I need a beautiful, clever and responsible woman to keep me in line; and you need a funky sex machine to keep you warm.”

Hermione laughed and smoothed her hands over his shoulders. “Sirius, I agree that you need someone to keep you in line, but it can’t be me. I love you, you know that, but…”

“You just don’t feel that way about me?” He said softly and James had to smile at his puppy dog expression and pout when she shook her head. “But you do love me?” She nodded. “And I’m still a funky sex machine?”

Hermione laughed again, dropping her head to his shoulder. “The funkiest,” she giggled and kissed his cheek then suddenly looked unsure. “It is a really huge compliment that you like me so much, Sirius and I wish I could appreciate it more. Can we still be friends, I mean I know that sounds like a line, but I adore you and don’t know what I’d do without you in my life.”

Sirius rolled his eyes dramatically. “Well, I guess I can deal with that.” He stepped back and gave her a lopsided grin.

James saw that as his excuse to step in and offer to walk Hermione home.

The tension was thick as they walked silently down the dimly lit street. James shuffled around in his head for something to say while they smiled nervously at each other and continued to walk in silence.

“So…” he started and already wanted to Crucio himself. “Did I see you in that new music shop down on fifth, the other day?”

“Sorry? Oh! Oh yeah, um I was buying that new White Buffalo album,” she said her face lighting up as she spoke. “You know he sings that song, “Then you blew in, just like paper in the wind.””

James grinned knowing the song well himself, “I just wanted something to believe in,” he sang back and stopped short when she stopped, their eyes meeting again briefly before she looked away, a blush on her cheeks that he knew was mirrored on his.

“That song always makes me think of Harry.” she said and laughed at his arched brow. “No, not like that. I mean from when we first met, on the Hogwarts Express. He was so small and looked so scared and excited at the same time.”

James chuckled and felt that shiver of loss at the fact that he hadn’t been there for his son on such an important day. “You couldn’t have been much bigger,” he said with a mocking smile.

“Maybe not,” she returned with a grin of her own, “But that didn’t change the fact that I just wanted to bundle him up and hide him from all the bad things in the world.”

They stood together for a long time, both lost in their own thoughts.

“Well, um, this is me,” she said pointing to the cosy little house behind her. “Not much, but it’s home.”

“Oh, I didn’t realise you lived so close. You know I’ve always liked this house I just didn’t realise that you - lived - here…” he knew he was babbling and stopped at her amused smile. “Well living so close, you should drop in sometimes, I mean if you need anything or just want a cup of tea.”

They both laughed nervously and Hermione held out her hand. “Thank you for walking me home James.”

He took her hand and immediately knew that it was a mistake. The heat of her touch shot up his arm and filled his chest, making his heartbeat faster and his breath short. His thumb traced over the thin dimples on her knuckles and he instinctively drew her closer, sucking his breath through his teeth. Damn she smelt so good, felt so good. The warmth she radiated seemed to sink through his skin and numb his brain. All he wanted to do was…No! No he couldn’t he was married…

His other hand rose of its own volition and so gently traced the curve of her jaw. His finger slid under her chin and tilted her face up with ease. She looked so beautiful bathed in the silvery moonlight, her wild hair seemed to glow and he saw his reflection in her eyes and knew his life would never be the same.

Hermione’s breathing grew more ragged and he shivered at the feel of her trembling hands running up his chest, her fingers curling just behind his neck.

“This is wrong,” she whispered but her eyes betrayed her, dropping to his mouth, a slight pressure of her fingers making it clear what she wanted, whether right or not.

“So wrong,” he agreed and dipped his head, finally touching his lips to hers.

It was everything he had ever dreamed a kiss would be. James had kissed plenty of girls in his teens but none matched this explosion of pleasure and emotion. Her lips were soft and moved so perfectly against his, her face slanting slightly to deepen the kiss and her lips parting to let him in.

Before he was ready his body filled with irrepressible hunger and with a growl he wound his arms around her back and pulled her hard against him, muffling her cry and tipping her had back with the force of his kiss. Right or wrong, only one thing filled his mind as her hands gripped his shoulders and her legs wound tightly around his waist. He wanted this woman, wanted her more then he had ever wanted anything in his life.

He felt his own head tilt as she kissed him back with equal hunger, with her legs wrapped around him she rose higher and he walked them blindly to her door, balancing her against it as his hands roamed over her warm, supple body to cup her full breasts, groaning at the feel of her nipples hardening against his palms.

“Ooh, James,” she cooed and arched against him so sensually, a sound that filled his head and shot violently into his cock. “Your hands feel so good, James.”

“Merlin,” he gasped against her mouth and let his lips and tongue explore her jaw-line to gently nip her earlobe. “I want you,” he rasped, grinding his trapped hardness against her soft core, thrilling when she thrust back and gyrated against him.

This was like nothing he had ever experienced. Sex for him had either been coerced and begged for from his wife, or given, but superciliously by the few money hungry vixens who thought he would hand over his vault key for a quick fuck. But none had responded to his touch and trembled in his arms the way Hermione was doing right now.

He could feel her arousal soaking through her panties and into his black slacks and his cock throbbed painfully, yearning to feel her, to be inside her. She kissed hotly across his face and down his throat like a woman dying of thirst, desperate to taste him, moaning his name and begging him for more. His balls rose up and for one horrifying moment he thought he might come in his pants.

God damn, what was she doing to him?

Her mouth crushed his again and he was lost to her passion and his own. Three years of avoiding one another had been purely to prevent this moment this slip of control that had been on the thinnest of threads and was now broken and flailing. Words flowed through his mind as he threaded his fingers around the crotch of her panties, twisted and grinned when he felt the flimsy material rip and fall to the ground.

I’m married.

He slipped one long finger inside her tight passage and groaned when she quivered and sighed with delight.

Lily.

One finger became two and his name flowed with a groan from her lips as she leaned against the door, gripping the light fixture above her head.

I’m breaking my vows.

He gently pumped his fingers in and out, watching her rapt face and speeding up when she licked her lips and let out an almost cat-like mew.

My wife trusts me…

That almost did it, but at that moment, his thumb circled, just right, around Hermione’s clit and he watched in awe as her huge brown eyes flew open and fixed on his. Her mouth fell wide and her breath hitched and rasped as her lower body clenched and pulsed around his pumping fingers.

Merlin help me…

The witch was close, on the edge of orgasmic bliss and he was the one who held her there. Never had he felt so empowered during sex, so wanted, needed, desired. And in that moment he knew.

“I love you,” he rasped, dragging his thumb over her clit again and watching as her eyes seemed to roll back in her head as she tipped it back. The witch’s body shook and her passage contracted almost painfully around his fingers, coming hard, her lips moving soundlessly in her rapture.

Resting his head on her shoulder, James slowly removed his fingers, smiling at her soft cry of disappointment.

“Gods, James I don’t know what you’re doing to me, but please don’t stop,” she moaned softly and circled her hips wantonly.

“What I’m doing to you?” he rasped against her shoulder as his hands tore impatiently at his belt and let his pants fall to his feet. “Bloody hell witch! What the fuck have you done to me?” he growled, lifted her a little higher, his hands cupping her firm arse, then bent his knees and felt the head of his painfully erect cock against the hot wetness of her cunt.

“’Mione?” It was a question, he could feel how much she wanted him but needed to be sure.

“James,” Hermione breathed and wound her arms around his shoulders, kissing him deeply and slowly pushed down, impaling herself on his thick shaft.

They both gasped as she opened and stretched around him and his lip curled as his fingers dug into her silky flesh and pulled her the rest of the way down so his full length was clamped within her soaking heat.

He shut his eyes tight to control that dangerous, primal urge to simply hold her against the wall and pump his cock till he came. “Fuck… Oh fuck Mione… Merlin you‘re so tight.”

She reached out to her sides and gripped the doorframe, then arched her back and clenched deliciously around him. “It… It’s been a while…” she rasped and worried her lower lip closing her eyes as he slowly drew out till just the tip of him remained.

“Tell me if I hurt you,” he grunted and licked his lips when she nodded, intoxicated my her soft mewing voice begging him for more.

James caught her mouth again in a wide mouthed kiss, filled with both their passion and need as he slowly slid back inside and he was lost. With a guttural groan, the wizard gripped her arse more firmly and ploughed his cock deep, drinking in her loud keel of delight.

His thighs strained, every muscle in his body tensed and flexed as he fucked her harder then he had ever taken a witch before. Lily had always seemed pained when he took her with any force, preferring the slow gentle pace, but deep inside, James craved something darker. He wanted to thrust and plunge his cock deep and feel heaven exploding with every intrusion.

And she loved it, loved what he did to her, how he made her feel, and he knew it, could feel it and loved that he knew, as he hadn’t with the others. The way she cried out, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the doorframe and those sweet words of encouragement made it hard for him to keep his control.

“James, Oh James!” she moaned and thrust against him, meeting him and grinding her core against his, vigorously, seeking her own completion as he sort his. “Harder, please harder. I want all of you.”

“Merlin, Mione,” James gasped against her shoulder, pounding harder, bright flashes of pleasure filling his mind with every thrust. “Fuck… So good,” he practically sobbed and ground his cock deeper into her contracting passage.

They came together, crying and babbling words of love and passion as they shuddered as one…

****

James shook his head and closed the cabin door behind him. Their first time together had been the most incredible of his life, and she had told him that it was the same for her.

They had been inseparable after that. Seeming to the world to be close friends who shared enough interests and traits to make it acceptable for them to go out together alone without raising suspicions.

James’ guilt at his elicit affair with his son’s best friend ranked high on his mind when he lay awake next to his trusting wife, but his love for Hermione was stronger. She was quite simply the most amazing woman he’d ever met. Loving and affectionate with her friends and more supportive of him then he had ever dreamed a woman could be.

Their lovemaking was explosive and in complete contrast with their relationship which was calm and tender. They could talk for hours and shared everything, both listening to the other’s problems and sharing in their triumphs.

A wave of guilt flowed through his body, right down to his fingertips as he remembered Hermione’s expression when he’d come late last night. She had known that he would try to do the right thing and damn it she had every right to feel hurt. He ran his fingers agitatedly through his hair as realisation loomed. He had cheated on his wife, but that wasn’t the worst thing, by trying to make things like they were with Lily, he had cheated on Hermione.

That beautiful, intelligent woman had sat here alone, crying while he was trying to win the love of another woman. It was no wonder she had left him. Merlin he deserved a lot worse, and she deserved so much better.

With a calming breath he pulled his wand and apparated back home.

He opened the door and walked into the silent house. This was wrong. All this time he had been tearing himself up over the betrayal and immorality of his extramarital affair. But Hermione was his love, his life, without her his future stretched out dark and empty.

His love of Hermione wasn’t what was wrong, it was this… This sham of a marriage, this life he thought was more honourable.

Bitterness edged at his thoughts and his eyes pricked as he was overwhelmed by the worst kind of sadness. He’d lost her. The one perfect light in his life and he’d been too selfish to be the man she needed. His face crumbled as the first tear escaped, almost painfully and made a long cold trail down his face.

“James?” he looked up suddenly at the sound of Lily’s voice and saw the concern on in her expression as she ran down the stars towards him. “Merlin, James what’s happened? You didn’t come home last night.”

“Lil?” He rasped placing his hands on her shoulders and trying to smile when she cupped his face.

She was a good woman and deserved better then this.

“James? Darling I’m so sorry about last night.” she said earnestly. “I don’t know what I was thinking, but if you still want to…”

She honestly cared about him, how could he have done this to her, knowing that she was as unhappy in the marriage as him.

“Lily,” he breathed and cringed inwardly at the trepidation in her face. “I think we should talk.”

~*~*~

It was a few days later and Hermione still hadn’t stopped crying.

In an attempt to clear her mind or at least stop the image of James’ cheeky smirk from floating before her eyes, she had cleaned her little house from top to bottom. Everything shined and smelt like lemons but the witch still felt like her heart was literally ripping in half.

I miss him.

Standing in front of the mirror, Hermione used her wand to take the puffiness out of her eyes, and then splashed some cool water on her face. Just as she was contemplating a good hot bath, a loud obnoxious knocking at the door took her back into the hallway.

“Alright, alright!” She yelled at the banging and finally threw the door open to find herself face to face with a rather distressed looking Sirius who rushed past her and into the kitchen, making himself at home and shaking the morning issue of The Prophet.

She laughed, despite her earlier depression, at the way he was shaking the paper and pointing at the large picture on the front page, but he was shaking the damn thing so hard that she couldn’t make it out and he seemed unable to speak, making a set of rather annoying grunts and whines.

“For the love of Merlin, Sirius will you calm down,” she said snatching the paper out of his shaking hands and frowning at him. “Just let me grab my flashlight and we’ll go fetch Timmy from the well, together.”

“Timmy? Who the hell is Timmy?” Sirius snapped impatiently .

“Oh, so you can talk?” Hermione said laughing, “Before all you could do was roll over and shake hands.”

“Funny, Granger,” Sirius snarked and pointed at the paper. “Now read, and tell me what you know, since you’re his best friend and all.”

“What?” Hermione asked confused, but at his flicking hand she finally looked at the paper in her hand and almost dropped it when she gasped with shock.

The headline read: “Parents of the Boy-Who-Conquered Split”

And the photo was of James and Lily, both smiling politely as they stood out front of the ministry building. James took his ex-wife’s hand and gave it a comforting squeeze and she looked back at him gratefully. It was obvious that the split was amicable, and it was so like James be so kind and comforting, knowing how much Lily hated the spotlight.

A voice said her name and seemed to come from a great distance. Hermione didn’t know what to think, how to feel. She was numb.

It was finally Sirius’ hands on her shoulders that brought her attention back to the present, “Hermione, come back Hermione,” he murmured looking concerned. “I’m guessing that you didn’t know either, huh?”

She shook her head dumbly, “No.”

“Then you understand why I was having a hard time talking earlier?” he said, obviously teasing her but she didn’t seem to notice.

“Yes,” she said nodding, her eyes still glazed.

“And to say sorry for being so short with me, you’re going to make me a cup of tea?”

Her eyes focused on him but she couldn’t stay mad for more then a few seconds as she took in his handsome face and roguish grin. Rolling her eyes she moved towards the stove and put the kettle on.

“Very funny, Sirius,” she muttered.

A knock sounded at the door and Sirius jumped to his feet again, making Hermione laugh. “What’s the matter boy? Is it time for your walk?”

He made a rather offensive face and sneered at her before heading for the door. “I’ll just get that shall I?”

She giggled again at his tone and watched as he opened the door, her smile faulting when she saw who was there.

“James! Buddy what are you doing here?” She heard Sirius roar with a laugh.

“I came to see Hermione,”

She watched from the kitchen as James looked at Sirius darkly and decided that this would be a good time to interrupt. Walking quickly she was about to slip between them when Sirius spoke again, choosing that moment to zip up his fly, although Hermione was sure that it hadn’t been down to start with.

“Well, to be honest mate, we’re kind of in the middle of something, if you know…”

“Sirius!” Hermione cried, outraged but unable to keep back the giggle that was bubbling up. She shoved him roughly aside and smiled sheepishly at James. “I’m sorry James, what Fido here means, is that I was making tea while he whined like a little bitch ‘cause you left him out of the loop.”

“Oi!”

James laughed uproariously the relief evident on his face as she lead him into the kitchen. Behind them Sirius followed mumbling to himself as he went and sitting at the table in a huff.

Sirius and Hermione sipped their tea in silence while James spoke.

“It was mutual, the break up I mean,” James started. “A couple of days ago I was standing in the hallway and I just realised that everything was wrong and I was a idiot and a coward for not making it right. We had a long talk and Lily felt the same way. I married her because she was pregnant and we really did and do care about each other. But we’re not in love and with Harry all grown up there really was no reason to stay together, I mean we’ve both just turned 30, we’re still young and…” he stopped when he realised that he was babbling.

“Well by the sounds of it you made the right choice buddy, both of you,” Sirius said solemnly. “So how is she? Lily I mean.”

“Oh she’s fine, when I left the house after the divorce was finalised yesterday, she was making plans to travel to Bulgaria.” James said with a strange little smile. “She was nice enough to leave out the fact that Severus lives there.”

“Snivellus?” Sirius snapped, more outraged at Lily’s attraction to the dour wizard then her husband, a fact that was not lost on Hermione.

“Don’t knock professor Snape,” Hermione scolded. “He’s a good man with a brilliant mind; who has more then redeemed the ill deeds of his youth.”

Sirius sneered, “I vaguely remember talk of a certain, brown eyed muggleborn carrying a flame for the greasy git.”

“And it was true,” Hermione replied smartly, “But that was a very long time ago and I have since grown up quite a bit since I was fifteen.”

The three of them sat quietly for a bit longer, Hermione and James gaze meeting intensely over the table as Sirius looked from one to the other.

Finally after another tense moment, James stood and cleared his throat. “Miss Hermione Jean Granger, As a newly single man, I have come to make my intentions known.” he said in in almost businesslike tone, holding up his hands to silence her when she went to speak. “I feel it is imperative to let you know of my great esteem, respect, and love for you that I have held from the first day, when I opened my eyes seven years ago to see my dream standing over me.”

Hermione’s eyes pricked and her heart swelled at his words. She knew how had this was for him and had the feeling that he had practiced this speech many times, just as she had dreamt of hearing it.

“I would very much like to court and woo you with Candlelit dinners, dancing, and the occasional film. I believe that six months is a respectable amount of time, after which I would like to make our relationship known to our family and friends and within another six months I intend to ask you to marry me,”

Hermione couldn’t move. Everything around her stopped and her ears buzzed so loudly it was deafening. It wasn’t until James cleared his throat nervously that Hermione realised that he was still waiting for her reply.

“A - Um - A yes or no answer would do,” He said, his voice husky.

Hermione was out of her chair and practically flying around the table before she could draw another breath. The gasped, “Yes,” on her lips as James took her into his arms and spun her around, both laughing and kissing passionately.

“My love,” James rasped against her lips, lifting her up onto the table top. “You’re my everything and I’m yours, my sweet, darling girl.”

Sirius who was still in shock watching the two somehow managed to stand up. “And how long has this been going on?” Not as much outraged as confused.

James pulled back just enough to grin wolfishly at Sirius before diving back to kiss his witch, drinking her sigh and wrapping her legs around his waist.

“Fine,” Sirius muttered, “I’ll just let my self out shall I?”

“Mm-Hmm,” Hermione hummed between smacking kisses as she unbuttoned, James’ shirt. “Thanks for coming.”

Sirius gritted his teeth and headed for the door, but before he reached it he turned, holding up a single finger, signaling he had more to say. “How could you not tell me you had a bird on the side, mate?”

James pulled back, but his eyes never left Hermione’s face as he answered. “Mione was never my bird on the side. She’s my life, my light, my always.”

“I love you, James,” Hermione said softly, cupping the man’s face, caressing her thumbs over his cheeks and running her fingers through his short, windblown hair. "I knew all that time spent in the library would be beneficial"

Sirius couldn’t help but smile as he watched the two together. Rolling his eyes he left them alone, closing the door behind him and leaning against it.

As he pulled a cigarette from his pocket and popped it into his mouth, the wizard wondered if he would ever find what they had. With a lopsided grin he struck his match on the doorframe and lit the tip of the durry between his lips. “Why would I need a bird hangin’ off me every second anyway?”

Somewhere inside the house Hermione giggled.