Kissing Lessons for the Beginner

Lesson Three - The Various Uses of Nibbling

As the few days before Harry's next lesson passed, Harry became sure he was legally insane. Functioning normally around Hermione was nearly impossible. Even Ron, who had all of the perception of a deaf bat, had noticed something was strange about Harry.

Harry very much longed to talk to Ron about his current torment, but he and Hermione had agreed Ron was better off not knowing about what they were doing, as Ron would surely overreact.

The problem was that Hermione behaved completely and totally normally around Harry. She never shot him any knowing glances that suggested what they'd done together, never reacted abnormally when their arms or knees would touch during breakfast (though Harry felt like he had a heart attack every time), and most infuriatingly, didn't treat him any differently than before.

Harry knew that technically they'd only agreed that Hermione would teach him and help him practice, but they'd been kissing, for Merlin's sake! Harry knew he'd felt something change between them - hadn't she felt it, too?

...Why hadn't she felt it?

Suffice to say, by the time his next lesson arrived, he was feeling a little depressed about the whole situation.

"Hello, Harry," she said when he came in to find the very same setting as the last time, with her on the bed once more. She'd changed out of her school robes, leaving her in an uncharacteristically figure-flattering shirt - had they always been that tight on her? - and a skirt that ended midway down her thighs. Compared to what most girls at Hogwarts wore after classes, it was modest, but the way she had herself positioned on the bed.... Harry gulped.

"Hello, Hermione," he managed to reply.

Harry went to the bed without having to be coaxed this time, but he was more certain than ever that this kissing business would lead to his doom.

Hermione smiled warmly at him. How could she smile at him like she'd always done when they were about to snog like there was no tomorrow?

"Tonight, I just want you to relax, Harry. We're just going to practice - nothing new. Don't worry about doing it wrong. Let the kiss lead you; go where it takes you."

Hermione lay back against the pillows and looked at him expectantly.

"Er, Hermione? Why are you lying down?" Harry asked, terribly nervous. She didn't want him to lie down with her, did she? Because that...well, that would be terribly awkward if - no, no sense denying it - when he started to react to her.

"Because it's more comfortable this way, Harry. Now some on, lie down, sort of on your side -"

Harry felt a bit like a mannequin as she maneuvered him into proper snogging position. He soon found that he'd been rightfully wary about this - he'd wound up with his leg between hers and his hips pressing into her upper thigh.

This is going to be so embarrassing.

Harry wished, for once, that he could just kiss Hermione without a slight feeling of dread mixed in. The first time, in the common room, he'd been afraid of her opinion of him, and the second time, he'd been too completely terrified to enjoy it very much. Harry grudgingly leaned forward for his third experience kissing Hermione, already grumpy that he'd been forced into this potentially humiliating situation.

Hermione pulled him closer as he kissed her, one small hand tangling in his hair and the other resting on his back.

What now? he wondered. Let the kiss lead me, eh? Just what on earth is that supposed to mean? Stupid girls. All right, so I'll just lead it instead. Maybe she won't know the difference.

Harry steeled himself and tentatively snaked his tongue out to press against her lips. To his extreme surprise, she moaned before swiping her tongue across his. That, combined with her fingers digging into his back and her leg rubbing against his - why was she doing that? - was enough to throw him right over the edge of reason. He pressed closer to her - and realized a second too late that doing so would allow her to feel exactly how he was reacting to her.

Harry pulled away abruptly, embarrassed - I knew something like this would happen.

"What...Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked breathily. Her lips were red and swollen and her eyes were slightly hazy. Goodness, had he done that to her?

"I - er - well, that is -"

Hermione frowned. "Why are you holding yourself so stiffly? What -" she looked down. "Oh. Oh, I see."

Harry flushed. "Sorry."

Instead of pushing him off the bed and running away screaming like Harry was expecting, Hermione laughed. "Oh, Harry, really, it's nothing to be ashamed of. I mean...it's to be expected, isn't it? You're - well, you're a teenage boy. It's natural."

Harry felt the beginnings of relief wash through him. "You're not...grossed out or anything?"

Hermione smiled. She had a lovely smile. "Of course not. I've always known you had a - a - well, you know. It would be silly of me to be shocked."

Harry grinned sheepishly, but he'd only just now thought of Hermione having a - well, you know - and he found the thought fairly shocking.

"Do you, er, want to call it a night? I - you seem very...tense."

Harry swallowed. Her arms were still wrapped about him. "Um, if you want to stop -"

"We can keep going. If you want."

"Oh, er. All right, then."

Oh, this is so, so awkward.

"Harry? Are you going to kiss me?"

Harry jumped. "Oh - oh, right, yeah, sorry."

And so he kissed her again, wishing he'd found a better way to go about getting Hermione to snog him.

~

Over the next few days, a new problem developed for Harry, as if he didn't have enough. It might never have happened if it hadn't been for the events of their last lesson, but as it was, Harry had realized that he could do a lot more with Hermione than snog her, since he had a you know and Hermione had a you know and those could go together. Suffice to say, he couldn't get her out of his head.

Harry was beginning to realize, with this new development, that he could never go back to being just friends with Hermione - which was a very bad thing, considering they were supposed to still be just friends.

But he couldn't help it! Suddenly every little thing Hermione did was sexual. Eating, talking, walking, even reading! What was a boy to do?

Really. What was he supposed to do? Harry hadn't the faintest idea. He wanted very much to talk to Hermione about matters, to simply tell her that he was having strange, lusty, heart-fluttering, mind-boggling feelings about her, but then...then she would probably stop the lessons, to keep matters from getting worse. And she would be right; Harry knew that. But if the lessons stopped, he would never be able to kiss her again...he'd probably never be that physically close to her ever again. He couldn't stand that thought. Every time he was about to confess to her, that thought would interfere, and before Harry could fully make up his mind, their next lesson came.

Hermione was sitting on the edge of the bed when he entered, her stocking-covered legs hanging over the side. She'd already discarded her shoes, school robe, vest, and tie. The top two buttons of her shirt were undone and her bare thighs peeked out in the space between the tops of her socks and her skirt. It was entirely too much skin for Harry to be seeing in the state he was in.

"For this lesson, we're going to have to adjust your wardrobe a bit," Hermione said, crossing the room to meet him. Without warning, she began to push his robes off his shoulders. Once his mind recovered from the shock of having Hermione undressing him, he began to cooperate. Hermione proceeded to remove his vest and tie until he was very nearly in the same outfit as her, sans the skirt and thankfully, with pants remaining. Hermione undid the first two buttons of his shirt as she'd done to hers and eyed him appraisingly. "All right. That should do. Come on, onto the bed."

Harry complied, apprehensive about the lack of clothing involved in this lesson. Did she expect it to get very hot? Or would robes and vests and ties get in the way? Harry stopped to ponder what vests and robes would be in the way of. He stopped that line of thought abruptly.

Hermione clambered onto the bed after him. "Today's lesson is on the various uses of nibbling."

Harry somehow managed to choke on the breath he'd been taking in that moment. "Nibbling?"

Hermione nodded. "Nibbling. That's why the ties and everything had to go. Our necks will need to be accessible. Now, I think I'll just start off with a demonstration so that you understand what I'm talking about."

Harry had no time to brace himself before she was against him, her tongue pressing rather insistently at his lips. After a few short, blissful moments, Hermione removed her tongue from his mouth and tugged on his lower lip with her teeth. Oh. Oh, oh, oh. Now that's new and exciting. She did that a few times, leaving his lips tingling, before she moved her mouth away from his lips and across his jaw. Harry did his best not to die on the spot as her lips reached his neck. She then did some interesting things with her tongue and teeth that had Harry breathing heavily when she finally pulled away.

She stared at him, waiting for a reaction. Say something...anything...think of something, as long as it's in coherent English -

"Where did you learn to do that?"

Harry frowned to himself. He'd accidentally asked a very good question. Where had she learned to do that? Had another bloke taught her? Ugh, had Viktor Krum taught her? It seemed likely; he was probably experienced...ugh, just ugh.

Hermione turned bright red. Oh, don't let it be Krum. "Um, well," she said. "I - it's embarrassing."

Harry felt very, irrationally, uncomfortably jealous. "Who was it?"

Hermione frowned. "Who? Oh, no, I've never done anything like this with anyone before! I just...um, well, the thing is...I read a lot of romance novels," she said sheepishly.

Harry laughed, more from relief than amusement. "Romance novels? You? I've never seen you with one."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, I wasn't about to risk Ron seeing them. I'd never hear the end of it if he did. I only read them in bed, after my roommates are asleep - goodness knows the whole school would hear about it if they ever found out."

An awkward pause followed in which Harry pondered just what his jealous episode had meant and Hermione fidgeted awkwardly. It was Hermione who finally broke the silence.

"Um, do you want to try now?"

"Oh, sure."

Harry kissed her, too emotionally mixed up to even attempt to feel nervous about it. He tried to do what she had done, with the lip nibbling and the neck business. I must be doing it right, Harry thought to himself, sucking lightly at her neck. She keeps moaning.

Harry almost stopped what he was doing as the realization hit him. She's moaning! That - that would mean that she's - she's...enjoying this!

He pulled away, eyeing her expression carefully. She did look rather pleased with her eyes closed and a small smile on her face, like a cat that had just received a good scratching.

She opened her eyes and grinned at him. "That was good, Harry. You're getting the hang of all this really quickly."

Harry blushed. Could it be? Could she really want this as much as I do?

Hermione straightened out her shirt. "I've got a lot of homework to do. What do you say we call it a night? We'll practice more next time."

Harry nodded his agreement. He couldn't wait for the next lesson when he could begin attempting to prove his suspicions correct.

To be continued