Love... Eventually

Two: Underthings

For several weeks now, Ernie felt like his sole function in life was to complete the revised statute on the import and export of magical plants from and to foreign countries. The general wizarding public, he knew, often mocked and questioned the amount of parchment the Ministry seemed fond of generating. Sealing up the finished tome, Ernie knew there was some truth to it. However, if buyers and sellers didn't spend so much time finding loopholes in the current law that often led to unethical practices at best, there would be no need for someone like Ernie to spend ages plugging up the loopholes thus increasing the size of the already formidable document.

Already standing and stretching in anticipation of ending his work day, Ernie couldn't help but smile to himself. Tonight would be a chance for him to relax. Hannah had planned a party for Justin celebrating his recent promotion to Ernie's department. The festivities would be held at a nearby pub.

Ernie arrived at the pub before Hannah and Justin. Realising he was early, he sat at the bar to wait for his friends and the other guests, ordering a glass of wine when the barkeep came over to him.

Five glasses of wine later, Hannah and Justin arrived, smiling at Ernie in greeting.

"'ello, you two," Ernie said, his words slurring slightly.

Hannah stared at Ernie with a raised eyebrow. She rolled her eyes when he grinned goofily at her. "You need to get out of the house more, Ernie," she said, patting his back.

"Or you need to drink less," Justin commented with a smile at his best mate. He clapped Ernie on the back as he sat down beside him. "Eh...how many drinks have you had?" Justin queried.

Ernie looked almost comical with the corners of his mouth turned down. "Not that much," he mumbled.

His two friends exchanged knowing glances as they ordered their own drinks while waiting for their guests.

*

Ernie sat alone at a table where Justin and Hannah had moved him so that he'd be closer to the party. He didn't seem to notice that his friends were all dancing near a Muggle juke box. Nursing a nearly empty wine glass in his hands, he looked up and noticed a woman with dark hair, pale skin and intense eyes studying him. Ernie grinned at her, pleased that someone was actually showing an interest in him.

The woman returned the smile and then stood up, picking up her drink and casually strolling over to Ernie's table. "Do you mind if I sit?" she inquired.

Ernie swallowed. There was something mesmerizing about the woman; something that compelled him to get acquainted with her. He grinned again and shook his head. "I don't mind at all," he replied cheerfully.

*

Millicent traced the rim of her water glass and watched Ernie as she finished her tale. "I'm sure you remember the rest," she said dryly.

Ernie blinked at her, his features fixed in an expression of intense confusion and disbelief. "Wait," he said, holding his hands up. "We start talking and then the next thing I know my bedroom is trashed and I have your under...things in my bed? How do you get from talking to trashed room?"

A smirk crossed Millicent's face as she picked up the glass and took a sip. "I'm sure you'll remember."

"I told you," Ernie snapped, "I don't remember what happened." In an attempt to stay calm, he pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "I don't understand why people just can't tell me things--"

Ernie was instantly silenced by a rush of air past his ear. Millicent had leaned over and now had her mouth close to his ear. "Close your eyes, Macmillan," she ordered softly.

"Why?"

"Because," Millicent murmured, shifting her chair closer to Ernie's, "you're going to remember and then you're going to hand over my under things and then we shall never see each other again."

"What if I want to--"

"You don't trust me," Millicent replied, interrupting him yet again. "And if you think you do, you're a fool." She placed a small stone onto the table, then retrieved her wand and cast an enlargement charm.

Ernie watched in astonishment as the stone grew and transformed into a pensieve. He knew that people used it to store memories, which he never felt the need to do. Up until today, he felt that his mind had very adequately kept everything neatly compartmentalized. Now he wasn't so sure. He looked nervously at the woman.

Returning his dubious gaze with her level one, Millicent picked up Ernie's hand and placed it into the bowl.

*

Ernie blinked and found himself sitting in the bar with the woman. After a few minutes, they stood and left the bar. He supposed that was when they apparated to his home since that was where he suddenly found himself.

Ernie found himself blushing furiously as he watched himself tear at his clothes as well as the woman's, leaving them strewn on the floor. He swallowed nervously as he watched himself fall into bed with her. In the blink of an eye, Ernie's wrists were secured to the headboard of his bed with two of his ties. The woman was naked sitting on his lap, bounc--oh, Merlin! She was shagging him and he was enjoying it quite a lot.

He squeezed his eyes shut trying to block the image from his mind, but that didn't quell the sounds. He heard both their voices moaning, whimpering and panting as well as the wooden bed frame creaking and protesting the vigorous activity.

Ernie could feel himself getting hard just watching the memory. It was dirty, kinky and wrong watching himself have sex--therefore, to Ernie, it had to be illegal which meant he shouldn't be doing it. However, he couldn't completely tear his eyes away from the erotic sight.

Suddenly the scene before him seemed to melt away and once again he sat in the café next to the woman he had just witnessed himself having sex with.

*

Millicent removed Ernie's hand from the bowl and smiled at him as she shrank the object back into the size of a small stone. He was staring at the table, his face flushed and frozen in shock. She patted him on the shoulder. "Do you remember now?" she asked him.

His eyes shifted to look at her. "I--I don't--I'm not--that's..." He trailed off, at a loss for words.

"You don't need to apologise, Macmillan," Millicent murmured reassuringly. "I quite enjoyed myself." She leaned forward again to whisper in his ear. "You're very good in bed."

Ernie shuddered and turned crimson again. He turned to look at Millicent, his eyes momentarily flicking down to glance at her body. "I want to see you again," he blurted out before he could stop himself. He tried to shift surreptitiously, his erection still making itself known.

*

Millicent sighed as she cast the unlocked then pushed the door to her flat open. I can't believe I let him talk me into this, she thought, images of a determined Ernie Macmillan floating into her mind. Upon entering the living room, she froze and then sneered. A smug young man was lounging on her sofa. He had obviously helped himself to her liquor as well. "What are you doing here, Theodore?" she demanded.

The man smirked at her and stood. "C'mon Millie," he coaxed. "You know you miss me."

Millicent rolled her eyes as she walked around him, avoiding his embrace. "Sorry," she drawled, "I don't miss you and I don't need your 'let's have a roll in the sack for old times sake' drivel. Now get out of here." She thought quickly. "I have a date tonight so you need to leave." She shot him a smug look.

Her ex-lover sneered. "A date?" he scoffed. "With whom?"

"None of your business," Millicent retorted, well aware of the fact that he hated seeing her with other men. "I was not put on this earth to provide you with casual fucks every time you feel like it, Nott."

Theodore snorted. "You'll come crawling back to me," he said blandly. "You always do after getting fucked and dumped by some poor sod." After shooting her another sneer, he apparated out of her flat with a loud pop.

Millicent flinched at the noise and then flopped down in a chair. She glanced at her watch and realized that she had over four hours to get ready for her date with Ernie Macmillan.