The Book of Morgan Le Fey

Chapter Forty: Awkwardness and Bliss

Ron hurtled down the spiral staircase, now in a full state of panic. The party in the common room was in full swing. He saw Harry there, still talking with Ginny, and with Hermione. Ron waved at them and raced for the portrait hole.

'Ron, where are you going?'

He whirled around. It was Hermione.

'Hermione!' he said, his voice very high and squeaky. He cleared his throat. 'I was just--I forgot something--in--in Bill's office.'

She smiled at him and strode toward him. Ron swallowed. She leaned up on tip-toe and whispered in his ear.

'Did you get my note?'

Ron closed his eyes--her warm breath on his ear was making him dizzy.

'Oh, that,' he said, his throat working. 'Uh, yeah. I got it. Thanks. I mean, uh, definitely. See you there.'

'Are you sure you're all right?'

'Fine,' said Ron, smiling a huge, unnatural smile. 'Just fine. I, uh, just have to get the thing.'

'What thing?'

'You know, the thing,' Ron said quickly, turning and crawling into the portrait hole. 'The thing in Bill's office. Be back soon!'

'Ron!'

But Ron had already burst through the portrait hole. He took off at a sprint down the corridors, down the stairs, desperate to get to Bill's office. He flew past Filch, who snapped 'Slow down, ye brat!' He raced past Peeves, who just missed dropping a potted plant on his head. He raced through Nearly Headless Nick, not even feeling the flash of cold that always came when one passed through a ghost. He raced past McGonagall, who seemed to have been returning to the Gryffindor tower from Dumbledore's office

'Careful, Weasley!'

He ignored them all. After what seemed like he had run for hours, he reached Bill's office door. Panting, Ron began to bang on it.

'Bill!' he yelled, not caring about what rules he was breaking or that his voice echoed down the halls. 'Bill, open up! Bill!'

Ron continued to pound on the door even as he heard soft footsteps. The door opened.

'Bill!' Ron yelled.

'What the bloody hell is going on?' Bill snapped, looking very irritated. Ron saw that his brother was shirtless and wore pajama pants. 'What do you think you're doing, breaking down my door?'

'I have to talk to you,' Ron said, ignoring Bill's annoyed tone. 'It's urgent.'

'I'm a little busy right now,' said Bill. 'Can't it wait?'

'No!' said Ron desperately. What the bloody hell was wrong with his older brother? What was so important that he couldn't put it off for a few minutes?

'Weelliam,' a voice called. 'Where are you? I am waiting for more Eengleesh lessons.'

A female voice. A very seductive, heavily accented female voice. Ron gulped, and took another look at Bill, and suddenly understood Bill's state of relative undress.

'Oh,' said Ron. 'Uh, is Fleur--is she here?'

'Yeah,' said Bill, nodding angrily. 'She's here. And we're sort of in the middle of something, so if you don't mind.' Bill made to close the door, but Ron caught it and shoved his foot through the threshold.

'Bill, please!' Ron hissed. 'I'm a little desperate here.'

'So am I,' Bill hissed back. 'I haven't seen my girlfriend in two months!'

'This is important!' Ron said desperately. 'Please, just--five, no, ten minutes. Okay. Give me ten minutes and then I'll go. Please! I'm your baby brother.'

Bill sighed and rolled his eyes. 'All right. But give me a minute--I need to tell Fleur.'

'Sure, sure,' said Ron, now half-bouncing on his feet with nerves. Bill shut the door again. Ron waited. And waited. What the bloody hell was taking so long? Maybe Bill had tricked him--maybe he had gone back to Fleur not to tell her that he had to talk to Ron but to give her some more of his 'Eengleesh lessons' instead.

After what had to be five minutes Ron raised his hand to bang on the door again, when it opened. Bill stepped out, wearing a robe. His hair was mussed, his eyes were slightly unfocused and his mouth had the distinctly pink flush of someone who had been engaged in something other than talking.

'About time,' said Ron testily.

'Sorry,' said Bill, not looking the least bit sorry. 'Fleur's a bit persistent. So what the hell is so important that you have to interrupt me?'

'Right,' said Ron, suddenly feeling incredibly stupid. Standing here outside his older brother's office, seeing his brother in a state of half-undress and knowing what had been going on inside that office, and what would resume once Ron left, made Ron feel like perhaps the world's biggest loser.

'Well?' said Bill.

'Uh,' said Ron. He took a deep breath and pulled Hermione's note from out of his pocket. 'I got this.' He shoved the note in Bill's hand.

Bill unfolded it and read it, and his face creased into a frown.

'Is this what I think it is?' he said.

'Hermione...she...well...' Ron stammered. 'Sex.'

Bill sniggered, and Ron gave him a dirty look.

'Congratulations,' said Bill dryly. 'Sounds like tonight is your big night.'

'Yeah,' said Ron, his eyes huge.

'You don't look too pleased about it,' said Bill. 'Matter of fact you look downright terrified.'

'Uh huh,' said Ron. 'What do I do?'

Bill eyed Ron, bemused. 'Well, I think it would be polite if you met Hermione in the common room at eleven o'clock.'

'That's not what I mean!' said Ron impatiently.

'Do you WANT to--'

'Yes!' said Ron.

'Then what's the problem?'

'I don't know what to do!' said Ron desperately, struggling not to raise his voice. It would be easier if they could talk in Bill's office, but not if Fleur was in the next room to overhear them.

'You don't know what to do,' Bill repeated. 'Are you saying I'm going to have to explain the mechanics of--'

'No!' said Ron angrily. 'I KNOW how it works, okay? But I don't--I mean-- bloody hell. How do I--do it--I mean--howdoImakeitreallygood?' The last words came out in a rush.

'You're joking, right?' said Bill. 'You want me to tell you how to be the World's Greatest Lover in five minutes?'

'Something like that, yeah,' said Ron.

'Well, little bro, I hate to dash your hopes, but that's bloody well impossible,' said Bill.

'What d'you mean, impossible?' said Ron frantically. 'Can't you tell me anything, you know, helpful?'

'What have you two done so far?' Bill asked pointedly.

Ron blushed. 'I'm not gonna tell you that,' he said.

'Fine,' said Bill. 'Not like I want details; I was just trying to help.'

Ron groaned. 'Okay, fine, I'll tell you.' And he did. Very awkwardly.

'I see,' said Bill. 'That's pretty impressive, actually. But you haven't done one thing that I think you really need to do.'

'Yeah, we haven't had sex,' said Ron, rolling his eyes.

'No, that's not what I mean,' said Bill. 'There's something a bloke can do for a girl before the main event. As a warm-up act. Something that really helps a girl...relax.'

'But I have done that--'

'Think about what she did,' said Bill.

'Yeah, so?' said Ron, confused as to just what point Bill was trying to make.

'Well, little brother, it's considered polite for the man to return the favor, if you know what I mean,' said Bill, giving Ron a very pointed look.

Ron opened his mouth to speak, and then felt his throat close for a moment when the meaning of Bill's words sunk in.

'Oh,' he managed. 'That.'

'Yeah, that,' said Bill.

Ron thought about it. Well, it was definitely a nerve-racking idea but...if it lead to better sex, he was all for it.

'I can do that,' he said, nodding vigorously. 'I think. And...uh...how do you, you know, do it?'

Bill groaned. 'What, you want a detailed description?'

'Yeah!' said Ron. 'I'm flying blind here!'

'Look, number one, I don't have time for this,' said Bill testily. 'In case you forgot, I'm busy. Two, even if I did have time to tell you everything, it wouldn't in the end be much good because every girl is different and you can't just go with "one approach fits all".'

'Bill, PLEASE,' Ron begged. 'I'm desperate. And...and don't you remember what it was like, you know, the first time you did it?'

'Yeah, I do,' said Bill grimly, 'and I remember Dad was the one who gave me advice, so count yourself lucky that you can ask me instead.'

'Dad gave you sex advice?' said Ron, appalled.

'Yeah, he did,' said Bill. 'But at the time he wasn't in the middle of shagging Mum so I didn't manage to piss him right off, like you're doing me--'

'Bill, stop talking about Mum and Dad having sex and HELP ME,' said Ron furiously.

Bill groaned and threw up his hands. 'Shit. Okay, fine. You know what? Just wait here for a second.' And without another word, he slammed the door in Ron's face.

'Bill!' Ron hissed. He couldn't believe it. His oldest brother was abandoning him. Or worse, he was going to make Ron wait while he had it off with Fleur.

But then Ron heard footsteps and Bill's door swung open.

'Here,' said Bill, thrusting something into Ron's hand.

Ron looked down at it. It was a book.

'A book?' said Ron. 'You want me to read NOW?'

'That book contains a lot of valuable information,' said Bill sharply. 'Find yourself a nice quiet corner and read as much as you can. That's the best I can do for you.'

'But Bill--'

'Good night, Ron,' said Bill, waving at Ron cheekily before again slamming his door, again, in Ron's face. Ron heard the click of several locks, and he was irrevocably alone. Abandoned by his oldest brother in his hour of need.

He looked down at the small book in his hand, and his eyes fell on the title:

The Wyatt Weatherly Wizard's Guide to Wild and Wonderful Sex: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About How to Please the Witch in Your Life.

'Okay, that's useful,' Ron said aloud.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron raced back to the common room, with the book tucked tightly under his arm, the title obscured. He passed McGonagall again, who merely clucked disapprovingly at him. Peeves tried to dump a plant on his head and missed. Filch shook his fists.

Ron gasped the password and burst into the common room to find the party still going on, but dwindling. Harry, Ginny, Seamus, Lavender, Parvati, Dean and the Creevey brothers were all drinking butterbeers and chatting animatedly.

'Ron!' said Hermione. 'Where have you been--'

'Talking to Bill,' Ron gasped.

'Why are you so out of breath?' Hermione asked suspiciously.

'I...ran back here,' Ron panted.

'Uh huh,' said Hermione. 'Did you get the thing from Bill's office?'

'What?' Ron asked.

'The thing from Bill's office,' Hermione repeated impatiently. 'Is that it?' She pointed at the small book.

'Oh, yeah,' said Ron. 'That's it.'

'What is it?' said Hermione, and she tried to grab the book.

'Oh, nothing!' said Ron, quickly, and he came up with the quickest lie he could think of. 'Just my dream journal, left it in Bill's office. I should go upstairs, have to shower and, uh, you know...get ready. For later.'

'Are you sure you're all right, Ron?' said Hermione, now sounding concerned.

'I'm fine, love,' said Ron. 'Totally, completely fine.'

'Okay,' she said, and she smiled. 'I'm looking forward to...to later.'

'Me, too,' said Ron. If I can just get upstairs and READ a little of this book first.

'Okay,' she said. 'I'll see you soon, then.'

'Soon,' said Ron, and he gave her a quick peck on the cheek and raced upstairs.

Once in the dormitory, he yanked his bed curtains shut and performed what he hoped was an Impervious Charm on them, and opened the book.

Please let there be something good in here, he thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An hour and a half later, Ron closed the book. His eyes were huge, and his brain was overloaded. He had no idea how he was going to remember it all, and he'd only gotten through two short chapters. But he hoped it would do.

Ron hid the book under his pillow and decided to have a shower. While in the shower he remembered a particular piece of advice in the book, about preparing oneself for a 'night of love with your woman.' Ron thought it was a good idea, but the preparation required an activity that Ron wasn't given to do in a public shower. And the prefects' bathroom...he shuddered. No bloody way.

Ron stepped out of the shower, wrapped his towel round his waist and looked in the mirror. He had started shaving but he hadn't become very good at it. On the other hand, Hermione might not like it if his face was scratchy.

Especially if I'm going to...yeah, I should definitely shave.

He did, with a razor that his father had given him on their last visit to Hogwarts just recently. He tried to be careful but as usual, he nicked his chin, and it bled profusely.

'Shit,' he groaned, and he used a Healing Charm on it but at the rate he was going, he'd have a very mangled, scarred chin soon.

He entered the dormitory to find Seamus and Lavender entering.

'Oh,' they both said.

'I'm leaving soon,' said Ron quickly, gripping his towel.

'So are we,' said Seamus, 'just...have to get a few things.'

'I just have to change,' Ron said uselessly.

Ron waited for Seamus and Lavender to fetch their 'few things', which turned out to be several pillows and some blankets. Ron wondered where they might be headed, but he had a very good idea of what they'd be doing once they got there. He just hoped it wasn't the same place Hermione had picked. But then, Hermione would have planned for that possibility.

Seamus and Lavender left, and Ron moved to get dressed. He picked through his clothes, most of which were wrinkled, and decided he might as well try and dress up, just a bit, tonight. He had one decent Muggle outfit that wasn't formal: corduroy pants and a blue button down shirt. He could put his robes on over that and pin his prefect badge on, in case anyone wondered why he and Hermione were skulking in the corridors. Not that they had patrol duties tonight, but still, being a prefect did provide a good excuse for going outside the usual school rules.

He dressed slowly, checking his watch every few seconds. It was nearly eleven o'clock. He wondered if Harry would be turning in. He hoped Ginny was okay. He hoped he didn't make a complete prat of himself.

At two minutes to eleven, Harry did indeed enter the room.

'Hey,' he said. 'Where are you off to?'

'Patrols,' said Ron at once.

'You have patrols tonight?' said Harry dubiously.

'Yeah,' said Ron quickly. 'Nothing serious, but...you know Dumbledore.' As if that explained everything.

Harry nodded; he didn't look like he really believed Ron, but he didn't push the issue.

'I'm going to pack and turn in,' he said. 'See you in a little while, I guess.'

'Right,' said Ron, hating that he was lying to Harry, but not wanting to tell him just why he wouldn't be back tonight.

'See you,' said Ron, and he left the dormitory and headed down the stairs.

Hermione was there, wearing her school robes, and she smiled when he reached the foot of the stairs. Ron saw Ginny and Colin still talking in the corner; they were sitting a bit close together, but Ron didn't really think about this, because Hermione looked so beautiful, and Ron was trying to remember some of the stuff in the book, anyway.

'Ready?' she asked, and Ron nodded.

'Let's do it,' he said, and then she gasped and began to giggle, and he went red. 'I mean, let's go.'

She took his hand, still giggling softly, and they exited the common room.

They walked in silence for a few minutes. Ron was so nervous he wasn't really paying attention to where they were going. He just followed Hermione, and she walked on slightly ahead of him, tugging on his hand.

'So...where are we going?' he asked, to break the silence.

'You'll see,' she said, smiling softly, more to herself than at him.

When they turned a particular corner, Ron looked around and suddenly realized where she was taking him.

'Hermione,' he said. 'Uh...isn't that room sealed off?'

'I got it open three days ago,' she said blithely.

Ron's eyes went wide as saucers. 'Three days ago?' he repeated weakly. Did that mean she had been planning this since then?

'Nobody knows about it,' she went on. 'I decided to keep it a secret. You know, just in case.' She looked back at him and blushed.

'Right,' he said. 'Just in case.'

After a few more minutes, they came to a halt in front of the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy.

Ron looked at her, and she smiled and bit her lip.

'Just...um, wait here,' she said, and he watched as she began to walk back and forth in front of the tapestry; she looked like she was concentrating. And then it hit Ron like a ton of bricks.

'I dreamed about this,' he said.

Hermione stopped walking and looked at him archly. 'I know,' she said. 'For six months, you said.'

'No,' said Ron. 'I mean, I really...dreamed about this. About...you leading me to this room. It was that night you were in hospital and I fell asleep next to you and...sort of, you know, drooled on your pillow.'

'You...did?' she said.

'Yeah,' he said.

'Wow,' she said, after a minute. 'Well...I...I hope the reality is just as good.'

'It didn't go that far in the dream,' Ron said. 'You woke me up just as we were going inside.'

'Oh,' she said. 'Sorry.'

'Don't apologize,' said Ron. 'And...and anyway I know the reality will be better than any dream.'

She blushed. 'Um, okay. I mean...well, I need to walk back and forth again, because you sort of interrupted me.'

'Sorry,' he said, and she smiled and began to walk back and forth again. At last, a door appeared. She reached for the knob and opened it, and he followed her inside, holding his breath.

Upon entering, he let out his breath in awe.

'Wow,' he said, gazing at the room.

It was undeniably a bedroom, as evidence by the rather large bed near the center of the room. The room was done in shades of blue, and there were candles everywhere, and a fireplace in the corner that spread warmth and golden light. Music was being piped in from somewhere or something; Ron wasn't sure how Hermione had managed music, but it was a lovely, soft, and sensual type of music.

'Is this okay?' she asked nervously.

'It's amazing,' he said.

She smiled shyly at him and pulled him further into the room.

'It's completely sealed off from the outside,' she said. 'We...we can stay here all night if you like.'

'I'd like that,' said Ron, and his voice sounded funny in his ears.

Hermione moved in closer to him, and smiled at him as she tilted her face up to his. Her breath smelled of mint toothpaste. Ron lowered his head and kissed her softly, letting the warmth of her lips ease the tension in most of his body even as the feel of her tongue against his created tension elsewhere.

They kissed slowly and deeply for a while; then their arms went around each other and they pressed together, and the slow burn that had started in Ron's trousers and spread out through his whole body became a kind of raging inferno, and suddenly they were kissing hard, and Ron was steering her over to the bed, and pulling off his robes. When they came to the side of the bed, Ron found the clasp of her robes.

She flinched and pulled back.

'What?' he said quickly, panting.

'Sorry,' she said, and she blushed. 'I just...well...I'm a bit nervous.'

'So am I,' said Ron. 'Even if...even if I'm also...really randy at the moment.'

She gave a little squeak and looked down, right at that part of his body that was most indicative of how he was feeling. Then she looked up at him, and leaned up again, and kissed him slowly, lightly. Her lips teased against his and this was as sexy as the rough, hard kisses they had just shared.

'Merlin,' he gasped. 'Are you sure, Hermione?'

'I'm sure,' she said. 'I want to.'

Ron nodded and brushed her hair back from her shoulders, and reached for the clasp of her robes again.

'Can I?' he asked. 'I mean, may I?'

She nodded, and he unfastened her robes, and slid them from her shoulders, and they fluttered to the floor.

'We'll just...take it slow,' he said. And he pulled her close and kissed her again, and slowly lowered her onto the bed.

The only sounds were the ones they made, and the crackling of the fire as it cast golden shadows on the room.