A Force of Magic [HP Jamione fanfic]

Chapter 31: Finally

31st January 2000
6:30am
Potter Manor - Barnstone, Nottinghamshire

Hermione woke early, her magical alarm set to wake her for work as usual. She thanked Merlin she'd taken the sober-up yesterday as it meant no hangover this morning. She'd nearly managed to forget all about the night before until she made to sit up and was pulled back against James' bare chest by the muscled arm wrapped around her waist.

"Mmm, 'Mione?" He mumbled into her thick curls, snuggling closer to her and pulling her in even closer until it took everything in her to ignore his morning erection pressed into her arse. His hand drifted up her body unconsciously, cupping her breast in his large hand as he snuggled her.

"I've got to get up James." She whispered, wriggling to try and pull away from him, because she'd be late getting a start on her potions otherwise.

"Noo." He moaned, trying to pull her back as she succeeded in pulling away from him properly.

"I've got to go to work." She leaned over him and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips as he blinked his eyes open tiredly, seeming to finally realise she was leaving.

"Do you have to?" He moaned, pouting at her when she straightened back up and wandered over to her wardrobe. She could feel his eyes on her as she walked, and though she'd usually be embarrassed wandering around naked, she revelled in his admiring look when she turned back around. "You are self-employed."

She laughed, pulling on her clothes for the day, "Yeah, but I can't just slack off like some people I know." She grinned over her shoulder at him as she opened her bedroom door. "Go back to sleep, you can stay in here."

He narrowed his eyes at her, but snuggled back down in her (admittedly very tempting) bed. "Fine, but I'm stealing you away for a lunch date." He threatened, anxiety at the possibility of her rejection of a date with him obvious in his tenseness and shifty eyes.

She grinned and nodded in agreement, "Sounds good."

She headed downstairs, following the sound of voices into the kitchen, quite surprised to find not only Sirius in there, but also Remus. Harry usually left extra early on Monday mornings for his training and rarely joined them for breakfast, and Tonks had stayed with her mother overnight with Teddy.

"Morning, Kitten." Sirius said with a grin from the table, where he had the prophet open in front of him and a piece of toast hanging from his mouth.

"Morning." She said around a yawn. She settled into the seat next to Sirius, grabbing herself some toast and bacon from the pile in the middle of the table, smiling across at Remus who was drinking deeply from a large cup of coffee looking like he desperately needed it even though the moon had been over a week ago.

"Late night, love?" Remus asked guilelessly.

Hermione flushed red, she just knew it, and avoided both of their eyes. Sirius chuckled loudly, "Ooh, what did you get up to last night, Kitten?" He leaned closer to her, wiggling his eyebrows when she sent him an insincere glare.

"None of your business." She said much too quickly, looking away and pouring herself a cup of coffee nearly as large as Remus'.

"Oho! It must be good, Moony." Sirius said to his fellow Marauder conversationally. Remus chuckled a little, though he sent Hermione a worried look when she frowned.

"What happened?" He asked gently, touching her wrist when she didn't respond.

She looked up into his eyes and felt all her anxieties come rushing out of her, "What if he's not ready?" She blurted.