Perfect Storm

Chapter 4

Friday came and Hermione found herself alone the whole day. Harry had to work the entire day, and then was going straight from the Ministry out to his stag night with Draco. Ginny was supposed to have been home for the weekend, but had to make a last minute trip to Wales and wouldn't be home until the following morning.

Hermione didn't mind being alone during the day. She reveled in the peace and quiet of the little village; a stark contrast to the never-ending buzz of the the city she had grown accustomed to. If she was in the need of human presence, all she had to do was walk down the street. Sitting at the little corner cafe, Hermione could enjoy the company of people, without actually having to interact with them.

She came to find, though, that in evenings, especially that evening, she longed for the sounds of cars, sirens, and screaming neighbors. Anything that drove away the loneliness and gave her something to focus on, besides the dark craziness in her mind.

Books helped at first, but her eyes grew weary. The feeble hope crossed her mind that maybe she was tired enough to sleep, but it was only a pipe dream. She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to will sleep to happen. But it never came.

'Well, if sleep isn't going to come, maybe I should?' Hermione thought. It had been a while since she brought herself to orgasm, and it usually was a good homemade remedy for sleep. She stripped off her sweaty clothes and let the cool breeze, from the window, caress her body.

Relaxing under the cool air, Hermione slowly ran her hands over her breasts, gently squeezing and pulling at their softness. Her nipples responded, instantly stiffening in arousal. Licking her index finger and thumb, she pinched her left nipple and let her right hand slip down to her clit. She plunged two fingers into her wetness that was collecting in anticipation.

Slowly, she drew her fingers out and let them slide over her sensitive nub. Gently, she started rubbing and caressing her clit, every so often dipping back into her juices. It didn't take long before she was harshly pulling her nipple and grinding four fingers against her pussy, as her breath became quick and uneven. For a quick second, her body seized before melting underneath a wave of relief and pleasure.

Naked and spread eagle, Hermione closed her eyes and focused on bringing her breathing back to an even pace. Her body now felt exhausted, but her mind was alert and showed no signs of shutting down. With a defeated groan, she rolled out of bed and into the shower.

Down in the kitchen, she took stock of what what in the fridge, and cupboards, and decided to make a beef stew and cupcakes. She wasn't particularly hungry but cooking would let her mind focus on something productive, instead of circling around her usual demons.

Hermione found a Radiohead album and thought it a fitting soundtrack to her current mopey mood. The needle scratched briefly against the vinyl, and then the sounds of Planet Telex filled the house. It wasn't long before the hearty smells permeated the air and Hermione had relaxed in her element.

As her stew was simmering and the chocolate cupcakes were cooling, Hermione mixed up a bowl of strawberry frosting. Humming along to the music and lost in task, the sudden crack of apparition made her shriek and clutch her chest. Forgetting about the spoon in her hand, pink icing splattered her chest.

"Just us, Granger," Draco called from the foyer. He came sauntering into the kitchen, leading a stumbling Harry. Draco leered at the icing on her chest. "You look tasty."

Hermione was about to throw back a remark, but was caught off guard by Harry dragging a warm cupcake across her chest. She felt heat creep into her cheeks and looked at Harry in disbelief as he shoved the entire pastry into his mouth.