2

Three weeks had passed since Bill had first seen Severus and Hermione make love, and the images from that unlikely night haunted him still. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Severus thrusting powerfully into the gorgeous witch beneath him, his perfect porcelain arse flexing as he withdrew and plunged back into her. He couldn’t forget the creamy contours of their bodies writhing and arching into each other, expressing what words could not. It wasn’t the act of making love that made his body burn for them: it was their fiery passion.

Although he was not with them that night, their fire burned within him and had awakened a desire for the touch of two partners. Knowing he had to give them time alone together, he decided to wait until the proper moment to approach them.

As winter turned into spring, Bill continued to watch the awkward daily interactions between Severus and Hermione. He suspected that they were trying to hide what they felt for each other because they did not want anyone to know about their relationship. Hermione and Ron hadn’t been apart for very long before she and Severus had begun. If Ron found out about them too soon, he would cause problems for them that they did not want to deal with. Despite their efforts to hide their relationship, of course, some people already knew.

The couple spent their days trying to avoid each other, but as he could attest, they spent their nights in passionate embrace. It was as though the cloak of night allowed them a freedom the day did not. Although their words were few, their actions were intense. They lived as though every sweet kiss and loving caress was their last before they would wake from this dream.

One stormy evening in late April, Hermione was standing at the kitchen sink in the all but empty house, looking out at the rain-soaked ground. Her arms were covered in soap suds from the dinner dishes, and she was finishing the last of the silverware when she felt a hot breath upon her neck. Warmth flooded her being as she felt strong hands stroke down her sides.

‘Severus, anyone could see...’ Hermione breathed deeply to settle herself.

‘No one will,’ Bill muttered in his husky baritone voice.

It had been so long since she had felt his sure hands upon her form, and it brought back the memory of their only time together, the night after the fall of Voldemort. Everyone who had suffered under the megalomaniac was celebrating by getting right pissed, but she and Bill had chosen not to partake of the alcohol; instead, they had indulged in a secret night of passion.

Snapping out of her reverie, she turned to face him—to see the lightning reflected in his deep-blue eyes. He bent his head to capture her lips, but she placed her damp hands on his hard, well-muscled chest and pushed him away.

‘Bill, we can’t. I’m with Severus, and I...’ Hermione trailed off.

‘Love him?’ Bill offered, gazing steadily into her eyes.

‘Yes.’

‘Just one kiss, Hermione, is all I ask.’

Not waiting for her response, he wrapped one of his large hands in the loose tendrils of her hair and kissed her. His lips touched hers tentatively at first, and then, as he felt her body melt in acceptance, he poured more of himself into the kiss, letting his tongue caress hers in a slow dance. His other hand slipped to her waist and crushed her to him so she could feel his quickening pulse and rapidly rising erection.

Hermione was leaning into his chest, and she could feel the heat and swell of his slightly throbbing arousal pressing against her stomach. A part of her wanted to give into the moment, wanted to touch him, to hear him groan as she lightly traced the outline of his dark, denim-clad erection. Just as he ground his hips into her, she removed herself from his embrace.

‘Bill...’ Hermione muttered, somewhat out of breath.

‘Don’t you see how much I want this—how much I want you?’ he whispered. Bill took her hand and placed it on his arousal.

‘I can’t, I’m sorry. I’m in love with Severus, so being with you again would be betraying him.’

Bill could see the conflicting emotions of desire and pain war across her pretty face as she spoke. It hurt him to know he caused such conflict within her, but it hurt him more that she had rejected him.

Severus stood near the partially open door and watched the scene unfold before him. His eyes had been focused intently on Hermione while Bill took charge of a kiss that his lover wanted no part of. Although he was outraged at the situation, he could not help but be riveted to the spot. Watching the arousal light Hermione’s eyes as she pulled away from the man not only angered him but it also served as his undoing. Unable to continue watching them, he entered the room in a fury.

Hermione’s eyes met his, and though she remained silent, she crossed the room and laced her arm through Severus’ longer one as Bill looked on.

‘Weasley, in the future, I’d suggest you not kiss Hermione unless you’d like to receive my wrath. Also, you’d do well to remember that “no” does not secretly mean yes,’ Severus spat bitterly.

‘Severus, I...’ Bill’s voice went quiet as he figured out how to word what he wanted to say.

‘Need to explain,’ Severus added, clasping Hermione’s hand a little tighter than necessary.

Bill ran his fingers through his obscenely long red hair before he spoke. ‘I suppose so. I... blimey, this is hard.’ He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. ‘I’m not just interested in Hermione, Severus. I want you as well.’

Severus’ mouth fell open as he tried to move past overwhelming shock in order to process those words. He opened and shut his mouth several times before he gasped, ‘You what?’

Bill came close enough to smell Severus’ spicy, masculine scent, and he slipped his fingers across the grey, cotton, button-down shirt as he spoke. ‘I. Want. You. And. Hermione.’

Severus exchanged a meaningful look with Hermione as they exited the kitchen, leaving Bill standing in the now silent room. For a time, he listened to the rain beat steadily on the roof and the wind whip through the trees, and then he made his way upstairs and past the open door of Severus’ room. He stopped when he heard a soft, feminine voice call out to him.

‘Care to join us?’

A/N: Thanks go to the truly magnificent kittylefish for beta reading.