Flat Above Dervish & Banges

[Jed Ramiro]

When Charli started to speak, Jed felt crushed. It sounded like she was about to make an excuse to leave. And he really didn't want her to leave. Then, as she went on, he met her gaze, startled. She'd just come right out and said that she wanted to spend time with him. When she finished speaking, he just looked at her for a moment, before he started to chuckle. "It's okay, I won't force you to eat!" He became more serious. "I'm not really hungry either - I just suggested it because... well, I wanted to spend time with you." He sat down at the table again, and tentatively reached to take her hand. "I - the truth is, since we met again, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."

[Charli Saunders]

She finished her little speal, and he chuckled! What in the world! Then he said he wouldn't force her to eat. Then he spoke again, she felt a slight lift as he said he wanted to spend time with her too. She watched as he sat down at the table again, and look down at their hands as he took hers. It felt nice. She listened as he spoke, and she smiled, then bit her lip. "Me too. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you either," she admitted. She didn't know what else to say. She twisted her hand slightly, she was holding his as well. She took a deep breath, biting her bottom lip softly.

[Jed Ramiro]

Jed felt as if a weight suddenly melted away from him. He'd been keeping his feelings secret - trying to deny them even to himself. But now he didn't have to hide them, because Charli felt the same way. He felt her hand turn, so that she could hold his, and he saw her bite her lip, as if unsure what to say next. For a moment he was tongue-tied - he couldn't find words either. Then he realized he didn't need words. Still holding Charli's hand, he leaned across the little table, tilting his head slightly to gently kiss her lips.

[Charli Saunders]

Their clasped hands felt - right. She liked it. Then, she saw him leaning across the table. Her breathing became slightly heavier and she watched him, unconsciously moving aswell. Then - their lips touched. She sighed, melting slightly. She responed gently. Her free hand went up to cup his face. Gosh. This was nice!

[Jed Ramiro]

Feeling Charli's response, and her hand on his face, Jed deepened the kiss, raising his own hand to run his fingers through her hair. It just felt so right to kiss her like this. Like they had all the time in the world. The first time they ever kissed, they'd both believed they had only a few days left to live, and their contact on that occasion had been desperate, frantic. Now it was slow, gentle, and unhurried. He didn't know where this was going to lead, but it didn't matter. They were free, and they had a second chance.

[Charli Saunders]

Charli fel thim deepen the kiss, and his hand in her hair. This was so much different to what she remembered of their last encounter. She had to admit - while she used to like the frantic - now, this was perfect. She liked the feeling of his lips on hers. She could taste the wine. She sighed. Leaning over the table like this wasn't as easy as it used to be. She pulled away from him, smiling, then scooted her and her chair around the table so she was beside him. She chuckled softly, grinning. Then, she delved straight back into the same soft, slow kiss. She didn't think she'd ever kissed anyone like this before. Ever. She liked it.

[Jed Ramiro]

When Charli pulled back, Jed thought for a moment that she was having second thoughts. Then she moved her chair around to his side of the table, and leaned in to kiss him again. If he'd had a sofa, he would have suggested they move there, but all he had was the bed... did she want to go that far? For a moment, he was lost in their kiss, so deep and slow. He knew he wanted her, had wanted her since they encountered each other by chance in Hogsmeade.

He broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. Then he let his gaze flick towards the bed, and back to her eyes. Nothing definite, no pressure. If she wasn't ready she could pretend she hadn't understood. He half-smiled, and raised his hand again, to caress her cheek.

[Charli Saunders]

Charli was completely lost in the kiss. She had no concept of time, and sounds apart from each other, no other feeling except for him. If she were a weaker woman, she would have moaned at it. Talking about moaning, she was beginning to wonder where this was going to lead. She wanted him. She knew that much. But - did he want her?

He broke the kiss, and she looked at him curiously. Was something wrong? She saw his eyes flick off to the side, then back to hers. Slowly, she tore her eyes from his, and turned to look at what he had. The bed. Oh! She bit her lip, turning back around to face him. He smiled and stroked her face. She sighed, tilting her face to his hand. She smiled, nodded, and stood up, taking his hand to pull him up as well. She let go of his hand and walked over to the bed, sitting down on the edge, patting beside her. A clear indication she wanted this.

[Jed Ramiro]

Jed held his breath as Charli bit her lip. Then she nodded and stood up, and he watched as she walked over to the bed, and sat down, inviting him to join her. He smiled, and got up, walking towards her. He looked down at her for a moment. This was so different from the first time they'd made love - but he didn't want to remember those circumstances.

He sat down beside her, and just looked into her eyes for a moment, before he raised his hand to cup her face. He slid his other arm around her shoulders, and leaned in to kiss her. At first his lips just brushed hers, then he deepened the kiss, letting his tongue slide between her lips, to gently touch the tip of her tongue. Despite the intense desire that flared between them, he knew that this was going to be slow, gentle, and sweet.

[Charli Saunders]

Charli smiled as she watched him stand up and walk over to her. Looking up at him, as he stood beside her, her smile widened. So very different to last time.
He sat down beside her, and she met his gaze, sighing as he cupped her face. As his arm went around her shoulders, hers went around his waist. His lips brushed over hers, making her sigh. Then, his tongue slid between her lips, deepening the kiss. She moaned. Her tongue nudged against his gently. She wanted him so bad. Her other hand went up to cup his face as well, mirroring his actions.

[Jed Ramiro]

Pulling Charli into his arms, Jed kissed her harder. Her responses told him that she wanted him as badly as he wanted her, but he wasn't going to rush. They had all night. He broke the kiss, but only to meet her gaze, before he began to lay a trail of kisses, from her temple, down her cheek, and over her neck. He inhaled deeply, breathing in the subtle perfume she was wearing. He put a hand on her waist, and moved his lips back to her mouth. As they kissed passionately, he leaned back, taking her with him, so that she lay in his arms, turned towards him.

"Charli," he murmured. "I've wanted this for so long. Thought about it. Even dreamed about it."

[Charli Saunders]

Charli felt his arms going around her, and she sighed into the kiss, which had intensified. He broke the kiss, and she gazed at him. As he began trailing kisses from her temple to her neck, she sighed, closing her eyes, moaning as his lips touched her neck. She felt his hand on her waist, then welcomed his lips back to hers, returning his kiss passionately. As he leaned back, she went with him, her hand resting on his chest.

He spoke, and she smiled. "Me too - though, only after I met you again did I know it was you I was dreaming about," she admitted.

[Jed Ramiro]

Jed felt a weight finally lift from the back of his mind. It had troubled him deeply that she had seemed at first not to remember their experience in Azkaban. Now he knew her mind had just blocked the details to protect herself. But she hadn't completely forgotten.

He rolled more towards her, leaning on his elbow looking down at her. He dipped his head to kiss her again, and as he did so, he tentatively reached for the buttons of her blouse. They'd been going slowly so far. But now he was feeling more urgency. Not the frantic haste that had characterised their first desperate encounter, all those years ago, in the darkness and filth of the punishment cell. But a need to see her, and touch her, to feel her touching him. To finally put that sordid past behind them.

[Charli Saunders]

Charli smiled as he rolled over more, leaning over her. His head lowered, and she raised herself slightly, meeting his kiss. She kissed him deeply, then felt his hand go to the buttons of her blouse. She smiled against his lips. her hands went down his back, to the hem of his shirt. She slipped her fingers under the fabric, sighing as her fingertips encountered his skin.
She was desperate for him now. But, not like before. She wanted him differently. Completely. Not just to pass the time.

[Jed Ramiro]

Jed groaned softly at the touch of her fingers on his bare skin. He knew she'd feel the scars that criss-crossed his back; but he wouldn't have to explain them. Charli would know, all too well, the circumstances under which his back had been ripped open. She would understand everything, which meant he could be himself with her.

He unfastened the last button, and began to caress her with his lips. Even after the time she'd spent in that hellhole, her skin was soft and delicate, warm to his kisses, the spicy-sweet scent of her perfume filling his nose once more. He leaned further over her, cupping her face with his hand, his kisses becoming more insistent, with a desperation born, this time, not of fear but of pure, untainted desire to make love to her.