Chapter 3

Kronos woke up with a smile, content with himself and the world in general. The back of his mind reminded him that he would only have Hermoine for two weeks, but he was looking forward to those two weeks. And from her responses last night, he knew Hermoine would enjoy them too.

So Kronos was taken somewhat by surprise when he walked into the "guest room" to see Hermoine looking out at her miniature sea, one white towel wrapped around her tiny, lithe body, while she used another one to dry her hair.

She turned around when Kronos entered the room, a stern look on her face.

"Kronos, we need to talk about what happened last night."

Kronos took a seat in the only giant-sized chair in the room, lowering his head so that he was "face to face" with Hermoine. With his face just inches from her body, Hermoine was acutely aware of her own near-nakedness.

"I came here to secure your help..."

"And you have it, Hermoine. I'll have to do it from here, of course, and I'm not sure what form it will take. But the time stream is heading toward a major ... well, spike, for lack of a better word. I can only assume that this will be the confrontation with 'He Who Must Not Be Named.' I can do a couple of things from here, to help the Order of the Phoenix, when it happens. Of course, if you fail, I'm fairly sure that He Who Must Not Be Named will be heading my way to 'reward' me for my interference, but that's a price I'm willing to pay."

Hermoine was a bit taken aback by this pledge, and Kronos's understanding of what it would mean to him personally if the Order of the Phoenix failed. She was happy to have his support, and a bit flushed to know that she personally had secured that support.

"Yes, well ... thank you. From me and the Order."

Kronos nodded his head. "And since we will be spending the next two weeks alone..."

The look that Kronos gave her reminded Hermoine that she had only a towel between her and her modesty, as well as the fact that she didn't have the towel the night before, and had been very happy about said towel's absence.

"Kronos, I just think..."

Kronos brushed Hermoine's hair with a fingertip. "You enjoyed last night, didn't you?"

"That's ... that's not the point. Perhaps..."

"Perhaps you should know, Hermoine, that I've grown quite fond of you in the short time I've known you. That I will do anything to safeguard you. And that I think you are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life." With that last pronouncement, Kronos reached down and, taking the bottom of Hermoine's towel between his finger and thumb, gave it a soft tug. Hermoine did nothing to try to stop him.

Kronos took in the beauty of the fully revealed Hermoine, as she stood there nervously fidgeting under his gaze.

"I--I can't just spend the next two weeks running around in the nude," Hermoine protested.

"Why not?" Kronos responded, as he gently scooped her up. "It's warm enough in here, and you are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Kronos stroked Hermoine's hair, and then moved his finger to her face, as he began a running litany of all her charms. "You have the most luxurious hair, the most winsome face. Your breasts are firm and perfectly formed," he added, as his finger gently caressed one breast, then the other. Hermoine gasped in pleasure as the ridges of Kronos's fingertip brushed across one hardening nipple, then the other.

Kronos's finger moved to Hermoine's back. Hermoine leaned forward on her hands and knees, arching like a cat as Kronos ran his fingertip down her back and over her bottom. "You have such a beautiful a--bottom," he added, running a finger over Hermoine's smooth buttocks, then down her legs. "And your legs are divine." Kronos gently pushed Hermoine on her back as his finger moved to between her legs, which Hermoine willing parted for his questing finger. "And here--what is the name you prefer here?"

Hermoine found herself gasping for breath. "My--my American friend refers to it as--her--OH--her kitty."

Kronos smiled. "You have a very pretty kitty. Very pretty. And I can tell you like me touching you there." Kronos lifted his finger, which produced a whimper of disappointment from Hermoine. "But I'm being selfish. You must be famished. Shall we go have breakfast?"

Hermoine nodded, and then added, "Could--could we finish first?"

Kronos couldn't help but tease Hermoine. "You want us to finish? What do you want me to do?"

Hermoine groaned. "Don't be a beast. Finishing touching me."

"Finishing touching you where?"

"My ... my kitty. Please!"

Kronos decided he had teased Hermoine long enough, and returned his finger to Hermoine's damp center. She moaned in pleasure with Kronos' returned touch, arching her back so as to maximize the contact. It wasn't long before Hermoine was yelping in pleasure, before her body collapsed back on Kronos' palm.

"Breakfast now?" Kronos asked, smiling down at Hermoine.

Hermoine nodded, a content smile on her face, as Kronos carried her to the kitchen.