Part 5

"So are Butterbeers as good as everyone says they are?" Merula asks you as the two of you made your way hand-in-hand into Hogsmeade. The whole experience as foreign to her as it was to you. Despite the fact you've been dating Merula for over two months now, never before had you taken her on anything resembling a date outside of Hogwarts. It wasn't as if you never had the desire to however. Between your scholarly responsibilities, searching for your long lost brother, and frequent fights with Merula, plans of going on an actual date had never materialized to anything more than mere plans. Meals and studying together was the closest experience to a date the two of you ever shared. Nevertheless, tonight was different. Tonight marked what you hoped would be a turning point in your relationship.

"Oh yes, definitely," you answered the young Slytherin enthusiastically. "There's a reason why Barnaby always wants to come down here with me."

"Ugh..I don't know if I could trust the opinions of that idiot," Merula responds rolling her eyes.

"Would you trust my judgement then?" you retorted, ignoring her verbal jab at your friend. Despite her agreement to fight less with you, deep down you knew Merula still had as short of a fuse as ever. After all, it would have been foolish to assume she could learn to control her temper in an afternoon. Indeed, you knew the best course of action for the night is to avoid bringing up anything which would upset the young witch.

"Well at times I think you're just as much of an idiot, but I can trust your judgement on this one," she replies playfully as the two of you made your way towards the Three Broomsticks.

Taking in the sights around the small little village you couldn't help but smile. Hogsmeade during the holiday season was always so festive, with decorations of gold and red lining every street and the sound of fresh snow crunching underneath your feet with every step. While such a sight meant that end of term exams were rapidly approaching, that fact alone couldn't damper your love for the holiday season. Looking across the street from the two of you, your eyes watched the sight of a small child pulling his mother towards a toy store with a wooden rocking horse on display in the windowsill. Perhaps someday you'll see Merula in the same position you thought to yourself, as the two of you made your way into the Three Broomsticks.

It was a bittersweet moment. As much as you were thankful for this opportunity with Merula, feelings of guilt were unavoidable as you returned to the scene of your transgression with Penny. Surveying the room, visions of you and Penny flashed before your eyes as you looked at the table you sat at with the girl. Pushing these thoughts aside, you led Merula towards a corner booth next to the roaring fireplace.

"We'll have two Butterbeers," you tell the young waitress who came to take your order.

The Three Broomsticks always had a jovial atmosphere, and tonight was no different with the smell of warm pastries filling the air. In the background, sounds of holiday music emanated from a record player in the corner, a rare instance of Muggle technology in Hogsmeade. Across the room was an older bearded gentleman, raising his glass up for a toast with his colleagues and a group of fellow Hogwarts students laughing at the table adjacent. Peering across the table was your girlfriend, dressed in a worn out brown jacket you assumed belonged to her father and a pine green sweater, a rare instance in which she was out of her school robes. The scenes around you making the frown on your companion's face all the more striking.

"Something on your mind Merula?" you ask your girlfriend.

"It's nothing," she responds quietly.

"Look, I have an idea whats on your mind. I thought we agreed to be more open with each other remember?"

Merula sighs in response. "Why did you have to go here alone with her?" she asks you dejectedly. Typically the mention of Penny would have brought upon nothing but anger in the Slytherin girl.

Her question cuts into you like a knife. As much as you wanted to reassure Merula, deep down you couldn't deny to yourself what happened the other day. Slowly running a finger down the wooden table you begin to respond. "You know I never intended on going down here alone with her."

"Why didn't you just come back then?" she responds with a hint of anger rising in her voice.

"I can't change what's been done already," you tell her. "And can we please not get into an argument again? I know it's still upsetting you, but getting upset with me isn't going to make anything better."

Looking at her face, you could see what appeared to be a scowl forming. You knew Merula wanted to scream and chastise you once again as she had time and time before. Tonight was supposed to be different. Tonight was supposed to mark a new beginning in your relationship, and you feared Merula had other plans. Suddenly, you hear the girl let out a loud sigh.

"You're right," Merula finally answered. "I'm just really jealous," she admits to you. For the first time since you started dating, Merula opened up about what was on her mind, rather than lashing out at you in anger to mask her thoughts. "I'm jealous that she got to spend a day with you like this before I did."

Merula's confession stung. As much as you wanted Merula to be more open, her insecurities and thoughts stirred up feelings of immense guilt within you. The familiar feeling of a pit in your stomach returning once again as you struggled to conjure an appropriate response to her admission, being mindful of anything which would upset her further.

"I'm sorry Merula," you respond. "I really can't do anything about that fact. But, tonight I wouldn't want to be here with anyone else in the world and I promise this will be a night you never forget," you continued, attempting to both simultaneously reassure and better her mood.

"Do you really mean that?" she asks quietly.

"Of course I do." you reply, taking her hand in yours and squeezing gently as you smile at Merula.

Intertwining her fingers with yours, a warm smile formed on her face as the waitress returns to your table with your order of Butterbeers.

"Well Merula," you say as you raised your glass up for a toast. "To better days ahead?"

Merula picked up her drink with a small chuckle. "You are such an idiot," she replies before she taps her glass against yours. "But I'm glad you're my idiot."

Taking a swig of the sweet liquid you notice Merula taking a vastly different approach as she takes a small sip to familiarize herself with the taste before sitting her drink down and licking her lip.

"So, what do you think of it?" you ask her curiously.

"Hm..it's not too bad," Merula replies before taking a drink. "I can see why everyone is so obsessed with these things," she continues as she takes a bigger gulp.

"Looks to me like you like them more than you're letting on," you tease her as you watch your girlfriend enjoy the first Butterbeer of her life.

"So what if I do? Are you going to buy me another?" the witch responds playfully.

"Well I was going to feel guilty if I got another round without you," you reply back.

Merula lets out a small chuckle before returning to her drink. Seeing her this happy was such a foreign experience to you. Underneath all the scowls and anger was this damaged girl who rarely allowed her lighthearted side shine through. A side that a few, if any, had ever seen before. For once, she allowed herself to feel this way. Hearing the sound of her laughter was a vast contrast to the voice which had screamed and chastised you time and time before. Never could you have imagined that you would be thrilled to be spending the evening alone with the girl who had tormented you at every opportunity during your first few years at Hogwarts. Never could you have imagined you would be the one who would have brought back joy to the Slytherin girl's life. As the two of you finish a second round of Butterbeers, you offered up a suggestion to Merula.

"Say, do you want to see what else Hogsmeade has to offer?" you ask her.

"Sure, why not?" she responds as she finishes off the last few drops of her drink.

Leaving the Three Broomsticks with her hand in yours, the two of you made your way to the toy shop you had seen the young child so desperately wanted to enter earlier in the evening. The skies above were painted in brilliant shades of blue and orange as the sun prepared itself to set for the night with the cobblestone pathway below still caked in freshly fallen snow from earlier in the day. The faint smell of chimney smoke filled the air as you felt Merula's warm hand holding firmly onto your own. Entering the toy store, the two of you were immediately greeted with the sight of stuffed animals lining the shelves, and an elaborate train set on display in the middle of the business.

Your eyes immediately become fixated on the train set as you move in for a closer look. The train set was massive in scale, featuring a long winding track which passed through a miniature village which vaguely resembled Hogsmeade, a green valley and mountain ranges. A bright red locomotive, presumably powered by magic of some sort made its way around the long loop, with a brown box car on its tail.

"I always wanted to have one of these when I was younger!" you exclaim watching the toy train proceed down the track, completely unaware if Merula was behind you or not.

"Merula?" you finally ask when your excitement failed to receive a response from your date. Looking around the room you saw Merula standing in front of a display of various stuffed birds, as you began to make your way towards her. As you drew close you saw that she was clutching a small stuffed blackbird.

"Found something you liked Merula?" you ask her.

A frown formed on the girl's face as she runs her hand down the head of the stuffed animal slowly. "I remember my mum and dad giving me a little stuffed bird just like this one when I was a little girl," she whispers.

Immediately realizing what was on her mind you put your hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "I'm sorry Merula, I know you miss your parents a lot."

"They didn't even let me keep it when they took my parents away," she sadly states as she continues to slowly pet the stuffed bird.

Feeling a frown forming on your own face you thought of an appropriate response. "I know it won't replace the one you had as a child, but would you like me to get you that little bird?" you ask her in an attempt to cheer the girl up, figuring talking about her parents is a conversation best saved for another night. "That way, when you do get your old bird back, it'll have a friend waiting for it."

"I'd really like that," she responds as Merula wraps her arms around you for a hug.

Running your hands through her hair slowly, the two of you make your way to the front of the store. Paying the elderly storekeeper, Merula's eyes lit up as she smiles and takes hold of her new friend. You feel your mouth taking the shape of a wide smile as you look at the overjoyed face of your girlfriend. Never in your life had you seen her so happy before. Her joyful smile even more cheerful than Tulip's Boggart which took the form of the Slytherin girl as the two of you exited the store.

"Do we really have to go back to Hogwarts?" Merula asks you before you had even gone a few steps from the toy store. "I never thought a date could be this nice."

Thinking for a moment, you rustled your coin pouch to get a picture of your current financial situation. "Well, we don't have to go to Potions Class until noon right?" you ask Merula.

"Well no. And regardless if we were late or not Snape would be on your case for something anyway," she responds. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I think I have galleons left we could rent a room at the Three Broomsticks for the night," you suggest.

"Anything to get me away from sleeping through Ismelda's stench for a night," Merula jokes as the two of you made your way back towards the Three Broomsticks. By now the skies above were a pitch black as one by one the various shops of Hogsmeade were closing for the night. Merula clutching her new stuffed animal in one hand and your hand in the other. Returning to the establishment you started the night at, you spend your last galleon for a room at the warm and inviting inn, making your way upstairs with your date.

Inside the room you paid for was an elegantly made bed for two with crimson sheets and cream colored pillows along side worn out wooden nightstands. The smell of freshly cleaned linen filled the air as the two of you made your way towards the brown loveseat in the corner, taking a well needed reprieve from being on your feet. As you laid your head back against the seat, you felt Merula's head coming to a rest on your shoulders.

"Is this what a being in a relationship is supposed to feel like?" Merula asks you quietly as you feel her hair brushing up against your cheek.

Hearing her question instantly makes you recall what Penny told you the other day. How a relationship should be built on warmth and compassion, not animosity and conflict as your relationship had been up until this point. The whole night serving as a testimony of what could be between you and Merula.

"Yes," you answer. "Yes, this is how things should feel like in a loving relationship."

"Guess we haven't been too good at this relationship thing since we started dating then huh?" she responds still cuddling up with your arm.

"No, we really haven't," you admit to the girl. "But, tonight is proof we can make this work Merula," you continued, as you run your hand through her messy hair.

Suddenly Merula pulls away slowly and takes your hand in hers. Looking you in the eyes she asks "Tonight isn't over yet is it?"

Looking into her eyes you see a side of Merula you had never seen before. Reading her eyes revealed a look of lust and love, a look that you started to believe you would never see in the girl. A look that you wish you could cherish forever. Feeling a warmth beginning to flow through your body you place your free hand softly on Merula's cheek.

"Not even close," you whisper to her in reply as you draw close for a kiss. Catching a glimpse of the Slytherin girl's eyes closing before you do the same, your hand wanders to her backside as Merula's warm lips met yours. It was far from the first kiss the two of you had ever shared together, but immediately you knew this one was different. Never had you felt such passion and intensity from Merula. Never had her hands rummage through your hair as each consecutive kiss was met with another. Never had you craved your girlfriend as much as you did in this very moment, and you wanted far more of the young witch biting down on her soft lips evoking a quiet moan from the girl.

Instinctively, you pull Merula close as you felt your falling back onto the seat, positioning Merula right on top of you. Your hand slipping underneath her sweater as they explored her backside, your fingertips making acquaintances with her velvet skin as you rest your other hand on the back of the young witch's head. There was no denying the feeling coursing your body as you felt yourself growing more erect by the moment as your lips met once more, relentlessly kissing your rival turned lover. Merula's hands fiddling with the buttons of your shirt, each subsequent button coming undone revealing more and more of your bare chest as you felt her exploring your torso as she proceeds. Leaving you shirtless you decide to level the playing field as you begin to pull Merula's sweater off, breaking the kiss to allow you to pull the piece of clothing off and tossing it across the room. You pause in admiration to gaze at the girl before you. Her slender body revealing itself to you, with nothing but a gray cotton bra hiding Merula's small budding breasts. Feeling your heart pounding through your chest, you bite down on your lip.

"I think you want this off don't you?" she asks you coyly, noticing your reaction to her body.

"Do I make it that obvious?" you answer, each passing second making you crave her that much more.

A sly smile formed on Merula's face as she begins to undo her bra, letting it fall to the floor leaving her breasts bare all for you. Your eyes immediately taking note of her small, erect pink nipples as you pull Merula close to you once more. This time your lips had a new target as you plant a starting peck on her cheek, as you kiss a trail down to her neck. Your hand cupping one of her breasts as you rubbed her stiff nipple slowly with your thumb, the sensation becoming overwhelming for the girl as you note the change in her breathing. The scent of spice on her neck driving you wild as you sink your teeth into her soft skin causing Merula to moan out in pleasure loudly as she arches her head back. Craving so much more of the girl your hand wanders down her torso and into her pants, your fingers taking quick note of her soaked cotton underwear as you begin to pleasure her through the material, causing Merula to moan once again. Suddenly, she pulls away and stands up.

"You're driving me absolutely mad," she states as she begins to pull down her pants. "Are you going to just watch or are you going to do the same?" she questions as you gaze at the visible dampness on her underwear. Sliding down your pants as well there was no denying your erection underneath your boxers. Your attention returning to Merula once more as she strips the last piece of clothing remaining on her body, leaving her completely bare for you. Her tight, slender body standing right before you as you slide your boxers off, your cock springing out in an instant. Merula's eyes immediately wandering down below your waist as she quickly licks her lip and drops down to her knees in front of you.

"Go ahead Merula," you instruct her as hands wrap around your hard cock. Her warm, soft fingers sending a pulse of ecstasy throughout your body as she explores every inch, every detail of it. Her inexperience becoming all the more apparent as Merula begins to stroke you slowly.

"I can feel it throbbing in my hand," she remarks as she begins to speed up the pace, causing you to moan out in pleasure. "I wonder what it would do if I tasted it," she asks curiously as you begin to feel her warm breath on your cock. Taking her tongue out, she licks the tip noting your reaction before trailing her tongue down the full length. Stroking you once more, Merula looks up at you with her violet eyes as she opens her mouth and begins to take you in.

"Merula..." you whisper out her name as she begins to pleasure you with her mouth, taking in inch by inch until you hear her gag. Despite the fact she had never done anything of the sort before, she was a natural at the act. Closing her lips tightly, she begins to bob her head up and down with an increasing pace. Your hands grabbing onto the back of head, guiding her as she continues to please you orally. Each second feeling yourself drawing closer and closer as you fought the urge to finish right then and there, the whole time she continues to look up at you, taking note of the look of pure ecstasy in your face. Finally, she stops as she stands back up.

"Do you want this Merula?" you ask the girl quietly.

Merula simply nods as she positions herself onto your lap, your hard cock rubbing up against her slick entrance. Wrapping her hands around your back she draws in for a kiss. "Take me," she whispers as she kisses you once more, lowering herself onto you for the first time, feeling yourself taking her virginity.

"Oh fuck," she cries out from the mixture of pain and pleasure, suddenly breaking your kiss. Her tightness feeling nothing short of pure bliss to you as she begins to ride you slowly at first. Merula's lips passionately dancing with yours as her pace begins to quicken, the sound of her body pounding against yours filling the room between moans. Her fingernails digging into your back with such force you felt as if she was going to tear your skin right off.

"If you always fuck me this hard I swear I'll love you forever," Merula growls out from pleasure. Feeling herself beginning to tighten around you, her pace increases to a fever pitch as she grinds her hips hard against your body relentlessly riding you to the best of her ability.

"I'm going to fucking-", the girl cries out as she stops mid sentence and digs her teeth hard into your neck in an attempt to silence her scream. The act alone more than enough to send you over the edge as you feel yourself reaching an orgasm simultaneously. You cum harder than you ever have before in your life, filling the girl with your seed as she continues to bite down before finally collapsing into your arms leaving the two of you completely breathless.

"I love you Merula," you manage to gasp out, completely in bliss from the experience as you hold her close.

"I love you too," she whispers as the two of you manage to make your way onto the bed with the last bit of energy left in your bodies cuddling up right next to one another.

"Can it always be like this? Tonight was the best night of my life," Merula asks you, as she scoots her body closer to yours.

"Always," you reply with a smile as you feel your eyelids growing heavy.

As you drift off to sleep you begin to wonder how long things would remain like this with Merula. You wonder if this side of Merula was here to stay, or this was nothing but a mere mirage. While you are uncertain of what lies ahead for your relationship there was no denying the evening showed you how perfect things could be, how things are supposed to be. And as you lay there with the love of your life, you could take solace in knowing that whatever the future has in store for the two of you, you'd face it head on together.