Drop The Attitude

It was the middle of the night, but Hope couldn't get her conversation with Albus out of her head. Newt could tell she was too distracted to do much else than ponder her intrusive thoughts and told her to go and speak with him. Telling her that she had his full support in following the path of love, wherever it may lead.

That path led to Albus' office, which surprisingly was empty upon her entrance. She'd half expected him to be sitting by the fire in his chair with a cup of tea and a book. Though he hadn't slept soundly in so long, he probably collapsed onto the bed and passed out.

"Hope?" Albus asked, brows furrowing as he stepped out from the door that hid his chambers. He was still in his day clothes, but it seemed she'd caught him undressing as his shoes were off and his tie undone.

"Is everything alright?"

"You always ask me that."

He smiled crookedly. "I always will."

She let out a sigh and ran her fingers through her hair as he moved closer. "You seem very," he paused for the right word, "frazzled."

Rubbing the back of her neck, she nodded as he leaned against his desk, crossing his ankles. Why did Gray have to look so good on him?

"Yes, frazzled…" Hope trailed off and forced her eyes to look up at his. "I may have," she swallowed hard, "confided in Newt about a dilemma of mine."

His arms slowly crossed, eyes narrowing on her. "And what dilemma might that be?"

"Are we going to play that game?"

"You do like games."

"As do you," Hope matched his smirk.

Albus tapped his fingers against his elbows, watching her. Seeing through her. "What precisely did you confide in him about?"

She walked toward him, moving beside him to lean herself against the desk as he did. "I may have told him I have feelings for two people."

"Hm," Albus nodded slowly, staring at a place on the wall ahead, "and his response was?"

Hesitating, she watched his profile. Waiting for him to look at her, but he never did. "Why choose."

Now, he did look at her. "He said that?" He frowned.

"You seem surprised," Hope smiled, "I guess I was too. I didn't exactly expect him to be so understanding. I imagine most people wouldn't take too kindly that their girlfriend has a crush on another person."

Albus smiled thoughtfully. "You love him." He looked over at her, and she nodded.

"But I…well, he's not the only one who's proved himself worthy of my love…" Hope swallowed dryly, seeing the light in his eyes shift a little. "Talking about it might feel sudden, but the feeling of it wasn't."

Hope watched as he parted his lips, and she knew what he was about to ask, his expression puzzled.

"Remember when you first gave me the room of moonlight?" She asked softly.

Albus hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes." His voice rumbled soft and deep.

"Tell me," she touched the silver ball on his desk, making it float in the air with a simple touch, "why did you design it like that?"

She looked up, meeting his eyes.

"Because," he started, carefully taking her jaw in her palm and stroking the apple of her cheek lightly, "when I think of you, I think of the moon."

Hope let herself lean into his touch. Relaxing, she closed her eyes. Letting herself get lost in the way his thumb stroked her bottom lip. The pressure of lips she'd been expecting never came.

"Would you like to stay here tonight?" He asked gently.

Hope's eyes fluttered open, and she nodded though her brows knitted together. "Are you really not going to kiss me?"

Albus' grinned in response. "Ah, so impatient. Might I wait til you're least expecting it?"

Giving him a look, she shook her head with a laugh. "Tease."

He smirked then and leaned forward, his lips brushing the shell of her ear. "You've no idea…"

Goosebumps rose along her exposed skin, taking her breath away. From the sound of his laughter, he knew it too.

Albus' led her to his chambers, which almost exactly matched his office. Haphazard in a collected way, with a very inviting bed in its center. She glanced over at him as he continued dressing down in the bathroom.

What kind of game was he playing?

She removed her pants and blouse, watching him as she crawled into bed to get comfortable. The body he slowly revealed by his steps of undressing made it clear to Hope how different he and Newt were.

Newt had lean muscles that could be neatly glided through with a feather, while Albus had a broader physique. The plains of his stomach sloped at angles, filling him out in a different masculine way. He wasn't thirty anymore, but the definition was there.

And Hope wanted to lick the salt from his short dark beard.

"You are staring." He said with a smirk.

"Actually, I'm admiring." Hope giggled and curled up in his sheets, pressing her nose to the pillow he'd slept on—a delicate, crisp, and musky scent. Much different from the soft earthy rain Newt's skin held. Both equally mouthwatering.

Hope didn't realize just how tired she was until her eyes began to drift closed. She barely registered Albus sliding into bed or her arms wrapping around his bicep. Hope herself against him as if he alone could keep all her nightmares away.

Perhaps he could.

"You're really not going to kiss me?" She mumbled, half asleep.

Albus chuckled against her hair. "Goodnight, Hope."

The next day seemed as average as any other, as if Hope hadn't spilled her guts to Albus, anticipating him to do at least something with the new information. He hadn't, though. He'd been a perfect gentleman and made her tea and toast in bed. She'd come out to him reading the Daily Prophet by the fire and sat across from him reading her book until it was a suitable time that Newt might be awake.

Outside on the grounds, she told him everything that had happened, which was nothing. Well, not nothing, she supposed. He had held her all night and described her as moonlight.

Why was she complaining again?

Oh yeah, because after all that talk on the train and getting her all hot and bothered, he hadn't tried to screw her brains out.

Hope cringed at herself, she had to be the worst feminist in the world.

"You know what he's probably doing?" Newt asked as they worked together to clean the pens out.

Shaking her head, she looked over at him. "What do you mean?"

"He's probably trying to see if you'll change your mind before you do anything you'll regret." Newt offered a half smile. "He's very big on trying to avoid regretful situations."

Hope's jaw dropped. "You think he thinks I didn't mean what I said?"

With a shrug, he bit his lower lip. "It's possible."

Hope had been clear with him on the train and again in his office, and he thought she might change her mind.

"Well, we'll see about that." She huffed, taking her gloves off as they left the pen.

Newt fought laughter as he asked, "Are you about to do what I think you're about to do?"

"Yes, I am."

Hope barged into Albus' office with a glare, her temperature rising as her temper flared. He did not get to decide what she would or would not regret.

Looking up from his paperwork, Albus almost looked surprised. "Hope, are you-"

"I swear if you ask me if I'm okay, Albus, I swear…"

He quickly put his hands up in defense. "Alright, what's the problem?" He asked, getting to his feet and walking around his desk to lean against it. Again.

Hope glared at him. Did he not realize he looked too good to be doing that while she was angry?

Moving forward, she pointed a finger at him. Only a foot away from him. "Newt told me you never acted on anything last night because you think I'll regret it. Is that true? Because if it is, you're wrong. Even if things didn't work out between us, I wouldn't regret it for a moment, and if you think for a second-"

His fingers grabbed her by the chin, and he pushed himself forward, capturing her lips with his. Albus' shoved his tongue deep into her mouth, exploring every crevice as he backed her up against the window overlooking the grounds.

Hope was a panting mess when he pulled away, still holding her chin between his fingers. Even if she could speak, she wouldn't know what to say.

Albus' smirked. "I'll be honest, Hope. Last night I was exhausted, and I knew you were too. I didn't want to start something I knew I couldn't finish…" His eyes skimmed her body, making her breath shake. "And I intend to make you finish."

It took everything Hope had to keep her knees from caving in.

"O-oh…" She breathed as he leaned forward even more, his body capturing her against the window.

"Now. About that attitude you've been giving me…" He smirked. "I have no plans today, and I intend to help you see why snark will not work with me, darling."

Hope pursed her lips into a thin line. Every inch of her body was scalding hot. "Well, I mean, technically, it could if you let it."

"Hm," he tilted his head to the side, his expression reading 'are you serious right now?'

"In my defense," Hope gasped as he lifted her without warning and tossed her over his shoulder. He began walking to his chambers, and Hope bit her lip.

"The view's not bad…ay!" She yelped when he pinched the back of her thigh. She'd worn the dress Albus had picked out today and was starting to realize maybe he'd had a reason for choosing it.

Hope burst into giggles as he tossed her onto his bed with a plop and closed the door behind him with his foot. She watched him, raising a brow as she waited for him to make the first move.

"Hope, I need to be clear. I want to have fun, but I care a great deal for you, so if you need this to stop at any point, you tell me, and it will." He lowered himself to his knees before her, his blue eyes severe. "Is that understood?"

Watching him for a moment, she slowly nodded. "Yes, sir…"

That earned a smirk from him as his hands glided slowly up her thighs under her dress. "I must also ask. Is there anything you'd like me not to do?" He glanced up at her, his thumbs a soft caress on her hip bones. The touch made it difficult to concentrate, but she did her best.

"I don't think so, but maybe don't…hit me. Not my face." She recalled Henry, the way he slapped her just the past week. Too many times to count because she'd gotten mouthy with him.

Nodding, he grazed a finger along her inner thigh, momentarily clouding Hope's vision.

"I will not hit your face." He murmured sincerely.

Hope nodded, just about to ask what he did intend to do, but she lost her voice as he moved on top of her. The dress that had been at her thighs now covered her face—lifted to expose everything underneath.

"Not even a bra?" He tsked, but she could hear his smirk despite him covering her face.

"I don't like bras."

"Neither do I." He said, leaning down and dragging his tongue up the center of her stomach.

With a gasp, Hope lifted herself. She wanted more, yet somehow needed to avoid the sensation. Albus certainly didn't let her do what she wanted, though.

His hands gripped her waist and licked every inch of her exposed skin, and while she gasped in pleasure, she giggled as the brush of his hair sent a thrill through her.

Without permission, she tugged the dress the rest of the way off and threw it to the side. Her eyes met his, and her grin fell away by the look in his eyes.

"Did I tell you you could take that off?" Albus asked.

With a hard swallow. "Uh, no. You did not, but I wanted to see what you were doing. So…"

"Fair enough," he smirked, hooked his fingers around the lining of her panties, and pulled them down, "but I will say, watching might be more of a torture."

Hope gave him a look. "I don't think I believe that."

His hands took hold of her knees and spread her thighs far apart, the weight of his arms keeping them pinned there.

She gasped and threw her head back as he blew a thin stream of air up her wet, exposed crease. Hope looked down then, eyes wide with anticipation. She was open to him now, completely at his mercy.

Albus kept their eye contact as he lowered his head, his tongue slowly lapping her middle and making her jaw drop to her chest. Her nipples are hardening now and beginning to ache.

"Albus." She gasped.

"I did warn you." He said before his mouth dove into her, and she could only watch with rising cries of pleasured torment as he devoured her. There was absolutely nothing she could do, only watch as his tongue delved into her and flicked her clit just to tease her.

When his attention moved away from her, the throbbing bud, she immediately reached down to satisfy it herself. She'd always done so with Newt, but just as she did, he caught her wrist. Reminding her Albus was different from Newt.

Smirking, he looked up at her and shook his head. "You seem to think you're in charge. Perhaps you are with Newt, but not in here. Not with me…"

With one hand, he took both of her wrists and pinned them above her head, leaving the rest of her completely unprotected, making her giggle involuntarily.

"You find it funny?"

"No…" Hope snorted through another giggle.

Albus swatted her pussy with a sharp smack, making her gasp and cross her lips. "Still laughing?" He smirked.

Hope looked up at him, breathing hard as she looked down at her already sweaty body and watched his middle finger stroke her clit with featherlike touches.

She whined, throwing her head back and trying to grind her hips against his hand, but as soon as she did, taking away the slight pressure he had been giving her.

"Hm, when will you learn?" He chuckled and swatted her pussy again, making her moan louder. "I think you need to be taught a larger lesson."

Moving himself to a sitting position on the edge of the bed, he pulled her over his lap. Hope clenched her fists as he angled her hips over one of his thighs, her ass elevated slightly. Her eyes rolled back at the drag of the fabric of his textured pants suit against her sensitive skin.

He ran a hand slowly along the curve of her cheek while his other continued to hold her wrists captive. Even though she'd expected the first swat, she didn't predict how good the burning sting would feel after. Hope moaned against her arm.

"Don't hide your voice from me." He murmured, landing another swat against her reddening skin, rubbing the spot gently after. "I feel you'll be learning many lessons from me."

"Like what? ABC…123…How to tie my shoes?"

That earned her two swats in a row, making her cry out, but her cry turned to moans as he plunged a finger into her soaked core. Then another, pumping in and out of her at a torturous pace.

Hope squirmed only to be rolled over so that her ass was against his thighs. His two middle fingers were still pumping her, but he stroked in and out at a rigorous pace instead. His fingers scraped harshly against her g-spot.

"Perhaps you'll learn one day that each sarcastic comment and bit of attitude you feel so inclined to let leave that mouth of yours will be punished."

Hope's eyes pinched closed, her face contorting into what looked like a moaning sob, but he didn't stop.

"Watch." He demanded.

Out of breath, Hope lifted her head enough and opened her eyes to watch as he pumped his fingers in and out, adding a third before her eyes. His fingers scraped her insides clean. Then, when she thought she couldn't take anymore, his hand released her wrists and joined his other by vigorously rubbing harsh circles against her clit.

Hope didn't just shatter; she exploded.

Her body contorted at an odd angle as roaring waves coursed through her. Taking her down into the depths of the ocean, but where she thought she might start to calm down and rise back up, Albus had no such intention. He didn't stop, his strokes inside and out of her, forcing her to come not once but twice in the same minute. She pulsed around his fingers as she cried out in pure ecstasy.

Only when his fingers began to crawl was she allowed to come down slowly. However, her mind was still above the clouds even as he set her to rest against the pillows and came back with a warm rag, cleaning her off with careful movements.

Albus leaned down next to her, her ears still ringing, so she wasn't sure she heard him correctly.

"You know, as much as you drive me insane," he murmured, kissing her lips tenderly, "I love you too."