They landed inside Hermione's cottage, in the middle of the entrance foyer, just as they had done earlier in the day. However, they had just been holding hands then…and Fury had felt sick. Now, however, they were holding each other's bodies close…and he felt far from unwell. In truth, he felt better in the little witch's arms than he had in a very long time …and he was quite turned on from their continued proximity, as well. Therefore, he was not really surprised when he heard the beauty in his arms gasp as the proof of his attraction became impossible to conceal during their embrace. He was a bit astonished, though, when she pulled him back again after he tried to move away. At that unexpected action, he immediately looked down to see that she had the same heated look in her eyes as she had during their dance. He realized then that all of the closeness and magic that they had experienced throughout the day had conspired against them both. It might have been madness. Nevertheless, it actually seemed as if she felt it, too! He suddenly knew they were at a crossroads…and he wavered for just an instant. He then saw the intensity in those golden brown eyes again…and he knew that he was done for.

"To hell with it!" he growled as the last of his careful control finally slipped…and his lips crashed down on hers.

For her part, Hermione had struggled all day to keep her feelings for the man in check. At the moment his lips touched hers, however, she found that she could no longer hold back, either…nor did she want to. Consequently, she responded to his kiss with such a fiery passion that they were both soon breathless and yearning for more. Only then, did the man pull away from her slightly to bend down close to her ear. He had to know for sure.

"Granger," he whispered hoarsely. "Do you want me…want this?"

She looked up quickly to meet his eyes. Despite the flush that immediately arose on her pale skin again at the desire she saw there, she told him the truth. "Oh gods, yes! So much!" His mouth involuntarily quirked into a small smile at her bold declaration before it hungrily descended on hers again. This time he did not even hesitate before he easily scooped up the beautiful petite witch…nor could he stop the groan that escaped him when she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Your room or mine?" he murmured against her neck as he finally tasted the smooth pale skin there.

"Whichever one is closer!" she gasped at both the question and the sensation. Fury found that he could not help but to grin fully this time at her obvious eagerness, especially since he also felt it, as he carried her into her bedroom and laid her gently down on the bed. He then looked at her gown in consternation. As lovely as it was, he wanted nothing more than to rip it off of her at that moment. However, he did not think that she would appreciate that. Therefore, he was extremely grateful when she pulled out her wand.

"Allow me," she said with a small secretive smile. Then with a simple swish and flick, they were both in their undergarments.

Fury could not stop the hot flash of need and want that enveloped him at the sight of all of the creamy flesh that was suddenly on display, but it was almost overridden by the next emotion of overwhelming anger at the sight of all of her scars when he finally saw them with his own eyes. He had known that they were there, of course. He had seen her personnel file and medical reports, after all. To see them in person…and to think about how they got there, however….almost drove him to the emotion that matched his name.

Hermione saw the look in his eyes change…and she knew instantly what has caused it. Instead of being upset by the distraction, however, she was thrilled that he was that upset on her behalf. She let him know that he did not have to be, though, when she sat up and reached for him. She pulled him down to sit next to her, before she unexpectedly straddled his lap.

He was so distracted by their new position and the feel of the practically naked witch against his now super sensitive crotch that he did not realize at first that she had reached for the eyepatch there after she had kissed her way up the side of his face.

"You and I both know that our scars do not define us," she murmured when his obvious reluctance became clear. Fury was not a vain man, but he did not want the sight of his destroyed eye to change how she saw him – especially not in their current situation. He need not have worried, though. After, she gently lifted the eyepatch up and away, a small emotional sound did escape her at the sight. However, she still immediately bent his head down even further so that she could gently kiss the scarred tissue located there. That thrilled him, but it was even more exciting when she then allowed her lips to trail back down until she met his own again with a ferocity that surprised them both. Suddenly, the fragile remains of his self-control shattered and he knew that he could wait no longer. With her help, he quickly removed the rest of their clothing and, after tasting as much of that creamy skin that he could reach, finally covered her body with his own.

The next morning, Hermione woke up with the most delicious ache between her thighs and it did not take long for her to remember why. In fact, she could not help smiling as she thought about the oh-so-pleasurable way they had spent most of the night before they had both fallen asleep…exhausted, but extremely well satisfied…in each other's arms. Eager to see him, she rolled over to face the other side of the bed…only to find it empty. A moment of crushing disappointment overwhelmed her before she struggled to regain control. What did you expect, you damn silly woman? It was a wedding date…nothing more. He fulfilled his side of the bargain…and then some. You are both adults…you had some fun…that was all. Now get out of bed…pull on your big girl knickers…and…here her cajoling thoughts were interrupted by the clang of pans in the kitchen followed by a loud creative curse in a very distinctive voice.

He hasn't left! Her inner voice sang joyfully. He's even making me breakfast. Before she could even process what that might mean, the video phone app on her Stark Pad rang from the nightstand. Since she had finally figured out how the feature worked, she first took the time to pull the sheet up to her armpits. After all, there might be a world-threatening emergency, but that did not mean that Tony Stark needed to see her tits! Only then did she answer the call – even though it was really against her better judgment to do so. The moment the screen lit up and showed her who was on the other end, she sighed with the knowledge that she had been correct.

"How did it go?" Nat asked eagerly, while the faces of all her teammates crowded around one of the Tower monitors. Even Clint was there. Why in the world is he not at home with Laura and the kids? Hermione wondered. Before, she could answer, however, Fury called out from the other room.

"Granger…How do you like your eggs, Babe?"

Hermione's face immediately flushed crimson since she knew her teammates could hear him, even while her heart sped up at his use of such an affectionately familiar moniker. Nat, of course, caught on first and squealed in a very un-Black Widow kind of way. The men, however, just looked at each other with astonishment for a moment as they noted the man's informal language and their teammate's obvious nudity and embarrassment…and put finally put two and two together.

"I will transfer a thousand dollars to your bank account right now, Hermy, if you tell him unfertilized!" Tony suddenly clamored.

Meanwhile, Clint and Bruce gave each other high-fives in the background as they shouted, "Phase Two is complete!"

Steve, however, just shook his head. He was glad that it had worked out for Hermione and the Director, but everyone was just so casual about sex in this time period. It took a lot of getting used to for him.

Hermione just groaned in complete mortification at all of their antics over her very personal situation. Fury, already concerned when Hermione did not answer his question, was headed for the bedroom. When he heard the groan, he immediately threw the door open because he thought something was wrong. However, instead of the trouble that he had expected, he was greeted by the sight of an obviously embarrassed Hermione…and a completely different kind of trouble in the form of the grinning countenances of those menaces from the Tower beaming up at him from the Stark Pad. The dichotomy between the recently-had-great-sex man who prepared breakfast wearing nothing but pajama bottoms and a dish towel thrown casually over one shoulder…and the SHIELD Director with a death glare that issued from his one good eye…became immediately obvious to the observers from the other side of the screen.

"Hmmm..." he remarked in a low tone before pointing at each individual person on the screen. "Stark, Banner…shouldn't you blowing something up in your lab? Rogers, Barton, Romanoff…why the hell aren't you at HQ?"

"It's very early Sunday morning here, Sir!" Natasha stated cheerfully, completely unaffected by his glower, "We were just about to head out for the second day of the Stark Expo…since none of us have been assigned to a mission."

"It's not too late to change that, Romanoff!" Fury growled.

"Yes, Sir! Understood!" Natasha's grin grew even bigger because she knew that the Director was just trying to get rid of them. She then turned back to Hermione. "Don't think that you are getting out of this that easily, Miss Witch! We will definitely talk later." Then she actually winked at Fury, "Well done, Sir!" she stated. Right before she logged off, however, the two in London could hear Tony say, "Does anyone else feel like they may be emotionally scarred for life by seeing the Director half-naked and sans eyepatch?" Then the others were completely gone and Hermione looked up at Fury…Nick…a bit awkwardly. After all, their friends and colleagues had just caught them out…and now a decision had to be made.

"You need to find better friends!" he grumbled as he nodded towards the Pad that she had immediately placed face down on the bedspread – just in case.

That made her smile. "I'm afraid they are the best the world has to offer," she replied. "You should know. After all, they are your friends, too."

"Don't let them hear you say that, Little Witch!" he countered, but his lips curled up a bit anyways.

"What would you like me to say instead?" she asked softly as she patted the bed next to her. They might as well go ahead and get the awkward morning-after conversation out of the way – especially since she was still not sure how he felt. Yes, they had a good time at the wedding, and then a great time in bed afterwards, but…

Her thoughts were interrupted as he accepted the invitation and sat down. He looked at her thoughtfully and then he gently reached over to push a wayward strand of her lively hair out of her face before he told her what he really wanted. "Hmmm...First, how about you say to hell with this fake dating shit. Now that Barton knows what happened, everyone else at HQ will know before I even get back to the office tomorrow – especially since that man gossips worse than an old woman. Therefore, we might as well become official, right now...the way we could have been months ago…if I had just taken my head out of my ass long enough to stop avoiding you so that I could realize that you actually wanted me, too." He paused for just a second to admire the lovely flush across her cheekbones that his words caused before he continued in a lower, more intense voice. "Then…if you agree to that…what I want to hear you say next is my name…very loudly…scream it even…several more times before we have to leave to go back to New York."

Hermione could not help but to smile even more widely at his confident answer – even while its meaning sent excited chills down her spine. He still wants me…and he wants everyone to know it! However, she tried to school her face into a more deadpan expression as she said seriously, "Several times, hmm? I'm afraid that means that we won't get back to New York until quite late. You might even miss out on seeing the rest of the team in person today."

He also tried to keep his usual emotionless Director face on as he answered. "Well…if that is the way that it has to be, then that's a sacrifice I guess I will have to make!" However, his serious demeanor cracked then and so did hers, as they realized that they were now together. Fury could not stop the huge grin that lit up his face…and at that unexpectedly beautiful sight, the woman next to him laughed as she threw off the sheet that covered her nudity before she slid into his lap again. From that moment on, he promptly forgot about everything else…the idiots at the Tower…even the eggs that he was supposed to be cooking…as they eagerly started on the first of the several times that they had just agreed upon.