Author's Notes: Another entry for Asking Me Where My Love Grows' First Kiss Challenge on the HPFC.

Hermione/Bill. Enjoy!

)O(

Hermione watched from the edges of the wedding.

She was used to doing that, watching while other people had their fun. She had watched Harry with Ginny and Ron with Lavender, and though it used to bother her that other people always seemed to be having such fun, she had gotten used to it. She was reconciled to the idea that she was going to die unmarried. It no longer bothered her.

But it stung a little to be at a wedding. It was as though the universe was rubbing her own single-ness in her face.

What did Bill see in Fleur anyway?

Hermione sighed, and played with the beads on her purse, pretending that they interested her immensely. Harry and Ron were engrossed in their conversations. Ginny was being asked to dance by everyone at the party. Luna Lovegood was twirling around the dance floor, waving her arms over her head. Hermione had rather hoped that Viktor Krum would have taken some time to talk to her, but he was off in one corner looking sullen and hadn't even glanced at her since he arrived.

"All right, Hermione?"

She jumped and looked up. Bill was standing next to her, smiling warmly.

"Oh… yes. Fine." She shrugged. Even with scars marring his face and that overly long hair and that ridiculous fang earring (What on earth possessed him to wear it to his wedding?), she had to admit that Bill was rather handsome. Sort of like an older, more interesting, less infuriating version of Ron.

"Could I have a word with you?" he asked.

Hermione shrugged again and stood up, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. She followed him out of the tent, behind the house, before he stopped and turned to her. She cleared her throat a little awkwardly.

"Er… congratulations," she said, smiling with as much cheer as she could muster.

"Thanks." Bill seemed vaguely distracted, not really paying attention to what she was saying. "Fleur's a good woman."

"I'm sure she is."

"But…"

Hermione hesitated. She hoped she wasn't going to be privy to some confessions of cold feet only a few minutes after the wedding. That would be extremely awkward.

He sighed. "You know, Hermione… I don't really know you that well… and I've only ever treated you like… like a younger sister…"

Her heart was beating a little too fast now. She didn't know where this was going at all, and she didn't particularly like it.

"But I couldn't really get married without doing one thing first."

Before Hermione could protest, Bill was kissing her hard, pressing her against the wall of the Burrow, his lips warm and firm against hers, and Hermione felt herself melting into his arms…

He pulled away. Smiled.

"You're a sweet girl, Hermione Granger," he said, and turned away, going back to the party.

Hermione was left shaken and confused. She didn't know what to think. She didn't know what had just happened.

Slowly she raised her hand to her lips.

So that was what a kiss felt like.

)O(

Fin