He'd remembered her birthday. He'd known her birthday in the first place.

Her fingers stretched to tangle in the hair behind his ears, her lips moving carefully over his, begging him to let her continue, to express her thanks, to express her affection—

His lips pulled away. His hands landed lightly on her hips, shifting her back. His eyes hot and dark and searching.

She winced, remembering how he needed space, how he needed time.

"I'm sorry." She pressed her eyes closed. "I'm sorry, I know you don't want to, but I—"

His mouth found hers again, harder, softer. She gasped, and his tongue was in her mouth quickly, searching and dancing and dragging surprised sighs from her lungs.

The hands on her hips squeezed her close, fingertips digging into her sides and pressing her to his front.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, pressing her chest close to his and clinging to him as his breath turned heavy against her mouth.

One hand slipped down, rubbing lightly over her backside. He moaned against her lips and she gasped, eyes blinking quickly to stare up at his dark gaze.

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "We don't have to. I don't want to push you—"

"Stop talking, Granger."

He spun them, lifting her swiftly from her ribs and setting her on the edge of the table. She squeaked, and he swallowed the sound, wrapping his arms around her back and curving his spine to lean down to kiss her.

Her hands slid through his hair, threading her fingers and clutching his face close. His tongue slipped into her mouth, probing and tangling with hers. When she couldn't breathe any longer, she pulled away, gasping for air, and he switched to her neck faster than she could offer it to him.

One of his hands slid down her ribs, tracing her hip and skating down her thigh. He gave a soft push to her knee, and she immediately obeyed, opening her legs and inviting him to step closer. His teeth scraped over her neck, and she squeezed her eyes closed with the sharp sting of pleasure that crashed through her. His tongue laved over the spot, and she quivered, arms shaking and core throbbing.

His arm slipped lower around her back, dragging her forward to the edge of the table and connecting their hips. She sighed and pulled his head back to her mouth. He obliged, moving his lips over hers and dragging her under in a current of ecstasy. She realized her breath was leaving her throat in a heady pattern of moaning sighs.

"Thank you," she murmured against his lips. "Thank you. I love it."

He squeezed her closer, breathing harshly in her ear. His hand moved to the back of her head, fingers twisting in her hair, and then he was tugging, pulling her neck open to him. His lips crashed against her throat, sucking and biting before they slid down, sucking on her collarbones.

One of his hands slithered over her shirt, rising up higher and higher until his palm covered her breast. Her thighs tightened around his waist, and her back arched, pressing her chest into his hand. His teeth nipped her clavicle as she moaned. His thumb passed over her nipple, and she felt her whole body respond.