Chapter 5: A Surprise Visit

It had been three months since Hermione had seen Severus despite their efforts to have the Floo connected. The Ministry had denied the request since Hermione lived in a Muggle neighborhood. Officially, they only did such things if the couple was married and there was no choice in the matter. Kingsley had been quite surprised at the situation but had agreed to keep quiet; secretly, he feared Severus' power and respected Hermione a great deal. But he'd made it clear that he would not break the rules. Should Severus marry, he could come again with his request. So they had reluctantly decided to continue to see each other on holidays.

Easter came late that next year, so it had been months of letters and a few stolen phone calls from Muggle neighborhoods Severus had Apparated to. He'd finally relented and gotten a cell phone. He still had to Apparate about 10 miles from Hogsmeade to get a signal, but he usually exhausted his batteries each time he called. He'd began to time them so they at least could whisper words of love to each other before the batteries went dead. He had to keep his battery supply in a special stasis box to keep them from being affected by the magical wards in the castle.

Severus was anxious to see Hermione. Each time he left her, he wondered whether she would still be his when he came again. He was sure she loved him, and he was sure she meant well, but he was so much older, and he didn't have the confidence that she always told him she had, that she would not find a younger man. It plagued his dreams. He found he was not able to sleep many nights, so he prowled the halls, getting meaner and meaner as the months between visits lengthened.

One night Minerva called him to her office. "Severus," she said after she'd made him sit. He was scowling at her like a teenage boy. "I don't know what's going on with you. But you have to get a grip. You come back from your leaves as happy as can be. Time passes, and you're an angry man again. You cannot continue to take it out on your students. If this is simple frustration, deal with it yourself. Whoever she is will not be happy to see what you look like this time. You're walking death right now. You don't eat, you don't sleep..."

"Minerva, mind your own business." He stood, turning to go. She'd guessed it might be a woman. What would she say if he told her? A woman was different than a student only six months out of school.

"Severus, please, we have been colleagues for many years, and I consider myself a friend of sorts. Surely you know I will keep your confidences. I have the welfare of your students at heart."

Severus sighed and sat down. "Okay, yes, it is a woman. Actually, we are engaged."

Minerva clapped her hand over her mouth and gave a little squeal. "Severus, I'm so happy for you."

"You might be until you find out who it is," he said with a frown. He dreaded telling her. He respected Minerva. She was a good, strong Headmistress, and working under her had been easier than working under Albus. He tried to remind himself that those had been different times, but still, in this place in his life, she was not a bad boss. He usually avoided looking up at Albus. He'd forbidden the man to talk to him, needing time to heal. So far Albus had feigned sleep, except that last time he'd said hello, and that was okay. Right now he felt the old wizard's eyes on him, and he, against his better judgment, looked up.

Albus was smiling down at him. "Tell her, Severus. She has the kindest of hearts and a very romantic heart."

Severus, taken back by this, looked at Minerva, sighed, and took his seat again. "Last year at the end of school, on leaving night, a student approached me. She expressed her thanks to me and..." He hesitated, feeling a sweat break out on his brow, "Minerva, it was not my intention or even hers, I don't think, but she touched my hand. Something happened. It was as if a magnet drew us together. Then she hugged me and expressed her interest in being a Potions Apprentice." He ran his hand through his hair nervously and looked at Minerva for that incriminating look, but she was only watching him with guarded eyes. He took a deep breath and decided to leave out the sitting in his lap part. "When she started to leave, I wanted to kiss her, and she wanted it as much as I did. So I did." His eyes closed with the memory.

Minerva was shocked but also fascinated by the deep emotions that Severus was displaying.

Minerva gasped, "You didn't...?"

Severus gave her a nasty look, "Of course not. She was my student until she exited the train in London. We agreed she would go to college to a Potions program. She left, and I thought that's that, now I get on with my life, and it will be an absolute miracle if I ever see her again." A trickle of sweat ran down his forehead, and he wiped it away.

Minerva watched in fascination. Whoever she was, she must really be under his skin. Was it Pansy or one of the other Slytherin girls? It was not unheard of for a professor to have an affair with a girl just out of school. But it surprised her that Severus Snape was sitting here telling her he was actually involved. She'd wondered over the years if he was a sworn celibate. He'd never shown any inclination for any woman before, not since Lily. "Go on, Severus," she told him.

"She wrote me a letter a week after she left here. She wanted me to come to the south of France. I tried, Minerva; for four days I tried not to go, but the pull was too hard. The desire..." He gulped.

"Who is she, Severus? Why the great mystery?"

Severus glanced at Albus again; encouraged by the warm smile he found there, he looked Minerva square in the eye. "It's Hermione Granger."

Minerva sat back in her chair with a thump, obviously taken aback. "Miss Granger! I can't believe it. Didn't you hate that child? You were nothing but cruel to her and her friends."

Severus leaned forward. "Yes, it's shocking even to me. But gods, Minerva, I love her. I love her with every fiber of my being. I never expected anything good in this life. I'm terrified of losing her."

Minerva was shocked by this news. She had to tread carefully here. She needed Severus at the school, and if she said anything against this relationship he would walk. Looking into his face, she saw a different man. He was a man free of so many barriers that had ruled his life. Would it be so bad to support him? She felt guilty about not believing he had the school and the students' best interests at heart when he served as the Headmaster right before the war. She swallowed her reservations and said, "Hermione Granger is a lovely girl, and she's always been very level headed, Severus. If she has entered this relationship with you, she must be serious. And she has always taken her commitments very, very seriously."

Severus sagged with relief into his chair. "I never thought you'd approve."

"I can't say it's not a damn shock, Severus. But Hermione is an adult and much more mature than her fellow students ever were. She has always known what she wanted, and she works hard to get it. Why are you so frantic about this all?"

"The Ministry refused to let us connect our Floos. I have not seen her in three months. Contrary to your belief that I am the strongest man around, as you told me as I recovered from Nagini's bite, I have fears that she will lose interest in me because of my age. She's in college for God's sake, Minerva, surrounded by virile young men."

Minerva forced herself not to laugh or even smile, hiding the emotion behind a cough. Seeing a vulnerable Severus was quite a sight and a relief. The man was human after all.

"She's in Cambridge, right? Severus, take the weekend off and go see her. Floo to the Ministry, and then go from there. I'll find someone else for hall duty," she told him.

"Seriously, Minerva?" He seemed to relax. He'd been strung as tight as a bow when he'd entered the room.

"Go now. Perhaps you can spend the entire weekend. Friday night included." She stood.

Severus stood and did something Minerva never thought she'd ever see. He grabbed her up, swung her around, and kissed her soundly on the cheek before running from the room like a Love Potion drunk teenager.

"I'll be," Albus said quite merrily.

"Indeed," she replied, grinning up at him.

*****

Severus hit the Floo running, and from the Ministry, he Apparated to that little place in the alley near Hermione's apartment.

Severus went up the stairs and found Forest there. "Is Hermione home?" he asked halfway up the first flight of stairs.

Forest seemed to pale. "Yes, sir. She's got company."

Severus stopped. "Company?"

Forest squirmed a bit. "Yeah, a college buck. He's been up there quite a bit the last five weeks."

"Did Hermione say who he is?" Severus felt his heart start to pound. Did he just pour his heart out to Minerva and then have to go back and tell her it was over? He turned and looked up the stairs.

"Fellow classmate, she says." He rubbed his temple with his fingers nervously.

Severus nearly turned and left, and then he remembered the last time. He'd almost lost her to the cold. If he was going to have a chance with Hermione, he was going to have to trust her. She was his fiancée, and last week on the phone she'd told him how much she'd missed him.

He nodded to Forest and turned and headed back up the stairs. He got near her door and he heard her laughing. He nearly lost his nerve as the deep voice of a man laughed with her.

He put up his hand to knock and then he heard, "Hermione, you're the best. I could kiss you."

Severus glared at the closed door and nearly pulled his wand, but the door opened and he found himself staring into a tall, blond-haired, handsome man's face. His fingers flexed at his side with an itch to close them around this person's throat when a scream shocked him. Both he and the young man looked into the apartment.

Hermione came, nearly pushing the man off his feet. "Severus!" She hit him with her body, nearly bowling him over. He felt her arms go around his neck and her legs clamped about his hips. Her lips covered his.

The man forgotten, Hermione was kissing him with such fervor that Severus forgot all about the third person and just let himself feel her desire for him wash over him.

Finally she pulled back. "Oh, Merlin, I've missed you. What are you doing here?"

Severus let her down back onto her feet and half turned to see Hermione's company was staring at them in amusement.

"This must be Mister can-do-nothing-wrong fiancée." He stuck his hand out. "Hi, I'm Alan, Hermione's Potions Lab partner."

"Lab Partner?" Severus said.

Hermione said, "Alan and I have been working on our final project for this year. He has been coming here because we wanted to keep our ideas private."

Severus saw Hermione was a bit anxious at him finding her with another man, and he wanted to relieve her fears. He stuck his hand out and said, "It's nice to meet you, Alan."

"Sir, you're a well known Potions master, the honor is mine. Well, I'm going to go now and let you two catch up. Hermione's always moaning about how much she misses you. Hermione, thanks for finding that information for me." He waved some papers in his hand. "You're an angel."

"Indeed," Severus said, looking down at Hermione. He caressed her cheek, sliding his fingers over her chin. "I miss her a great deal as well."

The minute Alan turned away, Hermione dragged Severus inside her apartment and locked and warded the door.

"I thought he would never leave," she sighed as she began working the buttons on his coat open. She urged him to kiss her.

He looked down at her as she pushed his coat off, and it fell to the floor. She was already running her hands under his shirt, which she had pulled free of his pants.

"Anxious are we, my wanton girl?" He urged her to step back, and he pulled her t-shirt over her head, dropping it on his coat. She wore a plain bra, not a sexy one with lace like she usually wore when he was with her. Considering that she had not expected him, it made him feel comforted. His lips covered her mouth, and his tongue slid slowly over hers. She tasted so good. He had been so hungry for her. His finger touched her breasts through the cotton bra, and she pressed herself into him. Her fingers now worked on his belt, and it fell open with a clunk.

Severus heard the zipper of his black Muggle jeans go down and then felt his pants slide down his hips as her hands pushed them down and clamped onto his buttocks. She giggled into his mouth.

He pulled back a bit and asked, "What is it you find so amusing, my pet."

"I still have a hard time undressing my old Potions master without being euphoric," she said. "You are the sexiest man I've ever seen. Sometimes I think, what would Harry or Ron say if they saw me shagging you?"

"I can wait for them to find out. I really want to keep all my parts." Severus stepped away from his pants. He now stood only in boxers, and Hermione was still dressed other than her t-shirt. "I must be losing my touch," he whispered. "You're still dressed."

She slipped her arms about his neck. "Well, here I am, undress me." She pressed herself against his hard shaft, and he groaned. He managed to pop the clasp on her bra and it fell away. He went down on his knees and fumbled to open her jeans, and then he peeled them down her legs. She quivered against him as his tongue slid around and into her belly button.

Severus pulled her high-cut cotton knickers down her legs, and she stepped out of them. He ran his hands up her legs.

"Severus," she urged, "come to the bed." He allowed her to pull him away from his intentions. He pushed his own boxers down and left them behind.

She urged him to lie on his back, and she climbed up and straddled him, sitting against his thighs. His hard shaft bumped up against her stomach.

"You are so beautiful, Severus."

Her fingers slipped around him and slid up the thick shaft.

"Hermione," he groaned. His fingers reached out to clutch her legs, and he ran them over her legs and up her hips. She leaned down, trapping the hard erection between them, and their kisses became passionate. Severus explored her back and hips then urged her to straddle his waist so that she could lean over him and he could tease her nipples with his tongue, teeth and lips. He loved to watch her face and hear her moans as she thrust her nipples deeper into his mouth. He cupped her buttocks and caressed her legs. One hand finally slipped between them and stroked her thick thatch of soft curls. She was damp and ready. He took her by the waist and lifted her, and she slipped down over his shaft. They groaned with their combined pleasure.

She began to move, and he helped her. Their eyes locked on each other as their thrusts got quicker and their breaths labored as she pressed harder against and down on him. She finally threw her head back and cried out. He felt her clamp around him, and he came, pumping his seed into her. She collapsed onto his chest, and he held her tightly, feeling their hearts beating rapidly against their chests.

He rolled her from his hips to the bed and held her against his side; she slipped a leg over his.

"I've missed you," he said. "I couldn't wait for the holidays."

Hermione caressed his face. "You're looking tired, Severus. Have you been okay?

"I'm fine. It's hard to sleep without you," he admitted.

"I'm sorry, Severus. It's been hard for me, too. But most nights, I'm exhausted, and I sleep like the dead. Hey, how did you get away? What did you tell Minerva?"

Severus kissed her and then said, "The truth. She knows."

Hermione rose up on her elbow to look into his face. "What did she say? Are you still employed?"

Severus laughed, pushing a handful of her hair back out of her face. He urged her to lean down to kiss him again. Finally he said, "I think she was shocked. I was surprised that she seemed okay with it."

Hermione laid over his chest and let him hold her. "I'm glad. I love Minerva. I would hate for her to be unhappy with me."

"Albus was awake and seemed quite happy, too. I think he somehow knew. I swear he always could read minds."

"I agree," she said. "Severus, are you here for the weekend?"

"Yes." He was caressing her side with his fingers.

"Good, I've definitely needed the stress relief as much as you. Alan is always telling me to stuff it when I start going off on him. He's a lot like Harry and Ron. He's brilliant but lazy like they were."

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Severus said, disapproval plain in his voice. Maybe this young man wasn't so great after all.

"No, Severus, I can handle him. He's really quite sweet and puts up with a lot of my moods." She dismissed Alan from her thoughts and said, "Maybe Minerva can get Kingsley to okay the Floo now that she knows. I'll even go to the Ministry and use theirs if necessary. Now that Minerva knows, she might give permission for me to come visit more often."

He picked up her hand and kissed the ring on her finger. "I think she would be happy for you to visit. I'm not sure about us sharing a room while we are still single."

Hermione grinned at him. "You just want me to marry you. I know you, Severus. You're so possessive, and this is hard for you. You have to know I will never love anyone the way I love you."

Severus said, "I know. I'm sorry. I do want you to be married to me. I want you to have the right to come and go, and I want that right, too. Even if it's to be here waiting for you when you come from a very late night of Potions lab, at least when you do crawl into bed you won't do it alone."

Hermione snuggled into his side again. "That does sound wonderful."

"Yes, it does," he said. He felt her drift off, and he sighed and let himself sleep. Maybe tonight for the first time in months he would sleep through the night.

When he returned to Hogwarts on Sunday afternoon, he was much more relaxed, and he smiled at Minerva when he came to dinner that night.

"Thank you for the leave. It was very re... lax... ing." That last word was said slowly, and he closed his eyes, lost in thought, as his tongue ran sensually across his lips.

She blushed. "You're welcome, Severus." Minerva watched him walk down the table to his chair thinking, Hermione Granger is a lucky woman.

Lisa, thank you for your amazing Beta work. I appreciate you getting this to me before your vacation.