Thirteen

The following week passed in a happy haze. Hermione and Snape settled into a contented pattern of life. The intense desire that existed between them remained unabated, but the knowledge that they could slake it enabled the need to be somewhat contained. Potions lessons came and went. Still Hermione stayed late after each one, at which point Snape ensured that the door was firmly locked and charmed.

When they felt secure enough they spent the night together in his rooms. Hermione could not remember when she had been so happy, and she sensed a gradual relaxing in him. His features softened, his posture became less tense, and he allowed himself to converse easily and freely with her. They talked about everything and nothing, yet always avoided any mention of the future.

On Friday it was the last lesson of the week. Hermione came and sat. Snape had not yet arrive and Hermione busied herself getting her books ready. Someone came and sat next to her. Hermione turned, expecting to find Ginny there. She didn't. It was Lawrence Filmore, the boy who had fallen from his broom.

"Lawrence! It's so good to see you. How are you? God, we were so worried about you."

The tousle-haired boy grinned broadly. "Yeah ... I'm good thanks. They mended my bones within a day or so, and I've had potions and liquids poured down my throat all week, but y'know, I can't just sit in the hospital wing all day. I want to get back to practice as soon as I can."

Hermione smiled warmly at the boy beside to her. "Well, yeah, I knew you couldn't stay away for long. I've really missed seeing you around." She reached over and rubbed his arm affectionately. His eyes sparkled and he ran his fingers through his thick blond hair.

Hermione lowered her head, wanting to ask the next question: "And I understand Professor Snape helped out with your healing?"

"Yeah ... apparently. S'pose I'd better say something to him."

"He'd appreciate that."

"Yeah, right," Lawrence smirked cynically.

Hermione tried to stem the annoyance she suddenly felt towards the young man and his sardonic arrogance.

Filmore sensed her tensing and asked uncertainly, "Sorry ... was there someone sitting here?"

Hermione looked up, smiling again. On the whole, she liked Lawrence. He was, after all, only feeling towards the Potions Master the way she had felt for most of her school life.

"No. You sit there. Ginny usually sits with me, but I'm not even sure she's coming today. I think she's got a magical future consultation with the headmistress."

Lawrence grinned and lowered his head. Hermione noticed a slight flushing of his cheeks. She tried to ignore the signals she was picking up on but leaned subconsciously away from him nonetheless.

She glanced up. Snape was standing before them.

Their teacher was rigid, stiff, his fists clenched beside him. The features on his aquiline face were frozen and his eyes bore into Filmore's skull. Hermione swallowed hard and tried to catch his eye to draw his attention onto her, to reassure him.

At length, Snape darted his eyes to her, and his face twinged. Hermione held his gaze and smiled tentatively. He did not take his eyes away from her, but she could not dispel the cold anxiety within them. She wished Filmore would suddenly disappear.

Snape remained standing stock still. Hermione was sure the whole room could tell he was staring at her. She raised her eyebrows to him, trying to stir him into action. He suddenly drew in a deep breath and hastened to his desk where he distractedly shuffled the papers in front of him. He began the lesson, his voice uncertain and tense, a cold terseness behind each word.

Hermione tried to catch his eye, but found him avoiding her as much as possible. When it came time for him to examine their work, he came slowly over and stood, hands clasped behind his back, staring down at Filmore after glancing into his cauldron.

"Mr Filmore. The injury you sustained due to your foolhardiness on a broomstick has clearly affected your brain more than we realised. I would not give this muck to my dog to rid it of its fleas."

He waved his wand. All evidence of Filmore's work so far disappeared. "Start again," drawled Snape.

Filmore smiled wryly to himself. "Typical. Insensitive old git," he mumbled under his breath.

Snape crossed quickly to him and slammed his hand down on the table. "Mr Filmore." He leaned in close to the young man and hissed into his ear. "I may be old, but I am still fully endowed with the sense of hearing. Detention ...tomorrow afternoon ... two o'clock ... for three hours."

"But ... that was gonna be my first practice back since the accident."

Snape eyed him coldly. "Exactly."

Filmore shook his head. Snape was still standing above him, arms crossed, a look of pure venom on his face. "Is there something you wished to add, Mr Filmore?"

"No, Professor Snape ... sir. I was going to thank you for your help in aiding my recovery, but I'll save it until tomorrow when I have more time." He spoke with a heavy tinge of sarcasm.

Hermione glanced up at the man towering above her table. He did not look at her. She willed him to do so. After a while he darted his eyes suddenly into hers. They were dark and empty, but she held his gaze steadily with a faintly reproachful glare. A shadow passed over Snape's face briefly, but it was enough for Hermione to read in it shame. He turned quickly away.

At the end of the lesson, the class packed away. Lawrence's good mood had evaporated, but he turned to Hermione and managed a slight smile. She noticed him once again running his fingers nervously through his unruly hair.

"Alright, Hermione? That's me done for the day. I thought I'd go and chill in the Common Room for a bit. You coming?"

"Uh," she glanced nervously at Snape. He had his head resolutely lowered, staring at a parchment, his quill poised. But he wasn't writing as he usually did. "I may be along a bit later. I have some work to do in the library. And I need to just check something with Professor Snape first."

"Right," Lawrence sounded disappointed. "I guess I'll see you at supper then. I'll save you a place if you want."

"Oh ... whatever ... don't worry about that. See you later." She smiled meekly at him.

He returned her smile much more firmly and backed out, raising a hand in farewell. "See you."

When he had finally left the room, Hermione let out a deep sigh and turned to Snape.

He still did not look up at her. His hand was now moving frantically over the parchment. She spoke firmly.

"What was all that about?"

He did not respond. "Severus?" she said sharply. "He didn't deserve that. I don't know what ..."

"Why were you sitting next to that boy?" He interrupted her suddenly, his eyes darting up to hers.

"Because that is where he chose to sit."

He raised his wand. The door slammed behind her.

"Where was the Weasley girl today?"

"At a meeting with McGonagall."

"You didn't have to let him sit there."

"He's a nice boy. It was his first day back since nearly killing himself. What does it matter where he sits?"

"He likes you."

She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Perhaps a little. So what?"

"You seemed to be enjoying his company."

"Yes. He is in my group of friends. I've known him a while now."

His face flinched. Neither spoke again until Snape opened his mouth, his words bitter.

"Do you find him ... handsome?" He could hardly bring himself to say the word.

Hermione crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

"I don't know. I don't think of him in that way," she shrugged.

"I don't want you to sit next to him again."

"Don't be ridiculous. It doesn't matter whom I sit next to."

He spat his next words out icily. "It matters to me."

She walked over to him. He stood immediately and turned away from her, pacing into the classroom. She followed him, more frustrated than ever. "Severus! Don't be so stupid. You spend your days berating students for behaving immaturely; now you are exhibiting the most childish behaviour of all!"

Hermione caught up with him and held his head in her hands, guiding it towards her. "Severus. You know how I feel about you. I could never look at another man as long as I have you. Why should I? He's just a boy. He doesn't interest me at all. I have you. You're all I want. But I'd prefer it if you acted like the man you are."

He couldn't look at her. Hermione could say no more; she had grown tired of his petulance. Picking up her bags, she started to leave. "I'll see you over the weekend." Her words were frosty. "Maybe we can go for another walk at some point. Goodbye for now, Severus."

He remained standing still, his eyes trained on the ground. She walked past him.

As she crossed in front of him he encircled her wrist in his hand, sharply and painfully. Before she had time to register what it was, she was spun around and pushed down on the nearest desk. Her hip scraped painfully on the hard wooden edge. He was breathing heavily and his hand reached roughly down to pull up her skirt and grab her underwear which he ripped off brutally. Hermione tensed momentarily and knew she should push herself up, protest. She felt him fumbling for his belt and buttons. His breathing was heavy, urgent. Her mind was suddenly tormented. This was wrong. She must stop him.

But her body did not allow her to, merely lay beneath him, waiting. She knew she was sodden already. Her legs instinctively parted to welcome him, her core longing to feel him within her.

Snape suddenly tensed, as if realising what he was doing. Hermione held her breath. She tried to tell herself to take his hesitation and get up, run. But instead she felt a sob of need starting to rise within her and heard herself breathing out, low and desperate, "Yes."

The next moment he thrust hard. She was jolted up the desk, her breasts scraping along the rough wood. She grunted with the shock, but delighted in the sudden feel of his engorged cock filling her so completely. She wanted to cry out, beg him for more, but knew she must not give him the satisfaction, not today. She would give her body; he would take it, but no more. Her teeth dug sharply into her lip to stifle her moans.

His right hand pressed down on the small of her back, pinning her to the desk, while his left dug painfully into her hip. He started to move, frantically, harshly, pulling out completely before plunging into the hilt over and over again. Each thrust forward caught her g-spot more perfectly than ever before, and she felt the rising tide of inexorable pleasure building within. She could not deny it. She wanted to fight it, deny him the shared pleasure, deny him the feel of her ecstasy, but it was impossible. She shut her eyes tight, focusing solely on the feel of his magnificence inside her.

He grunted deeply with each drive forward, but apart from that there was silence around them. Even through her shirt her nipples were being rubbed deliriously along the table, causing an exquisite friction which spread to her tensing core. He held her on a vertex: a point between pleasure and pain, adoration and admonishment.

But she was too close. He thrust again and again, and she could no longer stop herself. Her orgasm tore through her body and she pulsed around him, a cry of rapture at last unable to be stopped as it was pulled from her depths.

As he felt her squeezing the desperation of his swollen cock, he thrust hard up into her once more and came violently, his fingers digging hard into her hip, his head falling back in ecstasy. A groan rose up into the air between them as he exploded within her.

Snape stayed behind her for some time, panting heavily. Hermione lay impassively beneath him, not quite able to take in what had just happened. At length, he pulled out, swiftly but not harshly. He staggered away from her and adjusted his clothing quickly. Bending down, she picked up her torn knickers and pulled her skirt down. She looked at him. His eyes were lowered, his face flushed. It was not entirely with exertion.

They both stood silently in the heavy atmosphere of the room, their hair dishevelled, their breathing ragged. Then Hermione turned and left, leaving him alone in the middle of it.

---------------------------------------------------

Oh dear. Let me know your thoughts. x