Twenty-Eight

When they finally glanced at the time they saw that it was past three o'clock in the afternoon; they had completely missed lunch. Hermione felt a twinge in her stomach and rolled over to pick up the phone. She requested some sandwiches to be brought to the room.

Turning back, she was met by the black of his eyes.

"Sorry. Do you mind me doing that? We could go out if you want."

"Ah, but that would mean you would have to put some clothes on, and that would be most disappointing."

She laughed and curled herself into him. "I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be away from that place. I mean, I have loved and adored my time there, but I can't keep up the charade much longer. I am so sick of lessons and homework and studying and dorms and set meals and alphabetical order and house points and ... bloody teachers!" She glared at him in mock defiance. A look of fleeting indignation passed across his face, then he reached over suddenly and tickled her mercilessly. Hermione laughed so hard and desperately in an attempt to escape his fingers that she fell off the bed and landed with an ungainly thud on the floor, which caused her laughter to continue unabated.

Severus leaned over and looked down at her still giggling hopelessly; it was the most beautiful sound in the world.

She eventually managed to stem the hilarity and reached up a hand towards him. "Well, don't just lie there gawping at me! Aren't you going to come to my rescue, oh knight in shining armour?"

He raised a cynical eyebrow. More giggles. Then slowly she felt the hard floor disappear from beneath her. It was as if the room was falling away. Severus was levitating her over onto the bed. Her mouth opened in wonder, but before she knew it, she had come to rest gently next to him on the bed.

She pouted. "That's not fair. You were supposed to lift me up in your strong, manly arms and carry me boldly to safety. You cheated."

He rolled his eyes. "There is no pleasing some people. I thought you'd like it."

"Only kidding," she responded with a peck on his lips. "I loved it. I like it when you use your powers skilfully but subtly."

"Skilfully but subtly?" He did not sound convinced.

"Yes. I think that describes you very well. Skilful and subtle."

The black eyes rolled again. "I should imagine your fellow students have a few other adjectives at their disposal when describing me."

She smiled ruefully. "I don't care less about my fellow students' opinions of you."

"They are still a part of your life."

"Yes. And those who I want to stay a part of my life will accept you as they accept me."

He looked away. "You have tremendous faith in your friends."

"I choose them carefully. We've all been through it, you know. They understand far more than you give them credit for."

"Perhaps."

They lay still for a moment. She stroked his face, thinking over his declaration of earlier, and his expression softened into a deeper smile than she had ever seen on him.

Then with another sudden giggle, Hermione sat up, declaring, "Now this won't do at all. At least half an hour has gone by without us engaging in any sexual activity whatsoever. We'll forget how to do it. Come on!"

With that, they set about remedying the situation.

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

It was gone eight o'clock when they at last managed to shower and stagger downstairs to the hotel restaurant for supper.

They had a drink in the bar afterwards. A few other couples sat around, all intimately engrossed in each other. Hermione and Severus were no different. It was so liberating for them to be able to kiss and touch and laugh in public with no fear of recrimination. They were more exhibitionist than they would ever normally dream of being simply because they could. At one point she felt his hand quest under her dress. Her need for his touch banished any awareness of public decency, and she placed her own hand on top of his, pressing his fingers hard into her. Severus kissed down her neck, nibbling and sucking the sensitive flesh he found there.

"Did you really not mind what I did to you on Friday night?" she breathed hoarsely against him.

"At the time, hardly at all, and with hindsight, most certainly not. In fact ..." He moved up to her ear and whispered sensuously, "Perhaps you could do it again sometime?"

Hermione laughed, pulling back to look him in the eyes. "Would you like that?"

"I believe I would like that very much indeed." He kissed her deeply, causing her to groan aloud.

The barman glanced across at them in disapproval, especially when he noticed where the man with the long black hair had his hand. His authoritative Glaswegian tones broke them out of their mutual reverie. "Excuse me, sir. The hotel provides rooms for that sort of activity."

Snape turned to glare at him.

A sudden cold chill ran through the tall Scotsman, who looked nervous to the point of fear. Hermione merely laughed and stood up quickly, pulling Severus with her. "Come on, you."

They got into the lift. Severus still looked disgruntled. "I'm not used to being told off," he muttered.

Hermione couldn't stop giggling. "God, if looks could kill! Acts of public indecency are not permitted, you know. The poor man was only doing his job. He looked pretty worried when you turned to him. You have the ability to reduce even the most hardened Scotsman to a drivelling wreck with one look. I love it!"

He looked at her sharply, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "It may have been slightly more than a look."

Hermione frowned. "Be careful. You know as well as anyone what would happen if you used magic on a Muggle."

"It wasn't deliberate – not entirely, anyway." He smirked. "Don't worry; it could not have been detected or identified."

Once inside the room it took less than a minute for their clothes to come off and their bodies to join once again.

Later, with tiredness finally creeping over them both, a sense of despair began to inch through Hermione; they had to return to Hogwarts the next day.

"What time will we have to be back tomorrow?"

"We must be out of here by noon, but there is no immediate rush to get back to the castle. Early afternoon, I suppose. I have duties in the evening."

"It's less than a month until the exams. There are a few others taking them with me: people doing resits from the summer. I suppose I should focus on them properly at some point."

"You are more than well-prepared, even without the extra work I am sure you will put in. You will find them very straightforward. Besides, they are entirely unnecessary. You already have job offers which, may I remind you, you must accept on Monday. But do you really think the Ministry, or any other employer for that matter, will care less whether you have NEWTs or not at this stage? You are Hermione Granger, for Merlin's sake!"

She was taken aback by the force of his compliments, so unusual was it to hear him praising anyone. Still, she felt obliged to explain her actions to him.

"I'm not taking these exams for anyone but myself. Academic excellence has, or rather had, been the defining characteristic of my life for as long as I can remember. I know the delights of it have paled recently, but still, I would not forgive myself if I didn't get my NEWTs. I don't want my grandchildren to ask me in the future, 'What NEWTs did you get, Grandma?' and for me to have to answer, 'Well, actually, I copped out and didn't get any.'"

"You could reply, 'As a matter of fact, at the time of the exams I was off solving the deepest, darkest of mysteries which threatened our very existence on this planet and means more in itself than about a million pathetic little exam marks which aren't worth the paper they are printed on.'"

She opened her mouth to feign indignation, but could only close it immediately and smile up at him, kissing him lightly on the chest. "I think we've both had enough of academic life, don't you?"

"Yes."

"I'll work hard for a few weeks and then that's it ... done."

"Done. And of course, there are the delights of the ball in two weeks."

Hermione slapped him lightly on the torso. "Stop talking about the bloody ball! You never know, I may even be able to wangle a dance of sorts with you. There are some formal group dances. Teachers dance too. We may be able to engage in some permissible physical contact in full view of everyone!"

"I do not dance."

She smirked. "We'll see about that."

He repeated firmly, "I do not dance." He was moving down her body until his mouth rested just above her clit, "but I do do this." His tongue descended and swirled. And again, Hermione gave herself up to him.

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

That evening, Hermione was not troubled by any more dreams and awoke feeling remarkably rested the next day.

They enjoyed their last breakfast downstairs in the dining room. It was strange being able to eat next to each other. Hermione thought over all the meal times she had spent unable to concentrate on her food because her eyes were permanently trained on high-table.

Back in their room, Hermione crossed to the window and looked out. There was a light mist floating over the gardens and the flag was hanging limply from the castle ramparts. Edinburgh was slowly waking up to a lazy Sunday. Severus came and stood behind her, drawing his hands around her waist to pull her into him. She rested her head against his shoulder.

"What time is it?"

"Just gone nine," he drawled amidst kisses to her neck.

"Three more hours of heaven."

"Hmm."

"Severus?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For this. I cannot describe the feeling of being able to be with you when I want, how I want, and without worrying about who's seeing us."

"Likewise."

"Still, we've had some moments at the castle, haven't we?"

"That's one way of putting it," he drawled, continuing his attention to the soft skin of her throat.

Her mind replayed their most intense times together. "God, that time after I saw you with McGonagall – do you remember – you pulled me into that corridor, up against the wall. You put your hand over my mouth – so good, so good ..."

He turned her around, and his hand moved up again, mimicking those actions. Long fingers once again pushed past her lips; she sucked hungrily on them.

"You like that?"

"Uh huh."

His other hand was at her zip, undoing her jeans and pushing them down. His fingers then slipped quickly between her legs, causing him to grunt with revelation. "Always so wet for me ... always so wet for me."

With a frown of concentration, he angled two fingers deep up inside her, drawing out the confirmation of his effect on her. Bringing them out and up to his face, he looked at his damp fingers curiously, before placing them in his mouth and imbibing her essence. Hermione's eyes shut softly in adoring delight.

Severus' hands had now moved to her shirt and were concertedly but leisurely undoing the buttons, studying the flesh revealed beneath as if for the first time.

"What about you?" she managed to breathe out in query.

"What about me what?" He was still staring at her pale skin as if it was a subject of utmost fascination.

"Which do you remember most of our more ... dangerous ... encounters?"

He did not speak for a while, slipping her shirt from her shoulders and reaching into her bra to place one breast on top of the cup, pushing it up into a bubbling mound of milky white beauty. An appreciative smile danced over his mouth before he lowered it to the nipple.

Between sucks, his low drawl rumbled on her flesh. "The time you came so beautifully for me while the rest of that class of dunderheads continued destroying their potions through incompetence and ignorance, entirely unaware of what was happening just behind them." She laughed aloud at the memory. "And the time you stood before me, touching, bringing yourself to pleasure ... so compliant, so trusting ... so exquisite, my love, my heart ..."

She stroked his head. One hand had returned to her soaking core, one was at her other breast, now sitting atop her bra like its twin. He occasionally brought his head back to gaze at them in quiet appreciation before descending again to suck gently at the nipples.

"We had some ... interesting ... moments early on," she mused. "There seemed to be a certain control issue."

He raised an eyebrow, his voice taking on a cynical edge, "A control issue?"

"You know what I mean: the denial of eye-contact, the insistence on student-teacher protocol, taking away house points, setting essays ..."

He did not respond.

"Did that turn you on?" she dared ask.

She waited for an answer. At length she got one.

"Yes."

His response could have raised her anger, but his candour instead confirmed entirely her own feelings on his treatment of her early on. Why deny it?

"As it did me."

"I know."

He had now removed her bra and was pushing her jeans off her legs altogether. She continued her questions. "Do you like being in control?"

"You know I do."

"Not on Friday night?"

"Clearly not."

"What was different then?"

"I was completely secure in my feelings for you ... and in yours for me. I no longer needed to reassure myself of it through any exertion of power. It was utterly liberating."

He was kneeling before her, helping her out of the last of her clothes, until she stood completely naked before him. He slowly stood again. His eyes had poured over her body in exactly the same manner throughout their conversation, as though he was trying to etch every detail of her onto his mind. His expression had been completely passive, but with a burn of intense concentration in his eyes. Hermione was to him the only other human being in the world.

A thought took sudden hold of her which inexplicably gripped her stomach and twisted. She asked urgently, "Promise me you won't always relinquish control to me?"

Bringing his hand up to her chin, he tilted her head, appraising her face and eyes last of all in his examination of her body. She let out a moan of longing.

"Oh ... I think I can quite easily promise that." His eyes moved to her mouth which instinctively fell open. He spoke coldly. "Kneel on the bed."

Hermione obeyed immediately.

Severus moved behind her, took in the sight of her ripe rump swaying up to him, grabbed her hips and thrust. She cried out with the shock. He was embedded within her with violent confirmation. The force had pushed her up the bed, but she adjusted immediately and moved back to keep him as deep inside her as possible.

He stopped, pulling in deep breaths through his nose.

Her sudden impalement had taken her aback and she took the time to adjust to the feel of him.

"You are utter perfection," he said with plain sincerity. "I will live because of you, with you, within you ... there is no other way."

She found tears filling her eyes, and was relieved he was behind her and could not see. He started to move again, each thrust brought her name falling from his lips. "Hermione ... Hermione ... Hermione ..."

This time she had no words. She knelt before him, meeting him, enclosing him within her. He pushed perfectly along her g-spot over and over again. Despite the intense repetition of his movements, he seemed in no hurry to end their pleasure, and she felt her slow release building deliciously and inexorably within her.

Severus continued chanting her name, barely audibly but religiously behind her. She hardly heard it now, so focused was she on her body preparing to melt around him.

Her breathing grew ragged and her muscles tensed. The shift in her body signalled to him the imminence of her climax and brought a surge towards his own. He thrust ever harder and deeper, gripping her hips forcefully. She moaned, low and soft to start, then building in intensity, until at last she could only cry out as ecstasy tore through her, spreading through her limbs. She pulsed unremittingly around him, and as he felt it Severus burst into her, his own pleasure as intense as hers, exploding out of him enough to make his world spin. And at that moment, he fell completely silent.

But time passed, and the reality of their approaching departure started to press itself onto their consciousness. That sinking feeling she used to get on Monday mornings at junior school gripped Hermione. She nuzzled against him to try to keep it at bay. Her lover held her close, sensing her unease.

They lay in bed until the last possible moment, their bodies hardly ever separate. Hermione had never realised such a connection with another human being possible. She wondered momentarily if she could actually cope without him inside her when they returned. Little did she know it, but Severus was thinking exactly the same thing.

When the time inevitably came for them to vacate the room, they gathered their things in silence. As they opened the door, both turned back and gave the setting of their most intense happiness and pleasure a final longing look. Then, with a last smile at each other, they closed the door behind them.

The two of them stayed in Edinburgh for as long as they dared, enjoying a lunch near the castle. It was a cold day and Hermione huddled in close to him as they strolled through the city. He was completely relaxed, walking remarkably leisurely, even with his hands in his pockets at some points. Hermione smiled up at him, and when he glanced down at her quizzically, she merely broadened her grin and reached up for a kiss.

As they were walking through the gardens, the bells of the city started to strike around them. Hermione counted three chimes. She heard them only as a knell, summoning her back to the oppressive institutionalism of the castle. Severus stopped, an equally desolate expression on his face.

"You don't need to say it," she bemoaned. "I've got stuff to do as well. We'd better go."

They walked as slowly as they could back to the transporting spot in the deserted alleyway. A strange sense of detachment had overcome Hermione and she did not even look at him as he drew his wand. Then with sudden force she felt herself pulled into him. He spun her around and held her head up. His lips crashed down onto hers with an intensity that took even Hermione by surprise.

When at last he broke away, his eyes searched hers one more time. "Thank you. Thank you for the happiest two days of my life."

His words initially drew a flood of images of her past into her mind. Could she give him the answer she felt he deserved at that moment? She paused, then answered with complete sincerity, "And mine."

With one final kiss, he clasped his wand, grabbed her round the waist and murmured some words. As she felt the pull around her, the sight of his face, tender and contented, fixed itself upon her. The granite buildings were pulled away from them, and within mere seconds, Hermione found herself back in the Potions classroom, still clasping the waist of her teacher.

The contrast to their previous surroundings could not have been starker. The sights, sounds and smells around her now were relentlessly familiar and spoke of little but him. Indeed, this room had been the sight of the start of it all, of great pleasure and happiness. But at that moment, standing there next to the neat desks and the bottles and the books and parchment, all Hermione Granger wanted to do was weep.

Snape, too, stood awkwardly, and a sudden unease swept over Hermione. Would all that had happened between them, all his words and declarations, be wiped out due to their return to this place? Would it strip him of his resolve? She looked fearfully at him.

But then he crossed to her, and his face broke into a remarkably reassuring smile. His hands came up and cupped her face, tilting it to look into her eyes. "Now, as much as it pains me for this to end, we must remind ourselves that in a few short weeks we can spend the rest of our lives together, free and easy. I'm afraid I must spend the remainder of this delicious day preparing for next week. Some of those intolerable students are taking their NEWTs in a few weeks, and I suppose I had better do what I can to ensure they receive relatively decent results." He smirked. "There's one in particular ... pesters me continually, trying to impress, reasonable knowledge, I concede, but ... an insufferable know-it-all nonetheless." His grin broadened. She smacked him playfully, eliciting a mock groan of pain. But his good humour and approach to his tasks reassured her and she returned his smile.

"I'll see you at supper," he continued.

"Back to longing looks across the dining hall?"

"For now. I quite like longing looks across the dining hall."

"Me too."

After a kiss which made her swoon in its intensity, they stretched away from each other, the last thing to part their fingertips, flesh touching, reaching out for the other until the last possible moment.

And then she turned to leave the room. She had reached the door when he called across forcefully, "Hermione!"

She spun back, shocked at his insistence. He was staring hard after her, but his words carried across the room effortlessly. "I love you."

Her face broke into the warmest smile. "I love you, too."

"Now go, my darling. You can return here tonight. I will be waiting."

She turned and left before it became impossible to do so.

Hermione went straight to the library and found, remarkably, that she concentrated productively on her work. She did not see her friends until dinner and Ginny looked up with relief as she sat down next to her.

"Where the hell have you been? I know you left a note telling me not to worry, but still – it would have been nice to have known where you'd gone, just in case."

"In case what?"

"Well, you know ..."

Hermione looked distinctly clueless. "The big bad wolf got me?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I was just a little concerned, that's all. Anyway – how was your ... dirty weekend?"

Hermione grinned. "Wonderful. Completely and utterly delectable and ... very dirty."

Ginny could only grin back. "Wish I could say the same. I spent it watching Quidditch in the pissing rain and studying the origins of Apparition."

"Did it rain on Saturday? I was inside all day – didn't notice."

"Shut it, Granger," mumbled her friend. "Your delectable Potions Master seems pretty happy too. I've never seen him so relaxed. He looks different – not bad, actually, even I'll admit."

Hermione looked up to high-table. Snape had come to sit next to McGonagall as usual. For once, he was engaging her in animated discussion. At one point, after a comment she made, Snape actually laughed so audibly that the whole first few rows of students looked up in surprise. The Headmistress had an expression of equal astonishment on her face.

Hermione smiled softly, staring up at him until he met her eyes. His were dancing.

After supper, she spent a while catching up with Ginny. She did not tell her all that had passed between Severus and herself but did impart enough to reassure her friend of her happiness.

"Any news here?" she eventually asked.

"Not really," Ginny sighed. "Harry owled. Asked how you were. And Lawrence was asking for you."

"Oh."

"He doesn't stop talking about the Ball. I reckon he thinks that's his chance. He's not going to push things till then, but expect a full on charm offensive at that point."

Hermione groaned, hanging her head in her hands. She pushed herself up quickly. "On that note, I'll see you tomorrow, Gin. Take care."

"Can't bear to be parted even for one night?"

"No. We can't."

Ginny smiled up at her, resigned, "Go on then. See you tomorrow."

Hermione made her way to the dungeons as unobtrusively as possible. When she entered his classroom there was no sign of him. Calling softly, she still got no response. As she walked through to his rooms, the door suddenly slammed and she spun round to find Severus standing tall behind her.

"God!" she exclaimed, hand on her heart. "You made me jump! I didn't think you were here."

"Why not? I told you I would be waiting for you." He was already removing her clothing. She reached up to his shirt to do the same.

"I know. It's just you normally wait in the classroom. Sorry I was so long. I was chatting to Ginny. It's good to see her again. I didn't tell her much about our trip but it was important to be able to reassure her that all is well. God, you were so happy at supper. McGonagall looked shell-shocked. I don't think she knew what had come over you. I bet everyone ..."

"Miss Granger," he said, removing her bra and letting it fall to the floor.

"Yes?" she looked down as his head descended to her breast.

"Shut up."

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

Anything you say, Professor. I am so enjoying your reviews and comments. Any more? LL x