The War Within

Chapter 17 -- The War Within

When Albus did not return to his office after an hour that evening, Snape stood, clutching his sleeping beauty to his chest, and Flooed back to Spinner's End with her in his arms. He was more grateful than ever now that he had made the house unplottable.

Hermione would be safe there.

His only thoughts, for the last hour, had been for her and her safety. He couldn't bear life any longer if he lost her.

He carried her to his bed and lay her down gently before thinking to wake her. He wiped her face with a cool towel and left it on her forehead, leaving the room to take a shower and attempt to wash every last trace of the Dark Revels from his skin.

His lips pinched together tightly as he viciously scrubbed at his skin, all the while wishing he could scrub away memories as well. He was weighed down heavily by everything that had gone on in the last twenty-four hours. Even as he washed, he felt as though the stain wouldn’t leave his skin either.

All of it was branded into his head like it had been done so with a flaming hot brand and tattooed onto his arm painfully in the form of the dark mark. He pulled a bathrobe on over his naked chest and pushed his wet hair back from his face and tied the robe shut. When he went back to his bedroom, Hermione was sitting up on his bed.

'You're awake,' he commented. His voice had regained most of it's normality since the time he had returned.

She nodded slowly and stood up, holding her arms outstretched to him. He went to her quickly and took her up in his arms, holding her and cradling her against him.

'I love you, Severus,' she murmured, whispering it into his chest.

Snape knew that he should pull away, but instead, just accepted it. He was deeply in love with her. But he wasn't ready to tell her that yet. The only thing he could do was accept her and show her how he felt.

He kissed her lips softly as he did, just before he deepened it, using his tongue to explore her taste and tease her sweet, innocent little mouth, kissing her with every ounce of passion he had in him.

It was not long until they had made it to the bed and were simply lying there, not making any attempt to go further, and enjoying each others' company. Hermione was the first to speak.

'What will happen if we don't make it?' she asked as he held her and stroked her spine through her blouse.

'You will, Hermione. I will not allow you to go to the Ministry tomorrow. You will stay here,' he answered carefully.

Her reaction was only to be expected.

'I am not a child, Severus!' she argued, outraged, and pulled out of his arms. 'I can take care of myself! Harry needs me!'

Snape sighed in resignation. 'I knew you would say that. But it was worth a try,' he said, sighing again deeply.

Hermione rolled over to face him and shifted back into his arms. 'Don't worry about me, Severus,' she whispered softly, stroking a slim finger down his cheek. 'I will be fine and I will live, just to see you once more on the other side.'

Snape smiled and gave in. She was going to fight, whether he liked it or not. He had only one night left with her. Eight hours until the dawn's first light.

At that thought, he was suddenly filled with desire, but restrained himself. Hermione saw it there, and she saw the uncertainty that was with it. She reached out to him and tried to quell his fears.

'Please, Severus. I want this, and you. I'm old enough to decide what I want for myself. And right now, all I want is you,' she pleaded softly, tangling her fingers into his damp hair.

'Hermione,' he warned her, fear still penetrating his mind.

'Please, Severus,' she begged more insistently.

Snape groaned in defeat before pulling Hermione flush against him and claiming her lips in a bruising kiss. Hermione moaned into his mouth, causing him to break away, and instead, kissed a heated line down her neck to the juncture between it and her collarbone. She took a sharp breath and whimpered.

His mouth left her skin and his fingers began to undo the buttons of her blouse at an agonizingly slow pace. 'Severus, please!' she moaned softly.

'Be patient, my sweet,' he murmured, kissing the tip of her nose gently.

'Easy for you to say, Professor!' she retorted huffily, drawing a deep chuckle from the Potions master.

After the blouse came off, they both managed to make short work of removing the rest of their cumbersome clothing and were soon lying, holding each other after their snogging match that had been much like a wrestle for dominance.

Severus pulled her flush against him, lazily tracing a finger over her back and letting one hand cup her bottom and letting the tracing hand move around to her other side and lower.

It danced over her abdomen before it reached its destination and plunged within her. She rode his fingers into her orgasm, muscles clamping around his fingers and driving him mad with lust. When she regained her breath, he positioned himself and paused, waiting for her permission, and when she gave it, drove into her without restraint...

He pounded into her, unable to control himself, and tried to keep the pace steady. But his own lust coupled with hers was too much, and both found themselves grinding harder, moving faster, screaming and yelling louder, begging for their release.

'Harder, Severus, please!' she groaned, panting and wanting more as he pumped into her slowly.

Severus obliged and went harder and faster until both of their orgasms washed over in an instant and drove them over the edge. Still panting and breathing heavily, they managed to untangle themselves from the bed sheets. Hermione turned to face him, pressing her body against his and snuggling into him.

She closed her eyes and hummed in satisfaction as Snape spelled the sheets from beneath them and covered them. As she began to fall asleep, all he could do was hold her close and hope that this was not just a dream and that she would not slip away from him.

He bent his head close to her ear and whispered to her quietly, 'I love you, Hermione...'

She murmured something in response and curled into his arms a little further. He tightened his arms around her and sighed to himself in contentment.

The morning would come far too soon...