Redemption

******

Hermione wanted to sob. She felt overwhelmingly guilty, as if everything Severus had told her was directly her fault.

She lightly caressed his arm, noticing with dismay how he flinched away from her. What was she going to do? How could she undo the damage that she had wrought?

She should have known, somehow, that he wasn't guilty, and that he wasn't completely the monster everyone claimed him to be. She should have done something. She should have remembered how much she had trusted and believed in him as a student and, later, as a woman.

What to do now? Hermione looked at Severus. He was staring at the ground, his hair completely shrouding his face from her gaze. His breathing was heavy. How could this one man have so much misery to bear?

"Severus," she said quietly, and she gently turned his face up towards her. "Look at me, please."

He opened his black eyes, and the intensity of his gaze pinned and held her.

"What?" Though his voice was sharp, Hermione saw the uncertainty beneath his glare, and she did the only thing she could think of.

Slowly, she leaned across the bed and tentatively brushed her lips against his. He made no move to reciprocate the kiss, but she bravely ran her tongue along his bottom lip.

"I'm so sorry, Severus," she breathed, inclining her head and whispering into his ear.

"I don't need your pity," he responded dismissively.

"What do you need, then?" she asked as she more firmly stroked his arm.

He opened his mouth as if to speak, but paused. Hermione saw confusion flicker in his eyes as he seemingly struggled for words. Finally, he turned his head away from her, his eyes blinking rapidly.

"I need your forgiveness," he said, his voice so quiet that she had to strain to hear him.

Her heart ached for him. "I forgive you," she said, and she leaned in to kiss him once more.

"Hermione," he rasped brokenly, and suddenly his fingers were in her hair, and he pressed his mouth to hers.

The kiss was hot, desperate, and Hermione forgot everything but the feel of his tongue against hers and the way he was slowly massaging her head with his fingertips. She groaned, and he mumbled something into her mouth.

"Pardon?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

"Let's go to your bed, Hermione," he replied shakily.

"Yes," she answered before he kissed her again and scooped her into his arms as if she were still a child. Her heart fluttered in anticipation.

"Severus," she whispered.

"Hermione," he answered.

They reached her room with alarming speed, and Severus placed her gently on the bed. He stood next to her, his eyes gleaming in an odd mixture of happiness and lust.

He tentatively reached a hand towards her, his fingers lightly grazing the smooth expanse of her inner thigh. "What do you want me to do, Hermione?" Again, Hermione could read the uncertainty in his expression, and she could hear it in his voice.

She looked directly at him. "I want... you, Severus. Please."

"Hermione," he said slowly.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I love you," he whispered.

She nodded. "And I love you. Now, come make love to me."

He smiled and inched his hand up her robes.

She wriggled impatiently on the bed, willing his hand to move faster. He laughed.

"Patience, woman."

"Seven years is long enough, Severus."

He slowly, agonizingly trailed his fingers up her legs, causing her to shiver.

"Seven years," he said teasingly. "Then surely you have the... control necessary to wait a bit longer."

Hermione reached for him, wanting to touch him...any part of him...but he batted her hand away.

"Why, Miss Granger," he murmured. "What a shameless little thing you are."

"Yes!" she cried as he reached the silky gauze of her knickers. He was on the bed now, leaning against her, his breath coming in short, hungry gasps.

"Miss Granger... what are you wearing under your robes?"

"Ah, don't stop! Just... just a skirt

He laughed. "Convenient."

Hermione really wanted Severus to resume the matter at hand. She reached down and covered his hand with hers, urging him to move.

"Useless things, knickers," she breathed.

"Indeed," he growled as he slid them down her legs and threw them on the floor.

He leisurely trailed a finger over her mound.

"You're very wet, Hermione.... Are you wet for me?"

"Only you," she gasped as she twisted in an attempt to create the friction she so needed. "Always you."

"Hmmm..." He brushed her clit teasingly, his eyes darkening as she moaned.

Severus suddenly straddled her with his long legs and pressed his body atop hers. He kissed her ruthlessly, and she felt his erection erotically pressed against her stomach.

"Severus, please," she panted as he stroked her clit more firmly.

He growled and plunged two fingers deeply into her, his long thumb still insistently stimulating her clitoris. He fucked her with his fingers, hard and fast, until she felt her orgasm arriving on the horizon of her consciousness.

"Yes!" she shouted. "More!"

He dipped his head down to her breast and bit an erect nipple through her robes. He was thrusting into the air now, and the force of his panting almost surpassed her own.

"Yes! Oh fuck, Severus!" Hermione yelled as she came. The waves of intense pleasure subsided slowly.

"Gods," he said as he collapsed next to her. "And I haven't even undressed you yet."

She smiled, and she felt her recently sated libido flare again at his words. She leaned over on her side, running her fingers across the buttons on his robes.

"We'll have to remedy that," she said as she loosened the buttons that ran alluringly down his black robes.

He closed his eyes and again batted her hands away. "I can do it faster," he said roughly. He looked at her, his eyes narrowed to little slits. "Undress yourself," he demanded.

She nodded and quickly unclasped her robes, her eyes never leaving his. As she pulled her blouse off over her head, Severus inhaled sharply, and his fingers stilled.

"Focus on your task, Severus, not mine," she said laughingly.

"Tease," he mumbled. "Shameless wench."

She laughed again but stopped as he quickly tore off his shirt and lowered his trousers to the ground. Severus Snape was naked in her bed.

She pressed his shoulders down against the bed with force, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Quite the eager student, Miss Granger," he drawled.

"Oh, shut it," she said affectionately as she straddled him, rubbing against him. She ran her hands along her torso, cupping her breasts and roughly pinching her nipples. Beneath her, Severus groaned and thrust upward. The movement created a jolt of pleasure that ran along her spine deliciously.

"Hermione," he pleaded. "Put me in. I'm so fucking hard for you. Please, put me in."

She smiled, wishing she could revel in their role-reversal, but the hot, hard length of him was too tempting. With a breathy moan, she lifted her hips and slid onto him. They both cried out at their joining, and Hermione smoothed her hands across his chest.

There was heat here, between them. She could taste it in the air around them.

"Fuuuuck," he groaned as he pivoted his hips and thrust upward, digging into her almost painfully.

She experimentally leaned over and placed hot, open-mouthed kisses on his neck. She lapped at his chest with her tongue; the scent of their mutual arousal was so strong in the air that she could taste it, thick and tangy. And she was addicted.

"More!" she gasped, and he reached up and grabbed her shoulders. In one deft, fluid movement, he flipped them around so she was once again pinned beneath him. He moved within her again, slower this time.

"Yes. More," he agreed. He was up on his knees now, and he grasped her ankles and placed her legs upon his shoulders. She raised her hips, wanting him to quicken his pace.

"Mmmm, Hermione," he said as he moved in and out of her. "Do you know how long I've wanted to do this?" Her thighs were against his chest, and he ran his hands across her legs as he fucked her. "Hermione. Touch yourself."

She moaned and lowered a hand to her clit, rubbing fiercely. He sped up, their bodies slick with sweat and heat.

"Oh, Severus. I'm close."

"You're so fucking beautiful like this, Hermione." He grabbed her legs, hoisting her higher and rotating his hips. Hermione gasped at the new angle.

"I used to imagine you, Hermione, visiting me in Azkaban," he growled. "You sucking my cock through the bars, your delicious little lips warm and eager. Oh, yes!"

"Gods, Severus." She was so close, so close. He reached down and roughly grabbed her breast, pinching her nipple, and she screamed. Her mind slipped from reality, her orgasm carrying her outside herself.

He moaned as his own movements slowed. "Yes, Hermione."

Hermione opened her eyes and witnessed the very erotic sight of Severus Snape reaching orgasm. His eyes closed, and his head tilted up, a grimace upon his face as he pumped erratically.

With a final groan, he lowered himself onto the bed next to her.

He flung his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him. He kissed the back of her shoulder.

"Your hair is tickling me, Hermione."

She smiled. "Should I move?"

He tightened his grip. "Never."

They fell asleep in each other's arms.

******

When Severus next awoke, it was still dark. It was either very late or very early.

He heard a moan and felt a hand stroking his balls. Looking down, he saw a deliciously naked Hermione cupping and fondling his bits. She grinned at him, her face flushed.

Severus pushed himself up onto his elbows. "Hermione..."

"Hush, Severus. Just let me work."

He felt his cock harden almost instantly, and Hermione purred her approval. She lightly pumped his shaft with one hand whilst she rubbed his balls with the other. A finger touched the sensitive skin behind his sac, and he hissed.

"Now," she said. "About that scenario you mentioned earlier..."

"Hermione," he groaned.

She leaned down between his legs, her eyes never leaving his. She stuck out her tongue and lapped at the underside of his prick.

She flicked her tongue across the head of his cock. He jerked involuntarily, and her eyes darkened.

She grasped his length firmly and looked at him again so openly and so lustfully he twitched again.

"Hermione, please."

She smiled seductively and brought his cock to her lips, swirling the head around her lips as if she were applying lipstick.

She brought him fully into her mouth, and Severus sighed in combined relief and frustration. He experimentally surged his hips forward, and Hermione hummed in response. Her mouth vibrated around him.

"Yes," he whispered raggedly.

She looked so beautiful to him, with her eyes closed, her cheeks tinged with colour, and her mouth tight around his cock.

Slowly, she started to move, her tongue expertly swirling.

When she cupped his balls and again insistently pressed her fingers into his responsive skin, he knew he wasn't going to last long.

"Hermione!" he gasped. "Stop!"

She pulled back, releasing him from her mouth.

"I want to make love to you," he explained, and she smiled, climbing next to him.

She snuggled into his chest, and he kissed the top of her head.

"Thank you, Hermione."

He felt the curve of her smile against his chest. "You're welcome." She lazily trailed her hand across his stomach, her nails scratching him slightly.

"I don't want you to leave, Severus." Her voice was teary.

He looked up at the ceiling. Leaving. He hadn't thought of that, really. Somehow, the prison cell he had spent the last seven years in didn't seem real anymore. This felt real. Hermione felt real.

He wondered if he should suggest they run away. Severus looked down at the women in his arms. Her fuzz of hair hid her face from him, and he suspected she might be crying. Again, he felt a strong streak of possessiveness tear through him.

When she sighed and kissed his chest, he knew that he loved her.

When she nuzzled his neck and made a quiet mew of contentment, he knew that if given the chance to go back in time, he would kill for her again.

And when she brought her lips to his and kissed him sweetly, he knew that he didn't care what that said about him. Did that make him a monster, as everyone claimed? It mattered not. He was, at the very least, a monster in love.

"Hermione," he mumbled against her lips. He wanted to tell her that he loved her, and that she was his entire reason and his whole purpose for existing, but he didn't know how. And so he took her in his arms and kissed her until she stopped crying.

When he entered her again, she whispered. "Slow this time, Severus."

"Slow," he agreed, and he memorized the soft curve of her breasts, and the way her fingers constantly roved his body, as if reminding herself that he was there. The way she touched his face and whispered "I love you." And the way she glowed when he kissed her neck and told her he loved her too.

Afterwards, they held each other close. They had two hours left until morning.

******

A/N: Thanks to my betas, mgm86 and reets67, and the admins at TPP. Updates will be more regular from now on. A final thanks to readers and reviewers!