Sunshine

A/N: Another little thank you to everyone who has been reading, and an extra hug to my reviewers. You are very much appreciated.

Severus woke early and stretched in his bed. His shoulder brushed against something warm and fluffy, and he glanced over to see Hermione, sound asleep, her hair splayed around her like a soft cloud. Severus smiled slowly, and then he swung his legs over the side of the bed and walked over to the window.

He parted the curtains with his pale fingers and saw the sun rising in the sky, its bright rays hitting him in the eyes and dazzling him as he blinked.

'I hope the neighbours can't see you,' Hermione mumbled from the bed.

Severus smirked and looked at her. She was peering up at him and running her fingers through her silky curls.

'Let them look,' he laughed softly.

'You are naked, Severus. Come back to bed.' She stretched her arm out to him sleepily.

'It looks like a beautiful day,' he said, letting the curtain fall back softly.

Hermione raised her head from the pillow a little and looked him in the eye, a small smile on her face.

'It does,' she said softly.

Severus climbed in beside her, and Hermione turned to him, eagerly pulling him towards her for a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he splayed his hands against her sides, letting his thumbs drift to stroke the undersides of her breasts.

Severus pulled back a little and stared down at Hermione, his eyes exploring her face.

'Where do we go from here?' he asked her tentatively.

Hermione smiled at him. 'Where do you want to go?'

'Everywhere.' He trailed kisses down her throat softly. 'Anywhere.' He took a nipple into his mouth softly and ran his tongue over it, making Hermione wriggle a little. 'I don't care, as long as you are with me,' he murmured.

'I'm not going anywhere,' she whispered and ran her hands through his hair, 'I'm not playing with you, Severus. I'm not leaving you again. It's been agony, being without you.' She stared him in the eyes.

'I've missed you more than I could ever say,' he said hoarsely.

'Why you didn't write to me?' It was a burning question she had to ask.

Severus paused and looked at her, his eyes haunted. 'I tried to write. I couldn't make it to the end of the letter,' he whispered softly and averted his gaze, 'without begging you to come home. I wanted you to come back because you wanted to, not because I was so desperate.'

'If you had told me you loved me, I would never have gone,' she said.

'I know. I have been very foolish.' He kissed her breasts softly. 'Forgive me, my love.'

'If you keep talking like that, I could forgive you anything,' she sighed, running her fingers through his hair.

'Kiss me,' he whispered, closing his eyes.

Hermione raised her head from the pillow to reach his mouth, and as her shoulders left the bed, Severus wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close as they kissed deeply, their tongues finding each other and exploring each other's mouths fervently. Gently, slowly, Severus rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him and letting her legs fall to either side of his thighs. Her breasts pushed into his chest firmly as he held her tight against him and continued to kiss her. She tasted so sweet. He felt he could kiss her for the rest of his life, and as the thought ran through his head, he decided that was exactly what he would do.

Hermione's hair was covering their faces like a curtain, and Severus lifted his hand to brush it back across her shoulders, and then he used the same hand to cup her breast gently, stroking and caressing the creamy flesh. As they continued to kiss, small noises of desire started to escape their mouths, small gasps and moans as their hands started to explore each other. Severus's hand had wandered between Hermione's thighs, his fingers slipping between her labia smoothly, stroking and caressing her outer lips and gently skimming over her clit. Hermione's hand was in Severus's hair as she kissed him deeply, her other wrapped around his stiff cock and moving slowly up and down his shaft, causing him to jerk his hips as she squeezed.

'Make love to me, witch,' Severus whispered softly, nibbling on her ear as she closed her eyes and arched her neck a little. He moved his hand from her crotch and held her hips as she positioned his cock at her pussy, teasing the tip gently and rubbing her juices over him.

Hermione stared down at him, her hands in his hair and stroking his face as she kissed him, her tongue licking over his lips gently.

'I love you,' she whispered, and then she closed her eyes as she pushed herself firmly down onto his cock and gasped with pleasure, her eyes rolling slightly. She bit her bottom lip in concentration and moved her pelvis back and forth along his length. Severus groaned as she did so and cupped her breasts with his hands, and she moved herself into a sitting position. She felt him go deeper and groaned, sweat forming on her top lip as she started to grind herself on top of him slowly. She found a rhythm that suited them both, not too fast and not too slow, and she recognised her orgasm building to match his. Severus was squeezing her nipples harder now, pulling and tugging and moaning her name over and over as he gave himself to her.

Hermione let her fingers thrum her clit softly, and then she tipped her pelvis so that the head of Severus's cock could pound on her g-spot with each thrust as she quickened and started to bounce on top of him.

'Oh, Severus,' she gasped, throwing her head back.'Yes, gods, yes, yes.'

Hermione came with a small cry, hissing as Severus started to buck his hips upwards, holding onto her pelvis with a firm grip.

'Oh, ahh, gods, now, fuck, oh, yes,' he sighed, thrusting hard upwards and nudging against her cervix as he came, his legs shuddering beneath her.

Hermione collapsed on top of him and Severus wrapped his arms around her softly, marvelling at how incredible making love to her was. He was no stranger to sex, but this was something totally different. He had no desire to fuck her brains out just yet, but he was sure that would come later. This was more than a physical connection. It was something to be treasured.

Hermione snuggled her face into his neck, and Severus smiled.

*******

They couldn't stop smiling at each other. As they walked with their arms around each other, they kept glancing at each other with stupid, silly grins on their faces. It wouldn't take a genius to see that they were madly in love. At one point, they caught each other's glance and started laughing, and Severus grabbed her and kissed her thoroughly before swinging her around a little.

'I don't remember ever feeling this happy,' Hermione laughed at him.

'Last Friday, in the curry house. You were swooning over your Chicken Tikka Massala,' Severus stated flatly, his mouth twitching.

Hermione punched him in the arm playfully. 'You make me happier than any curry, Severus Snape, and don't you forget it,' she said, grinning. She grabbed his hand, and they walked contentedly through the village until they arrived at the cottage. Pausing at the gate, Hermione looked at him.

'You're sure you don't want to change your mind?' She bit her lip and frowned.

'I asked you, remember?' he chuckled.

'I know, but, well, it was the heat of the moment,' Hermione blushed, and an image of their limbs entwined, his lips on hers, swam into her view.

Severus stepped towards her and pulled her close, bending his head and kissing her again gently.

'I have never been more sure of anything. Come on.' He took her hand firmly and walked her up the path to the yellow door, where Hermione proceeded to step from one foot to the other nervously.

Severus watched her for a moment and rolled his eyes a little. 'I'll knock, shall I?' he murmured in amusement.

The door opened and Ginny stood with Albus in her arms, beaming at them both.

'Hello,' she said slowly, glancing from one to the other of them with a knowing look on her face.

They both stared at her and then at each other, and then they started to laugh.

'Thank God,' Ginny said, laughing at them. 'Come in, then.'

They stepped into the house quickly, following Ginny into the lounge. Albus had been straining to get to Severus since he had seen him on the doorstep, his arms outstretched, and Severus didn't need persuading to take the child from his grateful mother.

Hermione watched him with renewed interest as he expertly sat the boy on his knee and started to chat to him and keep him entertained. Ginny poked her in the arm, and Hermione jumped before turning to face her.

'Welcome home.' Ginny smiled, tears glistening in her eyes. They hugged tightly and Hermione wiped small tears from her eyes as she laughed softly.

'I missed you,' she said to Ginny, 'and Harry. Where is he?'

'In the garden with James.' Ginny nodded at the window. Hermione turned to look and saw Harry playing Muggle soccer with James, who had grown taller in the couple of months she had been away.

'I'll help you make tea, shall I?' Hermione looked pointedly at Ginny, who caught on pretty quickly that she wanted a girly chat with her best friend.

'That would be great. Severus, can you look after Albus?' Ginny asked him sweetly.

Severus wasn't fooled and looked at them with a raised eyebrow. He gazed at Albus seriously.

'We are lost to these women, Albus. There is no hope,' he murmured.

He waved Hermione and Ginny away with his hand and a quiet 'shoo', and then he withdrew his wand to provide some visual entertainment for his godson.

Ginny followed Hermione and closed the kitchen door, casting a Silencing Spell.

'Well?' Ginny grinned at her.

'Oh my God!' Hermione squealed, and then she jumped around the kitchen like an excited child for a moment.

Ginny laughed so hard her stomach started to hurt, and she choked a little as tears ran down her face, 'That good, is he? Thought he might be when I saw the grin on your face. I'm so happy for you.' She smiled at her friend.

'I feel like pinching myself, it's so amazing. He said he loves me, and...' Hermione stopped talking and bit her lip. She was interrupted as the back door opened, and Harry and a breathless James came into the room.

'Auntie Mione,' James shouted, and he threw himself at her, hugging her legs tightly as she ruffled his hair.

'Hello, you. Uncle Severus is here. Go and say hello and tell him the tea will be ready in a minute, okay?' She smiled at him and then grinned as he shouted Severus's name at the top of his voice and ran into the sitting room.

Harry smiled at her softly and looked her up and down. He glanced at Ginny, who nodded and smiled, and let out a long breath.

'Halle – fucking – luia,' he sighed, and he pulled Hermione into his arms for a long hug.

'How do you feel?' he whispered in her ear.

'Great,' she murmured back, smiling. Harry squeezed her tightly and then let go, grinning.

Severus arrived in the doorway and smirked at them all.

'Everyone caught up then? Excellent. I thought I might help "make the tea" too,' he chuckled.

Hermione smiled and walked over to him, pulling him to her for a hug. 'I haven't told them everything,' she whispered softly, and then she turned, keeping her arm around his waist gently.

Severus gazed at her slowly, gaping as she pushed him a little with her hand.

'Me? But they're your friends,' he murmured.

'Yours, too. You're family, more to the point.' Hermione glared at him, her face flushing as they continued their small domestic in front of a grinning Ginny and Harry.

'For God's sake, Hermione,' he whispered, urging her with his eyes.

Hermione sighed, 'Okay,' and turned to her friends shyly.

'We're getting married,' she whispered, saying it out loud for the first time and closing her eyes.

The sound of deep, booming laughter filled the kitchen, and three pairs of eyes turned on Severus incredulously.

Hermione grinned a little. 'It is weird, isn't it, seeing Professor Snape laughing?'