Ticket to Ride

Chapter 5: Ticket to Ride

Snape’s smile faded in direct proportion to the amount of time Hermione stood there, considering. When she saw the beginnings of a scowl, she swallowed her pride and gathered her courage. Her arms slid along the hard planes of his shoulders, hands entwining behind his neck.

I can do this. It’s just like embracing my father.

Only it wasn’t, of course. There was nothing patrimonial about the way her body came alive the second he wrapped his arms around her waist. He showed none of the hesitation that had plagued her: with one quick, hard move he brought her body against his fully, smirking at the involuntary gasp that escaped her throat.

Eyes as black as coal were lit with a sudden sparkle. She held her breath, helpless to slow the beats of her heart. She couldn’t think past the feel of his body pressed against hers. Could he feel her heartbeat slamming against his chest where they touched?

“Hold on,” he whispered.

She swallowed past the sudden dryness in her mouth and felt him crouch slightly. He lifted them into the air with enough speed to make her squeal. His deep chuckle was curtailed by the force of her arms around his neck as she clung to him, terrified. A quick glance down showed the ground rushing by, and she felt that packet of crisps threatening again as she tightened her hold.

“Can’t… breathe…” he croaked. His hand left her waist as he attempted to pry her arms from his neck.

“Eeeeee!” was all she could say when he tugged at her. All thoughts of propriety were abandoned when she felt herself slipping down his body. Clutching his shoulders, she scrambled higher and lifted her legs, wrapping them around his waist before hooking her ankles together. Only when she was certain her grip was secure did she allow her stranglehold on his neck to ease. He made an odd guttural noise, something between a moan and a growl, which she hoped was the result of being able to breathe once more. Deeply disconcerted by the position of their bodies, she ducked her head beneath his chin and buried her face into his chest.

After several minutes, she managed to breathe without hyperventilating. She relaxed ever so slightly. Anxiety subsided when she realised her absolute faith in his flying abilities. Unencumbered by fear, her mind drifted. She amused herself by taking deep breaths, drawing in the unique scent of the man she’d glued herself to. He was spicy and tropical, like cinnamon and sandalwood, and she wondered what potions he’d been brewing to achieve the rich smell. There was a trace of wood smoke, as well, as if he’d been sitting in front of a fireplace. Deep, earthy tones joined the others. She chuckled in recognition.

Mushrooms! He should have let me finish that Scourgify charm.

She sniffed again, unsatisfied. There was something else here—something familiar, something she knew intimately. Inhaling deeply, she pressed her nose further into his robes. Then it hit her. He smelled like books—wonderful, lovely, amazing books! She indulged in another whiff, nuzzling into his chest as she smiled in delight.

His arms tightened around her. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt this… safe. She removed her nose from his robes and leant her temple against his chest. The ground below rushed by at a dizzying speed, but she was no longer afraid. Perhaps the strength of his embrace simply left no room for fright. Or maybe it was just the familiarity of his scent. Whatever the cause, she felt fearless. For the first time in her life, there was joy at being airborne. It was exhilarating.

She blinked against the wind slapping her face and focused on the tiny houses and trees passing far below their feet. Then she turned her head back against Snape’s chest and breathed a sigh of contentment. She’d always detested flying, but this was unlike anything she’d ever experienced before. If only she could fly the way Snape flew, she might always enjoy the sensation of flight. Perhaps he’d teach her, she mused, then wondered if she was mentally prepared to suffer the humiliation of being his student again.

Then again, they weren’t exactly treating each other the way they had at any time in the history of their student-teacher relationship. She couldn’t imagine herself wrapped around him this way when he’d been the Potions professor. Awareness made her body tingle, made her breathe too fast. She tried to dismiss thoughts of how hard and muscular his chest was, how strong his arms felt. She certainly didn’t need to be reminded of the way he had lifted one of his thighs so that it was, at this very moment, pressing quite firmly against her arse. She willed her mind to stop thinking of the way their bodies were fitted together. The way her legs were spread open wide, her most intimate parts pressed against his abdomen. What good was the knowledge a few inconsequential scraps of fabric was all that separated their flesh?

Almost as if he could sense her thoughts, he shifted his hold. His arms moved across her back, soft and caressing. With sudden speed, his body jerked and straightened, causing the many buttons of his long coat to drag upwards. If she hadn’t already been so aroused—so hyperaware—she might have been able to dismiss the dozens of tiny metal buttons creating a unique sort of friction in an area already too sensitive from being so near him. But there seemed to be no escaping such sensation today: she gasped and tried to stifle a moan. Burying her face into his robes once more, she prayed he hadn’t heard her. Her nipples tightened into hard little buds, straining forward as if seeking his touch. Sensing a distinct lack of control over her body’s reactions, she focused on her breathing, forcing steady, even exhalations from her lungs. It worked for all of two minutes. His entire body seemed to be vibrating beneath her, as if there was tangible power coursing through it. The feeling only intensified as their journey continued, until her body trembled in response. With her forehead pressed to his chest, she closed her eyes and abandoned the battle, chalking it off as yet another strange thing that had happened to her on this strangest of days.

As always, I owe huge thanks to Karelia for her patience and extraordinary beta skills.