Chapter Twelve: The Morning After the Night Before

Chapter Twelve: The Morning After the Night Before

Hermione smiled to herself sleepily as she opened her eyes the next morning and discovered a pleasant ache in muscles she had not used for some time. Turning towards the other side of the bed, she was disappointed to find it empty. She pouted briefly as she scanned the room until she discovered the partly open bathroom door and the sounds of water running within.

Slipping out from the tangled sheets, Hermione tiptoed across the floor to peek into the bathroom. Sure enough, Severus was under the shower, water cascading down his finely toned back and buttocks as he washed his hair. Not wanting to disrupt what was proving to be a fine display of naked male, Hermione leaned against the cool wall to watch her man.

As he rinsed his hair clean, oblivious to his increasingly aroused audience of one, Severus reached for the soap, turning slightly to one side and revealing an impressive morning erection. Hermione felt her insides turning to liquid heat as she watched him methodically lather his arms and legs and rinse off. As he ran his hands down his chest, skimming lightly over taut nipples, she gasped, and when he continued to progress down his body she knew she was lost.

Reaching his rigid flesh, Severus ran a practised hand down the shaft, gripping with just the right amount of force to send all his nerve-endings spiralling into overdrive. Two leisurely strokes, then he ran his thumb over the already moistened tip, imagining his bride's hand doing the same. Pumping faster, he startled to feel naked breasts pressed to his back, and a much smaller hand joining his on his cock.

"I think that's my job now." A sultry whisper tingled against his ear as she took over the task he had started. The impassioned wizard groaned and braced himself against the tiles of the shower wall as he gazed down at the hands of the witch who had given him, and was still giving, so much pleasure.

"That's right, just relax and let it happen, Severus," Hermione crooned as she reached with her other hand between his parted thighs to cup and caress him. Her own arousal grew as her movements became faster, and soon her breathing became as erratic as his. Having this man literally in the palm of her hand was proving as stimulating as his hands and mouth had been the night before.

All too soon, his release came in spurts against the wall as she shuddered her own climax behind him, too far gone to await his attention.

After his breathing had settled, and his legs had lost that jelly-like feeling, Severus turned to his wife. "Did you? From that? With no...?"

"Yes. I did." She grinned and kissed his astonishment away.

"But how?" He was not going to be distracted.

"Apparently, having the evil Potions professor by the balls is a real turn on. Who'd have thought?"

"Hermione Snape, you are one wicked wench." Severus smiled, shaking his head in disbelief at his outrageous witch.

"Say that again," she murmured, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her cheek against his chest where his heart still pounded the rhythm of his recent climax.

"You are one wicked wench?"

"No, say my name."

"Hermione Snape. Why are you crying? What's wrong?" He pulled away, alarmed.

"Nothing's wrong, you daft man. I'm crying because I'm happy. Girls do that sort of thing!"

"Well, do you think you can warn me next time?" he huffed. "I thought I'd done something wrong."

"No, my dear husband. So far, you have done everything perfectly. Now, go and dry off and order us some breakfast while I finish showering."

"Yes, madam. Anything else?"

"Yes. Don't you dare put any clothes on. I'm not finished with you yet." Hermione smirked as Severus rolled his eyes and left the room.

Several minutes later, the delicious aroma of freshly brewed tea and hot toast wafted into the bathroom. Rapidly completing her ablutions, Hermione wandered naked out to the sitting room.

"I thought I told you to stay undressed?" she asked, frowning at his black silk robe.

"I did not wish to offend the house-elves, my dear. You wouldn't want them to start refusing to serve you again?"

"You know about that?"

"You almost caused the biggest house-elf rebellion in the history of Hogwarts. It would have been hard to miss," he replied while pouring the tea.

"Oh. Well, I was young and foolish then. I thought they needed help," she explained, helping herself to scrambled eggs and bacon.

"Just like you thought I needed help?" he asked with a wry grimace.

"Oh, no. I knew you needed help. The thought of Dolores Umbridge getting her claws into you still makes me nauseated. Although, perhaps I should send her a polite thank you note. After all, if it wasn't for her..."

"You would be free to pursue the man of your dreams." Severus scowled into his teacup.

"Don't be such an idiot. If I wanted any other man in my dreams, I would have let Flume pack up and go yesterday. However, it's you I want. Preferably several times between now and lunchtime, when I suppose we ought to make an appearance in the Great Hall before the students and staff think I've done something nefarious to their beloved Potions master." She giggled as he nearly choked on his toast.

"That may be true, but sex alone does not make a relationship, Hermione," he countered once he could breathe again.

"Oh, Severus, do you really think I'm only interested in you for that?" She reached across the table to take his hand. "You saw into my thoughts yesterday. You know how I feel about you."

"You like me, although I have no idea why. You respect me. You want me to be happy and safe. You desire me and enjoy spending time with me. But..."

"Hush. Don't say it. It's been less than two weeks since I petitioned for you. I know the physical side of our relationship has taken precedence, but through that I've learned a lot about you. And the more I learn, the more I believe we can be happy together. Give us time, Severus. I think it will be worth it." She stood and pulled him to his feet. "Come, let's just sit on the couch and talk for a bit."

Her husband cast his eyes over her still naked form, casting his doubts aside for the day. "Oh, I don't think so. I believe you have more to learn about me. Shall we?" He gestured toward the bedroom.

One scorching kiss later, the Snapes retired to their bedroom for more thorough research into each other's most intimate secrets.

"Ginny, have you seen Hermione this morning?" Harry asked his girlfriend as they reclined on the sofa in the adult students' quarters.

"Why on earth do you think I would have seen her?" she replied, shaking her head at his complete lack of insight.

"Well, she wasn't at breakfast and neither was Snape... Oh. They're still..."

"What, Harry?" She couldn't resist teasing him as he slowly put two and two together.

"All this time? Surely not? With Snape?"

"With her husband, Harry. They are newly-weds. You didn't really expect them to turn up at breakfast as if everything was still the same, did you?"

"Oi! Where's Mione?" called Ron as he burst through the door in a flurry of red hair and long limbs. "I've looked all over the place!"

"Harry? Would you like to enlighten my idiot brother?"

"She... er... that is, she and Snape... um..." Harry couldn't do it.

"Are you trying to say they're still at it down there? The lucky bastard! Wonder if they'll show their faces at lunch?"

"Ron!"

"What? At least I'm not looking green like Mr Prude here. Come on, Harry. What would you be doing if it was you and Ginny the morning after your wedding? I bet you wouldn't be seen for a few hours." Ron clapped his friend on his back as he choked a little and blushed.

"A few hours? It had better be a few bloody days, or he can find another bride. Preferably someone who's taken a vow of chastity," Ginny grumbled.

Harry smiled weakly and attempted to change the subject. "Did you see the Holyhead Harpies have taken on a new Seeker?"

Brother and sister raised identical red eyebrows and grinned.

"Oh, really, Harry?" they replied as one.

"You realise they're all going to know exactly what we've been doing all morning?" Severus asked as they neared the Great Hall where lunch was about to be served.

"I certainly hope so. I wouldn't want them to think we'd spent the morning having dry discussions about Potions. I know I'm the school swot, but I'd be very disappointed if they assumed I couldn't keep my husband interested beyond yesterday evening."

"Well, then. Perhaps I need to do this." With that, he gathered her close and met her parted lips with his own, allowing his tongue to caress hers as his hands ran through her recently tidied hair. He stepped back and surveyed the result. "That will do. Now you look thoroughly taken!"

His snort of mirth when she slapped his arm echoed into the silence as they entered the Great Hall. All eyes trained upon them as he escorted her to the Gryffindor table.

"Why are we stopping here, Severus?" she whispered.

"I assume your friends will wish to ensure you have survived the night. Ginevra looks beside herself with curiosity. However, I suggest you have that discussion in your old room in private."

"Severus! You don't think I would share details of last night, do you?" Hermione turned to him, indignant at his assumption.

"You may not intend to, but I've had experience of a Ginny Weasley interrogation. You'll give in. But I'd better not hear anything about our bedroom activities from anyone else."

"I almost think you want me to tell her what a fine lover you are, Severus Snape." The crimson in his cheeks confirmed her suspicion. "Men! You're all the same!"

His grin as he walked up to the staff table scared several Hufflepuff first years, who were blissfully ignorant of just what Professor Snape and his wife had been doing for the last sixteen hours.

"So? How was last night?" Ginny whispered as her newlywed friend joined her.

"Last night? The weather was clear; dinner was delicious as usual... Oh, you mean last night?" Hermione giggled as Ginny huffed in exasperation at her teasing.

"Yes. I mean last night. How was he?"

"He was fantastic last night, several times... and before breakfast... and after breakfast... and..."

"Hermione!"

"What?" she asked, all innocence.

"You did not just tell me you shagged Snape that many times since last night."

"I certainly did."

"You'll kill him! He's not a teenager, you know," Ginny declared.

"Funny, that's what he said. But there he is, living proof."

"Living proof of what, Hermione?" asked Harry, leaning over from Ginny's other side.

"That shagging like a Niffler does a man no harm," she replied, winking at Ginny.

"Er... What is it with you women? Can't you just talk about homework, or house-elf rights, or Arithmancy like any other normal person?" Harry threw up his hands in dismay as if to fend off unwanted thoughts of his Potions professor and his best friend doing it.

"What's she on about, Harry? Homework again? You'd think with just getting married, she'd have better things to talk about," added Ron, who as usual had come in halfway through a conversation and taken it completely out of context.

"Come on, Hermione, let's get out of here, so you can tell me all the details," said Ginny as she loaded some sandwiches on a plate and tugged at her friend's arm. "I'm sure he can last an hour or so without you. Poor man could probably do with a lie down, anyway."

Hermione stood and wriggled her fingers in farewell to her husband, who had a knowing smirk on his face. She rolled her eyes as he lifted his glass in a silent salute to Weasley persistence.

"Well?" Ginny asked as they warded the door to Hermione's old room, which still contained the bed and some of the clothes and books she didn't need.

"All right. He said you wouldn't rest until you knew everything."

"He did?" Ginny grinned.

"He has you all figured out, Miss Weasley. Anyway. We went off after dinner last night..."

"After shenanigans under the table, you mean." Ginny interjected.

"That, too. When we got to his... I mean, our... that sounds so odd... rooms, he was hesitant at first, as if he didn't know what to do."

"Which he didn't."

"I suppose not. So, I took the lead and undressed him."

"Nice body?" the redhead asked.

"Oh, yes. Just perfect."

"And?" she prompted.

"And what?"

"You know. How big was...?"

"Ginny! I can't tell you that!" Hermione blushed, remembering just how impressive her husband's anatomy was.

"That big, huh?"

"Gods, yes." Both young women giggled at Hermione's sigh of contentment.

"Then what happened?"

"Then I stripped for him. You know, Ginny, I had the impression he'd not only never had sex, but he'd never seen a willing, naked woman before. You'd think he might have at least, you know..."

"Gone part of the way?"

"Yeah. But anyway, then I... well... did what we talked about that day."

"You mean?"

"Yes. That."

"But why? Didn't you want to have sex properly?"

"That was just to take the edge off. It didn't take long before he was ready again. Especially after he repaid the favour." Hermione's sensual smile left Ginny in no doubt as to how rewarding that particular activity had been.

"And then you...?"

"Yes, twice. And I helped him in the shower this morning."

"So what have you been doing since then... oh... really?"

"Really. He's a quick learner. And proud of it."

"I'll bet he's sweating now, wondering what you're telling me." Ginny chuckled.

"The bloody man as good as told me to tell you. I think he wants someone else to know what a great lover he is!" Hermione complained half-heartedly.

"From prude to proud, in two short weeks. You should congratulate yourself, Hermione."

"I suppose I am rather pleased. To think I'd thought he'd be difficult and surly. Mind you, he might be surly if I spend too long talking to you, Gin. We're supposed to be on honeymoon, you know. We've only got today, then back to classes again tomorrow. Don't expect to see us again until then."

"What, are you going to tie him up down there to stop him doing rounds?" Ginny laughed at the thought.

"If necessary, Ginny, if necessary."

Prompt: 1. Something Old. The Marriage Law Challenge. Many thanks to karelia for the beta.