Home Is...

A/N: Smut, drunkeness and shameless sentimental tripe occur in this chapter. You have been warned!

Minerva smiled as a round of applause rang around the room, and she stood to receive a huge bouquet of flowers assembled by Hagrid, who was wiping his eyes with quite probably the largest handkerchief in the world.

Hermione slipped in quietly through the professors’ entrance as the lights dimmed and the festivities started. She stood in the shadows, smiling as the music started and Hagrid took Minerva onto the dance floor. She gazed up at the enchanted ceiling and around the hall, a warm sense of familiarity flooding her. Beauxbatons had been a lovely school to live and work in, but it wasn’t home.

She walked around the outskirts of the hall, her eyes focussed on her Severus, who was standing on the far side of the Great Hall and seemingly in deep conversation with Horace Slughorn.

Severus glanced around the room, only half listening to his new Transfiguration teacher as he kept a weather eye on his students.

And then he saw her. Her eyes were on him as she moved gracefully through the crowds of guests. Severus put his hand up to stop Horace talking, murmured an apology, and began to walk towards her.

Hermione saw him as he started to move, and her heart was in her throat, not knowing how he would respond to her. Although she had received her invitation to Minerva’s party, she hadn’t replied. She wanted to surprise him.

Suddenly, they were standing in front of each other, and it seemed that the Great Hall had disappeared. Their eyes met for a long moment, each of them unconsciously moving together until they couldn’t get any closer without touching.

‘Hermione,’ Severus murmured softly.

‘Severus.’ Hermione smiled at him slowly.

Severus’s mouth started to turn up at the corners, and he began to laugh, opening his arms to her. Hermione grinned and flung herself at him. They hugged each other tightly, oblivious to the stares of the students and teaching staff. His mouth covered hers gently, and she let the tears flow silently down her face as they kissed.

Somewhere between kisses, Severus was aware they were being watched. He didn’t really care, but he didn’t want his new Potions mistress gaining a reputation, so he reluctantly let her go, taking her hand and squeezing gently. He bent his head to her ear and whispered.

‘I love you…. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.’ He smiled and kissed her cheek softly.

Hermione smiled at him and leaned against his arm a little as he walked her over to Minerva, their fingers entwined. Minerva was gaping at them, and Hermione sighed. This was going to take some explaining.

*****

It was four in the morning, and Severus’s bedchamber was lit by softly flickering candlelight that cast shadows against the curved dungeon walls.

They hadn’t slept yet. The party had gone on until two, and Hermione, slightly tipsy, had insisted on walking around the school for old time’s sake before they finally arrived at his quarters. He had indulged her with amusement this time, but made a mental note to be wary of letting her imbibe too much alcohol. She had been indiscreet, and at one point, she had tried to ravish him in a dimly lit corridor where Argus Filch had almost discovered them. Not that Severus minded being ravished by Hermione, but Argus did nothing for his ardour.

Hermione had sobered up quickly when they walked into his living space, and the air crackled around them as they paused in his sitting room. He had brushed her cheek with his fingers, and as her lips parted and her eyes closed, their reunion began in earnest.

Hermione was currently engaged in exploring the more intimate parts of Severus’s body with her tongue. Her spare moments at Beauxbatons had been used wisely, and she had perused some of the more explicit tomes in the restricted section of the library there. It had been an advantage being in a French school, where love was almost a subject in itself. The art of performing fellatio had been detailed in a particularly well-thumbed volume, and Hermione had, as usual, memorised the text and was now putting the theory into practice.

Severus had his head propped up on two pillows. His eyes were dropping a little, his breath coming in short gasps as he watched his cock sliding slowly inside her mouth. She had licked every inch of him with her tongue, and her eyes had been bright with desire as she explored his impressive phallus. He grasped her hair with his hands and tried to push her further onto him.

Hermione pulled her face away firmly, grabbed her wand, and flicked. In seconds, Severus’s hands were pulled above his head and tied with two black ribbons to the headboard. He hissed and looked at her in shock.

Hermione put on her best teacher’s voice.

‘Mr Snape, if you insist on interfering during the most vital part of this lesson, not only will I deduct a disgustingly high amount of points from Slytherin, but you will also receive detention. I am sure I can find some cauldrons that require cleaning.’ Her eyes flashed, and as Severus closed his mouth and raised his eyebrows, she giggled.

‘Good to know I taught you something useful,’ he murmured with a wry smile.

Hermione grinned and went back to the task in her hand, sliding her lips over his glans and looking up at him. She committed the image of him tied up and naked to her memory and vowed to use the black silk again at some point. It was making her wet.

Severus gasped and started to buck his hips as he gave himself over to her mouth. He felt his balls contract, and he moaned as she ran her fingertips over his tight sack, taking him fully into her mouth. With two firm thrusts and her fingers gripping tightly, Severus grunted and came in her mouth. Hermione swallowed quickly, drinking the sweet, sticky come from his cock and closing her eyes.

‘Delicious,’ she whispered, and Severus sighed as he watched her. The witch was just perfect.

Hermione flicked her wand, Vanished the ribbons, and scooted back up the bed, wrapping her arms around him and kissing his mouth. Her tongue slid between his teeth so he could taste himself. She pulled away, leaning on his chest and staring at him, her hands stroking his hair as they looked into each other’s eyes.

‘Have you forgiven me?’ he asked her, his words gentle and full of love.

‘For what?’ She smiled at him.

‘For keeping my feelings hidden. It was not my intention to hurt you, Hermione.’

Severus’s face clouded as he recalled their conversation in the bar. He had replayed it over and over, and he knew he should have told her loved her then and be damned.

‘There is nothing to forgive. I’ve missed you, Severus,’ she said softly, stroking his cheek, her eyes staring deeply into his.

‘I love you, witch.’ He moved his head to hers and kissed her, gently at first. As she slid herself on top of him, he ran his hands over her firm body and thrust his tongue into her mouth, jousting with hers and feeling his cock hardening. Hermione moved her mouth to his ear.

‘Eat me, Severus,’ she breathed.

Severus knew better than to ignore such a polite request.