Documents

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author.

Many hugs and kisses must be sent out to Sequana for her support and for beta-ing this story for me! I would also like to thank each and every person who reviewed. I really appreciated all of them.

--

Chapter 17: Documents

Five months later...

Hermione stood and stared at herself for a long moment in the mirror. She looked bright and cheerful, despite the earliness of the hour that morning. Certainly she was tired, but she couldn't help but feel content with her lot in life. She shook her head, washed her hands in the bathroom basin, washed her face and dried it with a towel and then headed back to the bedroom. On arriving in the doorway, she stood for a moment to admire the tall, pale, lightly-muscled man lying on the bed, the bedding draped over him but not quite covering his chest. He looked just like a statue of a Roman god.

She grinned when she saw him turn over to face her. His dark eyes were open, and she could see his faint smile in the light from the bathroom. He held a hand out to her, beckoning her back to their bed, and she switched off the light before happily complying. She snuggled up against him for warmth, sliding her cold feet between his warm ones, making him jump a little.

'Your feet are freezing, woman!' he exclaimed even as he cuddled her closer to him with his arms, allowing her to absorb his warmth.

'You'll make me warm again in no time, love,' she replied, kissing his chin and nuzzling her face into his neck to inhale his masculine scent.

Hermione just loved to cuddle with Severus at night. They had married a few short weeks ago in a small ceremony on the Hogwarts grounds beside the lake. Albus, of course, had officiated, and Arthur had attended as the representative from the Ministry. After that, it was just all of their close friends and the Order. Hermione had asked Sophia to be one of her witnesses along with Harry and Luna while Minerva and Remus Lupin had witnessed on Severus' behalf. They wedding party had all signed the marriage documents and congratulated Hermione and Severus with gifts.

It had been sweet and romantic, and Hermione had worn a simple, ivory summer dress with white jasmine in her loose hair. Severus had only been in black trousers and a white linen shirt, the sleeves rolled up and the neck buttons undone. She was sure it was the most casual anyone other than her had ever seen him. Everyone had agreed that the simplicity of it all was beautiful. Afterwards, the newlyweds had set off on their honeymoon: a trip to Southeast Asia, where the two of them explored the sites and beaches and Severus even got a little tanned. That, however, did not last long, as on their return to Scotland, he became pale once more.

Severus had proposed to her on the first day of the summer holidays after taking her out to a fancy restaurant in Wizarding London and dropping onto bended knee in between dinner and dessert without a care in the world for his dignity. Hermione had been so blown away by the fact that he would do something like that for her that she forgot to answer immediately and sat in shock until one of the other patrons in the restaurant had shown him pity and yelled out for her to 'answer to the poor bastard.' She, of course, got up from her seat and threw herself at him, kissing him in front of everyone and saying yes repeatedly in between kisses.

For their wedding gift, Albus had given them a house that was located on the very edge of Hogsmeade. It was a nice walking distance from Hogwarts and a little less than two minutes outside of the township itself. Severus had been reluctant to accept such a big gift, but afterwards the pair was delighted and pleased to have somewhere of their own without having to live in the castle. Hermione sold her house in London and moved all of her belongings into their new home.

They had paid a visit to Prince Manor the week before, spending a little time there to ensure the place was being well cared for and to select one of the elves to accompany them back to Hogsmeade. The Snapes were quite content indeed.

'I love you,' Hermione told him, wriggling up against him firmly.

Severus bit back the moan that threatened to escape his lips. His wife aroused him so easily. 'I love you too... Oh, Merlin, my pet,' he murmured, gasping when she reached down a hand to stroke his cotton-covered member.

'Take off your pants, Severus,' she urged, tugging lightly at the front of his shorts. 'You feel like you are in need of a little attention.'

He chuckled at her interest, complying eagerly with her bossy request. If he was going to be pleasured by his own beautiful, nimble, young wife, then who was he to complain about a little bossiness? Besides, there were some days when he was the one demanding that she strip naked. He helped her out of his white shirt that she had taken to wearing to sleep, tossing it over the side of the bed once the buttons had been undone. Hermione pushed up onto her knees, lifting a leg over him so that she straddled his stomach, her wet arousal marking his tight lower belly.

Not waiting for an invitation, Severus reached a hand up to cup her small breast, kneading lightly and rubbing his palm against her nipple, sending a spark of pleasure straight to the apex of her thighs. His other hand lazily found its way to her mound, and after cupping it, he stroked the slick flesh and wriggled a finger up into her cavern. He pumped it in and out a bit, establishing her readiness for him. Lifting her by the hips a little, he settled her over his erection and jerked up as he pressed her down, encasing him in one swift movement.

'Oh, gods,' she groaned softly, feeling him stretch her in the way that she liked so much. 'Oh, please move!'

Severus thrust up into her sharply. 'Oh, I'll move alright,' he growled, helping to shift her up and down while he thrust up at the same time.

They established a steady rhythm, grinding, thrusting, moving, panting and sweating while moaning their love and pleasure. Every time they came together was just as good as the time before, and sometimes, it felt even better. Severus felt sure that Hermione's taut little body was made for him, for she was tight around him always, and he filled her and rubbed that spot within her every time without fail. Their movements sped up as they neared their climaxes, and Severus flipped them over so that he was on top, thrusting in and out of her and pressing her down into the mattress as hard as his thrusts allowed him to without injuring her. Hermione liked it every way they did it.

'Oh... fuck – coming!' Severus muttered under his breath, sucking at the side of her neck and biting gently.

'Me too, love,' she managed to reply, her inner muscles clamping down on him as he came just a moment later.

His thrusts slowed and then stopped as she milked the last of his seed from him, both of them panting and sweating, trembling from the intensity of their mutual orgasm. He pulled out from her and slumped down tiredly alongside her, pulling her close and tucking her against his body with one arm while he wandlessly cast cleansing charms over both of them, removing the sweat and come. He pulled the covers back over them then, closing his eyes and sighing in contentment.

'That, was fan-fucking-tastic, love,' he said with a soft chuckle, kissing the top of her head tenderly.

Hermione giggled a little in response. 'I've always told you – I always have the best ideas,' she murmured, kissing his chin again and cuddling close to him.

Summer had come and gone, and now it was the autumn season, the clouds in the sky were dark one more, and the air was chilly in the Scottish Highlands. The new school year would resume in about two weeks time, and Severus had yet to prepare for his classes. He had been so carried away with Hermione and their wedded bliss that he had overlooked the fact that he had a few alterations to make in this curriculum. He liked to change them every year so that the students from the year before couldn't help the new ones too much, leaving them to get on by their own merit.

'I'm going to have to go to Hogwarts in the morning, I think, love,' he told her sleepily, stroking her silky curls tenderly.

'Hmmm?' she murmured in query. 'Oh, you have class plans to organize and meetings with Albus and the other professors then?'

'Afraid so, love,' he replied, sighing softly. 'But you have to work the day shift tomorrow, so I won't exactly be missed too much.'

Hermione chuckled sleepily. 'Don't be silly,' she chided. 'Work or not, you will always be missed when you aren't right here in my arms. Even if it is just because I have to go to work.'

'Love you,' he mumbled in response, drifting off to sleep at her side, clinging to her smaller frame with his long, hard, warm body.

Hermione smiled, listening to the sounds of Severus' breathing even out. He was so beautiful in sleep; it was damn near heartbreaking. A lock of his raven-black hair fell across his eyes, obscuring her view of her husband's long, thick eyelashes that fluttered on his cheekbones as he slept. Sometimes when he leant over her to kiss her, his eyelashes would brush gentle butterfly kisses over her face. She loved them almost as much as real kisses.

Sighing, she rolled over, snuggling her backside against his front and pressing against him as his arms instinctively came around her, and she closed her eyes, falling asleep almost straight away. Not so far away, however, at Hogwarts, a wizened old wizard and a shorter, rather ruffled witch sat in a round office, thinking about the couple down in Hogsmeade fondly.

'Poppy, my dear, I believe I have won our bet,' Albus announced with finality, a bright twinkle in his damnable blue eyes.

Poppy Pomfrey sat up straight in her chair and frowned a little. 'You totally manipulated and used the aid of others to win this bet, Albus,' she said with a huff. 'That is hardly fair play, and I don't see why I should have to come through with the payment.'

Albus chuckled softly. 'A mere technicality,' he said, waving it off and popping a sherbet lemon in his mouth, offering the bowl to her.

She declined with a shake of her head. 'Albus, you old meddler, you used young Mr. Potter to urge Hermione to go to Severus for help. I know you did, you old fool. I saw the letter you wrote to him before you posted it,' Poppy said curtly, taking a sip of her tea. 'And I know very well that you were pushing the two of them together the whole time that she was at the castle.'

'Poppy, if the two did not have feelings for one another still, no amount of pushing them would have convinced them to come back together again,' Albus reasoned gently, patting her hand tenderly as he spoke. 'Last year, I bet you that by the time the beginning of the next school year came around, Severus and Hermione would be married and well on their way to making a family of their own. Now, I have come through with all of those things...'

'What do you mean? What family of their own do they have to show for?' Poppy demanded, her eyes widening.

'Poppy, you are the finest mediwitch I know,' he said smoothly. 'Surely you can see for yourself the way that Hermione's face has been glowing this past month. The magics in the castle tell me that she is with child, but I would have known with or without them.'

Poppy's eyes widened even further. 'Oh, Albus!' she exclaimed softly. 'Do you think they know?'

Albus Dumbledore smiled at the woman across from him, his lover and partner for many years, and stood up from his chair, sweeping around the desk and holding out his hand to her. 'Not yet, but they undoubtedly will soon,' he answered, escorting her to the entrance to their chambers. 'Time for bed now, I think. Don't you?'

Poppy could only nod.

--

Terminus

--

A/N – Well, there you have it! As promised, I will explain the reason for Hermione choosing the white wine over the red. Although Severus did suggest a red, he then continued on to say 'take your pick' essentially. She chose a white because they are better served cold, whereas a Cabernet Sauvignon is better served warm. I hope my explanation was satisfactory. Please review and let me know what you thought of the story!