Chapter Twenty: A new home for Severus

(i) The characters and world of Harry Potter are the property of J.K. Rowling. I make no money from this.

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Even though Severus had done up Spinner's End with the help of Narcissa, he had come to realise that his cramped Victorian terrace in Manchester was unfortunately too small for a family. Moreover, it was in too run-down of an area for him to want to do much with the exterior. Spinner's Row, the street where he lived, and the whole area of Spinner's Corner was now filled with immigrants and students, and though that was not a bad thing in itself, the lack of employment in the area meant that there was plenty of prostitution and crime in the neighbourhood. He did not want his children to grow up like he had done, afraid and persecuted.

His conversation with Miss Granger at the Malfoys' garden party had brought the abandoned Lestrange property to mind, and Severus decided to approach Narcissa and Lucius about buying the house. Wizards didn't generally sell their holdings, but Severus knew that the Malfoys were not too pleased with their links to the Lestrange estate. They were determined to put their Death Eater past behind them, and hanging on to the property that so clearly belonged to the most ardent of Voldemort fanatics was in no way politically sound. But Severus, with his hero status, was if not exempt, then at least somewhat protected from such negative scrutiny. Besides, he was, as a former Death Eater, one of the few people other than the Malfoys who could gain entry into the property. It had been so heavily warded and protected that none of the Aurors or Ministry officials had ever been able to infiltrate the estate throughout the length of the Lestranges' incarceration at Azkaban. Severus knew that Rabastan had used ancient blood rituals to mark the boundary of his land and to ensure that none other than those invited by the owners specifically could step across the magical barriers.

Lestrange Manor was located in the south coast of England near Ryde. An old property built during the time of the Norman Conquest, it was majestic in its appearance, though not as beautiful as Malfoy Manor. Lestrange Manor had a harsher look, as befitting a stronghold built to keep watch over the coast and keep out the unwanted Celtic and Saxon warriors.

Once Severus came to a decision about the possibility of acquiring Lestrange Manor, he felt much more at ease. It was a house worthy of a wife and family. And if that wife was to be Miss Granger, she would be able to properly appreciate the huge, cavernous library that the Manor housed. She was unprejudiced enough to find the many Dark Arts texts educational and not proof of the inherent darkness of all Slytherins. Pleased with his thought process, Severus Flooed over for morning coffee with the Malfoys. Once he was seated with Lucius and Narcissa in the orangery with a delicious cup of French roast, Severus brought up the reason for his visit.

"You know, of course, that I am serious about finding a wife and having a family," said Severus as way of introduction.

"Yes, old chap," said Lucius, as Narcissa nodded her head in agreement. She hoped that he was thinking of making his relationship with Hermione more formal.

"Well," said Severus hesitantly, "I've been thinking that a proper home is a must. No woman of good standing would want to move into Spinner's End. However nicely it's been done up, it's still a small house, and it doesn't really have much of a back garden. I'd like to grow my own potion ingredients, have a proper lab. I really need a bigger place."

"I agree," chirped in Narcissa. "Although we've both done a fine job in expanding the rooms and redecorating the place, it is still quite small and having a growing family in it would be a tight squeeze."

"Yes, well," said Severus. Then with a sigh he went on, "I've been thinking about Lestrange Manor. I know you find owning it a slight inconvenience; have you perhaps thought of selling it?"

Lucius did not reply. The house was after all left in Narcissa's name.

"You want to buy Lestrange Manor?" asked Narcissa in disbelief.

"Yes," said Severus boldly. "Of course, if you do not wish to, I shall never mention the topic again. I just thought it was a shame to see the estate go to ruin, and I remember the old orchid collection. I wonder what happened to it all."

"No idea," said Lucius with a shrug. "No one's been there in over twenty years, not since Rodolphus, Bella and Rabastan ended up in Azkaban after the first fall of the Dark Lord. I've never even given the house any thought at all."

"Neither have I," said Narcissa finally. "It's just been shut up. It never seemed the right time to go see what was going on with it. Bella never cared for the place anyway, and none of us ever thought it was safe enough to return to it once she escaped."

"Mmm...," murmured Severus thoughtfully.

Silence fell as the three Slytherins considered the madness of Bella and the deterioration of the Lestrange name.

"So, do you think you would be amendable to selling the place to me?" asked Severus. "Rodolphus and Rabastan both extended formal invitations to me to drop in any time before their incarceration, so the wards should recognise me. And if you officially hand over the property to me, the wards should effectively recognise that fact as well. If any of the protective spells are engineered to only permit someone with the Dark Mark, I should still be able to enter the estate."

Narcissa looked over to Lucius pensively. "Can we discuss it and get back to you?" she asked at last. "I've just never thought of the house, or the possibility of getting rid of it, really."

"Of course," said Severus. "Take as long as you need. I just thought of it because I wanted to acquire a home before the start of term. And buying a Muggle dwelling and then turning it magical is so much harder than finding a suitable magical property. I'm keen to find a place that is far enough away from Muggle inhabitation to allow for easy Apparition and for me to grow my numerous potions ingredients."

Once the offer had been tabled, the trio began to discuss other matters. Severus brought up Hogwarts' business. Lucius was still a governor of the school board after all and did have a fair bit of interest in school policy.

"Minerva and I have decided to have all the students who attended Hogwarts last year to arrive at the castle in the last week of August to sit for their end of term exams. We never did get to hold them before the Battle of Hogwarts. Now that the castle is repaired, it is high time that the student body arrive so that pupils can take their NEWTs and OWLs and graduate."

Lucius nodded. "Draco seems to have suspected that would be the case. I've been amazed to see him actually studying over the summer."

Severus's lips curled up slightly in pleasure. "Draco really has grown up since the fall of the Dark Lord," he remarked.

Narcissa and Lucius both beamed in pleasure. They had, for a long time, worried about their son, but seeing his sudden maturity gave them a lot of hope for his future place in society. The rise and fall of Voldemort had changed the young man from a pouty, spoilt brat into a thoughtful, conscientious adult. It was a dramatic transformation.

Once Severus had departed for a meeting at Hogwarts with Minerva, Narcissa and Lucius discussed the sale of Lestrange Manor.

"What do you think about selling the place, Lucius?" asked Narcissa.

"It's a valuable property," said Lucius, putting on his business hat. "The land itself is worth quite a lot, and the house has a lot of historical value."

"True," said Narcissa, "but we are never going to use it. Draco has never even been there, so he's got no memories or sentiments attached to it."

"I suppose," said Lucius. "But it is a part of our family's holdings. If we are selling the house, shouldn't someone in the wider Lestrange family have first rights?"

"Really, Lucius," said Narcissa with a smirk, "how many members of the Lestrange family are there?"

Lucius swept his hair off his shoulder and sighed. "I see your point. There are only four members of the extended family, and they are all firmly settled on the continent. None of them are going to want to pack up and move to the wilds of Ryde."

"I know you don't want to sell land and that you go around buying property and building the Malfoy empire, but we owe Severus. He needs a proper, stately house, especially now that he has been firmly established as the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Bella's home is politically tainted, and it will take a fair length of time before the name Lestrange is not synonymous with insanity and excessive violence. He's practically a part of the family anyway with the life debt we owe him for Draco. This way, we are unloading something we can't really use, and we are ensuring that Severus is suitably grateful for our generosity. Our debt to him will also be fully discharged."

"My wise and beautiful wife," said Lucius with a tender caress of her hand. "I do know how fond you are of Severus."

Narcissa smiled. "Oh, my love, it's not only for Severus that I am thinking of selling the house. If my instincts are correct, then the woman that will soon be mistress of Lestrange Manor is going to be none other than our very own Gryffindor Princess. Imagine how quickly the taint from all Lestrange holdings will vanish if she is seen to be dwelling in Lestrange Manor."

"I see," said Lucius with a smirk. "Yes, it does make financial sense in that case. If the Lestrange property in Ryde is seen to be purged, at least eventually, of its taint via their occupation of it, then the two properties in the wilds of Wales will also be quick to lose their stain. I've always liked the hunting lodge close to Dolbenmaen. Although we've not really been hunting since before Draco was born, the land surrounding it was quite lovely. Marvellous walks."

"Mmm...," said Narcissa in agreement. "Though personally, I've always loved the house in Borth. But then again, I've always been partial to the views of Cardigan Bay."

Three days later, when Severus dropped in for coffee once more, Lucius and Narcissa brought up the topic of Lestrange Manor again.

"We've been thinking of your offer, Severus. It is hard for us to part with the property," said Lucius, "but Narcissa is inclined to let you have the house. She can't wait to start playing honorary grandmother to your offspring."

Narcissa blushed. Lucius had pinpointed her weakness very accurately.

Severus was extremely pleased. "Thank you, both," he said with a broad grin gracing his features. "I've always liked the utter isolation of the Manor in Ryde. It is so stark, so strong a construction. The grounds are perfect for my purposes too." He extended his hand to Lucius to shake on the deal and then leaned over to kiss Narcissa on her cheek.

"Besides," said Narcissa practically, "as a former a Death Eater, you'll be perfectly placed to dismantle the multitude of curses and wards placed upon the place. We all know how paranoid Rabastan was with protection."

Severus chuckled darkly. "Rabastan and Rodolphus both, although I think Rodolphus' paranoia was a result of Bella's unique brand of amusement."

Narcissa and Lucius both smirked, though Narcissa did feel a twinge of remorse at her sister's behaviour. She knew how unfaithful her sister had been to Rodolphus. He had been a kind man at one point, but being married to Bella had changed him into a suspicious, ruthless killer. The Darkness that possessed Bella had been extremely destructive. Narcissa wished that things could have been different. She had cared deeply for both Rodolphus and Rabastan, more so than she had ever let on, for she knew Bella would have ridiculed her fondness for her husband and brother-in-law. She was so very grateful that the Dark Lord was no more. She had feared that Bella would corrupt Draco and send him down the same destructive spiral. Thank goodness Draco had been saved. His maturing relationship with Astoria and growing friendship with Hermione was doing much to alter his perceptions of the world and his place within it.

Once the sale was agreed upon, the two sets of lawyers got down to the nitty-gritty of the paperwork. Thankfully, unlike in the Muggle world, wizarding legalities were concluded with surprising speed, the goblins handling the transactions of Galleons with alacrity.

Thus, less than two weeks after Severus approached the Malfoys, he was handed the keys to the Manor. Lucius and Narcissa accompanied him to the house. They would be useful supports if the house decided that it did not recognise Severus as its new master. Wizarding houses were known to be tricky and many had personalities of their own. These were usually a combination of the magical intent behind their enchantments and a residue of the magical spell-craft utilised within the premises. Severus' now faded Dark Mark, however, was acceptable, and he was able to gain entry with no difficulty whatsoever. Once he had passed through the gates of the Manor, Severus turned around and graciously and courteously invited the Malfoys in. They were his first official guests.

Severus was a cautious man. He had decided that he would keep almost all of the Lestranges' enchantments and protections. There was no reason to lose the extremely effective wards merely because the war was over. The only change that Severus made, which was one of the hardest to enact, was the removal of all hexes and curses that were in place to hurt, torture or kill Muggle-borns, for Severus was conscious that he wanted Miss Granger to enter his new home. He could now admit that he wanted Miss Granger to be impressed with his new status of hero and landowner. She would, he had decided, make a very good wife and consort.

The house was, thankfully, in excellent condition. The nearly two-decade-long absence of a master or mistress had not, as had been suspected, caused the house to fall into wrack and ruin. The house-elves had instead been breeding, and the place was nearly overflowing with able bodies eager to clean and maintain the property. Now that Severus was the owner of the property, the allegiance of the house-elves had been transferred to him. For unlike most house-elves, who were tied to the family they served, the Lestranges', fearing for their safety from internal family feuds and plots, had enchanted their elves to be faithful solely to the master and owner of the house. Thus, despite the house's inherently dark décor, the actual condition of all the furnishings and interiors was pristine. The floors gleamed, the furniture shone with the patina of hours of polishing and varnishing, and the brass and silverware dazzled in the light of the lamps. The Malfoys were amazed at the care the house-elves had given the place. However, Severus understood that to the elves, the house was their real master, and they had cared for it as they would a wizard child, with all of their devotion.

Pleased that he would have to expend no real energy into the house, he instead asked that tea be served in the morning room. The elves beamed with joy at their first task from their new master, and within moments, a sumptuous tea was laid out.

As they sipped their excellent pure Ceylon tea, Severus spoke. "Lucius, Narcissa, I have no words to thank you for the generosity you have shown in allowing me to purchase this beautiful home. I assure you that you have my heartfelt gratitude."

Lucius smirked. Then, he said with a calculating gleam in his eye, "I expect the house more than settles our life debt to you. We are now, as they say, even."

Severus smirked in return. He had expected that comment and had one of his own prepared. "Indeed, old friend, though I must insist that you not forget the benefit of me being the owner of this fine house gives the rest of the Lestrange properties."

Narcissa giggled. She could not help it. Severus was as shrewd as Lucius in judging how the change in ownership of Lestrange Manor affected the value and political position of the rest of the Lestrange holdings.

Lucius frowned at his wife before giving up his ire at his friend's excellent reading of the situation. "Indeed, old man, indeed," said Lucius before reaching out to help himself to a slice of vanilla cake.

Once their tea was consumed, the party explored the rest of the estate. The greenhouses and orangery were in perfect condition, as was the rest of the house. The collection of orchids that had sent Severus down the path to acquiring the house had grown and become even more abundant than before, which caused Lucius to frown with ire once more. Lucius now wished that he had taken the time to investigate the property before allowing himself to be talked into parting with the estate. Though, he did realise that it was Narcissa's decision, and she had decided to give Severus the house no matter its financial and indeed, socio-political value. With a sigh, the Slytherin acknowledged that he was merely being territorial. Severus needed a grand house, and the property was still technically in the family. It was not as though the house had passed into completely unknown hands. Looking closely at the orchids, Lucius began plotting how he would acquire some of the plants for his own collection. The elves at Lestrange Manor had done a wonderful job in breeding and interbreeding some very interesting hybrid varieties.

Not long after the keys to the Manor had been acquired, Severus moved in. It did not take long for his newly obtained army of house-elves to pack up and remove all of his possessions from Spinner's End. Once the terraced house in Manchester was cleaned and vacated, Severus decided he was going to donate the property to charity. Severus was very conscious of the fact that Squibs and witches who made unfavourable marriages were often disowned by their pureblood families, and he realised that these vulnerable individuals needed a shelter to help them back on their feet when they hit difficulty. His mother had had no recourse but to stay with his father, even though she and he had been physically, mentally and emotionally abused. Her family, the Princes, had completely turned their backs on her and Severus because of her poor choice of spouse. If she had had a shelter or refuge to go to, Severus felt that she would have tried to escape. But not being registered in any way among Muggle authorities meant that she could not claim any kind of Muggle social benefits. Neither could she use their resources to escape Tobias' beatings and abuse.

Severus was not a rich man by birth. He had inherited nothing but his parents' home in Spinner's End, but he had saved almost all of his teacher's salary. His headmaster's pay had been substantial, and Severus had spent none of that in the last year either. That, together with his Order of Merlin First Class pension and his many acquisitions during his Death Eater days, meant that he had enough to purchase the Lestrange Manor with ease, as well as to give his old home to a worthy cause. Severus' wealth was not in any way comparable to that of the Malfoys, but he had saved cautiously and invested wisely. Growing up poor had made him very careful with his hard-earned money, and he had learned everything he could about investment both in the Muggle and magical world. Losing Lily to the much wealthier Potter had made him realise yet another advantage of wealth, and he had vowed that he would never be seen as a poorer rival again. Moreover, Severus had created enough new potions and improvements to old potions that he had a large number of patents bringing in a steady supply of income his way. But growing up poor had ensured that no one suspected the amount of wealth that Severus had accumulated over the years. Being a spy had forced him to utilise great care in his behaviour and habits. His needs were simple, his dress completely practical and devoid of ostentation. The only two things that he had spent money on were potions ingredients and books.

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Despite Harry's decision to put space and distance between himself and Ginny, he did not want to break off the relationship completely. Therefore, Harry was still spending the time not spent at Auror Training playing Quidditch at the Burrow with both Ron and Ginny. Hermione had still not been forgiven for her alleged role of trying to break up Harry and Ginny, so she had never visited the Burrow since the fall of Voldemort. Arthur had tried to get Hermione to visit for Sunday lunch more than once, but she had told him quite frankly that she didn't need to be in a situation where she was unwanted or seen as a pariah.

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One lovely morning, on the second of July, Severus wrote to invite the delectable Miss Granger to view his orchids. The house had been made safe for a Muggle-born, and Severus was keen to show off his latest acquisition. He wanted, though he was unwilling to admit it even to himself, her approval.

Severus' owl had arrived as Hermione and Harry were having breakfast. Harry watched as Hermione's face was transformed as she read the missive that the bird offered up with a stately lift of its leg.

"What is it, 'Mione?" asked Harry in curiosity.

"A letter from Professor Snape," said Hermione, passing the missive over. His owl had obviously been instructed to await a reply, for it was delicately eating a bite of sausage off Hermione's plate while she searched for parchment, quill and ink.

Harry took the parchment from Hermione and read.

Miss Granger,

SS

Harry was slightly uncomfortable at the imperious tone of the missive, but Hermione did not seem to mind. She was, even as he watched, penning a missive with her agreement.

Harry leaned over to read what she was writing.

Dear Professor Snape,

Hermione

Once the missive was sent, Hermione fled the kitchen, her breakfast uneaten, to get ready for Severus' arrival. Harry recalled his uneasy suspicions as he watched Hermione's excitement and flushed appearance at Severus' invitation. Deciding that he would postpone his departure to the Ministry, so that he could see Severus and Hermione together to ease his suspicions, Harry finished his breakfast at a much slower pace.

Hermione was, indeed, flattered and flushed at Professor Snape's invitation. She knew that there was more than their mutual admiration of orchids behind the invitation. She was smart enough to realise that he was inviting her to view his new home. She was therefore excited and nervous at her acceptance of the invitation. Her thoughts whirled. I'll be all alone with Professor Snape in his new house. We'll be all alone and there'll be a bed there, his bed. Feeling foolish at her immediate thoughts of his bed and bedroom, she calmed herself and looked over her wardrobe. She wanted to wear something suitable. She wanted him to kiss her again. It had been almost a month since their heated snog outside her bedroom door at the Malfoys', and she wanted, no, she needed a repeat performance. For although they met almost every weekend at some fancy ball, and although they always danced and flirted shamelessly, he had never again initiated a tryst. She was now extremely aware of him as a man, and she was desperate to feel his passion again.

Pulling out one dress after another, she finally settled on a simple sleeveless cotton frock in a pale mint hue. It was extremely becoming with a deep V neck. It came to just above her knees and reminded her of the dress she'd worn the night Professor Snape had first danced with her.

When Severus arrived at Grimmauld Place to collect Hermione, he found Harry waiting in the kitchen.

The young man greeted Severus with a handshake and said, "Hermione's just getting ready; she'll be down shortly."

Severus nodded. He was in no mood to make small talk with Potter, no matter how cordial their recent association had been. Thankfully, less than a minute later, the kitchen door opened and Hermione appeared. She looked beautiful. Her recent days in the sun had given her a becoming light tan, and the mint dress brought out the golden highlights in her hair.

"Professor Snape," said Hermione breathlessly, "thank you so much for the invitation. I'm really looking forward to seeing the orchids."

"Miss Granger," said Severus formally with a slight bow.

Harry watched Hermione's colour rise and Severus' smirk begin to appear. Realising that his conclusions about a relationship between the two of them had been correct, Harry decided to cut them some slack and leave them alone. He didn't like being a gooseberry, and he wanted time to come to terms with this latest development.

"I need to get to the Ministry," said Harry, making his way out of the kitchen.

"Bye, Harry," called Hermione distractedly as she stood looking up at the smirking countenance of Professor Snape.

Once Harry had departed, Hermione and Severus stood looking at each other in silence. They had not really been alone since the night of Draco's birthday soiree, and suddenly, the sexual tension in the air was thick and heavy. They were both utterly aware of each other. Finally, Severus moved towards Hermione. As he moved forward so did she, so that they met next to the kitchen table. This had not been part of his plan, but seeing her, framed by the sunlight streaming through the kitchen window, took his breath away. Forgetting all his plans for a slow and cautious courtship, Severus pulled her into his arms and kissed her ravenously. Like before, there was no gentle exploration or request for invitation. He plundered; he conquered, and Hermione responded with equal fervour.

Hermione had dreamt of his kiss almost constantly, and after almost a month of fantasising, she was more than ready for a repeat performance. This time, she did not hesitate; she showed him how much she desired him by sliding her arms around him to hold him close to her body. As the kiss deepened even further, she arched her body, doing her best to show him how much she craved his touch.

Severus did not disappoint. His arms moved from her waist to cup her bottom and pull her even more snugly against his hardened erection. As Hermione gasped at the intimate contact and rubbed herself wantonly against him, he moved them around so that she was perched on the kitchen table. Parting her knees, he moved ever closer, his hands now cupping and fondling her breasts. Hermione moaned and threw back her head as Severus began to kiss and nibble along the column of her throat.

Hermione's moan broke Severus' sensual haze. With a groan, he slowly pulled himself away from her embrace and rested his forehead against hers. "This is neither the time, nor the place," he said gently.

Hermione sighed. She had never been kissed so thoroughly, and she did not want to stop.

Severus smirked at Hermione's reluctant sigh. Gently, he kissed her once more. "I've no intention of making a spectacle of myself in Potter's kitchen, Miss Granger," said Severus.

Hermione smiled. Her arms were still firmly wrapped around his surprisingly broad shoulders. She let her hands trail down until they were pressed flat against his chest. "I think that after that greeting, you should call me Hermione," she said with another soft kiss.

Severus chuckled darkly. "I agree, and I think it is time you stopped calling me Professor. Severus will suffice. Potter's already made the transition, although, you'll have to go back to Professor when we are at Hogwarts."

Hermione nodded. She did not want to think about how they would act within the confines of Hogwarts. It was a minefield she was not yet ready to contemplate.

With yet another gentle kiss, Severus pulled completely away from her and offered her his arm. "Are you ready to see my orchid collection?" he asked with a smirk.

"Yes, Severus," she said with a smile, testing out his name for the first time. It felt so decadent calling him by his name. She had never even thought of him as anything other than Professor Snape, even as she fantasised about his kisses.

Severus felt a thrill at hearing her speak his name. He had the wildest urge to ravish her right there on the kitchen table, just to hear her scream his name out loud. Laughing at his own foolishness, he escorted Hermione to the front door. Once the door was shut, and they stood outside, he looked around. Satisfied that there was no one about, he slid his arm around her, pulling her hard against his body.

Hermione gasped aloud at the sensation. She could feel his still obvious erection.

Severus was delighted with her evident reaction to his arousal. Her blatant desire for him assured him that his seduction was moving along as planned. Severus smirked yet again and Apparated them both to just outside the gates of Lestrange Manor so that she could see his new estate in all its glory.

Hermione fell in love with the house at first glance; it was so majestic and imposing. The walk up to the house allowed her to see the house and the surrounding gardens. She glanced up at the man whose arm she still held, and she saw his palpable pride and delight at his new home. She couldn't help but smile, and when he looked down at her, she did not think twice about standing up on tip toe to kiss him on the mouth.

"It's really beautiful," she said honestly. "It's breathtaking, in fact."

"Yes," said Severus simply. "The first time I came to Lestrange Manor, I was only sixteen. They had a Mid-Summer's Eve bonfire party, and the grounds looked utterly magnificent in the dying summer sun."

Hermione had never really heard that tone of wonder in Severus' voice. Wanting to know more about the man she was so attracted to, she squeezed his arm and waited silently for him to continue.

He didn't disappoint her. "When you suggested that the orchids might have survived the Lestranges' abandonment of the property, it got me thinking, and I approached Narcissa and Lucius about buying the house. They agreed, and it is now mine. I thank you for making me remember this place. I always loved it for its stark beauty. It is so different from the ostentatious décor and facade of Malfoy Manor or even the grander Goyle Castle."

"The Goyles have a castle?" asked Hermione in shock. No wonder the Slytherins looked down on the rest of the school.

Severus chuckled. "You'll need to have a look at the wizarding Who's Who. You'll be surprised to find out who owns what and what their lineage is. All students at Hogwarts are automatically entered in each annual, as are, of course, all the half-blood and pureblood families."

Once they entered the house, Hermione was amazed at the large number of elves that came to greet them. She had always been uncomfortable around house-elves and wondered if they were mistreated. But one quick glance at their smiling faces and their happy, yet deferential inquiries made her realise that these were contented elves.

Severus could see Hermione's observation of his elves. He, like all of the staff, knew of her efforts with SPEW, and he chuckled darkly once more. When she looked up at him in question, he said in explanation. "The elves are bound to the property, and therefore to me as the master of the property. I could no more release them than ask them to leave their home."

Hermione nodded. She had come to understand, through careful study of texts found in the Black library, about the house elf enchantment and magic.

Refusing the elves' eager offer of tea and refreshments, he took Hermione directly to the library. "I'll show you, what I am sure, will be your favourite room of the house before we visit the orchids," he said with a smirk.

As she met his eyes curiously, he said, "The library," as way of explanation.

"Oh, yes," she said with a delightful clap of her hands. "That's one of the nicest things about stately homes, a proper library with loads of interesting books."

The library took her breath away, and although there were plenty of texts on the Dark Arts, it also held plenty of tomes on Charms and Transfiguration, which had been Rabastan's strong points. Severus could see her eyes sparkle as she perused the titles, and before he could restrain himself, he said, "You're more than welcome to visit and use my library. Just make sure you inform me what you're looking at so that I can remove the wards and protective enchantments on them."

Hermione turned around and beamed at Severus. "Thank you, Severus," she said breathlessly. "I've never seen most of these titles. The library at Hogwarts doesn't have most of these books."

Severus smirked. "No, I don't expect it does," he said in agreement. "These are mainly written by Slytherins and are on the darker spectrum of the scale. Also, a lot of these texts were published on the Continent, and although they have been translated, they are not part of the Hogwarts' curriculum."

Hermione nodded. She wanted to start reading immediately, but she knew there was much more to see. They'd yet to explore the grounds and the orchids, which had been the main purpose of her visit. After looking at the orchids and making plans for what else needed to be done to the grounds and gardens, he produced a picnic basket hidden beside a cool brook and grove of cherry trees. Hermione was charmed at the thoughtfulness of the gesture. She realised that he had planned on a gentle seduction and that their heated kisses at Grimmauld Place had been a spontaneous reaction on both their parts.

They ate a delicious picnic lunch and shared a bottle of Lucius' marvellous champagne. Hermione, who was still not used to drinking, had two deliciously cool glasses and was soon feeling quite tipsy. Unable to resist the allure of Severus' lean form, she moved so that she was pressed up against him. Severus smiled down at her and marvelled at her open, honest display of attraction. Kissing her upturned face, he put his arm around her and pointed to some birds in the nearby corpse of trees.

Even if I can't find true love, thought Severus, then this affection, trust and attraction will do. Hermione is delightful. If this time alone is any indication, we should get along just fine. Feeling quite pleased with himself, he gently turned her so that she was facing him and drew her into another heated and passionate kiss.

Hermione responded immediately. The beautiful setting, the sound of the bubbling brook and Severus all made for an intoxicating mix. With unrestrained ardour, Hermione slid her hands into his hair and caressed his skull. He groaned and pushed her so that she was lying on her back. Then, Severus following her to fit himself snugly between the cradle of her thighs. One part of her brain tried to caution her, to admonish her for being so easy, but Hermione did not listen. She had never felt so beautiful or desirable. No man had ever heated her blood the way Severus' kisses did. He was like a drug, and she could not get enough.

Severus trailed kisses down her throat and the valley between her breasts. His hands cupped and shaped her breasts, his clever thumbs flicking against her nipples until they furled and tightened into tight, aching points that he then began to lave and suckle through the thin material of her simple cotton bra and dress.

Feeling his mouth on her breast made her arch her body into him in aching delight. "Oh, God," she moaned, as he thrust his erection against her heated core. She had never felt this wanton, this needy.

Severus moved his mouth from one pointed peak to the next, driving her insane with sensation while one hand moved down to her thighs and swiftly pulled up the skirt of her frock.

Hermione gasped as she felt his hand on the bared skin of her hip. The shock of the intimacy of his touch so close to her centre caused her to pause in her mindless arching and squirming.

Severus realised that she had stopped grinding herself against his hardened flesh. Realisation dawned on him as well. He had not planned on getting so carried away. Releasing her still engorged nipple that he had been in the process of nipping and suckling, he raised himself on his elbows to look down on her.

"Sorry," she said softly, meeting his enquiring gaze in embarrassment.

Severus smirked. "Don't apologise," he said tenderly, his voice thick with passion. "We both got carried away."

Hermione smiled. She had been afraid that he would not stop, that she would have to ask, or push him away. That he was so attuned to her body and her emotions set her mind at ease. "I've never...," she said before stopping. Then, Hermione sighed. "I've never really kissed anyone like this. Feeling your hand on my thigh just scared me."

Severus nodded before rolling over to lie on his back beside her. "I didn't mean to rush you, Hermione. But you're so utterly delicious. I could devour you, ravish you quite easily."

Hermione blushed, though her heart swelled with pleasure. Turning so that she faced him, she leaned over and kissed him gently. "I love what you do to me, but since I'm so new, you will have to be patient."

Severus felt a strange emotion come over him at her honest admission. Not only did she admit to wanting him, to enjoying his ministrations, but she wanted to continue their mutual explorations. Although he had been with a number of women in the past, he had never been with an innocent. He too turned so that they were lying on their sides facing each other. Gently he let his hand caress her cheek. "We have all the time in the world," he said tenderly. Even he was amazed at the gentleness, the tenderness in his tone. Realising that he had truly begun to care for Hermione, Severus grew pensive. "Let me see you home," he said finally. "The hour grows late, and I'm sure Potter will be waiting for you."

In truth, Severus wanted to be alone. He needed to think. For if he was starting to care for Hermione beyond the simple emotions of lust and desire, what did that mean in light of the Dark Veela curse? Did that mean he had the chance of finding love?

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A/N: Love it or hate it, please let me know what you think.