Sixteen
Chapter 17 of 50
neelixA/N: Thanks to Kizzy for helping to make this readable, and to all who review -- you make me smile!
Severus awoke with a start and felt around urgently for his wand, only to find the soft flesh of a warm witch instead of his trusty stick of wood. With a sigh, he laid his head back on the pillow and gazed at the ceiling above him, trying to calm his pounding heart. It had been a while since he'd had a bad dream, but when they came, he was always left feeling like he had been flattened by a tonne of bricks.
It had taken some time for Severus to come to terms with himself after the war. Bumbling about the house on his own had given him space to think and rage at the bloody injustice of the whole sorry mess. For a large part of January, to coincide with his birthday, he had thrown himself a wonderful pity party. A crate of Firewhisky had been the only guest invited, and Severus had wallowed for a week, until the whisky had run out and he'd sobered up enough to smell himself and do something about it. It had taken strong self will to get into some sort of routine, but once he had started on his potions lab, he had begun to feel a glimmer of hope for the future.
He had never imagined love in that future, and as he turned his head to look at Hermione, who was sleeping like a small dormouse with her patchwork quilt tucked around her, he felt bemused, as if he was living in some sort of alternate reality. It was frightening to think she had become his be all and end all in such a short space of time, but perhaps that was what love was about. It certainly surprised him.
Hermione had initiated their love making up to this point, and each time, it had been sensual and loving. They tended to each other with gentleness, drawing out their passion slowly like a rose opening to the elements. But there was a part of Severus that longed to be unleashed. He could feel it bubbling inside him as he thrust into Hermione's moist flesh, the desire to not just make love to her but to really fuck her with abandon. The thought thrilled him and made him cower at the same time, and he tried to tamp it down. But the more he did, the more he wanted it.
Severus was no stranger to rough sex, even though he hadn't sampled it himself. He had seen plenty of it at Malfoy Manor when the Dark Lord was holding court. Severus would stand ramrod straight at Voldemort's right shoulder, trying not to flinch or show any reaction to the screams that punctured the endless grunts and groans. He had always felt repelled by it, and while he had no wish to hurt Hermione in any way, he felt something at the edges of their lovemaking, tempting him to test it out.
He stretched out his hand and lifted a length of her hair, rubbing it between his fingertips. Rolling onto his side, he wrapped his arm around her waist, pushing his hand under the quilt so his fingers could caress the underside of her breast slowly. Confident now that his advances would be welcomed, he nuzzled her ear and nibbled on her exposed earlobe.
Hermione stretched a little, shuffling her bottom backwards until she met Severus's erection, and made a contented noise in her throat as he tweaked her nipples.
'Morning,' he murmured in her ear. Hermione smiled sleepily and twisted so her lips could meet his.
'You're keen,' she said. She was unable to disguise her pleasure as Severus's hand drifted down between her legs.
'I am. Very.' Severus moved a little and rolled Hermione onto her back, throwing the quilt from her naked form and dropping his face to suckle at her breasts until she moaned at him for more. Trailing a path from her breasts, he teased at her pussy with his tongue slightly, tasting her for the first time. He felt Hermione's breath hitch as he became bolder, licking with small, darting flicks at her clitoris until she started to squirm. But he wasn't ready for her orgasm yet. This time he would coax it from her with his cock, and he moved himself over her, his eyes blazing as he thrust.
Hermione was so aroused, she felt as tight as a coiled spring. For the first time, Severus was in control of what was happening, and she was more than happy to surrender to his overwhelming sex appeal. She arched her back as he thrust into her, and he grabbed her buttocks, holding her in place as he tipped his pelvis upwards. His thrusts were shallow now, the tip of his penis rubbing firmly against her sensitive g-spot, and Hermione groaned as the new sensation took over. Severus grunted and thrust harder, and Hermione cried out with pleasure.
'Oh, god, yes,' she moaned out. 'Do that again.'
Severus felt a rush of power at her words, and the part of himself he was trying to tame yelled out in victory. He started to pound into Hermione, their flesh slapping together as sweat glistened on his chest. Hermione felt possessed by him, unable to do anything but lie there and just take it, and she let herself become totally absorbed by the feeling of his cock inside her and the sense of her impending orgasm. She gripped the sheet in her hands to keep her body from sliding up the bed.
'God, I'm coming. Shit, oh, yes,' she shouted out, her orgasm tearing through her and causing her to become an uncontrollable mass of flesh as she bucked beneath him, moaning, her head tipped back and her vagina clamped so firmly around his cock he could hardly thrust into her. Her inner walls rippled along his length, and the orgasm he had been holding at bay during the last few thrusts wouldn't stay back any longer. Severus tightened his hold on Hermione's arse and almost knelt before her, pulling her towards him with each thrust as he entered her, tight and deep. He could feel every sensitive inch, and he increased his pace quickly until with a roar, he came as fiercely as Hermione had, his whole body jerking and twitching. It felt like his orgasm was lasting forever. At last he slowed his pace, savouring the last amazing sensations of their bodies joined together.
Slowly, Severus relaxed his grip on Hermione and slid out of her with an audible wet slurp, collapsing beside her with a satisfied sigh.
'You can say that again,' Hermione murmured. 'I don't know what you just did to me, but you can damn well do it again sometime.'
Severus chuckled softly. 'No problem,' he replied, slightly breathless.
***
Pleasures of the flesh were the furthest thing from Hermione's mind as she walked up the short path to Harry's house in Godric's Hollow.
Never one to shy away from confrontation when she knew she was in the right, Hermione had been determined to deal with Harry and his damn nerve as soon as she had recovered the feeling in her legs. It was all Severus could do to make her at least eat a slice of toast before she marched off with all guns blazing.
Steeling herself, Hermione hammered on the bright red front door and waited, tapping her foot impatiently and twisting her wand between her fingers where it lay just inside her jacket sleeve. She was quite prepared to hex Harry if she had to.
The door opened, revealing a sleepy and dishevelled Harry wearing an old grey t-shirt and baggy jogging bottoms. Blinking blindly, he fumbled to push his spectacles onto his face. He had the decency to look momentarily abashed, and his shoulders slumped as he withered under Hermione's gaze. He stepped aside and allowed her to walk into the house without saying a word.
'Want some tea?' he asked her as he followed her down the narrow hallway and into the kitchen.
Hermione stopped walking and turned to him with her face set.
'No, Harry. I do not want tea. I would quite like to know what makes you think you have the right to comment on my private life, though.'
Hermione's voice was low and calm, but there was an undercurrent that Harry recognised. He knew he would have to go carefully if he wanted his dangly bits to stay in one piece after she left. He ran his hands through his hair, making it stick up ridiculously. Normally, it would make Hermione laugh and try and flatten it with the palm of her hand, but right now, she thought he looked like a prat, and her eyes narrowed as she waited for him to start talking.
'You have no idea what sort of a week I've had,' he said, pushing past her into the kitchen and filling his kettle regardless.
'I bet you didn't get a Howler from a good friend,' Hermione snapped.
Harry paused and looked up at Hermione owlishly through his lenses. 'I'm sorry about that. But since you left I have had to field questions left, right, and centre, not least of which from bloody Kingsley. You left everyone in a real hole, Hermione; so much work was left unfinished. No one can get the projects completed because you are the only one who can do that stuff.'
Hermione gritted her teeth. 'It was only research, Harry. It can stay on hold for as long it needs to--we didn't have deadlines or a bloody war to fight. And none of that has anything to do with my love life, so just answer my bloody question!'
'I thought you were sunning yourself on some beach, Hermione. I told everyone you needed a break, had to have a holiday. I made it all up because you didn't think it was necessary to tell me the truth, and then, this!' Harry grabbed a crumpled copy of yesterday's Prophet and waved it at her.
Hermione looked at Harry's indignant face and fought the urge to laugh at him. She knew exactly what this was about, and it was so pathetic it was beyond belief.
'So tell me,' Hermione said quietly, holding Harry's gaze. 'Is this because I didn't tell you my plans and that you have been made a liar? Or is it because of Severus?'
A nerve in Harry's jaw jumped as he pressed his lips together in a thin line. Truth be told, he had been pissed off with Hermione ever since she had upped and left on a whim, but seeing her with Snape had been the last straw. He respected the man immensely, acknowledged the good he had done. He even understood and felt grateful for the lengths he went to, avenging his mother's death and protecting him. But the man was still Snape, a snake who never changed his skin, and regardless of all he had done, Harry didn't like him. The thought of him and his best friend as a couple made his blood boil. The last thing Hermione needed was to rot away in some godforsaken hole with an older, miserable wizard who was doing nothing and going nowhere. What about her ambitions, her dreams? She could have it all, if she wasn't about to throw it away.
'Is it serious?' he asked her.
'That's none of your business,' she retorted.
'Don't friends share the gossip about their love lives?' he smiled wanly, trying to lighten the mood.
'Knowing the way you feel about Severus, I would rather keep it to myself,' Hermione said. She dropped her gaze, not knowing what else there was to say.
'He's so much older than you, Hermione. What on earth can he offer? Out there, you could meet someone younger and intelligent, who would support your career and be beside you to share all of your success. You might even have a family one day. He won't give you that, Hermione. You've already cut yourself off from all of us. He'll only hold you back even more.' Harry spoke sadly. He truly believed what he was saying, and to his relief, Hermione nibbled on her bottom lip, a sure sign that she was listening to him.
'Severus is the only person who understands how I feel, Harry. You, Ginny, Ron... you've all moved on, made a better life for yourselves. It has never been that easy for me. I'm still not over the war, and Severus understands that. He's helping me to cope, Harry, he really is. He's not the man you think he is.'
Hermione looked up at him with a soft smile as she thought of Severus waiting for her at Hilltop Cottage, and a feeling of warmth spread through her.
'I think you'll find he's not the man you think he is, Hermione,' Harry said, a touch of ire in his voice.
Hermione bristled and glared at him for a moment. Harry's words had cut her to the quick, because part of her feared he was right.
But she was headstrong, and she knew her own heart. And right now, her heart belonged with Severus. Without another word, she turned on her heel and left Harry staring after her.
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Latest 25 Reviews for Hilltop Cottage
734 Reviews | 7.3/10 Average
This was such a great read, thanks for sharing! I was especially happy to see that Minerva recovered well enough to be able to attend Severus' and Hermione's wedding. It just wouldn't have been the same without her. And Donovan, you just know that boy is going to be such a heartbreaker. Well done!
God what a beautiful beginning. I got chills when I read the first few sentences of this chapter. It reminded me of a 19th century British novel.... something from Hardy. I love your writing. There are naughty bits that are fun to read, but you have a charming prose that just strikes me sometimes. So, I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your writing. THANK YOU!
Response from neelix (Author of Hilltop Cottage)
To be compared to Hardy made me smile :) You're very kind,but more than that I'm so happy you like the,story :)
For such inteligent people, in the love department they really had lower grades...so quick to think badly of one another, especialy Severus, but Hermione had her moments, too.
I was so glad when they finally learned and began to trust each other!!!
It was an interesting journey. Thank you.
Great story :) Excellent job with the buildup, realistic angst scenes, and a happy ending. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
WTF!! Why is she letting Alicia plant stupid doubts in her mind? Alicia doesn't even know Severus! And Severus was obviously not too happy with Alicia. For Merlin's sake! What the hell is the matter with Hermione?? When did she become so gullible and wishy washy? This isn't the Hermione who stood up to Malfoy and punched him in the face! She needs to take a pill or something.
And there are a hell of a lot of worse things in the world than a man who stands by you as the mother of his child!!! Get over the Cinderella complex Herms. 
OK! What the Fuck is wrong with Severus now? These aren't weak minded individuals. Snape is a freaking spy who fooled Voldemort for like 20 year, for gods sake! He should be able to see a BSer from a mile away! These two are really getting on my freaking left nerve. Doesn't Mister Ligilimens remember being inside Hermone's head? I don't know how much more of their BS I can stand. Get over yourselves Hermione and Severus! You two are freaking making me want to poke my damned eyes out!!!
Oooooh, I never would have thought! Severus will put her in her place. There's a reason Hermione is his first and only relationship. I'm sure Alicia isn't the first woman to come on to the Potion's Master. 
Too bad for Hermione, though. Betrayed by a friend. Hopefully if Alicia realizes tonight that they are engaged to be married she will back off, for Hermione's sake. I can't imagine she would think she had a chance with Severus if he want's to brush her off. He's a master at putting people in their place.
I'm looking forward to that if it becomes necessary.
I just hope this doesn't interfere with Minerva's cure.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, neelix! 
It was about time these two became a family. I'm so glad Hermione realizes she should not have left him. I will forgive her for breaking Severus' heart because of her youth and immaturity.
Now that she's a grown woman, she hopefully has her priorities straight. She can still be Dr. Granger, but she should keep it in prospective. Now, what about dear Minerva?
Severus wouldn't be the first man to change his ways once a father. If I was Severus though, like you said in the story, he needs to be sure she is committed to making this work and not leaving again when she feels hurt. Obviously she has no idea how she nearly killed him the first time she left him. By the same token, Hermione wouldn't be the first woman to grow up and make a committment to see the rough spots through rather than leave when things got rocky after having a child together. Everything changes when a couple says, you are stuck with me for the rest of our lives. How do you want to do the next 60 years? The hard way or the easy way? Make your choice.
Hopefully, she has seen that if you leave, you just change the problems you have for new ones. Unless there is physical abuse, infedelity or addiction, I think most things can be worked out. The 4 things just mentioned would be deal breakers for me. I hope they are happy together now. That's what stories are for. The happily ever after.
Please!!! It's not my place to say???? For God's sake! Let drag out the pain as long as possible shall we? Intereasting the penny dropped and Severus knew why he hadn't got her letter. Luna had told her but I guess she wasn't listening. I give up! Snapes blaming himself for being a jerk but she isn't blaming herself for anything at all. She didn't do anything wrong.
"What- an- idiot!" Hermione. How long did it take you to realize he didn't know.
I'm going back to Hermione's visit to St. Mungo's. Is she that thick? Did she hear Luna say he didn't get her letter, or at least take the hint that he may not have gotten her letter, the same as Minerva, and that she was wrong? Now she has a chance to do something about it and it doesn't seemed to have crossed her mind.
Poor Severus. I don't remember reading any stories where I liked Severus and thought Hermione was the idiot. Good original plot, just uncomfortable.
She didn't want to give up the parties and her work for Severus, but she has because she had his baby. Now, she's just lonely while giving them up. And it was all unecessry. He jumping to the conclusion that she left him for someone else, and she to he conclusion that he couldn't change.
You never even gave him a second chance to know he was wrong. Was it worth it Hermione, in the scope of things?
Did you think you were going to find someone else who understood you better and loved you more?
You could have been pregnant while with Severus and had a baby together.
There needs to be a smiley for="Self Absorbed!"
I'll think about it????
I had written a novel sized review after the last chapter but I hit one wrong button and lost it. Damn!!! I think I spent an hour and a half going back and researching the story so that I could review all the chapters I'd missed at the same time.
She needed to put chapter 14 in a pensive.
As for this
"Hermione was thrown. Not only had Severus left Spinner’s End to help find a cure for Minerva, he was also back at Hogwarts. After all that time spent in New Mills, avoiding the wizarding world and holing himself up like a hermit, he was back in the public eye in a way she would never have anticipated. She wondered what it all meant." 
I'll tell you what it all means, little sister. It means you jumped the gun when you went off in a huff! You never worried about any one elses pain but your own, including the man you claimed to love.
I am sorry to be so bitter toward her for your sake. I don't blame the story or think the story is lame. I'm just pissed off at Hermione, still have a migrain and should be in bed, because I have to go to work tomorrow, but I can't stop reading your story.
Please forgive me for not spell checking.
Goodbye Severus???? Hermione stared up into his face. It shocked her to realise that she didn’t truly know the man before her. He was more complex and insecure than she had ever imagined, and he wouldn’t change, not ever.
She's his first relationship in his entire life and he is her first love. How does she know he won't change, ever.( 
Know-it- All) I will say, OK he is being a really big prick, a huge bastard and a fuck up. He has really hurt you with this.
However, he already has changed by having his first relationship this late in his life.
She knows she is the first person he has ever trusted like, this doesn't she?
I know she's hurt and doesn't think he really loves her right now, but I dont feel like she was ever really committed to a long term relationship with him. He was handy and helped her get over the war. I guess she was on a war just rebound.
She sure made up her mind rather abruptly!
Only a few momments ago she was declairing her deep love for him. Maybe what she should really say is, "he's just too complex and insecure for her to waste any more of her time on."
Is she sweet little Hermione who just accepts him as he is, loving him so unconditionally. Or, is she just not willing to take the time to work on a relationsip with Severus Snape. She doesn't seemed to have warned him that this, not going places with her, was becoming a deal breaker for her.
Has she ever brought up the fact that it bothers her that he never says he love her?
This is his first relationship in his entire life for a reason. Of course, she is young and after all he isn't her husband, he's just a "boyfriend".
I don't know what she means though, when she says she's shocked and doesn't know this man.
He's been a mean tempered git since the first time she met him when she was 11, and she just now realized he has a tendancy to jump to the worst possible conclusions when he's worreid or up set, and that he has serious anger management problems?
If she truly loves him as much as she says, I think she should have told him what the deal breakers were and given him a chance to prove himself.
He's already pissed off right now, as it is. So she can tell him what needs to happen if he wants to keep her then leave him to stew and think about how much he is willing to do to keep her.
I've been with the same man three times the number of years I was single or 3 times longer than I was alive when we first got together. You don't get to have a lifetime mate unless you give people a chance to work on their issues before you bail for good. I don't think Hermione had ever intended to spend her entire life with Severus.
After 5 years, I think she would have pressed him a little harder to work things out sooner.
Snape is being a real shit. Yes he just falsly accussed her. However, ‘I understand, witch,’ he whispered. ‘I wouldn’t want to stay with me either.’ Is this the hint of the century or what? He can't imagine why she had wanted to be with him in the first place. From chapt. 11-'I missed you, you know. After you “died.”’ Hermione made quotation marks with her free hand and looked into his face. ‘I had no idea you meant so much to me, until I thought you were gone forever.’
She was looking at him with expectation. Severus shrugged.
“I don’t know what you want me to say, Hermione,’ he sighed. ‘Whatever you see in me is misguided. I have nothing to offer.’
This is so sad.
I'm sorry for not keeping up on my reviews for each chapter, but I've had a migraine all weekend. I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about all that I've read so far. I hope they work this out.
about time! I should have been in bed two hours ago but I couldn't leave it on such a sad note.
This isn't a good sign guys.
Poor Severus. She didn't give him much of a choice without him rejecting her outright. But he doesn't have a chance in hell of coming away unscathed. Will it be worth it? I hope Hermione doesn't let me down. She on a war rebound which is worse than a Ronnald Weasely rebound. She says she needs him. Does she know what she's asking from him? I really don't think so. If he's in for a penny, he's in for a pound. Severus Snape does nothing in the middle. I hope Hermione see's that.
I'm very happy she has given Severus a garden. I hope she isn't leading him on. She seems very young here. I know that in a story this long there are usually some bumps in the road to love, but I never look forward to them. The story is sweet and filling me with anticipation of them becoming a couple.
I know Snape will keep her secret. And I think Snape is going to get a friend. Will it turn into a romance or will it bite him in the butt just like he probably expects it to?
I hope Hermione is trying to figure out how to get Snape back as much as he's trying to get her back.
I assume Severus will keep Hermione's secret. It's not Snepelike to gossip. But he'll think about what Minerva has said and will feel duty bound to check on "the girl". I wonder who will contact who first. I am also assuming that Hermione isn't using her wand so that she can't be traced back to this place by the Ministry knowing her wand has been used. When she uses it in Diagon Alley doing little insignificant spells, is just no one paying attention because of where the magic is being cast and mainly only notice it when it's in a Muggle area? Could the Ministry have found Hermione, Harry and Ron the last year of the war by following thier wands? 