Part Two: Passion

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.

A/N – This was written about three years ago and was originally posted as two parts. It is now in three parts, and after editing out the bits I didn't like and altering things to my current tastes, I am now reposting this here and at other archives. I hope you enjoy this and rest assured I am working on something new.

A big hug and the most indulgent and expensive chocolate truffles must go to WriterMerrin for rescuing this story and making the suggestion of posting it in three parts. Thank you so much, my dear – I'd be lost without you!

Hermione Apparated to the courtyard just before the entrance to Diagon Alley, walking into the pub and straight to Tom the barman. 'The Red Room please, Tom. I'm meeting Severus Snape,' she said kindly.

'Right you are, Miss Granger,' he said with a broad grin, leading the way.

She followed until they were faced with finely polished mahogany doors, and he left without further comment. She knocked confidently on the door and waited for it to either open or for permission to open it herself. She heard footsteps coming towards the door, and soon after, it opened to reveal a pale Severus Snape, dressed only in black slacks, a white shirt and black waistcoat. His eyes were dark, face haggard and showing signs of not having enough sleep, eyes slightly bloodshot, and he looked as though he hadn't shaved for a few days.

'Come in, Miss Granger,' he said, stepping aside and letting her pass.

She nodded and walked inside to find the fire gently crackling, surprised when Snape took her coat and scarf from her and gently draped them over the back of a chair with his own robes and coat.

'Please, have a seat,' he said, gesturing at those before the fire. 'You must be cold.'

When Hermione heard the strain in his voice, she felt her argument and annoyance at him dissipate. He had really been killing himself over this for the last week, and it appeared that he felt really guilty for his deception. Forgiving him without words, she sat, and only afterwards did he take a seat across from her.

'Miss Granger, I know you understand exactly why it is me that you are meeting here today, and I am truly sorry,' he began.

Hermione cut him off with a wave of her hand. 'Never mind, Professor, it really didn't bother me. I was surprised, I'll admit, but no lasting damage. I will accept your apology and forgive you; however, none of this was necessary.'

Snape sighed with relief. 'Thank you, I appreciate that.'

'Well, is that all you wanted to discuss?' she asked, looking him in the eye.

'Yes, although seeing as you are here, you might join me for lunch,' he offered, smiling wearily at her.

Boy, she thought, he really must be tired if he's smiling at you. She nodded, and they moved to the dining table to where a Sunday roast lunch was waiting for them. It looked delicious, and their conversation was polite and courteous, despite the circumstances under which their meeting was derived.

After they had finished, Snape escorted Hermione to her coat and helped her put it on, handing her the ruby-red scarf before donning his own coats. He walked with her back to the courtyard that she had come from and prepared to bid her a pleasant week before Apparating away. But when she paused and rested a hand on his forearm to stop him, it caused him to pause also, looking at her with a stunned expression.

'Umm... Professor, I hope you do not find me too forward, but I was wondering if you would go with me as my date to the Ministry Christmas Ball. I have to go, and I'd rather not be fed to the sharks alone...' she asked, fumbling with her words.

He smirked at that and took her hand in one of his. 'It would be a pleasure, Miss Granger,' he said politely. 'When would you like me to collect you?'

'Well, it's on Saturday, so maybe seven? Is that alright?' she asked.

'Fine,' he said. 'Until then...' he added, kissing her knuckles smoothly before Apparating away.

Hermione was left in the courtyard alone, still in quite a daze at their exchange. She had asked Snape out on a date? He had accepted? Was the world gong completely mental? She certainly hoped she had not just been dreaming it all up... for his sake.

--

The Granger house was in havoc. Hermione had been rushing around all day, looking for everything to make sure all was perfect for the ball. She had found the perfect dress and shoes and had decided to wear her hair simply, pinned back loosely in a few places and spilling in curls down her back. Her dress was a strapped, black number that clung to her trim figure and hugged her ample curves, falling loosely at all different lengths to her knees, with the back lacing down in a webbed pattern from shoulder blades to waist.

After taking a bath, applying all the necessary charms for her hair and dashing on some natural make-up, she had hardly finished dressing before she heard the doorbell ring at exactly seven o'clock. Was that man ever late for anything? Groaning, she slipped her wand into the black, lacy garter around her thigh and pulled her shoes on before hurrying down the stairs.

She composed herself quickly and opened the door, only to be nearly shocked out of her skin. Before her stood Severus Snape looking the handsomest she had ever seen him. His dress robes were simple and black, with a white dress shirt and silver waistcoat, but his hair secured at the nape of his neck.

'Hi,' she managed to squeak.

'You look lovely; may I come in?' he said.

She nodded and moved aside to let him in. Once the door was closed, she went to her cupboard and collected her white, winter dress coat, which went to her knees and secured with stylish buttons. Snape held it out for her to slip into it, and she picked up two simple silver masks that would only cover the top half of their faces.

'It's a Masque Ball this year,' she explained, although he probably already knew. 'I'm glad it matches your robes. You look nice.'

He admired the way her cheeks tinged pink as she said this. Obviously, she was not very experienced with delivering any sort of compliments, so he took pity on her and accepted the mask, putting it on. It was a perfect fit. She did the same with hers, and they were soon ready to leave.

'Are you ready?' he asked smoothly.

'Yes,' she answered.

He smiled and took her hand, bringing it to his lips and letting them caress her knuckles momentarily before he released it and held an arm out for her. She accepted it and held onto him tightly as he Apparated both of them to the Ministry Grand Ballroom reception hall. Hermione and Snape had their names marked off on the invite list and entered arm-in-arm.

The hall was spectacular. It was not overly Christmassy, and the large crystal chandelier in the centre above the dance floor was simply breathtaking. Hermione felt her mouth go slack when she saw the large, singular Christmas tree towards the stage, just off to the left. It was ornate, sparkling with its own light, and glistening with various ornaments. She had never seen anything quite so lovely.

'I never had a tree like that at home,' she murmured softly.

Snape chuckled dryly. 'I can't imagine anyone would. Where would they find the space to put it?' he asked with a smirk.

Hermione smiled back at his subtle teasing, left a little breathless from the smirk he had surprised her with. 'Did you ever have a tree when you were a child?' she asked carefully, knowing that he was sensitive about his past.

'Yes, and my parents still do,' he said quietly. 'I visit them every year.'

'That's lovely,' she said, her voice changing a little. She felt more than a little bit down that she would not be able to celebrate Christmas with her parents again.

'I think they would like you,' he offered simply, noticing her sudden change in mood. 'I'm sure my mother wouldn't mind the company of a woman on Christmas day. What do you say?'

Hermione smiled and felt tears well up in her eyes slightly. Taking his hand, she gave it a gentle yet firm squeeze. 'I would love to spend Christmas day with you and your family,' she answered. 'But only if it is not an imposition.'

He shook his head no, and that was the last that was said about her Christmas visit.

After a while, Snape finally found the fortitude to ask her for a dance, and they swept onto the dance floor like a pair that had been dancing with each other for years. One of his hands rested on the bare skin of her back, full contact prevented by the damnable lacings there, while his one hand held hers tightly as they waltzed amongst the other dancers. It felt so right to Hermione, and with his body pressed so firmly to hers, she could hardly complain about hating the ball.

'You dance well, Miss Granger,' he commented.

'If you can't presume to call me Hermione by now, when can you?' she asked, flushing slightly, despite her confident words.

'Very well, Hermione,' he said silkily. 'Though I still stand by my statement, you are an excellent dance partner.'

'Thank you, Severus, you dance rather well yourself,' she said, blushing as he twirled her out and brought her back sharply before dipping her over his arm at the end of the song.

He inclined his head and thanked her for the dance, wishing he could keep touching her for just a little longer. The next dance started, and by silent agreement, they took up their positions and joined in the box-step. But when that song had finished, Hermione was well and truly ready for a drink.

Severus, being the gentleman he was, told Hermione to go find herself a seat while he got her a drink. He returned with a glass of white wine and a Firewhiskey for himself, and by which time, the speeches for the night were ready to be made. They always arranged for the speeches to be early so that they were out of the way before anyone got too tired or too drunk to deliver them. Snape took a seat next to Hermione, handing her the drink as he did so. He noticed the scowl on Hermione's face as two people in dress robes and wearing red and gold masks sauntered onto the stage to deliver their speeches.

Hermione, after the war, had been in constant disagreement with both Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. They didn't talk any more, but she did write occasionally to both Ginny Potter and Luna Weasley and sent birthday and Christmas presents to them and their kids. Snape noticed the sour look and decided that he'd rather see her smiling.

He leaned towards her and whispered. 'Imagine if they fell and smacked their little heads,' he said, sending warm breath down her neck.

She shivered. Gods, that voice could cure anything. She turned and smiled at him in appreciation, taking his hand boldly, which he allowed. She held it tightly, taking comfort from him as they sat and listened to all of the speeches. Snape, meanwhile, revelled in the fact that he was able to bring her such comfort, especially while her so-called best friends were more foreign to Hermione than he.

When the speeches finally ended, they stood and did all of the mandatory mingling with various witches and wizards they knew of or were acquainted with. Eventually, that even meant having to greet and chat with the other two-thirds of the former Gryffindor Trio and their lovely wives.

'Hermione, it's so lovely to see you again!' Ginny Potter exclaimed. 'It really has been too long.'

Hermione gave her once-best-girlfriend a hug as well as Luna and received pats on the back from both of the boys. 'Harry, Ron, your speeches were very... interesting this year,' Hermione said politely.

Snape could tell she was lying because once she had finished speaking, her bottom lip pinched between her teeth for a moment. He noticed these little things about her, which just went to show how much attention those two boys had ever paid to Hermione. She was the one deserving of all of it, and she got the least of it.

'Who's your date, 'Mione?' asked Ron.

Snape hesitated for a moment before extending a hand to the boy, just because he was polite. 'Evening, Weasley, Potter,' he said as he shook the stunned redhead's hand firmly, and then shook Harry's also.

'Hermione, you came with him?' Ron demanded incredulously once he had snapped out of his daze.

'Yes, I did, Ronald, and I don't see how that is any of your concern,' Hermione snipped, resting a hand on Snape's arm gently.

'Too right it is!' Harry defended, loudly. 'You're our best friend...'

'I WAS your best friend, Harry, and you too, Ron. But we aren't anymore, and you both know it,' she snapped icily. 'Have a nice life, you lot.'

Hermione turned on her heel and walked off in an unknown direction. Snape watched her fleeing form for just a moment before he turned on the two dunderheads that had caused her hasty retreat.

'You two idiots owe her an apology,' he said darkly. 'You might not care all that much about her now, but you were once great friends. If not, then at least be gentlemen and think twice about treating a lady so abominably.'

Snape turned abruptly then also and headed in the direction that Hermione had walked only moments ago. After about ten minutes, he found her on the empty balcony with her back to the door. He gave her a couple more minutes before he finally slipped over quietly and rested his large, warm hands on her bare shoulders. She was freezing, so he took off his jacket and draped it around her. She turned to look around and up at him with a single tear sliding down her cheek. Slowly, he brushed it away with the pad of his thumb.

'I've had quite enough of this farce,' he admitted with a small smile. 'Let's leave. I'll take you home.'

Hermione nodded but then paused just before they could leave the balcony; she rested a hand on his chest, sliding it up the silky material and pausing to rub along his collarbone through his shirt. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down slowly and then pressing her lips flush against his. After recovering from his initial shock, he smiled into this kiss, tightening his hold around her. He pressed back against her lips hungrily, licking her bottom lip sensuously before snaking it past her perfect teeth when she opened her mouth to him.

It was the most perfect kiss she had ever experienced. She felt loved, cared for and desired all in that one kiss. He tasted like the Firewhiskey he had been sporting, and to him, she tasted like honey, sweet and pure and a little bit like the alcoholic beverage she had been drinking also. Eventually, he pulled away for air, both panting heavily and flushed, lips parted and glistening.

'You're so beautiful,' he murmured, pressing his forehead to hers.

She closed her eyes and knew in that moment that she loved him, more than she ever thought possible. 'Please, take me home,' she pleaded. 'I don't want to be here with these people. I want to be at home with you.'

'Hermione, I would love nothing more than to go home with you,' he said, taking her by the hand and leading her through the string of crowds towards the exit.

Once they had collected their coats, Snape Apparated them to her house, and they had hardly stepped inside before they were all over each other again. Their hands mapped out each other's bodies as they stole kisses in between the removal of items of their clothing on the way up the stairs. In her bedroom, she freed him from his shirt and pants, and he lifted her dress over her head, and then they were even.

It was in desperation that they ripped each other's undergarments off and tossed them across the room before falling onto the bed in a panting, naked mass. They teased each other to the point where they couldn't control themselves any longer, and he entered her quickly. After a while they established a rhythm before he pounded into her with everything he had, and they toppled over the edge together.

Later, they lay sated and exhausted amongst the covers on her bed. Her body wound around his tightly, and he cradled her to him. Resting his head just above her head which was on his chest, he smiled and closed his eyes. He was in love with Hermione Granger, and with her lying there in his arms, he thought that she just might be able to love him back.

--

Hermione Granger rolled over in her bed, feeling slightly sore, but at the same time, extremely satisfied. She came into contact with a long, firm body and opened her eyes lazily to see dark hair and pale skin on display before her. Images of the night before came racing back to her mind, and she smiled brightly, remembering not only how much pleasure he had brought to her, but how he had whimpered at her touch also. His eyes were still closed, and his body shifted then to curl around hers, one of his long arms coming over her possessively.

She couldn't, for the life of her, remember why she hadn't done something about this earlier. She had wanted to, of course, but she had needed that little bit longer to get to know the tall, dark Potions Master. And now that she had him, she was never going to let him get away.

'Good morning,' a husky voice said softly into her ear.

She looked up and saw deep black eyes gazing at her adoringly. 'Good morning,' she replied, leaning up languidly and kissing him on the lips gently, her breasts brushing his bare chest.

He groaned slightly and sighed. 'Keep doing that, and we'll never make it out of this bed today,' he warned with a growl against her neck as he kissed the tender flesh there.

'Ooh... that's kind of the ahhh... point,' she gaped out as his hands caressed her body while his lips suckled on her neck, making her squirm in need.

Her body demanded more, and he willingly complied until they both saw stars, and they remained in bed for quite some time afterwards. Eventually they managed to drag themselves out of bed and into her bathtub, only to repeat their lovemaking in there as well. Hermione paused to muse that her dark lover was certainly insatiable.

'God, we're good,' she murmured to him as they descended from their climaxes.

'Indeed we are,' he agreed, shifting and rising from the tub and Summoning towels to them with a crook of his long, talented fingers. 'Come, I want to dry you.'

She complied immediately and allowed him the liberty of drying every bit of skin he could, enjoying the way he worshipped every expanse of skin as he did so. After, she returned the favour, drying him from top to bottom slowly, and they wrapped the towels around themselves before heading into the other room to change. Hermione handed Snape a white bathrobe for starters, until she could find him something to wear, and she pulled on a green sweater and comfy jeans, donning her slippers.

'What would you like for breakfast? I'm starving, so I could make just about anything right now,' she said as they walked to the kitchen downstairs.

'Anything you have the heart to make, my dear,' he said, following but keeping a possessive hand on her back.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. 'Well then I think blueberry pancakes wouldn't go too amiss,' she said with a small smile, practically bouncing ahead of him into the other room.

Snape smirked and watched her, wondering just what he had done to deserve this. Surely he hadn't done anything so spectacular to have the woman he loved in his life. Not to mention the woman who was currently doing her best to please him and one that he wanted to please just as equally. Leaning against the doorframe, he watched her bustle about the kitchen looking for things.

'Would you like some help?'

She looked over him and flashed him an adoring smile. 'That would be wonderful, Severus,' she answered, holding out a hand to him.

He didn't need to have the offer repeated.

--

Snape walked through the snow with his arms wrapped around himself in an effort to keep warm. He sensed that the wards for the house were down for the time being and let himself inside the front door after scuffing the snow from his shoes. He'd Apparated from his house earlier into the town just so that he could enjoy the walk up to Hermione's house, but had instead caught a chill.

'Hermione, I'm here!' he called out up the stairs.

'Come on up!' she answered immediately.

He smiled, something he had been doing a lot more of lately, and followed the sound of her humming voice as it floated down the stairs. She actually had quite a sweet singing voice, he'd discovered, as he quite regularly woke to the sound of her singing in the shower. Something that he had not thought possible only a week and a half before.

'I need your help with something,' he heard her say once he had reached the top and was just beyond her bedroom door. 'You can help me choose what to wear.'

He stood in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame with his arms folded over his chest. 'I'm sure my parents won't be too bothered by what you wear as long as it covers most of your body,' he said, eyeing her in her black, lacy knickers and bra before him.

Hermione smiled when she saw that he was wearing nice cream pants, a white cotton shirt and a dark green sweater, his long black winter coat over the top. 'You look lovely like that, Severus,' she commented.

'And you look lovely in that,' he returned swiftly. 'Pity I can't just take you as you are.'

Hermione threw her brush at him as she pulled a white blouse on and did up the buttons and flicked her wand to summon her nice black pants and beige, v-neck sweater. Once she was dressed, she cast a drying spell on her hair and glanced in the mirror to make sure that it was falling in curls instead of puffing out like an untamed bush. Satisfied, she crossed to Snape and wound her arms around his neck.

'I missed you,' she offered before proceeding to snog him thoroughly.

When she pulled away, his eyes were darkened with desire, and she had the urge to pull him into the room and shag him for the rest of the day. But propriety and her desire to make a good impression on his parents made her decide against it and simply brush her lips across his again.

'Happy Christmas, dearest heart,' he murmured provocatively, closing his eyes and leaning his forehead against hers.

'Happy Christmas to you too,' she said, closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling of being in his arms.

'We should go now; my parents are quite eager to meet you,' he said, thinking about what their expressions might be when they saw him with such a beautiful young lady. 'And we wouldn't want to keep them waiting.'

'Of course not,' she replied, releasing him. 'So what am I being introduced as?'

'Hermione Granger, Apothecarist and Order of Merlin, First Class,' he answered simply, getting her white winter coat out of the closet downstairs for her and helping her put it on.

'Oh.'

'And of course as the young woman that I am...' He trailed off there, unable to continue because he didn't even know what they were. 'What are we, Hermione?'

'We are two of a kind,' she said. 'And I hope that we are exclusive.'

'You want to be – you want to date me?' he asked, obviously shocked. 'I didn't think you wanted that type of relationship.'

'You don't?'

'I do, with you, but I can't understand exactly why you would choose me over so many of the young men that fancy you, and just in my class,' he murmured, looking at the floor.

'They are hardly men, Severus,' she sniffed. 'Besides, I like older men; they're more intellectually and physically mature – more experienced.'

'I can agree with that,' he said smugly, wrapping an arm around her and resting it on her hip as they walked together to the front door to Apparate to his parents' home in Wales. 'And I would like for us to be exclusive also.'

'There now, we've both got the right idea,' she said with a smile.

They Apparated soon after and found they were standing in a foot of snow at the front gates of a reasonably large estate. Hermione looked up ahead of them at the end of the road and saw Snape Manor in its entire splendour, at least a three-storey high building, with the rest of it stretched out across the vast, snow-covered plains. She was sure that there would have been a visible road and gardens had it not been winter.

Severus gazed at the amazed look on her features and revelled inwardly that it was a part of him that had brought her that. He took her hand in his and led the way up the road to the main house, feeling good about the knowledge that his love was with him for this Christmas.

'Severus, you have to go back to teaching next Wednesday, don't you?' she asked softly from beside him.

Of course the College had been put on hold for a little while for the Christmas Season and New Years', but Snape would have to return to teaching when the College year resumed after vacation. Then he would have to go back to being the cranky git who taught Potions and was horrid to Hermione. 'Yes,' he answered simply.

'Will we still be... that is to say, do you want this,' she gestured between them, 'after we return back to our normal lives?' she asked hesitantly, afraid of what he was going to say to her.

'Do you want to continue seeing me?' he asked simply.

'I would love nothing more, Severus,' she answered immediately, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.

'You understand that as a professor of the College, technically, you are my student, and therefore I am obligated to treat you indifferently on campus?' he asked, knowing that she would somehow understand.

'I... I know,' she said reluctantly. 'But I can't promise to like it.'

'I think I can handle that, dearest heart,' he said, pulling her to his side and resting his hand on her hip carelessly.

They walked that way all the way up to the main house. Once they were through the huge front doors, Snape helped Hermione out of her winter jacket and took off his own, handing them to one of the house-elves before taking her hand again and leading them up the first lot of stairs. They went left down a hallway and soon approached a set of doors that were made of mahogany and had a nice pattern stained into it.

'They are just inside this door, Hermione,' he warned her softly, leaning down to whisper in her ear. 'Are you sure this is what you want? Are you sure that you want this kind of relationship with me?'

'Severus, I want you! Not some stupid, immature boy. We are perfect for each other, so don't try to say that this isn't right,' she insisted, kissing his cheek gently and running her fingers through his hair. 'I don't want to argue about this ever again, alright?'

'I wasn't aware that we were having an argument.'

Hermione smiled. 'Well, technically we were having a disagreement, but it all constitutes as an argument when two people have a difference of opinion,' she answered in a know-it-all tone.

He chuckled. 'Let's go in then.'

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