Competition

A/N: Thanks to everyone who is reading, and especially to those who are reviewing. It always makes my day to get an alert that I have a review! Thanks, as always, to Cat (quaffswinegaily) for the Britpick. Of course, I once again tweaked it after she Britpicked, so please forgive any Americanisms that might have sneaked back in.

Chapter 9: Competition

By mid-afternoon, Hermione was relaxing in bed with Severus. He had somehow made it sound perfectly reasonable for them to spend the day shagging like bunnies while they waited to hear back from Bill. Severus was currently dozing beside her, apparently needing to recover for a bit after the activities of the past few hours. Slipping out of bed, Hermione pulled on his dressing gown, which she had spied draped across the foot of the bed. She was just heading for the loo when the Floo flared in the sitting room. Reversing direction, she hastily transfigured the dressing gown into a Muggle dress and went to see who was there.

Minerva called, "Severus?"

"Hi, Minerva," Hermione replied. "Severus isn't available just now. We were just waiting to hear back from Bill Weasley. How is the Headmaster?"

"The same, Hermione," Minerva said, sounding tired. Hermione was a little relieved. If Minerva hadn't been so weary, she probably would have wondered why Severus would leave Hermione alone in his private quarters. Hermione had a strong suspicion that such behaviour was unusual for the ex-spy. She forced her attention back to the Deputy Headmistress, who was asking, "Do you think Bill will be able to help?"

"We hope so. We think we've discovered what happened, and we think Bill may have more information about how to counter it."

"Let's hope so. Have you heard from Harry or Ron?"

Hermione started guiltily. She hadn't even thought to notify her friends that they had figured out what happened. Severus was proving to be very distracting. "No, I haven't. I should contact them so we can all get up to date on our progress." Her stomach growled, and she felt herself flush with embarrassment.

Minerva frowned. "Did you get caught up and skip lunch? You need to keep your strength up, Hermione."

"Yes, well, you know how I get when I'm involved in research," Hermione managed.

"I'll have the house-elves bring you something."

"Have them bring something for Severus, too, will you please? I don't think he thought to eat, either." Unless you counted ... well, no, that certainly didn't count, did it?

She forced her attention back to the conversation. "Certainly, dear. You two are so alike in some ways," Minerva mused aloud, with a small smile, then shook her head. "I'll let you know if Bill arrives. Please keep me posted on your progress."

"Of course, Minerva."

The older woman disappeared from the fireplace, and Hermione turned to go back into the bedroom, only to discover Severus leaning against the doorframe. He was wearing nothing more than black flannel pyjama trousers, and Hermione's heart skipped a beat at how utterly, perfectly sexy he looked. "Severus, you startled me!" Hermione said lightly. "How long have you been standing there?"

"A few minutes," Severus said, shrugging languidly. "Is that my dressing gown?"

"Er ... yes?" Hermione replied sheepishly. He raised an eyebrow. "Minerva was at the Floo and I didn't have time to get dressed. I'll change it back."

"Of course you will," Severus said. "Or I could do it for you." He straightened and took a step toward her. With a flick of his wand, the dress became a dressing gown once more. Then, with a flick of his wrist, the belt was tugged open.

"Again?" Hermione asked, caught off guard but amused and aroused despite herself. "You didn't tell me you were insatiable," she said, shivering slightly when he began nibbling on her neck.

"I could hardly be expected to tell you something I didn't know," Severus pointed out logically.

"You mean to tell me you were never insatiable before?"

"Never," he insisted against her collarbone. "Now, we probably have limited time before someone else comes looking for us. Do you really want to spend it on conversation?"

"No, I suppose not," Hermione replied as she pushed him back into the bedroom, leaving the much-abused dressing gown in a heap on the floor.

"If we don't appear at dinner, Minerva is sure to come looking for us," Hermione argued, once again adorned in his dressing gown as she stood, hands on hips, glaring at him.

Severus had every intention of appearing at dinner, but he was too thoroughly enjoying provoking Hermione to admit it just yet. Who could have predicted how much fun it would be to tease her like this? He said dismissively, "We'll tell her we're at a critical stage in our research. She's too worried about Albus to question it."

"No, she's not," Hermione replied indignantly. "She noticed we weren't at lunch and she specifically told me to be sure to take care of myself properly. She's sure to come looking if we aren't at dinner. And why haven't we heard from Bill yet?" she demanded, as though Severus was somehow to blame.

"I assume he's looking for information before he replies," Severus said. "Come back to bed."

She glared at him. "I'm not letting you talk me back into bed, Severus. We have to be ready when Bill replies. And what about Harry and Ron? We haven't even told them our theory about what happened!"

"They'll be here after dinner. We'll tell them then. In the meantime ..."

"In the meantime, we're getting dressed and going to dinner in the Great Hall," Hermione interjected firmly.

"I'm feeling rather wrung out," Severus said as seriously as he could manage. "You've been so demanding all day that I can't even muster the energy to get out of bed. I'm not some young buck, you know."

"Severus!" Hermione protested; he half-expected her to stamp her foot. She must have caught the amusement in his expression, because suddenly she smiled slyly. "Severus," she said, in a cajoling tone that shot straight to his groin. "If you have any hope at all that I'll come back here after our meeting and get back in that bed with you, you'd better be ready to go to dinner in five minutes."

He stared at her, trying to gauge her level of determination. "All right, fine. I'll be ready in five minutes." Her smile turned smug. "But only because I always planned to go to dinner anyway," he added. Hermione just rolled her eyes.

Bill Weasley swaggered into Hogwarts in the way only a cursebreaker could carry off. He arrived just as dinner was winding down in the Great Hall; his entrance still managed to be dramatic, Hermione thought affectionately as she watched him pause in the doorway and sweep the room with his eyes until they lit on her.

"Hermione!" he called, making a beeline for her. She stood to greet him. "You should have contacted me earlier," he chided. He kissed her cheek and hugged her in greeting. "Where's my little brother?"

"He's due for a meeting in half an hour," Severus interjected, sounding annoyed, before Hermione had a chance to answer. "The headmaster assembled the team he wanted," he added.

"Still," Hermione said, shooting a warning look at Severus, "we're glad you're here now. Aren't we, Severus?"

Severus appeared to think about it, and Hermione was tempted to kick him. "It depends," he finally said. "Did you bring anything helpful?"

Hermione had to restrain herself from hexing Severus, but fortunately, Bill just laughed. "As sociable as ever, I see, Severus. Good to know that some things never change."

"Have you eaten, Bill? I'm sure we can get you something if you haven't," Hermione said.

"No, thanks, I'm fine," Bill replied. "Mum's been sending over more food than we know what to do with lately, what with Fleur not feeling up to cooking."

Hermione smiled. "Last I heard, Fleur didn't like cooking in the first place."

"She doesn't," Bill laughed. "But now she has an excuse Mum finds acceptable, so she's been milking it while it lasts."

Hermione laughed with Bill. "Good for her," Hermione said.

"If you two are quite finished socialising," Severus sneered, "we have work to do."

"Right. I probably ought to have a look in the Pensieve, so perhaps the Headmaster's office first?"

"We moved the Pensieve to Severus's office," Hermione said. "It was more convenient than running back up to Albus's office every time we thought of something else to check."

"Lead the way," Bill replied so cheerfully that it took most of Severus's willpower to restrain the sudden urge to hex him.

Severus watched the easy interaction between Bill and Hermione, wishing the cursebreaker anywhere else in the world. An odd reaction, he thought, considering he had always found the eldest Weasley to be the most tolerable of the lot. Rather acceptable for a Gryffindor, all in all.

Now, suddenly, he found himself disliking the way the younger man teased and flirted with Hermione, and the way she giggled and blushed in response. He had a nearly overwhelming urge to throw her over his shoulder and carry her back to his private quarters, where he would be pleased to remind her exactly who she should – and shouldn't – be flirting with.

He forced himself to remain outwardly impassive, however, since he knew Fleur Weasley kept her husband on a tight leash, and anyway, Hermione didn't strike him as the type to get involved with a married man or to flirt with someone while sleeping with someone else.

Still, they were too friendly for his taste. They had watched the Headmaster's Pensieve memory a few times already, and now their heads were bent close together as they examined Hermione's transcription of the song the children had been singing that morning.

Finally, Bill asked, "You're sure this is the exact wording?"

"Yes, Severus and I both agreed it's correct," Hermione replied confidently.

Bill glanced at Severus, who nodded confirmation. "We each wrote it out as soon as we got back to Hogwarts, then compared. We independently wrote identical verses."

"All right," Bill said, standing up. "Let's go back to Shell Cottage and see what we can find in the kids' nursery rhymes."

"Okay, let's go."

"Have you forgot we're expecting Tweedledum and Tweedledee at any moment?" Severus asked.

"Oh. Right," Bill said. "When are they supposed to be here?"

"Twenty minutes ago," Hermione replied, sounding annoyed.

"Well, only one of us needs to wait here," Bill pointed out. "Why don't two of us go ahead, and the third can bring them along when they arrive?"

Severus stood, determined that Hermione and Bill would not be going anywhere without him. Therefore, there was only one viable possibility. "Hermione should wait here, while you and I go ahead." Hermione appeared ready to protest, but Severus said, "For two reasons – first, I've never been to Shell Cottage, while you have, so it makes more sense for me to go with Bill. And perhaps more importantly, it's never a good idea to leave me alone with those particular young men. Or have you forgot their behaviour in our recent meetings?"

"What do you mean their behaviour?" Hermione asked pointedly. "I'd say you were all acting like idiots. I don't know why I expected better from you." She glared at him. "However, your point is nevertheless valid. Go ahead and I'll follow with Harry and Ron, if they ever get here."