Needing More Than His Duty

Disclaimer: I'm just playing with J.K.R.'s characters for a little while. I'll Scourgify them and Floo them home later.

I want to say thanks to my brilliant beta, Charmed_Nay. She's always busy with work, yet she finds time to read through my chapters. Cheers, dear.

Hermione sipped her drink as she listened to Harry and Draco's conversation about Quidditch. She was quite bored with it, as they'd been talking about it most of the night. She glanced towards Snape to find him watching her intently. He wanted her. It was plainly evident. So much so that she wondered how Draco and Harry couldn't see it.

Feeling particularly naughty, she slid lower in her chair, kicked off her shoe, and reached out with her foot, finding his leg. His eyes widened momentarily, but his expression returned to normal.

"I'll bet you like the Bats, eh, Snape?" Harry asked, slurring with intoxication.

Snapping his head to look at Harry, Severus asked, "What's that supposed to mean, Potter?"

"Oh, only that..."

"Er, Harry," Draco interrupted, "didn't you want to go out and show me that move you've learned?"

"Now?" Harry asked incredulously, looking down at his nearly empty glass.

"Why not?" Draco asked with a shrug.

"Yesssss," Severus hissed as Hermione's foot finally made its way to his crotch to rub his hardening bulge. Catching himself, he corrected, "Yes, why not?"

Hermione hid her smirk behind her goblet, continuing to move her foot slowly, enjoying the pleased glint in Severus' eyes. Suddenly, Harry gasped, frightening Hermione into thinking she'd been caught.

"Yes," Draco said, "my grandfather's father saved the memories all these years. My father found the Pensieve in one of our dungeons, and he let me watch it."

"Well, I'm glad we don't use a Snidget any longer. I don't know if I'd feel right about it," Harry said.

Draco nodded. "The poor little Snidget shot up and down the pitch, seeking a means of escape, but the wizards in the crowd forced it back with Repelling Spells." He smirked. "Nothing we can do about it now though. So want to go at it then? Er... on the pitch I mean."

"Well, all right then," Harry said, still unconvinced that it was a good idea. "Coming, Mione?"

"We'll stay here," Severus answered for her.

She straightened up, taking her foot from his lap, and put down her drink. "I think it's a bit dangerous, Harry. You've had a bit much to drink and will likely kill yourself."

"All the more reason for him to go," Severus said in dislike.

"Shove off, Snape, you great bloody water!" He shook his head and snorted with laughter. "I mean to say... you great bloody wanker!"

"Why, you insolent little..."

"Stop!" Draco said, diving to pull Severus back while Hermione put her arms around Harry. "Maybe we could all use a walk. We've been drinking for a couple of hours and could use it to sober up." He slipped his flask into a pocket in his robes.

Hermione saw a knowing look exchange between Severus and Draco. He's set this up. He wanted Draco here to distract Harry. She downed the last of her goblet. She should have known that he would do something like that instead of simply admitting to her that he would rather her not allow Harry into her bed. Well, she'd given him the chance earlier that morning, and he'd called her a child...more or less. She could tell that he'd been disappointed though. In fact, she was, too, for she'd completely enjoyed their night together, as he'd made her feel so alive and so wanted. She longed to be with him again. However, he certainly didn't deserve to have it so easily.

Harry's hand fell to her thigh and squeezed, causing her to look at him. "Sorry? Didn't catch that."

He said, "Wannagowalking?"

"I suppose so," she said and immediately heard a growl from across the table. Apparently, she was supposed to decline and allow Severus to pounce on her the moment the boys left. She looked to him sweetly then, adding, "If Professor Snape comes with us. He's likely in need of some fresh air as well."

"Deal," Draco said, giving Severus a glare.

"Very well," he replied silkily.

Hermione removed Harry's hand from her leg and stood, swaying slightly. "I don't know if any of us will get very far."

To her surprise, Draco came around to help Harry up by extending a hand, which Harry immediately accepted. They'd been on friendly terms before, but it seemed they were getting on exceptionally well. Her eyes narrowed. Draco had better not be trying to seduce Harry! She glanced at Severus to find him brushing off his robes, oblivious to any of them. Had he and Draco planned that? She hoped not. Harry didn't need to be hurt or have any other problems. He'd already lost so much. She shook her head. No, Draco didn't like men, only women as far as she knew.

Relieved, she turned to follow them slowly, giving Severus time to catch up and walk at her side. While Harry and Draco whispered and laughed drunkenly, she and Severus moved in silence. Out onto the grounds they went, moving toward the Quidditch pitch. Hermione stumbled and was caught by Severus.

"Are you all right, Miss Granger?" he asked silkily.

"Yes," she whispered.

Hearing them, Harry asked, "All right?"

"I am," she said. "You two go on. My shoe broke. Snape's going to fix it for me."

"We can wait," Harry said, turning towards her and nearly falling. Draco whispered something, however, and Harry said, "Er... all right. We'll be up at the pitch."

As Hermione watched them go, she felt a little guilty. It was terrible of her to lie to Harry, but she couldn't help wanting a little something for herself. She was startled when Severus knelt before her and reached for her shoe.

She placed a hand on his shoulder, causing him to look up. "What is it?" he asked impatiently, grabbing for her shoe.

Easily, she slid down to her knees before him, cupping his face within her hands. "I want to kiss you and thought to buy us a few minutes."

The expression on his face was endearing. "I'd wondered if a few drinks had rendered you incapable of remembering how to repair your own shoe," he said, slanting his head and pressing his mouth against her waiting lips.

His gentleness surprised her. While they'd not been as fervent when they'd made love after they woke, there had still been a great intensity. This was different. It was soft and everything she'd expect from someone else. His probing tongue found hers and gently chased hers for a moment before he pulled back.

"This morning when I said..."

"I know," she interrupted. "It's all right." She kissed him again, and this time, she found the fire he'd shown her on their previous encounters. He pulled her roughly against him, one hand gliding over her body.

"We've time," he said hopefully, tearing his lips away from hers.

"No, not here. Later," she said. "I want to make certain that Harry gets back all right."

"He'll be fine. Draco will see to it to keep him occupi..."

"So I was right!" she exclaimed. "You and Draco have some agreement to keep Harry busy while... God! Does he know about us?"

Severus looked away. "He only knows that I wanted to try to seduce you, not that I already had."

"And he's going to try to seduce Harry now? Is that it?"

"Of course not!" Severus said indignantly. "He's only going to see to it that he drinks enough to pass out."

"Well, I could have done that if you'd only told me," she said in annoyance, rising to her feet. "You needn't have gone through all this trouble!"

He stood and gazed at her before quietly saying, "I thought that since he'd changed his mind... I was uncertain if..."

"I thought of telling him the truth," she confessed.

"We agreed to not say anything," Severus reminded her, expression inscrutable.

"I know. I just felt guilty when he'd told me that he changed his mind." She looked away.

"What do you want, Hermione?"

She looked up into his face upon hearing the strain in his voice. What did he want her to say? She supposed honesty would be best. "I thought that I should stay with Harry because he was all I had left of Ron and because I do care for him deeply."

"But?"

"But I don't think either of us will truly be happy in the long run. We are forcing this. I know that. We're trying to do what Ron would have wanted..." Her voice trailed away, but she refused to give in to tears.

"What do you want, Hermione?" he repeated.

"I think I want to just be free...free to do as I please, to heal, and to live for myself for a while." She smiled and took his hand. "And if that means slipping into my old Potions professor's rooms at night for a shag, so be it."

"Old? I'll have you know..." He smiled genuinely. "Very well. My advice to you is to be honest. Perhaps you might find that he feels the same way."

"Come on." She pulled his hand to get him moving. "I think I'll go have a talk with him now."

Hermione smiled, realizing he'd not pulled his hand from hers. She was glad that they'd taken a moment to talk, as it had only confirmed what she'd been thinking. Perhaps staying at the castle was the best thing that could have happened for her and Harry.

Before they'd even gotten to the pitch, they spotted Harry and Draco, lips locked, hands fisting in each other's hair, bodies pressed tightly together.

"Good Lord," Severus said, pointing at the pair, horrified expression on his face as he stepped forward.

Hermione's mouth gaped open, and she quickly pulled Severus behind a bit of shrubbery. "Don't," she said. "Let them."

"Are you all right?" he asked, gazing at her intently.

"If that's the kind of... love Harry needs, maybe we should leave him to it." She snickered for a moment. "I didn't know that Draco fancied men!"

"Nor did I," Severus said, peeking out at the pair again. "What would he want with Potter?" he asked in distaste.

"Ha," Hermione huffed. "Don't you mean to ask what Harry would want with him?"

She took a step away from him when he gazed back at her, his expression dark.

"That little devious bastard conned me out of my last phial of Veritaserum and an aged bottle of whisky!" he groused. "And all the while he was wanting to come here to play... house with Potter."

Hermione took another step back as his frown slowly changed into a wicked smile. "Severus?"

In the next instant, he grabbed her and lifted her into his arms, moving them further into the thicket of trees and bushes. "We'll have to be a bit quiet," he murmured before casting a Cushioning Charm, "but I have to have you... now." He kissed her deeply and put her on her feet, pulling away his robes and placing them on the ground.

Her first instinct was to decline, but the excitement of it all was very enticing. "What if they go look for us?" she asked, even though her fingers were already nimbly pulling her clothing away from her body.

"From what I last saw, I doubt they will be looking for anything for a while yet," he said, pulling her down to the ground with him, hands finding skin, lips finding lips. Lust and need reached their limits quickly. As he moved between her thighs and pushed himself into her with a single, quick, powerful thrust, he said, "I've been thinking of this all day."

"As have... ah... I, Sev... erus."

She closed her eyes and arched her body to be closer to his. The fresh breeze blew around them in a fruitless attempt to chill their heated bodies. The nocturnal sounds faded away until she could only hear his heavy breathing and grunts mingling with her own as he repeatedly thrust into her and moved with her seeking culmination.

Southern's Notes: This was the worst chapter for me to write. I had to figure out how to get that dang quote from the Quidditch book in there, hence the boring Quidditch conversation. LOL! Grrrr, I say! Ah, well, at least Harry's having a bit of fun, eh? This quote was supposed to be used after book six's quote, but I had to have this happen before my next quote. Hope you don't mind the shuffle. Cheers.

Quote from QTtA: "The poor little Snidget shot up and down the pitch seeking a means of escape, but the wizards in the crowd forced it back with Repelling Spells."