Chapter Nine

Disclaimer: It all belongs to JKR. Except the towel.

Chapter Nine

"Severus! Wait a minute!"

Turning to the sound of his name, Severus grumbled an oath as he waited for his colleague to catch up.

"Have you... been... avoiding me?" Hermione wasn't as fit as she should have been. After a few moments to catch her breath, she continued. "I've hardly seen you at meals lately, and you haven't been in your office when I've come to see you."

He raised a speculative eyebrow. "You missed me, Granger. How... unfortunate."

"Don't be a prat. You know we usually meet once or twice a week to discuss the latest Potions and Charms research. Where have you been?"

Trying to keep my bloody libido under control. "I've had rather a lot of work to do." Cold showers, brisk walks, brewing the most tedious potions I know...

"Oh... well. Still, I wonder if you'd spare some time on Saturday evening for me?" Her smile was a little hesitant.

"For what reason?" He'd never quite lost his wide suspicious streak.

"It's a surprise."

"I don't like surprises."

"Don't be such a stick-in-the-mud. I promise it will be good."

What, you're going to arrive naked and bring whiskey? No such luck. He managed a put-upon sigh. "Very well. Where do you want me... I mean... want me to be?" I hope she missed that.

"I'll meet you at your rooms at six o'clock."

"But that's dinner time!" He didn't really intend to sound quite so whiny.

"Don't worry. You won't leave unsatisfied."

Don't tease me like that, heartless wench.

In retrospect, he should have put up more resistance when she had pulled the blindfold from her robes. He blamed his lack of judgement on the surge of arousal he had felt on seeing the black silk scarf.

"Where are you taking me, Granger?"

"You'll find out, Snape. Now, relax and let me take charge. It won't hurt you to relinquish control for once."

His pupils dilated, and it wasn't anything to do with the darkness under the blindfold. It was the sudden vision of more black scarves and naked skin and...

"Stop hyperventilating! It's not that bad."

The strong scent of roses and the warmth after the chill of outdoors warned him too late. By the time Hermione had removed the scarf to reveal the admittedly delectable looking picnic laid out on the floor of Greenhouse Four, his eyes had begun to itch, and his nose had become decidedly congested.

"A picnic. How nice."

"Nice?"

Damn. I'll have to do better than that if I want to find out what else she can do with silk scarves. Ignoring the impending doom brewing inside his sinuses, he managed a smile. "It looks delicious. What a splendid idea. Shall we?" He offered his hand after a surreptitious swipe of his nose. If we eat quickly, maybe we can get out of here before my bloody nose proves how much mucus it can produce.

Unfortunately, Hermione appeared distracted and nervous, fiddling endlessly with the cutlery, offering various tidbits of picnic fare, and pouring wine.

If she'd thought to look directly at Severus, she would have noticed his reddened, watery eyes, dripping nose, and general misery sooner. However, when he emitted a series of sneezes loud enough to wake the dead, Hermione finally stopped her endless chatter and really looked at him. "Bloody hell, Snape. What's wrong with you? You look dreadful!"

"Fucking roses." Conceding defeat, Severus struggled to his feet. "Can't abide them. Allergic as buggery."

All thoughts of silk scarves banished from his brain, Severus threw open the greenhouse door and escaped to the welcome relief of clear, cold air and the Decongestant Draught in his bathroom cabinet.

He eventually accepted Hermione's apologies after three days. Enjoyable though it had been as she had poured tea, fed him cakes and chocolate, and otherwise fussed over him in her efforts to redeem herself, he had realised he would not get her into his bed if she turned all Molly Weasley on him.

She hadn't called him a wanker for over a week, however, so things were looking up.

When she had approached him about a quiet flying lesson – just to prove to the boys she could – he had accepted with alacrity. The opportunity to get something between her legs was irresistible, even if it was only a length of wood. It was hardly his fault she was bloody useless at flying. Resorting to taking her up on his own broom had been the final nail in the coffin of her flying career. Trying to keep enough distance between his raging erection and her squirming bottom at the same time as controlling her wild overcorrections had landed them in a heap in the middle of the Quidditch pitch. He had been rather enjoying the sensation of her breasts in his face until she had kneed him in the groin while attempting to sit up.

Black hazes of pain were definitely not conducive to seduction.

"Here's your tea, Severus. Thick and stewed, just the way you like it." It had been a week, and he was considering letting her off the hook, but he really did love the way she screwed up her nose as she brewed his tea.

"I was talking to Aurora yesterday, and she told me there have been some particularly spectacular Borealis shows lately. Would you like to go up to the Astronomy Tower tonight to watch?"

Severus smirked. "You'd better watch out, Granger. People might get the wrong idea about us. Nocturnal assignations up there are prohibited; you know that as well as I do."

"We could always offer to take a group of students with us." Did she look a little disappointed?

"No need for that." His reply was brisk. "I'm sure two responsible adults can view the night sky alone without ruining their reputations."

"Brilliant." And so was her smile. "I'll meet you up there at ten o'clock."

The Aurora was as magnificent as described, but the night air carried a chill which eventually drove them downstairs.

"W-w-why d-d-didn't y-you wear w-w-warmer cl-clothing if y-you knew it w-w-was g-going to be s-so c-c-cold?" Severus could barely talk as he shivered his way down the corridor.

"I th-thought W-Warming Ch-charms w-would b-b-be sufficient."

"D-didn't you realise they only r-raise the temperature by a f-few degrees?"

She shook her head, tightening her hold on his thick teaching robes.

"Thanks for your r-robes. You must be freezing as well."

Severus looked down at his shirt sleeves. "I d-didn't expect to need to rescue you from h-hypothermia, woman. Keep the robes for the moment. I'm going to have a hot bath." He was not in the mood to be amused at the glint of mischief in her eye. "Not a word, Granger. Not a single bloody word."

It took several doses of Pepperup Potion over the next few days before their colds settled.

"I'm sorry, Severus. Let me make it up to you with a massage. Help you relax." Hermione was once again in his chambers apologising. She had been frequenting the place so often lately he had finally given in and told her his password to save getting up every time she came knocking at his door.

"What sort of massage?"

"A proper back massage. It'll ease some of that tension you always seem to have in your shoulders."

I can think of something else you could massage. That would ease the biggest tension I've had lately. Always courageous when faced with a challenge, Severus said nothing and simply shrugged. "If you wish."

"Take off your shirt then and loosen your pants. It'll be hard to do it if you're fully dressed."

Trust me, Granger, it's always hard around you.

"Good. Now, lie down on the sofa. Make yourself comfortable. There's no need to wriggle around so, Severus, I'm sure you're not that ticklish."

You try keeping still when your cock is trying to punch a hole in the sofa cushion. See how you manage. Oh, gods, go lower.

As Hermione's warm hands explored the pale expanse of skin from Severus's neckline to his waist, he found the rhythm of her kneading gently rocking him against the surface of the sofa.

Bloody hell, if she keeps that up... Her hands found their way below the waistband of his trousers, dragging them further down his hips with each movement. Merlin, does she know what she's doing to me? Shite, I'm going to... "Aahhh, ahhhh, ahhhhh!" Fuck!

"Are you all right, Severus? Did I hurt you?" Hermione stopped massaging and sat back on her heels.

Keeping his face averted, Severus took in a ragged breath and tried to ignore the sticky mess in his underwear. "Er... no... I think I've had quite enough massaging for now, thank you. If you don't mind, I think I'll call it a night."

Her face dropped. "Oh. Well, that's good then. You must be nice and relaxed. I'll let myself out."

Severus sighed with relief when he heard the door close. Coming in his pants was embarrassing enough, but to do it when she had simply offered a massage was unforgiveable. Luckily, she hadn't seemed to notice his little indiscretion.

A/N: This was written for the SSHG Exchange on LiveJournal. As always, many thanks to karelia for her beta skills.