Twenty-One

A/N: Big sloppy kisses to those kind enough to review. No beta- so any mistakes are my own.

Disclaimer: They are not mine; I only take them out to play.

*******

They finally got around to packing Hermione's things. Boxes were conjured and labeled. With a wave of Severus' wand, her clothes danced off the hangers in her wardrobe, neatly folded themselves, and packed themselves away. Hermione busied herself with her potion ingredients and other magical artifacts; things which must be packed without magic. He got her books into boxes labeled in alphabetical order by author, which she appreciated. Then he packed her kitchen, leaving out only a few things they would need for dinner. He wasn't about to have her go without eating again, no matter how she prattled away about wonderful lovemaking.

While he packed the kitchen, she worked on what little remained, the bits and bobs of twenty-three years of life. She didn't have that many things, to be honest, if one didn't count her book collection. She'd left the cottage she'd shared with Ron with only her personal effects. Left all of the furniture with him in her haste to be away. Her flat was furnished with odds and ends from her parent's house and mismatched second-hand purchases.

The evening grew late, so they left the bedding on the bed. The morning would be soon enough to move. A leisurely shower together where they did no more than kiss and cuddle, and then Severus cooked them a simple but filling dinner. An omelet to share with cheese and herbs, and a rasher of bacon. Toasted muffins with lemon curd, her favorite. She swore the man took note of every single thing she said.

After dinner, they went to miniaturize the furniture into one small wooden box of things she wanted to keep and a larger box for the things she would give back to the second-hand shop. Her grandmother's secretary and carved wooden bookcases she would keep, along with the oak wardrobe and matching chest of drawers. Everything else she intended to get rid of, but Severus balked over one item.

"We're keeping the sofa."

"But, Severus, it's a giant shabby thing. Why should we move it when I'm certain you have a nicer one of your own?"

"We're keeping it, and that's final. You may as well concede the fact, you tiresome harpy. I've quite made up my mind."

His fierce scowl and dictatorial manner had no effect on her at all. She giggled at him, which made him roll his eyes. Skipping up to him, she hugged him tightly around the waist and kissed him on the cheek.

"All right," she said. "We will keep it. But why on earth do you want the ratty old thing?"

"Hermione," he began, the scowl fading to exasperation, "that sofa is where I first had an orgasm with another person in the room. It's where I first touched your delectable body...where I first tasted your sweetness. We're keeping it and that's final."

"Yes, love." Her eyes grew moist with sudden emotion and she kissed him sweetly.

"Witches," he huffed. "Always crying at the drop of a hat." The tone was brusque, but she could see the emotion on his dear transparent face.

"I love you too," she said simply.

They fell into bed at last, too exhausted for anything more than a cuddle. They had the entire week to move her things, but Hermione understood why he seemed in a hurry. Now that she had a man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, she wanted to start that adventure as quickly as possible. The sooner they were settled in together, the happier she would be.

She woke in the middle of the night. One of Severus' hard thighs was tight between her legs and she was grinding against it. Small gasps of need fell from her lips as she pressed her heat against him. One of her hands reached for his chest and she rubbed and petted the soft hair and flat nipples. With a groan, he awakened.

"Severus," she whined, shocked at her neediness. "Please...please."

Then he was kissing her, his mouth hot and hungry on her own. Her hand rubbed down the trail of hair on his stomach and found him already hard for her. She stroked his cock as she ground herself against his thigh.

"So close," she whimpered against his lips.

He forced a hand between his thigh and her clenched legs and his fingers rubbed against her clit. Her orgasm crashed through her and she sighed in relief.

"More," she begged. "Need you inside me."

Throwing herself on her stomach, she grabbed a pillow and thrust it beneath her hips. Wiggling her hips at him, she begged again. "Take me, take me, Severus. Please."

Then he was a warm weight on her back, his hard length sliding into her needy flesh. His hands ran up her arms to grasp her fingers in his own. His hard cock hit some delightful spot inside her over and over. His speed increased as she bucked her hips up to meet his every thrust. She felt his tongue slide up her spine between her shoulder blades. His hot mouth came to a rest at the nape of her neck, kissing and biting at her. His warm breath stirred her hair, sending shivers down her spine. Then she was flying, calling his name as the pleasure washed over her. A dozen more thrusts and he was groaning against the back of her neck and spasming inside her.

She was almost back asleep when she felt him withdraw. He tugged the pillow out from under her and gently lifted her head to slip it underneath. Then he wrapped his limbs around her and she fell quickly into a peaceful sleep.

The next time she woke, Severus was lying next to her, pure adoration in his expression. He snogged her thoroughly before he spoke.

"I understand now why you were not bothered by me waking you in the night. It is a singular pleasure to awaken with one's witch rubbing against one. Even after all we've done, I couldn't quite believe that I could be so wanted."

"I will always want you," she said fiercely.

Her passionate words made him smile. "And I shall always want you, my witch."

"You know, Severus. I believe I could use a little more of that potion of Poppy's. Perhaps you would be good enough to...administer it. You did such a fine job of it last time."

With a happy growl, he left the bed to fetch the potion from the loo. He then administered the potion in a most thorough manner, which made them rather late to breakfast.

Severus cooked again. There were eggs and sausages, muffins and lemon curd.

"You're trying to make me fat," she complained as she took a second sausage.

"Nonsense. I only want to keep your strength up. I have many, many plans for you."

His expression could only be called a leer, and Hermione giggled as her happiness bubbled out of her.

After breakfast, they tidied up the last of Hermione's things and apparated straight to Severus' flat above the shop. It was a lovely flat which took up the entire second floor of the building with the shop and had a nice sized attic as well. Tall ceilings and gigantic windows to let the sun in. It was decorated simply with cream-colored walls and dark woodwork. The strangest thing by far was how very Muggle it all was, and she told Severus so.

"It's strange," he agreed. "Now that I'm myself again, it seems alien and very comfortable all at once. Minerva told me that she still has some of my old belongings tucked away, though the little I kept of value at my old house is long gone. Luckily, most of my books and personal effects remained at Hogwarts after I fled. I'm rather astonished she didn't make a pile of them and burn them on the great lawn."

"She always liked you, you know. Even when you were a student. I can understand why she could try to kill you, but then be too sentimental to destroy your things."

"I'm shocked she cared for me as a student. Scarcely anyone did. You would have hated me."

"I'm actually not so certain about that," she said, which earned her a kiss.

"If you will help me set the wards, we could go to get the permits we need this afternoon. Once we expand our living quarters a bit and put in a floo, we'll have plenty of room for both my old things and your belongings."

"Where are you going to put that ratty old sofa of mine?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"In the bedroom, of course. I have many plans for it."

This time she didn't giggle, she shrieked with laughter from the pure joy of it.

***

So wrapped up in each other, neither one realized the spectacle they made when they reached Diagon Alley. They were headed to a small office of the Ministry where they could get the permits they required without going to the giant underground warren in Whitehall. It was not the simple errand they had hoped.

When the third witch ran up to hug Severus, telling her how happy she was that he lived and thanking him for his service to the wizarding world, he finally lost his temper.

"Unhand me you ridiculous hag!" he sputtered in rage, pushing her bodily away from him. Then his wand was in his hand. He addressed his next comment to the street at large. "I swear I will hex the next imbecile who dares to touch me. Pay your respects from a distance and cease pawing at me."

He tucked Hermione's hand in the crook of his arm then, after slipping his wand back up his sleeve. They continued their walk, he with a fearful scowl on his face, she with a gentle smile. When wizards they passed bowed to him, he managed a nod of his head.

"Are you not going to reprimand me for my rudeness?" he eventually asked.

"Why should I? You are saving me the hassle of having to beat witches off of you with a large stick. You can hardly think I enjoy watching them paw at you, can you?"

He chuckled at that, the low and wicked one, and then she felt some of the tension leave his body.

"I'm not very nice, pet." He threw her a slightly worried look, which melted her heart.

"You are nice to me. I don't need you to be nice to all and sundry. You can be more mannerly if it suits you to be. It makes no difference to me. And you can certainly feel free to hex any witch who gets too free with her hands."

He stopped right in the middle of the street and kissed her hand.

"Whatever my lady witch wants," he murmured for her ears alone.

Thus distracted, neither of them were aware of the danger that threatened.

"Stupify!"

Severus did not lose consciousness, but he froze in place, his expression going slack. Hermione's wand was in her hand immediately, but it was plucked away by invisible fingers and a strong hand clamped onto her wrist, pulling her away from Severus.