Part III

Disclaimer: It's not mine, but you already knew that.

A/N: As always, my sincere thanks to the ladies at the gs100 for their inspiration. Enjoy the last installment!

**

Her stirring slowed.

“We made love and you know it,” he whispered.

“It’s inappropriate.” She shook her head. “I won’t apprentice you. I’ll be a Charms Mistress at the end of the year; I don’t need to be a Potions Mistress, too…”

“Oh, but you want to.”

“Oh, but I don’t.”

“It’s not inappropriate, Hermione.”

“It’s inappropriate if you have feelings for me!”

“Oh, so you don’t have feelings?”

“You said things that I cannot forget!”

“You are blowing this out of proportion!”

“Well excuse me, Professor, for looking at the situation realistically! I will not apprentice to you, I will not live with you…”

“And you won’t love me?”

**

He stared at her desperately, eyes searching.

She looked up at him, her eyes shining.

“Like hell you don’t,” he muttered, taking her by the waist and pulling her close. His mouth descended on hers immediately, lips pressing insistently, his hand running through her hair, desperate for a response.

After a moment, he let go of her.

“No,” she whispered, her hands reaching up to touch his face. “No, don’t…”

“So this is what it takes to secure your agreement?” he murmured.

She quirked a smile.

**

“I’ll think about it,” she said, turning back to her mixing as if nothing had happened. “I doubt I can be convinced.”

He chuckled, running his hand through her mane of curls.

“I know you can be,” he said, his eyes piercing hers.

“Really?” she asked, eyes twinkling. “Just how do you plan to pull off such an impossible mission?”

“Well,” he started, picking her up by the waist and setting her on the counter, “I can intrigue your mind, body, and soul, and you’ll accept my overtures because you also are unable to resist a challenge… I think I’ll start challenging your body, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” she whispered.

**

His hands skimmed over her knees and thighs, lingering briefly around her hips before darting up her torso.

“You bloody tease,” she murmured, pulling his head to hers.

He shook his head from her grasp and laid a flurry of insistent kisses around her collarbone, smiling as he saw her eyes flutter. Her head hit the cupboard with a clunk.

“Are you alright?” he asked, concerned, his hand moving to cradle her head.

“Fine,” she muttered. “This doesn’t mean I’ll marry you, you know…”

“Of course.”

“It’s going to take more than this to convince me… OH …”

“No doubt, no doubt,” he murmured, running his hands down her back, delighting in the shiver he felt.

**

The door opened.

“Severus! Hermione!”

They hurriedly pulled away, sending the bowl of pumpkin batter smashing to the floor, the bowl scattering to the feet of a very flustered Molly Weasley.

“Molly,” Severus said, annoyed. “What can I do for you?”

“I…” Molly sputtered, looking like a deer in the headlights.

“We’ll make a new batch of pumpkin bars, Molly,” Hermione offered, wrapping her arms around Severus’ neck.

“Well, I never…”

“Molly.” Severus held a hand up. “Go back, check on the new baby, and don’t interrupt us for ten minutes.”

Molly’s mouth dropped.

She shut her eyes tightly. “Please don’t do anything on the counters. I cleaned them this morning.”

And with that, she turned on her heels and walked out of the room, Severus and Hermione sputtering with laughter.

**

“Now,” Severus asked, turning back to Hermione, his hand trailing down her cleavage, “where was I?”

“Here,” Hermione murmured, putting his hand exactly where she wanted it to be.

His hand lingered briefly, fingers teasing. He paused, taking his hands away, resting his palms on the edge of the counters.

“Severus…” she started threateningly.

“I refuse to make love to you in this cursed residence,” he said matter-of-factly.

“Why?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Have you seen the number of children they have?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Good point.”

“My place or yours?”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked into his obsidian eyes.

“Take me to your dungeon.”

“With pleasure.”

**