Chapter Eleven - Of Providence, Foreknowledge, Will, and Fate (Part 2)

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to JKR and/or Daniel Knauf. I do not profit from writing this story.

Author's Notes: My beta, melusin, has helped me greatly with this story and the writing.

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Harry grumbled to himself, pacing back and forth on the seventh floor in front of the stone gargoyle at the base of the winding stairs. He needed to speak to the Headmaster again. He had far too many questions clamoring in his mind.

After his unsettling conversation with Luna, Harry's mind refused to calm itself enough to find sleep. Quietly leaving his bed, he immediately exited Gryffindor tower to wander the empty corridors as he indulged himself in his obsessive thinking.

His first thought was to speak with the Headmaster, but it was very late, and he knew the frail old man needed his rest. For once, Harry grudgingly admitted, he wanted to make sense of everything as calmly as possible.

A sudden gasp pierced the silence of the chilled corridor.

Whirling around towards the far end of the corridor, Harry briefly noticed Lavender Brown's alarmed face seconds before she spun on her heel.

"Wait," Harry called to her.

Shoulders tensing, Lavender increased her pace down the corridor toward the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"God dammit," Harry breathed to himself, running after her.

Harry's athletic body and longer legs enabled him to easily catch up with the blonde seventh-year just as she scrambled through the portrait hole.

"Come on," Harry pleaded with her, failing to mask the frustration laced in his voice.

Grasping her by the elbow, Harry whirled Lavender around when he caught up with her.

Much shorter than him, Lavender hesitantly raised her vision to his shirt buttons before lowering her eyes back down to the floor.

"Look, Lavender," Harry breathed, releasing her arm to ruffle his hair awkwardly. "I acted like an arse down by the lake... and I'm sorry."

Lavender snapped her head up to look at him through narrowed eyes.

"Fine," she spat. "Apology accepted. Conscience restored?" she mocked, swishing her blonde hair over her shoulder.

She promptly spun away from him and headed towards the stairs leading to the girls' dormitories.

"No," Harry said confidently, following closely behind her. "I still feel like shite."

Lavender froze at the foot of the stairs, but refused to turn around.

"It takes a lot of nerve to admit your feelings to someone. To express your emotions and be vulnerable enough to be hurt. I saw your vulnerability and preyed upon it."

Both Harry and Lavender snapped around at the sound of the portrait hole swinging open.

Lavender quickly grasped Harry around the wrist, pulling him up the stairs and into the girls' dormitories.

"Wait, hold on," Harry protested, yet he followed her lead.

"Shh," she hissed over she shoulder. "What if it's McGonagall?"

Hand still locked around Harry's strong wrist, Lavender pulled him into her room, hurriedly closing and locking the door behind them.

"Why was I allowed up here?" Harry asked curiously.

Lavender laughed out loud, causing Harry to eye the other beds apprehensively.

"Don't worry, we're alone. You didn't really think the stairs would kick me out of my own dormitory? Boys can enter as long as they are being physically led by a girl."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, you would know that."

Lavender shot him a mutinous glare, crossing her arms over her chest.

Eyes wide, Harry immediately raised his hands in defeat. "Stupid joke, sorry."

Rolling her eyes, Lavender nervously motioned for them to sit on her four-poster.

"Where's Parvati?" Harry asked, eyeing the other beds warily again.

"In the boys' dormitory."

Harry raised his hand to his mouth to cover his knowing smirk.

"Oh, shut up, Harry."

Harry's shrewd smile was instantly wiped from his face when a fuzzy pink pillow collided with his head.

Lavender fell on her duvet in a fit of giggles at the sight of Harry's shocked expression.

Harry quickly bent down to the floor, retrieving the pink monstrosity. Kneeling on her bed, Harry pursued her as she pushed herself towards the headboard.

Grasping her about the waist, Harry began to playfully swat Lavender about the face.

"Stop," she laughed hysterically, twisting under his touch. "Stop it," she gasped. "I'm ticklish!"

Arm frozen in the air, Harry released the horrid pillow. Looking down at her, a mischievous smile quickly spread across his face.

Lavender's eyes widened. "Wait!"

"What?" Harry asked innocently, wiggling his fingers pressed against her waist.

"No... No more!" she gasped through giggles.

Harry wrapped both hands around her abdomen, tickling her with abandon. Openly laughing himself, he reveled at the feel of her curvaceous body squirming beneath him.

Finally showing mercy, Harry ceased his torment.

As their laughter slowly died down, Harry relaxed his weight onto his forearm. Both he and Lavender realized the precarious position they now found themselves in.

Resting almost fully on top of her, Harry recognized that his growing erection was pressed between Lavender's open legs. Her school skirt had ridden up in the flirtatious tussle; the smooth skin of her thighs was clearly visible on either side of his hips.

Ginny... his conscience cried.

"I should go," he said uncomfortably, using his forearm beside her head to push himself onto his knees.

"No, don't," Lavender pleaded.

Pushing himself completely off her, Harry sat on the edge of her bed. Lavender hastily slid her body across the duvet to sit beside him. Extending a well manicured hand to his face, Lavender grasped Harry by the jaw, kissing him on cheek.

"Don't go," she whispered by his ear.

"Lavender," Harry said warningly, turning to face her.

Seeing her chance, Lavender pulled Harry's face toward hers, enveloping his lips in her vigorous kiss.

Reluctantly closing his eyes, Harry did not attempt to protest further. His breathing started to quicken at the feel of Lavender urging his body to lie flat against her bed. She quickly climbed on top of him, placing her exposed legs on either side of his hips as she continued her attack on his mouth.

Groaning into her mouth, Harry finally reached out to grasp her thighs the moment she ground against his erection.

Lavender pushed herself to sit up, smiling seductively and quickly attempted to undo his belt and trousers.

"Whoa," Harry grudgingly protested. "You don't have to do that." His erection throbbed at the sight of her undoing his pants, but his mind screamed this was going too far.

"It's all right," Lavender said huskily. She straightened herself up, kissing Harry while she shoved her small hand into his open pants. She firmly gripped him around the base of his hard cock. "I want to," Lavender said, sliding her soft hand up his erection, over the head and back down again.

Closing his eyes, Harry threw his neck back, grunting freely. Breathing quickening, he allowed Lavender to pull his arousal out from the opening of his underpants while she lowered her body between his legs to kneel on the floor by the bed.

Dropping his face to look at her, Harry sharply inhaled as her pink tongue shot out of her mouth and wrapped around the tip of his cock.

His arousal fully peaked, Harry grabbed Lavender's hair at the back of her neck as she opened her lips to fully take him in her warm mouth.

Moaning deeply, Harry pressed against of the back of Lavender's neck, urging her to speed up her movements. At the sound of her contented hum, he fell back against the bed with a groan; no thoughts of Ginny were anywhere to be found.

*** *** ***

Hermione woke with a jolt, startled by her high-pitched Muggle alarm clock. Barely opening her eyes, she blindly reached her hand toward the end table, tempted to hit the snooze button. Hermione actually lay in bed for a few moments as she seriously contemplated not getting up.

Oh, for Heaven's sake, he's not worth moping about.

Hermione had been moving about the last couple of days in an aimless fog. She didn't understand why Professor Snape went from hot to cold so drastically. So sure of his... interest in her, Hermione had attempted to linger after Advanced Potions, hoping for a stolen moment.

But he hadn't so much as glanced in her direction before fleeing to his adjoining office door in an agitated flourish.

Why is he avoiding me? What did I do wrong?

Hermione wasn't that dense. It was obvious that Severus was having second thoughts about their sudden attraction. If you could even call it that.

"Fine," Hermione spat, vigorously kicking her cream-colored duvet off her.

She had made an honest attempt to show she had every intention of continuing their interactions. If he wanted her, he would have to show her.

Jumping out of bed, Hermione went about her usual morning routine, walking to the heavy curtains that covered her expansive windows. As she sleepily padded to her window seat, the toes of one bare foot made contact with something warm and fuzzy. Her first instinct was to immediately remove her body weight from that leg.

Falling to the floor, sharp nails clawed at her foot followed by an irritated hiss.

"Merlin, I'm sorry, Crooks!"

A long, deep growl from beneath one of the pale blue wing-back chairs was her only answer.

"Well, don't get fussy with me! If you're tired of me stepping on you, then stop sleeping beneath the window."

Another rumbling growl.

Pushing herself off the floor, Hermione sighed to herself and pulled open the curtains.

For once, Hermione took a moment to gaze out onto the school grounds. The abysmally grey sky hardly improved the dim lighting in her room, nor her melancholy mood. Looking out into the hazy mist of the horizon above the dark Forbidden Forest, Hermione wondered how her parents were faring.

She had never gone this long without talking to them in some shape or form. Not one letter or Floo visit since the end of last term.

Where were they? Were they safe? What about her Muggle home? Did they still own it? If so, how were they going about paying the bills? Would she even have a home when all was said and done with the war? Could she even still call her parents place 'home'?

Hermione's light brown eyes remained transfixed on the orange and brown leaves of the Forbidden Forest as she edged her body to sit in the window seat. Pulling her knees against her chest, Hermione tugged her chemise to cover her legs, the soft satin brushing against her small ankles.

For so long, she had tried not to worry about how her family was doing, thinking she would contain a better grasp on her sanity if she kept an optimistic outlook on things.

Maybe she would fare better if she didn't feel so lonely.

Ginny was good company, but it was difficult trying to juggle spending time with her and time with Harry. Since their break up, both of them had promised to continue associating amidst the same circles. Regardless of their selfless attempts, awkwardness and passive malice hung heavy in the air whenever the two of them were in the same room.

What are you doing, Harry?

Hermione was loathe to admit to him that she did not enjoy the company of Lavender Brown. Her tolerance for silliness and immature drama was extremely limited. Something was developing between the two of them, but Hermione did not feel like it was her place to prevent it.

It was only the second week of October, and she already felt like she was ripping at the seams.

*** *** ***

"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked the moment they took their favorite seats in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

"Huh?" Harry spun around from his obsessive stare at the classroom door, eyeing each student as they slowly filled up the empty seats.

Hermione focused her attention on pulling her book out of her heavy bag while she attempted to speak calmly. "You know, Harry, I've been very patient, hoping you would tell me what happened in Professor's Dumbledore's office this past weekend."

Harry tilted his head to the side, narrowing his eyes in slight annoyance.

"Obviously he's said something that distressed you, but you know I am more than willing to listen--"

"Oh, come off it, Hermione," Ron interrupted carelessly. "He'll talk about it when he's good and ready."

She snapped her head to glare at Ron, sending him her typical warning look.

Ears turning red, Ron immediately turned his head away from her and opened his book.

Sharp nails suddenly glided through the hair at the back of Harry's head.

"Hello, Harry," Lavender breathed as she passed very closely by his seat.

Harry instantly sat up straight, his body tensing.

"Hi," he said timidly, avoiding her eyes.

The class finally settled the moment the door to Professor Black's office opened.

Swiftly entering the classroom with a self-important air, Sirius confidently began the day's lecture.

Hermione loved this subject almost as much as she loved Advanced Potions and Arithmancy, so out of habit, she constantly kept her eyes glued to the professors as they spoke unless of course she was obsessively note-taking.

But the last couple of days, Hermione found herself growing uncomfortable as she sat in Defense class. Almost every time she raised her eyes towards Sirius, Hermione found him meeting her stare, but his gaze lingered a bit longer than necessary.

By her classmates' random head turns in her direction, Hermione knew that she wasn't the only one to have noticed.

I've just about had enough of this.

"Please read the next two chapters in preparation for the next lesson. I also want a foot-long summary for each--" At the sound of disappointed groans, Sirius raised his voice, insisting that this was final. "--telling me the most important elements of a Patronus signal."

Hermione hastily shoved her books into her bag, knowing full well that Sirius was gazing intently at her, wishing for her to look up and meet his eyes.

She fled the room without a backward glance toward him.

*** *** ***

"Stop staring at him!" Ginny hissed, nudging Hermione with her elbow.

Pushing her plate away, Hermione gazed at Ginny, wide-eyed.

"Who?" she gasped.

"Sirius! You've been look up towards the High Table all through dinner. I know there's something going on between the two of you, but don't make him think you're desperate."

"There's absolutely nothing going on between the two of us!" Hermione gasped.

"Uh-huh, right."

Sighing irritably, Hermione ignored Ginny's warning and glanced back toward the High Table.

It was just too tempting. She kept hoping that the next time she raised her face, Professor Snape would meet her lingering eyes. But she did have to be careful. She had already unintentionally made eye contact with Sirius. He flashed her such an arrogant leer that it actually turned her stomach, forcing her to push her dinner plate away.

The moment Sirius pushed himself away from his dinner, Hermione immediately rose from her seat at the Gryffindor table. She needed to talk to him: to tell him that his actions were getting out of hand; to tell him that she wasn't developing more than friendly emotions for him.

Walking around the Gryffindor table, Hermione fought the urge to gaze at her Potions master. Reluctantly feeding her desires, she turned toward Snape one more time. Narrowing his eyes, Snape glared daggers at Sirius' retreating back as he exited the Great Hall through the side door beside the High Table. The moment Sirius was no longer in the room, his severe face instantly snapped toward Hermione, sending her an accusing scowl.

Unable to tear herself away from his piercing eyes, she turned to exit the Great Hall, apprehension and excitement filling her with that one look.

She sped down the corridor. Turning the corner toward the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Hermione straight away caught sight of Sirius entering his office. Looking up at her, his hand still on the doorknob, Sirius smiled conceitedly as he held the door open for her to enter.

"To what, if I may ask, do I owe the pleasure?"

"Good evening, Sirius," Hermione spoke as she entered his classroom.

Closing the door behind him, Sirius motioned for them to enter his office.

"I need to speak to you," Hermione said timidly.

"I gathered as much," he said with a wink, holding open his office door for her.

Hermione intentionally sat at the students' chair in front of his desk, rather than the intimate cluster of chairs by the hearth rug.

"Tea?"

"Um, sure."

Sirius walked to a large cabinet that stood against the wall opposite Hermione.

"How about some wine instead?" Rather than wait for her answer, Sirius opened the long cupboard doors, reaching for two wine glasses.

"No, please, Sirius, sit down. This is important."

Turning around, Sirius eyed her suspiciously, refusing to follow her request.

"Please."

Closing the cabinet, Sirius finally walked across the room, sitting in the other student seat beside Hermione.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to tell you how much... fun I had last weekend."

"I had a wonderful time too, Hermione," Sirius interrupted, reaching across to place his right hand on her knee.

Sighing, Hermione grabbed Sirius' hand, lifting it off her leg.

"See, this is what we need to talk about." She lightly motioned for him to remove his hand from hers.

"What do you mean?" he asked incredulously.

"Sirius, you are truly a really good friend. I have a lot of fun when I am with you, but unfortunately, that is all I see you as. I just don't see you as anything more."

Making eye contact, Sirius eyed Hermione emotionlessly, yet a vein in his temple throbbed sickeningly.

"I understand," he said tersely, rising from his seat.

"Wait, Sirius." Hermione reached out to grasp his arm, but he ducked out of her reach.

"Professor Black," Sirius hissed. Avoiding her eyes, he yanked open his office door and stormed across the Defense classroom.

NO! No, no, no... it can't be like this.

Hermione lurched out of her seat to follow him.

"Sirius, please don't be upset with me," Hermione pleaded quietly.

Ignoring her, Sirius wrenched open the classroom door, holding it open, fuming as he waited for her to leave.

Stepping out into the hall, Hermione flinched as he immediately slammed the door closed behind him.

"Goodnight, Miss Granger," he said icily.

"Why are you acting like this?"

Sirius marched down the hall, refusing to look at her. "You made this decision, not me."

"I don't want to stop speaking to you," she yelled in frustration as she trailed behind him.

Sirius snorted in response.

"Sirius," she called after him. "Sirius, don't ignore me!"

So he did.

Patience finally wearing off, Hermione pulled her wand out of her robes, pointing it at the end of the corridor.

As Sirius made to round the corner toward the Entrance Hall, he instantly flew back a few feet, grunting as he fell to the floor.

"What the fuck?" Rising off the floor, Sirius raised his hands, touching a wall that he could not see which had blocked him from his determined march out of the castle. Spinning around, he caught sight at the wand in Hermione's hand. His eyes widened.

"Release it."

"No. Not until you speak to me like an adult."

"There is nothing more for us to say."

Hermione marched up to Sirius, anger and irritation clearly showing on her face, wand still in her hand. Sirius backed away from her in alarm until his body made contact with the invisible wall.

"Stop acting like a prat," she hissed, shaking her finger in his face as if he were a naughty child. "I said I valued our friendship, and I meant it. I'm not ready for a relationship with you, but I enjoy your company. I see no reason why we can't continue being friends."

Heart thumping in his chest, Sirius looked down at Hermione's face, pinched with anger. She had never looked so beautiful to him.

"Fine," he said with a sigh. "I-I apologize."

"For?"

"What?"

"I'm not going to let you get away with another empty promise. You swore that you would keep things professional in the classroom; yet I'm forced to put up with my classmates' idiotic giggles every time you look at me! Prove that you give a damn about what I have to say!"

The tables were turned. Hermione now held their friendship by a thin string, and Sirius truly did not want her angry with him.

He reached out, grasping her wand arm by her small wrist.

"Truly, I'm... sorry if I made you feel at all uncomfortable. I accept your friendship and offer you mine... if you'll have it."

Hermione sighed in relief. "I forgive you--"

"Well now," Snape sneered sarcastically, "isn't this touching?" He was standing on the other side of Hermione's conjured blockade. With Sirius' back facing him, Snape was able to send a knowing glare to Hermione's wrist held in his hand.

She instantly snatched her arm away.

"Tell me, Snivellus," Sirius spat, still facing Hermione, "do you enjoy feeding the rumors that you're a walking vampire, or do you actually prefer only coming out when it's too dark to see your greasy face?"

Hermione tsked in appalled disgust. "Don't be rude, Sirius."

"I am quite capable of solving my own issues, Miss Granger. Therefore, I do not need the help of foolish young witches who recklessly break rules."

Appalled, Hermione's head snapped up toward Snape. "What rules...?"

Lip curling, Snape reached into his robes. Retrieving his wand, he flicked it quickly in the air to remove the conjured wall.

"Magic is forbidden in the corridors, is it not?"

Hermione inhaled sharply, locking eyes with her professor. "Yes," she admitted grudgingly.

"Yes, what?"

Eye narrowing, Hermione sent her Potions master a mutinous glare.

"Yes, what, Miss Granger?" he hissed. "Forbidden use of magic in the corridors has already afforded you one week's worth of detention. Would you like to try for two for insolence?"

Fists clenching, Sirius whirled around. "Oh, piss off, Snape, she doesn't have--"

"Yes, sir," Hermione said through clenched teeth.

Severus stepped aside and extended his hand toward the stairs leading down to the dungeons. "You might as well start serving your detention now. Head to my office," he commanded.

Hermione had to force herself not to appear pleased with his request.

"Wait, Hermione. You don't have to go now," said Sirius as he made to follow her.

Hermione paused at Professor Snape's side. "No, it's all right, Sirius... er... Professor Black."

"But it's nearly curfew!" Sirius called after the two of them, forced to watch them walk down the dark corridor.

Snape partially turned around, eyebrow arching in challenge. "The Head Girl does not have a curfew," he said smoothly, edging his hand into the small of Hermione's back.

*** *** ***

Forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty, fifty-one... lying on her back, Pansy continued to stare at the canopy above her. She had acquired the habit of counting the number of frayed threads in the dark green curtains of Nott's four-poster. It was usually poorly lit in his room; the only light offered was whatever degree of moonlight filtered in through the tiny window of the boys' dormitory. Pansy preferred it this way. It made counting the lose threads taxing, focusing all of her attention to find them. Sometimes, when she concentrated hard enough, she imagined she was floating out of the bed. She imagined that she was no longer lying stiffly on her back, with a man she did not love slamming into her. But sometimes, when she finally reached the security of the canopy, she would look down, and still see herself underneath him.

"Stop... crying... " Nott huffed, continuing his merciless onslaught on Pansy's body.

Swallowing hard, Pansy kept telling herself to relax. If only she could just stop her body from stiffening, then it wouldn't hurt as much.

Nott roughly grabbed Pansy's thin thighs, his large hands closing around the back of her knees. He pushed her legs up toward her chest, pounding against her, forcing his erection to sink further into her unwilling body. She cringed at the feel of his rough pubic hair scraping against her sensitive inner lips.

Leaning forward to place his forearms on either side of her head, Nott grabbed Pansy's tiny wrists, irritably forcing her to extend them around his neck.

"Don't be... such a fucking... lousy lay!"

Remus, Pansy cried.

Stop crying, she scolded herself. I won't let him think he has the power to hurt me. This is my life, and I will do as I please.

Theodore was freely moaning now after each thrust. Pansy knew that this meant he was seconds away from ejaculating. Her face flinched away from his sloppy kiss on her mouth and chin as his sweaty body finally rested limply against her.

A surge of disgust threatened to consume her as the sensation of sticky wetness saturated her inner thighs.

Roll over...

If she could think of Remus every time her fiancé had his way with her, then she would not feel as tormented during these unwanted... attentions. But Pansy wouldn't insult her Remus like that. She didn't want to connect the pain her body felt with the image of his sadly beautiful face.

Coughing roughly, Nott rose out of the bed and stumbled clumsily to the bathroom.

Pansy quickly turned her naked body away from him, reaching for the covers to shield as much of herself as she could.

Sleep was her favorite time of the day. At least in her dreams she could escape to a life that she spent freely with her love; to a life where she was not betrothed to a man whose touch disgusted her at every turn.

Tomorrow, she told herself.

Tomorrow, Nott and a few of the other seventh-years would be sneaking out of the castle for another meeting with the Death Eaters. So, tomorrow she would be able to sneak out of the castle to Hogsmeade, to one of the little rooms above a pub where she could escape with the one she loved.

*** *** ***

"Was that really necessary?" Hermione whispered harshly, entering Professor Snape's office as he held the door open for her.

"Of course," he drawled, closing it behind him. "I couldn't very well have just left that conjured wall in the middle of the corridor. Imagine the havoc it would have caused tomorrow morning."

Hermione made an insulted noise under her breath. "You know that wasn't what I meant! Did you really need to instill proper manners into me in front of Sirius like that?"

Hermione's eyes widened as his lips rose into a knowing smirk.

"You enjoyed that!" she accused him.

The smirk graced his severe face for a few more moments while he reached into his robe to retrieve his wand. Pointing it at the blank wall by his office desk, a doorknob materialized on one of the grey stones. Remembering this, Hermione noted that this doorknob was an elegant silver, unlike the brass handle that led into his personal lab.

Snape smoothly grasped the cool metal, pushing against the wall. A large, antique door emerged. Turning his head to look at her, his eyebrows rose in question.

"Coming?"

"Where?" she asked apprehensively.

"To my chambers," he said evenly.

WHAT?

Pushing the door aside, Severus entered the room, leaving Hermione alone in his office.

Hermione slowly edged herself closer to the mysterious new door braced in the stone wall. "But I thought you said my detention would be--" She suddenly stopped speaking when she realized what she had just said.

Emboldened, Hermione stormed up to the doorway and swiftly entered Snape's living space.

"Detention!" Once inside the tidy, yet dreary room, Hermione barely flinched when the door slammed shut behind her. She was still angry. "You gave me detention--"

Gasping, a strong arm suddenly wrapped around her waist. Snape descended on her from behind, pressing his whole front side against her back.

Hermione froze in response.

His tall and slender figure loomed over her. Leaning toward one ear, Snape used his free right arm to pull her curly hair off the side of her neck.

"Really, Hermione." His voice was low and threatening. "Did you expect any less from me?"

His breath stirred against her cold neck. Closing her eyes, Hermione leaned her head back until it made contact with his shoulder.

"Well," she said softly. "Honestly, no."

Removing the last of her curls from her shoulder, Snape slowly reached out to trace his graceful hand along the side of her neckline. "You've taken liberties with your station," Snape drawled, trailing his fingers across her collarbone as he turned his nose near her hair.

"What do you mean?" Hermione was finding it hard to speak. All of her senses were on fire, and her body was threatening to melt in his arms.

"You wear such feminine... robes after dinner."

She chuckled lightly. "I patrol the corridors almost every night. I can't very well wear school robes round the clock."

"Indeed."

"Have I done something wrong?" Hermione asked suddenly, a slight touch of hurt laced in her small voice.

Snape's hand stilled from his exploration of the soft flesh of her neck. "What do you mean?"

"You've been avoiding me all week."

Silence.

Lowering his arm from around her waist, Snape slowly dragged his body away from hers. Back towards her, he walked across his living space, elegantly edging his body around his antique furnishings.

"I've already told you," he said, "this is foolish of us." Opening a drinks cabinet, Snape reached for two wine glasses, placing them on a heavy work desk beside him.

Hermione took a few steps closer to the desk. "And I've already told you. I don't care."

"Well, you should."

"Do you want me to leave?" She asked with a slight bite in her voice.

Turning toward her, glass jug in hand, a hollow pop echoed as he pulled out the small cork.

"Does it look like I want you to leave?" He began pouring a reddish purple wine into both glasses.

Unsure of herself, Hermione awkwardly accepted her glass.

"We're not breaking any rules." She slightly swirled the wine before smelling it. "Dumbledore practically gave me his blessing as far as Sirius is concerned."

Snape's eyes snapped toward her. "Did he now?"

"Er, yes, unfortunately."

"Interesting..." he murmured, tracing his lips with his fingers.

"How so?"

Snapping out of his musings, Severus placed his crystal wine glass on the desk, gazing attentively at her.

He didn't know what had driven him to invite the girl into his office, let alone his living space. He just wanted to get her out of the dim corridor and away from that mangy mutt's sweaty paws.

Snape watched her fidget under his lustful gaze. Enjoying the sight of her acting so unsure, so timid. Snape made a show of looking her up and down as he edged himself around his writing desk.

"How do you feel about that, Hermione?"

"Feel about what?" she breathed. Hermione knew why he was trying to get closer to her, but all of this was so new, so she couldn't help but slightly back away from his advances.

"Black's interest in you?" Severus asked, arching his eyebrow. Reaching toward her, he smoothly plucked the wine glass out of her shaky hand.

Completely pressed against her Potions master's desk, the base of Hermione's bum edged against the surface.

"It... disturbs me."

Tilting his head to the side, Snape's lank black hair tumbled against the side of his pale face. Standing extremely close to her, he leaned toward Hermione, placing his hands on either side of her hips.

"Good answer," he drawled.

Hermione snapped her face toward him. "I'm not expressing what you want to hear."

"I never said you were."

"Then stop acting like you are so sure of what I am going to say!"

His lips twitched, forming into a pleased smirk.

Hermione raised her hands to her face, shaking her head from side to side. "Ugh! You enjoy getting me flustered, don't you?"

Closing the mere inches that separated their bodies, Snape lunged at her, gripping her about the waist. Reveling in her startled expression, he lifted her up, placing her to sit atop his desk.

"Perhaps."

Snape gazed down at her hooded light brown eyes. So scared, yet so strong. He sensed her body tense when he touched her, steeling herself for his attentions. Despite her apprehension, she had raised her chin toward him, unwilling to verbally express her fear. It was obnoxiously Gryffindor, but he wouldn't have it any other way. He had neither the time nor the energy to coddle little girls possessing archetypal crushes on their older professors.

Smirk slowing fading, Snape pressed his upper thighs against her closed, bended knees. Raising his right hand from the surface of his desk, Snape confidently returned it to her lower waist. Tilting his head forward, his hair partially covered his face, shielding the lust in his expression. Severus moved his lightly calloused palm against the smooth fabric of her navy blue dress robes.

Neither spoke as they concentrated on one another's irregular breathing. Hermione felt somewhat uneasy by the silence, yet she didn't want to break the swell of apprehension that was drawing their bodies closer. She didn't want to come back to reality. He'd been ignoring her all week. Wouldn't even glance at her in irritation as her energetic hand waved eagerly in the air. But now Snape couldn't take his eyes off her.

Slightly glancing up, Snape pushed his thighs against her knees at the sight of her closed eyes. He returned his vision to her waist, slowly gliding his hand up her side. Snape lightly squeezed the dip of her waist and continued caressing up toward her ribs. Her body was quickly relaxing under his touch; her knees no longer pressed together in fear. Pushing his body completely against her one more time, Snape easily parted her legs until they rested on either side of his hips.

Sliding both of his arms around her lower back, Snape exhaled deeply, pressing his face against the side of her neck and into her soft hair.

Lost in a war of emotions, Hermione finally raised her stiff hands off the surface of his desk, allowing Severus to support her weight.

"You're so dangerous for me." Did she say that out loud? Gods, she hoped not; it was meant to be a personal thought.

Snape's amused chuckle tickled the skin behind her ear.

Shit. She did say that out loud.

"How so?"

Catching her breath, Hermione swallowed before she found her voice. "I'm letting myself get lost by your every whim." Timidly raising her left hand to touch the side of his face, Hermione urged him to look at her. "I'm not accustomed to willingly surrendering my control."

Snape swallowed uncomfortably. He was overwhelmed with the sudden urge to divert his eyes away from her.

Hermione stroked her thumb across his cheekbone. "Yet, I keep yielding to you."

Lifting her chin, eyes slightly open, Hermione pressed her soft lips against the edge of Snape's mouth.

Closing his eyes, Snape lifted his hand from the small of her back, tangling it in her riotous curls. Growling under his breath as he deepened the kiss, he pulled her toward him, pressing her body against his chest. At the sound of her faint whimper, Severus forced his warm tongue into her mouth, overpowering her lips with his vigorous kiss until she was dizzy with his desire.

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Author's Notes: I enjoyed writing this chapter, but I fear nothing here shed much light on the overall plot.

-Story beta'ed by the talented melusin.

-I love blunt honesty. Tell me how to improve.

-Chapter title taken from John Milton's Paradise Lost, Book ii. Line 555.