Reprisal!

Disclaimer: Not my characters (sigh), but I would love to own them.

A big thanks to my beta, Charmed Nay!

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Hermione woke up with a soft smile. His arms were snugly around her as they had been the previous time he'd stayed over all night. He grumbled sleepily just as she was bringing his hand up to her lips for a soft kiss. He sounded...different. The hand in hers caught her attention. It was tanned, callused, and a bit meatier than she remembered. It reminded her of Harry. Harry! Bloody hell! She turned over.

She was in Harry's bed all right. Damn. She dropped the hand unceremoniously and sat up, not caring if she woke him. He mumbled, "Voldemort...going kill them all...Avada..." His face was twisted angrily.

"Harry, you're dreaming! Wake up." Hermione wondered how often he dreamt of ruddy Voldemort. The bastard haunted her dreams on occasion. She never thought about what memories must do to Harry. She shook him gently. "Wake up, Harry."

He bolted up, breathing heavily. "What? Where is he?"

Hermione grinned softly. "You defeated him long ago, Harry."

He grinned for a moment and fell back on his pillows. "Good morning, Mione. How do you feel?"

"Embarrassed, I think," she said honestly. "I should not have stayed here."

"I'm glad you did," he said softly, pulling her back down next to him. "It also makes me happy to know that you will put your fascination with that man behind you. He's no good, Hermione. He planned to make arses out of all of us this entire time."

"But, he said the two of you. Maybe he truly does care for me, Harry," she said hopefully. "Maybe it wasn't all about revenge. Some of the things that he did could only mean that he cares."

"No. I'll not believe it," Harry said firmly. "Like I said last night, why didn't he try to stop you?"

"Pride?"

"Trust me. If my lover was leaving me, I would make my feelings known," Harry said, kissing her hand lightly. "Leave him to his solitary dungeons, Hermione. It's time for you to return to the land of the living. You've become someone different lately. You barely eat, you rarely talk to us like you used to, and you always seem to be daydreaming. I'm here for you."

"It's not the same, Harry. I'm in love with him. I think that maybe I should have talked to him before telling him it was over. I should go to him right now and try to see how he really feels." Hermione furrowed her brow. "He'll likely throw me out."

"How could you be in love with him? Are you sure that you're not just in lust with him?" Harry asked, grimacing slightly. "I assume he's at least good at that if nothing else. What other reason could he appeal to you?"

"It's more than that, as I told you last night, but yes, he is brilliant," she said sadly. "I'll never be with him again, Harry." She began to tear up softly. "He doesn't want me, does he?"

Harry pulled her against him firmly, allowing her tears to leak onto his bare chest. "Cry it out, Mione. Get him out of your system. I'm sure he wants you. Don't think badly of yourself. He is just a selfish, bitter bastard, and he wants you at his leisure. Don't let him use you."

As Hermione cried, Harry began to feel guilty. Was he doing the right thing by telling her to turn away from Snape? That bastard had been shagging her, making her love him, and had only planned to discard her after the joke on Rolanda and him was completed. She was better off without the lout. In time, she would be over Snape. Maybe then she would move on to someone more deserving. It was apparent that she no longer harbored any feelings for Ron, but what about the other Weasleys? Friends? Neither Charlie nor Fred had yet decided to settle down. Seamus could do with a good witch at his side, what with that wretch he'd just broken away from. When her tears stopped, Harry smoothed her hair back. "All right, Mione?"

"Better," she breathed. "That's it then. I won't go grovel at his feet. I refuse to be used any longer. Thank you, Harry." She moved to kiss his cheek.

Harry turned, and her lips accidentally brushed his. "Sorry," he said quickly. When Hermione didn't move away, he moved back to kiss her again. This time their lips parted, and their tongues met. Both pulled away laughing. "Odd," he said.

"Terribly," she agreed.

He grinned slyly. "I suppose we just don't have that sort of relationship."

"Apparently not. You're no Snape."

He pretended to be offended. "I don't measure up to the bat of the dungeons? Why ever not? Have I not enough grease in my hair? Has my skin seen too much sun?"

Hermione slapped his chest playfully. "You're impossible!"

"I know. Come on. Let's have breakfast," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

"I want a bath and fresh clothes," she said wistfully. "I think I'll need to sneak back to my chambers."

"Well, I'll come with you under the Invisibility Cloak. No students will see us that way," he offered.

"It's early yet, Harry. We've no need for it. Let's just run there quickly, and after I've had a bath, we'll order something for us."

"Come on then," he said, getting up to grab his cloak. He slipped his cloak over his shoulders to cover his bare chest and pajama bottoms. He grabbed a shirt and jeans from his nearby dresser and slipped his trainers over his socked feet. Pulling her by the hand, they left his chambers and dashed for hers. "I'll just get dressed while you bathe," he said. As they rounded a corner, they both stopped.

Severus Snape in all his billowing glory was making his way towards them. He also stopped to look at the pair through narrowed eyes. "Imagine meeting the two of you out so early. Holding hands? Scantily dressed? You do move on quickly, don't you, my dear?"

"Severus," she said, horrified at what he must think. "It's not what you think."

"Really?" he asked, moving forward, clearly uninterested in what she had to say. Hermione reached out to touch his arm. He looked down at her hand. "Kindly unhand me, Miss Granger. I can only imagine where that hand has been."

Harry pulled Hermione away. "Better for it to be on me than any part of you. Come on, Mione. I told you to forget about him."

Severus stepped forward. He could hex the little brat so easily. Hermione was no better. He felt like a fool. He had gone to see if she had returned to her chambers. He wasn't going to talk to her. He simply wanted to put his mind at ease about her going to Potter's chambers. Sleep would not come to him, less he knew if she had or hadn't bedded Potter. "Itching for a duel, Potter? Want to clear your conscience? It appears that we are more alike than you'd like to believe. The only difference in this situation is that she knew I was fucking her and not wishing for anything further. You have done it and haven't told her yet that you don't want a future with her either."

Hermione blanched and looked away. Harry threw his clothes down and pulled his wand. She jumped in front of his wand. "No, Harry. Don't. Albus will be angry." She turned to Severus slightly. "Nothing happened. I swear it."

Severus smirked before putting away his wand. "I do not care, and never address me by my given name again." He turned on his heel and made his way back down to his chambers. Potter was carrying more clothes than he was wearing. Hermione was still in the same nightgown that she had worn to his chambers the night before.

She seemed to be telling the truth, but why didn't Potter deny his accusation? He'd even implied that her hand had been on his person. She seemed horrified at the thought of it though. Either they did have sex together, or they didn't. As much as he would hate to believe that any man, even Potter, would allow a woman to sleep near him and not take advantage of the situation, he was inclined to believe that they hadn't done anything together. However, he would intentionally continue to project the attitude that he believed they had sex. It would be easy to send her glances of deep disgust. He could openly send loathing looks towards Potter and dare him to say anything. "This might not be all that bad," he said, rubbing his chin in thought.

He was no fool. The more he made her suffer, and the more he made her feel guilty, then the more she would want him. Soon she would be asking him to her bed again, and he would accept of course. His little Hermione would be so happy just to have him back in her life that she would take anything that he offered her. He would never offer her anything more than what they had before.

He could hear someone knocking on his door. "What the hell?" It was too damn early for Albus to be nosing about. He opened the door and sneered. "What do you want?"

Rolanda laughed. "Just wanted to stop by and commend you on your little prank. Good one, old boy. Jolly good. Now, about my Polyjuice Potion," she said carefully, "where is it?"

"Polyjuice Potion," he said incredulously. "Dare you think that I would still give you some after what you've done to me?"

"What I've done?" Rolanda asked, the mirth leaving her eyes momentarily. "You are no better than any of us, and I did what you asked. I requested Polyjuice Potion. You agreed. That's an agreement between a witch and a wizard. You'd better brew some for me, Severus. It's only fair. She didn't go off with Potter, and she was in London."

Severus thought for a moment. "Very well. I shall give you true Polyjuice Potion. You are correct."

"And, I think you've had plenty more shags since then, haven't you? I'd say you got more than what you thought you'd get," Rolanda said tartly. "I must admit that I was disappointed that Harry didn't want to have fun last night. Though I had no dangling bits, it would have been quite a show to try it out! Excellent joke, that was." He smirked at the woman. How could one get revenge against her if she thought it to be funny? "I finally got him down and pulled down his trousers. The poor twit was yelling the entire time. I reached into my own pants, and what do you know? The illusion began to break up. Poor bloke. He was terrified. He took off as quickly as he could, breaking a ward around the room as he went. I thought you two would have a duel."

"We nearly did." Severus knew it was time to set his plan in action. He changed his voice to one of regret. "I went to apologize to Miss Granger this morning, and I found her running about the corridor with a nearly naked Potter. I think that they had sex last night. It seems that I was easy enough to replace." He sneered for a moment. "No matter. It's time that I find a woman to couple with. Miss Granger was most satisfying, but experience is always best."

"Too right you are, but for some reason, I think that she meant more to you than what you're letting on." Rolanda looked at him oddly for a moment. "You take care, Severus. Let me know when that potion is ready."

"Certainly," he said quietly. "Oh, and Rolanda?"

"Yes?"

"Never make assumptions on anything that I may or may not feel. She is where she belongs, and this evening, I shall be settling into another lover's bed. Good day," he said icily, slamming the door in her face. The nerve! The witch had the bollocks to assume that he felt anything more for Hermione. No. Granger. "Ha!" Severus made his way to his bed. He really needed to get some sleep. If he were lucky, he'd be able to make the evening meal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HG ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ONE WEEK LATER

"Think about it, Albus," Minerva said disappointedly. "We need to do something to fix this. If we hadn't let him hear Rolanda and Harry, this would never have happened."

Albus nodded. "I fear that I may have made things worse. Hermione hasn't been eating much. Dobby tells me that she returns most of the food that he's brought to her. I think it's time for drastic measures. What say you?"

"I have something in mind," Minerva said with a determined smile. "It will get them talking if nothing else." She looked to see Severus making his way to the table. "I'll start with him. Follow my lead."

Albus nodded. "Certainly. I think I know what you are planning."

"Severus, there is something that I need to speak to you about privately," Minerva said as he sat down.

"You seem anxious. What is it?" he asked quickly.

"Let's just say I think this matter needs your immediate attention. I'll say no more here, nor will I say anything where we might be overheard. Meet me at the Astronomy Tower near ten tonight," she said, remembering that he had a detention to oversee.

"I shall be there," he said. He could see that the woman needed something. He would not turn her away. Minerva, like Albus, had always been someone with whom he could speak to openly. As the woman turned back to Albus, he ate silently, trying to listen to what the prat was talking to Rolanda about.

"Yeah, well, she has to come out sometime. I'm going to go talk to her after I've eaten and gone into town. I think a trip to Hogsmeade this weekend is in order. Nothing like a few drinks to put things in perspective," Harry said.

"Now you're speaking my language," Rolanda replied. She turned to Severus. "Want to come along, old boy?"

Potter scoffed. "What?"

"Certainly not," Severus replied firmly. "I've no desire to be about with any of you." He made sure to look evilly at Potter when he said the last bit.

"Not that any of us want you there anyway," Potter said. "What did you go and ask him for anyway?"

"Well, he sits in his rooms all the time. He needs to get out, I say," Rolanda said, tossing her fork down. "What's so bloody wrong with that? I'll have you know that he can drink more than you and Weasley put together."

Minerva spoke before any more could be said. "He is coming with us. We've discussed it already. No need to worry about his wellbeing, Rolanda."

"Jolly good," the yellow-eyed witch replied, picking her fork back up to finish eating.

Severus eyed Minerva for a moment. They had agreed on no such thing. "I do not remember agreeing to such an outing."

"Bah! Don't thank me, Severus. She was itching to start another quarrel between you and Harry. Quite frankly, I am sick of it. Albus and I were thinking of having a few rounds. I wouldn't mind seeing you come out of your chambers for once."

"Very well," he agreed halfheartedly. What did it matter where he spent his time? He liked getting out on occasion, but he also liked the time alone in his chambers. Time that he could read or research was time well spent. When he finished eating, he turned to Minerva once more. "I shall see you tonight."

"I'll be there," she said quietly. Once he was gone, she jabbed Albus with her elbow. "Your turn. Go find Hermione."

"I'll do just that," he said, sounding amused. "They will know that we've set them up. Are you prepared for Severus' wrath?"

"I've already got an excuse. He'll not know I'm guilty," she said smugly. "Go on now."

Albus stood up and made his way to the library. He had to get Hermione to share a walk with him later. Once he entered the library, he saw her nibbling on a strawberry. Well, at least she was eating a little. "Ah, Hermione. I wanted to talk to you about a few things. I had hoped to see you in the Great Hall for the evening meal."

"Oh, hello, Headmaster," she said, pushing her plate aside. "What is it?"

"I think, my dear, that you would be more comfortable talking away from the ears of the students." He nodded towards a few students at a nearby table. "There is to be a celestial shower this evening. I thought maybe we would go have a walk up to the Astronomy Tower around, say, ten?"

"Of course," she replied automatically, wondering what he wanted.

"I will collect you from your chambers then." He walked away while muttering to himself, and Hermione allowed a small grin to play on her lips. He was up to something, but what was it? Anytime he pretended to be a dotty old man, one could bet he was conspiring to do something.

She sighed and popped another strawberry into her mouth. She wondered what Severus was doing at that moment. Was he working on a potion? No, she'd seen in the staff room that he was giving a detention this evening. Hermione always tried to see what evenings he would be free to roam the castle. On those nights, she would stay in her chambers, making sure she wouldn't run into him. She was too embarrassed to see him.

Rolanda had told her that he had been in the corridor because he had wanted to apologize to her, but when he saw her in a seemingly compromising position with Harry, he'd thought that she had shagged Harry. Ro also said that he seemed to be hiding his emotions behind a mask. The witch actually believed that Severus fancied her! Ha! He was so cold though. Surely he had heard her when she told him that nothing had gone on between Harry and her. It didn't help that Harry allowed him to think what he would. Rolanda did say that Severus had commented on finding a more experienced witch. Perhaps if she had tried harder to please him, he might have been coerced to come back to her instead of going back to seeking out his other witches for pleasure.

Some days she wanted things to be as they were before. At least she would have him in her life. However, most days she knew that she'd done the right thing. She simply wished that it didn't hurt so much. When she kissed Harry that morning, there had been no spark, no feeling. She doubted that anyone could ever please her the way Severus did. What could she do to make him want her again? Was it worth the fight? Worth the heartache?

Her thoughts stayed much the same until Albus finally came for her. "It's a nice night out," he commented.

"Good. I could do with a bit of fresh air," she said softly. She hoped they would be back in time for Harry's visit. He'd sent a note saying that he would be over around eleven. "What's this about?" she asked after a few moments of silence.

"Well, Hermione, I don't like that you aren't taking care of yourself. You seem to have lost a considerable amount of weight, and I never see you during meals. Is there something you wish to tell me?" he asked kindly, hoping she would admit everything.

"Sir, there is nothing wrong. I've really been into my work lately. Most of the students have needed help with the end of the term nearing. That's why I've been trying to make myself more available to them."

"Here we are," he said happily, opening the door for her. "Go on," he urged. She walked out onto the rooftop before him. Once she was out, he said, "Blast! I wanted to bring along a new gadget that is supposed to make everything appear closer. I'll be right back, and I'll ward this door to be sure no sneaky students bother you."

"What?" she asked as the door slammed quickly. She tried to open the door, but it was warded shut. "Bloody hell!" She shrugged and made her way to lean against the stone railing. She never noticed the man in the shadows whose dark eyes were watching her intently.

Severus suddenly felt like a pillock. Minerva and Albus had orchestrated this, hoping to force them to talk. He supposed that he could use this to his advantage. His plan of making her feel guilty had been hard to pull off since he hadn't seen her in the past week. He was sure that Rolanda had told her what he said, but he was unsure about how she felt upon hearing the news. Severus smirked and walked over to her. He stood there quietly whilst taking in her image. The soft moonlight was playing over her delicate body sensually. He ached, suddenly, to touch her. He had wanted her many times over this past week. Wanted her so badly, in fact, that he sought out another. He did it mostly to prove to himself that he could. Yes, he cared about Granger more than he liked to admit, but that didn't mean he was weak! Only a weak man would lay in wait for one witch's affection when other, more readily available witches, were to be had. The witch that he did bed had been nothing compared to her. She had satisfied him, yes, but something had been missing. Perhaps it was the look in the woman's eyes. They lacked the softness that Her...Granger's held. Damn it!

The entire idea of seeing another woman had been distasteful, but he had to do it to prove to himself that he could. He needed to be sure that he had not gone soft, that he had not become accustomed to having only one partner. The month long coupling with Granger had left him wanting more, as he hadn't had his fill of her when things had ended. Severus had never had sex with the same witch so many times before. That had to be something else that had felt wrong when he was with the other witch. It was likely that he'd just gotten used to the ease of bedding his young lover. He'd become familiarized to her desires as she had with his. There always was the possibility that she had slept with Potter. He couldn't allow her to be the only one to have moved on so quickly. He really didn't believe that they had though. There was only one way to find out for sure.

"It appears, Miss Granger," he said coolly, "that we have been duped into coming here. I fear that I was led to believe that Minerva wanted a word with me."

He saw her back stiffen, and her hands gripped the stone as if to keep herself balanced. "Hello, Professor," she said evenly, accenting his title with bitterness.

Admittedly, to his ears, it sounded harsh to have her call him by this title instead of his given name. Momentarily, he wished that he'd never instructed her to stop calling him by his given name. He casually leaned against the railing next to her. "Tell me. How is Potter these days? Is he keeping you satisfied?"

She turned indignant eyes to meet his. "Harry is a good friend to me." The anger was apparent. He was right to believe that they hadn't had sex then. She asked tartly, "How are your lovers? Are they treating you well?"

Severus smirked. This was the opening he'd wanted. "Well, to be honest, I've only had one. It has only been a week since you ended things. I think I may try one of her friends next week though. She seemed very interested."

"You are a bastard, you know," she said, not trying to disguise her anger. He could also see the hurt in her expression.

"Yes, at times, I do believe that of myself."

"How can you live with yourself?" She felt tears burning her eyes. "You know how I feel about you, yet you stand here and tell me about your other woman? That's cold, Severus."

"Professor Snape, Miss Granger. I don't recall giving you leave to use my given name again," he said snidely. "Why shouldn't I have gone to another woman? You were in Potter's bed the same night that you ended things with me. Do you deny it?"

"No, but we-"

"So, you did sleep with him," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, but we didn't have se-"

"Really! You don't dare think that I believe that! I know," he leered at her body suggestively, "that you are a very passionate woman, Miss Granger. I'm sure that even the berk Potter would not pass up a chance to have a willing woman."

"We didn't have sex. It was just a little k..." She looked away guiltily.

Severus raised an eyebrow and felt the anger wash over him. Something had happened! It wasn't completely innocent. His hand itched to grab his wand. The little harlot! What liberty had she allowed Potter? "A little what?" he asked coldly, glaring at her.

"I don't have to tell you anything," she spat suddenly. She turned and went to the door. It was still locked. "Damn it!"

He was at her side in three strides and pulled her around roughly. "Do finish what you started," he said through clenched teeth.

"You are no longer my lover, Snape. I don't have to tell you a damn thing. It seems that you have formed your own opinions," she said angrily. "You went and shagged someone, and you are acting as if I am a whore for kissing someone else. It wasn't even a good kiss, you know!" She shrugged her arm away from him, but he pulled her back to him roughly.

His lips found and angrily claimed hers. The little bitch dared to mouth off to him! She resisted only for a few moments, but then he felt her submit to his will. It would be so easy to drag her down to his bed, wouldn't it? That would show your weakness. She would know of your need for her. Don't do it. His lips left hers, and he watched with amusement as she caught her breath. "There is a difference between a man's kiss and a boy's. It would do well for you to remember that, Hermione."

"Severus," she moved to pull his face back to hers, but he looked away.

"I cannot."

"Why not?" she asked, sounding hurt. "You just did."

"That, Miss Granger, was a man making a point," he said blandly. "It was nothing more. Though I am glad that you've found that intriguing temper of yours. I've always found that, at least, attractive about you."

"Right," she said stepping away from him. Why did he have to be so cold? He had wanted her. She felt it. His arms had snaked around her possessively, and she knew it was the thought of Harry kissing her that had done it. He was jealous and was afraid to let her know it. She could use this to her advantage, couldn't she? All she yearned for was for him to care for her. "Will you still never care for me?" He watched her, lips pursed tightly. His eyes were lost in thought. She sighed in annoyance. It was a yes or no answer. He was acting as if either one would cost him a portion of his soul. "Forget it, Snape," she said finally. "I shall definitely learn to live without you."

At that moment, the door banged open. It was Albus Dumbledore. He was muttering distractedly to some sort of metal contraption in his hands. When he looked up at the angry couple, he feigned surprise. "Why, Severus, have you come to join us? What brings you here?"

"I was just leaving," he said, brushing past his mentor.

Albus watched the man leave, feeling disappointed. Minerva had instructed an owl to flutter near his chamber until he returned with a message telling him to not meet her on the tower, as she'd learnt about others going there. Severus would think the owl to be daft, and Minerva would be clear of suspicion.

He looked to Hermione, and his hope dwindled. Maybe the pair wasn't as well suited as he'd once believed. Hermione used to have such a spark in her, but since she'd taken up with Severus, it seemed that the life within her had dulled. "Are you not up to this, my dear?" he asked kindly. The reply she gave made him smile. Perhaps there was hope yet.

"I most certainly am, Albus. I won't let that arse ruin my night or any other night to come," she said firmly.

"Excellent. Shall we?" He offered his arm to her. "I always believed we could see better from the far right. There is a small platform there, which is hidden from the students. I fear they might misuse it given the chance."

~~~~~~~~~~ HG ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SS ~~~~~~~~~~~~

FIVE DAYS LATER

Hermione had started attending all of her meals in the Great Hall with the others. She never looked at Severus, but she did feel his eyes upon her on occasion. She talked to Rolanda and Harry as she used to, and she agreed to meet them in Hogsmeade for drinks. She put on the last touches of make-up, and she made her way to the front gate. Harry was waiting there for her.

"Where is Ro?" she asked.

"She's not well. Poppy told her to stay in tonight. Hope you don't mind that it's just us," he said.

"Of course not," she replied. "I just want to get pissed. Maybe all of my problems will be gone when I wake up tomorrow."

"It doesn't work that way, Mione, though we would want them to. I've tried that many times, and it's not worked for me," Harry said, looking oddly sad.

"Are you all right, Harry?" she asked, looking into his eyes. "What is it?"

"I'm just wondering about things lately. Is there something wrong with me?" he asked sadly. "Every time I become involved with someone, it turns out to be only a fling. I would commit to someone, really I would. They all shy away from me."

"Harry," Hermione began gently, "you are the boy that lived to defeat Voldemort many times. Most women would be honored to be with you, but I would wager that they don't feel they are worthy of anything other than a shag. Have you ever tried to tell them that you'd want more?"

"Well, no, they usually take off before I decide if I want something more," he said thoughtfully. "I suppose I could ask for a second date. Sometimes I do ask for one, but it's always the same. They want to know all about Voldemort, want a good shag, and then they take off as if I've dismissed them."

"Tonight, Harry, I want you to choose one witch that you would like to talk to. It doesn't matter what she asks you. Answer her questions, but guide the conversation to something that you enjoy. See how she feels about Quidditch, politics, or anything! Don't let it turn into a shag."

"Deal, but only if you do the same. I'm tired of you moping around over Snape," he said determinedly.

"Harry, I've been doing well for the past week."

"Yes, but I still sense the sadness in you. There is no fooling me, Hermione," he said softly. "You need to talk to someone tonight as well. If we don't try, then we'll end up having to get married even though we don't feel that way about each other, just to say that we are married and to have a couple of kids to pass on our legacy to."

Hermione laughed. "Oh, Harry! You are such a brat."

"Trelawny herself told me that! I figured I'd better warn you. She has been known to speak on true prophecies now and again," he said cheekily.

"Oh no," she breathed as they entered the pub.

"What?" He looked around and saw Minerva waving to them. "Blast! He's here."

"Let's just go," she said suddenly. She had faced him in the hall during meals, but this was different. And, what the bloody hell was he doing in a pub? Her eyes narrowed. He was likely having a few drinks before finding another witch to shag. "On second thought, let's stay here."

Harry nodded. "Good girl. Don't let him dictate where you can or can't go. Let's have a seat over here."

After only a few rounds of drinks, Hermione found herself talking to an attractive young wizard while Harry was talking to his younger sister. They were from Spain and were visiting cousins in town. She smiled proudly as Harry and the witch seemed to be talking about a variety of things. The wizard, Ricardo, seemed to be interested in something more than talking. At first, she shied away from his advances, but one look in Severus' direction had changed her mind. She could feel his rage across the room. His words came back to her. I would hate it if someone touched you. She ought to let this bloke sit a little closer, and she ought to flirt with him a bit more. That would serve Severus right.

Those thoughts didn't make her as happy as she would have liked. She didn't want to hurt him. If she did, she would be no better than he. She wanted to save herself for someone that she could really love...or for Severus. Suddenly, it hit her. He didn't trust women. He didn't trust anyone. That was why he had proudly told her that he'd never given his heart to anyone. He had slowly been changing in their month together. He'd started out taking her and leaving her. He'd eventually begun to kiss her, hold her, and he'd even stayed the night with her. Things would have changed even more. She believed that firmly.

What had she done? She'd thrown him out after a few words from Harry forced her to draw her own conclusions. Why hadn't she just waited to see what he would say or do? He had told Harry that he'd only meant to make an arse out of Rolanda and Harry, not her. Why hadn't she waited before breaking things off? Then, he had gone to search her out to apologize, hardly believable, but those were his words. He'd found her running around, nearly naked, with Harry. What was he supposed to think?

How could she ever gain his trust if she did things that led him to believe otherwise? When she told him about the kiss that she and Harry had shared, she'd felt his outrage, jealousy, and possessiveness radiating from his touch and his kiss. Now, she was doing it again. Giving him another reason to not trust her. She was simply proving to him that she was like most other witches. She was only showing him that he was replaceable when that was the farthest thing from the truth. She loved him. This Ricardo meant nothing to her, and why was his hand on her thigh? Why was he leaning towards her as if he were about to kiss her? Hermione slid away and landed on the floor.

Harry sprung up to help her. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," she said quickly. "I must go."

She could see the disappointment in his eyes. "Already?" She followed his gaze to Ricardo's sister.

"I'm not feeling well. I'll go back to the castle. You stay here and talk to them," she said, smiling reassuringly. He seemed to understand that she wanted to be away from Ricardo.

"I'll see you to your home," the boy said.

Harry shook his head. "No, she's not far. Stay with us. I want to hear more about your family's business."

Hermione quickly nodded to them and hurried away, leaving Ricardo calling after her.

Severus had seen what happened. Why did she turn the boy away? He shrugged. When the boy got up a few minutes later to exit the pub, Severus excused himself. "I believe that I shall return to the castle. Good evening." The pair didn't seem to mind that he was leaving and waved him off heartily as they discussed some legal issue.

He followed the foreign boy towards the path to the castle. His long strides brought him quickly to the boy's side. "Where are you going, boy?" he asked darkly.

"I am making sure that a friend has returned home safely," he said, heavily accented.

Severus smirked. "She's fine. I saw her Apparate a moment ago. Why don't you go back and let Potter know that all is well? I am sure that he is the one that sent you, right?"

The boy seemed stunned momentarily that Severus knew who he was looking for and who he had been with. He also looked a little guilty, as if he had less than honorable intentions. "I will." He nodded and walked back towards the pub.

Severus had to calm his breathing for a moment. He had to fight the urge to hex the wizard. Why did Hermione affect him so? Because you are weak, Severus. You always were. "I am not," he growled to himself. There was nothing wrong with wanting to protect something that he considered to be his own. That was the gist of it. She belonged to him. Her denial of the boy's caresses told him that she still longed to have his hands upon her. CRACK! He Apparated to the Hogwarts front gate and slowly made his way down the path back towards Hogsmeade. Something told him that she hadn't Apparated, but she had made the decision to walk back.

It wasn't long before he met up with her. "I thought you were in the pub," she said suspiciously.

"I was until I saw that young wizard follow you out," he admitted.

"Really? What does that matter then? Did you Apparate him away to threaten him?" she asked sarcastically. "Or, do you reserve that treatment for Ron only?"

"I would have if he had continued to pursue you. His intentions were less than honorable," he said, sounding bored. "As far as Weasley is concerned, I would do the same to him or anyone else that called you anything improper." What the fuck? Why had he told her that?

"Oh, honestly! Spare me, Severus. I know you are not as honorable as you claim to be."

"I am honorable," he said silkily. "I've never led you to believe anything other than what my true intentions were. Someone without honor would have pretended to be in love with you." He spat the word like it was a disease.

"What is so wrong with love?"

"Everything."

She brushed past him. "You know, Severus. You don't want me, yet you hate for anyone else to want me. I don't understand. I know you don't care."

He pulled her to him roughly and quickly released her, taking a step back. "Who says that I don't?"

He Disapparated before she could comment. "Bloody hell! Why did I say that?" he bellowed, startling a few birds from their roosts in a nearby tree. He'd Apparated to a spot that he always considered safe when he needed a place to return to. After he'd meet with the Dark Lord, he would always come back to the Forbidden Forest to the same spot. It was a small clearing near a little brook that fed from a mountain and ran into the lake. The slow, lazy current always intrigued him. He had always wondered what it would be like to be swept away from one place to another. He often wondered if the journey from this life to the next was much the same.

CRACK! He jumped up from the rock he was sitting on and faced Hermione. "You really should put an Anti-Tracing Charm on you before you Disapparate next time," she said smugly. "What was that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Leave now," he said so quietly that she almost didn't hear him. He hated that she was invading his private place. She did not belong here.

"Do you or not? I would like to know. Do you really care?" she asked, moving towards him. "Please tell me."

Don't be weak. She's simply a witch. One that you have proved to be easily replaced. He looked away from her pleading eyes. She was being weak again. He abhorred it, yet reveled in it. If he admitted that he did care for her, in his own way, it would not be showing weakness. It would simply be insuring that he got what he wanted from her. If he said those words, she would willingly ask him to join her in bed again. "I suppose you could say that," he murmured finally. "Get out of here."

"No," she said defiantly. "Let me stay."

His narrowed eyes met hers. "Why did you turn that boy away tonight? You knew that I was watching. Would it not have been the perfect revenge?"

"I want no one else," she said honestly.

"Hermione," he said in exasperation, "do you not care that I will never love you? Just because I may care about what happens to you, it doesn't mean that I will change. I will never marry. I will never have children. Can you live that way?"

She looked away for a moment, and Severus feared that he'd gone too far. One lone tear slid down her cheek. He lifted his hand to wipe it away. She stilled his hand with hers, turning to kiss his fingers lightly. "I can live that way for now, as long as I know you care for me."

"For now?" he asked incredulously. He stepped closer and brought his lips to her ear. "It's hard for me to let go of something that belongs to me. That's what you are, you know." He suckled on her lobe lightly. "You are my possession."

Hermione was horrified when a slight moan escaped. If he feels so strongly about keeping her in his life, then she would never have to worry about him leaving her. He would change no matter what he said. He had changed over the weeks that they had been together. She was safe with him. He cared about her. That care would turn to love eventually. "Possess me," she said suddenly, surprising herself.

Severus ripped her cloak away in answer. As his fingers began to quickly relieve her of her clothing, she, in turn, began to unbutton his. After a few fumbling moments, he pulled away, grabbed his wand, and spelled away both of their remaining clothing. He also mumbled a Cushioning Charm before dropping his wand next to them and lowering her to the ground. In one swift motion, he was buried within her. They both moaned. "I have missed you," she said, kissing his cheek softly.

He stilled his movements to look into her eyes. "I have noticed an emptiness as well." His lips pressed lightly against hers. As their tongues mingled, her hands found their way into his hair to hold his lips to hers. She wrapped one leg around his waist and the other around his thigh, shifting her pelvis upward to grant him deeper access. One of his hands slid down between them to heighten her pleasure. Their bodies slapped together frantically, only the sounds of grunts and moaning could be heard. It seemed that the forest noises and the brook had been quieted. She pushed the image of puzzled creatures watching their frantic coupling out of her mind and concentrated on her lover. She could feel him throbbing within as he was about to explode, and it drove her over the edge. Their lips parted as they both cried out. The only thing going through her mind while they lay together in the afterglow of their intense coupling was that he was hers again.

Nearly an hour later, after they'd changed positions wordlessly and coupled again, her mind began to think about what he'd said. It's hard for me to let go of something that belongs to me. That's what you are, you know. You are my possession. She realized that when she had asked him to possess her, she had agreed to the life that he'd described. A loveless life. No marriage. No children. No changes. He would change though. He had to change sooner or later. Her love for him would eventually persuade him to feel something for her other than possessiveness and slight caring. Caring! He'd admitted that he cared for her. See? That is a step forward, isn't it? A couple of months ago he wouldn't have given her a second glance, much less have cared for her.

Harry's disappointed face came to mind. She could almost hear him saying how he'd hoped she was better than that. She had always wanted a family and children one day. Even after she became infatuated with Severus, she still figured that she would move on and have a normal life. When he'd finally lain with her, she'd started dreaming of having those things with him. He didn't want those things. It was unlikely that he would even publicly acknowledge a relationship with her. What had she done? She could be content this way for now, and she had told him as much. But, he made it clear that there was no for now. This was for always. She had blindly agreed to it. She needed to talk to him about this.

"Severus, please wake up," she said softly.

"What?" he grumbled, turning away from her.

"Will you still see other witches?" she asked suddenly. Where had that question come from?

He sat up and eyed her oddly. "You satisfy my needs."

Well, what the fuck kind of answer was that? She supposed that was his way of saying that he would be faithful. "What am I to you now?"

He raised his eyebrow. "What are you getting at, Hermione?"

She swallowed. "Are people to know that I am...something to you?"

"Do you want people to know?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yes."

"Whatever for?"

"Well, I am not embarrassed of you. It will keep women like Vector and whatever tart you've bedded last away," she said determinedly. "Am I so bad that you would not want anyone to know that you are interested in me that way?"

He leant in to look at her harshly. "I will not commit to you. Did you not understand that?"

"You said you would not marry me. There is a difference." She would not give in to this. He would treat her with respect, and their relationship would be public.

"I may not be opposed to allowing others to know that you are mine. I can see your point. This will save me the trouble of turning away your many would-be suitors," he said after thinking it over. "Tell whomever you wish, but do not expect public displays of warmth."

"You will talk to me, won't you? Say, if Rolanda and I swapped chairs during meals, would you talk to me then?"

He stood up and began to dress. "I think I've heard enough of this."

"Severus, wait," she stood up and touched his arm. "You were angry because Ron called me your...whore. If you treat me like one, everyone will say it. I'm not asking for much. Just don't be ashamed of me."

"I am not ashamed of you. I just refuse to have people think that I am some weak fool and am unable to stay away from you," he said coldly. "I will not disrespect you, but I will not disrespect myself either, Hermione. Switch chairs with Rolanda, tell others that we are lovers, and welcome me to your bed at any time I choose. These are agreeable to me, but do not expect anything more. I am warning you."

"If one of us should ever decide that the other is no longer what we want, what do we do?" she asked cautiously. He stopped in the midst of dressing, his shirt still dangling in midair. "That's not what it sounds like," she amended quickly, taking in his angry stance. "If you tire of me, what will you tell me?"

He finished putting on his shirt and turned to her. "I will tell you in the privacy of my chambers, and I will not prolong anything. If and when this arrangement becomes cumbersome, I shall let you know forthwith."

"Then, I shall do the same," she said with more conviction than she felt.

He looked at her for a long moment before smirking arrogantly. "Yes, I'm sure you will." He cast a charm to clean both of them before he finished dressing. "I'm sure, my little paramour, that I will give you no reason to become bored with me."

She nodded, but she had her way out. She could always point to this conversation should their relationship become too much for her. She hadn't said that she would do the same if she became bored. If time passed with nothing changing, she would end things. She had to give this a try. She had to know if things could change. She had to know if Severus could love her eventually.

~~~~~~~~~~ HG ~~~~~~~~~~~ SS ~~~~~~~~~~

ONE WEEK LATER

Severus lay propped up on one elbow, watching his lover sleep. This was the second time this week that he'd stayed until she fell asleep. He liked to watch her. Hermione's youthful face softened, and she looked almost pretty. She was very appealing to him already, but in this contented sleep, he saw her even more so. When had she become so attractive to him? He shrugged away the thoughts. He did care about her, but it wasn't so much that it was weakening him. There was nothing wrong with a man admiring what was his.

Weak fool. You are letting her decide things. Damn! What was going on with that? She still hadn't told anyone about the redefining of their association, or, as she would say, their relationship. Relationship? He loathed the word. It was worth the bother though, as he now had a frequent, willing lover nearby. Severus knew he was definitely getting the best end of the bargain. Why not let her paint the illusion of them having something more than what they had? With suspicious eyes, he glanced down to the sleeping witch. She still sat between Potter and Rolanda during meals, and she had yet to try to make public conversation with him. Why not? Was she waiting for an opportune moment? Was she trying to catch him unawares? He decided to tell her that tomorrow that she would sit next to him. There. It would be his decision. He couldn't wait to see Potter's startled face. It would prove to be quite amusing.

A sigh broke through his thoughts. Her lips always parted slightly when she slept. He was tempted to slide his finger into her mouth. Would she suckle it unconsciously? The thought of her mouth suckling anything excited him. It had been a while since she had pleasured him with her mouth. Since they'd decided to resume their sessions, it seemed that they always rutted like animals. Or like two frantic people trying to make up for lost time. You want her. You're getting weak. Admit it. Hell, yes, he wanted her, but he didn't believe that made him weak. He would be weak if he became one of those Arthur Weasley types. They were the men that hovered near their wives at all the functions they attended together in case they needed something. They were the ones that sickeningly fondled their women or showed disgusting public displays of affection. They were the ones that allowed their women to make decisions for them for a roll in the hay.

Sex or no sex, no woman would ever change him. He made his own decisions and would compromise only if it was to his advantage. You compromised with Hermione. He sighed in annoyance. It was to my advantage to compromise. I have nearly unlimited sex, all wizards will know to stay away from what belongs to me, and Potter would hate the fact that I have won.

"Hermione," he said, nudging the witch.

"Hmmm?" she asked sleepily.

"I want you," he breathed.

Her eyes opened, and she smiled lazily. "What would you like?"

"Pleasure me," he said, moving to lay on his back. As she moved down his body, he put his hand on her shoulder. "You will begin sitting with me tomorrow."

She grinned beatifically. "All right."

"Yes," he hissed as her lips trailed kisses along his inner thigh. Perhaps she was just waiting for direction then. It had to be why she hadn't told anyone or tried to talk to him publicly. She must have been waiting for his permission, for when the time was right for him. Well, that explains things. She deserved a reward for her thoughtfulness. "Turn this way, witch. I want to reciprocate." As his hands and mouth returned the favors she was bestowing on him, he felt content. No witch had ever felt or tasted like Hermione. It was as if she was meant for him, made for his liking.

---

A/N: Sorry this took so long, mates. I've been sick again. I feel much better now though, and I am currently working on the next chapter for The Succubus. I have been thinking about taking this story a few steps farther than I had originally intended. This would have been the last chapter, but another idea came to mind, swinging this a different way.