2 - Living Memory

On her next visit, she could not help but note the rapid glance he gave to her arms as she stepped aside to let the guards go past her after they'd 'secured' him for her visit. She also could not help but note the rapidly hidden disappointment she could sense from him.

She waited until the guards had locked the cell door before reaching into her pocket and pulling out the miniaturised Pensieve. She re-expanded it with a wave of her wand and placed it beside him, atop his pillow, and then withdrew a vial from her other pocket. She tipped its contents into the Pensieve, and then looked back at him.

His avid eyes remained on it until she cleared her throat. He had, she noted beneath his shackled wrists, a rather poorly concealed erection, but she steadfastly ignored it to look only in his eyes.

"It's, uh... not what you think."

Anger flashed in his eyes at lightning speed, and she hurriedly explained, "I think it might serve your needs. It's just... I couldn't get the memory you specifically asked for."

Black brows converged. "Why? Is she de--"

"She's alive. But she refused to give her memory. I offered her up to ten galleons for it, but..."

Snape considered this and got a slightly sour look to his face, then gestured with his chin to the Pensieve.

"What's this then? From another whore? Were you bandying my pathetic story of need about the entire breadth of Knockturn Alley?"

He looked furious, and Hermione raised a placating hand.

"No, of course not. I asked Esmeralda to keep her silence, and I'm positive she will."

"Because whores are so trustworthy," he sneered now.

"No, because I gave her twenty galleons for it."

He looked up at this, aghast, before looking away, cheeks flushed now with pure shame.

"The memory is from me."

He went pale at this before the flush returned full force as he stared at her, mouth open with astonishment.

"I didn't think you'd want me asking anyone else," she explained. "And I didn't want to return to you empty-handed. I... I hope it suits."

That was all she managed to say before turning from him and moving to the door, which was as far as she could get.

Once there and still facing away from him, she sat on the stool and pulled a book, an hourglass and a pair of old-fashioned earmuffs out of her pocket.

He watched her as she calmly sat and put the earmuffs on, then pointedly turned the hourglass and set it on the floor and picked up her book to read.

Snape stared at the Pensieve, then back at the hourglass and closed his eyes. He could not help it. He had to look.

He pressed down with his shackled wrists on his aching penis, letting the cold chill his ardour, then looking back one more time to the hourglass, he touched his fingers to the swirling vapour of Hermione's memory.

* * *

Hermione entered the room, and her sheer, gauzy garment nearly made him swoon.

She was wearing a see-through nighty of shimmery midnight blue.

She moved to the bedside table and lit the candle with a wave of her hand, then uttered, "Nox."

The room went dim but for the candlelight, and she sighed deeply as she lay back atop her bedcovers.

Snape watched as Hermione writhed slightly, eyes closed, before sliding a hand down her torso, cupping her breasts along the way before slipping between her legs. He swallowed hard, feeling his almost painful erection throbbing with his pulse.

She began to lift her nighty up with her other hand, and the body she revealed to him stole his breath away.

Hermione was perfection - toned, smooth skin like porcelain - silky curls amassed on the pillow, thicker and kinkier curls decorating her mons pubis, tribute to her womanhood.

He watched now, almost breathless, as she stretched her legs apart and ran her hands down along her body, over and over, lingering over her pert nipples before sliding down, down to her dark thatch.

He could see the gleam of moisture between her legs and felt a corresponding surge of wetness from the head of his cock. He closed his eyes and breathed heavily for a moment or two.

When he opened his eyes, he gasped, as Hermione was holding her labia wide open with the fingers of one hand and gently stroking along her slick lips with the other, bypassing the coral nub of her clitoris.

She did this over and over before finally flicking the tip of one finger over that swollen bit of tender flesh and sighing, gasping.

"Severus..."

"Hermione," he said in a strangled whisper, awe-struck at the realisation that she had done this... for him.

This was entirely too much for him.

"Gods!" was all he had time to cry out before pleasure took him.

* * *

Hermione was just getting interested in her book when she thought she heard her name. Fighting the urge to turn and look, she checked the hourglass and kept resolutely reading her book.

When Severus cried out and she heard a loud crash, she prayed he'd forgive her and turned, then hurried up to him.

He lay on his side, eyes rolled back in his head whilst his cock decorated his neck and chest with thin white ropes of semen. The Pensieve lay on its side as well, the memory licking at the edges of the bowl, and she swiftly gathered it up and placed it back in the vial. Then she turned back to Severus, who was still shuddering, his cock still contracting with each motion, no longer spurting forth, but obviously still labouring to complete climax.

Soon both lay still, but Snape remained unconscious.

* * *

When Severus woke, he was uncertain of events, but Hermione merely bade him drink water from the glass she held for him. She apologised as she let him go, afraid to help hold his head any longer thanks to the spell on his shackles.

Once she released him and he swallowed, his head cleared, and he glanced quickly down. He was still naked, but she had covered him with her jacket, and he was clean and dry, no presence of semen. He looked at her then, but she merely smiled and asked if he was all right.

He nodded rapidly, feeling ashamed at his extreme reaction. He had never lost consciousness from orgasm before. He hoped this would not be a regular occurrence.

"I'm afraid I can't leave the Pensieve, but I hope you do think about my request." She swiftly shrank the Pensieve and stuffed it in her pocket, before taking her jacket back.

He swallowed and then nodded again. "I will."

"Good. Farewell then, Severus. I'll see you next week."

She smiled at him before giving in to her impulse and gently kissing his forehead, then Apparating from his cell.

Even though he couldn't emit any more semen, Severus had to masturbate to a painfully dry climax twice before he got any sleep that night.

* * *

The following week, Hermione did not waste time, setting up the Pensieve as before and going to the doorway where she sat on the visitor's stool and pulled her book, the hour-glass and a sturdier looking set of ear-muffs out of her pocket. He wondered why she had changed her earmuffs, then flushed at the thought that she probably had heard him.

Despite this, he stretched out on his cot and put his head by the Pensieve, then touched his hands to its surface.

Severus was expecting the same memory and, in fact, would have welcomed a chance to re-examine it, but to his surprise, this was a different one.

For one thing, it started in what appeared to be a cosy sitting room...

* * *

Hermione entered the room, wearing nothing but a silky robe.

She aimed her wand to the prepared fireplace and uttered, "Inflammare."

When the fire was well lit, she said "Nox." The room darkened, and she was lit only by the firelight.

Snape watched as Hermione lay back on the rug by the fire and ran her hands down her body, clearly enjoying the silken feeling of the material. He wished he could touch it, too.

She slid a hand into her robe and began to caress her breasts, and he moved closer, wishing he could touch her, taste her.

She moaned and writhed on the ground, thighs parting, and the robe's silky belt slid between them to kiss the juncture. Severus swallowed.

Her hands were running freely over her body now, stroking, gently pinching, caressing. Soon her robe was splayed open, and that fine porcelain skin and tangle of thick curls lay bared to his gaze.

"Hermione..."

He watched as she touched herself shamelessly, pressing, rubbing, tweaking, moving toward that pinnacle, just as he did.

When she slid a finger inside herself and her head fell back with a moan, Severus felt himself coming, but fought to remain in the vision. This was entirely too good to drop out of it.

"Severus," she moaned as she frigged herself with one, then two fingers, sliding in and out of that wetness that he could almost smell, almost taste.

"Oh, sweet..." he gasped as he realised his erection had not subsided with his climax, but remained firm and ready.

He began to stroke it to her rhythm, wanting so badly to touch her, to know her.

They both strove to find pleasure, fingers pressing and pushing against eager flesh.

If I give her what she wants, I'll never see this again.

This was what went through his mind as orgasm carried him away again, out of the Pensieve and to the grey confines of his cell where he thanked Hermione silently for the regular supply of absorbent loo rolls.

* * *

"Have you made a decision?"

He shook his head. "I need more time to consider it."

Those warm brown eyes assessed him, but she finally nodded.

"All right. Then I'll see you next week."

* * *

The day before her visit was the worst for him.

Knowing what was coming, his entire body thrummed with tension. He'd needed to masturbate nearly every night in order to get any sleep at all. However, he'd firmly told himself he wouldn't the day before. It wouldn't do, after all, for him to be replete when she arrived.

The entire day was an exercise in self-inflicted torture.

Images from the Pensieve scenes kept coming back to him, and he lay on his cot, uselessly tossing and turning and trying to ignore the heavy, needy sensation between his legs. He felt like he was going mad.

He'd finally fallen into a fitful sleep to awaken thrusting against the mattress, and only the pain from biting his wrist had kept him from finding completion.

He lay gasping in the dark, feeling the throb from abused flesh both above and below his waist and sighed with frustration.

* * *

The next visit went much like the one before.

To his relief, Severus did not lose contact with the Pensieve until the vision and both orgasms had ended, however he found himself with an erection that would not die, despite his climax.

He tried masturbating to no avail; it was too sensitive and too soon. He splashed a little water on it and nothing happened. He finally lay hunched in keen misery until the hourglass emptied and Hermione cautiously turned to glance back at him. He said nothing as she put away the hourglass, book and earmuffs, then moved the stool closer to him.

He kept his hands over his crotch, futilely trying to hide his tumescence, even as he wondered why it refused to go away.

Hermione noted his misery and opted to speak despite both of their discomfort.

"I've read of this. Sometimes when a man's need is too great or gone too long unanswered, he'll develop a persistent priapic state."

He cleared his throat and said nothing.

"I take it climax didn't help?"

He shook his head, refusing to look at her.

"I think I know something that might."

He did look up at this, only to jump as she leaned closer and placed a warm, gentle hand on him.

"W-wha-"

"It's okay. Just count off the time so I don't touch you longer than a minute."

She began to gently rub his erection, and he groaned, even as his thighs clenched tightly and his back arched. The amazing sensation was almost agonising.

He could say nothing as she stroked, moving his foreskin back and forth over his swollen, red glans, merely watching as she masturbated him without apparent shame or disgust.

He did not count off the time, but it was far less than a minute later that orgasm struck with blinding intensity. He spasmed, keened, and finally fell back atop his cot as he painted them both with his plentiful emission.

After it was over he clenched his hands into fists to keep from grabbing her, from kissing her. He could not touch her, not if he wanted to live. She could touch him, but he could not touch her. He sucked in breaths that felt more like sobs and tried to clear his mind of pointless thoughts.

He watched as she used her wand, waving away his indiscretions.

He stared at her and finally muttered, "I... I appreciate that. Hermione."

She smiled then and whispered, "Think nothing of it. I'm glad to help."

The pained look he gave her made her frown.

"Is something else wrong?"

"No." He cleared his throat.

How long could this go on? He could not keep doing this indefinitely, no matter how pleasurable it was. She was only doing this to get memories from him, testimony as it were. She did not desire him.

This thought basted him with relief as he finally relaxed. This he understood. No one desired him. He sighed. No one ever had.

"Well... have you made a decision?"

Severus looked at her, shackled wrists uselessly covering his genitals where he sat on his cot and nodded.

"I'll give you the memory... on one condition."

He frowned at this, wondering why he'd said that. The words had just come out of his mouth sans filter.

"Name it."

He looked down now, wondering what he could ask. Make it impossible, unlikely, and unrealistic... anything so she could not fulfil it and maybe, just maybe, the Pensieve memories would not have to stop.

"I... I would like the opportunity to experience the real thing... if you ever get me out of here."

There was a silence and he closed his eyes to await her response. She wouldn't, he knew, but would she--

"With me, you mean?"

His gaze snapped up and he nodded carefully. To his surprise, Hermione smiled in a mildly flirtatious way.

"I think I'd like that, Severus."

He swallowed as his cock began to stir, and she turned to fetch a vial from her pocket. "Shall I?"

"No."

She stopped in the middle of opening the vial and waited.

"Let me give you the memories you want."

Hermione nodded, extending her wand to the Pensieve memory and then tapping it back into her own mind. She then pulled the stopper from the vial and began extending her wand toward him, but hesitated.

"I need all relevant events leading up to Dumbledore's death, that night, and the final battle. Ready?"

He closed his eyes and focused, finding it a bit difficult with his now rearing erection and finally nodded.

She touched her wand to his head and slowly, carefully withdrew a long, faltering silvery filament, a wisp of thought that she tapped into the vial and sealed.

"Thank you, Severus."

* * *

"Relevant as I'm sure this new information is, the case is sealed. All criminal cases are closed and sealed after seven years from the trial, to save us from exactly these circumstances, re-trials glutting up the system, adding to our administrative costs--"

"To hell with the administrative costs! We're talking about an innocent man imprisoned for life!"

Stringer, the Head of Magical Law Enforcement and his own legal counsel, an odious female that reminded Hermione of Rita Skeeter, pursed their lips.

"You have not filed all the client refusal forms regarding his acceptable alternatives."

Hermione faltered. "My client is still considering them."

"It. You filed the others already."

"Yes, of course. I misspoke."

Stringer smiled at her, a thin and superior expression that made her want to spit, but she composed herself.

"See that he finishes 'considering' soon. The offer can be rescinded after six months, and you've already had that time."

"I did not utilise four months of visitation due to arguing his case."

"Trying to convince us to use this new technique, you mean. Miss Granger, even if all of us trusted it, and we do not, how could you possibly testify to its accuracy when retrieving the memories of an accomplished Occlumens like Mr. Snape?"

She frowned, and he continued, "You can't. It was a fool's hope."

She drew in a breath. "I see. Very well. I have my work cut out for me."

"Yes. You'd best familiarise yourself with the procedure."

Hermione frowned. "Why?"

"A healer can do it, but your client has the right to ask his legal counsel to do it."

She sat aghast at the thought, but he merely nodded.

"If that's all then - you can see yourself out, can't you?"

Damn them.

Damn them!

Furious tears ran down Hermione's face, and she was too angry to push them off, walking so fast she was nearly running from the Ministry's alleyway entrance.

She stopped herself before she got to the end of the alley and drew in several breaths. She had to go to him. She had to tell him.

She pulled the vial from her pocket and swallowed. She had to give him back his memories.

What for? For them to take them away again?

She sighed, letting the last of the tears run free and shook her head.

That's assuming he even wants to undertake that alternative.

She didn't think a man like Snape would. She didn't see how he would. She could keep the information to herself, not even let him know, keep working on his case...

No. He deserves to know all his options. Even if they're ugly.

Wiping her eyes free of tears, she gathered herself and Apparated to Hogwarts gates. She had need of their library.

* * *

He sat frozen to his cot, face expressionless. She was not sure if he was stunned or upset.

"Severus?"

"Why did you not let me know this choice earlier?"

Hermione sighed. "To be honest, I didn't think you'd react well to it. I was trying to gain your trust and the offer smacks of..."

"Vengeance."

"Just so."

A shudder ran through him, and she shifted on the stool, moving closer. She badly wanted to touch him, but did not dare. She did not want him to think she was influencing him.

"So from no options to no mind."

"You would have your mind--"

"Devoid of knowledge. Value."

"You could relearn."

"What, Miss Granger? Without magic, I am a common Muggle. A Muggle with a primary school education level and naught but physical labour skills."

She drew in a breath, released it slowly.

"What you say is true, but the documents they provide, I could make sure they include details that would allow you to find work, non-menial work."

"Such as?"

"There are plenty of jobs in the Muggle world that don't require specialised knowledge. You learn as you go and gain competence."

"Office work? Bookkeeping and the like?"

"Yes."

He frowned, wishing he could run a hand through his hair, but he could not.

"How long can I consider this?"

Hermione winced. "Not long. It might be too long already. They told me they can rescind all offers after six months."

He closed his eyes at this, then put his head down.

"Leave me be."

"I'd really rather not lea--"

"You don't have to leave, but I need to be alone with my thoughts for a moment."

She nodded, got up, picked up the stool, and headed for the door of the cell where she sat and waited, wondering what decision he'd make.