Chapter Seven - by ladyinthecloak

Disclaimer: I am not JKR. Srsly.

This is a continuation of the mischief some of the admins of the Poetess get up to when the queue isn't overwhelming. A round robin, brought to you by Southern_Witch_69, Soul Bound, amsev, and me. I think I can speak for everyone when I say I hope you enjoy reading this as much as we've enjoyed writing it.

Grateful thanks go to Robisonrocket for beta'ing. Thanks, love, we truly appreciate it! *hands over stack of chocolates*

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Chapter 7 - ladyinthecloak

"But, Neville, what do you need Hermione or Snape for to hammer out the finishes?" Harry asked incredulously. Who on earth would need Snape of all people to prepare asking a girl to marry him?

Neville grinned sheepishly. "Well... Obviously, I don't need Snape for that. But without Hermione, I'm kind of lost, really."

"Come on, Neville! Surely it's not that bad," Harry said, trying to comfort his friend. "She'll be back in no time, I'm sure of it. Professor Dumbledore saw no reason to worry, so I'm sure all is well."

are highly poisonous, and it wouldn't do to lose your voice. I'd imagine you'd go mad if you couldn't speak," he added wryly.

"Well, in that case, I'll harvest some daisy roots instead," Hermione muttered, pointing at an abundance of daisies in full bloom nearby. "Oh, and look! Fluxweed! I've never seen it grown in Britain!"

"Hm... who says we're in Britain..." Severus mumbled, watching her furtively as she carefully yet deftly extracted daisy roots from the ground and then tended to the fluxweed.

A butterfly in the colors of the rainbow landed on Hermione's arm. "Oh, aren't you beautiful?" she whispered, admiring the vibrant shades it displayed.

"Why, thank you, kind lady," the butterfly...no, the fairy...replied, and Hermione gasped.

Severus hurried to her side and chuckled when he saw the fairy sitting on her arm. "A colorful beauty indeed!"

The fairy slowly turned around to let its beauty be admired by the humans and said, "Take the left fork, and you'll find a spring to wash the poison off your hands and to refresh yourselves." Then it flew off again.

Severus followed the fairy's path of flight until it disappeared out of sight. "Let's go then. I surely could do with a drink of water," he said.

Hermione slowly followed his lead. "I've never seen a fairy before..."

"I have been lucky a few times; but only because I gather many potions ingredients myself." Severus put his arm around her shoulder. "The Forbidden Forest has its fair share of fairies as you can imagine. If you like, I'll take you along on one of my next forays."

"I'd like that! Do they all look the same?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Not at all, no. They're all rather small, but thereabouts ends the similarity. Most are quite colorful, although some look more drab. You can find them pretty much in any forest, or near water, but they're usually very shy."

They had reached the spring now and, after thoroughly washing their hands, took turns drinking the fresh water.

this extent," she muttered and approached the frame.

"No, no, Minerva, you can't do that!" The head of the painting's inhabitant appeared on the side. "You'd hurt yourself if you tried to lift it! Please, Minerva, be reasonable."

"Reasonable? Look who's talking, Albus Dumbledore! Before you ask me to be reasonable, kindly acquire some reason yourself! Why, pray tell, did you arrange for Hermione and Severus to be lost in that blasted corridor together? And don't even try to get out of this! I want an answer, and I want it now!"

Albus sat down on his chair in the portrait, searched his robes and took out what looked suspiciously like a Muggle sweet. He unwrapped it carefully before facing the angry witch. "I did not arrange anything, Minerva. Now, please excuse me. I'm in the middle of a Bridge game, and I would hate for my partner to lose out because I'm suddenly otherwise engaged." That said, he disappeared again, leaving behind an irate headmistress.

room would provide besides the obvious aphrodisiacs nature provided so abundantly.

Hermione stopped abruptly. "Did you hear that? It sounds like someone laughing." They were silent for a moment until both heard it. Indeed, someone seemed to enjoy him or herself tremendously, judging by the delighted laughter waving across to them.

The couple followed the sound and soon reached a clearing, half of which was surrounded by water features in the shape of a horseshoe. In the midst of the clearing on the ground was a couple, both naked, their bodies intertwined.

Severus watched mesmerized until Hermione gasped. "She looks like me. And, Merlin! He looks like you!"

All he was able to utter was a non-committing, "Hm..." staring at the couple in front of him, coupling with much obvious joy and no shame, oblivious they suddenly had an audience.

Hermione had gone silent, watching with equal amounts of fascination as the Severus on the ground touched her own form on the ground in various places, making her moan, sigh, and writhe beneath him. His one hand was squeezing one breast lightly, then he flicked his tongue across it while emitting a sound of deep appreciation. "So beautiful..."

Her sigh turned his attention to her face, and his mouth moved quickly to capture her lips in a searing kiss before covering her breast again. She moaned as his tongue circled her nipple. "More... Severus, more!"

He obliged her demands and slowly pulled away from her body. Severus, the observer, looked in wonder at Hermione's unfocused, full-of-lust eyes. Eyes that seemed to be filled with something else he could not make out. Too soon, Severus on the ground obscured his view, his body moving agonizingly slow, taking in the sight of her from various angles, his hands softly stroking her thighs as her hips flexed. "Please..."

"Please, what, love?" he asked. "Please, as in so..." His mouth came down on her curls, and she writhed underneath him. Lifting his head slightly, he asked, "Or maybe like so?" His fingers moved to her core and his tongue back to her clit, eliciting moans and gasps from her.

Minutes...or maybe hours later...he positioned himself at the entrance to her core. With each thrust, with each gasp, with each moan, the couple on the ground faded slightly until, with a final cry of each other's name, the clearing was left empty of writhing bodies, with only Hermione and Severus standing at its edge.

For long minutes, the couple stood there in silence, staring at the clearing where they had watched themselves making passionate love.

Eventually, Severus took a deep breath. He chanced a glance at her and, mollified how flushed she looked, said, "That was quite a scene to be witnessing..."

She was sounding more smug than should be legal upon his words. "I believe this showed us what could be. If you ever manage to get that stubborn head of yours out of your arse, dear."