The Second Visit

*Warning this is explicit – graphic sexual situations.*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~o 11 o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Second Visit

~H~

Hermione returned to Grimmauld Place with Ginny after an exhausting day at the Ministry, floating her trunk ahead of her and everything that wouldn't fit in it in her beaded bag. Mrs. Black began wailing as soon as they entered the door. Hermione was too tired to deal with her and simply splattered the canvas with paint conjured from her wand in a bright fuchsia pink. Immediately, the woman scooted to hide behind her frame, cursing and screaming. "Well, if you don't shut up, I'll make you Mrs. Pink!" she shouted back.

Immediately the wretched woman silenced. "You wouldn't dare," she finally said as Hermione set down her trunk.

"Oh, yeah? Try me and see if I don't!" Hermione snapped back.

Kreacher stood glaring at her from the doorway until Ginny asked him for tea. The elf stomped off for the kitchen, grumbling angrily.

"You know he'll have her all cleaned up by morning," Ginny said, joining Hermione on the couch in the living room.

Hermione was too tired to even turn her head. "Yeah, I know, I wouldn't expect anything less. Kreacher really is a terrific house-elf, even if he can't stand me." She pressed her hand to her temple. "Merlin, my head hurts, but I'm in too much pain to get an ice pack."

Ginny laughed, and then groaned. "Me too. Did you ever think that removing, copying and replacing all those memories would be so painful? I feel like I was interrogated for hours."

"We were," Hermione groaned.

"Miss, friend of master?" a deep, hoarse voice asked from beside Hermione.

Hermione turned her head, wincing at the effort and saw Kreacher standing there, holding a towel. "Yes?" she asked.

The elf walked up and handed her an ice-cold towel filled with more ice. "For your head," he said.

Hermione smiled as she laid the towel on her forehead. "Oh, Kreacher, this is heavenly. Thank you."

"Miss is welcome. Mistress, I has one for you," he said. Hermione peeked out from under her towel and smiled as Ginny placed an identical towel on her forehead. "When would you like your dinner?" he asked softly.

"Whenever Harry arrives," Ginny said. "Thank you, Kreacher. This is nice of you." Kreacher laughed softly and left the room, his footfalls making too much noise on the hard wood floor. "So, did they hound you about the Malfoys as well?"

"Oh, yes, just after asking every question Mr. Lerman and Mr. Darthmyer could think up about Severus at least four times," Hermione replied. "Not to mention, Mr. Goldstein, Mr. Aladama and Mr. Grunthyme."

Ginny laughed softly. "I actually thought the questions Mr. Grunthyme and Mr. Aladama asked were rather kind compared to those of Mr. Lerman and Mr. Darthmyer. And Mr. Goldstein, geeze! The things he asked!"

"Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Aladama are from the Magical Law Enforcement office, and Mr. Goldstein is lead investigator of Severus' case. Mr. Grunthyme is a member of the Wizengamot. I suppose they are handling the investigation from different angles," Hermione said. "But at least I think Severus has a chance. Do you have any Pain Potion in the house?"

"Nope," Ginny said with a groan. "I used up the last when Harry rammed his knee on the goal post, dodging a Bludger in his dive for the Snitch playing Quidditch last weekend. I have to brew more. Care to help?"

Hermione was finally comfortable sitting here on the sofa, legs stretched out on an ottoman, eyes closed, even if her head ached. "Let's rest a while and see if this ice helps. If not, then yes. I'll even brew it for you."

"Deal," Ginny said with a sigh.

~S~

Severus was awoken roughly by one of the Auror guards and escorted from his cell to an interrogation room. For some reason his keepers felt it necessary to have four wand armed guards to move him from the west wing on level ninety-eight up the stairs to the west wing on the ninety-ninth. As if I could curse all four of you wandless with my wrists bound, he mentally scoffed. His wrists were unbound as they turned and closed the entrance for the interrogation room. There are only two chairs this time at the table, so that rules out another visit from Mr. Lerman and Mr. Darthmyer. They always visit me together, he mused. And it won't be either Mr. Grunthyme or Mr. Aladama; they bring a clerk with them to record everything I say. Possibly Holden Goldstein. He hasn't been by to pester me in two days. Although on occasion, he brings a clerk with him as well... So far, as his defense MLE, Mr. Goldstein had been hardly promising. He spent all his time trying to get Severus to extrapolate on his Death Eater activities, as well as any and all atrocities he was reported to have done or been party to. To Severus, Goldstein was already convinced that he was guilty and was simply trying to prove it.

Severus sat in one of the chairs, reclining with his leg crossed over his knee as he waited, and began reciting potion ingredients for some of the potions he'd made last and mentally listing their contrasting and reactive properties.

He was none too pleased when Rita Skeeter walked into the room, smiling at him, followed by an Auror guard. "Hello again, Severus. May I call you Severus? Lovely," she said as she sat down. Severus simply glowered at her as she opened up her crocodile-skin handbag, pulling out a pad of parchment and an acid-green quill. "You don't mind if I use a Quick-Quotes Quill again, do you? Wonderful." She quickly sucked the tip of the green quill for a moment with apparent relish, then placed it upright over the pad of parchment.

Severus watched the pen as it stood balanced over the parchment, its point quivering slightly as it waited to write her nonsense. "So Severus, it's true that you and Miss Hermione Granger-Snape are still unofficially Bonded by a Pairing-Troth Charm?" she asked as the quill began to scribble. "A bit untoward, don't you think? That you are now magically Bonded to a wand mate that is not only many years younger than yourself, but also vastly less emotionally mature than you are, who was until recently your student, and still would be if you were to return to your post as Headmaster of Hogwarts. Concerned?"

He took in her heavy-jawed face with its heavily penciled eyebrows curving over her imitation jeweled spectacles silently. She flashed her gold teeth at him with a ridiculously wide toothy smile with a sense of cool indifference. "I don't really care what lies you write," he said with his best sneer.

"Of course you do, Severus," she replied with a wink that Severus despised. "Sources tell me that Miss Granger, or should I call her Mrs. Snape, is holding off requesting her annulment. So what is it? Love that is keeping her tied to you, or do you have her under a potion? You could tell me, confidentially if you like. You are a renowned Potions master, you know, it would be so easy for you whip one up." Rita's quill was writing madly on the pad of parchment.

Severus maintained his stony mask of indifference, although he was seething at her words. "From Azkaban? Hardly."

"From your own lab or possibly even from the Potions classroom at Hogwarts. We know you've the skill. Still, one has to wonder why Miss Hermione Granger – pardon – Snape will not file for the annulment. Is it love? Fear? Intimidation? You're known for being intimidating and cruel. Is that the hold you have over her? How intriguing and so... disturbing. Or is this dark, dangerous and brooding wizard thing you've got going what she finds so... captivating that she's fallen for your... ensnarement?" Rita Skeeter smiled and shook her head making her blonde curls sway slightly. "No matter. If everything goes unfortunately for you, do you think Miss Hermione Granger – sorry – Snape will seek an annulment, or do you think she will keep her ties to you? I understand she was here to see you. A conjugal visit, wasn't it, or a way to exert your hold over her? Some elicit Dark Arts spell or enchantment?" She winked at him again, but Severus remained silent, refusing to take her bait. The quill, however, continued to fill the page with what he could only assume was utter nonsense. "You can tell me, what happened between you two during her visit?"

Severus sat unmoving, silent, and maintained his indifferent composure, although he wanted to curse the witch into the afterlife.

"No, grindylow got your tongue? All right then, no matter. Because you're no ordinary wizard, are you, Severus?" she asked, continuing undaunted. "Your story's going to be legend. Do you think it was the trauma of your past, being ostracized and tormented at school that made you so keen to enter such a dangerous relationship with Tom 'Lord Voldemort' Riddle?

"Do not say his name," Severus spat angrily.

"Oh, sure, I can call him whatever you wish," she replied with a toothy grin, pointing one of her red painted taloned fingers at him. "Everyone loves the tall, dark, dangerous yet mysterious, brooding male, Severus. And you have that aura around you in spades." She caressed her pointed chin with one large, mannish hand as she gazed at him. "So what made you want to join up with such a megalomaniac wizard in the first place? Was your mother involved with him? I know you were very heavily into the Dark Arts as a child even before you ever attended Hogwarts. Did you learn them from your mother, or was the allure to learn the Dark Arts your own personal desire? Was your mother supportive or afraid for you in your pursuit?"

Severus continued to glare at her, keeping his expression as indifferent as he could. You have certainly done your research, he thought.

"Your father was Muggle was he not?" she asked casually, as if this was common knowledge. He gave her no indication, but her quill wrote on furiously. Rita looked at the pad of parchment, smiled and turned the page. "Speaking of your parents, were they alive, how do you think they'd feel? Proud? Disappointed? Or concerned that you joined up with such a dangerous lot, who were determined to wipe out witches and wizards such as yourself? Witches like your mother who married outside her race? Would she be concerned for your pathological need for attention and acknowledgement – your need to... fit in? To belong to a group of pureblood elite and powerful wizards, led by one of the most dangerous, most powerful wizards of the century. On the other hand, I have to wonder if you joined them to protect her, Severus? Is that why you joined them? Or were you attracted by Riddle's psychotic quest for supremacy and domination?"

Severus turned to look at the wall, wondering how long he was going to have to endure her this time.

"Of course you weren't," she replied. "You were Dumbledore's man were you not? His spy for his Order of the Phoenix, I believe they are called. Or were you spying on Dumbledore for Tom Riddle? Is it all right if I call him that – Tom Riddle? It seems strange that a man, loyal to Dumbledore would spend so many years helping him, aiding him, creating potions and curing him, only to turn on him and kill him. What made you do it? Why did you betray him?"

"Are you through with this farce?" Severus snarled, his eyes narrowing at her dangerously. "Guard, I'd like to return to my cell."

"Are you finished with him, Ms. Skeeter," the guard asked her politely. "I really should get him back to his cell."

"No matter. I got what I wanted," she said rising to go. 'It was lovely to speak to you, Severus. I do hope we can do this again sometime."

"Not if I can help it, we won't," Severus snarled, glaring her down with his darkest look, allowing his raw power to surge slightly.

She recoiled, her eyes wide, and hurried for the door as the Auror stepped forward. "Snape, be nice to Ms. Skeeter," the Auror demanded.

"Nice is not in my vocabulary," Severus growled darkly.

~H~

Hermione followed the Auror through the prison, feeling the weight of depression and despair she'd always associated with the name Azkaban. She was ultimately glad there weren't any more Dementors, but there was a gloom about the place she couldn't shrug off. I'd simply be moping over Ron and fighting back the anxiety I feel about Severus. At least if this really doesn't work out, I can get an annulment, and maybe I can get Ron to take me back... But after all this why would he? Would he really want me back after the fiasco of this Bonding? After being so intimate with Severus... Still, the night of George's party he wanted me – I know he did. But could he ever really forgive me? She forced herself to stop worrying about what could have been and concentrate on why she'd come.

Holden Goldstein had arrived at the Burrow looking for her, carrying a letter and parchments from Oswald Grunthyme's office, granting her another conjugal visit with Severus in hopes that she could talk him into cooperating with his investigation, and to verify the statements made about and against him. She had no idea how she was going to convince him, if he was so adamant to remain in Azkaban as a martyr.

Hermione stood outside the cell with a feeling of nervous anticipation.

She had been wand searched for weapons upon her arrival and again before being led onto the prisoner wards. Her wand had been left at the desk so Severus couldn't use it against her, and she was escorted to the same cell she'd visited Severus the first time.

On Ginny's advice, Hermione had chosen to wear a button-down dress under her robes, since Harry had told her that the guards of the prison could watch them through the barrier of the cell if they so chose to. The thought that guards could have been watching her and Severus during her first visit had infuriated her. Still, Ginny is right. If I act like I didn't know, maybe, just maybe, I could use my robes as a shield for some relative privacy. That's if Severus will actually want to do anything with me again. Besides, didn't Cosmo say that sex is a woman's weapon against the male sex? If I can get him to lower his guard, maybe I can actually reach him and make him see reason?

Severus was lounging on the cot, one leg up on the bed, the other on the floor, his arms crossed and smirking at her as she entered. "Back again so soon? Couldn't get enough of me? Or are you missing the dreams so badly you decided to request another visit? You must have pulled some strings; prisoners usually only get one conjugal visit a month, not once weekly."

"I wanted to see you and talk to you about your investigation," she replied, walking over to sit next to him.

He didn't move, so she was forced sit at the end of the cot next to his foot. "If you were here to talk to me about my investigation, they wouldn't have brought me here. They have a cell specifically for talking," he said snidely. "Believe me, I've spent quite a few hours in that room already."

"Holden Goldstein and José Aladama told me," she admitted. "Holden came by the Burrow to see me."

"So, you're still staying with the Weasleys?" he asked.

Hermione smiled. "No, I've moved into Harry's house until school starts."

"School?" His eyes narrowed when she mentioned Harry's house, but quickly decided it was better there than at the Weasleys. Still, her declaration that she was returning to Hogwarts surprised him. "So you're going back to Hogwarts?" he asked condescendingly. "I was certain you'd have been offered honorary N.E.W.T.s and been given the Order of Merlin for your efforts during Dark War II."

"Yes, I was given my Order of Merlin. I was also offered my honorary N.E.W.T.s, but I declined them. I want to actually finish school, earn my N.E.W.T.s and graduate. Would you have expected anything less of me?" she asked, smirking slightly.

"You, no, I suppose not," Snape stated. "So have you finally come to your senses and brought the forms for me to sign to request the annulment?"

She looked up at him boldly. "No. I've been granted an extension on the parchmentwork until the matter of your innocence is cleared up."

"I'm not innocent, Hermione, face it," he snarled. "You're Bonded to a murderer."

"Not if what I saw in your memory was true, you're not," she said, placing her hand on his leg.

He looked at her hand, then back up at her face. "Potter showed you my memories?" he sneered contemptuously. "How so like him."

"Severus, it's all we have from you proving your innocence," she said. "Besides, I already knew. I saw Dumbledore's hand, and I knew that whatever crippled him was spreading up his arm. I also know that you tried to help him, save his life, possibly prolonging it while trying to stop the effects of the curse – poison – what ever caused it. I know about the Unbreakable Vow you made to Narcissa, and I believe you had one with Dumbledore regarding his life. He wanted you to be the one to kill him instead of Draco. I understand why."

"Then enlighten me," he said.

"I think it was because he knew he was dying anyway. Harry said Dumbledore had consumed a potion, one that made him really weak, and that was possibly reacting with whatever was already destroying his body and it was killing him faster. I saw Harry's and Draco's memories of what happened on the Astronomy Tower. Dumbledore was dying; you could see it in his eyes. He couldn't even stand up any longer," she explained, hoping to make him understand he wasn't as guilty as he made himself out to be. "Kingsley and Holden Goldstein think it was a mercy killing and that Dumbledore pleaded with you to do it. He looked like he was in a lot of pain."

"Enough," Snape snarled, jerking his leg out from under her hand, dropping it to the floor. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Please talk about it," she pleaded, moving closer to him.

Snape turned on the cot, leaned forward and placed his head in his hands with his elbows on his knees. "Don't you understand, I killed him; he truly accepted me, trusted me, and I killed him. He was more than my employer, he was my friend, mentor and confidant, and he asked me to kill him, to spare Draco from actually going through with it. And I had no choice! Everything I did for Dumbledore – or for the Dark Lord – I had no choice."

Hermione was shocked to hear such a confession from him. She placed her arm across his shoulder and leaned forward to try to look at his face. "I know that. I know you had to do some terrible things. I can't even begin to imagine all of it, but you changed. You did what you could, what you had to, to bring Tom Riddle down. We won because of you." He scoffed at her. "For seven years, possibly longer, you've been protecting Harry. All through school, you tried time and time again to protect Harry, Ron and me. You even repeatedly tried protecting our friends in Dumbledore's Army when you were Headmaster. Your actions have been brought to light regarding your efforts to keep the students safe this last year."

He sat up and looked at her, his usual sneer back on his face. "I am no hero, Hermione. I abandoned the school..."

"As Harry recalls, Dumbledore told you to be near Tom Riddle at the end, to make sure Harry had time to find all the Horcruxes and destroy them. We had one more to find, and it was in the castle. It was the end, and it was up to you to try and thwart him," she said. "Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick have said the same thing – Harry wasn't ready and Riddle had to be stalled." He scoffed at her again. "According to witnesses, you bought the professors the needed time to secure the castle, evacuate the students and prepare for a fight. It also gave Harry the time we needed to destroy the Horcrux Riddle hid in the castle and get reinforcements."

"That is not what happened and you know it," he sneered.

She smiled at him. "That's the official report."

"You are daft if you believe it," he said, leaning back against the wall.

"Who do you think the wizarding world is going to believe? Harry, Ron, me, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Luna, or the Carrows and a bunch of students that had no idea what was going on?" she asked, placing her hand on his leg again. "They have already testified, all of us, and your leaving the castle has been explained."

He looked down at her hand, his expression guarded. "So why are you here?"

"You know why – to get you to cooperate with Holden, verify the facts and end this," she replied. "I came to convince you to clear your name." She hesitated, then looked up at him imploringly. "I also need to know what you want to do about us."

"What I want?" he asked, smirking.

"Yes, what you want," she repeated. "I still have to decide what I want as well. Now thanks to my stupidity, we are now in this together. I want to know what you want me to do. Do you want to try and see if this Bonding will work, or should I go ahead and request an annulment? I was as surprised as you were, I think, that the Moon-song Spell matched you and me, but it must have done so for a reason – everyone says so! According to everything I've been told and what I have read on the spell, it's a true matchmaking spell. It bonds soul mates. I find it hard to believe, but you and I must have things in common or at least be compatible enough..."

"You expect me to believe for one minute that you want to make this Bonding work?" he sneered at her.

"I don't know! It matched you and me – as utterly unbelievable as that is – it did!" She tried to keep her focus on his face, in hopes that she could read him, but his intense stare made it difficult to do so. "I suppose I believe it could if we both wanted to give it a go... Which is completely ridiculous since you can't even stand me," she said, feeling her cheeks warm up. Great I'm probably blushing like a schoolgirl.

"Prove it," he said silkily, watching her.

"What?" Now she knew she was blushing. "How?"

"You came here as my Bonded wife, to provide for your husband," he said, all traces of his snarl gone. "So if you intend to be my wife, prove it."

"Prove it?" she asked, suddenly quite unsure of herself.

"Yes, Hermione, how difficult could that be," he said smoothly. "If you really think for one minute I'm supposed to believe you have any intention of remaining my Bonded mate, my wife, prove it."

She scooted up on the cot, rising up to her knees and leaned toward him for a kiss, but he didn't move toward her, remaining still as he watched her. It was awkward and she nearly fell on top of him, grabbing his shoulder to steady herself. He smirked at her and she got off the cot, moving to stand in front of him. "Okay, if you don't want to kiss, what do you want?"

He leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms. "This is your show – you're here to convince me. So far you're not very convincing."

Hermione sighed. She actually didn't have much experience with sex, or boys for all that matter. Not that he's a boy – he's a man – and experienced! Shite, now what? She'd read a few romance novels, but they all had the man doing the love making while the woman lay there and moaned and groaned. Think... What would he like? She stepped closer to him and knelt down between his knees. Well... guys masturbate. I read that in Cosmo, and they talk about giving head all the time... But will he let me touch him? She placed her hands on his legs and slowly slid her hands up to the string at his waistband. Snape merely raised an eyebrow as she loosened his trousers and tried to slip her hand inside. Snape lifted his hips and pushed his trousers down, exposing his stiffening penis.

She wrapped her fingers around it and stroked him, watching his face for any sign that she was doing it right. Except for the cock of his eyebrow and a curl of his lip on one side of his mouth, his face remained a mask of indifference. Merlin, I wish I'd paid better attention to those articles! She adjusted her hand, trying to find a more comfortable position for her wrist and tried stroking him again. This time he almost smiled at her.

"You've never done this before have you?" he asked, his voice low and throaty.

Hermione stopped, still waiting for some indication of what he wanted her to do. "Er, no. Am I doing it wrong?" she asked, trying rolling her fingers as she moved them up and down.

"Not exactly. Use more pressure, you aren't going to break it," he suggested.

She did, tightening her fingers around him, and he closed his eyes. Not too sure why she did, and hoping he wouldn't hit her, she leaned forward and tentatively licked the tip, and then trailed her tongue down his length as she slid her fingers on him. She thought she heard him moan and took that as a good sign, so she repeated it, noticing that he responded louder when she reached the base of his penis and the soft skin of his sac.

Encouraged, she licked his sac with her tongue as she stroked him, and he nearly jumped. She looked up at him to see a look of shocked surprise on his face before he schooled his expression once more to ambivalence. Hermione did it again, and he squirmed slightly as if she was tickling him. Emboldened, she continued, sucking softly and rolling her tongue on his sac as she stroked his penis, enjoying the fact that she was making him squirm, she hoped with enjoyment.

Leaning up, she ran her tongue up his full length and around his tip, eliciting an inhaled hiss from Severus. His hands were by his sides, gripping the blanket as she took him in her mouth. She could only take so much of him before she began to feel the gag reflex. As she lowered down on him again, Severus gently guided her hand to her lips as she took him back into her mouth, and moved her hand down again as she lifted her head up. Hermione smiled inwardly, recognizing his silent instruction and continued as he'd shown her, occasionally using her fingers or fingernails gently with each movement of her head. He groaned when she used her fingertips, hissed when she used her nails and moaned when she gripped him firmly. She cupped him with her other hand and copied the same experiment on his sac, noting quickly fingers and soft strokes with her nails were definitely preferred to firmness and that his sac was extremely sensitive.

"Good... Mother of Merlin..." he groaned more than once. "Oh, Merlin's... ah..." His hand was in her hair, gently caressing her, but not forcing her head or directing her movements, just simply stroking her scalp. It felt good.

Suddenly, he grabbed her hand. "Stop. Stand up," he said softly, nearly an order. She stood and he pulled her closer, his fingers unfastening the buttons of her robes. "Quite convenient that you wore these," he said and smiled as he exposed her bra and flicked open the front clasp. His hands slid down her body and eased her knickers to her knees.

Hermione removed them, laying them beside him on the cot. She stood before him, uncertain of what she should do next. In all the dreams and the times they'd been together, he had taken charge and directed her. She started to kneel again but he stopped her, pushing her back so he could close his legs. "Come here, you silly witch," he said, pulling her forward to straddle his lap. "Touch me," he said, as his fingers stroked her skin.

Hermione reached down and curled her fingers around his shaft again. "Like this?" She slid her fingers down him, letting its length rub against the palm of her hand until she reached the bottom and glided her hand up, tightening her fingers as she did.

"Yes," he replied, his gaze on her hand.

She did it again, careful with her fingernails. He simply watched her, his dark eyes meeting hers each time his gaze flickered up to her face. She enjoyed the feel of the skin on his penis; it was soft and velvety, while the organ itself was stiff and hard. A little like the Snape in my dreams...

"Put me inside you," he said after a while.

"Okay," she replied and moved herself up closer on his lap. She held his penis as she angled it toward her opening, wiping the tip of it around before she tried to insert in her. It took a few tries before she was able to ease herself down on him. This part she knew. Once he was fully inside her, she rolled her hips, making her body glide on his shaft. Severus simply watched her, his dark eyes taking in everything as his gaze roamed from her groin as she moved herself on his penis, to her breasts and occasionally to her face. "Touch yourself. I want to see you pleasure yourself," he said, taking one of her hands and placing it on her groin.

She knew what he wanted, although she felt slightly guilty pleasuring herself while he simply watched her. In a few more minutes, she stopped caring as she began to get into what she was doing. She angled her body lower and flicked her finger in rhythm with her movements, feeling the sensations grow inside her. Her breathing became ragged, and she felt the beginnings of her orgasm. Snape's fingers covered hers on her nub, and she looked at him, amazed to see lust in his dark eyes. He's getting excited watching me? she realized as her climax began to course through her. She lost her tempo as the sensations grew, not quite able to get her orgasm to come, feeling frustrated as the sensations began to ebb away, unable to keep control of her movements and concentrate on the feelings inside her at the same time. His fingers took over and he seemed to thrust into her, but all she could concentrate on was the rising surge of her climax as she came on him, falling against him as her orgasm rolled through her.

Suddenly, Snape grabbed her tightly to him, turning them to topple over onto her back, crushing her into the cot as he took over, his fingers stroking her clitoris in tempo with his thrusts. The sensations she thought were fading increased. She tried to meet his movements, urging him to move harder. She felt her body climax, and she grasped onto him, trying to pull him as tightly into her as she could. He pushed himself up to watch her, still plunging deeply with each inward stroke. Even when she began to relax, shivering in her post climatic bliss, he was still thrusting himself inside her in hard, pounding strokes, riding her. Hermione ran her fingernails down his back, scratching eight long lines into his skin, and he growled as his climax overtook him. She dragged her nails down his back again, down his arms, and he collapsed on top of her, sweaty and breathing hard. Hermione watched him, counted his breaths, feeling sweat drip onto her chest and waited for him to open his eyes. When he finally looked at her, there was a look of satisfaction in his expression that made her smile, and she leaned up to kiss him.

He shifted himself, straightening her legs as he lay down, partly on her and beside her, then kissed her. She slid her hand into his hair, feeling the silky strands between her fingers, and opened her mouth to encourage his tongue, teasing his lips with the tip of hers.

He pulled away from her and looked at her, his expression unreadable. "You really do like being with me this way, don't you?" he asked, sounding surprised.

"Yes," she replied.

"Why?" he asked, looking at her as if puzzled by her response.

She brushed the hair from his face. "Is that really so hard to believe?"

"Yes," he replied. "I'd have thought you'd have left me, that my actions toward you would have turned you away by now."

"Look, Severus, if you don't want me, then fine. I'll request an annulment. But you need to get out of here. You don't belong in Azkaban. Please let us help you. Please, talk to Holden or Kingsley. From what I know they are willing to give you a pardon for killing Dumbledore. The rest you can be acquitted from." He turned his head, sighing impatiently, and she tried to make him look at her again. "I know I sound like a broken record, but please, you deserve a life, a real life: one without masters or bars. That's all I'm asking. Give yourself a chance."

"And what about you?" he asked, nearly a growl.

She tucked his hair behind his ear. "What about me?"

"What do you get out of this?" he asked.

She nearly giggled but suppressed the urge. "I'm a Gryffindor, Severus, not Slytherin. I'm not doing any of this to get something. All I want is to see you free. That's all I want."

His eyes narrowed. "So you use a match-making curse to bind me to you, and yet all you want is to see me free?"

She sighed, her hand falling to her side. "Yes, all right, I made a mistake. I bound us together. If you don't want me, I'll ask for the annulment. I'm told that if, and I mean if, you are convicted, I'll get my annulment anyway. But damn you, why won't you stand up for yourself? Do you want to live out your life here?" He turned away and rose to get off her. Hermione sat up, grabbing hold of his arm. "Clear your name. Accept the acquittal and the pardon. Then you'll have your life back. You'll be able to do whatever you want to do. But I can't stand to see you in here."

He looked at her, staring at her intently, then rose, pulling his trousers up. He leaned against the wall, staring at the floor. Hermione stood up and tried to get him to look at her. "Why are you being so stubborn?"

"Get dressed and go," he said, his tone hard and cold. "Don't come back here."

"I'll keep coming as long as it takes to talk some sense into you!" she snapped at him.

He glowered at her. "Why are you being so stubborn? I told you to leave me. Get your annulment and leave me be. You have no future with me."

Hermione backed up, hurt by his words. "Not with you locked up in here I don't." She opened her arms and glared at him. "Take a good look! This is what you're giving up. All I want is for you to have your freedom. Instead, you want to rot in here, martyred, sulking and miserable. Fine." She started closing her clothes, backing away when he reached out to touch her. "Here I am throwing myself at you, and you're too much of a coward to... Oh, I give up."

"Don't call me a coward," he snarled.

"Then stop acting like one," she snapped back.

"I'm not a coward," he said. He lunged for her, and she backed up again until he'd cornered her against the wall, saying, "Don't call me a coward again," enunciating each word with each step.

"Then prove it," she challenged him. "I dare you to prove it!"

He stepped away from her as the cell doorway opened. "Go," he snarled.

Hermione turned and left, wanting to cry, but refusing to allow the tears to come. Damn him.

~MoM~

A rough draft of a manuscript for Rita Skeeter's book sat on Kingsley's desk, and he stared at it with contempt, keeping his anger in check. His contact at Dust and Mildew had brought him the rough draft, only half of Skeeter's book, to his office, wanting to verify some of the facts presented in the notes and validate Skeeter's claims. Hillard Hobday, an editor at Dust and Mildew, once an old school mate and member of the Order, was concerned by the fact that so much information was collected on an official investigation when the actual investigation hadn't even been set for trial yet. Kingsley had immediately set a meeting with Hillard and had spent his morning reading over the manuscript. There were too many quotes from too many resources from inside the Ministry for Kingsley's comfort, which had infuriated him to the point of investigating these leaks himself.

Ralph Lerman's and Galen Darthmyer's were quoted frequently, and both Holden Goldstein's and José Aladama's notes seemed to be repeated word for word in the manuscript as well. Even Oswald Grunthyme's dispatches and notes were apparently uncovered and read by Ms. Skeeter. Kingsley had confronted each man about his involvement with Ms. Skeeter, and all five declared no knowledge of how she got her information or admitted that they had spoken to her except in the most general of terms. Each of them swore that they definitely did not confide in the reporter. The problem is that Kingsley believed them. Their outrage was too convincing, the swearing and venomous anger too realistic. Each man behaved as Kinglsey expected him to, and each looked him in the eye as they spoke. Kingsley was a fair Legilimens, but he hardly needed to use Legilimency to know his staff wasn't lying to him.

The best that I can do about the book is to request, no, place an injunction on the manuscript until after the trial of Severus Snape. Thanks to that insipid reporter, there is no way I can allow the matter regarding Severus to remain an internal investigation. It is now going to have to be set before the Wizengamot, whether I wanted to or not. He quickly drafted a note requesting that Ralph Lerman and Galen Darthmyer meet him in Oswald Grunthyme's office immediately, grabbed the manuscript, and walked out of his office, headed for the lifts. Somehow that witch managed to acquire a lot of classified and personal information on Severus, and I'll be Horntail flamed if I will not find out how.

~ T B C ~>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~o0o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's notes: