Chapter Seven

Remus returned upstairs to find Hermione alone, sitting on the couch, staring into the fire. He walked over, taking a seat next to her.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her softly.

"What is right versus what is easy," she said, not trusting herself to look at him, instead focusing on her hands in her lap.

"Are they mutually exclusive?"

"I'm not sure."

He reached out and pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her, tightening his grip when she stiffened in his arms.

"Hermione, we've been dancing around this for months now."

"You love him." She was determined to talk this out, whatever this was before sex factored into the equation more than it already had.

"Yes, I do," he said. "But that doesn't mean I don't love you as well. There have been nights, so many nights, that I've laid awake at night wondering what would have happened if I had stayed. If I would have kissed you any one of those countless times I wanted to. God, Hermione, I've lost count of the times I wanted to take you in my arms and make love to you all night long."

"But you never did." She hated that she sounded so petulant.

"No," Remus said. "But it isn't because I didn't want to or because of Severus. It was because I was too afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Hermione, you were the only friend I had left. I couldn't risk losing you. You meant more to me than anything," he whispered, hugging her tighter.

"But not more than Severus." She looked away, gazing into the fire so that he wouldn't read the hurt in her expression.

"Please, Hermione, don't make me do this," Remus pleaded, his forehead resting on her head. "I care for you both deeply. Please don't make me choose."

"You already did, Remus," she reminded him gently.

"Hermione," he cupped her chin in his hands, forcing her to meet his gaze, "I want you. God, do I want you. You are an amazing woman. I had no idea how much I had fallen for you until I was in Azkaban and facing the prospect of never being with you again."

"I don't want to come between you and Severus."

"Why do you have to? Why does it have to be one or the other? Why can't it be both?"

"Can it?" she asked, her voice carrying the uncertainty and doubt in her heart. "Can it really be both?" She looked into his intense amber eyes and prayed it could be.

"That depends on you," he said, kissing her hair. "Can you learn to love us both?"

"I want you both to be happy," she said diplomatically.

"That wasn't what I asked," he said sternly.

"How can I possibly love both of you?"

"Who says you can't?"

She looked into his eyes and saw the soul of the man she had befriended, the man she had fallen in love with and knew she couldn't refuse him, body or heart.

"Please, Hermione, don't deny me. Don't deny us," Remus pleaded, running his hand lightly up and down her spine.

She felt the resistance flee her, but she had to put her biggest fear to rest.

"Is this just for tonight? Just to break the bond?"

Remus tilted her chin up so that he could gaze into her questioning eyes. "No, love. I would never use you like that. Don't you realize it yet? It's you that holds the power over what happens with us, if there is an 'us.' It's been you all along."

"And Severus?"

"He thinks our first time should not be under a potion," he confessed.

"I agree," Hermione said, taking a deep breath. "He should be here with us."

"He thought we should, ah, get acquainted, without him," he said sheepishly.

Hermione looked at Remus, finally comprehending.

"Oh," she said, her voice barely a whisper, suddenly feeling shy now that what she had wanted for so long was about to happen.

"I want very much to take you to bed, right now, Hermione. And then I want Severus to join us," he said, rubbing his nose against her neck before nipping at it. The sensation caused her to shudder with pleasure. "The question is, what do you want?"

She turned, her lips searching his as her arms wound around his neck. Their tongues swirled together, exploring and tasting each other's mouths. She turned in his lap, repositioning herself so that she was straddling him. He pulled her tight against him. She felt the firmness of his body ignite desire within hers, and she knew her answer.

"I want you. I want Severus," she said, her voice breathy with need. "I want you both."

With a growl, Remus kissed her fiercely. Hermione imagined this was what it felt like to be claimed by a man as his. And she wanted to be claimed. She moaned into his mouth and pushed herself tighter against his hardness. Without warning, he stood with her still wrapped in his arms, her legs now looping his waist, and carried her up the stairs.

Hermione was uncertain how they had managed to make it to the bed or how her clothes had come off so quickly. All she thought about was the need to finally be able to touch him, to run her hands through his shaggy hair and down is toned chest, to be able to kiss and taste every inch of his skin and have him do the same to her. She carried out her fantasy, her fingertips questing over his body, learning its contours, how he liked to be touched, where he liked to be teased. When she started to repeat the journey, this time with her tongue, Remus pulled her up to him and crushed his mouth to her as he rolled her underneath him.

"My turn," he said huskily before his lips mapped her body. Down her neck, across her collarbone, between the valley of her breasts. As his tongue danced along her skin, his fingers caressed her breasts, causing her to moan and arch off the bed into his touch. He moved lower, leaving a trail of kisses on her stomach, and she parted her legs at his gentle urging.

She gasped as he licked her in firm, long strokes before focusing his ministrations on her clitoris as his fingers dipped inside her. Crying out in pleasure, she rocked her hips in time with his movements, her hands fisted in the sheets. She came shouting his name, yet he continued, not relenting until she was certain she would go mad with the need to have him inside her.

"Now, Remus," she begged. "Please. I need you inside me right now."

Sliding up her body, Remus positioned himself above her. She caught his gaze, his amber eyes wild with want, and she knew hers reflected an equally strong desire. She fought her body's natural tendency to close her eyes when he slowly entered her; she wanted to see his reaction to their joining, to watch the arousal and pleasure wash across his face. She was not disappointed.

"Oh, god, Hermione," Remus choked out, moving with long, sure strokes within her. "You feel incredible."

"More," was the extent of her response.

He took her word as a directive and began to thrust harder and faster, causing her to gasp for breath between bouts of pleasure. When his lips enclosed her nipple, she was sent over the edge. With a few more unsteady strokes, Remus collapsed next to her. Gathering her in his arms, he kissed her possessively.

"That was amazing," he muttered, still breathless.

She could only nod. It was beyond all that she had imagined it would be. She drifted off to sleep, secure in his arms.

~*~

"I do believe we are ready to test your theory, Miss Granger."

The sleeping couple opened their eyes to find Severus entering the room bearing two bottles full of potions.

"No," Hermione declared, crawling out of bed to stand before Severus, who was staring at her naked body with open lust on his face. Removing the potions from his hands, she set them on the bureau. "No potion this time. Just us."

Severus studied her with piercing eyes. "Are you sure you know what you are asking?"

"I am asking that the three of us make love without the influence of a potion," she stated back before lowering her eyes. "I need to know, Severus."

"Know what?"

She met his eyes. "That you both truly desire me, and not just because I hold the key to your magic."

Needing no more prompting, Snape gathered her in his arms and kissed her passionately until she was breathless and trembling in his arms. "What will it take to convince you?" he asked, drawing back, but not releasing her.

"That was a good start," she said cheekily before drawing his lips back to hers.

Severus' tongue wasted no time in plunging into her mouth, seeking out its deepest crevasses, causing Hermione to moan. He kissed her as though she were the very air essential to his existence, as if to be parted from her would mean his death.

Hermione gave herself over fully to Severus, letting him take whatever it was he needed. And he wasted no time in taking. Grabbing behind her thighs, he lifted her up until her legs wrapped around his hips, and he entered her swiftly, both of them gasping at the sensation.

"It's been too long," he whispered against her throat. "I'd forgotten how amazing you feel."

She knew what he meant. While she loved being with Remus, there was something almost primal about sex with Severus. She threw her head back, giving him more access to the sensitive skin he was currently nipping at as he thrust inside her at a steady pace.

The sound of Remus shifting on the bed caused her to open her eyes. She saw him, upside down from her viewpoint, watching them with lustful eyes. She moaned at the sight, grinding down hard against Severus, eliciting a growl from him.

Severus moved forward, bringing her closer to Remus who was now kneeling on the bed. When she was within his reach, Remus captured her mouth in a kiss. Without breaking the kiss, Severus and Remus lowered her until she was lying on the bed. She felt Severus withdraw from inside her, and she whimpered, reaching out blindly for him. He grabbed her hand and kissed her palm as he slid onto the bed on his hands and knees next to her. He guided her hand to his hard cock, which twitched under her touch, as his hand slid between her parted thighs, and his tongue teased her bellybutton.

She tore her mouth from Remus' long enough to glance and Severus and beg. "Please!"

With his eyes locked on hers, he moved between her legs, and she quivered with desire and anticipation. Without blinking, he lowered his mouth to her center, giving a long lick. As she arched and moaned with the wave of desire coursing through her, Remus positioned himself so she could take him in her mouth, pleasuring him as Severus did her.

She couldn't believe what was happening. She didn't have enough concentration to really think, so she just let go and felt, enjoying the sensation of four hands and two mouths tantalizing her body. She was a lucky, lucky girl and intended to fully enjoy the situation.

When Severus slipped a finger inside her, locking his lips around her clitoris, she cried out as an orgasm claimed her. Remus withdrew, allowing her to be vocal without obstruction. Just as she was coming back into herself, she saw Remus lean over her to lick the taste of her from Severus' mouth, and she came again as she watched them, Severus' fingers still buried in her.

When she finally could catch her breath and her vision cleared, she turned her head toward the two men casually stroking her and each other's torsos. The looks of adoration heavily dosed with lust made her want them even more. How could she not?

"What do you want, Hermione?" Remus asked, his voice low and heavy with desire.

"I want..." She paused and licked her lips, not missing how two sets of eyes trailed her tongue. "I want both of you."

"How do you want us?" Severus asked, his teeth gritted. It was then that she noticed that they were stroking each other's cocks.

She rolled to her side and then crawled toward them. Pushing their hands away, she took over caressing their cocks, loving the feel of having both of them in her hands and the sounds she was eliciting from them. But it wasn't enough, not tonight.

As if synchronized, the men leaned forward, each attacking a side of her neck while fondling a breast. She sucked in a breath, feeling overwhelmed with desire, amazed at the effect their foreplay was having on her, unsure if she would be able to handle the intensity of intercourse with both of them. But she wanted it, and she wanted it now.

"Take me," she pleaded.

"Which one of us?" Remus asked as he sucked on her earlobe, causing her to shudder.

"Both of you," she answered, her voice barely a whisper. "I want both of you inside me."

"Are you sure?" Severus asked.

"Oh, yes," she answered, nodding franticly, causing Severus to chuckle against her collarbone.

"And then," she added, lost in the fantasy of her own mind, "I want to watch you two."

Twin growls answered as she was suddenly repositioned so she was astride Remus. Severus lifted her as Remus guided himself inside her. Severus held her hips still as Remus pulled her down for a kiss. While Remus occupied her mouth, Severus whispered a spell, leaving Hermione feeling slick with lubrication. Slowly and gently, Severus' fingers prepared her.

Hermione was overcome with the sensation, wanting more yet unsure how she could possibly handle any more pleasure. She had never felt so lustful, so adventurous. She wanted to feel Remus move under her as Severus took her from behind. "Please, Severus," she begged. "Now. Now. Now now now," she kept chanting.

She felt Severus position himself, exerting some pressure on her back, so she leaned down toward Remus' chest. God, how she wanted him.

"This is your last chance to say no, Hermione," Severus warned, nudging against her opening.

She turned her head to look at him over her shoulder. "Take me, Severus."

It was all the encouragement he needed. He gently slid himself slowly inside her, his hand lightly circling her back, encouraging her to relax. Once he was fully inside her, he stilled, and Hermione relished in the sense of fullness. It was almost too much. Almost. She felt all her senses take flight as the men began to move in tandem.

This was right. This was what she wanted, and she never wanted it to end. With no conscious awareness of what she was doing, Hermione began to mutter the words of the Soul Mating Ritual.

"Hermione?" Severus asked warily, stilling behind her.

She only shook her head and continued the spell as she took control of the pace of their lovemaking. She was so lost to the sensation of sex and magic that she only vaguely noted that two other voices had joined her in recitation.

She was certain she was babbling, her arousal and pleasure building too fast to allow her to do anything but get swept along. When she came, it was if her body, her soul, shattered at the intensity of it, breaking into a million pieces before settling back into itself.

The wave of her orgasm caused her muscles to convulse around the men buried deep inside of her, milking both as her pleasure spilled over them, breaking their restraint. She felt them moving harder, faster, shouting and grunting as they found their own nirvana.

Boneless and unable to even open her eyes, she fell asleep with both men still inside her, the last of her energy draining away with the aftereffects of her orgasm.

Hermione awoke in stages. A strange sensation coursed through her as if she had ingested some potion and could feel it seeping through her veins. She tried to isolate it, to examine the feeling, but her brain was still too sluggish. The next thing she noticed was the warm, firm bodies pressed to her on both sides. She recalled the previous night of passion and felt an ache deep inside, as if both men were still inside her. The thought sent a small wave of pleasure through her, and she sighed.

"You're awake?"

She opened her eyes to find amber ones staring back.

"Shh," he whispered. "Severus is still asleep."

"No, he is not," a voice sounded from behind her. Hermione twisted to see Severus, looking equally as tousled and content as Remus. She grinned, positioning herself on her back so she could see both men, who were each resting on their sides.

Snape ran his hand across the flat plane of her stomach. Remus joined him in his exploration, locking their fingers together.

"Can you feel it?" Remus asked in awe. "Do you think it really worked?"

"Hermione, do you feel any differently today?"

She stretched luxuriously. "I feel great," she said. "Well, I am a little sore, but ..."

"I don't mean that," Snape cut her off, and she couldn't help but notice he seemed a little smug. "I meant do you feel the bond?"

She closed her eyes and considered. Was it the spell that she was feeling moving through her? She dropped her defenses and let her magic roam free. She could feel it reach out and almost caress the energy of the other two. It was a heady feeling, as if she concentrated hard enough, she could hear their thoughts, feel their emotions, touch their souls.

"Yes, I feel it," she said in awe.

"Here," Severus placed her wand in her hand. "Summon something."

Hermione looked around. "Accio blanket."

A blanket from the back of the chair she was pointing at rose gently and floated toward her, lowering to the bed as her wand commanded.

"It worked!" she cried. "I wasn't using your magic!"

"Now try again," Snape instructed. "This time, I want you to try to tap into our power."

Hermione nodded, concentrating on that connection she felt. "Accio bathrobe." Her bathrobe flew across the room, smacking her in the face, much to the amusement of the men in her bed.

Before she could say anything, the robe was back on the hook behind the door, and Snape was wearing a rather self-satisfied smile.

"What are you so smug about?" she asked grumpily.

"I believe the ritual worked," Remus said, looking from her to Snape.

"But we didn't use the potions. I was just... rehearsing," she said.

"It looks like they proved rather unnecessary," Snape said, pushing a stray piece of hair behind Hermione's ear.

Hermione's eyes grew wide at the implication.

"Breathe!" Remus reminded her, gently rubbing her arm.

"You mean..."

"I mean your plan appears to have worked," Severus said. "It appears we have overridden your control over our magic. Now we wait for the spell to fade and the bond to dissipate."

"In the meantime," Remus said, a sly look on his face, "I believe we have yet to fulfill Hermione's second request from last night."

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"What request?" she asked, looking from one to the other.

"I believe, my dear," Remus said with a sly grin, "you wanted to watch."