Lesson Six: Concerto For Two

Dances with Witches by Pearle

Summary: Severus Snape loses a magical bet. The consequences? The Tango! My answer to the codpiece challenge on Wiktt. HG/SS

Disclaimer: The characters, settings, etc. of the Harry Potter series are not mine; they belong to J.K. Rowling and Co. I promise to return them when I am through. Well, most of them anyway.

~~~~~ Dances with Witches ~~~~~

13. Lesson Six: Concerto For Two

"Albus." Minerva McGonagall stood framed in the doorway of the Headmaster's office, her mouth set in a thin line. "You left the Great Hall before I could speak with you."

Albus looked up from his desk. "Did I, Minerva? Was there something you wished to ask me?" Fawkes hooted quietly from his perch at the side of the desk. Albus reached back into a small orange box behind him to pull out a treat for the aged phoenix. He was within days of a burning day and looked rather shabby.

Minerva strode forward into the room. "Would you like to tell me what is going on?"

"Going on, Minerva?" The Headmaster's eyes twinkled.

"Are you going to repeat everything I say? I saw the way Severus was looking at Miss Granger yesterday. What have you done now?" She had known him too long to fall for that innocent routine.

"I have done nothing. Miss Granger is here to work with Severus on a potion. I imagine we shall be seeing quite a lot of her over the next few months. It will be interesting to see the efforts of her dance instruction with Severus at Halloween as well. Lemon Sherbet?" Albus offered the angry witch a wrapped candy from the crystal bowl on his desk.

"Albus Dumbledore, do you mean to sit there and tell me you had no hand in whatever is going on between those two?" Minerva's eyes narrowed in disbelief.

"Is something going on?" Albus was shifting papers on his desk, doing his best to be noncommittal.

"Albus, you know I care about Severus, but Hermione is just a child. How can you subject her to Severus? He spent seven years sneering at the poor girl. I did not approve of the consequences of that ridiculous bet between the two of you, but you are going too far this time." Minerva's back was straight, unbending, as she sat in one of the plush chairs in front of the desk.

A full silver tea service appeared on the desktop, complete with the Headmaster's favorite chocolate biscuits. Albus proceeded to pour a cup for Minerva. "Calm down, Minerva. I have done nothing to either Severus or Miss Granger. They are, in fact, working on an alteration for the Wolfsbane Potion, something to help the recipient retain greater control of his mind during the last phase of a full moon. May I remind you that Miss Granger is the only witch to ever tie Severus's NEWTs, and that they were the highest in the history of Hogwarts, as were Severus's scores? Hermione is a full-grown witch who knows her own mind. If I were to worry about anyone getting hurt, I would think I should be worried about Severus, not Hermione. That boy has no experience with relationships or woman."

Minerva snorted into her tea. "That boy, as you so generously refer to Severus, is a forty year old man. Hermione may have more experience with relationships than Severus, but he has not exactly locked himself in the dungeons for the last twenty years. You know his past as well as I do. And do I have to remind you, he is Head of Slytherin?"

"Surely you are not prescribing to House prejudices, Minerva? I know very well what Severus was and what he has done. I also know he had proved himself to be a loyal and trusted member of the Order many times over. I doubt his past will bother Miss Granger in the least. The two are in a working relationship. Whatever develops will be their decision, not mine, I can assure you. Need I remind you that he was pivotal in defeating Tom Riddle?"

"No, of course not. But I saw the way he was looking at her." Minerva studied the Headmaster's face.

Albus smiled. "I hope you are correct. Only time, and Severus will tell."

With an uneasy feeling, Minerva left the Headmaster's Office. She felt it might be prudent to visit Severus and discuss Hermione further.

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"So how did your plans go on Sunday? Did you enjoy yourself?" Edmund's sarcasm sounded like a childish whine. It lacked the bite necessary to make it effective.

"Fine, thank you for asking. May we get on with our studying, if that is all right with you?" Hermione's voice was sickeningly sweet. A sure sign she was annoyed.

"Do you want to meet Saturday and we can study for Monday's test?" Kathy looked up at the group. Edmund and Susan nodded their assent. When Hermione neglected to answer, Kathy cleared her throat. "Erm, Hermione, Saturday?"

"Saturday." Hermione parroted, she was listing ingredients she wanted to check before Severus's arrival on Thursday and not following the conversation at the table.

"So, is that a yes?"

"What?"

Kathy rolled her eyes. "Studying for Monday's test this Saturday? Is that a yes? What time is good for you?"

"Saturday? I can't study this Saturday, but you guys go ahead without me." Hermione was shaking her head as she paged through her notes, unaware of the group's collective stare. "Okay, we are through with Bewitched Sleep. Professor Recanto said the next charm we will be working on is Binding Magic. I cannot believe we are going to study Advanced Charms alphabetically. You would think a sixty-five year old wizard would have a little more creativity than that. I would think it would be just these two charms on Monday's exam unless Recanto introduces a new Charm on Friday."

Edmund exchanged looks with Kathy and Susan. "You are busy again this weekend?"

Hermione ran her finger down the page of her weekly calendar, shaking her head. "Yep. It says right here, 'Adv. Charm Study Group, Mon. 4:00'. What I don't see 'Is explain to Edmund what your plans are for the next weekend'. This group meets Mondays at four, not Monday, Saturday, some Sundays and any time someone mentions it."

"You just seem to be busy a lot lately."

Hermione attempted to rein in her temper. Her tone carried all the subtlety of speaking with a three year old. Each word was enunciated slowly and to its fullest, driving home her meaning. "Edmund. You are getting on my nerves. Yes, I have plans. I am working on a new project on the weekends. It does not concern you."

Susan turned to the other two. "Why don't the three of us meet here at ten Saturday morning and we can study then?"

The look in Hermione's eyes left no doubt she would be more than happy to show them her expertise at casting the Binding Charm on any one of them if they wanted to continue questioning her.

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An ominous crack of thunder could be heard outside the castle as an autumn storm battered the stone walls of the ancient building. Severus's tread was heavier than usual, his flowing black robes snapped out behind him as he proceeded to the Great Hall for dinner. If anything, his mood appeared to match the storm raging outside.

Minerva had been giving him odd looks all day. And if possible, Albus's damn eyes seemed to twinkle brighter at lunch. Minerva's shrill voice called to him as he emerged from the dungeon stairway. "Severus, I would like a word with you please."

Severus stopped and waited for the witch to reach him. His tone was snide, "Yes, Minerva?"

Minerva considered Severus to be more than just a colleague, it was with genuine affection she thought of him as a friend. That affection made what she was about to say all the more difficult. "What is going on between you, and Miss Granger?"

With a malevolent smile, he answered the witch. "Worried about one of your little cubs?"

"Severus."

"I have had a trying day, Minerva, and have no desire for idle chit chat. Exactly what is it you are asking me?"

Today's classes had left him in a hostile mood. Two first year Ravenclaws had not been paying attention to his instructions while making the Boil Cure Potion. One of the two cretins added twenty-two nettles instead of two. While Severus thought the resulting cauldron explosion was spectacular and worthy of Longbottom at his best, he prided himself on seeing to the safety of the students in his classroom.

He had been able to cast a shielding charm on the cauldron just as the explosion occurred, limiting the damage to a large hole in the floor that lead through to the unused dungeon below it. After a stern lecture on the limited ability of mediwitches and healers in reattaching limbs and the importance of paying attention, the two were assigned detention with Filch for a week and a loss of house points. He thought the irony of losing of twenty-two house points each was probably lost on the pair.

"I saw the way you were watching Hermione yesterday. I will not have you toying with her."

"Toying with her? Are you asking me what my intentions are?"

Albus's voice interrupted the interchange between the two. "Good evening, Severus. Minerva, there you are. Would you come with me please? I need your help. One of the students, a first year Hufflepuff I believe, was attempting to transfigure the drinking glasses at his table into hedgehogs. There are now six glasses, with legs, running around the table. Perhaps you would be so kind as to correct the mistake?" Dumbledore continued to sweep Minerva along towards the Great Hall as he spoke, not giving the angry witch time to object.

Severus chuckled as he watched Albus maneuver Minerva into the Great Hall. He resisted the urge to wave goodbye as they disappeared through the large wood doors. It was nice to see someone other than himself on the receiving end of the Headmaster's attentions.

The heavy oak door hit the back wall with a loud thud. The sound went unnoticed by the inhabitants of the Head Table, long used to Severus's dramatic entrances at mealtime. Severus ignored Remus's greeting as he took his usual seat between the werewolf and the Headmaster.

"Good evening, Severus. I heard you had quite a firework display in your classroom today. Trying to tunnel your way out of the castle?" Remus asked, taking great pleasure in annoying his friend.

"Actually, I thought you might enjoy new quarters, Lupin. You may view them at your earliest convenience." Severus flicked his wrist and a basket of rolls floated down the table.

Remus raised a brow in question. "Gryffindor is playing Slytherin Saturday, care to make a bet on the outcome of this week's Quidditch match?"

"While I have no desire to engage in any magical bet with you, I already know the outcome of this week's match. My Slytherin's will win." Severus reached for the decanter to refill his juice.

"If you are so sure of them winning, what harm could betting on the match be? You already know who will win. We can ask Sibyll her view of the game's outcome, if you like, and bet on that," he said with a smirk.

It was bad enough he had to fulfill his obligations to the Headmaster. He would not become indebted to Lupin too. And he would bloody well never underestimate Sibyll again. What if the blasted witch managed to make another correct prediction? "Sorry, Lupin, you will have to peddle your precious Gryffindors elsewhere. Be assured, they will not win." Severus's look was smug. "I take it you have not seen our new seeker this year?"

"Now, Severus, both teams have an equal chance of winning." Albus was smiling benevolently at the two. "And may I say you do not seem particularly worse off from the unexpected benefits of the bet you lost."

"Albus." Severus tone held a note of warning as both Remus and Albus laughed at the implication. He knew Albus was referring to Hermione.

As if reading his mind, Remus asked, "Are you seeing Hermione this weekend?"

"I was not aware I was in need of a social secretary. Are you applying for the position?"

"I might be interested. How much does it pay?"

Severus shook his head. "Do you ever plan on growing up?"

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Severus stood before the mirror examining his image. He had no illusions as to his looks. The lines in his face were softer now, and his face had filled out a bit, but he would never be called a handsome man. Comments had been made about how much healthier he looked over the last year. Sleep, without fear of being called to the side of a Megalomaniac, had a lot to do with this healthier image. Sleep was nature's basic repair potion. Not being called at all hours of the day and night to his possible death made a marked difference in his general health.

After the notoriety of the final battle, a bevy of beautiful witches had run after him, glory seekers and the like. He chuckled to himself as he recalled their comments regarding his looks and attire. Did they really think him so stupid as to believe they thought of him as aristocratic and misunderstood by the populace, that any one of them could "help" him to achieve his rightful place in the community?

One sorely misguided witch had even suggested he run for Minister of Magic. He brushed a piece of imaginary lint from the leg of his immaculate trousers. He was an academic who valued his solitude, who also happened to be an ex-Death Eater, an ex-double spy, and the bat of the dungeon as Hermione had so 'sweetly' called him, Minister of Magic indeed.

Hermione. If ever there was an enigma, it was Hermione. It had only been a few days since he last saw her, but he missed the witch's presence. She seemed to have taken up permanent residence in a corner of his mind. His dreams of the last few nights had centered on a series of very erotic images of Hermione in an odd assortment of barely-there costumes. Nightly the witch performed a private show for him in his mind.

The last four mornings had found Severus hard and lusting for her, only to wake and find his bed empty. The dreams curled around his mind like wisps of smoke that floated back to him at odd times during the day. She was driving him to distraction. Common sense told him to at least wait until the Halloween Feast before making a move on her. If things did not work out, he would not have to be tortured with her presence afterward.

The thought of ravishing her had led him to darker, more disturbing thoughts. Severus had long ago come to terms with his past; it was Hermione's he was having a hard time dealing with. He had idly speculated before becoming involved with her as to the amount of sexual experience she'd had. It would have been foolhardy to think she was still virginal.

When he had first started the damn lessons it had been a way to occupy his mind while waiting for the last lesson to end and his lesson to start. Now that he seemed to have a vested interest in the young witch, it did not amuse him to think there had been other men in Hermione's life before him.

He was well aware he was measuring her against an unfair double standard, but he was helpless to stop the overwhelming feeling of jealousy at these nameless, faceless lovers he imaged she'd had. He shuddered at the thought that one of the faceless few could be Potter or Weasley. He was a possessive man, and he was determined to make Hermione his.

'Ah, but you are forgetting the symposium. You will be alone, just the two of you, in a hotel room. Think of the possibilities.' It was the same voice that kept bringing up that damn black Thong with the rhinestone snake on it. His trousers grew tight with the thought of Hermione and The Thong.

The symposium had crept back into his mind as well. While he was pleased Hermione would be attending with him, her purpose for attending unsettled him even more. She wanted to see the various Potions Masters in their natural habitat, her exact words. The thought that she would spend the next year apprenticed to someone else disturbed him. Someone else would have her undivided attention. Another would enjoy her wit and intelligence.

He would hope she would still want to see him, but their time would be limited due to the nature of her apprenticeship. The thought that he would be willing to take her on as his own apprentice seemed contrary to his solitary nature. His reputation as a Potions Master was unshakable, but how would it look for Hermione if she were to apprentice with him and be in some type of relationship.

He knew he could keep their private relationship separate from their professional association while maintaining an impartial attitude about her work. It would be the resulting gossip and whispered innuendo that might prove too much for her.

"How old are you?" he asked as he scowled at the image in the mirror. He had resisted the urge to contact her Monday night as if he were an adolescent schoolboy with a crush. The problem was, he did feel like a schoolboy, unsure of what lie ahead of him. He found it hard to believe he was nervous at the thought of seeing her tonight.

Short of casting a few dozen glamours on himself, this was as good he was going to look he decided. With a sigh, he gathered his cloak from the wall hook and headed for the Apparation site and Hermione.

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Smoothing the line of her skirt over her hips, Hermione took a last look at herself in the mirror. Her grandmother would have said she was as nervous as a long-tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

Hermione rushed to her front door when she heard his knock, only to stop abruptly and take a deep breath. It was with a practiced air she opened the door and invited Severus in. The tension was palpable between the two as Severus hung his cloak on a hook by the door.

"Good evening. Your study group seems to have left early again." The comment was not necessary, but Severus's was feeling anxious, unsure of what her reaction might be if he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her senseless. 'Go for it!' yelled the voice in his head, sounding remarkably like Lupin. Instead, he did nothing.

"Hi. Yes, they did. I thought we could have a dance lesson before I order the pizza. If that is all right with you?" Hermione herself was a nervous wreck. This had seemed so much easier last week, she thought, maybe he changed his mind.

Severus nodded his head, no longer sure what to do. The two moved towards each other at the same time, Severus bumping his chin on the top of Hermione's head. It was enough to break the tension. Hermione laughed uncontrollably at the scowl on Severus's face as she rubbed the top of her head. "Are you all right?" she asked.

"I believe I will survive. This merely confirms my suspicion, you are rather hardheaded at times." Severus reached out and drew Hermione into he arms before placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

"I'm glad you're here. I missed you," she said. Hermione thought she could get lost in the endless depth of his eyes. His arms tightened around her. She grinned and asked, "Ready for your lesson?"

As the music started, Severus moved into their practiced stance. He had worked on the steps, after a month and a half of lessons he could follow the slower melody fairly well. But this dance was to be different. The Tango is meant to be an expression of want, lust, and desire between a man and a woman. And this time, the two would dance it, as it was meant to be.

Hermione could almost feel his need, as Severus gathered her in his arms. She was pressed against the broad expanse of his chest and could feel his heart pound. His hand splayed possessively against the small of her back. As they started to move with the beat, his movements took on a more sensual quality. The sway of their bodies and the constant contact sent fire straight to his groin.

The feel of his leg sliding forward between her thighs as he executed the Sacada sent electric shocks through Hermione. She felt own desire ratchet up a notch as she shifted, her breasts rubbing across his chest before she turned in his arms. She watched his eyes became fathomless as his arousal increased.

Dancing a circle around him, she allowed her arse to slide across his as she completed the circuit. He crushed her to him as he moved her through a slow sequence of two steps, his hand drifting down to caress the top of her buttocks. They moved into a fast series of Ochos before performing a slower stroll. Their breathing was ragged as the dance came to its conclusion.

Hermione's face was flush, her gaze locked with Severus's. His hand came up to gently cup the side of her face, his thumb tracing the line of her cheekbone. Severus leaned forward and placed a kiss on her lips. "Well, Professor," he asked with amusement, desire flickering in his eyes, "how am I doing?"

Hermione laughed, "Your dancing has definitely improved. I have a new step to show you, it is called la Salida with a cross to the right. After that we can try another run through. You seem to be comfortable with the slower rhythm, so I think we should just continue to work at that."

Severus listened as Hermione showed him the new step at the beginning of the dance. It was a type of side step, similar to what they had been working on, but with this step, they moved side-by-side, hip-to-hip and than moved into a pivot.

They worked though the new step and the dance for the next hour and a half. While Severus's technique had improved, this closeness, the constant shift of their bodies against each other sent his arousal spiraling out of control. Each dance raised the bar on his lust until it was impossible to hold back. Their eyes locked as the music ended. The two seemed frozen in time as they gazed at each other. The moment exploded as Severus watched Hermione lick her lips. His groin tightened at the sight of her tongue caressing her bottom lip as he thought of what her mouth and tongue would feel like on his heated flesh.

Severus pulled Hermione into his lap as he sank back onto the sofa. His mouth took possession of hers as his tongue thrust over and over into her mouth. Her whimpers aroused him to a fever pitch. She moaned louder as he kneaded her breast through the soft material of her dress.

Their labored breathing and the small whimpers and groans from the aroused witch were the only sounds in the heated room. Hermione's hands trembled as she attempted to open his shirt.

"Hermione, tell me what you want," Severus's voice was husky with passion. "Let yourself go."

With a whimper, Hermione pulled herself forward and straddled Severus's lap, unable to express her hunger in words alone. She was wearing a leotard under the dance skirt. He could feel her heat through the thin material, his erection separated from its desire by just a few scraps of fabric. She rocked her hips back and forth creating friction against his already straining member, drawing a quiet growl from the aroused wizard.

His hands roamed her body as the intensity of their kisses increased. Hermione threw her head back and moaned as he nipped the skin at the sensitive juncture of her neck and shoulder before moving to nuzzle her cleavage, planting feather soft kisses in the hollow between her breasts.

She hung on to his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin through the silk of his shirt. His hands on her arse pulled her tight against his aching member. The sensation of his hands and mouth proved too much for her. As the blood pounded in her ears, Hermione gave in to her release.

Severus felt her shudder as she arched her back and rolled her hips forward a few more time. 'Sweet Merlin, did you feel that?' the voice inside his head asked in an awed whisper as he watched Hermione ride out her climax.

"Severus," she groaned as she leaned against him. Her movements had stroked his own aroused member to a fevered pitch. The desire to rip her clothes off; the need to bury his hard shaft in her oh so willing body, the want of feeling her walls clamp tight on his engorged member as she called his name pushed Severus to the edge.

But he had not survived twenty years as a spy by allowing his emotions to dictate the moment. With a massive effort, Severus pulled back on his own needs. There would come a time in the not to distant future, when he would allow himself to unleash his hunger, until then he was content to hold her quietly while she came back to herself. It was enough for now, to know that he had brought her pleasure. Knowing she would give willingly of herself, he would take what he wanted, what she would give him, when the time came.

Hermione blushed at the thought of what had just happened. She was not naive by any means, but she had never been so turned on by a man's touch. "Severus, I..."

"Shhh." Her words were lost as Severus kissed her. "You, were amazing," he said as they came up from air.

She turned to kiss him again when her stomach growled loudly. Hermione turned bright red. She had just come with the barest of touches from this dark wizard and now her body was embarrassing her with its need for food.

"Mmm. Perhaps dinner is in order?" he said with a smirk.

"But you..."

His thumb caressing her bottom lip stayed the words before they left her mouth. "I take great pleasure in seeing your desire fulfilled. There will be time for us, but not tonight. Now, give me a kiss and order this pizza you mentioned. After which we can compare notes on the Wolfsbane Potion." The voice in his head reached a fevered pitch. 'You bloody idiot! What the hell are you doing? You're stopping now? Has your brain gone soft from one too many Crucios?'

Severus wanted her to need him, to want him. She had become a drug he could not do without; he wanted her to feel the same about him. Sometime in the last few weeks, Hermione had become his own private addiction. He wanted to take his time and explore her body, learn what pleased her; he wanted to spend the night making love to her until she was past rational thought; he wanted to wake up next to her in the morning and relax in bed together before taking her again. He wanted more than her desire, he wanted her mind, and her heart and soul as well. He was worried her feelings for him would change when the novelty of their relationship wore off.

"Are you always this demanding?" she asked with a grin. Hermione had move to sit next to him on the sofa. A large stack of brightly colored papers sailed through the air and landed in her hand.

"Demanding? I allow you to see the softer side of my personality and you call me demanding?"

"Fine," she agreed, "you're not demanding. My mistake." Hermione was leafing through a sheaf of take-out menus looking for the pizza parlor's menu.

Severus looked at the menus as she discarded them. Most of the fast food restaurants in the area were represented in the stack she was looking through. "I would assume by the sheer number of establishments represented, that you rarely cook for yourself. Is this all you ever eat?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm usually too busy studying to worry about shopping and cooking."

"A proper diet is essential in keeping your body healthy and your mind sharp."

Hermione looked at him. "This, coming from a man who does not cook his own meals. You would starve if the house-elves at Hogwarts ever abandoned the kitchen. I'm Muggle-born. Remember? I know how to cook, I just choose not to."

"Which is probably most fortunate for the rest of us. I do, however, know how to cook. Cooking is similar to potion-making. I have no need to prepare my own meals when I am required by Albus to be present in the Great Hall during mealtime. The pizza?" He indicated the menu she was holding, curious as to how they would deliver the meal since Hermione was not hooked into the Floo Network. He had enjoyed the pizza the last time he had sampled it at Pizza Magic, though the idea of eating without utensils still appalled him.

Hermione laid the red sheet of paper on the table in front of her. She tapped a small square at the bottom of the page with the tip of her wand. The square glowed for a moment and then expanded to encompass the entire menu. "How about a thin crust sausage pizza and an order of garlic bread?" Next to each menu item was a glowing square similar to the one that activated the menu. A large 'X" appeared in each of the squares as she made her selections. Hermione noticed Severus watching her. "Okay, that should only take a few minutes."

Severus was puzzled. "We are not going to the restaurant to retrieve the order?"

"No. The food sort of, Apparates here. The menu has a tracking charm on it. It's like the meals in the Great Hall, just a longer distance from the restaurant to my flat than from the kitchens to the tables."

"How do we settle the bill?" This process was entirely new to Severus. It was evidently a cross between Muggle restaurant service and the wizarding world. One of the boxes she had tapped had said something about payment received.

"Oh. Did you notice the last box I tapped?"

"The gold square?"

"Yeah. Activating that square, as you called it, gave Pizza Magic authorization to charge the bill to my Gringotts account. Kind of like a Muggle charge card."

"Hermione, I do not expect you to pay for our meal. How do we go about charging it to my account instead?" Severus sat up straighter. He would not allow her to pay. "As far as I know, I am still gainfully employed, unless Albus has had the good sense to sack me since I left earlier this evening. I will not allow you to pay."

Hermione sighed, there were times Severus seemed to be steeped in the Victorian era. She had suspected he would not let her pay for the bill. She wondered how he felt about women working. "Fine. Tap your wand on the green square and then the gold one."

Severus did as he was told, surprised she agreed without an argument. Both squares glowed before going dark. Another square appeared with the words, "Transaction reversed. Payment to be made in the name of Severus S. Snape. Gringotts Account #xxxxxxxx1669. Transaction completed."

Hermione grinned. "Severus S. Snape? Were your parents into alliteration? What does the "S" stand for?"

Severus gave her a mock glare. "Slytherin."

"Really?"

"No. It stands for Salazar." A pop startled the two as their order popped into existence.

"Did you bring the journal with you?" Hermione rose to get her book bag and the necessary cutlery while Severus retrieved his notes and the journal from his cloak.

They sat for the next hour and a half, eating pizza and reviewing the various outcomes resulting from using the different metal cauldrons on the ingredients they tested. It was another hour before they came up with a new set of parameters to be tested.

"I can't believe how much trial and error there is in the testing stage." Hermione was exasperated.

"It is the only true method for optimizing the potion. But it is getting late. I need to get back and you need rest." A wave of his wand and the parchment they had been working on rolled itself up before shrinking in size. The journal and other papers followed suit, leaving a small neat parcel for Severus to slip into his pocket. "Albus has arranged a room for you near the Gryffindor common room if you want to stay over Saturday night. We can work on the potion Sunday if you like."

"I thought there were closer rooms near the lab. What happened?"

A scowl crossed Severus's features. "Minerva." His tone conveyed his annoyance of the witch.

Hermione laughed. "Minerva?"

"Yes. The old busybody actually asked me what my intentions were."

Hermione's eyes gleamed. "What are your intentions?"

"What would you like them to be?" he asked her with a raised brow and an evil smirk.

"I suppose we will have to figure that out. What time is the match?"

"I believe the match starts at two and then I have made reservations for dinner in Hogsmeade."

"Why don't I meet you in your office about 1:30? I have a meeting with my Professor in the morning and then I will be free for the rest of the weekend."

Severus was just about to agree when he noticed Hermione looking at him funny. "Yes?"

"Would you care to make a little wager on the outcome of the match?" she asked.

First Lupin and now Hermione. Did everyone think he was a sure thing since losing to Albus? "What did you have in mind?"

"If Gryffindor wins, you agree to call Remus by his given name for a month."

"And when Slytherin wins?"

"You mean if Slytherin wins. It would be your choice."

"Ah. Therein lies the difference between us, I meant when, not if, and I choose your consequence?" Severus smiled. Suddenly a chorus of voice sounded in his head. 'The Thong. Have her model The Thong. No, no. Have her belly dance for you. No. Make it something kinky.'

Hermione watch Severus as his pupils dilated; a thrill ran through her at her own guess of what he would request.

But a funny thing happened when Severus started to think about what he really wanted from her. He could not for the life of him come up with one consequence. He wanted her heart, but he knew that would take time. For the first time in his life he was happy with his life as it was.

Teaching the lower level classes was a chore, but he found the advanced level classes to be rewarding. Hogwarts was a comfortable home for him and he considered most of the staff to be friends of a sort. He actually liked annoying Lupin and trading barbs with the man. It no longer mattered to him if he taught Defense Against the Dark Arts. He now had time to pursue his own research. And of late, he found the thought of being with Hermione more than he could ever have hoped for. For the first time in his life, he did not want for anything.

Severus enfolded her in his arms. His voice was rich, silky, as he said, "So many things to chose from. I do not know where to start. I suppose we can start simple and move on to more involved consequences in the future. In the unlikely event Gryffindor wins, I will call Lupin by his given name for a month. When Slytherin wins, you will be required to give me a back rub. As I recall, you did not properly finish the last one."

"A back rub?"

Severus nodded and held out his hand. "Deal?"

Hermione shook his hand and said, "Deal. You know, I would give you a back rub whether Slytherin wins or loses."

"I know. No matter what, win or lose, I win." He tightened his embrace as he kissed her goodbye. "I will see you Saturday."

"Saturday. Good night, Severus."

And with a swirl of his cloak, he was gone.

Hermione walked back to the sofa and sat down. 'Dear God, what had come over her tonight?' She had never really thought of herself as a sexual being, not after listening to the girls in her dorm trading experiences about the boys they had been with. But there was something about Severus she found unbelievably erotic. He seduced her mind, as well as her body. She had never before experienced anything close to what she had felt with him tonight. The thought of making love to him set her nerves tingling. She thought a hot bath and her imagination would be the only relief she would get tonight. It would be a long time before she was able to fall asleep, only to dream of him.

TBC

A/N: The steps and form of the dance (as well as those that appear in future chapters) are from this web site: Tango tutorial - http://64.70.140.102/ourdance.htm. Challenge rules can be found following chapter one.

Concerto - A composition written for a solo instrument. The soloist plays the melody while the orchestra plays the accompaniment.

From the HP Lexicon: Bewitched Sleep - no incantation given. Puts the target person into a deep sleep; subjects are in a state almost like suspended animation and do not breathe for the duration of the spell. Dumbledore placed Cho, Ron, Hermione, and Gabrielle Delacour into this kind of sleep while they were "held hostage" by the Merpeople in the lake (GF27).

From the HP Lexicon: Binding/Fastening Magic - no incantation given. Spells which fasten chains or ropes to restrain someone or something. The chair in the Court of Magical Law magically restrained the accused using ropes (GF30, OP8). Snape fired "thin, snakelike cords" from his wand to bind Remus Lupin in the Shrieking Shack (PA19).

Recanto – Latin meaning to recall, recant; to charm away.

Megalomaniac- A psychopathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence.

My sincere thanks to all that sent their prayers and thoughts my way. I can't tell you how much it meant to me. I enjoy being on my couch at home as opposed to lying in a hospital bed. I still have two weeks left of treatment but I still hope to have the next chapter up by the end of next week. Having said all that...................

Next up, A Quidditch match, Gryffindor vs Slytherin, Who will win? Dinner Saturday night and a sleepover at Hogwarts. Enjoy. Please review and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you! As always thoughts, comments, reviews, whatever are always welcome.

Regards, Pearle