Lesson Seven: Anticipation

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 ~~~~~

Chapter 18. Lesson Seven: Anticipation

Severus looked at himself in the mirror. It was almost time for his dance lesson with Hermione. Time seemed to get away from him today. He ran a weary hand through his hair. Albus had heard from St. Mungo's. Ackart had started counseling today.

'It will be a long time before that boy will be able to accept why he was so afraid of his father. Afraid enough to try something that desperate,' thought Severus. It had taken him years to come to terms with his feelings for his own father. Years and time as a Death Eater.

Severus shook his head. He regarded his image in the mirror. He had changed in small ways. His hair was longer, falling past his shoulders now. His face had filled out. He had always been lean, but sleep and regular meals had improved his general health. Even his skin, while still pale, had a healthier tone. Same black eyes. Same hooked nose. The real changes, those that made the most difference, were not visible to the eye.

The clock over his desk chimed. The hand with his picture moved to 'You need to leave in the next few minutes.' Severus looked at the pendant again. He hoped Hermione liked it. He had never been in a relationship of this nature before. This would mark the first birthday gift he had ever purchased for a woman that was not a colleague or the wife of an associate. The first gift of any substance. Tomorrow was her birthday. He had reservations at a wizarding restaurant in London, The Wizard's Choice.

And then, tomorrow night. He still did not know if she was a virgin or not, a question that continued to nag at the edges of his mind. The odds were against it, but still. His dreams of the last few nights had become even more erotic than before. He felt an almost uncontrollable need to possess her, to have her. His need seemed to be greater than it had ever been.

Severus sighed. He still had a dance lesson to get through tonight. He closed the black velvet case and slipped it back in the middle drawer of his desk. He locked and warded the drawer before heading for Hermione's flat.

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Severus arrived for his dance lesson a few minutes before the hour. The lessons seemed frivolous now. He wondered if Albus would release him from his bet. Probably not. Not only were magical bets difficult to break, knowing Albus, he would probably tell him this would help improve his life in some way. The man could be most infuriating when he chose to be. As much as Severus enjoyed dancing with Hermione in private, it would be nothing compared to the embarrassment he was going to feel when they danced at the Halloween dance.

Hermione answered the door on the first knock. She took his breath away every time he saw her. Her arms wound around his neck. "Good evening, Professor."

His hands moved, of their own volition, around her waist and pulled her to him. "Miss Granger." Their kiss was warm, reestablishing the boundaries, the edges they had moved against.

Severus took his cloak off and hung it next to the door. The now familiar action brought home the fact this was real. Hermione was real. When the lessons ended, he would still be here, in her flat, enjoying her company.

Hermione had moved to the center of the room, waiting for him. "Is everything all right?"

Severus appeared mildly distracted. "Fine, just a very long and trying day. I need to return to the castle by eleven tonight. There are a few details I must attend to so that I can leave tomorrow."

"If it's a problem, we can skip tonight."

"I have no desire to 'skip' being here with you."

Hermione smiled. "Well. In that case, ready to review?"

Severus took the witch in his arms as the music started. They moved into the opening step of the Tango. After a month and a half of lessons, Severus could move at the slower pace through most of the movements. A few were still forced, and the la Salida, a side-by-side, hip-to-hip step, that Hermione had shown him last week, still needed work.

"How many more steps to this damn dance am I going to have to learn?" He was tired and had work to do when he returned to Hogwarts if he was going to take the weekend off. He instantly regretted his tone when he looked at Hermione. "I am...sorry. As I said before, it has been a long day and I still have much to do."

Hermione regarded his apology with amusement. "That word is really hard for you, isn't it? Ranks right up there with Remus. God, I should have made the bet for you to call Harry by his first name, too, not just Remus. When is the next game between Slytherin and Gryffindor?"

Severus crossed his arms over his chest. "I assume you find this amusing. I shall refrain from apologizing in the future. Please, continue. When you have proper control over your emotions, we can complete the lesson."

"Severus. Come on. I was trying to get you to lighten up. And yes, I do find it amusing. Why don't we skip the rest of the lesson? You still have three left, any way." Hermione tugged at his arm. He was like granite, not moving.

"Hermione, it is a magical bet." Severus stood looking at her as light dawned in her eyes.

"You can't skip it, can you? Is that what keeps you coming back week after week, or was there something more?"

Severus tried to gauge Hermione's emotion. She wasn't serious, was she? Could he be snide and say, 'Yes, why else would I be here you insufferable know-it-all? and then take her in his arms and kiss her? She couldn't get too insulted. She had called him a bat. Maybe he should just kiss her and say nothing? Should he tell her how much he cared for her, that he was attracted to her since the beginning, when he first saw her at the dance studio?

"Severus?"

Damn it. He had waited too long to say or do anything. Taking a deep breath, he said, "What would you rather hear? I just want to be here because you are here. Or, yes, that blasted bet makes me return week after week, but I would still like to keep coming back after the bet is fulfilled. Possibly on Wednesdays instead, since it is the middle of the week, and then it will not seem so long from Sunday to Friday. Or maybe, you should fill in the blank. Perhaps I should say nothing and just kiss you. I apparently am too tired to think of a motive. You chose a reason."

Hermione grinned and put her arms around him. "Could you repeat my choices again?"

Severus glared at the young woman.

"Fine. I think I like the middle one best."

"And which reason was that? I seem to have forgotten." Severus tried a half smile on the young woman. "While the damn bet requires I show up, this is where I want to be. Now, may we continue so that I do not look like a complete fool when we dance? How many more steps are there?"

"Well, I think we have covered most of the steps. You still need to learn La Cunita, which means cradle rock. That has a few flashy toe taps but is not hard to learn. We need to work on the Cierre. It's a three-step sequence that ends with both feet together. It's the basic close to the Salida or a Tango close but you hold the final step for a full beat before you move. There is La Cadencia. You step two to four times in place. There is also the side Cadencia, both moves help to transition to the next step and both are quite easy to do. And I think a Tango rock, too. It's like a Cunita before we add some adornments or embellishments. I don't know, two more actual steps and a few easy movements. I thought we would practice the La Salida. We're not in step as we move side-by-side."

Severus groaned. "I have no intentions of becoming a professional Tango dancer. I just want to complete the bloody bet. What, pray tell, are adornments?"

"Adornments? They're not really steps, just movements that make the dance more dramatic. Tapping your toe at the right time. Moving your foot in a circle. Movements of your head. Staccato movements used in between some of the walks. We can work on adornments next week. They're easy to learn and add to the dance."

Hermione waved her wand and the music started again. "Come on, let's take it slow and start at the beginning. Let's try a run through, and then we can practice the La Salida and see if we can synchronize our side-by-side movements. I can show you the new steps next time."

Severus moved forward and gathered Hermione in his arms. The smell of lilacs drifted up to his sensitive nose. He lost himself in the feel of her body as they started to move to the music.

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They practiced for just over an hour, working the kinks out of some of the movements.

"Do you want me to order some take-out, or would you rather get back to the castle?"

"Still not cooking?" he asked with a wry smile.

"Take-out or go. Would you like me to help you choose?" Hermione crossed her arms over her chest.

"Take-out. I have an article I want to show you." Severus moved to his cloak.

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The remains of their meal were sitting on the very edge of the coffee table, waiting for gravity to pull it to the floor. Books and parchments, once again, covered every available surface.

Severus sat on the sofa, papers spread out to his side. "If we change the proportions of the vulture's gizzard, the Wolfsbane should have a longer effect. The equation in that article will have to be adapted to suit our purpose, but I think it will help in determining the quantities of the ingredients."

Severus had found an article in Potions Today that described an equation using Arithmancy to give weight to the amounts of the ingredients in a potion. Hermione had excelled at Arithmancy when she was at Hogwarts, it was his hope she could manipulate the equation to help with the potion's alteration. "It uses the basic theory of Arithmancy, but applies the variables to the potion. I think we can use it."

"I've always thought Arithmancy was a useful tool for evaluating a variety of things. I don't think it will be that hard to adapt the equation. What is the name of the Potions master that wrote the article?"

Severus consulted the article. "Professor Mutabilis."

"Here it is." Hermione was sorting through various stacks of parchment in front and to the side of her. She pulled a page from one of the stacks and passed it to him. "I thought I remembered the name. He is one of the Potions masters that will be at the symposium. Maybe we should speak with him?"

"Perhaps." Severus's tone was noncommittal. The symposium. The issue of what she would do after Cambridge came to mind again. Severus firmly pushed the idea away. That talk could wait for another day. It was getting late. He needed to leave soon if he was to return to the castle on time. He had early hall duty and still needed to mark a stack of fifth year Potions essays.

"Severus."

"Yes?"

"What if I ask Vanessa and Ted to dance at Hogwarts on Halloween? I might be able to get Kathy and Justin to dance, too. If not, Vanessa can dance a waltz or fox trot with Ted, then I could do one or two dances with him, and then you and I could finish with the Tango." Hermione shrugged. "I just thought it might be easier if this was sort of a...mini dance expo, rather than you and I as the only entertainment. It's just a thought."

Severus's eyes seemed to darken. His whole manner turned stormy. "Would Prittchard be willing to dance at Halloween?" It would make him feel less the fool if the others danced too. What was troubling him, at the moment, was the image of Prittchard and Hermione dancing the Rumba and the Tango, at the dance exposition he had attended at the Cambridge Student Union. They were not involved at the time, and he had still felt a twinge of anger seeing her dance with him. What would he feel now?

'Anger?' said the voice in his head. 'Anger? Try jealousy. You were jealous then, and you would be worse now, old man.'

Severus was trying to shake the image his brain had conjured up. "Bugger off!" he mumbled under his breath.

"What? I didn't hear you." Did she hear him right? That sounded like bugger off. Couldn't be. Hermione looked up and noticed his dark expression.

"Would they be willing to dance?" Severus tried to reason with himself, rein his anger back in. 'Prittchard is married to Vanessa. Get a hold of yourself. You are acting like an out of control teenager.'

"Severus, are you okay?" Hermione had moved next to him, her hand on his arm. She could feel electricity in the air. While he might have shown her a kinder side to his nature, there was no mistaking the power that resided within this dark wizard. He was utterly dangerous, a force of nature all his own.

"I am fine. Ask Prittchard. That would probably be the best solution." His teeth ground together in an effort to regain his composure.

"If we are through here, I have some costumes I would like to show you."

Severus waited for her to produce a photograph of the blasted costume. He would be glad when Halloween was over and they could dispense with this nonsense. He arched one brow in question. Hermione was grinning madly at him.

"They're in the other room. Come with me." Hermione led Severus toward her bedroom.

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Severus eyed the young woman grinning at him.

"Just keep in mind, these are prototypes of the costumes I have been looking at."

Several black garments were currently draped across her bed. The shirts resembled the types peasants in Muggle movies normally wore. The consequences of the bet had been specific as to the wardrobe covering his lower extremities; tights, with a codpiece adorned with a snake. Nothing, other than a 16th century costume, had been stated about the top half.

If Hermione thought he was going to be embarrassed by the garments she had chosen, she was sorely mistaken. With the practiced ease of someone who has long been comfortable in their own skin, Severus started to unbutton his shirt and cuffs without regard for her presence.

"Severus?" Hermione swallowed harshly. She was supposed to have the upper hand here, not him.

He paused in the act of unbuttoning the remaining cuff. His silk shirt was open, hanging loosely from his broad shoulders. "Was I not correct, in assuming you wished for me to try these garments on?"

"Um, well, yeah, but won't you rather I step out or something?" His nonchalance was rattling her more than it should have. Hermione unconsciously licked her lips as the top half of his physique came into view. Years of hard work, keeping his body fit hauling cauldrons, had managed to keep him in shape. He was classically built, wide shoulders that tapered to a narrow waist in the classic 'V' shape. His pale skin appeared almost translucent in the subdued light of her bedroom. A fine dusting of black hair surrounded flat nipples. White and silver lines, scars, crisscrossed his chest and what she could see of his back. A heavier line of black hair trailed from his navel to the top of his trousers.

Hermione could not tear her gaze from the line disappearing below the closure of his trousers.

"See something you desire?" he asked with a chuckle.

Severus's voice cut through the haze engulfing her brain. She smiled brightly, "I'm fine."

"Good." A flick of his wrist and his trousers dropped. The very tight briefs she remembered from Grimmauld Place came into view. A very prominent bulge residing within. His legs were well developed. Muscled thighs and calves, again well shaped by years of work and, oddly enough, from his habit of pacing.

Again, she unconsciously licked her lips at the sight of his nearly nude form. 'I can't believe the body he's been hiding underneath those huge robes he wears. What a waste,' she thought. 'My god, the female students will look at him in a whole new light after this.'

Hermione suspected he normally magicked his clothing off. This display was for her benefit. She was curious to see him shimmy into the tights. Hermione leaned back against her armoire and waited for the show to begin.

Severus held up the tights, pleased with Hermione's response to his physique. He noticed her grin. She failed to notice his. The tights snapped out and fell back to mold to his body. He saw the look of disappointment in her eye.

"Surely you didn't expect me to struggle the Muggle way, attempting to put these on?" His voice softened, "I am a wizard, Hermione." He scooped up one of the shirts; black silk with full sleeves and an open V neck with black laces. The shirt appeared, as if by magic, on his upper torso. His hair, longer than it used to be when she was a student, flowed freely around his shoulders.

Hermione thought he looked like a pirate, one of those male models that adorned the covers of Muggle romances. All that was missing was the gold hoop earring. She also thought he looked drop-dead gorgeous.

He looked at her questioningly. "Well?"

"You look like a pirate."

"Am I supposed to look like a pirate?"

"Well, the look works." She moved into his embrace. "You look...unbelievably sexy."

"Hermione." His tone said he did not believe her.

"No. I mean it. You look gorgeous. The female students will never look at you the same way again. I can't believe you have been hiding this body, under those robes, all these years." Her eyes drifted close as she turned to him.

Their kiss was slow, sensual. Hermione cupped his buttocks, the feel of his hardening erection pressing against her. "Severus."

His hands had been roaming over her body. Caressing her back, toying with her arse, kneading her breast. She was ready and willing, hot with desire. "Hermione, we...can't. I told you I have to be back at Hogwarts early tonight. I need to leave in a few minutes."

"What?" Her eyes opened. "You have to what?"

'What?' screamed the voice in his head, echoing the sentiments of the woman in front of him.

All right, maybe this had not gone exactly as planned. He had meant to tease her when he saw what she had in store for him. But really, this was not all his fault. She started it. 'Very mature,' he thought, 'she started it.'

The voice in his head was now advising him to rip her clothes off, throw her on the bed, and just take her! So what if he was a couple of minutes late for hall duty, Albus would understand.

"Hermione, what were you thinking when you asked me to try these costumes on? I am quite sure satisfying the requirements of the bet never entered your mind when you planned this."

Hermione looked away, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

Severus's hand, under her chin, brought her eyes up to meet his. "I want you. You have no idea how much I want you. I also do not want this to end before it begins. I told you I had to leave early tonight. You cannot imagine what a boost you have given my ego with this...plan of yours. If I could, I would stop time and stay here with you. I promise you, we will have all the time we want, tomorrow."

"When did you become so eloquent? Have you always been a closet romantic?"

"Have you never listened to my first year speech? There are not too many people I care to speak to. Consider yourself fortunate." He kissed her gently on the lips.

Hermione felt his clothing change under her hands. He was wearing his own shirt and trousers when she opened her eyes. Her fingers played with the ends of his long hair. "You really did look great."

"I believe the bet also called for a codpiece, with a snake on it?"

"Right, next costume fitting I will have a codpiece for you." Hermione grinned sheepishly at him. She thought he looked incredibly sexy in that outfit. She was looking forward to seeing what was under those briefs he was so fond of wearing.

"You do not suffer from ophidiophobia, do you?" he asked with a smirk.

It was her turn to arch an eyebrow. "No, I am not afraid of snakes. Why?" Did he think because he was Head of Slytherin that she had an aversion to snakes?

'Show her your python,' yelled the voice in his head.

"Just asking. Hermione, I will look like a fool in that outfit dancing the Tango. I will look ridiculous no matter what I wear. My only saving grace will be having you on my arm." Hermione's cuckoo clock sounded the hour. "I need to leave. I shall pick you up at seven tomorrow evening?"

Hermione walked him to the door. "Seven o'clock. Where are we going?"

Severus grabbed his cloak from its customary place by the door. "The Wizard's Choice. I will see you tomorrow."

A quick kiss and he was gone. Hermione leaned back against the door. "Well, that hardly went as planned," she said to the empty room. Crookshanks meowed from the kitchen doorway. He casually walked over to his mistress and wound his way through her legs. "I guess we wait for tomorrow, Crooks. Are you hungry?"

The cat pressed his squashed face into Hermione's hand as she scratched behind his ear. "Come on, let's get you something to eat." The half-Kneazle followed her into the kitchen and waited patiently while she prepared a cat treat for him. Kneazles were known for their intelligence. Crooks had spent Hermione's third year at Hogwarts trying to attack Scabbers, Ron's rat, until it became known he was actually Peter Pettigrew in Animagus form. Crookshanks actually seemed to like Severus. He would rub against Severus's leg whenever he entered her flat. The Potions master claimed it was the half-Kneazle's way of annoying him. He was not thrilled with the orange fur Crooks used to decorate his immaculate black trousers. But Hermione was secretly pleased the cat had taken to the dark wizard.

Hermione sighed as she headed for her bed and sleep. "Tomorrow," she said. Only the silence of the room answered her.

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.

The above equation, actually the idea for it, comes from a statistical analysis tool called a multiple regression. The basic idea behind a multiple regression is a listing of variables - fixed, variable, and dummy. Each has a value or weight assigned as to its value in influencing the outcome of an equation.

It seemed like something that would fit with what Severus and Hermione are working on. Geek factor (as my kids say): I used to be a public auditor before going into private accounting, and this is something I used to use many years ago. I would assume I am a bit odd. I majored and minored in Accounting with grad work in statistics. Here is a web site with more information if you are interested: http://cne.gmu.edu/modules/dau/stat/regression/multregsn/mreg_1_frm.html

Mutabilis – Latin for variable.

Teaser for Chapter 19 – Hermione's Birthday or Lemons at last

(Rating NC17- for sexual activity- Please skip if this is not your cup of tea.)

-------Snip-------

His kiss branded her soul. They clung to one another, his mouth leaving a trail of kisses on her heated skin as they moved into her bedroom. He pulled on the catch at the back of her dress. The gown fell in a liquid puddle at her feet, leaving her nude but for a very abbreviated pair of knickers and thigh-high hose. She turned to pull the covers back on the bed. Severus moved behind her, his hands grasping her hips, pulling her back against his straining erection. His fingers slid forward under the flimsy material of her knickers, toying with the damp curls covering her mound.

Hermione moaned as the strength left her legs. She leaned back into his arms, feeling his hard member nestle against her bottom. She ached to feel him inside her. It seemed as if she had been waiting for him forever.

His fingers hooked the band of her knickers and slowly slid them down her legs. She turned to kiss him, her body molding to his. One arm snaked around her back pulling her to him, while the other slipped between their bodies to lightly tease the edges of her sex. Hermione tried to move closer to his gently probing fingers. The feel of his silk shirt a cool contrast to her heated skin.

-------Snip-------

Thank you to Nakhash, my beta. Another set of eyes is always helpful, the mistakes, however, are still my fault.

Still to come: Hermione's Birthday, yes Lemons next, The Burrow (the only snake in a roomful of lions), and more. 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