Lesson Nine: Lessons Learned or Arrrgh!

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 26 - Lesson Nine: Lessons Learned or Arrrgh!

The late afternoon sunlight barely lit the enchanted window, neither occupant of the room noticed.

"You are not going anywhere. I promised Poppy and Albus you would stay in bed until tomorrow morning, and that is where you are going to stay." Hermione glared at the man sitting on the side of the bed, fully dressed.

"Where. Is. My. Wand? I would rather not ask you again, Hermione." Severus's glare was one of long practice, though it no longer had any effect on the young woman. The situation warranted his full range of weapons.

Her gazed turned 'innocent'. "I don't have your wand and you can't very well work without it."

"Hermione," he said, his tone menacing.

"I don't have it."

"You may not have it, but it is obvious you know 'where' it is." Severus watched the young woman for a moment. "Albus." The name was a statement, rather than a question.

"Severus, please, you've barely got the twitch down to a slow vibrate. Take it easy today. Sit back, read, rest." A mischievous gleam came into her eye. "I'll wait on you, hand and foot."

A knock at the chamber door deterred any further conversation. Severus slowly moved towards the sitting room, intent on reaching the sofa. Hermione leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed in front of her. She shook her head. 'Dear god, he's stubborn,' she thought, somewhat amused. While it was probably this trait alone that carried him through some of the worst experiences of his life, it was exasperating having to deal with him like this. Hermione might not have been so amused if she knew Harry and Ron held a similar opinion of her.

Another knock reverberated through the chamber. "Since you are so intent on working yourself to death, you want to get that?"

Severus levered his body down on the sofa as he completely ignored her. The last meter became more of a drop as he gave up any pretense of movement and allowed gravity to do its job. A tea set instantly appeared on the table in front of him. His scowl deepened while pouring himself a cuppa.

Her voice, edged with a sickeningly sweet honey tone, accosted his ears, "Would you like me to get that, Seviepoo?" Hermione crossed determinedly to the door. "Ignoring me won't help, you know."

Seviepoo? His hand tightened on the cup he was holding, but he maintained his silence.

The door opened with more force than intended and slammed against the back wall.

"Good afternoon, Hermione. How is our patient today?" Albus, dazzling in full-length lime-green robes edged in fluorescent orange, flowed into the chamber.

Hermione stifled a giggle as she watched the Headmaster. 'Where the hell did he shop?' she wondered.

"Dear god, Albus? Are you trying to blind me?" Severus stared at the robes his mentor wore.

Poppy set to work attempting to scan the uncooperative wizard. "Stop moving, Severus."

"Will you stop your foolish poking and prodding, woman? I am quite well. And I will thank you to decease this minute before I am forced to physically restrain you." Severus batted Poppy's hand away. "I should like my wand back."

Poppy surveyed a folder that hovered in front of her. "No, not today. You can have it back in the morning if everything is all right. You are in no shape to cast any spells, yet."

"My wand."

Hermione snorted as she stifled another giggle. The image of a bulldog worrying at a bone came to mind.

"Severus, you cannot channel magic if you are going to vibrate. By morning you will be over the worst of the effects, I think. Though I must say, this is the fastest I've ever seen you heal. Shame Hermione wasn't here to tend to you in the past. How she puts up with your charming nature is a mystery to me."

The barest hint of colour stained the Potions master's cheeks at the matron's remark. "Perhaps, it is because she is easier on my eyes and brain than you are, you old witch."

Poppy's cackle filled the room. "No question about it, but I could say the same about any wizard younger than you, and maybe a few older too. Rest. Tomorrow, if you're very good, you can have your wand back. You won't even miss a class at this rate."

Severus sighed. He really did not have the energy to fight. Poppy turned to Hermione. "I'd like to update his medications. Here is the new schedule of doses for the remainder of the day." Hermione followed Poppy into the bedchamber as she outlined the changes.

Albus watched Severus watching Hermione leave the room. "A most remarkable witch. How are you really, my boy?"

"I am fine. Did Potter learn anything more about the attack?"

His tone was serious, a sharp contrast to the ludicrous robes he was wearing. "The belief is - it was an isolated incident. They have traced the wand through two past owners. The man was freed by the friend of a friend. Harry is still planning to travel to Italy tomorrow. We can appear and disappear in the blink of an eye, but it takes the Ministry three day to create the paper work." Albus shook his head, bureaucracy.

Severus mulled the information over in his mind. Perhaps it was isolated; still, it never hurt to be cautious.

The amusement in Poppy's voice could be heard as she reentered the room with Hermione. "If he gives you any more trouble, just increase the sleep draught. He really is at his most pleasant when he's unconscious." Poppy smiled at the Potions master. "I will be by tomorrow, before breakfast, to check on you. Rest. It will help the healing process that much more."

"I'll walk with you, Poppy. I need to find Minerva." Albus nodded. "Do not push it, Severus. I can always take your classes for a day or two."

Severus groaned thinking back to the last time the Headmaster had substituted for him. "Like bloody hell you will," he muttered under his breath.

Hermione walked the two to the door. "I must say, those robes are...unique, Albus."

"Do you really like them?" His eyes held an odd twinkle. "Personally, I'm not that fond of the colour, but they do seem to annoy Severus so. I will check on you later." Hermione watched as the Headmaster stepped over the threshold. His robes rippled and shimmered in the dim light. The colours mutated from lime to burgundy and from fluorescent orange to gold.

Hermione stood wild-eyed as she watched the transformation. "Your robes? They're..."

Albus smiled, her laughter following him down the hallway.

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"What is so bloody funny?"

Hermione shook her head. "Albus."

"Hard to believe he is one of the most powerful wizards in our world. The man's gone dotty. Did you see those robes?"

Hermione sat next to him on the sofa and gently stroked his hand. "What would you like to read?"

Severus gazed deeply into her eyes. The air around them seemed to crackle. His blood pounded in his ears as he watched her lick her bottom lip. He could see the pulse at the base of her neck throbbing. 'So young, so lovely,' he thought.

Mine. The word jumped unbidden into his mind. He felt a tightening in his chest, somewhere in the vicinity of where his heart should be.

His hand came up to gently graze her check. Slowly, he lowered his head, his lips lightly brushing against hers before kissing her gently. His skin was still hyper-sensitised, but now it seemed to add to his arousal. He was careful to make just the barest of contact. 'Might as well enjoy the sensation while it lasts,' he thought, chuckling at the idea of enjoying the after-effects of the Cruciatus Curse.

"Hmm?" Hermione noted the mild tremor still present in his touch but was curious as to what he might find funny. She was hungry for the taste of him but at the same time afraid of hurting him. Letting Severus set the pace and movement, she greedily accepted whatever he would give her. She had every intention of attacking him when this was over and he could stand normal contact again.

"This is the first time I have ever enjoyed this curse. It really is too bad I did not discover the pleasures of hyper-sensitised skin before."

Hermione raised one brow. "And who would you have discovered this with?"

"No one, there is only you."

They kissed again, gently, connected to each other by an invisible bond.

The rest of the afternoon passed unremarkably in a fog of ordinariness. Neither one did anything more strenuous than lift a book. Reading, relaxing, and every so often citing passages of interest to one another.

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His voice carried an edge of annoyance. "Damn it, if I tell you you can hug me, it is all right to do so."

"I don't want to hurt you. I know how stubborn you can be; you must still be in pain."

"Stubborn? This from a woman who majored in stubborn for the last ten years?"

"It's nice to see you have your snark back," she said with a smirk.

He looked at her questioningly. "My what?"

"Your snark. You must be getting better." Hermione smiled as she gently hugged him.

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"You do not have to stay. I do not want you tired out for your morning classes." Truth was, he didn't want her to leave. Ever. But he was not about to admit that. He had promised himself he would not interfere with her education, no matter what he wanted from her.

"Apparating one morning will not be a problem. I'm not leaving until I know you are absolutely well. End of discussion." It was already late; a few more hours, until morning, would not tire her out.

"Do you know how childish you are acting?"

"I could say the same about you, you know."

"It appears we have reached an impasse."

"There is no impasse. I'm not leaving."

"Fine, fine. Fail your classes; give up on your plans to become a Potions mistress. Far be it from me to stop you from ruining your life." He thought Hermione had probably read the entire text already and most likely completed the assignments through the end of the quarter by now, if she had stayed true to form. Missing a week of classes would not affect her grades. She could probably miss two weeks and still not be behind. The truth was, he enjoyed the mild bantering with the woman.

"Right, I'll fail everything and be forced to move in here with you."

Severus had gone still. "Would that be such a bad thing?" The mood went from teasing to serious in a heartbeat.

Hermione's tone softened. "I think it would be wonderful. Maybe after University," she said with a shrug. They had not been dating, for lack of a better word, for all that long, but it felt right. They had yet to let the future take care of itself.

Severus closed the distance between them. His kiss was gentle but sensual, embodied with all the passion and feeling he had for her.

Neither one noticed Hermione's necklace glow briefly before returning to its original state.

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The wind caught the edge of her robes as they flapped around her ankles. Hermione felt a magical tingle graze her skin as Severus cast a Do-Not-Notice spell along with a Silencing Charm.

Severus winced as he hugged Hermione. "Wednesday."

"Are you sure you're all right? And stop scowling, it doesn't work on me."

"You heard Poppy, as long as I take it easy, I should be fully recovered by tomorrow night. I will owl you tomorrow if it will ease your mind. Now, go. You will be late."

"Do you want to take your lesson before or after?"

Severus was puzzled. "Before or after what?"

Hermione's voice dropped to a sensual purr, sending a signal directly to his groin. "I have every intention of shagging you within an inch of you life. You pick, before or after your lesson. See you Wednesday." She kissed him quickly then stepped back to the Apparition point. With a crack, she was gone.

'And that is one of the pleasures of having a young lover,' he thought as he made his way back up to the castle. His smile was malevolent. 'Time to terrorise a few young minds,' he thought. It was the first time in a long while he really enjoyed a Monday morning.

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Hermione stepped up her pace. She had been running late all day. Her study group was already gathered in their usual spot. "Hi, guys. Sorry I'm late. What did I miss?"

"There you are. You left so quickly Friday, is everything okay?" Susan asked, concerned.

Hermione sighed as she settled her book bag on the floor. 'It's going to be a long afternoon,' she thought.

"Do you remember hearing reports about a Death Eater attack in Hogsmeade?" she asked by way of starting her explanation. "Well, the attack...."

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Time seemed to slow to a crawl. Monday and Tuesday appeared to last a week each as he waited for Wednesday evening's arrival.

Severus raised his hand to knock on her door. He stopped as he felt the tingle of magic. Her wards were dropping. 'She must have changed them since I was here last week,' he thought. Curiously, he touched the door handle. Another tingle of magic, a few clicks as the locks unlocked and the dead bolt unbolted, and the door creaked open. Smiling, he stepped into the flat.

Hanging his cloak on the hook next to the door, he looked around for Hermione. The sound of a cupboard shutting in the kitchen alerted him to her location. Quietly, he walked into the kitchen. Her back was to him. He moved behind her and enfolded her in his arms. "Good evening," he whispered softly in her ear.

Hermione leaned back into his embrace. She moaned quietly as she felt the reassuring weight of his arms encircle her. She hadn't realised just how much she missed his touch. "Good evening to you, too." She wiggled around to face him, returning his hug. "How are you feeling? Are you all right now?"

"Poppy pronounced me cured this morning. Albus refused to let me leave the castle without her okay. The man actually had the audacity to change the wards. He placed a barrier around the castle grounds until Poppy released me." Severus scowled at the memory.

"You wouldn't have known he placed the barrier if you had not tried to leave."

One brow went up. "That is not the point."

Hermione laughed, "That is exactly the point. You would not have known he changed the wards if you had seen Poppy first."

"Speaking of wards, I see you changed yours. Thank you." Severus buried his nose in her hair, strawberry-melon he guessed. 'She comes up with some of the oddest combinations for shampoos,' he thought. He revelled in the feel of her in his arms again. Slowly, Severus captured her lips in a searing kiss. His body responded to the touch and scent of the woman in his arms as their bodies molded to one another. A soft moan escaped his throat as Hermione ground her hips against his throbbing member. His voice had taken on a ragged edge to it, "Hermione."

She caressed his back, moving to cup his arse. Just the feel of his body under her hands, his erection pressed into her stomach, sent a shiver straight to her core. She could feel her own body respond, the ache that seemed to start at the very center of her being.

Severus planted several feather soft kisses along the side of her neck, moving to suck the tender skin as she moved her head to give him better access. Her hair shifted to fall across his arm. The feel of the silken strands cascading across his hand sent an unexpected tremor straight to his groin. He massaged her shoulders and neck, soft, sensual circles that left her trembling.

Hermione opened her eyes as she felt him pull back. "Severus?"

"As much as I am loathe to say it, we still have a lesson I must complete. I would rather not make love and then stop to dance before I go. I would like the last thing I feel to be your bare skin against mine." The bet, he couldn't skip a lesson. It was one of the terms of the consequences. He was magically bound to complete all ten lessons.

He was going to kill Albus when he got the chance. It had started out as an idle threat, but the man seemed to be going out of his way to annoy him these days. The dance lessons were his idea, as were the rules of the consequences.

'But without the lessons, you would not be contemplating the pleasant evening ahead of you buried in this luscious little witch,' the voice in his head commented. It was true; without the lessons, he and Hermione would never have come together.

Fine, he wouldn't kill him. Just hex him a few hundred times. At the very least, Albus could have given him the night off considering the shape he had been in last weekend.

Hermione sighed. "You only have one more lesson after this. Come on, let's dance." She took his hand and led him into her sitting room.

"A bit impatient, aren't you?"

"And you're not? I thought for a minute you were going to shag me on the counter, not that I would have minded."

Severus drew her into his arms as he nuzzled the side of her neck.

Hermione smiled. "That's not helping, you know. By the way, I heard from Vanessa and Ted. They will be happy to dance at Hogwarts on Halloween. She can dance two dances with Ted, I'll dance one, and then you and I will finish with the Tango. Vanessa said she was really looking forward to seeing Albus again. I didn't even know she knew him that well." She felt him stiffen slightly when she mentioned Vanessa and Ted before relaxing again into her embrace. They swayed softly to the music, gently hugging rather than dancing.

Severus groaned. He could just imagine Vanessa and Albus in the same room. Someone was bound to go blind from all that damn twinkling. Maybe he should warn Poppy. "You don't know a dimming charm do you? I suspect Vanessa and Albus may blind the students before the night is over."

Hermione laughed. "It won't be as bad as all that. We could always dance alone?"

"No, I would rather not dance at all. I will make a fool of myself as it is."

"Severus, you have shown amazing progress over the last two and a half months. You will not make a fool of yourself. After next week's lesson we will still have three weeks left to practice. I guarantee once those girls see you dancing in tights, I'm going to have to place a barrier around you myself." Hermione's eyes seemed to light up. "Maybe I should tattoo 'Property of Hermione Granger' in a strategic location, just to be safe."

Severus didn't think he could get anymore aroused than he already was, he was obviously wrong. Hermione staking her claim to him notched his arousal even higher. "Perhaps we should dance before I am unable to do so."

Hermione nodded. A wave of her hand and the music sounded. They started as they always did, practicing the Tango from the beginning. Severus's eyes locked with hers. Their movements were fluid. Sliding against each other, their bodies sensuously shifting back and forth, further igniting the already raging emotions they were feeling.

Severus exaggerated the rocking motion of the cradle rock as he tapped his toe. His groin snapped forward and back as he recalled Prittchard's move of the same step when he had danced the Tango with Hermione at the exposition. The thought of Prittchard fueled the fire in his blood. Their bodies collided against each other. Desire obvious in each movement.

Every step, every turn, seemed to arouse her further. Her breasts were crushed against his chest one minute as she was forcefully pulled to him and then released the next. They locked gazes as the dance moved from high speed to almost a stop before picking up momentum again. She could see Severus's eyes darken as he moved against her. She could feel the physical evidence of his arousal as he pulled her body back against his.

They reviewed the dance two more times, Hermione making corrections as they went.

It was the third time through, practicing through to the end of the dance. Severus's breathing was ragged as she arched over his arm. One hand held high over her head, the other braced around his shoulder. Her breasts were thrust forward by her stance; he could see her nipples, pebbled into hard buds through the fabric. He bent forward and captured one of the hard nubs between his teeth, not caring what happened to the fabric.

It turned out to be the shortest lesson Severus ever had.

Hermione moaned at the sensation, her hand moving to tangle in his hair. She started to kiss along his jaw line, trembling as he sucked and pulled at her breast. "Severus."

Severus shifted his free hand under her knees and scooped her up. Hermione continued to kiss him as she unbuttoned his shirt. She was a bit confused when he walked past the bed until she realised he was heading for the bathroom. "Severus?"

A phial appeared in his hand. Expertly, he uncapped it with one hand. The scent of herbs seemed to fill the air. "I thought we would soak a bit tonight. It is still quite early." He felt the pull of his muscles as he lowered her to her feet. Poppy had mentioned his joints might be a bit stiff. Moist heat would help ease the ache, as would the contents of the second phial he eased unnoticed out of his pocket. He uncapped and downed the potion without Hermione ever seeing him.

Hermione started the tub, emptying the contents of the phial he had handed her. She added a bit of bath salts into the water, as well. Severus moved to stand behind her, his hands on her hips pulling her back against his erection. He stepped away as he opened the clasp at the back of her dress. The garment fell in a soft puddle at her feet.

He smiled as he looked at her choice of knickers. While not 'the Thong' he had seen in her laundry, these were more abbreviated than any he had seen before. He hooked his fingers around the top, allowing his finger to slowly caress her skin as he slid the fabric down her legs. She shivered, feeling his fingers tease her thighs with the barest of touches, all the while running his tongue down the length of her spine. A whispered spell and his clothes disappeared. Another spell and several lit candles appeared. Severus was about to step into the tub when he noticed the bubbles.

"Hermione, I do not bathe with bubbles."

She turned to nuzzle his bare chest. Lapping at his nipples before gently cupping his erection. "But I do."

A wave of her hand and the bubbles turned green and silver. Another spell and they rose in the air and formed the words 'Slytherin Rules' over the bathtub.

Severus chuckled deeply, as long as he could have her, she could have her bubbles. "You really are talented."

He stepped into the tub and helped her in. She sat in the vee between his legs, his erection pressed into her back.

"It's a variant of the skywriting charm. I just used bubbles instead of smoke and clouds. I can charm pretty much anything," she said with a shrug.

"Yes, you can."

"I didn't mean it that way."

Severus pulled her back against him, his hands cupping her breasts. "I know." He thought she was especially adept at snake charming, his hardened member twitching in agreement. He would have to tell her sometime.

He spent the rest of the evening and into the night showing her just how much he missed her, and just how charming he thought she really was.

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Hermione looked around the exhibit hall, bustling and alive with a wide variety of witches and wizards. The seminar was intoxicating. They had been assigned stations to man on a rotating basis, some alone, some with a partner. At this point, all the students were expected to be able to answer the attendee's questions or be able to direct them to someone who could. It was the lectures that sparked her interest.

She had listened to one full lecture and part of another, on her lunch break. The thirst for knowledge had always been a magnet for her. Not for the hundredth time today, she wished Severus were there to share it with her. They could have attended the lectures together and then spent the rest of the night discussing them in between bouts of lovemaking, the perfect weekend in her estimation.

She sighed; she would see him for dinner tomorrow night, after the seminar. Fact was, she really missed him. A voice cut through her musings.

"Would you care to join me for a drink? The exhibit hall will close in an hour." Rancine's leer and general attitude did not earn him any favour in her opinion.

"Professor Rancine, I hardly think it's professional..."

The rest of her comment was lost as a familiar voice sounded to her right. "I'm afraid, Rancine, Miss Granger has other plans this evening."

Hermione's smile lit up her face. "Severus! What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here, Snape?" Rancine glared at the dark wizard, his hand sliding into the pocket of his robes.

"A seminar on potions, where else would I be? Where shall I meet you when the hall closes, Hermione? I have taken the liberty of making dinner reservations at a local restaurant." Severus's manner was formal. Inside, he was ready to hex Rancine. They would have a hard time piecing him back together when he was through with the man. He just may keep a bit or two for potions ingredients.

Warily, he watched Rancine remove his hand from his pocket. The tension in his shoulders eased a little as he observed the man's hand was empty.

Hermione turned to the director. "I'm sorry, Professor Rancine, I already have plans for the evening." Still smiling at Severus, she pointed to a door next to the entrance. "My things are in there; why don't you meet me at the entrance in an hour?"

Severus nodded. "As you wish." With a nod to the director, he moved onto the next exhibit, hoping Hermione would see his actions as gallant and not overly possessive. He was worried about her, true, but he missed her, too. He relaxed a bit when he thought about how happy she had been to see him. He hated surprises himself, but he thought Hermione might appreciate him showing up unannounced. At least he hoped so.

His mind elsewhere as he viewed the tables, he failed to notice the reactions of those around him. The feared and renowned Potions master of Hogwarts was rarely seen outside the school grounds. An occasional glimpse of the man had been reported outside the Apothecaries in both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, but few had seen him elsewhere.

Whether in full Potions master regalia or not, Severus Snape was an imposing figure. He was oblivious to the buzz around him. Heads turned and people fell silent as he passed by, instinctively moving out of his way. A path seemed to open in whatever direction he turned. He wandered around the hall, viewing the presentations until the students started to close down the exhibits as eight o'clock approached.

Severus saw Hermione standing near the exit with a group of friends, one of them that idiot boy from her study group. Rancine appeared deep in conversation with a woman half his age just to the left of the students. Judging from the angle of his head, the man seemed more interested in the young woman's cleavage than the actual conversation. He noted Hermione's conversation as he approached.

"How can you have plans already? Come on, a group of us are going to hit some of the local clubs." Edmund's whine was getting on her nerves.

"Thanks, but I can't. Edmund, are you okay? You suddenly look sick." Edmund had gone deathly pale while talking to her. He looked as if he had just seen a ghost.

Severus appeared at Hermione's side, offering her his arm. His voice, sensual, silky-smooth in her ear, "Are you ready? Our reservations are at a small bistro a few blocks from here. Excellent food and live jazz are standard fare for the establishment, I think you will enjoy it."

"Good night all." The others grew silent as she linked her arm through his. Their voices could be heard as they joined the press of bodies exiting the hall, those around them falling silent in the Potions master's presence. "That sounds great. What time do you have to be back at the castle?"

"Not until tomorrow. Perhaps I could hold you hostage in my suite later?" His low chuckle sent a shiver down her spine.

"Maybe we should just dine in," she said teasingly, batting her eyes for emphasis.

A loud thud caught her attention. Looking back, Hermione realised Edmund had fainted.

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.

A grateful thank you to my beta, Nakhash, for her corrections and suggestions. Another set of eyes is always helpful, the mistakes, however, are still mine

Still to come: Sunday in Amsterdam, the last dance lesson, costumes, Harry and Ginny, 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.

I have finally surrendered and started a livejournal. Drabbles, photomanips, and general ramblings are the standard fare. You are welcome to browse. Feel free to friend me if you like, one can never have too many friends!

Ancient Magic - http://www.livejournal.com/users/pearle9240/

Regards, Pearle