The Seaside Retreat

Chapter 10... Speaking to Dumbledore

The next few days flew by in a haze of passion. When looking back, the days seemed filled with nothing but tangled bodies writhing together, undulating on every surface available in the little cottage. No room was safe; the kitchen had been christened the second day and several more times since then, along with the living room, the bedrooms and even the bathrooms. Hermione had to admit that the bathroom was her favorite so far. She had no idea the water could be so erotic with soapy hands wandering endlessly over each others bodies and the way Severus’ hair stuck to his face when wet was a gratifying sight indeed.

Hermione had barely had the time, to be honest with herself, the inclination to answer the letters from her friends. They were filled with the usual gossip from home and their deepest regrets that she had to spend the remainder of her summer with Snape. In actuality she was impressed with how the boys had matured while she was away. It seemed without her there to pound into their thick skulls the fact that they needed to grow up they realized they had to do it on their own. Harry had finally let his grudge with Snape die out. He still didn’t like him much, and the feeling was still more then mutual, but in the end Harry decided that with the war over, there was no more room for hatred in his life.

Hermione had written to Harry and Ron about the summer so far, of course leaving out the gory details, and assured them that Professor Snape was fine, just a bit stand offish. She had no intentions of telling the boys what had been going on this summer for many many years. There was no point in starting a row when she knew it couldn’t last longer then the two weeks they had left.

Truth be told Hermione spent every moment that she wasn’t shagging Severus trying to talk herself out of caring for him. She promised herself when she started this that she wouldn’t play the part of a silly school girl and follow him around with bright eyes and blushing. It seemed though that she underestimated his ability to hold not only a pleasant conversation, but a very riveting one as well. It also seemed as though she had underestimated the importance of said conversation to herself. She knew she couldn’t allow herself to let anything slip about her feelings to Severus so she had decided to simply ignore them and enjoy the time she had left with him.

Unbeknownst to her however, Severus was fighting emotions of his own. He had stubbornly refused to believe that she was anything more to him then a beautiful and convenient piece of tail, but even he couldn’t imagine going back to another year at Hogwarts without the pleasure of having her in his arms regularly.

He watched her a lot, even when they weren’t coupling and he knew her mannerisms by heart now. The way she worried her bottom lip when she was thinking, the way she twirled her hair in her fingers when feeling flirtatious, and his favorite, the way she wore a skirt when she was feeling kinky were all engraved in his brain by now. She had a wild and voracious side to her that had completely thrown him for a loop and drove him very near insanity when he pondered it alone.

They had yet to sleep in the same bed longer then a quick nap after in between sex. Severus wasn’t sure he could handle getting used to waking up near her and not want to carry on back home. Besides, he still struggled semi regularly with bad dreams of Albus and his disappointment, the dreams however were getting increasingly easier to push aside when he stared into her eyes.

It was with a week left to enjoy that Severus finally made a mistake. After a particularly intense bout of shagging that began in the bathroom and quickly relocated to Severus’ room they lay sated side by side. Hermione wasn’t usually prone to snuggling and for that Severus was grateful, but this evening she rolled to her side and tucked a stray lock of his hair behind his ear. Severus turned his head to look at her and was surprised when she silenced his lips from forming the question in his eyes when she pressed her lips against his.

This kiss was unlike the others they had shared. Up until now the other kisses were full of passion just as this was full of promise, the others heat, this kindness. He should have pulled away when he had the chance, but the kiss was too intoxicating to him. Before long he had rolled on top of her and tenderly kissed every inch of her body, worshipped every curve, and slid into her at an agonizingly slow tempo. This is where Severus Snape realized his mistake. For the first time in his life he was not shagging, but making love to a woman. A woman he couldn’t have. This thought should have depressed and shamed him but at that moment Severus simply enjoyed losing himself inside another person and he came with a shout, louder and more fearsome then any before. Just for tonight, he chose to pretend and gathered Hermione in his arms and fell asleep holding her.

The next morning Severus had come to a decision and decided he needed to see Albus’ portrait before they returned for good. He did net tell Hermione where or why he was leaving; only assured her that he would return the next morning. He warded the cottage heavily, gave her explicit instructions to stay inside the entire time he was gone, and left her with a mirror exactly like the one Sirius bestowed upon Harry in case she needed him.

Hermione made one last attempt to persuade him to stay. It was only a day, but with only just under a week left with him she felt she was being robbed. “What shall I do with myself while you’re away Severus?”

“What do you always do when your alone Hermione?”

“I’m afraid my fingers can not substitute for you. All alone here with my head filled with images of your body against me, in me. Even now I can feel myself getting wet and you are the only thing that sates me Severus!”

“I meant read Hermione, you always have your nose stuck in a book when you are alone.” he groaned, almost questioning leaving her even for the short amount of time. The thought of her alone with her legs wide open and her fingers spreading her juices around her folds nearly sent him beyond reason. He leaned forward and gave her a passionate kiss goodbye, but hurried out the door before it could develop into anything more.

Apperating to the Hogwarts gates tired him immensely but he wouldn’t be swayed from the task at hand. He pushed into the school and walked towards Minerva’s office giving the gargoyle the teachers’ password. Upon reaching for the door to knock Severus’ nerves nearly made him turn back, but the thought of returning to her without an answer was enough to turn him around and rap his knuckles firmly against the wood.

Minerva opened the door to him and her surprised look immediately turned to one of concern.

“Severus, what are you doing here? Where is Miss Granger? Is everything okay?” she rambled out in a quick stream.

“Minerva I have come to speak with you and Albus’ portrait about something important. Miss Granger is fine, heavily warded and with a location spell on her that alerts me if she leaves the cabin. I have given her an enchanted mirror as well so that she can reach me if she needs to”.

The look of relief on Minerva’s face would have been comical if he didn’t know just how worried she had been lately with death eaters still on the loose. He followed her into Albus’ former office, accepted tea gratefully and sunk into a chair before her desk to wait while she called Albus to his frame. Once Albus had joined them and exchanged pleasantries with Severus and Minerva, Severus began the tale of why he was before them that day.

He told them everything, how he found Hermione at the pier that night, how they avoided each other, how once they were under the same roof their attraction became to much to fight, and how now that the summer was drawing to a close how he couldn’t bare to give her up. He didn’t know if he loved her he said, he had never been in love before, not real love at least just his infatuation with Lily Evans, but he knew he had never felt this way about another.

“I am so angry at myself” he stated. “I let my hormones rule my mind and now I have created a mess. I just don’t think I want to be without her. We have agreed that when school starts we will sever ties with each other and she has been most understanding about why we must.”

“Severus” the former headmaster began “I can’t say I am pleased to hear you have bedded a student, even one as delightful and intelligent as Miss Granger though, I must confess that I am pleased to hear you have found another who can tolerate you. Miss Granger and her friends have not been children in a long time. The war has pushed them to grow up quickly and to understand truths about life and death that most adults ignore. I personally wish you the best in this and I feel no guilt in saying that since I am not longer headmaster then go for it. And please do discover the niche on the fourth floor near the tapestry of the trolls performing acrobatics. There is a portrait near there that I like to visit and I could use a thrill. Portrait life is rather boring you know…”

Upon hearing this Severus felt himself lighten considerably. He knew that he cared for Albus deeply, but he didn’t realize what a weight would be off his chest upon having his blessing. One down he thought, one to go. He turned to Minerva who had that protective glint in her eye that she always got when having a discussion about her star pupil.

“Severus… I, like Albus, can not say I am pleased about this turn of events. I saw in your eyes when I visited that you were attracted to her, and who wouldn’t be with her looking as she does now, but I thought you would get over it. I do however think Albus is correct in his observation of the trio’s maturity and decision making skills. She is a grown woman in my eyes and if you can keep it quiet I will not forbid you from carrying on with her. Though I will tell you that if anyone catches wind of this and it becomes public then I will deny any knowledge and be forced to fire you and expel her. I can not afford to have parents believe I condone Professor/student relations. I really do not want to fire you Severus, so please do not make me”

Severus couldn’t believe his ears. At that moment he felt a rush of love and gratitude to Minerva and Albus that he barely kept from welling up in his eyes. “You both have made me so happy; it was not losing my position here that gave me fear as much as knowing that I would disappoint you both. You have been my lighthouse over the years of darkness and if I did not have your blessing I would have cut all ties with her immediately”

Upon hearing this normally stoic man make such a declaration, both Albus and Minerva were feeling a warmth settle around their hearts, well in Albus’ case it may have been indigestion as he had eaten an entire bowl of the lemon drops he insisted he be painted with.

“Go my boy, sleep in your quarters tonight then return to her in the morning. Sleep well Severus” Minerva said as she shooed him out the door with a smile and pat on the cheek.

A/N: Hope you all liked it! Have a great day and happy reading!