an overwhelming desire to win...

Pansy paced back and forth in the common room the next morning, looking to the shelves of books in the corner, sighing disgustedly and pacing some more. She didn\'t know when Snape had left, only that he had. Recently.

The common room was empty as it was round the dinner hour, and most of the children had left for the Christmas holidays.

The hearth was on, but still Pansy felt chilled. She felt she had colossally fucked up somehow when she told Hermione that lie about she and Snape. But she couldn\'t stand the thought of Hermione bragging about how she had outsmarted a Slytherin. Gads, the mere thought made her stomach lurch.

She was sure Hermione thought she had cheated, but with the convenient absence in scroll.

Plus, technically she hadn\'t cheated. The scroll had specifically said that no \'love, lust, admiration etc...Potions were to be used. Alcohol was never on the list.

Plus, the contract had been void the moment Draco had helped her. But, Hermione in all her flurry of passion and \'lost love\' she\'d conveniently forgotten that. She had to admire the girl\'s continuous tenacity though.

Suddenly the door whooshed open and Pansy in a flurry of licking her lips, pinching her cheeks and whirling around she came face to face with an angry looking Professor.

\"Oh, hello Professor McGonagall.\" she said disheartened, peering around her large hat to see if she was alone. She was. \"What are you doing here in the Slytherin house?\"

She put on her best fake smile to which Minerva rolled her eyes annoyed, \"I haven\'t the time for false politeness Miss Parkinson.\"

Pansy nodded, not wanting to have to suck up to the Head of Gryffindor for longer than she had to. \"Well, then I suppose I\'ll b-\"

\"Not so fast.\" McGonagall said, grasping Pansy by the shoulder and guiding her to a nearby sofa. \"Hermione Granger is gone. And rumor is you and Professor Snape were the last to see her.\"

Pansy frowned ae gre grinning ghost of Peeves as he skirted by, giggling and pointing at her, making kissy faces. Her stomach churned as she looked at the rat.

\"Yes we were.\" she frowned at the older woman, \"What of it?\"

\"You\'d best mind your manners,\" McGonagall said outraged, her thin lips twitching angrily as she paled, \"Or I\'ll just have to take off po-\"

\"I believe, since this is the Slytherin sector of Hogwarts, removal of points falls under my jurisdiction, Minerva.\"

McGonagall twirled angrily around, standing and looking to the bored face of Severus Snape while Pansy sighed dreamily behind her. His arms were crossed and he looked to Pansy with a fleeting look of anger and a face that clearly read, We are going to have a LONG talk...

\"Hermione Granger is missing.\" Minerva said, looking to his face to read if he had been the cause of this mishap. \"Allegedly you and Miss Parkinson were the only ones to have seen her last.\"

Snape nodded, then looking to Pansy he narrowed his eyes. \"Parkinson. My office. Now.\"

Pansy nodded, almost whimpering as she rushed off to his office and closed the door shakily. He rolled his eyes and looked back to an angry and worried looking McGonagall. He almost felt sorry for her. Almost.

\"Minerva, She\'s gone home to her parents.\"

McGonagall stiffened, \"And how would you come to have access to this information?\"

\"She told me.\"

\"She told you?\"

\"Honestly Minerva,\" Snape said silkily, \"Do stop trying to buy time by repeating the same thing I said to you. Yes, the girl is at her parent\'s Muggle home in London.\"

McGonagall looked to him like an angry mother whose caught her child in the cookie jar. Although...this was a much graver incident than cookies...this was a student. Her Gryffindor student.

\"And why would she tell you, of all people?\"

Snape shrugged, for the first time that evening wasfeeling the pangs of worry and anger pass through his midsection.Don\'t let her get past the defenses...throw her off.. \"I happened to pass her as she was leaving.\"

McGonagall still didn\'t look too swayed in judgement, Seal the deal Severus... \"I was informing her that I was going to be removing points from her house as she was out past curfew and she informed me of her sudden departure.\"

Minerva nodded, that sounded like Snape.

\"Well, I do wish she\'d inform us of these silly little escapades.\"

\"She\'s only a youirl irl Minerva. She\'s plenty of time to make up for her recklessness.\"

The look of utter shock and disbelief that crossed Minerva\'s was evident as she reveled in the fact that Snape had just stuck up for someone, gotten a Gryffindor out of trouble.

She frowned, making a mental note to pay much closer attention to Snape in the near future.

This took a moment to sink into her mind before Snape gave her a curt nod before heading off to his office.

He made no move to see McGonagall out of the empty common room.

* * *

\"And as for your indecent behavior last night I can only assume that it was due to consumption of alcoholic beverages, which in turn you evidently slipped into my drink.\"

Pansy felt the tears trickling down her cheeks and she tried desperately to hide them. He may be a crush, but he was her head of house, and she did have respect for him. She was also just a bit afraid of him.

\"I...I don\'t..\" she trailed off, a loss for words as she looked to him curiously, as he looked off in the distance. He was standing behind his desk, his hands on the top of the smooth surface as his eyes stared off.

He was thinking about Hermione. Plain and simple. Hermione in that muggle bed of hers, hair wild and angry and...well, best not to think about that now. She was also alone in that house, for a while.

He himself had never had to chase a girl in his life. For various reasons such as...he\'d never found one to chase after, and two, even if he had he highly doubted any would have fancied him.

But Hermione, in all her sweet naivete seemed to fancy him quite a bit, she knew how to push his buttons and...she didn\'t seem to fear him at all and that was a welcome commodity.

Perhaps he should visit her. Tonight.

Pansy herself was sitting on a rather uncomfortable green chair, that seemed to have a life of its own. She did have a bit of added comfort knowing what had passed between the head of houses moments prior. She had been listening through the door to he and Minerva\'s conversation.

She suddenly wondered, if he was thinking about Hermione. She had heard the emotion in his voice as she had burst in on them in the middle of their steamy kissing.

She wasn\'t stupid. She knew Snape cared for Hermione much easier and more deeply than he could or would ever care for her.

She also knew that Hermione had apparated from Hogwarts to her own home as soon as Pansy herself had closed the door to Hermione\'s room behind her.

That meant...

Snape wouldn\'t have known Hermione had gone home unless...he was there with Hermione himself!

She squealed in her seat at this sudden acquiring of knowledge and concealed it as a sob as Snape whirled around to face her, looking very cross.

\"I\'m sorry Professor.\" she said, eyelashes damp as she covered her mouth her her hands, making it seem as if she was overcome with emotion, but in truth was trying to conceal the smirk spread over her face, \"I have no excuse for my actions.\"

Snape seemed distracted, \"Fifty points...and detention with Filch for a month.\"

Pansy nodded, she had been expecting this. But..perhaps with her newly acquired tidbit of information...Snape would have no choice but to revoke such a punishment.

\"I won\'t breathe a word of your indiscretions.\" he said darkly, \"As it will surely prove to be detrimental to both of us. I\'m letting you off easy this time Parkinson. See that it doesn\'t happen again. You\'re dismissed.\"

Oh...I see, make it seem like you\'re doing me a favor.. Pansy thought smugly, rising from the uncomfortable chair.Fine..we\'ll play by your rules. But not for long..

\"Thank you Professor. Please accept my sincerest apologies.\"

Snape didn\'t answer, more he clunked down in his seat and started writing something on parchment while Pansy let herself out of the office, a smile on her face and a plan in her mind.

* * *

Hermione hummed to herself as she set out the other pan of cookies, they smelled lovely. Peanut butter, her favorite. She had spent a nice, long, relaxing day at home, loving every non-Hogwarts/Snape moment of it.

She had written, watched a movie, walked around in the frosty neighborhood, cleaned the house for her mother, (via her wand...not that anyone had to know...) and managed to get in a long hot bath, and in turn get in a bit of reading.

Now in the late afternoon, at a time when it got dark quite fast and early, she felt a sense of loneliness she hadn\'t since the beginning of her her first year at Hogwarts.

She had to admit she rather missed Harry and Ron now, it seemed as if she hadn\'t spoken to them in so long. Her hair was pulled back, sure not to drop into or catch on anything while she baked. She wasn\'t the best at it by any means, but she did enjoy a bit of it now and then.

She also had to admit that she wished she hadn\'t been so quick to turn down that darkly seductive Potions Master last night, especially when she had been in the wrong. He had been tricked.

She did forgive him.

But, she was also sick to death of being the pursuer. If he wanted something...anything, he was going to have to make a move. And if he was too nervous or scared or whatever, then sod him.

Minutes later the cookies were on a plate next to the stove, and she herself was washing the dishes, not wanting to leave any of it till morning. She was quite the type A personality.

She bent over then to grab the soap and suddenly felt a warm presence against her back, she didn\'t flinch for she knew exactly who it was. That familiar musky sandalwood and stiff presence was unmistakable.

She rose, his body still pressed to hers as she finally did turn around, looking to him evenly. She wasn\'t the type eager to be the fawning damsel..

\"Good evening.\" she said, and then before he could speak she had whirled around and gone back to her dishes. He gaped at the back of her head, wondering full well if it was worth it.

But as he watched over her head, her hands gently wiping the plate in the frothy bubble filled water, and inhaled that delectable scent of her hair, and that feeling that was pulsing through his veins, he knew.

\"Good evening, Miss Granger.\" he murmured into her hair as he pulled it from its elastic confine, his hands then travelling up and down her arms, catching the ends of her hair. He felt her tremor a bit, but she remained stoic.

\"I take it you had a pleasant afternoon Professor?\" scrub scrub scrub went the sponge in her hand.

Snape sighed darkly, \"Miss Granger..\"

\"Good weather? Is it still snowing at Hogwarts?\" scrub scrub scrub

\"Miss Gr-.\"

\"In personal experience Professor, I find the snow to be a bit biting at times in the castle, don\'t you?\" scrub scrub scrub

\"Mi-...Hermione.\"

He heard the smile in her voice, the scrubbing immediately ceased.

\"Yes Severus?\"

He whirled her around softly, hearing the water as it trickled to the linoleum floor as she looked up to him, \"I believe that if we are past enforced formalities that we too are past coy politeness and hollow comments about the weather.\"

\"Oh are we?\" Hermione said looking to him merrily, and giving a smug little shrug \"I hadn\'t noticed.\"

He backed her into the sink looking to her with dark amusement, his hips suddenly against her own, and he wondered why this animalistic need in him only came out around her. He was smitten with her, pure and simple.

\"Yes.\" he murmured on her lips, \"We are.\"

He bent down slightly and kissed her then, making up for the time in his classroom where he had stood, arms at his sides while his own lips had betrayed him. He wrapped her in his arms, almost crushing her lips against his own.

Her heart pounded in her ears and she worried about what she should be doing. Gads, this had been easier when he was passive. Now, he was leading the way, kissing her with passion that she herself had never experienced until now.

He supported the back of her head, noticing as a tentative hand wrapped itself around the back of his neck, trying desperately to match his needy kisses. Finally her arms lay her her sides as she let him covet her mouHis His tongue slipping into a welcome and peanut butter tinted mouth, her eyes closed as she leaned against him.

She broke away, looking to him impressed. He felt him own pride strengthen, she hadn\'t run off. Hermione seemed out of place, a little dizzy as she spoke next.

\"I...I still have a lot of dishes to do.\"

Snape broke outo ato a large and very uncharacteristic grin...although behind closed doors perhaps he was always like this, coy and good humored. She doubted it.

\"I think they can wait until later.\"

He then lifted her up onto the edge of the sink and began kissing her again, this time his kisses were longer, more delectable. His lips were soft...but had such power behind them, she was already wanting more.

She felt as he took her hands and led them around his neck, wanting to be held by her. She did so without question holding him tightly, wondering how he had gone from the greasy git to her own, personal Prince Charming.

He kissed her more reverently then, and she felt as one hand started to unbutton the top of her shirt as another stray hand of his made its way up her skirt, inching its way up a silky and currently shaking thigh...

She giggled a bit, pushing him from her, \"We need...to slow down Severus.\" she took a deep breath, as he baked away and she slid onto the kitchen floor. \"We don\'t really know each other that much at all.\"

Trying to break the uncomfortable silence that suddenly came upon them like a gale she frantically looked to the kettle and said rather shakily,

\"Tea?\"

Snape nodded, looking a bit downhearted but eager as she brushed past him. In a resolute moment of what he could only assume was sudden affection he rolled up his sleeves and began to wash the dishes. The Muggle way.

She looked over her shoulder as he focused upon the dishes, his hair falling in his eyes. He brushed it back, not noticing as some bubbles went along with it, resting on top of his dark head.

She giggled, looking back to her teacups and sugar, feeling Snape\'s gaze slink over to her. He looked all over her as she grasped the cups and milk and sugar, his eyes though weren\'t that good at hiding what he was obviously thinking, suddenly feeling a bit heated he undid the top two buttons of his robes.

Hermione though, in her own insecure teenage girl ways thought he may be observing her, looking to her and not impressed. So in a rushed, offhanded way that he immediately knew was worry blurted;

\"What?\"

Snape smirked delighted, \"Nothing. I\'ve just...never really seen you out of uniform.\"

Hermione nodded shrugging slightly, \"I know. I still wear skirts and blouses all the time though. Mum says I\'m old fashioned.\"

Snape chuckled darkly, \"You certainly weren\'t old fashioned when you came to detention that one night.\"

Hermione blushed, recalling the almost ravenous look on his face as he had gazed openly at her chest as she handed him her essay. She giggled, looking up to him with a slight pink to her cheeks.

\"Two lumps of sugar? And milk or cream?\"

\"Yes please. Milk.\"

She nodded, pouring the milk and dropping in the sugar delicately. She looked back to him and noticed he was drawing closer. He was next to her suddenly, his forearms bare, his collar opened a bit. Who knew such small changes could make him seem a bit more approachable.

\"Of course..well,\" she moved past him to pour out the remnants of the kettle, \"You weren\'t exactly tactful that night.\"

\"Sorry?\" he said, looking to her as if he didn\'t know to what she was referring. Although, the guilty blush tinting his cheeks gave her a pretty obvious indication.

\"Honestly Severus,\" she said handing him his teacup, \"You were practically drooling when I handed in my essay.\"

Snape gave her a bemused shake of his head as he followed her into the living room, \"I Severus Snape, do not drool.\"

* * *

Not even two hours later Hermione and Snape were sitting side by side on the couch, Snape\'s cloak draped over the arm of the couch as he sat beside her clad in black trousers and shirt, looking at the book that Hermione had brought over to look at, and now remained out of place on their laps.

It was a collection of pictures from her family trips over the years, they\'d been to quite a few places. He was impressed how she could recall the memories with ease, and couldn\'t deny he was envious of her life.

He felt so safe here, it was warm and there was good tea and he supposed good food. The beds looked comfortable enough and...he didn\'t even miss using wan wand. Except for those dishes.

This wasn\'t to say that Hermione was completely at ease. The man was older, darker and although charming in his own way, Hermione wished she could have just a bit of the power back.

Hermione felt his leg against her own and found it increasingly difficult to pay attention to the soon wobbling script, her eyes finally drew up to Snape and saw not to her surprise really, that he was looking to her quite tenderly.

He reached out a hand and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face and behind her ears, his fingertips dng dng down the side of her neck as she gulped softly.

\"Err...\" Hermione said, forcing her eyes away from that bottomless gaze and back to the book that they had been reading. That moment back in the kitchen still burned in her mind suddenly and she grew hot. There were certain things she wanted to share with Snape but...not all at this moment in time.

\"You know,\" she suddenly blurted, \"I\'ve always wanted to visit Rome. It\'s the one place in Italy I haven\'t been.\"

Snape looked to her surprised, either at the sudden change of topic or just the topic in general. \"Really.\"

\"Yes.\"

Hermione went back to the book, explaining several pictures from the various holidays. She noticed as he stared at her often, but looked away when she looked up to meet his eyes.

Suddenly last summer\'s trip to Hawaii came into view and Hermione casually flipped through the pages, for she had shown this book many times to several friends, Harry and Ron included.

Suddenly Snape\'s hand stopped her from changing the page, and Hermione puzzled looked down to the shiny surface of the photo. Her face began to go red as she tried to turn it.

\"No don\'t, please.\" he said hoarsely, \"I like this one.\"

\'This one\' happened to be a picture of Hermione, bronzed from the Hawaiian sun and clad in a black and dark green bikini, coming out of the water waving and smiling widely to the camera. Although the bikins mos modest compared to the one\'s of today, it was still revealing enough. She heard Snape\'s breathing hitch.

\"Oh that\'s a...\" Hermione trailed off, sneaking a glance at Snape\'s slightly parted lips his eyes lust filled. Snape himself as a Professor and ex Deatheater had in his time seen enough women, bune tne this...enticing. He barely blinked before Hermione had shut the book and put it on the table.

\"Err..HermHermione said embarassed, looking away quickly, \"I\'d rather...\"

She trailed off, looking to him the and noticing he most certainly wasn\'t looking away. She was almost sort of thankful he\'d come across the picture. Almost.

\"Hermione.\" he said, his words never really asking a question, more telling in that rough and sexy timber of his. \"I\'d like to kiss you again. If you don\'t mind.\"

Hermione felt her heart and stomach jump, quite the mix as she wondered how she should react. He saw the worry on her face and felt a mixture of shame and embaressment invade him.

\"But I understand, if you don-\"

\"No, I want you to.\"

\"You do?\"

\"I do.\"

\"Well then...\"

There was a moment of pure and utter unabashed awkwardness as they sat side by the side on the couch, looking at each other like two first years on a first date.

Then in his usual, orderly Professor way he leaned over, and taking her softly then by the shoulders, pressed his lips to hers. This kiss was sweeter than the others, he was more gentle.

But soon Hermione\'s own desire got the better of her and she gripped his shirt collar and dragged his lips to hers rougher, and she knew by the gentle moan in his mouth that this was a lovely approach.

Moments later they were a tangle of limbs, rubbing against one another under layers of clothes on the very couch that Hermione and her parehad had had so many talks about safe sex on. She almost laughed.

Snape had managed to slide on hand over her bare stomach under her shirt without her disapproval and had then made his way, after many kisses and hidden tongue dueling up to her soft breast, he slid his hand under the wire of her bra and passed it over one eager nipple before Hermione suddenly sat up, his hand sliding back from under her shirt and onto his own lap as she looked to him frantically.

\"Cookies.\"

Snape pulled away, looking to her rumpled frame, flustered and smiling nervously. Raising an eyebrow he looked to her \"Is that a Muggle nickname? I\'m not very fond of \'cookie\' to tell you the honest truth...\"

Hermione looked confused a moment before laughing heartily and standing back up on the floor and looked to him. \"No...I made some peanut butter cookies earlier. Would you like some to take home?\"

At the word \'home\' Snape looked a bit crestfallen to say the least, but he also knew he ha be be patient with her. He nodded, a small smile entering on his face. \"I\'d love some.\"

She nodded, rushing into the kitchen, he heard her fiddle about with a plate and the sound of cookies sliding onto it and he smiled. \"It\'s almost twelve.\" she said in awe from the kitchen, she heard Snape\'s chuckle as he rose, pulling on his robe.

\"What...worried you\'ll turn back into a pumpkin?\"

Hermione rolled her eyes to him entering back into the living room, sort of sad that he was leaving, but a bit relieved. The man was intense. She was worried that she\'d already lost all chances though, looking at him as he pulled on his robe and looked to he expectantly.

She wondered why she was suddenly so timid, surely she had kissed him in his classroom, felt no inhibitions. But suddenly, alone in her home with him looking at her quite amorously she wasn\'t only worried that he may lose control...but that she herself may.

She handed him the cookies on a small plate and he looked to her with an unreadable expression on his face, she wondered if he would tell her that she was too much work or that she was obviously not mature enough or-

\"Hermione.\" he said softly taking the cookies from her, \"I want to see you again. Soon.\"

Hermione nodded, her heart actually pounding. He didn\'t think she was too stupid or inexperienced. She was very thankful he\'d come back, but knew she mustn\'t lose all defenses.

She noticed he was waiting for a reply, looking anxious as if she\'d say no. As if she would. Snape\'s stomach was actually churning...would she say no? Was he a horrid kisser?

All worries left them both as she suddenly leaned forward, while her lips brushed his own, and a smile entered on his face as she spoke.

\"I suppose you\'ll just have to come back.\"