AFTERWARDS

Severus had returned to his sofa after she left, another glass of Firewhisky in his hand and a jumble of confused thoughts and emotions in his head.



Her scent had lingered in the room and he closed his eyes. He could still taste her. His lips were tingling at the memory of hers, soft, warm and sweet. He couldn’t remember ever kissing anyone in that way and it surprised him.



She had said she was in love with him, but what do sixteen-year-old girls know of love? For all they knew this could be the remnant of a schoolgirl crush and it may fizzle out, but Severus decided he didn’t care. A day, a week or a month, however long her infatuation with him was going to last, he would take it.



When he had finally retired, his head was spinning and he didn’t know if it was the effects of the Firewhisky, or the effects of Hermione Granger.



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Hermione slept soundly and when she finally awoke, it took her some time to realise where she was. She lifted her head off the pillow slightly and groaned. She could taste Firewhisky in her mouth and the way her head was pounding, she knew she had probably had too much. She closed her eyes and vaguely thought about getting a Potion for her head. And as she thought of Potions, she remembered Severus. And she remembered telling him she was in love with him. And that he had kissed her.



Hermione grinned from ear to ear and squealed a little. ‘Oh Goddess…’ she whispered ‘What have I done?’



Throwing back the covers, Hermione leapt out of bed, too excited to lie there any longer and a little nervous. She wondered what his reaction would be and resolved to maintain professional courtesy with him until she could see where this, whatever it is, was going.



Hermione knew that most of Hogwarts pupils would be leaving for the Christmas break today so after her shower, she threw on her jeans and her favourite pink jumper and decided not to bother with her robes. She looked at her hair in the mirror. It was much longer than she had it when she was a pupil and the added weight loosened her curls so they hung in waves. She looked at herself for a moment. Her eyes were bright, her face a little flushed and she gasped. She actually looked like a woman who had been properly kissed. She blushed and hoped that none of her colleagues would notice as she left her quarters and headed into the Great Hall for breakfast.



As she entered the hall Hermione automatically walked towards the Gryffindor table, only checking herself at the last minute and walking on towards the staff table. She grinned to herself at her mistake and wondered how long it would take before it sank in she was actually working here. Her eyes scanned the length of the table. Severus wasn’t there and she felt disappointed. She sat in a chair between Professor Flitwick and Madame Pomfrey and after wishing them good morning, she piled her plate with bacon, eggs, tomatoes and toast, the perfect cure and better than any Potion.



Severus saw her as soon as he entered the hall. He smirked as he saw her piling her plate and wondered if she too was feeling the effects of the previous night. He walked slowly past a line of Slytherin pupils, pausing briefly to pull apart two younger boys who were attempting to duel with sausages that had been magically lengthened. He glared at them as he walked away but his heart wasn’t in it today and they seemed to notice for as soon as his back was turned, the duel began again in earnest



He swept up to the teachers table and walked behind his colleagues to take his usual seat next to Minerva. He looked along the table.



‘Madame Pomfrey, I wonder if I may borrow Miss Granger today? I wish to use the Christmas break to update your Potions stock and as Miss Granger was adequate at Potions as a pupil, she could perhaps assist me and expedite the process.’



Madame Pomfrey looked at him in surprise. Severus very rarely spoke to anyone during breakfast. ‘I have no objection, Severus, if Miss Granger has no other plans for the day?’



Poppy turned to Hermione who swallowed a mouthful of bacon, choking slightly.



‘If the Professor feels I am up to the task, I am happy to assist him, Madame Pomfrey. In any way he likes…’ Hermione turned to Severus and smiled sweetly at him, her eyes flashing as she did so.



Severus tried to hide his smirk under a slice of toast and failed miserably. He knew his barbed remark about her Potion- making ability had hit the intended target. He liked her when she got feisty and it could make for some interesting exchanges later on in the day.



Hermione finished her breakfast deep in thought and as she stood to leave she turned briefly to Severus. ‘I will go and check the Hospital potion stocks and make a list, Professor Snape. Will I meet you in the dungeon in say, half an hour?’



She smiled warmly at him but maintained her distance. It took all of her strength because when he turned to look at her, her stomach flipped over and she felt as if his eyes were boring into her very being.



‘That is acceptable Miss Granger.’ He nodded at her and she left the hall, not noticing his eyes following her as she went. She looked very good in her muggle clothes and his felt a telltale movement in his groin area, which he tried to ignore.



Half an hour later Hermione was knocking at his door, a sheaf of parchment in her hand. It had been a while since she had made Potions and she was excited at the prospect of doing something worthwhile, rather than just for a class project. She glanced at her list and grinned to herself. ‘Adequate at Potions, am I?’ She thought to herself.



Severus opened the door for her and she walked in and over to his workbench.



‘These are the Potions we need; although I’m not sure that stockpiling too many will be such a good idea because they will go off before they’re used. What do you think?’



Her forehead was creased as she scanned the list and he smiled to himself. This was the Hermione he remembered from teaching her, concentrating, thinking ahead.



‘You are right. However, if we know what is required I can gather the ingredients and ensure we have enough supplies to keep the stock filled. There is nothing more frustrating than needing a Potion quickly and not having the correct ingredients.’

He turned to scan his shelves and pulled out some empty bottles.



‘That’s true. The time I had to make the ‘Sanguis Castus’ was so frustrating, the stuff I needed wasn’t in the general store so I had to come in here to get it. I was in such a panic, I thought I would be too late…’ Hermione stopped talking as she realised what she had just said.



Severus stood with his face away from her, his back stiffened as she spoke. ‘You made the Potion in here, then?’ He asked her quietly.



‘Yes…’ Hermione whispered. ‘Professor Dumbledore told me how to break the wards. I was shaking so much I could hardly remember what I was doing.’ Hermione closed her eyes, remembering. She felt him walk back to the workbench and quickly looked down at her list again.



‘You were very brave.’ He spoke close to her ear; she could feel his breath in her hair.



‘No, I was very scared.’ Hermione turned around and looked up at him. ‘I thought I was going to lose you.’



They gazed at each other for a brief moment before they were in each other’s arms, their lips locked in a deep and passionate kiss, tongues searching desperately, arms wrapped tightly around each other. Hermione gasped as she felt her desire for him ignite. Her nipples were hardening against her bra, her crotch starting to moisten. Severus felt her tremble in his arms and loosened his hold gently, his breathing rapid, his erection pushing roughly against the inside of his trousers. He held her to his chest and stroked her hair softly.



‘What’s wrong… Severus?’ She was still trembling, her body was crying out for him.



‘Nothing is wrong…’ His voice was rough with passion, his desire for her was almost uncontrollable and he could easily take her right now, as his body was screaming at him to do.



Hermione bit her lip. ‘Don’t you want me, Severus?’ Her voice was quiet, she was feeling rejected and it hurt.





Severus stepped back a little at her words. Taking her small hand in his he placed it over his throbbing dick momentarily. Hermione gasped, her eyes wide in shock.



‘Does that answer your question?’ He was frowning down at her. He lifted her hand and brought it to his lips, closing his eyes as he kissed her fingertips and slowly ran the tip of his tongue across them. He pulled her to him and kissed her willing mouth gently, raising his hand to cup her breast, running his thumb lazily of her erect nipple. He gasped, she felt incredible to his touch and he could so easily have her now.



He pulled away from her gently, his eyes piercing hers. ‘This isn’t the right time, or the right place, my beautiful little witch… I refuse to take you up against my workbench.’ He closed his eyes and the image of him doing just that was there in an instant and he groaned inwardly.



Hermione stepped closer to him, her lips parted. His hand on her breast had just made her want him more. She looked up at him and licked her lips. ‘Please Severus…take me…’ She gasped and grabbed the front of his robes, thrusting his crotch towards hers.



He grabbed her wrists and pushed her firmly away. ‘You do yourself a disservice, Hermione.’ Anger flashed across his face. ‘Is this what you expect of me, something worthy of Weasley, perhaps, quick, meaningless sex…?’ He walked away from her. What did she take him for? He could be cruel and self-serving in the bedroom when the mood took him, but not with her, never with her.



Hermione felt as if she had been slapped in the face. She was a little scared of his reaction. ‘Severus, I’m sorry… of course that’s not what I think…it’s not what I want. I was just caught up in the moment…’ She turned and bit her lip as two tears threatened to fall down her face. She brushed them angrily away.



Severus heard the tremble n her voice and softened. He looked at her, she looked so vulnerable. He sighed.



‘Come here.’ He spoke quietly and she walked over to where he was leaning against the dungeon wall. He took her hands in his and bent to kiss her lips gently before pulling her into a gentle embrace.



‘I’m sorry’ Hermione mumbled into the front of his robes.



‘As am I, Hermione. I just think you deserve better. You should think that too’



Hermione looked at him, her eyes wide. He had hidden depths that even she hadn’t seen before and she smiled at him, grateful for his respect. Maybe it would be good to wait, after all. He would be worth it.



‘Lets get to work, shall we?’ She smiled at him again and he smiled back, knowing she understood.



Hermione handed Severus the list of Potions and he scanned them quickly. As he reached the bottom of the list his eyes widened in surprise.



‘Contraceptive Potion? Is the new Medi-witch planning to encourage frolicking between students at Hogwarts?’ He asked her in surprise.



Hermione turned and smiled at him. ‘Don’t be silly, Severus. That potion is for me. I live in hope that I may be taken somewhere about this castle over the Christmas season’



She winked at him and turned her attention to cleaning out his shelves as Severus stared at her, his mouth open.







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Thanks everyone for the positive reviews. This took me a couple of re-writes before I was finally contented.



Wishyouwerehere: Thanks for reviewing, I love your writing so to get positive feedback from you means a lot. Re: the Harry / Severus thing - it will come up , there is a reason behind it.

Jocy: I can see why you're confused. In the last chapter, Hermione told Severus she had loved him since she was sixteen. She's not sixteen now. She left school at 17, had a year off to help harry kill Voldy then 3 years at St Mungo's as an Apprentice. So she's 21.