Forbidden Lover

Chapter Thirteen
Staying Mum


Hermione felt warm and fuzzy inside. Since Severus had avowed that he loved her as well, she felt content. For all appearances' sake, he was his normal self in class, still getting onto her for helping Neville. Only she was aware of the almost undetectable softening of his eyes when he looked at her.

His fellow staff members noted a slight change in his attitude. He had always been quiet, in a menacing way. That attitude didn't seem to exist now. He was still quiet, but at times his mind seemed to be elsewhere. Albus was pleased with the change, having tried to convince Severus for years that he was too harsh in his judgments.

As for Severus himself, he was past caring about whether anyone approved of his motives or not. For the first time in his life, he was bordering on happiness, the cause of that happiness being Hermione. It took all of his concentration in class to refrain from touching her. He would stand behind her, peering into the bubbling cauldron, and subtly sniff in the scent of her perfume while appearing to be checking the potion. Her deep brown eyes would follow him as he moved fluidly from cauldron to cauldron. He could feel those eyes without looking directly at her.

Hermione didn't dare visit him too often even with her excuse of borrowing books. The periods in between those times were worse, with both of them resigned to their lonely beds and only their thoughts to keep them company.

Harry and Ron still thought that she had gone mental. She was accompanying them most of the time in their activities, but her attention wandered and Harry especially found himself having to repeat himself. He sensed that she was keeping some secret. Her eyes shone and her cheeks were blooming pink even when the snow started falling outside.

It was one such morning that the three of them were preparing to go into Hogsmeade, shortly before the Christmas holidays started.

"Are you coming to the burrow for Christmas?" Ron was asking as they started down the road.

"No," Hermione replied, wrapping her scarf around her neck. "I promised my parents I would come home this year since it will probably be my last year at home."

"Mum is going to be disappointed, 'Mione. She was counting on you coming. Bill and Charlie are going to be home."

"Sorry."

He shrugged at Harry behind Hermione's back, and Harry shook his head, not understanding why it was suddenly more important to go to her own home instead of spending time with them as she had before.

Hermione tramped through the snow, ignoring Harry and Ron. Her thoughts were on Severus. He'd slipped her a note last week, putting it into her pocket as he'd been making his classroom rounds.

She hadn't dared to look at it, not until she'd slipped into a stall in the girls' bathroom.

Dearest Hermione,

I miss you, my darling girl. Can you share with me your plans for the holidays? I would hope that you would not be trailing after Potter and Weasley. Please let me know so that I can make my own plans accordingly.

If we plan this properly, we can steal some time together, as I am not required to be at Hogwarts if I choose not to be.

Love,

S


She sighed, and grinned. It would be wonderful if somehow they could slip away together. She was willing to risk being in trouble or even getting expelled if it meant she could be with him.

It was that evening before she could have the privacy to write him back.

Darling Severus,

I have no intention of going to Ron's to spend Christmas. Harry has committed to being there, and the house will be full of males and their quidditch talk. I would much prefer your company.

I will go home to my parents, and we can be together there like we were over the summer. Is that going to be acceptable?

I miss you!

Hermione


She got her reply back to him by rolling it up with her homework. As she handed him the parchment, he barely glanced at her, and she smiled warmly back, her eyes straying to the homework in a silent signal.

Severus gave out the days' lesson and sat at his desk, grading the parchments. He read Hermione's note the first thing, and had to hide his pleased grin with a black scowl.

It was not out of the ordinary for Snape to sit at his desk for the entire class, grading papers and scowling. No student would dare try to look at anything on his desk, so he wrote his reply in the margin of her homework.


Hermione,

How would you feel about joining me at my family home? Could you manage to make your parents think you are elsewhere?



He handed the rolls of homework reports out as they were leaving. Hermione was the last to leave and as she reached for it, he deliberately let his fingers slide over hers.

"How are you today, Professor?" she asked softly.

"Quite well, Miss Granger," he replied.

Harry and Ron were waiting for her just outside the door.

"What's holding up Herm?" Harry asked.

Ron looked.

"She's talking to Snape," he said.

"Again? I don't understand why she's even making the effort to be friendly to him."

"I told you she's gone totally mental, Harry. She's been acting strange since we came back. Maybe it's all those books that she's been borrowing from him. It's not going to surprise me if we have to put her in Saint Mungo's one day."

"I don't know, Ron. But she's a girl, and you know how they are. They get worse as they get older, I think."

"Females," Ron grumbled, rolling his eyes.

Hermione came out, her face somber but her eyes were happy.

"I just don't see what you see in that ugly man," Ron said.

"Professor Snape is very intelligent and smart, Ron. I have learned a lot of things from him."

"You must like creepy things then. He gives me the creeps, and always has."

"Hush, Ron. You don't have to deal with him."


During their whispered conversation, he had promised to meet her in Hogsmeade that weekend where they could discuss their plans. So Hermione was very happy as she nearly danced down the road, blinking away the fluffy snowflakes. Snow had been falling for two days and it was in piles along the sides of the road, which was kept clear with magic, courtesy of Dumbledore.

The problem was going to be getting rid of Ron and Harry. She'd promised to meet Severus at the shrieking shack. Harry and Ron were nattering the whole time, discussing what they needed to buy in town.

She smirked to her self as the boys went into Honeydukes.

"Come on, Herm," Harry called, holding the door open.

"I have some errands of my own to run," she said.

"You can do it after we've gotten some candy. Harry and I'll go with you," Ron offered.

"I don't think you want to go on my errand, boys," Hermione smiled at them, using a purely female smile that made both boys blush.

"Oh. That. Well." Harry cleared his throat. "I think Ron and I will just do our own thing then. You can come and find us when you - uh - finish."

"I thought you would say that. Have a nice time, boys."

She walked off down the street, turning in to the witches' shop in case they were looking. She walked straight through and ducked out the back door, breaking out in a run for the shrieking shack after a careful look around to make sure she wasn't spotted by anyone else.

Hermione was out of breath as she reached the open doorway. The place seemed deserted, so she walked into the room where they had confronted Sirius so long ago.

"You are out of breath, love."

The silky voice made her jump.

"Severus!" she whirled around, and with a squeal, ran into his arms. He was standing across the room, arms out. She hugged him tightly, and he lifted her off her feet.

"I have missed you," he said.

"And I, you."

The old, broken bed was still there, and Severus pointed his wand at it.

"Restoricus totalus," he said. The bed transformed into its' once former beauty, standing in gleaming dark wood, the feather mattress plumped and covered in a thick comforter. The interior of the room had restored itself as well, including a door that warded the doorway. A fire crackled in the fireplace. "It's only a magic fire," Severus explained. "The smoke from a real one would draw attention here."

"It feels real," Hermione laughed.

"From the outside, it will appear as it always does," he nodded in the direction of the heavy velvet draperies that now covered the windows. "Kiss me, Hermione."

She complied, loving the feel of his warm mouth on hers.

"I missed this," she said, between kisses, her fingers stroking his silky hair.

"Will you come away with me at Christmas?" he whispered, his fingers unbuttoning her coat.

"Yes, I can manage it." She was unbuttoning his suit. "I'll tell my parents I'm going to the Burrow."

"What is a Burrow?"

"It's what Ron's home is called."

"I should have known. A name like that reeks of Weasley."

"It's very nice. My parents know I've been invited."

He was letting her coat drop to the floor, and starting on her blouse buttons.

"I want you with me, since I can't have you much inside Hogwarts."

"I wouldn't be happy without you now," Hermione replied, shoving his cape, frock coat, and cravat aside. She kissed down his chest as each button on his crisp white shirt was opened. She paused to nip at his flat male nipples in turn, pleased that they hardened and he drew in his breath.

He unsnapped her bra, freeing her breasts into his hands, where he lifted them slightly, and his thumbs brushing their tips. He groaned when her hand slid down to cup him through his pants, squeezing lightly.

"You are my undoing," he declared.

"I hope so." She unbuttoned his fly, allowing his erection to strain only against the cotton boxers. Her pants had dropped to her ankles. "Can you get rid of these?" she asked.

"Certainly, love." A snap of his fingers, and their remaining clothes were gone.


Hermione sank to her knees as her mouth traveled down his flat stomach, licking at the trail of dark hairs that she was fascinated with until it flared into his thick pubic mat. She licked her lips at his rising cock. She took it in both hands, fondling it as he had taught her. Severus threaded his fingers into her curls as she lowered her head, licking delicately at the tip and then blowing warm breath across the wetness. A shiver ran through him. She kissed her way around his length, wetting him down while he repressed the urge to find the hotness of her mouth that he wanted clamped around him.

The blood was engorging him, and Hermione felt him swell into full hardness as she opened her mouth and enclosed the head. She swirled her tongue around it, liking the taste of him. She hadn't learned all the skills of this form of pleasuring him, but she enjoying the resulting groans that came from him as she tried. His hands on her head began to guide her, tutoring her movements.

Severus closed his eyes, sighing. Her mouth was like warm honey pouring over him. He was careful to keep a tight rein on his thrusts, not wanting to choke or startle her. Eventually, she would learn. He was excited enough without having any more stimulation. As it was, he might not last long. He'd been harboring fantasies of her off and on and having to maintain a carefully sour exterior which was bad on his libido.

Hermione fondled his balls, and that was it for him. He pulled away from her. She protested, reaching for him again.

"No," he croaked out, leading her to the bed on legs that were shaky at best.

They fell across the bed, clinging in abandon to one another. Hermione pulled him over on her, not caring if he was too heavy or not. Severus' weight pressed her down into the erotic nest of satin covered feathers and comforter. She spread her thighs for him, reaching down, and guiding him into her eagerly.

Severus couldn't resist her invitation. He thrust home with a grunt of satisfaction as her tightness enclosed him. He hadn't even had a chance to attempt to arouse her this time; still, she was slick and very wet for him.

Hermione squealed, and squealed again as he rocked against her. Her hands came down to grip his buttocks, feeling the flexing of his muscles there as he drove into her relentlessly. They were both too ravenous to stop and pet or even kiss. It was a primal mating, and every move from him sent small, pleasurable shocks reverberating through her.

He whispered a silencing spell through clenched teeth. Hermione was becoming vocal in her arousal, and she definitely didn't sound like a werewolf. If Severus hadn't been so aroused himself he would have found the thought of an orgasmic female shriek coming from the shack amusing.

Her vagina was so snug around him that he was having a hard time holding himself back. Luckily, she relieved him of his worries by coming at that moment, when he was deep inside. She clung to him, moaning his name. Severus nuzzled her neck, his thrusts becoming hard and short. Hermione's fingernails were digging in, paining him, but he never noticed. He lost himself in her, taking her mouth at last as she felt him flood her with his warm wetness.

All was still for a moment as they stared as one another through dazed eyes.
Hermione's head was nearly hanging off the bed. Their movements had caused them to slide across the coverlet.

Severus rolled off her and pulled her up to the head of the bed, where he managed to get the covers over them. She laid her head on his shoulder, sleepy.

"We have a bit of time to rest before you need to be back with those so-called friends of yours," he said, cuddling her.

"Can we do it again?"

"Now?"

"Yes."

"You are going to wear me out, my love."

"Good."