In Demand

And all the times you said you didn


AND ALL THE TIMES YOU SAID YOU DIDN\'T UNDERSTAND
 


Hermione and Severus returned to the Great Hall. 
Once again, the beat of the music had changed to a frenzied beat. 
She looked up at the man beside her and smiled, “I believe we had
negotiated for several dances my dear.”


 


“Oh, I may be ready to turn over a new leaf.  But as much as I love you, ABSOLUTELY NOT!” 
He brushed her head with his lips briefly and added in a lower tone,
“But, I will try to memorize the tempo for later.”


 


On the dance floor her group of friends were trying to get her
attention.  Severus motioned for her
to go on ahead and moved off to where Remus sat with a bottle of Old Odgens. 

 


Without waiting for an invitation, Severus sat down and conjured up a
glass.  He picked the bottle up and
poured himself a drink.


 


Remus looked at him from the corner of his eye and grinned as Severus
drained the glass and filled it again.  Both
men’s eyes turned to the group on the dance floor. Remus spoke first,
“It’s been one crazy summer, old friend.”


 


“It has at that,” Severus nodded. 
Inwardly he reflected on Remus’ words. 
He never considered himself to be anyone’s old friend before. 
He always expected his life to get much simpler when Voldemort was gone;
but this summer had proved the opposite to be true.


 


He had always pictured his life after the war to be full of teaching,
reading, and blessed solitude.  Now,
it appeared it would be filled with teaching, complex social issues, changing,
compromise, giving, taking, sharing, and the Gods only knew what was around the
next corner.  Love. 

 


“I still don’t understand what exactly happened to lead us to this. 
But, I’m glad it did.”  Remus
drained his drink, poured himself another, and topped of Severus’ glass.


 


“Neither do I, Remus, neither do I.” 

 


Albus joined them, “Ah Gentlemen, I believe I’ll join you as well,
for a toast with Mr. Ogden.”   Another
glass was conjured out of nowhere and the 3 wizards lifted their glasses. 
Albus asked, “What are we drinking to?”


 


Severus answered that quickly, “Dancing” and knocked his drink back
once again. 


 


Albus grinned knowingly, “Ah yes, Severus, to dancing.”


 


Remus drained his glass yet again and motioned towards the door. 
Ron, Harry, and Hermione were slippint oft of the Great Hall. 
“Looks like our drinks are cut, Severus.”


 
And And why is that?”  Severus
reached for the bottle again.  He
was rather enjoying the warm feeling moving through him now, both from the
whiskey and the friendship.


 


“Those three just went outside with a bottle of Ogden’s.”


 


Severus set the bottle and drink down on the table “Oh, bloody
Hell.”


 


When Remus and Albus looked at him quizzically, he continued, “She
vomited on me the last time, you know.”


 


Albus and Remus had a good laugh at the Potions Master’s expense. For
once, Severus didn’t mind.


 


 


YOU NEVER HAD OUR LOVE WRITTEN IN YOUR PLANS
 


Outside a bottle was being passed around as well.


 


“Well, I just don’t get it.  We
graduated, what, 3 months ago, not even.  All
of a sudden you’re with ‘I’m not a Git anymore’ Snape, Voldemort’s
dead, Sirius’ a Deatheater, and Malfoys a friggin Sex God.” 
Ron took a lorinkrink from the bottle before continuing on, “At least
according to Ginny he is.  Damn, ‘Mione, the two of you were actually cheering for
Slytherin today.”


 


Hermione giggled, “Thank the Gods you were talking about Ginny. 
Was a little worried there for a second with the Draco’s a sex God
thing.”  She grabbed the bottle
let a good portion roll down her throat.  “Believe
me, I don’t know how we got here.  I
know it started with a bottle like this.”


 


“Oh, Ron, you should have been there that night,” Harry erupted in
peals of laughter.  “He still was
a Git, and she called him Sevvie.  SSSEEEVVIIEE.”


 


“Yeah, and then I puked on him.”


 


Ron’s eyes widened at the thought of anyone puking on the Potions
Master. 


 


“That’s OK, Hermione.  Remus
says I pissed all over Sirius that night.  I
don’t really remember it myself.  Wish
I did, though.”


 


At the sound of Black’s name Hermione sobered up a bit. 
“I guess things really are changed now.”


 


Harry put his arms around the girl, “I’m sorry, ‘Mione. 
I guess I wasn’t thinking.”


 


He felt a sharp elbow in his ribs. 
“Don’t be sorry, you dolt.  When
I think about everything that happened this summer; you know, weigh the good and
the bad, it was all worth it to be where I am now. 
I’d like to think the fates would have seen me here anyway; but
frankly, I don’t know how.  So in
a way I’m thankful.”  She
wrinkled her nose a bit, and looked at the bottle in her hand. 
“Man, listen to me, I’ve definitely had enough.” Harry took the
bottle from her, and tipped it over, emptying the remainder of the amber liquid.

&nb  


“Boy, it’s getting late.  I
better get some sleep.  The train is
pulling out at 7AM tomorrow.  Have
to report to the ministry tomorrow afternoon.” 
Ron rose to his feet and faced Hermione.  “I can’t say the whole Snape is a Sex God thing doesn’t
give me the willies, ‘Mione. But, I’m not the one who has to share his
bed,” he teased gently and pulled her into his arms. “You seem truly happy,
and that’s good enough for me.” 


&n


She sniffled and brushed a tear on his shoulder be pul pulling back to
place a kiss on his cheek.  “Thanks,
Ron.  That means a lot coming from
you. You take care Mr. Ministry Man.” 


 


She turned and kissed Harry as well, “See you tomorrow at breakfast,
Harry.”


 


“No you won’t.  You two
will never be out of bed that early tomorrow. 
Not with the way you look tonight.”


 


Ron moved to the edge of the steps and feigned vomiting, “Bloody hell,
Harry.  Did you have to put that
image into my head, now”


 


“Oh, sod off you two,” she opened the door to the castle, then
stopped and turned back, face deadpan. “By the way Ron, you really have some
thinking to do.”


 


“What do ya’ mean?”


 


“You’re taking entirely too much interest in the Slytherin men being
Sex Gods and their bedroom habits.”  And
the door closed.


 


“Harry, did she just accuse me of being…..  of liking….”


 


“Yeah, RI thI think she did.”  Harrtrugtruggled to keep his face straight. 


 


“OK, all right then.  Well,
maybe I’m not ready to call it a night.  C’mon
Harry, let’s go find Padma and Pavarti.  I think I can catch a later train tomorrow.”


 


Harry considered this for a moment and then grinned.  
“You know what, I’m thinking more along the lines of Millicent and
Pansy.  This Slytherin thing might
not be too off base.”


 


They conjured up another bottle of Ogden’s and headed back into the
Great Hall.


 


 


BUT NOW I\'M IN DEMAND
 


Hermione searched the Great Hall for Severus.  The crowd had thinned out greatly and it was obvious that he
wasn’t there.  She made her way to
the dungeons.  Sure enough, when she
entered their chambers, he was sitting in front of a roaring fire with a snifter
of brandy and a book.


 


She leaned over the back of the sofa and wrapped her arms around his
neck.  “I was wondering where you
had gotten to.”


 


Quick as a flash the book and drink were gone and she was in his lap. 
He kissed her deeply before answering. 
“I wanted to give you some time with your friends. 
It will be a while before the three of you are together again.  I knew you’d find your way down here sometime.”


 


“Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you, my Slytherin Sex God.”


 


He shook his head slightly, not sure he had heard her correctly. 
“What did you just call me?”


 


She laughed at the look on his face. 
“Oh, nothing, just something Ron called you.”


 


Confusion turned to a sort of horror. 
“Please tell me that Ron Weasley does nhinkhink I’m a Sex God.”


 


Hermione was on the floor now; laughing so hard she couldn’t talk. 
She composed her face and looked him in the eye. 
“ Oh Severus, you’re awfully sensitive. 
Maybe a little too sensitive.”
 


Suddenly, she was on her back, pinned to the floor, gazing into his
eyes.  “I’ll show you sensitive,
you little witch.”  She whispered
the words to soften the floor beneath them. 
The pillows and blankets appeared, too.


 


Clothing was removed the old fashioned way; with shaking hands. 
Aching button by aching button.  Whispered
words of love, promises spoken, power given and taken, oaths sworn, the Gods
names invoked.


 


Curled around one another, wrapped warmly in the blanket,
bathed in firelight, they slept.


 


As Harry predicted, they missed breakfast the next morning. 
They were also late for lungaingain.