Lendoren

Original story by Jo Rowling, original fic by kelokelo, chapter translated by septentrion. No money is made by us.

Chapter beta’ed by Tanit

Chapter 18. An Unusual Wake Up

Severus couldn’t believe that they had shared so much pleasure while making love in such a … simple way, such a classical way. Hermione’s eyes were closed, she was trying to come back to earth. He couldn’t help but smile tenderly. The marks of her nails would remain for a while on his shoulders, but it would be a very sweet memory. She comfortably settled in his arms, and he drew the covers over them so that they wouldn’t get cold and be able to slide into sleep. Before she fell asleep, she whispered in his ear:

“I knew it’d be better if it was you …”

When Hermione slowly woke up the next morning, she felt a bit disorientated at first. She was in her room, but a male arm was firmly embracing her. The day before came back to her: her Potions lesson, her discovery that Erwin and Severus Snape were the same person, her surreal state of mind at the end of the day. They hadn’t talked, though Erwin had promised her they would, but Severus made her give in to him. They had both been swept by their mutual passion. He made her discover pleasure with a patience that she never suspected he could have. For the first time, she felt Erwin make the mental link with her and whisper:

“Hello, my dear. Did you sleep well?”

“It feels like it was a dream,” she answered shyly.

“That makes two of us. And that’s the kind of dream I want to have every night, Hermione,” he said firmly. “You’ve filled my heart, my dear.”

His sentence was accompanied with caresses and sweet kisses which made her shiver. Hermione couldn’t help but smile: his authoritarian nature once more took hold of him. He reared his head to look at her while she was smiling.

“Why do you smile?”

It was a strange feeling; they weren’t speaking aloud, but through their link.

“You,” she answered in a mischievous tone.

When he frowned, she rolled her eyes and told him in an irritated voice, “You’ll need to learn how to put up with teasing and critics, Erwin.”

“I don’t worry about it, I know you’ll never hesitate to speak your mind to me. And was this the morning critic? Knowing I must put up with critics of course,” he added ironically.

“You can in the same sentence tell me very nice things, and try to impose your will on me, without asking what I think. For instance, you said you were happy with me last night,” she said, blushing, “but in the same time, you want to impose it to me every night.”

“You’re not going to deny how much agreeable it would be to do it every night,” he protested.

She sighed deeply and shook her head, he had a very long road in front of him before he understood.

«I won’t deny anything, I just want you to ask me what I want or need, and not you to decide alone what you deem to be good for me!”

“But, Hermione …”

“No but,” she said, gagging him with her hand. “Think about what I told you. Take it like a homework I’d give you.” She laughed while he had an exasperated expression.

Severus grimaced, she was openly mocking him, but it was getting late, he didn’t have time to give her the punishment which was lurking in his mind.

“My dear, I’ll think about it only if I have the right to come back and give you the result of my thinking tonight.”

It was out of the question that she manipulated him so; his intention was neatly and clearly to spend each night with her, and he wouldn’t give her the option of refusal.

“But that’s blackmail!” Hermione replied, both outraged and amused.

He didn’t answer but looked at her in the eyes without wavering, a mocking smile on his lips.

“You’d better have good arguments to give me tonight,” she said, giving in to him.

“Perfect, now, I don’t know at what time is your first class, but I have to teach in thirty minutes. Hermione, I speak very seriously when I say that no one can know about us for two reasons: first because the Ministry would be the cause to a world of troubles, and then because Arlin and I feel that the less Voldemort know, the better we’ll be.”

«Voldemort? But … what more did you hide to me?” Hermione was worried.

“I explain, say, tonight,” he said, a cunning smile on his face. “Oh, tonight I can’t, I must give an essay back,” he added with a faux virtuous air.

“You,” she began to say, but she never finished for he put his lips on hers to shut her up.

After a while, he swore when he saw the hour. He forced himself to get dressed and come back to his rooms, before he taught his class.

«Hey,» Hermione called him while he was getting through the portrait, “Harry, Ron and Ginny will ask questions …”

“Pff, you tell them what you want. I understand that you need their friendship. But don’t forget to remind them of the importance of secrecy! And just to see Potter’s and Weasley’s faces when you tell them, and then when I meet them in the corridors, is worth it …”

He wore a mocking smile, and he had to duck to avoid a pillow thrown at him by an exasperated Hermione.

Severus’ good mood was dampened by the fact he didn’t have time to have breakfast, which really didn’t make much of a difference for his morning students.

&&&&&

When Hermione entered the Great Hall to have her breakfast, she didn’t dare look at the teachers’ table, she feared to find too many eyes on her. Indeed, all the teachers did notice Severus’ absence this morning and were waiting for the Gryffindor girl’s arrival with impatience. They wanted to have an idea of how the previous day had ended for the couple. They weren’t the only ones to wait: Harry, Ron and Ginny bore worried expressions. They had come early and were very impatient. They were turned towards the doors of the Great Hall.

Hermione’s eyes crossed Ginny’s questioning ones, she slightly blushed and curled her lips a bit. Ginny didn’t need more explanations, and she relaxed. The evening seemed to have been productive. When they saw Ginny smiling, even though they didn’t understand why, Harry and Ron began to relax too. They watched their friend tackle on her breakfast with gusto, grinning as she bit into a piece of bread. She said to Ginny, “I, at least, had time to come for breakfast.”

Ginny giggled, Harry and Ron watched them, not understanding. They tried to get explanations out of them, Hermione and Ginny shared a look. To tell the boys, here in the Great Hall, that Snape had become Hermione’s lover, with her being totally consenting, would be akin to put up a notice about it on the stared ceiling.

However, Ginny managed to tell discreetly to Hermione, “I feel sorry for those who have a lesson with him in the end of the morning. What with him being hungry, he’ll be horrible.”

They were chuckling while going out of the Great Hall.

&&&&&

Professors Dumbledore and Gryffin were impatiently waiting for news directly from Severus, as he didn’t come for breakfast. They were waiting for him with all the more impatience than news from Voldemort weren’t heartening. They were relieved to see him for lunch, seemingly relaxed, just famished as far as they could tell. He didn’t say anything; he just tackled his meal with gusto, not only sparing a glance for the Gryffindor table. He was getting on Gryffin’s nerves.

“Severus, will I have to forcefully pull out from you what happened last night?”

“What is it exactly that you want to know, Arlin,” Severus asked, amused. He was decided to make them pay for their jeers at him by letting them hanging a bit.

“Severus! Shall we dot the i’s and cross the t’s? Did you sort out your dispute with Hermione?”

Severus took his time to answer. The question was pertinent. He had seduced her without too much difficulty, their passion had taken hold of them, but had they really sorted out their problems? They, in fact, hadn’t talked together at all, they would have to see to that during the next few days.

“Maybe you should take stock of the draughts in Hogwarts, Arlin, then we can speak about it.”

Professor Gryffin grimaced but didn’t add anything. It’d be useless, Severus wasn’t in the mood for speaking about whatever happened between Hermione and him. He’ll have to pay attention to the mood of both of them and to the possible tempests.

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