A Long Way Back ~ Editing

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 17 ~ The Seduction

Hermione floated lazily on top of the water, her eyes closed and totally relaxed. Coming down to the pool had been a wonderful idea. Suddenly, she felt some kind of motion or ripple, like something had passed under her. Quickly she straightened and started treading water. She looked down into the pool but because the torchlight was so low she couldn't see anything.

"What was that?" she said, her brow furrowed.

Then she felt it again. She looked down and thought she saw a dark shadow swimming away from her. It disappeared.

"I'm getting out of here," she breathed and started swimming for the end of the pool. She had almost made it when she felt the movement underneath her again, and her heart started pounding with fright. As she reached the edge of the pool, Severus burst from the water next to her with a loud splash, wiping water from his face. Hermione shrieked at his sudden appearance and started swinging at him, one hand holding on to the edge of the pool.

The witch connected a few times before Severus caught her wrist, his dark eyes glittering at her.

"What the fuck are you doing, Severus?" she demanded.

"Taking a swim," he responded silkily, looking at Hermione's breasts.

She dipped a bit lower in the water. He still held her wrist.

"But…but…I'm in here," she said.

"So much the better, since you are the reason I came down here in the first place," he responded. "I couldn't sleep because of you."

Hermione felt her belly tighten. He was having thoughts about her too? Dear Merlin.

The Potions Master cocked his head at her.

"Now witch, the question is what brought you down here in the middle of the night?" the wizard asked, his eyes searching her face. "Found yourself a bit sleepless too?"

"A bit," Hermione responded, quaking a little because she realized the wizard was as naked as she was.

"And why was that?" he purred.

Hermione didn't answer him. If she had lied, he would have known. Severus always could tell when she was lying to him…one of the drawbacks of having been his student for seven years. And she couldn't bring herself to say she had been lusting after him and needed to find a way to get him out of her mind.

"Don't you have an answer?" Severus pressed her, his eyes flicking over her mostly submerged form.

"I just felt like a swim," she replied lamely, "that should be good enough. Now if you don't mind, could you please turn your head so I can get out?"

She tried to pull her wrist out of his grasp, but the wizard held on to her.

"As a matter of fact, I do mind. I want you to stay," he said softly, "And I think you know why."

Hermione looked up at the pale wizard who looked at her intensely, his eyes beginning to smolder. Her body answered his intense look with a sudden pulse that made her gasp. Severus' eyes narrowed slightly. He knew that response.

"No Severus…no," Hermione said as the Potions Master moved closer.

"Your mouth is saying no, witch…but I can feel your body's language. It's been a long time for both of us," he said in his most seductive voice. "You want me, Hermione. I've seen all the heated little looks you've given me…flushing in my presence. I was with you for four years, witch. Don't you think I know when you are aroused? You're healthy now, and a healthy body wants sex."

"No…" she said again, "We can't do this Severus. You…you have plans for yourself. To go back to exploring."

He nodded.

"Yes I do, but that has nothing to do with us tonight," he responded. "Tonight I am here…with you, witch. And I want you badly. I haven't had satisfactory sex since you made me leave you. I had one encounter and no others in all the time I was away from you. I didn't attempt it again, because of you. You ruined me for casual encounters, Hermione. I need this. You need this too. Admit it, and I promise you I'll be all you desire. You know me witch. You know how I make you feel."

Hermione felt warmth spreading over her body, and it wasn't from the water. She looked up at him but didn't say anything. She couldn't. She felt as if she had a lump in her throat as big as Hogwarts.

Severus stared at her. He wanted Hermione, but he wanted the witch to say yes. He had no doubt he could simply kiss her and she would fall to him as if he hit her with a battering ram…which was the general idea…but no, he wanted to hear her say she wanted him. He decided to try another tact.

"Hermione, I could handle being near you as long as there was no contact between us. The Queen influence is long gone, otherwise Albus, Ron and Remus would have been fawning over you. So this is me, Hermione…all me. You kissed me tonight, witch. I know it didn't seem like much, a kiss on the cheek. But I remember that soft mouth, and what it would do to me, witch, and I couldn't help wanting that again. That and more than that. In other words witch, you drew first blood. And to be honest, Hermione, if you truly believe I rescued you from your empty, lifeless world…is a kiss enough of a reward?"

Hermione scowled at him.

"You want me to repay you?" she asked him.

His mouth quirked.

"I'm a Slytherin, Hermione…you know that. You feel you owe me, don't you? The restoration of a life should be worth more than a kiss on the cheek," he said persuasively.

"Severus Snape, you have no ethics. You are as self-serving as ever," Hermione said to him, even as desire was boiling over her.

"Yes I am," he breathed, moving closer. "Tell me you'll let me fuck you witch. I'm starved. Look at my cock…it's huge and it aches."

Hermione felt Severus' cock push against her thigh and gasped. She didn't look down at it, but moved away slightly, breaking the contact while being covered in a full body flush. Suddenly Severus swung about and caught her between his body and the side of the pool, his arms on either side of her. He looked down at her hungrily.

"I'll make it good, witch," he hissed at her, lowering his head to kiss her.

Hermione tensed, but the wizard only planted a soft kiss on her mouth, his gentleness belying the raging desire thrumming through his loins. He hoped the witch said yes soon, or he might be forced to ravish her. It wouldn't be rape, because he knew she wanted him. He could see it in her eyes. This waiting…it was a witch thing. They always felt they had to protest at least a little before giving in.

"Say yes, Hermione," Severus said, kissing her shoulder this time, then her throat, then her lips again.

His mouth was so soft, so warm. The ache Hermione had worked so hard to get rid of returned in full force, and Severus felt the familiar tremble of need. He kissed her again, and again, moving from her mouth to her neck, to her shoulders and back, not touching her anyplace else.

Hermione closed her eyes and let him kiss her. It felt so wonderful. She hadn't been kissed like this in so long. She let out a little purr and the Potions Master returned to her mouth, kissing her fully this time, his tongue slipping into her mouth and twining around her own hungry muscle. The witch began to kiss him back, unable to help herself.

"Yes," Severus thought as he pressed his body against hers, slipping his arms under Hermione's armpits to keep her from slipping into the water. Her full breasts mashed against him. Gods they felt so good.

Severus broke the kiss. Hermione looked at him, her eyes glazed, hot and half-lidded.

"Say yes, Hermione Say you want me…I'll give you more. You know you want more," he breathed at her.

As Hermione gazed at Severus, flames licking up and down her body, she wondered why she was trying to resist him. Gods knew she wanted to feel him take her again, fill her and fill her over and over, those black eyes burning down at her. He was magnificent when he fucked, magnificent and talented. She didn't think she had ever engaged the Potions Master without orgasming. And orgasming sounded like such a good thing right now. Severus pressed against her harder, knowing the effect his body had to be having on her.

"Let me in," he breathed. "Let me have you, Hermione. You need me. You won't rest until we do this. You nor I. We'll be meeting like this every night if we don't do something about it."

He kissed her again, the witch's will melting away as his warm mouth captured hers again, claiming it hungrily. Hermione felt every doubt, every hesitation, every reason to say 'no' fall away. She wanted him...gods, she wanted him.

"Yes, Severus…yes," Hermione sobbed into his mouth, the final wall broken.

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A/N: Mmmm Mmmmm. Lemon time for sure. Please review.