Saving Miss Granger (Small Edit)

Chapter 19 ~ The Return to Hogwarts


Severus had tangoed before with different partners, yet it had always been about the dance itself, and not the partner. But tonight, he had a woman in his arms who he found desirable and was passionate about. When he and Hermione took the initial stance, the couple standing slightly offset, his right arm positioned around Hermione’s back, the fingers of his right resting across her spine, he could feel the witch, truly feel her…and his body took over.

When they did the initial five steps of "Slow, Slow, Quick Quick Slow", they were in perfect sync and the dance became more than a dance as they flowed counter-clockwise around the room, Hermione allowing the graceful wizard to lead her in promenades with left swivels, progressive rocks, quick, snappy spins, reverse pivots and cross body motions that led to triple fans, the wizard stepping back gracefully, one long leg extended behind him as the witch arched into him sensuously, then returning to the dance, their feet dovetailing in quick staccato motions. Severus jerked the witch into him, and Hermione wrapped her thigh around his leg, gazing up at him wantonly as she felt the musculature of the wizard under her calf.

Staring into her eyes hotly, Severus slowly drew his hand down Hermione’s thigh and calf possessively, sending thrills through her body, before snapping her out and yanking her back against him roughly, continuing their journey around the dance floor. They were the only couple tangoing, but had no sense of that. They were in their own little world. A world of movement and desire.

“Gods,” Lucius thought as he watched the couple. “That isn’t dancing. It’s foreplay."

Severus and Hermione continued to dance, perfectly in sync, the heat between them palpable, the watching patrons breaking into applause now and then. The tango ended with Hermione arched over the wizard’s arm and Severus arched over her as if ready to take her, his dark eyes blazing with desire as he looked down at the panting witch.

Applause and shouts of “well-done” rang out all around them and the couple seemed to come back to earth, Hermione blushing furiously at all the attention as she straightened, and Severus looking at the patrons soberly before escorting Hermione back to their table.

Severus pulled out her chair and made sure Hermione was seated properly before taking his own seat and pouring himself a glass of wine. He offered Hermione a bit but she declined, preferring to drink water. The tango had both worn her out and heated her up. The wizard could certainly move, and he was quite dominant on the dance floor, working her body expertly. Hermione wondered if she could be wrong about Severus’ sexual creativity. He certain had varied moves out on the dance floor, moves that left her excited and breathless.

She looked at the wizard with rather hot eyes. The hell with playing it cool. Severus was the most sensual wizard she had ever come in contact with and she was randy for him. All her perceptions of him being a cold, unfeeling wizard had gone flying out the turret window. He was a reserved wizard, but definitely a passionate one. No one could dance the way he did and not have a roaring fire inside him.

Hermione hoped the Potions Master didn’t mean what he had said to Lucius about her going to bed alone. She was certain they would become lovers…what difference did it make if it were sooner rather than later? Her body was rooting for ‘sooner.’ If he made an advance toward her…she would accept him. Pressing against that hard lean body beneath that suit made her want to tear it off him and feel him flesh to flesh.

Severus drank his wine, his thoughts on the witch. He could feel her passion while they danced…and there was no mistaking what he saw in her eyes. She wanted him…tonight. The food and the dancing and the extra care had done their job. He didn’t find anything wrong with her wanting to have sex with him on their first date. They had already been part of each other, and she was a grown, unattached witch with needs. But still…he had made a plan of action, and he intended to stick to it. He looked at his watch.

“Well, Hermione…I believe it is time we returned to the castle. I enjoyed tonight very much,” he said to the witch, who smiled at him.

“So did I, Severus. This was the most amazing date I have ever been on. You were wonderful,” she replied sincerely.

“Wonderful enough that you would consent to accompany me on another date next Friday night?” he asked her. “It will be quite different from this one…very casual, and I would suggest eating light before we depart.”

“Where are you planning on taking me?” Hermione asked him curiously.

The wizard smirked.

“It will be a surprise. But I believe jeans and trainers will be in order,” he replied. “So will you accompany me, my lady?”

Hermione didn’t have to think twice. She had an amazing time with the wizard.

“I would be delighted, Severus,” she replied.

The wizard felt his chest swell. He had made the impression he wanted, and the witch wanted to be with him. He would have crowed if it were appropriate, but instead he gave the witch a slight grin, lifted her hand and kissed it.

“Thank you,” he said silkily.

Severus motioned the waiter over and settled his bill, including a massive tip that left him scowling blackly as he escorted Hermione from the restaurant.

“I don’t see why they bother paying the waiters salaries,” he groused as he opened the double glass doors for Hermione to walk through, “that tip was almost two months of my own salary at Hogwarts. Good thing I get residuals.”

Hermione covered her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing. But the wizard didn’t complain about the cost of the meal itself. Obviously he thought showing the witch a good time worth the galleons. It just rankled him to pay others so much for so little. It was like giving money away.

The coachman had been keeping a sharp eye on the door and immediately brought the carriage up when the couple appeared. Lucius Malfoy and his date were just exiting the restaurant when Hermione and Severus entered the carriage. His eyes narrowed as he saw the Pegasii. Only one wizard had such a magnificent team. Hornswallow.

Lucius’ brow darkened. He had tried to borrow the team on several occasions, even offering to pay Percival a large sum to rent them for a night, but was always turned down by the wealthy wizard. Percival knew the kind of wizard Lucius was, and didn’t want his coach desecrated with mid-air orgies. He knew Severus would treat the carriage with proper respect. He wouldn’t be having the carriage fumigated or come stains cleaned from the rich fabric when the Potions Master returned it. He couldn’t say the same about Malfoy.

John flicked the reins and the carriage soared off into the night, Lucius watching it blackly for a moment as it flew silhouetted against the full moon. Then he turned and looked at Lucille, his gray eyes hard. He yanked her arm roughly.

“Come along, witch. You have quite a night ahead of you,” he growled, dragging her toward the apparition point.

“Yes, my Lord,” Lucille replied, a gush of lubrication filling her knickers as she half ran to keep up with his stride.

****************************************

Severus and Hermione rode in companionable silence, each thinking their own thoughts about the night. The witch found she didn’t want it to be over and surreptiously looked at the wizard sitting across from her. He was deep in thought, his face expressionless. He looked like his normal self now. Detached and self-contained. Far from the smiling wizard she jitterbugged with…different from the fiery man who danced so seductively with her less than an hour ago. There seemed to be many sides to Severus Snape. Hermione found she would like to discover them all.

Severus purposely didn’t look at the witch…it would be too much. Tonight had been wonderful, and the perfect ending would be to take her to his rooms and lose himself in her body and her passion. She looked quite amicable toward such an ending and no doubt would welcome him if he asked to stay the night with her, or invited her to his rooms for a nightcap…one that wouldn’t end until morning. But Severus had a kind of perversity with him. He enjoyed the hunt, particularly a successful one and indeed he had been quite successful with the witch, but he also enjoyed the game more.

He was like a cat who had cornered a mouse, but instead of instantly devouring it, played with it instead…allowing it to run off and seemingly escape before wrapping its claws around it once again. He was going to let Hermione escape, though he knew she didn’t want to run away. He wanted the witch so desperate for him, that she would go into meltdown. He didn’t know why he wanted this, but he did. He wanted her to want him to the exclusion of all else. He noticed her flush when Lucius appeared at their table. He suspected there was some residual attraction there, deep inside her. He was jealous of it and wanted it purged before he took her.

“It was quite a lovely night, Severus. I hate that it’s over,” Hermione said softly, her amber eyes shining.

The wizard looked up at her, his dark eyes gazing at her soberly.

“All good things must come to an end, Hermione,” he said evenly, trying to ignore the disappointment in her eyes, “but we will have the pleasure of each other’s company next weekend.”

Hermione slumped a bit.

“Yes, there is that,” she said morosely, pulling back the curtain and staring out into the night. There were few stars visible because of the full moon.

Why hadn’t he taken advantage of the opening she gave him? He was supposed to say “The night doesn’t have to end, Hermione.” Then they were supposed to spend the rest of the night discovering each other’s bodies. Maybe the wizard really did need help in the sex department.

Severus studied the witch, who was looking very thoughtful. Subtly, he entered her mind. He was very, very cautious, easing in gently. Hermione was an Occlumens and if she felt him, she would probably get extremely angry. But strong emotion dampened a person’s acuteness concerning Legilimency, and the wizard was able to enter without discovery.

What he found there made him sit up a bit, scowling. She thought he didn’t know how to fuck! Well, not that exactly, but that he had no creativity because of how he had taken her when she was under the influence of the hex. She thought him a good lover…just not a very versatile one. He saw both Marcus’ and Lucius’ possession of her. Damn. They had been on point, hadn’t they? But they were the kind of men to take advantage of the situation and did so. The wizard scowled blackly as he withdrew from her mind. Hermione closed the curtain and looked at the wizard, whose black eyes blazed at her angrily.

“Severus! What’s wrong?” she asked him.

“Nothing,” he said shortly, his nostrils flared.

This was almost enough to make him trash his plans, take the witch to his rooms and fuck her within an inch of her life. Him…not creative enough? Ooh, the witch was asking for a thorough whipping.

The carriage touched down, and Severus quickly opened the door, exited and helped Hermione out, looping her arm in his and pulling her tight against him possessively. He turned and looked up at John, reaching into his pocket to withdraw a few galleons.

“Thank you, John,” he called up to him, “I have a little something for you by way of appreciation for your services…”

The coachman smiled and waved it away.

“Not necessary sir. I’m paid well enough and it was my pleasure,” the coachman replied, tipping his hat to the couple. “Now I’m off sir. Both of you have a good night.”

The driver flicked the reins and the Pegasii galloped off then leapt into the sky, drawing the coach away into the night.

Severus nodded in approval.

“Now there is a man I wouldn’t mind tipping,” he said to Hermione as he opened the main doors and escorted her in.

They walked in silence down the dungeon corridor, each very aware of the other’s proximity. It was as if each were giving off heat. Severus stopped in front of her door and released her.

“I had a wonderful night, Hermione. You were the perfect companion. Thank you,” he said silkily kissing her hand, then staring down at her.

“I had a wonderful night too, Severus,” she said softly, her amber eyes looking at him with some heat. She hesitated for a moment, then said, “Would you like to come in for a nightcap?”

It was easy to see a nightcap was not all the witch was offering. Severus felt a powerful throb in his trousers and did his best not to react.

“No. Not tonight, Hermione. Maybe another time,” the wizard said tersely. Saying no felt as if it were the most difficult thing he had ever done.

“I see,” she said, her voice full of disappointment. Then she said, “Well, aren’t you going to at least kiss me goodnight?”

His dark eyes glinted.

“Do you want me to, Hermione?” he purred at her, moving a bit closer.

Hermione wanted to say kissing her was the least thing on her list of things she wanted him to do to her, but all she said was, “Yes.”

“Then how can I deny you?” he said softly, backing the witch against the door and lowering his head, kissing her gently, closed-mouth, sucking and pulling on her lips sensuously, fire spreading through the witch’s belly.

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to deepen the kiss, but the Potions Master gently pulled away, his body and cock protesting profusely.

“Patience,” he rasped at the witch. “All good things should be savored and not rushed.”

Hermione stared at him in disbelief. Most wizards would have been on her like a dragon on fresh meat. The Potions Master was getting more intriguing by the moment. If he had been Marcus, she’d probably be getting reamed against the door right now. But he was no Marcus, or Lucius. He was distinctly his own wizard…obviously one not led by physical desire.

The witch sighed, pulled her wand from between her breasts and unwarded her door. She turned to the wizard.

“Good night, Severus. It was magical,” she said to him softly.

“With you on my arm, how could it not have been?” he replied sincerely. “Good night, Hermione.”

Severus watched as the witch entered her rooms and closed the door. He left when he heard it lock and the witch say several wards. He walked a bit gap-legged. His cock was at full mast, throbbing insistently as if to say, “You fool you!”

Disillusioned and hugging a niche, Marcus had to agree. The witch was almost begging for it and the idiot walked away. “All good things were to be savored?” What a bunch of dragonshit. Pussy was to be enjoyed fully whenever offered. The wizard was fucking crazy.

Marcus watched Severus let himself into his office, then made his way back up the dungeon corridor, heading for his own rooms. Obviously the couple had a good night together…good enough that the witch had wanted the wizard to come to her rooms and give her a depth check. Shit.

Marcus’ violet eyes shifted to black for a moment. Well, at least the snarky bastard left the witch randy. A randy witch was usually quite ripe for seduction. Maybe he could find a way to take advantage of this situation. She wanted the Professor, that was obvious, and most likely the two would become an item, taking the witch out of the loop as far as Marcus was concerned. The wizard looked thoughtful as he crossed the main hall.

Perhaps he could work on the witch another way. Get in one last shot before she hooked up with the Potions Master. Make her an offer that she might not refuse.

An offering of peace.

Marcus grinned wickedly. Hermione was a Gryffindor and a soft touch. She wouldn’t like the idea of Marcus and Severus dueling over her and being the reason for a wizard getting hurt or possibly killed. Marcus could promise to back off if she gave him one final roll between the sheets, and she and the Professor could happily do their thing after that without any interference. He wouldn’t pursue her any longer.

It was dirty Quidditch, but perhaps it could work. Then he could let it slip to the Professor he had knocked Hermione’s boots again and hopefully the snarky fuck would give up on the witch, thinking her unsuitable for an exclusive relationship. Marcus rubbed his hands together.

It sounded like a plan. It was a long shot, but it could work.

All he could do was try.

**************************************
A/N: Nice Tango. Severus playing hard to get. Hermione’s going to end up melting into a sticky puddle if the wizard keeps this up. Marcus is one conniving bastard, isn’t he? I wonder if Hermione would go for it for the sake of peace? Hmmm. Anyway, please review.