All the way

That night, Severus tossed and turned. His chest felt weird at what she had said. She wanted to try and make him happy. But, if she did, then why did she bring that oaf back?

Surely she realized his intentions by now! Surely she realized that she was a desirerable young lady to him!

But that had been one mind blowing kiss. The feeling of her fingers in his hair... it was heavenly. Severus took some time to think. How much had his life changed in the past three weeks?

Before Hermione ever came to him, he had accepted the fact that he would die alone, with no one at his funeral, with no one crying, or even blinking because he would never take another breath.

He was sure that that had changed. He was sure that Hermione was blink and cry and be at his funeral. If he hadn\'t scared her with his temper.

Severus had always had a delicate temper; the slightest thing would send him crazy. He hoped the Hermione could see past that if he did pursue her. But that wouldn\'t be fair on her. She was young and gorgeous and had her life ahead of her; she didn\'t need some middle aged, sorry excuse man stalking her.

But she had put herself in this position. She had come to him. Life had not been fair to him, not by a long shot. Severus felt he deserved something pleasurable.

And if Hermione wasn\'t pleasurable then nothing was.
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Flustered still, Hermione couldn\'t sleep for hours after the kiss. She lay on the sofa thinking. What had got into him? And more importantly, what had got into her?

She knew that she should be angry. But as she sobered up, her drunken anger faded and confusion set in. \'For a short while\' did that mean he wanted more, or that he could find another way to be happy?

But Wow... it really was some kiss... a good kiss... better than good... mmm

It was at times like these that Hermione wished that Harry and Ron were not in America, but there next to her, telling her jokes and distracting her from thinking too much.

Her head was so messed up. She loved the kiss and maybe cared for Severus, but she couldn\'t act on these emotions. Firstly, she was still partially drunk. Secondly, he was fresh out of prison and needed time to let his emotions settle down. When he got back to Hogwarts, he would soon enough forget her. That was supposed to be a good thing, but if it was, why did it make her feel so sad?

Hermione scolded herself. She was only being her usual soppy self when it came to some one who needed her. With conviction, Hermione decided to help Severus, but keep her distance to make sure they didn\'t get attached to each other. That would definitely not be a good thing.
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Severus groaned and turned over. He hated mornings with detestation that it would rival how the wizarding world saw Voldemort. Some times he wished that he was a vampire, like people said, so that he wouldn\'t have to get up to blearing sun light.

Realizing that he wouldn\'t be able to sleep again, Severus crawled out of bed into the bathroom. He washed and changed his clothes. Looking in the mirror, he knew he was not the most handsome man, but he was a Slytherin and knew how to make the most of what he had.

His eyes, his voice, his strong arms and his hands. He realized quite early on that he could push a womans buttons with all those things. But he never had luck with females because of his temper and popularity rating. Temper: 100%, Popularity: -100%.

Severus composed his posture and strode from the bathroom and through the bedroom, into the living room. He stopped at the door and stared at the sofa where Hermione lay sleeping.

She was sitting up, still wearing the clothes she went out in. He tried his best not to think erotic thoughts, but fail and removed himself from her presence to the kitchen, sharp-ish.

Severus made him self some coffee and toast. He had located every thing last night. Taking his breakfast into the living room, he sat in a chair opposite the sleeping woman. Waiting.
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Groggily, Hermione slowly opened her eyes. She blinked a couple of times and started when she noticed Severus watching her from an arm chair opposite.

She gave him a sleepy smile and rubbed her eyes. Hermione went to stand up and winced. She had slept sitting up and her neck started to give her hell. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, getting ready to move again. When she opened them, however, Severus was gone. She was about to look around when two large hands landed on her shoulders.

Slowly and lightly, they massaged the top of her back and neck. Hermione sighed and relaxed. She started to enjoy it and then remembered what she had decided on last night.

Carefully, so as not to offend Severus, Hermione moved out of his reach, mumbled a thank you and darted for the kitchen. Her neck was still a bit tense, but she could put up with it if it meant he would stop touching her like that.

She downed a glass of water to settle her nerves and then pulled open her fridge. It was empty apart from what she thought could have been cheese and now looked like a green Crookshanks. She cursed and slammed the door.

A low chuckle sounded from behind her and she spun around to see Severus leaning against the door frame smirking. Remembering her wand was in her bag, Hermione started over to the living room. As she got to the door, Severus turned side ways, so that Hermione had to walk passed him side ways, so they would touch.

Holding her head high, Hermione shifted passed him, pressing her back against the door frame and trying no to make too much contact.

As fast as lightening, Severus hand her pinned against the door frame, one hand either side of her head. His mouth was close to her ear.

\"Good morning.\" He breathed. Hermione shivered and blinked hard, trying to regain her composure.

\"Good morning.\" She said lightly as she ducked under his arm and headed over to her bag on the floor by the sofa. She picked it up and fished out her wand.

Hermione straightened up and turned around. She let out a gasp. Severus was standing so close, nearly touching her. She had never thought of him as being the forward type -she had never really thought about him like that at all- but he was doing a good job of proving her wrong. She reminded herself that he was probably trying to find something stable to hold onto in this uncertain time in his life. He was most likely out of sorts. Not his self.

Hermione realized that she had been staring for some time and quickly moved past him, back into the kitchen. She pulled a plat out of a cupboard and conjured some toast and coffee.

She took it into the living room, where Severus was sitting on the sofa. Hermione sat in the arm chair. It made sense to Hermione to go on like nothing had happened and they were just like they had been for the past couple of days. In a weird kind of friendship.

Hermione sipped her coffee and ate some toast, then started to speak.

\"Toady, I was thinking that you might want to go out. To Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade -\"

She was interrupted when her fire burst into life. Ginny’s face beamed up at Hermione, not seeing Severus.

\"Hey Hermione!\" She squealed, \"We didn\'t see you leave last night, did you go with that guy? Gods he was fit, and I mean F-I-T!\"

Hermione heard Severus give a tiny growl.

\"Yes, we came back here -\" Hermione started.

\"Wow! Did you get some action? Was he good? Was he big?!\" The girl gushed. This time Severus said something.

\"Miss Weasley, if you wish to talk so openly, do it when I do not have to listen.\" He sneered.

Ginny blushed, \"Sorry Professor. Actually, it was you I came to speak to Hermione about,\" She looked back at Hermione, \"Mom and dad wanted to have a party, to celebrate his release.\"

Severus opened his mouth but Hermione cut in, \"That would be lovely,\" She shot a short glare at Severus, \"What time do you want us?\"

\"Mom said we\'re having dinner at five and then the party after, so come about 4:45.\" Ginny smiled then frowned \"I\'ll be the only one without a date!\"

\"What do you mean?\" Hermione asked.

\"Well, mom and dad, Tonks and Remus, Flitwick and Sprout, McGonagall has persuaded Moody to go with her and then there\'s you two. I\'ll be alone!\" Ginny listed.

\"Yes, well,\" Hermione frowned, \"See you later.\"

\"Bye Hermione, bye Professor.\"

\"Good day, Miss Weasley.\" Severus said as Ginny beamed and left the flames.

There was silence as Hermione ate the rest of her breakfast. One date couldn\'t hurt, could it?

Hermione banished her dirty dishes to the kitchen and looked over at Severus who was staring at her intently. She cleared her throat.

\"Well, what are you going to wear tonight? We could go shopping if you want?” Hermione asked lightly.

\"No, these clothes will do fine.\" He said.

\"What ever you want.\" She shrugged, \"I\'m gonna go find something to wear for tonight, and then get dressed and then we can go out. Think about where you want to go while you wait.\"

Hermione got up and left the room.
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Once Severus had decided where he wanted to go, he started to think on Hermione. She was a tough one to crack. She obviously liked his ministrations, but she was fighting them for some reason.

He would have to work harder. He tried to imagine his life when she finally left him and didn\'t like it at all. There was only one thing he could do. Make sure she never left him.

Finally she came out of the bedroom wearing a pair of jeans that hung low on her hips and a tweed coat. Her hair was pulled back in a pony-tail and she had some clear lip gloss on, making her look gorgeous and natural.
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Hermione picked up her wand and shoved it in her pocket. She looked up at Severus, his eyes were glittering.

\"So, where do you want to go?\" She asked as he stood up.

\"Hogwarts,\" He answered, \"While it’s the summer and there are no children.\"

Hermione had a feeling that he had only ever been near happy at Hogwarts. She could understand why he wanted to go there.

\"Alright, are you good for apperating?\" He nodded. \"Ok, see you out side the gates.\"

She waved and apperated.

Hermione appeared outside the gates to Hogwarts. A second later, Severus was standing right next to her. She looked up at him; his eyes were glazed over as he stared at the castle. She was sure she could see tears welling.

\"It\'s ok,\" She slipped her hand into his, and he looked down at her, \"You\'re home now.\" SH whispered. Severus nodded and then they started up to the castle.

They reached the front doors and Hermione pushed them open. Severus stared into the entrance hall. She watched as he took a deep breath and then led her in.

\"I needed to speak to Minerva any way, so you can look around while I go and see her.\" Hermione said as they stopped by the marble stair case. She tried to pull her hand out of his, but he gripped it tight.

Hermione looked up at him, Severus shook his head. Hermione sighed.

\"Where do you want to go first?\" She asked.

Severus didn\'t speak, only led her up the stairs. She followed blindly as he took her around the corridors and up more stairs. His pace was fast and she had to run to keep up. Finally Hermione knew where he was going, and his urgency to get there scared her.

At last they sprinted up the stairs to the tallest astronomy tower, where Dumbledore fell. The sun was warm and there was no breeze.

Severus pulled Hermione out into the air. According to what Harry had said, he now was standing where he had been that night. As he stared, his death grip on her hand tightened so much she thought her bones would break.

\"Severus,\" She said quietly as she placed her other hand on top of their clasped ones, \"Why don\'t we go down to your classroom, in the dungeons?\"

He stared for a moment more, then looked down at her and nodded.

\"Come on then.\" She pulled him gently around and back down the stairs.