Saving Miss Granger (Small Edit)

Chapter 24 ~ The Surprise


The couple appeared on a rolling, green landscape at the bottom of a rise. Hermione looked around as Severus released her, having the feeling that she’d been here before. There was nothing but open land as far as the eye could see.

“Where are we?” she asked, gazing around. “This looks familiar…but I can’t place it.”

Severus gave her a half-smirk and took her arm.

“Come on,” he said beginning to walk up the rise with the witch. When they reached the crest of the rise, Hermione’s eyes grew round as saucers.

“I know this place! This was where the Quidditch World Cup was held when Ireland defeated Bulgaria. But that’s not the stadium,” she said looking across the landscape.

“No, it’s not,” Severus agreed looking down at Hermione as her face split into a huge smile.

“Oh Severus! It’s an amusement park!” she gushed, clapping her hands together like a little girl as the wizard’s eyes drank her delight in.

It seemed he had struck gold again.

“Come on!” Hermione said, grasping the pale wizard’s hand and charging down the slope, dragging Severus after her toward the great fenced in area. It looked as if thousands of people were in attendance, great crowds of them milling about, huge wizarding rides towering over them, whirling, twisting and plunging in the fading light.

Hermione stopped for a moment to watch, Severus standing close behind her, the witch’s eyes shining as a roller coaster car filled with screaming passengers looped the loop in mid-air, flying off the tracks as it did so, then landed with a jolt back on the rails before diving straight down, disappearing with its shrieking cargo. A Ferris wheel spun slowly in the normal vertical position, then slowly changed, tilting horizontally, its passengers held in place by magic. As the sun set, thousands upon thousands of colored lights blinked on, turning a magical place even more magical.

“Severus…this is wonderful. I haven’t been to an amusement park for years,” she said looking up at him. Then she embraced him and stood on her toes and kissed his cheek.

“I thought you might enjoy it,” the wizard said, looking down at her and thinking the best ride she was going to experience tonight would be 'The Snapenator' in a few hours. He grinned slightly and let her lead him to the ticket booth.

The wizard paid for two full passes and both he and Hermione were fit with bracelets that could not be removed until they exited the park. If removal were attempted, the bracelets would keen loudly, attracting amusement park employees who would then escort the offending witch or wizard from the park. The bracelets were made this way so they wouldn’t be shared between visitors.

A large signboard stood next to the ticket booth. At the top of it was a list of park rules. Reading down the list, Severus discovered that there was a dampening spell on the bracelets which keep visitors from performing magic. No disillusioned passengers sneaking on rides here. Severus scowled a bit, then looked at his ring. No problem. He had no intention on waiting in long lines to get on rides.

The signboard also had the names and descriptions of the most popular rides. He looked down the list and pointed at one.

“This sounds interesting,” he said to Hermione who read the name.

“The Urinator? Severus, you have to be joking,” she said, laughing.

“It sounds exciting,” he said, looking interested.

“Exciting enough to make you piss your trousers,” Hermione replied.

Severus didn’t care. They were going to get on that ride before the night was over. The wizard bought Hermione a huge multi-colored cotton candy, and the witch held on to his arm as she ate it, drinking in everything wide-eyed. She stopped in front of a sign.

The Flying Carpet Ride.

They couldn’t see the ride…a large curtain rising to an amazing height was draped before it. It was a one-way curtain. Patrons on the ride itself could see all around the park, but those waiting couldn’t see the ride in action..

“That sounds nice,” Hermione said.

Severus thought they were hiding the ride for a reason but didn’t say anything other than, “Let’s get in line.”

”All right,” Hermione said walking to the end of the long line. She was stopped by Severus, who looped his arm through hers and twisted the ring.

“Follow me,” he said walking to the front of the line and slipping between waiting patrons. He twisted the ring again.

“Hey!” a witch said behind them, “When did you get here? I didn’t see you standing here!”

Severus scowled down at her and the other frowning patrons.

“Maybe you weren’t looking hard enough,” he replied, facing forward and ignoring the witch’s protestations until she stopped and stood behind the couple sullenly.

“Severus…we cut,” Hermione whispered to him, looking uncomfortable.

“No one saw us cut, so that is a matter of opinion,” the wizard said, “As far as I’m concerned, we just got in line. Only our placing was…strategic.”

Hermione sighed. She was going to have to get used to the wizard. But it was kind of nice not to have to wait more than half an hour. Presently the line moved up and a wizard in a turban parted the curtain to show them a small Persian rug with tassels on each end drifting about six inches in the air. They were at the base of a rather tall citadel with windows all running all around its smooth glassy surface.

“Welcome to the Magic Flying Carpet Ride. Please mount the carpet. Sir, you first,” the wizard said, gesturing to Severus. The wizard sat down on the carpet.

“Now Miss, you sit between his legs and scoot back. You might want to hold on to her, sir,” the wizard said to Severus with a wink.

Severus wrapped his arms around Hermione, pulling her back against him possessively.

“Now, there will be no need to panic at any point on the carpet. You are both held on by magic and there are secondary protections as well. Now, enjoy your ride,” the wizard said.

He said an invocation and the carpet took off gently, flying in a slow, spiraling pattern around the tower. Inside the windows were actors playing out scenes. Caliphs, soldiers and servants going about their royal business and duties. One window showed scantily clad dancing girls. Severus cleared his throat a little and Hermione elbowed him lightly.

“You don’t have to eye them when you have me,” she said.

“Indeed,” the wizard said, tightening his hold around Hermione’s waist and lowering his lips to her throat, kissing it gently and teasingly.

Hermione sighed as the wizard’s lips moved over her flesh softly, leaving a trail of fire in their wake and she pressed back against him until she felt his shaft throbbing against her buttocks.

The wizard groaned and let his hands slip to her breasts, fondling the witch, his breathing increasing as they gently floated upward. He pressed his cock against her soft ass.

“I’m going to love fucking you,” Severus breathed into Hermione’s ear passionately, as he began to caress her breasts with more alacrity, the witch moving against him, moaning, sighing, her eyes closed in pleasure at the feel of his hands on her body.

Severus could feel the hardened peaks of her nipples beneath his palms and tweaked them making the witch hiss and press back against him, rolling her ass. The wizard slid one hand down her belly and over her thigh, tempted to slip his fingers inside her jeans and touch her heat.

Hermione’s head lolled back against the wizard’s shoulder, her mouth open.

“Kiss me, Severus…let me taste you,” she whispered, overcome with need. The wizard did so, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as the witch worked her body against him, needing to get closer. Gods…she couldn’t stand this.

“Severus,” she groaned, “Do you think we could…”

”No,” he whispered, licking around the witch’s ear. “This ride won’t last long enough.”

”I’m burning up,” Hermione groaned, her pelvis thrusting forward.

“Damn,” Severus thought as they reached the top of the citadel and the carpet stopped.

The witch and wizard didn’t notice as they continued their passionate petting.

“Severus,” Hermione hissed with need.

“Yes…yes. I’m with you witch,” he said softly, beginning to work his hand under the waist of her jeans, his hand pressed against her hot flesh, slipping under her knickers. He would give her release…

Suddenly the carpet plummeted, free-falling through the air, Hermione screaming at the top of her lungs, turning and clutching Severus, whose eyes were wide in shock. Something was wrong with the carpet. They were falling to their deaths.

The wizard held on to the witch, wrapping his body around hers protectively, their hair streaming upward as they descended, the windows of the citadel whizzing by and growing broader as they approached the base.

“Hold on, Hermione!” Severus cried to the shrieking witch, doing his best to curl around her and absorb the brunt of the impact. Perhaps she would survive. He closed his eyes and waited for the end. At least he was with someone who cared about him.

Suddenly the carpet slowed, then dropped low, stopping

“Ride’s over,” said the grinning turbaned wizard. Severus was knotted securely around Hermione. Another couple caught by surprise.

Hermione stopped screaming.

“We’re alive?” she asked incredulously.

“Apparently so,” Severus said, unwrapping his body from around hers, and getting off the carpet. He helped Hermione off, the witch trembling so badly he pulled her into him to comfort her.

“This is a terrible ride,” she said to the turbaned wizard, who was grinning broadly. It was a good thing that she couldn’t use her wand. He’d be wrapped in that damned turban like a mummy if she could.

Severus couldn’t help smirking. He thought the ride wonderful in retrospect. Perhaps it was a good thing they dropped when they did. Things were rather heated at the top of the citadel. The cold fear that washed over them had been like getting hit with a bucket of never-ending ice water. They cooled quickly.

“Come on, Hermione. Time for the next ride,” he said to the witch, leading her out the exit.

The exit was in a different location than the entrance. If the waiting patrons got a load of the people who just finished the ride, they would know to expect something frightening. They really had the Flying Carpet Ride set up well.

Once outside, Hermione caught her breath, then started laughing hysterically.

“Gods, Severus…that was great,” she said, holding her stomach. She was able to appreciate the ride now that the fear was out of her system.

“Yes it was,” the wizard agreed.

Hermione stopped laughing. She could tell by the wizard’s eyes that he wasn’t talking about the carpet ride. The wizard lifted her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of it.

“I think we should stick to rides that have other passengers, Hermione…or we will have nothing to look forward to at the end of our date…” he said softly, but there was iron under his voice.

“Yes we would,” Hermione countered, her amber eyes heating up.

“More.”

Severus drew in a deep, steadying breath, then started off, yanking the witch behind him roughly toward the next ride.

“Come on, witch…we have a date to finish,” he said darkly.

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Severus and Hermione made the rounds of the amusement park, cutting in line and getting on the choicest rides in mere minutes, leaving a crowd of grumbling, complaining patrons behind them. Severus silenced quite a few with a deadly glare. Even without the threat of magical harm, he was a daunting wizard.

They rode the Ferris wheel, the Spinner, which was an actual spider of immense proportions that slung them about in a web balloon, Hermione screaming at the top of her lungs and clutching Severus for dear life. The wizard loved it. They then went on the rollercoaster Hermione saw when they first arrived. Not only did it loop the loop in midair without tracks, it took them in close proximity to fire-breathing dragons, club-wielding trolls, snarling Manticoras and a slew of other magical monsters and creatures. Severus was almost sure they were sensate illusions…it would be too difficult to train real creatures not to pluck at least one tasty, screaming human out of the cars as they passed.

They went on numerous rides, but never made it to the Urinator. Both witch and wizard decided against it when they saw the departing riders actually being scourgified of piss. Severus won Hermione a huge stuffed dragon from a booth, by filling up a balloon with water from a provided wand faster than anyone else. Finally the crowds thinned and the lights of the rides began winking out as they were closed down for the night.

Severus carried the ridiculous stuffed dragon for the witch as they walked toward the exit. They were both silent…knowing what was ahead. Finally Severus spoke.

“Did you enjoy yourself?” he asked the witch, his dark eyes washing over her petite form.

“Yes, I had a wonderful time,” she said.

“The night isn’t over, witch…not if you don’t want it to be,” he said.

Hermione looked up at him.

“I don’t Severus. I feel as if I don’t want it to ever be over,” she said softly.

The wizard stared at the witch, his dark eyes seeming even darker than normal.

“I will make tonight last, witch. Tonight all my strength is yours,” he said in a low voice, slipping his arm through hers. “Come, let us return to Hogwarts. We have much to discover about each other and ourselves.”

He pulled Hermione close and disapparated.

Their moment had arrived.

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A/N: Aw, he took her to an amusement park. How sweet. Things sure got hot on that carpet ride. Lol, even Severus thought they were going to die when it dropped. It was sweet how he tried to protect Hermione with his body. Even the rides are cock-blocking in this story. Lol. Anyway, the lemons are ahead. Please review.