Time and Again

Severus waited outside of the shop holding a couple of shopping bags that had been shrunk down to be manageable to carry. He still had plans after this but he did not want Hermione coming with him but knew that he had already given her permission to do so, could not back down now.

Hermione rushed out the door so fast that she didn't even see Severus standing there waiting for her. She quickly bustled down the alley heading towards the owl emporium.

Severus huffed. "You're welcome." He muttered turning down towards the cemetery.

The inside of the owl emporium was hectic and loud. Lazy owls hooted at the raucous that the mice in various cages were making. One cage of mice were doing cartwheels around the cage. Hermione stopped for a few seconds to watch the strange show. She moved farther into the store and headed towards the cat treats to pick some up for Crookshanks. Half way across the store she heard a loud shriek and ducked just in time to avoid being caught by the claws of a raven. Standing up properly again she glared at the bird who returned the stare.

"Don't mind him.... he's a bit.... cranky at the best of times." The store owner said. "Been here a while, no one wants him. Names Amaranthine."

"That's a very nice name," Hermione responded "too bad his attitude doesn't seem as pretty. What does it mean?" She now looked at the bird with an interested eye. She knew a wizard who had a rather foul disposition at the best of times too.

"It means 'Undying.' It was named after a mythical flower that will live forever. That ravens been here years.... hasn't aged a bit..." He said. "Earned his name well I'd say..."

"How much would you want for him?" Hermione asked. She could get Severus a birthday present and try to repay him for her beautiful new wand.

"You want him?" He asked masking his shock. "You can have em... ruddy things caused me nothing but trouble.... picks on the other animals a lot. Be doing me a favour by taking him really."

"I can't just take him from you. I mean he's really a beautiful creature if a little testy." Hermione chastised herself mentally for not just taking the man up on his offer. Why can't I just keep my mouth shut for once? "I know the perfect person to be his master."

"I'll take no more than two sickles. I'd feel like I'd be cheating you. Besides I remember you buying that cat.... more like a pig if you ask me..."

"Crookshanks is an absolute darling for me. He's really quite clever." Hermione argued with the sales clerk. "I love him all to bits. Oh and that reminds me I came in to get him some treats." She quickly shuffled over to the cat treats and picked up a couple of bags. Then she made it over to the cash desk where the clerk had wandered to. "If you would add these to the cost of Amaranthine I would be grateful. And some supplies for him as well." Hermione smiled charmingly.

The clerk gathered up some food for both Crookshanks and Amaranthine and pulled out his cage. It was a dark gray steal colour, the bars thicker than an owl cage. "Now the trick is getting him in there..." He said with a laugh. The man pulled out a wand and aimed it at Amaranthine who flew away to the other side of the room. The store owner sighed. Aiming it again the bird froze and turned on the spot. "I generally don't resort to this on animals as it is illegal, so I would appreciate you not saying anything." He said as the bird flew into the cage. It stayed still a moment before it seemed to shake his head and screech in protest at being locked up.

"Oh dear." Hermione exclaimed. "I won't tell sir, but is it really the only way. Doesn't he listen to reason? He seems rather intelligent to me." Hermione pulled the proper coinage out of her bag and handed it to the cashier.

"I've been trying for years to train him but.... no matter what I've tried he refuses to listen... you, or whoever you give him to has their work cut out for them." He said with a slight laugh. "You still want him?"

"Of course I still want him." she said "I seem to want to give all your little monsters a home. Besides if Amaranthine wants to remain as he is he'll have to learn to be on his best behaviour. The wizard I'm giving him to has a nastier attitude than he could ever have. I believe they'll be a perfect match."

The man smiled. "I hope so." He said handing her the cage.

She grasped onto the handle of the cage and picked it up. The bird inside gave a great screech but she ignored him as she would on many days to come. Thanking the owner she headed out the door and onto the street. Looking around she tried to find Severus but he was nowhere she could see him.

---

Severus walked through the shallow snow making his way past grave among grave, walking through the rows of snow covered stone. He finally stopped in front of one in particular. He crouched down on one knee his arms resting on the other. He rested his chin on his arm and stared down at the inscription on the stone.

'Eileen Prince,
Caring mother,
Loving Wife

1932-1982'

Next to her was his father.

'Tobias Severus Snape
PVT British Army
World War II
Purple Heart

1921-1981'

Severus scoffed at this. Of course he would get credited for that. Father never shut up about how he had been injured during the war, saving one of his buddies. He wanted to pull out his wand and burn it out of his grave stone; he wasn't sure what was holding him back.

Hermione found Severus sitting like this sometime later. She tried to walk carefully and quietly up to him but the bird was making it difficult. She really didn't want to interrupt his mourning.

Severus looked up at Hermione letting her know that he knew she was there.

"I'm sorry Severus," she said, juggling the cage and her bags "I can wait outside if you want. I just wanted to make sure you knew where I was so we didn't miss each other."

"It's alright... I'm done here..." He said giving his mother’s grave one last look before standing up and joining Hermione. "What's that?" He asked pointing down at the covered cage unable to see what's inside. It looked like a bird cage but there was no sound coming from it.

"Um...." Hermione looked slightly stumped. She hadn't thought out how to give him his present."It’s for you." she held out the wobbling cage.

"For what?" He asked getting suspicious.

"Well it was a spur of the moment gift really..." Hermione started. "It just kinda landed in my lap or more my hair really. Immediately I thought of you and then I know that your birthday is coming up so I thought it would be a birthday gift because you're my friend and I buy gifts for my friends so it seemed appropriate. And then there is the fact that you bought me my wand which I don't think I was supposed to tell you but you got me rambling and I can't seem to stop so yeah that's pretty much it and I'll just leave now."

"You.... Got me a birthday present?" He asked confused.

Hermione bit her lower lip so that she wouldn't start talking again. She nodded.

Snape looked confused. "Why?" He asked. "N... No one’s ever bought me a birthday present before...." He said looking at the covered cage confused.

"Because I wanted to." Hermione stated walking closer to him so she could lay the cage at his feet. "Because you are my friend and you deserve a birthday present."

"Um... thank you?" It was more of a question than anything looking at the cage still sceptical about opening it. He crouched down next to it and slowly pulled the cloth covering off of it.

Underneath the cloth inside the cage sat the raven. He looked to be sulking. "His name is Amaranthine."

"Endless?" He asked. "Did the owner say why?" He asked honestly curious.

"He said that he hadn't aged a day since he got him and he's been in the shop for a fair few years." Hermione smiled at Severus "Do you like him?"

"Yeah..." He said. "He's really nice.... um.... thank you...."

"You're very welcome." Hermione said. "So what do we need to do now?"

"Well I wanted to floo over to my house.... assuming I still have one... and see where I live."

"Ok, but I think we should apparate instead of flooing. You've always seemed to have an issue with the floo network." Hermione grimaced thinking about the hexes she'd heard had been applied to some of the floo network entryways.

"I'm not old enough to apparate.... I haven't passed my test yet." He said picking up the cage and moving out of the cemetery.

"What about a port key?"

"Can you make one?" He asked as they reached the gate.

"Yes, can't you?" Hermione paused for a second to glance at him before walking through the gate onto the street. "Oh, wait; did you get a chance to visit Lily?"

Severus paused. "She was buried at Godric's Hollow. And I'd rather not." He said sounding hurt as he walked out the gate and onto the road.

"I'm sorry Severus." Hermione said rushing after him "Sometimes things just pop out of my mouth, it’s a disease really. Incurable. I just remembered that you were friends and the cemetery thing and all that. It wouldn't be difficult to sidetrack if you wanted. Please stop me from talking."

"I don't.... want.... to go...." He said through clenched teeth.

"OK, I'm sorry." Hermione lowered her eyes so he couldn't see that she was tearing up for all the deaths he had just been bombarded with. "Where should I make the port key for?" she decided changing subject would be best and grabbed an old copy of the Daily Prophet from the street to use in the charm.

"I'd assume, knowing my lot in life, Spinners End." He said still kind of annoyed and depressed all at the same time. "Or so you told me."

"OK." Hermione said and gave the paper a couple of taps and a few pokes. "You'd better hold on."

Severus clutched the cage in his hand and grabbed onto the paper.

She tapped the paper one last time and that familiar tug behind their navels was felt. Spinning for a few seconds they both landed in a heap in a back alley by Spinners End.

Severus sighed and stood up picking up the cage with the squawking bird.

"Oy," Hermione exclaimed "I hate magical travelling. Why can't we ever stay upright? Is it really too much to ask?" she grumbled while picking herself up off the concrete. After dusting herself off she stood up strait and almost walked right into Severus' back. She stumbled and waited for him to start moving.

"My house is the one right on the end." He said pointing at the end townhouse. "At least as far as I know..."

"OK, let’s go." Hermione said. She moved to stand beside him. She held out her hand to him as an encouragement.

Severus ignored her hand and made his way towards the house. Walking up to the door he put his hand onto the door knob. He felt it heat up a moment before it went to a normal temperature and the door opened.

Hermione followed a little upset that he had not taken her hand. "At least it recognizes you." She said when the door opened. "Would you like to go in by yourself or can I come in too?"

"You can come in too..." he said putting the bird cage down on the table by the entrance. He walked into the living room and looked around. Looking at all the books on the walls. Almost every inch of wall was covered in shelves even the backs of the doors had shelves. "Mother would have loved this..." he said looking at the books.

"Is that where you get your love of books from?" Hermione queried, not even really paying attention to the fact that she had asked a question. She was too intent on all the books. Walking forward her hand drifted towards the spines of all the books, every last one looking as fascinating as the next.

"Yeah... Back when my father was alive we weren’t allowed to have books in the house." he said. "My father hated magic"

"That’s sad." She said. "No books at all?"

"We had a few when I was really little but they where kids books..." he said. "My dad found out when I was three that I could use magic. He... Changed after that." he said quietly looking around at each book. "Towards both Me and my mother."

"I'm sorry," Hermione said quietly "I shouldn't be asking such personal questions." She turned and looked at him for the first time since they had entered the house. "I wish you didn't have so many bad memories to live with."

"nothing you can do about it." he said as if snapping back to reality. "I'm going to go look upstairs." he said moving towards the stairs.

Hermione followed, curious as to what the rest of his house would look like. It had surprised her so far; she wanted to know what other secrets her former potions professor had.

The townhouse was very small with stairs that where so narrow that only one person could go by at a time. Snape reached the top of the stairs and looked around. There was a small narrow hall way that wasn't much wider than the stairs but was wide enough for two people to get past each other. There where to rooms off to the right and one at the end of the hall. The door at the end of the hall was open and lead to a bathroom that hadn't changed other than age from last he saw it. He opened the first door to his right to what he knew as his bedroom. When he opened the door he looked around.

The walls in this room were also covered in books though not as many. He could see small spaces of the walls that had a few painting on them. On one side there was a writing desk with some quills and parchment and a few potions bottles and an hour glass. On the other side of the room built into one of the book shelves were a few drawers. He moved to them and opened them. The top one help potions ingredient. The second potions bottles, no doubt his own personal store. The third one... he paused as he opened the bottom on and sat on the floor. There were a lot of different items most of them belonging to his mother.

Hermione had followed him into the room and as normal went straight to look at the various books covering the shelves. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him sit down on the floor. "What did you find?" she inquired.

"Nothing." He said shutting the drawer again. He stood up and moved out of the room again. Looking down the hall he made his way to the next room. It used to be his parents room but by the looks of it he had converted it into his own room. He moved into the room. It was rather empty, his parents’ bed had been replaced with a larger version of his own, his dresser that he had in his old room was now in here though it looked a lot better than it had last time he saw it. The drawers where mended and the leg was fixed so it no longer had that obnoxious wobble his father kept saying he'd fix. There was a closet but opening it he saw two boxes on the top shelf and one on the floor but nothing else. No doubt he didn't spend much time here.

Hermione got distracted reading all the titles from the books and didn't notice Severus leave the room. Slowly she read the title of every book on the shelves. When she looked up she noticed she was the only one in the room. "Severus?" she called wandering out into the hall.

"In here." He called out to her as he pulled a box down from the top shelf.

"In where?" she whispered to herself. She tried to follow his voice or at least where she thought it was and made it to the room that he was in. He was pulling down a box from inside the closet. "Would you like some help?"

He opened the small box and looked inside. His eyes watered and put the box back up the closet. "No." He said simply putting the box back. He whipped his eyes and moved away from the closet.

"You know you don't have to do that don't you? It’s why I came along, or rather one of the reasons." She said as she walked over to him as he stayed facing away from her. On impulse she reached around him from behind and gave him a hug.

Severus's entire body stiffened in response and refrained from instinctively swinging at her out of defence. "Let go please."

"No." She replied "You need a hug, a good no strings attached hug so you know that there are people who care for you."

Severus pushed her away from him though he was careful not to hurt her. "I don't need anyone to care for me. I never have." He said moving away from her.

"And look how well that turned out for you," Hermione snarled lightly at him "You were a middle aged man with no friends, no family and a snarky disposition. Yes I can see nobody caring for you did wonders for your life."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" He asked turning on her. "You think you can just throw yourself into my life, follow me around like a little lost puppy and what? Everything all better? You think one person in my life is going to make a ruddy difference?"

"I am not following you around like a puppy." She shouted back at him. "I am trying to be supportive of you. When your life turns upside down its always good for someone to be there so you don't have to carry the burden all by yourself. All the pressure will eventually cause you to break."

"Did you do this before?" He asked. "When I was.... older? Didn't think so.... what makes it different now?"

"What does it matter?" Hermione demanded. "Besides it’s my fault you're like this, I have to take responsibility." She blushed deeply, not having planned to say that.

"So what I'm just some way to relieve your guilt?" He asked. "Don't bother."

"That’s not it at all." She fumed "you know that’s not it."

"How do I know that? I don't know you... You don't know me... we have NOTHING to do with each other!"

"That’s not true either. We've gotten to know each other over the little time we've known each other. Let me get to know you better, let me help you."

"I don't need help." He said walking towards the door to leave.

Hermione stepped into the doorway blocking his path. "Yes you do." she poked him in the chest to reinforce her words.

Severus grabbed her wrist, by this point he was angry. "Why won't you just leave me alone?" He asked.

She tried to yank her wrist out of his fist but he over powered her. "Because I'm more stubborn than you are." She yelled in his face. "Get used to it; I'm going to make you listen."

Severus stared at her not letting go of her wrist. He didn't know how it happened but the next thing he knew he leaned forward and kissed her, still not letting go of her wrist.

At first Hermione was so shocked all she could do was stand there but after a second of inaction, she leaned into the kiss and ran her free hand up to the back of his neck to play with his hair.

Severus broke the kiss and stepped back. His face was beat red as he stared down at the floor. "I.... shouldn't have done that..."

"Why ever not?" Hermione asked, gasping trying to catch her breath. "It’s not like I was objecting."

"Still.... I had no right..." He said turning from her.

"Don't go back to being sulky." She reached out and grasped his hand trying to make him look at her again. "Please?"

Severus looked back to her. He wasn't angry any more just... Lost. He leaned forward again though hesitantly. He wanted to kiss her again but didn't want to force her this time.

Hermione leaned forward as well, raising her chin so her lips could meet his. She wrapped her arms around his neck guiding his lips down to hers for a second amazing kiss.

Severus had no idea why he was doing this. He should stop. He should walk away. Instead he deepened the kiss moving his hands up her body to rest on her hips.

Hermione moaned lightly when he deepened the kiss and she opened her mouth slightly to encourage him to deepen it even more. The feel of his hands on her made her giddy and she continued to play with his hair on the back of his neck, loving how it slid through her fingers.

Severus slowly pushed his tongue into her mouth seeking out hers. He moaned into the kiss as well and moved closer to her.
Hermione closed the remaining space between their bodies. She clutched him to her like he was her lifeline. All thoughts escaped her. All that existed was her and Severus and this amazing kiss.

Severus groaned in both frustration and pleasure as he felt himself swell. He moved away from her a bit hoping that she wouldn't feel its sudden appearance.

Hermione felt him start to pull away but she was having none of it. She followed behind him and moved her body back into contact with him, gasping a little when he came back into contact and she felt a new bump where there hadn't been one against her stomach before. Realizing what it was she grinned while continuing to kiss him.

Severus blushed furiously as he continued to kiss her. He had never had a girl do this before. To be honest he’d never been kissed by a girl before let alone have one pressed up against him like this.

Happy that he didn't pull away again, Hermione continued to kiss him enjoying the war that their tongues were fighting for control of the kiss. She rubbed her body along his trying to get even closer together than they already were. Wanting more friction she released one hand from the back of his head and moved one of his hands from her hips up her ribcage to her breast.

Severus got the hint and began to move his hand over her breast as he moved her back towards the bed.

Hermione followed trying to keep in as much contact with him as possible but it was difficult with him moving backwards. Suddenly she crashed into him, he had stopped suddenly. The momentum of her crashing into his chest put them off kilter and they both landed in a bit of a tangle on top of his giant bed, Hermione on top of Severus.

Severus groaned as she rubbed hard against his swollen cock. He felt like he was going to cum right there. He closed his eyes and forced himself not to. He wasn't a... Well... He was a teenager but that was still no excuse.

"Budge up." Hermione whispered in his ear. It was awkward laying half on and half off the bed. Slowly the two moved farther up the bed until they were fully on it. Hermione sat up and smiled down at Severus. Then she leaned back down and started to kiss his neck, just under his ear where she'd read that there was an erotic zone.

Severus moaned and wanted to touch her but didn't want to do anything she'd find inappropriate. He continued to play with her breasts as he tilted his head to the side allowing her to kiss his neck.

As she continued to kiss and suck on his neck she moved one hand down in between their bodies caressing every part of Severus that she touched. Soon enough her hand drifted over his cock where it stopped and she stroked it through his pants a couple of times. Then gently she grasped it in her hand tentatively, being the first time that she had ever touched a penis, albeit through clothing.

Severus groaned. "We should... We should stop." he said though he pressed up into her hand.

"Why?" Hermione whispered in his ear. She released him and went to work on releasing the zipper of his pants, still kissing his face, jaw lips, neck and any other area her lips could reach while keeping her body pressed against his.

Severus put his hands on her hips and pulled her forward rubbing himself up against her. She groaned with the sensation of the friction between them and managed to reach her hand inside his pants and behind his undershorts firmly grasping his penis in skin on skin contact. The skin was soft and silky yet covering the iron hardness that was his erection. The feel was amazing to her.

Severus groaned again. "Stop... I'm going to..." he paused trying to calm himself enough to keep him from Cumming.

Hermione groaned too, thrilled that she could make him lose control. She gave a light squeeze and the released him only in order to pull down on his waist band and expose him to the cool air of the room. "I think that's the idea."

"Hermione... Why are you doing this? You don't have too."

"I know I don't have to, I want to." She crept do his body to pull his pants completely off him.

"Hermione... how... um.... how far are we taking this?" He asked blushing as he was completely exposed to her. He didn't want to accidentally do something that might offend her.

"Why? Do you really want to stop?" Hermione asked thinking that maybe she was being a little too forceful. "I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to." She said looking down into his face while nibbling on her bottom lip, trying to find out if he didn't like what was happening.

"No it's.... not that I just.... I don't want to go too far.... I don't want to scare you away...." He said his face turning red in embarrassment.

Hermione grinned at him, her nervousness almost evaporating. "You have no need to worry. You are one damn sexy wizard, and I'll tell you if I'm not ready for something. Now just relax, I'll take good care of you." She leaned into his body again went back to kissing him.

Severus moaned into the kiss moving his hands up her sides. He lifted her shirt up as he went and stopped when he met her bra.

"Keep going."

Severus looked up at her before looking back down at her chest as he lifted up her shirt and pulled it up over her head. He put it down beside them and stared at her not knowing if he should go for her bra as well.

Hermione thought it would be appropriate that since her shirt was missing his should be as well so she set out to work on the buttons down the front of his shirt, unfortunately there seemed to be thousands and her fingers wouldn't work fast enough for her. She mentally cursed every last button. Finally his shirt was undone and she ran her hands up his body from his groin up over his stomach and chest making sure to graze over his nipples.

Severus felt his cock twitch as she rubbed his nipples. He ran his hands up her sides towards her back and played with the clip of her bra. He struggled with it a moment before he pulled it free. Sliding it down her arms he put it by her shirt.

Wanting to know what it would feel like to be skin to skin Hermione leaned forward and pressed her newly exposed breasts against Severus' chest. She moaned as she slid down his body a bit and latched her mouth onto one of his nipples, licking and suckling it and kissing it to see if his were as sensitive as hers.

Severus shivered slightly as she sucked on his nipples. He was amazed he hadn't cum yet. This was just... He listed his hips against her and rubbed himself against her again. "'Mione... I'm.... I'm not going to last much longer..."

She hummed against his nipple in confirmation that she had heard him and proceeded to perform the exact same exercise on the other nipple. While distracting him with that she moved her hand back down to his cock where she slowly slid it up and down the hard shaft. Every third of fourth stroke she would twist her wrist and gentle slide her thumb across the tip, gradually spreading around the precum that was leaking from it.

Severus almost cried out as she took his cock into her hand. He looked down at her and watched her stroking him. He could feel himself coming closer and didn't want this to end so soon.

Slowly Hermione picked up the speed at which she was stroking him. This had her completely turned on and just knowing that she was pleasuring him made her flush with excitement. She moved her body slightly so that she could continue to stroke him while watching his face so she would see what he looked like when he climaxed. As she pumped him faster she added a slight tightening of her fist along the underside of his cock where a vein lay to stave off his orgasm for as long as possible. She wanted to give him the most extreme orgasm he had ever had.

Severus groaned at being held back. "Ung.... please..." He begged though for what he wasn't sure.

Hermione stopped holding him off and continued to stroke him. Sliding back slightly she moved her other hand around and stroked his balls as well, encouraging him to cum.

Severus moved his hips up to meet her fist as he moved his hands down to the sheets on the bed. His body tensed up a moment before an intense look of pleasure came over him as he came hard, spilling onto his stomach.

Hermione continued to stroke Severus until he was completely spent and becoming flaccid. Then she moaned and crawled up the bed to lie down beside him, just drinking in the experience and the glory of the look she had seen on Severus' face when he had released. She wrapped her arms around him and felt the sticky fluid against her arm as it lay across his stomach and snuggled the rest of her body up to his side.

"We shouldn't have done that..." He muttered.

"Why not?" She whispered back, snuggling into him even more. She rested her head on his shoulder and was having a terrible time keeping her eyes open.

"Because it wasn't appropriate." He said trying not to complain about the rough material of her skirt, that she was still wearing, against his skin.

Hermione didn't hear his response. She was already asleep.

Severus moved away from her a bit so that her skirt wasn't rubbing against him. It was starting to irritate his skin but he did not move away fully. He put his arm around her and drifted off to sleep as well.

((Sorry I didn't run this through a spell check, it's spell checked now .... I hope I got it all lol))