You Promised It Would Be Forever - Edit

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 37 ~ Dinner ala Eli

Severus and Hermione made very passionate love in the Jacuzzi, the witch straddling the Potions Masters cock in the center of the tub, the water bubbling around them. Severus thought this would be the safest position, he didn't want to risk forcing the witch underwater if he became too "kind" to her. He showed her only moderate kindness however; having enjoyed the tender lovemaking they did on the night they recommitted themselves to each other. He liked to be able to satisfy her without being a total animal…though he did enjoy being one.

It did get quite exciting however when Severus became lost to his passion, lifted the witch high, slammed her down on his cock and hit a sweet spot, Hermione crying out, swinging her arm and hitting the button again so the water churned even more violently. It was like making love in the midst of a storm. And Merlin, what a perfect storm it was as the couple climaxed together, holding on to each other for dear life as they flowed together in ecstasy, the Jacuzzi boiling around them.

The couple sat in the middle of the tub, coming down, quaking and panting against each other. Hermione reached over and hit the button again and the water became calm. Severus realized he had rose petals stuck all over him and grimaced. But Hermione liked roses so he suffered in silence as the witch kissed him gently on the mouth over and over.

"That was wonderful, Severus," she said hugging him tightly, her face pressed into his throat.

"Mmmm," he agreed as he held her.

Hermione's belly let out a little rumble.

"I'm famished, Severus," she said softly.

He was hungry himself.

"All right love, let's see if there's anything to eat. If not, I will take you out," he said, sliding her back off him, rising, helping her up and brushing all the blasted rose petals from her body and his own. Then he helped her out the tub, and followed.

They each grabbed a fluffy towel and dried each other off, paying extra attention to the sensitive parts, Hermione squealing as Severus held her and drew the towel between her legs. The Potions Master soon found himself gasping as Hermione gripped his cock rather tightly with the towel, threatening to give him cock burn.

"Then the honeymoon would be over," he warned her.

She released him immediately.

They both donned and tied the fluffy terry cloth robes. Hermione looked down and saw two pairs of terrycloth slippers in their sizes.

"I don't remember seeing these," Hermione said, frowning slightly.

"You must have overlooked them," Severus said, his black eyes darting about as they slipped on the slippers and exited the bathroom. Eli must still be here. He hoped the elf would stay out of sight.

Severus slipped an arm over Hermione's shoulders as they padded down the hall and toward the kitchen. Hermione froze. Severus stifled a small groan.

Oh Eli.

In the dining room was a blue linen covered table, elegantly set for an intimate dinner for two, with candles burning softly and the shades drawn to make the setting even more intimate. Centered on the table on an extremely large platter was a huge lobster with a cracked tail. It looked like it weighed at least fifteen pounds. Boiled corn, small potatoes, and lots of butter in two bowls surrounded it. A large bowl of salad sat next to it, containing lettuce, onions, carrots, tomatoes and radishes. Several small bottles of dressings rested in a neat row behind it. A pitcher of pumpkin juice and two magically chilled carafes of wine finished the meal.

Hermione turned her eyes toward Severus for a moment, then moved toward the table. She held her hand over the lobster and the corn.

"They're piping hot," she said softly. Then she quickly walked into the kitchen. It was spotless.

"Hello? Is anybody in here?" Hermione called out. No one answered. She padded back into the living room

She looked at Severus, who tried to look as innocent as he could.

"Dinner looks good," he said rather lamely.

Hermione's eyes narrowed and she put her hands on her hips.

"All right Severus…spill it. This food is freshly made, piping hot and the kitchen is spotless. Both of us were in the tub. How did you do this?" she asked him. "I didn't smell any food cooking and the doors are locked and warded. Now what's going on here?"

Her husband's eyes shifted slightly. Severus was a good liar when he had to be, but Hermione had caught him at a loss. She wouldn't believe he spelled it here from someplace else. He had been nowhere near his wand. It couldn't have just been delivered because she was right, he had locked and warded the doors. It couldn't have been apparated there, simply because no one could possibly know when they would leave the tub.

Severus sighed. It was time to confess. He hoped she wouldn't shut down the honeymoon night in protest. He walked up to the witch and caught her gently by the elbow guiding her to the table and pulling out the chair for her.

"Hermione, please sit down and I will explain it to you," he said.

Hermione sat and watched as Severus drew the chair from the other side of the table, and sat down at the side perpendicular from her own seat, moving the salad bowl and dressings to make room.

"All right, explain Severus," she said.

Severus looked at her for a moment.

"Eli, come in here," he said.

"Eli? Who's Eli," Hermione asked.

Suddenly Eli winked in and bowed to Severus, then Hermione.

"Eli is here, Master. What service does you need, sir?" the elf asked, smiling delightedly.

Hermione's face clouded over.

"Master?" she said in an icy voice. "When did you enslave a house elf, Severus?"

Enslave? Shit.

Eli's ears flattened.

"Eli is not enslaved, Mistress. Eli is bonded to the Snape. The Snape is my Master. I keeps all his secrets now, Mistress," the elf said rather sullenly.

"Severus, why did you do this? You know how I feel about house elf enslavement!" she said to the wizard, her eyes narrowed.

Damn.

Severus opened his mouth to speak but Eli beat him to it.

"It is not the Master's fault, Mistress. He did not know the elves at Hogwarts is free, Mistress," the elf said.

Hermione's eyes widened.

"Free? No Eli, the house elves at Hogwarts are servants of the school. They are enslaved," she said to the elf.

Eli shook his head.

"No Mistress, they is all free. They has no Masters. The Great Dumbledore takes in unbound house elves and gives them work to do until they find Masters, Mistress. We most appreciates it we do. A house elf without work is very, very sad, Mistress," he said, "When we finds one we likes who likes us, we bonds with them and is free to leave the school."

Hermione stared at the little creature.

"The elves are all free?" she asked in a small voice.

Eli nodded sadly. "Free as birds we is," he agreed.

Then he looked at Severus with what appeared to be affection.

"My Master did not know, Miss. When he asks me alone to serve him, I decides I likes him and bonds with him. He did not know and was very concerned, Mistress. He says you won't likes it. But what's done is done. I will serve him always, Mistress. I has a true Master now," the elf said, bowing to Severus again and smiling, showing small pointed teeth.

"You are all free?" Hermione said again, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"Yes, Mistress," Eli says.

"You mean to tell me you voluntarily enslaved yourselves to Masters, when you could be free to do whatever you want? Have homes of your own? Earn wages? Live as you please?" Hermione said to Eli.

"It is not enslavement when a Master is chosen, Mistress. House elves are born to serve, and are unhappy when it cannot be done. In the before times, there was much fighting and bloodshed, Mistress…not only with witches and wizards, but with others. We kills and kills and fights and kills. Now there is peace and work. Laws. Is a good thing for house elves, Mistress. Might be no elves if not for the Service," the elf explained. "We is proud to serve, and happy when we has a Master or Mistress we likes."

Hermione stared at Eli. This meant back when she started S.P.E.W. in Hogwarts, she was trying to give free house elves freedom. No wonder they wouldn't accept clothes. They were already free and wanted Masters. They thought Dobby was crazy because he didn't want one. They didn't tell her they were free because it was considered a shame.

She looked at Severus, who was looking at Eli, a strange expression on his face.

The elf liked him. He didn't think any house elf would like him. Eli was hooked on the Potions Master when he discovered what the wizard had done to the Bug-eyed One. Sybil treated house elves horribly, since she was almost always plastered when she summoned them for more sherry. She'd curse them and sometimes even blast them with her wand if they weren't back fast enough. They all hated to serve her, but had to.

Severus used to be like Sybil when it came to house elves, but it was just plain nastiness on his part. He stopped mistreating them when Hermione came into his life, but they remembered how he was and were still afraid of him. Only Eli had been brave enough to want to bond with him. He figured anyone who would do that to the witch in the North Tower couldn't be all bad. Plus Eli suspected he would be allowed to do some naughtiness from time to time for the wizard, and house elves, though subservient, were quite close to imps in nature, and enjoyed doing devilment though they normally weren't allowed to. The Snape was perfect.

"So you want to be a servant?" Hermione asked him.

The elf nodded emphatically. Hermione looked at Severus.

"I'm so sorry, Severus. I thought you enslaved him on purpose. I didn't know he wanted to be your servant. Forgive me?" she asked her husband.

Severus looked at her. This was quite an interesting turn of events that could lead to even more interesting events. He tried to look hurt.

"I can't believe you would think I would do something like that, Hermione," he said in a wounded voice, cutting his eyes away from her dramatically.

Hermione's mouth turned down.

"I'm really sorry, Severus. I'll make it up to you, I promise," she said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder.

The Potions Master almost sniffed, but that would have been overkill. He hid a grin. Hermione was such a pushover sometimes.

"All right wife," he said, "I forgive you."

Hermione gave him a smile, and a nice wet kiss. Then she looked at Eli again, and gestured around the house.

"You did all this work?" she asked him.

The elf stuck his chest out a bit and nodded.

"Yes Mistress. In only two days I does it all," he said proudly. "Eli is a good elf."

"And Severus told you to make up the tub for us?" she asked him.

Eli looked at Severus, who seemed to go a little paler.

"Yes, Mistress, and the dinner too. He says to makes it special so you could have good in-outie. So Eli does. The Master loves you he does, Mistress," Eli said, bowing low and winking at Severus slyly.

Oh ho. House elves could lie for their Masters too.

Hermione's eyebrows went up.

"In-outie?" she repeated, looking at Severus, who made an "o" with the thumb and forefinger of his left hand and thrust the long thick thumb of his right hand through the hole several times, smirking.

"Ohhhh. In-outie," Hermione said, fighting back a giggle. "Well that was very sweet of him. He can count on some very good in-outie with me, Eli."

Both the elf and Severus looked delighted. Eli bowed.

"Eli must go and gets dessert," the elf said waving his hand at the table and heating the food just a bit more. "Is there anything else you need, Master?"

Severus looked down at the little elf, then rubbed his head between his ears, the elf rolling his little head in pleasure.

"No Eli, you've covered everything excellently," he replied.

"Thanks you, Master," the elf beamed at the wizard, and bowing to Hermione, he winked out.

Hermione looked at the lobster hungrily, licking her lips.

"This lobster is even bigger than the one I had with Lord Hornswallow," she said appreciatively

This made the wizard feel good. Obviously Eli was really linked with him. The elf had supplied a better wine, and now a better meal than she had with the wealthy wizard. Eli was really a gods-send.

Severus opened the cracked lobster tail and piled the succulent white meat on his plate. He placed some corn, potatoes and salad on Hermione's plate, but no lobster. Then he put vegetables on his own.

"Hey, what about some lobster for me," she said, frowning at him.

In answer, Severus picked up a piece of lobster in his fingers, swirled it slowly in the clarified butter, inverted it, and brought it to Hermione's lips.

The witch's eyes went rather hot as she opened her mouth and let him push the meat in, her lips closing on his fingers and sucking off the juices and the butter sensuously. The wizard made a small noise in the back of his throat.

"I thought I'd feed you," he said in a silkily voice, noting a little butter dripped on her robe. "Open your robe so it doesn't get stained."

Hermione did so, opening the robe very wide, revealing her body. Severus' black eyes swept over her, as she reached for a piece of lobster and dipped it into the butter.

"You need to open yours, too Severus. This might get messy," she said, a rather wicked grin on her face as he did so, revealing his body as well. His cock was bouncing, already coming back to life as she brought the sweet meat to his lips. The wizard took it, then grasped her wrist and licked her fingers with his tongue.

Hermione stared at him mesmerized. A bit of butter had dripped on his belly.

"I'll get that," she said, leaning around the table, lowering her head and licking the butter from the thin spatter of black hair just below his navel. Severus' cock thumped again, hitting her chin. Hermione grinned up at him, then straightened, as his coal black eyes met hers. They were smoldering. Then he picked up another piece of lobster, swirled it in the butter, and purposely let a bit of it drip on the witch's breast before he brought it to her mouth.

"Oops," he breathed, very unconvincingly. "Excuse me, wife. Allow me…"

Severus grasped her breast gently, squeezing it slightly as he lowered his head and licked the butter from the swell of it. Then his mouth slid down over her nipple and he suckled her.

"You didn't drip any butter there, Severus," she sighed, squirming a little.

Severus released her breast and straightened, his eyes glittering.

"I didn't wife? Ah, my mistake then," he purred.

"Severus, I think if we are going to actually get through this meal, that we save the "clean-up" for later," she said in a low voice, also holding a bit of a purr.

Severus sighed.

She was right of course. At this rate, he'd be fucking her on top of the food within the next ten minutes. And he really was hungry. He took a part of the pile of lobster on his plate and transferred it to hers, sliding over the other bowl of butter.

"Be as sloppy as you like wife," he said, his eyes drifting over her.

The wizard hoped some butter would find its way into her pubic hair. It would be a good excuse to get his tongue between her thighs. Hermione ate a piece of lobster, and sure enough, a nice bit of butter dripped on her lower belly, then rolled down to her soft chestnut hair.

The witch looked at him and smirked.

The dark wizard smiled.

Eli didn't have to worry about dessert.

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A/N: Ah Severus had to come clean, but Eli did a fantastic save. We got a little AU elf history, and the beginnings of a very sexy meal. Severus really played up the "wounded lover" angle didn't he? Lol. Too funny. Anyway, please review.