A Heart After All

Oh, a few disclaimer type things... Jane Austen owns the Darcy line. I just think it would be a very very Snape like thing for him to say! I see our Severus as one to like the classic authors... Shakespeare, the Brontes (co incidentally I come from the part of England where they lived... the Parsonage where they lived is maybe 30 minutes from my house!!!), Janes Austen and friends... I love them too (yep, i`m a literature student!) so I thought Sev might... he IS the intellectual type after all!!!

thankyou soooo much to my beta, snapesbbwlover... you rule girl!

peace n love

Sev xxx

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As Hermione gazed up at Severus, he began to laugh quiet

\"What is it Professor.... Severus?\" she corrected herself quickly, his name still seeming strange coming from her lips.


\"Professor Severus?... I`ve been called quite a few things in my time but....\" she cut him off.


\"You know what I meant! Why are you laughing?\"


\"Because I was going to come out with something incredibly stupid.\" He said resting his cheek on her forehead.


\"Something stupid? You? Never!\" Hermione replied, sounding playful.


\"Be careful Miss Granger,\" Severus teased, gor it will be points from Gryffindor!\" She pulled away from him slightly and glared with an eare you going to tell me or note look on her face. He decided he`d better get to the point. He`d just taught her to punch like a demon and he wasn`t too keen on the idea of being on the receiving end of one of those punches.


\"I was going to say `In vain have I struggled, it will not do. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you!`\" Severus felt herst hst heave as she sighed.


\"Pride and Prejudice!\"


\"Yes... Jane Austen is one of my favourite writers.\"


\"Really!!! I love Jane Austen.\" she looked up at him, \"Hmmm, Ifm going to nickname you Mr Darcy!!! You`re so like him, so dark, so brooding.... so manful and sexy...\"


\"I am NOT like Darcy!!!\" Severus snorted.


\"Or would you rather I nicknamed you Fairfax Rochester? The ugly, black browed employer of Jane Eyre!!!\"


\"Ah, Charlotte Bronte! I think I prefer Darcy... he is at least good looking!\"


\"Good... Mr Darcy!\" Hermione`s deep brown eyes glittered as she teased him, a mischievous grin on her pretty little face.


\"I`m going to call you Miss Bennett!\" he exclaimed. \"She was a know-it-all too!!!\"


Hermione squeaked in indignation, but smiled nonetheless. Severus put one hand under her chin and tilted her face to him, leaning down to capture her lips in yet another kiss. This time though, it was more passionate, their hands roving over each others bodies and their tongues intertwined. Where the last kiss had been tender and gentle, this one was hard and rough and passionate. Severus broke away breathing heavily.


\"Hermione, I want you so much! You`re perfect!\" Hermione`s hand strayed down below his waist, feeling just how turned on he was. She rubbed and squeezed the growing bulge, making Severus pull her closer. To Hermione`s surprise he whispered,


\"Not tonight.\" She looked at him, uncertain as to why he would say that. He squeezed her hand. \"If we don`t get some sleep we`ll be falling asleep in class tomorrow.\" he kissed her forehead and the growled seductively, \"And believe me, my dear, I can go all night!\"

---

Severus took Hermione back to the entrance to Gryffindor tower. Hastily checking that no one was around, he took Hermione into his arms and kissed her deeply again before wishing her goodnight and watching as she climbed through the portrait - hole into her common room.


Hermione quietly made her way up to her dormitory, taking care not to wake Lavender and the others ae che changed her clothes and sunk into her four poster bed, remembering his hot lips on hers as he had taken her mouth gently. She had never imagined that he could kiss like that, so gentle and tender, but rough and passionate when he wanted to be. Slowly her hand inched down her belly and under her nightgown. She began to circle her forefinger around her sensitive spot, feeling her wetness, imagining him doing that to her with his long fingered, elegant hands. A soft moan escaped her lips.

---

After taking Hermione back to Gryffindor tower, Severus returned to his own chambers. Sinking into a soft armchair by the fire he lay back and started to think. He`d had no qualms about fantasizing about her like that, but now that he`d kissed her he didn`t trust himself. He didn`t want to hurt her, but he was a man of voracious sexual appetite, and he doubted whether Hermione Granger, who was most likely a virgin, would be able to deal with that. On top of this worry was a slightly bigger one. Hermione was a student and he could be bringing Hogwarts` good name into disrepute as well as ruining her reputation. He sighed. Maybe he should talk to Albus about it. He would give him some good advice.

---

The next morning, Hermione was sitting in class trying to transfigure her own hand into a dogs paw, very advanced magic that was only taught to seventh years, when a small, timid first year girl came into the transfiguration classroom. Hermione paid her very little attention as the girl walked over to Professor McGonagall and spoke quietly to her. Hermione concentrated very hard on transfiguring her hand, not having much luck.


\"Miss Granger?\" came Professor McGonagall`s voice. Hermione looked up.


\"Yes Professor?\"


\"The headmaster would like a word with you.\"


Hermione felt a strange sensation deep in her stomach and a feeling of dread swept through her. Dumbledore knew about the kisses that Severus had given her last night!!!


All the way up to Dumbledore`s office she worried about what was going to happen. When she finally opened the door and walked into the circular room her fears were confirmed, Severus was stood awkwardly by the window. He didn`t turn to her as she walked in.


\"Miss Granger!\" Dumbledore said with a smile, \"Severus has come to see me about a little problem that he`s been having. It appears that he has very strong feelings for a certain Gryffindor head girl. He says that you and he kissed last night. Is it true?\" he smiled gently at the timid young woman in front of him.


Hermione`s head fell. She felt tears come to her eyes but she brushed them away.


\"It is professor.\" she sniffed, \"but you should know that I feel the same way about him.\"


Hearing this Severus turned sharply from the window and found himself gazing into her deep brown eyes, wet from the tears that were running down her face. She nodded without saying anything. A quite cough from Dumbledore drew their attentions away from each other and back to the matter in hand.


\"I think, Miss Granger, that you are quite old enough to decide who you have feelings for, you are of age and, unethical as it may be, it is not illegal in the wizarding world. I can only say one thing, do not make it public knowledge.\" Hermione and Severus both stared at the headmaster, who continued. \"I, personally, think you are an ideal match for each other, but I doubt that many others would see it this way.\"


\" Thank you headmaster,\" Severus said, a small smile on his face. Dumbledore nodded in return.


Hermione took a few steps towards Severus, burying her face in his chest and hugging him to her as his arms came around her in a protective embrace. Severus tilted her head to him and kissed her passionately, ignoring the fact that Dumbledore was present. They broke apart only when they heard Dumbledore clear his throat, Hermione blushing slightly and Severus with a wide smile on his face.


\" Thank you. \" Severus and Hermione said in unison. Dumbledore smiled. He loved Severus Snape like a son and was proud to know the brave and intelligent young woman that was Hermione Granger. He was glad that they had found each other.