Delicate

Chapter Six: Dream Walking





I hear the secrets that you keep,

When you’re talking in your sleep.



As the afternoon sky darkened Severus made his way back to the house. He had left early in the morning before Hermione woke to attend a seminar for Potions Masters only. Afterwards he had decided to take a walk through the woods near his home, losing himself in his thoughts as he tried to unravel the knot of confusion that plagued him since she had come to live in his house. He had come to no great conclusions, only acceptance of what he already knew which was that he had an attraction to the witch, was drawn to her by more than the ties of friendship.



He acknowledged his fear of what he felt, the fear of letting himself care too much. It wasn’t that he didn’t care for her. He did, she was there for him without fail and loved him without judgment or expectations. He DID care; he worried for her safety and wanted her to be happy and well. But her love of him wasn’t healthy for her. A relationship with him would not be good for her; he had learned that lesson early with Lily and compounded it over the years with the women he had tried to have relationships with.



He was a man better left alone and she was a witch who would be much better off with a wizard who could love her without the darkness. He headed towards his study, his sanctuary, the place where he went to relax and get away, to think and reminisce. The house vibrated with the rolling thunder outside and he was wondering if he was going to have to ward the house to protect it from the weather when he stepped through the doorway.



The windows were all open, the clean, fresh scent of impending rain filling the room as the wind lifted the curtains and filtered through the window screens. And there, in his comfortable chair, was the witch who tormented his mind. She had her bare feet on the ottoman, her skirt riding high above her knees as though she had pulled it up for some reason. Her cheeks were flushed, her head falling slightly to the side with her lips parted just a little. She looked a bit mussed and strike him for saying it, sensual.





He edged closer, drawn by an invisible rope that pulled him towards her. As he stopped beside the chair he could detect the sweet, musky scent of her beneath the rain. Her lips pursed and her eyes darted beneath her lids, she was dreaming. He couldn’t resist reaching out to her and letting his fingertips rest lightly between her brows. Slowly, carefully so as not to wake her he slipped into her mind. It took a few moments as he moved slowly through hazy images and memories into the active part of her brain, the part that was dreaming.



At first he thought that he had been ejected from her mind, it took a couple of seconds for him to realize that she was dreaming about being in his study.



She was standing at the window, staring outside at the storm moving in. The waves crashing into the stones outside were loud, as though her subconscious had amplified the soothing sound for some reason.



“You’re home,” she said softly, still looking out the window. “I missed you.”



“Did you?” He turned to see the dream version of his self enter the room. How curious it was to see him from her perspective. He seemed…bigger somehow, stronger, as though power radiated from him in waves. In her view he was attractive, handsome even. It was both flattering and unnerving at the same time.



”You know I did, I hate it when you are away from me, don’t pretend that you don’t know that,” she said.



“Well, how would I know that by your greeting? I could have been anyone coming into the house for all your enthusiasm,” he said, folding his arms across his chest and staring at her.



“I’m sorry, forgive me,” she said, slowly turning from the window and walking slowly towards him. When she got within six feet of him she lowered her eyes to the floor before closing in the rest of the way. “I can’t greet you properly with your arms folded that way.”





“Find a way, I am quite comfortable as I am,” he said stoically, watching her and waiting for her to move. She laid her hands on his waist and lifted onto her toes, brushing her lips lightly against his.



“Welcome home, Severus,” she whispered, settling back onto her feet and letting her hands fall to her sides.



“Better, have you been good while I was out?” He asked, edging towards her and slowly backing her towards the chair.



“Well….” She stammered and fell into the chair, glancing up at him briefly.



“You’ve misbehaved while I was out, haven’t you?” He asked, standing over her as he loosened the buttons on his coat.



“I’m sorry…I was thinking about you and…”



“That’s no excuse, Hermione, you know the rules, you keep your busy little fingers off of my property unless I tell you it’s alright,” he shrugged out of his coat and tossed it aside, his fingers coming up to loosen the buttons at his collar and cuffs, slowly rolling up his sleeves.



“I’m sorry, Severus, I know I broke the rules,” she said softly, her bottom lip jutting out in a little pout.



“Surely you aren’t sulking?” He leaned forward and braced his hands on the arms of the chair, tilting his head to the side as he observed her petulant expression before taking her lip between his teeth and giving it a light nip. “Pouting will not get you your way, Hermione.”





“I know,” she sighed, a soft sound of disappointment that made him smile.



“Now, I want you to show me exactly what you were doing while I was away so that I may decide upon your punishment, but you may NOT come. Do you understand?” He asked, pushing up to stand upright again.



“I understand,” she said, leaning back into the chair and slowly gathering the voluminous fabric of her skirt in her hands, dragging the hem up her legs until it bunched at her thighs. He watched as she slid her hands along the inside of her thighs, her fingers dipping between her legs. Her little whimper of pleasure told him she was stroking herself beneath the skirt along with the wet sounds of her digits moving through her slippery flesh…





It was then that the visions became confusing. They switched in and out, flickering like bad film between the soft focused dream images and sharper, more vivid images. Both of her masturbating. He concentrated harder and suddenly the foggy dreamlike atmosphere was gone and he was standing beside the chair watching her. They were memories, vivid and very clear, recent memories. Since she was wearing the same clothes he knew that they were memories from that very day. She was in the same position, reclining in his chair, her feet braced on the ottoman with her skirt hiked up to the tops of her thighs. One hand cupped her breast, pinching the puckered nipple through the cotton of her tee shirt while the other hand moved ardently beneath the fabric of her skirt.





No wonder she was in such a rumpled state, the witch had spent the afternoon masturbating in his chair! He knew he should withdraw but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. She writhed and moaned against the cushion, her back arching and her thighs quivering, her lips parted and moist as she pleasured herself. Then, in a display so beautiful that it took his breath away, she peaked. Her body bowed and her soft moans caused chills to roll over his skin. And then she dented the armor he prized so dearly when she whimpered his name as she went lax, her eyes closed and a sleepy, satisfied smile on her face.





He backed out of her mind slowly, carefully so that he didn’t disturb her. He stared at her, more confused and conflicted if that were possible. He should have left well enough alone, he shouldn’t have breached her mind as he had, walked in her dreams and caught a glimpse of how she saw him. Seeing it, seeing the way she envisioned him and how she responded to him, willing and eager to please, to submit to his will…it was intoxicating. It teased him, stirring to life longings and dreams that he had thought successfully buried. There was no doubt about it, the witch was dangerous.



He turned on his heel and hurried from the room, moving quickly through the house and out the front door. He didn’t care about the storm, he needed space between them, needed to get away from her and gather some perspective. He needed to get some control over himself before he lost it completely and crossed a line that they would both regret in the end.







~@~







Hermione woke when the house was shaken by a rather violent clap of thunder. She was still sitting in his chair, the room gone dark and the curtains blowing from the windows like ghosts. She yawned and pushed her hair back over her shoulders, her eyes going to the clock on the mantle. Severus wasn’t home yet and she began to worry, he was due back hours ago. She stood up intending to go to the kitchen and start on dinner when she heard the front door open and then slam closed.





She sighed with relief and headed quickly towards the front of the house to greet him, stopping in her tracks when she saw him standing in the entry, water rolling off of him in rivulets, his hair plastered to his head and the sodden fabric of his suit clinging to his skin.





“Severus, what in the world,” he was shivering, his teeth chattering as he stood hunched over and curled into himself.





“I-I went f-for a w-walk and g-got c-caught in the r-r-rain,” he stammered.







“What were you thinking? This storm has been moving in for hours and you know that they are particularly bad along this coast! You should never have gone out,” she went to him and pushed his hair back. “Why didn’t you apparate home as soon as the rain started?”





“C-couldn’t….f-found this,” he straightened and opened his coat. A fuzzy black face with red eyes and a cold wet nose poked out at her, whimpering pitifully from its haven in the wizard’s jacket.





“You found a puppy!” She reached for the tiny ball of fur and pulled it out of his arms, cradling the tiny body against her chest as she stared at it.







“I-It f-found me. B-bloody thing f-followed m-me…c-couldn’t leave it i-in the r-rain alone,” he said, scowling at the creature nuzzling into her breast and whimpering as she scratched it behind the ears.







“I don’t blame you, poor thing is so tiny, probably the runt, abandoned by the mother,” she said. She was a sucker for animals, especially since she lost Crookshanks her second year at university. She hadn’t thought to seek another familiar since then. “He looks to be part hell-hound mixed with something else, a mutt.”







“L-like me,” Severus said through chattering teeth. Hermione looked back at him, realizing that she had gotten distracted by the dog while he stood there a sodden mess ready to catch his death.





“Oh, gods!” She put the dog on the floor and reached for him without a second though. She shoved the wet jacket off of his shoulders, dragging it roughly down his arms and letting it fall to the ceramic tiles with a wet ‘plop’. “You are a stupid, stupid man to go out in this weather!” She scolded as her fingers attacked the buttons on his oxford shirt.





“D-did you j-just call me s-stupid?” He asked as she jerked the soaked shirt off of him and threw it on top of his jacket.







“Yes, and you are lucky I didn’t call you worse!” She was frowning as she peeled the sleeveless cotton undershirt from his chest and over his head. She caught her breath at the sight of his bare chest, the wet swirls of black hair clinging to his skin, tempting her to reach out and touch. “Only an idiot goes out in weather like this.”





“It wasn’t raining when I left,” he said, quickly growing warm by the fire that flared to life in her eyes when she looked at him.





“The sky has been darkening and the thunder rolling for hours before it rained,” she reached for his belt buckle, the backs of her fingers sliding against his stomach and it was too much, he grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands away.





“I can do the rest,” he said roughly, her wrists clasped tightly in his hands. She looked up and they made eye contact. It was probably one of the most powerful moments in his life, and the most terrifying. She quickly looked away but her fingers curled into her fists and she began breathing heavily, a soft pink flush creeping up her neck.





“I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking…I just wanted to…” she trailed off, there were so many things that she wanted to do she was afraid that if she didn’t shut her mouth she might confess them.





“I know,” he said quietly, releasing her hands. “Excuse me while I put on some dry clothing.” He walked around her and disappeared down the hall. She didn’t turn her head to look after him until she was sure that he was out of sight. She heard the little dog whimper and looked down. He was staring down the hall after Severus as well, making sad little noises. She knelt down beside the puppy and pulled him into her arms.







“I know the feeling,” she said, cuddling it close to her. “Come with me little one, let’s get you a bit to eat and find something for you to sleep in.” The little dog yipped and nipped playfully at her chin. She smiled and carried him off to the kitchen, stroking his back gently as she tried to push the image of a nearly naked Severus out of her head.







Talking In Your Sleep by the Romantics



When you close your eyes

And go to sleep

And it\'s down to the sound

Of a heartbeat

I can hear the things

That you\'re dreamin\' about

When you open up your heart

And the truth comes out



You tell me that you want me

You tell me that you need me

You tell me that you love me

And I know that I\'m right

\'Cause I hear it in the night



I hear the secrets that you keep

When you\'re talking in your sleep

I hear the secrets that you keep

When you\'re talking in your sleep



When I hold you in my arms at night

Don\'t you know you\'re sleeping in the spotlight

And all your dreams that you keep inside

You\'re telling me the secrets

That you just can\'t hide



You tell me that you want me

You tell me that you need me

You tell me that you love me

And I know that I\'m right

\'Cause I hear it in the night



I hear the secrets that you keep

When you\'re talking in your sleep

I hear the secrets that you keep

When you\'re talking in your sleep

I hear the secrets that you keep

When you\'re talking in your sleep

I hear the secrets that you keep

When you\'re talking in your sleep



When you close your eyes

And you fall asleep

Everything about you is a mystery



You tell me that you want me

You tell me that you need me

You tell me that you love me

And I know that I\'m right

\'Cause I hear it in the night



I hear the secrets that you keep

When you\'re talking in your sleep

I hear the secrets that you keep

When you\'re talking in your sleep

I hear the secrets that you keep

When you\'re talking in your sleep

I hear the secrets that you keep

When you\'re talking in your sleep

I hear the secrets that you keep

When you\'re talking in your sleep

I hear the secrets that you keep

When you\'re talking in your sleep









~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~







Hello everyone!!! SOOO glad to see some familiar and not so familiar names on the board this time round =)….So…Severus, my first love when it comes to HP…I always return to him…eventually, sadly that Malfoy bugger is just delicious and sometimes makes it hard for me to tear myself away…





I’m glad you are enjoying it so far. I am still not sure how I feel about it. I ended it at 20 chapters but for the last 24 hours something has been nagging at me that it is unfinished so it may be revisited later with some more, or a sequel may be added, Ill be sure to let you all know =).





VORACIOUS READER – What a lovely turn of phrase and a lovely way to break in the new board =)





MARITERI – Severus strikes me as the jealous sort too, but I also see him as a bit of a pouter…maybe not the protruding lip kind of pouter though believe me I would have no problem nibbling that stubborn lip into a smile, but more of a sulker. I think you will experience a more conflicted Severus in this story, a man who is confused, scared and not sure what he wants and what he is doing….or so I hope.





JENNIFER – I think its about setting standards for yourself as a writer. For me, I strive to improve myself with every story, I accept that not every tale will be loved by everyone and stick to writing what makes me feel good. I also believe that people should have respect for the readers taking the time to read the story and provide feedback and that means updating regularly and finishing the story. Which is why I don’t post until its complete. Thank you for taking the time to review, I too am a fan of Ms. Figg =)





ZUKOROCKS30 – I wouldn’t necessarily call it BDSM…more of a sensual D/s…I HAVE read a lot of BDSM, in fanfiction and in general novels, some of it is delicious but some of it crosses my comfort lines…it’s a hit and miss with me.





MARIE - You may come to hate the UST by the time its resolved LOL Thanks for reading.



BOURNESPEED – I like to say that Severus is the sort of man I would be happy to live my life with, to love, make love with etc, but Lucius is the man to burn up the sheets with on a short term basis.





NARCISSAS SISTER – you are right, this is a bit different for me as I am usually very dialogue heavy. I don’t know…this seemed to be a story born of internal struggles on both sides, Hermione struggling with a love she thinks unachievable and Severus struggling with guilt and feelings of being not good enough for her love. Maybe it was a way of resolving my own self esteem issues being a single mom, trying to make myself believe that there is love for everyone.





BILLS BEDROOM – I can always count on you for enthusiasm!!! Glad you are liking it so far, you’ve got 20 chapters but I may not leave it as it is currently ended, there may be more or a sequel….I dunno yet. =)





SCARLET QUILL- Thank you!! My brain is a minefield of plots, one wrong step and I am churning a story inside my head and not listening to a word anyone is saying….its a blessing and a curse.





TRIZFORES – Long time no talk, chickadee! And I can promise you, Hermione will not be lacking on the orgasm front. =)





KADE – I think my warnings for Hermione were meant for later chapters LOL she becomes a bit…crazy emotionally for a time. You will probably want to slap her, I did and I was writing her!





SUNSTORM - Snape is so emo sometimes LOL but he will crack, they always crack in the end lol





VENGEANCE – I am fascinated by a darker Hermione. Sweet and fluffy doesn’t always do it for me. I tend to write her according to my mood, and lately that’s been rather dark. LOL





KITTYKAT30 - oh he will get plenty of growling in, trust me.





REBELROSE – Definitely post your stories! Ill read them! And thank you for reading and taking the time to review!!!



HARRYGINNY5Eva – Hello, Love!!!!! Glad to see you on board =)





TARA – Thank you!!!!!!





SARAH-AYN – That makes me feel really good this morning! I’m starting my day off well!!





DOGDAYSDUST – Im glad to have renewed your interest =) But I know what you mean. Ive been very disheartened by the fanfiction boards as of late, was hoping that the new movie would stimulate some creativity and get some good stuff up on the boards...





SMURPHY – Hello, my friend!!!! I knew Id see your name sooner than later =) and a pleasant sight it is!!!!! Glad you like it! And yes…Im back to Draco…itll be something different for me…a bit of a horror/smut fic =)