A Change of Venue 2: Granger Services, Inc

Chapter 6 ~ Coming to an Understanding

Snape opened the pouch and shook out a Galleon into his palm. He picked it up and studied it closely. Then he put it in his mouth and bit it, attempting to bend it.

"It's real," Hermione said from the doorway, slightly insulted.

"It could be Leprechaun Gold," Snape replied, frowning at her. "Are you attempting to make me believe you would give me my money back?"

"No. I am not giving you your money back. Your money is in Gringotts. That's my money and I am attempting to pay you for your services. In other words, turn you into a gigolo for one night. Are you game?"

Snape stared at her.

"I don't know what kind of game this is. You expect me to believe you are giving me this money?" he asked her. "It's preposterous. If I accept this, it would be as if I've paid you nothing. It would cancel everything out."

"No, it wouldn't," Hermione replied, slowly walking over to him, then sitting down beside him on the bed. "It would level everything out, and give me my fantasy. If you accept my money it will be the same contractual terms I've drawn up. If being with you is my fantasy, and it is, you're right, I should pay you."

Snape didn't know what to say about this. He put the Galleon back into the pouch, stood up and looked down at Hermione for a moment. Then, he started pacing back and forth, his housecoat billowing much like his robes would have. Hermione watched him quietly as he tried to sort all of this out in his head.

Finally he stopped.

"You really mean for me to have this money?" he asked her.

Hermione nodded.

"In exchange for sex?"

Hermione nodded again.

"You—you really want to do this that badly—"

"Yes, I do, Severus. Very badly."

Snape stared down at her and swallowed thickly, the expression on his face unreadable.

"Well?" Hermione asked him. "Are you willing to give me my fantasy, Severus?"

Snape stood there, the pouched clutched tightly in one hand.

"There'll be no refunds," he said. "Even if I can't perform to your liking."

"Of course not," Hermione agreed.

"I don't—I don't want to take off my clothing," Snape said suddenly.

Hermione frowned at him.

"What? How are we to have sex if you don't take off your clothes?"

"I can lower my pajama bottoms," he said a bit lamely.

"No. No possible way. I want you one hundred percent naked! I would have insisted on that even if I didn't pay you," Hermione said to him. "Why don't you want to take off your clothing?"

Snape looked away from her, pain in his eyes.

"My body—is very pale and badly scarred. And my ribs show, slightly. I wanted to spare you that—having to see that. It can't be arousing to you, or any woman for that matter."

"Severus, it doesn't matter. I'm not perfect. My thighs are too thick, my bum is too round and I've got stretch marks on my arse and around my breasts. Natural ones, not from carrying a child. But I found out that didn't really matter when you get down to it. No one is perfect."

"Lucius is," Snape said bitterly.

"Lucius is like a blonde Ken doll with a dick. He's abnormally perfect. I think magic is involved too, although I've never asked him. But, most of us have imperfections. That's normal. Stop comparing yourself to him. And I want all of your clothes off, every stitch."

"But my scars—"

"I won't be engaging your scars. I'll be engaging you. Severus, please just trust me. That's all I need you to do," Hermione said, taking one of his hands and holding it between both her own. "I really want to do this to you, for you. I can't wait to get my hands and mouth and other parts on you. Believe me. No matter what you think about yourself, I have a very high regard for you and am attracted to you. No amount of scars is going to change that, particularly since I know that every scar you have is because of how you worked to try and save us all. You went through that for the wizarding world, and since I am part of that world, for me. Don't you see that? And I don't mind if you're thin. There's a saying about thin men. It's about how great they are in bed."

"Well, that saying doesn't apply to me. I haven't made it to a bed yet," Snape said softly.

Hermione quirked an eyebrow at him. He was right in front of a bed. He'd arrived.

"You will tonight," she assured him. "Put the money on the nightstand and sit down next to me, Severus. It's time to get busy. You've got to earn your Galleons."

Snape arched an eyebrow at her, then shrugged his shoulders a bit before placing the pouch on the nightstand. He sat down next to her, his dark eyes narrowed.

"When I arrived here tonight, I had no idea you'd lure me into your line of business," he said quietly.

"Well, who knows? You might find out you have a natural calling for this kind of 'work.'" Hermione said with a grin.

"I highly doubt that."

"Severus, would you describe yourself as a selfish man?" Hermione asked him.

He nodded.

"Yes," he responded.

"Good. The best lovers are selfish ones. Remember to be selfish when having sex and go for the most pleasure you can. If you do it honestly, your partner will be pleased as well," she instructed him.

Snape frowned slightly.

"I thought the idea was to give the woman pleasure," he said. "To make her orgasm."

"Orgasms are nice, but not always necessary. Besides, there are many ways to bring a woman to climax without fucking her. You can use your mouth or your fingers," Hermione told him, thinking he could use that big, beautiful nose as well. That hook looked promising. "It's just as enjoyable. A lot of men who aren't good at intercourse more than make up for it with their mouths and hands. Their partners are very happy with that. As long as it's a good experience for both people, it's a success."

Snape digested this bit of information. He always believed "real men" brought women to orgasm every time they engaged them in intercourse. Finding out they liked getting off in other ways was very enlightening.

He'd always been rather good with his hands. Suddenly, he felt a whole lot better about this. Hermione felt him relax a bit, and smiled.

This was going to go quite well, she was sure.

"Are you ready to start?" she asked him.

Snape's dark eyes drifted over her. Hermione had turned out to be a very attractive witch. And best of all, she wanted this to happen. She really wanted to engage him. That was the best confidence booster he could have ever received.

"Yes," he said softly.

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A/N: I know. Short chappie. Evil cliffie. Standard Figg. Lol. But I am juggling writing with babysitting. Doing the best I can with the time I can wrangle. Still, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm really enjoying writing this. It's so different for me. :) Thanks for reading.