Disclaimer: J.K Rowling owns these characters I do not.

Note: As I mentioned in the summary - this is a one shot homage to the "let's do it before we die fics" between Severus Snape and Hermione Granger. There is nothing new in this fic, but for all of us who love these kinds of fanfiction - this is just my contribution to that mix. I hope it's enjoyable.

Update: I just wanted to thank all those who have reviewed, favorited or followed this story. I can't say there is anything further planned but I might consider doing some more smutty one-shots.

Alea iacta est

It was the night before the Final Battle between Harry and Lord Voldemort, and all the Order members had chosen to prepare themselves in different ways. Harry had gone with Ginny and Ron to the Burrow, seemed that some family time was in order. Ginny had chattered non-stop about their plans for after the family dinner – 'going all the way' with Harry. Ron had had similar plans with Lavender Brown, Hermione shook her head remembering a Muggle psychology book she had read years before. It discussed how human beings sought out close personal ties, particularly sex, in the wake of impending doom and death. Strange how random bits of knowledge jump out at you, she thought to herself.

Though she had been asked to the dinner by Molly more times than she cared to count, Hermione couldn't bring herself to go. Since she had obliviated her parents and sent them off oversees, she hadn't had an appetite for family. It hurt too much – too many things stung. So there she sat, in her tiny room at 12 Grimmould Place feeling oddly calm. It was clear that there would be causalities – so was the nature of war. Tomorrow could be her last day alive, and she felt that she should be more anxious than she was. She was alone in the house and had to admit that she rather enjoyed the quiet. The calm before the storm, she told herself.

With a fire crackling in her fireplace and her bed pushed into the corner of her tiny bedroom so that she could pile up her pillows comfortably, she reclined with her Arithmancy book and read. A final luxury she could afford herself, there was a distinct sense of logic buried in those numbers and a feeling that any little action could ripple into huge consequences. This gave her a sense of hope that they would make it.

She had been buried so deep in her book that she hadn't noticed the first light knock at her door. It was the second more aggressive knock that shook her from her thoughts. Who in Merlin's name could that be? She was alone in the house and expected nobody until morning. Curious, she slipped off the bed not even bothering to grab her dressing gown, her white silk camisole clinging lightly to her skin , her little silk shorts bunched a little too high on her thighs. She opened the door only a crack, wand at the ready.

There he was standing before her door, dressed formally his long black hair tied loosely back. Of all the people she would have expected to come knocking, Professor Severus Snape was indeed the last person she would have pointed to. "Professor? Is everything alright?" There was something about his demeanor that struck her as . . . different. He was slightly anxious, fidgety. Severus Snape was never fidgety. He peered briefly into her room before answering her.

"Miss Granger, may I come in?" His voice was as it always had been – low, soft . . . . baritone many Hogwarts school girls dreamt of hearing that voice as close to them as it was to Hermione now. She stepped aside and motioned him in the door. Aside from a small desk about 6 paces from her own bed, her bed was the only place to sit, so that's where he sat. His eyes caught hers briefly and then looked away again. This is sooo strange.

"Sir, is something the matter? Is there something I can do to help?" She couldn't help but be slightly concerned for him in a way. His behavior was striking, but only because she had known him for the hardnosed, strict authoritarian that he had always been in class. He attempted to start a sentence a few times but stopped himself, his frustration rising. Hermione sat down next to him on her bed, giving him her undivided attention. "Sir?"

At this he lifted his eyes to meet hers, there was something in those black depths that she couldn't quite get a feel for. "Miss Granger I really don't know where to start. I've been playing a part in this war since before you were born." Eye contact unbroken, she nodded for him to continue. "Over such a time – with all I've seen and done. . . . " his voice waivered here a bit – as if he didn't want to say too much. ". . . . it is easy to lose sight of what you are fighting for."

"I'm sure it is professor." She was not sure where this discussion was going, but she knew it was good to keep him talking.

"I find it oddly poetic in a way that my love for a Muggle born witch was what originally put me on this track, all those years ago." His voice was strained in a way now, his face – usually stoic- showed pain. After a brief pause he continued, "And now it is again my love for a Muggle born witch that helps me to understand what I am fighting for." With this declaration his eyes set on hers. There was an intensity in his stare that startled her and drew her to him.

Her heart began to beat quickly, She didn't know what to do. He had never once given off any signs of his feelings for her. If anything she was convinced that he hated her.

He seemed to sense her distress. He gently put his hand on top of hers so that she would look at him once again, "Hermione, I will most likely not survive the battle tomorrow, given my dual role. The more I thought about it the more I could not walk into battle without telling you how much you mean to me, and how you reminded me why I have done what I have done." He took her chin in his hand and looked over her face, as if he was memorizing it. "I would do it all again, knowing it would mean that you would not have to live in fear."

Hermione swallowed hard, but couldn't take her eyes off of him.

After a few seconds Professor Snape began to make his way to the door. It was then that something inside her snapped, "Professor, wait." She stood from the bed as he turned to face her, they were inches apart, as was the nature of her tiny room. "Please stay. I. . . . I don't want to spend the evening alone."

Snape's expression was one of incomprehension, his head slightly cocked to the side. It was in that moment that she rose on her tiptoes and kissed him. It was a soft tentative kiss, one that screamed teenaged inexperience and yet it was honest in its feeling. Any concern she had about him not enjoying it were instantly swept away as he wrapped her in his arms, her body flush with his. He returned her kiss with a sigh, as if a true weight had just been lifted from him.

When they did come up for air she looked into his eyes and could see his whole soul laid bare before her. She took a step back, taking his hand in hers and brought him to the bed. A few moments passed and she began to get that distinctive 'deer in the headlights' feeling. She was overcome with emotion but paralyzed in this moment of intimacy – her inexperience making herself conscious, her curiosity spurring her bravery on. Severus seemed to notice this and with a slight smile he took her hand and put it gently on the buttons of his frock coat. She began to slowly unbutton him, taking the hint with a bit of relief.

As she made it half way down he kissed her again, a smooth, sweet sensitive kiss. His lips were so soft, his mouth tasted of cardamom and other exotic spices. It was hard for her to concentrate as his tongue found her lips, gently pried them open and found her mouth. She moaned and brought both hands to his chest, trying to hurry the process of undressing him. Herminone felt him grin against her mouth as she impatiently opened his white dress shirt underneath his iconic multi-button frock coat. He pulled back so that she could shift both garments over his shoulders and off his body.

It was then that she realized she had only ever had experience with boys. Boys were skinny physically, even Krum didn't have the solid form of Severus Snape. His chest was defined and his shoulders strong, though not overly so. She took him in with her eyes, noting every scar that covered his otherwise handsome chest. He was eyeing her curiously, gauging her reaction to him – satisfied that she was still interested he moved a hand to the bottom of her camisole. His expression changed as if to ask her, May I? She must have flushed wildly in her yes response as she could feel the warmth spread from her cheeks over her chest. He lifted her camisole over her head and looked at her.

After a moment he said, "I don't deserve this."

"You are right," she replied, her eyes on his, "you deserve more."

At that he smiled. It had often been posited amongst the student body that Severus Snape was incapable of smiling and that even if he did, his face would implode. That was in fact not true at all. When he smiled it was with his whole face, a beautiful full smile and accentuated his otherwise harsh features. He would never be a truly handsome man, but the fullness with which he turned his smile to her made her heart and body yearn for him.

Palm on her chest he gently pushed her so that she was lying on her back and positioned himself over her. She lifted her hands to his head, running her fingers through his hair and kissed him, this time more passionately and more confidently. She could feel he was undoing his belt and removing his trousers – he would be naked when they stopped kissing and the thought excited her. "You are beautiful when you smile," she breathed into his ear as she felt his hands over her body.

He smirked into her hair, then pulled back to look at her, "Flattery will get you nowhere Miss Granger," a teasing tone to his voice made her laugh. "Laughing at me will get you even less, " he teased with a smirk on his face. He kissed down her body, giving special attention to her nipples. She moaned and arched, surprised at how physical her reactions were. As he trailed down her stomach he stopped at her mound and kissed her deeply over her shorts. His moan was extremely erotic. He turned his eyes to hers and again with that, May I? look in his eyes he waiting for her permission, then removed her shorts. He wasted little time in applying his tongue to her most sensitive areas. She jerked, having never experienced such a touch and kiss there before. She was very wet and he wasted no time in slipping first 1 then a second finger inside of her.

As he curled his fingers back towards himself inside of her she gripped the bedsheets, moaning her appreciation loudly. The reintroduction of his tongue to her clit made her eyes roll back into her head as she lifted her hips – hungry for more. Sweat was beading on her body and she was slowly loosing track of where she was and how she had ended up here. She ran her hands over her breasts pinching her nipples as she often did when she masturbated and this seemed to spur him to move his fingers faster. She could feel the tension building in her, in a way she could have never made it. Her orgasm was sudden and surprised even her, she tensed and screamed her pleasure louder than she had hoped.

When she did open her eyes again, he was sitting on his knees where he had been before- the fingers that had been inside her at his lips. He looked infatuated with her – there was something beyond lust in his eyes. He had already proclaimed his love for her, but she saw an emotion there that she did not know – it was deep. She realized she was looking at his naked body for the first time. He was large, his cock quite a bit wider than two of his fingers and certainly longer. Her shock must have been apparent, because he smirked knowingly at her.

Severus moved over her, holding his body above her with one arm and placing himself at her entrance. He had such nice arms, and his body was so warm. This time he did not ask permission. He pushed himself gently inside of her and she found herself grasping at his forearms, and panting as her body made space for him. He moved his lips along her jawline in encouragement, nipping at her neck and ears. Once he was fully inside, she was amazed at how hard his cock was. Now she understood what the other girls were talking about when they discussed sex.

Once she exhaled and relaxed, he began to roll his hips into her slow and easy at first then faster. She squeezed him closer to her with her legs, though she knew they could not be any closer. She was still so sensitive from her first orgasm, which heightened the feeling inside her now. She was enjoying so much that when he abruptly pulled out and rolled to his side her eyes opened in surprise. He positioned himself on her pillows so that he was reclining but not flat on this back. She must have had a disappointed look on her face, for he beckoned her to sit on his lap with a playful smile.

In that deep silky voice he said, "Come darling, play as you like on it – explore for yourself." Then noticing the apprehension on her face he continued, "Trust me, you can't do much wrong."

With a new found confidence, Hermione positioned herself facing him on her knees. She gently lowered herself onto him, his groan rewarding her efforts. His face was a mix of amusement and lust as he watched her moving on him. Hermione began to experiment with depth and angles, breathing in deep and enjoying her set task. She could tell immediately when she hit that sensitive spot inside her with his cock, shivers pulsating though her. She gripped his shoulder to steady herself as she began to work him at this preferred angle, knelt over him on her knees – leaning toward him with her hand on his shoulder, their eyes locked. "Yes darling, like that. Pleasure yourself, loose control." He ran his fingers down her body, his eyes encouraging her to continue.

She could feel a heat and a pressure building inside of her. His occasional moans, and thrusts, which filled her completely, hitting the cervix. She couldn't stop her moaning, then it turned to panting. . . her insides pulsated and just as she was pushing herself over the edge she looked into his eyes. Her orgasm was the most intense she had experienced her vaginal walls pulsating uncontrollably around him. He brought her body to him, feeling her heart pounding through her chest. He allowed her enough time to recover, then flipped her over on her back, keeping himself sheathed to the hilt inside her.

Pulling her legs up so her feet were at his head, and placing both arms on either side of her head he began to take her deeply. Every thrust rang through her, bottoming out in what she could only describe as pain mixed with sheer pleasure. From this angle she could easily observe his face. He was close now, she could feel it in his motion and see it in how his face contorted in ecstasy when he did finally release. He was beautiful at the height of his passion – throwing caution to the wind and enjoying. She wished he could always be so carefree.

As he relaxed his body, he put his head on her chest – listening closely to her heart beat. She held him so very close, ran her fingers though his hair and just was. Nothing on her mind, nothing bothering her, just the pure satisfaction of being one with another human being. She didn't know how much time had passed, when she finally said, "Severus. If we ever make it. . . " but he lightly pushed a finger to her lips shushing her.

"No Hermione, let's not speak of ifs and whens." He turned on his arm pushing himself up on this forearm and looked at her, "Alea iacta est. The die. . . "

". . . is cast." She finished.

Severus smiled. "We can control nothing in this world. We cannot think about what could be. . . the only thing that is real is this moment now. The moment we have shared, the feeling of each other's warmth." He looked longingly in her eyes and she kissed him in response. The clock struck midnight. "He expects me to be by his side tonight."

Hermione frowned as he slowly drew himself up, getting dressed. She knew he must go, she knew that they their destinies were set. As he made it to the door he took one final look at her, this time she knew he was memorizing her face, then he left. She sat back on her pillows and exhaled – no matter what would happen tomorrow she would always remember this one real moment and know that she had indeed felt true love.