She never said his name. Never. Not once. Of course, there had been the ever-proper "Professor" and the "Sir" and even on the occasion, when her anger had been piqued and her voice grew piercing and harsh, she'd called him "Snape". But never "Severus."

Say it, he would demand as he thrust hard. Say it.

Oh! Oh!

Say it, he'd growl.

Oh! God!

No. SAY IT. They were close, but he swore to himself that this time she would say it. Say it, he pounded each syllable. Dragging it out. Making her feel it. Making her ache as roughly as he.

Fuck, Hermione. Say it, he'd plead.

For that was what she had reduced him to. Begging. Pleading. Whimpering. Desperate for her to admit it, just once. To face what they had done—were doing—and would continue to do. He wanted her to admit it was HE. He who made her desperate for it. He who made her dissolve into a puddle of mindless indulgence. He who cracked her walls and devoured what was hidden behind them. He who made her crumble.

But that was the fault in it all. Her walls were the ones cracking. She wasn't the one to crumble. It was him.

Say. It. SAY IT. Sayit. Saaaaayitttt.

Oh!

And then—a shudder and silence.

Only their panting and desperate gasps moving in the room.

Then as sudden as anything, she moved from the bed. She dressed facing away from him, as always. He never asked what she was doing anymore. He knew.

She half turned, half smiled. Only halves with her.

Goodnight, Professor.

Eighteen steps from the bed to the front door. One half second knob turn, then the thud of the door as it closed.

And in the silence, with eyes closed and sweat mercilessly licking at the fresh nail marks on his arms, he realized-she hadn't said it.

A/N: Well, I suppose I'm back now. It's been a few years since I've written anything or really even been on the site. But with all of the kind words of those who emailed or personal messaged me, I've decided to give it another go.

This is just a quick little snippet of something that was floating about in my head. Something the get me back in the swing of things. Let me know how you liked it/didn't like it.

Flames are always welcome, as I enjoy a good laugh with my coffee. :}

Yours,

EQ