Disclaimer: Don't own.

"Out." Heavy breathing and aching limbs were suddenly forgotten. Hermione's eyes snapped open to stare in horror at Severus' white ceiling.

Weren't they passed this?

Severus' erratic breathing blew his hair off of his face as he turned over in his blue sheets to look at her. Hermione's eyes stayed stubbornly on the ceiling; she didn't need to see the look of pity and disdain that would surely be painted across his face. Childishly, she kidded herself that maybe if she wished really hard and didn't look away from the flecking paint, it wasn't really there. An annoyed sigh whistled through Severus' teeth and his long pale fingers wrapped around Hermione's upper arm, ready to push her out of his bed. Desperation flooded Hermione's system, numbing the dull pain of bites and bruises. She rolled over quickly to straddle his lean, pale torso. Black eyes glared up at her. Severus' hands traced up her legs to tip her off of him and onto the floor. But Hermione couldn't let that happen again. It was time to make a stand. Her eyes stared down into his, pleading with him. 'Please, don't make me leave.'

This is definitely not where Hermione saw herself five years ago. When asked by a bored reporter what the frizzy haired sidekick of the boy-who-lived would be doing with her life she smiled and launched into a happy description of a career in the ministry, a happy relationship, two beautiful children and a menagerie of family pets. But now mere years later she was stuck in a dead end job and her boyfriend liked to pretend she didn't exist.

Large hands stilled on her thighs and Hermione watched Severus fall into thought, subtly she held her breath with trepidation as he debated whether or not to let her stay the night. The familiar burn of attraction suddenly licked up her torso again as she watched him lying buried in his sheets staring up at her. This was what kept her coming back. After every disdainful look; casual throw-back and witheringly put down, this basic need pulled her back into his arms. His forehead creased and his lips pursed in contemplation. Hermione tangled her fingers in his hair, crossing them behind his head for luck. Severus' eyes caressed her body once more and suddenly he tipped her off of his lap. Hermione's head dropped in defeat. But soon the smooth coolness of his sheets greeted her and she felt the amazing gift of Severus running his hand up her body as he tugged the covers up over her skin. She watched in wonderment as he pointed his wand at his hearth and extinguished the only light in the room.

Lying silently in his blue sheets Hermione listened to his breathing, gratitude flooding her system as he tugged her closer in a rare show of affection. Contently tucked into his side she closed her eyes, sharing the warmth of his body. It was a breakthrough. But curiosity suddenly prevented sleep. How far exactly could she push this? If he expected her to clear out before dawn he had another thing coming. Hermione resolved suddenly not to let him treat her like a sordid one-night-stand any longer. She sighed happily and snuggled deeper into his side, her chin moving to rest of his shoulder.

"Go to sleep." mumbled his voice, muffled by her hair but still unmistakeably his deep, angry drawl. Hermione nodded slowly, not wanting to be kicked out of his bed when she had come so far. She quickly emptied her mind, ready to slip into dreams of the man lying next to her.

When Hermione awoke groggily the next morning, the resolve to turn their relationship into something more then a six month long one-night-stand was fresh in her mind. But when she finally managed to pry her eyes open she was greeted by an empty bed. Severus was gone. In his place was a note, his scrawl hastily spat across it. Her fingers fumbled in the sheets until her sleep-addled brain managed to grab the small piece of parchment and hold it up to her tired eyes.

Staff meeting.

Speak later.

-S

The parchment crumpled in her fist as she dropped back onto the covers. Her fresh resolve drained as though Severus had pulled out the plug of her confidence. She couldn't believe he had actually managed to ruin their first ever morning after. Spotting his fireplace out of the corner of her eyes she took aim.

As the note landed gracefully in the grate her bare feet touched the floor and she sprung up from the bed.

A.N – Hello people,

I have yet another Snape/Hermione boiling. Sorry if this seems quick.

I do spend a lot of time right now doing college work, but I also spend a lot of time avoiding college work so this shouldn't be updated too irregularly.

Life is very confusing right now: boys messing with my head, Biology is too hard, I can't tell the difference between a two-party system and a multi-party system blah, blah. But I refuse to let that all get in the way of my odd love for Snape. XD

Also this was written on Oswald my new laptop. I love him so much, too.

People who have read my other Snape/Hermione stuff!! Read this!!!

Does this fic seem randomly more mature to you? I feel like there is just something about it...