Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I am not JK Rowling, and do not make any money off of this fanfiction. Surprise, surprise.

Authors Notes: Firstly, this is my first fanfiction in roughly seven years, a long hiatus, I know, but I hope to have grown and will to continue to grow with my writing. Secondly, this couple is my absolute favorite pairing of all time. I connect very personally with these characters. That being said, don't like, don't read. Finally, I took honors English in school simply because of my love for reading. I will make mistakes, though I will strive not to. This story is not been beta read.

This story is AU, in that Severus Snape lives and also OOC. MATURE CONTENT. NOT FOR UNDEARAGE READERS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Shadow Man

Hermione stared at herself in the mirror. Her hair sprang wildly from it's ponytail, threatening to escape the hair ties grasp after a long day of work. Being a world renowned potions master's apprentice was not kind to her honey locks. Scrunching her eyes closed, she wished three things. First, that she had not agreed to accompany Draco Malfoy to the annual Ministry Ball. Though his family cowardly switched sides at the climax of the wizarding war, Draco and his family desperately clung to the lavish lifestyle they knew, even if it had meant befriending people they once thought were below them. Namely muggleborns. Lucius and Narsissa awkwardly pretended to befriend her whereas Draco had been sincere in his efforts. He truly had wanted to right his wrongs and build bridges not for his pride but to gain true friendship. After much persuasion, Hermione had given him a chance and found him to actually be enjoyable. Harry, ever the person to jump to a lost cause, had been the first to shake his hand when he offered his friendship. Whereas Ronald, well, he was still reluctant but civil.

Secondly, she wished that she had not agreed to let Ginny Weasley to give her a proper 'make over,' as Ginny had put it, to ensure that Hermione looked her absolute sexiest for any certain someone who had caught her eye. She winked as she said this to Hermione, and a furious blush rose high to her cheeks. She had not breathed a word of her feelings of anyone to her, and here Ginny was making her feel as though she had read her mind and knew exactly why she had agreed to the make over without much pestering. She really did want to turn heads. Well, one head to be exact. But that head would not be there.

Her third wish was that the man she was working for, the man she respected above all, the man she had come to love, would be attending this infernal ball. Severus Snape. She had intended to call the whole thing off just this afternoon after Severus had informed her he had no intention of attending "that damn farce of a get together." She had even put quill to paper to gently let down Draco when a beautiful silver owl had tapped at her window. She opened the window and it stuck out it's leg. She retrieved the parchment and groaned as she saw the Malfoy stamp upon it. Sighing, she opened the scroll.

Hermione,

Thank you for being such a wonderful friend and accompanying me to the Ministry Ball. My parents are thrilled as well, for me to be seen in such "respectable company," as they put it. Not that I care what they think. They're just power hungry and lonely for parties. Really though, I appreciate it. I'll floo for you at 6:30pm.

Draco

P.S. Our owl, Royal, expects only the best treats for her service. I doubt you have this particular snack lying about.

Inside was a capsule of small black balls. Hermione opened it and the smell permeated the air.

"Caviar?" She asked aloud, incredulously, pinching her nose.

The owl hooted impatiently. Hermione, still holding her nose, tipped the contents into her hand and held it out to the bird. She swore it glared as though offended it wasn't on a silver platter then nipped the eggs from her hand.

"You're disgusting." Hermione muttered to the bird as it flew off. She went to wash her hands which again found her in front of the mirror, eyeing her appearance doubtfully.

She was not entirely certain when her respect for this brilliant man had turned to curiosity, then to an interest, then a crush, love, and then lust. The order that her feelings had evolved was what had worried her the most. Wasn't lust to come before love? Isn't that how crushes started? You speculated about their abilities in bed before you came to love them?

Instead, it began as admiration for his work ethic. He was entirely dedicated to customers owning his own apothecary had brought in. He came off as cynical and distant at first, simply because he wanted to deter any potential buyers who were not serious about his services. He was, to put it bluntly, the very best at what he did. There was no other potions master so driven to collect the very finest ingredients, to brew them as studiously as he did. This resulted in him not only patenting many potions of his own invention, but to charge an obscene amount. His loyal customers did not complain, they knew they were getting the absolute best. Prince Apothecary quickly became the number one in all of Europe. It quickly became apparent that he needed an assistant with his brewing and collecting. That's when Hermione stepped in. He ignored her letters, her pleas to be taken on as his assistant for many months. There had been many other applicants in that time, but after a single biting letter from him they took their rejections quietly and left him alone. Hermione had no such intentions. She badgered him, first weekly, then twice a week, then finally every day. Hermione herself was embarrassed that she had resorted to such begging, but to be entirely honest, she was desperate. With the exception of Trewlany's class and Advanced Potions, Hermione had received O's on every class and NEWT. In Advanced Potions, she received an E. It had infuriated her. However, she quickly turned her fury to determination. She had been born with the need to be the very best she could be, and she was not satisfied with herself that she had received less than the best in her absolute favorite class. She would have never admitted that it was her favorite class however. During school, she had been embarrassed by her high regard of Severus Snape. Now, it was a different story. Now, she was in love. Not only was she in love, but she was lusting after him as well.

Her admiration for his work turned to interest in his passion for potions. After seven years of school with him, four years completing schooling for the honor of Potions Mistress, a year and a half of begging that she take him on as his apprentice, the year of apprentice that earned her the title of Potions Mistress, and the two years she worked for him, she had picked up quite a lot about Severus Snape's true passion behind his work. Some was her own personal deductions of his character, others was her observation of his dealings with customers, but most of it was the way he had painstakingly taught her everything he knew. Although he maintained that he had quite a lot left to teach her, but Hermione had her own sneaking suspicions that he was afraid he really didn't have anything left to teach her but wanted to remain feeling superior.

Her interest in passion was what had really made her fall for him. Over these years, at her twenty seven years of age (with some added help from a certain time turner), she had discovered that his passion lay in his very well concealed desire to help people. Beneath his prickly, snarky, mysterious exterior, Severus Snape truly wanted to make a difference in the world. And he would never admit it to a single soul. Hermione had a feeling that there were two other people privy to this information. Albus Dumbledore, who had not only taken advantage of a distraught young man by twisting his love for someone into something that would benefit the greater good, but had recognized that past his deep interest in dark magic and through the dark mark upon his wrist, there had been a young boy who had had the desire to change the world for good beaten out of him first by his father, then by Tom Riddle. The second person Hermione believed knew the true spirit of Severus Snape was Minerva McGonagall who had quietly stood by Severus through every trial, heartbreak, and wound that was inflicted upon him only to see him arise the next morning as a phoenix and do it all again.

His passion for work had slowly lead Hermione to contemplate his other passions. Reading, she knew was one. Like herself, he had always driven for toward the gaining of more and more knowledge. He believed, as did she, that knowledge was the one thing that would never be a waste of time. However, now Hermione was beginning to wonder if perhaps love could be added to that small list of things that were not a waste of time. In addition to books, his other passions were cooking, gardening, and most surprisingly of all; music.

It was an accident that Hermione had discovered that Severus was actually quite an accomplished piano player. She had apparated at his home one late evening to pick a plant from Severus' private gardens for some late night brewing. He had given her permission to do so seven months into their work together on the condition that she inform him so that he could ensure the plant was replaced. The garden was on the ground level to the north side of the home he had purchased in the countryside. He enjoyed his privacy, he stated to her when she looked at him questioningly the first time he allowed her over. She silently nodded. She wished for the same privacy, but she was not nearly as well off as he was to buy such an estate. She was by no means poor, but her flat suited her and Crookshanks just fine. It was on this evening she had appeared unannounced to Severus' countryside home to gather her ingredients when the tones of Gustav Holst reached her ears. It was 'Mars, the Bringer of War.' She had never heard it played simply on the piano, only with a full orchestra, and this piqued her curiosity. Following the sound, she rounded the back of the house to find a beautiful sun room with more greenery inside. The sun was setting in the west and as she looked through the leaves of plants she saw Severus Snape inside playing a grand piano. The piano was itself, quite beautiful, but that was not what had caught Hermione's gaze. Rather, it was Severus himself. Wearing black slacks, a white button down with the top three buttons unfastened, his hair was pulled to the nape of his neck, revealing the jagged skin of his throat that had been ripped from him by that vile snake. Hermione's breath caught in her throat. She studied him, he was so peaceful and relaxed. She had never seen him in such a manner. Slowly, her eyes drifted to his fingers. She never before noticed how long they were. How nimble and skilled. How quickly they moved. Her mind went fuzzy and time stood still. Suddenly a thought flitted across her mind.

"I wonder what else he could do with those fingers."

The thought drew her from her reverie but she was not ignorant to the warm feeling in the pit of her stomach and the goosebumps crawling over her bare arms. Quickly, and as quietly as she could, she stumbled through the garden, careful not to crush anything. She apparated back to her apartment and released the breathe she had not realized she was holding.

That had been the beginning of the the sexual thoughts she began to have. They grew from fleeting thoughts, passing through her mind before she shook her head. Soon they were daydreams. Daydreams morphed into dreams that left her waking, startled, gasping for breath and craving more. More than once she had wondered if he read her mind during work, or caught her staring, biting her lip as he rolled up his sleeves while brewing. She knew she was being ridiculous. He was Severus Snape. And she was know-it-all Hermione Granger. There would be nothing to come of her feelings. She told herself that repeatedly, but the desire and love for the man only grew.

She heard a loud knocking at her flat door that woke her from her reminiscing. She blinked as she realized she was still standing in her bathroom while she had just contemplated the last few years of her life.

"Hermione, open up! You are getting to that Ministry Ball looking drop dead gorgeous if it's the last thing I do! It's already 5:30!" Ginny yelled through the door.

Hermione waved her hand in the air and heard Ginny yelp.

"Damn you and your wandless magic! Can't you just open the door like a regular person?" Ginny griped.

Hermione sighed but managed a smile. "Sorry, Gin, it's just habit."

Hermione had realized the power of wordless magic when Dolohov had sliced her torso open. She knew it would be a powerful weapon in war and spent a very long time learning and perfecting the ability. Truth was, she needed to have the upper hand in magical situations or she risked having horrible flashbacks of war.

Ginny nodded grimly. She knew the story.

"Wow, you're already fixed up, aren't you?" Hermione asked, taking in Ginny's appearance. Ginny wore a beautiful floor length purple gown that shimmered when she moved. Her hair was up in an intricate bun and her makeup was flawless. Ginny was one of those people who looked fantastic with or without makeup, and secretly, Hermione was jealous. Hermione was just plain old Hermione.

"Yeah, yeah, enough about me. Here." Ginny shoved four different bottles into Hermione's hands. "First, use the purple one as an exfoliant. Then the lighter purple as a body wash. Shave, exfoliate again, then shave again. The other two go in your hair. Light green one first, has to stay in twenty minutes, rinse, then the blue one twice."

"What?" Hermione asked, flabbergasted. "You want me to use all these? Multiple times?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Get to it woman, you don't have very long."

"But..."

Ginny grabbed Hermione's shoulders and steered her into the bathroom. Hermione gaped at her.

"Oh, and Hermione," Ginny smirked, "Shave everything."

Hermione opened her mouth to protest but Ginny slammed the door.

"Shave everything...I'll shave your head, that's what..." Hermione mumbled. Ginny smiled. She had a plan.

At 6:15, Hermione was back in front of her bathroom mirror.

"I can't believe you've done this to me." Hermione breathed.

Hermione's skin glowed with the shine of light island tan, her hair was smoother than silk and was straight, falling down to the small of her back. Her makeup was light, a thin line of "sexily smudged" eyeliner as Ginny had put it, dainty false lashes, and the most natural looking lipstick Hermione had seen, although it was charmed to fill her lips to a nice plump look. Hermione actually was tempted to hold onto that lipstick. However, it was the dress that Hermione was most taken aback with. At first she thought the dress was a deep emerald green but she quickly learned that it actually changed between the emerald to a dark black as she moved. The dress' back plummeted to an inch before inappropriate but thankfully it had a decently high sweetheart neckline. Simple, strappy silver heels for her newly pedicured feet, and a thin silver chain for a bracelet and as a necklace.

Ginny's face lit up. "I think you are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!" She declared.

"Hello?" Came Draco's voice from the other room. He had put his head through the floo. "May I come in?"

"Of course, Draco!" Ginny called. "Hermione just finished getting ready! Wait until you see her!"

Hermione slapped Ginny's arm somewhat lightly. Ginny just grinned and pranced into the living room. Hermione took one last look at herself and a steadying breath and followed her.

"Wow Granger, you look fantastic." Draco exclaimed. He turned to Ginny. "And a little bit Slytherin, too, huh." He said to her with a wink. Ginny winked back.

"Oh my God, Ginny, he's right!" Hermione shrilled. "Why did you dress me like a Slytherin? I mean everything is Slytherin! The shoes, the dress, the jewelry, the under-" Hermione flushed. Ginny just grinned slyly. Just then, another head popped through the floo.

"Gin? Are you there? Are you and Hermione ready?"

"Oh, Harry!" Ginny squealed, "yes, we're all ready, come on through!" Harry popped into the room and gave Ginny a sweet kiss. "You look beautiful love!" He said looking into her eyes.

"You're not so bad yourself, babe." Ginny replied with a wink.

Hermione looked away. She suddenly felt out of place in her own living room while her two friends exchanged intimacy.

"Oi, Hermione, you look pretty great yourself! Ginny got to you, huh?" He said crossing the room and giving her a one armed hug. He shook Draco's hand.

"Are we all ready to go?" Draco asked. He took Hermione's hand and Harry took Ginny's and with a pop they apparated into a lavishly decorated hall. A plump woman dressed in bright green rushed to greet them.

"Welcome, welcome to the Ministry Mystery Ball!" She gushed.

"Mystery Ball?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, yes of course, dearie, the annual Mystery Ball! Now here are your blindfolds, put them on, there's a good dear." The woman blabbered, handing them all black silk blindfolds.

"Wait, we're wearing blindfolds? Why are we wearing blindfolds? We won't be able to see." Hermione questioned.

"Oh, dearie, they're magic blindfolds! You can see all your surroundings and you can see people but the the blindfolds are charmed to not allow you to recognize anyone or their voices!You aren't allowed to tell anyone your name either! Haven't you ever been to one of these? The ministry started these balls after that terrible war ended to encourage people to make friends with one another despite what we see as differences! It's worked well with the purebloods I see!" She added, glancing at Draco, who had his arm linked with Hermione's. Hermione could see him stiffen.

"Actually, Draco and I are quite good friends, without any of these Ministry Balls." Hermione replied coolly. The woman flushed and looked appropriately ashamed.

"Here, Granger, allow me." Hermione accepted his offer and allowed him to tie the blindfold about her. She could still see. She looked to where she knew Harry and Ginny to be standing but rather than seeing them, all she saw was what looked like a shadows of people.

"Okay then." Harry said. "This is kind of weird. But, well, shall we?" The other three murmured in agreement and headed through the double doors.

The first hour and a half of the Ball happened rather uneventfully. Hermione and Draco danced most dances together, then she had a few with Harry and another with someone she suspected was Ronald.

Her suspicions were confirmed when Ron leaned in and whispered that it was him and they were both surprised when someone with an official sounding voice appeared during their dance and informed them that Ron had to leave now that he had said his name.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later then," Ron told her laughing. "It's no fun here without a date anyways!"

"See you later," Hermione called. She walked towards the table that she, Draco, Harry, and Ginny had claimed as theirs for the night. However there was no sign of any of them. After three more songs passed and more flutes of champagne than she cared to admit without anyone returning to the table she began to despair. She was relieved as a shadow of someone approached her. She nearly called to it, about to ask if it was Draco when she remembered saying so might kick the both of them out of the Ball. The Shadow stopped in front of her but did not say anything. Hermione was about to ask the Shadow if he needed something when he finally spoke.

"Madam, may I have this dance?"

This was definitely not Draco. She hesitated for a moment before the champagne got the better of her shyness.

"Certainly." She replied with more formality than she would have normally used. Something about Shadow Man made her want to impress him even though he had only spoken six words to her.

She accepted his proffered hand off they went. They danced three dances together without speaking a single word. Hermione silently marveled at the Shadow Man's incredible talent on his feet. He was quite graceful.

As the third song ended, Shadow Man spoke. "Would you care to sit down?"

Hermione was flushed with the exertion of dancing. "Yes," she breathed. "I'm quite tired."

Hermione had expected Shadow man to deposit her at the table, but as they made their way there he plucked two flutes of champagne from a passing waiter. He gallantly pulled out her seat for her which she accepted gratefully along with the champagne. He seated himself next to her and took a sip from his glass. She saw him wave his hand and wondered vaguely what he was doing.

"I know who you are." He stated.

"Oh." Hermione said. "Well now you're going to be asked to leave."

"No, I won't." He replied simply.

"Why is that?"

"I silently cast a silencing spell."

"Oh."

"Considering who you are, Miss Granger, you're not terribly talkative." Shadow Man said.

"How do you know who I am?" Hermione asked.

"I am...familiar with your work." he replied.

"Well I'm afraid there's not a whole lot of work for you to be familiar with. The man I work for, he is responsible for everything that comes from his laboratory."

"You don't work for him, you work with him." Shadow Man countered. "And to hear him speak of it, he credits you quite a lot for the potions that are patented."

"He's never said that to me. And it's not like any of those patents have my name on them," Hermione muttered.

"Yes, they do."

"What?" Hermione asked. "No they don't. If they did I'd be getting royalties from them."

"You've not checked your account to collect your royalties from those patents? There are quite a few with your name on them. Actually, every patented potion from the past fifteen months has your name on them."

"What?" Hermione asked, now incredulously. "That's twenty one potions! How do would you know any of that?" She snapped.

Shadow Man was silent for a moment. "As I said before, I am familiar with your work."

"Apparently you're very familiar. Exactly who are you?" She demanded.

"Oh no, Granger. I'm not ready to reveal myself quite yet." He said softly.

"But you're going to?"

"I might." Shadow Man leaned in closely. So close, he was right next to her face. "But I'd much prefer you to tell me who I am."

"Tell you?" Hermione stuttered. "How am I supposed to do that?"

Shadow Man was still next to her ear. "I'll give you some clues."

"Clues." Hermione repeated slowly. "What kind of clues?"

"Clues that I cannot give you here...in public."

Hermione's stomach flipped over and she felt goosebumps. Shadow Man stood and offered his hand. Hermione looked up at him. "How do I know I can trust you?" She asked.

"You don't. But I can see that you want to." He replied smoothly.

Hermione bit her lip and ignored the clenching in her lower body and took his hand. With great care, he took her hand, brought it up to his lips, then placed it in the crook of his arm. He led them towards the exit. On his way, he procured two more flutes of champagne. Once through the exit, Hermione felt a familiar tug on her navel and a loud pop. He'd apparated them somewhere! She yanked his arm from his.

"Where have you taken us?" She demanded. Her hand had flown to her wand which was secured to her thigh underneath her dress.

"Calm yourself Miss Granger. We are still at the Ministry Ball, although we are in one of their more...private rooms."

"Oh." She didn't know what it was, but something about Shadow Man made her relax her grip on her wand.

"I have a proposal." He said.

Hermione's eyes went wide, and although he could not see it, he somehow knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Not that kind of proposal, Miss Granger. If it were that type, I can assure you that it would not be here, at a Ministry function, with a respectable and brilliant young woman such as yourself."

"Oh." Hermione found herself saying again.

"My proposal is this," Shadow Man continued when she said nothing more. "You see that I have brought with us these two flutes of champagne. I also have Veritaserum with me. I would like to ask you a few questions, and in return, you may ask me whatever you wish. With a few exceptions of course."

"How do I know you're not going to poison me?" Hermione asked.

To her surprise, Shadow Man laughed, but his laugh was hollow. "I am sorry that you were forced to grow up too quickly with little to no trust in anyone Miss Granger. I assure you, I was in the same position. But no, I will not poison you. I have only the one vial. I will take a sip from both flutes and you may pour the Veritaserum into both glasses. Will that put your worries at ease?"

Hermione chewed her lip, thinking it over. It sounded okay. She still couldn't quite put her finger on why she trusted this man without good reason.

"And your conditions?"

"You will question me first, you must do so quickly so that we each get a turn. You may not ask me anything that would reveal my identity to you directly. Does that sound feasible?

Hermione paused, thinking. "Alright." She decided. She picked up the drinks and sniffed each then handed them to Shadow Man. "Take a sip from both."

Shadow Man did as she commanded.

"Well?" He asked.

"Wait a few minutes. Magical poisons without odor can take up to four minutes to take affect."

"Good girl." He murmured.

For some reason unknown to her, those words made her insides squirm.

"Times up. Let me pour the Veritaserum." She added a few drops to each glass and handed one back to him. Without hesitation, he poured the drink down his throat.

"Ask away." He whispered.

"Are you here at this Ball just to speak to me?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Do you have a date?"

"No."

"Did you come with a friend?"

"Yes."

"Why do you want to speak to me?"

"Because there are things I need to know from you, things I need to hear directly from your mouth and know that it is the complete truth."

"How are you familiar with me?"

"I have known you for many years, Miss Granger. We have worked together on a great many things."

"Why won't you tell me who you are?"

"The questions I have for you could be influenced by your knowledge of who I am."

Hermione opened her mouth for another question when he held up his hand.

"It has worn off, Miss Granger. It is my turn."

Hermione took a steadying breath then emptied the drink.

"Are you happy with your work, Miss Granger?"

"I'm extremely happy. I feel like I am being challenged and that is the type of environment I thrive in."

"Why have you not looked into the patents on those potions with your name on them?"

"I didn't know my name was on them at all, and I had no reason to believe that I had deserved the honor of having my name next to Severus Snape's on the label."

"Do you think highly of Severus Snape?"

"I think extremely highly of him."

"Tell me how you feel about him. Exactly how you feel."

Hermione panicked. She could not fight the words bubbling from her mouth, and she was terrified by it.

"I've never spoken these words aloud, not to a single soul. I am in love with Severus Snape. I love everything about him. His honor, his work ethic, his dedication, his love and pursuit of knowledge. I think he is the most handsome man I have ever laid eyes on. I...I fantasize about him...at...night..." Hermione began to choke on her words. The potion was wearing off and her self preservation was kicking in. She had revealed her deepest secret to this stranger and now she was humiliated. She choked back a sob.

"Hermione, take off your blindfold." Shadow Man said. She began to shake. No, no, no. She would not take it off. She had bared her soul to the man, this man she didn't know. She had shared intimate secrets with him.

"No...no..no.." She whispered. "I can't, not now, not after I said all that. I can't know who you are, at least spare me that. Just let me go, let me go and let me never know the truth, please," She begged. She began to turn to run when she felt a hand gently grab her arm.

"Hermione, dear sweet Hermione, please, it's me, please look at me," he pleaded.

She turned back to him. "Severus?" She whispered. "Severus, it's you?"

She felt his hands reaching behind her head to untie her blindfold. She kept her eyes closed as he removed it, tears still escaping down her cheeks.

"Oh, Hermione." He whispered. That was his voice! That was Severus' voice!

"Severus!" She cried, opening her eyes.

"Yes, Hermione, it's me." He cupped her face, wiping her tears away with his rough thumbs. "You love me?" He asked, searching her eyes for an answers.

"Oh, yes, Severus, yes I do. Of course, everything I said was true!"

"Hermione, I had hoped, I had dreamed..." His voice choked, and he turned his head away. He took a deep breath. "For fifteen months, I have loved you, maybe even before that. But when I put your name right next to mine on that first patent, that's when I knew. That's when I knew I wanted to see your name next to mine forever. I didn't know if I could have forever with you, and that damn patent application was the only thing that kept me dreaming. Damn it woman, I purposely sent you to the patent office with those blasted papers every time, hoping you'd see you were on there too! There's probably £268000 in your account!" He shouted.

Hermione's face paled.

"But that's not what matters, Hermione, what matters is I love you. And I'm sorry that I resorted to these measures to find out if you felt the same, but it was destroying me, I had to know!"

Severus' lips flew to Hermione's in a soft but urgent kiss. She quickly melted against him and returned the passion. Her hands wrapped around his shoulders, massaging her fingertips into his tense neck, as his worked their way slowly to the small of her back pulling her closer to him. As her hips met his, he let out a low growl.

"Now, what was it you were saying about fantasizing about me?" He whispered huskily.

Hermione bit her lip shyly and smiled.

"Tell me, witch." He commanded and leaned to bite her neck.

"At first it was just fleeting thoughts...wondering what it would be like to kiss you..." he nipped her neck as she said this.

"Go on..." he said soothing the bite with his tongue.

She sighed deeply as her knees weakened. He slowly pushed her towards the wall and nudged her legs open with his knee. He supported her weight in the most delicious way possible. She bit her lip and rested her head on the wall, exposing the expanse of her neck. He bit her again.

"Keep talking." He whispered huskily into her throat.

"Then I'd wonder what it would feel like for you to touch me..."

"What did you think it would feel like?" He asked dancing his fingertips lightly along the edge of her sweetheart neckline.

"I couldn't have ever imagined it feeling as electric as this does..." She sighed.

"How about this?" He asked, digging his fingers in to her hips.

"Oh god..." She whispered.

"Hermione, love, if we keep going the way we are, I want to be somewhere more private." He growled into her collarbone.

"Yes," she gasped.

"Look at me Hermione," he demanded. Her darkened amber eyes flew to his obsidian ones. "Hermione, if we continue, I want you to be mine. Only mine."

"Please, Severus, I've wanted this for so long. Please." She begged.

He leaned his forehead against hers and apparated them into his country home. They landed in the foyer and Severus was quick to press her against to closest wall and continue to kiss Hermione senseless. He stroked her back and lightly brushed his fingers along the fabric of the low cut back of her dress.

"I have to say, I quite like this dress Miss Weasley and Draco picked out for you..." He said standing back to admire her.

Hermione groaned slightly at the sudden lack of contact. Shaking her head to clear her mind, "What? What are you talking about? Ginny picked out this dress..."

"That's where you are wrong, my dear," He said. "Miss Weasley and Draco were in on this little...scheme. Ginerva is not as ignorant to your feelings as you might think, Hermione, despite your best efforts to hide them. Nor, Draco to my own feelings, I might add. Draco convinced me to attend that wretched function with the promise of your company. He implied that you had feelings for me that Miss Weasley had informed him of and that you might be...persuaded...to reveal them given the right circumstances."

"You complete and total Slytherin!" Hermione laughed, playfully slapping him on the chest.

"Precisely. He and Miss Weasley took care of the rest. And I quite like their fashion sense."

While explaining this to Hermione, he hand sneaked up her side and found the zipper to her dress.

"May I?" He asked, fingering it. Hermione could tell he was just itching to get her out of the dress, but she was quite touched that he had asked permission first. She nodded. He leaned down to kiss her again and slowly undid the zipper. At last the dress fell in a silken heap upon the foyer tile.

"No bra, Miss Granger?" Severus tutted. "Well, I can't say I'm displeased." His kisses slowly moved down her neck, pausing to leave a faint purple mark upon her collarbone and continued down to her breasts. Placing his mouth in front of one, he gave it a quick lick and blew on it, causing it to erect in response to the cool air. Doing the same to the other nipple, he moved his hand to cup them and run the pad of his thumb against her nipples. She arched her back in response and let out a loud moan.

"Now, now, Miss Granger, that certainly confirms my suspicions that you would be vocal." He said continuing to stroke her breasts.

"Oh, so you've given the idea of me in bed much thought, have you?" Hermione asked, smirking.

"The very thought of you responding to my touches has brought me more satisfaction than I care to admit." He replied, looking down and a little bit ashamed of this confession.

Hermione placed her finger underneath his chin and brought his gaze to hers.

"I'd like to see that sometime." She whispered.

Severus growled and dove for her mouth again. After a few more very heated kisses, Hermione pulled back gasping.

"Bed?" She asked. Severus nodded. He cupped Hermione's ass and brought her legs around his waist. He made quick work of the stairs, something Hermione found impressive as his lips never left hers and his eyes never opened to see where he was going. A door was kicked open behind her and she felt herself being laid gently onto a bed. Severus was still on top of her, kissing her lips, her jaw, her earlobes, her neck, her collarbone. He was driving her wild. Hermione pushed onto his chest to lift him from her. He looked momentarily confused until he noticed her working on the black bow tie he had worn to the Ball. Soon her fingers moved to the buttons and she was quickly pushing his shirt from him and down his arms.

"You are a witch, are you not?" He asked jokingly.

"I like the suspense of undressing you by hand," she whispered. Before he knew it she had slid his slacks down his thighs and he was kicking them off the bed.

"There, now we're equally dressed." She told him smugly.

"Hardly." He said dryly, looking down at her knickers. They were dark green with thin black lace on the top and in the very center. "You still seem much dressier than I." He had on simple silk boxers that looked even more tantalizing now that his erection wasn't nearly as confined as it had been.

"Well, how about we make it more equal." She breathed, running her tongue along his jaw to his earlobe where she paused to suck. She hooked her fingers onto the waistband of his boxers and slid them down his legs. Her had drifted back up and her fingers brushed along his now bare erection. Gently, she grasped him and began stroking his full length. He closed his eyes and groaned.

"Hermione," he growled, "please, I need you. Say you need me too, please." He begged looking into her eyes.

She looked directly at him. "I need you Severus. I need all of you. I need all your scars and your imperfections, and your passion, your knowledge, you body, your soul, your love..."

"I can die a happy man, even with just those words coming from your beautiful mouth, but please, let me have all of you. Let me have all of your forever, I want to be yours, I want to give you everything you could ask of me."

Tears pricked Hermione's eyes and she leaned in to kiss him, tenderly this time. She tried to put every feeling she had for this wonderful man into that kiss and she could feel him putting every feeling he had for her into it in return. His hands moved to her hips and she felt her knickers vanish. She rose an eyebrow at him.

"Love, I've had enough suspense, please..."

Hermione nodded, whispered a contraceptive spell and then leaned in to kiss him with passion once more and felt him enter her. He felt perfect to her, and she felt perfect to him. He pushed into her slowly at first, and she reveled in the feeling of it. Soon, the tension inside her began to build, and she began meeting his thrusts, moaning louder and louder the longer they went. The feeling of him inside her, pressing against her, his chest against his, the heat of his body, it pushed her over the edge. Screaming his name, she let go and let the carnal pleasure take over. As it hit her, she looked at this man she loved directly in his eyes. His eyes darkened and he leaned down and placed kisses all over her face as she screamed her release. He felt his own tension build as this beautiful woman, the woman whose intelligence equaled his own, who shared the same passions and pleasures as him, this woman who had just declared her hidden love for him, as she shook around him, he let himself go, knowing that he could never be happier than in this moment of love and passion. Together, they had brought peace, pleasure, happiness, and most importantly love, to each other and everything was right in their world.

Fin

Oh my! I've actually never written an explicit scene before, and I have to say, I'm pleased with my first attempt. (Although, being a married woman makes it a bit easier to write!) Reading this over just by myself, I can see I struggle with run on sentences. Something I will have to work on! Please review, constructive criticism welcome! Hoped you liked it, and I'll see you next time!