Tonight was different,

she could not say why nor could she explain the exciting yet unexplainable tingle that seemed to streak through her body at odd moments through out the night before settling once again in the depths of her stomach.

Ginny thought it was that time of the month for her friend,

Mrs Weasley thought she was coming down with something and kept sending subtle hints to her at dinner about an early night and a bottle of dreamless sleep. But she couldn't, not after last time she drank the stuff.

And missed him.

He had not been mad of course as he stated in one of his rare missives, after she had written a rather worried note to him, how could he ever be mad at his angel, is very reason for struggling through the day to day hardships of life his only anger came from his own regret at not being able to be there himself to take care of her, to sooth the aching fever that she had at the time.

But that didn't matter tonight for she was neither sleepy nor feverish only aching like she was every night praying that tonight would be the night that he would slip through the wards and back in to her bed.

Faking a loud yawn she excused herself from the living room of Grimmauld Place where a fair number of the order of the phoenix where milling around chatting, reading or in the case of Fred, George Ginny and Harry banding together around the chess board to try in vain at beating Ron at a match.

Climbing the stairs to her room (thankful that she no longer had to share with Ginny, after Mrs Weasley's fresh attempt to make the whole of the dark house habitable) she quietly went through her nightly routine of showering, changing and brushing her teeth before opening her window half way and snuggling under the soft covers to wait until his presence or sleep washed over her,

It was an hour or two later, at the stroke of midnight, as she was just drifting in to the arms of Morpheus that she heard it the strange fluttering noise like the slow beat of a butterflies wing. Thinking she was imaging things but cautious at the same time she tightened her grip on her wand which was kept beneath her pillow.

There it was again there fluttering getting loader as it came closer to her window. Slowly she realised that it was not a butterfly or bird like she had originally thought but the soft fluttering robes which stopped as with a slight groan the old stiff window of her room was pushed open and the sound of a heavy heeled boot connected with the wooden floor.

He had been waiting for over an hour for her presence to move to the bedroom.

Many years of spying and stealth had left him able to sense familiar presences moving around inside a building even if he himself was on the outside, and none was more familiar than her. Crouching low in the undergrowth he let his mind drift slightly, as he felt her settling down in the drawing room with the rest of the household, and thanked Merlin that he had finally been given a night to do with whatever he wished.

The Dark Lord was getting more paranoid by the day, convinced that there where traitors everywhere and it had been his job to test the suspects. Foolish really, it gave him a little moment of smug satisfaction that the one person who The Dark Lord trusted above all others was the one person who was stabbing him in the back. Unfortunately this meant that most of the secret missions his remaining master wished done where left to him leaving him practically no time to visit the old headquarters…

and his love.

A feeling of movement snapped him out of his thoughts as he sensed her getting up and after what seemed like a brief goodbye to the rest of the room retreated up the stairs to her bedroom.

This was it, the movement he had been waiting for all night, now all that was need was the signal that the coast was clear and that she was settled. He watched her make her way to the bathroom attached, moving around in a way which showed she was getting ready for bed just the thought of her soft body made him shiver with anticipation.

It had been far to long since they had last met and even he with all the self control he possessed was coming to the end of his tether almost slipping from the dark lords side for a night just to be near his angel.

The scraping of the window caught his attention as he gazed up for his first look at her in over two months.

She had grown even more breath taking in that time, large brown eyes glittering like tigers eye against her pale face which glowed in the moonlight.

Checking his antique pocket watch he saw that it was ten forty-five.

Only a little over an hour till he was sure she would not be disturbed, sending a silent thank you to Mrs Weasley for her strict rule over the bedtime over her household.

What felt like an age later he heard the far of sound of a clock tower striking midnight, now was the time to move stepping out of his hiding place he summand a breeze creating a small platform of air to take him to her, stepping on he gently guided the breeze up and thus found himself floating up and facing the window.

Softly as he could he nudged the window open more placing one leg through, wincing slightly as his boot gave a tap on the polished floor. Standing in the darkroom he instantly felt at home. The one place in the world where he felt at peace, ironic really considering the houses previous owner.

It was him

She could tell from that first step on the floor made by his signature dragon hide boots, the same ones which she could hear being removed along with his robes.

Feeling the bed dip beside her she kept her eyes tight shut, willing this not to be a dream and refusing to believe he was there until his arms where around her keeping her safe.

She could feel his gaze upon her through the covers.

He always did this when he first arrived as though trying to memorize her every curve before he touched them, tormenting her with his very eyes.

Until finally he moved.

She was so beautiful, his angel

Unable to wait he quickly slipped under the covers circling his arms around her and drawing her soft body to him.

With a small moan she turned slightly to look in his eyes as he gazed steadily, studying her face for a sign of consent, which as usual she gave drawing him to her in a breath taking kiss which left them both gasping for air.

Suddenly the stillness of the moment was shattered as unable to wait they drew together again, his lips descending on her neck trailing bruising kisses along her collarbone while she began furiously unbuttoning his shirt desperate to feel his body against hers.

Lying sated and exhausted sometime later, curled up together. Her head on his chest, gently stroking the soft trail of curls down under the sheets.

Not a sound was heard other than the heavy breathing of the pair, until a small feminine voice whispered in to the night.

"Hello Severus"

"Hello Hermione"