Author's Note: I can't thank my Beta, Slytherin-Me, enough! She was wonderful in going through this several times for me, and cleaning it up. I appreciate her like crazy! That said, enjoy and please review.

H~S~H~S

To Hermione –

Your presence is requested at dinner in the Great Hall this evening.

Yours,

Severus Snape

P.S. If you refuse, I'll be much disappointed; not only due to the fact that you did not come, but also because Minerva will never let me hear the end of it.

Hermione couldn't help but laugh as she read the letter three more times. Severus' unique mixture of formality and casualness was enough to amuse her, but the post script added to her enjoyment of the letter.

Harry, in the adjoining cubicle, stuck his head over the wall and asked, "What's so funny?" He situated his glasses on his face, as if it would help him identify the source of her amusement.

"Nothing, Harry," she replied, swiveling around in her chair and placing the letter down on her desk. She had a lot to contemplate, and with her assignment just around the corner, she felt overwhelmed.

As if she hadn't been thinking of the night before last the entire day, she remembered again what it was like to be in Severus' arms. Her face grew hot at the memory, and she rubbed the spot he'd left on her neck. Never in her life had she pleaded with someone to kiss her. It was as if he'd decimated all her inhibitions and left her shamelessly wanton in his arms. If she recalled correctly, one minute she had been trying to make him understand she wouldn't be so easily seduced into his private quarters, and the next she was practically begging him to have his wicked way with her right there in the snow! She felt relieved Flitwick had shown up. One date with Severus wasn't nearly enough to follow up with a shag session.

Merlin, the possibilities! She knew he detested what-ifs, as he had referred to them, but she couldn't help but contemplate them. What if he had claimed her out in the snow? What if they'd made it to his quarters, and she had woken up in his arms? What if he only wanted such from her, and would be done with her afterward?

But no, she reasoned. His words… Oh, his sexy, gruff words… "You don't know how long I've waited for you," he'd said, and she'd felt her body completely betray her and offer him everything. She doubted any female in their right mind could resist that phrase from so complex a man while he worshipped her with his lips. She felt heady with the thought of it.

Hermione had grown up being independent and headstrong. During the war, she'd learned to develop an intense amount of self-control, something that was needed on her many assignments. She figured that was why she and Ronald hadn't stayed together. As much as he appreciated who she was, his upbringing instilled in him the need for a little wifey who stayed home, was submissive and took care of their children. This, she'd told him, may work for other witches, but not for her. She needed to make a difference in the world, and with her decisive manner and determination, she'd become somewhat distanced from things she considered trivial, such as dating or needing a man.

Severus, in a shocking display, shattered those views as well as her stern demeanor. It was obvious he'd made a true effort to shed the dark layers of his past, and she found it so admirable of him. She also found it astonishing he could still be so menacingly sexy. Ginny often referred to her husband as "sex on a stick," but Hermione realized that if anyone fit that description, it was Severus Snape.

Although she had thought to protest when first reading the letter, she admitted to herself that she was powerless to try to resist his invitation of dinner at Hogwarts; she would feel incredibly guilty if she left him to deal with McGonagall's displeasure.

"Hey," Harry demanded her attention again, his head popping over her cubicle wall. "Ginny wanted to invite you over for dinner tonight, but she's caught up with the new pitch design." Harry evidenced disgust at this, and Hermione had to agree with him – the mess over at the Department of Magical Games and Sports had become ultimate chaos with the renovations for the next World Cup.

"Actually, I will be at Hogwarts tonight." She hid her smile as Harry's eyes nearly bugged out of his head.

"With Snape?" Harry sputtered, shoving his glasses up even higher on his nose.

"With Severus, Minerva, and the rest of the staff, it would seem." She smirked. "By invite of the Headmistress herself." Well, in a roundabout way, she supposed. She was sure Severus wouldn't have invited her to a public dinner unless instructed to do so by a higher authority. No, the way he'd acted the night before last on their date, he desperately wanted her all to himself.

Harry narrowed his eyes at her for a few moments, and then slowly slid down the cubicle wall, where she could hear him situating himself back into his seat.

"You'd best not let Ron find out," he called out to her.

"Let me find out what?" The redhead in question came around the corner of Hermione's cubicle, clutching several files in his hands as he gave her an expectant look.

"Nothing, Ronald." She eyed the paperwork shifting precariously in Ron's arms. "Do you need help?"

Ron, tight-lipped, shook his head and stalked off, struggling with the parchment.

Hermione was the one to peek her head over Harry's cubicle this time, her knuckles turning white as she struggled to glare down at him.

"I have enough to worry about with the upcoming assignment without you adding to it by creating jealousy in Ron," she hissed crossly.

To her surprise, Harry's amused expression turned into one of shock as he stood and gripped her hands over the cubicle wall. He was squinting at her neck, his mouth slightly agape.

"Is that… is that a… a love nip?" he whispered incredulously.

Hermione squeaked and reached under her robes to pull the turtleneck high around her throat. "No! Er…" She was blushing furiously; she could feel heat crawl up her neck. She smoothed down her robes and turned from Harry, sitting back down in her chair and ducking her head down to study the papers spread out on her desk.

Harry came charging around the cubicle wall. "Hermione!" he hissed, slapping a hand down on her desk. "As Head of the Auror Office, I demand you explain that mark on your neck!"

Hermione frowned up at him. "You can't use that against me, Harry." She turned back to her work. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to examine this file," she muttered, resting her chin on her hand and staring, unseeingly, at the parchment in front of her.

Harry scoffed. "You've read that so many times you've got it memorized," he said astutely, and grabbed the back of her chair to turn her around. "This isn't like you. You never keep anything from me." He sounded wounded, and Hermione narrowed her eyes; he knew all too well how to make her spill.

"I… bumped into…" She started to say the door, but changed gears at the ridiculous notion of that, and what came out instead was, "Crookshanks."

Harry's eyebrows soared up into his hairline. "Crookshanks, you say?"

"Er… yes." She gulped, and then put on a silly smile. "He was sleeping on my pillow, you see, and when I rolled over on him, he went all… cat-like." She cursed inwardly at the inanity of such a tale, but kept a cool façade. "And scratched me," she added.

Harry crossed his arms over his chest, giving her a dubious look. "It didn't look much like a scratch," he countered, those green eyes boring into her. "It's a love nip, isn't it? Given to you by none other than that greasy git!" Harry didn't wait for her response, just furiously continued, "And you know, I was actually starting to admire the man, but damned if he's going to put his lips all over you and mark like some Neanderthal…"

Having had enough, Hermione stood and moved into Harry's personal space, poking him in the chest with her index finger.

"Now you listen to me, Harry James Potter!" Her brown eyes threw daggers at him. "Regardless whether you've noticed or not, I'm a grown woman! And I will allow whoever's lips I want to leave a mark! And just so you know, I happen to think you referring to another war hero as 'the greasy git' highly offensive, especially considering I find myself fancying said git!"

By the end of her high-pitched tirade, she was shaking, not out of anger, but at the startling loss of her self-control… again. Her arm dropped, and she plopped back down into her seat, eyes glazed as she stared off into space. She was vaguely aware of Harry gawking at her, but she was so astounded at her outburst she couldn't focus on him.

What if she lost her self-control on her mission? It wouldn't do. This was not healthy for her sanity.

"I'm… I'm sorry," she murmured, shaking her head in disbelief.

Harry bent down to pat her shoulder. "No, I'm sorry."

"No, Harry, I… I can't believe I raised my voice to you, I'm sorry!" She put her head in her hands, completely embarrassed.

"But you were right, 'Mione," he told her softly. "You are a grown woman, and I don't have the right…"

"You're my best friend!" she countered, looking up at him. "I know you just care so much, that…"

"…That I want to make sure you're okay. But it doesn't give me the right to interrogate you." He looked sheepish. "It is hard to come to grips with, I guess… that you are spending time with Snape. That you… are beginning to fancy him."

Hermione nodded mutely. She was having a hard time of it herself, and it made her angry. She needed to pull her gumption together and use this as good practice for the bracing mission she would undertake in two days' time.

"Promise you won't tell Ron," she said, regarding Harry seriously.

"Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed as he came around the corner behind Harry. "Tell me what?"

Hermione's head jerked up sharply, grimacing. She didn't notice the movement had caused her turtleneck to slip down her neck.

Ron's eyes widened, and to Hermione's horror, he shouted, "Is that a love bite?"

H~S~H~S

"Can you not wait until dinner to see her? I'll be escorting her directly to the Great Hall." Severus couldn't disguise the annoyance in his tone. That Minerva insisted on greeting Hermione just outside the castle with him vexed him to no end.

"I think it my responsibility to watch her arrive safely and lift the wards again, since I lowered them to allow her entry!" Minerva strode past him to exit the castle. "Honestly, Severus, you'll have plenty of time with her during dinner."

Severus snarled but followed her out of Hogwarts. He found it disgustingly ironic that Minerva was giving him such a speech, when she'd been in contact with Hermione over the last four years and he had not; and yet she was the one claiming he was selfish, when he'd only gone out with her once. Women, he decided, utterly baffled him.

They waited only two minutes before a loud crack broke out, and Hermione appeared a few feet away from the doors to the castle. She situated her robes before approaching them with a dazzling smile.

"Hermione!" Minerva exclaimed, and rushed to wrap her arms around the young woman.

"Thanks for the invite via Severus, Minerva," Hermione said, amusement evident in her tone. She pulled away and turned to Severus, smiling softly. "Hello, Severus."

"Good evening, Hermione." Whereas he had been agitated before, his voice was now silken, his eyes glittering as they swept the length of her body. He stepped forward and offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

She placed her hand in the crook of his elbow without hesitation, her eyes never wavering from his.

Minerva walked with them at Hermione's other side, speaking excitedly. "The other night you mentioned your new assignment. You must tell me all the details."

Hermione's head fell back as she laughed, and Severus was captivated by the sight, totally drawn in by the warmth flowing out of her. "Now, you know I can't do that! But I can tell you about the new renovations for the Quidditch World Cup!"

Severus wasn't listening to a word being said; he was instead fully focused on the love bite barely peeking out from under the stylish scarf Hermione wore. He grinned wolfishly, perversely pleased at the sight.

Minerva entered the Great Hall before them, and Severus stopped short, pulling Hermione back. She glanced askance at him, a puzzled smile on her face at his savage expression.

"You look positively delectable this evening," he whispered to her, his dark head dipping so that his lips skimmed across her jaw. His hand came up to her neck, his thumb and forefinger rubbing the sleek material of her scarf. "I especially enjoy this particular… accessory." They both knew he wasn't taking about the scarf, but rather the mark it was covering up.

Hermione raised a brow at him and pushed his hand away. "Harry and Ron almost put me in a Full-Body Bind to stop me from coming when they saw it." Her voice was breathless, even though she was chastising him.

"Don't have me believe you didn't enjoy it at the time," he retorted, stepping away from her.

Hermione didn't answer, and infuriated him even further by simply walking past him to enter the Great Hall. He followed, but suddenly regretted having met her at the entrance. Not only had it been for naught, as he hadn't been able to have private words with her, it had him entering a room full of curious students, watching him follow probably the most beautiful woman they'd ever seen. They were whispering excitedly to one another, their eyes shifting from his foreboding form to Hermione's sweetly swaying shape. He wasn't pleased to see some seventh year students regarding her with a different kind of interest all together – he scowled at them as he passed.

Minerva clapped her hands and stepped in front of the High Table, while Severus led Hermione to her seat in between them. He was pleased most of her former professors were still so surprised at her appearance that they hadn't been able to properly greet her.

"Before we begin dinner, I'd like to have you all aware of the fact that we have a very important war hero joining us tonight: Hermione Granger!" The Hall erupted in cheers, and everyone, including Severus, gave Hermione a standing ovation. She balked as Minerva quieted them and ended with, "I therefore expect you to be on your best behavior!"

Severus smirked as he seated himself next to Hermione, and food appeared in front of them. It occurred to him that he was relieved Minerva had only ordered the students to behave… because on this night, Severus Snape had no intention whatsoever of behaving.