Author's Note: Thank you all so much for the awesome reviews. I really struggled with the following couple of chapters while I set everything up. Knowing where you want to go and getting there are two different stories! So apologies if the next couple chapters seem a bit… meh, but please stick with it!

Again, there are Mature themes, so please exercise caution. It is rated M for a reason. And also, anything you recognise is not mine.

Snape was teaching the third year Gryffindors when Hermione rushed in to the classroom, flustered, her hair dishevelled, her face red.

"Severus, you need to come, quickly!" she cried.

"Continue with your class assignment," he announced to the class. "I don't expect to return to chaos."

He followed her out the door, and suddenly, instead of being in the corridor, they were in his office, and they were kissing passionately, his tongue exploring her mouth.

She pushed him into his desk, and he picked her up and lay her down upon it. Their clothes seemed to vanish instantly, and her mouth was wrapped around his hard cock, and he was fighting the urge to come right there and then. He could feel the back of her throat and groaned in pleasure.

Suddenly, the door burst open and he caught a glimpse of red hair before Hermione got on her knees to continue kissing him, apparently unaware of the intruder, and suddenly he was the one lying on the desk, Hermione riding him rhythmically. All the while, he was trying to turn her attention to the fact that they were not alone; he looked round and Weasley was mortified by what he was witnessing and it was then that he noticed Lily wearing the same look she wore when he'd inadvertently ended their friendship.

He forced himself awake, and he sat bolt upright in the Hall, rubbing his eyes with one hand. He turned to Hermione's bed, and found, to his relief, that she had already got up and left the Hall.

He got up and went down to his living quarters in the dungeons, feeling the best solution was a cold shower.

As the cold water soaked his body, he felt a great sense of relief. It was just a dream, he told himself. Dreams mean nothing whatsoever. Sure, he had been feeling a little aroused lately, but it had been due to the fact that it had been so long since he'd enjoyed the company of a woman, nor had he really had any time to sort himself out. The only reason it'd been Granger was because he'd spent so much time in her company lately and hers was the last voice he'd heard before falling asleep. Weasley was obviously there because of his guilt at taking advantage of a former student whose boyfriend had just died and Lily… Well, Lily had been haunting his dreams for as long as he could remember. As always when Lily had featured in one of his dreams, he had an overwhelming desire to visit her grave. He got out of the shower and dressed himself before heading upstairs to work some more on the rebuild.

As evening fell, he bid farewell to his colleagues and explained he would be going home tonight. He would be back tomorrow to help add the finishing touches.

"Oh, but Severus, why don't you just relax at home tomorrow?" McGonagall replied. "It won't take all of us to finish off. Take some time to yourself, but you should come to the memorial day next Friday."

"Perhaps." Snape said simply, before striding off to the gates so he could Apparate from beyond them. He spun on the spot and when he appeared in Godric's Hollow, his mind was marvelling at his luck of being able to avoid Granger all day.

SSHGSSHGSSHGSSHG

Hermione had awoken that morning to see Severus wriggling in his sleep. He was murmuring something as well, but she couldn't make out what it was.

Deciding to leave him be, she got up. She left the Great Hall and spotted Professor McGonagall giving instructions to some of the teachers.

"What is there left to do?" she asked her.

"Oh, Miss Granger, Mr Potter asked me to send you to Grimmauld Place today. We both agree that there is little left to do and to let some people leave. You're one of the lucky ones. And you deserve a day off I think." McGonagall smiled.

"Are you sure? I really don't mind helping."

"I know, Miss Granger, but you've worked non-stop since the Battle finished. You'll wear yourself out. Go and enjoy some time with Mr Potter, and I presume I shall see you next Friday."

"Thank you, Professor. See you soon."

And with that Hermione walked towards the gates so as to Apparate from beyond them, a little sad that she was leaving the one person that had been a great source of comfort.

SSHGSSHGSSHGSSHG

He walked past the Potter memorial and treaded the route he'd completed a million times before. He looked down upon the headstone, as a single tear slid down his cheek. He spoke aloud to the grave; it had always made him feel better hearing himself speak.

He started off with the final battle at Hogwarts. He spoke of Harry's bravery and leadership, how the fact that even though he himself had spent the last 6 years berating and bullying the boy, he had still come to his aid. He had also cleared his name with the Ministry for him.

After he completed recounting the battle and proceeding days, he finished by speaking of last night's dream, ending with a slight chuckle.

"The more I think about it, the more amusing it becomes," he mused. "It's so ridiculous and farfetched!"

He spent a few minutes in silence before checking his watch and deciding it was time he took his leave. He Apparated home quickly so he could collect some Muggle money before he Apparated to The Leaky Cauldron, leaving from the front entrance into London.

He went to his usual pub in the West End, knowing it was easy pickings for what he wanted. He ordered a drink and sat in the corner, biding his time.

It wasn't long before he zoned in on a slim, black-haired, thirty-something woman, out with her friend who was being chatted up by a younger man.

"Don't you hate when that happens?" he murmured in her ear.

"What's that?" she replied with a smile.

"When the guy's too nervous to talk to the beautiful one, so talks to her friend instead?"

She giggled nervously.

"I'm not as cowardly however, as you can tell by the fact I am talking to you," he continued.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Al," the lie rolled off his tongue easily. "And what should I call you?"

"Michelle."

"Can I get you a drink?"

"Um… Can I have a red wine please?"

Snape got up and went to the bar, ordering drinks for the two of them. He noticed the friend's admirer also ordering drinks.

It didn't take long for Michelle to offer him a nightcap at her apartment. Playing the part he'd played so many times before, he hesitated. "I'm not sure that's the best idea," he murmured.

"You're not married are you?" she asked suspiciously.

"No, it's not that… I feel if I ended up alone with you I could easily take advantage of you, given your drunken state."

She laughed. "Honey, I would be taking advantage of you!" She moved in closer to him, her hand stroking the inside of his thigh, and whispered "You being such a gentleman is turning me on even more."

Snape smirked, and allowed her to take his hand and drag him out to the street where she hailed down a taxi. They got in, and after telling the cab driver her address, she pulled Snape closer to her, pressing her lips to his. She made to put her hand down his trousers, however Snape gripped her wrist in his hand.

"Patience," he commanded.

"You really know how to turn a woman on!" she exclaimed.

The taxi pulled up outside an apartment block and Snape paid the driver.

She pulled him upstairs quickly, and Snape knew he'd got lucky with this one; so desperate she was, she was quickly becoming agitated as she hunted her door keys in her bag. Eventually she found them, unlocked the door and led him inside. She closed the door and Snape barely had time to take in the small apartment before she was all over him.

He kissed her gently, put his hands on her waist, slowly moving the left one up to cup a breast, his lips moving slowly down her neck.

She was unbuttoning his shirt, her hands feeling his chest, before moving down and undoing his trousers, and as she put his hard cock into her mouth, the dream he had had last night sprang to the front of his mind. He looked down at Michelle to try and rid his mind of Granger. He allowed her a few more minutes before he stood her up, undressed her and pushed her down onto her couch. He guided himself in to her gently before he fucked her hard and fast. She cried out in pleasure; he could feel her contracting, and as he closed his eyes to come, Granger's face floated to the front of his mind. His eyes snapped open quickly to concentrate on Michelle's face instead.

"Are you ok?" she asked him as he lay on top of her. "You seemed to zone out a bit there… looked as though you saw a ghost."

He remained quiet as he tried to focus on where he was, who he was with. Eventually, he looked up to her face, blowing the hair out of his face. She looked concerned as he got up and gathered his clothes.

"Leaving so soon?" she sounded disappointed.

"May I use your bathroom?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's at the end of the hall."

He walked to the bathroom, put his clothes back on and Apparated back to Spinner's End.