Hermione closed her front door to the familiar crack of someone apparating, she had just spent the last hour with Harry. He had called to tell her that Ginny had given birth to a girl, with a shock of ginger hair that any Weasley would be proud of. She had spent the last hour listening to every detail, the rush to get to the healers and how the baby had the most beautiful eyes. She laughed when Harry told her how Molly had taken the baby to show everyone on the ward her vivid ginger hair, she had never got over the fact that Sirius and Fred had not inherited that particular family trait.
They had not talked of anything else, apart from when Harry commented at how well Hermione was looking these days, that she had some colour in her cheeks. When he asked her if she was seeing anyone, she had blushed and told him that it was complicated. Prompting Harry to ask if he was married and if he was, that he would find him and deal with him personally.
As Hermione picked up the empty wine bottle and dirty glasses, she thought of how happy Harry had been, would she ever have the chance to have a family of her own. She laughed out loud, there was no chance of that her dream man was just that, a dream. Depositing the glasses in the sink and disposing of the wine bottle, she made her way upstairs.
Getting ready for bed in the bathroom, she knew there was no point in rushing, it had only been two nights since she had left Snape in the library. She remembered how disappointed she had been when he had not kissed her but she could still scarcely believe that he considered wanting to be more than friends.
Once again she chastised herself for even thinking of Snape as real, he existed in a world where she could never stay with him. Where every time they seemed to get close, she was ripped from him. Hermione groaned out loud, she knew that there was no possible future with Snape and was torturing herself with the thought of having a family life with him.
Hermione was so preoccupied with her thoughts, that it was not until she was halfway across her bedroom that she noticed the stone was glowing again. She was amazed that it had happened so soon after the last time but she could hardly wait to see Snape again. Bounding on to the bed, she picked up the stone and smiled, now she may get the chance to tell him the answer to his question.
She appeared to be in a forest, looking around she searched for Severus, he was leaning against a tree. She noticed the top few buttons of his shirt undone, drawing her eyes to his neck. He looked amazing, she made a mental note to go out and buy some pyjamas, as once again she became aware of how underdressed she was.
"Shall we walk?" he asked holding out his hand for her to take.
"Where are we this time?" walking toward him, reaching for his hand like it was the most natural thing in the world. As she placed her hand in his, her heart quickened at his touch. They began to make their way through the forest, as they carried on through the trees she thought he was not going to answer her.
"I found this one day quite by chance, I was sent here by Voldermort to try to acquire something he needed." He explained "Having been unsuccessful in my mission I had to flee to this forest, taking refuge here. I had seen no one for days when I came across this place and for a few brief hours it brought me some respite from the hell of what I was doing."
The trees and vegetation were becoming less dense and Hermione could hear the sound of running water. The sunlight was breaking through the branches and as they proceeded she could see a clearing up ahead. Snape let go of her hand and walked on, she stopped to take in the beauty of the vista before her.
To one side of the clearing was a waterfall that dropped into a large lake. The water looked inky black and towards the centre of it stood a mixture of large rocks, the plants and grasses were startling in there vibrancy. She could clearly see why this place would have helped him escape from the darkness that had been his life.
He had stopped on a patch of grass on the bank of the lake, Hermione walked over and stood beside him. Had she dared she would have reached for his hand but the courage seemed to elude her.
"Just before I left for this mission, Albus approached me with a proposition. I was reluctant as to whether to proceed with what he had suggested." Snape said "It was here, I realised that if I managed to survive, that I wanted my life to be different. I was ready to change, to embrace this life instead of watching it pass me by." Turning his gaze to Hermione, he continued "I knew I wanted the special moments that others take for granted, I knew I wanted to share my life with someone special. I decided that I would do anything I could to try to achieve it. So I accepted what Albus was offering me."
"What did he offer you, Severus?" Hermione asked returning his gaze. She could not work out what the look was that appeared briefly in his eyes, as he stared at her intently.
"Now, is not the time for that, Hermione. What I would like to do now is go for a swim." Snape said, completely throwing her with the sudden change of subject.
Hermione was amazed as he reached behind his head and pulled off his shirt, shaking his mussed up hair from his face. She gasped at the sudden sight of his body, while not exactly toned it was obvious that he kept himself in great shape. The light spattering of dark hairs on his chest spreading down to the happy trail, to where it disappeared into the waistband of his trousers. As he bent to take his boots off, she could see the scars along his back, standing out against the paleness of his skin, he must have suffered terribly at the hands of Voldemort she thought.
"Will you join me?" He smiled at her as he straightened up and began to unbutton his trousers, bending again as he removed them his thighs rippling at the movement.
"But I have no bathing suit!" she exclaimed, mesmerised by how he was stood in front of her in just a pair of black boxer shorts, totally at ease with the situation.
"I don't mind, if you don't." He smirked, and he turned from her and ran into the water.
The water deepened, slowing him down until it was deep enough for him to launch himself forward and begin to swim. Hermione watched as he swam towards the rocks in the middle of the lake. His powerful shoulders and arms pumping rhythmically, propelling him through the water with ease. He soon reached the rocks, and pulling himself up to sit on a flat ridge, legs dangling in the water.
"Are you not going to join me then?" He smiled, as he called to her. Hermione stood on the bank, and looked at his clothes scattered around her on the grass.
There was no way she was removing her nightdress, all she wore underneath were white panties but the water did look so inviting and his enthusiasm infectious. Gathering up the loose material of her nightdress to her side, just under her breast she managed to tie it into a knot, turning it into a makeshift tank top.
She entered the water, it felt cool to her skin, she waded out until she was chest high, her hair fanning out on the surface of the water around her. She ducked under the water, tipping her head back as she emerged so her hair fell down her back, out of her eyes. As she wiped the water from her face she saw Snape dive from the rock and disappear into the dark water.
Searching the lake to see where he would surface, she felt something brush against her leg. Twisting her head back and forth she knew he had to surface soon, she could see nothing in the dark water.
Hermione jumped as she heard him break water right behind her, before she had chance to turn around he took hold of her hips and pulled her back on to his hard body.
"Do you have any idea what you do to me?" He whispered in her ear, his warm breath sending goose bumps down her arms. She could feel exactly the effect she was having on him, as he pushed his hips closer to her body, making her melt against him.
Wrapping her arm behind her, finding his neck and fisting her hand in his hair, she pulled his head down to her neck. Snape began to place gentle kisses there, moving her head to one side, granting him greater access. His hand travelled forward as he spread his long fingers across her stomach, pulling her tighter against him. She reached around behind his back, her small hand finding his backside and giving it a squeeze through the material of his boxers. She heard his low growl as he continued kissing her neck, travelling up finding her earlobe, he began to gently nip and tease her lobe. Still holding her close to him his free hand slowly travelled up to her breast cupping it, her nipple hardened against his palm.
Turning her head as far as she could, Snape paused his relentless tormenting of her ear and neck. He looked into her eyes, she was sure that her love for him must be evident, as it felt in those few seconds he could see right to her soul.
"What do you want from me, Hermione?" He asked his voice ragged from the effort of keeping himself in control.
"I want you to kiss me, Severus, please!" She begged him, hardly recognising her own voice, she had never felt like this with any other man. All she knew was that she wanted him, she would do anything to make it happen.
"Soon." she heard him say, as she felt the familiar sensation of him being pulled from her.
She groaned when she saw the surroundings of her bedroom. How much more of this could she stand? Her body craving to feel to feel him inside her, frustrated at still being aroused from the encounter. Would they ever get the chance to be together, completely?
She buried her head in her pillow and began to sob.