Hermione managed to get Veronica back into her house safely and after leaving Draco to Disapparate home, they walked down the sidewalk back to her parent's house.
Hermione was strangely silent and Snape wondered what could have been taken, from the Ministry that upset her so much. Hermione used her key and they slid in through the front door. Hermione checked to make sure all doors were locked and they quietly stole up the stairs.
Snape reached his door and turned to pull her into his arms, but she was already heading up her stairs towards her room.
Hermione stripped off each piece of clothing and dropped it on the floor as she headed into her bathroom to stand under a hot shower. She let the hot water pour over her head and down her back. She felt as if her heart was breaking and began sobbing under the water's flow. A few things had occurred to her on the walk back home: Nothing would ever be the same between her, Harry & Ron...they were no longer a tightly knit team, solving all their problems together. She had wanted to run away with Harry tonight and investigate the theft at the Ministry, but she couldn't because Snape was now her responsibility, they had to stay here so he would be safe...in changing his destiny, she had also changed hers. Finally, she realized that she had always cared about what Professor Snape thought. She had wanted him to love her so badly, that she had risked everything to save him…and it was all for nothing. He would never love her the way he loved Lily. She would always feel inadequate compared to his warped memory of a woman who had never really cared for him. Hermione realized she had thrown away any hope she had of someone loving her for who she was, the moment she began brewing the Veritaserum. She thought back to all the daydreams she had formed in her mind about his gratitude for her saving his life and how he would make passionate love to her every night. When it had actually happened in the Chamber, she thought she was in heaven until he called out Lily's name and then tried to take it all back the following morning.
She began crying for everything she had tried to do and failed. She suddenly felt in over her head. She thought she could handle the responsibility of her actions. Overwhelmed, she slid to the shower floor, pulling her knees up to her chest as she wrapped her arms around her legs and rocked back and forth in the water that had now grown warm. He would always love his precious Lily...she would never be good enough. She had risked everything and given up her freedom for a man that would never love her or as Ronnie said, appreciate her for how awesome she was. She felt as if she were slowly slipping into madness….
Snape had showered and slipped back into his pajama bottoms. He lay on his bed with one arm behind his head. He replayed the entire night in his head and was not pleased with himself. First he'd been a total ass in telling Hermione not to call him Sev, and then he'd missed several opportunities to dance with her, and oh, how much Draco's words had haunted him. He'd imagined what life would be like if he were forced to marry someone besides Hermione...someone who he would be miserable with. Finally when Harry had showed up, he should have insisted that Hermione accompany Harry back to the Ministry so she could put her brilliance to work and solve whatever mystery they had...they might have even let him assist. That would be more exciting than laying here worrying about her. He still remembered how it scared him to think that Mike might steal her away from him. Of course, it was impossible for someone to steal something that wasn't even yours yet, wasn't it?
He sat up in bed with a sudden epiphany; when Hermione turned and looked at him from the bar, it was a look of regret...he had made her regret saving him. Her life had been much more exciting and less stressful before he became her fake Fiancé. He didn't want to live another day if he had to see that look on her face again. As a matter of fact, he didn't want to live without her at all. He didn't want anyone else to have her and even though he knew now that he didn't deserve her...he had to make sure she knew how he felt. If it took him the rest of his life, he was going to make sure she never regretted her decision to save him.
He leapt from his bed and quietly ascended the stairs to her room. He was surprised to see that her bed was empty. He heard the shower running and followed the trail of her clothes to the open bathroom door. He knocked on the door but the figure on the shower floor didn't respond. He pulled the shower curtain aside and was shocked to see Hermione shivering under a stream of cold water rocking back and forth. He turned off the water and grabbed her towel throwing it around her cold body. It scared him when he realized she kept repeating, "Oh god, what have I done?"
He prayed she wasn't talking about him, but deep inside feared that she was…he had pushed her too far.
He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. Her body was freezing. He placed his wand on the nightstand and used her towel to dry her off the best he could, then pulled the blankets back and after removing his pajama bottoms, slid under the blankets and held her close to him. Her body was facing away from him and he made sure as much of his skin was touching hers. A few moments later, she was still shaking but she had stopped speaking. He realized he could have used a warming spell; however, he wanted to hold her instead.
"You're safe, Baby. I've got you." Snape was whispering in her ear, with his arms wrapped tightly around her.
Hermione slowly came to her senses as Snape was holding her. She heard what he was saying and was finally able to stop shivering. She felt so stupid having to be pulled out of the shower by him. She didn't want to owe him anything.
He smoothed her still damp hair back kissed her neck moving up to her face. His breath in her ear was causing tingles all over her body as he whispered, "Are you okay, Hermione?"
"I'm fine now, Professor, thank you."
"Hermione, don't...please...call me Severus, not Professor. I know I was a total ass and I'm so sorry. Please give me another chance. I want a chance to prove to you that I can be a good husband. Please let's start over."
Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. What had caused this change in him? She turned over so that she was facing him. He wrapped his arms around her pulling her up against his chest. His warmth against her bare breast reminded her that she was completely naked.
"I should put something on," She said starting to pull away. At first, he refused to loosen his grip on her.
"Better yet, why don't I take more off?" He whispered.
Hermione's breath caught in her throat as he released her, rolled onto his back lifting his hips to remove his shorts. He turned back towards her and tossed his briefs over his shoulder onto the floor. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his nakedness. She could feel his hardness pressed against her lower abdomen.
"Severus, this isn't a good idea," Hermione whispered as he ran his hand lightly up and down her back while nuzzling her neck.
"I think it's a very good idea, Mione. It's about time I did something to make you feel special."
She was a little surprised to hear him use her nickname; however, experience showed how this would be ending.
"Please, Severus, making love to me and then taking it back is not the way to make me feel special..."
"I won't take it back Hermione. I know what I want now."
"I'll never be as good as her," Hermione was crying again and hated herself for being so transparent with him. "Please, just let me go. You can stay here until you are safe and then return to Hogwarts where you can preserve her memory...maybe even find someone more like her. Don't worry about me, the Ministry will help me find someone to marry."
Snape shuddered at the thought of her being with someone else. He put his hand under her chin and tilted her head so that she was looking at him. He began kissing her tears away.
"I have been blind for so long, Hermione. Please tell me it's not too late. I thought I knew what true love was until it actually came along and risked everything to save me. Lily will always be my past. I'm begging you Hermione, please let me be your future."
Overcome with emotion she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulling his mouth down to hers began kissing him passionately. He crushed her against him and returned her kiss fervently.
He rolled them both over so that he was on top of her. She spread her legs to accommodate his wide hips. He reached down and placed his right hand under her knee to bend her leg up next to his hip. She automatically brought up her left leg and encircled his waist. He was resting his weight on his elbows, keeping his hardness away from her body and was nuzzling her neck now driving her crazy. She was trying to pull him down on top of him, begging him…
"Please Severus, please, I need you."
"You need me to what, Baby?"
"I need you to fuck me, Severus, please!" She was begging loudly now, so he took his wand that he'd left on her night table and erected a silencing charm. He laid his wand back on the table and began kissing her again; first on the lips and then her neck and breasts paying special attention to her nipples, causing her to growl in frustration.
He pulled back and looked her in the eyes, enjoying the hungry, desperate look he saw there.
"If we do this Hermione, there's no going back...you'll belong to me."
Hermione bit her lip as if contemplating and he began rubbing his cock up and down her slit placing special emphasis on the front of her clit where it seemed to have the most effect on her. She began begging and pleading for him to give it to her.
"Marry me, Hermione. Say you'll marry me."
She was out of her mind with pleasure and screamed…
"Yes, I'll marry you. Gods just fuck me and I'll do anything you want."
"No Hermione," he said sharply. He pulled himself back up so that he wasn't touching her anymore. "I don't want to go any further unless I know you'll be my wife. I can't do this knowing that I could lose you to another man. I need you in my life Hermione." He made a soft sobbing sound. He hated opening up and being so honest with her but he had to make sure she understood how he felt. He knew if he didn't tell her now he may never get the chance. "I've fallen for you Hermione Jean Granger and I can't go back to a life without you. So before we do this I have to know..."
"Yes," She said breathlessly, "Of course I'll marry you; Severus...I already knew I would."
"But could you love me Hermione? Someday, could you find it in your heart to love me?"
He was looking down at her with his hair hanging down, framing her face. Hermione reached up and ran her fingers through his hair.
"I already love you, Severus, or I wouldn't have risked everything to save you, as a matter of fact I..."
She didn't get a chance to say anything further. He crushed her under his weight and began kissing her. He began rubbing his cock back and forth against her slit again. Hermione was almost out of her mind with pleasure. He drove his hands under her hips and tilted them so he could slowly press himself into her. It wasn't as painful as it had been the first time, but it still gave her the feeling of being stuffed full. He set a slow steady pace, gritting his teeth in concentration. Hermione thought the immense pleasure was going to drive her out of her mind.
He was so taken with how tight she was…her body gripped his cock so hard it made his whole body tingle with pleasure. He picked up the pace some and she began moaning and moving her hips underneath him. All she could think was how much she had needed this. Forget dates, if this man would do this to her every day, she'd die a happy woman.
"Please, please ride me harder." Hermione cried and he lifted his torso up on his hands and began trusting with a little more force.
"Gods, stop playing around and fuck me!" She cried, half out of her mind from the pent up frustration.
Snape went back down on his elbows pinning her Knees under each of his arms and began slamming himself in and out of her.
"Is that what you want, Mione, is that what you need, baby?" He cried sounding out of breath.
"Yes, yes, yes!" she cried gripping the bars of the headboard and arching up her hips to receive his thrusts.
He remembered how sensitive the front of her clit was and reached between her legs to apply pressure to that area again while he continued pounding into her without mercy. He felt her body start to convulse around his cock and knew she was getting ready to orgasm. She threw back her head and cried out as her body exploded and squeezed the hell out of his cock. He felt her get extremely wet as her eyes started fluttering.
"Breathe, Mione, please breathe baby." He said when he realized she was holding her breath to prolong the orgasm.
She took a big breath and he began pounding her again, repeating the cycle two more times until she was crying and begging…
"Please, please, my body can't handle anymore." He chuckled and lay down on top of her removing his hand from her sensitive area. He continued thrusting but not as forceful as before until crying out her name, he shoved himself deep inside her and released his seed.
He collapsed on top of her hoping he wasn't crushing her. He knew he was a big man compared to her small frame. He went to roll off of her but she wrapped her arms around him and held him in place. She finally allowed him to roll off her a little to lessen the weight but he still had one leg and his arm thrown over her.
"I hope that met with your satisfaction, ma'am." Snape said slowly in his deep voice.
Hermione laughed softly,
"Yes, Sir, it was more than adequate...I'd say right up there with awesome. If I hadn't already agreed to marry you, I would be begging you to marry me right about now."
She giggled when he tickled her ribs. She turned to face him and placed a kiss on is lips. Snape wrapped his arms around her.
She was going to ask him why the sudden change towards her when she realized he was softly snoring. She chuckled softly when she realized there would be no pillow talk for them after sex. She snuggled closer to his sleeping form and drifted off to sleep.
She rolled over the next morning and was slightly surprised when he pulled her into his arms. The memory of the night before fresh on her mind, she laid her head against his chest.
"How did you know I needed that?" She whispered as he kissed her on the top of her head.
"Because I really needed it after you teased me with your lovely body all night in that amazing dress."
She laughed softly and he kissed her on the top of her head again. She turned away from him so they could spoon. He put a pillow in front him apologetically. She pulled it out and pressed herself against his morning hardness. He swore softly and positioned himself to enter her from behind. He gently slid himself into her and began pumping his hips. She arched her back and moaned loudly, enjoying how he was filling her from this angle. He slid his hand under her knee and lifted her leg so he could push himself deeper into her. She moaned again and he began thrusting into her harder. She cried out as an orgasm sent waves of pleasure over her entire body.
He pulled her up on her knees and kneeling behind her gently slid his cock back inside her. Hermione cried out with pleasure at the feeling of him so deep inside her. Snape adjusted his angle and when he was certain he wasn't hurting her, began pumping his hips with enough force to drive Hermione into madness. She began begging him not to stop and to keep taking her over and over again. He had to fight the temptation to cum when hearing her pleas for continued pleasure. He concentrated on not pushing too deep inside her. He had a fairly large member and didn't want to hurt her. She began pushing back against him and he realized he could fit his entire member inside her. He put his hands on her shoulders as leverage and began thrusting harder and harder until she cried out that she was coming. He felt her orgasm come and go and then unable to hold it any longer, he cried out Hermione's name as came in her again.
He collapsed on the bed pulling her against him. She lay next to him spent and kept waiting to hear him snore. She peaked at him through her hair and saw that he was smiling at her. She snuggled closer to him and he pulled her into his arms.
"This is usually the part where your start snoring," She whispered.
"I don't snore," he scoffed.
She laughed hard at him and he was glad that he was finally able to make her laugh. The both drifted off to sleep again, still in each other's arms.
