Tonight, You're Alive

Hermione felt somehow lightheaded, drained and above all very tired. She was surprised by his suggestion that they go out and collect some Potions ingredients, but she agreed since it wasn't late enough to go to bed and she didn't think she could study anyway. Severus tossed her a cloak since she didn't have one with her. It pooled around her feet before she quickly altered the size to fit her. The all-black cloak was of a thick wool lined with a sturdy linen, and the hood was fur-lined, black too of course and marvellously soft. It felt luxuriously heavy and comforting around her.

He led her out of his quarters but didn't turn towards the corridor leading up to the main levels of the castle as she had expected, instead they turned into a narrow side passage that after a series of stairs led to a dark, heavy wooden door. Sunlight streamed in when Severus opened the door, showing that they were not too far from the greenhouses in a secluded nook on the side of the Castle.

"How did we end up here? We were well under the lake on the other side of the castle," Hermione couldn't help but to ask.

They stepped out, and the door closed without a trace. She had to blink against the sharp November sunlight that illuminated the remaining leaves on the trees.

"The castle thought I could use an exit during the war years."

They walked along the rose bushes and lilacs planted close to the castle walls. She shuddered at the thought of those dark years when Voldemort could call on him at any time. It had been hard for her and her friends, but he had been walking a tightrope over a burning fire continuously to feed information and misinformation in the right places.

They passed the greenhouses without seeing anyone, although Hermione suspected that Neville was busy in there as usual. The air was crisp and high, the sun faintly warming her back as they walked towards the Forbidden Forest. Severus led the way without talking and they soon found themselves in a glade where he had her harvesting death-cap mushrooms while he plucked goosegrass and some bark. When he was satisfied they moved further into the forest where he found some flies dancing around in the clearing. He turned to face her.

"Do you know how to catch lacewing flies?"

She shook her head. He reached into his robe pockets and pulled out a bottle of something coloured a dark amber.

"Honey mead."

He let her sniff the stopper. The sweet and flowery smell made her mouth water. Severus noticed her reaction and smirked at her.

He took out a tiny glass jar from somewhere else in his robes and enlarged it before pouring some mead into it. He carefully put it on a rock in the open clearing near where he had spotted the flies, and walked back to join her in the shadows. Soon enough they saw the first fly enter the jar and land in the liquid, getting trapped by the syrupy alcohol. When the jar was nearly full of flies, Severus deftly snapped the lid on and stowed it back in his robes.

The Forest felt peaceful, Hermione thought, as they wound their way deeper into its heart. She felt completely safe walking next to Severus' black-clad form, it was obvious that he knew his way through the meandering paths among the large trees. Some of them had shed their leaves already for autumn while some remained green, and others wore blazing colours between yellow and red. The forest floor was rather bare apart from roots, dropped branches and fallen leaves, but not a lot of bushes or high plants. As they neared another clearing Severus stopped and appeared to listen for something. She looked around but couldn't sense anything special.

"What is it?"

"I think there are unicorns around, at least one. Would you be able to collect some blood if they offer? I think it would be useful for the next attempt at a potion for Narcissa."

He eyed her warily and she blushed fiercely as she remembered that unicorns could be touched freely by virgins, especially girls. Freely offered unicorn blood was a powerful ingredient, without the nasty effects of blood taken involuntarily. She hoped that the dim light under the trees made her blush less noticeable.

"Yes, I can try," she mumbled and took the vial he held out to her.

"I'll wait right here."

She nodded and walked into the clearing. There was a large oak tree in the middle of the open space. The grass was sparse right under the tree but otherwise lush and inviting. She sank down with her back to the tree and settled in to wait, grateful for his cloak. Gradually her mind stilled and she could almost feel the slow thrum of life coursing through the forest, made up of the trees and bushes with leaves rustling in the wind, birds, small animals and insects plus the larger beings that occasionally passed through. She had no idea how much time had passed when she felt a presence nearby. As she opened her eyes she suddenly saw a large white unicorn stallion standing nearby, watching her. His coat was shimmering white and the nearly pearlescent horn sparkled in the pale rays of autumn sunlight.

"Hello," she said softly and felt rather silly.

The unicorn snorted softly and walked closer to her. He lowered his large head towards her and she felt compelled to slowly raise her hand towards him. As he sniffed her hand she couldn't help but to pet his velvety soft muzzle. He stepped closer and nuzzled her hair playfully, she could feel his warm breath in her hair. She giggled and petted his cheek. The stallion took a gentle hold on her hand with his lips only and pulled her towards him, getting her to rise to her feet. She scratched behind his ears, his withers and chest, causing him to lean into her almost toppling her over.

After a while he took a step back, away from her, and regarded her intently. He raised his head and looked towards where Severus was still standing before nodding his head at her. Before she could react he had scratched his own flank with his horn, leaving a shallow gash where silvery blood welled up. A drop of the substance glistened at the top of his horn. He snorted impatiently at her, causing her to startle.

"Oh! Are you sure?"

Nervously she approached him with the vial and started to collect the blood that seeped out from the gash. When the vial was full, the stallion brought his head back to the wound and licked it closed.

"Thank you, I am honoured by your gift."

The stallion turned towards where Severus stood in the shadows and nickered at him. Severus entered the clearing slowly and stopped at a respectful distance from the unicorn who eyed him calmly before closing the distance and greeting him the same way he had Hermione, sniffing his hand. Both of them went absolutely still, eyeing each other. Hermione didn't dare to move from where she stood a little off to the side from both of them. Suddenly, the stallion nickered again at them both. He shook his head fiercely, and his horn fell off with a pop. Underneath it, a nub could be seen that would undoubtedly grow out to become a new horn. He spun around and ran off in a canter, neighing to his herd.

She turned towards him. He seemed dazed, looking at the spot where the unicorn had disappeared from view, until he suddenly snapped out of it and fixed her with an intense gaze.

"Exquisite," he murmured.

"Severus, what -"

Hermione didn't get any further before he had caught her in a fierce embrace and captured her mouth in a searing kiss. It was marvellous, his mouth hot on hers as he nipped at her lips, requesting entry. She opened her mouth to his and met his questing tongue while tangling her hands in his hair. He was all she ever wanted, and more. She pressed herself against him as her whole body came on fire, igniting her insides and causing an ache in her breasts. She had never felt so alive.

They were both flushed and breathing heavily when they parted.

"Severus, what is it?"

"Hermione …" he whispered. "May I kiss you?"

"You just did, but yes please," she answered. And so he did, gentler this time, but still stoking the fire inside her.

He lowered his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. She traced his bared neck and chest with her fingers, causing him to groan. His skin was soft and smooth, and warm. She wanted more. Before she could seek his mouth for another kiss, he disentangled himself and went to pick up the discarded horn and some loose strands of hair that had fallen next to it, another precious gift that could be used as Potions ingredients.

"I believe it is time for us to return. Would milady consider joining me for a dinner in my chambers?"

"Oh, most certainly. Do lead the way, good sir."

He offered her his arm with a smirk and they walked together out through the forest. It was dark already but with enough moonlight to show them the way. He helped her over fallen logs and across ditches as they took the fastest route back.

~x~x~x~

When they had made their way back to his chambers she was torn between physical hunger and her growing need for him. He must have thought the same as he caught her by the elbows before she could launch herself at him, and quickly called for Winky to bring them something to eat. She almost growled with disappointment but as soon as the elf had deposited a large selection of dinner food for them both, she conceded that it was a good idea after all. They settled in at his dining table and she took a large serving of shepherd's pie along with green beans and bell peppers. Severus chose a roast with boiled potatoes and roasted vegetables.

Before they made it to dessert, the wards on his entrance door chimed. He growled, tossed the napkin on the table and stalked out to find out the cause of the disturbance. She could vaguely make out a stammering female voice which might have belonged to a Slytherin fifth-year prefect and his impatient answers, before he went back to join her.

"Apparently I am needed in the Slytherin dorms. Something about a couple of third-years and a frothy pink bathroom. Feel free to stay here if you wish, I don't know how long this will take. By the way, all books in the two bookshelves on the far wall are off limits, and the ones on the lower two shelves here," he said and pointed towards some of the shelves near the fire. "I don't have the time to tell you which ones are dangerous or not." She nodded in understanding, not willing to risk the privilege that was Severus Snape's extensive library, and grateful that he trusted her enough to let her stay in his quarters alone.

He turned swiftly on his heel and stalked back out of the room, snatching up his teaching robes along the way.

She rifled in her bag for her Potions textbook before she turned her attention to the sinful-looking apple pie that Winky had brought for dessert. She lost herself in her studies and the apple pie which disappeared quickly. Eventually, the lure of his bookshelves became too strong and she started browsing what he had amassed, amazed by the range and variety of his collection. He seemed to favour Wizarding non-fiction and Muggle fiction, but both sections contained everything from well-loved paperbacks to ancient tomes with blackened leather bindings. She pulled out a text on theoretical Charms and Spell Creation, one on wards, an advanced Potions text and two Muggle novels that she hadn't read and settled down in one of his comfortable armchairs, daring to ask Winky for a pot of tea.

~x~x~x~

She'd made it at least a third of the way through the spell creation book when he appeared again, scowling at the world in general. He threw off his teaching robe and flopped down in the other armchair with a grunt.

"How bad was it?"

He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. She rose to fetch his apple pie, kept warm under a stasis charm, and a cup of tea to which she added a dash of milk, not too much, the way he liked it.

"Mr Likeworth and Mr Taylor will be in detention with Filch for two weeks for inventing a bath foam that turned out to be poisonous when mixed with the common soap all bathrooms are stocked with. Miss Underwood, Miss Applethorpe and Miss Graham will be fine after a couple of days with Madam Pomfrey."

She winced and tried to place the student names. The two boys were Slytherin third-years and already known troublemakers, apparently eager to assume the mantle after the Weasley twins, but she couldn't quite place the girls although she knew all of them to be Slytherin.

"Oh, that's certainly … inventive. What year are the girls in? I only seem to recall Miss Applethorpe." Annabel Applethorpe was a first-year, she had been first out in the Sorting this year.

"The others are second-years, I guess you haven't been exposed to them much."

He was already halfway through his pie and appeared to share her appreciation of it if the look of bliss on his face was anything to go by.

"I had wanted to go through another memory with you tonight but I think we had best postpone it as it is getting a bit late already. I see you have made good progress through my library meanwhile."

She blushed at the pile she had amassed, but he had offered, after all. He rose and went to his bar cabinet where he brought out a bottle of Ogden's and poured himself a glass. He raised an eyebrow in her direction but she declined.

"Severus?"

"Yes?"

"What are we, exactly? What is this? What do you want?"

"Ah, yes, that." He sat down again in his customary armchair, facing her. He crossed his long legs at the ankles and stared pensively into the fire. Subtle flames danced over his glass of Firewhisky as he sipped his drink, staring into the fire. Finally he turned his gaze from the fire and met her eyes as he shifted forward in his chair. She couldn't look away from him.

"Hermione … I do not claim to be a particularly nice man. I find the company of most people tedious since they usually cannot hold up their end of a conversation and they get upset if I speak my mind. My reputation precedes me and either scares people off, which is fine, or lately ends up in some sort of ridiculous hero worship which lasts until they open their mouths and say something stupid. You however seem to be one of the few who aren't afraid of me, you know my background and somehow I can relax in your company, despite the fact that you are still my student and you are twenty years younger."

"Nineteen years younger if you're of age with Professor Lupin and Harry's parents. And I won't be your student for much longer," Hermione interjected.

"Really?" His eyebrow rose again. "When is your birthday?"

"September Nineteenth, what about you?"

"I'll be 38 this coming January. So that makes it nineteen and a half, or just over it, which rounds to twenty."

"I will still claim it's nineteen, what with my Time Turner usage in my third year. What day in January?"

"Time Turner? That explains a thing or two. Blasted Albus, giving one to a student. It's the ninth, by the way, not that I've ever celebrated it."

She smirked and toasted him with her now rather empty teacup, carefully filing the information about his birthday away for later use.

He finished off his glass and took a deep breath again. "In essence, I do not wish to pressure you as you should go out there and experience what life has to offer for a young and vibrant, intelligent witch. However, somewhat selfishly, I do at the same time want to see where this leads, since I so rarely meet people that I can connect with, whether it is friendship only or something … deeper."

She blushed at that, and he smirked when he noticed it. "I would like that too, and for much the same reasons."

His eyes brightened and some tension left his face. "Is that so? Although I am glad to hear it, I cannot understand what makes you seek out my company over that of your peers."

"Oh come off it, you said it yourself. I'm not afraid of you, in fact I rather like your sarcastic snarky wit, well most of the time at least. I can relax around you and you know my history as well. You can follow and challenge me intellectually … and I find you ridiculously attractive." She blushed at the end but pushed through anyway and was rewarded by both of his eyebrows shooting up before what almost could have been a smile flashed across his face, making him look younger and rather vulnerable.

"Hermione, it is getting late. Should I lower the wards on the Floo or would you want to stay here tonight?" He looked almost nervous, if not for the fact that Severus Snape surely would never be nervous. She, however was feeling jittery like a foal.

"I'd like to stay with you, but I don't have any toiletries."

He smiled at her briefly and called for Winky, asking the elf to provide her with what she needed.

~x~x~x~

As they rose to go into his bedchambers she took a deep breath, summoning her Gryffindor courage.

"Severus …"

He turned to face her, inscrutable black eyes meeting hers again. Her heartbeat was a dull roar in her ears.

"Would you kiss me again, if I asked you to?"

He closed the distance between them.

"Do you want me to, little witch?" His voice was a low velvety purr.

She nodded, suddenly breathless, and ever so slowly he brought his hands up to her neck as he lowered his head, angling it so that he could meet her lips. It started out chastely but when she moaned in his mouth and snaked her hands in his silky hair his grip on her tightened and he deepened the kiss, battling her tongue with his. He tasted of whisky, chocolate cake and something uniquely him.

"I'll gladly kiss you anytime you wish, little witch," he said huskily as they broke apart for air. His dark eyes were on fire and she was glad to feel him breathing heavily too.

"Yes," she whispered. "I do so wish."

She pulled his head down again to her, demanding another one. This time he groaned first as she pressed herself as hard against him as she could.

"I would request one thing only," he said once he broke free again.

She looked up at him, seeing his black eyes alight with fire. "Yes?"

"I do not share, Hermione. If you would want to cancel this … arrangement, wherever it leads, tell me. I won't hold it against you but never go behind my back."

She nodded. "That is fine with me as long as the same goes for you."

"Certainly, I do not have an interest in other witches."

"Good. I do not share, either."

He almost growled and kissed her again. Her knickers were getting seriously wet and her nipples were aching. She refused to let go of him but he managed to steer them towards his bedroom without bumping into anything along the way. They fell down on the bed in a tangled heap of limbs, kissing, stroking, moaning.

"You are intoxicating, little witch."

His hand stroked her cheek, tenderly.

"And you are addictive."

She started in on the buttons of his frock coat, hampered slightly by the very distracting way he was kissing her throat, and by his silky black hair falling in her face.

"Hermione …" he groaned as she managed to slip a hand in under his shirt, having tugged it loose from his trousers.

His skin was warm and smooth and she wanted more contact. He pulled away from her slightly, undid his coat and banished it to the floor before regarding her with a calculating gleam in his eyes. A whispered wandless spell later and she found herself clad in only knickers and a bra, the rest of her clothes joining his coat on the floor.

"Is this what you want, little witch? Should I do unto you what I did the last time you were sans clothes in my bed?"

She couldn't tell if the goosebumps were caused by the sudden onslaught of chilly air or by the insane arousal she felt, but suspected the latter since her knickers were absolutely soaked through.

"Yes and yes and more, everything, Severus."

He turned serious, all of a sudden. "You are still my student, I cannot allow this situation to develop any further than what we already have done which is much further than I should have let it go."

She sat up and glared at him, her own near nakedness momentarily forgotten. "A bit late to get all uppity over morals, isn't it?"

He traced elaborate patterns with his fingertips along her hip and the side of her stomach.

"Perhaps, but it makes the situation slightly more manageable should I find myself in an investigation since as you know teacher-student relationships are strictly forbidden although there is precedence historically speaking. The Headmistress and Ministry have the right to conduct interrogations under Veritaserum if they suspect any wrongdoings, although the fact that you are of age and in your final year will mitigate it somewhat."

"Plausible deniability?"

"Indeed, coupled with a certain tolerance of Veritaserum," he purred and kissed her lightly again.

"Fine, I do understand. Does that stance extend to apprentices?" She would be willing to wait for him until the NEWTs were done but she would refuse to wait until the end of her apprenticeship. At the same time, his statement made her relax a bit as well since her prior experience was only what they had done together the last time, and she wanted to let things progress at a pace she was comfortable with.

"No, it does not. In fact apprenticeships often used to lead to … more which may have been more or less voluntary from the apprentice's side. Payment for services rendered, in a sense, occasionally ending in marriage but more often turning them into a mistress or a sidepiece, especially for male apprentices to male Masters. Of course I would never expect that from you, I hope you understand that?"

"Oh." She frowned and bit her lower lip again. "You were an apprentice, weren't you? Did you have to … ?"

His eyes went darker. "Master Thornbite tried, once. I quickly dissuaded him of that notion."

She nodded and idly traced the ivory buttons on his shirt. She did trust him never to do anything to her that she didn't wish him to, but in this too it was clear that Wizarding society sometimes was stuck in the 1700's, or perhaps even earlier.

"It seems we have gotten off track," he told her, interrupting her introspection. "Where were we?"

She reached up to kiss him again while working on his shirt buttons.

"Just about here, I think."

He hummed with pleasure and started kissing her anywhere he could reach. Forehead, nose, eyelids, cheekbones. He gently tipped her backwards again and started a trail of kisses from her jaw via her earlobe and down her throat. His warm hand cupped her breast through her bra and she groaned as he pinched her nipple. It felt as if she was on fire.

"Off," she growled and tugged at his shirt.

He smirked at her and banished that too, plus trousers, boots and socks for good measure. She pounced once he had liberated himself from the unnecessary layers of clothing, toppling him backwards on the bed, and started kissing him the same way he had just done to her. She set about exploring his face with her lips, smoothing out the frown between his eyebrows, kissing his hooked nose, his slightly raspy chin. He wrapped her in a hard embrace and sought her mouth before she broke free and continued. It seemed he too had rather sensitive earlobes, and he shuddered when she dared snaking her tongue lightly in his ear. She scooted lower and started kissing his neck and throat, noting with satisfaction the way he had closed his eyes, apparently savouring the situation. He smelled of Potions ingredients and something spicy, maybe sandalwood, and underneath that was something quite male, solid and powerful.

His chest was marred by scars, some probably Potions-related but most seemed to have other stories behind them. She traced a large one across his pectoral muscle with her lips while letting her free hand stroke his ribs and side. He didn't have much hair on his chest, a smattering of black on his sternum and a dark trail down from his navel. She found one flat nipple with her lips, causing him to inhale sharply as she nibbled at it while tweaking the other one with her hand. His reactions made her feel powerful, the way he let her explore his body without complaint.

She scooted lower, following the trail down to his tented silk boxers. His stomach was flat and his hip bones jutted out as he lay on his back. She trailed the edge of his boxers before banishing them too wandlessly, he wasn't the only one who knew that charm. His large cock leapt free of its confines and stood straight up right in front of her eyes. Not that she had much to compare with in terms of size, but it definitely seemed large this close. The last time had been different, the situation had been rather surreal and although he hadn't actually pushed or demanded anything she had still felt compelled to act. This time she could set the pace and he seemed completely happy to let her. His hand had started gently stroking her back and thigh but otherwise he didn't move at all, only his heavy breathing told of his appreciation of the situation. She sent a silent thought of appreciation to Lavender, Parvati, their stash of the Witch Weekly magazine and the discussions Hermione hadn't been able not to overhear during their years in the shared dorm. They had been most instructive.

Slowly she approached his cock and lowered her mouth towards it. She brushed the head with her lips and was quite happy to hear him hissing at the touch. She set about exploring him, tracing the ridges and grooves with her tongue, bringing a hand to the base to hold it steady. He smelled more strongly of musk but not in a bad way, and he tasted clean if a little salty. She licked his balls and found the texture amusing as they had pulled themselves tight close to his shaft, but a bit too hairy for comfort. She cast an eye up at his face and saw that he had closed his eyes and lay completely still apart from that one hand which seemed to be stroking her thigh without conscious thought.

She took him back in her mouth and started sucking properly, helping out with a hand on the shaft. He groaned again. After a little while he shifted slightly, moving closer to her legs while tugging at her thigh. She didn't quite understand what he was trying to do until she felt her knickers vanish and his hand stroking her right there. He settled her legs on either side of his head and her feelings of nervousness were completely forgotten as soon as he - sweet Circe and all her little piglets - let his hot tongue connect. She couldn't believe how intense the feelings were when he teased her nub and her hips bucked on their own accord. When he added first one finger, and then two, she had a very hard time focussing on what she was doing to him in turn. She automatically mirrored his rhythm until her own orgasm caught her by surprise, causing her to try to muffle her cries on his cock which in turn had him coming just after her, with a warning first which she ignored, swallowing his seed. It was slightly salty and a bit odd but she liked being able to effect him like that. She climbed off him and turned around to lay beside him on top of the bedcovers, settling her head on his shoulder. He pulled her close.

"You are exquisite when you come," he told her and pressed a kiss to her temple. She blushed and he smirked at her.

"That was incredible, but I was a bit distracted so it caught me by surprise."

He gently pushed her backwards, supporting himself on one elbow. His intense gaze left her breathless again.

"Is that so? Hmm, perhaps I should remedy that, little witch. I believe there are some areas left unkissed, and I didn't hear you screaming my name."

"Severus …"

He kissed her tenderly but insistently.

"Good start but you aren't screaming, little witch. I believe you are wearing altogether too much clothing."

He swiftly disposed of her bra which she had almost forgotten about, and set about exploring again, trailing hot kisses along her throat and down to one pert nipple while his free hand played with the other one. His mouth felt marvellous on her breast, first one and then the other, licking, sucking, nibbling. When he moved lower again she lost track of everything, her world had reduced to the feeling of his hands and mouth everywhere, reducing her to a wet puddle of need as he again brought her to ecstasy with two fingers and a wet tongue in a steady rhythm. Her hands threaded themselves into his hair as the tension started building.

"Severus!" she near howled as she came undone, nearly blacking out in the process. Her whole body shook and she clenched her legs hard around his shoulders.

When she became aware of her surroundings again she sheepily released the dark-haired wizard from the death grip she'd had him in, although his lopsided smile seemed to indicate that he hadn't minded. He moved up to lay beside her and she snuggled in close with her head on his shoulder. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I could get used to that," she said somewhat shakily. She could feel his smile against her forehead.

"Indeed, little witch."

She yawned widely, suddenly exhausted. Deciding against a shower that evening she reluctantly rose from the bed to brush her teeth, use the loo and quickly wash her face before returning to Severus' bed clad in her flannel pyjamas. She burrowed under his covers with great satisfaction while he made the same trip, relishing in the feel of the silky satin sheets and very fluffy down duvet. The sheets were white and the duvet covers were dark blue, and he had a dark grey woollen blanket on top of it all for cold nights.

Already half asleep, she nestled closer to Severus when he joined her in bed. Spooning was quickly becoming her favourite position for falling asleep, feeling the weight of his arm around her waist, his breath in her hair and his warm body snug against hers.