Sorry for the erratic posts, everyone. Things have been insanely crazy for me, but hopefully things will settle down now and I can get back to posting regularly again. My lovely, ever-patient Beta Irononmaiden gave me the edits for chapters 8 and 9, so they should now look a little more polished! Enjoy!

The first shop they visited had a wide selection of practical, modest business attire. Most of the racks were a sea of black, grey, and the occasional tweed. There were robes that had retractable sleeves for brewing which Severus pretended to be interested in while Hermione looked for appropriate work outfits. In a few moments she had a handful of dresses and robes to try on. There was a chair conveniently located by the dressing rooms so Severus took a seat to wait. In only a few minutes, Hermione exited the small room wearing a rather baggy black dress and frowning.

"Severus, can you see the size on this? I thought I picked up a twelve..." She went to her tiptoes and craned her neck, as if that might help her read the tag. He batted her hands down and looked at the embroidered number.

"It is, in fact, a twelve."

"That's funny. This is the size I've been wearing since I was a teenager."

"It would appear that the more vigorous nature of your most recent occupation has slimmed you down a bit, then," he drawled. She rolled her eyes at him and then wrinkled her nose at the pile of clothes in the dressing room. They were all twelves. She would need to replace all of them with a smaller size. He followed her gaze and gestured for her to hand them to him. "Let me switch these out while you take that off." When she looked like she might object, he moved past her and grabbed the clothing himself. "In the interest of time, not because of any inherent predilection for female clothing, I assure you." With a small smirk he turned and began switching out the dresses.

It was easy to do because while pretending to be interested in other things, he'd been watching her move around the shop. He had seen what she stopped to look at, the expressions on her face as she looked at price tags, how she sometimes held an outfit up to her chest and looked down at herself as if that ought to give her an idea of how it would look. When he'd gathered all the new dresses, he returned to the small room and slipped them over the opening at the top of the door.

"Thank you," she called out to him, and proceeded to put on the smaller outfits. After the first, she opened the door and poked her head out. "This looks better, right?" she asked uncertainly. Severus shifted the chair over a little to get a better view and let out a low whistle of approval. The dress was modest and practical, yes, but it also showed off her curves beautifully.

"You'll do," he finally agreed, glad he was sitting and able to hide his sudden erection beneath the excess fabric of his robes. She went back in and slipped into a different one. On several, she came out to ask his opinion. Much to his surprise, Severus enjoyed seeing her try on the different dresses and show them off to him. He gave her his honest thoughts about them and in almost every instance she agreed.

They left the shop with half a dozen business outfits and moved onto a more casual clothing shop despite Hermione's objections. He reasoned that she wouldn't be comfortable in her work clothes all the time and it wasn't practical for her to go naked at the house. He'd be so distracted by the sight of her that he would never get anything done.

Once she had a few items slung over her arm, he offered to carry them for her. She was touched by the chivalrous offer, unaware that he was only holding the clothing so he could slip pieces he thought she would look good in onto the pile. She was in the dressing room before she realized what he'd been doing. Grinning at his cheek, she dutifully tried on all the things he'd picked out and admitted he did have good taste. Soon she was eagerly showing off each new outfit and delighting in the way his eyes would light up when she had on one he liked. They left that shop with several bags and headed immediately to an intimates store. Now those measurements she knew were up to date, so she had no reason to try anything on. She did, however, watch his reactions to each piece she pulled off the racks.

They moved from the comfortable, casual section onto the rows of frilly, frothy negligees and then ventured into the seas of leather and lace. It was by far the most they'd spent in any of the shops, but this time Hermione felt no qualms about spending the money. She would have been fine with a few comfortable bras and a pair of panties for each day of the week. It benefited him for her to have a plethora of underthings.

At the shoe shop, she picked up a comfortable pair of black ankle boots and started towards the register when he stopped her. "Those are all you are getting?"

She shrugged and nodded. "Why?"

"Do you really think those will suit all your needs?"

"Sure. They'll go with all the work outfits I picked up..."

"And what about this?" He pulled a light yellow sun dress from one of the bags he carried and gestured to it with a roll of his eyes.

"Maybe not, but I'll only be wearing that at the house. I won't need shoes."

"But what if you need to go out?"

"Out where?"

"Just out. I was under the impression that all women loved to buy shoes. How is this concept beyond your grasp?"

"Weeeell then." She drew out the word sarcastically. "Why don't you show me what one you would suggest to 'go' with it."

"Must I do everything myself?" he grumbled, then plucked a white sandal with a small heel off a nearby shelf.

"Ok, fine. Lets get that one too then." She waved him towards the register and stared blankly at him when he stopped with a frustrated sigh.

"You really do not get this, do you?"

"What?" she demanded. He only shook his head and moved along the rows of shoes, boots, sneakers, heels, and slip-ons, pulling various pairs off and comparing them to clothing in the bags he carried. By the time he was satisfied, he had selected half a dozen more in her size, including a pair of extremely high heels she knew for a fact wouldn't match any of the outfits in those bags. She added a pair of trainers to the pile which he curled his lip at but declined to comment on.

The last shop they visited held female trinkets and delicacies of every kind. Hermione selected a heavy duty hair brush, jasmine scented shampoo, conditioner, and soap, along with a practical all-in-one nail tool. With a furtive glance at Severus, she also picked up a bottle of menstrual relief pills. He noticed and looked more confused than embarrassed.

"Your contraceptive potion doesn't alleviate the symptoms of your menses along with suppressing it?"

"Er, no. At least not mostly. I probably don't need these-" she started putting them back and he plucked the bottle from her hand and dropped it into the basket he carried.

"I'll have to adjust the potion in the future to correct that."

She smiled a little at his no-nonsense attitude. She should have known better. Suddenly, the scenario of a second year Slytherin girl going to him because she'd had her first period popped into Hermione's mind. In all his years as head of the house, it had to have happened once or twice. She imagined it happening to him when he'd first started teaching -the youngest ever Head of House at only twenty one- and stifled a laugh at how stricken he must have been. But over the years he'd likely developed a thick skin about such things. She recalled the one time she'd sent Ron out to purchase feminine products for her and how he'd come back with his face flame red, carrying the bag away from himself as if it might bite him. Somehow, she doubted that was how Severus would handle the situation.

On their way back to the front of the store she grabbed a toothbrush and floss, then passed the cosmetics counter without even a glance. "You don't require any of these?" Severus asked, surprised.

"Do you want me to wear them?"

He glowered. "Would you have any of them under other, more normal circumstances?"

"Maybe a few," she admitted.

"By all means, then," he gestured for her to take her pick. Before her time at the whorehouse, Hermione had been a mascara and chapstick only kind of girl. There had been dozens of pots and vials of rouge and balm and kohl available to her at Madam Peony's. She'd learned to darken her eyes and enhance the bone of her cheek. To cover any little facial imperfection and color her lips to suggest sexual excitement. The idea didn't appeal to Hermione, and she hadn't ever noticed S respond particularly to excessive use of makeup. She selected a few products for her eyes, lip balm, and one tube of scarlet lipstick. Severus raised both brows at the last purchase but said nothing and paid for all her items.

By the time they were done, the sky had started to darken. They moved down the street slightly before Apparating home. Severus let them in and Hermione collapsed on the couch, kicking off her shoes. Severus set down the many bags he'd been carrying in the living room and poured himself a glass of wine before removing his own boots.

Hermione's eyes lit up at the sight of the wine. She nearly skipped over to him and wrapped her fingers around his own, tipping the glass up to her lips and drinking deeply. The look on her face at the taste of the sweet, strong liquid could only be described as bliss.

"There are other glasses if you would like wine."

"Can I?" she asked eagerly. He gestured his acquiescence, and she poured herself a glass in delight.

"One would think you'd never been given a glass of wine before."

"Not in almost three years," she admitted, sipping from her glass.

"Self imposed sobriety?" he asked. She shook her head and rested her hip against the counter.

"Liquor wasn't provided by the house; it had to be bought with tip money. I was already spending so much of what little I made on potions that I wasn't willing to waste even a knut on something so unnecessary as alcohol. Not that I didn't enjoy the occasional glass of wine or finger of whiskey before. But priorities and all that."

"Well my liquor cabinet is always well stocked. Considering you are of age, I don't see any reason you can't help yourself to it."

"I might just take you up on that," she said with a smile. A yawn forced her to realize how exhausted she was. They had spent the entire day shopping. Setting down her glass, she went over to Severus and took his pulse.

"Wha-"

She shooshed him and then hooked her finger into the waist of his trousers and pulled them back so she could see down them. Under scrutiny, his cock started to stir to attention. When she finished her inspection, he crossed his arms and glared at her.

"May I know what in the hell you're doing?"

"Just double checking. I don't know any other living male that would have spent the whole day shopping for women's clothing without complaint."

"I can prove to you just how living and male I am if you still have doubts," he assured her with narrowed eyes.

"Hold that thought," she said. Turning, she snatched one of the bags off the floor and went into the loo. Was she turning him down? Technically, she could do that twice a week without breaking her contract. Still, the idea irritated him. He was about to bang on the lavatory door and inform her she could make her own supper when she emerged wearing nothing but a silver thong and the high heels he'd picked for her. His breath caught.

Over the last three months he'd seen her in almost every combination of seductive clothing. He'd fucked her in every possible state of dress and undress. So why was the simple outfit she wore stealing his rational thought? Was it because she was in his house, dressing just for him, walking over to him as if she had nothing more on her mind than riding him into oblivion?

By the time she reached the place where he stood next to the table, she could see his erection clearly. With a little hop, she planted herself on the edge of the table and drew him closer by the lapels of his shirt. He cupped the back of her neck with one hand and slid the other down the length of her spine. Her skin was soft and warm, and she arched to his touch. Before he could clear his mind enough to do it himself, she'd unbuttoned the placket of his trousers and gripped his cock. He groaned, slipping his hand between them and moving the thin lace covering her sex to the side. She was damp and welcoming when he pushed against her. With one thrust he was buried all the way inside her. She gasped and braced her hands on the table behind her, then locked her heels behind his back.

They moved in unison, each striving for the ultimate pleasure. Eventually, Hermione lay back flat on the table and used her leverage to raise her hips and meet his thrusts. Severus slid his hand underneath the panties and dipped his thumb down to rub against her clit. She shrieked and her back bowed up with the intensity of it. Spurred on by her reaction, he took her harder, making the table rock precariously. Neither of them cared. The whole house could have blown down, and they wouldn't have noticed. When she would have closed her eyes in pleasure, Hermione forced them open and stared up at him labouring over her. His hungry gaze took in the sight of her open to him, accepting him, looking right at him and taking her pleasure from him. It sent him careening off the precipice of his release. With two more strokes of his thumb she followed him, spiraling down down down until she could finally catch her breath and slow her racing heart.

"I don't know how you feel about takeout, but if we ordered Chinese and had it delivered, we could eat in bed. I'll be the spoon, you be the fork."

"Suddenly I've never craved takeout more."