Chapter 10: Love Me Do
While Severus filled the encroaching darkness with a Conjured lantern, Hermione thought back to his words and tried to remember what had finally clicked in her mind. He had instructed her to concentrate on both his hands and the space around him. Always before, she had focused solely on her body and lifting it into the air. But perhaps if she also thought about the space around her body, as she had done with Severus's hands, it might work in a similar fashion.
She closed her eyes, her chin down. Power surged through her body, and she pulled it into her mind until it buzzed like a thousand angry bees. She thought about the air above her, the precise spot her body needed to be. Then she focused on the space currently occupied by her body. In her mind, she saw the spaces shift, top exchanged for bottom, air for ground. Beads of sweat appeared on her upper lip, so intense was her concentration. She did not notice. Her mind was entirely occupied by the intangible spaces and the need to manipulate them. She willed them into motion, and all at once it became so clear, so simple. The most natural thing in the world. She felt the breeze stir her hair and opened her eyes with a smile. Her head was level with the treetops.
Yes!
She tested her new ability and repeated the steps until she rose higher. As she gained altitude, the air became chilled and thin, but she delighted in the frosty evening. Her confidence grew. Gradually, she was able to relinquish some of the all-consuming focus and allow her thoughts to stray. She felt like a baby who had just learnt to walk, moving from uncertain to unstoppable in the blink of an eye. After several minutes, her subconscious assumed the role of navigator. She no longer had to envision or fixate on each and every step. The jerky starts and stops soon gave way to smooth, graceful arcs. She experimented with speed, seeing just how fast and then how slow she could go. To fly through the air, in complete control and yet totally unrestrained, was the most liberating experience she'd known, far surpassing anything she'd imagined. She made a sweeping circle around the perimeter of the field and then twirled in a mid-air spiral, like a flying ballerina, laughter spilling forth from the sheer delight of such freedom, such exhilaration.
"Show-off," said a deep voice behind her.
She stopped spinning and turned. Severus moved towards her through the air, his arms crossed. The bored expression on his face couldn't quite hide the admiration in his eyes. She beamed a smile, and when he returned it, she flew at him, throwing her arms around his neck and covering his mouth with noisy, wet kisses.
If her actions surprised him, he recovered quickly. His arms wound around her back and pulled her against his chest. Hungry lips found hers, greedy and demanding as he manoeuvred their bodies to the ground.
He deepened the kiss, and although her brain told her to proceed with caution, she ignored it and opened her mouth. She shivered when his tongue swept against hers. Her arms tightened around his neck. Desire formed a knot within her, a desperate pull that only grew stronger, eager for more.
More.
That's what she wanted… needed. More. Now.
And then what?
The question niggled at her, cooling her blood. She suspected that having more of him right now would only leaving her wanting even more later. And not in a purely physical sense, either. It was enough to temper the longing. She drew back, a slow retreat from a battle she wasn't prepared to surrender.
He gazed at her. Desire coloured his face, dark and raw. His shoulders rose and fell with his rapid, deeps breaths. He seemed to hover on the edges of control, but he slowly lowered his arms and straightened his back.
"I did it," she whispered with a smile. "I flew."
"I noticed."
"You're a wonderful instructor," she said.
He snorted. "This is the first time anyone has accused me of that."
"Thank you so much for teaching me."
"You're welcome."
"Too bad you didn't take my wager," she said. "I cannot believe we were able to do that in one lesson."
His brows drew together. "You won't require any more lessons," he said.
"No," she agreed with a chuckle. It was quite unlike him to state the obvious. And was that disappointment she saw on his face?
"But you will still attend the Ministry ball with me." His tone did not question—it commanded.
"Of course. Are you going to dance with me at the ball?"
He grimaced. "Are you going to require such foolishness?"
"Oh, absolutely."
"Then I could hardly escape it," he said and inclined his head. "I'm quite obviously yours to command."
She felt another pang of longing, but this was much different than the lust and desire she'd just experienced. She placed her hand on his cheek. "If only that were true."
He seemed embarrassed by the turn of conversation and stepped away. His formal bow made her smile. "I will see you on the nineteenth," he said, naming the date of the ball.
"Goodbye," she whispered as he spun from view.
She chewed on her lower lip, deep in thought. Although the idea of a relationship with Severus Snape had seemed the most ridiculous thing in the world just a month ago, she couldn't imagine anything she wanted more right now. But how to convince him of that? Gathering her cloak, she turned and Disapparated. The snap of determination echoed in her head.
She had some serious shopping to do.
A/N: My heartfelt thanks, as always, go to Karelia for her beta skills.