Severus woke first out of the sated pair the following morning. He had not slept quite so well in a very long time. It was novel to wake with a slumbering bedfellow as sunlight poured through the castle windows, rather than the grey light of pre-dawn with thoughts of returning the woman to her own home. He imagined that the reason for his restful night could be attributed to the luscious bundle of witch that had managed to get under his skin like no one before her, and that he was currently cradling in his arms, even in sleep.
Her somewhat wild curls were snarled around them both, and he'd slipped one of his arms under her head, curling the other around her possessively. Her naked body, for she had clearly once again shed her dress during the night, was spooned by his own, the smoothness of her back contrasting with the rough, slightly abraded skin of his chest and the scratch of his sparse chest hair.
In previous encounters, the few that had actually made it to a bed and progressed to the falling-asleep-together stage, Severus had always feigned sleep until his partner awoke to see if another round of sex might be on the menu before he bid the witch farewell. Last night his relationship (relationship?) with Hermione had moved to another level entirely. She had told him explicitly that she trusted him absolutely. He was allowed to take as he wished, and she would let him.
Struck by this novel idea, he allowed his hands that were already slung around her body to drift to her soft, full breasts. He cupped the warm mounds, squeezing and hefting them gently. She stirred, but did not awaken. He extended his long fingers and began to trace her nipples, lightly circling them at first; then upon feeling them begin to harden, progressed to rolling them between his thumb and forefinger, with increasing pressure.
She stretched and yawned, arching her back against him and he froze. What if he had been wrong, and implicit consent to touch her when she was asleep had not been given? She snuggled back into him, wiggling her arse against his morning wood and sighing deeply.
"Don't stop. This is a lovely way to wake up," she mumbled, sleepily.
He smiled into her hair with slight relief at having indeed read the situation correctly and reapplied himself to his task. He continued to lavish attention on her breasts, enjoying the erotic sensation of her writhing against his naked body. She looked over her shoulder and plopped a lazy kiss upon his mouth.
"Good morning, Severus."
"I believe it is indeed a good morning, Hermione."
He slid one of his hands lower and grabbed her lightly between her legs, massaging her outer labia to open her up for his searching hand. He slid a finger between them and began to stroke her sensuously, feeling her wet heat beneath his fingertips. In response, she snuck one her hands behind her back and caught hold of his cock, stroking the velvet-over-steel shaft confidently back and forth. He could not help releasing a groan of pleasure at her touch.
As they gently gave each other pleasure in the huge, ornate four-poster in the Headmasters' private bedchamber, Severus wondered what on earth he was waiting for. Was perfection itself not enough for him? Of course it was, he was not a stupid man, and he needed to claim what appeared to be his. He moved his mouth to her ear and spoke low and deep.
"I feel the need for one of those labels we spoke of."
"Come again?" she replied, confused in the haze of her increasing arousal.
He wanted to chat now?
"A label. I would like us to have one. I wish to be courting you, Granger."
She chuckled.
"Well Headmaster, that sounds perfectly acceptable to me. Especially since you currently have your fingers inside of me, and I have you ... fully in hand. I believe a label would be both timely and appropriate."
"You cheeky, insufferable wench."
"Unfortunately I am. As you will find out. Now, as much as I enjoy conversing with you, since you have just become my boyfriend, could I request that you shut up and make love to me now?"
He would have to have words about the exact label for their newly defined relationship, but at that moment he struggled to care. He moved his hand down her leg, slipping under her thigh and lifting it at an angle, just high enough for him to move his primed and ready cock against her pussy. She got the message and curled the lifted leg back around him. He thrust forward into her, a burst of pleasure shooting through him as her hot walls enveloped him from base to tip. He secured their position by moving his hand back to strum her clitoris as he rocked inside her, and the other hand squeezing her breast.
Severus felt her hand move behind her and over him to clutch his thigh and buttock, urging him to pound into her faster and deeper. He loved the way she wanted him. They were locked together, rocking their way higher and higher. He moved her curls out of the way with his cheek, put his lips on her ear and nibbled and sucked. He spoke, his voice gasping and desperate, directly into her ear.
"That's it, witch. Feel my cock inside you. Take it, take it all. Fuck, woman you are exquisite. I could fuck you for the rest of my life. Come on, come with me. Come ..."
With the slow, relentless rocking motion inside her, and his constant vibration against her clit, Hermione came, with huge exhale of breath that erupted in a moan.
"Good girl. What a good girl. Now take this ..."
He grunted, gritting his teeth as his own powerful orgasm was ripped from him and spurted inside the delicious witch. He splayed his hand across her belly, holding her tight against him to ensure that his dick would not slip out as he slowed his thrusts.
As they caught their breath and came down from their respective peaks, she turned to face him.
"Merlin, Severus, aren't wizards supposed to slow down when they get to your age?"
She raised a teasing eyebrow and stroked her fingertips down his strong upper arm.
"I find myself with plenty of energy for you, Granger, you impertinent chit."
He kissed her lightly on the mouth, and they both lay back on the warm sheets, facing the huge dark canopy that was strung across the tall bedposts above them.
"Severus?"
"Yes, Hermione?"
"What do headmasters do on the Sunday after the big Halloween feast?"
"We attend breakfast. Then if we are lucky, we get a day to ourselves, which is mostly spent in our quarters, enjoying some much-needed private time from the dunderhead school populace. We are then forced to attend dinner."
There was a silence as she digested this information.
"Severus?"
"Yes, Hermione?" he smirked.
"Can you skip breakfast?"
"I believe I would be cutting it fine at this point in time, anyway."
He fired off his panther Patronus with a message to his deputy, Professor Sprout, advising he would not be at breakfast and for her to take charge. He did not give a reason for his absence.
"Severus?"
She grinned merrily to herself.
Always with the questions.
"Yes, Hermione?"
"Would you like to spend the day with me? I know we can't go out in public anywhere, but we could go to my flat and have lunch on the roof terrace?"
He pretended to think hard about it, enjoying the visible way his lengthy pause was raising her ire as she waited for his answer.
"That is possibly the best offer I have had for many years, Granger."
Severus was delighted to see a wide, honest smile spread across her beautiful face, and couldn't help returning it with one of his own.
He moved off the bed, casting a quick cleansing spell over himself before moving to a large, mahogany wardrobe. To Hermione's surprise, he selected a pair of his usual trousers but paired with a plain muggle tshirt – black, of course. Running a brush through his hair, he pulled it back in a plain band at the nape of his neck.
"Stop gaping. I do have other clothes you know. Now are you coming? I would like our day together to start as soon as possible."
He drew his wand and cast a non-verbal Wingardium Leviosa to levitate her crumpled dress from the floor and over to her. She pulled it over her head, planning to change as soon as she got home.
"I shall Apparate us to the school gates. Then you may take over, Minister, and bring us directly to your private foyer."
She nodded, enjoying the unusual sight of the mature but still-so-sexy dark professor wearing something so casual as a tshirt, before folding herself into his embrace for Side-Along. Hermione felt a rush of cool air as they landed outside the gates, and then, not extricating herself from his arms, she took over the second half of the Apparition to take them home.
Neither of them noticed the witch with the straight black hair who was looking out of her chamber window, and saw the Headmaster of Hogwarts locked in a tight embrace with the Minister for Magic.
- xxx –
Walking into her ministerial flat, Hermione excused herself so that she could go to her bedchamber to freshen up and change her clothes. She left the connecting door slightly ajar, and could hear Severus having his first encounter with either Fido or Cleo.
"What ... is that?" he called out.
"That is my gorgeous cat, Fido. He's a half-Kneazle."
She came out from the bedroom into the living room, with slightly-damp hair tied in a loose plait, and now clad in jeans and a faded old Gryffindor Quidditch tshirt, and chucked the animal under the chin. Severus was looking quite disdainfully at her pride and joy.
"That is not a cat, Hermione. That is a road accident with fur."
"Are you insulting his somewhat flat facial features?"
"I wasn't sure which end I was looking at."
"Rude."
"And Fido is a dog's name."
"I know. I thought it was quirky and original."
He gave her a pitying look and drew her into his arms, which she allowed, despite the teasing exchange regarding her familiar.
"Are you wearing Gryffindor colours to provoke me, witch?"
"Is it working?"
"Never. Slytherins do not get provoked by Gryffindors. Now ... come here."
- xxx –
Much later, after a blissful day exploring each other in all the different areas of Hermione's flat, they were seated at a small table on the roof terrace with an amazing view of the London skyline whilst eating a feast of moussaka and Greek salad, accompanied by a crisp white wine. Hidden from prying eyes by the dual protection of both height and magic, with the dreary November afternoon kept at bay by a warming charm cast around them, they conversed amicably as they ate.
Severus took a deep sip of his wine, and placing it down on the table, turned to Hermione and took hold of her hand. He knew exactly what he wanted to do, incredibly with no doubt in his mind. She truly had bewitched his mind and ensnared his senses, he thought with amusement at his own drollness, but more than that, she was utterly right for him. He would be a bloody fool to do anything else.
"Hermione. I wish, with your consent, to declare us."
"I'm sorry?"
"Today has been ... quite wonderful. I find myself unwilling to continue creeping around in secret. I wish to bring our courtship out in the open, to declare myself as your wizard."
Hermione swallowed her mouthful of feta cheese and tomato with some difficulty. She looked at his earnest face whilst she formulated her answer.
"That would be one hell of a declaration. The Headmaster and the Minister? It sounds so improbable."
His face fell a little, and so she grabbed his hand lest he get the wrong impression.
"But however difficult it would be, and however much gossip it would generate, I agree with you. Nothing would make me happier than to declare myself your witch. And I have never said that to any wizard in my entire life. This is insane, but without doubt, it is what I want."
He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers.
"The honour you do me, witch."
She leaned forward, drawing his head to hers and kissed his forehead which bowed before her.
"Have you given any thought as to how we might announce this? I'm not sure that taking out a full-page advert in the Daily Prophet would be appropriate."
Hermione's mind started to whir with practicalities and implications.
"The Yule Ball," he replied simply.
"It is being held six weeks hence at Hogwarts. All staff may bring their partner or spouse. I would be honoured if you would accompany me and stand by my side. We shall present our courtship as a fait accompli, and not invite discussion from those whose opinions are not of interest to us."
She gazed upon the open, honest countenance of the darkly handsome wizard saying these words to her, and mentally wrote 'contact Madam Malkin for a Yule gown' on her To-Do list.
- xxx –
A week later, Severus was at his desk in the Headmasters' office when Sabrina Cordoba requested entry. She had an appointment to discuss the progress made in the first term of the Magical Life and Culture classes, but something about the way she looked at him still made him twitch. There was something he didn't trust about her, but as yet he had not figured out exactly what.
She arrived his office door, immaculately groomed as always and clutching a large pile of parchments, where they proceeded to discuss how well the new curriculum had been working. It was a typical Head to Professor consultation; nothing out of the ordinary, but the unsettling feeling was still there. What was it? He hated not knowing.
As their meeting concluded, he rose to escort her to the door. She stood, as was her wont, rather too close to him.
"The Yule Ball, Severus."
"What about it?"
"I am so looking forward to my first Yule Ball since I was a student here myself. I am aware that professors are encouraged to bring their spouses to accompany them, and since as you know I lost my husband ..."
She lowered her eyes in what Severus felt was a parody of emotion.
" ... and as I happen to know from first-hand experience that you do not do relationships, I wondered if you would like to attend the ball together. You and I?"
Had she really just asked him to be her partner for the ball? Was she joking? It appeared she was not. He had to think of a way to rebuff her in a professional manner, and fast. For Merlin's sake, why had he taken leave of his senses and ever kissed this witch? It wasn't as if he had been short of other offers at the time. He cleared his throat.
"I think that would be inappropriate, Sabrina, for two professors to attend together, as if they were courting."
"Nonsense!" she retorted. "What could be more natural and appropriate than two unmarried teachers joining together for a festive occasion?"
He could probably guess the kind of joining together Sabrina had in mind, if her own behaviour at the Malfoy's soiree was anything to go by. He would have to be explicitly clear and this meant going for the jugular.
"I am not available to escort you to the Yule Ball, Sabrina, as I shall be accompanied by my partner that evening."
He held his breath and waited for her explosion, yet it never came. Of all the expressions he expected to see on her face, a malevolent smile was not one of them.
"Ah yes, your new little partner. I completely forgot. Accio!"
With a lightning-fast flourish of her maple wand, Hermione's lacy knickers, (so that was where they ended up) discarded in flurry of haste the previous week, flew towards her, and she caught them on the end of her wand. She slid them, with visible distaste, off the end and into his hands.
"Such a delightful souvenir for your partner to have left you, Severus. You should return them to the Ministry next time you have occasion to visit."
She turned on her heel and left, leaving his office door wide open behind her so that he could hear her clicking footsteps down the stairs and along the corridor.
Fuck.
He had no idea how, but she knew.
Fuck. Where the hellhad they slipped up?
