I am spending a lot of my time praying that I deserve the praise you give me in your reviews. You are so lovely!

This story is rather fluffly and innocent most of the time, but I just wanted to mention that-erhm-it's rated M for a reason.

I own nothing you recognise.

-o-

He spent the next day in a haze. He even had to stop himself from smiling whenever he thought about Hermione.

She had kissed him.

Would he be allowed to kiss her as well? Preferably constantly?

He didn't exactly know, but with Hermione, he figured he would find out, because she tended to let him know everything he was uncertain about without making him feel embarrassed.

She was rather lovely.

And Severus was in love, wasn't he?

He froze. Am I? No, that..can't be. Can it? Oh, who am I kidding, he thought. I am.

Severus Snape was in love, and it was ridiculously absurd.

-o-

At lunch, Minerva couldn't contain herself any longer. She leaned over and whispered at him. "Am I supposed to keep this a secret?"

He smirked at her. "It's not a secret, no. But you happen to be the only one who knows, so far. If anyone asks, by all means tell them. Other than that, we would rather be the ones who let people know. We expect rather marvellous reactions."

Minerva chuckled. "I can imagine, actually. How long have this been going on?"

He thought about it. "Not too long. We became friends after the school ended, but the relationship part is more recent."

Minerva shook her head. "I have never heard you speak so..freely." She grinned. "I rather like it. I also like how you don't feel like you need to keep it a secret." Putting a hand on his arm, she gave him a warm smile. "I'm so happy for you, Severus."

Raising an eyebrow at her, he smirked. "I actually find I'm rather happy myself, Minerva."

-o-

Hermione indirectly caused five melted cauldrons during Monday. Her birthday was tomorrow, and Severus still had no idea what to get her.

He wanted to give her everything and anything.

He had never in his life been the one to buy flowers or jewellery, or presents in general. He had just rolled his eyes and harrumphed over such nonsense.

Things were changing apparently.

He went to Minerva's office when his last lecture was finished.

"Can I help you, Severus?"

Minerva smiled, and Severus sighed. "I need to go get Hermione a present. I will try to be back soon."

Minerva sighed happily as she waved a hand dismissively. "Go, Severus, go."

-o-

He finally managed to find a birthday present, but the whole thing made him feel rather insecure, silly at it was.

He returned to Hogwarts late afternoon, and realised he didn't even know what Hermione had planned for her birthday.

His new motto was apparently 'Just Ask', because he sat down and wrote her a letter.

Hermione

I realise I don't know what you are planning to do tomorrow. Perhaps you could help me with that issue?

Severus

Not long after, a letter came with a reply.

Dear Severus

The reason why you don't know is because I do not really know.

I would like to spend the day with you, though, that much is clear.

Would you like to spend the day with me?

Perhaps I can come there?

Love, Hermione

-o-

Hermione

I would love to spend the day with you. If you'd like, you can come here when I'm done lecturing at noon. Bring the ruddy cat.

Severus

-o-

Dear Severus

I will be there. So will the ruddy cat.

Love, Hermione

-o-

Severus was so distracted that by noon, three cauldrons had melted, and he had forgotten to deduct points. He ended up with dismissing the class early, and hurried to his quarters for a shower before Hermione arrived.

He was dressed, but still drying his hair when there was a knock on the door. He put the towel on his shoulder, and opened the door.

He stiffened when Hermione's smile faded, and she looked him up and down before meeting his eyes again.

But then she smiled. A very approving smile. Severus just smirked at her and let her in.

She opened the cat-carrier so the small tiger could roam his quarters, and then she turned to him. "Hi, Severus."

The warm smile and the gentleness in her eyes left Severus breathless once again.

Remembering how to breathe again, he realised something. He absolutely needed to kiss this is woman, and preferably right this moment.

So he did.

He quickly closed the distance between them and cupped her face rather harshly, and crushed his lips down on hers.

He hadn't known what to expect, but her instant reaction was more than he ever dared to hope for.

She responded with vigour, wrapping her arms around his neck and furiously kissed him, making Severus want more. And more. And more.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she sighed as she almost melted in his arms, moaning softly as her tongue met his.

She tasted like honey and tea, apples and pumpkin juice, and Severus was almost certain he would lose his mind at any second.

He wanted her.

Wanted her.

And it seemed she wanted him too.

It seemed that way, but he had to know, so he murmured against her lips. "You have two options, love. One; we stop this now, and it better be right now, because I find it increasingly difficult to stop, and then we move to the sofa and have a cup of tea. Two; I pick you up, right now, and carry you to the bedroom."

She actually groaned against his lips. "Oh, Merlin. Two. Two."

Severus didn't hesitate to pick her up, and seconds later, they were in his bedroom.

He lowered her to the floor, and she struggled out of her coat without ever releasing his lips. He took her coat and dropped it on the floor before tugging at the hem of her jumper. She eagerly responded, lifting her arms so he could take it off her. He did, and when he put his hands on her waist, feeling her warm skin, he couldn't help the groan that escaped him.

She made quick work of his buttons. She lined her finger down his chest, wandlessly unbuttoning his shirt in less than ten seconds.

Severus was rather baffled.

As she began to push his shirt over his shoulders to get him undressed, he realised she would see his body. All of him. All his scars, everything.

He was surprised to realise he didn't mind much. If Hermione didn't mind, he didn't mind.

Perhaps she will mind, he thought as Hermione dropped his shirt to the floor. Oh, please don't mind.

She didn't mind, it seemed, because her hands roamed his chest, and she sighed with pleasure as she did so.

I guess that's settled then, he thought and began unbuttoning her jeans.

"Oh Merlin," she murmured against his lips as she virtually attacked the buttons on his trousers. "This is taking too long. Do you think it's taking too long?"

"I definitely think it's taking too long," he said, trying to pull down her jeans.

She moaned as his hands touched the silky fabric on her bum. "You are much better with wandless magic than I am. Get me naked, will you?"

Severus wanted nothing more than to get her naked, and this motivated him to the point where he wandlessly banished every piece of clothing on their bodies to a nearby chair.

"Yes," she sighed, wrapping herself around him while still kissing him vigorously. "A thousand times yes."

Severus contemplated whether he had died and gone to heaven, but the thought vanished as the feeling of her skin against his overwhelmed him, and pretty much everything else.

Again, he picked her up, and promptly carried her to the bed, almost throwing her down as he climbed after her.

The way she completely gave herself to him made his head spin. She just lay there, under him, her hair fanned out around her head, her arms with her hands palm up on the mattress, her lips slightly parted, and her legs open for him.

She was his to take. And that was exactly what he was going to do.

He moved on top of her, moving his hand down between her legs, and she was.. Oh Gods, he thought as he felt how wet she was.

The reaction to his touch was absolutely mind-blowing. She cried out, arching her back almost off the mattress, and he completely forgot how to breathe in the next moment.

"Oh Gods. Oh- Oh Gods, Severus, please."

No one had ever reacted to him like she had. No one.

"You will be the death of me, woman," he whispered as he adjusted himself and thrust into her.

She clutched onto him like a madwoman, wrapping her legs around his waist, and crying out in pleasure.

"Faster, Severus, faster, harder."

She would definitely be the death of him, if this was how she was in bed. He had no intention of declining her 'faster, harder' request, though, so he did exactly what asked of him.

She was moaning constantly now, and Severus wondered how long he was able to last if she continued like this.

As it turned out, not long at all. But not because he didn't try.

"Oh Gods, Severus, I'm going to-"

She cried out, and Severus almost buckled when he felt her orgasm, felt her walls clench around him. The feeling triggered Severus as well, pushing him over the edge whether he wanted it or not.

With a few final thrusts, he emptied himself inside her, and she clutched onto him the whole time, her hands entangled in his hair, kissing him almost desperately.

Finally, he looked down on her, and he was pretty sure she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. "You will indeed be the death of me, woman," he said breathlessly before slumping down next to her.

Hermione's pearly laugh was in that moment the most beautiful sound in the world.

He froze when he realised something. "Oh, and, happy birthday."

That triggered a complete laughing fit, and she had tears streaming down her face, almost unable to breathe because she was laughing so hard.

Finally, her laughter stilled, and she turned to her side and looked at him with a mirthful expression. "So far; this has been the best birthday of my life."

He rolled over to his side as well and pulled her to him and smirked as he kissed her softly. "I'm glad you think so."