Chapter 11: Under the burning bridge.

So without further ado, on with the story and as always I am not Queen JK Rowling, although I wish I were and I make no money off of this story it is just practice and enjoyment.

Arendora

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-GWNLGWNL.-.-..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Neville ran down the path from Hogsmeade intending on catching Ginny before she got to the gates of Hogwarts, he was almost out of breath as he sprinted down the long winding path until he caught a flash of red hair in the distance.

"Ginny!" he yelled as he ran faster to catch up with her. Ginny stopped but did not turn around when she heard her name, she knew it was Neville, just like she knew how to breathe. Her head was still hung low, tears were still falling down her face, and still, she stopped because he had called her name.

"I am so pathetic," she chastised herself.

Neville sprinted the last few feet to Ginny and stooped to catch his breath. Ginny had not moved an inch since she stopped when he called out to her. He stood up again after a moment and just stared at her, she had always been beautiful to him but at that moment she took his breath away. Her head was bowed but her long gold tinged red hair was swaying slightly in the cold breeze, the pale skin of her hands were clenched so tightly they almost looked transparent, and yet she looked graceful even standing as still as a stone.

"Ginny," he said coming closer to the heartbroken witch. "please look at me."

Ginny just shook her head, making her swaying hair look like an erupting volcano. She did not want to see that look on his face ever again, all of her Gryffindor courage was gone at that moment; really if she thought about it all she wanted to do was cry and melt into the ground.

Neville came closer and cupped her chin in the palm of his large hand, he gently raised her face to look at her but she had closed her eyes. He could see the tear streaks down her cold flushed cheeks and the purse of her perfect pink lips. Neville knew his heart had already decided what he was going to do; he bent his head and slowly placed his lips upon hers. Ginny snapped her eyes open and gasped when she felt his lips, soft and full on hers, it was all the encouragement Neville needed as he let her chin go to grasp her waist and deepen the kiss.

Time seemed to stop as they held each other, Ginny's tears stopped as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer as they kissed in the middle of the winding road leading back to Hogwarts.

He broke the kiss and placed his forehead against hers, he clasped his hands behind her waist and drew her closer to him.

"Luna told me," Neville whispered Ginny, closed her eyes again. She pulled her face away and looked at Neville for the first time since he had chased her down and kissed her. He had certainly grown handsome in the years she had known him, his round pudgy face had thinned and he had a five o'clock shadow that made him seem older. His sparkling blue eyes could bore a hole right to her soul and she knew it, apparently so did he. He smiled at her, a radiant, brilliant smile that lit his entire face and she smiled back.

"You could have told me, redbird I would have understood you know." She hadn't known, up until this moment, she did not even know he shared the same feelings as she did.

"Promise me, Ginny, that in the future you will share these half-cocked, hair-brained schemes with me so I don't try and murder anyone. I have seen enough death to last me a lifetime but believe me, when I tell you I would face off Voldemort, Bellatrix and any number of duels with death eaters, even my own grandmother again than to ever lose you to someone else." Neville stroked the side of her face lovingly, she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. Her heart was bursting and tears were streaming down her face once more, Neville cupped her face and kissed her once more.

"Ginny?" she popped her eyes back open and smiled at him again.

"Are you claiming me for your own, Mr. Longbottom?"

"If the lady doesn't object to being claimed by me then I will stake my claim here and now Miss. Weasley."

Ginny's smile grew bigger, and she shook her head. "The lady doesn't object, sir."

"Good, because I would have to keep kissing you and kissing you until your objections were gone, redbird," Neville said as he claimed her mouth once again.

Spinners End:

"What is it you want?" he asked stepping closer to her again. Severus bent his head and whispered in her ear, "Tell me what you want, Hermione." Shivers ran down her spine as he licked the edge of her ear, his right hand was on her hip and his left hand slid behind her back pulling her hips to his hips. Her sharp intake of breath told him all he needed to know as he bent to kiss her again.

Severus hoisted her against the wall, his lips never leaving hers as he magically divested them of their clothing. He could no longer stop from closing this bond as he buried himself in her.

Her sharp intake of breath and the tears that poured from her eyes made him pause.

Dammit! She was a virgin. Of course, she was a bloody damn virgin, you idiot!

"Hermione, I am sorry-I... " He tried to put her down but her legs clasped tighter around his waist.

"Move…" She whispered.

He looked at her tear streaked, wide-eyed expression and slowly started to move within her.

Twins sighs of pleasure escaped them both, labored breathing and the tick-tock of a grandfather clock was all that could be heard as she clung to him. Sweat was dripping down his face and pooling onto her already overheated skin right between her breasts that were pressed unrepentantly against his own bare chest.

I have to taste her.

He bent to far enough lick between her breasts and Hermione clawed his back as he switched movements to allow him deeper into her core.

"Fuck, woman you are going to kill me."

She smelled so good and tasted like heaven. He kept on licking her between her breasts and running his tongue up her neck to her ear.

"Severus!" she wailed as he moved his head back up to stare into her chocolate brown orbs with the tiny golden flecks that were so different from the emerald green that had been Lily's. "Please!"

"What do you want, Hermione?"

"Sofa." She managed to choke out.

Severus secured her around his waist and turn toward the sofa not pulling out of her as he laid her on it and began to move within her once again.

Magic swirled through them and was all but materialized in the air around them. Severus grabbed her hands in his right hand and secured them above her head as bright swirling bands of gold and silver wrapped around them. He traced her body with his left, pausing in the outside if her lower lips, then finally touching her core. The moan that escaped her lips nearly sent him over the edge. She arched her back to allow him better access and he did not disappoint.

"Faster, please!" She begged

He drove harder and faster within her, her eyes closed and she threw her head farther back into the brown leather cushion as wave after wave of pleasure overtook her.

"Severus!" she screamed as she came closer and closer to the most forceful orgasm she had ever experienced.

Severus picked up his pace, his mind whirling with images of summer days, old parchment, and sunshine; the smell of mint and vanilla were invading his every pore. He heard his name being screamed as he felt her clamp down on him.

"Lily," he breathed as he finished.

FUCK!

He sucked in a breath, no sound but the old grandfather clock could be heard as the chimes sounded signaling another hour since he had brought Hermione to his home.

FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!

Severus snapped his eyes down to the witch that had gone completely ridged beneath him, her expressive brown eyes betraying every emotion she had even if her face held no emotion at all. Hermione turned her face away from him and he knew that even if the bond was complete his life had just taken another turn in the opposite direction.

He jumped from the couch, pacing back and forth with his head in his hands unconcerned for his state of undress. Severus heard her stand from the couch, he turned and she was redressing herself as quickly as possible. She wasn't crying but he could sense her emotions as much as he knew she could sense his.

"Hermione" he stepped closer and she turned away from him.

SHIT!

Severus found his pants and quickly threw them on but by the time he has finished fastening the buttons Hermione was opening the door.

"HERMIONE!" he yelled as he ran to grab her arm but as soon as his hand clamped down a fist connected with his face. He felt the blood begin to run from his nose but he did not relinquish his hold on the livid witch.

"Let go," she said calmly even though he could see the angry magic welling up in her.

Hermione's face was impassive but her golden brown curls were bursting blue and crackling, her eyes were blazing with fire and for the first time since he had known her, Severus was terrified of her. He let her arm go as if he had been struck by lightning and watched as again she walked out of his life.

There would be no amount of groveling that could fix this, there was nothing he could do to stop this from happening. He heard her apparate and his knees buckled, he had done it again but unlike with Lily, he knew this time his soul would never be the same.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.(Arendora).-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Ok. my lovelies, let me know what you think. The next chapter is Draco and Harry's date, and Hermione gets some sound advice, I wonder from whom? :)