A/N: Hey everyone. Thanks to everyone who send in their reviews. i loved reading them all and I think I finally caught up on all of them. Thank you too to everyone still adding me to their alerts and faves. The support is amazing. Take care. As always Read and Review

Special thanks: To Kristine Thorne for doing awesome job with fixing all my errors and assuring me that my stuff doesn't sound too corny or out of character. You rock.

Chapter 12

Hermione woke a few days later to find she was alone with a note on the pillow next to her along with a sprig of baby's breath. She yawned as she reached for it.

'Good morning Hermione,

I woke with an idea for my new potion and had to go. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to at least give you a kiss while you were awake, but I couldn't wait to see if this works. Have a great day at work. I'll try to be back by tonight.

Severus.'

Hermione smiled as she set the note down on her bedside table, after conjuring a tiny vase for the baby's breath, she went into the bathroom to shower. She finished washing, missing him joining her like he normally did, but with a shrug and a sigh, she got out and dried off.

She pulled on a fresh pair of robes for work and pulled her hair up in a neat bun. Going downstairs, she made a small breakfast and then went to work.

All day long, she had an odd feeling that she was forgetting something, but couldn't put her finger on what it was. It was driving her crazy by lunch, but still she couldn't think of what it was.

By the time it was time to leave for work she had pushed it away, deciding it would come to her if she just stopped focusing on it. She waited in line for her turn at the floo.

Getting home she found she was alone and went into the library for a book. Settling down to read, she lost herself in the words like she normally did. It wasn't until her stomach growled loudly that she realized it was getting late in the evening and she needed to eat dinner.

Padding into the kitchen she made herself a quick sandwich and slowly ate it. Whatever it was that she had forgotten that had bugged her all day, it still wasn't coming to her mind.

She was cleaning up her small mess when she heard the sound of her floo. Severus came into the kitchen and when she turned from the counter she had been wiping up, he kissed her soundly.

When he pulled back, his eyes were glittering with excitement and it made her smile. "It worked." He stated proudly.

She smiled. "What worked exactly? Did you finish your potion?"

He shook his head. "Not even close. But I got farther along without it blowing up this time. Normally it either explodes or just turns sour within just twenty minutes or so. With what I did today, it held for over two hours before it went bad. So it's a definite improvement. I've been stuck at the twenty minute mark for over two weeks. So this is fantastic."

Hermione gave him a huge smile. "That is wonderful. Feel like celebrating?"

Severus chuckled. "It's not complete yet. I'm sure I still have at least a few months of work before I can even test to see if it works."

Hermione shrugged. "So what? Let's celebrate the improvement." She moved to the cabinet over the fridge and, standing on her toes, pulled out a bottle of champagne. It was one her boss gave her for Christmas two years ago.

Severus smirked at her and reached for a few glasses, setting them on the now clean counter. If she wanted to celebrate a small improvement, who was he to complain? He was excited and felt like celebrating himself anyway. He just hadn't intended on her sharing his enthusiasm this much. He loved that she did.

With a wave of her wand, she chilled the champagne and handed Severus the bottle to pop the cork. With a twist of his wrist there was a loud pop and he quickly moved the bottle to pour before it spilled.

He set the bottle down and handed her a glass. "What should we toast to?" He asked her.

Hermione bit her lip as she thought about it, drawing his gaze to it and almost distracting him. She smiled suddenly. "To small improvements. They are what make everything possible. Without them, we'd never have anything."

Their glasses clinked and they took a sip. Severus smiled at her. "So are you saying that it's the little things that count?"

Hermione laughed. "I do, and I think you just made another toast Severus. To the little things."

She tapped her glass to his and drank again. He chuckled softly at her. "You amaze me. Do you know that? I don't think there is another woman alive that would crack open a two hundred galleon bottle of champagne over something like this."

Hermione choked on her champagne. "Two hundred galleons?"

Severus frowned slightly. "Didn't you know?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, my boss just gave me this for Christmas and its just been sitting in a cabinet for two years." She started laughing. "That would explain why he gave me the odd look when I told him I hadn't opened it yet and just left it in a cabinet."

Severus chuckled again and shook his head. "Did he ever give you another one after that?"

Hermione laughed again too. "No, last year he just gave me a gift certificate to some nice muggle owned restaurant in London instead. I'm glad that I waited and drank the champagne with you though. I couldn't think of a better reason to open it."

Severus smiled as his eyes warmed along with the rest of him. Picking up the bottle in one hand, he took her other hand and led her upstairs. He intended to show her how amazing a woman she really was.

Hermione happily followed him up the stairs. When they got to her room, she turned to him, taking the bottle and their glasses and setting them on her dresser. She turned back to him and kissed him as her hands slid down his chest, trying to unbutton his shirt as she went.

His hands closed over hers, stopping her from getting very far. She pulled back, puzzled at why he stopped her. The look in his eyes made her swallow nervously. His black penetrating eyes were as intense as always, but there was something else in them that she wasn't sure if she understood.

He let go of her hands and slowly reached for the buttons on her blouse. Undoing them one at a time as his eyes stayed locked on hers. When he was done with the last button, he parted her blouse, letting it drop to the floor. He leaned down, kissing every inch of flesh he revealed.

Hermione let out a soft sigh as he kissed her shoulders, the tops of her breasts still covered in lace, and her belly before turning her in his arms. He unclasped her bra, placing feather soft kisses all down her back. Running his tongue slowly back up her spine and making her shiver before kissing her shoulders again.

He kissed and nibbled on her neck as he slowly slid the side zipper of her skirt down. She let out a small moan as he suckled at the sensitive spot on her neck as her skirt drifted down her creamy toned legs.

He turned her again in his arms, his lips finding hers. His tongue glided over her bottom lip, demanding entry. When she opened for him he slipped inside her succulent mouth and slowly dueled his tongue with hers.

She moaned again as she felt her body heat rising. His hands were ghosting over her skin that was exposed and creating goose bumps even as he started fires everywhere he touched her.

She stepped out of her dress sandals, standing now in nothing but her knickers. He was already taller than her, but now barefoot and without the tiny heels the shoes provided, he towered over her.

Severus bent a little, slipping his arm under her knees, and picked her up in his arms. He carried her the short distance to her bed and lovingly placed her upon it. He pulled away and quickly pulled off his clothes, all but his black silk boxers that were straining with his arousal.

Coming back to her, he slowly trailed kisses all over her skin. Paying close attention to all of her favorite spots. Her breasts, the patch of skin just under her ribs, even the place behind her knee. Her neck was thoroughly kissed and nibbled on, as well as her earlobes.

She was panting and arching off the bed and he hadn't even reached her moist center yet. He was amazed at her responsiveness. This delectable woman was not only responsive, that was amazing enough, but it was that she was responding to him. That was what was so incredible to him. He still felt the need to pinch himself sometimes to make sure this was really happening.

He let his tongue skate along the burning flesh of her belly towards the one spot he had ignored until this point. His fingers parting her folds and slipping inside to play with her nub as he ran lazy circles around her navel with his tongue.

Hermione almost jerked off the bed with the sensation of him finally touching her. She had wanted him to touch her there from the moment he started to kiss her. But he had tortured and teased her until she thought she'd go mad.

He smiled against her flat stomach as he moved his fingers over her. Coming down to nip at her hip, as her moans grew louder. He let his mouth move to her other hip, placing a soft bite there as well, making her jerk again.

Finally, he brought his mouth to her hot little box. His fingers moving from her nub and slipping inside her as his tongue caressed the little bundle of nerves.

Hermione's fingers were digging into the sheets and blankets underneath her as he tasted her over and over again. Her body so over stimulated that she felt like she was about to explode.

He knew she was close, could feel her tensing around his fingers, could hear her gasping cries as he brought her closer to the edge. It took every ounce of restrain in him not to slide back up her body and plunge inside her and take what his body needed.

Severus wanted her fiercely, but he wanted to show her. Show her how he felt, show her what she meant to him. Show her every thought, every emotion, every everything he had inside him about her.

Instead Severus kept up the slippery swipes with his tongue, kept up the constant sliding and curling of his fingers. Working her, bringing her ever closer to that edge of release.

He latched on to her suddenly, sucking on the tender button, making Hermione cry out and her hands fly to his head to dig her fingers into his hair. It was the gentle bite he placed on that bundle of nerves that send her spiraling over. Had her screaming his name and arching into him as she gushed over his fingers that were still inside her.

He pulled his fingers from her and licked them clean. She tasted heavenly and he couldn't get enough of her deep rooted flavor. He was tempted to lean back in for a second helping of her quivering heat, but refrained.

Hermione was begging him to come up and slip inside her. Begging him to stop torturing her. It was the fevered sound of her begging along with her words that made Severus stop from tasting her again.

He slithered up her savory body, settling between her spread thighs. He took in her flushed face, her passion glazed eyes, and her soft smile. Hermione had never looked more beautiful to him and his heart clenched in his chest.

Severus bent down to kiss her and as their tongues swirled together, he slowly pushed his aching member inside her. Hermione broke the kiss to gasp as he filled her to the hilt. A soft groan escaped him when she fully surrounded him.

He held still while inside her. Letting them both simply enjoy the connection for a moment, their eyes locked together again. Her fingers sifted thru his soft and silky hair, pulling him down for another kiss.

Severus started to move with their lips still joined. His strokes were slow and deep as he took his time. Wanting to draw out their passion and pleasure.

When she lifted her hips to meet him, he started increasing his pace. His hands cupped her hips, helping her rise to meet his every thrust. She felt the same flutter in her heart she had been feeling for a few days now, and knew what it was. She had thought she might be starting to fall for him only days before.

But now she knew for sure. She had fallen for Severus Snape. She didn't know how it had happened. It wasn't something she would have ever believed could happen. Sure, she'd had a crush on him before, but love? She would have thought it impossible.

Hermione had only lusted for him before. It had been weak while still in school, weak compared to how she lusted for him now. Now she couldn't wait to tear his clothes from him. Couldn't wait to touch him, and kiss him. Couldn't wait until he filled her and rode her hard and fast until her whole world shattered into nothing but bright colors and sharp feelings.

Hermione had respected him before, but now what she felt was so much more. It filled her. Heart, mind, and soul. This man somehow made her days seem fulfilled. He could take her bad days and make them so much better. Her good days, he still improved them just by being with her. A good day became a spectacular day.

It wasn't just the sex either. It was everything. It was the little things. Severus had been correct with his toast. The little things mattered so much more than most people even understood. But he did understand. He knew how important they were and he did them.

A note so she didn't wake alone. Hermione would still wake alone, but she felt like he left a part of himself behind by leaving just a few words scribbled on some parchment.

He brought her flowers or herbs almost daily. It wasn't a big deal. She wouldn't be upset if he didn't bring them to her, but he still did. He brought her herbs the most because he knew how much she loved them. Knew she loved the scent of fresh lavender for the living room and study to help relax her as she read. Knew she loved eucalyptus for the bathroom so her steamy showers smelled minty to help wake her up. Knew she loved fresh lemon grass in the kitchen, not just for the scent but to cook with too. Those were only a few things he did for her too.

It was everything he kept surprising her with. Learning how to make her drink without her even having to ask. Helping her cook just because he wanted to. All of it made tiny pieces of her heart break off for him until there was nothing left because he owned it all.

Severus shifted his hips, rotating them as he started to slam into her making her moans increase. Making Hermione's cries grow in strength and how frequent they escaped her lips. His need and love for her flowing through him. She filled him so completely that he was surprised that he ever thought about anything else but her.

He didn't know how he ever got any work done when he was alone, with her always just on the edges of his thoughts. He didn't know how he ever got any research done at her house when she was sitting next to him reading while not even realizing she was distracting him repeatedly.

She would brush her hair off her shoulder or out of her face and send its scent his way. She would start to bite her bottom lip and make him want to lean over and suck on it. She would curl her hand into her chest and her thumb would rub slowly against her soft skin distractedly and make him wish it were his thumb stroking her skin.

That didn't even take into consideration the distractions when she was touching him while she read. She would take his hand in hers, stroking the inside of his wrist with her thumb. She would rest her hand on his thigh and send all thoughts of reading completely from his mind. Or she would lean against him and surround him with her scent and drive him crazy.

Severus brushed against her sweet spot making her constrict around him and cry out. Her nails digging into his pale flesh as she shuddered with each new stroke. Leaving long red marks as she unconsciously scraped them down his sweat slicked skin.

Hermione was panting, arching her back, and raising her hips to meet each pounding thrust. She felt the wave building in her, each brush just shooting her closer to reaching her euphoric bliss.

Severus leaned down and latched onto her neck, finding her sensitive spot and making her melt against him an instant before she screamed her release. His name filling his ears as she clamped down on him tighter than ever before, making him grind his teeth as he kept up moving. Her walls pulsing with her orgasm so long that the sensations made him lose control, sending him over the cliff with her.

With a final thrust and grunt he spilled inside her and collapsed on her. The intensity making him shudder as her body quaked beneath him. Both gasping for air, as he struggled to find the energy to move off of her.

"I love you." Hermione said while panting still, still so lost in her bliss she didn't realize she spoke or even thought the words, but she felt him freeze on top of her.

She pulled back just enough to look up at him. His features were set in his normal blank mask. A mask she hadn't seen on his face for so long that it spooked her. What had happened?

"Severus, what's wrong?" She asked him, utterly perplexed.

Severus knew he needed to breathe, but he couldn't get his lungs to function. He knew he needed to draw in air, but his lungs refused. Her words, assuming he even heard them right, had made everything inside him lock.

He couldn't breathe, he couldn't blink, and he couldn't swallow. He had to have heard her wrong. He had just been thinking the exact same words when she spoke. That had to be it. He heard his own thoughts is all. She didn't really say it.

She saw him slowly turning red and saw his eyes growing wide, but they didn't seem to be blinking. "Severus, are you all right?" Her brows drew together. "Are you even breathing?"

He finally felt his lungs expand, drawing in much needed air. His eyes finally blinked, needing the moisture with how dry they had gotten. His throat finally worked so he could swallow the lump that had formed.

He nodded, still needing a moment before he spoke. Several seconds passed with her still perplexed.

Why had he frozen on her? She wondered. They'd just had the best sex of her life, and as she lay trying to get her brain to work again he froze like he'd just had the shock of his life.

Severus's thoughts were racing. Okay, he would tell her he was fine. Move off of her and say he needed to get a drink. He'd play it cool. He wouldn't panic or embarrass himself. Because she didn't really say it, he had only thought it.

With those thoughts in mind he opened his mouth, ready to speak at last. "Do you mean it?" He asked. Then silently cursed. Dammit, he hadn't meant for that to come out. He was supposed to leave it alone. Act like it didn't happen, because it didn't happen. She didn't really say that. She said something else.

Hermione frowned. Mean what? What had she said? She didn't remember speaking. Her brain started to fly. Trying to find the best way to answer. What had she said?

She went over everything again. Still drawing a blank she said the only thing she could think of. "What do you think I meant by what I said?" It was wrong, but she couldn't very well admit she had no clue when he had reacted the way he did.

Severus frowned. That wasn't the response he had been expecting. It was a yes or no question. Had he heard her wrong? Taking a deep breath, he took another risk. "There is only one thing you could mean by that statement."

He closed his eyes, drawing down deep for his courage. Something he had never lacked anywhere, except where she was concerned. With his eyes closed he missed the confused look in her eyes.

She was about to tell him the truth. About to tell him that she had no idea what she had said. But he spoke before she could even open her mouth.

"I love you too. I have been in love with you since your seventh year." His words stunning her so much that for the first time that she could remember she was speechless.

Her eyes wide, she stared at him as he went on. "I've loved you since you were only eighteen. But now that I've had a chance to get to know you better, I've discovered what a great woman you have become and it only makes me love you more than I ever thought possible"

He been so focused on getting his words out that he finally noticed that her eyes were as wide as saucers. Noticed her shallow breaths as she absorbed what he just said. The silence seemed to stretch until he couldn't take it anymore. "Hermione…say something."

Had it not been for his one of a kind, silky voice, she would have sworn he hadn't really just said all of that. Had she told him that she loved him? Is that what seemed to slip out with out her realizing it? It had to have been.

She swallowed as her eyes searched his. He loved her? He had loved her since she was only eighteen? He had been in love with her for the last seven years? She couldn't imagine how hard that had to have been for him. To love someone that was married to someone else. To love another woman that he knew he couldn't ever have.

But he did have her. She did love him. She smiled up at him and drew him down and gave him a deep kiss.

He relaxed instantly against her, wrapping his arms around her. She had said it. He hadn't imagined it.

She pulled free of him, wanting to say it since she didn't remember saying it yet. "I love you. I don't know how or when I fell in love with you, but you have captured my heart." She knew it was corny but it was true.

Severus breathed deep, taking in her scent as his heart stuttered at knowing she loved him. "It doesn't matter how or when. As long as you love me that's all that matters to me."

He brushed her hair out of her face. "I don't think anyone's ever said that to me before." He whispered to her.

Her eyes filled with tears. That was sad to think that a man as great as this one had not had any love in his life before. She reached up and kissed him gently. "I love you Severus. I'll say it again and again if you'd like me to."

He felt a stinging in his eyes and again felt like this couldn't be real. He forced his eyes to stay clear because he refused to cry. Foolish or not he needed her to do something for him. "Can you pinch me?"

She raised an eyebrow at him, confused at his request. She smiled and shrugged at him. Her eyes glinted mischievously before reaching down and pinching him hard on the bum.

He jerked and smirked at her. This was real. "That wasn't exactly what I meant, but it'll do."

She laughed softly. "May I ask what that was even about?"

He leaned down and kissed her again. "I just wanted to make sure I wasn't dreaming is all."

Amusement dancing in her eyes, she smiled innocently at him. "Did you need me to help you make sure again? I don't mind."

He chuckled as he rolled onto his back, bringing her with him. "That's quite alright. But I do think I should return the favor and help you make sure you're not dreaming either."

She let out a yelp when he pinched her bum before she could stop him. She reached down and pinched his side, so he in turn pinched her thigh. She was laughing as she pinched his belly, and he was grinning at her as he pinched her breast.

On and on this went, neither pinching hard enough to really hurt the other. It was more in fun than anything else. Though all the squirming it caused ended up making them start a whole new round of love making

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A/N: Hope you all liked it. Personally I think it's hilarious to think that anyone could pinch Severus on the butt and get away with it. lol Take care and Please Read and Review.