AN: A little update for you as I finish formatting my book for Kindle…
Note: if you are thinking about writing a book for that platform, you might consider downloading the information before you write the book….truuust me.
"And so the Alchemical principals of Aqua Regia are easily combined…Hermione!" He removed her slim fingers from the second button of his frock coat and frowned at her, which produced no sign of remorse whatsoever. He sighed. Of course there was no remorse…she was totally unrepentant…and he adored that about her.
He allowed himself to rub his cheek against her soft curls and then straightened his shoulders. "I can't think when you are doing that, and we have to finish these notes."
Her eyes laughed at him and she kissed his neck. "Spoilsport." The love and affection fairly poured from her eyes as her fingers smoothed the fabric of his coat and she kissed his cheek. "Finish your notes." She left his side to check the bubbling cauldron in the corner. He turned to his work, endeavoring to ignore the warm place on his back where her hand had been.
As soon as his quill stilled she wrapped her arms around his torso. "We have precisely an hour and twenty-seven minutes before we add the nitrates, husband of mine."
His heart beat slightly faster as he pulled her closer for a kiss. "I'm well-aware of the time wife." He always was, after all these years in was ingrained habit. A potion master had to have an above-average sense of time and timing.
Hermione at him and ran her fingers down his buttons again.
He narrowed his eyes. "Am I to assume that you have some sort of activity planned in the interim?' It was a matter of pride for his voice to remain calm and unruffled, but he noted a decided hint of anticipation in it, despite his care to sound unaffected by her obvious, Gryffindor-style seduction.
"I'm sure I can find something for us to do…just so you won't be bored, mind you…"
Her dry delivery surprised laughter from him. He stood up from his desk and swept her into his arms. He purred in her ear. "Boredom leads to all sorts of mischief and should be avoided at any cost."
She smiled as she pressed he pink lips to his smirk. "Is that why you fell in love with me Severus Snape? Were you afraid that with no war you'd be bored?"
"After dealing with two megalomaniacs for twenty years and being a double agent, I felt that I might be prepared to face a true challenge, so I married." He kissed her soft hand and leaned to her ear. "Of course I was completely wrong. Nothing could have prepared me for this."
He pulled her down on the couch and firmly settled her into his arms. "What in my life would have prepared me to love and to be loved? It is a heady thing…rather intoxicating, to be loved."
Hermione's eyes were suspiciously wet as she cupped his face. "Severus, I…"
He stopped her lips with a kiss. "What is former pain to present pleasure? "
He kissed her palm, then her wrist, lingering to inhale her scent and bask in the fact that she was unconditionally, irrefutably, irrevocably, his.
There was a lingering shadow of sadness in her eyes, so he nipped her neck, which never failed to provoke a pleased gasp from his bride. "I married you for a million reasons, each one better than the last. But most of all, I married you because you have in your possession the entirety of my heart."
Then he kissed her again and there was no more talk, at least not until they had to add the nitrates to their potion one hour and twenty-three minutes later.
AN: I'll update this weekend!