Hello, my dearest readers.

I'm posting today, even though I don't have the next chapter entirely finished, only about 4k words of it. And most of it is practically fluff.

FRANCE. I am having the time of my life. My cousin picked up the keys to her flat in Clermont Ferrand today, I have discovered my favorite food is not, in fact, raclette, but truffade, and tomorrow (today for y'all) I'm going to Paris and spending the day in the Louvre. I'm eating the best food I've ever tasted and having fun with my family and ahhhh I can't express it all in words. More about the trip after the chapter. ;)

Thanks for the few of you who reviewed. You are very, very appreciated.

This chapter is where we start approaching/crossing the M rating. Ahem. No one under... like fourteen? please. (I know I'm a minor so I can't really say anything but my baby brother is 14 and I would not like him reading this. So I think that's the cut)

On to the chapter!

Chapter 34

The bathtubs at Safe House Three were not quite as comfortable as those in the Prefect's Bathroom at Hogwarts. Nevertheless, sinking into the warm water after the quite tiring meeting was pleasant, soothing away the heated arguments and Cedric's nearly defiant oath to the Order. And Dumbledore's smug smile... if she was right, Hermione had figured out why Cedric was back in England, and she was quite sure that a man with a long white beard had had something to do with it.

She couldn't stay in the warm water for long; there was too much to do and, as usual, not enough time. Every Order meeting of late ended with a new list of things that she had to do. At least the one point she had fought for was finished- they would make Number 12 Grimmauld Place their headquarters once more. The only problem left to take care of there was the matter of Kreacher, and he was still healing in the Hogwarts' kitchen. Dobby reported to Hermione about him twice weekly, and had predicted at least another three weeks before he was fit for human company.

Hermione was at her desk, working on reports, when a quiet knock sounded at her door. Surprised, she glanced up at the clock above her desk- it was nearly three in the morning. The only person knocking at this hour would be Severus.

She couldn't stop the small smile that came to her face at that thought.

"Hello," she said, pulling open her door. Her dark spy was on the other side, as she had thought. He was in full regalia, dark robes and a frock coat under them. His hair, left to hang around his face, gave him a foreboding cast. She grinned up at him, feeling as silly as a third year.

His mouth turned up a fraction in a smile. "Hello," he said.

"Do you want to come in?" Hermione asked, pulling the door wider and stepping aside. "We can talk while I sort reports?"

He hesitated, which was unlike him. "I shouldn't," he said after a moment. His jaw clenched, and she saw a small jump under his skin.

She leaned against the door, crossing her arms. "Oh?" she asked. "And why is that?"

Severus' eyes flicked to her, then into the darkness of her bedroom, lit only by the small fire and the floating jars of bluebell fires she used as her desk lamp. "It wouldn't be... decent," he said, struggling with the words for a moment. He looked at her again, dragging his gaze from her legs (exposed, bare) up her torso to her shoulders and neck where it lingered before meeting her eyes. "I'm only a man, Hermione."

"Nonsense," she said, swallowing hard to ease the tightness around her lungs. "You've done things a bit less decent than coming into my bedroom. And so have I."

The jaw muscle ticked again. "Which is why I'm trying to do this properly."

"Do what properly?" persisted Hermione, raising an eyebrow. "We've already technically slept together, Severus-"

"Not so loud," he hissed, glancing around. "The Diggory boy must be around here somewhere."

"Then come inside, Severus," Hermione insisted, holding the door open again. "And explain in here. I promise I won't besmirch your virtue."

He scowled at her, but a sound on the stairs made him step inside her room quickly. She shut the door, reaching for the robe hanging off the hook on the back. She slipped it on and belted it tightly, turning to face him as she lifted her hair around her shoulders.

"Better?" she asked. It wasn't much- it was old, so it rode rather high on her thigh. But it covered more than her nightclothes did, so she supposed it would please him.

As strange as it was to see his tall gaunt shape in her bedroom, it was fitting. He nodded, still looking more than slightly uncomfortable. "Slightly."

Hermione moved to sit at her desk, crossing her legs neatly. "Sit down," she said, gesturing to the only other place to sit: the bed. "Is there something important?"

Severus frowned at her. "I don't only come to see you when I have something to report," he said, a note of fine irritation wound through his voice. "Perhaps I only wanted to see you and... talk."

She felt subtly chastened. "Oh. Why?" He had shrugged off his robes, draping them over the hook that her robe had vacated, then following with the frock coat.

Finally, in white shirt and black trousers, he sat. "You ask too many questions," he grumbled.

"You're too confusing," Hermione countered. "Why does it matter that all of a sudden you are in my bedroom or that I'm in pajamas?" She huffed. "More questions, I know. But can you answer these ones?"

Severus stood, beckoning her closer. Reluctantly, Hermione stood and took the few steps necessary in the small room to stand in front of him.

He smiled at her, a rare sight on his cruel face, and brought a hand up to cup her cheek. "There have been few things that I have done right in my life, Hermione. And I am determined that one of them is going to be my courtship of Hermione Granger."

There was a fluttering in her chest that made Hermione close her eyes, afraid that her feelings might leak out. "So you've decided, then?"

"It we are going to do this, we are going to do it properly," Severus murmured. "I should have done so from the beginning."

Hermione brought her hand up to stroke his. "But I kind of like the way things have been going," she insisted. "If you have a problem seeing me in pajamas-"

"Hardly something suitable to sleep in," Severus interrupted. "But continue."

It was summer- a worn pair of soft shorts and a thin camisole were more than suitable! She glowered at him good naturedly. "Hush. But if you have a problem with that, how are you going to feel about kissing?"

"Strongly," Severus assured her. "Very strongly."

"Good," Hermione said, turning her head to press a small kiss to his palm. "Because I've found that I'm quite fond of the kissing."

There was no questioning the smirk on his face. "Really?" He dipped and pressed the lightest kiss to her forehead. "I am too."

Scowling, she stepped away. "I was hoping by 'properly' you meant-" she stopped. Hermione really had no idea what she was expecting- or what he was. She sighed. "I actually don't know."

Moving away to sit in her chair again, Hermione rubbed her temples quickly. "What were you thinking?"

He returned to sit on the bed once more. "We've been... a bit disorganized," he said slowly.

"And gods know how the two of us feel toward disorganization," Hermione quipped.

There was a subtle quirking up of the corners of his mouth. "Strongly," he said with a nod. "So I was hoping that maybe we could organize this... whatever it is that we have."

"It is most definitely a relationship," Hermione said. "Don't be denying that now."

He nodded again, seriously. Hermione couldn't tell if he was truly being serious or if he was merely being facetious- she narrowed her eyes but allowed him to continue. "There are many kinds of relationships, Hermione. There is the relationship one has with his or her parents, or with dear friends, or with masters or servants-" He was definitely being facetious. She threw a quill at him, which he neatly deflected with a flick of his wrist.

"Prat," she muttered. "Honestly, Severus-" She squeaked and ducked as the quill flew back at her. "Stop it!"

"You started it," he reminded her smoothly. "But continuing. How should we define this? How should it progress?"

"Naturally," Hermione insisted. "It's not a potion, Severus. It's something that should just... happen."

"So you believe," Severus said. "I find the prospect of just forging blindly ahead potentially disastrous. What happens if you just add ingredients to a potion and don't frequently take its measure? If the rules are not followed?"

"You get an explosion," Hermione said quietly. The silence spread as she steadied her nerves. "Would it be so awful if we... exploded?" When she met his eyes, they told her that behind those dark depths his mind was filled with the same images as hers: contrasts of darkness and skin, hot mouths and hungry hands-

Taking in breath was difficult with her eyes still locked with his. Hermione was aware of the air against her bare legs, of the feel of the silky fabric of her robe on the skin of her chest, that she wasn't wearing a bra and that just staring in his eyes was making her nipples harden.

"It could be messy," Severus said, his voice not sounding affected at all. "Dangerous..."

"I'm a Gryffindor," she reminded him, keeping their gaze locked as she rose slowly. "I live for danger." The memory of the last time they had exchanged almost the same words kept her moving until she was sitting on the edge of her bed with him.

This time he isn't turning me away, she thought triumphantly. This time he isn't saying that it is impossible; we are together in here because we have something incredible together. He isn't going to avoid danger with every bone in his body because this isn't as dangerous as he thought it was.

Her breath was coming faster. This was what she wanted, to be near him, and he was so tantalizingly close. Severus' hands were clenched- he was attempting to maintain some control. She smoothed her hand over the hard fist. "It's alright to lose some control," she murmured. "It's only me."

Then those hands that had been tightened into fists were open and skimming up her sides, hot on her waist as they laid her back on the bed, her head just barely colliding with the pillows instead of the wall. The sensations were coming all at once, too fast to process or protest. As strong hands moved up her torso a thumb flicked over her nipple, sending a fission of pleasure to the place where suddenly a hard leg was pressed between her thighs and pressing into that place and a lithe body was heavy on hers and the hot mouth that she had been thinking about earlier was sucking her neck and before moving up to her mouth.

Pressing up against him, Hermione kissed Severus back just as savagely as he was kissing her, the fingers of one hand digging into his shoulder and the other wound in his hair. The thumping of her heart was loud in her ears. It was only a handful of heartbeats before his harsh mouth gentled and Severus broke the kiss, letting his forehead rest against hers as the both breathed hard.

"This is what happens if I lose control," he said breathlessly. "Explosions aren't so much fun now, are they?"

A laugh that was half air left her throat. "I think I'm quite fond of explosions too," Hermione said, grinning. "Were you expecting this to scare me?"

His forehead wrinkled against hers as he frowned. "It didn't?" he asked.

"On the contrary," she assured him, swallowing hard as he lifted himself off her a bit. The shift put pressure on the leg that was pressed against her core in a very thrilling way yet that also made her stomach twist uncertainly-

It seemed that he noticed the look on her face; with something like a grimace he briskly untangled them. Hermione heaved a sigh, but let him do it, slightly relieved. "I shouldn't have done that," he said.

Hermione sat up, rubbing the back of her head. "I actually think that it was very good that you did," she said, still sorting her thoughts as she said the words.

"Is that so?" Severus drawled, tilting his head to look up at her. He was still laying down in the bed sprawled out.

She reached out, not sure if she wanted to playfully hit him like she would Ron or jab him like she would Harry. Neither seemed like a good option, so she settled for trailing her fingers up his thigh. "Yes," she said, watching her fingers trace patterns on the black fabric.

His hand shot out, capturing her wrist. "Careful, Hermione," warned Severus.

"Sorry," she murmured, although she didn't move her hand. "I don't know how to explain it, exactly."

Looking at the coverlet of her bed wasn't doing much- she raised her head to look Severus in the eye, hoping he would see what she was asking.

He sighed. "We can't go invading each others minds just because words are difficult," he said tartly. "I don't think I've impressed upon you the seriousness of letting someone into your mind."

"You have," she assured him, half distracted by the hand that was still loosely holding her wrist. "I wouldn't let anyone other than you." Thinking back to the events of a few days before, Hermione wrinkled her nose. "And once Harry in an emergency. I needed him to trust me."

There was a glimmer of amusement in his eyes, although not on his face. "I'd appreciate if you wouldn't mention Potter when moments ago we were three layers of clothing away from-" He stopped, eyes glittering. "But if it would be easier for you to let me into your mind..."

She reached up her other hand, drawing her fingers along his jaw until she was holding his head in place. "Look," she whispered.

"Legilimens," he answered, delving into her mind. There was pressure for a moment, and then he was just on the outside of her mental defenses. She let them down in one sweeping movement, taking him inside the memory that was wrapped in tangles of confused emotion.

Lust, hot and spiking and pulsing at the edges of her skin and rising to meet him and surprise as rough hands framed her body and there was a pressure on the little nub of her breast that both scared her and sent more lust to the aching between her thighs. There was a curl of unease right over her belly button that was exhaled as a hard leg pressed to her center and lips were burning on her neck. There was disorientation and confusion and yet also the certainty that the weight of the man above her belonged there as much as air belonged in her lungs and magic in her body.

He withdrew partially from her mind but they stayed poised on her bed, eyes meeting and minds barely touching. The arousal had risen in her again, making her mouth feel heavy and her breath come fast. Hermione could feel the fluttering of Severus' pulse under her fingers, the harshness of his jaw. His eyes were dark, consuming.

Slowly he lowered his mouth to hers, sweetly caressing her bottom lip and sucking it into his mouth. At the same time he was experiencing it along with her, the taste of his own mouth and the feeling like champagne bubbles popping in his/her stomach.

A hand that had been resting lightly on her waist rose to her ribs, then tentatively rose, long fingers still skimming her sides as his palm came to rest over her breast. The heat of his hand through her shirt was distracting her from the kiss- he could feel it in her mind and she felt his small laugh.

He felt her small hurt- and pulled away, removing his hands. Hermione drew in a shaky breath as they lost all contact.

Awkwardness settled between them, heavy and disturbing.

"I didn't mean anything by it-"

"I'm sorry-"

Their words jumbled together and stumbled to a halt.

Hermione brushed her hair back, looking at the coverlet and not Severus. "You didn't have to stop."

"You were uncomfortable," Severus said stiffly. "It would have been wrong of me to continue."

Heat was rising to her cheeks: the blotchy embarrassment kind, not the attractive kind. "You wouldn't have known-"

"But I did know," Severus interrupted. "Now do you see why it might not be such a good idea to let me into your mind this often?"

Hermione bit her lip, flicking her eyes up to him and away again when she saw he was looking at her. "It wasn't anything serious," she insisted.

When she chanced a look again, his eyebrows were raised. "You were upset."

"Only because you thought it was funny," she mumbled. A thousand sarcastic jokes and he never cracks a smile but he laughs at me now? "Honestly, I wasn't really very upset at all."

"You were upset enough that I noticed," Severus countered.

She glared at him. "Don't you get upset when people laugh at you?"

There was a terrible gentleness in his face as he reached over and cupped her face. She closed her eyes to it, not wanting to witness it any longer. "When people laugh at me," Severus said quietly. "But strangely enough, I have found that you are not 'people,' Hermione."

"If you saw it then you know why I was upset," Hermione said, opening her eyes to look at him. "If it had been anyone else, anyone else, Severus, it wouldn't have mattered as much." When he didn't say anything, she hastened to elaborate. "I'm new to all of this, I have no idea what I'm doing," she said, the words tumbling around each other in her haste to get them out. "If I was figuring it all out with someone who was just as inexperienced, who had equally no idea what they were doing, them laughing at me doing it wrong wouldn't be so- so-"

Severus' lips were pressed to hers again, but only for a moment. "You didn't do anything wrong," he said, face and voice stern. He turned himself so that he was leaning against the pillows and gestured for her come to him. With a rueful smile on her face, she moved over and leaned against his chest. A friendly arm draped over her midsection, and with a long sigh she rested her head on the hard planes of his chest.

"But I did," she insisted. It was easier, now that she wasn't looking at him. She could talk to the familiar walls of her bedroom rather than that face that twisted her thoughts in her head. "You know what you are doing, Severus. I have no idea. I don't even know how to bloody snog a bloke-"

She felt his breath on her hair and the side of her neck. "You'll learn, Hermione," he murmured. "You've been doing fine so far..." A soft chuckle made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. "I certainly haven't had anything to complain about." A sweet kiss was pressed to the skin right below her ear.

"But you've had something to laugh at," she whispered.

The lips moved. "It wasn't the kind of laugh you thought it was," he said, voice smooth and compelling, charming, swaying. "Tell me. The first time you did a spell properly, what did you do?"

Hermione frowned- the memory was hard to conjure. "A regular spell?"

"Or one that immensely difficult. Humor me, sweetling." The endearment sent a small thrill into the shivery section under her heart.

"You don't use words like sweetling," she said accusingly.

"Normally when I'm talking to my students I prefer to use words like 'idiot' or 'dunderhead,' but since I actually like you I chose something different," Severus said impatiently. "But if you don't understand the meaning of 'humor me' I might have to change my mind."

"Prat," she said. He wasn't fooled- there was more than enough affection in her voice.

"Know-it-all," he countered.

She grinned. "That's more like you," she said, stroking his hand.

"I do try so hard to please." The drawl in his voice told her that as much as he was enjoying their exchange of words, he wanted her to as he had instructed.

Settling more firmly back into him, Hermione tilted back her head so that it was resting more on his shoulder. "The first really difficult spell I cast... it was one of the hard ones you told me to practice here, at the Safe House. I had been struggling with it for hours..."

"And what did you do when you finally cast it successfully?" he asked. "Tell me everything."

Hermione frowned, trying to remember. "I couldn't believe it at first, I think. I just stared at the shield- it wavered and then it broke."

"Why?" prompted Severus. "What did you do when you realized you had done it?"

Hermione turned around in his arms, so she could look at his face. "I laughed," she said, narrowing her eyes. "I was so happy that it had worked I just started laughing."

The half smile he gave her was small and crooked but it was a smile. "Something had finally gone right," he said, voice almost teasing. "You were so happy, so filled with joy... that it came out as a laugh."

"So you're trying to say that you weren't laughing because I didn't know how to kiss, you were laughing because..." Hermione let her voice trail off, unable to keep the skepticism from her tone.

"Because knowing that you are in my arms gives me the same feeling of successfully completing a complex potion," Severus said tartly. "But it was also very amusing that I could distract you completely with only a simple-"

He was cut off by her lips on his. Hermione pulled away, wrinkling her nose at him. "Shut up," she instructed crossly. "I am quite sure that the only way for me to improve is practice. Now I could get it from you, or perhaps form a study group of my peers-"

"From me, definitely," responded Severus in a low voice, dark eyes flashing as she turned around fully so that she was straddling him.

They had been kissing quite pleasantly for a few moments when Severus' arm around her tightened uncomfortably, and he roughly broke the kiss.

"The Dark Lord is calling," he said, face drawn. The tension in his body made the cords of his neck stand out and his shoulders stiff. "I must go."

Hermione moved off of him, letting him stand and shrug on his coat and robes. "Let me know that you're safe," she said worriedly, rising as he opened the door.

Snape nodded, checking that the hall was clear. "I'll return when the gathering is over," he informed her. "I'm expecting it to last well into the morning, so sleep now."

Once his black coat disappeared down the stairs, Hermione shut her door. Sleep seemed like a good idea, despite the incomplete pile of reports and notes.

Privet Drive was quiet in the full heat of the summer day. Wilting lawns guarded rows of identical houses whose only distinction was the black number over the door. Hermione was the only person on the pavement, although there were faint sounds of children's laughter coming from the park a street over.

As she stepped to the door of Number Four, a curtain twitched from the upstairs window of Number Three. A gossip, then, she thought, studiously ignoring another flick of the curtain. She rang the bell once, politely. When there was no sound from inside the house, she rang it again.

"I'll give them ten seconds before I break in," Hermione muttered to herself. "Nine... eight..."

The door was wrenched open and a thin woman with a long neck was glaring down at her suspiciously. "You're not one of Dudder's friends," she said, eyes narrowing, "so that means you must be one of them."

Hermione smiled sweetly. "Severus did say that you were charming," she said, widening her grin to show her teeth. "You can slam your door if you'd like but your lovely neighbor is watching."

The woman- Petunia Dursley- blanched when Hermione mentioned Severus. "Come in, then," she said ungraciously.

"Thanks ever so much," Hermione said happily, stepping over the threshold. She could feel the hum of magic as she passed within the bounds of the house, although the older woman probably couldn't. Or perhaps she could, being the sister of Lily Evans. One could never know. Hermione's own mother could sometimes sense magic being used around her, although her dad could never feel it quite as keenly. "I would have hated to have had to use magic to get in here."

"You can't," Petunia snapped. "So don't bluff. You children can't use magic outside of school."

"Children can't," Hermione agreed. "But I'm not a child anymore. Is Harry upstairs?" She turned toward the stairs, craning her neck. "I know where the room is. I can see myself up."

Nostrils flaring, Petunia crossed her arms over her chest. "I'd prefer if you stayed down here," she said. "I'll fetch him."

Hermione nodded. "As you wish."

It wasn't long before Harry was bounding down the stairs, a cautious grin on his face. "Hermione!" It was clear that summer didn't suit him- there were dark circles under his eyes that Hermione took as loss of sleep due to nightmares and guilt. He hadn't been eating much either. Hermione resolved to get him to Molly Weasley's cooking as soon as she could.

She smiled warmly at him, giving him a quick hug. "It's good to see you, Harry," she said happily. "Is there somewhere we could talk?"

As he pulled away, Harry glanced at his aunt and then at Hermione. "Let's go to the park," he suggested hastily.

Hermione repressed a smile. "Let's," she agreed. "But grab your wand before we go."

"But I can't do magic," Harry said, frowning.

Hermione nodded. "I know. But out there... outside the walls of this house I can't make sure no one will attack us. I don't think they will, but no one thought there would be Dementors in Little Whinging either. Just to be on the safe side."

"Alright then," said Harry with a shrug. "Let me run up and get it."

As he left, Hermione turned to Petunia Dursley, a chilly smile on her face. "If anyone rings the bell while we're out, you have no idea where Harry Potter is," said Hermione, the friendly tone of her voice belied by the expression on her face and ease with which she twirled her wand. "In fact, you've never heard his name before. Potter... sounds like the name of the boy Number Three has living with her over the summers. He comes in here every once in a while to chat with your son... is his name Harry? You thought it was Harvey... do you catch my drift?"

Petunia's lips pursed, in what seemed like annoyance. But Hermione saw the slight paling, the trembling of her hands before Petunia's arms were folded across her chest. "Is that really necessary?"

"If you want to end up like your sister that is totally up to you," Hermione snapped. "But since you're a Muggle they'll probably not be so nice. "

Petunia frowned. "They- the.. what were they called? Death..."

"Death Eaters," Hermione said quietly. "They call themselves Death Eaters."

"That awful boy was one of them, Lily said," Petunia mused quietly. "Snape." Her eyes narrowed at Hermione. "You know him."

"I do," Hermione answered calmly. "But we'll leave it at that." Harry's footsteps on the stairs could be heard again. "I'll have him back in an hour or so."

The park that Harry showed her to was old. The paint was faded and chipped on the rusty swing set, which creaked as they sat on the sagging rubber seats. There was a slide that was decrepit, painted an awful shade of yellow that had faded from years in the sun.

"I remember when they put this up," Harry mused, looking up at the ominously moaning set. "I was... five, I think. They wouldn't let me come play here."

Hermione bit her lips. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "If it makes you feel any better, my parents dragged me to the park once and I hated it so much I think I accidentally vanished my mother's purse."

Harry laughed awkwardly, making Hermione think that it was the first time in a long while. "Nice, Hermione. How did your mom take it?"

A wry smile turned up the corners of Hermione's mouth. "Mother dearest was not pleased," she said. "But my parents were reassured that being more involved in my life would upset me, so they could comfortably continue to work long hours at their practice without worrying that their daughter was withering away from lack of sunlight."

Harry was looking at her strangely, eyes dark and concerned. "I never really asked you about your parents," he said, a note of regret in his voice. "Didn't ask if they were kind or how they reacted to magic. I don't know anything, really, about you outside of Hogwarts."

"I guess that's true," Hermione admitted, running her hand through her hair, wincing when it was stopped by tangled curls halfway down. "But there isn't much to know. I haven't seen my parents in...well, in ages really. Since the summer between first and second year. And after second year I spent my time at the Safe House and then the Burrow and Headquarters. The last time I saw them-" Hermione hesitated, then looked up to meet Harry's eyes. "I removed their memories of me, changed their names, and sent them to Australia to start a new life there, out of harm's way."

It was obvious Harry was shocked. "How?" He stopped his rocking movements, one worn trainer dragging him to a halt in the dirt.

"I had help," Hermione hastened to add. "But I couldn't keep them here, in danger. Not after the graveyard. According to the British government they're dead. Number 32 Victoria Street burned down, with Helen and Matthew Granger inside."

Although his black hair was already messy, Harry mussed it again, a gesture of habit. "I didn't know," he whispered. "Gods, Hermione. There's so much that you haven't told us." He was looking away from her, facing the slide.

"Not really," Hermione said, feeling a slight pang of guilt. Well, apart from my being in love with your hated Potions Professor... "There's a lot that you guys know. The rest- it's just that I'm a bit older than I look and I have a few extra responsibilities, like doing reports for the Order, keeping track of you, and reporting to Dumbledore."

"So you're a member of the Order, then?" Harry asked. "Officially? They know about you?"

Hermione nodded. "I revealed myself and my role in your protection earlier in the year. To both the Inner and the Outer Circle. But I actually wanted to talk to you about that today."

She took a shaking breath. This- Dumbledore would probably consider this close to treason. Unfortunately there was no way to know if someone was listening without casting a spell, and there was no way to cast a spell without alerting listeners.

"Lean in close," Hermione said under her breath. "I'm going to be speaking very quietly and a distraction is going to be happening across the street."

Harry frowned but did as she asked. With a burst of fierce concentration that made stars of migraine pain burst behind her eyes, the fire hydrant across the street exploded. Wands could be traced... but wandless magic could not.

"There is a lot that the Order isn't telling you," Hermione said quickly. "That Dumbledore isn't telling you. I know that you know this– what I want to know is if you want me to do something about it."

She pulled away brusquely and stood. "Let's go back to Number Four," she said, looking around. "It's not safe." They walked quickly, away from the fire hydrant and the pouring water. People were running outside of their houses to check on the commotion.

"What do you want to do about it?" Harry whispered harshly, looking around. "What can you do?" They were crossing the street, and Number Four was only a few houses away.

"I want to take you to the next Order meeting. I want you to stand stand up and demand information," Hermione said quickly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw an oddly dressed figure hurrying toward them. Friend or foe? "Get inside, quickly!"

Harry was fumbling with the doorknob when the figure came closer, close enough for Hermione to see that while its clothes were ill matched, the face was familiar. The door wrenched open- Hermione shoved Harry inside. "I'll be by next Thursday to get you." she said quickly. "Be ready. Know what questions you want to ask."

With that, she shut the door in his face and went the edges of the Dursley property, where the Order member was waiting.

"Hullo," Hermione said pleasantly.

"What are you doing here?" the man snapped. "No one is supposed to be here."

Hermione smiled at him. "I know. Obliviate."

His eyes went blank, and he rocked backwards. "Walk down the street now, toward the fire hydrant that just exploded," she told him. "The noise shocked you, and you want to see what's going on. You won't remember me being here."

He nodded absentmindedly and began walking in the direction that he had just come. Hermione sighed, rubbed her forehead- which was pounding horribly- and left.

The safe house kitchen was empty when Severus walked in late that night. It normally was- Hermione typically worked in her bedroom/office and Cedric retired early. But he knew he only had to wait- and soon enough, a weary-eyed Hermione came padding into the kitchen.

She brightened when she saw him. "Hi," said Hermione. Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she gave him a ridiculously wide smile.

"Hello," he replied, not moving from where he leaned against the counter. He tracked her as she moved toward him. That silly smile made him want to smile.

"How was your day?"

She was close enough now- he checked their surroundings out of habit, then picked her up and sat her on the counter to lean in and kiss her swiftly. It was easier when she was at eye level with him- easier on his neck, at least. "Better, for having seen you," he replied. Their foreheads were touching, and he could feel her breath on his face. Severus was distinctly aware of the spread of his hands on her waist, of how he could feel the dip in from her ribs and the indentation of her bones through her thin tee-shirt. Her hands were resting on his chest, one pressed right over his heart.

"You're a charmer," she told him, and he savored her words in the air. "I would never have expected it from you."

"Oh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and moving closer to her, straightening up. Her legs wrapped around his hips, pulling him to her. "Why not?"

Hermione tilted her head back to look at him. Her hands snaked up his chest, stroking the sides of his neck and coming up so that the tips of her fingers just brushed his cheekbones. "You're so stern," she told him. Her eyes were large and sweetly brown, telling him silently that her emotions were barely being held in check. "Your face- so harsh." Her hands moved down to his shoulders, pressing at the tight muscles of his back. "Always so tense, strong... No one would believe how kind and gentle you can be."

He crooked his mouth up in a semblance of a smile. "I don't think that kind would be the right word to describe me, Hermione."

"I disagree," she countered. Her chin was set in determination. "You might not be kind the way Harry can be kind, or Ron can be kind. But- when I was a child and I was lost and alone and scared you were kind to me. When I was in that middle ground between child and an adult you were kind. And now- Severus when you hold me I can feel how kind you are, how much lo-" she stopped herself, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to his lips.

"Only with you," Severus said after she had pulled away. "Just with you."

She smiled brilliantly at him. "Misanthrope," she said smartly.

"Bleeding heart," he replied, kissing her forehead.

They came together to kiss again, gently at first and then harsher. He loved the feel of her body against his- she was lean and lithe and warm, and the press of her breasts against his chest was making his good sense collapse in a way that he hadn't felt since he was fifteen.

He was craving the feel of her smooth skin, the silkiness of her back interspersed with the raised texture of her scars, the fluttering gasps he would hear as his hands brushed the ticklish spots on her sides-

A noise, a noise that sounded suspiciously like someone walking down stairs, registered with the lovers at the same time- in retrospect, the speed at which they separated was almost amusing.

When Cedric entered the kitchen (damn him, thought Severus) Hermione was still perched on the counter, watching as Severus heated milk on the stove top.

"I thought I heard something," Cedric said, rubbing the back of his head. He slept in only boxer shorts and a thin white shirt, enough for Hermione to be able to see the ridges of his impressive chest and stomach. He stretched, hitching the shirt up farther, enough for a strip of newly tanned skin to show.

Severus noticed her glance and scowled. "It's none of your business, Diggory," he snapped. "Perhaps you should consider not leaving your room when you hear people talking elsewhere."

Hermione shot him a reproachful glance. "We were just talking some things over, Cedric," she said. Her voice was a smidge kinder than Severus'. "Go ahead and go back to bed."

With another glance at the two of them, Cedric ambled out of the kitchen. Severus let out a long breath in relief. He wasn't sure if he liked Hermione living in this Safe House with Cedric Diggory- the sooner Grimmauld Place was safe the better.

Despite the departure of the interloper, Severus continued with the making of the hot chocolate, pouring the hot milk into mugs and stirring in the chocolate powder Hermione preferred to real chocolate. When it was ready he handed her one of the mugs.

"So what did you do with your day?" he asked conversationally, going to lean against the table to face her, still on the counter. "Reports, copying reports, and scaring Diggory?"

Hermione gave him a small smile, and took out her wand. When she had finished casting a few protective and anti-listening spells, she spoke. "I visited Harry," she told him.

Severus stood up straight, glaring. Why would she do that? "Why?" he demanded tersely.

"Because I think it's time that he go to an Order meeting and become part of the Order," Hermione responded smoothly. "I'm taking him to the next Order meeting and he is going to take his place as one of the leaders of the movement. He's shown what he can do in battle, he's shown that he can be trusted with some information, and anyway, that's all beside the point. He needs to know what's going on."

Severus sighed, rubbing his temples. "Dumbledore isn't going to like it," he said wearily.

"Screw Dumbledore," Hermione said promptly.

Severus raised an eyebrow at her. "I would hope not," he said, teasing.

Hermione wrinkled her nose at him, taking a sip of her hot chocolate. "You're awful."

"Not kind?" he asked. He was far too close to smiling than was safe, but he loved seeing her eyes this animated.

She smiled tenderly at him. "Both silly and kind and awful, you wonderful man," she told him. "Are you going to help me with bringing Harry into the Order?"

He stood up, walking over to kiss her gently on the mouth. "Of course," he said.

So ends Chapter 34.

As you can see, I haven't replaced the chapters with names. I'm too lazy. Well, I tried and I couldn't think of anything creative.

So... let me know what you think of the chapter. Like I've said before, I've never even held a boy's hand. So. Ahem.

About my trip! Well... first time traveling internationally alone and it was hectic. Everyone boarded my first plane, then we were all told to get off. Plane trouble. Also, anyone flying to Paris on the connecting flight needed to raise their hands! Yeah, we weren't going to make it. So then I had to get another flight... to Germany. And then catch a flight to Paris. It was bad, y'all. I arrived on Saturday and my luggage didn't get there until Tuesday. So I had no clothes. You would have thought I would have learned to pack clothes in my carryon after my last trip... and I did... but my dad made me put them in my suitcase. :/

But yeah. Anyway, I'm having fun. I'm probably going to roll back to the states with all the good food I'm eating.

Also: I got in contact with my roommate... and she seems okay... I don't know. Advice on living with people in dorms?

Reviews! Reviews would be absolutely lovely. Really. I'd like some. The last chapter was a recent low in reviews. And as always, I'm free to be contacted here (I've enabled PM, as a few of you have found out!) and on tumblr.

Excerpt:

Dumbledore swept toward them, anger now evident in his face. "My office, now," he snapped at Hermione. "We have matters to discuss."

"After I help Severus with the spies waiting for us outside," Hermione said rapidly. "We'll take care of them and then I'll come."

Alright. Next Chapter should be up on the first of August.