oO 6 MonthsLater Oo

"Severus, I found these letters...did you want to keep them?" Hermione asked, absently holding them behind her for him to see while continuing to look into the box.

They were still receiving and sorting through the things from Severus' former home at Spinners End; boxes and boxes of books, some meager personal effects. Harry had gotten the house released and cleared of its contents. Shacklebolt had given a paper trail so that everything inside would appear to be held inside Snape's vault at Gringotts, apparently the vault would be held for 20 years after his death, in the case of some unknown heir would come to claim it.

Hermione had requested that the books, potions equipment, and personal effects be brought to their home. Thankfully, they came in small shipments via a discrete delivery service that she had been awarded by the Ministry to help protect the unplottable house in which they now lived.

She had also been given the opportunity by the International Council to write a textbook on the subject of her affliction, seeing as all the other tomes they had referenced had been destroyed and the single book Frollo had had in his possession had mysteriously vanished after his incarceration. They offered to pay her 100,000 Galleons for its completion with a deadline of two years and gave her unrestricted access to the largest collective Wizarding Library in the world.

Hermione had almost declined out of pure spite over the entire situation but Severus had made her see the light on just how valuable having that much access to information could hold. She was never allowed to remove the tomes but she was allowed to take notes and take notes she did. Their study, kitchen, living room and spare bedroom were overflowing with journals filled with all sorts of information on everything number of things.

Hermione had found only a marginal amount of information about the creatures in the library and only slightly more than she had already known. Written in Japanese and carefully translated over hours and hours of intense study she had managed to piece together enough information to make an organized presentation about the creatures. Severus had helped her recall the potion that they had formulated together and was working on recreating it. However, the process was proving more difficult than the first time they had brewed it.

Severus had his own sanctuary beneath the house in a very expansive potions lab that he'd slowly been filling with all the proper ingredients and equipment. The materials that he had acquired at the farmhouse had been difficult to release from the Ministry's hold but they were slowly working through the paperwork required to return the more questionable equipment and ingredients back into Hermione's possession. Since the house hadn't been registered in either of their names and her arrest had put a seizure over everything inside, it was proving to be a muddled time-consuming mess.

"Severus?" When he didn't respond she peeked down at the letters reading the name on the outside of the envelope, Lily. She sat back a moment opening one up to see who it was written to.

"Burn them."

She raised her brows closing the letter without having read anything and she shifted to face him fully. The look on his face made her deeply sad, "Severus, I'm not going to be angry if you want to keep them." She moved a bit closer folding the stack up with care, "I'm not jealous of the dead." She saw him flinch and looked at him with all the love in her heart. She gently pulled his face to hers, "She's made you who you are." She thumbed his cheek gently, "I should be thanking her." She paused lightly touching his lip. "She brought me you." Hermione smiled softly leaning up to press a gentle kiss to his pursed lips. Her hand glided up slowly into his hair smiling when she felt him finally kiss her back. Her hand held the back of his head tenderly as she whispered against his lips.

"I love you."

"And I, you."

"Come on, let's go make dinner." Hermione set the letters aside and came to her feet, pulling him gently from his chair, where he too, had been sorting through another box of books. Hermione smiled as he gave her a look of great skepticism.

She had been helpful in the kitchen, though he'd tried to be patient with her leaning over his shoulder as he made her favorite dishes, her hands always seemed to wander after she'd completed an assigned task.

"I promise to keep my hands to myself if you make that tomato and meat gratin." Hermione coyly smiled at his passive face and a raised brow.

Severus let out a light sigh following after her, "Three or Four cheeses?"

"Definitely four." Hermione chuckled as she sidestepped a tall stack of journals that had started to make the hallway a bit narrow.

"Do we have a table left to eat at?" Severus stepped around another stack of books, looking around their cluttered kitchen.

"Um...no..." Hermione made a face. "How about I clean the table, and you cook dinner?"

"Agreeable."

Hermione gave his hand a squeeze and leaned up pressing a kiss to his jaw before moving over to try and make some order over the disaster that had befallen their table. A small flick of her wand the mess of papers aligned themselves into neat stacks.

Severus moved a few books from the island, giving them to Hermione as she made to carry the stacks out. She gave him a thankful smile and continued on her way. That settled, he started the process of their dinner easily enough.

He listened to her mutter this and that before toddling off with another set of books. He paid her little attention glancing up from time to time as the kitchen table and surrounding chairs slowly cleared of debris. By the time the gratin was in the oven and the dishes he'd used put into the sink to wash themselves, he felt small arms take his waist from behind.

"How much time do we have?"

He could feel her smirk pressing into his spine,"About 30 minutes."

"Mmm, I cleared off the couch."

Her voice dropped at least three octaves and her hips pressed into his backside. He knew, without question, just what she was asking for. She had become rather, expressive as of late and he found himself often on the receiving end of not so sophomoric touches any longer. Her body and mind were slowly starting to sync together and it had been a rather whirlwind of an experience. They hadn't truly made love in at least three months. Each one too focused on their tasks. However, they would meet, in interludes like this, to explore each other.

They both genuinely enjoyed the process, however, as their overly focused minds rarely granted them reprieve from their constant thoughts. It became clear very quickly to the both of them, that having an in-depth educated debate gave them just as much pleasure as sex. They were both very clear on the difference between, love and sexual gratification.

They would often skip the latter for long periods of time choosing to instead engage their minds. Though, every once and a while the two of them could calm their thoughts and just give into more carnal pleasures. It had been an interesting transition. Coming into a house all their own, living together, without interruption.

After Hermione's potion regime ended and her health had finally leveled out, Severus had been most surprised to find that he did, in fact, simply enjoy her company. Most of their days were spent apart, but their nights were often spent in each other's arms silently working together. Her questions no longer bothered him and he answered when he could. He had come to appreciate her keen mind and not so insufferable logic.

"I see." He tilted his head down watching her fingers slip through the buttons of his shirt and let out a heavy sigh through his nose when she traced the scar on his stomach. She had been a very quick study. Leaning all the tiny spots and just how much he liked each one. She had even found this one particular part on his back, no bigger than a galleon, that made his knees weak and his blood flow backward. Her chin was currently pressing into the spot now and he knew, she knew.

"30 minutes is a long time if you know what you're doing," Hermione ran her hand along the hem of his slacks through the hole she had made between his buttons.

"If we burn the cheese, I'm blaming you."

Hermione pulled away with a grin as he started to turn and coyly backed herself out of the kitchen. She did give him a small glance back, mirth shining in her eyes. Severus made his steps slow watching her grin grow into a full smile.

She stretched her arms over her head, letting her t-shirt rise up just enough to tease him before turning away. Her back gave a nice pop and she slipped into the living room with him coming up behind and wrapping his hands around her waist. One hand slipped under the soft cotton traveling up while the other sought the hollow of her hip giving it a deft roll with his fingertips.

Hermione rocked back unable to stop herself. Her head fell to his chest with a deep sigh of pleasure. Her eyes were closed and her hands held his, more for support than for actual guidance. She walked with him to the edge of the couch where she pulled away to lay face down on its smooth surface. She stretched her arms over her head holding onto the armrest, squirming as she felt Severus settle over her thighs.

She had come to appreciate his slow, methodical ways, even when they didn't truly have time for them. He always lavished attention on whatever she offered him, he made no complaint nor hesitance.

A mewl passed her lips when his lips met with her tailbone. Feather soft and unbelievably sensitive beneath. She was thankful he was sitting on her legs because she was sure she would have busted his lip bucking into him.

He had discovered three points of instant satisfaction on her body. The set in the hollow of her hips that made her legs weak; one in the right junction of her collarbone, that made her melt into his warmth; and the last right where he was now, that sent a fire down below igniting her body's carnal response.

Her fingers clawed at the leather underneath and she couldn't help but let a pleading whine fill the room. She squirmed beneath him desperate for any sort of friction but his legs held her firm. His hands pushed up the sides of her shirt and he trailed his lips after it, nipping and kissing the rolling muscle beneath. His tongue joined his fingers and Hermione arched off of the couch pushing herself into an odd angle. His hand wrapped around and under, taking hold of her soft flesh and her hand fell down from the armrest to keep herself up. She felt his chuckle between her shoulder blades before his lips took hold of the junction at her neck.

A deep curse passed her lips and she nearly broke her neck trying to give him more access. His arms came around molding and shifting her body until she was on her knees pressed against his hard chest. His lips never missed a beat, even when he'd vanished her shirt and her hands rose to join the dance along her own skin.

His hand intercepted hers when it traveled lower over her stomach and she redirected her efforts to the back of his head while his own dipped just beneath the hem of her jeans. She felt the stud fall free before his hand took hold of its prize. Her head turned then begging with a series of moans for a kiss.

He obliged quickly and Hermione pulled him in closer, battling for control inside his mouth. His hand moved on course and she lost the battle in a sharp gasp when his fingers pressed down.

"Oh, gods...Severus..." Her head fell down watching his hand disappear inside her. His fingers parting and stretching and stroking more places than she thought humanly possible. She rocked slowly into his rhythm, letting her eyes fall closed.

When she lifted her head once more, she was awarded another deep penetrating kiss. Severus rocked in time with her, pressing himself as close as he could without loosing pace. He pulled back from the kiss to watch the pleasure on her face. It was so beautiful, more beautiful than he deserved to witness. A soft spell removed the constraint of her skinny jeans against his hand and his fingers shifted pressing against the last thing she needed to fall over the edge. She cried out again her eyes barely able to keep track of his face as they rolled back.

"Please...oh, Severus...with me, please? Please?" Her gasping pleas were not unheeded. Another spell and a slight adjustment brought them together in one solid movement. Hermione's back arched and he had to take hold so she wouldn't fall forward. She cried out softly when his fingers took another position taking to their new task with renewed vigor.

The angle of their movement brought new sensations and Hermione could feel herself leaving the earth. Her hand clasped tightly over the one that held her breast while the other reached back clawing at his waist. She'd made a point of keeping her nails short but she always managed to leave a mark of some kind. She wasn't entirely sure why she found pleasure in making such marks but she hadn't had the discipline to stop herself. In the heat of everything, she let her body take control putting her mind to rest.

"Yes, there...ah...Severus...!"

The ding of the oven timer was completely drowned out by Hermione's cries of pleasure. Her release locking him inside as her entire body trembled. Severus felt his own release building and pressed her tighter to his frame. His lips cutting off her cries.

Her body gave a small and final jerk and Severus could no longer contain himself. Releasing her lips, he let out her name like a curse and pressed his face into her pulsing neck.

Deep breaths and soft kisses filled Hermione's world as she was gently laid back down onto the couch. Her eyes closed, a very goofy looking grin cornering her bruised lips while she tried to let the spinning of the world subside.

oOo

"What about this one?" Hermione pushed a small catalog she had picked up while she had been out. She'd taken to enjoying her lunches outside of the library and had even found a small cafe that served amazing pasta. She always felt a bit guilty being able to go out, see people, do things. So whenever she'd find something of interest to him she'd always pick it up.

Severus leaned over setting his fork down, "What's this for then?"

"It's a greenhouse, a proper one, we could get it and use it in the back garden. That way you can have complete control over the quality of your ingredients."

Severus swallowed down his bite, thankfully the cheese hadn't burnt. "I would enjoy having control of the soil acidity..."

Hermione smiled softly and shifted just a bit closer flipping a few pages, "I think...they have one that tells you what the soil acidity actually is..."

"Really?" Severus was interested, she'd hooked him, line and sinker.

She smiled softly and let him take the catalog. She leaned in her elbow before taking another bite, "You know, Neville is the new Herbology teacher at Hogwarts, I'm sure I could ask him which model would be best for growing a variety of things."

Severus couldn't contain his snort of skepticism. "I'd no more let Longbottom pick out a quill for my personal use than something as important as this." He punctuated his scathing remark by flipping the page.

Hermione rolled her eyes at his childish behavior and let the subject drop. She'd ask Neville either way. Some of those greenhouses were expensive and she didn't want to waste money on something they didn't actually need.

Severus gave her silence a suspicious look and set down the catalog. She made a very clear point of ignoring him while taking a drink of her water.

"No rebuttal?"

"Nope."

"I can hear you, you know."

"Well, that's your problem." Hermione gave him a sideways look before conjuring an image of him and her in the old potions classroom. They were most definitely not working on potions. She was sporting a rather nondescript schoolgirl uniform and his hands were hidden somewhere beneath her skirt. Hermione couldn't help but let out a raucous laugh when his face went pale then bright red.

Of course, that had never happened, it had been a left over from a dream she had had a few weeks ago. But the look of horror on his face had been worth sharing. She turned her head away still giggling softly into her palm trying to contain herself.

"That was not nice."

"Never said I was nice." She took a small breath wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.

"I'm sleeping in pants tonight."

Hermione pouted, "That's just evil."

"Don't play games you can't win," Severus smirked and took a drink.

Hermione huffed softly and stabbed the last bit of her pasta onto her fork, "Insufferable man."

oOOo

"Severus? Have you seen my journal on containment?"

"Did you take it upstairs when you cleared the table?"

"Ah, probably..." Hermione sighed heavily and dropped a few notebooks back down onto the kitchen floor.

Severus moved away from the counter picking up her abandoned coffee and brought it over. "Just calm down and think," He pressed the mug into her grateful hand and waited for her to take a drink before continuing, "You worked on that chapter two nights ago, in the kitchen, before coming down and checking on the potion. I know you didn't leave anything down in the lab, so that only leaves here and where you carried everything last night."

Hermione nodded and let the coffee soothe her weary soul. "I think I want to take a day off today..."

"Are you not feeling well?" His hand rose to feel her forehead but she shook it out of his way before he had the chance to check her temperature.

"I just, I don't know, I want to spend time with you..." Hermione sat down her cup.

"You spend every day with me..." Severus gave her a most confused look watching her pull herself up onto the island.

"Not really, I mean, we see each other in the morning, and of course in the evening but we spend almost all day apart. Me in Alexandria and you down in the lab...I just...I want to go out, see something new..."

Severus nodded slightly setting down his own cup to come to stand between her knees. This wasn't the first time she had burnt herself out. The last time they had this conversation they had wound up in bed all day, wrapped in each other's arms listening to music and reading books.

"What do you want to do then?"

"Let's... let's visit my parents..."

Severus' brows nearly shot off his face, "Are you sure that's wise? The last time your father saw me he took a swing at me."

"That's only because you were kissing his baby girl." Hermione chuckled softly and pecked his pursed lips, "We won't stay with them, maybe just meet them for lunch? I want to go to the beach, maybe get a nice tan...you could use some sun too. "

"My skin is as it always will be, I don't tan."

"Grouch. You can read to me then, under the parasol?"

"Just lunch?"

"Mmhmm." Hermione pulled him closer hanging her arms off his shoulders swinging her legs lightly by his hips. "Then we can come home, take a nice long bath and get some well-deserved rest."

Severus sighed through his nose and looked down into her pouting yet hopeful face. When she stuck out her bottom lip and batted her eyelashes at him he snorted and rolled his eyes making her smile, "Alright."

"Yay!" She pulled him into a crushing hug before pushing him away to slip down from the island. She jogged through the house excitedly thumping up the stairs.

Severus ran a hand down his face and rolled his eyes towards the heavens. She was going to be the death of him. He often had to remind himself that she was still young, despite the way she carried herself. He shook his head and took both cups of coffee finishing off the last swallow of his own before taking hers as well. He was going to need the energy to keep up with her mood for the day.