Chapter 47: Of Moths And Flames

{A/N: Here's Another Update...}

My Thanks To All My Readers And Reviewers Enjoy -S.S

The Sitting Room, Snape Residence, Cokeworth, England, Muggle World...

Brilliant rays of orange, yellow, and red danced along the nearly charred log within the Snape family fireplace as Hermione Jean Granger, formerly known as Evelyn Shaw-Snape had been stealing occasional glances at her slumbering husband as he slowly recuperated from his injuries following an untimely summons on the part of the despot, Voldemort. There was little time to rest most days for the Potions Professor with classes to teach and orders to carry out. It seemed no matter how much he did, it had never been enough to warrant a day or so of rest. A soft sigh on her part had gotten the attention of the light slumbering wizard and he shifted in the armchair opening his eyes as the residual effects of the slave continued to wain. He had felt far stronger as the pain subsided and turned his attention to the matters concerning his well guarded heart.

"Hermione." he said softly, getting the young witch's attention.

She met his gaze and treated him to a rather sad smile as she knew it was possibly time for them to head back to Hogwarts, lest anyone inquire as to their whereabouts and find them together. The lingering ramifications of their initial separation still weighed heavily upon them and neither wished to chance it happening again after barely reuniting thus far.

"I'm right here, Severus." said the amber eyed witch making her way toward the armchair and her formerly slumbering husband.

Snape seemed at peace when she took it upon herself to climb into his lap after being distant in a bid to let him heal. He sighed taking in the scent of jasmine that lingered from her hair as she settled into his embrace with her back pressed against his chest and her calves over lapping his thighs.

"I've missed this." he said softly. "Feeling you as close to me as possible."

"I've missed this too." admitted Hermione settling with her head resting against his chest as she curled into him.

"It was second nature back then to scoop you into my arms and lounge about in the sun." continued Snape reflecting. "But of course, we were merely children then...and had not a valid care in the world as far as our future had been concerned."

Hermione closed her eyes basking in the embrace of her Potions Professor husband after such a long absence on her part. She had no idea why Dumbledore decided to separate them when he clearly could have reversed her aging and returned her to the heartsick young wizard but it weighed rather heavily on her mind. The scent of herbs and fresh earth that often accompanied the Potions Professor had been present as well adding to her overall comfort as she pondered the mysteries of her past that still eluded them.

She wanted no part of what Sirius Black had done to the dour wizard and like wise she had not wanted him to find out if there had been the slightest indication that he had not recalled it.

"Something on your mind?" asked Snape with an arched brow, though she could not see it.

"N-No." replied Hermione careful not to think of the horrors committed against him by the vile black dog, lest he pick up on them himself.

"Are you sure, you're trembling." replied Snape not buying her lack of interest in a subject that seemed to hold a great deal of her attention.

Hermione sighed willing herself to relax in his embrace. She had not wished to upset him, and given his rather long night, it didn't seem right to uproot him too soon.

"I'm fine." she replied managing to convince him. "It's just...well it's been a while since we've spent any time together and sometimes it's astounding to recall just what we shared before being separated."

"I understand." replied Snape with something of a boyish smile in her direction. "For me it's like riding a bike given the time I've spent aging while you were regaining what had been lost to begin with...but for you the complexity of it all is very much a reality."

Hermione couldn't help but stroke the cheek of the dour wizard as he met her gaze.

"It is clear that some doubt may still linger but know this...I do love you Hermione and there is nothing that I wouldn't do to ensure your happiness and relative safety." he said in a rather serious tone.

"I know." she replied with another sigh. "I know."

She had not wished to convey doubt, she felt none when it came to their relationship but she feared what discovery would bring all the same.

"I love you too, Severus." she said before capturing his lips in an intensely passionate kiss.

He returned it with just as much passion as she began to shift in his embrace, desperate to be closer to him and to have him closer to her in turn.

Looking upon her now, Severus Snape could see first hand how his intense memories of his time with her came to be as they were. She'd been his entire world when she was with him and it crumbled the day he believed her dead at Sirius Black's hand.

A series of kisses saw to the constrictive clothing that remained on the both of them discarded with little effort given their collective aptitude for magic. Hermione let out a soft moan, filling the Potions Master's ears like the notes of one's favorite song. He relished the rush of her excitement and it in turn added to his own.

The amber eyed witch seemed to have taken notice as she found herself smirking in the wake of her long lost husband's intent. Snape himself had a boyish grin filed across his sallow pale face indicating that he'd been well aware of her knowing of it.

"We have a bit of time before daybreak." he said pulling her closer and kissing her about the neck.

Hermione gasped feeling the wave of emotions over take her as she attempted to adhere to reason. She had been of the mind to suppress her desire for him for far too long and it seemed to have no standing on her need for him at this present moment.

"Severus..." she began as she seemingly melted into his arms as he continued to assault her neck with a heated series of kisses.

She bit her bottom lip in reaction to the sensations he'd been stirring and her eyes began to glow as passion took hold of reason and she found herself wanting nothing more than to enjoy this time with her lover. Hermione soon found that she had not been the only one as the familiar eerie glow from the Potions Professor's eyes had been seen briefly before he returned to indulging in his need to please her.

It was quite clear that Remus Lupin's words held some truth to them, they were drawn to each other as intensely as moths had been to open flames.