Author's Note: Hey, all :) Hope you're doing okay.

This could have been longer, but my nerves are so stretched from work and the election that I was honestly just SO happy that suddenly my SSHG muse swung in at the end of this week (I actually wrote all 6000 words here over the last 3 days) and gave me some respite from real life, that I just wanted to slap a bow on it and put it out there. Hopefully it'll be a distraction for some of you as well :)

As to the plot, we're picking up shortly after we left off last chapter. And now that Hermione is better, we have some sexual activity coming up here. I'm sure by the time the story is over, the rating will have changed to an M, but as of right now, it's right on the cusp. But if these more explicit scenes are not your thing, as I always suggest for the sake of your eyes, please simply 'skim' those paragraphs until they are G rated again :)

Experiments in Intimacy

Hermione performed a quick tempus, (just after ten pm), before she reached over to place her wand on the nightstand closest to her. Then she rolled over the other way to watch Sna . . . her eyes crinkled . . . Severus, (yes, it was still strange to use his first name, but it was time) as he changed into his night clothes on the other side of the bed.

Ordinarily of course it would be poor manners to stare at someone while they undressed, but given how he WAS her bondmate, and more specifically, given how he had now seen her partially, or completely naked close to a half dozen times over the last few days, it only seemed fair that she now get at least a peek at him too.

Hopefully she'd get do to a lot more tonight than just peek, and given how Sn…Severus (still adjusting!) didn't seem to be showing any reticence in disrobing with her watching, and the room still well lit, she had to deduce that he was of the same opinion. So she with her newly healed fingers, she deftly undid the top three buttons on her nightshirt . . . both breasts were now fully exposed . . . before she tucked her hands lightly against her chest. Then she watched as Severus carefully folded, then placed, his dress shirt down on top of the wardrobe.

It was lying there next to his just removed frock coat.

So now he was standing there by the bed in only trousers. Her theory on him hiding a wiry physique beneath his signature layers of formal clothing, was now confirmed. There was a notable, impressive, amount of muscular definition in both his arms and his chest.

It was very nice to look at, and doing quite a bit for her long dormant libido, which was already humming simply from the intimacy of their evening.

Though when Hermione allowed herself to focus in more closely on Severus' upper body, and she took in the puckering of scars which lined so much of his pale skin, her sexual excitement was doused as her eyes began to water.

Her poor muppet.

"Do any of them hurt?"

The question broke the comfortable silence which had been filling the room for the last few minutes. Still, Severus didn't seem to be surprised by her inquiry. Because even while he began to unbutton his trousers, he was shaking his head.

"Not in any meaningful way," he answered, his voice quiet, though he didn't appear to be embarrassed or annoyed, "many of them I have had for decades. The more recent ones," his jaw twisted, "those I received after the Dark Lord returned, on occasion, they do make their presence known. Mostly though, that is due to the lingering after affects of the Crucio." His gaze flickered over to hers, "there is some nerve damage."

Hermione bit her lip, a hundred thoughts going through her head, until finally she settled on the one to say out loud.

"Is it serious?" she whispered, with a worried nibble of her lower lip, but then she saw her muppet's eyes crinkle, ever so slightly.

"Not serious enough for you to be concerned, kayda."

Just as he finished speaking, he let his trousers fall and he stepped to one side. And to her surprise . . . he was wearing no briefs. He was starkers. Then he brought his arms up, and made a slow turn, allowing her to see his body from all angles. Once he was facing her again, his left brow quirked up.

"Are we now," he tipped his head, "even?"

For a moment Hermione said nothing as she ignored the question so that she could openly appraise his now exposed genitalia. His penis was both long and thick even in a flaccid state, so needless to say, she was very pleased with what she was seeing.

Intercourse would likely be incredible.

Her eyes crinkled as she finally looked back up with a cheeky smile.

"Most definitely."

Then her expression sobered again as she once more evaluated the silvery marks crisscrossing this new area of his body. After a full appraisal, and another blink to remove the tears from her eyes at all he had suffered, she lifted her hand to make a gesture towards his left hip.

"Is that one which causes you pain?

It was an ugly, thick scar, running across his abdomen, through the dark trail of curly hair, down his hip and tracing along the inner part of his thigh.

It was only missing his testicle by perhaps a centimeter.

"Ah this," Snape spoke quietly while looking down to trace along the edge of the jagged line with his thumb, "this is one of the more recent scars I mentioned, and it is one of the few that still give pain, because of the location. There are obviously a great number of sensitive nerve clusters in this area. I was lucky to be left only with the scar though, given how Dolohov was attempting to castrate me during this attack. Actually," his words continued on now as a muse, with his gaze shifting back to hers, "if not for Lucas interceding at the last moment, you would be soul bound to a eunuch."

"Well," Hermione immediately cut back with a firm set of her jaw, "even if you had suffered such a grievous injury, it wouldn't have mattered to me either way," she scowled slightly, "the ability to copulate does not make a man."

"No," Snape shook his head slowly, "it does not. But the inability to copulate certainly does not do a thing for ANY man's self esteem. And to that point," Snape's eyebrow inched up as he looked over to the beautiful witch curled up on her side with her breasts spilling out of her nightshirt . . . she had undone the top three buttons, "though I am most appreciative of the view you have provided me, I am also of the opinion that intercourse should be delayed for a little longer."

At his declaration, Hermione's eyes widened in both surprise, and disappointment.

"Oh, but muppet," her mouth curved into a faint pout, "I feel fine, wonderful really after sleeping for so long. And we really should christen our new bed. So please," she took a breath to give her breasts a slight jiggle, hoping to entice him, "can't we be together? I'm sure that I'm well enough."

For a moment Severus just stared back at her, his lower physique beginning to give away his true thoughts on them having intercourse, in a way that she never would have been able to deduce based upon the blank expression he was projecting, most likely through occlumency. Then he brought his hand up, and with a snap of his fingers, the candelabra hanging in the center of the room, was extinguished.

That left the room lit only by the glow from the fire.

Still, she could see a new glitter in his eyes. That combined with his now notable erection, made Hermione sure that she had brought him over to her way of thinking. So with a smirk, she pushed down the covers so that he could join her. And he did immediately climb up onto their soft, new, cushiony . . . squeak free . . . oversized bed.

He pulled her into his arms.

From there, his hands gently squeezed her buttocks under her nightshirt. And feeling a wave of lust and longing through the bond, Hermione let out a happy sigh as she buried her face in his hair and let her hands slide along his chest. He pulled her forward, and she felt his hardened length pressing against her thigh.

Immediately she began to get wet.

Of course she thought that things would continue from there in a 'routine' fashion, but suddenly his hands slid back over to her hips and he was rolling her the other way . . . so now her back was to him.

Her breath caught in her throat, because really, this was NOT something that she had ever done with Ron! Or at least she thought that what they were about to do was something that she had never done with Ron. All of her previous sexual experience, even the bits of fellatio, had involved the most standard of positions. Still, she was open to experimentation, and she had read good things about being entered this way . . . especially given how her body had begun to ache waiting for him to touch her . . . but once again, Severus' actions surprised her.

Though he did push her nightshirt up above her waist, and she could feel him slowly rubbing his length against her bottom, pressing into her ever so lightly, he made no move to actually enter her.

His lengthy pause was . . . she bit her lip . . . confusing.

"Severus," her voice was breathy, excited, and slightly nervous, "why did you stop?"

"I did not stop," he answered with a deep breath, "I was merely centering my thoughts."

Before she could ask what that meant, exactly, she felt his hands slide forward, one firm on her hip, the other moving along until she felt his gentle caress of her abdomen.

The sensation was lovely, and her whole body tensed with anticipation for what she thought was going to happen next . . . but then he stopped again. For a moment she had no idea what he, they, were doing. If they were actually going to do ANYTHING besides go to sleep pressed together. If that was all, though she would be a bit disappointed, she supposed that it would be all right. The intimacy of it was very nice. But then she felt Severus' palm spread out, and the tips of his fingers began to lightly press down in a familiar pattern.

A soft, knowing, smile touched her lips.

Pressure points.

And sure enough, a second later, she felt the spark. But having it so close to her clitoris, it affected her in a completely different way than what she was expecting. Immediately she let out a moan of pleasure as the magical jolt went directly through her clitoris.

The hum stayed.

"Oh my, that is DIVINE," she hissed with a bite of her lip as her hand settled on his wrist, "now what else are we going to do? Because, really muppet," she bit back another moan, "all of your ideas have been very good ones so far, so I will let you take the lead here. Just don't get used to it."

From behind her, Severus let out a soft chuckle, right before he pressed a kiss to her neck.

"You will always keep me unbalanced, kayda," he huffed, "of this I am sure. And my suggestion for you now is simply that you prepare yourself, because I do not know how much more intense this activity will become. Neither of us know how the magic sharing will affect things, but I believe this is a good way to experiment."

Before she could ask exactly what experiment he had in mind, she felt his other hand sliding down off her hip. The first one was still keeping the magical connection. A second later she felt his long, nimble, fingers sliding in between her legs.

She let out a gasp.

And as he nibbled on her ear in a way that was driving her deliciously mad, his thumb began to lightly stroke her vaginal lips . . . they were opening at his touch.

She was now beyond wet, and she knew that he could feel it.

"If you are all right, I will continue?" His question came as a whisper even as his middle finger was brushing over her now slippery swell. All she could do was give him a ragged nod.

"Oh yes," she moaned happily, "yes, please do continue."

So he continued to apply the same firm caress until her clitoris had completely hardened. That was when his hand moved further back, and she felt two of his fingers slipping inside her. It took him only a moment to find that perfect spot, and once more she lost her breath. His strokes soon had her panting in his arms. The light was coming, but it was even more than that. More than she'd ever experienced before, even with a full coupling. Because her body was beginning to go liquid at this unique, previously unknown, form of ecstasy which came from an orgasm born of magic sharing. The pitch of the squeal she suddenly released was almost inhuman, but she didn't care.

She cared of nothing but his touch.

Because even as she was writhing in his arms, he continued to work her pleasure sensors in a way that she'd never known. Finally she reached the pinnacle, and as she let out a cry of, "OH, OH, SEVERUS!" her eyes rolled back and with one final shudder, she collapsed against him.

She was completely spent.

That was when he both broke the connection and let his fingers retreat until his palm was settled lightly over her small nest of very wet curls.

"Oh, thank you, muppet," she whispered with such genuine emotion in her voice that she was almost embarrassed, "truly, I have never felt anything like that before. I hadn't had any release in over a year, but having one while magic sharing, it is," she swallowed, "I cannot describe it. We must join now so I can show you. Because of my hands you'll have to set the connection, but still I can push my magic back through to . . ."

Her words trailed away as she tried to turn then, with the intent of climbing onto the erection quivering so insistently against her bare backside. But then Severus used one hand to gently apply pressure to her hip, holding her in place.

"Your magic is not likely to be stable enough yet for sharing," he cut in with whispered kiss of her ear as he brought her hand back to rest on her stomach, "and the erection will subside soon enough. I will be fine for tonight. That was for you, because you desired intercourse, though I did not believe your body was ready for the physical exertion of a full coupling. I felt that would be an acceptable compromise."

For a moment Hermione just laid there in stunned silence . . . then she burst out laughing.

"An acceptable compromise!" She snort giggled while twisting to roll over in his arms, "is putting it mildly!" Then she leaned up to give him a searing kiss, grinding hard against him until he couldn't help but to let out a moan of pleasure. That's when she finally broke away with a whisper against his lips.

"You are completely balmy, and as soon as I stop passing out for eight hour stretches, I am going to have you inside me while we share MY magic, and then I will shag you senseless."

"Indeed," he answered with a dangerous smirk, "I look forward to it."

"All right then," she took a breath, moving into a more formal tone, "but in the meantime, as your bondmate, I refuse to let you go without any release. It would be," she shot him a smirk of her own, "unacceptable."

And with that, she pushed him onto his back and stretched over to grab her wand from the nightstand.

Even while he was muttering a confused, "kayda, what are you doing?" she had already started to murmur the spell she had learned as a fourth year.

Though this spell was NOT one that she had learned in any classroom. It was a brilliant, (filthy), creation that she'd been taught by one of the older, more beautiful, Beauxbatons girls who had taken pity on Hermione and her painfully obvious inexperience with boys. When Victor Krum . . . the wizard world famous Quidditch player . . . had started to flirt with her, of course everyone had noticed.

It had been a source of gossip for weeks.

The gossip had actually, initially, prevented her from responding to his advances. Then one day this beautiful French witch, Azura, had approached her in the library on the pretext of needing assistance with her charms class. She said it was more difficult learning them in English and could use a tutoring session. Never one to turn down an opportunity for extra studying, or to practice her French, Hermione had immediately agreed to help the older girl. So the next day they had brought their books down to the lake, and while they sat alone under one of the trees, Azura had surprised her by waving off the charms discussion, by instead pulling out her wand. Then out of the blue, she had begun to lecture her new, (shocked), friend on how to be popular, without actually getting your hands dirty.

At the time, young Hermione had not been ready yet for THAT type of popularity . . . the most Victor would ever get from her was a bit of awkward snogging . . . but there was someone offering her knowledge on a topic for which she would never otherwise be given instruction. And again, Hermione could not resist learning something new. So even though her cheeks had been burning with embarrassment, she had sat there listening raptly, and taking magically coded notes (the shame if anyone had ever deciphered them!) while Azura had taught her not only how to kiss, but also a few extremely naughty spells.

Ones that could not have been more perfect for their current situation!

Because even though she had only just finished the incantation part, she could see that Severus was already feeling the effects of the spell. His breath was catching, and his jaw was twitching as he looked over at her with a combination of obvious lust, and disbelief.

"Kayda, your talents are," Snape groaned out as he felt the sensation of true pleasure building, "extraordinary! And I do thank you for the effort, but you must see," he bit down another moan, "this is NOT a dignified way for a wizard to achieve release!"

"Why must it be dignified?" she whispered back while continuing to make the careful movements with her wand, watching as his engorged penis continued to lightly stretch and retract . . . the magical handless hand job, "I'm giving you an orgasm. Orgasms are never dignified. So please, my muppet," she leaned over to give him a quick kiss, "let me help you finish, all right?"

Apparently her argument was a satisfactory one, because after a moment of hitched breathing he gave her a ragged nod. Then he closed his eyes. His breathing started to become irregular as his hips jerked, and then suddenly he let out a deep, throaty, growl that made her wet all over again. So before she'd given it a second thought, (and though it wasn't a necessary part of the ritual, the continued wand usage was the key) she leaned over and opened her mouth.

Her tongue lightly brushed along his tip.

Her action caused him to writhe up. So while her wand was still cycling through the movements which were bringing him to release, she began to suck. It was all he needed to finish, because from there it was only a moment before he let out heavy groan and suddenly her mouth was being filled with his warm, thick, seed. It was not something she'd necessarily enjoyed those few times with Ron.

This time she swallowed it all down.

When she finally pulled away with a final lick of her lips, she looked up to see Severus staring down at her, still panting, and heavy lidded.

"I know it wasn't as good as what you did for me with the magic sharing," she breathed out with a soft, slightly nervous, smile, "but it was still, satisfactory, right?"

"Yes," he huffed, "yes, it was quite . . . satisfactory. Though," his brow quirked, "I do need to know where you acquired that spell, because I have never come across its equal."

"It came from a French witch of course," she answered with a faint snort, "really, where else would I get such a spell such as that one?"

His eyebrow quirked up.

"A French witch?" He repeated with a huff, "yes, I suppose that does make sense. The French, both muggle and magical born, have obviously made more than a few notable contributions to this field. And that one was most definitely a," he began to push himself up, "worthy addition."

His eyes crinkled slightly then as he leaned over to give her a thank you kiss.

The pressure from his lips was very light, but still, she received that same instance of pure joy that she had ever other time they'd kissed. That, combined with what had happened simply when he'd fingered her, made Hermione wonder just how intense the pleasure would be during intercourse.

She really could not wait to find out!

In the meantime though, as Severus shifted them (and their pillows) around until they were cuddled together in the center of the bed, that was enough. Well . . . she reached over to pick up her wand from where she'd dropped it onto the edge of the mattress . . . almost enough. There was one more thing to do. So with flick of her wrist, she vanished the nightshirt she was wearing.

When Severus let out a grunt and tapped her hip, she gave him a look.

"It was either you put on clothes, or I take them off. Are you saying you object to me being naked?"

"Do not be daft," he stated with another dry grunt, even as his thumb lightly brushed over her nipple, "you are exquisite. I was merely considering the logistics of our sleeping arrangements. With both of us unclothed, my body is going to react to yours just as it did before, and I do not wish for you awaken tomorrow morning feeling any," he tipped his head, "pressure, I suppose would be the word, to provide another measure of relief for my circumstance."

For a moment Hermione just looked down at his hand lightly cupping her breast.

She lifted her head.

"But what if I wanted to provide you with that relief?" She asked with obvious confusion, "would you wish for me to refrain?"

Granted she wasn't that experienced in this area, so she did still have a lot to learn even though she and Ron had practiced their snogging and shagging pretty much constantly for a month straight. But obviously for the first few weeks, they were just fumbling their way through things. And even after they'd figured a few of those things out, or at least had gotten better at the basics, she'd only ever had the one partner. And they'd really only done so much. With Severus though, she wanted to do everything!

But that was going to be a little difficult if he was putting a moratorium on any sort of relations.

It was a worrisome thought when all she really wanted was to be with him, in every way that she could. And Severus' continued silence on this point wasn't doing much to alleviate her concerns. But then she saw his expression soften right before he leaned down to kiss her temple.

His silky hair tickled her neck.

"You worry too much, my beautiful witch," he murmured against her skin, "so much that I can feel it through the bond. But your anxiety is this area is unfounded. There is no rejection here. Once you are completely recovered, we can engage in relations whenever you so desire them. In the meantime though, I am simply concerned that your past," his tone softened as he gave her hip a gentle caress, "inclinations, that need to please, may make you more inclined to subjugate your own feelings, simply to make me . . . happy."

Hermione's mouth opened . . . and then closed. At first she'd felt a faint surge of indignation at his words, but then she'd felt Severus send a push of gentle affection through the bond. That was her reminder . . . all he wanted was what was best for her. And giving it a moment's reflection, his insights were perhaps more insightful then she was really comfortable admitting.

She was a People Pleaser.

And she did have a tendency to remain focused on a task, be it advanced arithmancy, apparation, or magical handless hand jobs, until she'd felt that she had mastered it. And she had not yet mastered this last one. So it was likely that without this conversation, she would have awoken tomorrow with his erection pressing into her hip, and had the immediate need to begin the same incantation she'd performed tonight. Not only for his sake, but also, (pathetically on the same level of import in her mind), simply for the practice. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

Oh Merlin, no matter how old she got, she was still a pathetic swot!

When she shifted to look over at her muppet still patiently watching her, she let out a soft, sad, sigh.

"Your points are noted," she admitted with a faint exhale, "and come morning, I do promise to keep my wand holstered and to allow you to deal with your," she tipped her head, "situation, however you see fit."

Then, before Severus could respond to her comments, she let out a bitter huff.

"I really was a horrendous pain in the arse to teach, wasn't I?"

"For a time," Severus answered Hermione's question with another kiss to her temple . . . one to soften the bramble in his truth, "yes, yes you were genuinely quite insufferable. There was even a period where, if it had been legal, I would have gladly hexed your mouth closed and your arms locked to your sides for the entire length of every Potions class. That was your first year. That was the worst of it. But you did arrive at Hogwarts a slightly awkward girl, clearly somehow already unpopular for her intellect, who felt she had so much to prove to a world she knew so little about."

A moment passed then where he paused to take a breath and collect his thoughts. With Hermione leaning so stiff and tense against his side, he knew that she was listening raptly to his recollections of her early years. His words were not meant to sting, but he knew from the faint ripples he could feel in the bond . . . some of them were. So before he continued any further, he leaned down to give her a kiss. Luckily, he felt her respond with affection, and when he broke away after a moment, he could see her looking up at him with faint, slightly acerbic, smile.

"You don't have to coddle me," she whispered, "I can take it. So far it's no worse than I've heard before."

"Hush," his harsh dismissal of her words, came with a gentle brush of his thumb along her lower lip, "I shall coddle you all I wish. It is my right."

When he saw the tears fill her eyes, as a softer smile touched his lips, he gave her one more kiss. Then he shifted them down so their heads were on the pillows and Hermione was cuddled to his chest, with her breath soft on his shoulder and her silk covered hands lightly pressed to his torso. He let his arms slide around her body with one hand settling on her lovely bottom, and the other pressed to the middle of her back.

They were now arranged to his satisfaction.

And with their height differential, and his general endowment, his genitals were rubbing lightly, and happily, against her bare thigh.

All in all it was a heavenly embrace.

Once he allowed himself to indulge in for a moment longer simply because he had never experienced such a feeling of bliss before. But finally he took a breath. Because he knew, this conversation was important. Necessary even, for their bonding process. Also perhaps for his kayda's mental well being, as she needed to know that he never hated her.

He never could.

So he continued on then with his lips pressed to her ear, whispering softly.

"I wish for you to know, my sweet witch, that my open irritation with you over your latter years at Hogwarts was, for the most part, simply what was required for my public persona. Because by your fourth year you had finally shown yourself to have a brilliant, if still not quite focused, mind. That is, you could not always rein in your thoughts. Those seven foot parchments you would prepare were maddening, even if they were the best potion analyses being prepared by anyone in the school. Still, with you not only a Gryffindor, but a muggle born as well, if anyone in Slytherin had been able to infer how impressed I was becoming with your growing intellect and maturity, this information would have been immediately reported back to their Death Eater parents. And that in turn, would have been disastrous for my position not only as a double agent, but also as a wizard with a ridiculous desire to not be Avada'd before my thirty-fourth birthday. Not even to mention," he let out a heavy breath, "as a lesser point, how any praise from me would have exposed you to a whole new level of gossip and innuendo. Teacher's Pet, would have been used in the ugliest, most unseemly, of fashions. So yes," he let out a faint hum as he rubbed her back, "even in retrospect, all these years later, I cannot apologize for the scorn you were shown. It was not generally deserved, but it was necessary. What I can apologize for though," his jaw twisted, "and what I do truly regret, was any genuine hurt I may have caused you. You or the others. Even that menace Longbottom. Potter of course, he and I, our differences came from a deeper place, but no matter the opinion of some members of The Order, I did not enjoy playing the part of a monster," his voice faded slightly, "I never did. It was why I so quickly realized after taking the dark mark, that I had made a terrible mistake. The things we were asked to do at the revels, they were unspeakable. Often literally. It was too late by then, of course, to change my mind, and undo what I had done. My path was set, and it was set due to my own stupidity, but I do sometimes, foolishly, wish that I had been given other options. That the members of the Order, the original Order had even once offered me," his voice thickened, "forgiveness. I had done terrible things, yes, but more than half of those seen to be perpetually on the side of light had done terrible things as well. Somehow though, I was the only one of us never allowed to be seen as more than what I had been in my worst . . ."

And then he stopped, realizing that he had just said far too much. That he had spoken of desires he had kept deeply hidden for decades now. Mostly because those desires were so pathetic that to speak them aloud made him look a fool. Which is most likely what Hermione was thinking right now.

That she was bound to a fool.

So when he slowly, and somewhat nervously, shifted his gaze back over to hers, though he was expecting to see pity there for his feebleminded thoughts, instead it was something else. It was grief.

Her tears were spilling over.

"Oh my muppet," Hermione whispered sadly, "I know how cruel the boys were to you as children, and I know that those years of bullying played a part in the terrible choices you made later on. I don't excuse those choices, as I know you don't either. But the fact that Sirius and James tortured you so mercilessly, and never showed any repentance for their behavior, yet were still hailed as heroes while you were cast permanently in everyone's eyes as the villain, it makes my heart ache." Her voice cracked, "you deserved better. You deserved to be able to say that you were sorry, and to be offered their forgiveness for your mistakes. And you deserved love, and friendship," she gave him a broken smile, "and happy memories that went beyond the age of nine years old. I know that you have survived for most of your life with none of those things. So the fact that you turned out to be one of the greatest heroes of this saga, not to mention the wonderful man that are today, is truly astounding. I am so proud of you."

"You are proud of me?" he repeated the phrase with a crackle of disbelief in his voice.

"Yes," another tear slipped down her cheek, "I am. Severus Snape, I will be the first to admit that you are stubborn and ill tempered, and occasionally rude to a horrendous fault, but," her eyes crinkled then as she gave him a watery smile, "those are not your defining qualities. Your goodness is all that truly matters to me."

Two beats passed where Snape simply continued to stare at her in disbelief. Then finally he let out a choked sob and closed his eyes.

"I cannot . . ."

Then he stopped and shook his head.

"We have talked enough for tonight. We must sleep now."

His voice was hoarse, and broken, and Hermione knew that she may have pushed him too far. Because again, this was a man who had spent decades being told that he was evil, and not worthy of salvation. It would take him time to accept the truth of what she had said.

But time was something that she could give him in spades.

And seeing his jaw twitching, she knew how close he was to truly losing his emotional control. And she also knew that he would see such a slip as a genuine indignity, even if it was just in front of her. So she quickly cuddled herself into his chest once more.

"I agree, muppet," she whispered with a kiss to his scar, "it is time to sleep. Good night."

There was no response from the man she was holding in her arms. It took a few minutes, three maybe even four, before she finally felt his body begin to relax. He was coming back to himself. Still, she expected to hear no more from him on that night, so she was surprised when suddenly he squeezed her so tightly that her eyes popped open as she nearly lost her breath.

"Severus, wha . . .?"

But her question was cut off when he tipped his head down to catch her lips in a kiss filled with passion. When he finally broke away, they had both completely lost their breath, and because of the shift in their positions, she could feel his hardness pressed into her hip. Before she could do more than shift her lower body slightly to the left, if only to avoid her dream self accidentally mounting him in the night, he whispered the two words she was not expecting to hear.

"Thank you."

Her eyes crinkled as they filled with fresh tears. And then in the shadows of their fire lit room, she whispered back a version of his earlier words to her.

"Well, it is my right to coddle you as I see fit."

And when he immediately shot back a dry, "hush, witch, or I shall force you to eat nothing but that horrid oatmeal for the rest of the week," she let out soft giggle as she buried her face into his shoulder. Because he was fine now. He had come back to himself. All he'd needed was that little bit of time.

Thank Merlin for that.

A/N 2: So, obvious bits of smuttiness, but you see the chapter was really more about intimacy in all its different incarnations. And I think these conversations about their pasts were necessary for them to have at some point, and given how exposed they were physically, it seemed like a good time to begin folding the talking in here too. Also, to be clear, not a fan of Sirius or James. I'm assuming the readers here, as Snape fans, also lean heavily against them being the great heroes that we're somehow, inexplicably, supposed to believe them to be, but yeah, I think the Marauders as basically assholes and do not get their appeal at all. They're all dead here though so luckily they shouldn't have to come up again :)

Thanks all, and again, I do love to hear from you!