Prologue:

Hermione POV

Author's Note: All romantic entanglements are completely consensual and take place when Hermione is above legal age of consent and when abiding to wizarding law, is a legal adult.

If you don't like the Hermione and Snape pairing then don't read.

Please Enjoy.

Reviews are always welcome.

I plan to post each new chapter within the next 4 days of a posted chapter.

Hermione Granger was supposed to be working alongside Severus Snape to find the location of a weapon that could destroy Voldemort. So how did she find herself kissing him?

Hermione wasn't sure who kissed who. All she knew was that one minute they were working side by side, a usual occurrence as of late. Hands close to one another as they looked over a map on the bench. Currently working out of his private lab; a place that was not only off-limits to students if they even knew of its existence, but also to every other staff member as well. Severus wouldn't even allow the Headmaster into his private workspace. And yet he let Hermione inside even holding the door open for her. Today not being the only occasion he granted her such a privilege. Technically speaking they were not breaking any rules with having her in here, even with her being a student; currently in her last year of Hogwarts. Dumbledore was fully aware of their attempts to bring an end to Voldemort. He was even the one to encourage them to work together.

When they were looking over a map of the east coast of Whales their fingers brushed against one another. He noticed it first, drawing her own attention to their hands. When both of them locked down at their touching hands neither one attempted to move. Looking back at one another their eyes locked on in question. She noticed that they burned with an intensity that wasn't uncommon for the man. But today they were charged with something different from his usual disdain and anger. Even though they were dark they shined with an intention that was only known to him. Something Hermione wished she could know. She hoped they blazed with the secret of darkness and passion. Something she knew was growing dangerously close to what the two have been denying for weeks now.

The room around them began to sizzle with electricity. The room was silent except for their breathing that seemed to increase the longer the two looked at one another. She may have unconsciously licked her lips, but she wasn't sure all she could see and focus on was him. The way he hunched his neck downwards, leaving them with better eye contact to compensate for their height differences. Normally he stood tall towering over her by a foot. But now in his current stance, placing his weight on his hands, he was only a few inches taller than her. He has forgone his wizarding robes opting out of his teaching attire. He wore a long-sleeve black shirt and black trousers. Suitable clothes for the task that laid ahead of them. Clothes that suited him quite well if she was being honest. They didn't lean into one another nor did they move away. With being so close she realized that he smelled of smoke and sage. The scent, when coming off of him, was completely intoxicating.

She couldn't feel anything. Not her shallow breath, not the feeling of wood under her hands as she grabbed the bench harder. Not even the temperature of the room. The only thing she could feel was his stare and the effect he had on her. His presence was like dark tendrils slowly wounding around herself. She found herself not wanting it to stop. Not his gaze or the growing heat coursing through her lower stomach. She found herself drowning in him. She didn't know how long they stood looking at one another. It could have been seconds or minutes. Her skin began to tingle as her blood boiled.

She wasn't the only one feeling this way. He completely reciprocated her feelings. The feeling of passion, desire, hunger. It was as if an electric current was running between them.

Then the next thing she knew her mouth was intertwined with his.

His lips were raw and chapped. But they were the most delicious thing she has ever tasted. It was like melting and falling all at once. Darting his tongue to her lips asking for permission she gladly opened them.

There was nothing gentle about the kiss. It was fast as his lips devoured hers. Wanting to taste her. She felt his hands wrap around her waist. Pulling her closer to him. She didn't hesitate in sliding her hands up around his neck holding his head against hers.

She knew that she should have stopped him or he should have stopped her, but neither made any attempt to stop. Her hands just couldn't stop touching him. His lean back, the width of his shoulder, the base of his neck. The need to explore him was too great. Not even his mouth devouring hers in hungry kisses saturated her need.

He wasn't her first kiss. But she has never experienced anything even close to what she was feeling with him. It amazed her how it only took four months for any feelings she had for the man to change so drastically. She never hated him but she mostly felt indifferent to his person. What she was feeling now was far from indifferent. They weren't stupid, they both knew that working together in close proximity with one another would change the dynamic of the once student-teacher relationship. But she never thought they would be crossing boundaries of this nature.

He lifted her onto the edge of the bench. Adding to her height and easing his strain of leaning down to kiss her. She ended up sitting on the map they were previously hunched over. He fisted her hair and held her in place. Not wanting to go anywhere other than to be with him, she moved her legs to cradle his hips. He muttered fuck underneath his breath when their lips were parted when she pushed her hips against his obvious arousal. Heat pooled to the apex of her legs. It was too much and yet not enough.

The need for oxygen became too much and she gasped for air while their mouths were still connected. Taking the air out of him. He tore his mouth away from her and yet she still couldn't think. Her mind was in a haze of pleasure, that was only caused by him.

Kissing down her neck, his mouth gently trailed along her collar until he ended up at the top of her shirt where the swell of her breasts was exposed. He moved back up to her neck as her hands clawed his back. Moaning as he bit along the point of where her jaw met her neck she couldn't help but whisper. "Severus."

Suddenly he stopped. Breathing heavily she could feel his breath against her throat as he hesitated to move.

Looking at her eyes again. He swallowed thickly before the only words he could muster fell from his lips, "Northridge Peak."

Her mind was too scattered to comprehend what he had just said. The only thing she knew was that he had stopped kissing her but she didn't want him to stop. Certainly not to talk about a forest that ended off a cliff. Then suddenly everything came rushing back to her. The map, the weapon. The weapon that could kill Voldemort. He figured out where it was buried. On Northridge Peak

Stopping herself from thinking about the kiss though glorious, she knew she needed to focus on what was important and not what had just transpired between them. He must have thought the same thing for he reluctantly pulled himself away from her. She almost whimpered at the loss of contact. He stood back several feet and stood tall though rigid. He must have been having as much trouble composing himself as she did. Realizing her current position still propped up on the bench, she hopped down Running a hand through her hair, trying to tame the frizz he unleashed from her curls. She blew out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

He turned to look at her but didn't meet her eye. In all honesty, she didn't even try to meet his. Though the contact between them has been severed it was as if a flood gate had just been released. They both knew that they needed to talk about what had just transpired. But they couldn't not right now. Not when they were so close to retrieving a weapon that could finally end the war. Not when they didn't even know what the kiss meant.

"We should leave in an hour," He said, turning his back towards her. Looking at one another would spiral them on the path of no return. Now wasn't the time for a repeat performance. Though she would love nothing more than to continue what they had started. "I suggest you go collect your things. We will be digging," he said reminding her of the plan that they both momentarily had forgotten.

He didn't say or do anything to stop her when she left. Walking out of the door she couldn't help but stop and lean back against it once it was close. Putting her hands on bended knees she threw her head back against the door in angst. Merlin, how could she have let this happen. This could ruin everything they have developed. It was wrong. But then why did it feel so right to kiss him and be with him. A growing feeling that she had begun to experience over the last several weeks.

How did this happen? How did she go from being his student to his partner and then a friend? And now whatever they are now all because of a kiss.

Thinking back, it all began in the summer.