I've not written anything on anything for weeks! So to force my way back into this writing thing, I have a little bit of Offer. Hopefully, this means the return of my mojo... *everything crossed*
"You know, he's an early Rochester," Gwendolyn frowned and tapped her finger to her mouth her gaze fixed on Severus as he stood alone in the shadows of the long window, "possibly a Max de Winter…though, thankfully, without all of those missing appendages."
Hermione was certain her face was scarlet. "Mum…"
Gwendolyn hummed to herself. "Though that's last year's film, not the book. Especially for Maxim's missing—"
"Mum!"
Her mother grinned, completely unrepentant and took another sip of her gin and 'just a splash' of tonic.
Pil and the other Granger elves were, apparently, working their way through muggle alcoholic concoctions. And as it was New Year's Eve, her mother was doing everything she could to help them out.
It was only a small celebration in the softly-lit long garden room, still wreathed with Christmas decorations. Just her family and three of the wizard-born working at the Hall. The others were on duty, ready for feeds and disturbed nights. Music played softly and Hermione sipped at her wine, glaring at her mother.
Gwendolyn shrugged and peered into her disappearing gin. "I mean, he's not conventionally handsome, but I can see the attraction. Your attraction. The way your father can't."
Yes, her Dad was still frowning at Severus from across the room, his hand gripping his sparkling water so firmly that his knuckles showed white. The fact that his daughter had followed her mother's example in hitching herself fast to an older man was not sitting well with him. Which was hypocritical. But her mother had promised to…work on him. Poor man.
"Your Severus is clever. Brilliant, in fact. There's a palpable aura of power to him. And then there's his voice." Her head tilted and her mouth pursed. "And, as I've mentioned before, his rather fine arse."
Hermione groaned. "Can you not drool on my betrothed, Mother?"
Gwendolyn snorted. "I am happy for you, my lovely girl. He's worthy of you."
She shook her head and sighed. "It's living here, isn't it? You're coming over all Jane Austen."
Her mother raised her glass. "That I am." She let out her own a long sigh, but a smile lifted her mouth as her gaze flitted around the candlelit room. "Have I mentioned how happy we are, Hermione? Here, with a horde of ran…rambunctious little children?"
With her cheeks pinked and her eyes shining, Gwendolyn was well on her way to being decidedly tipsy.
"Once or twice."
"And Hope and Joshua. So sweet."
Gwendolyn waved her glass. The remains of her drink sloshed. In the golden light, gin and tonic and a fresh slice of lime bubbled to near the rim. Hermione's mouth thinned. House elves.
"Have I mentioned how sweet they are together? Hope babbles at him the minute she lays eyes on him. Smiles at him a mile wide. Severus, I think, has a rival!" Gwendolyn peered into her full glass, frowned and took a generous mouthful. She wagged a finger. "And, speaking of them, did I mention that your father and I were thinking about applying for—"
The clock on the mantle chimed, marking the quarter hour.
"Oh, almost midnight!" Gwendolyn swayed in close, smirking. "And we all know what that means…"
Before she could say more, Hermione hustled her leering mother across the room to her dad, rolled her eyes, and scurried away to Severus standing at the darkened window. Her heart gave a little flip. Yes, she new exactly what it meant and Hermione didn't need her mother's unsubtle urging to follow it through.
Severus glanced down at her, an eyebrow lifting. "I did doubt your mother would see in the New Year. Pil has kept her well-stocked this evening."
"Yes… I think words should be had with him."
Severus drew a wild curl away from her face and Hermione couldn't stop her smile. Such little signs of affection still caught her breath. A moment of illicit tension, then the fact that it was allowed, expected would roll over her and bloom heat in her chest.
"It's quiet here."
His long, warm fingers stroked the length of her jaw and Hermione turned into his touch, almost mewling.
"Your friends…"
Her eyes fluttered open to stare up at him. Candlelight glowed over his pale skin, his black hair a smooth and inky shine. His eyes… Endless. Why would she be anywhere else, when she could be with him? There would be other years, other parties, but seeing in the New Year together, as something official… That meant more than a screeching, thumping night in a club somewhere off Knockturn Alley.
"I'm a proper bookworm, Severus. I dislike clubs, and sweaty crowds, and shrieking to be heard." She turned her head to kiss his palm, a quick brush of her lips that shone heat in his black eyes. "I would much rather be here. With my family. With you."
"Hermione…"
Her name was a whisper broken as Gwendolyn began the countdown, the others joining in with her loud chant. But Hermione and Severus stayed silent. Her heart was thudding. She'd kissed him a number of times, though to her annoyance, they'd yet to have a repeat of early Christmas morning. And she'd yet to get her hands on him to return the pleasure… But this moment. This little pocket of time. This was their beginning.
Her mouth parted and his dark gaze flicked there, hot and fierce. And her mother might not find him conventionally handsome, but in that very second, as the chimes stroked midnight, be was utterly beautiful.
"My Severus…"
It was little more than a murmur, as she stretched up to meet his dipping mouth, the first brush of his lips to hers warm and wanted. Her eyes closed and her free hand slid up the hard plane of his chest, over smooth cashmere to find the heat of his skin and the cool silk of his hair.
Another brush and her tongue teased over the seam of his lips. Quick and playful.
"Naughty girl."
The low rumble of his delicious voice caught her flesh and her pulse jumped. A soft little gasp escaped her. "Shouldn't I kiss my husband-to-be?" She gave him a cheeky little smirk. "I like kissing you."
Severus' dark eyes shone with want and her body tightened with a sudden rush of need. The desire that flared between them was something fierce. Unexpected in some ways. But always, always wanted.
His kiss was a feather-light tease. "And I, soon-to-be-wife, ache to pull you from this room and into a secluded alcove. To slide a hand over your thigh," his mouth brushed her parted lips as slow fingers drew a line down over her hip, "to fist this delicious silk, to chase biting kisses over warm skin, up, up, until I find your dark heat. To tease and lick and kiss…"
Hermione's thoughts were melting away. There was only heat and the wild beating thud of her pulse—
"Put him down and take these." Her mother surged up with two saucers of champagne. "Happy New Year!"
Severus watched her over his glass, his eyes hot and wicked. And he was smirking at her. All too aware that the throb low in her belly was thick and heavy. Evil man. He was completely evil.
Merlin and all his little demons, really, truly, how was she going to last another six months?
Let me know what you think! :)
