Disclaimer: Same as in Chapter 1
CHAPTER 4 – Life in Peacetime
A soft knock at the door snapped her back into the present. Lavender Brown slipped the door open and walked in. "Hermione, I'm so sorry I'm late. If we start now I'll still have time to get you made up before the ceremony." She took a long approving look at Hermione and sighed, "Your dress is beautiful! Let's put a drape over you so we don't get makeup on it, OK."
"Lavender, I don't want to hurt your feelings but please don't make me look like a whore."
"You and I both know that you rarely wear makeup so anything I do, no matter how light, will unfortunately make you look like a whore." she giggled
Hermione shot her a hurt glance. "Oh Hermione, I'm only kidding. Now just relax. I'm going to make you look beautiful. Severus won't be able to keep his hands off of you."
"I don't need makeup for that." she grinned suggestively. Lavender shook her head in wonder and grabbed the foundation. Hermione closed her eyes while Lavender worked her makeup magic and her thoughts again drifted back to that wonderful night almost 2 years ago.
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They sat on the bench in a close embrace, their senses honed to each other, their lips still joined together, tongues melding in a dance of desire. He pulled her onto his lap and before she knew it, she was straddling his hips, arms still wound tightly around his neck, his tightly embracing her waist.
"Sheesh, will you two get a room already." muttered John Saunders, a 5th year Ravenclaw. He was approaching them quickly, holding the hand of Meg Monahan from Hufflepuff.
Hermione jumped up and quickly turned her back on the approaching students to adjust her clothes, then swept around to face them.
The two students paled as they realized that the hormonal lovers were actually their professors and not just any professor at that, but the much feared potions teacher.
"10 points from Ravenclaw, Mr. Saunders, for being out after curfew. And 10 points from Hufflepuff, Ms. Monahan, for the same reason." Hermione spat at them. Snape looked fairly impressed at how easily Hermione took away points. "As far as your little remark, Mr. Saunders, I was merely assisting Professor Snape. He had a foreign object in his eye and I was attempting to remove it." She mustered an innocent look.
"It was your tongue in his eye." John mumbled quietly.
Snape drew himself up to his full menacing height. "What was that comment Mr. Saunders?"
"Uh, I said if it stung it's a sty. In your eye, sir, it must be a sty."
"Mmm, that's what I thought you said." He warned, "I wasn't aware that you were a mediwizard."
"Yes sir, I mean no sir I'm not a mediwizard."
"Now I suggest that you and Miss Monahan return to your respective houses before we're forced to take more points or award you both with a detention."
"Yes sir." They replied in unison and quickly made their exit.
When they were safely out of sight Hermione fell against Snape and burst into laughter. He allowed himself a slight smile then drew her up against him and nestled his face into her neck. "Now isn't this much better than revenge? Hermione, perhaps we should take their advice. Come back to my room with me." He pleaded softly in her ear.
She stared intently at him for a minute but didn't answer. Instead, she smiled, grabbed his hand, and pulled him towards the castle. The trip took much longer than it should have, a consequence of stopping every few feet to engage in passionate exchanges. Not wanting to be caught together just yet, Hermione entered the castle first. When she was sure the hall was deserted, she cracked the door open and waved him inside. Quickly, they rushed down towards the dungeons. He had her hand and was pulling her along the corridor.
"Severus, Hermione, good evening to you both." A set of blue eyes twinkled at them from the dark.
He quickly dropped Hermione's hand and gave the headmaster an evil stare. "Albus, how did I know that you would coincidentally be strolling the halls right as we were walking by? Especially considering that you rarely make an appearance at night."
"Well, never mind Severus. I see that you two have worked out your, ahem, differences."
Snape rolled his eyes and glared at him and Hermione simply averted her eyes.
After a small awkward silence he sneered "Was there something else you wanted, Albus?"
"No, no, of course not. Enjoy your evening children." He grinned knowingly at them and then swept off.
"Honestly, some times I just want to strangle him. He always seems to pop up in just the right place at the just the wrong time. I've dealt with this for over 20 years. You'd think I'd be used to it by now." A vein in is neck began to twitch.
"Severus?"
"Is the man a mind reader? How can he plan it so precisely? I think he had something to do with our truce? Yes, definitely, he had something to do with it. After all, he loves to meddle in my affairs."
"Severus?" she put her hand over his mouth.
He glanced down at her, immediately realizing that during his long tirade, he had almost forgotten her presence. One look at her and the encounter with the headmaster was ancient history.
"I'm sorry, Hermione. Come on. We're almost there."
They walked up to his room and Hermione unconsciously uttered the passwords to unlock the wards. Snape was dumbstruck but not as much as she was. All Hermione could offer was a sheepish smile when he asked how she knew his passwords. Quickly she created a diversion by grabbing his neck, dragging him into the room and placing a searing kiss on his mouth. They remained adhered to each other for several minutes. Breaking apart she took her robe off revealing the satin green dress underneath. He took in a sharp breath, bewitched by the sight of her. "Hermione, that dress is lovely. You're lovely." He grabbed her and pulled her back to him.
"Severus?….Stop a minute.….Severus?….Ohhhh!" she moaned. "Severus?….Ohhhh! A little to the left…..No, Severus, stop! I want to talk to you."
He looked slightly annoyed but ended his explorations and stared at her.
"Severus, I don't feel quite comfortable with this. I mean, 2 hours ago I was your foe. Now I'm standing in your bedroom with your tongue down my throat and your hands groping me. We need to take this slow. Would you be terribly upset if we just spent the night talking and getting to know each other?"
"Hermione" he groaned in frustration. Then reason took back over and he said "I'm not going to lie to you. I'm a man and as such, I have a natural desire to ravage your body. However, I'm also a gentleman and I'll yield to whatever it is that makes you happy." Then he whispered in a low tone that she could barely make out "but I don't have to like it."
She smiled and immediately relaxed. "I'd think I'd like to sit on the floor in front of the fire and just talk. First things first though, this dress is very restrictive. I may be able to get down on the floor but I won't be able to get back up. Do you have something I can change into?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. The house elves took all my skirts and dresses to be cleaned." He quipped with his silk threaded voice
She shot him an amused look. "You don't have to be so sarcastic. Do you have a bathrobe or a shirt?"
"I don't use bathrobes and my shirt wouldn't fit you." He grinned with deceptive innocence.
"Honestly Severus, you know very well what I mean. That is unless you'd like me to walk all the way back to Gryffindor tower to get changed."
Quickly he answered "No, no, I'll get you one of my shirts."
She changed in the bathroom and when he caught first site of her in his shirt he thought he would explode. "I have to behave myself." He grimaced over and over again.
He doused all the candles leaving the fire as the only light. It cast a soft comforting glow over the room. He took off his robes, leaving him in a white shirt and pants then sunk down on the floor beside her with his back against the couch. He straddled his legs and pulled her in between them with her back resting on his chest then he wrapped his arms around her.
"Mmmm, this is nice." She said and leaned her head back against his shoulder. And he had to admit that she was right. It was wonderful.
Feeling much more comfortable both mentally and physically, Hermione began to talk. They spent the next several hours discussing, and conferring, and reasoning, and deliberating, and arguing until Hermione gave a muffled yawn. "Severus, tell me a little bit about your childhood."
"Why on earth would you want to know about that?" he demanded
"I need something to put me to sleep" she spat sarcastically. She was definitely not the same know-it-all that he had taught for seven years and he much preferred her as a little spitfire. "I just want to know."
"Very well then." and he began. He droned on for several minutes relaying the details of his early life. When her breathing took on a steady even rhythm, he knew she had fallen asleep. Carefully he picked up his wand and whispered "Mobilicorpus" then moved her to the bed. He lay her on her side then snuggled up beside her throwing an arm around her. "Accio quilt" he gently grabbed the blanket as it flew to him and settled it over them. He drifted off to sleep sandwiched against her soft body and smelling the fresh flower scent of her perfume.
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Hermione awoke with a start. Confusion rushed through her as she tried to determine where she was and exactly who had their arm draped over her. Slowly, delicious memories of the previous night returned to her. She stirred slightly.
A sleepy, but still biting, voice greeted her "Good morning, Professor Granger."
She smiled and returned the greeting. "Good morning Professor Snape."
"Well, should we draw up sides again and restart the battle?"
"Not on your life, Severus."
"Good" his voice was still drowsy. He hugged her to him and they lay together for several minutes reveling in the sensation.
She pushed his arm off and gave him a light kiss. "I'm going to go wash my face."
"Mm hm" he mumbled and rolled over. Floating in and out of conscionsness, he lay in bed listening to the sound of the running water and Hermione softly humming to herself.
"HERMIONE!" he gasped shooting straight up in bed "NO, DON'T USE THE…."
A startled "Oof" from the bathroom and then silence.
"towel" he finished. His head dropped in his hands and he groaned. She was not going to be happy.
Meanwhile, outside the gates to Hogwarts, Hermione stood dressed in only her panties and Snape's shirt, holding the makeshift portkey. "Why didn't he get rid of this damn towel!" she seethed. Slowly she made her way back to the castle. True, he'd had less clothes on then she did when he was in this situation but he had also had the advantage of darkness. She was faced with a bright sunny day. This was going to get sticky.
She darted from hiding place to hiding place until she reached the castle. Quietly she slipped open the door and walked in, trying to remain as inconspicuous as a nearly naked professor taking an early morning stroll, could be.
"Hermione!!!"
"Uh, good morning Minerva. This is not what it looks like." Her face was crimson and burning.
"And just how does it look, my dear?" she asked in a biting tone. "I mean, you're standing in front of me in your underwear and a man's shirt and that's just about all."
"Minerva, I can't explain now but I promise you its totally innocent. I'll explain tonight after my last class." She rushed off towards the dungeons and was rounding the corner to the final hall when -
"Professor Granger!?!?" she stopped abruptly, groaned and whirled around, coming face to face with a smirking John Saunders.
"I guess you and Professor Snape took my advice and got a room." He mumbled softly
"I heard that Mr. Saunders. Your mouth is going to get you into a major spot of trouble some day. For now, its another 10 points from Ravenclaw" she stomped off leaving him with a persecuted look about him.
"Well you do look nice in a man's shirt, Professor." He finally whispered.
From far down the hall she yelled "I heard that too, Mr. Saunders, and that's yet another 10 points from Ravenclaw."
Approaching Snape's room she uttered the passwords to the door, pushed it open, and stood glaring at him, her hands on her hips, her eyes spitting fire.
When he saw her he couldn't contain the laughter any longer. "Oh Hermione, I'm sorry. I know I should have gotten rid of the towel. You should see your face."
Slowly, very slowy, the anger faded and soon she dissolved into a fit of laughter. She walked over and hugged him, leaving both of them reeling with amusement.
"Severus?"
"Yes?"
"Get rid of that towel now!"
A/N: Once again, I want to thank all of my wonderful reviewers who are being so kind to me and taking away my insecurity *stands up and applauds her reviewers*. You are all the best, each and every one of you. Keep 'em coming guys. I need those reviews real bad.
Just want you all to know that I've started on the next chapter after this and I'm having a bear of a time with it. I'll do my best but it may take a couple of days before you see the next installment. Thanks again!