By Hermione Granger-Snape
"I see you have picked up Potter's unfortunate tendency to make late dramatic entrances," Severus Snape sneered, his voice driping with scorn.
Hermione had just burst through the door of his office and was now struggling to regain her balance. She leaned a bit too much to the right and, mentally cursing Hermione's uncharacteristic clumsiness, Snape caught her roughly by the arm holding her upright.
"If you're done running about like an idiot there are some things we need to discuss before our shopping trip," Snape snaped.
Hermione, having regained her balance, disengaged herself and backed up against the now closed door startled by the fury in his face. I was only a minute late, I checked my watch as I was running. Bloody hell, now what!
"Severus?" she asked uncertainly.
"What?" he practically screeched before regaining control of himself. "It seems we have less time than I had thought Lucius has invited us to a weekend party at his estate in two weeks!" He paused waiting to see if she would understand what that meant.
"I'll, no, It will be necessary to spend more time in your company to master the social graces, however I am sure with your help I will be sufficiently prepared. The most difficult aspect to master is the speech and I'm sure, positive, with constant practice I shall be...a social success," Hermione replied thinking quickly and attempting to speak correctly. It was merely a matter of adapting ones' thought patterns so that the speech flowed naturally. She had only been practicing for a few hours a day so far, but it was becoming easier with only the occasional lapse into vulgar speech.
"You obviously do not understand what this weekend will entail, Hermione," his gaze softened almost imperceptibly and his hands twitched. "Death Eater high society is very much like the high society of Victorian English Lords and Ladies with magic added. Most Death Eaters keep their female relatives out of the Dark Lords plans, although they are definitely aware of their husband and sons loyalties. Do not let the fact that most of the Death Eaters are men deceive you. The women are very protective of their families and are just as vicious as their spouses. If they feel you are a threat you will find yourself poisoned, dead, or worse. They are also more perceptive about other women than their husbands so be sure not to offend them or give them cause to doubt your loyalty to me."
Snape realized that he was rambling because he dreaded telling her the truly important details of what the weekend would entail. He paused for a quick breath before continuing, "There is one extremely important matter that needs to be addressed. As with the muggle Lords the daytime and public activities are all conducted in a civillized fashion. However at nocturnal activities are a different matter," he watched her eyes closely as he said this and saw a glimmer of understanding as he continued, "At night when people retire to their rooms, usually around 10 o'clock there is another sort of entertainment," he spat the word.
Hermione looked a little ill and the word, "ENTERTAINMENT!" somehow managed to escape from between her lips.
"As with many formal societies there is a large element of voyeurism and addiction to scandal. At any house party all guests should assume that their actions are being watched, even in their own rooms. Indeed Lucius is quite famous for it. Every room has a mirror in which you can watch two or three other guest rooms all night if you choose," Hermione's face blanched even whiter. "Lucius assumes that we are sleeping together, you do remember your comment about waking up and me being gone?" he added spitefully feeling the need to strike back at someone for the stress he was under.
"Yes," it was barely a whisper.
Snape immediately felt a prick of conscious and realized that making her feel bad wasn't helping the situation and would probably make it worse if he wasn't very careful.
"I need to know, are you a virgin, Hermione?" he asked very softly.
"Yes," she whispered again.
"I am very sorry Hermione but Lucius will give us a room in which he can watch us. There will be no "safe place" to talk while we are there and we will have to act the part of a loving couple, including sex," there he had said it. So much for telling the truth making one feel better. I think I'm going to be ill. Maybe I could arrange to be killed? That surely would be better than this, just a little drop of basilisk venom in my wine, it would be quick.
"S-Severus," Hermione whimpered before swooning. He caught her as she fell noting absentmindedly that she had beautiful hair. He carried her over the a chair and eased her into it. Kneeling in front of her he pulled out some Pepper Up potion and dosed her with it.
Hermione's eyes came back into focus as her mind struggled to make sense of what he had said. Sex. Severus, with me. Us. Together. In bed. Naked. Sex. Having sex. With my Potions Master. Sex. Severus. Sex.
"I'm sure this is a shock to you. If you want to stop this charade now I will understand," and curse you with my dying breath for causing my death. He didn't want to destroy her innocence any more than it already had been, so he offered her a chance at escape, but he didn't have to like it!
Hermione regained control of herself and thought about her options. She could sleep with Snape who now that she was looking at him closely would not look too bad, no would look fairly pleasant if he were to smile. She was sure this was not something he wanted to do. If he'd wanted to take advantage of her there were easier ways of doing that, and he looked angry about the entire situation. That she could understand. She was furious with herself for having wandered out and started the whole mess, and even more so at Lucius Malfoy's voyeuristic tendancies which were making this choice necessary.
Hermione careful searched Snape's eyes and almost gasped when she saw a tiny glimmer of fear. I could walk away from this. He doesn't want to be in this situation. If I walk away he'll be exposed as a spy and probably killed, but he won't stop me if I decide to go. That made up her mind.
"It's too late for that, Severus," she added self-consciously.
"It will mean another set of lessons at night," he reminded her gently knowing that she couldn't enter Malfoy's house a virgin. That would be noticed.
"I- understand," she replied hardening her gaze, daring him to try and change her mind.
"Very well then, we will start tonight," seeing the apprehension on her face he added, "we will go slowly the art of love does not require as much study as the other subjects, but you need to be comfortable with seeing me undressed. There is one other matter I would like to mention before we go shopping regarding this. I am sure you have never been to Madam Vespasia's. Only the elite can afford to shop there and it has developed along somewhat eccentric lines.
She specializes in matching outfits for couples. Everything matches including the underwear. She shows each couple into a room in which several large racks of garments, a mirror, and a bed are stored. She then leaves a tea tray on a cart and leaves the couple to their own devices. All sets of clothing must be tried on by both parties at once. They shrink and expand to fit and the colors arrange themselves to suit the wearers. Most members of High Society in the Wizarding World, and all of Death Eaters, go to her for their clothing needs so assume that anything we say and do there will be monitored," Snape paused before adding, "All the outfits come complete with the appropriate undergarments. Take your clothes off, Hermione."
"What?" she asked as he began unfastening his robes.
"You cannot show any surprise or hesitation when we are trying on clothes. You and I will strip now and see what there is to see so that you will be more at ease when we are trying on clothing," at this Hermione, who had averted her eyes, looked up. Under his robes Snape wore what looked like black silk boxers which he was beginning to remove. She wanted to look away, but she also wanted to look.
He noticed her stare and made a point of slowly removing the last of his clothing. After a moment he reminded her, "Take off your clothes, Hermione."
As if in a daze she stared at him trying to memorize every detail. She'd seen the pictures in anatomy books, but in person gazing at a naked man was fascinating and terrifying. Willing herself not thinking about it she striped off her school robes to reveal a matching set of silky underwear. She hesitated at removing them and he stepped closer to her. Thinking that he might remove them if she did not Hermione hastily scrambled out of them.
He circled her stealthily like a cat, she had the feeling he was counting every hair, every curve and she could see a very interesting portion of his anatomy pulsating. She watched it entranced. Noticing her interest Snape stepped closer and suddenly grabbed her hand and placed it on the object of her interest. Hermione gasped too shocked to pull away.
"This, Hermione, is what you can do to me," his silky voice whispered intensely in her ear. "Later I will show you what I can do to you."
Still holding her hand against him Severus used his free arm to pull her against he and the both shuddered at the contact. She looked up and their heads dipped towards each other slowly. They stopped mere centimeters from each other and then Severus said, "Why don't you inspect me, Hermione," and stepped away from her amused that she had held him close for a moment.
Hermione circled him slowly, carefully, examining him as thoroughly as he had her. When she was done she looked him in the eye and although she looked overwhelmed she did not look revolted, and her eyes no longer had that trapped look. He stepped towards her again and this time she responded by moving towards him, "Shall we go then?" he asked as if he always undressed and touched his students intimately.
"Yes, we shall," she replied. With that they dressed.
They had dressed in silence watching each other the entire time. As they left his office Snape had started a conversation about the uses of Dragon's blood which lasted until they arrived at the headmasters office.
Dumbeldore had held out what looked like the ruins of a red silk negligee and said that everything was in order. Severus and Hermione both took a hold of it and Dumbeldore tapped it with his wand.
After Hermione had recovered from the Port Key she noticed that she had fallen on something soft and yet hard. Looking down she was horrified to see that it had been Severus who had cushioned her fall.
"S-Severus, I'm so, terribly sorry," she stammered in apology as she rose to her feet.
Severus resisted the urge to glare at her, reminded himself where he was, counted to ten and then said, "It is I who am sorry my dear. I should have warned you as you do not often travel by port key." Carefully rising he noticed that as usual the decor had completely changed.
This time everything was a dreadful bright pink. It's a good thing Madam Vespasia is thin, if she was fat she'd look like a pig in that dress.
Madam Vespasia looked with interest at the couple in front of her. She never asked for names. Many men and women came to her with people other than their spouses. Of course she was very prominent in high society so she recognized Severus Snape. He was from a very old and prominent Wizarding family. The girl was a mystery to her, and she did not look that old, but it wasn't her business to pry. People paid for service without questions, but no one, unfortunately, could stop Madame Vespasia's mind once it started working on a problem. She would have to see what she could find out. It was amazing what one could learn if they smiled nicely and pretended to be a silly hen. People forgot you existed and said the most interesting things.
"Welcome to Madam Vespasia's!," she said enthusiastically a cloud of pink seeming to swirl around her as her arms waved about. "I am sure that we have something that will enchant all who gaze upon you. You my dear as enchanting," she said gazing at Hermione and noting her pale complexion, easy smile, and luxurious hair. "Please, allow me to show you to your room," she said gesturing for them to precede her into the corridor on the right.
At the end of the short hall was a door, it opened as they approached it. Apparently they were just a moment early as they saw what looked like a house-elf hastily popping out of the room as the door swung open.
Hermione breathed in sharply as she looked into what appeared to be a very large bedroom with mirrors lining the walls and a small tea set out on a table with two chairs, four racks of clothes and a bed the that was at least three meters long covered in black silk with a variety of cushions and what looked like handcuffs on a bed side table. Looking over at Severus she saw a faint smirk on his face, probably due to her discomfort. She decided the best thing to do was ignore him.
Smiling broadly she turned to Madam Vespasia and said sweetly, "This is simply enchanting, did you decorate it yourself?"