animegirl-mika - You'll have to wait and see!

aries, ChelleyBean, Coffee, gorgegirl & Tracy, - I'm glad you like this story so far.

Beth Ann, JobBob1379, Strega Brava & Tegan - Thanks for thinking that Sirius is in character.

A/N: This is another PG-13 chapter - you have been warned!

Part 7

The next day was heralded by a light snowfall that covered Hogwarts with a fresh, glistening layer.

Hermione stared at herself critically in her mirror. She had decided not to back out of attending Professor Snape's experiment at 10.00 but was determined to appear as professional as possible. She was wearing her plainest black robe and only a bare minimum of makeup while her hair was scraped back and tightly plaited, her only perfume being that of soap.

"Nothing will happen," she said aloud, thinking of it as a mantra, the warning of Sirius echoing in her mind as well. Ignoring a treacherous feeling of regret, she left her room and went down to Snape's classroom in the dungeons, chin held high.

When she opened the door cautiously and walked in, she saw the tall, darkly elegant figure of Professor Snape standing by a table laden with a variety of bubbling potions and mysterious liquids in beakers. Moving his attention away from what he was doing he gave her a brief, cool glance.

"You're a few minutes late but I shall let it pass" he said crisply.

There was nothing in his manner to indicate he was anything but the brilliant, focussed Slytherin professor he was, no hint of memory in his narrowed black eyes of the tender kisses he had given Hermione.

Though she was quick to hide the flicker of disappointment in her eyes, Severus saw it and noted it without any change in his expression. [You had a taste of what I can give and now you want more] he thought with a hint of dark pleasure. However, he found he didn't like seeing her sad, so over the next hour he showed more patience than was customary for him as he led her through the experiment. He drew her attention here, pointed out something there, noting the growing eagerness in her expression.

Many students dropped out of his Potions class as soon as they could - only those genuinely interested in Potion making attended in their last year.

When the experiment ended at last, Hermione sat down on her stool with a sigh. Although she had enjoyed participating in it, it wasn't long until she had realised she had made a mistake in the end in coming. Before this week it had been relatively easy to keep her feelings for the professor under control, but now that he had kissed and touched her, she was more acutely aware of him than she had been before.

The dark smokiness of his voice sent a new resonance through her and even just watching him in this near-empty castle threatened to do odd things to her insides. He had behaved in his usual manner and that should have been a relief, but instead it threatened to make her strangely miserable. The best thing to do now would be to leave before she did something she would later regret, she told herself.

Hermione stood with the attitude of someone about to depart and made herself gaze squarely at Professor Snape. "Thanks for asking me to be here" she said with genuine sincerity.

There was a flicker of a smile on his face as he looked at her. "You're welcome," he said smoothly. "I hope you will retain some of what you've learnt here."

"Yes, I will. Well, I must be leaving now," Hermione said with a determined lightness and nodding politely at him she turned and walked to the door.

She had only walked a few steps when she heard him murmur, "I haven't given you permission to leave, you know, Hermione."

Hermione froze.

"Tell me, why you are in such a hurry to leave?" he mused.

"I'm not in a hurry Professor, but I can't stay," Hermione hedged, not daring to turn around. Was it her imagination, but was he approaching her? Yes he was!

"Again I ask, why?" he said, and Hermione was surprised to hear a faint note of wistfulness in his voice that she knew to be genuine and her resolve faltered. It was easy to forget that behind his sarcastic manner was someone who at times was lonely.

"What do you want?" Hermione dared to ask, turning her head slightly.

There was no reply, only the faint rustle of robes on the stone floor as he walked closer to her. Every sense seemed to be sharper in her body.

"I think you know, my Miss-Know-It-All" Professor Snape whispered just behind her, his breath warm against her neck as he gently pressed his body against her back, wrapping her arms around her waist, enclosing her. "I want you!"

Hermione's eyes widened, for there was certainly no doubt as to the truth of that statement. She could feel the lean strength in the body against hers and smell the tantalising smell of spell ingredients that clung to him like cologne.

It felt as though the world had shrunk down to just them. She bent her head and stared down at his pale hands that rested lightly over her stomach. There were countless healed scars that ran across his hands like fine white webs and faint marks here and there from burns over the years.

She should be yelling and elbowing him hard in his chest, breaking free of him. But now, held securely in the circle of his arms she didn't want to, and lifting her hand she laid it carefully over one of his hands, which quivered slightly under her touch.

"Yes," she said softly, a joyfulness she didn't know she could feel spreading throughout her being.

There was a smile of satisfied triumph on his face that she did not see. Now she was as good as his. He moved his hands up her arms then paused, frowning in concern. Despite her capitulation to him she felt tense under his touch.

"You're tense - I can practically see your shoulder muscles knotting up!" Professor Snape said gently, to Hermione's surprise. "Don't be afraid of me." His hands moved to her shoulders and he stepped back slightly so as to be able to gently rub her shoulders.

Hermione didn't know what to say. Every time she believed she knew how Professor Snape would act, he would do something unexpected, like this. He was the last person you would expect to know anything about massaging!

His touch was soothing and gentle as his hands deftly sought out knots in her muscles she hadn't known were there and she felt her breathing quicken slightly.

"You don't have to do this, you know, but thanks," she said shakily.

"I will do what I want, Hermione," Severus said with dry amusement. "Does that feel good to you?" he went on.

"Uh, yes," Hermione sighed, her body relaxing under his touch and she allowed herself to lean against him. "You could run a little massaging business on the side," she quipped.

Severus snorted. "Somehow I doubt it. Just imagine if the faculty started beating down my door asking for massages, Trelawney in the lead! No, thank you." Hermione snickered.

When he finished he let his hands reluctantly fall away from her, watching as she stretched her shoulders experimentally and turned around to face him.

"Thank you, that feels better!" she said, smiling shyly up at him.

"I can think of ways you can thank me," he murmured and she came into his arms as if she had always done it. "Yes!" he whispered before covering his mouth with his own. He kissed her hungrily and Hermione responded, feeling his heart beating fast against her own. She moaned and moved against him instinctively when he caressed her, while he growled and kissed her fiercely in return when her fascinated hand crept up to tug at the black buttons at his neck.

At length they paused for breath, their faces both flushed. There was a fiery glitter in his black eyes. "I cannot hide what I feel - I will not!" he said roughly. Hermione's eyes lit up. He cared for her even as she cared for him - surely he had proved it now and was about to say so. Sirius had been wrong, Hermione thought with wild relief.

Severus grasped her arms and continued, his voice husky. "I want you to share my bed Hermione, for I burn for you. Do this and I will treat you like a queen, I will give you all that you desire."

Delighted, Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. She almost felt giddy, but something was wrong. Something had to be said, to be heard by her ears. "You do care for me!" she said, staring intently into his eyes.

However, his eyes narrowed slightly. "Yes, yes, I certainly feel something for you," he said slightly impatiently, reaching for her again. Why did love have to come into this - it wasn't as if he was planning to marry her.

But Hermione stepped back a step, her face turning pale. "You, you want me, but that's all, isn't it? Isn't it."

A/N: That was a difficult chapter to write, with both mush and angst. Yes, I am bad (looks apologetic). Well, I did say there would be angst in this story. A chunk of it was written after I was recovering from the dentist, so if anything seems out of character, that will be why!