A/N: I'm giving you a lot this weekend, because finals are coming up next week, and I'll be far too busy FREAKING OUT to proofread any more old stuff (or write any new stuff, though as you prolly know I haven't started that yet, as I'm not to the end of the old stuff. But I'm prolly making no sense. I'll shut up now, the point was just to say don't harass me when I don't post any more this week, until next weekend. Thanks, and review, review, REVIEW PLEASE!

A bath had been filled, in Severus' oversized whirlpool. Thousands of candles filled the room, hanging magically in the air. Classical music played lightly in the background. The tub was filled to the brim with purple bubbles, and a heavy fruit smell lingered in the air. A tray sat next to the bath, lined with carved soaps and glass bottles of brightly colored liquid. A line of rose petals trailed from the doorway to the tub, and Severus lifted Hermione's hand to his lips in a simple kiss before guiding her to the bath. Hermione looked around, trying to take it all in.

"It's beautiful!" She breathed, stepping into the warm water. "Absolutely perfect." He bent down to kiss her. "Thank you."

"Oh, I'm not done yet. I have quite the morning planned for you." He picked up one of the glass bottles and poured a sweet smelling substance into his hands. Hermione smiled, but stopped after an instant. Her eyes widened.

"But it's Tuesday! Classes..." she started, a heavy frown forming. Snape patted her on her shoulder, and the cool liquid in his hands dripped down her back. He began to massage her.

"Don't worry, Hermione. You have an hour and a half before class starts. Just relax." He moved his hands down her back, kneading into her muscles. Hermione sighed. With his hands moving like butter over her, soothing away any thoughts of school, she was completely at his mercy. She stretched in the warm bath as his hands roamed over her, vanishing any tension...not that she had much, considering the way she woke up!

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Hermione felt like a goddess. She stepped out of the bath, hand held by her lover. He had washed her, instructing her to just lie there and close her eyes, and she did. She remembered the warm play of his fingers shampooing her hair, and she smiled at him. He rubbed her body with a towel, pulling her close to him. Hermione tilted her head and kissed him. She let the towel fall to the floor and pressed against him, her body still slightly slick. He pushed her against a wall and lifted her up as she put her legs around him. His kiss deepened as he used his leverage to delve deeper into her mouth. Hermione arched her back, and Snape moved his fingers delicately over her taut nipples.

"You know...I hadn't added this in my plans for you." He voiced as she reached a warm hand down and caressed him. Hermione smiled.

"Well isn't it nice to be spontaneous?" she breathed against his neck before sucking on the tender skin there. Snape laughed as she pushed him backwards out of his bathroom. Hands were placed on his shoulders and she shoved him so that he fell onto his bed. She advanced on him, standing over him on the unmade covers.

"Now I want you to just lay there." She spoke, mimicking his words from before. "And let me help you...relax." Hermione put her hands on him, both with fingers spread on his shoulders. Slowly she kneaded her way down, pausing here and there to flick his nipples or nip at the soft skin at his belly button.

Snape felt Hermione's slender body brushing him, her touch bringing fire to the surface of his skin wherever her fingers were. She moved in slow circular motions, and he wondered what he ever did to deserve something as precious as Hermione Granger. He didn't have long to think though, because a few moments later all rational thinking stopped as he felt soft lips like a whisper against his penis. He glanced down to see her supple naked body on top his, her lips enclosing him. The sensations were more than wonderful. She was soft and warm against him, and he moaned as she let a tongue out to stroke the length of him.

It was indescribable.

She chanced a nervous look up to him, to see his eyes closed in pleasure.

"I've never done this before." She confided, her motions momentarily paused. Snape nodded.

"Don't worry, dear, you're doing fine. I'll help you." Hermione smiled, a bit of confidence returning as she lifted his balls in her hands, rolling the skin with her fingers. Snape moaned, and Hermione replaced her fingers with soft kisses all around him. She stroked his hard cock at the same time, wanting to touch every part of him that she could. Slowly she trailed her mouth back up to his tip, her teeth slightly scraping against him as she did so. Her tongue slid out and she licked his head lightly, her fingers moving up and down his shaft.

"Ooohh." He sighed, and Hermione increased the speed in which her fingers moved around him. "That's it. A little harder." He instructed, and she complied. She increased the pressure of her hand, squeezing around him as she pumped up and down, her tongue stroking more firmly on his head. She opened her mouth, and took as much of him in as she could. Snape gave a groan of delight as he was enclosed in her hot throat. She moved, swirling her tongue over him as she sucked hard on him. Her lips opened and closed a bit as she withdrew from him for a moment, only to plunge back over him the next. He hardened more underneath her, and Hermione wondered if it would be possible for him to burst. She chuckled, envisioning that, and the vibrations traveled all the way up his spine.

"What?" He wondered.

"Nothing." She spoke around him, her words mumbled, as she was a tad preoccupied. Snape smiled.

"It feels good when you laugh."

Hermione sighed, relaxing her throat. She tried to imagine something funny. A picture of Neville's bogart popped into her mind. Imagining ripping a green dress off of her lover while in the midst of heavy passion made her giggle, and she could feel his reaction to her. She laughed again, the thought refusing to leave her mind.

"You're going to have to tell me what's so funny when I can fully comprehend things again, Miss Granger." He spoke, looking down at her. His eyes were glazed over in the midst of the sensations he was feeling.

Hermione laughed as she wondered how she would explain that to him. She sucked harder, and her fingers gripped his balls and pulled tenderly as she moved her head around him. Snape stretched, murmuring her name as she licked him in long motions from base to tip and back again. He was glistening, and she pumped harder and faster around him. Hermione heard her name as he shifted under her and pushed his hips forward, trying to bury himself to the hilt in her gorgeous mouth. She shoved him into her throat a few more times.

"Hermione, look at me." She gazed up at him, her tongue still at work. Watching her lick and suck and stroke him, Snape came, the sight of her amazing in his mind. He busied his hands in her hair as he climaxed, the damp tresses cool on his hot hands. She waited until he was done and then licked him clean, her tongue moving all along his thighs and then in a line up past his bellybutton, over his chest, sucking on his neck, so that finally she kissed him deeply on the lips. He could taste himself on her, and he thrusted his tongue inside her mouth, massaging it with his.

"I love you, Hermione." He whispered, and she smiled against his kiss. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. "I love you like I've never loved anyone in my entire life. I never would've thought it possible to love someone so completely with every fiber of my being."

"And I love you, Severus." She countered, and moved her hands along his back. Her hair fell over him as she kissed him again, then, reluctantly, she stood.

"Unfortunately we both have other places to be in, oh." she glanced at the clock on his wall. "Five minutes! Fuck!" Hermione jumped up, and grabbed her robes. She was thankful for a moment in that she could just wear the same clothes as yesterday, and no one would notice. "Thank god for uniforms." She murmured, and hurriedly dressed. Snape had walked over to his closet and was looking through it flustered, throwing a few items onto his bed. He waltzed over to Hermione, kissed her sweetly on the lips, and then returned to his task of getting dressed.

"You ought to do a summoning charm for your books, or you'll never make it on time." He advised, and Hermione nodded before breaking out her wand and reciting the magic words before speeding out the door.

"See you in class!!" She breathed seductively as her footsteps echoed down his hallway and then out of earshot. Hermione caught up with her books as she was about ten feet from her Transfiguration class. A few students were looking at them as they flew through the air and Hermione grabbed them, giving a small embarrassed smile as she waltzed into class a second after the bell rang. She took her seat, attempting to not look flustered. 'If they only knew.' She thought, and stifled a laugh as McGonagall nodded a greeting to her before handing her a test. She seemed to eye her a bit suspiciously, as Hermione had never in her life been even a second late. She was usually the first in class, books out and quill ready before the bell rang. Hermione flashed her a smile, and when McGonagall neared her, Hermione whispered.

"Sorry Professor. I grabbed the wrong book! How silly of me." McGonagall nodded, satisfied by her reply, and Hermione let out a breath of relief. She looked over the questions.and smiled. Nothing like an exam to cheer her up on her already perfect morning.

She confidently filled in every answer, and checked them twice, before being the first student to hand in her test. She chanced a glance over at Harry and Ron, who, by the looks of it, were not even on the second page. They looked at each other nervously before seeing Hermione, and smiled at her, trying to cover for themselves. 'I hope they didn't notice I was gone last night. Ha, fat chance of that.' Lying to them would not be easy, but she would do it if need be. Nothing was going to spoil her new relationship with Severus. At least that's what she told herself....but then again, the unexpected happens often at Hogwarts.

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Ginny Weasley sat, watching Hermione eat her lunch. Ron was right, she was acting a trickle peculiar. Ron and Harry had come to her, earlier after Transfiguration, and asked her to talk to Hermione. They thought that maybe she'd feel more comfortable talking to Ginny if it was some sort of girl problem. Ginny smiled. She highly doubted that, but it was nice still to see her brother and Harry concerned about their friend.

Hermione and Ginny had become extremely close in their last few years, to the point where they were almost like sisters. Ginny was sure that if there was something bad happening in Hermione's life she would surely tell her. She pondered, absentmindedly picking at her chicken while she watched Hermione quickly glance up to the head table, blush, and look away. 'Peculiar indeed.' She thought, and made up her mind to ask Hermione about it later, when they could have some one on one time. Ginny's eyes roamed the room, slowly making their way up to the Head Table. Sure, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was smart, and by far their best yet, but she doubted Hermione would have a crush on him. He was intrinsically good looking, but Ginny thought Hermione would have learned her lesson with Lockhart. Still, the more and more she watched Hermione, the more likely the possibility seemed. During the conversation, when she thought no one was looking, she'd steal glances to the Head Table. Professor Gaul caught her eye once, and she gave him a weak smile before turning back to Ginny. Of course, it wouldn't explain why Hermione had failed to return to her room two nights in one week, but Ginny thought she'd better save that for later. It was too much to think about for the moment, considering Harry was reenacting his famous quidditch victory from the week before, the one where he had yet again almost gotten killed. Ginny sighed, taking in his untidy hair and fierce green eyes. 'If only he noticed me.' She thought, but for the moment was content to picture him running to her, years in the future, after he had won a quidditch match on the national team. She saw him step off of his broom and run with arms outstretched to her, and she would be ready to take him into her arms and congratulate him.

A piece of chicken was put into her mouth, and she chewed on it thoughtfully, too wrapped up in her daydream to notice Hermione yet again staring at the Head Table...and Professor Snape, trying very hard not to blatantly stare back.

"Hermione...can I talk to you for a bit?" Ginny voiced loudly in the common room. Ron looked over at her and gave her a subtle nod of approvement. Ginny leaned in to Hermione from her overstuffed armchair. "It's about boys." She whispered, and Hermione gave her a knowing smile.

"Sure Ginny. You want to go to my room so we won't be interrupted?" Her eyes traveled to Harry and Ron, who were working on history of magic homework on the floor. Ginny brightened. She gave a curt nod and followed Hermione towards her room, looking back to see Harry wink at her. A smile formed on the inside of her heart.

"It's about Harry." She spoke as they reached her door. 'Well, it's partly about Harry.' Ginny thought as she took a seat on the red and gold comforter. 'And it's partly about you mysteriously disappearing at night.' Hermione stared at her, concern in her eyes. Ginny took the chance to jump right in.

"Do you know what it's like to just, like someone...for a really, really long time?" her voice was filled with a slight annoyance, and Hermione knew instantly just which someone she was talking about. She could relate so well.

"Of course, Ginny! We all get crushes." She sat next to the small, redheaded girl, and put an arm around her shoulders. "Although I don't know if I'd call what you and Harry have a crush. I'm sure he's got some feelings for you deep down, and I know that you really care about him. Sometimes the unexpected is just right around the corner. Remember that Ginny, it can always get better." She stared into the young girls eyes. "Maybe you're just not being obvious enough. I mean I know Harry's not stupid...but he IS a guy. Sometimes they just need things spelled out for them." Ginny shifted, and looked into Hermione's smiling face.

"How do you know all this?! Have you been hiding something from me?" She poked Hermione in her side, who squealed. "I know you, Miss Hermione Granger...and you can't keep a secret from me! Come on then, out with it!" she tackled Hermione, pushing her over on the bed and tickling her under her arms. Hermione shifted wildly under her, attempting without much luck to hold her off.

"Alright!!" she muttered, breathless. Ginny gave a triumphant grin, and sat up.

"Spill." She instructed, and Hermione let out a slight groan, realizing what she had just said. She couldn't lie to Ginny, not the girl who was closer to her than her own family.

"Umm..." she started. Ginny frowned.

"Alright then, let me start. First of all, what I suspect is that you've been acting a little strange lately because of a boy. Is that correct?" she gazed at her with what Hermione had always thought of as all- knowing eyes, much like Dumbledore's.

"Yes." She whispered, her cheeks turning the smallest shade of red.

"And you've been with him those past nights when you didn't come back to bed, weren't you?!" There was a soft edge in her voice. Hermione smiled. Ginny was teasing her. At least she could have some fun with it. She imagined having the same talk about being out at night with a boy with Harry and Ron, and she chuckled. Ginny looked offended. "What? Isn't that it?" her eyes widened in curiosity.

"No, no. You're right Ginny, I've been with a boy." Her cheeks were now as bright as Ginny's hair, and Ginny grinned from ear to ear.

"You just HAVE to tell me all about it!!" she squealed, hugging Hermione tightly. Hermione laughed.

"I can't tell you who it is, though. I know a lot of people wouldn't like us being together...especially Harry and Ron." Ginny nodded, the broad grin still plastered across her face. "I can tell you about him, but not who he is. Now, what are we going to tell the boys?!" They looked at each other, and both burst out laughing.

"We can tell them you were kidnapped!" Ginny screamed in delight, knowing full well that it was outrageous. Hermione giggled.

"Who on earth would kidnap me?" she laughed as Ginny gave her a playful punch.

"Peeves!" Ginny countered. "It would be just like him to try to kidnap someone, just to cause a raucous!"

"Too bad Peeves wouldn't be able to touch someone.he'd go right through you! Imagine Peeves floating down the hall yelling 'I'm going to kidnap you!! Be afraid, be very afraid!' And all he could do is just float right on through you and give you a nasty chill!" the girls laughed, and spent the next half hour coming up with crazy stories that they would tell Harry and Ron. They were both on the floor, red and giggling, when Hermione paused. "Seriously, though, Ginny...what are we going to tell them?"

Ginny paused, and Hermione could tell by the way she chewed on her lower lip that she was deep in thought. A light bulb seemed to click on over her head, and her eyes lit up.

"I know!! I don't think they looked for you in the library. You're in there enough, you could just say you were really into a book and fell asleep right there on top of it. Next thing you knew, Madam Pince was next to you, shaking you and telling you that you had to get up. Sometimes she doesn't check the library until later...it could very well be one in the morning before she found you!" Hermione lit up. It was a perfect story.

"You're amazing, Ginny, you really are!" She confided, and gave the girl a high five.

"So...I'll go along with this nice little story of yours.if you tell me more about this mystery boy!" she laughed. Hermione smiled. She had been dying to tell someone about Severus. Hell, she wanted to scream it out loud for the whole world to hear, but she knew that that would only bring misery. So she had kept her mouth shut. But Ginny Weasley was the best kind of friend, the one who kept secrets what they were supposed to be: secret. Hermione wouldn't have to tell her who it was, but it would be a relief to get the whole thing off her chest. She smiled with giddy excitement. Being in love was a wonderful thing!

"Okay, so, it's like you said earlier. I'd had a crush on him for a long time, but I thought that we would never work. Of course now I'm totally, utterly, helplessly in love with him!" She stretched her arms over her head and fell backwards on her bed dramatically. Ginny smiled.

"Really? What's it like...this being in love? How do you know?"

"Well for one thing, you think about him all the time. I mean literally, like every other second. And when you're with him you just feel so happy and complete. I'm sure it's different for every person, but when you're in love Ginny, you'll just know it. I imagine that you and Harry could have something quite like me and Se..." Hermione froze, her eyes wide. Ginny pretended not to notice. She stuck a finger in her ear and pretended to clean it out.

"What was that? Didn't catch that last bit!" She was almost shouting. "There's summat in my ear!" She stuck another finger in, looked at it in mock disgust, and wiped it on her robe. "That's better. Now what were you saying?" Hermione smiled. There was no one in the world like Ginny Weasley, and she felt lucky to have her as a friend.

"What I was saying was that," she gave her an appreciative smile, "you and Harry might one day have what I and this boy have."

"HA, yeah." Ginny laughed. "If he ever noticed me!" Hermione frowned.

"Well we're just going to have to try harder, aren't we? I'm not supposed to tell you this...it's kind of a secret only Head Girl and Boy and prefects are supposed to know.but there's going to be a dance on Valentine's Day. It's pretty much a surprise, unless someone spills it to the whole school. But I'll tell you what...I'll help you on that night. I'll do your hair real fancy, and put some special makeup on you, and you can use that perfume of mine you love so much. When I'm through with you Harry will take one look at you and be speechless!" Ginny jumped up.

"That's great Hermione!! You're the bestest best friend a girl could wish to have!" She stood next to Hermione's mirror, imagining how she could look with Hermione's skilled hands making her over. She grabbed a handful of hair and piled it atop her head. "We'll have so much fun!" Hermione nodded, getting up to stand behind Ginny in the mirror.

"And you can help me look my best for my mystery date."

"Is he hot?"

Hermione shrugged. Her lips twisted thoughtfully. "He's not traditionally hot, you know, the blonde hair blue eyes real muscular type thing." Ginny smiled.

"Nah, we don't like that type anyway." Hermione saw Harry flash through her mind. 'No,' she thought, 'we don't.'

"But I do think he's very handsome. He has the most amazing eyes. They're so dark and deep...it's like you could get lost in them if you stared too hard. And then you'd be in there, a window into his soul, you know, because that's what they say eyes are; and they're so deep you would just wonder around in there for days, not knowing how to find your way out!" She smiled, sounding rather stupid to herself, but Ginny didn't seem to notice. She continued.

"He is nice though, he has some muscle in all the right places, not too buff, but not skinny either." She glanced quickly over to Ginny, who gave a little huff.

"Skinny isn't all that bad!" She said, a smile creeping up on her lips. "Aw, I know you didn't mean it like that, Hermione." She shrugged, and Hermione gave a smile of relief. She wiped her hand against her head.

"Whew! Thought you were going to tackle me again there if I didn't take it back!" They laughed. It was comfortable banter, and Hermione once again felt relieved as she went on and on about how much she loved Severus, and how he made her feel. Not once did Ginny try to pressure her into telling her more, and Hermione was thankful for such a wonderful audience.

It was late at night when the two stopped talking. Hermione glanced at her clock, yawning.

"Good gracious, it's almost tomorrow!" She spoke, a yawn interrupting her. Ginny looked at her clock, and then stifled a yawn herself.

"Darn you! You know they're contagious!" She picked up her robe, which she had taken off earlier because of heat, and placed it nonchalantly over her shoulders. "We'll have to talk more later." She yawned again. Hermione felt herself smiling.

"Indeed."

Ginny was almost to the door when she heard Hermione chuckling.

"What's so funny?" She turned and looked down her backside, making sure nothing was amiss.

"Nothing. It's just that that's just something he would say. A simple 'indeed.' Sorry, my mind's a little bit preoccupied right now!" She sat back on her bed, giving Ginny a small wave.

"You ARE in love." Ginny yawned, her voice filled with envy. "Well it's about bloody time too!" She stuck out her tongue at Hermione, then slipped quietly out the door. Hermione fell backwards, her hair falling around her head. She stared at the ceiling for a few moments, her expression dreamy. She wouldn't be able to steal Harry's invisibility cloak anymore without further questioning. Questioning that she wanted to avoid, so at least for now she was out of luck. Hermione sighed. She wondered if Severus was feeling the same way about her, and she wished for a way to get to his chambers without the scrutiny of hundreds of portrait people, not to mention the chance of getting caught by Filch.

'There has got to be something in the library about connecting your own fireplace by Floo powder. Even if it isn't the cleanliest stuff, it's discrete...and I could travel right from here to Severus' room and be back before class, no questions asked. Hmm...what a world of possibilities that would create.' Hermione smiled against her shirt as she pulled it over her head, taking off her clothes for the night. She picked up her wand and murmured a charm. Her room grew dark, and she layed in bed, looking up at the dark ceiling, thinking about her lover. Finally sleep came, and it was filled with dreams of wonderful pleasure.