Author's Note: I guess I'd better post a warning, so nobody's virgin eyes will be offended: This chapter is rated R!

I was very nervous writing this chapter, I wanted it to be sensual without being TOO explicit. I hope I have achieved a decent balance... I've never tried to write a love scene before, and I hope this one satisfies my readers!

Thank you again to my reviewers! Hugs and love to each and every one of you. And also to my readers, I know you are out there as I watch my hit counter averaging 500 per chapter. Even now, I'm not completely confident in my writing abilities, but every hit and every review gives me the little boost that I need to continue.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the characters from the books in the series are copyright JK Rowling, and are not being used for profit, only for personal enjoyment.

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Chapter 24 ~ No Regrets

Severus was still kissing Hermione tenderly as he laid her on the bed. He backed away only a few inches, lovingly brushing her hair back from her brow with his fingertips as his hands gently cupped her face. His eyes searched hers for any sign of hesitation... he found none. He saw the answer in her eyes as her intense gaze met with his.

His hands were shaking as he slowly slid one of them down her body, his fingers skimming over her warm skin as they traveled down her bare arm before moving to gently caress her breast through the thin material of her nightgown. He groaned as he felt it's hard peak pressing into the palm of his hand, and heard her gasp as he gently rubbed it with his thumb. Moving his hand away to continue the exploration of her body, he found his touch lingering at the dip of her waist before running its way down to gently clutch at her round hip. He ran his fingers down to her knee, gently caressing her outer thigh as he slowly inched the silky material up her leg.

He paused for a moment when he heard her gasp of surprise, and pulled back to look at her once again. She was softly biting her lip as she panted short breaths. His other hand that had been curled into her hair moved downwards as he brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. When she opened her eyes, he saw the flames of desire in them as she nodded her head to him in reassurance. He bent down to capture her lips once more in a tender kiss, before trailing his lips along her jaw and down her neck, as his hand once again laced into her soft curls and the other continued its explorations of her body.

Her skin was so soft and smooth... like satin, and her hair felt like fine threads of silk laced between his fingers. He moaned as he moved his lips to nip at her shoulder, lowering the thin strap of her nightgown to expose the tender flesh of her collarbone. He could smell the fragrance of her skin, still fresh from her recent bath, and deeply inhaled the scent of her as he continued to move his lips lower. The creamy flesh of her breasts was slightly exposed as her collar had slipped lower, and he moved the other strap of her nightown down her arm until he had freed them from the flimsy material, slowly moving his other hand to the nape of her neck, raising her torso slightly off of the bed and closer to him. Starting at tender flesh at the base of her neck, he kissed his way back down to her now-exposed breasts, laving them with tender kisses before gently nibbling their peaks. When he felt her writhing underneath him, he gently lowered her back to the bed as he kissed his way down to her navel, his hand once again clutching at her nightgown as he pushed it upwards to expose her thigh. His fingers tenderly slipped around to caress her inner thigh, his thumb brushing her most sensitive area as she bucked against him in surprise.

The feel of her trembling fingers unbuttoning his silk pajamas was almost his undoing. He groaned as she slipped her hands inside and began to rub them against his chest. He reached up and gently touched her hand, kissing her swollen lips once more as he encouraged her to begin her own explorations of his body.

*****

Hermione was trembling by the time Severus had carried her to the bed. She hoped that he wouldn't misinterpret her nervousness.... she wasn't nervous about being with HIM, she was nervous about her relative inexperience with intimacy. Nobody had ever touched so tenderly, and she had convinced herself that nobody would ever want to. Especially Severus... not again... not after the last time. But now, here he was, kissing her, caressing her, touching her in ways that she had never even imagined. And yes, she was nervous. What if she didn't live up to his expectations?

She set her fears aside when he paused his ministrations to caress her cheek as he looked searchingly at her face. She nodded the answer to the question that she saw in his eyes. Yes, she was ready, and willing, to let him take her to places that she had never been before.

Her hands shaking, she hesitantly began to unbutton the shirt of his silk pajamas. She slipped her hand inside, tracing light circles on his warm skin with the palm of her hand as she marvelled at the contours of his smooth chest. She was surprised when he reached for her hand, only to encourage her to continue. She slowly eased the shirt down his arms, and moved to hold her hand over his heart, feeling it's steady beat, before reaching up to his shoulders and pulling him down against her once more. She smiled inwardly as he gently nudged her hands downwards, to the waistband of his trousers.

She felt him raise his hips slightly, giving her room to slide his pants down to his knees before toeing them down to his ankles with her bare feet. As he lowered himself against her, kicking the trousers off of his feet and onto the floor, she felt the hard, warm skin of his manhood brush against her. With a gasp, she reached to cup her hands to his firm buttocks, kissing him fiercely and running her foot slowly up and down his leg, encouraging him to enter.

He pulled back and looked into her eyes one last time, and she felt him crush his lips to hers, kissing her breathless as they joined together as one... her hands clutched his thighs in desperation, holding him to her as if she never wanted to let go.

*****

Merlin! She felt so good... he couldn't believe that it was real, as he rolled to his side, pulling her with him as he circled his arms around her. He could feel her breath on his chest as she curled up next to him in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

Severus lay there, staring at the canopy of the bed in wonder. He had just made love to this amazing woman... the mother of his child, his intellectual equal, the woman who had been haunting his dreams for some weeks now. For the first time in his life, he had been intimate with a woman who had been more than a means of physical release for him.... not to mention the mind boggling fact that she actually wanted him in return!

Severus was certainly not new to sex... no, he knew where to find a willing body when he needed one... but he had never truly 'made love' to a woman, and truthfully never had known there was a difference. Until now. Pulling her closer, he turned his head towards her and kissed her temple. She was half asleep, a gentle smile on her lips as she lay there more peacefully than he had ever seen her before. He closed his eyes, falling asleep with her wrapped in his arms.

*****

Hermione lay content in Severus' warm embrace, her head nestled against his chest. It was so comfortable here, she didn't ever want to him to leave. Their lovemaking was more intense than anything she could have imagined, and she wanted to ingrain that memory into her mind for eternity. With a smile on her face, she fell into pleasant dreams, still encircled in Severus' arms.

When she awoke a few hours later, she smiled to herself as she remembered their passion. So different from the last time, she thought as she remembered the night that they had conceived Samuel.

Thinking about her son, she suddenly bolted upright in panic. It was only the second time she had ever made love, and for the second time, she hadn't taken any precautions. She had no potions, and knew no charms.

*How can somebody so brilliant be so bloody stupid. Not once, but twice!* She berated herself silently.

She tried to lay back down without disturbing Severus... she didn't want him to know that she had done something so foolish again. She would just go visit Madame Pomfrey in the morning. She sat up again, groaning to herself as she realized that going to Madame Pomfrey would mean that somebody else would have to know that she and Severus had slept together... and this evening was something so intimate and personal that she wanted to keep it just between the two of them.

Hearing Severus stirring beside her, she tried to put it out of her mind.

*****

Severus was startled out of his slumber by the sound of Hermione bolting upwards and groaning. Groggily, he asked, "What's wrong?" As he looked over to her, he saw her eyes darting back and forth in alarm. He began to grow concerned when she didn't answer... was she regretting their lovemaking? Propping himself up on one elbow, he reached his hand out to stroke her hair as he asked, "Hermione?"

She shook her head as she lay back down and curled up to him, "It's nothing... nothing for you to be concerned about." But her eyes told a different story.

He pulled her closer and brushed back a lock of her hair as he said, "If it concerns you, it concerns me. Now tell me. What is it?"

Hermione sighed, and didn't meet his eyes as she muttered, "I don't have any.... potions."

Severus smirked, "Hermione, give me your wand."

She furrowed her brow in confusion, but didn't ask any questions as she reached to her night table and retrieved her wand. Handing it to him, she started to feel like an idiot when she heard him murmuring a contraceptive charm over her abdomen. He looked up and saw a flash of embarassment cross her face.

He couldn't surpress his chuckle any longer, as he pulled her closer and asked, "Are you telling me that there is a charm that Hermione Granger does not know?"

Her face flushed before she retorted, "I guess Flitwick forgot to teach us that one," then she buried her head in his shoulder with a sigh, mumbling, "Honestly! I didn't think I'd ever have use for one."

"What? Why ever not?" he asked, surprised at her reply.

She whispered in a hoarse voice, "There weren't any boys in school who would have been interested in a bushy haired bookworm with big teeth."

Severus reached over, gently lifting her head and forcing her to meet his eyes as he told her, "Hermione... in case you haven't noticed, you aren't in school any more. And, you haven't had bushy hair or big teeth since fourth year. Furthermore, anybody who can not appreciate you for your intelligence is a damn fool."

He sighed before he continued, "But now, I think I understand something... I always wondered why you didn't... after we were together... I thought it odd that you didn't take any precautions."

A tear slid from the corner of Hermione's eye as she rasped, "I'm sorry."

"I'm not," he kissed her as he continued, "We wouldn't have Samuel, otherwise."

He could feel her smile as her face was still pressed to his chest, and was disappointed when he felt the smile fade a moment later.

"Severus..."

"Hmmm?"

"What if... well, you used MY wand, not your own.Will the charm have worked?"

He smiled as he pressed a kiss to her hair, "I don't see why not, but if you are concerned, I can go get my own wand."

She pulled him back down to the bed as he started to rise, "Maybe you can teach me the charm so I can do it myself next time"

"The charm works best when it's done sooner than later," he began to reply, then paused for a moment as he thought more fully about what she just said. "Next time?", he asked as he quirked an eyebrow.

"Well, then... how about... sooner?" she smiled as she pulled him to her, kissing him desperately as she began touching him in ways that she hadn't done before.