Chapter 34 – Rising Tension
Knock, knock, knock
Severus Snape cursed and slid off the bed, putting on a dressing robe before he walked out into his office towards the outer door of his chambers. His mood blackened with every step and he hoped it would be a student on the other side, someone he could take out his anger on and remove a large amount of House points from. Lifting his wand, he removed the wards and opened the door.
"Ah, Potter," he said in a silky tone. "Why am I not surprised at your blatant disrespect for other people's sleep?" His lips curled in a wicked smile. "20 points from Gryff-"
"Oh, shut it!" Harry interrupted him. "sir," he added as Snape's eyes turned positively murderous. "It's not like I wanted to come down here. Dumbledore sent me to get Hermione, I assumed you would know where she was." If looks could kill, both would have been dead in an instant. They continued to glare at each other for a long time, before Snape stepped aside with a snort.
"By all means, Potter, please step inside," he said in scathing tones. Harry quickly complied and swiftly crossed the office floor. When he reached the bedroom door, he hesitated before turning the handle and walking inside.
He stopped abruptly at the threshold, disbelief written all over his face as his eyes took in the beautiful surroundings, stopping at Hermione's blissful, sleeping face.
"What did you expect, a pit with snake sculptures and skeletons everywhere?" Snape's sarcastic voice came from behind. Harry couldn't find an answer and just stood rooted to the spot, as he watched Snape walk over to the bed and whisper something in Hermione's ear. Snape's soft caress of her cheek and the happiness that shone in her eyes as she first opened them didn't escape his attention, and for a split second, he forgot to be angry and almost felt happy for his friend. The feeling quickly disappeared though - it was Snape after all.
"Harry!" Hermione's voice was half shock, half worry. "What are you doing here?"
Harry quickly explained the situation and repeated Dumbledore's wish that she would come to his office as soon as possible. She looked very worried at the news and started looking around for something to wear.
"Severus, lend me your wand, please," she said as she realised that not a shred of clothing was to be found anywhere near the bed. He came over from where he'd been standing over by the fireplace and handed it to her. With a quick spell, the beautiful clothes she had worn to dinner reappeared in a pile on top of the silk sheets.
"Harry, would you mind turning your back while I get dressed?" she asked. Harry quickly complied, his cheeks feeling very warm. "Severus, could you help me with the laces, please, I'm afraid I can't recall the Lacing Charm…"
She expected him to take the wand and do them up magically, the way she had earlier in the evening, and let out a small gasp as she felt his strong hands on her back. Making sure Potter's back was turned, he started working her laces by hand, stroking her shoulders and arms whenever he could.
"Lift up your hair, or it will get stuck," he said in a would-be casual voice, throwing another look in Harry's direction. She detected the restrained desire in his words and lifted the mass of curls with trembling hands, exposing her neck to him.
Her breathing became more difficult, both because of the corset and the way Snape was playing with the skin on her shoulders and neck. His lips and tongue were wandering over all her sensitive areas, and she pressed herself back more firmly against him as his arms came around her and caressed her breasts briefly before taking up the lacy thong and easing it up over her legs in a painfully slow way.
"There, your laces are up. I trust you can do the rest yourself," he said in his trademark cool voice while moving the tiny knickers higher, stroking the insides of her thighs as he went.
"Yes, thank you," she replied, trying to keep her voice equally even, one eye making sure that Harry was still facing the wall. She pressed against Snape's upper body for leverage, lifting her hips off the bed and allowing him to pull the thong into place. It was clear he wasn't in a hurry from the way he teased the skin on her thighs and buttocks, moving the delicate lace aside to stroke more sensitive spots. She managed not to utter a single sound as his fingers moved over the little bundle of nerves, but the way she shuddered and clenched her teeth together told him that desire was taking her over. He threw a look at Potter who was still facing the wall but looking more tense and uncomfortable with every passing minute. He smiled a very wicked smile and picked up his wand.
"Silencio," he whispered softly, pointing it at Hermione. She looked back at him with a half worried, half grateful look in her eyes. In response, he fastened the garter belt around her hips and took up one of the silk stockings which he started to slowly roll up her leg. She shuddered and he saw her mouth open in a soundless moan as the silk caressed her soft skin. Smirking, he turned his attention to Potter.
"Tell me, Potter," he said, keeping his voice calm and slightly bored while letting his hands run over Hermione's smooth skin as he rolled up and fastened her other stocking. "are you still as inept at Occlumency as you proved last year?"
"Not at all, the change in teachers helped a lot," he answered. Snape could almost see the smile on his face from behind. Cheeky bastard.
"I'm glad to hear that Dumbledore has managed to teach you at least some rudimentary protection, what with the Dark Lord dancing in and out of your mind as he pleases," he said, pleased to see the boy's back stiffen. Concentrating on Hermione again, he pressed her hard against him and let one hand find its way into her cleavage as the other moved downwards to finish what he started when he put on her thong.
"Worrying about what he might find about you, are you?" Harry said in a scathing voice, feeling his anger rise.
"Naturally." He was having a hard time concentrating on distracting Potter as the girl in his arms started to shudder and arch in his grasp. God, how he wished that the stupid boy would just leave so that he could make love to her properly for the rest of the night…
Potter said something else, but he didn't hear him. Hermione had turned around in his arms and was kissing him feverishly, pushing him back against the bed. He grabbed his wand and lifted the Silencing Charm on her with an evil smile in Harry's direction. A soft moan escaped her before she had the time to register that she was no longer mute and Harry spun around.
They just stared at each other for a second, before Hermione blushed and jumped off the bed, straightening her skirt and walking over to him.
"Are you coming? I believe Dumbledore is waiting," she asked in her best strict voice, very much like the one Professor McGonagall was prone to using. Harry threw Snape a last dirty look and went out after her.
Severus Snape listened to their steps as they walked out of his chambers and the smile quickly faded from his face. If the two Weasleys knew, it wouldn't be long until the secret spread and that just wasn't allowed to happen. He knew that they were both lying unconscious in the Hospital Wing at the moment. Good, that facilitated his task. From his pocket, he withdrew a piece of parchment he had retrieved from the fire while Harry was describing the night's events to Hermione. His eyes wandered over the words again as he repeated the things he'd have to do in his mind.
Severus,
Ron and Ginny Weasley are currently in the Hospital Wing, recovering from a duel. Their knowledge of Hermione's present involvement with an unknown man is deeply troublesome giving their somewhat stubborn natures and deep interest in the girl's personal life. I would be very pleased if you could help me stabilise the situation while I have a talk with Harry and Hermione in my office.
Best of luck,
Albus
Severus sighed, put on his usual black robes and made his way to the Hospital Wing. Trust Potter and his side-kick to put them all in danger. Not this time though. It would all come to an end before morning, he'd see to that…
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Knock, knock, knock
Severus Snape cursed and slid off the bed, putting on a dressing robe before he walked out into his office towards the outer door of his chambers. His mood blackened with every step and he hoped it would be a student on the other side, someone he could take out his anger on and remove a large amount of House points from. Lifting his wand, he removed the wards and opened the door.
"Ah, Potter," he said in a silky tone. "Why am I not surprised at your blatant disrespect for other people's sleep?" His lips curled in a wicked smile. "20 points from Gryff-"
"Oh, shut it!" Harry interrupted him. "sir," he added as Snape's eyes turned positively murderous. "It's not like I wanted to come down here. Dumbledore sent me to get Hermione, I assumed you would know where she was." If looks could kill, both would have been dead in an instant. They continued to glare at each other for a long time, before Snape stepped aside with a snort.
"By all means, Potter, please step inside," he said in scathing tones. Harry quickly complied and swiftly crossed the office floor. When he reached the bedroom door, he hesitated before turning the handle and walking inside.
He stopped abruptly at the threshold, disbelief written all over his face as his eyes took in the beautiful surroundings, stopping at Hermione's blissful, sleeping face.
"What did you expect, a pit with snake sculptures and skeletons everywhere?" Snape's sarcastic voice came from behind. Harry couldn't find an answer and just stood rooted to the spot, as he watched Snape walk over to the bed and whisper something in Hermione's ear. Snape's soft caress of her cheek and the happiness that shone in her eyes as she first opened them didn't escape his attention, and for a split second, he forgot to be angry and almost felt happy for his friend. The feeling quickly disappeared though - it was Snape after all.
"Harry!" Hermione's voice was half shock, half worry. "What are you doing here?"
Harry quickly explained the situation and repeated Dumbledore's wish that she would come to his office as soon as possible. She looked very worried at the news and started looking around for something to wear.
"Severus, lend me your wand, please," she said as she realised that not a shred of clothing was to be found anywhere near the bed. He came over from where he'd been standing over by the fireplace and handed it to her. With a quick spell, the beautiful clothes she had worn to dinner reappeared in a pile on top of the silk sheets.
"Harry, would you mind turning your back while I get dressed?" she asked. Harry quickly complied, his cheeks feeling very warm. "Severus, could you help me with the laces, please, I'm afraid I can't recall the Lacing Charm…"
She expected him to take the wand and do them up magically, the way she had earlier in the evening, and let out a small gasp as she felt his strong hands on her back. Making sure Potter's back was turned, he started working her laces by hand, stroking her shoulders and arms whenever he could.
"Lift up your hair, or it will get stuck," he said in a would-be casual voice, throwing another look in Harry's direction. She detected the restrained desire in his words and lifted the mass of curls with trembling hands, exposing her neck to him.
Her breathing became more difficult, both because of the corset and the way Snape was playing with the skin on her shoulders and neck. His lips and tongue were wandering over all her sensitive areas, and she pressed herself back more firmly against him as his arms came around her and caressed her breasts briefly before taking up the lacy thong and easing it up over her legs in a painfully slow way.
"There, your laces are up. I trust you can do the rest yourself," he said in his trademark cool voice while moving the tiny knickers higher, stroking the insides of her thighs as he went.
"Yes, thank you," she replied, trying to keep her voice equally even, one eye making sure that Harry was still facing the wall. She pressed against Snape's upper body for leverage, lifting her hips off the bed and allowing him to pull the thong into place. It was clear he wasn't in a hurry from the way he teased the skin on her thighs and buttocks, moving the delicate lace aside to stroke more sensitive spots. She managed not to utter a single sound as his fingers moved over the little bundle of nerves, but the way she shuddered and clenched her teeth together told him that desire was taking her over. He threw a look at Potter who was still facing the wall but looking more tense and uncomfortable with every passing minute. He smiled a very wicked smile and picked up his wand.
"Silencio," he whispered softly, pointing it at Hermione. She looked back at him with a half worried, half grateful look in her eyes. In response, he fastened the garter belt around her hips and took up one of the silk stockings which he started to slowly roll up her leg. She shuddered and he saw her mouth open in a soundless moan as the silk caressed her soft skin. Smirking, he turned his attention to Potter.
"Tell me, Potter," he said, keeping his voice calm and slightly bored while letting his hands run over Hermione's smooth skin as he rolled up and fastened her other stocking. "are you still as inept at Occlumency as you proved last year?"
"Not at all, the change in teachers helped a lot," he answered. Snape could almost see the smile on his face from behind. Cheeky bastard.
"I'm glad to hear that Dumbledore has managed to teach you at least some rudimentary protection, what with the Dark Lord dancing in and out of your mind as he pleases," he said, pleased to see the boy's back stiffen. Concentrating on Hermione again, he pressed her hard against him and let one hand find its way into her cleavage as the other moved downwards to finish what he started when he put on her thong.
"Worrying about what he might find about you, are you?" Harry said in a scathing voice, feeling his anger rise.
"Naturally." He was having a hard time concentrating on distracting Potter as the girl in his arms started to shudder and arch in his grasp. God, how he wished that the stupid boy would just leave so that he could make love to her properly for the rest of the night…
Potter said something else, but he didn't hear him. Hermione had turned around in his arms and was kissing him feverishly, pushing him back against the bed. He grabbed his wand and lifted the Silencing Charm on her with an evil smile in Harry's direction. A soft moan escaped her before she had the time to register that she was no longer mute and Harry spun around.
They just stared at each other for a second, before Hermione blushed and jumped off the bed, straightening her skirt and walking over to him.
"Are you coming? I believe Dumbledore is waiting," she asked in her best strict voice, very much like the one Professor McGonagall was prone to using. Harry threw Snape a last dirty look and went out after her.
Severus Snape listened to their steps as they walked out of his chambers and the smile quickly faded from his face. If the two Weasleys knew, it wouldn't be long until the secret spread and that just wasn't allowed to happen. He knew that they were both lying unconscious in the Hospital Wing at the moment. Good, that facilitated his task. From his pocket, he withdrew a piece of parchment he had retrieved from the fire while Harry was describing the night's events to Hermione. His eyes wandered over the words again as he repeated the things he'd have to do in his mind.
Ron and Ginny Weasley are currently in the Hospital Wing, recovering from a duel. Their knowledge of Hermione's present involvement with an unknown man is deeply troublesome giving their somewhat stubborn natures and deep interest in the girl's personal life. I would be very pleased if you could help me stabilise the situation while I have a talk with Harry and Hermione in my office.
Best of luck,
Albus
Severus sighed, put on his usual black robes and made his way to the Hospital Wing. Trust Potter and his side-kick to put them all in danger. Not this time though. It would all come to an end before morning, he'd see to that…
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A/N: Any one who cares to guess just what Snape and Dumbledore are up to? :-)