A Certain Urge
Chapter Three
Hermione's curiousity was piqued. She dealt 2 cards to each of them 1 down and 1 up. Snape, she noticed, was now completely unreadable - hooded eyes, mouth straight and breathing even.
Snape began the lesson. Let us test your mettle, Miss Granger. "The first bet sets the tone for the entire game, please remember that. Now, I raise you one long caress in a location of my choosing above the waist with both hands."
Hermione was momentarily taken aback by the nature of the bet but her amazement was shortlived. The man is full of surprises. "I see your caress and ..." Hermione looked long and hard at her teacher and then at her cards. "... and raise you a quick French kiss and no hands."
Hermione dealt out one card open apiece. Looking at his 1 down and open five and six of hearts and her one down and open nine of diamonds and nine of spades, Snape offered. "Why don't we make things more interesting. I raise you one French kiss duration of your choosing with no hands."
She quickly replied "Before I say my bet I have a question." At his inquiring look she continued "How different is a caress from a fondle?"
He looked poleaxed but recovered quickly enough to answer with, "A caress is done to feel and to be felt whereas fondling is intended to elicit a stronger response like excitement or great need."
"I see," Hermione did indeed see and wished that she might get some practical demonstration of the difference at some point in the evening. "All right, I see your kiss with a fondle in a location of my choosing."
She dealt out the fourth card up. She now had an eight of clubs, a nine of diamonds, a nine of spades and one down card. He had the six of diamonds, five and six of hearts and one down card. Things were getting very interesting.
Snape was amused to see her apply her redoubtable intelligence to the game and that Gryffindor courage was making her rather forward. "I raise you one satisfying nuzzle on the couch with hands and mouth. And don't ask what goes into a nuzzle."
Hermione let out a soft laugh. "Okay, I see your nuzzle with a short lap dance."
It was Snape's turn to look puzzled and he asked, "A dance on my lap, would that not be awkward?"
He sensed some foreboding when he saw Hermione grinning and not in a good amused sort of way but calculating and eager. She dealt the last card to each of them face down.
As one, they each turned over their face down cards and looked at the results. Hermione had an eight of clubs, a nine of hearts, a nine of spades, a nine of diamonds and a nine of clubs - four of a kind. Snape had a six of diamonds and hearts and fives of hearts, diamonds and clubs - a full house. Muggle or wizard rules, four of a kind beats a full house any time, any day.
Hermione looked at him expectantly. Is he actually going to ... oh, my, he is!
Soundlessly, Professor Snape pulled his sweater over his head and off revealing a tight, black tank top underneath. He took her hand and led her to the couch. With every step she took, the tension of the evening seemed to pool in her belly like eddies in a pond radiating outward heightening all her senses.
As she sat down she took the time to get a good look at him. He had a man's body, no longer young, but sinewy and strong, a nice size chest tapering to slim hips and long, lean legs. Her fingers itched to touch his now exposed arms. His robes do not do him justice at all.
Snape positioned her on the edge of the sofa facing him. He parted her knees and knelt between them hands on the sofa on either side of her legs. With his height, they were now on eye level. Hermione wound both arms around his neck and threaded her fingers through his hair which didn't feel greasy at all. He let her explore for a while before he grasped her hands and gently but firmly moved them to press and clutch against the sofa's edge next to her thighs.
"No, Miss Granger, you cannot touch me. Only I can touch you. Neither one of us specified that during the forfeit all involved could touch the other did we?"
"Oh, god, not more rules!" She said this with great exasperation but then lost the power of speech as he began to caress her face with his soft lips starting from her forehead, kissing her eyelids before sliding down the right side stopping to nip at her earlobe then trailing down to her chin, another nip on her other ear then she felt the soft brush of his tongue across her lips. One brief brush and her body was set to a mad thrumming.
Snape dropped moist open-mouthed kisses on her throat and neck with the occasional, unexpected lick that made her sigh and whimper. His hands made their way from her shoulder to her fingertips with exquisite languor and ease leaving her skin tingling along the way. He interlocked his hands with hers more to keep his own hands from straying too far, too soon.
Hermione was glad that she'd worn a scoop neck blouse leaving more than enough skin uncovered as it didn't look like her partner was inclined to remove her clothes. She vowed not to wear jeans during games as skirts held far more potential possibilities.
He paused and looked at her eyes heavy with arousal and then her mouth not yet swollen but open and wet inviting him to do more. His lips descended on hers applying at first a gentle pressure. His tongue coaxed her mouth to open and then desire openly warred with restraint. He let go of her hands to rub and squeeze the outside of her thighs as he leaned into her deepening the kiss playing hide and seek games with his tongue and hers. He sought to keep his hands where they were but his resolve was rapidly dissolving. Hermione began to suck his tongue and nibble on his lower lip. He pulled away from that too tempting mouth. She opened her eyes to see why the pleasure had stopped.
"I believe that that satisfies the forfeit, Miss Granger," Snape let out his breath raggedly. "We should .. should stop now and consider the game completed."
"A good first lesson on forfeits and rewards, Professor. Very instructional." She leaned back against the sofa panting. " I'm ready to learn about consequences."
"But I'm not ... should not be ready, Ms Granger." He assisted her to her feet.
"This is only between us isn't it? I want to learn more. My willingness is freely given and I am of age."
"There is no us. You are my student, of age or not. This was only to give you an example, nothing more."
"I won't be a student after two months, Professor. I would like to resume lessons then." Hermione straightened her clothes and put her robe back on.
"Lessons are over, Miss Granger."
"As you've said, learning from a master is always to be preferred." Hermione thought quickly. "I'll make a deal with you, Professor. I shall refrain from any games with anyone from now until the end of term in exchange for future lessons."
"Deals are normally beneficial to both parties, Miss Granger. What do I get assuming I agree to it?"
"Would you not win approval from the headmaster if, say, you were able to guarantee my good behavior? Certainly, no one wants me to succeed more than Professor McGonagall. A few negative comments in my file could prevent me from being admitted into the best university."
"You may have a point, Miss Granger." Snape thought for a moment. "There are certain concessions I've been wanting from the headmaster concerning my teaching contract. Your good behavior may be the leverage I need. Very well, I agree. However, the lessons, given out in the form of a game, will only be on the rules, variations and nuances of the game and we will need to define the limits and conditions beforehand. I will only go so far in lessons, Miss Granger."
"I understand, Professor and it's a deal."
"And this game, Miss Granger, you must agree that it is completed."
"And if I don't agree?"
"You and I will feel a slight compulsion to seek each other out to finish it. Is that what you want?"
"I agree that this particular game is completed." Hermione made her way to the door. She stopped and turned before leaving. "I'll be sure to do my research for the next game and be much better prepared. Have a good night, Professor."
The only good thing he was going to get that night was a good cold shower or two. He'd explain to the others how misplaced their assumptions were and omitting several factual details in the telling. Albus and Minerva did not have to know everything.
Severus went to bed and had the first good dream he'd had in months. He was looking forward to more of the same for the next few months - 8 weeks or 56 days or roughly 1,300 hours or 80,000 minutes.