That Certain Urge
Chapter Seven
Wednesday 11pm
Bert the house elf followed Snape around the construction zone anxiously wringing his hands and shaking his head. The other elves in the work gang were lined up in a row off to the side their somber eyes following the progress of the unlikely duo. Each elf wore a badge of honor - a wrapped sore hand, a splinted sprain, a bandaged broken foot. Snape sniffed, rubbed, poked and tested everything in the room but keeping his opinions to himself. Every now and then he would stop suddenly and Bert would collide with his leg. Bert picked himself up after each tumble.
"Professor, very difficult," Bert sniffed. "Never do this before. Never seen this like before. So much." Snape's silence was unnerving the poor thing and it was alternating between sniveling and apologizing. "Follow plans best we could. plans old ... many, many changes."
"Bert, everyone!" Snape looked down sternly on all the assembled elves who began to shiver collectively. "There is one more thing I need you to do." The elves looked at him expecting the worse. Most knew him by reputation and that was enough for them. "Bert, in my sitting room table there is a bag. Take that bag with you. Consider it my thanks for the exceptionally fine job you have all done."
Bert went into the sitting room and returned dragging a large bag marked Honeydukes and thanked Snape awkwardly not having much practice in it. Bert said "Oh, no, professor, we should not take. Very magical things ... powerful." Snape laughed and said "Take it down to the kitchens and enjoy it. Go on!"
The elves vanished amidst excited titterings and squeals.
Snape took off his teaching robe and in his shirtsleeves prowled the zone once again and conceded "It looks all right, right color and temperature, but it needs an acid test." He began to unbutton his shirt.
Friday 8pm
Hermione Granger was met at Snape's door by its bathrobe-clad denizen. As she took in his appearance from head to foot, alarm bells began to peal in her head. Everything about him was, well, off. His hair was wet and slicked back skin damp and glistening. His facial expression was calm almost cheerful. His eyes were bright and glinted with mischief. The robe was open at the chest and she was treated to a feast of whorls of dark hair that her fingers itched to curl into. His calves were heavily muscled and covered by dark,downy hairs. His feet were clad in clogs that were inexplicably soaked through. Even his large, manly feet looked attractive. Wasn't a man supposed to look this relaxed and satisfied AFTER the deed was done and not before?
Gathering her bag and her courage, she quipped "I see you dressed for the occasion, Professor."
Snape gave her his own brand of once over. Underneath a bolero jacket Hermione wore a slim fitting, scoop necked red dress flaring out into a full skirt and black stiletto heels. Her hair was set in a sophisticated chignon. Light makeup completed the look. "I suspect that there are even more layers underneath."
"You'll be the first to find out," Hermione swept into his quarters head high inwardly ignoring her every screaming instinct to leave and leave right now. Something wasn't quite right. The hairs on the nape of her neck were on alert status.
Snape placed two hands on her shoulders and squeezed directing her to sit on the sofa and handed her a glass of red wine which she took gratefully her throat suddenly parched. He sat down next to her, took his glass and sipped while each regarded the other in silence. Snape put his legs up on the ottoman but before he could cross them at the ankle the robe slipped a bit and before he made adjustments she had a long, long peek at a very muscular thigh that could probably crack coconuts. One part of her wanted to sit in his lap and the other wanted to scream bloody murder. This was not going as expected. What was going on?
Snape could sense that though the young woman's demeanor was calm she was uncertain inside. He saw her eyes darting here and there frantically scanning the room. He moved slightly closer letting their personal spaces overlap. She retreated further to the other side of the couch. Good, he thought, I finally have the witch unbalanced and at my mercy. He said to her "Now would be a good time to discuss what is going to happen tonight, Ms Granger."
"Let's not discuss it," Hermione answered quickly. "There's no need to really. We both want this, if for different reasons."
Snape took her hand and said very deliberately in his best professor's tone ""Ms Granger, who are you trying to convince? False courage and bravado will only get you so far, especially with me."
Hermione decided to be direct. "Where are we going to play the game, Professor? I don't see any table or any other suitable location. Your quarters was the venue you specified. And, look at you, you look ready for a session in the sauna or ... or the bedroom and all that."
"Is that what is making you so uneasy, Miss Granger, my appearance?" Snape chuckled and stood up, offered her his hand and then led her past his sitting room and paused in front of a closed door that she hadn't seen before. With his hand on the doorknob, he said, "As venue was as you said my choice I have made every effort to create the proper atmosphere. My attire, as it happens, is completely appropriate."
He opened the door into a dimly lit room and motioned her inside.
Hermione took a deep breath and stepped into an immense, high-ceilinged room whose floors and walls were made of white marble veined in black. The ceiling was domed and enchanted to reflect the night sky. All around there was lush vegetation ferns, tropical fruit trees, flowering shrubs and even a towering palm tree. Her skin prickled as she became aware of the steamy heat. She breathed in the scent of roses and jasmine. Her attention was riveted by a long, narrow, luxurious rectangular pool in the middle of the room.
The pool reminded her of an ancient Roman style bath. Steam rose off the pool's gently rolling waters and floated upward. The decadence was made complete by four carved columns anchoring the four corners. But the most curious aspect were the curving step like ledges starting at the top and descending in wider concentric curves to the bottom of the tub six feet down. There were two set of ledges facing each other. In the middle of the pool and floating between the ledges was a thin slab of luminous black marble on which sat two frozen margaritas and a deck of cards.
On top of smaller marbles pads floating randomly on the water were mysterious looking glasses and vials. The gently surging waters reflected the candlelight from the flickering candles lining the sides of the pool. Beyond the pool she could make out, a red chaise lounge big enough for two surrounded by large pillows strewn on the bed and about the floor around it. Next to the chaise was a pedestal on which sat a generous bowl of fruit.
Hermione made her way slowly around the room touching this, touching that. Snape followed her at a discreet distance hands in robe pockets saying "We need to establish the ground rules in effect for this game. I propose the following. First, all forfeits to be accomplished in the pool. Secondly, during a forfeit only the one who lost can touch the winner."
Hermione knelt by the pool and dipped a hand in the water. It was deliciously hot without scalding. Up close, she could now see tiny flower petals riding on the water. Smiling in delight and murmuring her approval, she took off her bolero and kept walking.
The red dress was spectacular under the bolero but by itself it took Snape's breath away. He shuffled his feet nervously and cleared his throat before continuing after her.
"Thirdly, the forfeit period is to last no more than 15 minutes. The candles will flicker once to indicate the start of the time period and will then flicker twice at the end of the time period." Snape watched her closely memorizing every undulating curve revealed by that sinful dress.
She looked up the palm tree feeling the rough bark under her hands. All the plants were planted in rich, dark soil. There wasn't a pot in sight. The red dress was lost in the vicinity of a dwarf orange tree. She walked on not noticing Snape standing stock still in stricken admiration as she sashayed towards the chaise in a black merry widow that fit her like a second skin complemented by stiletto heels and silky black stockings. The Head Girl had certainly dressed for the occasion. He would have to make sure that she knew how appreciative an audience she had.
"Fourth, as bets are placed, each player moves up one ledge." Snape's voice was hoarse but he persevered his words coming faster. "Fifth, if the winner objects or is uncertain about the bet or forfeit, then the winner can ask for a demonstration or explanation of what the loser intends to do prior to proceeding . Sixth, no wand use at any time."
She walked over the Persian rug to sit on the chaise. She ran a hand over the sensuous satiny coverlet. The pillows she could see had tantric runes embroidered on them. There was a robe obviously meant for her lying at the foot of the chaise. She motioned for Snape to sit next to her but he demurred. "I can't believe you did all this," she said. "All this just for ."
"This is nothing more than what a memory, your memory, deserves, Hermione," Snape said. "Do you agree?"
She needed to touch him to let him know by her touch if not her words how grateful she was. Since he was obviously keeping his distance she would have to come to him. She gracefully stood and approached him laying her hands on his lapels. "Exactly what am I agreeing to, Severus?"
"Five card stud, first, third and last cards down. We play three hands, best two out of three." Snape's hoarse whisper was a contrast to Hermione's playful tone. But that would change. She had seduced and provoked him into this encounter. Tonight, he was looking forward to being the seducer and provocateur.
"But, Severus, I feel that the consequence requirement needs more clarification," Hermione toyed with the belt on his robe fully aware of the waves of heat coming off this man. "I believe I am fully versed on the nature of the forfeit. But I am most unsure of the consequences. We should concentrate on that."
"Be assured you will have all my concentration on that topic when the time comes," Snape answered as Hermione playfully tugged on his belt and rubbed a leg up and down against one of his.
"Oh, and I'd like to add a rule, Severus. Seventh, during a forfeit anything above the water level is fair game."
Snape removed her hands gently from his person just as the belt unfurled and his robe opened. He dropped his voice to a low, dark purr saying "Agreed but you are still inappropriately attired."
Hermione's response came out as a strangled whisper as she saw what was underneath the robe - nothing, nothing at all. She did manage to say, "Undo me ... please."