Thanks so much for the reviews! This chapter is a little bit, but I loved writing the first half of it :P lol

So, um, I'd like tips on what I can do to improve my writing..

Andrea

Chapter 21 – I am strong when I am on your shoulders

The temperature in Severus' bedroom was high and he couldn't sleep. As usually, there was too much to worry about to get a decent sleep. Slowly, he shifted position and glanced through the wall at Hermione. She wasn't sleeping either, instead she was turning and tossing, he noticed. He looked at his wrist watch and found out that it was almost three o'clock in the morning. Once again, he yawned of fatigue and turned his pillow to the other side. One more time, his eyes fell on Hermione and he moaned slightly. He really wanted to be next to her, but that was impossible.

To his surprise, he saw Hermione stand up and she left her room in only a white nightgown.

Before thinking twice he stood up and grabbed his robe. What if Hermione was on her way somewhere? 'Hardly.' A voice said in his head. Quietly he opened his door and found Hermione mere inches from him. Apparently she'd been on her way to him.

"Explain yourself." He muttered and gazed at her.

"What? I was just up to take a glass of water." She lied quickly and blushed, but fortunately Severus wasn't able to see it, since the room was in total darkness.

"Sure you were. In my room?" He rose an eyebrow doubting.

"I wasn't on my way to your room, Sir. I was on my way to the bathroom." Hermione nodded at the bathroom door.

"Do never lie to me, Hermione." He hissed, oblivious that he sent shivers along her back. "You were on your way to my room and I'm wondering why."

"I couldn't sleep." She whispered softly.

"Granger, pray tell, what on earth has your insomnia to do with me?"

"I needed company, Sir, I…" Her voice trailed off and she looked down. She'd hope he wouldn't notice her sneaking into his room, and that she would wake up before him in the morning. Slowly she raised her head again. "Can I come in, Severus?" She asked softly.

"Didn't I tell you that we weren't to be more than friends?" His voice faded away as he saw her face in the ray of light that entered the magic window. "Oh, well, this time. But don't expect it to be a habit." He stepped away from the doorway and allowed her to enter.

"Thank you."

Severus closed the door after him and undressed his robe. Hermione's eyes widened as she noticed he was wearing nothing but a pair of boxers.

"What are you looking at, girl? Surely you didn't think I was sleeping in that robe?" Severus smirked, obviously quite amused with her reaction. He slipped into his bed and looked at her questioningly.

Hermione couldn't help but giggle. She suddenly felt so naked where she stood; her nightgown wasn't hiding a lot.

"Are you just going to stand there?" He sighed annoyingly. "Well, if that's how you spend your nights, it's fine with me." 'She looks so small' he thought. Her nightgown was hardly hiding anything and he noticed she was wearing nothing under. 'When she has all her clothes on, she certainly looks like a woman. Now, she's more like a girl who's afraid of the dark. But she's still the shape of a woman. Just not the waist. Gods, she's thin. Very thin. And she's shaking. It's not that cold in here is it?' He thought. "Oh, you come here, silly girl." He muttered and pulled the covering down a bit. He noticed her hesitation but then she made her mind and approached the bed nervously. 'What is she afraid of?'

Hermione placed her comfortable in the bed and pulled the covering up to her chin but she was still shaking like an asp leaf.

"Are you cold?" He whispered, for once his voice was filled with affection to her surprise.

"Yes..." She smiled weakly.

Severus pulled an arm around her thin waist and pulled her closer. He was astonished that she was so small, so vulnerable. Not what he'd expected her to be, but she was still very beautiful. Carefully he hugged her tighter and felt how she snuggled closer. After a couple of minutes he felt her relax, but he noticed she wasn't asleep yet.

"Why can't we be together? What am I doing wrong?" She asked silently, not really expecting him to answer, since she thought he was asleep.

"You're not doing anything wrong, dear. It's just so much that is against us. The code of conduct, Albus and Lord Voldemort for example. You don't want to know what you will have to endure if I bring you to our next meeting. I don't want you to take that risk. It is dangerous to have a relationship with me, I need you to understand. I promise to make it up to you after you've graduated, or after Voldemort has died." Severus explained patiently.
"I think I understand. But why are you allowing me to sleep in your bed?" She murmured.

"Because I thought you needed it. You looked so vulnerable. Hermione, I am seriously concerned about your health. I don't want to have to force you to eat, but maybe that's the only way?" He pulled down the covering and placed a hand on her stomach. His hand slid over it over and over again, and up to her ribs. He felt her body tense as he touched it. "You're so thin. You really are beautiful, Hermione, but you'd be even more beautiful if you gained a few pounds. There's no flesh here."
"I'm not that thin, it just looks so through the nightgown." She whispered and smiled as her body relaxed when she felt that his hands wouldn't do it any harm. "Take a look."

"You're not wearing anything under." He hesitated.

"I know." She said confidently.

Slowly he pulled her nightgown up and uncovered her stomach. He smiled as he saw it raise and lower when she breathed. His hands caressed her stomach and he watched it for a few seconds but then his eyes went down to her lower regions and continued along her legs. "You really are beautiful." He murmured honestly and started to pull her nightgown down again.

"No, not yet." She objected. "Touch me, there. Please."
"Where?" Severus stopped in his movements.

"You know where…" She said and looked into his dark eyes.

"Hermione, I can't." He protested, frowning.

"I want you to. Please." She begged.

Carefully, his fingers began to wander away from her stomach, making their way to her genital area. Softly he allowed two fingers to slip over her vagina and to his surprise, she didn't move away from him. In fact, her whole body signalled that it wanted to be touched more by his long fingers. He slipped one finger into her vagina and noticed that she was wet.

'Because of me? Unbelievable' Severus thought. Her skin was really soft and warm. He bent down and kissed her belly, not knowing if he dared to taste her. Her whole body was shivering of pleasure, he noticed happily. Severus let another finger slip into her now and penetrated her with two fingers. She started moaning slightly and really seemed to enjoy his movements. Carefully he broke his contact with her lower regions and pulled her nightgown down again, with a small smile playing on his lips. He bent over her and kissed her on her lips and his smile widened.

"Thank you." She murmured.

"My pleasure." He grinned and pulled the covering over them. "You better sleep now, Hermione. Time's four o'clock in the morning."

"You're right. You better go to sleep as well." She said, her eyes twinkling with happiness.

"I'm fine. I'm used to sleep only a few hours. But you need your beauty sleep."

"You need to sleep as well." She giggled but stopped as she saw his glance. "Okay, you're right. Good night, then."

"Good night, my beauty." Severus kissed on the forehead and sighed happily.