Chapter 18

The week of detention with Snape had gone well. Snape was sure Hermione felt comfortable enough around him, and the idea pleased him. Hermione was glad for the intelligent conversation. She had talked about her potions ideas, graded first and second year work as well, made potions for the infirmary and got a look at Snape's extensive library. Thursday night when he assigned Hermione to arrange the books, she took one look at the tomes and uttered, "Oh my God." Snape chuckled softly. The way she walked to the books, caressed them while licking her lips, it seemed she was lustful over them.

If she can get that way about a bunch of books, imagine what can happen….Severus, easy there. Take your time man. She's just beginning to trust you.

Friday morning at breakfast, Hermione asked about Quidditch. Her friends all looked at each other.

Oh? they all thought.

"Our reserve chaser has been okay. We lost to Ravenclaw last game as you know and have to play Hufflepuff again. Are you interested?" Ron ventured.

"Maybe."

"Well, practice is today after lunch, you remember, our free period. It's cold, so dress warm. Hope to see you there, Mione," Ron said.

Hermione smiled at the group and stood up. This did not go unnoticed by Snape. She really looked good when she smiled.

"Coming Harry? We have a potions test."

She looked over to the staff table and gave Snape a small grin. He nodded back.

Later that day

Hermione sat and stared at her broom for a full ten minutes before picking it up and going to the quidditch pitch. The rest of the team was already there. They knew not to make a big deal about it, as Hermione was feeling self-conscious enough these days, so Ron casually continued quidditch strategy, or what he called "battle plans." Practice went well, and Hermione was a little hesitant, but she flew well and left the pitch feeling better about herself than she had in a long time.

After practice, she sauntered down the corridors to her room, daydreaming about nothing in particular. Taking her hair down, the voice of Snape behind her startled her out of her deliberation.

"Sir! You startled me!"

"My apologies Miss Granger. Practice went well?" Her hair was windblown. She was panting slightly, flushed pink from the cold and her eyes were bright.

Charming!

"Yes sir, it was fun. I look forward to the match tomorrow."

"You're playing then?"

"Yes sir."

"Very well, good luck then. See you this evening, Miss Granger."

That evening was the last night of detention with Snape. In all honesty, it did not seem like detention to either the professor or the student. Tonight would be the culmination of what Snape had dubbed "The Trust Building Process." He needed to visit the apothecary in Diagon Alley to replenish his supply for class, that part was true. He could have waited until Saturday to go, but that would mean two things: he would miss the quidditch match and miss a prime opportunity to be alone with Hermione again. Plotting yet again, he asked permission to take Hermione on his apothecary visit Friday evening. It was granted. So when she arrived at his class for the last detention, he said,

"I hope you dressed warmly, Miss Granger. We will be going out for the evening."

"Excuse me?"

"I need to replenish my potions stock, and the apothecary in Diagon Alley is really the only proper place to get all the materials I need. You are to accompany me. So are you dressed warmly?"

"No sir, I suppose not."

"Very well, go fetch the appropriate clothing then we will go."

She rushed from the room. A few minutes later she returned with a heavy cloak and sweater.

"We will apparate there. Have you apparated that distance yet?"

"No sir."

"Take my hand then. I'll apparate us together."

She hesitated as he held a hand out.

"Come come Miss Granger, don't you trust me?" he asked with one eyebrow raised.

She sighed, took his hand and they disappeared with a pop. They arrived in front of a bookshop. Hermione, new to apparating, stumbled a bit as they arrived. She was steadied by Snape, his hand on the small of her back.

"You'll get used to it," he added.

"I believe the apothecary is that way, sir," she said pointing down the street.

"So it is."

They arrived at the apothecary and split the list to make shopping faster. A half hour later, shopping done, bags in hand, Snape asked casually,

"Miss Granger. As I am a tad thirsty, would you mind if we stopped for a brief time to get some refreshments? I know you must have friends to get back to."

"Not at all sir, that would be great. I must confess that when I went back to my room, I grabbed some money. I am out of some things and was going to ask if we could stop and get them while we were here."

"Where would like to go Miss Granger?"

"Hmm, let's see. First the candy shop and then Fortescues for drinks and ice cream? They do have the best," Hermione declared.

"Lead the way, madam."

Hermione chuckled at the teasing propriety.

At a new store called The Sweet Tooth, Hermione replenished her own stock of white chocolate candy bars, cherry lollipops and chocolate-covered raspberries. She made small talk with the clerk, who was obviously flirting.

And if I'm not mistaken, she's flirting back! he realized jealously.

"My parents would have a fit over this candy," she quipped to Snape.

At Fortescues, Snape ordered a warm apple cider, while Hermione ordered a treat called "Death By Chocolate Ice Cream Sundae." They sat a table and enjoyed the treat. Hermione took a bite, groaned and said,

"Death by chocolate, they're right. I could die happy right now. You should really taste this sir."

"I'll take your word for it, Miss Granger."

Was she ever enjoying the ice cream! The way she was eating it was positively alluring. And from the looks she was getting from the other patrons, she had no idea that what she was doing was so alluring.

She lapped any remaining chocolate off the spoon and licked her lips. She took the strawberries in the bowl and dipped them in the chocolate. He watched as her lips caressed the strawberries when she bit into them, then she attempted to catch some chocolate dribbling down her chin with her tongue. At that point, Snape was grateful for the robe he was wearing to hide his growing erection. It took all the effort he could muster to retain his composure.

They should rename the treat Death By Erotic Ice Cream Sundae.

Clearing his throat and shifting in his seat, he waited until she was finished.

"Are you quite through Miss Granger?"

"Yes, that was delicious. I'm glad we stopped in."

"It is time we started back. You have a match tomorrow and need your rest. We can leave from here. Shall we?" he held out his hand.

Her breath caught in her throat at the way he said 'shall we'. It almost sounded like a purr. They appeared at the gates of Hogwarts.

"Do you need help with this stuff Professor?"

"No. You should tend to your patrols then retire for the evening. Good luck again with the match tomorrow. Good evening Miss Granger."

She was almost disappointed that the evening had come to an end.

See Ginny? This is why I prefer older men. Mature conversation, good manners and not trying to get in my knickers the whole time!

She went to find the prefects supposed to be on patrol, talked with them then went to her room for a good night's sleep.

She was in the shower, a man's hands lathering her body from behind. Slowly building the lather, he started at her neck. Moving his hands to her chest, the hands worked small circles around her hardening nipples then massaged her breasts. She moaned in pleasure when he softly kissed then nibbled her neck below her ears. She could feel his erection on her ass. His hands traveled down her stomach, lightly touching her sides with his fingertips, sending shivers throughout her aroused body from the tickling sensation. His hands lightly squeezed her ass then moved around the front. He pressed on her throbbing vaginal folds then a finger searched for her clit….She asked wantonly,

"Can we move this to the other room?"

"Shall we?" the voice purred in return.

Hermione bolted to a sitting position from her sleep. In a cold sweat, she realized how incredibly aroused she was. There was only one person she knew of that said "Shall we" like that.

Merlin's shoelace, what a dream! Was there something in the ice cream? Had I kept on dreaming, I would have been shagging Professor Snape! And why am I not creeped out by the thought?

She jumped out of bed, ran out of her room to the Gryffindor common room door, said, "Note bene" to the fat lady then rushed in. Noticing Harry and Ron she said, "Hi Harry, hi Ron" as she hurried to the girls dormitories. Getting to Ginny's bed she shook her saying, "Ginny, I have got to talk to you."

"Hermione Jane Granger, at three in the morning, this better be good."