Warning

This story is not suitable for readers under the age of seventeen. It contains sexual content, including some non-consensual, and may offend some readers. If this subject is offensive to you, please do not read this story.

Chapter 10 - Fire

Hermione had encountered Professor Dumbledore only once since that evening in the dungeon, and had been given no indication that he knew anything about what had happened, or that he had overheard any of the conversation he had interrupted. It had been over two weeks since the incident, and things had settled into a more comfortable state for Hermione and Snape.

They had spent several evenings working in the Potions classroom together and were enjoying each other's company more and more. Hermione insisted on not accepting too much assistance from the teacher ("It just wouldn't be fair, Severus!"), but was happy to improve her knowledge of Potions, through discussions of the subject, and ever more demanding quizzes.

"It's getting more difficult to catch you out, Ms. Granger," he commented, as she was able to explain in more detail than he'd expected, the effects of a particularly complex (not to mention gruesome) poison. What particularly interested Hermione about the man, which she had not been aware of before, was the depth of his knowledge of other subjects. They discussed everything from Muggle studies to Arithmancy, and Ancient Runes to Charms. She found it fascinating to hear alternative viewpoints and be able to discuss and challenge her theories in a way that she did not usually have the opportunity. Snape liked to play the role of Devil's Advocate, challenging her assumptions about even the basic concepts, then watching in amusement as she struggled to defend her position. Hermione found it a wonderful way to learn. She even managed to turn the tables when it came to Muggle Studies, where she was the clear authority, and Shakespeare, a love of which she had learned from her mother.

On two of their evenings, they were not alone. Although Hermione was the first of the sixth-years to begin her project, everyone else had to start their own at some point. Hermione was unique in her choice to combine her two favourite subjects into a combined project and mark. Everyone else had to choose two projects. Potions was not the most popular subject, and there were only two others who chose it. Both were in Hufflepuff, and had chosen to work on complimentary themes. Snape had found it amusing (carefully hidden, of course) when they had explained their idea to him. Alex Bale was studying the brewing of poisons, while Thomas Gem worked on the antidotes. The Potions Master approved both projects after first grilling them on their plans. Only Hermione could tell that his threat of failing both of them if either of them happened to die of poisoning was simply to cover his pleasure at their inventive concept. With Alex and Thomas in the dungeon, the four of them mostly worked in silence or in quiet discussion - Snape marking books, the students preparing, chopping, brewing and occasionally testing. It was a surprisingly peaceful atmosphere in the dungeons, and each of them seemed to find it productive.

Harry and Ron were also working on their projects, both choosing Care of Magical Creatures (a very popular subject), while Ron opted for Charms and Harry chose Transfiguration.

For the care of Magical Creatures projects, students were allowed to carry out either practical or theoretical assignments. The list of creatures available for practical care did not, understandably, contain dragons, so a highly disappointed Ron was forced to study them from a distance, using both his brother's knowledge and his own, limited, first hand experience of the subject. To be honest, Hagrid was far more disappointed than Ron about this omission from the list of allowable creatures. Hermione suspected that he had seen this as his opportunity (purely in the interest of the education of the class, of course) to try raising another Norwegian Ridgeback!

Harry's selected creature was less adventurous, but had the double advantages of not being illegal, and the fact that he happened to own one. ("You don't mind being my sixth-year project, do you, Hedwig?") He'd had the beautiful snowy owl since his eleventh birthday. Hagrid had bought her for him in Diagon Alley as a birthday present, the day that they had gone to buy Harry's things for his first term at Hogwarts. But even though they'd been together for so long, Harry realized that there were many things that he still had to learn about her, and found his project to be very enjoyable.

Both Ron and Harry now knew about the amount of time Hermione was spending working on her Potions / History project, but they were still suspicious about her behavior. They had told her of Hagrid's guess at what was going on, and she decided not to try to talk them out of this belief. It was at least partially true, in that she was sneaking off to spend time with a - a what? Hardly a boyfriend! A man? A lover? Unfortunately, knowing this partial truth didn't prevent them from wanting to find out the rest.

"Who is it, Hermione?" demanded Ron. "At least tell us what house he's in. He can't be in Gryffindor or we would have seen you!"

"He's not in Gryffindor," confirmed Hermione, quietly.

Harry joined in the attempts at persuasion. "Then which? - Not Slytherin!"

She couldn't help smiling inwardly at that. "No, he's not in Slytherin!" He's just the Head of House! Why couldn't they just drop this need to know who it was?

She had no way to know it, but things would only get worse.

In contrast to the previous class, where everything had gone so badly wrong, Potions lessons had now become quite fun for Hermione, although no-one would have believed it if she'd said so. Snape appeared to have reverted to his former loyalties and was once again showering the Slytherins with praise and deducting House Points from Gryffindor at every opportunity.

Snape had begun one lesson with a lecture about the sixth-year projects - amusing Malfoy no end when he informed Hermione, "Do not assume, Ms. Granger, that Professor Binns' leniency in marking will, in any way, influence the grade I assign."

Later during the lesson, her mind had wandered and he had caught her gazing at him. For a second, he was caught by surprise and she detected a hint of embarrassment before he pulled himself together. "Ms. Granger!" he snarled. "This is a Potions lesson, and I believe you have work to do."

"Sorry, Professor Snape."

He continued, with a sneer, "If you wish to daydream of your star-crossed lover, kindly do it in your own time!"

Her friends were infuriated by this. Hermione was relieved to find that, despite their current debate over the same issue, Harry and Ron were still willing to come to her defense and support against Snape - ironically, the one person from whom she needed no defense. Luckily, they mistook the expression on her face for anger at Snape, rather than seeing the truth, which was that she was trying desperately not to collapse in laughter!

Snape had, naturally, seen more of the Headmaster than Hermione had, but nothing had been said about the student, directly. Once or twice, over coffee in the staffroom, the Potions Master thought he had seen Dumbledore observing him pensively, but the fact that nothing was spoken convinced him that it was simply his own guilt making him so fearful of discovery that he was imagining things. Apart from his ongoing concerns about this, the time had been very enjoyable, and he was beginning to realize just how much Hermione Granger was coming to mean to him.

He smiled to himself as he watched her work. Her hair fell across her face as she pored over her neatly written notes, and she brushed it aside absently, oblivious to how endearing the action appeared to her teacher. Carefully, she measured out six drops of newt's blood and added them to the steaming cauldron in front of her. The result was not what she had predicted, judging by her face, but she appeared unconcerned and amended the notes on her scroll.

You have the objectivity of a true potion-brewer, he thought, watching her. And you're incredibly beautiful.

She was too engrossed in her work to notice when he quietly stood and approached her. It was only when he was almost beside her that she looked up with those wide eyes and smiled at him. How could a smile make his heart miss a beat like that? How could she affect him so much?

"See what I've found?" she asked, indicating her notes. "In each of the last four tests, the combination of Myth and newt's blood has had the effect of raising the boiling point of the potion, which explains why the potency has been increased." She picked up the newt's blood again, and raised it over the cauldron. "I'll try six more drops to see the effect."

"Let me help you," he offered. Stepping up behind her, he reached around and placed a hand over her own on the bottle. They poured the six drops carefully, and then stirred the mix, her hand guiding his as they did so. Calmly, Hermione picked up her wand with her other hand, and pointed it at the door. The lock clicked. In front of them, the mixture turned a deeper shade of red in response to the added ingredient. Snape moved to her scroll on the desk, picked up her quill and added to her notes in his own hand, then moved silently back to his position behind her. He reached out once again to 'help' her stir the cauldron.

The change in Hermione's position was so slight that Snape only gradually became aware of her pushing backwards so that their bodies touched. He reached up with his free hand to touch her hair, allowing it to slip though his fingers in a beautiful cascade, back to her shoulders.

"Did you want to help me or distract me?" Hermione asked softly.

Snape smiled. No question about that one. "I want to distract you," he murmured, truthfully.

Hermione continued stirring, as his hand left hers and slid up her arm to her shoulder. "Then you're doing an excellent job."

Moving slightly to the side, he reached up again to her hair and, gathering it in his hand, pushed it to one side to expose pale smooth skin. He thought he detected the slightest of sighs as his fingers gently stroked the back of her neck. He bent to kiss the same place, but stopped himself. Without allowing his lips to touch her, he gently blew a soft breath of air over the skin, this time eliciting a deeper sigh as she stopped stirring the cauldron. Her head fell slowly forward, exposing her neck to him and he responded by allowing his lips to touch her ever so gently.

His voice was hoarse and deep as he murmured, "You have a beautiful neck, Hermione." Her skin was warm under his touch, and her sighs seemed to reach all the way to his heart. He placed tiny kisses on her skin, feeling his passion grow at every moment.

With a hand on her shoulder and one under her chin, he turned her slowly and lifted her head to his. They kissed deeply and tenderly, their tongues meeting and their arms encircling each other. Hermione's body pressed close to his and he knew she could feel his arousal. Her arms caressed his back, making his whole body ache for her.

He pulled away from their kiss and gazed longingly into her eyes. "I want to take you to my bed."

The smile in return made him glow inside. "I thought you'd never ask!"

Snape's attention turned, just for a moment, to the still-simmering cauldron, and he muttered a single word. Immediately the potion cooled and darkened. Then he turned back and lifted Hermione lightly into his arms.

She barely noticed the journey through the 'door' at the back of the classroom and down the long corridors to Severus' rooms. Her eyes were locked on his face and her arms about his neck as he carried her, and she quickly found herself in his room. He set her on her feet and took her face in his hands, kissing her hungrily as she reached up for his robes.

What Severus had begun on her neck in the classroom, he now continued on the rest of her in his bedroom. Hermione found herself laying naked on his bed, while his gentle fingers stroked her back, sending shivers of pleasure through her body. His lips kissed her shoulders and made their way down her back. His hands massaged her muscles, relaxing her to the point where she could barely move, but when he rolled her onto her back, she stopped him.

"No, Severus," she whispered, pushing herself up on her elbows, "Lie down!"

He kissed her and did as she said. "What are you going to do with me?"

Good question. Her only experience of this was with Severus, and in their previous encounters, he had been leading her. She really wasn't sure how to please a man, other than by allowing her body to respond instinctively to his touch. She would just have to make this up as she went along. Gently, she pushed him down to the bed, and kissed him, running her hands over his bare chest as she did so.

As she explored his chest with her hands and tongue, she could tell the effect it was having on him. His nipples were firm as she flicked at them, and clearly as sensitive to her touch as hers were to his. A little nervously, her hand reached down to touch his hard penis, and stroked it gently, enjoying its unfamiliar shape and feeling.

What she enjoyed even more was the thrill she gained from his gasp as she tentatively took him in her mouth. Stroking the inside of his thighs with her fingers, she teased him with her lips, enjoying the fact that she could make him moan with her gentle movements.

"Hermione!" His voice was broken and unsteady. "This feels so wonderful - - - just there - - - a little slower - - - Oh, God! Hermione!" She followed his instructions, learning how to give him pleasure, and enjoying hearing him gasp out her name. His responses grew more intense, then he suddenly pulled her away from him, panting. "Wait!"

What was wrong? Had she hurt him?

"Not yet," he moaned. "I want to be inside you, Hermione."

Hermione called out his name feverishly, as he entered her. It was wonderful to feel him inside her. He thrust into her, the rhythmic pressure against her body arousing her to a state where she could think of nothing but him. Only the two of them existed or mattered as they held each other, and everything outside that room was just a fading dream. They climaxed together, calling each other's names and holding tightly as though they couldn't bear to let each other go. Hermione's fingernails once more cut into Snape's flesh, but this time, as a few drops of blood trickled down his back, he didn't object.