Chapter 31

Hermione sat reading through Amor Veritas, skimming over the various spells it contained to make certain that the Soul Bonding Spell she'd selected the night before was indeed the best one to use.

She blew out a long, almost silent sigh.

The good news was that the Love Bond Spell she'd shown to Severus was by far the most powerful spell mentioned in the book. The bad news? One of the requirements of the spell was that the two parties creating the Soul Bond had to abstain from sexual intercourse for two weeks before casting the spell.

The spell was completed when the Bonded couple made love and it noted that the long anticipation of the act made the release of the couple's passion all the more powerful, which contributed to the power and permanence of the spell.

Last night, she'd really wanted to take her former professor to bed, this time to consummate their love and not just their lust. The first time she'd had sex with Severus, lust had been the driving force. Love really hadn't entered into it at all.

The next time would be different.

But she'd have to wait. Though if truth be told, if she found an equally powerful spell that didn't specify that she had to refrain from sex for another week (thankfully it had already been one week since they'd first slept together), she'd be more than happy to use that one instead.

Hermione was brought out of her thoughts by the arrival of Severus.

He was looking especially grim.

Hermione knew he'd gone to tell Remus about what he'd had to promise Voldemort. Hermione could only imagine what Remus must be feeling right now. To be forced into something so torturous, especially after everything that happened, feeling all the pain of his transformations because of the modified potion and receiving the news that Nymphadora was going to have twins; the thought of what he'd go through made Hermione's heart sick.

"How did he take it?" Hermione ventured to ask.

"As well as could be expected," Severus replied, meeting her gaze openly, his eyes hiding nothing from her. "He'll come here tomorrow."

"What did he say?"

Severus sat down on the sofa beside her.

"He made a point to tell me that he doesn't blame me for this, though if I were in his shoes I rather doubt that I could say the same. But then, Remus never was one to lie about his feelings."

"What exactly did you tell him?"

Severus's eyes became eerily grave.

"I hid nothing from him. He knows that Bellatrix Lestrange will take a sexual interest in him and that he will have to satisfy her in order to keep from betraying his true loyalty."

Hermione didn't say anything for a long moment.

"That's going to destroy him," she said quietly.

Severus made no attempt to gainsay her.

"Bellatrix killed Sirius," he told her. "I'm am certain that pleasuring her will be more painful than any form of torture Voldemort could inflict."

"Remus and Sirius were like brothers weren't they?"

Severus exhaled a breath.

"No, Hermione. They were lovers."

It took Hermione a few seconds to absorb the information.

"That'll make it even worse for him,"

"Yes, it will. I'm sure he wants to kill her."

"This ordeal could really change him. After he gets through this, . . . I'll be surprised if he doesn't have serious issues regarding sex with women. It might take him a long time before he feels comfortable about making love with Nymphadora, he may involuntarily keep thinking of Bellatrix when he's intimate with her. For both of their sakes I really hope that doesn't happen. Remus deserves to be happy."

"Unfortunately, Hermione, people don't always get what they deserve."

"I know that," she said softly.

Hermione looked into the depths of Severus's eyes which were no longer a cold mask hiding what he was truly feeling.

"I did some more reading today," she told him. "I'm pretty confident that by bonding your soul to mine, the headaches you have will completely go away."

She gave him a small smile. Severus weakly returned it.

"I cannot deny that I've fallen in love with you. Days ago I wouldn't have been able to believe that I'd ever say that. But it's true."

Hermione's smile deepened.

"I hope you know that I'd never be able to look at another man the way I look at you. No man can hold a candle to you, Severus. I'd hate to think of what I'd do if I had to live my life apart from you." Hermione held his gaze steadily and her smile turned decidedly sexual. "I know that no other man could possibly measure up."

Severus's expression turned into a smirk.

"My, my, Miss Granger, one might conclude that you're purposefully insinuating something altogether wicked,"Severus intoned, his silky baritone a low purr.

Hermione raised her brows in mock surprise.

"Why Severus whatever do you mean?"

Severus let out a light snort, eliciting a peal of laughter from Hermione.

"As of late, I've been thinking more and more that you were sorted into the wrong House,"

"Mmm, I do look good in green if I do say so myself," said Hermione.

"I think you look better in nothing at all," Severus half growled.

Hermione grinned.

"Well, I can't go prancing around naked for you in public, but when we're alone that's a different story,"

Severus sent her a look that plainly said that he would hold her to that statement. Hermione warmed under his hot gaze.

She really wished that they didn't have to follow through with the abstaining from sex thing. The proof of her desire was pooling at her core. She moved her eyes from Severus's face and glanced down.

She could plainly see that he wished the very same thing.

She swallowed. What could she say?

"I really hate the fact that you can't make love to me right now,"

"What have I told you before?"

"That good things come to those who wait,"

"Indeed." He took a step closer to her. "And I guarantee that I'll make the experience well worth your wait."

"Six more nights, but it seems like an eternity."

"Yes, but remember that this is what makes the spell powerful. If it were easy to do this, there would be no build up of anticipation and thus no build up of pure, unadulterated, intense passion."

Hermione nearly shivered at his words.

Pure, Unadulterated, Intense, Passion

Hermione wondered if it were possible for a woman to orgasm from just hearing a man's voice. In her current state she was quite willing to believe that it was possible.

Damn.

And they had to last an entire six nights?

If things continued as they were, it was going to be the longest six nights of Hermione's life.

But oh how sweet the powerful release will be when it finally comes.

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, the next one will be much longer I promise. :-)