I'm so very sorry for letting it go this long between updates. This has really become a very long story, still have a ton more planned. I went through a bad batch of writer's block followed by some emergency surgery that gave me more writer's block. Good news is I'm recovered now and back into writing, more regularly. I read every review and I really appreciate the last two or three that told me to get back on the horse. Thanks!

-SnapeSage

Chapter 21

More Secrets and More Snogging

"You can't?" Severus said, his heart slowly sinking down like a stone in water. He kept his face still and unchanged. "No, Hermione. No, you promised me you would let it be."

"Wh- what?" Hermione's eyes were wide, almost pleading and desperate.

"You promised me you would let my future obligations be for now! What other obstacle could there be between us?"

Her arms were still wrapped around his neck, and she wore her feelings on her face. Sadness, pain, and… guilt.

Realizing, Severus' eyes widened, and the stone sank completely. He tried to keep himself from deflating before her.

No! Not again! Fucking shite, not again!

"There is another." He said quietly, sure of what the guilt on her face meant. Severus swung his hair forward slightly to be prepared to hide behind it.

"No!" She protested, but her face faltered slightly. "No- not…" She bit her lip and closed her eyes. "There was another," she clarified. Hermione opened her eyes, meeting his. "Nothing ever came of it, of my feelings for him."

"Yet you still feel something," Severus said flatly.

Hermione bit her lip again and looked away. "Yes," she said hoarsely. "I do."

"And this is why you cannot be my girlfriend?" Severus forced himself to keep his voice calm and level. He had to keep his voice from becoming raw with pain.

"It… it wouldn't be fair to you," she said in a small voice, still looking away.

"Then you say I have no hope?" He scowled, his volume rising desperately. "No hope of competing with a man who does not return your affection when I would be completely devoted-"

Hermione's head whipped back to him just as he was growing heated. "Quite the opposite, Severus! You misunderstand me! It's not that you have no hope, it's that you have far too much hope…" She swallowed thickly as Severus moved closer into her embrace. "I cannot agree to it! I cannot agree to- to falling and hurting and being hurt-"

"Hermione," Severus exhaled, heart rising quickly out of his chest again in elation.

Convince her, do whatever you can!

He grabbed her face in each hand again, eyes dark, wide and insistent. "Fall. Fall and let me catch you."

"Severus…" Hermione said. Her eyes shone with desire and accompanying hesitancy.

"I beg of you," He growled, cupping her face. "Allow me this chance."

She had not even enough time to nod her head fully before he kissed her languidly and sweetly, determined to kiss her into agreement. He held her face gently as if he might break her. He entreated her softly with his lips again and again, resolved to wear her down like waves crashing against the eroding rocks. After a few long and lazy sucks, he lowered his hands away from her face and turned his head at a better angle to strengthen his kisses. She was melting into him now.

Severus placed his hands firmly on her hips, grasping a little tightly in his excitement. She fisted her hands in his hanging hair, which he took as encouragement to speed up and press her back against the wall as he had before. Hermione gasped.

It was the most intoxicating feeling to kiss her when she kissed him back so eagerly. Heat rushed through his entire body, warming away the icy dread that had been there only a few moments before. He was kissing a beautiful, willing witch.

She wants me. She wants ME!

God, all his masturbatory fantasies didn't compare to actual touch, actual feel, actual Hermione with her wild hair and sweat and kisses and honey musky smell.

Hermione struggled to speak between frantic kisses. "Oh Severus… mmph… we…uh…we should…"

She was too tempting. She couldn't kiss him like this and not expect him to try his luck.

He stood so his trousers were flush against her, the heat that had spread to his groin and was urging him onward all too apparent. "Oh no Hermione… ahhh… allow me to… ohh… press my advantage…"

Severus knew she must feel something pressing into her and he paused to see her reaction. He couldn't help but grin as she flushed but continued to kiss him and arch into him. When he clutched her hips tighter and thrust against her with his lean, lithe form, she moaned. She fucking moaned.

He knew he should slow this down, despite his warring call within him to never ever stop even if it meant disrobing in the library.

He moved his lips fervently against hers, debating on his next move. He had to ensure her answer first.

"My girlfriend," he hissed in her ear after abruptly breaking their kiss. Hermione shuddered at the sound of his voice and he smirked, lowering it to heighten the effect. "Though if you insisted on nothing more, I would settle for being yourconsort…"

Severus chuckled wickedly as she gasped in surprised consternation, turning redder at the mention of consorting. "Girlfriend," she whispered embarrassedly, not meeting his eyes. "I'll be your girlfriend."

"You are certain? No going back on your word now."

He held his breath, dark eyes intently waiting for more assurance than she had given. As much as he had wanted to kiss her into submission, his chest would crack in two at the thought of her submitting unwillingly.

She smiled and continued to blush before shyly meeting his eyes behind some stray frizzy curls. "I would love to be your girlfriend, Severus," she said with a small smile. "Just… just be patient with me. Don't promise me anything you don't mean or you would break…" she hesitated, but must have decided to continue on. "You would break my heart."

"You do me the highest honour," he said quite seriously. "I shall not abuse that."

They gazed intently at each other, and Severus leaned forward and kissed her lightly to seal the promise. He kept the kiss gentle and quite controlled in comparison to the previous ones. When Hermione began to push forward and open her lips for more, he pulled away.

He breathed in her ear in a low purr, inhaling the sweet smell of her curls as he did so. "I do not make promises lightly. I promise you that you shall have all of my affection, all of my desires. I will take no consort, Hermione, and you will not look for one for yourself. You will allow me to plead my case to your heart and you must forget anyone who came before me."

You will be mine. You are mine. Never leave me.

He couldn't say that.

Severus nodded and stalked away somewhat abruptly before he lost the little self-control he had remaining. He gathered his books and bag from the library table, feeling Hermione slowly emerge from the stacks from behind his back. He smirked wickedly. Even with his back turned he could tell she was walking a bit unsteadily on her feet.

He wished he had enough self-resolve to walk away confidently without a glance, but she approached the table before he was gone. Severus swiveled and yanked her into his arms for a quick snog as she gave a delighted squeal.

He nearly groaned with relief. It was pure bliss, like sinking into a hot bath after a long, aching Quidditch practice. Like the small reprieve of eating dark chocolate when he was so miserable he thought he'd never get out of bed. That was what holding her and kissing her was like. It was comfort, that's what it was. When did "Severe Arse", "Snivellus" ever get comfort? How could he leave the room when the source of his comfort was right here, kissing him sweetly and making those eyes at him?

Intoxicating.

It was only supposed to be a quick snog, but his hands started drifting to her blouse and Hermione pulled away. "Now Severus," she chided sternly, removing his hands. Her eyes were playful, and he knew she wasn't angry. "Time to go," she said, smiling. Her face glowed and she looked happy.

He huffed in protest, but reluctantly let her out of his arms. He felt like the most blithering sop when he nearly rushed to her again and insisted they sleep the night in the library, kissing until they fell asleep. He was sure if she agreed to it then would be the best fucking sleep he had ever gotten.

Somehow he made his way out of the library without Hermione. Without his Hermione- his girlfriend! He had a girlfriend!

It was hard to remember that it was after curfew, and he should be quiet instead of grinning and roaring in triumph as he stalked his way down the corridor. He managed to keep himself to a wide smirk and a swift, billowing walk back to the dungeons.

He would be victorious in this battle if he wasn't in any other.

The promise of power, control over his circumstances, protection from bodily harm… they all paled in comparison to the promise- no, the mere possibility- of being loved.

Hermione arrived back quite late, but Marina heard her come in.

"Oh good," she whispered, so as not to wake her sister or Arabella. "You're finally back. What did you learn from Snape?"

"I- oh I- nothing. Nothing yet, but… but we're talking again."

"Gods, he's a difficult one to crack, isn't he?" Marina sulked and lay back on her bed. "I bet if you shagged him, he'd spill all his secrets!" She whispered loudly.

Hermione turned before she gave herself away, even in the dark.

Damn Marina and her damn commentary! It was enough to give Hermione a jolt of reality to remove her from the infatuated haze she had stumbled back to the tower in.

She quickly dressed and put herself to bed, unable to sleep with both sheer happiness and nagging guilt.

She had nearly told him everything, had nearly mentioned Lily. Hermione had tried to keep her resolve, say no to Severus, but it was so much harder than she had imagined. Severus was insistent, was dark and intense, and she hadn't kissed him in so long… and she wanted to say yes! She wanted him!

If the Severus Snape from her time had begged her to be his girlfriend she would have actually shouted yes. She would have snuck around to see him despite the unsteady line between student and teacher they were crossing. When someone that intensely devoted wants to have you for themselves, the answer could only be just as firm and unwavering. It would have to be an elated yes or a furious no, and there was nothing in between.

Severus had guessed incorrectly at her hesitance, imagining that there was some other man involved instead of that there was some strange time travel element and that he would later dedicate his life to a an entirely different woman who married someone else and died young. Ironically enough, there was another man involved for Hermione, even if the only difference was twenty years of experience.

Hermione was not over that older Severus either, even as she fell in love with the younger one. After all, didn't a growing knowledge of the younger man contribute to the fascinating picture of the elder? What changes would she get to see, what mysteries would finally be answered?

What changes was she making, if any?

That last question gave her the nagging guilt.

The next few weeks in which November turned into December were a bit of a blur. The wind was biting outside, and frost covered the ground most mornings. In early December, snow began to fall and the grounds were blanketed in white, dusty flakes. The dungeons were especially chilly, which is why Severus rose quite early to head to the Room of Requirement.

Severus had no guards accompany him so early in the morning, which is why Hermione was concerned enough to rise early as well to check on him. This is how they frequently found themselves kissing and disheveled on a long couch in front of a roaring fire, in a room that looked very little like a gym.

Each snogging session started innocently enough, for Severus was chilled thoroughly and Hermione was determined to hug and kiss him back to warmth. After the third time, she started to get wise to the fact that he was perfectly capable of using warming charms, however poorly insulated the dungeons were. She didn't mention this discovery. He continued to show up with freezing cold skin and fiery eyes and she would tut and kiss him back to a normal body temperature.

When he returned to the normal body temperature, they began to get carried away.

Severus' frantic kissing was becoming more practiced, and he had figured out the affect his voice had on her, especially if he used endearments. He was trying them all out, determined to figure out which ones fit her. Every morning Hermione would have a fierce snogging and touching session with Severus occasionally whispering, "ah yes, Sweet", "Darling," and a few other incoherent things that made her breathless.

It was getting more and more difficult to focus on any of the things she was supposed to be focusing on.

Elpida had snapped at her the other day for spacing out, yet again. "Stop it, Annie," she hissed. "Did you hear what I said?"

"I- oh…" Hermione sighed deeply. She'd been caught in another daydream recollection of that morning. "I'm sorry Ellie. What was it?"

"I've gotten a conditional offer in the Department of Transportation." Ellie replied with a bit of emotion in her voice. She appeared someone hurt that her friend hadn't been paying attention. "If you're interested, I bet I could get you an interview. That is, if you focused more on studying so you could get good N.E.W.T. scores," she said, chiding her with a slight grin.

Hermione sputtered in response and flushed, dragging the book closer to her and mumbling apologies. Ron and Harry's mouths would drop just to see how far the tables had turned. Thank God Ellie was at least keeping her on track, or she'd forget her head.

They studied in silence for a few more moments before Ellie spoke again.

"I thought you should know, since you seemed worried about Lily. I think I know one reason she's been distracted. Lily and James have started dating," Ellie said quietly. "I wasn't supposed to know yet, but I went looking for her at an odd time and I stumbled upon… well, you can guess."

Hermione frowned. "They couldn't have been doing anything in the corridors."

"Just snogging," Ellie said, shrugging. "I was surprised they would since they have their own private suites to do that in."

Hermione realized James Potter's pureblood ancestry might be enough to keep virginity an important part of his family traditions. To secure the magical bloodline, hadn't Callie said?

"Perhaps they don't want to take advantage of it," Hermione said. "After all, Sirius Black has been implying that they should use the suites for just that purpose…"

Hermione trailed off as she saw the very subject of the conversation approaching. Lily looked in good spirits as she walked briskly toward the library table with Marina and Calliope in tow.

Everyone said a few hellos as the books came out and the quills, ink, and parchment were spread around the large table. Calliope delved quickly into her books, but Marina chatted for a few minutes before they got started. Soon there was only the turning of pages and scratching of quills to be heard when Hermione found her mind wandering back to Severus again, her eyes drifting away from the page of her book.

Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione spotted Lily fidgeting with her quill. After a few moments, it became clear to her that Lily did not have the upcoming Transfiguration quiz on her mind.

Ellie was better at being blunt. "What is it, Lily?" The tall blonde said, sitting up and looking at her.

"You've already spilled the beans, Ellie, haven't you?" Lily sighed dramatically. "For the record, everyone," she said, turning and making sure everyone at the table was listening, "James and I are dating. He's also coming to stay with my family for the winter holidays."

"I knew it!" Marina shrieked, earning a hissing shush from Madam Pince from across the room.

Calliope gave a small smirk as she pushed her thick-rimmed glasses up her nose. "I surmised as much," she said smugly.

"What, ugh! So, you all knew?" Lily was a bit disappointed that her news was not as shocking as she had guessed it would be.

"If it's any consolation," Hermione said, trying to hold back a smile. "I only just officially found out."

The next few minutes had the girls distracted from studying by talk of dating, the Slug Club Christmas party, and the winter holidays. Lily would be meeting her sister Petunia's fiancé for the first time, and she was thinking of bringing James and hoping the two would get along. Calliope would be going to visit her uncle in London, the McKinnon girls would be headed home, and Elpida would be staying behind at Hogwarts. No one even asked Hermione. They knew as a transfer student, she couldn't go home.

Lily began debating which of her dress robes she should wear to the Slug Club party which changed the topic to that event. Marina, Lily, Elpida, and Hermione were all Slug Club members, so they had invites to the Christmas party. Calliope alone of the group would be left out, they realized.

"Unless you find a member to ask you as a date," Marina said.

"Hmm, that's a good point Cal," Lily said. "I'm sure we can find someone to ask you as a plus one."

"Mateo Reinero?" Ellie said thoughtfully. Hermione thought she caught a teasing twinkle in her eye.

"Of course not!" Callie said, turning pink. "Wouldn't want him getting the wrong idea."

"Someone as just a friend, then?" Hermione said, remembering her mistake in picking Cormac McLaggen as her date. Harry had had the right idea in bringing Luna.

"How about Remus Lupin?" Ellie suggested. "He would be understanding-"

"Oh no no no," Marina chimed in. "He fancies-" Lily grabbed her arm. "Well, anyway not a good plan, that."

"How about Snape then, as he's in Slug Club?" Lily said. A hush came over the group and everyone looked at her. "I think it's a good idea," she said, wide-eyed and innocent. "Callie has been polite to the Slytherins and kept good rapport. It allows her to go to the party and… well, maybe she'll find something out from Snape. You still haven't made any headway in that, have you Anna?" Lily finished, raising an eyebrow at Hermione.

She knows.

She can't know, there's no way she could know, but somehow she knows. She knows I fancy him, she knows I'm jealous of Callie, and… could she even know we're dating?

Hermione took a deep breath, subconsciously shifted her occlumency shields around and did her best to appear nonchalant.

"That might be a good plan, Lily," she said calmly. Ellie narrowed her eyes and glanced quickly between Callie and Hermione.

"However, I have actually made some headway," she added. The other girls held their breaths and kept a rapt attention on Hermione.

How to throw them a bone without telling them anything at all? I'll have to update Severus as soon as I can.

"Now that we've reconciled, he trusts me," Hermione said carefully. "Unfortunately, he believes in the cause wholeheartedly, but… I don't think he's participated in anything yet."

"But he wants to?" Lily said icily.

"I… Lily, you have to understand-"

"He's sick. Disgusting. I'm glad I stepped back from him when I could."

"Don't write him off," Hermione protested, though Marina was giving her a suspicious look. "I don't agree with any of this either, but I'm hoping… I'm hopeful…"

"Are you trying to persuade him to abandon those ideals?" Callie prompted, frowning as if trying to solve a riddle.

"It's not a matter of persuading," Hermione said. "He absolutely could not be persuaded if I tried- and I have, believe me, he's as stubborn as a mule. However, he's incredibly intelligent. If he… if he saw evidence on his own that this ideology, this movement is evil, then I know he would change his mind."

"Oh, so he just hasn't dipped his toe in far enough for your liking yet?" Lily said sarcastically. "Was he involved in the killings of the Potters or not? How much murder has he gotten involved in that should change his mind?"

"He…" Oh God, I hope this isn't betraying him. I can't leave it at this! "…okay, let me preface this by saying that I don't think he's lying to me… I just think he's being naïve or misinformed."

Ellie's eyes widened. "You've been holding something back," she said, a tone of hurt in her voice.

"No! No, it's just that it's a nonanswer, so I didn't think it worth mentioning. He said the Potters' deaths were faked or… or at least that it wasn't the Death Eaters who killed them."

There was stone silence from the table. Elpida had turned an odd shade of puce which was hard to interpret, Marina's mouth was wide open in shock, Calliope's eyes were narrowed behind her glasses, and Lily… Lily had almost no visible facial reaction.

"You're sure he isn't stringing you along, Anna?" She said finally. "We could all be playing into his hands. He feeds you false information to give to us and send us running in circles while the Death Eaters kill off the rest of our families."

"This is why I never brought it up earlier," Hermione said, gritting her teeth to keep her temper. "I thought it was nothing important."

"Well," Callie said brusquely. "It may be nothing, but…"

"Yes, that's right." Lily nodded her head. "You should report it anyway."

Callie nodded sharply and rose from her chair, collecting her things. "I'll look for Snape too," she said quietly. "And I'll ask if he has a date to the Christmas party."

Hermione left the library later feeling as if she was absolutely getting strung along, but it wasn't by Severus.

The next morning, Hermione had worked herself into a worried state while she waited for Severus in the warm Room of Requirement. She had a sinking feeling about the conversation from the day before. She was worried Ellie wouldn't trust her anymore and feed her intel to help look after Lily, worried Lily would encourage Callie to dig for dirt and worried Callie would be successful at digging for dirt and who knows, maybe Severus would like her better as a date than Hermione…

Or worse, what if he said no when Callie asked for a date and the girls figured out that he was in a relationship and tried to sabotage it? Then she wouldn't be able to get close to Lily if she wasn't trusted and she wouldn't be able to protect her if she-

"Hermione?" Severus had arrived in the room and had probably expected her to be happier to see him instead of wringing her hands and looking distraught.

"Severus, oh, oh I'm so sorry," she blubbered.

He quickly strode over to her and gathered her into his arms, sitting her on his lap. She buried her face in his shirt, embarrassed and ashamed. He smelled like cedar and parchment. He hadn't even bothered to show up cold-skinned.

"Tell me," he said with a quiet rumble, stroking her hair.

"Please don't hate me," she mumbled. "I… oh… I fucked up."

"I could never hate you," he said firmly, squeezing her and pulling her closer. "But you must tell me."

Hermione took a shaky breath and pulled away from his chest to look at him. "I swear to you that I'm not with you… I'm not spending time with you in order to pass information about you to Gryffindors. I'm not using you, Severus. I don't think I've given them any information before, even unintentionally…"

"But you have now," he finished for her. His black eyes met hers. "We knew you would have to give them something eventually."

"But I- I wanted to discuss it with you first! I felt… God, I felt like I was betraying you, and they're all rooting for it. They want me to badmouth you and feed them all this dirt, but… even if I wanted to I couldn't! You aren't the way they think that you are. You're a good man, Severus!"

Severus made a disbelieving huff. "I suppose you mentioned that as well? You told them all about my political aspirations, my associates, and you threw in something about my pure heart too?"

"I didn't say all that…" Hermione sighed, taking comfort with Severus' reaction. He seemed more annoyed and curious than he did wronged. "I really tried to say as little as possible. I just said that you trusted me, and you told me you thought the Potters deaths were faked. Actually, I thought I did pretty well in defending your intentions. I said you believed in the cause, and you wouldn't be convinced out of it by anything other than hard evidence."

"And… and you said this to whom?"

"The girls. Lily, Calliope, Elpida, and Marina." Severus stiffened.

"Fuck, Hermione." Severus set her on the couch beside him and stood in one fluid motion. He began pacing and walking swiftly around the room. "Tell me exactly what you said."

"Just about the Potters-"

"No, the other bit. About my intentions."

"I- I said…" Hermione closed her eyes and screwed up her face as she recalled verbatim. "…'if he saw evidence on his own that this ideology, this movement is evil, then I know he would change his mind.' "

"Shite," Severus said, putting his hand through his hair nervously.

"What?" Hermione frowned, standing up as well. "What's wrong with that? It's true."

"What's wrong with that? What a Gryffindor question. It doesn't matter if it's true! The walls have ears, Hermione! It's not just the smug do-gooders we have to convince not to trouble us, it's the others as well!"

"Oh," she said, her heart sinking. "You mean…"

"I mean I'm going to be murdered in my sleep if they think I'll just turn tail as soon as I'm initiated! Plus the fact that I told you about the faked deaths when only those who support the cause would give it a second thought! They'll know I've been actually giving you information, not just consorting."

"We can trust the girls, though! I mean… we can trust them not to be Death Eaters. That info shouldn't get back to anyone on your side."

"I wouldn't underestimate those on my side. Besides, that cow McKinnon has probably blabbed to all of Gryffindor already."

"Marina is not a cow!" Hermione glared at Severus, but her angry look quickly dissipated when she saw that he really was frightened.

Then she remembered that Pettigrew was in Gryffindor, would probably hear everything the other Marauders heard from either Lily or Marina, and she had no idea when he became a Death Eater.

"Fuck, you're right!" Despite the gravity of the situation, he smirked at her outburst. "Not about Marina being a cow." She chided. "You're right about the- the fact that I made a mistake."

She grabbed his hand. "Severus, I'm sorry. I never meant to betray you in any way. We… we'll figure this out." She pulled him back down to the couch and settled herself back on his lap once he was sitting. "I have an immediate solution that might work."

"Oh?" He said, putting his arms back around her and slowly relaxing.

"Take Calliope to the Slug Club Christmas Party."

"Ah, so you were behind that too? I told her I'd consider it and get back to her."

Hermione frowned. "You'd consider it when you're dating me?"

"No one is supposed to know that, darling." He drawled. "Besides, she pointed out that I owe her one for helping me with Popov."

"She helped with something else too. What happened with your arm?"

"We discussed it and agreed that it was better to break my arm so that Popov would certainly get expelled and, hopefully, I wouldn't receive any further consequences." He said. "The rest of the lie was just to cover the broken arm. It worked too, so you can't fault her for that."

"She agreed to that? Why?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"Calliope has a very analytical sense of justice that she saw was necessary to employ. I think she did it far more for your sake than for mine. She wanted justice done for what he did to you, I think."

Hermione tried to bat down the jealousy and hurt she felt by reaching over and pulling Severus in for a kiss. After a few languid seconds of kissing, she pulled back.

"So, you take her to the party," Hermione told him matter-of-factly as she snuggled further into his lap, "and you convince her you're a loyal sadistic Death Eater scumbag and she can relay that to the other girls, so any Death Eater spies who are sticking their nose around can find that out from them." Hermione sighed. "That would contradict what I just told them, but I suppose it doesn't matter if the girls think I'm gullible or crazy for believing you."

"Thank you," Severus replied, raising her hand to his lips and kissing it in gratitude. "You aren't gullible, so I appreciate you falling on that sword."

"What?" Hermione laughed, pulling her hand away. "So, I'm crazy then?"

Severus smirked dangerously, pushing her backwards onto the couch. "Only in the best way."

Soon he had her feeling quite insane with his touches and kisses.

Despite the recent distractions, Hermione did fairly well on her examinations in the two weeks before Christmas break. There were more E's than there should have been (an E in both Transfiguration and Herbology) but she tried to console herself with the thought that no one would ever believe Hermione Granger to slack off in any subject, and her time-travelling identity would be as safe as it could be.

Now that Lily and James were openly dating, Hermione had kept a watch on Severus. She hadn't noticed any reaction from him other than occasional glares at James. She knew Severus would keep his word about protecting James, but that didn't mean it would be easy. Lily and James were holding hands and making eyes at each other and being the quintessential cute and popular couple of the school. James carried Lily's books and bag to class and Lily gushed about how handsome he looked in his Quidditch robes. Sometimes it was a bit disgusting, but it wasn't nearly as bad as Ron and Lavender, so Hermione shrugged it off.

Truly, Hermione had to keep herself quite often from gushing about Severus. She was more practiced at keeping it to herself, however, as he had once been her Professor. Now it was the same dangerous romance, but the nature of the illicitness had changed somewhat. Privacy and discretion were still called for.

Their private morning sessions were the highlight of her day and it was always hard to leave the Room of Requirement and go to breakfast or even barely make it to breakfast and rush to class. True, they still studied together in the library, but that had become purely study time. They still had some of Mulciber and Rosier's work to complete and… well… Severus now behaved as if the walls had ears. He shouldn't have trusted the library as safe to begin with, he told her.

So now, there were only mornings for them as a couple. Not even every morning anymore, as Severus had reluctantly decided that he couldn't give up workouts entirely. Hermione used the extra time on free mornings to write in her leatherbound journal.

Hermione loved her early mornings with Severus.

One wintry morning in the Room of Requirement, Severus had nearly convinced her to remove her shirt with his sweet whispers and deep rumbling voice. He'd had it halfway unbuttoned, and she was wet below the waist from his wandering hands, dark eyes, and wicked smirks. Hermione was straddling his lap, kissing him as he groaned and pressed her down into him. Her hiked-up uniform skirt left little to the imagination as his long hands occasionally brushed up her thighs.

"Hermione," he looked up at her, eyes shining with passion. His dark hair was pushed away from his face and his expression was the most open she had ever seen.

It was almost bizarre how, though she was the one astride and partially undressed, his hands almost forcefully holding her against him, she felt the more powerful of the two.

She understood now what he had meant about being her consort. The way he looked on in feral hunger when she shuddered, gasped, tried desperately to hold back a moan, made clear that he reveled in giving her pleasure. She could order him to stop at any time and knew he would, just as she could order him to drop to his knees and lick her til she came on his face.

He would bow and kiss her feet if she told him to, she was sure of it. He would do it all, gladly.

It was both thrilling and terrifying to have this much control over him.

"Severus I- ohh- we should go….mmmuh….Severus!"

He had managed to slip his long hand underneath her blouse, entirely forgoing the need to undo buttons. Hermione gasped as he cupped a breast through the fabric of her bra, the contact affecting him as well. He groaned in pleasure and thrust upwards as she arched into his hand.

"Severus, I'm serious," she gasped, pulling away from his insistent kisses. "We'll miss breakfast and I have a class first… ohhhh."

His natural instincts in cupping her breasts with both hands and circling her hardened nipples with his thumbs had proved most satisfying. Hermione moaned and arched into his hands, forgetting completely what she had just been saying.

"Fuck, Hermione. I need to see you. Show me," he hissed, looking up at her.

She wasn't fooled by the demanded wording. If she refused, he would beg for permission.

She nodded, a lump in her throat. Hermione had never thought her breasts were anything to write home about, but the way Severus was looking at her indicated they were worth viewing.

They both exhaled heavily as he removed his hands from her bra-covered breasts and gingerly undid the last few buttons of her blouse. Slowly, he pushed the sleeves down her arms, so she was dressed in only the plain white bra.

She couldn't even feel insecure about the decided unsexiness of the bra. Severus had his eyes locked on her in an intense gaze of hunger.

She shifted on his lap, suppressing a moan and noticing he did the same. Even through his trousers, his dick had been perfectly placed between her thighs. She might have been able to masturbate herself to completion by rubbing against him and kissing him alone. He certainly wouldn't mind. She saved the thought for another time.

Slowly, Hermione removed herself from Severus' lap and stood before him between his widely parted legs.

Just as she reached back to unclasp the bra, the bell rang to dismiss breakfast.

"Shite, I'm late!" She cried, jumping back to grab her clothes as Severus moaned in frustration. She hurriedly threw her blouse on and buttoned it up before throwing a Hogwarts sweater and robe over. She slung her satchel bag over her shoulder, frizzy and dishelved hair poofed out around her.

"What are you waiting for? We'll be late!"

"And I will be even later. I need a few moments to… compose myself." He gazed at her heatedly and she couldn't help but smile and blush in pleasure before hurrying out of the room.

Gryffindor Tower's portrait hole was along the seventh-floor corridor, so she was careful not to be seen coming out of the room. Unfortunately, the portrait hole opened just as she was hurrying down the staircase.

"Perri!" James Potter appeared behind her. "Wait up, I need to talk to you!"

"I can't talk now! I'm running late for Herbology!" She cried.

"Oh, don't fuss," Potter said, catching up with her. "I'll be your excuse. Sprout's completely soft on me since… my parents. Come with me." He pulled her into an abandoned alcove off the next stairwell.

"Hey! No, I really should-"

"Just listen, Perri." He brushed his unruly hair away from his face. "Anna. Listen, Anna. I need you to tell me what Snape said about my parents."

"James…" Hermione said uneasily. "It… I'm sure he was mistaken…"

"Listen! He said the deaths were faked, right?"

"James…" Hermione whispered, eyes wide. "James, I'm… I'm so sorry…"

"No! Listen! I mean it! I got a letter from my great-aunt Adelaide Potter saying she was concerned for my wellbeing, and she would be in touch further over the holidays!"

Hermione's concerned façade took on a puzzled quality.

"Don't you see? I don't have a great-aunt Adelaide! I'm the last of the Potter line, I've been told since I was little!"

"James, that doesn't mean… It could be a trick then, to get your hopes up or let your guard down…"

"No, I'm sure this is my mother, if not both my parents. No one could know my mum loved the name Adelaide for a girl, she told me all the time. If I'd had a sister that would be the name. That or Harriet, but really-" James made a face and shook his head in dislike at the thought of a sister named Harriet.

"I'm sure this is my parents letting me know they're alright. Anna," he said, turning to her. "Don't tell anyone what I've said, but stay on Snape and see if you can find anything else out."

Hermione protested, sure he was mistaken, but James wouldn't hear it and pushed her out the alcove. He escorted her quickly down the rest of the staircases to Herbology, sure to put on a somber face for Professor Sprout and say that Miss Perri had only been distracted by his memories of his parents. Sure enough, Hermione walked away without any detention for being late.

She couldn't have known that as the two had hurried out of the alcove, Severus had stood on the stoop a staircase above them, watching them hurry away with clenched fists.