A/N: Sorry this update is a few days late, I try to post once a week but I have been a busy lady! This one is twice as long as the others so I think that is partly to blame. Warning: contains light dom/sub, spanking, light bondage, and hints at wax play. The dom/sub play is nothing formal between them, it is just for play as they both enjoy it.
Severus pushed open the door to their room and carried Hermione inside. The walls were a dark red while the floors were mahogany. The room had provided them with a dark green sofa and rope. Severus set his wife on her feet with care, walked over to the sofa, and smoothly sat in the middle. He beckoned Hermione over with a single curved finger and a smirk on his face. She hurried over to him, already anticipating what he had in mind.
"Remove your leggings but leave on your knickers." The dark haired wizard commanded, "Then lie across my lap."
Hermione eagerly removed her leggings, her state of arousal from the brief foreplay in the kitchen escalated significantly with his commanding tone. Her husband's eyes never left her body, drifting down to the simple black thong accented with green lace, he made quick work of revealing the rest of her lithe body, when she noticed her husband's needy gaze and hastened to drape herself in his lap. Severus wrapped an arm around her middle and pulled her more firmly into place. He brought his right hand to her rear and rubbed both cheeks appreciatively, knowing that the delay was only enhancing her arousal.
"You will receive 15 strikes from my hand as a warm-up followed by 20 more at a moderate intensity. You will count each of them and thank me afterwards." He stated firmly before beginning..
Smack!
"One! Thank you, sir!"
Smack!
"Two! Thank you, sir!"
Severus continued dealing blows to her backside that was slowly turning pink. He finished the first 15 strikes and adjusted her on his lap. Hermione could feel his erection jutting up into her abdomen, she was feeling the warm, delicious glow of the warm-up spanking and knew there was even more to come. She squirmed slightly, wishing he would continue, the sooner he resumed her spanking, the sooner he would get to addressing her ever-growing state of arousal.
The potions master reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a slim jar. He unscrewed the cap and scooped out a generous amount of the vicious potion with his right hand. "Spread your legs. " Severus commanded, as Hermione rushed to do so. If he was going to spank her while also touching her or providing her any type of stimulation, she would be damned if she was going to delay his actions.
Her husband carefully applied the potion to her clitoris and the surrounding part of her labia. The witch bit her bottom lip and groaned as he rubbed a very deliberate circle over her clitoris, she could not hear him muttering an incantation while he touched her. Severus removed his hand from between her legs but the sensation that he was rubbing her remained. Hermione jerked her hips and moaned involuntarily when her husband muttered an additional incantation and moderate vibrations began to accompany the ghostlike sensations the potion was continuing to provide.
"Now, lie still, you have a remaining 20 spanks. I will expect you to continue counting, if you can't, I will have to add 5 more." Severus said with a grin when the witch in his lap stuttered out a "Yes, sir."
Smack!
"One! Thank you, sir!" Hermione managed to say, hoping she could maintain her focus enough to continue. The first one had already brought her close to orgasm in tandem with the delicious sensations acting on her clitoris.
"Ah ah ah, Madam Snape, that was actually 16, not one. Looks like you get an extra five." Her husband said while grinning wickedly. I really did set her up for that one, he thought. Hermione muttered a curse word under her breath, knowing he had done that purposefully.
Smack!
"Seventeen! Thank you, sir!" She managed to say all in a rush before orgasming with a shout. Severus paused the effects of the potion momentarily with a single word and hand gesture as his wife came down from her orgasm. Once he felt she was up to it, he resumed the spanking, turning her bottom a lovely shade of red.
Smack!
"Forty! Thank you, sir!"
The dark haired wizard rubbed her warm rear and briefly admired the color he had managed to give it. Hermione was ready for another orgasm, having recovered from the first and built up to a second with the remainder of the spanking. She squirmed slightly against the erection digging into her midsection, hoping it would be put to good use soon. Severus smirked at her eagerness, he was rather eager himself.
"Can you stand?"
"Oh yes, sir!" Hermione said as she quickly, if a bit clumsily, stood from the sofa. Severus brought his left hand to his face briefly under the guise of wiping it to hid a grin. He hoped she never stopped being so eager for his attentions.
"Remove your knickers. Then, bend over the arm of the sofa and put your hands behind your back." He commanded silkily as he stood and vanished his clothes to the laundry room. The lean wizard picked up a the rope then stepped behind his wife and began to tie her hands together. She wiggled her hips just slightly, the anticipation was building the longer he took to touch her again, not to mention she loved to have her hands and arms restrained.
Once Severus was done tieing her hands, he placed a hand on her hip and used the other to align himself with her entrance. He slid in and they both groaned appreciatively. His hand came up and slapped her reddened rear as he began to set a hard and fast pace. Hermione knew she was on the edge of a second organsm when her husband threw several more slaps on hot skin. She arched her back and moaned his name as she orgasmed a second time, he continued at his brutal pace.
Severus reached forward and pulled her upper body from the sofa and against his upper body. Her hips were still pressed firmly into the arm of the sofa and he continued to pound into her. His hands shot around her to land on her hardened nipples, which he pulled and pinched to the sound of her groans. He growled in her ear and pushed her roughly back down towards the sofa. Severus whispered the incantation to resume the previous sensation on her sensitive nub, causing her to gasp and cry out. He grabbed her hips and began to thrust more forcefully into her.
"Come for me witch, one more time." He commanded, feeling himself nearing his own completion. Hermione, unable to prevent it even if she wanted to, immediately felt her third organasm rush over her as she moaned and shouted. "Oh gods, Severus!"
Severus felt her orgasm pull his own from his body and he groaned out her name as he finished as well. He muttered "Finite incantatem" to stop the actions of the potion. He pulled himself from her body, removed the rope from her hands, and walked around the sofa to collapse next to her. Hermione crawled completely over the arm of the sofa and curled up in his lap as he draped his arms around her loosely. Severus pressed a kiss on to her forehead and simply held her as their heartbeats slowed down to normal. Hermione began to trace circles on his chest then sighed contentedly before suddenly sitting up straight and saying "Oh no!"
She sprang up and sprinted up the stairs to their kitchen. Severus jumped up and followed her, scowling in concern and calling after her "Hermione! What on earth is the matter?!"
Hermione arrived in the kitchen moments before her husband came rushing in behind her looking confused and concerned simultaneously. In front of them on the counter lay a sleeping cat whose head and paws were resting in the pan with their carefully prepared dinner, partially eaten by the animal currently in a food coma. Hermione sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I forgot to cover it or cast a ward around it, I should have known that furry little bugger would go after it."
Severus chuckled then said "Merlin's beard! You nearly gave me a heart attack with the way you acted, rushing up the stairs like that. So, I guess we will call in a pizza after we shower?" He kissed her shoulder before she turned and suddenly looked at him quite sternly.
"Absolutely not, I'm not finished with you, . This," the witch gestured as she said it "is your fault. I believe there should be some repercussions."
Stepping back from her husband and crossing her arms over her chest, Hermione continued to give him a serious look that didn't quite reach her eyes. For a second, Severus had no idea what she was on about but quickly caught on to the implication.
"Yes of course, Madam. And what do you suggest is the solution to our predicament?" He asked unable to hide his body's growing excitement over what she may have in mind.
Hermione circled him slowly, bringing up one of her hands to tap a finger on her lips in contemplation. Past experience had taught her that making him wait added to his arousal and overall enjoyment of the encounter, it did the same for her. The witch stopped in front of him and continued to remain silent. Finally, his wife spoke to him "You will go back downstairs, I want the St. Andrew's cross, a blindfold, lit candles, and that potion you just used on me. Once this is set out, you will stand with your nose in the corner and think about your actions. When I come back downstairs from cleaning up your mess, you will tell me the incantations to use the potion and then you will be silent. Understood?"
His face remained still but his pupils had dilated and his breathing had hitched at the mention of the candles. He nodded curtly and said "Yes, Madam."
Hermione smirked, "Good, now get down there. I'll be down eventually."
Not knowing when she would come down, Severus hurried to get everything set up as she asked. Hermione smiled once he was out of sight then spun quickly to address the kitchen. "Anakin, get your furry little arse down from there," she said as she shooed him off the counter. The animal in question stretched slowly before hopping back down to the floor. Hermione grabbed the pan and unceremoniously dumped its contents into the bin. She put the pan into the sink and filled it with water, it would be fine until she addressed it with her wand later.
Knowing Severus was not done setting up what she had requested, Hermione went into the living room for her glasses. While she only needed them for reading, her husband loved it when she wore to the basement. Upon further thought, the young witch made an additional detour to their bathroom to fix her messy hair up into a severe bun. He loved that too, she didn't dwell too much on the fact that with her glasses and her hair up like this, she bore a slight resemblance to Professor McGonagall. Feeling like she had given him just enough time to have everything out and be in the corner, Hermione headed back down the stairs to drip hot wax on her soon to be bound, blindfolded, and very much beloved husband.
The day of the Snapes' Anniversary
Hermione eagerly stood up from her desk at the Ministry of Magic and quickly tidied up her desk. Tonight was their anniversary and she was leaving work a bit early to have dinner with her husband before the concert. After getting the desk into a presentable state, Hermione smoothed her skirt and picked up her briefcase. She glanced around the room quickly to ensure she hadn't forgotten anything then stepped out into the hallway, shutting the door as she went. A quick walk down the hall outside her office and she was impatiently waiting for a lift.
The doors slid open to reveal one of her best friends, Harry Potter, whose face lit up upon seeing her.
"Happy anniversary, Hermione! I was on my way to see you. Are you leaving?" Harry asked, as she stepped into the lift with him. Hermione smiled at her childhood friend and pressed the button for the lobby.
"Thanks, Harry! Yes, I'm leaving a bit early this afternoon since we have plans for tonight. How have you been? How's Gin doing?" She asked as the lift started to take them up to the main floor.
Harry shrugged his shoulder and said "Ginny's fine, I'm terrified, you know the usual."
Hermione lightly slapped his arm but couldn't help the chuckle that burst forth at his response. "Now really, you'll be fine, she'll be fine, the baby will be fine. There's nothing to be scared of!" She assured him, knowing it wouldn't really change the way he felt. Harry shrugged again.
"I'm sure I'll live, after everything else we've been through, I'm kind of used to being scared and everything working out reasonably well." Harry said rather nonchalantly. "Gin told me about your mad plan to take Severus to a metal concert to get him in the mood for children."
The young woman sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. Leave it to Harry to halfway listen and put together his own conclusion. Actually, why am I even the least bit surprised by that?! She thought, as the lift stopped and the doors opened to let them off. They stepped out and began walking to the Floo entrance/exit area.
"That's not what I'm planning, I'm hoping to show him that plenty of people find men like him attractive so any children he has aren't going to be 'cursed' with his looks." Hermione said, shifting her briefcase to the other hand. "I think his reluctance to start a family is rooted in his self esteem. Hopefully this Marilyn Manson concert will improve his overall self-image."
Harry shook his head as he walked with his friend around a large group of witches and wizards following Kingsley Shacklebolt across the lobby. "If you say so, most of your plans seem mental but a lot of them actually work out. Good luck!" He said as they arrived at the first vacant fireplace. Hermione took a pinch of Floo powder from the mantle above it and tossed it into the flames. She turned towards her friend and said "Thanks, see you later!"
Hermione turned back to the fire and said "The Snape residence" before stepping into the green flames and vanishing.
Severus Snape was carefully laying out the Chinese takeaway he had acquired from a seedier part of London hours before and kept under a stasis charm on a dining table that he had pulled from the basement. He had already placed a ward around the table to keep Anakin away from their dinner, having learned that the furry little menace could not be trusted. The dark haired wizard was wearing a set of dress robes that his wife had picked out for him, so they were not black but a very dark grey, she called it a compromise while he thought of it as a loss. However, she loved it when he wore them so damn it all, he wore them.
Looking down at the table, he realized he forgot the wine. Severus pulled out his wand, summoned and chilled it nonverbally before breaking the wax seal. As he pulled out the cork, he heard his wife arrive through the Floo in their living room.
"Severus! Where are you, love? Should I change for dinner? What time do we have to leave? If it's not anywhere too fancy, I might not have to change completely…" She kept up a steady stream of questions as she walked towards the kitchen, having seen the light on in there. Hermione stopped talking when she walked into the scene before the kitchen. She brought a hand to her mouth and felt the tears welling up in her eyes. Her husband walked over to her, holding two wine glasses and the open bottle of wine. She looked up and met his eyes as he smiled at her. Losing her battle with the tears, Hermione smiled back at him as one slid down her cheek. He set down the wine and the glasses before wrapping his wife in a warm, comforting hug.
Hermione chuckled and said, her voice slightly muffled by his robes "I can't believe you went all the way back to our old neighborhood just for takeout. And I see you bought the same cheap wine from that night too."
Severus chuckled as well, then said "Well, I was feeling a bit nostalgic and I was hoping to charm you out of your knickers. I heard a rumor that the lady of this house is terribly difficult to seduce, you know. It can take over a year to get her to admit she even likes you."
Silent laughter shook Hermione's frame as she tried but failed to prevent it from bursting forth. She raised her head from his shoulder and whispered in his ear "Funny, I heard the same thing about grumpy old potions masters, especially the one that lives here."
Severus smirked at her and replied "You can't possibly be talking about me, everyone knows I'm an easy lay and a cheap date." He rubbed his hands up and down her back. Hermione smiled at him and turned to the table.
"Well let's have this dinner, it tasted like the best meal I ever had when we ate it the night after your trial all those years ago." Hermione stated, moving to sit down as her husband hurried to pull out her chair from the dining table.
September 23, 1999
Based on the evidence presented from numerous sources, including Dumbledore's portrait and Harry Potter's account of events, as well as Hermione Granger's carefully crafted defense, Severus Snape was found not guilty of a multitude of charges due to his actions being deemed necessary for the success of the overall war effort. Severus could hardly believe his luck as he stepped foot outside of the Ministry that evening. He looked over at the amazing woman standing next to him and couldn't help but to feel a deep seated regret that he was no longer legally required to live with her. Hermione smiled up at him but must have seen the sadness in his eyes as her smile faded slightly. Before either of them could say anything dozens of camera bulbs flashed in their faces accompanied by a swarm of voices shouting questions at them.
"Snape! How does it feel to literally get away with murder?!"
"Granger! What would your parents think of you shacking up with a man who would hates their very existence?!"
"Were the two of you involved with one another before Granger left Hogwarts to help Harry Potter?!"
"Will the verdict be thrown out because you have violated the terms of Snape's release from Azkaban?!"
Until the last question, they had been fighting their way through the crowd to reach the apparition point. Hermione abruptly stopped walking and spun to face the press member that had asked such a question. Rita Skeeter grinned at her and wiggled her immaculately manicured fingers at her. Hermione pulled her wand from within her blue dress robes and pointed it at Skeeter.
"Give me a reason!" She ground out through clenched teeth. "We were not romantically involved at any point during his stay in my home! The ministry placed a spell to monitor us and ensure that we did not break that contract!"
Upon hearing his legal savior practically growling at someone behind him, Severus realized Hermione had not continued walking with him. He turned and immediately began to push his way back towards her after seeing her very confrontational stance with some member of the press. Others had noticed the situation and had given the two witches a wide berth to ensure they were not caught up in it. This also provided a better angle for what was sure to be thousands of different photographs of this scene.
"Oh please! You aren't fooling me, Miss Granger! You went after dangerous, famous men since you were 12! How long did it take you to set your sights on this one?! I'm sure the Death Eater Severus Snape was the ultimate prize once you learned about his troubled past, while you were still in school I might add. Did it start with a detention? Did he bend you over his desk and spank you for being a swotty little brat?!" Skeeter taunted her, a quick quotes quill scribbling rapidly across a roll of parchment hovering near her.
Had Severus not reached Hermione at that moment, he feared he may have been obligated to attempt to return the favor of getting her released from Azkaban because there was murder in the young Gryffindor's eyes. He reached one hand out to pluck her wand out of her hand and used the other to cast a Silencio on the pair of squabbling witches. If looks could kill, the dark haired wizard would have died at least thrice when their ire was directed at the culprit for their sudden silencing. He grabbed Hermione by her forearm and began pulling her away.
"You seem to have put a lot of thought into what detentions with me would be like, Miss Skeeter." Severus threw out mockingly as he continued a silent battle with Hermione, attempting to get her to leave without further trouble. She was gesturing, silently yelling, and trying to remove his hands from her person. "Perhaps you are the one interested in a romantic relationship with me? I'm not sure you'd be up to my standards, I prefer women who don't look like a two Knut whore."
At that, Hermione quit fighting him to start laughing in what would surely have been a loud, uproarious fashion if not for the silencing spell. Rita Skeeter's jaw dropped and she began yelling obscenities that couldn't be heard but were obvious from her movements. Severus seized the opportunity to finally drag Hermione from the crowd to the apparition point and spun away, back to her apartment.
Upon arrival, he removed the silencing charm and was immediately bombarded with Hermione's laughter over his insult to Rita Skeeter. "Oh my god! Did you see her face when you called her 'a two Knut whore?!' I never much enjoyed those barbs you call jokes directed at me in school but it was amazing to see it turned on her!" Hermione leaned down to put her hands on her knees and continue laughing.
Severus couldn't help but chuckle watching her laugh so enthusiastically at his insult to the horrible Skeeter woman. Hermione straightened up to catch her breath and turned towards him. "Well I must say I needed a good laugh after everything over the past...well several years actually. It's time to celebrate! You won!" Hermione said as she threw her hands in the air.
Severus scowled at her reaction, he knew she had very limited funds for any celebration. They had been living off of her student stipend and whatever money he could scrape together filling a few potions orders from a dodgy apothecary on Knockturn Alley. That's why her apartment was in a rundown part of London, it was the only place she could afford an apartment that met the Ministry's requirements of two bedrooms and standard utilities. Most days they ate frozen foods or ramen noodles with a grilled cheese. They usually had a bit of fruit or a vegetable to try to balance it. Not that it bothered him to eat cheap food, Merlin only knew he had grown up on comparable meals.
"Really, that's not necessary. We can just have a frozen pizza or something." He said, feeling guilty that he couldn't contribute more to the finances. Hermione's smile faded slightly.
"Of course it's necessary! I know something that will do the trick, it won't cost much but it will be a treat compared to what we've had lately." Hermione replied, lightly slapping his arm. "Give me my wand back then you head upstairs to change from your dress robes and I'll be back in a tick."
With her wand back, the young witch began to briskly walk down the street and turn a corner out of sight. Severus sighed and opened the door to the apartment building. It was an old brick building that had seen better days but not in his lifetime. He started up the creaky wooden stairs, a door slammed above him but he was used to the doors slamming pretty often so he didn't even look up. Reaching the apartment door, he slid his hand into his pocket to pull out his key.
Once inside, Severus threw his keys on the small wooden table just inside the door. He slipped off his shoes and walked through the tiny living room to his bedroom. It was generous to call it a bedroom, it barely contained a twin bed and a set of drawers for his clothing. Despite all of that, it was the first place he had ever stayed in his life where he had felt completely at ease and safe. He was going to miss his room but not as much as he would miss Hermione. Severus sighed and set about changing into more comfortable clothes, dark grey sweatpants and a worn-looking black thermal shirt.
Back in the living room, the somewhat dejected man sat on the old brown couch with a book out. He was staring at it but not really absorbing anything, he had been dreading this day for a while now. Either way the verdict went, Hermione would be gone from his life. Severus reached up and rubbed his forehead, he needed to snap out of it. She would be back soon with whatever meal she had suddenly decided would suit the occasion.
I knew this whole affair was a bad idea! You don't know how to just be friends with a woman who's nice to you, do you? You just had to develop unreciprocated feelings, again! Severus thought, berating himself. Like she would ever look twice at you, a man who is not only twice her age but also taught her for a significant portion of her school years. You're lucky as hell that she even decided to help you. You will leave this place with dignity and not impose on her hospitality any longer than necessary.
Hermione burst through the door just then startling him and ending his internal monologue. She was carrying a large plastic bag and a smaller brown paper bag while grinning from ear to ear. Severus set his book to the side and sprang up from the couch to give her a hand. "I'm back!" She announced happily.
Holding out the plastic bag, Hermione slid off her shoes. He took the bag and peered down inside with curiosity.
"It's Chinese takeout. I didn't know what you like so I got a few standards, sweet and sour chicken, chicken curry, some pork egg rolls, and some pork dumplings." She said as she walked into the kitchen carrying the paper bag.
Walking over to the coffee table that had served as their desk many nights over the last 13 months, he began to set out the food. Hermione came back holding two wine glasses and a bottle of red wine. Why is he being so quiet? She thought, pausing in the doorway to watch him for a moment. Does he not like Chinese food? Don't be absurd, Hermione, everyone likes Chinese food. He looked up after setting it all out and cocked an eyebrow at her. "Wine? Are you hoping to get me drunk and convince me to tell you what music I listen to when we run in the mornings?" Severus asked, jokingly.
Hermione smiled at him and came over to the table. She set the glasses down then set about opening the wine and pouring them both a glass. "No." She said while wandlessly removing the cork from the bottle. "I merely thought it would be a nice touch to have a glass of wine since your conditional release contract didn't allow it and you are no longer bound by that particular document." And because I need a little courage from the bottle to convince you not to leave immediately. She thought, as she poured the two glasses. The nervous witch picked the two glasses up and handed one to him.
Severus took it and Hermione held her glass up to his, which he obligingly clinked his own against. "To finally being free!" She exclaimed. Severus smirked and nodded before taking a sip from his glass, it was not bad. It wasn't good but it had been so long since he'd been allowed alcohol it didn't matter. They sat down and dug into their meal with enthusiasm. It had been a while since they had eaten anything remotely like this, it felt like a holiday. Laughter, mostly from Hermione, filled the room as they talked and ate their way through the meal and drank half the bottle of wine.
Hermione took another sip from her glass, recovering from laughing at another story Severus had just told about McGonagall spying on students as a cat. "Oh I'm going to miss this!" She laughed and put a hand on his arm. They had edged closer to one another on the couch after the meal was over. His smile faded as he looked up at her, the laughter on her face fading away when she saw his expression.
"What? Did I say something?" Hermione asked, looking at him with growing concern.
"No." He said with a sigh. "I had just temporarily forgotten that I am no longer required to live here. I suppose I should leave tomorrow. I'm not sure where I'll stay but you've been more than generous. I would never dream of imposing further…"
Hermione waved a hand at him to silence him. "You aren't an imposition! I've loved having you around!" She exclaimed then promptly blushed when she realized exactly what she had said.
Severus cocked an eyebrow at her. "Oh really? I seem to recall a rather irate woman initially, who forced me into an exercise regime against my will." He stated, draining the last of the wine in his glass before reaching for the bottle to refill it. He noticed it was nearly empty and nonverbally cast a refilling charm, not wanting the night to be cut short because of a lack of wine.
Hermione laughed and moved her hand from his arm to his thigh to give it a squeeze. The contact surprised him so much he barely suppressed the urge to jump. "Now don't start complaining about that again! It really toned us both up! We both know I was put in charge of your wellness. They would have taken you back if I hadn't been able to show I was keeping you healthy." She said, not realizing how much her casual touches were distracting him. "Back to the point, you are welcome to stay here as long as you need. I've never had a roommate as great as you! Although, that's not saying much considering who all of my past roommates have been."
Severus felt his heart leap in his chest at her words. Maybe there's some hope after all, he thought.
"Besides," Hermione continued, placing her arm on the back of the couch, nearly around his shoulders with her proximity. "I need someone who can dish out such stinging insults as the one you hurled at Rita Skeeter today."
Hermione giggled again but then turned suddenly quite serious before throwing herself into a rant. "She deserved it, the nerve of that woman! Implying that I would become romantically involved with you and risk having you sent back to Azkaban! Like that hasn't been all I could think about lately! And insinuating that I was pursuing you as a student! As if you would have given me the time of day back then! Who had the time for romantic entanglements anyway?! We were fighting a war! Not like that bloody woman would know anything about that!"
Severus listened to her rant with growing interest and curiosity. Once she was done, he looked down into his wine glass with a smirk and looked back up at to find she was drinking from her glass. "What did you mean by that?" He asked, looking at her closely.
Hermione froze as she reached for the wine bottle for a refill. "Mean by what?" She asked, he could practically hear her mentally going over everything she had just said.
"When you said 'like that hasn't been all I could think about lately.' What did you mean by that?" He stated, forcing himself to meet her eyes but not slip into her mind. It felt wrong to violate her trust in such a manner, particularly when she was giving him such a wide eyed stare of panic.
"Did I say that? Um, well, I meant I was concerned about you having to go back to prison. That's all." She said hurriedly, looking forward and away from him, reaching up to run her fingers through her hair.
Severus smirked, that's not at all what she meant. His heart rate accelerated as he leaned in closer to her and pitched his voice low near her ear. "I don't think so, Hermione. You had romantic thoughts about me and were worried you would act on them, forcing me back to Azkaban. Isn't that more like it?" He nearly purred in her ear, surprised by his own daring.
Hermione inhaled sharply and turned towards him about to say something when she saw just how close he had leaned in. She found herself nearly nose to nose with him, staring directly into his black eyes, she felt like she could just fall into them. She opened her mouth to deny it but looking so deeply into his eyes she couldn't bring herself to deny it. Instead she breathed out a whispered "Yes."
Severus quirked an eyebrow at her and said "Well I'm not bound by any contract any more. I'm free to have whatever romantic entanglements I desire."
The dark wizard paused, watching the reaction play out on the young witch's face before him. She seemed to be unsure of what that last bit had meant for her. He decided to put her out of her misery. "And I definitely desire getting romantically entangled with you." He said before leaning the few inches necessary to press a soft kiss on her lips.
Hermione's eyelids fluttered closed as she kissed him back. His hand found itself sinking into her hair and holding her head still as he turned his slightly to deepen the kiss. She moaned slightly as his tongue sought to caress hers. Hermione brought a hand up to slide her fingers into his hair as well. She moved closer to him on the couch and sliding her hand from his hair down his neck to reach for the buttons on his shirt. Without thinking, Severus brought his arm around her to draw her closer and managed to dump the remainder of his wine all down her back. She squealed and pulled away from him abruptly.
"Bloody hell, Severus! I hope the wine will come out of my robes!" She exclaimed as she jumped off the couch and began removing the wine-soaked item from her person. Severus quickly covered his eyes.
"Sorry! I lost my head for a moment. You might want to continue that in your room! I hope to date you, not just get you naked for one night!" He exclaimed as Hermione began to laugh.
"Do you now? Who's to say I wasn't simply trying to get into your trousers for just tonight?" She teased, temporarily abandoning her efforts to undress.
Severus shot her an annoyed look between his fingers. "No, you bloody well weren't! You aren't that type of person!" He exclaimed, feeling just a little foolish to be talking to her from between his fingers, he lowered his hand when he saw she had stopped undressing.
Hermione smiled at him before saying, "You're right of course, I had been hoping to date you for months now, once this was all over. I got the wine to give myself a little courage to admit it."
She looked down at herself and laughed. "I'll just go change into something more comfortable and less wine covered."
When she disappeared down the hallway, Severus sent the garbage from their dinner to the bin and cleaned up the wine that didn't end up on Hermione's robes. As he returned his wand to his pocket, she came back wearing soft cotton shorts and an old flannel shirt. She promptly climbed into his lap, straddling him and pressing her body against him. His eyebrows shot up in surprise as she then draped her arms around his neck and started kissing him again. He kissed her back and brought his hands up to her back. Hermione began to kiss a trail over his jaw to his neck. Rubbing his hands up her back, Severus suddenly paused. "Hermione?" He asked.
"Hmmm?" She grunted not pausing in her assault on his neck.
"Are you wearing a bra?" He asked, pulling his hands back from her.
She sat up and looked at him as she pressed her forehead to his. "Nope, I'm also not wearing any knickers. Would you like to see?" She asked, teasingly, reaching down to the hem of her shirt. He grabbed her hands and stopped her.
"I was serious, I want to date you before we are physically involved. I want to do this properly." He said, his voice tinged with regret. Hermione looked slightly exasperated with him.
"Why? We have lived together for over year, we know each other very well, surely?" She asked, looking into his eyes searchingly. "I thought we cleared this up, we'll date, see where the relationship goes."
Severus sighed, he needed to make sure he didn't cock this up, which meant showing a little vulnerability.
"Because when the relationship is over, I don't want to look back and have regrets, like starting the physical intimacy part before the rest." He said, looking away and down. She placed a hand under his chin and lifted his face until he looked back at her.
"If whatever we have between us ends, I don't want you to have any regrets because I certainly would never regret a relationship with you." Hermione said, she placed a kiss on his forehead before continuing, "I'll wait but don't make me wait too long and if you change your mind, you know which room is mine. I should go to bed, it's late, we're both a bit drunk, and I want to respect your wishes. I'll leave you to your date with Jill."
Severus scowled in confusion as she got off his lap, he grabbed her wrist gently before she could walk away completely. "Who's Jill? I'm not seeing anyone and …"
Hermione smirked at him and placed a single finger over his lips. She reached down and held his right hand up. The witch brought up his forefinger and thumb then traced over the shape, similar to the letter J. "This is Jill, I imagine you and her have a date in your room shortly."
The dark wizard looked up at her puzzled for a second then it clicked. He didn't try to suppress the burst of laughter that bubbled up through his body. Hermione laughed with him then turned and walked out of the room. He heard her bedroom door shut as he sat there, still laughing.
Back to the present
After draining her wine glass, Hermione checked the time and suddenly pushed back from the table. "Oh we need to get ready to leave! We still have to change into more appropriate clothes!" She exclaimed, standing up and beginning to clear off the table. Her husband looked confused as he stood to join her in cleaning up.
"Our current attire is insufficient? What type of pompous event did you get tickets for?" He asked, while putting empty containers in the bin. Hermione looked up at him and smirked.
"You'll see, it's not pompous. Don't worry, I already laid out your clothes." She said, using magic to clean the dishes and put them away. Severus raised an eyebrow at the last comment.
"What am I? A small child? I don't need you to pick out clothes for me." He grumbled, starting to walk down the hallway to their bedroom. "Are you afraid I'll embarrass you or something?"
Hermione laughed from behind him and followed him into the bedroom. "No, I picked them because I want the event to be a surprise until we get there. If I tell you what it is before we go so you can pick the clothes, I lose the full effect of the surprise."
Upon entering their bedroom, Hermione waved her hand in the general direction of the bathroom. "Your clothes are in there. Let me know if you need help getting them on."
He shot her a puzzled look and then fixed a sneer on his face. "I've been dressing myself for decades without your assistance. I don't see why I would suddenly need it now."
Having spoke his mind on the matter, the dark wizard stormed into the bathroom and closed the door. Hermione covered a giggle at his mildly grumpy attitude. He really has no idea what the surprise is, she thought, me choosing his outfit must have really ruffled his feathers. His disposition has improved over the years except when he's uncomfortable or unsure of himself. The young witch turned back to getting herself ready in the outfit Ginny had helped her assemble.
Hermione had gotten everything on and still her husband had not emerged from the bathroom. She walked over and tapped on the door, "Severus, love, are you having trouble with anything in there?" She asked, hoping he was merely stalling before coming out. The door was suddenly pulled open and her husband stood before her in the outfit of her choosing. He glared at her then pointed at the symbol on his chest.
"What the hell is this? Are we going to some event for Potter?" Severus asked with a sneer.
Hermione, never realizing that the symbol actually was a lightning bolt in a red circle, rushed to explain. "No of course not! It's a symbol from, well something else. I promise it's nothing to do with Harry. Tonight is for us, no other people involved."
The potions master visibly relaxed, a bit, before he cocked an eyebrow while eyeing her outfit fully for the first time. "So, am I to assume we are attending your premiere performance as a...burlesque dancer?" He asked, jokingly. "I do hope I'll get pulled on stage or into a back room for a special show."
Hermione was wearing a tight, black crop top with a black leather skirt. She had transfigured a pair of knee high black leather boots to be thigh high and was wearing fishnet stockings with them. After getting her hair to cooperate into curls that morning, she had charmed her hair black when she changed her clothes. She reached out and playfully slapped his arm.
"No, I'd be absolutely horrid at that! And you know it, now tuck that shirt into your pants so you can get your boots on."
"If you can find the room for a bit of additional fabric in these bloody pants, I will gladly tuck it in." Her annoyed husband said, while tugging on the waistband of his very snug leather pants. "I needed the assistance of magic to even get the bloody things on. At least you chose all black clothes for me, although... you don't typically wear all black."
Hermione whipped out her wand and shrunk his shirt down so it didn't require tucking. She looked him up and down, gave a satisfied nod then gestured for him to follow her as she left the bathroom. He obliged while still deep in thought, he didn't speak until they got to the living room. "Wait, I know where we're going." The leather clad wizard said.
Spinning around abruptly, Hermione eyed him speculatively. "Oh really, where are we going?" She asked, before turning back around to pick up his boots and hand them to him.
"We are going to a rock concert of some kind. Did you finally figure out what's on the mixed tape in my Walkman?" He asked as he took his boots, looking at her suspiciously. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Yes, we are going to a concert but I'm still rather in the dark as what you listen to on your Walkman. I do wish you would let me buy a CD player, that Walkman is terribly outdated." His wife said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Could you please put your shoes on, I don't want to be late and we will have to wait in line a while as it is."
Smirking, he slipped on his shoes and laced them up as he defended his favored means of listening to music. "There is nothing wrong with my tape player. It still works and it doesn't skip at the slightest jostling, like your CD player does."
Hermione huffed out a laugh, it was a tired argument they had been having since before they'd even started dating. After finishing with his shoes, her husband stood.
"Alright, shall we go then?" She asked, kindly, remembering that it was their anniversary and she had been a bit pushy with him. Severus, noticing her attempt to be less...bossy, nodded while smirking at her as she led the way out the back door to the area of the backyard designated for apparating. She really has toned down how bossy she can be, sometimes, he thought, as she took his hand and they spun away.