Disclaimer: I own none of these characters and gain only enjoyment by writing about them.
Note: So I've tried to focus on some darker themes in this chapter, mainly the skirmish that will occur between our two main characters. Just feeling out how to write fighting better and how to make it clear. . . let's see how this goes. Again to all who are reading and following this story with interest, THANKS! Something is going on with the comments section, I have 7 but can only see 3 at this stage so I hope that changes soon.
Skirmish
His instincts kept repeating to him that something was not right here, that something was just too easy. He ran his hand along the inside of his robes to make sure he had her wand secured. Satisfied Severus led her into his private chambers and removed her torn and tattered black shirt to more closely examine her ribs. Hermione blushed slightly as one might expect a young lady to do in the presence of an older man, and yet the scars that littered her body would have spoken otherwise. Some were new still pink against her pale skin, some were old. . . . signs of different curses and tortures she had endured. Then when he set her ribs she made not even a sound, though he knew it must hurt. This was not her first time or even her 10th time to endure such injuries – that much was clear to him now. Who are you? He wondered in silence as she made her way closer to the large bathtub in the center of the room. You aren't the girl I left behind, that is for sure.
"Are you going to give me the decency of at least turning around?" Her voice danced almost playfully through the room as it shook him from his thoughts. Steam rolled off the old Victorian style tub with a high back, as she turned her head over her shoulder to look at him. It was so hard to read him, she couldn't tell if he was weary of her or interested in her. . . perhaps both, she judged.
He allowed himself enough time to focus his thoughts before he answered. "You are a prize prisoner Miss Granger and a . . . . .a dangerous young woman. I have no intention of letting you out of my sight." His voice was low and threatened more than just simple observation – there was a hunger there as well. She turned her head away from him and let her hair loose; it fell to her mid back in a chestnut curly mane. Then she slowly removed her bra, though from his seated position on the other side of the small inner room of his tent he could not see much. Her shoes and black pants and underwear were the final articles of clothing she removed – she was exquisite in his eyes, like Venus born. The candle light in the tent danced over her arms and legs, wrapping around her cutely shaped bum. It was as if he had caught a glimpse of a water nymph just before her evening swim, there was an earthy sensual feel to her body.
Hermione timidly approached the bathtub smelling the scent of the essential oils that had been placed there. She lifted one leg over the edge and recoiled at the temperature, it was hot – almost too much. Yet she braved it, slipping one leg in and then another, careful to be as demure as possible. She knelt in the tub, the water at shoulder height and slowly turned to face him, reclining as such so that she could see him and he could see her. There was no more than 6 feet of space between where he was sitting, watching guard over her and where she was reclining in a well-deserved bath. He had liked what he had seen, that much was clear – the smirk on his face and his relaxed posture in the armchair made that much clear, but beyond that she could not be sure. She slipped down into the water letting it rush over her face and hair, when she came up he was sitting at the edge of his seat, waiting.
"Why are you here Miss Granger?" his inquiry was emotionless, as if he was distancing himself.
"Do all the Dark Lord's interrogations begin in a bathtub?" she said playfully as she arched her eyebrow and slowly began to wash her arms with a sponge. He wasn't taking the bait; she needed to think of something else. What's spooked you so suddenly? "I was captured and brought here. Against my will I might add." She took a bit more flippant cheeky approach that seemed to work better.
Severus rolled his eyes and cocked his head to the side. "Perhaps I have not made myself clear enough." He began to say every word clearly, "How can a woman with your reputation for stealth and awareness, Be. Here. With. Me. Now?" His voice was suddenly acid, he knew he had to push her, otherwise he would never find out the truth.
She grinned, "Ah I see." Hermione paused she was not yet caught, "Do you believe every fairytale you hear Severus?" The use of his first name made his eyes narrow, the condescension in her voice brought his rage. In a flash he had both of hands on either side of the bathtub, his face in hers.
He spoke through clenched teeth, "It is ill advised you play games with me Miss Granger. So I shall ask you again, why are you here?"
Merlin he smells lovely when he's angry. Hermione found herself wondering what he was hiding under his voluminous robes, how the edges of his body looked when his back arched, what sounds he made when he was aroused. She found herself hoping he felt the same way about her as she slowly inclined her head toward his and exhaled into his ear, "I'm here to kill you professor."
She acted quickly bracing herself on the tub and pushing him away planting both of her feet firmly into his chest. He stumbled back shocked but moved quickly to grab his wand from the pocket of his robes. Hermione dove out of the tub, a silent accio spell used to procure her wand from his person, another charm the silence any sound that threatened to leave the room. Fuck he's fast. His first curse hit her in the shoulder, the second sent her scrambling, but it was aimed to hurt and annoy, not kill.
Hermione whipped around the other end of the tub with her wand, sending 3 curses in quick succession – Severus could block them but it was taking up all his concentration, that and the fact that he was being attacked by a naked wet witch covered with soap suds. Merlin she really is trying to kill me, he chuckled to himself. With her left hand she willed some of the books from his shelves fly in this direction.
She couldn't hide the grin forming across her face. Let's have a little fun shall we? She licked her lips. Hermione whipped her arm around her head throwing a half power curse in his direction, then pushing herself flush with a dresser.
One book bloodied his lip the others freed him up for a jolt from Hermione's lightening bolt. Not bad my dear, he smirked to himself. It occurred to him, as he found himself running for cover behind his large armchair that the very naked woman with a gold locket hanging from her neck on the other side of this chair had almost gotten the better of him – it was thrilling and exhilarating. Hermione the girl had always been bright and a quick study, but the woman was cunning and confidant more Slytherin than even he was willing to admit.
When Severus stood to cast his fire curses he was ready to block her barrage. Hermione was barely able to put up some kind of shield in time to keep herself from burning, though she smelled the edges of her burnt hair in the air. He was powerful, and she loved it. Finally a challenge, she was elated. But you still underestimate me Snape.
Without warning the tub flew forward knocking him off his feet as she pounced on him – a knife she had conjured from nothing at his throat. There was a smirk on his face he rolled her over, using his body weight to keep her back on the floor and using his free arm to wrestle the knife out of her hand. You are a rather feisty little thing, his groin tightening at the feeling of her body against his. No sooner had he thought of his groin than he felt a sickening amount of pain radiating from it. She had kneed him, hard pushing him off of her and scrambling for the other end of the room.
Before Severus could even get his hand on his wand again properly she had whipped her wand around, forming a bullwhip and cracking him across the back with it. The pain that shot through his back put stars in his eyes as she whipped again striking his hand, his wand flying through the air. Her laugh rang through the room as she saw the powerful wizard on the ground holding his hand in pain. "I kind of like you like this you know," she said with a smile, "such a worthy adversary, such a strong attractive man on his knees." She whipped him again coming a bit closer, a seductive half smile on her face.
That's right come a little closer darling, Severus said to himself as he willed her come a few steps closer. You gloat like a Slytherin and that's your mistake. When she cracked her whip a fourth time he was ready, he let it wrap around his arm then pulled it, consequently her toward him. If he could have taken a picture of the look on her face in this moment he would have, so was the shock in her big brown eyes. He stood up, pulling the woman closer to him holding her back flush against his chest and wrapped the whip around her neck twice. He pulled back his arm and leaned back at the same time, lifting her feet of the ground choking her.
She grappled with the whip as her eyes felt like they would burst out of her head, "And I kind of like you like this. Naked, sweaty and choking. . . though I'd rather it be on my cock." Severus grinned into her ear and let her feet to the ground, allowing Hermione a bit of air.
Though he may have had control of her wand he didn't have control of her left hand, where she kept her last concealed knife. It was with great adeptness that she slipped it from its magically concealed hiding place in her hand and put it to his inner thigh, knowing he could feel the tip of it pressing there though his pants. "Please by all means, choke me again Sir." Her tone was a playful warning; another choking like that and she would cut through his artery.
With that Severus grinned into her hair, taking in the smells of lavender and sweat. Somehow it didn't surprise him that she then dropped her knife to the floor in an unspoken surrender, nor did he find it out of character of him to release her conjured whip from around her neck and turn her to him. She was dirty again, her singed hair was full of dirt, with blood coming from her shoulder – her eyes were wild with excitement and she was breathing hard due to exhaustion. His face was bloodied and bruised and sweat dripped from his forehead, his back bleeding form the lashes she had given him earlier –they were both exhausted, silent casting was always taxing. They stood there staring at one another, breathing heavily – the silence deafening.
It was then that his mouth fell to hers, the kiss was passionate and deep. Her hands fell immediately to his robes, opening them hurriedly. Between rushed kisses and the pulling off of his robes she whispered in his ear, "I don't really want to kill you Severus. . . I. . . . " she gasped as he wrapped her hair tightly around his fist and roughly pulled her head back.
He led her over to his bed in the corner of the room, a rather large bed covered in animal furs – and conveniently the only part of the room not touched by their skirmish. "Prove it," his voice was demanding and deep, it made her smile. I may still be able to salvage my plan yet, she mused.