A few days later Severus set up another meeting with Olivander for Hermione. The wand maker came and was led to the sitting room where a fire was waiting. Hermione brought in a tray of simple snacks and tea. Severus retired to his lab to complete a few orders.
"I understand you have more questions for me on wand making."
"I do but I don't know exactly how to go about asking them." She admitted with a half smile. See none of the books go into detail on how the wands themselves are made. What potions or spells are needed to create them?"
"Ah, I understand." Commented Olivander. "In this case this is something you would have to see for yourself. This is not something that would be found in books as each wand maker has their own spells and potions they use. No one spell or potion used by a wand maker is better than any other maker." Hermione nodded. Taking this as a nod of understanding Olivander reached in a valise beside him and took out two halves of a piece of wood and two long dark corked vials almost the same length of the wood.
Olivander presented the items to Hermione to inspect. "Can you tell me what wood this is?" he asked as he handed her the wood halves.
"It's very light but it's very strong. I would hazard a guess at dogwood or…" Hermione paused a moment. The wood was dark, somewhere between mahogany and ebony, but it was light in weight, "actually I think this is sakura wood." Olivander smiled.
"You are correct but to be more specific it is blue sakura wood. It is a rare wood that only grows in the wizarding parts of Japan." Hermione had heard about the wood and knew that it was used in some potions as a powder. She'd never seen it whole. "Now I want you to identify what is in these vials." He said as he handed them to her. Hermione opened the first vial.
"Well this one is unicorn hair from the mane." She answered. Olivander nodded and waited for her to open the next vial as she closed the other. The contents of the second vial were a mystery to her. they were the same consistency as the that of the Unicorn hair but she wasn't entirely sure what it was. "I don't know what this is."
"I thought you would have recognized it as only those who've seen death could see it." Hermione looked down at the hairs again.
"Thestral hair."
"Correct. Now, I'm going to show you how these are all brought together." He took the Unicorn hair and Thestral hair and laid them together. "The firs thing that must be done is to bind the core together." Hermione nodded and moved closer to Olivander to watch him work. "With this I use a binding charm that is specific to certain cores. In this case the charm will twist the two types of hair together." With his fingers Olivander held one end of the hairs as the other was between the two and twisting them together with an unspoken charm. As his fingers twisted the hairs together a few tendrils of magic wove around and through the hair causing the hairs to bond together. At the end he rubbed the hairs together to seal them together. "Do you understand so far?" he asked.
"I think I do. The charm you used was to go between and around the hairs to fuse them together. Than you used another to fuse the end so it doesn't unravel."
"Sharp eyes Ms. Weasley."
"Call me Hermione, please." She said with a quick smile.
"Call me Garrick then." He responded. "I would like you to hold the fused hairs for me for a moment." Hermione took them in hand and felt the magic that bound them together and the magic from the Unicorn and Thestral. Olivander reached into his bag and pulled out a pair of tweezers and a small vial that had blue crystals in it.
"The crystals in this vial are used direct the magic of the wizard or witch through the wand as a conduit. Without this crystal put in the wand as well the wand would explode from the power of the witch or wizard. I'm sure you've seen some of your peers when you were at Hogwarts blow up their wands." At that Hermione nodded. "They didn't by their wands from me. They were either hand me downs or mass-produced so there fore faulty. One cannot wield their magic properly if the wand does not fit them." Olivander took the tweezers and used them to take out one crystal. He put the vial on the table in front of him then picked up one half of the wood. "I need you to place the core in the grove of the center for me." Hermione did just that as carefully as possible.
"Where do you put the crystal?" she asked as she placed her hands on her lap.
"Watch. Place the other half of the wood on top for me." Hermione did that and sat and watched. Unbeknownst to her Severus was standing at the door of the sitting room watching. Hermione was in student mode and was utterly rapt at what was being taught to her. He stood with a smile and continued to watch silently.
Once the two pieces of wood were brought together Olivander placed the crystal at the tip and with a burst of light Hermione watched as the crystal seeped into the wood and sealed the wood together seamlessly. Olivander than handed her the wand.
"Can you feel that?" he asked looking at her.
"Yes. It's so powerful and it feels wonderful to hold and balanced."
"Is that so?" asked Severus from the door with a confused look. Olivander was confused as well.
"Cast a spell for me Hermione." For a moment she thought of a spell then an idea came to her.
"Expecto Patronum." She said with confidence and out leapt her Patronus and to the astonishment of all it was different. Instead of her customary beaver out jumped a large three-eyed eagle. It circled the room once before landing on the floor besides her blinking at her expectantly. "Well that's new." She commented staring at it.
"Your Patronus is an Avalon Eagle." Commented Severus. "They're very rare. When was the last time you cast a Patronus?"
"Just before the last battle she mumbled." Severus sat on the chair closest to her.
"It seems you Patronus changed after the trauma of the final battle."
"Is that a normal thing?" she asked looking at Severus.
"It is. Do you remember what mine was?" Hermione nodded. "Expecto Patronum." Out of Severus' wand came a raven it flew around and perched itself next to Hermione's eagle.
"Well then there you go. Two avians. But back to the wand. Does this wand feel better to you than the wand I gave you as a replacement some time ago?"
"It…yes it does feel better. It feels easier to use for me." Hermione cast a few other spells just to be sure.
"Can I see your previous wand?" Hermione pulled it out and gave it to Olivander. He held it and let his magic wash over it then took her wand hand and did the same. "Seems you've grown in magic since I gave you this wand. I suggest you keep this new wand and I'll take this wand back. Is that okay?"
"Yes, it is."
"Good now, I have to get back to my shop. It was a pleasure educating you Hermione."
"It was a pleasure learning from you." Olivander stood up and walked to the door with his things. He shrugged on his dark green robes and threw on the hood.
"I hope to see you two again." With that he bowed and walked out the front door and disappeared with a snap.
"So do you understand now?" asked Severus.
"Yes, I understand why this wasn't in any book there's no set way for all wand makers."
"And as humble as he is Olivander is the best at what he does." He commented as he led Hermione to the kitchen. "Now, its afternoon, I'm hungry and I'm sure you are also why don't we make something to eat." Hermione smiled and they set to making their lunch together.
Later that night found Severus and Hermione in the sitting room. Severus sat on the sofa reading while Hermione spread out on the floor with her notebook and quill furiously writing. When Severus noticed that the scritch scratch of her quill had stopped he peaked up from his book to see Hermione had fallen asleep. Severus marked his page and set the book on the side table and got up. He noticed that her quill was leaving an ink spot on the paper so he grabbed that and her ink well and placed them neatly on the coffee table. Then he took her notebook, spelled away the ink spot, made sure the writing was dry then placed her book on the coffee table as well.
"Hermione." He said trying to shake her awake but there was no response. With a wicked grin on his face he tried a different tactic. "Ms. Granger, if you do not wake right now your potion will solidify and I will take points and give you a failing grade." Hermione opened her eyes and looked at Severus with a brow raised. It wasn't the desired affect he wanted but she was awake. Hermione swatted him on the arm with a smile though making him smile. And she froze. It was a rare sight to see Severus really smile and when he did it was a thing to behold.
Severus couldn't help himself as he looked at the beauty sprawled on the floor beneath him and leaned down and kissed her. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer causing Severus to lie out on top of her and revel in her soft lips. Severus could feel himself harden against her thigh and involuntarily bucked against her. His kisses moved to her jaw and neck and he found that spot beneath her ear that elicited the most perfect moan from her. Severus smirked and moved down to her belly where he pulled up her shirt and ever so slowly he made his way from the top of her jeans to beneath her right breast kissing and nipping her as she squirmed in pleasure beneath him.
Hermione slipped off the sweater she wore and Severus was met with a bountiful surprise. No bra was worn. Her perfectly large and pert breasts were free. Severus lunged for one breast in his mouth while the other breast was occupying his hand. The pleasure of him nipping her nipple and pinching the other sent shivers down her spine to her core causing her to want more from him.
"Severus, remove you clothes." she intoned. Severus sat up. Hermione whined at the loss of contact but she knew it would be better when they were naked. Hermione slipped off her skirt and panty and lay back down on the carpet. Severus grabbed his wand and put a cushioning charm on the carpet and threw another log on the fire. But he hesitated to take off his clothes and Hermione noticed.
"Severus, I know you have scars. So do I, its okay." In his fervor to have Hermione he didn't notice her scars. Especially the one that went from her left collarbone and curved between her breasts and ended under her right breast. He had remembered Dolohov. But then there were others. There were those she had gotten while a student, those that she had gotten while on the run and during the final battle. But then there were those that were more recent, Ron had caused those. But at the moment he would not think of that ass. For now Hermione was naked and wanting and he would be giving. Severus removed his clothing with a wave of his hand and looked down at Hermione who was biting her lip.
"Merlin, you're perfect." She said as she reached for him and pulled him down. Their lips met again and this time he lay beside her as his hand snaked from one breast that over flowed his hand to sliding down her torso to finding his fingers between her labia and rubbing at her clit in circles. The sensation causing Hermione to buck her hips and moan. She couldn't continue to kiss Severus, she was so distracted. Severus then slid two fingers inside her and let his thumb continue on her clit. She moaned loudly and bucked harder. Then her hand shot out and she took his cock in her hand and started to jerk him off and he moaned too at her touch especially at the attentions he was giving the head of his cock.
"Severus, I need this," she squeezed his cock lightly, "inside me now." she gritted out.
"As you wish." He replied. Severus removed his fingers and slid them in his mouth and savored her taste with a moan. He then lay over her and slowly inched his cock inside her. He knew his size and she was very tight. When he had slid all the way to the hilt he lay there a moment looking down at her and captured her lips. Hermione had wrapped her legs around Severus and urged him to move. Severus obliged and started off slow as he pushed in and out of her while he kissed her and fondled her breast. The slow movement didn't last too long though and Hermione urged him to go faster and that he did.
Hermione's orgasm came first and she arched off the floor and screamed Severus name as she took fistfuls of the shag carpet beneath her. Severus reveled in her ecstasy and it didn't take long for the quivering walls of her quim to push him over the edge and spill his seed inside her. His spasms were strong and plentiful and he couldn't help but hold on to Hermione as she came down from her climax. They lay there sated and entangled with each other. Severus moved from on top of Hermione and then pulled her to spooning. He summoned the blanket on the sofa and draped over the two of them. Neither had the energy for anything else and fell asleep in front of the fire.
"Goodnight Hermione." Whispered Severus as he wrapped an arm around her waist and buried his face in her hair.