Okay this one is longer... :)

And wow for the number of reviews yesterday! Thanks :)

"I..."

Hermione's mouth dried. Her heart pounded. What was he suggesting? What did she want him to suggest?

"A kiss, nothing more, Hermione."

She blinked, dropped her bag to the couch and put her hand in his. And no, that wasn't a twist of disappointment in her belly. For all of her fantasies, she didn't really know this man. He was right to take things at a measured pace.

Severus pulled her to her feet with no effort and didn't release her. She'd never stood so close to him. Merlin's beard, he was tall.

She stared at his buttons, smooth, mother-of-pearl and so strange when she expected to see the line of carved jet that had tormented her dreams. The faint hint of herbs, mingled with cut grass and the familiar warmth of parchment swirled her senses. He...he was her amortentia scent.

His free hand lifted her chin, the gentle touch skittering a shiver across her skin. "Something amusing?"

"Your scent..."

"Jasmine. Fresh indigo ink. The scent of old books. In other words, you." The smile he wore in that moment made her heart miss a beat. His thumb stroked under her bottom lip and her mouth parted. "It seems there may be something to this magic."

She grinned at him and Severus let out a sigh.

"I may have to hex Mr Weasley when next I see him. That he made you doubt yourself. You are a brilliant and beautiful young woman."

Words formed but wouldn't come. She was gaping. Yet more compliments. Oh, she wanted to know this man. The dark, brooding Potions Master drew her, but now, with this layer of elegance and sardonic charm? He was irresistible.

"May I kiss you now, Hermione?" His voice was a low, sensual rumble and drew her gaze to the perfect line of his lips.

"Yes, please," burst out on a breath of air and she was aware of his lips twitching up into another one of his elusive little smiles before his mouth covered hers.

Firm lips, smooth and warm brushed hers and all other thought escaped her mind. Her hands, free of his hold, pressed to the heat of his chest, whilst his fingers, his, threaded through her hair. The dart of his tongue along the seam of her lips forced a gasp of surprise...and the kiss deepened.

Slow, sure, commanding. Her legs were jelly. He tasted of mint and tea, and something else, something delicious and addictive. She almost mewled at the perfection of his kiss, pressing herself against him. Merlin, she needed more. So much more. And then that kiss changed again, swept around her, hotter, the clash of tongues and lips, nips of teeth, her breath, his, hot and quick.

She clutched at him, losing herself in his touch, in the slide of his hand over her hip to hold him harder against him. And there, the fierce line of an erection ground against her belly-

Severus snapped back, his black eyes shining, his lips wet. He smirked at her, his chest heaving. "You're theory is confirmed, Hermione." His thumb teased across her lips. "Compatible indeed. In fact, any more compatible and we'd be half-naked on that couch and what would Sumi think?"

Hermione giggled and her gaze dropped away, scared to be thought of as a silly little girl.

He pressed a light kiss to her forehead and the gentle gesture twisted around her heart. "None of us have laughed enough these past few years," he murmured. He stepped away from her and his long fingers rubbed over his jaw. "This is...unexpected."

He wasn't denying their...compatibility. She certainly couldn't. Her skin still tingled, the taste of him there on her lips, the ghost of his touch lingering. Wanted. It was almost an awakening. She almost laughed at herself. So much for careful and measured! She willed her gaze up to his, her belly a hot mess of nerves. "Is it unwanted?"

"You're not yet nineteen."

"I will be. In September."

"What of your family. Your friends?"

They met in a half-smile as he couldn't keep the edge of derision from his voice. They had all made his job so much harder down the years. "My family. You know I placed a memory charm on them?" Severus gave her a brief nod. But then, who didn't know? A fully registered Rita Skeeter had spilled the 'heart-rending tale of over-weaning ambition and ultimate loss'. "Their condition is permanent. And they have another child. Another Hermione." She shrugged, fighting the swift rise of an old pain. "Though she isn't showing any signs of magic. A Hermione they can keep."

She drew in a slow, cleansing breath, aware of his watching her. She was grateful that he hadn't offered a sympathetic touch or murmur. Anything, and she'd break...and now wasn't that time. "And my friends? Still there. Still irritating."

His quiet "That is not difficult" broke a smile from her.

"We will grow apart. It's inevitable. Natural. They don't want my interference, but also can't expect me to be there to solve their problems for them."

His laugh was wry. "You cannot always be doing their homework."

Hermione blushed. Had it been that obvious? "We're taking different subjects now." She sat again, feeling strange standing so close to him as she effectively bared her soul. He retook his seat and called for tea. Sumi whipped in with a bone china set and two huge cuts of carrot cake.

Severus frowned at the plates. "She is constantly trying to feed me up."

"You look better for it." And Hermione hid behind her cup, not wanting to see the effect of her compliment.

"Miss Skeeter would have more to say if we married."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "She always has more to say. Should've kept her in that jar. Foul little beetle."

"Blackmail, Miss Granger?"

The hint of the Potions Master did something strange and warm to her insides. And played into the wicked little daydreams in which she sometimes indulged. "Necessary, Professor Snape."

His look then was calculating. Was he weighing up the woman she was now, compared to the schoolgirl he'd known? "I am a difficult man, Hermione. Often solitary. Frequently anti-social. I am twice your age and certain things must be just-so for me. Certain rituals that ease my mind."

And the word 'ritual' did not conjure up an ancient stone altar, Severus clothed in black and her completely naked. Not interested in that sort thing? Ha, Ron Weasley knew nothing! "Such as?"

"I work alone. I think and create more easily that way and I do not like others interfering in my workspace. I have a full laboratory in the cellar of this house. It would remain forbidden to you. Perhaps for years."

Hermione was hit by the soured rush of regret that she wouldn't witness someone as brilliant as Severus Snape experimenting. Her cup froze near her mouth. She did ache for the next best thing. "Could I read your notes or discuss your work with you? Outside of your laboratory?"

Severus pursed his lips and Hermione thought about kissing him again. "That would be a...satisfactory compromise."

She let out a slow breath and smiled. "Good. Thank you."

"I also cannot be spoken to in the morning until my second cup of tea." A hint of humour lightened his words and his gaze flickered to her hands. "Do you feel the urge to take notes, Hermione?"

Merlin, her fingers were twitching. "No." She barely bit back the word 'sir'.

He looked to the cake, sighed and picked up the plate and its fork. Sumi seemed to know him too well. "We would -will?- have a difficult path to follow. The transition from teacher and pupil to husband and wife with a hard year as our only separation will be fraught with obstacles."

Hermione did have a list in her bag, but she thought better than pulling it out. The words were burnt into her skull, anyway. "The important ones. For me. Would you deny me my apprenticeship?"

Severus stared at her in disbelief, his fork half-way to his mouth. "Why in Merlin's name would I do that? Apprenticing under Master Ashian is a great honour."

A definite win over Ron, who'd simply stared at her and asked why she wanted to sit in a hall full of mouldy old books. "Master Ashian? Never heard of him. And won't you ever get out of needing to waste away in a library, Mione?" he'd whined at her as she'd received her precious offer from the reclusive Master of the Ministry Archives. "Books, books, books." Then he'd stormed out of the kitchen with his broom to play quidditch.

She wondered if that was the day he sought out Gillian Osset.

Hermione smiled and the tight knot in her stomach eased away. "The law is only looking to pair magic. But...we will be married," her face grew hot, "in every sense."

Severus' smile was slow, a hint of devilment lurking in his eyes. "Yes. I believe that is mandatory."

She wet her dried lips. "Then, really, we must..." His smile distracted her, filled her thoughts with wicked things and the memory of their one and only kiss. "Children." She bit out the word. "It's possible, what with... And I need to know how you would feel." She didn't give him a chance to reply before she blundered into her own opinions. "I would -eventually, not right away- like two. I was an only child, and it was sometimes stifling. And I would like it if we both played a fair role."

Her teeth snapped shut and she looked at him, her heart in her throat.

"That is reasonable."

She blinked, expecting more. Expecting an explosion of how he loathed children, how horrible his own childhood was -another exclusive from the hideous Rita Skeeter- but his calm acceptance threw her.

Severus placed the half-eaten cake on the low table and sank back into his the firm padding of the couch. "I am not an ogre. I have a new life. Money and standing." He waved this long hand around the room. "This frankly medieval law -whilst odious to others- suits me well. My past has denied me a family. I would like one." His short smile was dark, more like the man she knew. "The best revenge is living well, Hermione."

He lifted an eyebrow. "I, of course, would not object to more than two."

Hermione stared at him. She blinked. Twice. "You wouldn't?"

"I do have a large home to fill."

He was teasing her. Git. Still, she liked his dry, dark humour. It was unexpected. She huffed at him. "You're a wicked man."

Severus inclined his head. "Severus Snape, at your service."

"Then you agree? To this..." She waved her hand between them, reluctant to say the word 'marriage'. It pushed their conversation into hard reality.

"The Pura Concursum supports us in terms of our magical synthesis." His dark eyes warmed and Hermione resisted the urge to twitch her skirt over her knees, to hide herself before him. His single, heated glance threatened to strip her bare. It was unnerving. And delicious. "The amortentia suggests a mutual attraction. Proven correct by our little experiment."

"When...when did it change? The scent. I mean it can't always have been..."

He winced, though Hermione wanted to believe it was his pulling at his memories and not her impertinence that forced a frown. "Around 18 July. Four weeks ago. I was asked to prepare twelve vials for the Aurors' office. I became aware of a change then."

Four weeks ago, she had broken up with Ron. Almost to that very date. Magic seemed to be conspiring in their favour. His willingness to answer her questions confused and surprised her. And she told him so.

Severus rubbed his hands together. His voice was quite, thoughtful. "I promised myself, long ago, that if I was fortunate to court a young lady then I would try to be honest. I've been bound by lies for so many years. It is still...difficult."

He drew in a slow breath and sat forward. "I cannot promise love, Hermione. Not today. This is all so sudden." His gaze dropped to his hands. "But I have always hoped to one day have a wife to love." The confession was little more than a whisper and twisted Hermione's heart. She clamped her fingers to her lips so as not to interrupt him. He looked up, a wry smile tugging at his lips, his gaze flicking over her white-knuckled hand. "I will honour and respect you and your decisions. I will protect you. This, I promise."

Hermione's throat tightened. He was making so much effort, simply for her. She wanted to throw herself at him. She didn't know what to say, so many words bubbled up. And anything she said after that would seem silly, would cheapen his vow. She could only murmur a heart-felt 'thank you'.

Severus stood and Hermione jerked to her feet, her nerves strained. What...? He gave her a short smile. "We should do this properly, don't you think? Sumi."

The little elf cracked into the room, her bright, curious eyes moving from Severus and Hermione and back again. "Sir?"

"The walnut chest in the vault. Please bring it to me."

Sumi blinked, clapped her hands, grinned and popped away.

"Severus-" Hermione began, her thoughts still scattered.

Sumi was back and she offered up a small chest in polished walnut. Her eyes shone. "Is sir...?"

"Yes, please stay, Sumi."

The little elf squeaked and flapped her hands, but then slapped her palm to her mouth, her great eyes contrite.

Opening the chest, Severus drew out a smaller, ebony box. He put the walnut chest on the table and dropped to one knee before Hermione.

She gasped, a sudden surge of shock making her lightheaded. Her legs buckled. "What-?"

Severus creaked open the box, a platinum ring with a shining circle of blue jade at its heart. "Would you do me the great honour of marrying me, Hermione Granger?"

Sumi was squeaking and half-sobbing just over to her left and all words seemed to escape Hermione. Again. Severus seemed to be very good and shutting her up. Completely. She grinned at him, tears blurring her eyes. From the first flare of his name in gold only a few hours before, she'd ached for something like this. No, not this. She could never have imagined anything such as this...

"Yes!" She pressed taut fingers to her mouth as she'd practically shouted the word at him. She shook her head, trying to pull her thoughts together. "Yes, I would like to marry you. Very much. Thank you."

He slipped the ring on to her left hand, the cool metal warming and resizing to her slim finger.

Severus climbed to his feet, and pressed her hand to his lips, dropping a light kiss on the beautiful ring. "Blue jade. A stone for brides coming into the family. An aide to infinite patience with Prince men."

Sumi had a vast, lace-edged handkerchief and was openly bawling into it.

Hermione wiped at her eyes, smiling as she found more tears. "You're sure?"

"That you'll need infinite patience? Undoubtedly."

She couldn't stop it, she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his chest and fisting his shirt in her hands. He pressed his chin to her hair as his own arms settled around her. "It will be awkward and strange in the beginning," he murmured, his voice a delicious rumble that warmed her and pattered her heart. "And others won't understand, will think I coerced you."

Hermione growled and he chuckled. "Let them say that to me."

"They might, Hermione. You have to be prepared. No offensive magic. I don't want to visit my new wife in Azkaban."

"Spoilsport."

She snuggled against him, enjoying his hold. No one held her, not any more...and she could get used to Severus' touch all too easily. It surprised her how much she wanted it. To be able to touch him when the mood struck her. To stroke his jaw in passing, kiss him, run her fingers through his hair. Like a moonstruck little girl. She winced.

"Hermione?" He pressed a kiss to her forehead and she sucked in a nervous breath. "I am not the man who terrorised you for six years. He was a necessary mask. A necessary evil. Well, I am not wholly him." The stress on that word broke a short laugh from her. "We will learn about each other. And that begins with honesty."

Hermione shoved down her nerves. "I want to be...affectionate."

"Oh my lovely girl." He cupped her face and dropped the sweetest of kisses to her mouth. His eyes shone with wickedness. "I would not deny you any touch you desire."

"Your voice should be illegal."

She blushed at his laughter, but his lips brushed her ear and his low, heated whisper ran gooseflesh over her skin. "When I have you naked and under me, I will tell you such things, my soon-to-be wife. How I will have you, in every bed and in every room. Where I will lick and kiss. Where I will taste. How I will fuck you until you scream my name." He paused and Hermione almost swayed. "Would you like that?"

Her heart beat out of her chest, her breath short and the ache between her legs a deep throb. All from his few words, his promises, spoken in that voice. "Yes," she wet her lips and swallowed, "yes, please."

He stepped back and settled in the cool elegance that he wore so easily. Hermione envied his skill. She was completely rattled and undone by him. "Do you object to a short ceremony at the Ministry?"

A quick surge of relief did find her then. Something simple and out of the public eye. Marvellous. "I'd prefer it."

"Sumi?"

The elf sat in a puddle of damp material on the carpet and dabbed at her runny nose. "I am so happy for Master...and the new Mistress." She grinned at Hermione. "A family. Sumi's own family..." More tears leaked and she buried her little face in a clean patch of the handkerchief. Several more sobs broke from her.

"Sumi would you help Hermione get ready?"

The elf's head popped above the swathe of material, her ears pricked. "Oh, Sumi could love, more than anything, to help." She was on her feet, had grabbed Hermione's hand and was pulling her towards the door.

"I..." Hermione looked back helplessly to Severus.

"Trust her."

And with it, she was trusting him too. Which she did, with everything. Including her life. She gave him a small smile. And at some point soon, this Severus Snape was sure to have her heart. She hoped one day, she would have his.

I know, fluff to the extreme...but *huggling the fluff* *happy sigh*

As ever, let me know what you think. :)