Good lord where in the world did you all come from? Feeling the love people :) My wonderful Amarenima Redwoodasked me how much time has past, we are now at the tail end of August (whose birthday is coming up I wonder?) the year of the war.

As always, JKR owns everything.

WARNING! ANY AND ALL MINORS SHOULD TURN BACK NOW. THERE IS A REASON THIS STORY IS RATED 'M'.

The leather below her palms was getting bunched, it wasn't meant to be gripped so tightly. As Severus broke away momentarily, Hermione's head was spinning, she had never seen her professor this way and although she wanted this (oh for longer than anyone would like to admit) she was amazed at the difference a bit of snogging seemed to do to him.

Severus loomed over her, watching her eyes rake down his body, drinking every inch in. He wasn't sure why he had put on the blue jumper she had suggested this morning, but as they were leaving the house for St. Mugo's she had asked him to simply wear something with color. As he was in a Muggle neighborhood, Severus had taken to wearing jeans although they seemed to slide off his hips from time to time. He refused to wear a belt, Hermione noticed, although he had seemed fine wearing the faded leather jacket. It wasn't the same as his teaching robes but he did look mighty fine in it.

"You are thinking too much witch," he said with mock sternness in his voice. As he kissed her neck, biting softly on her pulse point as he continued, his hands roamed over her arse and thighs.

"I was just- oh do that again- thinking that- Severus please I'm trying to speak here- we should maybe- Severus!" His hands were cold below her shirt, his fingers ghosting up her ribs as he gently cupped one of her breasts over her bra. The smirk had returned to his face but not malice or temper reached his eyes, he spoke softly as his hands froze-"yes my dear?"

Her skin flushed beautifully when she was embarrassed, Severus thought with a chuckle. Lips dark and plump from their kisses, check; eyes dilated in arousal, check; chest heaving magnificently in an attempt to regain her breath, check.

"I have never gone this far with, well anyone really," she said with a embarrassed tilt to her voice. Oh that got his attention. The change in body language was something she would have to look at in a pensieve later, it was extraordinary. His eyes went from cheerful to Occluded, his shoulders that were slumped in relaxation were now taught and his hands, while they hadn't been removed, felt like vices where they resided on her hips.

Severus shuddered, his lips barely moving, "Why do you play with fire witch? I am burning for you, you are Persephone to my Hades." Severus leaned his head on her shoulder, the ache in his body for her was too much for his shoulders to carry. "You are whole and young and-" His words were cut off by her hand gripping his and pulling him away from the basement. As they reached the top of the stairs she turned to him, now eye level, and kissed him long and deeply. "Trust me Severus," the next word that passed her lips almost broke him. "Please."

What they were doing in the rundown bathroom between their bedrooms, Severus had no idea. She stood behind him, peering at their reflection off to the side and wrapped her arms around him. His eyes had closed as her hands touched him and her voice prompted his gaze to return to her in the glass.

"The hands taught me the subtle art of potions," her own smaller grasp took his, tracing the fingers lovingly. "As well as saved lives. These arms," her hands gripped his biceps gently before sliding onto his chest, "protected me from the werewolf that haunted your dreams." Hermione turned him gently while stroking his face, almost feather-like, "These eye and lips have seen so much. Have seen so much pain and all I wish is to take that hurt away. Do you trust me Severus?" The stare he gave her answered everything. He trusted her, against his better judgment, and he was startled when she started to pull his jacket and jumper over his head.

"Hermione-" Severus said. The panic was clear in his features. He knew she had seen some of his scars when his neck had first been treated, but she really had no idea what lay before her. "Trust me Severus," she replied softly as she tugged the thin white base layer away from his skin.

His eyes refused to meet hers, steeling himself for her disgust and rejection. Severus was unable to stop the moan that left his lips as her her lips kissed the skin right above his heart and he shivered as her fingers gently, but firmly, touched every scar she could see.

Potions scars were normal for a person in his profession, she had a few herself actually. Fingers and forearms were easily burned from sparks or erratic flames, so those she had prepared for. The Dark Mark was one she had prepared for, the mottled black and green skin was rippled and uneven. The bite marks from Nagini were still deep and jagged, much of the skin still pink and raw. Six teeth marks in all, she shivered as she remembered how much blood had been on the floor and how pale his face was.

The stark white lines that met his skin were numerous. Jagged from curses and hexes, strait lines from what looked like knives. Each one told a story, each one he had bled and suffered for.

Pulling his chin from his chest, Hermione forced his eyes to return to hers. "Severus," his eyes held so much pain and so much longing for her, her heart broke for him. The path that lead them to this moment was full of pain and suffering, the torment this man she loved had gone through. His gray hair started to fall into his eyes, not even remotely close to the greasy curtains he had before, but his hair was thin and cool, feeling like water running through her fingers as she combed his hair back from his brow.

"I won't be a replacement Severus," she said, barely above a whisper. "I know you loved Lily," she paused for a moment, blinking back tears and felt his hand squeezing hers. "I can wait, I can deal with part of your heart always belonging to her. But I would want you to want me for me."

His lips tasted like coffee and herbs and the disgusting chili chocolate he so loved. The cool tile was slick against her back, it was a obvious addition he did himself since it matched nothing else in the house. As he pushed her down the hallway, stumbling as they went his lips attacked every piece of skin he could touch. Hermione moaned into his mouth as Severus pulled her shirt over her head, gasping as he pushed her gently down on the ancient bedsprings. The threadbare wool blanket did little for her arousal but the fingers her potions master was trailing over her was lighting fire and she arched into every touch. Feeling the scars beneath her palms, Hermione gently grasped his cock and all movements above her stopped, a low moan emitted from him before he attacked her lips once more. His fingers were fumbling with her fly and taking pity on him she slipped out from underneath him and stood.

Severus leaned back against the headboard, gazing at her like a lion would a zebra she thought with a chuckle. His erection was straining the denim and his chest stopped all movements when Hermione finally slipped her jeans into a puddle at her feet. Chewing her lip softly, embarrassed that she hadn't worn anything more 'sexy', instead she stood in her nude bra and black cotton panties. Severus seemed to take note of her hesitation and took her hands in his as he scooted to the end of the bed. "Look at me love," his voice had taken a steel quality as he tugged her once again below him and her gaze met his gentle one. "We can wait," his whole body shivered in disagreement with his words. "I want to make this as wonderful as you deserve. As much as I doubt I can give that to you," he added as an afterthought.

After a few moments Hermione slipped her hands into his jeans and slid them down his narrow hips, barely having to pause as they slipped past his erection and arse. Nature had been more than kind to him in regard to... that area, she thought to herself. All thoughts flew from her mind as he pressed himself back down onto her after removing her underwear, his tongue lavishing her neck and breasts before noticing a slight flicker over her breasts and chest.

"Showed you mine, let me see yours," he said softly. Severus let out a low hiss as she removed the glamor and a angry red scar slashed from her shoulder to sternum. He noticed that tears came from her eyes and Severus gently kissed them away. "Do you think less of me for my scars love?" Hermione moved her gaze to his chest, smoothing down the small patch of black hair she found there and shook her head. "Then why would I turn away from yours?" Severus kissed her gently again as their hands worked in tandem, one hand being pinned above her head by his and the other clasping his arse and his on her hip, tracing gentle circles there as he felt the heat from her body begin that began to tear at his patience. "Make me yours Severus," she whispered in his ear.

And with his forehead resting on hers, their noses meeting and eyes closed, he thrust into her warm depths.

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