Chapter Fourteen
Hermione had rarely had as relaxed and wonderful time as on their honeymoon. Knowing that neither of them could be apart from Gracie for long, Harry and Ginny took a vacation themselves, securing their own bungalow and using the time the baby was with her parents to have some much-needed romantic time of their own.
Severus, of course, spoiled both of 'his girls' rotten, something Hermione hadn't experienced in a very, very long time. By day, while her parents watched their beloved granddaughter, the pair snorkeled the reefs, swam with dolphins, and took short excursions, they then took Gracie with them as they dined out, went sight-seeing, or shopped for souvenirs and gifts. But by night...oh, by night...the fragrant confines of their bungalow became their playground. Severus did his best to rid Hermione of every physical memory of the abuses she'd endured at the hands of the one person who should've loved, protected and cherished her above all others.
He discovered that the more intimate of moments he spent with Hermione, the more he discovered that the love he'd felt for Lily Evans was neither more nor less than that of a school boy crush. The pain of betrayal and unrequited love had been real...no question...but each time he watched his wife laugh at Gracie's coos, smile up at him in innocent pleasure, or had the privilege to gaze into her hazelnut eyes as they glazed over the second before her climax shook her, his heart would soar knowing that he, and he alone, brought her such joy.
In the confines of the mosquito netting their world was just each other. They would undress one another without inhibition, for Hermione no longer felt insecure about her postpartum body. As though a great stone dam had been loosed in his soul, and Severus could no longer keep from raining his praise upon her, restoring the hard-won confidence she'd once had as the "brightest witch of the age", a moniker she still deserved, for each night she weaved a magical web around his heart.
Twilight was their favorite part of the day. They'd order a delicious picnic from room service and spread a huge blanket on the soft sand. Severus loved to lie next to Gracie and talk silly talk to her while she gurgled back and made faces at him until he laughed, making him look years younger. Ginny and Harry would join them with their own picnic and they would sit and talk, as good friends do. But, just before the sunset, a hush came upon the two couples, and they'd turn as one to watch out to the sea. Colors painted the sky a brilliant yellow, orange and gorgeous pink, ultimately fading to deep blue and indigo that sparkled with a million stars. The sea rolled with waves as they sat in the comfortable silence among friends, until as one, each cleaned up plates and dinnerware and vanished any remaining food left and walking barefoot towards their individual dwellings, Gracie carried off by the Potters for the night. It was after saying their good-nights, and retiring to their shadowed bungalow that paradise often took on a more cherished meaning. Their bed became a cozy and safe place for them to heal one another through their loving.
One night, during Hermione's hot shower to sluice off the fine coating of sand that covered her, due to Severus pouncing on her after their friends' retreat, carrying her straight into the ocean, where he tore her new lace knickers in the haste to be one with her. He settled when they were joined, no longer in such a fever pitch, but allowing the motion of the waves to dictate the speed of his timing, until she came calling his name. They loved times like these, where the most valuable thing was exploring all of the textures and nuances of each others bodies and souls, for it was during these moments they'd find an newness within each other to be held onto tightly, never losing sight of their value. Lost in thought she didn't hear Severus' approach until the glass door opened and there he was, his lean and defined body tanned and his hair streaked lighter from the sun, no longer that pasty white Professor from the Dungeons.
Silently he grabbed the lavender shampoo (that he'd made for her) and applied it directly to her scalp, kneading it until her head dropped to his chest, and she moaned in delight. Taking a portable showerhead off its clip, he ran the warm water through her hair and along her scalp, making sure to get all the shampoo out of her long curls. Then he pulled her head up for long, scorching kiss, as he crowded her against the widest of the shower walls, flipping the switch to turn on the rain head above and the jets that pulsed from each side. Picking her up by her waist, he anchored her with his hips and drove her wild with his mouth.
She was shaking with desire by the time he decided to take things further. He lowered her until the head of his member just penetrated her soft, dewy petals, then he stopped. Swallowing her protests, his mouth once again drew her attention as he plundered hers, his tongue invading and retreating in a sweet and hot parody of the sex act. Not able to move herself, to take in all of him was driving Hermione insane, but not with fear. By now she knew she was completely safe with Severus, able to let her guard down and place her heart and her life into his very strong and capable hands.
Still kissing her, he put a foot up onto the bench that stretched across the expanse, then placed her on his thigh and, in a sexy, throaty voice told her 'Go ahead luv...ride me...' and he helped as she rocked her hips, rubbing herself along his muscular, hairy thigh as he found the small bundle of nerves at the apex of her thighs and plucked and rubbed, and plucked again until, sobbing his name, she shattered.
The restraint he'd held tight to all night finally broke, he turned her until she faced the slick tiles and picked her hips up, pulling her knees wide apart then, in one smooth motion, he impaled her on his thick shaft until he was seated at the very entrance to her womb. When she squirmed, and made a small mewling sound, he realized that this position made her internal muscles have to stretch wide in order to accommodate his fullness, and he stopped, breathing heavily while seated to the hilt within her moist heat.
Using his hand, he sought to distract her so she would regain all the pleasure that he ached to give her. He grabbed blindly for the pure vanilla soap and squirted a dollop into his hand to rub its silkiness over her breasts gently tweaking her sensitive nipples while using his strong teeth to nip the side of her neck. Her muscles finally relaxed to the point that she dropped her head back on his shoulder to give him greater access and he groaned in delight in feeling the small contractions of her internal muscles as they adjusted to both the angle of penetration and his size. A soapy hand caressed her down her belly, dipping slowly toward where she burned and ached with need. Only when he heard her breath quicken and felt the heat of her flowing around him, did he dare move. At first his strokes were small and shallow, and just the friction against her sensitive tissue made her cry out and struggled to make him move faster. He held her tight and stopped thrusting to croon into her ear until she settled. He began again, at first with shallow thrusting again then and only then, as he noticed her complete surrender to his ministrations, did he grasp her around her belly with one arm and palmed one breast with the other, pulling nearly out before pushing himself completely back in. She cried out in immense pleasure and tried to push her hips in counterpoint to his movements, but he wouldn't allow it. There was a silent struggle for power, then she succumbed freely, knowing he'd give of himself, with abandon, another time. She loved that about him, his utter and complete surrender to her, heart, body and soul.
She was his world, she challenged him, loved him, and drove him mad all in a single moment. When she relaxed into him, her unabashed submission was an instant aphrodisiac, and he could withhold himself no longer. Grasping her around the middle he deepened his thrusts, then alternated them with shallow movements, so she didn't know what would come next...she only knew that with him there was no fear, no shame and no heartbreak. Within moments he felt her head collapse against his shoulder as she cried out his name in ecstasy, the hard contractions of her internal muscles drove him on until, having his limit peaked, he showered her womb with his seed. It wasn't until later, as they cuddled in the bed that it dawned on him that he didn't use protection. He whispered this news to his drowsy, sated wife, and was rewarded with a soft kiss, and reassurances that things would turn out all right.
The next morning brought news, far away on a blustery, cold and snowy Wizarding community, that would soon shatter their world. Overnight, there had been a breakout at Azkaban.
***Author's Note: My humble apologies for the lateness of this post, I had a trip to the hospital...again...and didn't get as much done as I should have. I hope this will suffice, do me the honor of reading your reviews! A very special thanks to all my regular reviewers...without you, I'd only be writing words.