A/N: Hello again! So I'm posting now instead of next week since the last chapter was a touch later than usual. I hope that's ok with ya'll. ;)

Beta: Glitter

Tuesday dawns sunny and cold and, after rising and showering, Hermione chuckles ruefully to herself as she digs out a pair of thigh-high knitted socks.

Before they had gone to their respective beds, she and Tom had texted for long enough so Hermione feels that they are back on an even keel after her slip-up and subsequent punishment the day before.

Skipping down the stairs, she suddenly smiles in surprise. "Ginny! I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!"

The younger redhead looks up with a grin before hopping up and hugging the curly-haired woman tightly. "I know, I'm sorry! We've had rehearsals and trying to keep up with school work, and everything…"

"Not to mention going out on dates with the Mr. Zabini," Hermione smirks up at Ginny. Despite the over-a-year difference in age, Ginny is still taller than Hermione by a few inches. Most everyone is taller than me, but it's nice that Tom is, she thinks with a flush of her cheeks.

Ginny eyes Hermione's blush, her grin widening, "Yes, dates with Blaise, but what about you? What has you blushing so much?"

Shaking her head quickly, Hermione forces out a laugh. "What? I'm not! No, just… just thinking about how much Ron is going to complain if we mention you dating Zabini around him. He still thinks you and Harry will get back together."

Rolling her brown eyes, she laughs and shakes her head. "My stupid brother. He also thinks you and he will get back together, and we all know that's not happening, don't we?"

Hermione smiles and shakes her head. "Yes, we do. Ron and I just aren't meant to be; he's too much like my brother!" She laughs and shakes her hair back from her face as she glances around the common room. "Speaking of, where are the boys?"

"Already left for breakfast. They left me here to wait for you and skedaddled. Come on, I'm starving! I'd like some bacon before Ron eats the whole table's worth." Ginny rolls her eyes again before hooking her arm through Hermione's and dragging her out of the room and into the cold.

Walking together and chatting, Hermione smiles happily as they make their way to the dining hall. After gathering their plates and some breakfast – with plenty of bacon still left, despite Ginny's worries – the two girls settle into their seats across from Ron and Harry, who have their heads together and are muttering something quietly to each other.

Hermione watches them with narrowed eyes for a moment before she glances around, whisky brown gaze lingering on Tom's seat at the staff table. Severus is in his usual seat, face mostly hidden behind his usual mug of coffee, but Tom is still absent. She frowns a little before wiping the expression from her face as she turns back to her friends.

Ginny eyes Hermione curiously before looking at the boys. "Alright, you two! What are you gossiping about over there?"

Harry peeks over at the girls with a sheepish look on his face. "Nothing?"

"Right, nothing at all! We're just…" Ron trails off, a piece of half-eaten bacon hanging from his mouth.

"Ronald, please finish eating before you start talking! I swear; you never listen. It's disgusting." Hermione wrinkles her nose at the red-head before looking at Harry. "And you aren't fooling anyone. Let's go, what're you talking about?"

Harry sighs heavily, exchanging looks with Ron, before looking back to Hermione. "All right, fine. I was trying to get Ron to help me plan a date for Pansy, which just lead to us, that is, Ron talking about Ginny and her new boyfriend, and about how good Ginny and I are together and, you know - the usual."

Ron clears his throat loudly, his face flushing bright red. "Right, well! It's all true, innit? You are good together!"

Ginny groans and covers her face with her hands before looking over to Hermione. "Idiot."

Hermione shrugs back at Ginny before laughing as she looks over to the boys. "Honestly, you two. Harry, you're happy with Pansy. Ginny is happy with Blaise. Ron, aren't you seeing Lavender or Padma? Or is it Parvati?"

Ron shakes his head then shrugs. "I know, I know. It's just… we're about to graduate; things are all going to change, and it's just. It's all going to be different, you know?"

Hermione sighs deeply and reaches across the table, patting Ron's hand, as Harry slings an arm around his shoulders. "Honestly, Ronald. We're all growing up and yes, things are changing, but we're all still going to be best friends! We'll always be here for one another."

Harry nods and squeezes Ron's shoulders. "That's true, mate. 'Sides, you're the one who's going to be the famous footballer! You'll be traveling the world and dating all the birds you want! You won't have any free time to think about us lowly common fans."

Ron laughs and shakes his head. "You're ridiculous, mate. I'll never forget you guys. And mum would never forgive me if I didn't make sure you came 'round for hols and all that."

"That's what I'm for," Ginny smirks at her brother. "And it'll drive mum up the wall. I'll bring Blaise, and Harry will bring Pansy, and Hermione will have her boyfriend."

Hermione, distracted with once again glancing over at the staff table, jumps and drags her widened eyes back to Ginny. "What? I don't have a boyfriend!" Sort of. I guess that's technically true? I wouldn't call Tom my boyfriend… definitely not to his face.

Harry and Ron pause and turn, almost in sync, to look at Hermione with arched brows. Ginny smirks at her. "Uh huh."

"I don't! I'm not dating anyone right now. I'll probably… I'll probably just wait until after graduation. There's not really any point in getting into a new relationship right now and, and I'll be going to Oxford in the fall; I'll be so busy, and I don't want to disappoint anyone and…" Hermione swallows before grabbing her juice and taking a sip. "Honestly, you all act like I'm hiding some major secret from you."

That's because you are, Hermione! She can feel the flush that's creeping over her face as she clears her throat, her eyes flickering between Harry, Ron and Ginny. Harry has a suspicious look on his face, Ron looks a strange mix of bewildered and annoyed, and Ginny… Ginny looks far too knowing for Hermione's comfort.

"Sure, Hermione." Ginny nods and reaches over, patting her friend's hand. "Those are all good points. I suppose whenever you do have a new boyfriend, as your best friends, you'll be sure to tell us."

Harry leans across the table, watching Hermione closely. "'Mione? You'd tell us if you had a boyfriend, right?"

She laughs a little, waving her hand in the air. "Of course, Harry. When I have a boyfriend, I promise I'll tell you." She smiles at them a little stiffly. "So, when's the next date with Pansy? And when do we get to meet her? It's not fair that Ginny already knows her and we don't, you know."

Successfully distracting Harry into talking about his still-new girlfriend, Hermione relaxes back into her seat as the four friends chat until it's time to leave. Not long after, she let out a sigh of relief as she makes her way to her first class. I didn't technically lie, no, but this is so hard – keeping our relationship to myself. It's just for a few months.

. . . . .

Severus tilts his head and stares at the door in front of him for a long moment before raising a hand and knocking. After a moment, a low "Enter" resonates from the office, and he pushes through the door. "Morning, Tom. You missed breakfast."

Tom looks up from the papers on his desk with a frown, "Did I? Damn, I wasn't even paying attention. I was trying to finish these acquisition requests." He glances at his cellphone, noting the time before he stands with a stretch.

The dark-haired man narrows his eyes, watching Tom shuffle his papers together and take a swig of obviously cold tea from the grimace that pulls at his lips. Clearing his throat carefully, Severus clasps his arms behind his back. "Tom…"

"Oh, I don't like the sound of that." Blue-green eyes flick up to his old friend with a smirk. "Am I going to be given detention for some slight? Scrubbing metal clamps of rust? Washing the high-vacuum pump valves?"

Severus rolls his eyes and looks up to the ceiling with a heavy sigh. "Lord grant me patience for dealing with idiots." He looks back down to Tom with a brow arching, before drawling, "You're one of the idiots, by the way."

Tom just laughs, shaking his head as he tucks the papers into folders before stacking them neatly in the box on the corner of his desk. He fiddles with his pen cup for a long moment before looking back to Severus, his face serious. "All right. Go ahead; you have the next five minutes to say what you'd like and then we're not having this conversation again."

"Tom, seriously? A student? A student, male or female, of any age? This is… not at all a wise decision. You could lose your job; at best, your position and any tenure and would never be hired at another school or lab!" Severus scowls, his pale hands folded over his sleeves.

The brown-haired man sighs and leans his hands against his desk, staring down at the wood for a long moment with a small frown lingering around his lips. "I know all of that, Severus. I've thought about it all, you know. I won't do anything that would harm my reputation. Nor hers."

Severus rolls his eyes and scowls, hissing, "Tom, you are having an affair with a student! That could ruin your reputation and hers, though bugger her because she won't be crashing in my flat when she has no money!"

Tom laughs softly and shakes his head, before looking up at Severus with a small smirk. "Neither would I, old friend. Lucius' so-called house is much roomier."

"Don't make a joke of this, Riddle! You're jeopardizing-!"

"Nothing, Snape. I'm jeopardizing nothing because you're the only one who knows that she's a student here, and I trust you to keep your mouth shut. Lucius will know if he hasn't picked up on something on his own, but I trust him to stay quiet, as well. She has told no one and has sworn to not tell her friends anything until after graduation. It's fine, and we'll keep it to ourselves until well after, and there will be no scandal." Tom spreads his hands in front of him and shrugs. "There is no problem here."

Severus reaches up to pinch his rather generous nose, a hiss of air escaping the nostrils in his irritation.

Tom chuckles and gathers his lab coat from the coat stand as he moves around his desk and reaches out to pat Severus's shoulder. "Thank you for the concern, brother, but I promise that it's fine. It's taken care of."

The black-haired man scowls after Tom, his hands hanging at his sides for a long moment. Drawing in a deep breath, he lets it spill. "Miss Granger would not appreciate her future career being ruined just for a few weeks or months of deviant fun, Tom."

The other man freezes for a long breath half-way through pulling his lab coat on before he finishes settling it into place and adjusting his collar and sleeves. Only then does he turn slowly and look at Severus, blue-green eyes crackling with intense fire. "Severus. Your five minutes are long up, but I would like to say, one last time, that it's under control."

"What if I feel it my duty to go to Dumbledore about this, Tom? He wouldn't look the other way; you know that. That old queen would take any excuse to dump you from tenure track, not to mention fire you."

Tom sighs deeply, resting his hands on his slim hips as he frowns at Severus. "Honestly, you're never this up in arms about my lovers. What is it about this one?"

"Tom! She's a student! And not just any student; though you haven't admitted it, you also haven't denied it, and I meet with the girl every day! Of course I would know who she is after – that – despite the mask and all that. She's the top of the class!" Severus rubs his face harshly before grunting. "I'll never be able to look at her again."

Tom scowls at him, his arms crossing over his chest. "That's not precisely a bad thing in my eyes, Sev."

He snorts and scowls at Tom again before sighing. "Why her, Tom?"

"You were the one who wanted me to get a new partner, you and Lucius both. I found one, a perfect one. She's an of-age adult. She's lovely, extremely intelligent, insightful, beautifully submissive… You saw her the other night. The only problem, and yes, we both know it is a problem, is that she's a student." Tom sighs again and shakes his head, looking around his office as though searching for the words to come from the walls.

Severus watches Tom for a long moment, a frown tugging at his thin lips. He closes his eyes and sighs deeply. "Christ, Tom. You're practically in love with the girl, aren't you?"

The barest hint of pink seeps into the skin of Tom's neck as he clears his throat, "What are you talking about, Severus? We haven't been… together… that long. I'm still getting to know her."

"No, but you… you aren't just playing with her, are you? She's something more."

Tom frowns, chewing at the corner of his mouth briefly before he nods, just once. "No, I'm not. And yes, she really is."

"Fuck." Severus rubs his hand over his face before he shakes his head and walks over to Tom, reaching out to clasp his shoulder. "All right. You know I'll keep this to myself. Lucius will need to know, of course, but he'll also keep his mouth shut. If for no other reason than to have some blackmail on you for the next however long."

Tom smirks, his eyes flicking back to his friend. "Does this mean I can watch over her during lab times again? That was a particularly enlightening afternoon…"

Severus's hand twitches and he snatches it away, looking at Tom with widening eyes. "Please tell me you didn't have sex on my desk?"

"Is that a question?" Tom lets out a laugh as Severus recoils. "Good Lord! No, old man, there was no penetration on your desk." He smiles devilishly before walking to the door. "I have to get to my class; I suggest you do the same. I'll see you this afternoon, Severus."

Sighing deeply, the black-haired man begins walking towards the door as well before freezing again. "No penetration… what did you do to my desk, Tom!?"

The only sound in response is the dark, deep laughter from the other man as he walks down the hall.

. . . . .

Later that afternoon, Hermione sweeps into Dr. Snape's lab with a shy smile at the scowling dark-haired man. "Good afternoon, Dr. Snape!"

Don't think about the fact that he saw you naked, Hermione. Or that he saw Tom get you off. Or that he touched you while you were naked. Don't think about these things, Hermione, not that it's doing any good because you are! She blushes at her roiling thoughts as her eyes quickly flick away from her professor.

She doesn't notice that Snape only seems able to address her with his eyes hovering somewhere in the vicinity of an inch or so above her hair. "Miss Granger. You'll be preparing white phosphorus dishes for tomorrow's third level classes. You know where everything is; there are thirty students in need of dishes with approximately three grams of phosphorus to each dish."

Hermione nods quickly and, after dumping her bag and sweater into a chair, moves over to the prep table along the wall to begin working. Donning a lab coat, she sets up the dishes on the table before pulling on gloves and goggles. Removing the container from the chemical cabinet, she settles into preparing the dishes as instructed.

She hums quietly, smiling to herself, as she continues working. After dividing up and portioning the phosphorus onto the petri dishes, she replaces the container in the chemical cabinet, then moves back to the lab table and loads the dishes onto a large tray. Sliding that into the storage rack, she closes the doors and steps away to shed her gloves and goggles after wiping the entire table down.

Glancing over her shoulder, she smiles in amusement at Dr. Snape bent over his grading at the table. Thank God he doesn't know that it was me the other night. It's already awkward enough; I can't imagine what it would be like if he knew!

Clearing her throat, Hermione steps closer to his desk before pausing, waiting for him to look up after he finishes marking the paper he's working on. "All done with the phosphorus, sir. What else would you like me to do today?"

Dr. Snape clears his throat and looks around the lab for a moment. "That was the only major project I had for today. You've done the washing for this week. Work on organizing the storage closet, would you? It needs some organizing." He motions with his red pen to the said closet, and she nods, walking over to it.

Flicking on the light, Hermione wrinkles her nose at the dusty, cluttered mess, muttering under her breath, "Some work? This is going to take forever!" Sighing in resignation, she gets started with pulling things from the shelves and cleaning and organizing.

At least forty minutes pass before she jumps in surprise as a pair of hands settles on her hips. She whirls around, eyes sparking and mouth open to castigate the offender; however, she can only yelp in surprise when Tom scoops her up and kisses her on the mouth.

She sinks into his arms for a moment, consciously keeping her dirty hands from clutching at his shoulders, before she struggles away with a gasp, hissing, "To- Dr. Riddle! What are you doing?!"

Tom chuckles softly and merely tighten his arms, pulling her against him. "Shh. Severus merely stepped out to give us a moment." He clears his throat and looks down at her, almost as though he were nervous.

"To give us – wait, does Dr. Snape know?" Hermione looks up at him with narrowed eyes.

He nods slowly. "He suspected, and I more or less confirmed it to him this morning."

"Tom! Why didn't you tell me before now? Why didn't we discuss this first? We should have talked about this!" Hermione groans and drops her head against his chest, hard enough that he grunts softly in surprise. "And he knows that it's me! Oh my God, he knows what I look like naked! He's my professor, and I work in his lab and he KNOWS!" She pulls back and hits his chest with her small, balled up fist.

Tom winces and reaches up, catching her wrist and holding her arm firmly. "Hermione. It's all right."

"No, Tom, it is not all right! Dr. Snape knows and what if he tells someone? You could lose your job! You would never be able to teach again!" Hermione looks up at him, scowling. "I could get in some trouble but not like you! Your career would be ruined!"

He tugs on her arm, dragging her close again and wrapping her struggling form in his arms snugly. He huffs and presses his mouth to her hair. "Stop squirming, woman. And yes, it is all right. Severus has promised to not say anything to anyone. No one else knows - not yet - and certainly anyone who finds out wouldn't say anything. It's fine, I promise you. Thank you for the concern about my career." He laughs quietly as she hits his chest again, though with his arms around her, it doesn't have nearly as much force as the first time. "Stop that, or I'll have to turn you over my knee right here, and I promise that you won't enjoy this spanking."

Hermione whimpers softly before resting her forehead against his chest, her hair tickling his neck and chin as he holds her. After a moment, she mumbles into his shirt, "I'm going to get you all dirty."

Tom can't help the laugh that bursts from his mouth before he pulls back enough to look down at her with a brilliant smile. "I think it's too late for that, love."

She wrinkles her nose at him then sighs deeply. "So. Dr. Snape knows."

Tom nods solemnly though his lips are still twitching in mirth.

"Wonderful," she sighs again. "This won't be at all embarrassing."

He chuckles at that and kisses her forehead. "You really don't have to be embarrassed. Yes, Severus has seen you nude. He's seen many women nude. And you're particularly beautiful."

She blushes and tilts her head back to look up at him, a smile tugging at her lips. "I'm not sure if I should thank you for the compliment or ask just how many women Dr. Snape has seen nude."

Tom lets out a laugh and squeezes her in his arms again before relaxing his hold, pulling back just enough to stroke her hair from her face then trail his fingers down her cheek and neck. "No thanks are needed. And you probably don't want to know."

Hermione shivers at his touch, sighing happily as she relaxes before a laugh slips out at his words. "Noted." She smiles and leans up, pressing her lips to his lightly roughened jaw line. "Mmm, you're all prickly."

He smirks and arches a brow as he looks down at her. "Am I? Does it not meet with your satisfaction?"

"Well, I don't care for a lot of facial hair, no. But…" She pauses, a light blush creeping beneath her freckles. "I find that I like your stubble. It feels good on my skin." She looks up at him from under her lashes as she nibbles at her lower lip. "And I… I have this desire to know what it feels like first thing in the morning."

His smirk softens into a smile as he reaches up, cupping her face in his hands. "Soon, sweet, I promise. In fact," He narrows his eyes slightly as he thinks for a moment. "Would you be able to get away for a night – or preferably two – this weekend?"

Hermione's eyes widen a little as she looks up at him for a long moment. "Uhm, probably? Maybe Saturday and Sunday? Ron has a match Saturday morning that I'm expected at; if I don't go, Harry will get his knickers in a twist and come hunt me down and wouldn't that be awkward?" She laughs a little, just a touch hysterically.

Tom chuckles and brushes his thumb over her lips. "Just a little. That's fine; Saturday and Sunday. Come to the flat after you can get away from the post-match festivities. I'll schedule your second training for after lunch on Sunday if that's acceptable?" He looks down at her, watching the emotions flickering across her face before she nods slowly.

"Yes, I think that should be just fine. I'll be there around five on Saturday?" She looks up at him with a shy smile. "I'll text you before I leave Gryffindor."

"Perfect." He leans down then and kisses her softly, his lips moving against hers and drawing out a soft moan from her throat before he pulls back, obviously reluctant. "I need to go; I have a meeting with the other department heads in about ten minutes."

Hermione smiles, pushing up on her toes to kiss him quickly one more time before she drops back and waves her dirty hands at him. "Go on; get to your meeting, Professor."

He grins at her, his teeth flashing sharp and white under the closet light. "Yes, little one. I'll see you tomorrow. Oh, and I like those socks." He winks and slips out of the closet, heading towards the door of the lab.

Hermione laughs, leaning against the doorjamb as she watches him walk out while brushing a bit of the dust from the closet from his shirt. Her eyes linger on his arse, very well framed in his tailored black trousers, before she giggles and ducks back into the closet to finish what she can before five o'clock.