Chapter 8:

She could still feel the warmth of being held against Severus' chest. He whispered down to her, "Are you alright?"

"Yes." She murmured.

The darkness still enveloped them, and she was fearful. She wondered if she should push her way out for the briefest of moments but quickly dismissed the idea. She would not leave him alone.

As if a switch had been flicked, lights appeared around them. She nearly ran in fear, seeing the Death Eater masks that surrounded them.

"Stand, Severus."

A hiss came from outside the circle as Voldemort himself broke the line and entered the gathering. They saw now they were not in the circle alone. A young Severus lay on his knees, covered in blood, sweat, and tears. Despite what appeared to be several broken bones, the boy managed to stand. Because that's precisely what he was, a mere boy. She thought he was around sixteen if that.

"You will now receive my brand, which will hold you to my bidding for the rest of your life."

The boy shook in his place, not responding.

Voldemort pointed his wand at him, not saying a word. The teenage Severus' arm swung out, and he screamed in pain in response to it. Voldemort ignored it as two of the Death Eaters stepped out of the circle and held Severus tightly, one of them pulling his sleeve up to reveal bare skin.

The tip of Voldemort's wand touched the pale skin, and Severus screamed, more tears streaming down his face.

"You will be my spy at Hogwarts now that Lucius has been promoted with his graduation. Do not fail me, boy."

At this, Voldemort disappeared, as did they.

Appearing back in the maze, they stood stock still. Hermione had wrapped her arms around Severus' waist at some point in watching the memory, likely unable to watch the pure torture etched on the boy's face.

"Hermione?"

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes.

"Are you alright?" nodding in response to his concern, she tried to gather herself.

"Yes, of course. I'm sorry. I should be the one checking on you, Severus. I apologise."

He shook his head, "No, what you just witnessed was terrible. But I put myself in that predicament. I allowed my judgment to be clouded by… darkness."

"The world was very divided then. Everyone had to pick a side or risk their lives remaining unaffiliated. You were a child and had no business being pressured to do so."

Her eyes pierced his own, and he looked at her curiously, "I appreciate that you are able to see all facets of this, but I am not a good man, Hermione. That remains clear."

"No, Severus. What little you are remembering still isn't the whole picture, I promise. You are a good man."

Their proximity was… deafening. She realised she wanted nothing more than to stand on her toes and kiss the man.

So she did. She had nothing to lose and likely would never get another opportunity once his memories of her identity returned to him. He deserved comfort; if a kiss would do that, she wanted to give it to him. She would do anything to make him feel loved in that moment.

He did not pull away as her lips met his. She tasted salt as her lips parted, knowing it was due to her own tears that had fallen. He pushed into her, and she allowed his tongue to brush against her teeth, her hands gripping his shoulders tightly. The kiss deepened, and before she knew it, he had her against the hedge.

He pulled away despite her desperate gasp for him to return.

"Tell me to stop," he pleaded.

"No."

And so, he didn't. His lips were against hers once more, and she felt herself light as though her body was on fire; she hadn't been intimate with someone in so long.

His hands had lifted her shirt tentatively, and she ripped it off in response to give him better access, not wanting their bodies separate for long lest he stop touching her.

She tore his cloak off, her lips on his neck; he gasped in pleasure as she ripped the buttons of his robes clean apart, not bothering to attempt to unbutton them. He had cupped her arse in one hand and had his other on her breast, beneath her bra, thumbing at her nipple. She released her mouth from his neck to groan in pleasure. He took the opportunity to attempt to rip her bra off with a tug; it caught on her shoulder, and she laughed, helping him unhook it.

The short pause allowed her to look into his eyes once more, but she again went for him, not giving him the chance to question their actions.

Her lips met his, this time with a hunger she couldn't diminish. She bit his lower lip, and he pulled her closer in earnest. Using both hands as she kissed him, she unbuttoned the white undershirt he had left covering his chest. Finally finishing the work, she let her hands fall against his bare, scarred chest. She ran one hand from his neck all the way down to the top of his trousers.

She used both her hands to unbutton and unzip his trousers as he tasted the inside of her mouth deeper by pulling her head closer, with his fingers becoming lost in her messy hair.

Their bare chests separated as Hermione allowed him to unbutton her own trousers, and they fell to the ground easily, given their loose-fitting fashion. He examined her, and she took that opportunity to stare into his eyes that were roaming her body while she pulled his trousers down. Their bodies were nearly completely bare now; Hermione cupped his face in her hand and kissed him again, softly, and then moved her lips to his cheeks, down to his neck and urged her mouth further down to his shoulder. She wanted each of his scars met with the gentleness of her lips, a direct opposition to all the pain he had ever experienced.

He groaned as she let her hand wander into his pants, wrapping her hand around him. She was nearly to her knees, trailing her lips from the scars across his chest, but he pulled her back up just as she pulled his pants down. His expression was full of pure arousal, so she slowed her roll to let him lead. He used one hand to brush against her nipple once again and dropped his gaze down to her chest. With their standing in the middle of a maze, she had nowhere to lay but the ground as she melted into his mouth that began suckling and biting at her other nipple; the other he used his thumb to rub and pull in equal measure. Rather than let her fall, he dropped his thumb from her breast and grabbed her thighs with both his hands, lifting her against the hedge. He was able to hold her weight as he swapped the nipple he was sucking at to give the other his full attention. She could feel her lower half twisting in pleasure, growing wetter by the second, her moans becoming more and more uneven.

"Severus," she gasped. He stopped and looked at her concernedly.

"Don't stop," she reassured him. But she also pulled him closer with her legs, wrapping them around his torso. She tilted his chin up with her finger, running a thumb across his lips.

"You are beautiful, Hermione," he whispered.

She gave him a sultry smile, "Please, Severus," she felt him hard against her bottom and tried to grind herself against him. His grip tightened around her thighs, and he tutted at her.

"Patience," he smirked, knowing how much she wanted him.

He sat her down, his lips meeting hers quickly as her feet met the ground. At some point, she had kicked off her shoes and realised he had managed to do so as well when she urged her knee forward, trying to immerse herself into him. She wanted every part of her body to touch him.

As she sat both her hands on his waist, he began to pull away from her lips, and she whined in quiet desperation. His lips met her neck, and she quickly changed her tone, moaning in pleasure once more. He was now on his knees, kissing the dips of her hips as he used two fingers to rub against her knickers, which were soaked at this point. She couldn't even bring herself to look down at him but begged him once more, "Please." The words barely escaped, and he yanked her knickers off in response.

Before she could take another breath, his tongue was on her, licking, slowly at first, teasing. Initially, it was just the entrance, furthest from the most sensitive spot. Purposeful in his placement, he started with the tip of his tongue, urging her further open. As he did this, he pulled her calves up so the crook of her knees rested upon his shoulders, gripping her arse in his hands to hold her steady while he made work of her. Her breaths were slow at first, enjoying the sensation, but his teasing increased as he grew closer and closer to what would send her over the edge. She grew wetter and wetter as he progressed in speed.

Her scream was one of pleasure as his tongue finally hit the spot, and he flicked it repetitively, a pattern of quick taps with the tip of his tongue to laps of pressure from his entire tongue. The sensation of a man who clearly knew what he was doing was enough to send her over the edge. She felt as she came, but he did not relent, cleaning up the excess wetness she had made by sucking at her entrance.

Gasping for air as he kissed her inner thighs before he sat her down gently, she didn't allow him a thought before wrapping her hand around him again.

She dropped to her knees quickly, taking him in her mouth, using her tongue on the tip to add to his pleasure. His hands found her hair, while his moans caused her to grow wet once again. The mewls of pleasure increased her desire for more from this encounter. He seemed to realise this as well, as she had only taken him in her mouth for a few moments when he gasped, pulling her hair backwards, away from him. She released her grip on him as he pulled her back up, his lips slamming into hers, ravenous.

He had grabbed her thighs again, lifting her. He paused, just briefly, searching her eyes for confirmation. Instead of saying anything, she reached down and guided him into her entrance. Taking this as a sign, he slammed into her, and she screamed in pleasure. She wrapped her hands into his hair, moaning and whispering his name to him as he kept his pace even while they connected.

His grip tightened on her thighs as he came, and she moaned in satisfaction as he put all his weight against her, whispering in her ear, "Hermione."