AN: Apologies for the late update. Lemons as compensation. -SnapeSage
The next week went by rather quickly despite the fact that Hermione didn't see Severus at all outside of classes. It seemed like they just missed each other in the library each time, and after a few days Hermione was getting both nervous and miffed that he didn't want to see her. On Thursday evening, she was reassured simply by finding a copy of "Medicinal Herbs in Potion Use" on their usual table. It was bookmarked with a scrap of parchment with one word in a familiar scrawl.
Soon.
On Friday, Christmas came for the second time and the Eastern European themed feast for the transfer students was a smashing success.
There were all sorts of meat dishes, cheese dishes, pastries and candies. Liberal amounts of butterbeer, pumpkin juice, and something called kvas filled the mugs on the tables and Hermione suspected there was plum brandy snuck into a few glasses as well.
The tables were set up quite differently now. While there were usually few students remaining over Christmas at Hogwarts and it was intimate enough for everyone to share one dinner table, staff included, now the entire student body was here for the feast. So, to break up the usual house divisions for the holiday, there were seven smaller tables in the Great Hall, parallel to the Head Table. Students were encouraged to "mingle and forego house rivalries in the spirit of our Christmas feast", according to the headmaster. This meant that the Slytherins kept entirely to themselves and everyone else mingled a little bit, with the Hufflepuffs being the most adventurous in trying out new seating arrangements.
Hermione noted that one Slytherin did not keep with the others; now that she knew of his "assignment", it made sense that Regulus Black was doing his best to ingratiate himself to non-Slytherins. She spotted him sitting with a group of sixth-year Ravenclaw transfers attempting to learn the lyrics to a Russian drinking song. He was doing it rather badly, but good-naturedly allowing the other boys to rib him and laugh at his paltry attempts and getting grins and friendly hand grasps for his efforts.
The group of library girls naturally congregated together, as there were no Ravenclaw-Gryffindor divisions for this meal. After a few minutes, talk turned to future plans. After all, it was now the second half of seventh year. There had to be some plans made.
"Well, Marlene doesn't want to brag," Marina chimed in, "but she's being scoped by the Holyhead Harpies! So don't be surprised if you don't see much of her the next few months. She might be sleeping on the Quidditch pitch if there isn't a practice."
"That's so great, Mari!" Lily cried, and the other girls nodded and chatted enthusiastically. "What about you, Ellie? You going to look into Quidditch too? You don't even have to compete with Marlene for an all-female team if you want to travel. I think there's a ladies team in the States."
Ellie shook her head. "Actually, I received a full offer with the ministry. I'd have to fail all my N.E.W.T.s for them to rescind it as I've already signed the contract. I'll be with the Department of Transportation."
"Congratulations!" Lily said enthusiastically. "I know you mentioned it was conditional before break, but it sounds finalized at this point."
"Transportation?" Marina frowned. "That's like Floo and stuff?"
Ellie nodded. "Floo, broomstick, apparition, any specially approved methods you'd need a permit for."
Hermione noticed Callie's puzzled frown, but it quickly melted to a more neutral expression.
"I could get you an interview if you like," Ellie said. "You too, Annie, if you haven't decided yet." Hermione smiled and nodded noncommittedly. She'd gotten so used to going by Hermione over the break with Severus, the alias was hard to get used to again.
"Sorry, Ellie," Marina laughed. "It sounds a little boring to me. I want something exciting! Adventurous! If I were any good at Quidditch, I'd be on a team so I could travel. I can't believe you wouldn't try that, at least for a few years." She sighed and placed her hand on her chin. "I've thought about talking to Arabella to get me into some interesting ward in St. Mungo's so I could see a bunch of freaky spell damage or diseases."
Lily snorted and rolled her eyes. "If it's adventure you want, just talk to the boys. James says they're all set on becoming aurors. I'll just take my luck with whatever Ministry department will have me. Or maybe work at a garment shop and get discounts- I wonder if Madam Malkin's is hiring."
"All of the boys are set on being aurors?" Hermione asked as casually as she could, before taking a swig of her mug. She was trying to get a feel for the Marauders' plans for the next few years. She'd be sticking around until 1980 after all, maybe 1981. It would be a delicate balance of keeping an eye on Lily and James but avoiding too much scrutiny from their friends.
"Yes, even Peter is saying he's interested, but honestly, I think he might have trouble with it. The aurors are out getting into serious skirmishes and I just can't see him hurting anyone!" Hermione nearly spit out her pumpkin juice but had to hold it in as everyone else nodded in agreement.
Marina blushed fiercely and Lily caught on immediately. "Are you and he an item now then?"
"I wish!" She laughed loudly, but she was still bright red.
"Oh, I see, it isn't official yet then," Lily grinned.
Marina stammered an excuse out and got up to find her sister as the girls all laughed. Even Callie cracked a small smirk. Hermione had to fake hers. Pettigrew would only be trouble for Marina.
"What about you then, Callie?" Lily turned to the dark-haired girl. "You aren't one for Quidditch."
"Ministry research." Callie said vaguely. "I've applied with a few departments."
"Department of Mysteries too?" Lily said teasingly.
"As if," Ellie scoffed between bites of food.
Callie smiled and rolled her eyes. "If so, I couldn't tell."
"It's your uncle, isn't it?" Ellie said as casually as she could. She and Calliope were alone at the table now that the Gryffindor girls had left the feast; there was a buffer of a few students around them, so there was no worry about being overheard.
"Hmm? What's that?" Callie hardly missed a beat, but Ellie's sharp eyes noticed the way her hands had frozen momentarily in surprise before responding.
"Your uncle. He's the ministry contact you're passing on information to. I'm guessing he has contacts in MLE and maybe even in the Minister's office."
Callie turned her head to face the other girl, narrowing her eyes and pushing her glasses upward on her nose. "I don't know what you're talking about, Dalton."
"Alright, fine," Ellie responded, looking back down at the food in front of her. "You can just ask him yourself next time you get the chance. Sounds like we may be colleagues. You know, in the Department of Transportation."
Elpida didn't hide her smirk as Callie's eyes widened beneath her frames, mouth falling open in shock.
"Finally," Hermione grumbled as Severus joined her at the usual library table on Sunday evening. It was only a few minutes til curfew, so she hadn't been sure he would show up. "You've been busy lately."
"I have," he acknowledged, seemingly on guard due to her scowl. She was usually happy to see him.
"Not with Quidditch," she said, looking down and fiddling with the quill in her hand.
He sighed as he unloaded his books and set them on the table. "You found out about that."
"I'm not big on Quidditch myself, but Ellie noticed the Slytherin line-up had changed as they left the pitch."
Severus sat. "The decision made sense. Being on the team is a popularity play, so Regulus needed it more than I did. He's a decent player as well."
"They're taking everything away from you, Severus!" Hermione hissed, glaring at him.
"To the contrary. I no longer need to borrow school work for guard duty, so I've moved up considerably," he drawled.
"You loved playing Quidditch! There's no benefit to joining them!"
Severus glared back at her. "What, and I'd suddenly be king of another group if I changed my mind? Sacrifices made here are at least in exchange for other benefits."
Hermione continued glaring, but her scowl faltered a little, knowing he was right.
After a few moments she closed her eyes, leaned back in her seat, and made an exasperated noise. "Fine. Let's forget that. What have you been busy with then?"
Severus took his cue from her and quickly relaxed. He didn't want to start a row either.
He drummed his fingers on the table, seeming to debate what to say. He made a point to never lie to her, but he… "withheld much", as he put it.
"Using… the room," he finished finally.
"For?" She raised an eyebrow. "Brewing?"
He smirked and jerked a nod of his head. "Among other things. I have sent out applications for potions apprenticeships and many require submissions as proof of competency. Certain higher-level brews and draughts need to be sent upon inquiry."
Hermione nodded excitedly, then bit her lip and frowned in confusion. "How are you getting ingredients?"
"I've spoken to Professor Slughorn already and he is allowing me to clear up the unused ingredients after the N.E.W.T. and O.W.L. classes." He frowned at this. "I've been late to Herbology twice already as I have to run to the dungeons beforehand to pick up after the fifth-years."
"I think that's my free period," Hermione said. They double-checked their schedules and confirmed it was. "I'll collect the ingredients then and you go on straight to Herbology." She smirked at him. "It'll give you a reason to see me in order to pick up your wares."
Severus looked at her. He didn't smile often, but even without one, his eyes shone brightly at her and it was clear he was pleased. "Thank you."
"But," she raised an eyebrow, having picked up the habit from Severus, "that still shouldn't get you much by way of ingredients. Certainly not quality ones or enough to make unique potions for many applications."
"No," he agreed. "I shall also need to purchase some things. Enough to fulfill applications, and then, if I am accepted, some of the better Mastery programmes require an ingredient bank as well as books and higher quality cauldrons and rods." Severus straightened stiffly, as if expecting a blow from Hermione. "I may need to… delay. Work for a year to earn the funds to start."
Hermione's eyes widened. That, she was not sure if she wanted. What would he take up to earn money? Some job given by another Death Eater? Something given by Voldemort?
"We will figure it out," she told him. She reached out her hand and squeezed his firmly. She moved to take her hand away, but he grabbed it and brought it to his lips tenderly.
"Whatever my plans are," he said in his low silky voice, "I will want to see you." His eyes bored into hers as he gently lowered her hand. Hermione blushed prettily.
"I… I have something for you. In case I can't see you tomorrow." She revealed a package wrapped in gold paper from her schoolbag, which she handed to him.
"How… how did you know?" He said, surprised. Severus had never mentioned his birthday.
"I have my ways," she replied cheekily. Severus nodded sharply and took the present she handed him. She realized that may have been the wrong response. She had found out his birthday in the 90's, but he might have assumed she found out from Lily.
After he opened the paper, she was nearly shocked when he let out an undignified snort. "Jane Eyre?"
"It's my favorite novel," she said defensively. "I thought you might like it too."
"Am I a dark, brooding anti-hero roaming the moors," he chuckled. "The abusive Heathcliff to your-"
"That's Emily Bronte, not Charlotte," Hermione replied heatedly. "Fine if you don't like it, you don't have to be so- so- hmph!" She pushed back from the table and started loading up her books. That did not go as she envisioned. She had seen that he knew the book intimately in the future, even writing in the margins!
Severus leapt up and was beside her in a manner of seconds. "Hermione, shh. Darling."
He grabbed her hands to still her movements as she tried to jerk away from him. If they had been in a more central location, it might have been cause for attention, but thankfully they had the table by far end. Also, it was Sunday night, and no other student was in the library.
"Hermione." He easily enfolded her in his larger frame though she turned her head away, still tired and a bit upset. "I apologise," he whispered in a rumble. "I should not have teased you. No one…" He paused. "As trite as it sounds, it is the thought that counts here. Thank you for the gift."
He continued to hold her as she slowly relaxed. He kissed her head and waited for her to turn her head up to him.
"Am I forgiven?" He quirked an eyebrow, his eyes dark. He placed a hand under her chin to tilt it upward more.
Hermione's frown morphed slowly into a shy half-smile. "I suppose," she whispered gruffly. He smirked and kissed her softly.
A quick glance over her head and around the room told him the coast was clear and he helped her pack up the rest of her things and grab his own. He gestured her toward their aisle with the hidden alcove at the end. Hermione flushed as she tried to hide her widening smile.
Once settled in their private spot, he turned to her and kissed her again, this time less of a peck and more of a slow, sensuous savoring.
Just as Hermione was starting to get a little short of breath, he pulled away.
"I want to… ask something of you." He said it in that tone of voice that had her shuddering in desire already. He smirked at her, apparently having noticed her reaction. "It is my birthday."
"Yes?" She tried to huff annoyedly at him, but it came out more as a raspy exhale.
He leaned in again, close to her ear this time.
"I want," he whispered seductively, "to taste you."
Hermione felt herself go red in the face and hot all over.
"I… I don't think…" She couldn't tell if she was more embarrassed, curious, or aroused. "I don't think you'll like it," she said in a trembling voice.
"Oh, no," he chuckled right at her ear, causing her to squirm again from his deliciously perfect pitch, "I do have a sensitive nose, after all. I am quite sure I will thoroughly enjoy the taste, just as much as I do the scent."
He kissed lightly on her neck, breathing softly and causing the small hairs she had there to stand on end.
"Tell me, Firebird," he rumbled between kisses, "do you taste as fiery as your name implies," he licked her skin languidly as she suppressed a moan, "or is your nectar as sweet as your smell?"
"Oh… um… I…" That voice and those words!
He kissed his way back up her neck to her ear. "Do you trust me?"
"I… Well…"
He pulled away from her so she could look into his eyes. "Do you trust me to listen?"
"Yes," she said immediately.
"Then just be open to trying new things," he drawled, his dark eyes fiery. "If you want me to stop, I'll listen."
Hermione gulped and nodded a few quick times, very aroused but still nervous.
Severus narrowed his eyes, gave a low scoff and shook his head. He raised his hand to cup her chin softly, and he simply stood there looking into her eyes until her heart stopped beating quite so rapidly.
That's better, his look seemed to say, and he gently kissed her lips. He left light and careful touches to her mouth with his own until she relaxed and closed her eyes.
Slowly, both hands moved to her cheeks, still gently holding her face while his lips grazed hers.
She knew before he was a master of fluidity, but he played out his smooth movements on her now, methodically moving his hands lower on her body. He was pressed closely to her so that she felt soothed by his warmth.
His hands drifted lightly down in relaxing motions, down her arms, briefly touching her sides as he slowly kissed her lips.
Hermione sighed, so comforted by the subtle changes in position that she hardly even cared when his lips lightly left her own and his hands rested softly on her knees.
His fingers trailed slowly up her legs, under her skirt, coming up to rest on either hip. She was fast becoming some molten substance, red and hot all over, wet below the waist from his words alone, and utterly unable to find the strength or desire to move.
Her breathing picked up again when she felt his fingers catch the waistband of her knickers before slowly lowering them down her thighs, not even removing them completely, but leaving them above her knees and constricting her movement.
Then, as if knowing she was at risk of becoming too embarrassed to continue, he struck.
Quickly, he raised her skirt enough to dive underneath, expertly bring his mouth to her sex and lick her up and down.
"Oh!" Hermione gave a surprised gasp, coming out a little louder than she had intended.
She felt a half-second hesitation from his tongue, but her hand had instinctively come down in surprise and it softly pressed his head onward, reassuring him to continue.
That skilled mouth and tongue tasted her, moving around languidly as if he were savoring something exquisite. She felt his nose contributing to the incredible sensations, as it stimulated the area above his lips.
"Ohhh ohh Severus," she hissed, trying desperately to keep both upright and quiet but also damn fucking trying to keep him from stopping the amazing job he was doing.
He noticed her buckling legs and moved his hands to her hips, pressing her behind against the bookcase more firmly and holding her in place. It made the torture even sweeter as her body couldn't jerk out of the way of pleasure, but was forced to take the full onslaught of his tongue.
"Uhh yesss yesss," she groaned, no longer whispering. At least she wasn't raising her voice yet.
Her right hand continued holding the back of his head, pressing him forward without being forceful. Her left hand began to clumsily unbutton her shirt.
She was growing warmer and warmer all over her body, and becoming unable to stand the layers. She was able to unbutton enough to ease her hand under the cloth and manuever it around, squeezing and massaging her breast. Meanwhile, Severus' hands moved to massage her buttocks with his hands while he licked her sex clean.
"So… Oh Severus! So fucking good!" She was definitely being too loud now, wasn't she- oh but fuck who cares, he just has to know it's so good so he doesn't stop, he can't stop no, no, no not now! Not yet!
"Oh God! Severus! OH!" He had started alternating between licking and sucking now, teasingly circling her clitoris but never quite touching for long enough.
She knew she was quite wet and his face was probably a mess, but she could hardly form a coherent thought, let alone care.
Her hand left the back of his head as he was doing fantastic without her encouragement and she was able to play with both breasts as she threw her head back against the bookshelf.
"FUCK!" She cried.
His fingers had come expertly around, pumping up and down inside her as he licked around them, languidly up and down, excitedly responding to her reactions with continued enthusiasm. Sensing she was about to collapse, his other hand jerked her knickers all the way to her shoes so she could spread her legs for leverage. This only enhanced both his view and his access, and Hermione clamped her mouth shut and bit her lip to avoid moaning loudly.
Finally, the apex was reached when he brought his lips to her clitoris and sucked hard. His nimble fingers pistoned rapidly inside her.
"Oh yes! Severus yes yes YES YES!" Hermione felt her body spasm in bliss as she quickly brought her hands to the shelves behind her to keep her from falling to the floor. Her mind in a blank ecstasy, she felt a tear of exertion fall from one eye.
She whimpered and shuddered as Severus slowed his movements, removing his fingers from inside her and licking languidly around her inner thighs, as if he could lap up everything that had just fallen from her. Then he lowered a shell-shocked Hermione to the floor, fixing her skirt and pulling her drenched knickers back up before folding her into his arms and stroking her hair.
"I… That was…" She couldn't really describe it. She felt as if she'd run a marathon.
"So fucking good?" He quoted in a velvety tone, not bothering to hide his pleased grin. Normally she would have elbowed him for being cheeky, but all she could do was nod blankly.
"Oh wait," she said, turning to him. "What about…" Now that she could finally think properly, she should return the favour, right?
He looked a bit surprised, but shook his head and smiled. "Another time." At her wide-eyed, guilty look, he chuckled. "Don't worry, my Firebird. You've given me plenty of memories for me to savour."
"But you…" He hissed as her hand moved to the front of his trousers. "Severus, don't make me a bad girlfriend." She stroked him through the fabric as she felt how hard he was. "And on your birthday too."
It took no time for her to expose him and stroke him firmly, hand to flesh. "Ah, well, if you….unhh if you… fuuuck… you insist…"
Hermione wasn't sure she could have reciprocated tasting him yet, but he was so far gone that it wouldn't have mattered. He came spurting into her hand within seconds, eyes rolling back in his head. She was glad she insisted.
After some cleansing charms to them both and righting his clothing as well, they kissed languidly for a few moments. Hermione felt Severus cancel a spell that he must have used to silence her noises.
"As I thought," he whispered to her as he stroked her hair. "You taste divine. Please allow me to quench my thirst another time."
Hermione blushed again, though maybe she hadn't really stopped. "You really liked it that much?" She asked shyly.
"Didn't you feel how hard you made me?" He chuckled darkly. "What a fantastic birthday present. I told you I would willingly be your consort."
She snuggled into his chest, clutching him in a tight hug.
"Thank goodness you aren't," she said. "We can be more." A lot more.
She had known it before, really. It wasn't just post-orgasmic bliss that decided it, but it did make her more honest with herself.
She loved him, completely. Even if he was a Death Eater, even if he was 20 years older. Even if it was the wrong time to love him. It didn't change how she felt.