Hermione awoke late on Saturday morning and winced in pain. Her uterus had apparently decided to try and claw its way out of her body. That's how it felt, anyway. She opened her eyes to find Severus propped up on the bed next to her, reading a book. He wore a pair of black pajama bottoms. He must have been awake for some time.
Hermione rolled onto her back and looked up at him with a yawn.
"What time is it?"
Severus closed his book and set it down on his lap. "Nearly eleven."
"Really? You could have woken me." Hermione replied.
The perpetual darkness of the dungeons really threw off her circadian rhythm. She could never tell what time it was.
He shrugged, "You seemed like you needed the sleep."
"Well, thank you," she gave him a little smile, then cringed as a stronger wave of cramping rolled through her abdomen. "I might take one of those pain potions, if you're still offering?"
Severus leaned over and grabbed a small vial from the bedside table and handed it to her.
"Oh! Thanks." Hermione sat up and uncorked the vial. It held a thin, shimmering red liquid with a sickly sweet scent. She swallowed it down in one gulp and had to suppress a gag at the flavor. "That is definitely not the same stuff Madam Pomfrey gives out." She commented.
"No," Snape replied and handed her a glass of water "it's too expensive for the school to keep stocked. It's much more potent than what she gives out.. It should only take a minute to start working."
Hermione swished the water around her mouth to try and wash the acidic flavor away. To her surprise - and relief - the pain had already started to ease. She could get used to that. The pain potions she normally got from the hospital wing did help, but they only put a dent in her cramping on the worst day of her cycle. Fortunately, she usually only had one bad day each month, the other days were relatively painless.
"You weren't kidding, this is brilliant!" She sighed in relief. The pain had almost completely disappeared. "Thank you. I need the loo, I'll be right back." Hermione moved to climb out of bed, but Severus caught her wrist to halt her movement.
"Go ahead, but don't replace whatever product you're using. We can take a bath."
"Do you mean just a bath, or…?" Hermione asked hesitantly.
Severus shrugged, "I'd like to do more than that, if you're feeling up to it. Are you still in pain?"
Hermione bit her lip. "No, I feel fine, now...Are you sure, though? Things would get a bit… messy.." Heat bloomed in her face. She stared awkwardly down at his chest as she spoke.
"Come up here and look at me." He said in a warning tone, patting his thigh with one hand.
Hermione climbed up to straddle his lap and forced herself to look him in the eye. The man was bloody obsessed with eye contact.
"Things have been quite casual this weekend - and that's fine - but you've been questioning me a lot, and we need to address that," Severus began, and cupped her face in his hands as he talked, "I'm giving you a pass because this is new and unfamiliar territory. However, I need you to trust me. Sometimes I'm going to test your limits, and ask you to do things that may be uncomfortable. But I promise that I'll never ask you to do something that you truly aren't okay with. In the future I expect you to respect that, and trust that I know what I'm doing and what I want. And that I know what you want. This is your final warning. Next time you'll get the paddle, do you understand?"
Hermione nodded slowly and took in a deep breath through her nose. Tears pricked at the back of her eyes. She didn't want to cry, but found it was almost impossible to stop her reaction to his reprimanding. It was humiliating.
"Yes, sir, I understand." Her voice wobbled and one solitary tear slid down her cheek. Severus sighed and pulled her head to his chest, slipping a hand down to caress her back.
"You don't need to cry, I'm not angry with you." Her shoulders shook as she started to cry silently.
"Let me ask you something, Hermione, does your period disgust you?" Her shaking paused and she took a few deep breaths before whispering, "No."
"Okay, and are you ever aroused during it?" He asked.
"... Yes?"
"Do you masturbate?"
"Yes.."
"Internally or externally?"
"... Mostly external.. but, both.." She answered quietly, wondering where he was going with his line of questioning.
"So, sexual activity during your cycle doesn't disgust you, and I assume it doesn't cause you pain?"
"No, it doesn't…"
"So the problem then isn't your own reaction, but rather what you think mine will be, am I correct?" He said gently.
"I suppose so.."
"Now, I've already told you that it doesn't bother me. Do you have any reason to believe that I'd lie about that, or that I wouldn't know what I'm getting into?"
"No, sir.." Hermione sighed, "But there must be a potion or charm or something that can temporarily pause it, right?"
"There is a potion, yes, but I wouldn't recommend it. It wreaks havoc on your hormones and can cause more pain and heavier bleeding when it wears off. I wouldn't give it to you… And I don't keep any on hand anyway. It is mainly used in hospitals for emergencies, to stop heavy bleeding until a hysterectomy can be performed."
"Oh."
Severus patted her bum. "Come on, go get yourself ready and then we can get in the bath. We'll just take it slow and if you end up not enjoying it we'll stop, no worries. But I'd like you to give it a try."
Hermione spoke quietly into his collarbone, "Yes, sir. Will you wash my hair?"
"If you'd like."
She smiled against his skin and gave his neck a quick peck before getting out of bed.
"Just start the taps when you're ready and I'll come in." Severus told her.
"Yes, sir." Hermione replied, and disappeared into the bathroom with her bag.
A couple of minutes later Severus heard the taps running, and when he opened the door he was greeted by the sight of Hermione bent over the tub, testing the water temperature. Her bum looked soft and round and entirely too inviting. Her nether lips just barely peeked out at him from her furrow.
He couldn't help but walk forward and press his pelvis against her arse, grinding into her with a hand on her hip.
"Mmm, hi." She laughed and straightened up, leaning her head back against his chest. Severus slid one hand around to cup a breast and bent down to kiss her shoulder. He planted kisses across her shoulder and all the way up her neck to nibble at her earlobe. He spoke in her ear so she could hear him over the rushing water.
"Are you ready to get in, love?" The magical taps worked fast; the bath was almost full. She nodded.
Severus waved a hand and the taps shut off. The sudden silence was a bit jarring. He gave her hip a squeeze,
"You get in first, I need to grab something."
He turned around and walked over to the vanity and opened a drawer beneath the sink. In the corner of his eye he could see her reflection in the mirror, sinking down into the bath and wetting her hair. Severus retrieved the little bottle of lube and turned back to face her.
She was lying back against the wall of the tub. Her hair cascaded down her back; sleek and wet. The tips of her nipples intermittently broke the surface of the water as it gently lapped back and forth. Her lips curved up into a playful smile when he slipped his bottoms off. His mischievous little water nymph.
Severus grabbed a couple of flannels from a shelf and then got into the bath across from Hermione, setting the items down alongside her hair supplies on the lip of the tub.
The hot water felt great on his aching back. Having fucked her up against the wall was probably the culprit, but he didn't much care. It was worth it. He was bound to have some pain issues no matter what he did; his repeated exposure to the Cruciatus curse during the second war had caused some permanent nerve damage. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck with a sigh.
Hermione watched him with a critical eye. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," he dismissed her with a wave of one hand, "Now, get on my lap, witch, what are you waiting for?"
She gave him a little grin and floated forward to straddle his lap. Severus gave her arse a squeeze and captured her mouth with his. He could taste a hint of peppermint on her tongue; she must have brushed her teeth. Hermione hummed into his mouth and wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss.
He moved his lips against hers languidly, savoring the give and take and her little puffs of hot breath. It didn't take long for her to start grinding in his lap, pressing her bum against his now hard length; his favorite dance routine.
When he started to feel lightheaded he pulled away and took a second to catch his breath. Hermione looked at him with clouded eyes. She was lovely; her lips swollen and pink, and a few of the shorter hairs at the line of her forehead had started to dry and curl up into wispy little corkscrews.
Severus buried his face in the hollow of her neck and started to slowly move his lips south; he spoke between kisses,
"Tell me, Miss Granger, what has been going through your mind this week?... Anything specific you'd like to try?... Or something you've done before you'd like to do more of?"
He knew she'd been thinking more about experimenting anally, but he wanted her to be the one to bring it up.
"Ummm…" Her voice sounded distracted above him, "I'd like you to.. um… tie me up more. And spank me.."
He smiled into her collarbone. "That's a given. What else?"
"I want you to… um… use me." Her last two words came out as barely a whisper. Severus had made his way to her chest and was nuzzling and kissing his way around her right breast, slowly making his way to the center. When he finally reached her nipple it had stiffened into a craggy little peak in anticipation.
"Go on.." he urged and took her nipple into his mouth.
"Uhn!" Hermione grabbed his head to hold him in place, "I want you to.. um.. tie me down and.. fuck my mouth.. and my pussy… just use me for your own pleasure… uhhh Gods! And… maybe… other places too… but, I'm not as sure about that, yet.."
Severus released her nipple with a pop. He looked up at her face; her cheeks were flushed scarlet.
"Other places, Miss Granger? I'm not sure what you mean."
Hermione closed her eyes briefly and took a breath, then her eyes met his and she whispered, "My bum, sir."
Good girl. Severus ran his thumb over her bottom lip. "Don't be embarrassed, Princess, I think about taking your sweet mouth about a hundred times a day…"
Hermione's mouth opened and he slid his thumb inside, stroking her tongue carefully. She latched on and sucked it deeper into her mouth with a groan.
"And this tight little pussy…" He slid his other hand between their bodies to stroke her labia, seeking out her clitoris and circling it slowly. "I dream about it at night… and when you're ready, I'll take your arse too… and I'll be the first, won't I?"
Hermione nodded around his thumb, pupils blown wide and dark. Her hips twitched and rolled against his other hand with every flick of his fingers.
"Mmhmm, every inch of you is mine. All mine."
His voice was dark and possessive, and Hermione was about to lose it. His burning gaze sent shivers down her spine. Just as she was on the edge of release Severus stilled his fingers,
"Not just yet, love." He pulled his thumb free from her mouth.
Hermione took in a ragged breath, "Please, sir!"
He patted her bum. "Stand up for me, just for a moment."
She got to her feet and stood before him. Small rivulets of water ran down her body, glinting in the candlelight. Severus blindly reached behind him, unable to look away, feeling around until he found the bottle of lube.
"What's that?" Hermione asked from above.
"Lubricant. Water washes away your natural lubrication, and things can quite dry, odd as that sounds. This is silicone based, so it won't wash away as easily." He tapped her thigh, "Open up." She widened her stance.
He squirted out a generously sized blob onto his fingers and spread it around her labia, coating her folds. He took a second blob and applied it internally with two fingers, aiming for full coverage. He heard her make a small noise of approval.
His fingers came away tipped in red; he quickly spelled it away with a snap before she noticed, he didn't want to have to reassure her again.
"Alright, come on," Severus grasped her by the hips and guided her back down, "I want you to ride me. Just take it at your own pace, do what feels good. I'm in no hurry."
He helped her line herself up properly and then Hermione sank down slowly onto his cock, inch by inch. By the time she had taken him in all the way her eyes were closed and her mouth was agape. She felt even more full than usual, somehow.
"You alright, Hermione?" His voice broke through her reverie.
"What?" She opened her eyes to his smirking face, "Oh. Yes, sir…I feel very sensitive.." She started gently rolling her hips with a little groan.
"I thought you might." Severus said and smoothed his hands up and down her waist as she moved over him.
Hermione experimented, trying out different angles and varying speeds. It all felt good, but just wasn't quite right. Then she had an idea. She got up onto her feet, squatting over him rather than kneeling, and leaned back slightly, bracing herself with a tight grip on his shoulders. She lifted up her arse and then slid back down his length and oh Gods, yes!
"Fuck yes, love, there you are." Severus growled. His eyes never left her face.
Hermione rode him with abandon, sliding upwards and then coming down hard on his cock, filling herself over and over. The angle was perfect, he stroked her front wall with every thrust, pushing her higher and higher into oblivion. The sounds of slapping skin and splashing water echoed through the room.
"Uhhhhh! Please, sir, talk to me!" Hermione pleaded, squeezing her eyes shut. She was so close to the edge. Severus squeezed her hips tighter.
"Fuck, Princess, when you come over next weekend I'm going to tie you down and have my way with you."
"Yesss! Anything you want, sir!" Her nails dug into his shoulders to keep balance over his lap.
"Anything?" His voice had taken on a gravelly undertone.
"Yes! Anything!"
"Be careful what you agree to, little girl. You've no idea the kind of things I want to do to you." He slid one hand down between their bodies and flicked at her clitoris lightly, in tune with her thrusts. Hermione arched her back to give him more access.
"Uhhhh! Please!" She flung her head back and rode him at a frantic pace. Water sloshed out of the tub and onto the floor.
"Don't worry, I know what you need," Severus gritted through clenched teeth, "you need all your naughty holes filled, don't you?" He tapped at her lower lip with his thumb and she opened her mouth automatically, latching onto his finger with a moan. Her face was flaming.
Oh my God. His words were humiliating and yet so damn hot. Who says 'naughty holes'? Her pussy didn't seem to be complaining, however. She opened her eyes and the sight of him about did her in. His head leaned back against the lip of the tub and he looked down his long nose at her. His dark eyes glittered in the flickering light of the sconces. His gaze burned right through her.
"Yesss, come for me." Severus hissed and quickened the tempo of his thumb, gliding over her clit at a feverish pace.
"Mmmhhmmphh!" Hermione moaned around his thick digit as her release crashed over her. Her hips lost their rhythm and she moved over his lap erratically, shuddering and twitching in her bliss. She vaguely registered Severus grunting beneath her, giving in to his own climax.
Hermione slowly drew to a stop and eased back down to her knees with a wince, burying her face in Snape's neck. She took a few deep breaths. Her legs felt like rubber.
"Gods," She groaned, "I need to start doing squats or something, my legs are knackered." She felt his shoulders shake in a silent chuckle. His hand trailed up and down her spine.
"Perhaps you just need more practice," he rumbled, "I'm more than willing to facilitate."
Hermione giggled into his neck. "How is this water still so hot? I'm burning up." She peeled her chest away from his and leaned back, hoping some distance would cool her a bit.
"It's temperature controlled. Let's drain it and shower off."
"You have a shower?" She asked, glancing around the room.
"Mhm," he tapped her thigh, "let me up."
Hermione carefully got to her feet and stepped aside. Her legs were stiff and a bit wobbly. She gently stretched them while Severus pulled the tub stopper and set the water to drain noisily. She watched him summon his wand and slide it in a simple pattern between the tiles behind the taps. A large shower head unfolded from the ceiling above them and a curtain appeared, encasing the walls of the tub.
"Well, that's handy." Hermione commented. Severus turned on the taps and pulled the lever, diverting the water to the showerhead. He set his wand aside and wet his hair under the spray before turning to Hermione, running his fingers through it to pull it back, away from his face.
He looked remarkably different with his hair wet and slicked back; his face was all hard angles and sharp lines. The curve of his jaw was quite handsome, she thought, seeing it clearly for the first time without his curtain of dark hair in the way. "Would you like me to wash your hair?" He asked.
"In a bit…" She replied, "Can I wash you?" She gave him a little grin. He gave her a scrutinizing look.
"...I suppose."
Hermione gleefully grabbed a flannel and lathered it up with his bar of soap. Starting at his right shoulder, she scrubbed softly down his arm in slow circles.
"Okay, lift your arm." She instructed. Severus complied with an exaggerated eye roll. She soaped up his armpit, running the flannel thoroughly through his dark hair. She moved on to his chest and he let his arm drop back to his side. His torso got a thorough washing, and she only lingered at the top of his pelvis for a few moments before abruptly switching to his left shoulder. She smirked at his little grunt of disapproval.
When she got to his left forearm she paused to study his Dark Mark. She'd seen it before, obviously, but she'd been pretty distracted every time and hadn't given it more than a split second glance. It had faded from the inky black she knew all marks had been before the war to a charcoal gray. Hermione knew that that had happened to all the marks when Voldemort fell. But she hadn't expected the skin underneath the tattoo to be raised and irritated, like scar tissue. She ran one finger carefully along the bumpy lines.
"Did it hurt?" She asked softly.
Severus cleared his throat. "Do you mean when I got it, or when he died?"
"Well, both I guess."
"Yes." He answered simply.
Hermione looked up at him. His jaw was clenched; he stared straight ahead. She dropped his arm,
"I'm sorry, Severus. I didn't mean to pry."
He glanced at her. "I can keep it covered if you want."
"No, don't!"
He raised an eyebrow at her vehemence.
"I mean… Don't misunderstand me, I don't like the Dark Mark. But you don't have to cover yourself for me." Hermione explained.
"And yet," Severus gestured vaguely at her body, "you cover yourself."
"How do you know about my scars?" She whispered, putting a hand to the center of her chest.
"I don't," he shrugged, "Well, I know about the one on your chest. I helped heal you in the hospital wing. The other one though, I've no idea. But I know a glamour when I see one."
"Oh. I never knew you were there."
Hermione set the flannel down and leaned out around the shower curtain.
"What are you-" Severus started to say when she popped back with her wand in her hand.
"You don't have to do that, Hermione." He said softly, shaking his head.
She just shrugged and pointed her wand at her chest with a whispered spell. A long, jagged, pink line appeared, starting at her left collar bone and trailing down between her breasts and then curving to end on her right side beneath her ribcage.
"That actually healed much better than I would've expected." Severus commented, reaching a hand out to caress the raised skin.
"I guess I have you to thank for that." She said with a little smile.
Severus shrugged. "Poppy handled most of it."
Hermione raised her wand to herself again, this time pressing the tip to the inside of her upper left arm. She took a deep breath and canceled the glamour, revealing the angry red 'Mudblood' that had been carved into her skin.
"Bellatrix." She explained, before he could ask. "Some kind of cursed blade. Madam Pomfrey and St. Mungo's tried to get rid of it but this was the best they could do.. At least it doesn't hurt anymore." Hermione hated letting anyone see it. She didn't like the pity in their eyes.
Severus just nodded like she'd told him the weather forecast. "I have a few scars of my own from that damned knife. Psychotic bitch. I wish I'd been there to watch her die."
A laugh bubbled up out of Hermione at his nonchalance. He lifted her arm and planted a soft kiss on the jagged slur.
"You're not a mudblood. She was just an evil cunt." He let go of her arm and moved to her chest, tracing the line of her other scar with wet, open kisses. "If it makes you feel better to cover them then go ahead, I understand. But they're a part of you, and they don't make you any less beautiful."
Hermione gave him a wobbly smile. "Thank you." She whispered. Severus cupped her face in both hands,
"Okay, that's enough show and tell, let's wash this mane of yours and then get something to eat. I'm bloody starving."
They finished washing up, bodies and hair, and then Severus left the bathroom to dress and get something for them to eat. Hermione finished up her own routine and dressed in denims and a maroon jumper. She was glad she'd packed some extra clothes, the tights she'd worn the night before were definitely done for.
She left the bathroom to find the bedroom empty. She followed the scent of tea to the sitting room where she found Severus on the settee pouring a cuppa. A tray of tea things and sandwiches sat atop the coffee table. Hermione's stomach growled.
"Oh gosh, I didn't realize how hungry I was till just now." She took a seat next to him and grabbed a cup for herself.
"Thanks for this," she gestured to the coffee table and picked up a sandwich, "I should probably get going soon."
Severus shrugged and sipped his tea. "It's no rush on my end, if that's what you're implying."
"I appreciate that, sir. Actually, I have to get Harry back to Grimmauld Place. I sort of… smuggled him into the castle last night to spend some time with Ginny." She admitted.
Severus just stared at her for a second and then looked up at the ceiling briefly. "Lord help us all. I suppose I'll be retiring soon. I refuse to teach any Potter-Weasleys."
Hermione snickered into her tea.
"However…" He continued, "As it stands, I'm currently still your Professor. And you just admitted to breaking quite a few school rules. Did you simply forget who I am, or do you fancy yourself above the rules now?"
Hermione looked at him with wide eyes. "No, I don't….. It's really not a big deal.. He's Harry Potter. It doesn't hurt anyone to let him in the castle for one night!"
Snape looked unimpressed. "Hmm, I see. The rules only apply when you think them appropriate. Do you know what I think? I think you'd better get over my lap right now and I'll give you a nice reminder of who is in charge here."
"What? You can't be serious!.." Hermione said incredulously. He must be joking! The two of them were currently breaking several rules just being in his private quarters together, nevermind everything else. He couldn't be serious.
Severus set his teacup down on the coffee table and pinned her with a meaningful glare.
"Finish eating and then I'll show you just how serious I am."
Oh, Bugger.
She set her half-eaten sandwich down on her plate and looked at him reluctantly. "I'm not so hungry anymore, sir…"
Severus raised an eyebrow at her. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I said. Finish. Eating."
"Yes, sir." Hermione replied quietly, picking up her abandoned sandwich. She choked it down slowly. Her stomach was in knots. Snape watched her from the corner of his eye and finished his own food. Somehow he managed to make tea-sipping look menacing.
I could just leave. Hermione thought to herself. Her stomach clenched at the idea. No, I don't want to leave.
Snape's firm tone broke the silence. "Go in the bedroom and stand in the corner. I want you to think about how we got here. I'll be in shortly."
Hermione wasn't about to argue. She got up quickly and went to the bedroom. She wanted to vomit. She surveyed the room briefly then chose the corner closest to the nightstand, next to the door into the bathroom, and stood there quietly, face close to the wall.
Her mind was racing. What is he going to do? Is this what I want? I feel like a naughty child, this is ridiculous… He can't just dictate everything I say and do…
Well, actually, that's kinda the point, isn't it?... This is what I wanted, right? All those fantasies about him over the last several months… Definitely involved a lot of punishments. I can't chicken out now just because it's scary in reality… He's not going to seriously injure me.. He has more than proven that…. Okay, just take a deep breath.
She was so lost in thought she didn't hear him come into the room.
"Miss Granger."
His voice startled her.
"Yes, sir?" Hermione whispered to the wall.
"Do you know why you're going to be punished?"
"Because.. I broke the rules, and sneaked Harry into the castle, sir?" She replied with uncertainty.
Severus sighed.
"That's part of the reason, yes. The fact of the matter is that at present I am your Professor and I cannot ignore the wrongdoing that you so blatantly admitted to. More importantly though, you yet again questioned me, after I made it very clear this morning what the consequences would be."
Hermione fidgeted in the corner. She wanted to turn around and run into his arms and cry her eyes out. It was chilly and lonely in the corner. But she willed herself to stay put and listen. His lecture continued.
"Had you listened to me, I would've given you a quick spanking, mostly for fun. You would've enjoyed it. But yet again you questioned me, and refused what I had to give. That is not how this works, Miss Granger. I will give you what I see fit, when I see fit, and you will accept it. When we both play our part things turn out very well, do they not?"
Hermione nodded silently. Despite her best efforts to hold it back, tears had started to fall down her cheeks. She struggled to keep silent. It was pretty pathetic, really, he hadn't even done anything yet.
"I see now that I've given you too many warnings and clearly that isn't enough for you. Evidently you need to experience some real consequences to truly understand. Now, I want you to turn around and ask me for what you need. And tell me why you need it."
Hermione took several deep breaths against the wall, trying to stay her tears before she faced him. She wasn't very successful. She turned around anyway, keeping her eyes on the floor.
"You'd better look at me when you speak, little girl." Snape growled.
Hermione wrapped her arms around herself and forced her chin up to look him in the eye. He stared at her impatiently, arms folded across his chest. Her face crumpled and she burst into tears.
"I'm … I'm s-sorry… Sir.." She said between sobs. She really did feel guilty now. She'd agreed to their arrangement- she wanted it. And yet she couldn't handle the simple task of just doing what he asked without argument. She kept ruining the fun for both of them.. She hated being in trouble… She wanted to be his good girl.
Severus sighed. He truly did not like making her cry. He had a strong urge to sod the whole punishment and simply hug her instead. But that would just confuse her, and make their power balance issue ten times worse. So, he powered through.
"Take a deep breath and calm yourself, and then tell me what you need. We can be here all day if we need to, it's no skin off my back. But I understand you've plans with your friends, so I'd hurry things along if you don't wish to be late."
Hermione nodded and wiped at her eyes with the cuffs of her jumper. She took several deep breaths. You can do this. Just get it over with. She was still sniffling when she looked back up at his face. She whispered hoarsely,
"I need to learn to take what you give me, sir….. Please, paddle me.." She squeezed her eyes shut as soon as she finished speaking.
Good girl. So you do remember what I said earlier.
Severus nodded. "Very well, go bend over in front of the armchair, hands on the seat." He began rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt.
Oh God.
Hermione couldn't look at him anymore or she was certain she'd vomit. She hurried over to the chair and did as he'd asked. She stared at the velvety fabric beneath her palms and listened to Snape walk around the room behind her. A drawer opened and shut and then his footsteps approached her.
"Pull your denims and knickers down to your knees."
She jumped at the sound of his voice. Straightening up slightly, she fumbled with her button and zip with shaking fingers. Finally she got them undone and slid both layers down to her knees. Why can't I just take them all the way off? Somehow she felt more naked having them only halfway down her legs.
Hermione resumed her previous position and waited for further instructions. Her belly flip-flopped with anxiety. Then he spoke, quietly but firmly behind her.
"Since this is your first real punishment I'm going to keep this simple. Twenty-five with my hand and ten with the paddle. I expect you to keep your legs straight and your back arched. You will count for me. It will be painful, brace yourself."
Hermione took a deep but shaky breath, arching her back and straightening her legs. She scooted her feet a little further apart until she felt sturdy enough to keep still. She felt his hand on her lower back and let out a little gasp. The anticipation was torturous.
Finally, after several drawn out moments, his hand came down on her with a loud smack! It stung, but wasn't as bad as she'd expected.
"One."
Smack!
"Two."
The first ten hits came at an even pace, slowly dialing up in intensity. But once he got to eleven the slaps started coming faster and faster and harder and harder. She was having a hard time keeping up with counting.
"Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, oh Gods! Twenty!"
The sting was becoming unbearable. He'd never smacked her that hard before. And he didn't leave any time between hits for her to adjust. Tears pricked in her eyes.
"Twenty-one! twenty-two! Twenty-three! Ahhhh Twenty- uh, Twenty-four!"
Ow ow ow! Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She sucked in air in big heaving gulps.
Severus paused before the final hit and it worried her. She heard his intake of breath and then his hand cracked down on her with such force she couldn't hold back her reaction.
"Fuck!" Hermione hissed and stomped her foot, reaching back with one hand to cover her arse. Snape yanked her hand away from her backside with lightning speed and pinned it behind her back. His voice was low and dangerous in her ear.
"Keep your hands on the chair, or you will sorely regret it. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, sir." She breathed.
"I didn't hear you count that one, so we'll have to repeat it. Get back into position."
Hermione's crying turned to full on sobs at this, and she reluctantly prepared for more. Her bum felt scorched.
"Arch your back. Don't test me, girl."
She arched her back, giving him full access. Her hands clenched into tight fists on the seat cushion. Focus, Hermione. She hadn't finished bracing herself when his hand came down on her again with the same intensity as the previous hit.
Fuck fuck fuck! She sucked in a breath.
"Twenty-five!"
Her face collapsed into the chair and she cried softly into the cushion. She was surely getting snot and tears everywhere but she didn't much care.
"Good," Severus said quietly, "Just the paddle now and we'll be finished."
Just? She wasn't sure she could make it through.
"I'll give you two minutes. Do whatever you need to, and then we'll proceed."
Hermione heard Snape leave the room and she sank to her knees, rubbing her bum with both hands.
….
Severus stepped into the sitting room and thumped his head back against the wall next to the door, out of sight.
Damn. He'd never been the sort to relish in making a witch cry, but it hadn't ever phased him very much either. Something had changed in him. Either that, or Hermione specifically had a particularly large sway over him. He ran a hand down his face with a long sigh. Get ahold of yourself. He wanted to dominate her, he had no doubts about that. But he also wanted to hug her, and make her feel better. And that was a bit disturbing. He knew of course that the latter was all a part of being a good dominant. But in the past he'd either just filled a passing role for someone else and it wasn't expected of him, or he'd gone through the motions merely because he was supposed to. Not because he'd wanted to.
It was different with her. Fuck.
….
Hermione jumped slightly when she heard his footsteps returning. Shite, okay, just relax. You're already more than halfway through. You can do this. She stayed on her knees, resting her head against the chair, and waited for him to speak.
"Alright," Severus spoke softly behind her, "Back into position. Ten with the paddle. You need to keep your hands away from your backside. The paddle could do some real damage to your fingers."
Hermione straightened up and bent over at the waist again, bracing her hands on the seat. She stared down at the chair. There was a damp patch where she'd cried into it. Yuck, I'll have to remember to spell that away…
"Good. Count for me."
Hermione braced herself. The paddle came down on her bum with a thwump. A little grunt left her lips at the impact. It hadn't hurt all that much, but it had surprised her.
"One!"
Thwump!
"Two!"
The paddle didn't sting so much as it rocked her whole pelvis and left a deep, dull ache. It melded with the bite of her already raw skin into something intensely visceral. His paddling followed the same pattern as his spanking, progressively getting harder and faster.
The paddle was deceptive. What had started out as a slow heat was quickly becoming an inferno. She felt each blow deeper and deeper until she was certain he was hitting bone. Hermione struggled to speak aloud.
"Six…Seven!..Oh Gods, please sir, I can't!" She finally dissolved into sobs once again. The thud of the wood rattled her to her core. She couldn't take it anymore, her hips started to dance in a desperate attempt to escape. His hand came down to hold her lower back.
"Keep still! Don't make me add more." He warned.
Hermione willed herself to stop moving. She planted her feet firmly on the ground. Almost there. Tears trailed down her face and dripped onto her neck. Snot flowed freely from her nose. She was a complete wreck.
The paddle came down again with a thud. Her nerve endings were screaming.
"Eight!"
She couldn't breathe through her nose anymore. She sucked cool air frantically in and out through her mouth.
Thud!
The hit rattled her teeth. She couldn't breathe for a second. The pain was white hot on her sit bones.
"Fuck. Nine." She rasped. Her legs wanted to give out.
"One more." Severus said so quietly she hardly heard him over the sound of her own panicked breaths.
Thwack! It didn't land as hard as she'd expected. She wasn't sure if he'd done that on purpose or not.
"Ten!"
Hermione collapsed to her knees and cried into the armchair. Her bum had a heartbeat of its own. Severus set the paddle aside and crouched down next to her.
"Come here, love."
She turned and flung herself into his arms, nearly tipping him over in the process. She tried to climb onto his lap but her denims trapped her legs, so she just cried into his neck. Severus held her with one arm and used his other hand to slide her denims and knickers down her legs to free her. He scooped an arm under her knees,
"Hold on." He told her and Hermione gripped his shoulders tighter. Severus slowly got to his feet and sat in the armchair, carefully settling her in his lap so that her throbbing bum rested between his spread legs.
"Good girl," he soothed, sliding a hand up under her jumper and caressing her bare back, "you're all done. You did a wonderful job."
"I'm.. I'm sorry, sir…" Hermione sniffled into his shirt. She was making a terrible mess of it.
"You don't need to be sorry, you're forgiven. What do you need from me now?" His voice rumbled through her and she sighed. She was starting to feel better already, just being close to him. Which was probably a bit messed up.
"I don't know, sir," she whispered, "just hug me."
They sat like that for several long minutes. Silent except for Hermione's quiet sniffles. Slowly her heartbeat slowed down and she relaxed, running her fingers back and forth over the collar of Snape's dress shirt. She actually felt pretty good - minus the intense throbbing of her bum - her conscience was clear, her mind was free. There was something to be said for physical atonement. Perhaps that was unhealthy, she wasn't sure, but she also didn't much care either way.
"I've made an awful mess of your shirt, sir." Hermione apologized.
Severus shrugged, "It's washable." He pulled out his wand and summoned a flannel, catching it deftly and wetting it with his wand. He set his wand aside, and tilted her chin up towards him.
Hermione knew she must look dreadful, she'd done a lot of crying. She could tell her eyes were puffy, and her cheeks felt tight with dried tears. Severus wiped her face gently. The cool damp cloth felt amazing on her skin. When he finished he set the flannel aside and summoned a glass and filled it with water. She accepted the cup with a small smile.
"Thank you, sir." Her throat felt like parchment. She took several long swallows before she was forced to pull away and breathe. Her nose was still completely stuffed up.
"Here," Severus said and picked up his wand once again and aimed it at the bridge of her nose. He mumbled a quick spell and her sinuses suddenly cleared in a rush of frosty air. The pressure behind her eyes disappeared and her headache eased.
"Better?" He asked. Hermione nodded.
"Much better." She replied and closed her eyes, leaning her head back against his shoulder again. He took the glass of water from her hands and set it aside.
"How are you feeling?" He brushed a curl back from her forehead.
"Mostly good, I think… Relieved. A bit strange though, like I'm watching myself from outside my body. Also,
I'm exhausted, and my arse is throbbing."
Severus let out a little sigh of amusement. "Sounds about right. How much time do you have?"
Hermione shrugged. "I got out some of our old DA coins for Ginny and I. I told her I'd send her a message sometime early this afternoon when I was leaving here."
"Perhaps you should tell her you'll be a little later. I can put some lotion on your bum and you can rest for a while." Severus suggested.
"That sounds good, sir." She smiled sleepily into his shoulder. The last twenty-four hours had been like riding a rollercoaster, and it was hitting her all at once now that the adrenaline from her punishment was wearing off. She felt like she could sleep for days.
"Alright," Severus murmured and then she was being lifted up and carried. Hermione thought perhaps she should feel silly being carried about half asleep, but she felt she had rather earned a bit of babying.
He laid her down on the bed and she snuggled in under the sheets. The warm duvet felt heavenly. She opened her eyes when he spoke,
"Here," Severus said and held out her wand and satchel. She blinked up at him and took the items.
"Oh. Thank you." He was fast, she hadn't even realized he'd left the room. At least, she was pretty sure she'd left her stuff in the other room…
Hermione sat up halfway in the bed, careful to keep her weight on her hip rather than her bruised bum, and dug through the little side pockets of her bag. She knew she had the coin stashed somewhere.. aha! Finally she felt the cold edge of the Galleon behind a handful of quills. She really ought to clean out her bag… Then again, she could've just summoned it.. Clearly her mind wasn't working at its normal capacity.
She set her bag aside and tapped the Galleon with her wand, spelling out her message to Ginny.
'Something came up, I'll be late. Is that ok?'
The teeny letters appeared as if engraved on the center of the coin in her neat scrawl. She double tapped them with her wand and they flashed bright white for a moment before disappearing, signaling that they'd been sent to the paired coin.
Severus emerged from the bathroom just then, lotion in hand. He approached the bed and set the bottle down on the nightstand. He raised an eyebrow at her.
"Have you contacted your friends?"
"Yes, sir. I haven't gotten a reply yet, though." Just then the coin began to warm in her palm. "Oh, there she is now."
Hermione glanced down at the Galleon and watched Ginny's tight script appear. She laughed when she read the message:
'No problem. wink wink.'
She shook her head with a smile. Then a second message appeared underneath the first.
'You're okay though, right?'
Hermione tapped the coin with her wand and Ginny's writing disappeared and was replaced by her own response.
'Yes, all good!'
She looked up at Severus who was waiting at the edge of the bed, looking down at her expectantly.
"Alright, everything is fine," she told him, "I can stay for a while longer."
Severus nodded. "Well you'd better turn over then, if you want me to rub your bum."
Hermione set the coin and her wand aside on the nightstand and looked up at him with a smile. "Will you lie in bed with me?"
Severus sighed with mock exasperation. "I suppose.. If I must." He bent down to unlace his boots.
Hermione sat up further - cringing at the pressure on her arse - and pulled off her jumper. She'd felt a little odd with just a top and no bottoms. Severus straightened up and stepped out of his boots, eyeing her carefully.
"Don't get any ideas, you're going to take a nap."
She grinned at him. "Yes, sir." She slid over to the center of the bed to make room for him. He got in next to her, fully clothed. She pouted inwardly. She'd been hoping he'd get undressed too.
Severus leaned over to get the bottle of lotion and then turned back towards her.
"Turn over, love, let's see the damage."
Hermione turned over onto her belly, arms up by her head, hugging the pillow she rested her face on. She felt Snape pull the sheet down to her thighs. Then his fingers ghosted over her backside, just barely touching her tender flesh.
"You did a very good job, Hermione. Especially for your first time being disciplined."
She heard the little click of the lotion bottle being opened and then cold blobs of cream landed on her bum. She shivered. He started to gently rub the lotion into her skin and she groaned. It hurt, but felt nice at the same time.
"How are you feeling about it? Don't hold back, I want you to tell the truth. Say whatever you like, no consequences." He spoke softly, continuing to caress her skin. Hermione took a deep breath and thought about it for a minute. Her thoughts were still all in a jumble.
"Well… It bloody hurt, Severus. Still does." She heard him chuckle almost silently above her. "At first I was angry at you… But every time I let go and give up control to you I feel much better. I feel… free.. as much sense as that doesn't make. And I guess I keep forgetting that. I don't know why. I keep fighting you for control even though I don't want it. It's all very confusing…"
He continued rubbing her bum in soft slow circles. It was stinging less, but Merlin, it was still sore. She was certainly going to have awful bruises. His touch was perfect though, smoothing away the last of her anxiety.
"In a way it felt good though.." She continued when he didn't respond, "Not the pain, that was awful. But I feel… fresh, I suppose. I took the punishment and now it's over, I have a clean slate.. I just want to be your good girl."
"I know you do," he kissed the center of her spine, "You are my good girl. You handled everything very well.. and I'm impressed with your level of introspection, though admittedly I'm not very surprised."
Hermione smiled into the pillow. It was still a bit novel when he openly praised her. When in the classroom, not insulting someone was the highest form of praise she'd ever seen from him.
"Just so you know," He continued conversationally, "This is far from the point, but your arse looks fantastic."
Hermione's laugh was slightly muffled by the pillow. "Thank you, sir." She yawned. His compliments and wandering hands were definitely doing something for her, but she was too tired to do anything about it.
Severus gave her bum one last caress and then pulled the sheets and blanket up to the middle of her back. His hand came up between her shoulder blades and rested there. She quickly fell asleep with the warmth of his presence surrounding her.
…
Hermione awoke later feeling very refreshed and very sore. She yawned and stretched her limbs languidly, her body was stiff in the way only a daytime nap could cause. Severus wasn't in the room. She figured she'd better gather up her things and get Harry back to Grimmauld. She got up and padded over to the bathroom, used the loo and then checked herself over in the mirror.
Her hair wasn't bad, actually, just needed a little rearranging and fluffing. Her face looked much better than she imagined it must have earlier, her eyes weren't puffy like she'd expected, just a bit tired. She washed her face with cool water.
Then she turned around and glanced over her shoulder to check out her bum. Oh my. Her arse was still red, and two spots right over her sit bones were blooming purple, just starting to bruise. It was actually kind of beautiful, in a disturbing way. She poked at one bruise with the tip of her finger. Ow. How was she supposed to sit down for the next several days? Should have thought of that before you numpty. Oh shut up, I love it. She rolled her eyes at herself and left the bathroom in search of her clothes.
She found them on the armchair, folded in a neat pile, robes and coat included. She smiled and got dressed, cursing her choice of denims when she had to pull them over her battered bum. She gathered up her satchel, stuffing her coat and robes inside,then grabbed her boots, wand, and coin and wandered out to the sitting room to look for Snape. He wasn't in there either, though the fire was still burning. She walked through to the classroom and found him at his desk, reading through a stack of essays.
Hermione stood in the doorway and watched him for a moment. She liked the way his brow furrowed and he rubbed at his lower lip with his thumb when he was concentrating. He must have noticed her, though he didn't show it, because he murmured "Come here." without looking up from the parchment in his hand.
She walked over to his side and waited, not wanting to interrupt his reading. After a moment he set the scroll down on his desk and rubbed at his eyes. "Imbeciles, the lot of them." He mumbled before turning his gaze to Hermione. He sat up straighter and grabbed hold of her hips, "Do you feel better?"
She nodded, "Loads better, sir."
He nodded to the bag and boots she held in her hands, "Set those down and come here." He patted his lap. Hermione smiled and set her things on the floor, then climbed up to straddle his lap. Severus grasped her bum and she cringed. Her denims felt like sandpaper against her skin. He smirked.
"How's your arse?"
She groaned. "Bruised, sir."
He nodded, "I don't think you were planning to, but I want to make myself clear that you are not to heal your arse with magic."
You know I won't heal it. You know I like the reminder every time I sit down.
He was staring intently into her eyes. She knew he was probably looking right into her mind. Her cheeks colored. "Yes, sir, I won't."
Severus's smirk deepened. "I know you won't. You love it, don't you?" He abandoned her bum with one hand to cup her jaw, then brought her face closer and kissed her deeply. She kissed him back with enthusiasm, realizing it was going to be at least a few days before she got to see him again.
He pulled away briefly and spoke close to her lips, "Are you going to go home and admire your bum in the mirror?" She smiled, her blush deepening. He leaned back slightly and searched her eyes. His top lip twitched, "Oh, I see, you already have. You love seeing my mark on your body, don't you?" He kissed her again.
"Yes, sir," she breathed when he pulled back from her lips, "I'm yours." Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him determinedly, grinding in his lap and steadfastly ignoring her screaming bum. He grunted into her mouth and kissed back with matching enthusiasm, tangling his fingers in the curls at the nape of her neck. She could feel his hardness pressing against her core. There were far too many layers between their bodies.
Several moments later Severus pulled away, holding her face away from his with both hands. "Don't get all worked up now, Princess. You're already late for your plans."
Hermione sighed. "We can be really quick?" She suggested hopefully.
Severus smirked. "Believe me, I'd love to. But your current situation makes that a bit difficult.." Hermione frowned. Severus wiped a hand down his face to hide his smile, "This morning I had to convince you to have sex during your cycle and now look at you." She gave him a chagrined smile and shrugged.
"What can I say.. You are very persuasive."
He snorted. "Is that what you call it? Tell you what," he wiggled a thumb under the waistband of her denims to tickle her hip, "I want you to touch yourself tonight. Starting tomorrow I want you to wait for me as usual, but tonight you can come as much as you'd like. In fact, I'd like you to at least three times. Can you do that for me?"
Well, it wasn't as good as being with him, but it was better than nothing. Hermione nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Good. Now, how long does your cycle last?"
He was so matter-of-fact. The subject clearly didn't bother him the way it did her. Hermione blushed. "Um, usually five or six days .."
"Alright," he nodded, "I'd still like to see you on Tuesday night if you're up to it."
"Yes, I'd like to as well sir."
"Good," Severus patted her hip, "You'd better get going then, it's already after three o'clock." Hermione sat up straighter.
"Is it really?" She gave him a quick kiss and got to her feet. She pulled on her boots and grabbed her satchel, double checking that she had her wand and coin.
"Alright, I suppose I'll be on my way," she told him, suddenly feeling awkward, "Have a good night, Severus."
He watched her intently from his desk chair, elbows on the armrests and hands steepled in front of his chest. "You as well, Miss Granger. I'll see you in a few days." And then as she was turning to leave, "And tell the Weasley boy to keep his grubby hands off of you."
Hermione laughed. "You don't have to worry about that. I think he'll be out tonight anyway, on a date or something. Trust me, I have no interest in him anymore."
Severus tilted his head back to look at the ceiling. "I know. I just don't like him."
"Ron's a good person. Just a bit clueless sometimes. You don't seem worried about Harry and I know you don't like him either." She pointed out. Severus gave her a look.
"He doesn't hang all over you like a drunken barnacle. And - as far as I'm aware - he hasn't slept with you either."
Hermione wrinkled her nose. "Definitely not! Harry's like a brother to me. And honestly, sleeping with Ron had me convinced for a while that I was incapable of orgasm."
Severus suddenly barked out a laugh, throwing his head back to face the ceiling once again. Hermione couldn't help but grin. She'd never seen him laugh like that before. It looked good on him.
"Alright, alright, don't be mean, it wasn't his fault…. Well, not entirely, I think we were just really incompatible." Hermione explained. He was still chuckling. She walked closer and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"I really do need to go now."
His laughter abruptly stopped and he looked at her with a straight face, though his eyes still sparkled with mirth. "Yes, yes, you've convinced me. Weasley isn't a threat. Go have fun with your friends, love." He found her hand with his and lifted it to his mouth and kissed the tops of her fingers gently, then let it go, and turned back to his desk to continue grading essays.
I guess that's my cue to leave. Hermione left his classroom quietly. Her lucky streak prevailed and she once again got out of the dungeons without running into anyone. On her way up to the seventh floor she got out her Galleon and sent Ginny a message to let her know she was on her way there.
Ginny was waiting in the hallway when she got there. She assumed Harry must be there too, though she couldn't see him.
"There you are!" Ginny exclaimed, "What happened today?"
Hermione scrutinized the air around her friend, trying to pick out a hint of Harry, but failed. She was certain he must be there though.
"I'll tell you later… How was your night?"
Ginny grinned. "Oh, it was very good! The room of requirement is amazing, we-" a disembodied voice interrupted her excited chatter- "Ginny!" She looked to her right side sheepishly. "Sorry, Harry, forgot you were there!"
Hermione could tell he was embarrassed from the tone of his voice. He was surely bright red under the cloak. She snickered. "Hi, Harry, I figured you were here somewhere. I hate to break it to you but, Ginny tells me, like, a lot." She heard his quiet groan.
Ginny and Hermione giggled in unison.
"Alright," he whispered, "I'm leaving one way or another, are you going to take me to the floo or what, Hermione?"
"Yes, yes, let's go," Hermione relented, still grinning, "Bye Ginny, I'll see you tomorrow night!"
"Okay sounds good. I wanna hear everything!" Ginny replied. Not sure if you do, actually…
Hermione turned around and started walking slowly, giving them a chance to say goodbye. Soon she heard quick footsteps behind her and figured Harry was catching up. "Sorry," she heard him whisper, "Er, she's a bit of an over-sharer.."
"Um, yes, trust me, I know." Hermione snickered behind her hand. "Just wait till we get to Grimmauld, I don't want anyone to think I'm completely barmy, talking to myself." She whispered, and they finished the walk to the student floo in silence.
When they finally tumbled through the fireplace at home Harry ripped off the invisibility cloak and plopped right down on the sofa. He awkwardly avoided eye contact with her. Hermione sat down next to him.
"It's really not a big deal, Harry. We all know you have sex." She told him.
"Hermione! What's gotten into you lately?"
She shrugged. "What do you mean?"
He eyed her carefully behind the round frames of his glasses. "Something has changed. You're different lately… And Ginny knows what it is."
Hermione raised her eyebrows. Harry quickly continued. "She hasn't told me, don't worry. She just keeps making vague remarks about how she knows and we don't.." he rolled his eyes. "You know, you, er, you can tell me. If you want. You don't have to. But I'll still be your friend, no matter what it is.. or who, I suppose."
She smiled warmly at him. He really was a good friend. And she did feel bad about keeping secrets. But she wasn't sure the sentiment would still apply when he actually did find out the truth…
"Thanks, Harry. I know."
He leaned back against the sofa in a casual pose. "Really, Hermione. You could be dating… I don't know, Lucius Malfoy for all I care and I'd…. Well, I'd be very concerned, but! I'd still be your friend. Nothing's going to change that." He ran a hand through his hair haphazardly, making the already tousled strands stick up even more.
Hermione leaned over and gave him a very tight hug. "I really appreciate it, Harry. You're a good friend. And I will tell you, when I'm ready." He patted her back awkwardly then cleared his throat. She pulled back and laughed at the look on his face.
"Sorry. But not really!" She said. Honestly, he should be used to her aggressive hugs by now. "Okay, now that we've had the talk, let's get some food, I'm starved!" She hopped up from the couch and headed for the kitchen. Harry followed.
"By the way, Hermione," Harry said as she rummaged through the pantry, "it's not Lucius Malfoy, right?"
She turned around and wrinkled her nose. "Gods, no!" Harry put his hands up in mock surrender.
"Just checking!"
"I mean… the man is beautiful. But downright evil, no thanks."
"Oh my God, I'm sorry I asked." The look on his face was priceless. Hermione giggled.
"Honestly, Harry, the man's in Azkaban, how would that even work?"
"I have no idea. It just popped into my head!" He exclaimed. They made eye contact and both burst into laughter.
Severus took dinner in the great hall that evening, which was unusual for him on weekends. He was in a strange mood. He'd even accepted the invitation to the Saturday night staff gathering. He'd been invited nearly every weekend for the last eighteen years - minus his year as Headmaster - and he could count on one hand the number of times he'd accepted. Why should he want to get drunk and gossip with a bunch of old fuddy-duddies? But, odd as it was, he just didn't feel like going back to his rooms just yet, alone..
There was an awkward pause in conversation when he arrived in the staff room. "Why, Severus, we weren't expecting you tonight!" Minerva exclaimed. Severus rolled his eyes and set the bottle of brandy he'd brought down on the table.
"I accepted your invitation, did I not?" He replied blandly.
"We thought you were joking!" Pomona piped up from the corner. They were all lounging on various transfigured armchairs and couches around the table. They all laughed.
"Well come sit down, my boy!" Filius squeaked, patting the cushy chair next to his. He and Hagrid were smoking their pipes in the corner opposite the witches. Severus reluctantly sat down, already regretting his decision to show up greatly. What on earth had he been thinking?
Hagrid shoved a drink into his hand. "Good ter see ya, Perfesser!" His large pipe hung out of the corner of his mouth and fragrant smoke billowed from him as he spoke. Severus nodded to Hagrid, sniffing the drink subtly.
"You're just in time, Severus. We were just placing bets on how long it'll take Neville Longbottom to ask out Luna Lovegood." Minerva announced.
"I think she's going to ask him out!" Pomona added. Poppy nodded in agreement.
Severus slouched down in his chair and took a long sip of his whiskey. Dear lord.