As Hermione lay wide awake in her own bed, her thoughts continued to run amok. Sleep eluded her ever since the realization that her feelings for Severus ran deeper than she ever imagined. What was meant to be a professional relationship guiding her towards her career had morphed into something entirely unexpected. The scent of Amortentia still unsettled her, a reminder of her conflicted emotions. Yet, she couldn't deny the truth: she had fallen in love with him. The memory of his touch lingered, igniting her nerve endings and sending shivers down her spine. Hermione accepted the fact that they were just having fun, a passionate sexual encounter here and there, but the intensity of his touch and the way he looked at her while he pinned her to the floor changed everything.
Despite feeling frustrated by Severus's teasing remarks and the way he seemed to derive amusement from provoking her, Hermione couldn't deny the thrill she felt in their verbal sparring. There was a strange satisfaction in getting a rise out of him, knowing that she could match his wit and hold her own in their banter. It was a dynamic that both challenged and intrigued her, even as it stirred up conflicting emotions within her.
The revelation brought by the potion left Hermione feeling unsettled. The distinction between love and lust had never been clearer, and it stirred a tumult of emotions within her. Could Severus ever reciprocate her feelings, or was she condemned to conceal her burgeoning love for the rest of her time at Hogwarts? The uncertainty gnawed at her, casting a shadow over her thoughts, and complicating her interactions with Severus.
Hermione's heart raced as she felt the unexpected touch on her leg in the darkness. Startled, she gasped and pulled away instinctively, her mind racing with fear and confusion. Reaching for her wand, she narrowed her eyes at Severus, who was lurking near the foot of the bed.
"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Hermione growled, her voice a mix of irritation and apprehension.
Severus smiled wickedly at her. "I knocked, but I guess you didn't hear me."
Hermione sighed, wishing he would leave. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It just barely struck two in the morning which frustrated her even more. She redirected her gaze to Severus and said, "It's not morning yet. I don't have to answer to you." As much as she wished her words were true, Hermione knew that with Severus, he would expect her to answer him regardless of the time.
"Why aren't you sleeping?" Severus asked suddenly. "And don't lie and say I woke you up."
Frustrated, Hermione sat up, annoyed that even in the sanctuary of her bedroom, he would still find a way to bother her. "I could ask the same of you," she muttered tiredly. "You could read a book or do something else to occupy your time."
Severus didn't ask or bother waiting. He joined her on the opposite side of the bed, which startled her again. He smirked at her reaction. "I figured if we're going to talk, I might as well get comfortable."
Now that he was closer, Hermione realized that he was not dressed in his usual attire. She averted her gaze and attempted to inch away from him, but she realized she was already at the edge of the bed. "Look, everyone has a hard time sleeping. It's just a night of insomnia. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think your room is on the other side," she said pointedly, hoping to encourage him to leave.
Severus smirked at her attempts to shut him out. "I think you will find, Hermione, that I am not easily persuaded. Besides, these are my rooms. You're just borrowing them," he remarked with a hint of amusement, refusing to be deterred.
Noticing her narrowed eyes, Severus grinned even wider. "I think I'll sleep here tonight," he declared, deliberately folding his hands behind his head as if daring her to make him leave.
Hermione rolled over, turning her back to him. She closed her eyes, silently praying that sleep would come to her. However, she was jolted awake when she felt his hand slide under her shirt, caressing her hip with an unsettling familiarity. Her mind screamed for her to resist, to push him away, but his touch felt gentle and intimate, stirring conflicting emotions within her.
As Hermione remained silent, Severus wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close to his bare chest. He pressed his lips against her neck, leaving a tender kiss on her skin, his breath warm against her. He moved his lips to the curve of her ear, nibbling on her ear lobe.
Hermione felt overwhelmed by the pleasure he was giving her, but through the haze of sensation, she was reminded of the impropriety of the situation. "Stop," she whispered.
Severus lifted his head, his eyes meeting hers. "You don't want me to stop. You want this," he insisted, his voice low and persuasive.
Hermione argued, "No, I don't."
Severus rolled his eyes and retorted, "I would be more inclined to believe you if you weren't caught crying over me."
Hermione flinched at his words, trying to back away from him, but his grip around her waist held firm. "I was not crying over you," she insisted, her voice trembling with defiance.
Severus ignored her defiance as he gently started to caress her back. "I think I know what's bothering you. You may not be ready to accept it, but I think you should," he said softly, his tone a mixture of concern and understanding.
As much as Hermione wanted to continue resisting him, the sensation of his gentle hands on her back was undeniable. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to momentarily surrender to the pleasure, letting the tension melt away as she got lost in the sensation of his skilled touch.
Hermione's anger surged within her, and she couldn't hold back her sharp retort. "Are you just trying to get into my pants again, or is there actually a purpose to all of this?"
Suddenly, Severus rolled her over, positioning her flat on her back. His hands swiftly seized her wrists, pinning them down against the bedspread. With a smug expression, he observed her squirming beneath him. Firmly holding her wrists with his left hand, he delicately trailed his right hand to her hip. Without uttering a word, he performed a silent incantation, causing her shirt to vanish.
"I want to hear it from your own lips," he demanded, his tone commanding. "What has unsettled you so? You nearly had a meltdown in my classroom today after concocting the potion, you were spotted in tears not long after, you've erected barriers in your mind to keep me out, and now you're unable to find rest."
Hermione felt her resolve weaken. Despite her attempts to free herself, Severus's grip remained firm. With a heavy sigh, she confessed, "It's you."
Severus's grip on her wrists tightened slightly, his expression inscrutable as he processed her confession. His gaze bore into hers, searching for any hint of deceit. "Why?" he pressed, his voice soft yet demanding.
Hermione squirmed again under his intense gaze. She didn't want to admit it, though she knew deep down it was true. Searching for an excuse, she blurted out, "You've been bothering me all day."
Severus smirked, his lips hovering dangerously close to hers. "Yes, I am aware, but that is not the reason you've been so unsettled. Come on, Hermione. Where's your Gryffindor courage?" he taunted, his voice low and provocative. With a teasing embrace, his lips lightly brushed against hers, sending a shiver down her spine.
Hermione's breath caught as Severus tantalizingly pulled away just as she leaned in for more. His words, laced with a promise, hung in the air, stirring a mix of desire and frustration within her. She felt the warmth of his hand on her breast, a silent invitation for her to confess.
Hermione shut her eyes tightly, grappling with the weight of her confession as tears threatened to spill over. "The potion made me realize that I don't just find you attractive," she confessed, her voice trembling with emotion as a tear trickled down her cheek. Once the words started, they poured out uncontrollably. "I was here for professional reasons, wanting to advance my career. I enjoyed working alongside you and relished our banter. I found pleasure in seeing you flustered by me." Heat rushed to her cheeks, flushing with embarrassment as she rambled on. "Our private moments were enjoyable, but now I've come to realize that I..." Her voice trailed off, the admission too daunting to voice aloud.
"Look at me," Severus commanded firmly. "Open your eyes, Hermione."
Hermione felt a surge of vulnerability as she met Severus's gaze. His eyes, usually sharp and calculating, now held an unexpected tenderness that took her aback. The rhythmic movement of his thumb against her skin sent shivers down her spine, adding to the intensity of the moment.
The words she had been holding back for so long finally spilled from her lips, trembling with emotion. "I love you," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper, yet weighted with the depth of her feelings.
As Hermione awaited his response, the fear of rejection gnawed at her insides, threatening to overwhelm her. However, she was taken aback when his touch didn't waver. Instead, he drew closer, his hand maintaining its gentle caress against her skin.
With a sense of relief flooding through her, Hermione's breath caught as he closed the distance between them, his lips meeting hers in a firm yet tender kiss. At that moment, she felt a surge of hope and warmth, reassured by his actions that perhaps her feelings were reciprocated.
Hermione's breath hitched as she felt a spell magically bind her wrists, leaving her restrained as Severus advanced toward her. She watched with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation as he moved to remove her pants, his actions deliberate and unyielding. Without waiting for her consent, he effortlessly removed the garment, his touch sending shivers down her spine.
With his right hand now free, he ventured between her legs, his touch sending electric pulses of sensation through her body. Despite her restraints, Hermione found herself yielding to his advances, her body responding eagerly to his touch.
As Severus's skilled fingers worked their magic, Hermione melted into a pool of desire, her body responding eagerly to his touch. She felt herself teetering on the edge of ecstasy, her senses overwhelmed by the intensity of the pleasure he was bestowing upon her. However, just as she felt herself nearing the peak of arousal, he abruptly ceased his ministrations, leaving her gasping and moaning in protest, her body craving the release that had been tantalizingly close.
Severus positioned himself between Hermione's parted legs, his throbbing cock teasing her entrance with every movement. Their eyes locked in a gaze filled with desire and anticipation, neither wanting to break the intimate connection. With a slow and deliberate thrust, he entered her, savoring the sensation of her warm, slick walls enveloping him. As he began to move, his movements gentle yet purposeful, he reveled in the exquisite pleasure of their union, relishing the way Hermione's eyes fluttered closed and her breath hitched with each thrust.
Severus surrendered to the primal rhythm of their lovemaking, his thrusts growing harder and more urgent with each passing moment. Hermione's cries of pleasure spurred him on, driving him to push them both to the brink of ecstasy. With a swift yet deliberate motion, he released the spell binding her wrists, granting her freedom just as he seized control, flipping her over onto her hands and knees. Without hesitation, he plunged back into her, relishing the new angle and the depths of pleasure it unlocked.
"Again," Severus demanded, his voice a low growl as he drove into her with increasing force.
Hermione's breath caught in her throat, her body trembling with anticipation. "I love you," she repeated, her voice barely a whisper as pleasure surged through her.
Severus felt her climax building, her words fueling his own desire. With a final, powerful thrust, he joined her in ecstasy, their bodies entwined in a passionate embrace as they surrendered to the bliss of their shared love.