AN: Thank you all for the support! It is very deeply appreciated!
Hermione ran her hands along the back of her long black dress. With grace, she sat upon the wicker chair. Behind her, she could hear the splashing of the Bellagio fountains. They leapt towards the sky, only to falter into the pool below. She turned to the man behind her. "Thank you, Steven."
"What did you just call me?" A dark, silky voice began.
Her eyes widened as Severus stepped out from behind her chair. Instead of his usual robes, he was dressed in a new muggle tuxedo, perfectly tailored to his shape. Although Hermione loved his usual robes, these were enough to drive her wild. He wouldn't dress like this for anyone else, something in which she took great pride and pleasure.
"Severus," she was blushing and didn't care. "Thank you Severus."
"You are very welcome."
Her heart skipped a beat as he strolled over to his chair.
"Thank you for using my proper name as well. I was beginning to think you had lost your senses," He continued.
"No, my senses are quite well," she relaxed. "I have no difficulty recognizing you. You are quite unique in your appearance."
"Indeed, which is fortunate for the rest of the world."
"How so? You are handsome in your own way."
"There is no need to flatter me," He pulled out a chair and sat across from her. "My looks are lackluster at best."
"Your looks are anything but lackluster."
"You're right, they are unseemly," He frowned. "I wouldn't wish my appearance on anyone, not even James Potter."
"Your appearance is anything but unseemly. You are striking, memorable, and unique," she began, "I can always spot you in a crowd."
"Indeed, you must be embarrassed to be seen with me so often."
"No, I'm honored to be seen with you." She took his hand, "Because when I'm with you, I am the most fortunate woman in Vegas."
"The woman across the casino who won sixteen straight craps games would disagree with you."
"Oh no, if she was here she would agree with me wholeheartedly."
"That's doubtful."
"No, it's true. I saw how she looked at us," Hermione's lips curled up. "She was envious that I was with the sexiest man in Vegas, a man who commands the attention of all he meets, a man with a wit unlike any other, a man with an intelligence which is unsurpassed. When he looks at me, he makes me feel like the most important person in the world. When he looks at me, I know I am valued by the most sensual man in Vegas."
"Flattery will not win you any poker games."
"Who said I need flattery to win at poker?" She squeezed his hand. "My books are helping me improve. With each game, I'm getting better."
"You still smirk when you get two pairs, and you chomp on your lip when you're bluffing."
"I never said I was perfect. Learning takes time after all."
"That it does," he rubbed her hand.
The other patrons watched with wide eyes as the fountains continued their show.
She looked out the window. "The view of the fountains is gorgeous."
"I don't see them."
She turned to him.
He gave her a genuine smile, "I only see you."
She swallowed. "It's fine to look at the fountains. They are putting on quite the show tonight."
"Why would I ever look at rushing water when I have the most beautiful woman in the world sitting across from me, a woman who always makes me smile, always brightens my day, and always tolerates me even when I'm being a git?"
"Now who's engaging in flattery?"
"There is a huge difference between flattery and truth," he purred. "The latter is real, the former has no connection to reality."
Her eyes glistened.
"Once we finish our dinner, I propose we return home," his voice had the silky tone which drove her to distraction. "There, I will show you the kinds of things I can do with my cape."
"What kinds of things?" She rasped.
He leaned closer to her. "Things you cannot even imagine. Things which are beyond your wildest dreams. Things which aren't appropriate to discuss in polite company."
She giggled as he parted his lips. She leaned closer to him, ready to capture his lips…
Love me tender! Love me sweet! And never let me go!
Hermione groaned as Melonie continue her duet with Elvis. Over the last few days, her vocal techniques had improved, making her singing more tolerable. Still, that didn't mean Hermione wanted someone shouting along with Elvis so early in the morning.
You have made my life complete! And I love you so!
Hermione rolled onto her stomach and threw her pillow over her head. Good MerlinLove Me Tenderwas not the kind of song one shouted along with. Why did Melonie feel the need to sing it as if she was in an American football arena right before the Super Bowl?
The image of Severus in a tuxedo flashed in her mind. Then she meditated upon her lips growing closer to his. They'd almost kissed. Oh dear God they'd almost kissed in her dream!
Worse, she wanted to apparate to Severus' house in only her light pink silk sleeveless nightgown and demand that he show her every creative use for his cape that he could think of. Then, she wanted to plead for him to take her in his arms and never release her. She'd give anything if they spent the entire day making love.
She groaned as fantasies flashed in her mind, each one more erotic than the last. Whipping Winona could not have imagined more uses for that cape than Hermione did.
Why did she keep that picture of Whipping Winona? She should throw it away. Yet it fascinated her. No matter what she did, she couldn't take her eyes off the her. Perhaps it was a deep appreciation for drag. Yes, that was it. She appreciated drag and just wanted to see a beautiful drag queen. It had nothing to do with her increasingly graphic fantasies of her best friend and his cape.
Everything in her wanted to apparate to Severus' house, rip off his robes and make love to him until they couldn't see straight.
Love me tender! Love me true! And all my dreams fulfilled! For my darling, I love you! And I always will!
Hermione screamed into the sheets. She was frustrated. Everything in her was frustrated. She was supposed to love Steven, not Severus. She was supposed to dream of Steven, not Severus. She was supposed to be focusing on her relationship with Steven, not Severus. She was supposed to have almost kissed Steven twice, not Severus.
Love me tender! Love me long! Take me to your heart! For it's there that I belong! And we'll never part!
Hermione sighed, resigning herself to the fact that this would be an extremely frustrating day.
"Severus?"
He glanced up from the cash register. The last dollar had been placed inside, signaling the end of his arduous day. Until now, he'd been ready to depart. Yet the desperate look in Hermione's eyes demanded his full attention.
"Yes," he drawled as she neared the counter.
"I can't take this anymore," she leaned on his counter, her eyes pleading for some kind of reprieve.
"Can't take what anymore?"
"This, us," she pointed to him, then to her, "I want the almost kisses to stop."
"I apologize," he paled and fidgeted. "I did not mean to make you uncomfortable. It was never my intention to cause you distress."
"Every day you cause me a great deal of distress."
He bowed his head. Of course he'd muck up this friendship. Could he not ruin one beautiful thing in his life?
"I'm tired of spending every day across the street from you, staring into your window, hoping to get a glimpse of you. I'm tired of praying you'll stop in my store during your lunch break to tell me your thoughts on the latest romance novel."
"I only want to know how brain-rotting they have become," he cut in. "It was never my intention to lead you to believe I had any interest in romance novels."
"Are you interested in romance at all?" She furrowed her eyebrows.
He wrung his hands together as he shifted his focus to the right. The last thing he needed was for her to know how many times he'd wanted to romance her over the last few months.
"Please Severus, I've been living in agony, and I need you to take me out of it."
"I apologize," he sighed. "I have clearly caused you quite a bit of pain. I promise to leave you alone from now on."
"No!"
His eyes grew.
"I don't want you to leave me alone," she grabbed his wrists. "I want you to apparate me home, take me to your bed, and kiss me until we can't breathe! Then, I want you to make love to me until we are both too exhausted to move!"
He stared at her as she panted.
"Please," her voice was softer as she released him. "Just tell me you want me, that you need me the way I need you. Take me out of my misery and tell me that I'm not alone in my sentiments. I'm pleading with you to help me."
He pulled her close to him. "I want and need you more than a desert hiker desires hydration. No, I desire you more than that. I've never wanted or needed anyone as much as I want and need you. If that is how you feel about me, then I share your sentiments completely."
She whimpered and stepped onto her tiptoes. His lips drew closer to hers, ready to capture them, to get lost in the wonder that was her…
It was just his luck he would wake up before his lips could touch her!. Curse the desert sun and the way it shone into the curtains after climbing over the mountains! If he didn't have work, he would cast a darkening spell over the house and return to his slumber.
Shit, he had to go to work!
He buried his head into his pillow and groaned. All day, he would be in his shop across from the street from Hermione, hoping and praying she would barge in and plead for him to take her into his house and into his bed. He'd spend the rest of the day wondering how Hermione would look between his sheets, eyes glistening, lips begging to be captured once more...
They'd almost kissed in his dream. Oh dear God they'd almost kissed in his dream!
Worse, he wanted her to come over at that moment and show her how many creative uses he had come up with for his cape. Whipping Winona could not have imagined more uses for that cape than he had.
He groaned as a fantasies flashed in his mind, each one more erotic than the last. Why did he have to look at that picture of Joseph in drag? Ever since he'd seen that flyer of Whipping Winona, he wanted to ask Ricardo for more information on his husband's act and how his cape was being used. Perhaps it was a deep appreciation for his employee. Yes, that was it. He appreciated Ricardo and just wanted to know how his husband's new act was progressing. It had nothing to do with his desire to kiss Hermione until they couldn't breathe, or these increasingly erotic fantasies he was having of his best friend.
He wanted to apparate over to Hermione's house, barge through the door, take off his coat, and make love to her until they couldn't see straight.
Severus gritted his teeth together. He was frustrated. Everything in him was frustrated. He was supposed to love Helen, not Hermione. He was supposed to dream of Helen, not Hermione. He was supposed to be focusing on his relationship with Helen, not Hermione. He was supposed to have almost kissed Helen twice, not Hermione.
That annoying sun was getting brighter, reminding him it was time to go to work and enjoy the most pleasurable torture he would ever be subjected to.
Severus sighed, resigning himself to the fact that this would be an extremely frustrating day.