It was here. The day Severus had been waiting for. Christmas Eve only meant one thing, and that was that the next day was Christmas and he would give Hermione her ring. The nervousness he once felt about the gift came back as excitement. He couldn't wait to see the look on her perfect face. The blush in her cheeks of embarrassment. The kisses she would shower him with. It was all too much to wait for. Severus was not a patient man, but he would try for her.

He left her sleeping and walked into the decorated living room. He admired the decorations and the perfectly lit tree. He closed his eyes and pictured the two of them on top of the tree skirt, her eyes bright with excitement from the holiday.

The vision of pure happiness quickly changed into something else. Hermione was no longer admiring the ring on her finger, she was climbing on top of Severus demanding him to take his clothes off. Daydream Severus could only oblige to such a radiant beauty, and soon enough he could practically feel her hands running up and down his chest. Real life Severus groaned.

It was no surprise that he wanted Hermione in a physical way, and he was by no means an old man. But it wasn't his decision to make, and they were nowhere near close to a discussion on the topic. He didn't know much about her private life, not that he wanted to think about it, but he knew she had boyfriends in the past. How serious they had been was unknown to him. He looked down at the bulge in his pants, Christ, Severus! You're no better than a bloody teenager. He walked quickly to the nearest shelf and randomly reached for a book: How to Train a Hippogriff. It would have to do, and he sat down to read his erection away.

Hermione stretched and looked at the empty spot next to her. She frowned, then quickly breathed a sigh of relief. She was conflicted. Snape was not a young man. He had needs. Needs that he would likely never voice his opinion on. She was technically a young woman, but old enough to have needs too. She wanted Snape. Badly. But there was no way for her to touch the subject without embarrassment or making herself look desperate. She planned on spending years with this man, so why should she feel like a horny schoolgirl? She was by no means experienced, but she wasn't a virgin either.

She winced at the thought. Viktor Krum. She liked him enough and he was handsome enough, but he had sex like he talked: awkwardly and robotically. He was her first, and it hurt like hell, but she never regretted it. Hermione wasn't the type of girl who thought of sex as the magical window to love and paradise. It was definitely more meaningful between persons who loved one another, but it didn't mean there was always love. She didn't love Viktor, and she was pretty sure he didn't love her, but attraction was there and well, it happened.

But how to talk about this with Snape? Maybe you shouldn't. Maybe you should just take what you want. Wish for it… Hermione stopped and closed her eyes. She could definitely wish for Snape to have sex with her, but where was the romance in that? She loved him and wanted this time to be different. She turned on her back and stared at the ceiling. That's when she had the idea. She would just take what she wanted, but in a special way. She closed her eyes and made her first wish in days. I wish my plan works out.

Snape interrupted her trance. "Are you ready for breakfast? Or lunch- it's already noon."

Hermione nodded and slowly got out of bed. She followed him into the kitchen and gasped. The table was laden with the most exquisite buffet she had ever seen. Every food she could want over the holidays was there.

"It was always a tradition for my family to have a large lunch on Christmas Eve. It's my turn to share something with you," Snape said.

"This looks wonderful!" Hermione ran to the table and began filling her plate with food. Croissants, biscuits, eggs, sausages- everything imaginable.

"I cannot lie, though, I did not make all this. But I hope you enjoy it anyway." Snape laughed as Hermione had already filled her plate and started to eat.

"What? I'm hungry!"

The two ate and exchanged stories of past Christmases at their houses. Hermione told the story of the puppy she once received from her parents, but was forced to give up after they found out she was allergic. Snape recalled one Christmas where his mother accidentally poured rum into the eggnog instead of milk and he and his brother were drunk shepherds in their local Christmas pageant.

"I was never able to be in the pageant," Hermione said, "but I always loved watching it every year."

They were digesting over cups of coffee when Snape asked Hermione if she brought a Christmas dress with her. She nodded that she had and asked why. He only smiled and shrugged his shoulders. They spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying each other's company in the library. Hermione couldn't believe the collection he had obtained over the years, and it didn't take long before she was absorbed in an ancient medieval text.

She barely felt the hand Snape placed on her shoulder several hours later.

"Hermione, dear. Go put your dress on. We're leaving in thirty minutes."

A confused look crossed her face, but she did as instructed and went into the master bedroom to change. A half an hour later, she emerged from the bedroom looking spectacular and walked downstairs. Her chestnut locks were perfectly curled, the little makeup she wore framed her face well, and the crushed velvet emerald-green dress she wore fit her curves perfectly. The bookworm cleaned up well, but so did the potions master.

His suit was tailored to fit every inch of his lean body, and it made Hermione weak. The confidence in her plans for him that evening began to grow stronger. Everything was going to go as planned. She could feel it.

"You look marvelous, Hermione." Snape kissed her briefly.

"I can say the same about you," she ran her fingers up and down the collar of his shirt. "You're so handsome, Severus."

Snape blushed a little before reaching for her hand and kissing it. "Let's go, or we won't get a good seat."

"Seat? For what?"

The drove for a few miles until Snape pulled into the parking lot of a small school.

Hermione looked out the window, "Severus what are we doing here?"

He smiled. "We are going to see the Christmas pageant, Hermione. Do you think I'd let you miss that?"

Tears welled in her eyes as she smiled back at him.

It wasn't surprising that most everyone stared at the couple that night. It was a mixture of the age difference and the couple's outfits. It didn't bother Hermione one bit, in fact she didn't notice. She sat happily the entire time watching the little kids as they portrayed the animals around the manger. The stares didn't go unnoticed to Snape, and it bothered him, but one look at the smile on Hermione's face quickly evaporated the anger. He knew this would happen. Perhaps it was better to ease into it with Muggles, and then the magic population.

When they finally arrived back to the castle, a dinner was already waiting for them. Hermione talked incessantly about the adorable children and how much has changed over the years with regards to pageant production.

Snape stopped her and laughed, "Hermione, it's a children's pageant, not the West End."

She only rolled her eyes and continued to gush over his thoughtfulness and the evening.

When dinner ended, Hermione decided it was time to begin her plan.

"Severus, I'm going to take a quick shower. Shall we read tonight?"

He looked at her quizzically, but nodded in response.

"Alright, I will meet you in the library after." She smiled sweetly and walked upstairs.

That was odd, Severus thought to himself. She had never announced her hygiene plans to him up until this point, but he ignored it and set about wandering to the library.

He was about to begin the third chapter in Advanced Potions for the Master or Mistress, when he heard his name.

"Severus? Can you come here for a second? I can't reach the big fluffy towels." Hermione called.

Severus smiled to himself and placed the book upside down on his chair and headed to the bedroom.

"My dear, I know you can perform wandless magic. Why didn't you just-," Severus stopped his sentence at the door of the bedroom.

Standing perfectly square to the door was Hermione in a deep green teddy. Her freshly washed and dried hair fell loosely to her shoulders, and a slight blush warmed her cheeks.

"Wha-," Severus swallowed, "what are you doing, Hermione?" He managed to whisper.

"Come here and I'll show you," she said confidently.

Severus was not one to follow commands, but when the woman he loved was standing before him barely clothed telling him to come closer, he did as he was told.

He walked slowly towards her, until she put her hand out and motioned for him to stop. She closed the distance between them and began to unbutton his shirt.

"I know you are a man of respect and integrity. You don't express your wants or needs, but I know what they are. I know what they are because I share them too." She continued to work her way down his shirt until she reached the last button. She undid it and placed her hands on his bare chest.

He closed his eyes.

"I want you too, Severus. I've wanted you for a while, but I was afraid you would want to wait longer. I don't want to wait anymore. I want you and I want you now." She removed his shirt one arm at a time, walking behind him and stopping to whisper in his ear. "If you don't want this, there's a perfect memory potion on stasis currently. I know what needs to be added to create a memory altering potion. This could all be forgotten-," Severus spun around quickly and held her tightly to his bare chest.

"Hermione, surely you jest if you believe I haven't wanted this as for as long as you have," he whispered, "I will worship your body in a way no man has ever done. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she breathed.

Severus picked her up carefully and carried her to the large bed. He laid her on the edge and removed his belt slowly, giving her time to rethink the situation. She did nothing of the sort. She licked her lips and told him to move faster.

This was it. This was the moment he had been yearning for, and clearly she had been too, and he was going to make it as memorable as possible. He placed his hand on her stomach and mumbled a quiet incantation. Looking up, he saw her confused look and explained that neither of them was ready for a Hermione junior. He slowly peeled off his suit pants, leaving him in nothing put a pair of black boxer briefs. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Black suits you. But I prefer those off," Hermione closed her eyes and her Severus gasp. When she opened them he was standing completely naked before her. "There, that's better."

Not concerned with the fact that he was naked, Severus leaned into her and smiled. "Two can play that game." Without blinking an eye, Hermione's lingerie was off and she was naked as well.

The flush in her cheeks increased tenfold, but Severus was more concerned with the beautiful woman in front of him. He drank in her fair and flawless skin, the dip of her hips, her supple breasts- she was a goddess. And he was going to treat her as such.

He started gently kissing her forehead, her lips, neck, each of her breasts, and ended where Hermione liked him most- between her legs. He licked and nipped and sucked, each time eliciting more moans from the witch. After several minutes of the tortuous pleasure, she was able to squeak out a request to stop.

"Sev- Severus, please, please I want you now," she gasped. Severus got up from the ground and picked her up off the edge of the bed and placed her in the center. He climbed in next to her, then placed her on top of him.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid my eyes on, Hermione. Do you know that?" He spoke quietly, and gently resumed playing with her most sensitive area with his fingertip.

She closed her eyes, "You are the most wonderful man I have ever met and seen and been with," she moaned as he increased the pace of his strokes. "But, I can't let you be deprived." She winked at him and slowly slid down his body. He shut his eyes in anticipation, but nothing could have prepared him for the feeling of her mouth around him. No one had ever felt this good. Not even the whores who were paid to learn this skill. She increased her pace and just as he was about to go crazy, she slowed down again. She knew what she was doing. She's not a virgin. It is not possible. He mentally noted. That was perfect. Their first time could be remembered as one of pleasure, and not of pain.

He finally reached the point where if he allowed her to continue her actions, he would be the quickest shag she'd ever had. Grabbing the sides of her arms, he pulled her back to him and kissed her hard on the lips. He pushed her to the side gently, and hovered above her. She gazed at him intently and closed her eyes as he entered her slowly. She gasped at the sensation, and the feeling of fullness inside of her. He was by no means huge, but he wasn't small either. Once he was completely inside, he stopped and looked down at Hermione. She threw her arms around his neck and muttered, "Take me, please. I'm yours."

Severus needed not another word or sign from her, and he slowly thrust in and out, quickening the pace at each delightful sound Hermione made. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensation flowing through his entire body. He was making love to the woman he hoped would be his for a long time, and she was loving it. Each time she shuddered and moaned his name, he could feel himself grow harder. The physicality between them was astounding. Severus couldn't wait to have her everywhere possible. He wanted to feel himself inside of her. He wanted to her in every position physically possible. Pictures flooded his mind: the library floor, in front of the fire, in the shower. The thoughts subconsciously gave him stamina he never knew he had because he had never been with anyone like her. He bit her neck softy and continued to pound into her, loving the site of her glazed eyes and open mouth. Once her legs started to shake uncontrollably he realized she was finished, and with a few quick motions he finished, emptying himself inside of her.

He laid on top of her for what seemed like forever. He buried his head in her curls and breathed deeply. The smell was amazingly intoxicating.

"Severus?" Hermione spoke quietly.

"Yes, love?"

"How long would you have waited before you lost control and took me on the potions room floor?"

Severus picked his head up and looked into her eyes. He laughed. "Surely, you know that would have never happened. I am not a man who loses control easily," he paused. "But in answer to your question, truthfully, I do not know."

"I'm glad I wear the pants in this relationship then," she teased.

Severus slowly brought his hand down to her sore, sensitive area and flicked it gently. Hermione shuddered. "What was that about pants?" He drawled. He removed his hand and kissed her forehead. "Come. Let's shower and sleep."