Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

And They Didn\'t Live Happily Ever After	By : ElizabethStump Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 90306 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 108
- 109
- 110
"And They Didn't Live Happily Ever After"

Chapter One Hundred Eight
"Dark Eyes: The Maenad and the Satyr Rejoined"

Disclaimer:
Haiku disclaimer
Rowling owns Harry Potter
I however don't

============

Gary tapped his wand to the blackboard and asked Severus to read the haiku poem in Japanese.

Severus read aloud:

"Onyx, this gem-black night.
Downcast, I await your return
like the morning sun, unrivaled in great likeness"

"The correct phrase is unrivaled in splendor. When you paused in the middle of the last word, you changed the meaning," Gary corrected Severus, knowing it was a common mistake to make for those learning the language.

"Splendor," Severus repeated, pronouncing it correctly a second time.

"Excellent." Turning to Hermione, he had her recite a poem from her primer. While she stumbled over the words, putting too much inflection into her accent, he corrected her as needed, pleased she was advancing through her first-level language book so quickly.

Wrapping up the morning's lesson, they decided since the next day was New Year's Eve, and they would all be going to the ball, they would forego tomorrow's lesson and pick up on the following Monday. Due to the difference in time zones, lessons would be held in the evening in Hawaii, which would be morning for Hermione, back in London.

Once Hermione and Severus saw their Sensei off, both went back to bed for a mid-morning nap, still in dire need of recuperating from the Polyjuice Potion the night before. Fortunately, Hermione and Draco didn't have to be at the builders to finalize the designs until two in the afternoon.

To fill the time, Severus took Hermione to visit Blanche Condre, and the operations he was helping her run with her Miniature Man-Eating Masdevallia farm in her backyard.

Finally meeting the witch Hermione was initially jealous over earlier in the year, Hermione suddenly felt a bit foolish in retrospect. In person, Blanche was merely a business partner who had no designs on Severus, and she even made a slight joke about Severus' stern demeanor. He parried it with a quick and witty retort of his own that she took in stride, acknowledging there was some truth to his remark. All in all, Blanche was a rather warm and gracious witch, if a bit flighty and easily distracted, but bright enough she was becoming better at running more and more of the business on her own, requiring less time from Severus to help run it, though he was still vital to the company.

After visiting Blanche, Severus took Hermione on a tour of a few orchid farms, since she had mentioned wanting to purchase and bring back a few specimens for Albert's own greenhouses, where he dabbled in cross-breeding.

Once done, they Apparated back to town and had a quick lunch at the local Chinese restaurant before Hermione met Draco at the builders' offices one last time.

It was nearly five o'clock when Hermione came back home with yet another armful of rolled-up blueprints. She would pack them up and take them back to London for Lavender and her architect to look over before construction would begin.

Knocking on the front door as she opened it, Hermione called out, "Severus? I'm home!" It was a simple phrase that made her quite happy to hear herself say. It was a pity that it would be a long time before she could use that phrase on a daily occurrence.

Severus emerged from the kitchen while wiping his hands on a towel. "I was wondering how long you were going to be stuck at the builders' office. And did you, the builders, and the local building codes officials reach some sort of compromise that is workable?"

Hermione sighed heavily and dumped the tubes of rolled-up parchment on the kitchen table. She threw herself into a chair, tilting her head back to stare at the ceiling, her mouth slack while her arms hung limply by her sides. "After this afternoon, I think I am quite ready for a proper booze-up at Bongo's."

Since Friday night, the usual day Severus and the others met up for drinks, was the same night as the New Year's Eve ball, it was agreed they would shift their social drinking night one day earlier in the week to Thursday.

"Well, eat up, as no doubt Rainbow will try and order you something to knock you for a loop like she did to me to have her own bit of fun," Severus said, his voice a bit tight as he remembered the incident with lingering bitterness.

"Oh, she can't surprise me with a Wipe-Out, since Albert had Draco surprise me with that concoction already back in August."

Hermione began diving into various dishes Severus served up, using up the last of the leftovers. They planned to go out shopping Saturday, when Severus showed her the local farmers' market that would be open on New Year's Day.

"She will try and get Bongo to mix up something to make a fool of yourself, especially since she knows you're a Potions apprentice," he warned her with a growl. "It seems I'm not the first person she's done that to. She has pulled that little stunt, hoping to get new arrivals for sanctuary to spill their secrets, since Mounga won't tell her anything."

"Oh, I think I can turn the tables on her and get Rainbow to get a taste of her own medicine." Hermione gave him a smug grin of confidence.

"Oh, you think so? The witch is a Healer and can certainly know when she has been poisoned," Severus countered, wondering if Hermione really could pull it off. He put a forkful of chicken salad in his mouth and began to chew as he regarded his lover carefully.

"Oh, I know so. Care to make a bet?" Hermione proposed, feeling inspired to make yet another bet which was a habit of theirs when food or alcohol was involved. Betting seemed to be something many Potions masters and mistresses seemed to engage in often to add a bit of fun, as many of the challenge tasks at the monthly meetings related to either drinking games, betting games involving Galleons, rare ingredients in their stores, or favors. The two lovers had graduated far beyond just simple tea blends.

This was certainly a bet Severus would be happy to lose, should Hermione succeed. He almost didn't want to win, but pride demanded he win for the honor of claiming he did.

As they ate, they settled on determining the condition of the bet and how it would be decided who won by what certain objectives had been met. Severus remembered Hermione was the same witch who caused Marietta Edgecombe to this day to have terrible acne scars across her face that spelled out the word "SNEAK." Hermione had agreed with Severus it was rather unfair for Rainbow to try and slip something into Severus in such a public forum, and he wondered what her inventive mind had planned for the evening.

Once they were done with dinner, they shook hands sealing the deal, fed the cat, and went off to get dressed for a night of drinking and socializing with friends.

As Hermione and Severus walked arm-in-arm down the broad sheltered wooden boardwalk towards Bongo's, they could hear that the place was already jumping. Out from the bar came the sounds of two dueling cellos playing something fast and loud.

Hermione could not name the song, but it sounded like something familiar. Severus was thankful they were coming in towards the end of it, hopeful they would play something a bit less raucous for the next song.

As the pair entered the bar, Bongo called out, "Aloha!" along with some of the other patrons. Severus returned the greeting, with Hermione joining in a beat later.

"Severus! Hermione!" Mounga called out, his arm waving above the crowd as he saved them a spot at the bar since the place was rather packed that night, especially for a Thursday night. Some people were taking the next day, New Year's Eve, off as well and were starting their end-of-the-year celebrating that night.

Jerry was playing on the piano, of course, now that the dueling cellists were back to playing a cover of the standard jazz tune, "Take Five," along with the usual suspects. There was Maurice on accordion, Agnes on guitar, an Indian witch on sitar – Severus had met her only once before, Buddy who was playing his pair of tabla drums instead of his drum kit, plus a few others playing horns and stringed instruments.

"Welcome to Bongo's!" Rainbow said. She was a bit overly cheerful, her eyes flashing alternatively between gold and lavender, a sign she was obviously in a very good mood already.

"Double old-fashioned," Severus called out to Bongo, asking for his usual drink.

It was then Severus and Hermione turned around to spy Draco looking a little peaky. The blond groaned upon hearing Severus' drink order.

Ginny was sitting next to her husband, perched upon a stool while rubbing his back.

"Oh, my," was all Hermione could say upon seeing Draco looking still a bit green around the gills. Looking at his drink, she asked, "Is that just plain water?"
Draco nodded, his eyes slipping shut as he tried to be social, but he found the lights and noise a bit much. It seemed even with a vial of Hangover Relief down his gullet that morning, he was still not quite up to par.

Bongo came over to Hermione and asked, "What will it be for you, Hermione?" He knew who she was, having heard all the town gossip about the beautiful brunette Potions apprentice visiting who was mostly attached to Severus' side.

Before Rainbow could jump in and suggest something for Severus' paramour, Hermione leaned forward across the bar and put in her request, but Bongo said in reply as an invitation with a jerk of his head, "Why don't you come around and mix it up yourself."

Severus looked quizzically at the exchange since Bongo had never invited him behind the bar, but then again, he was not interested in playing bartender either. He was happy to have Bongo mix him up something to imbibe, remembering when Chuff forced him to play bartender at Potions master booze-ups he was dragged to.

Hermione ducked under the bar at the far end and made herself at home. With great interest, since no one heard what she requested as the band was playing loudly, Severus, Mounga, Rainbow, and Ginny watched, along with a few other patrons. Patiently, they waited while Hermione began grating ginger, reaming some limes, muddling some peppermint, adding some seltzer water and honey, and placing a couple slices of banana along the rim.

"Here, drink this," she said as she slid it in front of Draco, who looked at her balefully. "This is what I drink the morning after a night of drinking far too much."

Draco took a tentative sip and then suddenly brightened, his stomach now feeling much more cooperative. In his hangover haze, neither he nor Ginny had thought to drink the same chilled ginger-lemon iced tea Ginny sucked down in great quantities during her morning sickness months.

"Is this what Hermione fixed you this morning, since you seemed to have recovered quite nicely after yesterday's binge?" Draco asked, noting how Severus was looking hale and healthy.

Severus looked away, replying, "Hermione had other remedies she employed." He refused to divulge anything else since he did not want to confess his bout of vomiting nor the intimate moment of Hermione singing to him.

"So what are you going to drink, Hermione?" Rainbow said, unable to suppress the mischievous quirk at the corner of her mouth. "There's a little specialty Bongo serves here that you've probably never heard of."

Turning to Rainbow in a bright and cheerful tone, Hermione said with all the sweet innocence she could muster, "How about we play a little game that's a favorite at the monthly Potions masters meetings back in England I go to with my master, Albert?"

Rainbow's smile faltered a bit, her initial plan obviously foiled, but thought she could salvage the situation. "Sure. What's that?"

"'Guess what's in this drink.' You're a trained Healer, so of course this should be easy for you," Hermione said in a very complimentary manner to boost Rainbow's ego and create a false air of camaraderie.

Sitting up a bit straighter, her pride obviously catered to, Rainbow said, "All righty then. Let's give this a whirl. This sounds fun."

Mounga was about to jump into the game as well, but Severus caught his eye and gave him the most imperceptible shake of his head that no one else caught. Catching on, Mounga suppressed a smile and decided to watch how this would play out, curious to what Hermione had devised.

Hermione conjured a screen, just as she had in England when she played the game and was mixing, to make sure no one, not even Severus, could tell what she was doing. There was a flourish of activity as Hermione ground and minced and chopped, and poured from various unknown bottles she grabbed from the shelves behind her.

Severus did recall that Hermione had come out of their laboratory at home, tucking something into her pockets just before they left for Bongo's. He wondered what she was going to slip to Rainbow, but he kept his face a mask of mild curiosity so as not to tip the victim off.

When the activity subsided, Hermione flicked her wand and the screen disappeared. On the bar top was a tall, opaque tumbler holding an enticing libation garnished with various slices of fruits and a tall straw poking out of the top.

With two of her fingers, Hermione pushed it forward so it sat right under Rainbow's nose. She had a triumphant grin threatening to break through her detached demeanor.

"Name every ingredient in this drink, and you win," Hermione challenged, throwing down the gauntlet.

"What do I win if I name everything in this drink?" Rainbow asked before the game began.

"You name them all, I'll drink whatever you deign to throw at me," Hermione threw back, fingering one of the bezoars in her pocket. She then added, "But if you lose, you have to down the whole rest of the drink."

Now finding a way to have Hermione drink a Wipe-Out, Rainbow took up the challenge. She was sure she could win, having drunk most everything in this bar at one point. Of course, Rainbow had no clue that Hermione had brought a few things with her which were not stocked at Bongo's bar.

Sticking her nose over her drink, she inhaled. "Dark rum?"

Hermione nodded that indeed that was one of the ingredients.

"And?" she prompted her.

Inhaling once more, Rainbow added, "Almonds?"

"Almond what?" Hermione was surprised Rainbow wasn't more specific, for even she could easily discern the scent of Amaretto.

"Almond liqueur?" Rainbow said with some uncertainty.

Hermione nodded, willing to let her have that, without naming the specific brand. "Yes. What else?"

Severus was enjoying this immensely, watching Rainbow squirm while Hermione applied the third degree to her with this little drinking game, as more people were beginning to watch the exchange in earnest. Even Draco and Ginny were keenly watching, since they sensed this was going to result in something memorable which would be talked about for days later.

Unable to discern anything else by smell alone, Rainbow, in a manner like a finicky cat poking its nose about food trying to decide if it was good enough to eat, eventually wrapped her lips around the straw and drew her first sip.

Rainbow began giggling like a silly schoolgirl. She then hiccupped, with feathers suddenly coming out her ears, followed shortly by farting loudly, making the sound of a duck. The sound of her own flatulence only made Rainbow want to laugh only harder, not realizing she was the source of the amusing noise. She drank more, taking a few deeper draws on her straw, which resulted in more giggling and the announcement she was going to dance for everyone, followed by farting even louder, which sent her into more fits of laughing. Hermione could have included ingredients that would have made her sprout feathers all over her body and turn her nose into a duck's bill too, but she had decided to go easy on the witch who had tried to slip one on her lover.

Everyone else was laughing as well, but at her, not with her.

Mounga leaned over the bar, a bemused, yet puzzled look on his face. "Just what did you give her?"

Hermione shook her head and smiled with a hint of Severus' evil grin thrown in she had slowly begun to pick up. "Now, what sort of game would this be if I told you when she hasn't finished naming all the ingredients yet," she said with mock sincerity, gesturing to Mounga's wife who has now crawled up on top of the bar and was dancing rather enthusiastically to the tune that the band was currently playing. Other patrons grabbed their drinks off the bar in fear of Rainbow accidentally kicking them over in her obliviousness of her actions. They were covering their drinks with their hands so the feathers sprouting out of her ears wouldn't drift into their libations.

Mounga let out a long, tense breath, wondering how he was going to get his wife down off the bar, as she kept farting like a duck as she danced. People were now starting to move away from her, offended by the noise and not sticking around to find out if there was a smell associated with the loud flatulence.

Hermione looked over at Severus. He seemed to be immensely pleased, laughing freely at the entire scene. His laughter was nearly drowned out by the band which was beginning to morph their song into one befitting a burlesque show, with Rainbow gyrating her hips and still quacking like a duck out of her arse.

Even Draco turned to look at Hermione. He gave her a hearty thumbs-up at her choice of revenge of Severus' honor, knowing the Potions master had been long stewing over how to get back at Rainbow over that incident he'd never forgiven her for.

Severus turned to look at Hermione, his eyes glittering with delight, and mouthed to her silently, "I love you." There was a look of pure gratitude on his face as if he could not have served up this dish of revenge any colder or with more relish.

When Mounga noticed Rainbow was taking her cue from the band. They'd started playing a rousing and bawdy rendition of "The Mooche," a jazz song hearkening back to the days of burlesque and bathtub gin, and Rainbow was starting to unbutton her top. Mounga looked at Hermione, his facial expression telling her that fun was fun, but it was to end there. Hermione conceded it was fine, and she handed Mounga a bezoar, nudging her head in the direction of his wife.

Mounga coaxed his wife down from the bar and stopped her before she finished unbuttoning her top and anyone got a peek of her underthings. A few bar patrons made their displeasure known that the floor show was ending before it got interesting.

The band wrapped up their song, knowing the fun and prank had come to an end, with the drummer ending the song with a rim shot.

Mounga popped the bezoar into his wife's mouth and encouraged her to swallow it, which resulted in her immediately coming to her senses, unaware of what had just transpired.

Staggering back to the bar, Rainbow asked, "What the hell happened?" She was finding bits of down stuck in her ears and hair.

Hermione set her elbow on the bar and plopped her cheek into her hand, unaware Rainbow did the same gesture when about to dish out a heaping pile of sarcasm. "'What the hell happened?' Gee, that's just what Severus thought when you slipped him that Wipe-Out drink his first night here in Malu Palekaiko."

Rainbow's eyes went wide in the grim realization that her little joke – that she thought she had gotten away with – had come back to bite her in the ass, with interest.

"Don't worry," Hermione added, "I won't make you finish the rest of the drink even though you failed to name the rest of the ingredients." She wiped her hands with a clean bar rag, and went back to sitting on the other side bar next to the wizard she felt obligated to defend against pranks that assaulted his dignity.

Severus wrapped a possessive arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head when she sidled up next to him. He murmured into her hair, admitting, "You won. And for the first time, I'm actually thrilled to lose to have witnessed that. Thank you."

Of course, Severus would ask Hermione what she had put in Rainbow's drink, but he would do that later. Maybe they could even make another wager if he could guess all the rest of the ingredients she'd brought from the lab at home, based on the behaviors Rainbow exhibited and the trail of feathers that now dusted the floor.

Hermione gave Severus a quick peck on the cheek in return for his flattering comment before asking Bongo for a 'Tall Cool Blond,' a drink Royston had introduced to Hermione and the other guests at the monthly social. It was a drink Hermione had lost on a round of 'Guess what's in this drink,' as it smelled and tasted like nothing more than lemonade mixed with soda. Since Bongo was unfamiliar with that drink as well, Hermione scribbled the directions down on a spare bit of parchment.

Her drink in hand, Severus asked if he could try a sip and said, "Is there any alcohol in this?"

"Oh, you bet there is, two-and-a-half ounces," Hermione assured him.

Severus was impressed, as the drink tasted quite smooth.

With Rainbow's pride stinging a bit, she was not quite as chatty as usual. The conversation between friends was mostly directed by everyone else in the circle for once.

Draco made to excuse himself from their circle. Severus and Hermione thought he was going to the loo, but were surprised when they heard Draco's voice coming from next to the piano with a Sonorous Charm so he could be heard above the usual chatter of the bar patrons.

"I would like to dedicate this song to two dear friends of mine, who have finally been reunited after a long time apart."

Draco turned to Jerry to speak for a second before the two cello players began with long and sweet notes that carried throughout the bar. He opened his mouth and began to sing.

"At last...
My love has come along,
My lonely days are over,
And life is like a song..."

Hermione could not contain her smile at the sweetness of this song being sung in her and Severus' honor. Partly embarrassed at all the attention, she turned her head and buried it in Severus' shoulder, feeling the tears pricking behind her eyes.

The bar patrons, some familiar with the story about how Severus had been pining for his love, gave a whoop and cheer.

Hermione lifted her head from Severus' shoulder to gauge his reaction as she listened to the lyrics intently. She found him with a smile beaming down at her, also seemingly moved by the song. She rested her head-on Severus' shoulder as they continued to watch Draco belt out a very soulful rendition of the song, capturing the euphoric sentiment of love finally attained.

Severus was surprised by Draco's song dedicated to them, and would have initially asked that he not draw attention to himself and Hermione. But the look of adoration Hermione gave him and her eyes brimming with tears of joy were worth it to suffer a bit of attention for once, as he sensed how his lover was moved by the moment as Draco sang on.

Hermione squeezed Severus' hand. He squeezed hers back even more firmly, his other arm still holding her even tighter around her waist. If the bar wasn't so cramped, Hermione would have asked Severus to dance with her right there and then.

"... You smiled, you smiled,
Oh and then the spell was cast,
And here we are in Heaven,
For you are mine at last."

The strains of the cellos and the rest of the band wrapped up the song while the rest of the bar erupted in a cacophony of applause, whistles, and cheers.

Draco gave a humble bow and walked back toward his circle of friends.

Hermione dislodged herself from Severus. She went up to Draco as he rejoined them, standing up upon her toes and placing a peck on his cheek.

"Thank you, Draco. That was absolutely perfect and lovely," she said, wiping away more tears and sniffing, finally grabbing a bar napkin for her nose.

"You can thank, Jerry. It was his suggestion when I told him what Albert and I were planning," Draco admitted.

Rainbow, deciding she had sulked long enough in humility, decided to rejoin the conversation and praised Draco. "That was just too perfect." Turning to Hermione, she asked, "Do you think we can get one song out of you, since you won't be back for a while?"

Hermione shrugged, feeling a blush creep up her neck. "I don't know. I'm certainly not as good as Draco." It was one thing to sing in front of a small group of people she knew in a private home with a few drinks in her at those monthly meetings. It was another thing to sing for a bunch of strangers with a band that was as good as any professional band, with everyone staring at her, and in front of Severus; she'd only sang in front of him once, the night before.

"Come on," Rainbow tried to coax her. "We even got Severus to sing for us once."

Hermione, surprised, turned around with a slightly stunned look on her face and asked, "You sang once?"

Severus frowned, irritated Rainbow brought that moment up, but nodded reluctantly.

"Severus has a really lovely, voice. It's a pity he doesn't sing more often for us, it's quite deep and rich," Rainbow added, hoping a bit of praise would get him in the mood to sing once more.

"I am not a trained monkey meant to sing for your amusement," Severus said in his old stern and acerbic tone that invoked memories of him in the Potions classroom for his former students who were watching the exchange between the two. "But if you want me to sing, I know one song–"

"Oh, no!" Rainbow protested. "Not that depressing Scottish ballad about the wizard who went off to war and his bride who killed herself!"

"Oh, I know that song," Hermione volunteered.

She began to half-sing, half-recite the lyrics,
"A wizard called Eòin Greumson
Of bonnie Blackbriar Dornoch..."

"No! You're not going to sing that. Please pick a different song. Anything but that," Rainbow implored.

"Hermione does not have to sing if she does not want to," Severus reminded Rainbow, with a steely arch of his brow.

"No, it's okay, Severus. I'll sing, I just need a few more drinks in me to have the gumption to get up and do it." Hermione put a calming hand on his upper arm conveying she didn't mind being requested to sing, having one song in mind. She was hoping at some point to sing it to him in private, but now was a good a time as any.

Turning around, while keeping Severus' arm still about her waist, she asked Bongo, "Can I have three shots of vodka?"

Hermione was not the only one who needed a bit of Aqueous Intrepidity to lubricate her courage to sing, much like Niles and Braxton back home during their gatherings. Much to Severus', and everyone else's surprise, Hermione slammed the three shots of vodka down like an old pro and said in about five minutes she'd be ready to sing.

As Jerry and the rest of the band were finishing up a Dixieland classic done with some honky-tonk flair, Hermione turned and gave Severus a quick buss on the lips. "Wish me luck," she said as she detached herself from Severus' side. She wended her way through the tables and chairs up towards the piano where Jerry sensed that someone else wanted to sing.

Hermione could feel the vodka work its own magic on her, easing her apprehension of singing in front of a crowd and loosening up her vocal cords as well, which would tighten up when she was nervous and sober.

"You gonna sing?" Jerry asked her, leaning sideways to hear her better over the thrum of the crowd.

"Yeah. Do you know Ochi Chyornye?"

Furrowing his brow momentarily, he replied, "Is that also called Dark Eyes?"

Hermione's face brightened. "Yes! That's it. Though I only know it in Russian."

"You speak Russian?" Jerry asked.

"No, just the lyrics for this song." Hermione shrugged, wishing she did know Russian as that would be one language closer to her and Severus being reunited permanently.

They talked for a few moments longer, with Jerry asking how many choruses she knew and instructing Hermione that they would be doing some solo bits after the second chorus, and to watch his hand signal for when she was to start the third and final chorus.

Severus was wondering what Hermione was planning on singing. He knew the types of songs they usually sang at the monthly Potions masters meeting, some of them quite bawdy. Even he still remembered one ditty in German about a particular barmaid which got more lewd with each chorus.

Finally, Agnes on guitar, a violin player, and the cello players began playing a slow and rich melody, something twhichhat would make one think of Gypsies and Eastern European folk songs. Severus finally recognized the melody as Hermione was about to sing. Sitting there, he felt a warm flush race through his chest in anticipation, smiling to himself.

Hermione closed her eyes momentarily to muster her courage and opened them up to stare at Severus and Severus alone through the crowd, for this song was for him, regardless of the others who would bear witness to her singing her heart to him.

"Ochi chyornaye..."

Hermione's voice, with the help of the alcohol, made it a bit huskier. She sang the words slowly at first, matching the pace of the band, as she tried to make her voice sound sultry and succeeded. Jerry joined in with flourishes on the piano appropriate for that style of folk song.

"Ochi zhguchie,"

Mounga leaned over and asked Severus, "Is that Russian?"

Severus merely nodded.

"Could you translate?"

"Dark eyes, burning eyes," he replied, never taking his eyes off Hermione as she gazed intently at him.

"Ochi strastnaye i prekrasnaye
Kak lyublyu ya vas, kak nuzhnay vay mne
Znaty, ya vstretila vas v chas otchayaniya..."

Severus was mildly surprised, knowing she had changed the words to suit her situation and their story.

Faithfully, he translated for Mounga, Rainbow, Draco, and Ginny who were listening to both Hermione sing and the words in English.

"Passionate and splendid eyes,
How I love you, How I need you,
Truly, I met you at my most desperate hour."

Hermione could see his lips move and discern that he was translating for the rest of their friends who did not understand Russian like Severus.

"Ochi chyornaye, zhguche plamennay
I manyat oni v stranay dalynie..."

Hermione held out her hand toward him, as if reaching for Severus for dramatic purpose to accentuate the intent of her feelings, as they truly mirrored her own.

"Gde tsarit lyubovy, gde tsarit pokoy
Gde stradanyya net, gde voyna v storone."

She closed her eyes, pulling her outstretched hand back to clutch at her heart, tilting her head back, singing the last line of the second stanza with bittersweetness.

As the band launched into the bridge, adding jazzy flourishes during short solos, Hermione opened her eyes to stare at Severus once more across the crowded bar, the beat speeding up and becoming something more lighthearted and contemporary. Some of the various musicians added their own virtuoso flourishes to their brief solos.

Still watching Hermione, Severus faithfully recited the latest verse for their friends,
"Dark eyes, flaming eyes,
They implore me into faraway lands,
Where love reigns, where peace reigns,
Where there is no suffering, where war is behind us."

The band was beginning to wrap up, Hermione caught Jerry's hand movements to indicate the band was going to slow back down, and he let her finish the third and final verse.

"Ne vstretila b vas, tak stradala bay
Prozhila bay zhizny bez ulaybki
Ocharovali vay menya, ochi chyornaye
Podarili mne schastye navsegda."

With the change of a few words, Hermione had turned a song that was originally about the tragedy of a man falling in love with the wrong woman who tempted him far away to lead a life of suffering into a song that spoke about Hermione's longing to be by Severus' side and how he had brought joy into her life.

"If I hadn't met you, I would be suffering so,
I would have lived my life without smiling,
You have enthralled me, dark eyes,
You have given me glorious happiness forever."

The band wrapped up the song quickly with a short crescendo.

The bar erupted once more into a clamorous thunder of applause, cheers, and whistles, entertained by Hermione's romantic ballad. And while she was not the best of singers, she did a very good job, and her enthusiasm and sincerity she put into the song made it quite captivating to watch and listen.

Though most of the other patrons in the bar did not speak Russian, they understood the feelings behind the foreign words she sung.

Hermione smiled shyly and bowed timidly, making haste to rejoin Severus and their group. As she passed by one table, an old wizard reached up and clasped her hand, patting it, and saying in Russian – his native language, "Spasibo, spasibo! It's been too long since I've heard my mother tongue sung, and so sweetly. Spasibo!" He finished by kissing the top of her hand.

Hermione had no idea what the old wizard said, but saw the tears brimming in his eyes and merely answered with a humble, "You're welcome."

Severus pulled Hermione into his arms. He was sorely tempted to throw decorum aside so he could give her a proper kiss in appreciation of a song that was rather poignant. Instead he just cupped her jaw with his hand, his thumb caressing her cheek as a he gazed deeply into her eyes.

Hermione thought her heart would stop right there, with the way Severus was looking at her right now, his eyes ablaze and full of love.

Before Severus could find the right words to convey how he was moved by her song and her heartfelt rendering of it, Rainbow barged in, interrupting the moment between the two lovers.

"That was absolutely fantastic. Well, with a few vocal lessons it would be an absolute show-stopper at the Suds, Sausage, and Sounds Festival, but that was really good!" Rainbow praised Hermione, in her own special off-handed way.

Hermione nodded and mumbled, "Thanks," under her breath. Looking at Draco and Ginny, she saw Draco give a serious nod of approval and Ginny smiling at her brightly.

The rest of the night passed along with everyone chatting amicably, with even Hermione and Rainbow putting the night's earlier foolishness behind them. Rainbow was gracious enough to take the lumps she had coming to her and never made mention of the earlier scene.

Towards the end, Severus and Hermione were matching each other drink for drink, with them eventually stopping long before they reached their limit.

Draco, who stuck to strictly non-alcoholic drinks like his wife, decided to call it an early night as he was nearly as exhausted as Ginny.

The Malfoys left first, with a reminder from Ginny about the hair appointment she'd made for Hermione, since the pregnant witch wouldn't be able to do her friend's hair for the ball.

Soon afterwards, Severus and Hermione decided to bid the Finaus adieu, waving at Jerry as they left Bongo's.

Sauntering slowly, the alcohol still coursing through their systems, they finally reached home.

As Severus opened the door, both almost stumbling in, their footing a bit off from the alcohol, Hermione asked, "I know you didn't want to sing for Rainbow when she asked, but based on her description, I would love to hear you sing once before I go back home. Could you sing something for me sometime?" she asked politely and as sweetly as she could without whinging.

Standing there in the middle of the living room, having not kicked off their shoes yet and as the unlit Christmas tree loomed in the dark recesses, with only the light in the foyer dimly highlighting their silhouettes, Severus wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist. He held her close as he looked down at her and began to sing.

"A wizard called Eòin Greumson
Of bonnie Blackbriar Dornoch
Was bid to fight the goblin hoarde
Rebellion rose an' duty call'd..."

Hermione gazed up at him, the faint light from the foyer accenting his hair and parts of his cheek, jawline, and nose. She was enchanted by the rich and soothing sound of his voice, which rang clear and true in a baritone register.

She stood there, enfolded in his arms, her own arms entwined about his neck, feeling the deep vibrations of his voice through his chest to where their bodies touched.

As he sang the fifth verse, tears began to well in Hermione's eyes.

"As Eòin came home, he found his bride
Light fading from her eyes
She thought she had join'd him beyond the veil
And pass'd to the other side..."

She could only think of Draco's recounting of how Severus had nearly killed himself in some mad idea that his death would somehow protect her from any and all harm. She promised Draco she would not let Severus know she was aware of his intent when he'd flown out to sea on that dark and stormy night.

When Severus finished the seventh and last verse, tears were freely streaming down Hermione's cheeks. It was a maudlin song that was meant to evoke such strong and visceral melancholy.

Now done, Hermione buried her face against her chest and let the sobs come freely. "That was beautiful," she choked out.

Severus conjured a handkerchief for her and pressed it into her hand, kissing the top of her head. He wiped away his own errant tear that came forth, remembering how close to death he had come less than six months before. He silently wondered if Hermione would go on with her own life, had he died, or would she attempt to join him beyond the veil as well. He did not want to contemplate such morose and frightening thoughts.

Pulling herself together, Hermione hugged Severus tightly once more before lifting her face away from his chest to look up at him, though a haze of teary eyes. "Promise me," she said, her voice thick with emotion, "that when we have children some year, you will sing lullabies to our children with your wonderful voice. Promise me." She reached up a hand and stroked Severus' cheek.

He tilted his head and leaned into her touch.

Severus' heart was feeling quite full and contented at that moment. He merely nodded that indeed he would sing for their children someday.

Shoes kicked off, Hermione began rummaging around the ice box for something sweet to eat. "Severus? We still haven't cracked open that Fairy Brandy Draco stocked for us, or touched that passion fruit juice," she announced with clear intent of what she was insinuating. "And there is a bottle of champagne that is already chilled we haven't opened yet either. How does Passion-Fairy-Champagne cocktails sound?"

Severus came up behind Hermione to wrap his arms around her as she began arranging everything on the kitchen counter. Speaking in a very low and deep voice, the same voice he'd used to seduce Hermione on a few occasions, he said, "You'd better take some lubrication potion before we begin drinking any of this," remembering what happened when they drank Fairy Brandy.

Kissing the side of her neck, as he momentarily distracted her, he complimented her, "Your Russian pronunciation was very good, considering you have yet to begin learning the language."

"Well, I found that knowing Greek helped a little," she admitted. "Plus Niles was very helpful in working with my pronunciation and changing the lyrics."

"You never did tell me all the details of your Dionysus' Fever potion. Did you wear the garment made of fawn?" Severus asked, his hand snaking around to begin stroking her breasts through her clothes.

"Yes," she purred in kind as she began rubbing her bottom against Severus' growing erection, "but he charmed it so it wouldn't come off during the potion so I could retain some modesty as he observed."

"And what did you experience?" he probed, his breath a warm caress along her ear.

"After dancing with the trees, suddenly you were there, Severus the Satyr, with a beard and a very large and impressive erection, who chased me about the woods, or I him, until he caught me and ravished me quite thoroughly." She sighed and leaned her head back as Severus began kissing up her neck, both hands cupping her breasts from behind and slowly grinding himself into her bottom as she braced her hands on the edge of the kitchen counter.

She continued on with her tale as Severus listened, rubbing himself against her as she ground back. "When the twins gave me the portable tropical getaway, I can't tell you how many times I fantasized of you, as that satyr, chasing me about the enclosure, capturing, taking. So many times, I masturbated, dreaming of you in that lush getaway," she sighed.

"We still have yet to try out the one the twins gave me for Christmas," he suggested. "Perhaps instead of deer skins, you can wrap yourself in a pareo, and I'll do my best to fulfill the role as satyr."

Furniture was moved out of the way to make room for the tropical getaway. Hermione dressed in only a simple cotton pareo that mimicked she fawn-skin shift she'd worn in the way she tied it. After she drained a vial of lubrication potion, Hermione was ready.

Severus followed the getaway's instructions and opened his gift from the twins. It was very romantic, and the waterfall and adjoining soaking pool looked quite enticing.

Both holding flutes of champagne, passion fruit juice, and a full one-ounce shot of Fairy Brandy, the lovers clinked glasses and drank it down quickly.

Their pupils dilated and the chase was on. Hermione, familiar with the layout, ran off and hid behind a clump of bamboo plantss, crawling on hands and knees. Meanwhile Severus quickly divested himself of his clothing and chased after her, his erection bobbing like the satyr's in Hermione's potion-induced hallucination.

"Come out, my little water nymph," Severus called out.

Hermione, still drunk before she'd even drank the champagne, giggled – which gave away her location.

"There you are!" he said playfully and dove for Hermione.

Squealing with delight, Hermione got up and ran. Severus got up off the soft grassy floor and ran after her.

To her surprise, Severus was quite quick on his feet and was far faster than she'd anticipated, even slightly drunk. The enclosure was only so large and there were only so many routes she could evade Severus before he eventually cornered her.

Backed into a corner, Hermione grinned madly, eager to have Severus take her, yet still wanting the chase to continue, her eyes darting to an escape route.

As she lunged and tried to duck past Severus on his left, he caught her. In the process of her attempt to flee, she dragged him and herself down in the process. Severus, now partially sprawled on top of Hermione, slowly climbed atop of her, pinning her arms down. Their eyes locked.

He growled dangerously, "You are mine." Severus quickly leaned down and captured her mouth with a possessive kiss. His legs quickly pried her legs apart, and he thrusted into her without preamble, shoving himself deeply into her. Hermione's desire, in conjunction with the potion, made her so slick he slid with ease.

Yes, this was very close to the fantasy Hermione had many times, though the real Severus was a bit more patient, but no less erotic than the one she envisioned alone.

She cried out and clawed at his back.

He moved his face down and his teeth clamped down on her neck, biting her in the process as he continued to savagely thrust into her. He growled and howled and grunted like some beast, and Hermione met his vocalizations sound for sound, her own guttural scream ringing through the enclosure.

"I'm yours!" Hermione cried out.

The alcohol that Severus consumed earlier prolonged the eventual release to come, much to Hermione's pleasure and benefit.

As they lay there on the grass, panting heavily, Hermione reached out and plucked a fragrant cream-colored puakenikeni flower from a nearby shrub. Rolling over onto her stomach as she lay next to him, she tucked it into his hair, behind his left ear. "Greek gods should sometimes wear flowers in their hair, especially my darling Himeros."
"I thought I was a satyr," he questioned her.

"You are definitely as gorgeous as any Greek god to me. You are my Himeros and I am your Langia." Casting her eyes over to the enticing pool, she asked, "Care to slip into my waters, my lover?"

The Fairy Brandy was still having a strong effect as they made love once more in the pool. The water from the waterfall splashed across Hermione's breasts as she rode Severus with abandon.

After a leisurely soak to recuperate, Hermione crawled out of the pool. Severus, still feeling the Fairy Brandy coursing through his veins coupled with the passion fruit juice, could not resist the sight of Hermione on her hands and knees. He took her once more roughly from behind, much to her delight and satisfaction.

As they enjoyed a post-coitus cuddle, with Hermione propped up against a convenient, vertical grassy knoll and Severus resting his head on her lap, she pulled off another piece of Ginny's banana chocolate chip bread and popped it into Severus' mouth before enjoying a piece for herself. She lovingly stroked his forehead, which lulled him into a restful state of mind as he reclined against her.

"I think based on those romantic post-Renaissance paintings, I'm supposed to be feeding you grapes." Hermione tore off another small morsel of the sweet bread and held it aloft above Severus' mouth before he opened it. She gently fed him, letting his lips brush her fingers.

Severus merely hummed in passive agreement, feeling too blissfully relaxed to argue or debate that if the Greek gods had Ginny's banana chocolate chip bread, the paintings might have been rendered differently. He was lulled into this sweet other state of completely happy lassitude, and the loving touch of Hermione's hand across his forehead was just too perfect.

The music box was charmed to play something soft and restful as they lay there, enjoying their mini-secret rendezvous.

They both lay there in comfortable silence, both wishing the night would go on forever. For each night that passed was yet another day closer to when Hermione would go home, and this wonderful respite from daily life and realities would end.

Severus woke with a start, realizing they had dropped off while still in the tropical getaway. Nudging Hermione awake, he helped her up and put the lovely present from the twins away, appreciative they'd built something so wonderful for him and Hermione to enjoy. It was just as he'd always imagined it.

As they both drifted off to sleep in a proper bed this time, they were both still drunk; drunk on bliss and the euphoria of love.

============

A/N: Thanks and praise to my glorious betas, JuneW and Cygnuz.

There is fanart for this chapter: Hermione feeding Severus banana chocolate chip bread, both nude I commissioned, by Ulafish (http://ulafish.deviantart.com/), R-rated due to nudity, NSFW. It is done in homage to Jean-Honoré Fragonard's painting, “The Happy Lovers”
You can view Ulafish's modern day version of “The Happy Lovers” here: http://68.media.tumblr.com/c290300af377725e4d2d01d0615cc6e0/tumblr_inline_oj7zd8P7u81tcckgk_500.jpg
And now compare to Fragonard's “The Happy Lovers” here: https://www.wikiart.org/en/jean-honore-fragonard/the-happy-lovers-1765?utm_source=returned&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=referral

The haiku at the top of this chapter is an actual one written over 1,000 years ago.
Onyx, this gem-black night.
Downcast, I await your return
like the morning sun, unrivaled in splendor.
― Ō no Yasumaro (circa 711), loose translation by Michael R. Burch
http://www.thehypertexts.com/Best%20Haiku.htm

I played around with an online translator. "Splendor": 素晴らしさ, becomes "Great likeness" if you put a space between the second and third character.

And in the spirit of the Suds, Sausage, and Sounds Festival they have alongside Oktoberfest in Malu Palekaiko where they play various songs, but in different styles, of course they would play something like heavy metal music with classical instruments. If you caught the song I was referencing when Severus and Hermione first arrived at Bongo's, you might have correctly guessed it was "Thunderstruck" by 2Cellos. Here is the official video for the song: https://youtu.be/uT3SBzmDxGk

"The Mooche" was composed by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills.

If you want the recipe for the Tall Cool Blond, it's a drink I developed for the Harry Potter conference, Leviosa, that was held in July 2016. The drink is actually called "The Draco." Here is the recipe, and it is a very smooth drink.

Image with drink recipe:
https://scontent.fsnc1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/11109446_765835530200319_8069223161365822792_n.jpg?oh=4251766f4c8b242d18f2cd6be2927b6e&oe=58E14177

The Draco

Ingredients:

2 oz Lemon-Lime Soda
2 oz Lemonade
1 oz Bacardi Dragon Berry Rum
1 oz Skyy Dragon Fruit Vodka
1/2 oz Triple Sec
Maraschino Cherry

Directions:

1) Fill highball or pint glass with ice.
2) In a shaker, mix all ingredients and pour over ice.
3) Garnish with a cherry.

Yes, I am thinking of Draco doing a very good impression of Etta James, but in his natural lower tenor voice. "At Last" was written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren.
http://www.metrolyrics.com/at-last-lyrics-etta-james.html
- 108
- 109
- 110
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

And They Didn\'t Live Happily Ever After