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Matters of the Heart	By : strawberryf1re Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 34556 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 6
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe (characters, settings, etc.) ŠJ.K. Rowling. No profits are made from this work.

Chapter List
- 13
- 14
- 15
Rating: M – inappropriate for readers under the age of 16; contains scenes of explicit sexuality and violence.

Disclaimer: Characters and settings ©J.K. Rowling

Matters of the Heart

K. Marie

Chapter 14

Severus' breath caught in his throat. He was not ready to confess to her that – the only person in the entire world to know was Dumbledore. He sat quietly for a very long time, considering the question. He knew not how to answer it, nor if he even wanted to at all. And through the silence, Hermione waited patiently.

When several minutes passed and Severus didn't answer, Hermione seemed to realize that perhaps he did not want to. She nodded. "I understand, Severus. That is very personal to you."

"Indeed," Severus growled.

Suddenly, he felt rather foolish for feeling as though there was anything too personal to share with Hermione. After all, he was not only involved with her romantically; he violently stole her virginity from her. To feel that there was anything to personal to share with her seemed ludicrous to the man. He felt as though she had a right to know, and ultimately he wanted to tell her everything. But this? It was too soon, his wounds weren't healed. He wasn't ready to open that door to her.

Silence wore on them and Hermione shifted in her seat. She was watching Severus closely, as if she could see the processes in his mind at work. He gestured to say something and she leaned in towards him, listening intently. His mouth closed without saying a word.

It seemed as though an eternity passed before any sound was uttered. Despite Severus' wishes – and he realized he did indeed want to divulge to her who she was – the words would not come. No matter how much he willed them to leave his lips, they seemed caught in his throat. The way Severus felt was foreign to the man; never before did he care what another person thought of him, but this – this was different.

In all of the past decades of his life, there was only one person to know the truth about the Potions Master. There was only one person who knew why he behaved as he did, why his choices were such. There was only one person who knew why he changed sides, why he became good once more. Would it be too revealing if he told her that he loved Lily Evans, the mother of her best friend?

Would she suddenly realize that the only reason he ever betrayed the Dark Lord was a selfish one, at best? She was a rational, logical woman and perhaps she would dismiss the notion as irrelevant, as it was a decision made so long ago. Why, Hermione would have been two-years-old at the time, and barely so.

She would understand, Severus thought. Hermione Granger would understand better than most. He did not know why he suspected such; he simply knew that she would not judge him for it. Perhaps it was that she had proved to him so much within recent months: that her love was unwaning, it was true, and it would endure no matter what he confessed to her.

Hermione's hand was resting on Severus' knee, conveying her complete support for whatever he needed to say. She squeezed reassuringly whenever he gestured to speak, and waited patiently when it seemed no words would come.

Severus breathed in deep, willing to possess a fraction of the strength Hermione had displayed in the weeks after his assault of her. He raised his eyes to meet hers, and he was overwhelmed by her empathy. She raised her hand to touch his cheek and she smiled encouragingly.

"Lily Potter," Severus whispered. His voice lost its usual strength, as if the mere syllables on his tongue weakened him. He lowered his eyes to his cup.

Hermione's eyes widened as her hand slowly dropped from his face. Her ill-concealed surprise betrayed her intentions, and as she rested her hands in her lap, she simply looked at Severus, trying to read anything from him. He was completely closed to her, his dark eyes blank; he was lost in his thoughts.

Those piercing emerald eyes glared at Severus, and within his chest, his heart crumpled and broke. His apologies poured out of him like water, and as she leaned against the wall, her arms crossed across her chest, her eyes narrowed.

"It's too late. I've made excuses for you for years."Her voice was harsh, cold. So unlike the girl he knew. "None of my friends can understand why I even talk to you."

Severus was reaching for her hands as if to plead with her, his dark eyes wet and scared. She wrenched out of his reach. A lump formed in his throat, keeping him from saying anything. So badly he wanted to hold her, so badly he craved her forgiveness. He was sick with contrite.

"I can't pretend anymore," Lily's voice was calm, but stern. "You've chosen your way. I've chosen mine."

His hands were shaking almost violently, the tea in his cup sloshing around and spilling onto his robes. Hermione watched as his grip around the cup tightened until his knuckles were paper-white and the veins in his hands bulged violently. She looked up at him, her eyes welling up with tears. Suddenly, the cup cracked and broke, and hot tea spilled all over Severus' lap. Hermione flinched.

"Shit!" he cursed, standing quickly. He pulled his wet robes off his legs, cursing quietly as he wielded his wand and cast a spell that quickly dried that fabric. "Reparo," he hissed, and the cup reassembled.

She watched him, her stomach clenched in trepidation. As a drop of blood splashed against the floor below him, Hermione's eyes moved to his hands. He was bleeding. "Severus," she whispered softly, her voice weak. "Your hands."

He looked at her, as though realizing she was still in the room with him. His expression softened, and he turned his hands over to inspect his palms. He hadn't noticed it in his fury, but slivers of ceramic had embedded into his hands. When he repaired the cup, the shards had dislodged from the fleshy, callused pads, but the tiny cuts were still bleeding. Hermione moved to him, taking one of his hands in hers and brandished her wand.

"Episkey," Hermione whispered, and the wounds began to heal. She repeated the spell to his other palm and watched as the tiny cuts disappeared.

Sadly, she looked up at Severus, who flexed his hands and lowered them to his sides. "Hermione, what's past is past. There are aspects of my childhood I wish not to discuss – not yet – and that remains one of them. Please press no further."

Hermione nodded, reaching out to touch Severus' cheek. "Of course. I'm sorry I pushed."

He kissed the top of her head, and moved to a window. Drawing the curtains, he allowed some light into the room. Eager to change the topic and distract her from her thoughts, Severus offered a suggestion. "If you would like, we could stroll through the town."

Hermione nodded. "I think I would like that, Severus."

They bundled up in their winter wear to face the harsh temperatures outdoors. Hermione pulled on her knitted hat and scarf, wrapping her winter cloak around her. Severus shrugged into his travelling cloak and slipped into a pair of gloves. Leading Hermione to the front door, he allowed her to pass through first before pulling the door closed.

The snow was falling softly, silently. Hermione tipped her head back and breathed in the winter air. As Severus led her along, she observed her surroundings; many of the houses were rather dilapidated in this area. The street lamps were broken and in the distance she could see a derelict mill of some sort. It felt eerily empty, desolate.

"Severus, does anyone still live in this place?" Hermione asked, looking at him.

He, too, looked around them. Many of the old brick houses had boarded windows and doors, NO TRESPASSING signs plastered to the planks. The roofs of some of the buildings had caved in.

"There remain very few residents," Severus replied. "My father inherited this house years before my birth. My parents were very poor – they could not afford anything more. Staying here… it only seemed the rational thing to do."

Hermione was looking at him as he spoke, his voice dark, sullen. He continued: "This area… it was largely a Muggle area. We hadn't the money to move elsewhere, but even if we had…" He stopped walking, burying his hands into his pockets and staring at a decrepit brick house. "This town was mostly abandoned by the time I was born, and as the economy continued to worsen, fewer and fewer remained behind. There was no hope here, but my parents had no choice but to stay." Severus lowered his gaze to her. "I have no fond memories of this place, Hermione."

Hermione nodded slowly. Again, she felt a stabbing pity for this man. It was no wonder he appeared so cold and calloused. What sort of childhood did he experience? Going off to Hogwarts must have been the most wonderful thing to him, when he was a child of eleven years.

He continued walking, taking her by the hand once more. This place was so incredibly silent; it seemed as if the snow around them even absorbed the sound of their footsteps. She could feel the sorrow in this empty place, as though the town itself pleaded with her to end its suffering.

"Severus, why do you stay here?" she asked softly.

"There is too much uncertainty in my life," he said. "I don't spend enough time here. When the war is over… perhaps then I will move elsewhere."

They continued walking in silence for a ways, coming upon an area of houses that was much less derelict. The street was mostly clear of snow, and the houses lining the street were very tidy, quite obviously meticulously cared for. It was such a complement to the area they left.

"Severus, how did you meet her?" Hermione asked suddenly, her speech rushed as though she was afraid of the question all the while being too curious not to ask. Slowly, she said, "Lily?"

Severus paused in his walking to look down at her. For a moment, he simply studied her, and then finally, he answered: "As a child. We… lived close."

"Can you show me her house?"

Sighing, Severus nodded, though hesitantly so. Doing so would recall so many memories, he knew, and yet he wished to share that with her. Slowly, he led her down the sidewalk that would lead to the former home of the Evans'. Severus did not know if Lily's parents still lived there, or if they were even still alive.

Hermione's eyes kept wandering around her surroundings. As they walked, the passed a playground, the swings of which were weighted down with piles of snow. A slide peeked out of the blankets of snow covering everything. Beyond the playground, another street. As they moved down the sidewalk, finally Severus' pace slowed to a crawl, and his dark eyes lifted from the sidewalk to gaze at the house before them. Smoke was billowing from the chimney and the windows glowed softly in the setting sun.

Hermione stood beside him, her hand enveloped in his. She squeezed his fingers, supportively, as she stared at the house of the girl he loved so completely. Severus said nothing; his mind was whirling with memories.

"Severus," Lily said, and he turned to her, smiling. The way she said his name – it alone sounded magical to him. She kicked her feet out, gaining momentum on the swing beside him.

Severus simply grasped the chains supporting the swing, his feet dragging in the sand. "What?"

"Can we bring pets to Hogwarts?" she asked, her long red hair tied into a braid. Her skirt fluttered as she swung higher and higher, and Severus just watched her. Her presence alone was enough to make him feel complete.

"Yes, of course," he replied, laughing. "We can bring a cat" – and at this, she perked up – "a rat, or a toad."

"A rat?" her nose wrinkled up as she caught her feet in the sand, slowing her swing to a stop. "What are you bringing?"

His cheeks flushed and Severus lowered his face to his lap. "Oh, well… probably nothing."

Lily smiled sympathetically, reaching out to him and grabbing his hand. "Come on, let's go to the slide!"

…Severus was sitting under a tree on the grounds of Hogwarts, reading for one of his classes. A group of girls passed by, giggling about something or the other, but Severus paid no mind to them at all. Only when a pair of legs appeared over his book did he look up from the pages.

"Sev," Lily said, plopping down beside him and leaning onto his shoulder. He smiled inwardly, resting his head on hers as she read from his shoulder. "Dark arts? Again?"

"It's for class this time, Lily. I promise," Severus replied, but even so, she lifted her head off his shoulder and turned to face him. He felt a sudden wave of sadness wash over him as she moved away from him so subtly.

"That is definitely not the book for class, Sev," she replied, her voice heavily critical. "I wish you weren't so into that stuff."

"There's nothing wrong with it, really," he replied, poorly concealing the desperation in his tone. Closing the book, he set it in his lap. "I'll be better prepared to defend myself against it, this way!"

"Rubbish," Lily replied, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the tree behind her. "Sev, you're not like all the guys you hang around with. They're all so… creepy, and they're quite unkind. You're not like that."

A smile crossed his face and he lowered his gaze to his lap, trying to conceal his pinking cheeks. Lily suddenly reached for his hand, lacing her fingers in his and moving in closer to him. "I just don't want you to get in with the wrong crowd and get hurt, you know? I don't know what I'd ever do without you!"

Hermione's voice brought him back to the present, her quiet whimpers as his fingers tightened around her small hand directing his attention to her. Quickly, he loosened his grip, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing the injuries he inflicted.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," he whispered to her as his lips covered every surface of her hands. "There are some wounds that take a very long time to heal."

"I understand, Severus," she replied softly, reaching up to his face and tucking a stray piece of hair behind his ear. Leaning up to him, she kissed his mouth. "I'm here."

Pulling her into his arms, Severus hugged her tight. How he had been honored with her empathy, her compassion, her love – he would never understand. There was only one other person in the world who had ever inspired such emotions in him, and he knew it was love.

They walked for nearly an hour, the snow falling quietly around them. They did not speak much, but Hermione's mind was far from silent. She had learned so very much about this man in the past few hours, and she was considering it all. If nothing else, she came to believe that he deserved to be loved more than almost anyone else in the world. If nothing else, she felt that he deserved the best the world had to offer him.

She wondered if she could be that for him.

Severus decided that he would take Hermione out for dinner their first night on holiday. He knew of a very lovely Muggle restaurant near the town where he had dined with Lily's family one evening as a teenager. Because it was a Muggle restaurant, he knew they were far less likely to be recognized there, and so he decided the risk to her was very low.

When he proposed the idea to her, she addressed those very issues. "Are you sure we won't be seen?" she asked, the pitch of her voice heightened with concern.

He explained to her it was quite improbable, and that she need not worry. He would request a table in the back of the restaurant, and they would be able to eat in peace. And so their evening plans were made.

It had been a very, very long time since Severus had ever accompanied a woman to dinner, and it was a pleasant experience. Before their reservation, Hermione was frantically getting ready; she fumbled with her hair and seemed so indecisive about what outfit she should wear. Severus couldn't help but find humor in her distress, especially over something so simple!

Severus himself simply shed his long robes for the evening, his trousers and tunic neutral enough to allow him to pass for wizard or Muggle. When Hermione exited the bathroom and caught sight of her lover, she paused, her eyes scanning him from head to toe. Her cheeks turned pink as she smiled, moving towards him and confessing that he looked quite handsome in his Muggle garb.

She rushed back into the bathroom, emerging moments later. She had settled on tying her hair back and wearing a simple skirt and long-sleeved blouse. "We could blend in with any Muggle crowd now, Severus!" she laughed.

They travelled by Apparition, appearing in a back alley near the restaurant. They emerged nonchalantly from the alley to no suspicion from the surrounding Muggles, and made their way to the restaurant.

Their dinner progressed rather uneventfully. The couple sat in a back corner of the restaurant, Hermione ordering a vegetarian dish and Severus ordering a steak. They took their time, enjoying their company. Hermione, as silly as it seemed, was also enjoying that she was in public with the man she cared for deeply, and did not need to worry about being exposed.

Severus had already known how much he truly enjoyed the company of his apprentice. She was a very knowledgeable and talented witch, far above that of her classmates. They had already discussed many a time alternative methods of brewing potions, theology and history, and the benefits of a Muggle studies class for wizards. But they had left so many stones unturned, and it seemed as though Hermione wanted to address some of those aspects during their meal.

Throughout dinner, she prompted many a conversation involving the current events of both the Muggle and Wizarding worlds, offering comparisons and relationships between past events and those of the present. When the Potions Master offered an alternative opinion, Hermione handled took it into consideration, but often offered a counter argument.

They discussed the politics of the Muggle world, both in the United Kingdom and the United States. Hermione drew conclusions between events in both countries, relating one event to another and suggesting that some triggered others. Severus agreed in part, but offered alternative ideas, and Hermione considered them seriously, as ideas she had not thought of herself.

They discussed the popular culture of the Muggle and Wizarding world. Severus was rather surprised, perhaps shamefully, that Hermione was not a fan of the "pop" music of the era. He was yet more surprised that there were some similarities between his tastes and hers, in regards to all forms of media. He had known long ago that Hermione Granger was indeed a unique individual, one whom he could spend the entirety of his life with, but she continued to surprise him, and pleasantly so.

Their dinner conversation seemed to touch on all things relevant to their world, and Hermione seemed very informed on just about everything. The Potions Master was quite impressed, actually, that she was not only very intelligent within the classroom, able to master spells and potions with relative ease; but also outside the classroom, with an intimate understanding of the workings of both of her worlds.

This woman sitting before him was very beautiful, indeed. She was incredibly smart for her age, she was rational and mature, and gods! How she could love a man. How was it possible she was only eighteen? He couldn't believe just how marvelous she was, and he knew he could enjoy her company until the end of days.

He reached across the table to gently touch her hand, stroking the skin there softly. She smiled at him, a soft laugh escaping her lips. "Oh no, I'm rambling again... I'm so sorry; I'm probably talking your ear off!"

Severus shook his head. "You foolish girl, if I did not want you to share with me your thoughts I would never have initiated the conversation."

Her cheeks flashed red and she laughed again. Checking the watch on her wrist, her expression changed to one of surprise. "Severus, it's nearly ten o'clock. We should be going!"

"Indeed," Severus agreed. He flagged down the waiter, who promptly delivered their check.

Once finished, they agreed to walk through the streets for awhile. Hermione suggested they transfigure their cloaks into Muggle-like coats, as to remain inconspicuous. While winter cloaks were customary in the wizarding world, they were quite rare in the Muggle world, and she was afraid it would draw attention to them. Severus agreed and disappeared into the men's room before they left with their winter cloaks in hand. When he emerged, their cloaks had been transfigured, and he handed Hermione her cloak-turned-coat.

The air was brisk and chilly, but it was no longer snowing. Severus enveloped Hermione's hand in his, and they walked slowly. This area of London was much less decrepit, and Hermione enjoyed the sound of cars busily bustling through the city. Even this late at night, the streets were quite busy. It had been ages since Hermione had traversed through a city such as this, and she enjoyed the change in scenery.

They weren't walking for long, however. Severus had paused at a street corner to turn to his lover. He leaned down to her, passionately kissing her, his arms pulling her in close. She basked in the warmth his body offered.

As he pulled away, the corner of his mouth twitched into a sly smirk. "I grow weary of this winter weather. Shall we return home?" His gloved fingers touched Hermione's pink cheeks. "I do believe I have… plans for you, my dear." His oily voice titillated Hermione's senses, and gooseflesh rose all along her body. A familiar twinge ached in her nether regions.

"Please," Hermione replied, and she wrapped her arms about his waist.

He enveloped her once more in his embrace and the couple disappeared with a loud crack.

Severus had Apparated directly into his master bedroom. Just the thought of making love to her had been enough to lengthen his manhood, and he took her roughly in his arms and kissed her hungrily. She pushed his cloak off his shoulders and shrugged out of her own. He lowered her onto his bed, his cold hands exploring her body. Lasciviously, she met his kiss with aggressive force, her tongue massaging his. Her fingers fumbled with the clasps of his robes.

He pulled away from her mouth and began planting kisses all along her jaw and neck. She breathed a pleasured sigh, her fingers combing through his hair. As his hands worked their way down her body, he planted kisses all along the tender flesh of her throat. Sensually, he glided his fingers up her inner thigh, raising gooseflesh along the silken skin. He could feel the heat emitted from her sex, and slid a single finger along her hot, wet lips.

A gasp escaped Hermione. He was touching her through the fabric of her panties, and the touch was torturous. She craved to push her body into his hand, to increase the pressure with which he stroked her. He crawled down the length of her body, placing gentle kisses along the way. When he made it to her hips, he paused, basking in the smell of her wetness.

She lifted her hips, and Severus slid her skirt to her feet. It fell to the floor without a sound. With his finger still sliding along her wet crevice, Severus watched her squirm beneath his touch. Her breathing was heavy and raspy, her hips moving into his hand. He kissed her left inner thigh softly, his breath tickling the sensitive skin. It felt cool against the moisture of her core.

His trail of kisses ended at her undergarments, his breath tantalizing, torturing, as it barely touched her most sensitive parts. Curling his fingers around the fabric of her panties that covered her hips he pulled them slowly down her legs. His tongue flickered at her wetness, eliciting a pleasured moan from her.

He sucked her swollen nub into his mouth and caressed it gently with his tongue. Shivering against his touch, she fondled her breasts through the fabric of her shirt. Her legs quavered and closed around his head and Severus slid two fingers into her, stroking her insides.

It did not take long before she was crying out in climactic release, her legs clenched tight around his head, her hands holding his face at her core. As her pleasured cries faded into exhausted breaths, Severus kissed a trail from her sex to her face.

He was eye-level with her, staring deep into her eyes. As she kissed him, she could taste herself on his tongue. Moving her hand down to his swollen member, she pumped it slowly, moving it closer to her entrance. With his head pushing slightly into her, Severus paused.

"Hermione," he whispered, pressing his erection even further into her.

"Severus," she replied, kissing him.

"I love you."

He thrust his full length into her, pressing as deep as he could. She moaned his name, her nails scratching red trails along the pale flesh of his back. They moved together, Hermione's face flushed and freckled with droplets of sweat. She pressed a kiss to Severus' neck, her lips lingering there as he pushed deep into her. As she laid back onto the pillow, her arms tight around his back, he kissed her deeply, his tongue massaged hers aggressively. She dragged her fingers down his back, squeezing the strong muscles beneath his flesh.

As Severus released his seed within Hermione, from his throat came a guttural groan. His thrusting slowed and Hermione pulled his body close to hers, his sweaty, warm flesh pressed against hers. She combed her fingers through his hair, teasing the edge of his ear with her fingertips. With her face buried into his neck, she drank in the smell of him, the sweat of his body and the smell of the soap he used.

Severus removed himself from within her, and slowly lay down next to her. She curled into his embrace, her head resting against his chest. Allowing her eyes to flicker closed, the Potion Master's rhythmic breathing peacefully lulling her to sleep.

"Severus," she whispered. "I love you too."

She felt his arm tighten around her as she drifted into contented sleep.

Hermione rolled over onto her side and clenched her eyes closed against the morning sunlight. It was glaring through the window, illuminating the room. Cracking her eyes open, she rolled back over, her arm reaching for the body of her lover. The bed was empty.

Hermione sat up quickly, looking around the room. "Severus?"

The house was silent. Searching for some clothes, Hermione spotted the shirt Severus wore the night before, and she pulled it over her head. She left the bed, her feet quietly padding against the cold floor as she abandoned the bedroom in search of her lover. She heard the faint rustle of paper from the living room.

The voice of her lover startled her. "Grib, brew some coffee. Hermione is awake."

Rubbing at her eyes, Hermione walked into the living room. Severus was sitting in his threadbare armchair, the morning's Daily Prophet open in his hands. "Good morning," he greeted her. "I hope I did not wake you."

"Good morning," she replied. "What time is it?"

Severus eyed a grandfather clock hidden in the corner of the room between two bookcases. "It's almost nine-thirty."

The house elf emerged from the kitchen with a silver platter and a tea set. He poured his master and Hermione cups of coffee, and bowed out of the room. Hermione, resting against the arm of the chair, sipped slowly from the cup. She peered over Severus' shoulder at the morning's headlines. It seemed to be a quiet morning in the world of wizarding news.

She thought for a moment, staring into the liquid in her cup. The heat emitted from the tea felt soothing against her face, and she closed her eyes against the sensation. "It's strange…" she began, her tone cautious.

Severus cocked an eyebrow at her, waiting for her to continue. "I would have thought, by now, we would have heard something from Voldemort. We would have unexplained deaths, or structural destruction that wasn't understood. But there has been nothing."

"The Dark Lord has been… unusually quiet, yes," Severus replied. "It is not like him to stay inactive for so long. Following the escapes from Azkaban last year… there has been nothing."

Lost in her thoughts, Hermione stared off out a window. Her sixth year – last year – at Hogwarts had been the only relatively normal year she had at the school thus far. While Voldemort managed to break his followers out of Azkaban, the threats to the students were minimal. Harry only complained of pain in his scar a handful of times, but he had not had any access to the Dark Lord's mind; despite the burning in his scar, even Harry had no idea what Voldemort was doing.

Hermione looked at him. "Has he summoned you since I began my apprenticeship?"

"Hermione, I cannot share that information with you," Severus growled.

"Severus, all things considered… don't you think you should let me know what's going on when it involves your safety?" Hermione asked. "I know it isn't my business, but… I worry."

Severus nodded slowly. "Even so, it is the business of Dumbledore and me the going-ons of the Dark Lord. I cannot risk divulging that information to anyone else. Rest assured; I am very good at what I do. I am a very powerful wizard and while I may not quite match the Dark Lord's power, I have several strong allies."

Hermione frowned, but pushed no further. She did not want to contradict him, but she couldn't help but recall their discussion just a day previous. She knew he was just trying to comfort her, but how could he use that logic when just yesterday he warned of the risk in loving him?

She looked back at the newspaper, skimming the articles on the open page. Severus coiled his arm around her, drawing her in close. She couldn't help but stare at the faint lines of the Dark Mark of his forearm. Her stomach tightened into knots as she thought about its significance.

She hated the thought that one evening, she could report to Severus' classroom for her lesson, only to find the room empty. And after searching his office and his private quarters, with no sight of her lover – she would know instantly what his absence meant.

The thought of something happening to him one evening whilst summoned to Voldemort caused her stomach to churn. Voldemort's inactivity as of late was suspicious and unnerving at best, and with Severus being one of Voldemort's highest esteemed officers, to have not heard anything at all could not be a good sign.

Itching to preoccupy her mind with something else, she said, "Do the professors keep in contact during the holidays?"

"Typically only if there is a significant event prior to vacation or an emergency during," Severus replied. "The pilferage of my stores, for example. We have kept close contact during the vacations ever since the Tournament, of course."

Hermione nodded. "I wonder if any of the professors have figured out who it is that stole your supplies."

"If they have, I have been left unawares," Severus replied nonchalantly. "Would you like breakfast? I do not have an appetite so early in the day, but that should not prevent you from eating if you are hungry."

"I am quite famished! I'll help myself," she rose from her seat and moved into the kitchen.

"Tomorrow is Christmas Eve," Severus heard her voice from the kitchen among the clang and sizzle of whatever she was preparing. "What do you normally do on Christmas Eve?"

Severus folded the paper into his lap. "It is not unlike any other day for me, Hermione."

"Well, what would you like to have done?" she poked her head around the corner.

"I would be quite content spending it however you would like to," he replied, looking at her.

She disappeared from view. "I haven't got you anything for Christmas," she confessed, and the shame in her voice was fairly obvious. "I wasn't really sure what to get you."

"That is quite fine, my dear," Severus replied. "There is no obligation of exchanging gifts. Your presence here with me this year is more than a worthwhile gift for the occasion."

Severus rose and approached the kitchen, pausing in the doorway. It was the first time he had focused his attention on her, and he had to admit he was intensely attracted to her in that moment. Her slender legs were bared to him, his long shirt hanging loosely from her form. It followed the curves of her breasts and bottom beautifully.

He felt that familiar tug in his lower abdomen, and he swept towards her, his sleeping gown emulating his robes. He snaked his arms around her, pulling her to him. She smiled, her backside pressing into his body, enabling her to feel the lengthening hardness in his groin.

"Severus, you—"

She was interrupted by a scratching at the window above the sink. Severus looked over to the source of the sound, and hurried away from Hermione when he recognized the owl. Pulling open the window, he allowed the owl into his kitchen. It landed delicately on the counter, holding its leg out to the Potions Master.

Severus removed the letter attached to the bird's leg. It clucked at him, and he picked a piece of bread off Hermione's plate and handed it to the creature. The owl accepted the offering and picked it apart before departing through the same window. Slowly unrolling the paper, his eyes scanned the note quickly. He laid the parchment on the counter where it coiled into its roll again.

"This afternoon I must meet with the Headmaster and Heads of House at the Three Broomsticks," he announced to Hermione. "I am sure you'll be able to preoccupy yourself with my library?"

Hermione nodded. "Of course! I was wondering, as well. Do you have a workshop here?"

"What sort of potions master would I be without one?" he replied, smirking at her. He gestured to a door in his library. "There is a stairway leading to the basement through that door. The laboratory is in the basement."

Hermione turned the egg on the pan. "May I use it during the break?"

"You are just as I imagined, Miss Granger," Severus said. He stroked her cheek. "I assumed you would spend your breaks studying for the upcoming material. I also assumed, when I accepted you as an apprentice, that you would remain at Hogwarts during break to continue working."

"I'm glad to see I don't disappoint your expectations, Severus," Hermione blushed.

"I have to request that you wait until I am with you, however," he added, and she nodded.

He leaned down to her, kissing her deeply. His tongue parted her lips and massaged hers in gentle caresses. She turned from her pan and leaned into his kiss, her fingers gently stroking his chest.

She pulled away slowly. "Do you know why Professor Dumbledore is calling the Heads of House together?"

Severus shook his head. "No, I haven't the slightest. I imagine it has something to do with the theft before break, but there was no mention."

Following her breakfast, Hermione and Severus decided to shower. Hermione, ever thoughtful, packed her toiletries. She had actually caught herself giggling as she packed, because the thought of Severus stocking (or using!) any kind of feminine product – whether it be sweet-smelling shampoo or a luxurious body wash – seemed quite ludicrous to the witch.

She acquired her necessities and followed the Potions Master into his bathroom. It was small and felt just as unused as the rest of the house, but it had hot water and a shower and that was all Hermione needed.

Severus slyly worked open the shirt that Hermione was wearing. He unbuttoned it to just below her breasts, freeing them for fondling. He knelt to her left breast, teasing the nipple with his tongue. She gasped, leaning against the sink.

"Severus, have you no satiety to your sexual appetite?" she asked as his fingers slid down her stomach to her groin.

"It would seem unlikely," his oily voice rumbled against her chest. He rubbed at her with his fingers gently, a moan escaping her lips. "Of course, I do not suppose you mind," he growled as he lowered to his knees to kiss her sex. He wetted his fingers with his tongue and dipped them inside her. "It certainly appears that you don't."

Hermione moaned. "Is it that obvious?" she asked between pleasured sighs.

"Quite," the Potions Master growled, his voice rumbling against her most sensitive parts. He breathed in her scent as his mouth worked delicately, yet vigorously, at her nether regions. She snaked her fingers through his hair, his name a mere whisper off her lips as he pleasured her.

She was ready for him now, and he grasped her hips, turning her to face the sink.. He stroked his throbbing member slowly, his eyes surveying her backside; she was so beautiful! He slid his hand slowly down the soft skin of her back, his nails leaving pink trails along the flesh. As his hand reached her bottom, he gently stroked the wet, hot flesh between her legs.

Pushing his body against her, he slid his hardness into her.

Following their love-making, Severus and Hermione indeed showered. It, as with everything else once Hermione and the Potions Master were naked together, took longer than expected. Severus couldn't seem to keep his hands off the young witch whenever she was exposed to him, and she had to admit that she didn't mind at all.

After they dressed, Severus announced that he needed to depart for the Three Broomsticks. "As much as I despise having to leave you here, I believe it would be horribly inappropriate if you were to accompany me to a faculty meeting." Severus had said, his eyes glittering mischievously.

She kissed him gently before he left. His long fingers stroked the side of her face briefly, and with a pop! he was gone.
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Matters of the Heart