The First Summer and Summer Series

The date that the Chudley Cannons were playing Puddlemere United coincided with the week Ron and the girls moved into their new house. Consequently, it was decided to hold a housewarming party directly after the afternoon match on Saturday. Hermione had asked Severus to come down and spend the weekend. She told him about the Quidditch match and after much nagging he grudgingly agreed to attend with the group. She did not, however, tell him about the party afterwards. Hermione knew with a certainty he would not come down to stay with her if he knew what was planned.

“After all,” she said to Julie, “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. He needs to socialize more.”

She had fixed up her new room with a larger bed and a special chair just for Severus to sit and read in the evenings. It would be nice to have privacy again. Sometimes she felt she couldn’t wait until summer when the two of them would be back together full time.

The match was brilliant. The Chudley Cannons destroyed Puddlemere against all odds. The crowds went wild. There was celebration all over the city. The group returned to the house to find that the party was already in full swing. Ron and Seamus, who perhaps had already over-imbibed before the match, were now blatantly drunk, shouting and celebrating. Harry and Ginny were dancing sensuously to the overloud music that pounded the walls and there were lots of other friends and students crowded into the small sitting room. Hermione turned from greeting Bill Weasley, who had turned up unexpectedly, to see Severus disappearing into the bedroom and slam the door. He hadn‘t said more than two words all afternoon and she knew he was annoyed.

Severus sat in his armchair with Crookshanks on his lap and a huge stack of scrolls on the table next to him. He sighed deeply. He should have stayed at Hogwarts and gotten these papers marked in peace but whenever Hermione really wanted something he couldn’t say no. The noise of the party was blaring through the walls disturbing his concentration.

He felt like giving her a spanking when she finally came to bed. First there was that incredibly loud Quidditch match and having to endure being beaten on the back by a drunken exuberant Seamus Finnegan every time the Cannons scored. Then, they returned to the house to find dozens of students had invaded the premises for a party. He was not joining that crowd of miniature hooligans. He had immediately barricaded himself in the bedroom and went to work.

He glanced at the clock. Midnight! Surely they would break up soon. He bent his head to the scrolls again as he began scratching Crookshanks‘ ears absently. The door opened to muffled giggling and an all too familiar drawling voice.

“I keep telling you Pansy! It’s going to be alright... Sir!” Draco Malfoy had only just noticed Severus seated in the armchair in the corner. “Sorry, Sir. We didn’t know you were here.”

“Apparently,” Severus snarled.

Malfoy, who looked like he had few drinks, stared at him with amazement. “What are you doing here, Professor?” He elbowed Pansy Parkinson who was trying very hard to look sober but could hardly remain upright.

“At the moment, Mr. Malfoy, I am trying to get some peace and quiet. What are you doing here? Knowing who lives in this house I suspect you weren‘t invited.”

Draco smirked, “At things like these no one’s really invited are they? Anyway, Pansy and I were just trying to find somewhere quiet to...uh...you know.”

“I suggest you try Mr. Weasley’s room across the hall. This room is occupied.” Hermione was going to kill him if she ever found out what he had suggested but Severus felt it was justified revenge for his ruined weekend.

“Thanks for the suggestion!” Draco grinned evilly. He looked at Hermione’s picture on the bureau and the grin turned into a leer. “Are you doing Granger, Sir?”

“Leave, Mr. Malfoy,” Severus ordered. There were times when the boy could be completely obtuse. Nothing like his father. Severus had a grudging respect for Malfoy Sr. They had shared much over the years and although they were on different sides now, he still recognized a worthy adversary. But Draco! He shook his head as Pansy and Draco stumbled into the room across the hall and slammed the door.

Two more hours and Severus finished scoring the last exam. The noise was down to a minimum. He decided it would be safe to emerge and get a drink from the kitchen. The music had changed to something considerably quieter but still unrecognizable to his classically trained ear. In the low light of the sitting room he tripped over a large object on the floor.

It was Ron Weasley, passed out cold. In the darkness he could discern another prone shape beside him. Finnegan? Potter was over in the corner, locked in a sensuous embrace with Ginny Weasley, oblivious to his presence. Proceeding to the kitchen, he pushed open the door and blinked in the brightness. Hermione, Julie, Neville Longbottom and Bill Weasley were standing about chatting.

Julie spoke first, “My god! He’s emerged! We’re going to change your name to Lazarus instead of Severus! How come you hid in your tomb for the whole party?”

“Very amusing I’m sure. May I have access to the refrigerator please?”

Julie stepped to one side while she and Bill exchanged amused looks.

“Were we very noisy?” Hermione asked.

“Extremely. I hope you’re not planning on having drunken debacles every weekend.”

“You’re only young once,” Bill observed. “Which reminds me. I should go find my younger brother and get him to bed. I think he passed out.”

“He’s on the sitting room floor,” Severus observed. “I fell over him. You may need to remove Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson from his bed. They went in there a few hours back.”

“Yes I saw them here!” Hermione commented. “I know I didn’t invite them.”

“I’d better go find Seamus and get him in bed too.” Julie added. “He was barely conscious last time I saw him. I don‘t know how I‘m going to levitate him up that steep stairway though.”

Neville brandished his wand. “I’ll get him up to bed for you, Julie.”

“Thanks Neville!” Julie smiled, “You’re sweet!”

Neville blushed as he walked out the door in search of Seamus.

“Do you suppose Finnigan will remain intact if Longbottom tries to levitate him up the stairs?” Severus asked in a sour voice.

Bill Weasley snickered but Julie looked concerned and Hermione got angry.

“Severus Snape, you can be a real bastard! I thought you agreed to leave poor Neville alone!” Her eyes flashed at him in a way he would have found exciting if he hadn’t been so fed up with this wasted weekend. She was gorgeous when she was angry.

“I simply was voicing my concern for Mr. Finnigan’s safety,” he answered in an insincere tone.

At that moment there was a tremendous crash as though someone had fallen down the stairs. Hermione and Julie rushed from the room, leaving Bill and Severus alone.

“I think your fears were justified,” Bill grinned. The men both laughed heartily as they heard Neville offering profuse apologies to Julie and Hermione issuing first aid instructions.

“I must admit, I was surprised to see you here,” Bill said. “I had heard that you and Hermione were a couple but I didn’t think that parties were much in your line.”

Severus shook his head. “They’re not. I got tricked into this one which is why I stayed in the bedroom. Besides, I had exams to score. When I get a weekend free from Hogwarts I prefer to spend it doing more important things than getting blotto and listening to bad music with a group of randy students.”

Bill nodded. “Me too. I wish you’d have come out earlier. It would have been nice to have an adult conversation.”

“Are you in London for long?” Severus asked.

“No, just doing a little spying for mum and dad. They’re a little concerned that Ginny might be getting in over her head with Harry. They don’t want her doing anything stupid.”

“She is of age,” Severus commented.

Bill shrugged. “It’s not her age so much as that she doesn’t have a sister to advise her. I think my mum wants to be sure Ginny doesn‘t end up like her, with too many kids and no life of her own.”

“I have been assured by Hermione that she and Julie advise Ginny in female matters, for whatever that’s worth.”

Bill smiled, “That’s something anyway. Hermione‘s a sweet girl.”

At that moment the ’sweet girl’ burst through the door in a temper.

“Not a word, not one single word do I want to hear out of you, Severus Snape! If you so much as even THINK the phrase ‘I told you so’ I will personally flatten you! And you Bill Weasley! Go get your brother off the floor and into bed instead of sniggering at poor Neville!”

She gave Severus a poisonous glare. “I’m now going to bed.” She turned on her heels and swung through the door angrily.

Severus nodded to Bill and followed. Hermione had torn off her clothes and flung them angrily on the floor. She got into bed and pulled the duvet tightly up around her neck. He turned out the light and calmly pulled off his robes. He folded them neatly on a chair then climbed into bed beside her. All Severus wanted right now was to snuggle into her and go to sleep.

As soon as he reached out to touch her she jerked away angrily.

“Don’t even think about it! Stay on your own side!”

“Don’t be stupid. Come here and let me hold you,” Severus growled.

“Do you know what’s stupid?” she snapped, “Someone who comes to a quidditch match but won’t talk then goes to a party and hides in the bedroom! Then you make jokes about Neville!”

“Should I be looking at a calendar?” he asked sarcastically. “Close to that time of the month, are we?”

“You bastard!” It was irritating but he was right of course. It was almost that time. But having him say it was just like throwing petrol on a flame. She struck out at him, ne cat catching him in the face. He caught her hand in a vise-like grip.

“Personally,” he continued, “I think it’s unfair to ask a very busy man down to a quidditch match he doesn’t particularly wish to attend, with people he doesn’t care for, then trap him into a party filled with drunken cretins and expect him to be entertaining. Now, shall we declare it even?”

He let go of her hand and reached out to hold her again but Hermione was not in a mood to make up. She smacked his arm fiercely.

“Stop that!” he growled in a warning tone. He captured her hand again then brought his body up close to hers to force an embrace.

Hermione struggled and kicked out, limited in movement by the bedclothes. Foot met leg. Then she brought her elbow sharply into his stomach. “I told you, don’t touch me!”

The initial shock of the contact left him breathless, then he became angry. He roughly heaved himself on top of her pinning her with all his strength.

“We are NOT going to play this game Miss Granger!” he hissed in her face. “I am not going to let you pummel me. You know full well I could not and would not ever hurt you and so can‘t return your ‘gentle’ caresses. Apparently you have no such principles. Now are you going to calm down or do I have to lie on top of you all night?”

“Get off me, you bastard!” she ordered.

Severus smiled and murmured silkily, “I think not. You’re too dangerous. And do you suppose you could come up with a new epithet for me? ‘Bastard’ is becoming rather boring.”

Hermione redoubled her efforts to free herself. Embarrassingly enough, Severus felt himself becoming aroused at her struggling. After a few moments of futile resistance, Hermione became aware of it as well.

“If you try anything with me right now, I’ll scream this house down!” she warned.

“Have I ever forced you?” he asked angrily. “But I could. It would be no problem at all. I could be inside you in under a minute no matter how hard you struggled against it.”

Demonstrating, he insinuated a knee between her legs, then the other knee. Hermione tried ineffectively to free herself but he held her wrists pinned firmly against the mattress. A slight bit of pressure easily forced her legs apart. He pressed his erection against her mound, then slid back as though to impale her.

“You see?” he hissed in her face, “I could, but I wouldn’t. A principle I wish you would adopt in regard to your own assaults.” Suddenly, he released her completely. He had made his point. “I happen to love you, amazing as that seems at the moment. I would never make you do anything you didn’t want to.” He paused. “You needn’t fear, Miss Granger. I’ll stay on my own side of the bed and tomorrow morning I’ll return to Hogwarts.” He turned on his side, facing away from her.

Hermione jumped up and ran to the bathroom. She had a good cry then washed her face in cold water. The party had been a disappointment. There was too much alcohol and there were too many gate crashers including that slime Malfoy. It had been horrible and she knew Severus had been justified in taking refuge. And she shouldn’t have struck out at him. Her head was pounding, not from drink because she herself had stuck to pumpkin juice, but from the noise, the stress and the upset. And she was run down. School was sapping everything.

Hermione slid back into bed and snuggled into Severus’s back.

“Sorry,” she whispered.

He turned and held her close.

“Can we go to sleep now?” he asked.

The light was shining through the blind, showing that it was a lovely spring day outside. Severus opened one eye, then shut it again. The memory of last night was too near to contemplate and he had a raging migraine. He ran his hand down Hermione’s warm skin and felt her stir.

“Is it morning already?” she asked sleepily.

“Apparently.” In spite of the blazing band of pain around his head, he caught her ear lobe in his teeth and nibbled.

She giggled. “Stop!”

“Still angry?”

“No, you’re just tickling.” She reached up, found his lips and kissed him gently. “What do you think of our new bed?”

“I’ll tell you better after I try it for more than just sleeping!” he growled sexily. “But right now my head feels like it‘s been hit with a bludger. What is that irritatinnginnging noise?”

It sounded like some circus acrobats were practicing in the room overhead. There were bangs, crashes and laughing.

Hermione burst out laughing. “It‘s precisely that!”

Severus wrinkled his brow, “Would you mind explaining that comment?”

“Banging noise!” she giggled. “You’re now experiencing the hazard of having a bedroom under Julie.”

Severus still looked blank so Hermione clarified, “Seamus spent the night. Becoming any clearer?”

Overhead the creaks and bumps took on a rhythmic quality.

“Oh Merlin! I need some ear plugs and some aspirin. Does he spend the night often?”

“Third night in the week we’ve been here.” Hermione answered. “He can’t be suffering much of a hangover this morning, judging from the sound of that.”

Severus shook his head. “I‘ll be glad when summer gets here and we can escape them all. And I trust that Mr. Weasley isn‘t going to Karnipolia again this summer as he almost succeeded in killing me last summer.”

Hermione smiled and kissed him. “Just us two. I think Neville will be there of course, helping his uncle but no Harry or Ron this time.”

“Good. This summer is going to be one I\'ll enjoy.”