A Looping of the Scales ~ COMPLETED
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Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Snape/Hermione
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Adult ++
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Category:
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Snape/Hermione
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
93
Views:
99,516
Reviews:
475
Recommended:
2
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
I do not own HP and am making no $$$ from this fanfic
Changing the Rules
Chapter 59 ~ Changing the Rules
Later that evening, Snape dropped a bomb on Hermione. She entered his quarters and he was waiting for her, his dark eyes on her curling hair.
”I see the shampoo and conditioner worked,” he observed.
Hermione self-consciously patted her hair.
”Yes, it did. Thank you, Severus.”
”You’re very welcome. I’m going to give you the formula so you can brew it yourself when I’m not available,” the wizard said.
Hermione nodded as she removed her knapsack and took her things out of the various cubbyholes. She was in work mode again. Snape watched as she sat down, dipped her quill into the inkwell and started writing on a parchment. He felt a little forgotten.
Still, he needed to talk to her about something very important. He cleared his throat loudly. Hermione frowned, but didn’t stop writing. He cleared his throat again, even louder this time and Hermione whirled on him, irritated.
”Do you need a glass of water or something?” she asked him.
Snape frowned back at her.
”No, I don’t need a glass of water. I was trying to get your attention. Hermione, I think we should devote this Sunday to something other than the usual non-academic activities,” Snape said to a rather stunned Hermione.
Hermione immediately put the quill down.
”What?” she asked him, not sure she heard what she thought she’d heard.
”Well, I’ve been thinking about it during the week, and I think that scheduling our encounters takes away from the spontaneity of the whole thing,” the wizard informed her. “Familiarity breeds contempt or at least less appreciation. I don’t want that to happen with us.”
Hermione scowled up at him.
”But I thought you wanted—needed more time with me,” she said to him, a bit taken aback by his attitude. Weekly sex had seemed the perfect answer to their dilemma at the time. Had he grown bored already? No, he couldn’t have. He loved their last encounter, that much had been clear.
”I do, but I just don’t think that time should be all about sex all the time,” he said carefully. “There are other ways for us to spend intimate time together, such as you and I going flying together or maybe even out to eat or to a movie or visiting interesting places.”
”But I like knowing when we’re going to shag,” Hermione said. “It takes the guesswork out of it.”
”You’re missing the whole point, Hermione. That’s what can make it lose its—its fire. You have it all mapped out like a routine part of your studies. “
”Well, you didn’t mind it when I suggested it,” Hermione snapped at him.
”I was starved for you at the time I agreed. I would have agreed to nearly anything to have you in my arms again,” Snape said to her softly. “But now, I want a little more—“
”More? It sounds like less to me,” Hermione replied.
Snape sat down beside her and gently took one of her hands, his black eyes intense as he looked at her scowling face.
“Just hear me out, Hermione. We can still have the time, but what if we just spread it out a little, over other days than just Sundays?”
”But, then how will we know when we’ll—“
”We won’t know, Hermione. One of us would have to convince the other—maybe even seduce the other when the mood hits. I’d like the opportunity to seduce you. It would be good practice for my romantic skills,” Snape said persuasively. “And if you felt like being intimate, you could just tell me or better, show me. It would be much better than a scheduled Sunday night. Can’t you see it?”
Hermione could see it, but still.
”That would wreak havoc on my schedule, Severus,” she told him.
Snape shrugged.
”You could adjust it. We’d just have to note the time spent, that’s all. We have a basic time of four hours together on Sunday. I’m sure you adjust your schedule all the time. It has to be second nature by now.”
”I don’t know Severus. This sounds very invasive, time-wise.”
”Actually, Hermione, I think you would learn to like it. The unpredictability factor. Can’t we at least try it for a week or two? Please?”
Hermione looked at him. He was so much different now. As an adult, Hermione couldn’t have ever imagined him saying please and meaning it. When he used it as a professor, it was always accompanied by something snide or demeaning, such as
“Please don’t blow your cauldron up, Mr. Longbottom. I have neither the time nor inclination to deliver you to the infirmary this morning. I have paperwork to catch up on.”
Still, it was rather disarming to hear him use the word.
”I—I don’t know—“
”Please, Hermione. Just a trial run,” he implored her, tightening his hold on her hand slightly, willing her to give in.
Hermione was conflicted, but she still had a rather soft heart, especially concerning Snape. She sighed.
”Oh—all right. But just for a week,” she told him.
Snape smiled then pulled her forward, kissing her for a few seconds then letting her go.
Flushed and surprised, Hermione colored.
”Severus!” she exclaimed.
”Expect quite a bit of that,” he said, smiling at the witch. “Spontaneity.”
”Just because I agreed to try this, doesn’t mean you can swoop down on me and steal kisses whenever you like,” Hermione declared. Clearly, he wasn’t the least bit deterred by her declaration.
“Actually, it does, if I can get away with it. But, inversely, you have the same right. There will be many opportunities for paying me back for my audacity.”
Hermione couldn’t help smiling a little. He did have nerve.
”So, since we probably won’t be shagging on Sunday and will still have private time, what do you want to do?”
Snape’s eyes narrowed slightly.
”How about having our duel—unless two days is too short of a notice for you. You might need a week to bone up,” he purred at her.
“That sounds fine,” Hermione retorted. “But what are we going to do for the rest of the evening after I take you out?”
”I’ll probably spend it feeding you healing and pain potions,” Snape replied with an arched eyebrow.
”We’ll see about that,” Hermione growled at him, pulling her hand away from his and picking up her quill again.
”We certainly will,” Snape agreed.
*****************************************
”What? You’re dueling Snape on Sunday? Oh, Hermione, I want to watch,” Harry said over lunch Saturday, between Hermione’s tutoring lessons. Ginny looked interested too, but Ron wasn’t registering it. He had plans with Susan all this weekend.
“No, it’s going to be a closed duel, Harry. I can’t afford any distractions.”
”I’ll put a Silencing spell on myself, Hermione. You won’t hear a peep out of me.”
”No, Harry. This time it will be just me and him.”
Harry pouted at this. He felt it would be a great duel.
Just then, a black and grey owl flew into the Great Hall carrying a small package. Owl post didn’t usually run on Saturdays, so everyone noticed it. The owl oriented on Hermione and circled overhead. It dropped the small package in front of her and flew off.
”What’s that, Hermione?” Ron asked.
She looked up at him in irritation.
”I won’t know until I open it, Ron. Really,” she snapped at him as she undid the brown wrapping, then pulled open the lid and looked down into the box. She frowned immediately, and closed the lid.
”He has some nerve,” she seethed.
”Let us have a look, Hermione,” Ron said. Hermione pushed the box over to him. Ron opened it, looked in, then started laughing uproariously.
”It’s not funny,” Hermione fumed.
“What is it, Ron?” Harry and Ginny both asked together.
Smiling broadly, Ron reached into the box and pulled out three items: a roll of bandages, some healing salve and a small tube of wand epoxy to fix broken wands. There was a little note that read:
”Hermione, here’s your pound of cure since there will be no possible chance of prevention.”
The note wasn’t signed, but it was clear who had sent it.
Snape.
Harry and Ginny started laughing too, as Hermione reddened.
“I’ll fix him,” she muttered, leaving the Great Hall in a hurry as her friends laughed after her.
”Snape’s great,” Harry chortled as Hermione stormed out of the door.
******************************************
Snape was listening to the classical wizarding wireless station and reading one of his books when a knock sounded on his office door. He smirked, thinking it was Hermione. She must have received his little gift.
He quickly exited his study and opened the office door. He could smell Hermione, but didn’t see her in the dungeon corridor. His brow furrowed, then he looked down and saw a shoebox-sized package. Ah, she must have left this for him. No doubt Hermione was playing a little tit for tat. He picked it up and returned to his study, eyeing the package. He wondered what little goodies she’d packed for him.
Snape pulled off the wrapping and found a note and another wrapped package inside.
The note read: You’re going to need this. Try it on for size.
Hm. What was it? A sling perhaps? Not very creative.
Snape picked up the package. It was soft. He opened it--
Suddenly there was a flash of bright light as the contents of the package expanded, wrapped around him and hardened within seconds, only his nose and eyes visible before he toppled over.
Hermione had sent him a one-size fits all full body cast and charmed it to apply itself to whoever opened the package up.
”Damn that witch,” Snape hissed as he lay helplessly on his back. He was unable to move at all. She had sealed him in tight. Suddenly, the cast burst away from his body as he transformed into his gryffin form, then back to human form.
He looked at all the plaster strewn around.
”Gods, she’s brilliant,” he breathed as he started Scourgifying the mess.
******************************************
Hermione finished her last tutoring session by the lake, her dazed pupils loaded down with material to review and have completed by next Saturday. They slowly headed for the castle, Hermione taking a little extra time to collect her things. She had just closed her knapsack and stood up, when suddenly she was grabbed in a bear hug from behind, her arms pinned to her sides so she couldn’t draw her wand.
She started struggling until she heard a soft, familiar voice say, “I imagine you thought your little gift funny.”
She relaxed immediately and the arms loosened, turning her and she looked up at a very sober Severus Snape.
”I just thought you might want to get a bit used to it. I’m surprised to see you out and about. I was coming to release you,” she told him with a grin.
”I released myself, thank you,” he said with a growl.
”How? That cast was solid plaster. You couldn’t bend your limbs to reach your wand. You shouldn’t have been able to move at all.”
”No, I couldn’t move, but I could transform,” he replied evenly.
”Oh,” Hermione said, a bit of disappointment in her voice. She hadn’t thought about that as a method of escape.
”And you sent me that package more than three hours ago, so I can only surmise that you intended to leave me wrapped up like a petrified mummy for at least that long,” Snape breathed at her. “You are a vindictive little witch. I’m not sure you belong in Gryffindor at all.”
”You made me angry. Harry, Ron and Ginny all laughed when they saw what you sent me,” she responded. “So I had to one up you with my own ‘gift.’”
”Ah, the sin of pride. It suits you,” Snape said, then kissed her soundly, backing Hermione into a large boulder. Hermione was shocked at first, but it was such a nice, hot kiss that she just melted into it, wrapping her arms around Snape’s neck. They went at it hot and heavy, Snape caressing her body gently, heating the witch up.
”We could do it now, Hermione,” he breathed. “I could bend you over this stone and lift your robes—I’d be good. I’m so hard.”
Hermione blinked at him, her belly ablaze. But no, no she couldn’t shag him on the Hogwarts grounds in broad daylight, especially bent over a boulder. What if someone walked up on them? Snape pressed his erection against her, covering her mouth again, not letting her speak before he tried to turn her around to face the boulder.
”No! We can’t. We’d get caught,” she said to him, fighting the urge. He managed to get her facing the boulder.
”I’ll Disillusion us,” Snape whispered against her ear, “and cast a Silencing spell. It would be exciting, wouldn’t it? Out here in the open air—you and me. Think of how good it would feel, Hermione. How wicked it would be—you know you’re a naughty girl—I can smell you. You want to do it.“
He began to fish in his pocket for his wand.
”No! Severus, you devil! No! Now you let me go right now!” she hissed, pushing back from the boulder and spinning on him.
Snape gave her a crooked smile.
”You see how exciting this is, Hermione? How hot? I didn’t think you’d let me shag you, but it was fun trying—you have to admit that. It turned you on. You’re still turned on,” he said softly.
“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that I conduct myself like a lady,” she responded, angrily fixing her robes although there was nothing wrong with them.
Both of Snape’s eyebrows rose.
”A lady? With me? I think it’s a little late for that,” he responded without thinking. The dark look Hermione gave him made him aware that wasn’t the best thing to say.
“I mean, you are a lady, Hermione, but all woman when it comes to intimacy,” he said quickly, pulling her against him in an attempt to appease her sense of outrage. “I love that about you.”
Hermione looked up at him then shook her head and gave him a little smile.
”You’re good on the save, I’ll give you that, Severus,” she said and the wizard nearly slumped with relief. “But you won’t be shagging me on any boulders.”
”All right,” Snape replied, thinking there were a lot of other places in Hogwarts that they could shag. If he could get her to give in at least once, he was sure he’d be able to get her to do so again.
When Snape made the suggestion that they abandon just Sunday nights, he was really setting up his little plan to break Hermione out the rigid confines of their lover agreement and set her up to accept him as something more. Her response to him today was very heartening, even if she wouldn’t have sex with him. The desire had plainly been there and that meant she was off the Sunday clock already.
”I’m on my way to supper, Severus,” she told him. “Do you want to join me?”
Snape studied her.
”I believe I will,” he replied.
The couple received a few very surprised stares when they entered the Great Hall and Snape joined Hermione, Harry and Ginny at the Gryffindor table.
”Hi Severus!” Harry exclaimed with a bright smile.
”Potter,” he said shortly, drawing a plate toward him and starting to fill it. Hermione was a little red at all the attention they were getting as the other Gryffindors and houses zeroed in on them. Snape ate as if he didn’t notice.
The Slytherins were all frowning at his back. He might not be active in Slytherin, but the least he could do was join his house table if he were going to eat in the Great Hall. Sitting with Gryffindors. Disgusting.
”He used to hate them,” Pansy said. “Now he’s a part of their group.”
Draco shook his head.
”I don’t think he’s part of it, Pansy. But I do think something is going on with him and Granger. That’s why he’s associating with her friends,” the pureblood said.
”Ew. That’s just sick. Granger’s shagging Snape?” Pansy said, a look of disgust on her face.
”I don’t know if they’re shagging, but it’s obvious they’re close. I heard they’re studying together for the NEWTs, and Granger has full access to his library.”
Draco’s voice was low, but it still carried. Someone heard what he said and perked up immediately. It was Lisa Turpin, the Ravenclaw and Hermione’s main adversary in several NEWTs.
”Snape’s library?” she mused. She hadn’t even thought about the books the former Potions master was supposed to own. Granger had access to them? Well, if she could get access, maybe Lisa could, too. She had always made good marks in Potions under Snape, and even if he didn’t remember her, she might be able to persuade him to let her look at a book or two from his library. Why only Granger? Perhaps she could even pay him for the privilege.
It was a thought, anyway. Maybe she’d stop by his quarters after supper.
All he could say was no.
*****************************************
”No,” Snape said flatly to the blonde, blue-eyed Ravenclaw at his door.
”But, Mr. Snape—“
”My name is Severus. We’re the same age,” he said darkly.
”But—but Severus, using your library would help me get higher NEWT marks. I’d be willing to pay you,” Lisa said.
”No, they aren’t available for public use,” he told her. “Now, good evening.”
Snape tried to close the office door, but Lisa determinedly held it open.
”That’s not remotely fair. You let Hermione Granger use your library. Why not me?”
”That’s quite easy to answer. You are not Hermione Granger,” he replied coldly. “Hermione helped me when I needed it most. Letting her use my library is my way of thanking her. I’ve never even seen you before. I don’t know you.”
”Well, you can get to know me. I’m just as smart and talented as Granger is. Even more so,” Lisa said.
Snape blinked at her and was about to answer when a cold voice said, “That remains to be seen, Lisa, after the NEWT marks come out.”
Both Snape and Lisa turned to see Hermione glaring back at them.
”If you do score higher than me, Granger, it will only be because you have an unfair advantage,” Lisa shot back at her nemesis.
”Yes. The same one I’ve had my entire duration at Hogwarts,” Hermione replied with narrowed eyes. “That of being a better student. I haven’t always had access to Severus’ library and still beat out your marks.”
Lisa stared back at her, then looked at Snape.
”You could help us settle this. If you gave me access to your books, then we’d be on level ground,” she told him. “We could settle this once and for all.”
Snape cocked his head at her.
”Are you taking eleven NEWTs?” he asked the Ravenclaw.
”No. I’m taking six.”
”Then, if you’re as brilliant as you claim yourself to be, you’d realize there is no way you can beat Hermione out because of the sheer volume of her studies. I had mistakenly challenged her myself. Even if you received Outstandings in all of your NEWTS, Hermione could outscore you if she only made seven out of eleven. I am sure she’ll be able to do that, even if you did have access to my books. I suggest you bow out with grace, rather than try to force your way into my library. It won’t help you.”
Lisa stared at him for a moment, then a look of defeat washed across her face as Hermione looked at her smugly. The Ravenclaw scowled at her.
”You know, there’s something wrong with you, Granger. No one takes eleven NEWTs. You just have to be the best at everything, don’t you?” she asked Hermione witheringly.
”Yes. Yes, I do,” Hermione replied, her brown eyes glinting.
”Someone’s going to knock you off your pedestal one day. I hope I’m around to see it,” Lisa said coldly, sticking her nose in the air and stalking up the dungeon corridor, both Hermione and Snape looking after her.
”I’m glad you decided to take me up on my offer, Hermione,” Snape said as he watched the Ravenclaw storm off.
”Why?”
”Because that witch is far more annoying than you are,” he answered, shaking his head.
*******************************************
A/N: Thanks for reading.
Later that evening, Snape dropped a bomb on Hermione. She entered his quarters and he was waiting for her, his dark eyes on her curling hair.
”I see the shampoo and conditioner worked,” he observed.
Hermione self-consciously patted her hair.
”Yes, it did. Thank you, Severus.”
”You’re very welcome. I’m going to give you the formula so you can brew it yourself when I’m not available,” the wizard said.
Hermione nodded as she removed her knapsack and took her things out of the various cubbyholes. She was in work mode again. Snape watched as she sat down, dipped her quill into the inkwell and started writing on a parchment. He felt a little forgotten.
Still, he needed to talk to her about something very important. He cleared his throat loudly. Hermione frowned, but didn’t stop writing. He cleared his throat again, even louder this time and Hermione whirled on him, irritated.
”Do you need a glass of water or something?” she asked him.
Snape frowned back at her.
”No, I don’t need a glass of water. I was trying to get your attention. Hermione, I think we should devote this Sunday to something other than the usual non-academic activities,” Snape said to a rather stunned Hermione.
Hermione immediately put the quill down.
”What?” she asked him, not sure she heard what she thought she’d heard.
”Well, I’ve been thinking about it during the week, and I think that scheduling our encounters takes away from the spontaneity of the whole thing,” the wizard informed her. “Familiarity breeds contempt or at least less appreciation. I don’t want that to happen with us.”
Hermione scowled up at him.
”But I thought you wanted—needed more time with me,” she said to him, a bit taken aback by his attitude. Weekly sex had seemed the perfect answer to their dilemma at the time. Had he grown bored already? No, he couldn’t have. He loved their last encounter, that much had been clear.
”I do, but I just don’t think that time should be all about sex all the time,” he said carefully. “There are other ways for us to spend intimate time together, such as you and I going flying together or maybe even out to eat or to a movie or visiting interesting places.”
”But I like knowing when we’re going to shag,” Hermione said. “It takes the guesswork out of it.”
”You’re missing the whole point, Hermione. That’s what can make it lose its—its fire. You have it all mapped out like a routine part of your studies. “
”Well, you didn’t mind it when I suggested it,” Hermione snapped at him.
”I was starved for you at the time I agreed. I would have agreed to nearly anything to have you in my arms again,” Snape said to her softly. “But now, I want a little more—“
”More? It sounds like less to me,” Hermione replied.
Snape sat down beside her and gently took one of her hands, his black eyes intense as he looked at her scowling face.
“Just hear me out, Hermione. We can still have the time, but what if we just spread it out a little, over other days than just Sundays?”
”But, then how will we know when we’ll—“
”We won’t know, Hermione. One of us would have to convince the other—maybe even seduce the other when the mood hits. I’d like the opportunity to seduce you. It would be good practice for my romantic skills,” Snape said persuasively. “And if you felt like being intimate, you could just tell me or better, show me. It would be much better than a scheduled Sunday night. Can’t you see it?”
Hermione could see it, but still.
”That would wreak havoc on my schedule, Severus,” she told him.
Snape shrugged.
”You could adjust it. We’d just have to note the time spent, that’s all. We have a basic time of four hours together on Sunday. I’m sure you adjust your schedule all the time. It has to be second nature by now.”
”I don’t know Severus. This sounds very invasive, time-wise.”
”Actually, Hermione, I think you would learn to like it. The unpredictability factor. Can’t we at least try it for a week or two? Please?”
Hermione looked at him. He was so much different now. As an adult, Hermione couldn’t have ever imagined him saying please and meaning it. When he used it as a professor, it was always accompanied by something snide or demeaning, such as
“Please don’t blow your cauldron up, Mr. Longbottom. I have neither the time nor inclination to deliver you to the infirmary this morning. I have paperwork to catch up on.”
Still, it was rather disarming to hear him use the word.
”I—I don’t know—“
”Please, Hermione. Just a trial run,” he implored her, tightening his hold on her hand slightly, willing her to give in.
Hermione was conflicted, but she still had a rather soft heart, especially concerning Snape. She sighed.
”Oh—all right. But just for a week,” she told him.
Snape smiled then pulled her forward, kissing her for a few seconds then letting her go.
Flushed and surprised, Hermione colored.
”Severus!” she exclaimed.
”Expect quite a bit of that,” he said, smiling at the witch. “Spontaneity.”
”Just because I agreed to try this, doesn’t mean you can swoop down on me and steal kisses whenever you like,” Hermione declared. Clearly, he wasn’t the least bit deterred by her declaration.
“Actually, it does, if I can get away with it. But, inversely, you have the same right. There will be many opportunities for paying me back for my audacity.”
Hermione couldn’t help smiling a little. He did have nerve.
”So, since we probably won’t be shagging on Sunday and will still have private time, what do you want to do?”
Snape’s eyes narrowed slightly.
”How about having our duel—unless two days is too short of a notice for you. You might need a week to bone up,” he purred at her.
“That sounds fine,” Hermione retorted. “But what are we going to do for the rest of the evening after I take you out?”
”I’ll probably spend it feeding you healing and pain potions,” Snape replied with an arched eyebrow.
”We’ll see about that,” Hermione growled at him, pulling her hand away from his and picking up her quill again.
”We certainly will,” Snape agreed.
*****************************************
”What? You’re dueling Snape on Sunday? Oh, Hermione, I want to watch,” Harry said over lunch Saturday, between Hermione’s tutoring lessons. Ginny looked interested too, but Ron wasn’t registering it. He had plans with Susan all this weekend.
“No, it’s going to be a closed duel, Harry. I can’t afford any distractions.”
”I’ll put a Silencing spell on myself, Hermione. You won’t hear a peep out of me.”
”No, Harry. This time it will be just me and him.”
Harry pouted at this. He felt it would be a great duel.
Just then, a black and grey owl flew into the Great Hall carrying a small package. Owl post didn’t usually run on Saturdays, so everyone noticed it. The owl oriented on Hermione and circled overhead. It dropped the small package in front of her and flew off.
”What’s that, Hermione?” Ron asked.
She looked up at him in irritation.
”I won’t know until I open it, Ron. Really,” she snapped at him as she undid the brown wrapping, then pulled open the lid and looked down into the box. She frowned immediately, and closed the lid.
”He has some nerve,” she seethed.
”Let us have a look, Hermione,” Ron said. Hermione pushed the box over to him. Ron opened it, looked in, then started laughing uproariously.
”It’s not funny,” Hermione fumed.
“What is it, Ron?” Harry and Ginny both asked together.
Smiling broadly, Ron reached into the box and pulled out three items: a roll of bandages, some healing salve and a small tube of wand epoxy to fix broken wands. There was a little note that read:
”Hermione, here’s your pound of cure since there will be no possible chance of prevention.”
The note wasn’t signed, but it was clear who had sent it.
Snape.
Harry and Ginny started laughing too, as Hermione reddened.
“I’ll fix him,” she muttered, leaving the Great Hall in a hurry as her friends laughed after her.
”Snape’s great,” Harry chortled as Hermione stormed out of the door.
******************************************
Snape was listening to the classical wizarding wireless station and reading one of his books when a knock sounded on his office door. He smirked, thinking it was Hermione. She must have received his little gift.
He quickly exited his study and opened the office door. He could smell Hermione, but didn’t see her in the dungeon corridor. His brow furrowed, then he looked down and saw a shoebox-sized package. Ah, she must have left this for him. No doubt Hermione was playing a little tit for tat. He picked it up and returned to his study, eyeing the package. He wondered what little goodies she’d packed for him.
Snape pulled off the wrapping and found a note and another wrapped package inside.
The note read: You’re going to need this. Try it on for size.
Hm. What was it? A sling perhaps? Not very creative.
Snape picked up the package. It was soft. He opened it--
Suddenly there was a flash of bright light as the contents of the package expanded, wrapped around him and hardened within seconds, only his nose and eyes visible before he toppled over.
Hermione had sent him a one-size fits all full body cast and charmed it to apply itself to whoever opened the package up.
”Damn that witch,” Snape hissed as he lay helplessly on his back. He was unable to move at all. She had sealed him in tight. Suddenly, the cast burst away from his body as he transformed into his gryffin form, then back to human form.
He looked at all the plaster strewn around.
”Gods, she’s brilliant,” he breathed as he started Scourgifying the mess.
******************************************
Hermione finished her last tutoring session by the lake, her dazed pupils loaded down with material to review and have completed by next Saturday. They slowly headed for the castle, Hermione taking a little extra time to collect her things. She had just closed her knapsack and stood up, when suddenly she was grabbed in a bear hug from behind, her arms pinned to her sides so she couldn’t draw her wand.
She started struggling until she heard a soft, familiar voice say, “I imagine you thought your little gift funny.”
She relaxed immediately and the arms loosened, turning her and she looked up at a very sober Severus Snape.
”I just thought you might want to get a bit used to it. I’m surprised to see you out and about. I was coming to release you,” she told him with a grin.
”I released myself, thank you,” he said with a growl.
”How? That cast was solid plaster. You couldn’t bend your limbs to reach your wand. You shouldn’t have been able to move at all.”
”No, I couldn’t move, but I could transform,” he replied evenly.
”Oh,” Hermione said, a bit of disappointment in her voice. She hadn’t thought about that as a method of escape.
”And you sent me that package more than three hours ago, so I can only surmise that you intended to leave me wrapped up like a petrified mummy for at least that long,” Snape breathed at her. “You are a vindictive little witch. I’m not sure you belong in Gryffindor at all.”
”You made me angry. Harry, Ron and Ginny all laughed when they saw what you sent me,” she responded. “So I had to one up you with my own ‘gift.’”
”Ah, the sin of pride. It suits you,” Snape said, then kissed her soundly, backing Hermione into a large boulder. Hermione was shocked at first, but it was such a nice, hot kiss that she just melted into it, wrapping her arms around Snape’s neck. They went at it hot and heavy, Snape caressing her body gently, heating the witch up.
”We could do it now, Hermione,” he breathed. “I could bend you over this stone and lift your robes—I’d be good. I’m so hard.”
Hermione blinked at him, her belly ablaze. But no, no she couldn’t shag him on the Hogwarts grounds in broad daylight, especially bent over a boulder. What if someone walked up on them? Snape pressed his erection against her, covering her mouth again, not letting her speak before he tried to turn her around to face the boulder.
”No! We can’t. We’d get caught,” she said to him, fighting the urge. He managed to get her facing the boulder.
”I’ll Disillusion us,” Snape whispered against her ear, “and cast a Silencing spell. It would be exciting, wouldn’t it? Out here in the open air—you and me. Think of how good it would feel, Hermione. How wicked it would be—you know you’re a naughty girl—I can smell you. You want to do it.“
He began to fish in his pocket for his wand.
”No! Severus, you devil! No! Now you let me go right now!” she hissed, pushing back from the boulder and spinning on him.
Snape gave her a crooked smile.
”You see how exciting this is, Hermione? How hot? I didn’t think you’d let me shag you, but it was fun trying—you have to admit that. It turned you on. You’re still turned on,” he said softly.
“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that I conduct myself like a lady,” she responded, angrily fixing her robes although there was nothing wrong with them.
Both of Snape’s eyebrows rose.
”A lady? With me? I think it’s a little late for that,” he responded without thinking. The dark look Hermione gave him made him aware that wasn’t the best thing to say.
“I mean, you are a lady, Hermione, but all woman when it comes to intimacy,” he said quickly, pulling her against him in an attempt to appease her sense of outrage. “I love that about you.”
Hermione looked up at him then shook her head and gave him a little smile.
”You’re good on the save, I’ll give you that, Severus,” she said and the wizard nearly slumped with relief. “But you won’t be shagging me on any boulders.”
”All right,” Snape replied, thinking there were a lot of other places in Hogwarts that they could shag. If he could get her to give in at least once, he was sure he’d be able to get her to do so again.
When Snape made the suggestion that they abandon just Sunday nights, he was really setting up his little plan to break Hermione out the rigid confines of their lover agreement and set her up to accept him as something more. Her response to him today was very heartening, even if she wouldn’t have sex with him. The desire had plainly been there and that meant she was off the Sunday clock already.
”I’m on my way to supper, Severus,” she told him. “Do you want to join me?”
Snape studied her.
”I believe I will,” he replied.
The couple received a few very surprised stares when they entered the Great Hall and Snape joined Hermione, Harry and Ginny at the Gryffindor table.
”Hi Severus!” Harry exclaimed with a bright smile.
”Potter,” he said shortly, drawing a plate toward him and starting to fill it. Hermione was a little red at all the attention they were getting as the other Gryffindors and houses zeroed in on them. Snape ate as if he didn’t notice.
The Slytherins were all frowning at his back. He might not be active in Slytherin, but the least he could do was join his house table if he were going to eat in the Great Hall. Sitting with Gryffindors. Disgusting.
”He used to hate them,” Pansy said. “Now he’s a part of their group.”
Draco shook his head.
”I don’t think he’s part of it, Pansy. But I do think something is going on with him and Granger. That’s why he’s associating with her friends,” the pureblood said.
”Ew. That’s just sick. Granger’s shagging Snape?” Pansy said, a look of disgust on her face.
”I don’t know if they’re shagging, but it’s obvious they’re close. I heard they’re studying together for the NEWTs, and Granger has full access to his library.”
Draco’s voice was low, but it still carried. Someone heard what he said and perked up immediately. It was Lisa Turpin, the Ravenclaw and Hermione’s main adversary in several NEWTs.
”Snape’s library?” she mused. She hadn’t even thought about the books the former Potions master was supposed to own. Granger had access to them? Well, if she could get access, maybe Lisa could, too. She had always made good marks in Potions under Snape, and even if he didn’t remember her, she might be able to persuade him to let her look at a book or two from his library. Why only Granger? Perhaps she could even pay him for the privilege.
It was a thought, anyway. Maybe she’d stop by his quarters after supper.
All he could say was no.
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”No,” Snape said flatly to the blonde, blue-eyed Ravenclaw at his door.
”But, Mr. Snape—“
”My name is Severus. We’re the same age,” he said darkly.
”But—but Severus, using your library would help me get higher NEWT marks. I’d be willing to pay you,” Lisa said.
”No, they aren’t available for public use,” he told her. “Now, good evening.”
Snape tried to close the office door, but Lisa determinedly held it open.
”That’s not remotely fair. You let Hermione Granger use your library. Why not me?”
”That’s quite easy to answer. You are not Hermione Granger,” he replied coldly. “Hermione helped me when I needed it most. Letting her use my library is my way of thanking her. I’ve never even seen you before. I don’t know you.”
”Well, you can get to know me. I’m just as smart and talented as Granger is. Even more so,” Lisa said.
Snape blinked at her and was about to answer when a cold voice said, “That remains to be seen, Lisa, after the NEWT marks come out.”
Both Snape and Lisa turned to see Hermione glaring back at them.
”If you do score higher than me, Granger, it will only be because you have an unfair advantage,” Lisa shot back at her nemesis.
”Yes. The same one I’ve had my entire duration at Hogwarts,” Hermione replied with narrowed eyes. “That of being a better student. I haven’t always had access to Severus’ library and still beat out your marks.”
Lisa stared back at her, then looked at Snape.
”You could help us settle this. If you gave me access to your books, then we’d be on level ground,” she told him. “We could settle this once and for all.”
Snape cocked his head at her.
”Are you taking eleven NEWTs?” he asked the Ravenclaw.
”No. I’m taking six.”
”Then, if you’re as brilliant as you claim yourself to be, you’d realize there is no way you can beat Hermione out because of the sheer volume of her studies. I had mistakenly challenged her myself. Even if you received Outstandings in all of your NEWTS, Hermione could outscore you if she only made seven out of eleven. I am sure she’ll be able to do that, even if you did have access to my books. I suggest you bow out with grace, rather than try to force your way into my library. It won’t help you.”
Lisa stared at him for a moment, then a look of defeat washed across her face as Hermione looked at her smugly. The Ravenclaw scowled at her.
”You know, there’s something wrong with you, Granger. No one takes eleven NEWTs. You just have to be the best at everything, don’t you?” she asked Hermione witheringly.
”Yes. Yes, I do,” Hermione replied, her brown eyes glinting.
”Someone’s going to knock you off your pedestal one day. I hope I’m around to see it,” Lisa said coldly, sticking her nose in the air and stalking up the dungeon corridor, both Hermione and Snape looking after her.
”I’m glad you decided to take me up on my offer, Hermione,” Snape said as he watched the Ravenclaw storm off.
”Why?”
”Because that witch is far more annoying than you are,” he answered, shaking his head.
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A/N: Thanks for reading.