CHAPTER 40
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 40 ~ A Bit More Examination
Sometime during the night, Hermione must have gotten too warm in her granny gown, because when Severus awoke, both of them were out from under the sheets and Hermione lay in his arms bare-breasted and in the large pair of granny knickers she had donned to “cover up.” The gown was crumpled up next to her.
The knickers were large, but that didn’t stop the wizard from getting a huge erection as he felt the near naked witch in his arms. Unable to help himself, he cupped both of Hermione’s breasts and fondled them for a moment, his palms full of her firm flesh. The witch groaned in her sleep and pressed back against his erection. Severus bit his lip and released her.
“I promised her rest,” he thought as Hermione rolled to her back and looked at him. Obviously, she had the female equivalent of a morning hard-on that expressed itself through her puckered nipples.
“Good morning,” she said, giving him a sleepy, somewhat sexy smile.
Severus’ eyes washed over her body, eyeing the hardened tips of her breasts then shifting down to the voluminous white knickers.
“You appear to have lost part of your protection during the night,” he said to her, his black eyes starting to glitter. Maybe just a little sex her way wouldn’t hurt this morning. He wasn’t going to rush her.
“More like subconscious stripping,” Hermione replied suggestively, her breath washing over the Potions Master.
Severus got a whiff of her morning breath, stiffened then pursed his lips.
“Well you’ve just managed to strengthen my resolve,” he said rolling out of bed and heading for the bathroom.
Hermione looked after him, puzzled for a moment, then cupped her hand to her mouth and blew.
“Oh gods. I’ve GOT to invest in some of the Weasley Twins’ “Magical Mints” or I’m never going to get any in the morning,” she said to herself.
Hermione had read an ad in the Prophet about the mints.
Don’t Wake Up with the Breath of Death!
Magical Mints Refresh your Breath!
Available now at Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes!
There was a picture of the Grim Reaper exhaling on a startled wizard in bed, then the wizard offering the specter a roll of Magical Mints, taking one himself, then both smiling at the reader with little tendrils of freshness rolling from their mouths, Death’s bright smile the only thing visible inside his hood.
Basically you only had to take the mint candy at night and in the morning say “Refresh!” to invoke it, and your breath was instantly minty fresh. Each candy lasted twenty-four hours and came twelve to a roll.
Hermione lay in the bed, then the memory of Severus’ talk came back to her. She felt herself tense up. If they had sex, would he have immediately changed his method? Hermione hoped not. She had become used to being completely satisfied, and it irked her a bit that the wizard wanted to change everything.
She knew she was being horribly selfish, but she couldn’t help it. She also felt a little angry as well. Why was he trying to ruin a good thing?
Hermione sat up and pulled on her granny gown, scowling, then rolled out of the bed and headed for the bathroom. Severus was in the shower. For a moment, Hermione thought about having a bowel movement as she sat on the loo. That would show “Mr. Sensitive Nose.” Most wizards didn’t give a damn about morning breath. But she simply peed, flushed the loo and washed her hands. She watched Severus’ scattered outline as he bathed his body. He held out his long cock and soaped it, looking down, then turning his head towards her.
She knew he was probably smirking.
“I’m going to my room to shower and get dressed,” she announced, then stalked out of his bedroom and down to her own.
Severus chuckled as he turned off the spigot.
Hermione was something else.
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Hermione joined Severus at the breakfast table. The wizard was already eating. Hermione scanned the food, licking her lips. Eli had made eggs, sausage, buttered toast with jam and coffee. Hermione was just about to bite into a sausage when Eli brought in the Daily Prophet and handed it to Severus.
The Potions Master immediately opened it up, going to the investment section. Hermione glanced at the large picture on the front page and dropped her fork.
“Oh my gods!” she cried, covering her mouth with her hand and staring at the paper. Startled, Severus looked around it.
“What’s wrong with you witch?’ he asked, scowling.
Her mouth still covered, Hermione pointed one trembling finger at the front page. Severus closed the paper and looked at it. His eyebrows rose, then he looked at Hermione.
“Oh, I meant to tell you about this,” he said lamely.
On the front page of the Daily Prophet was a huge picture of Hermione. The caption over it read: HAVE YOU SEEN THIS WITCH?
Beneath the photo read “Daily Prophet offers One Thousand Galleons for Information leading to locating Miss Hermione Granger.
“Why do they want me?” Hermione asked Severus.
“Harry’s recovery has become common knowledge, but he has disappeared…more than likely made the beach house unplottable. So they are looking for us to tell the story,” Severus said.
“How long has it been since they found out about Harry?” Hermione asked.
“About three weeks,” Severus replied, putting the paper down and drinking his coffee.
“And you didn’t think I should know about this?” Hermione seethed at him.
Severus scowled at her over his coffee, then put the cup down.
“You were involved in your work. It would have only been an aggravation and distraction to deal with all those reporters. However, if you want to subject yourself to that madness, all you have to do is go down to the Daily Prophet. You might even be able to collect the one thousand galleons,” he said snarkily, cutting and spearing a piece of sausage.
Hermione stared at him for a moment, then sighed. He was right. It would have been a real pain dealing with all of that. She would have to do it eventually however. Restoring Harry was a big deal. She wondered how he was doing.
“I should go see Harry,” she said.
“Sounds like a good idea. It would get you out of the house,” the wizard said. “Most likely he will have set the ward to allow you in.”
Hermione finished her breakfast. She asked Severus to come but he said he needed to work through the mountain of receipts she had left him and figure out if he had any money left.
Hermione stuck her tongue at him, thinking he didn’t see her, but he did.
“Don’t let your mouth make promises it can’t keep, Hermione,” he said, not looking up from the pile of small parchments littering his desk. He had a quill and a ledger and was carefully notating expenditures in the columns.
Hermione snorted at him and disapparated.
She arrived on the beach and there was a light rain falling. Yes, she could see Harry’s house. He had left an opening for her. She ran through the damp sand up the steps and stopped in front of the door. She was about to knock…when she heard giggling and thumping noises.
Hermione frowned slightly as a scream went up, then another, both female…both different. She moved to a window and looked in. A naked female body flashed past.
“What?” Hermione said to herself.
Another female body flashed by the window again, then ran around an armchair. Hermione saw a brunette woman laughing behind the chair, then Ginny appeared next her…also laughing. Their breasts jiggled with mirth and they clutched each other.
Then she saw Harry stalking both of them. He was in scarlet boxers however. He was smiling and easing toward the witches, feinting right then left. Finally he ran toward them and dove over the armchair, taking both of the squealing witches down. Hermione could see the tangle of legs kicking and struggling, sticking out from behind the chair…and then the squealing stopped, soon replaced by more intimate sounds.
Hermione moved away from the window.
Apparently Ginny had introduced Harry to Gail, the witch she was with in Cedric’s Sex Symposium. More than introduced him judging by what Hermione just witnessed.
Slowly, Hermione exited the porch and walked back toward the beach. Harry had enough company to tide him over. She’d visit him some other time.
She apparated back to Severus’ house.
The wizard looked up. Hermione had only been gone ten minutes.
“Back so soon?” he asked her, his eyes resting on the witch’s troubled face.
“Yes. Harry had ‘company.’” the witch replied sullenly, dropping into an armchair.
“Ginny Weasley?” the Potions Master asked, putting his quill down.
“Yes. And friends,” she said darkly.
Severus looked interested.
“Friends?” he inquired. That shouldn’t have stopped Hermione from visiting Harry. She was rather social in nature.
“Well, one friend. A very good one from what I witnessed,” Hermione groused. “Harry was chasing both of them around the house. Both witches were naked. I saw through the window.”
Severus sat back in the chair.
“Well, well. I wouldn’t have thought Potter had it in him,” the wizard said.
“Obviously he has it in Ginny and her little girlfriend as well,” Hermione spat.
Severus quirked an eyebrow at her.
“You seem quite angry about Harry’s dalliance,” the wizard observed.
“I am,” Hermione breathed, “How can Ginny claim to love him and then bring another witch to fuck him? She’s no good for him, Severus. She’s ruining him.”
Severus looked at the witch.
“Hermione, Harry is a grown wizard and Ginny a grown witch. As consenting adults they have a right to do whatever they want sexually. Perhaps Miss Weasley enjoys recreational sex as well as intimate sex, and Harry has a taste for it too? I am quite sure she didn’t force the witch on him, Hermione. From what you described, it sounds as if everyone were enjoying themselves. Do you begrudge Harry a bit of pleasure?’ the wizard asked her, his black eyes somber.
“No,” she said slowly…it’s just that I feel if they are together, then they should be together…just the two,” Hermione stated, “What kind of love lets someone else into a relationship that is supposed to be…well…special?”
“For all you know, Hermione…what Ginny and Harry have is special. You can’t presume to judge their lifestyle. If you care about Harry as much as you claim to, you will accept him as he is, not as he was. Things are different now,” Severus said. “He seemed happy, didn’t he?”
“Yes,” Hermione said.
“And your reason for bringing him back was to give him the opportunity to live his life as he wanted and to be happy, correct?” the wizard continued.
“Yes,” Hermione admitted.
“So you have accomplished what you set out to do, witch. Harry is on his own now. You cannot decide the kind of life he leads, just as he cannot decide yours. All you can do is continue to be his friend and be there for him…or…leave him alone,” Severus said quietly.
Hermione looked at him. Leave Harry alone? Never. He was her friend. Yes, she was disappointed with what she saw, but then again…it was mostly because it was something she could never imagine doing. Ginny was much different from her…and Hermione realized she felt superior to the witch because she wasn’t as sexually promiscuous as Ginny was. In her opinion, Ginny was a slut and didn’t deserve Harry. Seeing Harry accept Ginny’s sexuality so willingly instead of being turned off by it threw her for a loop.
“Ginny Weasley disturbs you because she is a sexual free spirit, doesn’t she Hermione?” Severus inquired.
“I guess that’s one way of putting what she is,” Hermione replied, frowning.
“Did it ever occur to you that Ginny may have become that way because of inner turmoil? That abandoning Harry had a bad effect on her and she used sex as an escape much as you do…though your expression is much different than hers? Seeking comfort in the arms of others and now it is a part of her psyche even though she has Harry back?”
Hermione looked at Severus.
“What are you? Some kind of sex guru?” Hermione asked him.
“Well, I had an opportunity to study a bit of sexual psychology recently,” the wizard admitted. “Fascinating subject really. Especially the female psyche when it comes to intimacy.”
“Dr. Severus,” Hermione snorted. “Knows the answers to everything remotely connected to the female libido.”
Severus frowned at her.
“The fact is, I don’t know everything, which was why I studied the topic. Next I might get a book on repressed, judgmental little witches,” he said testily.
“I am not repressed. I just have my own beliefs about what’s proper,” Hermione replied.
“Just remember, Voldemort had his beliefs too. He believed it was proper for purebloods to rule and muggle-borns to be exterminated. Had that belief been accepted, you would not be here today witch. Don’t be so strait-laced and stubborn. Let other people live their lives in the way that makes them happiest. You’ll be happier too,” Severus said, going back to his ledger.
Hermione spent the next hour sitting in silence as Severus got his books in order. Finally the wizard finished, looked up at Hermione and sighed.
“Have you gotten over Harry’s little witchfest yet?” he asked Hermione, who looked at him.
“I suppose so. I was just shocked and disappointed I think. I thought he would need me more,” the witch admitted.
Severus rose and walked over to where the witch was sitting. He sat down in the other armchair.
“He will always need you, Hermione. You are a part of his life. There are just other parts, other aspects…as there should be. Ginny fits in one part and you in another. Ideally, there should be a balance. She is not competition…just an addition, an enhancement. You have to come to terms with that,” he said.
Hermione studied the wizard.
“Severus…you are so contained, so solitary. How can you understand these aspects of life so well when you don’t participate in them? It seems odd you should have such a grasp of the motivations of others,” she said.
Severus was silent for a moment.
“I am an observer, Hermione. I spent years observing as a teacher, a deatheater and member of the Order. I had to be able to determine the motivations of others, be able to get inside their heads. I am also a head of house, and need to understand motivations to advise my Slytherins. By being emotionally removed from situations and not affected by them personally, I get a clearer picture of what is occurring than those invested in human interactions,” he said, “I have always avoided becoming entangled myself. I stayed alive that way.”
Hermione frowned slightly.
“But now Voldemort is dead. Surely you can open up now that his threat is gone,” the witch said.
“I learned that there is much pain dealing with people, Hermione. Pain, disappointment, distress, discomfort…and the list is endless. People are misery. I can be miserable alone. By staying aloof I am not in that loop of pain. I can live my life freely now that the Dark Lord is gone, and I am doing that. I just choose not to open myself up to more pain,” the wizard said softly. Yet his eyes were hard.
Hermione thought about this. Severus’ life had been one full of pain. He was also unappreciated and overlooked by others he risked his life to protect. He had no one to confide in, no one to go to for comfort. He suffered alone. It made sense he was as cold as he was to others. No one had ever shown him kindness, appreciation…or love.
“Severus…do I bring you pain?” she asked him.
Severus’ black eyes flicked over the witch.
“No. You bring me respite,” he replied, “My association with you has turned out to be quite pleasurable, though I initially had my doubts.”
“What will you do when our association is over?” she asked him. The truth was, Hermione wondered what she would do when he was no longer her patron.
He looked at her.
“I don’t think that far ahead, witch. But since you asked, I imagine I will return to my quiet, celibate life and live off the residuals you’ve brought me,” he said. Then he looked at her. “And what will you do?”
Hermione gave the wizard an appraising look…then her eyes went soft.
“Miss you,” she replied.
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A/N: Just a bit more examination into the relationship between these two. How about Harry eh? Lol. Must have thrown Hermione for quite a loop. Anyway, please review.