Chapter 74: Close Quarters

No floo calls, no emergencies, no extra brewing or parchment grading. No Dumbledore, No Dark Lord. No ragged old witches nagging him to oblivion, no death eaters, no Malfoy parties, No one but Severus Snape, Hermione Granger and of course Austin Embers occupied the wizard's mind at the moment. Severus' obsidian eyes went back n forth between Hermione who had been much to busy consuming her meal to worry about life outside his rooms and Austin who had been delighted to be in such good company.

"Did you really defend Miss Granger and her friends from a werewolf Professor?" asked the boy.

Snape finished chewing his steak and looked up at the boy.

"No." he replied bitterly. "I was trying to kill Potter."

Hermione laughed dropping her fork into her plate in the process.

"Tell him the truth you big git." she said.

"I did." replied Snape. "After being thrown so unceremoniously into an relic that use to be a bed, I resolved to kill Potter myself and both you and Weasley for the disrespect."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh again.

"What else happened?" asked Austin eager to hear more stories about his Professor.

"Well, once when we had a class together, Professor Snape nearly flooded the entire charms room." said Hermione.

Snape narrowed his eyes at the bushy haired witch.

"For the record that was Mr. Prince who nearly flooded the class, I do not bother with foolish wand-waving." he said bitterly.

"It was a pretty straight forward charm." said Hermione. "You were just to lazy to do the wand movements."

"Says the witch who exploded several cauldrons within her first few hours in my class because she was too busy trying to do my job instead of learning how to do it properly." countered Snape.

"I was a first year what did you expect." replied Hermione. "Professor Snape once had pink robes and blond hair."

Snape narrowed his eyes at Hermione.

"Did you know Professor Granger had such a fondness for cat that she turned herself into one during her second year." he said with a smug expression.

Hermione stopped laughing as fire flashed behind her amber eyes.

"The rumors are true about Professor Snape being a bat you know he often transforms into one when no one is looking...it's how he swoops on unsuspecting students." she said.

{You are definitely going to pay for that insult, Miss Granger.} he said in her mind.

{"You started it."} she replied.

{And I will be the one to finish it.} he replied.

"You guys seem to have a lot of fun together." said Austin observing them. "It's nice to see you both smile."

Snape and Hermione both looked at the boy with arched eyebrows. Snape had no idea that he had actually been smiling. Hermione thought it was cute that even the boy could point out the obvious.

"I-I know that what they are saying in The Daily Prophet isn't true by the way...I always thought you two liked each other because you were classmates." said Austin. "I'm not okay with them saying that I was your son just to hurt Professor Granger, but if I did have parents I would want them to be like the two of you."

Hermione looked at Snape who rolled his eyes sensing how overly Gryffindor she was about to become.

"Well you don't have to wonder about what if." she said hugging the little Slytherin. "I'm sure Professor Snape is delighted to have you in his life...I know I am."

Snape narrowed his eyes at the bushy haired witch.

Austin turned his attention to his Professor. Snape sighed with his obsidian eyes meeting those of the boy he had guardianship rights over.

"You are tolerable Mr. Embers." he said.

Both Austin and Hermione smiled knowing that was as close to an admission of affection as Snape was going to get in this case.

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Later...

Snape's Bedroom, Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts...

Austin had retired to his bed leaving the professors alone to finish cleaning up after dinner. Snape lurked in the shadows of the bedroom. Hermione stepped inside and found herself swooped upon by the Potions Professor.

"I frequently turn into a bat do I?" asked Snape wrapping Hermione in his arms.

The bushy haired witch couldn't fight the fit of giggles that overtook her.

She mock struggled in his arms as he carried her down to the bed.

"So I swoop down upon unsuspecting students do I?" he asked in a smug tone.

Hermione continued to giggle as the dour wizard "swooped down upon her" and captured her lips in a heated kiss. A kiss she returned with just as much heat as she pulled him closer.

"You know I'm beginning to see the benefits of your swooping technique."

"Really?" asked Snape with a smug grin. "This has occurred to you just now?"

"Shut up and kiss me git." said Hermione having her fill of his smugness.

"You forgot Slytherin." he said before capturing her lips once more.

Much Later...

Snape and Hermione had been trying to catch their collective breaths as they lay side by side in his large black four poster bed. The bushy haired witch rested her head against his pale chest letting the sound of his heartbeat lull her to sleep. Snape shifted needing to put at least one arm around the witch despite the heat they were both feeling from the pitfalls of their activity.

After several minutes of absolute quiet Hermione felt the need to break the silence.

"Severus?" she said.

"Yes witch." he replied with the effects of sleep lingering.

"You do know that at some point we are going to have to talk to my parents." she said.

"Yes I know." replied Snape. "I am just not particularly looking forward to being assaulted by your father when the time does come."

Hermione sighed.

"Please no hexes." she replied. "My father is a Muggle after all and your an accomplished duelist."

"I wouldn't dream of it." replied Snape kissing Hermione on the top of her bushy head.

"You wouldn't be a very good boyfriend if you did." she said.

"Boyfriend?" he asked.

"That's right." replied Hermione looking up at him as she said it again for enphasis. "My Boyfriend."

"I am hardly a boy Miss Granger." he said.

The Charms Mistress smirked.

"You're not that much older than me." she replied. "And lately I can't seem to tell the difference between you and a randy six year."

Snape smirked at this.

"That's because I have to be to keep up with such a randy young witch in my bed." he replied.

"Oh please you're the one that pounces on me any chance you get." said Hermione.

"Serves you right for wearing those robes." Snape countered.

"There normal teaching robes git." replied Hermione. "And you always seem to be in a hurry to take them off me."

"Exactly." replied Snape. "I much prefer you in nothing at all."

"Randy six year." said Hermione.

"Says the woman who frequently attacks me in the niche on patrols." countered Snape once more.

"It's been three weeks what else was there for me to do tie you to a bed post?" asked Hermione.

Snape chuckled.

"Now there's an idea." he said. "Only we'd have to substitute myself for you."

"You are not tying me up." replied Hermione.

"Don't knock it until you try it." said Snape. "I've been told it's rather stimulating."

Hermione grabbed a nearby pillow and slugged him across the face with it.

Snape glared at her for a moment.

"Not funny Granger." he said in a dangerous tone.

"On the contrary I think it's hilarious." said Hermione laughing at the way his lank raven hair fell messily to the side of his face.

With a low growl Snape flipped her over on her back and pinned her wrists above her head.

"Suddenly sleep seems like a good idea." said Hermione with a small smile.

Snape shook his head.

"Now why would I sleep when I got my second wind?" he asked capturing the struggling witch in a heated kiss. "You seem to be caught in a rather curious position Professor Granger...perhaps I can be of some assistance."

"Git." said Hermione as he kissed her once more.

"Forgetting something my Insufferable Know-it-all?" asked Snape as he looked down on the young witch with an arched eyebrow.

"Slytherin git." she corrected.

"Indeed." replied Snape with a mischievous gleam in his eye.

He found himself lost in kissing the bushy haired Charms Mistress. When he let lose the grip on her wrists, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer to her. Apparently she was enjoying his second wind and resolved to spend the rest of the night doing just that.