Nightfall had been welcome at 12 Grimmauld Place. The heat of the summer sun was no longer baring down on the Order's inhabitants as they all made their way toward their respective room. Cooling charms and fans galore as they did. Snape had come in late as usual but thankfully unhurt after his meeting with the dark lord. He reported to Albus Dumbledore straightaway and made his way toward the kitchen. He had his fill of the supper he missed while attending the meeting then climbed the stairs to find Hermione Granger waiting. She had smiled at him rather sweetly and he returned her smile with a rare one of his own.
"I've missed you." she said innocently.
Snape smiled and escorted her into his bedroom and not only locked but warded his door not taking anymore chances after the incident with Sirius. She made her way over toward his bed as if it had been the most natural place in the world to be. She offered up a warm smile and motioned for Severus to join her. He made his way over losing the frock coat and white long sleeve shirt along the way. Hermione took in the sight of him as she had so many times in her fantasies at Gryffindor tower.
That last time in Snape's quarters had been what had finally broken her. She wanted nothing more than to feel the dour wizard's newly sculpted form against her in an intimate fashion. His rugged appeal had not been lost on her.
"Finally." she said as he climbed into bed wearing only his worn black trousers.
"Good things come to those who wait." he said in his usual deep baritone drawl that always threatened to turn her legs into jelly.
She closed her eyes feeling his slow and precise kisses upon her neck. She couldn't be bothered to keep her hands from wandering all over his body in the process. The pale smooth flesh was a bit cold to the touch but she noted he had been sweating beneath all that attire and he had an earthy musk scent combined with herbs and firewhiskey.
"Severus." she said running her finger through his wild hair once more.
The feel of his newly grown facial hair had not put her off in the least, if anything it seemed to add to his appeal. The bushy haired witch smiled as he leaned her back against the soft pillows. To say she had been nervous was quite an understatement. Her stomach fluttered as if it had butterflies in it and Snape seemed to notice.
"Butterflies Miss Granger?" he asked.
"Maybe." she replied not wishing to divulge all her secrets.
"To tell you the truth you are not the only one who is feeling a case of nerves." he admitted. "I'm afraid it's been quite a while since I had made love to a beautiful witch such as yourself..not doubt the wolfish side of me sees no difference...but I do not wish to be a disappointment."
Hermione stroked the cheek of her soon to be lover.
"You could never disappoint me Severus." she said quietly. "Here I was believing my lack of experience would disappoint you."
Snape sighed.
"Never." he said with heat behind his obsidian eyes.
They shared another passionate kiss and Snape maneuvered so that he towered above the young witch. He positioned himself between her slender legs and continued to kiss her with just as much passion as she showed when she kissed him.
"I have awaited this day for what seemed like an eternity." he said as he continued to kiss her neck.
The young witch began to moan beneath him. It had been like sweet music to both the wolf and Snape as he continued to drive the poor girl wild with his slow teasing. Truthfully, he had not been sure he wanted to take her this way, with all the others so close to them in Sirius Black's house no less.
"Severus please." pleaded the young bushy haired witch possibly not even sure she knew what she was asking of him.
The more Snape thought about it the more he had not liked the idea of sharing such an intimate and personal moment with his witch in Sirius Black's house of all places. Hermione was a virgin and as such she did deserve some kind of noble notion no matter how annoyed she or the wolf inside him might be.
Feeling his resolve strengthen he pulled back from the willing young witch. Hermione looked at him confused as to why he suddenly seemed to change his mind.
"Have I done something wrong?" she asked.
"No." replied Snape. "I'm afraid I am the one who has done something wrong."
Fearing he was going to back out of their relationship due to her apparent age Hermione sat up and went on the defensive.
"I told you what happened with the time-turner and you know that I am much older than I appear." she said. "You don't have to worry what anyone let alone Sirius Black things of our relationship."
Snape snorted in annoyance.
"I don't give a rat's ass what Black thinks about our relationship." he said.
Hermione smiled hearing him confirm that they had indeed been in a relationship gave her relief.
"Then why did you...?" she stared.
Snape took her smaller more delicate hand in his one large pale grasp and brought it to his equally pale lips. He kissed her softly and tentatively.
"I simply did not wish to have your first sexual experience be within Black's house." he said. "I never got the chance to do as much for the young woman with whom I had been with in the past and for that I realized that I was quite insensitive for it, I did not want to make the same mistake with you."
Hermione didn't know what to say.
Snape softly kissed her on the lips.
"I will do everything that is within my power to make your first time...memorable but for all the right reasons." he said. "No wolf is going to control that no matter how much I want...need you."
"You're very sweet Severus." she said. "Most boys around my age would have just been happy to shag me in some broom closet."
"I do not "shag" as you put it Hermione." he said in a low growl. "When we do come together in a physical sense...it will because I want to make love to you not because I aim to satisfy raging hormones."
Hermione giggled some at his description of nearly every boy at Hogwarts passed 3rd year.
"If you don't mind my asking.." she began.
Snape leaned back on his respective side of the bed and continued to caress the young witch who leaned against his chest.
"Who was the young witch you shared your first experience with?" she finished.
Snape closed his eyes and sighed. He wondered when that question would come up, he seemed pleased that it had been sooner rather than later. He decided to be honest with her and yet not volunteer any information in the process.
"She was an old friend." he replied. "One that simply used me for the purpose of sexual knowledge and then discarded me when I was no longer of any use."
Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"How many witches have you slept with?" she asked.
Snape chuckled. Another question that begged for an honest answer but no volunteering of information.
"Quite a few." replied The Potions Master evenly.
"How much is quite a few?" asked Hermione not at all liking the sound of this.
"Enough to know the difference between hormone induced courtship and love." replied Snape smoothly.
Hermione shook her head.
"Silver tongue serpent." she said.
Snape simply shrugged.
"Well I am a Slytherin, Insufferable know-it-all." he replied.
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and promptly smacked him with one of his own bed pillows. Snape shook off the blow and grabbed a pillow of his own. He let her have a taste of her own medicine and before they knew it they were locked in a fierce pillow fight. When it finally ended in a draw, Snape was out of breath with feathers in his wild hair. Hermione had been red from a fit of giggles at the sight of him and equally breathless.
"Think that's funny do you?" he asked wrestling her onto the bed.
The witch continued to giggle as he covered her with mis-launched boyish kisses.
After a few more rounds of serious conversation the two of them drifted off into a peaceful sleep. Hermione had been contented wrapped in Snape's arms and he had been equally contented to keep her there. All was quiet in the house of Black, at least for the time being. They had only a few more days before summer would end and they would have to return to Hogwarts, return to the endless fighting of the war and their respective worlds that had been light years apart. For there was talk of corruption within The Ministry of Magic and that Minister Fudge was seeking any way he could into Hogwarts for fear of Dumbledore.