Uncharted Forest, Unknown World...
Sweat blasted and out of breath Snape lied beside Hermione on their makeshift bed looking up at the tent's roof. Hermione had done well with preparing for camp it seemed as a sated smile filed across his bearded sallow pale face. The witch beside him stretched beneath the crisp white sheets that covered their exhausted bodies. He had managed to keep control of himself this time and it pleased her a great deal. It was strange to think their union had been possible due to negligence on Lupin's part and a seedy pact Dumbledore made with Hircine.
The amber eyes of the contented witch opened as she turned to face him.
"That was..." she began unsure how to describe their antics.
"Incredible." he finished meeting her gaze. "I never get tired of having you witch."
Hermione giggled a bit as Snape scooted closer toward her.
"I have to admit...using that time-turner device was the most brilliant thing I have ever come up with." she said. "Otherwise...we'd both be suffering with needs unmet."
Snape nodded in agreement.
"One of us would be suffering with needs unmet love." he admitted. "You weren't even privy to the urge before..."
Hermione crushed her soft pink lips into his pale ones before he could finish.
"I am now." she said as he scooped her into his arms and they lied back against the plush pillows that lined the bed.
"I've missed the simple act of just being in bed with you." said Snape in a serious tone. "It's been quite difficult for me to ignore the call of the beast blood...and there is always the constant fear of being overtaken by it."
Hermione stroked his bearded cheek.
"Severus...you're not alone in that plight." she said. "I fear what could happen to you every single day...not to mention what would happen if it were discovered that you were a spy for the Order."
"I don't mean to make you worry." said Snape with a sigh. "It's all still rather new to me truth be told."
"What's new to you?" asked Hermione curious.
"Having someone other than the Malfoy's give a damn wither I live or die." he replied honestly. "Especially, given that someone is a bushy haired insufferable know it all."
"You git." said Hermione in reply as she smacked his arm. "I'll have you know it's taking a good deal of effort not to hex you right now."
"Is it really?" asked Snape with an arched brow.
"Yes." replied Hermione folding her arms against her bare chest.
Snape chuckled at her attempt at pouting.
He wrestled her against the mattress despite feeling exhausted.
His pale lips crushing into her soft pink ones.
"I love you." he said meeting her gaze as his tone turned serious once more.
"I love you too." she said just as serious as she met his gaze.
"When this war is over...I'd like to..." he began stopping short as he knew not how to express what he was feeling at that very moment.
Hermione seemed to know what he was trying to say.
"Severus...I'd like it if you and I could continue our relationship after the war." she said.
"I know that it's a lot to ask...given my status as a werewolf and my apparent age in comparison to yours..." he said only to be silenced with a kiss.
"I just want you to promise me that you'll be safe." she said in a rather serious tone. "No matter what happens...I need to know that you'll comeback to me."
Snape smiled rather sadly at her for a moment.
"I could ask the same of you." he said. "There's no telling what wild goose chase that idiot Potter will have you on next and I can't guarantee that I'll be there to put an end to it."
"I'll be careful." promised Hermione.
"Better still I'd appreciate it if you avoided battle all together." said Snape. "It's one of the reasons I've agreed to this idiotic trek during war time."
"Severus...we each have our parts to play in this war and I am not some wall flower needing to be preserved to make you feel better." said Hermione rather defiantly. "If you can fight in this war so can I."
Snape sighed not wishing to get into a row with the witch, he simply had not thought it wise have her on the front lines.
"Very well witch." he growled meeting her gaze once more. "Prove your Gryffindor valor if you must but know this...should any harm come to you I will not hesitate the slaughter all those responsible...and so help Potter if he is the cause of any suffering on your part."
"Severus..." began Hermione.
Snape climbed out of the bed and made his way out of the tent and into the open night air.
The amber eyed witch sighed.
While she appreciated that Severus had cared for her, she was as much apart of this war as he had been and there was no way she was going to walk away before she saw the end of Voldemort.
Still, she feared what Severus would do should anything terrible befall her during the fighting. He wasn't a wizard that parted with attachment every easily and him being a werewolf only seemed to make that all the more unbearable for him.