Thank you everyone for being so patient with me on getting the next installment out. Please let me know what you guys think.

Time was a curse. Always flowing, never stopping to let one enjoy the here and now a little longer than what was given. At least that was what the wizard thought as he stared down at the sleeping witch by his side.

Her mouth slightly open, dark long lashes kissing her high cheek bones as her hair fanned out around her. Those soft luscious curls that he enjoyed wrapping his fingers in as he held her head close to his own, kissing her passionately as he slowly made love to her through out the night.

Made love.

That thought made him smirk. He never made love to anyone. It was always a hard fast fuck kind of sex. Not the slow, take your time and savor it kind of sex he had done throughout the night with the witch by his side.

They had explored every inch of each other. Their hands running over each others flesh learning every groove and dip. What they like and didn't like and most importantly what set off that fiery passion. And to say that he had his fill from the night before was an understatement.

Here as he gazed down at her, his fingers lightly trailing down the witch's side leaving goosebumps in their wake, stirring the slumbering woman slightly. Severus couldn't get enough of her. These small reactions that she gave to him were food for his soul. It was hard to believe that he did this to her. That it was his touch could cause such a reaction to her being. Nor could he believe that he could make her moan and shake with need as he did throughout the night. But from those tiny reactions what really was disbelieving was the look of hungry anticipation pouring from her warm amber hues.

He was intoxicated with her and dread returning back to Hogwarts the next following day. Again time was a curse that he wish that would just stop for the time being until he had his fill of her. Though who was he lying to? Severus knew deep down he wasn't going to get his fill from her. The feeling in his gut told him so.

He wanted more than months of tumbling in the sheets and that scared the dark wizard more than anything. This feeling was one that was not unknown to him but one that he didn't think he would want again until now. No, he never imagine that he would ever feel this way again.

This witch. This curly headed, know-it-all, sometimes aggravating beautiful witch was doing this to him. And in all truth he didn't know what to think about what was happening. He just knew that he wanted to spend every hour, minute and second of what time they had with each other. Who was to say that what they had was going to last forever.

Perhaps one day Hermione would wake back up to realization and tell him that it was best for them to move on in different directions. And if that was to happen then he would gift this cottage to her. After all he did get this place for them with her in mind. It was like her, simple but elegant in its own way.

Sighing, he closed his eyes. He didn't want to think about what they had would ever come to end. It was a depressing thought to have during this happy heated getaway.

Hermione, watched him through slitted eyes. The feeling of his fingers running over her side was pleasing, making every fiber in her body purr with satisfaction. It was surprising the night before on how gentle those fingers could actually be. Though when the caressing of his long elegant fingers had stopped she had peered up at him. Looking over his features as they changed from pure bliss to confusion to finally sadness.

What was going on through his mind, she wondered. His face had never been this expressive until now. It must surely be that he actually believed her to be asleep. But who could be completely asleep when every nerve of theirs was alert, searching, anticipating for more pleasure to come.

The night before was magical for her. No one had ever made her feel like she was floating in air, everything that he had done, he ended making her feel like she was on cloud nine. That she was the only woman in this world that mattered to him. And perhaps she was.

She had fallen for him, that she knew deep down in her heart it was true. But what she really wanted to know was if he felt the same way? That question would forever be buried deep within her soul. How could she ask him that question? And if she did who was to say that what they had was ended to be a dream. Just a sweet….heated...dream.

She knew she was the youngest female staff member at Hogwarts compared to every other woman who worked there. Sure, there were some that were about five years older than Severus but it didn't mean that he couldn't have started something with them. Age was just a number in the wizarding world after all when their life expectancy was longer than a mere human being. Besides she knew Trelawney had her eyes on her dark wizard for a while now.

She paused, smirking inwardly at what she thought of him. Her dark wizard. That had a nice ring to it.

Hopefully my dark wizard would want to stay with me forever. After all he did get this cottage for us. Our little getaway home. A place to call our own. She said to herself, fighting the giddy smile that tried to emerge on her lips, though that slowly died when the pain filled expression coaxed its way onto Severus' face.

"What's wrong?" She asked, her voice sounding rough from all the passionate moaning screams the night before.

Rising up on one elbow, she reached with her other hand cupping the side of his now ghost of a bearded cheek, startling him out of his thought. The surprised look that now graced his features upon being caught again with such a depressing look was slight to the untrained eye but now noticeable to the witch.

"You look sad, Severus. What has made you look so?"

Hermione kept a keen eye on every detail on his face. She knew that he wouldn't openly tell her what was wrong. He kept his emotions mostly to himself when he knew that it would most likely upset the other person who was asking. That was something he would need to work on around her, and she would work with him on it.

"I'm not sad." He said softly, his eyes averting her gaze.

She ran her hand down to his chin moving his face slightly to make him look at her. "Don't lie. I know something has upset you. So what is going on in that mind of yours to make you depressed?"

"It's nothing. Well nothing that you should concern yourself about, Hermione. It was something ridiculous that I allowed to upset me for a mere second." The wizard said, leaning forward and placing a kiss upon her swollen kissed lips. "Did you sleep well?"

He was trying to move the conversation into a different direction. It was quite obvious to the witch and she wasn't going to allow him to change the subject that easily. Hermione needed to know what had made him so sad even if it was just for a mere second. What kind of thought that he deemed to be ridiculous would do that to him?

Sitting up, the bed sheet sliding down her body, exposing her nude torso to the man. Crossing her arms she scowled at the dark wizard and spoke in what most would call her professor voice. "You are not going to change the subject, Severus Snape. Tell me what has made you upset. We are having a fun filled, romantic weekend vacation and something has upset you on our trip. So what is it?"

"I told you not to concern yourself about it, Hermione. It was a ludicrous thought and I allow myself to get swept up into the emotion."

"But I am concerning myself in it. We are couple, are we not? At least I thought we were."

"We are. But..."

"Don't, but me, Severus Sanpe." She huffed out cutting him from speaking. "Couples talk about what is bothering them so that the other can understand what they are thinking...what they are feeling. I want to know what you are feeling, what troubles you. I just want to know if there is something I can help you with."

He ran his hand through his hair, a heavy sigh fell from his mouth. "Hermione, it's just not that simple. I'm thinking of things that shouldn't be thought of."

"And what are the things that shouldn't be thought of then?" She prodded.

She had the audacity to smile. It had angered him so much that he had stormed out of the room in his naked glory and dumped himself on the chair in front of the now blazing fire. Severus had told her what kind of thoughts that passed through his mind to make his so depressed. He opened up to the witch. Told her that he feared that what they had between them would one day not be there. That what they had was just a fantasy dream until the beauty had awoken from her slumber and realized her folly by leaving the beast behind.

It upset him that she would smile such a smile at him. He was hoping for a more understanding look upon her face. Not the smile and a shake of her head as she tried to muffle her laugh. It wasn't a laughing matter. I should have just kept quiet and kissed her senseless to make her forget that damn infernal question of hers.

"Severus?" Hermione's soft musical voice filled his ears as she came out of the bed room, She walked up to him standing in front of him, her body now wrapped up in the bed sheet. "Severus, I'm sorry. I wasn't laughing at you, I hope you know that. It was what kind of thought you allow to get you all in a tizzy."

He wanted avoid looking at her, to stare at the dancing flames in the hearth. But he couldn't do that. She was in his view, literally standing in the way making him look up at her. Glaring he scoffed, "and that is suppose to make me feel better? I told you what made me feel that way. I opened up to you and you laughed at it. What makes my thoughts so funny that you needed to do that? I thought you out of everyone would be sensible to my feelings."

"I am sensible to your feelings. What made me laugh wasn't your thought alone. It was actually for the shear fact that we are both afraid of the same thing. I have the same fear as you, Severus. That one day what we have between us would only be an illusion and nothing more. My feelings for you run deep and you are not someone I would use as an escape from the sorrow, decrepit feeling that had filled my heart. You have open my once scared heart back up to reality. Made me feel loved again even though I have messed up so much. You showed me that there are people in this world that care for me after everything that has happen in my life. To know that there was someone who understood my pain of losing loved ones that are close to me but still so far away from my grasp."

Hermione smiled down at him, the sheet slipping down her lithe form as she sat down on his lap. "You made me feel once again, Severus and I love you for doing that. And..." She pressed her lips to his, running her tongue along the seam coaxing them apart to deepen the kiss. Their tongues tangled together for what seemed like an eternity before it ended.

"I love you. I love you, you silly moody man." She breathed, grasping his head between her hands. "I know who I want to be with and that is you. This that is between us isn't a dream that we will wake up from. I am yours as you are mine, Severus."

He didn't know what to say. He had silenced the words from him. She admitted that she loved him, that she wasn't going to be going anywhere. She even told him that she was his, like he was hers. And he knew that what she said was true, after all he wanted more to happen between them. And to his realization he loved her as well. The feeling of losing her would be unbearable. He was truly in love with her, not a passing fancy, not some sort of fling that would eventually end one day. This was real and true. But how could he tell her that? The words wouldn't come out of his mouth. They froze on the tip of his tongue. If he wasn't able to tell her, they he would show her.

Grasping her face between his own hands he brought her mouth back to his, kissing her deeply making that low moan of hers emit from deep within her throat. That moan was a drug to his senses. It ensnared every bit of his being, especially when he knew that he was the one who made her moan as such.

Tongues danced around one another, tangoing a fiery dance. His hands running down her until they reached her bottom, grabbing the smooth globes, pulling her lower half back and forth over his harden erection. His cock slid between her slick dripping folds, making the witch moan loud and start grinding faster on him.

The way she moved over him was going to be his end game. He couldn't take it anymore, it would be disastrous if he came before she did. Stopping her before he spewed over her arse, he lifted her, positioned his cock at her entrance and pulled her down in one long deep stroke, filling her quivering quim with his harden length.

Hissing in satisfaction, he broke their kiss and moved his lips down to suck at the juncture of where neck met shoulder. He teased her flesh, nipping it and soothing it with his tongue as he lifted her up and down hard on him a couple of times before she took control over the movements.

"Fuck," he whispered, his head falling back as he savored her tight pussy as it engulfed him over and over again. The movement of her moving up and down was bringing him closer to his climax. Grasping one perfectly round breast in his hand he pinched the pink delicate nipple between thumb and finger rolling the sweet tender numb as his other hand reached between their bodies to rub fast against her clit. This was all it took to make her topple over the edge. And he stilled as she road out her orgasm.

Lifting her up off of him, he laid her down on the rug and placed her legs on his shoulders as he entered her again. His gaze locked on her own, he wanted her to see the look on his face. The look that told her how he felt with out the use of words.

The way that her eyes sparkled told him that she could see it. See what he couldn't say to her out loud. Cupping his face she brought his head down to hers and mumbled "I love you too." before kissing him deeply.

Hips pumped, flesh slapped against flesh. Her words fueled him, made his movements faster than before. Her already sensitive nerves were on edge from her first orgasm, and he could feel that she was close to her second. Moving his member in and out of her a couple of times more, she ended up coming undone underneath him, with him following shortly behind her with his own. His deep moan rumbled deep in his chest as his seed filled her to the brim as he came deep inside of her.

The remaining of their getaway had went by fast but fast in each others arms. They didn't spend very much time looking around the surrounding area, but the wizard and witch didn't mind that one bit. Spending every minute of their time with one another was more important at the given time. Besides they had the summer to do just that.

After their return to Hogwarts, it wasn't a such a secret anymore that Severus and she were an item. Their students tongues wagged crazily when they spotted the potions master walk beside the transfiguration professor. It was nice that she could be open about her relationship with the dour man. But she knew that there were things that she wouldn't do in front of students or in darken alcoves. No, what transpired between them were behind closed doors and away from leering gazes.

Three weeks that had passed since their little getaway had ended and their relationship was known. Being published in the filth the wizarding world deemed as a proper news paper. She was visited by the entire Weasley clan, who at this moment sat in her silent sitting room.

"Would you all care for a cup of tea?" She asked as a tray appeared on the table with a basket of chocolate biscuits accompanying them.

"We would love some, dear." Mrs. Weasley said for all of them with a small smile as her hands fidget with each other.

It was obvious that they were nervous being in her presence, especially when it quite noticeable how the matriarch was acting.

Once the tea was passed out, she sat down in the comforts of her chair and sipped the hot beverage slowly. "It's been a long time since I last seen all of you. What do owe the honor for?" She asked, putting a little of Snape's persona with her question.

"As you can see, we didn't just come for a friendly chit chat, Hermione. Isn't that right dear." Mr. Weasley said with a kind fatherly smile. "I believe my lovely wife has a couple things to say to you. I hope you would hear her out."

The young witch nodded, turning her gaze to the Weasley matriarch.

"I'm sorry. I truly am. I allow my anger to get the best of me. Once I calmed down I sat down with Ronald and asked what had happened. I realized how wrong I was to judge to conclusions and didn't view it from both sides. I stuck up for my child who's feelings were just torn to pieces. But I should have noticed that your feelings were also shredded. I should have not treated you as such."

"But you did." Hermione said softly, setting her cup down on the table. "And it hurt me deeply but I now realized that you are a mother who wants the best for their children. A mama bear who will protect their cub when they are hurt. And that is what I had done to Ron. But it was also what he had done to me and I didn't have a mother to console me, to tell me that everything was going to be okay. I had Minerva that is true but a bond between a mother and child is sacred. So I understand."

"Do you?" Mrs. Weasley breathed, tears filling her eyes. "Could you ever forgive us?"

"Yes, I can forgive you."

The elderly witch rose from her seated position and ran around the table wrapping her arms around the curly head witch's body. Tears streamed freely from her face mingling with those of the young woman who she held tightly to her bosom.

The Weasley clan spent several hours with her. They chatted about the good ol' days talked about what she had missed and what they had missed. She told him about how her and Severus got together and how happy she truly was with them. Even though they didn't see how he was perfect for her, they could tell that she was becoming to be the Hermione they had once knew before the war. And whatever it was that the dour wizard had done, they all knew it was good for her and for him.

Yes, for him as well. They never had seen him act the way he acted when he was around her. There was love shining from his dark orbs. Love that they never had seen in this man's gaze before. The way he would tenderly stroke a loose curl of hers that found it's way loose from her bun, or the kiss that the witch and wizard exchanged between each other, a kiss that they thought the Weasleys couldn't see but could.

There was no dispute that Severus was good for her as Hermione was good for him. And the witch wouldn't have known if Ron didn't stay behind after his family walked down the hall disappearing around the corner.

"Mione?" The red head asked shyly.

"Yeah, Ron." She answered peering at him from the corner of her eye.

"You know, that old dungeon bat..."

"Ronald."

"No, hear me out. No matter what you call him. To me he is still that old dungeon bat that haunted the halls. But before I get side tracked, I wanted to say that you guys are perfect for each other." He raised his hand stopping her from saying anything. "I'm not being sarcastic, you guys truly are. As creepy it is to me, it's very clear that you two are meant for each other. I can see the way he looks at you. And I never seen him look like that to anyone. And I heard my mum and dad whisper between each other while you were saying your goodbyes to him that they never seen him look at anyone like that, not even Harry's mum. Mione, Snape truly loves you, you know."

"I know, Ron."

"You do?"

"Of course I do. He may never had said it, but like you and your parents have noticed he shows it through expression and that is good enough for me."

"Good. But let him know that if he dares to hurt you, that I will come after him. And now since you and my mum are on good terms again, he will have to deal with her. And she can be wickedly scary."

"I'll keep that in mind." She said with a warm smile and gave the red head a hug.

"Also, I want to apologize for the way I treated you. You needed me at a hard point in you life and I kind of abandon you. And now looking back at it, we wouldn't have worked much longer. I'm a prick as Harry likes to remind me over and over again. But, I'm really happy you found someone who truly cares for you. Now I better be going before mum comes after me. See ya, Mione." He waved, turning his back towards her and headed in the direction the rest of his family had gone.

"I'll see you next time. And bring Harry along and we can go into Hogsmeade for a couple of drinks." She said loudly to his receding form.

She watched him vanish around the corner when she turned to walk down to Severus' quarters when she had spotted beady eyes peering out from the shadows at her. It shouldn't have been a surprise to see him standing in the shadows watching her. It had seem to be a routine for him of lately and it was beyond creepy.

Since they had come back, he had been stalking her. Or it seems like it at least. Everywhere she turned he was there. Perhaps it was her imagination or so she thought until now. After all she had spent more time in Severus' chambers than her own when the work day was over. So she never really noticed that she was truly being stalked until this moment in time.

It was times like these that she wished that she was back at their cottage by the sea. She was more at ease there then she was in the castle. There was nothing to worry about and she thought the same when they first returned until recently when she ran into the beady black eyes of the History of Magic Professor's. There was something wrong with that man and the way he gazed at her chilled her to the bone.

She needed to keep her distance from him that was clear. But now looking back since they came back from their mini vacation she really didn't. Even though she thought she did a good job of doing so. Only until he appeared out of nowhere, breathing down her neck or at least try.

Hermione wanted to tell Severus. But what if he ended up hurting that foul man, even how much she wanted her wizard to do so it wouldn't look good on him. And on top of it all, she was a grown witch. It wasn't like she couldn't keep herself out of harms way, after all the brightest witch of her age, a veteran of the great wizard war.

Keeping her pace steady she kept her gaze forward until she heard, "Lost in thought?" In a sneering squeaky voice that came from the shadows of the darken alcove. "Would you like me to take you away from there?"

"What do you want Hackly?" Hermione huffed, as the fat little man came out of the shadows.

"Nothing in particular than what any hot blooded man wants. Just like your ex-beau. "

"Are you saying you want your mummy?"

"Don't be smart with me Granger. You know exactly what I want."

"Well go somewhere where you can get it because you are barking up the wrong tree." She hissed pushing him out of the way only to be stopped by him grabbing her upper arms.

"I don't think I am. You are a whore after all. Young Weasley there can see that as well."

"Fuck off, Hackly."

"I would if you get down on your hands and knees and beg for my cock in your mouth."

"You're really pushing it aren't you? Do you like angering me because you're really pissing me off."

The sound of heels clicked on the stone flooring in the distance where the Weasley's had gone. The sound drawing closer towards them making Hackly squeeze her arm tighter and pulling her closer to him so he can whisper in her ear. "I do like my whores a little feisty. But sadly I won't be able to taste yours as our fun must come to an end. I'll be seeing you around Granger."

Releasing her arm, he moved passed her to greet Minerva who turned around the corner drawing the Headmistress into conversation as Hermione glared at him from afar.

Huffing under her breath, Hermione rubbed her arm where the sickly man's grasp was. She really hated that man with a bloody passion. Something needs to be done about him. But how was she going to do so if everywhere she turned he was there watching her.