Characters are property of J.K Rowling and the Harry Potter Universe. Thankfully, she allows me to borrow them for a bit of fun.

A Lesson in Propriety

A six-part drabble series

She had managed to corner him again, this time on the secluded rampart of the astronomy tower.

Her hand trailed up his arm, finally coming to rest on his chest, and his entire body tensed, like a spring wound too tight.

"I'm not a nice person," he said. It was a flimsy excuse.

"There's no rule saying nice people have to fall in love with other nice people, Severus," she said, undeterred. Her free hand found his at his side, fingers tracing idle patterns in his palm. "For what it's worth, I don't think you're as dreadful as you claim."

Of their own resolve, his fingers coiled around hers. Hermione was an anomaly in his otherwise consistent existence. It wasn't that she was more alluring or intelligent or more thoughtful than anyone else, but rather an intoxicating blend of all the things that called directly to him.

"People would call this improper..." He let the words hang between them.

"Two consenting adults is hardly improper." She shifted her weight, lessening the space between them. It was hard to ignore the warmth she radiated. "And since when do you care of the opinions of others?"

"I have a reputation to uphold."

She scoffed, her eyes suddenly taking on an unexpected licentious glint, and let her hands snake through the layers of his teaching robes before they finally found purchase at his waistband. "What do you suppose people would have to say about this?"

"Highly improper, I would guess."

She leaned closer, standing on the tips of her toes to reach his ear, and exhaled in such a manner that provoked the fine hairs on his neck to stand erect. She had a controlled way of making it terribly easy for him to want her, even when he knew he ought not.

"Would the sight of the Hogwarts Headmaster snogging a member of his staff be too scandalous for the virtuous masses to handle?" she breathed.

"Definitely not within their standards of propriety," he agreed, feeling his good sense and restraint slowly slipping away like sand through a sieve.

Her teeth nipped at the sensitive skin behind his ear, and she paused, allowing the tension to mount. "Shall we condition them to it then?"

He was well and thoroughly gone after that. She dipped her head to make good on her suggestion in the same instant he moved to bridge the gap.

Before either of them had the chance to stop the inevitable her mouth suddenly mashed hard against the bone of his cheek, just under his eye. He missed his intended mark altogether, finding nothing but the empty space where her lips should have been.

She went rigid, stock-still in his arms, and buried her face in her hands. It took considerable effort for him not to laugh aloud. Wincing, Severus wiped the wetness away in a ruse to conceal his emerging smirk. "New at this, are you?"

"I pictured that happening much differently in my head," she whispered, sounding horrorstruck.

She was staring at the trail of buttons running down his torso, actively refusing to look at him. "God, I practically licked your face."

"There's always next time to redeem yourself," he deadpanned. Then, after a calculated pause, "If the offer still stands, that is. Just try not black my other eye."

As she drew back and their eyes locked, and he finally looked at her, seeing the embarrassed flush give way to a satisfied look of triumph, he knew:

She was either going to be the death of him or the one to finally bring him back to life.

Author's Notes: This is one of those rare moments when I get the urge to play nice with JK's toys. This was written in a hurry for the Granger/Snape community over on LJ. As always, reviews are welcomed and greatly appreciated.