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Severus gazed shocked at the gaping door for a couple of painful moments. His hand touched his burning cheek and his heart raced. Even though her attitude warned him to stay away, he was not going to let her stop him. He dashed into the corridor after her in long decisive strides.

She was just a few feet away from him, struggling to pass through the groups of students that have formed. He painted a formidable frown on his brow and rushed through them with a momentum that made everyone step back. He created a pathway to her simply by the urgency that sipped out of his skin. The only thing on his mind was to find a way to stop her. To tell her how he felt again and this time make her believe it. She had to believe him 'Hermione STOP!' His deep voice bounced on the walls and made everyone freeze with it's gravity including her.

She remained still with her hand lingering above the railing of the staircase. Her cascading curls were shaking with the movement of her shoulders as she was trying to catch her breath.

He came up behind her, but stopped a second before his heavy hand fell on her shoulder. 'I told you the truth. What do I have to do to convince you, please tell me,' he whispered and felt lost.

'Your words are hardly enough anymore,' her voice was hoarse, uneven.

He swallowed heavily and gazed at his shoes for a few moments. Words were not enough anymore, were they? He could do more than words, he could show her that he was speaking the truth. He had a way. He retrieved his wand and called out his Patronus, loud enough to be heard by her, and all the students that were gawking at them. A blinding ray of misty light exploded from the tip of his long wand and his Mongoose formed perfectly above her. Hermione looked up and he heard her sharp inhalation. The Mongoose landed on the floor and sniffed around her shanks. Hermione took a step back only to be stopped by his body. When her back touched his chest she stiffened, but didn't make an attempt to get away from him this time. Her breath hitched and he felt her shoulders jerking.

'What is this?' she muttered, confusion pouring out of her.

'A mongoose,' he couldn't stop the small smile that formed on his lips. The Mongoose was circling Hermione, kept there by his command even though it was not really needed. He wanted her to feast on it, to understand. His eyes left the little bright magical creature and fell on the crook of her exposed neck. The need to bury his head there was so strong that he cringed. The master of propriety, the everlasting buttoned up gentleman, the prudent Professor Snape, didn't care that he was ready to ravage a younger Professor in front of a dozen, if not more, underaged students. He didn't care about anything else, but the woman in front of him.

She shook her head 'That's your Patronus?'

'Yes' he replied calmly. His long fingers reached out to take hold, but lingered with uncertainty.

'Where is the Doe?' she turned around demandingly, her eyes fiery, her mouth half open, her cheeks still streaming with tears.

He withdrew his hand respectfully. 'Back to it's original owner,' he swallowed a dry throat, feeling more anxious than he had been in years. Her spearing eyes unnerved him.

'I don't understand,' her words were barely audible.

His hand came up and cupped the crook of her beautiful neck and he was unwilling to stop it this time. His other hand cleared some stray hair at the side of her temple and she didn't make an attempt to get away from him. She was frozen in place, her body unresponsive except from her eyes. They were questioning and unsure, but desiring an answer from him. An explanation about the Patronus.

He took in another small step and then her body was flushed against his. His finger caressed the underside of her jawline and he felt her heart beat drumming in the palm of his hand. What she didn't know was that his heart was matching hers in speed and intensity. He tried to keep his voice equanimous even though his head was spinning and the world around her was whirling out of focus 'The Doe returned to Lily. A Patronus can change only through a great shock. When Lily died I changed my original Patronus to hers so I could never forsaken what I did to her and her family. I wanted them to haunt me forever and feed my guilt till the end of my days,' he whispered and leaned in her slowly.

'What are you telling me Severus?' She muttered, but when his wide palm pressed the base of her neck, her stomach bubbled up. Without wanting to resist him anymore, she saw the Mongoose sniffing around her legs, convincing her of the reality of his words and her body instantly opened up to him. Just like that. So easily. Like not one day had passed since they separated.

'When I almost passed away in front of the gates, my Patronus underwent another change. If I still loved Lily it would have remained a Doe, but it didn't. It returned back to my original Patronus, the silly little Mongoose. You know why Hermione?' His head dove down close to hers and their lips touched.

'Why?' Her breath hitched.

His warm lips caressed hers until her spine curled inwards. He captured her bottom lip with his mouth and kept it there for a few seconds. She felt his breath strained and yearned for him to answer, but he didn't. He kept her lower lip trapped between his teeth, in a small desperate attempt to hold her there.

Her hand touched his forearm in a gentle reassuring gesture 'Tell me,' she whispered and pulled away from him just barely. Just enough to speak. More tears streamed down her crimson cheeks. She needed to hear him again, she wanted to believe on his Mongoose. She wanted to be sure the Doe was gone once and for all. That their mutual infidelities were finished forever. That he had ended Lily like she had ended Mark. That he was free to be hers and that he loved her as he boldly proclaimed before. That this complicated relationship that started as mutual attraction, had some future in it.

'Because of you,' he frowned and his hand cupped her cheek gently.

'Severus?' she felt her kneecaps unlocking, but he kept her up and drew her in.

'Because I love you,' he whispered breathlessly and the ball of his finger touched the small ridges on her lips and traced them softly.

'Do you mean that you are ready to give up everything for me?' She frowned slightly.

His lips played with a loving smile 'More than everything. I will give up anything for you, my beautiful witch.'

Her frown deepened 'And I suppose that now I am expected to melt into your arms, ready to follow you wherever you lead me?' For the first time her lips broke into a faded smile under his fingertip.

He shook her head 'I expect you to lash out to me again and strike my other cheek. Getting slapped by you is becoming some sort of a trend,' his lips kissed the side of her mouth.

A small humph came from her, but she didn't draw back. She half closed her eyes and her mouth opened 'Do I dare believe you?' Her frown deepened and with it her fingers clutched his arm demandingly.

'You should,' he lingered and kissed the other side of her mouth. Her goosebumps moved at the side of her body that he was paying attention.

'What are you doing?' she asked breathless when his finger caressed under her earlobe with a gentleness that tightened up her knuckles.

'I want to kiss you, do you have a problem with that?' he replied with captivating sensuality.

A small fearful smile broke at the side of her mouth and melted onto his lips 'They can see us. Everyone can see us,' she whispered.

'I know,' he smiled.

'Don't you mind?' Her fingers traced up his arm, past his shoulder and touched his nape timidly at first.

'No,' he exhaled.

'Severus?' Her frown deepened and taking heart from his positive responses she entwined her fingers on the back of his head, relishing on the feel of his soft hair.

'Mmmm,' he murmured and a pair of hard teeth captured her bottom lip making her inhale sharply.

'Are you mine?' She whispered and her fingers tightened painfully on his hair.

He smiled 'Yes.'

She drowned a whimper of protest.

'Shh,' Severus hushed her before moving his finger under her earlobe and pressing his hand against her cheek. Giving her enough time to support and push herself up to him. His lips fell firm against hers, but the kiss was soft, gentle and slow. Reminding her of how it felt like exploring him after all these months of dryness. He held her in that gentleness for a few seconds before their lips moved cautiously. Hermione exhaled through her nose, not wanting to let go of this dream. Was he really here kissing her? Her entire body had been taken over by an overwhelming relief that washed away her previous anger. His hand moved to the back of her head, securing her there. His fingers tangled through long curls and his mouth relished on the fullness of her lips. He exhaled roughly through his nose, in a mixture of relief and need, and squeezed his eyes shut tightly. His lips pressed hard on hers and deepened the kiss with a passionate demand that was hard to resist.

'I love you please believe me,' he whispered as their breaths battled.

'I want to believe you,' she murmured.

As his mouth demanded entrance into hers with bruising passion she felt her body lingering in heavenly bliss. Her knees got weak and she felt sick in a delicious way. Lightheaded she swayed onto his body and held onto him, wordlessly beginning him to stay with her forever. His kisses alternated from fast to slow, from needful and bruising to gentle and caring, not allowing her a second of breath, as if her exhalations were the very air he needed in order to live.

The students broke out into a hearty applause the moment they kissed, but she and him heard nothing more than their synchronised breaths and their drumming hearts. This was not simply a kiss. This was a kiss of reconciliation, of deep raw passion, of regret, of pain, of promises of more things to come and she felt it running down her back and spreading warmth all over her body. Warmth that gathered in heated waves at the pit of her stomach. And he kissed her endlessly until the world whirled in and out of focus, and she enjoyed each and every second of his loving attention, feeling starved for it.

After several minutes he pulled back and offered her time to breathe even though she didn't want it. 'Penny for your thoughts?' he asked smugly when he saw her flushed cheeks and her half open red lips.

'Why did you cut your hair so short?' she smiled and pecked the side of his mouth.

He gave her a small sad smile 'I wanted to shed my old hateful shelf once and for all by taking small steps. Why did you lose so much weight?'

'I had no one to cook for me,' she smiled widely and he laughed.

She rejoiced at his happiness, at the fact that he was in her arms, but the blazing heat that was pooling at the pit of her stomach attested that his fiery kisses ignited a need that lingered. That wanted more from him. Shifting sideways she looked at him, her eyes glistening under the candle lit corridors. She knew what was coming and shyly smiled at him. His hand left the back of her head and caressed her cheek again drawing her in. Suddenly she saw his eyes revealing more than any words could express. Her heart fluttered as he drew her in for another kiss that shifted the world under her feet in an almost magical way. Her lips parted and their breaths mingled again briefly, before she pulled away from him. He offered her a small protest, but she didn't hesitate. She turned towards the gathered students 'Show is over! Everyone back to your dormitories!' Her strong commanding tone send every single student scattering down the hallways, away from them.

He got ready to compliment her, but her hand grasped his and pulled him towards the Potions Classroom. She closed and warded the door behind him, queuing him on what to do next. He didn't disappoint. He fell on her like a pouncing tiger fell on it's prey and she relished his superior physical strength as he pushed her up against the door which rattled under the strain. Her legs wrapped around his hips and his head dipped down her throat, leaving hot trails of wet kisses that spread down her spine and onto the centre of her very being. The gutty moan that escaped her, made him groan with an unexpected loss of control she had been starving to see from him all this time. Her body shuddered in response and tears filled her eyes.

He picked her away from the door with an ease that surprised her and brought her over to her teaching desk that was full of student potions. His arms swept across the table and send all the unbreakable bottles to the floor. Then he placed her on the table and took firm hold of her hips as he rocked against her needfully, eliciting a happy exhalation from her.

Yes, Yes, that's what I've been wanting to see from you all this time!…her mind rejoiced at his undisguised lustful urge and got ready to give him everything he wanted and more. Not even caring that half an hour ago she was mad as hell at him. Her lips locked up to his softly even though he was spiralling out of control quickly. Her eyes closed fearlessly, feeling thick waves of love shearing through her. Her hand cupped the tense contours of his face as he dipped down her neck and ravaged her with his wet tongue and hard teeth. Nippling her prickly skin till her nipples became taut and dark. This felt too good to be true.

His hand pulled hers above her head and pinned them on the table with a firm gentleness that made her open up her legs wide for him. She wanted to slide her hands up his chest and encircle his neck, but he didn't allow her. His face got buried between her breasts and his teeth pulled away the soft material of her robes and shirt. She closed her eyes and threw her head back and his body rocked up on her, making her most intimate place come ablaze. He knew exactly what to do to elicit a response and she loved him for that. For much more than that. His free hand assisted his teeth and soon the cold air of the room caressed her tight and full breasts. His eyes lingered on them appreciatively for a second and then his tongue came out and lapped them generously.

Hermione squeaked and arched up to his touch, her hands twisting under his tight hold, trying to get free 'Severus please,' her exhalation was punctuated with a hard moan when his teeth closed around her hard nipple gently, sending her to heaven.

He smiled on her nipple and electricity shot down her core 'I've been waiting for this so long,' he murmured and moved up to her neck, offering a small nibble to every available patch of skin he could get a hold off.

She nodded her agreement 'Me too, don't stop.'

'I don't intend to,' his promise made her bite her lower lip and then his lips crushed upon hers demanding entrance. His kiss was heavy, almost animalistic and her hips rocked against his hardness in response. The relief he offered even though temporary and in need of quick repetition felt blissful on her lower region.

'Too many clothing between us,' she whispered and her breath hitched when he pulled back from her quickly and tore her shirt open to the waist. Buttons came flying off and bounced on the cold stone floor.

Her body prickled by the loss of his warmth and by the delicious pressure his hardness was offering on her aching core. Her now free hands went up to his coat and battled his in a desperate race to strip him down completely. They barely managed a good job, before his hand lifted up her layers of fabric, greedily searching to come in contact with her warm skin. She assisted him clumsily, groaning almost in frustration, but when she felt his calloused palm landing on her bare thigh she groaned in satisfaction and pulled him down to her.

His body pushed her up against the table and his lips landed on hers again, moving in perfect sync, generating more passion from her with each passing second. His fingers traced up her underwear and assisted her off of them, and his mouth lapped down her neck greedily until he paused just under her chin, panting uncontrollably. She inhaled sharply when she felt his long fingers running into her shamelessly. He spread her warm wetness around and his thumb found her clit and stroked it a couple of times making her gasp hard. Her fingers clutched him for life and her chest welled.

'I have to have you now,' his voice was broken, almost pleading but full of such dark tension that her stomach exploded with need.

'Yes, please,' she whispered not caring that she sounded equally needful. Her fingers fumbled down to his groin, trying to release him, but he was quicker and much more efficient. With a couple of twists of his hand his trousers fell down to his ankles and his underwear followed. His hips got buried between the ample layers of her fabrics and he kissed her chin lovingly 'I love you,' he whispered and then he eased himself into her gently, wanting to relish every single inch of her warmth.

Her eyes overflowed with tears and her hand grabbed firm hold of his hair pulling him up 'I love you too,' she exhaled and then his mouth landed on hers once more, insatiable almost ravenous for her gutty vocal responses as he began moving inside, spreading her apart.

Her hand flowed onto his open skin, drawing him close to her, hungrily. She felt his need, so intimate and loveable. It was the first time she was seeing him lose control over his actions in sex. He had abandoned himself on the moment as she had and it was ultimate pleasure to see his face distorted and his eyes shut tight as he ground on to her steadily. Their lips parted and clasped onto one another again and again as he pushed inside her and she lifted her hips to meet his deep thrusts. The heat flowed through her body, up her chest and down her extremities and she didn't know were reason ended and fantasy began.

'Do you believe me now?' he whispered breathless and her eyes opened up to see him staring down at her. His eyes were dilated from lust, his mouth half open. Some longer strands of black sleek hair covered his sweaty brow and his breath was laboured as he rocked above her. The honest abandonment of his eyes melted her heart.

'I do,' she murmured and sobbed. Wanting to beg him to hold her tight so she could empty her emotions on him, and to also rock her to heaven until she came apart under him. In the end she did neither. She simply offered her body to his loving touch. Her legs opened up wide and her toes curled inwards in expectation as her core wound up quickly. Her head fell back to the rough wooden surface and she closed her eyes tight. Her mind slipped back when she was a student under him.

Yes, under him… her mind drooled and she gasped as he picked up speed 'More, please,' she begged.

She remembered him standing next to his teaching desk, cold, derisive, dark as the blackest, starless night, staring into her very soul with those lofty frozen eyes. Scaring her into silence. Standing next to same table that she was spread open on with him buried between her thighs rocking her steadily to heaven. She hissed under those dirty little thoughts and her nails dug deep into the skin of his shoulder blade urging him to go faster before her mouth opened up to voice her need. He obliged and her thighs tightened around him and trembled. He hissed when he felt her twitching around him and bit on her neck. His hands strong and decisive pulled her legs apart in order to achieve better penetration and she melted into the earth.

'Don't ever leave me again,' she cried and felt tilting at the edge of a precipice. Her eyes streamed with tears and her open mouth tasted them salty and bittersweet. Her hand unclothed his back and cupped his cheek. She forced her eyes open and bore them onto him. Wanting to confirm that it was him making love to her. Him spiralling her body out of control quickly. The man she loved so deeply. Wanting to make sure that this man would never leave her again.

'Never my love,' he frowned and she saw his eyes watering too. She was unable to believe that this cold hearted man was able to cry tears of promise in the arms of the woman he was making love to. Her heart embraced every inch of his and she felt one with him. The words that left her mouth were not thought off properly, but she didn't care. She pulled him down to her and whispered into his ear 'Marry me.'

The answer was quick and spontaneous 'Yes, my heart, yes!' he gasped and his thrusting intensified. His words and his rocking send a white bolt of pleasure exploding inside her core and she fell off the edge with a cry of pleasure that resounded into the classroom. Her extremities wrapped around him tightly as her body jerked and twitched with her release and he abandoned himself, thankful that he lasted long enough to please her. His pleasure slammed on him hard and fast and he buried his head on the crook of her neck, muffling his guttural groans of pleasure into her warm and prickly skin.

They didn't stop grinding against each other for several minutes and after that it took them many more to calm down their breaths. He didn't pull out from inside her and she didn't push him out either. He remained there placid and satiated as she caressed his sweaty hair away from his forehead. His fingers were drawing circles around her hips.

'You really came back to rock my world, didn't you?' she whispered close to his ear.

He pulled back and looked at her. Tired and sweaty but so peaceful. His smile brightened up his whole face. 'It was you that rocked my world and I thank you deeply for doing so.'

She laughed softly. 'I did, didn't I? I never meant to, but I was just,' she lingered and searched for words.

'You were you. Brilliant Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age. You blew my darkness to kingdom come and now look where all this landed you,' he frowned.

'Right into your arms. Right where I always wanted to be,' she replied tenderly.

'Always?' he whispered.

She nodded 'Yes.'

He kissed the side of her mouth gently 'Me too,' he admitted.

'Really? I thought it took more to bring you down. Like almost a whole year,' she bit her lower lip playfully.

He frowned 'I was yours since the beginning, you were just too blind to see.'

'I was in between two worlds Severus, please don't blame me. It was very hard to balance through everything that has happened,' her eyes became immensely sad.

'I know, that's why I never showed you more than you could handle. I was trying to look after what was best for you,' he said quietly.

'And you thought you were not in my best interest?' Her brow creased.

'I wasn't, I still am not sure I am,' he stopped feeling uncertain.

She felt her heart tightening with something familiarly painful. 'You promised to never leave me again.' Her voice took on a warning shade.

'I won't leave you, but that won't automatically make things easy for us,' his thumb caressed her cheekbone tenderly.

Her body unwound 'I know, but we need to try. We cannot let this go to waste. Severus, I want you in my life and I am in for the full package,' she cupped his nape reassuringly.

'Me too my beautiful witch,' he smiled at her and his finger traced her nose up to her sweaty forehead. He cleaned some locks away from it 'Even though I am slightly apprehensive about sharing my life with anyone.'

She blushed vividly. 'You will need some help and that gives me a purpose! Lovely!' she exclaimed and brushed her lips against the warm skin of his scarred neck.

He shuddered visibly. 'Understand that this is all new to me Hermione. I've never committed myself to another person so intimately as I want to do with you. There wasn't a woman that wanted me to try more than you,' he said and his eyes were so openly honest that she was deeply touched.

Her fingers tightened around his cheek 'Did you realise what you told me when we were making love, or was your affirmative answer a consequence of losing your mind over me?'

He bit his lower lip 'Your orgasmic overload will always reduce me to a stuttering fool, but I assure you that I know very well what I answered and the gravity of it. Although now that I came down from the roller coaster, I am thinking about it a little more seriously,' he teased.

'You are not serious!' she growled at him, but her smile was firm in place.

His grave eyes passed above every inch of her face, taking in it with leisure. He wanted to believe that she was there, in his arms, his future wife. That he had an opportunity to make up for his lost and forgotten days. That he was free of his dark past, at least partly. 'Never! You are mine!' He gritted his teeth and pressed his lips on her firmly.

'And you are mine!' she rejoined and her lips opened up when his tongue demanded entrance. Their kiss was slow, explorative and gentle to the point of tears. His hands tightened around her waist and their breaths became entangled. She reciprocated his touch and run her nails down his side making him groan into her mouth. She felt him becoming fuller inside her once more and mewled with pleasure.

'Severus, please tell me something,' she asked carefully when after several minutes he finally pulled back and rested his forehead on her cheek.

'Anything,' he whispered.

She hesitated but the need to know the truth prevailed. The beating of Mark and Severus's reappearance felt too deliberate and too closely timed to be coincidental. 'The papers had an article today about my ex-fiancee. Apparently he got a rather nasty beating near his parent's home yesterday. He is hospitalised in the ER unit of St. Mungo with serious damage on his face and throughout his whole body,' she said with a steady voice, waiting for him to pick up.

He didn't 'So?'

'Did you do it?' she asked, but the question felt too accusing and too rude so she hurried to change the tone. 'It feels too deliberate that you returned right after his brutal beating,' she tried again.

'What do I have to do with your ex fiancee?' he asked calmly.

'Nothing I suppose. I don't know. I mean you have it in you. I love you dearly, but I know that you have it in you. Please, don't misunderstand me,' she sounded uncertain.

'I won't misunderstand anything, but tell me, was there a reason for me to beat him up?' he asked looking amused.

She licked her lips uncertain 'No I suppose not.'

'You suppose?' he raised his brow.

She forced a smile 'No I mean, of COURSE not'.

'You are really not good at lying, you know that don't you?' he asked with a soft smile.

Her breath hitched and she pushed him back 'Oh Gods, you did it!' she exclaimed.

He smirked 'I did nothing'.

'Severus!' she demanded.

'Hermione!' His playful smirk was pissing her off.

'Look at me,' she said again.

'I cannot stop looking at you,' he pinched her side and she yelped.

'Severus!' she slapped his shoulder.

'We know each other's names pretty well. That's clear enough,' he laughed and pinned her hand to her side.

'You did it! Didn't you?' she repeated with a deep frown.

'I am innocent, I assure you' he smiled.

'Fucking hell Severus, he is comatose! What did you do?' Her mouth dropped open.

He paused with a small frown on his well formed brows 'You sound regretful.'

She shook her head quickly 'No, don't misunderstand me. He deserved his comeuppance to the last iota!'

'Why did he deserve it?' he asked.

She fumed and bit on her lip. Not only was he not giving her a clear answer, he was almost at the brink of making her speak. 'If I reveal a secret, will you reveal one too? It's only fair,' she looked at him eagerly.

He quirked his lips 'I might consider it. Depends on how you place the upcoming questions.'

She inhaled and gave him a decisive nod 'He deserved his comeuppance, because was rotten inside out. Nothing more than an abuser. Okay now?'

He raised his brow 'Okay.'

'Now your turn,' she raised her brow.

'Choose your question carefully,' he said calmly.

She nodded 'Do you feel he deserved what he got?'

...from you...she wanted to add, but omitted it. He was not going to answer to her with a plain yes or no, but seemed willing to do it indirectly.

'He got what he deserved and more,' he flicked his brow at her 'Okay now? Satisfied my fair witch?'

Her eyes filled with tears 'My darling,' she whispered and felt a sob rising in her throat.

'Shh,' his finger covered her mouth. 'I don't think he will ever come close to you again Hermione,' he reassured her.

She buried her head on the crook of his neck and her lips kissed his deep scars 'Severus,' she lingered and weeped not knowing what to tell him.

'What did he do to you?' he frowned and cupped the back of her head drawing her in protectively.

'Much less than you did to him,' she sniffed and his fingers caressed her nape tenderly.

'I am not so sure,' she didn't see the darkness dawning in his eyes.

She pressed his shoulder urgently 'Severus, who told you?'

'Does it really matter?' he pulled back and searched her eyes.

She sighed and felt the ball of his finger wiping away her tears. Her heart overflowed with love. 'No, it doesn't.'

'Why didn't you come to me first?' he looked at her gravely.

'I thought you didn't want me anymore. Everything was so hard at that point. I didn't even want to think about you, much less share my troubles,' her breath caught and her voice broke.

He drew her head onto his chest 'What have I done to you?' He whispered and felt his eyes welling up.

Her forearms wrapped firmly around his shoulders. 'You've taught me how to love Severus! You've taught me that I have to let go of myself in order to experience true love. You taught me how it feels to trust your heart in the hands of another,' she said with a strong passionate voice that resonated through his spine.

'I almost destroyed us,' he muttered.

'The past doesn't matter anymore. We are here together now,' she smiled and kissed his collarbone.

He pulled back 'It was you that gave me the strength to rise above the circumstances.'

'Me?' Her brows furrowed, but she didn't want to pull back to see his eyes. She wanted her lips to rub against his warm skin and feel his steady heartbeat echoing through her chest.

'You made me want to stop running away from the world,' he said quietly.

'When you talked to the reporters you mean?' she asked and her fingers got buried under his shirt and caressed his skin that prickled in response.

'I thought you didn't read any news concerning me,' he frowned amused.

'I was lying,' her nails run down his back suggestively and he tensed inside her.

'Indeed, when I spoke to the reporters. That day I thought I lost you forever and something snapped inside me,' he rested his cheek on the top of her head and his eyes got lost in the fallen Potions bottles on the floor.

'What was it?' she asked him calmly.

'If I had my freedom, if I had a job, money and a house, I would have claimed you. I loved you so much that I couldn't live without you. Fiancee or not I was going to claim you. Despite my dark past or the age difference, but I had nothing. I could offer you anything. You on the other hand, had everything. My running away got exposed for all it's infamous glory and anger consumed me. When I understood that what made me loose you and run away from them, were the same thing I became mad. Angry at them, but mostly at myself. I decided to go through them and reclaim my freedom as a small thank you for what you've done for me since I came back. For all your dedication to help me revive. For all your willingness to help me smile and for all your eagerness to let me have a glimpse into your heart. Everything I did after that point was because of you,' his words were heartfelt.

Her tears run hot down her cheeks and she wiped them on his chest 'Your words make this so real.'

'Hermione, I am a hard man, not prone to romantic drivel, yet listen to me now. I never thought a woman would twist me out of shape like this,' he admitted.

'I don't think you are as hard as you want others to believe,' she smiled.

'Don't judge me by the way I am treating you,' he warned.

'Your actions speak louder than any words, and not only with me,' she pulled back and found his eyes.

'What do you mean?' he inquired knitting his brows.

You really don't like looking sensitive do you?

'What you did with Harry was admirable,' she lingered with a soft smile on her lips.

His lips twisted 'I assure you that what I did with Mr. Potter had nothing to do with sensitivity and everything to do with obligation,' he flattened the whole deal to the ground.

'Why so. You didn't like him, so why feel obliged to him about anything?' Her brow rose.

'I couldn't allow him to believe his mother a whore. Give me some credit Hermione' he shook his head abhorred even at the suggestion.

She laughed 'Why give him the bracelet then?'

'It belonged to him,' he replied.

'Lily gave it to you,' she retorted.

'She gave it to me too long ago. It didn't belong to me anymore,' his eyes looked at a small drop of sweat running down the side of her temple and getting trapped between her curls.

'Why?'

He came down and their lips touched 'Because my heart belonged to another woman,' he whispered and opened up her lips. His kiss this time was rough and suggestive, inflicting sensations she had never thought possible to feel. Sensations only he could ignite in her body time and time again, endlessly. She mewled her agreement to his probing feeling him filling her out slowly and her lower region twitched in need. He smiled knowingly on her lips and then pulled back.

She smiled sweetly at him. 'I suppose you threw that goodbye token away.'

'No,' he frowned 'It was what kept me going on.'

She licked her lips and touched his chest 'What?'

'It was the only thing I had to remind me of you. How could I ever give it up?' he replied softly.

'What did you do with it?' she asked.

'It's in a small golden frame, above my fireplace,' he smiled at her.

She smiled widely and bit her lower lip. Her hips bucked up against his hardness that was now stretching her. She shuddered with gratification 'Your fireplace?' she asked softly.

He exhaled and pushed gently in her 'In my house.'

Her eyes flickered closed and her palm rested on his chest soothingly 'Which is where?'

'Ireland' he said pulling out again slowly, making her feel like this stroke was never going to end.

'You are Ginny's Irish uncle?' Her laugh was punctuated with a soft moan.

'What?' he asked and lowered his hand on her neck.

'Never mind, magical or muggle world?' she threw her head back and her hands cupped his buttocks wanting to draw him in deeper.

His teeth caught some skin and he sucked it in sensually 'Muggle.'

She inhaled sharply and bucked up to him as he pushed in her deeply 'Don't tell me you own a car.'

'Motorcycle and bicycle. Will that do?' he asked suggestively and his hand cupped her breast, his forefinger and thumb trapping her taut nipple between them and twisting it and her out of reason.

Her mind fogged up 'Fuck yes, that will do it.' She wasn't thinking about his muggle machinery at that point.

He smiled down at her 'I aim to please.'

'Do you want me to come to Ireland with you?' she asked trying to think seriously, even though his steady deep thrusts were making her brain malfunction. Her nails dug onto his hips.

'Fuck,' he hissed on her neck and pushed hard in her. Then he stopped moving 'No, I will follow you to the place of your choice.'

'Even here in Hogwarts?' She asked and her mouth dropped open when he pulled out slowly and then slammed in her again possessively. Her heart was pounding in her ears.

'Yes, if that's your choice,' he didn't disappoint.

'Even though your first choice was far away from the wizarding world?' One hand remained locked on his buttocks, her nails digging mercilessly on his tight muscles as he thrust in her and the other came up and cupped the back of his head.

'Yes' the strong reply.

'With everyone putting you under a magnifying glass? Exposing our life?' she groaned and fought to keep her eyes locked with his.

'Yes, with all that' he frowned at her.

She felt tears welling up in her eyes again 'Faster Severus.'

He gritted his teeth as he laboured above her 'You are the sweetest trouble of my life, my beautiful witch.'

'I am trouble?' she brought her lips close to his and felt his speed picking up.

'Double trouble, sweet Circe,' he groaned and his hand cupped her breast.

'Double?...' she raised her brow and licked her bottom lip.

'Root of mandrake dug at night, when the moon is full and bright,' he thrust in and she bucked on him with a hard moan. 'Slip of yew and twig of fern, make the fire dance and burn,' his teeth played with the soft skin on her jawline. 'For our will it will be done, when the hurlyburly's done,' his free hand took hold of hers and brought it above her head as he slammed in her balls deep. She threw her head back and a guttural moan echoed in the classroom. 'Double double trouble you, bubble in a witches' brew,' he pulled in her earlobe and all her side pricked up deliciously.

Her mind had departed in beautiful untouched worlds by then, following the fiery heat that was gathering in the pit of her stomach waiting to be released. 'Shakespeare again?' She murmured breathlessly.

'Macbeth,' he leaning over her mouth.

'You know what Professor?' she forced her eyes open and drew in his bottom lip, trapping it between her teeth.

'What?'

'It isn't your potions that can ensnare the senses, but you,' she exhaled and took him in a deep kiss that drew them inwards and downwards, unraveling them quickly. His rocking slowly turned out ferocious and ravenous and then a blinding ray of light that consisted of their magic exploded out of them. Their magic slipped out of their bodies in beautiful colours and enveloped them as they lay there upon the desk making love. His bluish hue entangled with her orange ripples creating a magical dance of colours and light as they passed through the threshold of their previous life holding hands, and took a bold step onwards to the unknown.

THE END

A/N:

-Finally this is over. I am glad it is out of my hands. It is not the same to write a story from the start and re-write an older one. The new story has a magic of it's own as it develops into something you didn't intend most of the times and draws you into new exciting worlds -stories have a life of their own, believe me-. Re-writing something you know well is not the same and can become very tedious.

-Thank you for all the reviews. As I said previously I am not chatty, but I appreciate every single word from you people.

-'One less reader', that stood out to me. Every reader for me is important. You are the ones that make me -and every other Author I am sure- want to try harder. So one less reader IS important, but unfortunately I cannot please all. Primarily one starts a story to satisfy their own needs and people join in. At some point people might get dissatisfied when their view of the story doesn't fit that of the Author. That is okay by me.

-I have never written an epilogue for this one and I don't think it needs one. If you think otherwise give me a review and I might consider it.

-Bye bye for now. Till later. Love you all, from the heart *.*

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