Her skin was irresistibly golden in the firelight and softer than silk under his questing fingers. Even though sleep tugged at him relentlessly, Severus couldn't help but stroke the ripe backside that fit so nicely under his palm, finding the action to be strangely hypnotising.

The whole evening had been a lark, Severus reflected. He had come into the Three Broom Sticks a shade resentfully; it wasn't that he begrudged Pomona - or any of them, really - any happiness, but it did neatly highlight how alone he was. The complicated and painful happenings of his first year as Headmaster had utterly cemented his status as an outsider, although honestly, matters hadn't been much better before his unwanted promotion. It was with some sympathy, then, that he had watched Granger flit from one group to the next, never quite landing successfully; in addition to being a former student, she was considered too young and inexperienced to be seen as a true peer by the older faculty.

Luring her over to his table had been ridiculously easy, and her genuine enjoyment of his company had been a balm to his ego. That she looked rather splendid in her close-fitting jumper and tight jeans had merely been an added bonus. Her disappointment in his leave-taking had produced a queer sort of pleasure; he had never allowed himself to become entangled in the considerable charms of the adult iteration of Hermione Granger.

Abruptly, the memory of her hand, warm and delicate and casually affectionate as it brushed snow off his cheek surfaced. It had been such a little thing, but the gesture had been akin to swinging open a barn door. As he had sat half-buried in a bloody freezing snowbank, Severus had realised that he couldn't remember the last time anyone other than Poppy had touched him. That cold knowledge had awoken a terrifying rush of desperate skin hunger, and it had taken all of his willpower not to throw his head up to the stars and howl out his anguish.

Hermione hadn't been frightened off by his mood; nor had there been an overflowing of pity in her reaction. No, it had been more a recognition of mutual need... and then she had surpassed any latent fantasy by snogging the sense out of him.

Sanity had returned, eventually; the frigid weather had helped to end matters far more than any gentlemanly restraint on his part.

The reasons that he had sputtered out when turning her down at the gates were pure bunk, of course. He'd been frightened out of his wits - Hermione Granger had found the keys to his Castle, and she didn't even have the faintest clue that she held them – and Severus was determined to protect himself from further pain. But when he had looked into her lovely, agile mind, he had found something quite unexpected. She hadn't wanted the power of having the Headmaster of Hogwarts between her legs, or wished for a Death Eater to pleasure her into submission. Hell, she hadn't even wanted her former professor to call her a naughty girl and order her to detention: she had wanted the man with whom she had gotten agreeably squiffy and traded vulgar adjectives. Hermione had desired him, not the billowing robes, spycraft, or all-powerful position.

Saying no had been painful, the feeling only multiplying when he'd seen how much it hurt her. He'd wavered. It had been the thought of the icy, dark walk back to the Castle, of climbing the steep stairs to his tower and sliding into the cold and barren bed that had finally broken him. He had done it for more years than he wanted to count and could face it no more.

The woman sprawled on top of him gave a happy sigh, jolting him out of his wool-gathering. "You didn't lie, you know. Enormously satisfying didn't even begin to cover it..." She shifted, the sensation of her breasts momentarily rubbing against the flat planes of his chest sending a flare of pleasure through him. Intent amber eyes locked onto his, and she trailed a hand up until she was cupping his cheek once again. "Thank you, Severus. That was marvellous."

His throat tightened with unspoken emotion. "It should be I saying thank you, not the other way around."

It occurred to him then that if he'd proved himself a worthy lover, a diverting enough bed-mate, perhaps she'd stay. Not forever, of course; he didn't have the right to ask that of her. But maybe she would linger past the dawn. She might return to him on yet another empty night...

Hermione let out a sleepy, adorable snuffle. "Mmm... yes, well it does take two to tango."

"It was a hell of tango."

He could feel her smile. "That it was." Tiredly, she lifted her head from his chest and looked at him. With an effort, she pulled herself out of the warm bedclothes and scooted higher. Leaning down, Hermione kissed him again, a tender, sweet thing that made him want to throw open his closet full of skeletons and let her wantonly redecorate.

"Sleep, my Severus. We can hash matters out in the morning."

Her phrasing indicated a pleasing level of possessiveness; she had promised to here in the morning. It was enough. With a nearly silent sigh, Severus slept.

His bladder eventually pushed him back into consciousness.

Dawn had broken over the lake, the light shifting from muted greys to the full kaleidoscope of pinks, yellows, and reds announcing the sun's arrival. Five minutes of painstaking work had gotten him unwrapped from Hermione without waking her, and he fled to the loo just in time.

It was while washing his hands that he noticed the perfect set of crescent nail-marks on his shoulder. He smirked at his reflection. Ah, but I would wager that I've left my fair share of marks on her, as well... The thought prompted him to grab a container of healing salve from the cabinet. With a slight grimace, he rubbed a dab onto his bright pink cheeks; he was rather wind-burned, and it looked absurd compared to his more normal English pallor.

Severus was just easing his long legs back under the covers when Hermione stirred.

"Hello," she mumbled, and started to stretch. Halfway through the movement, she stopped, blinking several times.

"Sore?" he asked, unscrewing the salve.

"Yes..." Hermione said with a frown. "Sore all over, actually. I think the hike through the snow did me in more than I thought. And well, you know…"

"Allow me." Soothingly, he rubbed some of the cream onto her flushed cheeks, satisfied at how it brought the colour down. Drawing the sheet down, he examined her carefully. With methodical precision, he started to remove the love bites on her neck and breasts, not missing how her breath sped up and her nipples darkened as he touched her. Severus didn't ignore the rest of her body either, smoothing the salve over her limbs and sides. Leisurely, he trailed his hand down her stomach, watching as the muscles jumped under his touch.

"Severus..." His name was a breathy, pleading invocation, and he smiled, dipping his hand back in the jar. Her legs parted without him asking, and the musky scent of her arousal filled the air.

She wants me still...

Hermione bucked as his fingers found her wet core, undulating restlessly when he didn't press his advantage. The cooling sensation of the salve and the sheer heat of her made for quite the combination; he could only imagine what it felt like for her.

"Please..."

Ghosting a kiss over her lovely lips, Severus started to move his hand. "You only need ask..."

She had come apart against his hand in a rather spectacular fashion.

Busy trying to imprint the recollection of her cries onto his memory, Severus missed her scooping a healthy amount of the salve out of the jar; he did not, however, remain oblivious when she proceeded to wrap her hand around his stiff cock and squeeze.

"Gods!" he bellowed, nearly coming off the bed as the cold, slick compression met his heat.

Hermione bit her lip, working her fingers down his shaft. "I thought you might be sore, too," she said innocently.

He could not help but surge upward, craving her release. "I am."

"Excellent." In one limber movement, Hermione straddled him. The sight of his cock nestled between her curls caused him to groan and throw his head back. "Shall we experiment a little?"

It was his turn to come apart at the seams.

"Bugger the bed, Severus, you should have mentioned the size of your bath!"

"I didn't know you had a thing for porcelain, or I would have."

Her curly head poked coyly out of the bathroom door. "Would you care to join me for a soak?"

Severus was on his feet in an instant, an unfamiliar, giddy hope filling him. "I suppose I can make that sacrifice..."

Hermione was only thirty-three seconds shy of being late to supper. Still, she had beat the Headmaster to the Hall, and that was all that counted. Slipping into the narrow space between Hagrid and Poppy, she gazed over the impatient and ravenous student body. At precisely six, the hall doors banged open and Severus strode in, black robes billowing behind him.

He looked simply... well... Sex on a stick, indeed, she thought, fighting hard not to smirk and give it all away.

Poppy gave an affectionate snort as she took in the Headmaster's entrance. "Oh, will you have a look at that. Someone's feeling rather full of themselves tonight. He certainly has snooty and untouchable down pat, doesn't he?"

Deciding that discretion was the better part of valour, Hermione resorted to making a non-committal shrug, studiously peering at the menu. She's got it all wrong. They've all got him wrong. He's not untouchable in the least... She shifted, the hard surface of her chair uncomfortable. Despite their thorough precautions, Hermione had ended up sore once again. Hah... if anything, I'm the one that's been rather full of him!

As he brushed passed her chair, he inconspicuously zapped it with a cushioning charm, something affectionate and secretive dancing his eyes as he did so. And if I have my way, she vowed, I'll be rather full of him later, too!

With a dramatic flourish, Severus sat in the ornate Head's chair and gazed out at the student body. "You may begin..."

A/N- I bet you all thought he was going to bugger this one up, didn't you? *smirk*

In future, I may extend this story into something longer than the original, but I want to finish up 'A Derailed Train of Thought' and 'Hallelujah' before I come back to this; for now, it will be marked as complete. Consider it my fluffy, lemony New Year's gift to all you wonderful fanfic readers and writers out there who continue to inspire me. Thank you!

Three massive cheers to Fragilereality, SassenachStarbuck, CrazySlytherin, meg527, sevslave1, HGranger89, pgoodrichboggs, houstonclay, ndavis77, Nachtwens, Haveyouseenmyprefectbadge, MichAre1a, Ponine12, TheLadyBookworm, MissusGages, and a guest for leaving reviews on the last chapter. I value them like a dragon values its gold :)

As always, stay warm and happy reading!