Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Now on with the pranking…

Previously:

"So, Granger, any chance of you giving up on your prank war?" inquired Severus, "after all there not as brilliant as one might expect from the Gryffindor know-it-all." I could feel the others objections and anger at Severus' criticism. I smiled, "Not a chance. We're having such fun, Sevie poo. Besides I stand by what I said before, we all need a bit of fun this year." I grinned a very sinister grin, and flounced into the castle and back to my rooms.

It was late by the time I arrived back to my quarters, so late in fact, that not only had the fire in our common room died, but Draco had already gone to bed. I headed straight to my bathroom and turned on the shower. After washing away my worries, I crawled into bed and curled up around Crookshanks. Tomorrow would be another busy day, filled with planning and plotting my next steps towards ultimate prank history.

Waking up took a lot longer this morning, the tiredness from my moonlit flit through the forest with Remus, Sirius and Severus was taking its toll on me this morning. However, after last night's entertainment and understanding, it was so worth the aching muscles and slight fatigue, after all, it was nothing a little pepper up potion and hot shower couldn't fix. With that in mind, I crawled out of bed and headed towards the bathroom and vanity cabinet. After a quick shower and a little vial of pepper up potion, I hurried to get dressed and met Draco in our common room before heading up to breakfast and the rest of the gang in the Great Hall. Morning classes flew by after breakfast. Of course it was Defence Against the Dark Arts, so it was no wonder that the time past so quickly, and it was a practical with both Remus and Sirius in attendance today. Both where itching to get the students partnered up and mini duels going.

However, as always in defence this year, there had been an odd number of students, so it fell to Remus to partner up with one of the unlucky students. Guessed who that lucky student was yet? Unfortunately for my dear old professor, I was alert and quick on my feet, thanks to the pepper up potion I had taken earlier that morning. The mini duel was fast paced and was exhilarating for both of us. In the end, poor old Moony lost, he just wasn't quick enough to conjure a shield after the last hex he threw my way, which I neatly dodged and sent a rally of hexes and jinx's his way. It was fun, and the grins couldn't be contained by either of us. After helping him to stand once more and dusting ourselves off, he vowed that next time he'd get me. Smiling, I said he may just have a chance, if was blind drunk, which caused not only Remus to laugh but the boys, Ginny and Sirius who were all eavesdropping in on our conversation.

Before I knew it, lunch had finished in the Great Hall and it was time to head down to potions in the dungeons. On the way down, Ron decided it would be a great time for another prank, and that he would love to see number eight on the list completed. "Hey Hermione, I dare you to do prank number 8 on the list." Not quite recalling exactly what number eight was, I agreed before I even pulled out the list to check. Pulling my bag around to the side, I rooted through it until I came across the list the boys had compiled and skimmed down it until I hit number eight. It was at that precise moment where I knew I'd regret agreeing to something before reading the terms beforehand. Number eight on the list read as follows: enter the student's ingredients store cupboard in the potions classroom, wait approximately fifteen minutes, the proclaim loudly that, "Hey, there's no toilet paper in here, oh well", then walk out of storeroom like nothing has happened.

Cringing at the thought, I vowed then and there that I had learned my lesson and would always obtain all the information before agreeing or embarking on anything in the near future, especially when it came to the pranking list. Although, mortified at the thought, I wasn't going to back down from the challenge, however, I was going to get something in return for putting myself through this potentially life ended prank if it backfired. "Ok. What will you give me in return? I'm probably going to be incinerated before Professor Snape even checks to see if I actually did use his store cupboard as a bathroom." "Err…I'll be your slave for a week. How does that sound" He said, looking very nervous all of a sudden. He was probably wishing he could take it all back, but it was too late for that. "You've got a deal, Ronald. Everything I say or give you to do, got it?" He nodded, ashen faced. The door opened and we trickled into the room one by one and took our seats. The banging of the door behind us announced the presence of the potion master, followed by a call for silence. The shuffled and quiet chatter died instantly. "Due to the demonstration in the last potion's class. The headmaster has deemed it necessary for the entire seventh year student body to learn how to brew not only a simple contraceptive potion, but also the male variety of said contraceptive potion. Today we will deal with the male version and tomorrow the female. Instructions are on the board. Begin!" with that said, Severus sat down at his desk and pulled a stack of what looked like essays towards him.

Catching his eye and glare sent my way, I quickly began to set up my cauldron next to Draco's and wait for the rest of my classmates to gather their ingredients and supplies from the student's store cub board. When everyone was silently chopping, dicing or brewing, I headed towards the storeroom to get my ingredients. I entered and waited the designated 15 minutes. Gathering my courage, I yelled, "HEY, there's no toilet paper in here!" and with a bit of embellishment "Oh well best to air dry anyway" I shrugged and left, turning halfway out the door, I threw a quick cleansing charm over my shoulder before heading to my table with the ingredients that I needed to brew my potion. Severus was horrified. He looked like he was going to be sick or curse me into oblivion. He couldn't seem to make up his mind, so I turned my attention back to the task at hand, and began the process of brewing the male contraceptive potion. The quiet titters that had begun to fill the room, where abruptly silenced by the potion master, who was currently billowing towards me.

"Ms Granger, I thought you might like these until your castle trained. After all we wouldn't want any more accidents, now would we?" he said as he handed me a packet of nappies, (diapers). I was furious. That evil git! He was supposed to be the one who was embarrassed not me. GURRRRRR! "And Professor Hagrid said he'd help you with the training. You'll be out of these in no time." he said as he shook the nappies at me. By now, the whole class where in hysterics. I just smiled and carried on with my potion. This means war, my dear Sevie poo, WAR!

Class finished and I hung back. "You do realize that you've just dug your own grave, right?" I said as I leaned against his desk. "Yes. I'm looking forward to seeing what you have in store. But I'll warn you now," he said as he stepped closer, leaning down, his lips a hairs brush away from mine, "I enjoy the thrill of the fight and the even sweeter victory that is sure to be mine" and closed the distance. It was a chaste kiss, but it set my body on fire. I smiled. "See you later Severus." "See you soon, Mia," he said, "very soon".

It was Saturday, and a Hogesmead weekend. Draco, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and I had decided to go and to get out of the castle for a while. I wanted to get some new quills and a few extra Christmas presents, seeing as how Christmas was now only two weeks away. My, how the weeks had flown by. Draco and I split up from the rest of the group and headed to Augustine's Book and Tuck shop. "I'll meet you at the entrance in an hours' time okay?" I said to Draco as I wondered off down the aisles. I heard a muffled, 'Umm…', as I headed for the back of the shop. The rarest collection where hidden behind a wooden door at the back of the shop, with only a select few being granted access to the hidden room. I of course being one of them lucky few due to my substantial purchases of obscure and costly books over the years.

As I reached for the handle, so did a slender pale hand, with long delicate fingers. "Sorry." we both said. I followed the arm up to the face. It was Severus. "Ms. Granger." he nodded and opened the door, waving me in before him. No one else was in here. I said my thanks and began to browse. After about 15 minutes, I could still feel Severus' eyes on me. I pulled down the two books that I wanted and headed for the third, but I was too short. I stood on my tiptoes and just about reached it when Severus hand grabbed the book, inadvertedly pushing me into the bookshelf below it. I could feel his hard chest and his lean frame close in around me. I was enveloped by his scent. He smelled of sandalwood, evergreen and man. His hand drew down with the book, and he placed it on top of the others in my hands, while taking them out of my grasp and placing them on a nearby table.

My breathing was ragged. I could feel his left hand still on my waist, gently massaging circles into it with his thumb. After pulling the books from me and setting them down, his right hand joined in, doing the exact same motion to my right hip. Bowing his head, his lips nipped along my exposed neck, causing shivers and goosebumps to rise all over my body. Leaning back into his chest, I tried to calm my racing heart and regulate my breathing. His lips were doing wonderful things to my body. I tried, and failed to suppress a moan as his tongue pressed on a sensitive spot on the back of my neck. Turning in his arms, I rose up onto my toes, reaching up to eagerly kiss his waiting lips. Fire burnt through me as our hands and lips explored each other's bodies. Our tongues battled for dominance as the air around us began to grow too hot, however, it was when Severus bite down on my exposed shoulder that I started to come to my senses. We were in an unlocked room in the back of a Hogesmead bookstore and anyone could walk in on us. Hissing in pain, I withdrew my lips from their exploration of Severus' neck and untangled my hands from the back of his neck and hair. This caused a chain reaction in him, as he too disentangled his hands from my hair. Watching me closely, he waited for any sign of distress, or clue as to why I stopped. "Anyone could walk in" I explained as I caught my breath, my blood was still pounding in my ears.

"Your right" he said as he began to straighten my shirt and pull my robes back up around my shoulders. Once we'd straightened each other's clothes out, Severus rested his forehead against mine and took a deep breath. Staring into each other's eyes, both looking for doubt or regret in the others and finding none, I released the breath that I had been holding. It was in this moment that I realised a very important thing, not only did I trust Severus with my life, but there was a high possibility of me falling in love with him. Slowly breaking apart, I leaned forward and kissed his cheek, whispering "We need to talk." "I know", he replied, "Come to my office tonight and we'll talk then." "Alright. I'd better go before Draco comes looking for me."

Smiling he picked up my discarded books and handed them to me, with a last kiss to my forehead he let me go. Heading for the door, I turned back with a final thought. "Severus?" I said. "Hermione." "I'll leave the sign on my back, shall I?" I said while trying not to laugh at his antics. "If you wouldn't mind. I'm sure one of your friends will remove it. Eventually." He said. I smiled. "See you later." and with that said, I took my leave.

A/N: Well that another chapter fixed. There is definitely going to be a slower build to their relationship. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please review as it encourages me to edited and post the updated version faster. X