Maybe he would touch her. Maybe he would kiss her, or maybe he would just hold her close and she would smell the muskiness of his skin, feel the press of his lips in her hair…

"Miss Granger! I know you have it in you to at least try to set an example for your fellow blundering Gryffindors, and I expect you to pay attention in this class!"

Hermione was jerked from her reverie by the clamp of Professor Snape's hand on her shoulder, and his silky voice in her ear.

"Y-yes, Professor," she mumbled, as her shoulder tingled in response to the touch of his hands. Her cheeks felt warm, and she could barely contain a grin. Apparently, Snape saw her smile.

"Ah, so now your idiocy has spread to the surface. How interesting."

Hermione blushed furiously, and turned away to glance at the blackboard as though it was the most fascinating list of ingredients she had ever read. She felt Snape's presence move away and heard him begin to scold Neville for his "ridiculous, oaf-brained incompetence."

As soon as her potions professor's attentions were elsewhere, Hermione turned back to her daydreaming. She tried to keep up the semblance of work, for it was a fairly small class – an assorted collection of 18-year-olds, from all four houses, who had returned to Hogwarts after the battle to complete their educations. Some had been at Hogwarts for their seventh year, but the school had been under the control of Death Eaters and so they had come back for their real final year. Others, like Harry, Ron, and Hermione, had missed the entire year. Whatever the reason, there were now approximately twenty students, and because of their ages, they had separate classes from the other seventh-years. Currently in her potions class only Neville, Luna, Draco, Ron, Harry, Hannah Abbot, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas remained, and everyone seemed to be doing pretty well at concocting their Droughts of Night Vision – everyone but Hermione and Neville. Neville, because potions had never been his strong suit, and Hermione, because she was so busy dreaming about running her fingers over the tight butt of the man before her.

"HERMIONE GRANGER! What did I tell you about paying attention? Detention, my office, eleven o'clock tonight!"

"What? Detention? Eleven o'clock? But Professor, I have school work! And I can't be up that late, I have astronomy at 3:00 in the morning!" Hermione protested, ears smarting with embarrassment. She had never received a detention for idleness.

"Well, Miss Granger, perhaps tonight's detention will teach you not to daydream in my class." Snape's coal-black eyes stared deep into hers, and she felt a shiver of apprehension run down her spine.

Harry and Ron turned around to gawk at her, clearly astonished. She waved them away, and not a moment too soon.

"Weasley. Potter. If you two can't keep your eyes on your cauldrons, you may join Miss Granger tonight in my office.

"No thanks, sir," Harry said, earning a dark, dangerous glower from Snape. Hermione swooned.

Hermione returned to her daydreams, imagining Snape's hands hard on her hips, how he would feel inside of her, the way he would moan her name.

She felt his eyes on her throughout the rest of class, dark and enticing. He followed her every movement, and she felt herself reddening again.

Harry and Ron began abusing Snape the moment they were out of the classroom, and Hermione joined in, pretending for the sake of appearances. Harry and Ron, lovable and accepting though they were, would never understand her infatuation with the potions master. They thought he was greasy and hook-nosed; she thought he was dark and mysterious. They thought he was cruel and abrasive; she thought he was witty and noble. It was all a matter of opinion.

The rest of the day passed in a daze, and then Hermione was sitting in common room after dinner, waiting for eleven o'clock to come. At 10:45, Hermione slipped out of the portrait hole and walked quietly through the near-silent halls of Hogwarts. In seemingly no time at all, she was at the stone door of Snape's office in the dungeons. She raised her hand to knock, and then hesitated, her heart fluttering like a hummingbird.

"Enter, Miss Granger," Snape said lazily from within. Hermione started, surprised, and then turned the cold handle of the heavy door and pushed her way inside.

He sat in the dark leather chair behind his desk, wearing nothing but a black silk robe, knotted loosely around his hips. It sagged open in the front, revealing a surprisingly muscular chest with a trail of black hair leading from his navel down to where the robe was knotted. Hermione swallowed noisily, feeling something akin to fire alighting in the pit of her stomach.

"P-Professor?" Hermione whispered, tearing her eyes from the muscles of his chest. He was smirking openly at her, his dark eyes glittering in the light of a dripping candelabrum.

"Ah, yes, Miss Granger. Have a seat," he said, his voice like smooth ebony. He gestured to a cushioned chair across the desk. Hermione gratefully sank into it, not sure that her wobbling knees would be able to support her any longer.

"Would you like to explain to me the principles of occlumency?" he purred, his lips curving upwards.

"Sir?" Hermione replied, confused. He gestured for her to continue. "Well, occlumency is the practice of protecting one's mind from the intrusion of another witch or wizard."

"Precisely. And can you now define legilimency for me?"

"Of course. Legilimency is used when seeing into the mind of another magical being, and occlumency is used to counter it… Oh." The realization hit her like a bucket of ice water on a hot summer's day. In class, that's why he had smiling so much… she knew she should have learned occlumency, she had just never had the time. Now she bitterly regretted it. "What… what did you see?" Hermione whispered, afraid of the answer.

"Oh, everything. You have quite the imagination, Miss Granger. And quite unusual, I must admit. Many students in my Advanced Potions class daydream about dumping the contents of boiling cauldrons over my head, rather than…" he let the sentence hang, and Hermione blushed again.

"What am I to do, professor? For my detention, I mean. I could scrub cauldrons, or alphebatize the ingredients cabinet, or organize your files," Hermione jabbered nervously.

"Oh, what do you want to do?" Snape murmured, standing up and walking around his desk towards her. "I can think of so many ways to punish you for your... insolence. But I'll start here…"

Snape clasped her wrists to the arms of her chair and licked the hollow behind her ear, drawing a low moan from Hermione's throat. He captured a lock of her hair and buried his nose in it, inhaling her scent, like fresh parchment and spearmint.

"Professor…" Hermione gasped, her knuckles white on the arms of the chair.

"Call me Severus," Snape groaned, before kissing Hermione hungrily on the lips. His tongue was everywhere at once, invading her mouth lightly, teasing her tongue and making her insides burn. He pulled away, but not before running his tongue ever so gently along her bottom lip.

Hermione stared hungrily into his eyes, before grabbing his head in her hands and eagerly kissing and nipping his lips.

"But I thought… detention…"

"Wasn't supposed to be enjoyable?" Snape grinned devilishly against her lips. "From your thoughts in class today… and for the past three months, ever since I complimented you on your Love Potion…. I think you won't mind this detention too much."

"Won't you get in trouble? And… what will people say?" Hermione worried, rules-conscious as usual.

"Oh, nobody has to know… for now," Snape murmured, cupping her face in his powerful hands.

"Can we…" Hermione moaned as Snape nibbled on the edge of her ear.

"Do you want…" he whispered.

"Yes."

Snape unclasped the silver fastening of her cloak, letting it fall to the floor with a soft whoosh. His eyes appraised the shape of her body under her clothes, a soft charcoal silk blouse and a pleated skirt that fell midway up her thigh.

Snape wrapped his arm around her shoulders, breathing in the scent of her hair again, and then suddenly scooped Hermione off her feet. He murmured something under his breath, so low that Hermione couldn't hear, and a patch of blank wall behind his desk melted away to form a doorway. Snape pushed open the door with his shoulder, carried Hermione down a short, dark hallway, and deposited Hermione on a gargantuan bed.

"Oh, profess- Severus, it's beautiful!" Hermione cried, taking in the room. High arched windows afforded a splendid view of the forbidden forest, for, despite its location in the dungeons, his chamber was located on the far wall of the castle, where the hill it was situated on fell away sharply.

Candelabras illuminated the room, filling it with a warm, rosy glow, and the four-poster bed, while hung in Slytherin green, was not imposing. It was carved out of honey-colored wood and polished to a shine, and the soft, pale green comforter was of the finest material.

"I'm glad you like it, Hermione," Severus said, but he had eyes only for the witch before him. "Now, if you're finished admiring the décor…" he pounced on Hermione with a low growl, and she squealed. She had never before seen this playful side of her potions master.

He began to devour her lips, nipping playfully, sucking and biting them until Hermione was moaning beneath his touch. He then kissed and nipped all the way down her throat to her collarbones, which he then traced with the tip of his tongue. Hermione arched her back and groaned in ecstasy as he unbuttoned her shirt, kissing the white skin that was revealed as each button opened. When he reached her navel he stopped, and traced his way back up to her breasts. He gently grasped her shirt in his strong hands and parted it over her shoulders. Her skin was as soft as satin, and it glowed rosily in the flickering light from the myriad candles. Reaching around behind her, Severus unclasped the pale pink silk bra she was wearing, letting it slide off the smooth bed. He sat back on his heels, before starting at her feet and removing her patent leather flats, placing them gently on the floor. He then ran his hands gently up her calves and over her thighs, unclasping her black lace garters with a surge of something like molten steel in his groin. He drew the thigh-high silk stockings down over her long legs, and unzipped her short skirt. His throat closed and his trousers began to feel as if they would burst – Hermione wasn't wearing any underwear.

She was spread out before him, reclining on his pillows with not a scrap of clothing on her body. His gaze raked hungrily over her, and she felt herself flushing pleasurably. Severus placed his hands by her shoulders and let himself slide up the length of her body, he fully clothed and she entirely naked. He kissed her fully on the mouth, long and hard, and the fire in his groin intensified.

Hermione wound her fingers in his soft dark hair – whoever said it was greasy had been sorely mistaken. She ran her hands down his back until the rested on his firm bottom. He moaned against her mouth and kissed his way down to her breasts. He took one hard, pink nipple in his mouth while gently teasing the other one with his thumb. Hermione gasped and inadvertently squeezed his bottom, grinding her hips against his groin. She gasped, feeling the bulge there.

"Are you sure you want to…" Severus whispered as Hermione whimpered.

"Yes, you idiot," Hermione moaned, wriggling under his fingers.

"I am still your teacher, Hermione, and I still have the authority to punish you for your insubordination. You may not call me an idiot," Severus grinned evilly and proceeded to nibble at the sensitive underside of her breast, alternating licking and blowing on it. Hermione's eyes rolled back in her head under his expert touch, before she sat up quite suddenly, almost throwing Severus off the bed.

"Ooh, so fearsome," she whispered, looking at him from under her lashes. "But you, my mysterious professor, are far too clothed for this occasion. Severus began to undo the ties on his black silk robe, but Hermione slapped his hand away. "Oh no you don't," she growled. "It's my turn now." With that taken care of, Hermione pushed him down onto the bed so he was stretched out on his own silk pillows.

"Maybe if you're very, very good to me I'll be gentle… maybe…" Hermione smiled to herself.

She stroked one hand down the length of his body, still in its robe, stopping for a quick squeeze where his robe jutted out above his groin. Severus moaned in ecstasy.

Hermione kicked one leg over his body so she was straddling him, and she felt his pulsing manhood grow even harder beneath her, even though the layer of his robe. She traced one cool finger through the fine dark hairs of his chest, followed by her tongue. She nipped playfully at one hard, dark nipple, and Severus moaned. Hermione slid easily down his body and brushed her lips lightly over the straining bulge beneath his robe, drawing another long moan from her potions master. Ever so slowly, she untied the black tie of his silk robe, sliding the bow apart and letting her warm fingers linger on the black line of hair that led down to his groin. Ever so slowly, she reached up and slid the robe down his shoulders, sliding his hard, muscular arms out of the sleeves. With a twinge of apprehension, she whisked the robe completely off his body. Gods, he's big.

Hermione straddled the length of his body, pressing her hot, wet center to his dark abdomen, just above the hot length of his manhood. She rocked her hips a little against him, staring into his face and smiling as she saw him flush with desire.

She then pushed herself down his body so her soft breasts pressed into his thighs and she had easy access to the hard, throbbing appendage she wanted. Eying his face devilishly, she brushed the head of his manhood with her warm lips, just grazing him with her tongue. He moaned and bucked against her. Dittany, Deershoof, Daranium, Deathscap, Dillseed, Severus thought to himself, feeling as though he could explode at any moment. Hermione, seeing the strain on his face, knew she had been successful. Without further ado, she took all of him in her mouth, swirling her tongue in sensuous spirals around his shaft. Severus moaned aloud and sat up, twining his fingers in her curls and holding her head to him. Hermione's lips parted around his base, and she blew on him, inciting another drawn-out moan. She glanced up at him, smiling at his thrown-back head, the sheen of swear on his pale face.

Hermione resumed her attentions, sucking and nibbling until Severus was gasping for breath. He reached down and grabbed her bottom as he exploded into her mouth, seeing stars. He slumped against her, pulling her up so his head was level with hers, and he kissed the cum from her mouth. He collapsed back onto the pillows, holding her against his breast as his breathing slowed.

"Where… did you learn to do that?" Severus gasped as he regained his breath.

"Where do you think, oh intelligent potions master?" Hermione said sarcastically.

"Not on some specky git boyfriend, I hope," Severus said, considering with jealousy that some angsty teenager might have received the same attentions.

"No, you idiot," Hermione chuckled. "A book. They have some quite informative books in the restricted section, you know."

"Why am I not surprised?" Severus said sarcastically, before rolling on top of her and kissing her firmly on the mouth. Hermione responded under his touch, running her hands down his back until they rested on his bottom and gently stroking the soft skin between his legs. He felt himself stirring again, and he nibbled lightly down her stomach, tracing the contours of her body with calloused yet soft fingers. When he reached the fine curls at the top of her thighs, he paused for a moment, asked her a question with his eyes. She nodded.

Severus gently inserted a finger into the warm, wet folds, gently teasing her most sensitive spot with his tongue. Hermione moaned and gasped, her eyelids fluttering shut. Severus slid his finger in and out of her warmth gently, increasing his pace as he felt the fire rekindle in his groin in response to Hermione's moans of pleasure.

"I… want you… now…" Hermione gasped as his finger pumped in and out of her. She grabbed two fistfuls of his hair and slid his face up to hers, sucking the taste of her own wetness from his lips before gnawing hungrily at them.

"Are you sure?" Severus whispered, his face now buried against her neck.

"Oh, gods, yes," Hermione whimpered, suddenly grabbing his ass and pulling him to her roughly. He paused a moment, poised at her entrance, and then thrust his throbbing length into the dark wetness of Hermione, slowing as he met a barrier.

"Hermione… you're…"

"A virgin, yes! Do it!" Hermione gasped, almost shouting as she writhed beneath him.

He pushed through the resistance, and stopped as he allowed her to adjust to his formidable length. She moaned and wriggled against him, and he felt himself throb with passion. He began to thrust into her, faster and faster as her gasps increased in frequency. He pulled her up to him so she was straddling her lap, and she screamed a little as his thrusts hit her in a whole new way.

She placed her palms against his chest and pushed against him until he was lying on his back, and she straddled his hot, hard length, riding him fiercely. His hands grasped her hips, his fingers digging into her soft skin, but she couldn't have cared less. He stared up and adoration at the woman on top of him. Her head was thrown back, her eyes were closed and her cheeks were flushed, her hair sticking to her forehead in damp strands. Her chest shone with perspiration, and she was beautiful.

Severus flipped her over on her back and he loomed above her, thrusting in and out of her hot core. He leaned down and kissed the soft whiteness of her breasts, gently biting her nipples. Hermione arched her back under his touch, and he licked her throat, nipping gently and knowing she would have a mark there tomorrow.

He felt the walls of her center tightening around him, and then she locked her legs around him and pulled her to him, and the world exploded in a shower of stars and fire as, together, they screamed into the night.

Hermione awoke, disoriented, in an unfamiliar room. She was naked, and… as the events of the previous night came back to her, she felt her skin grow warm. She was still locked in the embrace of none other than Severus Snape, and he was still warm and soft inside of her core. Her hands were wrapped around shoulders and her ankles were locked around his hips, holding him inside her. Her hair was spread out on his pillows, her tangled brown curls mixed in with his silky black locks.

She shifted against him, feeling her arousal awakening at the movement of his length inside of her. She gazed into the still-sleeping face of her potions professor, and awoke him by showering his brow with kisses. He blinked sleepily at her, and she watched with amusement as he remembered what had happened. He turned to her, his glittering black eyes cold.

"I believe your detention has been served, Miss Granger. You may return to your dormitory at once, and I expect that in the future, you will remember to pay attention in my class."

Hermione drew away from him, shocked. "You don't… you can't… I thought…" her stomach clenched painfully as his words sank in.

Severus smiled at the look of shock on her face. "Of course not, you silly, beautiful girl. I will never send you away from me." Hermione smacked his chest, but decided promptly that she forgave him as the movement made him stir inside of her. She shifted her grip so that her arms were locked around his neck, and squealed in surprise as he flipped her over on her back, looming over her. He was hard and hot inside of her, and she arched her back as he began to move slowly against her, picking up speed until he was pounding into her, warm and wet and full of fire. She gasped against him as he came, and her own orgasm followed a few seconds later, her eyes wide and her body quivering. Severus slumped against her, his weight hot and heavy on top of her, and she snuggled against his chest as they lay there, comfortable in the aftermath of their lovemaking. Hermione left one leg possessively wrapped around his hip and gazed up into his eyes, her cheeks rosy. He looked down at her lovingly, at her pink cheeks and the soft look in her eyes.

"I love you, Hermione Granger," he whispered into her hair. She turned to look up at him, surprised.

"When did you figure that out?" she asked, brushing his jawbone with the tip of her nose.

"When you returned from that extended camping trip with Weasley and Potter. Well, before that, really, but of course you were underage and of course there was the risk of Voldemort finding out about my double-agent duties, and I couldn't afford to have anyone become close to me, for fear they would get hurt. After Voldemort was defeated, I thought you and the Weasley boy were surely going to tie the knot. But then you weren't together anymore, and I realized that you were most likely the only witch I would ever meet who could keep up with me intellectually, and who understood the way I work. But I knew that you couldn't possibly have feelings for the hook-nosed, greasy dungeon bat who taught you potions, so I didn't do anything. But then in class yesterday… I heard your thoughts, clear as day, and I knew you wanted me too. But even then I feared it was just a fleeting crush, an idea that you never really wanted to come to pass. But last night…" Severus trailed off, one hand absentmindedly stroking her hair, the other clasped around her breast. Hermione's gaze was locked on his eyes, and she squirmed up to kiss him. "What about you, love? Why… all of the sudden…" Severus gestured broadly, taking in the two of them lying panting in his bed.

"I think I first realized my attraction to you after the Battle. Before that, you were just my potions professor. But when I started dating Ron, I realized that he would never be able to keep up with me intellectually or physically, so I broke it off. He wasn't too upset, I think he secretly liked Hannah Abbott all along. But ever since I came back to school, every time I saw you, I just felt like I wasn't complete without you. And now I know that I was right. I am complete, here, in your arms," Hermione whispered, kissing his collarbone. But Severus still looked troubled.

"But people will talk. I am still a teacher, and you are still a student at this school. If word gets out, and I'm sure it will before this hour is over, then who knows what'll happen?"

"It's nobody's business but ours. We're both of age, and their opinions don't matter," Hermione assured him, a blazing look in her eyes as she kissed him fiercely.

"Hermione," Severus began, and then stopped, apprehensive. "I must admit, I'm not sure if you… well, when I told you I loved you… well… you didn't exactly say it back. I wasn't sure if…" Hermione laid a finger over his lips, silencing him.

"I love you, you greasy git," she whispered, kissing his forehead. "I love you, my potions master," she said, kissing his left eyelid. "I love you, Professor Snape," she said, kissing his right eyelid. "I love you, my half-blood prince," she said, kissing his nose. "I love you, my Severus," she murmured, kissing him fully on the mouth. "I love you, forever and always."

A/N: Hope y'all liked it! :D this is probably my most risque story, and probably as risque as it'll ever get. I tried to get it to be sexy while not crass. I hope I succeeded. Reviews/Faves are always appreciated!