What Is This Thing Called Love?

Chapter Nine: The dawn of a new day

Hermione agrees to a relationship.

(i) I would be really pleased to hear your opinion of the story. Please let me know what you think.

(ii) The characters and world of Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling. I make no money from this, just endless enjoyment.

(iii) And last but by no means least, a big thank you to my lovely, amazing beta, Queen_of_Stars.

******************************************************

Hermione woke up early the next morning. She was eager to speak with Severus and let him know of her decision to enter into a relationship with him. However, she did realise the need to give his considerations their due place. She thought about what a relationship would mean to her reputation and decided, I didn't care what the rest of the world thinks. They've never been there when I needed them the most. Minerva will support me. If that was the case, then what everyone else thought was immaterial. After all, the rest of the world didn't seem to care that she was homeless and alone. No one else had offered her sanctuary when Harry and Ron changed due to the taint of Dark Magic. She knew her parents would not object; they had always been liberal and fair minded. If she and Severus were truly committed to a relationship, then her parents would not stand in her way.

Hermione wished more than anything though that she could speak to her mother. Jean Granger had always been a warm, understanding woman, and Hermione missed her dreadfully. However, Hermione knew that she was not up to the task of retrieving them from Australia at the present time. She had done the Memory Charm in desperation, but giving them back their memories... that was another thing altogether. They would need time to adjust, to come to terms with what she had done. Moreover, she knew that the likelihood of them turning against her--of not wanting to have anything more to do with her--was a distinct possibility. The short summer months when Hermione's emotions were in such turmoil had not been the right moment to go traipsing off to Australia. But now, now that she was more settled and aware of what was going on, Hermione longed to be able to retrieve her parents.

Realistically, though, Hermione knew that she would have to wait until Yule break at the very least. Besides, she was quite aware that she was not ready to carry out the task on her own. She had, at one point, envisioned going to Australia with Ron and Harry; however, that dream was now over. But Severus, well, if their relationship progressed, he would be the ideal person to go with her. He was strong magically, much stronger than Harry and Ron combined. Besides, he knew more about the magic she had used and the ways of countering it than almost anyone else in the country. His expert skills in Legilimency would not go amiss either.

Emboldened by her positive thoughts and decisions, Hermione dressed carefully for breakfast. She wore her favourite moss-green robe with its wrap-over style neckline and delicate gold braiding. She tied her hair back in a neat French twist, applied a lick of mascara and a coat of lip gloss. Feeling confident and ready, she made her way down to breakfast with a spring in her step.

Over her eggs and toast, Hermione tried very hard to catch Severus' eye. But no matter how she tried to lean forward and look to her right, she could not garner his attention.

Minerva, however, did see Hermione's attempts to catch Severus' eye. Hope blossomed in the older woman's heart as she watched Severus' blatant efforts to not notice the young woman. Something was decidedly up, and Minerva hoped against hope that Hermione had managed to breach Severus' tightly built wards.

Hermione was growing impatient though. Perhaps he did not see her; perhaps he was deliberately avoiding seeing her rejection, but whatever it was, Hermione was unable to convey that she was still keen to get to know him further. In frustration, Hermione followed him out as he was leaving the Great Hall and ran after him as he was attempting to disappear in a swirl of robes into his office. She was determined to speak to him before the day's flurry of classes began. She did not want to have to deal with Professor Slughorn or the rest of her work-load with the spectre of a disappointed and resigned Severus looming over her. For Hermione had begun to suspect that Severus thought she would reject him. 'Wait, Severus, please wait,' she called, not minding the curious students who watched their exchange.

He slowed down and turned a corner until he was in a deserted corridor. He looked decidedly uncomfortable, as if he was dreading what she had to say.

'Last night,' began Hermione, before carefully looking both ways to make certain they were alone and not overheard, 'was not a mistake.' Checking the passage once more, she leaned up on her toes and brushed his lips with a kiss. Speaking against his lips, she whispered, 'I've thought about it; I thought about it all night, and I would like to see where this goes, to get to know you better.'

Just as her tentative kiss last night had acted as a catalyst to his passion, so did her simple display of affection release the flood-gates of his desire this morning. Severus had been sure that Hermione was trying to speak to him to tell him she was sorry. It would be just like her Gryffindor mentality to want to apologise as soon as she could, or so he had thought. Her agreement to enter into a relationship with him made him feel uncharacteristically hopeful. Perhaps things are finally working out right, thought Severus with a smirk; he slid his arms possessively around her body before pulling her into a hidden recess in the wall to kiss her with unrestrained passion.

Hermione was once more pulled headlong into an avalanche of feeling. His kiss was forceful, dominating and all-powerful. When he spun around to push her up against the wall and grind his obvious erection into her, she threw caution to the wind and wrapped her leg around his thigh, grinding her own rising heat against him.

Heated kisses turned into heated caresses as Hermione rubbed herself against him.

Severus' hands slid to her bottom to fondle her arse and lift her even closer to his pulsing need.

'Oh, sweet Circe,' groaned Severus, kissing her exposed throat before biting down on the juncture between her neck and her shoulder. 'You unman me, woman. This is neither the time nor the place.'

Hermione smirked with satisfaction against his forehead as he licked her exposed throat. She had only meant to tell him she was interested in pursuing a relationship, and knowing how skittish Severus was, she had deemed that action definitely spoke louder than words. The subsequent heated tryst had been an unexpected bonus.

'Mm...,' murmured Hermione as Severus kissed her possessively once more. 'I didn't mean to start anything.' However, she couldn't stop herself from sliding her hands into his silky strands of hair and raking her nails against his scalp.

Severus groaned as the pleasure pain of her gestures increased his level of arousal. 'Wench,' he moaned heatedly.

Hermione giggled delightedly. She was giddy with the thought that she could affect a man as taciturn and reserved as Severus to such an obvious display of affection. Kissing him gently, she slid her hands down to his shoulders before coming round to hold on to the front of his robes. 'I'll see you later this morning. We've got a DADA lesson before lunch.'

Severus nodded. With a final heated glance, he straightened his robes, brushed back his hair and carried on down the corridor.

Hermione stood staring after him with a silly grin on her face. She could not describe the joy that bloomed in her heart. She felt strong, invincible. Then, as if realising the time, she gathered herself together and made her way down to the Potions classroom for a double period of Slytherin and Gryffindor seventh-years.