Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday!
Dec. 24th, 2008 10:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
averygoodun42First, Happy birthday to dear Keladry! You are an awesome person and beta, and I am so grateful to know you at least this little LJ bit.
For the rest of you, Merry Christmas! And for you I have a little offering (not much) of fic, but alas, with no ( or lite) smut.
But here you go, and I hope you enjoy the unfinished, unbetaed and unrevised first part of chapter 24: She Married Her Choice:
Hermione woke up to the sound of snoring. She smiled sleepily at both the reassurance of Severus' presence, and the fact that he hadn't lied. He really did snore.
She rolled over and adjusted her pillow before closing her eyes and relaxing back into the mattress, intent on getting back to sleep. The unfortunate thing about a snoring bed partner, though, is that it is very difficult to ignore them. Hermione listened to the irregular snorts and snuffles for a minute before covering her head with her pillow. It did no good. It was just muffled snorts and snargles and snuffles. It wasn't on par with a Silencing Spell.
Hermione perked up, suddenly very awake.
Did she dare? How angry would he be to wake up and find himself silenced?
She shook her head and relaxed again, dismissing the idea as a very bad one. She'd already hexed him enough for one day, and although he'd forgiven her for that offense, she doubted he'd be quite so sanguine the second time.
He snorted particularly loudly at that moment, making Hermione press the pillow around her ears. The snores were, if anything, getting worse, and she was aware of an odd grinding noise that didn't sound healthy at all. Then she realized she was grinding her teeth.
Forcing herself to relax, she sat up and summoned her slippers and dressing robe from the other side of the bed. Slipping them on, she padded quietly out of the bedroom, shutting Severus' noises out by closing the door.
As she made her way to the settee, she yawned and waved her wand at the fireplace making a cozy fire spring up. She looked around for a blanket or something to cover herself with but didn't find anything larger than a quilted tea cozy. Resigning herself to transfiguration, she raised her wand, and stilled as a partial memory made its way forward.
She couldn't quite remember where she'd read it, but she knew she'd seen a reference to a spell that silenced snoring. It might have even been a cure. She racked her mind, hoping it hadn't been one of the countless library books she'd read over the years. It didn't seem like something she would have taken notes on, as Severus was the first snorer of her acquaintance.
Standing, she made her way to the bookshelves and ran her finger along the spines, pulling out a likely candidate here and there. After collecting ten such tomes, she retreated to her desk and began reading.
She was halfway through the pile when she found it. Soundless Sleeping Spells for the Sonorous Sleeper's Spouse. She snorted at the overdone, even for the Wizarding world, alliteration, and began reading, only to be interrupted by a sleepy, "Hermione?"
Looking up, she found Severus squinting groggily at her. "Why on earth are you up at this hour?"
She blushed and automatically covered the open book with her hand. "I couldn't sleep."
He blinked and then slowly smiled. "I did warn you."
She smiled in response. "Yes, you did. Fortunately, I think I've found something that should help."
He came over, placed his hands on her shoulders and looked at the page and snorted. "I don't know that I'd trust anything with such a title."
"Mm," she replied, reading through the spell's instructions. "The theory sounds solid enough, though. Are you willing to let me have a go?"
He gave her shoulders a quick squeeze. "If it will get you back to bed..."
She stood and placed one hand on his throat while the other hand covered his nose. "Pipio gluttio."
Severus swallowed involuntarily and Hermione eyed him cautiously, taking away her hands. "Are you okay?"
He gingerly pinched his nose and nodded. "Yes," he said. "It feels a bit odd, but fine."
"Well, hopefully it worked as it's supposed to."
"And if it didn't?" he asked with a smirk as he placed his hands around her waist and drew her into him while backing them up to the wall.
She smiled back. "Then I'll just have to resort to the Silencing Spell I was originally considering."
"That would definitely be considered an offensive spell, madam!" he said severely, though his hands belied his humor by stroking her lightly in a ticklish fashion. She squirmed in response, trying to get away from his fingers.
"That's why I didn't - stop it! – why I didn’t use it when your snores first woke me up!"
He smirked and continued tickling her even as she slapped at his hands. "But the fact remains that you considered using it against me at all!"
Hermione let out a high pitched sound that might have been a giggle or a screech and tried to escape her husband's fiendish hands. "Severus! Stop it!"
"And why should I?" he growled in her ear, though his fingers did still around her waist, gripping her snugly. Suddenly, Hermione was very aware of Severus' proximity, his breath on her ear, and she felt herself tingling deep inside.
"Because it's almost impossible to kiss effectively while laughing," she replied, and stretched up to kiss him.
His lips were still soft from sleep, but as she traced his lips with hers, she felt his body go taut with excitement. He moaned quietly as she nibbled his lower lip, and he responded by gripping her to him tightly. His large hands spread across her back, pulling her closer still.
He withdrew from their kiss slowly, lingering on her lips softly as if loathe to ever let go. Hermione smiled against his kiss and mumbled, “Bed?”
“Mm, yes. Bed,” he said.
She pushed him back with her hips which brought another moan from him, this time more guttural, and she smiled again. She grabbed one his hands off her waist and led him back to her bed.
She slipped off her slippers and robe and ducked under the covers as quickly as possible, looking back just in time to see a wistful look leave Severus’ face before he smirked at her and joined her under the covers. He snuggled up next to her and curled his arm around her, drawing her toward him, She responded by kissing his arm and stroking his back, expecting him to make a move.
Except he didn’t move.
She raised her head to look at him in the dim light, and though she couldn’t make out much, she recognized the meaning of his deep breaths.
Sighing with a mix of disappointment and amusement, she rolled over and snuggled up to him more comfortably. Her last thought before falling back asleep was that the spell seemed to have worked, at least. He wasn’t snoring any longer.
XXX
Hermione woke to the feel of a hand running along her side. It was a gentle touch, but just firm enough not be ticklish. She lay there with her eyes closed, enjoying the feel of Severus’ touch, but wondered what time it was. The room was light already, so she suspected she would be in for another disappointment. He was probably just waking her to say good-bye.
She didn’t realize she’d sighed until Severus drew her hair back and stroked her face.
“Do you always sigh sadly upon waking in the morning?”
She snorted softly and then turned over to look at him. She was somewhat surprised to find him still naked. She was also surprised that his expression was almost apologetic.
“No. It depends on the morning,” she replied.
“Ah.” Severus frowned for a moment. “And this morning is deserving of sighs?”
Hermione shrugged. “I don’t know. It might not be as bad as all that.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, well, I hadn’t opened my eyes yet when I sighed, so I didn’t know if you were… that is…”
Severus’ face tightened slightly. “I do seem to recall a bit of a disappointing evening for you.”
“Mm. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been.”
“No, I suppose I could have begged you for pity sex while I was drunk and miserable…”
Hermione winced at his tone and turned away, deciding she wasn’t up to dealing with him this early in the morning. Her progress was stopped when he wrapped his arm around her chest and pulled her back.
“I… my apologies, Hermione. For last night’s behavior, last night’s sex and this morning’s awkwardness.”
“Is that what you call your attitude? Awkward?”
He clenched his jaw briefly, but then let it go with a sigh. “I’ll admit that I am not exactly comfortable at the moment, and that… I…”
Hermione took pity on him and raised her fingers to his lips.
“I understand, really I do. I guess I just don’t like being woken up nicely only to have my head bitten off.”
He raised his eyebrow. “So you liked this?” he asked and resumed the strokes up and down her torso.
“Mm. Quite a bit, actually.”
“And how about this?” he asked, as his hand moved to include her breasts.
She hummed again and rolled onto her back to give him more access. He took that as the encouragement it was, and soon his hands were roaming all over, expertly coaxing shivers and sighs – happy sighs, this time – out of her.
She gasped when she felt him kiss her breast, and he chuckled in response. With her breast now occupied by his mouth, his fingers were free to concentrate their focus on the parts of her that needed them the most. And did she ever feel the need of them.
***
Severus collapsed on top of her, panting heavily. She stroked his back for a few seconds, then nudged him to move off of her. He complied, but left his arm draped across her chest.
Hermione tried to catch her breath, but mostly concentrated on the quiet hum of satisfaction that was encompassing her body and mind. Even though it had only been a few weeks, she’d forgotten how powerful her orgasms were with Severus. And she hadn’t known that he was able to string out her pleasure for so long that it was almost painful. He’d been too sick, and probably insecure, for that their first time.
Taking a big breath in, Hermione let out a long, satisfied sigh.
“And here I thought I had made a good case for it to be a sigh-free morning,” Severus said, though it was somewhat muffled by the pillow he’d buried his face in.
Hermione laughed. “That was an entirely different sort of sigh, as I’m sure you well know.”
He moved his head so as to look at her, and she noticed he was smirking rather smugly. “So it was good for you, then?”
She laughed again and stroked his back appreciatively. “You know it was far better than good, darling. There’s no need for false modesty. Especially when you can’t repress your own smirk of pleasure.”
He grinned rather boyishly at her, then raised his head up to look at the bedside clock.
“Shit.”
Hermione lifted her head and was rather shocked to see that it was ten till nine. She repeated Severus’ exclamation and tossed the covers off. Severus had already put his pants on and was shrugging into his shirt as she rushed for the bathroom and her toothbrush. She was brushing her teeth vigorously when Severus called out his good-bye; she hastily spit and hurried to the door to say good-bye in return.
He was standing by the fireplace and when she entered the room, he turned to look at her.
His lips quirked up as he looked her over, and she sensed his amusement. She assumed it was due to the toothpaste foam she could feel around her mouth.
They met in the middle of the room, and he pushed her hair back from her face.
“Thank you, my dear.” He bent down to kiss her cheek. “I will see you at lunch.”
She couldn’t tell if that was a question or an order, but she assumed it was the former. “Yes. We can scare all the first years by making eyes across the Great Hall.”
“Mm. You do know how to tempt a man.”
He kissed her again and then threw the handful of Floo powder he’d been holding into the fire. Three seconds later, he was gone. Hermione felt wistful for approximately four seconds before she remembered the time and set to getting dressed as quickly as possible.
For the rest of you, Merry Christmas! And for you I have a little offering (not much) of fic, but alas, with no ( or lite) smut.
But here you go, and I hope you enjoy the unfinished, unbetaed and unrevised first part of chapter 24: She Married Her Choice:
Hermione woke up to the sound of snoring. She smiled sleepily at both the reassurance of Severus' presence, and the fact that he hadn't lied. He really did snore.
She rolled over and adjusted her pillow before closing her eyes and relaxing back into the mattress, intent on getting back to sleep. The unfortunate thing about a snoring bed partner, though, is that it is very difficult to ignore them. Hermione listened to the irregular snorts and snuffles for a minute before covering her head with her pillow. It did no good. It was just muffled snorts and snargles and snuffles. It wasn't on par with a Silencing Spell.
Hermione perked up, suddenly very awake.
Did she dare? How angry would he be to wake up and find himself silenced?
She shook her head and relaxed again, dismissing the idea as a very bad one. She'd already hexed him enough for one day, and although he'd forgiven her for that offense, she doubted he'd be quite so sanguine the second time.
He snorted particularly loudly at that moment, making Hermione press the pillow around her ears. The snores were, if anything, getting worse, and she was aware of an odd grinding noise that didn't sound healthy at all. Then she realized she was grinding her teeth.
Forcing herself to relax, she sat up and summoned her slippers and dressing robe from the other side of the bed. Slipping them on, she padded quietly out of the bedroom, shutting Severus' noises out by closing the door.
As she made her way to the settee, she yawned and waved her wand at the fireplace making a cozy fire spring up. She looked around for a blanket or something to cover herself with but didn't find anything larger than a quilted tea cozy. Resigning herself to transfiguration, she raised her wand, and stilled as a partial memory made its way forward.
She couldn't quite remember where she'd read it, but she knew she'd seen a reference to a spell that silenced snoring. It might have even been a cure. She racked her mind, hoping it hadn't been one of the countless library books she'd read over the years. It didn't seem like something she would have taken notes on, as Severus was the first snorer of her acquaintance.
Standing, she made her way to the bookshelves and ran her finger along the spines, pulling out a likely candidate here and there. After collecting ten such tomes, she retreated to her desk and began reading.
She was halfway through the pile when she found it. Soundless Sleeping Spells for the Sonorous Sleeper's Spouse. She snorted at the overdone, even for the Wizarding world, alliteration, and began reading, only to be interrupted by a sleepy, "Hermione?"
Looking up, she found Severus squinting groggily at her. "Why on earth are you up at this hour?"
She blushed and automatically covered the open book with her hand. "I couldn't sleep."
He blinked and then slowly smiled. "I did warn you."
She smiled in response. "Yes, you did. Fortunately, I think I've found something that should help."
He came over, placed his hands on her shoulders and looked at the page and snorted. "I don't know that I'd trust anything with such a title."
"Mm," she replied, reading through the spell's instructions. "The theory sounds solid enough, though. Are you willing to let me have a go?"
He gave her shoulders a quick squeeze. "If it will get you back to bed..."
She stood and placed one hand on his throat while the other hand covered his nose. "Pipio gluttio."
Severus swallowed involuntarily and Hermione eyed him cautiously, taking away her hands. "Are you okay?"
He gingerly pinched his nose and nodded. "Yes," he said. "It feels a bit odd, but fine."
"Well, hopefully it worked as it's supposed to."
"And if it didn't?" he asked with a smirk as he placed his hands around her waist and drew her into him while backing them up to the wall.
She smiled back. "Then I'll just have to resort to the Silencing Spell I was originally considering."
"That would definitely be considered an offensive spell, madam!" he said severely, though his hands belied his humor by stroking her lightly in a ticklish fashion. She squirmed in response, trying to get away from his fingers.
"That's why I didn't - stop it! – why I didn’t use it when your snores first woke me up!"
He smirked and continued tickling her even as she slapped at his hands. "But the fact remains that you considered using it against me at all!"
Hermione let out a high pitched sound that might have been a giggle or a screech and tried to escape her husband's fiendish hands. "Severus! Stop it!"
"And why should I?" he growled in her ear, though his fingers did still around her waist, gripping her snugly. Suddenly, Hermione was very aware of Severus' proximity, his breath on her ear, and she felt herself tingling deep inside.
"Because it's almost impossible to kiss effectively while laughing," she replied, and stretched up to kiss him.
His lips were still soft from sleep, but as she traced his lips with hers, she felt his body go taut with excitement. He moaned quietly as she nibbled his lower lip, and he responded by gripping her to him tightly. His large hands spread across her back, pulling her closer still.
He withdrew from their kiss slowly, lingering on her lips softly as if loathe to ever let go. Hermione smiled against his kiss and mumbled, “Bed?”
“Mm, yes. Bed,” he said.
She pushed him back with her hips which brought another moan from him, this time more guttural, and she smiled again. She grabbed one his hands off her waist and led him back to her bed.
She slipped off her slippers and robe and ducked under the covers as quickly as possible, looking back just in time to see a wistful look leave Severus’ face before he smirked at her and joined her under the covers. He snuggled up next to her and curled his arm around her, drawing her toward him, She responded by kissing his arm and stroking his back, expecting him to make a move.
Except he didn’t move.
She raised her head to look at him in the dim light, and though she couldn’t make out much, she recognized the meaning of his deep breaths.
Sighing with a mix of disappointment and amusement, she rolled over and snuggled up to him more comfortably. Her last thought before falling back asleep was that the spell seemed to have worked, at least. He wasn’t snoring any longer.
XXX
Hermione woke to the feel of a hand running along her side. It was a gentle touch, but just firm enough not be ticklish. She lay there with her eyes closed, enjoying the feel of Severus’ touch, but wondered what time it was. The room was light already, so she suspected she would be in for another disappointment. He was probably just waking her to say good-bye.
She didn’t realize she’d sighed until Severus drew her hair back and stroked her face.
“Do you always sigh sadly upon waking in the morning?”
She snorted softly and then turned over to look at him. She was somewhat surprised to find him still naked. She was also surprised that his expression was almost apologetic.
“No. It depends on the morning,” she replied.
“Ah.” Severus frowned for a moment. “And this morning is deserving of sighs?”
Hermione shrugged. “I don’t know. It might not be as bad as all that.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, well, I hadn’t opened my eyes yet when I sighed, so I didn’t know if you were… that is…”
Severus’ face tightened slightly. “I do seem to recall a bit of a disappointing evening for you.”
“Mm. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been.”
“No, I suppose I could have begged you for pity sex while I was drunk and miserable…”
Hermione winced at his tone and turned away, deciding she wasn’t up to dealing with him this early in the morning. Her progress was stopped when he wrapped his arm around her chest and pulled her back.
“I… my apologies, Hermione. For last night’s behavior, last night’s sex and this morning’s awkwardness.”
“Is that what you call your attitude? Awkward?”
He clenched his jaw briefly, but then let it go with a sigh. “I’ll admit that I am not exactly comfortable at the moment, and that… I…”
Hermione took pity on him and raised her fingers to his lips.
“I understand, really I do. I guess I just don’t like being woken up nicely only to have my head bitten off.”
He raised his eyebrow. “So you liked this?” he asked and resumed the strokes up and down her torso.
“Mm. Quite a bit, actually.”
“And how about this?” he asked, as his hand moved to include her breasts.
She hummed again and rolled onto her back to give him more access. He took that as the encouragement it was, and soon his hands were roaming all over, expertly coaxing shivers and sighs – happy sighs, this time – out of her.
She gasped when she felt him kiss her breast, and he chuckled in response. With her breast now occupied by his mouth, his fingers were free to concentrate their focus on the parts of her that needed them the most. And did she ever feel the need of them.
***
Severus collapsed on top of her, panting heavily. She stroked his back for a few seconds, then nudged him to move off of her. He complied, but left his arm draped across her chest.
Hermione tried to catch her breath, but mostly concentrated on the quiet hum of satisfaction that was encompassing her body and mind. Even though it had only been a few weeks, she’d forgotten how powerful her orgasms were with Severus. And she hadn’t known that he was able to string out her pleasure for so long that it was almost painful. He’d been too sick, and probably insecure, for that their first time.
Taking a big breath in, Hermione let out a long, satisfied sigh.
“And here I thought I had made a good case for it to be a sigh-free morning,” Severus said, though it was somewhat muffled by the pillow he’d buried his face in.
Hermione laughed. “That was an entirely different sort of sigh, as I’m sure you well know.”
He moved his head so as to look at her, and she noticed he was smirking rather smugly. “So it was good for you, then?”
She laughed again and stroked his back appreciatively. “You know it was far better than good, darling. There’s no need for false modesty. Especially when you can’t repress your own smirk of pleasure.”
He grinned rather boyishly at her, then raised his head up to look at the bedside clock.
“Shit.”
Hermione lifted her head and was rather shocked to see that it was ten till nine. She repeated Severus’ exclamation and tossed the covers off. Severus had already put his pants on and was shrugging into his shirt as she rushed for the bathroom and her toothbrush. She was brushing her teeth vigorously when Severus called out his good-bye; she hastily spit and hurried to the door to say good-bye in return.
He was standing by the fireplace and when she entered the room, he turned to look at her.
His lips quirked up as he looked her over, and she sensed his amusement. She assumed it was due to the toothpaste foam she could feel around her mouth.
They met in the middle of the room, and he pushed her hair back from her face.
“Thank you, my dear.” He bent down to kiss her cheek. “I will see you at lunch.”
She couldn’t tell if that was a question or an order, but she assumed it was the former. “Yes. We can scare all the first years by making eyes across the Great Hall.”
“Mm. You do know how to tempt a man.”
He kissed her again and then threw the handful of Floo powder he’d been holding into the fire. Three seconds later, he was gone. Hermione felt wistful for approximately four seconds before she remembered the time and set to getting dressed as quickly as possible.
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no subject
Date: 2008-12-25 05:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 08:19 pm (UTC)I hope your holidays were as lovely as possible, and may this new year be much better!
no subject
Date: 2008-12-26 03:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 08:20 pm (UTC)Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you thank you!
*hugs and smooches again*
no subject
Date: 2008-12-26 08:29 am (UTC)I hope that you had a great holiday, hon!
*hugs*
no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 08:21 pm (UTC)I hope your holiday was wonderful and Happy New Year!
no subject
Date: 2008-12-26 09:19 am (UTC)That was entirely delicious, darlin, and I lapped it up like Christmas cream. Thank you for the delightful little peek into SMHC!
no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 08:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-26 09:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 08:22 pm (UTC)Thank you!
no subject
Date: 2008-12-26 10:47 pm (UTC)Your Christmas card is gorgeous, by the way. I shall use my IKEA gift card to find a frame pretty enough to hold it.
What a great scene! I like the way you faded to black and then came back afterward. It works very well. It's sensual and fluffy and snarky ... just what I like best in SSHG romance.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 08:26 pm (UTC):-D I'm glad you liked it. After I sent it I realized it might be offensive, so I'm glad you didn't find it so.
Thank you. Unfortunately, I really do need to put some of what goes on in that blacked out scene in because it will actually affect what goes on later in the chapter. *gasp* Sex and consequences? lol
no subject
Date: 2009-01-04 03:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-27 08:48 pm (UTC)Twas wonderful. I hope to see the rest soon. :)
no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 08:27 pm (UTC)I'm glad you liked it. Thank you for reading it!