Title: Social Intercourse
Team Name: Spying for the Death Eaters
Word Count: 100 x 5
Rating:PG13
Challenge: Elf-made Wine
Characters: Hermioine/Severus
Authors Notes: Severus explains about the special properties of elf-made wine
Severus held the door wide and gestured to the sofa by the glowing fireplace. "Make yourself comfortable while I open the bottle. I will only be a moment." He took her cloak and hung it with his coat.
A wave of his hand, and a few gentle lights glowed brighter. She took him at his word and slipped off her shoes, tucking her feet under her as she sat.
He settled beside her, cradling the bottle and glasses between his fingers. Hermione took the proffered glass and sipped. "Nice, but I still can't see what's so special about elf-made wine."
Holding his blood-red glassful up to the light, he leaned in and held it before her eyes. The light scintillated through the bright fluid, mesmerising her as he spoke.
"Elves imbue magic into all they create. This has little affect on us when we eat their food, but wine has weeks, months, years to absorb it. Their desire to make us happy, to make our lives more pleasant, is impressed on the vintage. This makes it an excellent choice for social situations where the participants might otherwise be a little... reserved. It encourages one towards congeniality, to be more accommodating."
As he finished his explanation, he brought the glass to his mouth. Hermione's gaze followed, and lingered on Severus' lips before she broke the trance.
"It's no wonder Horace Slughorn is so enamoured of it, then. But isn't it open to... abuse?" She settled back, her head close to his arm where it lay behind her.
Severus looked into his glass, swirling the wine gently. "No, the effect is mild, and merely enhances good-naturedness. It isn't potent enough to overcome anything you would normally be disinclined to do." She felt a gentle tugging as his fingers wound into her curls.
They continued to sip their wine, Hermione acutely aware of the seemingly casual entanglement of his fingers in her hair. She wondered how his fingers would feel on her scalp, soothing the tingling that his actions had caused. Her eyes fluttered shut briefly, and she opened them to his enigmatic gaze.
"More?"
Hermione looked blank, until he raised his empty glass to indicate her own. With a slight flush she almost moaned her reply. "Please."
Severus raised an eyebrow, his eyes noting the blush before settling on her full and slightly parted lips. He leaned down to retrieve the bottle.
As Severus poured wine into Hermione's glass, their eyes locked for a brief but intense moment. A log popped, causing them to jump and a little wine to splash over the rim.
Severus hurriedly put the glass to one side. "My apologies, Hermione. I should have taken more care."
"It's of no matter, there's no harm done."
"You were splashed. Allow me?" Hermione nodded. Instead of the expected handkerchief, he raised her hand to his mouth and sensually sucked it clean. Pulling her to him, he growled in her ear. "More?"
This time there was no room for misunderstanding. "Please."