FIC: Changes (NC-17)

[sshg_pf_mod]

Title: Changes
Type: Fic
Prompter: amorette
Creator: jaxomsride
Beta(s): reynardo and her helpmeet
Rating: NC-17
(Highlight to View) Warning(s): erotic and snakes.
(Highlight to View) Prompt: Snape proposes marriage.
Note: Post DH.
Summary: Snape is not put off by Hermione's unusual appearance.



The sound of raised voices woke Severus from his slumber. As he lay in a bed that was far more comfortable than the one he had at Spinner's End or Hogwarts, memory filtered back.

With his life force draining from him it hadn't seemed that hard a sacrifice to gift his most intimate memories to the Potter brat. What he hadn't reckoned on was the interfering Miss Granger having half an apothecary in the lumpish handbag she carried. Thanks to her aid, he had survived the attack from Voldemort's pet assassin. The Healers in St Mungo's were confident he should make a full recovery. Which left him trying to decide just what he was going to do with a life he hadn't expected to live.

Thinking of Granger helped him identify one of the voices that filtered through the wall. What was she doing in the room next door? Curiosity had him out of his hospital bed and his ear pressed to the wall. His many years of spying and being a teacher removed all qualms against listening in to what was supposedly a private conversation.

"I thought you loved me!" Granger's voice took on a plaintive tone.

The Weasley brat had fancied himself in love with Granger! Severus smirked slightly, not at all surprised that teenage hormones had overridden common sense. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain that they were a mismatched pair. But then, he had never credited Ron Weasley with that much intelligence. Still he would have thought Granger had had more sense.

"That was before... before - that!" Ron Weasley was clearly indicating something. Of course with a wall in the way, Severus was left to wonder what would invoke such tones of revulsion.

"It's not that bad," Granger replied.

"Not that bad!" The exclamation was so loud Severus would have heard him even if he hadn't bothered to get out of bed. "Are you out of your mind? No wizard on earth would have you."

"Really? Well, Ron Bilius Weasley, I wouldn't have you if you were the last wizard on the planet!"

Just when Severus was beginning to enjoy the exchange, Weasley stomped across the room. Severus smiled at the frustrated snarl that was still audible as Ron Weasley tried to slam a door that was charmed to shut silently.

As the show was clearly over Severus turned back to his bed. The sound of sobbing came through the wall. It was no mere bout of weeping but rather the gut-wrenching expression of grief from a young woman whose heart was surely broken.

"He's not worth it."

"Who's there?"

Severus scowled, the question had him mentally kicking himself. He had not realised he had voiced the thought, never mind loud enough to be heard by Granger.

He briefly contemplated ignoring her question and returning to the refuge of his hospital bed. Severus sighed slightly, no, that would not work. Granger would then come to him, leaving him no place to retreat to.

The prospect of continuing their conversation through the wall brought a twinge from his throat. He would risk damaging what remained of his power of speech, assuming he could get more than a few words in before becoming hoarse. Resigning himself to an awkward conversation, Severus made his way to the room next door.

Severus stared at the young woman sitting on the bed. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her face was blotchy from crying. At first glance there was nothing at all to suggest what had given Ron Weasley such a horror of her. Then he heard the dry sound of scale slipping along scale as what he had taken for her usual bushy tangle of hair moved with a will of its own.

Severus peered closer and one tangled curl lifted itself from the top of her head and a pair of small eyes glared back. A serpentine tongue slithered out as the tiny snake opened its mouth and hissed a warning. Severus froze as one small head was joined by another and then another until Miss Granger's tear-streaked face was framed by a wreath of hissing serpents.

"Are they venomous?"

Granger blinked and then smiled slightly. "That is not usually the first question people ask."

"I would have thought it was the most important one."

That surprised a laugh from her.

Severus found himself smiling in response. "You haven't answered my question."

"No, Professor, they are not. I'm sorry I must look a fright." Granger stopped twisting her handkerchief in her fingers and instead used it to scrub at her facce in an attempt to wipe away the tracks left by her tears.

"No more so than usual," Severus replied while he stared at the writhing mass of snakes. After Nagini's attack he would have thought their sound would have made his flesh crawl. Instead there was something almost hypnotic about the way they writhed around each other.

His response earned him a glare and then a smile twitched across her features. "I see no difference again."

Severus shrugged. "Whatever your outward appearance, Miss Granger, you are still you."

"Was that what you meant, Professor?" Granger blew her nose with all the grace of a trumpeting elephant. "I wish I had known that when I was a fourth year. I would have been far less upset."

"I am not in the habit of explaining my words to students."

"I know, it made you an almost impossible teacher."

"I did not come here to discuss my educational shortcomings." Severus scowled. He was beginning to regret the impulse that had made him speak at all. "The only reason I am here is because it hurts to raise my voice, besides being bloody ridiculous to hold a conversation through a wall."

"Pyramus and Thisbe didn't think so."

"Considering how they ended up, I hardly think that their example is a recommendation."

To his surprise, his comment brought a smile to Granger's face. What was even more startling was the small glow of satisfaction Severus felt in doing so.

"So, how much of our argument did you overhear?"

"Enough to confirm that Ronald Weasley is a prat."

"You don't think he's right then?"

"I hardly think your appearance is that off-putting that no wizard would find you attractive."

"It... there's... I mean it's not just on my head."

"Ah!" Severus was startled that her blushing confession brought an answering colour to his own cheeks. "That could be a little more... intimidating."

"That's one way of putting it."

"Well, Ron Weasley might find such an obstacle to his virility unsurmountable, but not all wizards are quite so easily discouraged. In spite of his assertion there would be some more than willing to marry you."

"Really? Name One." Granger snapped, not at all convinced.

"It would not bother me." The moment the words left his lips their full import struck him. Bloody hell, it sounded almost like he was proposing to her! Severus was stunned that the prospect of being wed to Miss Granger did not horrify him.

Granger stared at him for a moment. "Ah, er thank you Professor."

"Granger, compared to some of your classmates, you at least would be tolerable."

"Umm, well, I hope you would not be offended if I decline." She smiled up at him.

"Not at all." Severus smiled back. However instead of relief, he was shocked at the feeling of disappointment that settled in his stomach like a leaden pudding.

Once back in his room, Severus sank down onto his bed. Had Nagini's venom had a side effect that suddenly made his snake-wreathed former pupil attractive? He snorted derisively, the notion was ridiculous. The truth was, Miss Granger had bloomed into an exceedingly attractive young witch, Medusa hair notwhithstanding. However she seemed oblivious to her own charms. Unlike a lot of her peers Miss Granger was not obssessed with ensnaring a husband. She also had a lively wit and intelligence. The more he considered it, the more the idea of being married to her became appealing.

Severus shook his head. No it would not do at all. She was so much younger than him, not to mention irritating to boot. Why had the notion taken root in his head like a particularly persistent weed? Perhaps, if he saw more of her his sanity would reassert itself.?

If Granger thought it odd that he had suddenly gained a desire to visit her, she gave no indication. Instead she was soon returning his visits until they were spending much of their day together. It was not long before they were on first name terms with each other. The fact that she was half his age had ceased to bother him. It mattered little when she behaved with a maturity far beyond her tender years. Severus soon found it increasingly difficult for him to think of her as the insufferable Know-It-All that had plagued his classroom.

Severus discovered that, instead of becoming irritated with her constant presence, he looked forward to being with her. Admittedly, there were times when their conversations devolved into heated arguments, especially when they touched on the topics of the War, Death Eaters, certain members of the Order, Potter and of course Potions. Yet even when they were at odds, Severus discovered he felt more alive in Hermione's company than he had in a long time. One thing was certain, he was no longer bored with the enforced inactivity that his recovery required.

Severus stared moodily into his glass of firewhisky. It was exactly a week since he had been discharged from St. Mungo's and three weeks and two days since he had last spoken to Hermione. Not that the witch had been far from his thoughts in all that time. Hardly an hour went by without him thinking of her. He couldn't read a book or the Potions Weekly without considering what her opinion would be on the piece he had just read. Without their conversations to enliven them, the days dragged by empty and hollow.

He scowled darkly it was not supposed to have been like this. The whole idea had been that familiarity would breed contempt, not this aching need he had to see her, to hear her voice and see her smile. He groaned inwardly how had he managed to fall for another bloody Gryffindor?

He mentally began to list her faults, her annoying habits but it did no good as his subconscious simply used them as a jumping-off point to dwell upon how much he loved other, rather more endearing traits. Finishing his glass and another to follow didn't help at all.

Instead of blurring his memories the alcohol merely sharpened the ache that was growing in his chest. There was only one cure for that particular affliction and she was currently immured in Hogwarts. Much against his better judgement and inclination he contacted Minerva.

"Severus, how wonderful to see you! I never expected to see you back at Hogwarts."

Hermione's voice jolted through him, causing his heart to do an odd skip in its beat. The spell he had been working on flew from his mind as he turned to greet her. "And a good morning to you, Hermione. I said I never would teach again. However, Minerva has requested my aid in restoring Hogwarts. She is a difficult woman to refuse."

Severus studied her. The real reason he had come back was standing in front of him. He had been at Hogwarts for a fortnight and this was the first time he had managed to encounter Hermione. When he had agreed to aid in the restoration of the Magical defences and rid the castle of any lingering Dark Magic, he had not realised that no longer being a teacher meant that his contact with students was strictly limited. It had taken him a little while to establish the pattern of her days in order to work out where he could find her on her own.

Hermione was smiling up at him with such warmth and tenderness that it was clear her joy at meeting him again was unfeigned. He felt the tension melt ease in his chest and he released the breath he had not even been aware he was holding. Severus stepped forward as a strong desire to crush her to him and cover those soft, inviting lips with his own swept over him. His good sense returned and pointed out to him that they were in a corridor. For Merlin's sake he didn't even know if she interested in him!

"Why aren't you in class?" The question burst out of him. Damn, it was no concern of his. He was no longer a teacher the students could run round the corridors screaming like banshees for all he cared. It was not as if he could deduct House Points as he was not even on the staff.

"I have a free period. I was on my way to the library when I saw you."

"I should have known that without the influence of Potter and Weasley you would not consider playing truant."

She glared at him."I never skipped a lesson."

Hermione looked magnificent with the snakes wreathing her head in a hissing halo. He had to quash another impulse to discover if her lips tasted as sweet as they looked. Considering her mood he was more likely to get bitten!

"True. Well, it is good to see you again, but I really must get back to work." Severus cringed inwardly as his words came out sounding rather brusque. Blast it all, it sounded like he was trying to dismiss her!

The snakes drooped slightly and she looked so woebegone Severus was consumed with guilt. He was surprised how much it pained him to see her upset.

"I am sorry, Severus, I suppose I shouldn't have disturbed you." Hermione gave him a nod, biting her lip as she began to turn away.

Severus bit back the reply that she always disturbed his peace of mind. He did not want to worsen what was becoming the opposite of how he imagined their reunion would be. Why did his mouth always say the wrong things to the people he cared the most about? Hastily he tried to make amends. "It's all right, Hermione. I was wondering if you would have dinner with me?"

"In your rooms?" She frowned. "Do you think it would be all right?"

Severus stared at her. Was that a hint on her part? He had meant a dinner invitation in Hogsmeade. Upon reflection her suggestion was so much better. It would certainly be more private. Now how could he persuade Minerva without taking her into his confidence? Perhaps a suggestion that he was investigating the matter of her curse?

"I will ask Minerva, if you like. I am surprised, Hermione, you never seemed to care about any wrongdoing when you were with Potter and Weasely."

"That is where you are wrong, it bothered me a great deal. Especially if it when it affected our studying!"

"Well, I will promise to try not to interfere with your studies."

"Thank you Severus," She gave him another smile that seemed to lighten the corridor. "I had better be getting to the library."

"Until tonight, then."

Severus watched her retreating back. It was going to seem an awfully long time until dinner.

Severus looked at the clock again. It was only two minutes since he had last looked at it. Damn and blast it he should have given her a specific time!

He paced the room and detoured back to the table to rearrange the flowers in the centre. He had felt less nervous facing up to Voldemort. It was only a dinner, for Merlin's sake. He should not attach such importance to it.

He groaned inwardly. Who was he trying to fool? Of course her arrival meant the world to him. The question was, had she pined for him at all? She had seemed genuinely pleased to see him once more. But was he reading too much into her smile of greeting? Did she feel the same aching need to see him as he did for her? Fortunately, before he could spiral down into despair at the horrible fear that once again his feelings were not returned, there was a knock at the door.

Severus could not remember rushing over and opening it, but there Hermione was, smiling up at him casting all his doubts and anxiety to the four winds. His breath seized in his throat as he took in the form hugging dress she wore. It had a neckline that drew his gaze down towards the enticing view of her cleavage.

"May I come in?"

Severus hastily raised his eyes to her face as his cheeks flushed crimson in his embarrassment at having been caught ogling her breasts.

"Yes, of course." He stepped to one side and watched her walk past him. His mouth went dry as he saw that the back of the dress was even lower than the front. "Don't tell me you walked through the corridors dressed like that?"

"Of course not. It was rather more modest before I Transfigured it."

Severus mind ground to a halt as the implication of her words struck him. He almost forgot about dinner as an overwhelming desire to sweep Hermione into his arms and carry her through to his bedroom swept over him. He sternly told himself to behave, amorous advances would not be well received on an empty stomach.

Having ruthlessly squashed his inner satyr, Severus guided her to the table and drew a chair out so she could sit. His old fashioned courtesy teased a smile from her lips. His head dipped lower as the lure of her mouth drew him down like a moth to a flame. It took a strong effort of will to move away to his own seat at the table.

Was that disappointment he had read in her eyes? Her snakes certainly seemed to have wilted a little. A small ray of hope dawned. However, Severus knew from bitter experience that it did not pay to hope to soon.

He rang the small hand bell on the tablecloth and their meal appeared set out on dishes in a smaller version of the groaning tables that the House Elves thought essential for a special occasion. It seemed they too viewed this meal as something special. Did they know something he didn't. They certainly knew all the gossip that went on in the Castle. Had there been talk about him and Hermione?

"I didn't know the House Elves did room service." Hermione said as she chose a selection from the variety of dishes offered. "Though were you expecting anyone else?"

"I suppose you might think that considering the amount. No, the invitation was just for you." Severus met her gaze. For a long moment silence stretched between them. A rosy blush stole over Hermione's features. Severus cleared his throat since his heart seemed to have lodged there. "As for serving meals, they have always provided for staff and visitors when required. I have been dining here since my arrival."

"I wondered why I have not seen you in the Great Hall with the Staff and Teachers."

"Not everyone is as friendly or as forgiving as yourself and Minerva. I felt more... comfortable here."

"I am glad you invited me. Do you normally get served so much? No wonder you need help eating it."

"It's not usually quite so sumptuous."

"Does this mean we can count this as a date then?"

"If you like." Severus watched her snakes as they twisted upon each other. He had observed that before when she was particularly pleased with something. Others might view her serpentine curse as disconcerting. Severus was grateful as they were so attuned to her every mood. It made her so much easier to read as they writhed in response to her inner thoughts.

She seemed to be studying him in return, clearly trying to gauge his reaction. Unfortunately for her, his straight black hair gave her no clue at all to what he was feeling.

"Yes. I think I would like that." She gave him another smile that played havoc with his ability to take a breath.

"In which case." Severus waved a hand and the candles lining the mantelshelf abruptly extinguished. It left the room in darkness save for the light from the fire that burned in the hearth and the small pool of light cast by the two candles on the table. It was more than sufficient to show the colour that heightened her cheeks.

Severus could not recall the rest of the conversation that accompanied the meal. He hoped he managed to answer sensibly enough, but had the distinct feeling Hermione was aware he was not really paying attention to what they were saying.

His mind was far too occupied watching her. The way the flickering shadows cast by the candle flames danced across her skin as if the darkness was enticing him to trace kisses up her arms and neck and over her face. How her lips nibbled off each morsel from her fork causing an ache low in his loins as his imagination pictured them being employed in tasting himself. Her snakes danced weaving an almost hypnotic pattern, entrancing and ensnaring him.

"Shall we take our drinks over to the couch?" Hermione asked. She smiled up at him, her eyes shining with an inner light that drew him like a moth to a candle.

It proved all too much for his self control. Severus swiftly stood and moved round the table to press his lips to hers. They were soft and yielding, still tasting faintly of the chocolate cake they had shared between them. He explored them slowly, savouring each gentle touch. Reluctantly, he lifted his head so he could see her reaction to the kiss.

It was all he could have hoped for and more. Her snakes were twined round each other as they writhed in ecstasy. Hermione's eyes glowed with a fire that fanned the flame of his own passion.

"Well that was... unexpected," Hermione drew in a deep breath that did interesting things to the way the dress clung to her breasts.

"You didn't seem to mind."

"No, more the opposite actually." Hermione smiled up at him.

All breath seemed to have left his body and his pulse beat so loudly he was sure she could hear it. Severus rose and offered a hand to her. "The couch sounds like a very good idea."

Hermione placed her hand in his and got to her feet. Her legs trembled slightly as she did so. Severus felt a small spark of triumph and again had to suppress the urge to sweep her up in his arms. He was all too aware that only a door separated this room from his bedchamber.

Once they were seated on the sofa, Severus raised the hand he held to his lips and kissed each finger. His eyes never left her face as he did so, watching her respond to his touch. Her lips were parted and she seemed to be breathing quickly as if she had been running. The ever so expressive snakes writhed and twisted round each other silently signalling the effect he his touch had on her.

"Oh, Severus please." She breathed.

What she was going to request was lost as Severus drew her towards him and claimed her mouth with his own again. This time the kiss was far more fiery and demanding. Her lips parted allowing him to drive his tongue into her mouth plundering her sweetness. He felt his cock hardening as she moaned softly in her throat.

His hands reached up to cup the breasts that had enticed him from the moment she had stood in his doorway. She moaned again and pressed herself against him. His mind passed beyond rational thought as the flame of passion ignited into a raging inferno.

Much, much later Severus hugged her to him as they lay in the warm comfort of his bed. In spite of her fears, the snakes had not proved much of an impediment to their lovemaking. In fact Severus was convinced she might have spoilt him for anyone else.

"So, how long have you wanted to do this?" Hermione asked as she trailed her fingertips along his chest.

Severus struggled to answer her coherently. Her touch was playing merry havoc with his ability to form a single word never mind a whole sentence. "Since you left for Hogwarts."

"Oh, is that why you are here? For me?"

"Well, I genuinely wanted to help Minerva, but yes, I had to see you again. It seems I can't do without a certain Know-It-All witch."

"Is that another proposal?"

"No."

"Oh!" Hermione's smile crumbled away like a sandcastle caught by the tide.

Severus smiled down at her. "This is a proposal. Hermione Jean Granger would you do me the great honour of consenting to be my wife?"

"Hmm well I'll have to think about it." Her tone was teasing as her fingers drifted rather lower.

Severus drew in a sharp breath as she caressed him. If she continued what she was doing he was going to have to wait a while before he got a reply. Although the prospect was tempting, he really wanted to know if she would accept him. Severus captured her hand with his own and brought their entwined hands up against his chest.

"I can't allow you to take liberties with my person until I have an answer."

"Really?" Hermione breathed against his ear. The snakes on her head very gently nibbled along the lobe. Severus bit his lip as heat washed over him.

"Dammit woman are you going to marry me or not?"

"I suppose, as wizarding society is so old fashioned and won't condone me simply moving in with you, then yes."

"Anybody would think you didn't want to get married."

"No, I just wonder what it would be like to live in sin."

Severus swallowed. The way she had said sin had sent rather salacious thoughts running through his head.

"Well, I did promise not to interfere with your studies. So we could be wed once you have finished Hogwarts. How does seven months of living in sin sound?"

"Delightful!"

"So is that a yes?"

Hermione smiled and kissed him passionately. "No, this is a yes."