Marriage Law

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 17

Chapter 17 ~ Sleeping Arrangements

It was after nine in the evening when Hermione returned to the castle. She felt exhausted and instead of walking to the dungeons, Hermione flooed from the main hall to Severus’ rooms. When she stepped out of the fireplace, she found the Potions Master asleep in the armchair. He had changed for bed it seemed. He was in his boxers and silk house robe, which was open and showing his pale, muscular chest. Hermione’s eyes swept over him slowly. He looked peaceful, his dark lashes resting against his cheeks, his silky hair partially covering his face. An issue of Potions Today rested on his lap. He breathed easily. Hermione stepped a little closer to him, looking at how well defined his chest was. She wanted to touch, but didn’t dare. She straightened and took off her cloak, resting it on the other armchair. She looked at Severus. She hated to wake him but it was best he went to bed.

“Severus. Severus,” she called to him. “Wake up. You need to go to bed.”

The Potions Master roused and opened his eyes. He looked up at her.

“Made it back I see,” he said sleepily, before attempting to sit up straighter and wincing.

“Yes, I did,” she replied.

“How are your parents?” he asked politely, more alert now. His black eyes swept over her. She was dressed in a pullover sweater and black wool pants that complemented her curves

Hermione’s eyes shifted a bit before she answered. Severus caught it and knew something had happened with her parents. He had been dealing with students for a long time and could read Hermione like a large-print parchment.

“They’re fine. Were a bit disappointed that I wasn’t going to spend the Christmas holiday with them,” she responded. Severus arched an eyebrow.

“You have other plans?” he asked her. Hermione had been going home for Christmas ever since she started Hogwarts.

Hermione looked at him as if he were thicker than pudding.

“Yes I have other plans. I’m spending Christmas with you. You need someone to take care of you,” she said simply.

“And you think you can handle that?” he said to her a bit suggestively, his eyes darkening.

As she looked at him, Hermione was aware of the delicious warmth she had felt days earlier when he kissed her, starting to rise again, but she didn’t understand why. He wasn’t kissing her now. Still she felt it spreading. She blinked at him, remembering he asked her a question.

“Of course I can. It’s not that hard,” she responded.

Severus had a naughty retort to that statement that he bit back.

Hermione noticed that three of the five sandwiches she had fixed him still sat on the plate on the table next to the armchair. She narrowed her eyes at him in a very Pomfrey-like way.

“Severus, did you eat anything. You should have had more than two sandwiches,” she said.

He smirked at her nursemaid demeanor.

“I had a house elf bring me a large bowl of soup with meat and vegetables. It was quite filling. I assure you I ate every drop,” he said, yawning. Hermione moved forward.

“Here, you need to go to bed,” she said, catching him by the arm and helping him to his feet. He winced as he had to bend to stand up. He cursed his soreness. Hermione walked with him to his bedroom, and helped him off with his robe, trying not to stare at his body as it was revealed. This was much different than seeing him broken up in the infirmary. Then she was concerned. Now, she was curious. He still had bandages wrapped around his middle. His back was healed, though he had scars on top of the old scars now. Still, it was easy to see he worked out. He was lean but muscular. She could see the corded sinews cords in his arms, neck and shoulders.