Foolish Hearts

Thirteen

Hermione's Pov...

The celebrations over the next week left me no time to really decompress and relax, and when they were over, Severus insisted that we go away on holiday for the weekend. I didn't know what he had planned, but when it involved going to Cornwall to see the beach, I was totally thrilled. 

We rented a beach house, and summoned some of the house elves to attend it. Otherwise, we lived simply. We were alone in the beach, and we spent many days just walking hand in hand on the beach. But after we ate dinner on the third night, I could tell there was something on Severus's mind, and I reached across from the table from me to take his hand in mine.

"You know, whatever it is, you can tell me what it is, right?" I said at last. 

He looked at me intensely, and asked, "Now that you are free, what do you want Hermione? From life? From me?"

The question took me off guard, but I knew that we needed to talk about us sooner or later, and it had been on both of our minds for a long time. "Well," I said carefully, "I was hoping to continue my studies in potions in one of the wizarding universities. But..." I took a few deep breaths, and met his intense black eyes, "I was hoping to continue what we have between us."

"And what would you like us to be, Hermione?" He asked, taking his hand in mine. "I genuinely want this, whatever this is between us, to be--"

"Love?"
Severus's eyes widened. "Are you sure that is what you want? I'm not exactly without my own demons. You've had to wake me from some nightmares on occasion. I think you deserve someone who is not so...haunted."

I scooted my chair so that I was sitting next to him. "I don't care, Severus. I love you. When I thought you were dead, I..." I broke down in tears, and shook my head. "I wanted to believe that you had gone to 'a better place,' as the muggles say, heaven, whatever. But I knew then that I wanted to join you. So, when Ron proposed, I didn't care. I was too grief stricken, and only agreed if it would lessen the loss for me. But it didn't. If anything, it only dulled with time. When I saw you again, I wanted to hold you and tell you what I'm telling you now."

Severus was crying, and he softly caressed my face. "Are you certain that you want me, witch? I need to hear it."

I kissed his hand and said seriously, "I want you, Severus, now and always."

"Good, because I wasn't planning on ever letting you go," Severus said, pulling me on to his lap. Our lips met, and he said raggedly, "I love you, witch."

"Oh, Severus," I breathed. "I love you too." 

Our eyes met, and I had never felt such love as I did in that moment. We didn't need to say that we loved each other, we knew deep down. Severus carried me bridal style into our bedroom, and we spelled our clothes off. We studied each other, and our scars. He had so many over the years! But it didn't diminish my love for him. He looked both lithe and toned, and all mine. Severus studied me just as intensely. 

"Gods, you're beautiful," He said softly, using wandless magic to dim the lights in the room. I ran my hands over his toned chest and his lips crashed over mine as our hands explored each other for the first time. I hated myself that I had so cheaply given away my first time to a wizard I didn't even love. 

Severus laid me gently on the bed, and he proceeded to kiss and lick me everywhere. I arched my back when he began to suck and lick along my labia, and I grabbed his hair as he made me quickly come undone. I cried as I climaxed and Severus looked at me with concern.

"Are you alright?"
"Yes."
"I can stop of it's too much," He whispered. 

"No, I'm just sorry that you're not my first, that--"
He kissed me briefly, "Shhh, love. We're together now, that is all that matters. We don't even have to go all the way tonight if you want."

"No, please do," I decided. "Just...go slow."

"Okay," He said, and winked. He kissed me deeply as I felt him slide deep inside of me. I didn't expect him to be so large, or to fill me so completely. Severus silently asked me with his eyes if I was alright. I nodded. When he began to move in and out of me, I wrapped my legs around him as I met him thrust for thrust. 

Time became a blur for us as we grew more frenzied and passionate in our lovemaking. It was as if all the years of waiting had come down to this moment for us to truly join as one. We both cried as we reached our releases and we remained in each other's arms as we slept that night. Unfortunately, we weren't the only ones who were in the house that magical night...