Concealing the Mark was surprisingly easy, Hermione discovered. Her robes covered her arms during the day and if Ginny visited, she wore her robe. The hard thing was ignoring the itching as her burn healed, for the others would surely notice if she was constantly scratching.
But the hardest part of everything was being away from Severus. She no longer had any desire to go down to his chambers and him coming to her proved rather risky. She missed him terribly though, and wondered how much longer all this would go on.
A week after the incident Hermione was in her room, listlessly doing her Transfiguration homework. It was nearly midnight but she wasn't the least bit tired. She would probably go to bed soon, though, for lack of anything better to do.
In the silence of the room, Hermione heard the portrait open and looked up, frowning. It was too late for Ginny to be coming to visit and Hermione doubted Dumbledore would be coming to see her. That left only one other person and Hermione hoped she was right, though she still fingered her wand until he came into view. Hermione's face broke into its first real smile in days and stood quickly, wrapping her arms around him and breathing in the familiar scent.
She felt, rather than heard, his soft laugh as he placed his hand on her hair and kissed the top of her head.
"How've you been?" he asked softly.
"Terrible. But better now that you're here." Hermione closed her eyes and rested her head on Severus's chest; they stood silently for a moment.
When they broke apart, Hermione had tears in her eyes.
"What's wrong?" Severus asked, placing a hand on Hermione's cheek.
"I just miss you. But I'm too scared to come down anymore, and it's too dangerous for you to come up here."
Severus gently kissed Hermione's lips.
"Come down tomorrow night," he said.
"Severus-"
"You'll be safe. I'll be there, I won't leave."
Hermione bit her lip anxiously. "You're sure it'll be okay?"
"I promise. It's been too long since we've been together," Severus replied, leaning to plant a few well-placed kisses on Hermione's neck.
She smiled, feeling her face flush, and gently pushed him back.
"Okay. Tomorrow night." Hermione pulled him down for a kiss, one like they hadn't shared in weeks.
"I love you," she whispered against his lips. His response was to kiss her again, pressing her body to his own and then sweeping from the room.
The next night, after curfew, Hermione slipped out of her room, casting a Disillusionment Charm on herself so she wouldn't be spotted, and made her way to Severus's chambers. Still being careful, Hermione crept through the Potions classroom, the office, and made her way down the dark staircase.
She listened at the door for a moment and then, satisfied that no one else was in the room, removed the charm from herself and pushed open the door.
Severus was grading some quizzes when she entered and he smiled when he saw her. Hermione loved it when he smiled. He did it so rarely, but when he did, it was such a change.
He stood and she went to him without a word, pressing her lips to his. He reciprocated wholeheartedly, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her from the floor. Her legs found their way around his waist, her arms around his neck. His hands moved to her thighs to hold her up and he began to back towards the bed.
Their kissing broke only when Severus hit the bed and fell back, Hermione giggling as she fell on top of him.
She sat up, her knees on either side of Severus's hips, and pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it to the floor.
Severus reached up, placing his hands on her waist and caressing her soft skin. She smiled and leaned forward, her hands sliding up his chest to the top buttons of his shirt, unfastening them as she kissed him again. He sat up slightly to remove his shirt and his lower stomach tingled as his chest touched the soft fabric of Hermione's bra. Hermione grabbed the shirt from the bed, tossing it to the floor as well. As she did so Severus's hands made their way to Hermione's back to unhook her bra. Hermione lowered her arms to let the garment fall and Severus lowered his head to kiss her breasts.
Hermione tilted her head back and closed her eyes. She could feel the heat rising, her skin flushing red and a small moan escaped her lips.
Severus stood and quickly turned, placing Hermione on the bed. He quickly removed his pants and crawled to where Hermione had backed herself against the pillows. She pulled him to her, placing her hand on the back of his neck as she kissed him.
Supporting himself with one hand, Severus reached his other hand under Hermione's skirt and began to tug her underwear down.
Hermione moved so he could get them off, at the same time sliding down on the bed so she was no longer sitting. Severus placed his hand on her thigh, slowly moving it up as he moved his lips to her neck.
Hermione's hand tightened on his shoulder, gripping it as his fingers traced their way across Hermione's hip to lightly stroke her lower stomach. Her hips bucked slightly and she moaned again.
"Severus, please," she whispered. He smiled and as he moved to kiss her thrust inside of her.
She gasped, raising her legs, her knees tightening on his waist, her nails digging into his shoulders.
She loved him so much it hurt and while she was never entirely sure he felt the same way, she hoped he did, and now, as he was inside of her, she felt like she was a part of him, he a part of her. It was the best, and most intense, feeling she'd ever experienced and coupled with an orgasm was positively euphoric.
Afterwards they lay silently, Hermione curled against Severus, his arms around her shoulders, his fingers tracing lazily on her upper arm.
She stared at the Dark Mark on her arm and Severus followed her gaze.
"Does it bother much?" he asked, taking her arm with his free hand and lightly rubbing the spot with his thumb.
"It itches sometimes, but it hasn't done what it did that night."
Severus released Hermione's arm and gently kissed the top of her head.
Hermione fell silent, rolling the edge of the sheet between her fingers.
"Severus?" she said quietly. He gave a sleepy grunt of acknowledgement.
"Do you love me?"
Severus's hand fell from Hermione's arm as she sat up and turned to face him. He was frowning.
"You know I do."
"You... it's just... you haven't said it in a while and I've been thinking and wondering... asking myself why you would leave what you had before, betray your friends, risk your life... all for me."
Severus stared at Hermione for a moment, his dark eyes searching her ever brightening ones, and then he sat up, placing a gentle hand on her cheek.
"I love you. I've never stopped. I had nothing before you. Those people were never my friends. And I would continue to risk my life for you if it meant you were safe."
Hermione smiled and Severus leaned forward to kiss her.
"I do love you," he whispered, staring into her eyes. She nodded, kissing him again before they lay back down. They were soon asleep.
Hermione awoke the next morning curled into a ball, clutching her pillow tightly.
She stared blankly at the wall, trying to remember where she was.
A clock began to chime loudly and Hermione rolled over, surprised. Seven a.m. She had spent the night with Severus, she remembered now. But where was he?
She sat up, clutching the covers to her chest. She was terrified of being in his room alone, she realized, and she called to Severus, only her voice came out barely a whisper. She cleared her throat and called to him again, trying to keep herself from panicking.
When Severus appeared from the bathroom, Hermione visibly relaxed and he came to sit beside her on the bed.
"I thought you had gone," Hermione murmured, smiling apologetically.
"I never left," Severus replied, kissing Hermione's forehead.
"How long have you been up?" she asked.
"About an hour. You should get up to your room."
"Ginny may be looking for me," Hermione said, finding her skirt among the tangled sheets.
"You can use the Floo," Severus replied, standing so Hermione could find the rest of her clothes and dress.
Severus retrieved his jar of Floo Powder from the mantle and extended it to Hermione as she approached the fireplace. She kissed him as she took a handful and left him with a smile as she threw the powder down and declared her destination.
She stumbled out of the fireplace in her own room moments later and quickly undressed, tossing her dirty clothes in the small hamper in the bathroom and pulling on her pajamas and robe.
As if on cue, she heard Ginny's voice outisde the door and went to let her in.
"Why are you up so early?" Hermione asked in what she hoped was a sleepy voice.
Ginny shrugged. "Just felt like it. Get dressed, we're early enough to get the good breakfast bits."
Hermione nodded and crossed to her dresser to find some clean clothes.
"Why are you so flushed?" Ginny asked, watching Hermione.
"What?" Hermione froze in the middle of pulling out a green long sleeved shirt.
"Are you sick? Your cheeks are flushed." Ginny came to stand next to Hermione.
"You sound like your mother," Hermione said, grinning slightly as she pulled the shirt out and closed the drawer.
"You obviously weren't asleep when I got here, what were you doing?"
"Nothing," Hermione replied, grabbing jeans and stepping around Ginny.
"'Nothing' doesn't make people's cheeks turn pink."
Hermione gave Ginny a look and the younger girl grinned.
"Was there a boy in here?"
'"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed and Ginny began to laugh.
"Who was it?" she asked, following Hermione to the bathroom and standing outside the closed door.
"Nobody, Ginny," Hermione said, her voice muffled through the thick door.
"Come on, you can tell me."
"None of your business," Hermione said, laughing.
"Ah, so there was someone!"
The bathroom door opened and Hermione stared at Ginny.
"There was no one in here."
"Then you were somewhere!" Ginny replied, giggling. "But where?" Ginny fell silent and Hermione's grin began to slip away as she watched her figure it out.
"Hermione!" Ginny stared, open-mouthed. "I thought... you're still seeing him? But I thought...." Ginny trailed off and Hermione ducked back into the bathroom.
"Is that where you were last night?" Ginny whispered firecely, following Hermione into the bathroom and watching as she washed her face.
"Ginny, you can't breathe a word of this to anyone," Hermione said firmly as she patted her skin dry. "Especially-"
"Ron and Harry, yes, but Hermione...."
Ginny seemed at such a loss that Hermione had to fight the urge to laugh. Instead she hung up her towel and turned to face Ginny.
"It's complicated, okay? But yes. We're still... together. And yes, that was where I was last night."
Ginny remained silent as Hermione turned away and left the bathroom. She wanted to be happy for her friend, but when she thought about the man in question, it became difficult.
Ginny stepped into the bedroom where Hermione was seated at her desk, taming her hair.
"Do you love him?" Ginny asked softly. Hermione looked up at her and nodded.
"And does he-"
"Yes."
Hermione spoke with such assuredness, such conviction, that Ginny believed her. And she smiled.
"Then that's all that matters."
Hermione smiled back, a genuine and relaxed smile and stood, placing a clip in her hair to hold the sides back.
"Come on, let's go eat."
Hermione and Ginny headed down to the Great Hall, where they were soon joined by Ron and Harry. Hermione stayed out of the conversation for the most part, immersed in her eggs and the Daily Prophet.
Severus entered the Hall shortly after and he and Hermione both ignored the other's presence. Ginny watched the professor as he walked up to the staff table, wondering about the side of him no one but Hermione was privy to.
"Ginny!" Ron said loudly and she turned.
"What?"
"What, got a crush on Snape now?" Ron teased. Hermione glanced up and Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Sod off, Ron."
Ron snickered and Harry grinned.
"I was trying to say, don't forget we have Quidditch practice today," Harry said. Ginny nodded.
"Okay."
Ginny looked back at Hermione to see her grinning and glancing away from the staff table. Whatever had happened, Ginny had missed, but she couldn't help smiling at Hermione's obvious happiness.