The Beach House

7

Back outside on the patio Severus was stood looking out towards the sea. The moonless night made the sea scape merge seamlessly into the sky above. Hermione came back to join him looking into the darkness. The waves could be heard breaking against the shore, relentless in their never ending journey. "It's black over Bill's Mother's" she chuckled looking at the sky which was now closing in and the night had become thick with an oppressive charge in the air.

"Who? Molly Weasley?" Replied Severus with a puzzled look "Bill's mother lives no where near here."

She laughed again and took his arm and put it round her shoulder. "It's just a muggle saying if the sky turns back. My granny from Birmingham always used to say it. It took me years before I realised neither Bill nor his mother actually existed."

"How very strange" he grinned "If I live to be 150 I won't fully understand muggle idiosyncrasies. But I think you're right; I think we're in for a storm." As if the powers that be heard him, a low rumbling of thunder growled ominously in the distance. Severus turned to face the young witch and she found her breath hitch as his hand came up and cupped her face. She swallowed and was certain he'd be able to hear the drumming of her heartbeat that was pounding out of her chest. When his kiss came it was everything she'd hoped it would be: Tender, loving, slow and gentle. She felt she was drowning in pleasure and it was the most sensuous thing she'd ever experienced.  Eventually and reluctantly he pulled away.  "That's brought some colour back to your cheeks" he winked at her smiling.  The thunder rolled again the first spots of warm summer rain splashed over them. 

"Let's go up onto the mezzanine and we can watch the storm." Said Hermione taking his hand and leading him inside.  He grabbed the wine bottle and the two glasses and they went up stairs.  The only place to sit was Hermione's large bed and they settled down to watch the lightening illuminate the night sky. 

They'd not really discussed much about the strange events of the day but Severus thought it time to broach the subject. Casually he put his arm around her and drew her to him. He kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair causing her to shut her eyes and relax against him. "Did you notice something strange about today?" He asked.

Hermione opened her eyes and sat up slightly so she could look at him. "What, aside from the fact we ran into my dead parents who had aged at least twenty years and were living in a cottage that had been there for more than a century but actually didn't exist? What could possibly be stranger than that?"

Severus raised an eyebrow "Am I detecting a hint of sarcasm Miss Granger?" He asked in a mock stern tone. "Did you not notice there were no smells?"

Hermione thought about it. He was right. Despite all of that baking the cottage was completely devoid of any aromas. "The people didn't smell like my mum and dad either. You're absolutely spot on. My father used to always wear the same aftershave. But he didn't smell at all today."

"And the chair where your 'mother' said your father always sat? It had no dint in it. You'd have thought someone who sat in the same chair day on day would've made an indentation but although it looked like an old chair it had the feeling of a brand new piece of furniture."

"So were they ghosts?"

"No I don't think so. They felt too tangible. And I don't think ghosts would age"

"And what about the children they kept talking about? Who were they now? Tiberius and Eleanor and Phinbar?"

"Tobias, Eleanor and Phineas" Severus corrected her. "Tobias is my middle name and Eleanor was my mother. Most peculiar. It's like they were predicting the future somehow."

Hermione flushed at this. "So you think those children were....are our children?"

"You saw the pictures. It's like the perfect family has been created. Or at least the perfect vision of a family. Most peculiar."

"We need to go to Hogwarts to look in the library there - or maybe speak to Minerva or Harry. Or even Draco. Maybe they've come across this sort of situation before?"

"Or.... they might think we've imbibed in some kind of mind altering drug and cart us off to St Mungo's rather pronto. I think maybe it's best if we kept this to ourselves for now."

"Harry won't judge. His work as an auror means he sees all sorts of strange things.  It might save us time?"

Severus thought about it for a second.  "Very well." he nodded "You're probably right.  He may be of assistance."

"I'll contact him in the morning." She yawned.  The thunderstorm had died out, leaving the rain tapping against the window, lulling her into a state of comfortable drowsiness.  She lay down on the bed and Severus turned on his side with his hand propping his head.  He ran a finger down the side of her face causing her to shiver slightly. 

"You really are incredibly beautiful" he said almost inaudibly but with utmost honesty.  Hermione's caramel coloured eyes flickered open and met his of dark onyx, smouldering with desire. She raised her palm and cupped his face. 

"So are you" she replied hoarsely, suddenly finding her mouth very dry. 

He leaned over her and swooped down to capture her lips with his own, his tongue seeking out the sweetness of her mouth.  Hermione groaned in pleasure when his tongue moved to her neck leaving a trail of electric kisses all the way to her sensitive collar bone.  He then placed both his hands either side of her head and kissed her lips soundly again. 

"I want to make love to you Hermione." He said looking at her earnestly "I want to make you scream my name in ecstasy.  I want you to crave no man other than me from this time forward and I want you to feel pleasure like you have never known. But" he kissed her again and she felt herself melt a little more "Not tonight. Tonight you need to sleep.  You've had a very emotional day and I'm not going to take advantage of you."

"I don't mind you taking advantage of me" she sighed in a small voice with a smile playing her lips.

"Don't be naughty." He chided playfully and kissed her on the nose. He stood up and got off the bed. "You are going to go to bed to sleep and so am I. We will have a very busy day tomorrow. Good night, beautiful. See you in the morning." And with that he was gone leaving the young witch alone with her dreams.