Just a Dream

Warnings:

Snape ship, Hermione/Severus pairing, post war, good Snape, small mention of rape, rated M for sexual scenes

Sorry for the long wait guys, my voice changes a lot and I was trying to get back on the right path to write this. As always please review (: Happy reading!

Something was beginning to change, Severus thought. Something felt... different about when he fell to sleep. When he found the image brought to him that evening, he realized what it was. He had control again, of the dream and the things within it. Perhaps it meant he could battle the nightmares now, but he hoped he didn't have to test that theory.

Hermione stood before him, wide eyed as she took in the space. He didn't want to scare her, so he hadn't thought up of anything too extreme, however, having her in a dungeon was all too appealing.

Grey cement walls surrounded them, some areas held restraints against the wall that he knew she couldn't comprehend, and some areas held tools and toys of various assortments. Hermione herself wore a revealing red top that dipped low beneath her cleavage, and a short denim skirt leaving him with plenty of access to her without the need to remove her clothing.

"You're sure you can handle this?"

"I'm sure."

The deadpan look she gave him let him know that he wouldn't be able to talk her out of it. He wondered why part of him wanted that, wanted her to realize she wasn't fit for that part of him.

Severus closed the small distance between them and trailed his fingers along the side of her face. She remained completely still, and he smiled, the fact that she'd so easily fallen into submission had pleased him.

He lowered his touch, trailing down the sides of her curves until he could grasp her ass, then lifted her easily into his arms. He carried her to the large, dark bed across the room and laid her out on it the way he wanted, with her legs hanging off the edge.

Hermione propped herself up on her elbows and watched him.

"Put this on." he instructed, pulling out a black satin blindfold from the back pocket of his jeans. She was hesitant, but only for a moment. Severus knew it wasn't from distrust or a dislike for it, but more that she enjoyed seeing him, watching him, knowing what was coming next.

Once she laid it over her eyes and tied it behind her head, he lowered himself to her, kneeling beside the bed. She had become more still than before, stiff in the anticipation. He was careful not to touch her as he moved, increasing her lack of knowledge of where he was in proximity to her. When his fingers began to toy with the bottom hem of her skirt, she let out a soft sound of surprise.

He took his time feeling the soft skin of her inner thighs, until his fingertips brushed what he knew was black, lacy panties. Severus traced slow lines against her, feeling her become wet through the fabric.

"Do you like this?" he cooed.

"I-yes, sir."

"What were you going to say?"

"I- I'm sorry sir, just that... I want more."

Of course she did- that was the point. So, rather than to give in to what she wanted, he resumed his slow, methodical strokes while she squirmed around him. When she began to whimper, he dove beyond the fabric and dipped into the wet flesh, teasing her clit as his fingertips toyed with her opening.

"Is this better?"

He knew it wasn't. Or, more so, it wasn't as much as she wanted.

"Yes sir. Thank you."

Pushing the denim further until it pooled around her waist, Severus kissed up her inner thigh, then flicked his tongue against her clit. Hermione let out a sharp moan, dissipating quickly into a whimper as he moved away from it too quickly, kissing up her stomach.

When he reached her naval, he nipped lightly, biting harder as he traveled to thicker parts of her stomach and sides, furthering his reach inside of her with each one. He grew harder at each tight pulse around his fingers, leaving him uncomfortable and confined.

Instantly, he was freed and it reminded him of just how much he could control the dream, his dream. With it, the scene morphed, in which Hermione was laid out before him, nude, in hanging restraints.

A low growl escaped him as he took her in, closed the last inches between them until he was inside of her in one slow, hard movement. The surprise in the suspension, of so much of him at once, overrode her senses and left her nearly breathless.

He moved her legs wider, letting him in more deeply, as he reached for one of the tools along the wall. A small, metal object took his interest, and he drew its short spikes along her peaked nipples. Hermione gasped, from surprise, from a short spark of pain, then moaned as he continued down her torso.

The wheel of the spikes moved easily against her, dipped along the curves of her body and glided against her inner thighs as he fucked her. It left small, light scratches against her skin that he wished he could parade around with her in real life. He wished others could see the marks he'd left on her, claiming her as his, and his alone.

It bored him quickly though, and soon he was after something new- a metal vibrating egg. With intense focus, he removed himself from her and inserted the egg on full force, before resuming his natural position inside of her. He could feel the vibrations against him, as well as her tightening muscles around him that came from the added pressure. It sent him into a euphoria, feeling her like that, and he knew he wouldn't last much longer.

Still inside her, he stilled his motions and rubbed his thumb against her clit, letting her feel the different sensations he was giving her. He was thankful for the restraints, because since she was hanging versus being tied to something, she couldn't move against him as he knew she would have. He needed every break he could get if he was going to make it last.

It seemed he needed to work on his stamina, since everything before her had never given him a challenge, had never broken the walls of his self taught routines. Hermione however, was entirely different. It wasn't only the fact that he'd appreciated her for as long as he had, but it was just... her. The way her body fit so easily with his, the way she kissed him. Hell, the way she looked at him already had him over the edge. That was half the reason for the blindfold.

"Fuck Hermione. I'm going to-"

"Me too." she moaned lightly, horsely.

With the eruption of both of their climax's, the dream began to fade all too quickly. He tried to fight it, tried to stay with her, but in moments his eyes opened to his own bedroom.

He wasn't sure what had woken him- it was still late at night and not a sound could be heard. Severus closed his eyes again, refocused on images of her, yet nothing came. He remained awake, and wishing she was with him.

Hermione had no ability to notice when Severus had left, she'd simply felt him pull out of her as he came across her stomach, then nothing for a moment. She waited.

"Do you want more?" she heard him say.

"Yes." she gasped. "Please, sir."

In a quick motion, she was torn from the restraints and on her feet on the solid concrete floor. She felt his hands on her shoulders, pushing down until she kneeled before him. Hermione opened her mouth, ready and willing for him. It wasn't like he was before though, careful to keep her comfortable. This version of him forced himself into her mouth, choking her until she steadied herself.

He plunged long and hard into her throat, keeping her from having any control of what she did with it herself. She took it though, simply glad to be there with him and to give him that pleasure, though she'd have to talk to him about it.

Suddenly, she was brought back to her feet and spun around to face the bed. He pushed her onto it, leaving her ass arched up to him. Just as he had before, he forcefully plunged into her sore sex, harder than he'd ever done with her before. He began to slap her, hard, each cheek in turn until it moved further along her body, and her back began to take the hits as well.

"Severus stop, that hurts!"

"You'll take whatever I tell you to, that's how it works. Can't handle it after all, can you?"

No, damnit. She'd come too far to give in.

"I can sir. I'm sorry."

"That's what I thought." he growled, more coldly than she could ever recall hearing him before.

No matter what he did, he couldn't connect with her, couldn't fall into her dream or share his with her. In a panic, Severus left his room to find her, to let her know it wouldn't work. More than anything, he wanted to make sure she was alright. They'd never encountered this issue before, and quite frankly, it scared him.

Hermione was wrestling in her sleep, turning and rolling as muffled sounds came from her closed mouth. Severus went to her side but didn't try to wake her- he didn't want to risk the implications that could cause. So, despite how much it was killing him, he waited.

When she finally calmed, she opened her eyes, and gasped for air.

"Hermione, you're alright, it's just a dream." he said softly, hoping not to alarm her.

To his horror, she turned to him and paled, and began to quickly move away from him.

"Don't- don't touch me!"

"What is it? What's wrong?"

She wouldn't even look at him, and it ripped him apart. Hermione curled herself up into a ball, tucking her knees to her chin and buried her face in them.

"Hermione, what happened?"

"You- how- how could you do that!? I said no!"

"Hermione, I came here to tell you that I couldn't connect with your dream. I got kicked out. Whatever you just saw wasn't me."

"No." she said quietly, shaking her head. "No. No, that was you."

Severus reached over and tried to take her hand, but she pulled it away. He rested his hand on her leg instead.

"Hermione, look at me."

Hesitantly, she did.

"That wasn't me."

She simply stared for a moment, then seemed to relax.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head.

"Alright. I won't push. Can I hold you though?"

Slowly, she moved closer to him and he rose to lay on the edge of the bed. She fell against his chest and began to sob.

Severus didn't push for answers, he simply allowed her the shoulder to cry on as she sobbed, wrenching his heart with each pitiful sound. He wished he could delve into her mind and see whatever it was that had taunted her, could pull it from her memories and allow her the relief of forgetting it completely.

When he was kicked out, she must have had a nightmare. Perhaps it was the nightmare that kicked him out, he didn't know. Dream jumping was very minimally studied or covered in books, and they had very little information on it.

Damn. He should have made sure they knew everything they could before experimenting with it. Then, he realized- if they'd had the dream they'd shared, and it was followed by a nightmare, including him, did that mean...

"Hermione, I need to know what happened. Please."

She sat up, keeping her body tucked as tightly against him as she could, and held his hands in her lap. After the initial spark of fear, she truly woke up and realized she was no longer dreaming. It occurred to her quickly that the man Severus was, and who whatever it was that came after, were two completely separate people, things, whatever.

"I was still blindfolded... I didn't know you'd left. After that... you... he... was so forceful... I was raped."

Severus's stomach dropped and anger flared in his gut. What was worse was he had no way of combating this thing, no way to protect her if it could kick him out so easily.

Ignoring his look, she continued. "I realized though that I couldn't feel them the way I do with you, so I know it isn't like someone hijacked my dream or something. It was just a nightmare."

"Have you ever had nightmares like that before?" he managed to ask.

"No, just of the war, and sometimes of losing my parents. I don't know what brought it on."

"I do."

"What do you mean?"

"I think... part of you fears what we do, doesn't trust it. I think maybe you think I could hurt you. But you need to know that I never could. Not ever."

He leaned forward and took her face in his hands. For a moment, he merely gazed at her, hoping it said everything he didn't have the words for. Then, he kissed her softly.

"But I do trust it, and I trust you. I know you wouldn't do anything like that."

"It could just be subconscious, and you don't realize it's there but your dream scapes do. I'm so sorry I made you go through that Hermione."

"You didn't make me go through anything. What we shared was incredible and I wanted more."

"Just what you got wasn't me."

Hermione nodded sadly, but tried to forget what she'd experienced.

"Come here." he said, pulling her against him again.

She covered his body more when she laid back down, looping a leg through his and leaving half of her body over his. The warmth, the comfort it gave the both of them, was exactly what they needed. Hermione laid there and listened to his heart for a few beats, then rose to kiss him, more deeply than before.

Severus knew what she wanted, through he wasn't sure if it was right for her after what she'd just experienced. Though as her hands roamed his body, feeling her true, physical form against his, made him weaken and give in to anything she desired.

It wasn't like any other time before, of what they'd shared in their dreams. It was slow and easy, both giving in to each other as much as they possibly could in the unspoken love they shared for each other. In the moments she laid with him after, he knew he'd never want to be anywhere else but with her.