Disclaimer: The characters of the Harry Potter universe don't belong to me, but rather to J.K. Rowling. The writing of this oneshot is purely mine, however.

Author's Note: Enjoy. Let me know what you think by leaving a review. They are very helpful when constructive and very fun when filled with praise. ;) You know you want to.

- - -

Of Dungeons and Misunderstandings

- - -

Hermione bit hard at her lip, until it stung, little needles of blood surfacing beneath the skin. She knocked once, twice, at the heavy wooden door.

The dungeons were surprisingly cold, particularly for a late summer evening, the last before the beginning of the new school year.

She could hear Severus moving around inside his office—she could hear him—but he appeared to be ignoring her. She knocked again, sharp little raps that she hoped would project her irritation. His footsteps on the other side of the door stopped. There was a long pause.

"Come in," he said, a note of resignation in his tone.

Hermione opened the door and he glanced at her briefly, before returning his attention to the paper in his hand, as if she were of no consequence.

"Severus," she said by way of greeting.

"Miss Granger," he said, his tones clipped, his eyes still on his paper. She felt sure he was just using it as an excuse not to look at her. She felt a flare of anger rise in her chest—all summer he had called her Hermione. One little argument and he reverted to his old sneers, his old tactics, his old way of referring to her. She sighed mentally. And she had thought they were friends, at least.

"I thought I should say goodbye…" she said. When he didn't respond, she struggled to find common ground—something to talk about—anything. "Grading papers?" she asked.

"Mm," he intoned, a noise deep in the back of his throat. "Yes." His eyes flickered to her face, dismissing her again as he shuffled through a stack of papers on his desk, turning his back to her.

"That's good." They stood in awkward, heavy silence, his broad, black-clad back to her. She curled her fingers into her sweaty palm. There were things she wanted to say, but wasn't sure if she should… could, even. "It's been…wonderful, being your colleague this past semester. I don't think I've enjoyed—or appreciated—Potions as much as when we spoke about them this past summer. The research you've been doing is fascinating, and far above anything the students here ever learn. You're brilliant, really," she tried. His shoulders tensed and he shook his head.

"Your flattery is unnecessary, Miss Granger. Do not feel…indebted to me for anything. You were kind enough to put up with my company when I needed your Arithmancy skills to develop the more difficult potion recipes I have been working on."

Hermione bit her lip again and they both fell silent. "Well, it wasn't like that for me. I enjoyed your company very much." Snape didn't respond, but his long fingers were clenched around the bunch of papers in his hands, his shoulders tense. "Perhaps it's best if I go, now," Hermione said dejectedly after several long moments. She turned to leave, had the door open, her heart cloudy with dissatisfaction, a sort of knot forming in her stomach. She was in the hallway, the heavy wooden door inches from being shut—

"Wait," Snape said and spun, pulling the door back open. "Wait." Hermione turned, something flickering in her chest. "I…" he sighed and pinched his lips together. "I should apologize. I overreacted when you informed me you were leaving. I was simply surprised that you were so intent upon leaving. To teach at a university; they're very lucky to have you on their staff."

"Thank you very much," said a stunned and flattered Hermione.

"I suppose I thought you would be happy, teaching here at Hogwarts. It always seemed like a second home to you."

Hermione studied him for a moment, cocking her head to the side as she thought. "In truth, I think that is the biggest reason I must go. 'Home' is a terrible place for memories. They have a tendency to hang about and sneak up on one in the most inconvenient of situations." She paused again, studying his reaction. His face was neutral, but there was a shadow of something she couldn't name behind his eyes. He had very, very dark eyes. Hermione caught her breath. "For instance, as I walked the hallways, descended the stairs, knocked on your door, I couldn't help but be reminded of all the times I came to serve detention with you."

A wince crossed Severus' face, disappearing so quickly Hermione doubted she really saw it. "Was it really so bad?" he asked. Hermione laughed.

"At the time. Things have changed, Severus. Your office now is far friendlier—I will always remember the long conversations regarding academics that we've had here."

"Things have changed, Hermione," Snape said, taking a step toward her, his voice reserved, but a note of deep earnestness showed through. "I—" he spun away from her suddenly, pacing, a vibration of tense energy radiating from his body. "I—I don't know how to say this, Hermione." He fell silent, thinking, still keeping his frenzied pace. He stopped in front of her suddenly. "When you told me you were leaving, I was jealous—" he held up his hand to silence Hermione when she opened her mouth to respond—"I was jealous, thinking of you giving your brilliance to another school. Befriending some other professor, someone who shared your love of academics, of knowledge, someone else with whom you would spend late nights discussing literature, students, papers… someone who would replace me." He began pacing once more, running a hand through his hair, taking a sharp breath. He cast a glance at her from the corner of his eyes. She looked shocked. "I am a selfish man, Miss Granger, terribly selfish. I was undeniably upset when you said you were leaving because it meant you were leaving me and I had come to enjoy…appreciate…want your company. I was—" he swallowed thickly, taking a deep breath to reign in his emotions—"Distressed," he finished. "Distressed that the one professor who had gotten to me…gotten under my skin…was leaving." He stopped once more in front of her. "There," he said breathlessly. "Now you know."

Hermione opened her mouth soundlessly, her eyes huge, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment—or desire, Snape thought impulsively, irrationally—and she managed to choke out a squeak of sound.

"Hermione, before you—before you go, can I—may I—" he interrupted himself and pressed his mouth to hers, suddenly and insistently. At first, Hermione was too shocked to respond. This did not last long. She was kissing him back within moments, pressing against him with a sort of urgency pent up from months of wondering just what this would be like.

"Hermione," he said against her mouth, pushing her gently against the wall, "Tell me to stop if you want me to stop," he said, breathless. "And tell me quickly," he added.

She gripped his shirt and pulled him against her. "Don't stop. I've waited a long time for this, Severus." Their lips met again, quickly, the kiss filled with a need that had long been waiting to be fulfilled. When they finally parted, both with heaving chests, they stood mere inches apart, staring at one another.

"I'm glad I came to say goodbye," Hermione said, her eyes dark with lust. Snape's face shuttered at her words. "But I think it's somewhat changed my mind." She put her palm flat against his chest. She could feel his heart beating quickly—I did that, she thought—and noticed her own heart wasn't exactly plodding along, but rather running a marathon. "You see, Severus," she began. "I was always under the impression you were putting up with me, and barely. We had our moments, of course—mostly late at night after a hard day's work on a potion, but for the most part…you were distant. I was afraid of how much I enjoyed being around you, scared that I would ruin myself over you. And that you wouldn't return anything. I was convinced I had to leave in order to… to 'get over' you."

Snape shook his head, his dark, dark eyes on her lovely, lovely face. He tilted her chin up gently. "Not so, Hermione. I was distant because I've been humiliated and rejected enough in my youth. I didn't want to risk being rejected by you." He kissed her, softly this time, on the corner of her mouth. She smiled beneath his lips and traced his jaw with the tip of her finger.

"Since we've gotten all this out in the open, then… you should know. I'm not leaving," she murmured.

"Those papers I'm grading," Snape said slowly, "Can wait. I'll just tell my students they're late in getting back because I've been working on some very important…chemistry research."

Hermione grinned and he pulled her to him.

The dungeons weren't so cold anymore.

- - -

Fin.

- - -