There She Is
He found her in a dark hallway in the dungeons on his way back down to his office after dinner. She had her arms wrapped protectively around herself and her forehead rested against her knees. She shook lightly. He watched her intently for a moment, noticing the way her hair fell in soft waves down her back… though it had been much more unkempt as of late.
He coughed to alert her to his presence, "Miss Granger" he paused as she raised her head revealing swollen red eyes, "Whatever is the matter?" Of course he already knew the answer to this question even though she never bothered to really answer. She just shook her head muttered "goodnight Professor" and hurried down the hall never looking back. He watched her go.
Hermione Granger's life had been turned upside down after the war had finished. During the final battle a Death Eater had killed Ron, he hadn't even had time to raise his wand. As if losing one of her best friends wasn't enough, Harry had gone and given his life to save everyone else. Both of them gone, forever, they were never coming back. Everybody could see the obvious pain in her eyes for the first few months after their deaths. Yet, time went on, lives went on, and Hermione hid her pain from the world. It was still there with her, every minute of every day she longed for her best friends, but she wanted to be strong. So she hid. Hermione returned to Hogwarts to finish her seventh year the following autumn and everyone was under the impression that she was alright. That is, everybody except for a certain Severus Snape.
In potions class the following morning Hermione kept her head down and went about her work. She didn't even raise her hand to answer a question once. He could tell she was embarrassed by the state in which he had found her last night, he had decided when she had come back to Hogwarts that he would keep his distance and remain the cold, calculating, potion's professor he had always been to her. But something had changed within him. She was no longer the young, bright eyed, bushy haired student she had once been. Hermione had changed, she was no longer a child, but a woman, her eyes were harder than they used to be, her hair tamer. She was still unfathomably bright, but she didn't feel the need to show it as often. She was beautiful inside and out, and Severus Snape couldn't help but notice.
Snape gazed out the window, deep in thought. She's your student for goodness sake, snap out of it. I mean it's not as if she would want you anyways, you're an old man, you're practically forty and she has just turned eighteen!
"Uhh, sir?"
Snape wrenched his gaze away from the window, only now noticing that the class time was up and most of the students had left. He turned his attention to the young lady blushing immensely in front of him. That young lady was Hermione Granger.
My god she's beautiful …Severus thought.
"Yes, Miss Granger?" he replied.
"I was wondering if you had some time to..." she paused and bit her lip, blushing deeper, "erm talk?"
Severus noticed that everyone had left, it was just the two of them.
"Certainly Miss Granger, am I correct in assuming this is not about the essay assigned?" he asked.
"No sir, if you don't mind I was hoping I could talk to you about something a bit more personal…" Hermione answered softly.
"Ah, but of course" Snape replied "I have a period off, come on, follow me."
Severus turned and opened the door at the back of the classroom that lead to his quarters. Hermione followed, books in hand, eyes down. They entered his sitting room, Snape vaguely gestured to the sofa, indicating she should get comfortable. He went to the kitchen to make tea, his hands shaking the entire time.
Severus brought the tea to the coffee table and sat down on the other side of the couch, turning his body to his young student, he spoke softly…
"What is it you would like to talk about Miss Granger?"
Hermione glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, blushing and biting her lip.
She coughed, clearing her throat and spoke in a tone barely over a whisper.
"I feel so… lonely. All of the time. They never leave me, never, I am not free."
"They?" inquired Snape.
"Harry and Ron." She managed to choke out, her eyes swimming with tears.
Severus moved down the couch to sit much closer to her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, as she shook with tears.
"Miss Grang… Hermione," Severus began "I realize that they were, that they are, your best friends, but you should never, ever, feel alone. The staff… We… I, am here. I will be here, whenever you need to talk, I promise."
"Thankyou sir…. But it's not the same." Hermione replied "I can't tell you everything, I could tell… them… everything."
"Why is it that you think you cannot tell me whatever you desire? I am a very good secret keeper you know." Severus joked.
He knew she was upset but he was sure he heard a faint giggle.
"There she is," he murmured quietly.
"But, sir, I can't tell you everything! For instance, I can't tell you that ever since fourth year I thought you..." She caught herself mid-sentence, and looked quickly from Severus to the ground blushing if possible a shade redder.
"You thought I?" Snape ventured cocking an eyebrow…
"I can't possibly…" Hermione began…
"I won't be offended, no matter how bad it is" Severus promised.
"It's not that I think you'll be offended, more appalled really…" Hermione said softly.
"Hermione," Severus whispered, his voice low, husky "You can trust me."
She paused, unsure, and then…
"Ever since fourth year I thought you were, and are immensely attractive!" she blurted out.
Severus was taken aback, he hadn't expected her to feel this way at all. He had been expecting one of the age old insults of him being "a bat-like git with greasy hair!" He quickly dropped his hand from her shoulder, shocked. She looked at him, tears threatening to brim over once again. She got up quickly to leave. She had just made it to the door, when a pair of strong hands spun her around by the shoulders.
His arms encircled her, pulling her into a warm embrace. He buried his face in her luscious hair and whispered… "Hermione Granger, you are incessantly bright, charming, witty, and remarkably beautiful. And for some reason, unfathomable to me, you want me, me of all people. And you know what Miss Granger? I want you, I have always wanted you, I want you. I love you."
He lifted his head and saw her deep brown eyes looking up into his black. He slowly, cautiously, bent his head down and pressed his lips lightly to hers, letting his tongue brush against her bottom lip. They moaned quietly in unison, and her lips parted to allow his tongue to enter, their bodies pressed up against each other's hungrily. After a few moments Hermione pulled away,
"Take me." She breathed.
"You're… you're sure?" Severus stammered.
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life, free me." Hermione replied.
Severus took her small, soft hands in his, and led her to his bedroom. He shut the door quietly behind him, and advanced to kiss Hermione passionately. I love her, he thought as he pulled her down onto the bed,
I truly love her.
FIN