Reasons
Warning: Hermione Granger/Severus Snape
Disclaimer: Yes, J K Rowling agrees with me that Severus and Hermione are destined to be together forever. Of course.
Reason prowled after Severus in the form, strangely enough, of a first year student called Hermione Granger. She wasn't actually there, of course, but he felt as though she was peering over his shoulder with a disapproving frown.
Oddly, Severus had found himself thinking of the girl quite often. She was an outstanding student of course, but there was something else about her which he found strangely… attractive? Intriguing? Or simply bizarre?
She was muggle born, a Gryffindor and a first year – three good reasons for him to take no interest in her at all. And she was female.
So why, when his thoughts should have been completely taken up with his marking, did he obsess over her?
And there was the night he'd first dreamt about her, in all her student's beauty. In the morning, Severus had decided he'd had too much cheese before going to sleep, but the dreams persisted, becoming more and more vivid. There were days when he would be teaching a class and the dreams would suddenly invade his sight. It took all of his powers of Occlumency to remove him from his immediate thoughts, but Hermione was still in his imagination, waving at him, just out of reach.
Maybe he was simply developing a conscience. He doubted it. If he was only developing a conscience, then why did he have these strange feelings every time he saw the girl? Consciences, as far as he knew, were not in the habit of causing physical discomfort.
His rounds of the castle brought him to the library. Madam Pince – did she ever sleep? – had left the lights of the library on. Feeling in need of the comforting presence of hundreds of books, Severus stepped inside.
It didn't take long to notice the table piled high with – surprise, surprise – books. It was groaning, as though ready to collapse. The Potions Master prowled over, wondering whether any of the books were of any interest to him.
Behind the books, to his great surprise, Severus found a sleeping girl. She was a first year, muggleborn and a Gryffindor, but Severus caught his breath in surprise. Her name was Hermione Granger.
His gasp must have startled her – presumably she was a light sleeper – because she raised her head in bleary surprise.
"Professor?" she muttered, tiredly. Her eyelids fluttered. She was beautiful.
Severus stroked her hair as she fell asleep again. When her breathing had slowed down completely, he bent over, moving a few books out of the way, and kissed her gently.
Well, she wouldn't remember, he told himself, and she was so lovely. Her bushy hair, disobedient as usual, was lying across the table. Severus smiled and tidied the piles of books for her. She was angelic.
He left soon after, in the hope of finding some unfortunate Gryffindor sneaking around to unleash his sarcasm on.
Shutting the door behind him, Severs didn't notice the fleeting smile that crossed Hermione's face. Nr did he realise that his angel's dreams seemed to contain rather a lot of greasy-haired, scowling Potions Masters.
AN: Well? I rushed it off when I was bored, which might explain it.