A/N: Just a rabid plot bunny I felt like writing down. Enjoy. Don't own any of the characters. I wouldn't be writing fanfiction if I did, now would I? :D

The Letter

The aged bottle of Ogden's Old was emptied into the antique snifter he had inherited from his mother's side of the family. He brought it to his nose and inhaled; closing his eyes. The exquisite smell of perfectly aged firewhisky brought a smile to the normally loured face. He took a sip of the amber liquid; feeling the smoothness slide down his throat and the after tingle of warmth associated with quality alcohol.

He placed his glass on the small oak table next to his leather armchair and shrugged off the outer robe; placing it on the wood peg with a flick of his wand. He gratefully relaxed himself into his chair and picked up the glass. He looked at it thoughtfully before taking another sip. He lit a fire in the fireplace and morosely stared at it through the glass; giving it an odd tint.

His thoughts drifted to the reason for his current state. Again, he had been fooled into allowing another muggleborn witch to enter his heart. She was Lily all over again: bloody brilliant, amazingly beautiful, and uncommonly kind. She was also attached to a Potter. He was sure it wasn't a romantic attachment but it was an attachment nonetheless. Potter. It was always a Potter, wasn't it? He just couldn't get away from them.

Not that she would have anything to do with him in the first place. He was over a decade older than her and a professor to boot. He lacked in charm and grace and as for his physical attractiveness...well, he only had one trait going for him in that area. He'd have to dampen his desires and deal with it. It wouldn't be the first time he'd be forced to relinquish what he'd like to someone else without obvious complaint.

He wanted to get to know her outside of the relationship of teacher-student they already shared. He wanted an intelligent conversation and incessant questions that would lead to a wondrous debate. He wanted to care for someone and have those feelings reciprocated. Oh, he wanted carnal knowledge of her body; all those curves and the soft skin but that could wait. He would wait as long as she needed if only he knew he could have her once she was ready. She was ripe for the picking and it annoyed him that she would be subject to the quick fumblings of a teenage boy and feel no pleasure that first time.

Oh yes. He would like to be the first one to pluck her fruit. His apparent disinterest in common gossip allowed him to know more about the state of his student's sex lives than he cared to admit. He had found out not too long ago that she was still intact; a piece of information that only stoked his ardent desire even more where she was concerned.

He had kept her after class on numerous occasions only to take points from her because of some insignificant infraction; his courage failing at his true intent. She often left looking confused and a mite frustrated. He couldn't keep doing this to her or she'd hate him for sure and he'd never get a chance in Hell of getting her to see him as more than her old, snarky professor.

He had an idea but it was so...so childish. It would have to do; he had to know.

He went to take a sip of his whisky and noticed he had only a few drops left. He had sipped it dry without even realising it, being too caught up in his thoughts. He drained the last few drops and got up to go to his desk. He rummaged around for a spare bit of parchment and some ink. He charmed the quill to make sure she couldn't figure out the author by the spidery scrawl his students were used to and wrote the missive. He checked the time and saw that she would currently be in a class. He gave a sigh of relief; it was far better she read this in private than the Great Hall. He rolled the parchment up and sealed it with wax; deciding to not use his family seal to keep his identity hidden. She'd look the seal up, knowing her.

He called for an elf and had the elf deliver it to her room. Now, he just had to wait until the weekend.

Hermione lagged behind Ron and Harry as they made their way back to the common room. She rolled her eyes as Ron and Harry discussed the many benefits of walking behind Lavender and Parvati. She distinctly disliked being coined 'one of the guys' but she dealt with it as it was unlikely anyone else would pick up a friendship with her that ran as deep as the Golden Trio.

The boys forgot she was of the female variety and she felt annoyed anytime it became obvious to her. To them, she'd always remain 'bookworm Hermione' and the one they could count on to get them out of danger by the skin of their teeth. And because they saw her as that, so did everyone else. Her fourth year had been the only time anyone had classified her as a 'girl'. The fact that the boy involved couldn't even pronounce her name right, she dutifully ignored.

She made her quick good-byes after climbing through the portrait hole under the guise of homework and studying and climbed the stairs to her dorm. Her own room was one of the better benefits of being Head Girl and she smiled as she sunk into the engulfing sienna coloured armchair with an 'oof!'

She dropped her bag and stood, stretching. Shrugging off her school robe, she stood in front of the full-length gilded mirror by her armoire. She ran her hands down her sides, feeling out the subtle but attractive curves she had gained in the last year. Turning sideways, she thoughtfully appraised her arse and profile feeling that she had much more to offer than either Lavender or Parvati. She undid the braid that held her hair tame and let the loosened curls fall down her back. shaking them out. She untucked her shirt, threw off the jumper, and sank down into the sturdy oak chair and set to her homework.

Three hours later and she had gotten it all done. Her Potions essay on the few uses of sopohourous bean had been a nightmare when coupled with the minimum of a foot and a half of parchment. Her essay on the history of the entrail-expelling curse had left her feeling a trifle peaked and she had decided that a few rounds would get her mind off of the very detailed description of it. She put on her robe and ran her fingers through her hair while doing a quick once-over in the mirror. Feeling she looked presentable, Hermione left her room for the darkened corridors of Lover's Lane not noticing the sealed parchment on her nightstand.

Hermione wandered the halls looking for curfew breakers. Listening to Parvati and Lavender giggle over their flavour of the day gave Hermione the advantages of knowing the popular alcoves and closets to check. She had already caught two sixth year Hufflepuffs and a third year Gryffindor and made her way down to the least favourite of her patrols: the dungeons.

Wand out, Hermione stalked the damp and twisted corridors with vigilance. She now got along secretly with most of the seventh year Slytherins but the younger years tended to cause her problems if they could.

She turned as she heard a rustle of fabric and brightened her casted Lumos. Flicking it over to where she had heard the noise, she saw nothing. She sighed and turned back to continue her rounds. A brush of a hand on her robes caused her heart to race and her body to take on a defensive posture.

Flicking her wand up to the face, she let out an irritated sigh. "What Draco?"

Draco pulled her in closer, running his hand down her side and stopping at her waist. "They still haven't noticed you're a girl Granger?" he said with amusement.

Hermione gave a brittle laugh. "You know the answer to that Draco. I repeat: What do you want?"

Draco ducked his head to her ear and let his whispered, dulcet tones flow gently. "You. All I want is you Hermione."

"No," came the firm reply.

"Please?" he purred as he nuzzled her neck. "I'm sure you've heard the rumours. Just think of how I'd feel-"

"Mr Malfoy. Miss Granger. Care to explain what is going on here?" Severus asked im clipped tones.

"Its my fault Sir," answered Draco. "Hermione was doing her rounds and I, er, distracted her."

"Indeed Mr. Malfoy? Five points from Slytherin. Don't let me catch you out here at this time again Draco."

Draco gave Hermione's hand a soft kiss with a wink before leaving for the common room. Severus chanced a look and saw a faint flush on her cheeks and a soft smile playing on her lips. He felt his hope start to ravel like a loose thread of a tapestry. He felt extreme regret at sending that anonymous letter now.

"Miss Granger?"

Hermione startled and blushed as she regained control over herself. "Yes Sir?"

Severus hesitated before answering. "Would you care for an escort back to your room?" Wait. Why in the bloody hell did I just say that?

Hermione's eyes widened slightly but a smile crept out at this unexpected question. "I would Professor. Thank you."

He offered her an arm and they left the dungeons. Their conversation was friendly and refreshing. Hermione enjoying talking of something of absolute interest to her; Severus enjoying a discussion of something other than his spy duties. All too soon they had arrived outside of the Gryffindor portrait. He bent over her hand, his warm breath caressing her skin. He stood up and took in the shocked but pleasant smile his action had caused before bidding her goodnight. Shocked into silence, Hermione smiled and nodded.

"Oh and Miss Granger?" Hermione paused outside the portrait hole. "10 points from Gryffindor for being so easily distracted," he drawled.

Hermione shook her head and went through the portrait in a daze, going through what happened with her Professor in her mind over and over again. She made it to her door and whispered the password. She shrugged off her robes and with a quick flick of her wand, removed her uniform and rummaged her armoire for some pyjamas. She pulled out the topaz colored camisole and shorts and climbed under the down filled duvet she had brought from home.

Hermione turned and readied with a nox! on her lips when she stilled. She moved the wand light over the parchment, the seal visible. Her curiosity piqued, she threw a quick charm to make sure it harboured nothing dark. The spell came back clean and she picked it up. The handwriting was unrecognizable as well as the seal. She broke the seal and read, her eyes ever widening.

A secret admirer of sorts? Her? She ran through her interactions with fellow students and Draco was the only one who came to mind. She sighed but decided to meet with him. She hastily wrote a reply and called for an elf to deliver it. Once left alone, she settled down for a restless sleep.

In another area of the castle, Severus Snape smiled indulgently at the scrawled 'yes' to his proposition.

Hermione awoke the next day feeling nervous. She stood in front of the mass of strewn clothes with a frown on her face. All of her stuff was just so...ordinary. Using the charmed galleon from fifth year, she sent a message to Ginny asking for help. Within minutes there was a knock on the door and a smile on Hermione's lips.

Ginny raised one questioning eyebrow and set down the bundle of clothes she had brought. Hermione showed her the missive she had discovered last night and Ginny squealed.

"Who do you think it is Hermione?" she asked excitedly.

"I don't really know Ginny," she fibbed.

Ginny gave her a skeptical look but decided not to prod further; Hermione would tell her in due time. Hermione slid on the clothes Ginny had brought and admired the figure she cut.

The light blue top with sliver embroidery hinted at creamy cleavage and followed her curves with ease. Black capris with black strappy sandals finished the outfit. Hermione dabbed on a little perfume and applied some light makeup. She turned to face Ginny with her arms spread wide and a smile playing on her lips. The unspoken 'How do I look?' hung in the air.

"Beautiful 'Mione! Not too overdone but not underdressed."

"Thanks Gin. I gotta go and meet Mr. Secret now."

Hermione walked the worn gravelled path to Hogsmead with trepidation. Her stomach was in a know and her palms were sweaty. She looked around for the obscure shop that was to be the meeting place. She made an attempt at hiding her nervousness and succeeded only slightly.

She noticed a tall, black figure making his way towards her and she squinted to see better. Her mouth opened slightly at the sight of her Potions professor striding towards her and hoped that he didn't ask why she was here. It was embarrassing enough standing here looking like an idiot.

Severus stood in front of her with a slight smile on his face. Had his eyes been blue, one would have mistaken him for Dumbledore himself for they were twinkling the same.

"Miss Granger," he purred. "I see you got my letter."