A/N: I dedicate thee to my dear Julia(InSearchOfSunrise). This was written in the spirit of hopefulness that this story could and would cheer you up and help you to realise that no matter what is going on in life, that there is always someone willing to be a friend and listen. Someone, who cares enough to do what it takes to make you smile, even if for a little while. So here is Strange Love, with your OTP Severus Snape/Hermione Granger. Sending you love and happiness.
Hermione's POV
She was a sixth year and she was in love with her Defence Against The Dark Arts Professor. It had come as a complete shock to her when she realised it. She wasn't sure how or when it had happened either. One day she was in class listening to him explain about non verbal spells the next she was day dreaming about being in his arms.
Hermione Granger shook herself. Had she really been day dreaming about Severus Snape? No, it couldn't be possible! But every time she saw him, her imagination would slip into the realm of day dreams. The things she would imagine herself doing to him, could be dubbed as being somewhat pornographic.
"Miss Granger, pay attention!" Snape snapped at Hermione.
Harry nudged Hermione in the ribs.
"I'm sorry, Professor," said Hermione, she could feel herself blushing furiously.
She again felt Harry nudge her in the ribs because she'd slipped into another day dream.
"Miss Granger, stay after class," snapped Snape coldly.
Hermione gulped nervously. Harry gave her a half glance and wondered what was up with her today. The bell finally rang signifying the end of class. Hermione was slow to pack her stuff away. She felt sick and positively terrified of being left alone with Professor Snape, especially considering her feelings for him. Finally everyone else had packed up and gone. Hermione and Severus were alone.
"So Miss Granger, care to explain why you weren't paying attention in class today?" asked Snape in his usual silky tone.
"I'm sorry Professor, I...I...I've been feeling a little distracted lately," Hermione mumbled nervously, unable to look at him.
"Maybe I should separate you, Weasley and Potter."
"No Sir, it isn't those two who are distracting me!" said Hermione for the first time looking up at Snape, her eyes were hugely brown and oh so deep.
"Liar," said Snape in a quiet and deadly voice.
"I'm not lying Sir," said Hermione quietly.
"Maybe if I forced you to take some Veritaserum, maybe that would loosen your tongue!".
Hermione looked horrified. Her deep brown eyes were as wide as saucers, and she paled, really paled. Snape noted the horror on his student's face, and held back a smirk. Nothing to do with Weasley or Potter, who was she kidding?
"Please Professor! I am telling the truth, Harry and Ron have nothing to do with this."
Hermione's heart beat was a tattoo in her chest, she bit her lip that had started to quiver and she blinked her eyes rapidly to stop any tears from falling.
"Why are you lying to me, Miss Granger?" asked Snape coldly.
Knowing that would prove a reaction, Hermione looked up. As she did so Snape did something to her that no other Witch or Wizard would do in the school, he broke into her mind using Occlumency.
A rush of memories came forth and finally he finds the ones he's looking for. He was shocked by what he saw and broke the connection. Hermione collapses to the floor, her head felt like someone had just taken a jack hammer to it and she felt feverish. Now she understood what Harry had meant last year.
"Miss Granger, get up and get out, never speak of what just happened in this room again" Snape orders quietly.
She managed to stagger to her feet and leave.
Snape's POV
Severus was a thirty six year old man, who had just found out while illegally using Occlumency that one of his sixth year students was in love with him and had been fantasizing about doing things to him that could be dubbed as pornographic.
He was shocked that a girl like Hermione Granger could ever be in love with someone like him.
The greasy little oddball Professor with an obsession for the Dark Arts. In some ways Hermione reminded him of Lily Evans. She was a Muggle born witch, who was the brightest witch of her generation too. She didn't quite have Lily's charm or cheekiness. But she certainly had the brains. She had a lovely figure and now that her hair was tamed, it could look lovely.
He knew he shouldn't encourage her, but he was so lonely. He had never had anyone love him.
His mother did in her own way, but it wasn't enough. His father was a waste of space. Lily was dead, not that she could or would have ever loved him like he loved her. Now he had his bright young lady who was in love with him, did he encourage it? Could he eventually fall for her? Or did he leave it as it was against school rules? He knew her to be seventeen now so there would be nothing illegal in that context.
Severus realised he was rushing ahead of things. He needed time to think.
He was able to avoid her until the next Defence class. She entered slowly and uncertainly. She seemed almost wounded and nervous. She sat at the back of the room in shadow as if she was trying to hide herself away.
Snape felt his heart drop.
He handed back the homework to the Gryffindors and Slytherins. Hermione found a note attached to hers. He'd asked to see her after class again.
When class was over he watched her slowly pack her stuff away, until the last student left and then she got up and swung her bag onto her shoulder and slowly made her way to the front of the room.
"Y...You, wanted to see me Professor?" she said in a small voice.
"I did," he replied quietly.
"Did I do my homework wrong,sir?" Hermione enquired quietly.
"No Miss Granger, I wish to discuss what happened last class," he explained in a quiet silky voice.
She looked up at him with astonishment on her face.
"Sir?".
"I need to know, is it true what I saw?" he asked quietly.
She couldn't answer, she didn't dare speak. She nodded.
"Do you really love me?" he pressed.
"I do," she whispered.
"Honestly and truly?" again he pressed.
He needed to make sure before he could let her in.
"Yes," she whispered again.
"Miss... Hermione look at me," he asked softly.
She looked up. She was shocked to hear him use her name. It showed. He saw a melting softness in her oh so deep brown eyes, he felt he could fall into those eyes and never recover. She saw something in his deep black eyes that she'd never seen before, uncertainty.
He suddenly moved forward, it startled her a little. He stood right in front of her. She could feel his breath on her face. He slowly raised his arms and gently put them around her. She was warm and he could smell the scent of coconut. He felt her slowly and uncertainly put her arms around himself and hold him close.
They stayed like that for a while. Neither spoke. They just held onto each other. He could feel his heart swelling with new feelings, she felt relief that he hadn't rejected her.
It took him three months before he finally admitted his love for her. They'd been seeing each other once a week after class for a few minutes. They couldn't do more than that without someone getting suspicious. After three months, he finally found the courage to kiss her. The first time they kissed, they'd both been so nervous that they were all clashing teeth and bumped noses. The second time went a bit smoother.
They managed to make their relationship last the rest of the year, they would sneak around and catch moments together, moments that at times were pure bliss to them both. They would talk, sometimes they would have serious debates, other times they would just sit quietly, just enjoying each other's company. Other times she would make him laugh, a sound if she admitted she didn't think he was capable of making, but when it happened it was a delight to her ears. Otherwise they would just kiss and caress like all lovers do.
The heartbreaking break up came when Severus killed Dumbledore. She said some pretty horrible things to him after the funeral, he didn't fight back, he took all that she threw at him. Little had she realised that it had been planned between the two of them. But he thought maybe it was better this way. Voldemort couldn't use her in any way, shape or form. He knew she wasn't going to be back for seventh year. He knew that she would go with Potter and Weasley to find the remaining Horcruxes that would destroy Voldemort.
Hermione's heart broke in a big way when she saw him broken and dying by the hand of Voldemort. She knew when he went that she would never really love any man the way she'd love Severus. Ever. Especially after Harry had explained everything he'd seen in the Pensieve. He was her first big love, a man so unforgettable. She knew he was always with her in her heart, and that was enough.