Okay . . . Second songfic, this time without the parody and the possibility of a second chapter! Maybe more if the muse descends. I DO NOT own Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, or Severus Snape. (Although I wish I owned SEVVIE!) That honor (and billions of dollars) goes to J.K. Rowling. The song Genie in a Bottle is owned by Christina Aguilera/her record company. I do, however claim Kera Aridae. And whatever plot may arise. I am making no money off of this fic, and just do it for the sheer joy of writing! Let me know if you want to see some ACTION or not! Love, the AUTHOR!

******************************************************************************************************************************* GENIE IN A BOTTLE



I feel like I've been locked up tight

For a century of lonely nights;

It's been forever since I've meant something to someone. But the way she looks at me, I feel . . . liberated. Watched, even stalked. She feels me.

Waiting for someone

To release me.

She knows that I know. She banks on it.

You're licking your lips and blowing kisses my way,

But that don't mean I'm gonna give it away;

Baby, baby, baby.

She is becoming obvious about it. This could be problematic. It is not prudent for a student to be openly affectionate to a professor. Especially one that goes out of his way to appear to be limey bastard.

Oh oh oh oh oh

My body's saying let's go.

There is no sense, nor justice in it. A sense of maturity. A mind, not to mention a body, like that on a seventeen-year-old.

Oh oh oh oh oh

But my heart is saying no.

It feels so wrong to want her this way. I stand and excuse myself from dinner. She sees this. Even without looking toward the Gryffindor table, I know that her eyes are on me. Almost against my will, my head turns in that direction. She's not there! She's not watching me tonight! Something is amiss.

If you wanna be with me, baby, there's a price to pay.

I'm a genie in a bottle, you gotta rub me the right way.

If you wanna be with me, I can make your wish come true.

You gotta make a big impression, I gotta like what you do.

Where is she? I turn to Dumbledore, but second-thought the question. It would appear odd for me to be concerned for her. Just at lunch, I said I found her to be "an annoying example of the art. I must say, though, I find her dedication to be a redeeming, if that is the word, quality."

I walk towards the dungeons. There she is, standing serenely at the foot of the stairs. "Hello, Professor. I was wondering if I could discuss a paper with you. It's for Defense Against the Dark Arts, and I've heard from certain people that you have experience in that field."

"Give me one good reason I should go over a silly paper of yours, Aridae."

"I'll give you three. One, I asked you nicely. Two, I complimented you, and Three . . ."

I'm a genie in a bottle, baby.

Gotta rub me the right way, honey.

I'm a genie in a bottle, baby,

Come, come, come and let me out.

She trailed off as I walked closer to her, until we were about eight inches apart. "Three." I prompted. ~She's nearly as tall as I am. How did I fail to notice that?~ She gulped.

"Three, you really want to."

"What makes you think that?" It was the commanding tone I had mastered.

"You're getting nicer to me." She matched me look for look, tone for tone, and eye for eye. "Go ahead and deny it. We both know the truth." It was then I realized what she was doing.

"You're right." I said softly. "You're delusional, and we both know it." I turn and walk off.

The music's playing and the lights' down low,

One more dance and then we'll give it a go;

Waiting for someone

Who needs me.

"They were right. I won't believe it, but they were right." She says to herself. I stop.

"About what?" I ask.

"They said there was no hope for you, for anyone to reach you. I don't care what they say. I need you." ~I- you what? Is it truly possible? Is this true?~

Hormones racing at the speed of light,

But that don't mean it's gotta be tonight;

Baby, baby, baby.

I walk towards her, and not caring who sees us, I pull her to me and kiss her. She's so innocent, yet she can see me in this light. She is shocked at first, but only at first.

Oh oh oh oh oh

My body's saying let's go.

Oh oh oh oh oh

But my heart is saying no.

She pulls away. "We can't. Not now, at least."

"I know."

"Oh, but I want to."

"So do I."

If you wanna be with me, baby, there's a price to pay.

I'm a genie in a bottle, you gotta rub me the right way.

If you wanna be with me, I can make your wish come true.

Come and set me free, baby, and I'll be with you.

"We'll have to wait until the end of the year. It can my graduation present from my potions professor." She smiled. A real smile, no malice, a smile reserved for the one she loved.

"Kera." She pulled in closer when I used her first name. "I want to be with you. You're the only one who's tried."

"To understand you?"

"To set me free."

I'm a genie in a bottle, baby.

Gotta rub me the right way, honey.

I'm a genie in a bottle, baby,

Come, come, come and let me out.

It was a few days later that I had her in class again. She always worked hard, no matter how small the task. I partnered her with Potter, since he seemed to have a 'thing' for her. It would be interesting to see how he would react to this pairing. I knew her reaction already. She would find a time to shoot me a look, a look that said everything. That she belonged to me, until I deigned her unfit or unnecessary. I never would.

She was intrigued. Potter got a thumbs-up from that Weasley. How many children did that woman have. Seven so far. Any more, I thought, and I'll have to call the record books. I set them to the task of making an energizing potion. She became intensely focused once again, her eyes boring into the book and caldron alternately. Occasionally, she'd say something to Potter, and he would hand her an ingredient. She turned her gaze to the blackboard. The intensity of her stare was flooring, and I had to remember where I was. I unbuttoned the top button of my robes. It had gotten hotter in the dungeon.

Oh oh oh oh oh

My body's saying let's go.

Oh oh oh oh oh

But my heart is saying no.

She turned her gaze to me. The fumes of the caldron wafted across her face and she smiled at me. I turned my attention to the ceiling. It had definitely gotten hotter in this dungeon.

If you wanna be with me, baby, there's a price you pay.

I'm a genie in a bottle, you gotta rub me the right way.

If you wanna be with me, I can make your wish come true.

You gotta make a big impression, I gotta like what you do.

I was practically rock hard by the time class was dismissed. She walked out last, more by chance than design. I pulled her aside. "Do you enjoy torturing people?"

"About as much as you do. What was with putting Harry next to me? I don't know if I could have stood another minute of his simpering attention."

"Now you know how I feel."

"I don't simper. My attention's deadly."

"That's no lie."

"I'm hungry." She said pointedly.

"Go then." I made it sound nonchalant.

"You want me to stay." She leaned over the desk, giving me a lovely view of certain parts of her body. "To tell the truth, I want to stay, too."

If you wanna be with me, baby, there's a price you pay.

I'm a genie in a bottle, you gotta rub me the right way.

If you wanna be with me, I can make your wish come true.

Come and set me free, baby, and I'll be with you.

"Going a bit fast, aren't we?"

"I'm not sure I can wait 'til graduation."

"You'll have to."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." She shrugged and went towards the door.

"If you insist. . ." She glided out. As she left, she hummed something.

"Kera!!?" I got up and ran to the door.

"Yes?" She turned her head ever so slightly. I decided that we should both be coy about this.

"About that paper. . ."

I'm a genie in a bottle, baby,

Come, come, come and let me out.