From Start to Finish
Severus exhaled with relief as watched the class file from the classroom, especially so as it was Potter's lot.
"Get out!" he barked at Longbottom who was clearing away his mess, and he looked up at the Professor, quivering and hurriedly and more haphazardly clearing away. Severus couldn't bear to look at the bumbling idiot, so he took up some papers from his desk and shuffled through them, and decided it wasn't worth his breath to hurry up Longbottom once again.
"It's alright, Neville," Hermione Granger comforted him. "Some people just can't find any other way to vent their own issues than out on other people."
And the obnoxious girl turned her bushy head towards Severus, her furious eyes burning into him and then whipping her head swiftly back around and swinging her rounded backside out of the classroom, Longbottom stumbling in front of her.
HANG ON! Severus thought, stopping himself. How did he just describe Granger's backside? He'd been looking at her arse? Well, that was news to him. He hadn't done it consciously. But now he discreetly watched and recalled, she did have rather a rounded bottom. She was a curvy girl, the epitome of one, in fact, but not fat – not curvy in that sense. But that's what she was – curvy.
He put down the papers and sighed. She was just around the corner of the dungeon classroom.
"Miss Granger," he drawled in his usual manner. "Would you come back in here please?"
Hermione turned around as Neville scuttled on whilst he could. In her face Severus could see regret and dread, now thinking better of her remark pointed towards her Potions professor.
"Y-yes, sir?" she asked, innocent and polite.
"I would like to remind you that I am your professor and I would rather you did not assume what issues I myself bear and how I decide to vent my emotions. It is most unprofessional and inappropriate, and I rather doubt that Professor Dumbledore would be particularly understanding of your reasons to insinuate the conditions of my emotional state. Understood?"
Hermione nodded. "I understand, sir. I-I apologise." She turned around to leave the classroom.
"If you would hang on please: I have another small matter to deal with, though this time rather more pleasant. Do take a seat, Miss Granger, I may take a while."
Hermione dropped her bag and slid into a seat on the front desk, still nervous and uncomfortable, but eagerly looking upwards to him as she always did in lessons, much to his utter irritancy.
"It concerns the inspection which looms over this damned school. Next week, ten officials from the Ministry of Magic will visit, and expect each of the subject teachers to demonstrate how well they can teach by the standards of their seventh year students. Therefore, your fortunate year group – being as close to the N.E. as you are – shall be the ones assessed by the officials. As you may or may not have noticed, this class is abysmal at the subject of Potions. I can only express my gladness that Potter and Weasley are playing truant, to lessen my distress, yet I must enlist your help."
Hermione looked at her professor quizzically.
"I have tried many a time to improve the potion making skills of the dunderheads in this year group, but every time they have proved my mission to be impossible. I therefore propose that you attempt to improve the skills before next week. We shall meet every night this week in order to brief how you shall do so. Bring with you your entire class, especially those in need of immense assistance."
Hermione nodded.
"With no disrespect, sir, I understand completely what you wish me to do although I don't understand why I ought to. Isn't the whole point of the inspection to target problem areas? If the officials detected that then surely the Potions department could prosper and-"
"Miss Granger," interjected Severus impatiently. "I do hope that you are not suggesting that we allow the perilous and corrupted Ministry we have today to interfere with the safest place in the country?"
Hermione considered. "No, sir, I'm not at all."
"Good. I expect your prompt arrival here at seven o'clock."
Hermione nodded and stood up, looking into her professor's eyes for permission to leave. He gave a slight, curt nod and she pulled up her bag and skipped from the classroom. Severus flicked the door shut with his wand and exhaled loudly. Merlin, that girl! In his mind, her movements replayed in a loop, slowly pulling his member into a hard erection. Severus didn't know whether he ought to or not, as it was a student, could he deal with the memory, and would he come to regret it?
Severus grunted out again and collapsed into the chair at his desk. He unbuckled his belt and removed his trousers, beginning to rub up and down. He stopped, and opened the drawer. Inside was a picture of Lily, his old childhood friend. Yes, that would settle his conscience.
But, even with the picture pushed right up to his eyes, Severus could think of nothing but clutching Hermione Granger's waist and touching her soft pink skin. At least he'd made up the story of the Ministry inspectors...
