Disclaimer: Not mine, never was and never will be.
The Aftermath of Explosions
A/N: Trying to get a few chapters out of the way since I'm off school because of the snow. I hope you enjoyed the last chapter, and will enjoy this one just as much.
At dinner that evening, Hermione felt very nervous. It was only a detention, she kept telling herself there was nothing to worry about. Even though she knew it was with him, the man who cared for her deeply, it was still a detention and she worried about what it would do to her reputation. "Oh, Hermione snap out of it. It's one detention, at least he didn't give you multiple detentions like he would have done if it was me or Ron, and you'll earn those points back quickly enough anyway." said Harry, trying to put her mind at rest.
"I know, you're right Harry. Thanks, I better get going anyway. I don't want to be late..." she replied, looking up at the High Table to realise that Severus had already left. He hadn't even looked at her that evening, no matter how hard she tried to catch his eye. She might as well have stood on the Gryffindor Table naked proclaiming her love for him in front of the whole school, and he wouldn't have looked at her. She hadn't done anything wrong, she was sure of it.
She headed down to the dungeons, and after one step down the stairs, she immediately regretted her decision. She wouldn't have time to run back to her rooms to get a robe now though, otherwise she really would be late and she didn't particularly want to spend any more time than necessary down in the dungeons during winter. She knew she was early, she didn't need to leave the Great Hall at the time she did but she was so worried. Oh well. She raised her hand to knock but as she did, the door flung open to reveal her professor standing on the other side of the door. "Did I not specifically say 8 o'clock?"
"Well, yes sir, but you said not to be late. By my watch, I am definitely not late," she replied, amazed at her boldness. He stared at her, taking in the beauty before him before stepping aside to let her into the classroom.
"Okay, Miss Granger, you will be organising the store cupboard tonight. If you have any problems, do not hesitate to solve them yourself with that magnificent brain of yours," he said, the words rolling off his tongue. Had he just complimented her? Yes, in his strange Snape way.
Hermione headed into the store cupboard and let out a quick gasp, it was even colder in here! Probably something to do with all of the ingredients needing to be kept at a specific temperature to preserve them for as long as possible, but this was absurd. He was making her work in her in this temperature? What the fuck. "Something the matter, Miss Granger?" the professor enquired, smirking. She had tried to be brazen tonight by not bringing her robes, even though he had specifically told her to wrap up. It was in her best interest that he told her this, though she did look brilliant in her faded jeans and red jumper.
"Er...no professor," she muttered out in reply, imagining the smirk that was most likely plastered on his face right at that second. She started to get to work, arranging the appropriate bottles and vials in alphabetical order. It stunned her how much was out of place, and immediately wondered whether he had purposefully messed them all up so that she would have more work to do. He was a funny man, HA HA. This detention would be the death of her, it was ice cold in here!
About an hour of the detention had passed and the professor could stand it no longer. She would be an ice statue soon enough, so quietly he got up from his desk and walked over to the store cupboard, leaning on the door frame and he watched her work. She took steadied breaths, and these were visible. It wasn't even December yet, and he knew he was being harsh on her so he went to stand behind her, take off his own robe and wrap it round her but before he could do this, she had detected the warm radiating from him and was edging slowly into him. Soon, he was just standing there with her, his robe almost covering her even though he was still wearing it. He was unsure of what he should do now, but Hermione could sense this was not a situation Severus found himself in often so her small hand grabbed his and wrapped it across her stomach. He rested his hand there for what seemed like forever, before he allowed his other hand to join and he pulled Hermione into him. "Is that what you...imagined by not having your robes with you, Hermione?" he whispered into her ear. She gasped, he was so close and she loved it. The second he realised the effect he was having on her, he began to use it to his advantage – nibbling her ear, whispering her name into her ear, kissing her neck and along to her collar bone. Eventually, she could take no more and turned her body to be pressed against his and took his mouth in a passionate, fiery kiss. "This is...not appropriate for...my store cupboard..." he said in between kisses.
"Well then where is it appropriate...sir?" Hermione said, hoping he would take her into her quarters. It would be much warmer in there, from his fire and his own body warmth. He did not reply to her, just grabbed her hand in his and led her to a blank wall. When he did not do anything else, she said, "Severus, as much as I would like to have you kissing me against this wall...I am freezing!" at this, he raised an eyebrow and she grinned cheekily back at him. He muttered something under his breath which she could not make out, and suddenly the wall rotated and a hallway appeared in front of them. Hermione stood there with her mouth wide open, he actually was taking her to his quarters.
"Well come on then darling however much I want to kiss you against the wall, I want to warm up. Just because I spend so much time in the dungeons doesn't mean I am not human and like warmth." he said with a smile playing on his lips. It made him look so much younger.
He led her into his quarters.
She stood there in the entrance to his private quarters, and was astounded. Yes, she had been here before but she wasn't exactly in a normal state of mind at that time. It was beautiful. Filled with dark mahogany furniture and one whole wall was dedicated to a bookcase. She felt an urge to go over to it and run her fingers across the spines. She was fascinated. She had known his quarters would be nice, but nice was definitely an understatement now she was here. There were several doors leading off from the main living area, and Hermione really wanted to explore but instead turned to Severus who had taken off his robes and was just standing there with a white button down Oxford shirt and black trousers on. He looked breathtaking, and his figure was lean and defined. She knew something magnificent was hidden under those robes.
He walked up to her and said, "Well aren't you going to make yourself comfortable, my little know-it-all?" as he gestured to the sofa which faced towards the fire. Hermione began to blush, realising she must've been standing there like a lemon. How embarrassing. She scurried over to the sofa and sat there stiffly, and he walked through one of the adjoining doors. She tried to peer after him, to catch a glimpse of the other rooms which were here but guessed that would have to wait for another time. She heard him call through to her, "Do you like hot chocolate, Hermione?" It took her a while to reply 'Yes' as she found it quite amusing that Severus Snape, the Potions Master had hot chocolate in his kitchen (she presumed he was making it himself and not relying on the house elves), let alone make her some. She began to roam around the room, picking out a book off his shelf and settling back down with it. She adopted her favourite position with her knees tucked under her body. When Severus came back through with the hot chocolate, he was stunned. The girl looked so comfortable in his quarters, and for once wasn't fast asleep with injuries. She was so engrossed in a book she had obviously taken from his shelf, she didn't notice his entrance and hardly even glanced up from the book when he sat down next to her on the sofa. It was not until he said, "Now then, Hermione, I know my books here may be fascinating, but I would hope I was just as fascinating to you" with a childish grin on his face. For some reason she made him so happy, more than half of the student population would run a mile if they saw him smiling!
She looked up from the book, "Sorry Severus, but your books are fascinating. As are you," she said, leaning over to give him and kiss on the cheek, but he moved his face so that her lips met his. A long kissing session followed, leaving them both flustered and feeling like giddy teenagers (which was acceptable for Hermione, because that's what she was). They then drank the hot chocolate which Severus had prepared earlier on, after applying a warming charm since they had gone cold while he and Hermione had been...well...preoccupied. During their drinks, they would pause to have discussions about anything and everything that popped into their heads. It was finally nice for both of them to have an intellectual peer. Hermione would get frustrated at Ron and Harry for their lack of concentration or interest in the things she enjoyed talking about, and Severus just...didn't talk much with his colleagues unless it was a necessity.
They had spent hours talking away and were sharing a comfortable silence when Hermione suddenly drifted off to sleep, her head landed on Severus' shoulder. At first he was startled, but began to absentmindedly stroke the girls hair and face in a soothing manner. He knew he should wake her and escort her back to her rooms but he couldn't bring himself to do it. She looked so peaceful and at home. Instead, he carefully lifted her into his arms (at which point she wrapped her arms around his neck, half asleep). As he reached his chambers, he debated what to do next. He placed her under the covers and tucked her in. Then, he was torn between staying with the girl and just watching her sleep or going to settle down for an uncomfortable nights sleep on the sofa (though he could transfigure it into a bit if he so wished...) He chose the former, but her steady breathing lulled him into a sleep, and soon they were snuggled up together like any other couple would be. Except they weren't like other couples. It was Severus Snape and Hermione Granger, for god's sake.
A/N: Hope this was good for you all! I don't think my school is off tomorrow, though I'm still hoping and praying! Remember to review, I appreciate them so much and love to have feedback on my writing and want to know how I can improve to please you all and I'd like to know what you all think of my story and where you think I should take it in the following chapters...