Chapter Three
Hermione found herself outside the potions master's door for the second time that weekend. She ddint even bother to knock, she just let herself in. Right away she spotted him at his desk writting something quickly with his quill.
"You wanted to speak with me Professor?" Hermione asked, as her eyes gazed over him.
"Sit" He gestured to the chair in front of his desk.
She slowly sat down and stared at him with confusion. Something was very odd, Not just with him, but with her aswell. The feeling of lust she had for him had begun to creep back and she began to examine his face, although she once preceived him as greasey, she now looked at him and thought he was handsome
" I am going to get straight to the point. I over heard you and Weasley speakig this morning at breakfast..." He stared at her after stating this.
" Oh" was all she could muster up the courage to say.
" What is it that the baffoon beleives you have so nicely done for me , that you should be exempt from detentions?" He sarted at her with dark eyes, waiting for an answer.
Hermiones throat went dry. She did not want to have this conversation. She could feel her palms begin to sweat and she quickly brushed some hair back from behind her ear.
" Im not sure I know what your talking about professor" She said boldly.
Suddently he was up out of his seat and in front of her. His hands rested on the arms of her chair and he leaned forward. She noted that he smelt of amber, it was lovely. But this was not the time to be thinking about that.
" Dont play stupid with me girl. I do not apperciate being under the assumption that I owe someone a debt, and I demand you tell me what it is Ronald was speaking of!" He was very angry now, she could tell. She looked deep in his eyes for a moment, and for that moment she saw weakness. He was upset.
She took a deep breath and he backed up from her, realizing that, although he was pleased with the close proximity they shared, she may not be. ( But that was hardly the case.)
" I... well" She could hardly get the words out, she didnt imagine ever having to tell him this.
" Spit it out Girl!" He was getting impaitent. " Do you not pride yourself on being and insufferable know it all?" he crossed his arm over his chest.
She stood up, un able to take the tension anymore. He noted the sweat rolling down her cheek, and the heavy rise and fall of her chest.
" You must understand, that I do not feel that you owe me a single thing, I didnt even want to talk about this, I was not expecting it. I did what I felt was I saw what you did for Harry, I just couldnt leave you." she began to fiddle with her fingers and stared at the ground, tears forming in her eyes.
Seeing that he was about to hear what he was waiting for, he decided to act on the promise he had made himself, that he would apply atiny bit more compasion to his life. He did something he never thought he would do, he reached out and touched her. Softly, and breifly on the arm. This startled her, she quickly wiped a tear from her eye.
" Why dont you sit" He stated, pulling out a chair. She sat slowly and he sat across from her. He had not expected to hear anything important. He thought maybe she had picked up a paper he had dropped or saved Seamus from blowing up anything more and causing a mess in his classroom.
"Thank you professor, im sorry for crying". He wiped a tear again.
" Its fine. Go on, what is it that you have to tell me?" Gettng impaitent again he stood up and began to pace once more.
She was frustrated with his bouncing emotions, one moment he was being pleasent, the next he was snapping at her.
" I stopped the venom". She all but whispered.
He was sure he heard wrong, it was impossible.
" Repeat yourself and speak in a tone in which I can hear you." The blood had drained from his already pale face, he was beyond angry.
" I said that I drained the venom... from Nagini's Bite" It felt good to get it off her chest, but this was not something she had been prepared to talk about.
" I am very aware of from where the venom had come from you foolish women. What I find hard to beleive is that YOU are the one who stoped the venom from penetrating my heart!." He was yelling in her face now, and this caused her to jump out of the chair and back up towards the wall.
" How dare you! I would not lie about this! I stoped the venom, you wouldnt have made it to the hospital wing! I had to act fast, I couldnt watch you die. I just couldn't." She turned away from him. " It would have broken my heart, after all the noble things you had done. So I did the only thing I thought I could. I removed it the muggle way..." This caused her to blush. " you see, when the venom enters the blood stream it will kill you, but to be ingested into the stomach, it is harmless. I did the best that I could, I got most of it ,and we were able to move you to the Hospital wing to get the anti-venom without losing you." She looked up to see him staring at her, absolutley dumbfounded. It was a moment before he finally spoke.
" Are you implying that you... sucked the venom from my blood stream ... to save my life?" He asked, trying to clarify the situation.
" Yes" she hoarsley whisperd.
" Hermione" The sound of him speaking her first name had startled her.
She looked up into his eyes, and saw what she saw the day he had almost been lost. She saw emotion, she saw something in him she never had, love perhaps? It was something she thought about everyday, and everyday since then, seeing him in the hallways, in the great halls, made her heart skip a beat.
He acted before she could, in one long stride the gap between them was closed. His lips on hers in seconds. At first she was unable to respond, but then began to move with him, his kiss was soft and non threatning, it was gentle. She lifted a hand to his cheek, this seemed to grab his attention.
What was he doing? kissing a student. Why was he feeling this way. She cared about him? She saved his life?
He pulled away, and placed his forehead on hers and inhaled her sweet scent. Honeysuckle. She was wonderful.
" Thank you" He whispered. She looked into his eyes
" Your welcome" she said with a smile. She saw something in his eyes, what was he thinking? Regret? He began to pull away. Regret was written all over his face.
" You should go" He stated.
" What? why? shouldnt we talk ?" She was clearly confussed.
" There is nothing to talk about. I am forever greatfull Ms Granger, but that was a mistake, an act of are a student and I am a teacher, this should not have happend. "
He looked at her and saw the hurt in her eyes. He of course didnt mean it, he wanted nothing more then to continue this. Yes he was greatfull. But that was not why he kissed her. He realized that in that moment, he loved her. He loved that she was a know it all, who stopped at nothing to prove herself. He loved that she had gone to great lengths to save his life. He loved her smile, and amber eyes. But this was wrong, it could never happend again. He had to distant himself. At that moment he steped back.
" You need to leave" It killed him to say.
" But Severus..." she began to tear up again
" No 'but's '. I need you to leave this instant. I do not want you comming back other than classes. , Now please leave." He continued to back up. The hurt in her eyes pained him.
" I dont understand" She shouted.
"Keep your voice down. Now leave!" He turned and began to walk to his personal chambers.
" Fine, if thats what you want." Of course its not. He didnt turn back though.
Severus heard the door slam behind him. At that moment he turned around, and she was gone. He sat down and began to rub his temples... What had he done.
