Chapter 2
The last two weeks before term were still spent in relative silence. Neither had spoken about their budding feelings for one another that were becoming more apparent by the day. That basement lab was the only place they were free to let those dreams wander. They worked to complete the infirmary's supply of potions while still maintaining the order stocks of certain minor medicinal potions. They each secretly wanted the excuse to se each other more even if it was to steal glances at one another while the other was not looking. Severus secretly wondered how long Miss Granger would continue to not voice her feelings that were plainly written in her eyes. He just knew that he would have to tell her the truth eventually. That afternoon came too quickly for him as he had noticed the frequent stares and sighs aimed at his direction. He waited for her to be finished with her brewing before he stopped her from leaving.
(Prospectives will change back and forth in their conversations.)
"Have a seat, Miss Granger. There are some things that we need to discuss." He said taking his own stool and bringing it closer to hers. He left the bench between them just to keep some distance there. She took her seat on the stool that he had added to the lab and waited for him to say something.
"I know that you are harboring some feelings for me that are not of the student and teacher kind. But I am afraid that unless you can come up with some ways to hide a relationship like this that is forbidden since you are underage and still my student, then this relationship will not happen between us anytime soon. I will not jeopardize your life, mine, your student career or mine without being able to completely hide the entire relationship from the world. I can not allow another person that care for be taken from me because I could not keep her safe. You understand what I am only trying to protect you." He said looking at her saddened green eyes.
"And if I have found a way to keep our relationship a secret would you consider having a relationship with me?" She asked quietly.
"Show me." He simply said. Hermione accioed her notes on the invisibility and fidelas potions and handed him the stack. Severus leaned back slightly and looked over the information that was sitting right in front of him. She had done her homework and while he had never seen these two potions before he recognized both inventors' names and had used many of their inventions before.
"Brew them Miss Granger, then we shall test them before we continue this romantic endeavor further. If we do this then we can not get caught. Professor Dumbledore and the dark lord each have their fingers in my mind too often for this to get out. If these potions work, I shall think about this." He said.
"I must get the supplies for the potions and I will need to keep a good stock of the supplies to brew the batches of invisibility potion and antidote. It will take me the next two weeks to get these potions ready." She said.
"The supplies will be waiting on you in my lab at the castle. You will continue to brew for me there. Albus has agreed to make you my potions assistant and you will have two hours everyday that you can brew these or any other potion that the order or the infirmary will require. This is your new badge. It marks you as my apprentice and will get you through Slytherin territory unscathed. The Slytherins will see you under my protection and will leave you alone while you are down in the dungeons." He said.
"When will we test these potions?" She asked.
"When you have become an adult in our world." He said, knowing the answer was in a few days time. Tomorrow would be the start of term feast and she would start her sixth year. She would be an adult in less than a month's time. Then if the potions worked she might be more than just a sixth year prefect.
Hermione couldn't be any more excited. She would get to continue brewing with him working with the order and she had the chance at the relationship she thought would only be in her dreams.
