Chapter 4
It felt like things had gone from lethal so completely platonic after that night. The rude remarks on his side were no longer made and the wicked side of Hermione never rose again. Though Severus was indeed disappointed he some how liked that part of her very much, but remained indifferent except for holding his tongue on insults. The nightly rounds were silent and always ended with him having a drink of fire whiskey with her before leaving silently. They had small polite conversations like always nothing heated just normal. He treated her as an adult and they talked about politics and he was always careful as to not come close to the matter of her parents. The pain that she had he did not want her to feel again. With each passing day he felt more and more attracted to her and he hated himself for it since he was her teacher. He remembered a teacher before about twenty five years ago that had basically attacked Lilly, he remembered that teacher and he remembered going to his trail and watching him go to Askaban.
She on the other hand loved the conversations they had yes she was attracted to him and she hated her self for it to have a crush on her professor. He was treating her as an equal for once her wish that she had asked for many years ago was granted to her. At night when no nightmares haunted her dreams of Severus filled her head. They were always sweet and had him sitting with her on the grounds or on a bed just talking as he held her.
Now as he sat there watching her after two weeks of school, he realized it was so perfect how things were going, it was if they had an unspoken friendship there deep deep down. Every assignment she had handed in had been more than perfect, every potion she did for Dumbledore was better than what he had done. Never seen at meals, she was in the library working, or crowded around books doing homework. The girl had been consumed, in a world of discontent. The gloom hung around her through out the day and he could see it and it actually sort of brought down his day as well. He wished that he could reach out and brighten her day but he simply didn't know how.
The way she stared off to space as she finished her potion. Her eyes glossed over, as if in a trance. Her hair was in a sloppy ponytail that made her look even more alluring. He liked how she looked like she just got out of bed and there was no doubt that she had probably just got out of bed, he just wished it was his bed she was getting out of in the morning. Stopping himself before he got out of hand he calmed himself trying to imagine Minerva with a bikini on that definitely cleared his head pretty quick and he would probably have nightmares now, but he did not want to get a hard on right in the middle of class. The bags under her eyes were dark and sickening, her clothes looked bigger now then they had at the beginning of school. He was concerned yes, he didn't really want to show it but it was indeed so that no others were really going to notice.
What was happening to THEIR GOLDEN CHILD!!!!!!!!!
"I want a foot long essay on the potion we did today due.' he let the silence hang, maybe today he would be lenient just this once, for her he would do this," the day after tomorrow that should give you all enough time to actually get a good mark on it."
Selective gasps were heard throughout the room, and everyone looked around in awe. Never before had he given that much time to get an assignment done. Harry and Ron looked at each other they couldn't believe it.
"Stop your talking or I'll make it due for tomorrow," he sneered, and watching the silence hang again. Quickly everyone got to work not wanting it to be due tomorrow. He picked up the papers from his desk and with a quick spell sent them to their owners.
"Only one person aced this assignment, which I may say is very disgusting, this essay was the easiest your going to get in Advanced Potions, if your failing now you might as well drop out because I am not going to deal with slackers," he geared out to them, many hung their head.
Seated at his desk he put his eye back on her. The Weasel was leaning over to talk to her, he felt anger fill him as he watched the red headed nuisance touch her shoulder. He could just hear what was being said.
"Hey Mione do you mind helping me with this essay,tonight?" he asked, Hermione looked at him. Some how she got the feeling that he didn't want just help with the essay.
"Sorry Ron I have stuff to do tonight," she said solemnly, Ron nodded and sat back down. Hermione looked ahead in awe. Had she just turned down Ron helping him. Ron knew that she wouldn't date him and had no interest like that in him but he still kept coming back. One day he would get the picture and probably get hurt in the process.
Fighting back tears, she got out parchment and started writing. Then she felt a prickle on her spine and looked up. She gasped not loud but loud enough for him to hear, smirking he looked away. He loved that he was able to get that response out of her, that at least meant she had a little something for him.
For a minute or so she couldn't look away, she studied him. The first time she had ever done it since the beginning of the year but now she could actually get a good look at him.
His face wasn't so pale, and his black hair so soft by the look, would feel wonderful when she ran her hands through it. His lips were somewhat thin, so alluring and his eyes, so black and powerful just consumed you, that held you in a trance and kept you there in his grasp. Those hands so large and powerful she remembered the feel of them on her hips that day on the train, and there was a need deep down for him to touch her again everywhere.
She couldn't be thinking this, he was her teacher, and he hated her so nothing could or would ever come of it. Still pulling her eyes away from him she looked down into her lap, she had never felt like this a need welling in her chest. She wanted so much, but the thing she wanted was he but the one thing she could never have and it was him, and she had to face that. Again the question hit her why would he want someone like her? She was a nuisance and a genius any boy would be crazy to try and understand her and her needs.
Taking a deep soothing breath she pushed him out of her mind and started on her essay. She was always good at doing homework and being smart and that was what she had to do. Never would she get involved with a man like that, he was a complicated one. Right now wasn't the time to think of a relationship no matter how simple, school and trying to survive was what was on her mind. But still deep down no matter how hard she tried to cover it up she wanted him.
When the bell rang, she packed her things up and headed for the door intent on doing her homework and falling asleep.
"Ms. Granger stay behind," came the voice she knew well from behind her, turning she walked back to his desk were she knew he was and looked at the ground.
"Yes sir," she asked.
"May I ask why you are never present at any meals," he asked, she groaned a little she didn't need this right now, she just wanted to get back to her room as soon as possible and go to sleep.
"Why would you care?" she said before looking up at him and clasping a hand over her mouth, she couldn't' believe she had been as snide as he had. He had not deserved the lash of her tongue she knew that, they had been completely civilized to each other. But he had touched a nerve when he talked about her not eating. IT was true she wasn't but the fact was she wasn't hungry whenever she asked for food from the elves she just looked at it and found homework more appealing.
He raised a brow, and looked her deep in the eyes. He almost laughed at her snideness and loved how just the smallest harmless thing that he could say would spark it in her, but he kept it inside. She now looked sorry for saying it. Her eyes were dark and wide as she waited for him to say something really mean to cut her down to size or give her a detention.
"I don't other than the fact that Malfoy and Parkinson are always gone on Fridays, but I know they eat I just don't want to know what," he said and she burst into giggles. The warm sound full of fun and love overwhelmed him. She had gone from complete shock to happiness in such a short time.
"Funny, professor that's the first time I've ever heard you tell a joke," she said stifling her giggles as best as she could, this was one of the rare times that she would remember giggling or laughing at all in fact. It felt good because it was due to have some light in her life.
"I may be old but I do have a sense of humor," he said sarcastically. It was good for him to joke on something. Taking things so seriously even when he was a child it felt good to actually chuckle even a little. He had years, well many more now to do things right and to try and get rid of his old ways.
"But you aren't old sir, your barely a day over 25," she said kindly, she stopped laughing when she realized that she had paid him a compliment.
"Thank you but that still does not answer by question why are you not present at meals and the elves have been telling me that you don't usually call for food that often," he said, watching her fidget with her feet filled him with a sense of anger and lust.
A lust for what he could do if he grabbed her ripped off her clothes and ravished her on his desk, the little moans that would escape her in the need for release. Taking her innocence before she knew it and he would have her begging him to take her again and again. He would teach her things that she would never forget and she would never want any other mans touch. With one touch he would have her feeling sensations she thought only happened in those silly muggle romance books. Her eyes would change as passion filled her. Any hate that she had harbored against him would disappear in lust, he would open the gates of fire that the knew were locked away untouched waiting for him to use the key. Stop!!
"It's just that I'm busy and don't have a lot of time," she said glancing at him before looking at her feet again. Her stomach rumbled a little reminding her that it was really empty and was protesting to be filled.
"I see you in the library every morning, and after classes at the end of the day till six when you come to my class and get straight to your potions, then after that you go straight to the library," he stated as a matter of fact," then I pick you up from there for our shift, and then you go back to your dorm."
"Wow you know more about me than my friends," she said jokingly.
"This is not a laughing matter when a student looks like she's about to drop dead it becomes everyone's concern," he stated his voice rough.
She knew it; he would never feel compassion for her he was just doing it because that would be what everyone else would do. ASSHOLE!
"Well don't let it be your concern I can take care of myself," she said, snidely as she looked him straight in the eyes, with a glare that matched his own.
"Get to class we will have another one of these little chats tonight," he said smoothly, sending shivers up her body.
"Yes sir," she said before turning on her heel and leaving the class. Did he think that he could order her around like that, like she was a child needing reprimanding. But the strong tone he did take could clear a room easily.
Once outside she leaned against the wall breathing, long breathes just to get everything calmed down. She was a bunch of nerves now she realized as she tightened her ponytail. How was it possible for one man to have such control over one-person's thoughts, actions and everything? In there she felt like she couldn't breathe, his scent overran her mind from saying anything intelligent, what was happening to her. What ever it was had to stop. Maybe she would satisfy him if she went to supper the library could take care of its self for an hour.
Racing to her next class so she wouldn't be late, she had to put on her face. The one that covered up everything she was feeling.
As soon as she had left, a knock came to his door as he marked papers. No not papers disgusting excuses for essays that even a two year old could write better.
"Enter," he yelled at it, looking up as the guest entered, he groaned.
"Ah Severus, marking I see," the old man said.
"Yes, what is it you need me for Albus?" he asked putting his quill down to look at him.
"It seems you had a little chat with our little Miss Granger," the man said.
"She is anything but little anymore old man and you know it," the man said pushing his hair back, he couldn't believe he just admitted that. What would the man think of him?
"You know Severus," the man said walking forward," it is okay for you to find her attractive, there is nothing wrong with it, but just make sure that if you act on your feelings that ministry officials don't find out."
Severus gasped at him what had he said, that the old man would even insinuate that he would go for the girl. Yes he was thinking about it but he made himself look shocked for the old man.
"Many years ago a teacher, head of Slytherin house, teaching potions, fell in love with his genius student from Gryffindor, you might be able to guess who that certain Slytherin was," Dumbledore said raising his brow.
"Salazar," he rasped, he couldn't believe it.
"Yes but he did not act on his feelings and let her slip away, thus explaining his cold heart, she was a muggleborn," Dumbledore said," now you can see that there are always two sides to a coin, the one you see and the one that's hidden from everyone, don't treat me like a fool."
"You are no fool Albus," he stated to him taking in the information that he had just been given.
"If you aren't a fool, don't let her slip away I may be a fool but whenever she looks at you I see something maybe if you look deeper with out invading her privacy you might see," Dumbledore said before turning away and leaving his class. Leaving the professor dumbstruck and in awe at the conversation.
He went back to his marking but thoughts of her swarmed him, the next time he would have to look at her closely and see if he could see what the headmaster saw. Why did the old man always have to get into everyones business all the time no matter what was going on some plan he had his hand in it.
She might feel attracted to him but that didn't mean that she was going to take action. She wasn't bold like the woman he knew he would have to make the first move that he was sure of. But for some reason he couldn't wait to see her tonight for their rounds. When he was in her presence he felt happy and calm like things were looking up. But now he desperately wanted to know to see if she had feelings of liking him. He would have to wait though until their meeting tonight to find out because it was a highly unlikely chance that she would come to supper and if she did, he'd pinch himself in disbelief, really hard.
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Hope you like the chapter. I hope you like this story better than my other one the chapters are a hell of a lot longer, and I find the plot so much easier to follow. Thanks for the reviews, and to the ones that are coming.
I added around more than a thousand words on this chapter i hope you like the add ons if you are an old reader and i hope the new readers will keep up with the story.
Thanks
Steph
