After all that happened with Ron, the rest of the week remained uneventful. It had been five days since he had been found by Madam Pomfrey and nobody ever questioned Hermione or Snape about what happened. Hermione figured once Ron had gotten over being drunk and realized what he had done, he had demanded that nothing be said and left as quickly as he could.
Meanwhile, Snape had started allowing Hermione to help supervise students in the classroom and she couldn't be happier. Not only was she getting more time near Severus, she had started using his first name in her mind since that night, but she was also getting hands-on experience helping students learn a subject that actually held great importance.
She did not know if the occurrence with Ron had caused Severus to allow her to help him or if he had been planning to let her in the classroom soon anyway. They hadn't had much time to actually talk since then so she hadn't been able to try to figure out what was on his mind, if anything at all, concerning her. She certainly hoped that night had opened his eyes a bit; she was tired of pining after someone that should, under all circumstances, be an impossible case.
She didn't think of him having feelings for her as impossible because of him training her so much as it being impossible because of his personality. He did not open up to many people, if anyone at all. What made her think he would ever open up to her, the bushy-haired know-it-all Gryffindor?
She looked at her watch and realized it had been exactly five minutes and smoothly added the next ingredient into the potion she was making to fill an order for the Hospital Wing. It wasn't a difficult potion at all and she had made it countless times, not to mention she had been able to focus much better since the other night. Obviously Severus had noticed because he commented on it the day before saying he was glad her mind had come to its senses concerning Weasley. She didn't know if he was just glad she could now fully concentrate on her work or if he was glad she was truly over the prat. Probably the former she laughed to herself.
When she finished stirring the potion she grabbed a bottle and started ladling the mixture into it. Really, she could understand why he always made her fill the orders for this potion, it was ridiculously easy. Not only that, but they had orders for it constantly. Apparently, students could not refrain from burning themselves on a constant basis, therefore requiring burn salves to be made weekly. It really was a tedious job, mainly because it was so simple. There were so many more difficult potions Hermione would rather be working on and instead she was wasting time making this dreadful thing.
She finished filling and labeling all the containers then neatly put them in a box and picked them up to take down to Madam Pomfrey. She was not going to risk using locomotor to take the salves down to the hospital wing with students running around on a Saturday. She smiled glad that the students could enjoy simple things like playing pranks in the halls on their free time now. Yes, they would still get in trouble if caught, but at least they were carefree again, not like during the war.
She was just turning the corner about to exit the dungeons when she was met with a tall, dark shadow. "Good morning, professor."
"Miss Granger. I see you have finished the order of burn salves I left you with." Hermione watched as he eyed the potions making sure they were brewed correctly. She knew he didn't doubt her work that it was just a habit of his, but it still stung a little nonetheless.
"Very well, meet me in my office when you have delivered them." He eyed her up and down again before continuing past her.
Hermione hurried to get done with the delivery. He had been in a better mood lately, but that didn't mean she was going to test it by dawdling around. Besides, she was anxious to see what he needed her for.
She quickly entered the hospital wing and walked straight to Madam Pomfrey's office to hand her the salves. She normally enjoyed staying to chat for a little bit before rushing off, but today she was eager to get back to Severus' office. It would truly be the first time they had had together since Ron appeared.
"Miss Granger! There you are and with the burn salves I ordered. All perfect, I presume." The older woman's eyes smiled at Hermione as she took the box. She had developed a soft spot for the girl and admired her for working under Severus. He was a tough man to deal with and not many people would have accepted the offer, even if it did mean becoming a potions master.
"Yes, Madam Pomfrey. I would love to stay for a cup of tea but I'm in a hurry. Professor Snape needed me in his office when I got these delivered."
"Very well, off you go then. Best not to keep that man waiting."
"Have a good day then, madam." Hermione bowed her head and turned heading swiftly back where she had come from.
By the time she made it back to the Severus' office, he had already started working on a potion and was stirring methodically when she walked through the door.
"Took you long enough," he greeted her without stopping what he was doing to even look up.
"Sorry, sir. I went straight there and back." She knew even if she had of apparated it probably wouldn't have been fast enough for the man so there was no point in arguing her point. She slowly walked over to stand beside him and peered down into the cauldron.
"Are you brewing Wolfsbane?"
"Yes. I assumed you would want to observe, but if I'm wrong…." His hands continued to work smoothly with the ingredients.
"No, I would love to watch!" Hermione quickly brought up a stool to sit beside him, not realizing until she sat down that she had put it where he would have to brush against her occasionally to work on the potion.
Hermione watched as he worked. He always did everything so smoothly, like he wasn't even controlling his hand but it had its own mind. Each time he moved she caught a whiff of his scent from his robes. He smelled wonderfully, although she couldn't quite put a finger on what the scent exactly was.
She watched as he added the ingredients never even glancing at the book he had opened. She assumed he had put it out more for her benefit than his. How many potions did he have memorized she wondered? Probably all of them, he certainly could answer any question he was asked without even pausing to think.
She reached for the book and started looking at the instructions. She noticed Severus' tidy scrawl making annotations in the margin. Suggestions on alternate measurements, different methods of preparing ingredients, and how long one really should allow it to simmer; she honestly didn't know why he didn't just publish his own book.
Suddenly a thought hit her. "Sir, do you… do you mind if I keep your books when I take over as potion's master?" She couldn't imagine not being able to look to the margin to find a much more efficient and correct way to brew a potion. The thought of his notes not being there suddenly seemed preposterous and making sure she would have them something of utmost importance.
"Excited at the thought of not having to learn from me personally?" He sat down the stirring stick he was using and turned towards her finally becoming aware at how close she had sat herself beside him.
"No, but I wouldn't be a very good potion's mistress without your wonderful insight, now would I?" She blushed at her own coyness. What had given her the nerve to say something like that?
He arched an eyebrow at her, crossing his arms slowly. "Surely, you do not think so highly of me? If I remember correctly, you and your little friends were always determined to find a way to get me thrown into Azkaban, now all of a sudden you act as if you think I am some kind of-"
"That was before we knew what you were doing, so that's not fair! Wasn't that the whole point? To make people believe you were bad, so you can't hold it against me that I fell for it. Besides, I never denied how smart you were." She took a step forward causing her chest to brush against him and looked straight up at him defiantly, "You are even greater than Dumbledore was, in my opinon."
Snape's eyes studied her closely and Hermione fought to keep her breath even. She cursed to herself when she accidently allowed her eyes to fall on his lips. They were thin, but she wondered if they only appeared that way. Maybe it was part of keeping his stern appearance.
He seemed to realize where her eyes were lingering because at that moment his hand reached up, grabbing her chin to force her to look him in the eyes again. "Don't allow yourself to be led into something you can't handle, Miss Granger."
His voice was softer than it normally was and Hermione almost detected sadness in it. Was he sad for her or for himself? She, shockingly, wasn't even embarrassed by him catching where her gaze had lied. In fact, it made her even more determined. At least he was now partially aware of her feelings and maybe things would start going somewhere, whether how she wanted or not.
"I know exactly what I can handle and I will allow myself to be led into whatever I so choose." She remained defiant and pushed herself even closer to him. If she wasn't a Gryffindor she would question where this burst of bravery and rashness was coming from, but it was pretty much hardwired into all of them so she just went with it.
He still held her chin in his hand and absentmindedly rubbed his thumb across it, then jerked back as if struck. "You aren't as bright as I thought you were then." He quickly turned around and started concentrating on the potion, even though they both knew it would not need any attention for a while. "You're dismissed."
Hermione almost stomped her foot in frustration but decided it would probably be in her best interest to refrain and slowly turned to leave. She paused at the doorway, looking back at Severus leaning over the cauldron, both of his hands grasping the work table.
"You really are the greatest wizard I've ever known." Before he had time to react she left.
To say Severus was in shock was an understatement. He didn't know what the girl was playing at but it was in her best interest to stop. He had seen that look before, not ever directed towards him, but passed between couples as they walked by each other. She had wanted to kiss him and he could not understand why.
Nobody had ever wanted him and the way she had hinted at it she made it a point to let him know it was more than just a physical want. What had he done to encourage such thoughts? McGonagall would have his head for sure if he allowed such things to continue. He must put a stop to it at once. He did not have time for the foolishness of a silly girl to intrude on his work, except part of him questioned that.
He had never allowed time to pursue anything but work and what he had to do for Dumbledore. Besides the fact he was so devoted to Lily the thought never crossed his mind, he really had never given himself a chance to live a little. Obviously, he had been with women before, he was a death eater at a point, but he had not seriously put any thought in it and it had certainly not been any more than what it was; a quick moment of pleasure and a release of all the stress.
He slammed his hand down on the work table, knocking over several ingredients in the process. What was he thinking she was a student, his apprentice and he was not about to cross that line by making allowing her to pursue her little fascination. He was basically twice her age! He could be her father.
He actually laughed a little at that. Yes, technically he could have been, but he was never that irrational to allow that to happen at such a young age. He was in no way like James Potter that apparently couldn't even mutter a contraception spell before he took his pants off. No, it was not possible he would have ever allowed himself to become a father at nineteen to twenty years of age. He was not a fool.
He caught sight of the spilled ingredients and cleaned them up with a spell before putting them quickly back into the storeroom and going into his private quarters. He needed to get his mind off the thoughts he was having. He quickly scanned over his bookshelves before selecting a nice thick book written in runes to read through. If this couldn't clear his mind of his thoughts on the girl he was obviously under the Imperius curse he decided wryly.
He flipped through the pages and started translating the text that he had went through many times before. Even done before, it was still a tedious task and would take a good bit of concentration to work through again. Sadly for Severus though, he had a great memory and at that moment he decided it was indeed a curse. With that he threw the book down in frustration.
He could not quit thinking of the way she felt up against him, the scent he caught coming off of her. She was so much shorter than him her head barely reaching the bottom of his chin. He had never paid that much attention before to the difference, probably because he didn't ever care.
He had been feeling strange ever since the episode with Weasley the other night. The idiot had unknowingly planted a seed in his head and he cursed the fact the boy was able to cause him such confusion. He remembered the way her hand felt in his and couldn't help but think he wouldn't mind holding it again. It was so soft and small, so much like her; even after the war she remained untainted, pure.
Did he care about her? How could he? She was his apprentice, his former student his mind shouted again. He was losing his mind; maybe these were finally the effects of dealing with all the stress of dealing with the war coming through. His mind was striving for something more normal so it attached to the first female that paid him any attention.
He almost kissed her, the thought hit him. When he caught her looking at his mouth and he grabbed her chin the thought flashed through his mind to just give her what she wanted. It probably would have had the most undesired consequences but during that split second he didn't care. That was when he snapped back to reality. He had withstood the Dark Lord he could withstand a nineteen year old girl.
A thought suddenly flashed across his mind. She had slipped him a potion. It was the only thing he could imagine that would cause him to act this way, he had never acted like this before. Not even with Lily. His mind started picturing the way she had looked at him, pressed so close to his body. Oh bloody hell he was going to murder that girl. With that he stormed from his private quarters heading straight to hers.
A/N: So what do you think? I really love how this chapter turned out and hope to keep this style throughout the story if everyone likes it. Up next, does Severus confront Hermione? What will happen? Review please!