That was a close one.
He sat down with her on his lap on a bench just outside of the Great Hall. He really wanted to know what happened. She was only alone for three hours! He thought, but didn't press her for information; she seemed content just sitting there with him...on his lap. He closed his eyes and inhaled; she smelled lovely, and the soft pressure her weight on his lap produced was making it hard…no not hard, making it difficult to concentrate.
She felt so safe in his arms; warm. He smelled so good. I need to get off of his lap, she thought suddenly afraid that she wouldn't be able to control herself and end up snogging the poor Bulgarian senseless.
She didn't want to scare him off after all.
She kissed his neck softly and moved to sit next to him.
He squeezed her when she kissed him, but let her move. He felt bereft without her. This was silly, he thought, she couldn't spend the rest of her life on his lap…could she?
He regained his senses and looked at her.
She tugged at her sleeves to cover the bruises and turned her face to meet his stare.
"Professor Snape walked me back to the common room and when I walked in Harry and Ron were there, awake, with their map."
"Map?" he asked confused as to why a map would be important here.
"It's charmed. It shows the location by way of footprints of everyone on the grounds… everyone. They were looking for mine. Ron was already angry when he saw mine with Headmaster Karkaroff's and then Professor Snapes." She paused taking a deep breath.
He didn't say anything, but his face darkened – still in the I'm-gonna-kill-someone mode.
"I lied to him. I told him…them that I was out collecting moonlight lilies for a potion I was working on."
"Moonlight lilies? Ees there such thing?" he, again, looked confused.
She smiled at him, so excited that he knew to ask, "No. I made it up saying that I needed to collect them …"
"… In moonlight? Haha very smart." He finished for her.
This time she beamed at him, he was really intelligent. She loved him…she sighed and continued.
"I told him that I couldn't find any and that Snape must have picked them. He ended up confirming that story… so I made him lie too. I feel so terrible!" she said placing her face in her hands.
"You did not make anyvone lie. Vot vould haff happen if Veasel know truth, eh? He vould haff …vot American say… blown gasket." He said and smiled when she smiled at his phrasing.
"Still I should have been honest with him, instead his sister cast an immobilus spell and he was taken home. Harry caught on rather quickly; he knew I wasn't being truthful. UGH! Now what do I do, Viktor?" she asked him
He loved the way his name rolled off her tongue, "You are honest now. Tell heem you are taken and if he touch you again I vill crush heem." He squeezed his fists together tightly to help her visualize what he would do.
She smiled and touched his hand, which opened instantly to receive her soft touch.
"I want to forgive him. We still have so much to do, Harry Ron and I. Harry needs him."
He nodded in understanding and took her hand to kiss her palm.
They stood together and walked in to catch the last ten minutes of breakfast.
***
"Miss Granger may I have a word after class?"
She looked up at Professor Snape and nodded her head, "Yes sir."
She wasn't afraid of him; she in fact, liked him. He was smart… brilliant, really, and he lied for her... she needed to apologize anyway.
She motioned for Harry to go on without her and stayed after class waiting for Professor Snape to return from his personal stores of potion ingredients.
He walked out to find her sitting in her usual spot reading text; she didn't hear him come in.
"Ahem"
She startled and jumped up to stand, "OH! I didn't hear you come in."
"Clearly, Miss Granger. You may sit."
She didn't want to wait a moment longer so she dug into some of that Gryffindor courage and spoke, "Professor, I need to apologize to you. I lied and dragged you down with me. I'm very sorry."
He looked at her like she was daft, but recovered in record time, "Miss Granger there is no need to apologize. It was best that you softened the blow for Mr. Weasely. I shudder to think how he would have reacted if you had told him the truth. It was best that way. You don't deserve to be treated in that manner." He stopped and then added, "No one does." For good measure.
She tilted her head in confusion – Was he worried about her? She thought.
He was watching her, he didn't realize it, but she did and spoke to ease the tension.
"So, what do you need me to do, Professor?"
He blinked, "We are to meet in the Headmaster office. Mr. Weasely will be there, are you ok with this?"
"Yes, sir. He won't hurt me again, I'm sure of it. I think he needs to be forgiven, we've all been under some stress this year."
He didn't agree with her, but it was her choice, he would just make sure she wasn't alone with the red head too often.
Karkaroff and Snape had heard the young lovers talking on the bench this morning; it was painfully obvious they were in love, why didn't Weasely see this?
***
"Ah Professor Snape, Miss Granger. Come in, sit down." Dumbledore said welcoming the two and motioning for them to sit either on the chairs or the small sofa. Her head of House was seated near the fire, Mr. and Mrs. Weasely were sitting on two chairs and Ron was sitting on a chair against the wall looking like he was going to vomit.
After hugging the Weasely parents she sat next to Professor Snape on the sofa. He looked at her mildly surprised, but didn't move.
He did silently note that she smelled like flowers.
"Alright then, let's get started." The headmaster told the group.
"Mr. Weasely, please tell us, in your words what happened."
Molly turned around and made a jerking motion with her hand – stabbing her finger at him and then to the chair beside her, which made him move faster than Hermione had seen in a while. She almost giggled, but didn't.
Snape however was not so in control of his bearings and snorted.
This earned him a glare from the matriarch, which sat him up straight at once; Professor Snape apparently was not immune to the discipline Molly Weasely wielded. Hermione was in awe of the woman.
The young Gryffindor also decided that she would file that little bit of information away for another day – Snape scared of Molly. She realized how very Slytherin that was, but hey, he was their Head of House; maybe he should be more aware! She thought with maniacal laughter in the background of her thoughts.
"Miss Granger, Most skilled Legilimens can pick up thoughts directed at them without making an effort…yours are screaming in my head." He had sent his thoughts to her, so no one else was aware of their 'mental conversation'.
she startled at the intrusion then thought "Woops"
"Indeed." He thought back.
Was that humor in his tone that she heard? She smirked.
He coughed trying to bite back the chuckle that was begging to be released, but he couldn't for multiple reasons; first and foremost, he was Snape, dungeon bat, spy extraordinaire, dark git – he didn't laugh, smile or smirk... he scowled, growled and glared.
"I especially like the maniacal laughter, which framed the entire thought perfectly. You are right, Miss Granger you should have been placed in my House."
She turned to look at him as if his brain were seeping out of his ears when she jumped and yelped in pain.
"Owwww! You pinched me Professor!" Hermione said rubbing her arm.
"Pay Attention!" Professor McGonagall said with her signature Scottish accent. The old Gryffindor then turned her attention to the Slytherin Head. She didn't say anything to him, but she did stab her finger at him, much like Molly did to Ron.
It worked Snape returned his attention to the red head.
Hmmmm. Filing filing… she thought.
Snape just looked at her briefly and realized he liked her; she was quite amusing.
"I felt bad…you know after what happened at the lake. I hadn't seen her all evening. I just wanted to talk to her, make her understand that I didn't mean to yell at her and that I forgave her for hexing me."
At that, she had sat up and was about the leap off the sofa, but was held back by a strong, pale arm over her mid section. When she looked at him he shook his head at her.
She sat back down in a huff and let Ron continue.
"I couldn't find her. My mind just kept running round the bend and finally, after not sleeping I went to the girls' dorm. When Ginny said she wasn't there I flipped out, went mental." He said as he shrugged.
No one spoke for a few moments.
"I'm really sorry Professor. I promise I will keep my cool from now on, just please don't expel me." he begged.
"Miss Granger, What do you think?"
"I think it was a mistake and that it won't happen again. Harry needs him, Headmaster."
Molly could have kissed the young witch in front of her. Such a lovely girl didn't deserve to be manhandled by her youngest son, but she knew that George had a thing for her… and so the plotting began.
Severus had heard that too and fought the urge to roll his eyes, he was more than just a skilled Legilimens, he was quite adept, a master at wordless and wandless mind inquiries; entering the mind of an unsuspecting soul, he could gently pry their minds for the information he sought without them being aware of his presence– a fact he didn't let on as often times it scared people. He suspected that Albus was even better at it than he and that scared him.
"I agree with Miss Granger. You may return to your dorms Mr. Weasely." Ron jumped up in obvious excitement at not being expelled.
Hermione and Professor Snape stood also, she almost lost her balance and fell when Ron fell to his knees, planted his face on her stomach and hugged her waist, "PLEASE FORGIVE ME! PLEASE!" he cried
Snape caught her arm to keep her from falling and she grabbed onto his robes to keep her balance.
"It's fine Ron. I forgive you. Really, but we need to talk. Can you get up now; we can walk back to the common room together. Ok?" she said thankful Professor Snape was letting her hang on him.
When he didn't move, Molly smacked on the back of his head, "Get up and stop making a fool of yourself!"
He stood immediately.
Molly looked at Hermione, "May I see your arms dear?"
Hermione was reluctant – she looked at Snape with a pained expression, he nodded once and she rolled up her sleeves showing the woman.
Gasp! Molly eyes were wide as saucers and her hand covered her mouth after she gasped.
Growl! Arthur looked like he was seriously thinking about killing his youngest son.
Hermione pulled her sleeves down quickly and hugged Mrs. Weasely, "it's ok. They look worse than they are. I was actually just going to ask Professor Snape for some bruise paste. They'll be gone in no time."
Molly sniffled and glared at her son again before stepping into the floo to travel back home.
"After you speak with Mr. Weasely come down to the dungeons and I will make sure your bruises are taken care of." He nodded curtly and left the room.
She turned to their headmaster and said goodbye to him then left the room waiting for Ron at the bottom of the stairs near the gargoyle.
"Thanks Mione that was a close one." He said stepping into stride next to her.
"A close one? You hurt me, Ron." she snapped at him.
"I said I was sorry, what else do you want?"
"For you to mean it." She said then sighed, "Listen, I'm with Viktor. I don't know what will happen after he leaves, I don't know if we will even live to see our 20th birthdays, but I do know that I have very real, very deep feelings for him and I don't want that to end just yet. I also don't want to lose my two best friends over it either. So what's it going to be, Ron?"
She had her hands on her hips and she was tapping her toes at him, he smirked and nodded his head.
"I love you Mione, I don't want to lose you either." He hugged her… a little too tight lingering a little too long, but still they were friends, she thought.
When Ron said he loved her, he meant love her not the friend kind. He knew she would grow to love him too. He would wait.
As they neared the common room Viktor strode up to the pair practically glaring daggers at Ron.
"Vell?"
"I forgave him and Ron wasn't suspended. I told him about… us and he has accepted it." She said hoping that Ron didn't open his mouth.
Viktor slid a possessive arm around her waist and stared at Ron daring him to say something.
Hermione thought it best that they leave, "I have to go see Professor Snape, walk me down there?" she asked
He nodded not taking his eyes off of Ron, "Veasely." He sneered
"Krum" Ron spat
After they walked down the hall a little ways she huffed in exasperation, "men."
"Vot you mean, 'men'"
"All that testosterone. You two were glaring daggers at each other, you seemed like you wanted him to do or say something."
"He hurt you. You are mine. Therefore, He hurt me, I keel heem… or hurt heem real bad…vone ov the two…or both." He shrugged
She stopped and hugged him, "thank you."
"Ees my pleasure, Princess."
They walked into Professor Snapes living area to find Karkaroff waiting there also. When the couple entered, Karkaroff met her and took hold of her arm, pulling her sleeve up to see the bruises.
She jumped back startled by the man's familiarity, but relaxed when Viktor just squeezed her hand.
"You let this boy hurt you?" the Durmstrang headmaster accused.
"Not exactly, sir."
Examining her arm, "I see whole hand prints here and here… and here. Finger prints yes, but entire palm prints – he vas squeezing very hard Miss Granger. You forgive too easily." He scolded the young girl he now thought of as his charge.
She looked over at a smirking Professor Snape pleading that he come in and rescue her.
He stepped forward, "Igor, Vie ste ya plashi." (You're scaring her.)
All she caught was 'Igor' at the beginning of the sentence. Who knew he spoke Bulgarian??? She thought
Karkaroff kissed her knuckles and led her to where Snape was standing, handing her arm to him and sneered, "Momcheto tryabva da bŭdat nakazani!" (The boy should be punished.)
He then walked over to Viktor and started talking about the upcoming task taking the attention away from Snape and Hermione.
"Do you have a shirt under the long sleeve?" he asked in his silky smooth voice.
"Yes, Professor." She said as she removed the outer shirt, revealing a pink tank top with red lettering that read:
Rule # 1: I'm always right. Rule # 2: In the Event that I'm wrong see Rule # 1.
"How fitting." He said with humor.
She smiled, "I thought so"
He stood for a moment looking at her arms. The bruises ran up both arms and it looked like his nails dug into her skin in some places.
"It's ok Professor." She said soothing him
He looked at her thinking she really was something else.
He started to apply the warm paste over her arms, carefully gently.
Viktor looked over to see his witch wearing a tank top and Professor Snape caressing her arms.
He walked over and was about to say something when he saw why Snape was taking such care.
Her arms were purple. She had some scratches and small cuts on them also.
"Would you like to finish, Viktor." Professor Snape asked.
His heart was pounding and he needed to walk away before he yelled at her for letting that dunderhead do that to her.
"Da."
"Gently cover her arms with the paste. This should be applied one more time after dinner."
"Da."
Snape walked away and Viktor took over.
"You haff loffley arms, Princess." He whispered seductively innocent.
"Thank you. You have very skilled hands. They're doing funny things to my belly." She said quietly looking up at him through her dark eye lashes.
"You shouldn't look at me like this. Very distracting." He said still whispering and massaging the cream into her arms.
She giggled and the two older wizards looked over at the pair. She stopped immediately and put on her serious face.
The former death-eaters just shook their heads.
She stepped closer, "What about now? Am I still distracting?" she asked so quietly he had to strain to hear her. Her step brought her breasts within a moment of touching Viktors hands, for they were caressing her upper arms.
He paused in his ministrations and swallowed.
"Granger!"
The two jumped apart.
"Yes Professor?" she asked.
"I do not need to see you and Mr. Krum making google-y eyes at each other so go somewhere else, please."
"Yes, sir."
She put her long sleeve shirt on – that had a picture of a white kitten with a big head and huge eyes – and exited the door with a good bye and a thank you.
(A/N:Please review and thanks for reading.)