I do not own Harry Potter.
Ch.6
Severus was stunned. She had liked the kiss. No one had ever liked him before. Oh my, how childish did he sound right now? There was Lily originally, but that was a long time ago and very brief. He hadn't... known how to express himself then. This one surely wouldn't last long. How could it? Nothing good ever seemed to stay in his life. Severus knew that he was better off alone. Then he wouldn't expect anything from anyone and they wouldn't expect anything from him. This was all too much.
Hermione was still gazing lovingly at him. She was so beautiful in the light from the fire. Like always, her hair shone brilliantly and cascaded around her in messy waves. It was slightly frizzy, but not nearly as much as it was when she was young. It was cute. She reminded him so much of Lily. The way she sat and listened to whatever he had to say without interrupting, the way that she tried to do everything on her own before asking for help, and her intelligence all made her that much more irresistible. Severus longed to kiss her again.
Hermione reached out a hand and held his cold one in hers. Somehow they fit perfectly together, her long, slender, delicate one encased in his strong thin slightly calloused one. This was definitely too much for him. He didn't deserve her.
Severus gently pushed her away and got up from the couch. He turned his back on her and left the room. She followed him.
"Where are you going? What did I do?"
He could hear the sadness in her voice. He wished he wasn't the one who had caused it.
"You did nothing wrong Hermione," He turned around and placed his hands on her shoulders, but he could not look into her eyes," You did absolutely nothing wrong."
"Then where are you going?"
"I just need time to think. Also it's getting late. Dinner will be ready soon. I want you to go to bed at a reasonable hour. You will... You will be leaving tomorrow morning."
Her shoulders shifted under his hands. Hermione's eyes burned with unshed tears," But you said..."
"I know what I said,love, but I was wrong."
A daunting silence hung between them.
"I love you Severus!"
He stared at her with shocked silence. What was he supposed to say back to something like that? He removed his hands from her shoulders, walked into his study and closed the door. He could still hear the sound of her crying in his head hours later. The sun had set and he sat enveloped in darkness not bothering to turn on a light.
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