Chapter Seven
Best Laid Plans
A/N: ok this one is a bit of a re-hash of the last chapter, but at my core I am a fluff writer and I wanted the exchange at the end to make it into the chapter. I'm not sure how much longer until we get to the
Friday night at the arranged time, Severus made his way to meeting space. A small unused classroom, near the library. A small part of him felt a swell of pride that she was taking care not to let her wild magic loose in the castle, for the hormonal boys in the school to find. Even up to this point he was still unsure if this was another trap, he took a deep breath readying himself for whatever was on the other side of the door. He opened the door with his usual flair and walked in. He felt a bit slighted she didn't jump at the sound of the door smacking the wall.
What he found was not the goddess from his dreams or their last encounter. But the young lady he was familiar with. She looked well, which he knew must have been the work of glamours because if anyone was taking nourishment potions, would look anything but normal. He suspected that Minerva had something to do with her current look.
The room was only furnished with a table and two chairs. Nothing remarkable, not like that he expected seeing anything different. Even if the dream he was subjected to last night showed him something different. Like a giant four post bed, candle light and a witch wearing a lot less clothing. He cleared his throat to bring him back to the present.
"Professor." She said in her normal voice, which while it didn't sound like the lyrical one that played on repeat in his head, calling him 'devoted one'. Still even with her normal appearance, he could feel that the magic put a filter over her and made her still look and sound appealing. Which made him feel like a dirty old man.
He didn't respond to her, while he did appreciate that she used his title respectfully. He just grunted and sat down across the table. And he waited for the onslaught.
"Thank you for coming. I know you aren't exact thrilled with all this. And neither am I." He nodded in agreement. "But I wanted to let you know, that besides the total disruption to our lives this has taken, I have been trying to find ways to make things less… let's say complicated."
"I think the time for that has pass, Miss Granger." Snape said grimly.
"Well, I suppose." She paused and worried her lip. An act that made him take too much of a avid interest in. "I wanted to talk about the relationship as a whole. I know, from Irma.. I mean Madam Pince." He realized that she must have found a kinship with the woman that she probably hasn't called her by her title since that night. "That she has given you some of the info regarding my current development but I think she may have done so with the more salacious or sensational version she gave me. Which I think is ridiculous, had this had happened and we were aware of what I am it would have been that way. But this was a surprise to all. I'm still unsure how I was able to accept you plea when I myself didn't know I possessed the power, however I do understand why."
She reached down and pulled out a couple of books and a roll of parchment. Leave it to Miss Granger to bring notes. He thought to himself. She pushed a couple of the books in front of him "These are some of the books that Madam Pince has on hand that she managed to acquire about Veelas. A lot of it is mythical stories or fables and utter tripe. But I did find some logical items within the resources." She was looking at the parchment and looked like she debating about handing it over to him. "I want you to know, that I don't want to be burden to you. I just want to understand this new aspect of my magic and how it can be benefit you." She looked down. Damnit, Albus told her. He figured. "I know you are a private person. And after I was told more about your situation, I know why my magic claimed you." She looked up and for maybe the first time he looked into her eyes, it was hard to not be drawn in. Especially since it was taking everything he had to stay in his seat and not go to her, scoop her up and do all manner of things against his moral code. He almost forgot about his bitterness about her finding out about the things he was doing for the light. "I figured you being a scholarly person would appreciate facts, not just lore. So these are my notes, it's pretty much a guide to Veelas. Um, I've been using it to chronicle things I've noticed with my magic and compare it to the information I have complied. I want you to take it and read it. Maybe understanding things will help you…." She trailed off, and blushed. She handed him the roll, which he now understood to be more of journal. He took it.
"I will give you the benefit of the doubt and look it over." This appeared to be an appropriate answer because she smiled brightly and along with the blush still staining her cheeks, made his traitorous heart skip a beat, among other thing.
"I appreciate it." He noticed that this wasn't the end of their conversation, which with each passing moment he found he was feeling less inclined to leave. "There was bit more I wanted to talk to you about." She bit her lip again, the reaction from before becoming more evident, get it together, man. "One of my most ambitious projects that I've been working on are these charmed items. It's like a cross between a Portkey mixed with a Protean Charm." She pulled out two small items, one was the Slytherin House crest pin and the other was the Gryffindor crest. "It's still needs a few more kinks worked out, but when it's done. You can mark on your pin and it will allow me to know if you… um need my intervention."She blushed even redder this time. "And I'll use it mine to transport me to you. So that would mean.."
"I would need to be able to get to secluded spot." He was interested in her charm skills. He picked up the pin and looked at it. Not realizing that by doing so he was showing acceptance to all the madness. "Will we need to come up with a code?"
His interest in the charm made her beam with pride. "I think it would be wise. Possibly a symbol or number to indicate the expediency of my arrival."
"I think numbers would be appropriate." He added.
She went to say something but faltered, "In my reading I found that it is expected that I will feel when you are in pain or immediate danger, through the bond. Whenever we finalize it." He couldn't help but linger in his stare at her flushed face, it was hard enough to keep his mind out of the gutter, as it were. Now she was bringing up the actual act. "So I think a scale one to five."
"One being a threat but no intervention need?" He asked.
"I was think the opposite. If you are in grave danger or hurt, one would be the easiest." He couldn't help but notice how much detail she put into all this.
"Acceptable." He handed her back the pin.
"Once it's completed I will return it to you. The Protean charm is basically done. I'm just having some minor trouble with the portkey function." She showed him a few more pieces of parchment with her charm work. It was very detailed and fairly spot on.
"Portkeys are are essentially a locator spell, tapped to an item. But for this purpose, since the spot is ever changing. It may pose a problem." He looked over her arthimacy equations, which were intricate and precise.
"I would appreciate any feedback you could give me." She leaned over the table where he was looking over her notes, it didn't take long for him to complete stop focusing on the parchment and focused strictly on her and her proximity. He noticed the smell of her hair, the intoxicating scent he had always been drawn to, the rhythm of her breathing. Too close, way too close. But even with that thought, he couldn't move. He all but stopped breathing, trying to gain control over his body. She had no way of knowing the affect she was having over him. Then all of a sudden she stepped away. "There is only one last thing I wanted to bother you with."
It took Severus a few moment to come out of the spell of her presence. "And that is?" He inquired, suspiciously.
She stood tall and squared her shoulders. Summoning her Gryffindor courage. "I have already talked to the headmaster and he is amenable to my idea." She took a deep breath. "I know that your quarters has a spare room for taking an apprentice. And because we need to find a way to co-habitat and I feel.. no I know that it would be better for my health, until we reach that point where we can… um. Well." He had to bite back a chuckle at her loss of bravery at the end.
"And what would make you think I would willing allow you into my personal space?" He said hiding his amusement but was a bit peeved that she would assert herself even more into his life.
She answered his question by dropping her glamours. He nearly gasped at the state of the young woman in front of him. She looked nothing like the girl he knew. She looked as she had lost half a stone, her face was gaunt and the dark bruising under her eyes from the lack of sleep. There was a part (a rather large part) of him that wanted to scoop her in his arms and take care of her. "I have already started to feel a little better just being in your presence." She murmured the spell to bring up her glamours again. "I want to learn from you and want to get to know you. This isn't something that is going to go away. I know this now. So I need to find a way to get better and be of some help to you and the light." Her brown eyes bore into him, pleading "Please, sir."
IPM
He blamed the damn magic, the odd connection, his traitorous body. Anything he could, he blamed. As he watched the three witches moved items into his spare room. The last thing he truly remembered was her begging him to let her move in. He dreaded the idea of bright pink items spilling out all over his personal sanctuary. He was a neat and tidy person, he knew that teenagers were usually messy, due to laziness. After the elder witches bid the pair goodbye, he walked into the girl's new room, expecting to be onslaughts with pink and stuffed critters all about. But what he was greeted was Gryffindor red and boxes of books, that she was neatly placing into a far too small bookshelf. He transfigured it to be bigger. She turned, looking startled but softly smiled in thanks and went back to work.
Ok so the room wasn't atrocious. Minus the Gryffindor red. He thought to himself as he made his way to the bathroom. He had heard that girl's came with copious amounts of bathroom products, hair do-dads, makeup and many bottles of bathing items. He walked into his bathroom afraid of what he may find. Only to be greeted with a small organizer with her muggle toothpaste and brush a single brush and exactly three bottles of bathing solutions and one poofy sponge thing hanging on the wall of the shower on it own little hook out of the way. He picked one of the bottles labeled body wash and took a sniff. He realized instantly that it was a mistake. It was an intoxicating smell that reminded him of the day of their chat. He picked up the bottle of shampoo and took a whiff, he didn't know why he did, possibly a masochistic trait in his personality, and it was just as he remembered. The scent was strong, coming straight from the source that it caused an instant reaction in him. He put down the dangerous bottle and started a quick cold shower.
As he stood in to freezing spray of the water he cursed himself for his lack of control. If just the smell of her bathing products sent him into ravenous state, he was screwed. Once his libido ebbed, he got of the shower and dried off. But had made the terrible discovery that his impromptu shower, meant that he didn't have a change of clothes. He quickly transfigured his towel into a floor length bath robe and walked out of the room. As he walked across the sitting room. He noticed, sitting on his small couch was the girl. She was wearing an oversized shirt and a pair of skin tight bottoms. She was curled up and reading. She looked up at him as he wandered into his own room and slammed the door.
IPM
Hermione sat in the small classroom after Snape left completely in disbelief. She figured he would be difficult and possibly take multiple visits to get him to come around to the idea of her moving in with him. When Irma, Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore came to collect her, they encountered her shocked face.
"What did he do?" Irma asked, beginning to feel her ire rise.
"Was it something he said?" McGonagall asked while Professor Dumbledore smiled a knowing smile.
"I do believe our dear Severus has done the unexpected and accepted without a fight."
"Is that so, Hermione?" Her Professor asked, flabbergasted.
"I don't even know what happened. But the conversation went well and when I asked to move in he only questioned it once." Her disbelief still showing.
"Well I say we get Hermione all settled up before he changes his mind." Irma said with a playful smirk.
It was a whirlwind as her head of house brought Hermione into the empty common room, through the floo while the rest of the student body was in classes. The pair of witches collected her items and made their way to Severus's chambers, where Professor Dumbledore awaited their arrival. "I see everything went smoothly, then?"
"Yes, as expected. Is he in?" The elder witch asked.
"No, I suspect he didn't want to be here when she finally arrived. We have until the end of meal to get Hermione all moved in."
"Well then let's not just stand around." Irma said surprising the lot of them with her sudden appearance. Dumbledore breached the wards on Snape's quarters and the group entered. Hermione tried not to gawk at the His personal space, but wasn't able to not notice the walls of books. In her minds eye, much like everyone else, she expected to see potion ingredients everywhere, cauldrons bubbling, and lots of black décor. But what she was created with was warm tones of brown and beige. Tall bookshelves with books, neatly arranged. She saw a small well used tea kettle and cup sitting on the dining table in the small cozy kitchenette.
After a few moment of her wandering eye, she noticed that the adults, minus the headmaster had moved on to the spare bedroom that would be hers. They were resizing her boxes from her trunk when she joined them. "It appears you have a small space to properly display your books now, dear." Her head of house said as he pointed to the small sized bookcase. It wouldn't hold everything. But enough, that she didn't have to root around her trunk any more. She turned and watched as McGonagall was turning the bed clothes from their boring white to more familiar colors of her house. "That should make you feel more at home." Hermione smiled at her.
Irma whom had been hanging her clothes in the small wardrobe. "Oh Hermione. We will need to get you some nicer pieces in your collection. I know you feel comfortable in your muggle clothing. But I think a trip to Hogsmead will be in order once we get your magic squared away." Hermione couldn't fathom the idea of finding more clothes. But she watched the two witches talk about styles and colors would look nice on her. She gathered her bathroom stuff and made sure to organize things nice and neat. She took out her small caddy and put her muggle toothbrush and paste in it and put her large paddle brush in the other spot and making sure the items weren't in the way. She then took her shower items and put the bottle on a small shelf, taking out her loofa sponge and put her little suction cup hook on the far corner and hung the item. I hope he appreciates all the measures I'm taking to keep the place as undisrupted as I can.
The rest of the evening went by in blur, with the help of her mentor and professor, her space was looking more homey. They left when Snape skulked in, but not before Irma ordered an house elf to bring them dinner. The lighter fair for Hermione and something more substantial for Snape. She stayed in her room and started to organize her books. The shelf was wonderful to have, even if it was much too small. Then as if the bookshelf had read her mind it grew. She gasped as it did. Then she smiled when she turned around and saw that Snape had done the small feat of magic. Then returned to organizing her books properly.
Once she was settled, she changed into her favorite lay about outfit. An oversized shirt of her father's favorite football team and her leggings. They were thicker then some of the others. But decided that the coolness of the dungeon would require her to wear warmer layers. She decided she would have some of her dinner, the idea of warm broth actually sounded appealing to her. As she walked out of the room, she heard the sound of the shower running. She returned to her room grabbed the book she had started reading before all this mess had happened and decided to wait until her professor was ready to invite him to dine with her. She poured some her broth into a deep cup and took it with her to his sitting area. It was warm by the fire. She hated feeling sick under regular circumstances, but magic depletion was far worst. So feeling the comfort of the fire and warm liquid helped. As she tucked into her book, sipping on her broth, the shower turned off and within a few moments he emerged. Wear a full length black bath robe. She blushed slightly seeing as her ever thoughtful mind reminded her that he was most likely naked under the thick terry cloth. She gave him a quick nod before he ducked into his room.
He exited his personal space not long after dressed in his regular dress. She frowned, thinking he couldn't feel relaxed enough to wear whatever he would normally wear. He must have picked up on her melancholy. "Is there a problem, Miss Granger?"
"I just feel a bit awkward with you still dressed in your day wear. Like you couldn't relax in your own space." She pouted a bit.
"I have no need to be in more relaxing clothing. I must be vigilant at all times. Ready to rise."
Hermione took in his words and felt it made sense. Being a teacher and head of a whole house could mean at any hour a student could need him. As a staff member, if the school required him to assist, he would have to be ready. And then there was the spy agenda, which made her very apprehensive just thinking about. "Oh." Was all she could reply. Collecting her thoughts she continued. "Dinner has been brought and kept under stasis." She watched as his eyes landed on the plate on his dinette table. He picked it up and joined her in the sitting room.
"Are you going to eat anything?" He asked looking at the dish filled with what most likely was a serving size for the Wizard. Hermione lifted her cup, emphasizing that her meal was in her hand. "Broth?"
"Yes, when I'm able to keep anything down it's usually broth. But this evening I don't feel ill at all, was actually kind of eager for my liquid meal." She noticed a small frown replaced his usual scowl. But chose not to comment.
There were a few moments of silence as they enjoyed their respective meals. Then he broke it, "I didn't imagine you to be a sports fan."
Hermione was taken aback by the comment. Then quickly realized why he asked. "I'm not really, my father is. It was a tradition that we all go to the first game of the season. And he would buy me a shirt. We went until I became of an opinionated age and said that I hated football. So I stopped going, but he always brought me a shirt. But since he couldn't figure out what size to get me, he'd always bought it too big. Now I wear them and wish I never stopped the tradition." She looked down at the shirt, feeling sad. "I didn't realize you knew muggle sports."
"I am a half-blood. And grew up in muggle household."
This flabbergasted her, "Oh I… I didn't realize. I mean.. with you a Slytherin and a Dea…" she stopped herself by slapping her hand over her mouth, her nervous babbling already causing enough discomfort.
"Indeed. I had to prove my worth, harder than most. However I do remember the football games my worthless sire would over indulge and gamble our money away watching." He looked down, puzzled by his candor. "I rather prefer football over quidditch." He said, Hermione slightly giggled.
"I feel the same way." She said as she felt like she was let in on a large secret. There was a moment of silence, "the headmaster would like to drop by in the morning to discuss our cover. I have come up with something plausible, but would like to have input from the both of you." She could tell the thought of dealing with Professor Dumbledore made her "surly" professor even more so.
"Then I suspect we should both try and get some rest." He got up deposited his dish on the table, to be taken away and removed something from the cabinet. "It's a mild sleeping potion." He said as he passed her the vial. "I have been told you are having trouble sleeping, I believe this will help you, also if you hear me depart at any time over the late hour, there is no need to wait up." He finished as he went back into his room. She shrugged and took the vial, if she had it, she might as well try it. Even though nothing else has worked. She returned to her room, feeling hopeful. The evening wasn't too awkward or difficult, it was almost pleasant.
