Bellus Rose 8: The Slap Heard Around the World
By: The Duck
A/N: Ok, people here is chapter 8! Most of you will probably fins so humor in this part! And I think you can guess by the title what I'm going to have happen, well enjoy! And don't forget to REVIEW!!!!
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Hermione was set on auto pilot she was walking in a haze down a dungeon corridor not really seeing due to the fact that salty tears clouded her vision making everything appear in a watery daze. Hermoine stopped and leaned against a wall as she furiously wiped the tears away from her eyes. She made a loud sniveling noise and let out a sigh as she checked her small wristwatch. She quickened her pace not wanting to be late to Potions. She found herself at the door just in time and quickly took her seat between Harry and Ron as she started setting up her cauldron and other various pieces of equipment. It was surprise to Hermione when she looked up to the front of the room expecting to see Professor Snape in all his greasy glory but, instead she saw a young woman a small smile spread across her face.
"Good Morning, Students. I'm going to be your sub for today as Professor Snape isn't feeling quite up to par this morning. My name is Professor Macbeth and today we will be working on Various Antidotes to Poisons." She seemed to take a short pause here as she took a deep breath. "Now, Can anybody tell me what one of the most deadly poisons known to us at current time is?" She glanced around the room nobody had their hand up and she simply shrugged saying. "Ok, we'll do it the hard way then." She said picking up a piece of parchment from Snape's desk.
"Miss Granger." She said picking a name at random from the Roll List. "Can you answer the question?" She asked politely, leaning against the heavy oak desk.
Hermione looked up from the desk and into the eyes of Professor Macbeth. She took a slight pause before answering. "The juice from Giant Mushrooms is said to be the fastest acting most dangerous poison due to the fact that it has no antidote as of yet." Hermione responded in a low monotonous voice, which wasn't her true voice. Diedre nodded at Hermione she had picked up on the tone of voice and she thought she recognized it but she shrugged it off promising herself to talk to Miss Hermione Granger after class. "Very good, 5 points to Gryffindor for your well informed answer." She said with a smile as she walked over to the board and started scribbling notes to copy. But she would ask questions at regular intervals and the class proceeded smoothly until the shriek of the bell interrupted her and she dismissed the students from class with one last smile.
"Miss Granger." She called out softly just as the young brunette was almost out the door. "May I speak with you for a short moment." Hermione stopped at the door quickly telling Harry and Ron that she'd see them next class. She turned on heel and walked up to the desk wondering what this could be about.
"You'll excuse me for intruding." Diedre began slowly not quite sure how to word her question so she didn't offend the young student. "But from the looks of it you seem to be having a rough day." She continued gently trying to be nice yet receive answers at the same time. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked sliding into the wooden chair that sat behind the desk. Hermione shrugged heavily letting her bag drop to the floor, she figured she might as well explain everything, she needed to get these feelings off her chest before she drove herself insane.
This was the beginning to a rather long conversation. Hermione had somewhere in the middle of it conjured a small stool to sit on and Professor Macbeth had not interrupted merely nodding and adding encouragement when she thought it to be appropriate. When Hermione finished her tale she was exhausted from the emotional effort and stress it took to relive it. Hermione shook her head refusing to let the tears that filled her eyes spill down her face.
"You must think me so stupid. But I swear to you I know what love is and it's what I'm experiencing now."
Diedre shook her head; a small smile forcibly graced her features. "I trust you, Hermione. Why don't you go to your next class? You just leave this matter to me. I'll have a word with Professor Snape personally." Diedre said gently urging Hermione out the door. She turned away from the door an express of determination overtaking her features. "I think it's time you me had a talk, Severus." She stated to the empty classroom.
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Diedre closed up the Potion's classroom for now. She wasn't going to have another class until just before lunch and she still had quite a while until then. She turned on heel and walked down the dungeon corridor. Her lips were pressed firmly together as she made her way to Severus' private rooms. Opening the door to his office she found him reading a book as he was bent over his desk. She exhaled loudly and shoved the door closed with a bang. His looked up from the book with a shocked look. He quickly shook the expression away as he caught a glimpse of her facial features.
"Diedre, what brings you here?" He asked trying to make sure that his voice sounded disinterested in whatever she had come to say.
She merely glared at him a moment longer before she started to approached his desk. "I think you know why I'm here Severus. I came to get some answers." She snapped briskly at him.
Severus glared back at her and made sure that the tone he used dripped with venom and sarcasm. "Well, If you came for answers then you better start asking questions, my dear." He said as he watched her leaned against his oak desk.
"I'm speaking of Miss Granger, Severus. I had a conversation with her and she told me some interesting little facts about you and her." She said letting a small smile creep into her face as she watched his glare melt into a worried and inquisitive stare.
"What do you know?" He asked as he finally shut the book that laid forgotten on his desk. "Enough to know that you were a complete bastard to the poor girl." She said as she let the anger change into something that looked like exasperation. "Why?" She said quietly as she saddled him with a concerned look.
"I thought you were smart enough to know that. I mean the girl wanted a relationship with me. She's completely disillusioned she thinks that she's in love with ME of all the people. ME!" He stated getting angry with himself.
"What if she really is in love with you? What then Severus? Do you ignore the girl let her slip into depression?" She said as some of her previous anger returned into her expression. "She's not in love with me. She is simply off a rebound and thinks that she is. I couldn't take advantage of that. I care about her way too much to let her love me. I'm a scum of the earth Death Eater I don't deserve anybody much less a beautiful, young, talented, angel like Hermione." He said softly staring down into the depths of the desk as though it could solve all his problems.
"Look at me." She said in a tone of voice that even he couldn't read. He stared into her eyes to see so many different emotions conflicting. She glared at him and before he knew it she slapped him hard right across the cheek. His head did a turn and some of his stray hair was spread across his face. "Don't be a fool, Severus. I know that girl is in love with you for real. You know it too your just making excuses because your afraid of loving, your scared that she won't feel that way forever, your frightened that you don't deserve her." She took a deep breath and it gave her the illusion that she had grown taller. "Well, let me tell you something, Severus. If love didn't scare you, you wouldn't be human. I just though you were braver than that." She shook her head sadly and walked to the door opening it just a little. She turned back around and gave him a sad smile. "Just think about what I said. Ok, Sevvie?" And with those final words she gently closed the door leaving Severus Snape alone with new physical and well as mental scars.
A/N: I'm VERY VERY sorry! I have had about half of this done for a long time and I kept putting it off well! I hope it was worth the wait! And yes you guess it more Sevvie Angst coming up in Chapter 9! Don't forget to use that review button!
*The Duck*
