Bellus Rose 9: The Things We Do For Love
By: The Duck
Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine and I'm making nothing on this story. The characters that are mine are Diedre, and Anne. The plot belongs to me but I doubt anybody wants to take either of them!
A/n: Yup, I'm finally posting another chapter of Bellus Rose. I give everybody out there permission to celebrate and worship the ground I walk on! Just Kidding! OK, now I just need to make a few announcements. First, summer arrives on the 19th of June for me after this date expect better updates for all stories. Second, I probably still wouldn't have this chapter done if it weren't for the incessant nagging of Merlindogg110, who spent most of her time yelling at me for not writing this story! So, this chapter is dedicated to her. Well, on with the story! ENJOY!
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Severus put his head in his hands after Diedre left his office. As if he hadn't felt bad enough for what he had done to Hermione that conversation was just what the doctor had ordered he thought to himself sourly. Raising his head to look at the clock he realized it was already a half – hour after Diedre had left his office in a huff. He started to drum his fingers on his desk, so he loved the girl that he had already known. But, now it appeared that this girl loved him back only problem was he had hurt her, really bad.
Severus shook his head banishing those thoughts to a different part of his brain for the time being he had more important things to think about. Namely, what to do to show Hermione that he loved her and wanted her as way more than just a student. Well, that was obvious he though to himself as he turned to watch the last bit of sunlight fade behind a hill off in the distance. He had to apologize, he shuddered at that thought, and Severus Snape was not a man who did apologies easily. He tried to think back to the last time he had apologized that had been years ago when he had gone to Dumbledore and confessed that he was a Death Eater.
He suddenly without warning stood and started to pace back and forth across the small office. He had met with an inner conflict, get back the woman he loved or not apologize and potentially lose her forever. The first opinion held promise, but it wasn't without its downfalls. Suppose Hermione rejected his apology, he didn't think she would but, as he learned not so long ago Hermione was everything but predictable. At the same time he didn't think himself able to leave the whole thing as it was. A thought struck him and he heard Diedre's words echoing inside his mind the insinuation that he was a coward. He would be damned if he proved her right this seemed to finalize his decision, he was gong to risk a lot and put his heart on the line.
He halted his pacing and sat down heavily behind his desk, after several seconds of rummaging through his various drawers he brought out a clean sheet of parchment an inkwell and a quill. He dipped the tip of the quill into the black ink and quickly wrote out a small note. Sitting back he looked over the note and with an approving nod he stood and walked to the concealed entrance to his private rooms. Removing the wards he rushed up the steps and opened the door to the cage that his owl was currently sleeping in.
He carefully tied the note tightly to its leg and opened one of the few windows that were inside his dungeon rooms. "Bring this to Hermione Granger in Gryffindor Tower, quickly." He said as the owl gave a hot and flew out of the window and into the night on silent wings.
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Hermione Granger sat on her bed Indian style, several books and parchment surrounding her. Lying just behind her on her pillow was her orange fluff ball curled comfortably in a tight ball. On her nightstand a candle gave off a warm radiant glow. She leaned over and continued skimming the pages of the book lying open in front of her she was studying for the Charms Test they were scheduled to take on the coming Monday after the weekend. True, it was only Friday and she had more than enough time to do studying over the weekend but she figured that it was better to keep her mind on Charms than Severus Snape, the man who had recently broken her heart.
She surprised when she heard a scratching on her window. She let out an irritated sigh she definitely not in the mood for whatever it was that had dared decided to bother her. Her sadness from earlier had faded into an all consuming irritation and anger. She threw down her quill on the parchment and opened her window. A large black owl flew in and dropped a note her bed Crookshanks hissed at it and it seemed to glare at the cat for a moment before swooping out the window into the chilly, dark night.
She closed her window again and rubbed her arms trying to warm herself up again, it was going to be cold in the dungeons tonight. Yeah, she thought to herself in anger probably as cold as his heart. She plopped heavily back down on the bed and ran a hand through her messy hair. She picked up the small scroll that the owl had delivered and wondered what could be so important that it couldn't wait until tomorrow morning.
She broke the seal on the letter and read it quietly aloud to herself.
Hermione,
I must speak with you at the earliest moment possible. I have come to a conclusion that I feel I must share with you. Please come.
Signed,
Severus Snape
She frowned as she re- read the letter not believing what she was reading. She frowned at the letter. Of course, she thought angrily to herself he probably wants to rub it in harder. Pour some salt on my open wounds, now I know why they all call him a bastard. She clenched her fists and rolled the parchment into a little ball and tossed it into the wastepaper basket. She closed her books and set the ink bottle on her nightstand. She grabbed her cloak off the back of a chair and threw it across her shoulders. She quietly left the Gryffindor Common Room deciding that Professor Snape was about to get a lot more than he had bargained for and, he was.
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Professor Severus Snape sat at his desk bent over the 3rd year Potions essays he was grading. He had just marked John Moss' paper a 70 in bright and anger red ink. There were two loud knocks on his door. Her gritted his teeth and said "Enter." The door opened and closed and still he refused to look up from his desk. A throat was cleared in announcement and it was then that he finally decided to look up into the angry eyes of Hermione Granger.
"I received your note." She stated simply in a neutral voice that held emotions behind it. He didn't break eye contact there was anger in her eyes along with determination and something else that he couldn't put a name to. He swallowed the lump in his throat and waited for her to continue, something told him that he was in big ass trouble.
"What nothing to say to me, Professor." She drawled out the word Professor making it sound vile and immoral. Still he remained motionless his whole body practically radiated neutral. "That's funny from your letter it sounded as though there was something very important to talk to me about. What do you want to do Professor rub salt in my open wounds? Well, go ahead say what you have to so you can get it over with quickly." At this she spread her arms to the side giving her a vulnerable look.
He slowly got to his feet, walked over and stood in front of her. He took one of her hands in one of his and did the same with the other. He held them tightly as though something horrible would happen if he dared to let go. He eyes were soft and pleading when he looked deeply into her eyes. "I'm sorry." He said very quietly as though he were having trouble speaking. "I shouldn't have said what I said before. I was scared." She gave him a shocked look when he said scared. "Yes, Hermione I was afraid. I was so scared that you didn't feel the same way. Thankfully, I had somebody smack some sense into me and I think I'm ready to take that risk. If you'll still have me?" He asked hopefully as he till looked into her eyes. She was silent and simply stared at him. His eyes became more pleading as he added. "Please, Don't make me beg. Hermione, please?"
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A/n: OK, finally got that chapter out! Sorry, for being a damn lazy duck! I hope you will forgive me! Please, review! And I promise romance in the next chapter! Also, if you want to see Diedre again please tell me in a review. I've been thinking of bringing her into a bigger part! Tell me if you do!
*The Duck*
