Chapter 9: Nerves and Whiskey
Songs:Breathe In, Breathe Out – Set it Off
Therapy – All Time Low
Please don't kill me. *cowers behind computer* I know I said I'd update more, but I just kept getting attacked by life. Shit just seems to love me. The worst part about this update is that it's not even that long and I think I hate it. But, I know alot of you have been waiting, so here it is anyways. Hope it isn't complete crap.
I'm not gonna promise anything, cause I'm awful at keeping them... But I'm not giving up on this yet. The good parts are coming, I promise.
Also, concerning my question, I got mixed reviews. So, I think I will try to get some middle ground, and I think this chapter is a good example of that middle ground. Some of you seem to like my lengthy writing, so let me know if this isn't enough. I love adding tons of detail and sometimes I go overboard. lol.
^^ Hey music junkies like me (I know you're out there), you might wanna check out those songs at the top of the A/N. They describe the story/chapter well and I listened to them a bunch as I wrote this.
Finally, thank you all so much for being so patient with me. I love you all so much, especially you reviewers out there. ;) I think I might start doing review responses either in PM or in the story. So, maybe that can be encouragement for you to review. I will respond. Yes? I'd love you even more if you reviewed.
Read and Enjoy!
Hermione sighed as she slipped into the bath water. Her body ached from the long day. It had felt like one of the longest of her life. And the most important part event of it hadn't even happened.
That had Hermione the most stressed out. Her "date" with Severus in his study was in about two hours. Hermione didn't know whether she was excited for it or completely and utterly dreading it. That was like most things in Hermione's life lately. Polar opposites. Her dreams were coming true, at least some of them were. Yet, her life was coming to an end.
So yeah, to say Hermione was stressed would be an understatement.
Also, stress didn't mix well with Hermione's condition. It wore her down physically more than it would a normal individual. Today was a spectacular example of her stress overload.
After Severus had left her at her door the previous night, Hermione's brain was in a whirlwind of confusion. The advice of Minerva, her conversation with Severus, her fears about herself, and especially the next day. By the time she made it to her bed, she knew she would definitely not be able to sleep. And she was very right.
So, here Hermione was. After a long day of lessons and no sleep, Hermione just wanted to relax. A bath seemed like a wonderful solution, so Hermione decided to skip dinner and just head to her quarters (Hermione wasn't hungry anyways; her stomach was churning from nerves).
Hermione stared at the ceiling with heavy eyelids. The water was perfect and she even made sure to put a form of stasis on it so it wouldn't cool down while she was in it. Her mind was still racing, but her body was begging to rest. To slow down.
So it did. Hermione didn't really comprehend it, but pretty quickly, Hermione's eyes closed and she fell asleep with her head on the rim of the tub.
Severus was in his study, grading a pathetic excuse for a potions essay and trying to keep his mind off certain subjects. Hermione was due to arrive in about fifteen minutes, and Severus was terrified.
Sure, they'd had moments in the hallways to discuss things, or the short moments at dinner or in passing, but this was a planned, non-school related meeting. Severus didn't really know what to do. Give him an evil Lord to fool and he could do it in the blink of an eye, but have it involve a woman who he had more feelings for than anything he'd ever experienced and he was clueless.
He couldn't help but think of every horrible thing that could possibly happen. Maybe she changed her mind wouldn't show, or maybe she'd think his study was boring and she decided that she was wasting her time on him. Severus still wondered about that. How could she ever want to spend time with him?
Hermione opened her eyes. She felt hot, so so hot. Her heart was beating frantically. Hermione sat there for a second in the tub, confused. Then it hit her. She'd only feel like this if she had been in there too long. But it couldn't be more than fifteen minutes or so, right?
Hermione glanced at the tiny window that was close to the ceiling. It was still light out when she got in…
But now it was completely black.
Shit shit shit! Hermione stood up quickly, and swayed back and forth a few times. The change in temperature felt nice to her body, but also horrible on her head. She clutched the wall for stability and grabbed the closest towel, wrapping it about her body.
Hermione normally would carefully dry off, but right now, she needed to figure out how late it was. She winced as she touched the freezing tile floor and ran into her bedroom. Glancing at her muggle clock on her dresser, she sighed in relief. Fifteen minutes. Bad, but I can still get there.
Ten minutes later, Hermione was dressed in some simple jeans and a comfortable sweater. Her hair was still pretty damp, but a drying spell would just make it more bushy than normal. Maybe she'd put it up on her walk down… Hermione didn't have time to do much else in preparation, sadly.
She grabbed a book she was meaning to show Severus and slipped on her shoes, nearly forgetting to grab her wand off her bed. Hermione jogged to her door and slipped out quickly. Three minutes. Just about enough time.
Severus pointed his wand at the fireplace again, adjusting it to a decent flame size. He was trying to keep himself from pacing. Something he did a lot of when he was nervous. Glancing around, he did another quick check to make sure everything was perfect.
Then he heard the knock. The oh so dreaded yet impatiently anticipated knock. Severus quickly hurried to the door and opened the portrait. He realized that he hadn't invited someone else to his private quarters in a very long time.
Oh god, she looks perfect. Severus couldn't help but smirk a little. She looked… perfect like always. Her hair seemed slightly damp and her cheeks were tainted red and she was breathing heavily. He imagined her same face in a whole different situation...Severus mentally slapped himself at his thoughts. Seriously? Now?
"Hi Severus." Hermione mumbled, eyes going everywhere but his intense stare. She felt small and awkward, feeling his stare go all over her.
"Well, I feel a little formal now, Hermione." Severus looked at his robes and tried to lighten the mood and stepped aside, motioning for her to come in. Outside he seemed his usual cocky self, but inside he was groaning at himself.
"Sorry. I just hate being uncomfortable when reading. Plus, coming from a muggle family, robes just aren't the most comfortable to me." Hermione clutched the book to her chest and smiled up at Severus a little who was walking towards a small but very comfortable looking den area. There were bookshelves covering every wall and the chairs were mismatched, but looked absolutely perfect for hours of reading. "I still don't get how you walk around all the time in those bat wings." Hermione got a little brave and chuckled to herself.
"Pure, god-given talent, that's how, Miss Granger." He drawled in his teacher voice.
Neither of them could stop the smiles on their faces. Both of them forgetting their nerves as they exchange books and took comfortable seats in the warm den.
Two hours later, Hermione found herself more happy than she'd been in a very long time. At the beginning, they'd been sitting on two different arm chairs. But now they were sitting next to each other on the biggest of the three seats, laughing, talking about the books they were reading and doing something Hermione hadn't expected, but was very much enjoying. Drinking some fire whiskey.
It was amazing to both of them how easy it felt to talk to each other. Hermione couldn't help the flirty comments coming out of her mouth even though they sounded pathetic occasionally. She wasn't drunk, only a little tipsy. But it helped with any nerves she would've had. Both of them were at ease and enjoying each others company.
Severus was relishing in having someone being so willing to be around him. In his past, the few friends he had always felt forced. Like they definitely did not want to be with him. But Hermione genuinely seemed happy. He was confused by some of her comments that made him feel wonderful. Severus was enthralled by everything that she had to say. He'd never met a woman who could so rival his intelligence and it sparked a side of him that normally didn't need to come out.
When the night came to an end, Severus suggested that Fridays in his study could become a weekly thing. Hermione eagerly agreed and they parted ways with smiles permanently planted on their faces, laughing at themselves for worrying so incessantly.
Both went to sleep that night feeling better than they'd felt in months. If you asked either, they'd tell you that since the curse, neither had ever felt completely well. There was always a pain of some sort in the back of their minds or bodies. But tonight, all pain was gone. Neither knew why exactly, but they were incredibly grateful anyway.
Love you all! Have an amazing week/month or whatever. Hope you get some peace and relaxing and fluffy times of some sort. ;) 3- Summer
