Chapter 9

Hermione was acting weird. She was rushing through all the lessons in the day, acting jittery. Like a bat waiting to get out of hell. She couldn't help it. For some inexplicable strange reason, she found herself being irresistibly drawn towards a particular mahogany door on the fourth floor, in the staff quarter wing. The door was permanently shut, giving one the impression that it just might be slammed in their face.

She had a very strong urge to pay a visit to Severus. Yes the Severus. As the bell rang signaling the end of the lesson, she grabbed her books and swept out in a whirlwind. She literally ran all the way and banged on the door breathlessly.

'One hundred points for being so impertinent……….." he trailed off as he saw who it was. He scowled.

"You can't take points Severus" saying so she brushed past him.

"And I dearly regret it" he muttered. God the chit was such a pest. What did she want now?

"What do you want?" he snarled. He was irritable and grouchy and bad tempered just like always, and her impatient banging had just got him all the more tetchy.

But she scarcely heard him. "Hello darling" saying so, she bent and tickled a little furry chin. Responding with equal enthusiasm, the little fur ball rolled over and wagged his cute little paws in the air, yelping short barks.

Severus stared in disbelief. That little attention seeker! He would turn his furry back on the very hand that fed him, all in favour of a brunette. One thing was clear. She wore a halo as far as a lot of people were concerned, including Scoot.

He snarled in silence. He did not like being favoured over other people. He did not like being favoured over by a dog. He did not like it when a dog was favoured over him. He did not like it at all. Scoot was now scampering around on the floor, wanting Hermione to play his favourite game. He would pick up a ball and run and would in turn demand to be chased. He was unlike other dogs that preferred to do the chasing. He stood against the door post, arms folded, taking in the scene before him.

He had never before seen Hermione so relaxed. Unmindful of how silly she looked, crouching on the floor and chasing a tiny four legged creature, she somehow looked innocent. And if he looked really hard and let his imagination run, just a tiny bit, he might see the golden sheen surrounding her head. He shook his head, wondering if finally all those years of supposed servitude to Voldemort had taken its toll on him, and he had finally turned mad. If he was indeed mad though, it was a wonderful feeling. He smiled a little loony smile.

Walking past them, he went into the kitchen and opened the cupboards above the stove. He was hunting for the treats he usually kept quite well hidden. And he did not like to share. So it was no wonder when a couple of minutes later Hermione walked in with Scoot in her arms, to catch him munching chocolate chip cookies, eyes closed, enjoying the delicious taste and if she had heard quite clearly, making little munching noises such as "Mmnnn".

"What are you doing?"

Caught in the seemingly private act, his eyes shot open. Shoving the rest of the unfinished cookie into his mouth, he muttered a hurried "Nothing". When she continued to stare at him, with exceedingly large luminous eyes, he snapped "A grown man needs to eat for sustenance."

With arched eyebrows she responded, "This coming from the man who claimed cakes were unhealthy and fattening!"

"Yes well I changed my mind. Male prerogative and all." He could hear himself. He sounded ridiculously defensive. Lots of people had very weird fetishes. Chocolate happened to serve as a stress buster for him. He did not need to defend his motives to anyone, least of all a woman half his size and a droopy basset.

She looked at him rather queerly. "Severus it would not hurt to share" saying so she put her palm out.

Looking suitably mortified for a second at the thought of having to share his precious cookies, he immediately jammed the jar shut and tried desperately to shove it away out of sight all the while muttering, "There's no more".

Hands on her hips, Hermione blared, "Yes there are you selfish man. Give me some this instant. No wonder Scoot is so starved."

Severus stared at her appalled. Did she just trumpet at him like some overgrown elephant? And as far as Scoot being starved, one look at his fat belly and glossy coat and you would know it was all hog wash. He personally sat and combed that mutt's mane until it achieved the sleek shine everyday day! Mutely he handed over the jar to her.

He watched her remove four fat cookies from his precious jar, put two in her mouth and then feed the mutt the remaining two, all the while cooing some nonsense about how starved, underprivileged and down trodden he happened to be simply because he belonged to one Severus Snape! He could feel his hackles rising. Without another word, he stalked off. He had no patience with all this claptrap. Shrugging, he put on his robe, gathered up his books and wand and proceeded towards the dungeons. He had to get away from her. The woman was driving him insane.