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Severus POV

Three hours later, Severus found himself outside the staircase leading to the Headmaster's office. Pacing like a madman, Severus raked a trembling hand through his hair. He was nervously awaiting the arrival of his employer.

Severus was relieved that the ball had come to a close. It was torture, pure torture. Severus didn't understand the feelings he was having, but he could deny their existence no longer. His feelings, although relatively innocent, still disturbed him greatly.

It started off as seemingly simple things. Severus would find himself staring at her sometimes and thinking she had grown quite beautiful. Although that had been disturbing in its own right, he told himself that anyone with eyes could see that. He often wished he could compliment her and give her the praise she deserved. Again, he'd tell himself that this was an obvious trait of hers.

However, his seemingly awkward behavior when he was around her was starting to get to him. Whenever they made eye contact, he would feel himself getting lost in her whiskey colored depths. When Hermione was in his class, he'd find himself watching her intently. Wishing to twirl her curls around his long fingers when they escaped their elastic prison, frizzing from the humidity rising from her cauldron.

Yes, all these things, some innocent, others slightly less than, had all bothered him equally. Even when she entered the Great Hall, his reaction seemed to have been the same as everyone else in the room. Not that it made Severus feel any better. The breath had caught in his throat when he first saw her. She was a vision of pure, innocent beauty. Severus found that he was filled with regret at the thought that asking her to dance would be most inappropriate. "Besides, she'd probably run screaming if the greasy bat of the dungeons asked her to dance" his mind spat bitterly.

However, nothing, absolutely nothing, could compare to the white hot rage Severus had felt when he saw her wrapped in Viktor Krum's arms. It took all the self-control he possessed, not to hex the boy into oblivion. His mind had raged, going so far as to claim her as his. As if this wasn't confusing enough, the night had managed to befuddle him further.

It was about half-way through the dance, when the potions master was patrolling outside the Great Hall. Severus was around the corner, hidden from view. That was when he heard Herm- Miss Granger's voice. She was yelling and seemed to be on the verge of tears. He felt a pang in his chest at the realization. It didn't take long to discover who the subject of her ire was. Ronald Weasley was gaping at the girl in shock. She was talking about him spoiling the evening.

Severus had heard Weasley talking to Potter several times about Hermione throughout the past week. The red-headed idiot had expressed his disbelief that she even had a date to the dance. Severus had clenched his fists in unexplainable jealousy when he'd heard Hermione insist the opposite. He wanted to smack the boy when he made what seemed to be the brand new discovery that Hermione was, in fact, a girl. Weasley couldn't understand why she was so upset. Hermione scowled and stood from the table, rather inelegantly.

After she had handed in her work and stalked out of the Great Hall, he made decided there was no way she had a date. "She's downright scary, no one would want to be stuck with her!" Severus was ready to smack the red right out of Weasley's hair. Which, he nearly had done. Severus smirked in satisfaction at the memory. Hermione's notebook still in hand, he had stalked silently behind the unsuspecting duo and smacked them, square on the back of their seemingly empty heads.

Severus brought his thoughts back to the argument he had witnessed between the two friends. After she had given Ron a good tongue lashing, she ordered him and Potter off to bed. Severus had smirked as the bossy little witch channeled Molly Weasley. But his smirk quickly faded as the sound of her sniffling reached his ears. His heart clenched when he peeked around the corner and saw her drop, less than gracefully, onto the stairs and dissolve into tears.

Before he could stop himself, Severus stepped out of his hiding place. Walking towards the witch until he was standing directly in front of her. Holding out a handkerchief, Severus waited for her to take it. Eyes still downcast, Hermione took the proffered cloth and without looking up, blew her nose in a rather unladylike fashion.

"Thank you" she said quietly.

"You're welcome, Miss Granger" his deep, baritone voice causing her to look up abruptly. Severus had to suppress a smirk at the look of shock on her face.

"Prof- Professor Snape! I'm so sorry, sir!" she stuttered.

"Whatever for" he asked, a frown of confusion on his face.

"Well, I-I know I must be a sight and I just soiled your handkerchief" she mumbled.

"No apology necessary, Miss Granger. That is what it is for, is it not?" he replied.

"Thank you, sir. Oh, I must be a sight" Hermione said with embarrassment, once again lowering her gaze to look at her shoes.

"You most certainly are that, Miss Granger" Severus said softly. He froze when he realized what had slipped out of his mouth.

Hermione's head shot up and she looked at him. Almost as if she were trying to figure out if that was meant to be an insult or a compliment. But what she saw would have shocked anyone. Professor Snape, bat of the dungeons, was smiling at her. He expected her to be disgusted that the "greasy git" had given her a compliment. However, Severus had been rather shocked, and secretly pleased, to find a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

"Th- thank you, sir" she replied shyly.

After realizing the conversation was headed into dangerous territory, Severus had decided to change topics. Hermione told him all about her row with Mr. Weasley and after telling her the dunderhead wasn't worth her tears, he sent her off to bed. After she disappeared around the corner, Severus walked towards Dumbledore's office, cursing his big mouth the whole way there.

Shaking himself from the memory, Severus looked up to see Dumbledore walking towards him. That damnable twinkle ever-present in the old wizard's eye. Drawing himself up, Severus tried to will his nervousness away. Praying to any deity that was listening that he wouldn't find himself in need of employment by the time the night was over.

"Severus, are you quite alright" Albus asked. Severus was slightly annoyed to see amusement, rather than concern in the old man's eyes.

"No, sir. I'm quite the opposite. Might I have a word with you in your office" Severus asked hurriedly.

"Of course, dear boy." With that, Dumbledore led the way to his office.

Sitting behind his desk, the Headmaster leveled his gaze at the man he considered to be his son. "What seems to be troubling you, Severus?"

Letting out a shaky breath, Severus began pacing. "Where do I begin?"

"I have found that the beginning might be a good place to start" said Dumbledore patiently. "But first, please sit down. You'll make a poor old man dizzy."

Severus rolled his eyes at the old wizard but did what he was asked. Taking a deep breath, Severus began to tell his old friend what was on his mind. Half an hour later, Severus had told Dumbledore everything. How the mere sight of Hermione seemed to make his heart skip a beat, or the odd feelings of warmth he felt in his chest when they looked at each other. How he had come to appreciate not just her intelligence, but her beauty as well. How his skin felt like it was on fire if his fingers brushed hers. His unexplainable jealousy at seeing her in Viktor Krum's arms. His anger towards Weasley when he hurt her. His longing to hold her and comfort her when he had found her crying on the stairs. How he had, in uncertain terms, told her he thought she looked beautiful tonight. Severus also told Dumbledore about him offering her his handkerchief and that he had smiled at her."The poor girl probably didn't know what to think. I'm fairly certain the students think me incapable of the action" Severus said.

"I know everything I just told you is extremely inappropriate. I understand completely if you decide I should prepare to leave and find employment elsewhere" Severus said solemnly.

Whatever reaction Severus was expecting from the Headmaster, the one he got, wasn't it. To his complete shock, Severus looked up to find the old coot grinning. Seeing the look of complete shock on Severus' face, he laughed merrily.

"I'm afraid I fail to see the humor in this situation, Headmaster" Severus said, somewhat annoyed.

Smiling gently, Dumbledore looked at Severus fondly. "I'm sorry, my boy. You're right. This is no laughing matter. This must be very confusing for you. That being said, I think it's time you knew" said the Headmaster cryptically.

Growing more nervous by the second, Severus sighed in exasperation when Dumbledore didn't say anything more. "Spit it out, old man" the potions master snarled, but the Headmaster wasn't fazed. Instead he had the gall to grin at the brooding professor in front of him.

Looking into Severus' obsidian eyes, Dumbledore said softly, "You and Miss Granger...are soul mates."