When Severus had walked away from the Headmaster's office; he done so in a slow sedate pace. Although, his mind on other maters. He had stopped off at the infirmary to inquire if Poppy had need of any more potions. It had nothing to do with the gangly red head in the far bed. At least, that was what he tried to make himself believe.

The Headmaster has always been blinded by things were Love is concerned. He thought, while Poppy went to check on the stores in the cupboard in the other room. Severus leaned up against the desk as his eyes fell on the Weasley teen. A bit lax and lenient on you, considering you could have killed her. For the next three weeks. Your dreams will be torturous. Anytime you even dream about her, think about her. You will feel the pain of anguish, despair, and envy. It will grow like a ravishing poison within your heart to encompass wholly everything you feel for her. That pain will increase and continue to do so as it eats and festers inside you. You will grow weak at the very sight of her. She is not yours. You shall leave what is not yours alone.

Severus whispered the spell into his hand and watched as the small gnat formed then flew away to the teen. So intense was his stare; he could see the gnat as it went under the bedclothes were he knew it would bite the teen above his heart. He watched as the red head scratched under the bed clothes. It was a subtle curse. Arthur Weasley had given him the idea, with what he had said about his son.

He left shortly after that, when Poppy had come back into the room with a small list of items that she needed. It was on his walk, once he reached the dungeons that he could hear that infernal caterwauling, and knew exactly which cat it was. The orange half kneezle mewed loudly as Severus reached the Slytherin common room wall. Crookshanks rubbed and pushed himself into Severus's legs until Severus stooped down and picked the poor beast up.

"Stop all this infernal racket. You know better. As soon as I take you inside the magic will register to you on the wall." Severus told the cat as he cradled him in one arm and the beast butted his head against Severus's chest. Severus pointed a finger at him, "you remember what I did to you the last time you insisted I keep petting you. I swear I'll do it again. See if I don't kick you out of my office when you come inside at night and jump in my lap. You have an owner you little devil."

Severus walked inside the common room and headed towards Hermione's room to give her familiar to chance to magically bind inside Slytherin. He had stopped at her door, which was open and leaned upon the frame. In a relaxed state while he scratched Crookshanks on the head. Severus could see she was reading in some type of journal she had written in. A Muggle one at that.

Well, this is a good sign. You looked more relaxed and settled.

Severus had watched her closely when he held Crookshanks in his arms and petting the insistent cat. That hadn't been the first time that bandy beast had demanded attention from him either. The orange fur ball had been so persistent with him, since he had chased him away when he showed up during Hermione's third year. Truth be told, he rather liked the half kneezle.

This year had been different with him. He kept bringing him dead creatures he kept finding. Severus was for certain those did not come from inside the castle but out in the Forbidden Forest. Miss Granger's familiar was vastly independent, and this was what had Severus so concerned about Hermione. The familiar would take on characteristics of their owners. So seeing Hermione dependent upon someone was unsettling.

He watched as Hermione had turned and looked toward the door when Crookshanks let out a mew. Her eyes staid upon his only briefly but Severus had seen enough in them to know she had clearly done some thinking. She had a small resolve about herself now. This lit a little fire of hope inside him that may be in the next several days he might see that steely nerve lioness back. That wasn't so frightened and fearful.

"I found him outside in the dungeon hallway trying to find the way in." Severus told her as he leaned up against the door frame. He watched as she kept her eyes on her cat and then slowly he saw the depths of those brown eyes seek out his when she finally looked up into his eyes.

"Thank you. I forgot about him." Hermione said softly. Her shoulders fell as her embarrassed flushed tinged ever so slightly in her cheeks.

That is nothing for you to be ashamed of. Severus kept petting Crookshanks as he kept pushing for more and more. You have a very greedy cat, are you going to be that way my little minx? Greedy and love starved.

"That's understandable Miss Granger." Severus told her. "You were in no condition at the time to think clearly. Don't blame yourself for that. He was already seeking you out. I just brought him the rest of the way."

"Are you sure he was seeking me? He's always in the dungeons hunting mice and things." Hermione said.

Severus watched as her fingers started tracing designs on the Slytherin green duvet. Her flush ever so slowly started going away as she looked back at Crookshanks.

She doesn't believe you. That is rather amusing considering it is your cat. Your familiar, not mine.

Severus spoke and allowed the slight hint of amusement in his voice as he said, "he was caterwauling at the common room door when I came back from the Headmaster's office. So yes, he was seeking you. Now that he's been brought inside, I am sure he'll find his way out of our common rooms as easy as he does Gryffindor."

Severus watched as her eyes widened when he mentioned the Headmaster's office. Her eyes closed. Her breathing quickened. Severus staid where he was as he tapped Crookshanks on the head and forced the cat to look at his owner. In one flying motion the cat leapt from his arms upon the bed right next to Hermione. And he climbed up into her lap startling her slightly in the process.

Come on, you can work through this. I am right here if you need me. Look at me. I know you can feel that tug, as well as I can. Come on, my little minx. You need this. Quit denying it. You need me, like I need you.

He staid quiet and finally he saw those soft brown eyes search his out. Severus kept his breathing, slow and deep. Match my breathing. You can do this. Draw on that strength that I have that you need right now. Come on. Yes. That's my girl. Hermione slowly gained what she needed. He could tell she was concentrating on him. He felt that pull as she continued to draw from him.

"I'm sorry. I panicked a bit." Hermione stroked Crookshanks as she looked back down at him. "Rather foolish and reckless to do so right now. No sense in working my way back to up to level where I can't defend myself and become too complacent."

Well, now I am pleased my little minx. A Slytherin lesson you have learned already. You are going to be just fine.

Severus cleared his throat, so she he could make her look back up at him. He made sure she saw that widening of his eyes to show a little bit of surprise for her, before he gave her that look she was so accustomed to in his potions class. The intense hooded expression that he reserved for her. She tended to always surprise him at the most oddest of times over the years with what she did in class. Turning in a perfect potion when he had clearly adjusted it on the board not to turn out so. Then he watched as she stared at his chin, yes that was where her eyes always went under this look.

She shifted uncomfortably on the bed as she kept stroking Crookshanks. Severus knew she was feeling that desire starting to rise in her again. He felt it himself. It was like a spark had ignited between them again.

I am not saying it until you look back up at me. Into my eyes, I want to watch how it effects you. See how you react to me praising you this manner.

She looked up at him with pleading eyes.

"Good girl." He praised her with silken tongue of feral need. It was quick. He almost didn't see it. But he had, the slight clench in her stomach as she drew forward just slightly.

Yes, oh you are a good girl. You don't know how pleased I am to see that. To know that my voice and those two words caused that reaction.

His eyes were still assessing her intently. Severus kept his face blank. He kept his relaxed and comfortable posture as he leaned against the door frame with his arms folded across his chest.

You blush beautifully when you start feeling aroused. That is a mating call my little minx.

Severus watched as her eyes cast about the room. He saw the frown that adorned her face at seeing the child furniture.

"I shouldn't have acted like a child with you earlier." She looked slowly back into those still assessing eyes that now held a bit of amusement in them. "I am sorry about that."

Yes. So you figured it out. That is amusing. And the flush in your face. How long can you keep looking at me. A little over a minute with that flush, we will work on that. Now let's see if you'll be that young woman you are.

"I clearly see you have accepted this room, Miss Granger. That pleases me. Now prove it to me. The next time you come inside my chambers of your own free will to discuss a personal matter with myself. I expect for you to act accordingly, and remember the rules on my door, without me having to remind you. If you choose to remain acting like a child in my presence. I will treat you like one. Is that understood?"

She looked back at him. His posture was still relaxed and calm, but his voice had contained praise at the beginning. Then that boundary line that he drew and dared her to cross it, with a bit of lecture thrown in as to what he expected.

Yes, you liked that knowledge of knowing you pleased me. I saw it for a brief moment. Accept my challenge. Get that Gryffindor courage and rise up to it.

"Yes, Sir."

Good girl. I will hold you to that. Severus gave her nod, then turn and walked into his chambers. He had felt her looking at him until he was inside. Once he was inside; he went straight to the table that held the two journals that he wanted to go inside her room. He snapped his fingers and knew her room would start the introduction of inducting her into the realm of the snakes. He quickly wrote out the room rules, the additional rule, and the optional ones. He hoped she would take him up on his offer of those optional rules. He grabbed the personal journal for her nightstand and started asking questions for her to answer on a variety of topics. School life, home life, her dreams, her aspirations in life, what she enjoyed doing, what doing hated doing, he even threw in sexual questions to see if she would take the bait and open up that area of herself to him. He had just finished writing out the questions and shut it when they both disappeared and went into her room.

Your move little minx. I made mine. I am playing for keeps.

Severus then went and picked up her book; he had borrowed and read the first few chapters. Her lover wanted her trained in how to be fully used in every way, to become an object of desire.

I like it. But, I will not be sharing you with others. I am a jealous man, what is mine is mine, and I do not play well with others when they try to take what is mine. I don't share, when it comes to the objects of my affections. I care about you already my little minx. I may not be in love you, yet. I do need you and care about you.

Severus laid the book down on the end table by his chair and then headed to dinner. He had gotten there before his house did. Severus said the listening spells over a few of the shakers. He knew where Pansy and Draco always sat. He needed to pay attention to his table while keeping an eye on all the others at the same time while he ate.

He watched as Hermione and Harry came into the hall surrounded by a pack of his seventh years. They were glaring at anyone who dared to even look at the two. Severus smirked. Those two would be well protected at his table. Miss Granger, especially, his seventh years wouldn't say a word to her that he was now sniffing around her. Then he really started paying attention to that table when he heard Hermione's comment.

"Don't. I need to do this on my own now. Everything, Harry. I mean it." Hermione told him.

Severus's eyes roved over to the table to watch. Harry arched an eyebrow at her. "When did all this determination come flooding back?"

Hermione leaned over to him but Severus couldn't hear anything. He then saw Harry throw his head back and roared with laughter. Hermione crossed her arms and glared at him.

"It's not funny." Hermione told him.

You told him what your room looked like. I bet that was it my little minx.

Severus saw that wicked grin come of Harry's face. He was more curious now. That was a very sadistic grin he had gotten.

What are you telling her?

Severus watched intently as her skin flared to life in a deep red flush. Much like the one he had seen in her room. He had caused to arise in her. Her voice was hissing but Severus couldn't hear it. As much as he strained to.

He heard Harry's next reply. Harry scoffed at her. "Oh please. You stopped caring about the rules a long time ago. Don't go there with me. Look at all the life threatening danger we got into breaking rules every year."

Severus smirked. These two are going to be the death of me. What on earth are you trying to get her to do?

"That is completely different and you know it." Hermione said.

What rules? Did you tell him the extra rules my little minx? Or does he not know yet?

"It is not and you know it. The thrill of the danger. It is that hint of danger that is so invigorating. You feed off of that just as much as I do. You have to have it, just as much as I do. Look at how many rules we've already broke this year alone while we've been running around at night. Getting away from everyone in the common room. Creating those spells we did together. Some of those are really dangerous if used incorrectly. And now, you want to pretend to be little miss goody too-shoes, because you're afraid. You fear it. You fear it so much right now. Because you know you need it. It is not a want Hermione. It is a need."

Severus could hear Pansy and Draco snickering. Laugh it up, you two. You bicker back and forth like they do as well. What spells have these two created? Thank you, Harry for pushing her further. I am not sure how far I can push her yet.

Severus smirked. And then got a devilishly sadistic grin on his face. He started eating again and looked out over the other tables. He noticed Hermione was eating. She was trying to get back what she had lost. This pleased him to see that. He felt her eyes as her gaze turned onto him. Slowly, he turned to look at her.

I heard it. Not all of it. But I can only guess all too well. Good girl.

Hermione went flushed. Severus saw that flush. That flush was a sexual one. He felt that desire stir within him knowing she was aroused again.

I will have you aching for me, longing for me. I will enjoy watching you go through it.