Hello! Yay for the 500 reviews! Thank you so much! Oh an just a reminder to those who didn't see my earlier post in the last chapter, I do have artwork for this story up as a link on my profile page if any of you wanna check it out! Thanks so much for pulling through with me on this roller coaster of emotions with Hermione and Snape! I think I speak for everyone, or at least I would hope, that we have all hitched a ride on the loops and turns that these chapters have thrown and thanks so much for being loyal and enjoying the trip! I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as I have writing it! You guys are the best… literally!
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Hermione could not go to sleep. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Severus Snape. Everything had to fall in place, no love like theirs could end up any differently. She squealed in her tangled sheets at the mere thought of being beneath the man again that she had just been snogging relentlessly. His lips were tantalizing and reassuring and his kisses were protective and passionate. The emotions that were finally displayed by the Potions Master had shocked her. He had no boundaries that he wasn't willing to cross when he was in her arms and while this excited her to no end, it also frightened her. The most intimate she had ever been with Ron was in the Chamber of Secrets during the last battle and she was definitely not used to the unbridled passion from a real man.
Of course Ron was extremely affectionate and wanted to be much more intimate, but Hermione had held back, afraid of the power of lust and the feeling of no longer being in control. Besides that fact, she now realized that her hesitancy was not just because of her fear of losing herself, but it was her feelings that were not truly honest. She could not even hold a candle to the love she had for Professor Snape. He was truly her life… her sunrise and sunset, her everything. She smiled and stretched, trying to relive the feeling of him on above her and the total intimacy that ensued as a product from a silly argument. He had been so involved in the moment that she could remember how close he was to pushing himself on her and taking their kiss into something much more ardent and dare she say it, obsessive.
She could not express how happy and blissful she was, reveling in her thoughts and memories with her eyes tightly closed to relive the moments that she would never forget. Hermione wanted to scream in delight as she hugged herself close realizing that she was covered in the Potions Master's scent. It was in her hair and on her skin and it sent shivers up and down her body realizing how close they were to taking their kiss to the next step. Professor Snape had been so close to losing any power over himself that he had left, leaving them to delve into the point of no return.
She supposed that that was the reason for her stopping him, the reason for her pushing up on his chest, away from the madness that would have soon taken over the both of them. What would have happened had she not stopped him? Would she even be in her room at that moment? She blushed at her dark thoughts full of lust. Hermione Granger was lusting after Professor Snape! She could hardly believe it but it was quite true. A part of her wished she would have let him continue just to explore their new feelings together. What would it have been like if she would still be in the Room of Requirement at the very instant? She reprimanded herself for thinking such thoughts but it electrified her to muse about the prospect that they could have possibly lost themselves to one another.
It was so exciting to be left speechless and breathless and absolutely mad over such a man as Severus Snape. Nothing mattered to her anymore. No one existed beyond their little world they had created over night, a world of love and secrecy. She was in love and never wanted to lose the feeling again. Did he feel the same? She sure hoped he did. Hermione's heart felt like it was going to burst. She squirmed around and fluffed up her pillow, trying to occupy her thoughts and actions and she found that she was shaking from such stimulation with something as simple as a thought of him.
She held one of her pillows to her chest, trying to shield her beating heart and whispered, "I love you Professor!"
Hermione could not help but smile at the words that played across her lips. She was finally free to express her deepest feelings for the man that had been building up for months. Hermione sat up and walked towards her vanity and inspected herself in the mirror. She had slipped off her dress and had pulled on a tank top and cotton shorts to cuddle into bed with the heat of the fireplace replacing the duty of the garments that should have been keeping her warm. The crackling of the flames drew her mind back into their first kiss as the candles made a melody that had serenaded them for the whole night. Snape had been so hesitant, so frightened of her contact with him. Although the kiss was short, it was amazing to her. His thin lips had covered hers and the roughness of his skin grazed her own.
She held her hair up to better examine her figure, inspecting the body the he had clung to so urgently. What did he think of her appearance? Was he enchanted by her transformation in something much more dark and daring like the men who danced with her that night were? Or did he truly just love her the way she was? Would he want her to start changing her appearance or did her normal exterior flatter him just the same? Hermione wrapped her arms around her body, remembering the stronger ones that had been locked around her waist just before. She laughed out of giddiness and ran her hands through her hair, trying to soak in all the memories and thoughts that were flashing left and right across her mind.
She tightly closed her eyes, wishing he was there with her now so he could wrap her up in a hasty and wanting kiss as he had done when they were saying goodbye. It was so full of love and passion when he had grabbed her to him to claim her lips one last time before they really had to stop and rest. She giggled when she remembered his face after their romantic encounter with them on the floor. Snape had looked stunned and was completely speechless. It was as if he didn't even know who he was and was clueless with what to do next. He had turned to her for support and direction in his moment of utter confusion and realization at how close he really was to letting loose and claiming her for his own.
Listening to the silence, she let her ears be overwhelmed with the silky deep voice that had serenaded her all night long with stories and explanations. Hermione had to admit to herself that she asked him so many questions to not only learn from him but to constantly hear his voice echo through her very being. She was wrapped up in a warm sensation every time his voice sounded, even in insult. Hermione climbed back into bed for protection from the coldness in the air from the wintery season that had overtaken the dungeon and turned it into its own personal muggle freezer. She wrapped the covers around her body and shut her eyes tightly. What would it be like if Snape was next to her? Would he wrap her up in his arms and fall asleep or would he be furthering their affections just like he had earlier. Would he be pinning her to the bed and kissing her like a mad man? Would he let her feel his weight against her body as he gave her access to taste the sultry remnants of the wine in his mouth as he took her for his own in the midst of the cold, blizzard morning?
She curled up into a ball and held her hands to her heart, letting her mind take her to new places as she finally started to drift off. Before she left her world and entered another, she smiled softly,
"I love you, Severus."
Snape walked up the steps to see Professor McGonagall with a scowl on her face, seated at her desk. Her hands were folded tightly and her glasses were pushed up all the way on the bridge of her nose. Her fashionable witch's hat sat on the desk while her now very gray hair sparkled in the early morning rays that were pouring through the office. Snape was briefly brought back to the evening before, Hermione was an angel to him and their night had been exquisite and full of passion… something he had always dreamed of and now he was going to face the one person who would probably ruin their run of emotions.
"Severus," she stared at his disheveled figure.
"Yes Headmistress?" he asked, trying to act like nothing had happened although he knew she obviously could tell that something had.
Snape's hair was messier than usual, he had more color to his pale skin, and he was wearing the same clothes from the party and it was tousled about with his cravat and collar open. He stood in front of her desk; he always hated to sit, it made him feel vulnerable and susceptible, like he was less of a person. McGonagall's mouth formed a thin line with disdain, as though she was going to punish a child. She had always had a soft spot for the confusing Potions Master and had watched him grow from an unreasonable child into a heroic man.
"I have reason to believe that your actions and feelings towards Miss Granger are less than innocent," she sounded skeptical, not wanting to believe it could be true, "Do you deny this?"
"No I do not." He almost whispered as he stared at the older woman.
"Severus, how can this be?" she winced, very upset, "Do you understand the consequences that could come of this? I do not need to remind you of the rules but I must ask," she readjusted her glasses, "Why?"
Snape took a deep breath, "I do not have an answer."
"Where were you after the party ended?" she looked up at him, chiding him.
"I was with Miss Granger,"
He heard a sound of disapproval from the Headmistress before he explained, "We needed to resolve a few problems," She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to try to explain himself out of the inappropriate situation, "She was sacrificing herself for my own benefit."
McGonagall furrowed her brows, "Sacrificing?"
Snape groaned, "Minerva, you know what the Daily Prophet said about us and the court appearance that I was going to have to make. Miss Granger recognized what effects that would have on me so she reported to Rita Skeeter of her engagement to Ron Weasley to put out the fire."
"Her engagement was a pretense?" She looked shocked.
He nodded, "She knew that if she put herself out in the public that the Ministry would instantly recognize the false tale in the paper and excuse me of trial."
She covered her mouth with her hand, "Severus…" McGonagall started, eyeing him warily and spoke cautiously with her next question, "Was it a false tale?"
He shook his head, not meeting her gaze, "None of the events listed ever occurred, but the feelings written about are quite accurate."
McGonagall sat back in her chair, not knowing what else to say. After a pause, she glanced back up at him, "Miss Granger loves you?"
"Indeed, she does." He whispered, hardly able to believe it himself.
"This is very grave news indeed." She stood up and walked over to him, putting a hand on his arm in comfort, "You know it cannot be taken any further." He frowned but silently nodded as she sighed in frustration and compassion.
Snape watched as the witch started to pace with much anxiety, "Severus…"
"I attempted to relieve myself of her near the beginning, tried to distance myself, and it had no effect. The moment I came back to her, we were both where we left off." He murmured, staring at the ground.
"We?" she stopped in her tracks and turned back to him, she was astonished, not thinking she heard him clearly and asked again, "We?"
Taking another deep breath and running his hands through his tangled hair, he moaned, "Yes, we."
The headmistress made a small cry before pacing even more maniacally than before. Her robes were swooshing around her, creating a breeze throughout the room as her old hand trembled before her lips in fright, "Surely you can't be serious?" She looked up at him; wanting to receive confirmation that it was not true… she had to have heard incorrectly…
He turned from her and stared up at all the sleeping portraits of past Headmasters, "I must regret that I am perfectly serious."
"You… love her?" she gasped.
"I do." He uttered, barely audible.
"Do you realize what this could do to our school? The repercussions would be too great to even discuss, Hogwarts could lose its standing!" she lectured him, "as Headmistress, I cannot let this establishment see such results because of a teacher out of control of his emotions!"
Snape hissed but kept quiet, not wanting to anger the older witch even more.
She shut her eyes as if she were in much pain from his statement, "Never in the history of our school has a teacher had inappropriate relations with a student and I must reprimand you harshly that this is unacceptable!"
He nodded and turned back to her, "I understand, Minerva,"
"Don't Minerva me, you are a grown man, Severus, and she is just a girl." McGonagall chastised him, reminding him of his status and age.
"You don't think I have already realized this?" he snapped and decided it was now his turn to pace.
"You are thirty-eight years old and she is just eighteen! Even if you were not working here, you would still be made a fool of… This will tarnish your reputation if you take this relationship any further." She stomped her foot decisively on the floor, gaining Snape's attention.
He scowled at her, "What would you have me do? Let her marry Weasley to save face?"
"Do not raise your voice to me, Severus, you know better. And of course you know that her choosing to accept the proposal for your sake was indeed irrational but you cannot keep this going! She is the next in line and this relationship is holding everything you have worked for in jeopardy!" She frowned and watched him pace again.
"I know but how can I continue teaching her in this situation? If you have a solution, I am much at my leisure to listen." He snapped, rubbing his neck where Hermione's lips had been earlier.
She sighed, "If the Ministry finds out that this was all a charade to get you out of the trial, they could very well send you to Azkaban for avoiding the law."
Snape braced himself against one of the large armchairs in front of the head desk, "I am well aware of the fact."
McGonagall put a hand on his shoulder, she had never witnessed him trembling before, "You know this has to end. I cannot see any other way out of this. Miss Granger must continue her studies, Severus."
"Why can she not learn from another? Why can she not study abroad… Garland Holloway is seeking an apprentice-"
"You know as well as I that the Ministry demands a much higher standard, and she would never be able to teach at Hogwarts under those circumstances, she would no longer be a credible option under him."
He knew she was right. Holloway, the Potions Master in Australia, was hardly trustworthy and had ruined his own reputation under the Ministry when one of his experimental potions had gotten into the hands of a muggle who had ended up growing feathers and had later died from the feather ingredient in the concoction that contained the disease psittacosis, or Parrot fever. Hermione was far beyond even that skill level.
"You are the only one who can teach her… you are the most skilled Master that our world has seen thus far and the only one who could live up to your proficiency is Miss Granger. The wizarding world will suffer immensely if she is not the heir to your position and legacy." McGonagall called out, furious and anxious at the same time. Snape could understand her emotions but there was nothing more to do… either way, the relationship between himself and Hermione would have to come to an end and be nonexistent. No one could know of their love.
"Perhaps another option…" a familiar voice called out from above, the portrait of Albus Dumbledore.
Both teachers looked up and McGonagall sighed, "What could possibly be done, Albus? If Miss Granger stays, then Severus is at risk to end up in prison and if she leaves, Hogwarts will suffer a terrible loss as well as the wizarding world."
"I am well aware of the circumstances, Minerva, and I have been contemplating the path that should be taken." He hushed her as he turned to Snape.
"Severus, are you willing to venture again into the unknown for Miss Granger?" he asked the man in black.
"What do you have in mind, Headmaster?" it was more of a statement than a question.
After over an hour of arguments and conversing, the office was finally silent between the two teachers and the painting. Snape could hardly breathe, not knowing what would lie ahead. He just wanted to be back with Hermione, locked up in the Room of Requirement, and hold her in his arms and hide away from the rest of the world. He closed his eyes, weighing the options that would lead to several different outcomes and clenched his fists as he realized how much of a slim chance that the desired result would be attained. Wasn't it worth a try? He loved her enough; he knew he had to do it. This would be the only option for their survival… but would Hermione agree to it in the end? Did she truly understand her emotions and feelings enough to give her future over to him without any knowledge of what would happen? How could she possibly understand what he was going to have to do that needed to be done?
Snape glanced up at the portrait, "How much time do I have?"
Dumbledore sighed, "Until the end of the break."
"That is not nearly enough time, Albus." He shot back, angrily. Why was everything in his life difficult? Why couldn't at least one thing be easy and enjoyable? With that thinking, he knew he would end up an old lonely man. He shook himself out of it and waited to hear Dumbledore's response,
"It is not every detail that needs to be acquired, Severus," he warned, "but the foundations to expound upon must be precise and perfect in order for her to exceed."
He growled, "It cannot be done!"
"I believe that is the same attitude that led you to lose Lily Potter." Dumbledore cautioned him.
Professor Snape stormed out of the room.
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