Chapter 11
Amortentia
Hermione was excited and disappointed. As had been her current feelings over her dwindling time spent in the private lab with her professor. Excited to see him and to continue her work. Disappointed know that this was the last one. She would not be welcomed back in to his lab until after she completed her N.E. and that both of them survived the impending war. Her heart ached at the thought that he wouldn't survive the end. She knew he deserved to. He was such a pivotal part of the effort. That he deserved to go on with his life quietly upon a favorable outcome. Then her traitorous mind whispered "with you." Reminding her of her ill-advised crush.
It took less than a week for her hand to heal completely and have no pain. Upon the ending of last potion class of the week. Professor Snape asked Hermione to stay behind. She did, and waited anxiously as the last of the students petered out. She had been given many different stares from the students as they departed. Ranging from pity to gloating. She ignored them. Hermione's mind wandered in the moments before she and her professor were alone.
"Miss Granger!" She heard him snap. She realized he may have tried a few times to get her attention prior to snapping at her. She blushed in embarrassment.
"I'm sorry, sir." He gave her a pitiful look.
"I need to see your palm." Hermione nodded and walked up to his desk. She offered her hand to him and he held it delicately as he ran a couple of diagnostic charms. "Has your range of motion in your fingers returned?" Hermione nodded, not trusting her voice. Having him hold her hand as such and the sincerity in his voice were doing things to her hormonal ridden mind. She could only imagine that she resembled tomato with how flushed she felt. "Are you feeling well?" He asks, tentatively.
Hermione cleared her throat. "I am. I've been a bit distracted as of late." She felt it was the safest answer, she didn't think he would want to hear that her heart was racing just because he was holding her hand. And that the closeness to his person was making her mind play all manner of inappropriate actions.
"Is it the side effects once again?" He asked worriedly. He shifted uncomfortably as he stared at the top of her head. She could tell he had stopped checking her healed palm, yet hadn't released her.
"I… I am not sure." She looked up and fell into his gaze. It stole her breath. "I've taken all the precautions, so it wouldn't overcome me again. I shouldn't be. But I'm…" she paused again. She knew that if she said anything about her current feelings for him he would run. And she didn't want to break this spell.
"I suppose I should take a step back." He must have read between the lines. And she whimpered as he let her hand fall from his. He walked around his desk and shook his head a bit. She tracked his movements and wondered if he was likewise affected. He spent just as much, and even more with the potions. Since he was also testing the potions after for efficiency. Whatever that entailed. Then Hermione's mind spun, "He wouldn't. There must be another way!" She stared at him in aghast.
"Sir, when you test the potions, you don't…you don't?"
Snape turns and looks and the now completely frightful Gryffindor. "I don't, what?"
"You don't test them on yourself?" Her voice was only slightly above a whisper. If he hadn't been awaiting her reply there was no way he could have heard her.
He gave the slightest of smirks and raised a single eyebrow. "Miss Granger as a trained potion master I have access and knowledge on how to test a potion's effectiveness, without Snape Testing."
His last phrase made Hermione gasp for a whole other reason. She couldn't contain her self and fell into a fit of belly laughs. Her mind couldn't comprehend the very fact that her dreaded, dark professor made such a ridiculously hilarious comment. But she did feel better with the tension releasing.
"I'm sorry for my outburst."
"It was my intention. Now I don't see any reason your hand will give you any issue completing it the last potion this weekend, if you are amenable?"
She wondered if the way he phrased it was because he was nervous to ask her or if he was being considerate of a teenage witch with possibly a social life. Either way she smiled softly. "Yes I am. However, I feel sort of sad to see the end of our brewing time."
Snape chortled. "You do realize that you are being wistful for detention to continue?"
Hermione chuckled lightly. "Yes I do see the irony in it. But if it weren't for this. I don't believe I would found out that I love to brew and it may have taken me a long time to discover it."
"Well then. Um, I will see you Saturday after breakfast." She swore ahead saw the slightest of flushes on his cheeks. She nodded, gathered her personal items and left.
#9
Hermione ate her breakfast quicker then she had ever. While she was nervous to be working with this particular potion. She was excited to see if she had grown as a potioneer to be able do such a complex potion. She kept looking up at the head table and sneaking looks at her professor as he drank coffee and ate his meal leisurely.
She finished her meal and took out her notebook to go over all the notes she had on Amortentia. She knew the ingredients were available and she memorized how to prepare them. She read and re-read the stir counts and directions. She felt adequately prepared. But she hoped her nerves wouldn't get to her or her infatuation with her professor wouldn't cause too much of a distraction. Once she was ready to leave the Great Hall, she wandered down to the dungeons slowly. When someone grabbed her shoulder
"Hey 'Mione where you going? We thought you'd like to hang with me and Harry. Wanna come to Hogsmeade with us?" Asked her red-headed friend
"Oh hey Ron. It's Harry and I." Her correction was met with an eye roll. "No. Sorry, I can't. I have my last potion to brew today." She answered politely.
"That's great! You'll be done. No more hanging out in the dungeons with the greasy bat." Ron says excitedly
Despite being out of character for her she wanted to roll her eyes at him. "Well I'm hoping to become a potion mistress so I may ask for more opportunities to work with Professor Snape."
"That's ridiculous! I thought you wanted to be with us not hide in a lab with a git."
"Ron. I have my own path I want to follow. And if it's becoming a amazing potioneer and make elixirs that could save lives then that's what I want. And if I need to spend time working with the youngest and most renowned Master in Europe, then I will."
"So I take it you won't be coming with us to then?"
"I think I would rather study." Hermione replied rather haughtily, as she walked away. It was hard to tell if her protectiveness came from her tangled emotions based off of potion exposure or if she genuinely wanted to protect the honor of her professor. But mostly she kept try to not think about Ron or his pettiness. She walked down the stairs and soon arrived at the office door. She smiled and straightened her top and checked her skirt. While it was the weekend she still wore her uniform. The one she always wore to brew these potions, she didn't want to ruin her other clothes. She knocked, but there was no answer. She checked the knob and found it unlocked. So she walked in, not sure what expect. But finding it empty, made her curious about the novelty. She sat and stared at items on the shelf behind his chair. She was confused. He did say today after breakfast, right? It's not like him to be late. Hermione decided she'd wait just a little longer and if he didn't show she would leave a note and leave. As she was pulling out a piece of parchment, the door opened and In walked a rather annoyed Professor Snape.
"Just push your weight around." He grumbled to himself. When he noticed the cloud of curls in the seat before his desk. "Oh Miss Granger. I am reluctant to say that our plans to brew this morning have to be canceled. It appears Professor Sprout is ill and can't chaperone the Hogsmeade trip today. And I am the unfortunate soul who must replace her."
"Oh. Ok. Well… I guess I'll go." Hermione said, disappointingly.
"Are you going into town?" Snape asked, in rather hurried and unsure tone.
"I hadn't plan to. Since I was scheduled here. I suppose not since I had a bit of row with the boys. It would be awkward if I ran into them."
Snape was shoulders slumped. "I see." There was an uncomfortable silence that came over the room. Which was very unusual, since they had been able to tolerate being around each for so long. "If we aren't out all day, would you be alright coming back later. We can start things and finish it tomorrow?"
"That's agreeable." The tension splintered a bit. Then without much consultation from her brain to her mouth she asked. "Would you mind if I tagged along with you, to Hogsmeade, that is? I don't particularly fancy going alone. And I promise not to be a pest." Taking in his expression of disbelief, she mentally slapped herself.
"Since it's frowned upon to restrain students; magically or otherwise. I cannot stop you." He replied after some time. Hermione couldn't believe the humorous reply, that she began laughing hysterically. Tears streamed down her face. And through her blurred vision, she was almost able to see the proud expression on his face. "I will be departing in 20 minutes." He said as he looked down at her attire. Reminding her that she was in her brewing uniform. She took the hint.
"Thank you, sir." She said after composing herself. Hermione then ran off to her dorm to change. Picking out her more feminine muggle outfits. Attempted to tame her wild hair. But wasn't that successful, since she was so limited on time. Her mind began to wander as she made her way back to the main entrance to meet her professor. One thing she considered was that her appreciation had grown for him during all this. She wondered if he wanted to be seen as someone with a great sense of humor? She caught on quick enough that he was caustically funny. While if you took in his words at face value, they would sound cruel or judgmental. Hermione could see that more often than not he was being rather sarcastically funny.
Hermione pondered this as they made their way to the village. When he abruptly stopped. He, who had taken the lead, turned toward her. "I have to check in with Professor Flitwick." Hermione nodded. However she did notice that he seemed uncomfortable with having to explain his actions. She watched him walk off.
The smile felt permanently attached to Hermione's face. The day out was better than she could have ever imagined. After he left, she figured that IF she saw him again it would be happenstance. Without the boys bothering her to go to Zonko's or fretting around Spintwitches, she freely walked to Tomes and Scrolls.
Assailed by her favorite scent of leather bound books, she slowly walked through the store. Letting her fingertips graze each spine. Until she found herself in the potions area. Her rapt attention was on the titles. She was lost in thought when from behind her.
"How predictable, Miss Granger. And in this particular section, no less." His deep voice sending delightful shivers down her spine.
"Ah! Professor, well if things come about they way we all want. I want to be prepared, I know you will have the highest of standards for me. And I'm looking forward to having you be my master." She said innocently. However as she stared into his eyes they darkened in a way that made the hair at the base of her neck stand on end.
He cleared his throat and his visage returned to normal. "Um, have you finished here? Or would you like a few recommendations?"
Hermione spent the afternoon in his company. He had given many titles for her to look over and then they adjourned to lunch at Hogs Head. It was a much more quiet affair then three broomsticks, and she felt adequately safe with her professor there. They quietly talked about potion theory and places he's been in search of ingredients. It made her wistful for what he could do not duty bound. After which he left again to wrangle students back to the castle. When he returned to her, he had mentioned that he told the Charms professor that he would bring up the rear for stragglers. It made Hermione grin with pride, she had a feeling that he'd only done so, so they could continue on without others calling into question why they were together.
Once they returned to the castle, she ran off to a bathroom to change. Having put her brewing uniform in her bag she took with her. Once properly attired she went to his office and he let her into the lab. She saw a basket filled with the ingredients she had memorized and set to work prepping. Once she had her base ingredients prepped she set them to work. And she went into the key ingredients for the potion.
Professor Snape came in and reminded her that some of the ingredients couldn't be prepped until they were about to go into the cauldron. Once the base was ready. She set it under statsis.
"Professor, I'm done all I can do for now. I was wondering when you want me to return tomorrow? I'm not sure if you are a fan of a lay in on the weekends."
"I find that my natural clock won't allow for me to sleep in any more. But since it is Sunday why not 10 then you won't be stuck down here all day. Once the potion ingredients are combined it actually won't take long to brew and then we can test it. Since this one is easy enough to detect if it's been brewed properly."
"Test? I don't know if that would be wise, sir. With the way I've been handling exposure." Terror lightly hinted in her voice.
"There is no reason to fear. A properly brewed Amortentia can be determined by smelling the steam from the cauldron. The aroma is especially tailored to things that you love, so it will be easy to identify if it is."
"I see. Well, that doesn't seem so dangerous." Hermione said, still unsure.
"It is not. Just a bit embarrassing. But your are not under any obligation to inform me of what you've smelt. Privacy and all." Snape answered. Hermione wondered what he smells when the aroma swirled around him. Who he thought of? And it made her heart clench at the thought of another witch that he held so intimately near and dear.
"Then I will see in the late morning." She said sounding rather moronic. But she truly didn't want to see her time end.
#9
Hermione has never felt time move as slowly as it had. Since she departed the dungeons the day before. She tried to fill her time with homework and reading. And when neither of those worked. She tried sleeping, but found out rather quickly that her dreams betrayed her. All of which were of the steamy, cheap romance novel variety. Thoughts she rather not have swirling in her mind when she returned to brew the last potion.
In a last ditch effort she decided to make her way down to the hospital wing. She opened the doors, which signaled the medi-witch. "Miss Granger?" She could shed the elder witch give her a once over for injuries.
"Hello Madam Pomfrey. I was wondering if for one night, if I may ask for a dreamless sleep. I have tried desperately to not need it while I've been brewing with Professor Snape. But I'm finding myself unable to escape my aversions to the potions."
Her look went from puzzled to upset to understanding "Dear girl, I don't know how you have managed for so long. Under normal circumstances a person would see little ill effects from brewing a potion of that sort. But you've been brewing more than five potions in such a small period of time."
"It's actually been eighth with the ninth finishing tomorrow. And Professor Snape gave me some smelling potion that has helped. But I think my nerves are getting to me so it's making harder to fight the symptoms."
"NINE! That is down right despicable. I'm surprised I haven't heard of you chasing or being chased by all the male student body."
"It hasn't been without its challenges. But if I plan to become a potion mistress then I will have to learn to handle the exposure."
"Well dear, I suspect you know what the side effects of using this potion is?" Hermione nodded "Ok then." She went to a cupboard and pulled out the vial and began to hand it to Hermione. "This is a one time use. This can be very addicting, and for someone still in school, it will be downright detrimental to your studies."
"I swear to you, I will not make a habit of needing this potion. I just desperately need a night sleep without symptoms interfering with my sleep.
With vial in hand she returned to her dorm. She took a nice bath right before bed and drank the vial. She felt like crying when the effects began to take affect and the world faded away.
#9
When the potion wore off, Hermione awoke feeling more refreshed then she had in weeks. She saw that it was late morning. But she still had time to catch breakfast. She dressed in her normal muggle attire and packed her brewing uniform in her bag. She was considering burning it after she was done. The scent of the ingredients and potions long embedded itself into the very fibers that no amount of cleaning would save them. And she never wanted to deal with people trying to catch her eye due to potion induced lust. Particularly since she was still so smitten with her potions professor.
She walked down into the dungeons after breakfast. She was mildly disappointed when she didn't see her professor sitting at the high table. But since she was so late getting there. He could of logically come and gone. She knocked on his office door. She didn't have a clue as to why she felt nervous, she could hear the rushing of her blood in her ears. She only had to wait a few moments for him to open the door, which startled her. Every meeting thus far he had bellowed for her to enter. She was taken off guard that he opened the door. She allowed herself to gaze into his dark irises getting lost in his perpetual night. Then she blinked and he let her inside his domain.
Hermione smiled bittersweetly as she stared at her cauldron. This was it. After today she would be done with her potions and she could focus solely on classes and be free of the tantalizing pull of her reactions to said potions. But she was sad that this time was coming to an end. Her heart ached at not being able to see her professor without regularity. And she feared that her heart was being deceived by the potions. That his synopsis was right, she didn't love him. The potions only told her so. Her ever busy mind kept running at full speed as she put out all her ingredients and gathered her notes.
When she looked up she noticed she was alone in the lab. She had hoped he'd stay and help her as he had in the past. She shrugged and set to work. It was an hour or so when she heard the familiar scrape of his chair against the stones and his light footsteps into the lab. She glanced up to see him scrubbing his face in irritation.
"Why are there so many imbeciles allowed to practice magic?" He asked as he walked up to the bench and chopped the closest ingredient. "I could tolerate if the classes were filled with people like…. well, you." He said. And she could see a faint pink come over his face as he said that. "People who care about they're studies and could articulate, or at the very least spell."
Hermione was flattered by his compliment. "You know, I bet if the wizarding education extended to university levels, like muggles do. I bet you'd make an amazing professor there. Those who attend Uni are more mature and are there to study things that will help them in their future."
"We may not have University study but there are masteries." He said matter-a-factly. Hermione beamed at him.
"I wish every night that we can destroy the evil that threatens our world. So that I may continue my education under your tutelage." She put down the ingredient in her hand. "I promise I will make you proud." She stared at him and spoke with sincerity. Their gaze lasted a beat too long, and he looked away.
"Ah well. We can only hope." He said rushed.
They worked in companionable silence right until they started putting the ingredients in. Then he guided her through stir directions and times. Telling her when to drop the ingredients. "You know when I learned this potion under my master, I figured I would never have a need to show another how to make it. It's is a rather complex potion. I've been thinking of ways to tailor it to not be so potent. But that would be ridiculous." He mused.
"I mean there is a market for this tripe. I hate to say. But I think even a milder version could still be detrimental to anyone in the wrong hands. Maybe if we could find away to make the vapor. That seems to be the most intriguing part of this potion. Sure you drink it and you are enslaved by false love for whom ever gave it to you. But finding out your hearts true desires by sniffing the vapor is fascinating." Hermione said, a little to enthusiastically.
"A parlour type trick for parties? I could see a product like that being popular at your friends' shop." He said with a strange tone to his voice. It didn't sound like he was belittling the twins. But it wasn't one hundred percent complimentary.
"It would." She said, tentatively but with a smile.
"This is ready to brew. We have a couple of hours before it's ready. Shall we have a late lunch?" He asked, expectantly.
"Yes, I hadn't realized it. But I am hungry."
He called out for an elf, and requested a lunch. Then he lead her out the lab and into his personal quarters. She breath hitched as she entered his personal space again. She made her way to the bathroom to clean up. And put a shielding charm on her uniform. In the hopes it would temper her clothes from the harsh spread of the scent of potion ingredients.
They sat down at his table and ate. It was a quiet affair until. "So if this perfect future of yours is idealized, what would be your area of specialty?"
"I have thought about this a lot. And I think I would like to look into counter potions. Like what I was attempting to when I took the books from the library in the first place. I want to find a way to help people."
Snape smirked. "Of course. But you do realize that you have to be proficient in the actual potion before you can find something to counter it?"
"Much like how I worked with the love potions?"
"Yes. One must know the dark to defeat it for the light." His words resonated in her mind. It personified him perfectly.
Once they were finished he stood "It should be ready." He looked at her hesitantly. "Brace yourself." She understood his warnings. They walked into the lab and she could see the soft billow of steam coming from the cauldron. She was anxious, but also curious as to what would the steam reveal about the things she loved.
They leaned forward and she took a whiff. Her mind filled with the sensations of things that made her happy and she identified them to herself. Aged leather books, wet stones and potion ingredients. All she could see in her mind was Professor Snape. Then she heard him gasp, she turned to look at him and he held her gaze. She was met with a look of longing and devotion, which were evident in his dark eyes. Making her whole face flush at his intensity.
The end.
A/N: Yes that's it. I have had this image of them in my head and the ending written since I started.
I do want to apologize for the length it took me to complete this. My life was turned upside down when my mom unexpectedly passed away and I haven't been in the right mind set to write. But for those of you who are reading my other works I pledge myself and It happened while Hogwarts soared. Those will be updated soon too.