AN: Thank you for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated!
Had she pushed Severus too far?
It had been three days since Severus had accused her of psychoanalyzing him. After that study session, they had muttered a few words to each other and returned to their quarters. She hadn't even passed by him in the hallway since.
A few times, she considered visiting his dungeons. The strategy had drawbacks which would need to be addressed if she was to embark upon this route. If she was too eager to see him, she may appear desperate for his companionship. Hermione was many things, but a desperate woman willing to show her assets was not one of them.
Then again, her current strategy may backfire on her as well. He may view her distance as a lack of interest, or worse, see it as proof of poor researching skills since she had nothing to report to him. The latter was far from the case. She had scrolls of notes several meters long. It may be time to review them to see what the most promising leads were, if only for an excuse to speak with him.
There were other options if the research angle was unappealing. Perhaps she should let Crookshanks out to roam the halls, if only to find a reason to go into the dungeons. Of course the one time she needed her half-kneazle to roam was the one time he spent napping. Crookshanks would prove to be no help.
Hermione set the blue hairbrush down onto her bathroom counter. After a half hour of labor and half a bottle of product, her hair was straight. No matter how hard she tried, she could not bring herself to enjoy her new look. She was a little girl playing dress up, not a woman confident she could seduce any man who came in her direction.
Then again, being a little girl was better than being a slave of the goblins.
She took a deep breath and returned to considering whether or not to allow Crookshanks to roam the hallways. It wasn't a terrible plan, though he could go somewhere other than the dungeons…
A knock on the door interrupted her musings.
"Coming." Inwardly she cursed herself. People never visited when she was presentable, but when she was in shorts and a tank top.
"Do hurry. I do not have all day."
Her heart skipped a beat before she rushed over to the door. She wouldn't need to let Crookshanks out after all.
"Hello, Severus," she opened the door.
"Indeed," he drawled, with more than a hint of irritation.
She wished she could decipher his expression. His eyes scanned her body. It was difficult to discern if he was irritated with her lack of formal ware, or if something else was bothering him.
"What brings you here?" She asked.
"I was returning from speaking with Neville about a project, and decided to see if you had progressed on your research at all," he answered, his eyes now meeting hers.
"I have progressed quite well." She answered.
"How much have you accomplished?"
"Let's just say it truly is amazing what you can accomplish without someone snarking in your ear all day."
"Indeed, it is amazing what can be accomplished without a know-it-all spewing theories and armchair psychoanalysis in your ear while reading," he replied.
"Yes, you accomplished so much you came up here for a little chat."
"I came up to see if you were still on track."
"I am."
He did not move.
"Is there anything else you need?" She asked.
"Yes," he cleared his throat. "You have a few books I desire."
"I suppose I should be flattered that you are able to put desirable and me in the same sentence without a negation."
"I find your books desirable, not you."
"And here I thought you cared."
"I do not," he answered. "I am an avid bibliophile. Even Sybil's books are desirable."
"I never took you for the kind of man who would tolerating reading dribble such as divination for hours on end."
"Perhaps I was being somewhat hyperbolic," he admitted. "Divination can only be tolerated for so long."
"How long?"
"Two pages."
"Well at least there is a limit to how much you will tolerate" Hermione opened the door further. "It means you have standards."
"Sadly, I've needed to lower my standards in order to work with you."
"And here I was hoping you needed to elevate them the way I needed to elevate mine to be with you."
"Why would I need to elevate my standards in order to work with you?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Because I am highly in demand," she replied. "It is a privilege to work with someone of my academic caliber."
"I highly doubt that. You are privileged to work with a potions master of my caliber, not vice versa."
"I will do my best not to forget that the size of your ego is only surpassed by a fully inflated hot air balloon."
"I do not have an ego," he replied. "I only know my worth."
"Indeed, you are worth so much you need to work with a lowly peon such as myself in order to research muggle technology."
"Circumstances may have thrown me into a less than fortunate situation."
"Or perhaps you are quite fortunate. You will be the first person to co-author an article with me. That is quite an honor."
"Now who has the inflated ego?" He asked.
"I do not have an ego. Like you, I know my worth."
"I highly doubt that."
"You are right, I was always accused of having low self-esteem. My therapist said it was one of my few faults."
"Your therapist must have been sleeping through your sessions if they believe you have few faults."
"Either that, or you do not pay enough attention to my better qualities."
"I give credit where it is due," he answered. "You excel at collecting reading materials, but your worth as a researcher is still to be determined."
"And I suppose you will be the final determinator of my skills?"
"I am the only one willing to give you an objective critique. In that regard, yes."
"Very well," she said. "I look forward to forcing you to reevaluate your opinion of me."
"I look forward to being right."
"I look forward to proving myself right."
Hermione didn't know how comfortable the silence which had fallen between them was. For the life of her, she could not read his facial expressions. Did the man ever lower his occlumency shields?
"Would you like to present your work to me, or am I to guess what you have found?" He asked.
"I am more than happy to present what I have found. Even you will be impressed with how much ground I was able to cover in a short amount of time."
"Fine, meet me in the library, and bring The Short History of Bacteria Research…"
"You could come in here."
He looked at her as if she had just made the biggest imposition imaginable.
"If we go into the library, we will spend half our time arguing over who gets my chair," she said. "I hardly believe that's productive."
"Your chair?" He spat.
"Indeed, I've sat in it these last few times, which by your logic of owning everything you last use, means the chair is mine."
"I have been using that chair longer than you've been alive."
"Yet you have never taken the time to formally claim it."
"I am in the process of making the name plate as we speak."
"Until that day comes, the last person who sat in the chair owns it."
"I take it you want to race to the library now for it as if we were two schoolchildren."
"You proposed a race, not me."
"I would never propose running down the hallway for a chance to claim a chair."
"Neither would I." She stepped out of the doorway. "Instead, I proposed we have tea in my room and discuss our research."
"Or we could keep things professional and meet where professors typically meet."
"Are you accusing me of unprofessionalism in wanting to have tea with a friend?" Hermione asked.
"We are not friends," he snapped.
"Acquaintances?"
"Unfortunately, we are that."
"Well, I've entertained many an acquaintance in my quarters at the university for a study group. I always display the utmost professionalism when entertaining my colleagues in an academic setting."
"Which is why you are dressed as if you are preparing to exercise at a gym."
"Had I known you were coming, I would have dressed differently," she said. "I am capable of cleaning up quite nicely when in the right circumstances."
"That is highly doubtful."
"I suppose it's a good thing we work together. I'll have more chances to prove you wrong about my choice in wardrobe."
"You may have more chances to prove me wrong, but it's doubtful you will take advantage of a single one."
"I am more than capable of taking advantage of chances," she said. "Especially if seizing an opportunity means I get to watch you sputter for the words to best say, 'Hermione is right.'"
"Those words will never leave my mouth."
"Careful, you are setting yourself up for failure."
"I assure you, I am not."
Another silence fell between them, this one more relaxed.
"Why did you walk up here anyway? It is not as if you could have sent a Patronus or used the floo," she asked.
"Because I was afraid you would not be able to follow the directions of my Patronus, forcing me to come up and speak with you anyway."
"Fine, but what about the floo? Why did you not use that?"
"An oversight on my part," he answered. "I should try to ensure it does not happen again."
"I think," she drew closer and grinned. "You actually like me, Severus."
He glared at her as if she'd just used the last of his gold power.
"I believe you enjoy our sparring matches. These last few days have been torture for you because everyone you spoke to cowered in fear. You've missed matching wits with someone, though you'd rather undergo a Crucitas than admit it," she argued.
"I enjoy interacting with you as much as I enjoy a thorn in my heel."
"Yet you are here, working with me."
He furrowed his eyebrows.
"Once again, you have flattered me. You have found a use for me, and may not despise me as much as I feared. I cannot say I am upset about either development."
"Meet me in the library in a half hour," he answered. "And bring The Short History of Bacteria Research and An Analysis of Antibiotic Resistance."
"There is no need for us to wait to begin our research," she began. "You could come in here right now. If you don't want tea I can grab you a water."
"I refuse to have any sort of beverage with you, and I refuse to be in your presence when you are dressed as you are."
"How is a change of location going to improve my wardrobe?"
"I was hoping you would use the time between now and our meeting to change into more appropriate attire."
"What would more appropriate attire look like?"
"Anything which looks like you are fit to teach in."
"In other words, I should dress in all black so it appears as if I am at a perpetual funeral.," she said.
"Black is not depressing, but professional."
"It is also professional to give someone warning before dropping in on them."
"Just be in the library in a half hour." He turned to leave.
"Since you asked so nicely, I will try to be there in fifteen minutes, if only to get a good seat."
"I will already be in my chair." He began to walk away.
"Then I will bring my own chair, one which even you will envy."
He snorted but did not look back.
She shut the door and smiled.
It was good to spar again.