Hermione had chosen to do her honors project in Arithmancy that year.
Professor Vector was delighted, and enjoyed flaunting this during staff
meetings. McGonagall was obviously very jealous, Lupin seemed a little
hurt, and Flitwick was also feeling the sting of rejection. Snape
understood perfectly but tried not to be jealous. Trelawney simply
declared, "I knew it all along." The Potions Master snorted irritably. "I
happen to know a lot of things, Severus," she murmured, but he knew she was
bluffing. As usual, Hermione Granger was top of her class and showed no
signs of letting up. She was even scoring better than Draco in potions.
Potions with the seventh year Gryffindors and Slytherins was most entertaining for Snape. Hermione enjoyed it, too, but would never tell anyone. It amused her to see her lover storming about, intimidating students, telling her how incompetent she was, and using that low, silky voice of his to make the students shudder, terrified. Hermione shuddered, too, but for very different reasons.
"MISS GRANGER!" he'd roar, and she'd cower dutifully. "You will not assist Mister Longbottom any more during this lesson. He is to complete the potion by himself-he'll have to brave the N.E.W.T.s on his own, and he should start gaining his independence now. I daresay he's waited for seven years to display his Gryffindor qualities." The Slytherins snickered at this, but Draco didn't seem so thrilled with Snape's cruel humor anymore. More often than not, Neville would start to add the dragon's blood too soon and Hermione would have to stop him in order to prevent him from hurting anyone.
"That will be five points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger, and you will serve detention with me tonight immediately after dinner." Ron always gave Hermione a consoling look, but Harry smirked once he was sure no one was watching. Hermione had to try to look sufficiently disciplined. She had a feeling she'd be punished in a rather unorthodox manner, after all. She could never keep a perfectly straight face when Ron said things like, "Professor Snape really despises you this year."
Harry was shockingly comfortable with Hermione's new relationship, often teasing her about it subtly. It made things easier on Hermione, who hadn't told Ron yet. They hadn't even mentioned her true summer whereabouts, lest Ron get suspicious. It wasn't that they weren't going to tell him-they just wanted to make sure that he was ready first.
One Friday night Hermione happened to have yet another detention with Professor Snape. She knocked on the door dutifully, and smiled at the gruff "Enter." Slipping into the room and locking the door behind her, Hermione grinned at Severus, who was hunched over his desk. He looked up at her, his permanent sneer gone for the moment. He stood and pulled her into his arms, kissing her hungrily.
"So, Miss Granger, what shall we do tonight?" he asked. Hermione grinned, "How about a game of chess? I'd ask for something more, but I'm afraid that if I did I'd never get back to Gryffindor Tower and finish my homework before the weekend." Snape smiled back, an expression that lit up his entire demeanor. "As you wish."
"Ah! So you read my copy of "The Princess Bride?" Hermione laughed. He nodded, and conjured up a chessboard. Soon they were immersed in the game, engaging in a side argument about whether red muggle M&Ms tasted better than the others. Hermione held true to her position that the brown ones were the worst, while red ones were sublime.
"Merlin, girl, they're all the same," Severus snapped as he made a move. "It's the same chocolate with the same candy coating. You're being ridiculous." Hermione rolled her eyes. She'd introduced him to Muggle candy this summer, as well. "Besides, how can you stand those things when you can eat Milk Duds?" Snape had developed quite the Milk Dud fetish.
"No wonder I had to give you new teeth this summer!" Hermione laughed. Snape just rolled his eyes. "Checkmate," he said smugly. Hermione glared. "I'll get you next time, Severus!"
"We'll see, Miss Granger. You had best not misbehave in my class again, lest you get another agonizing detention." Hermione smiled, "Oh yes, Professor Snape, this detention has been absolutely excruciating." He gathered her into his arms and they kissed for quite awhile, before he looked at his clock.
"Hermione, I hate to say it, but you had better head back. Your friends will be looking for you." Hermione smiled up at him, which never ceased to cause his breathing to hitch. "I'll see you soon, Severus. I love you." He opened the door for her, whispered "I love you, Hermione," into her ear, and stole one last sweet, lingering kiss as she reluctantly left his classroom. They had just pulled apart when Ron burst out from underneath the invisibility cloak, ready to hurl himself at Professor Snape and rip him to shreds (or die trying). There was no Harry in sight. Hermione could feel Severus behind her, almost trembling with rage and probably only restraining himself for her sake.
"What the Hell is going on here?" Ron snarled. "Get away from her Snape! Hermione, what has that greasy bastard done to you?"
Potions with the seventh year Gryffindors and Slytherins was most entertaining for Snape. Hermione enjoyed it, too, but would never tell anyone. It amused her to see her lover storming about, intimidating students, telling her how incompetent she was, and using that low, silky voice of his to make the students shudder, terrified. Hermione shuddered, too, but for very different reasons.
"MISS GRANGER!" he'd roar, and she'd cower dutifully. "You will not assist Mister Longbottom any more during this lesson. He is to complete the potion by himself-he'll have to brave the N.E.W.T.s on his own, and he should start gaining his independence now. I daresay he's waited for seven years to display his Gryffindor qualities." The Slytherins snickered at this, but Draco didn't seem so thrilled with Snape's cruel humor anymore. More often than not, Neville would start to add the dragon's blood too soon and Hermione would have to stop him in order to prevent him from hurting anyone.
"That will be five points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger, and you will serve detention with me tonight immediately after dinner." Ron always gave Hermione a consoling look, but Harry smirked once he was sure no one was watching. Hermione had to try to look sufficiently disciplined. She had a feeling she'd be punished in a rather unorthodox manner, after all. She could never keep a perfectly straight face when Ron said things like, "Professor Snape really despises you this year."
Harry was shockingly comfortable with Hermione's new relationship, often teasing her about it subtly. It made things easier on Hermione, who hadn't told Ron yet. They hadn't even mentioned her true summer whereabouts, lest Ron get suspicious. It wasn't that they weren't going to tell him-they just wanted to make sure that he was ready first.
One Friday night Hermione happened to have yet another detention with Professor Snape. She knocked on the door dutifully, and smiled at the gruff "Enter." Slipping into the room and locking the door behind her, Hermione grinned at Severus, who was hunched over his desk. He looked up at her, his permanent sneer gone for the moment. He stood and pulled her into his arms, kissing her hungrily.
"So, Miss Granger, what shall we do tonight?" he asked. Hermione grinned, "How about a game of chess? I'd ask for something more, but I'm afraid that if I did I'd never get back to Gryffindor Tower and finish my homework before the weekend." Snape smiled back, an expression that lit up his entire demeanor. "As you wish."
"Ah! So you read my copy of "The Princess Bride?" Hermione laughed. He nodded, and conjured up a chessboard. Soon they were immersed in the game, engaging in a side argument about whether red muggle M&Ms tasted better than the others. Hermione held true to her position that the brown ones were the worst, while red ones were sublime.
"Merlin, girl, they're all the same," Severus snapped as he made a move. "It's the same chocolate with the same candy coating. You're being ridiculous." Hermione rolled her eyes. She'd introduced him to Muggle candy this summer, as well. "Besides, how can you stand those things when you can eat Milk Duds?" Snape had developed quite the Milk Dud fetish.
"No wonder I had to give you new teeth this summer!" Hermione laughed. Snape just rolled his eyes. "Checkmate," he said smugly. Hermione glared. "I'll get you next time, Severus!"
"We'll see, Miss Granger. You had best not misbehave in my class again, lest you get another agonizing detention." Hermione smiled, "Oh yes, Professor Snape, this detention has been absolutely excruciating." He gathered her into his arms and they kissed for quite awhile, before he looked at his clock.
"Hermione, I hate to say it, but you had better head back. Your friends will be looking for you." Hermione smiled up at him, which never ceased to cause his breathing to hitch. "I'll see you soon, Severus. I love you." He opened the door for her, whispered "I love you, Hermione," into her ear, and stole one last sweet, lingering kiss as she reluctantly left his classroom. They had just pulled apart when Ron burst out from underneath the invisibility cloak, ready to hurl himself at Professor Snape and rip him to shreds (or die trying). There was no Harry in sight. Hermione could feel Severus behind her, almost trembling with rage and probably only restraining himself for her sake.
"What the Hell is going on here?" Ron snarled. "Get away from her Snape! Hermione, what has that greasy bastard done to you?"