**A/N** Here's another update! Geez, that makes four today! Besnaped: red
M&Ms are SO the best. : ) Temptress: I'm trying to crank out some story
here Daine: I'd be delighted to chat with you!
Everyone: Keep up the reviews, and I'll keep updating! I love feedback-esp.
ego stroking feedback. ; )
Hermione had been dreaming that she was suffocating when she woke up to find her face still buried in Crookshanks's fur. [It's about time,] he complained good naturedly and cuddled up next to her. [Try to go back to sleep, Hermione. You won't need to get up for a few hours yet.] She tried to listen to the cat's advice, but found herself staring at the ceiling as Crookshanks proved that you're much more convincing if you practice what you preach. He looked extremely content and even snored softly.
Ron couldn't sleep either. He was so angry with Snape-and by extension, with Hermione. But he hated himself, and he couldn't help but feel that Harry was right. He knew that Harry wasn't sleeping either, because his breathing was too shallow. He wondered, vaguely, if Hermione was getting any sleep. He had a feeling she wasn't. Ron decided it served her right, but couldn't really believe himself. All he really felt at the moment was guilt.
By morning, all members of the Gryffindor trio were feeling positively ill. Hermione and Harry sat next to each other at breakfast, barely looking at Ron, who sat across the table from them. Various members of the staff were eyeing them with concern. It was unusual for them to fight this way. "I wonder what's gotten into them?" Hooch asked McGonagall. Snape knew, but decided not to say anything. Dumbledore tried to sent him a comforting smile. Hermione did not try to catch Snape's eye this morning.
Most unfortunately, the seventh year Gryffindors had Potions class today. Ron got stuck with Neville during class, while Hermione and Harry worked together. They still hadn't spoken a word to each other. Snape acted the way he usually did, but when she watched him Hermione could sense his concern. Everyone else noticed that he was particularly furious that day and was much more likely to give unwarranted detentions and deduct unreasonable amounts of house points-even from the Slytherins. She tried to give him a small smile when he met her eyes, and he gave a nearly imperceptible nod in return.
Dinner went in much the same fashion: Harry and Hermione were ganging up on Ron, who was looking progressively more guilty. Hermione wasn't feeling too much better. She ached to reconcile herself with him, but felt that it would have to be Ron who made the first move.
This behavior pattern progressed for a few days. Hermione and Severus still hadn't really spoken to each other since that night, and Snape was definitely getting worried. He was starting to wonder if Hermione felt she had made a mistake. It scared him to speak to her because he was afraid she'd only tell him she didn't want to be with him anymore.
Finally, almost a week later, Ron gave in. Hermione and Harry were playing chess-and Harry was being slaughtered-when Ron finally sat down to the side of the board and cleared his throat softly. Hermione looked at him expectantly.
"Hermione.." He sighed. "Hermione, I'm really sorry. I've been a real git. I should've been happy for you and I was too selfish. If Snape is what you really want, I can deal with that. I just want you to stay my friend. Can we be friends again? Please? And Harry, I'm sorry I jumped all over you when I was upset. Will you forgive me?" Ron was about to cry now. The pressure of an entire week of the silent treatment was really getting to him.
"Ron, I'm still really upset with you, but I don't want to lose you as a friend," Hermione smiled gently. "So, in order for us to truly make amends, there's something I want you to do for me.."
~~
Professor Snape was sitting in his office, brooding. Hermione probably wasn't even sparing thoughts for him anymore. That Weasley boy must have talked some sense into her. He nearly jumped out of his skin when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in," he snarled. Who on Earth would be visiting him at this hour? He hoped for a moment that it might be Hermione, and found himself extremely disappointed when Ron Weasley walked in instead, looking uncharacteristically nervous.
"Intending to smother me with your righteous indignation, Weasley?" he growled. "I suppose you're happy with yourself and have come to gloat."
"Actually.." Ron's voice sounded very small. "I wanted to apologize. Hermione has been really upset with me over the last week, and I feel really horrible for all of the things I said. You make her really happy, and she is so in love with you I don't know how to put it in words. So, I have no choice but to accept that. I'm sorry." He looked like he was ready for the chopping block. Severus was slightly amused, and very comforted by the boy's statements about where Hermione's affections lay.
"Very well, Weasley," Snape sighed, "I suppose I'll let you off this once, if only for Hermione's sake. But do not cross me again." Ron looked so relieved that Snape almost burst out laughing. As he headed for the door, however, Ron hesitated.
"Professor Snape?" he asked, almost shyly. Snape nodded, encouraging him to continue. "Just don't hurt Hermione. Promise me that." The Potions Master nearly smiled. Gryffindor honor and bravery! He almost admired it. "I can promise you that without reservation, Mr. Weasley." Ron ventured a bittersweet smile at his forbidding professor, and left quickly. Snape felt a little bad for the lovesick boy-but this train of thought was disturbed when Hermione walked in. His heart jumped in his chest. How could she still manage to do this to him?
"Hey," she whispered. He tried to smile at her, but his insecurities still leaked out, and by now Hermione could read him like a book. It was no small feat to be able to read Severus Snape's expressions-the only other people ever to achieve that had been Albus Dumbledore and Voldemort.
She instantly moved to throw her arms around him. "Severus, I'm sorry I've been neglecting you. I was upset, and didn't want to force my own emotional baggage on you."
"I missed you, Hermione," he murmured into her hair. "I thought maybe you weren't coming back." Merlin's bones! Now he was speaking his thoughts to her! She looked up at him and smiled. "I'll always come back, Severus. You'll never get rid of me! I love you." He gave her his first genuine smile in a week. "I love you, too." He grinned like a fool and proceeded to kiss her senseless.
When they broke apart, he still held her for a while and rested his cheek against her hair. She still smelled like lavender and cherry blossoms, and he closed his eyes as he savored her closeness to him. They sprang apart when Albus Dumbledore cleared his throat behind them.
"Sorry to interrupt, Severus, but there's been a slight..problem. It seems young Draco has had a run in with his fellow Slytherins. He's currently in the infirmary."
Hermione had been dreaming that she was suffocating when she woke up to find her face still buried in Crookshanks's fur. [It's about time,] he complained good naturedly and cuddled up next to her. [Try to go back to sleep, Hermione. You won't need to get up for a few hours yet.] She tried to listen to the cat's advice, but found herself staring at the ceiling as Crookshanks proved that you're much more convincing if you practice what you preach. He looked extremely content and even snored softly.
Ron couldn't sleep either. He was so angry with Snape-and by extension, with Hermione. But he hated himself, and he couldn't help but feel that Harry was right. He knew that Harry wasn't sleeping either, because his breathing was too shallow. He wondered, vaguely, if Hermione was getting any sleep. He had a feeling she wasn't. Ron decided it served her right, but couldn't really believe himself. All he really felt at the moment was guilt.
By morning, all members of the Gryffindor trio were feeling positively ill. Hermione and Harry sat next to each other at breakfast, barely looking at Ron, who sat across the table from them. Various members of the staff were eyeing them with concern. It was unusual for them to fight this way. "I wonder what's gotten into them?" Hooch asked McGonagall. Snape knew, but decided not to say anything. Dumbledore tried to sent him a comforting smile. Hermione did not try to catch Snape's eye this morning.
Most unfortunately, the seventh year Gryffindors had Potions class today. Ron got stuck with Neville during class, while Hermione and Harry worked together. They still hadn't spoken a word to each other. Snape acted the way he usually did, but when she watched him Hermione could sense his concern. Everyone else noticed that he was particularly furious that day and was much more likely to give unwarranted detentions and deduct unreasonable amounts of house points-even from the Slytherins. She tried to give him a small smile when he met her eyes, and he gave a nearly imperceptible nod in return.
Dinner went in much the same fashion: Harry and Hermione were ganging up on Ron, who was looking progressively more guilty. Hermione wasn't feeling too much better. She ached to reconcile herself with him, but felt that it would have to be Ron who made the first move.
This behavior pattern progressed for a few days. Hermione and Severus still hadn't really spoken to each other since that night, and Snape was definitely getting worried. He was starting to wonder if Hermione felt she had made a mistake. It scared him to speak to her because he was afraid she'd only tell him she didn't want to be with him anymore.
Finally, almost a week later, Ron gave in. Hermione and Harry were playing chess-and Harry was being slaughtered-when Ron finally sat down to the side of the board and cleared his throat softly. Hermione looked at him expectantly.
"Hermione.." He sighed. "Hermione, I'm really sorry. I've been a real git. I should've been happy for you and I was too selfish. If Snape is what you really want, I can deal with that. I just want you to stay my friend. Can we be friends again? Please? And Harry, I'm sorry I jumped all over you when I was upset. Will you forgive me?" Ron was about to cry now. The pressure of an entire week of the silent treatment was really getting to him.
"Ron, I'm still really upset with you, but I don't want to lose you as a friend," Hermione smiled gently. "So, in order for us to truly make amends, there's something I want you to do for me.."
~~
Professor Snape was sitting in his office, brooding. Hermione probably wasn't even sparing thoughts for him anymore. That Weasley boy must have talked some sense into her. He nearly jumped out of his skin when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in," he snarled. Who on Earth would be visiting him at this hour? He hoped for a moment that it might be Hermione, and found himself extremely disappointed when Ron Weasley walked in instead, looking uncharacteristically nervous.
"Intending to smother me with your righteous indignation, Weasley?" he growled. "I suppose you're happy with yourself and have come to gloat."
"Actually.." Ron's voice sounded very small. "I wanted to apologize. Hermione has been really upset with me over the last week, and I feel really horrible for all of the things I said. You make her really happy, and she is so in love with you I don't know how to put it in words. So, I have no choice but to accept that. I'm sorry." He looked like he was ready for the chopping block. Severus was slightly amused, and very comforted by the boy's statements about where Hermione's affections lay.
"Very well, Weasley," Snape sighed, "I suppose I'll let you off this once, if only for Hermione's sake. But do not cross me again." Ron looked so relieved that Snape almost burst out laughing. As he headed for the door, however, Ron hesitated.
"Professor Snape?" he asked, almost shyly. Snape nodded, encouraging him to continue. "Just don't hurt Hermione. Promise me that." The Potions Master nearly smiled. Gryffindor honor and bravery! He almost admired it. "I can promise you that without reservation, Mr. Weasley." Ron ventured a bittersweet smile at his forbidding professor, and left quickly. Snape felt a little bad for the lovesick boy-but this train of thought was disturbed when Hermione walked in. His heart jumped in his chest. How could she still manage to do this to him?
"Hey," she whispered. He tried to smile at her, but his insecurities still leaked out, and by now Hermione could read him like a book. It was no small feat to be able to read Severus Snape's expressions-the only other people ever to achieve that had been Albus Dumbledore and Voldemort.
She instantly moved to throw her arms around him. "Severus, I'm sorry I've been neglecting you. I was upset, and didn't want to force my own emotional baggage on you."
"I missed you, Hermione," he murmured into her hair. "I thought maybe you weren't coming back." Merlin's bones! Now he was speaking his thoughts to her! She looked up at him and smiled. "I'll always come back, Severus. You'll never get rid of me! I love you." He gave her his first genuine smile in a week. "I love you, too." He grinned like a fool and proceeded to kiss her senseless.
When they broke apart, he still held her for a while and rested his cheek against her hair. She still smelled like lavender and cherry blossoms, and he closed his eyes as he savored her closeness to him. They sprang apart when Albus Dumbledore cleared his throat behind them.
"Sorry to interrupt, Severus, but there's been a slight..problem. It seems young Draco has had a run in with his fellow Slytherins. He's currently in the infirmary."