**A/N** So, are you liking it? Here's chapter six for the day! See? I work hard for you! Maybe if I'm really, really lucky, I can finish this tomorrow. Unfortunately, it would not obey me and become something humorous. Oh well, I like it anyway, I guess. I really am sorry that I have to rush, but my plot will completely die if there is too much distance between each chapter I write. Whew, this breakneck pace is starting to take its toll, though. I'm going to fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow tonight! Hope you are enjoying this!
~~
Snape was apparently very interested in his pumpkin juice, trying to ignore the banal conversations of his colleagues, when suddenly Minerva gasped slightly.
"Oh Albus!" she cried in a motherly way. "Look at Hermione! Hasn't she blossomed into a beautiful young woman?" Snape glanced up, and felt his heart stop momentarily. Once it started beating again, it was going at twice its normal rate. What did this girl do to him?
Hermione was fantastically beautiful in Snape's eyes even on normal days, but tonight, she was absolutely breathtaking. Snape tried to keep his face expressionless, but almost lost control of his emotions when she met his eyes intrepidly and flashed him a dazzling smile. Snape nearly fell out of his chair! Had that smile really been meant for him?
His heart sank when Hermione turned to speak to Weasley, on whose arm she happened to be hanging. Leave it to Weasley to ruin the moment. Trying to shove aside his disappointment, he sighed and left the Great Hall to begin his outdoor rounds.
~~
Hermione got a bit worried when she saw Snape leaving the Great Hall, then realized that it was probably Ron's fault. After sharing a few dances with fellow Gryffindors, she excused herself and went outside to 'get some fresh air.'
It wasn't particularly difficult to find Snape--he was being his usual self and stalking imposingly through the gardens, looking for students whose hormones had caused them to forego the dance all together. Fortunately, there weren't too many of those, although Snape had managed to discourage Pansy Parkinson from making a tramp of herself too early in the evening.
He was, of course, thinking of Hermione and sulking. She was probably mooning over that ridiculous Ron Weasley just now, if not fighting Weasley's sister for Potter's attentions. Hell, she'd probably choose Neville over him. He nearly jumped out of his skin when someone cleared her throat behind him.
"Professor Snape?"
~~
Hermione had called to him softly, and was amused by his reaction to her voice. She'd never seen him so... nervous before. Grinning at him, she raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why are you out here all by yourself, Professor?" He instinctively glared at her, but somehow the look lacked its usual sting.
"I could ask you the same. I'd at least expect to catch you hiding in a bush with Weasley out here." Hermione laughed, her suspicion that he was jealous confirmed.
"Professor Snape, that would disgust me if I didn't think it was funny!" He eyed her suspiciously, but tried to look uninterested. "Now, aren't you coming inside? You surely aren't going to go the whole night without dancing with anyone?" Snape raised an eyebrow noncommitally.
"And who, may I ask, would I dance with, Miss Granger?" he asked silkily. Hermione grinned, and extended a hand. "Why not with me?" He looked for a moment like he was about to be hit by a train, and then like he was going to refuse, but Hermione smiled at him encouragingly.
Rolling his eyes and acting put upon, he growled, "Very well, but only this once. And if you step on my feet I'll give you detention until you graduate." He took her hand and allowed her to lead him inside. Hermione didn't indicate that she could feel his pulse beating frantically through his fingertips.
~~
Once they had reached the dance floor, Snape hesitantly put one arm around Hermione's waist, and took her hand. He looked mildly surprised when Hermione interlocked her fingers with his, but decided not to comment. To say something would give him away.Suddenly,a slow song came on, and Snape cursed his luck. It would probably be a long piece, as well.
But it was heaven to have Hermione pressed against him, swaying with him in time to the music! He could smell her, and it intoxicated him. Snape tried not to concentrate on just how wonderful it felt to hold her against him...
~~
Hermione, on the other hand, was relishing every moment of the dance. She made sure to brush against Snape at every possible opportunity, enjoying his slightly ragged breathing and the fact that his heart was pounding wildly in his chest. Lifting her eyes to look at his face, Hermione noticed that his eyes were slightly glassy and that there were beads of sweat forming on his forehead. She grinned wickedly, but masked the grin quickly when his eyes suddenly met hers.
She felt her body tensing slightly. His gaze sent electricity crackling through her veins, and she felt her own breathing hitching a bit. Hoping against hope, Hermione prayed that he would kiss her, right here, in front of everyone. But instead, an interesting expression crossed his face, and he looked slightly guitly. Hermione's heart sank. What had gone wrong, now?
~~
When her body had tensed, Snape had instantly felt terrible. He must have frightened the poor girl--she was even breathing raggedly, most likely afraid that he was going to bite her head off. He tried not to notice he fact that her lips were parted oh-so-alluringly, or that he desperately wanted to tuck one of those wisps of hair behind her ear...
Thankfully, the song soon ended, and he separated from her as quickly as possible, making his way to the safety of the head table. He took his usual seat next to Remus, thankful that Minerva was currently dancing with the Headmaster so that he wouldn't have to deal with her commentary right away.
"I'd be careful, Severus," Lupin whispered to him. "I think Hermione is developing a crush on you!" Severus turned to him and snapped, "Don't be ridiculous, Remus. That's sickening." Remus only rolled his eyes and gave Severus a strange smile, which the Potions Master discreetly chose to ignore.
~~
On Christmas day, Severus was surprised to recieve something other than the trinkets his colleagues felt obligated to send him. There was also a very short note, in a simple white envelope, written in the standard, completely unidentifiable style of a dict-o-quill. As he read it, a variety of emotions played across his face.
~~
*Severus,
Don't worry. Your feelings are returned, and sometimes confession is the best medicine for an aching heart.
Yours,
A friend *
~~
Was this some kind of sick joke? Severus closed his eyes, a pained look on his face. Who could have sent this letter? No one could possibly have known where his affections lay... and yet, this letter was undeniably written by someone who had some insight. Of course, Snape would never take this advice and confess in the way it seemed to suggest. There was a different form of confession he could indulge in, however.
"Accio, quill. Accio, ink. Accio, parchment." Snape's brow furrowed in concentration as he put the items he had summoned to use. This would be his last novel, and his best.
~~
Snape was apparently very interested in his pumpkin juice, trying to ignore the banal conversations of his colleagues, when suddenly Minerva gasped slightly.
"Oh Albus!" she cried in a motherly way. "Look at Hermione! Hasn't she blossomed into a beautiful young woman?" Snape glanced up, and felt his heart stop momentarily. Once it started beating again, it was going at twice its normal rate. What did this girl do to him?
Hermione was fantastically beautiful in Snape's eyes even on normal days, but tonight, she was absolutely breathtaking. Snape tried to keep his face expressionless, but almost lost control of his emotions when she met his eyes intrepidly and flashed him a dazzling smile. Snape nearly fell out of his chair! Had that smile really been meant for him?
His heart sank when Hermione turned to speak to Weasley, on whose arm she happened to be hanging. Leave it to Weasley to ruin the moment. Trying to shove aside his disappointment, he sighed and left the Great Hall to begin his outdoor rounds.
~~
Hermione got a bit worried when she saw Snape leaving the Great Hall, then realized that it was probably Ron's fault. After sharing a few dances with fellow Gryffindors, she excused herself and went outside to 'get some fresh air.'
It wasn't particularly difficult to find Snape--he was being his usual self and stalking imposingly through the gardens, looking for students whose hormones had caused them to forego the dance all together. Fortunately, there weren't too many of those, although Snape had managed to discourage Pansy Parkinson from making a tramp of herself too early in the evening.
He was, of course, thinking of Hermione and sulking. She was probably mooning over that ridiculous Ron Weasley just now, if not fighting Weasley's sister for Potter's attentions. Hell, she'd probably choose Neville over him. He nearly jumped out of his skin when someone cleared her throat behind him.
"Professor Snape?"
~~
Hermione had called to him softly, and was amused by his reaction to her voice. She'd never seen him so... nervous before. Grinning at him, she raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why are you out here all by yourself, Professor?" He instinctively glared at her, but somehow the look lacked its usual sting.
"I could ask you the same. I'd at least expect to catch you hiding in a bush with Weasley out here." Hermione laughed, her suspicion that he was jealous confirmed.
"Professor Snape, that would disgust me if I didn't think it was funny!" He eyed her suspiciously, but tried to look uninterested. "Now, aren't you coming inside? You surely aren't going to go the whole night without dancing with anyone?" Snape raised an eyebrow noncommitally.
"And who, may I ask, would I dance with, Miss Granger?" he asked silkily. Hermione grinned, and extended a hand. "Why not with me?" He looked for a moment like he was about to be hit by a train, and then like he was going to refuse, but Hermione smiled at him encouragingly.
Rolling his eyes and acting put upon, he growled, "Very well, but only this once. And if you step on my feet I'll give you detention until you graduate." He took her hand and allowed her to lead him inside. Hermione didn't indicate that she could feel his pulse beating frantically through his fingertips.
~~
Once they had reached the dance floor, Snape hesitantly put one arm around Hermione's waist, and took her hand. He looked mildly surprised when Hermione interlocked her fingers with his, but decided not to comment. To say something would give him away.Suddenly,a slow song came on, and Snape cursed his luck. It would probably be a long piece, as well.
But it was heaven to have Hermione pressed against him, swaying with him in time to the music! He could smell her, and it intoxicated him. Snape tried not to concentrate on just how wonderful it felt to hold her against him...
~~
Hermione, on the other hand, was relishing every moment of the dance. She made sure to brush against Snape at every possible opportunity, enjoying his slightly ragged breathing and the fact that his heart was pounding wildly in his chest. Lifting her eyes to look at his face, Hermione noticed that his eyes were slightly glassy and that there were beads of sweat forming on his forehead. She grinned wickedly, but masked the grin quickly when his eyes suddenly met hers.
She felt her body tensing slightly. His gaze sent electricity crackling through her veins, and she felt her own breathing hitching a bit. Hoping against hope, Hermione prayed that he would kiss her, right here, in front of everyone. But instead, an interesting expression crossed his face, and he looked slightly guitly. Hermione's heart sank. What had gone wrong, now?
~~
When her body had tensed, Snape had instantly felt terrible. He must have frightened the poor girl--she was even breathing raggedly, most likely afraid that he was going to bite her head off. He tried not to notice he fact that her lips were parted oh-so-alluringly, or that he desperately wanted to tuck one of those wisps of hair behind her ear...
Thankfully, the song soon ended, and he separated from her as quickly as possible, making his way to the safety of the head table. He took his usual seat next to Remus, thankful that Minerva was currently dancing with the Headmaster so that he wouldn't have to deal with her commentary right away.
"I'd be careful, Severus," Lupin whispered to him. "I think Hermione is developing a crush on you!" Severus turned to him and snapped, "Don't be ridiculous, Remus. That's sickening." Remus only rolled his eyes and gave Severus a strange smile, which the Potions Master discreetly chose to ignore.
~~
On Christmas day, Severus was surprised to recieve something other than the trinkets his colleagues felt obligated to send him. There was also a very short note, in a simple white envelope, written in the standard, completely unidentifiable style of a dict-o-quill. As he read it, a variety of emotions played across his face.
~~
*Severus,
Don't worry. Your feelings are returned, and sometimes confession is the best medicine for an aching heart.
Yours,
A friend *
~~
Was this some kind of sick joke? Severus closed his eyes, a pained look on his face. Who could have sent this letter? No one could possibly have known where his affections lay... and yet, this letter was undeniably written by someone who had some insight. Of course, Snape would never take this advice and confess in the way it seemed to suggest. There was a different form of confession he could indulge in, however.
"Accio, quill. Accio, ink. Accio, parchment." Snape's brow furrowed in concentration as he put the items he had summoned to use. This would be his last novel, and his best.