[Snape in the Grass]
Where was Trelawney and her bloody foreseeing eye this morning? Couldn't one of the gods, founders, or magical beasts have stopped her from making the colossal mistake she had made. Why had she led Jude talk her into this? For the same reason she let Ron and Harry lead her around for seven years.
"Because I'm a bloody idiot," she howled into the crisp night blanketed with a silver expanse of stars.
"You're being a bit hard on yourself, don't you think, dear?"
Hermione looked up from her hands and exhaled all the breaths she had been saving up, fighting the urge to release a maelstrom of frustrated tears.
"Not this time, Minerva." Her former head of house smiled at her kindly. Minerva had always been like a second mum to her. Right now she didn't care to have the reproachful mothering look or the kind ear of a friend. What she really wanted right know was – hell she didn't know what she wanted. Two days ago everything had been nice and easy. Now everything was incredibly muddled and confusing.
"Hermione, dear, I'm sure everything is not as bad as you think it is."
Dare she be hopeful? Maybe only Severus, Jude, Albus, and herself knew what happened. Was it too much to ask for? Obviously, yes by the knowing look in Minerva's eyes. They sparkled just as blue as Dumbledore's when they were not stern in consternation.
"Oh, no, dear," she laughed in her light Scottish lilt. "I'm afraid everyone knows. It appears that whatever Professor Wexler lacks in subtlety and discretion he makes up for in his storytelling and acting abilities."
"No," Hermione groaned. Not good. Not good at all. Now all she needed to do was wait for the other proverbial boot to fall because inevitably Severus would seek his revenge. Vindication would be exact, swift, and well deserved. Waiting was just the torturous part.
~***~
Severus sat through the first five retellings with great patience. He deserved an Order of Merlin for that, but if he had to her that snit Wexler wail on one more time, hackling for all of North America to hear he would find a way to hex him right good. There has to be a loophole to the second year restrictions. He could – yes, he thought – that would work. He was a Potions Master after all. He would get both of them back beautifully with a little help from his newest best friend, Professor Sprout.
"Yes," he smirked with certain smugness, tenting his fingers before him. "This will work quite well indeed." His slightly sinister gleam scanned the group and spotted his two unsuspecting prey. At least she had the decency to look contrite. He shook his head. He would not allow her sudden most likely selfish remorse dissuade him form his revenge. No, she would pay right along with her partner in crime, he promised himself.
He glanced back to Wexler, standing before the licking flames of the roaring pit fire, moving his arms about wildly showcasing his flair for theatrics for Sinistra and once again he listened on with dread as Wexler regaled Severus' tale of woe. Revenge would be sweet became Severus' new mantra. He repeated this through gritted teeth until his anger subsided momentarily.
~***~
"Professor Wexler, I think that is quite enough now." The headmaster looked wearily at the younger wizard and was regretting something for one of the very few times in his long life. Maybe this little excursion was not such a grand idea. From the way things were looking Severus would never forgive him for forcing his attendance. He would be lucky if he ever saw him outside of the dungeons again. He refused to even consider the thought that he would have to look for another Potions Master. He could not lose Severus. They were in definite need of damage control.
~***~
"I was just getting to the best part with Simeon, Albus." He blew off the headmaster's directive and turned his attentions back to Professor Sinistra, who did not look very amused. Sinistra actually seemed miffed that he had to sit through another exaggerated recount when there were stars to chart and meteor showers to predict. Clear, pristine skies were not readily wasted, which it was being now. Sinistra made to get up, seeing a small opportunity to escape, while Jude was preoccupied with his own inane laughter.
"No, no, Simeon. You can't leave just yet," Wexler howled with violent fits of laughter, his cheeks red and aching from laughing.
Sinistra gave a long suffering sigh and glance sympathetically to Severus. They had always shared a professional respect. They were cut from opposite sides of the same cloth. Severus spent his hours holed away in his dungeons, while Sinistra stowed away high up in his towers, scouring the endless skies.
~***~
"Hermione, come help me tell the story." Jude peered across the campsite and looked imploringly towards Hermione. She glared at him. Jude was taking this too far, but she did not know how to get him to shut up.
"No, Jude," she adamantly told him.
Before Jude could talk her into it a voice of smooth silk cut through the increased tension. She looked at Severus guiltily as he pinned her with his eyes.
"I was never able to shut you up the seven years you sat before me in my classroom, Hermione. Why should now be any different?"
The sharpness of his tongue cut through her. She had longed for him to use her given name, but know the first time he had used it, it held so much contempt and she wished for his indifferent 'Ms. Granger's' again.
Mucked this up, she thought as she swallowed several hard breaths. An endless stream of apologies hung on her lips but Snape's endless black eyes willed her words into submission.
"See, Hermione, Severus wants us to tell the story. Jolly good story it is too."
Shut up you great bloody idiot! Hermione wanted to scream but did not. She was trapped with nowhere to run to and she had brought this on herself she accepted miserably.
She broke eye contact with Severus and dragged her eyes to Jude. Her mind screamed for him for him to keep his flaming mouth shut. Infuriating man. How could he be so utterly daft?
"No, he doesn't," she seethed through clenched jaws, trying to temper her anger.
"Nonsense," Severus laughed hollowly. "Stand right her in the center, before everyone and recount with you own lips," Traitorous lips, she thought she heard him mutter, but she could no longer be sure of much of anything. Her head pounded furiously as blood rushed to her aching temples. He continued, "Maybe then I'll understand the humor in your little deed."
He wasn't requesting – it was a command. He was going to force her to relive how they had humiliated him to everyone and in front of him. She felt all eyes shift to her and could see the accusing betrayal rolling off of Snape in her direction. Her cheeks burned warm and her back stiffened as she marched towards the center of the little group. It was like she had been transported back to a double potions lesson with Slytherin and she had been called up to test her potion. Why?!? Stupid, stupid Jude and his damned convincing nature.
"Here's your chance, Hermione. Get the git back for all his snarkiness in school."
That's the exact moment when she should have stopped because she bristled when Jude called him a git, feeling strangely protective of Severus. She'd shoved the sticks back in his hands, but he refused them, telling them it was just a little joke. No harm, now fowl, he'd said.
LIAR!
Severus Snape would not like being the butt of a joke and she knew that and knew that there would only be two results of the little stunt or possibly a mixture of both. He would either be angry or humiliated and by the looks of it he was heading towards anger.
Slowly he spun her in a silk web with the smooth drawl of his voice, trapping her there until he decided her fate.
"Please, Hermione." She melted at the softness he teased her with. "Indulge me with your rendition. I would be ever so grateful for your telling." The deceptive words washed over her and surrounded her with warmth as she ignored the reasoning behind them and let herself pretend he was speaking only to her, whispering silky affections in her ear.
She looked at Severus with determination, forcing herself not to look away from his ensnaring eyes. She owed him that much.
"Jude and I led you to believe that by clacking sticks together you could thwart off bears while we were stuck in the woods. You believed us and went about to keep us safe until Albus came upon you and informed you of our misdeed." She shut her eyes briefly and sighed. When she reopened them, Severus was still staring at her. She shivered and wrapped her arms around her, thinking of what it would feel like to be wrapped in Severus' warm embrace. Not that it would likely happen anymore, she told herself.
"I'm sorry, Severus," she said softly, blinking back the sad moisture in her eyes. Hermione turned and walked out of their makeshift campsite they were using for the night. She sat in the clearing just outside of their group and looked up to the stark white moon. Maybe that man up there could send some advise her way.
~***~
Seeing her walk away so solemnly wasn't something Severus was prepared for. He hadn't meant to make her cry. That was his fatal flaw – never being able to bite off his acid remarks. Such a bastard, he told himself.
Everyone was intensely silent even that prat Wexler. Dumbledore was giving him a challenging look and Minerva look like she wanted to strangle him.
He realized now that his actions were extremely childish. She may have deserved a prank in kind, but she didn't deserve his torment. Revenge wasn't so sweet anymore. What to do? Let her calm down or go after her?