Chapter 4
When Hermione made her way down to the Potions dungeons the next afternoon, she was almost giddy with anticipation. Earlier she had brushed off Harry and Ron when they attempted to change her mind about assisting Snape. She smiled to herself when she thought back on the conversation that had transpired over lunch in the Great Hall.
// "You're WHAT!!!!" Ron had yelped so loudly that the whole Gryffindor table had turned to look at him.
"Jeez Ron, I'm not pregnant or anything! I'm just helping one of our professors." Hermione laughed.
"Correction. Snape is not just 'one of our professors.' He's like ." Ron turned to Harry. "Harry, what's something really bad"
"The devil?" Harry suggested.
"YES!! He's like 'one of our professors' who's Satan's reincarnate! Think about this Hermione." Ron pleaded with her.
"Ron, I have. It's a guaranteed A on my exam, plus I don't have to do the daily Potions assignments. It won't be too bad. I'm not exactly sure what I'll have to do yet, but-"
Harry let out a strangled cry. "You don't even know what he has you doing and you made the deal??!?!?! That's like making a deal with. well, the devil reincarnated, I guess. Since you agreed, he could have you down there, uhh,."
"Picking the toenails off of pregnant hamsters." Ron said nonchalantly.
"I doubt that toenail collection is the great challenge which Snape couldn't face on his own Ron." Hermione said with an edge of frustration.
"Maybe he has a hamster phobia?" Ron suggested.
"Sheesh Ron!" said Harry, imitating Hermione's obvious irritation. "Now that whole prospect is just ridiculous. Hamsters don't have toenails!!!!"
"Sure they do! Why wouldn't they?"
Following this obscure series of statements, Hermione had burst out laughing, and proceeded to leave her friends to discuss loudly whether or not hamsters did indeed have toenails. //
The doorknob to the classroom felt cool under her fingers. With determination apparent in her movements, she strode confidently into the cold chambers that were the dungeons. "Professor?" she asked the seemingly empty room. Without warning, she felt an icy chill on her neck that made all the little hairs there stand on end.
"Miss Granger," the voice my her ear hissed, "If we are to be able to work together, then we will need to share a mutual respect for each person's belongings. I would appreciate it if you would refrain from going through my things without permission." He threw the battered looking leather bound journal on his desk, and Hermione immediately recognized it. She hung her head and looked intently at her shoes as she felt the color shoot to her already rosy cheeks in shame.
"Now," Snape seethed, "With that out of the way, we need to get started promptly." Hermione nodded in response.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Scanning page after page after page by the dim light of the torches scattered around the room, Hermione's eyes were getting heavy. She had been cross-referencing and searching through almost every book Snape owned (although, she admitted, he did have a fascinating collection) for nearly five hours straight. They had decided to have dinner brought down so they could eat as they worked.
There was nothing that Hermione could find written about substances with the properties necessary for the potion they were trying to develop. //Well, obviously// she sighed to herself. //That would be too easy.// ) She had resorted to reading anything she could get her hands on to try and find a clue as to where she needed to look for the necessary information. Plus, there was the distraction factor. He was sitting right across the table, sifting through parchments from the library. Hermione worked that much harder with him sitting there-she sure as hell didn't want to let him down.
And in this environment, his company was actually pleasant. Okay, well, not quite pleasant. It was physically impossible for Snape to be pleasant, Hermione had decided. But he was slightly less horrible, and he possessed slightly less of that "devil-reincarnate" look, as Harry had christened it.
Hermione looked up and her eyes met the ebony pools of ink across the table. She was about ready to say something, but her train of thought was interrupted.
"Miss Granger, I do believe that you have accomplished enough for one night. I think it is time for you to get some rest."
"I've 'accomplished' enough" Hermione cried incredulously. "I have accomplished nothing!" she practically wailed in frustration.
Snape stood and made his way over to her side of the table. "On the contrary, you have accomplished a great deal. We now know precisely what books the information is *not* in. The Potions Master's face contorted into what Hermione could only call an attempted smile, and she almost fell over at the prospect that Snape might actually be capable of smiling.
Against every ounce of strength Hermione put into preventing it, a rather hefty yawn escaped her lips. She pushed back the heavy wooden chair she had previously been seated in and stood next to Snape, her fingertips brushing against the heavy material of his robes. Without thinking, she inhaled the scent around her quite conspicuously, and was almost high on the fragrance she found. A spicy aroma mixed with soap-and was that lemon drops? She was quickly brought back to her senses by a hand on her shoulder, steering her towards the door.
"But Professor-"
Snape let out a frustrated sigh. "Miss Granger. Please go and get some sleep. You still assignments from other classes and you will be of no use to me if you are so tired that you can not lift your quill."
"Professor, but I'm not-" Hermione started, but betrayed her statement with another full-fledged yawn.
"Case and point, Miss Granger," Snape chuckled. Wait.chuckled? Since when did Snape chuckle? Hermione started in surprise. "Miss Granger., do close your mouth, it's hanging open. And yes, I am actually quite capable of laughter. Don't tell your friends," the professor stated in all seriousness.
They were at the door into the hallway, but, Hermione noticed, the hand hadn't left her shoulder. She cleared her throat, "Well, thank you again Professor, for letting me assist you in this project." Hermione was extremely conscious of the finger still stationed on her shoulder blade, and how they had just begun to make their way slowly, and deliberately over her shoulder. "Well, I, uh, I'd better go. I'll, um, be back tomorrow after classes." With her last words, she felt the hand hastily retreat. Without looking back, Hermione fled to her rooms. No doubt if she had looked back, she would have seen Professor Severus Snape with a look of complete embarrassment on his face or the first time in her life.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Submerged in the feathery bubbles that rested on the surface of her bathwater, Hermione couldn't help but think about the recent events of that afternoon. That hand on her shoulder. there was no doubt in her mind that her dreams were, infact, of the mysterious man residing in the dungeons at that very moment.
//Oh, how far up the wall would this drive Ron and Harry?// she mused . //They would think I was on drugs or under a curse, that's for sure. Jeez Hermione! You don't even like him! He's an evil greasy, *old* man with a passion for shadows and seclusion!! But those hands, so soft and. mmmmmm. That's it Hermione. Face it. You have a thing for Snape. Oh, what am I going to do?//
She got out of the bath and dried off, promising herself that Ron and Harry could never know. Crawling between the sheets, she drifted off, thinking of the way those ivory fingers had lingered on her shoulder just an hour earlier.
A/N: Hey, Chapter four, all done! Whew!! I hope it met your satisfaction! Please Review!!! It only takes a second. Thank you so much for letting me know that I had it posted under SB/HG, it was a mistake, thank you. I changed it. ( Sorry Ali. And if anyone knows if hamsters do have toenails or not, let me know. I think they do, but I'm really not sure, I've never owned one. Finals are quickly approaching, and being the procrastinator that I am, I still have a bunch of studying to do, but I'll update soon, I promise. Chocolate frogs to you all!!
~Raven @----
When Hermione made her way down to the Potions dungeons the next afternoon, she was almost giddy with anticipation. Earlier she had brushed off Harry and Ron when they attempted to change her mind about assisting Snape. She smiled to herself when she thought back on the conversation that had transpired over lunch in the Great Hall.
// "You're WHAT!!!!" Ron had yelped so loudly that the whole Gryffindor table had turned to look at him.
"Jeez Ron, I'm not pregnant or anything! I'm just helping one of our professors." Hermione laughed.
"Correction. Snape is not just 'one of our professors.' He's like ." Ron turned to Harry. "Harry, what's something really bad"
"The devil?" Harry suggested.
"YES!! He's like 'one of our professors' who's Satan's reincarnate! Think about this Hermione." Ron pleaded with her.
"Ron, I have. It's a guaranteed A on my exam, plus I don't have to do the daily Potions assignments. It won't be too bad. I'm not exactly sure what I'll have to do yet, but-"
Harry let out a strangled cry. "You don't even know what he has you doing and you made the deal??!?!?! That's like making a deal with. well, the devil reincarnated, I guess. Since you agreed, he could have you down there, uhh,."
"Picking the toenails off of pregnant hamsters." Ron said nonchalantly.
"I doubt that toenail collection is the great challenge which Snape couldn't face on his own Ron." Hermione said with an edge of frustration.
"Maybe he has a hamster phobia?" Ron suggested.
"Sheesh Ron!" said Harry, imitating Hermione's obvious irritation. "Now that whole prospect is just ridiculous. Hamsters don't have toenails!!!!"
"Sure they do! Why wouldn't they?"
Following this obscure series of statements, Hermione had burst out laughing, and proceeded to leave her friends to discuss loudly whether or not hamsters did indeed have toenails. //
The doorknob to the classroom felt cool under her fingers. With determination apparent in her movements, she strode confidently into the cold chambers that were the dungeons. "Professor?" she asked the seemingly empty room. Without warning, she felt an icy chill on her neck that made all the little hairs there stand on end.
"Miss Granger," the voice my her ear hissed, "If we are to be able to work together, then we will need to share a mutual respect for each person's belongings. I would appreciate it if you would refrain from going through my things without permission." He threw the battered looking leather bound journal on his desk, and Hermione immediately recognized it. She hung her head and looked intently at her shoes as she felt the color shoot to her already rosy cheeks in shame.
"Now," Snape seethed, "With that out of the way, we need to get started promptly." Hermione nodded in response.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Scanning page after page after page by the dim light of the torches scattered around the room, Hermione's eyes were getting heavy. She had been cross-referencing and searching through almost every book Snape owned (although, she admitted, he did have a fascinating collection) for nearly five hours straight. They had decided to have dinner brought down so they could eat as they worked.
There was nothing that Hermione could find written about substances with the properties necessary for the potion they were trying to develop. //Well, obviously// she sighed to herself. //That would be too easy.// ) She had resorted to reading anything she could get her hands on to try and find a clue as to where she needed to look for the necessary information. Plus, there was the distraction factor. He was sitting right across the table, sifting through parchments from the library. Hermione worked that much harder with him sitting there-she sure as hell didn't want to let him down.
And in this environment, his company was actually pleasant. Okay, well, not quite pleasant. It was physically impossible for Snape to be pleasant, Hermione had decided. But he was slightly less horrible, and he possessed slightly less of that "devil-reincarnate" look, as Harry had christened it.
Hermione looked up and her eyes met the ebony pools of ink across the table. She was about ready to say something, but her train of thought was interrupted.
"Miss Granger, I do believe that you have accomplished enough for one night. I think it is time for you to get some rest."
"I've 'accomplished' enough" Hermione cried incredulously. "I have accomplished nothing!" she practically wailed in frustration.
Snape stood and made his way over to her side of the table. "On the contrary, you have accomplished a great deal. We now know precisely what books the information is *not* in. The Potions Master's face contorted into what Hermione could only call an attempted smile, and she almost fell over at the prospect that Snape might actually be capable of smiling.
Against every ounce of strength Hermione put into preventing it, a rather hefty yawn escaped her lips. She pushed back the heavy wooden chair she had previously been seated in and stood next to Snape, her fingertips brushing against the heavy material of his robes. Without thinking, she inhaled the scent around her quite conspicuously, and was almost high on the fragrance she found. A spicy aroma mixed with soap-and was that lemon drops? She was quickly brought back to her senses by a hand on her shoulder, steering her towards the door.
"But Professor-"
Snape let out a frustrated sigh. "Miss Granger. Please go and get some sleep. You still assignments from other classes and you will be of no use to me if you are so tired that you can not lift your quill."
"Professor, but I'm not-" Hermione started, but betrayed her statement with another full-fledged yawn.
"Case and point, Miss Granger," Snape chuckled. Wait.chuckled? Since when did Snape chuckle? Hermione started in surprise. "Miss Granger., do close your mouth, it's hanging open. And yes, I am actually quite capable of laughter. Don't tell your friends," the professor stated in all seriousness.
They were at the door into the hallway, but, Hermione noticed, the hand hadn't left her shoulder. She cleared her throat, "Well, thank you again Professor, for letting me assist you in this project." Hermione was extremely conscious of the finger still stationed on her shoulder blade, and how they had just begun to make their way slowly, and deliberately over her shoulder. "Well, I, uh, I'd better go. I'll, um, be back tomorrow after classes." With her last words, she felt the hand hastily retreat. Without looking back, Hermione fled to her rooms. No doubt if she had looked back, she would have seen Professor Severus Snape with a look of complete embarrassment on his face or the first time in her life.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Submerged in the feathery bubbles that rested on the surface of her bathwater, Hermione couldn't help but think about the recent events of that afternoon. That hand on her shoulder. there was no doubt in her mind that her dreams were, infact, of the mysterious man residing in the dungeons at that very moment.
//Oh, how far up the wall would this drive Ron and Harry?// she mused . //They would think I was on drugs or under a curse, that's for sure. Jeez Hermione! You don't even like him! He's an evil greasy, *old* man with a passion for shadows and seclusion!! But those hands, so soft and. mmmmmm. That's it Hermione. Face it. You have a thing for Snape. Oh, what am I going to do?//
She got out of the bath and dried off, promising herself that Ron and Harry could never know. Crawling between the sheets, she drifted off, thinking of the way those ivory fingers had lingered on her shoulder just an hour earlier.
A/N: Hey, Chapter four, all done! Whew!! I hope it met your satisfaction! Please Review!!! It only takes a second. Thank you so much for letting me know that I had it posted under SB/HG, it was a mistake, thank you. I changed it. ( Sorry Ali. And if anyone knows if hamsters do have toenails or not, let me know. I think they do, but I'm really not sure, I've never owned one. Finals are quickly approaching, and being the procrastinator that I am, I still have a bunch of studying to do, but I'll update soon, I promise. Chocolate frogs to you all!!
~Raven @----