Green Eyed Monster by Lady Snape

disclaimer: AS ALWAYS NONE OF THE CHARACTERS FROM THE HARRY POTTER SERIES BELONG TO ME THEY BELONG TO JK ROWLING

Severus Snape fumed as he made his way back to the dungeons. Black. What could she possibly want with him? I should have gone to the dungeons as I intended and left it alone.

Severus had resolved to go to the dungeons leaving Miss Granger to the lingering effects of the spell on her own. Never considered the thought that she would stay in the hall but go to the library or her common room, he was mutely surprised to find that she had returned to the hall. That girl has undone him, and he could not figure out how. He had planned to 'rescue' Hermione from the spell, so to speak, by escorting her back to her rooms so that at least she would not feel compelled to dance. Upon returning to the Hall he found the incorrigible Miss Granger twirling in the arms of one of his own Slytherins. Deciding to see where the night would take him, he slid into the shadows, using the darkness as a natural invisibility cloak. He disappeared leaving only the burning shimmer of his coal black eyes as an indication that he did exist in the murky outskirts of the ongoing fete.

Silently he moved along the fringe of students, steadily watching her exchange partners with almost carefree abandon. Of course she could not stop, not with the spell that he invoked, not till the stroke of midnight could he bring himself to leave, himself equally compelled to monitor her every movement.

As he studied her, he witnessed as each boy took her into their arms not protesting at her dominating manner. A feeling of discontent welled up inside him. Severus watched as Hermione moved away from Goyle, noting the smirk she threw at him. Severus' eyes could not be torn away from her lithe form as she wove her way through the crowded hall. Narrowing a tad as she grabbed Longbottom's robes, and dragged the bane of his teaching career onto the dance floor. Barely audible, a derisive snort escaped him as he watched the ill- matched pair of Gryffindors move clumsily around the floor. Apparently Mr. Longbottom posed more of a problem to his classroom than to his Professor.

Keeping to the edge of the gathering, Snape observed the dance with painful fascination. He remained mesmerized as Hermione danced with each and every male in her path. The other professors were not immune to her charms as each had a turn around the flagstone floor, clasping Hogwarts finest mind almost possessively. She did not know how beautiful she was, glowing from dancing with every wizard present she left a trail of gaping codfish in her wake. Even Dumbledore's twinkle brightened as they waltzed in and around the other couples.

Then at last a break came, a chance for refreshment, when Miss Granger stood alone. Her eyes roaming through the crowd, questioning...it must be close to midnight. Following her gaze, Snape too saw the side glances, the gestures, and the blatant stares that the other students shot in Hermione's direction. Restlessly her eyes stopped on her two supposed best friends, Misters Potter and Weasley who were standing together with Sirius Black. that flea ridden mongrel.

Carefully he studied the foursome from the relative safety of the shadows. Curiosity gnawed at him. He watched steadfastly, ignoring the students who brushed past him, scowling at their muttered apologies. Was that a flicker of amusement on the moronic marauders? She must have told them about the shoes. Indeed, she did.seeing her point exasperatedly at her feet. Some spell that was, a bit of a curse to some. With a wry grin, Snape glared at the group of Gryffindors as the notes of music tickled his ears. Suddenly his grin became a scowl as he witnessed Hermione take Black's hand as he escorted her to the center of the floor.

If inscendio could have been cast with a glance, then the dancing couple would have burst into iridescent emerald flames. Snape's glare intensified as he followed their movements around the Hall. Burning with frustration at his predicament, Snape hesitated slightly as the bells tolled midnight and Hermione approached Dumbledore with Black in tow. With a wave of Dumbledore's hand as if in benediction, Hermione and Black parted from the Headmaster and made to leave. Snape instinctively made to intercept them, halting in mid-stride when the pair reached the doors leading to the gardens. With a last searing glare, Snape did an about face and exited the Hall headed for the cold dark dungeons.

Escaping from the students, Snape strode through the corridors with a vengeance, sending hapless students scurrying. Upon reaching his quarters he scowled at the guardian that sneered down at him. At the ebony ensconced painting of a man resembling the Bloody Baron, Snape hissed his password, "Neville Longbottom." Snape laughed mirthlessly at the irony of his password. The boy was useless at Potions, and dancing apparently, but fortunately for Snape provided the perfect password for his private rooms. He knew no one would consider him, Slytherin's Head of House and Potions Master at Hogwarts to use the name of his worst student, especially one that was a Gryffindor.

Crossing the threshold, Snape entered into an octagonal room that held a floor to ceiling mirror. On one side of the mirror a slightly inset door stood that when opened would reveal a simple coat closet. Facing this closet sat a heavy carved wood bench that hid narrow shelves in which Snape sat dejectedly to remove his shoes. Placing his shoes on one of the shelves, he slipped his stockinged feet into a pair of black silk house slippers as he made to get up with a sigh. Passing on through a stone archway, Snape entered his parlor. A rather rectangular room with slightly curved corners. A lazy flick of his wand to his right, set the fire going in the fireplace. Unlike muggle fireplaces, this one was expansive, nearly as tall as it was wide it towered over the tired Potions Master. A mantle of ebony graced the top of the stone fireplace with snakes carved magically into it so that they appeared to move and slither along its length. Flanking the fireplace, bookshelves that spanned the length of either wall bulged and bowed with the weight of rare tomes of all things magic and muggle. Contrary to what Slytherins believed, their Head of House did enjoy muggle literature. Lining the facing wall were low tables that held silver snake oil lamps coiled as if to strike with emerald hurricane lamps nestled within their fanged jaws.

Hanging tapestries covered the otherwise bare walls, depicting scenes of Salazar Slytherin initiating the first members of his great house. Giant ornate rugs in muted shades of forest green covered the floor. Obsidian hued wing backed chairs resting by the tables was mirrored by the couch that held prominence in front of the fire.

Passing through the portrait hole, moving past all this, Snape padded over to a cabinet that was held within his bookcase. With a tap of his wand a section of books shifted forward to reveal two shelves well stocked with varying glass bottles, each containing a potent potion of a different sort.

Studying the choice of liquor at his disposal, Snape reached for the decanter of fine brandy along with his favorite crystal snifter. A gift from the previous Head of House, it was carved to mirror the oil lamps in the form of a coiled snake offering up the bowl of the snifter in its elegant jaws. Pouring himself a generous amount, Severus cradled his crystal, warming the amber liquor as it swirled hypnotically up and around the sides of the snifter.

With a sigh, Snape sank into the couch as his mind bombarded with images of Hermione in Black's embrace. Taking a rather large swallow of his drink, he continued to consume his brandy at an alarming rate. Some time later, the decanter lay on its side as the Potions Master who was by now three sheets to the wind, stared into the fire lost in thought. The unfamiliar feeling that Snape was experiencing began to congeal, finding a voice to express itself.

"Gryffindors," scowled Snape as he stared into his now empty snifter. "Bloody fucking Gryffindors." He continued to slur, "Fucking Gryffindors, one Gryffindor to be precise. One Hermione Granger, student of Hogwarts, my student," shaking his head in mock disbelief. "My Student, that has made it clear she wants to do just that. fuck me." Jabbing his thumb into his chest for emphasis, half a smile formed through the alcohol laden muscles of his face. Snape's seemingly incoherent rambles went unchecked as he slipped into his drunk induced stupor, unaware of the head that now appeared in his fireplace.

Shaking his head, he tried to focus on Dumbledore, as he sneered half heartedly, "What in Merlin's name do you want, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore merely pursed his lips as he observed his dear friend from the flames in the hearth. "Severus," murmured the Headmaster, "I only popped in to see how you are doing, you left the festivities in bit of a hurry."

Narrowing his eyes Snape retorted, "I found no reason to stay."

"I see," peering over the tops of his spectacles Dumbledore continued, "Severus, would your hasty retreat and current state have anything to do with a certain student and Defense Professor?"

"Absolutely not!" he sputtered, "I bloody don't care what that hussy does with the mangy mutt."

"Ah, then it will not matter to you if they are friends or.." The Headmaster trailed off, leaving the idea to settle in Severus' mind. Snape's outburst confirmed his suspicions, Severus has been bitten by the green eyed monster, ere go he has feelings for the girl. With a hint of a smile, Albus said his good byes and blinked out of sight leaving Severus to ponder that last thought.

"Bloody hell," he grimaced, "what did the old man mean, 'friends or.,' or what? Could she (refusing to even think her name) be anything more to the flea bag than a mobile back scratcher? Wait a minute isn't there a some muggle saying about scratching backs?" Immediately an image of Black and Hermione 'scratching each other's back' popped into his mind causing his face to twist in disgust as he tried to wipe the offending thought from his mind.

Nodding his head trying to clear it, Severus leaned forward and placed his snifter down on the floor. In doing so he fell forward onto all fours with an unceremonious "oomph." Using the couch for support, he pushed himself up into a standing position. Locking his knees with his feet spread wide, he threw his hands out in an attempt to maintain his momentary balance.

"'Or What'? Well, I'll shew 'im..'er..shem!" Snape muttered to himself wagging his finger as his upper lip curled into a sneer. Squaring his shoulders he half turned towards his bedroom and began to stagger and sway with each step. "The mangy cur..I'll make regret her choice," Finally managing to make it to his bed, Snape flopped into it still muttering, "trollop," slightly grinning. "should be mine..let the best man win Mr. Black."

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A/N: Thank you for such wonderful reviews. I have enjoyed reading them. Hpgirl, thank you for catching such a horrendous blunder. I have gone back and re-read my chapters and hopefully managed to fix the name spellings. I do not always have a beta to proof my fic and after going over it so many times myself, mistakes still manage to slip through. Again thank you for catching it.