A/N: Hey everyone! I'm usually just a lurker, but I decided I'd finally try
my hand at the Snape/Hermione pairing. Yes, I know that some clichés are
hard to avoid, but I will try my best to do so in this story. So, give me a
break, and if anyone would be willing to beta, just say so in a review
(hint, hint) and I'll get back to you.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Really. If I did, I'd have better things to do that sitting on my computer such as, oh, spending my millions? Hmm..
Chapter One~
There was something about the way that girl held herself that drove him absolutely mad. Yes, of course, she was beautiful, but that was beside the point. The graceful way in which she spread her napkin over her lap, or pushed a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, had more of an affect on his libido than the unknowing girl could possibly imagine.
Perhaps it was a bit sick. She was far more than fifteen years his junior, but for some reason, he found himself unable to release his mind from her image. It began slowly, developing from simple approval (which, for him, was a great privilege indeed) to a sort of unnerving pride, then on to developing affection, and finally.to whatever this was.
'It can't possibly be love. Even the idea is quite ridiculous. I have no time or need for such cheap emotions.'
As many times as he repeated his mantra, however, it seemed to do little good. It was becoming distracting, being around her. Classes were becoming more and more difficult to teach, with the knowledge that her alert eyes followed him around the classroom in the effort to gain every drop of knowledge possible. He'd sworn off Dreamless Sleep years ago, feeling that his penance involved facing his past even in dreams, but sleep now eluded him for a different reason all together. She was wedging herself into every waking thought, and he didn't even have the presence of mind to be annoyed.
The daydreams were the worst, however. Catching the scent of her perfume upon her essay parchment could spark almost erotic images of warm brown hair, golden eyes, and sweet embraces. Sitting at his desk, he could imagine her soft skin, graceful manner, and above all, her amazing mind. Her hands sliding over his back, coming around his desk to sit on his lap and press her lips gently upon his...
Which was his exact thought as an explosion came from the other half of the room. Snapping out of his reverie, he looked up to find smoke billowing from the Gryffindor side of the room. Taking a deep breath, he stood and walked towards Neville, his scowl setting on the way.
"Mr. Longbottom." he began. "Is it possible that this is the *fifth* school cauldron that you have managed to destroy this term?"
His voice was unnervingly calm, but the students were in no way deceived. Neville was going to get it, big time. And he knew.
Standing still, yet looking at the floor, Neville began, "Yyy...I mean.uhh.."
"Perhaps enunciating would aid your case, Mr. Longbottom. Or are you too great a dunderhead to admit your own failure?" Snape interrupted, bending down to look the boy straight in the eye.
"I..." he faltered.
"I did it."
Severus looked over at the sound of the voice, as a collective gasp rang around the room. Neville whipped his head around to look at the source of questioning, his eyes wide.
"What did you say, Miss Granger?" he asked, his eyes almost betraying the shock and frustration that he felt. Of course, he knew exactly what was said, his remarkable hearing accounting for that. He also knew that there was no possible way that Miss Granger could have possibly botched a potion enough for an explosion to result, causing him to wonder exactly *why* she chose to take the blame. Such contemplations were for later, however."
"I did it." she repeated, to the wonder of her classmates. Hermione Granger? Explode a cauldron? With a partner such as Neville to do that sort of job for her?
"Well then, Miss Granger. Detention. Tonight. Eight 'o clock." He said clearly, looking into her eyes with a hint of disbelief mixed with carefully hidden anticipation. "Class dismissed."
With a wave of his hand, Professor Snape cleared the desk and surrounding tables of any debris, leaving the room once more immaculate. As the students gathered their things and walked out, still whispering, Severus walked up to his desk, sat down, and repeatedly asked himself exactly what he had gotten himself into.
He had no knowledge of Hermione skipping past questioners with a smile upon her face, wondering exactly what she would wear that evening.
A/N: Hmm..if I really push it, I might get another chapter out today...what do you guys think? That review button's really pretty, isn't it? Constructed criticism is appreciated, as well as marriage proposals; flames will be used to heat my freakin' freezing dorm room.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Really. If I did, I'd have better things to do that sitting on my computer such as, oh, spending my millions? Hmm..
Chapter One~
There was something about the way that girl held herself that drove him absolutely mad. Yes, of course, she was beautiful, but that was beside the point. The graceful way in which she spread her napkin over her lap, or pushed a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, had more of an affect on his libido than the unknowing girl could possibly imagine.
Perhaps it was a bit sick. She was far more than fifteen years his junior, but for some reason, he found himself unable to release his mind from her image. It began slowly, developing from simple approval (which, for him, was a great privilege indeed) to a sort of unnerving pride, then on to developing affection, and finally.to whatever this was.
'It can't possibly be love. Even the idea is quite ridiculous. I have no time or need for such cheap emotions.'
As many times as he repeated his mantra, however, it seemed to do little good. It was becoming distracting, being around her. Classes were becoming more and more difficult to teach, with the knowledge that her alert eyes followed him around the classroom in the effort to gain every drop of knowledge possible. He'd sworn off Dreamless Sleep years ago, feeling that his penance involved facing his past even in dreams, but sleep now eluded him for a different reason all together. She was wedging herself into every waking thought, and he didn't even have the presence of mind to be annoyed.
The daydreams were the worst, however. Catching the scent of her perfume upon her essay parchment could spark almost erotic images of warm brown hair, golden eyes, and sweet embraces. Sitting at his desk, he could imagine her soft skin, graceful manner, and above all, her amazing mind. Her hands sliding over his back, coming around his desk to sit on his lap and press her lips gently upon his...
Which was his exact thought as an explosion came from the other half of the room. Snapping out of his reverie, he looked up to find smoke billowing from the Gryffindor side of the room. Taking a deep breath, he stood and walked towards Neville, his scowl setting on the way.
"Mr. Longbottom." he began. "Is it possible that this is the *fifth* school cauldron that you have managed to destroy this term?"
His voice was unnervingly calm, but the students were in no way deceived. Neville was going to get it, big time. And he knew.
Standing still, yet looking at the floor, Neville began, "Yyy...I mean.uhh.."
"Perhaps enunciating would aid your case, Mr. Longbottom. Or are you too great a dunderhead to admit your own failure?" Snape interrupted, bending down to look the boy straight in the eye.
"I..." he faltered.
"I did it."
Severus looked over at the sound of the voice, as a collective gasp rang around the room. Neville whipped his head around to look at the source of questioning, his eyes wide.
"What did you say, Miss Granger?" he asked, his eyes almost betraying the shock and frustration that he felt. Of course, he knew exactly what was said, his remarkable hearing accounting for that. He also knew that there was no possible way that Miss Granger could have possibly botched a potion enough for an explosion to result, causing him to wonder exactly *why* she chose to take the blame. Such contemplations were for later, however."
"I did it." she repeated, to the wonder of her classmates. Hermione Granger? Explode a cauldron? With a partner such as Neville to do that sort of job for her?
"Well then, Miss Granger. Detention. Tonight. Eight 'o clock." He said clearly, looking into her eyes with a hint of disbelief mixed with carefully hidden anticipation. "Class dismissed."
With a wave of his hand, Professor Snape cleared the desk and surrounding tables of any debris, leaving the room once more immaculate. As the students gathered their things and walked out, still whispering, Severus walked up to his desk, sat down, and repeatedly asked himself exactly what he had gotten himself into.
He had no knowledge of Hermione skipping past questioners with a smile upon her face, wondering exactly what she would wear that evening.
A/N: Hmm..if I really push it, I might get another chapter out today...what do you guys think? That review button's really pretty, isn't it? Constructed criticism is appreciated, as well as marriage proposals; flames will be used to heat my freakin' freezing dorm room.