Besnaped, BethAnn, Strega Brava and Tegan - I glad you like the story so
far, I hope you will continue to like it.
Mara456, Saavik and snapebelongstome - Glad you enjoyed the skating!
wilde-roses - Thanks for liking 'Reflections After Dark' and for this one so far.
Chapter Two
It had started innocently enough. In her early years at Hogwarts Professor Snape was someone she had resented, for he rarely had a kind word for anyone and his infrequent smiles meant trouble for the receiver of that smile.
But every year as the wheel of the year turned, the warmth of summer yielding to the chill of winter, Hermione saw that he would get crosser, his acid remarks filled with more venom. However, she also saw there was an expression of terrible bleakness in his eyes.
Every year, always at Christmas he would be this way.
Hermione had wondered and thought, and had kept her thoughts to herself. Did he just hate Christmas or had something horrible happened to him once at that time?
She had been shocked to hear some chance remarks from teachers (when they believed themselves alone) about Snape always being at his worse at Christmas ever since he had "caught his fiancée with someone else" at that time.
It hadn't really occurred to her that he had had a romantic past, that he had loved and been loved in return. But not loved enough apparently.how anguished he must have felt, Hermione had thought in surprised sympathy. No wonder he hated Christmas..
By the time she had realised why she was so sympathetic towards Professor Snape it was too late.she was half way to losing her heart to her irritable, brilliant, silky-voiced Potions teacher.
Abashed, Hermione had nevertheless kept quiet, pragmatic enough to realise that declaring her confused feelings to him would not achieve anything. Besides, whenever he looked at her it was with an irritable frown as if he found her personally annoying.
But this year was her last Christmas at Hogwarts and as she watched the now familiar ritual of Professor Snape retreating further into his grim shell again, Hermione had had enough.
She wanted to do something for him, something that would distract him from his pain, even if only for a little while. She would give him a Christmas present.
It had been difficult to choose something. His clothes were always the same so she couldn't give him a tie. Socks seemed a bit too personal. Finally, she settled for a Christmas cake. It would be tasteful (literally) but not too personal and the cakes came in their own designer box.
She had planned to leave it anonymously on his office desk, but it hadn't turned out that way. His shadowed office had been empty and after placing her present on his desk she had turned to find Professor Snape blocking the doorway.
"Thinking of me at Christmas?" he had said mockingly as he walked towards her. "No, I don't think so somehow. Is this a ..bribe for some favour, perhaps?"
"No, it's not!" she had protested vehemently.
"Really? Then why have you given me a present, Miss Granger, if not for that?" he murmured, his dark eyebrows rising.
Hermione had been silent, words choking in her throat.
Professor Snape had then smiled and it had not been pleasant. "I'm sure the house elves will appreciate your er.gift" he said caustically as red faced, Hermione had rushed past him.
She had felt so humiliated. She would have never have thought of bribing him, a cruel insult considering she had never failed an exam.
She had only wanted to help.
* * * * *
Before long, Hermione was half way across the lake. She was reluctant to go back the way she came but she would have to, for she had left her boots by the lake. Would Professor Snape have stalked back to the castle or was he still standing by the lake, no doubt glaring in her direction?
She slowed and coasted to the left, turning so she could see back the way she came. With a sinking feeling she saw that indeed Professor Snape was still where she had left him, his dark robes making him stand out against the pristine winter background. It almost felt as if he was exerting his will on her, silently commanding her to return at once..
With her characteristic stubbornness Hermione firmly pushed the professor out of her mind and concentrating only on her skating skimmed back and forth, around and around on the frozen lake, the only sound the one being made by her ice skates. Her chocolate brown hair that she had plaited into a single braid flew merrily behind her and her cheeks soon grew pink from exertion.
Professor Snape watched the distant figure of the skating Hermione grudgingly, and though he was loath to admit it, with some fascination as well. There was some respect for her defiance too, though as a Gryffindor it was part and parcel of her personality anyway.
Normally he wouldn't have bestirred himself to be outside, especially at this time of year but he had been unduly harsh before and had come to rectify it.
Unbothered by the cold thanks to a spell he continued to watch Hermione, though in his treacherous mind her brown braid changed to warm gold. His mouth twisted bitterly. He would not think of Clara, refused to think of her, but at Christmas, (that damnable feel-good season) memories intruded of her smile, her lustrous blue eyes..and her amused laughter when he had found her in bed with her lover on Christmas Eve.
He gritted his teeth and forced those memories aside, focussing again on Hermione. He had been so sure that Hermione's gift had been a way for him to look upon her favourably, until he had looked more closely.and realised that if he played his cards right, Hermione had the potential to become an.amusing diversion.
He smiled coolly to himself and waited for her return.
A/N: As you may have noticed, Sevvy is a bit more bitter 'n bad in this story but even at Christmas time there may be a miracle. The rating could go up in later chapters, too as it might be that kind of story..
Mara456, Saavik and snapebelongstome - Glad you enjoyed the skating!
wilde-roses - Thanks for liking 'Reflections After Dark' and for this one so far.
Chapter Two
It had started innocently enough. In her early years at Hogwarts Professor Snape was someone she had resented, for he rarely had a kind word for anyone and his infrequent smiles meant trouble for the receiver of that smile.
But every year as the wheel of the year turned, the warmth of summer yielding to the chill of winter, Hermione saw that he would get crosser, his acid remarks filled with more venom. However, she also saw there was an expression of terrible bleakness in his eyes.
Every year, always at Christmas he would be this way.
Hermione had wondered and thought, and had kept her thoughts to herself. Did he just hate Christmas or had something horrible happened to him once at that time?
She had been shocked to hear some chance remarks from teachers (when they believed themselves alone) about Snape always being at his worse at Christmas ever since he had "caught his fiancée with someone else" at that time.
It hadn't really occurred to her that he had had a romantic past, that he had loved and been loved in return. But not loved enough apparently.how anguished he must have felt, Hermione had thought in surprised sympathy. No wonder he hated Christmas..
By the time she had realised why she was so sympathetic towards Professor Snape it was too late.she was half way to losing her heart to her irritable, brilliant, silky-voiced Potions teacher.
Abashed, Hermione had nevertheless kept quiet, pragmatic enough to realise that declaring her confused feelings to him would not achieve anything. Besides, whenever he looked at her it was with an irritable frown as if he found her personally annoying.
But this year was her last Christmas at Hogwarts and as she watched the now familiar ritual of Professor Snape retreating further into his grim shell again, Hermione had had enough.
She wanted to do something for him, something that would distract him from his pain, even if only for a little while. She would give him a Christmas present.
It had been difficult to choose something. His clothes were always the same so she couldn't give him a tie. Socks seemed a bit too personal. Finally, she settled for a Christmas cake. It would be tasteful (literally) but not too personal and the cakes came in their own designer box.
She had planned to leave it anonymously on his office desk, but it hadn't turned out that way. His shadowed office had been empty and after placing her present on his desk she had turned to find Professor Snape blocking the doorway.
"Thinking of me at Christmas?" he had said mockingly as he walked towards her. "No, I don't think so somehow. Is this a ..bribe for some favour, perhaps?"
"No, it's not!" she had protested vehemently.
"Really? Then why have you given me a present, Miss Granger, if not for that?" he murmured, his dark eyebrows rising.
Hermione had been silent, words choking in her throat.
Professor Snape had then smiled and it had not been pleasant. "I'm sure the house elves will appreciate your er.gift" he said caustically as red faced, Hermione had rushed past him.
She had felt so humiliated. She would have never have thought of bribing him, a cruel insult considering she had never failed an exam.
She had only wanted to help.
* * * * *
Before long, Hermione was half way across the lake. She was reluctant to go back the way she came but she would have to, for she had left her boots by the lake. Would Professor Snape have stalked back to the castle or was he still standing by the lake, no doubt glaring in her direction?
She slowed and coasted to the left, turning so she could see back the way she came. With a sinking feeling she saw that indeed Professor Snape was still where she had left him, his dark robes making him stand out against the pristine winter background. It almost felt as if he was exerting his will on her, silently commanding her to return at once..
With her characteristic stubbornness Hermione firmly pushed the professor out of her mind and concentrating only on her skating skimmed back and forth, around and around on the frozen lake, the only sound the one being made by her ice skates. Her chocolate brown hair that she had plaited into a single braid flew merrily behind her and her cheeks soon grew pink from exertion.
Professor Snape watched the distant figure of the skating Hermione grudgingly, and though he was loath to admit it, with some fascination as well. There was some respect for her defiance too, though as a Gryffindor it was part and parcel of her personality anyway.
Normally he wouldn't have bestirred himself to be outside, especially at this time of year but he had been unduly harsh before and had come to rectify it.
Unbothered by the cold thanks to a spell he continued to watch Hermione, though in his treacherous mind her brown braid changed to warm gold. His mouth twisted bitterly. He would not think of Clara, refused to think of her, but at Christmas, (that damnable feel-good season) memories intruded of her smile, her lustrous blue eyes..and her amused laughter when he had found her in bed with her lover on Christmas Eve.
He gritted his teeth and forced those memories aside, focussing again on Hermione. He had been so sure that Hermione's gift had been a way for him to look upon her favourably, until he had looked more closely.and realised that if he played his cards right, Hermione had the potential to become an.amusing diversion.
He smiled coolly to himself and waited for her return.
A/N: As you may have noticed, Sevvy is a bit more bitter 'n bad in this story but even at Christmas time there may be a miracle. The rating could go up in later chapters, too as it might be that kind of story..
