Like I said, I do not own one single solitary character or setting
portrayed in this fic. I have no claim upon any part of the wonderful works
of fiction created and owned solely by J.K. Rowling.
Thanks to everyone who has reviewed my little story so far. I appreciate your feedback. You keep me motivated to continue.
**************************************************************************** **
After several minutes, their laughter began to taper off and then stopped altogether. Neither of them was prepared for the sudden onset of a new aspect to their relationship. It had begun with their shared laughter and was continuing to envelop them with a growing awareness of each other.
For the first time in a long while, Severus Snape found that he was unable to retreat back into his comfortable role of nasty professor. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the intensity of Hermione's brown-eyed gaze. He began to see what he never allowed himself to consider with regard to his pupils. This person sitting next to him was no longer another student to put up with. She was no longer one-dimensional to him.
As much as he detested Gryffindor characteristics, he realized that in her they represented strengths he had never detected in a Slytherin house witch. In fact, she was one of the most interesting girls he had ever interacted with at Hogwarts. She was also one of the few people he knew who could stand up to him. "Why, she had even slapped his face!" he remembered in amazement. Her expressions and moods could change faster than the weather. One moment she could be listening attentively, unprovoked; and yet a second later she could look as if a fury was brewing within her.
The memory of the way she looked in the smallish top at the store inserted itself into his reflections causing him recollect that she was no girl at all. He also recalled how she had admonished him about that terminology.
"Watch yourself Severus," he thought chastisingly. "Remember that Dumbledore selected you because he knows he can trust you with her." There will be plenty of time for romance with a witch your own age at the end of the school year.
His self-remonstrance proved to be a waste of mental energy because his eyes, as if they had taken on a life of their own, began to move away from hers and float downward to assess the delicate contours of her face. "God she was beautiful," he realized in astonishment. As if mesmerized, he watched as she slowly removed the glove from her right hand, and gracefully stretched it toward him...
Hermione felt as if she were in a trance as she took tumble into womanhood. Yet, she didn't feel at all romantic. Rather, she felt that she had fallen into a strange, new, world where satisfying one's curiosity prevailed over common sense and inhibitions. In her past, there were boys who had admired her. First there was Victor and then Ron. There had even been a few hideous moments when she had caught Malfoy looking at her chest.
However, as Snape's black-eyed gaze unrelentingly assessed her, she felt an emerging sense of herself as a woman. She suddenly knew what it is like to be admired by a man instead of a boy. The feeling was heady, and the more it grew, the more empowered she felt. Before she realized what she was doing, she had begun to remove her glove.
She felt almost as if she were doing a striptease for him as his eyes focused hypnotically on the slow movements of her hands. She then stretched her right hand forward to do something she had never thought to do. She was amazed at herself as her fingers tentatively and then lingeringly, feathered through the black silk of his hair. His eyes began to close, and he leaned into her hand turning his face into her palm. Suddenly the driver interrupted their idyll.
"I hope you guys aren't in a hurry." The traffic here ain't going nowhere for a while."
Hermione jumped away from Severus as if he had bit her. Her embarrassment, compounded by the telltale blush infusing her cheeks, was noticeable. With her usual determination, she forced herself to respond to the driver.
"Say," she asked. "Is there a chemist near by?"
"A what?" he replied as if she had been speaking a foreign language.
"You know, a place to buy necessary items like toothpaste," she explained.
"Yeah! Haven't you noticed there's a 'Duane Reed' on every freakin block?" he asked sarcastically.
His attitude served to bring Hermione back to her normal self. "Well," she replied repressively, "If you wouldn't mind pulling up to the next one, I would like to get out and purchase a few things - while the meter is running of course."
"Yep. The meter runs. That goes without sayin Lady," he muttered.
"Americans," she said under her breath while casting a - can you believe this guy's attitude - look at Severus. But when she looked up at him, he quickly looked away which she found intriguing. Her newfound empowerment returned, replacing her embarrassment, as it dawned on her that the "moment" between them had disconcerted him as much as it had her. She began to smile as the car swooped next to the curb in front of a never-to-be- taken-for-granted-again "Duane Reed" store.
"Hermione, what is this all about?" said Severus plaintively in what her mother referred to as manspeak. "We just went to the store."
"You probably don't know this, but my parents are dentists," she replied. "I don't go anywhere without a toothbrush. Do you need anything? Shave supplies perhaps?" she asked while holding out her hand to Severus for more money.
Severus looked nonplussed as he suddenly realized that he was going to have to take care of his personal needs muggle style. He wasn't sure if she'd sensed his discomfort, or was simply in a hurry, but she suddenly turned away saying, "I'll just get stuff."
Severus settled himself into the seat expecting to wait a long time. Oddly enough, he began to feel less annoyed. After all, what was there to hurry to except perhaps a good night's rest. However, Hermione returned in what seemed a very short time with two bulging plastic shopping bags.
"So, what did you buy us?" he asked casually as the driver once again took off without a care for his passengers comfort.
"Let's see," she replied while moving items from one bag to the other. She handed him one saying, "That's yours. I bought us each toothbrushes, toothpaste, tooth whitening strips, and dental floss. I also bought us shaving supplies; men's for you women's for me. Oh, and I bought us both lots of hair products. I asked a woman standing next to me what to buy. Her hair looked really nice, so I thought...."
She never finished her sentence because the driver suddenly pulled over and stopped. "Ok folks, this is the eleven hundred block of Park Avenue," he said, "I can't get closer to your building, but it's the one next to this one here. See where that doorman is in the black coat?" Hermione spied a very professional looking doorman standing under the canopy of an elegant looking building.
"That's $7.85 on the meter Lady," the cab driver said.
Hermione ignored him and exited the cab while Severus paid the driver. She quickly walked to the building and verified that the address matched the one on the paper. Severus joined her, and they proceeded to the gold and glass door only to find their passage blocked by the doorman.
"Can I help you?" he asked politely.
Thanks to everyone who has reviewed my little story so far. I appreciate your feedback. You keep me motivated to continue.
**************************************************************************** **
After several minutes, their laughter began to taper off and then stopped altogether. Neither of them was prepared for the sudden onset of a new aspect to their relationship. It had begun with their shared laughter and was continuing to envelop them with a growing awareness of each other.
For the first time in a long while, Severus Snape found that he was unable to retreat back into his comfortable role of nasty professor. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the intensity of Hermione's brown-eyed gaze. He began to see what he never allowed himself to consider with regard to his pupils. This person sitting next to him was no longer another student to put up with. She was no longer one-dimensional to him.
As much as he detested Gryffindor characteristics, he realized that in her they represented strengths he had never detected in a Slytherin house witch. In fact, she was one of the most interesting girls he had ever interacted with at Hogwarts. She was also one of the few people he knew who could stand up to him. "Why, she had even slapped his face!" he remembered in amazement. Her expressions and moods could change faster than the weather. One moment she could be listening attentively, unprovoked; and yet a second later she could look as if a fury was brewing within her.
The memory of the way she looked in the smallish top at the store inserted itself into his reflections causing him recollect that she was no girl at all. He also recalled how she had admonished him about that terminology.
"Watch yourself Severus," he thought chastisingly. "Remember that Dumbledore selected you because he knows he can trust you with her." There will be plenty of time for romance with a witch your own age at the end of the school year.
His self-remonstrance proved to be a waste of mental energy because his eyes, as if they had taken on a life of their own, began to move away from hers and float downward to assess the delicate contours of her face. "God she was beautiful," he realized in astonishment. As if mesmerized, he watched as she slowly removed the glove from her right hand, and gracefully stretched it toward him...
Hermione felt as if she were in a trance as she took tumble into womanhood. Yet, she didn't feel at all romantic. Rather, she felt that she had fallen into a strange, new, world where satisfying one's curiosity prevailed over common sense and inhibitions. In her past, there were boys who had admired her. First there was Victor and then Ron. There had even been a few hideous moments when she had caught Malfoy looking at her chest.
However, as Snape's black-eyed gaze unrelentingly assessed her, she felt an emerging sense of herself as a woman. She suddenly knew what it is like to be admired by a man instead of a boy. The feeling was heady, and the more it grew, the more empowered she felt. Before she realized what she was doing, she had begun to remove her glove.
She felt almost as if she were doing a striptease for him as his eyes focused hypnotically on the slow movements of her hands. She then stretched her right hand forward to do something she had never thought to do. She was amazed at herself as her fingers tentatively and then lingeringly, feathered through the black silk of his hair. His eyes began to close, and he leaned into her hand turning his face into her palm. Suddenly the driver interrupted their idyll.
"I hope you guys aren't in a hurry." The traffic here ain't going nowhere for a while."
Hermione jumped away from Severus as if he had bit her. Her embarrassment, compounded by the telltale blush infusing her cheeks, was noticeable. With her usual determination, she forced herself to respond to the driver.
"Say," she asked. "Is there a chemist near by?"
"A what?" he replied as if she had been speaking a foreign language.
"You know, a place to buy necessary items like toothpaste," she explained.
"Yeah! Haven't you noticed there's a 'Duane Reed' on every freakin block?" he asked sarcastically.
His attitude served to bring Hermione back to her normal self. "Well," she replied repressively, "If you wouldn't mind pulling up to the next one, I would like to get out and purchase a few things - while the meter is running of course."
"Yep. The meter runs. That goes without sayin Lady," he muttered.
"Americans," she said under her breath while casting a - can you believe this guy's attitude - look at Severus. But when she looked up at him, he quickly looked away which she found intriguing. Her newfound empowerment returned, replacing her embarrassment, as it dawned on her that the "moment" between them had disconcerted him as much as it had her. She began to smile as the car swooped next to the curb in front of a never-to-be- taken-for-granted-again "Duane Reed" store.
"Hermione, what is this all about?" said Severus plaintively in what her mother referred to as manspeak. "We just went to the store."
"You probably don't know this, but my parents are dentists," she replied. "I don't go anywhere without a toothbrush. Do you need anything? Shave supplies perhaps?" she asked while holding out her hand to Severus for more money.
Severus looked nonplussed as he suddenly realized that he was going to have to take care of his personal needs muggle style. He wasn't sure if she'd sensed his discomfort, or was simply in a hurry, but she suddenly turned away saying, "I'll just get stuff."
Severus settled himself into the seat expecting to wait a long time. Oddly enough, he began to feel less annoyed. After all, what was there to hurry to except perhaps a good night's rest. However, Hermione returned in what seemed a very short time with two bulging plastic shopping bags.
"So, what did you buy us?" he asked casually as the driver once again took off without a care for his passengers comfort.
"Let's see," she replied while moving items from one bag to the other. She handed him one saying, "That's yours. I bought us each toothbrushes, toothpaste, tooth whitening strips, and dental floss. I also bought us shaving supplies; men's for you women's for me. Oh, and I bought us both lots of hair products. I asked a woman standing next to me what to buy. Her hair looked really nice, so I thought...."
She never finished her sentence because the driver suddenly pulled over and stopped. "Ok folks, this is the eleven hundred block of Park Avenue," he said, "I can't get closer to your building, but it's the one next to this one here. See where that doorman is in the black coat?" Hermione spied a very professional looking doorman standing under the canopy of an elegant looking building.
"That's $7.85 on the meter Lady," the cab driver said.
Hermione ignored him and exited the cab while Severus paid the driver. She quickly walked to the building and verified that the address matched the one on the paper. Severus joined her, and they proceeded to the gold and glass door only to find their passage blocked by the doorman.
"Can I help you?" he asked politely.
