Poor Hermione didn't feel any better when she woke up in the morning – except for the fact that her legs had bones again.
No sooner had she awoken, that thoughts of last night crystallized in her mind. She would've given anything to make what happened last night to go away. She couldn't help feeling sick in her stomach every time she remembered how passionately Snape had told her that he loved her. And his kiss…well, one thing was for sure - the man sure knew how to kiss! She slowly licked her lips, savoring the memory.
She quickly shook her head to erase the memory. She knew he shouldn't have behaved in such an unprofessional, foolish way - not to mention that she was having trouble believing that he was in love with her. How would she ever face him again?
Maybe he was just drunk, she thought, but she hadn't smelled any alcohol on his breath last night.
She couldn't help imagining how awkward it would be for the both of them during Potions class, and she suddenly wished that she could drop the whole damn subject.
Maybe, I should transfer, she mused as she got dressed. Beauxbatons sounds like a good place; plus there's no Severus Snape there.
She made up her mind never to raise her hand in class again whenever Snape asked a question. It would save them both a lot of embarrassment. She took her leave from Madame Pomfrey and slowly went down to meet Harry, Ron and Ginny for breakfast.
What if Snape's there? How could I handle it? What would he do? Will I be able to pull it off, fool my friends into thinking I'm all better and nothing's wrong? What about Malfoy? What if he says anything?
She walked into the Great Hall and was greeted by her housemates, Lavender and Parvati, along with some other Gryffindors, who had asked about her health and cursed Malfoy.
The Great Hall was almost empty this Christmas, as usual, but the students still preferred to sit at their house tables.
The boys' faces lit up as soon as they spotted her.
"Feeling any better, Hermione?" Ron looked concerned.
"Absolutely," Hermione said, forcing out a smile, hoping that her friends wouldn't see the feelings of anguish on her face because of Snape. Before she came to the Great Hall, she wrestled whether to come to breakfast and pretend nothing was wrong or go back to her Common Room to wait for her first class, all the while remembering Snape's romantic confession and subsequent kiss. But her hunger eventually won out in the end and she came to breakfast. Although she wondered if she now made the right decision.
She and the Gryffindors took their usual place and began eating. Hermione dared not raise her eyes to the staff table, for she feared that she might lose her appetite if she saw the dreaded Potions Master. However, her curiosity won over and was relieved and at the same time surprised to find that Snape was absent.
"Professor McGonagall heard what Malfoy did to you," Harry's voice broke into her thoughts, "he's got detention for a month!"
That made Hermione feel a bit better as she glanced at the Slytherin table to find that Draco wasn't looking very happy.
"Wonderful," was all she said, monotonely.
"Yeah, I know what you mean," said Harry. "Malfoy apparently thought that he could get away with everything he did to us. Finally, there is justice in the world!"
Hermione couldn't have said it better.
Ron, on the other hand, was stuffing his mouth with food, oblivious to what Harry and Hermione were saying.
Classes wouldn't start until the first of January, so they decided to pay Hagrid a visit.
"Heard what Malfoy did ter yeh," he said, getting ready to make tea for them. "That boy finally got what he deserves. Heard Professor McGonagall's goin' to have a talk with Professor Snape."
At this, Hermione looked up. "Professor Snape?" she echoed, trying not to sound alarmed.
"Sure," said Hagrid. "Heard all about it this mornin'. Treacle toffee?"
* * *
Snape sat miserably in his bedroom, beneath the covers of his bed, still in his nightshirt even though it was eleven o'clock in the morning. He wasn't feeling very hungry, but he'd forced himself to have a piece of vanilla cake and a glass of orange juice for nutrition.
The reason he hadn't gone out for breakfast was that he couldn't bear to face Hermione – not after what happened last night.
He wished he hadn't been so careless with his potions however, he'd learned his lesson. He wondered how Hermione was feeling. Was she disgusted? It was certainly possible, considering the way she really felt about him.
His mind kept playing her insults like a broken record and for the hundredth time, he wished that he'd never done what he'd done.
But Merlin's beard, he still loved her, and a part of him was glad that he'd gotten a chance to taste her sweet lips, something he'd only dreamed of doing before last night.
And he could still taste her.
Why Me? Why do I love her? When she finds me so…repulsive. Maybe Lupin was right. Maybe he should just forget about the whole affair and move on with his life. But how could you just forget about someone with whom you were deeply in love?
He wished he knew.
He remembered how Buffy had fallen for Spike during the war against Voldemort. He'd had a chat with William the Bloody and knew in his heart that the slayer and the vampire were right for each other.
There was no chance that he would have such good luck.
He had a meeting with Professor McGonagall in the afternoon, a meeting he had no wish to attend, but he really had no choice. I knew I should have punished Malfoy when I had the chance.
But he did have the chance and he'd blown it, giving more reason for Hermione to hate him. He wished he'd never known how she actually felt about him. I guess what they say is right, he thought miserably. Ignorance is bliss.