Authors note: Sorry you had to wait so long, but I've been busy, thank you
for the wonderful reviews. You guys are so sweet =).....roses to all who
reviewed...........@------
.............Snowstar.........enjoy............=)
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When a Man Loves a Woman:
Chapter IV : Love or Hate, Life or Death
Hermione got roses all the time, they popped up everywhere. In her bookbag, in the pockets of her robe, under the pillow in her bed, sometimes even in her schoolbooks.
Once while she was having potions, her cauldron was filled with roses with a rustling noise. Everyone's eyes landed on her, even Professor Snapes'.
Hermione had been holding her breath.
"Miss Granger, this is not Herbology, please remove the roses", he said, and that was all.
Hermione gathered them and threw them into the waste-paper basket again.
Severus saw what she did, and when the class was over he changed the red roses into black ones with silver stems. Then he made them disappear and made sure they landed in the crystal vase in her room.
Severus knew that Hermione had thrown every flower he had given her, but he had brought them all back. And now she should have about forty-fifty.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Later in the Gryffindor common room:
"Where did those come from?" Ginny asked.
"I've been receiving roses since the quidditch match last week, and throwing them does not seem to help" Hermione sighed.
"How romantic" Parvati smiled.
"It's not romantic, it's annoying" Hermione said.
"Do you have any idea who it could be?" Parvati asked.
"First I thought it was Draco, because the first rose I got came along with a letter that was signed D.P.M"
"D.P.M?" Ginny and Parvati said at the same time.
"Yeah, and Draco's middle name is Patrick, it seemed to fit, but I remembered later that Draco is at the hospital wing and considering what the letter said it couldn't be Draco, he is not that smart."
"You said that you had thrown the roses away" Ginny said.
"Yes, but they come back and they have other colours, the petals are black and the stems are silver white, they almost look dangerous. And no matter how much I throw them away they always come back. I even once burned them by the lake, but when I returned to my room they where there as if they'd never left their spot. It's just like that letter history Harry told us when his uncle and aunt wouldn't let him come here."
"Freaky" Parvati sounded excited.
"I say" Ginny added.
"And I have no clue who it is that keeps sending me those damn roses!"
"Calm down, will you" Ginny said and patted Hermiones' shoulder "We'll help you, but it will be hard, because there are many boys that like you, Hermione" she added.
"I'm so tired of boys, you know the worlds most sex-obsessed thing is a man's brain" Hermione said.
Ginny and Parvati burst out laughing.
"That's it!" Hermione wailed, took two big pillows and nailed Ginny and Parvati with them.
"PILLOW FIGHT!" they all yelled together and feathers were flying everywhere.
After about an hour they were exhausted. They looked around at the feathers that flew in the air like snow.
"Whoops" Ginny said.
Hermione pulled out her wand.
"Aziepmil" she said and the feathers collected each other to two big clouds that was floating in the air.
"Swollip reparo" she added and the feathers flew back into the pillows.
Parvati glanced at the big clock.
"Lunch time" she cheered and the three of them went to the Great Hall.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Once they sat down in the Great Hall, Hermione peeked over at the Slytherin table.
Draco was back from the hospital wing.
"Damn" she muttered.
Harry, Ron, Parvati and Ginny followed her gaze.
"Don't worry about it, ignore him" Harry said.
Hermione saw, before she concentrated at her food, how Draco winked at her.
But she was not the only one who saw it.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Severus sat, as usual, at the head table and glanced at Hermione a little. Then he followed her gaze just to see Draco flirting with her...........again.
'She will be a good wife for my son'. The words that Lucius had spoken echoed in his mind. He knew that the Malfoy-name had to carry on, so Draco had to marry someone when he graduated.
Severus had always been very jealous.
Hermione stood up and left the Great Hall before the others.
Severus started to leave his seat.
"Severus, are you leaving already?" Albus asked.
"Yes, I have to...to prepare for my next lesson" he stuttered.
Albus just nodded, although Severus was one of those people who first left the table, but not this early.
McGonagall laid a hand over Albus's.
"I think something has happened to Severus" she said softly.
"I hope it's not serious" Albus answered.
"No, no, dear Albus, isn't it obvious?"
Albus looked, for the first time in many years, confused.
"Severus is in love" Minerva smiled.
It twinkled in Dumbledores eyes and she smiled and chuckled a little.
"Dare I ask with whom?" he said.
"I'm not sure, but I think it is Miss Granger. Amazing isn't it?"
"No, I always knew that someday he would find someone, even Severus has been looking in the Erised-mirror, Minerva."
Minerva just smiled.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Hermione left the Great Hall before the others for two reasons:
1: She couldn't stand to see Draco blink his eye in her direction once more.
2: Whenever she got a chance she went to the library, so this gave her some time to prepare for the DADA class she had in an hour.
She sat down at a table and opened her book. No rose this time.
'Thank God' she thought and started to read, unaware of the tall, dark silhouette that was standing by the bookshelf behind her back.
Severus was admiring her with his eyes. Such an exquisite creature. Her body, her mind, her eyes, her entire being was the oxygen for the love he felt for her.
It was quite hot in the library, so Hermione loosened her tie a little and unbuttoned the top-button in her blouse.
Severus eyes widened. He leaned closer to the shelf . And without noticing it a few books fell down from the shelf.
He woke up from his daydreaming when the books hit the floor.
He held his breath and Hermiones' head popped up at the sound.
Severus ran off and hid himself behind another shelf.
Hermione looked around, but saw nobody. She gathered the books and placed them back on the shelves. She looked at the clock and started to walk out from the library.
Severus followed her out from the library and down the corridor, making sure she didn't notice him.
Then, when she turned around another corner, a thing that came faster than a golden snitch caught her and pressed her up against the wall.
Before Hermione could scream or make any noise at all a hand covered her mouth. And she looked up in Draco's green eyes.
"Missed me, babe?" he asked and started to pull her clothes.
Hermione started to struggle and fight against him. She managed to kick him at his leg, but he didn't let go of her for that. Tears started to fill her eyes and she felt his hand come up under her skirt. She struggled all she could, but he only held her tighter.
But he froze when he heard a sound behind him.
Severus exposed himself from the corner, and before Draco could see who it was behind him he threw Hermione to the ground so she hit her head against the stone-floor.
Severus ran towards her. She was unconscious, but she was alive. Her forehead had a lump and her temple was bleeding. Her beautiful face was bleeding too.
"Oh, dear" he murmured, her robe was torn apart, he pulled of his own and wrapped her up in it.
"Fifty points from Slytherin" he murmured later.
He lifted her light, little body in his arms and started to walk to the hospital wing.
Since he couldn't open the door to the hospital wing he kicked it up.
"Professor Snape" Madame Pomfrey said in a very stern voice "Who taught you to open a door - oh dear, what has happened to Miss Granger?" she said with more concern in her voice.
"She almost got raped in one of the corridors" he answered.
"Oh lord, by who?" she asked.
When Severus didn't answer it became clear to her.
"I take it, it was a student from your own house."
Severus looked at her and only nodded.
"Anyway, come over here and lay her down on the bed" she ordered.
Snape did as she said and took his robe from Hermione. Poppy started to clean the cut that was bleeding from her temple. It wasn't a big cut, but even the tiniest wounds can bleed like hell. She also had a lump on her forehead and a spot that was going to become a bruise.
"Stay with her here, I have to go to her room and get her night gown" Poppy said, Severus only nodded.
"And hold this to her temple. I will be back in a second" she said and gave him a moisten tissue, then she walked over to the fireplace and took out some floo powder.
"The head girl room" she said very clearly and disappeared.
Severus looked at Hermione, he sat down at the bedside and held the tissue to her temple. This wasn't what she was supposed to do, she wasn't supposed to lie in the hospital wing unconscious, she was supposed to walk on her legs and annoy everyone with her intelligence.
As his left hand held the tissue to her temple, the other started to move. First he touched her cheek and gasped at the softness, then he took her hand in his very gently. It was as soft as her cheek. If her skin was this soft, then how soft would her lips be? Oh, to just feel that softness against his lips. He started to move her hand towards his lips. It came closer and closer and he could smell the perfume that came from her wrist.
He inhaled, so lovely. But just as his lips was going to caress her hand a burning sound came from the fireplace.
Poppy was back with a very beautiful silk negligee and a dressing-gown in the same fabric.
"I'm sure she had something with more material, but this was all I could find."
Severus laid Hermiones' hand down, quickly but gently.
"Severus, you have to excuse me now" she said and brought the drapes around the bed, she had to take of Hermione's destroyed clothes and put on the bed clothes.
Then she pulled the drapes back and Severus's eyes widened a little, the negligee was moulded to her figure, the dressing-gown was lying by her feet. She looked like an angel, the only thing that destroyed everything was the cut at her temple.
Poppy started to bind up a bandage around her head.
"Stay with her here, Severus, I have to get Dumbledore. And please talk to her, she will wake up faster if she hears someone's voice". Then she was off.
Severus looked at Hermione in silence for a few seconds.
"Hermione" he said in his silky voice "Everything will be fine, soon you will be back to normal."
He took her hand again, and he remembered that he had been disturbed the first time he was going to kiss it. He gently took it again and moved it to his lips.
"She is right here" he heard Poppy say.
He brought Hermione's hand down again and sighed. He turned around and saw Poppy, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Sprout, Ginny, Parvati, Harry and Ron running in to the bed were Hermione was.
"What happened?" Harry asked.
"Someone tried to rape her in the corridor" Poppy said.
"Do you know who?" McGonagall asked.
"I bet it was someone from Slytherin" Ron said with big confidence.
Severus head was flying in every direction, everybody was talking at the same time.
"Give her this when she wakes up" Sprout said and gave Severus a little bag.
"What is it?" he asked
"Belladonna, put a pinch of it, ONLY A PINCH if you want her to live, in her tea. It will help her relax and absorb her strength.
"All of you out. You too, Poppy" Dumbledore said "I want a word with Severus."
Everybody went out and Albus sat down on a chair next to Severus.
"You know who did this, don't you?"
Severus only nodded.
"Tell me who."
When Severus didn't say anything, Albus lost his temper.
"Severus" he said in a stern voice.
"Malfoy" Severus murmured.
"Have you done something about it?"
"I have already removed fifty points from Slytherin."
Albus only nodded.
"Go back to your dungeons and take a shower, get freshened up and come back here later. I want you to protect and watch over Miss Granger. I'm letting you do this because I know no other teacher that can stay up in the night as long as you can. I will take over your lessons until she is recovered."
Severus didn't deny Dumbledore anything, so he went down to his dungeons.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Come out, moon.
Come out, wishing star.
Come out, come out.
Wherever you are.
I'm out here in the dark, all alone and wide awake,
Come and find me.
I'm empty and I'm cold and my heart's about to break,
Come and find me
I need you to come here and find me,
Cause without you I'm totally lost.
I've hung a wish on every star,
It hasn't done much good so far.
I can only dream of you
Wherever you are.
But when the morning comes and the sun begins to rise
I will lose you.
Because it's just a dream, when I open up my eyes
I will lose you.
I used to believe in forever,
But forever's too good to be true
I've hung a wish on every star,
It hasn't done much good so far.
I can only dream of you
Wherever you are
I hear you laugh, I see you smile
I'll be with you just for a while.
I used to believe in forever,
But forever's too good to be true.
I've hung a wish on every star
It hasn't done much good so far.
I don't know what else to do
Except to try and dream of you
And wonder if you're dreaming too
Wherever you are.
Wherever you are.
"Wherever You Are" - Vonda Shepard
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When a Man Loves a Woman:
Chapter IV : Love or Hate, Life or Death
Hermione got roses all the time, they popped up everywhere. In her bookbag, in the pockets of her robe, under the pillow in her bed, sometimes even in her schoolbooks.
Once while she was having potions, her cauldron was filled with roses with a rustling noise. Everyone's eyes landed on her, even Professor Snapes'.
Hermione had been holding her breath.
"Miss Granger, this is not Herbology, please remove the roses", he said, and that was all.
Hermione gathered them and threw them into the waste-paper basket again.
Severus saw what she did, and when the class was over he changed the red roses into black ones with silver stems. Then he made them disappear and made sure they landed in the crystal vase in her room.
Severus knew that Hermione had thrown every flower he had given her, but he had brought them all back. And now she should have about forty-fifty.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Later in the Gryffindor common room:
"Where did those come from?" Ginny asked.
"I've been receiving roses since the quidditch match last week, and throwing them does not seem to help" Hermione sighed.
"How romantic" Parvati smiled.
"It's not romantic, it's annoying" Hermione said.
"Do you have any idea who it could be?" Parvati asked.
"First I thought it was Draco, because the first rose I got came along with a letter that was signed D.P.M"
"D.P.M?" Ginny and Parvati said at the same time.
"Yeah, and Draco's middle name is Patrick, it seemed to fit, but I remembered later that Draco is at the hospital wing and considering what the letter said it couldn't be Draco, he is not that smart."
"You said that you had thrown the roses away" Ginny said.
"Yes, but they come back and they have other colours, the petals are black and the stems are silver white, they almost look dangerous. And no matter how much I throw them away they always come back. I even once burned them by the lake, but when I returned to my room they where there as if they'd never left their spot. It's just like that letter history Harry told us when his uncle and aunt wouldn't let him come here."
"Freaky" Parvati sounded excited.
"I say" Ginny added.
"And I have no clue who it is that keeps sending me those damn roses!"
"Calm down, will you" Ginny said and patted Hermiones' shoulder "We'll help you, but it will be hard, because there are many boys that like you, Hermione" she added.
"I'm so tired of boys, you know the worlds most sex-obsessed thing is a man's brain" Hermione said.
Ginny and Parvati burst out laughing.
"That's it!" Hermione wailed, took two big pillows and nailed Ginny and Parvati with them.
"PILLOW FIGHT!" they all yelled together and feathers were flying everywhere.
After about an hour they were exhausted. They looked around at the feathers that flew in the air like snow.
"Whoops" Ginny said.
Hermione pulled out her wand.
"Aziepmil" she said and the feathers collected each other to two big clouds that was floating in the air.
"Swollip reparo" she added and the feathers flew back into the pillows.
Parvati glanced at the big clock.
"Lunch time" she cheered and the three of them went to the Great Hall.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Once they sat down in the Great Hall, Hermione peeked over at the Slytherin table.
Draco was back from the hospital wing.
"Damn" she muttered.
Harry, Ron, Parvati and Ginny followed her gaze.
"Don't worry about it, ignore him" Harry said.
Hermione saw, before she concentrated at her food, how Draco winked at her.
But she was not the only one who saw it.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Severus sat, as usual, at the head table and glanced at Hermione a little. Then he followed her gaze just to see Draco flirting with her...........again.
'She will be a good wife for my son'. The words that Lucius had spoken echoed in his mind. He knew that the Malfoy-name had to carry on, so Draco had to marry someone when he graduated.
Severus had always been very jealous.
Hermione stood up and left the Great Hall before the others.
Severus started to leave his seat.
"Severus, are you leaving already?" Albus asked.
"Yes, I have to...to prepare for my next lesson" he stuttered.
Albus just nodded, although Severus was one of those people who first left the table, but not this early.
McGonagall laid a hand over Albus's.
"I think something has happened to Severus" she said softly.
"I hope it's not serious" Albus answered.
"No, no, dear Albus, isn't it obvious?"
Albus looked, for the first time in many years, confused.
"Severus is in love" Minerva smiled.
It twinkled in Dumbledores eyes and she smiled and chuckled a little.
"Dare I ask with whom?" he said.
"I'm not sure, but I think it is Miss Granger. Amazing isn't it?"
"No, I always knew that someday he would find someone, even Severus has been looking in the Erised-mirror, Minerva."
Minerva just smiled.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Hermione left the Great Hall before the others for two reasons:
1: She couldn't stand to see Draco blink his eye in her direction once more.
2: Whenever she got a chance she went to the library, so this gave her some time to prepare for the DADA class she had in an hour.
She sat down at a table and opened her book. No rose this time.
'Thank God' she thought and started to read, unaware of the tall, dark silhouette that was standing by the bookshelf behind her back.
Severus was admiring her with his eyes. Such an exquisite creature. Her body, her mind, her eyes, her entire being was the oxygen for the love he felt for her.
It was quite hot in the library, so Hermione loosened her tie a little and unbuttoned the top-button in her blouse.
Severus eyes widened. He leaned closer to the shelf . And without noticing it a few books fell down from the shelf.
He woke up from his daydreaming when the books hit the floor.
He held his breath and Hermiones' head popped up at the sound.
Severus ran off and hid himself behind another shelf.
Hermione looked around, but saw nobody. She gathered the books and placed them back on the shelves. She looked at the clock and started to walk out from the library.
Severus followed her out from the library and down the corridor, making sure she didn't notice him.
Then, when she turned around another corner, a thing that came faster than a golden snitch caught her and pressed her up against the wall.
Before Hermione could scream or make any noise at all a hand covered her mouth. And she looked up in Draco's green eyes.
"Missed me, babe?" he asked and started to pull her clothes.
Hermione started to struggle and fight against him. She managed to kick him at his leg, but he didn't let go of her for that. Tears started to fill her eyes and she felt his hand come up under her skirt. She struggled all she could, but he only held her tighter.
But he froze when he heard a sound behind him.
Severus exposed himself from the corner, and before Draco could see who it was behind him he threw Hermione to the ground so she hit her head against the stone-floor.
Severus ran towards her. She was unconscious, but she was alive. Her forehead had a lump and her temple was bleeding. Her beautiful face was bleeding too.
"Oh, dear" he murmured, her robe was torn apart, he pulled of his own and wrapped her up in it.
"Fifty points from Slytherin" he murmured later.
He lifted her light, little body in his arms and started to walk to the hospital wing.
Since he couldn't open the door to the hospital wing he kicked it up.
"Professor Snape" Madame Pomfrey said in a very stern voice "Who taught you to open a door - oh dear, what has happened to Miss Granger?" she said with more concern in her voice.
"She almost got raped in one of the corridors" he answered.
"Oh lord, by who?" she asked.
When Severus didn't answer it became clear to her.
"I take it, it was a student from your own house."
Severus looked at her and only nodded.
"Anyway, come over here and lay her down on the bed" she ordered.
Snape did as she said and took his robe from Hermione. Poppy started to clean the cut that was bleeding from her temple. It wasn't a big cut, but even the tiniest wounds can bleed like hell. She also had a lump on her forehead and a spot that was going to become a bruise.
"Stay with her here, I have to go to her room and get her night gown" Poppy said, Severus only nodded.
"And hold this to her temple. I will be back in a second" she said and gave him a moisten tissue, then she walked over to the fireplace and took out some floo powder.
"The head girl room" she said very clearly and disappeared.
Severus looked at Hermione, he sat down at the bedside and held the tissue to her temple. This wasn't what she was supposed to do, she wasn't supposed to lie in the hospital wing unconscious, she was supposed to walk on her legs and annoy everyone with her intelligence.
As his left hand held the tissue to her temple, the other started to move. First he touched her cheek and gasped at the softness, then he took her hand in his very gently. It was as soft as her cheek. If her skin was this soft, then how soft would her lips be? Oh, to just feel that softness against his lips. He started to move her hand towards his lips. It came closer and closer and he could smell the perfume that came from her wrist.
He inhaled, so lovely. But just as his lips was going to caress her hand a burning sound came from the fireplace.
Poppy was back with a very beautiful silk negligee and a dressing-gown in the same fabric.
"I'm sure she had something with more material, but this was all I could find."
Severus laid Hermiones' hand down, quickly but gently.
"Severus, you have to excuse me now" she said and brought the drapes around the bed, she had to take of Hermione's destroyed clothes and put on the bed clothes.
Then she pulled the drapes back and Severus's eyes widened a little, the negligee was moulded to her figure, the dressing-gown was lying by her feet. She looked like an angel, the only thing that destroyed everything was the cut at her temple.
Poppy started to bind up a bandage around her head.
"Stay with her here, Severus, I have to get Dumbledore. And please talk to her, she will wake up faster if she hears someone's voice". Then she was off.
Severus looked at Hermione in silence for a few seconds.
"Hermione" he said in his silky voice "Everything will be fine, soon you will be back to normal."
He took her hand again, and he remembered that he had been disturbed the first time he was going to kiss it. He gently took it again and moved it to his lips.
"She is right here" he heard Poppy say.
He brought Hermione's hand down again and sighed. He turned around and saw Poppy, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Sprout, Ginny, Parvati, Harry and Ron running in to the bed were Hermione was.
"What happened?" Harry asked.
"Someone tried to rape her in the corridor" Poppy said.
"Do you know who?" McGonagall asked.
"I bet it was someone from Slytherin" Ron said with big confidence.
Severus head was flying in every direction, everybody was talking at the same time.
"Give her this when she wakes up" Sprout said and gave Severus a little bag.
"What is it?" he asked
"Belladonna, put a pinch of it, ONLY A PINCH if you want her to live, in her tea. It will help her relax and absorb her strength.
"All of you out. You too, Poppy" Dumbledore said "I want a word with Severus."
Everybody went out and Albus sat down on a chair next to Severus.
"You know who did this, don't you?"
Severus only nodded.
"Tell me who."
When Severus didn't say anything, Albus lost his temper.
"Severus" he said in a stern voice.
"Malfoy" Severus murmured.
"Have you done something about it?"
"I have already removed fifty points from Slytherin."
Albus only nodded.
"Go back to your dungeons and take a shower, get freshened up and come back here later. I want you to protect and watch over Miss Granger. I'm letting you do this because I know no other teacher that can stay up in the night as long as you can. I will take over your lessons until she is recovered."
Severus didn't deny Dumbledore anything, so he went down to his dungeons.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Come out, moon.
Come out, wishing star.
Come out, come out.
Wherever you are.
I'm out here in the dark, all alone and wide awake,
Come and find me.
I'm empty and I'm cold and my heart's about to break,
Come and find me
I need you to come here and find me,
Cause without you I'm totally lost.
I've hung a wish on every star,
It hasn't done much good so far.
I can only dream of you
Wherever you are.
But when the morning comes and the sun begins to rise
I will lose you.
Because it's just a dream, when I open up my eyes
I will lose you.
I used to believe in forever,
But forever's too good to be true
I've hung a wish on every star,
It hasn't done much good so far.
I can only dream of you
Wherever you are
I hear you laugh, I see you smile
I'll be with you just for a while.
I used to believe in forever,
But forever's too good to be true.
I've hung a wish on every star
It hasn't done much good so far.
I don't know what else to do
Except to try and dream of you
And wonder if you're dreaming too
Wherever you are.
Wherever you are.
"Wherever You Are" - Vonda Shepard