Disclaimer: All characters and places associated with the Harry Potter books and movies belong to J.K. Rowling.  I have no ownership or rights to them. 

Chapter Seven – Waking Up

The next morning Severus opened his eyes to be greeted by a purring cat.  Crookshanks was perched on his chest looking at his face.  The cat had found his way to the couch sometime in the night, and established a comfortable place of his own next to Severus.  Severus glared at the cat in a discontented way and growled deeply at him.  Crookshanks meowed in response and made his way to the other end of the couch to curl up on top of Severus's feet. 

Severus sat up on the couch and pushed the blanket off of him, covering Crookshanks.  He rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands in an attempt to chase away the last little bit of sleep.  Glancing over to Hermione he saw her sound asleep, wrapped up securely in her comforter.

Severus stood up and walked over to the side of the bed.  He watched her sleep while he thought about last night's events.  He could not stop thinking about how things had so quickly changed between him and Hermione.  He was determined to figure out where their relationship had started to change.  Over the last week he had come to appreciate her company and learned to tolerate her constant questioning while they worked together.  But she was starting to depend on him for more each day.  At first, she would gather her notes for the day and a few books to study over them in the privacy of her rooms.  But lately she had taken to reading quietly in the corner of his office.  Severus couldn't help but notice her presence; but it was never an intrusion.

Severus was interrupted from his train of thought when Hermione started to move in her bed, and moaned as if in the middle of a dream.  Severus stood still and watched in silence, trying not to wake her.

"Severus.  Severus, come here."  Hermione mumbled in her sleep causing Severus to step back.  He made his way out of her room, for fear of her waking.  Why was she dreaming about him?  Severus mumbled to himself in confusion as he made his way to his rooms.  Once he got there he gathered his clothes for the day and made his way to his bathroom to shower and dress.  Things would have to change.  He was certain that Hermione would misinterpret his actions if he did not separate for her the actions of a man protecting her, and the actions of a man trying to get her attention.

******

Hermione woke to the sound of her bedroom door closing.  She sat up in bed looking around to gather in her surroundings.  Seeing the piled up blanket at the foot of the couch she realized that Severus had left already.  She stretched and yawned to wake herself up while Crookshanks bounded off of the couch and leapt up on her bed.

"Well, where have you been?  I hope you weren't bothering Severus all night.  I do not think he appreciates your company as much as I do."  She ran her hand along his back as he purred with gratitude for her ministrations.  "I had the strangest dream this morning Crookshanks.  It was all so confusing.  I was with Severus, and I expected him to receive me with open arms.  I am not sure how it all happened, but I was only okay when he was holding me."  Hermione got out of bed and walked over to her mirror to study her appearance.  "Maybe I'm losing it.  Maybe all of those nightmares have made my emotions and senses go completely out of whack."  Crookshanks curled up on top of her pillow to go back to sleep.  Realizing that even he was not paying attention to her monologue, Hermione decided to get ready for the day.

Hermione had just opened the doors to her armoire when a familiar owl flew in her window and perched on a chair arm.  "Hello there!  You are a sight for sore eyes."  Hermione took the letter attached to his leg and petted his head with affection.  He hooted in delight and flew off.  Hermione smiled to see that the letter was from Ginny, it was good to hear from her.

Hermione,

I was hoping that I would be able to come visit you in a couple of days.  I have gotten deep into the wedding plans and would really like some help.  I desperately need your expert advice.  Please reply soon and let me know if it would be okay for me to arrive soon and stay overnight.

I cannot wait to see you!  I bet you and Severus have already made great progress and are becoming closer than you ever thought possible.  I know you well Hermione, and can already guess what's going on in your mind.  I'll explain all of my ramblings as soon as I get there.

Your Gossiping Friend,

Ginny

Hermione smiled in expectation of having Ginny here.  She quickly finished getting ready and took one last look in the mirror before leaving her room.  She made her way to Dumbledore's office first.  She was hoping to catch him before breakfast to get his permission to have Ginny come visit. 

Albus was expecting her when she arrived.  He assured her that Miss Weasely would be most welcomed at Hogwarts.  He made arrangements for her to stay in Gryffindor tower next to the Head Girl's quarters.  Hermione wrote a note to Ginny as soon as she got the news and sent it on its way.  Ginny always was a good friend, and could help her clear up the confusions she was experiencing concerning Severus.

*******

Later that afternoon, Hermione was in Severus's private lab brewing a potion to cure nervous ticks in muggle children.  She wanted to use the basic potion as one of the primary ingredients in the cure.  She was watching the potion as it started to congeal into a thick, green goo.  She smelled the stench of a slight burn and recognized it as the sign to add the last ingredient.  Just as she dropped in the final ingredient Severus slid into the room in a rather determined state.

"What are you doing?"  He grumbled out the words in a distracted voice.

"I am brewing the potion for the nervous ticks in muggle children.  Remember, we discussed using it in a later attempt?"  Hermione stirred the potion in a slow methodical circle.

Severus stepped up behind her and leaned over the cauldron to inspect her work.  Hermione was used to his constant interrupting of her work and usually did not pay attention.  But this time he was closer than she could ever remember him being in the past.  Or maybe she was more conscious of his close position to her body.  As he leaned over the cauldron she could feel the slight warmth of his breath on her neck.  Hermione closed her eyes for a second as she tried to concentrate on her stirring.

"You are stirring too quickly.  If you continue at that pace the potion will end up being only half the strength of the intended result."  Severus picked up his hand and gently moved her hair aside over one shoulder to move it out of his line of vision.  Hermione shivered as his hand brushed along the nape of her neck.  "Let me finish this; you can start preparing the ingredients for the sleep draught I promised to brew for Poppy."

Hermione stepped aside as Severus took the wooden spoon from her hand.  He watched her as she gathered the ingredients she needed to brew the sleep draught.  She was a sight.  Her hair was gathered partially at the back of her head, allowing her brown curls to drape down the center of her back.  She moved with grace and ease in every action she made in the lab.  He admired her talent and had come realize that she really deserved the credit that she was gaining in the wizarding world. 

When Severus finished stirring the potion he bottled up the potion and labeled it accordingly.  Once he had placed the potion on the shelf in his private storerooms, he turned to see how far Hermione had gotten with the sleep draught.  To his surprise she was already beginning to bottle the potion.

Hermione labeled the bottle and walked over to Severus to hand him the finished potion.  "I'm sure Poppy will be happy that you finished one of her tasks in a speedy manner."  Hermione smiled as she teased Severus about his sometimes intentional procrastination.

"I only make her wait at times, so she would appreciate my services."

"You are a sneaky man Severus.  You should be careful though, one might think you were rude."

"It is all a part of my persona.  I cannot have the children in this school thinking I am a pushover.  Fear denotes respect."

Hermione lost herself in the deep resonating voice that Severus used, and stepped back into a chair.  She quickly started to lose her balance and flung her arms out to steady herself.  Suddenly she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist and pull her into the firm body of her old potions professor.  She looked up into his eyes and felt a surge run through her body.

"Are you okay?"  Severus looked at her with a question.

"Yes, thank you."  Hermione placed her hands on the sides of his shoulders and pulled herself up to him.  In one quick motion she met his lips with hers.  It was a short and simple kiss.  When she moved away from him, she opened her eyes to a shocked man.

Severus released her from his grasp and stepped back in a retreat.  "Hermione, if I have ever done anything to make you think that I was interested in you like that, I am sorry.  We are in a professional relationship; that is all.  Please respect the boundaries that are in that relationship."

His matter of fact tone surprised Hermione and made her emotions start to turn to anger.  "I was not trying to start anything!  I was simply thanking you for all of your comfort and help in my time of need.  But I now see that you are incapable of accepting any kindness."  Hermione turned quickly on her heels and slammed the door as she left the lab.

Severus was left in the lab alone, annoyed with his situation.

******

Once Hermione stormed into her quarters she flung herself on her bed and began to pound the bed in utter disbelief.  What was she doing?  He would never become anything that she could love.  Plus, she wasn't in love with him in the first place.  She did not understand why she suddenly felt the need to kiss him.  "Aaghhh!!"  She turned over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling.  What is happening to me?  I need Ginny here now. 

Hermione thought of all the things she wanted to talk to Ginny about and anticipated her arrival.  Thinking about Ginny reminded her of the music box she had sent to her for those times that she needed consoling.  She moved her arm towards the nightstand and opened the box with a flip of the lid.  A slow deep classical piece from the muggle world started to play out.  She recognized the piece and started to relax to the deep, mysterious and almost seductive sounds coming from the music box.  Ginny was right, it was exactly what she needed to hear.

TBC

Author's Note:  The piece that she hears from the music box is on a cd that I can't find right now.  I'll get that as soon as I can and make sure to tell you in a future chapter, very soon.  Thanks again for the reviews, I hope you like this chapter.  In order to keep Snape in his grouchy character I'm having him push her away with his professional priorities.  But don't worry, Hermione will overcome.