TOXIC (Part 3)
Once again the Great Hall was decorated in the Slytherin colors. Hopefully, Snape thought to himself, it would stay that way this year. No sudden extra points for Potter and his group.
Severus Snape sat quietly at the head table, not looking up much during Doumbledoure's speech. He had only looked over at the Gryffindor table once noticing that Granger was missing. Now where had she gotten off to?
The thought that she might be off getting herself into trouble sprung into his mind. Although with one more look down the Gryffindor table he notice that both Potter and Weasley were there. At least that meant that Hermione wouldn't be in any kind of trouble.
'Well, Severus no use getting yourself worried about nothing. After all the child means nothing to you.' The little voice ran through his head. But then he realized that being in her close company for the next three months meant she was his concern. He threw the idea at the little voice in his head as it continued to taunt and belittle him. 'She is a child and not even one who would notice you' it taunted. Of all the things this voice could throw at him why did it choose these and why now?
The Great Hall was filled with a cacophony of sound, yet when the doors opened Severus' world came to a halt. There in the doorway, stood one Miss Hermione Granger, Merlin she was a sight. One that Severus wanted to drink in for an eternity.
Hermione walked over to her table and her awaiting friends. Harry and Ron seemed dumbstruck, never had anyone seen this side of Hermione. Underneath her robes, which were convently unbuttoned, was a low cut cashmere sweater. It was only out done by the gray mini skirt, and black knee high boots.
"Mione', you..." Harry had found his voice only to loose it again.
"You're a girl!" Ron blurted out, then turning red after realizing what he had just said.
Hermione ignored them and looked over to the head table. She looked up to the Head Table and met Severus' eyes with a steady gaze. Damn, he thought as he look quickly at his dish, she had caught him looking.
She turned back to her friends and her meal. The rest of the evening went by quickly, and it was too soon that everyone was saying their good-byes. Hermione and her group of Gryffindors were heading out of the Great Hall.
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"Mione' are you sure you are going to be ok?" Ginny had become like a little sister to Hermione, and it showed now in the worry that laced her voice.
"I'll be fine. I think I can handle myself against Professor Snape." Her words didn't sound all that sure even to her own ears.
Ginny kept on about having to owl Hermione during the summer holidays. The boys backing her up on this, saying how they didn't want Hermione coming back next year as mean as their Potions Master.
"Mione', your clothes! You didn't do this for a special someone now did you?" Ginny nodded over in Assistant Professor Wood's direction as she said this.
Hermione just smiled "I'm wearing these just to get a reaction, prove I am not a total book worm." She let out a little sigh as Oliver Wood walked up to them. Great the one person who she thought she wasn't going to see.
"Mione', love. You weren't leaving without saying good-bye were you?" Oliver caught Hermione up in his arms and spun her around.
'Oh, Oliver, if only you could be like my dark night. Just like Professor Snape.' Now where did that come from? Hermione had a lot of these thoughts about Snape lately.
"Did you hear me?" Oliver was still holding her, yet now her feet were on the ground.
"Hum? Sorry, what where you saying?" Hermione had been trying in earnest to let him down easily, but she just couldn't think of a way.
"Mione', I said I was hoping to spend some time with you over the holidays. But it seems I can't. So you will just have to make due with owls." His voice held the same hope Hermione heard that first time he asked her to Hogsmead.
"Mr. Wood, I think it would be prudent if you took your hands off of Miss Granger." Oh, Merlin. Just the sound of the Professor's voice could push her over the edge.
Hermione pulled away from Oliver instantly. 'Don't want Snape thinking we are an item. Now do we?'
When she looked up to met his gaze that all famous mask was in place. Bloody hell, she would never know what he was thinking.
"Miss Granger, if you can pull yourself away from this little meeting, we shall be going." He turned on his heel and walked out of Hogwarts. Severus Snape had made his point clear to her with just one sentence.
Hermione gave a hug to each of her friends in turn, and then ran out to catch up with Snape. Why was it that he always had to be such an insufferable bastard? It was like he wanted people to hate him. But why, he was a good person, hadn't he saved Harry's life? He was a member of the Order; anyone who was a member of the Order was a good person.
Finally at the gates Hermione reach him. "Professor, 10 points from Slytherin." Hermione's voice was so low she didn't think he heard her.
"What was that Miss Granger?" Snape's voice was like ice water down her spine.
"Nothing, Sir." Damn, now she had done it. Not only had he heard her, but also her cheeks were flaming red. They had to be.
Without another word Severus gathered Hermione up in his arms and apparated them out of Hogwarts.
Once again the Great Hall was decorated in the Slytherin colors. Hopefully, Snape thought to himself, it would stay that way this year. No sudden extra points for Potter and his group.
Severus Snape sat quietly at the head table, not looking up much during Doumbledoure's speech. He had only looked over at the Gryffindor table once noticing that Granger was missing. Now where had she gotten off to?
The thought that she might be off getting herself into trouble sprung into his mind. Although with one more look down the Gryffindor table he notice that both Potter and Weasley were there. At least that meant that Hermione wouldn't be in any kind of trouble.
'Well, Severus no use getting yourself worried about nothing. After all the child means nothing to you.' The little voice ran through his head. But then he realized that being in her close company for the next three months meant she was his concern. He threw the idea at the little voice in his head as it continued to taunt and belittle him. 'She is a child and not even one who would notice you' it taunted. Of all the things this voice could throw at him why did it choose these and why now?
The Great Hall was filled with a cacophony of sound, yet when the doors opened Severus' world came to a halt. There in the doorway, stood one Miss Hermione Granger, Merlin she was a sight. One that Severus wanted to drink in for an eternity.
Hermione walked over to her table and her awaiting friends. Harry and Ron seemed dumbstruck, never had anyone seen this side of Hermione. Underneath her robes, which were convently unbuttoned, was a low cut cashmere sweater. It was only out done by the gray mini skirt, and black knee high boots.
"Mione', you..." Harry had found his voice only to loose it again.
"You're a girl!" Ron blurted out, then turning red after realizing what he had just said.
Hermione ignored them and looked over to the head table. She looked up to the Head Table and met Severus' eyes with a steady gaze. Damn, he thought as he look quickly at his dish, she had caught him looking.
She turned back to her friends and her meal. The rest of the evening went by quickly, and it was too soon that everyone was saying their good-byes. Hermione and her group of Gryffindors were heading out of the Great Hall.
**************************************************
"Mione' are you sure you are going to be ok?" Ginny had become like a little sister to Hermione, and it showed now in the worry that laced her voice.
"I'll be fine. I think I can handle myself against Professor Snape." Her words didn't sound all that sure even to her own ears.
Ginny kept on about having to owl Hermione during the summer holidays. The boys backing her up on this, saying how they didn't want Hermione coming back next year as mean as their Potions Master.
"Mione', your clothes! You didn't do this for a special someone now did you?" Ginny nodded over in Assistant Professor Wood's direction as she said this.
Hermione just smiled "I'm wearing these just to get a reaction, prove I am not a total book worm." She let out a little sigh as Oliver Wood walked up to them. Great the one person who she thought she wasn't going to see.
"Mione', love. You weren't leaving without saying good-bye were you?" Oliver caught Hermione up in his arms and spun her around.
'Oh, Oliver, if only you could be like my dark night. Just like Professor Snape.' Now where did that come from? Hermione had a lot of these thoughts about Snape lately.
"Did you hear me?" Oliver was still holding her, yet now her feet were on the ground.
"Hum? Sorry, what where you saying?" Hermione had been trying in earnest to let him down easily, but she just couldn't think of a way.
"Mione', I said I was hoping to spend some time with you over the holidays. But it seems I can't. So you will just have to make due with owls." His voice held the same hope Hermione heard that first time he asked her to Hogsmead.
"Mr. Wood, I think it would be prudent if you took your hands off of Miss Granger." Oh, Merlin. Just the sound of the Professor's voice could push her over the edge.
Hermione pulled away from Oliver instantly. 'Don't want Snape thinking we are an item. Now do we?'
When she looked up to met his gaze that all famous mask was in place. Bloody hell, she would never know what he was thinking.
"Miss Granger, if you can pull yourself away from this little meeting, we shall be going." He turned on his heel and walked out of Hogwarts. Severus Snape had made his point clear to her with just one sentence.
Hermione gave a hug to each of her friends in turn, and then ran out to catch up with Snape. Why was it that he always had to be such an insufferable bastard? It was like he wanted people to hate him. But why, he was a good person, hadn't he saved Harry's life? He was a member of the Order; anyone who was a member of the Order was a good person.
Finally at the gates Hermione reach him. "Professor, 10 points from Slytherin." Hermione's voice was so low she didn't think he heard her.
"What was that Miss Granger?" Snape's voice was like ice water down her spine.
"Nothing, Sir." Damn, now she had done it. Not only had he heard her, but also her cheeks were flaming red. They had to be.
Without another word Severus gathered Hermione up in his arms and apparated them out of Hogwarts.