Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
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Snape had put his wand away and now faced the soaked miss Granger. "In the future Miss Granger I advise that you do not scream for no good reason and cause the teacher to run for nothing."
Hermoine looked utterly shocked at this statement and could feel the hat radiating of Harry who was standing behind her. "Well, I'm so sorry that I couldn't help being frightened Professor," Her anger was rising quickly, "But as I remember you weren't the one who had ten water balloons thrown into your face. Now if you don't mind I believe I will change and I will do this ever so quietly since I would not want to disturb your meal." And with that she stormed of past Harry without looking back.
Snape stood stupefied before he regained his composure and stormed of. Harry couldn't help but beam with pride at Hermoine.
Snape burst into his room and started passing the length of the living room. 'Who did she think she was, answering me like that in front of everyone' the room seemed smaller than usual 'Foolish girl' he sniffed at this. But his anger subsided the more he thought, memories of her slender body and her wonderful brown eyes looking up at him, 'God she's beautiful when she's angry' Snape couldn't get the vision of Hermoine's almost naked body out of his head, not that he even bothered to try.
Hermoine burst into her room at a run she was aflame with anger. ' How dare he treat me like some sort of stupid girl.' 'No' she stopped passing, she remembered his eyes when he had burst through that door, they had searched her and she thought that she saw for a second the glow of desire in his eyes. 'Maybe that's why I was so shocked when he dared to tell me of' She fell onto her bed ignoring the wet dress and giggled quietly when she remembered how much it showed when wet.
Hermoine woke up in a dry but wrinkled dress, she got out of bed without hesitation and threw the dress on the floor. Walking over to the cupboard she picked a summer dress with an extremely low neck line 'Might as well make the best of my meeting with the teachers' she of course had a particular teacher in mind. Hermoine put on some make up and grabbed a silk scarf on the way out 'Cant face McGonagal with this dress.'
Harry woke up to the sound of snoring across the room, he wondered if he should wake Ron and tell him to shut up then thought better of it and got up instead. 'Ron I swear I'll kill you if you so much as dream of snoring tomorrow.' Ron stirred in the bed and dreamily looked up to see Harry standing on top of him. "Sleep well sunshine?" Ron seemed surprised at this but decided to answer anyway, he learned long ago not to guess Harry's moods; they were unpredictable.
"Yeh.I guess so!" "Good.You know what, since you know how great it feels to sleep so late, next time why don't you actually let me do the same!" Ron was puzzled, 'Why's he so angry?'
"Hey Harry. What's up?" Ron seemed unsure of his question. "Nothin.I guess I'm not in the mood for facing The Salamander ( Snape)" "Yeh. Neither am I!" Ron was dressing and had already made his bed. "Do you think Hermoine's ok?" "Huh.What?" Harry had been daydreaming but he was sure he had heard Ron correctly "I said, what's up with Moine?" Ron seemed interested as usual, he always was when it came to Hermoine. "What do you mean?" Harry didn't want Ron to find out about Hermoine's crush on Snape. "Well you know. She's been acting all weird lately." He was now looking directly at Harry. "Maybe it's because she wanted that job at the Daily Prophet, but now she won't get it 'cause we're stuck here.!" Harry didn't know what else to tell Ron. "Oh yeh!" Ron seemed totally convinced and started to walk out of the room for breakfast.
Snape sat up in bed to see that it was still dark outside. He had had his usual dreams of Hermoine Granger throughout the night, but this time however he was not prepared for the surprises his dreams threw at him.
In his dream she had been walking down the hall way (dream started as always) but instead of turning right to his office where she always went to find him sitting at his desk, the dream image turned left and went up an old staircase. The figure had moved past all his usual traps and spells as if familiar with them and then she had placed a slender hand in the doorknob of a big door that seemed to blend in with the wall. She entered and found him lying casually on his bed with a book in his hands, when his eyes had met hers he had smiled, put the book down and beckoned to her. ( Snape eyes closed at the wonderful memory of her slender body in a transparent shift walking towards him) She sat on the bed and as their arm entwined, they both reached for a kiss and....... ............He had woken up. Dumbledore sat at the breakfast table with Hagrid and McGonagal, they were waiting for the rest of their party to arrive. Dumbledore appeared puzzled, he had never seen Snape late for anything in his life, even a function he didn't want to go to. And whereas for Miss Granger, he was worried about the girl, after all he had never seen her this slack either. 'Mmm.Harry does seem to have a great influence on the girl, I shall have to make inquiries and find out.' As if by summons four people burst into the room, the quiet and friendly atmosphere provided by Dumbledore was immediately erased as the raw energy around the group spread. Hagrid was shifting in his chair as the four approached and McGonagal seemed utterly shocked by the rude intrusion.
Hermoine had met Harry and Ron half way down the stairs to the hall and as they made their way to the door of the dining room they bumped into an unexpected [person.
The collision of three on one was even too much for Snape, as he lost his balance he saw in his line of vision a mass of silky brown hair and the flash of creamy skin. Harry fell hard, he had tried to grab on to Ron for balance but ailed since Ron fell a split second before him and Hermoine seemed to land elegantly on the pile of bodies.
"You stupid, ignorant fools, don't you watch where you're going" Snape had tried to sit up but couldn't as Hermoine sat on one of his legs and he didn't want to touch her.
"Well I wouldn't talk if I were you Professor" Harry seemed to stress the title. "I suggest you watch your footing when you turn a corner. And I advice that you apologize to the lady as your clumsy self had rammed into her!" Harry was now standing and helping his friends up.
Snape seemed to glow with hate. "Potter, I see you have the very manners your parents had. How dos it feel." His voice was dangerously calm.
"As always it feels great knowing that you suffer through out your life. You tell me, how does it feel to be tormented by father and son, I mean you should be honored knowing that I consider you important enough to waste my breath on you!"
Snape had had enough. He grabbed his wand and aimed it at Harry who was only a split second slower in reaching his, but before either had said so much as a word of incantation, Hermoine had placed herself squarely between the two. To everyone's surprise, including Snapes, he brought his wand down as did Harry. Ron stood watching with mouth agape as Snape took the lead and entered the hall, followed by Hermoine in a perplexed state of mind and a Harry who winked at her and took a firm grip on Ron's shirt and pulled him in.
Snape walked towards the table like a machine, his feet worked automatically while his mind pondered the scene that passed. 'She had been so brave.' 'Why had she done it?' he had been amazed when he put the hand holding the wand down, but she had just stood there expecting him to do it and he couldn't resist. 'She has too much power over me.' Three people walked down the hall on their way to the dungeons, they had seen the teachers they needed and arranged their schedules accordingly. This was the last teacher that Harry and Hermoine needed and after what happened earlier that day they definitely didn't think that Professor Snape was going to be lenient.
Harry was first to enter, after a knock on the door and a quick 'come in' Harry took a deep breath and stepped in.
Snape was sitting at his desk and when he saw who had entered his mood seemed to increase rapidly. "Ah.Mr potter. I hear that you need potions to further your carrier" Harry nodded, not wanting the ass hole to get to full of himself. Snape's forehead creased 'So he wants to look tough does he?' "I would like to know what it is that makes you think that you are good enough for special classes from me?" Snape had a glint in his eye, the one he usually got in class after embarrassing people he didn't particularly like.
Harry knew Snape too well to let the idiot get the best of him. "I don't think I'll be good in any of your classes sir, but I need the subject and I didn't exactly choose you for my teacher." There was an angry glint in Snapes eyes now and he seemed to be radiating pure hate as he looked at Harry. "I don't think that that is good enough Mr Potter and I believe that you would do better in another carrier, preferably without potions." He turned his back on Harry and calmly strode to his desk and sat down to his work.
Harry stood as well, taking the sign as an exit invitation, but as he reached the door he turned around." I believe Dumbledore likes to hear of my progress in school, and I'm sure he'd love to know that you refuse to teach me on the pure basis that you hate me. The feeling is mutual, so have a good day Snape, I'll see you later." Harry left the room with ought so much as a glance back, he couldn't see the anger and hate Snape showed or the wand that he had aimed at Harry.
Hermoine seemed to have held her breath for all he time that Harry was in there, and when he finally came out she didn't know what to ask or say. Harry saved her the trouble. " you know what? I don't think he likes me very much! Do you?" He had his hands in his pockets and walked as if he didn't have a care in the world.
Hermoine let the statement sink in. " He refused?" She looked just as shocked as she felt. "Yeh.and he didn't even lecture me!" Harry seemed to calm for Hermoines temper "YOU CAN'T JUST WALK AWAY!" She had stopped and was looking directly up at Harry. "Why not?" "BECAUSE, you need it to become an auror!" she stopped to see his reaction at being reminded of his dream, when he said or showed nothing she continued, "You can't become an auror without potions, You Know That?" still no response. " What do you plan to do? Kill rats for a living?" she seemed to stress the last bit. "Look Moine, you know Dumbledore and you know me. I haven't changed my mind about becoming an auror or taking potions, but if Snape doesn't want to teach me then Dumbledore will talk him into it or find me another teacher.although the last is too much too hope for." He was so unworried that it irritated Hermoine. " I suggest you get in there and arrange your lessons, I'm sure he has cooled down by know." And with that he strode of down the passage whistling a muggle song, leaving Hermoine alone to face a dark door.
Snape sat at his desk and concentrated on his work, he did not want his anger to get the best of him. A knock came from the door, but unlike Potter's this knock was mild and held back. Snape smiled slyly to himself, he knew from experience that a frightened student was standing outside. 'Well at least I'll have some fun today'. (Scaring the already frightened student was a past time favorite of Snape's) "Come in!" His voice was ice cold, but if he had not been so angry with Potter he would have guessed who the student was and would not have received a look of total surprise when Hermoine Granger stepped in slowly and hesitantly. She was careful not to look him in the eye and missed the look on Snape's face. "Miss Granger?" His training was the only thing that kept his voice stone cold. "I.I've.I've come to arrange lessons Professor!" The last was said so fast that it took him a second to realize what she had said.
"I believe that it is obvious why you are here, unless you enjoy wasting my time. I however am inclined to know why it is that you need potions to become a reporter." His one eyebrow was raised at her, but she wasn't looking up from her study of the floor. 'Why is she so quiet? Maybe she thinks I'll turn her down like Potter. Hmm.little does she know.' Hermoine appeared to have become immobile but was mumbling something that Snape took no notice of. He had been studying her and immediately noticed the extremely low-neck line that seemed to be teasing him, she had her arms folded tightly in front of her and her hair was cascading loosely down her back.
With a lot of effort Snape removed his eyes from her. "Miss Granger will you stop babbling on. As I said before I have no time for your nonsense, so if you don't give me one good reason why I should teach you potions then I shall take great pleasure in throwing you out by the scruff of the neck." Hermoine seemed utterly shocked at this, but when she opened her mouth to speak no words came out. Snape raised an eyebrow at this. 'What the hell has her so scared that she. she of all people has nothing to say?" "I'm waiting Miss Granger!" He sounded more impatient than he was, but in fact he enjoyed seeing Hermoine speechless. "I.I'm.I love you!" Snape's mind was reeling and he seemed to see and feel as thousand things at ones, sure he had heard those words before many times but never had they come from someone who he had liked. 'No.Loved' He hadn't expected this at all. Then he seemed to notice Hermoine's eyes for the first time they glowed with passion and desire and something more. They seemed to come alive and burn with the love that now was so obvious in them.
Snape cursed himself silently for being so stupid as to over look that. "But wait, her eyes, she had kept them down. Of course she would have kept them down if she knew that he would see what they held.' He seemed to be holding a battle inside is mind.
Hermoine had looked up to see Snape's reaction to the words she thought she'd never say. It had surprised her to see the shock on his face, but it had only been there a split second before it vanished. He now stood by his desk and seemed to be in deep thought, his face gave no hint of the turmoil inside. Hermoine opened her mouth to speak, but he looked up suddenly and she dropped her eyes to the floor.
"Miss Granger! I believe that I asked to give me a valid reason to teach you lessons and if this is all that you have to say then I believe that we have nothing more to discuss." And with that he turned and walked over to his desk and sat down to his work as if nothing had happened.
Hermoine was appalled by his reply, she was so sure that he cared and maybe even loved her. She was so angry that she stood and approached his desk without a second thought. "What else do you want me to say? That I have dreamed of your arms around me every night. That I haven't been able to get you out of my head for the past year! Or perhaps that you are everything I want in a man and that I won't settle for anything less! Are any of those valid enough reasons for you?" She was shouting and had her hand firmly placed at her sides, but the reflection in her eyes was the only trace of held back tears.
Snape merely raised an eyebrow at this, he was finally in full control of himself and didn't plan to loose it. "If that is all Miss Granger, I believe you know where the door is!"
"NO IT IS NOT ALL!" Hermoine had lost all sense and didn't care what she said to whom. "I am not a child. How dare you think that you can treat me like one. And another thing.."
She couldn't finish, Snape stood and towered over her. "Miss Granger. I suggest that you do not tell me what I must and mustn't do, as for your not being a child I am not so sure. I do not plan to waste my time indulging a girlish fantasy, I have better things to do. Now, I will not ask you again to leave my office, if you do not get out now on your own accord I will throw you out!" His voice didn't show the slightest hint of anger, it was dangerously calm and made ice seem hot. Hermoine stood in front of Severus Snape with a look of total horror on her face. She had not expected his reaction and now didn't know what to do, she stood still and could not have moved if she tried.
Snape moved like a deadly viper. His hand gripped her arm like a vice and he was steering her towards the door. For all Hermoine tried to resist it was like bending iron. As he tried to push her through the door she grabbed for the wall and would not budge. Snape saw this, his hands grabbed her arms and he spun her to face him. He pushed her against the wall and exerted a bit of force on his hold to show her that he meant what he ha said. "Listen to me!" his voice was calm but it had lost its iciness, Hermoine looked up. "Don't be stupid! You're a smart girl and you know that this is just an infatuation! Don't make me hurt you Hermoine." She stood still looking up into his dark eyes. The way her name sounded when he said it seemed to ignite ea fire inside her, she couldn't look away.
"I'm not a girl!" Her voice was a small whisper, "And I am smart enough to know what the difference between love and infatuation is, and you know better than me what THIS is1" She had relaxed in his arms and there was such a look of trust in her eyes that he could not bear it. " You are a fool Miss Granger!" His arms tightened and he flung her out of the room and shut the door.
Hermoine fell to the floor and didn't bother to get up. Tears came unbidden to her eyes, she lay outside the one door she wanted to enter and cried herself to sleep.
Snape leaned against the cold door and in the silence of the night he heard the woman he loved outside his door crying.
Harry was sitting in the Gryffindor common room when he heard the clock strike midnight. Hermoine had not returned and he was worried about her. Ron had already gone to bed and so Harry got up and decided to go find Hermoine.
As he walked down the hall he turned to the dungeons without thinking and as he approached Snape's door he saw the outline of a female figure on the floor. Harry started to panic thinking the worst but when he approached the sleeping girl and was satisfied that she was unhurt he carried her to her room, making a note in his mind to sort this out with Snape later. It was obvious that Hermoine had cried herself to sleep.
Snape heard footsteps outside the door and then a distinct shuffling and the footsteps grew distant. He walked out the classroom and warded it out of habit. As he made his way up to his rooms he saw flashbacks of what happened and remembered the look in her eyes and the reflection of pain in them as he had turned her down. Snape entered his bedroom and for ones didn't bother to change or fold his robes, he threw them carelessly on the floor and slept. Hermoine woke up in her room with a headache, she remembered last night so vividly that she chose to stay in bed. 'Who cares about class anyway?' she was still in bed when Harry came in after lunch
"So you wanna tell me what happened so I have a good reason to kick his ass?" He didn't have to say who he was. Harry was leaning against the door with a determined look on his face.
"I don't want to talk about it! Leave me alone." She turned over in bed and faced the wall. Harry raised an eyebrow at this, she had never before refused to tell him something when he asked directly. 'This is serious' He shifted his position a bit. "You've been alone since yesterday night if I'm not mistaken! Hermoine, either you tell me what the hell happened last night or I go and find out from Snape!" No answer came from the figure on the bed, Harry sighed and left at a quick walk. Hermoine didn't suspect for one second that Harry had been serious about what he said.
Snape was in his office when Harry burst in with his wand raised. He had been caught of guard and Harry's incantation pinned Snape to the wall leaving his head the only part of his body mobile.
Snape grunted from the force with which he had been thrown against the wall and glared at Harry. Any other person would have cringed from such a glare but Harry was too angry to care.
"What the hell do you think you are doing Potter?" His voice was the very source of all anger and hate that he held, Harry seemed to ignore it like a fly in his way.
"What did you do to her?" Harry's eyes were ablaze and for the first time ever Snape saw more of James Potter in him than he wished. "Mr potter release me now and I will think twice before killing you." His voice was so calm than he could have been talking about the weather. "I don't think that you're in any position to be making deals. Now ANSWER ME, What did you do to her?" Harry had his wand inches from Snape's face and didn't seem to notice that he was threatening the third most powerful wizard in the world.
"I would like to remind you Potter that I do not take orders from the likes of you. And because I happen to be in a good mood I'll actually give you the option of releasing me or fighting me like a wizard and not the coward you are!" Snape was comfortably leaning against the wall as if by choice and his voice carried a hint of laughter. "surely you're not afraid of me Potter?"
Harry released Snape and took a step back. Snape's wand was in his hand before his feet were firmly on the floor. As they faced each other with wands raised and ready for battle, neither made a move, the sound of footsteps could clearly be heard echoing down the hall... Dumbledore entered the potions classroom at a quick face. The surprise on his face clearly showed that he did not intend to find Harry and Snape facing each other, although both had put their wands away, the expression on their faces told enough about their plans.
"Professor Snape I will speak to you in my office." He turned to go but stopped. "And Harry, I suggest that you stay with your friends for the rest of the day!" And with that he left the office at a quick walk.
Snape moved past Harry to follow the headmaster, but Harry moved to block his way. He didn't need to look up at his Professor anymore, they were of almost the same height, Snape perhaps a few centimeters taller. "What did you do to her Snape?" Snape's eyes narrowed since he did not fail to notice that Harry had not used his title.
"Get out of the way Potter!" He almost spat the name and didn't bother to conceal his hatred.
"No." Harry was just as open with his hate but like Snape he remained calm. "I want to know what you did to her!"
"I did what any teacher would do." He had a malicious smile across his face. "I refused to teach her because she like you Mr Potter could not give me a good enough reason to teach her." Harry now had a puzzled expression on his face and Snape smiled even more at that. "I see your friend has not told you everything after all. Well Potter I advice that you come with all the facts when you threaten me or don't bother to come at all as you have just made a total idiot of yourself!" Snape moved around Harry like a predator and headed for the door, his cloak swirling behind him.
Harry stood in the potions class for some time before he stopped glaring at the spot where Snape had stood. 'What had happened in here, and why won't Moine tell me?' Harry left the dungeons at a jog, the place always seemed to give him the creeps when he wasn't angry. As he ran into his room the full realization of what he had done hit him. He had threatened Snape, the one teacher he hated more than anyone, the Professor everyone was scared of. Harry sat on his bed and laughed.
Dumbledore sat in his office when Snape walked in, his face an expressionless mask as usual. As he approached the headmaster he gestured to a seat and Snape sat. "I'm afraid I have bad news!" Dumbledore looked worried but not for himself, he was worried about Snape, even though Snape concealed his feeling well Dumbledore always knew when something was bothering him and this time whatever it was, was distracting him from more important matters. "What is it?" As usual he was calm but prepared. "Lucius Malfoy has escaped from Azkaban. He broke free about an hour ago!"
Hermoine had not eaten all day and now sat in bed listening to her stomach grumble. "if I don't eat something I'll deteriorate." She was debating whether she should go to dinner or not. "Well better to deteriorate than face Professor Snape." She had a mocking tone in her voice whenever she so much as though of his title.
At that moment Harry seemed to appear from nowhere, she hadn't even heard his footsteps outside. "Hey.Don't you ever knock?" She gave him a glare but there was definitely a hidden smile in her expression.
Harry smiled, relieved that she was in good spirits. "No. Not that I remember." He walked up to the bed and sat on the edge. "So.Are you hungry yet?" The look of expectation on Hermoine's face when he mentioned food made him laugh. "Oh no you don't.I'm not gonna bring food for you. Last time I checked you had feet and walked as well as any person a know, now come on!" He got of the bed and strode over to the wardrobe. Hermoine's disappointment was clear but she said nothing when Harry threw a dress at her and told her to put it on.
"I don't think I want to go down." She was dressing as she said this. "I don't remember giving you a choice!" He was leaning against the wardrobe and holding a cloak for her. When Hermoine raised an eyebrow in question he said. "It's chilly outside."
"Why are we going outside?" She stretched a hand out for the cloak. "I thought that visiting Hagrid would cheer us both up, besides we haven't really talked to him in a long time. Now get your hair sorted while I go get Ron, We'll go Down after dinner!"
Ron was sitting in their room and unsuccessfully trying to do homework, he unlike Harry and Hermoine had had his first class with McGonagal that day.
"Hey Ron!" Ron looked up as Harry approached, he looked bored out of his misery. "yeh?" "We're going to see Hagrid after Supper, are you in for it?" "Blimy, Course I'm in for it!" Ron stood immediately and dropped his homework on the floor not bothering to pick it up. They both strode out of the door to dinner.
As the three of them entered the dinning hall they approached cautiously. The teachers were already seated and waited for them to arrive. Harry took one look at Snape's face and knew that he had not wanted dinner either. 'Well if we're all gonna sit together anyway might as well make the best of it.
Harry made sure that he talked to Hermoine and Ron all the time and because he seemed so relaxed the other two took on his mood straight away, as he guessed they would. When dinner was over and everyone got up to leave, Harry noticed a grim Snape retreating to his apartments and the three of them laughing as they headed for the grounds and to Hagrid's Cabin.
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Snape had put his wand away and now faced the soaked miss Granger. "In the future Miss Granger I advise that you do not scream for no good reason and cause the teacher to run for nothing."
Hermoine looked utterly shocked at this statement and could feel the hat radiating of Harry who was standing behind her. "Well, I'm so sorry that I couldn't help being frightened Professor," Her anger was rising quickly, "But as I remember you weren't the one who had ten water balloons thrown into your face. Now if you don't mind I believe I will change and I will do this ever so quietly since I would not want to disturb your meal." And with that she stormed of past Harry without looking back.
Snape stood stupefied before he regained his composure and stormed of. Harry couldn't help but beam with pride at Hermoine.
Snape burst into his room and started passing the length of the living room. 'Who did she think she was, answering me like that in front of everyone' the room seemed smaller than usual 'Foolish girl' he sniffed at this. But his anger subsided the more he thought, memories of her slender body and her wonderful brown eyes looking up at him, 'God she's beautiful when she's angry' Snape couldn't get the vision of Hermoine's almost naked body out of his head, not that he even bothered to try.
Hermoine burst into her room at a run she was aflame with anger. ' How dare he treat me like some sort of stupid girl.' 'No' she stopped passing, she remembered his eyes when he had burst through that door, they had searched her and she thought that she saw for a second the glow of desire in his eyes. 'Maybe that's why I was so shocked when he dared to tell me of' She fell onto her bed ignoring the wet dress and giggled quietly when she remembered how much it showed when wet.
Hermoine woke up in a dry but wrinkled dress, she got out of bed without hesitation and threw the dress on the floor. Walking over to the cupboard she picked a summer dress with an extremely low neck line 'Might as well make the best of my meeting with the teachers' she of course had a particular teacher in mind. Hermoine put on some make up and grabbed a silk scarf on the way out 'Cant face McGonagal with this dress.'
Harry woke up to the sound of snoring across the room, he wondered if he should wake Ron and tell him to shut up then thought better of it and got up instead. 'Ron I swear I'll kill you if you so much as dream of snoring tomorrow.' Ron stirred in the bed and dreamily looked up to see Harry standing on top of him. "Sleep well sunshine?" Ron seemed surprised at this but decided to answer anyway, he learned long ago not to guess Harry's moods; they were unpredictable.
"Yeh.I guess so!" "Good.You know what, since you know how great it feels to sleep so late, next time why don't you actually let me do the same!" Ron was puzzled, 'Why's he so angry?'
"Hey Harry. What's up?" Ron seemed unsure of his question. "Nothin.I guess I'm not in the mood for facing The Salamander ( Snape)" "Yeh. Neither am I!" Ron was dressing and had already made his bed. "Do you think Hermoine's ok?" "Huh.What?" Harry had been daydreaming but he was sure he had heard Ron correctly "I said, what's up with Moine?" Ron seemed interested as usual, he always was when it came to Hermoine. "What do you mean?" Harry didn't want Ron to find out about Hermoine's crush on Snape. "Well you know. She's been acting all weird lately." He was now looking directly at Harry. "Maybe it's because she wanted that job at the Daily Prophet, but now she won't get it 'cause we're stuck here.!" Harry didn't know what else to tell Ron. "Oh yeh!" Ron seemed totally convinced and started to walk out of the room for breakfast.
Snape sat up in bed to see that it was still dark outside. He had had his usual dreams of Hermoine Granger throughout the night, but this time however he was not prepared for the surprises his dreams threw at him.
In his dream she had been walking down the hall way (dream started as always) but instead of turning right to his office where she always went to find him sitting at his desk, the dream image turned left and went up an old staircase. The figure had moved past all his usual traps and spells as if familiar with them and then she had placed a slender hand in the doorknob of a big door that seemed to blend in with the wall. She entered and found him lying casually on his bed with a book in his hands, when his eyes had met hers he had smiled, put the book down and beckoned to her. ( Snape eyes closed at the wonderful memory of her slender body in a transparent shift walking towards him) She sat on the bed and as their arm entwined, they both reached for a kiss and....... ............He had woken up. Dumbledore sat at the breakfast table with Hagrid and McGonagal, they were waiting for the rest of their party to arrive. Dumbledore appeared puzzled, he had never seen Snape late for anything in his life, even a function he didn't want to go to. And whereas for Miss Granger, he was worried about the girl, after all he had never seen her this slack either. 'Mmm.Harry does seem to have a great influence on the girl, I shall have to make inquiries and find out.' As if by summons four people burst into the room, the quiet and friendly atmosphere provided by Dumbledore was immediately erased as the raw energy around the group spread. Hagrid was shifting in his chair as the four approached and McGonagal seemed utterly shocked by the rude intrusion.
Hermoine had met Harry and Ron half way down the stairs to the hall and as they made their way to the door of the dining room they bumped into an unexpected [person.
The collision of three on one was even too much for Snape, as he lost his balance he saw in his line of vision a mass of silky brown hair and the flash of creamy skin. Harry fell hard, he had tried to grab on to Ron for balance but ailed since Ron fell a split second before him and Hermoine seemed to land elegantly on the pile of bodies.
"You stupid, ignorant fools, don't you watch where you're going" Snape had tried to sit up but couldn't as Hermoine sat on one of his legs and he didn't want to touch her.
"Well I wouldn't talk if I were you Professor" Harry seemed to stress the title. "I suggest you watch your footing when you turn a corner. And I advice that you apologize to the lady as your clumsy self had rammed into her!" Harry was now standing and helping his friends up.
Snape seemed to glow with hate. "Potter, I see you have the very manners your parents had. How dos it feel." His voice was dangerously calm.
"As always it feels great knowing that you suffer through out your life. You tell me, how does it feel to be tormented by father and son, I mean you should be honored knowing that I consider you important enough to waste my breath on you!"
Snape had had enough. He grabbed his wand and aimed it at Harry who was only a split second slower in reaching his, but before either had said so much as a word of incantation, Hermoine had placed herself squarely between the two. To everyone's surprise, including Snapes, he brought his wand down as did Harry. Ron stood watching with mouth agape as Snape took the lead and entered the hall, followed by Hermoine in a perplexed state of mind and a Harry who winked at her and took a firm grip on Ron's shirt and pulled him in.
Snape walked towards the table like a machine, his feet worked automatically while his mind pondered the scene that passed. 'She had been so brave.' 'Why had she done it?' he had been amazed when he put the hand holding the wand down, but she had just stood there expecting him to do it and he couldn't resist. 'She has too much power over me.' Three people walked down the hall on their way to the dungeons, they had seen the teachers they needed and arranged their schedules accordingly. This was the last teacher that Harry and Hermoine needed and after what happened earlier that day they definitely didn't think that Professor Snape was going to be lenient.
Harry was first to enter, after a knock on the door and a quick 'come in' Harry took a deep breath and stepped in.
Snape was sitting at his desk and when he saw who had entered his mood seemed to increase rapidly. "Ah.Mr potter. I hear that you need potions to further your carrier" Harry nodded, not wanting the ass hole to get to full of himself. Snape's forehead creased 'So he wants to look tough does he?' "I would like to know what it is that makes you think that you are good enough for special classes from me?" Snape had a glint in his eye, the one he usually got in class after embarrassing people he didn't particularly like.
Harry knew Snape too well to let the idiot get the best of him. "I don't think I'll be good in any of your classes sir, but I need the subject and I didn't exactly choose you for my teacher." There was an angry glint in Snapes eyes now and he seemed to be radiating pure hate as he looked at Harry. "I don't think that that is good enough Mr Potter and I believe that you would do better in another carrier, preferably without potions." He turned his back on Harry and calmly strode to his desk and sat down to his work.
Harry stood as well, taking the sign as an exit invitation, but as he reached the door he turned around." I believe Dumbledore likes to hear of my progress in school, and I'm sure he'd love to know that you refuse to teach me on the pure basis that you hate me. The feeling is mutual, so have a good day Snape, I'll see you later." Harry left the room with ought so much as a glance back, he couldn't see the anger and hate Snape showed or the wand that he had aimed at Harry.
Hermoine seemed to have held her breath for all he time that Harry was in there, and when he finally came out she didn't know what to ask or say. Harry saved her the trouble. " you know what? I don't think he likes me very much! Do you?" He had his hands in his pockets and walked as if he didn't have a care in the world.
Hermoine let the statement sink in. " He refused?" She looked just as shocked as she felt. "Yeh.and he didn't even lecture me!" Harry seemed to calm for Hermoines temper "YOU CAN'T JUST WALK AWAY!" She had stopped and was looking directly up at Harry. "Why not?" "BECAUSE, you need it to become an auror!" she stopped to see his reaction at being reminded of his dream, when he said or showed nothing she continued, "You can't become an auror without potions, You Know That?" still no response. " What do you plan to do? Kill rats for a living?" she seemed to stress the last bit. "Look Moine, you know Dumbledore and you know me. I haven't changed my mind about becoming an auror or taking potions, but if Snape doesn't want to teach me then Dumbledore will talk him into it or find me another teacher.although the last is too much too hope for." He was so unworried that it irritated Hermoine. " I suggest you get in there and arrange your lessons, I'm sure he has cooled down by know." And with that he strode of down the passage whistling a muggle song, leaving Hermoine alone to face a dark door.
Snape sat at his desk and concentrated on his work, he did not want his anger to get the best of him. A knock came from the door, but unlike Potter's this knock was mild and held back. Snape smiled slyly to himself, he knew from experience that a frightened student was standing outside. 'Well at least I'll have some fun today'. (Scaring the already frightened student was a past time favorite of Snape's) "Come in!" His voice was ice cold, but if he had not been so angry with Potter he would have guessed who the student was and would not have received a look of total surprise when Hermoine Granger stepped in slowly and hesitantly. She was careful not to look him in the eye and missed the look on Snape's face. "Miss Granger?" His training was the only thing that kept his voice stone cold. "I.I've.I've come to arrange lessons Professor!" The last was said so fast that it took him a second to realize what she had said.
"I believe that it is obvious why you are here, unless you enjoy wasting my time. I however am inclined to know why it is that you need potions to become a reporter." His one eyebrow was raised at her, but she wasn't looking up from her study of the floor. 'Why is she so quiet? Maybe she thinks I'll turn her down like Potter. Hmm.little does she know.' Hermoine appeared to have become immobile but was mumbling something that Snape took no notice of. He had been studying her and immediately noticed the extremely low-neck line that seemed to be teasing him, she had her arms folded tightly in front of her and her hair was cascading loosely down her back.
With a lot of effort Snape removed his eyes from her. "Miss Granger will you stop babbling on. As I said before I have no time for your nonsense, so if you don't give me one good reason why I should teach you potions then I shall take great pleasure in throwing you out by the scruff of the neck." Hermoine seemed utterly shocked at this, but when she opened her mouth to speak no words came out. Snape raised an eyebrow at this. 'What the hell has her so scared that she. she of all people has nothing to say?" "I'm waiting Miss Granger!" He sounded more impatient than he was, but in fact he enjoyed seeing Hermoine speechless. "I.I'm.I love you!" Snape's mind was reeling and he seemed to see and feel as thousand things at ones, sure he had heard those words before many times but never had they come from someone who he had liked. 'No.Loved' He hadn't expected this at all. Then he seemed to notice Hermoine's eyes for the first time they glowed with passion and desire and something more. They seemed to come alive and burn with the love that now was so obvious in them.
Snape cursed himself silently for being so stupid as to over look that. "But wait, her eyes, she had kept them down. Of course she would have kept them down if she knew that he would see what they held.' He seemed to be holding a battle inside is mind.
Hermoine had looked up to see Snape's reaction to the words she thought she'd never say. It had surprised her to see the shock on his face, but it had only been there a split second before it vanished. He now stood by his desk and seemed to be in deep thought, his face gave no hint of the turmoil inside. Hermoine opened her mouth to speak, but he looked up suddenly and she dropped her eyes to the floor.
"Miss Granger! I believe that I asked to give me a valid reason to teach you lessons and if this is all that you have to say then I believe that we have nothing more to discuss." And with that he turned and walked over to his desk and sat down to his work as if nothing had happened.
Hermoine was appalled by his reply, she was so sure that he cared and maybe even loved her. She was so angry that she stood and approached his desk without a second thought. "What else do you want me to say? That I have dreamed of your arms around me every night. That I haven't been able to get you out of my head for the past year! Or perhaps that you are everything I want in a man and that I won't settle for anything less! Are any of those valid enough reasons for you?" She was shouting and had her hand firmly placed at her sides, but the reflection in her eyes was the only trace of held back tears.
Snape merely raised an eyebrow at this, he was finally in full control of himself and didn't plan to loose it. "If that is all Miss Granger, I believe you know where the door is!"
"NO IT IS NOT ALL!" Hermoine had lost all sense and didn't care what she said to whom. "I am not a child. How dare you think that you can treat me like one. And another thing.."
She couldn't finish, Snape stood and towered over her. "Miss Granger. I suggest that you do not tell me what I must and mustn't do, as for your not being a child I am not so sure. I do not plan to waste my time indulging a girlish fantasy, I have better things to do. Now, I will not ask you again to leave my office, if you do not get out now on your own accord I will throw you out!" His voice didn't show the slightest hint of anger, it was dangerously calm and made ice seem hot. Hermoine stood in front of Severus Snape with a look of total horror on her face. She had not expected his reaction and now didn't know what to do, she stood still and could not have moved if she tried.
Snape moved like a deadly viper. His hand gripped her arm like a vice and he was steering her towards the door. For all Hermoine tried to resist it was like bending iron. As he tried to push her through the door she grabbed for the wall and would not budge. Snape saw this, his hands grabbed her arms and he spun her to face him. He pushed her against the wall and exerted a bit of force on his hold to show her that he meant what he ha said. "Listen to me!" his voice was calm but it had lost its iciness, Hermoine looked up. "Don't be stupid! You're a smart girl and you know that this is just an infatuation! Don't make me hurt you Hermoine." She stood still looking up into his dark eyes. The way her name sounded when he said it seemed to ignite ea fire inside her, she couldn't look away.
"I'm not a girl!" Her voice was a small whisper, "And I am smart enough to know what the difference between love and infatuation is, and you know better than me what THIS is1" She had relaxed in his arms and there was such a look of trust in her eyes that he could not bear it. " You are a fool Miss Granger!" His arms tightened and he flung her out of the room and shut the door.
Hermoine fell to the floor and didn't bother to get up. Tears came unbidden to her eyes, she lay outside the one door she wanted to enter and cried herself to sleep.
Snape leaned against the cold door and in the silence of the night he heard the woman he loved outside his door crying.
Harry was sitting in the Gryffindor common room when he heard the clock strike midnight. Hermoine had not returned and he was worried about her. Ron had already gone to bed and so Harry got up and decided to go find Hermoine.
As he walked down the hall he turned to the dungeons without thinking and as he approached Snape's door he saw the outline of a female figure on the floor. Harry started to panic thinking the worst but when he approached the sleeping girl and was satisfied that she was unhurt he carried her to her room, making a note in his mind to sort this out with Snape later. It was obvious that Hermoine had cried herself to sleep.
Snape heard footsteps outside the door and then a distinct shuffling and the footsteps grew distant. He walked out the classroom and warded it out of habit. As he made his way up to his rooms he saw flashbacks of what happened and remembered the look in her eyes and the reflection of pain in them as he had turned her down. Snape entered his bedroom and for ones didn't bother to change or fold his robes, he threw them carelessly on the floor and slept. Hermoine woke up in her room with a headache, she remembered last night so vividly that she chose to stay in bed. 'Who cares about class anyway?' she was still in bed when Harry came in after lunch
"So you wanna tell me what happened so I have a good reason to kick his ass?" He didn't have to say who he was. Harry was leaning against the door with a determined look on his face.
"I don't want to talk about it! Leave me alone." She turned over in bed and faced the wall. Harry raised an eyebrow at this, she had never before refused to tell him something when he asked directly. 'This is serious' He shifted his position a bit. "You've been alone since yesterday night if I'm not mistaken! Hermoine, either you tell me what the hell happened last night or I go and find out from Snape!" No answer came from the figure on the bed, Harry sighed and left at a quick walk. Hermoine didn't suspect for one second that Harry had been serious about what he said.
Snape was in his office when Harry burst in with his wand raised. He had been caught of guard and Harry's incantation pinned Snape to the wall leaving his head the only part of his body mobile.
Snape grunted from the force with which he had been thrown against the wall and glared at Harry. Any other person would have cringed from such a glare but Harry was too angry to care.
"What the hell do you think you are doing Potter?" His voice was the very source of all anger and hate that he held, Harry seemed to ignore it like a fly in his way.
"What did you do to her?" Harry's eyes were ablaze and for the first time ever Snape saw more of James Potter in him than he wished. "Mr potter release me now and I will think twice before killing you." His voice was so calm than he could have been talking about the weather. "I don't think that you're in any position to be making deals. Now ANSWER ME, What did you do to her?" Harry had his wand inches from Snape's face and didn't seem to notice that he was threatening the third most powerful wizard in the world.
"I would like to remind you Potter that I do not take orders from the likes of you. And because I happen to be in a good mood I'll actually give you the option of releasing me or fighting me like a wizard and not the coward you are!" Snape was comfortably leaning against the wall as if by choice and his voice carried a hint of laughter. "surely you're not afraid of me Potter?"
Harry released Snape and took a step back. Snape's wand was in his hand before his feet were firmly on the floor. As they faced each other with wands raised and ready for battle, neither made a move, the sound of footsteps could clearly be heard echoing down the hall... Dumbledore entered the potions classroom at a quick face. The surprise on his face clearly showed that he did not intend to find Harry and Snape facing each other, although both had put their wands away, the expression on their faces told enough about their plans.
"Professor Snape I will speak to you in my office." He turned to go but stopped. "And Harry, I suggest that you stay with your friends for the rest of the day!" And with that he left the office at a quick walk.
Snape moved past Harry to follow the headmaster, but Harry moved to block his way. He didn't need to look up at his Professor anymore, they were of almost the same height, Snape perhaps a few centimeters taller. "What did you do to her Snape?" Snape's eyes narrowed since he did not fail to notice that Harry had not used his title.
"Get out of the way Potter!" He almost spat the name and didn't bother to conceal his hatred.
"No." Harry was just as open with his hate but like Snape he remained calm. "I want to know what you did to her!"
"I did what any teacher would do." He had a malicious smile across his face. "I refused to teach her because she like you Mr Potter could not give me a good enough reason to teach her." Harry now had a puzzled expression on his face and Snape smiled even more at that. "I see your friend has not told you everything after all. Well Potter I advice that you come with all the facts when you threaten me or don't bother to come at all as you have just made a total idiot of yourself!" Snape moved around Harry like a predator and headed for the door, his cloak swirling behind him.
Harry stood in the potions class for some time before he stopped glaring at the spot where Snape had stood. 'What had happened in here, and why won't Moine tell me?' Harry left the dungeons at a jog, the place always seemed to give him the creeps when he wasn't angry. As he ran into his room the full realization of what he had done hit him. He had threatened Snape, the one teacher he hated more than anyone, the Professor everyone was scared of. Harry sat on his bed and laughed.
Dumbledore sat in his office when Snape walked in, his face an expressionless mask as usual. As he approached the headmaster he gestured to a seat and Snape sat. "I'm afraid I have bad news!" Dumbledore looked worried but not for himself, he was worried about Snape, even though Snape concealed his feeling well Dumbledore always knew when something was bothering him and this time whatever it was, was distracting him from more important matters. "What is it?" As usual he was calm but prepared. "Lucius Malfoy has escaped from Azkaban. He broke free about an hour ago!"
Hermoine had not eaten all day and now sat in bed listening to her stomach grumble. "if I don't eat something I'll deteriorate." She was debating whether she should go to dinner or not. "Well better to deteriorate than face Professor Snape." She had a mocking tone in her voice whenever she so much as though of his title.
At that moment Harry seemed to appear from nowhere, she hadn't even heard his footsteps outside. "Hey.Don't you ever knock?" She gave him a glare but there was definitely a hidden smile in her expression.
Harry smiled, relieved that she was in good spirits. "No. Not that I remember." He walked up to the bed and sat on the edge. "So.Are you hungry yet?" The look of expectation on Hermoine's face when he mentioned food made him laugh. "Oh no you don't.I'm not gonna bring food for you. Last time I checked you had feet and walked as well as any person a know, now come on!" He got of the bed and strode over to the wardrobe. Hermoine's disappointment was clear but she said nothing when Harry threw a dress at her and told her to put it on.
"I don't think I want to go down." She was dressing as she said this. "I don't remember giving you a choice!" He was leaning against the wardrobe and holding a cloak for her. When Hermoine raised an eyebrow in question he said. "It's chilly outside."
"Why are we going outside?" She stretched a hand out for the cloak. "I thought that visiting Hagrid would cheer us both up, besides we haven't really talked to him in a long time. Now get your hair sorted while I go get Ron, We'll go Down after dinner!"
Ron was sitting in their room and unsuccessfully trying to do homework, he unlike Harry and Hermoine had had his first class with McGonagal that day.
"Hey Ron!" Ron looked up as Harry approached, he looked bored out of his misery. "yeh?" "We're going to see Hagrid after Supper, are you in for it?" "Blimy, Course I'm in for it!" Ron stood immediately and dropped his homework on the floor not bothering to pick it up. They both strode out of the door to dinner.
As the three of them entered the dinning hall they approached cautiously. The teachers were already seated and waited for them to arrive. Harry took one look at Snape's face and knew that he had not wanted dinner either. 'Well if we're all gonna sit together anyway might as well make the best of it.
Harry made sure that he talked to Hermoine and Ron all the time and because he seemed so relaxed the other two took on his mood straight away, as he guessed they would. When dinner was over and everyone got up to leave, Harry noticed a grim Snape retreating to his apartments and the three of them laughing as they headed for the grounds and to Hagrid's Cabin.