After a week of research, there was quite a sheath of notes, and Hermione
surveyed them with pleasure. There was always something about a pile of
notes that excited her.
Of course, this pile of notes was more exciting than most. It held what was possibly her future in it.
'Miss Granger, if you would kindly pay attention,' Snape suggested bad-temperedly from the other side of the mountainous stack of paper. He reached up and took one of the pieces of paper, eyeing it interestedly.
Of course, it wasn't just her future that was involved. Hermione felt that with the research she and Snape had conducted over the past week (while they were avoiding each other, but she ignored that) an application for their dream concoction was near at hand.
'I say we present this to Dumbledore,' Hermione suggested. What they had at present wasn't the dream-control potion, but it was almost as good, and in some ways better. After their last experiment, Snape had been uncomfortable with the idea of invading her mind again, and this had brought up the question of whether the project was a good idea at all. Plenty of weapons had been utilised by the other side in war time, and neither Hermione nor Snape liked the idea of Voldemort having access to people's subconscious minds.
The current potion had much less potential to harm, but Hermione suspected it could be even more effective. They had stayed with the idea of altering the dream potion, but had concentrated on the frustrating aspects of it, in which the dreamer never quite got what they wanted. They had narrowed this effect down to two ingredients, but were still at the testing stage.
It was for this reason that Hermione was not too surprised at Snape's answer.
'Just what do you think that would achieve, Miss Granger? Aside from wasting our Headmaster's valuable time?'
Hermione smiled, completely unintimidated. 'Well, it would achieve the aim of keeping him up to date, as he most particularly asked. But we can let it go if you wish, Severus.' She watched as Snape tensed slightly, then went back to his reading. It was the first time she had addressed him by his given name this week, but it was almost disappointing how easily she could unsettle him.
Her personal research had finally come to a positive conclusion. The research itself had been annoyingly inconclusive - while Snape was in perfect health, and shared many of Hermione's interests, he unfortunately ate trout. And was a Death-Eater spy. Hermione, best friend of Harry Potter, Boy Who Attracts Ridiculously Dangerous Situations, felt she could cope with the latter, as surely one day it would change, but she feared Snape was a trout-eater for life.
It was the time away from Snape that decided things for her in the end. She missed him. It was as simple as that. Somehow, she managed to pine for things she shouldn't really have had time to get used to, like his scent and the feel of the stubble along his jaw. When she stepped back from herself, she found it funny that silly things like the feel of a jaw made her addled brain willing to look past the difference in their ages and temperaments, and the possibility that he might be dead next week. Simplicity.
She watched Snape covertly as he read. Of course, having almost completely ignored him over the last couple of weeks, she might meet with a small amount of resistance when she made her intentions clear to him. This was precisely why she had no intention of letting him speak. She had finally decided to put Ginny's 'jump on him' plan into effect. It was the precise timing that was worrying her. Luckily, he had agreed to go over their notes in her rooms, and the gentle summer breeze drifting in at the windows had a calming, lulling effect that seemed to have relaxed Snape. Hermione smiled wickedly to herself. Of course, that wasn't the only benefit of her rooms - she was also counting on the unsettling nature of being in unfamiliar surroundings to further confuse her prey. All she needed was a little hesitation on his part and hopefully logic would disappear. If they were in the dungeons as usual, there was a fair chance he'd react instinctively and push her away.
Which led her on to the hard part. When to pounce? All the preparation in the world, she felt, couldn't give her a satisfactory answer to that. She had originally planned to drop a quill somewhere near him, allowing her to get in a suitable position to kiss him. Now she was actually in the situation, she could see that that simply wouldn't work. It would look suspicious, contrived.
With a frown, Hermione got up to pace, glancing down at Snape's bowed head occasionally. She supposed she could lean over his shoulder to read the parchment he held, but that seemed too coquettish for her taste, and besides which, she knew from experience he hated people reading over his shoulder and was likely to complain. Perhaps-
She glanced down to see Snape glaring at her with an annoyed expression.
'Miss Granger-' he began. With a mental shrug, Hermione pounced.
***
Snape was confused, and a little bedazzled. He had merely been going to ask Miss Granger to stop her pacing, which was distracting him from his reading, when he suddenly found himself with a lapful of Hermione. He wasn't really sure how he had got into this position. Usually terse requests for the cessation of an action resulted in a snappy comeback from the wench, not enthusiastic leaps into his lap. It was certainly a change, but not, he reflected as he savoured the feel of her drugging kisses, one he would be complaining about in the near future.
It was only when Hermione's skilful lips had moved toward his neck and her hands began to wander that sense flashed a fin in the muddy waters of his brain.
'Miss Granger-' Lips reached their target, and the higher brain function necessary for speech shut down. Snape closed his eyes with a groan, trying to remember what he had been talking for, anyway.
The lips moved up again, showering his face with kisses, and the small amount of breathing space allowed thought once more.
'Miss Granger-' This time, the words were cut off, kissed forcefully away. Snape had to credit Hermione, she did make a kind of enquiring noise in answer, which was better than he was up to at that moment. The kiss she gave him left no room for enquiry, and he was otherwise occupied for several moments.
The niggling thought that had been biting at him ever since Hermione landed in his lap would not give up, and attacked him at his weakest moment. With a shudder he recalled the twenty-seven reasons he shouldn't be doing this. Pulling away did not seem to be an option, however; Hermione simply wouldn't let him go. His body didn't seem too keen on the idea, either, hands not responding to commands seeming to hold her even tighter.
Finally Snape summoned the strength to end the kiss, grasping Hermione forcefully by the shoulders to do so.
'Hermione. Please.' The rawness of his voice seemed to have some effect on the dazed angel before him, and she looked at him seriously.
'Hermione, we have to stop.' A confused look came over her face, and Snape ran a weary hand through his hair. He couldn't think like this. He stood, barely remembering to set Hermione on her feet as he did so, and wrapped his thick robes around himself. The sudden absence of Hermione's warmth made the night feel cold.
He glanced over at Hermione, who was looking rather distressed at the abrupt halt to proceedings, and ran a hand over his face. He had to hold on tightly to those twenty-seven reasons.
'This is a bad idea,' he said. When no answer came, he looked up to see Hermione raising an eyebrow.
'It seemed like a fairly good one until a few minutes ago,' she said. Snape nodded, surprised, then shook his head.
'No, it's a bad idea,' he said. Her calm manner in the face of delayed passion unsettled him greatly. 'An entirely bad idea. You think so yourself, if you only take a few moments to... calm down.'
'No, I don't,' she answered.
'What?'
'I don't think it's a bad idea.' It took a few moments for this comment to settle into Snape's brain, and he frowned.
'You don't think it's a bad idea to just...' he waved a hand at the room, attempting to convey the rashness of the situation without words, and failed. He frowned again. Years of dealing with all types of difficult situations gave him no help in dealing with an obstinate young woman who appeared to want to have sex with him. Strange, he would have thought dealings with dark lords would have ranked as *slightly* more difficult.
He tried again. 'Hermione,' he said, fixing her with a serious look, 'you don't think tripping over and falling into my lap and snogging each other senseless as a consequence is a bad idea?'
Hermione put her hands on her hips and studied him. 'I rather thought it was a good idea. I'll admit that the tripping bit was a little contrived, but I thought perhaps you might have been willing to overlook it in the circumstances.'
Snape put his hand over his eyes and shook his head. This conversation was becoming surreal. 'Hermione, it is simply not a good idea to follow the inclinations of the moment. If you'll take time to think, you will see that.' He had to admit, he could sympathise with the obviously befuddled girl. It was only by strength of will that he hadn't thrown her down on the carpet and ravished her by now.
'I agree that diving rashly into a situation is rarely wise,' Hermione said, still studying him.
'Then you'll see that this situation is unwise.'
She shook her head. 'On the contrary. I put many hours of planning and thought into this.'
Snape stared at her for a full three seconds before he remembered to close his mouth. He opened it again, in the hope that something intelligible would come out of it, but failed.
'You - planned this?'
'Yes,' replied Hermione. 'Quite carefully. Apart from the tripping bit, I decided on that at the last moment.'
It was such a turnaround of all he had assumed that Snape was at a loss on how to proceed. He decided, however, that simply staring at the girl was unproductive.
'I need to sit down,' he said, and regained his seat. Hermione nodded, but remained standing, a position that made Snape distinctly ill at ease, wanting to have the advantage of towering over her once more. He settled for staring at her feet for a few moments while he collected his thoughts before he stood again.
'Nevertheless,' he said with renewed confidence. Hermione raised her eyebrows in encouragement, and he lost his train of thought. He covered it by clearing his throat. 'Nevertheless-'
'You already said that,' Hermione interrupted, a glint of amusement in her eyes. Snape growled and waved his hand at her.
'Be quiet, you silly girl.' He groaned and put a hand over his eyes. This was not going as smoothly as would be convenient. 'This is precisely what I mean. Regardless of whether it is spontaneous or planned, such interaction between us is impossible. I realise we have yet to discuss the situation that occurred between the two of us some weeks hence, for which I take full responsibility. The effects of alcohol can never be underestimated, particularly when coupled with the disrupting environment to which you have been exposed recently and I am entirely at fault for not taking that into account. However, the cool and sober thought to which you have had recourse in past weeks will have shown you, as it has me, the unwisdom of pursuing such a course again.' He took a deep breath, glad to have dealt with the matter clearly and succinctly.
Hermione crossed her arms and leant against the table, a studious look on her face. 'You know, Severus, that sounded like a lecture one would give to a classroom of lawyers,' she said, sending him a calculating look. 'It's a good thing I'm given to browsing the dictionary every now and again, or I shouldn't have understood half of it. But well done, all the same.'
Snape felt his hands curl into fists of frustration. 'I'm glad I am entertaining you. This, however, was not my design. I am merely attempting to make clear to your questionable intelligence the ill-advised nature of allowing desires to overrule logic and reason.'
Hermione sighed, uncrossing her arms. 'Severus, so far what I've heard from you is this: you think that the only time I could possibly think of seducing you is when we accidentally come into physical contact and I am somehow overcome by desire, or when I am distraught and drunk. Oh, and of course, the appearance of reason should also be distrusted as it is also clouded by desire.' She raised her eyebrows. 'Forgive me Severus, but I detect a running theme here. I'm not sure what I have done in the past to make you think that I am a person completely controlled by her passions, but I feel this is a misunderstanding that needs to be cleared up.' Her expression changed to something more cunning, and Snape shifted nervously. He didn't like the change in the tone of this conversation.
Hermione took a step closer, and Snape tensed up. She smiled, and his sense of unease grew.
'I think at this point in time it would be a little useless to deny that I find you attractive,' she said, a slight blush creeping across her cheeks. 'I am, however,' she continued, recovering slightly, 'entirely capable of rational thought.' When Snape gave no reply, she narrowed her eyes at him and added, 'Perhaps I should demonstrate.' She stepped forward.
Seeing her intent, Snape took a step back, neatly placing a rather solid chair between them and ignoring her snort of disgust.
'That will not be necessary,' he said, with as much command as he could muster. He sighed. It was time to abandon a reasonable attitude. 'Hermione,' he said, fixing her with a firm look. 'You have to admit-'
'There is a lot of assuming going on here,' she muttered, and crossed her arms. 'I don't have to admit anything. Will you please accept that I am a rational human being capable of making decisions?'
'Fine,' Snape said, fed up with the whole conversation. She was just making it even more difficult than it was. Damn Gryffindors. 'Then allow me to say this: this, whatever it is, is not going to happen. I will not allow it. Now, please respect my wishes and confine your behaviour to that appropriate for colleagues, nothing more.' She was staring at him now, and he felt a little bad about having to make such a blunt statement, but it had to be done. Better this now, he thought, than giving into a little comfort only to have it ripped cruelly from them both.
Hermione dropped her eyes from his, appearing to meekly study the carpet. 'As you wish, Severus.' She looked back up at him, her face calm but solemn.
Unable to withstand the situation any longer, Snape gathered up his papers and bade her goodnight. He could feel her eyes on him as he closed the door.
Damn, damn, damn those straightforward Gryffindors. They didn't even have the decency to be scared off from a difficult situation when they saw one. Snape strode down the deserted corridors, fuming at the world in general. If only she'd been a Hufflepuff... no, he wasn't going to even consider that scenario. He shook his head. This was the state he was in, all because of a Gryffindor. Curse them all.
He swept down the corridor, cursing all Gryffindors and the impulsive gestures they made. They were impossible.
No matter how much one might want them.
***
Hermione watched the closed door for a few minutes, then began to tidy up the notes still strewn on the table. This was... well, not an entirely surprising turn of events, but unexpected none the less. For some reason, the idea that Snape would refuse her outright hadn't really occurred to her. It was a silly oversight, she could see that now. It was Snape-nature to do what he had just done, though she was quite impressed with the strength of will it had taken to interrupt a fairly pleasant kiss and do it.
What he had just done. She considered this for a moment, and then edged her way to a seat. She was a confident person in general but this was a bit of a blow by any standards. A man, who she had already slept with, had refused her. Quite strongly.
With a frown, Hermione stood and walked across to the window, letting the cool night breeze brush her hair out of her eyes. The boys would have a good laugh at this. Snape, the greasy git, rejecting her advances. She didn't know which aspect would be more laughable for them.
Her hands gripped the stones before she shook herself of her melancholy. She had allowed herself a moment of self-indulgence, but that was unproductive. Snape was attracted to her. There could be no doubt about that. She simply had to come up with a way to make that attraction outweigh whatever doubts he had. She frowned. Whatever those were - she had no solid idea of what went on in his head.
Hermione sighed and stood. This was indeed a setback, but she hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor for nothing. Gryffindors were, after all, famous for their brave-heartedness, their loyalty, their persistence and not least their tendency to plunge idiotically into situations that were beyond hopeless. She had no idea what she would do, but she was certain a plan would occur to her sooner or later. As she headed for bed, she decided firmly that Snape had better watch out.
Of course, this pile of notes was more exciting than most. It held what was possibly her future in it.
'Miss Granger, if you would kindly pay attention,' Snape suggested bad-temperedly from the other side of the mountainous stack of paper. He reached up and took one of the pieces of paper, eyeing it interestedly.
Of course, it wasn't just her future that was involved. Hermione felt that with the research she and Snape had conducted over the past week (while they were avoiding each other, but she ignored that) an application for their dream concoction was near at hand.
'I say we present this to Dumbledore,' Hermione suggested. What they had at present wasn't the dream-control potion, but it was almost as good, and in some ways better. After their last experiment, Snape had been uncomfortable with the idea of invading her mind again, and this had brought up the question of whether the project was a good idea at all. Plenty of weapons had been utilised by the other side in war time, and neither Hermione nor Snape liked the idea of Voldemort having access to people's subconscious minds.
The current potion had much less potential to harm, but Hermione suspected it could be even more effective. They had stayed with the idea of altering the dream potion, but had concentrated on the frustrating aspects of it, in which the dreamer never quite got what they wanted. They had narrowed this effect down to two ingredients, but were still at the testing stage.
It was for this reason that Hermione was not too surprised at Snape's answer.
'Just what do you think that would achieve, Miss Granger? Aside from wasting our Headmaster's valuable time?'
Hermione smiled, completely unintimidated. 'Well, it would achieve the aim of keeping him up to date, as he most particularly asked. But we can let it go if you wish, Severus.' She watched as Snape tensed slightly, then went back to his reading. It was the first time she had addressed him by his given name this week, but it was almost disappointing how easily she could unsettle him.
Her personal research had finally come to a positive conclusion. The research itself had been annoyingly inconclusive - while Snape was in perfect health, and shared many of Hermione's interests, he unfortunately ate trout. And was a Death-Eater spy. Hermione, best friend of Harry Potter, Boy Who Attracts Ridiculously Dangerous Situations, felt she could cope with the latter, as surely one day it would change, but she feared Snape was a trout-eater for life.
It was the time away from Snape that decided things for her in the end. She missed him. It was as simple as that. Somehow, she managed to pine for things she shouldn't really have had time to get used to, like his scent and the feel of the stubble along his jaw. When she stepped back from herself, she found it funny that silly things like the feel of a jaw made her addled brain willing to look past the difference in their ages and temperaments, and the possibility that he might be dead next week. Simplicity.
She watched Snape covertly as he read. Of course, having almost completely ignored him over the last couple of weeks, she might meet with a small amount of resistance when she made her intentions clear to him. This was precisely why she had no intention of letting him speak. She had finally decided to put Ginny's 'jump on him' plan into effect. It was the precise timing that was worrying her. Luckily, he had agreed to go over their notes in her rooms, and the gentle summer breeze drifting in at the windows had a calming, lulling effect that seemed to have relaxed Snape. Hermione smiled wickedly to herself. Of course, that wasn't the only benefit of her rooms - she was also counting on the unsettling nature of being in unfamiliar surroundings to further confuse her prey. All she needed was a little hesitation on his part and hopefully logic would disappear. If they were in the dungeons as usual, there was a fair chance he'd react instinctively and push her away.
Which led her on to the hard part. When to pounce? All the preparation in the world, she felt, couldn't give her a satisfactory answer to that. She had originally planned to drop a quill somewhere near him, allowing her to get in a suitable position to kiss him. Now she was actually in the situation, she could see that that simply wouldn't work. It would look suspicious, contrived.
With a frown, Hermione got up to pace, glancing down at Snape's bowed head occasionally. She supposed she could lean over his shoulder to read the parchment he held, but that seemed too coquettish for her taste, and besides which, she knew from experience he hated people reading over his shoulder and was likely to complain. Perhaps-
She glanced down to see Snape glaring at her with an annoyed expression.
'Miss Granger-' he began. With a mental shrug, Hermione pounced.
***
Snape was confused, and a little bedazzled. He had merely been going to ask Miss Granger to stop her pacing, which was distracting him from his reading, when he suddenly found himself with a lapful of Hermione. He wasn't really sure how he had got into this position. Usually terse requests for the cessation of an action resulted in a snappy comeback from the wench, not enthusiastic leaps into his lap. It was certainly a change, but not, he reflected as he savoured the feel of her drugging kisses, one he would be complaining about in the near future.
It was only when Hermione's skilful lips had moved toward his neck and her hands began to wander that sense flashed a fin in the muddy waters of his brain.
'Miss Granger-' Lips reached their target, and the higher brain function necessary for speech shut down. Snape closed his eyes with a groan, trying to remember what he had been talking for, anyway.
The lips moved up again, showering his face with kisses, and the small amount of breathing space allowed thought once more.
'Miss Granger-' This time, the words were cut off, kissed forcefully away. Snape had to credit Hermione, she did make a kind of enquiring noise in answer, which was better than he was up to at that moment. The kiss she gave him left no room for enquiry, and he was otherwise occupied for several moments.
The niggling thought that had been biting at him ever since Hermione landed in his lap would not give up, and attacked him at his weakest moment. With a shudder he recalled the twenty-seven reasons he shouldn't be doing this. Pulling away did not seem to be an option, however; Hermione simply wouldn't let him go. His body didn't seem too keen on the idea, either, hands not responding to commands seeming to hold her even tighter.
Finally Snape summoned the strength to end the kiss, grasping Hermione forcefully by the shoulders to do so.
'Hermione. Please.' The rawness of his voice seemed to have some effect on the dazed angel before him, and she looked at him seriously.
'Hermione, we have to stop.' A confused look came over her face, and Snape ran a weary hand through his hair. He couldn't think like this. He stood, barely remembering to set Hermione on her feet as he did so, and wrapped his thick robes around himself. The sudden absence of Hermione's warmth made the night feel cold.
He glanced over at Hermione, who was looking rather distressed at the abrupt halt to proceedings, and ran a hand over his face. He had to hold on tightly to those twenty-seven reasons.
'This is a bad idea,' he said. When no answer came, he looked up to see Hermione raising an eyebrow.
'It seemed like a fairly good one until a few minutes ago,' she said. Snape nodded, surprised, then shook his head.
'No, it's a bad idea,' he said. Her calm manner in the face of delayed passion unsettled him greatly. 'An entirely bad idea. You think so yourself, if you only take a few moments to... calm down.'
'No, I don't,' she answered.
'What?'
'I don't think it's a bad idea.' It took a few moments for this comment to settle into Snape's brain, and he frowned.
'You don't think it's a bad idea to just...' he waved a hand at the room, attempting to convey the rashness of the situation without words, and failed. He frowned again. Years of dealing with all types of difficult situations gave him no help in dealing with an obstinate young woman who appeared to want to have sex with him. Strange, he would have thought dealings with dark lords would have ranked as *slightly* more difficult.
He tried again. 'Hermione,' he said, fixing her with a serious look, 'you don't think tripping over and falling into my lap and snogging each other senseless as a consequence is a bad idea?'
Hermione put her hands on her hips and studied him. 'I rather thought it was a good idea. I'll admit that the tripping bit was a little contrived, but I thought perhaps you might have been willing to overlook it in the circumstances.'
Snape put his hand over his eyes and shook his head. This conversation was becoming surreal. 'Hermione, it is simply not a good idea to follow the inclinations of the moment. If you'll take time to think, you will see that.' He had to admit, he could sympathise with the obviously befuddled girl. It was only by strength of will that he hadn't thrown her down on the carpet and ravished her by now.
'I agree that diving rashly into a situation is rarely wise,' Hermione said, still studying him.
'Then you'll see that this situation is unwise.'
She shook her head. 'On the contrary. I put many hours of planning and thought into this.'
Snape stared at her for a full three seconds before he remembered to close his mouth. He opened it again, in the hope that something intelligible would come out of it, but failed.
'You - planned this?'
'Yes,' replied Hermione. 'Quite carefully. Apart from the tripping bit, I decided on that at the last moment.'
It was such a turnaround of all he had assumed that Snape was at a loss on how to proceed. He decided, however, that simply staring at the girl was unproductive.
'I need to sit down,' he said, and regained his seat. Hermione nodded, but remained standing, a position that made Snape distinctly ill at ease, wanting to have the advantage of towering over her once more. He settled for staring at her feet for a few moments while he collected his thoughts before he stood again.
'Nevertheless,' he said with renewed confidence. Hermione raised her eyebrows in encouragement, and he lost his train of thought. He covered it by clearing his throat. 'Nevertheless-'
'You already said that,' Hermione interrupted, a glint of amusement in her eyes. Snape growled and waved his hand at her.
'Be quiet, you silly girl.' He groaned and put a hand over his eyes. This was not going as smoothly as would be convenient. 'This is precisely what I mean. Regardless of whether it is spontaneous or planned, such interaction between us is impossible. I realise we have yet to discuss the situation that occurred between the two of us some weeks hence, for which I take full responsibility. The effects of alcohol can never be underestimated, particularly when coupled with the disrupting environment to which you have been exposed recently and I am entirely at fault for not taking that into account. However, the cool and sober thought to which you have had recourse in past weeks will have shown you, as it has me, the unwisdom of pursuing such a course again.' He took a deep breath, glad to have dealt with the matter clearly and succinctly.
Hermione crossed her arms and leant against the table, a studious look on her face. 'You know, Severus, that sounded like a lecture one would give to a classroom of lawyers,' she said, sending him a calculating look. 'It's a good thing I'm given to browsing the dictionary every now and again, or I shouldn't have understood half of it. But well done, all the same.'
Snape felt his hands curl into fists of frustration. 'I'm glad I am entertaining you. This, however, was not my design. I am merely attempting to make clear to your questionable intelligence the ill-advised nature of allowing desires to overrule logic and reason.'
Hermione sighed, uncrossing her arms. 'Severus, so far what I've heard from you is this: you think that the only time I could possibly think of seducing you is when we accidentally come into physical contact and I am somehow overcome by desire, or when I am distraught and drunk. Oh, and of course, the appearance of reason should also be distrusted as it is also clouded by desire.' She raised her eyebrows. 'Forgive me Severus, but I detect a running theme here. I'm not sure what I have done in the past to make you think that I am a person completely controlled by her passions, but I feel this is a misunderstanding that needs to be cleared up.' Her expression changed to something more cunning, and Snape shifted nervously. He didn't like the change in the tone of this conversation.
Hermione took a step closer, and Snape tensed up. She smiled, and his sense of unease grew.
'I think at this point in time it would be a little useless to deny that I find you attractive,' she said, a slight blush creeping across her cheeks. 'I am, however,' she continued, recovering slightly, 'entirely capable of rational thought.' When Snape gave no reply, she narrowed her eyes at him and added, 'Perhaps I should demonstrate.' She stepped forward.
Seeing her intent, Snape took a step back, neatly placing a rather solid chair between them and ignoring her snort of disgust.
'That will not be necessary,' he said, with as much command as he could muster. He sighed. It was time to abandon a reasonable attitude. 'Hermione,' he said, fixing her with a firm look. 'You have to admit-'
'There is a lot of assuming going on here,' she muttered, and crossed her arms. 'I don't have to admit anything. Will you please accept that I am a rational human being capable of making decisions?'
'Fine,' Snape said, fed up with the whole conversation. She was just making it even more difficult than it was. Damn Gryffindors. 'Then allow me to say this: this, whatever it is, is not going to happen. I will not allow it. Now, please respect my wishes and confine your behaviour to that appropriate for colleagues, nothing more.' She was staring at him now, and he felt a little bad about having to make such a blunt statement, but it had to be done. Better this now, he thought, than giving into a little comfort only to have it ripped cruelly from them both.
Hermione dropped her eyes from his, appearing to meekly study the carpet. 'As you wish, Severus.' She looked back up at him, her face calm but solemn.
Unable to withstand the situation any longer, Snape gathered up his papers and bade her goodnight. He could feel her eyes on him as he closed the door.
Damn, damn, damn those straightforward Gryffindors. They didn't even have the decency to be scared off from a difficult situation when they saw one. Snape strode down the deserted corridors, fuming at the world in general. If only she'd been a Hufflepuff... no, he wasn't going to even consider that scenario. He shook his head. This was the state he was in, all because of a Gryffindor. Curse them all.
He swept down the corridor, cursing all Gryffindors and the impulsive gestures they made. They were impossible.
No matter how much one might want them.
***
Hermione watched the closed door for a few minutes, then began to tidy up the notes still strewn on the table. This was... well, not an entirely surprising turn of events, but unexpected none the less. For some reason, the idea that Snape would refuse her outright hadn't really occurred to her. It was a silly oversight, she could see that now. It was Snape-nature to do what he had just done, though she was quite impressed with the strength of will it had taken to interrupt a fairly pleasant kiss and do it.
What he had just done. She considered this for a moment, and then edged her way to a seat. She was a confident person in general but this was a bit of a blow by any standards. A man, who she had already slept with, had refused her. Quite strongly.
With a frown, Hermione stood and walked across to the window, letting the cool night breeze brush her hair out of her eyes. The boys would have a good laugh at this. Snape, the greasy git, rejecting her advances. She didn't know which aspect would be more laughable for them.
Her hands gripped the stones before she shook herself of her melancholy. She had allowed herself a moment of self-indulgence, but that was unproductive. Snape was attracted to her. There could be no doubt about that. She simply had to come up with a way to make that attraction outweigh whatever doubts he had. She frowned. Whatever those were - she had no solid idea of what went on in his head.
Hermione sighed and stood. This was indeed a setback, but she hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor for nothing. Gryffindors were, after all, famous for their brave-heartedness, their loyalty, their persistence and not least their tendency to plunge idiotically into situations that were beyond hopeless. She had no idea what she would do, but she was certain a plan would occur to her sooner or later. As she headed for bed, she decided firmly that Snape had better watch out.