Anti-lawyer spell: Only borrowing, not making any money with it, promise to
return ( although condition should have improved no guarantee is given).
Please review in abundance, it's the only thing that keeps me going. If there are any beta readers who wouldn't mind giving some constructive crits I would really appreciate it.
Summary: Sometimes dreams can become reality, the problem is deciding which ones and when that line has been crossed. A Snape and Hermione story which may change rating, depending upon the reviews and bunnies.
Thankyou for the reviews, promise to keep the word count up from now on. Will update regularly.especially if bunnies are well fed.hint hint ;o)
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A single nearly imperceptible nod was the only response from the man by the fire. Hermione settled herself into the chair opposite him, nervously wringing her hands. She still had absolutely no idea what to say to him, she wasn't ready for this confrontation, not by a long shot. It had been a month since she had last seen him. She had dreamed the dreame in that time, but knowing that she was in Hogwart's she had turned and run from his rooms, her feet automatically guiding her to her place of sanctuary. She had hidden in the tower over the west wing, deserted by the faculty and unkempt, she had often retired here during her last year at school. It was quiet, a place so deserted that even the ghosts had given up on it. To Hermione it was a place to think. She transfigured her cloak into a large armchair and positioned it so that it looked out onto the lake. Here she sat, thinking about her life, her situation, and yearning to return to her ignorant state. It had taken a long time to finally dredge up her courage enough to walk forward towards his room. She wished she waited until she had some answers before she had made the effort to face him. She still had no idea how she felt about him, about them, about what she now wanted and therefore she had nothing to say.
The silence in the room was oppressive, the crackle of the fire the only counter point to her own breath. Raising her chin she noticed he was staring at her, his head slightly tilted as he waited out her discomfort, no expression showing in his eyes other than a slight curiosity.
I, uhm..well that is to say., I" she tried, hoping her sentence would evolve into something other than just a rambling. "Could I possibly have a drink?" she asked lamely, her voice quavering slightly.
He gathered another glass from the sitting room and poured her a glass of the rich red wine he had been drinking when she entered. His hands moved swiftly and confidently, never betraying the turmoil which raged only slightly below the surface. Such, he had found in his more introspective moments, was his natural state. His mother had once likened him to a black swan, gliding about serenely on the surface, but beneath the water he was kicking about like mad. He had always been so, inherited his nature from his father he supposed, as he only remembered a calm faced and cold individual.
Severus Snape was a reactive person, dealing with people on a suspicious but courteous level until they had offended his sensibilities or at least managed to seriously upset him. Then he was on the path to vengeance, his opinion was inviolate once determined, and so he found himself constantly warring against the transgressions of those he was reluctantly surrounded by. He was unsure whether this was a particularly Slytherin trait, he did see it in a majority of his charges, or whether it was simply him. He decided that it explained his dependency on his dream state lover, he had simply reacted to her affection, to her passion. In doing so he had found his own feelings had changed, he had let his guard down and was now, looking at her tear filled eyes, regretting it. He felt guilty for revelling in her discomfort so decided to make a gesture to ease the situation.
"Would you care for a game of chess Miss Granger?" he said tersely, clearly his patience was rapidly coming to an end.
Hermione nodded, grateful for a non verbal excuse to remain. Severus had retrieved his set from the sitting room and set it up on the small reading table in between them. Giving Hermione the white pieces, he settled his frame back into the chair and they began a different game, a level within a level, he mused, wondering where it would lead them and what the prize might be.
The game passed, players concentrating on their moves missed the inquisitive glances from their opponent. Each of them was aware that the awkwardness of their meeting tonight had not been banished, simply delayed until the game had finished.
Hermione was not a particularly difficult player to beat; she had never practised enough to be able to use the standard gambits, to understand the levels of play and thought that went into each move. Severus, on the other hand played well. He was a strategist by nature, analysing all outcomes of an action was second nature to him. It had allowed him to live through his deadly game of spying for Dumbledore. Now that that was no longer required of him he found an outlet in chess, and Hermione was not surprised when he beat her soundly, although she was aware he had been toying with her.
"You could have finished it ages ago." She accused him, and listening to his hiss of indrawn breath she realised he had misunderstood her.
"The chess Severus, I was only talking about the chess." She whispered, watching an unknown emotion race across his face before he clamped the mask back into place.
"I think I had better go." She tried again, and rising she straightened her dress and cloak. He nodded again, not trusting his voice to respond. Turning as her hand was on the handle she saw he was still watching her intently, she smiled shyly.
"Thankyou for the game, Severus" she whispered.
For the life of him he couldn't tell if she had meant the chess or not. Authors note;
Many, many thanks for all the lovely reviews. Glad it is still catching your attention. Decided to lay off the cliff hangers, at least for this chapter.see, I do have a compassionate streak, not very wide but definitely discernible
Just one mention Iscriptikus- bear this in mind honey. I fell totally, obsessionally in love with a guy who couldn't see my worth. I was devastated for years. Through 10 years I felt for him, till I meet him at a school reunion. OMG- what a lucky escape from boredom. If a guy cannot see what is before his nose, then he is not worth bothering about. I know its cliché, but it is true. All of which is a bit personal to put on an a/n, but I felt you just needed a hug. xxx
Please review in abundance, it's the only thing that keeps me going. If there are any beta readers who wouldn't mind giving some constructive crits I would really appreciate it.
Summary: Sometimes dreams can become reality, the problem is deciding which ones and when that line has been crossed. A Snape and Hermione story which may change rating, depending upon the reviews and bunnies.
Thankyou for the reviews, promise to keep the word count up from now on. Will update regularly.especially if bunnies are well fed.hint hint ;o)
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss ssssssssssss
A single nearly imperceptible nod was the only response from the man by the fire. Hermione settled herself into the chair opposite him, nervously wringing her hands. She still had absolutely no idea what to say to him, she wasn't ready for this confrontation, not by a long shot. It had been a month since she had last seen him. She had dreamed the dreame in that time, but knowing that she was in Hogwart's she had turned and run from his rooms, her feet automatically guiding her to her place of sanctuary. She had hidden in the tower over the west wing, deserted by the faculty and unkempt, she had often retired here during her last year at school. It was quiet, a place so deserted that even the ghosts had given up on it. To Hermione it was a place to think. She transfigured her cloak into a large armchair and positioned it so that it looked out onto the lake. Here she sat, thinking about her life, her situation, and yearning to return to her ignorant state. It had taken a long time to finally dredge up her courage enough to walk forward towards his room. She wished she waited until she had some answers before she had made the effort to face him. She still had no idea how she felt about him, about them, about what she now wanted and therefore she had nothing to say.
The silence in the room was oppressive, the crackle of the fire the only counter point to her own breath. Raising her chin she noticed he was staring at her, his head slightly tilted as he waited out her discomfort, no expression showing in his eyes other than a slight curiosity.
I, uhm..well that is to say., I" she tried, hoping her sentence would evolve into something other than just a rambling. "Could I possibly have a drink?" she asked lamely, her voice quavering slightly.
He gathered another glass from the sitting room and poured her a glass of the rich red wine he had been drinking when she entered. His hands moved swiftly and confidently, never betraying the turmoil which raged only slightly below the surface. Such, he had found in his more introspective moments, was his natural state. His mother had once likened him to a black swan, gliding about serenely on the surface, but beneath the water he was kicking about like mad. He had always been so, inherited his nature from his father he supposed, as he only remembered a calm faced and cold individual.
Severus Snape was a reactive person, dealing with people on a suspicious but courteous level until they had offended his sensibilities or at least managed to seriously upset him. Then he was on the path to vengeance, his opinion was inviolate once determined, and so he found himself constantly warring against the transgressions of those he was reluctantly surrounded by. He was unsure whether this was a particularly Slytherin trait, he did see it in a majority of his charges, or whether it was simply him. He decided that it explained his dependency on his dream state lover, he had simply reacted to her affection, to her passion. In doing so he had found his own feelings had changed, he had let his guard down and was now, looking at her tear filled eyes, regretting it. He felt guilty for revelling in her discomfort so decided to make a gesture to ease the situation.
"Would you care for a game of chess Miss Granger?" he said tersely, clearly his patience was rapidly coming to an end.
Hermione nodded, grateful for a non verbal excuse to remain. Severus had retrieved his set from the sitting room and set it up on the small reading table in between them. Giving Hermione the white pieces, he settled his frame back into the chair and they began a different game, a level within a level, he mused, wondering where it would lead them and what the prize might be.
The game passed, players concentrating on their moves missed the inquisitive glances from their opponent. Each of them was aware that the awkwardness of their meeting tonight had not been banished, simply delayed until the game had finished.
Hermione was not a particularly difficult player to beat; she had never practised enough to be able to use the standard gambits, to understand the levels of play and thought that went into each move. Severus, on the other hand played well. He was a strategist by nature, analysing all outcomes of an action was second nature to him. It had allowed him to live through his deadly game of spying for Dumbledore. Now that that was no longer required of him he found an outlet in chess, and Hermione was not surprised when he beat her soundly, although she was aware he had been toying with her.
"You could have finished it ages ago." She accused him, and listening to his hiss of indrawn breath she realised he had misunderstood her.
"The chess Severus, I was only talking about the chess." She whispered, watching an unknown emotion race across his face before he clamped the mask back into place.
"I think I had better go." She tried again, and rising she straightened her dress and cloak. He nodded again, not trusting his voice to respond. Turning as her hand was on the handle she saw he was still watching her intently, she smiled shyly.
"Thankyou for the game, Severus" she whispered.
For the life of him he couldn't tell if she had meant the chess or not. Authors note;
Many, many thanks for all the lovely reviews. Glad it is still catching your attention. Decided to lay off the cliff hangers, at least for this chapter.see, I do have a compassionate streak, not very wide but definitely discernible
Just one mention Iscriptikus- bear this in mind honey. I fell totally, obsessionally in love with a guy who couldn't see my worth. I was devastated for years. Through 10 years I felt for him, till I meet him at a school reunion. OMG- what a lucky escape from boredom. If a guy cannot see what is before his nose, then he is not worth bothering about. I know its cliché, but it is true. All of which is a bit personal to put on an a/n, but I felt you just needed a hug. xxx