Chapter 5
After dinner Hermione went back to her room. She was so unsettled and confused about how she felt. She had started something today she wasn't sure she was going to be able to go through with. The kiss with Severus was still lingering in her mind. Yes, she felt something stir when he kissed her, but she wasn't sure where she wanted that to lead.
She thought back to all the dates she had had throughout university. She remembered the guy that she had thought was THE ONE. Well, he was the one all right, but not that one. She still hurt from that. Was she ready to commit to another relationship?
A knock sounded on her door. "Come in?" she said with a question. This time of night, she wasn't sure what to expect.
"Hermione, I just wanted to see if you would like to come and have a cup of tea with me before we retire for the night." Minerva invited Hermione.
Herman looked around her room with a sigh. "Yes Minerva, I would be glad to join you. I don't think I'm good company for myself tonight."
They walked the hallway to Minerva's room. When she first came here, Hermione had specifically asked if she could be placed close to Griffyndor Tower and Minerva's rooms. Dumbledore was more than happy to accommodate. Minerva waited until Hermione was seated and drinking her tea before she inquired after Hermione's day. "Hermione, dear, I couldn't help but notice you were a little edgy through dinner. I hope Severus didn't...?"
Hermione started laughing rather bitterly. "No, Minerva. It's not Severus. I think it's me. I don't know how to handle all this and you remember the fiasco with Christophe in University, do you not?"
Minerva stared at her. "Hermione-that was over TWO years ago, surely you have begun to get over it! I can assure you, Severus would never do something like that to you."
"I know," Hermione sighed, "but I can't get it out of my mind. Any time I try to start a new relationship, it rears its ugly head. I care for Severus, surprisingly, but I'm not sure if I want to take a chance. I don't think I could stand to hurt my former professor in that way."
Minerva set down her cup and leaned forward. "Hermione, YOU must take a chance sometime. Otherwise how will you ever know what your heart is capable of? Just take it slow with Severus. Although he does have age on his side, he is young in the ways of love as well."
Hermione set her cup on the tray. "Thank you Minerva, you've given me a lot to think about tonight. I'll say my goodnight now."
As she got up to leave, Minerva said, "Life isn't always some sad country song Hermione."
Hermione gave Minerva a sad smile and walked out the door.
The next morning, after a rather sleepless night, Hermione headed down to breakfast. Severus was already seated at the head table. She nodded good morning as she walked through the hall and decided to sit next to him.
Severus looked at her with some concern. "Something wrong Hermione?" He inquired.
Hermione snapped "Nothing I wish to discuss Severus."
He looked slightly taken aback. He merely handed her the eggs and looked at what remained on his plate, trying to decide if he should leave or not.
She sighed "I'm sorry, I didn't sleep well. I had a lot to think about."
"I hope you are not regretting yesterday," Severus said with a slightly pinched look on his face.
"Severus, I don't think this is the place to discuss it." He started to open his mouth, but she held up her hand. "No, don't. We'll talk, just not now. I know what we talked about yesterday, but I don't think I realized what I was feeling at the time. I promise we'll talk later today."
He stared at her as he got up from the table. "I will be in my sitting room awaiting your presence Miss Granger. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll leave you to your breakfast." He stalked out of the room.
She stared after him with a melancholy look on her face. She had upset him yet again. She didn't mean to. He had started it by thinking something was wrong because she was just a little tired. Okay, so she was lying, but he didn't need to know that. He didn't need to know everything about her yet, dammit!
Minerva and Dumbledore exchanged concerned looks. She had filled him in on what she and Hermione had discussed the night before and Dumbledore had the same concerns as Minerva. He hoped Hermione didn't break his potion master's heart, but he had a feeling....
Severus stalked down to his dungeons. He had done that more since he had taken an interest in Hermione, than he had before she had come back. He would wait in his sitting room until she decided to come and talk to him. This love thing was enough to start a man drinking. Thank goodness he didn't have any firewhiskey in his cabinet or he might have been tempted to merely to 'calm his nerves.' WOMEN!
After dinner Hermione went back to her room. She was so unsettled and confused about how she felt. She had started something today she wasn't sure she was going to be able to go through with. The kiss with Severus was still lingering in her mind. Yes, she felt something stir when he kissed her, but she wasn't sure where she wanted that to lead.
She thought back to all the dates she had had throughout university. She remembered the guy that she had thought was THE ONE. Well, he was the one all right, but not that one. She still hurt from that. Was she ready to commit to another relationship?
A knock sounded on her door. "Come in?" she said with a question. This time of night, she wasn't sure what to expect.
"Hermione, I just wanted to see if you would like to come and have a cup of tea with me before we retire for the night." Minerva invited Hermione.
Herman looked around her room with a sigh. "Yes Minerva, I would be glad to join you. I don't think I'm good company for myself tonight."
They walked the hallway to Minerva's room. When she first came here, Hermione had specifically asked if she could be placed close to Griffyndor Tower and Minerva's rooms. Dumbledore was more than happy to accommodate. Minerva waited until Hermione was seated and drinking her tea before she inquired after Hermione's day. "Hermione, dear, I couldn't help but notice you were a little edgy through dinner. I hope Severus didn't...?"
Hermione started laughing rather bitterly. "No, Minerva. It's not Severus. I think it's me. I don't know how to handle all this and you remember the fiasco with Christophe in University, do you not?"
Minerva stared at her. "Hermione-that was over TWO years ago, surely you have begun to get over it! I can assure you, Severus would never do something like that to you."
"I know," Hermione sighed, "but I can't get it out of my mind. Any time I try to start a new relationship, it rears its ugly head. I care for Severus, surprisingly, but I'm not sure if I want to take a chance. I don't think I could stand to hurt my former professor in that way."
Minerva set down her cup and leaned forward. "Hermione, YOU must take a chance sometime. Otherwise how will you ever know what your heart is capable of? Just take it slow with Severus. Although he does have age on his side, he is young in the ways of love as well."
Hermione set her cup on the tray. "Thank you Minerva, you've given me a lot to think about tonight. I'll say my goodnight now."
As she got up to leave, Minerva said, "Life isn't always some sad country song Hermione."
Hermione gave Minerva a sad smile and walked out the door.
The next morning, after a rather sleepless night, Hermione headed down to breakfast. Severus was already seated at the head table. She nodded good morning as she walked through the hall and decided to sit next to him.
Severus looked at her with some concern. "Something wrong Hermione?" He inquired.
Hermione snapped "Nothing I wish to discuss Severus."
He looked slightly taken aback. He merely handed her the eggs and looked at what remained on his plate, trying to decide if he should leave or not.
She sighed "I'm sorry, I didn't sleep well. I had a lot to think about."
"I hope you are not regretting yesterday," Severus said with a slightly pinched look on his face.
"Severus, I don't think this is the place to discuss it." He started to open his mouth, but she held up her hand. "No, don't. We'll talk, just not now. I know what we talked about yesterday, but I don't think I realized what I was feeling at the time. I promise we'll talk later today."
He stared at her as he got up from the table. "I will be in my sitting room awaiting your presence Miss Granger. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll leave you to your breakfast." He stalked out of the room.
She stared after him with a melancholy look on her face. She had upset him yet again. She didn't mean to. He had started it by thinking something was wrong because she was just a little tired. Okay, so she was lying, but he didn't need to know that. He didn't need to know everything about her yet, dammit!
Minerva and Dumbledore exchanged concerned looks. She had filled him in on what she and Hermione had discussed the night before and Dumbledore had the same concerns as Minerva. He hoped Hermione didn't break his potion master's heart, but he had a feeling....
Severus stalked down to his dungeons. He had done that more since he had taken an interest in Hermione, than he had before she had come back. He would wait in his sitting room until she decided to come and talk to him. This love thing was enough to start a man drinking. Thank goodness he didn't have any firewhiskey in his cabinet or he might have been tempted to merely to 'calm his nerves.' WOMEN!