Changes Made
Chapter Eighteen
Hermione sat with Professor Snape at his desk. They were bent over Merlin's book, reading and making up a schedule for when each step of the potion needed to be executed. It wasn't going very quickly. Hermione couldn't keep her mind on anything but the delicious scent of rosemary emanating from Snape's hair, and Snape couldn't concentrate on anything but how close he was to Hermione. The silence grew uncomfortable.
"Um," Hermione said. "What do we need to start it?"
"The…" Snape began, still staring at the book. "The silver…silver cauldron, and one litre of moon water…then we add seven drops of essence of eyebright… Perhaps we ought to assemble all ingredients before beginning."
"Excellent suggestion, sir," Hermione said quickly.
"If you will read out the ingredients," Snape offered, "I will retrieve them from the supply cupboards."
"Yes, professor," Hermione agreed and began to read aloud. "Essence of eyebright, fourteen bluebell blossoms, acacia root, ash root, clove oil, jasmine oil, a sprig of rosemary, powdered… this word is smudged Professor, can you read it?"
Snape set down the bottle he was removing from the cupboard and moved to read over her shoulder. Hermione was highly aware of his skin near hers, radiating warmth. Her scalp prickled and a chill ran down her spine. She could hear him breathing. Hermione turned her head slightly. She could see his face, inches from hers. A lock of hair slipped from the tail held by a leather thong at the nape of his neck, brushing her face. Hermione could smell the rosemary and something else as well, something different and distinctly attractive. She held her breath, not sure whether she ought to be enjoying this closeness to Snape, or cringing away.
"It says 'euphrosyne', Snape told her. It's an… an herb." He'd moved his head to look at her, and now met her eyes. Hermione held his gaze until Snape seemed to realise how strange this all was. He straightened suddenly and stepped away from the desk. "What else do we need?" Hermione finished reading the recipe, pausing every now and then so Snape could collect everything properly.
"Should we prepare it all beforehand?" Hermione inquired. "Before we begin again, I mean."
"Probably so," Snape said. "Let me see the book again, please." Hermione slid it across the desk to him. She watched at him as he read, head bowed. When he looked up again, he met her eyes for the second time. Each of them froze in place. Hermione was thankful when a cutting board fell from the cabinet, shattering the reverie. She was very unsure of her feelings.
"What should we do first?" Hermione asked, standing to pick up the cutting board.
"We need the eyebright first, but the drops go directly into the water before it's boiled. After it boils, we add the bluebell blossoms whole, so the next thing is acacia root, which needs to be sliced into equal pieces."
"I can do that," Hermione offered. "May I have a knife, please?" Snape handed her one from the store closet, his fingertips brushing her in the process. Hermione shivered. How strange! She sliced the root with a practised hand as Snape chopped ash root into tiny pieces on another cutting board. The other oils were arranged in order of need. Hermione eyed the euphrosyne with a raised brow.
"It takes a great deal of effort to powder," Snape told her. "I can do that later. If you'd like to leave now, I can take care of storing these things," he gestured to the roots. Hermione agreed, looking (and feeling) rather overwhelmed. She departed quickly, thanking Snape several times as she did so. In the corridor outside Professor Snape's classroom, Hermione leaned against the wall, cool stone to flushed skin, breathing heavily. The effect the Potions Master had on her had never before been quite so pronounced. The worst part was, Hermione wasn't sure whether she truly disliked it…
………..
Snape's hands shook as he held the mortar and pestle, ready to powder the euphrosyne needed for Veritaserum. His heart pounded in his chest, and his breathing felt laboured and short. A bit of hair had escaped from its tie. Snape set the mortar down, pestle clanking inside it. He sank into the chair behind his desk and rested his head in his hands. Once more the question rose in his mind: Why did Hermione Granger affect him so? It was strange for him, being out of control like this. Was he wrong in thinking that perhaps, she was affected, too?
The expression in her eyes when he looked at her was unfathomable. He remembered the feel of her so close to him, her breath tickling the sensitive skin at his cheek, her watching him from beneath her long, curling lashes. Snape felt lost without an answer. If he wasn't wrong, where could he go? If he was, what would he do to keep his self-control? Snape had promised her more than a month of assistance with a difficult potion. He cursed himself again for his abandon.
Snape directed his attention firmly back where it belonged. He picked up the mortar and pestle again. Taking a deep breath, the Potions Master steadfastly began to pound the euphrosyne, as if each purposeful meeting of porcelain and herb would bring him closer to the answers he sought.
…………
That evening, per Dumbledore's instructions, Harry and Hermione made their way to the Great Hall as the rest of the school began pouring in from the Entrance Hall doors. They waited anxiously at Gryffindor table for Ron and the rest of their friends. Ron seemed just as excited to see them, clapping Harry and Hermione on the back
"Harry, mate! How've you been? Hello, Hermione!"
"Are we glad to see you," Hermione said fervently.
"Has Snape been hard on you?" Ron asked with a grin. "I don't envy you at all for that." He grinned at Harry and sat down. "Tell me about it!" Hermione was quite content to let Harry relate his tale of events. Her head still spun from her afternoon in Snape's classroom. Ginny looked at her curiously when she sat down next to Ron at the table, but any questions were quickly lost in the flurry of greetings and story-swapping.
"Anything happen on the train?" Hermione asked Ginny, speaking loudly over the roar of students chatter in the Hall.
"Malfoy came in once with Crabbe and Goyle, but he just said some rot about how things were going to be 'different' this year. I can imagine he's right; the students are certainly more willing to believe that You-Know-Who is back." Ginny looked worried for a moment. "The inter-house relationships will probably be a lot closer now."
"Was Luna with you this time?"
"Yeah," giggled Ginny, "And as strange as usual. She was reading The Quibbler again. Says it's been really successful since that interview with Harry last year. Do you know who our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher is this year?" Ginny asked with interest.
"No!" Hermione exclaimed. "I hadn't even thought about it until now!" Both girls looked towards the high table. Dumbledore was there, watching the proceedings with something akin to delight, and Hagrid of course. Professors Trelawney, Sprout, Flitwick, Vector, and Sinistra were seated, as well as the Ancient Runes Professor and the Professor of Muggle Studies. Hermione watched as Professor Snape entered the room from a back door, catching her eye by accident as he slipped into a seat. They froze once, more, Hermione's face flushing. Ginny looked at her curiously, but by the time she looked to see where Hermione was gazing, Snape had turned away.
"Something wrong?" she asked.
"N-no," Hermione stammered, looking away. "Nothing. Look! Here come the first years!" Led by Professor McGonagall, an open-mouthed group of First Year students were filing into the Great Hall, gaping up at the enchanted ceiling and the hundreds of older students around them. When they reached the front of the room, the Sorting Hat opened its mouth and began to sing from its traditional stool.
Welcome once again to Hogwarts
We're mighty glad you're here,
To sing and learn and laugh with us
Through another splendid year.
There is no need to be afraid,
Be glad of me, instead.
Step up when your name is called
And place me on your head
I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
I can see what's on your mind
I look inside your head and place you
Based on what I find.
I might put you in Gryffindor
Where the bravest folk belong
You will find that Gryffindors
Are honest, bold and strong.
The Hufflepuffs, they stand alone
They are just and kind and true,
They are patient and they're loyal,
Does this sound at all like you?
I might place you in Ravenclaw
Where the scholars have their say,
If you've a knack for wit and learning,
In the eagle-house you'll stay.
Or slither in to Slytherin
Where dwell the sly and keen
The cunning, smooth, and skilful
Will often there be seen.
But please make friends in every house
Don't take house bonds too strong
To pride yourself on the house you're in
Is a great and dreadful wrong
Now step right up and have a go,
Don't back away in fear
Welcome in to Hogwarts
And have a brilliant year!
The room burst into applause as the Sorting Hat finished its song. Professor McGonagall stepped up beside the stool and pulled out a scroll. Each new student stumbled up the platform in turn, looking fearful and nervous. Then the hat would shout a house and the student would doff the cap to thunderous applause, looking relieved. Finally, after "Zidzik, Jacqueline" was sorted into Ravenclaw, Dumbledore rose and made his customary first night speech.
"Good evening. I know you are all anxious to get on to our fabulous food and drink, so I will keep this short. First of all, I would like to welcome every one of you to another year here at Hogwarts. Second of all, I am sure many of you have noticed the empty seat here at the Professor's table. Our new Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts will be arriving after the meal. With that said," he paused and smiled, looking around the room, "Let the feast begin!" Professor Dumbledore waved his hands, and food appeared from nowhere in the waiting dishes on every table. Noise filled the Hall once more as every student began to eat, laughing and talking the entire time.
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A/N: What did you think of the poetry? Took me ten minutes. :0) Next chapter, the revealing of our new DADA teacher. Any guesses?
Oh, and did anyone else get a weird review from wehatepiggiears20? What was that about?
And to report plagiarism, of which one case (or does it count as two) has recently come to my attention, look at the dark blue task bar at the top of every page and click on the drop-down menu labeled "Menu". Select "Help" and you get a page with all of the addresses and stuff.
To parody-of-an-angel, of course it can be misinterpeted! :D
To charmed piper, mention teh errors to me and I'll see what I can do. Thanks!
To Wiily, you're the only person who picked up on that. He tells her about it later. Good detective work, mate. :-)
To Artemis MoonClaw, Happy birthday.
To wackoramaco87, yes, this takes place sixth year. I might skip ahead to seventh year graduation, though. We'll see.
To quartz, I try. :0)
Okay, that ought to do it! Thanks so much for your support! As always, thanks to my fabulous betas, Aindel S. Druida and Kerichi.
Have a fabulous day!