Woo hoo! I got reviews! does Happy Happy Joy Joy dance Me so happy! I hope you all enjoy chapter 2. Please review! I feed on reviews like a leech... okay bad analogy. I'll try to think of a better one by Chapter 3. Ja ne! F.H.
Chapter 2: Seek and You Shall Find
"So Ron and I were going to head over to Hagrid's after school for a visit. You coming, Hermione?"
Ron was already sitting in the Great Hall inhaling his food, and Harry and Hermione stood lingering in the doorway. Hermione had already eaten wasn't going to join her friends.
"I'm afraid I can't, Harry. I have tons of homework and then I have to see Professor Snape about an assignment." She couldn't very well tell Harry the real reason she was going to see Snape. 'He'd probably try to hex him if he knew what we did last night,' she thought.
"Well that's too bad. If you like, Ron and I can wait for you after you see him and we can go to Hagrid's afterwards."
"Oh, no. You go and enjoy yourself at Hagrid's. I'm not sure how long I'll be and you don't want to be out late at night," she said, hoping he'd give up the pursuit. Hermione didn't quite know what she could expect when going to see him, and she didn't want Harry and Ron to get suspicious if she was in there for more than a few minutes.
"Well, if you're absolutely sure, then I guess we'll see you later tonight then."
"Thanks for understanding Harry, I'll see you later." Harry gave Hermione a small smile and a wave and went to join Ron at the table. Once she saw he was seated, she left the hall and walked briskly to her dorms so she could finish her homework as quickly as possible and go see Snape. When she arrived, she walked straight up to her room and started on the first assignment she had on her list and continuing from there. By the time she was done it was an hour later. Her homework usually didn't take her that long to do, but her mind was constantly wandering to other thoughts... most notably, those of a certain dark-haired professor...
Hermione began her walk to the dungeons, avoiding anyone along the way who might impede her progress. When she arrived at Snape's door, she all of a sudden felt a stream of nervousness run through her. Twice she tried to rest her raised fist to the door, and twice she failed to do so. 'Why am I stalling?' she thought. 'Why am I afraid of how he'll react? Especially after last night.' Hermione really didn't know the answers to these questions, but she was determined to do what she came here to do. Her third attempt was successful and she knocked gently on the heavy wooden door.
"Who's there?!" came the bellowing voice from within.
"It...it's Hermione Granger, sir. I'd like to speak to you for a moment if I may." Hermione was surprised at how meek her voice had become all of a sudden.
"Very well, you may enter."
Hermione cautiously opened the door and stepped inside, walking towards the sound of his voice. Snape was sitting at his desk, furiously writing something on a piece of parchment. Most likely a scathing comment on some poor first year's assignment that would scare the young child into oblivion.
"Whatever you have to ask of me Miss Granger, please be short. I have several first year essays to review."
'Hm...I'm good,' she thought, smirking to herself. Snape didn't even bother to stop writing or look up to acknowledge her presence, though. Hermione walked closer to his desk and cleared her throat to chase away her nervousness.
"Well sir, I was... I just wanted to speak to you about last night."
Snape ceased writing immediately at her words. But he couldn't meet her face. Hearing no response, Hermione continued.
"I know that what happened was unavoidable, given the circumstances, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about it regardless. Actually... I just haven't been able to stop thinking about you, really. I know what I'm saying sounds foolish, but I..." Hermione stopped herself. She couldn't tell him how she truly felt. She was too afraid of rejection.
Snape remained deathly still. He hadn't even blinked during her speech, but now he felt obliged to say something. If he didn't, she would just stand there for eternity wringing her hands as she was currently doing. He couldn't see her face, but he knew by the sound of her voice that it must be wrought with worry. Snape slowly raised his head and met her eyes, confirming his suspicions. Now he just had to keep his own nerves under control.
"Miss Granger, you must try your hardest to forget the events that occured last night. What happened needed to be done to dissolve the spell, nothing more." Snape tried to keep his voice even and strong, but somehow it sounded a bit weak. His thoughts, too, were clouded by her image, but he wouldn't dare let her on to that in any way, shape, or form.
"I...I don't know if I can do that... I've been trying to do so all day, but to no avail. The more I try to forget, the more I think about it. And... the more I want you..." Her voice trembled towards the end. Hermione could feel her nervousness rising.
At that, Snape stood from his desk and crossed over to where she was standing.
"Miss Granger, may I remind you how inappropriate this conversation is turning? Unless you have an academic question to ask me, I suggest you leave immediately."
Hermione's eyes grew wider as she looked down at her feet. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes and her voice trembled as she spoke.
"Are you....are you saying that you don't want me?"
Severus snorted and turned his back on her, obviously annoyed that she had the nerve to ask such a foolish question.
"Whether or not I want you is of no importance," he answered sharply, knitting his brow. "Regardless of what happened between us and of the feelings we both exchanged, I am still your teacher and you are still my student. You must try your hardest to bury last night's events."
"How can you expect me to just forget what happened last night?!" Hermione could only stare incredulously at her Professor's back, awaiting a typical, harsh response that only he would be able to give. Fortunately, she didn't get one.
"Because I asked..." he murmured sadly, still unable to face her.
Hermione's face drooped at his words. "Why?"
'Why'.The infernal question he had no answer to. How could he tell her how he truly felt? Sure, he only slept with her to break the spell and get them out of that dismal house so that they wouldn't die. But what he hadn't bargained for was the afterthoughts that followed their experience. Thoughts that wormed their way into Snape's head and refused to 'get the Hell out' despite his desperate pleading. He knew that if he gave into those thoughts, he'd be undone.
"Please leave, Miss Granger. You're treading on very dangerous territory here, and I'd rather you not get hurt."
Hermione felt defeated. She knew he felt something that night or he woudn't be acting so evasive now. She also knew that he wasn't going to budge. With a heavy sigh, she turned and walked towards the door. But when she placed her hand on the knob to open it, a final thought emerged.
"Just say that you don't want me and I'll forget entirely about last night and pretend it never happened."
Snape could scarcely breathe. He certainly hadn't expected her to say that. 'Why the Hell couldn't she have just left well enough alone!' he yelled to himself. But Snape stuck to his guns and replied, "I don't want you."
"I don't believe you... not after the way you treated me last night..." she whispered. "Can't you at least look me in the eye and say it?"
Snape was getting more annoyed by the minute. "Miss Granger, you are wearing my patience thin. I suggest you leave."
Hermione let go of the door and walked towards him. "Please?"
Snape sighed and turned to face her, ready to remark on her insolence. But when he met her eyes, filled with sadness, his cruel facade melted and he was lost. "I cannot give you what you want. Even if what I want is the same. We must learn to deal with that reality."
Hermione's sadness grew. As it did, a small pair of tears trickled down her cheeks. As a last resort she asked him one final question. "Then, may I have one kiss to remember you by? Just so that I don't forget what it felt like."
Snape mulled this over in his brain. As much as he wanted to simply grab her by the scruff of her shirt and throw her out like the meddlesome know-it-all she was, he couldn't refuse her request. So he sighed and gave in.
"Very well. But make it quick."
Hermione stepped forward, closing the gap between them. Snape framed her face with his hands, smoothing her tears with his thumbs. Then, lowering his head, he delicately pressed his lips to hers. At first he just planned on making it quick- a slight peck on the lips and then off with her. But kissing her again forced last night's memories to come rushing back, like a tsunami, crashing into the part of his subconscious that told him not to kiss her in the first place.
That's when he deepened it, his insistent tongue teasing her lips and asking for permission into her mouth. When it was granted, he lost his last ounce of control. Hermione herself was in heaven. She never thought for an instant that he would have granted her request the way their conversation was going, let alone kiss her with such passion.
Snape pulled back first, pressing his forehead to hers, his breath coming in short gasps. Hermione kept her eyes closed, still reeling from the kiss. She didn't wish to move away from him for anything.
"That was...wonderful..." Hermione sighed, catching her breath.
"Yes... I had forgotten what it was like." Snape agreed. He definitely enjoyed that, and would most certainly not turn down another. His thoughts were interrupted though, when Hermione captured his lips again. He took this opportunity to move his hands to her back, while hers weaved through his hair to hold tight to his neck in a proper embrace. He let her have control of the kiss for awhile, and then he left her lips and trailed kisses across her cheek to her ear where he began nibbling, causing Hermione to gasp.
"Oh! Severus!" Her brain clicked then. "Oh... is... is it alright... to call you that again..." she managed between gasps. The last thing she wanted to do now was offend him.
Snape was now making his way down her neck. "I wouldn't expect you to call me anything else at this moment... Hermione..."
Hermione smiled, knowing she had Severus in her arms again. She moved in even closer, until her body was flush against his. That's when she felt a more insistent piece of his anatomy.
"Oh! I think someone else wants attention..." she smiled seductively.
"Mmm... sorry... it has a mind of its own," he murmured between kisses.
Hermione decided to make use of his current state. "Take me to bed, Severus."
Severus moaned deep in his throat. He thought she'd never ask. But his common sense got the best of him.
"We can't... not now. If you stay, people will be suspicious by morning."
Hermione thought for a moment and answered, "I'll just tell anyone that asks, that I fell asleep in the library and stayed there until morning. It'll also explain why I'll be wearing the same clothes from the day before."
Severus smiled, "Smart girl." He kissed her again, sliding his hands further down her body, past her buttocks, to cup the back of her thighs. Then in one swift movement, he hoisted her up and rested her on his hips. Hermione could only shriek in response.
"What in the world are you doing?!"
"'Taking' you to bed, of course," he said with mock innocence.
"Well, I didn't mean that literally!"
"Hm. Well, I thought in this case that a literal approach was best. I could always release you and let you fall to the ground..."
Hermione gripped tightly to Severus' form, afraid he might do just that.
"You wouldn't dare!"
Severus only gave a deep chuckle at her surprised answer.
"You tease!" she yelled, smacking him upside the head.
Severus put on his best 'Professor Snape glare' making Hermione take notice.
"Now, now... if you're going to get violent I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Of course if you behave, the rewards will be endless." And he continued his ministrations to her neck, sucking more than kissing this time, making her making her give off delectable moans. He only got so far though, having to stop upon reaching the collar of her uniform shirt. "Accursed uniforms! They're impeding my progress. And my hands are a bit full at the moment," he said, giving her legs a tiny squeeze.
It was Hermione's turn to wear an evil smirk. "I think I can help with that." She quickly unwound her hands from Severus' neck, pulled off her sweater vest, and began working on the buttons of her dress shirt. When that was taken care of, she quickly unlatched her bra, tossing it to the side with the rest of the garments.
Severus gave her an appreciative once-over and smiled at her. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?"
Hermione blushed. "You're just saying that because I'm half-naked."
With a snort he replied, "Hardly. You are equally beautiful, with or without clothing."
She blushed even deeper. Her exposed skin even took on a pinkish hue. "You're... the first person to ever say that to me..."
"I'm glad." He kissed her again to show her the truth in his words. "Shall we take this to the bedroom then?"
"Yes, let's."
Severus walked quickly to his bedroom carrying Hermione as if she weighed nothing. When they arrived, they both gave a knowing smile and looked in each other's eyes, knowing that when they awoke the next morning, neither one of them would be alone.
A/N: Okay my faithful reviewers! I've got a challenge for you! I desperately need a name for a magical gadget that I'm going to put in Chapter 3. Here's the device: It's an eavesdropping device like the extendible ears or a sneakoscope but different. The device, when latched to any solid door, will create an instant window into the room beyond that only the user of the device (and anyone who is with the user) can see through. You can't hear any sound, though. It is only a window. Anyone in the room cannot see the window, it is only one-sided, like those interrogation room mirrors at police stations. If a device like this already exists in the Harry Potter universe, please tell me. And if not, then get brainstorming. If anyone can think of a good name I'd appreciate it! The person who thinks of a good name will be given a cookie, much recognition, and a cameo in an upcoming chapter! Thanks in advance! F.H.