Disclaimer: All things in HP universe belongs to someone called J.K.Rowling, not B.Y.Rulz. Pity.
A/N: Finally this chapter is up! I've resolved to upload a new chapter once a week, so here it is. How do you anonymous reviewers remember which stories you are reading? *puzzled* Anyway, from now on please leave your e-mail so that I can notify you when this is updated! I've received 10 reviews this chapter...that's very very nice of you people! But I need morrrrrrrre...*agonizing groan* Do betas write summaries? Should I get one? *taps chin* Hmmm...
Kelly: I didn't think much about SS/HG before but since I stumbled upon WIKTT...well, here is more Sevvie for you (and me)!
crazy: Thank you! I will keep writing until my hand rots (not literally, but you get the idea)!
She-who-must-not-be-named: I understand...don't we all hate writer blocks! Remember I am here waiting patiently, so patiently for your new chapter!
ChocolatePudding2: A kissy Sevvie would be a terrifying Sevvie! But somehow it sounds very tempting to my ears...
Lagaz: Ohhh...a chocolate covered Sevvie...you are not the only one drooling...
TeaRoses: More on Ron's reaction, hope you enjoy! And yea, don't we all believe Sevvie is soft and compassionate deep down...*hugs him*
Tanit: Glad you love it! Hermione was younger than Harry and Ron. She entered Hogwarts at 10 (coz her birthday's in September) so she was 15 in fifth year, hope this clear it up!
Queen-Ditz: Here it is, the update! Hope you like it as much!
Mel: Whoa, thatz some compliment...*blushes* hope you like the other stories as well!
Weep You No More Sad Fountains: Hmm, you may have to wait longer for all this to come together! For all I know, I may be writing up to 400 chapters... kidding! I am only kidding! Don't hit me! Noooo! *dodges fists*
On with the story! Yay! Wait...*receives death glares* the song, or poem, was not mine. It was a beautiful Chinese song I've translated. Enjoy!
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The battle started--
Nipping my lips, accepting it with an upright back
Why don't I have the courage, to take that lovely promise?
"Wh-wha-what?" Harry said with a piece of toast in his mouth. Which was unfortunate, because as his mouth hung open, crumbs fell.
"You did what? " Lavender enquired with eyes as big as saucers and walking away from Harry.
"I said: I- flicked-some-chocolate-off-his-nose-and-licked-it," Hermione said, stopping at each word like to a kid, and slowly losing her patience. "And close your mouth, Harry, that's gross."
"Wh-Whoa," Harry pulled back his jaw which had almost touch the floor. "I never know you have that in you."
"Oh knock it off," Hermione said impatiently, "I have smacked Malfoy before! So how's this a big deal? I would have done it if there's chocolate on your or-" at this she paused and closed her eyes, "Ron's nose."
"But that's Snape Hermione," Lavender pointed out. "He is not Harry or Ron! They're your friends, you know."
"Not that he thinks so anymore," Hermione said darkly, looking sideways at a particular red-head a few feet in front of them, laughing and gathering a crowd around him. They were walking down to the dungeons, it was double Potions with- who else?- the Slytherins.
"That jerk," Lavender muttered. Harry's brows knitted tightly at this.
"He still likes you Herm," he said serenely, "this will take some time but he will understand some day."
"Hmm, I bet he will understand the day before the end of the world," Lavender said sarcastically.
"Look, I will talk to him," Harry ignored Lavender's comment and looked at the miserable Hermione. She nodded and flashed him a bitter smile.
"At least we think you did the right thing, being true to yourself and all," Lavender said comfortingly. "I mean, anyone who has half a brain would think so-"
"It's okay," Hermione willed the corners of her mouth to pull a wider smile. "I am alright-"
The three of them stopped as they approached the enormous door.
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The weighty diamond ring, the impossible mission
Safeguarding and shielding it on the convoluted marathon
But please, never let go of my hand
The dungeon was already half-filled by Slytherins who were uncharacteristically early that day when they entered the room. Hermione and Harry took their usual seats, while Lavender went over to join Dean in the row behind them. Hermione saw Ron stood at the door, looking around the room, obviously deciding whether to sit with them or not. The fact that he no longer wanted to be near her sent the bitterness that she was growing used to up her chest. A second later, Ron walked to the back of the classroom and sat alone beside the Slytherins.
Both the Griffindors and Slytherins seemed dumbfounded at this. Hermione's housemates wore puzzled looks on their faces, while their rivals simply arched their eyebrows. Ron kept his face at a straight, expressionless one and was defiantly not looking at anyone. Draco Malfoy was about to make a remark when Snape walked through the door leading to his office.
Still the tall, menacing man, he was clothed in black robes and wearing his patent scowl. He leant against his table- which bore no sign of last night's disastrous explosion- idly, arms crossed. If he had noticed any change in the seating arrangements, he hadn't voice it out. Hermione's attention easily slipped towards the man, and put Ron behind her concern. Harry observed her dreamy expression amusedly before poking her slightly. Two crimson patches rose on her cheeks and she smiled shyly at the boy.
"Today you are all brewing the Plausibus Potion, invented by Rachel Zennich in 1926, and is yet another potion likely to come up in your O.W.L." Severus drawled in his silky tone, intending to catch each and every student's attention. "Who can tell me what, exactly, does a Plausibus Potion do?"
Hermione's hand twitched as she refrained with all her might not to put it up. The class was half amused, half astonished to see her hand staying obediently on the desk instead of waving in the air at the sound of a question. Severus threw her a meaningful look before asking Pansy Parkinson to answer the question.
"The Plausibus Potion, if brewed correctly and drank directly, can cause the subject under its influence to believe almost anything he is being told. It was a Dark Potion before the 1980s when a reverse potion was invented. The potion can be fought though, and depends largely on the brewer's magical ability on its effectiveness. It is quite dangerous brewing it, because it is highly explosive before Lobalug venom is added." The Slytherin smiled smugly before sitting down.
"Correct, ten points to Slytherin." Severus smirked at the girl, knowing very well that she was familiar with the potion only because it was dark once. Her family must have told her about it. He shook off the thought and instructed the students, "Now set up your cauldrons and get the ingredients-" the ingredients list flashed on the blackboard, "from the cupboard."
Hermione stood up and read the list once more although she had it all in her mind already. She walked to her usual working bench, accio-ed the ingredients, and set up her cauldron. She was filling it with water when Severus started to group students into pairs. She was not paying attention, as she was sure she would end up with a Slytherin partner. He always paired us that way, not to enhance inter-house harmony of course, but to have his beloved Slytherins watchin' us for him, giving them the perfect chance to taunt and provoke us...she mused quietly and arranged the ingredients systematically on her bench.
Severus was indeed pairing one Griffindor to one Slytherin, only because he didn't trust two Slytherins around a cauldron full of potion ingredients. He easily paired Harry with Malfoy, Dean with Crabbe and Lavender with Parkinson. However, today a Slytherin boy was missing- whether he was sick or simply didn't want to show up Severus had no way to know- and that left two Griffindors out. He frowned and instructed reluctantly that Ron Weasley to move over and join Granger, who was busying herself around the cauldron. She is not truly believing that she could brew such a complicated potion single-handedly, is she? He thought, as Weasley dragged himself towards his housemate. Severus wondered for a moment why had Weasley looked as reluctant to move over as he was to order him to, but dismissed the thought. Griffindors are stupid, who wants to fathom their minds anyway.
----------
Everyone knows I have a fiery temper
Recklessly plunging into life, minding no manner
If I've resolved to be with you
I don't really care whatever I'd have to give up
If this feeling needs obstinacy, I will do what I have to
Run with all my might is the only thing I can do
Now I'm on the field
Biting on my lip, I set off in my wedding gown
Be with you the rest of my life...
Hermione was excited to find the potion more challenging that she thought. She was not looking when her hand reached out to the ingredients, her eyes being focused on the board, so she was very startled when she touched something warm on the bench.
"I am sorry I-" she stopped seeing whose hand she had touched accidentally. Ron glared at her but didn't say anything, and picked up the daisy roots he needed.
Hermione studied him for a second but he didn't respond further. She sighed inwardly and picked up her roots as well.
This is not unexpected, she reminded herself, take it easy Hermione, he will understand...
But she couldn't take it easy. The silence was unbearable between the two, and she missed the small talks, the laughs and even the bickering they would have shared if working together before. Willing her mind not to brood on the depressing moment, she turned her train of thoughts effortlessly towards their Potions Master.
He was sliding around without a sound, looking over the backs of unsuspecting students, checking their work. He marked the ingredients they took, especially the Slytherins', Hermione noted, probably because they were known to sneak ingredients into their robes. His robes billowed after him as he walked in the same arrogant, albeit elegant manner, but he managed to keep them out of the flames- Hermione almost chuckled remembering the last time his robes caught fire was the work of hers in first year.
"Are my eyes deceiving me, or are you really drooling all over Snape?" A cold voice injected and interrupted her thoughts.
All desire to chuckle had left Hermione quickly as she tore her eyes from Severus and looked into the smoldering ones of Ron. She flinched and searched for the familiar warmth in them to no avail.
Seeing Hermione flinched had only managed to anger Ron further. Snape was the one she should be flinching from, not me, he thought. From the way she looked at Snape, Ron suddenly understood that this was all real but not some nightmare. She hadn't had that look on her when she looked at Krum or Diggory, and this time she would not return, unlike the previous experiences when he was so confident that when she grew bored she would always come back to him. The reality struck hard and almost knocked him over and the sight of her glowing face became so intolerable that he found that he needed to rub it off by any means.
I did it, he thought with some grim satisfaction as the girl's face was immediately clouded by sadness, but the flinch made him wanted to attack again.
"I can't believe you like some kind of stuck-up fool twenty years older than you," he continued in a whisper so that only the two of them could hear.
"He is not a fool!" She started indignantly, but lowering her voice as well, "Don't call him-"
"Aww isn't that so sweet," Ron said, sarcasm dripping from his words, "What are you going to do, hex me into a flea? That'd be good because I will be blind and not see any future drooling of yours. Not to mention I can hop into Snape's greasy hair and suck his blood-" he put on a mock look of recognition, "Oh the greasy hair, is that the matter with you? You can't resist greasy hair?"
Hermione couldn't think of anything to say, so she looked down and continued crushing her beetle eyes although they were in very fine powder already. However, Ron wasn't finished.
"Look, if you haven't noticed yet, the chance of he ever noticing you is like slimmer than impossible, so why can't you- just get real?" He refrained from saying 'why can't you just be with me?' because he was not sure he wanted the answer. "I know you don't like your potions grade, but sleeping with him won't raise that to an 'O'..."
"I didn't like him because I want good grades!" She felt every capillary in her body threatening to blow at the scathing comment, and her heart pumped faster. Calm down, don't mind him Hermione, ignore him.
Ron snorted. "Oh? Then why would you fancy an old bat of a man? You are never exactly close to him are you? So why the sudden crush? You only liked him because of his looks- though why his looks appeal to you is beyond me- and a Slytherin, too."
"Ron," she pleaded. "If I could choose I would never have chosen him... I can't control how I feel about him-"
"I bet you can," he retorted heatedly, completely ignoring the fact that he couldn't control his feelings towards her either, "are you blind or are you imbecile? He is twenty years older than you, and we both know he would never return whatever you feel for him!" And I couldn't admit defeat to the greasy git I loathed from the first day I set foot in here, but this Ron didn't say.
"I- I," of course she had understood this one fact, but hearing Ron saying it so matter-of-factly had wounded her.
"You are only evading the obvious," stated Ron cruelly, paying no attention to the paling girl.
"I am not, and I hadn't decided to admit my feelings because I wanted him to return anything to me!" Hermione said with some difficulty, her chest was tightening again, which was not a good sign. He didn't mean it, ignore him, she ordered herself to little success. Nevertheless, she continued, "I am simply being brave, acting according to my heart like a proper Griffindor. Unlike someone else who never had the courage to admit anything."
"I am not a coward!" He said, rising his voice and earning himself some curious glances from students working next to their bench, but he didn't pause so much as a second. "So I love you, does that sound okay to you? Or should I shout it in front of the class?"
Hermione caught Lavender's alarmed gaze, but she shook her head, silently indicating that nothing was wrong. "I am sorry-"
"And what good would my confessing do? Are you going to come back to me because I admitted my love to you? Are you? Are you?" Ron pressed, his face's color matching that of his hair, and Hermione swore she could see smoke coming out of his head like the cauldron beside him.
"No, Ron-" his face went even redder at this, and Hermione's chest arched badly at the sight. "Listen, there is more to love than asking for something in return. Like caring, like giving, like sacrificing-"
"Our friendship. Is that what you are planning to sacrifice? Is it?" He didn't care about keeping his voice down anymore.
"No! What makes you think I would ever do that?" The pain! Had he no faith in me? Didn't he understand what his friendship meant to me? "But like I said, I am a Griffindor-"
"DON'T YOU DARE SAYING 'GRIFFINDOR'!" Ron bellowed, unaware that the whole dungeon had gone quiet and everyone was listening intently. "THAT IS A LIE! AN EXCUSE! THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE, A PATHETIC EXCUSE OF A GRIFFINDOR! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A DAMN BETRAYAL!"
With that he gathered up his dignity and belongings, and stormed out of the dungeon.
The dungeon went dead for a full five minutes, no one, no one ever shouted in Snape's lessons, let alone running out of it. Everyone stood stunned, including Hermione, who seemed unable to take in any of this and had a blank look on her face.
"Tut, tut," Draco Malfoy broke the silence finally, "I never thought I'd see the day that Weasel find his wizard pride back and dump his mudblood girlfriend." The Slytherins sniggered and the room buzzed back into life.
"Take that back!" Harry shot up angrily as some red sparks shot out of his wand tip. Lavender and several other Griffindors stood to back him, their wands also in place.
"Giving me an order, Potter?" Malfoy drawled, slowly standing up with his fellow Slytherins, wands out. "I am a prefect-"
Glares were thrown between the two parties, while the looks on their faces clearly showed that curses were what they wished to throw. Tension slowly built up and neither party prepared to back down. In this bursting atmosphere, Neville was the only one who noticed when Hermione suddenly doubled over. He let out a small yelp, and immediately became the center of attention. He cowered a little under all the glowers, and pointed at a very pallid and panting Hermione.
She didn't know what had hit her for a second, the pain was so intense and forced every ounce of air out of her lungs. Her vision was blurred by tears, and she bent over clutching her chest, when all she wanted to do was to scream, scream, scream the pain out. However nothing more than a moan escaped her lips.
"What the-?" Harry blinked, stupefied and stared as Hermione struggled to stand up and with trembling fingers fished a phial out of her robes, then downed the green contents in one gulp.
"Fainting again?" Malfoy sneered, his wand still in his hand. Harry whirled and faced him once more, growling venomously.
"QUIET!" Snape hissed dangerously. "Put away your wands and get- Back- To- WORK!" Every student immediately obeyed seeing their teacher shaking with fury.
His lesson had not been disturbed for a long time, and last time it did he deducted two hundred points each from the boys, which were, fortunately, not in his house. He calmed himself down and glared at the source of all disturbances- Hermione Granger. She had went back to work, her breath stabled but color had not returned to her cheeks, where huge, crystal-like tears rolled down and dropped into the simmering cauldron before her. It was almost miraculous that in such a battered state her potion was still perfect.
Hermione put in the last of her roots and stirred slowly, automatically, her mind unable to think but only replaying every little detail of what had Ron just said.
...Are my eyes deceiving me, or are you really drooling all over Snape?...
...He is twenty years older than you, and we both know he would never return whatever you feel for him! You are only evading the obvious...
...And what good would my confessing do? Are you going to come back to me because I admitted my love to you? Are you? Are you?...
...Our friendship. Is that what you are planning to sacrifice? Is it?...
...DON'T YOU DARE SAYING 'GRIFFINDOR'! THAT IS A LIE! AN EXCUSE! THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE, A PATHETIC EXCUSE OF A GRIFFINDOR! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A DAMN BETRAYAL!...
"Miss Granger, your potion is going to explode if another tear dropped in it," commented Severus dryly, not sure whether his voice had penetrated through the blue fog circling the girl or not. Lavender threw him poisoned daggers through narrowed eye slits. Hermione cringed at the voice, and looked up into him like she just found out that she was in a dungeon and he was there.
Something in those large, teary brown eyes unnerved him, and he couldn't look away from them. She blinked, causing another round tear to fall, which was hastily brushed away with the back of her hand. "I- I am sorry sir." Her voice wavered a little, but to Severus' relief she hadn't break down or faint beside the cauldron, who knows what I'd do if that happened? I may lose my patience completely and combust her in my deluxe silver cauldron, size 10.
The lesson went on relatively uneventfully. The students filled their phials and labeled them, while Severus assigned them their essay. Hermione was writing it down in her planner when she heard Severus called, "Miss Granger, Potter, see me after lesson. And you too, Mr. Malfoy."
She slipped her belongings into her bag, mentally sighing, she had thought he had forgotten about punishments and taking points. She walked up biting her lips, and saw Harry and Malfoy fidgeting in front of the desk, shoving each other's foot below it.
"That was very unwise of you Draco," Severus said in his silky tone, though his expression was stern, "I am most unwilling to, but 50 points are taken from Slytherin." Turning to Harry, his voice became notably icier, "And you Potter, will serve a week's detention with our caretaker, with 50 points taken as well." He paused slightly as if challenging him to say anything and when Harry didn't, he scowled and said, "Get out, you two."
Hermione gave Harry a reassuring smile when he turned back at the door, behind which he disappeared. She sighed, not wanting to face Severus alone, not after the embarrassment. He had seen me crying and heart-broken. That's just great.
Severus scrutinized the shifting Griffindor in front of him. She is not looking up, he thought, last night she did after blasting my room apart... the chamber was completely silent now, save for the shallow breath of Hermione. The two of them stayed there, lost in their own thoughts.
"I am-" Hermione began shakily, but Severus interrupted her apology.
"Look, I don't care what happened between you and Weasley. These things happened often enough starting from fourth year," he snorted, "But never in my classrooms. 200 points will be taken from you and Mr. Weasley. As for detention- you still have plenty of them at hand with me. I will decide what should be done after these. And tonight, same time, same place."
"Yes sir," she replied in a low voice.
"Tell Mr. Weasley if he wanted to come back to Potions, which is necessary if he wanted to become anything useful, come to me with a fifteen-inched written apology."
She nodded and began to leave.
"Wait," Severus called, "Give me the phial."
She didn't question but reached into her robes obediently. He summoned a tall bottle from the cupboards behind him. Filling the small phial she handed him, he wondered fleetly what was he doing. The silence continued.
He handed her a full bottle and she muttered a 'thanks'.
"Try not drink that too often," he said emotionlessly, "control your temper."
She nodded again and without another word she left the dungeons.
----------
The battle is raging--
From the beginning, generals bit back tears and fight
Falling madly in love, should be something similar
To her dismay, Hermione found herself not able to concentrate during lessons. Ron hadn't showed up in any of them, but his words echoing in her mind was enough to drive her insane. Lavender and Harry hadn't say anything to her but stayed with her, silently supporting, to which she was grateful. She needed to think things over.
*...I can't believe you like some kind of stuck-up fool twenty years older than you...*
No. A small voice from the back of her mind retorted. He is not a fool, and what does age means anyway. I don't care-
*Look, if you haven't noticed yet, the chance of he ever noticing you is like slimmer than impossible, so why can't you- just get real? I know you don't like your potions grade, but sleeping with him won't raise that to an 'O'...*
Oh that's just cruel Ron, the voice sounded hurt, that's just so cruel. We've known each other for five years, and still you don't understand grades aren't everything to me.
*Oh? Then why would you fancy an old bat of a man? You are never exactly close to him are you? So why the sudden crush? You only liked him because of his looks- though why his looks appeal to you is beyond me- and a Slytherin, too.*
I don't only like him because of his looks! the voice defended, but you've got a point... I am not exactly close to him. So what? I will find out about him today...
*Are you blind or are you imbecile? He is twenty years older than you, and we both know he would never return whatever you feel for him!*
I am not blind, I am not imbecile, and oh Ron it would hurt you if you know how much I understand the last part-
*You are only evading the obvious...*
Really Ron, let's pretend that I am already painfully aware of the obvious, and you don't need to rub it in.
*You are only evading the obvious...You are only evading the obvious...*
"Miss Granger? Miss Granger?"
"Agrhh!" Hermione snapped back to reality. She was in the same corridor outside the Transfiguration classroom, how she got there she had no idea, and both her friends were nowhere in sight.
"Are you alright?" The voice was stern and familiar. Hermione looked up and saw it belonged to none other than the head of her house.
"I am- sorry-" she stammered.
"I need to talk to you," Professor McGonagall said. "Come into my office."
The two witches entered McGonagall's office. Hermione glanced at her watch and was startled to see that it was almost six. Oh Merlin, the plan.
"Miss Granger?" the older witch inquired, looking closely at her brightest student. The girl seemed distracted lately, she noted.
"O- oh," Hermione snapped her head up, "What is that you need to talk about professor?"
"Yes," McGonagall said in her usual stern voice. "I was informed that 250 points were taken from Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and you, Miss Granger. Would you please enlighten me how on earth you three lost all these points? From two prefects, too!"
Hermione closed her eyes and sighed. Now she had to go over the whole thing again, as if she hadn't tortured herself enough.
"And what is this news that Mr. Weasley ran away from Professor Snape's class?" McGonagall demanded but noticing the younger witch's uneasiness.
"It's all my fault," opening her eyes, Hermione replied quietly. "If it wasn't for my foolishness all this wouldn't have happened." Unable to stop the tears threatening to flow, she lowered her head, but McGonagall didn't miss that.
"What is it Hermione?" McGonagall asked kindly, motherly, dropping her strict tone.
She didn't want to answer, no, but she was too exhausted to hold back her tongue and tears. Feeling vulnerable and weak, she poured her heart out nevertheless. McGonagall didn't interrupt but listened to the sobbing girl attentively.
After half an hour of sobbing, Hermione felt her throat very dry and was grateful for her professor's glass of water. She wiped her swollen eyes and looked up for the first time in thirty minutes. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to tell any of this-"
"It's okay," McGonagall smiled, to Hermione's surprise. "It's okay to like Professor Snape, though why would you- ah, but I am not to judge."
Hermione had imagined anger or confusion from her mentor, but appreciated her understanding very much. She smiled back.
"This had happened before," McGonagall continued, recalling her past. "Students had liked teachers before, and vice versa. Not many of them ended up together, but some succeeded..." her voice trailed off and Hermione wondered who she was talking about.
"But that's not the point," the older Griffindor said abruptly, and looked back at Hermione. "You have my support Miss Granger, as long as you follow the school rules- no, there is not a rule on student-teacher relationships," she added seeing the girl's worry.
Hermione stuck her tongue out guiltily at the floor but McGonagall didn't see. She hadn't tell her professor that the current plan she had in mind would probably break school rules.
"-you need, is a badge," McGonagall said and Hermione quickly focused. The older witch pulled out her wand and waved at the prefect badge Hermione pinned on her robes. A sliver spark enveloped the badge before disappearing. "There."
"What does this spell do?" Hermione asked, curious at her teacher's satisfied smile. She fingered the badge- it didn't feel any different to her.
"Now Professor Snape can't take points from you as long as this is pinned on." McGonagall fought back a chuckle thinking of her colleague's face when he couldn't deduct points from a Griffindor.
Hermione gaped at the other witch, then at her badge. Am I dreaming, or is Professor McGonagall really helping me with my- er- crush?
"Don't look at me like that," McGonagall forced down another chuckle seeing the girl's face. "I am merely preventing Griffindor from ending up with negative points, which is bound to happen unless I miscalculated Professor Snape's reaction to all your- advances. You are acting, right? Or are you sitting back and wait?" She was suddenly severe.
"I am acting," grinned Hermione brightly, and McGonagall returned it.
"I must warn you though, the badge doesn't stop him giving you detentions, though I suspect you wouldn't mind that." She grinned wider as Hermione blushed. She then handed her a note. "Give this to Professor Snape, and off you go! It's almost dinner time."
Hermione took the note, looked at her watch and panicked. "Thank you Professor," she said and ran out of the office.
Professor McGonagall watched as her student exited and smiled thinking of her own school days.
----------
Lend me a breath and I would now gladly be martyred by love
Is it all a poisoning fraud or deep deep sweetness
How am I to know if I won't take it?
Hermione busted into the Great Hall and ran to her seat. Her friends looked up, alarmed.
"No time!" She said and shoved food into her mouth. Harry gawked at the girl who was always reminding him about table manners tucking into the food ravenously.
"Slower!" Ginny advised from across the table and kicked her boyfriend under the table. Neville got the clue and nodded frantically in agreement.
"I am late for detention," Hermione explained between swallows of potato mash.
"Why did you come in late in the first place?" Harry asked, "It's almost ten to eight already."
"Secret." She answered and almost choked on a piece of steak. Neville handed her a goblet of pumpkin juice.
"Thanks!" She swallowed it in two gulps and stood up. "See you guys later!" Then she ran out of the Great Hall in the same whirlwind-like way she rushed in.
The Griffindor table goggled at their prefect.
----------
Everyone knows I have a fiery temper
Recklessly plunging into life, minding no manner
If I've resolved to be with you
I don't really care whatever I'd have to give up
If this feeling needs obstinacy, I will do what I have to
Severus eyed the plate lying on his desk suspiciously. On the plate was a piece of, steak? He was not sure, but that piece of thing resembled greatly of charcoal. He picked up a fork and poked it discreetly. It was hard as rock. He slowly lowered his head and sniffed it- it smelt like some potion that had gone terribly wrong, he thought. Even the gravy didn't look right, it was a deep orange liquid reminding him strongly of Stinksap.
Is this sent by one of the many students nursing a grudge against me? He mused. But surely if they wanted to poison me they would at least try to make this appealing. I mean, why would anyone in their right mind eat this?
"Adely!" He called. Maybe this is just another new dish the house-elves are trying. The mousse last time didn't look appetizing either, but it tasted quite nice- before I knew that it was made of mud...
"Sir!" A high squeaky voice interrupted his thoughts. A small house-elf had appeared on his desk. "Ye called Adely, sir?"
"What is this?" He cut straight to the point, pointing to the plate of 'steak' next to the tiny elf. Dumbledore had made him promised to have supper every night, and Adely was the house-elf responsible for this.
Adely trembled at the sight of the dish, and started to hit herself on the head with her tiny fists. "Bad Adely, wrong Adely!"
Severus tapped his foot impatiently and grabbed her fists. "Tell me, is this cooked by you, or are some students attempting to poison me again?"
"It's not make by Adely," the house-elf stuttered.
"Who then? Who sent me this?" He demanded harshly. That's why I hated dealing with house-elves, he thought darkly.
"Can't tell, bad, bad Adely! Can't tell sir!"
Severus rolled his eyes and was about to say something when someone knocked.
"Throw that away and bring me something decent," he ordered. The elf brightened upon an order, and dissipated together with the plate.
----------
Sprint with all my might is the only thing I can do
Now I'm on the field
Biting on my lip, I set off in my wedding gown
Be with you the rest of my life...
Hermione knocked again. Someone was talking inside the dungeon. She leaned closer to the door when suddenly, it opened.
"Oh!" She straightened up, her face quickly reddening.
Severus glared at the girl who nearly stumbled into him. He pursed his lips but walked back into the dungeon. She followed and closed the door behind her.
Get to know him, get to know him today... she remembered the promise she made to herself earlier that day. Standing in the middle of the room, she shifted under his cold eyes. I do not like him only because of his looks...
She looked up at the stone ceiling as if asking for divine assistance, then into his eyes. She fought to keep her voice from shaking, and smiled.
"So, have you eaten yet, sir?"
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A/N: *hem hem* So how do you like it? This is the longest chapter I've made, but I want all of you to think this deserves the wait! Had I confused you? Or do you like the suspense? And did you cry when reading this? I almost did writing it. Please tell me what you think by REVIEWING! And my other stories- 'the Visit' and 'Is a young Snape a good thing?' More Sevvie ensured!
