Hermione faced Severus with her sword. The older man chuckled softly and shifted into a defensive stance.
She always attacked first. It was a joy to spar with her, because she was very talented. Her eyes glimmered dangerously whenever her blade caressed Severus's side in mock tenderness. Her twists and turns were perfectly synchronised, and she was never destabilised or unbalanced. Her sword was a part of her body, like her hand, her wings, or her wand.
But tonight, Hermione stood still, eyes unfocused. Severus provoked her by pretending to attack. She absentmindedly stepped aside, guessing his intentions.
Severus had had enough and dropped his sword.
"-Meh? Why did you lower your sword? Too afraid to fight? Finally admitting that I'm better than you?"
Severus carefully watched her face. It was now attentive and lit with adrenaline. She looked ready to fight.
But he didn't want to. Severus wanted to know what she was thinking. But then again, her thoughts were private.
They started fencing, swords flashing as they danced across the little room.
Severus knew something very valuable about fencing. Whenever you fenced, your mind was so concentrated on the swords that you let all of your other thoughts and emotions run freely over your face.
Severus saw a whole spectrum of feelings in Hermione's face. Anger, hurt, concern, love and something else- something dark that he had seen before, though he couldn't say where.
The thing that bothered him was the love he'd seen in her face.
"Miss Granger, you seen to be lost in your thoughts this evening."
"Mmh… I guess so. So much has happened recently. My wings, my moulting, Lucius Malfoy…. It really bothers me that I can't talk about it with Harry and Ron."
"Any other problems?"
"Well, my wings have started to take up an awful lot of space. I'm sure people can feel them when I'm walking in a crowd.
"Anything else? Any interesting…. boys?"
Hermione was totally caught off guard. The girl was so surprised that her sword fell from her hands as she started laughing.
"Boys? No, Severus, you're the only one I want. Besides, who wants boys when you have a man?"
Severus smiled, comforted by her reassuring words.
He was about to kiss her as suddenly his arm started burning.
He gasped "…Summoned."
Hermione nodded and her school robes back on before leaving Severus's chambers.
The last thing he saw was Hermione leaving his quarters by the wrong door.
° She's going to the Potion's classroom. Surely that's because her bedroom door is oriented in the opposite direction. She'll notice her error soon enough. °
Severus disappeared in a flash of green flames as Hermione came out of the potion's classroom.
The girl carefully checked Severus was away before quickly padding through the room carrying a heavy jar with her.
She ran as quickly as she could back to her private chambers, hoping no one saw her. Hermione had the impression of seeing prying eyes in every dark corner of the dim corridors. The shadows somehow seemed to reach out for her, perhaps trying to snatch away from her the jar she was carrying.
Someone did saw Hermione. Two people did. They stood in a shadowed corner not far from the Potion Master's rooms.
"Your boyfriend is right. Something is happening."
"You know we are pawns in their game and they are pawns in ours."
Both girls exchanged a look.
"Something big is going to happen."
"Indeed. A big robbery of potions supplies. Should we feel bad?"
"Nah… besides, we'll cover for the Head girl."
They smiled from the shadows and walked into their teacher's private quarters, hurrying over to the door leading to the classroom.
When they left, both carried bags filled with something that smelled strongly of rotten exotic fruits.