Chapter Ten: Potion Complication
Every one in the castle was packed and ready to go that morning of the 16th.
Everyone, except Harry and Ron.
"Tell me one thing," Hermione said darkly, "When were you actually planning on packing BEFORE I reminded you?"
They both exchanged 'we are in deep,' looks. Then faced Hermione shame faced.
"I thought as much." She let out a large sigh and continued to fold Harry's shirts. A little 'ding' came from the fire place and Dobby and Winky walked in carrying Ron's newly clean clothing.
"Thanks you two, a life saver, both of you!" Ron said Happily and took his clothes, of which he and Harry started to fold and organize.
About and hour later they were both packed, record time.
"You are both SEVENTEEN!" Hermione chided, beginning another lecture. "When are you planning on taking care of yourselves?"
Their heads lowered further.
"Never mind." She muttered and went back to packing.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hermione massaged her neck as she went to the library, Harry and Ron had boarded the train, just moments after they had finished packing.
And just guess who did majority of the work.
Yeah, typical boys.
It was late, and she wad heading down to the potions lab, still sore.
"Come In." the order came just after her first knock.
"Sorry I'm late professor, Harry and Ron needed help packing, and I over rested."
"Excuses, never mind, come on over, you'll be helping me with potions."
Hermione nodded as she walked over to the table Snape had set up with two caldrons.
"I trust," he said looking up from setting things out, "That you can work on your potion while I work on mine, without asking foolish questions?"
"Yes sir." She went over to her caldron and looked at her materials, "Before I start I would like to know the strength of the potion, and the potion I'm working on."
"Medium strength pepper up." He said shortly.
Hermione nodded and started to work.
It was silent as they both concentrated hard on their individual potions.
Hermione looked up occasionally to note the precise work of her potions master, his agile hands and steady eyes.
He took a breath and wiped his forehead, finally noticing his audience. "Yes, Ms. Granger?" he asked a tad annoyed, today wasn't his day.
"How do you do that? I still shake when I have to add things at exact times."
"That, Ms. Granger would be practice, and a complete understanding of the potion."
She nodded and started to chop some curry roots.
She realized that Snape was making a sleeping draft used like an anesthetic. She also knew that he had ten minutes in order to add the last ingredient.
"Ms. Granger, concentrate!" he snapped, "Don't let your mind wonder."
He had noted how her roots were gradually becoming less and less perfect, a deadly mistake if she kept it up.
Hermione took deep breaths and concentrating on the work at hand. Pepper up potions could become highly explosive if a single ingredient of any kind was added in the wrong proportion.
"Sorry sir."
"Don't apologize, concentrate." Snape knew this was likely the first time she had ever made this potion, since he had never tested them on it in class. However, he had a good guess that she did a great many potions outside his careful eye.
Her roots were still getting worse, Gods what was she thinking about!
Checking his hourglass, he realized he still had four minutes, so he walked over and took her hands in his, and moved them in the proper constant cutting motion needed for this potion.
"Like This Ms. Granger," he led her though them.
She realized that he was holding her hands in a sense, and she made mental notes on the exact moments so that she could to it herself. Not realizing it, she had also started to memorize the feel of his hands.
Soft, with rough calluses on his lower palm and finger tips. Rocking gently from one to the other as he cut the strips flawlessly with her hands.
She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't realize when he let go, and allowed her to continue.
Once she had cut everything, her mind came back to reality, with a shocking "huh?" escaping her mouth.
Snape had added another ingredient to his potion, and he chuckled, " Good work, you should add those about now."
She checked her watch and he was right.
She quickly added them with the second hand hit the three. It was supposed to his the five.
She hardly recalled much after that, a large yell, black, warmth, everything moved so fast her eyes hand little time to register all the movement.
Soon all she knew was black.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Severus! What happened?" Poppy asked as the dark tall man entered the hospital wing carrying a badly wounded Ms. Granger.
An unconscious Ms. Granger.
"Explosion, Her concentration was apparently off today."
"What in heavens name do you mean, Severus?" Poppy eyed the man suspiciously.
"I was having her aide me in making your monthly supply of potions for her detention, she added an ingredient too soon, explosion, I'm 'sure' you can figure out the rest." Snape said dryly as he laid the Female Gryffindor onto one of the beds.
"Well, what was in the potion?"
"Everything need for a pepper up potions with the roots added ten seconds early, may I leave now?" he ask exasperated.
"No, I'm sorry Severus, but you said she was in for detention, so rules say that you must remain until her detention is up, or you'll need to make up the time." Poppy recited.
"Damn." And he took a seat near the door.
"I'll need to consult my books professor, I need to know the strength of the explosion, watch over Ms. Granger, and let me know if her condition changes."
"Of course." He stood up and walked over and sat in the seat beside his student. "You're the most trouble when your sleeping." He chided.
Her eyes shifted and she turned over.
"Not in a coma any more?" he asked no one.
She made a noise, like she was taking in her sleep.
Snape stood to go get poppy when he felt soothing stopping him.
Looking back he saw a tiny hand holding onto his sleeve.
"Don't go." Hermione mumbled.
Looking down, he saw that she was clearly asleep, but decided to humor her any way.
"I have to let Poppy know you up."
"Don't leave." She pulled his hand closer and hugged it.
Snape went rather red.
"Ms. Granger, please release me."
"If you," she yawned, letting go of his hand, and turned to the other side, "Don't leave."
Snape sighed, what could he do?
He sat back down by her side.
He watched her closely, waiting for the nurse to return and release him from this slow torture.
Why might you ask is it torture?
Because Snape was forced to look at her cascading chocolate curls, and her relaxed face.
He was tempted, highly tempted.
He respected her a lot, he truly did, however just having her lay there in front of him, so vulnerable was definitely getting to him.
Something simple, a touch, should release this.
He reached foreword, as his finger tips brushed her soft velvet curls. He let them fall through his fingers like sand, or water.
He heard a noise, and slowly drew his hand back, not wanting to get stuck.
"Well, now that wasn't to hard." Poppy said smugly.
"She regained conciseness." He told the nurse.
"I was expecting it, even though that explosion makes a lots of light and movement, the actual explosions is rather weak, she couldn't have hit her head too hard." She nurse flicked her wand twice and pointed it at the student.
Hermione's face relaxed considerably.
"There, she'll wake tomorrow, but you need to remain until the detention if through, which is.. ..?" she prompted.
"Ten thirty." He answered darkly.
"Then you have two hours, I'm sure you can watch over her just as well as I can."
And the nurse left the poor man to deal with his inner demons.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~
Hermione knew of his presence before she had woken, and she kept herself in a quiet slumber as his hand played with her hair.
Blood rushed to her cheeks as he did this, gods why did she feel like this? He was her potions master after all, her teacher.
She mentally shook the thought aside as she was lulled to sleep by his soft gesture.
She heard Pomfrey enter and tensed up as the rhythmic movement stopped.
She couldn't make out their words, however the spell put across her made her feel suddenly; relaxed, and she slipped into real slumber.
While they were working, she swore that she could feel his heart beating, it was so distracting.
His simplest movements had caught her off guard.
The silence was unnerving!
"Concentrate!" she heard his order, but failed to obey, then his hands.
She fell deeply into sleep then.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The time he had touching her hair had lowered the uneasy feeling that was forming in him, she was a student.
She had asked him not to leave.
She was oddly comforted by his mere presence.
What was going on in her head while she was chopping? He had never before seen her so nervous.
The small raven was sitting in the window sill by her bedside.
"She's fine." He told the creature. "I'll watch her, you'll be able to do so later. Get some rest, Munin."
The raven seemed to understand, as it flew out the window.
Severus Snape spent the rest of his time until ten thirty forcing himself to understand the meaning of the word 'impossible'
By the time Poppy had returned and dismissed him, Snape was completely fooled.
He had reasoned with the fact that she was just a student, and the only intelligent creature for miles, besides Albus, who was questionable. He wouldn't care any more about her besides the fact that she was decent company.
Snape entered his dungeon sanctuary and laid down in his bed.
He would have to live with the fact that whatever they had gained in this last two weeks, even if it was merely the understanding involved in civil discussion, was all that they had.
Past that, she was nothing, and would be nothing, to him.
And likewise the other way around.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AN:
I'm sorry the update took sooo long!
I'll hopefully be able to post a chapter for all of my Harry Potter fics the day the book gets out.
And I don't expect any reviews for those updates until two days later. (for obvious reasons)
Any way I hope your enjoying.
Relena
Every one in the castle was packed and ready to go that morning of the 16th.
Everyone, except Harry and Ron.
"Tell me one thing," Hermione said darkly, "When were you actually planning on packing BEFORE I reminded you?"
They both exchanged 'we are in deep,' looks. Then faced Hermione shame faced.
"I thought as much." She let out a large sigh and continued to fold Harry's shirts. A little 'ding' came from the fire place and Dobby and Winky walked in carrying Ron's newly clean clothing.
"Thanks you two, a life saver, both of you!" Ron said Happily and took his clothes, of which he and Harry started to fold and organize.
About and hour later they were both packed, record time.
"You are both SEVENTEEN!" Hermione chided, beginning another lecture. "When are you planning on taking care of yourselves?"
Their heads lowered further.
"Never mind." She muttered and went back to packing.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hermione massaged her neck as she went to the library, Harry and Ron had boarded the train, just moments after they had finished packing.
And just guess who did majority of the work.
Yeah, typical boys.
It was late, and she wad heading down to the potions lab, still sore.
"Come In." the order came just after her first knock.
"Sorry I'm late professor, Harry and Ron needed help packing, and I over rested."
"Excuses, never mind, come on over, you'll be helping me with potions."
Hermione nodded as she walked over to the table Snape had set up with two caldrons.
"I trust," he said looking up from setting things out, "That you can work on your potion while I work on mine, without asking foolish questions?"
"Yes sir." She went over to her caldron and looked at her materials, "Before I start I would like to know the strength of the potion, and the potion I'm working on."
"Medium strength pepper up." He said shortly.
Hermione nodded and started to work.
It was silent as they both concentrated hard on their individual potions.
Hermione looked up occasionally to note the precise work of her potions master, his agile hands and steady eyes.
He took a breath and wiped his forehead, finally noticing his audience. "Yes, Ms. Granger?" he asked a tad annoyed, today wasn't his day.
"How do you do that? I still shake when I have to add things at exact times."
"That, Ms. Granger would be practice, and a complete understanding of the potion."
She nodded and started to chop some curry roots.
She realized that Snape was making a sleeping draft used like an anesthetic. She also knew that he had ten minutes in order to add the last ingredient.
"Ms. Granger, concentrate!" he snapped, "Don't let your mind wonder."
He had noted how her roots were gradually becoming less and less perfect, a deadly mistake if she kept it up.
Hermione took deep breaths and concentrating on the work at hand. Pepper up potions could become highly explosive if a single ingredient of any kind was added in the wrong proportion.
"Sorry sir."
"Don't apologize, concentrate." Snape knew this was likely the first time she had ever made this potion, since he had never tested them on it in class. However, he had a good guess that she did a great many potions outside his careful eye.
Her roots were still getting worse, Gods what was she thinking about!
Checking his hourglass, he realized he still had four minutes, so he walked over and took her hands in his, and moved them in the proper constant cutting motion needed for this potion.
"Like This Ms. Granger," he led her though them.
She realized that he was holding her hands in a sense, and she made mental notes on the exact moments so that she could to it herself. Not realizing it, she had also started to memorize the feel of his hands.
Soft, with rough calluses on his lower palm and finger tips. Rocking gently from one to the other as he cut the strips flawlessly with her hands.
She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't realize when he let go, and allowed her to continue.
Once she had cut everything, her mind came back to reality, with a shocking "huh?" escaping her mouth.
Snape had added another ingredient to his potion, and he chuckled, " Good work, you should add those about now."
She checked her watch and he was right.
She quickly added them with the second hand hit the three. It was supposed to his the five.
She hardly recalled much after that, a large yell, black, warmth, everything moved so fast her eyes hand little time to register all the movement.
Soon all she knew was black.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Severus! What happened?" Poppy asked as the dark tall man entered the hospital wing carrying a badly wounded Ms. Granger.
An unconscious Ms. Granger.
"Explosion, Her concentration was apparently off today."
"What in heavens name do you mean, Severus?" Poppy eyed the man suspiciously.
"I was having her aide me in making your monthly supply of potions for her detention, she added an ingredient too soon, explosion, I'm 'sure' you can figure out the rest." Snape said dryly as he laid the Female Gryffindor onto one of the beds.
"Well, what was in the potion?"
"Everything need for a pepper up potions with the roots added ten seconds early, may I leave now?" he ask exasperated.
"No, I'm sorry Severus, but you said she was in for detention, so rules say that you must remain until her detention is up, or you'll need to make up the time." Poppy recited.
"Damn." And he took a seat near the door.
"I'll need to consult my books professor, I need to know the strength of the explosion, watch over Ms. Granger, and let me know if her condition changes."
"Of course." He stood up and walked over and sat in the seat beside his student. "You're the most trouble when your sleeping." He chided.
Her eyes shifted and she turned over.
"Not in a coma any more?" he asked no one.
She made a noise, like she was taking in her sleep.
Snape stood to go get poppy when he felt soothing stopping him.
Looking back he saw a tiny hand holding onto his sleeve.
"Don't go." Hermione mumbled.
Looking down, he saw that she was clearly asleep, but decided to humor her any way.
"I have to let Poppy know you up."
"Don't leave." She pulled his hand closer and hugged it.
Snape went rather red.
"Ms. Granger, please release me."
"If you," she yawned, letting go of his hand, and turned to the other side, "Don't leave."
Snape sighed, what could he do?
He sat back down by her side.
He watched her closely, waiting for the nurse to return and release him from this slow torture.
Why might you ask is it torture?
Because Snape was forced to look at her cascading chocolate curls, and her relaxed face.
He was tempted, highly tempted.
He respected her a lot, he truly did, however just having her lay there in front of him, so vulnerable was definitely getting to him.
Something simple, a touch, should release this.
He reached foreword, as his finger tips brushed her soft velvet curls. He let them fall through his fingers like sand, or water.
He heard a noise, and slowly drew his hand back, not wanting to get stuck.
"Well, now that wasn't to hard." Poppy said smugly.
"She regained conciseness." He told the nurse.
"I was expecting it, even though that explosion makes a lots of light and movement, the actual explosions is rather weak, she couldn't have hit her head too hard." She nurse flicked her wand twice and pointed it at the student.
Hermione's face relaxed considerably.
"There, she'll wake tomorrow, but you need to remain until the detention if through, which is.. ..?" she prompted.
"Ten thirty." He answered darkly.
"Then you have two hours, I'm sure you can watch over her just as well as I can."
And the nurse left the poor man to deal with his inner demons.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~
Hermione knew of his presence before she had woken, and she kept herself in a quiet slumber as his hand played with her hair.
Blood rushed to her cheeks as he did this, gods why did she feel like this? He was her potions master after all, her teacher.
She mentally shook the thought aside as she was lulled to sleep by his soft gesture.
She heard Pomfrey enter and tensed up as the rhythmic movement stopped.
She couldn't make out their words, however the spell put across her made her feel suddenly; relaxed, and she slipped into real slumber.
While they were working, she swore that she could feel his heart beating, it was so distracting.
His simplest movements had caught her off guard.
The silence was unnerving!
"Concentrate!" she heard his order, but failed to obey, then his hands.
She fell deeply into sleep then.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The time he had touching her hair had lowered the uneasy feeling that was forming in him, she was a student.
She had asked him not to leave.
She was oddly comforted by his mere presence.
What was going on in her head while she was chopping? He had never before seen her so nervous.
The small raven was sitting in the window sill by her bedside.
"She's fine." He told the creature. "I'll watch her, you'll be able to do so later. Get some rest, Munin."
The raven seemed to understand, as it flew out the window.
Severus Snape spent the rest of his time until ten thirty forcing himself to understand the meaning of the word 'impossible'
By the time Poppy had returned and dismissed him, Snape was completely fooled.
He had reasoned with the fact that she was just a student, and the only intelligent creature for miles, besides Albus, who was questionable. He wouldn't care any more about her besides the fact that she was decent company.
Snape entered his dungeon sanctuary and laid down in his bed.
He would have to live with the fact that whatever they had gained in this last two weeks, even if it was merely the understanding involved in civil discussion, was all that they had.
Past that, she was nothing, and would be nothing, to him.
And likewise the other way around.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AN:
I'm sorry the update took sooo long!
I'll hopefully be able to post a chapter for all of my Harry Potter fics the day the book gets out.
And I don't expect any reviews for those updates until two days later. (for obvious reasons)
Any way I hope your enjoying.
Relena