Chapter Twenty Three: A Tricksters Heart

Despite being practically alienated by Professor Snape, Hermione hadn't heard any word on any more assignments as well. Eventually curiosity got the better of her as she snuck down one night to the dungeons to speak with Snape.

He was sitting at his desk, scowling and stabbing the papers with red ink in an attempt to grade. The door was open, so she didn't believe that she had to knock, but did so anyway, followed by asking "Professor?" to get his attention.

"10 points from Gryffindor Hermione, go back to bed." He responded.

"I was wondering if you had any work for me…" she continued.

"Another ten points, now go back to bed," He calmly continued.

"Please sir, I haven't heard anything for a while and I'm growing concerned." She approached his desk, not giving up.

"Want another ten Hermione? There is nothing for you to do, go to bed." He spoke sternly.

She got the point and nodded before leaving.

After she had turned down a few random halls, Hermione felt that while her mind was numb, her eyes were brimming with tears. A though occurred to her before she moved quickly to find a room where she could hide without worrying about being discovered.

After an Hour of grading, he still couldn't get Hermione off his mind. He decided that a good walk would do him much good, the air would refresh his mind, clearing away any lingering thoughts of her.

He had only started his planed walk when he heard a soft sobbing sound coming from the walls around him in his dungeon home. Curious, and almost wanting to catch one of the students out at night, especially this late, Severus went in search for the source of the sound.

It led him to an area in the dungeons that no one besides himself and flinch knew about. In the small indentation that lead to a small room, he saw the sound was coming from a Gryffindor, a female Gryffindor.

Coming closer so that he could make out the head that was hidden by the shadows from where he stood, he noticed instantly who was curled up crying her heart out.

"Hermione," he whispered.

Upon hearing his voice, she looked up, eyes blistering red, and flung her arms around him, holding on for dear life.

This shocked him to say the least.

Her tears, flowing freely onto his robes left a wet spot, completely out of reflexes he moved his arms around the shaking figure, and held her tightly against him, whispering softly for her to calm down.

She subsided after long minutes of crying, and then looked up into his eyes.

His features, forced stern from preparation to catch a child out of bounds, turned to a certain softness that he reserved for her and only her, "What happened?" he asked concerned.

She shook her head and held on tighter.

"Hermione," he moved to release himself from her death grip, before he became too comfortable.

"No." she whispered in a harsh voice, dried from her long term crying, and she held tighter, "Don't leave."

"I'm not going anywhere until you explain why you were crying." He said softly with a small chuckle at her childish actions.

He reached back and took her hands in his, and took them off his persona.

"Now, be reasonable," he chided before gently asking, "what happened?"

"It's nothing." She wiped a tear from her face. "I'm fine now."

"I can see that," He drawled, not believing a word, "but Ms. Granger,"

She jumped to attack, "Ms Granger! I thought I was Hermione!" she said in a very soft deadly voice.

"I'm your teacher, we mustn't forget that." He chided, "Your acting like a child,"

"You're treating me like one." She pointed out.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, annoyed and irritated.

"I'm scared, I thought you of all people would recognize it, and I'm angry, tired, and sad!"

His features regarded the girl oddly, "In the last hour? What caused this?"

"You." She whispered hiding her face, she didn't want to deal with this right now.

"Me." His face was frightened. He caused her to cry, he caused her to become irrational?

"Oh not on purpose." She defended, rushing up to the now kneeling professor. "I was thinking is all," the tears came again.

"What in gods name were you thinking of?" he put his hands on her shoulder to move her face his direction.

He wasn't expecting what came next.

It was soft, warm, and suffocating. He enjoyed it very much so, but pulled back before he lost control and actually responded to the kiss.

"Hermione," he whispered shocked.

She held him, "I don't want to leave you, I am already missing out night together! I don't care if it was just for detentions, I want to be near you, and I want to hear you speak. I was crying because I forced myself to understand I couldn't ever do that." A new wave came and he held her again.

"Your right Hermione, that's not a possibility."

"But I want it to be." She whined, shoving her head deeper into his chest. "As a spy I expected I could spend more time with you, I want to spend more time, I want to be beside you working."

"Think child," he said sternly, she knew he wasn't insulting her, just trying to point out how childish she was acting, "Think with that wonderful brain I know you have, if your wishes ever became reality what would happen." He was forcing her to think as he had forced himself for the last half a month. "It should be screaming that to you."

"It is," she whispered.

"Then listen to it, and go to bed."

"I can't"

He was getting annoyed, the more she clung to him, the harder it was becoming for him to deny how he felt. "Why in Merlin's name can't you, I know very well that you have done so before?"

"Because my heart is louder." She looked up, "It's screaming, 'No! Don't let him go, he's yours, he loves you, you love him, don't deny yourself this rare form of happiness just to please others.' Doesn't your heart say something similar?"

"What makes you so sure I love you Hermione?" he asked hoping for the cruel approach.

"That." She smiled, "For a while now, you've only called me Hermione, Her-Mi –on –e, and most definitely not at my request," she said slowly to make her point. "I also know that your heart beats faster while you're around me, I can hear it even now." She leaned on his chest, "You also trust me, very much," he started up again and was about to retaliate when she started up again, silencing his protests, "only when we are alone do you act normal. Else wise you're a greedy evil spawn of Satan git." She put her finger on his nose.

"So what if I do." He whispered, "We can't be together so why waste the energy."

"Stop that." She glared, "As long as I love you Severus, you will not, I repeat you will not deny yourself happiness."

He starred at her in shock, for two main reasons, one, she brought to light a concept he hadn't thought of, and second, she called him Severus, his name.

Noticing his shocked state she smiled, "Yes, I called you Severus; you've been holding me long enough it seemed appropriate." It was true; his arms had found their way around her.

He was about to let go when she grabbed him back and nuzzled into his chest once more, "Hold me." She whispered.

His body acted against his will and to hers.

"I love you Severus." She whispered groggily into his robes.

She loved him.

He shook his head, he had been debating with himself for ages now, but this was the first time he had ever realized any feelings from her.

"If the logic in your brain is the only thing keeping you back," she started slyly, "Then tell me, can you honestly say you would be better off knowing this joy and refusing it, then having it and cherishing it?"

He thought on this, as his mind slowly unlocked itself from its tangles of joyless thoughts. A singled though burst through.

Having her in his arms was amazing, he felt free from all of his horrible burdens.

Suddenly he understood what Albus was always telling him.

All of his debts from his days as a full-fledged Death Eater, have been paid, ten fold. Yet he was still torturing himself. It seemed foolish now, as he nuzzled his face into her hair.

Her words came to mind.

She was right.

She was bloody right!

Oh how much he had learned form her over this period of time.

He loved her, that's all that mattered. She loved him, that's all the mattered.

Before he knew what he was doing, he felt his lips pressing onto hers.

She kissed back merrily, and he kissed as a man denied water.

They needed each other, "No, Hermione," he answered pulling away, "I can't live without you, you're right."

"A teacher learning from a student," she giggled in complete romantic bliss, "Oh the riddles we weave," she whispered onto his lips before capturing them once more.

He kissed back grateful for silence once more.

"Need more proof Minerva?" Albus asked looking from behind a pillar with the deputy headmistress.

Her mouth just stayed open in shock.

"I'll take that as a no." He chuckled, and slowly left, Minerva following, looking back occasionally, mouth still resembling a fish.

"You had better go back," he whispered deeply from his aroused state, "Your friends will come down looking to murder if you don't." he explained.

She nodded and kissed him very chastely, unlike the others, and quickly left for her rooms.

They both were fulfilled in those moments of bliss; both felt joys they never had before.

And it was just kissing!

Both knew for certain that they could never deny themselves that, no matter how hard they tried.

Hermione walked with and extra leap in her step.

Oh, she loved that man! Oh, how much she loved Severus!

His name sounded as good in her brain as it felt from her lips.

" Holly!" she proclaimed to the portrait, and leapt inside.

"You look happy," Harry commented from his game with Ron.

"I am."

"Have anything to share with us?" Ron asked curiously.

She thought for a moment, and the moment took hold of her, why the hell not?

"Yes," she said merrily, "I love him."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Who?"

Ron turned around curiously.

"Severus." She said with a smile on her face.

"Oh," Harry said, not surprised, and then moved his king to the left.

"About bloody time." Ron smirked then called "Bishop E-4 Checkmate, Harry."

She ran over and hugged them both, "You two are the best."

AN:

HA! The last part of this chapter I had written for ages! Finally you all get to read it. Its corney I know, but it fits.

Review!

RelenaS