The Deatheater of the Dungeons
CHAPTER 2
The Slytherins had been murder today. Hermione sighed and sat back in her chair. She picked up the pile of essays on her desk and started to read.
She had gotten about halfway through Arena Vestae's essay on 'The Many Uses of Moonstone' when...
"Hermione..."
She jumped, startled by the voice. And she shivered. It had been a mere whisper in her right ear, and she had felt the warm breath of someone unknown. It frightened her. And delighted her.
She sat there, listening intently. She was sure she had heard her name. For many years at Hogwarts she had heard names being called in the hallway during classes, yet hers was rarely there.
Somedays it seemed as if the wind were whispering her name, as if someone was trying to speak to her but just couldn't get through. The wind would blow through her hair and the breeze would tickle her face, all the while blowing the trees and grass about, and in a faint whispy voice that rolled smoothly off your mouth it would speak her name to the world.
"Hermione..."
She whirled to her left where the voice had spoken (for she was absolutely certain she had heard it this time) and pulled out her wand. There seemed to be a slight breeze in the classroom, but for some reason it sent an overreactioned shiver down her spine, as if she had stepped outside in the snow with only a sweater on.
She pointed her wand around in midair.
"Who's there?" She said harshly. "I'll dock house points if you don't show yourself immediately." There was a sharp intake of breath when she heard the response come from directly in front of her.
"Oh, is that so? But I haven't been a student here in many years. In fact, I wouldn't blame you one bit if you took points off my house. The people in there have become such pricks. At least, more than usual."
Hermione paused and bit her lip in confusion. This was not an ordinary intruder. "Who are you?"
"A selfish bastard," was the reply. "And a lonely one."
Hermione lowered her wand to her side, and after hesitating, pocketed it. It had been obvious from the first moment the voice had spoken that it did not belong to a child. It had been smooth, silky, and comforting, and no child's voice would give her shivers like that.
"Lonely? Are you a ghost?" Hermione shook at the response, a low growl of anger only a breath's length away.
"I have always been seen as such, it makes no difference now that I am gone. I am living, yet dead."
He growled at the last question she had asked. A ghost? He sighed. He supposed he was.
"No, you're not."
He turned and stared her in the eyes, though she could not see him. What he saw was determination and...knowledge?
"I'm sure you're mistaken," she added glancing around the room. She finally came back to her chair and started to grade papers as if this were a typical conversation. "I'm sure someone must have loved you, or looked up to you." She paused in midthought, hesitating, but she continued anyway. "I would have."
"Of course, of course. You would say that, wouldn't you?"
She chuckled at this and gave back his own reply. "Of course."
He growled in frustration.
She looked up from the papers. "You're a very interesting ghost, you know. Besides," she added logically, "I don't think you're a ghost at all."
"And why is that?"
"This is the first I've heard of ghosts becoming invisible."
Dammit.
"It also feels warm in here. It didn't at first--that must have been when you opened the door--,but it does now." She smiled. "Comfortable, in fact."
He paused, frowning. These dungeons? Comfortable? Sure. He paused to look at her. She was absolutely lovely. He closed his eyes and took in her scent. Cinnamon, almost. At least he was talking to her. If only he could...
"Uuggghh. Am I really THAT bad of a teacher? Honestly, it goes in one ear, out the other."
Hermione had gone back to grading papers while Severus was thinking. The essay written by E. Ninisa was in danger of being completely covered in correction marks.
"Are you the only one who has ever received full marks in this class?" He paused to think and added more. "Besides me?"
Hermione leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and smiled. "I knew there was a reason for you hanging around here. You must like potions as much as I do."
"That depends...on how much you like potions."
"Oh, its wonderful," Hermione murmered. "You can make potions no matter what mood you're in. It's like doing something intelligent, exciting, and relaxing, all at the same time. And it's wonderful when it turns out right.
"Then, I do."
"Of course you do," she said sleepily. "Otherwise you wouldn't be here talking to a silly girl about it."
He let out a growl, so sexy and controlling that she was almost positive he was a Gryffindor. She opened her eyes and jumped out of her chair to see what had happened. Strong arms pulled her back into the chair and encircled her.
"Silly, yes. A girl, no."
And unexpectantly--or was it expectantly?--she snuggled into the man's arms and drifted slowly off to sleep.
fujutsu--- Thanks, I hope I have just as interesting a finish.
sexy severus--- You crying is a good thing, right? I REALLY hope it wasn't THAT bad.
Synister Fate--- I am sorry about the loss of your dearly beloved Sirius. It'll be alright though, Bellatrix losing the prophecy might have just sent Voldemort over the edge.
khinterberg--- Thank you, but I've decided not to have a wonderfully gripping ending. Someone usually dies in those.
Thanks for the reviews I've gotten so far. Any advice on the story would be much appreciated.
BTW: There was a little hidden joke in there about the terrible essay. I don't blame you for not getting it, I wouldn't on the first read. Here it is: E. Ninisa...
It sounds like utter nonsense, right? Well, if you were able to get it, tell me in a review.