The Emotions of Potions Rein Elanor
Chapter Two: Knock back some Veritaserum
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related here, excepts bits of the story that no one wants anyways. Like quotation marks.
Chapter 2: Knock back some Veritaserum
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Ginny bid Hermione goodbye before they reached McGonagall's study. Hermione made her way over to the correct door and , after knocking, went inside.
Professor McGonagall was seated at her desk. She beckoned Hermione inside and told her to sit down. Once Hermione had put her books down and had taken a seat in one of the chairs in front of McGonagall's desk, she asked a question.
"Why did you call me here, Professor?"
Professor McGonagall leaned foward in her straight- backed chair.
"Miss Granger, you are one of our most talented and intelligent students," she began.
Hermione blushed a bit. "Surely not, Prof"
McGonagall cut her off. "There is no need for false modesty, Miss Granger.
"At Hogwarts, we strive to provide our students with all possible opportunities to excel in their chosen fields. You have made it clear in the past few years that your chief interest lies in the field of Experimental Potions."
Hermione nodded. "Yes, I am interested in"
McGonagall cut her off again. "Therefore, we have decided to provide you with additional training and experience in this field You will be given personal lessons by Professor Snape to further your experience in your subject."
Hermione almost choked. "Professor Snape?!"
McGonagall looked sharp. "It was very, um, kind, of Professor Snape to consent to help you in this endeavor. I trust you will be grateful for this opportunity."
Hermione thought about it for a second. On one hand, she detested Snape and he loathed her. On the other hand, she did love the idea of going into Experimental Potions, and there was no doubt that Professor Snape could help her there.
"Ok, Professor McGonagall. Thank you for this opportunity," she finally said.
For some reason, Hermione didn't want to tell Ron or Harry about her personalized teaching sessions with Snape. The lessons, which were Monday, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 6:00 until 9:30 pm, she covered up by saying she was at the library.
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Hermione's first few lessons with Snape were disasters. He made snide comments about her ability and even about her hair sometimes. She often left at 9:30 in tears from some of his remarks. She didn't know why they affected her so, but she was always hurt by his comments.
On her seventh lesson with Snape, she cam in as usual, at 5:56 pm, to find him sitting behind his desk in his study (with its jars of who- knew- what lining the walls), writing on a piece of parchment. His black hair fell about his face and onto the parchment, and a tiny frown line creased his brow as he concentrated.
Hermione felt a surge of something in her stomach- or was it her head? She didn't know what it was. Perhaps she had eaten too fast.
She coughed a bit to get Snape's attention.
He looked up.
"So you finally decided to come, I see."
Hermione's shoulders slumped, and she felt old tears prickle behind her eyelids. So it would be the same routine tonight.
"Yes, sir," she said quietly. "Thank you for helping me."
She always insisted on being polite. Sometimes she could manage to insert a little ice in her voice, but not right then. She just sounded like a little girl.
Snape stood up. "Today we will be studying the effects of reptile skins in healing potions. Go to the store cupboard and get these things: murtlap essence, one roll of crocodile skin, tortoise claws, hen's teeth, and a small vial of unicorn tears."
Hermione nodded, and turned towards the cupboard in which Snape kept his personal potion supplies. She got everything he asked for- the heavy roll of dry crocodile skin, the jar of murtlap essence, a rolled up paper with the claws in it, and a small vial with a clear liquid in it.
They made the potion, Hermione measuring the ingredients and adding them to the steaming cauldron while Snape stood by talking about the purpose of the potion, and the effect of each of the ingredients and the methods used in preparing the potion on the potion's usefulness.
When they were finished, they each ladled out a small amount. Snape insisted upon his being the one to test it first, as always, in case Hermione had made a mistake. He had rows of antidotes to almost everything in his study, and he had acquainted her with them on the first day in case of emergency.
Snape sipped some of the green potion, and he stood still to measure his reaction. Since he was a fairly healthy man, this potion, which corrected liver problems, would have little effect on him.
Hermione held her breath, as she always did. She knew that Experimental Potions was a dangerous subject, and she never knew what to expect from a new potion.
Snape nodded at her after a few moments. "It seems to be having no ill effects. I have escaped being poisoned by your arrogance once again."
Hermione clenched her teeth and looked at the floor. Snape always insinuated that her "know- it- all" behaviour would cause her to make a fatal mistake someday. His caustic comments were getting to be too much for her.
"Why are you always so mean to me, Professor?" she asked quietly, not looking at him.
"In order to insulate myself from the possible affection that might be directed towards me if I were kind. I have been protecting myself since childhood," Snape's voice, too monotonous to be natural, surprised Hermione.
She looked up sharply. Snape's eyes were a bit glazed, and he was staring at a spot somewhere over her left shoulder. There was nothing there when she turned around to look.
Snape continued, "My father had a hatred of all weak things. To him, those who loved were weak. If I showed any affection for anyone or anything, including my mother, my father would beat me, and use the Cruciatus Curse on me. But more importantly, he would beat my mother, for allowing me to be weak.
"I grew up afraid to show any affection for anyone or anything, lest it be taken away from me or hurt. I couldn't readily display any emotions other than anger and hate.
"In school, I was shunned by my classmates. I had no friends. I was awkward and strange, and seemingly full of hate. People were afraid of me, and they whispered stories about me behind my back and cursed me openly in the halls. I was always alone."
Snape's eyes were shining unnaturally. Hermione was shocked when she saw that the man had tears in his eyes. She swallowed, and she realized that the vial of clear liquid that she had put into the potion must have been Veritaserum. That was the reason for Snape telling her his life story. She was surprised at the tears forming a lump in her own throat- she had never expected to be crying for the snarky Professor Snape.
"There was nobody in the world to show me real love. I was always alone- who could love a man who hated himself?"
Tears were now streaming down Hermione's face. She moved closer to Snape and awkwardly patted his shoulder. She put down her dose of the potion and wondered what to do. How did you stop the effects of Veritaserum.?
Snape's monotonous voice kept going, spinning a very pathetic and sad tale filled with disappointment and loneliness.
Hermione, feeling responsible for the Snape breakdown as it were, managed to get the Potions Master to sit down on a stool. She sat down on a seat across from him to wait it out, but she failed. After a few minutes of Snape's deep, monotonous voice, Hermione succumbed to a long day and fell asleep with her head on the desk.
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A/N: Ohhh! Exciting! What will happen when Severus wakes up and remembers what he told Hermione? What will Hermione feel about the snarky Professor from now on? Read the next chapter to find out! P.S. I wanted Hermione to kiss Severus' face or something to comfort him...but she wouldn't to it. She just patted his shoulder. Silly free- will characters. Please review, darlings!