"Severus" McGonagall stated in her usual haughty tone, her eyes quite plainly expressing her displeasure at the situation. Not as displeased as I am Snape thought to himself as he stepped back and gestured for them to enter. Hermione moved to take a step forward but froze when she realized that Professor McGonagall would not be entering with her.
"I am sorry Miss Granger but I must be going now, I need to finish packing" she said with as much emotion as she could afford in front of Severus. Large amber eyes turned towards McGonagall pleadingly, her young face full of worry as she spoke softly, her voice strained with fear,
"Are you sure I cannot come? I promise I will not interfere with the Order, I will stay out of the way I swear!" Laying a motherly hand on Hermione's shoulder McGonagall smiled ruefully and gave her student's shoulder a gentle squeeze.
"I am sorry dear, but it is simply too dangerous for you to be there right now. You will be much better off here with Professor Snape" she replied while flashing Snape a look that clearly said lay a hand on her and you will never be able to use it again for as long as you live, and that goes for all your other body parts as well!
Rolling his eyes at the nauseating expression of tenderness and emotion Snape cleared his throat sharply, hoping to move things along a little more quickly, at least once Minerva was gone he could begin ignoring the petulant and annoying child. Looking a little flustered, perhaps for her outpouring of emotion in front of the heartless bastard standing just inside the door, McGonagall gave Hermione's shoulder another tender squeeze before saying
"If you need anything dear just Owl me, but I am sure you will be fine in Professor Snape's care," and then she quickly turned and walked away, soon disappearing up the curving stairs.
For a long while Hermione stood staring up the stairs waiting for McGonagall to come back, for someone, anyone to come and rescue her. Leaning impatiently against the door Snape watched Hermione for a moment before once again roughly clearing his throat, the sudden noise causing her to jump and spin around in alarm, the color rushing to her cheeks.
"Waiting for the cavalry Miss Granger? I am afraid they will not be coming so you might as well come in" he said brusquely as he stepped back from the doorway to let her pass. Pulling the large and rather cumbersome trunk behind her, Hermione solemnly entered into Snape's chambers, wondering if she would ever see the light of day again.
Only just noticing the monstrosity of a trunk that the girl pulled behind her Snape scowled and said gruffly,
"Did you bring the kitchen sink too Miss Granger?" Once again frightened and doe like eyes settled upon him, her lower lip trembling as she obviously strained to hold back tears while her fragility caused a sneer of amusement to spread across his face. Seeing his pleasure at her discomfort Hermione quickly straightened her spine, and lifting her chin defiantly snapped,
"I dislike this as much as you do you know!" Quickly letting go of her trunk she let it fall to the stone floor with a resounding thud that made her jump just a little.
Studying her closely Snape took in the sight of the now firm set of her shoulders, her chin raised in an air of self-importance and confidence, her hands firmly clenched into fists as her sides as she unflinchingly stared into his face. Well, she has gusto, I will give her that much he thought as he took a few steps towards her. With a subtle wave of his hand he let the door slam shut loudly behind him, the resounding thud causing Hermione to jump once more, though all the while she refused to show the fear she felt roiling deep within her. Foolishly courageous too he continued as he took another step towards her, making easy work of the remaining distance between them with his long and languid strides. He could see the rapid heaving of her chest as she struggled for composure, her eyelashes fluttering wildly like butterfly wings against her rounded cheeks, yet she refused to look away from his intimidating gaze, refused to let him win.
Before she knew what was happening there were no more than two feet between them, the ferocious looking man looming over her, his thick black hair falling around his narrow face like a frame of black silk, emphasizing the sharpness of his features all the more. His coal black eyes were unwavering as he caught her in his gaze, his stare seeming to delve deep into her, exposing all of her fears and insecurities until she was fighting to just keep her eyes open and not look away from him.
He was testing her, seeing how long she could withstand the gaze that would cause so many others to turn away in fear and repulsion, and she was doing surprisingly well. She trembled only slightly beneath the heat of his eyes, her breaths did not catch in her throat every time, and thankfully she had not burst into tears, yet. He actually secretly prided himself on the amount of people he had made cry just from looking at them, and not surprisingly, a considerable amount of them were not students.
His lips continued to curl back in a malicious snarl, his eyes gleaming with ill intent as they swept away from her face to travel down the length of her body. Like caressing icy fingers his gaze moved down the long sweeping line of her tender looking neck, each of her nervous swallows obviously evident in the fluid movements of her throat. Her usual flowing black robes hung from her slender and narrow shoulders, open to reveal the school uniform beneath, the white shirt and necktie in those hideous Gryffindor colors doing little to hide the womanly bosom that was blossoming on her otherwise slender body. Like prickles across her skin she could feel his stare, those wretchedly cold eyes lingering here and there making her all the more self-conscious and nervous, her hands fretfully fidgeting at her sides as she tried with all her Gryffindor courage and stubbornness to not look away from him, to stand her ground.
Snape watched with concealed amusement as the girl standing before him squirmed uneasily, her fingers twitching restlessly at her sides as she fought the urge to quickly close her robes. A swift step forward caused her to take a fearful step backwards, her large doe eyes widening all the more in apprehension and uncertainty as her courage waged a war against her common sense, a voice somewhere in her mind shrieking at her to run away as fast as she could.
Finally with a shudder that rippled through her entire body Hermione drew her eyes away from his, a deep scarlet flush rushing up her cheeks while she bowed her head, refusing to acknowledge the fact that he had intimidated her into submission. Well, she did put up a valiant fight, as useless as that was, Snape thought as his pleasure spread through him like a warm glow. Breaking the silence with his rough and cruel sounding voice Snape all but spat at Hermione,
"Well Miss Granger, while our dear Headmaster may believe that my time is not valuable, I do indeed have a great deal of work to accomplish before school starts again. I would appreciate it if you would not touch anything nor meddle in my affairs, I require silence and solitude, do not presume to encroach upon my work time and do not expect me to entertain you. You will refrain from your usual barrage of questions and know-it-all attitude while in my presence and you will under no circumstances treat me with disrespect. Are we clear?" A long sleek black eyebrow rose in questioning as he peered down into her youthful face, the color still burning in her cheeks as she nodded slowly.
"Crystal, Professor" she murmured sullenly, her head bowing all the more, a lock of her honey colored hair escaping to fall over her shoulder, brushing against her cheek.
"Very good, now I have work to do, if you need anything you can find it yourself, I do not wish to be disturbed" and with those last cold words he turned and strode away with his long black robes rippling in his wake leaving Hermione alone and very unsure standing in the middle of Professor Snape's chambers.
Well I suppose that could have gone worse Hermione told herself as she pulled her trunk towards the large green velvet settee that stood beside the cold grate. Slumping down onto the settee with a loud sigh she rested her head in her hands and scowled, what am I supposed to do now?