CHAPTER TWO: Six Hundred and Ten words
Ginny Weasley was enjoying a peaceful sleep in her dormitory; she had dreams of playing quidditch, of having tea with the giant squid in the lake and many other strange things.
"Ginny- get up" Said Hazel, poking her elbow, Ginny groaned.
"Go away Hazel" Ginny groaned into her pillow, kicking her foot at her friend.
"Ginny, it's time to go to class" Hazel said calmly, waking Ginny up after detention was always her job, so she knew how to handle all situations that were thrown (or kicked) at her.
"No it's not… piss off!" Ginny grunted grumpily.
"Yes, it is. We have potions first, Snape will chuck a fit if were late again!" Hazel said, shaking Ginny by the shoulders softly.
"Let him whinge, it's all he ever does anyway." Ginny groaned pulling her pillow from under her head and throwing it at Hazel, who caught it just before it hit her hard in the stomach.
"Ginny…. Get up!" Hazel said jumping on top of Ginny and smothering he with her pillow, Ginny sat up quickly causing Hazel to fall back, almost off the bed.
"I'm up now are you happy?" Ginny asked, offering her hand to her friend to help her sit up properly.
"Yes, I'm rapt. So, how was your detention last night, what did Snape make you last night? Scrub random jars again?" Hazel asked standing up and walking over to her own bed.
"No, I sat in he corner of the dungeon with my finger on my mouth." Hazel rolled her eyes and pulled her cloak off her bed.
"Yeah, okay then…" Hazel sighed, Ginny shooed her out of the room so she could get changed in privacy.
"Ginny Weasley!"
"Yes Professor Snape?" Ginny said rolling her eyes, and putting her knife down on the cutting board splattered with fig juice.
"That essay you wrote on the uses of branding potions in the eighteenth century was thirty-three words short." He said slowly, making sure everyone in the room could hear, even the rat crawling along the top of the supplies cupboard.
"I thought I would give you some time to yourself, because we all know thirty-three words takes an awfully long time for someone to read." Ginny said airily, dropping some pumpkin seeds into her cauldron.
"I don't need your cheek Miss Weasley, tonight you will meet me for detention and rewrite your entire essay." Snape said with a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.
"I look forward to it…. Professor." She said mockingly, she gave him a cocky smile and got back to her potion.
"He really has it in for you Gin!" Said Colin, grinning broadly.
"Ah, it's the only thing he has, let him have his fun Col!" She whispered back, he snickered appreciatively.
Ginny sat in the common room reading a book on the negative effects of the polyjuice potion, she heard Harry talking loudly to Ron about the tactics necessary to beat Ravenclaw.
"Ginny, are you coming?" Harry asked, walking over to her and giving her a smile.
"Oh shit, I completely forgot about training! I have a detention in fifteen minutes!" She said closing her books and standing up.
"So, you're not coming then?" He asked, slightly annoyed.
"Sorry Harry, I know how much this means to you." She replied, he shrugged.
"Just try not to get in trouble next time!" he said walking towards the portrait hole.
"Like you can talk Harry!" She called after him; she wasn't sure whether she still like him, if that crush was still there. She gathered her books in her arm and dropped them off in her dormitory before walking down to the dungeon.
"You're early Miss Weasley!" Snape growled as she entered he dungeon.
"Are going tot take points off Gryffindor for that Sir?" She asked sweetly, He glared at her his eyes shining with hate.
"You are one of the very few people who have been able to test my patience the way you do." He said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"And why is that sir?" she asked feigning interest. The vein throbbed, and she wanted to laugh.
"If you must know Miss Ginevra Weasley, it is because you, and all of your brothers are insufferable. You think that just because you are Gryffindors that you have the keys to Hogwarts. What you don't realise is that this school is not only for the Weasley's, and if it was we would have no funds. So, if you don't mind Weasley, keep your mouth shut and do some work." He pointed towards a desk with a quill and parchment set up on it neatly.
She took her time and walked slowly to the desk, obviously agitating Snape. She was about to sit down on the hard chair but she had an idea. She grabbed the parchment, ink and a quill and carried it to her corner where she sat down.
"Weasley what in Merlin's name are you doing?" He snapped, putting his work down.
"I thought I had to be here for the rest of my detentions!" She replied.
"Don't be so childish Miss Weasley, you are quite grown up, and I am sure you have enough common sense to make proper judgements." Ginny raised her eyebrows.
"Sir, I'd prefer the floor…. It is much more comfortable, and as you said last night- it is where I belong." She replied, sitting herself down on the dungeon floor.
"I have too much work to do to argue with you about your childish pursuits!" Snape said, picking up his quill.
"Don't let me stop you." She mumbled and begun rewriting her essay.
Branding potions weren't only used by farmers, in the 18th century they were used by many witches and wizards to show ownership over a particular object or person. There have been many recorded cases where a person had branded their spouse in order to prevent adultery. Simple branding potions were also used on house elves to show who they were owned by, their jobs in the house and anything else worth noting about their life, usually not much.
Snape didn't know why Ginny infuriated him so, it wasn't that she was immature, because he got that from so many students, it wasn't that she was a smart alec- after dealing with Fred and George for seven years she seemed like an angel. Perhaps that was the problem, no matter what Ginny said or did she always managed to come across as an angel, giving a sweet smile, or calculatedly ignoring the situation at hand.
There was one other girl he had known that had this ability; she too had red hair and an innocent smile. Lily was like Ginny in many ways. Back when Snape was at school being attacked by James Potter and his cronies Lily always defended him, if it wasn't because she liked him, it was because she had a good heart. Snape however liked Lily, she was never a friend of his but when she passed him in the hallways he always noticed the confidence that radiated out of her, she would smile and nod in his direction a small acknowledgement that showed that she, unlike James and Sirius – knew he was there. Severus had always cherished these moments, but as all good moments come they are quickly snatched away from you.
The famous James Potter, the perfect little Gryffindor, the boy who had taken the time to ridicule, abuse him, make him look stupid in front of the entire school and had managed to snatch away Evans. Lily had turned the arrogant little bastard into a blubbering idiot, who followed her around with puppy eyes and a heart made out of mashed potato.
Just like Potter had snatched the little Weasley. Didn't she understand that Potter was an arrogant little prat like his own father? Strutting around thinking that he owned the place, thinking that because he could fly a broomstick and that he had a scar on his thick head made everyone worship the ground he walked on.
His eyes moved over to Ginny. He took in her unkempt appearance. She seemed to be concentrating rather hard on her essay. He noticed as she flicked away some red wisps of hair as they fell into her eyes. There was so much of Lily in her.
Branding potions were outlawed in 1943, because of how inhumane their uses had become. People had begun slipping the potion into their rival's drink, which left them with an unmistakable and irremovable scar, often vulgar and suggestive. This technique is often used by the Dark Lord, on his followers, branding them with a snake and skull. Branding is permanent meaning it cannot be removed so all of the people and possessions that drunk the ill-tasting potions were left with the results of their choices for life.
Enough words sir? I believe this is the 595th word…Do I still have detention? Can I go now? Hey, do you like marshmallows?
The whole time Ginny had been rewriting her essay, she felt the professor's eyes on her. He had work to do, and the both knew that, so why didn't he do it? Was it that his brain was only capable of one thought? And if so- what was so tantalizing?
He had been looking at her. She could feel his eyes penetrating into her mind, seeing something that she didn't know was there…
"I'm finished sir- can I go?" She asked looking up at him, he quickly broke out of his trance and acted as though he had been making papers the whole time.
"How many words?" He asked, ticking the page relentlessly (Ginny found this strange as the work belonged to Harry).
"Six hundred and ten words!" She said standing up, he looked deep in thought and he didn't answer her so she gathered her books and walked over to the door, just before she left the room she turned around, he as looking at her.
"Sir, may I ask you a question?" She asked innocently.
"You are going to anyway." He drawled.
"Do you honestly have nothing else to do besides count the words on our essays?" She asked, putting on a confused face. He glared at her but said nothing. "Or was that just an excuse to keep me in detention for another night?" She grinned and observed his expression, he was completely calm – no veins were throbbing.
"Yes." He answered very honestly "Now go!"
A/N: Hey everyone! The story is up and running and there seems to be a lot more sexual tension between our potions master and dear little Ginevra…
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Oh, and if Snape asks, this chapter is 1762 words long!