Severus was a possessive man.

An only child with very few possessions, he treasured them, guarded them. And he hated people touching what was his.

As far as he was concerned, Hermione Granger was HIS.

Now, to simply walk up to Remus Lupin and snape his neck was not an easy task, no. Nor was it particularly SLYTHERIN in its ways. But there was nothing sweeter that Severus could think of, as he sat three chairs away from Lupin at the high table, than to hear the satisfying crunch as his spinal cord is dislocated from the brain stem, instant death.

Nothing sweeter, perhaps, except for Hermione.

But then he would know not to touch Hermione.

Well, technically, he wouldn't ever be able to touch ANYONE again.

Severus turned to his left and sneered at Lupin, a few chairs up, who frowned at him and looked away.

Hermione wasn't at breakfast today. She was probably in her rooms, writing some huge essay to send to her favourite wizarding magazine.

God, that was beautiful.

A loud noise at the doors announced Hermione's late arrival to breakfast. She dropped into the chair to Severus' right, picked up a breadroll and shoved almost the entire thing in her mouth.

At Severus' look, she offered an explanation.

"I hafnt eadn fins bwekfaht esteda." She said, her mouth full.

She hadn't eaten since breakfast yesterday. He glanced at her body, noticing she didn't look particularly nourished. He looked away, so he couldn't see her face, and casually said:

"Then I insist you let me take you out for dinner this evening.." He said it quickly, also, feigning nonchalance. Still, he kept his eyes away from her, not wanting to see her disgusted look.. cringing inside at her possible answer.

It was out of nowhere, it was a step off a cliff.

The second he said it, he wanted to take it back. Never would he say something without seriously considering all the angles of possible answers.

He took a sip of his drink, it had been at least 20 seconds since he had asked her. Sighing, he turned to his right to find her gone.

"She left the second you looked away.." A voice from his left said. He saw Remus had moved to the chair beside him.

God, did time stop and speed up haphazardly when Hermione was around? She had walked out, and Remus had moved closer within what HE thought was 2 seconds. He was losing his touch.

"Hmph." He answered, and started to stand up.

"No, no. Sit down, Snape. We gotta talk." Remus put his hand on Severus' arm. "Listen. Hermione likes you, alright?"

Severus squinted at Remus. 'Is he bullshitting me?'

"You gotta open your eyes, Snape. She's in her rooms, going crazy, doing all this stupid advances potions, trying to impress you. Now, if you don't go down there and tell her how you feel, and kiss her brains out.. Then I am going to." Remus used Severus's possessiveness against him, knowing he would never let Remus touch Hermione.

Severus stared angrily at Remus for a second. Then stood up and stormed out of the great hall, in the usual overgrown bat of the dungeons way.

"About time someone told him to get a move on." Albus muttered to Remus.

"Damn straight.." Remus replied.