Disclaimer: Not mine, you should know that by now, if not you are now informed. How does it feel to learn something new? Feels good doesn't it?
A/N: My computer is working again as of today. So here is the chapter that I was promising, since it was stuck on said sick computer. Hope you enjoy. More will be on the way.
sssSSSHHHhhh
Severus woke. It was not the sudden alertness that he was use to, but more like waking from a drugged sleep. He knew one thing, and that was he had to open his eyes, but just the idea of doing so was close to the point of exhaustion.
Once he did manage to get his eyes open, the fact that he was laying in a bed in the infirmary somehow didn't surprise him. After all, he'd recognize that ceiling anywhere. Once, he had taken the time to count how many stones were in the ceiling. At least it still wasn't the ceiling in the potions classroom. No doubt Albus caught him in the middle of yet another failed potion.
He would have to suffer his jokes for at least a month.
The fact that he could feel the difference in clothing though did surprise him. That meant only one thing; Poppy had gotten the nerve in her to change him.
He was going to kill that woman.
He hated the overly breezy white hospital gowns, and she knew it as well. He hated to think what people would say if they saw him dressed in white, rather than his customary black. The thought itself made his stomach churn.
"Ah, Severus." The old matron cooed as she hustled to his bedside. "So glad to see that you are finally awake." She smiled and drew her wand on him. The speed at which she did said movement had him pinching his eyes back shut. It had always been his belief that Poppy should have gone into dueling; she had one of the fastest wand draws he had ever seen. Instead she preferred to waste such a talent scaring defenseless patients.
"What ever you were sniffing down in those dungeons of yours is almost out of your system. Thankfully," she huffed. Severus dared to open his eyes again.
"When can I leave?" Severus asked, doing a test wiggle of his fingers and his toes. They all worked, so at least that was a good sign.
"As soon as you can walk on your own accord." Poppy grinned. "You've been out cold for four days now, I'm sure one more won't hurt you a bit."
"Four days?" Severus sputtered. He hated being gone from his teaching post for very long. There was no knowing what Albus was getting himself into with his classes; hopefully he still had a class to go back to that is.
"Could have been more if Albus didn't chance upon finding you." She busied herself with re-tucking his covers before going to the chart at the end of the bed and making notes.
All the while, Severus watched her, wondering what exactly she was writing. What could possibly be so important that she had to write it all down on paper?
That's when he heard it.
It shouldn't have happened, but it did, for he could have sworn her lips never moved. He was looking right at her for Merlin's sake.
"Honestly, that boy gets in more trouble now that he's older than when he was a student. If he keeps it up, I'm going to have to dedicate an entire drawer to him in the office." Poppy's voice grumbled in his head as she wrote in his file.
"What did you say Poppy?" Severus asked, just to be sure that he wasn't seeing things.
"Nothing dear," she replied with a smile. "Get some rest; I'm sure you'll have plenty of visitors this afternoon." She set the file back in the holder and walked away, her voice still grumbling in his head.
"I'd never seen such a distraught woman before in my life. Heavens, if only he was awake to see the poor lass. I'll have to tell her that he's finally decided to join the living once again. She'll be so relieved to hear that his back to his regular snarky self."
Severus blinked several times in shock.
Lass? There was someone here, distraught over him? The Medi-witch had to have been confused, no one, save for Albus, ever visited him while he was in the infirmary. No one, never ever; it was physically impossible for there to have been a woman sitting by his bed. Poppy must have been confused to have made such grievous mistake.
Instead, Severus settled back into the bed, wondering what in the name of hell he had just created that allowed him to hear Poppy's thoughts. He sighed, pulling the covers up over his chest. The promise of sleep was more pleasing than trying to go over what he had done.
Besides, if Poppy didn't know, why should he tell her?
sssSSSHHHhhh
Severus woke again some time later to the sound of someone reading. A woman as chances would have it. What perked his interested though was the material the woman was reading. It sounded like a cheap romance novel.
"He pinned her arms above her head, her body pressed tight between the hard stone wall, and a stone hard man. 'Gods that would be hot. If he could take me, right there, up against the wall.'" Severus heard her words as clear as day, followed by a cat like purr at the idea of completing such an act. "Of course, that would mean he'd have to know I exist." There was a heavy sigh. "I'm stuck reading cheap romance novels, rather than getting some action myself. Gods, Granger, what is wrong with you?"
Realization hit him of who it was reading by his beside. He decided that it was no longer appropriate to pretend to be sleeping. With any luck, he would be able to make a few cutting remarks and he would be able to get back to sleep.
"Oh, crap, he's waking up." The exclamation was so loud it startled him fully awake.
Hermione snapped her book shut and shoved it into the chair at her side. She contemplated the idea of running from the infirmary seeing as how she wasn't dressed appropriately by any means.
"He's going to see me dressed like this. Poppy said he would be out for the rest of the evening. What was I thinking coming here dressed like this?"
Severus rolled his head to the side, and saw Professor Granger dressed more intimately then he had ever seen her before. She had on a dark red nightgown and a matching robe. He couldn't help but notice that her hair was down. Since she had started teaching, there had never been a time that he didn't see it twisted up on her head in some fashion. A stray thought passed through his head wondering why she didn't wear it like that more often.
A more pressing question though was if Professor Granger could possible be the woman that Poppy was referring to?
No, that was nonsense, Severus decided. Why would Professor Granger torture herself by sitting by his bedside? Of course, that wouldn't explain why she was sitting in her night gown at his bed side.
"Professor Granger," Severus grumbled, pushing himself up in the bed.
"It's good to see you awake, Sir." Hermione replied. "I was so worried." Her thoughts continued.
"Why are you here, Professor Granger, and especially at this ungodly hour?"
"I… that is you see…" "Crap, what I'm I suppose to tell him? Damnit, why couldn't he just go back to sleep so that I can flee?" "Albus thought it best that there be someone by your side, seeing as how we didn't know exactly what had happened. He was worried that there would be side effects that we didn't know about." "I was worried." Hermione's inner thoughts continued. "I didn't want you dying on me."
Severus bit his tongue. Should he declare the fact that he could hear exactly what she was thinking? No that would be a disastrous move, seeing as how he still didn't know exactly how it happened in the first place, let alone if it worked on every person that he encountered. He would have to keep it to himself for just a little bit longer.
"I am perfectly fine, as you can see, so there is no need for you to waste your time sitting there like a rock." Severus snapped.
"I see." Hermione whispered. "I'll just be going then."
Severus watched as she rose from the chair, grabbing the book that she had hidden from his sight. She then proceed to tie her robe tightly shut for the journey through the halls, the effect had him realizing a key factor that he had, for some odd reason, forgotten for some time.
Professor Hermione Granger had become a woman.
The sash pinched in her waste, accentuating that fact that she had hips and breasts, a detail that was lost when she just wore drab shapeless teaching robes. He watched as she flipped her hair onto her back, it's length now almost to her waist.
Severus ventured so far as to think that she was pretty. Pretty. Who would ever have thought that Professor Granger could ever receive such a title, let a lone from him?
Severus ruthlessly squashed any basic male tendencies that normally occurred once his mind realized a woman was pretty. There was no need to waste his time, nor his energy thinking about how things could be between the two of them. There were huge obstacles in the way as it was.
For starters, she was so young. When she had joined the staff at Hogwarts, she had made the record books as the youngest witch or wizard to hold a full time position on the staff. Severus couldn't have cared less; it only meant that it wiped his name out of the books, seeing as how she beat him by four years. He had a good twenty years on the girl. It didn't matter that he was a wizard and was just about to enter his prime. What mattered was that she was from a purely Muggle upbringing, no doubt the idea of looking twice at such an older man was taboo.
Then there was the fact that he was the famous Greasy Git of the Dungeons. No woman would ever want to associate herself with him based on that fact alone. The ridicule the poor woman would draw from her friends would have her moving as far as possible from the little island they were on. It didn't help that he had taught most of the witches in Europe. Any that were his age had gone to school with him and were aware of the stereotypes that he had been pinned with. The older women in turn only would look at older men, hoping to snag a good man to marry and support them.
In his opinion, he was stuck in a very nasty middle.
Instead of wasting more time thinking over how his love life was nonexistent, Severus slouched back down in the bed, figuring that a good night's sleep was a much better idea. What was he thinking anyway? Like there could be a snowball's chance in Hell that Professor Granger would ever have a similar thought about him.
sssSSSHHHhhh
"And you didn't stay? Why ever not?" Minerva asked the young woman that was sitting next to her at breakfast. She looked at Hermione with a disapproving eye, noting that the young woman's eating habits were rivaling those of her love interest.
"Because you know how he would have reacted, just as much as I would. He wouldn't have been happy to see anyone sitting there at his beside, let a lone me of all people." Hermione stabbed at her eggs wish such viciousness that it startled Minerva. "What was I thinking? Why did I actually think that he would be happy to see me of all people?"
"Well, there is at least one good thing about all of this." Minerva said, sipping at her tea.
"I fail to see it."
"I talked with Albus the night he happened upon Severus."
"Really?" Hermione questioned, leaning over the table so that she could look down the table at Albus. Albus seemed to have known that she was looking his way, and he smiled and winked right back at her. "I think he's enjoying himself far too much over this."
"I think he'll be able to get more information out of that young man than we'll ever be able to." Minerva replied.
"I certainly hope so." Hermione sighed.
She tossed down her fork as the morning bell rang.
"I'll talk with you again at the end of the day. I'm covering Severus' morning classes again," Hermione stated, reaching down next to her chair to grab a bag she was using to carry her things between classrooms. "I believe after having the misfortune of teaching them for almost a week, I can see why Severus is always in a grumpy mood come Friday."
"Now, now, Hermione. Do be kind with the point taking this afternoon?" Minerva questioned. "You keep up this trend, and students will begin to think you are Severus."
At that thought Hermione gave a very unladylike snort.
"Oh, please," she huffed out. "I could be worse." She said with an evil grin. "Besides, you've seen what I had to do to my old House, didn't you?"
"Sadly, yes. I've been working at finding ways to award points in order to make up for what happened."
"What Mr. Parker said was way out of line, Minerva. I had to."
"I fully agree." Minerva replied with a twinkle in her eye. "But you have to admit that a tiny part of you was pleased at the compliment he gave you."
Hermione gave another snort, grabbed her bag, and headed out of the Great Hall.
sssSSSHHHhhh
Severus walked slowly down the hallway. Poppy had argued about him leaving so soon, but he was walking on his own accord, though he was walking slowly, he was still walking. His entire body was stiff, as if he had over done himself the day before and needed a good days rest. Rest was exactly what he wanted. The prospect of relaxing in his own quarters all day was far more pleasing than being tucked into a hospital bed by the overbearing matron.
He couldn't help but feel foolish though, a part of him wondering if he really should have stayed in that white hospital bed, since here he was quietly sneaking back to his quarters while students were in their classes. He didn't want to think about how many points it would cost an unsuspecting student if they saw him meandering through the hallway. Meandering; he couldn't even glide with the way he was feeling. Old is what he was feeling. He didn't have any of the speed and grace that he was use to having. He was weak, and he didn't like to be seen in a weakened state.
He stopped suddenly though in the hallway. There, only a couple of feet away, was the door to the potions classroom, and it was open. His curiosity was peeked, wondering whom Albus chose to teach his classes. Severus knew he should go straight to his quarters, but curiosity did after all kill the cat, and he knew he had a couple of lives still stashed away.
The sight inside the classroom though was nowhere near what he expected it to be.
Some how, the Professor had gotten his Slytherin and Gryffindor class to work quietly together. The only sound within the room was the steady beat of chopping blades on wood. What caught him as odd though was that Mr. Seth and Mr. Able were each positioned in different corners of the room, holding a rather large tomb in their hands. The boys, it would appear to be, were reciting lines out of the book, a simple punishment that he had never thought of employing. Severus couldn't help but smile at the genius of it.
"Mr. Able!" A woman's voice barked. Severus watched as a woman dressed in all black emerged from the storeroom. "Did I tell you to stop?" She approached the boy, her height several inches shorter than his.
"No, Madame." Mr. Able replied rather feebly.
"You are to continue reciting that hex until it is engrained into your feeble brain, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Madame."
Severus watched on as she slapped at the boy's elbows, forcing him to hold the large tomb at a rather odd angle to his body, no doubt the weight alone would cause his arms to ache in no time. She then stood with her arms folded, appraising the performance before her.
Severus couldn't help but question her choice in attire. He couldn't be the only one that thought her choice in robes were not that far off from his own. Even her posture she held as she stormed into the classroom from the storeroom, and how she stood glaring at the young Slytherin, was much like the stance he used when instructing. Who ever it was in there teaching his class, clearly had observed him while working. What Severus really did wonder though, was if the person dressed like that all the time, or if they were doing it as a joke towards his own person?
The second option made his stomach roll.
The woman then allowed her hands to fall to her sides, and she turned to make her rounds through the class. As she turned, Severus felt the shock hit him in the gut as he realized who it was impersonating him in his classroom.
It was no other than Professor Granger.
Severus ducked away from the doorway, and leaned against the wall. The voices of the students in the classroom began to enter his head. The fact that he had more than one voice talking in his head was only the beginning of a right nasty headache. Severus pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to isolate the voices. Each one was reciting potions ingredients, counting, or what sounded like reading the procedure. What made his head hurt even more, was the fact that he only seemed to be hearing the voices of the female students in his head.
What the bloody hell had he made, he cursed again.
He snapped out of it as he placed Professor Granger's among the rest.
"Bloody little nit wits. They can stand up there till their arms fall off for all I care. I don't know how Severus deals with these little monsters. I wonder if they've ever tried to hex him." They had tried to hex her, Severus wondered. Did they succeed? "At least they could have done it right, they got the texture completely wrong. Idiots."
Severus rubbed vainly at the migraine that was growing behind his eyes.
Here, he had thought that Professor Granger had some amount of respect for him. What a fool he had been to not realize how easily she could change sides and make a mockery of him behind his back. While he was sick, no less. Severus snorted, thinking that Professor Granger prided herself on being a Gryffindor. Some Gryffindor to pull a stunt like that behind his back.
Severus made a decision right there in the hallway, and turned back the way he came. There was someone that he would need to talk to about this matter, and he wouldn't rest until there was some kind of action taken.
Albus looked up from his paperwork and eyed the frazzled man before him. He then shook his head as he set down his quill, why ever the man was out of bed looking the way he did, he would never know.
"What is it now Severus?" Albus asked, folding his long hands together on the desk before him. He looked over the rim of his glasses and waited to be told what kind of bug had crawled up his Potions Master's but yet again.
"Not even a week Albus, and… and the mockery she has made out of my class," Severus snapped, the anger he brewed on his slow walk to the Headmaster's office now bubbling over for Albus to hear.
"What on earth are you talking about, my boy?" Albus questioned.
"I was down there. I saw what she has done." Severus replied, spitting out the word 'she' as if it was poison.
At this little confession, Albus' eyebrows rose even higher. He leaned back into his chair, and smiled at Severus.
"She does a fine imitation of you, doesn't she?" Albus questioned.
"She's acting in a highly inappropriate manner, Albus." Severus sunk into an open chair and sighed. "I hate to think of what new names the students will come up with after this," he grumbled, rubbing at the spot on his forehead that was plaguing him.
"It's not you that has to worry, my boy, but Professor Granger. An issue that has been drastically affected any House's chance of winning the House Cup, save for Hufflepuff."
Severus knew he shouldn't, but he bit at the line that Albus threw out anyway.
"What have they been saying?"
"Well, the ones that I have personally heard have been Banshee, Queen of all Evil, and my new favorite, Mrs. Snape." Albus chuckled to himself over the last one. He couldn't remember how long Minerva and himself had laughed over that one, considering the intentions of Professor Granger to begin with. Albus also remembered how many points it had cost a very unfortunate Gryffindor for uttering those words. Thankfully the House points couldn't go into negative numbers.
Severus, on the other hand, wasn't laughing.
"That, Albus, is most certainly not funny." Severus growled out.
Albus tried to compose himself.
"Don't hold this against her, Severus," Albus continued, taking a deep breath, the amount of air required to laugh still amazed him.
"Why ever not." Severus snapped. "I didn't see anyone in there twisting her arm to dress up like that."
"Well, not in the same room, per say." Albus replied.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, when you were originally gone, I asked Professor Granger to take over the teaching of your morning classes, a group of students that are known to be the most trouble in the school."
Severus grunted. There would be no way that he vocally agreed that those students were more difficult than any other group.
"You also understand how hard it is being a young Professor here at Hogwarts, that at times you have to display an image that will demand the respect from your students. So, here I was asking Professor Granger to accept a certain death sentence by taking the morning class schedule." Albus reached into his candy dish, and took out a favored lemon drop. "I then suggested that she take a page from your teaching methods that you use in order to keep peace in the classroom. I can't complain, seeing as how they are working so well."
"You told her to dress like me, and act like me?" Severus hissed. "Is this some kind of joke?"
"Certainly not," Albus huffed. Really, Severus wouldn't know a true compliment even if it bit him on the ass. "Doesn't the old saying have something to do about people who copy another are only showing that person the highest form of a compliment?" Albus questioned.
"It is not a compliment for her to be acting like she is down there. How will I be able to control my classes now that she has made a joke out of them?"
"She hasn't been making a joke out of anything, you daft boy," Albus snapped. He had had enough of Severus' pouting about the whole teaching situation. "She did what was necessary to keep order in your classroom. If that meant posing as a sourer version of you, then so be it. This matter is now closed."
"But-" Severus began, only to have Albus hold up his hand to ward off any further comments.
"I will take your grievous lack of control this afternoon as a side effect from the accident. You will now go back to your quarters and stay there until you are well enough to return to teaching. Any further comments, suggests, gripes or complaints about Professor Granger's teaching methods should be taken up directly with her, for I will do nothing more about the matter."
Severus had his jaw clenched so hard, that he could hear his teeth grinding together, a rather unpleasant sound, considering how it aggravated his migraine even more.
It was there, as he sat in his chair, and Albus in his, that Severus realized that he couldn't hear the Headmaster's thoughts in his head. Was it perhaps that he could control his thoughts more that others, or was it because he was a man? He did after all seem to have the misfortune of only hearing women in his head as of late.
Albus though didn't miss that moment of wistfulness pass over Severus' face. He couldn't help but wonder what the boy was thinking about. Hopefully it was about Hermione. Albus grinned at the idea of working to set the two kids up.
As it was, Severus was right here before him.
"Before you go Severus," Albus began, before Severus had a chance to go back to the dungeons and do only Merlin knows what to Professor Granger. Hopefully he wouldn't rake her across any hot coals.
"Now what?" Severus questioned, crossing one of his legs over the other as he waited for Albus to continue.
"Anther year has passed Severus, and a new one has begun. Are you making any plans for your future? A family perhaps? A lady friend?" Albus asked, wiggling his eyebrows at Severus in a language that only meant one thing when referring to women.
Severus swallowed hard in shock. Sure, Albus had asked him many personal and often irritating questions, but this one was completely unexpected. Instead, he opted to glare at the Headmaster, hoping his look that conveyed his annoyance would work.
"Don't' give me that look," Albus said, waving off Severus' practiced scowl. "It's a simple question."
"There is no simple answer," Severus replied. He hated talking about his love life, or lack there of. He had hit a terrible dry spell and was stuck there now for a good six years.
"A simple yes or no will suffice."
"Then no." Severus grumbled.
"Would you like it to be a yes?" Albus asked.
"What man wouldn't want it to be a yes?" Severus countered.
"That is wonderful to hear." Albus said with a beaming smile. A smile that Severus knew to be one that he showed when he had a plan going on in that brain of his.
"What are you playing at, old man?" Severus questioned.
"Not a thing," Albus replied.
"That smile means that you are up to something. What's going on?"
"Not a thing, that is, not yet."
"Get to the point." Severus' patience was quickly wearing thin.
"Today is your lucky day, Severus my boy."
"How could it possibly be my lucky day? It's going rather dismally as far as I am concerned."
"Not quite," Albus replied, leaning over his desk to look at the sourly man before him. "It has come to my attention that there is a witch out there with her eye on you, Severus. A witch that would, in my opinion, be quite perfect for you."
Severus couldn't help the snort that came out.
The snort slowly became a full-fledged chuckle.
The chuckle then became a raspy laugh, a laugh that hadn't been used in quite some time, which developed into a full-fledged body-shaking laugh.
Albus could only blink. It had been well over five years since he had witnessed such a sight. If it was Severus' goal to always scare the students, he should perhaps try laughing for them. The fallout of students dying from shock would be astronomical.
Once Severus was able to recompose himself, Albus continued.
"I don't see what is so funny about there being a nice witch out there that has her eye on you."
"It is, I believe, the funniest thing that you have ever said to me Albus." Severus rose from his chair. "I will be going back to my quarters, and will rest peacefully until I have the misfortune of having to return to teaching on Monday." He headed for the door, his step a little lighter than before. "Thank you for the laugh Albus, it is greatly appreciated." With those words, he left Albus staring after him.
Albus didn't know what he should do about Severus. Clearly he didn't believe that there could possibly be a woman out there that had her eye on him. The poor boy was ever so blind. Clearly the direct approach wasn't working. He couldn't get any more direct before he would just tell Severus that the woman in question was their very own Hermione Granger.
For once, Albus didn't know what to do about the situation.
When Minerva had told him several nights ago about Professor Granger's vain attempt at attracting the Potions Professor's attention, he couldn't have been more pleased. Here was a smart, beautiful woman that knew what she wanted, and that being an equally smart man, and according to Minerva's assessment, a man that she thought was very attractive. At first, he too didn't believe that Hermione could be true to her word, but after finding her by Severus' bedside every night while he was in the infirmary was more than enough to change his mind.
What she really saw in that boy was still beyond him though. The girl had the patience of a saint to continue chasing after Severus with absolutely no incentive that he returned her feelings. No wonder the poor girl was loosing hope.
Albus wondered if he should have told Severus right out whom the witch was that fancied him.
No, that would certainly ruin the fun of Severus finding out for himself. Albus just hoped that Severus would find out soon, before Hermione began to lost all hope.
SssSSSHHHhhh
That evening, Severus ventured out of his chambers and decided to grace the school with his presence at dinner. He was looking forward to seeing the disappointment on the children's faces as he entered the hall.
Severus also wanted to be able to test out the side effect of the potion, and what better place than in the Great Hall during a meal. The room would be packed with gossiping females, allowing him to get a better handle on what was happening before he was forced to teach with them in his classroom.
He entered the hall by the side door, taking his customary seat at the table. His entrance did not go unnoticed.
"He is alive, and here someone said he was blown up." One female's voice sounded out.
"Great, Snape is back. At least he's nicer than Mrs. Snape. Did I just think that? Snape being nice?" That comment got him to look up over the sea of children, but he searched in vain for the girl responsible for said saying.
"He's back. What is he doing back? He looks mad. Why is he mad? Is he mad at me?" The familiar voice of Professor Granger filled his head.
Severus glanced over in her direction and saw a very worried looking young woman looking back at him. He saw her cheeks redden as she looked back down at her plate of food that she was successfully mutilating with her fork. What the poor chicken ever did to her, he would never know. His view of her was blocked as Minerva leaned forward in order to talk with him.
"It is good to see you back Severus. How are you feeling?" Minerva asked. It surprised him that her concern was quite genuine, and for some reason he was compelled to give a genuine answer.
"Still tired, but I am doing just fine." He saw her blink several times, no doubt taken back by his polite reply.
"That is good news." She smiled. "We have all been worried about you."
"So I am told," Severus replied.
"What are they talking about?" Hermione's voice cut in. Severus noticed her lean a little closer to Minerva in order to hear what they were talking about. "Why doesn't he ever talk with me like that?" Severus couldn't help the snort that escaped. The little chit actually wanted to talk with him. Was she mad?
"What is so funny?" Minerva questioned.
Severus decided to make a play on what Albus told him earlier in the day.
"I was just remembering a conversation I had with Albus this morning."
"Really, what ever did you two talk about that could have been so amusing to have you risking a laugh in front of the student body?" Minerva asked, waiting patiently for a reply.
"Albus said one of the most unlikely things I ever thought he would say. He claimed that he knows of a witch out there that has her eye on me."
"Sweet Merlin, he knows!" Minerva's voice echoed in his head.
Severus saw the color drain from Minerva's face, and then rise back up as her eyes glittered with anger.
"He didn't tell you who it was, did he?" She hissed out. "I told him to keep it subtle! How does telling the boy flat out who it is that fancies him, subtle?"
Minerva's inward tirade of Albus had the smirk falling from his face.
What Albus had told him was true, and here he thought that it was nothing more than a joke.
"He didn't say who it was," Severus said, hearing an inner sigh of relief come from her. "I believe it is part of his game to allow me to find out."
"I'm sure you will," Minerva replied.
"You wouldn't by chance know anything about this, would you Minerva?"
"Of course. But I'm not going to tell you if that's what you're trying to get at." Minerva picked up her cup of tea and leaned back in her seat. "It is in my opinion, that if you are unable to figure it out, then you clearly don't deserve the girl."
"I don't deserve anyone, Minerva, so I don't know why there's a woman out there mooning after me."
Minerva glared at him. "You certainly do deserve someone, Severus. I don't know why you don't get it through that thick skull of yours." She sipped her tea again. "I'll tell you one thing. Your secret admirer was first attracted to what's in that thick skull. How she realized that there is a brain in there, I will never know."
"Really?" Severus asked, his ego being stroked in just the right spot. He liked having his intelligence complimented. It was one of his best attributes as far as he was concerned.
Severus settled back into his seat, and took up his cup of tea as well. He began forming a list of possible women that could possibly be attracted to him. The thought alone that there was someone out there made it hard for him to not smile. He was so distracted by his train of thought, that he didn't notice when people started leaving the hall.
"Professor Snape," Hermione whispered, not knowing what he was thinking about that had him dreaming off into space. "Dinner is over and people are leaving."
Severus brought himself out of his daydream and looked about the hall. Indeed, most of the students were gone along with a majority of the staff.
"Should I ask him? Minerva told me to. What if he says no?" Severus looked over at the young woman at his side and waited for her to ask this inner question that she was apparently worrying over.
"Some of the faculty are retiring to the lounge. Minerva thought it would be best that we catch you up on everything that has happened while you were gone."
"Indeed, Professor Granger." Severus purred. He wanted to hear from the horse's mouth what exactly compelled her to dress and act like him during her week of teaching his class.
"I just thought you'd like to go, that's all." Severus saw her face turn a lovely rose color as she quickly spun away from him and exited the hall.
Severus set down his tea, and made his way slwoly to the teacher's lounge. Perhaps he would take this time as well to see what was going on with Professor Granger, since her behavior was rather odd. Not just today, but for several weeks in fact. It made the hairs on his back stand up, leading him to believe that the woman was up to something, and he wanted to find out what that something was.
sssSSSHHHhhh
Hermione took her customary seat across from Minerva in a wingback chair close to the fire. Minerva in turn handed the younger woman a tumbler with amber liquid in it.
"So, how did it go?" Minerva questioned. She tapped her wand to the table between them, and chess pieces began to walk out onto the board.
"I asked him to come. Merlin only knows if he actually will," Hermione replied, taking a sip of her drink.
Hermione looked about the room, and the only other people that were there were Flitwick, Sprout, Hooch, and Albus. Hermione couldn't help the glare that she gave when she spotted Albus.
"I couldn't help but hear what Albus said to him this afternoon," Hermione continued. "Why he just didn't come out and tell him everything is beyond me."
"What fun would it be then?" Minerva asked, selecting a piece on the board and making a move.
"I'm beginning to think it was a bad idea telling him, that's all," Hermione stated, setting her drink down so that she could make a move of her own.
As Minerva pondered over what her second move would be, Hermione began her nightly routine of unpinning her hair, and like always, Minerva threw her two knuts in over the routine.
"Why you just to use magic to keep your hair up, I will never understand Hermione," Minerva clucked. "Instead you insist on sticking all of those tiny pieces of metal into your head."
"It is how I've always done it," Hermione replied, letting the first section fall. "Then there's also the fact that there's nothing like the feel of letting my hair down at the end of the day." Hermione pulled the last pins out and ran her hands through her hair.
That was how Severus saw her as he entered the lounge. Professor Granger was leaning back in her chair, running her hands through her hair. Her eyes were closed, and her mouth was open in a look of pure ecstasy. He could have sworn he heard her moan out loud.
She was pretty indeed, the little voice inside his head chimed in again.
Minerva on the other hand, was busy looking over a chessboard between them, thinking over several strategies in order to beat Professor Granger. As she moved her bishop up several squares, she looked up and then smiled at him.
"Ah, Severus." She waved him over to the chair near them. "Join us won't you?"
Severus scanned the room, and his choices were either to sit by Albus or to sit by Minerva.
He chose Minerva.
He settled himself into the chair, crossed one leg over the other, rested his arms on the arms of the chair, and readied himself to interrogate the two women present in his company.
"I saw the most fascinating sight today, Professor Granger," Severus began. She moved her piece on the board, and then looked up at him.
Yes, she was pretty. The random thought going through his head for the second time in under a minute almost made him slip up.
"Imagine my surprise while I was heading back to my quarters to see you, of all people, teaching my class." He saw the deep red blush color her cheeks, followed by a weak smile.
"It was Albus' idea, you see," Hermione replied, flipping an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "I must say though, it worked rather well. That is to say, after the original disciplinary action went into place."
At this comment, Minerva was chuckling, earning a hiss from Hermione.
"What did they do?" Severus questioned, looking from one woman to the other, waiting to see who would answer.
"It so happens," Minerva began, earning a whimpered cry from Hermione who tried to sink deeper into her chair. "That Hermione here was hexed by one of your Slytherins. That Mr. Seth thought it suitable to change Hermione's hair color to a shade more like the man she was imitating."
"He did what?"
"He hexed my hair black," Hermione blurted out. "He then stated that if I was going to act like you, then I should look more like you." Hermione didn't even look at Severus as she uttered those words, instead hiding behind a curtain of hair as she looked over the chessboard before her.
"It took a couple of reversal spells to put it right," Minerva added. "But I must say, he did a good job on the color. Though I dare say that it didn't look good against your skin, Hermione dear."
"Why thank you, Minerva," Hermione snipped back. "I like my hair just the way it is, thank you very much." Hermione made her move on the board, and took Minerva's queen out of commission.
"Cheater." Minerva grumbled, picking up her drink before giving her attention back to the board.
"Any other pieces of vital information I must know that happened during the week?" Severus questioned, watching as Hermione reached for her drink as well.
He found it to be a relief that either woman was only going over possible chess moves in her mind. Minerva began going over other events of the past week.
"There was that little accident on Tuesday," Minerva began.
"I hardly call that little," Hermione replied.
"What happened?" Severus asked, getting sucked into the gossip session.
"Mr. Seth and Mr. Able were able to conjure a Red Dragon." Hermione began giggling at the memory of a rather large Red Dragon waddling through the hallway. Minerva continued on with out preamble. "Needless to say, it broke away from their control and set a total of four trees, six chairs, and one very unfortunate Hufflepuff up in flames."
"The Hufflepuff is okay, by the way," Hermione added.
"Thank heavens it was only a conjured dragon. Once it was out of their control, it finally disappeared after fifteen minutes."
"And they did this all by themselves?" Severus asked, not believing that two of the school's newest pranksters were able to pull off such a stunt.
"As far as I'm aware of," Minerva replied.
"I think Miss Robinson had something to do with it as well." Hermione cut in. "I just can't imagine those two being able to read through the amount of books required in order to find that spell. At least Miss Robinson fits the roll as a reader, and she is often found in the other two boy's company."
"She seems so innocent," Minerva added.
"Miss Robinson is hardly an innocent little flower," Severus stated, deciding to join the conversation. "I have reason to believe as well that she is the brains behind many of their operations."
Minerva could only mutter his disappointment in the girl. Hermione on the other hand made herself comfortable in her chair with her glass of whiskey, and took advantage of the fact that Severus was only sitting mere feet away from her.
"He's got such long fingers." Hermione mussed, drawing the attention of Severus at such remarks. "He'd make a wonderful piano player." She sipped at her whiskey and allowed her eyes to travel over his body. "This is, I believe, the longest period of time that I have been near him while he is conscious. He hasn't even made a biting remark towards me. It's kind of nice."
Severus could only blink. Was she thinking about him, or was another man occupying her thoughts? The second part had to be about him, he was after all the only one in their little group that was prone to give biting remarks. Severus had to agree as well, that this was perhaps the longest conversation that he had held where Professor Granger was included in the discussion. Part of him had to admit that it wasn't as bad as he thought it would have been talking with her.
She was pretty after all.
Severus bit the inside of his cheek, holding in the words of anger that threaten to escape after his mind decided to yet again remind him of what it thought about Professor Granger.
It was happening so often; that it had to be true didn't it?
His attention was brought back to the chess game before him as Minerva cursed fluently in Gaelic after being defeated by a much younger opponent. He watched as Hermione's eyes went wide at hearing such foul language pass from Minerva's mouth.
"Minerva," Hermione whispered, unable to believe what she just heard.
"What?" Minerva snapped, looking at her empty glass. "I swear you cheat girl." She grumbled, getting up from her seat. She walked away, heading over to the liquor cabinet to refresh her drink.
Severus took this as an opportunity to play against Professor Granger, and moved himself into Minerva's newly vacated seat. It would also allow him to study the troubling thought that was plaguing him as of late. The fact that she was pretty. Being able to sit across from her for an entire game of chess would allow him to dispel such a ludicrous belief.
She looked up at him, her eyes showing hints of shock and fear as he took the seat across from her.
"What are you doing?" She questioned, looking over to Minerva to rescue her.
"I would like a game of chess Professor Granger; I thought that to be obvious seeing as how I am sitting here and there is a chessboard between us." Severus replied, tapping his wand to the board so that the pieces would reassemble themselves and go back to their proper places.
"I don't know-" Hermione began.
"Are you afraid of loosing?" Severus questioned, one of his elegant eyebrows raised in challenge.
Hermione huffed in defeated and waited as Severus made the first move. They sat in silence for the first four moves, until Hermione was brave enough to break the silence.
"Why haven't you ever played chess with me before?" She asked, looking up at her dark opponent. "Minerva is a right sour looser, as you heard before."
"It requires sitting across from someone for an unpredicted amount of time. The thought of suffering such a fate is always in my mind after having the misfortune of playing with Albus."
He moved his knight and then looked up at his opponent. He silently cursed himself as he realized that no matter how much he lied to himself, Professor Granger was pretty. She was looking intently down onto the chessboard, her thoughts running around the possibilities of following moves that he might try.
It was in that moment that Severus realized that Professor Granger had brown eyes, a really light brown, with a few flecks of green. He was even close enough to see a light dusting of freckles along her cheeks and nose.
"I was at least warned by Professor Flitwick about Albus," Hermione replied, finishing her move.
"Sadly, he did not allow me such a privilege."
"Did he just make a joke?" Hermione's inner thoughts squeaked out. "This is nice. I hope he will consider playing chess with me again."
"I'm sorry," Hermione replied.
"No need. The lesson is now learned after all."
Hermione gazed fondly at Severus.
"I love the way his brow creases when he concentrates. His hair is even falling in his face. I wonder what it would feel like to run my hands through it. I doubt it's greasy like I've always heard. It actually looks quite soft from here. He even smells nice." Hermione's inner conversation continued as Severus pretended not to be paying attention, but continued to work on his next move. "I wonder what the students would say if they knew he smelled like fresh soap? Kind of contradictory to the belief that he would be greasy, in fact it strongly suggests that he showers on a regular basis. Hmmmm…" The female purr was like magic to his ears, causing all the hairs on his arms and back to stand at attention. "I wonder what he would look like all wet and naked in the shower."
After that rather intimate thought, Severus quickly moved his piece and sat right up in his seat. He gave Professor Granger what he hoped was a polite smile, as she went about deciding her next move. It now gave Severus a moment or two to go over what he had just heard.
Was it just a random female thought, or was there more behind her query of what he looked like naked? Was it common for woman to wonder what men looked like sans their clothes? Severus knew that any warm-blooded man would ponder that thought about any woman that crossed his path, so was this just a general thought thrown out there by Professor Granger seeing as how he was the only man in her near vicinity, or was there more to it?
Severus couldn't help grinning at his next line of thinking, and that being, perhaps Professor Granger was making a direct comment about him because she really wanted to know. It would explain why she was sitting by his beside when he woke up in the infirmary, and it would also explain why she was so worried about his person. Could it really be that simple? Could Professor Granger be the witch that fancied him? Should he risk it and find out?
His Slytherin side couldn't refuse the notion of looking further into the possibility of there being something there with Professor Granger. Besides, his body and his brain agreed that she was pretty, so what kind of harm would there be? She did after all wonder what he looked like naked.
"It looks like I'm finished," Hermione sighed, settling back into her seat.
Severus waited for her to do something more, like cry, or scream, or curse much like Minerva had done. All she did though was pick up her glass and finish off the rest of her drink.
"That's it?" Severus questioned, waiting for something else to happen.
"What's it?"
"No outward display showing how much you hated loosing?"
"No." Hermione replied quite simply.
"Interesting."
"Interesting?" Hermione laughed. "You're acting as if it is abnormal to take loosing graciously."
"Indeed I am."
"You need to find a better partner," Hermione replied.
Severus knew he just had.
