A crowd gathered around the group as students leaving from the Great Hall heard the cry of pain from the bottom of the stairs. Draco Malfoy was curled up on the ground in front of a tall, attractive witch that they all knew to be Hermione Granger. A gasp erupted from the group as they thought how they had never imagined Hermione to ever hurt another student. That thought quickly left their minds as they saw Professor Snape standing mere feet away from the pair. His wand in hand pointing at the ball of robes and blonde hair on the ground.
Draco whimpered in pain and the group took a step back as Snape pocketed his wand and glared at the surrounding students, as if daring them to tell on him. No one would say a word. Harry and Ron stood gaping at their potions master, as a smile played on Hermione's lips as she gazed down at the squirming boy in front of her. His robes splayed out around him as he gripped his groin. She smiled fully as she remembered the threat Snape had given him after their little encounter.
"You will never get away with this! My father will seek justice!" Draco's voice seemed forced and his threat was full of anger. Snape took one long stride and was in front of Malfoy in a heartbeat. He bent down and gripped Draco's hair in his hand, pulling his head back to look at him in the eyes. Draco's face was a bright red and you could see he had tears in his eyes.
"I don't believe he will, Mr. Malfoy. I really don't think he will ever even know about this act. Do you really think your father will be happy that his poor little boy was harassing a mudblood? I don't think daddy will like that very much. He doesn't know that the witch you are assaulting is really not as filthy as he may think. It is not necessary for him to find out about this little, what would you call it? This little act of justice. You said yourself mere moments ago he would seek justice, and I think justice has already been found." He threw his head back down. Snape stood up glancing around the group. "Does anyone here have anything else to say?" A sneer was played onto his lips and he glared at the Slytherins in front of him. The crowd quickly took a step back as he stepped over Malfoy towards the members of his house. "I didn't think so."
Hermione watched Snape as he turned back to her and motioned for her to come to him. She stepped over Malfoy managing to clip his side with her foot in the process. A smile was covering up her once fearful and anxious face. She stood in front of her professor waiting for a command. She would do anything he said at this moment.
"I believe we have some more potions we could be brewing at this time. I just recently found out that there is a foolish Slytherin boy who would be in desperate need of some pain relieving potion after a very, very painful Quiditch accident." He glanced down at Malfoy still curled on the floor muttering obscenities. "Would you mind helping me with them?"
Hermione smiled and nodded her head before turning to her two friends' stunned faces.
"It looks like you will have to study without me for a bit. I have some unfinished work to complete for some potions. I will catch up with you later." She gave them both a quick smile before turning back to her potions master. He bent down and pulled his hand out to the side to direct her to the dungeons in a gentleman like manner. She nodded towards him before walking in the direction of the dungeons. The crowd that still remained cleared out of her way and watched as she passed by, followed shortly by the tall, handsome man that they had come to understand as a powerful, authoritative potions master. His act of protection was a shock to them, and even more was the way he had treated Granger. They both had changed, and many thought at that moment that the rumors were true.
Hermione walked slowly beside her potions master down the hall into the dungeons. She stole glances at him every chance she got. His face was the same and his hair was the same raven color, but it looked so soft. His eyes intrigued her and she smiled at his long strides. He was a wonderful man and he just defended her. They turned a corner and walked into the classroom. They stripped off their robes and went straight to the tables. Hermione jumped up and sat on her table as she waited for Snape to get out the materials. She watched him with interest as he pulled out the cauldrons and with a wave of his wand; the ingredients appeared on the tables.
"Um, thanks, again. It seems you are always there to save me from that filthy beast, if that is even the right term." She shrugged her shoulders and looked down at her feet swinging them like the school girl she was. She looked up to find him staring at her a he rolled up his sleeves to his elbows.
"Miss Granger, it really is no problem or displeasure of mine to save you from anything." He smiled at her and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt as he went back to his ingredients. Hermione blushed and looked back at her feet. When she looked up he was already adding things to his boiling water in his cauldron. At the sight of him so calmly brewing his potion, she remembered how life was in the two days before Draco appeared interested in her. She broke down.
"Why did he suddenly seem interested in me? What has changed so much? Do I just seem like some sort of whore now? Why after all those years of hating me, did he suddenly want to sleep with me?" She banged her fists on the table and silent tears broke from her eyes. She didn't make any sound of crying or sobbing, they just came out.
Snape looked up from his potion at her outburst and his heart ached at the sight of her crying like that because of a boy. He watched for a second and she tried to compose herself and then he set down his stuff, and like a school boy, walked over to her and jumped up on the table too. He sat next to her for a moment before grabbing her fist tenderly and opening it in his hand. He placed both of his hands on her one and looked at her for a moment. She stared back at him for a moment in confusion, before the comfort of his presence snuck in.
"Miss Granger, there are many reasons why a boy like Malfoy would be interested in you. You are beautiful and stunning. You have a gleam about you that no one else does. Your skin is perfect. Your smile is brighter than the sun and can make anyone smile in return. Your eyes are so soothing and soft and have always showed a glimpse of your yearning for information and truth. You are the smartest witch that I have ever known and no on can measure up to you. You are quick on your feet and brave. You should have been in Slytherin because of your cunning and your instincts, but your courage and friendliness override your evil side." He paused and chuckled to himself. His eyes lingered on her hand in his before he looked back into her eyes and continued. "The reason it has never been seen before, is because he hid his emotions from you for so long because of his anger towards Potter and Weasley, and also because he knew he could never compare to you. Your perfection is too much for him to stay away, but he could never be as flawless. He, like someone else I know, has probably been besotted with you since the moment he saw you, and he just knew you would never return his affections. It is nothing you did. It is just time and love taking its toll." He squeezed her hand lightly before letting go of it and walking back to his potion.
Hermione sat stunned at his words with the touch of his hands still lingering on hers. She could not help but smile. The tears had stopped coming the second he touched her and she sat in a daze, thinking over his words. She looked up at him and smiled when he caught her stare. She blushed as he smiled back. A genuine smile with emotion behind it. She looked back to her feet when she remembered one of the last things he had said. 'He, like someone else I know, has probably been besotted with you since the moment he saw you…' She looked up at him and watched as he intently stirred his potion. The moment he went to sit down and rest, she asked him the question she had been waiting to ask.
"Professor? Why did you save me…twice? And who else do you know that is besotted with me?" She looked at him questioningly. A slight smile crossed his face and she knew she would get the honest truth.
"The moment you came into this classroom, and raised your hand, I immediately knew you would be a smart witch. As the years passed, I respected you and was astounded with your success, but stress and acting caused me to never give you the attention you deserved." He looked down at his arms folded across his chest and continued. "After I learned more about you in the past year at headquarters and your immediate trust once the war was over, I couldn't help but feel more for you. I value your opinion and I trust you as well, so I asked you to help me brew the potions for the school. That was the best decision I have made, because the time with you was the best time I have ever had. I guess it is all really because, well, I love you." He raised his head to look at her face. He couldn't read what she was thinking.
"I understand if you don't feel the same way. I have treated you horribly in the past, but I have always loved you. It is wrong, I know, but it only recently turned into pure love and affection. You are a woman, and a wonderful one at that." He finished off and stood up to finish his potion.
Hermione watched for a moment before she stood up and walked over to stand opposite of him at his table. He was emptying the cauldron when she approached and he looked up at her. She was smiling and he didn't know why. He knew he crossed a line. He bottled the potion and moved the stuff to the side of the table to begin a new potion. The clear place in front of him was suddenly filled.
Hermione was sitting on the table facing him Indian style. As he looked up to face her, lips collided with his. It was soft and tender. Her lips brushed over his again before she sat back looking at him. He was shocked at her actions and looked at her questioningly.
"It is good to know that I am not the only one with built up emotions. Everything you have said to me in the past ten minutes has been the best thing I have ever heard. You have filled every dream just by uttering those words. You called me beautiful, wonderful, perfect, and even said you loved me. That is all I have ever wanted to here." She leaned forward to kiss him again, but he pulled back hesitantly to look at her crestfallen face.
"You are not doing that because you want to. I have just triggered your dreams and wants, and you're doing this because it has never happened before. Please, if you don't feel the same, don't. I won't be able to handle that." He stared at her as she smiled.
"Professor, I have loved you sine I first entered your classroom. From the second I saw you I was attracted to you. Your mystery, your ease, your intelligence. It all pulled me in. It hurt every time you berated me, but hearing your words makes up for all of that. When I saw you this year, my longing and desire for you ignited a feeling in me of love I have never experienced before. When you asked for my help, my body jumped in delight. Those moments together were heaven. I loved everything. Your touch, your voice, all of it. The moment you came in to save me last night, I fell in love all over. Professor, you have made me fall in love with you three times total if I am counting right. And sir, now is one of them." She leaned in and kissed him softly. He slid his hands to her hips and returned her kiss. He pulled back resting his forehead on hers, both eyes shut not wanting to open them for fear of it being all a dream.
"It's Severus, Hermione. Call me Severus." He placed a tender kiss on her lips as she smiled. Her name on his lips made her heart flutter in her chest.
"Okay…Severus." She mumbled his name into his mouth as she kissed him. She could feel a smile cross his lips and his body relax at the sound of his name. He kissed her back passionately and pulled her closer.
For what seemed like an eternity, they kissed there. Her sitting on the table with legs on either side of him and him holding her close. She wound her arms around his neck and held him closer to her. She broke the kiss and trailed tiny soft kisses down his jaw to his neck and back up to his lips. This was heaven, and she didn't want to leave. She broke off the kiss and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.
"Severus, what did you do to Malfoy?" She opened her eyes to see him smiling with his eyes closed. She drew back and watched as he opened his eyes and began to laugh.
She knew this would be good.
"Sorry to disappoint you Hermione, but I didn't damage his precious jewels permanently." She pouted slightly for a moment before he brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. She couldn't be mad at him. "But I did harm him as you could tell. He won't be able to walk right for about a week, and not be able to, how should I say, 'pleasure' himself for about two or three." He laughed as a smile grew on her face.
"I love you." She kissed him eagerly before breaking it off to look at him.
"I told you I would take care of him. I will protect you. I love you." He leaned forward and kissed her again. This kiss was more passionate and full of love and desire. Hermione kissed him eagerly pulling him closer to her. She wound her hand into his hair. It was so soft against her skin and she loved it. He broke the kiss and trailed tiny ones down her neck to the top of her blouse, but just came right back up. She needed him and she knew it. They kissed for a while before he broke it off. It was already dinner time. They had been together now for over half the day just basking in the other's presence.
"Should we continue this later, Hermione?" Snape smiled at her as her eyes brightened in response to her name from his lips. "Potions do need to be brewed."
She smiled at him and kissed him lightly. She climbed off of the table rubbing against him as she walked back around to her table. She went to put on her robes, but he stopped her and held her robes up for her to put on. As he wrapped her robes around her he brushed her hair out of the way and kissed her delicately on the neck. She shivered at his touch and turned around to face him. They kissed again before she broke off and headed for the door holding his hand as she did. Their fingertips lingered before finally letting go.
"Good bye Hermione." He smiled at her and leaned up against the table he was standing next to.
"I shall see you at 8. Thank you Severus for saving me and making me fall in love with you again." She smiled and stepped out of the door.
A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews, there is still one more chapter, believe me. I hope you liked this one. It is my first fic, and I have loved the response. I love you all. Thank you. Sorry for interrupting the story, I just had to say thanks. Final chapter is next. Review please, thank you.