"Severus?" a voice called out tentatively from his classroom. He recognized it instantly, but tried to ignore it nonetheless. After what had happened, he could not bear to face her.

He heard approaching footsteps, however, and looked up from his papers that he was scoring to see her head poking through his office door.

"Don't you knock?" he asked.

"I did, and I called out your name, but apparently, you didn't hear me," Hermione said, and then stepped inside of his room. She walked over to his desk and leaned against it as he looked up at her.

"Since when do you wear glasses?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Since I got old," he answered.

She rolled her eyes. "Severus, you're not old."

"In two days, I will be forty," he said, removing the eyeglasses that he used for reading and setting them down on the desk. He closed his eyes and massaged his temples.

"Two days? Your birthday is in two days?"

"Was my statement not clear?"

Then he noticed that Hermione had not been able to stop smiling ever since she walked into his office.

"What are you so giddy about?" he sneered.

She walked until she was beside him and then threw her arms happily around his neck, startling him and causing him to draw a bright red slash down the center of Melanie Skrit's essay.

"Ron recovered! Last night, in the hospital. The doctors said it was amazing that he was able to recover so quickly and even I was surprised. I mean, anyone would expect something like this from Harry, but not Ron, never Ron."

"I am quite happy to hear that."

"Are you really?" Hermione asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Happy for you."

"I see. Well, thank you."

He nodded and returned to marking up Melanie's paper and scribbling cruel criticisms in the margins.

Hermione walked around to the back of his chair and leaned down, so that her face was right next to his. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and slid her hands down his strong shoulders and chest. She turned her head slightly so that she could whisper his name in his ear, "Severus…"

"Hermione, don't…" he groaned, roughly removing her arms from around him.

She asked him, bewildered, "Is there something wrong?"

"Don't touch me again," he said quietly, through gritted teeth.

"Why not? You seemed perfectly fine last night when we were practically making out in your classroom."

"I wasn't thinking clearly."

"What?"

"It was nothing more than a mistake."

"I was a mistake?"

"No, kissing you was." He couldn't even look at her right now, so he simply sat staring at his desk, but he could hear the hurt in her soft voice.

"I don't think you truly believe that, Severus."

"Well, aren't you in for a surprise, then?" he asked sarcastically and with a sneer.

"Severus-"

"Get out, Hermione. Please leave, now."

"Have I done something?"

Severus stood from his chair and drew himself up to his full height, so that he towered over Hermione's petite frame.

"Leave," he growled again, walking over to the door and pulling it open for her.

Hermione glared daggers at him, walking toward the door slowly.

"Severus-" she said edgily, but he interrupted her by grabbing her upper-arm violently and shaking her.

"I said to get out, Miss Granger! Out of my office, now!" he bellowed at her, clutching her arm painfully now.

"Severus, let go!" she shrieked, trying to pry his fingers from her arm. She was sure that it would be left with noticeable bruises where he was gripping it now with surprising strength. She whimpered, "Severus, please, let go."

She looked up at him with pleading eyes, and he saw a flash of fear appear in them for an instant. He jerked his hand away quickly from her arm, causing her to stagger backwards and nearly fall over, but she grasped the edge of his desk to steady herself. Severus stared at Hermione as if he had only just realized that she was there, his chest rising and falling rapidly with the deep breaths he was taking. She stood in front of him, trying her best to glare at him, but the horror was evident in her eyes, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not conceal it.

He walked to the door and held it open for her, not daring to look her in the eyes as he said quietly, "Please leave. Please leave now." She could hear his voice shaking.

Hermione walked hesitantly toward the door, rubbing her bruised, aching arm gently.

"Why did you do that?" she whispered. She had to know.

"Because…I'm a monster. I lost my temper."

Hermione took a step toward him. "You are not. Just because you lost your temper-"

"Hermione, I will not tell you this again: Get out of my office. Out of my classroom. Out of the dungeons. Out of the school, I don't care. Just get. Away. From me," he growled deeply.

"Severus, you're not a monster," Hermione repeated softly, but Severus took a step toward her and she cowered beneath him.

"There? You see! What do you see when you look at me? When I look at you, I see fear in your eyes, and what do you see when you look at me? Cold, black eyes!"

"That's right. To go with your black heart!" Hermione screamed and fled from his room, her face buried in her hands to muffle her beaten sobs.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I appreciate it sooo much!

olivialynlee- Hehe. "Super-writer." Hehe. Lol. Thanks! Again, I had to laugh at your review when you asked why you were so shocked. Lol.

Madelynn Rae- Mmm…Severus in white. That gets me all warm and fuzzy. Hehe. I'm glad that my story keeps you warm and fuzzy too!

zoe- Thank you! Here's Chapter 14!

Tasha-Draco- Oh, yeah, sorry about that. When I said "tonight," I meant like evening. Not exactly nighttime, but just in the evening. Sorry. Oops.

PhantomPirate- Of course I will. Thank you! I am so glad that you like it so far!

Wow! I think this may be a complete first for me: I did not update at all yesterday! One whole day where I didn't update! Not that you all appreciate that, I'm sure, but still...it is a record, at least.

However, I'm feeling much better now, so I think that Chapter 15 will be up very, very soon. Probably sometime tomorrow, but no promises.

I know that this chapter is different from the other chapters (contact between Severus and Hermione, but not the kind you were expecting, I'm sure), but just wait until Chapter 15 and it will kind of make sense, I think. I hope. Whatever.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, or anything to do with the Harry Potter wizarding world. Actually, I don't own anything from any wizarding world, but whatever. It all belongs to J.K. Rowling (just the Harry Potter one though. Maybe I should stop talking now, huh?).

Remember: Review, Please! It only takes about 50 seconds. Even if you don't like it, please tell me what you dislike about it and I will try to work on it in the future. Thanks!