Chapter 12: Waiting

The sudden wind caught Hermione unaware as she sat stock still against the blackness that was the dreamscape. She could feel the familiar tickle in her stomach as she watched Professor Snape's face. The feeling had been reoccurring ever since the night she had persuaded herself into his private chambers. She couldn't say she approved... but she could say she liked it. It had been a long time since she had thought she may have liked someone. She knew all of the negative affects of her little 'crush'... but she knew deep down inside of Snape there was acres upon acres of goodness.

"So you were close with your mother?" Hermione asked, gauging his sadness on his face. He had finally opened up and told her an inkling of his past. He had been young when the photo she had seen in his room was taken, he'd said.

"As much as a young boy could be. She was really the only person I knew." Severus looked away from Hermione and focused on his shoe. He too, was sitting down, trying his best to look relaxed, but the topic of his mother made him severely uncomfortable.

"I remember when I was nine and my mother and father took me to Kensington Gardens. It was beautiful." She struggled to find similarities in the two of them because she knew, deep down in her heart, that their similarities was what had brought them together.

"My father hadn't come with me." Snape said, darting his eyes up away from her. She saw his uncomfortable posture and tried to think of a new topic.

"So did you always have an inner genius for potion making?" Hermione asked, trying to compliment the man as best she could.

"I suppose so. I've always enjoyed the exact science it takes to be a proper potions master." He finally relaxed and studied her face. She was trying so hard, he decided. "You know..." Severus ventured, "you could also be a wonderful potions mistress." Hermione felt the heat rise in her face, and watched his eyes as the settled on hers.

They sat in silence like that for quite a while. Just watching the other person seemed to feel the awkward silence. Hermione didn't want to leave the dreamscape, but she knew soon that she'd awaken and be thrown once more into the hated real world. Snape himself felt a certain calm when he looked at her soft features. But this contentment, though wonderful to feel, made him want to scream. It was bad, he told himself repeatedly. Nothing in the world would make him risk his sturdy, understood life for the unknown, desperately scary world that Hermione seemed to ensue.

IIII

"Oy! Hermione! Harry! Ginny!" Ron felt his face turn beet red as he watched Hermione's wavy brown head laugh heartily inside of the Three Broomsticks. "What are you lot doing here?" He fiddled with the apron he was wearing.

"Well, we only get so many Hogsmeade weekends. We thought on this one, we'd come visit you... and make you wait on us. Isn't that so Harry?" Hermione said, winking at her co-conspirator.

"That's exactly right. Now we'd like three butterbeers, Ron." Harry said smiling at his friend as that sat at a cozy booth in the corner. Ginny, who had come with Harry, slid in first and waved for him to slide in next. Ron walked away to bring them their drinks.

"I think I'm going to go to the restroom while he's gone," Hermione said glancing towards Ron's back. She waved to Harry and Ginny, who weren't paying her an inkling of attention , but rather staring at each other, when she walked away.

She washed her hands thoroughly and as the water ran smoothly over her fingers the thought of him. Her dream last night had been beautiful. It was better, she decided, then the first dream they had ever had together. That first night they had held each other in their arms and felt each heart beat. It was nice, she knew, but the night before, as she had watched Severus' eyes... she had felt the butterfly's tickle her dream stomach and knew that it was as real as it ever could be.

She opened the door the bathroom, and as she stepped out to leave, her eyes settled on a distinctly black pair not more than a yard away from hers. She gasped loudly from the shock and watched a smirk glide across his face.

"Well hello Granger," He said, his voice coming across smooth.

"Professor Snape, what are you doing here... in front of the women's restroom?" Hermione asked, honestly perplexed.

"Waiting for you."

IIII