By the way, I'm kinda imagining the relationship between Harry and Hermione kinda like Will and Grace's friendship, that really close can-do-or-say-anything type thing. I love Will and Grace. So when he kisses her it's as a friend, its not flirting or anything, that's why she ain't worried.
Also Yes the song is from the Phantom of the Opera, I finally went to see it and fell in love with the music. All credit to Andrew Lloyd Webber the musical guineas and none to me.
BTW Lyrics law have meant me cutting some of this part out, so bits where it might not make sense are the bits where the lyrics were. I havent had chance to check it all again. will do soon though.
Chapter 3
Just as Hermione had expected Snape had given them homework that was to be handed in for the next morning. And just as he had said, Harry sat with her as he did her Potions essay on uses of the Pyroice flame and she did her Muggle Studies essay on The History of the Lightbulb and its Uses. Her hand was aching from writing, her ink was nearly dried up and her quill nib was miss shaped from the amount of writing. She put it down and rubbed her hand tenderly. Harry looked up at her as he finished the last sentence on the second piece of parchment. He gave her a warm smile.
"What?" She asked suspiciously.
"Nothing, can I not smile at a friend?"
"When you smile at me like that it means you want something. What's up?" She asked as she picked her parchment up to blow the ink dry.
"I was wondering, have you spoken to anyone about your dad?" He said simply but gently. She lowered the parchment to look at him fully. She held his gaze for a moment before looking at the parchment again.
"No." She said simply.
"Do you want to?"
"No." Harry knew better than to push her to talk about it.
"Ok, but when you do want to, I'm right here. Always."
"I know Harry. Thank you." He looked away. So that was the end if that conversation. No, he would not let that be the end. He had rehearsed it for too long.
"How are you coping with it?"
"Ok thanks…"
"No, no, I meant what are you doing? Apart from putting it out of your mind completely." She looked up at him again, looking directly into his eyes.
"I have my ways Harry. I appreciate your concern, but I am fine. Please believe me." Harry sighed.
"I just wish that I could do something. If you ever need me for anything, anything at all, you know I would never tell anyone anything if you didn't want me to…"
"I know Harry. Thank you." And that was it. She gave him a last smile before carrying on with her work. Satisfied that she had accepted his words and would indeed talk to him if she so wanted he too looked down upon the work he had done for her and smiled.
"I'm going to bed. I've got Quidditch practise in the morning with Ron, better get some sleep."
"Ah, that's why he's not here with us. "
"And the fact that it is 11:40 is the reason why there is no-one else in the common room. Night Herm."
"It's 11:40? And I've still got all this other work to do!"
"Herm, don't stress about it, it has to be handed in on Monday. Just go to bed and get some rest. Night darling." And with that he kissed her head as he passed her. He placed his hand on her shoulder gently as she raised her own hand up to place it on top of his.
"Night Harry." She said simply and with that he took his hand away and walked up the stairs to the boy's dorm, leaving her alone in the dark common room lit only by the last embers of the dying fire.
Hermione put her quill down finally at 12:55 and closed her last book. Most of her homework was now complete. She sighed with triumph as she put the book in her bag, which was bursting with bits of parchment and books, and slung it over her shoulder as she carried it along with her quill and Harry's ink pot upstairs with her. She placed everything down by her bed when she entered the room, being careful not to wake the other girls. Lavender stirred in her bed, Hermione stayed deathly still, but nothing came over it. She merely rolled over and went back to sleep. Hermione changed into her pyjamas and climbed into bed, resting her head on the soft pillow that had the comforting smell of her dads aftershave. Expecting to fall straight asleep, she was surprised and frustrated when she didn't. Tossing and turning, she half expected one of the girls to wake up but none did. She sighed and tried counting sheep, emptying her thoughts, but nothing worked. She knew that she had to get up early in the morning for lessons so she had to sleep, but she just couldn't. Eventually she gave up knowing what it was that would send her to sleep but not wanting to do it. Snape had almost caught her last time, there was the risk that he would be there again tonight… but she had to go. She put her shoes and cloak back on, ready to leave the room. She was going to have to visit her usual seat in the astronomy tower before she would sleep tonight. Hurrying quietly down the stairs and out on to the corridor, she didn't notice a pair of eyes watching her leave.
Severus Snape took off his heavy cloak and hung it on the hooks on the wall. He had had a bad day, nothing spectacular had happened and he had taught the usual set of brats, therefore it had been a bad day. He slumped into his dark green settee, deep and soft to the touch. He massaged his forehead with his fingers, closing his eyes and thinking of the day that had passed and the day that he had to look forward to tomorrow. Taking a deep breath he opened his eyes and stood up, ready to pour himself a glass of firewhiskey. He had decided what he was going to do last night and he was going to carry on with it. He poured himself a glass and took a swift swig of it then poured some more, set it down on his desktop and sat to begin marking papers. He would wait until 1:00 then he would go straight up to the tower to see if she was there to send him to sleep. He wasn't even going to walk the grounds, merely go straight up and find her. It was 12:00, he had an hour to wait. He took another drink then set to work marking.
The minutes seemed to pass like hours. For an eternity he sat there, looking up every two minutes to see the time, expecting it to have been at least ten minutes since he last looked and feeling that twang of disappoint mixed with impatience as he realised it had in fact only been two minutes since he checked last. For the last ten minutes he stopped marking all together to concentrate harder on the time, wishing it to hurry up. It got to 12:55 and he couldn't stand to sit there any longer, he got up, wrapped his cloak around him and started the walk up to the tower.
As he reached the bottom of the stairs he heard that sweet voice again. Only very quietly, he had to strain to hear it, but as soon as he did he felt that wave wash over him again. He stood at the bottom of the stairs. He could hear his angel singing again.
He felt his soul stirring again inside him. He saw himself walking up the stairs slowly, savouring every note, and letting her voice sink in him. Before he knew it he was at the top of the stairs. Slowly he followed the voice, enchanted, not knowing what to expect when he found the source of the voice. He had no thoughts in his head, he knew nothing of anything, only this voice.
He was there, outside the very room in which the voice was coming from. Behind the door was the very power that held him and soothed him. For a second he didn't want to open it. He didn't want to see the this voice because of what it might bring. What if it was it was an angel? And he wasn't suppose to see it? His mind tossed up so many ideals and questions. What if it was just a normal person? If it was not an angel merely a disappointment? What if by finding the source it meant he could never hear it again? Severus listened to himself and mental kicked himself. There's no such thing as angels he told himself. He had to find it, even if it meant he could never hear it again. He must see it for himself. He silently pushed the door open.
There she was, sat on the window ledge, singing into the night.
He stood, enraptured by her. She was every bit as beautiful as he had imagined. He could not see her whole face, but the moonlight shone down on one side of it, making her skin look snow white, her wide eyes looked black, perfect contrast with her skin. Her hair, a dark brown almost black tumbled in cascading curls down her neck, resting on her shoulder blade. Her body was barely visible underneath her plain white silk night-gown, it clung to her slim, perfect form. Her slender leg showing from the knee down, no marks or scars like his own body. She was an angel. He just stood there in the doorway, listening to her sing. She was perfect. He was certain that her voice took a physical form, but somewhere in his mind he told himself that it was just her breath on the cold night air.
Something told him that this wasn't right. He wasn't suppose to be here. He wasn't suppose to see any of this. He backed out of the doorway suddenly, still listening to her…his cloak dragged on the floor, brushing over the stone.
She heard it and spun her head around to look at him. He ripped his head up from looking at the offending material on the floor. They stood for a few moments staring at each other, each as wide eyed as the other. Severus could not see her properly though, the moonlight shone behind her, causing her to become a silhouette form, although he could see some features as the light crept round onto her face. He could just make out her facial expression. It looked shocked and horrified. Neither knew what to say. Eventually Severus stepped back another few steps. She was about to speak.
"Don't speak. Don't say a word." He said gently. She hung her head almost in shame.
"Sir I'm…."
"No, don't say anything." He didn't want to spoil this moment. He carried on walking back, leaving the corridor wide open. "Go." From what he could see she looked confused. "Go, now." He was still in awe of her. She didn't need telling again, she hurried past him, her bare feet softly padding on the stone as she past him. She hurried down the stairs and was soon melted into the dark shadows of the curving staircase.
Yay! Reviews! Happy me! Replies!
JTBJAB- Hope you enjoy!
Lene- Sorry i couldn't put an accent on the e, i have an English keyboard. Thank you!
snapesepanss- I have writers block at the mo, got to chapter 15 and decided that it wasn't right, so went right back to chapter 9. I'm currently writing chapter 10 but it's hard. But thank you, you are truely inspriational.
Shortyst- Sorry, not the first but close. I hold you in high regard my dear! Thank you!
ERSM333- I was insprired by Phantom of the Opera to sing again, and this story is the result, hence the song from it. Kind of a dedication to it.
hiyahpfan- Thank you!
mery beth- That is one of the best compliments I have ever got. Thank you so much
daygonna- What can I say except thank you!
the musician- It took me a while to understand that, the "eof" threw me, but now I get it. Thank you again.
More tomorrow night my darlings!