A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Flashback, as before, is from the first person POV of Hermione. Let's get down to it, shall we? Hope you enjoy!

Oh yeah, and I don't own.

Talk is Cheap

Chapter 4

Ron and Harry just stood there staring at the door Hermione had just closed in their faces. Neither one of them could speak, but the same thought was running through both of their minds: Hermione and… Snape? Harry was the first to speak.

"Maybe it isn't what we think, Ron. Maybe she… maybe she just wanted to apologize for running out in the middle of class," he offered lamely, not really believing it himself. There was something about the look in Hermione's eyes that didn't quite match up to making a simple apology. Ron didn't buy it either.

"What has happened to her, Harry? The Hermione we know would never have done any of these things," Ron said angrily as they turned away from the door and made their way to Charms.

"She was drunk, Ron, you know that. You helped get here there…" Harry trailed off, not wanting to start a fight.

"What is that supposed to mean? Are you suggesting that this is my fault?" Ron's voice raised and echoed through the hall.

"Ron, shut up! You know very well I did not say that. I just mean that people do things they don't mean to when they're drunk," Harry

"Actually, no. Actually, most of the time, people do and say things they really want to when they are sober but they don't have the control not to. Do I need to bring up your breakup with Cho? When you were drunk, you told her she was getting on your nerves and a relationship wasn't what you wanted at the time. I know you remember that, Harry," Ron said quietly.

Harry's face contorted. "Yeah, you're right." Harry had wanted to break up with Cho for over 3 months but hadn't had the nerve to tell her, until the night they got into the Firewhiskey. He went into a rant about how he wanted to end it, something he couldn't have done before. But this bothered Harry more than anything. He stopped short and looked at Ron. "That means… that maybe she wanted to kiss Snape. Maybe she's wanted to for a long time, and the tequila gave her the courage, or whatever, that she needed. Maybe she's fancied him for years and…" he left it at that, knowing Ron got the picture.

Ron did get the picture. All too well. The feelings Harry was describing were the exact feelings he had for Hermione. He had wanted to kiss her for as long as he could remember, ever since that first day on the train. And when he was drunk the night before, he had been given the power to try to kiss her. But apparently she had another man on her mind. Ron, how could you be so foolish? Wait, no. Hermione is the one being foolish. Chasing after a teacher? What could she be thinking? Especially a damned git like Snape. We don't even know for sure if he's on our side. Ron could feel the anger bubbling up inside him, but he looked up and realized they were right outside Professor Flitwick's classroom. Harry forced a smile and elbowed Ron.

"At least she's not snogging Professor Flitwick," Harry said almost seriously.

Ron snorted and shook his head as he and Harry headed into class, without the third member of their trio.

AAAA

Hermione's face flushed as she stepped into the classroom. Snape was sitting at his desk, appearing to be grading papers. She cleared her throat slightly. This caused him to look up, and when he saw her standing there, he started to stand up.

"No, Professor," she said, motioning for him to stay seated. He conceded, but continued to look at her.

"Miss Granger, what do you need?" he nearly whispered.

"Professor, we have to talk. About what happened last night…. I-I-…" She couldn't think of what to say; the ability to speak seemed to have left her. Snape shook his head.

"Miss Granger, that should have neverhappened. It was so irresponsible of me. I am your professor," Snape said coldly, keeping his black eyes locked on hers.

"I know, Professor, but… I just wanted to…" she stopped talking as memory overtook her… the flashback of the kiss was happening, just as the flashback of the striptease had popped into her head….

Man, that dancing was fun, but I need a new scene. I wonder what other parties are going on in the castle. I pulled the bottle of Jose out of my pocket that I had hocked from Ronald and took a long swig. Maybe I shouldn't be roaming the castle alone when I'm completely hammered… oh well! I'm already out; I might as well see what I can get myself into. I stuck the tequila back into my pocket and kept walking. I didn't really even know where I was walking, I was just going. I turned the corner and ran into a suit of armor. It made a loud CLANK, and I just laughed and apologized to the suit. How funny. I didn't know that Snape was doing his walkthrough of the castle and was just around the corner. He heard the clank and came my direction. I stumbled down the hall, still giggling at the attack I had made on the suit of armor. I didn't even hear Snape come up right behind me and grab me by the shoulder. I gasped and whirled around.

"Professor Snape! What's goin ON? What are you doin' down here?" I said loudly, clapping both my hands on both of his shoulders. He raised one eyebrow and removed my hands.

"I might ask you the same question, Miss Granger," he hissed, leaning close to my face. I could smell the Firewhiskey on his breath. Apparently he had had the same idea as the Gryffindors. I could tell he was drunk.

"Well, I was just trying to find another party. Are you having a party? Because you sure smell like you are!" I said boldly. Snape's lip curled.


"I don't think that's any of your business, Miss Granger," he said, straightening back up.

"Okay, Professor, I just thought we might finally have something in common," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"I'll tell you what we have in common; Monday night at 7, detention in my office," he said in that cold, indifferent voice.

"Oh, Professor, is that really necessary? I mean, what have I really done to deserve a detention," I felt myself becoming seductive; the swig of tequila I had just taken was working on me. I stepped closer to him, looking up into his face with an innocent look in my eyes. I didn't know what I was doing; I didn't even consider the fact that I was about to be seducing Severus Snape. "I could be doing something worse than wandering around the castle late at night," I whispered, running my finger down his chest. He stiffened at my touch, but made no move to stop me. I took this as a sign to continue. I let my hand flow back up around his neck and I drew him closer, so that our bodies were touching. I stood on my tiptoes and breathed into his ear, "Don't you think we could… work something out?" I let my lips graze his earlobe ever so slightly. He moaned a little, almost inaudibly and involuntarily. I looked at him sweetly. "Is that a yes?" I asked softly, my hand on his face.

But I should have known that Snape would not seduce so easily. "Miss Granger. This is a highly inappropriate situation. You are but a 17-year-old student. I am your Professor. I don't know what has gotten into you, Granger, but I have a feeling it has something to do with that tequila on your breath," he said harshly, stepping back from my touch. I was stung. The tequila kept me going.

"Professor, it isn't just the tequila. I… I want you," I blurted, before I knew what I was saying. I stepped toward him, and before he could step away, I pulled him toward me. I pressed my hips against his, and he arched his neck back. I smiled slyly and wrapped my arms around his neck. He looked down at me. Was that… emotion I saw in those normally blank eyes? I found myself locked to his gaze. He brought his hand to my face and gently laid it on my cheek. My breath caught in my throat as he leaned in to kiss me. His lips closed around mine in the sweetest kiss I had ever shared. I kissed him back, no longer caring about getting out of the detention. He deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue in between my slightly parted lips. I moaned into his mouth and followed suit. The kiss seemed to last forever, and when we finally broke apart, I realized what I had just done, and as I looked into his eyes, I knew he had realized it too. I stumbled back, almost tripping over my robes. He stepped forward to help me, but I didn't fall. I swallowed and looked at him

"Hermione…" It was the first time he had used my given name. I shook my head.

"Professor, I have to go," I said simply, and strode past him back up to Gryffindor Tower. I didn't want to leave, but I knew I had to…

The memory left as quickly as it had come, and Hermione found herself sitting in Snape's office right in front of him. She was just as confused as she had been last night, if not more so. Snape's voice broke her thoughts.

"Miss Granger? What is it you wanted to say?" he asked impatiently.

"I- uh- I just wanted to apologize for what happened."

"As I said before, it was my fault. Being drunk on Firewhiskey is no excuse."

"It is not entirely your fault. I started the whole thing. I should've just taken the detention and shut up about it. It was a drunken mistake," she replied. Wasn't it?

"Let's call it even then," Snape said, almost agreeably. This girl can make me feel anything, he thought. He quickly shook the thought from his head. "We'll just pretend it never happened." Yeah, right, he thought.

She stood up. "Okay, Professor." She turned to walk out, feeling relieved, but a little remorseful at the same time.

"Good day, Hermione," he said, almost as an afterthought.

Her hand froze on the door handle, her heart fluttering at his use of her given name.

"Good day, Severus," she said, returning the gesture, knowing it might be ill taken. She glanced over her shoulder. Snape merely stared at her, his features softening at her words. She swallowed, opened the door, walked out, and closed it behind her. She leaned against it, looking up at the ceiling. What the hell is happening?

TBC

Okay, that wasn't too bad of a cliffhanger. I wanted to update tonight because I am moving out of my apartment this weekend, and I don't know when I will get to again. We have to get the Internet set up again at my parent's house, so that might take a few days. Hopefully it will be sometime in the next week. Please watch for the update though! I promise I am not going to abandon this story; I am having too much fun writing it! Please, please take a couple seconds to review! )