I think it is about time you guys saw a softer side to Severus, so that is what this chapter sort-of entails. :P Please let me know what you think?
Chapter ten – Just Like You?
It had been over a month since Hermione last spoke to Professor Snape. The last time they had spoken was when Hermione had yelled at him. Even in her Potions lessons she had blanked him, she was not paying attention any time he gave a demonstration – on how to make a certain potion. She had probably already studied the potion anyway. Sat in his class yet again, it was the second time today, talk about sheer torture! Hermione was sat twirling her hair between her fingers, she was lost in some sort of day dream as she stared out of the window; at a tall tree that was an evergreen. Hermione watched as the leaves flipped and danced in the strong wind, the sun light shining on the leaves showing the pure greenness of them. The greenness contrasted heavily with the pure white snow lying on the ground; the snow was slowly degrading away. As Severus stood on the bitterly cold stone flooring he sighed, his eyes had set to where Hermione was sat. 'Infuriating woman cannot even be bothered to pay attention in my lessons now!'
All of the students in the class were watching him move across the potions room; to where Hermione was sat; she obliviously still in her own daydream so not noticed him approaching her.
"Miss. Granger, while you are memorized by the view of a Fern tree outside there's students in here willing to listen and learn. You will be making up the time after the lesson in detention!" Severus snapped at Hermione.
'You bastard, you bloody know I can do this potion!' Hermione thought to herself. She did not even look up at his cold glare, his eyes were a shade darker than usual; they always looked this way when he was angry. She had not spoken to him for that long she did not think she could even glance up at his pale complexion.
"I know this potion sir," Hermione boasted in a quiet voice, this earned a small smirk from Severus' lips he expected nothing less of Miss. Granger; in fact, he knew how far ahead she really was with Potions he had been teaching her N.E.W.T level privately! Severus had now walked back to stand behind his desk. His long fingered hands were placed on the back of his teaching chair.
"Well, the detention still stands Miss. Granger – and perhaps you might as well teach the class the rest of the potion?" Severus suggested with a smug look on his face. All the blood began to drain from Hermione's face, she was rather shocked. She could not understand why he was humiliating her in such a way; was it for revenge? She really had not expected him to say something like this.
'Why is he being like this with me?' Hermione thought in her mind. Hermione bravely stood to her feet glaring into Severus' cold, dark near black orbs; the gaze they were both holding was intense. She was grateful for the distance between them; she would be half tempted to punch him if he was stood close to her. The atmosphere in the room could be cut with a knife: the students had the expression of shock on their faces, Snape as usual showed no emotion – and Hermione was clinching her fists so hard that her knuckles had gone white. Draco could not help himself but sit in far corner of the room and do nothing but snigger to himself.
"Sir, I think it is better if you teach the class... I erm... you are paid to do that. And I am not qualified to do your job..."Hermione eventually spluttered rather nervously to his earlier sarcastic suggestion. She gracefully sat back at her desk.
"Once again you are right Miss. Granger. You really are a know-it-all" Severus laughed lightly to himself as he stood there watching Hermione humiliating herself. Hermione blushed the colour of a ripe tomato, her eyes darted all around the classroom as she saw many people laughing at her; Hermione began to panic, her heart rate increased. Her chest began to raise and fall at an extraordinary rate. Severus met her eyes once again; it was more a look of sorrow from his eyes.
"What is this? A lovers' tiff? " Ron Whispered to Harry in a joking tone.
"Shut up Ron," Harry whispered, nudging his friend with his elbow.
"What is this Mud-blood think she knows best?"A sharp voice came from the corner of the room. Severus looked up not sure who it was. "Class dismissed all get out!" Severus yelled then added: "You stay put Miss. Granger," Severus leaned in close to her ear and purred the words. Hermione was trying to control her breathing, the rest of the class filed out not wanting to be under the wrath of an angry Professor Snape. Quite frankly no one wanted to be near a Snape, he was unpredictable when he was angry. Eventually when everyone had left Severus' expression softened, he ran a hand through his jet black hair brushing it back from his face. He pointed his wand to the door and muttered some kind-of spell that Hermione did not recognise. Hermione began to question why he had told her to stay behind, maybe her detention started now? Or simply because he wanted to shout at her some more. Severus tucked the wooden wand away in his belt, his hands then skimmed the top of the table before his eyes once again met hers.
"Look... erm..." Severus stuttered slowly, breaking the eye contact. It was clear he was as nervous as her right now.
"Yes sir?" Hermione questioned as a response to his hesitation. There was a long pause before he began to speak again.
"Look, Hermione. I was... I was out of line. I know how you feel and what you are going through... I have been there myself. But any way, the last thing you need is me, your teacher being an idiot – as Dilys said." Severus rolled his eyes as he said her name, of course the woman had been right when she had lectured him about apologising to Hermione; he had just taken sometime to realise it. He then spoke again: "I had no one there for me Hermione... I would not like you to experience the same as I did. If you need someone to talk to I am here..."Severus looked away from Hermione's eyes, this was his way of apologising. He could not bring himself to say the words simply because he had never said them before; but he felt remorse – and he allowed Hermione to see that from his eyes. He had let down his shields just so she could see that.
Hermione was rather taken back by everything Severus had just said to her. Was this really the bastard teacher that not moments ago was making her feel humiliated? She stared into his eyes and began to see the remorse and sorrow in his eyes; she nodded her head very slowly. She was near in tears.
"Thank ... Thank-you sir. It is good to know I am not alone," Hermione whispered showing her vulnerability side. On impulse Severus leaned closer to Hermione and gently pecked her cheek, he lingered on her cheek for a few moments before pulling his head away. Hermione was taken back for a moment but a smile appeared over her lips, she did not even question why he did that. She read it as a sign of him saying: 'Trust me Hermione'. A blush spread over her cheeks as if it were paint being dotted onto a piece of paper; her cheeks turned a scarlet red colour.
"Now go Hermione. I think we should resume those defence lessons eh?" Severus smiled lightly, not waiting for an answer he turned on his heels and slunk away into his private quarters. He did not know exactly why he had kissed her cheek, but he hoped she understood why he had. Severus was sat at his wooden desk, he should have been focusing on marking the homework essays the fourth year had wrote. Severus was too focused on his action earlier; it was a bold move from him. He began to question how he actually felt about Miss. Hermione Granger. He could not remember when he last had apologised to someone... he had been a while. And, well, Severus' way of apologising was never to say the words sorry; he found that too difficult to say. He placed his long gaunt fingers across his thin lips, he still felt the warmth of Hermione's cheek on them; her skin had felt so soft against his rugged lips. A large grin spread across his face knowing how she blushed, she was so damn beautiful when she did so. He began to completely lose himself in his own thoughts, he moved himself away from his desk and to relax in front of the fire. He curled up on his small blue sofa; he closed his eyes focusing on his thoughts.
As he began to nod of feeling happy, Dilys' voice appeared rudely waking him up.
"Jesus woman stop your muttering! I was trying to bloody sleep!" Severus snapped as his eyes flicked open – and giving Dilys' portrait an evil glare. Dilys happily laughed as a response to his rudeness towards; if anyone knew Severus they would know this was him most of the time.
"I just wanted to congratulate you on finally coming to terms with your actions – and apologising to Hermione. The girl was just as shocked as you were... at least you and her may stay friends and not at war any longer. Your words came from the heart and it was easy to tell," Dilys spoke with a large grin. He knew the reason why it took so damn long to apologise to her was simply because he needed an excuse to get away from her, to simply get the image of the night in the Inn. Where Hermione had that awful nightmare, and he had rushed into see if she were okay. Seeing her half naked well, in her underwear and clutching onto his robe ... Perhaps he should of never took her there that night, but he had felt sorry for the girl. 'She really is not a girl anymore, a young adult' Severus thought to himself.
"You act more of a Gryffindor nowadays then a Slytherin; you give your emotions away to easily," Severus smugly said then added: "You were right though Dilys, she needs someone who understands – unluckily for me; I am that person. You are an interfering nuisance. D'you know that?"
XXX
Hermione decided to go for a walk around the school grounds, she loved being out in the open air – she had not been out in the open air in a long time. She brushed her hair behind her ears to control some of its frizz. All she could currently think about was Severus kissing her cheek; it really was not like him in any way. She was approaching the Black Lake, she thought the Beech tree would be a good place to sit and just think. It was quite cold out near the lake, as the breeze was a lot stronger – and there was thick layers of snow settled still on the ground; the sun had obviously not reached this area of the castle's grounds yet. Walking over cautiously to the Beech tree, Hermione shifted some on the snow that lay on the bottom branch of the tree. She then sat herself on the branch and breathed out a sigh. Her head was just racing frantically with of thoughts Severus. She gazed around out to the lake completely lost in her thoughts. Was that Snape's way of apologising to her? Was it his way of saying: 'I am sorry Hermione,' without having to say the words out loud?
'Me... all the same. All predictable.' She snidely thought and laughed out loud. Could she finally consider herself to be Severus' friend? They had bonded since the start of the new year at Hogwarts, now it was approaching the end of the first term; it was early January! The fifth of January to be exact.