It's What's Inside That Counts
Thanks to the following kind souls who took the time to drop me a line to let me kow what they think of my humble tale:
iloveseverusnsape (so do I); notwritten; SeanEmma4vr (you get your wish, my beta is currently looking over the first five chapters for a brand new Draco/Hermione pairing!!);
evil-mastermind666; Venomous Guise (I don't kow you, but I love you too!?); Charmed 8620; green-eyed-angel and
Dizi 85: WIKTT is a fun Yahoo groups site called When I Kissed The Teacher at http://groups. story is also nominated for this term's "Best Romance Fiction" category for non-canon/alt pairings at "The Goblets" awards for HP fanfiction, see http://groups. This story and many others are nominated, so place your vote!!
izmart73, thanks for the nomination. How was your honeymoon?
Now, on with the story!!
Chapter 11
At dinner, a careful eye was kept on Harry. He was encouraged to eat soft foods and eat slowly to get his stomach used to food again. It didn't help matters to see everyone else tear into their juicy steaks and savory potatoes. Hermione in particular ate heartily. I hope I need a lot of energy tonight! she thought naughtily. She and the professor gave each other shy, hopeful glances throughout dinner. They both had high hopes that hinged on each other. They didn't need to say anything, their eyes told it all. After dinner, everyone retired to the parlor where Hermione was urged to play something on the piano.
"Alright, I have one," she said and sat down at the bench. She flipped through a folder of music and took a sheet out with a grin then laid her hands to the keys. She winked at her professor.
Why do I do, just as you say
Why must I just give you your way?
Why do I sigh, why don't I try to forget?
It must have been something lovers call fate
Kept me saying I have to wait
I saw them all, just couldn't fall till we met
It had to be you, it had to be you
I wandered around and finally found
the somebody who could make me be true
And even be glad, just to be sad thinking of you!
Some other's I've seen, might never be mean
Might never be cross, or try to be boss
But they wouldn't do!
For nobody else gave me a thrill
With all your faults, I love you still!
It had to be you...
It had to be you...It had to be you, wonderful you
It had to be you..."
"Hermione, what a charming song," Minerva said warmly. The grandfather clock chimed eight times. "I must be getting back to Hogwarts before the office portraits gossip themselves into oblivion as to the Headmistress' whereabouts," she said with a sigh. "Professor, Remus, you will ensure that Harry gets his rest this weekend?" she asked.
"Of course," Remus said.
"Miss Granger, I will notify the Weasleys of your imminent "return" to Britain, so make yourself comfortable here for a few days," Minerva said. "In the meantime, I'm sure that Professor Anderson will be happy to escort you to your home this weekend to retrieve your belongings. It will also be the perfect time to try and help Harry catch up academically."
Hermione's eyes shined at the chance of reviewing six months worth of studies! "We can do this Harry!" she gushed.
After McGonagall returned to Hogwarts, Harry announced that he was tired and going to bed. Remus politely excused himself to take a shower. Hermione and Severus were alone in the parlor. No words were said as Hermione rose from the bench, he from the sofa. They embraced and hungry lips devoured each other's.
"I've missed this...I've missed you," he whispered.
"You don't have to miss me anymore," she said and lost herself to his kiss.
From his room, Harry heard a door shut then a sneeze from Remus. He heard shuffling feet, a feminine giggle, a husky chuckle then the sound of the door shutting from the room next to his. After a few minutes, a soft thump was heard through the wall and the sound of Hermione's laugh. It was a laugh he had never heard from Hermione; a laugh of pure, passionate joy. Harry smiled as he thought of his friend's happiness in the next room. He was a bit squicked at the thought of who she was with, but after all she had been through, she deserved a bit of happiness. What he heard next had him wondering how the two lovers forgot to cast a silencing charm.
Aren't those two supposed to be geniuses? However happy he was for Hermione, he certainly did not want to hear the results of the professor's ministrations. His musings were answered by a gasped "yes!" and sultry moans. He grimaced and started to cover his head with his pillow when he heard groans from the male occupant of the room. Again, more sounds he had never heard coming from Hermione made him freeze. He had been with Ginny a few times when they were together, but it sounded nothing like what he was hearing from Hermione. He glanced around the room for his own wand to perhaps cast a silencing charm so he couldn't hear, but the sound of Hermione's climax was enthralling.
Lucky bloke to be in there with her during that! he couldn't help but think then was again squicked that he was even thinking that way at all, about Hermione. He drank a vitamin potion and settled into bed, grateful that the passionate racket next door died down.
Harry was awakened by soft knocking on his door. The door opened and Hermione poked her head in, giving him a soft smile.
"Feeling okay this morning?" she asked with a wink and stepped in.
"Fairly fit," he said and flexed his arm playfully.
"So I see," she replied and patted his leg. "Care for breakfast?"
Harry nodded and started to rise from the bed until he noticed the sheets tented at his groin.
Hermione gave a rather unladylike snort. "Been there, done that," she quipped and left the room.
Harry walked downstairs, hearing the chatter from Remus, "Professor Anderson" and Hermione. In the dining room, Remus and the professor were seated and Hermione swept through the kitchen doors with a carafe of coffee. She put the carafe on the table and saw Harry come in.
"Morning Harry! Have a seat, breakfast is almost ready!" she said with a smile and went back into the kitchen. Harry kept walking, past the two older wizards into the kitchen.
"Something wrong?" Hermione asked when she saw him.
"Want some help?" he asked.
He was good at breakfast, after making breakfast for the pathetic Dursley family so many years, plus, he just wanted to be with his friend.
"Harry, I had to threaten the other two out of this kitchen. Remus already ruined a half dozen eggs and Severus...well, has wandering hands," she said ruefully.
"Well, I promise not to ruin any eggs and my hands definitely will not wander," he said, picked up a spatula and twirled it. "These hands belong to a certain redheaded witch," he finished with a wink.
"She'll be glad to hear it," Hermione said lightly, remembering all too well when Ginny ran her hand up her thigh on the train ride.
During the day, Harry studied under Hermione's enthusiastic tutelage. Severus helped with DADA class catch up. Harry was powerful, that much he felt, his technique and focus just needed work. He had an idea for class that would help with that. The more Harry saw of Hermione, the more determined he was to rid the world of Voldemort. She held a book, paced and lectured the finer points of an Arithmancy theory as he patiently listened. In a moment of life-changing clarity, he finally saw what the professor did. She was no longer "little Mione", their shy, retiring, know-it-all girl. She was a woman: a beautiful, intelligent woman. Harry glanced at the professor: he affectionately gazed at her as she lectured, not having a care in the world as she made an amusing comment about the Fibonacci sequence.
"Fibo what?" Harry asked.
Hermione closed her eyes and sighed. "Harry love, haven't you been listening to anything I've said?"
"Hermione, I appreciate what you're doing, but I've never taken Arithmancy, it's a mystery to me," Harry said. "Now, if I could kill Voldemort with this Fibo whatever..."
"Okay Harry, point taken," Hermione said and sat down. "You're right, I just got carried away. Arithmancy class is mainly a lecture and text work class. When Professor Vector gives assignments, I'll help you with them."
Severus spoke. "Might I offer a suggestion? In light of the looming confrontation with the Dark Lord, Headmistress McGonagall has encouraged the seventh years to focus their efforts on the core subjects, why don't you review those? You should have no problem with them. As Miss Granger suggested, she can help you later with..." Severus paused and looked at Harry's timetable with a raised eyebrow, "Arithmancy, Runes, and History of Magic."
That evening before dinner, Hermione and Severus went to her home to retrieve her belongings. The once cozy, lively home was now still, dusty and eerily quiet. Most of the furnishings were covered with sheets. Severus was in the den looking at a family portrait of the Grangers when he heard a choking sob from another room. He hurried along the hallway until he came to an office. Hermione was bent over a desk, crying and clutching pieces of paper.
Everyone had been wondering when this would happen. Hermione had not yet grieved over the death of her parents. She was now. It couldn't be helped, awash in bittersweet memories in the home that her family loved. Her knees gave out and Severus was there in a second to prevent her from collapsing to the floor. He carried her the nearby couch and let her cry. He said nothing, but gently rocked her and rubbed her back until her sobs subsided until after a while, she grew quiet and still. Severus looked down, parted the hair that had fallen over her face and kissed her forehead. She had cried herself to sleep.
song credits: It Had To Be You by Frank Sinatra