1Redefining Nothing
Ch.4: What Happens in Detention...
A/N: Sorry about the delay...I typed up chapter 5 totally forgetting that this one wasn't up yet...Here you go.
Sunday was spent in a cheerful manner. Harry, Ron, and Hermione took their homework outside to the lake shore to enjoy the crisp, clear day. Hermione got most of the work for the coming week finished. Ron and Harry focused for a while, but eventually they broke down and gave up. When Dean, Seamus, and Neville came to ask them to join in an impromptu Quidditch match, they gave in and left. Hermione finished what she was working on and then went to watch the game. The close match made for a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.
But Monday morning brought back Hermione's sense of nervous anticipation. She had double Potions that morning and she was quite nervous about it. She was worried that she'd have a hard time pretending to be just any other Gryffindor student. Just remembering the feel of his arms holding her, clutching her, made her shiver.
An hour after breakfast, Hermione stood outside the door to Snape's dungeon classrooms. Taking a few deep breaths she strode into the room and took her seat. She set to work on her potion quietly, waiting for Snape to come near her and give her the promised detention. But the period progressed and he appeared to be avoiding her. Finally, she took matters into her own hands. She intentionally mixed up her ingredients so that a terrible smell emanated from her cauldron.
As Harry, Ron, and everyone else in the near vicinity stumbled out of the way, coughing, Snape strode over looking frightening. "What happened here?" He snapped.
"I'm sorry, sir." She said fighting down a smile. "I can fix it. Watch." Smiling internally she flicked her wand and the cauldron came to a raging boil. It began to bubble, hiss, and spit. "Oh, I'm sorry, wrong swish." She swished her wand again and the boiling liquid shot straight up out of the cauldron.
Snape flicked his own wand and the cauldron was emptied. He made a mental note to tell Hermione later that playing ditsy was not becoming to her. "Detention, Miss Granger." He said as sternly as possible. "Be in my office tonight at 8p.m. sharp." He glowered at her, but she caught the other fire burning behind his obsidian eyes. Feigning defiant disappointment she nodded.
The knowledge of her detention buoyed Hermione throughout the day, albeit secretly. Ron and Harry offered her their sympathy and pity, which she accepted graciously. The gave her several apologetic looks throughout dinner. And when she headed down to the dungeons, Ron offered a weak, "Good luck."
Butterflies took up residence in Hermione's stomach as she walked purposefully down the dungeon hallway. She knocked sharply on Snape's door and heard his barked "Come in." She entered and looked around his empty classroom. She was about to call out to him using his first name, but didn't. Some irresistible urge to hold her tongue over took her.
Her patience was rewarded when Draco Malfoy came storming out of Snape's office. "I'm telling you, Professor, Carent is a great keeper. You can't take him off the team!"
"I can Mr. Malfoy and I shall!" Snape thundered. "His behavior does not merit the privilege of playing on the House team! And I don't care what his father paid your father! His father is a lout! Now get out, my detention is here."
Malfoy turned and saw Hermione for the first time. His eyes widened. "Mudblood Granger's got detention?!"
"Shut up, Malfoy." Hermione hissed.
"Oo, slightly defensive today, aren't we Mudblood? You should learn to check your temper." He made a tsk-tsk sort of noise at her.
"I said shut it, Malfoy." Hermione growled, drawing her wand.
"Put it away, Miss Granger." Snape's silky voice was low and dangerous. "Mr. Malfoy, I believe I asked you to get out."
Still huffing, Malfoy left. The door clicked sharply behind him. Snape sighed.
"What's my detention task?" Hermione asked, smiling wryly.
"Just a moment." Snape strode to the door and tugged it open. He peered around and fired off a few hexes to make sure that the hall was empty. When he was satisfied he closed the door and locked it. He enchanted it a bit and then turned back to her. "Now no can get in and no one can listen at the door."
"So, what's my task?" Hermione pressed.
"Come here." His demanding tone was silkier than ever.
She went to him. Her arms were covered in goose bumps and her stomach fluttered. Reaching for him she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Okay, I'm here. Now what?" She asked, hugging herself tighter to him.
Snape's breathing quickened. "N-n-now..um..."
"Yes?" Hermione asked, still holding him close.
In response he dipped his head and kissed her neck. "You're supposed to be in trouble, remember?" He chastised her even though he continued kissing her neck.
"I should get in trouble more often if this is how you punish me." She laughed.
Snape nipped her neck lightly.
"If you leave a mark someone's going to notice." Hermione pointed out.
"You can wear a scarf." He countered. He nipped her again a little harder.
Hermione purred. Her heart rate accelerated as she tightened her hold on his neck. Her head fell back giving him better access to her throat. To her surprise he pulled away and unwound her arms from his neck. "Don't stop." She pleaded.
"We can't take this too far, Hermione." Severus said hoarsely. He could barely make himself speak. He wanted to cross every line, to take it so far that they could never go back. Her saddened look hurt him. "Come." he said taking her hand. "We still have nearly two hours left to do whatever we please, within reason. Let's not waste it."
Hermione allowed him to pull her along with firm insistence. At last they reached his living room. He seated her on the couch where they'd shared their first kiss. Then he meandered to one of the bookshelves and came back with two books. The first he handed to her. As she accepted it, she recognized the book that she'd been reading in Hogsmeade that Saturday.
"This book comes with a condition," Severus said.
"What's that?"
"It stays here. You are welcome to read it anytime you want, but I want it to be here with me."
"Deal." Hermione smiled at him as she opened the book.
Smiling in return, Severus took his own book and settled on the opposite end of the couch. Quietly they began to read in amiable comfort. As time passed, Hermione shifted closer. Drowsiness overtook her and as she fell asleep her head slid from Severus' shoulder to his lap. Severus was amazed at how content he felt sitting on his couch reading, with Hermione dozing in his lap. He'd fully expected that just hanging out with her would be awkward. To his surprise he found that being in a relaxed domestic setting with her was totally comfortable.
When the clock struck ten, he reluctantly decided that she should be getting back to Gryffindor Tower. He reached down and stroked her hair. "Wake up..." He whispered.
Slowly she stirred awake and her chocolate brown eyes fluttered open. "Did I fall asleep?" she asked blearily.
Severus nodded.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't want to waste our time together and now I have."
"It wasn't wasted. I didn't mind and you needed the sleep. But you should be getting back, it's 10 o'clock already. Your detention is over and people," he meant two Gryffindors in particular, "will be suspicious if you're late."
"I suppose so." Hermione agreed.
"Goodnight, my darling." Severus said, kissing her tenderly.
"Goodnight Severus."
They held hands to his door. As they got to the outer most door, he released the spells around it. Kissing her gently, he said, "Come back as soon as you wish."
"I shall be here every night if I can."
"Don't try. It would be too dangerous."
Hermione nodded. "I know. I should go."
"Yes." Severus said. He gave her one more quick kiss and then let her go.
When Hermione entered the Common Room, Harry and Ron were waiting for her. "Long detention," Ron commented yawning.
"Did he treat you terribly?" Harry asked.
Hermione shook her head. "A lot of manual cleaning and organizing." she lied.
Ron grimaced. "Yuck."
"Yeah," Hermione agreed, "it was really awful." She tried to make her voice convincing, but she wasn't sure how successful she was. "I'm just glad it was only two hours."
"No kidding." Harry agreed.
Just then, Hermione yawned. "Well, I'm off to bed. 'Night all."