Hermione and Harry waited, rather impatiently, for their classmates to exit the room so that their meeting with Professor Snape would conclude quickly. When the last of the stragglers had left, Snape swiftly latched the door shut and turned to the two teens with suspicion glinting off his dark eyes. Hermione gulped nervously, she had never been held after class like this. What have I done? Am I going to get detention? That'll through my record into shambles! She thought with fright. Harry, however, was not deterred; quite annoyed, actually. What is going to try to pin on me now?
"I have a serious issue to discuss with the two of you." Snape said finally, gesturing that they join him at the front of the classroom. "I expect you to be completely truthful with me."
"Of course, Professor." Hermione assured him.
Snape pressed his lips together tightly at the sensual effect her voice had upon him and closed his eyes to set his thoughts right. Harry glanced over at Hermione, his eyes curious. Hermione shrugged at Snape's odd behavior.
"See," Snape snapped his head up. "I have reason to believe that a member of your trio has played a malicious trick on me."
Hermione squint her magnificent eyes in confusion. Harry let out an exasperated sigh. Of course, we've done something terrible once again. Snape glared at Harry's reaction.
"I apologize, is my claim unjust?" Snape said cruelly to Harry.
"I believe it is, sir." Harry replied coldly.
"Well, it must be!" Hermione squeaked. She soon lost her courage when Snape made intense eye contact with her and dropped her voice. "I mean, what sort of trick has been cast, Professor?"
"An awful kind which manipulates my sleep." He told her plainly, turning back to Harry. "You wouldn't know anything about Dream Serums, would you? Potter?"
Harry scowled at the out right accusation, irritated. "Sir. What makes you think I have anything to do with that?" he growled.
Severus Snape's mind wandered to the nature of his dream and its main character. How to avoid answering such a question…
"Based on our private lessons just last year concerning the mind and its many facets, why wouldn't you have a hand in this?"
"Sir," Hermione chimed in, "If I may, I am with Harry and Ron for the majority of the day. If there was some plot against you, I would know straight away. I would never allow such disrespect for a Professor to continue."
Snape breathed in a deep breath, calming his nerves, his… longing. Hermione made a valid point and he would be a bigot to ignore her. He backed away and straightened himself.
"I suppose you make perfect sense, Ms. Granger." He spoke slowly, slightly angered that his intellect had been bruised by a sixteen year old muggle-born.
"Can we go now?" Harry asked.
"Yes, you may."
"Thank you." Hermione said and followed Harry out of the room, glancing back at the Professor over shoulder.
Snape ran his shaking right hand through his hair, revealing his tired face.
Must have been quite an unsettling dream, she thought. Who would do such a thing?
• Ƨ ˣ S •
"Hermione, you don't understand." Harry said gravely, taking her wrist in attempt to stop her from entering the Gryffindor common room. "Ron really is not well."
"Harry, you're being absurd. He's my friend. I want to see him." She explained, pulling away from him. "Lemon tart."
The portal opened at the password and Hermione climbed in.
"At least let me see if I can calm him—"
Harry's plea was cut short by an excited yelp.
"HERMIONE!" Ron attempted jumping over a couch to get to the girl, but instead collided with the floor.
"Ron?" Hermione was stunned.
"Oh, Hermione." He crawled on all fours up to her. "I've missed you!"
The red haired boy clung to her legs, locking her to the spot. She smiled despite herself.
"I've missed you too." She told him, awkwardly patting his head.
"I don't know what's come over him." Harry sighed, helpless.
"Love." Ron said matter-of-factly. "Love has come over me, Harry. In the form of a goddess-like witch!"
Hermione blushed violently, trying to pry herself away from the love struck boy. Harry ignored that statement and picked Ron up by the torso with difficulty. When he had finally freed Hermione from Ron's death-grip he threw him onto a nearby chair. Hermione followed and seated herself next to the boy she had poisoned with desire.
"As you can see, I couldn't let him go to class like this. He would've embarrassed himself severely."
"What did you do with him?" Hermione asked, inching away from Ron's hand which was stroking her curls obsessively.
"The only logical thing I could think of." Harry said. "I locked him in our dorm! Neville must've let him out…"
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "You can't lock people away for being excitable!"
"But, this isn't excitement, Hermione." He explained. "This is insanity."
"Your lips curve perfectly." Ron whispered, fingering Hermione's mouth. "All these years and I never eve noticed!"
"Okay, Ronald…" Hermione took his hand in hers to keep it from brushing her tongue.
Harry rolled his eyes. "It's as if he's been given a love potion, for goodness sake's!"
Hermione's eyes widened at the words. "Potion? What? Who would— That's absurd!"
"No, that's absurd." Harry gestured to Ron with his nose pressed to Hermione's neck, drinking in her perfume. "This isn't right. He was just snogging Lavender yesterday."
"Well, maybe she's not what he wanted." Hermione replied, biting back some unkind words on the matter of Lavender and her Won-Won.
"Maybe, but no one bounces around like this. This is a spell. It has to be."
"Well, do you know of anything that could counteract it?"
"Er, no. But Slughorn—"
"That's what I thought!" Hermione cut him off as she smacked away Ron's hand from her thigh. "There's nothing for us to do but to wait this out. Maybe it'll fade like most spells."
"Maybe…" Hary was not so convinced.
"I must go to class now, but—"
"Go?" Ron looked devastated. "But you can't!"
He wrapped his burly arms around the girl and hugged her breathless, beginning to cry.
"Ron," Harry groaned, wrenching Hermione out of his grasp.
"I'll be back." She assured him. "I'll take care of you."
Hermione left Harry to wrestle Ron to the ground so she could leave without being tackled herself. The effects of the potion were nothing like she expected, but it was successful. She grinned all the way to potions class, not a care in the world.
• Ƨ ˣ S •
Hermione returned to the Gryffindor common room later than usual from her routine trip to the library. It was practically time for all students to be ushered back into their dorms. When she entered through the portal, she was surprised to find that everyone was already in bed. Everyone but Ron Weasley. He sat alone facing the fire, his back to her. It appeared that no one wanted to put up with his constant ramblings about the Granger girl, especially Lavender Brown. Hermione bit her lip nervously and approached the boy from behind.
She placed a timid hand on his shoulder, "Ron?"
He leapt off the sofa in fright and spun to face her. Immediately his shock lifted into a wide smile on his face. "Hermione!"
She walked around to the other side to face him, smiling kindly. She took his hand in hers and gestured for him to sit down with her. Ron complied without a word, just a constant goofy grin.
"How are you, Ron?" she asked seriously, looking him in the eyes.
"Oh, just spectacular since you've come back!" he said, practically bouncing with excitement.
Hermione smiled, looking away.
"I love it when you smile." He spoke softly.
She could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks and bit her bottom lip, giddy.
"You mean that?" she asked, hoping that what was coming out of Ron's mouth was what he truly thought and not just the potion talking.
"Of course."
His hand slowly rose to rest on her shoulder, caressing the space where her neck and collarbone met, his eyes never left her "perfectly curved" lips.
"Harry thinks you've been slipped a love potion, Ron." Hermione whispered, trying to control her breathing. Ron's touch was driving her mad.
"Harry thinks he knows everything." Ron replied, his face only inches from hers.
"Well, what do you think is causing you to act like this?" she was somewhat afraid of his answer.
"You, of course." He breathed in her ear.
Hermione took a sharp breath, goosebumps rising all over her skin. Ron's tongue swept over her earlobe and when Hermione turned her head toward him, his lips collided sweetly with hers. Her tense muscles unwound and she kissed him back graciously, taking hold of his upper arm as if to keep him from pulling away. His hand still at her neck pulled her in closer while the other gripped her leg desperately. Hermione pulled away slightly only to take a quick gasp before Ron found her mouth again and slipped his warm tongue inside.
A quick moan rose in the back of her throat and her hand felt its way up to Ron's thick ginger locks. She wound her fingers through it and locked them around the back of his head. A smile tugged at the corners of Ron's lips and he dug his muscular arm beneath her legs in order to swing them over his lap. Hermione obliged and pulled Ron ever closer to her, lifting her head up in delight. Ron kissed her beautiful, slender neck, suckling on the smooth skin. His fingers dug into her bare thigh and Hermione separated her legs ever so faintly. Ron caught on quickly and was grateful to be granted permission to explore her further. His rough but careful hand slipped under her skirt slowly, enjoying the feel of her curves.
Hermione kissed his lips violently and bit his bottom lip with impatience. His breath caught in his throat at the sensation and soon a low, playful growl escaped his mouth, pulling Hermione's body further down the length of the couch. He crawled over top of her, propping himself up with one elbow. Hermione giggled adorably before taking him by the shoulders and pressing his chest down against hers. Ron's lips crashed down upon hers greedily and he pulled her skirt up, out of his way. His hand worked skillfully against the fabric of her panties, rubbing his thumb over her clitoris while his palm massaged her lips.
Ron could feel Hermione's chest rise and fall as her breathing increased. He loved being the cause of such pleasure. It was merely minutes before Ron could contain himself anymore and ripped Hermione's underwear down. Hermione trembled at the sensation. He swung over his leg and straddled the girl right there on the couch. Her breathing had intensified and she had gone back to biting her lip. Ron had begun unbuckling his belt when he felt her hand fall upon his wrist. He looked at her, confused.
"You okay, my sweet?" he inquired, lowering himself on top of her gently.
"It's just…" Hermione couldn't look him in the eye. "Just, not like this."
"Oh! The dorm then?" Ron started to get up.
"No, Ron." She snapped. "Don't now."
"Why not?"
"Because," she didn't know how to reply to a question she had to answer to. "It's not right."
"How do we make it right?" he was sincerely puzzled.
"We don't. Not yet, anyway." She said sadly. "We'll pick back up when you mean it."
Hermione pulled her underwear back on and tugged her skirt down, sitting up.
"Mean it? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing." She stood up. "Good night, Ron."
Hermione left the lost, love struck boy to pick himself up and go to bed. She had no idea what she was doing but knew for sure that having sex with Ron while he was in such a state would not leave her happy, but rather, empty. So, she would wait to see if his love for her would stick around even after the potion wore off.