Slowly Hermione trudged down to her first lesson of the day. Advanced potions. She sighed. With any luck, Hermione would be able to keep the telltale blush from spreading across her skin the second she saw Professor Snape. Her friends had always known when she was lying, or hiding something. And if her less than brilliant friends could tell, Hermione could only imagine that Professor Snape, a brilliant reader of people and their mannerisms, would know she was…up to something.
Unfortunately, Advanced Potions was a very small class. Only a handful of students were considered capable enough by Professor Snape to progress to this point. Hermione, Draco, a couple of Ravenclaw 8th years, and, Blaise Zabini were the only five. Which would make it incredibly difficult for Hermione to hide. With any luck, class would pass quickly, and Professor Snape wouldn't even notice her. Sighing, Hermione pushed open the heavy door and went to her table.
SHSHSHSHSH
Severus Snape looked out at his Advanced Potions class. They all appeared to be diligently working. And for that, he was grateful. If he were to be completely honest with himself, he had been slightly apprehensive to face Miss Granger in class today. Even now he felt the burn of shame in his chest as he thought of the way his morning shower had passed. Without intending to, Severus felt his eyes drift toward the young woman who had preoccupied his thoughts as of late.
Hermione Granger leaned over her cauldron as she carefully stirred the potion within. The steam from the potion clung to her face and hair, making the wild curls tighten around her face. Her lips were gently caught between her teeth as she concentrated fully on the task at hand. Suddenly she smiled in satisfaction. Apparently her potion was changing to a shimmery pale blue, just as it should be. At this point, she needed only to add the dried feverfew, and wait. As she leaned back, her eyes moved toward the front of the room.
Severus drew in a sudden breath as Hermione's eyes met his. Try as he might, he could not look away. He stared transfixed as a delightful shade of pink spread across her fine cheekbones, and down her neck. Suddenly, Severus was seized with a desire to see just how far that pink spread down her body. Hermione just stared back. Her tongue darted out and moistened her dry lips. Snape stiffened as he felt a familiar tightness begin in his groin. He was very thankful for the massive wooden desk that hid him from her view. A sudden crash tore Snape's gaze from Hermione. Zabini muttered a quick apology as he bent to pick up the vial he knocked from his table. By the time Severus looked back, Hermione was busily engaged with her potion once again.
SHSHSHSHSH
Breathe, Hermione, breathe! Slowly, she inhaled, something she hadn't done the entire time her eyes were locked with Professor Snape's. What the hell was that? Hermione was certain she'd seen Professor Snape's eyes darken with some emotion she had never witnessed before. She couldn't quite name it, but the look in his eyes made her heart race and heat spread through her body. Hermione shivered at the pure heat she'd seen. Breathing slowly, Hermione continued working on her potion, which was nearing completion.
SHSHSHSHSH
Professor Snape glanced at the clock on his desk. Class was nearing the end, and the students should be almost finished with their potions. Looking around the room, he saw each of them adding the final ingredient. He pushed his big black leather chair away from his desk and began his final walk around. Nodding with satisfaction, Snape noticed that his first four students had brewed quite proficiently. Each carefully bottled the potions and placed them on his desk to be graded. Steeling himself, Severus headed for the desk of his fifth and final student. He stepped up close to her table to peer into the cauldron that appeared to be full of the perfect potion.
SHSHSHSH
Hermione felt his presence before he leaned over. He was so close. She could feel his rich black teaching robes brush against her legs beneath the short Hogwarts skirt she wore. She could feel the heat from his body, and smell his scent. Hermione closed her eyes and breathed in that wonderful scent of herbs and potions and shampoo.
"Good work, Miss Granger. You can bottle it now." At the sound of his deep voice reverberating through her body, Hermione flinched violently, falling back into his chest. Two hands came up to grip her elbows, preventing her from falling over. "Easy," he murmured close to her ear. Hermione could feel his breath moving the fine hairs near her face. "I didn't mean to frighten you, Miss Granger." Hermione felt her cheeks heat up as her dreaded blush poured over her cheeks.
SHSHSHSHSH
Snape chuckled at the sight of the blush. Releasing Hermione's elbows, once he was certain she wasn't going to fall over, Severus stepped back. Hermione rushed to fill her vial and clean her area. Without a backward glance, she grabbed her bag and hurried out of the room with her fellow students.
For several moments, Severus stayed where he was, staring at the door of the classroom. Her reaction to his proximity was unexpected, to say the least. If he didn't know better, he would have thought she…No, he wasn't going to let that thought enter his mind. Surely she was reacting with disgust to his nearness. There was no way Hermione—Miss Granger!—would feel anything else. With that, Severus Snape turned and stalked through the door behind his desk and into his personal chamber.