A/N: You see, it worked! Your reviews do matter so much! They make my day and keep me writing. As a result, you're getting a superfast update – I was inspired by some of the questions and concerns that were raised, so I tried to answer some of them in the conversation with the Granggob, resulting in this very chapter.

Thank you to Sassenachstarbuck for suggesting to change "Graggob" into "Granggob" - it makes it clearer that it's not a spelling mistake and has a nicer ring to it, don't you think?

By the way, if you enjoy a snarky Snape, there are some fantastic videos on youtube by Amchoupiegirl, I do love "When Snape loses his temper" and if I need some visual smut (Oh, yes!) I'm watching the end of "Hold her closely". You'll probably need that, since I'm still holding the smut hostage. ;)

Chapter 4

He studied the Granggob. "So you think sleeping with Granger is going to get rid of the problem?"

She glared at him. "No, you complete moron. There is not 'problem' to get rid of, except maybe for some idiotic notions that you are entertaining."

"Oh, and what might those be?" he replied scathingly.

"Maybe the idea that you could be eternally in love with a woman that has been dead for decades? Even though there is someone much better suited out there for you?"

"What are you talking about?! 'Better suited' – Granger?! She does nothing but annoy me, and she's half my age. I have no deeper feelings for her."

She just regarded him with a smirk on her face, moving closer, trailing a hand up his chest, cupping his cheek. His breathing sped up as his pupils dilated. She leaned towards him, her lips only a hair's breadth away from his as she whispered: "If you only desired her body, you would not hesitate to ravish me right now."

She pulled back a bit, a challenge in her eyes as they locked onto his. He stared at her, annoyed at her implication, but also unable to contradict her.

"Fine. If you say so." Doubt was written clearly over his face.

"Well, basically, you're saying so." She grinned at him and snuggled back to her chair and regarding him expectantly. "So, how does Granger feel about you?"

"Um…" was all that Severus could manage at that moment. For the first time he realized that he had been so caught up in his own world, his own problems, he had completely forgotten about Granger's reaction to the kiss.

He recalled how her hands had moved up to clutch at his coat, pulling him closer, her mouth opening willingly under his. She had obviously enjoyed his kiss – but why? Her behavior towards him after her graduation seemed to make it very clear that she did not harbor any friendly feelings towards him. So why had she returned his kiss with such ardor?

The Granggob studied him, a smug smile on her face, as if she could read his inner confusion clearly spelled out in his face. "How did she react to the kiss?"

"Well – she kissed me back."

"That's a good sign, I would say. So how did it happen – did you take her out on a date?"

His brows furrowed as he studied the fabric of his pants, brushing invisible lint from his knee.

The Granggob moved closer, poking his leg with her index finger. "No restaurant? Romantic dinner at the castle?"

He glanced at her, suddenly looking miserable as he gave a mumbling account of how the kiss had come to pass and how he had reacted to it.

"You daft dimwit!" she shouted, slapping the back of his head. "That girl is in love with you and you've probably broken her heart."

"I beg your pardon?!" Severus was flustered. "How exactly did you come to that conclusion?"

"Well, from what I have grasped so far, your relationship revolves around the two of you annoying each other at every turn. One would think she did not really like you. Yet, when you kiss her – or should I say ambush her – does she push you back and slap you? Or let you down gently? Oh no. And that can only mean one thing: under all that pretense, she wants you very much. And now she probably thinks you just played her. Well done, Severus, well done."

"But…" He held his hands up in a gesture of helplessness "I didn't know she felt that way. If she even does. I'm still not sure there is not some other explanation. She can't have feelings for me – the whole idea is just absurd."

"Absurd or not, everything points that way. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck…" She gave him a meaningful look. "So, if we assume she has feelings for you, then…"

"…then I should probably go and apologize for being an incredible fool."

"Mh-hmm." The Granggob nodded in agreement.

"I should have considered her feelings before…"

The Granggob gave him an exasperated look that said Duh.

He sighed deeply at that. "I'm not really used to the idea to consider the feelings of others. It's not something I have much practice with." As he studied her, his eyes became troubled.

"What about you?" he asked the Granggob. "If what I have read about you is correct, then I cheated you out of your payment, so to say." He averted his eyes, feeling uncomfortable. The Traggob, as a non-being, needed energy to sustain its form. It fed off the strong emotions that were called forth when it revealed itself to its victim, but its main sustenance was derived when the victims reached their orgasm, as this allowed the Traggob to siphon off a lot more energy than just by the emotions alone. The Granggob was basically starving in his presence.

The Granggob considered this, tilting her head. "Well, you don't want to kiss me. You don't want to sleep with me." She pursed her lips, tapping a finger against them. "But there is one thing we have not yet tried, and I think you might like the idea." Her eyes glinted as she looked at him, and he gave a short nod to give his consent for her to continue.

She stood up slowly, taking two steps to where he was sitting, and slowly nudged his knees apart with her leg. She settled on her knees between his thighs and raised her hands to slowly unbutton his pants. He stared at her, shocked, but clearly aroused. She slid the tip of her tongue out to wet her lips as she pulled him free of his confines.

She bent over him, her hot breath scorching his skin. Just as she was about to slide her lips over the tip, he shouted: "Stop!"

She leapt up triumphantly, bracing her arms on his knees while she stared him down. "Why?"

He looked at her apologetically. "It felt like… betrayal. As if I cheated."

She did not relent, her stare becoming more intense. "Cheated on whom?"

He glared at her for a minute before he reluctantly growled out: "On Granger."

"Ha!" The Graggob jumped up, skipped to her chair and pointed a finger at him, one of her eyebrows raised in amusement. "There you go."

"This doesn't prove a thing."

The Graggob just smiled its smug smile and nestled deeper into the armchair.

He sighed deeply. "And again, I have wasted your time."

He looked up, confused, at her peal of laughter.

"Oh, Severus, seriously. What do you think I'm doing here all day long? My employer has more than enough business to keep me sustained. You could say I'm gorged. This is actually quite a nice distraction. I enjoy our little talks. And the glimpses inside your soul." She shot him a mischievous grin at than, wriggling her eyebrows.

He scowled at her words. Somehow it was… unsettling to think about how she had to spend her time.

"Oh Gods, stop it, you," she interrupted his musings. At his surprised glance, she elaborated. "It's always the same with you humans when the subject turns to sex business. It does not mean the same to me at it does to you. I'm not getting 'emotionally damaged' in the process."

The scowl remained on his face. "But if it were someone you found repulsive…"

She sighed at him. Silly humans. "Imagine a veterinarian – do you know what that is?"

"A muggle pet doctor."

"Yes. So, imagine being a veterinarian and then someone brings in a dog. A very old, smelly dog, who loses its pee all over the place. It is horrible, smelly, dreadful, but the love shining in its eyes when it looks at you because it knows you will help and make the pain go away – that makes it all worth it. You touch nasty places and do vile things with smelly substances. Yet, the vet is not ashamed of his work. He is proud to have helped this creature. It's kind of like that with me."

Severus shuddered. Somehow, that had not reassured him in the way she had planned.

She threw up her hands. "I give up. Humans just don't get it."

They sat in silence for a while before she interrupted his thoughts again. "Sooo… what about Granger now? Are you going to have 'the talk'?"

He stood up, pacing the length of the room. "I just don't know what to tell her. I'm so confused about what I feel and for whom, how can I not make everything worse? I'm no good at talking to people about emotions, and I'm afraid whatever came out of my mouth would hurt her no matter the original intent."

Why did emotions have to be so puzzling and hard to grasp, making him unsure what he really felt? It was only when he was with the Granggob that he seemed able to sort himself out and get a clearer view on what he really wanted. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him and he turned around and fixed his stare on her.

"Could I not bring her here and let you explain?"

The Granggob slowly lifted an eyebrow and regarded him with an unreadable expression.

"So, you mean bring this deeply emotionally confused girl here, shock her with the realization that she's your Traggob and then have the whole miserable dilemma explained to her by me, wearing her own face?"

Severus had flinched during her speech and regarded her warily.

"I love it!" she exclaimed enthusiastically, and at his surprised face, said: "What? I'm no saint. This is just too much delicious entertainment for me to let this opportunity pass. You get the firewhiskey, I'll see if I can find some Swiss chocolate, then we'll talk about how this whole thing is going to go down. You with me?"

He gave her a curt bow to seal the deal and strode off to find a bottle of Odgen's.

A/N: Pay up the ransom! Reviews get you closer to you-know-where ;)