Hermione stood glued to the spot. Snape was back to his reading and wasn't giving her so much as a glance. Hermione walked back to her desk and sat down heavily. After the incident that had just occurred most of the students had cleared out. Only a few older students who hadn't even bothered to join the foray were still at their tables reading. Hermione dropped her head into her hands.
She hadn't made it a whole week, and she had already screwed up.
Failure. The voice in Hermione's head was whispering.
She shook it away and continued to sort books and keep an eye on the students that were still diligently working.
Snape rose as Hermione went to turn out the lights. He'd made it through two more books not giving Hermione the time of day.
Hermione didn't seem to notice a whole lot though she was too busy degrading herself.
She was thinking of all the horrible things that could happen tomorrow. She felt more stressed than she had before her OWLS.
"I'm not going to have dinner I need some fresh air. Would you like to join me?" Hermione asked Snape as they made their way down the corridor.
"Do I have a choice?" He snarled and marched ahead of her making.
They continued in silence. Hermione didn't know what to say.
He really didn't have a choice if Hermione chose to go outside he had to go, had to trail along behind her like a dog.
They made it to the main door and Snape pushed out into the dark night Hermione jogging slightly to keep up.
Snape took off toward the lake and Hermione panted behind him.
"Wait," Hermione wheezed.
Snape abruptly stopped and Hermione had to swerve to avoid hitting him.
"What is it Granger? You wanted fresh air, here you go. I'd like to get some rest before tomorrow morning which will come much too quickly." He barked at her.
"What is your problem?" Hermione gasped.
"My problem? I'm the one who is looking at an adult who took a position she wasn't able to handle," Snape said his voice calm.
Hermione didn't say anything, she couldn't. He was right. Of course he was right.
Why did she bother trying to do this?
"It's fine." Hermione said straightening her spine. "I'll be giving the headmistress my resignation."
Hermione continued walking past Snape towards the lake trying her best to get her face out of his sight before she let the tears fall.
She moved quickly and ended up on a tiny bit of ground that hung out over the lakeshore.
She stood there looking up at the bright crescent moon, she couldn't stop crying now, quietly though not a shudder or sound escaping her, she could only hope Snape stayed back.
She felt a hand on her shoulder.
Damn.
"You over react so quickly sometimes." Snape mumbled from beside her. "It's enough to make your head spin."
She stayed quiet her voice was buried deep inside her and had no plans of returning anytime soon.
"You'll do nothing rash," He said quietly his voice coming from right behind her right ear.
She stayed silent and still.
He jerked her to look at him getting impatient.
"Understand?" He growled.
She quickly jerked out of his grasp.
In a moment the world was tilting.
Hermione was closer to the edge of the tiny cliff than she'd thought.
She felt the world slow down as she plummeted to the beach below. She felt something thump into her middle which sent her flying towards the cold black water.
Her eyes closed seconds before the water hit.
It was freezing and Hermione couldn't get her feet to work. Her arms would not obey her. She felt something tug her upwards.
Felt the dark hold of the watery depths begin to release their hold.
Hermione's head broke the water and her lungs screamed as they filled with air.
Snape was pulling her towards the beach.
He wasn't swimming very quickly and as Hermione watched his head kept bobbing beneath the water.
Hermione pulled away a little and swam on her own her years of swimming practice at the local pool in her neighborhood coming into her limbs. Snape was doggy paddling beside her and tiring fast.
Finally bother made it to land and collapsed onto the tiny strip of cold sand.
Hermione was trying to catch her breath when Snape turned his head to look at her.
"Stupid girl," He growled softly.
Hermione ignored him and sat up slowly.
"I think it's time to go back inside." Hermione said.
"I agree," Snape grumbled. "Now help me up." He ordered.
Hermione stood and grabbed Snape's icy hand helping him up.
She was shocked he'd asked for assistance but by now she learned to let it go, it was like seeing a comment that only comes around every hundred years.
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They made it back to their rooms without anyone seeing them in soaking wet sand covered robes. Quite a story that would be to explain to the headmistress.
"I'm going to light a fire you can change and join me for some tea," Hermione said as she pointed her wand at the hearth, bright flames leaping to life from the logs no doubt stacked there by very thoughtful elves.
Hermione crawled into her room and changed out of her damp robes putting on a pair of brightly colored shorts and a long black nightshirt.
She walked back out into the living room to find that Snape had already called for tea and had a cup ready and waiting for her.
Snape was sitting one of the arm chairs his feet, which were bare, were pointed towards the fire in what she assumed was an attempt to warm them.
Hermione took her cup of tea and sat down on the rug in front of the fire right beside Snape's bare feet.
She took a sip and groaned slightly in pleasure as the warm liquid coated her insides.
"I've never seen you without shoes on before," Hermione commented unabashedly staring at his pale bar feet.
Snape looked down at Hermione and moved his feet a way from her.
"There's a first for everything," Snape ground out.
"Come sit down by me," Hermione asked patting the spot beside her.
Snape looked at her with an unreadable expression, then he moved down to sit beside her moving his bare feet farther from her view and closer to the fire.
"Granger, don't be so hard on yourself." Snape said from beside her.
"It's difficult when the only other adult I talk to on a regular basis thinks me incompetent." Hermione said sighing.
"I don't think you incompetent, just inexperienced." Snape snapped at her.
Hermione shook her head smiling a bit, an insult with a complement the Snape way.
"I think you should call me Hermione," Hermione said looking at him his features were a little horrifying in the fire light. His cheekbones were sharp and the shadows reached up into his hair and his eyes glittered from the dark shadows under his brow.
"Hermione, then." Snape said.
"What should I call you?" Hermione asked timidly.
"Mr. Snape." He said deadpan.
Hermione's face fell for a moment, until she caught sight of the tiny smirk that curled his mouth.
Hermione laughed, long and hard, and she think she even smacked Snape on the arm.
He smiled a little wider and smacked her arm back knocking her over.
Hermione continued to chortle as she propped herself back up to look at him.
"Seriously though, can I call you by your given name?" Hermione asked the mood sobering up.
Snape rose to his feet and looked down at her.
Which seemed to be the only way he looked at her.
Then he surprised her by putting a hand down to help her up.
"You may call me Severus." He said as she stood beside him.
She had barely a moment to hear him before he disappeared into his room leaving Hermione confused with the fire still roaring in the hearth.