Chapter 8:Unwanted Conversation
{A/N: Here's another update...I often like to explore Snape's talents in the kitchen in my work due to Alan Rickman's curiosity about the man being able to actually function in a kitchen...it was an entertaining interview...just in case there was an out of character lecture somewhere in the comments.}
My Thanks To My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.
The Kitchen, 12 Grimmauld Place,The Muggle World...
Morning brought with it a new set of challenges as Hermione found her sleep had been interrupted by Snape finding random excuses to kiss her. The kissing had been nice but the dreams often lead to other implications and she had not at all been ready for such a thinking as of yet. Severus Snape had still been her Potions Professor after all and she reminded herself to show him the proper respect even in her dreams.
The amber eyed witch awakened to find that she had been alone in the house as everyone else had gone before she had gotten up. There had been plenty to do to keep her self busy but noting that even Sirius Black had been off on a scouting mission to stretch his legs had been a little disheartening.
Hermione descended the stairs upon noting the sound of rattling within the confines of the kitchen. Slowly she stepped inside and found herself startled with the half naked form of her aforementioned Potions Professor searching the fridge for something to eat for the first time in days.
"Professor Snape." said Hermione in disbelief, half pleased not to be alone in the strangely unwelcoming former Pureblood home of a not so pleasant old wizarding family and half shocked to see her future husband half dressed given the hour.
Severus Snape felt a chill race down his spine and it had not been due to his lack of clothing for his torso. He let out a deep and irate sigh as he backed from the fridge and placed his numerous items onto the island in the center of the magically modified kitchen.
"Do you mind, I am trying to make a sandwich." he said as she moved out of his way and watched him set about as if he were brewing a complex potion.
"It looks like you've gotten your appetite back." she said.
"So it would seem." he replied immediately setting to work slicing the rye bread in half and spreading the chosen condiments onto it.
He moved as swiftly with the butter-knife over bread as he had when chopping ingredients for a potion. It had been impressive to watch him work given his lack of enthusiasm in terms of cooking or much else when in the presence of the others.
At least she wouldn't starve.
Hermione had been impressed with the Potions Master's work as he fixed what appeared to be a foot long sandwich and split it in half. He passed half of the sandwich to her much to her surprise and took the other half for himself. He knew full well that she had been in search of something to eat as she had only just gotten out of bed.
Feeling rather grateful, Hermione took the sandwich and began eating noting how good it was despite the minimal effort to fix it. Truth be told she had been greatly surprised that Snape known his way around a kitchen.
"Try not to look so surprised." he replied in his usual baritone drawl. "Despite my inclination to the contrary, Dumbledore has made it so that I cannot be rid of you before our impending nuptials."
Hermione didn't know if it should be a comfort to her or an indication that her future husband and Potions Master would gladly poison her if only to get out of their upcoming marriage.
Still, she couldn't get that kiss out of her mind, despite how brief it had been.
It wasn't her first kiss by any means given that she had briefly dated Viktor Krum from Durmstrang Institute, but it was her first kiss with a man of significant age and a Professor to boot.
"I can see the wheels turning in that bushy little head of yours, Miss Granger." said Snape suddenly catching her off guard. "There is no need to make something out of nothing."
"If it was nothing then why are you so offended by me thinking about it?" she asked narrowing her amber eyes at her future husband.
"If you want to waste your time on frivolous fantasies that's your business, but projecting them upon me is another matter altogether and I do not take kindly to it." replied Snape bitterly.
He grabbed his half of the sandwich and made his way down toward the basement where he had hoped to end their conversation but he had been quite wrong given that the seemingly foolish witch chose to follow him.
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The Basement, 12 Grimmauld Place, Muggle World...
Snape rolled his eyes when the scent of jasmine mixed in with the constant smells of herbs and fresh earth that accompanied any dwelling he occupied for a substantial length of time. Hermione had not even understood why she ventured into the "belly of the beast" so to speak. She had only been annoyed that Snape believed her feelings concerning their kiss for how brief it was to be a silly notion.
Given that he was to be her husband it seemed as if she couldn't measure up to some invisible standard placed upon her from his perspective that only fueled her need to gain his approval. It was worse than when they were in Potions Class and he had never been satisfied with her work enough to give her the appropriate grade for her efforts.
"I'll have you know that that wasn't my first kiss." she said in defense of herself for fear that she had truly been inadequate in his eyes.
"I am not interested in this conversation Miss Granger." said Snape with a flicker of annoyance behind his obsidian eyes. "If you mean to impress me with your less than savory background before we are forced to be married I am afraid I have no use for harlots."
Unbeknownst to Hermione whom had been hurt by her Potions Professor's words, Snape had known that Viktor had been the only boy to kiss her and it had been a chaste kiss at that.
"I-I am not a harlot Professor...Severus." she said defiantly. "Besides it isn't as if you've been a saint for these many years I'll bet you've taken quite a few witches to bed."
Snape rolled his eyes.
"And that is a wager you'd lose." he replied. "I've been celibate for quite some time that kiss, if you can call it that was the first thing in terms of contact from the opposite sex as I have had in a great many years."
Hermione had been surprised by this.
While she had not known what lead to her Potions Professor's years long vow of celibacy, she did note that Snape's vow would have to be broken on their wedding night.
"I-I didn't know.." she began.
"And how would you?" asked Snape making his way toward an easily accessible arm chair.
He turned his attention to enjoying his sandwich and began acting as if she had not been in the room. Hermione had not known what else to say to that as she sought to bow out of this conversation rather gracefully and head back upstairs before the arrival of the others.
One thing she was sure of as she reached the kitchen once more, Severus Snape was a vastly complicated wizard.