Chapter 19: The Grouch Of The Century

{A/N: Here's another update...}

My Thanks To My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.

The Infirmary, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

A great burst of white light was all Severus Snape recalled seeing when his obsidian orbs came into focus due to Madam Pomfrey's umpteenth test on his reflexes. He had been of the mind that she was burning his already sensitive retinas with her wand light and even went so far as to tell her as much. Snape cringed and pulled away from her as she moved to scoff at his rather "childish" antics.

"Severus will you hold still!" she demanded feeling a bit of her temper as she attempted once more to get an accurate read on him as far as his diagnostics were concerned.

"The day I sit back and willing let you blind me is the day I become an invalid." replied Snape growling as he attempted to get back his line of sight.

"Well, you are damn lucky you didn't perish during your last boneheaded attempt at landing." said Madam Pomfrey.

"Being beaten within an inch of my life and barely making the trip is explanation enough for my terrible landing." he said in defense.

"Like I needed to be reminded of that." replied Madam Pomfrey with a troubled expression filed across her aged face.

Snape noted in her less than playful demeanor that it was far too soon to be making near death jokes.

"No need to get sentimental old woman, I'm still here." he said attempting to shift the focus of the conversation. "So long as your half brained medical ideas don't do me in."

Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes at him.

"This is the very the reason so many people find you so contemptible." she said annoyed.

"And here I believed it was my sunny deposition." replied Snape with a smirk.

Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes causing Snape relish her frustration with him.

"I don't recall making the trip to the infirmary this time around, did the old man bring me in or was it the caretaker?" he asked with an arched brow as he attempted to climb up off the bed.

"You lie back down or I shall bind you to that bed, you're tests have not been completed and you've only just regained consciousness...if it wasn't for Miss Granger who knows what student would have stumbled upon your bloodied carcass." replied Madam Pomfrey.

Snape's eyes narrowed at the mention of the student whom had found him.

"Miss Granger?" he growled with an arched brow.

"Indeed." replied Madam Pomfrey. "Consider yourself fortunate that the bright young witch took pity upon you, you poor sod...I'd say she deserves a reward for her efforts."

Snape's annoyance seemed to no know bounds as he envisioned Hermione Granger sharing the details of his weakened condition to all her fellow Gryffindors.

Despite Madam Pomfrey's warning, Snape was out of bed and through the floo before the old Med-Witch could finish her spell to bind him. There was no possible way he was going to allow Hermione Granger to make an utter fool of him, especially not with her soon to be imposing upon what remained of his freedom before their upcoming marriage.

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The Great Hall, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

Looking down at her bowl of oatmeal for what seemed to be the tenth time since awakening and sitting down at the Gryffindor Table to eat, Hermione found that she had little to no appetite as she stole yet another glance at the seat reserved for Professor Severus Snape at the staff table.

"Are you feeling okay Mione?" asked the rather observant Harry Potter when his green eyes fell upon her after taking a glance at the staff table as well.

"Yes...I'm fine Harry why do you ask?" replied the amber eyed witch trying her best to appear as normal as she could manage despite her churning emotions.

"Because that's the tenth time you've looked at the staff table since we arrived this morning." replied the green eyed wizard still observing his best friend.

"It's just strange sitting down to breakfast and Professor Snape isn't here to glare at us from the other side of the room." said Hermione covering her true thoughts via a half-truth.

"It is right strange." replied Ron biting into a leg of turkey and swinging it casually as he chewed with his mouth open. "Snape is usually always here...I wonder what happened."

"M-Maybe Professor Dumbledore has him running an errand." said Hermione not wishing to hear her friend's speculations.

"Or he's finally dead and we can all live in peace." replied Harry with something of a satisfied smirk filed across his face.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!?"said Hermione more startled by her friend's sadistic imagination when it comes to the Potions Professor than ever before. "Professor Snape is..."

"Right here." replied Snape as he made his way past the Gryffindor table.

Everyone froze almost immediately as they looked upon him, an icy chill that always seemed to radiate off the ebony clad Potions Professor. Hermione had initially been delighted to see that the damage done to him had little standing effect but the cold stare behind his obsidian gaze seemed to indicate that he was none too pleased to see her.

"P-Professor Snape..." said Ron dropping his turkey leg as he looked upon the dreaded Potions Professor.

Snape didn't bother to acknowledge anyone else at the table as his attention was on the rather nervous Hermione the entire time.

"Miss Granger...I would like a word with you once you are finished dining in The Great Hall." said Snape with an emotionless tone despite his gaze giving way to a flicker of rage.

Hermione sighed putting down her spoon.

"As you wish Professor." she said dutifully in true Gryffindor fashion.

"She hasn't even finished her meal yet." hissed Harry glaring at Snape.

"I believe I made it very clear that I wished to speak with Miss Granger once she finished her meal...Potter...if it is her choice to forgo it and speak now her rumbling stomach will not be my problem." replied Snape turning his cold gaze upon Harry.

"Harry, I'll return before you now it." replied Hermione.

"I wouldn't bet on it." grumbled Snape.

The green eyed wizard opened his mouth to protest but Hermione's stern glare saw to it that he sat quietly and ate his meal. She then turned to her soon to be husband and followed him out of The Great Hall.

Harry Potter's eyes drifted back toward the staff table where he saw Dumbledore dismiss himself before leaving out of the teacher's entrance. He was of the mind that the Headmaster would give Snape what for when he caught up to them and turned his attention to finishing off his breakfast satisfied that justice would be served.