Chapter 32: Lingering Implications
{A/N: Here's another update...}
My Thanks To My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.
The Corridors, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...
Morning had come with a sense of something that Hermione couldn't quite describe as she made her way through the lengthy corridor in a bid to make her way to the Great Hall. It had been a relatively uneventful morning aside from the lingering memories of the previous night when she had returned to her Potions Professor's quarters and the emotionally charged kiss they shared. She had not been the least bit afraid of him she found, even with all of his scars and his body exposed before her very young eyes for the first time in all of the years that she had known him. He seemed more vulnerable in that one moment than he had been even when she found him beaten half to death by the despot Voldemort after one of his death eater meetings.
She had not gotten very far down the corridor when she was suddenly stopped by the ever brooding Potions Professor fully clad in his usual ebony attire and apparently well recovered from his drunken escapades in the dungeons. His harsh obsidian gaze had sent chills down her spine but not in the way that it use to whenever he cornered her and her friends whenever he believed them to have been up to something.
"G-Good morning Professor Snape." she said unsure of what to make of the imposing wizard standing before her.
Snape said nothing as he appeared to be looking her over for a few moments making the strange feelings that seemed to start in her belly continue to get the better of her.
"You still have a detention to serve Miss Granger." he said, his deep baritone drawl echoing in her ears.
Hermione nodded knowing very well that there was a good chance that there would be eyes on them even if the corridors did appear empty with everyone off at breakfast.
Without another word, Snape took his leave of her heading in the opposite end of the corridor. Hermione wondered if he intended to skip breakfast as she continued with her own journey into the great hall.
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The Corridors, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...
Severus Snape continued on toward his office not wishing to venture into the great hall at this time. One of the draw backs to having his libido recharged after years of self inflicted suppression had been his constant issue with getting an erection at the worst possible time of the day.
He had not expected to run into a very late Hermione Granger on his way out of the great hall after a brief meeting with Dumbledore and he surely had not expected to have to fight the sudden impulsive decision to seize the young witch before she entered the room full of hormonal teenage boys and assert his dominance in the form of sexual gratification when it came to her either.
Rolling his eyes at the thought of his libido being more interested in the likes of Hermione Granger than any other aspect of himself, Snape pushed open the door to his office hoping that a bit of work would put the witch out of his mind at least for the time being.
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The Great Hall, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...
Hermione entered The Great Hall and made her way toward the Gryffindor table. Harry seemed relieved to see her as had been Ginny Weasley. Ron had been stuffing his face as per the usual as if he had not a care in the world. The green eyed wizard ensured Hermione had a place to sit beside him as he treated her to a warm smile before finally addressing her near absence and what happened after the strange incident in Potions Class.
"It's good to see you up and about Mione." said Harry. "It seems the greasy git got you some decent help after all."
Hermione's cheeks turned red briefly before she realized what everyone around her must have believed when the non compliance charm had gotten a hold of her. It had been quite a frightening experience to say the least but Severus had been there to see her through it even if he had not liked having to be the one to initiate things in such a state.
"Yes Professor Snape assisted me, and gave me detention for disturbing the class." she replied recovering smoothly.
It seemed to go over well as Harry rolled his eyes.
"The greasy git strikes again." said Ron shaking his head.
"Well said Ron." agreed Harry Potter before turning his attention to his bowl of oatmeal.
"Professor Snape isn't that bad." replied Hermione trying her best to conceal her new found affection for the wizard she had seen in more than one vulnerable instance.
"Not that bad...he's tormented poor Neville for years and let's not forget what he threatened to do to his frog Trevor." said Ron in disbelief.
"He was just giving him incentive to try harder...people tend to respond more appropriately when lives are on the line...like in Potions Class when one wrong mixture could get us all killed." said Hermione in defense of her husband.
"Or what about the time he hung us both upside down after whacking us across the head with a dictionary?" asked Harry with an arched brow.
"That's about all he did if I recall and you two were going over board with the cheek." said Hermione.
"Be that as it may...Snape's still a greasy git." muttered Ron clearing the rest of what remained of his breakfast before turning his attention to the eggs and toast on Hermione's. "You going to eat that?"
Hermione rolled her eyes pushing away her plate and getting to her feet.
"Have at it Ron." she said fed up with the discussion and breakfast it seemed.
"Mione where are you going...you just got here?" asked Harry with an inquisitive expression filed across his face.
"I'm going to study...I have a few questions on the up coming quiz in Potions Class and despite what you two may think about Professor Snape, I happen to appreciate his challenging approach to lessons." replied the amber eyed witch.
Having heard all they needed to hear on the subject of Snape and studying, everyone turned their collective attentions back to their respective meals as Hermione took her leave of them not in the least bit interested in breakfast so much as she had been interested in what was going on with her new husband.