Chapter Twenty-seven: Facing the Music

Disclaimer: The characters and settings you recognise belong to JKR. Alas, I am only borrowing them.

Chapter Twenty-seven: Facing the Music

"Well? Did you get a look at it?" Ginny pounced as soon as Hermione had returned to her room.

"Have you been waiting here all this time?"

"No... not really... oh, all right, yes. I saw Blaise just after you had left for Professor McGonagall's office, and he told me where you were. He and Luna aren't far away. Do you want me to go and get them?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and laughed. "You might as well. None of you lot will leave me in peace until you know as much as I do anyway."

"Glad you've finally figured that out for yourself," Ginny replied with a grin as she left the room.

Five minutes later the entire 'Granger-Snape Alliance,' as Blaise had named their little group, had assembled in Hermione's room.

"Time to enlighten us all, Granger. What did you find out?" Blaise lounged against the desk, twirling Hermione's best goose quill between his long fingers.

"Lots. Did you know the female staff may 'entertain' guests of either gender in their quarters until the hour of ten pm, after which only other females are permitted to remain? The men, however, are allowed to have guests of either gender at any time. That's so... archaic." Hermione huffed and shook her head. "I don't know why the female professors haven't insisted that clause be revoked."

"I'm sure Professors Vector and Sinistra wouldn't mind that at all." Luna smiled at her friends' disbelief.

"Luna? Really? Vector and Sinistra? How do you know that?" Ginny asked.

"Doesn't everyone?"

"No."

"Hey, you two. As interesting as that little snippet is, it's not relevant." Blaise turned to Hermione. "Granger, focus. Did you find out anything useful?"

"Possibly." She pulled her parchment stack out of her bag and spread it over the desk, after nudging Blaise aside. "I made a few notes."

"A few? What did you do, copy the entire Charter?"

"No, Gin, just the relevant paragraphs. What do you think of that?" She pointed out two passages she had written out in full and circled.

"Do you think he'd agree?" Blaise frowned.

"Depends on his Wrackspurts. They might still be clouding his judgement." Luna's radishes swung as she twirled on the spot in a fit of excitement.

"He'll need to sort out more than his Wrackspurts if he finds out about this. His attitude, for one thing. Imagine it, Professor Snape..."

"'Mione! Are you in there?" Ron's voice bellowed from the hall outside Hermione's door. "Harry and I are going down to dinner. Are you coming?"

Hermione opened the door, admitting a startled Ron.

"Oi, what are you lot up to? And why weren't we invited?"

Blaise had swiftly gathered up the pile of parchment and was shuffling it into a neat stack. "Planning our study sessions for the N.E.W.T.s. Would you like to join us? I'm sure Hermione can make you up a schedule for revision."

"Er... no, thanks." Ron couldn't quite control the shudder. "We've been scheduled by Hermione before. We'll be fine."

Ginny giggled. "Watch out, brother. You wouldn't want your little sister to beat you in your exams, would you?"

Ron swallowed the distraction ploy whole as he flopped into the chair beside the desk. "I'm sure Mum would tell me it's unwizardly to try and beat a girl. I'd hate to disappoint her." He looked down at the sudden growl from his stomach. "See... dinnertime. I hear it's treacle tart tonight for dessert. My favourite."

"Any dessert is your favourite, Ron. Are you coming or not?" Harry poked his head around the door. "Oh, hi, Gin. I wondered where you were."

Ginny winked at Hermione. Moving to the door without answering Harry, she wrapped an arm around his waist and reached up to kiss his cheek. "I was just here talking to Hermione."

Cheeks flaming, Harry said no more as they joined Ron and the others on the way to dinner.

***

Stacking the pile of marked essays onto one side of his desk, Snape rose from his chair and let out a weary sigh. Half expecting Hermione to appear at his door during the evening, he had endured the constant reminder of her desire stretching across his sensitised flesh all day, only removing the pouch when it became clear she was not coming. Sleep had denied him its temporary relief when he had refused to succumb once again to the temptation of his own hand. He had spent hours releasing his frustration onto canvas, painting not Grace, but Hermione, nude and waiting.

In his bedroom, Snape removed the cover from the canvas and studied the painting. Without conscious thought, his hand strayed to his groin, stroking the growing reaction there. Breath catching as pleasure rippled through his body and his imagination brought life to the painted image before him, Snape unfastened his trousers and reached for the bottle at his bedside. Ylang ylang and vanilla drifted to flare his nostrils as his hand spread the scented oil over heated skin. His eyes widened when the fluid warmed, sending an exquisite tingle along an increasingly swollen shaft. Stroking up and down rhythmically, the intense pleasure found him lying on the bed, trousers kicked across the room and shirt rucked up so his other hand could use the oil on his nipples. A low moan escaped him as his balls tightened and lifted, and a drop of fluid appeared at his tip. Lowering his hand to cup his sac, he began moving his hand faster.

With a crack, a house elf bearing the headmistress's sigil on her tea-towel appeared. Clapping a hand over her eyes, she turned to face the door. "Master Professor Snape, the headmistress is requesting your presence in her office."

Snatching a blanket to cover himself, Snape managed to snarl a reply without ceasing his activity. "I'll be there... as soon as... possible."

"You is not understanding. The headmistress said it was urgent. You is to come now."

Stopping the Hogwarts Express would have been easier. With a strangled cry, Snape exploded over his stomach despite his unwilling audience. "Damn it! Not a word, elf!"

He could have sworn the elf smirked. Summoning his trousers, Snape performed a perfunctory Cleansing Charm, then dressed and followed Dilly to the headmistress's tower.

***

"You summoned me?" A scowl set firmly on his brow.

Minerva's lips thinned as she looked up from the large book on her desk. "Indeed. Severus..." Her nose wrinkled. "What is that smell? Have you started wearing cologne?"

Snape sniffed, and a trace of pink suffused his cheeks. "No. I do not wear cologne."

"Well, something smells rather pleasant. I suppose it's a change from potions' fumes. That is not the reason I requested your presence, however."

"Requested? Your house-elf was most insistent."

"I am attempting to maintain a level of courtesy, Severus. Courtesy that you seemed to have overlooked yesterday."

"I beg your pardon? I fail to understand what I have done to offend you, Minerva."

The headmistress stood and moved around her desk to stand before the bristling professor. "I am referring to your personal problem. The personal problem I suspect involves not a Muggle as you allowed me to believe, but a student at this very school."

Fuck! "A student?" His tone was just the right side of irritated.

"Not just any student, Severus Snape. Hermione Granger."

Double fuck! Occlumency shields firmly in place and expression neutral, Snape lifted his head to meet her eyes. "Do you believe for one moment your precious Gryffindor would find me appealing?"

"I admit I find it hard to believe." McGonagall's conscience prickled at his subtle wince. "I have no doubt some women find you attractive, Severus, but Hermione is a young, innocent girl with her entire life before her. How could you?"

Tell me something I don't know, woman. Sooner or later she'll wake up and realise she's in bed with a man twice her age who can only offer her cauldron full of guilt and past regrets. His shoulders slumped as reality struck with the force of a well-placed Stunner. She will, and she'll hate me.

He looked up to meet the penetrating gaze of the witch who had once been his own teacher. She'd always had the gift of making him feel twelve again when necessary.

"Damn it, Minerva, it wasn't supposed to happen. It's my fault entirely; I should have stopped it before it went too far, but I... I was weak."

Returning to the chair behind her desk, Minerva sat, spine rigid, visibly struggling for control. "I am very disappointed in you, Severus. Of all the professors I have had the privilege to work with, you're the last I would have expected to have this conversation with."

"Because my appearance and demeanour render me safe?" Bitterness rendered his voice hoarse.

"Because you have always conducted yourself with honour and propriety, Severus." A rising chill separated them. "Until now. This is inexcusable. I cannot condone your conduct. By all rights I should report this to the Board of Governors immediately."

"What are you waiting for?" Snape sneered and walked over to the fireplace, staring into the flames for several long moments.

The silenced crackled between them. Not since the despair of the days of his own tenure in the head's office had there been such tension between the two.

Finally, Minerva spoke. "I need to hear Miss Granger's side of the story." She glanced at the tome on her desk. "Dilly!"

With a pop, the house-elf reappeared. "Yes, Headmistress?"

"Fetch Hermione Granger. She'll probably be in the Great Hall for dinner by now."

Dilly nodded and disappeared.

A few minutes later, the grinding of the circular stairs announced the younger witch's arrival. With a smile, she entered the office. "You wanted me, Professor?" The scent still lingering in the air drew her eyes to the fireplace where Snape's watchful gaze met hers with a warning.

The fractional widening of Hermione's smile and quirk of her eyebrow as her nostrils flared was not lost on the headmistress. "I believe you know Professor Snape, Miss Granger?"

Hermione frowned. "Of course I do, Professor McGonagall. I'm in his Potions class."

"A fact I am hoping you have not forgotten. You are his student."

"Yes." Is this leading where I think it's leading? If it is, we're in big trouble.

"The problem I have, Miss Granger, is that I believe you know Professor Snape rather better than one would expect, given your current status as teacher and student. Would that be true?"

Hermione swallowed hard. "Er... yes. Of course. I've seen him at Grimmauld Place over the years and at Order meetings, so I suppose I do know him better than some other students."

"Miss Granger! Do not prevaricate!" McGonagall slapped her hand down on her desk. "You and Severus Snape are involved in an inappropriate relationship. True or false?"

Snape's almost imperceptible nod told Hermione he had already answered that question.

Straightening her shoulders, Hermione walked over to where her professor stood and deliberately took his hand. With a brief squeeze, she turned back to the headmistress. "I do not consider it inappropriate. We are both consenting adults, after all."

"You are his student! He should never have approached you. It is wrong, Miss Granger."

Hermione shook her head. "But that's the whole point, Professor. He had no idea who I was until after... well, after it was too late."

"What do you mean? How could he not know you?"

"Hermione, there's no need..."

"Hush, Severus. Let me explain. Professor McGonagall, I met up with Severus over the summer when I applied for a job."

"What job?"

Snape's resigned nod spurred her on.

"Severus paints. Brilliantly. But he does it in a Muggle studio, using another name."

"You paint?" Confused, Minerva looked at Snape for confirmation.

"Like I said, brilliantly. He advertised for a model, and I went for an interview without realising who he was." Carefully editing out references to the exact nature of Sidney Reilly's paintings, Hermione explained why she had disguised herself and how the relationship had developed over many hours of posing and the tea and discussions after.

"And you did not consider it appropriate to reveal your true self to Severus?"

"I couldn't. At first, I was desperate for a job, then as time went on, I didn't want to risk him sending me away. I'd thought he would never need to know it was me."

Minerva's eyes narrowed as she remembered one detail. "The weekend home for your family reunion?"

Hermione blushed. "My fault again. I persuaded Mum to tell you that so I could go to Severus's exhibition. I couldn't risk anyone asking too many questions about Sidney Reilly."

"Give me one good reason why I should not expel you right now!" The headmistress was furious. Not only had her prize student lied to her, she had done so to arrange an illicit meeting with her teacher.

"I have none, Professor. However, Severus had no involvement in it. As far as he knew at that time, I was a Muggle. It was only after... well, later that night, he realised I was a witch."

"Which is when he should have come to me."

"But he still didn't know who I was. I ran off before he could find out. I spent the next few weeks terrified he would recognise me."

Minerva sighed. "I don't know what to believe. Exactly when did he realise who you were, Miss Granger?"

"Just before Christmas. He wasn't happy." Hermione offered a little smile to Snape.

"Not happy? I was bloody furious."

Remembering the kiss at New Year, Minerva's ire rose again. "You must have known who she was at New Year, Severus."

"And why do you think I didn't want to accompany you that night, Minerva?"

"Nevertheless, you have obviously continued an intimate relationship since then."

Hermione crossed her fingers behind her back. "Professor McGonagall, I can honestly say we have not had sexual intercourse since Severus determined my true identity. I will take Veritaserum if needed."

"You did before?" Minerva quelled her embarrassment to ask the question.

"Once. Or twice." Hermione smiled up at Snape, who blushed as deeply as his employer.

"I still must report the matter."

Playing her last card, Hermione released Snape's hand and approached the headmistress's desk. In a low voice, she asked. "Despite your own experience in the same situation?"

Minerva's eyes widened. "What do you know of that?"

"I have my sources."

Studying the determined expression of the girl before her, Minerva knew she had been outplayed.

"Very well. If you insist on taking that stance, Miss Granger, I must refer you to the section in the Charter you were so assiduously studying."

Snape had joined them at the desk. "What Charter?"

"The Charter of Hogwarts. Your resourceful young witch has discovered a loophole in the regulations pertaining to staff/student relationships."

"Which is?"

"Section 247b: Clause 22. A staff member and a student must not become involved in a relationship which transgresses the student teacher boundary. The exception to this rule applies only when the student in question is of age and has given full consent. In this case, the couple must immediately marry to provide the Board of Governors proof of the legitimacy of the relationship. The student must be removed from any classes taught by the staff member, or if this would impair the student's learning, he or she is to have their work marked by an independent and qualified person. That's your choice, Severus. You stay completely away from her until she graduates or you marry her."

Snape stood stock still, all colour draining from his face as he read the page indicated. His fists clenched on the desk as his hair swung forward, covering his face. Shaking his head slowly from side to side, he turned and faced the two women.

Hermione's smile had returned, and her eyes shone until she looked up and met the confusion and self-recrimination in Snape's. "Severus?"

"No. That is not appropriate. Do what you will, Minerva, but keep Hermione out of it." Snape turned on his heel and left before either witch had the opportunity to reply.

***

A/N: This was written for shalimar1981 for the TPP Every Flavour Auction. As always, my thanks go to quaffswinegaily for her input and karelia for her comma wisdom.