Chapter 4

Ron sat miserably in the chair next to Hermione’s bed. Her eyes looked at him, sparkling innocently and full of confusion. How am I going to tell her I did that? Ron wondered. I could always tell her I was under the Imperius Curse! He chuckled nervously and took a deep breath.

“Hermione, love,” his voice trembled, “there’s something you should know.”

Hermione’s brow furrowed. “What is it, Ron?” She tried to imagine things he could say next: Voldemort’s back from beyond, Draco joined S.P.E.W., Muggle dentists proclaimed pumpkin juice bad for the teeth, Snape wears silk boxers? Whoa. Silk boxers? Hermione tried to keep her eyes and mind in the present, not fantasizing about Severus’ undergarments. “What happened?”

“Well, you and I, we, um, had a sort of, uh, disagreement thi…” Ron’s voice faltered as he saw the dark, shadowy figure looming beside Hermione’s bed. “Professor Snape?”

Hermione turned, not knowing how to display her pleasure at his presence. Thankfully, it was Severus who spoke first.

“I believe you were confessing something just now, Mr. Weasley?”

Ron became indignant and stood up from his chair. “I was not! Hermione and I were discussing something!”

“Hmm. Discussing? Is that a discussion such as the one you two had this morning?” Snape conjured himself a chair and took a seat near Hermione’s head and took her hand. When she recoiled, in obvious alarm, he tried to soothe her fears by informing her that Dumbledore had ordered it. “The headmaster wishes me to “hold your hand” through this ordeal, Miss Granger.” Although he knew Albus had clearly stated he had to do no such thing, Severus liked the feeling of being her protector. He wanted to be the one to hold her and comfort her. “Mr. Weasley?”

Ron’s jaw had dropped as he stared, awestruck, at the woman he knew was his soon-to-be ex-girlfriend and their hated Potion’s master. There she was, content as a kneazle, holding his hand. Who knew what potions and poisons had been made with those filthy, worn hands? Ron shuddered at the thought of getting on Snape’s bad side. With sudden realization, he gulped. Oh shite, I am on Snape’s bad side! When he noticed all eyes were on him, Ron exhaled sharply and began. He tried to sugar-coat the story as much as possible, but damn Snape kept being so bloody explicit!

By the time the second confession of the day was over, Ron had fled the hospital wing, Hermione was in tears, and Severus was stuck holding her as her shoulders shook uncontrollably. She felt so good in his arms—so right. She was his student, yes, but she was so much more of a woman than a girl. Right now, all Severus wanted to do was to hold this beautiful witch in his arms and comfort her. He had a feeling he would pay dearly, but his body had a mind all its own. Emotions took over the usually collected Potions master; his secret love for the girl made his control buckle.

“Shh. Shh. It’s going to be alright. Calm down. Shhh. I’ve got you. It’s ok, dear.” He rocked her against him, sitting on the hospital bed. Kissing her forehead lightly, he stroked her hair back from her face. He was surprised to find that it was smooth and silky, nowhere near the bushy mess she’d sported the first years of school. He looked down at her horror-struck face. “What’s wrong? Hermione, what is it?” He lifted her chin to gaze into her honey-brown eyes. She swiped his hand away.

“Professor Snape, did you just kiss me?” she asked incredulously. Her hands sat on her hips, waiting for him to try to deny his actions.

He coughed. “Miss Granger, I was simply looking out for your best interests and providing mental support. Please do not take my actions as harassment.” His onyx eyes pleaded silently with her brown ones, that she might understand his actions.

“It’s… all right,” she said, hesitating, “I don’t mind.” She sniffled as she tucked a stray lock from his eyes. “Thank you… Severus.”

“You’re welcome… Hermione.” He kissed her once more on her forehead and then left her to sleep for the rest of the day.

________________________________________

As he headed back down to the dungeons, Severus didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He was so happy, happier than he could ever remember being. All the joy in the cosmos was his because of this one witch. A pang of sadness hit him, though, like a dagger of ice through his heart.

She was a student—a beautiful, intelligent, skilled, and sensible student. She wouldn’t throw her life away for some old dungeon bat of a Potions master.

The way she had looked at him though, the silent understanding they had reached…

Oh, who was he kidding? She was just being polite. He sighed and began to prepare for his next class. For the entire class period, however, he couldn’t shake those beautiful rich brown eyes from his mind.

________________________________________

Hermione Granger slept peacefully up in the hospital wing. She doubted the dreams she had came from the Calming Draught she took. She knew it was because of him. The way he held her, kissed her, whispered to her. She moaned slightly in her sleep, reveling in the memory. Her mind began to fantasize…

He held her to him tightly, his strong arms wrapped around her. His kisses caressed her lips, her cheek, her throat, her collarbone. His hands, strong yet gentle, ran up and down her body. He picked her up, cradling her as though she were a child, but honoring the woman that she was.

His mouth returned to her throat, and his free hand crept down to her knickers. He slipped his hand inside, feeling her heat radiating around it. His fingers toyed with her clit, rubbing it gently, as his left hand continued it’s praising of her rounded breast. Then, two of his fingers slipped between her wet folds…”

Hermione woke up with a gasp. She wasn’t with Severus at all—she was still, disappointedly, in the hospital wing. She gave a sigh of frustration. “Someday, Severus, someday.”

________________________________________

Thanks very much to RobisonRocket, my beta. Without her, I'd be... well, I'd be writing work so bad, people would call it unintentional sicfic! lol.