Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Still not Steve Vander Arse, so please don't sue me for using JKR's stuff. I'm not trying to make money off of this.

Thanks go to ladyinthecloak for being kind enough to let me know what needs fixing after she snickers through this.

"Headmaster, I must implore you to change your mind. I can try harder. I don't want to be around Granger," Snape pleaded once again to Dumbledore and his deaf ears.

"Severus, you said it yourself. She is the only one smart enough to help you. Why can't you stand to be in the same room as her? I've never noticed any unpleasant body odor. And besides, you've taught her for seven years running and know how to work with her," Dumbledore said softly, though his eyes twinkled merrily.

Damn him! He knew why. He just wanted him to say it. "Because I am attracted to her in a less than professorly way! Happy now I've said it? I don't want to be put in a position where I want to..."

"Feel something?" the headmaster inquired, knowing the answer already.

"Yes! I don't want to become emotionally attached to anyone, much less one of Potter's followers!" Severus sounded harsher than he'd meant to. This wasn't Dumbledore's fault. He should keep his tone neutral. Well, actually it was the blighter's fault, wasn't it?

"I thought you had worked out your feelings where Harry was concerned?" The old man had the audacity to smile! How dare he?

"I have. I know I have to work with him. I accept his role in our mission. However, that doesn't mean I have to be all that fond of him, now does it?" Snape said bitterly.

"Afraid you will lose a woman to a Potter for a second time?"

"Damn it!" Snape raged. "Don't bring her up!"

"Severus, I can assure you that Harry is in a relationship with Ginny Weasley. Though he and Hermione are very close indeed, their time to become a couple has passed. I would say that makes her available." Dumbledore dug into a candy dish and popped some candy into his mouth and regarded Severus thoughtfully.

"Headmaster! She is a student! I cannot!" What was the old fool playing at?

"She is of age, Severus. The year is almost out. She'll be leaving Hogwarts soon. Get to know her. Maybe she is what you need to complete yourself. Times of living in the past are over."

"I'm not still living in the past. I am just doing my duty to you and this establishment. I can't go about seducing students if I am to do my job here," he said, trying to make his mentor understand.

"Since when is falling in love seducing someone?" Dumbledore countered.

"I can never love anyone!" Snape bit out.

"You can. And you will. I think you should rethink things. Look into her mind, Severus. Let it tell you what she will not," Dumbledore suggested. "Care for a lemon drop?"

"No, thanks," Snape said, turning on his heel to leave, flinging his robes out dramatically. The old fool! Imagine him trying to put this into his head. Of all people! Even if he would be with Hermione, he would ruin her. He was too demanding, too dark, too jealous. He would drain away all that was good in her. And it was nearly time to see her once again, for they had work to do.

When he walked into his empty class, she was there sitting in her normal chair, waiting patiently for him. He saw that she bit her lip and her cheeks turned pink when she saw him, but her gaze did not waver. Good. Wouldn't do for her to be skittish, would it? He smirked and beckoned for her to follow him. Maybe he should take a look into her mind for just a bit. She was smart though. She would catch on if he looked into her eyes for too long. Perhaps. He'd have to trick her. It wouldn't be a slip in like the other time.

"Miss Granger? Are you sure you will not speak of this to anyone?" He cocked an eyebrow in her direction expectantly.

"Of course not," she said. "I would never betray you... or Harry."

Or Harry indeed! "I'll be the judge of that. Sit here," he said roughly, pointing to a chair. He summoned a chair and sat across from her. "I am going to hold your wrists in my palms. I am going to ask you questions. Do not break eye contact with me. I will feel it in your pulse and see it in your eyes if you lie."

She gulped nervously. This man trusted no one, did he? She hoped that he would not interrogate her too personally, but she would answer anything truthfully. She held out her hands for him to take. He placed his thumbs just over her more prominent veins in each wrist. "I'm going to look into your eyes now. I need to get a feel of you before I start questioning. Do not break eye contact. Blinking is okay."

Her light brown eyes met his openly. She would hide nothing from him. He could see that already without the need to ask her. Flashes broke through. He saw Draco lying on top of a naked girl, yet he winked at Hermione. That had to have been recent. His hair had just been styled that way. Granger probably walked in on him and some tart. Harry's face. Close. Then he saw and heard the entire conversation. He was saying he couldn't keep off of her, and she'd let him do those things. This darkened his mood. When was this? Bloody hell! It was after she'd left his place the night before. He'd just had a flash of him asking about detention. She was holding him tightly telling him how embarrassed she was to have been caught touching him... twice. What's this? Potter telling her she needed to find someone so that they could both move on. Her saying that nobody could possibly feel anything for her nor could anyone keep up with her intellectually. Indeed someone could! He could do that!

He had just about seen enough when another flash came to him. It was his sleeping face nestled close to hers. She kissed his cheek tenderly and told him to please feel better. That touched him. He didn't remember that! Either this was some dream she'd had, or she had actually done it. This warmed him. He composed himself and found his cold demeanor again.

"I'm ready, Miss Granger." She nodded. "I will ask a series of questions. You will give me an answer. Do not elaborate." She nodded again.

"Are you loyal to Harry Potter?"

"Yes."

"Are you in love with him?"

"Not anymore."

"But, you do still harbor feelings for him?"

"Yes."

"No one could make you betray his secrets?"

"Never."

"Is there nobody else you are so fiercely loyal to?"

"Ron Weasley."

"Are you in love with him?"

"Never."

"Do you have feelings for Draco Malfoy?"

"Certainly not."

"Does Mr. Malfoy have feelings for you?"

"We are only friends."

"Do you trust Mr. Malfoy to be loyal to Potter?"

"Yes."

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Why do you not have a relationship with Potter?"

"It would have hurt Ron and his sister. We should be friends. All of us."

"Do you desire a relationship with anyone?"

"Yes, but no one in particular."

"So, if you did find someone, you would still be loyal to our cause?"

"Yes. Above all else."

"All right, Miss Granger. You answered them all honestly, though I did sense a hesitation on the question about me. Do you not trust me?" he asked sourly.

"Yes, of course, I do, Professor. I just... Do you trust me?" She turned the question back on him. He seemed shocked for a moment. That would show him! What was he playing at? Asking all those questions about Harry and Ron!

"No, I do not," he said coldly. He watched as she bit her lip; her eyes watered.

"Wh–what?" She was shocked. She was more trustworthy than anyone.

He leaned forward and said in a hard voice, "I trust precious few."

She pulled her hands from his. "Should I leave then? Maybe you can get someone you actually do trust in here!" She was angry.

He was taken aback only for a moment. "You will stay and earn my trust, Miss Granger," he said, sneering at her.

Why did she take this? This man said she had to earn his trust! That was unreal. He should have known that she would never betray Harry and that meant not betraying him since he was helping Harry. "Just how am I supposed to do that?" she said hotly, wanting to point out that she'd saved his ungrateful arse twice already.

"Tell me about yourself. What do you plan to do after this year? What do you lack? What do you need?" he asked all at once.

She leaned back in her chair and started talking. "I don't know what I could say about myself that you don't already know."

"Talk, girl," he demanded.

"All right. I love to read and learn new things. Anything. You never know what you will need or when. It's why most people call me clever. I plan to help Harry in any way that I can, and if I have to, I will die for him when the time comes. If I live through that, then I would like to teach or write. Give something back to the community. Use what I know to help others." She smiled to herself. He was watching her, fascinated. He could see her sincerity. She was very loyal indeed, but she was also intelligent. She wanted to give something back to the community. How decent.

She began talking again. "What I am lacking... I guess that would be a real social life. I have always had Harry and Ron since I started school...well, after a few months anyway. I used to mope about alone before that. Ginny and I became very close as well. I helped to get her and Harry together. I tend to be more interested in my studies. I would like to have as many N.E.W.T.s as possible. I'm not complaining. I get enough adventure through Ron and Harry. I don't care if I am popular or not. It is enough for me."

He smiled softly. She put all else before herself. She didn't worry about things the way most girls her age did. She was mature...so much more mature than he'd realized or imagined. That had happened recently, hadn't it? She knew what she needed for the future, and she strived to achieve it. Though her two mates tended to bring her along with them no matter where they went, she didn't mind. She probably went along to be sure they were kept in line.

She spoke once more. "What do I need? I don't know that I need much. My parents are well off money-wise... for Muggles, that is. I need a bigger bedroom! I have loads of books, and if I get any more, I won't have a place to put them. I need someone to share my life with one day, though I don't know that I will find anyone to match me. Anyone who likes to discuss things that I enjoy are usually pompous pricks!" Her hand flew to her mouth. "Sorry!"

He laughed for the first time in her company. He hadn't laughed in years it seemed. Especially not the last few. Before long, she was giggling with him. "Hermione, you are something else. I do trust you." He gauged her reaction that he had treated her as an equal and called her by her first name.

Her eyes widened a bit, but she seemed pleased. "Thank you, Professor. That makes me feel better. Speaking of feeling better, how are you?"

He didn't mind that she saw him as a friend now, but she needed to not be so formal. Not if maybe... "I think that when we are alone as we are now, you can call me Severus. And I have not tried any strange potions yet today, so I am feeling fine." He gave her one of his more charming smiles, or at least he hoped it was charming, as it had been a while since he'd lifted his lips so far up. Dumbledore was right. She would not go after Harry for a relationship. And he knew she wanted someone. Someone that oddly enough fit his description. They were more alike than he had thought. He might try this.

"S-Severus. All right," she agreed, saying his name for the first time in his presence. Her insides tingled when she'd said it. She would bet that no other student had been allowed to address him by his given name. That made her feel special. Could it be that he was tired of being down here alone? That he needed a friend? Her?

"Now, let's go over my notes so far. I will show you the parts that are missing, the things I have tried since, and the consequences." He got up and went to his desk. She followed and summoned a chair close to his. He felt comfortable with her so close to him. He hated when people invaded his space, but it was okay for her to do it. That alone should prove something to him. He loved her fragrance and had spent most of the night before inhaling the scent of the pillow she had used. It was one of the main reasons he had gone to Dumbledore. He shouldn't be acting like a schoolboy over some seventh-year girl. Woman, he corrected. She was definitely a woman now, wasn't she?

Possibly soon to be his.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Whoot! Chapter End ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AN: Wow, falling so quickly and easily... and what Slytherin tactics, Severus. Oh my. ~snigger~ Those supercool Dumbledores always shocked me in the past. "Here, Severus, get some." No way. Hmm. I think I've used that already. Whoops. Ah well... live and learn