Same Brew, Different Day

Dances with Witches by Pearle

Summary: Severus Snape loses a magical bet. The consequences? The Tango! My answer to the codpiece challenge on Wiktt. HG/SS

Disclaimer: The characters, settings, etc. of the Harry Potter series are not mine they belong to J.K. Rowling and Co. I promise to return them when I am through. Well, most of them anyway.

~~~~~ Dances with Witches ~~~~~

Chapter 22. Same Brew, Different Day

Hermione smiled as she felt the warm body behind her. She stretched languidly against the length, snuggling deeper into the covers.

"Good morning, I see you have decided to join the living." Severus was sitting back on several pillows propped up against the headboard. A Potion Journal open in his lap; a sheaf of parchment, covered with his familiar handwriting, was floating in the air to his right.

"Good morning. What's that?" Hermione had shifted to her side, her right hand propping her head up, her other hand indicated the notes suspended in air.

"After reexamining the results of our tests with the potions material in the various cauldrons, I believe I have narrowed our focus down to three materials. I need to brew another batch of Wolfsbane today. I thought I would try all three materials and see what changes take place. How are your chopping skills? Would you care to assist me?"

Hermione sat up, her eyes gleaming with interest. The sheet covering her fell to her waist, exposing the upper half of her torso to his eyes. Severus was one of the few Potions Masters able to properly brew the Wolfsbane Potion. This was a chance of a lifetime as far as she was concerned. "Are you sure you want me to help brew the potion? I know it takes years of practice to brew it properly, the incantations, the wand and stirring motions."

Severus chuckled to himself. Hermione was so excited with the prospect of brewing a difficult potion that she forgot she was totally nude, and somewhat shy about it to boot. Her nipples were hardening in the cool morning air. He drew one finger gently across the hardened bud. "I suppose we should find something to cover these up before we start. I would rather you did not splash anything caustic on your exposed skin."

Hermione looked down at his hand, a slight blush colouring her upper body. Her mind still focused on the difficult potion, doggedly she asked, "Are you sure you want me to assist you? I would rather not ruin the potion if you think I should let you do it alone."

"Hermione, if I did not think you were capable of assisting me, I would not have asked. Brewing the potion will also help in the understanding of your theory to alter it. You will see exactly how and why the ingredients combine, and what effect the stirring and incantations have at each stage."

"You don't use assistants."

Here was one of the topics he had avoided thinking about, hitting him directly between the eyes. Severus sighed. "I explained to you before, it would have been impossible to have an assistant while I was spying for the Order. I never would have been able to come and go unnoticed."

Her voice was soft, "And now?"

"You want to know why I do not ask you to apprentice with me next year?"

Hermione was afraid to read too much into a relationship that had just started. It felt right to her. He was right for her. Did he see it that way? He had said she was his. What did that mean? She did not want to be separated from him tonight, what about all next year? "Okay, I know you have never had an apprentice before, but why not me if you think I'm so capable?"

"I know you are capable. Just as I know I can separate our professional and personal relationships. I am sure you are just as capable of separating the two. The outside world is not. Your reputation as a Potions Mistress would be questioned in light of our more personal relationship. While I do not care what anyone thinks of me, I do care that someone would doubt your ability based on gossip that could arise." Severus watched her expression change.

Hermione flopped back against the pillows. Begrudgingly she agreed with his assessment. "All right, for arguments sake, lets say I agree with you. I don't like it, but I agree with you. Who do I approach?"

"Do you have a list of Potions Masters who are part of the program? Perhaps I could review the list and tell you what I know of their abilities." He would have like to be the one she stayed with, but he was not willing to let her give up on her reputation before she had a chance to earn one. "Hermione, I would much rather you were with me. I just do not think it is the best course of action."

She knew he was right. Intellectually she knew he was not rejecting her or her ability. She knew that. It still hurt anyway. "I've been putting a list together of the Masters that will be at the symposium."

'Right, maybe there is a ninety-eight year old Potions Master on that list that drools and has a debilitating illness, living in a cold climate so she has to wear lots of layers of clothing. You want to keep her away from anyone young and good looking if you are not going to be around to oversee the two.' While he privately agreed with the voice in his head, he would try to look at her list objectively.

"Bring your list with. There is at least two separate times during the brewing process we will be able to review it while the potion cures. Come up here and look at this." Severus motioned for her to scoot up next to him.

Hermione grabbed the sheet and moved to his side. The journal page was covered in calculations. He had listed the material they had used the week before and their effects on the ingredients. Three materials seemed to stand out as having the most positive effects on the potion.

Severus regularly brewed the potion in a steel cauldron. This was used as a base line to compare the results of the other materials. Zinc could change the properties effects beyond the limit they were willing to allow. The glass cauldron did not affect the ingredients enough.

Hermione followed his evaluation of the various metals and materials. Nickel could be toxic; Palladium is highly toxic and is a carcinogenic; he listed pluses and minuses for each of the metals tested or discussed. Three stood out from the others: Iron, Gold, and Silver.

Iron was essential to the body. It has important magnetic properties and is responsible for carrying oxygen around the blood stream. The iron cauldron would cause a small amount of iron to be absorbed by the material, just as Muggle iron pots did. Could enriching the blood help the potion?

Gold had no effect on some ingredients and strongly altered or enhanced the properties of some magical ingredients. If they could control the positive effects and decrease the negative effects, the potion would strongly benefit.

Silver was an interesting choice. It was solid and was not known to interact with any of the properties. That did not mean it would not affect the potion knowing what silver could do to a werewolf. Would the potion harm a werewolf due to the dangerous nature of silver on a lycanthropic system?

Hermione looked at Severus, her eyes bright. Question, equations, and data fought for prominence in her mind. Instead she asked, "Silver?"

"You're wondering why I chose to include silver? I believe we should try one batch to see how the properties change. I do not think it will be a viable choice in the end. Still, it can act as a negative control in much the same way the steel is the base control. There are still three other materials we should consider for the next set of trials." Severus had never before appreciated the sheer intelligence that radiated from this woman. He had watched her read the data. He could almost see her mind analyze and catalogue the information. He was sure she could launch into an informative lecture on the properties of any one of the material listed.

"All right, sounds like a plan. How long will the potion take to brew?"

"The complete process normally takes me about four hours. With your help we may shorten the time, then again we are going to brew four separate batches at the same time. I believe it would be safe to say..." Severus noticed he had lost her focus. He followed the line of her sight and sighed. Sure he knew what was coming next. "Hermione?"

Hermione was sitting along his left side, the side where his Dark Mark should have been. She realised she had not seen it since that afternoon a few weeks ago in the lab, when he had forgotten to cast the glamour after their argument. She had been enjoying the sight of him naked on and off most of the weekend. It hadn't occurred to her what was missing until now. She ran her hand gently along his forearm, along the clear unmarked skin. "You don't have to do that, you know."

Severus nodded. He knew what she was referring to. "Then consider it more for my benefit, than yours. I would rather not see it."

She was silent for a moment. "All right. Let's get dressed and head for Hogwarts. You know, it's going to seem pretty lonely here tonight."

Severus pulled her to him and kissed her gently. "I agree. But you have University in the morning and I have a House full of brats to supervise."

A bray of laughter escaped the witch. "Brats? Since when do you refer to your precious Slytherins as brats?"

"Since I no longer have to worry about having Crucio cast on me every time I do not agree with them."

"I've heard you even awarded a few points to Gryffindor in the last two years. Though it's obvious you still favor Slytherin."

Severus shrugged. "I am Head of the House. What do you expect?"

Hermione held up her hands in mock protest. "No more revelations. Next thing you know you will be bringing me chocolates and flowers, and writing me love songs while telling me this is not the real you. The real you is soft and fluffy. Though the chocolate part might not be a bad idea."

"Hardly. I do not think I am the flower and love song type." Severus drew himself up, disdain evident in his voice. "I am not fluffy. Whatever that is."

Hermione laughed. "No, thank God, you are not." He was brilliant and caustic, and sexy as all hell, she thought. Not an ounce of fluff in sight. Thank God for small favors.

They dressed quickly, discussing the ingredients they would need to gather when they reached the castle. Hermione looked around the room. She really was going to miss him. Thursday seemed like such a long way off.

As if reading her thoughts, Severus drew her into his arms. His kiss was warm and sensual. His tongue caressed her lips before making love to her mouth.

Her arms twined around his neck, her body molding to his. She could feel his erection against her stomach. "Mmm, you keep this up and we won't be able to leave."

Severus released his hold on her and tried to discreetly adjust his throbbing member. His body had been behaving like a bloody hormonal teenager every time he got near her the last few weeks. He had thought that making love for the first time the other night would have taken the edge off of his feelings. Instead the opposite seemed to happen. Now she resided not just in his mind, but in his blood as well.

"Do you remember my comment the other day?" He gently stroked the side of her face, his fingers tracing a meaningless pattern across her jaw-line and down her neck.

Hermione leaned into his touch, her eyes drifting close. "Which comment was that? We've talked about a lot of things lately."

Severus chuckled. "The comment about changing the dance lessons from Thursday to Wednesday? Wednesday is more central in the week to see one another. I patrol the late shift on Wednesday. I do not have to return to the castle until 1:00 a.m."

Hermione's eyes opened wide. "Then why have you been coming on Thursdays instead?"

"In the beginning, I had no desire to spend any more time here than necessary."

"And now?"

Severus's voice dropped. "And now, I would rather not leave."

A thrill ran through her at the erotic quality of his voice. God what his voice could do to her. Seventh year potions had been a challenge as she responded to that quality in his voice even then. She was going to need a new pair of knickers if this kept up.

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck. He automatically enclosed her in an embrace. She allowed her voice to drop, adding what she hoped was a sexy tone, "Why don't we stay here? I'm sure I have an old pot or two we could try to brew the potion in, in between other activities." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively at him.

Severus opened his arms and let her drop back on the bed. "I got the message. Shall we?"

They both laughed as he helped her back off the bed. Hermione grabbed her book bag. "Got everything?"

Severus had packed his notes into his valise before shrinking it and placing it in his pocket. He nodded as they left Hermione's flat and Apparated to Hogwarts.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Severus's arms remained around Hermione a moment longer as they arrived at the Apparition point out-side the front gates of Hogwarts, a quick tightening of his arms and he stepped back. They turned and headed for a side entrance to the dungeons, away from the main doors of the castle.

Attuned to the events around him, Albus looked out the window. He smiled as he watched Severus and Hermione arrive. "Splendid, I see our Potions Master has returned. And he has brought Hermione with him. I imagine they will spend the afternoon in the lab."

Minerva gave Albus a look. They had been reviewing plans for the Halloween dance and dates for the Christmas holidays. "Working in the lab?"

"Oh, come now, Minerva. What else would be going on?" Albus's eyes twinkled brightly in the subdued sunlight of the room.

Minerva snorted. "You do not fool me for a minute, Albus Dumbledore."

"Well, I am certainly glad someone is on to me. What is it I have done?"

"Oh, come now, Albus. Do you expect me to believe those two got together on their own? And that gift he bought her- a real Trelawney? If his heart is pure, then I am Hagrid's mother." Minerva harrumphed into her tea. Really, what did he take her for?

"Have I ever told you what a fine young man your son is? Lemon Sherbet?" He offered her a small crystal bowl full of candies.

"Albus!"

"I have done nothing, Minerva. I may have forced her company on him, but they did the rest. I never thought it would go past an academic friendship. I am truly happy for the two of them."

Minerva sighed. She knew Albus long enough to know he was telling her the truth. "I am happy for them, too. But I warn you, he harms one hair on her head, and they will be picking up pieces of him from here to Hogsmeade."

Albus smiled, the mother lioness protecting her cub. "I have no doubt."

"Can we finish with the list for the Halloween dance? I still have a few errands I must attend to today."

"Of course, Minerva." Albus would not be surprised if one of those errands included tea and gossip with Poppy and Irma. He knew both witches had been working this morning and had missed their weekly gab session the night before. He pulled two bright orange lists from the side drawer of his desk. "Now, about the decorations. I thought you and Flitwick could..."

And the two continued with plans for the up-coming dance.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They were already three hours into the brewing process. Hermione had never been so impressed in her life. She had always respected his abilities, but watching him brew the Wolfsbane explained why he was a Master at his craft. She listened intently as he finished intoning the tricantation, his wand creating intricate patterns in the air over the cauldron - the third stage incantation that allowed the current ingredients to act and react on the potion. The liquid simmering in the four cauldrons were each a similar shade of sky-blue. He had repeated the process for each of the caldrons.

"Miss Granger, what can you tell me about the differences in colour of the potions in each of the cauldrons?"

Hermione sat up straighter. A rightcopyquill poised over their research journal ready to record the information. "If one were to grade the colours on a scale from one to four, with one being the lightest and four the darkest, I would have to say that all four cauldrons contain a potion that is sky-blue in colour, but vary from numbers one to four in intensity. Cauldron one would be a number four. The tone and pigmenting of the colour is darker than the rest. This is most likely due to absorbing a trace of iron from the cauldron it is simmering in. The potion has appropriated some of the properties of the iron cauldron."

Hermione went on to list the other properties and changes in the other three cauldrons. She was thorough and exact in her observations. "...and of course that is the main reason steel has always been used in the past to brew the potion, Professor Snape." She finished her observations with a bat of her eyelashes and a sunny smile on her lips.

Severus shook his head, "You look quite pleased with yourself."

"Are you not pleased, Professor?" Her voice held a teasing note to it.

"If you are not careful," he purred, "you will earn a detention for your insolence, Miss Granger." Severus was seated on a stool to the side of the workbench. The potions had another twenty-five minutes to simmer before they could start the final stage of the brewing. The colour would turn from a bright sky-blue to a deep royal blue signaling its change.

He wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist as she positioned herself between his legs. "Detention, Professor? Scrubbing cauldrons in the nude? Maybe being taken on your desk?"

Severus felt his member twitch in his trousers. The garment was becoming uncomfortably tight, a normal occurrence when she was around. The voice in his head was once again yelling, 'Yes, yes. God, this little witch is a hot one.'

One eyebrow arched in question. "Do not tell me. You have a detention fantasy?" Sometimes the most repressed people had the most erotic fantasies.

Hermione smiled seductively. "Believe it or not, Severus, you were the speculation of quite a few girls in Gryffindor, and most likely a few other houses unless I miss my guess. I imagine, especially once the rumors of the last two years started, that you were the subject of more than one witch's fantasy."

He had never has an interest in any of his female students. There had been the odd witch, usually in Slytherin, that had a crush on him, something he was at a complete loss to understand. Poppy had once said something about lost causes. He never paid any further attention to her explanation. Usually an extremely harsh glare and one or two difficult detentions, extracting bubotuber pus or the like, would end whatever interest the young witch ever had in him. He would return to being the bat of the dungeon, the greasy git. Never in his wildest state of mind would he have thought to pursue any of them.

"Was I the subject of yours?" His voice caressed each word.

Hermione blushed. Her mind flashed back to Severus undressing in the bathroom at Order headquarters when she had walked in on him.

He noted the flush to her cheeks. "You did have a fantasy about me. Perhaps I can make it come true if you tell me what it was." He was actually surprised to find she had thought of him in any way past that of her professor. She had never given him any indication she had any interest in him.

"Actually, you sort of did make it come true yesterday. I just...uhm, the summer between 6th and 7th year, when I walked in on you changing in the bathroom at 12 Grimmauld Place. And yesterday when we were at my flat." Her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red as she thought of Severus taking her against the wall in the shower.

"Ah, I see. Well then, we shall have to devise something to do with the desk, won't we?" Severus kissed the side of her neck. "Hermione."

"Mmm, yes?"

"The potion is ready for the final stage." Severus smiled as her eyes opened.

"Oh, sorry."

They shared a quick kiss before moving back to the workbench. "You were right about your assessment of the potion's colours after the third stage, by the way." He indicated one of the ingredients in front of her. "Make sure you chop the vulture's gizzard into even slices. There should be one by each cauldron. It should not be added until you see yellow spots appear on the surface of the potion. At this stage, each of the smaller bubbles will burst through the top and leave a yellow spot."

"Will the yellow spots combine with the dark blue to form a green potion?" Hermione was carefully chopping the gizzard.

"No, the entire batch will turn a shade of primary red when the gizzard is added."

A chime sounded in the lab seconds before a knock came at the lab door. Severus scowled as he looked at the door. Only one man ever bothered him in his private lab. "Enter, Albus," he barked.

Albus walked in, resplendent in sky-blue robes that echoed the colour the potion had been a moment before. "Good afternoon, Hermione, Severus. I seen you have returned to the castle in one piece."

"If I were wise, I would have stayed away." Severus scowled at the headmaster.

"Did you enjoy your birthday, Hermione? The party at the Burrow was most lovely. I do so look forward to these happier times. Tell me, will you be dining with us tonight?"

"Thank you, Albus. But I have quite a bit of studying to do tonight. Maybe another time." Hermione smiled.

"Very well, take care not to wear yourself out. Severus, I shall see you later. Hermione." With a swish of his robes, he was gone.

"The man needs to learn more restraint. I swear he has gone dodgy in the last two years."

Hermione laughed, "I doubt Albus Dumbledore has gone dodgy."

"How can you tell? Never mind. Here, look at the final incantation." Severus was pointing to the black leather journal.

Hermione followed Severus's notes as he completed the last spell for each potion. "All right, make sure they are clearly marked as to which cauldron we brewed them in when you bottle them. We will compare the properties of the potions next week."

They worked along-side each other, discussing the various changes in the potion as they went. Several swishes and flicks of their wands, a few cleaning spells later, and the lab was once more clean.

Severus chuckled, "A good day's work, if I do say so myself. Well, was it what you thought it would be?"

Hermione smiled broadly. "Brewing a difficult potion? It was wonderful. You really are amazing, you know that."

"Years of brewing the potion for that thankless wolf, that is all." Severus had always been uncomfortable with praise.

"No, it's not practice, it's ability." Hermione was packing up her book bag. "As much as I hate to leave, I really do need to go."

Severus nodded. His emotions conflicted. "I should just chain you up in my quarters. No one will ever know." He was nuzzling the side of her neck, delaying the inevitable.

"Mmm, maybe another time." She shuddered as his chuckle vibrated against her collarbone. "Walk me out?"

"Of course, I will see you Wednesday this week, instead of Thursday. May I assume you will be coming to Hogwarts Saturday and Sunday?"

"I may be late Saturday afternoon. I have to meet with one of my advisors about the internship. I want to check out the other two names you gave me, too." They had reviewed her list of Potions Masters. Severus had pared the list down to four names, adding two more he knew of personally.

"Would you like to have dinner in Hogsmeade on Sunday? I can make reservations at Witchcraft."

"Getting tired of carry-out? Dinner at Witchcraft sounds great."

They had reached the front gates of Hogwarts. Hermione felt the tingle of magic on her skin as Severus cast a Do-Not-Notice Spell and a Silencing Spell for good measure. He gathered her to him and kissed her possessively. "I'm going to miss you. The dungeons are chilly at night. A warm body next to me would go a long way to dispel the cold."

"I'm really going to miss you. I wish I didn't have to go." A kiss later they broke apart. "I'll see you Wednesday. Bye, Severus."

"Wednesday. Be careful." He had a hard time saying the words good-bye, not liking the finality of the expression. Not wanting it to be- goodbye.

Hermione Apparated with a crack. His mood darkened as he headed back to the castle. He had woken up next to her warm and willing body the last two mornings. The last thing he wanted was to go back to his quarters, alone. The door slammed behind him as he entered the side entrance to the dungeon. Two fifth year Slytherins jumped at the sound.

"Mister Westmoore, would you like to explain to me what you and Mister Ranunculus are doing with that frog?" The two boys were on their knees, prodding a frog that was, oddly enough, coloured red with gold stripes and blue spots.

The boys froze in terror. "Professor Snape, sir."

"Yes, Mister Westmoore, I know who I am. I believe the question was what are you and Mister Ranunculus doing with that frog? I am waiting." Severus crossed his arms over his chest while looking down his nose at the two boys.

"We, uhm, tried to cast a colour change spell, sir, and something went wrong."

"Yes, I can see that. Very well, take your frog to Professor McGonagall and explain the spell you used. I am sure she will be able to correct your mistake." His scowl deepened as he watched the two rise from the floor. "I believe two feet of parchment on the properties of corrective spells, from each of you, on my desk by tomorrow afternoon at five, should help to further enlighten you as to the error of your ways."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." The two made a quick getaway, thankful not to receive a detention.

'Only two feet of parchment and no detention? You're going soft, mate.' He told the voice in his head to sod off as he returned to his quarters. He eyed the desk in his study. Mmm. Maybe he could think of something to pass the time until he saw Hermione again.

TBC

A/N: The steps and form of the dance (as well as those that appear in future chapters) are from this web site: Tango tutorial - http://64.70.140.102/ourdance.htm. Challenge rules can be found following chapter one.

The information on the materials used in the cauldrons is from this web site: http://www.webelements.com.

Ranunculus – Latin meaning a little frog or tadpole.

I am more than happy to say my beta, Nakhash, is back from vacation and on the prowl for my mistakes. A grateful thank you to Nakhash, for her corrections and suggestions. Another set of eyes is always helpful, the mistakes, however, are still my fault.

Still to come: Another dance lesson, costumes, another weekend at Hogwarts, and more. Enjoy. Please review and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you! As always, thoughts, comments, reviews, whatever are always welcome.

Regards, Pearle