A Delicate Obsession

Chapter 11 – Snape Watching


It all belongs to Rowlings, except what you don’t recognize.


Ginny was sitting in the Common Room working on her Arithmancy homework when Prof. McGonagall came in.

“Ah, Ginny, just the person. Could you tell me where Miss Granger is keeping herself?”

“Oh, probably the library.” She felt a tiny bubble of anxiety swell in her.

“No, Miss Granger is not in the library.”

“Oh, well that’s where she usually is. Maybe she’s taking a nap?”

“I just checked her dormitory.” McGonagall looked to be coming to the end of her patience. “Well, do you or do you not have any idea of where Miss Granger went?”

“I, um, er. Please she’ll kill me if I say anything.” Ginny put on her best schoolgirl ‘oh golly’ look.

“Oh, no. She’s not getting into trouble with Potter and your brother again?” McGonagall pinched her lips together in annoyance.

“No, no, they have Quidditch practice. Oh, please, it’s just that she’s with her new boyfriend.”

“New boyfriend you say?” Well, it’s always the quiet ones, she thought.

“And she’s been so depressed since she broke up with Neville, I just don’t know what will happen if things don’t work out with this new chappie.” Ginny was hoping this would work.

“Oh. So you do know where they are, but you wouldn’t wish to disturb them.”

“Ahhh. That’s right Professor. If you want I could give her a message later.” Ginny crossed her fingers behind her back.

McGonagall knew she shouldn’t tacitly approve of such goings on. However, Hermione had been rather depressed at the beginning of term. Though her grades hadn’t dropped, she had lost a certain sparkle. And it was only in the past week or so that she’d seem to get back into her stride.

“Well, since you do know where she is. Please give her a message when she surfaces for air. Dobby the House Elf is wearing a pair of pink knickers that he claims she gave to him. He refuses to remove them, and says he wouldn’t want to insult Miss Granger by not appreciating her present. Well, I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding, but perhaps she could explain to him, it’s simply not appropriate headwear.”

“I certainly shall let her know, Professor” said Ginny trying not to seem too relieved.

McGonagall shook her head. House Elves wearing clothes was bad enough, but lingerie? What was the world coming to?


&&&

Hermione woke up from a deep wonderful sleep. She felt so relaxed, so refreshed, so… was she lying on a beach? Nude? Pressed up against a naked – Snape! It took a second for it all to come together and she then realized the sun was setting! They’d fallen asleep and surely she would be missed and she was so screwed.

“Severus, wake up!” Hermione was looking for her bra, knickers, sweater and skirt simultaneously.

“What is it, love?” He sounded very groggy. He made a grab for her but she was busy putting on her skirt.

He called me love. Hermione’s heart skipped a beat and she was almost willing to throw herself at him all over again. He called me LOVE. “I’m going to be in trouble im nom not back in Hogsmeade right away. We overslept.”

“Right. Well, don’t want to see you in trouble.” He found his boxers and put them on. His shirt was still there, but happened to his socks?

Hermione had her bra and knickers sticking out of her pocket. Her skirt was only buttoned at the top; she slipped her sweater over her head. Final step: her robe, which he was sitting on. “All right, I get the tea stuff together, you fold the blanket and we’re out of here.” She looked over to Snape who was still looking for his socks. She had a funny feeling that underneath it all, he, Harry and Ron were all alike – USELESS. She pulled out a half buried black sock and handed it to him with a tight grin.

Snape wondered where Laura had gone to and who was the drill sergeant that had replaced her. He stuck the sock in his pocket and put on his robe. He folded the blanket and put it in the basket. He nodded to Laura ae hee held her to Apparate. They reappeared in the teahouse.

Hermione shyly pulled away. “It was wonderful. I’m really sorry to rush away. I--,” she reached up to kiss him. It was no more that a brush on the lips. He was so quiet. She wondered if he had any regrets. “Give me ten minutes and you can leave.” She ran out the door.

Snape watched her go, and then slowly sat down in a chair. He dumped the sand from his shoes in the fireplace. He missed her. He understood about her having to leave, but he also felt hurt. What appointment could have been so important? And why, after what they had shared, did she still need to keep secrets from him? What if she were married? He snorted. Get a grip on yourself, Severus. What do you want-- to marry her yourself? And then he had to admit Ye Yes. That was exactly what he wanted.

&&&

Hermione ran to Honeyduke’s and got in just before they closed, fortunately the shop was still busy and she didn’t have to wait long to sneak through the trap door. She went through the tunnels as quickly as possible, cursing as she stubbed her toes too many times to count, and finally emerging through the witch’s hump. She managed to get to her dormitory and changed into fresh clothes before the students started to leave for dinner. She couldn’t believe she had managed it. Coming downstairs again, she ran into Ginny.

“Do you ever owe me one,” whispered Ginny looking irked.

“I’m sorry. We,” Hermione looked around to make sure no one was listening, “fell asleep.”

Ginny stared, “Do tell.”

“After dinner. I can’t tell you anything here—there are too many people around.”

“Well, are you happy? Was it worth it? Because McGonagall was looking for you.”

Hermione stopped dead and Colin Creevey bumped into her. “No.”

“Did you give Dobby a pair of your knickers?”

“What? Of course, not.” Hermione blushed.

“It seems he says different.”

Hermione kept walking but put her head in her hands. “I think I know what happened. And believe me, I am grateful it was him and not someone else.”

Ginny shook her head, not understanding one bit.

&&&

It took two cleansing spells to get the sand out from areas Snape had forgotten he’d ever possessed. That was why he was late to dinner. And he was hungry for a change. Must have been the fresh air, the sunlight, and the sex al fresco, he shivered. Don’t think about it, especially not at dinner. Easily done, though, all those students eating would put anyone completely off romantic thought.

Snape arrived at the Great Hall and discovered that he was to be punished for his tardiness. Trelawney had decided to creep out from her tower and had stolen his traditional spot-- she always did that to him whenever she had the chance—spiteful bat! And he was stuck next to Dumbledore.

Snape sat down, and endured a rather nasty look from McGonagall. “I was unavoidably detained.” He added extra emphasis to the unavoidably and glared at McGonagall. More than two decades after the fact and she was still trying to make him feel like a first year.

“Not at all a problem, Professor,” smiled Dumbledore. “We are grateful that you could make it at all. It looks like you were out enjoying the sun today instead of puttering around those dungeons of yours.”

Snape was suddenly aware that he probably did have some redness from the sun. Especially his nose, which in spite of sallow skin tones had a tendency to burn. He was tempted to sneak a peek at it in his silverware, but then Dumbledore continued to speak.

“And were you with your new lady friend?” He said smiling even wider and popping a radish in his mouth.

A dead silence fell over the High Table as 12 pairs of eyes all rounded on Snape at once. Snape took a deep breath and remained deadpan.

“Of course, lovely day like today, we packed a picnic and headed for the beach,” he said dripping sarcasm. After a few seconds, general mirth broke out. The idea of Snape at the beach, much less having a picnic with a woman was so bizarre… Go ahead, thought Snape. Have a good laugh at the ugly potions master that no woman would ever look at twice, because you are all wrong. Snape’s face twisted into his traditional sneer.

“Oh Albus, that was a good one,” said Prof. Flitwick wiping tears from his eyes. “Excellent jest, Severus, most excellent.”

Snape nodded at Flitwick and then shot Dumbledore a venomous glance.

Dumbledore laughed even harder.

&&&

Ginny kicked Hermione under the table. “Hermione, Snape told a joke.” Hermione looked up at the High Table where Flitwick was wiping his eyes and the Headmaster was laughing while Snape looked murderous.

“You’re kidding.” Hermione wished she hadn’t missed it.

“I was watching. Everyone stopped and stared at Snape. He said something and then they all laughed.”

Hermione had been resisting the urge to look up at her lover all through dinner. It wouldn’t do to call attention to herself right now. Not with the way she was feeling. But now she looked at him and she felt all warm and runny inside. His nose was horribly red and she wanted so much to kiss it better. He was savagely cutting and chewing his roast beef. Such an appetite! He was like that, she thought, a man of appetite, a man of desire. How could she not have seen that all these years? Then he angrily mashed his potato and added a dash of gravy. He piled it on the back of his fork and added a touch of peas. He opened his mouth and—caught them watching him! He put down the fork and looked like he was ready to fly down and deduct points right there and then.

“Ha,” said Ginny, “and a cat may look at a king. I wonder why he’s so pissed off. You’d think he’d be in a good mood, all things considered.”

“He’s never going to stop hating me,” Hermione murmured.

“Oh Hermione, don’t get your knickers in a twist.” She tapped her friend on her arm. “Stranger things have happened. Maybe if you get him used to the idea. Or look, if you can keep this up for another 9 months or so, you won’t be a student and…”

“And what? It’s not about my being a student. It’s who I am.”

“Oh, stop being tiresome. Oh no, he’s coming this way.”

“Who?”

“Who else? Snape!”

“Oh Gods, oh Gods,” Hermione felt sick. Too soon she felt him standing behind her. Her mouth went dry and she had to restrain herself from shaking. Harry and Ron were down the table a few seats from them and went silent.

“And what, Ms. Weasley, is so interesting at my section of the High Table?” Snape’s voice was satin ice.

“Oh, nothing Professor. We were just discussing…” Ginny paused, uncertain how to continue.

“We were discussing burn salve,” Hermione licked her chapped lips and twisted herself around to look up at him. She spoke clearly and without fear. “We had noticed you were suffering from the influence of too much sun and were trying to decide if you would use a simple Aloe Vera poultice, which would of course take care of a minor sunburn. Or would it be better to use the orange colored burn healing paste that Madame Pomfrey keeps on hand? It could be on the N.E.W.T.s.”

Snape’s mouth worked a bit, as if undecided whether to yell, sneer or act indifferent. He straightened his back. “Madame Pomfrey’s Orange Burn Cure would be a definite over-medication, especially considering certain unpleasant side effects. It is used for dragon burns in the main. An Aloe Vera potion, mixed in a skin-moisturizing base would be most efficacious. You look like you might be needing some yourself.” He drew his cloak around him and swept out of the hall.

The two girls looked at each other in shock. As soon as Snape was out of the hall, they burst into laughter. They were so relieved to have been spared having been yelled at or having points taken.

“You know he’s right Hermione. You did get too much sun. Look at your lips, they’re chapped.”

“Oh, I don’t think that was the sun,” Hermione smiled pleasantly.

&&&

Snape felt quite odd as he returned to his chambers. Something about the Granger girl was making him feel most uncomfortable. The way her lips were, reminded him of—Snape shut it out. He had papers to mark and some potions to make for Poppy. No time for foolishness, especially Gryffindor silliness.


A/N: Got a big day planned tomorrow, will update as soon as I can. ;)

Big, big hugs to my reviewers: Karena Elizabeth, Ezmerelda, Karen, Campy Capybara, and Kronae!