The Hepatic Hex

Chapter 11

Hermione was conjuring up a pottea tea in Snape’s sitting room when he arrived.

“Good morning Hermione.” Snape announced and took up a seat opposite her.

“Good morning Severus.” came Hermione’s tooth filled smiling response. “I hope you don’t mind me letting myself in.”

“I would not have given you the pass word nor shown you the wards had I not intended you be able to let yourself in.” Snape replied.

“Of course.\" Hermione said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

‘She is more comfortable today. That is good. Don’t screw it up today Sev.’ Snape told himself.

“Would I be correct in assuming that you did more research last night Hermione?” Snape said to break the silence.

“Ahhh, but you know me too well Professor.” replied Hermione confidently.

‘What was that Sev? What is she doing? Is she flirting with you?’ Snape thought and chuckled in retort, earning him a raised questioning eyebrow from Hermione.

“Do you think that you are y thy then to impart the wondrous advancement you have made in regards to researching and learning about the liver and that you could explain it in simple two syllable words so that those whose intellects pale in comparison to yours, including my own, would be able to understand?” Snape countered with a small trace of mocking to test how far she would go with her flirtation.

“I hardly think that I need to \'dumb down\' human anatomy to the most respected and feared Potions Master in Britain and Europe-…Sir” Hermione shot back.

“Then by all means, enlighten me Madam. Thank you as well.”

“For what?” Replied Hermione.

“For the complement of being the most feared Potions Master in Britain and Europe of course.” Snape said innocently.

“I distinctly remember saying respected and feared Severus.”

“I know,” started Snape, “but it can hardly be considered a complement to be respected when I don’t need to try to earn it. No one can deny how truly brilliant I am when it comes to potions, ergo- I am respected. It is the being feared aspect that I work so hard on to have acknowledged that is the true complement.” Snape replied.

“How anyone could consider you to be arrogant is beyond me… Truly.” Replied Hermione with a giggle in her voice.

“Arrogance is a different story entirely, my dear. Please start with you lecture, or I fear, not only will I die from anticipation, but also old age by the time you have finished.”

‘Where is the real Professor Snape and what have you done with him?’~ Hermione thought. ~‘The man before me is actually being …Playful?\'

Hermione decided that maybe it would be best to start as he suggested unsure as to where this conversation had come from, where it was going and what it would lead to.

“Ok Severus. Here we go. Today’s lecture is entitled ‘Microscopic Anatomy of the Liver’.” Hermione said in her best teachers tone. This earned her another uncharacteristic chuckle from Snape. She shrugged it off with a shake of her head, smiled and continued.

“Try to visualize this. The liver is made up of small, roughly hexagonal, structural and functional units called liver lobules that consist of plates of liver cells. The proper name for the cells within the liver is hepatocyte and they are arranged so that they fit together like bricks in a wall. The hepatocyte plates spread out almost concentrically from a central vein running with the longitudinal axis of the lobule. I’m not over you head yet am I Severus?” Hermione asked.

“Not quite yet.” Snape replied, amused and please once again that she had become so comfortable so quickly in his presence.

“Just checking.” Came the cheek filled response. “Anyway, of course we already know that the main function of the liver is to filter and process nutrient rich blood…”

“Of course.” Snape replied sarcastically causing Hermione to roll her .
.

“Now, a portal triad exists at each of the six corners of a lobule and is named as such because of the three basic structures that are always present there. First there is a branch of the hepatic artery, which is responsible for supplying oxygen rich arterial blood to the liver. Second, there is a branch of the hepatic portal vein which carries venous rich blood laden with nutrients from the digestive viscera-viscera by the way, refers to the internal bodily organs Pssorssor.”

“What happened to Severus?” Snape said with mock hurt in is voice. Again Hermione rolled her eyes.

“The third structure… Severus,” Hermione said, “is a bile duct.”

“Fascinating.” Said Snape.

“Oh for the love of Merlin would you stop it please?” Came Hermione’s anguished cry.

“Stop what?” said Snape dripping with innocence.

“I never would have believed that you could behave so childishly,” said an irritated but equally amused Hermione. “ If you continue tway way not only will I never be finished but I will have to start taking off house points from Slytherin.”

“Sorry,” replied Snape now on the verge of full-blown laughter. ”I haven’t been a student in just over 20 years so I am assuming the behaviour that I observe every day from my own, well maybe not my own classes, but the students of others in this school. I don’t want to feel out of place.”

Hermione snorted unladylike and rolled her eyes… again.

“You know if you keep rolling your eyes like that your going to end up needing glasses” Snape pointed out.

“URGH! You are so bloody…URGH!” Hermione cried pulling out her hair from its ponytail and grasping handfuls at the roots.

Snape came undone then and the laughter that he had been suppressing erupted through the halls of the dungeons, filling every room and crack of the brickwork with his rich baritone amusement. Hermione just stared at him in disbelief as tears escaped hiss ans and ran down his sunken cheeks. After what seemed like an eternity he started to hiccup as his laughter subsided. Hermione composed herself, cleared her voice and continued on deciding to ignore him.

“Between the hepatocyte plates are enlarged, very leaky capillaries called the liver sinusoids. Blood from both the hepatic portal vein and the hepatic artery permeates from the triad provinces through these sinusoids and empties into the central vein. Blood travels from the cen vei veins to the hepatic veins, which drain the liver and empty into the inferior vena cava. Inside the sinusoids are star-shaped hepatic macrophages, also called Kupffer cells. These filter debris such as bacteria and worn out blood cells from the blood as it flows by.” Hermione paused to make herself another cup of tea.

“Hermione?” Snape started

“Yes?” Came Hermione’s suspicion filled response.

“I have been wondering for a while now how it is that you can sit here, like yave ave done for the past, well almost hour, reciting facts like this off the top of your head so confidently without the use of notes”

Hermione sighed and stood from her seat and started pacing the floor. “Ihaveaphotographicmemory” She mumbled.

“Pardon?” Said Snape rising from his chair and stretching.

“I said ‘I have a photographic memory\'.” Hermione admitted.

“Thought so.” came Snape’s growling and relaxed response.

“Do you think any different of me because of it? I mean does my so called intelligence now seem, I don’t know- less astounding or brilliant?” She retorted with a hint of anxiousness.

“If you weren’t able to explain what you were presenting and showed no actual understanding, then yes, I suppose that I wouldn’t hold the respect for you that I do.” Snape said stepping closer to her.

“You… you respect me?” Asked a shocked Hermione.

“Of course I do.” He said softly as he closed the distance between them so that he was now within arms reach of her. “I always have. It is very rare that a teacher is blessed with someone with the dedication and ability you have in their classroom. Just because of my now previous unstable political position forbade me from expressing such views openly, does not mean that I cannot recognize brilliance and beauty when I see it” ‘Oh you dunce. Another slip. Beauty? Jeez Sev. What the hell is the matter with you?’.

“You think I’m beautiful?\" Hermione whispered tilting her head up to look within his black eyes now sparkling with desire. ‘Oh Gods. Please say yes, please say yes. Please, please, please, please..’

Snape reached out and gently pushed a stray strand of hair from Hermione’s face, pleased to note she didn’t flinch away. Neither did she turn her gaze from his as he closed the distance between their faces nor back away when at the final moment, before claiming her mouth softly with his own, he whispered against her lips “So very beautiful.\"

Sev, what are you doing? SHE IS A STUDENT... No she is of legal age and at this point my colleague... It is still sooo wrong... Would you shut up, bugger off and let me enjoy this?... Fine, when you decide to come to your senses and want the logical part of your mind back, let me know ... Merlin help me, I know its wrong. I’m kissing her and she’s not pulling away.

Snape brought his arms slowly around Hermione and drew her closer to him. She responded by embracing him back and running one of her hands up his back and tangling it in his hair, savoring every moment of his chaste kiss.

\'Oh Gods oh Gods oh Gods oh Gods – he’s kissing me - finally!’

A slight guttural moan escaped from Hermione’ s throat and Snape countered by gently running his tongue along the slit of her pursed lips asking silently for permission to enter. She granted his request and slowly he deepened the kiss tasting every corner of her and memorizing the flavor and intensity she was letting him experience. Her mouth was warm, fresh and everything he had ever imagined. She tasted of strawberries.

Hermione hesitantly guided her own unpracticed tongue into his mouth, trying to mimic his actions. Swirling her tongue up against his, she was rewarded with a heady growl from Snape, which intoxicated her to new heights of pleasure. She found herself flooded and dizzy from his scent of exotic spices, hoping that he would not shun her when he realized what he was doing. But as if reading her mind, Snape comforted her by leaning further into her so that she off balance and was only kept from tumbling backwards by the strong arms he tightened further around her.

All to soon he finally began to pull away but not before he nibbled succulently on her bottom lip, causing her to gasp. He murmured “So sweet” into her mouth as they broke away, albeit unwillingly, when they were both gasping for air. Snape didn’t let Hermione leave his embrace though and pulled her tightly to him where she rested her head against his heaving chest and he placed his head gently on hers reveling in the moment.

No further words were exchanged between the two. In a silent mutual understanding, they each knew that the others fantasies were coming true. Time stood still for Hermione and Snape as they held each other, oblivious to their surroundings. Except for the others slowly calmbreabreaths, the comforting hands that they were each running over the other and the occasional crackle from the fireplace when a log would collapse, nothing interrupted their private musings and shared prayer that this would be the beginning of something lasting and redemptive for both. A knock at Snape’s chamber door though broke through the ambience they were both finding long searched for peace and security in. Hastily they broke apart just as Poppy Pomfrey walked into the sitting room.