The Beauty Found Within the Beast

Sorry this update took so long. I\'ve been sick, and trying to deal with my son\'s birthday... so... But anyway. Here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it. I have added a secondary romance to the story, and this is just the beginning of it... Once again, I can\'t wait to see where the story is going...
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Arguments and Justifications

Lucius sat silent, watching Severus pace back and forth before the fire. His comrade had been ranting for the last hour about the fight between the two men earlier.

“Really, Lucius! Hermione? Of course you should have known that Harry would react this way. I mean, you’re old enough to be her father, for Merlin’s sake! Did you just think he would say, Well, Hermione want’s you, so I can accept you?” Severus tutted angrily and shook his head.

Lucius rolled his eyes and stared at a point on the far wall. “I never planned on this happening, Severus. It wasn’t like I was looking to find someone to steal my very heart from me!” he said, sounding somewhat like a chastised child.

Severus turned and observed his blond friend for what seemed an eternity before he finally spoke again. “It was very irresponsible of you!”

At that, Lucius glared angrily at Severus. “And did you plan to fall in love with Lily?” he asked irritably. “You knew that she belonged to James. Yet, you fell so deeply you begged her the night before her wedding to run away with you! Was that responsible? How are you any better than me?”

Severus stopped his pacing for a moment, and turned to regard his friend with eyes dark with pain. “I never deserved her. I knew that. Hell!”

The two wizards stared at each other for a long moment before Lucius sighed. “One of these days. A witch is going to come along,” he shook his head, “and you will not care anything of age, or anything else. All that will matter is the person you become in her presence.”

Severus leaned back against the bookshelf and crossed his arms. “I doubt that! Not only have I never found another that moved me the way Lily did, but there’s not a single one out there that doesn’t tremble in my company.”

The blond smirked. “Well, perhaps if you smiled once in a while...” Just as he was making his observation, Serenity entered the room, a worried look on her face.

“Begging your pardon, sirs, but the young Miss Weasley is here.”

Lucius’ brows furrowed in confusion. “I’m sure she only wants to see Hermione. That is quite all right.”

Serenity shook her head, “No sir, she wants to speak with you.”

The two wizards exchanged glances before Lusius nodded in the house-elf’s direction. “By all means, show her in.”

Serenity nodded, and left the room. Lucius glanced at Severus. “Didn’t she become of your best pupils year before last?”

Severus nodded. “Her grades were comparable to Hermione’s in her last year. She took an apprenticeship with the Potion master in America, at the Salem University this year. I haven’t seen her since her graduation.”

No sooner had he spoken, than the young witch entered the room. Dressed in Muggle slacks and a green silk blouse that was fitted. The ensemble gave a very flattering view of her figure. Her long auburn hair was pulled back into a french braid that went halfway to her bum.

Walking directly to Lucius, she never even spared Severus a glance. She tried to quell her startled gasp before it escaped her when she saw Lucius’ face. Despite her shock at his appearance, her manner was all business. “I only have one thing to say.” she said in a no nonsense voice. Her green eyes sparkled with a furious fire.”

Lucius nodded, “Very well, my dear.”

Ginny squared her shoulders. Her expression deadly serious as she spoke. “If you hurt her, I shall hunt you to the ends of the earth, and no power, save that which is in Heaven will save you from my wrath.”

Lucius smiled. “Hermione has a good friend in you, Miss Weasley. If I ever hurt her, I shall deliver myself to you, post-haste.”

At his words, Ginny relaxed, then glanced around the room. Her eyes fell on Severus, who was standing, staring in stunned wonder, as if a naked goddess had just danced into the room. “Oh! H-hello professor. How are you today?”

Recovering himself, he covered his once slack jawed expression with a smirk and looked away, as if bored. “I am as well as can be, given the circumstances.”

Ginny raised an eyebrow at his response, but only nodded, then turned back to Lucius. “Do you mind if I see her before I leave?”

The Wizard inclined his head. “As a matter of fact, I insist you stay for a few days. Hermione could use a friendly face and I’m sure Severus would love to hear about how your apprenticeship is faring.”

Ginny Bit her bottom lip before saying haltingly, “I wouldn’t want to impose...”
“You wouldn’t be imposing. “Severus cut in. “As a matter of fact, I demand you stay so I may be able to partake in some intelligent conversation for the remainder of my time here.” He gestured towards Lucius in a sign of disgust. “If I have to sit through one more of their affectionate exchanges, I do believe I shall vomit.”He sneered.

Ginny smiled broadly before recovering, and nodding. “Very well. I can spare a few days. If you are sure it is not an inconvenience.”

Lucius looked from Severus, to Ginny and smiled. “No, my dear. It is no inconvenience at all.”

Returning his smile, Ginny then turned and exited the room. Lucius nodded in Snape’s direction. “Now, she’s even younger than Hermione, yet you looked at her with the eyes of a starving man.”

Severus turned away from the door he had watched the young witch exit through, and glared into laughing grey eyes. “She is simply, intelligent conversation compared to the two of you.

Lucius chuckled. “Of course.” He let the discussion drop to save his friend any further agitation. But, the truth was, he knew that expression Severus wore well. He had begun to wear it more and more when he had first fallen in love with his little know-it-all.

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Hermione sat on the bench, in the middle of the rose garden. Books were scattered all around her as she jotted notes down on parchment.

Ginny watched her for a moment, smiling at seeing that her friend was ever as she had once been. Moving to stand beside her, she spoke softly. “I daresay, when you die, you’ll probably be buried with your books, for fear of running out of reading material!”

Hermione gasped, dropping her quill as she turned to face her. Recognition made her jump up with a laugh, and wrap Ginny in a warm hug. “Ginny, What a wonderful surprise! I’m so happy to see you!” She pulled back, and glanced around. “Did your mum come?”

Ginny half snorted, shaking her head. “No, and I daresay, I’d not be here either if she’d known I intended to come. But, that’s enough on the subject.” She looked Hermione over, thoughtful. “Are you doing well? Tell me truly, it is your wish to be here?”

Hermione smiled, then nodded. “I don’t think I have ever been so happy, Ginny.”

The redhead looked deeply into the brunette’s eyes. “No spells to coerce you? A potion, perhaps? I mean, Hermione, he isn’t exactly easy to look at.”

Hermione immediately grew rigid and stepped away from her friend. “He is everything I could ever want, Ginny. It is not his face which I love, but his soul.” She shook her head angrily.

The younger witch raised her hands in an offer of peace. “I only wanted to be sure, ‘mione. You know I don’t care much about outward appearances either.

At that, Hermione smiled. “He’s here, you know.”

Ginny nodded, “Yes, I’ve already seen him.” She smiled in an almost bashful way.

Hermione clicked her tongue before saying, “You are no longer his student. He might be open to your advances now.”

The other witch laughed. “Even if he noticed that this time I actually have breasts, he is not the sort of wizard that would react well to my approaching him. He has to be the one to make the first move.”

Hermione started laughing. “Snape? Make the first move? Oh no, you are going to have to at least give him some signs that you are open to the possibility of his affection. Trust me.”

Ginny gave Hermione a curious look before asking, “How are you sure?”

Hermione moved to sit down, and gestured for her friend to join her. After the younger witch sat, she told her of the first woman Severus had ever loved. Ginny sat in stunned silence as the story of Severus loving Lily unfolded.

Finally, when she found her voice, “He loved Lily? Harry’s mother?” She shook her head. “No wonder he hated James so. Then, when Harry came to Hogwarts, he must have served as a reminder that the woman he had loved, had not loved him.”

Hermione nodded. “Yes, and now, you are wanting him to make advances on you? He has this internal fear of rejection.” She patted Ginny’s hand. “You’ll have abide long, if you are really going to wait for his advances.”

Before Ginny could respond, storm clouds that had begun to gather let the first drops of rain fall.
Laughing, both witches stood and collected the books and parchment before making a mad dash out of the garden and into the house.

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Standing out on the balcony, Severus and Lucius had been watching the witches conversing. They had no idea what the two of them were talking about, but Severus wanted to know.

“They seem to be quite serious in their conversation.” He observed in a soft tone.

Lucius shook his head. “No, my friend. I shan’t let you eavesdrop on their conversation. If you want to know, you must ask them and even then, I doubt that they would tell you.”

The dark wizard shrugged. “No matter, it is probably none of my affair anyway. Suffice to say, it is probably you they are speaking of, anyway.” Turning to face his friend, he asked, “Are you truly going to marry her?”

“I certainly hope, she’ll marry me,” he answered. “Otherwise, I’ll have to follow her to the ends of the earth making her life miserable until she agrees.”

Severus smiled at the last comment. “I hope then, that she accepts your proposal. For your sake.”

When the rain came, they had already made their way inside. They were waiting in the entryway when the two, very soaked witches finally came inside the manor.

Lucius immediately wrapped Hermione in a large towel and swept her off to get out of her wet things.

Ginny and Severus were left standing in the entryway, staring at each other. Taking in her wet, but voluptuous appearance, Severus cleared his throat and put on his best scowl. “Well, are you just going to stand there, dripping on Malfoy’s Persian rug? Silly chit! You’re going to catch your death standing there like that!”

Sullen and hurt by his cruel words, Ginny sighed and left him without so much as a word.

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A/N: Poor Severus... He just has no clue how to be nice.