#2 ~ What Was I Thinking ~ Part 2 (Small Edit)

Disclaimer: All characters are JKRs…all situations, mine.
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Chapter 15 ~ Word Travels Fast

The news that Miss Granger was more than slightly acquainted with the Potions Master soon spread like gangbusters through the staff room.

“…and she told me that she had already seen him naked,” Pomfrey said to the other staff members, who were all leaning forward with expressions of shock and amazement. Madame Pomfrey was sitting in a comfy chair and fanning herself briskly with a recent copy of Witch Weekly. All the main staff was there with the exception of Hagrid, Minerva, Albus, and of course, Severus.

“Just scandalous, Poppy,” Professor Sprout breathed, hanging on her every word, “whatever did you say?”

“Say? What could I say. The deed’s been done. What was I…”

“What deed’s been done, Poppy?” Minerva asked as she swept into the staff room, taking a seat to the right of Madame Pomfrey. She waved her wand, and a hot cup of tea appeared on the end table beside her.

Madame Pomfrey quailed, and the rest of the staff looked uncomfortable.

Minerva looked around suspiciously, “Come, come now, don’t hold out on me. What deed’s been done?” she asked, impatient by Pomfrey’s obvious reticence.

Pomfrey glanced around the room, then at the ceiling, apparently hoping for divine intervention. None came.

Madame Hooch sipped her pumpkin juice, smiling slightly. This was going to be good. Hermione had been Minerva’s golden child, the untouchable princess-apparent of Gryffindor. It didn’t matter that the young witch was no longer a student, or was of the legal age of consent. It didn’t even matter that she was a full staff member. Minerva was going to have a blood-sucking bugbear when she found out that Severus had dipped his wand where she felt it didn’t belong.

“Go ahead, Poppy,” said Madame Hooch encouragingly, “you might as well tell her. She’s going to find out anyway.”

Minerva’s brow furrowed as she focused a thin-lipped glare on Madame Pomfrey. “Find out what?” she asked, a dangerous edge to her voice.

Poppy withered under the Transfiguration Professor’s scathing look, and took a deep breath, preparing herself for the storm.

“Well, Minerva…” she began….

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Albus felt her coming before he heard her. It was amazing how Minerva, as slim as she was, could perfectly, just by virtue of her anger, emulate a stampeding herd of manticora with just two feet.

The Headmaster sighed, and resignedly waved his hand at his office door. It swung open, a portal to the approaching fury that was Professor Minerva McGonagall. Albus sat up straighter in his chair, and adjusted his glasses. He clasped his hands together, and rested them on his desk in an attempt to appear serene and unruffled.

He knew that Severus’ and Hermione’s situation would get back to the Head of Gryffindor House. Minerva was an excellent head of house, but just didn’t know when to let go. She gathered her charges under her wing like a mother hen, only she never let them out. They’d be roosting on a mile high pile of their own eggs, before she’d release them.

She would insist on details. He knew that. Not that he believed that Severus acted with any blatant impropriety while Miss Granger was a student, but he knew that Severus was quite capable of mind games, games that a young woman was ill-equipped to handle. But playing mind games is no basis for dismissal, and the purpose of Hogwarts was basically to prepare its students for all life’s contingencies. Seduction was, after all, a very real danger to young, impressionable women.

He was curious how this happened, however. He knew early on of Hermione’s concern for the Potions Master. During the summer of her fourth year he had his first taste of her conviction concerning the unfairness of Severus being tortured by the newly risen Dark Lord.

He remembered with a wry shake of his head, how she bristled at being told that was just the way of it, and nothing could be done. She continued to fight like a lioness for any bit of recognition for Severus’ sacrifices. She didn’t get much in the way of satisfaction, but she tirelessly tried. She saw Severus as a brave, intelligent and tragic figure who should be shown appreciation. It seemed, Albus mused, that Miss Granger, upon reaching the age of consent, had finally shown Severus, without reservation, her personal appreciation in a way he would understand.

Albus sat back in his seat and raised his eyes to the ceiling. Now that their situation was known by Minerva, he would probably have to investigate. To make sure it was consensual and violated none of Hogwarts rules concerning teacher/student relations. He really wanted to leave them both alone, if possible. Such a leak would place Severus in grave danger.

Minerva broke through his thoughts like a raging hippogryph.

Minerva was in a right state. Her face was red and mottled with indignation, her normally well coiffed hair had partially slipped from its bun, her glasses were perched crookedly on her nose, and her mouth was in held in such a thin line, she appeared lipless. Eyes narrowed, she stalked up to the Headmaster’s desk. She was so livid, she couldn’t speak. She drew herself up imperiously.

“Good afternoon, Minerva,” Albus said pleasantly.

“This…” said Minerva, is not a good afternoon at all, Albus, not at all. Have you heard about Severus forcing his attentions on Miss Granger? It is scandalous. Absolutely scandalous. I demand he be dismissed, immediately, for taking advantage of a student!”

“Minerva,” Albus said, carefully choosing his words, “do you know exactly when this alleged “forcing” of attentions occurred?”

Minerva looked taken aback. “Well, no I don’t, Albus. She hesitated. “But Miss Granger is an impressionable young girl, and I am certain that even if this, this travesty occurred after graduation, that Severus somehow seduced the child. He should not be allowed to get away with that.” She assumed another stance of righteous indignation.

Albus sighed and removed his glasses. He rubbed his eyes and peered up at Minerva.

Minerva…if what you have heard about Severus and Miss Granger is true…knowing Severus as I do…Miss Granger is definitely no longer a child, but most certainly a young woman who has acquired enough carnal knowledge to make her own choices about who she wants as a lover.”

“A lover? He’s a lecher…he’s more than twenty years her senior,” McGonagall stated, stomping her foot for emphasis, “he is much too old, too…experienced for Miss Granger.”

She leaned in toward Albus’ desk as if to keep the portraits from hearing her, all of which were listening to the conversation with great interest. Portraits loved scandals.

Minerva spoke in hushed tones, “Plus, with all those years spent as a deatheater, who knows what depravities he has subjected her to.”

Albus returned his glasses to his face and looked at his Head of Gryffindor house. “Minerva,” he said, “are you aware that Miss Granger’s father is twenty-one years her mother’s senior?”

Professor McGonagall seemed taken aback by this. “No, I wasn’t.”

“And they have been very happily married for over twenty years. Hermione has grown up in a happy household where her parents’ age difference has no bearing. Therefore, her attraction to Severus may well be because of his age, and experience. There are few young wizards capable of handling Miss Granger’s brilliance and love of learning. She would not last long in a relationship with a man who could not challenge her, and help her to grow. As you and I both know…”

Here Albus cast a twinkling eye on Minerva, who blushed furiously.

“…a meeting of the minds is just as important as the meeting of the bodies, in a mature relationship. Miss Granger has always had a maturity far beyond those of our collective student body. It could be she chose Severus because he appealed to her intellectual as well as sexual nature.”

Minerva seemed flustered. “But if this is indeed what happened, Albus, did he have to act on it? Couldn’t he have turned the girl away?”

Albus considered. “Perhaps, Minerva. But Severus has such little joy and beauty in his life, he might just not have been able to deny himself such a gift. Miss Granger is quite a lovely young woman, very passionate in her convictions. Severus is just as passionate in his, as cold and uncaring as he likes to appear.”

“But, but…Albus,” Minerva implored, weakening.

“Why don’t we just let them have their moment, Minerva. Like we were allowed to have ours. I seem to remember a lovely young Gryffindor who had a bright eye for her Transfiguration Professor…”

“Albus, that’s not fair,” Minerva said softly.

“Nothing is fair in love, Minerva,” he replied, looking at her with a gentle affection.

“Do you think they’re in love, Albus?” she asked her lover of over thirty years.

Albus considered, “Perhaps, although Severus probably will not recognize it until it kicks him in the teeth. But our Miss Granger is a surprising young witch. I wouldn’t be surprised if Severus woke up one morning with the imprint of a size five shoe on his lips.”

Minerva chuckled, “All right Albus, I suppose even someone as dark and unseemly as Severus deserves a chance at happiness, although I can’t say I am comfortable with it.”

“He is the most deserving man I know, Minerva.”

Minerva looked stricken for a moment, her face reddening with an embarrassed flush.

“But Albus,” she almost whispered, “they’re down in the dungeons, alone, for a better part of the day, and all through the night…”

“I trust they will be discreet, Minerva. Severus is not in the position where he could openly share the news of a relationship with a muggle-born witch, even one as brilliant and accomplished as Miss Granger. Voldemort would consider such a union a betrayal, and use it as a suitable reason to kill Severus outright.”

“How sad,” Minerva said with obvious sympathy for Severus’ position, “I guess sometimes we take our good fortune for granted. Severus’ terrible situation certainly does seem to put it in perspective.”

“Yes, indeed,” agreed the Headmaster, “I am going to have to cast a silencing spell on the staff. We can’t have this information going any further. Please inform them we are to have a meeting in two hours. Tell them they are not to discuss what they have heard about Severus with anyone, and if they have, find out who and inform me as soon as possible.”

Minerva clapped her hands together in a business-like manner. “Very well, Albus. And afterwards, I guess I will head back to Gryffindor Tower and take care of those students still in my charge.”

“You do that, my dear,” Albus smiled.

Minerva turned an left his office, a sight more peacefully than she entered.

Albus let out a long and relieved sigh. Thank goodness he knew her so well. Now he could leave Severus and Hermione to work out their situation without interference.

Fawkes crooned softly, and Albus, listening, closed his eyes.


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Severus had been back teaching classes for two weeks now. He complained vehemently to Albus about the difficult process of removing the excess ectoplasm that Professor Binns had left behind in his good swivel chair. Most of the Hogwarts ghosts were in good shape, but Professor Binns was beginning to fall apart. Although Madame Pomfrey wasn’t proficient in treating ghostly complaints, she had a theory that Binns was disintegrating because of his sedentary nature. He didn’t get out and about like other ghosts. Professor Binns however was unconcerned and oblivious to everything, including his potential second demise. He lived, and died to lecture.

Severus did manage to restore his chair to his exacting standards, and happily went about brow-beating his students back into their proper state of fearing him immensely. Concerning his work with Hermione, every evening they would sit down and go over the returned wish lists of spells and potions. They had narrowed their first attempts down to ten items, five spells and five potions. Hermione was particularly taken by an eight year old wizard’s suggestion that they make a spell that could send him back in time about ten seconds, so he could correct errors that he might have made right before they happened.

“Now that’s interesting stuff,” she said, smiling. “Out of the mouths of babes.”

Severus looked up from his own list and snorted, “Like that could be done.” Hermione eyed him for a moment, bristling a little.

“Maybe it could…hmm. I wonder if I could get hold of a couple of time turners…” she said absently, her eyes starting to go out of focus.

Severus recognized that look. He snatched the boy’s list away from her.

“Oh no. We have too much work to do for you to drift off on another tangent,” he said sternly.

“Fine,” Hermione snapped. Of course it wasn’t.

She looked at him. It had been two weeks since the intense conversation in the hospital wing. Severus had shown no interest in pursuing it since. Hermione had kept her peace, being patient, trying to be understanding, giving him room. But now her patience had just about run out. She was now more adept at hiding her desire for the Potion Master, but some nights it was just unbearable, so much so that she took sleeping draughts to keep from growing hair on her hands.

“Severus,” she said.

“Hmm?” he answered, looking up from his list.

“It’s time to finish our talk,” she said, her amber eyes hard with purpose. She wouldn’t be denied.

“Hermione, I told you I would talk when…”

“When you are ready? Well, that is so Slytherin,” she spat. “You hold all the cards that way. You have all the power. Guess what?”

She leaned until she was nose to nose with the Potions Master. He blinked.

“You are giving up that power tonight and going to talk to me. In your private rooms. I have something there I need to show you.”

“In my rooms?” Severus asked, surprised.

“Yes, in your rooms,” she replied evenly. Seeing Severus’ hesitation she said, “don’t worry. I won’t ravish you.” Even as she said it, Hermione felt the familiar heat of desire rise in her belly. Damn, she was so horny.

Severus leveled a measuring gaze at her, his black eyes focused on her face.

“Don’t you dare, Severus!” Hermione yelled…pushing the shocked Potions Master’s forehead and breaking his concentration. “Don’t you dare use legilimency on me! Not yet anyway.”

Severus scowled at her audacity. He felt the desire to grab her and shake her. But if he grabbed her, he didn’t trust himself to stop at shaking.

“Fine. My rooms then.” he said resignedly.

He had been avoiding this for two weeks, it was time to face and defuse this situation once and for all. He stood up and began stacking the parchments together. Hermione, did the same, a little thrill rushing through her body. She would finally have her say. And maybe something more.

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A/N: ooh. Is that the lemon orchard I see ahead? Thanks for reading and reviewing. I need more encouragement…the next chapter is going to be a bit intense I think…and I’m winding down a bit…help!