All of a sudden

All characters belong to JKR

************

chapter 15 ~ The first settlement

Hermione’s heart leapt to her throat when she heard the dungeon door slam shut. Snape had wordlessly warded the door. Whatever courage that remained in her had definitely disappeared now as she nervously looked up at him wringing her hands. He needn’t have worried about the students outside as he knew they had fled the area long before.

Snape smirked. Hermione looked like a deer caught in headlights. He liked it. Shaking off the impulse to act on his baser needs, he predatorily circled Hermione breathing in the Jasmine scent of her hair. He briefly closed his eyes with a sharp intake of breath as he remembered his little escapade with the girl standing before him. In a moment of weakness he reached out to stroke her hair.


Hermione jumped and turned around to scowl at the Potions master. “Don’t touch me…” She hissed. Snape smirked with amusement. “Don’t you think it’s a bit too late for that Hermione?” he mocked his eyes washing over her body reminding her of the previous night. Hermione turned red then suddenly her eyes widened. Crookshanks!

“Where’s Crookshanks Professor?” She asked threateningly.
Snape studied her carefully.
“Your cat… is fine” He answered studying her carefully.
“What?!” Hermione asked incredulously. “What do you mean by that? Where is he!” she asked anger evident in her voice.
“Stop ranting about that silly cat Granger! I already told you how he is faring” he said scowling at her impudence.
Hermione crossed her arms across her chest and glared at Snape. Bastard! In her heart she felt relieved, at least he hadn’t used Crooks for a potion as she had dreaded.

Silence hung heavily in the room. Snape seemed to be in his own thoughts even as he warily circled around her and Hermione seeming to gather up all her courage to pounce on whatever he would say. Snape paused and looked Hermione in the eye. She looked back and there was a moment of confusion in her eyes.

“How do you feel?” He asked softly even as his features belied his voice.
Hermione looked at him as if she didn’t hear him properly and made a face of confusion. “What?” she asked… not seeming sure of what she heard.
“I understand last night was not something you might have expected Hermione” he said.
“Something I might not have expected!?” She repeated in horror. “You practically raped me!” She bellowed. “Oh. You not only raped me, you blackmailed me… threatened me with Crookshanks and after all that – you left me without telling me a word!” Hermione was breathing hard now. Her breasts rising and falling with each deep breath she took.

Snape’s response was his usual smirk. His little Gryffindor definitely hadn’t lost any fire.

“Well, I suppose you could phrase it that way” He responded wryly. Hermione’s eyes widened in disbelief! ‘Phrase it that way! Why, that bastard!’

“However” Snape continued looking at Hermione noting her every reaction. “After all that I have put you through, I am surprised - that you want to know the reason I left you without telling. What am I supposed to know from that Hermione?” He inquired, his eyes seeming to mock her.

“Well…” she said stupidly “I just needed to know how it was…”
“For me? If I liked it?” He asked, his eyes taking on a strange glow now.

Hermione just stared back at him. She could put it that way. She did want to know if he had enjoyed it. She nodded.

Snape let out a low rumble of laughter. A sound she didn’t find too unpleasant to hear if not for the confusing situation she was in already. She just couldn’t understand what this man was on about.

“You wanted to know how it was for me… even though you didn’t want to actively participate in the act Hermione? Shouldn’t you have been glad that I left you… that I was no longer there to take liberties on your body?” He asked teasingly.

Hermione looked back at him horrified. “It is not like that…” she said shocked that he would even suggest something like that!

“Then what is it about Hermione?” he asked.

“I hate you!” she spat and stormed towards the door. She tried the knob but it didn’t open. He had warded the damn door.

“Open the door” She said, looking back at him, her features contorted with emotion.
“You are not leaving until we come to a settlement Hermione” Snape said coolly.

“Just let me go Professor… I don’t want to come to any settlement with you.” Hermione was practically quivering. As hard as she tried to control her emotions, she couldn’t control the tear that slid down her cheek.

“Don’t tell me I have managed to break your spirit in just one night Hermione…” Snape paused, “there are many more nights to come” he said.

“You can never break my spirit Professor. And don’t you even think you can do what you did last night again! I will tell the Headmaster.” She warned still fidgeting with the knob.

In a moment he was in front of her, his both hands on either side of her on the door. Hermione gasped and her hands reflexively went to his chest to push him away but halted when he leaned forward and his mouth was only a mere hairsbreadth from her ear. “Tell me why you didn’t report to the Headmaster already?” he whispered, his breath on her ear like fire. Then he pulled back, his eyes blacker – if that was even possible. Hermione looked up at him horrified… he was trying to turn it all at her. As if everything was her fault.

“Well?” He prodded, his mouth curling in a sneer.

“I never thought…” She replied lamely.

“Never thought to tell even though you didn’t want it?”

“You work for the greater good Professor; I didn’t think you would actually hurt me…” She said looking up at him with wide amber eyes. Then her eyes hardened. “But I should have. And if you do anything more I will surely report you this time”.

“How do you think Dumbledore will react? Do you think he will throw me out on my sorry ass for indulging myself with you?” He asked.

Hermione blinked. She never thought of it. Well, she never even thought of complaining to Dumbledore in the first place and for some unknown reason she didn’t think she would complain to him now also. But she was in an argument now wasn’t she?

“Professor Snape – If Dumbledore knew about this… he will fry your sorry ass before throwing you out on it” She said with a small sneer of her own.

Snape chuckled and his eyes softened a little. “How innocent,” he said - more to himself than to her then leaned down and brushed her lips with his. He felt her shudder and hardened immediately. He softly licked her lips and felt her part them, her breathing increasing rapidly. Her hands that were poised at his chest to push him off was now clutching at his housecoat reflexively.

Suddenly Snape pulled back, his eyes hard. Hermione’s eyes were half lidded and her breath was coming out in short pants. “Expect me tonight Hermione.” He said and brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

He pulled out his wand and unwarded the door and held it open for her.

Just when she turned to go, she felt his hand on her shoulder. “Miss Granger, tell Potter that the Headmaster wants to meet him at the Three Broomsticks tonight after dinner,” he paused when Hermione gave him a confused look. “Of course you can do that. Cant you?” He sneered.

“Why in the Broomsticks?” She asked then something clicked. “Where’s Dumbledore?”

“His whereabouts are none of your concern Miss Granger; just do what you are told.” He said and closed the door on her face.

If this is the way he treated the women he intended on bedding… she snorted and started to walk towards the Gryffindor Tower. Tonight she’ll make him know that she deserved to be treated more than having the door slammed on her face if she was to be co-operative. A tingle of desire crept through her when she remembered the kiss he gave her in his class. She shuddered and then tried to stamp down the guilt that made itself known when she realized she hardly wait for tonight.

******

“Hey Hermione!” Harry called when Hermione walked into the common room.

Shit. She had been too busy battling her inner demons that she even forgot about the latter part of the conversation.

“Hi Harry” She said lamely and went and sat beside him on the couch.

“What’s wrong? Did Snape give you a horrible detention?” He asked seeming concerned.

“No Harry it was fine, He said that Professor Dumbledore wants to see you in the Three Broomsticks after dinner” Hermione said.

“Tonight?”

Hermione nodded.

“But where is Dumbledore? Isn’t he here?” Harry asked.

“I don’t know Harry. Snape didn’t tell me. I bet it’s some business about Voldermort” She said biting her lower lip.

“I guess so. Ok then Herms, I’m off to the Quidditch field. Have to work harder. The Slytherins are getting better and better everyday you know? Have to beat them the next time too…” Harry said, packing up his backpack and putting on his shoes.

Hermione smirked. “You do that Harry” Harry hugged Hermione and went off to the field.

Hermione took her bag and reached her room. After locking the door carefully, she lay down on her bed and stared at the ceiling. It was under the same ceiling Snape had been last night… slamming into her over and over again as she screamed. She couldn’t help the small moan that escaped her or the shudder that crept through her. Damn. She could hardly wait for tonight. But not before she first taught him some better manners. She didn’t know how but of course, there was definitely nothing wrong in trying. Right…? Right. Hermione smirked.

***********
A/N: sorry for the long lack of update. I hope you enjoy the story. please review :)