Remember

CHAPTER 17: Observations







Sirius Black was sitting on the common room sofa in the dim morning light listening to the rain hit the windows as thunder rumbled in the distance. Moony was sitting in a chair looking haggard and weak, the previous night having boasted a full moon. Luckily his injuries were minor and he was able to get by with just the pain potions mixed in with his hot chocolate. They weren’t talking, they never did on those mornings, they just sat there until Remus was ready to seek his bed.







Both of them looked up when they heard someone on the stairs. They immediately scrambled into the shadows, not wishing to be questioned or to have points taken. They saw Hermione poke her head out and look around the room. She didn’t see them; they were well hidden in the darkness. Sirius was curious as to what the strange little witch was up to. She moved into the sitting area and to their surprise she was tugging Snape behind her.







Remus grabbed Sirius’s shoulder in amazement as Hermione led him across the room to the portal. They watched as the witch plastered herself along the front of the tall, lanky wizard and kissed him for all she was worth, her fingers tangled in his hair. Snape responded in kind, his hands filled with the witch’s plump backside which he gave an affectionate swat before casting a disillusionment spell and slipping out the door when Hermione opened it for him.







She was smiling as she moved back through the common room and disappeared once more into the stairwell. Sirius and Remus stepped from the shadows, their mouths open in amazement.







“Snape was in the girl’s dormitory.” Remus said hoarsely. “He managed to get in and stay in.”







“I saw that.” Sirius said, his lips pursed thoughtfully.







“But we’ve tried to sneak in there for years, how did he manage? And since when does Severus Snape sneak about to see a girl?” Remus asked.









“I don’t know how he got in; hell I almost wish we were mates so he would share his secret.” Sirius made a disgusted face. “Well maybe not. He has been behaving in all sorts of odd ways since that witch showed up.”









“You know he never seemed interested in girls, I sort of thought he was into men.” Remus said. “Though given the hold he had on her arse I can see that I thought wrong.”









“Don’t you find it strange that in all these years he hasn’t had a girlfriend, hasn’t ever shown an interest in a girl other than his friendship with Lily, then suddenly she shows up and he becomes a bloody lothario?” Sirius asked as they settled back into their seats.







“I wouldn’t call him a lothario; he only seems interested in her. Why does it bother you so much, Sirius? Do you like the witch or is it just seeing him happy that bothers you?” Remus asked, reaching for his mug.









“I don’t like the witch…and granted, I do prefer seeing Snape miserable…but it isn’t that. Don’t you find her knowledge of us troubling? I mean she implied that she was aware of Peter’s and my animagus forms and she implied that she was aware of your lycanthropy. How would she know that?” Sirius asked.







“Who knows, maybe she heard something or perhaps she has the gift of sight or something.” Remus said. “It isn’t like it’s a secret, Sirius.”







“It’s just all so odd….I suspect dark magic, Remus.” Sirius said.







“You always suspect dark magic, Sirius.” Remus laughed. “Isn’t it just as likely that this…awkward…witch came to a new school and had trouble making friends, was drawn to another socially inept student and they fell for each other?”









“You think I’m paranoid?” Sirius asked, one thick brow arched quizzically.









“I think that they are a lot alike and that they are clearly mad for each other, I think you desperately want Snape to be involved in something that gives you a reason to go after him…and I think your pride was wounded when the little witch laid into you after the ball.” Remus said softly. “Don’t look for trouble where there is none, Sirius.”







Remus pushed to his feet, wincing slightly as his body ached in protest to movement. He laid his hand on Sirius’s shoulder and gave it a light, reassuring squeeze before he headed up to his bed, leaving his friend sitting alone pondering his words.









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Albus Dumbledore watched Severus and Hermione from behind a yew tree. They were sitting on a bench not far from where he stood, they were conversing softly. Severus was explaining something to her about potions and the witch was listening intently, her eyes however were fixed on his hands as he spoke.





“Stop staring at my hands.” He said, tucking his hands beneath his cloak.









“I can’t help it, you have beautiful hands.” She said smiling, she knew she made him self conscious with her fascination for his hands.







“You really are daft aren’t you?” He furrowed his brow as he scowled at her. She reached up and brushed her fingers over his large, hooked nose. He immediately jerked back, shook his head and looked down, hiding behind his hair.









“Why did you do that?” She asked, pushing his hair back and tucking it behind his ears.









“My nose…”







“What about it?” She asked, running her finger down it once more.









“Everyone comments on it, I know I have a big nose, I know I’m not an attractive wizard…” He looked away as though ashamed.







“Says who? I find you attractive, haven’t you figured that out by now?” She asked. “Who cares what they think? You are with me, so my opinion is the only one that matters and I think you are beautiful.” She said softly, leaning forward to kiss the bridge of his nose gently.







“Why did you have to come here? Why did you have to come into my life, tease me with…affection….only to leave me?” He asked softly, trying hard to keep the accusation from his voice.







“Severus, I am not trying to hurt you…I didn’t expect that I would come to care for you like this, I had no idea I was capable of having feelings like this for you.” She said as she ran her fingers over his lips. “The Severus I thought I knew was cold, unfeeling and hard. He would never in a million years allow me within a foot of him unless he was trying to protect me and then I get sent here and suddenly I see you so differently.”









“I am all those things now…with everyone but you.” He said, kissing her fingertips and tucking her hand against his chest. “You didn’t give me a choice, you forced your way in and now I feel…raw. Maybe if you had been the same…”







“No…I would never have had the courage to approach you then, you don’t realize how scary you are.” She laughed when he smirked slightly; he seemed to like the idea of his presence being something to fear. “You abhor softness of any kind and you have a strong dislike for me and my friends. Were I to approach you then as I do now you would laugh in my face and then you would strip my house of as many points as possible then issue me detention for the remainder of my school life.”









“What could have happened to turn me so cold?” He pondered.









“No one truly knows your story except perhaps the headmaster. You are an extremely private man.” She said, rubbing her fingers over his school jumper as she felt his heart pound beneath her hand.







“Will you be different with me when you return?” He asked softly. “Will you soften towards the man I become?”







“I don’t think I have a choice, I will see you everyday and I will remember being with you, touching and kissing you, spending time with you....you will hate it, I think you enjoy being disliked.” She said, laughing softly.







“Who knows, maybe you can sweeten me up when you get back…just plant one of those kisses on me or perhaps start with those little whimpers you make when I…” He jumped when he felt her fingers dig into his ribs. “Ok…never mind, I’m sorry!” His eyes were wide and he was reaching for her wrists.







“Severus…are you ticklish?” Hermione asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.







“Yes…” He realized it was a mistake the moment the word slipped from his mouth. Her lips turned up and she launched herself into his lap, tumbling them from the bench as she set to work, tickling him unmercifully. He fought, his teeth clenched as her little hands sought out every ticklish spot on his ribs and sides. When he tried to scramble away from her she managed to flip him onto his back and straddle his abdomen, her fingers digging into the ticklish spots under his arms and along his ribs. He bucked, almost knocking her loose but she reached behind her and caught her self on his thighs. She narrowed her eyes and her fingers set to work on the ticklish spot at his groin..









Severus couldn’t fight it anymore; he gave up and lost himself to the laughter. The rich, hoarse sound of an emotion long unused filled the air, now accompanied by Hermione’s tinkling laughter as well as she continued to assault him, warming beneath the sound of his uncontrolled mirth. She kept at him until tears leaked from the corners of his eyes.







Students walked by, staring in horrified amazement as sullen, angry, depressed Snape laughed raucously beneath the fingers of the Gryffindor exchange student. His laughter echoed off the castle and they couldn’t stop themselves from smiling. Albus smiled to himself, laughing softly, more than certain that his older self had made a brilliant decision in sending the witch back in time.









Hermione leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Severus’s lips and then brushed her nose against his.







“You should laugh more often.” She said softly.









“Maybe that is how you should sweeten my sour, older self.” He said, chuckling as he wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes.







“Ha! Do you want me killed?” She asked, imagining her stoic, stodgy professor’s reaction should she pounce into his lap and begin tickling him. She would be avada’d for certain.









“No…I want no harm to come to you ever, Hermione.” He said softly, sitting up to wrap his arms around her. “Especially at my hand.”









Albus watched the young couple embrace and kiss softly, he moved away, slipping into the castle to afford them their privacy. She had opened the lad’s heart and hopefully the love he was developing for her, the love he was absorbing from her would be enough to keep him from suffocating beneath the darkness that was coming for him.



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Again, I just want to thank you all for reviewing so kindly, I am so happy you like the story! Sadly…or maybe not so sadly :) Hermione’s virginity’s days are numbered…poor Sev is growing weaker by the moment…..and Sirius, paranoid fool….







ShilohDarke – I understand the need to break from regular writing, I love my original fiction, but fan fiction is terrific stress relief and perfect for playing with plot and dialogue without having to worry about world building. I cant wait to finish reading Ghostly Curse….just read….crap I am so bad with remembering titles (Mirror), loved it as well, and Beauty within the Beast is one of my faves!





CB13 – your review about Lucifer cracked me up LOL





Utopia - I can always count on you for a detailed review LOL, don’t you just love birds? Would be thrilled to get one but I have a little one with Severe allergies that are aggravated by pet dander…a molting bird would be hell for him sadly. The days of innocence, dry humping and clumsy petting…weren’t they charming LOL….don’t expect smooth, lemons….not at first at any rate LOL…the whole teenage Slytherin Sex God thing is a pet peeve of mine as well…the only YOUNG wizard I can imagine having any sort of real ability in the sack would be perhaps Lucius…..dunno why, I just see him as a rather naughty creature from birth...Poor James, everyone so concerned about Sev and he just doesn’t see why, so much like his son and all wrapped up in himself….Remus will be back….and so will the oily little rat.







Donovan - **Blushing** Thank you very much, not brilliant but I appreciate the compliment, I just have a VERY overactive imagination







AngelBaby – Thank you! It means a lot to me that you see progress in my writing. I have attended at least a dozen workshops in recent months to help with scene setting, blocking and world building and have been trying really hard to improve on those areas. My rewrites for Loves Illusions(title still tentative) were loved by the editor and my peer evaluations were great this time around. I have to do some altering of the main character as he was a little too close to a real person for comfort…don’t want any complaints….but editor hopes to get it to print soon. Was supposed to be released in June, but I got pushed back…but I got paid so that’s the most important part LMAO… it definitely isn’t as easy as one might think. I will NOT abandon my fanfics, they are my stress relief and my fun. **Hugs**







Alright….I am off to work….and stick with me….I promise, there are serious lemons coming soon…..now, I shall take my notebook with me to continue plotting on not only original tales, but a couple new fanfics in the work. Thank goodness I have a busy head or I would go insane!!!