Heart, Mind, Body and Soul

Hermione sat down at her desk in Advanced Potions a couple weeks later. Her desk, like always, was front and center. The class consisted of 7th years from all four houses. Only those who wanted to take Potions, or needed it for University or Ministry qualifications, were in the class. The professor used this as leverage quite often. "You either chose to be here or you have to be. Either way, I will not be lenient. If you want to be dunderheads for the rest of your lives, you may always leave; it is no concern of mine."

Hermione tried not to stare as Professor Snape walked in the room. Everyone was quiet and she was sure, if they tried, they would be able to hear her heart pounding.

The silence was broken when he called attention, not that every student wasn't watching him, by announcing the assignment. "Today you will be brewing the Felix Felicis potion. Can anyone tell me the effects of this potion?"

Several hands went up in the air, including Hermione's of course. He looked around the room, disappointed that all the hands didn't go up.

"Miss Granger, I'm sure you have it memorized, word for word, please enlighten the class."

"Until the effects wear off, all the drinker's endeavors will tend to succeed. Once consumed, the potion gives the drinker an exhilarating sense of confidence and a tremendous sense of opportunity. However, if taken in excess the potion causes giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence, and it is highly toxic in large quantities." Hermione smiled, happy with herself. Professor Snape only acknowledged her answer with a nod of his head.

Professor Snape continued, "This potions is desperately tricky to make, and disastrous to get wrong. It is banned from such events as sporting competition and examinations, among others. Therefore, none of the potion will be leaving this room. You will take your N.E.W.T.s with no magical help. The instructions are in your Advances Potions-Making textbook. Be sure and read them carefully before you begin."

As he strode over to the seat behind his desk, the students pulled out their books, and after reading it over, gathered the needed supplies to begin the brewing process.

After the first hour of class, when all the students were in varying phases of the potion, Professor Snape walked around the room, inspecting their cauldrons.

"Stop!" he barked, making all the students look up from what they were doing. "Mr. Weasley, what does this instruction say to do?" pointing at a line in his book.

"Um… stir counterclockwise 7 times." Ron's face was as red as his hair and he could barely be heard.

"And what were you about to do, Mr. Weasley?" The professor asked him, enjoying making him uncomfortable. Hermione just shook her head and continued on with her own work. Ron never paid close enough attention.

"I was about to stir clockwise Professor." He sounded like he was 12 again.

"I highly suggest you not do that. Read the instructions!"

The professor continued around the room. Hermione felt him coming up behind her. She could smell the musky scent that was 'him' and she took a deep breath, both to inhale his scent and to steady her nerves. He walked up just behind her and to her left. She was leaning over her cauldron. His voice was low and husky when he made comment about her potion. "Miss Granger. I suggest you not lean over your cauldron. Your potion is the color of molten gold, as it should be, and when exposed to air large drops will leap off the surface like goldfish. I would hate to see you inadvertently ingest one of those drops."

Hermione turned her head up to look at Professor Snape leaning down over her, one hand on her chair the other on her desk. She felt dizzy from his nearness. As if in a trance, like something inside of her just took over, she reached up slightly and brushed her lips against his. His lips were soft, yet firm, and felt like heaven. For just a brief moment, it was as if time, the whole world, stood still and they were the only people on earth.

After the moment of shock wore off, his whole body stiffened and he stood quickly. They were both hoping nobody had seen that, but it wouldn't be their luck. Hermione's face was red and she was holding her breath, looking down at her lap, waiting for his reaction. She didn't believe she had just kissed Professor Snape in front of the entire Advance Potions class. Wolf-whistles were mixed with the sounds of equipment being dropped, and exclamations, both good and bad. "Did I just see Hermione kiss Professor Snape?" somebody asked. Hermione distinctly heard Ron's "bloody hell!" and when she heard Harry ask, "Is Professor Snape blushing?" she finally looked back up at him.

At first he looked petrified. Then, as if he was just hearing the ruckus in the room, he yelled out "Silence! Now!" He looked down at Hermione like every bit of sense she ever had flew out the windows, then crossed his arms and smiled, if you could call a smirk a smile. "50 points from Gryffindor!" He began pacing the floor. "Class is dismissed. Get out now!" he bellowed. "Except for you Miss Granger." Nobody questioned him; they just gathered their books as quickly as they could and practically ran from his class.

When everyone was gone, Hermione heard, "My Office. Now!"

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A/N:
Thanks and credit goes to The Harry Potter Lexicon website for details on the Felix Felicis potion.
http://www.hp-lexicon.org/index-2.html

Here's the link to the challenge that started this story:
http://hp.adult-fanfiction.org/story.php?no=600010303

Here's a link to When I Kissed the Teacher by ABBA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXpzPWwEFOI&feature=related
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