Hard Times for Severus Snape - (Editing)

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 20 ~ An Unexpected Visitor

For the next two weeks, Hermione was kept quite busy brewing potions as the Potions Master focused on his lesson plans, budgets and other concerns for the upcoming school year. Having Hermione around to handle his other duties was quite convenient. He oversaw her brewing of the more important potions, but her technique was impeccable. She was very careful about purification and cross-contamination, washing her hands often and using several knives and pistils when chopping and grinding ingredients. These were very basic practices, but crucial to good potions making. Severus saw his own techniques in her work. It was gratifying to know that he inspired the brilliant witch to pursue this art. She would be an excellent addition to the potions-making community.

In the evenings after supper, the two would sit in the study, Severus usually at his desk and Hermione curled up in an armchair, reading one of his books under his watchful eye. He relented after they had a rather heated discussion about the use of flubberworms in potions making. Hermione claimed they were underutilized and Severus disagreed. Without the foil of being a student, Hermione could rant and rave at his ideas freely. It was quite invigorating, and the witch argued well, and challenged him on every point until he conceded that flubberworms might indeed not be used as often as they should be. The witch was glowing at that point. She had argued so intently, she was perspiring. This made the Potions Master think about the last time he had seen her perspire, his cock hardening slightly at the memory.

To Hermione, the Professor was as distant as he was when she was a student. He was more civil however. But he made no untoward moves at all. It was as if he had never touched her. Never pistoned into her body until she was all shrieks and sensation. Hermione guessed that the things he had said to her during sex was all 'pillow talk', just meaningless things wizards say to witches while fucking them. She found herself looking at him sometimes, comparing his apparent coldness with the passionate man he became during sex. Once in a while he'd catch her looking at him.

"Something you want, Miss Granger?" he'd ask her.

"No sir, just thinking," she'd reply, with a little tickle in her belly, "I just happened to be looking in your direction."

The Potions Master would return to whatever he was doing, apparently not realizing how seductive his question was.

Of course he knew. It had been two weeks. He didn't know Hermione's sexual cycles, but the witch was extremely passionate, and it was more than likely she could be feeling a bit antsy. He decided to turn up the heat. He was definitely antsy. So when she was brewing in his lab the next day, he stood very close behind her, as he used to do when she was a student, and looked over her shoulder. Hermione reacted to his proximity, almost making a mistake and adding the wrong ingredient to her brew. Severus grasped her hand firmly before she dropped it in.

"Miss Granger, you need to concentrate on what you are doing. One would think you are…distracted," he said silkily as he leaned over her, his warm breath making her hair flutter over her ear. He released her hand slowly. She still felt the heat from his contact.

She turned to look at him, his body mere inches from hers. She felt as if she could lose herself in those black eyes.

"I'm sorry, Professor," she said softly.

He leaned a bit closer to her, his face almost close enough to kiss her.

"Don't be sorry, Miss Granger…just be careful," he purred. Then he walked away from the witch, leaving her breathless. He sat down at his desk, then looked up at her, his face expressionless. She stared at him a moment, then realized what she was doing and swiftly turned back around to her potion. She added the proper ingredient and stirred it clockwise seven times, and counterclockwise three times. She turned down the fire and sat down on the stool, apparently watching the mixture simmer, but really thinking about her reaction to the Professor.

She had wanted him to kiss her. More than kiss her actually. Gods, she had been doing so well. The pretense that nothing happened between them was almost working. But she had dreamed about him two nights in a row. That didn't help the situation. They weren't full-fledged dreams however. More like flashes of Severus' body, his pale hands smoothing over her skin, his black eyes blazing down at her. She had wakened from her sleep both times, drenched in perspiration.

She had no idea that it was the Professor sending her those images. The Professor was quite skilled in magic concerning the minds of others, and he could in fact send telepathic images to another person if he had some type of connection to the receiver.

He and Hermione had shared a most intimate connection, strengthened even more by him entering her mind as he entered her body. Severus hadn't been sure if the witch was receiving his images however. Her reaction to him made him think she possibly was. Tonight he would send her highlights of their last night together, particularly the image of her on her knees between his legs. After the little preview she gave him, he really wanted a blowjob from the witch.

There was a knock on the Potions door. Hermione looked up from her brewing.

"I'll get it," Severus said rising from his desk, walking around it, heading out the lab and into his office. He opened the door.

A tall young, blonde-haired, hazel-eyed wizard stood at the door. He was dressed in jeans and a black tee shirt that clung to him like a second skin. He had a slight, lean muscular build.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" the Potions Master asked, scowling at the young man.

"Er…hi. My name is Eric Strongson. I'm looking for Hermione Granger. They said she was serving her apprenticeship here," he said.

The Potions Master scowled. Before he could reply to the young man he heard Hermione's voice.

"Eric? What are you doing here?" the witch asked him, walking into the Potions office, past the Professor and facing the wizard.

Eric smiled at her.

"I thought you might be getting a little lonely…" then he looked up at the Professor, who had a very black look on his face. The wizard stopped talking. Hermione looked at Severus.

"Um…could you give us a minute, Professor?" she asked him.

"You have a potion brewing," he snapped at her, looking at the young man again.

"It's on low and needs to simmer three hours before I add the next ingredient," Hermione replied.

Severus snorted ungraciously and stalked away back into the lab. But he stood on the other side of the door listening intently.

Hermione turned back to the wizard, who swooped in and gave her a peck on the lips, startling her. Severus heard the smack and Hermione's gasp. His hands clenched into fists so tight, his pale knuckles went white. Who was this? Her boyfriend? She said she wasn't involved in a relationship.

"Eric, what in the world are you doing here?" Hermione asked the wizard again.

He shrugged.

"I missed my 'buddy,'" he said simply.

Hermione couldn't help but smile at him

"Eric, you know we aren't exclusive. You didn't have to come looking for me. What about your other buddies?" she asked him.

"They aren't you," he said, his honest hazel eyes meeting hers. "I wanted to see you."

Severus snorted again. Seeing wasn't all that young stud wanted to do to Hermione.

"Well, you've seen me, Eric…and I…" she began, when the wizard caught her by the hand.

"Come on, Hermione. I know how you are. You're about due for a little shagging," he said, grinning at her. "Aren't you? Come on, meet me tonight. I took a room at the Three Broomsticks for the night. We always have a nice time, don't we?"

Hermione looked at the tall, handsome wizard. Eric was no Severus between the sheets, but he was sweet. His sex wasn't as intense, but it was nice. And he was cute as he could be. She could get a little release from a night with him, since she was obviously randy. The Potions Master had shown her that.

"Yes, we do," she agreed, giving him a smile. "What time tonight?"

"How about eight?" he asked her, a broad smile on his face.

"All right. I'll meet you at the Three Broomsticks at eight," she said.

"Yes!" he grinned at her. He kissed her again, a little longer this time, "I'll see you then."

Eric paused when he thought he saw a shadow moving just on the inside of the lab door.

"Who's the cheery chap who answered the door?" he asked Hermione, his hazel eyes going a little hard. They were being spied on.

"That's Professor Snape. My mentor," she replied.

Eric looked thoughtful.

"He looks like loads of fun," he mused, his eyes shifting back to the door. The shadow was gone.

"An absolute delight," Hermione agreed sarcastically.

"Well, you've only got a couple more weeks with him at any rate, then I'll have my favorite buddy back," Eric said.

He really was quite smitten with Hermione, and wished she would agree to become his exclusively. But she had made herself very clear that her studies came first. After she graduated, he was sure her career would be of top importance. She had no time for love or romance. He accepted that, and took her any way he could get her, even if he had to wait months. And he did have other witches to indulge himself with. But Hermione was special. He had never met a witch like her. Eric took her hand and kissed it.

"I'm off. I will be waiting for you at eight. Don't stand me up, Hermione or I might have to come looking for you," he said half-jokingly.

"Don't worry, I'll be there," she said.

Eric walked back up the corridor, a little bounce in his step. Hermione watched him for a bit, then closed the door and returned to the lab. She had a warm feeling for the wizard. Not an intense burn like for the Potions Master, but warm enough.

She walked back over to her simmering brew, unaware that Severus was watching her, his eyes hooded He had heard her plans to meet with the wizard tonight. He hadn't sent her those images to be put to use lubing her up for another wizard. He scowled, then went to work on his lesson plan, or appeared to…his mind working quickly. He had to break up this little rendezvous.

The next two hours passed wordlessly between the two, Hermione concentrating on the potion she was brewing, and Severus concentrating on Hermione. He watched as she cut the flame off and began to clean up the counter.

"Miss Granger," he called to her. Hermione turned to look at him.

"Yes, Professor," she answered him walking over to his desk.

"I need you to collect some herbs for me this evening. I need them for a project I'm starting tomorrow. The ingredients have to be as fresh as possible," he said.

Hermione wanted to ask him couldn't he pick the damn ingredients. But she was his apprentice. She was there actually to do the work he didn't want to. She held her tongue.

"You are familiar with night-gathering aren't you?' he asked her.

"Yes sir," she said rather sullenly. There went her night with Eric.

"Good. I will give you the coordinates later. You will have to give me a wizard's oath not to disclose the location, then apparate there. You can do it from my rooms. I still have apparation privileges. The herbs are located in a quiet, safe location. No dangers. You will be fine. I will give you a list of the items I need," he said.

"Yes sir," she said again. Then, "I'm going to clean up, Professor."

"Fine, Miss Granger," he said as she walked toward the door.

"Miss Granger?" he called to her.

She turned to look at him.

"I am very impressed with your work thus far. You are brewing the potions in excellent time, with no errors. Quite an accomplishment," he said sincerely.

Hermione brightened. She had never received such blatant praise from the Professor.

"Thank you sir," she said, giving him a bright smile, then exiting the lab in a much better mood.

"You're welcome Miss Granger," Severus said in a low voice.

"Now what to do about your 'friend' Eric?" the Potions Master mused.

The young wizard wouldn't put one finger on Hermione this summer if he had anything to do with it. And he would have something to do with it.

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When Hermione departed her rooms with a message for Eric canceling their bed date, Severus disillusioned himself and followed her up to the owlery. Standing just inside the door, he watched as she selected a barn owl, tied the message to its leg and told it where to go and who to deliver the letter to. The owl hooted, and took off. Hermione exited the tower immediately.

Severus was a Hogwarts staff member. As such, he could recall school owls, normally for the purpose of inspecting messages and deliveries being sent from the school. The spell was a holdover from the dark times of Voldemort, when the children of deatheaters were suspected of sending information to their parents about Harry Potter. He removed the disillusionment spell and pointed his forefinger toward the speck on the horizon and whispered the spell. The speck seemed to move in a short straight line as the owl veered and turned back. The Potions Master waited until the large owl landed on the sill and stuck its leg out. He removed the message and put it in his pocket. He gave the owl a piece of cracker bought specifically for that purpose and headed back to the dungeons.

He believed Eric would come looking for Hermione tonight when she didn't show up at the inn. She wouldn't be here.

But Severus would.

He needed to check his stores. He was sure he had some of the required potion.

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A/N: Ah, jealous Severus. Got to love him. Wait until you see what he has planned for poor Eric. He is a very twisted wizard. Hermione would KILL him if she ever found out. Lol. This is going to be FUN, freaky fun. Please review.