A Terrible Temptation

A/N - I am sorry to those who were confused by the flashback in the beginning of last chapter. I mentioned the battle and how Snape saved their lives in chapter 2, but realized that I hadn\'t elaborated. Thanks to Kate for the kicking of the butt, my work is always improved by intelligent critique.

Thanks to my splendid revieres, especially to mele because she sent virtual chocolate, which is nearly as good as the real thing. :) (Hint - I can be bribed)

Chapter 22 – One of These Just Doesn’t Belong

Severus swept from the Hospital Wing scattering students before him like ten-pins. A startled gasp made him draw up short and meet a pair of bright blue eyes under a mop of red hair. Ronald Weasley was staring at him with a mixture of expressions chasing each other across his face. His first instinct was to head over to Ron to discuss the new situation, but a quick scan of the hallway showed three Slytherins and a Ravenclaw.

“Mr. Weasley.” He nodded coolly and swept on away from the boy. He couldn’t bring himself to snark at him but he could limit the contact enough to fight the urge to talk to him.

“Professor Snape.” The boy’s voice was almost disappointed and it warmed Severus to think that maybe the young man might miss him just a little.

He flowed down the steps and headed for his dungeons thinking that he could at least sleep in a room tonightt wat wasn’t decorated in Early Dorm Style. He was running through all the good points to being back in his own body. No curfew, he could work on his experiments, he could deduct points again.

It happened as he passed the Great Hall: Hermione stepped out from dinner, her head in a book, her eyes down and her feet wending their sure way towards the library, no doubt. She was still in her school robes, one sock sagging a little and her hair tied back messily to keep it out of her face.

He found her utterly charming, his heart raced and his palms dampened. He felt the same terrible giddiness that he had felt when she had hugged him on the Quidditch pitch. It was like being punched in the stomach. She looked up at him and her face registered shock and then a sort of pleased surprise.

“Professor! You’re awake!” She sounded happy and he reminded himself that she didn’t know that he had been awake the whole time. Her impersonal pleasure, as though he were a book that had been returned made him unreasonably angry. Couldn’t she see the truth? Couldn’t she recognize him?

“Obviously.” He snarled at her and swept away. It was all for the best; her silly crush would fade and he would return to dungeons where he belonged. He would go back to being friendless and alone, a penitent searching for absolution in the darkness. He would simply forget her and the wholly inappropriate feelings she stirred in him. It really was all for the best.

Hermione watched Snape swirl away and felt strangely bereft. There had been something there for a moment in his eyes when he spoke to her, something b and and filled with pain. It had hurt to look at him. He had radiated agony, something cold and brittle in him was shattering and she felt obscurely responsible.

She had a sudden urge to run after him to offer comfort, something. The dream-memory of the almost kiss haunted her but she would be a fool to open herself to such potential hurt. Any offer of friendship would be spurned by the bitter, difficult man and she would only receive the sharp disdainful shredding he gave to anyone who ventured too close.

“Hermione!” Harry and Ron were clumping down the stairs laughing and hugging as though they hadn’t seen each other in years. Harry grabbed her and hugged her; Hermione was startled by the gesture, considering how he had avoided her so much lately.

She leaned into the hug expecting the warm rush of bubbling hormones she had been feeling around him lately and discovered that they were lacking. She pulled back, looked into guileless green eyes and felt nothing. Harry released her and grinned at her with his usual affectionate brotherly smile and she felt no rush of desire.

“Harry?” She was confused.

“I am so glad to see you ‘Mione.” He hooked a hand through her arm and the three of them went back up to Gryffindor Tower but Harry was the only one who was completely happy.

Ron knocked softly and waited. Inside there was a scuffing sound and then the door swung open. Snape was dressed in a Slytherin green dressing gown with his hair tied back. From under the invisibility cloak Ron muttered.

“Step aside, so I can come in.” He saw the widening of the eyes and the moment’s hesitation and then Snape moved aside and shut thor bor behind him.

“You are out after curfew, Mr. Weasley.” Ron wasn’t sure what was more shocking, the fact that Snape didn’t take off House points or the fact that he sounded amused.

“Yeah, well, how else was I supposed to talk to you?” Ron pointed out as he pulled off the cloak. Snape smirked at him but it was an expression that no longer held any negative connotations him him. Having seen it on Harry’s face rendered it powerless for him.

“Mr. Potter is adjusting well?” Snape broke the uncomfortable silence and went to make tea on the hob.

“He’s thrilled to be back. Hermione is the one I am worried about.” Ron saw the minute hesitation, the way Snape’s hand clenched around the teapot, and knew that he wasn’t over her yet.

“What is wrong with Miss Granger?” Snape’s voice was so painfully neutral that Ron smiled a little. He had it bad Snape did, real bad.

“She is confused and rather upset.” That was an understatement; Hermione had looked to be near tears when she had left the Common Room to go to bed. An entire evening with the “old” Harry back and she had been frustrated and distressed. Suddenly Harry wasn’t interested in Potions and brushed off his homework again.

“She will adjust.” Ron saw the trembling as Snape poured the hot water into the teapot over the leaves. Back in his own body he seemed austere and distant but Ron wasn’t about to be fooled again. He had seen the softer side of the Slytherin and now knew far more about what went on under the surface.

“I was wrong you know. I was wrong about you and I was wrong about her.” Ron took the cup of tea from Snape who was standing stock-still. “I still think you can be an arrogant jerk, sir, but I also know that isn’t who you are really. I also know that Hermione is not like anybody else. She was born forty years old and I have had to work to make her act like a teenaged girl sometimes.” Ron took a sip of the tea and a deep breath. “You need to tell her and you need to find out if there can be anything between you.”

“You are the last person I ever expected to hear that advice from.” Snape was staring at him with a slight flush of embarrassment. Ron chuckled, feeling the discomfort flowing away from him. Snape was still his friend, strange as it might seem, and hadn’t hexed him.

“Yeah, well imagine how I must be feeling.” He shot back still chuckling and was rewarded with a tiny smile from the Potions Master.

“I will take it under advisement.” Ron had never heard Snape’s voice sound so gentle. “However, it is forbidden for students to be out after curfew and it’s forbidden for you to be in staff quarters, so as soon as you finish your tea, it’s off with you.” Ron grinned and nodded.

“So, you think Ryder is any good? The Canons could use some new blood.” Ron launched back into the discussion that had been interrupted by the change of bodies. Snape’s lips twitched and he poured more tea into Ron’s cup.

“Telling you what the Canons need could take up weeks.” Those sly sarcastic tones were much more effective in Snape’s own body.

They argued and debated until the tea was quite cold but Ron was warmed through. He might have to keep it a secret, but he hadn’t lost the unlikely friendship of a prickly man whom he was coming to truly value. If he played his cards right, he might be able to find a way to make at least two of his friends happy as well. All he had to do was make sure he didn’t get either of them in trouble.

It wasn’t only Slytherins who could plan strategies and Ron was very good at Wizard chess, very good indeed.