Mastering Temptation

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: A Stubborn Wizard and a Witch in a Snit











Severus made his way into the office via floo just a little after lunch. The seventh year students had already returned to school and the prefects were readying themselves for the arrival of the younger students that evening. He had seen very little of Hermione that day aside from their morning shower and breakfast. She had been oddly reclusive around the school.







He sat behind his desk and picked up a red file folder from the Ministry. He read the first page in disbelief, Hermione had put into writing her intent to resign from her position at the end of the school year. Along with her neatly penned letter were several applications and résumés for a replacement that Hermione had already gone through. Apparently she had also convinced the ministry to allow him some say in a future assistant, the problem was, he refused to even consider someone else.







“Hermione!” Severus’s voice reverberated off of the stone walls of their offices. Hermione was standing in the outer chamber conversing with Madam Hooch and Professor McGonagall when she heard him. She flinched slightly and turned to see him standing in the doorway, the red ministry file clutched in his fist.





“Can I help you with something, sir?” She asked, trying hard to communicate to him using only her eyes that perhaps they should wait until they did not have company before discussing the contents of the file.





“Cut the ‘sir’ crap, Hermione. What in the hell is this?” He asked, walking towards her and shoving the crumpled resignation letter beneath her nose.





“That is my resignation letter. I will finish out the school year and then I will resume my old position as Lucius Malfoy’s personal assistant.” She said, glancing over her shoulder at the puzzled women watching them.





“Like hell you will! Why would you think that I would allow you to resign?” He asked.







“Sir, for personal reasons, I think it inappropriate for me to continue working for you.” Hermione said tightly. “I think maybe we should continue this conversation in your office, in private.”





“And I think that you should forget about going back to Lucius, you are not going anywhere.” Severus said, tossing the file and its contents into the fireplace.





“Why did you do that! I need to find a replacement!” She said, watching the papers burn to ash.





“No you don’t, because you aren’t leaving and that is final.” Severus said, crossing his arms and giving her a look that dared her to contradict him.





“If you would think about this rationally you would see that it is the best course of action, all things considered.” She said through clenched teeth.







“Oh bloody hell, Hermione, stop dancing around the subject. Do you honestly believe that people in this school haven’t already figured out that we are involved?” He snapped, glowering at the nosy witches behind her. “And if they hadn’t figured it out then they surely heard the rumors.”







“Fine! You want to have it out in front of them? Alright then, let’s have it out, Severus.” Hermione said, surprising him when she placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. He had seen her like that with Lucius and Draco when she was perturbed with them over some infraction or another but she had never focused her fury on him. “I don’t think that the parents would appreciate the fact that the school headmaster is having an intimate relationship with his secretary!”







“I think maybe we should come back later.” Minerva said eyes wide as she and Madam Hooch excused themselves.







“What business is it of theirs?” Severus refused to consider her argument. “You will remain in your current position and Lucius can bloody well sod off!”





“You are being completely pig-headed about this whole thing, Severus.” Hermione said, growing more and more frustrated with the obstinate wizard.





“I am not! You are trying to walk away from me and I am not going to allow it!” Severus said his obsidian eyes bright with frustration. Hermione softened, just a little, and reached out to lay her hand over his.





“I’m not walking away from you, Severus, I love you, and I couldn’t walk away even if I wanted to. But I can not justify working for the man whose bed I am sharing, it doesn’t set a good example for the students and it isn’t very ethical.” She said softly.





“Ethics be damned! I have spent the majority of my life trying to do the right thing, trying to make up for the wrongs and I am damned well sick of it! You are not leaving this job and that is final!” Severus turned on his heel and stalked into his office.





Hermione followed behind him, discomfited by his stubbornness. He was sitting in his chair, his fingers drumming on the surface of the desk while he scowled.





“Severus, you are the headmaster of this school and the parents expect you to set an example for the students. It doesn’t look good that you are carrying on with a woman who works for you, it’s just unseemly.” She said, stopping beside his chair and resting her hand on his shoulder. “Our relationship does not have to change, we just wont be exposing the students to it is all. I actually like working for Lucius, and you know he will make sure I am well cared for and looked after.”







“Is that the only reason? You think it looks bad that you work for the man you are also sleeping with?” He asked.





“Yes that is the only reason, Severus. I love this job and I love being with you all the time, but we have to think about the image we are projecting to the students and other faculty members.” She said. She watched his eyes close and then suddenly the drumming of his fingers stopped.





“Very well, we will get married. No one can say that it is inappropriate if I have made an honest woman of you.” Severus opened his eyes and stared up at her. She looked stunned, and then suddenly her eyes narrowed and her face turned red.







“You bastard.” She hissed at him before turning on her heel and storming from his office.









“What the bloody hell did I do?” He asked himself, flinching when the outside door slammed. He got up and followed after her. She was moving quickly down the hall, her high heeled shoes clicking on the stone floor. She was furious, he could tell by the rigidity of her back and the way her hands were fisting and un-fisting at her sides.







His long legged stride caught him up to her rather quickly and he grabbed her by the arm and turned her to face him.









“What? Why are you so angry now?” Severus asked, staring down into stormy amber eyes.







“Are you serious?” She asked incredulously, a slight, hysterical laugh escaping her lips. “You just told me I was going to marry you so that I could continue to work for you and share your bed without feeling guilty that we were setting bad example!”







Prefects and Faculty stopped suddenly and watched the tempest unfolding in the corridor.









“You said that you love me, I thought you would be pleased! It is a perfect solution!” He said. Hermione couldn’t believe that he did not realize what he had done.







“Perfect solution? You thought I would be pleased?” She asked, looking at him as though he had gone completely daft. “Why would I pleased that you offered to marry me so I would continue working for you? The you want to marry me so that I am on hand for a shag when you are feeling randy? Or is it that you just don’t want me with Lucius? Are you afraid I might like him better than you?”









Severus didn’t say anything and she suspected that perhaps his thoughts had strayed to the later. She clenched her teeth and jerked her arm free; tears began to well up in her eyes when she turned to walk away from him again.









“Stop walking away from me, Hermione.” Severus reached for her again and pulled her back against him. “I’m sorry; it didn’t come out the way I wanted it to.” He said softly.









“I love you, Severus, but I don’t like you very much at the moment.” She said sniffling.









“I don’t like me very much at the moment either, A Mhuirnin.” He said. “I don’t want you to leave because you are brilliant and you make coming to work a joy, it has nothing to do with our personal relationship. Yes, I like having you nearby, I like knowing that I can simply call your name and you are right there. Lucius…well I will admit to some insecurity where he is concerned but I never thought you would prefer him to me.”









“Then why?” She asked.









“Because believe it or not, I really do want you to marry me. And despite the fact that I mucked-up the proposal, it has nothing at all to do with the job or Lucius Malfoy. I just want you with me.” He said, turning her in his arms so that she faced him. “Marry me, Hermione. Not because of the job, if you really want to go back and work for Lucius that is fine, I don’t like it, but I will deal with it. Marry me because I love you and I need you with me always.” He whispered those last words for her alone to hear.









“Do you really mean that?” She asked, afraid to believe his words.









“Hermione, I just chased you down in the middle of the hallway and made a spectacle of myself in front of a dozen seventeen year olds and half the staff. Do you think I would do something like that if my feelings were not real?” He asked. Hermione glanced around at all the curious faces watching them and she started laughing through her tears.









“I suppose not.” She reached up and cupped his face in her hands. “I love you and I will marry you gladly.” She said, lifting onto her toes and kissing him as his shoulders dropped in relief.









“Oh, and there is this.” Severus snapped his fingers and a small red velvet box appeared in his palm. He watched her open the lid and gasp softly when she saw the oval diamond surrounded by tiny emeralds pillowed on red satin. “I bought it for you weeks ago, I didn’t propose to you on a whim, Hermione, I have wanted to marry you for a while now, and I just didn’t know how to ask you.”







“Well, you certainly made it unforgettable didn’t you?” She laughed, her hand shaking when he slid the ring onto her finger while their audience cheered and applauded. She put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer for another kiss.





“What about the job?” He asked against her lips. Hermione chuckled and kissed him harder for a few moments before pulling away.







“What if I negotiate, I will work for Lucius two days a week and for you three?” She said, reaching up to wipe the tears from her cheeks.







“He’ll try to get more.” Severus said.







“Don’t worry, I can handle Lucius Malfoy.” She laughed. “I love you.”







“I love you too.” He said softly, the words, though foreign to his tongue, seemed to ease him somehow. He felt lighter, as though the weight of the world were lifted from his shoulders.







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



Don’t worry….almost, but not quite finished.





Utopia - I actually called my friend in Dover, which turned out to be around 4am to ask her if American Pie had made its rounds in the UK LMAO….she sleepily says to me “are you fucking with me? Did you actually ring me at 4 in the morning to ask me such a stupid question?” Luckily she wasn’t to upset…..she sent me a package with a dictionary that translates American Vernacular to British Vernacular, I’m looking forward to reading through it. She also sent my kids gift crackers…..a box of 12….there are paper crowns and little toys all over the place!





Aliciana – my friends and I are hoping that the rumors are true and that Dan Radcliffe will be doing a short run in Equus this year on Broadway….rumor also has it that Rickman is considering a 6 week reprisal stint in Private Lives as well….if we get confirmation that it is true, we are going on a road trip to NYC just to see them! Of course they are threatening to take harnesses to strap me into my seat so I will not attempt to rush the stage and get me a handful of Rickman LOL







Twinsie - All babies like to get naked, haven’t met one yet that did not go through that phase. My 1 year old removes her clothes, and diaper regularly, we call her “the Streak”





Shayde Blaze – I frequently imagine hitting Lucius with his cane, though he is usually tied to the bed with his delectable bottom in the air begging for it LOL



Bluezauza – I share said daydreams…..where do you think these stories come from? MY twisted daydreams and fantasies that I mold into stories to share with you!





Lady of Clunn - yes, they did! I watch it on occasion, my family doesn’t get the humor, but I think its hilarious…..course as I said before, it took me becoming friends with a few Brits before I truly understood the nuances of British humor.