Seduction by Design

Seduction By Design



Chapter Three

So he was now getting pissed. It was bad enough he had to contend with a stubborn and immature little Gryffindor who was under the impression something monumental had occurred between them and they were suddenly equals (which, granted was slightly true) but now he had a contend with a werewolf who might have his hoped tarnished should this miracle cure fail, again. Merlin. Did this day have any high points? Oh wait, it was Saturday. At the very least he would not have to contend with students, although that contentment was fleeting.

“So I got your note.” Remus entered the lab, his hands in his pockets. He looked nervous, and rightly so. He was still clinging desperately to a life preserver too worn for the wear. His hope, his dream, was to end his curse. Snape wondered how much Lupin had truly accepted his curse, especially seeing how the man must have flew like a banshee to get to Hogwarts so quickly. Gryffindors. Eternally optimistic and brave. It’s a wonder they live past the age of twenty.

“Apparently.” Snape retorted.

“Here.” Hermione, ever so eager, ran up to him with the potion in hand. Leave it to her to spare them all the small talk. “Tonight is a full moon. As darkness falls and you feel your transformation start to hit, drink.”

Remus eyed the vital curiously. “How is this any different than the potion I usually take?”

“Miss Granger has found a way to stabilize the ingredients that often dissolve after the first few days, requiring you to take another dose. This should be a permanent solution.” Snape said.

“Now, that’s not entirely fair. I merely completed the work Severus started. As I told him before, his imagination and skill gave it shape and form. I recall properties and recite them back.” Hermione jumped in, trying to sooth what she assumed was a bruised ego. The problem with assumptions: they made an ass out of you.

Lupin took them both in, his face plastered with uncertainty, hopefulness, and doubt – all at the same time. No wonder, Snape thought. She had just referred to him by his given name. “A team effort then,” He concluded, his eyes returning to the vital in his hands. “So, how soon will we know if it works…indefinitely?”

Snape furrowed his brow. “Unfortunately, only time can tell. The instable nature of the ingredients is what kept you repeating your dosage, so their stabilization is a good sign that odds are in your favor.” He began to follow the recipe for the potion, intent to start another batch to research its other properties. “Miss Granger is being modest again, she has taken your cure as a sort of side project and spent much time destroying my laboratory in preparation.” He watched her beam at his praise, lords she was smiling at him. Time to say something cutting. “So, as I am to complete my work here, why don’t you show Lupin out, Miss Granger and enjoy the day off. I’m certain you can find something meaningful to do to occupy your time.” Perhaps not so cutting. He could at least try to send her off on Lupin instead. He felt slightly jealous at the thought of her with the werewolf, but assured himself it would be all for the better.

“I certainly will find something to do.” He could feel her eyes on him. “Remus, you will need to come back tomorrow for a follow-up. Sounds agreeable?”

“Sure.” Lupin agreed, obviously dumbstruck by the possibility of not transforming again. “I can’t…I mean…”

Hermione reached over and pulled him into a big hug. “I know, Remus, I know.”

Part of him was touched by the emotion in her voice, the delicacy of the whole situation. Of course it was a very small part. Was Remus crying? Merlin, they both were. Hermione started to laugh, and soon Remus joined. Soon enough they were practically dancing around his lab in joy. How revolting.

“Please,” He held a hand up in dismissal. “Try to contain yourselves.”

“Oh my god!” Remus spun him around and started to shake his hand violently. “Thank you!” He practically had to shove Remus off to get him to stop touching him. Remus reached over and kissed Hermione, hugging her again. “Merlin, thank you both! I can’t wait to go tell Albus and Minerva!” Remus was already out the door before Snape to scold him for being so juvenile and presumptuous.

Hermione was smiling and chuckling to herself as she took her place next to him, beginning to weigh out the correct ingredients. “What are you doing?” He asked suspiciously, stopping what he was doing to stare her down. Maybe a good intimidation would steer her away long enough for him to recoup his losses.

She looked up at him, her eyes shining and her face glowing with delight. “I’m helping you, silly.” She answered, as if it was that simple.

His eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. “You have been dismissed Miss Granger. I do not often give time off, so relish it.” Merlin, couldn’t she take a hint? “I’m sure your two male counterparts would love to have your company for the remainder of the weekend.”

Apparently thrusting her onto Potter and Weasley did not seem like a good idea because her glow began to dissipate. Her eyes immediate cast down, and surprisingly enough, he didn’t feel very good putting her down the notch, contrary to first impressions into the day. He sighed. “What did those dunderheads do now?” He asked in tone so low and soft it could have been considered kind.

“They…haven’t owled me.” She said, her eyes still on her ingredients. He could feel her aura fade from a brilliant crimson to a dull maroon at the mention of her former (dare he hope) friends. Maybe not the best choice of words on his part, he would rather manage the content and confident woman from this morning to the dole-eyed one before him. Gods. Did he just admit that?

“And?”

She sucked in her breath. “I know that they are busy. I know that. It’s just…”

“Do you feel forgotten?” He asked.

She looked up at him and the pain echoed through her eyes. He cursed those two selfish imbeciles. “It wasn’t so bad before, when I first came back to Hogwarts. But now they both have girlfriends and each other and I am so far away….”

He never really realized how true her words were. Hermione was free to come and go from Hogwarts, but she was too hardworking to take anything more than daytrips to Hogsmeade and sometimes Diagon Alley. She seemed to write many letters, mostly to her parents, some to old friends, but she didn’t have many visitors. He never thought that she was a solitary creature, as he was – but she was slowly heading down that path, becoming consumed with her work. His work. Merlin. She was becoming him. No wonder she jumped his bones. Like attract like.

“Perhaps you need to take some time off.” He said, the words slow after his pensive pause.

“No! That’s the last thing I need, especially with midterms on the way, Remus’s potion hasn’t even been studied-” She was stubborn. He didn’t care for that streak in her. Not outside the bedroom anyway. Whoa. Where did that thought come from? How could he appreciate something that he could never have ever again?

“I can manage. I have managed in the past.”

She smiled slyly. “Yes, but now I manage you, and I deem that you need me too much for me to take a mini-break.”

“You do not manage me, Miss Granger.”

“Hermione.” She smiled. “Say my name, Severus. I like the way it sounds on your tongue.”

He groaned. “Please try to conduct yourself in the lab, Miss…Hermione.”

“I want to talk about last night.” She replied.

He practically threw down his wand in frustration. “Enough is enough.” He was livid. “I have already told you twice to reign your over-excitable hormonal urges in my laboratory and you have deliberately disobeyed me yet again. Where the words to complicated for a silly girl such as yourself? Shall I use less syllables?”

Her eyes darkened and her lips thinned. “I heard you quite clearly the first time. I was merely going to inform you of last nights events while I brewed the potion.” Her tone was cool, brisk. “Or perhaps it is you who need to control your over-excitable hormonal urges?”

He shrugged off the lesson in humility and picked up his wand. Maybe, he grudgingly had to admit, she had a point.



Tbc