Twice Bitten ~ COMPLETED

Chapter 32 ~ Confrontation

Three weeks passed without Hermione telling Snape whether or not she forgave him. A few nights, he quietly shadowed her on her rounds, but didn’t dare approach her and risk making the young witch angry.

In the meantime, Edgar and Hermione were studying together regularly, so regularly Harry and Ron were beginning to feel neglected. They were used to the witch forcing them to hit the books and complained like hell about it, but now, they missed it.

”Hermione, I have a test coming up,” Ron whined to her one evening when she arrived in the Common Room from a study session with Edgar.

She had her knapsack slung over one shoulder and it was bulging so badly the seams were stretched.

”So study, Ron,” she said to him.

”I’m not used to studying without you hovering over me, Hermione,” the red-head said sullenly, “I need you cracking the whip.”

”Well, you’re going to have to crack your own whip, Ron,” she replied, sitting down on the sofa between him and Harry, who said nothing. Ron spoke for both of them. “I’ve got to stay focused if I’m going to keep top marks this year. Edgar is really smart. He could nudge me out.”

”So that’s what this is about? Your marks?” Ron asked her.

”That, and he’s stimulating company,” Hermione replied.

”How stimulating?” Ron asked her, frowning.

”Mentally stimulating, Ron. Gods,” she snapped at him. “It’s nice to talk with someone who has more than half a brain.”

”Hey! I have a full brain,” Ron said, scowling at the witch.

”You might have it, but you don’t use it,” she shot back at him.

Harry stood up.

”I’m going to meet Ginny. We’re going to take a walk around the castle,” Harry said.

Ron jumped up.

”I’ll come with you. I don’t have anything to do,” he said, smiling.

Harry sighed. Ron was so fucking thick sometimes.

”I’d really just like it to be me and Ginny, Ron,” he told his friend.

”Why?” Ron said suspiciously.

”Ron, stop being a git. Harry and Ginny go out. They’re supposed to have some time alone together,” Hermione said to him, pulling him back down to the sofa by his robes.

Harry thanked Hermione and left.

”No shagging my sister, Harry!” Ron called after him.

Harry’s entire head turned bright red as the other students in the Common Room laughed.

“Really Ron, you have some nerve, especially after shagging four girls at once,” Hermione said to him.

”Yeah, but none of their brothers were around, if they even have brothers,” Ron replied with a smug look.

Hermione punched him in the shoulder and stood up.

”I’ve got to put my things away and get ready for rounds,” she said to Ron.

”Yeah. Abandon me, Hermione,” Ron said, pouting.

”Ron, you really need to get a life,” Hermione replied, heading up the stairs.

Ron looked after her. She was right. He really needed to find a girlfriend to take up his spare time. Luna Lovegood was pretty entertaining. He wondered if she was still a virgin.

“Hey Ron, how about a game of Wizarding Chess?” Seamus called from across the room. He was already seated at the table.

”All right,” Ron said, standing up and walking over, giving Seamus a measuring look.

”This will take about five minutes,” the red-head said as he sat down. Other students gathered around to watch.

Ron was wrong however.

It only took four.

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Hermione never even heard Snape walk up as she checked the niches on the top floor. She turned around and he was simply there, looking at her.

”Professor! You startled me,” she said to the wizard.

Snape didn’t say anything. He just looked at her. Hermione began to feel uncomfortable. She purposely hadn’t told him whether or not she forgave him. Actually she did, but thought she shouldn’t make it so easy for the wizard. He had hurt her after all, even if he didn’t mean to do it. He had to learn to think about other people’s feelings.

However, his honesty had moved her and when she returned to her room to think about what he said, she cried for him a little. His was such a sad life. It was also a shock to find out that he and Lily had been more than friends. She decided she wouldn’t tell Harry. She didn’t know how he would take it.

She looked up at him.

”What,” he said softly, “is it about me that makes witches give me their virginity, then want nothing further? Am I some kind of warm-up for other wizards that are more appealing than I am?”

Hermione frowned at him.

”What are you talking about, Professor?” she asked him.

”First Lily . . . now you,” he said, his eyes glittering. “What is it about me that says ‘use me?’ Can you tell me that, Hermione?”

Lily? He thought she was acting like Lily?

”No. I’m not like Lily,” Hermione said to him. “I’m nothing like her.”

Snape didn’t say anything. He simply turned and walked away from her.

“I . . . I forgive you, Professor!” she called out.

The wizard stopped for a moment, but didn’t turn around.

”You know something, Hermione? At this point, I no longer care if you do or not. You’ve purposely made me wait for your answer, purposely punishing me when I was honest with you, when I opened up, when I told you what was in my heart. I thought that was what you wanted. But it wasn’t. What you wanted was to lead me around by my nose . . . just like Lily did. It’s not going to happen this time. It’s clear you feel nothing for me and I refuse to be obsessed over another cold-hearted witch. Fuck my dreams about you. I’ll be fine. Go be with your version of James Potter. Go shag your Ravenclaw,” he said harshly, then continued walking, his robes billowing.

Hermione stood there, stunned as Snape disappeared around the corner.

What had she done?

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Snape returned to his rooms and fixed himself a Firewhiskey. He hoped guilt would consume the little bitch. He’d had enough. He had to resign himself to the fact that he would never find a witch who would care for him. Fuck him? Yes. But want him? No, he wasn’t meant for that and it was time he faced up to it. He would grow old and die alone if he waited for love.

Of course he knew there were women who would accept him because of his hero status, but that would simply be status. Still, it was an option. He could have a family at least, children to pass his knowledge to and be a comfort to him in his old age. It didn’t matter if the witch truly loved him or not. She would breed and be available.

He needed to think about this.

Snape stood up, walked over to his desk in his study, opened the top drawer and took out a stack of letters. They were all from women interested in ‘meeting’ him. Up to this point, he had found them a source of amusement. Witches only out for themselves. A bunch of status whores waiting to ride his robes to notoriety. He’d give them a ride all right.

He sat down and began to shift through the letters.

Fuck Hermione Granger.

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“How could he turn this around on me?” Hermione seethed as she lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. “He was the inconsiderate one. He was the one who didn’t think about my feelings and walked away. How could he say I’m like Lily? I’m not like Lily at all.”

But a little part of her wasn’t sure about that. She had been aware of his furtive glances at her, how tense the wizard was around her, and she had enjoyed his discomfort. She liked the fact she had the snarky wizard on edge. It made her feel powerful to be in total control of the situation . . .

“Oh my gods,” she breathed as the realization hit her. “I really am treating him horribly.”

Hermione was now the one guilty of only thinking of herself, and she felt awful.

”How am I going to fix this? He hates me,” she said to herself.

The tables had turned. Now she had some apologizing to do.

Oh what a tangled web we weave.

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When the DADA class let out, Hermione lingered, waiting for the last student to leave. Snape sat at his desk, looking over the summaries the students had handed in. Hermione walked up to his desk, clasping her hands nervously.

”Professor?” she said softly.

Snape looked up at her. His eyes were cool as he looked at the witch.

”Yes, Miss Granger?” he said.

”I wonder if I could talk to you?” she asked him tremulously.

”Is it concerning class or marks?” the wizard inquired.

”No,” Hermione said.

”Then we have nothing to talk about. As I said when this class first began, I am your teacher, not your confidant and not your friend. That still stands, Miss Granger. Now, my time is valuable. Don’t waste it,” he said coldly, returning to the parchments.

“You’re a bastard,” she hissed at him.

”Twenty points from Gryffindor,” Snape said without batting an eye.

“I can’t believe you! You sit here and . . .” Hermione began to rage.

Snape looked up at her, his black eyes narrowed.

”Don’t waste your words, Miss Granger. You have lost your ability to prick my conscience. I don’t care how you interpret my actions or my motives any longer. I will not make any attempt to change your opinion of me. I tried that once, and it didn’t work. I won’t do it again. Now, if you want your house to lose more points, continue to stand here,” he said to her silkily.

Hermione stood there, her eyes beginning to glisten.

”I’m . . . I’m sorry,” she said to him.

Snape said nothing as he returned to his paperwork.

”I’m really sorry, Professor, I didn’t mean to act that way. I was being a bitch and I know it,” she said to him, her voice quavering. “I jump all over you for not caring how I felt, then I turn around and do the same thing to you.”

”Too little, too late, Miss Granger. Now go. This is the last time I’ll tell you before taking fifty house points,” he said, not looking up.

Hermione let out a sob, then turned and exited the classroom.

Snape looked up.

”I’m not falling for it this time,” he said to himself. “I’m done with her.”

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A/N: Thanks for reading.