A Yearning

Leaving the hospital wing as fast as she could, Hermione ran straight back to her room. Passing through the common room quickly, she barely noticed the lack of students lounging about. Taking refuge in her bed once again, Hermione pulled her knees to her chest and held herself, her mind over actively thinking over everything that had happened. Without realizing, she had let go of her knees and was absent mindedly caressing the back of her hand, softly stroking the skin that, only hours before, Snape had stroked while scolding her.

In the six years she had been at Hogwarts, Professor Snape had never acknowledged her in a true sense. Of course calling on her in class was certainly acknowledgement, but there was also twenty four other students in each class who were called upon just as often. No, he had never bestowed attention on her as he had over the past two days. Realizing what her hands were doing, Hermione quickly stopped, unable to understand why it felt so good and why she wanted him to be doing it.

She was a simple girl. She had always been focused on her studies, never giving too much thought to boys. Of course she had those hormonal surges characteristic of any young teenager, but to put it bluntly, she was still a virgin. She had considered sex, and it was hard not to when she had been romantically tied to the famous Viktor Krum. But she had always decided against it, seeing it as nothing spectacular and hardly something to make a large deal about. Viktor, on the other hand, did not share her views, helping speed up the arrival of their breakup. Hermione was hardly fazed. It had been a long distance relationship, their communication mainly through owls, and they had hardly put any emotions into it. So it wasn’t very surprising when she received the all too cliché “Dear Jane” letter. When she had thought about it, she was happier to be on her own and decided to throw herself deeper into her studies. Sure Lavender and Padma Patil didn’t fawn over her every time she received a letter from her Romanian Quidditch King, but then again, she was never very fond of it in the first place.

But as she sat on her bed she realized something. Snape had been able to do something that Viktor Krum had never been able to do – and that was scare the hell out of her. And yet she wanted more. When his skin had touched hers it was like someone had thrown her into a bonfire, the temperature within her body rising and her skin feeling like it was aflame. She wanted to feel it again, feel him touch her skin. She wanted to seek him out, make him tell her why he did what he did...make him touch her.

\'What are you thinking Hermione?\'

The feelings taking over her body, she was extremely aware of the fact that the space between her legs was on fire, something she had only felt twice before, but never compared to the severity of what she was feeling now. Trying to understand what was happening to her body, Hermione decided there was only one place she would be able to find the answer. Grabbing her school bag, she left the room, making her way toward the sanctuary that was the library.

………………………………………………………………

The book before her held the answer she was looking for. Having searched shelf after shelf for a Muggle dictionary, she had finally found one. Opened to the “L” words, she found exactly what it was she had been searching for:

Lust (noun). 1.obsolete a: PLEASURE, DELIGHT b: personal inclination: WISH 2. usually intense or unbridled sexual desire: LASCIVIOUSNESS 3. a: an intense longing: CRAVING b: ENTHUSIASM, EAGERNESS.

Re-reading it over and over, Hermione’s eyes focused on one term in particular -- intense or unbridled sexual desire. Intense? Oh gods it was intense. Unbridled? Very much so. Sexual Desire? Undeniably nothing more nor nothing less. And as she focused on that one little sentence, she realized that was exactly what she was feeling. And then it hit her -- intense or unbridled sexual desire for Professor Severus Snape.

“You have got to be kidding me,” she said out loud, not even caring if anyone heard her. Unfortunately she did not notice the black haired, hooked nose potions professor standing in an aisle beside the one she was currently sitting in.

“And what, Miss Granger, is so shocking?” Snape asked as he appeared in the aisle, blocking her from an escape.

“Nothing,” she said quickly, shutting the dictionary in front of her with a little too much force.

“Miss Granger, I believe you know how to take care of things that are not yours. Please be kind to the books, they haven’t done anything to you to warrant an attack…although excessive reading and over use could count as harassment.”

How easy it was for him to point out the faults of any one he laid eyes upon. Seeing her discomfort, with one fluid motion he bent down and snatched the dictionary off the floor. Hermione’s eyes widened when she saw him open up to the page she had just been on.

“Professor,” she cried, jumping up and trying to snatch the book out of his hand. Instead she managed to hit him in the chin, her hand coming up and fisting him in something that looked like an uppercut. The worst part was when she heard his jaws come together, the undeniable sound of teeth hitting teeth deep within her ears.

“Professor Snape! I’m so sorry,” she chocked out, rushing over to him, trying to get him to look at her. Pushing her away, he opened his mouth, only to spit out two molars that had been knocked out from her powerful punch.

“Miss Granger, I fear you’ve done enough already,” he said, glaring at her and dropping the dictionary on the floor.

“Professor Snape, let me look at your mouth. My parents are dentists…”

“Somehow I doubt you know what you’re doing,” he said cutting her off while shooting her a fierce look.

Slightly frightened by his glare, Hermione took a step back. Snape looked at her.

“Let me see your hand,” he said, holding out his. Without hesitation, she gave it to him, not ready for the surge of energy she felt the moment she touched his skin. Unable to deny it, Snape could feel it too and promptly dropped her limb, taking a step back himself. He looked at her.

“You may want to see Madame Pomfrey about that,” he said and quickly turned and left the room.

……………………………………………………………....

“My dear, what happened to your hand?” Madame Pomfrey asked as she glanced over Hermione’s bruised knuckles.

“IaccidentallyhitProfessorSnape,” she said, her voice hurried and slurred together.

“What was that my dear? I didn’t catch it.”

“I said I accidentally hit Professor Snape.”

“Oh my! What prompted you to do such a thing?”

“I didn’t do it on purpose. It was wholly an accident. I was in the library reading and he appeared out of nowhere and asked me why I had said something. Before I knew it, he had my book in his hand and I was trying to grab it while I was trying to get up off the floor and my fist collided with his chin.”

Madame Pomfrey gave a little chuckle at hearing what had occurred. “Oh my, that is an interesting tale. Well, I dare say Severus deserved it. He should know better than to be sneaking up on people like that.”

“Well, I feel terrible. I think he lost two teeth.”

“Why is he not here then?”

“He left after he told me to come see you.”

“Insufferable man! He believes himself to be beyond medicine and rest. I’ll have to talk to Dumbledore about it.”

While they had been talking the kind witch had been rubbing a healing ointment on Hermione’s hand and when she looked back at her knuckles, she noticed they were no longer swollen and bruised. “Thank you, Madame Pomfrey.”

“Oh you’re welcome. If anything should happen again you know where to find me.”

Hermione gave her a smile, grabbed her book bag and made her way back to her room.

………………………………………………………………

The moment Hermione had left the library Snape had left his hiding place amongst a dark corner and went back to the aisle they had been in. Grabbing the book he had seen her with, Snape opened up to the page she had been on, conveniently marked by a deep red and gold ribbon only given to those in the house of Gryffindor. Glancing at the page, he came upon the one word he undoubtedly knew was the one she had been looking at.

\'Lust? Hmmm…interesting. So that is what is happening. Severus, I’m surprised you had not realized that until now. Trust the know-it-all Granger to have beaten you to it.\'

Replacing the book back on the shelf, he left the library, his mind on overdrive as he pondered what was to come between the 7th year Gryffindor and the lowly potions master.

……………………………………………………………...

When she had returned to her room, Hermione had fallen upon her bed, her mind and body overly tired. Without realizing it, she had soon fallen asleep and her mind drifted off into the dark abyss that was the dream world…

......She was in the dungeon, cleaning cauldrons. Her hands were raw and her hair wet from the soapy water that had hit her in the face when she had been careless with her cleaning. Pushing the wet strands out of her face, she returned to the mess in front of her, hoping it would all be over soon. Muttering to herself she did not notice the dark figure that had crept up behind her. In one instant, the cauldron that had been in front of her disappeared, along with the twenty more she had left to do. Feeling a presence behind her, she turned around, only to find Snape standing against a nearby table, his head low while his long, black hair covered his face. His wand was pointed at her while the blacks of his eyes were the only thing visible on his face, staring at her with unwavering attention.

She gasped, taking a step backward, only to back into the edge of the counter. As if the whole room was masked in silence, Snape took a step toward her, his eyes still focused on her with intent.

When he was but an inch from her body, he looked up, his hair falling away from his face. She looked at him, understanding the look in his eyes…the look of want, of lust, of desire. Closing her own, they immediately opened when she felt his hand cup her chin, forcing her to look up at him. She looked, only to be greeted with his lips, finding hers in a forceful kiss. Unable to tell if she wanted it or wanted to run from it, she gave into him, feeling his arms wrap around her as the kiss deepened and their bodies became as close as their clothes would allow.

The energy coursing through their bodies was tremendous and neither wanted to break the connection, fearing all would be lost if they were to separate. Breaking the kiss for the petty reason of needing air to breathe, Snape looked at her, his eyes glowing with want. She knew what he wanted, what he was going to get if she allowed it to continue. Feeling his fingers trail over her lips, she could feel her body react to his touch, readying itself for whatever was to come.

Looking into his eyes, she felt her hands reach up and wrap themselves around his neck, drawing him into another kiss, one that would no doubt lead to other things......

Hermione woke with a start, her body sweaty and her breathing harsh. Glancing at the small clock on her nightstand, she was startled to see she had slept most of the day, it being almost dinner time. Feeling incredibly unclean, she headed off to the girls bathrooms, needing to rid herself of recently acquired muscle aches before dinner.

………………………………………………………………

Snape woke with a start, his body sweaty and his breathing harsh. The dream had seemed so real, the way he had been in his body, watching her cleaning cauldrons. And then he did the unthinkable. Unable to control the want and desire within him, he had taken the first step and kissed her, knowing she would either run away or give herself to him. After returning from the library to his personal chambers, he had laid down on his bed, hoping to think. But instead his fatigued body and mind decided sleep was the better option and before he knew it he had been whisked off to the dark abyss that was the dream world.
Gods he had wanted to kiss her. And he had. And it had felt so right, as if something had returned to his body, something that had been lost long ago. She had given into him, even taken control of the second kiss. But it was only a dream…a way for his subconscious to express what he was truly feeling, truly wanting.

Getting up from the bed, he glanced at the clock on the mantle above the fireplace. Realizing he had slept most of the day, Snape decided he needed to take a shower before he was required to appear in the Great Hall for dinner. Besides, he needed to take care of some recently acquired muscles aches that would undeniably grow worse if left unattended.

\'Lord it felt so real…\'