A Looping of the Scales ~ COMPLETED
folder
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Snape/Hermione
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
93
Views:
99,041
Reviews:
475
Recommended:
2
Currently Reading:
1
Category:
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Snape/Hermione
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
93
Views:
99,041
Reviews:
475
Recommended:
2
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
I do not own HP and am making no $$$ from this fanfic
Challenges
Chapter 46 ~ Challenges
Hermione returned to Snape’s quarters that evening to find that the wizard wasn’t there. She called out his name to make sure, but there was no answer. He hadn’t left a note or anything. Slightly miffed, Hermione tossed her knapsack to the floor, took out her Advanced Charms book and practiced diagramming wand motions for some of the more difficult spells. Her mind wasn’t totally on her work, however.
Where was he?
****************************************
Snape stood in a clearing in the Forbidden forest, his wand drawn and intent focused as he practiced his spell work unimpeded by prying eyes. Several small trees were cut down, and a few rocks bubbled hotly on the ground, completely melted into magma.
The wizard focused again, turning his wand on himself.
”Duplicus,” he breathed, creating a double of himself. It was a mirror image and moved as he did. When he walked away, so did his double, and when he cast a spell, it did likewise but only in appearance. It had no power after all, it was an illusion. He created two more duplicates. They were good for confusing opponents.
“Let’s see if Hermione can pick a winner,” Snape said to himself with a smirk as his duplicates surrounded him. He ended the spell, then transformed into his gryffin form and flew back towards the castle.
****************************************
When Snape arrived, he found a scowling Hermione poring over a parchment. By the agitated way she was writing, he knew she was less than happy, probably because he’d been gone several hours.
”Well, you missed the Arithmancy problems I did tonight,” Hermione hissed, not looking up at him.
”Did I?” he replied, walking behind her chair and looking over her shoulder.
Hermione looked up at him, frowning.
”Yes you did. Where were you?” she demanded.
He quirked an eyebrow at her.
”Keeping tabs on me?” he asked her softly.
Hermione colored and turned back to her work quickly.
”No, I’m not keeping tabs on you. It’s just that this is supposed to be our study time and you can’t study if you’re not here,” she replied.
”You have more to study than I do,” he replied, taking a seat in the chair next to her. “But, if you must know, I was studying. Actually, I was working on my spell work. I wanted to do it in private so as not to tip my hand before our duel.”
Hermione looked at him.
”Our duel?”
”Surely you haven’t forgotten the upcoming duel, Hermione. Of course, you can back out—“
”Never! I’m not afraid to duel you!”
”Of course not. Gryffindors are never afraid when they should be,” Snape said coolly as Hermione screwed up her face.
”This has nothing to do with my being a Gryffindor. I could be a Hufflepuff and still be willing to face off with you. You seem to think you can beat me, Severus. I assure you, that won’t be easy to do, no matter what original spells you have. Dueling not only requires good spells but good defense, and smarts. I have both.”
”Not to mention a modest opinion of yourself,” the wizard sneered.
”No more modest than you are,” she snapped back at him, her brown eyes flashing.
Snape stared into those brown eyes, his thoughts going back to the night before, remembering how soft and passionate they were for him. He felt a little throb in his nether regions and shifted a bit.
”You seem quite certain you can hold your own with me, Hermione,” he said.
”I am,” the witch replied confidently.
”I see. Perhaps—perhaps you’d like to—I don’t know—make the duel more interesting.”
Hermione arched an eyebrow at him.
”More interesting? In what way?”
”Well, the satisfaction of winning would be fine, but I think there should be some kind of reward for winning,” Snape said, looking at his nails.
”A reward?”
”A prize.”
”Like what?”
”If you win, I will show you three of my original spells. No one else has them except me. That sounds appealing doesn’t it?”
”That depends on how good they are,” Hermione said.
Snape pushed back his chair and stood up. He pulled out his wand and tapped himself, casting the duplication spell wordlessly.
Hermione’s eyes rounded as he repeated the spell. Three Snapes stood staring back at her.
”That’s amazing!” Hermione said as all three Snapes blinked at her.
”It’s quite a good spell, and gives you some idea what you’re up against,” all three Snapes said in triplicate.
”I can still identify the original,” Hermione said to him smugly.
”Not if I do this—Nocturnis!”
The room went dark for a moment, then Snape’s voice cut through the darkness.
”Incendio,” three voices said, relighting the fireplace. Then the three Snapes relit the torches and eyed Hermione.
”Come pick a winner,” they said in chorus.
Frowning slightly, Hermione rose and walked up to all three Snapes, eyeing them. She reached out her hand, but all three stepped back.
”No touching,” they all said. “Pick one.”
Hermione studied them. Snape had darkened the room but hadn’t changed his middle position at all. Hermione pretended to move toward the Snape to the right and saw just a slight twitching of its mouth. She then moved toward the middle Snape. There was no reaction at all. Then she moved to the right Snape, moving closer and again the twitch appeared. Suddenly she poked the middle Snape in the chest hard with her pointy little finger.
”Ow!” he hissed at her as she grinned.
”I told you I could identify you,” she said.
”Yes, but I wasn’t moving. It would be harder in that case. Still, it is a good spell, isn’t it?”
Hermione had to agree it was.
”What others do you have?” she asked him.
Snape made his counterparts disappear, then looked down his nose at her.
”I’m not about to show you all my spells,” he responded. “But I give you my word they are all good spells. Defensive and offensive. Well worth learning.”
Hermione considered this, then asked, “All right. That would be my reward. What would be yours?”
Snape arched an eyebrow at her.
”I think that isn’t hard to figure out, Hermione,” he said softly.
Hermione blinked at him, then blushed.
”Oh,” she said.
”Yes. Oh,” Snape agreed. “It could be weeks before you feel the urge to merge, whereas I would happily accommodate you every night until the NEWTS. You are addictive. I want to shag you again. I’ve learned some new tricks.”
Hermione walked back over to the desk and began to put her books away. It was nearly time to leave. Snape watched her silently.
Hermione picked up her knapsack and slung it over her shoulder and turned to look at him.
”I’ll have to think about it, Severus,” she said softly. “I’ll let you know.”
The wizard approached her.
”May I kiss you good night?” he asked her.
Hermione blinked up at him, her eyes resting on his mouth.
”Just a regular kiss, Severus. No tongue,” she replied, closing her eyes and puckering.
If she thought she was just going to get away with that, she was wrong as the wizard drew her gently into his arms. If he couldn’t get a little tongue, a bit of body to body contact would have to suffice. He pressed his lips to hers, kissing Hermione sensuously, suckling and pulling at her lips. Warmth flowed over her at the contact. Snape stopped, his dark eyes glinting down at her, hoping she’d want more.
She did. But, it was time to go.
”Good night, Severus,” Hermione said, turning away quickly. Snape zipped past her and opened the wall for her, then his office door.
”Good night, Hermione,” he said softly as she exited, walking quickly up the dungeon corridor as the former Potions master licked his lips as if savoring the taste of her.
He hoped she’d take him up on the challenge.
******************************************
The next morning Lavender waited patiently in the common room for Ron to come down. He and Hermione had been broken up for a few days now, and break up etiquette was a thing of the past. Ron was officially on the market, and she had her shopping bag wide open.
She quickly took out her compact and gave herself a quick once over. Yes, she looked great. She put it away, her blue eyes resting on the stairwell leading from the boy’s dormitory. She was seated on the sofa. She noticed Ginny emerging from the girl’s stairwell and looked down at the floor, not wanting to meet her eyes. She’d had enough of Ginny Weasley to last her the rest of term. But, there was nothing she could say now. Ron no longer went out with Hermione.
“Just stay away from her, Ron, or you’re going to mess everything up.”
”I can just say hi, Harry. Really, that’s not going to ruin anything.”
Lavender perked up as she heard Harry talking to Ron. They appeared on the stairs, Ron’s face in a frown. She popped up as Ginny greeted Harry with a kiss on the cheek. Smoothing her hair, Lavender positioned herself for interception.
”What’s with you, Ron?” Ginny asked her scowling brother.
“He’s in lust,” Harry said. “Completely whipped.”
”What?” Ginny repled, both of her eyebrows lifted. “In lust? With who?”
Before Harry could answer Lavender appeared, blocking their way, her blue eyes resting on Ron almost hungrily.
”Can I walk to breakfast with you now, Ron?” she asked him.
Ginny rolled her eyes and grabbed Harry’s arm.
”Come on, Harry. I see the vultures are circling,” she muttered, dragging Harry away.
Lavender scowled after her for a moment, then looked at Ron.
”Er—hi Lavender,” he said, running a finger around his collar.
”Hi Won-Won,” she said with a smile. “So, we can walk to breakfast together? You are single after all.”
”Yeah, I am, for the time being,” Ron said. “But hopefully, not for long.”
Lavender smiled at him brightly.
”I knew you still felt something for me, Ron. It was written in the stars from the very beginning,” she gushed.
Ron’s eyes widened.
”Um—Lavender, you need to know something—“
”Oh, you don’t have to say it, Ron. I already know. I’ll go back out with you.”
Ron’s eyes went as wide as saucers as Lavender locked on to his arm like a pit bull.
”Wait. No. That wasn’t what I was going to say, Lavender,” Ron said, trying to tug his arm out of her grasp.
“What do you mean? You said you didn’t plan to be single for long. What else could you mean?”
Ron managed to slip his arm out of her grip.
”I’ve—I’ve asked someone else out already. I’m just waiting for an answer,” he admitted.
Lavender’s face looked like an approaching storm.
”What do you mean you’ve asked someone else out? Already? Hermione’s not even cold yet!” she hissed at him, trying to figure out who else would have attracted his notice and so quickly.
”Well, you didn’t seem to mind she was still warm,” Ron said, frowning back at the witch.
”Who did you ask out?”
”Well, if you must know, Susan Bones.”
Lavender just stared at him for a full minute. Then, she started laughing.
”Susan Bones? The Hufflepuff? She’s as big as a castle,” the witch said. “You can’t be serious.”
“I am serious,” Ron said coldly. “She’s a nice witch, and I think she’s gorgeous.”
”I think you need to borrow Harry’s glasses and take another look at her. She’s fat and she’s a Hufflepuff. That’s two strikes against her. If you go out with her, Ron, you’ll be a laughingstock.”
Ron’s blue eyes narrowed at Lavender.
”She’ll make a better girlfriend than you, Lavender. She’s grounded. No moaning about the stars being in alignment and how the tea leaves look in a tea cup. She’s smart, too. And magically talented. She has food magic.”
”That’s obvious as big as she is. She probably eats everything she cooks,” Lavender said witheringly. “And makes it magically disappear.”
”You know what Lavender, that sounds like a great idea,” Ron said, an edge to his voice.
”What does?”
”Disappearing. Leave me alone.”
And Ron strode away, leaving a flabbergasted Lavender behind. She blinked after him.
”He can’t be serious. Susan Bones? She’s a cow,” Lavender muttered slowly walking after Ron. “What could he possibly see in her? He certainly can’t see around her.”
Befuddled, she headed to breakfast, not able to understand in the least what handsome Ronald Weasley would see in a girl like Susan.
************************************************
A/N: Hey all. Sorry about the lack of updates. I was working on some freelance writing assignments and paid emailings. I was broke and real life cut into the fantasy. I also caught a cold and have 8 of my ten grandchildren currently staying with me. Mimi and Malik are here because their mother is in Birmingham with their one year old half-brother Seven, who was burned by hot oil and flown to the hospital there. So far they’ve been there about 5 days. If he needs skin grafts they will be there a few more weeks. Only his arm and side were burned, thank goodness and he’s doing well. But it’s chaos here with so many children, all under 7, and all calling Grandma every five minutes as if no one else is in the house. Sigh. One of my readers, L*, sent me a carton of cherry cigarillos so I felt compelled to write a chapter. Thanks, girl. *** Not one of the most exciting ones, but I have to ease back in and am not feeling my best at the moment. Still, I hope you enjoyed it somewhat. Thanks for reading.
Hermione returned to Snape’s quarters that evening to find that the wizard wasn’t there. She called out his name to make sure, but there was no answer. He hadn’t left a note or anything. Slightly miffed, Hermione tossed her knapsack to the floor, took out her Advanced Charms book and practiced diagramming wand motions for some of the more difficult spells. Her mind wasn’t totally on her work, however.
Where was he?
****************************************
Snape stood in a clearing in the Forbidden forest, his wand drawn and intent focused as he practiced his spell work unimpeded by prying eyes. Several small trees were cut down, and a few rocks bubbled hotly on the ground, completely melted into magma.
The wizard focused again, turning his wand on himself.
”Duplicus,” he breathed, creating a double of himself. It was a mirror image and moved as he did. When he walked away, so did his double, and when he cast a spell, it did likewise but only in appearance. It had no power after all, it was an illusion. He created two more duplicates. They were good for confusing opponents.
“Let’s see if Hermione can pick a winner,” Snape said to himself with a smirk as his duplicates surrounded him. He ended the spell, then transformed into his gryffin form and flew back towards the castle.
****************************************
When Snape arrived, he found a scowling Hermione poring over a parchment. By the agitated way she was writing, he knew she was less than happy, probably because he’d been gone several hours.
”Well, you missed the Arithmancy problems I did tonight,” Hermione hissed, not looking up at him.
”Did I?” he replied, walking behind her chair and looking over her shoulder.
Hermione looked up at him, frowning.
”Yes you did. Where were you?” she demanded.
He quirked an eyebrow at her.
”Keeping tabs on me?” he asked her softly.
Hermione colored and turned back to her work quickly.
”No, I’m not keeping tabs on you. It’s just that this is supposed to be our study time and you can’t study if you’re not here,” she replied.
”You have more to study than I do,” he replied, taking a seat in the chair next to her. “But, if you must know, I was studying. Actually, I was working on my spell work. I wanted to do it in private so as not to tip my hand before our duel.”
Hermione looked at him.
”Our duel?”
”Surely you haven’t forgotten the upcoming duel, Hermione. Of course, you can back out—“
”Never! I’m not afraid to duel you!”
”Of course not. Gryffindors are never afraid when they should be,” Snape said coolly as Hermione screwed up her face.
”This has nothing to do with my being a Gryffindor. I could be a Hufflepuff and still be willing to face off with you. You seem to think you can beat me, Severus. I assure you, that won’t be easy to do, no matter what original spells you have. Dueling not only requires good spells but good defense, and smarts. I have both.”
”Not to mention a modest opinion of yourself,” the wizard sneered.
”No more modest than you are,” she snapped back at him, her brown eyes flashing.
Snape stared into those brown eyes, his thoughts going back to the night before, remembering how soft and passionate they were for him. He felt a little throb in his nether regions and shifted a bit.
”You seem quite certain you can hold your own with me, Hermione,” he said.
”I am,” the witch replied confidently.
”I see. Perhaps—perhaps you’d like to—I don’t know—make the duel more interesting.”
Hermione arched an eyebrow at him.
”More interesting? In what way?”
”Well, the satisfaction of winning would be fine, but I think there should be some kind of reward for winning,” Snape said, looking at his nails.
”A reward?”
”A prize.”
”Like what?”
”If you win, I will show you three of my original spells. No one else has them except me. That sounds appealing doesn’t it?”
”That depends on how good they are,” Hermione said.
Snape pushed back his chair and stood up. He pulled out his wand and tapped himself, casting the duplication spell wordlessly.
Hermione’s eyes rounded as he repeated the spell. Three Snapes stood staring back at her.
”That’s amazing!” Hermione said as all three Snapes blinked at her.
”It’s quite a good spell, and gives you some idea what you’re up against,” all three Snapes said in triplicate.
”I can still identify the original,” Hermione said to him smugly.
”Not if I do this—Nocturnis!”
The room went dark for a moment, then Snape’s voice cut through the darkness.
”Incendio,” three voices said, relighting the fireplace. Then the three Snapes relit the torches and eyed Hermione.
”Come pick a winner,” they said in chorus.
Frowning slightly, Hermione rose and walked up to all three Snapes, eyeing them. She reached out her hand, but all three stepped back.
”No touching,” they all said. “Pick one.”
Hermione studied them. Snape had darkened the room but hadn’t changed his middle position at all. Hermione pretended to move toward the Snape to the right and saw just a slight twitching of its mouth. She then moved toward the middle Snape. There was no reaction at all. Then she moved to the right Snape, moving closer and again the twitch appeared. Suddenly she poked the middle Snape in the chest hard with her pointy little finger.
”Ow!” he hissed at her as she grinned.
”I told you I could identify you,” she said.
”Yes, but I wasn’t moving. It would be harder in that case. Still, it is a good spell, isn’t it?”
Hermione had to agree it was.
”What others do you have?” she asked him.
Snape made his counterparts disappear, then looked down his nose at her.
”I’m not about to show you all my spells,” he responded. “But I give you my word they are all good spells. Defensive and offensive. Well worth learning.”
Hermione considered this, then asked, “All right. That would be my reward. What would be yours?”
Snape arched an eyebrow at her.
”I think that isn’t hard to figure out, Hermione,” he said softly.
Hermione blinked at him, then blushed.
”Oh,” she said.
”Yes. Oh,” Snape agreed. “It could be weeks before you feel the urge to merge, whereas I would happily accommodate you every night until the NEWTS. You are addictive. I want to shag you again. I’ve learned some new tricks.”
Hermione walked back over to the desk and began to put her books away. It was nearly time to leave. Snape watched her silently.
Hermione picked up her knapsack and slung it over her shoulder and turned to look at him.
”I’ll have to think about it, Severus,” she said softly. “I’ll let you know.”
The wizard approached her.
”May I kiss you good night?” he asked her.
Hermione blinked up at him, her eyes resting on his mouth.
”Just a regular kiss, Severus. No tongue,” she replied, closing her eyes and puckering.
If she thought she was just going to get away with that, she was wrong as the wizard drew her gently into his arms. If he couldn’t get a little tongue, a bit of body to body contact would have to suffice. He pressed his lips to hers, kissing Hermione sensuously, suckling and pulling at her lips. Warmth flowed over her at the contact. Snape stopped, his dark eyes glinting down at her, hoping she’d want more.
She did. But, it was time to go.
”Good night, Severus,” Hermione said, turning away quickly. Snape zipped past her and opened the wall for her, then his office door.
”Good night, Hermione,” he said softly as she exited, walking quickly up the dungeon corridor as the former Potions master licked his lips as if savoring the taste of her.
He hoped she’d take him up on the challenge.
******************************************
The next morning Lavender waited patiently in the common room for Ron to come down. He and Hermione had been broken up for a few days now, and break up etiquette was a thing of the past. Ron was officially on the market, and she had her shopping bag wide open.
She quickly took out her compact and gave herself a quick once over. Yes, she looked great. She put it away, her blue eyes resting on the stairwell leading from the boy’s dormitory. She was seated on the sofa. She noticed Ginny emerging from the girl’s stairwell and looked down at the floor, not wanting to meet her eyes. She’d had enough of Ginny Weasley to last her the rest of term. But, there was nothing she could say now. Ron no longer went out with Hermione.
“Just stay away from her, Ron, or you’re going to mess everything up.”
”I can just say hi, Harry. Really, that’s not going to ruin anything.”
Lavender perked up as she heard Harry talking to Ron. They appeared on the stairs, Ron’s face in a frown. She popped up as Ginny greeted Harry with a kiss on the cheek. Smoothing her hair, Lavender positioned herself for interception.
”What’s with you, Ron?” Ginny asked her scowling brother.
“He’s in lust,” Harry said. “Completely whipped.”
”What?” Ginny repled, both of her eyebrows lifted. “In lust? With who?”
Before Harry could answer Lavender appeared, blocking their way, her blue eyes resting on Ron almost hungrily.
”Can I walk to breakfast with you now, Ron?” she asked him.
Ginny rolled her eyes and grabbed Harry’s arm.
”Come on, Harry. I see the vultures are circling,” she muttered, dragging Harry away.
Lavender scowled after her for a moment, then looked at Ron.
”Er—hi Lavender,” he said, running a finger around his collar.
”Hi Won-Won,” she said with a smile. “So, we can walk to breakfast together? You are single after all.”
”Yeah, I am, for the time being,” Ron said. “But hopefully, not for long.”
Lavender smiled at him brightly.
”I knew you still felt something for me, Ron. It was written in the stars from the very beginning,” she gushed.
Ron’s eyes widened.
”Um—Lavender, you need to know something—“
”Oh, you don’t have to say it, Ron. I already know. I’ll go back out with you.”
Ron’s eyes went as wide as saucers as Lavender locked on to his arm like a pit bull.
”Wait. No. That wasn’t what I was going to say, Lavender,” Ron said, trying to tug his arm out of her grasp.
“What do you mean? You said you didn’t plan to be single for long. What else could you mean?”
Ron managed to slip his arm out of her grip.
”I’ve—I’ve asked someone else out already. I’m just waiting for an answer,” he admitted.
Lavender’s face looked like an approaching storm.
”What do you mean you’ve asked someone else out? Already? Hermione’s not even cold yet!” she hissed at him, trying to figure out who else would have attracted his notice and so quickly.
”Well, you didn’t seem to mind she was still warm,” Ron said, frowning back at the witch.
”Who did you ask out?”
”Well, if you must know, Susan Bones.”
Lavender just stared at him for a full minute. Then, she started laughing.
”Susan Bones? The Hufflepuff? She’s as big as a castle,” the witch said. “You can’t be serious.”
“I am serious,” Ron said coldly. “She’s a nice witch, and I think she’s gorgeous.”
”I think you need to borrow Harry’s glasses and take another look at her. She’s fat and she’s a Hufflepuff. That’s two strikes against her. If you go out with her, Ron, you’ll be a laughingstock.”
Ron’s blue eyes narrowed at Lavender.
”She’ll make a better girlfriend than you, Lavender. She’s grounded. No moaning about the stars being in alignment and how the tea leaves look in a tea cup. She’s smart, too. And magically talented. She has food magic.”
”That’s obvious as big as she is. She probably eats everything she cooks,” Lavender said witheringly. “And makes it magically disappear.”
”You know what Lavender, that sounds like a great idea,” Ron said, an edge to his voice.
”What does?”
”Disappearing. Leave me alone.”
And Ron strode away, leaving a flabbergasted Lavender behind. She blinked after him.
”He can’t be serious. Susan Bones? She’s a cow,” Lavender muttered slowly walking after Ron. “What could he possibly see in her? He certainly can’t see around her.”
Befuddled, she headed to breakfast, not able to understand in the least what handsome Ronald Weasley would see in a girl like Susan.
************************************************
A/N: Hey all. Sorry about the lack of updates. I was working on some freelance writing assignments and paid emailings. I was broke and real life cut into the fantasy. I also caught a cold and have 8 of my ten grandchildren currently staying with me. Mimi and Malik are here because their mother is in Birmingham with their one year old half-brother Seven, who was burned by hot oil and flown to the hospital there. So far they’ve been there about 5 days. If he needs skin grafts they will be there a few more weeks. Only his arm and side were burned, thank goodness and he’s doing well. But it’s chaos here with so many children, all under 7, and all calling Grandma every five minutes as if no one else is in the house. Sigh. One of my readers, L*, sent me a carton of cherry cigarillos so I felt compelled to write a chapter. Thanks, girl. *** Not one of the most exciting ones, but I have to ease back in and am not feeling my best at the moment. Still, I hope you enjoyed it somewhat. Thanks for reading.