Unforgettable

Chapter Five –

Severus followed Hermione into her flat, which consisted of one large room and a small kitchenette. Two of the walls were lined with shelves, and on those shelves were volumes of books. It reminded him of his private study. There was a worn couch and some mismatched chairs in the center of the room. Off to the side was a large desk and work area, numerous scrolls rolled and stacked on the desk. Against the farthest wall was a twin bed, neatly made and covered with a tattered duvet.

“Surely Gringotts pays you better than this,” Severus said, taking off his robe and hanging it on the coat rack.

“Please do make yourself at home,” Hermione stated with annoyance as she took her robe off to reveal a loose sky-blue blouse and a modest patchwork skirt. She held her hand out in a dramatic fashion.

“May I hold the locket please?”

He’d almost forgotten why he had come here, except for the obvious. Seduction. He needed to seduce her. He needed to make her feel what he was feeling. It would not do to suffer this agony alone.

“Yes, of course,” Severus replied and reached into his pocket to retrieve the locket.

He snatched her wrist with one hand and startled her. Hermione tried to pull away, but he held her wrist firmly, placing the locket gently into the palm of her hand. Before he let go of her wrist, he rubbed a small circle on it, and grinned when she gasped.

Her hand closed gently around the locket, and Severus watched with satisfaction as she retreated. Maybe this wasn’t so bad after all. She had no clue why she was feeling the way she was. By all imaginable rights, she should despise him. Her reaction to him earlier this morning was proof of her disdain for him.

She needn’t know how her scathing remarks repeated in his mind. Severus had always known he was not what one would consider classically handsome. But he had taken care to groom himself before he had set out to find her. It would not do to try to seduce her with the repugnant smell of some potion clinging to his person.

Hermione placed the necklace on an old scale, quickly moving the knobs to adjust the counterweight.

“This is odd,” she stated as she took a quill out and started scratching the beginnings of her findings on a scroll.

Severus walked over to the desk, hoping she had not discovered his ruse so quickly. “What is it?”

“From what you’re telling me, this necklace will choke the wearer. Correct?” Hermione asked, not bothering to look up from her notes.

“Yes,” he replied, the cogs in his head turning quickly. Unfortunately, the lust had blurred over his usual cunning. “I believe my great-great-grandmother cursed it. I believe it was her wish to be buried with the trinket.”

Hermione’s scowl deepened. “Are you certain?”

“Quite,” he replied, standing behind her as if challenging her questions. “Why?”

He leered as she squirmed between him and the desk and cleared her throat. She bent ever so slightly over the desk, not in contemplation of the false locket, but in an effort to get away from him. Severus knew he could have her here. He would just need to lift her skirt, roll her knickers down, release himself, and sate the lust within the confines of her wanting sex.

Hermione cleared her throat again, her voice husky when she finally spoke. “The locket doesn’t seem that old and it doesn’t weigh very much. Perhaps the metal turns heavier to choke the victim once it’s worn.”

Severus leaned closer, seemingly puzzled by her findings. He inhaled, closing his eyes and losing himself in her scent. Lust laced with anger clouded his sensibilities.

“I have a confession to make, Miss Granger,” he whispered against the shell of her ear.

“Y-yes?” Hermione stammered, somehow managing to turn around and stare up at him.

Her timid tongue wet her bottom lip and Severus almost forgot the bloody ruse. “The locket may have belonged to my great-grandmother, not my great-great-grandmother.”

“She must be very special,” Hermione whispered, her eyes lingering on his thin lips.

“Who?” Severus asked, staring into her eyes. If she looked into his eyes, would he be able to resist entering her mind?

Hermione slid away, slipping away with little effort so that the table was between them. “Your lady friend.”

“You have no idea,” Severus growled in frustration as Hermione walked away from him.

“Who is she?” Hermione questioned softly, standing next to her couch and plucking at the fibers in the furniture.

“No one you know.” He leaned against the desk and folded his arms across his chest.

Mimicking his stance, Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. “I won’t be able to do anything else with the locket. You’ll have to bring it to the bank on Monday. All of my tools are there and you would need to finalize the contract with Gringotts.”

She was withdrawing from him. Bloody hell! “I’ll finalize the contract with Gringotts this afternoon. I need the curses lifted from this locket as soon as possible, but I will not be able to leave it in your care. I have classes, as well. Would you be willing to complete the work at Hogwarts?

“I realize this may be an inconvenience for you, and am willing to compensate you accordingly,” he added quickly, seeing her lips purse in refusal.

“I appreciate the offer, Professor, but I—”

“I’m offering a more than generous resolution fee,” he growled menacingly and stalked toward her. “I insist you accommodate my request.”

Hermione backed away warily.

“You have nothing here,” Severus stated pointedly, “except books and tattered furniture. I’m offering you a chance to better your finances. You would be –”

“I think you should leave,” she said, her tone monosyllabic and flat.

Severus glanced at her hand, which was firmly clutching her wand.

He reined in his temper, grabbed the locket, and headed toward the door. “My apologies, Miss Granger. I thought you might desire a challenge in your life. Perhaps I was mistaken.”

“I have everything I desire in this room.” Hermione waved her hand around the room.

Severus looked around the room with an air of contempt. “And to think everyone had such high expectations for Hogwarts’ star pupil,” he stated sarcastically and left.

--
Hermione stared at the door as if waiting for him to storm back through and realize her mistake. She was surprised he hadn’t pounced on her declaration.

“I have everything I desire in this room,” she’d told him. At the time she’d uttered the words, they were true. They still were. She wanted him. At first it felt as though she may be coming down with something, but she could no longer deny it. The carnal thoughts running through her mind while he stood behind her bordered on pornographic.

Why him? Why did it have to be him -- the sanctimonious bastard who had tormented her for seven years during the most challenging time of her life? It was bad enough helping Harry face Voldemort, but studying for N.E.W.T.s with him breathing down her neck made matters so much worse. She’d lie awake at night, her young mind troubled with possible scenarios of the final confrontation with Voldemort.

There was one constant throughout.

She prayed for everyone in the Order – for their safe return. But, Severus Snape was different. He’d tormented them all, especially poor Neville. She’d lost so many house points thanks to the Potion master’s penchant for bullying Neville. Snape was a cantankerous bastard, but she prayed for his safe return most of all. The silly seventh-year crush had developed into a fixation well into her early adulthood.

She should despise him, but she didn’t. She couldn’t, especially now, with the rampant, lustful emotions that were stampeding through her carefully structured life.

Hermione snorted. What life? Her social life existed only on an annual basis – the celebratory ball. Her career was laughable. Somebody in her department was going to have to die before she was advanced. Her love life was virtually non-existent. Aside from Ron, she’d never had a serious boyfriend. Her books and Crookshanks were all she had. And she only had him when he decided to make an appearance.

Bleak. That was her outlook in life. She was too frumpy to attract anyone and too intelligent to settle for anything less than what she felt she deserved. Her standards were too high. They were set to the perfection of him – Severus Snape.

Was she too young to resign herself to spinsterhood?

*****

A/N – Thanks to all who have taken the time to review. It’s greatly appreciated. Sit back for more Slytherin scheming from Snape.