Heart, Mind, Body and Soul

By the time Hermione reached her common room, the entire school seemed to be in an uproar knowing what had happened. She had avoided talking with anybody she passed by just shaking her head when they tried asking her about it, but she knew she wouldn't be able to avoid her fellow Gryffindors. When she walked through the portrait hole, refusing to talk to the "Fat Lady", the common room was full.

"Hermione!" Harry, Ron and Ginny yelled, and ran toward her as soon as she walked in.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

Hermione ran her hands through her long, golden brown hair. She wasn't going to be able to not say anything. Everyone in the room was looking at her.

"The potion." She would let them assume she had accidentally consumed some. "He gave me the antidote, then had me take Veritaserum and used Legillimency to find everything." Hermione glanced at Ginny then looked away.

Everyone was staring at her and it took everything she had not to cry. "Look, I have a two foot essay on the Felix Felicis potion to write before class tomorrow, so if you'll excuse me."

She ran up to her room, ignoring her friends calling her. She had never really liked having a room to herself, one of the Head Girl privileges. She felt cut off from the other girls, even if they didn't have a lot in common. But at this moment she was happy to have it. She could cry alone and no one would walk in the room.

At dinner that night, Professor Dumbledore made an announcement explaining what had happened between her and Professor Snape, at least everything he had been told. Professor Snape was as stoic as ever.

The next couple weeks were agony for Hermione. She tried not to think about Professor Snape, but she couldn't do it. Meal times and Advanced Potions were the worst. He seemed to avoid being near her. He didn't check on her potions anymore or call her to answer in class to the point where she quit raising her hand. There were times when she felt him looking at her, but when she looked up, he was eating, grading papers or some other activity. She thought once that she caught him looking away, but convinced herself that she was seeing what she wanted to see and he didn't want her.

By the end of the year, Hermione was tired of all the questions. She had almost told one of the students that she had jumped the professor as soon as she walked through his office door and shagged him until she couldn't walk, but then thought better of it. It would just start a rumor and more talk.

By graduation Hermione was back to her usual self; at least the usual self she had been the past year. Ginny had tried talking to her about it, but she wouldn't open up. She still dreamt about Professor Snape, and now it was worse because she had felt his lips and hands. She had resolved that he didn't want anything to do with her and her Gryffindor courage carried her through. She gave a well written graduation speech, bringing many people, including herself, to tears.

She decided that she was going to just have fun at the Graduation Ball. She had bought a red, strapless, satin bubble dress for the dance. The top was a twisted wrap at her bustline and draped down to just above her knees. She wore a simple gold necklace with a teardrop diamond charm with matching earrings and gold, strap heels. She left her hair down and wore simple make-up.

Well into the evening Hermione sat down at one of the empty tables at the edge of the dance floor. She had danced with many of her classmates, including one fast dance where only the girls were allowed on the floor. The DJ that evening was fun, not just playing music, but getting people involved. She glanced over to her left where Professor Snape was sitting at a table at the side of the room, smiling when he caught her, then looked away.

As the current song ended the lights dimmed, indicating a slow song was next.

"May I have this dance?" Hermione felt her heart stop for a moment and looked up at Professor Snape. He wasn't wearing his teaching robe. He stood before her wearing pleated dress pants, a button down shirt with the top button undone, and a suit jacket, all in black.

Her breath caught. She had never seen him in anything but his robes. She didn't trust herself to speak so she nodded her head and took his hand. He looked over at the DJ and subtly nodded his head, then led Hermione to the dance floor.

"This next song is by special request," the DJ said softy.

As the music started, Professor Snape turned her so she faced him and wrapped his right arm around her waist, resting his palm on her back, entwined the fingers of her right hand in his left and pulled her close to him. Hermione rested her other hand on his shoulder.

"Lady in Red, professor?" Hermione asked, surprised at his choice in songs. She was shaking slightly, still not believing he had asked her to dance.

He brought their joined hands close to their bodies. "Hermione, you are no longer my student. I come to you tonight as a man. You are brilliant as well as beautiful. I've thought about you too, but would never have done anything before now. I knew you had stayed by my bedside last year, and it caused me to look at you as more than a student, but I was still your professor, so I had to push those feelings aside. If you hadn't kissed me, I don't know if I ever would have approached you, thinking you wouldn't want me. If you still want to be with me…"

Hermione cut him off by placing a finger against his lips and smiled at him. He lightly kissed the tip of her finger and pulled her closer. She placed her cheek against his shoulder and slid her hand up to his neck, closing her eyes. She sighed when she felt him rest his cheek against her head, and slowly caress her back.

Like the words in the song, they danced as if no one were there. He guided her in a soft sway with his hips and arms; she followed him, her body melding to his, never wanting the song to end.

They had caused quite a stir. People had stopped dancing to stare in astonishment.

Toward the end of the song, without opening his eyes, he whispered, "I believe we are being watched."

She moved slightly so she could look up at his face. "I don't care Severus," she whispered back to him. He looked down into her eyes. The song ended and they stopped dancing but didn't move away from each other. Slowly he slid his hand up her back, cupped her face, leaned over and kissed her.

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A/N:
Here's a link if you want to see the dress:
http://www.edressme.com/bg0301r.html

And here's one to the song, Lady in Red by Chris de Burgh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcWspfgk9c8

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