A turning moment in life

Snape did not stop to think about his reaction to Hermione’s words. He did not find it strange that they had affected his ego so much. Currently, he had only one fixation: finding some Gryffindors, and soon. After stalking all the first and second floors, he had not found any rule breakers. His anger was boiling up to a dangerous level when he heard voices coming from the third corridor on the left. It seemed a couple of randy sixth years were getting a bit too comfortable. They were going to regret not finding a better place to hide for their little rendezvous.

Severus was just going to make his presence known when he heard a sighed name; ‘Draco’. Snape stopped and waited. He could not interrupt Draco in the middle of having some fun, he was an adult and the restrictions applied to students did not apply to the staff. He was about to turn around and leave them, when his curiosity got the better of him. He did not recognize that woman’s voice; he wanted to make sure it was not Hermione there. Sure, he did not want her for himself, but that did not mean Draco could take advantage of the situation.

Finally, Severus disillusioned himself and turned the corner to see who it was. He was not surprised when the woman pinned to the wall was no other than Ginny Weasley. She was having the time of her life according to the look in her eyes and the nails pressing on Draco’s back. The blond had her legs around his waist and was pounding into her incessantly while trying to muffle her cries with his mouth. Snape was not made of rock, as some people thought, but a certain part of him felt like watching those two. He had never thought of his students as sexually arousing, when he found pairs in a similar situation, he was always disgusted. Probably the fact that Draco was doing a good job on the Weasley girl was what got him hard instantly. A flash of Hermione and himself doing the same passed through his mind, but he did not want to think about that.

Ginny was getting close to orgasm, and he did not want to miss that. If she shouted, he would have to intervene. The noises she was making in Draco’s mouth came to an impossible high and she could not resist whispering Malfoy’s name in the throes of her orgasm as the blond emptied himself, trying to stifle his groans while sucking on her throat.

Severus had to get out of there before they did. He could not be exposed. He practically ran to the dungeons and got into the shower, turning the water ice cold. His body started to calm down, but his mind was giving him no rest.

After a few glasses of firewhiskey, he thought he should go to bed and try to sleep.

**__**__**

Hermione went to the Great Hall for breakfast the following morning quite late. She’d had a strange night. Dreams of Severus Snape kissing her in the potions lab’s staircase had her up half of the night. She did not want to think about her attraction. It was all Draco’s fault for insinuating that she wanted to get in Professor Snape’s bed.

Speak of the Devil, in came Snape looking sour as usual and Malfoy with a smug smile. Draco had his eyes fixed on Ginny, and Hermione saw her friend’s eyes flashing with lust and fire. Something must have happened between the two. This called for a “girly talk”.

‘So, you and Malfoy, eh?’ Hermione whispered to Ginny, turning her head so the Slytherins would not see the exchange.

‘Yeah,’ said Ginny with a dreamy look. ‘And it was sooo much better than anything I imagined! I’m going out with him again tonight.’

‘Well, I guess old, single me will be alone again.’

‘Oh, Hermione. I’m sorry, I hadn’t thought…’

‘No, that’s fine. You need to have fun, and I don’t want to be in the middle of this. Draco and I have come to a kind of truce, and I’m not going to interfere in your relationship.’ Hermione turned to look at Draco and smiled. Malfoy was so shocked, he could only stare at the know-it-all without making any cutting remarks.

Severus also saw the smile Hermione gave Draco. He needed to get out of her presence. Dreams of her in a niche with her legs around his wait had kept him hard all night long, and he had to suffer her presence today while brewing some of the potions he had assigned her. He needed to find a Deflating Draught before getting in such close proximity to her again.

Hermione saw Snape getting up from the table. She thought it was best to follow him to start brewing as soon as possible. But Ginny’s voice interrupted her train of thought, ‘So, still nothing with the bat?’

‘Don’t call him that!’ Hermione shouted back at her friend. All the staff was looking at her as if she had sprouted another head, they had never heard Hermione shout at anyone other than Ron Weasley. ‘Sorry, Ginny.’

‘That’s O.K. It’s what happens when you need a good shag and can’t get it.’

‘It’s not that, Ginny.’

‘Sure. See you later, then.’

Hermione left the Great Hall through the staff door, but she did not see Severus anywhere. Well, she thought she would find him in his office or the lab.

The tension while they worked was palpable. They tried to avoid invading each other’s space and hardly talked. When they did it was usually Hermione asking questions on the ingredients or the right way to stir the brewing concoction. Severus remained stiff and distant for the most part, only answering her questions when necessary and with the economy of words she was used to. She had no idea why Ginny thought there was something going on between them; it was only her having weird dreams. It must have been due to the separation with Ron. She needed to focus on someone while having these kinds of dreams.

‘Miss Granger?’

‘Yes, sir?’

‘I believe this will suffice for the day. I need to go to Hogsmeade. You need not stay in the lab after I’m gone.’

‘O.K.’

Hermione started packing her things. Severus could not stay in her presence any longer. Her smell and the way she moved around him, not touching him, was making his restraint melt away. He needed some space and some time away.


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A/N: thanks to all of you who reviewed the story so far! I love reading your comments. And also thanks to my great beta Madame Warren who makes the story readable.