In an Alternate Universe

Chapter 6 ~ A Chance and Quite Uncomfortable Meeting

Severus had just made it to the Main Hall and was about to turn down the dungeon corridor when a familiar and very unappreciated voice called out to him.

“Fancy seeing you at this hour, Mr. Snape,” Albus Dumbledore said, walking up to the wizard wearing bright yellow robes with blue stars and a matching hat. Severus was tempted to shield his eyes but instead greeting the Headmaster.

”Good evening sir,” the wizard said politely.

Albus studied the young Gryffindor over the rim of his half-moon glasses, looking down his long, crooked nose.

“Don’t you look nice, Mr. Snape. Don’t tell me you are courting a Slytherin?” the old wizard said, sniffing delicately in Severus’ direction, scenting his cologne.

Severus looked shocked for a moment. Albus continued.

”I assume by the way you are dressed and smell, you are on your way to Slytherin house to meet a witch, though you should have gone earlier. There is only one hour until curfew,” Dumbledore continued, his blue eyes twinkling, “That’s not much wooing time.”

Severus reddened a bit, then said, “Actually sir, I’m on my way to serve detention with Professor Granger.”

Both of Albus’ eyebrows rose in surprised.

”Dressed that way Mr. Snape?” he said, looking over his nice robes then delicately adding, “I’m afraid that they might not look as good when leaving as they do arriving, my boy. Professor Granger is notoriously . . . vindictive with students that she assigns detention to. She feels they are infringing on her personal time and so, she can make the experience . . . quite unpleasant.”

“I just wanted to make a good impression, sir,” Severus said.

Again, Albus’ eyebrows rose and he looked at the wizard rather curiously.

”A good impression, Mr. Snape? On Professor Granger?” he asked him.

Severus nodded.

”Yes sir. Perhaps if she sees I’ve put my best foot forward, she won’t be too . . . vindictive,” the young wizard replied.

Dumbledore shook his head sadly.

”Ah, Mr. Snape. I’m afraid Professor Granger is permanently stuck on vindictive. It’s left over from her service you know. She had a difficult time of it and is very bitter and withdrawn because of her experiences. It really isn’t her fault, you know. She has nothing in her life to bring her any joy, any respite. She is quite the lonely witch although she wouldn’t admit it even under the Cruciatus curse, and it is a shame. A terrible, terrible shame. She could offer so much . . .”

Here the wizard’s voice trailed off, because Severus was shifting from foot to foot. Now he was late. Professor Granger was going to be angry about that.

“Go along to your detention, Mr. Snape. Good luck with your robes,” the Headmaster said with a smile.

”Yes sir. Thank you sir,” Severus replied, turning and heading down the dungeon corridor at a good clip.

Albus watched him go, then turned toward the main stairwell. He wore a thin smile as he mounted the steps, well aware that Mr. Snape was indeed wooing a Slytherin.

A very snarky and unapproachable Slytherin twice his age. Since the boy was past the Age of Consent, he was well within his rights to do so.

But the question was if he in his right mind.

Well, the infirmary wasn’t too busy tonight. Poppy could give him one on one care if he needed the facilities.

************************************

Professor Granger sat in the Potions classroom scowling at the clock on the wall. It was five after eight and Severus had not yet arrived. This was as much out of character as not finishing his homework assignment. He was usually annoyingly punctual.

Suddenly the classroom door opened. Hermione narrowed her eyes, a scowl on her face as Severus entered the class.

”How nice of you to join me, Mr. Snape,” she sneered at the young wizard, “You’ve earned yourself another night’s detention for making me wait. You are on my time, Mr. Snape, and my time is valuable.”

Severus walked up to the desk and looked at the witch apologetically.

”I’m sorry, Professor. I met the Headmaster in the main hall and he held me up for a bit,” he said to the witch, staring at her intensely.

“I assume you told him you were on your way to detention,” she said to him.

Severus nodded.

”So why didn’t you get a note?” she snapped at him.

”I didn’t think,” Severus said, taken aback.

”That seems to be a major problem with you of late, Mr. Snape. Not thinking. Not doing your assignments . . .” Hermione began, then she stopped, taking in his attire as the scent of his cologne reached her.

Her eyes drifted over his robes, then his hair.

”Mr. Snape, why are you dressed as if you are going out on a date?” she asked him.

Severus reddened a little, then tried to strike a bit of a dashing pose.

”I’m not. I just wanted to look presentable,” he lied.

”Well you stink to high heaven,” Professor Granger snapped, pulling out her wand and scourgifying him. “How much did you pay for that scent? Two sickles? My gods. Go sit down.”

Red, Severus took a seat as Hermione stood up and began to clean her blackboard.

”I had something planned for you,” the witch said as she wiped the board, Severus’ eyes following her body’s motions as if hypnotized, “But seeing the way you’re dressed . . .”

She turned around and smiled at him malevolently.

”. . . I’ve changed my mind.”

*********************************************

Two hours later, covered in Stinkbugger shit, a tired and chastened Severus returned to the Potions classroom from the witch’s lab. Hermione had assigned him to transfer about two hundred of the bugs from one terrarium to the other, both on opposite sides of the room without the use of magic or gloves. Stinkbuggers were defensive and fast, hard to catch by hand under the best of circumstances. Then he had to clean the terrarium and the lab as well, also without magic.

“Oh good gods, Mr. Snape!” Hermione cried, pulling her robes up over her nose, “Don’t you have the good sense to scourgify yourself before coming back to the classroom?”

Severus had been so dazed by all the shit flying at him, the poor wizard could only think about getting out of the lab.

“Sorry,” he muttered.

Professor Granger pulled out her wand and thoroughly scourgified him, then cast a freshening spell to clear the stench out of the air. She looked at him with a satisfied, if rather nasty smile.

”Tomorrow night, you will transfer the Stinkbuggers back to their original terrarium,” she said.

Severus sighed. He should have expected it.

”Now, you may go, Mr. Snape,” the witch said, rising from her desk and walking around it. She stopped in front of the wizard. “Be sure to be on time tomorrow night. And I expect that assignment finished and on my desk when you come to class.”

Severus stood here, unmoving. Hermione scowled at him.

”I said you can go, Mr. Snape,” she said to him.

Severus’ stomach felt like a horde of dragons were flying about inside.

”I don’t want to go,” he said in a low voice, so low the witch could barely hear him. She did, but she couldn’t have heard what she thought she did.

”What, Mr. Snape?” she demanded, her face contorted.

Severus cleared his throat.

”I said I don’t want to leave, Professor,” he said a bit louder. His eyes looked a bit wild.

Hermione’s brows lifted in surprise.

”You . . . you don’t want to leave? Why is that, Mr. Snape? Afraid of ghosts perhaps? Don’t like to walk through the empty castle? A fine Gryffindor you are,” she mocked him.

“That’s not why,” he said softly.

Hermione scowled at him.

”Then, pray tell me, why?” she replied.

Severus stared at her for a moment, his heart pounding. This was it, now or never.

Suddenly, the wizard darted forward, wrapping his arms around the witch and kissing her, backing her into the desk and hanging on for dear life as he pressed his lips to hers. It felt like heaven, even though she was struggling.

Finally, the witch bit him and shocked, Severus released her, then . . .

SLAP!!!

The Professor slapped the young wizard as hard as she could, then drew her wand, pointing it between his eyes.

”I should kill you for that!” she hissed at him, “If you weren’t a student . . . I would! How dare you try to force yourself on me you little bastard! You’re out of here, Mr. Snape and most likely heading for Azkaban! I intend to press full charges!”

Severus stared at the tip of the wand with his eyes crossed.

”If you do send me to Azkaban, it will have been worth it,” he said softly to the shocked teacher.

Hermione stared at the wizard, realizing what this was about.

”Oh good gravy,” the witch said, “Don’t tell me you have a crush on me, Mr. Snape.”

”It’s more than a crush,” the wizard said, “I think about you all the time, Professor. I can’t help it.”

Fuck. This was all she needed. Some hormone-driven Gryffindor panting after her. Hermione lowered her wand.

”Go sit down, Mr. Snape,” she said, shaking her head.

”We’re going to have a little talk.”

****************************************
A/N: Thanks for reading.