A Letter to Hermione

Letter to Hermione.

Disclaimer: I own nothing recognizable.

Dear readers this chapter starts differently than my others as we jump forward ahead a fair bit in time and I just wanted to explain what happens without the need for numerous chapters waffling on about the mostly humdrum activities in our lead characters lives, but rest assured I will tell you about the important bits and then we'll drop in on certain points to see what is happening.

In the last chapter we left Hermione as she finished packing up her things from the flat she shared with Ron, needless to say that while Ron and Lavender embraced their new found celebrity (or should we say notoriety) status as the 'It' couple always at galas, clubs, and anything else that would garner them fresh publicity and the front pages of the wizarding tabloids. Hermione on the other hand spent the first couple of months after their well publicized and picked apart breakup by throwing herself completely into her research and her masters in potions degree, even when Severus had felt that she'd spent too much time in his labs and sent her home she just spent the time shut in her room surrounded by stacks of books, rolls of parchment covered in notes and half eaten meals.

Her friends may of worried about her obsessive behavior but she just wouldn't listen to their pleas, demands and sometimes outright blackmail to leave her research and to just let loose for a night, of course Hermione being Hermione refused their attempts with a few well placed hexes being sent to the recipients soft and vulnerable parts as a reminder she wanted to be left alone. In Hermione's defense while she worked on her potions and research her mind was too occupied to be thinking about how that now she was a single woman again there was nothing stopping her from making a play for her potions master, apart from the fact he doesn't see you in that way her stubborn overactive insecure side of her brain would tell her, eventually all of her hard work paid off and she finally created a potion that would ease the long term after effects of the Cruciatus curse. So after checking and rechecking her findings Hermione gathered up all of her notes, research and a small vial with the potion in it she headed over to Severus's lab to have him verify her achievement.

This is where we rejoin the story.

Severus was just relaxing in his study when his peaceful Sunday afternoon was interrupted by Hermione who came bursting into the room with a hundred mega watt smile on her face and holding a small potions vial outstretched in her hand.

“Severus I've done it, I finished my potion, I've made the cure, obviously you need to check my findings” she dumped her paperwork on his desk and handed him the vial.

Picking up the vial Severus held the clear glass up to the light examining it's contents before uncorking it so he could smell it's properties, out of the corner of his eye he could see her practically bouncing with excitement where she stood as he evaluated her work.

“You do realize that as your Potions master I have to recheck all of your research and then while following your recipe for your potion to the letter brew it again to see if your findings are correct, before I allow you to even approach the ministry with a potion that if it does what you say it does could help numerous patients in pain across the country.

“Of course I understand that Severus I'm not a complete dunderhead, that is why I brought it to you first” she replied with a little bit of irritation lacing her tone.

Severus picked up his reading glasses and began studying her notes all the while feeling her impatient gaze on him “For heavens sake Hermione do stop hovering! it's going to take me longer than five minutes to thoroughly read your research and findings, normally a potions student would leave their work and take a long deserved break but as I've more chance of sprouting wings than you going away for the next couple of hours, you can make yourself useful and write me a complete inventory of the ingredient cupboard, do you understand?” he said not looking up from the parchment.

“Yes sir, sorry sir, heading to the storeroom now sir ” she gave him a tongue in cheek salute because she was still excited about her cure and headed out of the room leaving Severus in peace.

After about an hour of reading her work Severus started to brew her potion, whilst everything looked perfect on parchment the proof was in the brewing and as he followed her instructions he could feel his own excitement rising at the brilliance of the young witch who had captured his heart and soul even if she didn't know it. Eight hours later after performing many laborious tests on the potion he turned to Hermione with a smile on his face.

“Congratulations Hermione the potion is perfect I couldn't of ma-” he was interrupted by Hermione letting out an enormous shriek of pleasure and then by her throwing her arms around him.

Severus relishing the feel of her against his body pulled her in tighter, “I've always said you were the brightest witch of your age and this is another reason that proves that” he whispered into her ear.

Hermione turned her head to answer him but as he hadn't lifted his mouth from near her ear their lips brushed together accidentally, and fearing she'd never get another chance Hermione poured all of her love and emotion into a brief but passionate kiss that left Severus shocked and dumbfounded.

Breaking apart Hermione stared in horror at the shocked look on Severus's face and her heart broke again, but instead of showing it she decided to bluff her way out “I'd better go and tell Harry the good news about the potion, thank you for looking over my research so quickly Professor but it's getting late and I've disturbed you enough for one day” she started to head to the floo.

“Hermione I...We...You...” he tried valiantly to say the words that were shouting at him in his head.

She turned and looked at him expectantly “Was there something else you wanted sir?”

Oh there was so much he wanted to say but try as he might he couldn't force the words out “You're a coward Severus and you don't deserve her” he sneered inwardly at himself, he cleared his throat and answered her “You need to patent this as soon as possible I will meet you at the Ministry, nine o clock tomorrow morning is that okay with you?” he asked mentally kicking himself as he utterly ruined his one chance with Hermione.

Not trusting her voice to speak as she felt the tears begin to well up behind her eyes she just nodded and left leaving Severus staring at the floor.

Please be calm dear readers our story doesn't end here, the most important part is yet to come, our story now skips ahead a couple of months and we rejoin the story with our beloved Potions master telling the whole sorry tale to to his oldest friend and confidante Lucius Malfoy.

“Dammit Lucius the girl's driving me insane ever since that day she's been treating me like a bloody teacher, we used to be friends and now there's no communication between us at all, she comes to my labs does her studies and then goes home” Severus said bitterly after he's swallowed the remains of his glass.

His companion said nothing for moment before answering “You have only yourself to blame Severus, you were given the perfect opportunity to make her yours and you royally fucked up by doing nothing”

Severus snapped at his friend “You think I don't know that Lucius! If I could change those five minutes I would but I can't, so now I'm asking for your advice on how to fix this entire mess”

“You already know the answer you're just choosing to ignore it, to quote a famous muggle saying If you love someone set them free, if they return they're yours forever and if they don't it was not meant to be” Lucius sipped his drink before continuing “Severus, the Potions Guild have already written to you to tell you that as soon as you allow it Hermione will be a fully fledged Potions Mistress with a place waiting for her in the guild.”

“What if she never returns,what do I do then?”

Lucius shot his downtrodden friend a sympathetic look “Then I'm afraid all you can do is wish her luck”

Severus bowed his head as if in defeat and sighed “You're right of course thank you for the advice, if you don't mind I must cut our evening short I have a lot to do and think about”

Rising from his chair Lucius just laid a sympathetic hand on Severus's shoulder before flooing back to his residence in Wiltshire

A week had passed since his conversation with Lucius and now Severus was sat calmly behind his desk waiting for the proverbial shit to hit the fan as Hermione received his letter informing her that due to the potion she'd created she was no longer his apprentice but a fully fledged Potions Mistress and as a graduation present his gift to her was an all expense paid around the world trip valid for a year, the magical ticket allowed her to travel to wherever wanted, whenever she wanted he only hoped that once she'd broadened her horizons she'd shrink them again to include him.

His study door flew open and in stormed Hermione closely followed by Harry and Draco.

Hermione threw the letter on the desk in front of “What's the meaning of this joke?” she asked struggling to keep her temper under control.

Severus took a calming breath before answering “It's not a joke Hermione, If the Potions guild say that you're ready to join the guild as a Potions mistress then there is no more I can teach you. The rest of the letter is a traditional gift from teacher to student, I chose travel for you because it would be good for you to broaden your horizons”

She strode up to his desk and slammed her hands on it's wooden top “Is that right? I thought it was because you're just too chicken shit to face your emotions” she lowered voice “I kissed you Severus and you did nothing, hell you haven't even tried to talk about it and now you're saying that I'm no longer your student, and just as a extra kick in the teeth here's a gift that sends me as far away from you as possible, well fuck you Severus you're no-”

Draco quickly dragged Harry out of the room as his Godfather stood up abruptly his dark black eyes glittering dangerously and lent over his desk, his face mere inches away from hers.

“I really wouldn't finish that sentence if I was you Hermione” he warned in a deceptively soft tone, she opened her mouth as if to argue the point but he held up a finger stopping her “Now before we both say something we regret, You really did get the invitation from the Potions Guild based on your creation, once you'd received that, there is no need for me to complete your apprenticeship as you would be considered a Potions Mistress. I agreed to this because I know you're more than qualified to do anything you choose within the potions field of expertise.”

As Hermione shrunk back a little away from the desk, Severus moved forward closing the space even more “I believe your second accusation was that I was too chicken shit to face my emotions” he said silkily “Yes you kissed me and I did nothing about it, but why is that you think? Maybe because I was in shock that my apprentice who in the last eighteen months has never shown any desire to be anything but my friend and student had just kissed me, apart from the fact said student has just gotten out of a long term relationship and I didn't want to take advantage of the fact that you may be feeling vulnerable”.

Severus picked up the papers which she'd thrown on the desk and walked round till he was was on the same side as Hermione “As for the gift it is a time honored tradition between Potion masters and their apprentices, the teacher chooses a gift they feel would be most valuable to their student. So my gift to you was knowledge, freedom, a chance not only to explore the world but an opportunity to really spread your wings and fly.”

Hermione had now backed into the fireplace, her embarrassment was there for the world to see across her face “Severus I'm Sorr-”

“I hadn't finished Hermione, as I've said previously you have just come out of a long term relationship and are not emotionally ready for another. so I am unwilling to be your rebound fuck buddy because I don't share what is mine or give it away easily”

He gently forced her face upwards so he could look into her eyes, the intensity in those black orbs made her gasp. Not wanting to miss his chance again Severus quickly captured her lips in hard demanding kiss that left her knees week and her clinging onto him like he was her only lifeline in the middle of the ocean.

Breaking free from her embrace Severus walked away leaving the papers in her hands and abruptly wrenched open the door to the hallway causing Harry and Draco who'd been trying to listen in to stumble into the room.

“Do us all a favor and make sure she goes on the bloody trip” he growled at Harry before storming into his labs and warding the door so strongly it left nobody in any doubt that he wanted to be left alone.

Without saying a word to either Harry or Draco Hermione quickly flooed back to Grimauld place in an attempt to hide the tears that were threatening to fall.

“Sweet Merlin's hairy nutsack” Draco groaned “That's our quiet night in ruined”.

“Draco!”

“Sorry, you'd better go see to Mione and I'll stay and see if I can get any sense out of Uncle Sev”.

Harry nodded, gave his lover a brief but lingering kiss and went to find Hermione, while Draco just went and made himself comfy on couch until Severus was ready to talk.

A/N:Okay I think this may be the longest chapter I have written, I do hope you all like it including the slightly different style of writing. I don't know why this chapter turned out the way it did I blame the plot bunnies and my muse.

Please review my plot bunnies have turned rabid and are holding Severus and Hermione's happy ending to ransom (I think there may only be one or two chapters to go dear readers) all reviews go to pay the reward. :D

Much Love

Her Royal Goddess Xx