Interesting

CHAPTER 7

Severus pulled his wand out of his sleeve and flicked it at a large tapestry, which lifted up to reveal a Hufflepuff boy with his hand under a Ravenclaw girl’s skirt. The students jumped apart like they’d been burned and Hermione felt a bit sorry for them - their faces were so red that they even looked like they’d been burned.

“Fifty points from Hufflepuff, fifty points from Ravenclaw, and detention tomorrow night for you both,” Snape barked. “Now get back to your houses!”

The students glanced at each other, then took off in separate directions.

“Only fifty points?” Hermione asked. She and Snape had hardly spoken since they’d started patrolling the hallways. They both new that the portraits were listening and that there were students around. Still… one of them could have cast a silencing charm so that they could discuss the kiss.

Snape shrugged and continued down the hall. “They’re both good students and I’ve never caught them out before,” he said. “I doubt I will again.”

Hermione’s mouth swung open. Snape had never been that benevolent to them!

Severus glanced over his shoulder at his gaping apprentice. “If you only knew, Miss Granger, how many times I stepped into the shadows to let the golden trio sneak off to Hagrid’s, to the room of requirement, or to the library, you wouldn’t gawk at me like that. I didn’t take off nearly the points you deserved to lose.”

“You knew?” Hermione squeaked.

“Of course,” Severus smirked. “I wouldn’t have been much of a spy if I didn’t.”

Hermione quickened her pace to catch up with him. “Did you know that I stole some of your ingredients to make polyjuice potion?”

“Yes,” he said, “but I think you suffered enough when you turned yourself into a cat, so I didn’t pursue the matter.”

Hermione cringed at the memory, then looked up at the potion master’s brooding face… the face that she’d kissed… “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked.

“About your polyjuice disaster?” Snape asked. “Not particularly.”

Hermione sighed. “That’s not what I mean and you know it.”

Snape pulled his wand out and cast a silencing charm around them as they walked up a stone staircase. “Go right ahead,” he said. There was a slight teasing tone in his voice, but Hermione wondered if she didn’t also hear a little insecurity. She frowned and looked straight ahead as her heels clicked along the floor. Why did he have to put her on the spot like that?

“The… kiss…” she faltered.

“Wait, I heard something,” Snape cut her off. “Finite incantatem,” he mumbled, ending the silencing spell. He threw open a classroom door and the air was filled with surprised screams and shouts. “What in Merlin’s name do you think you’re doing?” he roared.

Hermione peered over his shoulder and gasped as she saw a half-naked Gryffindor making love to a Hufflepuff girl right on top of a desk. The girl’s skirt was hitched up around her waist and the boy’s pants were around his ankles. The girl’s pink underwear was lying on another desk. Hermione and Snape could see everything.

“Modesta!” Snape barked. He waved his wand and the students found themselves suddenly clothed. Snape pointed his wand at the girl and in a dangerously low voice, said, “Inhibitos infantos!” The girl jumped in surprise as she felt the contraceptive spell take effect.

“Five hundred points from both your houses!” Snape shouted. “Now get moving - the headmistress will deal with you.”

Hermione was sure her cheeks were as red as the students’ as Snape marched them to the head office. Hermione slipped away and went to wake Minerva.

*****

Hermione heard Severus coming long before the door opened and he stepped into his quarters. It was nearly two in the morning, but she was still sitting up on the couch, waiting for him. She’d remembered to bring her own pajamas this time and had already changed into her blue tank top and soft cotton pajama pants.

“…stupid children…” Snape grumbled as he trudged down the hall. “No sense of responsibility…” he threw his door open and tossed his teaching robe onto a hook. “… bloody typical teenaged idiots… who loses their virginity on a damn desk?” He marched over to a small table, picked up the fire whiskey and took a swig right out of the decanter before putting it back. “They didn’t even know to cast a contraceptive spell,” he complained to his apprentice. “If we hadn’t found them, she could have gotten pregnant! Idiots!” Snape flopped down in his chair, exhausted. “I’m getting too old for this,” he groaned. “Screaming parents, fornicating students… do you understand what I meant about protecting the children from themselves, Hermione? That girl is fifteen years old! What would she do with a child to feed?”

Hermione got up and poured her master a glass of fire whiskey. She passed it to him and then knelt down beside his chair. Before he could protest, her fingers undid his laces and she pulled off his shoes. “Just one more year,” she said, “and then you can retire.” She sat on the soft area rug and rubbed his tired feet like he had done for her. He gave her a strange look, but didn’t stop her.

“It can’t come fast enough,” Snape grumbled.

Hermione swallowed hard and summoned all her Gryffindor courage. They still hadn’t talked about what had happened earlier. “I know it’s late, but do you want to talk about what happened earlier? It was…”

Snape sighed and drained his drink. “It was a mistake, Miss Granger,” he said.

Hermione cringed as he went back to using her surname. He tried to stand, but she put a hand on his knee to stop him. “It was a bit unexpected… Severus,” she emphasized. “But it was… nice… it was more than nice.”

Snape put his hand on hers and his eyes moved over his apprentice’s face. She was broadcasting her thoughts so loudly that he didn’t even have to look inside her head to know that she wasn’t lying. “I’m too old for you… you won’t be happy with me, Hermione,” he said. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed the backs of her fingers. Her skin was absorbing the scent of wild herbs like his had. It was nearly impossible to wash out. He gave her a rueful smile, then stood and went to bed.