Echoes of the Soul

Hermione stood in front of the third year class, a mix of Slytherin and Gryffindor students. They were pushing and shoving to get into their seats and hadn’t noticed that Severus was not taking the class. They were accustomed to keeping their eyes down and not catching his eye. This was her third day and she had taken to teaching like a hippogriff to the sky.



Hermione clapped loudly to gain their attention and the class looked up at her.



‘My name is miss Granger and I will be replacing Professor Snape for the next two weeks while he is on leave.’ She smiled at them. A small cheer went around the class and she grinned at them.



‘OK, that’s enough of that. We will be making healing draughts today so I need you all to prepare your base potions then wait until I give you further instructions. You can start.’



Hermione smiled as she watched the class begin their work. She was enjoying herself.



****

Severus lay on his bed, staring at the canopy above his head. He was mulling over his last dream. The woman was named Selene and in the dream, she loved him and he loved her. It meant nothing to him but each time she was dragged away, he felt her loss stay with him the next day like a gaping wound. He was dreaming every night now and it was disturbing him so much he thought he would discuss it with Albus.



****

Later that day, Hermione was working at her desk when Severus entered his lab. They had fallen into a routine where Hermione would mark homework while Severus would work on his projects. It was a comfortable and companionable arrangement and secretly, they were both enjoying it.



Severus glanced over at her and noticed she looked a little dishevelled.



‘Hermione?’ He rarely spoke to her when she was marking and she looked up in surprise.



‘Yes. Professor?’ She looked a little frazzled; her normally neatly tied back hair was falling loose around her face and he noticed dark shadows beneath her eyes.



‘You seem to be working too hard. Take a break. You will concentrate better after a cup of tea.’ He stated calmly.



Hermione sighed and looked down at the pile of marking. It was going to take her forever.

Severus watched her. ‘I insist, Hermione. You will not be at your best if you don’t concentrate. Come with me.’



Hermione looked up at him and could see he was trying to be kind. She smiled gratefully. ‘Thanks, Professor.’ She stood and followed him, running her hands over her face.



They went into his private chambers. Hermione had been in there twice previously to ask him something but had left quickly, not wanting to invade his personal space. She already knew how hard it was for him to allow her workspace in his lab.



‘Please, sit down.’ Severus gestured to his large, comfortable couch and she sat down, closing her eyes for a moment or two. When she opened her eyes, a table had appeared in front of her complete with sandwiches and a pot of tea with two mugs. Severus sat beside her and poured the tea, handing her a steaming mug.



‘I see the students of Hogwarts are starting to tire you.’ He grimaced. He knew that feeling all too well.



Hermione shook her head vehemently as she took a bite of sandwich. She chewed and looked at Severus thoughtfully. He was being kind to her this evening. ‘Actually Professor, the classes are fine and I am able to fit in my assignments around my marking. It’s ok, actually.’



Severus smirked at her. ‘You look exhausted tonight. Perhaps you are not getting enough sleep?’



‘That’s true. I tried a sleeping draught but it made no difference. Can I tell you something, Professor?’ She looked at him, her hazel eyes wide.

Severus looked at her, puzzled. She seemed more relaxed now in his company and he enjoyed being with another intelligent brain.



‘Of course.’



Hermione paused a little before speaking. ‘This is going to sound really silly… but I keep having these really vivid dreams. They are tiring me out, to be honest.’



She grabbed another sandwich and didn’t notice Severus staring at her, his face going even paler than it already was.



‘Dreams?’ he asked her hoarsely. Surely not. It was too great a coincidence.



‘Mmm, yes. Almost every night.’ Hermione was concentrating on her food and not looking at him.



Severus took a slight breath. ‘And what is happening, in these dreams?’ He was watching her face closely.

Hermione looked at him in mid-bite and blushed furiously. There was no way she was going to tell him the details, especially the last one, which had been particularly graphic. Annalin had performed delicious cunnilingus on her and she had woken up so horny she needed to masturbate twice until she felt sated enough. She finished chewing and swallowed.



‘Professor, do you mind if I don’t talk about it? It’s a bit embarrassing, if I’m honest.’ She smiled so he knew she wasn’t rejecting him or his kindness.



Severus considered her for a moment before doing something he had promised her he wouldn’t.



‘Call me Severus, Hermione. We are colleagues, after all. Here…’ he topped up her tea ‘ now, tell me about your classes and how they are going.’ He let his face break into a small smile and Hermione sighed with relief at the change of subject.



As Hermione spoke and drank her tea, Severus gently probed her mind for her dreams, not wanting her to know he was poking about in her thoughts again.



He found them and almost choked on his tea. He was watching his own dreams.





*****



Ok, we\'re moving forward now. Dreamy lemons coming....