Severus

\"You are unbelievable.\"

“What did you say Miss Granger?” Professor Snape whirled around to face her, his voice dripping with danger.

Hermione’s eyes filled with unbidden tears. She blinked them back hastily. Snape looked away, almost uncomfortably, but then spit out cruelly “ Tears… always the first weapon of a weak minded woman. I would have expected more from you Miss Granger. More from the Noble House of Gryffindor.”

Hermione angrily swiped the back of her hand across her eyes and stared at Snape accusingly. “Severus…” she began.

“Professor Snape!” her black robed teacher corrected severely.

“No,” said Hermione, with quiet strength, “Severus. After everything we have been through I have earned the right to call you Severus…”

“You will call me Professor…” Snape began to shout.

“No!” cried Hermione, “I know who you are now. Go ahead aeep eep pretending to others that you are the kind of man who could have been a Death Eater, but I know better! Severus, you saved my…”

Hermione’s words were cut off by Snape’s hollow laughter. He walked over the pensieve and looked at the white wispy memories floating inside.

“Could have been a Death Eater? My dear, dear Miss Granger, if you really knew me… we would not be having this conversation. He looked into her eyes briefly and she saw real pain there, pain and something else... regret? “If you knew the real me you wouldn’t be able to look at me like that.”

“But I do know you!” Hermione insisted. She walked quickly over to the pensieve to stand closer to him. He towered over her, looking down wrathfully, looking like he may do her damage if she came any nearer. She had to admit to herself that she was still afraid of him. His actions during the war and all the things she had seen had forced her to where she was standing now, less than two feet from Hogwarts’ feared Potions Master. Too many sleepless nights and unanswered questions had forced her to confront him. But the quick and painful beating of her heart, her shaking body and weakened knees were brought on just as much by her feelings of fear as by her feelings of hope.

“I know you now.” Hermione stated, “I saw things…I saw me in your pensieve.”

“You shouldn’t have!” Snape shouted angrily.

“You know I didn’t mean to!” Hermione answered hotly. “But I can’t forget. And unlike you, I can’t just pretend…”

Snape drew himself up to his full intimidating height and grabbing her shoulders warned her “Don’t!”

“You love me!” Hermione shouted. Then blanched when Snape jerked away and stumbled a few feet back from her, “You… you love me.”

Snape laughed harshly but didn’t deny her

Suddenly she wasn’t so sure and she wanted to turn and run. “Don’t you?” she asked trembling.

Hermione stood her ground and gazed at her teacher questioningly.

When Snape spoke again it was with great sarcasm “Love? I can barely stand to say the word.” He face contorted with bitterness. “I do not know which of my memories you saw Miss Granger but let me assure you that you are most mistaken. You may rest easy.”

Snape reached one pale finger into the pensieve and stroked one of the liquid memories. “I do not… love you.” His voice was flat and dead.

But when he looked up at her his cold face became stricken and confused. Without thinking he raised his hand and with a finger traced a single tear that fell slowly down the young girl’s face. “Why?’ he asked.

Hermione raised her hand and laid it warmly against his. Her eyes closed and she turned her face into his hand and breathed in the scent of him. Snape fenefened and low moan escaped him. Slowly he stretched his fingers out and into her silken locks. His gentle touch almost brought Hermione to her knees. She kept her eyes closed so as not to break the spell and sighed a sweet soft sigh as she felt Snape’s fingers work themselves through her hair and caress her gently.

She drew in a sharp breath with she felt Snape’s other hand, unaccountably hot; touch her softly and hesitatingly on the hollow of her throat.

“Gods…” Snape whispered. Hermione’s eyes flickered open. Snape dared not believe what he saw in them.

Hermione felt, rather than saw, him begin to pull away from her. It started in his eyes. “No,” she whispered desperately, “Please… don’t stop. Just tell me… I need to know…” She reached up and with shaking hands grabbed the front of his robe and pulled him down into her. She rose up to meet him and felt his strong arms encircle her.

Hermione had never felt like this before. Snape’s kiss was all consuming, like burning up in a fire and falling down a well at the same . Sn. Snape’s embrace tightened and she felt his manhood pressing into her and she whimpered with desire. Suddenly their hands were all over each other pulling at robes and ripping buttons and she was falling again. No, she was being lowered onto the cool dungeon floor and Snape’s hard form was covering hers.

“Say it too me. Say it to me, please!”

Snape stared into her eyes searchingly, his breath coming hard and fast.

“I must know. Is this real? Do you… do you feel the same?” His grip tightened on her wrists.

“Yes!” Hermione panted, “Yes, God, I love you Severus. I love you too.” She strained her neck up to meet his hungry mouth and then with a pinch of pain he was inside her.