His Obsession

Hermione sat snuggled on the sofa in the Gryffindor common room, flanked by Harry and Ron. It was rather late, so they didn't have to worry about being bothered by anyone else.

Harry sighed as he stared into the bright flames in the hearth. "I really can't wait until all this is over and done with. Once we've gotten rid of Voldemort, things will go back to the way they should be, the way things were."

"Nothing will ever be the way things were before, Harry. After all of this we can't expect it to. But at least when all is said and done we'll be able to have a good life where we can pursue our dreams in peace. We'll have the opportunity to do and be anything," Hermione said quietly, almost wistfully.

Ron nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I've been thinking about that, and now is as good a time as any... Hermione, I want you to be my wife. Say you'll be my wife," he said, looking at her with searching eyes.

"Oh Ron... As wonderful as that sounds, I think we should wait until after the war is over to make those decisions," she said softly. "Right now you're just being urged on by emotion and the fear that we won't make it through. Let's wait to make a decision like that with a clear head when we're not under such great pressure."

"You're just saying that because you're scared too, Hermione! Think about it, think how nice it will be. Us married. I'll come home from Quidditch practice, and you'll be waiting with dinner on the table... Then after dinner you and I will spend some 'quality time' together," Ron said with a little wink.

Hermione looked at Ron as though he had grown an extra head, and Harry moved a bit further away from him, trying to stay out of things. He knew very well that what Ron had said wasn't going to go over well.

"And just where am I supposed to be while you're at Quidditch practice, Ronald?"

"At home of course. You have to have time to do things like cook and do laundry. And eventually there'll be the little ones to look after. We're going to have a big family. It's only natural."

"At home... You honestly think I'll be happy spending all day at home cooking, and cleaning, and raising babies? Truth be told, I'm not sure I even want children! And what about my education? You know I planned on taking an apprenticeship in Potions after we finished Hogwarts!" Hermione said, trying to restrain herself.

"A Potions apprenticeship, love? What use are you going to have with that once we're married and have a family? I mean, what are you going to need potions for anyway? You've already learned more than enough to keep yourself busy! Besides, mum says a woman's duty lies with her family, not her job, and I think she's right. You need to put less thought into possible careers and more though into how to be a good wife and mum one day."

Harry looked back and forth between Ron and Hermione, knowing that this wasn't going to end prettily.

"Is that what you think, Ronald? Did it ever occur to you that maybe I don't want to marry you and become a pathetic little haus-frau who only thinks about what she needs to make for dinner and when the little one's need to get put to bed? Being a devoted housewife is fine for some women, but I have more ambition for my life than that! I crave knowledge and adventure, Ronald, and if you can't understand that, we have no business getting married, let alone having children," Hermione said through clenched teeth. It was abundantly clear she was trying to hold her emotions in check and not cry in front of the boys.

"Now, if you two will excuse me, I am going to go do rounds. It's 11:30 and it's my duty as head girl. Don't wait up for me, Ronald. Goodnight, Harry. Have pleasant dreams," she said as she got up from the couch, grabbed her wand, and left through the portrait hole.

"You really put your foot in your mouth, mate. I don't think she's going to forgive you for what you said for a while," Harry said, as he looked over at his visibly shocked friend.

"She's Hermione, she'll come around. She always does! Besides, we both know she over reacted again," Ron said with a shrug as he headed up the stairs to the dormitory.

Harry couldn't help the little sinking feeling he had telling him that, this time, Hermione wouldn't be so forgiving.

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Hermione had barely taken a dozen steps outside the portrait hole before she began to cry. Slowly she sank to the stone floor beneath her, allowing herself to get the terrible feeling out of her. She honestly couldn't believe that Ron had been so terribly dense. She was well aware that he had the capacity to be thick, but honestly, this just took the cake. How could he believe that staying home and having nothing to do aside from cleaning and having children would make her happy.

Standing, she dabbed at her eyes with the sleeve of her robes before starting to patrol the halls as she needed to. It wasn't long before the feeling of despair was replaced by a terrible anger. The anger of knowing that a best friend of seven years could seem to know so little and care even less.

Hermione was completely caught up in her thoughts as she rounded a corner, smacking directly into someone coming from the opposite side. Stepping back, she began to apologize profusely, that is until she looked up to see just whom she had ran into. That only served to put her in a more foul mood.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger. Do watch where you are going. Others would be less forgiving, I'm certain," came the voice of the feared potion's master, Severus Snape.

Hermione looked up, giving him the look of utmost hatred as she spoke sweetly, "I'm terribly sorry Professor, next time I will do my best not to sully your person with my inferior being."

Snape raised his brow. He was terribly tempted to take points for that as well, but he had to admit he was terribly curious just what had happened to get the little lioness so fired up. But then he noticed her tear stained face with delight. "What's the matter, Miss Granger? Have another spat with Misters Potter and Weasley?"

Hermione clenched her teeth as her thoughts ran back to the argument earlier. "Why don't you see for yourself, Professor," she hissed, giving him the most challenging look she could muster as she stared into his inky eyes.

For a brief moment, Severus Snape was honestly surprised. It wasn't every day someone offered him entrance into their minds and their memories. "Very well, Miss Granger. Legilimens," He said, gaining access to Hermione's mind. It wasn't more than a moment or two before he extracted himself again, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

"Be glad you denied Mr. Weasley when you had the chance, Miss Granger. That boy will simply use you as a broodmare to help fulfill his dreams of having a family Quidditch team, no doubt. However, one day you will have a man who sees you for who you are. One day you will find a man who worships you for that love of adventure and that unquenchable thirst to learn whatever art you can. And you will be the centre of his world, worshiped like no other... Goodnight Miss Granger."

"If only you were right, Professor. If only you were right..."

Hermione watched as Snape continued down the corridor, utterly amazed that he would ever say something like that to her. Never before had he offered her anything close to a kind word. Usually when he did speak to her, his comments would border on cruel.

Once she had pulled herself back together she roamed the castle passageways silently beseeching any higher power, God or Goddess alike, that might be listening to grant her one favour: that Severus Snape would be speaking the truth.

Little did she know that the Gods already had her path laid out for her. Now it was only a matter of her putting one foot in front of the other to reach the true potential the Gods saw in her, and her true destiny.