Brilliant!

A/N: Boredom while my beta is away and my other British obsession has bread this one shot. And no there will be no sequel on this one.


Brilliant!


Severus had a deep dark secret, more like an obsession. An obsession he had not been able to indulge in more months then he liked to count. It was his secret shame the shame he knew would be laughed at and picked at like a festering wound. It was this knowledge that had him hide his obsession away when the brilliant witch Hermione Granger moved in with him over the summer as his apprentice.

His steps faltered and he winced as the word Brilliant reminded him that he had not been able to indulge in his addiction. Now since the young witch had moved in he had sequestered it all away into a secret room off of his study. She would never under stand and might even think less of him, that and it would shatter the master and apprentice dynamic. If she laughed then he would kick her out forcing her to find another Potions Master to teach her.

He sighed knowing deep down inside that he didn’t want that. She had saved him after the final battle and her fire and intelligence kept him on his toes. It was more then that, he owed her a life debt it was the fact the she was the first person to ever seek his company and friendship with out wanting something. Matter of fact when he first offered the apprenticeship she had turned him down.

*Flashback*

“Professor I don’t want the apprenticeship.” Hermione said as she frowned at him.

“So your talk of being a potions master while I was in St Mungo’s was a lie?” He hissed glaring at her.

“No sir it was not, I never said I wasn’t going to apprentice and become a Potions Mistress.” She had glared right back at him her hands on her hip and for the first time he could see why Weasley referred to her as scary. “I have applied for apprenticeship with Master LeVon.”

“Why would you want that dunderhead to teach you?” Severus snapped. “I thought the brightest witch of her age would want to be trained by the best, Me!”

“Sir while I agree you are the best and I would be honored to learn from you even more then what you have taught me over the last seven years I can’t help but think you are offering this for the wrong reasons.” Hermione had said calmly. “After everything you have done I refuse to have you forcing your self to take me on when you hate me because you think you have too because I saved your life. I did that because it was the right thing to do not because I wanted anything. I’m not Slytherin.”

“I don’t hate you.” He had growled, “and I’m offering it because you’re highly intelligent and will be an asset to the field. I take potions seriously and life debt or no if you weren’t worthy I would have not offered, so are you going to accept now or do I have to floo every Potions Master and Mistress out there and convince them that you are not worthy of being apprenticed.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” She had screamed with righteous indignation,

“Unlike you my dear I am Slytherin.” He had purred causing her to roll her eyes and throw her hands up in defeat.

“Fine Severus you win.”

*End flashback*

So with that he had rushed home while she packed and hidden away all evidence of his addiction. Maybe tonight once she was asleep he would sneak down to that hidden room and indulge. Sifting the bags of take out, he smirked as he neared his house. The meeting with Minerva had ended several hours earlier then it was suppose to so he had picked up Fish and Chips for dinner and was looking forward to surprising his apprentice who probably had her nose buried in a book or was researching something.

He opened the door and frowned as no yelled greeting reached his ears. It was true the house was heavily warded and would only let the two of them in but still she had never failed to ask him to identify himself. Dropping off the bags in the kitchen he went to the library to scold her to be greeted by emptiness. The potions lab offered him the same thing and his trade mark scowl appeared as he headed to his study. She knew she wasn’t suppose to touch the books on Dark Magic unless he was here. The girl was about to hear it, but as he opened the door his heart stopped.

The door to the secret room as not only exposed but open, which meant she knew, she was in there looking at his true shame. The one thing the big bad Death Eater and spy had kept even from Dumbledore was now being looked upon by the Gryffindor Princess. Would she think him weak? With dread in his heart he crept forward and cringed when he saw the flashes of light and the scattering of light that meant she was watching.

There she was curled in his favorite chair, her feet were tucked up on her side and her face was glued forward. As he pushed the door open trying to see which one she was watching the door creaked. Her face turned to him and he saw the tears running down her face. She smiled weakly and whipped at her eyes with the sleeves of her shirt. “I love and hate this episode,” She admitted looking at him. “It’s the first time he left Rose.”

Severus breath caught and he had to swallow before he could speak. “You like this show?”

“Yes I love it. My dad is a huge fan too.” She smiled at him on of her brilliant smiles that seamed to light up the whole room. “Severus you have every episode even the old black and whites. Why do you keep them hidden away?”

“Most witches and wizards would not understand the obsession that is this show.” He responded softly.

“Well good thing I’m not most Witches.” She smiled. “I know I shouldn’t have snooped but I’m glad I did. I was kind of missing this. Can I continue watching?”

“Only if I can join you,” He said smiling for the first time in a long time.

“I would like that.” With those words a new step was taken in their relationship. No matter how mean and snappy he was during the day. No matter how frustrating they got with a project it all melted away as they curled up at the end of the day with some food and what ever episode they were on of ‘Doctor Who’.