WEEKS LATER

Hermione still had not turned in any assignments for Severus, in Potions or his Substitute Days for Remus when he was feeling poor. Really he didn't do anything in Remus' class except take up papers and supervise the students while they worked on projects. It nerved him, angered him, and made him worry. Mostly it annoyed him, though. Once again, for the third time this month, Hermione was doing lines for him. It had become a routine that he both liked and hated. This last time she hadn't turned in the Comparison Essay of Dragons or her Properties of Dragons Blood Essay. He had been so annoyed he had given her a weeks worth of detentions. This was her fourth one this week. Three more until the week was over.

They were doing a routine ham sandwich eating and both writing, her writing lines, and him grading papers. They ignored each other, but cherished each others company secretly. Severus thought her as pretty when hunkered over writing. She thought him as handsome when he was reading. At half past nine, Severus told Hermione to stop. She did and looked at him, expecting a small lecture as the last few times. Though he didn't start the 'Miss Granger please do your assigned work in the future' thing.

He got up instead and walked over to where she sat in a small desk in front of his desk, leaning on his desk on her right. His arms were crossed and he had a worried expression on his face. He cleared his throat, almost testing it to make sure that it would still work.

"Hermione, please tell me why you refuse to turn in your work," he said, almost begged.

She was taken aback by his concern, not expecting him to break that quick. Though she composed herself quickly. "I decided that if you will not believe that you are a good guy, then I would prove it," she told him.

His eyes narrowed with befuddlement. "How? By refusing to do your work?" he asked. When she nodded once, he continued, "How does this prove I'm a good guy?"

"I don't know, but I know it's working," she said simply, with her head up proudly.

Actually, she was right. It was working. Ever since her third 'zero', he had purposely put on there top marks for only him to see. It may not be fair, but she was fighting snatchers and finding horcruxes last year, so she deserved to pass this year. Her final year. However, if she didn't turn in any papers for him, then people would get suspicious when she still was the top student. Severus grinned his teeth together, hissing.

"Miss Granger, as much as I appreciate it, I don't need you to tell me I'm a good or bad guy," he said coolly. Hermione had pursed her lips so thin that McGonagll would surely would be proud of her. "You will report here tomorrow at seven for your fifth detention."

As Severus was about to dismiss her, she cleared her throat. "What if I refuse, sir?" She was standing up, huffing, obviously trying to control a burst of anger. The question shocked him. No one had ever asked anything of that nature, even Potter. Severus walked slowly, building drama between them, to stand inches from Hermione's face. Her heart skipped a small beat when she smelled his potion smell. His caught in his throat for a moment when he smelled her Vanilla Bean scent. Though he kept his cool, fueled by annoyance.

"The consequences would be sever," he said slowly.

They stared at each other, anger burning them, blinding any other feelings. However, the longer they stared at each other, the faster their anger dimmed. They grew closer, anger completely gone now. Their lips brushed gently, testing each other to see it they recoiled. Neither did. His hand found her face, brushing her hair from her closed eyes. He forgot that he had made an appointment to give Remus his potion tonight in ten minutes. She forgot that she was supposed to be getting back to her common room. They didn't kiss, lips only brushing against each others, sensually.

Their breaths grew shallow, centimeters from diving into a heated kiss. However, a knock came at the closed door. They sprang apart. Severus knocked against his jars on the wall, while Hermione almost tripped against her chair. They were staring at each other when the door opened. However, they composed their-selves. Remus was standing there, looking between the two of them. He felt there was something there, but couldn't put his finger on it at the time. He let it go and cleared his throat.

"Hello, Remus," Hermione greeted somewhat cheerfully. She seemed flushed. Arguing with Severus again. Those two were more alike than they realized.

"Hermione," Remus nodded to her. He walked over to Severus. "I have come for my potion, Severus," he said casually.

"Of course, Remus, through the door behind my chair. Take a goblet full or two," he directed.

Remus nodded, eye growing slightly darker. The full moon was tomorrow, and he was taking it rather hard. He wasn't as young as he used to be, and the transformation took a lot out of him. Thankfully, Teddy wouldn't start changing until he was around seven or eight. It was the only upside of passing on the werewolf genes to your children. All he had was sharp baby teeth and wolf-soft hair. He left through the door, thinking about what could have happened moments before he entered.

"Leave, Granger," Severus said lowly in a begging tone.

She stared at him, his eyes pleaded. She had obviously made more than her point tonight. She didn't want to leave though. "I don't want too," she replied hastily, she ran her hand over his face, as he did to her.

His heart beat faster with want. "I don't want you too, either, but you're a student," he told her the truth. She sighed, then left. At the precise moment she left, Remus came back in levitating two goblets of the potion.

"Where is Hermione?" he asked rather suspiciously.

"Back in her common room," Severus said coldly.

Remus nodded, staring at him. He was watching something in one of his jars swim around in the liquid with fake interest.

"Yes, well, thank you again, Severus," Remus said, leaving himself.

With that, Severus was left alone to think about what all happened in this room. What if Remus hadn't knocked, what would have happened? In an empty classroom, Hermione was thinking too. What had just happened? She was trying to catch her breath, as if she had just run a marathon. They went to sleep thinking of each other that night. However, by morning, it was like it had never happened. Whether purposefully or not, they ignored each other throughout the day.

That night at seven Hermione came in and started her lines without being told. She didn't see Severus anywhere, which was a break in their routine. It didn't bother her at the moment. She continued to work for the next hour. After another half hour, Hermione became worried. He hadn't shown up to her detention, and what's more, he didn't bring any sandwiches for her. She really didn't know which was worse at the moment. She got up and walked around to the door that Remus had went through yesterday. It was his private room. It was dark, cold, and gloomy. A caldron-full of wolfsbane potion sat on a table close to the door.

A bed was in the corner, farthest from the door, in the instant darkness. She wanted to light her wand, but didn't. A lump was in bed, bare chested. It alarmed her, and she ran to it, frightened. Gently, she shook it. It moved and groaned.

"No, no, don't, please. I did what you want, please forgive me," Severus muttered, panting hard.

"Severus," Hermione called, shaking him, "Severus, wake up!"

Suddenly he flinched, waking up. He was sweaty and panting. His eyes were far away. They didn't seem to realize who she was. "Please, don't, don't tell anyone," he begged.

"Tell anyone what, Severus," Hermione nudged.

He looked around the empty room, as if someone would jump out. Then he leaned closer to her. "That I love someone," he whispered. He gasped and moved back against the headboard in fright.

"Who?"

"I can't say. He wouldn't allow it to pass my lips. He still has hold of me, after all this time," Severus gasped.

He wasn't making any sort of sense. Hermione sat on the edge of his bed. "Who still has hold of you?"

"Him!" He said it with such emphasis as if he expected Hermione to understand who he was talking about. She nodded and pretended to understand, even though she didn't. Hermione felt his forehead, he felt hot. Fever, she thought.

"Lie down," she told him, pulling the covers back to allow him to slide under. He did, against the walls. She conjured up a washcloth and a caldron-full of cold water dab him with.

Obviously it would be best to call Madam Pomphery down here, but she wanted to do this herself, the Muggle way. She started dabbing his head with the cold water, trying to get his fever down. It took a good hour or so to get him calm enough for her to continue to dab his chest the way she did his head. His chest was pale and scarred, though not as bad as Ron had drew in first year of him. He seemed to be very toned and handsome.

Another hour went by before his fever was down. Though he still didn't make sense. He was getting sleepy, however, so she had him close his eyes. As soon as she thought he had fell asleep she had moved to get up. However he felt her get up and grabbed her wrist.

"Please, stay," he begged her. "It feels better with you here."

Staying with him in his bed seemed to be crossing everything. However she did as he wished. Hermione undressed to her bra and underwear (knickers?) since that is what she slept in. Unwise, yes, but it was the only way she could sleep. She fell in between the covers beside him. He wrapped his arms around her almost immediately. His arms felt right to her. She fell asleep almost instantly. He muttered lowly to himself for another five minutes before Hermione's hands inclosed around his. Then he stopped and fell asleep too.

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