CHAPTER TWELVE: Hermione's Confession

"Oh Andrew," she sighed when his lips left hers to travel down to her jaw line, "Make love to me."

The sight of Hermione in the Flying instructor's arms begging for something he wanted to be the only one to give her jerked Severus from his dreams.

They had started like they usually did...with him and her...and their imaginations...well since they were his dreams, his imagination. But this time the realization that she was in love with Malten interfered.

He growled in anger and frustration. Pushing the sheets back, he struggled to sit up. No one knew how hard he had pushed his body. Now he could take faltering steps with the aid of a cane. His body was stiff and his limbs ached. He cursed Voldemort as he painfully stood up. His body was still recovering from all the abuse heaped on it from that madman's wand. He struggled to make it to the bathroom. It was hard, but he refused to conjure up a cane. Maybe a shower...no if he was honest with himself he didn't have the energy to stand so he would have to settle for a bath.

With the remains of his strength he filled his bath and tiredly lowered his body into the hot sandalwood scented water. He released a sigh of pure bliss. This had been a luxury he'd denied himself before meeting Isola.

His mouth curved into a smile and he closed his eyes as her image appeared before his mind's eye. She was beautiful. Her lightness a perfect foil to his darkness. He loved everything about her..her body, the way she styled her hair, her eyes, her smile. She made him feel warm inside which was strange considering Slytherins were not very warm people.

Random images started flitting across his closed eyelids. The first time they met. Their first date. Their first argument. His mind conjured up an image of the first time they'd been intimate. It had been beautiful.

They were in Paris staying at Isola's family estates. They had been sitting quietly enjoying each other's company sharing the occasional kiss in front of the fire.

"I want you," she managed to mumble into his mouth.

"I need you," he groaned.

Passion suddenly consumed them and by unspoken agreement had taken the elevator up to her wing of the house. They entered her bedroom kissing. She pushed him onto the bed then slowly removed her clothing. He stood up and threw his robes and clothes off impatiently. Silently, gazes still locked, they moved to lie on the bed facing each other.

He leaned in to kiss her. They rolled until she was on top. Reaching down she grasped him and guided him to her entrance. She plunged down on him and he closed his eyes in pleasure. He opened them to watch her beautiful face. Hermione's beautiful hazel gazed down at him.

"I love you," she whispered.

A cry of "Merlin's Beard!"echoed through the chambers.

----

Severus watched the young woman in front of him and tried to keep his breathing normal. He was still rattled by his dream from the other night. It was bad enough that she was starring in his fantasies, now she was invading his memories. This had to stop! He cleared his throat.

"So have you told your mystery man how you feel yet?"

"No,"

"Why not?"

"I wouldn't do that to his fiancée,"

"Some day you might regret it," he snorted quietly to himself. Who was he to talk? Besides he didn't want Malten anywhere near his Hermione!

"As long as he's happy I'll never regret it,"

They drifted into an uncomfortable silence. Severus because he was picturing her naked. He heard her sigh and wondered what she was thinking. Whatever it was had her scared.

Hermione was thinking about what had happened after Transfiguration Class.

"Remain behind Miss Granger,"

Hermione walked to the front of the class forcing herself to ignore the sniggers coming from both her house and the Slytherins.

"Yes Professor?"

Her Head of House waited until the last student left then turned to her favourite student, "Professor Dumbledore wanted me to tell you to remind Professor Snape that his evaluation is due tomorrow."

Oh Merlin! She still hadn't told him. The Headmaster had told her to tell him but she knew that Snape would have requested her immediate suspension. Now she'd left it too late. This would end their tenuous friendship.

She looked at the man in the bed. His eyes were closed. He had a small smile on his face. Probably thinking about her again. She had no clue what made him tick, but she did know that he valued honesty. How un-Slytherin of him had been her first thought, but over the past two weeks she had come to realize that honesty and bravery weren't just Gryffindor traits and that spite and hatefulness weren't just Slytherin traits.

Better bite the bullet.

"Pro...Severus?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"There's something I have to tell you," she was wringing her hands.

"Go on," he had opened his eyes to look at her.

"I've been keeping something from you," she said quietly. She didn't want to do this. She didn't want to lose their tenuous relationship, but she knew that Dumbledore would tell him and then things would be worse.

He chuckled, "I figured that much, since I don't know what you want to tell me."

She took a deep breath and said, "Myfaterestsinyourhands."

A confused look appeared on his face.

She inhaled deeply again and said, "Professor Dumbledore had asked me to tell you that it was up to you whether or not I remained Head Girl."

She closed her eyes against the storm that was gathering in his eyes as she continued, "It's up to you whether I get suspended or not. If you suspend me, I lose my title permanently. I didn't tell you because..."

She opened her eyes and they were captured by his. She silently begged for his understanding, but she dropped her gaze to her lap when she saw the disgust and anger that had been missing from his gaze the past week slowly appear.

"I didn't tell you because I wanted to..."

"Your reasons are of no concern to me," the arctic voice lashed at her, "I can come up with them on my own."

"You don't understand! I.."

"I understand perfectly!" he snapped. He inhaled deeply and gripped the bed sheets to prevent himself from lunging at her. He watched dispassionately as tears slid down her face.

"Please Severus!"

He had given her permission to use his name when they were alone, but she had always had problems with it. It was typical that the one time his name rolled easily off her tongue, it was because she was trying to seduce her way out of trouble.

"Get out of my sight!"

"Please!"

The Slytherin in him focused on her heaving breasts. He should grab her and fulfill all his fantasies then suspend her. If she decided to make a complaint, he'd make sure that no one would believe her.

He flung the covers aside and made to stand up. She rushed to help him. He shrugged her off more violently than he'd intended and she landed hard on the floor at his feet.

He looked like a dark avenging angel come down to render judgement.

The floor will do nicely.

He took a step forward. She whimpered in fear. That noise cleared the fog in his head. He looked down. Beautiful hazel eyes filled with stark fear gazed back at him. It was a slap in the face. No human should ever be that afraid. He had not forced himself on a woman since his Death Eater days and he was not about to start with this woman-child.

"You will never touch me again. Understand?"

She shivered in fear as his venom washed over her. She nodded quickly.

"Return to your dorm at once! I will inform the headmaster of your conduct,"

Her wide eyes stayed on him.

"What are you waiting for? Get up!" he spat at her.

She scrambled to her feet. She wiped the tears away. She locked eyes with him and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Then she fled.