The Flaw In Perfection: A Snamione Romance Fanfic

Chapter 28. The Cushion's Secret

The long sickening silence around the usual dungeons classroom devastated the female who had her eyes latched to the blatantly irritated Potions Master. No coldness has ever been this long or bewitching. Between those midnight eyes of his lurked the home of the hideous creatures who guarded Azkaban. Lifeless, concealing and insipid.

The lessons were a mixture of filth and mud in her view. The scratch of the white chalk on the board seemed like a nail sharpening through the board's surface. The similar dimmed candles which lighted the room looked deceased and already relinquished life. Her teacher wore an apathetic and complacent face, more rigid and languid than the visage he commonly showed her during class. His enthusiasm was coated with untold and unnecessary anger. His voice was back again. The dangerous and impression lacking tone. The one she had lived by these five years of being under his pedagogy. But she couldn't remember that tone again somehow, because she actually learned to love his sweet, mellifluous voice. The kind, compassionate, and shy locution he showed her.

She wanted to ask him what was wrong between the two of them. Why is he acting so unfamiliar and unfriendly? She could tell something was wrong.

He averted his eyes from his student after he had earned that perplexed look in the brown pair of eyes. Her lips were shut but her mind has so much to express. Her face looks fine but her heart denied the emotion she was trying to reflect. He felt a little guilty and overwhelmed at the same time but he knew that if he would continue her little acquaintance with her, she would surely fall into the deeper depths of the precipice he himself created.

His bitterness was very sudden and he that was how he wanted it to be. He had hoped that she will not ask any question regarding his behaviour because he didn't want to push her away even more. Well, even though, he was actually pushing her away from him.

Distance. Yes, fair distance. That was all he desired. She shouldn't dare enter or cross the line he drawn to keep everyone away from him. Even so that he wished her to be aloof and far-off, he didn't want to make any move that will make her hate him.

Besides, she was the only living proof that he was capable of feeling. That he was human. Not some kind of errand boy working for two masters, a person only worth respecting because of school marks, or some colleague only worth talking because of his position in his workplace.

To her he was a friend. And actually, turned out to be more than a friend.

He shook his head discretely and recalled why he was being rude to her again. She couldn't feel anything about him. This situation was immoral by the face of the law and an insult to his heart's affirmation. He would never trade nor compare a pathetic little girl to the love of his life.

As he battled with himself, Hermione finally noticed his brief, silent actions and unexpectedly broke the ice.

"Uhm, Sir... is everything okay?" she was baffled still yet determined.

"Everything is in exquisite order, Miss Granger. Must you always talk rather than finish your task?" and for the very first time, his guilt was lost and he was completely angered by the glint of affection he caught in her eyes.

Hermione knew it was mistake talking to him but at least she tried. Her Gryffindor instincts were taking her over. And she also knew this kind of attitude will never apply to the Slytherin professor seated at the corner of the room right now. He will surely find it very disgusting and uncharming.

She was utterly blinded by his actions. What did I do? Did I do something he did not like? Did I show an unpleasant behaviour toward him? Have I missed something?

But she told herself that her questions will remain statements with a question mark in the end if she didn't deliver the message. A hypothesis will never be proven if there is not act of experimentation that will test it, right?