Come What May

Chapter 5

Hermione woke with vigor the next morning and dressed before the sun had even risen. Sitting at the edge of her bed, Crookshanks made its way over to her, rubbing against the black nylons.

"You'll get fur all over me!" Hermione exclaimed, picking up the cat to put him behind her on the bed. Sulking, he rolled up in a ball and glared at her. "Oh stop." Rolling her eyes, the witch glanced back over to the two pairs of shoes in front of her.

Hermione Granger clacked her way through the castle, arriving just in time for potions with the third years. She entered the room, making her way through to Snape's office at the back of the room.

"Good morning, sir."

"I told you to get rid of those shoes." He flipped down his copy of the Daily Prophet, narrowing his eyes at her. Hermione blushed violently.

"If they bother you that much, then fine." She changed her shoes with the flick of her wand, shrinking down three inches. "However, I really did like them."

Snape blinked up at her, dark eyes unfeeling. He put down the paper on his desk, resting his elbows on top. Tucking his folded hands beneath his chin, Snape looked up at Hermione, and then over towards one of the bookshelves.

"Dreamless Sleep, then," Snape started in drawn-out breath. "You're competent in brewing it?"

Hermione tilted her head, leaning forward towards the professor slightly.

"I became competent in first year." Shifting slightly, Hermione glanced about the room, her eyes falling on a leather jacket hanging on one hook of the coat rack in the corner. She licked her lips quickly, inhaling. The leather jacket. The one she wanted to take off of him...

"Very well then. Go."

So, she did. Hermione Granger made her way out of the office, feeling self-conscious as she turned her back on the professor. Was he watching her? Yes. Hermione could feel his eyes on her.

As she stood above the cauldron, Hermione thought back to the night in the rain. The way his arms outstretched and held onto the handlebars of the motorcycle. Snape's thighs squeezing the body to keep himself steady. She grinned brightly when she closed her eyes and pictured herself with her arms around him, flying through the streets of London. Oh, how could it have been him?

Stirring, Hermione blinked back to reality. Anxiety hit her like a ton of bricks, realizing that she might have ruined her potion--no! It was perfect. A shimmering purple color--spot on. Grinning, the witch carefully funneled it into several vials, labeling them with the wave of her hand. She had enough to sleep peacefully for a week. Or... sleep eternally if she wanted.

"You've taken long enough, Granger." Hermione jumped, but did not turn around. Rolling her eyes heavily, she began to clean up her area.

"Must you insist on startling me?" That git. Hermione saw out of the corner of her eye a long arm clad in black with the tip of a white sleeve peeking out. Snape collected all the vials except for one. As he retracted, she felt a slight brush of something firm against her ass.

Wait--what? Hermione looked over her shoulder to watch Snape walk back to his office, his cape and hair flowing behind him.

Was that his finger? His... Thing? She bit her lip and then shook her head, glancing up towards the window. No way! He accidentally brushed his hand against her as he took the vials away. Nothing more. Her mind began to wander into places that made her blush; Hermione drew herself back in.

Hermione mustered the courage to go back into his office for her next assignment, wiping her sweaty palms on her skirt. As she walked through the rows of desks, she stepped up onto the landing before his office and made her way to stand in front of the desk. It was ornately carved with ivy wrapped around the edges. Small clear and emerald jewels were affixed in various places on the carvings. Hermione studied it for a few more moments Snape was focused intently on a roll of parchment laid out on the desk, scrawling with his quill across the surface.