Just an Itch

Clearing the Air

"How about the part where I said I told the Dean I wanted to quit," Bella all but shouted. She turned away from Hermione and walked over to the window, looking outside. After a moment, she spoke with a calm voice, "look, Hermione. I didn't come her to fight with you." She turned and faced the younger woman whose eyes were welling with tears. "I came here because we clearly have things we need to hash out and I want to do that with you. We both deserve it. Don't you think so?"

Hermione nodded and she moved to take a seat on one of the chairs folding her legs underneath her body. She chewed on her lower lip, not sure who was supposed to speak first. Afraid that if she started talking, the tears she had been holding would rush from the floodgates. She cleared her throat, "umm."

"I'll start," Bella gave her a soft smile. "But before I begin, do you have a first aid kit?" She told Bella that it was in the bathroom so she stepped away momentarily coming back with the kit. She shed her cloak and squatted down in front of her student. Hermione tried to curb the blush that was forming on her cheeks from seeing Bella in her tux jacket with nothing underneath it. She cursed herself internally for her natural reaction. Bella only smirked slightly, "now now, pet. It's okay to look but I believe that's what got us in this mess in the first place. Hand?" She asked and Hermione held it out flat as best she could against her quad. "Does it hurt?"

"Only a little bit," she winced when Bella picked her hand up to examine it. "Okay. I lied. It hurts terribly."

Bella nodded and put her glasses back down on her nose before getting a few cotton swabs and antiseptic to clean the cuts. "She was my assistant," Bella said looking up after wrapping a layer of bandage around her disinfected hand.

"Was?"

She nodded and added a second layer of bandage. "She was good for nothing except pissing me off really. I only had to hire her because the person meant to do the exhibit with me backed out. Can't imagine why she would back out but I was left in an awful predicament."

Hermione bit her lip, "she fancied you."

"I know."

"It was a very satisfying punch."

Bella chuckled, "wish I would've seen it first hand. I fired her."

"Good," Hermione smiled. "She wanted to sleep with you. I'm pretty sure that's why she took the job."

"I'm not stupid, Hermione. I just needed someone to work for me through the run of the show. I'll handle the rest of it myself or get Cissy to help me if I find myself in need." Hermione nodded and watched as Bella brought her knuckles up to her lips and kissed them, "there all better." Her blush came back as Bella got up and returned the first aid stuff to the bathroom. When she was coming out she was saying, "Christmas Eve... I asked you to leave my room because I was so offended that you thought I had already moved on." She saw the look of sorrow in her students eyes, "I'm not looking for an apology. I get very defensive when my character is judged by someone whom I care deeply for." She took a seat on the couch sitting kitty corner to Hermione's chair. "I've been around a long time and I've entertained my share of ladies but I've never cared for one as deeply as I did," she met Hermione's eyes, "as I do for you and it was just a little jarring to thinking that you thought I'd shut my feelings off so fast."

"I was upset with you. For many reasons," she saw her Professor grimace but not look over. "I just didn't understand why you left," she waved Bella off when she looked like she was going to interrupt. "I know you had to get the pieces for the exhibit but we didn't even get to talk. You just left. You ignored my texts and calls. All I got from you was very professional emails sent to me and the Dean. Then I see you at Christmas and you are busy on the phone with some woman. What was I supposed to think? I felt like all the wind was knocked out of me on repeat for the last month."