Under The Stars

Mistaken Identity

"There's something else, I've been meaning to talk to you about..." Severus poured out in the heat of the moment. He was about to tell her about the unbreakable vow and how he was Draco's protector. But why spoil the moment? They were alone together again, after 2 months of longing for each other.

Hermione lowered Severus' forehead to hers, as they gazed into each other's eyes. Every thought on his mind quickly vanished. She was too alluring to ignore. As soon as they knew it, their lips crashed together and Severus was towering Hermione on the couch. They removed their clothes gradually and he kissed every part of her body lightly. Taking every part of her delicate form in.

They both knew that they both weren't ready just yet, to take things to the next level. They just wanted to feel each other's presences. But still it was a perfect first night back.

Hermione exited his rooms near to midnight and filled her own bed in the Gryffindor tower. Tomorrow was a new day. Lessons will start and she had a good feeling that this year will be a lot better than last year.

-----

After lunch the next day, Hermione rushed off to potions and left Ron and Harry to their free period. She was actually quite intrigued to learn from Professor Slughorn. Although she knew in her heart that Severus would always be her potions master.

Just as Slughorn began his demonstration at the start of the lesson, the class was interrupted by her two best friends. She was happy that she wasn't on her own for the class. Hermione greeted them with a smile as she answered Slughorn's question and introduced herself.

"This is Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world. It smells differently to each person, according to what attracts them." Hermione explained stepping over to the brewing potion.

She took in the fumes from the concoction. "For example, I smell... books, ink, new parchment and ... the dungeons." She breathed out the last bit, hoping no one had heard her. She quickly returned to her place from where she had previously observed.

In the next few minutes Professor Slughorn ushered everyone away, to start brewing the potion themselves. Hermione cracked on with her work, taking the task with pleasure. As she was the best at everything she did. But this time it was different. This time she was getting more and more frustrated with her potion. This time he wasn't there to teach her. She couldn't understand if it was the absence of her favourite teacher or the way she was brewing the potion, that caused her to mess things up so badly.

It mustn't have been that hard if Harry was getting the hang of it. Although she was sure she noticed, that the ratty old book he was following was annotated thoroughly. Which each stir of her potion, Hermione's hair heightened ever more slightly in stress. Her perfect chocolate curls were now in a bushy chaos.

As it was near to the end of the lesson and Professor Slughorn checked each person's potion. For the first time in her life she was embarrassed by her work. To her annoyance she had to be tormented, by Harry stealing her limelight in a lesson he hated.

After lesson, Hermione was about to take a detour to Severus' room, but then remembered he taught Dark Arts now and he would be up in the castle more often. So she ascended the stairs from the Dungeons with Ron and Harry. She took a redirection after she told her friends, that she was heading for the library.

Hermione waited down the corridor, until Snape dismissed his class for the day. Once his 2nd year students fled from the classroom, she gave it a good amount of time before entering. She knocked and entered through the door, before he could respond. His demeaning look soften once he realised who had just walked in. Hermione smiled and walked over to him, observing the newly furnished classroom.