*Chapter 6*

Hermione waited nervously. She took off her outer robes and laid them across her bed, habitually casting a glamour over her scarred arm. Thanks to Bellatrix Lestrange, the glamour charm had become a necessity. Hermione couldn't stand to go out in public without hiding the hideous word from view. She sat on one of the ivy chairs by her fireplace with a book on her lap. However, she was much to nervous to read. Feeling a headache coming on She released her wavy hair from the neat bun and sighed as She felt the tension release from her scalp. She desperately wanted to know what had happened earlier and why all she could think about was the snarky professor. Sure she'd always felt some attraction to the man. It had started off as a schoolgirl crush and matured into genuine attraction… but never like this.

She wanted him. She wanted him bad. She could feel the flush in her cheeks, and she could only imagine the way it would feel when he touched her. Suddenly she was impatient to go to his rooms.

She checked the time. She still had 15 minutes, but she didn't wait. She knocked on the door timidly. She heard a muffled reply, "come in". She entered his room and looked around, it was about what she expected. She actually really liked it. It was simple, it was Severus. The room gave off the faint aroma of mint and sandalwood. Hermione breathed it in appreciatively.

Severus was seated at a small table in the corner of the room. Hermione crossed the room to the table. He gestured for her to sit across from him. He stood up and walked to his liquor cabinet and grabbed a bottle of firewhisky and two glasses before coming back. He then sat pouring them both a glass, before setting the bottle on the table. Severus tipped the glass to his lips and swallowed. Hermione found herself looking at his lips. When they weren't pressed into a scowl, they looked very soft. She wanted very badly to find out for herself. Shaking away the thought, she took a drink from her glass appreciatively. "I thought we were drinking wine?" She said, trying to downplay the tension she was feeling.

Severus gave her an amused look, raising an eyebrow. "I apologise, I thought that firewhisky would be more appropriate for this situation".

Hermione set her glass down carefully trying to assess his mood. She looked back up at him quizzically, noticing that Severus now had a book laid open in front of him. He looked nervous. "What is it Severus?"

Without speaking, he rotated the book and pushed it towards her mashing his lips into a familiar thin line. She looked down at it. She could feel his gaze on her waiting for her reaction. She read the section over twice before looking up at him making sure to keep her features neutral.

"Is there any way to confirm or deny weather this is true?" Hermione asked.

Severus took another swig from his glass. He looked nervous. He set his glass back down roughly. Hermione reached across the table slowly and laid her hand over his reassuringly, for the second time noticing a strange tingling sensation where she touched him. Suddenly she felt calm and safe. Hermione wasn't sure what was happening but whatever it was, it definitely wasn't normal.

At her touch, Severus seemed to calm slightly too. "The only person I can think to ask is Dumbledore, but he's been gone for years now…"

Hermione smiled. "I know how we can ask him Severus, I'm surprised you haven't thought of it yet".

He gave her a sarcastic sneer, "Please enlighten me…"

Hermione squeezed his hand excitedly. "Severus… we can ask Dumbledore's portrait!"

He pinched the bridge of his nose, obviously irritated with himself. He emptied his glass and refilled it, taking another sip. After a moment he gave her a sly smirk. "I'm not used to being around anyone who shares my savvy."

Hermione took a swig from her drink embarrassed. Before flashing Severus a flirtatious smile. She could feel the liquor start to affect her. With her small stature, she'd always been a lightweight. She finished off her glass and set it down. Severus gestured to the bottle asking her a silent question. Hermione smiled ruefully and sighed, "better not."

That earned her a chuckle from Severus. His face lit up when he smiled, the sparse lines that surrounded his usually severe expression all but vanished. She found herself being drawn into his dark eyes as he watched her. Her palms started to sweat and she could feel a light throbbing between her legs. She wondered desperately if Severus felt the same way.

Hermione summoned her Gryffindor courage, "Tell me what you're thinking right now Severus".