Sooooo… fail the Oct 25th exam by doing something exceedingly dumb, like trying to jump over the abyss with no strengthening magic, gets you demerits, a detention… and some rather interesting dialog options with a certain brooding Brit. While several of the in game paths this conversation can take are questionably appropriate, I couldn't help but blend two of the them… taking it just a little too far, and then filling in the plot holes to try to justify it… While this chapter could just be rated T/M for mild swearing and sexual tension, I'll likely be increasing the story rating to E… because I think we all know where this is going ^-^

So, without further ado, a revised Grabiner/MC scene… and where it might lead.

Blue-tipped fingers wove a path through her auburn tresses for the tenth time since she came to this room, the nervous habit born of both her trepidation as well as her mounting frustration. Thinking back… yes, it was dumb. She knew that when she did it. Jumping into a seemingly endless void was an admittedly childish way to give up after wasting too many magic points investigating her surroundings. Her forehead met the table in the detention room with a satisfying thunk.

Really though, nothing about this year had been very fair. From the first day on campus, where simply colliding with a grumpy professor earned her 10 demerits, to be given the choice of demerits or detention for not properly balancing your supposedly flexible class schedule, to these stupid exams that they give you no practical information on. Hadn't she been handling the culture shock rather well compared to some of the other wildseeds? Apparently not.

Not to mention getting possibly the worst senior for freshman initiation. Stupidly naïve, she didn't want to judge him unfairly based on his looks or the rumors flying around, but Damien would have to think her a total moron to believe his stolen love letter ruse. Wasn't it bad enough to be bossed around by all the seniors? Did they really have to add emotional warfare as means of assaulting incoming students? Her body seemed to melt even deeper into the dark mahogany table she sat at, her arms and chest joining her face against its cool surface.

The lacquered wood pressing up to meet her only marginally helped the rush of heat tinting her skin at the memory of a certain indignant, icy voice reciting her words aloud to the class. While she certainly didn't realize it at the time, the deep accented timber was exactly the kind of voice she pictured in her mind while composing the letter. So having to hear it read aloud by such a voice twisted with icy derision, only seemed to sink the blade of betrayal deeper into her back.

Well, it could have been worse… at least he knew it wasn't real from the start. I mean, having to explain to your tall, dark, and handsome professor with the sinfully delicious voice…. Woah! Where did that come from? Green eyes widening in surprise at her own admission, memories of exactly why she refused to look at him in favorable light floated thought her mind. Teeth unconsciously worried her lip as she grudgingly admitted that were it not for a few fatal flaws, her teacher might be quite the catch. But really, who doesn't love his harsh glares, merciless teaching style, petty punishments, and complete lack of humor?

A low groan left her parted lips as she turned her head to the side, her flushed cheek now smushed against the glossy surface as she faced the exit he and Donald used only minutes before. Nope. Not thinking about this anymore.

Clearly the universe had other plans… the man in question wearily stalked back through the door, and without so much as a glance in her direction, proceeded to drop into a nearby chair at the table, slender hands rising to slowly massaging his temples. Now was probably her best chance to objectively assess him. A task made easier by the absence of his characteristic scowl & bellowing.

Without moving from her graceless sprawl, her eyes roamed what she could see of his form. In addition to the immediately obvious traits such as his long, thick hair framing distinguished angular features currently being massaged with deft precision by long, thin fingers… she observed some of the other more subtle elements. While his dark robes usually hung loosely from his broad shoulders, illustrating his slim physique, the billowy sleeves had fallen back to reveal the smooth pale skin of lean, though surprisingly toned, forearms flexing with his ministrations. Her eyes shifted to his wavy black hair, and an odd thought struck her. No grey… none. And he hardly seems the type to bother coloring it.

This prompted her to re-examine his face, noting that each time the tension melted from his countenance, the familiar scowl lines would fade dramatically. Huh… he's younger than he lets on. Before I would have sworn he was well into his thirties, but now… he just looks tired.

Unable to help the concern lacing her voice, Ada pulled herself upright, " Sir?"

The only indication of his surprise was a slight tensing of his form before he dropped his hands and fixed her with a bored stare, " Oh. You."

Wow. Way to go from appealing to crotchety in no time flat. This. This is exactly why no one would bother to look twice at him.

Without another word, he rose fluidly from the table and approached one of the bookshelves lining the walls. After a few moments of perusal, he selected a thin, faded gold book and tossed it onto the table. The resounding slap as it made contact was an obvious attempt at intimidation. Instead of taking the bait, she kept her focus trained on his glare, the minor lift of her brow the only outward response to his provocation.

His brown eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he registered her outward calm. "Read that. Write a summary report."

Following his shifted focus over to the book lying innocuously beside her on the table, she felt the insult as soon as she absorbed the title, " Is this a children's book?"

He didn't even try to hide the smirk from his voice, "Behave like a child, and you'll be educated like one. This is how wizard children are taught to avoid becoming suicidally stupid. Get started."

Oh, so he does have a sense of humor… a really shitty one.

Just barely suppressing the urge to return a pithy remark of her own, she sank down to the table, resigned to her fate.

Reseating himself just across the table, and splitting his focus between the magic tome before him and the ever deepening look of abhorrence on his pupil's face, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly upward… the amusement shining behind his eyes building along with the anticipation of which page would set her off.

The story of Little Willie and his foolish friends, though originally written to be a cautionary tale meant to dissuade ill-conceived and unsafe magical practices, had become somewhat of a morbid joke throughout the magical community due to the horribly graphic nature of each child's demise, as well as the apparent disinterest of any adult figure in the book. While certainly getting the point across, it had not been used by educators for the better part of a century in favor subtler, less traumatizing teaching aids. However, even with its replacement in magical schools, one would be hard pressed to find a witch or wizard unfamiliar with some version of the tale.

You know, except for wildseeds of course…

Each page was worse than the last, and before she could even finish the disturbing book, her horror and disbelief had her closing it in disgust. British kids actually read this?!

Snapping her head up to confront her teacher, her horror faded to disbelief. Though he tried to quickly look away and relax his face, she had registered the laughter in his eyes and the ghost of a smile. He's mocking me. The Great and Terrible Professor Grabiner is actually teasing me. Fine… two can play at that game.

Shifting forward in the chair to rest her chin lightly on her palm and affecting a demeanor of playful confidence, she was entirely unable to stop herself from leaping across another abyss, "Can't you just spank me?"

There it is again… In the few unguarded moments where his characteristic scowl failed to appear, in this instance replaced briefly by pure shock, she was able to once again see his youth shining through. But even being momentarily thrown off his game, too soon his controlled features fell into place leaving a disinterested visage.

Though for as expressionless as he kept his face, he did poorly to mask the emotions churning in his eyes. Only the slightest shift of his focus belied his unchecked assessment of her figure. Quickly snapping his gaze back to her quirking lips & lifted brows, he cleared his now dry throat.

"You want me to spank you."

He kept his tone admirably even, but seemed unable to completely hide the heated undercurrent of implication in his words… nor was she able to remain unaffected. Sitting across the wide table, the distance remained insufficient to buffer her from the rising temperature in the room. With her dazed emerald eyes dropping to focus on his slightly parted lips, she let the words fall from her mouth before even realizing her thought, "Yes, please!"

One incredulous eyebrow lifted as his grip on his book tightened, the creak of the binding echoing his restraint. Several heavy moments passed before his expression schooled itself, the magical tome abandoned as he rose from the table.

"Stand up. Bend over & place your hands on the table."

Her false bravado began to waiver… he's really doing it?

Taking a deep breath as she tried to restore her mask of confidence, Ada moved to obey, standing, then bending over to spread sticky palms on the table before her. His robes flow effortlessly behind as he rounded the table, walking out of her field of vision. Her eyes slipped shut and head bowed as her nervous excitement made her acutely aware of every other sensation. The slick cool table pushing back against her nearly trembling palms, the rustling material of her robes brushing the backs of her legs, the weight of the air as she tried to focus on pulling it in, the sound of his boot making a slightly uneven step. She kept her head lowered so that her curtain of hair might hide the grin splitting her face. He's nervous too…

"In my day, Miss Lovelace, the headmaster often took his 'belt' to boys who had been bad. And no one thought anything of it. Of course the word 'belt' was a polite euphemism." His steady, deep voice was followed by the rustle of fabric and the telltale clink of a belt buckle. Eyes snapping open and smirk vanishing, the blood quickly drained from her face as her anxiety sharply mounted. Suddenly coming to realize the position she was in, her panicking mind stuttered to a halt, while her traitorous body felt like it was burning from the inside out.

Before she could find her voice, a sharp stripe of pain laced through her, effectively kick-starting her brain.

Ahhh! What was that?! That wasn't a hand, or belt, or… well, anything else I might have expected…Ow!

A second stripe of pain flares and vanishes quickly.

How is he doing it? There is nothing moving through the air or even touching me! Ahhh!

An audible yelp slips out as her head whips back from another flash of pain. Walking back into her field of view, robes perfectly in place, he leans forward on the table, mirroring her pose. "Some of the tests you face may be dangerous. You may face monsters in combat, and even receive injuries…"

As her wincing gaze connected with his playful smirk, the pieces fell into place… Wait… He was just…

Another low moan escaped her flinching form as the unseen strike came from behind.

"…Much worse than this." His words came out hardly above a whisper. His smile melting into something hungrier as noted the sight before him… Her tousled hair, half-lidded eyes, parted lips panting for air. His warm brown orbs locked with green, sharing an unspoken need.

She was trapped. Entirely unable to move or look away, held transfixed by the starved gleam in his eyes. She didn't even realize she was leaning in, when her professor abruptly stood and began walking towards the door. "You may go, Miss Lovelace."

What the bloody hell was THAT?!

Hieronymous Grabiner stood braced against the bookshelf of his office, the slight pangs of guilt warring to cool his heated blood. He desperately tried to remember why this was wrong, why it was inappropriate... but his reasoning seemed unable to dissuade the very adamant part of him pushing forcefully against his robes and ignoring his logic. Instead renewed images of parted soft lips nearing as deep green eyes slid shut only made matters worse.

He let out a low defeated growl, embarrassed to even have to consider this option. Purposefully retrieving his wand, an ornate pattern was drawn in the air. The warmth of the magic slowly moved through his body, relaxing his muscles and emotions. Taking a deep breath, he took a moment to embrace the peace found in his now balanced energy.

The reprieve was short lived, however, as he began to more calmly recall the time leading up to this. A frown marred his face as he replayed the scene, more rationally trying to determine just where his control began to fray. How had the tone of the conversation shifted so rapidly? Or had it?

If it had been any other student to utter those ridiculous words, he would have easily brushed them off... even labelled them a fool while adding bountiful demerits to their tally. His body tensed at this unexpected revelation. Why her? What was different about her?

While not the smartest, cutest, or wittiest he'd seen, she certainly had all three qualities in spades. But even those were not enough to blind him to the fact that she was his student. No... it was long before today that he had begun to see her in a different light.

His mind wandered back to the second week of school and that damnedable love letter. He knew it was a prank, it was every year. Nor was it even very well-written, as literary pieces go. But the raw possessive passion in the words made it somehow more real, and he found himself wanting those words to have been meant for him... Desperately hoping that someone might see through his façade and force their way into his self-imprisonment. But no, he knew he deserved no such thing… not after… A pain wince graced his countenance as he forced his mind back to the original quandary. His longing only made him that much more irate when hunting the note's culprit. He truly believed no one capable of coming forward to admit guilt when faced with him in such a frightening state... but she did. Courageously, she stood before him, fostering truth and accepting blame, even while knowing it should not be laid at her feet.

Had she known? Likely not being a wildseed. How could she know that with a simple spell I could trace the author and all those who touched it?

The magic of his earlier spell began to seep slowly from him, leaving his mind cloudy and unrestrained. Unbidden, her hungry eyes appeared in his mind boring into his own, as he heard her whispering the words of her letter... his traitorous mind filling in the gaps.

Sinking into the wide leather arm chair behind him, he dropped his face to his hands as he begrudgingly acknowledged just how severely he was screwed.

What... What just happened?

Several minutes after her professor had made his rapid retreat, Ada leaned there in a molten stupor before willing her mind to restart. Unfortunately, when she was finally able to form a coherent thought, she was overwhelmed by a flood of competing questions and emotions…

Why did he leave? Did that really just happen? I never realized how expressive his eyes were... I can't believe he spanked me! Wait, does that count as spanking? What was the last thing he said before he left? He never actually took off his belt. Was he messing with me? He had to be messing with me, right? Euphemism, my ass! Oh God, he smelled good... What kind of books do they make witch kids read?! I don't think I've ever been so turned on. And he's even a teacher.

Her mind came screeching to a halt.

A teacher. My teacher.

Rather than simply dousing her smoldering heat, the realization hit her like a blow to the stomach. I'm never going to have him.

Even if this wasn't one-sided... Of course it's one-sided!, her mind painfully supplied... there are rules about these things.

She felt physically ill, letting her head fall onto the table in hopelessness.

How stupid am I that I fell for my teacher…