A Long Night---Part III
Title: A Long Night--Part III
Team: Spying for The Order
Rating: PG
Challenge: Hogwarts: A History
Word Count: 100 x 8
Characters: Severus Snape, Hermione Granger
Summary: An argument leads Severus to think about his past.
A Long Night I-VI
A Long Night VII-XII
XIII.
Hermione.
That was the detail that he presently had to deal with.
He yearned to keep his mind implanted in the past, where he’d always kept some small portion of his heart firmly attached, but it was time to let it rest. Lily was gone. He needed to allow her memory to finally rest in peace.
Angry at his own weakness, he set the old, fragile book onto the table and squeezed his eyes shut. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger and forced himself to focus on what was important: The here and now.
XIV.
Several minutes later, Severus opened his eyes slowly. Directly in his field of vision was the book Hermione had thrust at him in the Great Hall and she had again brought down to his quarters. He sighed.
Hermione, sweet Hermione. Was she ever going to learn that there was more to arguing with him than what was on the surface? The argument had never truly been about what the rules were in regards to relationships between co-workers. All along, Severus had known that Minerva would support him and Hermione.
Everything had stemmed from Severus not being ready to let go.
XV.
Was he ready now?
His eyes flitted back to the tattered book on the floor. It was closed again and Severus found that he no longer desired to open it. He had no desire to read the other poems that had been written in the book, those that had been added after his own. As a student here, he had read the few entries past his own. Both becoming angered in the happiness of others and finding refuge in those that suffered as he did.
He realised now that he was finally able to leave the past where it belonged.
XVI.
For the second time that night, Severus walked through the dark corridors of the school. Encountering no wayward students, he arrived at the large oak door and knocked loudly.
It was a bleary-eyed and exhausted looking Hermione who answered the door. Her hair, which these days was typically confined in a tight twist, was presently loose and flying every which way.
He could see her try to fight back a yawn.
“Severus? What are-?” she shook her head and changed her question. “What time is it?”
“I’m sorry I woke you. It’s just after four. May I come in?”
XVII.
Hermione paused for a moment and then, after glancing down the hall, allowed him into her rooms.
“It’s four in the morning, Severus.”
“Yes. Just as I said.”
“What do you want?” she asked with her arms crossed.
“To give you this.” He handed her back her copy of Hogwarts: A History. Hermione readily took the heavy book from his hands and looked at him expectantly.
“Is that all?”
“No,” he replied after several long minutes. He reached into his pocket, removed the other book and handed that over as well.
He saw in her eyes a glimmer of recognition.
XVIII.
“Where did you find this?”
“The library.”
Hermione snorted. “Yes. I know that. I didn’t realise you knew about it.”
“It was my mother’s book.”
“I see. Then I suppose…”
“That some of the earlier entries are mine? Yes.”
Hermione looked thoughtfully at the book she held in her hands and ran her fingers along the cover. “I had often wondered if the person who had written about the pain of losing his love with the dark-red hair and emerald green eyes had been able to pick up the pieces of his life and move on.
“Has he?”
“He has.”
XIX.
Hermione looked up and met his gaze.
“It took him a very long time, however,” Severus continued as he stepped closer to her, reaching a hand up to touch the curly mass of hair and cup her face. He smiled when she leaned lightly against his hand.
“It was never about the rules of staff fraternization, was it?”
“No,” Severus confirmed. “Minerva will be supportive, I’m certain.”
“Will be?”
“Will be,” he said. Severus stepped closer to her and eased the ache in both of their hearts by leaning down towards her, kissing her soundly until they were both breathless.
XX.
When they finally broke apart, she studied him closely. He knew what she was looking for. He had just reread those sappy poems himself.
Without you I will try to soldier on
But my heart will always be tainted by your love
Truly, it was utter tripe.
After another moment, she simply smiled.
“I love you, Hermione,” he said as he kissed her palm and her continued smile said that she felt the same.
Severus bade her goodnight and he went back to his rooms, a feeling of tranquility, at last, fell upon him. It'd been a long night.
A/N: Still not happy with it. But it is what it is. Some people might wonder why such a thing would be in the library. Most of the explanations got cut. They popped up several different way, but each time they didn't quite last. Essentially, it's just the idea of sharing that bit of loneliness or that thrill or that bit of bragging. It eases the burden in some sense to know that it can be read anonymously. Much the same as you would here or on a bulletin board or a personal LJ. And it's not like things were signed, obviously. Hermione didn't know that Severus had written anything in the book until Severus told her he knew about the book and there was a familial connection... she made a logical deduction. (And you could also deduce that she'd know of his past relationships since they had been involved on some level.) Hope you all have a happy Wednesday. :)
Team: Spying for The Order
Rating: PG
Challenge: Hogwarts: A History
Word Count: 100 x 8
Characters: Severus Snape, Hermione Granger
Summary: An argument leads Severus to think about his past.
A Long Night I-VI
A Long Night VII-XII
XIII.
Hermione.
That was the detail that he presently had to deal with.
He yearned to keep his mind implanted in the past, where he’d always kept some small portion of his heart firmly attached, but it was time to let it rest. Lily was gone. He needed to allow her memory to finally rest in peace.
Angry at his own weakness, he set the old, fragile book onto the table and squeezed his eyes shut. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger and forced himself to focus on what was important: The here and now.
XIV.
Several minutes later, Severus opened his eyes slowly. Directly in his field of vision was the book Hermione had thrust at him in the Great Hall and she had again brought down to his quarters. He sighed.
Hermione, sweet Hermione. Was she ever going to learn that there was more to arguing with him than what was on the surface? The argument had never truly been about what the rules were in regards to relationships between co-workers. All along, Severus had known that Minerva would support him and Hermione.
Everything had stemmed from Severus not being ready to let go.
XV.
Was he ready now?
His eyes flitted back to the tattered book on the floor. It was closed again and Severus found that he no longer desired to open it. He had no desire to read the other poems that had been written in the book, those that had been added after his own. As a student here, he had read the few entries past his own. Both becoming angered in the happiness of others and finding refuge in those that suffered as he did.
He realised now that he was finally able to leave the past where it belonged.
XVI.
For the second time that night, Severus walked through the dark corridors of the school. Encountering no wayward students, he arrived at the large oak door and knocked loudly.
It was a bleary-eyed and exhausted looking Hermione who answered the door. Her hair, which these days was typically confined in a tight twist, was presently loose and flying every which way.
He could see her try to fight back a yawn.
“Severus? What are-?” she shook her head and changed her question. “What time is it?”
“I’m sorry I woke you. It’s just after four. May I come in?”
XVII.
Hermione paused for a moment and then, after glancing down the hall, allowed him into her rooms.
“It’s four in the morning, Severus.”
“Yes. Just as I said.”
“What do you want?” she asked with her arms crossed.
“To give you this.” He handed her back her copy of Hogwarts: A History. Hermione readily took the heavy book from his hands and looked at him expectantly.
“Is that all?”
“No,” he replied after several long minutes. He reached into his pocket, removed the other book and handed that over as well.
He saw in her eyes a glimmer of recognition.
XVIII.
“Where did you find this?”
“The library.”
Hermione snorted. “Yes. I know that. I didn’t realise you knew about it.”
“It was my mother’s book.”
“I see. Then I suppose…”
“That some of the earlier entries are mine? Yes.”
Hermione looked thoughtfully at the book she held in her hands and ran her fingers along the cover. “I had often wondered if the person who had written about the pain of losing his love with the dark-red hair and emerald green eyes had been able to pick up the pieces of his life and move on.
“Has he?”
“He has.”
XIX.
Hermione looked up and met his gaze.
“It took him a very long time, however,” Severus continued as he stepped closer to her, reaching a hand up to touch the curly mass of hair and cup her face. He smiled when she leaned lightly against his hand.
“It was never about the rules of staff fraternization, was it?”
“No,” Severus confirmed. “Minerva will be supportive, I’m certain.”
“Will be?”
“Will be,” he said. Severus stepped closer to her and eased the ache in both of their hearts by leaning down towards her, kissing her soundly until they were both breathless.
XX.
When they finally broke apart, she studied him closely. He knew what she was looking for. He had just reread those sappy poems himself.
Without you I will try to soldier on
But my heart will always be tainted by your love
Truly, it was utter tripe.
After another moment, she simply smiled.
“I love you, Hermione,” he said as he kissed her palm and her continued smile said that she felt the same.
Severus bade her goodnight and he went back to his rooms, a feeling of tranquility, at last, fell upon him. It'd been a long night.
A/N: Still not happy with it. But it is what it is. Some people might wonder why such a thing would be in the library. Most of the explanations got cut. They popped up several different way, but each time they didn't quite last. Essentially, it's just the idea of sharing that bit of loneliness or that thrill or that bit of bragging. It eases the burden in some sense to know that it can be read anonymously. Much the same as you would here or on a bulletin board or a personal LJ. And it's not like things were signed, obviously. Hermione didn't know that Severus had written anything in the book until Severus told her he knew about the book and there was a familial connection... she made a logical deduction. (And you could also deduce that she'd know of his past relationships since they had been involved on some level.) Hope you all have a happy Wednesday. :)