As Long As You Need Me

Chapter XIX

[AN: I am really proud of this chapter, I worked really hard on it. Hope you guys like it too! Things are progressing pretty good, so keep your fingers crossed and hold on🤞. Also, I am really thankful for all the comments. You guys are amazing and these little notes from you simply make my day. It makes it all worth it. Keep sending them in! -love, Bonny💖]

Peace, peace, she cannot hear
Lyre or sonnet,
All my life's buried here,
Heap earth upon it.
- Oscar Wilde (Requiescat)
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My dust would hear her and beat,
Had I lain for a century dead.
- Alfred Lord Tennyson (Come into the Garden Maud)
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"You see, the thing that I've always wondered about vampires..." Hermione began as soon as she saw Snape enter. She was munching on some chocolate and he quirked an eybrow up at her. "Why don't they have like a blood-bank or something, where they could get a monthly fill, instead of attacking humans?"

She continued, smirking, "I mean, if you're hungry, you would go to the nearest restaurant and grab a burger or some other food, rather than jumping over a sty, get hold of a pig, tear it's flesh, put the meat between two buns and eat! Have you ever thought about it?...It's weird..."

He forced a smile, but there was a slight hint of annoyance in his voice. "I don't think I can do witty today, Granger."

Hermione was a little disheartened by this and her smirk vanished; she was confused as to what it was about today that bummed him so, but she knew asking too many questions about it never proved wise. But the thing she definitely knew was, his mood was the worst today- mellow, if not enraged- and thus the whole day was slated to not go well. She decided to zip her mouth for the better and just let him be.

Snape walked out right in front of her eyes, closing the door behind him as he went out of the office. When he left, an unnerving silence ensued; Hermione didn't have an idea as to how to kill time; it would seem that it must be pretty easy but now that her mind was fixated on that one thing, she couldn't focus on anything else, couldn't let her brain go idle- the curiosity was nearly killing her. But one step closer to feeding this curiosity of hers would mean instant reprobation.

She worked on her breathing, to meditate her way to free her mind from such thoughts. She roamed about the room for a while, eventually settling down with a book. But she ended up simply leafing through the pages, with the words dissolving in their own ink.
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Snape had given a full round of the entire circumference of the castle, his steps now leading him back to his quarters. In his mind, a very fierce battle was ensuing- to do or not to do. Just a second before he opened the office door, his emotional half won and he decided to go ahead with his heart. Someday...well, that someday is today.

He entered the room to find Hermione quietly sitting on the couch with a book. She looked up hopefully as he entered; he was breathing heavily and looked like a man passing through the turmoil of warring with himself. He took in a long breath of composure and blurted out, "Can I take you somewhere?"

Whatever she had been expecting, it certainly wasn't this, but she couldn't be more excited, and rather curious too. She jumped up immediately, eyes wide and lively with animation. "Where do you have in mind?"

He moved slowly, deliberating and then passed right by her, but instead of going out, he ventured further into the room. Alive with interest, she followed; he went through the door to the inner hallway, turned left and stopped in front of the door of the room he always kept locked.

Hermione was bubbling with enthusiasm, by this time, but controlled herself with a lot of difficulty; it must be taking a lot of his willpower to finally let her in on this and his trepidation seemed justified; she didn't want to do anything to ruin it for him or for herself. It's happening! It's finally happening...and so unexpectedly!