Free

Chapter 37

"I'm not sure if loving an insufferable know-it-all is the right choice for you. Nevertheless, I will have you know that I, for one, love my wizards snarky, with a very soft heart which just coincidentally describes you and no one else," smiled Hermione, her brown eyes shining warm and bright.

"Don't tell me that you're still not over that. That was ages ago!" The man clad all in black laughed after looking shocked at her for a few seconds.

"Yes, I'm still mad at you for that. You never apologized, and you never said anything coming close to an apology for the incident with Draco enlarging my teeth."

"Need I remind you of who set my winter cloak on fire during your first year here at school? I'm 100 per cent sure that I can't fault Harry just this once. He was trying to catch a snitch while a possessed Quirrel jinxed his broom if memory serves me right," smirked Severus in return.

Hermione was shocked. She always thought he didn't know as otherwise, he would have given her detention, or he would have at least deducted countless points.

"Fine, you win. Since when did you know it was me?"

"Since that day I had to throw my favourite cloak away. I saw you disappear from your spot near Weasley and then my cloak caught fire. It was only logical for me to deduct that it was indeed you."

"Well, I'm glad to be alive then," she winked before continuing, now fully facing him. "Back to the matter at hand. I'd be delighted to be your right choice if it weren't for me still being your apprentice, Severus. I want you to know that I fell for you already back in September, but I don't know just how things should go from here. I'm your apprentice. It's not forbidden but after all that has happened with Rita Skeeter - I'd rather play things safe."

"I understand."

Hermione could clearly see something happening inside him. His whole exterior seemed to crumble as he turned away.

She looked at her watch realizing it was time for them to go to dinner.

"Come Severus. Let's get them and then eat dinner, shall we?"

She put a hand on his shoulder to which he nodded slightly. She got up and went ahead to get Harry and Draco to come down from their brooms.

Together they all made their way inside the castle.

++

"You two quickly go into our rooms to change and freshen up before coming back here to eat dinner, you did quite some sport out there," instructed Severus, to which the boys nodded and went on their shared way down into the dungeons.

Just as Severus was about to walk towards the entrance, Hermione took him by his arm and lead him into a small abandoned room, successfully locking the door behind them.

"Severus, please don't take it personally or think that I lied. I do love you, very much so if I am honest. I fell in love with the man you are and probably have always been. I love the man that cared for the children and for me, who helps wherever he can and who can be funny when he wants to be. I love the caring Severus. The Severus, who doesn't hide when he's at his weakest, who shows emotions. I love you. Please don't revert to the Severus with the mental walls. Please keep your facade down, for me?"

She stepped closer to him and now their faces could have been only mere millimetres apart if Hermione only wasn't that short. Their eyes locked and she decided to stand up on her toes which enabled her to come face to face with him. He looked down at her with traces of sadness and regret in his eyes whereas hers were filled with love and warmth and yet he spotted regret in them. After blinking again, she inched even closer until her lips were finally meeting his.

At first, he just stood there, as stiff as a wooden board, not moving an inch, but he soon found himself too weak to withstand not kissing back the young brunette witch he had fallen in love with.

"Don't, Hermione. Please. Don't make it harder than it is. I do understand what you mean, and I think you're right but right now you're not helping me or us for that matter," said Severus after they parted again.

He looked at Hermione with one of the saddest expressions she had ever seen. A look as full of heartbreak and regret as Severus' was rare, and it broke Hermione's heart all the more, knowing that she was the reason for his new anguish.

"Right. Dinner?" She smiled at him despite her own inner turmoil.

Nevertheless, Severus still noticed the same heartbreak, regret and sadness in her eyes that he experienced even after years of being a spy.

He took her arm and together they made their way over to the Great Hall, where they saw that Harry and Draco had already sat down next to Neville, Astoria and the others.

"Do you want to sit at the head table? It is still your right as my apprentice."

"I know, but I think I will have to decline albeit reluctantly, but you know -" She trailed off, but he still got what she meant, smiling at her before turning and walking towards the teachers' table.

++

"Have you finally told her, or do I have to do that for you? It is more than obvious that you love her," questioned Minerva with a quirked eyebrow.

"Not that it is any of your business but yes, I have told her. Nevertheless, we're still not changing anything as she's my apprentice and after Rita's accusations we will wait until she's finished. Am I allowed to eat now, or do you want to question me further?"

He clearly was annoyed, and the headmistress knew that. She had always loved playing with fire at times but with Severus she outright jumped into the burning building just to push the boundaries a tiny smidge further.

"You know just as well as I do that she's more than ready to take her exam and be done with her apprenticeship. All you'd need to do is organize a ministry worker somehow. She'd have to hold a lesson and she'd be done with it. Why are you always making things harder for yourself and others than they need to be?" smirked the older witch with mirth in her eyes.

"Good question, indeed. Probably because nothing was ever easy for me, and I'm used to it. Nevertheless, I have to say that your idea is quite a good one in my opinion."