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Delicate	By : soldiersgirl0709 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 41245 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to HP and the HP universe. Anything you see that is recognizable belongs to JKR and WB. No money is made from the publishing of this fic, only smiles and friends.

Chapter List
- 6
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Chapter Seven: Desperation

I bless the day I found you,

I want to stay around you,

Now and forever,

Let it be me.

Friday Night - 7:22 P.M.

With one last look in the mirror Hermione gathered up her little clutch and left the seclusion of her bed chamber. She was dressed to the nines in a little red sundress she had bought a year before but never had the chance to wear and a brand new pair of strappy silver sandals she had bought on a whim the previous day. She thought that she looked rather pretty, she certainly felt it. She enjoyed the 'click, click, click' of her heels on the hardwood floors as she made her way to the study to say goodbye to Severus. He spent nearly all of his time either in that room or in the labs. She felt like he was avoiding her but didn�t understand why. What had changed? He had barely looked at her in the last week or so and it was starting to get to her.

The door to his study was half open and she could see him inside, seated in his chair with a book open in his lap. He had his black reading glasses perched on his nose and she smiled. It had taken her a full year of nagging before he finally relented and acknowledged that he needed them. He even admitted that reading was far more pleasant when he didn�t have his nose pressed to the pages. At his feet lay the little ball of furred energy he had saved from the storm playing with a frayed length of knotted rope. Severus had insisted that the animal was only for the night, until the storm passed and then he was putting it out on its furry little butt. It had now been four days and the animal was still in the house and fiercely devoted to said house's master. He even had a name, Demon, courtesy of the crotchety potions master.

Hermione had argued that Demon was no kind of name for such a sweet little puppy, but Severus had insisted and so the name stuck. Severus Snape had a familiar it seemed. Demon's ears perked up and he let out a little yip, his tail thumping on the floor as he stared towards the door. She pushed it open, smiling at the adorable little puppy as she entered the room. He tensed, ready to lunge for her but stopped at the sound of Severus's voice.

"Stay," Severus said softly but firmly. Demon immediately sat back on his haunches and stared at her, his red eyes sad and disappointed.

"Teaching him obedience I see," Hermione said as she strolled across the floor. She smoothed the skirt of her dress over her bottom, tucking it against her as she squat down in front of the dog and scratched him behind the ears. "Good boy, Demon," she cooed.

"A disobedient pet is unacceptable, better he learns what is expected of him now before he grows any more attached," Severus drawled, still staring at the pages of his book.

"I hate to break it to you, Severus, but this dog adores you, he is going no where," she said, straightening once more. "I wanted to let you know that I was leaving."

"Oh?" His brow arched over his eye but he still did not look up.

"I have a date tonight, remember?" She said quietly.

"Oh yes, Mr. Greenly, " he sneered and tucked a leather marker between the pages. "I trust you have extra..." he looked up and swallowed hard, "galleons in your bag," he croaked. She was stunning. The snug bodice of the sundress hugged her curves and bared the smooth skin of her shoulders. He could see the little freckles sprinkled across them and curled his fingers into his palm to keep himself from touching them.

"Why would I need extra galleons? It's a date and Nigel comes from a fairly wealthy family, I am sure he plans to pay for dinner," she said. Severus snorted and vacated his seat, going to the cabinet that housed his stereo. He opened a black lacquered box with his wand and withdrew a small handful of coins that he carried over to her.

"Never assume anything," he said, taking her hand and placing the money into it. "Put that in your bag."

"I have money, Severus, I never go on a date without it," she tried to push the money back at him but he refused.

"Just take it, it will give me peace of mind to know that you have it," he said, folding her fingers around it and stepping back. "If you need me, for any reason, simply call my name." His concern for her was touching, she just wished it seemed more...jealous...instead of fatherly.

"Thank you, Severus. I think that you worry needlessly though, Nigel is a perfectly nice..."

"Nigel Greenly is an arrogant, spoiled brat...but I will let you make your own decisions on that front," he said. "Have a nice evening, Hermione, I certainly hope that I am wrong."

"Good night, Severus," she said softly. She was disappointed. Somewhere in her heart she had hoped he would try to stop her, that he would tell her not to go, to stay there with him where she belonged. But he didn�t, he simply returned to his chair and his book without another word.

~@~

Friday Night- 11:32 P.M.

Hermione was livid when she apparated onto the front porch of the house she shared with Severus. Her date had been a disaster. No, disaster wasn't a good word for what she had just endured. It had been hours of torture more painful than a prolonged cruciatus. She heard the soft snick of the lock as the house wards recognized her and she crept inside as quietly as she could, slipping her shoes off so that they didn�t sound on the floors. She just wanted to get to her room, take a shower and cry herself to sleep.

She didn�t quite make it to her room, however. She was lured by the flickering light and the soft sound of music coming from the study and ended up standing in the open doorway watching him. He was standing in front of his stereo, a drink in his hand as he stared out into the night. He was listening to an old love song, the lyrics song by a male singer pleading Let it be me. He must be thinking about Lily, she thought.

Tears stung her eyes as she thought about her miserable date. She had met him outside of Ollivander�s and they had walked to the restaurant, the conversation light and easy. All through dinner it had been pleasant. But when dinner was finished things quickly went downhill.

"Would you care for dessert?" The service elf had asked.

"How about we skip dessert and just get to what we both really want," Nigel said, his smile no longer seemed charming, instead it seemed smarmy.

"I'm afraid you will have to enlighten me, Nigel, I assumed that dinner and conversation WAS what we both wanted," she said, her skin suddenly crawling and her stomach roiling.

"Come on, Granger, you and I both know why you are really here so how about we just skip the thestral shit and get right to it," his tone was oily and it made her feel dirty.

"I'm afraid there has been a mistake, Nigel. I am not sleeping with you," she said, tossing her napkin on to the table.

"Who said anything about sleeping?"

"Fine, I am not going to have sex with you. Thank you for dinner but I am afraid I must get home," she said tightly.

"Home to Snape? I figured the reason you accepted this date was because the old man couldn't please you and you were seeking a younger wizard to take up the slack...seems I was mistaken about Professor Snape's prowess," he sneered.

"You insult me and Severus with your insinuations," she said, getting to her feet. "I think that I can say, in all sincerity, that I hope never to see you again, Mr. Greenly."

"It's a shame, rumor has it you're quite the fire cracker between the sheets," he said, leaning back in his chair.

"You are a pig!" she started to walk away when he called her name.

"Oh, Granger!" She didnt know why she turned around, but something made her do it. "I seem to have forgotten my wallet and only have enough pocket money to cover the starters."

She called for the service elf and asked for a total for the things she had ordered. She made a big show of counting out the money for her food and gave the elf a large gratuity before turning back to Nigel.

"There, I�m square with the house and owe you nothing, perhaps you should call one of your servants to bring you some funds."

She had been rather proud of the way she had strolled out of the restaurant. But as she walked away anger and frustration began to build, growing and stretching and threatening to consume her. Why couldn�t she just find a decent wizard and be happy? Why couldn�t she have a man who longed for her the way Severus longed for Lily? What was so wrong with her that a man couldn�t love her?

"You are home early," Severus said. "Lurking in doorways does not suit you, Hermione, come into the room if you wish to visit."

"I was heading to bed when I saw the light, I didn't mean to disturb your thoughts," she said, inching into the room. She saw Demon curled on the rug around a stuffed monkey and smiled.

"Your evening did not go well, I take it?" Severus asked, turning slowly to look at her.

"No, Severus, it didn�t," she snapped. She needed an outlet for her frustrations and he was handy, his smug stance increasing her ire. "You were right, Nigel Greenly was a first class prick, so go ahead and gloat."

"I wasn't going to, there is no need," he said calmly, shocked by the anger that pulsed off of her in waves. "I am sorry you had a bad evening."

"A bad evening? A BAD EVENING! What I just endured was worse than simply a bad evening," She growled, tossing her shoes and bag onto the floor near the door as she stomped across the room and took his drink from his hand, downing the remainder of his brandy in one swallow. "You know what? I just don�t get it! I know I am no great beauty but I'm a pretty enough witch and I have a lot to offer a wizard! I'm smart and I'm kind, I love art and literature and poetry and music....hell I'll try anything at least once!"

Severus quirked his brow and refilled her glass, watching her wind herself up into a tantrum as she drank. Her fire was a thing of beauty and he wished that he could tell her that she was more than just a pretty witch, he thought that she was beautiful.

"Why do you waste yourself on men who are beneath you? Men who will never equal you in intellect or character?" He asked. He may as well have lit a fuse on a powder keg, he would have probably gotten less of an explosion.

"Why?" She slammed the glass on the cabinet top and brandy splashed out onto the surface. "Why? I'll tell you why, because the man I want is too busy pining for a ghost to see me. Because the man I want is too blind to see how much he means to me, too blind to see that I am standing right in front of him willing to give him anything that he wants!" She was breathing heavy, her chest rising and falling and a heated flush illuminating her skin. Her eyes were wide with shock, she couldn�t believe that she had just said that, that she had confessed. The words were out there now and she had likely just ruined their friendship but she couldn�t take them back. "So tell me, Severus, you tell me what else is there for me since the man I want will never want me back?"

He didn�t know what to say to her. In that moment she stared into his eyes boldly, unable or unwilling to look away. It was out, spoken aloud and real. So long as they never spoke of it he could try to ignore it, try to pretend that it wasn�t real, but that would never happen, not now.

"Nothing to say, Severus? No smug, insulting comment to make at my expense?" She asked, tears flowing freely from her eyes. "Well let me help you out, I'm a stupid, naive witch with foolish schoolgirl fantasies that are ridiculous and beneath your notice. I could never hope to compete with the love you continue to allow to imprison you, a plain, know it all witch like me could never catch your notice..." she gasped when he grabbed her arms and shook her.

"Do NOT pretend to know anything about how I feel!" He said harshly, his voice quiet yet intense. His grip on her arms was tight, bruising even as he jerked her up until they were nose to nose. "I would never say anything to insult you."

"Then what is wrong with me, Severus?" She sobbed. "Why don't you see me?"

"I see you, Hermione," he said softly, relaxing his hold on her. "There is nothing wrong with you...but there is everything wrong with me."

"Ha, the old its not you its me line, call it what you will but rejection is rejection, Severus. Just let me go so I can go to bed," she said sadly, her head hung and tears coursing down her cheeks.

"I'm not handing you a line and I'm not rejecting you, damn it! LOOK at me," he gave her another little shake and she lifted tear filled eyes to meet his. "I am not what you need."

"Maybe I am what you need," she said tearfully.

"You don't know what you are asking for, Hermione. You have no idea what kind of man I am as a lover. There are reasons why I am alone, reasons why I avoid relationships," he said hoarsely, his eyes focused on her trembling lips.

"What do you know of me as a lover? Maybe there are reasons why I am alone. Do you know why I left Nigel tonight? Because he wanted to screw me, he had no real interest in me and he didn�t even try to seduce me. We finished dinner and he pretty much said 'Okay, lets fuck'," She wanted to wipe her eyes but he still held her arms pinned to her sides. "Every man I have given my body to has left me wanting and unfulfilled. Do you know why? Because they weren�t you. Do you have any idea how pathetic it is that a real flesh and blood man can not compete with the fantasy of a man who doesn't want me?"

"I never said I didn�t want you," he said so softly that she had to ask him to repeat himself. "I'm a man, Hermione, flesh and blood like any other. I'd be a fool not to want you. You are young and beautiful and when you look at me like that...with those smoky eyes so full of want and eagerness it nearly cripples me with lust. But I know better than to touch, I know better than to hope because in the end I will hurt you. I will break your spirit and I will destroy your innocence. I am a jealous man, I am possessive and obsessive and controlling. You don�t want that, you don�t deserve that."

"Don�t tell me what I want or what I need, only I can determine that," she said.

"That's just it, Hermione, if you were mine that is exactly what I'd do, that is the kind of lover I would be."

"Severus, I have been yours for years, you just didn't realize it," she whispered sadly.

"Don't do this...don't tempt me to do something that will destroy us both," he begged, closing his eyes as if blocking her from his sight would change what had just happened between them.

"I want to be with you," she let her head fall forward, her forehead resting against his chest. "I can�t take it back, not now."

"It will not end well, it never does," he said, resting his chin on the top of her head. "You will soon see why it's a bad idea, Hermione, and when you do I will have to obliviate your memories of me, of what happens between us because I could not live with you hating me."

"Severus," she was trembling, her body tight with excitement. Severus had just agreed to...something, she wasn�t sure what he had agreed to but their relationship was certainly changed.

"What is it?" He asked, his hands sliding from her arms to go around her. He held her close, closer than she had ever been to him before.

"Are you going to kiss me?" She asked softly. Her hands came up between them, her palms pressed to his chest as she let her head fall back to look up at him. He brought one hand up to cradle the back of her head and lowered his lips to hers. At first it was just the tentative brush of lips against lips, then with a firmer touch they kissed for the first time. If she wasn�t in love with him already she would have been the instant that their lips met. He kissed her so softly, so tenderly with no pressure, no demands, just one person tasting of another, connecting with another on an intimate level. And Merlin was it fine.

Let It Be Me by The Everly Brothers

I bless the day I found you

I want to stay around you

And so I beg you, let it be me

Don�t take this heaven from one

If you must cling to someone

Now and forever, let it be me

Each time we meet love

I find complete love

Without your sweet love what would life be

So never leave me lonely

Tell me you love me only

And that you�ll always let it be me

Each time we meet love

I find complete love

Without your sweet love what would life be

So never leave me lonely

Tell me you love me only

And that you�ll always---let--it�be--me

~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for the positive reviews and reinforcement, sometimes with certain stories I just have angst about posting it, so thank you all for encouraging me to continue posting, to continue writing =) SO for those of you who haven�t read my blog, I have made the decision to work on a �companion� piece to this story when its done. It will be along the lines of Girl Talk, a collection of scenarios between our couple�so I am letting the readers submit scenes they would like to see�positions, games, situations�.and I will do my best to accommodate you =)

NARCISSAS SISTER � I too am a dog person. We actually just got a new dog, part Beagle part Australian Cattle Dog, her name is Hermione. =) As for love, well, I am open to it someday, when my heart heals a little more.

SOPHIEBELLE � Poor Sev, he�ll get some soon enough LOL

VENGEANCE - No full out bondage, but some dominance definitely.

MARITERI - I hate Paris Hilton!!!! But I wont hold it against you. =) There is one chapter�.a few away yet that I think might be some of the best smut I have ever written =)

VORACIOUS READER � I got frustrated with the UST myself LOL�.the puppy is devoted to Sev�

BILLS BEDROOM � I appreciate your encouragement and support for every story, no matter the pairing or plot, If I could Id hug you =)

SARAH AYN � Oh Sev is too stubborn to confess his feelings too soon

MAKAEM � glad to give you something to fill the void =)

JESSE � Half the time I am unsure of where Im taking a story. Beginning them is always the roughest part for me. =(

AUNDREE�A - Glad to see your name on the boards!!!!

SMURPHY � Always my most excited reader LOL you make my day!!!

KITTYCAT30 - I think Sev is perfect =)

SCARLETQUILL � It sounds funny, but its true. I have been in meetings where Ive zoned out and been totally seeing Lucius or Severus naked in front of me, missing the entire meeting. Or just having a boring conversation and totally zoning out. LOL�.But if it makes you guys happy its worth it.

EV � Severus is like that, a sexual magnet that a sane woman cant resist. =)

JADE � smiles are always good!!!!

DOODLE - He will melt�.eventually.

LEMONTWIST - Thanks!

SASSMACFRU � as for the sequel�put in your requests!!!!!

RUMPLE � Im glad you changed your mind and gave it a chance =) thank you!

HARRYGINNY4EVA � oh there will be some punishment�eventually�but first must be the training

MEANKITTY60 � I�m glad you caved, I always enjoy your reviews =).

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