Lessons In Love

Chapter 34: Second Thoughts

"Malum Verto!" Hermione called out, pointing her wand towards the vial that held liquid Arnica and transfigured it into a black smoking chemical.

"Well done," Snape murmured, folding his arms, watching her practice.

Hermione smiled up at him, pleased with her work. Professor McGonagall was an excellent teacher but she had never learned so much about Transfiguration from her in her years going to school as she did from Professor Snape in a little over a week. He truly was a master. He also was an excellent teacher, despite the insults, and had enough patience to make her practice all night if he wanted her to, which he had done the night before. Hermione had not gone to bed until after midnight with Snape breathing down her back about perfection with brewing ritualistic potions in the dark arts. Every thought and every action had to be precise and focused when performing the potion and it had been extremely draining on her. He had warned her that she would have a tough time and that she needed to concentrate but she didn't take him seriously and had passed out from the amount of dark magic being performed. Snape had been at her side in an instant and she had woke up being cradled in his arms and was fed small pieces of chocolate until he felt that she was able to continue.

He turned to the clock and sighed, "I believe our lessons are at an end, Miss Granger."

"You mean for the night?" she smiled knowingly, packing her things up and cleaning her station.

Snape shook his head, "No. This will be your last lesson from me."

Hermione stopped and set her belongings down and walked over to the stressed Potions teacher, "Sir?"

"You will be going to the Weasley's tomorrow." He leaned against his desk and watched her sternly.

"I thought I would be going on Sunday," she started, "That is the last day of the break—"

"Tomorrow, Miss Granger." He corrected her, "You will be going tomorrow, on Saturday."

"Are we going to resume the lessons once school is back in session?" she asked, deciding not to argue any further on the topic of going to the Burrow.

He looked at her with a foreign expression on his face that Hermione couldn't identify, "Off to dinner." Snape motioned for her to leave him but she stayed for just a moment longer,

"Professor? Will you see me off tomorrow?" She chewed on her lip, "I am rather nervous to do this and you are such a support to me…"

Their eyes met, "If you so wish," he sighed softly before turning his attention back to what he was doing as Hermione left to dinner. Snape watched her retreating figure exit the classroom and he collapsed into his chair.

He buried his face in his hands, bent over with his elbows bracing his weight on his knees. The week had gone by far too quickly and he had been unable to teach her everything he wanted to. She was a fast learner but all the information that he had to pack and cram into a week and a half should have taken years to perfect and study… but he did all he could do and now he was relying on Hermione to be able to fill in the blanks. She was off to the Burrow the next day and he shuddered at the thought that they possibly might not make it through until Monday. In fact, Snape knew they wouldn't survive past Sunday when he had to do what needed to be done. He let his chin rest atop his folded hands, still bent over in his chair, and moaned. Knowing that Hermione would no longer be in his arms in a day's time was killing him. Snape had been dreading for that day to come and he prayed, for the first time in his life to whatever force was out there, that Hermione would come out alive.

Hermione rolled around in her bed the next morning, enjoying the warmth and comfort that was surrounding her. She was so sleepy and tried to ignore the knocking on her door. Pulling the pillow atop her head to block out the noise, she groaned,