The Burning Pen

A Looping of the Scales by Ruth Solomon

The story content is adult in nature and can contain graphic sex and violence.  Those under the age of 18 are asked to leave this site immediately.  You are not welcome here.  The author is not responsible for those under-aged who view these works.

CHAPTER 60

All recognizable characters belong to JKR. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 60 ~ A Bit of an Issue

”I—I can’t believe you were actually standing in the doorway chatting Lisa up like that,” Hermione hissed angrily at Snape as they walked into his private quarters. Snape looked incredulously at her back as she threw herself in the chair before the desk, thought twice, stood up and took out her things, then threw herself back into the chair, arranging her workspace angrily.

“Chatting her up? What in the world do you mean I was chatting her up?” he asked her as he walked over. “I wasn’t ‘chatting’ anyone up. I was trying to close the door.”

Hermione snorted as she viciously stabbed her quill into an inkwell.

”All you had to say was no and close the door. But you didn’t. You stood there—talking to her.”

Snape still looked incredulous.

”She held the door open, Hermione. What did you expect me to do? Slam her fingers in it?”

Hermione scowled up at him.

”Yes! Well—no. But I’m sure you could have cleared her out if you made an effort to do it. You two were talking the entire time I was walking down the corridor. At least two minutes—“

”You were timing how long I talked to her?”

Hermione colored.

”No. It was just—just an estimation. Why didn’t you just tell her we’re exclusive? That would have settled everything!”

Snape studied her, one eyebrow arching. Then he walked around her and sat down in the chair next to her. Hermione turned her head to look at him. She looked absolutely furious.

Snape blinked at her a couple of times.

”Well, why didn’t you tell her that?” Hermione demanded of him.

Snape shrugged.

”It just wasn’t a word that came to mind talking about—about books,” he said softly.

”Well, it should have come to mind. Imagine the nerve, coming down here and asking for access to your books when she knows I’m using them. I’m surprised she didn’t ask to document your Animagus form as well, or for some potions pointers,” Hermione said. “Next time she or anyone else does that, I expect you to say that only I have access to your resources. Me. Exclusively.”

Hermione opened a book, frowning down at it.

”I need to get back on track. Lisa sniffing around here isn’t good. Not in the least,” she said, focusing.

”It’s a good thing she didn’t ask me to lunch,” Snape ventured, a small smirk on his face.

Hermione looked up at him.

”Lunch?”

”Yes. She could have been interested in me, rather than my books,” he said softly. “What would you have had me tell her if that was the case?”

Hermione blinked back down at her books.

”That wasn’t the case, so there’s no need for speculation,” she responded tersely.

“Would you be jealous?” Snape pressed her.

”Severus, I’m trying to work here.”

“Would you be? I’d be jealous if a wizard asked you out to lunch, or dinner, or even for a turn around the castle,” the wizard said softly. “I’d be worse than jealous. I’d want to hex him into little wriggling pieces.”

“I’m not you, Severus. I am jealous over my interests. Your books and resources,” she said a bit uncomfortably, looking as if the book in front of her was the most interesting book she’d ever seen. Suddenly, she felt Snape’s fingers gently grasp her chin and turn her face toward him.

”Do you mean to tell me, Hermione, that it wouldn’t bother you if a witch attempted to get my personal attention? If she wanted to go out with me? Or shag me?”

Hermione didn’t answer him at first, her brown eyes turning downward so she wouldn’t have to meet his intense black orbs.

”Answer me,” he said softly.

”You’re free to do what you want, Severus,” she said in a near whisper.

”That’s not answering my question, Hermione. I’m asking you how you would feel about it, not what I can do or not do,” he replied. “Would it bother you?”

Hermione thought about the intimate moments they shared, the mutual pleasure, the exciting explorations and discoveries they’d made about each other. Snape had never been with another witch they way he had been with her, and there were things she’d done with and to him she’d never done with any other wizard. To top it all off—he said he loved her, and he meant it.

Would it bother her to imagine him with another witch, doing the things they did together. Hell yes, it would bother her.

”A little,” she said softly.

”A little?”

”Yes. Now, let me get back to my work, Severus.”

He let go of her chin and slowly stood up.

”You know, you’re never going to have to worry about that, Hermione. As long as you want me, no other witch will ever catch my eye. You’re all I can see,” he said softly.

Hermione didn’t say anything, but she felt the sweetest little sting in her heart, followed by a flush of warmth that flowed over her body. It was almost like a flush of desire, but that was physical and began between her legs, not heart. This was something completely different.

Different and a little frightening.

”I have work to do, Severus,” she said quietly, not looking up at him as he continued to stare down at her.

”All right. I’m going to go, but I wanted to ask you if the rules of engagement for the duel are the same. Three spells for you if you win and—something else for me if I am victorious,” he said.

”Three spells for me,” Hermione replied, smirking slightly as she didn’t acknowledge Snape’s possible reward.

”Oh, that’s how it is, is it? You’re that sure of yourself?”

”Working,” Hermione responded, still focused on the book.

Suddenly, she felt Snape’s soft lips brush against her temple. Then she heard him walk away and the wall slide up. Snape turned and looked at Hermione apparently poring over her book.

He smirked a bit, then said, ”I don’t expect to see you until tomorrow evening. Meet me here at seven after supper. Bring your wand, and of course, bandages.”

Hermione jerked around in her chair to respond but Snape darted through the wall and it slid down quickly.

”Oh, he can be so insufferable,” she breathed, then made herself focus on her work. Otherwise, much of the night would have been spent mulling over her relationship with Severus. The NEWTs were more important.

Well, that’s what she told herself.

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When Snape emerged from the dungeons into the entrance hall, he was immediately waylaid by one Harry Potter.

”Snape!” he called, hurrying over to the wizard. Harry had been lurking about hoping to see him. Word around the castle was Snape left nearly every evening to go flying in his gryffin form. Actually, it was only partially true. He also was collecting ingredients and nurturing his surly Hell’s Guardian plant, which was enormous by now.

”Hello, Potter,” Snape said, stopping as Harry walked up to him with an anxious smile on his face.

”I wanted to ask you if it would be all right for me to watch you and Hermione duel tomorrow?” he asked.

Snape arched an eyebrow at him.

”Why didn’t you ask Hermione? You had time with her today,” Snape replied curiously.

Harry slumped a little.

”Well, I did ask her, and she told me no,” Harry said. “But you can let me watch you. She’ll just—just be there.”

Snape smirked and shook his head.

”If she said no, Potter, then I’m not going to say yes. It’s obvious she just wants it to be one on one,” Snape told him. “I’m sorry.”

Harry sighed.

”Well, can you at least tell me where you’re going to duel?”

”I’ve been considering the ROR,” Snape replied.

”Oh. Yes, that’s a good place. Our reviewing was great there. You ought to get a perfect dueling scenario,” Harry said. “Well, I’d better go. Thanks Severus.”

Harry walked up the marble stairwell, a smile on his face.

Snape watched him turn down the first floor corridor, and then turned to head out the doors. He knew Harry probably planned to hide in the ROR. The room would hide him when they came in, because that would be what Harry needed.

Too bad they wouldn’t be there.

Snape made it to the doors and actually had his hand on one, when another voice called him. A much older one.

”Mr. Snape. I was hoping to see you,” a smiling Argus Filch said, walking up to him jauntily, the spring still in his step.

”Hello, Mr. Filch. I see you’re still in top form,” Snape replied pleasantly, smiling back at the old squib.

”Better than top form if you ask me. I can’t remember running down so many students in my younger years. The hunting at Hogwarts is good,” Filch replied, fishing in his pocket. He pulled something out and offered it to Snape. It was a bag on a leather string.

Snape took it, turning it over as the strong scent hit him. To humans, normally the odor wasn’t strong, but he had enhanced senses.

”Dragonsbane,” he said to the caretaker, who nodded enthusiastically.

”Yep. And not commercial Dragonsbane that you get at any shop. This is Keeper grade. Will keep dragons from coming within a quarter mile of you. I figure a gryffin might make a tasty snack for dragons, being they’re mostly poultry, so I thought I’d give you that. You know, to make your flying a bit easier. It’s just a thank you, boy.”

Snape looked down at the bag appreciatively. It was difficult getting Dragon Keeper grade Dragonsbane. It was very difficult to harvest and it only grew at very high altitudes in dragon caves. In its natural form, it attracted dragons, but once treated, it became a powerful deterrent. Dragons hated the stuff.

”Thank you, Mr. Filch,” he said sincerely.

”You’re welcome, Mr. Snape,” the squib said, looking at him kindly. “Safe flying, laddie.”

And Filch walked off, taking the marble stairs two at a time.

Snape put the Dragonsbane bag around his neck, walked outside and transformed. A couple of witches oohed and aahed at him, and he arched his neck, proudly posing for them for a moment before he ran and leapt into the air, circling over the pointing witches before he soared off, heading for the open sea and dragon territory, gulls joining him as he flew.

He wanted to see just how good the charm Filch had given him worked.

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Susan walked arm and arm with Ron as they headed for Hufflepuff house, Ron smiling down at her goofily. She had him try out a few cakes today, some of which made him float for a few seconds. Unfortunately, he couldn’t control his height or float direction, so Susan needed to work a bit more magic into the recipe.

Afterwards, they had a hot little snogging session, and Ron managed to get her to agree to a bit of a shag tomorrow night. The weekdays were better for shagging than the weekends when Filch was on the prowl. He was a lot faster these days than anyone remembered and seemed to be everywhere.

Still, the chance to shag Susan was worth dodging a thousand Filches.

Outside of Hufflepuff, Ron blissfully kissed Susan again, gathering her in his arms and pressing his lean frame against her soft, full body. She always felt so right.

”Now remember, we’re to leave supper separately and meet at the ROR on the second floor tomorrow night at seven,” Ron reminded her, his blue eyes hot. Susan blushed. They hadn’t shagged since the oyster incident and Ron was raring to go. Susan had wanted to make him wait longer, but he was so eager and adorable, she decided what the hell. They had already done it once . . . and it was great.

”But Ron, what if the ROR isn’t there?” Susan asked him softly.

”Oh, it’ll be there. It comes where it’s needed, and believe me, Susan, no one needs that room as much as we do,” Ron assured her, looking forward to having her in a bed this time. It was going to be stellar.

He gave her one more kiss and watched as she entered Hufflepuff. Then he turned and headed back up the corridor, whistling a happy little tune.

Tomorrow night was going to be fantastic. It would be just him, Susan, soft lights, music—and if Snape had been right in his assumption, more than likely, Harry.

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A/N: Ooh. Is Hermione jello? Lol, we call the word jealous, jello around here, because it’s really annoying and funny when you tease someone. Seems she’s starting to feel a twinge of something, doesn’t it? Nice of Filch to give Snape that bag, and oh good gracious, is Harry REALLY going to be in the ROR tomorrow night? Lolol. We’ll see.

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