Insaitable: Ch2

Hermione’s internal alarm clock went off causing her to stretch her tired body into awareness.  She took in a deep soothing breath only to have her nostrils pleasantly assaulted by the heavy perfume that surrounded her.  She rolled to her side, clasping her hand over something foreign to her and slowly opened her eyes.  A wide smile crept across her face as she looked down to the rose in her hand.  It was a beautiful fully blossomed peach rose with red veins caressing the soft petals all the way up their red tips.   Her grin turned into a soft giggle as she held the rose to her nose.   Her fondness of Severus grew with each whiff of the rose, and she plucked herself off the bed to go tell him how much she appreciated the token.  Almost as quickly as she stood, her knees gave way, forcing her to sit on the edge of the bed as she stared in wonder of the sight before her.   Vases of roses gleaming in colors of reds, peaches, yellows, pinks and even blue, lined her walls, set upon her dresser and in vacant chairs.  Everywhere she looked was a sea of delicate roses filling the once gloomy  space.   Her hand went to her mouth in silent awe as tears stung at the back of her eyes.  A single rose was one thing, but this was overwhelming.  If she didn’t personally know Severus, she would almost think he was trying to woo her with such a display.  She laughed about that thought and pulled herself to her feet to get dressed. It was completely absurd, Severus Snape trying to woo little miss know-it-all.  That was about as plausible as Harry  tap dancing in a ballgown for Lord Voldemort himself.   

She picked up her single rose before heading downstairs to thank Severus when her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.   The hallway too, was filled with dozens of roses.   Vases were on every other step as she made her way down into the entry which was also filled with roses.  Her heart thundered in her chest and she felt dizzy when she heard voice ringing out from the kitchen.  She smiled to herself, sniffing the rose in her fingers once more.  Could she be mistaken?  Such a flamboyant display was not Severus Snapes style, but would he actually consider…no.  No.  Of course not.  It had to be some misunderstanding, at least, that’s what she kept telling herself as she made to the kitchen, stopping at the doorway when she saw him towering over one of his house elves.

”When I said, ‘Fill the house with roses,’ I didn’t mean to literally fill the bloody house with roses, Ritzy!” he scolded the elf before looking up to see Hermione in the doorway, grinning into the rose he had left on her bedside last night before he retired.  

Her grin only grew.  She was right.  Severus had no intentions of anything romantic involving her.

He couldn’t seem to pry his eyes off of her as knelt to the floor to whisper to the small elf, “You did a wonderful job, as usual.  You are dismissed.”

“Oh, thank yous Master.  I’s glad that yous pleased!” the small elf squeaked.  Ritzy reminded Hermione so much of Dobby  with her eager eyes and wide smile.  She wondered for a moment if they could be related before the elf dissapeared with a soft pop.

She simply watched him, second guessing herself once again.
Did Ritzy say that he was pleased?  Oh gods… she thought with an unwavering smile as he stood.  

His eyes never left hers.  She didn’t know what to do.  She wanted to do so many things like run, cry, hide herself away, hug him, kiss him…

Oh, sweet smelly Merlin…I do want to kiss him…

She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out.  No, she couldn’t want to show him some kind of loving gesture. This was Severus Snape after all.  He would only laugh in her face and toss her away anyway.  He was not one for such trinkets of affection, at least, in her mind she didn’t believe he was.   

“A knut  for your thoughts?” he asked carefully, wondering what her reaction to all this madness might be.

“I’m charging double today,” she said with a sarcastic grin. Are you bloody flirting with him? her sub-though screamed. As long as I’m not to obvious about it, I don’t see the harm in mild flirting, she amended in her conscious.

Her playfulness excited  him, causing him to grin in return.  “A Sickle  then.”

He gazed at her, wondering momentarily where this fondness he suddenly held for her came from.  Of course she wan an attractive young woman, she was no exotic beauty by far, but she was beautiful in her own right.  

Her hazel eyes seemed to glow for him when she whispered a soft “Thank you,” and that made something in his gut twist and lurch before he murmured a quite, “you’re welcome,” back to her.

She ducked her eyes down in a shy gesture before glancing back up at him with her bottom lip caught between her teeth and before he knew it, she had disappeared from the doorway.  It didn’t take long to find her, however.  She was curled up on one side of the leather sofa reading a book with the rose still firmly planted over her lips as she continued to breathe in it’s essence.

“What are you reading?” he asked softly as he took up his favorite book and joined her on the couch.

“I’m not quite sure actually,” she said as she showed him the front of the book which had no markings of any kind, “but it seems to be some kind of romance novel.”   She raised her eyebrow to him in a silent question, wondering why Severus would have something such as a romance novel.

“Mmm, yes, it’s probably one of my mothers old possessions,” he lied.   

It was actually a book he had received on his sixteenth birthday from his great uncle.  The book was a unique find really.  Whatever you wanted to read would be written on the pages inside.  In essence, it was like being an author of your own story.

“What’s the story line so far?” he asked with an amused grin on his face.

She looked up to him once more and grinned, “It’s rather charming actually.  It’s the ol’ damsel in distress, heaving bosom and what not.  It looks as if she’s about to be rescued by a pirate named, and I quote ‘The Dark-Hearted bastard of the seven seas.’”

He raised his eyebrow at that, placing his book to the side and leaning closer to peer inside her book.  Of course, there was nothing but blank pages to his eyes.  

“I have to admit, I was always one for a good pirate story,” he said leaning back and stretching out his long limbs, “If you wouldn’t mind, I would like to hear it.”
Of course the truth was, he wanted to know what it was that Hermione’s romantic fantasies were made up of.

”I…oh, I…I mean, if you really wish…”

“Oh, I do,” he said a little to eagerly.

That was sloppy, Severus.  Don’t make an arse of yourself.  Besides, a brilliant witch like her isn’t at all interested in a git like you.

“Then, um, sure, I suppose.  Would you like me to start from the beginning or…”

“No, I think a short re-cap of the events thus far will do.”

She gave a nod, placing her rose to the side and sitting up to begin reading the book to him.

“Alright, Avalyn is our virginal ingénue, an exotic beauty of course.  Her small village has just been plundered by a crew of villainous pirates.  She has been taken prisoner and is now in the captain’s quarters, to which you can only image why,” she said giving him a roll of her eyes, “quite predictable.  Anyway, The Black Onyx, with is the Black-Hearted Bastards ship, has just pulled up along side and he is demanding what is rightfully his…along with poor poor Avalyn.”

She stared down at the book for a moment, letting out a soft sigh.

”What is it?” he asked in concern.  Her peppy  disposition suddenly faded to one of sorrow.

“Katie Bell was always trying to get me to read some books like this.  She said it would ‘lighten me up’ or ‘make me less like a bloody prude’ and my favorite argument of hers was, ‘Oh, come on Hermione, you can learn lots of stuff from books like these.’ Which, that statement of course would be followed by childish giggles.”

“And you don’t believe that there is any validity to that statement?” he asked with a curious glance.

“I don’t think true emotions and….actions, can be learned by a book,” she said as a soft blush crept onto her cheeks.  “Some things you must experience first hand.”

“I see,” he murmured.

“You disagree?” she asked, daring to look him in the eye.

“Yes and no,” he stated.  “You can learn a great deal about your own self when reading a book such as this and when in a relationship with another, it is good to know before hand what you find mentally and … physically stimulating.  Of course not all situations in these novels would you find appealing in a true relationship, even if you find them somewhat stimulating in writing, the act itself may be more uncomfortable.  Whatever flies-your-broom mentally will not always do so physically.”

“What do you mean by, ‘the act?’” she asked raising her eyebrow.

”Well, whatever situation you find within the book, of course.  For example, say there is a swordfight in this novel, which there’s bound to be, although I do enjoy a good sword fighting scene, I don’t think I’d actually enjoy being involved in a sword fight,” he said matter-of-factly.  “Putting yourself in the role as Avalyn and whomever you wish to portray the role of this pirate captain, might help you grasp what you’re friends were trying to communicate to you.”

She pondered his words for a moment and nodded in agreement.  She couldn’t help but laugh as she looked back down to the book.

”What?” he asked with narrowed eyes, wondering if something he said made her laugh at him.

“Well I can’t help but parallel the events in the book to what we’ve experienced thus far.  For if I am the young Avalyn, then you must be the Pirate Captain.  It’s only fitting,” she smiled.  “And if all goes accordingly to plan,” she says holding up the book, “my character is going to fall madly in love with yours.”

He chuckled softly and shook his head, “Well then, I should have to owl Moody and request to borrow his wooden leg.”

“Oh you’d make a smashing pirate captain,” she laughed.

”You think so?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

”Oh absolutely. If you were to rule the seven seas as you did when you were a professor, nothing would stand in your way.”

“Hmm,” he said contemplating that thought, “Perhaps, but I’m not sure if it has any potential as a solid career move.”

She doubled over in laughter, picturing Severus as a pirate was one thing, but for him to openly joke about it made the entire thing that much more hilarious.   She fell sideways, clutching the book over her stomach.  As her laughter subsided into soft giggles, he smiled down at her, locking his eyes with hers.  She felt her stomach flutter for a moment before she looked away and returned her attentions to the book.

”Well now, let’s see where our fantasy romance takes us, shall we?” she said in a half joke a she got comfortable in her new position as she began reading. “Chapter five, the Captain’s lament…”