SMHC snippet
Aug. 19th, 2007 02:17 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
averygoodun42Here's a small snippet from the next chapter of SMHC which should be up soonish (in the next few days).
It was eerily quiet as she made her way down the stone corridors of the dungeons. She almost expected to hear water dripping in the distance, although she knew the charms on the dungeons kept them comfortably dry. Still, it was eerie, so she hurried forward and made her way to Severus' quarters as fast as she could without actually running there.
Once there, she knocked quietly on his door, not wanting to wake him if he was still asleep. After waiting a few seconds and hearing nothing, she recited the password and let herself in. She didn't know who was more surprised, herself at finding Severus awake and at his desk, or Severus, seeing her come in. Whether or not he was more surprised than she, he quickly recovered and bent his head down to complete his thought on the parchment. As soon as he finished writing, he moved the pile of marked essays on top of it.
While he finished up his work, she came in all the way and quietly closed the door behind her. As soon as he was done, she shyly said, "Hi."
He stared at her with hard eyes for a moment before responding. "Good morning."
He got up a bit stiffly, stretched his back and then moved over to the sofa. He indicated with a graceful twitch of his hand that she should join him. Going over, she chose to sit in the chair by the fireplace rather than beside him on the sofa.
"What brings you down here so early in the morning?" he asked, conjuring a boiling kettle at the same time as he summoned the tea service. He put the tea on to steep in the same precise manner as he made potions, and Hermione was so engrossed in watching his process that she almost forgot he had asked her a question.
"I thought that last night's conversation didn't end well, and I just... I didn't want to leave it there."
He nodded and although he seemed tired, he didn't look like he was upset, so she wasn't prepared when he said, "And, knowing me so well, you knew that I'd be awake and ready for a chat."
Hermione scowled at his snide tone. "No, I didn't know you'd be awake. I came down early so that I might have a chance to get comfortable before we started sniping at each other, but I see it's never too early for that."
Severus shot her a warning look. "As I recall, I didn't invite you in, madam. You broke in."
Hermione reined in her anger, knowing he was right. "You're right, of course," she said almost contritely, although her tone wasn't conciliatory when she added, "Shall I come back later when you might not be inconvenienced?"
"Drop the sarcasm, Hermione. It doesn't suit you."
His comment lacked bite, and he seemed more tired than before. Hermione's anger dissipated as her worry increased.
"I actually came to apologize for snapping at you last night, and to thank you again for the burn-healing salve." Severus frowned but nodded in acknowledgment. Hermione continued. "I also wanted to... well, I guess I wanted you to know that I didn't mean anything by the dress comment."
He lifted his brows. "Why should I be bothered that you think the dress is horrid?" he asked with a small, tight smile.
"I don't know, but you seemed to be. And if you were bothered by it, I want you to know that all I meant was that the design itself leaves something to be desired."
"Ah, and here I thought it was the paragon of wedding attire," he said completely deadpan.
"You are joking, aren't you?" she asked hesitantly.
He snorted softly and said, "Yes, my dear. Have no fear. I am no more fond of frilly masses than you seem to be."
She let out an exaggerated sigh of relief and was glad to see his lips twitch in amusement. Thinking about it, she looked around for the dress but didn't see it anywhere. Suddenly she was concerned that he might have tossed it out.
"Where is it, by the way?"
"What?"
"The dress."
He looked slightly uncomfortable and her fears increased. "I might have said it was horrid, but I hope you didn't throw it out or destroy it. After all, it does hold sentimental value."
He shook his head and stood up, gesturing for her to follow. He led her into the bedroom and pointed into the corner and there, in the same chair as before, was the dress, looking just as it had when she'd picked it up the night before. It struck her as an incredibly sweet sentimental gesture on Severus' part.
"Oh. Thank you," she said lamely.
He gave her a curt nod. "I knew it was your grandmother's."
"Yes." She looked at him and thought he still looked a bit uncomfortable. Deciding to chance it, she added, "But it is also my wedding dress."
His discomfort increased slightly, confirming her suspicions. Pleased, she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."
He looked pleased, but even more uncomfortable and said rather sharply, "What a lot of fuss over this horrid thing."
She smiled. "Yes."
It was eerily quiet as she made her way down the stone corridors of the dungeons. She almost expected to hear water dripping in the distance, although she knew the charms on the dungeons kept them comfortably dry. Still, it was eerie, so she hurried forward and made her way to Severus' quarters as fast as she could without actually running there.
Once there, she knocked quietly on his door, not wanting to wake him if he was still asleep. After waiting a few seconds and hearing nothing, she recited the password and let herself in. She didn't know who was more surprised, herself at finding Severus awake and at his desk, or Severus, seeing her come in. Whether or not he was more surprised than she, he quickly recovered and bent his head down to complete his thought on the parchment. As soon as he finished writing, he moved the pile of marked essays on top of it.
While he finished up his work, she came in all the way and quietly closed the door behind her. As soon as he was done, she shyly said, "Hi."
He stared at her with hard eyes for a moment before responding. "Good morning."
He got up a bit stiffly, stretched his back and then moved over to the sofa. He indicated with a graceful twitch of his hand that she should join him. Going over, she chose to sit in the chair by the fireplace rather than beside him on the sofa.
"What brings you down here so early in the morning?" he asked, conjuring a boiling kettle at the same time as he summoned the tea service. He put the tea on to steep in the same precise manner as he made potions, and Hermione was so engrossed in watching his process that she almost forgot he had asked her a question.
"I thought that last night's conversation didn't end well, and I just... I didn't want to leave it there."
He nodded and although he seemed tired, he didn't look like he was upset, so she wasn't prepared when he said, "And, knowing me so well, you knew that I'd be awake and ready for a chat."
Hermione scowled at his snide tone. "No, I didn't know you'd be awake. I came down early so that I might have a chance to get comfortable before we started sniping at each other, but I see it's never too early for that."
Severus shot her a warning look. "As I recall, I didn't invite you in, madam. You broke in."
Hermione reined in her anger, knowing he was right. "You're right, of course," she said almost contritely, although her tone wasn't conciliatory when she added, "Shall I come back later when you might not be inconvenienced?"
"Drop the sarcasm, Hermione. It doesn't suit you."
His comment lacked bite, and he seemed more tired than before. Hermione's anger dissipated as her worry increased.
"I actually came to apologize for snapping at you last night, and to thank you again for the burn-healing salve." Severus frowned but nodded in acknowledgment. Hermione continued. "I also wanted to... well, I guess I wanted you to know that I didn't mean anything by the dress comment."
He lifted his brows. "Why should I be bothered that you think the dress is horrid?" he asked with a small, tight smile.
"I don't know, but you seemed to be. And if you were bothered by it, I want you to know that all I meant was that the design itself leaves something to be desired."
"Ah, and here I thought it was the paragon of wedding attire," he said completely deadpan.
"You are joking, aren't you?" she asked hesitantly.
He snorted softly and said, "Yes, my dear. Have no fear. I am no more fond of frilly masses than you seem to be."
She let out an exaggerated sigh of relief and was glad to see his lips twitch in amusement. Thinking about it, she looked around for the dress but didn't see it anywhere. Suddenly she was concerned that he might have tossed it out.
"Where is it, by the way?"
"What?"
"The dress."
He looked slightly uncomfortable and her fears increased. "I might have said it was horrid, but I hope you didn't throw it out or destroy it. After all, it does hold sentimental value."
He shook his head and stood up, gesturing for her to follow. He led her into the bedroom and pointed into the corner and there, in the same chair as before, was the dress, looking just as it had when she'd picked it up the night before. It struck her as an incredibly sweet sentimental gesture on Severus' part.
"Oh. Thank you," she said lamely.
He gave her a curt nod. "I knew it was your grandmother's."
"Yes." She looked at him and thought he still looked a bit uncomfortable. Deciding to chance it, she added, "But it is also my wedding dress."
His discomfort increased slightly, confirming her suspicions. Pleased, she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."
He looked pleased, but even more uncomfortable and said rather sharply, "What a lot of fuss over this horrid thing."
She smiled. "Yes."
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no subject
Date: 2007-08-19 06:27 am (UTC)I need more!
I'll be keeping my eye out for the full chapter.
no subject
Date: 2007-08-19 02:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-19 08:43 am (UTC)And I'll be impatiently waiting for the chapter. *is trying not to bounce in excitement*
no subject
Date: 2007-08-19 02:43 pm (UTC)Soon. I promise!
no subject
Date: 2007-08-19 11:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-19 02:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-19 12:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-19 02:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-19 03:11 pm (UTC)Oh, how I like tired!Snape. Brings out all sorts of inappropriate comforting urges.
no subject
Date: 2007-08-19 03:16 pm (UTC)