Becoming Familiar with a Man of Misery

Chapter 8 ~ Putting a Plan in Motion

The next morning as Hermione was heading for breakfast when she became aware of a presence behind her. She knew who it was instinctively and quickened her steps.

The Professor appeared beside her, scowling.

“I hope you don’t think your little dramatic monologue had any effect on me, Miss Granger. It was just the spoutings of a naïve little witch who thinks everything in the world is black or white,” he hissed at her.

The Potions Master felt awful and was out of Sober-up potion. Seeing Hermione worsened his mood. But he felt compelled to straighten her out, just in case she thought she had gained a victory last night.

The witch frowned.

“Of course it didn’t have an effect. You’re too steeped in self-pity to absorb the truth about yourself,” Hermione said haughtily, looking up at the wizard with distaste.

She noticed his red-rimmed eyes, and his skin looked paler than usual.

“Looks like you decided to cuddle up with a bottle last night. That makes sense. It’s as cold and hard as you are,” Hermione said, picking up the pace. The Potions Master kept up easily.

“I know it was you who brought Raucous to me, hoping I would “open up” to you,” he sneered at her. “Only a blindly optimistic little fool like you would think something like that possible. I wouldn’t open up to you if you put me on a dissection table and autopsied me.”

Hermione looked at him. She wondered how he knew about Raucous.

“You might not, but that sounds like something I’d be willing to try anyway,” she retorted.

Severus looked at her. There was something different about the witch. She was…well…snarkier. He was not about to be outsnarked by a wretched little virgin.

“And if you thought flaunting your body around like that would have an effect on me, you were dead wrong. I thought it was a disgusting display. Quite pathetic really, ” he said, frowning at her.

“So that’s why you couldn’t keep your eyes off my tits the entire time I was talking to you,” she replied as they turned into the main hall.

“I was not looking at your tits,” he claimed, scowling at the witch as his eyes helplessly swept over her breasts. He cursed himself. He only did it because she mentioned them.

“You were too looking at my tits,” she declared, “I know when a wizard is looking at my tits, Severus, and you were.”

On hearing his given name, the Potions Master looked at her blackly.

“And what is this ‘Severus’ business? I don’t want you calling me by my given name. I am Professor to you,” he snarled at her. “You are getting too familiar, Miss Granger.”

“I am a full grown witch and currently on staff now. You are NOT my Professor, Severus. I’ll call you what I want in private. You can’t stop me. And I have plenty of other names for you, believe me,” she said to him as they approached the main door, “I’ll be happy to share them if you piss me off enough.”

“I forbid you to use my given name!” he yelled at her as they entered the Great Hall. Everyone looked up at them.

“You have no right to forbid me to do anything, Severus,” Hermione said in a low voice as they stalked up to the staff table. “As far as I’m concerned, you can take your nasty attitude and your irrational demands and go fuck yourself.”

She mounted the dais and walked down to her seat, her nose in the air.

The Potions Master scowled after the disrespectful witch. Such foul words coming out of that supposedly innocent little mouth. Severus realized that by his actions he had inadvertently made Hermione more confrontational. She certainly wasn’t cowering any longer when he verbally attacked her. The witch was giving as good as she got. He had the feeling that she would no longer take his mistreatment of her in the classroom either. One thing he knew for certain, she hadn’t given up on him as a potential lover. She said she would wait for him to ‘wake up from his self-imposed nightmare” or something similar.

His entire life was a nightmare. She had no idea what it was like to be him, or what it would be like to be involved with him. He wasn’t a nice wizard at all, even in intimate situations with willing women he was a real bastard with them. He treated them all like prostitutes. Hermione in her innocence had no idea how he dominated women. One encounter with him and the witch would be ruined for life. Appealing as the idea of ruining the infuriating little witch was, he knew he needed to find a way to turn the witch off to him. His usual methods of driving people away wasn’t working with her. Maybe he needed to try something else. Something more original.

He ordered his breakfast and looked down at the student tables. On Sundays the students were more lax, mixing more at the tables. Only the Slytherins kept their table rival-free. The other houses mixed, generally those who were dating out of house sat together, enjoying their meals. Severus eyed the mixed couples thoughtfully. Then he got an idea. Maybe Hermione would give up if she thought another female had an interest in him, an interest he seemed to return. That might work.

The Potions Master looked down the table at the witch. She was eating a cinnamon bun and drinking coffee. He studied her, and a thought came to him that was even more appealing than having another woman pretending to be interested in him. What if someone else were interested in her? Someone almost as dark as he was, but with far more personality. Someone who was actually quite successful with women? Someone right here at Hogwarts. Sure, the wizard he had in mind hadn’t shown much interest in Hermione, but with the right amount of incentive, probably in galleons, he was sure the wizard would take the witch of his hands. He was a man of few scruples after all.

He stared down the table at the Dark Arts teacher, who was enjoying a stack of pancakes with sausage. He was a rather good-looking wizard, well-built. And then, there were those eyes that witches seemed to go gaga over. DA teacher had a bit of a reputation as a troublemaker, getting into duels with jealous husbands and such, but obviously Hermione had a thing for the bad boy type…she was trying to court Severus after all. The Potions Master studied the wizard for a while. He was almost sure he could get him to court Hermione. Then his troubles would be over. The wizard was an expert at seducing witches. He would probably have Hermione popped and bedded inside of a month. Then, she’d be on her own and the Potions Master would be free of her for good.

Thinking he might have a viable plan, Severus finished his breakfast and his third cup of black coffee, feeling in better spirits. Hermione stalked by him, her nose still in the air and exited the Great Hall. The Potions Master smirked after her. She had no idea what was in store for her if this idea of his worked.

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Hermione walked toward the dungeons. She was a little elated about how she had handled the Potions Master this morning. She gave him a bit of his own snarkiness back, and found she liked putting the wizard in his place. He needed that. He’d been getting away with cruel remarks for far too long. He had everyone so frightened of him, no one would challenge him, with the exception of Albus and Minerva. Now he could add her to the list.

She had hoped that something she said last night had sunk in. She was of the mind that some of it did, but the Potions Master wasn’t about to admit she had him pegged. He was an expert at deluding himself as well as others. But she saw right through him. The Potions Master was a slave to his own fears. He didn’t want to give his heart because he was afraid of being hurt…that was the crux of the matter. But Hermione would never hurt him, not purposely. She felt he had been hurt enough, and in fact was still being hurt. She didn’t care what he said, no one liked to be treated like a pariah, not even him, though it was mostly his own fault. He couldn’t blame it on his being a deatheater.

Hell, Lucius Malfoy acted suave, debonair and was quite popular, and he was the worst deatheater there was. He still mingled with society and for the most part, was well-liked by those who didn’t know his true affiliations. The truth had come out about him, but using his charisma, and a lot of galleons, he squashed the rumors and was considered one of the wizarding world’s most upstanding citizens. Hermione felt sick to the stomach when she thought of it. Lucius had cornered her at a Ministry function a year ago, and tried to get her to accompany him to his mansion for a night of ‘unbridled passion”

“I can smell a virgin ready to be made a woman,” he had said to her as he trapped her in a corner, both hands pressed on the walls around her and leaning quite close.

His gray eyes had a coldness in them that made her quiver in fear. Lucius mistook it for desire and kissed her. He got a good slap in the face for that. The look on his face made Hermione afraid he would strike her. He would have too, if Harry hadn’t walked up and rescued her. The young Auror saw her slap Malfoy and he hurried right over, glaring at the wizard as he took Hermione’s arm. Lucius had frowned after them. But that was her last run-in with the evil wizard. He was a real piece of work. No wonder his son Draco was such an asshole.

But back to Severus. If Lucius could operate in wizarding society, so could the Potions Master. But he wasn’t willing to try.

Hermione sighed. Why couldn’t she have been attracted to someone more accessible, someone who would respond to her affections? Why? Because that would be too easy, that’s why. Part of her attraction to the dark wizard was the fact that he was so untouchable. Getting Severus Snape was a challenge, and she loved a challenge. Even if it were dark, snarky and hid out in the dungeons all day.

She arrived at her rooms, opened the door and entered. She was going to take a nice, long bath.

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Severus lingered until the DA teacher finished his breakfast and exited the staff room. Severus quickly rose and followed him.

As the wizard headed for his rooms in the Dark Arts corridor, the Potions Master called out to him.

“Mr. Delaluci?”

The blonde wizard turned, his violet eyes on the dark wizard gliding toward him. His eyes telescoped, the black pupils becoming large for a moment, then returning to normal.

“Yeah, Snape?” he replied, watching the Potions Master approach. He and the bat of the dungeons rarely ever spoke to each other, and he was curious as to what the wizard could possibly want with him.

Severus winced at the informal way Marcus addressed him. But that was the way the wizard was. He stopped in front of him.

“Mr. Delaluci, I was wondering if I might have a word with you about a situation I’m facing,” Severus said evenly.

Marcus’ eyebrows rose.

“And what would your situation possibly have to do with me, Professor? I barely know you,” Marcus replied, looking the wizard over.

“It could have everything to do with you, if you’ll give me a moment of your time. It could be quite…profitable,” Severus purred.

Marcus’ eyes lit up. Profitable? Now that was interesting. He barely made enough at Hogwarts to cruise the bars on the weekends. He needed money.

“Profitable? Now you’re talking my language, Snape. Come on down to my office and have a sit down. Then you can tell me what you have in mind,” Marcus said, gesturing toward his office.

“My pleasure Mr. Delaluci,” Severus said silkily.

The two wizards walked down the corridor, Severus’ brain working overtime. He just had to enlist the wizard’s aid in distracting Hermione.

Then his life could return to normal.

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A/N: Oh no! Not Marcus! Lol. Yes, I had to do it. We needed more drama. Those of you familiar with this original character know if anyone can bring drama, it’s Marcus. He can be as rotten as they come. But he’s a hottie too. Anyway, please review.

PLEASE REVIEW “BECOMING FAMILAR” >>> NEXT CHAPTER

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The Burning Pen

Becoming Familiar with a Man of Misery
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 9

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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