Learning

Classes soon began and Hermione found that she quite enjoyed teaching the kids. She tried to model her teaching on her favorite professor's manner. Professor Lupin had always made class interesting. All the students loved him and Hermione was astonished to find that her students felt the same way most of the time.

Every meal she sat next to Professor John Dyce. They were becoming really good friends. They always had something to talk about, whether it was silly things like which flavor Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean was their favorite, or the complex chemical structure of ingredients used in the Polyjuice Potion. It was a very amicable relationship in which each admired the other. There was tension. It was the good kind of tension though. The attraction between them was tremendous.

Hermione felt like her muscles couldn't move every time John looked into her eyes. She took a sip of water after every encounter with his eyes. They burned into her. It was like she was sharing all her secrets with him. He could surely read her mind, thoughts and soul with every glace.

John felt the same effects. Hermione could see it in his eyes too. The yellow burned brighter around the dark blue. His pupils engulfed almost the entire blue. His eyes looked like a solar eclipse: blinding and intense, but an eclipse that she was able to experience.

During one particular dinnertime meal, John and Hermione were the last to finish eating. They had been too busy talking and laughing to notice that there was no one in the Great Hall.

"Look," John said.

"What?" Hermione asked. She looked around. "I don't see anything...or anyone."

"Precisely!" he said. "We've been talking so long we barely noticed that the Great Hall was empty."

He looked at his watch.

"What time is it?" Hermione asked.

"It's almost midnight," he laughed. "I can't believe that we didn't notice the vacant state of the room."

"Perhaps we should head to bed," Hermione said.

"Really?" He winked, insinuating a different situation. There was a slight pause in the conversation. "Would you mind if I kissed you?"

"What?" Hermione was taken off guard. "Do you really think that that is a good idea? You know since we are both..."

Before she could finish her sentence John grabbed her gently around the waist and stole a kiss. It was a sweet kiss. Not one that Hermione expected from a bad boy.

Ron had not kissed like this, she thought. He was a good boy, but he kissed more harshly. Harry didn't kiss like this either, she kept thinking. His kisses were gentle and romantic, always taking his time. Remus Lupin hadn't kissed like this either she continued to think. She couldn't describe his kissing. It definitely roused the animal side of him.

Hermione decided that she liked the way that John kissed the most. It was the way that people in love kiss.

She could feel the warmth from his kiss flow through her body, but he finally released. She didn't want to stop. Her head was screaming for him to continue, but he didn't. His cheeks were flushed as were Hermione's. John looked at the ground.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I really shouldn't have done that. We are working together and it could become awkward. Let's keep this confidential."

"That sounds like a good idea," Hermione said with disappointment. She wanted more. She added as an afterthought as they exited the Great Hall, "You are a great kisser."

Hermione thought that he had gone back to his quarters, but he hadn't. John Dyce had followed her to her room.