Open Letter

Chapter Three

I was in a daze when I arrived at Hogwarts. I had played this moment out in my daydreams and true dreams for so long that there seemed to be a doubling effect in my vision: reality was overlaying everything and filling in all the blank spaces.

I don't remember anything about that night except for his eyes. I could feel them when they rested upon me. The one time that I managed to catch his gaze, I felt a flame rolling up my spine. I felt electrified for that moment and I remember feeling sure that had anyone been looking at me at that moment, they would have seen my hair stand on end. I dreamt of him that night.

I awoke early in the morning to a tapping at my window. Luckily, as Head Girl I had a room to myself so there was no one to ask any awkward questions. I had never had any privacy while I was rooming with Lavender and Parvati. The owl perched on my window sill held a note which told me I was to meet Severus in the Room of Requirement that night.

Somehow I managed to behave normally during my classes. At least Harry and Ron didn't notice anything, but then again, those two have never really been the most perceptive of people. They didn't even bat an eyelid when I took my leave of them that evening. I watched them playing Wizard's Chess for a bit and then said that I wanted to brush up on some Charms that we hadn't used for a while. They muttered something along the lines of goodbye and gave me a little wave before returning to their game.

I ran into a few professors and students on my way, but thanks to my reputation, no one even questioned me about where I was going. Only smiles and nods as usual. I doubt I'd have been more invisible if I'd gone through the trouble of borrowing Harry's cloak. Everyone was so used to my visits to the library, they simply assumed that was where I was going.

When I reached the corridor, the door was already there. That could only mean that Severus was waiting for me inside. My heart fluttered and I had to take a moment to compose myself as I wondered what would be in the room. What did Severus "require" in order to speak to me? Finally I opened the door.

If this was one of those trashy Muggle romance novels that seem so ubiquitous, I would have opened the door to find a bed of white satin sheets and a liberal amount of rose petals. I do think that if Severus ever held one of those "bodice-rippers" in his hands that it might just burst into flames. He just wasn't the type. So I wasn't that surprised to find the room sparsely furnished. What little furniture there was in the room was made of some sort of dark wood and the walls were dark as well. A bookcase was against one of the walls, empty except for what appeared to be a silver cauldron. Two tall-backed chairs sat near a flickering fireplace.

Severus was sitting there simply looking at me as I took in my surroundings. Once my eyes rested on his face, he rose and murmured, "Good evening, ... Hermione." His voice became slightly strained when he said my name, as though it was what he wanted to do most and yet something that he had thought he'd never allow himself to do.

Hearing him say my name... reading it was no comparison. Then I could only imagine what his voice was like, but now it was both more terrible and wonderful than I could have dreamed. "Severus," I sighed and felt something twist in my abdomen. "I've been... wanting to say your name for so long." I smiled and from the warmth I felt in my face I'm sure I was blushing. A slight, answering smile crossed his face and he gestured at the chair next to him.