Chapter 20: Looking For Trouble

Another sleepless night and Snape awoke with his body soaked from sweat. He had another highly vivid dream and took a long cold shower. After that he paced his front room for a while and even attempted to read a time or two. It was all to no avail. The beast in him missed the bushy haired witch. Her idea to appease the wolf in him with the presence of her company had been good on the surface but being as affection starved as he had been missing even one minute of their allotted time together meant a total relapse when it came to his shaky control over his primal emotions. Unable to take any more of the solitude, Snape decide to go out on patrol. All seemed to be going quite well at Hogwarts and everything had been quiet. A little too quiet for Snape's liking. He caught the lingering scent of jasmine from Hermione and followed it confused as to why she would be out and about way passed curfew.

The scent had been directed through the forbidden forest. Snape rolled his eyes. She couldn't possibly be stupid enough to venture into the forbidden forest at night, especially since she had nearly been killed there repeatedly. The now irate Potions Master's heart beat thunderously in his chest as he went through the possible cases for her being this stupid. The familiar and pungent scent of a Weasley hit him, Snape curled his lips as he noted how the boy always seemed to smell of whatever he had eaten in the last ten minutes, old gym socks, and sweat.

The third scent was equally familiar as he followed the trial of the three. The scent of pompous brat, sweat, and arrogance. Yes, the wolf in Snape knew the scent of Harry James Potter quite well as he took off into the forest. He would wring Potter's neck and this time he didn't need the wolf to generate the murderous fury. As he got closer he caught a fourth scent, equally pungent and disgusting to Snape as he inhaled. The scent of fear, urine, and mold. Scents the wolf seemed to associate with the miserable treacherous rat, Peter Pettigrew.

The golden trio had been after Pettigrew.

Snape sighed rolling his eyes again.

A fool's errand of course, it was more than likely that Pettigrew would lead them into an ambush.

A scream shattered the quiet and alerted him. Senses at their max, Snape noted that the scream had belonged to none other than Hermione Jean Granger. The wolf beat violently against it's fleshy prison. The Potions Professor knew it was his duty to keep the students safe especially if he, himself had been the threat.

He took off toward the sound.

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The Forbidden Forest...

Hermione had been trying desperately to keep Ron from bleeding to death as the furious rogue group of centaurs tossed about Harry Potter as if he were a rag doll. Harry screamed in agony as they kicked and jeered at his misery. She knew they didn't have a prayer of surviving unless she managed to alert the one person she knew would be out searching for her, Professor Snape. He had been so attached to her that whenever she had been in danger he seemed to come from out of nowhere just to save her life. The bushy haired witch hoped this would be one of those times.

Ron opened his eyes as his body began to numb from Hermione's quick spell work. His arm was crushed and his legs numb but he was still breathing. As long as The young witch kept his breathing under control he would be fine.

The centaurs tossed Harry to the ground. He had not lost consciousness but it appeared they had broken every bone in his body. Helpless against the might of these furious creatures Hermione held Ron close and wished they could get out of this mess like they had so many others. She found herself picturing Professor Snape and willing him to come and save them.

She got her wish when she saw the familiar ebony robes as he stood in front of her and Ron. With a flick of his wrist he floated Harry toward Hermione and Ron. The furious centaurs looked even more enraged now that a wizard had entered their area of the forest without permission.

"What is the meaning of this attack on children?" asked Snape irate. "They are under the protection of Albus Dumbledore, we have a treaty with your kind."

The leader of the centaur group smirked.

"We care not for your petty treaty wizard." he said his voice surprisingly deep and rich in baritone almost as if it were set to a beast-like growl.

He had been the largest and the of them. He was a sight to behold, larger than a Spanish Bull below the waste with the build of a Muggle wrestler for a torso. His head large and eyes dark and glinting in malice. His flesh dark and his tail as black as the strands upon his head. He had an ugly mug with savage teeth and a nose twisted in disgust as if it were permanent.

"I am Karlie, and this is my herd." he said his deep baritone voice vibrating with rage.

"Your herd is attacking my students." said Snape not letting up as his obsidian eyes glared into those of the man-beast before him.

"Your students trespass upon our lands." said Karlie. "They need to be taught a lesson."

"I believe it is you who needs to be taught a lesson." said Snape. "These are children and simply did not know any better...they were tricked into coming here...you could have let them off with a warning."

Karlie growled angrily.

"INSOLENT HUMAN!" he shouted enraged. "YOU DARE GIVE CHEEK TO YOUR BETTERS?"

Snape did not back down despite the numerous creatures and their stature compared to him.

"I did not come to fight you." he said. "I simply wish to take my students back with me."

"YOU GO NOWHERE BUT TO YOUR DEATH INSOLENT HUMAN!" shouted Karlie. "KILL HIM!"

Using strength and speed unheard of Snape suddenly launched himself at the hostile centaur. Hermione watched in awe as Snape gripped the strongest one and wound his hands around it's neck.

The beast looked genuinely frightened.

"You will listen to your betters." said Snape with his eyes glowing in a golden hue that barely masked his fury. "I am master of the hunt and if I so chose I would end your miserable existence...these lands are under a treaty and attacking members of my pack will only result in all of your blood being spilled."

Karlie's heart had been pounding in his massive chest. It only sounded like music to Snape's ears as the creature came to a startling conclusion.

"Y-You are a Hound of Hircine?" asked the trembling Man-beast.

Snape simply grinned his eyes flashing malice.

"I-I had no idea." replied Karlie. "I-I...Please forgive us...I humbly beg your mercy Master Wizard."

"Snape." said the Potions Professor beginning to radiate power.

"F-Forgive us Master Snape." said Karlie.

Snape turned his attention to Hermione.

"What do you think witch, should I spare this spineless sack of waste or would you like the heart as a gift?"

Hermione knew all to well what Snape had in mind. The wolf in him perceived Karlie to be a threat to her, or rather disrespectful of it's intended mate and if she so chose she could have let it tear the beast to pieces. But of course she was a Gryffindor.

"I want you to let him go." said Hermione.

Snape let out a low rumbling growl as he glared into the eyes of Karlie.

"I suggest you and your little friends leave while you can." he said still with mischief glinting behind his obsidian eyes. "The witch is the only reason you yet draw breath."

Karlie nodded nervously as he and his herd took off in a bid to get as far away from Snape as their horse legs could carry them. Snape turned his attention to Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. The rage boiling his beast blood as he looked upon them and then Hermione herself. He made his way over toward her in long swift strides. Before the witch knew it he had her pinned up against a nearby tree.

His nostrils flaring and sweat pouring off him.

"What have I told you about Potter?" he asked in a gruff tone.

Hermione didn't break eye contact with him.

"I-I was simply trying to help my friend." she said.

Snape growled viciously.

"No Potter!" he said as the rage continued to build.

"I-I did not mean to make you angry." said the bushy haired witch. "I simply wanted keep a promise I made to Harry."

"T-Touch you?" asked Snape barely having any grip on his humanity.

"No." replied Hermione knowing what he meant.

"Kill all." said Snape blinking back fury.

Just as before Hermione reached out and pressed her hands into his ebony clad chest. She noted as she looked at this man, cloaked in ebony from his lengthy locks to his toes, the struggle deep inside of him evident in the flexing of his muscles and the clenching of his teeth. He must have been in indescribable agony.

"Professor talk to me." she said calmly.

"Too young." he replied. "I want...ache...the ache's back...need to claim you...need to feel..."

"You can't Professor." she said reminding him where they truly stood in all this.

"I-I...want...I...want..." he said weak. "No...control...must control...must...Keep...keep...safe."

He collapsed onto his knees before her like back in his office. He could see clearly where she had been injured by the centaurs and it only fueled his burning rage.

"Hurt...you?" he said trying to remain in control.

The scent of jasmine from her hair only served to entice him more.

Hermione had not known what to do when he suddenly leaned his head against her. His eyes level with her wound. She felt the softness of his touch as his cheek grazed the bloodied hole in her flesh. She heard him inhale at the sight and arched a curious eyebrow. He had been able to heal her with his saliva when in beast form but she wasn't so sure if it would work with him still being human.

Snape exhaled fairly close to her and she tensed up.

"Professor?" she said not wishing to make any sudden movements. "Professor Snape?"

Snape ignored her. Instead he simply whispered a quick healing spell and tried desperately to think of something other than the scent of her blood or the frantic beating of her heart. She had been so weak and so frail compared to him. He could snap her in two in an instant.

"Her-mi-on-ee." he growled.

The wolf had enjoyed getting acquainted with the female. It seemed she knew her place very well. He backed away from her and turned his attention to Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. He sighed taking in the scent of their spilled blood as well. Hermione looked concerned for a moment when Snape's predatory gaze lingered on Harry for a moment.

"Not to worry Miss Granger, I wouldn't dream of harming the great Harry Potter." said Snape sounding like his usual self seeping in biting sarcasm. "Let us away then...and the three of you idiots have detention."

Hermione sighed.

Given what Snape was now capable of with his unpredictable wolf spirit, she was glad they escaped with only a detention lingering over their heads.

Both Snape and Hermione got her friends back to Hogwarts and into the infirmary. Snape made arrangements to pass along Harry and Ron's detention to Filch, she supposed it was better they spent less time around Snape as possible. He however made the special request to oversee her detentions. The bushy haired witch sighed as she made her way toward Gryffindor tower. She had three weeks with Snape in detention. He knew it was literally the rest of the semester she would be spending with him.

Plenty of time to spend with her before she went away for three months.