Title: Nighttime Encounter
Author: Settiai
Rating: PG-13
Explanation: This is my story for the Snape/Hermione Ficathon on LiveJournal, and it was written for girlfromsouth.
Summary: A late-night encounter gives an eighteen-year-old Hermione a taste of what the future might bring.
Feedback: Comments and helpful criticisms are always appreciated.
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"Crookshanks!" Hermione hissed, her eyes darting around the dark hallway. "Crookshanks, get back here!"
She bit back the urge to let out a string of curses that would make even Draco Malfoy blush and instead focused on the faint stream of light being emitted from the end of her wand. "Lumos," she whispered, allowing the beam to become just a little brighter.
As its strength intensified slightly, Hermione glanced around the hallway one last time. When not even a hint of movement caught her attention, she let out a tired sigh. Muttering a few choice words under her breath, she began walking toward a curve in the hall.
"Crookshanks!" she called out quietly as she rounded the bend. "Where have you gotten to--"
She cut off abruptly as she collided with someone coming around the corner, and she couldn't help but let out a soft cry of surprise as she lost her balance. Within seconds, she found herself sitting on the floor with her hair hanging haphazardly in her face. She glanced nervously upward, and as she caught sight of who she had bumped into she barely contained a moan.
"Professor Snape," Hermione said apprehensively.
Snape quickly smoothed his robes as he looked down at the eighteen-year-old girl with a raised eyebrow. "Miss Granger."
Shaking his head, he reluctantly reached down and offered her his hand. Hermione gave him a sheepish grin as he helped her to her feet. "I actually have a fairly decent explanation for being out here," she said weakly.
"I'm anxious to hear it," Snape replied dryly, his eyes moving over her.
Hermione felt a bit self-conscious as Snape's gaze moved disapprovingly over her clothing, and she was glad for the darkness as she felt her face redden slightly. Although it was barely May, the weather had already turned hot and she had gotten used to sleeping in a pair of shorts and an oversized t-shirt that her cousin had given her. In her rush earlier, she had forgotten to grab anything to cover herself with, and she was suddenly aware of just how little her thin shirt hid.
"Miss Granger," Snape said pointedly, drawing her attention back to the present. "I believe you mentioned an explanation."
Mentally berating herself for worrying about what one of her professors -- especially Snape -- might think of her clothing, Hermione unconsciously pulled her arms up in front of her and folded them. "I'm trying to find Crookshanks," she said matter-of-factly. "I believe you have became very well acquainted with him over the last few summers."
Snape's gaze dropped down to his arm, where a thin scar ran across his wrist. Hermione barely suppressed a smile as she remembered the Order meeting in late June that had ended when Crookshanks decided that the potions master was the enemy after he raised his voice one time too many.
"That… creature… is loose in the school?" Snape asked with a grimace.
"Yes sir," Hermione replied, her respectful tone of voice undermined slightly by the impish glint in her eyes.
He muttered a few words under his breath that she couldn't quite pick up before giving her a cold look. "Miss Granger," he said coolly, "enlighten me."
"He managed to get down to the common room," she explained with a shrug, "and then he went out the portrait hole."
Snape closed his eyes for a moment and seemed to collect himself. "And why was the portrait hole open?" he finally asked when he opened his eyes once more.
Hermione quickly averted her gaze, and she shifted uncomfortably. "There might have been a student or two sneaking back inside, but I didn't see who it was," she answered uncomfortably.
"Of course," Snape replied dryly. His face that of a man who was completely unconvinced. "You didn't see anyone."
"I'm afraid not," she said with a small shrug.
Snape slowly shook his head. "Then I'll make sure to deal with Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley a later time."
Hermione started to say something, but at the last second she decided to stay quiet. Instead, she merely sighed in resignation. "How many points are you taking off?"
"Thirty points for wandering the halls at two in the morning," Snape replied sharply. "And another ten for letting a dangerous creature loose in the castle."
Hermione's lip twisted slightly upward as she recognized the trace of humor in his tone, an something unexpected that she had learned to identify over the past two summers, and she struggled to keep herself from smiling. "Whatever you say, Professor," she managed to reply with a straight face a moment or two later.
Snape nodded before suddenly turning and heading back in the direction he had come from. "Follow me, Miss Granger," he said calmly. "I refuse to search the entire school on my own, especially when it is your pet that is missing."
Hermione nodded in understanding as she hurried to catch up with him. "Thank you, sir," she said softly.
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"I'm going to kill Harry," Hermione muttered under her breath. "This is all his fault, and when I get my hands on him…"
"Did you say something, Miss Granger?" Snape asked, his face almost completely expressionless. "Because I'm almost certain you were talking about killing one of your fellow students."
As Hermione bit back a yawn, she rolled her eyes. "If I decide to follow through on it, I'll make sure to have Colin Creevey take pictures for you."
"Make certain that you do," Snape said without hesitation.
Hermione paused mid-step, and she stared at the professor who was still walking on. "Did I just hear you make a joke?" she asked incredulously.
"Of course not," he replied without turning back toward her. "As Mr. Weasley informed most of the Order this past summer, if I were to develop a sense of humor, it would surely be a sign of the apocalypse."
She bit her lip as a smile attempted to force its way onto her face, and it took her several seconds to gain her composure. "I had almost forgotten about that comment," she finally said, shaking her head as she did.
He started to respond, but he was cut off abruptly as they rounded one of the many bends in the hallway. Peeves suddenly came rushing around the corner with a loud cackle. Before either of them knew what was happening, Snape went sprawling onto the cold floor.
Her eyes wide, Hermione hurried over to his side. Just as she reached him, however, a familiar ginger cat came rushing around the bend straight at her. As Crookshanks leapt on her, she felt her balance shift.
Hermione felt her face grow warm as she landed directly on top of Snape, and a sudden heat rushed through her entire body as she felt a sudden bulge under his robes. "I'm sorry," she said hurriedly as she quickly rolled off of him and pulled herself to her feet.
She was careful not to meet his gaze as he stood up, but she couldn't help but let a slightly questioning expression appear on her face. Snape glanced at her for just an instant before shifting his eyes elsewhere.
"You are a student," he said stiffly as he dusted off his robes, and she couldn't help but notice that he seemed to be trying to convince himself of that fact. He was careful to avoid looking at Hermione's face though and instead leaned down and picked up the cat that was now walking between the two of them.
"I believe this is yours," Snape said dryly as he gingerly handed Crookshanks over to her. "Please keep a closer eye on it from now on," he continued as the cat let out a loud hiss and slashed at him with its claws.
"Thank you, sir," Hermione said softly as she took the cat from him.
Snape nodded slightly and then gave her a look that, under any other circumstances, would have appeared threatening. "If you mention any of this to anyone, I'll deny it completely."
"I'm sure you will," she said with a nod. He started to turn around, but he froze as her voice suddenly rang out behind him.
"There is one thing though," Hermione said with a slight smile as she shifted Crookshanks in her arms.
Snape raised an eyebrow as he turned back toward her. "And what might that be?" he asked.
"I won't be a student much longer," she said with a shameless wink before turning around and heading back towards the Gryffindor tower, leaving Snape staring after her with a surprised expression on his face.