Disclaimer: I own nothing unfortunately…

Stuck Under the Mistletoe

By RE16

Hermione Granger just finished her dinner in the Great Hall. She thought about everything that was going on. Harry Potter, her best friend, had finally killed Voldemort. In that war Ron almost died, but after some miracle only ended up in a wheelchair. Her thoughts turned then to one of the war hero's no one wanted to hear or think about. If they did, he would end up being called the "greasy old bat". At the beginning of the year she confessed to Harry that she was in love with him. At first he thought that Hermione was kidding, but when found out she wasn't, he stopped laughing and was okay with it. He knew that he would never be able to change her mind, so he didn't. After months and months of trying to get Severus Snapes attention, they both gave up. Now at Christmas Eve dinner only the teachers, Harry, and Hermione were left. Everyone else went home to spend their first Christmas with their families without the threat of Voldemort hanging over them. Before the last battle, Hermione's parents were found in their house tortured and killed. It still hurts her to think of them, but Harry helped her through it. She was getting sick of sitting at the head table near Professor Snape, she couldn't handle it so she got up to leave.

"Harry, I'm going to go back to the Common room, I'll see you up there later." Hermione whispered into his ear very quietly.

"Sure thing Hermione, and don't worry about him, try and get your mind off him, go to the library or something!" Harry told her ideas to cheer up.

"Thanks Harry, maybe I just will." With that, Hermione walked down out the through the grand double door and down the hall towards the library.

"Severus, why don't you go after her, I see that look in your eye. You love her, but you won't do anything about it!" Albus Dumbledore said just loud enough for only him to hear.

"Albus, she could never love, let alone like a man like me. I'm tainted, dark, and very ugly. She is the most beautiful woman in the world, she would never go for a lonely man like me." Severus said with a sneer on his face.

"Severus Snape, I keep telling you to take it off, but you are just too stubborn, if you don't, I sure well will! If you don't, you will be lonely for the rest of your life but it will only be your fault. I know that you think no one will be afraid of you anymore, but isn't your happiness worth more?" Albus said looking at Severus carefully.

"Fine Albus, you say the spell, you know well enough that you can only match the power of Voldemort." Snape said then closed his eyes getting ready for the change. He heard Albus mutter something and felt a tingling feeling all over his body. A minute later he heard gasps. Severus Snape opened his eyes as a new man. "It worked?"

"Go after her, be the man you now are." Albus said wisely.

Hermione was in the middle of reading her favorite book, Hogwarts: A History, when she heard the bang of the doors to the library. When she turned her head, she did a double take; he was the most handsome man ever. Severus Snape looked years and years younger. He now had shorter hair, not greasy in the least, a little shaggy even. He had a rugged face, his nose not crooked anymore. His body was the most change; with tanned skin and a muscular build, high cheek bones also. He had broad shoulders and walked in like an athlete.

"Professor?" Hermione asked after she closed her wide-opened mouth.

"Yes Miss, er Hermione, it is me Severus Snape." He told her, smiling showing off his beautiful white teeth.

"No offence or anything, but, what happened?" She wondered aloud.

"You know how I worked for Voldemort," with her nod he continued, " Well, when I first started working for him, I messed up on the job he gave me. So in return, he turned everything good about my body horrible. He even made me age faster then I was. The worst part was he made everyone's mind believe that this is how I have always looked, but only Albus remembered somehow. Now that Albus has undone the spell, everyone will remember." Her professor told her calmly.

"Professor, all I can say is, wow, that must have been horrible. Wait, why on earth did you keep it on all this time, when Voldemort died months ago during the summer?" Hermione curiously asked.

"No one remembered so I thought to myself, why bother. Its not like anyone likes me but Albus, not even the teachers like me." He told her solemnly.

"I like you… Oh, er what I mean is…" Hermione blushed and looked down. She felt a finger under her chin, lifting her head up.

"What was that you just said? Did you say that you can stand to be near me, even before you saw me like this?" He asked not believing it.

"Well, er yes. I mean, I respect you so much, everything you have done to help everyone. How could someone not like you? I love your intelligence and the way you think and-" Suddenly there was a high pitched scream coming from the hall. They both ran out of the room an up to the hallway, but were suddenly stuck. Whatever they tried doing they couldn't move. Out of nowhere a letter started floating down on them. Hermione grabbed the envelope and ripped it open.

Dear Severus and Hermione,
That scream you heard was no threat, only to get you to come out here and into this place. You are now stuck under here until do something about it. The longer you take to figure it out, the more you will have to do. Good luck, and don't worry, I have warded the hall so no one will come close to it, and they will not see you at all or hear you.
-Albus

"ALBUS!!!!!!!!" Severus screamed to no one. He then calmed down and looked straight into Hermione's eyes. "Alright, what do you think we have to do?"

"Well seen as there is some mistletoe above us, I think we might have to kiss…" Hermione said cautiously looking up.

Severus tilted her head down, stared into her eyes and moved closer towards her. He cupped his hand on her cheek. Hermione wrapped her arms around his shoulders. It was magic as their lips met for the first time of many to come.

OKAY so this was just a little Christmas ficlet just for kicks… Review and tell me what you think!

-RE16