First of all, I have to admit that I am not a native speaker, so there might be a few mistakes, but if you were so kind as to write me a message to tell me of them, I would immediately correct them.
Disclaimer: All figures belong to Joanne K. Rowling and I don't earn my money with these stories.
On a stormy day
A typical November: It was dark, it was cold, it was raining – but Hermione had to be outside. As it was her second year as a prefect she sometimes had night watch after curfew to make sure that all students were in their beds. As it just had happened last week that some Hufflepuffs had tried to sneak out into the garden and to the lake, Hermione had to be outside now… She was standing on a path on a tiny hill so that she could see most of the garden. As it was quite dark, for the moon was hidden behind the grey clouds, she couldn't see that much and wondered what sense this whole duty made, but of course she would never complain.
After a while, though, she saw a tiny light appear in the forest which then came nearer and nearer with every second. Afraid of the coming she drew her own wand and waited for an attack. But nothing happened and soon she saw that the person coming closer would never attack her.
"Hello, Professor Snape!" she shouted when he was in front of her. Because of the strong wind wisps of wet hair flew into her mouth and she hurried to get them out of there again.
"Hello, Miss Granger!" he greeted politely back.
They often had patrols together and thereby had find out that they rather liked talking with each other.
"What are you doing here?" he wanted to know.
"Keeping watch that no one escapes again!"
"In this weather?!"
She just shrugged. "And you?"
"I was in the forest to find some special ingredients when the rain suddenly started!"
"And were you successful?"
"Not as much as I had hoped!" He looked at her more closely. "Why are you so wet?"
"Because it's raining?!" she answered baldly.
"And what about a Drying Charm?"
"Ha, ha!" she replied. "Students are only allowed to use magic during classes or in an emergency!"
"Don't you think this is an emergency?"
"And what about yourself?" His hair and clothes were as wet as hers. "You're always allowed to do magic."
"Yes!" he chuckled. "But I like the rain!"
"You do? Well, I don't! Do you by any chance have a handkerchief?"
"A what?" he asked because he couldn't hear her in this wind.
"A handkerchief!"
"Yes!" He searched in his pockets for it and finally gave it to her.
"Thank you!" she said and blew her nose quickly because the rain would turn the textile wet.
"Miss Granger, please go inside, you're getting sick!"
"I can't leave my post!" she replied and sneezed.
"Okay, this is enough now!" he shouted. "Miss Granger, I release you from your task! Please, follow me!"
Together they made their way to the nearest door which was a back entrance to the dungeons. On their way, however, the wind blew so fast that Hermione had difficulties in getting forward and one time were even blown a few steps back. Therefore, Snape finally grabbed her hand and helped her getting through this storm.
Hermione shouted a Thank You, but she wasn't sure if he could hear her…
Inside he put a Drying Charm on both of them. "Better?" he asked.
"Yes, very much, thank you," she smiled but still her teeth clattered.
"Do you like some tea?"
"Sounds great."
"Okay, then, please this way." He led her to his private chambers and there into his living room. Hermione had already been there, for they had worked on a potion together last Easter holidays as a secret mission from the Order.
Snape went into his kitchen and came back a few minutes later with two mugs of hot tea. He handed one to Hermione who was sitting in one of the two armchairs in front of his fireplace. "Thank you, very much," she beamed and took the tea.
"You're welcome," he replied and sat down on the other armchair.
They didn't talk at all, they both just drank their tea and warmed they bodies by the fire. But it was a rather comfortable silence. Soon Hermione got sleepy, so she laid her head on her arms on the arm-rest and closed her eyes. She thought that Snape would kick her out any second but instead she suddenly felt a blanket on top of her and a hand lightly caressing her cheek. Smiling happily, warm, comfortable and feeling protected, she fell asleep.
Severus watched her falling asleep and although he knew it was wrong, he couldn't just wake her again and sent her away. He liked her way too much for something cruel as that… While watching, his eyelids soon became heavy and he fell asleep right next to her in his own chair.
When Hermione woke up again it was still night, but the fire was still crackling. She looked around and found Snape sleeping. Normally people look relaxed when they sleep, but he didn't. It seemed as if he was having an inner battle, his face was distorted in some kind of nervous agony.
She lifted her arm to touch his cheek but at the first contact of her fingers on his skin he opened his eyes in shock and just stared at her.
Hermione got startled and withdrew her hand quickly. Then she said in a calming voice: "It's just me, Hermione. Everything is alright."
Snape looked at her for another second in this terrifying way before his facial expressions relaxed and he was as normal as ever. "I am sorry," he murmured after a while. "I'm not used to waking up next to someone."
"Me, neither," she replied, lightly smiling.
Snape chuckled.
They looked at each other in silence for a while. Then Hermione reached out again to stroke his cheek. To her great surprise he didn't stop her. Instead he even seemed to enjoy this care. Beaming, she took his hand into hers and just held it, brushing her thumb over the back of his hand.
And in this position, smiling at each other, with the fire still crackling they fell asleep again.
This time it was Snape who woke up first. It was morning, the sun shone through his windows and fell onto Hermione's hair, which looked therefore like copper and gold. They were still holding hands and for a while he just watched her and caressed her hand lightly with his fingers, until she woke up.
"Good morning," she smiled when she had focused him.
"Good morning," he replied happily. "Are you still cold?"
"No," she laughed and held his hand even firmer. "Not with you and the fire by my side."
He grinned at her, when suddenly his face fell.
"What is it?" she wanted to know worried and sat up.
He stood up, not leaving her hand, and answered sadly: "You know that I can't allow this…"
She stood in front of him and embraced him. "Yes, I know," she whispered into his chest, tears in her eyes.
He put his arms around her and hugged her tightly, not wanting to leave her, but knowing that he had to…
After a few minutes Hermione freed herself from him gently and smiled at him. "It was a lovely night," she said and kissed him on the cheek.
"It sure was," he admitted, giving her a kiss on the forehead.
She left for the door but he stopped her.
"Hermione?"
"Yes?"
"Maybe when you're no student anymore…," he hesitated.
"Yes," she nodded at once, beaming.
He smiled back at her, even after she was gone and had closed the door behind her. After all, it was only one and a half years till her graduation, he could manage that. But then his facial expression turned extremely sad, for he realised that this meeting would only happen if he survived the war and if she still wanted him after he had killed Dumbledore…
THE END.