Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.
Written for;
Hogwarts; Back To School; Headmaster
Ways To Say 'I love you'; 13. "Sorry I'm late."
Are You Crazy Enough; 620. Uneducated
For Lizzy - I hope you enjoy it, love
A Long Time Until Summer
"Headmaster," Hermione greeted with a smirk, nodding her head deferentially.
"Sorry I'm late," he replied, leaning down to kiss her cheek before he sat at the table. "The uneducated morons at the ministry delayed me."
Hermione chuckled. "Since I'm fully aware of the owls and newts necessary to work in the Ministry, I'm quite sure they are in fact educated, dear, no matter how much they irritate you at any given time."
Severus rolled his eyes. "If you'd been at the meeting, you'd be agreeing with me," he argued. "Enough of them though, they've taken up enough of my day. How was your day?"
"Fine," she replied with a shrug. "The wizengamot are still debating over Harry and Lucius' newest reform, so there wasn't much for me to do."
"The werewolf reform?"
She nodded. "It's frustrating that it's taking them so long when we all know that eventually they'll cave on it anyway. It's for the betterment of the wizarding world; without such harsh restrictions, were's will be able to live better lives, so there won't be so many resentful ones living on the edge, infecting as revenge."
"I know. Potter has a statement from me that promises that I'll allow, with the right conditions in place, were children to attend Hogwarts."
Their conversation continued as they ate, moving from the werewolf reform to other recent laws and the happenings as Hogwarts.
Severus snatched the bill before Hermione could complain, though he still chuckled at the glare she gave him. Leaving the restaurant, he placed an arm around her shoulders.
"I've missed you this week," he admitted as they walked towards the apparition point. "Summer is a long time in coming."
Hermione nodded, leaning more into his side. "I missed you too. Hopefully in a couple of weeks I'll be able to come and spend the weekend at Hogwarts. Harry and Lucius have a holiday planned to celebrate their anniversary, so I won't have to work."
Severus snorted. "Do they know how lucky they are, to have you arranging their lives so competently?"
"Of course they do," she replied with a small smile. "Without me, they'd get absolutely nothing done."
Stopping at the apparition point, Severus turned to face Hermione and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Come home with me?" He murmured against her ear. "It may not be summer, but I can keep you warm against the chill of Hogwarts."
She smiled, pressing her lips to his. "Take me home, Severus."