Heart and Soul
DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING; I JUST MESS AROUND IN J.K. ROWLING'S WORLD.
A/N: Welcome to the third chapter of Heart and Soul. Today's agenda includes a fake date, a long-put-off breakup, and of course, a kiss, of all things. I think we all know what that means… Anyway, I hope you like the chapter. As always reviews are very appreciated, let me tell you!
Also, I was going to write a chapter about her twentieth birthday (as mentioned in Chap. One,) but then I changed my mind, so I'm going to entirely skip that part! :-)
I'm horribly sorry for the slow update. There was a slight mix up with computers at my house, and I was on vaction. At least it is here now, though. Dig in!
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Hermione glared at her reflection in the mirror and ran a hand through her curly mane. Even now that she was older, her hair still refused to do as asked on occasion. Tonight happened to be one such occasion. She had tried to curl it nicely down her back, but even with the help of magic it went into a crazy mess of frizz. She tried braids and buns, straightening and wigs, but in the end, she pulled it into a plain and simple ponytail. She sighed and turned away from the mirror. It would have to be good enough, and after all, it was only a teacher's conference.
Hermione then had the daunting decision of what dress to wear and what robes to wear overtop. As far as dresses went, she had three that would be appropriate for the dinner and the dance that followed. If she wanted, she could wear the sleek black one to match the ever constant black attire of Severus, or she could wear the shimmering purple dress that was by far the fanciest of the three. However, she decided to wear the dark blue dress that fell softly to the floor. She had just pulled her arms through the sleeves of her robes when a knock startled her. As a result of her ridiculously high heels and the flailing robes, she tripped in her haste to answer the door.
"Come in," she moaned from her place on the floor. She tried to stand, but her ankle crumpled under her weight. She reached into the pocket of her robes, hoping to find her wand and heal herself, only to find it empty. To her chagrin, she realized that she had left it on the bathroom sink.
"Are you all right, Herms?" Ron asked stupidly as he entered her living room to see her sprawled out on the floor.
"Does it look like I'm all right?" Hermione growled angrily. "And don't call me Herms!"
"Sorry… uh, I'll just go get Madame Pomfrey then," he said and left the room once more.
Groaning with the effort, she managed to pull herself up onto the couch just as Severus entered the room. He took two seconds to assess what had happened before he burst out laughing.
"Don't tell me you tripped again?" he said through his bouts of laughter.
"I was in a hurry!" she said indignantly. "You would fall too, if you had to wear floor length dresses and high heels."
"No one ever said woman had to wear such dangerous apparel, they simply choose to out of vanity and more prominently, stupidity," he scorned.
"If my ankle weren't the size of a watermelon, I swear I would kill you right now, Snape," Hermione said murderously.
Severus grinned evilly and said, "You know I was about to heal you… then you threatened me. Now I think I'll just leave you there to die."
Hermione's eyes flashed, and she got up on her feet despite the shooting pain in her foot. She narrowed her eyes and stared him down as best she could. He took a single step back, and she couldn't help but smirk.
Still glaring she said in a falsely sweet voice, "Please heal my ankle now, Severus."
As her eyes bored into his, he found that not a single stinging remark entered his brain. He merely stood in front of her, returning her glare. The moment reminded him of the week before when he had kissed her, and at the memory he had the urge to kiss her yet again. It beat against him furiously, and he took a step towards her before he caught himself. Her boyfriend would be here in a matter of minutes, and Severus would never put her in such a situation as that.
"Sit down," he finally said, trying unsuccessfully to coat his voice with malice.
She complied with a gleeful smile, "Ha! I win!"
Severus could think of several things to say or do to continue their battle of wits and words, therefore proving Hermione wrong, but he still found his thoughts focusing more on her soft, brown eyes and equally soft lips. He feared that if he opened his mouth, it would be to praise her beauty rather than to give a snide reply.
Hermione watched him with a befuddled expression as he proceeded to heal her rather than take her bait and continue on with their playful banter. That was unusual in and of itself, but when he had finished he stood without saying a single word and left the room, undoubtedly going to her personal library. She shook her head, thoroughly puzzled. He was acting quite unlike himself lately.
"Poppy said that I could heal it myself if I asked you the spell," Ron said, interrupting her thoughts.
Hermione turned around as she spoke, 'That's all right. Severus already took care of it."
"Severus, as in that slimy git of a professor, Snape?" Ron sneered.
"Mr. Weasley," Snape drawled from the doorway to Hermione's study and library, "I never knew you were as fond as me as that."
Ron turned to the side to face the smirking man, a mixture of anger, hate and pure horror spreading across his face.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded in what he hoped was a commanding voice, although Hermione had to cover a fit of giggles; he sounded like a little church mouse.
"I was just looking through Hermione's bookshelves for the new title she recently acquired. Unfortunately though, it seems she has misplaced it."
"Oh, it's in my room in the invisible drawer. You know, the one I keep my journal and best jewelry in," Hermione said immediately. When she spoke again, her voice was filled with rapture, "Oh, it was one of the best ones I've read. The potions in there are extraordinary, and the stories are amazing too!"
"Really?" he asked conversationally, about to ask more, but the look on Ron's face persuaded him otherwise. "I'll go get that now."
As soon as Severus was gone, Ron turned back to Hermione, a wide smile on his face, "So, do you want to go out tonight?"
"How many times do I have to tell you! Would you please call beforehand?" she said, trying to keep her voice calm.
Ron didn't hear the exasperated undertone in her voice or else he would have had the common sense not to say precisely what he said next. "Well, I figure you're never doing anything else. I mean you're not exactly what I would call a 'social butterfly.' And you always tell me when you have something planned."
"Do I?" she asked, the anger now clear. "Well, let me tell you, Ronald, I am a successful young woman, and I am tired of you treating me like I don't have a social life outside of you!! Well, guess what? I have a job, and colleagues who need me to do things, and friends, and I have Sev-several offers from men to go out with them!!" She paused, and her face flushed half with rage and half with embarrassment. She had almost said that she had Severus. She continued on, no longer shouting, but this time in an icy cold tone. "And you know what else? Sometimes girls don't tell their boyfriends every single thing they're doing, but every other girl, besides me apparently, has a boyfriend who actually thinks to call ahead of time." By this time her face was no longer red, but she was breathing heavily, and her eyes still held boiling fury.
Ron was silent for a moment, but then he made one of the worst mistakes possible, and said the exact wrong thing. "Well, yeah, I understand that. But you aren't doing anything tonight, right?"
Hermione leapt to her feet, and her fingers were clenched in a fist. She was about to wind up her arm and sock it to him right then and there, but luckily for Ron, Severus spoke up before she could do anything.
"You know," he said dryly, "if I were her, I would probably punch you right about now." His eyes flicked to hers, and she smiled minutely. She never thought that Snape of all people would stop her from hitting Ron, but by his words and tone, she knew he was telling her not to in his own way.
"I probably would, but because you said that, it ruins the mood," she replied. He inclined his head slightly, accepting her round about thank you.
"Why, in Merlin's name, do you have her shoes?" Ron asked Severus accusingly, completely missing the silent yet, not-so-silent exchange.
Hermione glanced down at Severus' hand, where he was indeed holding a pair of shoes. The heels were slightly thicker than and also not quite as tall as the ones she was wearing currently. She smiled inwardly at his small way of taking care of her.
"So, she doesn't fall to her death in those killer heels." His lips twitched upward at his slight pun.
"And," Hermione put in, taking a perfect opportunity to rub everything in Ron's face. "I happen to be going to a dinner-slash-dance with Severus."
"You cannot be serious!' he cried and glared daggers at his 'competition'.
"Oh, but I am," Hermione assured him. "You see, I would rather go on date with him over you any day!"
Ron gaped at her, and opened his mouth repeatedly only to close it at the loss of words. Severus and Hermione let him continue on like that for another moment just to watch his complete idiocy.
"Weasley," Snape said with a hint of pity in his harsh voice. "Shut your mouth, and stop imitating a fish. I believe that Hermione just gave you your cue to go."
And go he did with much huffing and grumbling about wasted money and time, as well as greasy gits, and crazy know-it-alls.
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"Do you see now why I hate these conferences?" Severus asked as they left the large auditorium where various presenters had brought up ideas of improvement to the current education system for young witches and wizards. "They're so pointless, and nothing ever gets done. The ideas are always ill-presented, and half of them were probably thought up by lunatics from the valley of swirly-twirly gumdrops!"
Hermione laughed and swatted his arm, "Oh, lighten up! At least they made the effort! And look on the bright side, at least they're feeding us a banquet afterwards, and dances are always fun if you have a partner. Not to mention if it weren't for this conference, I'd still be stuck going out with Ron. Speaking of which, I wonder where he was going to take me tonight."
"I think I know," Severus said and pointed a little ways ahead of them in line for the food. There standing out amongst a sea of black, brown, and blonde hair was a shock of red that could only mean a Weasley.
Hermione cursed under her breath, and Severus raised his eyebrows; he had never heard her swear before. "He's probably here for his job. They send an Auror to these kinds of things for protection, and it must be his turn," she explained, although Severus had already come to this same conclusion.
He watched her carefully over the next few minutes as her face grew increasingly flushed with anger, and her mutterings became more and more dark. He then turned his glance towards Weasley. Ron looked horrible. His face was arranged in a sullen scowl, and his robes were horribly mussed. Severus sighed inwardly. Over the past two years, he had come to care for Hermione very much. In fact, though he hated to admit, he might very well be falling in love with her. Now, at what might prove to be his only chance, he was giving it all up in an attempt to bring her back together with Ron.
"Hermione," he said quietly, not wanting others around them to hear. "It's not too late you know. He cares for you a great deal, that much is still very clear. If you went to him now and worked things out, you could still be together. Who knows, maybe he'll change with a little more time."
Hermione smiled sadly up at him before answering, "I appreciate your concern, Severus, but… I've wasted my life waiting for him to change. He never has, and I know now he never will."
Severus' brow furrowed. "But I thought you loved him?"
"Not anymore. I did at one time, but he never was capable of reciprocating the love I gave to him," she replied sounding a little worn out, but then a genuine smile lit her face. "He's always had the emotional range of a teaspoon, you know."
Severus' eyes lit up, and the corner of his lips twitched. He could barely keep the laughter from surfacing. As he slowly calmed, he admired Hermione's strength. As much as she acted not to care, it was clear she was still hurt.
"Oh, Merlin, he's looking at us!" Hermione moaned and hurriedly grasped Severus' hand in hers. "Quick, say something to make me laugh."
He said the first thing that came to mind, "Ron is a half-wit."
She did indeed laugh, and though it sounded real enough, Severus could hear a catch in her throat. He was surprised at how tense she seemed. Her hand was practically killing his circulation.
"Calm down, Granger," he said, trying to sound amused to hide his worry. "And what exactly are you doing crushing my hand like that?"
"Pretending you're my boyfriend," she responded hastily and then she gasped. "That's it, Severus!!! I am going to ask a favor of you. I know you won't want to do it, but will you please be flirtatious and act like my boyfriend?"
"What?" he cried, but his thoughts were going a mile a minute. Is it possible she returned his feelings? Of course not, she simply wants revenge on Weasley. But what if she had another motive? Cut it out, he told himself. Just agree and enjoy an evening pretending she might actually like you. "I don't even know how," he complained.
"Then I'll teach you," she said desperately. "And I'll grade your papers for you for a month."
"Make it two," Severus demanded.
"Done," she said, and the relief in her voice was as plain as day.
"Start your teaching."
"Right, well," she paused, thinking. "First off, you actually have to smile, and give the occasional laugh. However, you can't laugh too much, or someone will know we're faking." He nodded as Hermione stopped to think of some more. "Oh, and sarcasm. You can still use it but sparingly."
He glared at her as he said, "You sound like a health-nut talking about meat."
"Why, thank you!" she said sweetly before continuing with her boyfriend lessons. "Minerva tells me that you always pull out her chair for dinners at these meetings, so that's good. I don't have to teach you how to be a gentleman."
"Oh, please, Hermione," he grumbled. "Give me some credit, will you?"
Hermione smiled but otherwise ignored him. "You have to make me laugh, but that's not hard, you do it at Hogwarts all the time. Just be yourself. Well, not the you who's cold and snaky. Be the you that you are around me normally."
Severus coughed to hide his surprise. So, she had noticed he was different around her? Well, it probably wasn't too hard to pick up on, but it still gave him a very strange feeling in his chest.
"And you should probably hold my hand too," Hermione added, for she had let go several minutes ago.
Severus scowled, but only to hide the nervous twisting of his gut. Though he was somewhat reluctant, he did as she asked and clasped her hand tentatively. As soon as their skin touched, his entire being felt on fire.
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Hermione nearly gasped aloud as he took her hand, it was like a thousand needles gently pricked her back. Tingles ran up her arms, and her heart skipped a beat. It took a minute before she was again able to form a coherent thought.
"No, not like that," she reprimanded. "Like this." She then intertwined her fingers with his. It was amazing how well they fit together. It felt so right that Hermione couldn't help but wonder if things were meant to be this way. She shook her head as if to clear it and issued out yet another instruction, "Now smile."
He complied, and she simply beamed. He was actually smiling in public, and because of her none the less. Severus glanced down at their interlocking fingers. He couldn't believe she would actually hold hands with a man like him. His smile grew wider at the thought. It might just be an act, but for this one night. He was the happiest man alive.
"See, now," Hermione said pleasantly. "That wasn't so hard was it? And look, we've manage to carry this conversation all the way to the table. Just think, Severus, all you have to do is survive through dinner and the dance, and then you're home free."
"I think I can manage," he said laughingly. "If it were anyone but you, I might die before the night's end. At least you can carry on an intelligent conversation."
She laughed and sat down as Severus pulled out a chair for her. He pushed her in, and as he did so, his cheek was so close that she couldn't help but kiss it. She mentally slapped herself for doing so, but she assured herself that everything would be all right as long as she acted like everything she did tonight was because of their fake date and not because she was falling head over heals for him.
"I'm just spicing things up a bit," she said in answer to the quizzical eyebrow he raised.
"I see." Severus nodded, and pretended like it was nothing. All throughout dinner though, his cheek burned with a strange yet pleasant sensation where her lips had pressed softly against his skin. Silently, he cursed himself for agreeing to such a bargain. He didn't know if he could last the rest of the evening with Hermione pulling little stunts like that. With each passing minute, he was finding it harder to keep his true feelings to himself. Little did he know, Hermione was struggling in much the same predicament.
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Dinner came and went without much consequence. Severus continued to play his part magnificently, much to Hermione's delight. Of course, what she didn't realize was that his acting was more reality than anything else. He let himself loose and actually enjoyed himself. It was crazy just how easy she came to him. He knew precisely what to say to make her laugh and smile, and in return, she always did the perfect things to set Severus off in quiet chuckles.
The dance rolled around to find Hermione fighting with herself. Part of her missed Ron and wished he were sitting beside her right now while another part told herself that she deserved better than that, but the very strongest part of her was flying ten miles off the ground because Severus Snape was calmly sitting mere millimeters away and holding her hand on top of that!
"Looks like he just can't stay away," Severus murmured, leaning in close to Hermione, making her tremble.
She glanced up, and sure enough, there was Ron headed straight for them. She cursed his dreadful timing. She had been enjoying herself with Severus' breath blowing like a gentle breeze across her neck.
"I wish he would," she replied with a touch of irritation, but it faded when she saw a grin on Severus' lips. Get a grip girl! She told herself. By the end of tonight she would probably be kissing him if she didn't take control herself.
"I was wondering if I could have a word with you, Hermione," Ron said, although his voice was taut with nerves, and he was barely understandable. "In private."
Severus leaned even closer to Hermione, so Ron wouldn't hear him. "I've never heard him sound so formal."
"Oh, hush," she reproached, and smacked him playfully.
Hermione stood and followed Ron behind a great stone pillar where they stood in the shadows. She looked at him steadily, never wavering. Ron, however, found he couldn't look at her. His eyes were drawn to the floor where he preceded to count the scuff marks.
"Spit it out, Ron," Hermione said rather coldly. "I haven't got a lot of time to spare."
"Are you actually going out with Snape?" he said in a rush.
She continued to watch him, and once again anger rose up inside her. "Who I choose to date or not date is my choice, and frankly, as my ex-boyfriend, it's none of your business!"
Ron felt himself blush ever so slightly, but he continued on. "Maybe not, but as your best friend you would think I have a right to know. Or am I just your ex-best friend now too?"
At his words, Hermione felt herself melt, and she raised a hand to his chin. She tilted his head up, so she could look into his eyes. "Oh, Ron," she said softly. "Of course not. You and Harry will always, always be my best friends. We three have been through so much. How could you think I would just throw away our friendship?"
Ron smiled widely as he hugged her warmly. "Sorry, I've been such a prat."
Hermione returned his embrace, but she wasn't yet ready to accept his apology. Not to his face anyway. She stepped away from him, gave him one last smile and headed back to Severus, the man she now knew was meant for her.
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Severus and Hermione walked slowly up to the castle still holding hands, despite having left the conference long ago. As they approached the doors, Severus loosened his grip, giving Hermione the chance to drop his hand if she wished. To his elation, she merely ignored this and continued walking. Even once in the castle, she kept her fingers tightly entwined with his.
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She watched him all the way to her quarters trying to gauge his reaction. As usual, his face remained impassive. She noted that his eyes seemed brighter, happier. She brushed it off, telling herself she imagined it.
Severus stopped just outside Hermione's rooms, waiting for her to say something. However, she was content to remain silently looking up at him, a smile playing at her lips.
Finally he gave in and spoke first. "Thanks for coming with me tonight. It wasn't the nightmare it could have been."
She grinned and giggled a little, but it was short-lived. Her stomach knotted itself, and her tongue felt swollen and useless. She was worried that Severus would feel the sweating of her hand.
"Would you say we're still on our date?" Hermione asked, trying to act nonchalant.
"The mean, Potions professor would say no, because we were never actually on a date," he said and smiled when her face fell. Apparently, she wanted to be on a date with him. He continued, "The cold, sarcastic, Severus Snape would say no as well because we're back at Hogwarts." He paused for dramatic effect. "However, the Potion brewing, chess playing Severus would say yes, because I'm still walking you home. Why do you ask?"
"Well…" she stopped, worried that her words would not be taken well by Severus. A look of concern mixed with curiosity flooded his face, and she decided to go on. "Well, when a girl goes on a date, a lot of the time she needs a good night kiss."
His face softened, and he took a step towards her. They were almost touching now. "Hermione," he murmured almost inaudibly "I…I'm no good at this."
She laughed, sounding for all the world like a sweet little bell. "Severus, I thought I told you this last week. You are plenty good."
"That was just on impulse, a reaction," Severus countered. "This… this is different. I've never been good at the whole, 'You turn your head that way, and I'll turn mine this way. I'll lean in close, and you'll close your—"
He was interrupted by Hermione's lips pressing against his for a single second. He looked down into her chocolate-brown eyes, a pleasant kind of shock spreading through his body.
"You were forgetting," she said quietly, "that a kiss has no set rules. We have to make our own." And so saying, she reached up to snake her arms around his neck while his wrapped around her waist. She touched her lips to his in a tender kiss, so unlike the one they had previously shared. He pulled away all too soon and caressed her cheek gently.
"Goodnight, Granger," Severus whispered in his silky voice, sending chills up her spine.
"Goodnight," Hermione replied and stepped through her door.
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Hermione slumped to the ground, a blinding smile spreading across her face. Her mind was all in a tizzy, and her heart was fluttering. Of one thing she was absolutely sure. She was in love with Severus Snape, heart and soul.
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A/N Holy Moses, that was a long chapter. I wonder if I'm moving things along too fast. What do you guys think? I guess since this is purely for my own entertainment, it doesn't really matter. Hugs and kisses to debjunk for being a great beta!
