Hermione walked into her empty flat, her steps echoed in the silence. She sighed as she grabbed a bag from the closet and began to pack some clothes. Grabbing handfuls of her clothing and shoving them into the small space, balled up and wrinkled her mind replayed the day's events. The more she thought about everything, the angrier she became, and the harder she shoved the clothing wads. She used her wand to shrink the bad and put it into her purse, followed by her toiletries and her books.
"Grateful…"Hermione said aloud to herself, as she took one last look around her flat before turning off the light and closing the door. She made her way to the alley behind her building and apparated. She appeared in front of Minerva's house a moment later, the wind was blowing fearsomely, causing her hair explode in a wild bush of frizz and curls. She stomped her way down the path towards the door. Minerva slowly opened it, and she pushed her way in.
"Oh, you're back earlier than I expected dear." Minerva assisted Hermione in removing her coat.
"Well, I'm back." Hermione replied curtly.
"So?" Minerva smiled, and her eyes danced. "Will I be receiving an owl soon?"
"Not unless it's customary to send owls with regards to failed proposals." Hermione attempted to smooth her hair.
"Failed? Oh, no…Miss Granger…you refused him?" The old woman shook her head.
"I didn't get the chance to even properly speak to him! Harry had to go and fetch him; brought him back…he was knackered. He started yelling at me. He said some things, I just won't forgive." Hermione was still obviously angry, as Minerva took a step back at the tone of voice Hermione had used.
"He wasn't thinking clearly, Hermione." Minerva shook her head.
"Would you agree to marry a man you told you that you should be grateful he even asked you? Grateful because no else will have you?" Suddenly Hermione's anger melted away and her voice dropped. There was an obvious and immense sadness lingering in her voice. "Can we just not talk about this anymore? I don't want to give that ass any more ammunition to use against me." She had gestured with her head towards the room where she had initially saw Severus.
"He's harmless." Minerva shook her head.
"Yeah, about as harmless as the black plague. Where should I set up my things?" Hermione held up her purse, "I dropped by my flat before coming back."
"Oh yes, this way my dear." Minerva stepped past her and went to the room that was next to Severus'. Minerva opened the door and stepped into the room, Hermione followed. "This is my guest room, Severus has the master bedroom, because this room has too many windows." Hermione looked around the room.
One was had massive windows, with large heavy looking deep red drapery hanging from them. There was a matching stuffed chair and a desk in front of them. The bed was modest, as well as the dresser and matching side table. There was a large fireplace with a mirror hanging over it.
"This is a very nice room." Hermione sat her purse down atop the red duvet. Minerva walked over to a door she had assumed was a closet.
"This is your private bath." The old woman gestured inwards. "Trust me; you do not want to share a bathroom with that man." Minerva smiled.
"I had no intentions of doing so." Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"Well I should be getting back to the school. All of my books, and the information I have gathered are either on that desk, or on the bookshelves. I am afraid I haven't been able to find much." Minerva shook her head.
"It's fine, I'll look at what you have, then go from there." Hermione frowned slightly. "I'll start first thing tomorrow, I desperately need to just relax and settle my mind."
"If you need me, you can floo through the fireplace in Severus' room. Send a letter through first, just in case of course." Minerva smiled. "Any more questions before I head off then?"
"No, thank you Minerva. I'm going to hop in the shower." Hermione went to where she had laid her purse and began taking her things out.
"No, thank you Miss Granger. I'll inform Severus that you're here, and I shall remind him to keep a civil tongue in his head." Minerva walked from the room as Hermione laughed. Minerva was kind enough to close the door and Hermione sighed as she sorted her belongings. It only took a few minutes for her to put her things away; she grabbed her pajamas and headed straight for the shower.
The water was hot, and Hermione stood letting it run over her face and shoulders. Her hair plastered against her scalp and her back, she exhaled spouting the water away from her lips. She placed her palms against the tiles and hung her head. Ron's words played over and over in her mind, no matter how hard she tried to push them out of her thoughts, they came screaming back in.
"Grateful…"She whispered as she looked down at her body. She had slight curves, nothing to brag about. Her hands ran over her breasts and down her flat stomach. Suddenly she dropped her hands to her sides and closed her eyes. Average body, bushy hair and brains. None of those things made the top ten sexy ladies list in those wizards' magazines Ron always hid between his mattresses. She reached down and turned the water off, fumbling for a towel she stepped out onto the freezing floor. She dried off and reached for her pajamas. She realized something was wrong when her fingertips did not touch cotton; instead they grazed a sheer silky material.
"Oh, for fucks sake!" She exclaimed, she wrapped the towel around her clutching her nightie she stormed back into her room in search of her regular cotton nightgown. It was nowhere to be found. "Great, absolutely bloody fantastic!" She cried out sarcastically as she dressed. She pulled on the periwinkle nightie. Her breasts were covered but her midsection and most of her bottom was covered in a sheer material. She found the matching 'boy cut' underpants. She shook her head as she slipped them on, "of course I forget the nightgown but I remember the matching panties for the most seductive piece of clothing I own!" She bent over and wrapped the towel around her hair, standing up she rolled her head and opened up one of the curtains.
The moonlight was pouring through the window as she picked up some of the papers from the desk and she began reading over them. She was engrossed in what she was reading and soon she noticed her scalp began to itch. She sat the papers back down and pulled the towel from her head, again she bent over and scratched her scalp violently. She stood upright quickly, whipping her hair back in one quick movement. She shook her curls loose as she reached back for the papers.
"Weasley has always been a moron, and I see age has done little to cure him of his infliction." Severus' voice filled her mind without warning. She looked around.
"What?!" Hermione exclaimed as she turned around and spotted the surly potions master standing in her doorway.
"You're putting on quite the show with that outfit on, parading in front of an open window." He raised his eye brow. Hermione's eyes went wide as she quickly grabbed for the towel she had just removed from her head.
"You…I can't…you can't…you're supposed to be blind!" Hermione finally cried out.
"Partially blind, I still have the full function of my right eye." He took a step into the room. "Thank Merlin for small miracles." He smirked.
"Oh well in that case just take a good long look by all means, take in an EYE full!" She threw the towel onto the floor, stuck her chin out and put her hands on her hips. "There! Satisfied! Merlin's beard!" She pulled her hair up and stuck a clip in it. "I don't give a damn anymore."
"You are a terrible liar, you do in fact care, and in fact you care too much." He crossed his arms as he looked at the half naked witch standing before him. "Weasley has always been as useful as elf excrement." Severus turned and began to walk away, he bumped into the doorway, and Hermione sighed and walked towards him.
"Here, I'll help you." She slipped her arm around his waist.
"I can manage, Granger." He looked down as he spoke to her. His right hand was on her bare shoulder. She smirked.
"I'm sure you can, sir." Hermione was playfully sarcastic as she helped him back into his room. She turned to leave him when he stopped her by grabbing her gently about the waist.
"You are an improvement from Minerva, and not only because you are superior in your intellect…"Severus' voice trailed off. Hermione noticed her breath hitched in her throat as she looked up into his eyes. He seemed a shell of his former self, and momentarily she frowned.
"Now, where's the nasty potions professor I used to know and…"She stopped speaking and resigned to just patting his forearm as she backed away.
"You should give a thought to dressing more conservatively Granger." He turned from her, "If Minerva should catch you dressed that way she would think you're up to something."
"Gods forbid. Good night." Hermione replied as she rolled her eyes. She slowly walked back into her own room and shut the door. She thumped her forehead against the wood and sighed. Severus Snape had complimented her, in an odd round about manner, but he had thought her attractive. "He thinks I'm attractive?" Hermione whispered to herself. She then burst out laughing and walked over to the bed, pulling back the covers she lay down and turned onto her side. "I'm just an older version of the bushy haired know it all that used to be the bain of his existence. He'll see tomorrow, walking in on me like that." Hermione smiled as she plotted. She fell asleep not realizing that she had not thought about Ron's hurtful words since Severus had walked in on her, instead her thoughts were consumed by the dark wizard back from the dead, and sleeping in the room next to her.