Chapter 3

Making the Best

"Severus Snape."

You could have heard a pin drop in the ensuing silence. Then Draco broke the silence with a roar of laughter.

Again. He stood up to face a deadly silent Snape, grinning widely. "Good luck sir... With that one, you'll need it."

Snape raised his usual bored eyebrow, but Hermione saw his hands clenched between the folds of his robes. He was completely and effectively hiding his emotions. Turbulent emotions.

As for Hermione, she was prepared for this, had been since the hat shouted out his name.

Secretly she had always admired Severus; he was smart, very intelligent. She respected him tremendously, the things he had to do in the war and how he never wavered, and it demanded to be respected. She diverted her attention back in time to hear Snape's response.

"Indeed. I believe your and Mr. Boot's presence will no longer be required here." That cold silky voice sounded toneless, he looked pointedly at the door the two men had entered from earlier.
Boot wasted no time in casting quick goodbyes and rushing out. Malfoy was a bit more leisurely, taking seemingly great pleasure from the obvious tension between Snape and Hermione. Finally, with a flourish of his robes, a wide smirk, and amused eyes, he left the room.

"Well Uhm... Miss Granger, Mr. Snape, you can go now, your appointment tomorrow is at one sharp, otherwise, for the rest of the day you are free Miss Granger. ... We do suggest you spend as much free time as possible together, it would help make things more comfortable."

Hermione nodded and smiled gently at the kind wizard. "Thank you, sir, I appreciate all your kindness."

She was aware that Snape had scoffed next to her; she turned to him, pointedly raising her brow.

"Still the same insufferable polite Gryffindor." He said in response instead.

Hermione just rolled her eyes at him, and then without stopping for thought she grabbed hold of his hand and started dragging him to the exit door the wizard had pointed to them.
He followed, but she felt his hand remaining stiff and unyielding in her hand.

She just smiled satisfactorily.

The sooner she broke down the boundaries of formal malice, the sooner they could get along. And that meant she would have to be the brave one, the one that reaches out to him and guiding. Just like the hat had said, someone that needed her bravery.

They had just closed the door behind them and stood in the empty corridor that led out of the department when Snape immediately snatched his hand out of hers as if he was burned.

In truth, Hermione's hand felt burned. She frowned and looked down at her hand, tentatively flexing it; while holding his hand it was as if some current passed between them and her hand had grown hot, almost feeling like it physically burned.

Hermione was still frowningly staring at her hand when his voice reached her ears; he had such a rich yet smooth voice. "I would appreciate you keeping your appendages to yourself Miss Granger."

She didn't even move or acknowledge what he said, she was now thoroughly investigating her still hot hand, and it completely enthralled her that someone's touch could have such a physical effect.

Snape However, apparently found her lack of response annoying. "Miss Granger, I assure you, your hand is very much still in existence."

Hermione snapped her attention to him then, did he feel it too? She frowned and made a quick surreptitious glance to the hand she had held, she saw him clenching and unclenching it.

She felt certain he felt it too. So with a wide grin, she folded her arms across her chest.

"Well Severus, I'm thinking you should take me to dinner tonight."

The tall dark and imposing wizard glared at her, he seemed shocked, speechless even, his mouth was very slightly open, and his eyes bore into hers. She kept the smile and grin in place. Finally, he seemed to gather his thoughts enough to speak.

"First off, do not call me Severus, I did not give you leave to. Secondly, I do not do public places. Thirdly, I do not feel any inclination to take you out to dine."

Hermione leaned back against the wall, arms still folded across her chest. "Firstly, I will call you Severus from now on, because; I won't call you Mr. Snape, or Sir. And Professor is too severe to call my husband. That leaves Sev or Severus, but I have no wish to call you Sev, so Severus it is. Get used to it."

She grinned happily at him. And continued before he could interrupt, and by the looks of it, he seemed ready to explode.

"And secondly, I do public every now and then, us woman like to have dates you know. So you will need to learn to compromise. You do public with me, I do reclusive for you. That's how marriage works."

Now she dropped her arms and pushed back from the wall, peering intently up into his face.

"Now, thirdly, you will take me out tonight. Because we need to learn to get along. Unless you missed the memo, we are required to get married within three months. Also, we need to establish some ground rules for the impending marriage. And dinner in a nice public place, where we can't make scenes, is the perfect setting."

Hermione saw the artery throb in his forehead; she knew she was treading dangerous ground.
After All, no one ever dared speak to him as she just did, no one ever challenged him.
But she knew, if she did not do it now, he'd walk all over her for the rest of her life.

"You...you... You dare speak to me as thus! You... A little snip of a girl! I am not your boy child Weasley that you can control Miss Granger. Never, treat me as such again. You will regret it."

He looked deadly, and normally Hermione would back down and everyone else would probably scamper off. But she had to stand her ground, and thus claim her ground.

"Severus, I have not been a girl in a long while. You better start seeing me as a woman, and soon, for your own sake. And I will make my point, and stand my ground when I need to. You will not bully and control me in this marriage. As long as you respect me as your wife and as an equal, we will not have problems. So don't create problems Severus. And you know I'm right about my previous statements. So be the logical analytical man I know you are, and admit it and work with me, not against me."

Hermione stood watching him, he glared down at her, and neither spoke any further.
Then he turned on his heel and walked down the corridor, his robes billowing behind him; at the door at the end, he just turned around and locked his obsidian gaze with hers again, but the stormy anger was gone now, now it was just his normal expressionless eyes.

"I'll be at the Leaky Cauldron at six."

Then without another second to spare he billowed out through the door, leaving a smiling witch behind.

SSHG

Hermione gave herself a last look in the mirror, she looked good.
She had on, a slim and tight around her hips and thighs, black pants, showing her curves perfectly. And a red evening shirt, it was sleeveless, and very tight, hugging her body like a glove; her make-up was light and smokey, with red lipstick, complementing the shirt.

Her shoes were black strappy three-inch heels, her toe and finger nails also red. Her hair was straightened and hung like a waterfall loose down her back.

She looked ready for a semi-formal, or just, casual dinner.

Hermione smiled in satisfaction, call her heinous but she had every intention of wiping any thoughts of her being just a girl from Severus's mind. She was not daft, and she was not called the brightest witch of her age for nothing.

She knew they were stuck together, she knew if they wanted to maintain an ounce of happiness in their lives they had to find common ground and learn to care for each other.

And she also knew they had to produce at least two children, and that the bonding included a consummation clause.

She was no virgin, so she knew that sex could be pleasurable, even though her experiences thus far had left her wanting. So if she had to bed Severus, she wanted it to be at least pleasing.

And that meant showing him she's a woman, making him want her, thus he would at least try making it good for her too, she believed. And besides, she knew he was not going to let her in easily, so, she had learned enough in the last few years to know, men need food and sex. So she would use sex to perhaps get his walls down and manage to get him to at least care for her marginally.

He had to!

How else would she keep her sanity and raise children without them growing up with their own ton load of issues? Hermione knew they had to develop a level of affection. For both their sakes, and their future children's sakes.

Hermione saw him, sitting at a small round table in the darkest corner. She just rolled her eyes. Typical. She walked over to him rapidly, not a waiver in her step, to the onlookers she looked determined and focused.

Severus felt her before he heard her, his shoulders stiffening imperceptibly; he didn't look up till he heard her footsteps stopping by the table. Then he casually glanced up at the girl in front of him. Although he had to admit, with her hair straight and that red lipstick she didn't look like a girl.

In fact, her face was matured and even had a look of sophistication. He couldn't see the rest of her as she wore black floor-length outer robes. Severus shuddered inwardly at his thoughts. He smirked at her emotionlessly, sitting back in his chair. "Sit Miss Granger."

Hermione frowned slightly at him but folded her arms across her chest. A familiar look of stubbornness on her face. Severus knew something was going to play off now, so he just raised an eyebrow at her, waiting.

"I do not see the need to sit Severus; I trust we will be leaving for the restaurant now. And oh, call me Hermione will you."

Severus contemplated the witch standing over him impassively. Would it help them to bicker? Must he insist they eat here in this dodgy yet popular pub, or must he just work with her, as she phrased it, and go to a dastardly respectable restaurant? Which she so obviously prefers.

Severus knew that Hermione would 'rule' him so to speak, if he let her, just like she controls those other two dunderheads, Potter and Weasley. Yet he was smart, he knew that would keep her satisfied, believing she's in control.

Perhaps he must work with her, let her believe she has control of this whole dismal affair, while with his cunning, he is the one, in truth, that is master of the marriage. Severus felt a sneer forming with the thought of marriage, but his years as a spy let him quickly control his features into his impassive mask. Hermione felt a nervous flutter as she saw him obviously thinking deeply, then he stood up, but he had a slight pull on his mouth that seemed ominous.

He had obviously just decided on something, and that something made her nervous.
Very nervous. "Indeed Mis- Hermione. Let us then adjourn to Pesky's."

Hermione frowned, why was he taking her there? That was a very popular restaurant, there were bound to be wizards or witches there that they would know. She assumed he would rather choose a place like Thia's Goblet; it was in the same class as Pesky's, just a lot quieter and less popular.

Surprising her further he proffered her his arm, eyeing Severus suspiciously, she slowly placed her arm through his, her hand resting on his front arm.
She stifled a gasp, immediately aware of the same current where they touched. She felt her arm warming. What was this?

Severus also stiffened, he felt it too, she was sure of it. Without a word, but with just about every pair of eyes in the Leaky Cauldron following the pair in shock, they exited to Diagon Alley. Both Severus and Hermione walked proudly and straight-faced down the street, it was a lot quieter than it was during the day, only nighttime folk, like them, there.

Hermione saw the surprised looks and gasps, but kept her impassive posture, she had to get used to it. Everyone recognised them of course. Who wouldn't? They were both famous in the wizarding world. But the image of them together, walking arm in arm together, which was what resulted in the gasps.
Severus was rarely seen in public, and the only social event he participated in was the Annual Remembrance Ball, where all war heroes were politely requested to join. And then he would disappear the moment the speeches finished, without a word to anyone.

Finally, they entered Pesky's. The matron de honour smiled friendly at them. "Good evening, do you have a reservation?"

She tried to hide her surprised expression upon recognising them, but both Hermione and Severus had noticed it. It was Severus, who answered, in his usual bland silky drawl.

"No." It was simple; the matron blinked once then plastered her friendly smile again. "A table for two then sir?"

This time Hermione rushed to answer. "Yes please, we will appreciate it."

Hermione smiled friendly, hoping to soften the bluntness from Severus. The matron relaxed and proceeded to look at her seating chart to find them an available table.

"Ah yes, you can follow me, but please feel free to hang your cloaks." She waved her hand to the corner beside the door, Hermione saw the cloak rack.
Then unhooked her arm from Severus and walked to the rack, she removed the robes and hung it on the rack, she knew with the sleeveless and strapless shirt, the whole top of her back was bare.

She turned around and immediately locked eyes with Severus. She saw the slight rise of his chest, indicating an intake of breath, and then she saw his obsidian eyes rake her form, down and then back up, coming to rest once again on her face. Hermione smiled slightly, quirking an eyebrow at him questioningly.

He immediately squared his shoulder and resumed his impassive glare once more; then they followed the matron to their table. They had barely sat down and picked up their menus or Hermione's thoughts of earlier came true. She froze when she heard the familiar voice calling her in shock.

"Hermione?" Hermione gave a quick glance to Severus, he looked amused and pleased?

So squaring her posture and putting a smile on her face she turned around to hug the witch, and subsequent, the wizard that had strolled up behind their table. She would have preferred to do this on her own terms, but that choice was just taken away. So now she had to just wing it.

"Hi, Ginny! And Harry!"