Bridge

The wedding was a grand affair. It was held in a park by a creek, the sun shinning down onto the clear water. George and Angelina were literally married upon a little bridge that extended over the creek, with their guests looking onward.

Severus had been increasingly uncomfortable from the start. It was obvious that he didn't belong, and that he was merely being tolerated as a guest to Hermione. However, like a good friend, the vivacious brunette stayed with him at all times, even linking her arm through his at one point to drag him away from a drunken ministry worker.

"Thank you," Severus said once they were far enough away. "He was starting to get hostile."

"Not a problem," Hermione said, scanning the crowd. "In truth, I should be thanking you. You're the only reason Ron's Aunt Muriel hasn't come to blather in my ear about useless nonsense, yet. I'm not leaving your side."

"Well then it will be just the two of us for the whole evening. The rest of the party seems to feel that I'm carrying leprosy," Severus sneered. He'd never cared much for the Weasley's, and their rude friends just gave him another excuse to look down on them.

Hermione just laughed. "Well in that case, I'll have you all to myself. Thank goodness for that. With you at Hogwarts all the time, I never see you."

"You should apply for a teaching job," Severus said, giving her a glance. "Merlin knows you're over qualified."

But she just shook her head. "You know I want to be a Healer. Teaching wouldn't be as interesting."

"I agree with you there," he muttered before reaching into his robes and pulling out a flask. Hermione rolled her eyes. "What? It's necessary. I fear I have become immune to firewhiskey's effects." He took a swig.

"Perhaps it's because you drink so often. Scotch?"

"Gin, actually."

"Hand it over then." Severus chuckled as he gave her the flask. "Oh, shut it." She took a drink. "Why is it that whenever we go to one of these parties, we always end up drinking together?"

"Because we are forced to encounter extremely dull people, and we need to be slightly intoxicated in order to talk to them without feeling the need to cast a stunner in their direction," Severus explained with a twitch of his lips.

"Oh, of course."

Suddenly, his face darkened. "Here comes trouble," he muttered. Hermione turned, glancing behind her. Harry was coming towards them with Ginny on his arm.

When Hermione had arrived at the wedding with Severus Snape of all people... Well, things got a little hectic. Ron, for one, was absolutely horrified. After pulling her aside and telling her what a failure she was as a Gryffindor, he had refused to speak to her for the rest of the evening. Ginny had just looked amused, while Harry, Fred, and George had each taken on various expressions of shock.

"Be nice," she murmured to him. He rolled his eyes as she plastered a smile on her face. "Hello Harry, Ginny. Having fun?"

"Loads," Harry said, nodding in Severus' direction. "I think the twins are planning to launch their new line of fireworks sometime tonight as a product plug. It should be interesting."

"You'll have to tell me how it goes."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Are you leaving?"

Hermione glanced at Severus. Though he hadn't actually stated his discomfort, she knew that he wanted nothing more than to leave the party and go get a cup of tea. He wasn't one for ruckus and fanfare; that's one of the things that made them so alike. "In a little bit," she said at last, feeling Severus relax slightly beside her.

"Hermione, can I talk to you for a moment?" Ginny asked suddenly, reaching forward to grab her friend's' arm.

"Oh, um... Are you going to be all right, Severus?"

Clearly, the answer was no, if the slightly panicked expression on his face was anything to go by. Nevertheless, he nodded politely and said, "Of course. Go on."

Hermione frowned. "Don't worry, I'll be right back." She gave Severus and Harry one last look before following the redhead. Ginny led her off to the side, right besides the bridge that her brother had been married on. She made sure they were a good distance away from the party before coming to a stop. "What's this about, Ginny?"

Her friend's eyes were shinning with amusement as she asked, "So... What's going on with you and Snape?"

Hermione sighed. Of course she was about to be lectured about the flask. "It was just one drink, Ginny. We aren't tipsy yet, don't worry."

"I don't mean that," she said, a small smirk forming on her features. "I'm talking about your romantic intentions towards him."

Despite how cliché it was, Hermione couldn't stop her mouth from tumbling open in shock. "What?"

"You heard me."

"Clearly I didn't, because I thought you said I had romantic intentions-"

"Towards Snape. Exactly." Ginny tossed her curly locks over her shoulder. "Which you obviously do."

"I do not!"

"You invited him to a wedding. You meet up with him for tea weekly. You share drinks with him," she listed.

"We're friends!"

"For anyone else that might be friendship, but this is Snape we're talking about. For him to be doing this with you, there must be some kind of a romantic connection," Ginny pointed out. "Otherwise he wouldn't bother."

Hermione shook her head. "You're daft."

"And you're in denial."

"We're just bloody friends, Ginny," Hermione cried in exasperation. "I don't know what would give you the idea that we were anything else."

"How about the fact that you won't leave his side?"

"Well I hardly want to end up in a conversation with your Aunt Muriel, you know," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Merlin, Ginny! Severus and I... He's twice my age!"

"Actually, he's only nineteen years older than you. That's hardly twice your age." Hermione shot the redhead a look. "What? I just thought I'd point that out."

"You aren't at all bothered by the vast age difference?"

"Love is love."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "We are not in-"

But Ginny just shrugged. "Fine then. Whatever you say."

Hermione studied her for a moment, disbelief in her eyes. "You don't believe me."

Ginny gave her a knowing look, but avoided the question. "You should probably head back. Wouldn't want to keep dear old Severus waiting, now would you?"

Hermione rolled her eyes but made her way back to Severus, anyway. Harry had abandoned him, and Hermione could tell that an uncomfortable feeling was slowly taking over him. She grabbed his arm, making him turn towards her. "Why don't we go?"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "But you haven't danced yet."

"So?"

"So all you talked about on the way over here was the dancing. That's why you love weddings."

She couldn't help but smile to herself, pleased that he had been listening. "Well, it doesn't matter. You're unhappy. Come back to my place. We can have tea."

To her surprise, Severus shook his head. "You have to dance at least one song first," he said, grabbing her by the hand. "I'm not going to feel guilty because I ruined the occasion for you. Though since I do desperately want to leave this little bit of hell, I'm afraid that you are stuck with me as your dance partner."

Hermione laughed, allowing herself to be drawn out onto the dance floor. "All right then."

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer to him, putting his hands on her waist. She smiled up at him, his deep black eyes connecting with her brown ones... And suddenly, the world melted away.

The two of them were alone in time, twirling together for what seemed like eternity. He was watching her. His face, his generally hard, schooled features were softened into the teasing expression he normally wore around her. She could barely make out the lines on his forehead, the ones that only appeared when he was being the caring man she had learned he could be. He was suffering through this for her. He was entertaining her. He was everything.

Oh Merlin, she thought as the realization struck her. Ginny was right. I really am falling for Severus.

This was not good.

The song ended and he pulled back, an amused smile on his face as he tilted his head in her direction. "Well, I don't know about you, but I've seen enough red hair and pink lace to last a lifetime. Are you ready to leave?"

All Hermione could do was nod as she took his hand, apparating them back to her house for tea, wondering what on earth she was going to do now.

Merry Christmas! Or, if you don't celebrate Christmas, aka the-day-during-which-we-are-allowed-to-receive-presents-and-thank-someone-who-doesn't-exist-for-them-thereby-not-writing-thank-you-notes day, then happy December 25th.

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciated it!

-Selene