Chapter Twenty-One: Narrow Escape

Where do I put them? Severus Snape wondered, feeling slightly panicked. Hermione had given him a dozen of her favourite books, and although he couldn't wait to read them all, he had absolutely no idea where he could store them. He couldn't bring them back to the past with him as Myrtle would wonder why he didn't keep them in his dormitory. Despite not questioning why he chose to sleep in the bathroom every night, Myrtle was quite a nosy character. She probably assumed that Severus had fallen out with his Slytherin friends, and that he was no longer welcome in their dormitory.

Severus couldn't hide the books in the future because if Hermione were to find them she would be incredibly confused, and she might find out something she shouldn't.

They were both sitting in the library and Hermione had quickly gone off to fetch her quill to do some homework that had been set at the end of term, that she'd left in her dorm. She'd told Severus about how she hated being there- Lavender woke up late and spent most of her time in the dorm. This meant that Hermione couldn't relax and read if she didn't feel like arguing. Which of course she didn't.

Meanwhile, Severus was trying to think of where he could store the enormous pile of books, where he could easily access them. He spent a few minutes thinking of various places, and then shaking his head as he realised it wouldn't work. A few minutes later, Hermione remerged with a quill in hand. She was red-faced, and Severus suspected she'd had a run in with Lavender.

"What happened?" He asked her, as she sat down. She shook her head, and started writing on the parchment.

He touched her arm gently, which made her look up.

"You can tell me, you know."

Again she shook her head. "It doesn't matter."

Although Severus had promised himself to be understanding, and not force her to say anything she didn't want to, he knew how bad it could be to bottle everything up inside. Just look at me, he thought.

"You shouldn't keep everything locked away, Hermione. It's not good for you." He advised her kindly.

"It really doesn't matter." She told him sternly.

Severus nodded, giving up. Instead of asking her to tell him, he thought she'd appreciate a hug.

"Come here." He said, stretching his arms out wide.

She looked up and then considered for a moment. "I don't even think a hug will make me feel better…" She said, but she got up to hug him back anyway.

But it did make her feel better. All the comebacks she had thought up in her head in response to what Lavender had just yelled at her slowly faded, and she concentrated on Tobias' warm embrace.

"Better?" Severus asked, smiling.

"Better." She agreed. She then picked up one of the books laid on the table. "Have you started reading any of them? I was gone for ten minutes!" She laughed.

"No." Severus replied guiltily. "I was just…thinking." He responded.

"About what?" Hermione asked him. "What they've cooked for lunch? Because I am."

Severus rolled his eyes whilst grinning. "No." He said. "There are thoughts other than food that circulate my mind. Maybe you should take note."

Hermione pretended to be shocked. "Tobias! You are incomprehensibly rude!" She giggled. "You should learn some manners and take note from me." She teased him.

He smiled at her for a moment, and she could feel the intensity of his gaze making her cheeks warm up.

"What were you actually thinking about?" She asked him, in wonder.

"Well…about you actually." Severus replied. Although he had been thinking about books, Hermione had also sprung into his mind.

The confession made her smile. "What about me?" She asked, looking at him intently.

"About how lucky I am to have you." Severus said honestly. "This holiday would be dreadful without you."

Hermione's eyes then began to water slightly, and Severus immediately began to wonder if he'd said something wrong.

"That's the nicest thing someone's ever said to me." Hermione smiled, wiping at her tears.

"Well then I'm glad I said it." Severus responded joyfully.

The moment was perfect; they were both happily grinning at each other and his hand quickly found hers. When she gripped his hand he felt that familiar electric spark- the one that made his heart run madly.

And then, the moment was ruined by Severus' every-worrying mind. What if future me will come here? He thought. Now that it was the holidays, the old Severus was more likely to walk about rather than stay cooped up in his office marking papers all day long.

"How come you never come down for breakfast?" Hermione asked suddenly, giggling about how he was frantically looking about. "Do you get up really late?"

Actually I get up rather early, Severus told her in his head.

"Does Professor Snape eat breakfast early during the holidays?" He asked Hermione.

"Well, yes. He's usually the first one there, actually."

Severus nodded, he thought as much. He had always been an early riser, just like Hermione, although he didn't know that of course.

"You see that's why." Severus replied, as if that explained everything. He then went back to reading the book; his index finger tracing every word he read.

Hermione looked at him blankly, waiting for an explanation. When one never came she raised her hands in an irritated way.

"Tobias! That didn't explain anything! What's wrong with Professor Snape? He's really nice! The only person he isn't that nice to is Harry, and even then he gives him some sweets if he's brewed something correctly."

Severus raised his eyebrows; his actions now were affecting his future self. It was both strange and marvellous at the same time. At least "Grumpy Me" wasn't that grumpy anymore.

"Well you see Hermione…" Severus said as he started thinking an excuse up in his head. "You may have the impression that I do well in all my subjects. But actually…you are mistaken."

Hermione thought for a second. "Oh! You're not good at potions. Have you not done one of the homework's that he's set? He will get annoyed at you for that." Hermione commented thoughtfully as she thought back to the time when Neville had forgotten to do his Potion's homework. Snape, whilst for the most part a pleasant man, was not happy at all.

"Yes! Yes that's it." Severus replied, relieved she had thought of an explanation for him.

"Well then do your homework, you silly boy!" She chuckled, reaching her hand out to ruffle his hair. It had grown a bit more since the first time she had seen him, but she liked it a few centimetres longer. She wondered what he would look like with shoulder length hair, and the thought made her giggle a bit. It would make him look like Professor Snape!

"I'd rather do yours. It's so much easier." Severus grinned at her, making her shake her head.

"I'll have you know that I do extra homework, that is of the standard of seventh-years."

Severus grimaced. "Don't give me those to do, then."

Hermione continued to read and Severus finished correcting Hermione's essay, which he thought was, although very good, not sufficient enough for a top grade. When he told her this, she looked offended.

"I always get the top grade, Tobias!" She huffed.

He smirked; her sudden frustration amused him.

"Fine, okay then! It's brilliant." He backtracked, although she ignored him.

He was about to ask her something when in flew a snow white owl, carrying a letter.

"Hedwig!" Hermione gasped. "This must be Harry." She said as she took the letter from Hedwig's beak.

Severus noticed that Hermione seemed tense when opening the letter, although he couldn't imagine why. Harry was one of her best friends.

Hermione's forehead creased in concentration as she read the letter, and it reminded Severus of the first time he had seen her, reading that huge book by the lake. The thought made him smile.

"Good news?" Severus asked, trying as hard as he could to not look at the letter himself. She was holding it out open, and so he could've have easily have read it if he wanted. But he figured Harry might've written things Hermione wouldn't want him to know about.

"Well…" Hermione said after a while. She had folder the letter and put it in her bag.

"Is everything okay?" Severus asked, hoping Harry hadn't insulted her or something. If Harry had accused, her of telling Umbridge about DA he wouldn't be so kind as not to interfere then.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders, and he could tell that she was trying not to show any emotion. "It's all good." She managed to squeak.

"Do you need another hug?" Severus asked, hoping it would make her feel better again.

"No. No, just hold my hand." She asked him, and he gripped her hand tightly in response.

Severus happily obliged, and again noticed how her touch made him feel all jumpy. I'm never going to get used to this! He thought, and then sadly realised it had two meanings. He was never going to get used to the loved-up feeling because it was the first time he'd ever experienced it, but also because he wasn't going to stay with her. He would never get a chance to get used to it.

He looked away from her miserably, annoyed at his thoughts. Why did his brain have to go and ruin everything? Severus was lucky, however, that he had decided to turn his head and look at the library entrance as in walked Professor Snape.

Shit! Severus thought. Despite not wanting to, he tore his hand from Hermione's and ran behind a bookshelf. What was going to happen to him now? He couldn't stop panicking- was it all going to end?

Hermione watched, puzzled, as Tobias ran behind the bookshelf. She then saw Professor Snape approach her, and figured that the Potion's master was looking for Tobias to shout at him, or put him in detention.

"He's not here." Hermione told Snape, as the professor looked at her in a confused way.

"Who's not here?" Snape asked, looking around.

"Tobias." Hermione answered simply. "That's who you're looking for, isn't it? He's probably in his dormitory, so you can find him there. Don't be too harsh on his detention, though, Sir. I know he hasn't done his homework but he's awfully busy, you see." She tried to be as convincing as possible.

Snape looked at her wonderingly for a second before his eyes widened suddenly and his hands shot up in front of his face. He stared at them intently, as if he was worried they were going to disappear. The thought made Hermione smile inwardly.

Meanwhile Severus was experiencing the exact same thing. He stared at his hands, making sure they were still there. That he was still there. That he was alive. His future self had knowledge that he was there. So why wasn't he disappearing? Perhaps his future self didn't know exactly where he was. Perhaps the fact that Hermione had told him that he was in his dorm meant that because he was actually in the library, his future self did not really know in where in fact he was.

Whatever the reason, he was glad he was still breathing.

"I…thank you, Miss Granger." Snape said, with his eyebrows furrowed. He looked unsure of himself, as if he didn't know what his next actions should be.

"I'll be going to find him." Snape said as he hurried out of the library. Hermione hoped he wouldn't be too annoyed when he found the dorm empty, with no Tobias.

"Tobias!" She hissed at him. "You have got to start doing your Potion's homework!"

Severus walked out from behind the bookcase, dazed. He felt light-headed, and couldn't think straight.

"Yeah, I know." He managed to reply.

He could not afford to let that happen again. They'd have to meet outside the grounds, out of sight of his future self. It was the only way he would survive, Severus thought as he went to sit back down next to Hermione.

"I can always help you." She told him smugly.

He shook his head smiling, and began to ask her for help. And she helped him with all the seventh year Potion's syllabus questions although he knew the answer to every single one.