** I don't own these characters or the stories they belong to **
Only the many years experience of keeping iron control allowed Severus to survive the day of anticipation, but not entirely without nerves. Working against the Dark Lord while in his immediate proximity had been mortally perilous, but Severus had not much care for himself in the process, and he cared nothing for what the despot had thought about him aside from keeping his own usefulness intact. Having killed Lily, Voldemort could never touch his heart. Not so with Hermione. Her love and opinion of him was of a much deeper depth than mortal concern - it plunged into his very heart and soul. She had gained his heart and trust and now held the power to destroy him utterly. He was thankful beyond anything that he had her love to guide him, because approaching her when she had the power to say 'no' and end him required more bravery by far than any of his undertakings in the war.
It almost humored him how much his state resembled that of some nervous teenage nitwit when he drove to Hermione's and rang the bell.
Mel opened the door. "Hi, Severus. Come on in, she's just getting her coat," she said. And then he saw Hermione, and worry and words deserted him at the sight. He had seen that dark green dress before, but nothing in his imagination had prepared him for the actual sight of Hermione in it.
The dress was of a somewhat matte green silk dark enough to be taken for black at a distance. It was moderately fitted at the top and waist and spread out into a slightly flared skirt ending an inch or so above the knee. It was saved from being strapless by a combination of white, gold, dark green and black fabric that had been manipulated into what looked almost like fabric flowers, and this construction created wide straps that started at a vee in the front, went over the shoulders and came to a tee between her shoulder blades. This created one shoulder blades-revealing strap that met the dark green silk again mid-back with a long shiny ribbon of matching green tied into a silky bow at the join. It was classy, sweetly feminine and temptation incarnate all at the same time.
Whoever made the dress created it as if having his fixation with Hermione's neck and shoulders in mind, as if they sought to enlighten him that he had a thing for her shoulder blades too. Hermione wore her glossy dark brown hair side swept in front as she often did, but it was pulled into an effortless looking chignon that kept her hair from hiding the magnetizing sight of her shoulders and back. Her makeup enhanced her eyes and her beauty without being overdone and the moderate black heels she wore increased the effect of her svelte appearance.
Severus meant to tell her how wonderful she looked, but words, those things he was usually good with, failed utterly short of describing Hermione as he saw her before him. She was what, beautiful? Yes, but that word fell ridiculously short. Lovely, elegant, sexy, hot, edible, gorgeous, ravishing? Yes, all of those too. Was there a word that put all of those together and surpassed them? He couldn't find it if there was. There was a word for him though, dumbfounded: a verb meaning astounded, confounded, stupefied, rendered speechless by - in this case the beauty of Hermione. Yes, that was him.
His speechless wonder amused Mel, who smirked from across the room. Hermione too, had been rendered breathless by the sight of him, but his reaction bolstered her confidence and she was the first to find speech.
"Ah, there you are. I've missed you," she said as she ran her hand along his collar, placed her hand on his chest and kissed him lightly. Severus understood, as Mel did not, that Hermione referred to his ensemble of white dress shirt with black frock coat and pants that was a dressy, slightly more Muggle version of his traditional self.
Severus finally found his voice and responded, "Hermione, you look...beautiful." If felt like a completely inadequate thing to say, but her radiant smile showed that she was pleased all out of proportion to the simple words he offered.
"You two have fun tonight!" Mel said as they readied themselves to leave.
"Bye, Mel," they called back to her, barely sparing her a glance they were so entranced with each other.
Severus splayed his hand across Hermione's back as he escorted her out the door. And so it started; the whole of the night Severus found himself unable to take his eyes off of her, and incapable of not touching her. His fingers lightly skimmed her shoulder blades as she turned and locked the front door. He walked close to her side and kept his hand at her back as he escorted her to his truck and grasped her hand as he helped her climb into his truck. It took over an hour and a half to drive to Dallas, but they didn't talk much. They gazed frequently at each other in anticipation, and he loved her with his touch. Any time that both hands were not required for driving, his long fingers danced a constant light caress along her skin, playing with her fingers, tracing patterns on her hands and wrists. When they arrived at the chic restaurant, Severus drove up to valet parking and lifted her from the truck with his hands around her waist. When they were seated they sat side by side to maintain their mesmerizing contact as they ordered and talked and waited for their meals.
They enjoyed their food when it came and talked for the first time of the night of the rescue and of age difference between them. Hermione brought it up by asking if the age difference bothered him.
"It did at first," he admitted. "It was hard not to think of myself as a lecherous old man and of you as an off-limits student, especially as you stood out as the most overeager know it all I have ever taught."
"Well it's a good thing you started teaching almost as soon as you left Hogwarts. There you were, the youngest professor at Hogwarts, the youngest Potions Master in two centuries - had to do something to help you balance it out," Hermione teased. "And I thought the word was 'insufferable'" she added drolly.
"Yes, that too," he smirked. "The idea was jarring, to say the least. But I've come to realize that you're remarkably wise and mature - more so by far than I was at your age. Also, you don't look anything like a student, especially right now," He added huskily.
Hermione blushed lightly but teased, "Are you saying that I look old now? The war and the change brought me to your level, did it?"
"No, you silly girl. Life brought you wisdom and maturity, but it didn't age you in appearance. The change did that, but it merely magnified the beauty that was already there. And the reward for your...remarkable choice, is now to be ogled by every male from 13 to 109." Severus nodded towards the room. She glanced around and noticed with surprise that she was the object of significant male attention.
Severus huffed a laugh at her blush, but then added seriously, "You tempted me before I ever saw you after the rescue, however."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"I could hear things before I fully came around. I was groggy, confused, but your voice and your touch stand out in my memories from that night. Before I could call out to you Kingsley had carried you away. I...longed for you, even before I knew it was you," Severus admitted.
"And then you were greeted with rude reality," Hermione said subdued. "Would it have helped or made it worse if I had stayed with you that night?"
"Beautiful reality, Hermione, not rude," he told her lifting her chin and looking in her eyes. Severus expended more words than usual, feeling it was critical to set this straight. "I'm not sure if it would have been better if you had stayed that night. The draw was strong, but I know myself well enough to fear that it would have been worse. I am indebted to you for your wisdom, your patience, and your chioice. I'll never understand why you chose me as you did. It made no sense to me; I couldn't fathom the depth of your kindness. I was an ignorant, despicable arse who concluded wrongly, and I'll forever be sorry for how I acted toward you." He kissed her.
"I know I don't deserve it, but I long for your forgiveness, Hermione. I know that I caused great harm and hurt you grievously, and I am so sorry. I promise you I have no further intent to guard my heart from you, and every intent to guard you from my temper. Will you please forgive me?"
Hermione looked at him steadily. "Thank you for your apology, Sev. Yes, I'll forgive you...and I'll hold you to your promise," she said seriously.
"Thank you, love," he said, hugging her to him and breathing sigh of relief as he kissed her forehead.
Having survived the first important and necessary step, Severus was ready to take the next. The ring was burning a hole in his pocket, and he felt the moment had come. But it was at the precise moment that he gathered his courage that he felt the scrutiny of eyes upon him from somewhere in the room. You didn't survive years in the Dark Lord's service, especially as a spy, without developing that sense. Severus remained calm and to all appearances, unchanged as he glanced about the room. In that pause, the all-important moment passed and Hermione got up to excuse herself to the loo.
Severus sighed in frustration after she left, but as he kept getting the intermittent sensation of being watched, his frustration gave way to worry and inconspicuous alert. Severus took care of the check while Hermione was gone so that they could leave quickly if needed. He continued surreptitiously attempting to discover who was targeting them with such interest, but without success. Not having Hermione by his side in this situation made him anxious. When she returned to the table, he stood and graced her with one of his rare smiles as she beamed at him.
There were camera flashes nearby. They glanced over at the spectacle of cake topped with a tall sparkling candle being given to a man a couple tables over. Hermione smiled and before returning to the booth she leaned in and kissed Severus. Two heartbeats into the kiss, Severus registered something. One of the cameras had a purple flash. He went stiff and swung his head around to look towards the cameras. There was another purple flash and the woman behind the camera lowered the camera and gazed at them with a look of recognition on her face. Severus didn't have a clue who she was, but the purple flash told him enough to know that someone from the Wizarding World had just caught them on camera.
"Sev, what is it?" Hermione asked as he leaned over and grabbed her coat and purse.
"Purple flash. We've been made," he answered.
Hermione gasped. "Wizard camera." She looked round and spotted the woman. "Who...?" she started.
"I don't know," he answered. "We need to go. Come on."
Severus led her quickly by the hand out of the restaurant. He draped her coat and his arms around Hermione's shoulders as they waited impatiently for the valet attendant to retrieve his truck.
"I'm sorry, Hermione. I should not have put us at such risk. I enjoyed the evening with you tremendously, regardless." Her look of worry eased a little but remained. "Don't worry. It will be fine," he assured her. The attendant arrived as Severus cupped Hermione's cheek and kissed her gently.
Another purple flash. "Dammit," Severus thought. Outwardly he remained calm for Hermione's sake, but inwardly he cursed himself for growing so lax as to think it acceptable to risk exposure. He helped Hermione in the truck then climbed in quickly himself and drove quickly away. For the first few miles, Severus was in a state of hyper-vigilance, but it transpired they were not followed. Of course the woman who had stolen their perfect moment had also spotted his truck, and he worried that this would give her enough to also steal their seclusion, no matter how fast they drove home.