AN: The chapter simply refused to be written. I know that girly preparation scenes are supposed to be romantic story/novel/fanfiction/movie stock and 'oh so easy' but for me...ugh painful lol :) here's hoping it doesn't drag to much when you guys read it ^_^


Chapter 53: A New Year for New Impressions


"Women think of all colors except the absence of color. I have said that black has it all. White too. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony."

~ Coco Chanel ~


With a secret smile on Hermione's lips and one on the mind of Severus Snape, the two went about a normal next day and a half at the Burrow until next thing they knew it was New Years Eve and Hermione and Ginny were getting ready for the party that evening. Sitting cross leg on her dear friend's bed was Hermione as she watched Ginny riffle through her closet, occasionally glancing at the Witch Weekly magazines spread out on the bed.

"Gin, I don't see why you're freaking out like this. Harry sees you every day. I'm sure that he knows what you look like by now. You don't have to make a big fuss."

"'Mione, that's the point. He sees me every day, so when I have the opportunity to make him think 'wow', it's even more important because I have to shake off the impression of 'everyday'."

Hermione rolled her eyes at this.

"Don't you ever want to get dressed up for fun, Hermione?"

She thought back to her trunk where in laid a special Christmas gift her mother had given her privately. The gift was a dress, and a curve hugging low cut dress at that. Where her mother thought she would ever have occasion to wear such a dress was beyond her. Amelia had patted her daughter's leg and simply said she knew she'd wear it some day. As she tried to imagine herself in the dress her metal image switched to Severus, eyebrow quirked with that smirky-grin upon his face that she had grown so accustomed to seeing now. What would he think of seeing her in the crossed bodice, curve hugging, full skirted white dress?

"Well, I guess it is good to have people look at you in a new way every once in a while," Hermione consented.

Ginny smiled, "Exactly! That way Snape will see he's probably the luckiest wizard to be roped into this law."

"Ginny!" Hermione admonished. "I wouldn't be getting dressed up for him. And again, it's Pro-"

"-I know, I know. Professor Snape. 'Mione, we're on holiday, I think I can call him Snape in the comfort of my home," said Ginny as she rolled her eyes. "But can you tell me, with one hundred percent honesty, that you don't like Snape?"

Hermione turned as red as Ginny's locks and looked away. "Of course I don't. He's been our professor for years."

"What about at the end of third year and start of fourth when you had a crush on him? Come on, 'Mione. It's so all over the both of you." The seventeen your old witch crossed her arms, completely having stopped her search of the closet.

"...Maybe a little, especially ever since Mother and the mistletoe inciden-"

"-Woah! What mistletoe incident?" The shock was evident on Ginny's face as she received this piece of information. She instantly sat down upon the end of her bed with Hermione. Hermione avoided her friend's gaze.

"It was nothing. Just Mother being Mother." But the look on Ginny's face showed that she clearly wasn't getting by with an 'explanation' like that. "Before Christmas, Mother insisted upon hanging up mistletoe and one night when we were all spending time in the living room, Severus and I bumped into each other under it and Mother insisted that we kiss."

"Well?" Ginerva prodded, playfully pushing her friend for good measure.

"We kissed," Hermione said simply.

"I guessed that part. What I mean is..." Even Ginny stammered and blushed at the awkwardness of her question. "What was it like to kiss Professor Snape?"

Hermione smiled. "You can't breathe a word of this to the boys or anyone."

Ginny nodded. "They'd flip if they knew Snape had done more than hand you a book." The girls laughed.

"It was...nice. Very nice. So was last night's."

"Last night's? Last night's what? Kiss?!"

"Yes, and if you don't hush up the whole Burrow will know," Hermione said, her voice chiding and bossy. Ginny laughed "What does this mean anyway?"

"It means you get dressed up tonight. School starts back up soon. If you're going to keep the ball rolling on making him see you as someone other than the student he taught, you're going to have to make a big impression."

Hermione let these words sink in before getting up leaving Ginny a bit bewildered, and returning a minute or two later with her mother's dress gift. She watched her friend's expression of shock as she closed the door, held up the dress, and asked, "Do you think this is enough to make that impression?" Ginny could only nod.

"Snape won't know what hit him."


With her mane of hair tamed into a a softly curling half up/down-do, Hermione made her way down the stairs of the Burrow, the sounds of laughter and chatter weaving through the air up to her. Even though Ginny had assured her that she looked great, Hermione adjusted one of her straps nervously. It was far more cleavage than she was used to, although her mother had thankfully picked out a dress that flavored out at her waist instead of clinging all the way down to where it stopped, a good four to five inches of thigh showing. Slowly she stepped down the steps into the view of the kitchen, immediately catching sight of Kingsley Shacklebolt conversing with Severus and Arthur Weasley as little Teddy Lupin ran through, blue hair sticking up all over as Harry joyfully chased him, laughing. Suddenly though, her attention was grabbed as George Weasley walked in, called her name, and gave her a wink.

"Well, well, well, my brother is an idiot for letting you go. Look at that," George said. "Hey Professor! You'd best keep an eye out. Someone might try to snatch your wife up!" He gave her another nod and wink before heading into the Weasley's yard turned party tent.

Hermione let a bright blush, continuing into the kitchen. Severus turned around sharply, a disapproving look upon his face before catching sight of his young wife. That was the moment. His whole face softened, struck by just how startlingly lovely and refined and very very clearly no longer the nervous, bookish, know-it-all he had taught. Right then and there it hit him hard and all the way through his built up walls, 'This woman is my very grown up, wife.'

She made her way over to the Minister of Magic, Mr. Weasley, and Severus with an embarrassed but confident smile.

"Hello gentlemen."

"Miss Hermione, you look well, how is your final year treating you?" asked Kingsley.

"It's Mrs. Snape now, Minister, thanks to your law. It's been well. It's nice not being chased or in danger at Hogwarts for once." Hermione gave a polite nod to Arthur as well after addressing the Minister before turning her head and placing her hand upon Severus's shoulder, saying softly, "I'll be out under the tent if you need me. Someone has to keep George Weasley in line." She chuckled and nodded to the other gentlemen before heading out through the kitchen door.


So there's the newest chapter. 'twas a right pain in the arse actually but it's done. I enjoy how I've grown Hermione in this story so far and honestly I have an idea of where it's going and what's going to happen. There will be an end eventually and I hope I can bring you all to it. So I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I look forward to writing the next one :O

~Lilly Rae~