On the morning of her 26th birthday, a Monday, Hermione rolled over and discovered that Severus was not in bed next to her. Rubbing at her eyes, she glanced around the room. She tapped her wand to the clock and it illuminated a time about an hour before her alarm would go off. She didn't hear the shower running. She slid out of bed and opened the bedroom door quietly. She smiled as she realized he was starting to make breakfast. There were bright purple flowers in a vase on the table, which Crookshanks was investigating thoroughly.
"You're up early," She said. "What kind of flowers are those?"
He jumped slightly at the sound of her voice. "Asters," He answered. "They are the flower for September birthdays." He sighed, realizing his surprise had been spoiled, and then crossed the room toward her. "Happy birthday," He said quietly.
She smiled. "Thank you," She said. "You didn't have to do this. It means enough that you're willing to endure my friends for dinner tonight."
He studied her face for a moment, and then said, "You should shower. Breakfast will take a bit."
She yawned and covered her mouth with her hand. She turned back to go into the bedroom. "You know... We could skip breakfast and shower together..."
They hadn't showered together yet. Some things were still taking time. They didn't enter the same bathroom in the morning at the same time yet either. His dark eyes narrowed and began to glitter. "I suppose it is your birthday."
Afterward, as they sat drinking their tea, Hermione mused, "You know, shower sex is not as easy as the cinema makes it seem."
He choked on his tea and coughed. They'd started fooling around in the shower, but had finished, both of them dripping wet, with Hermione propped up on the bathroom counter. Then, they had returned to the shower to actually shower.
"It was really sweet of you to get me flowers, Severus," She said, "And to want to make breakfast."
"I do have a gift," He said. He disappeared back into the bedroom. When he returned, he had a fairly large parcel wrapped in brown paper.
She opened the present and discovered it was an entire set of Chadwick Boot's seven volume series of Charms textbooks. They were an antique version of classroom texts that had been used by the Americans at Illvermorny. "Severus!"
"I checked the guest bedroom, and your classroom, and I didn't see any copies of that set," He said. "They're antiquated, but I wager that a foreign antique would be just as interesting to you as it would be to me."
"These are wonderful!" She said as she ran a hand over the cover of the first book. "Thank you!" She smiled at him, and he nodded in return. She looked at the clock. "I suppose we should head to class."
He nodded again, and followed her to the door. Once there, he turned to face her fully and studied her face. Then, he leaned down and kissed her lips softly. He could feel her smile against his mouth.
"This birthday has certainly started off well," She said. "I'll see you in the Great Hall for my lunch duty?"
"Only if you are not going to be late," He said. "Again."
"I'm sorry that other staff want to talk to me," She teased.
He rolled his eyes. "The audacity - to be socializing whilst carrying my name."
She laughed as he opened the door, and they headed their separate ways to their separate classrooms. Hermione had her usual spring in her step, cheery, and excitable. Severus had long and determined strides that quickly landed him in the Potions classroom.
The day progressed as it usually did, and soon they found themselves back in their quarters after classes. Having received permission from Minerva to leave the grounds for Hermione's birthday, Severus followed Hermione toward the Floo.
"I really appreciate you being willing to go along with this," She said to him. "For coming. I... Know it's probably not easy for you. Especially considering where Harry and Ginny live."
He narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"
"They live in Godric's Hollow," Hermione said. When he froze, she looked confused. "I thought you knew that?"
He suddenly felt quite nauseous and dizzy. "Why?" His voice croaked.
"Severus..." She said softly and approached him, but stopped when she saw him back away from her. "I... figured you knew that... The Prophet did a story on it..."
"Why would he live there?" Severus had turned frighteningly pale.
"To be closer to his parents," Hermione said. "I thought it was really morbid at first," She said. "But it's... helped him." Severus stood very still. He was focused on the floor, trying to remain standing upright. "Severus..."
His dark eyes met hers. His were filled with panic. "I..."
"You don't have to go, Severus. I thought you knew. I would've asked for it to be somewhere else if I thought you didn't know..."
He looked around, like a wounded animal. She'd never seen him like this. He looked like he was about to have a full-blown panic attack. She could see that he was completely taken by surprise by the emotions he was feeling, and he was working hard to get his shields into place. Summoning a Calming Draught, she handed the vial to him. He shook his head fervently. "It doesn't work."
She reached out for his hands, and he grabbed them. His hands were clammy, and usually they were very cool and dry. He steadied himself, and she was amazed at how self-reliant he was. He looked at her, eyes calmed tremendously, and said, "I have not been there since Halloween night in 1981."
She quickly did the math in her head. "You... were there that night..."
"Not... When it happened," He said. "I felt it," Severus said. He clenched his left hand on hers, indicating his Mark. "Dumbledore... Told me. He was arranging to extract the boy. I... I had... To see for myself."
"You saw..." She closed her eyes realizing what he might have seen.
"Everything," Severus said quietly. "I arrived before Hagrid, or Black, or the Aurors. I could..." He looked away. "That curse smells how the air does after lightning strikes."
She squeezed his hands. "I am sorry," She said and hugged him. "You don't have to go tonight. Honest, Severus. I'll tell them you're ill or had to cover detention or something."
He was quiet for a long time. She didn't know what he would choose to do. She honestly didn't know what she hoped he would choose. She didn't even think Harry knew he'd gone that night to Godric's Hollow, that he'd seen the bodies of his parents. She wondered if anyone knew he'd gone that night, if anyone truly knew how badly he'd hurt that night, if they knew that night that he'd seen the body of a woman he'd loved in the destroyed house. If the situations were reversed, she didn't know if she'd ever be able to go to that street again. She should have asked if he'd known. She should have brought it up before now. He was so quiet as she hugged him tightly.