A/N: I want to apologize for updating so Infrequently. But I have had a string of family members pass away, thus killing my muse. And more recently I have had some issues accessing my account to upload. Things appear to be ok now. Fingers crossed I have no other issues.

Chapter Seven: Hogsmead

It been a fortnight since the incident in the Astronomy Tower. She had embarrassingly fumbled about Severus for a few days after, and thankfully neither of them brought it up again. She didn't want to hurt their friendship, that was becoming more and more important to her. But she couldn't help but dissect her own feelings in the evenings when she was alone in her quarters. She had to start believing that she may have a growing attraction to him. She kept seeming to find herself in these bizarre situations, and she really was quite upset that she was making him uncomfortable with her sudden bouts of desired intimacy when they were in each other's company. She needed to separate those feelings, because they were nothing. Or so she thought. She never let her musings wander into the "what if" territory. That was dangerous, she wasn't one of her students with a crush. And she wouldn't dare act as such, she was an adult and she can be friends with the increasingly growing more attractive daily potion master.

And while she was grateful that her two week stint of watching the Quidditch team was over, it also took away her distraction over the awkwardness she found herself in. That was when Minerva found Hermione just before lunch.

"Hermione, dear. It's so good I found you. Something has come up and Samir had a sudden family emergency and isn't able to chaperone the Hogsmead trip this weekend and I was wondering if you would be able to."

"Oh of course. Did his wife go into labor?" Hermione asked, excitedly.

"No, not yet. There was a small fire at his parents home and he was beyond worried. So I sent him there to check in." Minerva replied, as she watched Hermione's shoulders slump, disappointed that impending birth of their colleague's first child was still pending.

"Have you found a substitute for Arthimacy, for when she does?"

"No, still waiting on word from the ministry. They seem to be dragging their feet on the matter."

"Maybe they are long over do for a visit from our feisty headmistress." Minerva winked at Hermione's statement.

"You know, do believe they are." The elder witch said wickedly. As she lead them into the Great Hall for lunch.

~Soar~

The Saturday morning was cold. Hermione stared up at the sky as the students started to make their way out, for their trek to the village. Its going to snow today. She thought to herself, she was glad to be bundled up with her thickest jumper and her warmest robes. She cleared her throat and enacted the voice amplification spell on her throat.

"Attention students. You will need to observe all of our standard rules for our trip Hogsmead. If anyone is caught in violation, they will be sent back to the castle and an appropriate punishment will be issued. Please keep in mind that we are there for the duration of the day, so take sometime to eat. Also as with standard rules, any one trying to bring in any prank items from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes will be confiscated. In the event that the upcoming snow, becomes more of a blizzard, the trip will come to abrupt end and we will return to the castle. With that said, let's have a pleasant trip."

Her and the students began their journey. When she felt someone touch her elbow. She looked back to see a veil of dark hair staring down at her.

"So you were the unlucky despot given the job, after Patel had to run off?" His enticing voice, sent a small chill over her body.

"I was glad to help out. Samir, has too much on his mind with Talora, he needed to make sure his family was ok." She answered, feeling wistful in Severus' presence.

Severus scoffed. "You are such a bleeding heart."

"Is that a character flaw to you?" She stared up at him

"It just leaves you open to being Minerva's personal fall girl. If it were me, I would do as little as possible so that I could save myself some personal time."

"Always looking out for yourself and your interests, right Severus?" She said with a smirk.

"I find that my time is better served in the capacities I see fit. Therefore taking on other endeavors, is superfluous." Hermione just giggled at him. Because all she could imagine was him sitting on his chair near his fire place, reading and drinking tea or fire whiskey, depending on the time of day. He just raised an eyebrow at her sudden childish outburst. Which she didn't seem fit to explain to him. Causing him to grumble to himself.

The two chaperones followed behind the small crowd of students. As the prefects who were attendance helped with the order within, the only time their services were asked of them on these trips. No major issues as the children embarked on the village. Hermione longed to get so excited over a visit, like she did in her youth. But was far too busy keeping a watchful eye on the coming and goings of the children. As the temperature dropped she had decided that she would go get some thing warm to drink. And as she walked toward the businesses, it started to snow. Even though she had lived in Scotland for most of her life, she still loved the gentle flurry of snow. She stood and watched as the snow slowly collected in her gloved hands.

"You hair is going make a rather large snowball, soon enough." Said the baritone voice of her fellow chaperone. She threw her most Snape-like glare at him. Only causing him to chuckle at her attempt. "Oh so very intimidating, Miss Granger."

"It was meant to be." She pouted. "And for your information the snow wouldn't collect like that, it would absorb into it causing me to look like I dunked my head in water." Hermione said haughtily.

"I don't know it's looking quite snowball-esq at the moment." Severus said as he reached his own gloved hand forward and shock her hair gently, as the snow started fall into her face. She smiled at the playful gesture. "Why don't we pop in for some tea?"

Hermione nodded and followed Severus. Who, actually lead her away from the businesses that sold food stuffs. She was confused as she made her way after him. He lead her to an side street and opened a door, indicating for her to go up the stairs. She did and came upon a door. He opened it and lead her inside. What she found was something completely unexpected. A small flat. It wasn't filled with much just a basic sitting room and a table near a large window that overlooked the village.

"Where are we?" She asked as her curiosity finally got the better of her.

"It's a small flat I've leased for years, in order to handle my trips to the village. I did it mostly out of spite to Albus for making me come out here."

"Wait, you leased this place so that when you had to chaperone, you could just sit up here and ignore the children?"

"In part, yes. But I did set wards around the village and set alarms to go off here so when they would signal, I would go to the scene and prevent the children from doing something foolish."

After a few moments of contemplation. "That's bloody, brilliant! You don't have to mingle with the students on the ground, you can stay up here, in comfort. But you would need to venture out if you were hungry?"

"Crispy!" Severus said as a Hogwarts elf popped in. "Could you bring Professor Granger and myself some tea and a light lunch?"

"Yes, Crispy would be proud to bring." It said as it popped out.

"I tied the flat to Hogwarts in order to utilize the elves. It really did aggravate Albus that I found a way around my duties. But couldn't help but be proud of my cleverness." The elf returned with the required items and the two say at the table by the window.

"While it is very clever, it does seem a bit of ridiculous to have this whole flat just for a few trips a year."

"Yes, well I do spend the term breaks here as well. I only return to my home over summer hols."

"I can't imagine this place being a home to you of any sort here, if you looked around. I don't really see much of your personal style here."

"I bring what I need when I come to stay. But overall I keep very little here." They ate and drank in silence as they watched the village's coming and goings. "If you wish I can give you access to the flat so on your chaperone trips you can enjoy the view."

"That would be nice…" but she was interrupted by the sound of chiming.

"It looks like the little buggers have decided to finally act like the miscreants they are." He said as he threw on his robes and Apparated away. Hermione finally realized how Severus always managed to be right there, whenever something occurred, it made her proud to have decoded that little bit of his mystery. She looked out toward the sky and noticed it was getting darker. They would need to round up the children and get them back before the storm turned rough. She gathered her layers she laid out before sitting. "Leaving already?" Severus asked as he somehow quietly returned.

"The weather is turning we should get them back before we have to take shifts Apparating the group back."

Severus looked out the window and grumbled. "Yes that would be rather, inconvenient." As if on queue, the elf from before returned and took their meal items away.

"You know I wonder if we could manage to get an emergency port key made to take everyone back in the event of inclement weather?"

"That seems like quite a fair idea, Miss Granger."

Hermione rolled her eyes, and answered sarcastically. "Such high praise from Master Snape, thank you sir." She even bowed, causing her scarf become undone.

Without batting an eye. "You should feel honored." The levity made Hermione laugh again. As she began to fiddle with her scarf. That was when her small hands were moved away by Severus's larger hands and he carefully and skillfully did it for her. Once again she found herself mesmerized by him and his actions. But before her addled brain could do anything rash. He looked away, but his hand lingered. It lightly trailed from her shoulder to her back as he guided her out the door. With her layers she shouldn't have been able to feel it. But it seemed burn a trail over her skin. She didn't draw attention to it. She didn't want to ruin yet another nice day with her awkward attraction to him.

The walk back to the castle was brisk and quiet. Her brain kept recalling the feeling of his hand on her body. She reminded herself that she needed to get a handle on her feelings for him. It was becoming troublesome. She couldn't alienate him, so many people have left him. She had to be a friend to him. Then a sudden thought hit her like a bricks. Crap! The Yule Ball!!!