Hermione was still standing by the door, dumbfounded, when Ron and Harry appeared. As if by unspoken agreement, they came to stand on either side of her, flanking her—and also blocking her escape.

"So," Ron said, casually. Hermione knew better than to respond. They would get to their point sooner if she remained silent.

She was proven correct when the boys gave each other A Significant Look, and then Harry cleared his throat. "You and Snape seemed, ah, chummy tonight."

"We do work together."

"Yeah, of course. We just want to make sure...that is, we didn't know if...ah..." Harry trailed to a stop.

"If I wanted Professor Snape to shag me senseless? Thank you, but I can look after myself." Hermione shook her head, exasperated but touched by their concern nonetheless.

Ron made a face and took a step back. "Shag you—gads, no, Hermione, we wanted to make sure he wasn't being a horrible git!"

"Oh. No, not at all. At least, not after the first week or so. We're friends, of a sort," Hermione explained.

Harry cocked his head and studied her. "Why is shagging where your mind went?"

Flustered, Hermione frowned. "Why couldn't you spit it out, then, if you were just asking whether he was being rude?"

They stared at one another for a moment. Hermione fought hard to keep a blush from creeping up her cheeks. Why had her mind gone straight to shagging? Merlin, this was embarrassing. Best to end this tête-à-tête before she blurted out anything else. "I haven't had nearly enough to drink; shall we return to the kitchen?"

She ducked past Ron and marched off without waiting for an answer.

The next morning when she woke up, it took a few moments for Hermione to remember that she'd slept over at Grimmauld Place. One might think that the very atmosphere of the place would be seared into her memory, but then again they hadn't exactly slept well while they'd been on the run. Nor had the place been nearly as comfortable then as it was now. She and Molly had worked tirelessly to make the place more habitable with Kreacher's assistance. Now it was far more homey, even if it did still maintain too much Black family influence for her tastes.

Stretching, she rolled over and eyeballed the light seeping in around the curtains. She supposed it was earlyish in the morning. Hermione wished she could sleep in a bit more, especially given that they hadn't gone to bed until well past two, but she was wide awake now and there was no use trying to fall back asleep. She rose and tiptoed downstairs, unsurprised to find Ginny and Luna in the kitchen having tea. Joining them with her own mug, she sipped in companionable silence.

Companionable, that is, until Ginny started in. "Harry says you've got shagging on the brain," she teased.

"Please don't start," Hermione moaned, covering her face. "So humiliating."

"Your sexuality is nothing to be ashamed about," Luna put in.

Hermione lifted her face. "What?"

Luna glanced at Ginny and then back to Hermione. "This isn't about your curiosity?"

"Aaah...no. I'm sorry, what curiosity are we talking about?"

Shrugging, Luna took a serene sip of her tea. "Never mind. Go on."

Tabling that discussion for another time, Hermione shook off her bewilderment. "The boys seem to think I have the hots for Snape, of all people. They were teasing me about it last night, that's all."

Ginny gave her a serious look. "Do you? Have the hots for him?"

"No!" Hermione shook her head and added another "No" for good measure.

"Hmm." Ginny narrowed her eyes for a moment before leaning forward in her habit that meant she was most definitely about to meddle. "You know, Hermione, it's always been obvious that you need a wizard—or witch, if that's the case—who can keep up with you. Not any old partner will do, you need one who's smart, who challenges you. Are you sure that couldn't be Snape?"

Hermione was already shaking her head. "Are we seriously having this conversation?"

Ginny huffed out a breath and reached to put her hand on Hermione's. "You know everyone in this building loves you. If Snape makes you happy, then naturally, that makes us happy. Although I will admit that there will probably be a large number of snide comments made, at least until everyone gets used to the idea."

"Ron's going to be a problem," Luna agreed. Then she added her hand to Ginny's and Hermione's. "But he'll come around. He means well."

"I'm touched," Hermione said truthfully. "But honestly, this is all a misunderstanding. We just had a drink together last night, that's all."

"And sat together on the bench," Luna added.

"And you chased him down as he was leaving, then didn't reappear for at least five minutes," Ginny concluded, her eyebrows waggling.

Hermione yanked her hand back and stood up, giving her friends a mock glare when they laughed. "Very funny! We're just...friends." The words felt like a lie on her tongue, but Hermione ruthlessly quashed any other feelings. "And I don't need a shag!" she tossed over her shoulder as she headed back up the stairs.

"Spoken like someone who really needs a good snogging," she heard Ginny mutter in a voice that was just loud enough to carry.