Snape weaved his way up the spiral staircase before striding into the headmaster's office. He chose to ignore the bowl of liquorice snaps and the whirring of strange gadgets as he approached the front of Dumbledore's desk.
"What is it my dear Severus?" Albus questioned softly, gazing up at the man through his half moon spectacles.
Snape went to open his lips, yet he wasn't entirely sure what he was going to say to the headmaster.
What was he supposed to say?
That he wanted to take a student to his hometown for the day?
It was the truth but even as he thought about it, it sounded potentially suspicious to prying ears.
What was the likelihood that Dumbledore would agree to such an excursion?
He didn't think likely as he finally decided to speak.
"I wish to seek your permission." Snape began, though he words were tinged with an air of reluctance.
"Permission for what Severus?" Dumbledore leaned forward, his half moon spectacles sliding down his nose, yet he seemed not to notice.
"I wish to take a student to Cokeworth with me on Saturday." He forced the words from his lips, as though doing so cost him a great personal effort.
"I see." Albus nodded as though giving the man's words great consideration.
"Which student might this be?" The headmaster tilted his head slightly, the curiosity seemed rife in his eyes.
Snape should have expected this, of course the man would want to know who he was intending to take.
"Miss Granger." The younger professor relented.
"I see."
"Was there any specific purpose to your visit?"
"She expressed interest in a particular shop there, one that sells magical supplies and I offered to take her."
Dumbledore nodded.
"I see. If I were to say no, would you still intend to go anyway?"
Snape hesitated, he hadn't expected this question, yet it seemed Dumbledore had just gotten the reaction he had been looking for.
"Very Well. Though I must impress upon you the importance of staying one degree removed from your students Severus."
The potions professor nodded, of course Dumbledore would say words to this effect.
"Thank you." Snape bowed slightly before turning for the door.
"Severus." Dumbledore called after the man.
"Headmaster." The professor glanced over his shoulder.
"I trust that you are intending to use the floo network from my office?"
"Indeed."
"Very well." Albus offered the professor a warm, yet dismissive smile.
*~.~*
Snape strode back to his chambers; it was well after dark as slivers of moonlight bathed the corridors in a silvery glow.
His thoughts turned to Miss Granger. It had been a long time since he could say that he felt this level of interest and dare he say affection towards another person. Not since Lily no less.
Only, what was it about her?
Was it those deep brown eyes?
Or was it more than that?
She knew the answers to every single question he had proposed to the class. She was dedicated, loyal and above all kind.
Snape stood before the door to his chambers as he reached for his wand.
What was true beauty but a representation of the soul?
Snape unlocked his door with a flick of his wand before striding inside.
He sighed as fell into his usual recliner, collecting his copy of potions weekly before prying open its untouched pages.
There was one aspect that didn't add up.
Why did Miss Granger choose to spend time with him?
His fantasies would lead him to believe that perhaps she enjoyed his company as much as he was enjoying hers. A heat rose in his body as his eyes traced lazily over the words of an article about the four benefits of rooster claws. But it was pointless, his potions weekly could wait as he closed his eyes. As thoughts of the upcoming weekend filled his mind, the world seemed to expel its hard edge.
*~.~*
Despite her best efforts, Hermione seemed incapable of focusing during Transfiguration class as professor McGonagall tried to teach them how to turn a sock into a silver plated cutlery set.
It all seemed rather pointless really.
It was finally Friday, which meant that tomorrow was Saturday, the day Professor Snape would take Hermione to Cokeworth, to the little antiques shop that he was so fond of.
"Ready?" Harry's voice suddenly rang in her ear, jolting her back to the classroom.
"For what?" Hermione scrunched up her face in confusion as she turned to face her two best friends.
"What? You mean you weren't paying attention?" Harry seemed genuinely surprised by his own revelation.
"Oh, what utter rubbish." Hermione waved her hand dismissively as she withdrew her wand. She aimed it at the beige woollen sock, with a flick of her wand, the sock was a now a 16 piece cutlery set.
"Well done Miss Granger." Professor McGonagall praised as she strode over to the witch's desk.
"I was a bit worried you weren't paying attention, you seemed somewhat distracted, but I see I was mistaken." McGonagall offered the younger witch a smile before turning her attention to Ron and Harry, an air of expectation was alive and well in her eyes.
"Now Potter, Weasley, let's see you try."
Ron audibly gulped as he collected his wand within his fingers.
Hermione rested her chin in her hands as she wondered what else Snape would show her tomorrow.
She wished the day would go by faster.
Yet, Transfiguration hadn't been the class Hermione had been dreading, Defence against the Dark Arts however was. Another session of tolerating the insufferable Dolores Umbridge. Hermione sighed, it was the first time she had actually contemplated skipping a class. Though, she knew even as she thought about it that the repercussions would not be worth it.
Perhaps she should just pretend she was not well, its not as though Umbridge would teach her anything of value.
Yes, that is what she would do.
Hermione altered course, instead of heading for the DADA classroom, she headed for the infirmary.