Had Hermione really chosen the floor? Severus, who had slept with his back to her, decided to check. Just out of curiosity. His arm felt the smoothened sheets behind him. He turned his head slowly, then peered over both sides of the bed. She was gone.

Viktor and Hermione were chirping away over breakfast on the deck. She was like a lamb among a pack of wolves; toast-eating and coffee-drinking wolves sprawled on the steps of the quarterdeck and along the rails. She laughed and tucked into her hard-boiled egg with relish, as though she'd never eaten one before.

"Dobro morning, old friend." Viktor grasped his arm and pulled him forward.

What had he done with his hair? It was weaved in plaits along his back. His shirt was wide open, and a set of tattoos decorated his chest. He even had a nose ring.

"Do you like it? Germeeone says it makes me look like a pirate." Germeeone bit down on the spoon as he made googley eyes in her direction.

It made him look like an idiot, that's what it did. It made both of them look like idiots. Severus accepted his cup of coffee and nearly spat it out at first taste.

"Rum?"

"A little treat for a guest. Especially after event yesterday. What do you say, Mr. Sneg, peace?" He held out his hand.

"No." Severus managed to say. He tried not to drink the spiked coffee too eagerly. He refilled his cup and went to salvage what was left of his morning by the ocean. He tried to summon a mermaid or at least a Hippogriff. With any luck, some animal would drag Viktor away by those dreadful little braids.

"Don't worry, he will come around," he heard Hermione say. "He doesn't forgive so easily."

Severus was most certainly not going to come around. Not without a lot of convincing, and not on Viktor's part. Although there were a few things, Hermione could do to coax him out his state. He let those thoughts distract him from thoughts of his Hogwarts bed, his familiar capes and the dull, yet predictable routine.

They sailed for what appeared to be hours. Viktor's captain duties included giving them an extended tour of the ship while an upper-year took the wheel. The ship, nicknamed the Jolly One Horn due to the Unicorn on the front, was dismally impressive. Severus' hands nearly ripped through his pockets to keep himself from touching every weapon in the Combat Room and book in the Library.

Viktor made note of all the portraits on the walls, all the artifacts in the storage room and all the outstanding students they passed. Hermione had, as usual, a plethora of questions on hand. Severus watched as they made overly pleasant conversation, cooing like partridges in a pear tree.

"Severus, what do you think of the size of Viktor's Scepter?" Hermione slowed down enough to walk by his side as they entered Viktor's personal storage room. "It's rather large."

Severus took a short glance at the item. "Too large, in my opinion. Unless you like your hand weighed down while holding it."

Viktor had hung his Scepter in the center of the room on purpose. As far as Severus was concerned, he had something to prove with this tactful positioning. The coxcomb.

"Ah, but size not have matter as long as one can work it well," Viktor said as he polished his Scepter with the corner of his sleeve.

"Thankfully, I do not have such dilemmas," Severus scoffed and made his way out.

They walked to the Infirmary and Potions room.

"Severus might need something for his arm. Is there any Healing Salve?" Hermione began to scan the shelves and open the cabinets.

"I will look," Viktor began to help her. Their searching was rather inefficient because they were opening the exact same cabinets at the same time. It gave Viktor the excuse to continuously 'bump' into Hermione's ass and another excuse to profusely apologize and pat her sympathetically.

"I am perfectly fine-"

"Don't be stubborn, I saw your shirt last night and it was stained with blood on both sides." Hermione smelled the inside of some vial.

"As a Potions Master I am capable of healing myself, and I do not need both of you fussing over me like mother hens."

Viktor's other Captain responsibilities including teaching his guests to steer the ship. In case of emergency, as he put it. Apparently, he was relying on Hermione being the only one present during said emergency. He had his hands over hers on the wheel while Severus held her cape.

"That's very sweet of you to show me," she gushed. "Maybe Severus could steer for a while, I am feeling tired."

"You are doing fantastic Germeeone. The eyes fear, the hands do, as they say in Bulgaria."

Of course, she would do fantastic. Viktor had his hands wrapped around hers and was doing all the work by himself. And they were both smiling.

Severus excused himself to 'help with the sails'. As he picked at the thick rope, he could practically taste the sweetness in their air around Hermione and Viktor. Her face took a wide variety of expressions. Occasionally, she would look over at him and whisper something to Viktor. Her mouth would gape, then change back into a wide smile.

She remained cheerful up until they reached their quarters for the night.

Then her harp began to play an entirely different tune.

"Viktor was very surprised to find out we left our cabin at separate times. Apparently, he was convinced we were together." She folded the sleeves of her cape for the third time and smoothened out the edges. "I wonder where he got that idea?"

"I have no clue." Severus straightened the tiny ship vignettes along the wall.

"Also, he had given me three options of empty cabins to choose from." She unlaced her boots.

"How gallant of him." Was that a specific blotch on the frame? Severus licked his finger and picked away at the stain.

"You bloody liar!" She threw her boot at him, barely missing his head. "You said the only other available room was Viktor's. And Viktor told me he was NOT extending an invitation to his personal quarters. Do you realize how stupid I looked bringing the subject up?"

The next boot hit Severus square between the brows.

"Brat! So I may have misinterpreted his words. You know men say things they don't mean."

"Oh, and what does that make you then Severus? Because I don't remember you being completely honest with me either!"

She stomped out of the room, bare feet along the floorboards. The boots followed their mistress in a straight line through the air. "I'm leaving."

She pressed her face up to his. "Before I go, I wanted you to know that you are no gentleman."

"You are no lady yourself. I didn't see you separating the bed before sleeping in it." Severus traced a line from her eyes down her nose bridge.

"You're an arse, Mr. Snape."

"Thank you, Miss Granger. How clever you are."

"That was no compliment."

"I did not take it as one."

"Goodnight." She shut the door and opened one down the hall. For a witch wanting to be as far away from him as possible, she had chosen a room in rather close proximity.

Severus threw himself on the bed, boots aside and body spread all over the bed. If Hermione thought he was so horrid, he would take up the whole bed…diagonally. Just to spite her. Even though she wasn't there. But if she were, he would certainly have pissed her off.

He spread himself across the length of the mattress and cast off the lights.

He did not fall asleep at once like he had the night before. He tossed and turned, listening to the ebb and flow of the waves. When his eyes finally closed, a hazy dream overtook him. The screams became louder and louder.

"Kraken! Kraken! All men on deck."

Severus stared at the ceiling.

"All men take position, ready to fire!"

He bolted out of bed. Boots laced hastily and cape on his shoulders, he climbed on deck. The rain was pouring. The stars were barely seen over the swarm of clouds. Someone shoved him aside. Above the deck, long tentacles waved in the air.

They hit the mast. They tore the sails. Green sparks of light fired from all ends. Severus grabbed his own wand and fired a very weak attack.

He saw Viktor slicing off a tentacle. The monster groaned and whipped him to the side. Severus ran to help. Viktor spluttered and wiped his mustache. The earring tore out and a bloody streak was on his muddy shirt.

Then a female scream rose out of the air. Hermione was in the grip of the Kraken.