Dinner time quickly approached as Hermione made her way towards the great hall.
She had barely sat down when she realised her head had instinctively darted towards the teacher's table.
Her heart fell slightly in her chest as she noticed Snape's seat remained empty.
"Are you looking forward to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" Ron badgered, darting his eyes between his two best friends.
"Of course, when am I not?" Harry stated excitedly as he reached for a plate of fried chicken.
Hermione remained silent, hoping for a change of topic as he stirred the peas on her plate into the mashed potatoes.
"What about you Hermione? You are coming tomorrow, right?" Ron pestered.
Damn it.
She opened her mouth to speak, yet wasn't sure what to say.
"Miss Granger." A familiar drawl greeted the witch's ears, to which she jumped slightly.
"Professor." She whispered, barely able to force the words from her lips as she turned to face him.
"This is for you." He stated, handing her a brown envelope as his eyes darted from Ron to Harry.
"Thank you." She smiled ever so slightly, before watching as the professor swooped away. She could feel her cheeks quickly becoming tainted with red as she felt the eyes of her two best friends upon her.
"What the hell is that?" Ron screwed up his face as he put what remained of his fried chicken back down on his plate.
"I'll open it later." Hermione stated with an air of finality as she shoved the letter into the pocket of her robes.
At least Snape's actions had taken Ron's mind off of Hogsmeade, for the moment at least.
She raced through the remainder of dinner, hoping Ron wouldn't being up the topic of Snape's letter again before disappearing from the Great Hall without a word. Within minutes she strolled into the library, her eyes searching its numerous shelves as she tried to locate the most secluded seat.
She disappeared to the furthest corner of the library and sat down before prying open the letter Snape had given to her.
Dear Miss Granger,
Please meet me outside the Gargoyle to Dumbledore's office tomorrow morning at 9am.
Yours sincerely,
Severus
Severus? It felt strange to call the man anything other than Snape. Hermione felt the heat rise in her cheeks as she read and reread the letter. The man's handwriting was immaculate, it almost looked as though a girl had written it. She folded the note up before placing it safely back in her pocket.
*~.~*
Saturday had finally arrived as Hermione strolled towards Dumbledore's office, ceasing only when she spotted the gargoyle as it stood proudly guarding the Headmaster's office.
"Miss Granger." Snape's silky drawl greeted her from behind.
"Professor." Hermione whispered, her throat seemed to have succumbed to a sudden hoarseness. She wished she could cough violently to regain her voice but quickly decided against it.
"Are you feeling alright? I heard you weren't well yesterday." Snape took another step toward her, as though afraid she may be feeling cold, yet he hesitated as the voices of other students seemed to cloud the corridor.
Gosh news travels fast Hermione thought as she pulled her scarf in closer around her neck. Yet, she couldn't deny the sense of guilt coursing through her veins.
"I'm alright, to be honest I wasn't exactly sick, I was just sick of Professor Umbridge." Hermione winced as she forced the truth from her lips.
A huff seemed to escape Snape's lips, was that laughter?
Hermione tilted her head in surprise.
"Aren't we all." Snape offered her another one of his rare smiles.
"You don't like her either?" This seemed to surprise the witch, yet it really shouldn't have. She had after all witnessed Professor McGonagall having a go at the Ministry's poor choice of representative.
"I do not believe she is popular with any of the staff members." Snape stated, it seemed there was more that he wanted to say on the matter, yet he seemed to decide it was perhaps pertinent to remain silent.
"She is rather ghastly." Hermione added before darting her head over her shoulder, as though suddenly afraid that Umbridge was standing within earshot.
Much to her relief the corridor was empty.
"Indeed. Shall we?"
"How are we getting there?"
"We will take the Floo Network from the Headmaster's office to Diagon Alley. From there we apparate."
Hermione nodded, she had never apparated before and she would be lying if she said the idea didn't terrify her somewhat.
Despite this, she plastered a smile across her lips and nodded.
Hermione followed Snape past the gargoyle and up the stairs to the Headmaster's office. Hermione's eyes darted around the room and was surprised to see Dumbledore sitting there behind his desk. She couldn't help but wonder whether the man ever engaged in leisure time.
"Severus." Dumbledore nodded in the direction of the man as a warm smile beamed from his lips.
"Headmaster."
"Enjoy Cokeworth, and if you wouldn't mind picking me up a jar of sherbet lemons, I seemed to have run out."
"Of course Headmaster." Snape bowed his head slightly before striding towards the fireplace.
Hermione offered Dumbledore a smile, a gesture by which he returned in kind.
"I trust you have travelled by Floo powder before?"
Hermione nodded as Snape held out the tray of powder to the witch.
"Thank you." Hermione smiled before collecting a clump in her fingers.
"Follow me." Snape drawled as he stepped into the fireplace.
Hermione didn't dare admit that right now, she would follow the man to the ends of the Earth. His deep, silky voice radiated like a beacon in the night.
The next thing Hermione knew, she was standing in the all too familiar Diagon Alley. Though, it seemed rather odd coming here at a time when all the students were away at school. She had never seen it so quiet.
"Shall we?" Snape smiled slightly as he held out his arm, to which Hermione grasped without hesitation.
She suddenly felt as though the world was compressing on her, suffocating her as her world suddenly became emersed in darkness. She felt her heart pound in her chest as she clutched Snape's forearm tighter still.
As suddenly as it started, it was over.
"Here we are." Snape announced as the two stood before a quaint, cosy shop, though it appeared to be devoid of customers. Snow had begun to fall as flakes soon rested upon Hermione's shoulders.
Snape reached forward, gently brushing the small flakes from her shoulder, his fingers lingering perhaps a bit longer than what was necessary.
"Let's go inside." He whispered, his finger danced lightly over Hermione's cheek before he turned towards the store entrance.
Hermione nodded, her eyes taking in the unusual, yet exciting assortment of items displayed within the shop windows.
She ventured through the shop and it didn't take long for her to realise exactly why it captivated Snape. She could have spent hours rifling through the assortments of bottles, jars, potion making utensils and anything else she could think of.
It was all there.
*~.~*
"Are you cold?" Snape whispered, leaning in close to the witch's ear as she stepped from the shop carrying more bags than she had ever anticipated.
"I'm fine." Hermione lied as she felt the cold seep in through her coat.
"Perhaps you would care for a cup of tea at my house?"
"That would be lovely." Hermione couldn't think of anything she desired more in that moment as she felt Snape's finger's wrap themselves around her forearm.