Snape guided Hermione through an entourage of snow swept streets, weaving through narrow alleyways lined with spattering's of identical houses.

Part of him wished he had nicer place to take Hermione to, yet he also felt that the witch was down to Earth enough not to mind the state of his house.

"Do many witches and wizards live around here?" Hermione asked, her eyes running up and down the sparsely populated street.

"Not really, no." Snape shook his head as he stopped before a house on the corner.

With a flick of his wand the front door sprung open and Snape lead the young witch inside.

*~.~*

"Have you seen Hermione?" Ron asked, raising his eyebrows expectantly at his best friend.

"I haven't seen her since dinner time yesterday." Harry replied, an air of concern radiated through his words as he instinctively glanced around.

"I hope she's alright." He added, though he couldn't quite expel the hesitation from his voice.

"I'm sure she's fine, she's probably in the library with her nose buried in some boring book." Ron chuckled before following in behind the other students as they all headed towards the small wizarding village of Hogsmeade.

*~.~*

Snape's house was everything Hermione might have expected of the man. Books lined the surface of just about every wall in the house. The sitting room was cluttered, yet not untidy as she sat down in front of the fireplace.

Snape whisked in front of the fireplace, another flick of his wand and a great crimson flame erupted within the confines of the fireplace.

"I like your house, it's very cozy." Hermione offered as the man sat down adjacent to her. She wasn't lying either as she wondered how many books the man had that she hadn't read yet.

"Thank you, it was my childhood home. Tea?" He offered, though he had no doubt the witch would say yes.

"Please."

Snape reached forward, collecting a tea pot before pouring its contents into a rather traditionally English looking teacup. Hermione eyed the tea set with curiosity, she hadn't even seen Snape summon it.

"I hope your not too disappointed, missing out on the trip to Hogsmeade this weekend."

He carried the teacup over before offering it to the witch.

"Not at all, it's far more interesting here." She smiled, sincerity echoing through every muscle in her face as she reached forth, collecting the cup and yet, Snape's hands once again lingered.

A tingling sensation suddenly coursed through Hermione's body like a jolt of electricity.

"Professor," She began as she started to feel a tad flushed.

"Please, call me Severus."

"Severus," Hermione began as though tasting the man's name on her lips to see how much she enjoyed it.

"Do you enjoy teaching at Hogwarts?" She asked, the question seemed to be out of her lips before she had had the chance to decide whether or not it was an appropriate question to ask.

"Whether I enjoy it or not is irrelevant." Snape began, taking a sip from his own teacup before raising his wand once more.

Something was missing and he just realised what it was.

A flick later and an assortment of cakes and puddings lined the coffee table, all of which appeared delicious.

"Help yourself." The man offered, waving his hand toward the tantalizing assortment.

"Thank you." She smiled before reaching for a piece of what looked like carrot cake.

"What do you mean by its not relevant?" She asked, though she wasn't sure she should pry, if Snape wanted to be forth coming, then he would volunteer the information without prompting.

"It's a means to an end really. Though I do find it difficult when put a lot of effort into my lessons, yet no one seems interested."

"I see."

"Well, no one except you of course." Snape offered the witch a look that said more than words ever could.

A laugh escaped Hermione's lips, he was certainly right, there was no arguing that.

"I've never had a student before that has known the answer to every single one of my questions."

Hermione couldn't help but smile before raising her teacup to her lips once more.

Snape watched as the amber light from the fire flickered against Hermione's soft skin.

"Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?" The professor began, yet he seemed to seize up as the words left his lips, as though he had allowed himself to think them but certainly not speak them.

Hermione appeared to choke slightly on her piece of cake.

Now that she had thought about it, the only person who had told her she was beautiful was Victor Krum. Whether he meant it or not, she wasn't exactly sure.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." Snape leaned forward before placing a hand on the witch's shoulder.

"It's fine, and you didn't upset me." Hermione whispered as that annoying blush returned to her cheeks.

"Do you really mean that?" Hermione gazed up at the man, searching his eyes for reassurance of his words.

"Of course I do, I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it."

Of this Hermione had no doubt, after all, Snape was always true to his word.

Snape seemed as though his lungs were refusing to take in oxygen, it was as though time had suddenly stopped. He so desperately wanted to hear Hermione's reaction to his words and yet at the same time also too afraid to.

Was it too late to take it back?

Who was he kidding, even if he could take it back he wouldn't. He wanted the witch to know how he felt, even if it did mean he would feel rejection's relentless sting once more.

"I'm not sure many people would agree with you." Hermione sighed as she drew her teacup to her lips.

"What do you mean?"

"It's nothing." Hermione sighed dismissively, deciding it was best to veer away from the likes of Draco's endless taunting of her 'mudblood' status.

Yet something in the man's eyes suggested that he already knew as to what Hermione was referring to.

"Well, I think you're about the smartest witch I know." Snape leaned in closer to Hermione, his dark eyes colliding with her soft brown orbs.

"Not as smart as you." She blushed, not that she thought her cheeks could turn any shade of redder than they already were.

"I think you are amazing."

"T-thank you." Hermione stuttered as her heart began to pound in her chest.

"Can I," Snape began before suddenly stalling.

"Can you what?" Hermione gazed up at the man expectantly, yet a fluttering in her heart told her that she already knew what the man was going to ask.

"kiss you?"