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Summer Camp

Hufflepuff Cabin

WEEK 4: The Overnight

Pack your backpacks, we're going on the overnight! I hope you all know how to pitch a tent. Task: Write a story that takes place in the woods.

Word count: 1201

Author's note: Hermione is off age.

The Forbidden Forest wasn't exactly what you'd call the most romantic place at Hogwarts. It was in fact quite the opposite. After all, it was called forbidden for a reason. Nevertheless, for those who despite the rules ventured and explored it, it had beautiful meadows. It could be a quite beautiful place where to relax and step away from Hogwarts.

And that was where Hermione was going now. A little meadow towards the back end of the Forbidden Forest, deep in the woods. The moon was high, but she knew that there weren't werewolves inside the forest. Severus had assured her of that. And she knew that werewolves were something he'd never lie about. Not that he would ever lie to her, that is.

Tonight was a special night for both of them. It was their anniversary. They were celebrating a whole five months together. Sure, it may not seem a lot to many people, but in the times they were living and their circumstances, five months was a lot.

They'd gotten together after spending a summer working one alongside each for the Order. She was the only one not looking to antagonise him or annoy him purposefully and he was the only one she could actually keep a conversation going that didn't include Voldemort, Quidditch and school.

Without even realising, the camaraderie between them had turned into friendship and slowly and surely she'd fallen in love. Of course, it wasn't that easy. As the woods she found herself in right now, their relationship had been more complicated. Even if she was off age thanks to the time-turner, she was still his student. And while there were no rules against, she'd made sure of it, it was still something they were doing without anyone else knowing. Not even Dumbledore.

Of course, having Severus accept the hard fact that he was in love with her and coming to terms that she loved home back had proved to be harder than possibly defeating Voldemort. Nevertheless, here they were five months later. Still sneaking around, but still together.

He'd showed her a meadow inside the Forbidden Forest on their fifth date and now it was their spot. He'd even taught her the necessary charms so she could come on her own invisible.

Tonight was different though. After leaving the school boundaries, for the forest was much vaster than the how it appeared to the students, she'd seen this beautiful flower arrows leading up to the meadow.

He'd arranged them with magic, but she could tell he'd picked the flowers himself. They were all her favourites, but it was mid January and they had long withered to the winter cold. Hermione gripped the cloak around her tighter. It was habit. She'd put a warming charm on it. It wasn't really cold outside, but if you stayed long you started feeling the chill.

There were roses and carnations and water lilies and hyacinths. They were gorgeous. She loved lilies. Initially Severus had been wary to gift her lilies after he'd confessed to her his former love for Harry's mother, but Hermione had faith in their love.

The moonlight was reflecting on the snow, creating a beautiful imagery. The perfect winter night.

As she got closer she could smell the burnt wood for the fire. Soon enough she could see the smoke.

When she reached the entrance of the meadow she noticed the fire had been placed to form a huge letter five and in the middle of it Severus was standing near a blue blanket with a picnic basket on it.

She couldn't help but smile and rush to his side.

"Who would have thought that Severus Snape could be such a romantic?" she asked, chuckling. " You know, you didn't have to do all this right?"

He smiled back at her and brought her closer in his arms.

"I know. You, Hermione Granger, have accepted me with all my faults by some miracle from above. And you're right. I may not be as romantic as I'd like for you, but this is something that I did without even realising it was. I just… wanted to make this night special for you. To show you that I could be more than just dates in my quarters. Somehow, you've stolen something I long thought I'd lost."

Hermione wanted to laugh at this, it was downright so… corny. But she knew he was serious and he wasn't even trying to be so. Instead she raised on her toes and kissed him.

"You've stolen my heart too, you know. And it wasn't that long ago when I was wondering why Dumbledore would keep such a teacher around."

"Bad teacher?" he asked, breaking apart from her and sitting down on the blanket.

She followed suit and realised he must had enchanted it because it felt incredibly tick and warm.

"One that hated children. But you know that was before fourth year."

He smiled at her again.

Hermione loved that she could do that. Make him smile. Before becoming friends, and eventually together in a relationship, she'd never seen him smile. But then, she knew he didn't have a whole lot of reasons to do so.

"I know, silly. But I'd like to remind you that you're right. I really don't like teaching. I hate that I'm your teacher. You technically could do a better job than me."

She leaned into his shoulder. "Maybe, if you'd be teaching Potions still. I'm not as good with the Defence lessons."

Severus looked down at her and shook his head.

"You are. You're just not believing in yourself. With practice, you will be better than Mr Potter."

At that she started laughing.

"What?"

"Sorry, but it's so weird not to hear you say his name with disgust. I sometimes forget you don't really hate him."

He smiled sadly at her, as if he wanted to say more. He always got sad when Harry came up in conversations, but Hermione didn't ask. She never did. She wasn't sure if she really wanted to know.

"Anyway," she said, "I'm hungry. I couldn't eat dinner from excitement and I also wanted to arrange myself a little bit."

His mood shifted in a second, a genuine smile on his face this time.

"Well, let's see what I cooked for you." He started pulling stuff out of the basked. "Broccoli and smoked salmon pasta with extra cheese, apple pie, baked potatoes with bacon and cheese and two different salads."

Hermione leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"You made my favourite pasta!" Then noticing the bottle inside the basket she exclaimed, "And you also brought my favourite pear cider!"

They started eating under the moonlight, talking and joking about various stuff that had little importance. They had a thousands problems and many issues that needed to be discussed, including the looming death that Dumbledore had forced upon them, but for that night, in a meadow surrounded by little fire lights and far away in the trees, they'd focus on their love and making it special. The key was in the little things, the happiness in the little celebrations.

After all, they didn't know if they'd be alive for the big ones.