A/N. Fred is alive for this fic :)
They apparated into the frosty little park in the centre of Grimmauld Place. Hermione shivered, though London wasn't any colder than Kent. It was a nervous reaction. She knew it.
Christmas Eve with the rest of the Order. That was in no way intimidating. She smiled up at Severus as his gloved hand slipped into hers and he pulled her back into his arms. She snuggled close, enjoying his warmth, his familiar scent, of cedar and herbs and simply…him. With every one of her slow breaths, it eased some of her anxiety.
She smiled as he pressed a kiss to her only slightly tamed hair. "We don't have to say anything about us. You can enjoy the night with your friends."
A tightness curled in her belly. They were both well aware that their betrothal would not go down well. The coolness of her father proved that. Their being together at all would be seen as bad enough in the wizarding world. It was easier to pick who they told, and to tell that person quietly…and with protecting shields firmly in place.
"If the chance comes, I'll take it. I'm not ashamed of you." She pressed her chin to his chest and smirked up at him. "You are the very best of men, Severus Snape."
A touch of a smile pulled at his mouth, but his eyes were warm. "And you are quite, quite mad, Hermione Granger." He dropped a kiss to her forehead. "And a cold witch too. Let's get you inside."
They crossed the silent road, her hand firmly in his. The early evening was cold and dark and white frost limned railings, leaves and window ledges. The buzz of traffic, of the city was dulled and somewhere at the far end of the Square —Hermione's lips twitched— was the thankfully muted cries of Noddy Holder.
Severus released her hand at the bottom of the steps and waved for her to precede him. Why was her life so complicated? Her smile deepened. Because it always had been. And it had her wrapping her life up with a man who was simply perfect for her. So she was not about to complain. Not for a single second.
Hermione rapped the doorknocker and the muffled and magically enhanced, "It's open" drifted out. Taking a breath, and with an eye roll back at Severus, Hermione pushed her way inside.
The lobby was empty of people, but it was chaos all the same. Little Father Christmases zoomed along the narrow hallway, a wild sleigh race that ended with three reindeer tangled in the banisters and an irate Father Christmas squeaking his outrage. Music clashed in different rooms, something festive fighting in the air against a riotous Weird Sisters anthem and some distinctly off-key singing. The rich odours of roast beef and spices and cake almost dizzied Hermione's already stretched senses.
But for Severus at her back, his hand on her shoulder and giving a comforting squeeze, she would've turned right around and disapparated back to Kent.
"It's hideous. Loud. Raucous." Severus' voice was at her ear, the only balm in the madness. "But the house is alive. Cheered." His lips curved against her skin and a sweet little shiver chased through her flesh. "Of course, if anyone attempts to draw me into any of this foul festive cheer, I will hex them into the New Year."
"Quite right too." She turned her head and pecked a kiss from his lips.
The shatter of a glass against tiles broke Hermione's mouth from his. Her heart leapt to her throat. Who had seen…?
Professor McGonagall stared, open mouthed at them. With a flick of his wand, Severus silenced her. Hermione stared at him.
"She tends to become…shrill."
He strode forward and bundled his colleague into the angled storage cupboard under the stairs. Hermione followed, closing the door behind her and warding it. Magical light flicked on over their heads, revealing a line of brooms, cloaks and winter boots running down either sloping wall.
Professor McGonagall was glaring at them, her glasses sharp bright circles and her foot tapping —hard. Her lips pinched and a huff broke from her when Severus released the silencing spell.
"I should turn you into a rat, a toad, a slug!"
Her wand was out, and pointed unerringly at Severus' chest. His hand caught Hermione's as she tried to lurch in front of him. "And why is that, Minerva?" His voice was calm and cool and it only seemed to infuriate the older witch.
"You've taken advantage of a student! A student, Severus." Her gnarled hand found her forehead, fingers digging into her temple. "Have you no shame?"
"Shame?" He shrugged. "No."
Hermione wanted to pinch him. There was still that bit of him, for all the calm quiet that he now had, that still loved to rile, to dance on someone's last nerve. Doing so to an armed and angry witch didn't seem the best of times.
McGonagall's cheeks flushed. "The Board—"
"Hermione is an Apprentice. Not a student, Minerva. There is nothing in the bylaws that states a professor cannot carry on with—"
"Carry on!"
Hermione groaned. She stepped forward. Severus had had his fun. Carry on, indeed… "Professor McGonagall—"
"And you, Miss Granger, I would've thought that you would have more sense than to throw yourself at—"
The professor's voice vanished. "Enough." Severus' own voice was a low and angry growl. "You may say what you will to me, but not to her. Is that understood, Minerva?"
He leaned in and magic was a dark and pulsing aura around him. He was so…powerful. And Hermione's heart did not give a little excited skip. It didn't...
"Hermione is my betrothed. We are to marry in the summer. This is not an…idle dalliance on either of our parts. Is that also understood?"
He slashed his wand, breaking the silencing spell, but the professor was simply staring, until the single word "Betrothed?" escaped her. She looked from Severus to Hermione and back again. "You are…?" She stepped back, pressing into the line of cloaks. Her shoulders slumping as her wand arm dropped. "Who else knows?"
"My parents. And you." Hermione unwarded the door. She peeked out to see if the shadowy hall was empty of people and opened the door wide. "I think you need a drink, Professor."
"Minerva. Call me, Minerva, since as Severus has pointed out, you are a Hogwarts apprentice."
The words seemed litte more than rote. Something said for the sake of speaking. Minerva –and Hermione struggled with the name— was pale with only two spots of bright red high on her cheeks. The older witch was obviously still in a deep shook. The formal dining room was just across the way, and with a brief smile at Severus, Hermione darted into the room.
Hermione hit a wall of sound, the music blaring, a loud base and raucous lyrics. The long table was piled with heaps of food and bottles of every wizarding alcohol imaginable. Harry was not stinting on his first Christmas bash. The room was also crowded with Weasley offspring, who cried out at her arrival and she was swept up into arms and crushed against chests that reeked of elf-wine and whisky.
"Mione!" Fred and George planted a kiss on either cheek. "We hear you've thrown over our idiot brother."
George smirked at her. "Are you available for another brother—
"—or two?" Fred leered at her.
"No, thank you." She stepped back and poured a generous slug of single malt into a tumbler. "This is for Minerva."
And she escaped the room, happy to shut the door on the chaos and being manhandled by the drunken twins.
She pressed the glass into the older witch's hand and moved in close to Severus, needing his calm. Minerva seemed more at ease. No doubt she had tore a strip from Severus when Hermione had gone for the drink, but whatever had been said seemed to have eased the tension between the two old colleagues.
The itch to know pushed under Hermione's skin, but she could hardly ask.
Minerva sipped at her whisky and released a slow breath. A smile lifted her lips as she stared into the glass of amber liquid. "Glenfiddich. A good choice." She looked between them. "I will admit, I was —am— shocked…but," she held up a finger and her blue eyes sparkled, "you will fit well together. You're both clever and hard working and committed. And loyal." Her gaze flitted across Severus, something moving there, before she looked back to Hermione. "So very loyal. Never forget that.
"Now, if you'll excuse me?" And Minerva slugged back her whisky, handed the glass to Severus and disappeared down the stairs into the kitchen.
Hermione frowned. "What was that about?" She looked up at her fiancé. "What did you say to her, Severus?"
He vanished the glass and tucked a stray tendril back, a curl of magic chasing it back into the loose updo. "I simply shared our plans." He pushed through the first button of her cloak. "Are you quite warm now?"
The innocent question rioted through her, as did the continuing slow slide of his hands down over her chest. Always proper. Never brushing or touching where they shouldn't…but still. He was undressing her. She almost swayed, the fierce ache in her flesh, hot and tight…
"What would you like, little witch?"
Oh, that so-quiet question was wicked when he'd said they would wait until their wedding night…
"There is an empty cupboard. Right there."
Severus lifted an eyebrow. "Is there?"
"And I have no wish to mingle."
The door opened behind him and Hermione put her hand in the middle of his chest. His heart thudded under her touch, matching the hurried beat of her own.
"You wish to hang up your cloak instead?" His low voice was innocence itself, but there was a burn in the darkness of his eyes. A fire just for her. Gods. Seven months. Seven. At this rate, she wouldn't last seven days…
The door shut behind her and her wards stretched over it, fierce and strong and thick with silencing spells. Hermione pressed herself up against him and pressed her hand to the smooth paleness of his jaw, before allowing her fingers to slid into the soft, black silk of his hair. His eyelids fluttered under her slow caress and she almost groaned.
His mouth was already dipping to hers, his arms urging her close. The first tease of his breath, his lips, the brush of warmth, the retreat, and then back, more sure, deeper… Gods, he was delicious.
Her hand fisted in his hair and he moaned against her lips. No, she would never forget the privilege she had with Severus Snape being her wizard.
Never.
And another person told. I may go back to this night at the party. I'm undecided. I planned to end it differently, but then Hermione pushed Severus into a cupboard... *shrug*
