A/N: Well, all the kind reviews have convinced me to continue. Thank you all! However, I apparently could not manage to extend it without inserting some sort of plot. The characters demanded it.
"So how is Academia treating you?"
Hermione polished off the last bit of curry on her plate, and looked over at her lunch date.
"Wonderful!" She smiled broadly. "The classes are amazing! Did you know the Arithmancy department has an actual Formula Foundry? It's linked directly into the ley lines! And did I tell you I'm minoring in Law? Every Thursday I get to attend Wizengamot meetings and act as an aide in the Department of Rules and Regulations! "
Harry smiled back. "Well, once you're done you can bring SPEW to the next level, with no legal loopholes. "
Hermione swatted his arm. She had missed bantering with her best friend.
"Ginny is visiting this weekend. Would you like to come over for dinner?"
"Actually, I have a date tonight."
"Really? You never told me you were seeing anyone. Or are you back together with Ron?"
"Ron?" Hermione snorted. "What, because I had a little crush on him in fourth year and snogged him in the heat of the moment in the middle of a bloody battle?"
Harry simply raised an eyebrow.
"No, Harry. I nipped that in the bud after he attempted to convince me to 'console' him after Fred's funeral. I mean really, can you imagine me popping out red-haired children and cooking for him while he drones on about Quidditch all the time? You're the only thing we ever had in common. Besides, he left us, remember? I could never trust him properly after that."
"Well then spill. Who's the lucky fellow?"
"First you need to promise me you won't over-react."
"Blimey, Hermione, who could it be that would require that? Please tell me it's not Malfoy."
"Which Malfoy?" Hermione couldn't resist, as she tapped her wand to the grotesque Gringotts effigy to pay for their lunch.
"You're joking. Please tell me you're joking. "
"I'm joking."
"Really?"
"Yes. It's really Severus Snape."
Harry froze, then stared intensely at her. Finally, he shrugged. "I see what you just did there. After Malfoy Sr. with his pimp cane, the dungeon bat doesn't look so bad. Clever."
Hermione patted him on the head. "You are learning, my young Padawan. Soon you will be a Jedi."
Harry waved his hand to open the door for them, Jedi-style. Hermione just laughed.
"So, how in Merlin's name did you ever land a date with Severus Snape, Super Spy, Potions Master, Order of Merlin First Class, otherwise known as the Hated Greasy Bat of the Dungeons?" Harry could not contain his curiosity as they walked towards the Apparition point.
Hermione summarized the fiasco with as few words as possible. "Potions Accident. We both got dosed with a love potion, fought it off, accidentally got high, and found, when it all wore off, we were still rather fond of one another."
"What? So you do some potions bonding with him and suddenly you're in love with him? That sounds rather suspicious."
Hermione sighed. "I never said I'm in love with him. But I do like him, and yes, we both spent days in St. Mungo's to ensure we were clear of any potions. We're still getting to know one another as equals."
"What do your parents think?"
Hermione glared at him. Her parents were a sore spot for her – they had opted to remain in Australia after she restored their memories. They had forgiven her, mostly, but could not bring themselves to trust her so easily. Their relationship was still a bit strained.
"Mum was concerned about the age difference. I told her that when I'm 150 and he's 169 nobody will be able to tell. Besides, no offense but boys my age still act like spotty teenagers."
"None taken. He smirked at her. "So you're thinking long-term, are you? Are those wedding bells I hear in the distance? Should I be purchasing tiny black robes with lots of buttons?"
"Oh, sod off." Hermione's mouth twitched as she attempted to subdue a smile. "That's a bit presumptuous. He hasn't even kissed me yet. " She sobered. They had exchanged friendly letters, but she had not been in his actual presence since she left Hogwarts, and was not entirely sure where they stood.
Suddenly, a buzzing sound emanated from Harry's left pocket. He withdrew a silver spherical object, and squinted at the small writing coiled around it.
"I've got to go to the office. There's been another Inferi attack!" He sounded far too gleeful for such a dark occurrence. "Good luck tonight!" He winked at her.
"I'm hoping I can use my wits and charm, not rely on luck." Hermione retorted. "Have fun with your Inferi. Do let me know if I need to prepare for a zombie apocalypse."
Harry grinned. "Braaaains." He moaned dramatically, as he apparated back to the Auror office, two blocks away.
Severus Snape quickly wrote out instructions for the young Potions professor Minerva had finally found, after Severus had vehemently stated that he had agreed to come back for one more year, and no longer. Petronius Pontmercy was currently teaching the younger years and assisting the NEWT classes. He was young and looked like the love-child of Gilderoy Lockhart and Narcissa Malfoy, but he was surprisingly competent, so Severus felt no guilt at the thought of leaving the Hogwarts potions curriculum in his hands next school year.
Looking in the mirror, Severus frowned. He had actually put some effort into his appearance since the war ended, but the results were discouraging. Straight teeth did not make his nose less prominent. He had used shampoo geared towards individuals like himself with overactive sebaceous glands, and his hair had consequently decided to absorb copious amounts of static electricity from the environment and extrude in all directions. He tied it back with a frown. Constantly having to work with that Adonis of a Pontmercy prat was not helping his self image.
He sighed. Every so often he would decide that a... dalliance... with Hermione was a ridiculous notion. But every time, just before he put pen to paper to inform her of this, something would change his mind. A few weeks after she left Hogwarts, he was feeling particularly undeserving in the Three Broomsticks when two underdressed young ladies had approached him flirtatiously, praising his accomplishments. It took him ten minutes to extricate himself, all the while feeling only revulsion for the empty headed ninnies attempting to get close to his fame, and wishing for intelligent brown eyes and horrid hair instead of the vacant blue and perfect coiffure.
His second lapse was interrupted by the delivery of his Innovations en sorcellerie magazine, featuring the analysis of certain arithmantic equations during the potion-creating process he had assisted Hermione with. He opened it to her article, and felt a rush of affection and... worthiness... as he read.
"Dedicated to Severus Snape, whose input, assistance and pure brilliance allowed my conjectures to transform into certifiable results."
He was doomed.
Hermione's nervousness had reached epic levels as she approached the restaurant. She had spent far too long deciding what to wear and experimenting with beauty charms in a futile attempt to tame her wild hair into a semblance of order.
She entered the restaurant to find him already seated at a table for two.
The moment she saw him, all fear and nerves dissipated. She had faced death with this man. She had seen him shed all barriers and imitate a Muppet, for Merlin's sake. She had watched him as he was clinically dead for two minutes, before the potions she had shoved down his throat took effect. For some reason, that seemed far more intimate than any physical encounter could possibly be.
"Hello, Severus." Hermione slid across from him. "How is Hogwarts?" She asked inanely.
"I have left my duties in the capable hands of Pontmercy the Prat." He said smoothly.
As they discussed their respective lives, Hermione was astonished to discover how easily their conversation flowed, and how their exclusively epistolary relationship of the past few months translated seamlessly into real life.
She placed her hand atop his, and they both froze. The restaurant around them had faded. Time stopped, and she was aware only of him. His hand, tingling in hers. It felt as if something intangible of his was melding with her, and in that perfect moment of clarity they were the only two beings in existence.
The waiter arrived with their food, and the moment was broken. The feeling of euphoria, however, remained.
Severus looked at his food contemplatively. He had never put much stock in romantic twaddle. Angels singing and the earth moving was a fantasy, not something that real people experienced. And yet how else could he describe such an intense moment? He had not had time for romance as a spy, and honestly had no inclination for it for the decade after Lily died. And when she was alive, he had only been able to see her.
He took a bite, then looked over at Hermione. Still so young, but matured beyond her years by the trials of war. Surely she deserved to be able to make her own decisions, and if what she really wanted was a jaded old ugly man almost twice her age, who was he to argue?.
He pointed he wand at her head and muttered "Finite." Hermione gaped at him. "What was that for?"
"You looked far too..." He paused, trying to select the correct word, then eventually gave up. "Nice. I prefer your hair to be horrid." He then ran his hand down one of her escaping curls.
"You know, odd as it is, I think that might just be the most honest, and therefore most touching compliment I have ever received." Hermione said softly.
"I promise not to make a habit of it." His face was slowly moving towards hers. She closed her eyes, ready to meet his lips for their first kiss.
A sudden flap of wings appeared between their faces, causing them both to jump away. The other restaurant patrons stared in confusion as an owl screeched, dropped some parchment into the soup, then flew out through the open window.
"Damn the Ministry. Can't they find a more discreet method of communication in Muggle areas?" Severus fumed as he unrolled the dripping parchment.
"Apparently there has been suspected Death Eater activity recently. The Auror office 'requests' my presence post haste. I suppose they mean to interrogate me."
"Is this about the Inferi attacks?"
"Inferi?" Severus looked concerned.
"I met with Harry this afternoon. He was called back to deal with an Inferi attack. It was not the first one."
Severus sighed. "I had better talk to Potter before submitting myself to the Ministry. If they're going to conscript me into tracking Dark Wizards, I need all the information I can get as leverage."
Hermione nodded sadly. This was not at all how she had wanted her evening to go. But all was not lost – she was certain he had been about to kiss her. She surreptitiously conjured a thermally unconducive container and transferred the remaining food, while he paid the bill. No point wasting a meal.
"Can we come through?" Hermione's voice emerged from the fireplace at Grimmauld Place. Ginny looked surprised. "Harry said you had a date, so we didn't save you any dinner. Come through. Is everything alright?"
Hermione stepped through the Floo and dusted the soot off her skirt as Severus exited behind her.
"Miss Weasley. I hope you are well." He nodded politely.
Ginny's eyes widened, but simply responded. "Fine, Professor. And you?"
Harry's voice came from the stairs.
"The bath is poured. I found the candles and romantic bubble stuff you like. Can you please bring up the champagne..." He petered off as he noticed the guests. "Er..."
"Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Potter, but I must sadly decline. I have already bathed today." Severus deadpanned. Hermione snorted, while Ginny muffled a giggle and Harry's face turned beet red.
"Sorry, S.. Professor Snape. I, er, did not know you were here. Welcome to my... house." He stuttered.
"You are no longer my student, Mr. Potter. You may call me Severus." He narrowed his eyes at Ginny. "As for you, I am curious how you managed to leave school for a weekend with your paramour," Ginny blushed. "...but right now we have more important matters. May we sit?"
Ginny nodded, looking a bit pale. Severus sat down beside Hermione, who had not bothered to wait for an invitation and had already made herself comfortable.
"Mr. Potter, I understand you are involved in the Auror's investigation regarding an Inferi attack?"
"Yes sir, um, Severus. And call me Harry. Please." He paused. "Um, the Auror department is a bit thin since so many perished in the battle at Hogwarts, so they called in us trainees to help out."
"They have requested that I join the team, as it were." Severus glanced at Hermione as she took her hand in his and squeezed. A wave of... euphoria ... overtook him. "Can you disclose in detail all the information you have?"
As Harry went over the details with Severus, Hermione withdrew to procure pen and paper, grateful that Harry, muggle-raised as he was, also preferred the more sensible implements. She began the Arithmantic calculations, adding variables as Harry divulged more information.
"Severus, do you know of any Death Eaters or sympathizers that escaped Azkaban?" Hermione asked, once Harry was finished.
"Only Draco, and he's so busy with community service and keeping his nose clean it's extremely unlikely he's involved."
"So we're looking for a Dark witch or wizard unaffiliated with Tom Riddle, who is powerful enough to create at least a hundred Inferi and keep them under control..."
"Harry, you say the inferi disappeared as soon as the Aurors arrived. Can you please elaborate?" Severus questioned. "For instance, did they instantaneously pop away? Did they fade?"
"No," Harry replied. "It was more like they shrunk until they were so small we could no longer see them. We investigated the area thoroughly afterwards, even took soil samples to see if they were still in there, and we didn't find anything."
Severus' face turned even more pallid than usual.
"Bloody buggering bollocks!", he bellowed, then calmed himself. "Sorry. The Dark... Tom Riddle used to sometimes conjure Inferi by transfiguring dead insects into human-like shapes before animating them. Then all he needed to do when he was finished with them was – I assume - a finite in Parseltongue. But the regular inferius curse will not work on non-human corpses. Riddle always used a Parseltongue spell to animate them. But he was not one to share his knowledge with his minions."
Ginny paled, then looked at Harry. "Is there any possibility you guys missed a Horcrux? If Tom made one after he learned that spell, it could be possessing someone..."
"I don't think so." Harry mused. "I saw into the mind of MouldyShorts when he discovered we were onto him. He went to check on each of them – and those were all destroyed."
"Could one have possessed someone before you destroyed it? A few months after the diary, I started having dreams of what I had done under Tom's control. It really scared me. I had to attend counselling sessions all throughout second year." Harry put his arm around her protectively.
Hermione's hand raced across her paper as the equations suddenly balanced, and projected themselves in a sphere around her.
"Extrapolating from the three previous occurrences, there are three possible locations for the next attack. Here they are in descending order of probability..." She scribbled the name of three towns on a new paper, then moved some runes in the air with a wave of her hand. "The calculations indicate that these attacks are most likely a cover for something even more nefarious, and there is an 86% chance it is somehow connected to the Ministry."
The four of them deliberated, until Harry and Hermione yelled out in unison.
"Umbridge!"
