*A/N* I LOVE you guys! I have so many reviews that it shocks me to see them! Keep 'em coming! This chapter is basically me goofing off, as is the next one. Enjoy!
The last three weeks of Summer were the most blissful of their lives. It amazed Severus that this exquisite creature would desire his company, would let him kiss her and return his affections. Hermione was equally satisfied with their relationship--she had always thought she'd get stuck with someone like Ron, who told her she shouldn't study so much instead of encouraging her to learn as much as possible. Minny practically glowed with excitement, and although he was still in hiding for the most part, Crookshanks was starting to re-insinuate himself into their lives. Library time was a nightly ritual, then chess, then bed in either of their rooms.
Hermione also got the swim she'd promised herself. Leaving her robes near the side of the lake, she called Severus telepathically. [Get out here in the water! It's a good day for swimming!] Snapping a reed from the side of the lake, Hermione watched for Snape. As soon as he was visible, she ducked under the water, the reed sticking up inconspicuously among its relatives. Snape walked to the edge of the lake, still in his robes. "Hermione?" he called. "Hermione, where are you? This is silly, Hermio--" She had pulled him into the water with a splash, and he came up sopping wet. Hermione popped up in front of him, laughing.
"YOU!" he sputtered. Then, glowering (or trying to), he ducked under the water and knocked Hermione's legs from under her. When she didn't come back up, he started to get nervous. "Hermione?" he called. She surfaced right behind him, then grabbed his shoulders to scare him. "Good God, Severus, get out of those robes! Don't you have swimming trunks?" He raised an eyebrow. Hermione rolled her eyes, whispered a charm, and suddenly Snape was wearing something far more embarrassing than swim trunks.
Hermione laughed hysterically. "Why Severus, I never thought you'd look so good in a Speedo!" Rolling his eyes, he transfigured the Speedo into swim trunks and immediately felt better. He had felt somewhat exposed in the Speedo--their more amorous activities never went far enough for her to see that much of him. They had an unspoken agreement of sorts, the terms of which he wasn't ready to breach yet. He was instantly glad he wasn't wearing the Speedo anymore when he got a look at Hermione in a bikini.
Before he could pursue that thought much further, Hermione had pulled him into a passionate kiss. Just as he was responding enthusiastically, she broke away and dove underwater again. Growling playfully, he dove after her, kissing her thoroughly before letting her back up to the surface. They 'swam' all afternoon, and were only stopped when an owl hooted frantically above them, holding a long envelope.
"That's Dumbledore's owl, isn't it?" Hermione stepped onto the bank and reached out to pluck the letter from the owl's talons. Obviously, the bird didn't expect any replies, promptly flying off into the distance. Hermione whispered a charm to dry herself off, donned her robes (much to Snape's disappointment) and sat down in the grass to open the letter. Snape followed her example, recovering his own robes and moving to sit next to her. "What's in it?" he asked as she began to grin.
"Severus, Hermione," began the note, "I came across these particular tickets and thought of you two. I believe you could have quite an evening together, if you know what I mean. Best of luck! I look forward to seeing you both at Hogwarts next year.--Albus"
Hermione frowned. "How did he know?" Severus only laughed, something he'd been doing more often these days. Dumbledore had sent them tickets to see Dvorak's "New World" symphony. "How fitting," remarked Snape, with his usual smirk. "You want to go, then?" Hermione turned to him, beaming. "Are you kidding? I love Dvorak! Although when I'm interested in more melancholy music I turn to Don Giovanni and Faust." Snape chuckled. "You like opera, do you?" Hermione nodded enthusiastically. Snape catalogued this for future reference.
"Well," he sighed melodramatically. "I suppose you'll have to go shopping in London this week." Hermione grinned mischievously. "No, no, Severus. We're going shopping. I am not shopping by myself--I need a second opinion." She laughed when he groaned miserably. "Women!" Hermione pouted. "I thought you liked women!" He turned to her, suddenly serious. "Only one of them." He then pulled her into another smoldering kiss. When they finally broke apart, Hermione smirked, "Don't think that's going to get you out of a shopping trip. You're going to need some muggle clothes to wear."
~~~~~~~~~~~
Snape did end up being dragged all around London a few days later. Hermione had turned out to be quite the shopaholic, which was unfortunate for Snape because he--like many other males--abhorred shopping trips. He was currently sitting outside of a changing room as Hermione tried on yet another dress. She always gauged his initial reaction, then asked him how the dress looked. He always said, "You're beautiful, Hermione," but she, like all women, intuitively knew what he was really thinking. She'd tried a black dress, then a blue one, then lavender, but none of them had been quite right. Finally, she stepped out of the changing room and cleared her throat to get his attention. Snape nearly fell out of his chair.
Hermione was currently sporting a deep red dress, cut in an elegant off-the-shoulder design. The dress hugged the curves of her body as though it had been made for her. The neckline was tasteful, but low enough to grab the attention of any male who breathed--straight or not. She laughed and asked him innocently, "How do I look?" Snape took a moment to regain his composure and insisted, "You're getting that one." Unfortunately, it was now his turn.
Snape wasn't a patient man, and there was nothing he despised more than trying on clothes. He tried on suit after suit, and so many pairs of muggle trousers he thought he would end up with more muscular legs from stepping into so many. Finally, Hermione discovered an ensemble that was sleek and dashing, and he knew his ordeal was over just by the look on her face.
"Severus, to use a muggle expression, you are HOT. Do you have any idea how amazing you happen to look in a suit?" He just took her word for it, as all men do. Unfortunately, he wasn't free yet. Hermione also happened to want shoes and jewelry. Luckily she just left him alone for most of that part. They stopped at a cafe to have some coffee, then apparated back to the house. Hermione felt exhilarated. Snape felt exhausted. It was one of those nights where he lost their ritual chess game. He tried to comfort himself by fantasizing about the benefits of this little escapade: the next evening he'd get to see Hermione wearing that delicious dress.
The last three weeks of Summer were the most blissful of their lives. It amazed Severus that this exquisite creature would desire his company, would let him kiss her and return his affections. Hermione was equally satisfied with their relationship--she had always thought she'd get stuck with someone like Ron, who told her she shouldn't study so much instead of encouraging her to learn as much as possible. Minny practically glowed with excitement, and although he was still in hiding for the most part, Crookshanks was starting to re-insinuate himself into their lives. Library time was a nightly ritual, then chess, then bed in either of their rooms.
Hermione also got the swim she'd promised herself. Leaving her robes near the side of the lake, she called Severus telepathically. [Get out here in the water! It's a good day for swimming!] Snapping a reed from the side of the lake, Hermione watched for Snape. As soon as he was visible, she ducked under the water, the reed sticking up inconspicuously among its relatives. Snape walked to the edge of the lake, still in his robes. "Hermione?" he called. "Hermione, where are you? This is silly, Hermio--" She had pulled him into the water with a splash, and he came up sopping wet. Hermione popped up in front of him, laughing.
"YOU!" he sputtered. Then, glowering (or trying to), he ducked under the water and knocked Hermione's legs from under her. When she didn't come back up, he started to get nervous. "Hermione?" he called. She surfaced right behind him, then grabbed his shoulders to scare him. "Good God, Severus, get out of those robes! Don't you have swimming trunks?" He raised an eyebrow. Hermione rolled her eyes, whispered a charm, and suddenly Snape was wearing something far more embarrassing than swim trunks.
Hermione laughed hysterically. "Why Severus, I never thought you'd look so good in a Speedo!" Rolling his eyes, he transfigured the Speedo into swim trunks and immediately felt better. He had felt somewhat exposed in the Speedo--their more amorous activities never went far enough for her to see that much of him. They had an unspoken agreement of sorts, the terms of which he wasn't ready to breach yet. He was instantly glad he wasn't wearing the Speedo anymore when he got a look at Hermione in a bikini.
Before he could pursue that thought much further, Hermione had pulled him into a passionate kiss. Just as he was responding enthusiastically, she broke away and dove underwater again. Growling playfully, he dove after her, kissing her thoroughly before letting her back up to the surface. They 'swam' all afternoon, and were only stopped when an owl hooted frantically above them, holding a long envelope.
"That's Dumbledore's owl, isn't it?" Hermione stepped onto the bank and reached out to pluck the letter from the owl's talons. Obviously, the bird didn't expect any replies, promptly flying off into the distance. Hermione whispered a charm to dry herself off, donned her robes (much to Snape's disappointment) and sat down in the grass to open the letter. Snape followed her example, recovering his own robes and moving to sit next to her. "What's in it?" he asked as she began to grin.
"Severus, Hermione," began the note, "I came across these particular tickets and thought of you two. I believe you could have quite an evening together, if you know what I mean. Best of luck! I look forward to seeing you both at Hogwarts next year.--Albus"
Hermione frowned. "How did he know?" Severus only laughed, something he'd been doing more often these days. Dumbledore had sent them tickets to see Dvorak's "New World" symphony. "How fitting," remarked Snape, with his usual smirk. "You want to go, then?" Hermione turned to him, beaming. "Are you kidding? I love Dvorak! Although when I'm interested in more melancholy music I turn to Don Giovanni and Faust." Snape chuckled. "You like opera, do you?" Hermione nodded enthusiastically. Snape catalogued this for future reference.
"Well," he sighed melodramatically. "I suppose you'll have to go shopping in London this week." Hermione grinned mischievously. "No, no, Severus. We're going shopping. I am not shopping by myself--I need a second opinion." She laughed when he groaned miserably. "Women!" Hermione pouted. "I thought you liked women!" He turned to her, suddenly serious. "Only one of them." He then pulled her into another smoldering kiss. When they finally broke apart, Hermione smirked, "Don't think that's going to get you out of a shopping trip. You're going to need some muggle clothes to wear."
~~~~~~~~~~~
Snape did end up being dragged all around London a few days later. Hermione had turned out to be quite the shopaholic, which was unfortunate for Snape because he--like many other males--abhorred shopping trips. He was currently sitting outside of a changing room as Hermione tried on yet another dress. She always gauged his initial reaction, then asked him how the dress looked. He always said, "You're beautiful, Hermione," but she, like all women, intuitively knew what he was really thinking. She'd tried a black dress, then a blue one, then lavender, but none of them had been quite right. Finally, she stepped out of the changing room and cleared her throat to get his attention. Snape nearly fell out of his chair.
Hermione was currently sporting a deep red dress, cut in an elegant off-the-shoulder design. The dress hugged the curves of her body as though it had been made for her. The neckline was tasteful, but low enough to grab the attention of any male who breathed--straight or not. She laughed and asked him innocently, "How do I look?" Snape took a moment to regain his composure and insisted, "You're getting that one." Unfortunately, it was now his turn.
Snape wasn't a patient man, and there was nothing he despised more than trying on clothes. He tried on suit after suit, and so many pairs of muggle trousers he thought he would end up with more muscular legs from stepping into so many. Finally, Hermione discovered an ensemble that was sleek and dashing, and he knew his ordeal was over just by the look on her face.
"Severus, to use a muggle expression, you are HOT. Do you have any idea how amazing you happen to look in a suit?" He just took her word for it, as all men do. Unfortunately, he wasn't free yet. Hermione also happened to want shoes and jewelry. Luckily she just left him alone for most of that part. They stopped at a cafe to have some coffee, then apparated back to the house. Hermione felt exhilarated. Snape felt exhausted. It was one of those nights where he lost their ritual chess game. He tried to comfort himself by fantasizing about the benefits of this little escapade: the next evening he'd get to see Hermione wearing that delicious dress.