I don't own the characters that you recognize and I don't own the song. The song is just the tequila talkin' by Lonestar. Hope you like. I think I failed but I tried to keep Sev as in character as I could.
It Was Just The Tequila Talking
I called about that conversation
That I had with you last night
It must have been a combination
Of shooters and neon lights
"Hello Hermione?" Snape said nervously into the payphone receiver.
"Yes? Who is it?" Hermione's voice in the receiver said.
"It's Severus." He said his voice changing from nervous to clipped and stern.
"Oh hello." She said, not it was her turn to sound nervous.
"Can us erm, meet up again. I need to explain about last night." Severus said staring down the street towards the leaky cauldron.
"Oh yes, sure, what time?" Hermione asked and Severus could hear her fumbling with something at the other end of the line.
"How about now?" Severus said and waited for the reply.
"Oh erm yes sure. At the leaky cauldron? I'll be there in 10 minutes." And then Severus heard the click as the receiver at Hermione's end was put down.
**The Night Before**
Severus found himself in a bar that wasn't his usual taste. A Mexican bar, sort of. It had that theme but there were a lot of cowboy-esque people in there, line dancing and such like. He had only stopped here at the hope of being left a lone by anyone who knew him. And anybody that knew him wouldn't be in this bar, It was a muggle bar to begin with and it was, well, themed.
Severus found his way to the corner of the room furthest away from the door and the dance floor. Luckily there was an empty table there. He sat there and looked around for a waitress. When he had caught the waitress's attention he ordered several tequilas. 'They should last me' he thought and surveyed the room even more closely. He didn't look very out of place here, as he did everywhere else. Most of the men had hair longer than his and like his it was tied back. He was wearing black muggle clothes, a shirt and trousers. He didn't know why he insisted on hiding in muggle bars, he could have hidden just as well in his own chambers. But then it got even more depressing being confined to the castle and there was always the chance someone would knock on his chamber doors.
His tequila arrived and he nodded at the waitress before she walked away.
"Snape?" came a surprised exclamation from behind him.
He turned round to see who it was, with a sinking feeling as the voice sounded far to familiar.
"Professor Snape? What are you doing here?" it was Hermione Granger.
It had been years since he had seen this girl, now a woman.
"Miss Granger." He nodded in acknowledgement and took a shot of tequila and threw it to the back of his throat and swallowed.
Hermione just watched in amazement at her former teacher drinking tequila shooters. Not what she would have expected at all.
"Mind if I join you?" she asked.
"If you must." He said and watched her take the seat opposite him.
"Wow long time since I saw you." Hermione said taking a mouthful of her own drink. "Must be what? 10 years? Is it really that long since I left Hogwarts?"
"Yes it is." Severus said and fell silent again.
"Well you've not changed." Hermione smiled. "Still teaching at Hogwarts?"
"yes." Severus answered shortly.
"Oh come on erm, Severus. I'm not a pupil now. You can talk to me civilly." She laughed at him.
It was obvious she had been drinking for a while. Her face was flushed and she giggled nervously. Maybe she wouldn't remember what she had done tonight. For some reason Severus was rather glad of her company. He hadn't seen the girl in years and he had for many years lusted after her. Not any sort of love, just pure lust, that's what he told himself. The girl had and still was very beautiful, slim and had a lovely personality. She hadn't lost any of her youthful exuberance. She was 28 and still only looked 19. She was dressed in an emerald green dress with spaghetti straps. The material looked like silk. It was simply cut so as not to look too dressy and formal, after all she was in a bar. Her bushy hair had been transformed into softly curled ringlets and tendrils. She had tied her hair back and twisted it up, it was held with one clip. Severus thought how easy it would be to undo that clip and let her hair fall on to her shoulders and face. He snapped out of it quickly.
After a couple of hours and more than a few tequilas later, both of them were nostalgically reminiscing about Hermione's school days.
"You know I missed potions classes after I left." Hermione said.
"Really? Why? Not get enough sarcastic remarks from anyone else?" Severus asked. Even when under the influence of alcohol he didn't smile.
"No, not the remarks. You. Dunno why but I missed your… something." She said introspectively.
"I know what you mean. I've been losing it since you left." Severus said and stopped immediately.
"What?" Hermione looked up sharply.
"I didn't hate you in your childhood. I actually was rather attracted to you." Severus felt him self grow slightly hot but he ignored it.
"Really? Because I know I had a crush on you for years." Hermione said with a wry smile.
Drunkenly she got up and walked round the table to Severus side. She sat on his lap facing him, one leg either side of his own.
"Can I see what it would be like to kiss the 'oh so unapproachable potions master'?" she asked, but before she got a reply her lips were at his. Searching his mouth with her tongue and reveling in it.
**end memory**
I didn't really mean to say
"I've been losing it since you left"
Yeah, I may have said the words
But they came from somewhere else
Severus walked into the leaky cauldron and went up the little back staircase to his room and changed into his robes. He felt safer in them than in muggle clothes. Maybe it was all the layers to them. It kept him inside his chosen character. When he was ready he walked downstairs into the parlor.
Hermione was sat at a table in the corner with a drink. She waved as she saw him. He strode over menacingly, he wanted to seem as intimidating as he had been in her school days.
"Miss Granger." He said as a form of greeting.
"oh I think calling me Hermione would be ok." She smiled.
Severus raised an eyebrow and sat down at the table, into the chair opposite her same as last night.
"about last night," Severus began.
It was just the tequila talkin'
When I told you I'm still not over you
I get a little sentimental
When I've had one or two
And that tear in my eye
Was the salt and the lime
Not the memory of you walkin'
If I said I'm still in love with you
It was just the tequila talkin'
"Don't worry Severus. I understand. It was just the tequila talking. I know. Pretty bad case of that myself." She said and too another mouthful of the drink in her hand.
She noticed Severus look at the glass.
"No not alcohol, just lemonade today." She said smiling.
A child walked up tot eh table and stood next to Hermione. He must have been about 5 or 6.
"Mummy, can I go and get an ice-cream? From the ice-cream
shop? One with rainbow bits in it?" he asked grabbing hold of her hand.
"Yes in a minute Ben, I'm just talking to Severus." She took her purse out of
her bag and gave the boy some money, "go and get yourself a drink from tom."
The little boy ran off and Severus turned to Hermione.
"Your son?" he asked.
"Yes. Ben, he's 6. That's why I'm glad you feel the same way as me about what happened last night. I'm married you see and I have been for the past 8 years. Early time to get married I know but hey when love calls you can't say no can you?" she said and laughed nervously, realizing who she was talking to.
Severus just looked at her and clasped his hands together.
"Well now that's sorted, I have a little boy who wants an ice cream and your welcome to join us if you want." She laughed and looked at him. "but that would ruin your reputation as scary potions master, and probably ruin your scary impression for Ben. He has to go to Hogwarts too and it wouldn't be the same without the disagreeable Severus Snape now would it?" Hermione stuck her hand out for him to shake it.
He merely looked at it then sternly back at her. She shrugged and walked over to the bar were tom was showing Ben his pet toad.
"come on Ben sweetie." She said and lifted him off the stool and took his hand. Together they walked out towards the entrance to Diagon Alley.
Severus watched them leave and then returned to his rooms. He didn't know why but now he felt awful. He had been rejected. He was the one that was supposed to crush her by telling her he had no feeling for her at all and it turned out she had done it to him. Used him for one kiss and a few past memories.
I don't know what they put in Cuervo
That got me to say those things
Usually I wouldn't care so much
Or make such a scene
But seeing you there in that dress you were wearing
Just drove me right out of my head
So don't hold me responsible
For anything I might have said
But then he thought about the kiss. Yes that was all he had wanted really. Just one kiss from the seemingly perfect Hermione. He had got it hadn't he? And another rejection to add to his large collection.