Don't own the characters, just the plot. Thanks to J.K Rowling for the peeps to play with.
Prologue
The summer sun, beating through the window, announced the new day. Groaning, Hermione Granger rolled over in bed and tried to block out the bright light. "Shit", she thought, "whatever possessed me to drink that much last night?" Slowly, she slid out of bed and stumbled to the adjoining bathroom. She held the palm of her hand to the side of her head in a futile attempt to stop the walls which were spinning crazily around her. Dropping to her knees, she heaved repeatedly into the toilet. After the spell passed, she conjured up a wet towel and wiped her face. Only then did she notice, on the back of the toilet, was a flask labeled "Hangover Cure" and a note.
Miss Granger,
After your appalling behavior following the Leaving Feast, I have no doubt you will be in need of this.
SS
"Very thoughtful", she thought, "and they knew exactly where I would find it, too. Now if only I could remember who SS is." Shrugging, she drained the flask, groaning loudly as she tipped her head back. She leaned back against the stone wall and let the potion work it's way through her body. As she waited for the headache and nausea to work their way from her system, she closed her eyes and struggled to recall what had transpired in the last 24 hours.
She had graduated at the top of her class that morning. Her parents looked so proud, seated in the Great Hall, as they watched her give her speech. At the reception following, she stayed by their side, enjoying the comfort of being their "little girl" for just a while longer. Following the reception, she would be saying her goodbyes to a good many of her friends from the last 7 years. Almost everyone in her class was leaving Hogwarts. Ron would be training as an Auror, Lavender was taking a Charms apprenticeship at Durmstrang, Neville was moving on to St. Mungo's to train as a medic, and the list went on and on…
Only she and Harry were remaining at Hogwarts. Harry was very restricted in where and when he could leave the castle grounds. Voldemort was still at large and had made it be known that he would stop at nothing to kill him. During the last couple of years, his followers had been all but eradicated. Pettigrew, Lucius Malfoy, Fudge, and more, all dead. Hermione had actually witnessed the elder Malfoy's death, right here on the Hogwart's grounds. Malfoy had been ordered to kill Professor Snape for his traitorous behavior against the Dark Lord, and had been incinerated by the wand of Dumbledore himself.
She had been asked to remain at Hogwart's as well. After a well-deserved summer break, she would begin training in more advanced Healing from Madam Pomfrey. She, too, was at risk from Voldemort. She had become a very powerful witch in her own right, thanks to determination and her incessant drive for knowledge. To harness her and her powers would be quite a coup for the Dark Lord.
Last night, as the whistle of the Hogwart's Express sounded up from Hogsmeade, she and Harry opened a bottle of Old Ogden's Fire Whiskey, sat on the front steps, and watched the train head down the tracks. They toasted their friends, Hermione's parents, the staff who was leaving for the summer, and anyone else they could think of, as the train chugged away. When they couldn't see even the plume of steam from the boiler anymore, they stumbled back into the castle and made their way, giggling to the Great Hall.
A few of the staff members were still gathered around the Head table, laughing, relaxing, and enjoying quietness of NO STUDENTS. Seven years of working closely with Harry and Hermione had relaxed the staff. They had been very useful in planning the last several battles, and as such, had been recently viewed more as contemporaries than students. So nothing seemed amiss when the two youngest residents of Hogwart's came weaving their way towards the head table. Their eyes glazed, they threw themselves down in chairs.
A few more bottles of various drink appeared on the table. Apparently the House Elves were doing a bit of celebrating themselves and thought the teaching staff could use some loosening up, too.
Most had dispensed of their teaching robes and were relaxing in much more comfortable clothing. Hermione had stripped her own robe off to reveal jeans and a cropped t-shirt. Reclining at the Head Table, she unzipped the boots she was wearing, gave two kicks to send them skittering across the floor. Socks quickly followed suit. She stretched, leaned back, and put her bare feet in Harry's lap. He too was now only in jeans and tee. She reached over and grabbed the bottle from him, and took a long, hard swig. Across the table, Remus Lupin chuckled, mumbled something, and a bottle of Old Ogden's appeared in front of him.
Sirius Black stood up at the other end of the table, sauntered down, spun a chair around and had a seat next to Remus. He grabbed the bottle right out of the werewolf's mouth and sucked several shots down himself. A warmth spread through Hermione as she watched his throat working the whiskey down. "I must really be buzzing", she thought, as her gaze traveled from his throat, to the dark hairs peeking out of the neck of the baggy, white, linen shirt he was wearing and back up to his mouth. She had never noticed how sensual his mouth was. His tongue slipped out to catch a dribble from his bottom lip. "I need another drink," she mumbled and emptied a good portion down her throat.
Sirius slammed the bottle back on the table, and wiped the excess from his beard. He rested his chin on the back of the chair and stared intently at the young woman across from him. "The Gods are kind," he thought as his gaze traveled. Long, curling honey brown hair hung off the back of the chair, almost brushing the floor. The dots which had freckled her nose had disappeared to reveal creamy skin, spreading down her face, past full, bee stung lips, and continued down her neck to……
"When did she acquire those? I must have a talk with Albus about his insistence the students wear those silly robes at all times." He followed on past her breasts, a narrow waist, flat stomach, hip. Eyes darted back up to the space between her shirt and jeans, more creamy flesh and a flash of red. "Is that a thong?" His mouth was getting extremely dry. He took the bottle from Remus again before the blond man even had time to get a taste. He raised the bottle again, drank until he had to stop and breathe. He made to hand it back to his friend. "Nevermind," Remus growled, "I've got my own now." Sirius glanced up to see his friend had conjured his own bottle. Sirius slid his bottle down the table towards the Headmaster.
"Happy Summer, Albus. These two seem to be just what we need to lighten things up around here. It's been too long, forgot how to have a good time." Sirius gave a knowing wink to Hermione , whose face flushed at being caught staring. "I may need some private tutoring to bone up on my good time skills. Any volunteers??"
Albus shook his head and returned the bottle to the bearded man. "Alas, I may be getting a little too old for a night with Mr. Ogden's. I'll leave that to you children, and retire for the evening. Minerva, may I walk you to your quarters??"
"Certainly Albus. Goodnight all." Minerva was clearly concerned as she observed what was going on at the other end of the table. Before she rose, she turned to her right, and whispered something to Professor Snape. He nodded, patted her on the arm, and said, "I shall see to it, goodnight". Several of the other members of the staff offered their goodnights and retired as well. Leaving the younger ones to their drink and celebrations.
A snifter of brandy appeared in front of Snape. Normally, he would have quickly retreated, but at the request of Minerva, he was to remain. "The Granger girl doesn't know what fire she is playing with." If he was to play watchdog, he may as well relax, too. Picking up the glass, he began swirling it, warming it with his hands. He leaned back and observed.
"Well, if anyone would have told me this morning, that tonight I would be sitting here, tying one on with the staff I wouldn't have believed It," Hermione thought. "But, here I am, getting toasted with Remus, Harry, Sirius, ……………and SNAPE." She noticed he still sat at the opposite end of the table, just watching her. Her brows knitted, struggling to put 2 and 2 together and figure out just why he was still here, and why HE was watching her. She knew enough about men's desires to know just why Sirius' gaze was traveling over her body, but Snape was another story. Human reactions were out of his reach. "Oh well, I'll think about that some other time. My mind is in no shape right now to work on one of the great mysteries of the wizarding world." She giggled out loud at this thought, not really sure exactly why it was funny.
The four of them continued on like this for a while. Drinking, joking, and in Hermione and Sirius' case, flirting outrageously. Snape watched from the shadows at the other end of the table, his presence all but forgotten.
Or so he thought.
"Hey Sevie, why don't you bust out of those Gods-awful stuffy robes and frock coat and join us down here?"
There was a collective intake of breath from Sirius, and Remus. They were not drunk enough to be that familiar with the Potions Master. Snape just rolled his eyes and sipped his brandy, making no move to join them.
Harry on the other hand was just as drunk as Hermione.
"I can't believe you just said that, 'Mione" Harry collapsed in a fit of laughter and slid out of his chair dragging her feet with him as he went. In a blink of an eye they were both laying on the floor, laughing hysterically. "Yeah, SEVIE, please do join us."
"Jeez, Harry, knock it off. I'm gonna pee my pants. Get off me"
"I think that these two need to be returned to Gryffindor Tower," Remus announced. "Before they really tick off Severus," went unspoken. He stood and came around the table to peel Harry off the floor. Sirius was right by his side, reaching down to help the young woman to her feet. Hermione gazed at him with stars in her eyes and leaned into the body that was trying to keep her on her feet.
"I'll just take 'Mione and tuck her away in her bed to sleep this off. You grab Harry, Fang."
"Wait," came the dark voice from the other end of the table. Quickly the Potions Master leapt to his feet and came face to face with Black. Barely controlling the hatred in his voice he spat "Don't you think you should see to your own Godson. Gods forbid something happens to The Boy Who Lived. I'll see her to her quarters." Leaving no room for argument, he swept Hermione up in his arms and stalked out of the Hall. He had no doubt that if it were left to Black, the girl would NOT be spending the night alone. If the girl was going to mix with a mutt like that, she at least needed to be sober to make that decision. Taking advantage of a drunken child was just unforgivable. "But not beyond Black to do."
Hermione was still staring, slack-jawed at the Professor as he carried her through the corridors of the castle. Alcohol definitely slowed her reaction time, but she eventually started to struggle.
"Put me down you git." She yelled as she tried, without success, to extricate herself from his grasp. As the world began to spin, she grasped his robe in an attempt to quell the feeling moving through her body.
Nausea.
She promptly vomited all over both of them and passed out.
Severus' stride faltered. He stopped, closed his eyes as he struggled to keep from pitching her out the closest window. Yet again, he rolled his eyes to the heavens, and resumed his trip to Gryffindor Tower. "Minerva really owes me for this one."
He found his way to the Head Girl's room and dropped her un-ceremoniously on her bed. Going through her top drawer, he pulled out what appeared to be a flannel gown. Several swishes of his wand later and she was cleaned up, in her gown, and tucked in. He had cleaned his own robe as well. Dropping some floo powder in the fireplace he called "Accio Hangover Cure" which came flying into the room. He warded the fireplace against Sirius Black for the next 24 hours. He went to her desk and scribbled a quick note. "Where to put it?" Picturing the state she would be in, come morning, he decided that the back of the toilet would probably be best. Leaving it there, he left her rooms, slamming the door. Using the same charm as the fireplace, he assured that she would be able to sleep it off before deciding to lie down with the dogs.
Hermione never even heard the slam. She was having the most delicious dream. Dreaming of black wavy hair, warm brown eyes, dark beard, muscular body, and …………
the smell of flea soap?????
TBC