Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Harry Potter et al and am not making any money.
Chapter 1
It was one week into the new term at Hogwarts and Hermione Granger was settling into her new role as Charms professor quiet nicely. Harry Potter was also settling in at Hogwarts as the new flying instructor/ Quidditch coach. Both Hermione and Harry were still getting used to calling all their old professors by their first names. Well, that held true for Harry at least. He had won the last stand against Voldemort in the last half of their seventh year and he was totally respected by all in the wizarding world.
Monday morning at 7:30 Hermione and Harry were enjoying a leisurely breakfast in the Great Hall surrounded by their colleagues. The one person who acted as if his life would be ten times better if he did not have to see Harry and Hermione everyday was Professor Severus Snape. This particular morning Professor Snape swept into the Great Hall and took a seat to Harry's right.
"Potter and Granger. How nice. Where is Weasley? I guess the dream team has broken up at last." Spat Professor Snape in a way that made dream team sound like a dirty word.
After exchanging a look with Hermione, Harry said, "Good morning to you too, Severus. Actually, Ron is coming to spend the day with us on Saturday. You already know that he has a job working with his father at the Ministry."
"Oh, great. Just stay out of my way this weekend why don't you. I am in no mood for your silly, childish games." Professor Snape said.
Harry and Hermione looked at each other and smirked.
Harry asked, "Hermione, do you know if Ginny is going to be able to come with Ron?"
"Yes, Harry, she'll be here. Do you miss her that much?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, I miss her a whole lot." Answered Harry.
"Ah, Potter's got a girlfriend. I suppose that Miss Granger cannot wait for Mr. Weasley, can she? When's the last time either of you had a good snog session?"
Harry gritted his teeth and answered quietly, "I could ask you the same question Professor Snape. Our love lives are none of your business. Yes, Ginny is my girlfriend, and yes, I do love her with my whole being. Do not ask me about this again." With this said Harry threw the dirtiest look in Severus' direction and left the table for his office.
Hermione sat there for a few minutes and then said quietly, "Professor Snape, not that it is any business of yours, but I would like to defend myself against that last claim you made. Ron and I are not dating. We tried it once in school and decided that we were better friend than boyfriend/girlfriend material."
Albus decided to jump into the conversation at that point and said, "Really, Severus, none of what was just said between yourself, Harry, and Hermione was any of your concern. It is well known that you-"
"Thank you, Headmaster." Severus said.
"What I mean to say Severus is that maybe you should work on your own love life before attacking others." Albus added.
"As I said, thank you, Headmaster. I will think about that." Severus repeated.
At that moment the mail arrived, and several letters landed at Hermione's place at the table. One was a letter from Ron and Ginny; one was a letter from her parents; one was a letter from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley; and the last one had no return address. This was just a bit puzzling. She stuck this letter into her robes for later and receded to read the other three. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's letter was full of Weasley news. One such tidbit was the surprising fact that Bill's wife had just had a baby.
She shared this news with the rest of the table. "Bill's wife Alice just had a baby, everyone. Mother and son are just fine. William Arthur Weasley weighed in at six pounds nine ounces." The news was met with cheers all around.
"Why, that is wonderful, isn't it Severus? A new baby, let me add him to the list of future students." Albus said with a twinkle in his eye.
"Oh, yes, just wonderful, another Weasley generation. How exciting." Severus said dryly.
Hermione ignored him and went back to her letters. Her parents were fine. They had just gotten back from a vacation in the South of France. Ron and Ginny's letter was full of excitement over the visit that was scheduled for the weekend. Hermione glanced at the time and realized she had thirty minutes to prepare for her first class. Rising, she stuffed the rest of the letters into her robes and was in the process of walking away when she felt a hand on her wrist effectively stopping her movement.
"Miss Granger, I am sorry for the way I acted this morning. I've hurt your feelings and I am sorry." Severus said.
"Well, I guess I forgive you for it this time, Professor Snape. I hope you have a good day. I must go and prepare for my classes. Thank you." Hermione answered softly.
"Good day, Miss Granger." Severus replied letting go of her wrist and watching her leave the room.
Albus grinned at him and said, "When are you going to get around to telling her that you love her? You heard what she said about Ron."
"Albus, it's not that easy. Who could ever love a former death eater like me? She would be better off without me. Anyway, I did write her a letter this morning. I signed it secret admirer. You have to promise that you won't stick your nose into this, Albus. Let it go on for as long as it will. Until I can judge for myself how she feels about me, please." Severus said softly.
Minerva scoffed at that, "Severus, really, secret admirer letters? You're taking the coward's way out. And besides this love you feel is not completely one-sided you know."
Severus said, "Be that as it may, Minerva, I will do what I think is best for my own love life, thank you very much. How in the hell do you know that she has feelings for me?"
Minerva answered with a grin, "I wasn't her head of house for seven years for nothing you know. During that time her feelings for you changed a great deal. Nothing was ever said, but I was able to pick up on a couple of things. Anyway, I don't know about you, Severus, but I have a class to teach in two minutes. Good day."
Severus swore. He had a lot to think about, but he also had a class to teach. All the professors left the Great Hall for their classrooms. Finally, the only person left at the head table was Albus.
As he got up from his chair he said, "As you wish, Severus. I will keep my nose out of your business, but I may need to have a confidential talk with Harry."
With that said Albus walked into his office to start his daily activities.