The living room was spacious, and surprisingly colourful, considering the
appearance of the downstairs hall. Apple green walls, hard wood floor with
soft umber coloured rug beside the large marble fireplace set off the huge
bay window facing the street.
A wide screen television was set in the corner. A floral sofa set, currently occupied by her father, granddad, and that hideous cat of hers who instantly recognised him; hissing, its back arching in annoyance.
"Crookshanks!" Hermione shouted, rushing over and picked the orange creature. Cuddling it in the crook of her arm. "Don't you be mean to ol' Sevvi, no no, bad kitty, bad kitty" she mumbled in to the fur of the purring cat, ignoring the look of disgust from Snape at the abbreviation of his given name.
~*~*~@~*~*~
After being introduced to her father, who in turn was also about five years younger then him in age he was presented to grandfather, who instantly went in to lengthy descriptions of his time in WWII and his encounter with Churchill on a ship. Snape found him-self content, and figured as long as Auntie Katy would stop stalking him, he could actually come to enjoy Christmas. He was left to his own amusement, currently marvelling over the function of the television and the documentary about Henry the VIII he was left to watch with Granddad Russell who had now changed from stories about Churchill to General Monty.
"So you are a professor?" the aunt addressed him.
"Yes, I am" he replied, shifting away from the eager looking Aunt Katy who had settled beside him on the couch.
"Oh, how exciting." she exclaimed. "It must be so rewarding for you to be teaching children, knowing you are contributing to a whole new generation"
"No! I hate children!" was his dismissive reply.
He had made a promise to attempt a more pleasant tone when confronted with her family, but he had to admit a man had his limitations, and he was putting up with quite enough for him to be expected to change personality all together. So at the surprised look of Aunty Katy, he fixed her with his most vicious stair, mostly reserved for first years he desired to see cry or, flee his office, but to his bafflement, the woman seemed to take little note, or care of it and just chuckled, putting a hand on his arm.
"So would the amusing Professor Snape care for a drink perhaps?"
The only wise words she had spoken all evening..
"A cognac if you have one."
~*~*~@~*~*~
Aunty Katy met her sister in the kitchen who was filling the dishwasher. The bottle of cognac had been hidden in one of the cabinets, away from Uncle Dougs who would have had no hesitation emptying it by him-self.
"I must say, I wasn't expecting Hermione to bring back a teacher." Aunty Katy said, filling a glass, and turning to face her sister.
"Oh? I can't say I am surprised really, she live and breathe her academics."
"He is dashing though, don't you think?"
"You think? I wouldn't consider him the least attractive, he looks like he hasn't seen the sun for twenty years, and his hair! His hair needs a real wash! And his teeth, I don't expect you to notice, but, I have never seen such crooked and yellow things." she said, making a face.
"Well you did say he was eccentric" Aunty Katy interrupted. "I like his look, it has a certain aristocracy. His features are so hard, majestic and noble. Do you think he is single?"
Hermiones' mother laughed turning now to clean the kitchen bench
"I wouldn't know."
"He must be! Why else would he be spending Christmas here with us, if he had family? That is probably why she brought him, she pitied him, being all alone and on Christmas.." she sighed.. "Poor man!"
"Well don't do anything foolish!"
"Foolish, I? Don't be silly. I would never do such a thing."
~*~*~@~*~*~
Snape had been left to be entertained by Hermiones' uncle, who he at first thought was Aunt Katy's husband but turned out to be her brother. He used to be a builder until he hurt his leg and was now unable to work. He talked of cars and football, and the new Jaguar, and asked if he had a preference, which he didn't because he was only faintly aware of what a car was, and hadn't so much as touched one.
"So, you're a teacher?" the uncle said as Snape grinned in response. "What is your subject.."
Remembering his promise to hide his wizard ways, he replied reluctantly. "Science."
"Ooo, I would 'ave done that, but too many names to remember, 'ow do ya do that; remembering all those confusing names and formulas?"
"Practise I suppose" or perhaps by using your brain, he thought to himself.
"I bet ya make a lot of kids sleep, huh huh huh?" he laughed so his beer belly shook, but Snape just smiled, musing over the pleasurable situation that would have occurred if a student did indeed dare to pass out while in his class.
"There you are professor." A friendly voice spoke up from the door, it was Hermione,
"Where have you been!" he replied, perhaps more excited then he had intended
"Oh, getting the luggage up to our rooms." she replied stretching to take him by the hand, he heaved himself up from the sofa and eagerly followed, anywhere would be better then the company of her chosen relatives
"Rooms?" he whispered in a questioning tone once they where back in the hallway. "Yeah" she shrugged "you didn't expect us to be sharing a room when we are not, you know."
"No! I was very much expecting us to share both room and bed, now that they all seem quite content with me. I suggest you march in there and tell them, so we can get this charade over with once and for all."
"I need more time, please. If they are content, then they will come to love you later, and it will all be so much easier. Besides, I'll." She looked about as in search of an escape route "Ill tell them tomorrow, when all my relatives are here, alright?"
"No, this is not alright. Merlin knows what they think about you bringing a teacher in the first place."
"Heh. I don't think anybody is surprised at all, now here it is." she said moving him to a small door near the staircase "If you need me Ill be further down the hall, my room is the one opposite the loo"
Reluctantly, he joined her inside, gazing about the tiny guest room. It was very plain, with light blue walls, and a warm grey carpet. A couple of bookshelves lined the wall, all but one empty, and some plastic flowers in a glass vase decorating a round coffee table near the window. He turned to face the springy single bed, sited next to the white painted cupboard.
It was pleasant enough, he supposed, feeling the bed. Too soft, he would probably wake up with back pains he thought. He pulled his suitcase on to the bed, and began sorting his belongings in neat piles that was ether placed in the dresser and hung up in the closet. Time past and when he was done, looking on to the clock on the wall he saw it was getting late, time for bed.
Walking back in to the hallway he met Auntie Katy that flashed a large smile at the sight of him, an action he found rather alien. He took the cognac from her with barely a thank-you; excused himself by saying he needed to use the bathroom, drained the glass, and slipped in to Hermiones' room.
Snape shut the door behind him and let out a groan of annoyance toward Hermione currently seated in her bed reading a book, loosening the buttons of his shirt and removing his cufflinks.
"Your relatives are insufferable. I don't think I have been around a woman quite like your aunt, she has been stalking me like a dog in heat, and your uncle! He swallowed down find brandy and cognac as if it was pumpkin juice, and what is this?" he said, taking the crumpled paper from the wastepaper-basket, reading the red title. "Sun, or the Sun!" Oh and don't even get me started on your grand father." "Somebody should inform him this no longer 1945. It is really," he said suddenly interrupted.
"Why are you here?" Hermione interrupted watching him pull his shirt out of his trousers.
"What does it look like, I am getting undressed!"
"No, no, no! You can't do that, they might walk in on us."
"Then lock the door."
"Please, you can't stay here, they can come knocking on your door, my door; they will see you leave in the morning, please."
"Fine, I won't stay the night!" he shrugged taking his shirt off, and discarding them on a nearby chair. Hermione watched him, with a faint astonishment as he removed shoes, socks, and then trousers, crawling with his boxers still on, under the warm covers, huddling up against her. "I am cold." he complained pressing him-self closer causing her to shift toward the edge. He peered up at her, laying his head on her shoulder. "What are you reading?" he asked, wrapping one arm around her waist.
"Nothing of importance." she shrugged, shutting the book and was about to put it down by the bedside when he snatched it from her grip. "Men are from Mars, women are from Venus.." he read "what is this rubbish you are reading? Is this one of those muggle books? 'how to understand men and women, men and his Mr. Fix-it hat, women are like a wave' I was right, this is complete rubbish."
"Oh give it here, I borrowed it from Aunty Katy, it is a guide to explain male and female behaviour!"
Snape snorted and twirled the book around examining it. "This little booklet is supposed to hold the secret of the universe? It is more my experience," he said in a silky tone. His finger curled around the collar of her night dress, pulling it slowly down her right shoulder, exposing it, "that to truly make a woman happy, one should shower her in attention." he leaned forward and traced his lips to her neck. "Not to try to understand her." She laughed, and took the book and threw it on to the floor rolling on top of him in a warm embrace.
After two years, romance was, well, it was present, but something sought on special occasions. Sex was enjoyed as a way to show their affections, but it was long since it had been a special event of where the two would have plenty of preparations, sweet talking, and hours of long foreplay.
But soon enough Hermione was snoozing, under her hot blanket, sticky and content and a tired Snape was back on his feet, stumbling through the dark to find his belongings, bumping his foot once, before departing her room.
A wide screen television was set in the corner. A floral sofa set, currently occupied by her father, granddad, and that hideous cat of hers who instantly recognised him; hissing, its back arching in annoyance.
"Crookshanks!" Hermione shouted, rushing over and picked the orange creature. Cuddling it in the crook of her arm. "Don't you be mean to ol' Sevvi, no no, bad kitty, bad kitty" she mumbled in to the fur of the purring cat, ignoring the look of disgust from Snape at the abbreviation of his given name.
~*~*~@~*~*~
After being introduced to her father, who in turn was also about five years younger then him in age he was presented to grandfather, who instantly went in to lengthy descriptions of his time in WWII and his encounter with Churchill on a ship. Snape found him-self content, and figured as long as Auntie Katy would stop stalking him, he could actually come to enjoy Christmas. He was left to his own amusement, currently marvelling over the function of the television and the documentary about Henry the VIII he was left to watch with Granddad Russell who had now changed from stories about Churchill to General Monty.
"So you are a professor?" the aunt addressed him.
"Yes, I am" he replied, shifting away from the eager looking Aunt Katy who had settled beside him on the couch.
"Oh, how exciting." she exclaimed. "It must be so rewarding for you to be teaching children, knowing you are contributing to a whole new generation"
"No! I hate children!" was his dismissive reply.
He had made a promise to attempt a more pleasant tone when confronted with her family, but he had to admit a man had his limitations, and he was putting up with quite enough for him to be expected to change personality all together. So at the surprised look of Aunty Katy, he fixed her with his most vicious stair, mostly reserved for first years he desired to see cry or, flee his office, but to his bafflement, the woman seemed to take little note, or care of it and just chuckled, putting a hand on his arm.
"So would the amusing Professor Snape care for a drink perhaps?"
The only wise words she had spoken all evening..
"A cognac if you have one."
~*~*~@~*~*~
Aunty Katy met her sister in the kitchen who was filling the dishwasher. The bottle of cognac had been hidden in one of the cabinets, away from Uncle Dougs who would have had no hesitation emptying it by him-self.
"I must say, I wasn't expecting Hermione to bring back a teacher." Aunty Katy said, filling a glass, and turning to face her sister.
"Oh? I can't say I am surprised really, she live and breathe her academics."
"He is dashing though, don't you think?"
"You think? I wouldn't consider him the least attractive, he looks like he hasn't seen the sun for twenty years, and his hair! His hair needs a real wash! And his teeth, I don't expect you to notice, but, I have never seen such crooked and yellow things." she said, making a face.
"Well you did say he was eccentric" Aunty Katy interrupted. "I like his look, it has a certain aristocracy. His features are so hard, majestic and noble. Do you think he is single?"
Hermiones' mother laughed turning now to clean the kitchen bench
"I wouldn't know."
"He must be! Why else would he be spending Christmas here with us, if he had family? That is probably why she brought him, she pitied him, being all alone and on Christmas.." she sighed.. "Poor man!"
"Well don't do anything foolish!"
"Foolish, I? Don't be silly. I would never do such a thing."
~*~*~@~*~*~
Snape had been left to be entertained by Hermiones' uncle, who he at first thought was Aunt Katy's husband but turned out to be her brother. He used to be a builder until he hurt his leg and was now unable to work. He talked of cars and football, and the new Jaguar, and asked if he had a preference, which he didn't because he was only faintly aware of what a car was, and hadn't so much as touched one.
"So, you're a teacher?" the uncle said as Snape grinned in response. "What is your subject.."
Remembering his promise to hide his wizard ways, he replied reluctantly. "Science."
"Ooo, I would 'ave done that, but too many names to remember, 'ow do ya do that; remembering all those confusing names and formulas?"
"Practise I suppose" or perhaps by using your brain, he thought to himself.
"I bet ya make a lot of kids sleep, huh huh huh?" he laughed so his beer belly shook, but Snape just smiled, musing over the pleasurable situation that would have occurred if a student did indeed dare to pass out while in his class.
"There you are professor." A friendly voice spoke up from the door, it was Hermione,
"Where have you been!" he replied, perhaps more excited then he had intended
"Oh, getting the luggage up to our rooms." she replied stretching to take him by the hand, he heaved himself up from the sofa and eagerly followed, anywhere would be better then the company of her chosen relatives
"Rooms?" he whispered in a questioning tone once they where back in the hallway. "Yeah" she shrugged "you didn't expect us to be sharing a room when we are not, you know."
"No! I was very much expecting us to share both room and bed, now that they all seem quite content with me. I suggest you march in there and tell them, so we can get this charade over with once and for all."
"I need more time, please. If they are content, then they will come to love you later, and it will all be so much easier. Besides, I'll." She looked about as in search of an escape route "Ill tell them tomorrow, when all my relatives are here, alright?"
"No, this is not alright. Merlin knows what they think about you bringing a teacher in the first place."
"Heh. I don't think anybody is surprised at all, now here it is." she said moving him to a small door near the staircase "If you need me Ill be further down the hall, my room is the one opposite the loo"
Reluctantly, he joined her inside, gazing about the tiny guest room. It was very plain, with light blue walls, and a warm grey carpet. A couple of bookshelves lined the wall, all but one empty, and some plastic flowers in a glass vase decorating a round coffee table near the window. He turned to face the springy single bed, sited next to the white painted cupboard.
It was pleasant enough, he supposed, feeling the bed. Too soft, he would probably wake up with back pains he thought. He pulled his suitcase on to the bed, and began sorting his belongings in neat piles that was ether placed in the dresser and hung up in the closet. Time past and when he was done, looking on to the clock on the wall he saw it was getting late, time for bed.
Walking back in to the hallway he met Auntie Katy that flashed a large smile at the sight of him, an action he found rather alien. He took the cognac from her with barely a thank-you; excused himself by saying he needed to use the bathroom, drained the glass, and slipped in to Hermiones' room.
Snape shut the door behind him and let out a groan of annoyance toward Hermione currently seated in her bed reading a book, loosening the buttons of his shirt and removing his cufflinks.
"Your relatives are insufferable. I don't think I have been around a woman quite like your aunt, she has been stalking me like a dog in heat, and your uncle! He swallowed down find brandy and cognac as if it was pumpkin juice, and what is this?" he said, taking the crumpled paper from the wastepaper-basket, reading the red title. "Sun, or the Sun!" Oh and don't even get me started on your grand father." "Somebody should inform him this no longer 1945. It is really," he said suddenly interrupted.
"Why are you here?" Hermione interrupted watching him pull his shirt out of his trousers.
"What does it look like, I am getting undressed!"
"No, no, no! You can't do that, they might walk in on us."
"Then lock the door."
"Please, you can't stay here, they can come knocking on your door, my door; they will see you leave in the morning, please."
"Fine, I won't stay the night!" he shrugged taking his shirt off, and discarding them on a nearby chair. Hermione watched him, with a faint astonishment as he removed shoes, socks, and then trousers, crawling with his boxers still on, under the warm covers, huddling up against her. "I am cold." he complained pressing him-self closer causing her to shift toward the edge. He peered up at her, laying his head on her shoulder. "What are you reading?" he asked, wrapping one arm around her waist.
"Nothing of importance." she shrugged, shutting the book and was about to put it down by the bedside when he snatched it from her grip. "Men are from Mars, women are from Venus.." he read "what is this rubbish you are reading? Is this one of those muggle books? 'how to understand men and women, men and his Mr. Fix-it hat, women are like a wave' I was right, this is complete rubbish."
"Oh give it here, I borrowed it from Aunty Katy, it is a guide to explain male and female behaviour!"
Snape snorted and twirled the book around examining it. "This little booklet is supposed to hold the secret of the universe? It is more my experience," he said in a silky tone. His finger curled around the collar of her night dress, pulling it slowly down her right shoulder, exposing it, "that to truly make a woman happy, one should shower her in attention." he leaned forward and traced his lips to her neck. "Not to try to understand her." She laughed, and took the book and threw it on to the floor rolling on top of him in a warm embrace.
After two years, romance was, well, it was present, but something sought on special occasions. Sex was enjoyed as a way to show their affections, but it was long since it had been a special event of where the two would have plenty of preparations, sweet talking, and hours of long foreplay.
But soon enough Hermione was snoozing, under her hot blanket, sticky and content and a tired Snape was back on his feet, stumbling through the dark to find his belongings, bumping his foot once, before departing her room.