Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling and am not profiting by writing this story. No trademark infringement is implied nor intended. It is written for purely entertainment purposes.

A/N: Please send all comments to WiNyGo@hotmail.com or leave a review. I'd love to get some helpful suggestions. Thanks!

"Day by Day"

Part Five:

Bless Me, Father

May 2004

Another day at Hogwarts had ended. With this day, another year of lazy, incompetent, fool-hardy adolescents had been sent off into the world. Severus rubbed his temples again, while sitting in front of his fireplace. This year had been especially difficult. A new record for exploding cauldrons and an all-time low grade average had been achieved this term.

He sighed thinking about it, then moved to the cabinet to retrieve some headache drought. After relieving the pressure behind his right eye, Severus glanced towards the ancient grandfather clock in the corner.

'7.08... Hmm, Hermione is late. That doesn't happen very often."

Not even a minute after this thought, Severus heard the knocking on his door. Moving quickly, he opened it to see a sheepish woman on the other side.

"Sorry I'm late Severus," Hermione said as she moved inside his chambers. "I'm afraid I got caught up in conversation with Professor McGonagall."

"Mmhmm. I'm sure."

Hermione didn't take the bait and only smiled at him. She reached into her pocket and drew out a small package. After enlarging it, she handed it to Severus. "Here you go love, it's a 'congratulations, you survived another term' gift."

Sitting the two of them on the couch in front of the fire, he opened the box. Moving the tissue paper aside, he froze and slowly turned towards Hermione. She had a very large grin on her face at the disbelief and horror in his eyes.

Reaching into the box, Severus pulled out a pair of underwear. Boxer shorts to be exact with miniature cauldrons on them. They were of the wizarding variety, so the cauldrons moved and occasionally a burst of smoke could be seen.

"Oh dear Merlin."

Hermione laughed and took the shorts from him, placing them back in the box. "Now Severus, I know you'll learn to love them. Now, I brought some wine, lets celebrate the end of term, yes?"

As Hermione walked across the room to pour the wine, Severus smirked towards the fire.

'That monstrosity will burn as soon as she leaves.'

Handing one glass to Severus and seating herself next to him, she noticed his smirk. Taking a sip, she thought to herself, 'if only he knew there was an Anti-Burn charm on the shorts.'

********

After an hour or so, and a good deal of wine in their systems, Hermione and Severus moved their conversation from school and work to more personal aspects of life.

"So how is Mr. Potter?"

Hermione looked uncomfortable for a moment. "I wouldn't know Severus. We broke up a few weeks ago."

He settled further into the couch and tried not to say, I told you so.

She glanced at him and stated, "Don't say it Severus. I know. I guess I just thought that this time would be different."

"What happened Hermione?"

Hermione blew a stray hair from her face and turned to face her friend. "We just didn't have the time I guess. He's occupied with work and more training… I have my own job with the addition of course work… any dates we had were a rushed affair with one of the two of us running to our next assignment or meeting. Besides, it was straining the friendship between us. We could live without being lovers, but friends, I don't know about that."

Drinking the last of his wine, and standing up to get some more, Severus talked over his shoulder. "Honestly? I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did Hermione. The two of you are just too different to have made things work." He resumed his seat next to her and tapped her temple with one finger. "Besides, you are too smart for him."

She smiled and blushed. Sighing, she asked, "I'm just in a rut aren't I? First Viktor, then Jacob, now Harry… I wonder who the next one will be?"

"Viktor Krum? I thought that was only a short relationship?"

She chuckled and turned towards him. "Oh no, we dated from my fourth to fifth year. We had -- I never told you this story?"

Severus shook his head. She set down her wine and turned to fully face him. "Well then, let's start."

********

"… so our date was a broomstick tour of his hometown. Beautiful scenery, but it was the dead of winter. Not only were we soaked head to foot from the snow, but the cushioning charm had worn off after about ten minutes. Since the tour lasted about an hour… you can imagine how horrible that felt."

He snorted and set his glass down. "You broke up with him over a broomstick ride?"

"Well," Hermione said. "After the tour, we… ahem. Made love." Severus raised an eyebrow and Hermione blushed profusely. "Combine the pain from the tour with… well anyway… boy was I sore the next day!"

Severus laughed outright this time. She smiled and finished her story, "No. We broke up because he was traded to another Quidditch team. The distance had already been bad enough from England to Bulgaria. The relationship wouldn't have survived it."

"You might be surprised Hermione. There is the occasional relationship which can withstand the long distances."

"Are we speaking from personal experience Professor Snape?"

He grinned at the use of his title and started to share his story.

********

"Cailean was the quiet, shy type. But once you got to know her, she could put any Slytherin to shame."

"Even you?"

He laughed. "In our verbal spats, Caia always won. She had a way with words, combined with her own womanly wiles… it was something that got her whatever she wanted. Including me."

Severus reached for the wine bottle to refill his glass only to find it empty. "Damn." He sighed, and set the empty bottle on the floor. Shifting his legs to the table, he got himself comfortable before beginning again.

"We were both starting Uni students when we met. It was a conference given about new medical discoveries made in the wizarding world. She convinced me to take her out to dinner that night. It all went from there."

"Nothing exciting so far Severus. It sounds like a normal relationship to me."

"It was at the beginning. The first half of the term, we both spent at Uni. After that, Caia was offered a scholarship towards a college in Italy. We actually made it work… her in Italy, me in England. For at least two years it went on like this."

"So what happened between the two of you?"

He looked sheepish, something he never did, and looked at the pattern of the floor. "Did I mention her beautiful roommate Edana?"

Hermione gasped. "Severus! You didn't!"

He nodded and replied, "I did."

She just stared at him with her jaw hanging open. "Hermione, you should close that before you attract flies." With a snap, her jaws shut.

"Severus Septimus Snape, I cannot believe you would do something that low and... so... so... male!"

He merely looked at her.

********

For the rest of the evening, Severus and Hermione rehashed their romantic lives. When they had covered all previous significant others, three for her, six for him, they found themselves sitting on the floor facing the fire. Hermione had settled herself between Severus' legs so that her back rested against his chest. His arms were loosely wrapped around her body, clasped on her stomach.

"What do I do wrong Severus? These men… and I'm just not good enough for them. I'm not pretty enough, I'm not smart enough and I damn don't love them enough apparently. What do I do Severus?" She gave an un-ladylike sniffle as she fought off tears.

He sighed and rested his cheek against her temple. "First off, Hermione, you need to realise that it is the wine talking here tonight. Second, you are a beautiful, intelligent, loving human being whom I enjoy spending time with. You are the greatest, closest friend I have had these long years and I will not allow you to wallow in this self-pity you've found yourself in."

"It is just not your time Hermione. You are still young do not forget. Look at me… over twenty years your senior and it is still not yet my time." Hermione snuggled closer into Severus' body as he held her tighter. "You'll find him love. And he will cherish you for the wonderful woman you have become. He will make you happy for the rest of your days."

Hermione half-turned to look him in the eyes. "You make me happy Severus. Sometimes, I think you're the only one who can."

Severus merely smiled and ran his finger down her cheek.

"I know that feeling."

|| The End ||

(A/N: In regards to the ending: the challenge required that the story ended with Severus and Hermione in a platonic relationship. That means none of the stuff we want them to do. I intentionally ended it this way so that you could use your imagination about what the impact of wine and long years of friendship would do to them now. The innuendo is there… and I have my own ideas about what transpired after the curtain fell… but I'll leave you to your own thoughts.)