Chapter Two: Fashion Show
Severus growled low in his throat as Hermione dragged him out of the boat by his wrist, clutching the roll of bills in her small fist. They stepped onto the dock and started down toward the gravel parking lot, but stopped when a feminine voice called out, "Hermione, where do you think you're going?"
"Oops," she smiled, pulling Severus over to the Grangers' boat.
Her mother and father sat at the table on deck, each holding a glass of orange juice. "Mom, Dad, this is Professor Snape. He teaches potions at Hogwarts and he's taking a vacation on Uncle Ed's old boat. What a coincidence, eh?" The Grangers smiled warmly in greeting.
"Well, that is quite the twist of fate," her father agreed. "I'm Roy Granger, and this is my wife, Rachel. It's nice to meet you, Professor."
Rachel Granger had wavy light brown hair, and warm blue eyes. Her teeth her predictably shiny and straight, as were her husband's. It was obvious Hermione got her hair from her mother. Roy Granger was balding and slightly paunchy, with blond hair and green eyes. He didn't look nearly as likeable as his wife. He looked . edgy.
"Likewise," Severus muttered unenthusiastically, not offering to dismiss the formalities.
"Professor Snape doesn't know much about muggles, and he's in desperate need of the necessities, so I offered to take him shopping."
"Oh, that was nice of you, dear. Take the car, then. We don't mind, do we, Roy?"
"Not at all." Hermione smiled and nodded, attempting to lead Professor Snape to their original destination. "Hermione?" She stopped. "Don't do anything disrespectful, hear?" her father warned. Severus thought he saw an almost threatening glint in the other man's eyes, but it was gone before he could be sure. Roy Granger just rubbed him the wrong way.
Hermione nodded to her father and then proceeded to guide her professor to the 1992 Buick Le Sabre that the Grangers had rented from a rental company in Lindsey, a town about forty minutes from Coboconk. Severus eyed the car reproachfully, as Hermione opened the door and slid into the driver's seat.
"Oh, for Heaven's sake, Professor, get in. It's not going to bite you."
He climbed reluctantly into the vehicle and promptly did up his seatbelt, muttering about 'infernal muggle transportation'.
She shifted the car into reverse, turned around, and then changed to overdrive, pressing the gas slowly. She didn't want to frighten her professor. Because that wouldn't be funny at all, she thought sarcastically, smirking to herself.
"Alright, we should probably hit the discount store first. I'd take you some place more expensive, but Coboconk doesn't have a place that's more expensive. That way the groceries won't go bad while we're shopping."
Severus still didn't look totally at ease as she turned off the gravel road and onto a paved one. Hermione then turned onto the highway, which really wasn't much of a highway, and drove over a small bride, past the boat gas station and over another bridge before reaching the discount store she had referred to. She parked and undid her seatbelt, then climbed out of the car, tucking the keys into the pocket of her denim shorts.
"There, now. That wasn't so bad, was it?" She walked around the car as he got out and started to follow her toward the large and shabby looking building she had labeled a store. He frowned as she strolled past a hotdog vendor and into the building.
"Aren't you going to lock your car?" he asked, looking a bit confused. Hermione stopped walking just inside the door and gazed at him intently, not saying anything. "What are you doing?" he asked impatiently.
"I've never seen you look confused before. I'm just trying to commit it to memory." Severus rolled his eyes.
"Are you going to lock the damn thing, or not?"
"There's no point." She started walking again.
"What do you mean? What if it gets stolen?"
"Where would they drive the car? The library? And really, Professor. My grandfather has the exact same car. Who would steal a grandpa car?"
He sighed and followed her down a path that was lined with clothing racks. She stopped in front of one and began flipping through the garments, muttering to herself about colours and fabrics. He watched her with interest for a moment, attempting to figure out what in Merlin's name she was doing. She then abruptly turned and looked him up and down slowly, her brow furrowed in concentration. She muttered something about a thirty- three waist and ducked back into the rack. When she finally emerged, she was sporting a pile of different materials and a huge grin. She shoved them into his arms and pointed to a mirrored door on the other side of the building.
"Go try these on," she commanded.
He looked down at the load of shorts, shirts and pants in his arms.
"But-"
"Go."
To emphasize the order, she put one hand on her hip and pointed in the direction of the change rooms. He growled and stalked away. Hermione grinned to herself and watched him disappear into a change room.
When he emerged, he was wearing a pair of khaki shorts and an untucked button up white shirt with short sleeves. The collar of the shirt lay open for at least three buttons. She almost kicked herself for noticing the alluring black curls that were barely visible above the button. Severus gazed at her expectantly and she swallowed.
"Good. Next." He rolled his eyes and vanished back into the change room.
He soon appeared wearing a light red sweater and black jeans.
"I don't see why I would need these. It's bloody hot out," he observed testily.
"It can get cold," she assured. "Next."
"Can I help you or your father with anything?" asked a older woman wearing a cheap store uniform. Severus arched a sleek black brow at the woman, while Hermione flushed.
"He's not my father," she assured the other woman.
"I see," although clearly, she didn't. "My mistake. Do you need any help?" she asked again.
"No, we're alright. Thank you." The woman nodded and bustled away to harass another customer and Hermione turned back to her professor. "Next."
"Miss Granger," he said coldly, with barely restrained anger, "this is ridiculous. I'm leaving." Her expression gave away nothing.
"Okay, be my guest." She moved aside so that he could pass and made to walk over to a shelf of purses.
He took one step and realized a number of things; that he was wearing clothes he hadn't paid for and she had his money, he didn't have a clue how to navigate this blasted town, and his knowledge of muggle ways was about as limited as Lucius Malfoy's perspective on muggleborns.
He grabbed Hermione by her upper arm to stop her from getting too far. He glared down at her blank expression.
"I despise you," he hissed. Her milky brown eyes hardened.
"The feeling is mutual. But you need me. You need my help. Admit it, you're lost without me," she said, her voice threateningly quiet.
"This isn't a bloody fashion show!" he retorted, ignoring her conclusion. "The clothes fit, let's go."
Still, she made him try on a few other outfits before she was satisfied she'd gotten his sizes correct for the most part. He changed back into his original clothes, his arms loaded down with enough muggle clothing to last him the ten days he'd be there, and followed her as she started toward the checkout. He almost bumped right into Hermione when she stopped abruptly.
"What now?" he growled.
She didn't answer. She took a deep breath and picked up an entire pile of boxer shorts, placing them on top of Severus's stack of clothes.
"What are those for?" he asked, not realizing what they were. She turned and looked into his black eyes resignedly. He sucked in a breath. "Oh."
Severus growled low in his throat as Hermione dragged him out of the boat by his wrist, clutching the roll of bills in her small fist. They stepped onto the dock and started down toward the gravel parking lot, but stopped when a feminine voice called out, "Hermione, where do you think you're going?"
"Oops," she smiled, pulling Severus over to the Grangers' boat.
Her mother and father sat at the table on deck, each holding a glass of orange juice. "Mom, Dad, this is Professor Snape. He teaches potions at Hogwarts and he's taking a vacation on Uncle Ed's old boat. What a coincidence, eh?" The Grangers smiled warmly in greeting.
"Well, that is quite the twist of fate," her father agreed. "I'm Roy Granger, and this is my wife, Rachel. It's nice to meet you, Professor."
Rachel Granger had wavy light brown hair, and warm blue eyes. Her teeth her predictably shiny and straight, as were her husband's. It was obvious Hermione got her hair from her mother. Roy Granger was balding and slightly paunchy, with blond hair and green eyes. He didn't look nearly as likeable as his wife. He looked . edgy.
"Likewise," Severus muttered unenthusiastically, not offering to dismiss the formalities.
"Professor Snape doesn't know much about muggles, and he's in desperate need of the necessities, so I offered to take him shopping."
"Oh, that was nice of you, dear. Take the car, then. We don't mind, do we, Roy?"
"Not at all." Hermione smiled and nodded, attempting to lead Professor Snape to their original destination. "Hermione?" She stopped. "Don't do anything disrespectful, hear?" her father warned. Severus thought he saw an almost threatening glint in the other man's eyes, but it was gone before he could be sure. Roy Granger just rubbed him the wrong way.
Hermione nodded to her father and then proceeded to guide her professor to the 1992 Buick Le Sabre that the Grangers had rented from a rental company in Lindsey, a town about forty minutes from Coboconk. Severus eyed the car reproachfully, as Hermione opened the door and slid into the driver's seat.
"Oh, for Heaven's sake, Professor, get in. It's not going to bite you."
He climbed reluctantly into the vehicle and promptly did up his seatbelt, muttering about 'infernal muggle transportation'.
She shifted the car into reverse, turned around, and then changed to overdrive, pressing the gas slowly. She didn't want to frighten her professor. Because that wouldn't be funny at all, she thought sarcastically, smirking to herself.
"Alright, we should probably hit the discount store first. I'd take you some place more expensive, but Coboconk doesn't have a place that's more expensive. That way the groceries won't go bad while we're shopping."
Severus still didn't look totally at ease as she turned off the gravel road and onto a paved one. Hermione then turned onto the highway, which really wasn't much of a highway, and drove over a small bride, past the boat gas station and over another bridge before reaching the discount store she had referred to. She parked and undid her seatbelt, then climbed out of the car, tucking the keys into the pocket of her denim shorts.
"There, now. That wasn't so bad, was it?" She walked around the car as he got out and started to follow her toward the large and shabby looking building she had labeled a store. He frowned as she strolled past a hotdog vendor and into the building.
"Aren't you going to lock your car?" he asked, looking a bit confused. Hermione stopped walking just inside the door and gazed at him intently, not saying anything. "What are you doing?" he asked impatiently.
"I've never seen you look confused before. I'm just trying to commit it to memory." Severus rolled his eyes.
"Are you going to lock the damn thing, or not?"
"There's no point." She started walking again.
"What do you mean? What if it gets stolen?"
"Where would they drive the car? The library? And really, Professor. My grandfather has the exact same car. Who would steal a grandpa car?"
He sighed and followed her down a path that was lined with clothing racks. She stopped in front of one and began flipping through the garments, muttering to herself about colours and fabrics. He watched her with interest for a moment, attempting to figure out what in Merlin's name she was doing. She then abruptly turned and looked him up and down slowly, her brow furrowed in concentration. She muttered something about a thirty- three waist and ducked back into the rack. When she finally emerged, she was sporting a pile of different materials and a huge grin. She shoved them into his arms and pointed to a mirrored door on the other side of the building.
"Go try these on," she commanded.
He looked down at the load of shorts, shirts and pants in his arms.
"But-"
"Go."
To emphasize the order, she put one hand on her hip and pointed in the direction of the change rooms. He growled and stalked away. Hermione grinned to herself and watched him disappear into a change room.
When he emerged, he was wearing a pair of khaki shorts and an untucked button up white shirt with short sleeves. The collar of the shirt lay open for at least three buttons. She almost kicked herself for noticing the alluring black curls that were barely visible above the button. Severus gazed at her expectantly and she swallowed.
"Good. Next." He rolled his eyes and vanished back into the change room.
He soon appeared wearing a light red sweater and black jeans.
"I don't see why I would need these. It's bloody hot out," he observed testily.
"It can get cold," she assured. "Next."
"Can I help you or your father with anything?" asked a older woman wearing a cheap store uniform. Severus arched a sleek black brow at the woman, while Hermione flushed.
"He's not my father," she assured the other woman.
"I see," although clearly, she didn't. "My mistake. Do you need any help?" she asked again.
"No, we're alright. Thank you." The woman nodded and bustled away to harass another customer and Hermione turned back to her professor. "Next."
"Miss Granger," he said coldly, with barely restrained anger, "this is ridiculous. I'm leaving." Her expression gave away nothing.
"Okay, be my guest." She moved aside so that he could pass and made to walk over to a shelf of purses.
He took one step and realized a number of things; that he was wearing clothes he hadn't paid for and she had his money, he didn't have a clue how to navigate this blasted town, and his knowledge of muggle ways was about as limited as Lucius Malfoy's perspective on muggleborns.
He grabbed Hermione by her upper arm to stop her from getting too far. He glared down at her blank expression.
"I despise you," he hissed. Her milky brown eyes hardened.
"The feeling is mutual. But you need me. You need my help. Admit it, you're lost without me," she said, her voice threateningly quiet.
"This isn't a bloody fashion show!" he retorted, ignoring her conclusion. "The clothes fit, let's go."
Still, she made him try on a few other outfits before she was satisfied she'd gotten his sizes correct for the most part. He changed back into his original clothes, his arms loaded down with enough muggle clothing to last him the ten days he'd be there, and followed her as she started toward the checkout. He almost bumped right into Hermione when she stopped abruptly.
"What now?" he growled.
She didn't answer. She took a deep breath and picked up an entire pile of boxer shorts, placing them on top of Severus's stack of clothes.
"What are those for?" he asked, not realizing what they were. She turned and looked into his black eyes resignedly. He sucked in a breath. "Oh."