Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself

Chapter one

Severus swished through the castle in his best bat like manner. He was rather pleased with it now, it was almost perfect, most intimidating. Just as he had gotten into the full flow of it all someone else appeared at the end of the corridor. He hated that it meant he couldn't let his cloaks swish as widely and the strides lost all effect.

"Evening Miss Granger." He said curtly.

"Ah Severus good job I bumped into you.  Can I beg a favour?" Hermione asked clutching at rolls of parchment.

Severus stopped at looked at the young professor.

'You can certainly beg. On your knees…' Severus thought before pulling himself out of it.

"Yes? What might this favour be?" Severus asked still trying to intimidate, it was failing miserably.

"Well Severus I would be much obliged if you could attend this thing, I'm far too busy and you don't seem to have anything on, I checked the staff Rota. Thanks very much give me any notes you get from it won't you?" Hermione asked and handed him an invitation and promptly walked off in the direction of her office.

Severus stood dumbstruck, had she just forced a social event on him? Did he agree? Or was no not an option?

Glancing down at the invitation he read it and groaned.

You are cordially invited to attend the 170th annual professor of the year awards.

Guest Speakers are: –

Cornelius Fudge – Ex minister for magic

Prof. Kreutzer – Post Newt Magic Academy (PNMA) Charms Tutor

As usual there is to be a ball to follow the awards beginning at 11pm and dinner dress is to be worn.

Hope to see you there

Signed Lavender Brown

Event Organizer

At least he wasn't speaking himself. He stood there staring at the paper in his hand and wondering whether he could decline.

He decided he would at least try. He got the bat like strides going again and he was in full flow before he had even got half way to Hermione's rooms.

"Ooof!" came and exclamation from something that had just rounded the corner at the same time and walked headlong into his chest.

"Professor Granger, I don't…" Severus began.

"No Severus its fine I should have asked you rather than telling you. So if you wish to decline that's fine. Something has happened which has enabled me to go anyway." She said and took the card off him.

"However," Hermione continued, "Dumbledore can't attend now and he demands you go." She smiled and handed the card back to him.

Severus just stood there, for 1 glorious moment he been free from her, he had been right and she had said as much. Then in a crash of words he had been forced into the event. Damn Albus.

"Something wrong Severus?" Hermione queried

"No not at all, I shall… see you there then." He said and strode off towards his own rooms.

Unintentionally Severus slammed the door of his inner chambers rather harder than he had intended and caused several glasses to rock on their shelves. He didn't know why he was angry but he was. He didn't want to spend several days in the company of pretentious witches and wizards he didn't know. And the only one he did know was annoyingly serene Hermione.

The next morning Severus anger had ebbed somewhat but the residue of it made its self apparent to the staff when he was in a particularly irritable mood.

"Ah Severus," Albus greeted Severus the next morning, "glad to hear you'll take my place at the conference tomorrow, most admiral of you. I know it was short notice, but I dare say you should enjoy it? You understand, I have more pressing matters but we can't leave Hogwarts unrepresented at the conference."

Severus merely nodded and Albus walked off leaving him to glower. Severus thought he would be graced with five minutes peace to imbibe he daily requirement of caffeine and nicotine. As he lit a cigarette and conjured a cup of steaming coffee he saw he was sadly mistaken. None other than one professor Granger was striding across the classroom towards him.

As she reached him she began to do what all none smokers usually do, waft smoke away from her face. Severus found this highly annoying, why didn't they just leave until he had finished?

"Severus, glad you're here, about tonight. We're taking a port key to the hotel tonight, so we want to be packed and in the entrance hall for 7 o'clock. Alright?" she asked without waiting for a reply and swooping on Minerva for some other arrangements.

Feeling like a fish out of water, it wasn't often he was ordered around, Severus tried to regain his composure and carried on smoking. The effect that first cigarette of the day could have was better than any magic. Making him feel like he was walking on water and hadn't a care for the few glorious minutes the nicotine went into effect. This was ruined seconds later with the hacking cough one develops.

Sure enough at 5 minutes to 7 Severus Snape was in the entrance hall and waiting for Hermione. He had shrunken his luggage to the size of a matchbox and proceeded to stand impatiently waiting for Hermione.

Inevitably Hermione's perfect record of never being late was broken on this occasion due to a detour having to be taken after some one had exploded over 100 dung bombs in the corridor outside her rooms.

"Ah Severus sorry I'm late, inevitable I'm afraid. Shall we get going then?" she said without pausing for breathe, not letting Severus speak.

She produced a battered looking boot from her large shoulder bag and held it out to Severus. Obediently he took hold of it and almost instantly the unpleasant tugging behind ones navel began. This was not Severus favorite mode of transportation.

Moments later they were there, The Crossed Wands, a highly recommended and pretentious hotel in the heart of London. Needless to say there were finely dressed wizards and witches milling around the entrance hall. Before Severus could take everything in Hermione had marched to the front desk and began the tedious process of checking in.

"Have you got nothing else?" Hermione asked sweetly smiling sweetly at the youth at the desk.

Under her spell he quickly tapped on the paper before him.

"no I'm sorry"

"Thank you and could you try and sort it out? We did book 2 months ago." She said the sweetness of her voice a contrast to her words.

Hermione picked her bags up and turned to Severus.

"Well come on then." She smiled brightly and walked towards the lift, dragging her full suitcase with her. Unwilling Severus followed her, great sharing a room. Hopefully there would be separate beds.

"Oh for gods sake!" Hermione exclaimed as she stood in the middle of the room. "One bed! One bloody bed!"

Storming over to the window she opened it and took a cigarette packet out of her bag and proceeded to light up and blow the smoke out the window. She was fuming as much as the fag in her hand.

Severus stood stunned. For one there was only one bed and two Hermione, miss calm and serene, was smoking out of frustration.

"Couldn't borrow one of those could I?" Severus ventured tentatively, his fingers itching at the prospect of a cigarette.

Hermione threw the packet at him and continued to exhale smoke out of the window. Severus picked the ashtray up off the dressing table and lit the fag. For 10 minutes there was silence as both the rooms' occupants sat and let the nicotine coarse through their bodies and calming them.

"Right I'm taking the right side and we'll put a spell to split the bed in two." Hermione began.

"Oh like that film, 'it happened one night?'" Severus said cynically.

"Nothing is going to be happening in the night!" Hermione said tersely.

Hermione took her wand out and pointed it at the bed.

"segregare." Hermione said, "Why isn't it working.

She rang room the reception desk.

"Yes, hello can I have some help? The bed won't separate … I see … nothing at all? … That's not at all possible … I will not! … Right … can you do that please? ASAP? … Thank you bye." She put down the communicator, "stupid gits!" she cursed.

Hermione got up and took her soap bag out of her case.

"I'm going for a shower." She said and stomped into the bath room.