Chapter 4

* * *

An hour later, Hermione was curled up in a soft chair before the fireplace in her bedroom, nursing a cup of tea. She'd shown Severus to his rooms half an hour before, and managed to ignore the strange implications of bidding a former professor (whom she might have found, perhaps, a little, tiny bit attractive) goodnight at his bedroom door. And now she was thinking about him, feeling faintly ridiculous and very, very serious all at the same time.

This was the first time she'd had company in her laboratory since she arrived. Surprisingly, she'd not found it as uncomfortable as she might've anticipated. Ordinarily someone touching her meticulously prepared and conducted experiments would've seemed uncomfortably similar to a person plunging both hands into her underwear drawer and rooting around - unbearably invasive. However, with Snape it hadn't been like that. There had been an implicit sort of trust, at least in regards to his brewing skills. She wasn't sure she at all trusted the glint in his eye she sometimes caught when he didn't think she was looking. The thought sent a delicious chill down her spine.

Hermione set her cup down on the table. Definitely time for bed, she thought. You've been alone here too long, old girl. You're nearly ready to jump the first man to walk through your door, even if he is twenty years your senior and, oh yeah, an absolute bloody git besides.

And yet, a treacherous voice whispered in the back of her mind, he hasn't really acted much like his old self since he arrived. He'd been sarcastic, yes; she rather thought Severus Snape without the snark would be like a Hippogriff without its beak. But he hadn't been gratuitously cruel, or made any derogatory reference to her Muggle heritage. Hermione had realized after Voldemort fell just how much of Snape's persona had been a performance. Once he was no longer obligated to keep up appearances for Voldemort and his minions the most repellant aspects of his peronality had faded. Oh, he was still a Slytherin through and through, no mistake. But now the sharp intellect and biting wit were unclouded by ugly malice and cruelty. Hermione's mental picture of him was all angles; a fall of black hair cutting a line across that strong-featured face, a sweep of sharply-pressed robes, the crisp angle of his shoulders silhouetted against a window as he stood unmoving.

Hermione doused the fire and climbed into bed. As her consciousness faded, the image that stayed with her was that of Snape's strong figure, outlined by glowing white winter light.

* * *

The morning bloomed bright and dewy. Hermione loved this time of the day more than any other, when moisture still hung on the leaves and in the air before the sun had had a chance to burn it away. She'd made a habit of waking up early enough to enjoy it. Therefore, she'd had time enough to shower and dress by the time Severus Snape stumbled into the kitchen, eyes squinched shut.

"Good morning!" she chirped brightly. Snape glared as best he could from behind closed eyelids.

"For gods' sake, woman, have you no sense of mercy? Coffee. Now." With anyone else Hermione would've waited for a 'please' but somehow with this particular guest she thought she'd be waiting well into the afternoon. Picking the largest mug from the cupboard, she filled it to the brim with steaming brew and set it in front of him.

After several large sips, Snape's eyes slowly cracked open and he loosened his death grip on the mug. Hermione, meanwhile, was grinning down at his feet. He followed her gaze and saw what she was smiling at: an orange tomcat who was currently twining itself about his feet in quite an undignified manner, purring all the while. Snape glared. "I do not," he said, "want to talk about it. And I'll thank you to keep that bloody cat in your room at night from now on!"

Hermione composed herself and nodded quite seriously. Turning back to the eggs she'd been beating before he came in, she asked "Does this mean you won't be disapparating as soon as you've had a proper breafast, Professor? I have to admit I'm rather surprised."

"I have been... advised that it would not be prudent for me to return to Hogwarts before I am instructed." Hermione understood at once. "But you needn't worry, I don't intend to make a nuisance of myself."

"Oh." Hermione was somewhat surprised to feel her stomach drop a bit. His company couldn't make that much difference to her already, could it? Apparently the answer, despite her best judgement, was yes. "I take it you won't be accompanying me out today, then." She was unable to gauge his reaction immediately, but was not yet willing to let him see whatever reactions showed on her face.

"I did not think you'd wish me to." His voice was carefully neutral.

"I'd just thought... well, it gets awfully quiet around here... and it was so good to actually have someone to work with..." She realized she was babbling and fell silent.

"I'm surprised you'd voluntarily spend any time with your evil git of an exprofessor," Snape said. "You're not afraid I'm going to poison your eggs or levitate you over that cliff out there?"

"I never thought you were evil." He snorted. No, really! she protested. "Well, fine, maybe my first year, for a while. But I was eleven, for god's sake! And you hardly did anything to discourage that impression, did you?" She glared at him (though only half-seriously) with her hands on her hips.

"Besides saving Potter's life half a dozen times over the years? No, you're completely right, I was Grindelwald reincarnate." He drained his mug and set it down loudly.

Hermione was quiet now, her face devoid of its earlier teasing mirth. She looked him in the eyes. "I always appreciated what you did for him. For all of us." She laid a hand on his shoulder. He stiffened slightly but did not move to remove it. "I should have said it before, I know, but thank you." After a few moments she moved away towards the stove, taking the eggs off the heat. "You were a right git, though, you've got to admit that," she said over her shoulder as she divided the food onto two plates.

"Thank you, Miss Granger, I do make such an effort." She snickered and set down the plate in front of him. They ate mostly in silence, passing the salt and pepper occasionally. When both plates were cleared (fairly quickly - both had forgotten dinner the previous evening) they sat there for a moment before Hermione spoke.

"Look, do you think we could just... start again? Leave Hogwarts and Voldemort and Harry behind us. I'll be Hermione and you'll be Severus, and we'll make the best of it. I'd much rather spend the day showing you the city than sniping and having you try to give me detention."

Snape considered for a moment. "That sounds... acceptable." Hermione smiled. "But do not for one moment think that this means you may take liberties, Hermione. I can still take points from Gryffindor for your impudence."

"You can not."

"I assure you, I very well can."

"Liar."

"Wench."

Hermione cracked up, and, for the first time in a very long time, Severus Snape laughed long and deeply.

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A/N: