Severus and Hermione's first night of backgammon set the stage for the months to come. Several nights a week they met to enjoy the game. Severus was more and more enchanted by the seventh year's company. It had been many years since he had felt so at ease around another human being and on the nights they didn't play, he found himself longing for her presence.
Hermione's enjoyment of the Professor's company came as a shock. Bit by bit, Severus had changed. During the day, he was still the aloof, greasy Potion's Master that the students loathed and feared. In the evenings, backlit by fire and eyes narrowed in concentration, he became another person. In their times together the over-powering persona gave way to a respectful intellectual (dare she say?) equal. . Severus listened to her ideas, and bantered back and forth with her, if his take on the issue was in conflict with hers. During their debates, she could see him turning her side over and over in his mind. He actually gave weight to her words, considered them.
As easily as they fell into their intellectual discussions, they also fell into more lighthearted jokings and the dungeon quarters could often be heard ringing with her high pitched giggles and the baritone thunder of his laughter. He was what she craved in her years at Hogwarts, and she filled a void in him that he hadn't even been aware was empty.
So, as the first snows were falling on the castle, the dungeons were snug and warm as the two new-found friends shared their final evening together of the year.
Neither one's heart was really in the game that night and they were both uncharacteristically quiet. Hermione would be leaving on the morning train and for the next three weeks Severus would be essentially alone again. He both hated the thought of her leaving and loathed himself for feeling that way.
Hermione found herself confused in a multitude of ways, herself. Normally, she would have looked forward to going home to her muggle friends and family. This year, though, she found herself dreading the rising of the next day's sun. She knew she would miss the man sitting, brooding, across from her.
As the night had begun, Hermione had been taken aback by Severus' silence and the sharp tone to his words when he did speak to her. But, as the pit in her stomach expanded with every passing minute, she realized that he was probably feeling her impending departure with just as much dread as she was.
Finally, with a heavy sigh, she pushed the board away. "That's it, I can't take this anymore tonight." Black eyes tinged with a bit of panic met hers. "I can't concentrate and neither can you. Let's forget about pips for tonight and do something else."
The fear left his eyes as Severus nodded, understanding her distress. With a wave of his wand, the board was in its place on the bookshelf. "What do you propose we do, Miss Granger?"
"It's the first snow, lets go for a walk." Hermione sprung to her feet and was walking toward the door, when Severus got over his shock enough to reply.
"Are you daft, girl? It's practically a blizzard out there. You want to go for a walk?"
"Afraid of a little snow, Professor? Yes, I'm going for a walk. I love the snow and the peace it brings with it."
It was Severus' turn to sigh, but he reluctantly rose to his feet. "Fine, then. A walk it is. But, if I catch pneumonia, I'll personally see to it that you are expelled. Now, then, how do you propose to partake of this little expedition? You have no cloak."
A devilish smile graced her face as her wand was pulled. "Accio cloaks." From Severus' bedroom two of his own cloaks floated into her hands. One, she tossed to Severus. The second was quickly shrunk down and swung around Hermione's shoulders.
Severus grinned at her amusedly, "That takes care of that, I suppose."
Once outside, Hermione and Severus took a slow, meandering pace down to the lake. The world around them glowed in the fresh snowfall as the veritable blizzard gave way to a slower, more peaceful rate of descent.
Far above them, at the Headmaster's chamber window, a
knowing pair of blue eyes watched with a twinkle. Albus Dumbledore shuddered with a chill.
"I think they would make a good couple.
What do you think, Salazar?"
"I think she'll be a hell-cat in the bedroom and leave his back bleeding," came the floating voice.
"I imagine that will be their business. But, a push toward that end will be in order. Severus can be insufferably stubborn. His guilt weighs heavily on him. No matter what the outcome of the war, he can't forget the acts he commited. It was all a necessary means to and end."
Salazar nodded, even though he knew Albus couldn't see him. "He'll never forget, Albus. If only the boy would forgive himself."
Down below, the pair was silent for a while, just taking in the beauty around them.
Hermione was the first to break the quiet. "I'll miss this while I am at home. The muggle world is so different from this. There is no quiet, always cars, horns, alarms, noise in general."
Severus nodded, having spent time enough in London to understand. "Have you decided if you're going to attend a muggle university, or a magical one?"
He could visibly see her tense. "My parents want me to attend a muggle one, insisting that I've spent enough time on a magical education. But, I am a witch, or I wouldn't be here. It will be a magical university. I'll tell them when I go home and I'm sure they will be unhappy, to say the least. I wonder, does the magical realm have education grants and scholarships? They, most certainly, will not be helping me out paying for it."
Severus was relieved to hear of her decision, thankful not to be losing a witch of her caliber to the muggle world. "When it comes to a witch with your power and intelligence, things like tuition have a way of taking care of themselves. Don't worry about that."
They were drawing close to the Forbidden Forest, and stopped to look out over the wintry landscape. Once again, a peaceful silence descended over them. It was a comfortable silent-ness that wrapped itself around the two of them, binding them together, unconsciously, to face the weeks apart. Both would call on this moment to set aside the longing for the other's company while they awaited Hermione's return.
Severus hadn't been aware of his hands' voyage to hers until he felt the icy coldness of his skin touch hers. "You're freezing," he commented, following up with a murmured warming spell. "We should get back inside. It's growing late."
Hermione nodded, afraid to speak, lest her voice shatter the strange, forbidden tension that was surrounding them. Severus released one of her hands, one set of fingers remaining entwined with hers as they began their walk back to the castle.
From above, they were still observed. The closeness of their black-cloaked figures betrayed the union of their flesh that was hidden in the folds of wool. The Headmaster smiled even as his mind began to search for a plan.
Severus and Hermione reached the door of the castle, but neither moved to open it.
Hopefully, she raised her brown eyes to meet his. "Will I see you in the morning, Professor?"
The title was all that was needed and the moment was gone. Severus pulled his hand from hers, more abruptly than he had meant to. "No, Miss Granger, I've no time to travel to Hogsmeade and wave at a departing steam engine. I will see you when you return from your holidays."
Her heart felt the loss, as the wall was erected between them once again; the proper separation of student and teacher. Without thinking she stood up on tip-toe and reached over the barrier for one more fleeting moment.
Her soft lips felt the scratch of whisker just beginning to break the surface of his cheek. It was quick and fleeting, the touch of her to him. "Happy Holidays, Professor."
The door was opened, she slipped inside and was gone.
Leaving the man in black to struggle with his screaming inner-demons alone.
After a few minutes of composing himself, Severus opened the door and, too, slipped inside. He shouldn't have been surprised to see the Headmaster waiting just inside the door.
"Enjoying a moonlit stroll, Severus?"
Severus seethed as he saw the knowing shine in the Headmaster's eyes. "You know very well that I was. Don't go any further or get any of your romantic notions. She's my student."
In a swirl of black Severus stormed away in the direction of the dungeon stairs, clenching his fists as he heard Albus' voice call from behind him. "Not forever, Severus." Followed by that annoying, musical laugh.
The morning sun shown brightly, enhanced by the pure white of the landscape. Hermione had taken a compartment to herself in the back of the train, not wanting any company to intrude upon her thoughts. She knew he wouldn't be there, but, still found herself looking out the back window, forlornly, at the empty platform. Wrapped up in his transfigured cloak, despite the warmth of the train, she waved.
At the castle, at the top of the astronomy tower, Severus stood and watched the train grow smaller and smaller as it moved down the track. He couldn't see the people inside, and knew that they could not see him, either. He lifted his hand and, unknowingly, returned her gesture of goodbye.