A Rose By Any Other Name.

By Kes.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the toys or even the box, but I'll give them back when I'm done.

Two days after Hermione's good news, she was sitting at the table in the Great Hall when Professor Dumbledore handed her a piece of parchment. Glancing at it, she saw that it was the years' school list. "Thank you Professor." She said, whilst munching quietly on some toast.

As she read the list to see what she needed for this, her last ever year at Hogwarts, the other teachers floated slowly in the room one by one.

Minerva gave Poppy a nudge and a wink when a bleary eyed Severus came in and sat down next to Hermione – a natural choice to him considering that she was the next least chipper morning person there. No one had said anything about 'The Kiss' - in front of the kissers of course. Within the staff room, however, it was a different matter entirely. It was the subject of much gossip. Most of them decided that it was a harmless crush that Hermione had on a most unlikely suitor; they had no idea that it was reciprocated. There were, however, two people who had an idea, as ever, and they were happy for Severus although naturally concerned. Dumbledore and McGonagall looked at each other over the breakfast table, smiling benignly but with caution in their eyes. A relationship would cause scandal at Hogwarts and yet they wanted the two to be happy. But surely they were getting ahead of themselves.

The still bleary eyed Severus had a mix of emotions. In a way, the kiss had seemed like a perfectly natural thing for her to do, and on the other hand, he was her Professor. He was Snape. No woman had voluntarily tapped his shoulder, let alone kissed him, for a good few years. Unfortunately, her somewhat innocent action had awoken some of Severus' more base desires, things he had not thought about since he was a teenager, when he could afford to think of relationships.

Hermione had similar worries; she too had felt it was the natural thing to do. Besides, it was hardly a long lingering kiss; it was a quick kiss - admittedly on the lips. The lips. Those lovely lips of his. Oops. And, she admitted grudgingly to herself, she had done it because she wanted to.

I am not the type of person who goes around having crushes on teachers. That's more of a Lavender thing...I wouldn't, let alone on Severus! It escaped her notice for the time being that she had called him Severus.

"Pass the coffee please."

All the teachers looked up. Who would they give it to? Both Severus and Hermione had requested the 'Drink of Life' as Severus called it at the same time. Since Severus was nearest, Poppy passed it to him. As he slid it along the table to Hermione - with an annoyed glare from Minerva, she hated it when they scuffed the table - he glanced at Hermione.

Severus blinked. She's becoming more like me. She likes coffee, she's more sarcastic, she plays chess, and...oh dear, she's wearing black. Severus casually glanced at Hermione whilst her eyes were down, focused on the paper: Her honey-dipped curls were just below shoulder length, her skin was quite pale - she had not been outside of the school buildings, let alone the grounds - even when she went to the meetings with Fudge, and to give evidence at the inquiries, she had apparated with Severus.

Hermione finally spoke. "Professor Dumbledore?" She enquired, taking a sip of her coffee as she did so.

"Yes my dear?" Dumbledore looked up, over the rim of his half-moon glasses with a twinkle in his eye.

"Would I be allowed to go to Diagon Alley today sir, to buy my new school equipment? …and to open a Gringotts account." She added, as an afterthought.

"Why yes, of course my dear. However, you'll need to be accompanied. It's your first time out and just to be on the safe side, I don't want you to go alone, you understand..."

Out of the corner of his eye, Dumbledore saw Poppy nudge Minerva and they both looked pointedly at Severus, who consequently suddenly found the rim of his coffee cup extremely interesting.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Why Severus my dear boy - " He saw Severus visibly bristle at his nickname from when he was eleven. "- I do believe that you need to visit the apothecary, do you not?"

Panic arose is Severus' throat, he could not trust himself alone with Hermione without the stifling confines of the castle. She was still emotionally frail and unsure of herself, as was he. "No, Headmaster, I ordered my requirements by owl."

"Oh, well could you go there anyway Severus?" Piped up Poppy. "I would go myself, but...I agreed to help Minerva today, and I really do need to restock my supplies.

Severus finally gave in, but not before noticing the hurt look in Hermione's eyes when she realised he had been trying to dissuade them from him being their choice. If only you knew why, it'd scare the living daylights out of you. A grown man with a...oh, I can't even think it...crush. He shuddered. Dear god, it's absurd.

"What do you need to obtain Miss Granger?" Severus asked; when the other teachers, not including Flitwick, had - finally - taken the hint of his glaring eyes and left.

"Oh, you know, the usual school junk, a few extra books and...some...other...things."

"Such as?" He inquired, in a slightly conspiratorial voice.

"I can't tell you. Well, I would normally, but it's just that - " Hermione cut herself off and began to blush furiously.

"'Well' what?" Severus' archetypical eyebrow shot up.

Hermione sighed in resignation and closed her eyes when she was saying it, the embarrassment of it all! "Ineedtobuysomenewunderwear."

"Pardon?"

"God! Do I need to spell it out? I need to buy some new underwear and I'd rather not have to do it with my potions master standing by me!" Hermione's humiliation found a small glimmer of hope that they may both become suddenly deaf, like Harry and Ron did whenever she attempted to - out of a morbid desire to see them blush - talk about 'women's things'.

Well, it worked on Flitwick at least - he nearly fell off the numerous cushions on his chair.

Flitwick's 'response' was "Well, can't your Gryffindor girl friends get it for you?" in a squeaky, flustered tone.

And just as Hermione was about to reply, Severus answered: "Don't be absurd! What kind of woman would let another woman purchase her underwear?"

At this moment, time seemed to stop for Hermione as three thoughts flashed ever so suddenly into her mind: 1.How does he know that? 2. Does he see me as a woman? 3. Yes! Not that I'm attracted to him... Her futile attempt to try and pretend that she was not beginning to become attracted to him on some sort of level was failing miserably.

"Isn't that right Miss Granger?" Time span forward by several seconds before Hermione's brain caught up with it all.

There was an incomprehensible mumbling sound, accompanied with what could be interpreted as a nod.

"How - that is, if you don't mind me asking - do you know that Professor?" Hermione enquired, blushing slightly at her own curiosity.

"I have two sisters who are both the hyperactive equivalent of your Miss Brown and Miss Patil."

"Oh, right." Suddenly, the vision of two female Snapes', actually smiling and shopping, whilst girlishly linking arms came into Hermione's head and she grinned.

They had decided to go shortly after breakfast, and so Hermione had hurriedly got her things together in her old bag and met Severus by the front door who was already looking bored. Strolling down towards Hogsmede, Hermione began to feel a little nervous. She suddenly began to realise just how bright everything was in the sunshine, and how open and airy it was around Hogwarts. She began to panic, her breathing was erratic. Hermione tried to ignore this as Severus grasped her shoulder firmly at the gates of Hogwarts and apparated them both to Hogsmede. She was still unable to do this herself, as she was not quite fit enough.

Once they arrived in Hogsmede, the brightness seemed to get worse and she had to shade her eyes. People were looking at them, as though suspicious. Hermione knew she was being paranoid. They had just apparated there; of course people were to be curious.

Ok, I'm hyperventilating slightly. Has Hogsmede always been this spacious? I'm sure it hasn't... And why are all those people looking at me? Oh, Shut up Hermione! You're being paranoid!

As they neared the pub, Severus and Hermione slowed down. He noticed that she was looking paler than usual and that her breathing was still erratic. "Miss Granger? Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes, of course, I'm fine!" She replied, perhaps a little too jovially.

She took a deep breath and followed Severus into the pub. She felt as though someone had stepped on her grave, and shuddered. Just ignore it, and it'll go away. You haven't been out for ages. It's bound to happen!

Glancing around the pub, Hermione was worried that she would see someone she recognised. Mercifully, however, they seemed to be too early for the rush of patrons of Madame Rosmerta's pub. In what seemed like seconds, they had used the floo network and were standing in Tom's pub near Diagon Alley. Hermione glanced around the dark dingy pub, without a glance from Tom, and followed Severus' example of making a hasty exit.

They had been shopping for what seemed to Hermione like forever. They had gone to Madame Malkins, the apothecary, as well as numerous shops Hermione had never even noticed before, and they were now currently in Flourish and Blotts. The amount of things she had bought was ridiculous, but she felt the need to start afresh, but cautiously. She had a limited amount of money at the moment. Thankfully, they did not need to carry their purchases, choosing instead to have them delivered directly to Hogwarts.

Luckily, they had not seen anyone from school yet. Hermione had been sure that they would have done, especially since it was the last week of term and most of the people she knew kept everything until the last possible minute. So far so good then.

She was wandering through the shelves of books, looking for anything interesting that was not strictly on the reading list when she heard a regrettably familiar drawl from behind her:

"Hello, Granger." There was that all too familiar sneer and unfortunately, it was right behind her.

Not bothering to even turn around, she replied. "Shove off Malfoy."

"Well well, that's no way to treat a fellow student, is it mudblood?" The last part was said in a hushed tone.

Hermione turned around slowly. "How is your father, by the way? Fitting in nicely, I hope. Do tell me when the big day arrives." She practically hissed at him, referring of course to Lucius Malfoy's recent sentencing to the Dementors Kiss.

Malfoy paled - if that was at all physically possible - and muttered under his breath "My father may be gone, mudblood, but I can assure you, I'm still very much alive."

A deep velvety drawl came from behind them both. "Is that so, Mr Malfoy? Well, I hope you've completed your potions assignment, to a higher standard than your usual half-hearted attempt."

Hermione felt herself involuntarily shiver at the sound of his voice. Briefly wondering where that had come from at a time like this, she realised that she wanted to feel it again. Hermione had always liked his voice on some level, but now there seemed to be a sort of protectiveness within it that made it all the more attractive. She smiled to herself. Thinking rationally about it, she did realise that she was most probably imagining it.

As Severus glared Malfoy Junior, a silent dare to compete with him, Hermione also glared at him, with a fair imitation Severus himself would be proud of. She stared at Malfoy with one, long, lingering look and turned on her heel to pay for her books with some of what was left of her money leaving Severus to deal with his student in whatever way he saw fit.

They had agreed to go to one last shop prior to their Gringotts stop in order to open Hermione's account. "Well Miss Granger, where would you like to go now?"

She inhaled deeply and replied. "Thelingerieshoptobuysomenewunderwear." She mumbled incoherently, whilst trying to shake off her eerie feeling of deja-vu.

"Alright." He sighed dramatically, wondering why women were this way but realising that it would never change. "This way."

They went inside, Hermione first, who walked around the shop swiftly. Right. I've got 25 sickles left. I need 10 to open the account with. Mum's money that she left me in her will, as well as dad's - he won't need it where he'll be going - She allowed herself a small grin. will hopefully arrive by cheque in a couple of days.

When she had finished calculating her various expenses and choosing what she wanted, Hermione made her way to the cash register, and cast a quick glance at Severus. He was standing by the door, flitting his eyes around, not letting his eyes rest for too long. He probably thinks that everyone will assume he's a pervert or something... Once she got up to the register, the cashier added up her purchases.

"That'll be thirty sickles please."

"Thirty? Oh dear. I don't have that much right now. Er, how much would this lot cost?" She took a few away from her little collection and put them to the side.

"That'll cost...-" The cashier paused to calculate the total with her wand. "Twenty sickles dear." She smiled kindly at Hermione. She handed over the money, sighing slightly. Her hand reached out when another, larger hand moved in her way, grasping thirty sickles. She followed the pale hand upwards, towards the wrist, and saw black.

"Prof-er, Severus?" She enquired, thinking it best not to let the cashier know that her teacher was about to buy her some new underwear, God knows what she would think.

"Yes…Hermione?" He said, catching on. "You didn't have enough money for the entire purchase, so I'll buy it for you..."

"Oh, you, you don't have to do that, really..." Her voice trailed off as he handed her the bag and pocketed the receipt. "I'll, I'll pay you back, I promise, as soon as my mother's money is transferred to my account." She attempted to keep up with him as his lengthy stride headed towards the door - apparently, he was as reluctant as Harry and Ron to be here and for a fleeting moment, Hermione thought that was why he had bought it. All Severus had wanted to do was to speed the whole process along, and not, as she had previously assumed, because he had wanted to.

Suddenly she felt very down. Hermione had no idea why she wanted him to buy her underwear. Perhaps it was that he wanted to buy her something, and not necessarily anything in particular. Why am I feeling this way about him? God, all he did was help me for a couple of weeks and I'm acting like Lavender!

This thought, however, was abandoned as he stopped suddenly in the Alley and turned to look at her. "Hermione, you do not have to worry. I have more than enough money to pay for that." He gestured towards the bag she was holding. "You are not in my debt; I bought it simply because I wanted to buy it for you." She noticed that he would not look her in the eye, and then had to speed up yet again as he quickened his pace towards Gringotts.

"Well, thank you very much. It really was kind of you, but I still feel 'in your debt'." She avoided using his name, as she was completely unsure of what to call him now.

"Please, don't let your Gryffindor sentimentality get in the way of a gift." He turned towards her, the edges of his lips curving slightly, to let her know he was teasing.

"Now. Let's go and open your account, shall we? And can we try and get this done quickly? I'm not very fond of goblins..."

"Personality clash. A little too close to home I suppose." Muttered Hermione; and she blushed as he turned around and rose an eyebrow. He smiled slightly.

"Perhaps."