Based on the V-day Bah Humbug challenge at WIKTT
In the library on Saturday afternoon
It was a perfect Saturday. The sun was out shining, and seemed extra bright against the electric blue sky. The air was cool and crisp, with only a slight breeze. So, naturally, while the rest of Hogwarts was out preparing for Valentine's Day, Hermione Granger and Severus Snape had shut themselves in the library.
Severus Snape, one of the finest potion's masters in the world, spent most of his free days (and nights) here reading up on, what else, potions.
Hermione Granger, being a jack of all trades, so to speak, read of all subjects. She was determined to be the second student, and first girl, to ever read every book in the library. It just so happened that today, Miss Hermione Granger and Professor Severus Snape reached for the same book at the same time.
"The Magical Composition of the Boggart: Bottle it's Fame and Brew it's Glory by L.K. Racula " Hermione read aloud. She had been looking for this book for days. Someone had improperly placed in on the shelves, and it was lost for weeks. She was so happy to have found it, she didn't notice that her book had another hand on it.
"Miss Granger, would you please release my book." said Professor Snape.
Hermione jumped, not even seeing him in the library.
" Professor, you scared me. I'm sorry, but I have been looking for this book for weeks. It's as if someone has been hiding it from me, and you are…well.. just going to have to wait. " Hermione said shakily.
"You've been waiting to read, this, book?" He said in disbelief.
"Well, yes"
Her hesitated for a moment, then leaned in a bit, as if to tell her a secret.
"I…wrotethisbook" he said fast, shoving the book in her hand and began to stalk off.
"And.. Don't tell anyone. I don't like to share that part..of..my life."
"Whoa, whoa, wait" Hermione said, chasing after her professor, "YOU are L.K. Racula? I've read most of your work. It wonderfully fascinating.."
"Flattery will get you know where in my class Miss Granger…"
"I'm serious, you have eight in your series. I had to owl out for the first four"
"I'm shaking with glee" he replied flatly
" Do you think we could discuss your theory of electronic principles and it's relation to magical creatures? Or the crystallization process of unicorn blood? Only a handful of people have ever seen it with their own eyes."
Hermione's eyes were shining brighter then the sun.
"I'm no Gilderoy Lockheart Miss Granger" the professor replied, still thinking she was just acting to score points.
Hermione gawked and his words and replied, "To me you are".
Professor, a bit unnerved that someone who had substance actually enjoyed reading his books, and even went out of her way to do so, was at a bit of a loss for words.
"I suppose I can sit and catch up on some new potions research while you read my latest installment, in case you have any questions. Everyone is at Hogesmede, so no one would see me sitting near you…" the professor trailed off
"Oh thank you!" Hermione jumped up and hugged him. And they sat under the big windows, and Hermione read, and the professor answered her questions. Very soon they talked about every single book he had written. Severeus Snape began to swell with pride, speaking with more vigor and spark then he had in years. Hermione Granger sat and the end of her seat, and was soon looking at her Potion's Master with the same gleamy eyes that many of the girl gave Harry Potter.
"Why is everyone at Hogesmede anyway?" Hermione wondered aloud
The professor shrugged, "That whole valentine rubbish I suppose."
" Well I for one am dreading that supposed holiday, " said Hermione, " Neither being the most attractive or popular in my respective circle, I've never had much luck with the opposite sex and therefore abhor the day that rubs it in like salt in an open wound." she scowled, very openly bitter. Too openly for Severus' liking. He was unsure why it made him feel uncomfortable.
"This conversation has clearly gone past the borders that one should respect, being your teacher." The professor said calmly. "I suggest we return to our books."
And the bookworms allowed themselves to be consumed by books once again.
"Have you ever had a Valentine professor Snape?" Hermione asked, breaking the silence.
"No, I cannot say that I have. there are very few in the world who see the wonder in the crystallization process of unicorn blood, or electron's relations to magical principals. Those like me end up spending life in solitude." Severus answered
"I'm glad to see there is so much hope for the future." Hermione retorted.
The professor chuckled in his head. She had his dark sense of humor.
"I suppose it comes from hanging around those who are famous. The boy who lived, the Patil sisters. In comparison, I'm so, plain."
"You know It doesn't help from being a know-it-all, either." Severus joked in his sinister way
"I guess bookworms are not meant to have romantic love affairs" Hermione said sadly, "What am I to say, 'We locked eyes in the library, and when I saw his reading material my heart skipped a beat'".
The Professor chuckled. "You, Miss Granger, are too much."
Hermione blushed, and they both began to read again.
After a while longer, the sun went down and it was time for dinner again at Hogwarts.
" It has been grand. This is the best Saturday I have had in a very long time" Hermione said while blushing.
"Likewise" Severus responded and he held open for her the library door and watched her walk away.
The next day, everyone was all abuzz, wondering who was going to receive the grandest Valentine. Ron and Harry both argued that the ones they had sent out to their respective girlfriends was to be the best. Hermione just went on as any other day.
The owls flew in from all directions, as a slurry of red and pink was dropping from every which way. But after the dust had cleared, the two grandest Valentines had been received by the two most unexpected.
A white dove delivered 14 white roses to Hogwarts' great potion master. Much of the staff was up and admiring, asking who and what and when and why.
" Who is this girl Severus?" asked one teacher
" How did you meet her" wondered another
" A reader, and fan of my work I met. We sat under large stained glass windows and discussed a variety of things until the sun set" answered Severus, who was beaming the same way he had been the day before. All of his female coworkers sighed, while he was congratulated my some of the male ones.
"Good Job mate!"
"Atta boy Severus!"
And Dumbledore, who always knows everything before it happens, looked at him with a gleam in his eye that said approval.
None of the students seemed to notice their potion's matsters Valentine. All were to busy looking at Hermione's.
Tulips, colored crimson and gold, seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. A small card, tucked away in the flowers, read:
" You are the only one whom I could ever share a romantic love affair "
All the girls sighed and gawked and demanded details. While she dished out answers to the girls around her, all green with envy, she could not help but sneak a glance to her Potions' Master. She blushed, then looked away, knowing that real feelings might be underneath this game of being each other's Valentine, but he was still professor, and she his student.
So all they could do was count down the days until she would graduate. And read together in the library on Saturday afternoons.