Disclaimer: The characters, settings, etc. of the Harry Potter series are not mine. I just play with them.
When Hermione burst into his classroom on Monday afternoon, Severus was anything but pleased to see her. Having just handed out exams to his easily-distracted second years, he knew that her disturbance would make the next couple of hours a painful experience.
He did admit that it was quite amusing watching Hermione's expression turn from one of determination to horror as she realized she had stormed in on an exam.
"Professor Granger," Severus said icily. "How may I help you?"
"You have a class," she replied simply.
Gritting his teeth, he attempted to remember that she was no longer his student and that roaring at her might affect her credibility. "If you need me, perhaps we should discuss it outside?" He gestured to the door. Hermione nodded in reply and walked back out into the corridor.
"If any of you as much as think of cheating, you will pay dearly," he warned as he swept out of the classroom and into the hallway.
He noticed, as he closed the door behind him, that Hermione once again looked nervous. "Is anything wrong, Professor?" he asked and noted his tone was decidedly gentler than it had been a few moments before.
Hermione seemed to study his face a moment before responding. "Well, maybe."
"Maybe?" He was not exactly in the mood for dancing around the matter. "Please explain, Miss Granger."
"Well," she began and directed her gaze towards the floor. Was he mistaken or did he see a faint blush coloring her cheeks? "I know it will seem silly coming from me, the girl who could care less about appearance, but I am afraid you don't have the proper attire for a muggle wedding."
Severus stared at her for a moment, trying to decide whether or not she was serious. "And for that you burst into my classroom during an exam period?"
She continued to look down at the ground and her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red. "Yes," she whispered.
"Lovely," he sighed. He wasn't sure, though, if he was responding to her or to the fact that he suddenly felt like he was chastising a pupil.
She looked up and again stared at him before finally speaking. "I didn't think you had class now. I'm sorry," she paused to take a deep breath. "You need a sports coat, Severus," she said, and her voice hardened with resolve. "I know you have plenty of nice clothes to wear, but you need a sports coat for this. Oh and a tie."
"I will not voluntarily wear a noose. I don't know why muggles believe they make one more attractive but I have no interest—"
He was cut off in his tirade by Hermione stepping forward and placing a hand on his arm. "Please, Severus," she said, quite softly, in a voice that made him feel exceptionally guilty for giving her a hard time. "I know you are the one doing me the favor, but I would appreciate you being as cooperative as possible."
Severus looked at her for a moment, and thought about what she had said. He was doing her the favor, not the other way around. She at least knew that making demands about his dress was a bit rich, considering the situation, but at the same time he understood the predicament she was in. He certainly could not turn up to a muggle event dressed as a wizard. It would cause quite the stir, and he had the feeling that she was going to try to keep a low profile at this affair. He cleared his throat and offered her the smirk and grimace he liked to call a smile. "I am at your mercy, Miss Granger. But please, nothing too terribly outlandish."
She grinned up at him. "You cannot think that I would go shopping for clothes for you to wear without you at my side?" She laughed; he thought it was a lovely sound.
"I hoped you would, yes," he replied, noting that she still hadn't removed her hand from his arm.
She laughed again and squeezed his arm in a gentle way that he found to be, well, quite nice. "Meet me by the front entrance after dinner."
Severus watched as she quickly set off down the corridor and made her way out of the dungeons. He had no idea why he was quite suddenly looking forward to going shopping.
Severus took his time at supper. He glared at the usual students, made the usual grunts in response to efforts by his co-workers to speak to him, but instead of shoveling his food down his throat and sweeping out of the great hall as soon as possible, he ate his meal slowly, using this time to sneak glances at Hermione and analyze his sudden affection for shopping.
She smiled too much, he decided after a few moments. And she doled out her adorable laughter with absolutely no discretion. She laughed at things Dumbledore told her, she laughed quite frequently during a story McGonagall animatedly told, and laughed, good-naturedly, when she dribbled wine onto her chin.
He felt an intense dislike for the fact that every time she laughed or smiled or lightly placed her hand on Dumbledore's arm, he suffered from two very unwelcome feelings. The first being an intense desire to touch her. He would have given anything at those moments just to cover her hand with his own. It was disgusting that he could let a woman have such an effect on him. The second feeling, which he imagined was somewhat related to the first, was jealousy. He wanted her to bestow the gifts of her smile, laughter, and conversation on him. Why wasn't he deserving of these things?
He had been staring at her for quite some time when she noticed him. She smiled at him and cocked an eyebrow. He sneered at her in response, and focused his attention back on his dinner. He really hoped the heat he felt on his cheeks was not visible to the world.
"Severus," Dumbledore began jovially, a few seats down on his left. "Are you feeling quite well? You look a bit flushed."
Raising his eyes, he glowered at the old man. "Yes, Headmaster. I am quite well, thank you."
Dumbledore nodded and smiled at him. "I hear you and Professor Granger are visiting Hogsmeade this evening."
"Yes," Severus replied through gritted teeth.
"Oh Hogsmeade, Severus? What are you going shopping for?" McGonagall asked.
"Potions supplies," Hermione responded quickly. Severus cast her a look that he hoped conveyed his gratitude.
"How lovely. And what are you shopping for Hermione?" McGonagall asked, turning her attention to the young woman beside her.
"I'm just going with Severus to look at supplies. I hear he has a very interesting method for selecting ingredients. I wanted to see him in action." she explained with a brilliant smile. Severus felt himself glow slightly at the idea that his methods for selecting ingredients could even be considered remotely interesting. He ignored the tiny voice in his head that pointed out she was simply spinning lies so that he didn't have to be embarrassed about their real reason for going to the village.
"Do you have much interest in Potions, Hermione?" Dumbledore asked in what Severus considered to be a thinly veiled double entendre. After a brief discussion of the merits of the studies of potions, the conversation turned and Severus was glad to know that any risk of his having to be involved disappeared.
Thirty minutes later, Hermione excused herself from the table. The other professors bid her a good evening, and Snape watched silently as she left the great hall. He supposed he would have to leave soon, too, but made no indication of it. Instead, he sat for a few moments, glaring at the table of Gryffindors.
"You're not going to keep your lady friend waiting, are you Severus?" Dumbledore asked.
He was displeased to feel his cheeks flushing again. "No, Headmaster, of course not. I was just leaving." He stood quickly from his seat, nearly knocking the chair backwards. "I hope you all have a pleasant evening," he said to his companions as he left the high table. He walked quickly through the great hall and swept out into the corridor.
As he exited the great hall and made his way down the outside corridor, he could see a figure in the near distance standing beside the front entrance. "Professor," she said as he approached the entrance.
"Miss Granger," he said in greeting. "I see you're ready for our little excursion."
"Oh, I've been ready for awhile now, Professor," she said as she opened the large, wooden door. Together they stepped out into the night. "I am really looking forward to your display of supply selecting prowess," she added, giggling softly at her own joke.
"Indeed," Severus replied, struggling to suppress his own smile.
Upon entering Gladrags, Severus was suddenly frightened by the thought that their search may have to extend beyond Hogsmeade. A wizard village would be unlikely to carry muggle clothing. He had no interest in going into muggle London in a search for the perfect blazer and neckpiece. He would have to put his foot down about this matter immediately.
When the tailor approached them, Severus discovered that Hermione's thoughts had been along the same lines. She immediately produced what looked to be magazine clippings of men in sports coats and ties.
"Do you think you could make him something like this?" she asked, pointing to a navy blazer that Severus was inclined to admit would not look too bad, paired with his navy slacks. He imagined they would be able to find a nice tie to go with the outfit. Severus soon thought it was quite possible he would look decent dressed as a muggle.
"Certainly!" the tailor responded. "Are you the young man who will be wearing the muggle clothes?" he asked, looking at Severus.
Severus had not been called a young man for many years, and narrowed his eyes at the tailor in response to the appellation. "Yes, I am."
"Excellent!" the tailor exclaimed, and snapping his fingers, set his tape measurers to getting Snape's measurements. They were done after a few moments, and the tape measurer and the tailor disappeared into a back room, leaving Severus and Hermione alone.
Hermione had sat in one of the waiting chairs while he had been measured and he now sat down in the seat beside her. "I've always hated that," he said to her.
"Why?" She did not look up from the catalog of ties she was inspecting.
"It makes me feel so violated," he said honestly. "I was horrified when I first had robes made when I was a child. It measured everything."
Hermione looked up at him and smiled. "Well, it's over now, darling," she said in a motherly tone. "The bad measuring tape isn't going to hurt you anymore."
Severus simply sighed in response, and Hermione directed her attention back to the catalog. "Thank you," she said after a minute or two had passed. "For everything, Severus. You're a wonderful friend. I can't think of anyone who would do this for me or willingly put up with me for an entire evening."
Severus stared at her. "Don't be silly, Miss Granger. I am sure plenty of men would accompany you as your date."
He noticed the laugh she offered sounded pained. "It depends on what your idea of 'plenty' is, Severus."
"Here we are!" the tailor exclaimed, announcing his return and distracting Severus from Hermione. "Up you get, sir. And shed that robe, we need to see if this fits as well as I think it will."
Reluctantly, Severus stood and discarded his robe. He gave it to Hermione, who was holding her hands out to take it. Stepping forward, he took the blazer from the tailor and shrugged it on."
"Oh, aren't you divine!" the tailor declared, clapping his hands. "What do you think, Miss? Will this do?"
Severus, who had been staring at the tailor in fascination (as he had never met a man so enthusiastic about clothes), turned his attention to Hermione. She seemed to be appraising him, but as her eyes trailed up his body, Severus felt she was not doing so with disinterest. When her eyes met his, his suspicions were confirmed. She seemed to like what she saw.
"He looks exquisite," she said, softly, and Severus felt his cheeks grow hot again. He did not think he had ever blushed this much in his entire life, let alone in one evening.
"Thank you," he and the tailor said simultaneously, causing Hermione to laugh.
"Have you selected a tie, Miss?" the tailor asked, walking over to where Hermione sat.
"Yes," she said, pointing to one of the pictures in the catalog.
"Wonderful choice!" he replied, turning to a rack behind him and pulling off a small square of cloth. They watched as he transfigured it to look like the tie in the picture. "Now do you want it the same color as his blazer?"
"Actually, no," Hermione replied, producing a small piece of fabric from her pocket. "If you could match it to this, please."
"Certainly," the tailor said, holding the tie up next to the cloth Hermione held. He muttered a charm and the tie immediately turned the exact shade of blue as the fabric in Hermione's hand. "How's that?" the tailor asked, looking up from his work to his customer.
"Perfect, thank you," Hermione smiled at him. He handed her the tie and turned to Severus.
"If you please, sir," he said to Severus, holding out his hand. Taking the hint, Severus took off the coat and handed it to him. The tailor took both the tie and the blazer to his counter and Severus followed as Hermione walked past him in the direction of the tailor.
They stood in silence at the counter as the tailor placed the sports coat in a garment bag and the tie in a smaller bag. "Would you like me to put it on your account, Miss Granger?" he asked as he passed the two packages over the counter to them.
"Please," she said, before Severus had an opportunity to protest. Before he knew it, she was pushing him out of the store and into the Hogsmeade streets.
"Hermione," Severus said as they walked back towards Hogwarts, "I would gladly have paid for the clothing."
She made a noise in response. Severus had a difficult time deciphering the meaning of her sounds, but did not push the matter. After a moment, he cleared his throat and tested the waters once again. "I had a nice evening," he said softly.
He watched as Hermione stopped walking to look at him. Severus stopped too and peered back at her. She seemed to be searching his face for something. After a moment, she smiled up at him. Severus couldn't help but to smile back.