Disclaimer: It's not mine, though it's fun to mess with them!
A/N: As always, thanks so much for the reviews! You guys really have no idea how much it means. Hey, guess what I found out that's randomly funny (at least to me)? Well y'all know how in wizard currency, one of the coins is a knut? Apparently, Knut is also the Scandinavian name of a prince who became ruler of Denmark, Norway, and England in the eleventh century. Kinda cool. Also, I gave Sev a middle name in this chapter, not too far down. Its meaning is from the Greek words pluotos, meaning "riches and wealth," and arche meaning "origin or source." Anyways, without further ado, (for once) the next chapter!
Playing Pretend
Chapter Eleven: Picnic Baskets and School mates
"Sorry I'm late Sev," Hermione apologised as she rushed into the lab where he was setting up.
"It's fine Hermione," he scowled slightly at the nickname. She wouldn't stop using it, at least when it was just the two of them. He however, did not return the favour and use hers, preferring to use her full name instead.
"Everyone was talking with Molly about final plans for the picnic next week before schools starts up again," Hermione continued on as she joined him in preparing the potion ingredients.
"I see," he nodded. This was typical. He was usually silent while working unless answering her questions. Hermione would comment every now and then about what she had read, or some particularly funny event that happened among her and her friends during the course of the day.
"We're going to have them all floo to the Leaky Cauldron, and then we'll take a portkey here. And everyone we've invited said they can come, isn't that great?"
"Mm," he shrugged slightly, noncommittally. If he said yes, it would be a blatant lie as he didn't care for any of the children except for Hermione, and on occasion, Miss Weasley, who had proved to be tolerable as of late. However, he didn't want to tell Hermione the truth about how he felt about people coming as he knew she was excited about it, and he didn't want to diminish her happiness.
"The people I know who are coming are Oliver Wood, Katie Wood, who was formerly Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Lee Jordan, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Lavender Brown, Pavarti and Padma Patil, Neville Longbottom. Hannah Abbot, Susan Bones, the Creevey brothers, Ernie MacMillian, and Justin Finch-Fletchley are also supposed to come and some friends of Bill and Charlie too, though I don't know them. And of course, Remus and Tonks will be here, and the Headmaster said he would drop by with Professor McGonagall sometime and say hello."
He nodded in reply, and they fell into a comfortable silence once again. It didn't last very long however.
"Sev?"
"Yes?"
"What's going to happen when we go back to school? And at the party?"
"What do you mean?" He looked at her from the corner of his eye.
"Well, we've become friends during the summer, right?'
"Yes," he said slowly, wondering where she was going with this.
"And well…we've been calling each other by our first names and all. And at the picnic and back at school, do you want me to go back to treating you like my professor, or my friend? And what about calling you Severus?" She looked up at him.
"I would have you act however is most comfortable to you when we are not in the public view," he responded. "At the party, if you wish, you may continue to call me by my name. I don't think I need to warn you that your guests will wonder and question you about it. At school, it would not bode well for you to speak so informally with my in front of your peers, however when we're in the lab, you may continue to use my given name. Does that answer your question Hermione?"
"Yes Sev," she leaned over and rested her head against his shoulder for a moment as thanks, not being able to stop stirring to give him a hug. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
OooOooOooOooOooOooOooOooOooOooO
"Severus, open up right now!" Hermione pounded on his door.
"No!"
"Fine, then I'll get Molly and she'll make you!" Hermione threatened, and a second later, she heard the click of the door being unlocked, and opened it and went in.
"You're a pain in the arse, you know that don't you?" He said in annoyance from where he was seated at his desk as he heard her come in.
"Yes, and so are you," she snapped back. "Now that we've established that, you are coming to this picnic Severus Pluotarchos Snape the fourth. I'm claiming you as my escort for the evening."
"Really? And you know that you sound like my mother Hermione," He drawled before turning around to look at her.
As he took in the sight of her, he froze, and everything she was saying slowly faded away. The sight of her nearly took his breath away for some unfathomable reason. She wasn't dressed in anything as showy as that night she had gone to the club, but this had the same effect. She was dressed in a light blue, cap-sleeved shirt that was snug around her bosom, and a blue, black, white, and gray striped, A-line skirt that flowed around her knees. On her feet were black ballet-style flats. Her hair had been French-braided back from her face, and she wasn't wearing make-up as far as he could tell.
"Severus!" Her voice broke through his thoughts, and he shook his head to clear it before looking at her now concerned face. "You didn't hear a thing I said. Are you okay?"
"Yes," he swallowed hard for a moment. "I'll be out in a minute."
"No," she looked at him sternly. "I know you, and if I leave, then you'll just lock and ward the door. So you're going to go get changed into some summer clothes while I wait right here."
"Bloody tyrant," he mumbled as he turned and stalked over to his closet and grabbed some things before entering his bathroom to change.
Hermione fought back a laugh as she heard his continued grumbling from in the bathroom. A minute later he stepped out, and it was her turn to be impressed. He had changed into black slacks, and a dark blue, button-up t-shirt. Still too formal in her opinion for a summer picnic, but she was glad he was at least wearing some colour. And of course, she couldn't help but admire the fit of his pants on him. His dark looks and subtle sexuality were not lost on her, but thinking of Percy, she forced those thoughts from her mind.
"You dressed to match me, I'm flattered," she teased. "Just like a proper escort."
"It's purely coincidental that the first shirt I grabbed from the wardrobe was blue," he rolled his eyes.
"Sure Severus," she drew out her words, teasing him again. Slipping her arm through his, she began pulling him out the door. "Now come on, everyone's already here, and I'm dying to see them."
"Well you could've gone on without me," he scowled, perturbed with himself for feeling guilty that she was missing out. "I didn't ask you to name me as your escort, especially when you have a doting boyfriend who would be more than happy to fill that role."
"Oh poppycock," she shushed him. "This picnic is for our friends, and you're one of my friends, so I'm not about to let you stay cooped up in the house. And I know that you'd rather not be out here with all us kids, so I'll be nice and give you the option of sitting with Molly, Arthur and Remus while we eat. Of course, there'll be a seat for you at my table, but I warn you, I'll be surrounded by Gryffindors and there'll be nothing but quidditch or fashion talk."
"MIONE!" A screech carried across the backyard, drawing everyone's attention to Hermione and Severus who had just exited the kitchen. Hermione could see the looks of shock on her year-mate's faces as they saw her with Snape. She was also thankful to see Harry and Ron talking to them, no doubt explaining why she was willingly touching him.
"I'll see you later Severus, and try to have some fun!" She hugged his arm quickly before letting go. "Lavender, Pavarti!"
"Oh my gosh, you look fabulous Mione!" Pavarti said as Hermione met them halfway across the yard.
"Thanks, so do you guys," Hermione hugged them both. "How's your summer been?"
"Not as good as yours," Lavender giggled. "Future first lady of magic!"
"You saw that," Hermione gave a wry grin.
"Yes! You are sooooo lucky!" Pavarti squealed.
"Yeah, I mean, Percy is a total hottie!" Lavender gave a little shriek.
"Someone say my name?" Percy came over, putting an arm around Hermione.
"Yeah, we were talking about how absolutely horrid your outfit is," Hermione deadpanned. However, she couldn't hold her smile back for long. "I'm just teasing love."
"I figured," he smiled at her, leaning in for a kiss. Lavender and Pavarti gave a dreamy sigh as he pulled back. "I'll let you get back to your friends."
"Okay," Hermione smiled back. "I love you."
"Love you too," he gave her another quick kiss before moving off to where Bill, Tonks, and Charlie were laughing loudly with a group of rather tough looking individuals.
"What?" Hermione said upon seeing the two of them just looking at her.
"You two are so cute together," they said in unison.
"If you say so," Hermione rolled her eyes. "Now let me go say hi to everyone else."
"Okay, we'll talk to you later," Lavender smiled before she and Pavarti went off to join Padma who was talking with one of guys in Charlie's group.
"Hey guys," Hermione said upon reaching the former Gryffindor quidditch team and friends; Oliver, Katie, Angelina, Alicia, Fred, George, Harry, and Ron and Lee.
"Hey Mione," Harry turned to give her a hug.
"You look nice," Ron did the same.
"Thanks," Hermione returned their hugs before turning to greet everyone else.
"Little miss bookworm's all grown up!" Oliver pushed Harry and Ron aside, and pulled her into a hug, swinging her around.
"Mister Wood, put her down immediately," Severus' voice boomed.
"Sorry Professor Snape," Oliver apologised upon setting Hermione down immediately.
"Severus," Hermione turned to glare at him, her hands on her hips. "He was just saying hello, don't be such a worry wart."
"Hrmph," he stalked off, and Hermione shook her head while laughing lightly.
"Did that freak anyone else out as much as it did me?" Lee questioned, raising his hand.
"Yeah," Oliver, Katie, Angelina and Alicia also raised their hands.
"We're used to it," Fred said by way of explanation as to why he didn't raise his hand.
"Yeah, they've become friends over the past couple of weeks," George chimed in.
"Yes, he's my friend, as well as my potion's mentor," Hermione turned back to face everyone. "I'm not insane or possessed, just looking out for him since he needs a friend. And you can ignore him, he's joined my club of over-protective friends."
"I know how that feels," Katie laughed, running a hand over her seven months pregnant belly. "Oliver won't let me do anything."
"And the guys on our quidditch team never let us out of their sight when we're touring," Angelina chimed, and Alicia nodded.
"We're not overprotective…we're just concerned friends," Lee played with words, grinning.
"Whatever," all the girls said simultaneously, right before breaking out in giggles, effectively scaring the boys.
"COME AND EAT EVERYONE!" Molly's magically magnified voice carried over the yard.
There was a rush as the twins playfully raced to get to the front of the line. However, Bill swiftly pulled out his wand and levitated them to the back of the line. Everyone grabbed a plated and utensils, and began helping themselves to the many dishes. Arthur had grilled several dozen hamburgers and hotdogs as a main course. There was also a large bowl of salad, and numerous side dishes. Everyone attending had been assigned a side dish or a dessert, so there was plenty to go around, and to keep Molly from doing all the cooking.
Severus waited till everyone else had gone through before he did. While he was spooning some sort of salad onto his plate, he found himself looking around for Hermione as the wind carried her voice to his ears. With a shock, he realized he anticipated the sound of her voice. Amidst the cacophony of the other voices in the backyard, over and above the radio music dancing on the wind, it was her soft voice he listened for. It might have been the gentle cadence of her speech that drew him to her as he was not a man used to gentle things. In fact, he often prided himself on his stern, harsh demeanor; on the hardness he had honed in body and soul from years of spying on the other deatheaters, and from the need to protect himself.
His father - sodding old bugger that he was - was directly responsible for his inner core of strength. He was hard because his father had forced him to be - with every sharp word, with every glance, with every criticism - Severus had learned that in order to survive, he had to be strong. He didn't recall his father ever speaking to anyone in a gentle tone; unlike Hermione, whose voice was almost always gentle. And even when it wasn't, it was still full of caring. She was currently sitting a few tables away, giggling softly at something one of the Weasley twins had said. He felt his lips quirk in automatic response to her obvious pleasure, before he forced his face back to neutrality. Turning precisely on his heel, his plate held stiffly in front of him, he walked to their table and tried not to notice her eyes light up when she saw him.
"Severus! Are you coming to join us?" And she smiled at him even when he only nodded his head slightly in response.
That was another thing he liked about Hermione- she didn't seem to mind his silences that made everyone else uncomfortable and nervous. Instead, she filled them up with her words and her glances, shining her light in the empty places of his soul. She made part of him long for things he'd given up on long ago, and he hated that part of himself. If he got used to it, got used to her, what would happen to him when she withdrew her warmth and left him empty and aching again? She had the ability to hurt him more than anyone else in his life, because she was someone he could care about, because she was someone he would miss. In fact, he already did care about her, as a friend. That was the extent to which he would let himself. And that made him wonder what would happen if he let her in completely. Would she see what he saw when he looked in the mirror? Would she see his emptiness? Would she see his unworthiness of a second chance? Would she see the guilt that plagued him for all he had done in his deatheater years? Or would she see a man who needed her? Would she see his heart beating tentatively with life, and recognize it for what it was worth?
Sometimes, he thought her small kindnesses alone would undo him - that all his shields and defenses would come undone and crumble into dust at her feet. Goodness knows that some already had. Each touch, each smile, each kind word; all destroyed another piece of the walls he had built up. He realized, of course, that she could be his downfall. Probably would be his downfall, if he was being honest with himself. Where brute strength had never broken him, her soft voice would. And while he was hesitant to let her farther in, he was even more hesitant not to.
A/N: Okay, lots of Severus/Hermione stuff for all the SS/HG shippers. Only a little PW/HG stuff. And for the one or two people who wondered, yes, I'm a definite SS/HG shipper. I do think that PW/HG is in some aspects more logical though. The age difference being the main one. However, SS/HG reigns supreme for me. I'm still not decided as to who Hermione will end up with in the end, although to be honest, it'll probably be Severus. Although not before lots of angsty back and forth on Hermione's part as she struggles. Anyways, I tried to get into Severus' head a bit so we can see his end of things. And before anyone says it's out of character for him, you've got to remember he's kept himself closed off from people. So since he's starting to open up again, he's naturally going to become attached to Hermione, as she's being his friend. Anyways, review if you like, it's cool if you don't!