Wow! I never expected people to actually review, thank you all SO much!!! OK, I'm stewing over what responses I got so far to my questions, so I'll be integrating some of that in soon. Other than that I'm thinking it might be time to cause mayhem and confusion in the lives of Hermione and Severus. Everybody ready to heat it up a tad? (Don't get too excited, we don't want to rush things…)

Oh by the way… somebody mentioned that they didn't think that Ron being gay was something they really agreed with. I actually agree so I just want to explain. Since this is a romance story I don't want too many possibilities for Hermione. I'm just as guilty of anyone of reading somebody's story and thinking 'well why don't so and so hook up?' So Ron is serving the story as best he can by eliminating himself as a possibility.

Disclaimer: If you are still laboring under the delusion that I own Harry Potter than I'm not sure you should be allowed to read this stuff.

Chapter Four: Girl Plus Boy Plus Wine Equals…

Hermione and Severus discussed and made changes all day. In fact they only took one break and that was only because some house elves had brought them lunch.

To a casual observer the things they were discussing would have been rather difficult to understand. What they would have come away with would be the vague idea that this potions purpose was to make transforming into an animagi easier. Since those who could already turn into an animagi wouldn't need help, ideally it would be used to help those who were learning to master their animagi form. There was a great deal of discussion having something to do with the repercussions of adding crushed dragon scales to the potion, but other than that there was little discussed that others would comprehend.

However, even if we don't understand the two of them did. Soon Severus was feeling considerably better. He'd made a lot of progress and it had shown signs that he'd have more in the future.

They left the potion simmering and went to relax in Severus's living room. They had worked straight through dinner so Severus invited Hermione to join him for a late meal. She readily agreed and they sat chatting about the potion until a house elf arrived with a tray full of delectable looking food. In the midst of all the plates of food there was also a bottle of wine.

They ate dinner in a friendly silence. Once they were done Severus poured them both a glass of wine.

They drank in small sips at first. They had one toast to the coming school year, both of them discussing which students they knew would do well and those that they'd had their more memorable detentions with. After the first glass they were both considerably less uptight then they had been, and the conversation turned towards the final battle. The topic called for more alcohol so by the time they got to talking about Harry's role Hermione had already had three glasses.

"You know what Severus?" Hermione gave him a huge grin. "We should give a toast to Harry Potter. If it weren't for him I'd still be in America."

"In that case," Severus raised his glass "To Harry Potter, for doing possibly the only good thing he's ever accomplished in his miserable existence."

Hermione giggled, "You know it probably was." Suddenly serious she leaned very close to Severus as if she were about to divulge a secret. "Do you know what he did?"

Severus found that he was incapable of forming coherent sentences because Hermione so close… and the alcohol, but mainly Hermione, so he just shook his head.

"I caught him fucking some blue eyed blond." Severus looked appalled. "That's not even the worst of it; it was on his DESK at his job." Hermione got a very large and very wicked smile. "But that's OK, because before I left that damned apartment I put a curse on all his boxers Bet it'll take him ages to figure out what's wrong."

Severus gave a shudder. "Remind me never to piss you off."

Hermione raised her glass, "Excellent idea," she said before tilting the glass and draining it. "Why aren't you married Severus?"

Under normal circumstances he wouldn't have answered, but with the multiple glasses of wine and the utter lack of resignation he felt around Hermione he found his mouth open and explaining without a command from his brain. "For a long time it was my life style. Why get married if you're just going to get killed at the next death eater meeting? Now it seems like there's nobody out there who I would be able to stand for the rest of my life, I mean every now and then I'd like to be able to TALK to my wife, that means that she would need a brain and apparently there's a real shortage of that out there."

Hermione nodded, "Yeah, I understand."

Severus leaned forward a little. "I figured you would."

"I mean, your BRILLIANT, who could keep up with you?" Hermione said as she scooted closer to him on the couch.

"Mmm, you seem to do pretty well…"

And without warning their lips were pressed together in an almost desperate kiss.

When they pulled apart they stared at each other in awe for a moment. The moment was broken when Ron knocked on the door.

"Herms?" He called. "Are you in there? It's after nine, you were supposed to meet me… ten minutes ago, and you're never late… Hermione?"

Hermione hit her forehead with the heal of her head, "God how could I forget… sobering spell… um…. Sobrius!" Feeling suddenly clear headed Hermione turned to Severus. "I… I'm sorry, I need to go… um… bye."

She got out the door and pushed the knowledge of what she had just done out of her head to be considered later.

Severus sat still for several minutes before he poured himself another glass. "Shit."