Hello everyone! Here is a new story... :D

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that looks familiar to the world of Harry Potter.


Hermione threw her covers off and jumped out of bed, almost knocking over her cauldron that had been simmering overnight. She charged into the en-suite bathroom and freshened herself before donning on one of her usual outfits – a knitted sweater over long pants, not quite hidden under dark robes. She gave her makeup set a cursory glance before picking up her lip gloss and running it lightly over her lips. She checked her watch. There was still two ours to go before the start of lessons.

She peeped into her cauldron before leaving her quarters and locking the door behind her. As she made her way down the staircase to the Great Hall, she passed a few students who greeted her. She nodded and smiled in return. The Great Hall was still relatively empty and she took her usual place at the front, settling into the familiar cushion of her seat and reaching for a goblet of pumpkin juice.

An owl soared by and dropped the latest edition of The Daily Prophet into her lap. She unfolded the newspaper. There was nothing too interesting in the headlines. She flipped through and almost spat out her juice when she saw the centrefold.

WEDDING OF THE SEASON

A WHIRLWIND ROMANCE FEATURING TWO LEGENDARY AURORS

RONALD WEASLEY & LAVENDER BROWN

A huge blown-up picture of a snapshot from the wedding filled most of the space. In the centre was the couple flanked by people whose faces Hermione could recognise. At the farthest corner, and almost cropped out of the frame, was her own face. Next to her was her best friend, Harry Potter, who had an arm around Ron's sister, Ginny Weasley. Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom and someone she didn't recognise formed the other side of the picture. Lavender looked positively giddy with delight as she hung off Ron's arm while he seemed to have his hand sliding down her back.

Hermione didn't bother to read the short article about the wedding and instead slammed the Daily Prophet shut and brought it down discreetly to her side as it slowly shrivelled up in flames and vanished.

"Neat."

Hermione whipped around to see Severus Snape nodding in appreciation of her wandless magic. She gave a half smile and started munching on a piece of toast. "Morning."

"Good morning." He sat down in the chair next to hers and starting polishing his cutlery with his napkin. He took a pie from the centre of the table and speared his knife through it, cutting a small portion that he stabbed his fork into and raised to his mouth. He paused. "May I help you?"

"What? No. No." Hermione looked away, ashamed to be caught staring.

"I suggest you fill your plate with more food, Granger, if it prevents you from eating others' food with your eyes." Snape chewed methodically and swallowed.

Hermione grabbed a scone and nibbled tentatively. An owl swooped down in front of Snape and deposited a copy of The Daily Prophet in his lap. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "Let me get that."

She reached over to take the paper but Snape smacked her hand away, his eyes flashing. "Just where do you think you're putting your hands, madam?"

Hermione reddened and went back to nibbling on her scone and staring at her plate.

"Whatever the matter might be with you today, I don't care. As long as you don't reduce my paper to cinders." Snape flicked his hand casually towards the paper and it rose upwards, floating in front of him while he continued eating.

Silence settled between them for some time, during which Hermione still continued to nibble on the very same scone, sipping on pumpkin juice to push the dough down her throat.

"Ah. This must be the reason for your eccentric behaviour this morning." Snape commented as he pushed a forkful of fried chicken into his mouth. "Whirlwind romance, indeed," he said, reading the article aloud.

Hermione closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh, move on already!"

"Granger, I paid for the paper. It is my absolute right to read it from cover to cover." Snape cleaned up the chicken and tossed the bones onto a growing pile. "Though I must say you look as if you would have rather been anywhere else. You should be glad that half of your face is out of the frame."

Hermione rolled her eyes and drank some pumpkin juice. "I'm quite sure the original would have a full view of my face."

"Why did you go for the wedding if it pains you to see your beloved getting married to another?" Snape paused to unwrap a small sweet. "I would know how that feels."

"Don't lump me together with you. Ron and I parted ways long ago."

"Half a year is hardly enough to get rid of any lingering affection. I would know."

"All of which terminated long before he and I split up. Not everyone has undying love for another like you." Hermione paused. "Well, in your case, it is understandable since she passed on way too early—even before you were able to bring yourself to cut off the emotional attachment."

Snape shrugged. "The war changed many things, Granger. One thing I realised was that life is too short to cling onto the dead."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Does that mean you are over her?"

"I wouldn't say 'over' her. She once held a special place in my heart. But my emotional attachment to her, as you put it, seems to have dissipated over the years. I recall our happy times with fondness but I no longer wish to reverse the events of the past. Had she and I ended up together, Potter may very well not have been born. Longbottom could have ended up being The Boy Who Lived."

Hermione shuddered at the thought. Neville, though much more confident as an adult, had been very timid in their early school years. Would he have managed to bravely face all the things Harry had?

Snape seemed to have read the foremost thought on her mind. "Longbottom would not have been able to do it. It's only when he is challenged he actually becomes a lion. The Dark Lord wouldn't bother to challenge a mere child."

"Dumbledore would have made sure that Neville would have been able to get through."

"That factor may also exist. But it is hard to tell since this is all just conjecture. Which brings me back to this article. I never would have guessed Ms Brown would have ended up as an Auror. It seems the entry standards for Auror training have been lowered."

Hermione let out a bark of laughter. "That is quite harsh." She grinned.

"Finally, a smile on your sour face." Snape wiped his hands on his napkin and folded it neatly.

Hermione shrugged. "You'd look sour as well had you been in my position."

"And what position would that be?"

"Listening to people brag about their great exploits as Aurors or that they've been entrusted with top-secret Ministry tasks or the extensive experiments and research they have been conducting, fully sponsored by the Ministry."

"That's nothing new."

"It's just my profession seems unimpressive amongst all those braggarts." Hermione gave an exasperated sigh. "A schoolteacher."

"A professor, you mean?" Snape nodded. "You certainly are in the wrong job if your intention was to impress others."

Hermione have him a light shove on the arm. "Argh, you know what I'm getting at."

"You don't have to live up to the expectations of others. Just remember that many professors would have played a part in the education of the children who become what they are today."

Hermione pursed her lips and tilted her head to the side. "So I should live vicariously through my students, then?"

Snape shook his head. "What I mean is, well … taking you as an example. When I look at you, I am glad to see that my time and effort had not gone to waste."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You sure are being decidedly slow today." Snape excused himself and stood up. "I have to return and prepare for classes."

Hermione sprang up and followed him. "Won't you explain yourself?"

Snape whipped around abruptly, causing Hermione to almost run into him. But she didn't because he had caught her firmly by the shoulders. When he spoke, his voice was gentler than usual. "I am proud to have been your professor. And I am honoured to have you as my colleague."

Then he spun on his heel and made his way to the dungeons, leaving Hermione stunned to silence as she stared after his retreating back.