Honestly and Absinth

Should have put it before now, but as you know I don't own any of the characters. Most situations are fictional, others actually happened to me. Please read and review.

Ginny paced Hermione's darkened bedroom. The thought that Hermione had wanted a change so badly bothered Ginny. It was almost a year and a half since Hermione had had that talk with Snape. Yet it was the first time Ginny had heard of her entrapment. How could the Head Girl, a powerful witch with the wizarding world at her feet feel her life was mundane?

It was only when she heard her own echoed laughter did her focus return to the pensive.

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Both Ginny and Hermione stumbled through the portrait into Hermione's vast private chambers after one too many butter beers, Molly had given them a small bottle each, under strict conditions they were to have no more. Hermione, however, had taken the liberty to charm the bottles to refill once empty. Luckily, the chamber was relatively open plan with no stairs to climb for the drunken pair; her four poster bed being to the left, draped in shades of purple: the sitting area to the right, decorated in Griffindor colours and a door leading to the bathroom was facing the portrait entrance.

Both girls made it to the bed without falling. But once upon it Hermione had fallen to the floor in a fit of laughter. Hitting her head on the bed side table, waking up her cat who slept on the rug.

"I'm glad we got rid of the boys, they were making a show of themselves!" Ginny laughed, placing her butter beer bottle on the table to help her friend up.

"I'm sure you are." Hermione answered sarcastically. "You realise your missing your chance to seduce said boy." Hermione returned to the floor in search of her bottle. She found it and returned to the bed to find Ginny shrugging away the suggestions. "There's someone else? Is it true, Ginny Weasley is finally over the boy-who-lived?" Ginny again shrugged. "Who? You've got to tell me! Friends don't keep secrets." The Ginny of the present scoffed at this, all things now considered. "Is it Neville?!"

"Your not going to approve." Ginny answered honestly. "It's Draco." Ginny buried her head in a deep purple pillow. After a moments silence, Ginny raised her head. "Are you mad?" Ginny was in tears.

"No." Hermione giggled softly. "You can't help who you fall in love with" Hermione explained. "But Ginny, he's horrible to you. I don't understand what could attract you to the enemy of the boy-who-lived. And besides... He's Slytherin-"

"You are one to talk!" Ginny shot her a warning glare.

"I beg your pardon?" Hermione laughed feebly at the accusation, knowing what was coming.

"You heard me. What was going on with you and Snape today? You haven't spoken to him in two months... Declared you hated the man's guts. But you had your hands through his hair as if he was your boyfriend." Ginny rambled with a raised eyebrow.

"I truly believe I am not drunk enough to answer that question. And for the record he insulted me." Hermione charmed her bottle into a stronger liquor. Trying hard not to blush.

"Do you like him?" Ginny asked, she wasn't being serious before. Hermione reddened. "Love him?" Ginny questioned, removing the bottle from Hermione's hand. Hermione burned even further. Her vision became so blurry that Ginny had to clear up the pensive with a quick charm. "Hermione. Are you in love with Professor Snape?" Ginny questioned. Hermione lay back to the head board and thought about the question. The question she had been scared to ask herself.

"Yes." She answered softly, slightly sobering at the realisation. "I do." Ginny began sniggering out of control. "Oh, Ginny stop it." Hermione tried to keep a straight face. "It's not funny. What am I going to do for two months with him-"

"Two months?" Ginny was lost. The present Ginny however, knew exactly what she was talking about.

"I mean, in lessons, that's different, but two month with only him and Draco for company, I'm bound to slip up-"

"Herm, what are you talking about?" Ginny tried to focus on the girl. But what ever she had put in the bottle was very strong. So strong, Ginny had the thought that maybe Hermione didn't intend her to drink it.

"He's invited me to New York with him."

"You and Draco?" Ginny questioned. "For two months?" Hermione nodded positively. "What am I going to do for two months without my best friend and the boy of my dreams?"

"There's always Neville." Hermione cackled. The second dose of alcohol was taking affect as a knock was heard at the portrait entrance. Ginny was trying to protest at Hermione's suggestion when Hermione had opened the portrait and collapsed onto the man outside.

"Miss Granger." Ginny noted the disappointed tone in his voice as he picked the girl up and brought her back to the bed.

"Busted!" Ginny giggled as Snape placed the delirious Hermione on the bed.

"Miss Weasley." He moved to the other side of the bed. "Off to bed with you." He got her on her feet and led her out of Hermione's chambers. With the snap of the portrait returning to it's closed position Hermione's memory went black. She was asleep.

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Ginny's own memory of that Christmas night was vague. But seeing Hermione's replayed had triggered a memory of her own that she had forgotten. While escorting her to the Griffindor tower Snape had spoken to her....

"Miss Weasley?" Snape questioned, catching her for the tenth time.

"Yes Ssssssnape?" Ginny giggled as he rolled his eyes at her.

"Would you do something for me?" He asked, and continued without a reply. "When you are sober tomorrow. Ask your friend if there is something wrong!"......

Ginny sat stunned. The reason Hermione hadn't told her what was wrong was because she hadn't asked. It was only now that she had remembered his request. On leaving her he had given her a sober-up potion and told her to get some rest. In the morning she didn't remember anything that had happened and certainly didn't know he had returned to the sleeping Hermione.

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A second knock that night had awoken Hermione. What started as a soft knock had grown impatient by the time she'd opened the door.

"Serverus?!" Hermione greeted as she flung her arms around his neck.

"Miss Granger." He warned, feeling her forehead. She was burning up.

"How many times have I told you to call me Hermione." She stroked his cheek. Unfortunately, she had never once contradicted him and told him to refer to her as Hermione. It occurred to Snape that she was so drunk that she thought she was dreaming.

"Molly will kill me if she sees you like this." Snape muttered as he attempted to stand Hermione upright. She crumpled to the floor. Snape sighed and sat down to join her. "You do realise if the headmaster finds out, you will not be allowed to accompany me to New York." he tried to make her see sense.

"He won't Sev. He won't find us." Her arms returned to his neck to pull him into a kiss.

"Miss Granger." He growled pulling her to her feet and walking her to the bathroom where he placed her in the shower and ran the cold water.

Ignoring her screams of protest he returned to the bedroom. He found Hermione's bottle quickly and sniffed at it's contents. "Absinth?!" He walked into the bathroom, flushed with anger to find Hermione resting weakly on the showers glass. All anger faded when he saw she was crying. Snape slowly opened the shower door and joined her inside.

Setting her upright he removed a second bottle of sober-up potion. He slung his arm round her waist and tipped her head upwards. The small vile had reached her lips when she began to protest.

"No. No more drink." She brushed away Snape's hand weakly. He sighed and tried again. She put up such a fight. She had even slapped him across the face before he finally got it down her.

"Stay here while I find you some bed clothes." He whispered softy, resting her under the cold water. He stepped out of the shower dripping wet, performed a drying spell and went off in search of bed clothes for the sobering student.

When he returned, he found her sitting on the lip of the bath wearing nothing but a pale green towel and a sobered expression.

"Here." Like a gentleman he averted his eyes while he handed her a pair of cotton pyjamas. "I'll be waiting outside" He returned to her bedroom.

As much as Hermione didn't want to face him in the light of what had just taken place. She knew it would be rude to leave him out there. Stepping out into her room, she found him dozing on her bed. She coughed slightly, to alert him of her presence. He shot up quickly. How the man looked in dire need of a decent nights sleep. Hermione thought lovingly. She checked the clock above the fireplace. It was now boxing day.

"I am truly sorry Professor." She joined him on the bed. Truly ashamed of herself. "It's bad enough looking after us at term time. You shouldn't have to do it in your own time. I-" Hermione had begun rambling. Snape's soft hand hovered over her lips.

"Hush child." There it was. He'd called her child. Hermione's heart sunk, as did Ginny's. "I saw what you had done to the bottles. I thought I'd let you have your fun. However. When I found Weasley and Potter mounting one of the statues..." He thought about what to say. "I didn't want them to find you." He said in a moments honesty. "They would stop you from coming to New York. Dumbledor is having a bad enough time with it as it is. You being- And me being..." Snape had flustered. "You need this trip more than anyone!"

"And Draco?" Hermione asked flushing at Snape's embarrassment.

"It's an impressionable time for him. The longer he's away from his father-"

"Are you sure you can change him?" Hermione questioned. "He's about to hurt one of my dear friends without trying. I fear for her safety." Hermione allowed a tear to fall. Her inhibitions still down.

"Are you so sure he's what he appears?" Snape brushed a stray hair from Hermione's eyes. Hermione caught his hand as it removed it. It forced him to look her in the eye. The first time he'd done so since she had appeared from the bathroom.

"Why are you doing this? Why do you have to be nice? I had you figured out, and now I don't." Hermione paused. "Your giving hope for Draco. I don't want that. As much as I'd like you to be right, I don't want to let my guard down with him."

"Hermione." He tugged on her hand as she tried to dry her tears. "Look at me." He used his other hand to brush her face. "Your guard is down." He said it with so much force and worry all she could do is nod. "I'm going now." He stood, pulling the duvet down so she could get in. "Stay off the absinth." He added with a gleam as he covered her with the duvet.

"Professor." Hermione called as he made to leave. He acknowledge her call with a nod. "Obliterate my memory... Of this! Please, I feel ashamed of how I've acted. I won't be able to look at you the same."

"As you wish Hermione. Close your eyes. You'll wake up with a headache, but that will be the hangover." She closed her eyes as she was told. But he didn't obliterate her memory, for Ginny had seen it all. Hermione simply forgot in her drunken haze of Honesty and Absinth.

A/N:

Once again thank you to Stacey Pointe. I love that you love my story. Yes, I think Snape is a little out of character too, but he's based on the guy this story is dedicated to. The incident with him cutting his hair actually happened, and he really is getting married. And I'm going to shut up now. Please review this chapter.