A/N: I can't believe how much you guys really seem to dig this. I hope you continue to enjoy!

'So you and Severus seemed to be friendly,' Harry says as they stamp snow off their boots before entering the warmths of the jewellery store.

'Mm,' Hermione hums evasively as they begin to move along the aisles of glass topped displays, each one glittering with jewels and precious metals.

'Did you get to speak to him at the party?'

'Well yes,' Hermione says with more of an edge than she had intended. 'We have more in common recently than I thought.'

Harry rubs the back of his neck. 'I'm sorry if you felt like you were out on your own the other week.'

'It's fine,' she mutters.

'It's not,' Harry sighs. 'I feel like I really let you down.'

Hermione shrugs. 'I'm the odd one out now,' she says. 'You're married into the family. And I've just been broken up with.'

'No,' Harry turns to look at her with a frown. 'I don't want you to think of yourself like that. And I know Ginny wouldn't, either.'

Hermione sighs and moves around the other side of one of the displays. 'This one's pretty,' she says, nodding down to a simple silver necklace.

'Very nice,' Harry doesn't even look at the item. 'Hermione, you're not the odd one out.'

'Harry, it's fine,' she insists. 'I really don't want to talk to you about this.'

'But you'll talk to Severus?'

She doesn't answer immediately and continues to move between the displays. Harry follows her. 'I guess he gets it, doesn't he?' Hermione says quietly.

'Gets what?'

Ever obtuse, she thinks. 'Gets being the one that makes people feel uncomfortable.'

'You don't make –'

'I do,' Hermione turns to look at him properly, dropping the pretence of looking for a gift to keep the atmosphere light. 'I saw it the moment I arrived. You all wished I hadn't come.'

'Mi, come on,' Harry reaches out to grab her hand. 'That's not true at all.'

She can feel tears stinging at the back of her eyes as she nods. 'None of you came to find me when I left the party, did you?'

Harry blinks and drops her hand. 'That's not fair.'

Hermione sighs and rubs her forehead. 'No, it isn't, you're right. I'm sorry,' she looks up at him. 'It's just hard not to … not to feel like you all wished I wasn't around.'

Harry gives her a look of sympathy. 'I'm sorry,' he says. 'I wish it was easier.'

'Yeah,' she says. 'Me too.'

They're quiet for a moment and Hermione shifts her weight to her other foot.

'Do you still want to come to dinner on Christmas Day?' He asks. 'I understand if you don't want to. But honestly, I would be really sad if you weren't there.'

Hermione tries for a smile but it feels tight on her cheeks. 'I'll come,' she says.

'Great,' Harry grins. 'Plus you already agreed with Severus that you'd be there. Ooh – and if you join Hogwarts as a teacher –'

'Slow your roll, Potter,' she says. 'I've only just agreed to do Christmas dinner. I'm not talking about the teaching position until the new year.'

'Fine,' he holds his hands up, but he looks pleased. 'I'm glad.'

'Right,' Hermione turns back to the displays. 'Let's get Ginny a gift so we can get out of here.'

…

Not much has changed at Grimmauld Place since the party apart from there's slighter fewer people. Hermione enters the dining room where various members of the Weasley family are mingling in small groups, all dressed smartly.

She's immediately accosted by Ginny who throws an arm around her and plants a kiss on her cheek. 'Merry Christmas!'

In yet another long red dress, Ginny looks just as stunning as she did at the party. A little circlet of pink tinsel on her head clashes hideously with her hair but in all her radiance, Ginny still pulls it off perfectly.

'Merry Christmas, Gin,' Hermione giggles. 'Thank you for my present.'

'And for mine! How did you know I wanted that wind-repellent scarf?'

'Oh I don't know,' Hermione rolls her eyes in good humour. 'Maybe it was all the hints you were dropping about it the last time we were in Diagon Alley?'

Ginny grins unashamedly. 'I have no idea what you're talking about,' she sings. 'Drink?'

'Always.'

'You look gorgeous in that green dress,' she says and Hermione smiles. 'Was that mine?'

'Probably,' Hermione admits.

'Looks amazing,' Ginny grins. 'Your figure looks unreal. Oh and you can't be without one of these –' seemingly out of thin air, Ginny plucks another circlet of tinsel, this time in gold, and drops it on her head.

'Thanks,' Hermione grins.

'There – perfect.' Ginny steers them over to the nearest punch bowl where Molly and Arthur pull Hermione into a hug.

'Merry Christmas, dear,' Molly beams before holding her firmly at arms length to look concerningly into her eyes. 'How are you doing?'

'I'm fine, Molly, honestly,' she assures her. 'It's lovely to see you.'

'And you, dear, and you.'

Arthur gives her a look of sympathy. 'It's really great of you to come,' he says. 'You look well.'

Hermione braves a smile. 'Thanks,' she says.

Ginny thrusts a very full cup into her hands before swiftly steering her away again. 'Sorry about them,' she mutters. 'Mum's been beside herself since Ron broke up with you.'

The words still sting but Hermione swallows hard and looks around desperately for an out. 'Gin, I'm going to go and say hello to Severus,' she says.

'Oh,' Ginny blinks in poorly concealed surprise. 'Sure. Are you okay?'

'I'm fine,' she insists.

Moving to the other end of the room where he's stood in the corner with Harry, Severus sips at a glass of wine until his eyes flick up to see her coming towards him. She notices his gaze dropping down her form in the tight green and she swears he swallows roughly before tearing his eyes away from her and back to Harry.

'Hey,' she says.

'Mi!' Harry hugs her. 'Merry Christmas!'

'You too,' she smiles.

'Granger,' Severus greets her with that usual stoic tone and expression.

'Hello,' she says, feeling herself blush a little but hoping he doesn't notice.

'Oh – Ron's arrived –' Harry looks at her apologetically and she gives him a tight smile.

'I'm fine,' she says for what feels like the millionth time.

'See you in a bit, okay?' He drops a kiss on the side of her head before making his way towards where Ron has entered the room. Hermione feels like the air has suddenly been sucked out of the room.

She forces herself to look away from where Ron is now laughing with Harry and Ginny and tries to ignore the stab of sadness in her chest. She looks up at Severus who is watching her carefully. 'How are you?' She asks with overcompensating cheeriness.

'Fine,' he says. 'Yourself?'

She shrugs. 'I'm here.'

'Things still uncomfortable with Weasley?'

'You could say that.'

He smirks a little. 'Well I'm glad you came. Didn't leave me to face them on my own.'

'I wouldn't do that to you,' Hermione says, pretending to look offended. 'I don't even want to face them alone and they're my friends.'

Severus' lips twitch in amusement. 'Well lucky for you, you won't have to.'

'Thanks,' she says. 'I really appreciate it.'

He blinks and looks momentarily confused. 'You're … welcome.'

They stand in silence for a moment and Hermione feels the urge to make conversation. She opens her mouth but Severus gets there first.

'I like your tinsel crown,' he says nodding at the circlet.

She smiles. 'Ginny didn't give me much of a choice. She said it made my outfit perfect.'

He drags his eyes down her form again and Hermione feels like her body is on fire from his gaze. 'I'm sure it was already perfect before,' his baritone voice makes her stomach do somersaults. Why is his voice making her feel like that?! Clearly two months of being single was sending her a little … well. Horny.

Mentally shaking herself back to reality, Hermione bows her head to hide her clear pleasure once his words have sunk in properly. Perfect. 'You're too kind,' she says.

'I think you need a bit more of it.'

She looks at him curiously and Severus seems to catch himself. He clears his throat and takes a drink. 'It took me two days to feel normal again after that tequila,' he says suddenly.

Hermione giggles. 'I didn't even have a hangover.'

He lifts his eyebrows briefly. 'Enjoy that feeling whilst it lasts, Granger.'

'So are you drinking water in that goblet then if you clearly can't handle it?' She asks innocently.

Severus quirks an eyebrow. 'Just because you're no longer a student, doesn't mean I couldn't find some way to punish you.'

Without thinking, Hermione responds: 'I have no doubt about that, sir,' she says with an uncharacteristically teasing tone in her voice that she almost doesn't recognise in herself.

Severus almost chokes on his wine. 'Gods, Hermione,' he says, unsure of where to even look.

'Sorry,' she flushes. 'I don't know why –'

'Hey, you two!' Ginny slinks up to them and hands Hermione a new glass of wine which she immediately drinks for something to do. 'Dinner will be served shortly, so please take a seat!'

'Great,' Hermione says, hoping that the lowlight hides her bright red face.

'Shall we?' Brushing over their previous exchange, Severus extends his arm towards the table and follows Hermione.

Pulling out a chair for her, she thanks him before sitting down and he takes the seat beside her.

'Sorry for being completely all over the place,' she mutters just loud enough for him to hear.

'Don't worry,' he says without moving his lips. 'You're single over Christmas. It's a weird time for the best of us.'

'Thanks.'

Hermione scolds herself – why does she keep feeling the need to throw herself at Severus Snape of all people every time she's had half a drink down her? She needs to pull it together. It's not a cute look – and what must he think? Hermione sneaks a sidelong glance at Severus who is having a clipped conversation with Arthur who sits at his other side.

She looks up at Ron whose face is lit up in laughter as he talks to George and Angelina and her heart aches. It's hard to see him being so outrageously happy when she can't even get through one social gathering without throwing herself at the nearest single man in the room.

'Don't,' Severus' voice in her ear makes her jump and she looks at him.

'What?!'

'Stop looking at Weasley,' he says, reaching forward for his goblet. 'Don't give him the satisfaction.'

She nods and swallows. 'You're right.'

'Look at me instead,' he tells her and when she does, she sees an earnest expression on his face – he really does want to help. 'We are engrossed in a fascinating and intellectual conversation that your former boyfriend could only ever dream of understanding.'

Even in spite of the breakup, Hermione still opens her mouth to stick up for Ron until she hears his laughter cut through the din of conversation. Instead, she rests one elbow on the table and looks at Severus in the perfect image of a woman enraptured in conversation. 'Tell me more,' she says and Severus tries to keep from smiling.

'Very good, Granger,' he says.

The food is served and everyone begins stacking their plates high with turkey, potatoes and vegetables.

'Hermione,' George calls over the table. 'How are you! I haven't seen you properly!'

She laughs, and feeling Ron look at her whilst she keeps her eyes firmly on George, she grins widely. 'I'm great,' she tells him.

'You look it!' George gives her an extravagant wink and Hermione can't help but glance at Ron quickly. His ears are pink.

'Nicely done,' Severus says quietly. 'Not too over the top – just right.'

'It feels nice to pretend that I'm alright,' she tells him.

'Fake it until you make it, girl,' he says.

Hermione turns back to her Christmas dinner with a feeling of lightness in her chest. Maybe he was right. Maybe faking it was the only way to get through this. She'd already cried more than she ever thought possible and she felt like there was no more grief anymore. The emptiness was definitely the worst part. At least when she had been devastated she had felt something.

Maybe that's what she was enjoying about being around Severus – she was feeling something again.

Hermione takes a big drink.

She wasn't sure where the hell she was going with this.