First of all, I have to admit that I am not a native speaker, so there might be a few mistakes, but if you were so kind as to write me a message to tell me of them, I would immediately correct them.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to JK Rowling, and I don't earn my money with these stories.
This story was written during the National Novel Writing Month 2021.
Rain in Hogsmeade
Severus sat at the bar in the Three Broomsticks and waited impatiently for 5 pm to arrive. He was on Hogsmeade duty today and it was his job to sit here all day in case a student needed his emergent help and after 5 pm to make sure that everyone made their way back to the castle. It was a boring job, especially since no one ever spoke to him or required his help, no matter if student or adult. Some of his colleagues had made their way here today as well, but they had enjoyed themselves in a booth ignoring him. Not that he would have wanted to be included, of course. Instead, he had brought a book with him, but the crowd in the pub was so shrill and trivial that he couldn't concentrate on the rather complicated words in front of him. Therefore, he had simply sat there, nibbling on one butterbeer all day (it was already an impertinence that he had to order anything to be allowed to sit here) and stared at the clock at the wall which's hands seemed to rotate extra slowly today.
When the grandfather clock stroke five times, he muttered: "Finally," paid for his one butterbeer and looked around. No one who belonged to Hogwarts was left – the students weren't dumb enough to stick around during his duty in fear of point deductions and detentions. With an almost nonvisible satisfied grin, he opened the door of the Three Broomsticks and was surprised that it was raining cats and dogs. Another reason why the students had left on time. Huge drops of rain splattered onto the muddy streets, creating ugly brown puddles. Anyone without an umbrella would be soaking wet in seconds.
Severus raised his wand and transfigured a twig he found on the floor into a black umbrella.
He scanned the area, but there was no one in sight, so he made his way home. He was almost out of the village when his peripheral view registered someone standing near a building. When he turned, he saw that none other than Hermione Granger stood under the roof in front of the entrance of the bookshop and looked worriedly at the dark sky.
Sighing, Severus marched over to her.
It took her a moment to detect him, but when she did, her body tensed. This was a normal reaction which most of his students showed – what was unusual was her relieved breath after a second and her small smile when she greeted him politely: "Good evening, Professor Snape."
"If I were you, I would go back to the castle as quickly as possible before you leave me no choice but to deduct a large amount of House points and give you detention, Miss Granger."
She looked at the dark grey sky for a moment before she sighed: "I suppose you're right. It doesn't look like it's going to get better anytime soon. May I use my wand to create an umbrella for myself?"
He was so irritated with her and her comfortable behaviour around him that he growled: "No. It's not my fault that you forgot your umbrella. This is not an emergency which would allow you to use magic." He even added a little smirk.
She opened her mouth as if to argue before stopping herself and taking a deep breath. Then she squared her shoulders – and marched into the pouring rain.
Severus had to suppress a grin. Miss Granger was a true Gryffindor: a Ravenclaw would have been smart enough to look at the weather forecast before even leaving the common room and then take an umbrella, a Hufflepuff would have pleaded, and a Slytherin would have tried to outsmart him. Only a Gryffindor would simply go into the rain and risk getting sick.
Quickly he followed her and together they made their way back to the castle. Her strides were shorter than his, but he didn't pass her, since it was his duty to make sure that all students arrived at Hogwarts safely.
He kept glancing at her. The rain soon soaked her through, her hair hung deep due to its heavy weight now, her clothes got dark, and she kept squinting her eyes against the drops on her face. It sometimes looked like she was crying, when a water droplet rolled down her cheek, but he knew her better to assume she was crying simply because of some rain.
He had expected her to make small talk – which he detested, of course – but the witch remained silent and kept striding on through the muddy pathway to Hogwarts. Severus didn't want to admit it but he admired her. Not only was she an exceptional student, intelligent and hardworking, she was also loyal to her friends and fiercely protective of them and didn't mind breaking the rule if what she did was the right thing to do. It was a pity he had to be so cruel to her because she was Harry Potter's best friend and a Gryffindor. If she were in Slytherin, he would be able to foster her talent. Or if there was no Dark Lord he had to appease...
For a while, they merely walked, but then he noticed her shivering in the rain and felt sorry for her. Theatrically sighing, he said: "Come here, Miss Granger, before you catch your early death." And he held his umbrella so that they could share it.
She looked at him surprised and seemed tempted to accept his offer, but finally shook her head. "No, thank you."
"This is not the time to be proud." He raised his wand and dried her clothes and hair in an instant. "If you don't want to get soaked all over again, you better come here."
Now she finally obliged and a second later she stood right next to him, his rather small black umbrella over their heads.
At first, it was awkward since they kept bouncing against each other and then jumping apart which meant being in the rain for a moment.
Finally, Severus sighed inwardly and offered her his arm.
She looked at him hesitating before she carefully slipped her hand around his upper arm while he held the umbrella over them. Now they both fit under it but stood very close.
She kept glancing at him nervously and Severus gulped more often than he needed to. He knew he should say something to chase away the awkwardness, but his mind was empty of topics. At least appropriate topics, for he could compliment her blushing cheeks against her light skin, or the way her eyelashes enhanced her beautiful brown eyes.
Suddenly, he felt movement on his arm and saw that she was stroking his arm gently, moving her thumb up and down. It felt exciting and wonderful, but he knew he should stop her. "What are you doing there?" he asked and meant to sound annoyed and threatening, but his voice came out hoarse and unsure.
"Do you mind?" she merely replied without stopping her movements.
He didn't, not at all, but it wasn't right.
"You should stop."
"But I don't want to."
"Why?" The question was almost inaudible, but he needed to know. Her behaviour was irrational. She didn't answer his question but also didn't stop her movement, slowly continuing to walk forward.
It affected him more than he liked to admit, and he feared that she might notice his discomfort.
"You have always fascinated me," she then told him under her breath, staring straight forward onto the rain. "And over time this fascination grew into admiration and then into... more."
He took a deep breath of air. For months she had been in his dreams, tempting him, her intellect, her beauty, her courage – she was simply amazing, but also his student. He should tell her to stop. He should take his umbrella and leave her alone in the rain. But he couldn't. He stopped walking and she stopped as well, now looking at him curiously.
The pouring rain around them worked like a shield and protected them from the cruel outside world.
"Hermione," he sighed, trying to put her off, but knew he had lost when he saw her beaming eyes.
She stepped closer to him, no space left between their bodies and looked up at him with her doe eyes.
"We shouldn't," he murmured.
"I don't care," she replied.
"You're my student."
"Only for three more months."
"Still..." He tried to look away, but it seemed impossible.
"Let's make a deal," she then said with a mischievous smile that made his Slytherin heart proud. "One kiss now and then I will come to you after graduation, and you tell me either to leave or stay."
He knew instantly he would ask her to stay, but he doubted her infatuation for him would remain. Maybe one kiss was all he would ever get. Maybe it would cure her curiosity for him and his longing for her.
"One kiss," he agreed.
Hermione looked at him as if her dream came true, though it was truly his dream coming true.
He gently lifted the hand that wasn't holding their umbrella to her cheek and was pleased when she nestled against his palm. Before he could lose his nerves, he closed the distance between their lips, giving her every opportunity to avert him, until his lips gently pressed against hers.
It was incredible and when she started to move her lips with his, he thought his heart might burst. She was exquisite and he was glad he had taken her deal, even if this would remain their one and only kiss.
To his surprise, she was the one to stop the kiss, smiling up at him, her cheeks red, her lips slightly swollen, but her eyes so full of affection that he was sure he didn't deserve it.
"See you in three months," she whispered, then suddenly stepped away from him, out of the umbrella's protection and into the rain. Slowly she backed away, staring at him intensely, her shoulders and hair gradually getting wet before suddenly she turned around and ran back towards the castle.
Severus stayed still under the umbrella, dumbstruck, not sure if this had happened or if it was just another dream. Then he also made his way back to Hogwarts and hidden under the umbrella and the pouring rain, he allowed himself a genuine smile.
THE END.
