In honour of Hermione's Birthday, I have posted two updates today! I had to make sure we ended it on a good note, all fluff and no cliffhangers.

Chapter 22. Valentines

Sitting at the Gryffindor table Friday morning held a strange energy in the air. Everyone was waiting for their Valentines to be delivered or being actively and aggressively romantic with their significant others. Hermione, however, internalized at that energy and felt it gnawing away at her hunger. Suddenly her eggs didn't seem as appetizing as they had before. The hooting of the owls entering the great hall sent Hermione's stomach tumbling into her feet as she watched nervously for her owl. Ginny was overly pleased when a stack of pink and red envelopes landed in front of her and Harry was distinctly jealous and was having a horrible time hiding it. He got a few, shortly after, and Ginny's face turned beet red with a likely mix of rage and jealousy, and she was equally bad at hiding it.

Ron was sitting to her left, glumly picking at his food. "Stupid bloody holiday," he grumbled when minutes passed and nothing had been dropped for him. Given, Hermione had yet to receive anything either, and there was a part of her that was glad for it, as she relaxed a bit and forced herself to finish her meal. She made a point not to look at Severus, almost certain he would be just as gloomy as her ginger friend during the holiday. He didn't seem like a Valentine's Day sort of wizard and she had spent the night preparing for that exact case.

We have only just said I love you, and really, we only just started being romantic so there should be no pressure for this day to be anything other than a normal Friday, the bright witch resolved as she examined her friends from her periphery. Part of her was worried Draco would be brazen enough to send her a Valentine and after holding his hand in Transfigurations, she was quickly plummeting herself into a terribly awkward situation.

Just as she moved to get up from the bench and tackle Herbology with Neville, there was a loud thunk as a rather thick stack of letters landed on the table in front of her. "Oh, bloody hell, not you too," Ron groaned. A blush spread over Hermione's cheeks and she was suddenly a mix of nauseous and very overheated. Who on bloody earth could have sent me all these sodding letters? She groused internally.

The brunette gathered her stack and shoved them promptly into her bag. "I'll see you all in charms?" She called as she walked away. Her pointless question was met with a chorus of positive grunts as she ran for the exit. The nausea was building and she suddenly wanted to use her apparition skills within the castle to the nearest bathroom, but the best she could manage was a casual sprint.

Upon arriving in the loo, she hugged the porcelain in front of her and emptied the stomach she had just managed to fill over breakfast. She rested her cheek on the cool toilet when she finally felt as though she couldn't give up any more and relished in the comfort the temperature change offered her. Finding her footing, she cleaned her mess and washed her mouth with a couple of charms and a freshening spell. The witch took a moment to braid her hair back in the hopes it would help lower her temperature, before heading off to her first class.

-x-

A majority of the students were out of the castle now, at Hogsmeade with their loved ones or good friends, celebrating Valentine's Day. She had made it through the rest of her classes without incident and was glad to make it to the library and sit down in her corner as she did whenever she needed the peace. After her last lecture, she quickly showered and changed into some warm, but muggle looking clothes, before she ventured to the library. She wore a dark green jumper layered over a white blouse, paired with some jeans and fuzzy warm socks. While she had many layers, she still opted to cast a few warming charms to keep herself warm as she roamed around the nearly empty castle. The witch had charmed her hair that morning to be a little smoother and repeated the process after her shower to ensure she got the same reaction she had noted from her entrance into the great hall for breakfast.

Hermione had held off opening her letters and now had them splayed out in front of her. There was one from Krum, as she had expected, and one each from Ginny, Harry, and Neville, but none from Ron. There was a letter from her parents explaining that they were planning a holiday over Easter and were hoping she would join them. She tucked that one in her pocket as a reminder for her to reply later that night. Her hand hovered over the red envelope with her name in calligraphy scrawled on the back. There was an equal chance it was either of the Slytherins or that it was literally anybody else. That fact frightened her and she opted not to open it just yet.

"Granger," the cocky drawl of the Malfoy heir drew her attention from the book she had selected from the History section. "Enjoying your time alone?" He sang, summoning a chair and sitting on it backwards, facing her. She shrugged, attempting to appear composed as she tucked the envelope under her knee and out of his sight. If it was from Severus, she didn't need anyone seeing it, and if it was from Draco, she didn't want him to know she was too afraid to open it.

"I was actually, then you showed up," she retorted, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, how you wound me, Granger. Don't you worry, I won't interrupt your alone time." Thank gods, Hermione moaned internally, avoiding the boy's gaze and playing with the parchment in front of her. "See you at the Quidditch match tomorrow though?" He asked as the witch had yet to offer a response.

"Sure," she said, daring to glance over at him. His grin was not as confident as it had been, and he looked genuinely hurt by her lack of interest. The image of Severus flashed in front of her mind and she offered the blonde smile. "I'll be cheering for you," she added jokingly, which made his face twist into his trademark smirk.

"The game is against Gryffindor, but good try, you'll get the hang of the lying thing eventually, Granger." She wasn't sure if she was seething with rage or impressed by his wit.

"Nothing can slip past you, can it, Malfoy?" Hermione retorted with a scoff.

"Hopefully not," he bantered with a wink. Had she not been looking at that exact moment, she may not have caught the playful gesture, but it definitely took her off-guard. We're flirting, she determined, this is flirting that we're doing. I am flirting with Draco sodding Malfoy on Valentine's Day.

"Oh, bloody hell," she announced, sitting up from her position and pulling him into a kiss. There was a moment of shock before his lips reacted to hers and he joined in. His frenzied kiss bothered her, and while his mouth was soft, he held none of the power that Severus did in his kisses. Though, she mused, Severus likely has far more experience than him. Did I just take his first kiss? I didn't even ask if it was okay. Her mind swirled, and she felt her eyes open watching his closed eyes as they snogged. They pulled apart and she instinctively licked her lips.

"Wow Granger, I didn't even get you a Valentine," he admitted with a laugh as he composed himself. There was a flush of red on his cheeks and he was trying very poorly to conceal a grin. She, on the other hand, had to force one.

"You ought to join your friends for Hogsmeade, they'll wonder where you've been," Hermione encouraged, stepping back towards her books and nearly tripping over them. "Shit," she cursed under her breath.

"Not going to Hogsmeade, I'm still in trouble for sending you into the lake. Remember?" He answered, reaching out to help steady her but she declined and straightened her posture a bit. "I could hang about if you wanted to try that again," Draco winked once more, making her stomach churn. Oh, gods, I should not have done that. It was very obvious at that moment that whatever it was she thought she felt for the blond from his decent behaviours was not sexual attraction.

"I was hoping for a rather benign Valentine's Day. I'm not really a huge fan of it all around. Kinda wanted to be alone," she lied, attempting to hide her embarrassment and disgust. She didn't think her attempt to get rid of him would work, given her previous display of affection towards him and the ample amount of mixed signals. The witch felt bad for the boy. Just like any male his age, he was looking for a little romance in his life on Valentine's Day and she was doing nothing but playing with his heart.

"Ah, no worries. I'll leave you to it then!" With a nod, the blond stepped back from her and waved as he left the library. His normally poised movements were awkward as he stumbled off. Once he was out of sight, she sighed loudly and slid down the bookcase to sit back down. A crinkle caught her attention as she landed on her behind, and she reached around to grab the red envelope. Well we know it's not from Draco, she thought in an attempt to comfort herself.

Tearing into it eagerly, she took a deep breath as she unfolded a piece of parchment.

Happy Saint Valentine's Day my dear Hermione,

I know that I have said countless times that meeting will only cause us danger, but I thought that tonight could be an exception, given its significance. I heard your friends lamenting your absence from the Hogsmeade visit today, so I was hoping that while the castle is nearly empty, you might join me in the Room of Requirements one last time before we truly go into hiding.

I will be there after the last period, I hope to see you then.

SS

Hermione held her breath, waiting for the parchment to burst into flames as she read over his signature. When it never did, she relaxed her lungs and refolded the letter and tucked it back into the envelope. A smile plastered on her face, she stood, putting away the books she had collected and moved to leave for the room when a familiar orange blur puttered to a halt in front of her.

"Crookshanks! What are you doing out of the tower?" She asked in shock, bending down to give him a proper scratch, finding a small scroll of parchment wrapped around his collar. Her brows furrowed in confusion and she unravelled it.

Oh, we're kissing other wizards now, are we?

Her stomach sank as she took in the recognizable scrawl. Fuck, she cursed, picking up her feline and rushing out of the library. When she pushed open the door to the Room of Requirements, she was greeted with an unexpected sight. A gasp escaped her lips as she watched the candles that hovered about a large blanket with a pile of books in one corner and a tray with some tea set up in the other. Violet rose petals were scattered about and quiet French music filled the air as she stepped forward cautiously. The witch let her familiar down, who happily pranced off to curl up next to a fireplace that had appeared with a cat bed in front of it.

"Severus," she breathed, looking around at the otherwise empty room. She walked towards the stack of books, eager to find out what they were but as she reached the edge of the blanket, arms snaked around her waist and she spun around quickly. The hooked nose of her love was inches from hers and she quickly closed the distance, kissing him deeply. His grip on her tightened as she melted into the kiss, stepping up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck. When they finally parted to breathe, she felt his glare lower on her.

"I saw that display in the library." Her anxiety returned with his tone and she attempted to step away from him but he didn't let her go. "Your cat came and found me, rather odd, but I followed him and there you were, standing with Draco. Had I been anyone else, I would have assumed there to be quite a bit of passion in that kiss," he continued, making her draw in a sharp breath and wince, ready to protest. "However," she exhaled and relaxed a bit. "I saw your eyes were just a bit open and well, that doesn't exactly spell romance, does it? And I must say you looked a little green." Hermione laughed at this before she rested her head on his chest.

"I was more than a litter green actually. I can't begin to explain how awkward that entire exchange was," she exhaled as he held her. He said nothing, and they stood there in silence for a long while. Hermione felt safe in his arms, as though the war that was coming would never touch them if they just stayed like that for the rest of their lives. She felt as though nothing could ever be wrong when she was with him and this was simply the only way she could ever be happy in life. In Severus Snape's arms for the rest of time.

After a moment they stepped apart and looked into each other's eyes. It was perfectly warm between them but even so, snowflakes began falling from the ceiling. The witch glanced up, wondering if the roof was enchanted much like the great hall and was happily surprised to see the room had offered up a bit of the outdoors even though she couldn't be out in the February snow. "It's snowing," she exhaled, looking up at him as flakes landed on her eyelashes. His expression was softer than she'd ever seen it as he smiled down at her.

"It is," he hummed, inching closer to her.

"It's beautiful," her whisper barely audible as they held eye contact.

"You are." She blushed at his reply, glancing down at the floor which held no trace of the precipitation building around them. His hand cupped her cheek, bringing her face back to his. Watching his eyes flick around as he examined her features, she leaned into his palm. Slowly, he bent forward, placing a delicate kiss on her lips, then pressing his forehead to hers. "Dear gods, I love you." The desperation in his breath made her close the gap and kiss him once more, pressing into the passion.

When they finally broke apart, she smiled against his lips. "I love you too." They stepped apart from one another and he presented her with a bouquet of roses in multiple different colours. She took it eagerly and smelled them, quickly enveloped in the scent of all her favourite things. "Amortentia," she whispered, looking up at him lovingly. She noted that the scent had changed since her first class with Professor Slughorn. It now smelt of herbs, and potion ingredients, parchment, everything she attributed to Severus. It smelt like Severus.

"Yes, you're a brilliant girl aren't you? I wasn't sure what colour was your favourite, so I went with all of them but I can transfigure it to be one colour if you'd like." She glanced at the floor and noted the violet petals with a smile.

"Violet," she said quietly, before turning back to face him. With a grin, he wordlessly changed the colour of her bouquet to match the petals on the floor. The witch leaned up and kissed his cheek. "What's yours?" She asked offhandedly, examining his face.

"I can't say I've ever thought too much about it. Green, perhaps? I'm a Slytherin after all..." His voice trailed off as he seemed to think on it a bit more, examining the cotton of her green jumper. She was glad she'd selected the Slytherin colour for her clothing that day. "Tea?" He asked after a moment of silence, with a genuine grin on his face she could never truly get enough of. Nodding, he guided her to the blanket and made her up a cup. It was as though he remembered exactly what it was she liked before handing it to her. It was perfectly warm with the right balance of milk and sugar. After making himself a cup, he inhaled sharply and looked over at the pile of books. "While you were in hospital, I picked up a few more novels to share with you. Needless to say, I couldn't really decide on one or two so here's a handful." Severus leaned over and plucked one from on top and handed it to her. "I read this one to you while you were asleep. I- I doubt you heard me so it might be worth a read," he offered.

"Oh Severus, this is... This is unbelievable. Thank you," she lauded, putting her cup down on the ground beside her and lurching forward into his arms. "This is the best Valentines I have ever had," she whispered, squeezing him tightly before sitting back. She read over the preface quickly then handed it to him. "Could you read it to me again? While I'm awake?" He laughed at her request, taking the tome from her hand and exhaling lengthily.

"I suppose," he muttered with a shrug. With a flick of his wand, he conjured a small sofa and a side table for their tea. It was a bit awkward, seeing her graceful and brooding professor sit on the floor, so she took his hand when he offered it and stood with him. He sat on the loveseat and tugged her onto his lap. With tea in one hand and the book in the other hand of his arm that was tucked behind her back, he began reading.

-x-

She began to feel sleepy a few chapters in, hugging her torso and hearing the distinct crinkle of Severus' Valentine in her pocket. Snuggled against him, she pulled it out of her jumper's pocket. Severus stopped reading and looked down at it, wrapping his arm around her waist to hug her, letting the book rest in her lap. "You know," he started, "when someone other than you reads that, there is just an awful poem that appears." He informed her with a chuckle. Her eyes widened in surprise and she nuzzled into him further.

"Oh really? Read it to me then," she insisted, kissing his cheek and letting her forehead rest against his neck.

"No, it's really truly awful, I would never put you through that," he shook his head and lowered her hands that clutched the paper. Sitting up, Hermione thrust the parchment in front of his nose.

"Do it for me, please?" Her begging melted his heart every time and she knew it, adding a set of pleading eyes to really get through to him. He glared at her playfully for a moment, and she noted a smile tugging at his lips that made him sigh in defeat.

"Fine." Severus cast a quick charm, revealing the poem and took the parchment from her to read it. "Hermione, I need your love to keep me warm, like the fires burning inside of us, pushing us over the edge of insanity, keeping us so close together in heart and yet so far apart. Your secret admirer." He recounted as she watched his face. His expression was serious as he read the dreadful words and a tingle of awkward energy enveloped her and she quickly buried her face into his neck as he finished.

"Oh, that was truly awful!" She laughed, which only made him chuckle along with her and hug her gently.

"I told you it was dreadful, I didn't want anyone to think it was me if they read it," he explained.

"They really would never guess that, maybe Draco if anybody," she teased back, before kissing him passionately. She held his face between her hands after breaking the kiss and looked into his dark eyes. "I loved it." A giggle left with her breath. "I love you."

"I love you too, angel," he whispered against her lips, kissing her once more.

I hope you guys don't mind two updates in a day, but I needed Hermione to have a good one today. More will come at normal intervals.