I hope you all enjoyed the fluff while it lasted!

Chapter 23. Pints

They had fallen asleep on the couch, in each other's arms, and Severus only awoke as his alert charm roused him. Someone was attempting to come into the room of requirements and he was very clearly snuggling with Hermione Granger. She was so peaceful, managing to sleep through his startled awakening, and he didn't want to wake her but the danger was far to imminent. He shook her softly and watched her brown eyes flutter open and look into his. The smile that spread across her lips was so genuinely loving that he wanted nothing more than to stay like that as long as he could.

"Someone's coming," he whispered, her eyes widening before she flung herself off of him. Severus would have taken the moment to laugh, but he too sprang into action, vanishing evidence of their date and shrinking the novels so they could fit in her pocket before disillusioning himself. Hermione cursed at him, but before she could protest further, the door appeared and none other than Draco Malfoy stepped through the entryway.

"Well this isn't exactly what I had in mind, but the room is always correct in what it gives," Draco boasted, eyeing Hermione. Severus held his breath as he attempted to sneak away unnoticed. Before he got to the door, it disappeared and it took all his strength not to swear. He turned around and saw Hermione looking over the blonde's shoulder at him, but he knew it was unlikely she could see him. "What are you doing up here so late, Granger?" He inquired, making her visibly panic.

"I told you, I wanted a quiet evening. I didn't want anyone to find me, so thought this was a safe a place as any," her voice faltered slightly as she spoke but Severus noticed her maintaining confidence. Hopefully, the boy's ego would make him believe she was just unnerved to be so close to the boy she had snogged earlier. "And I fell asleep reading is all, lost track of time," she finished, tilting her chin in such a way that feigned the truth.

"Well as much as I like seeing you, Granger, I have a bit of business I must attend to in this room." He motioned as if he were letting her leave but something in her eye told Severus she had other plans. Hermione paused a moment, regarding her schoolmate, then threw her arms around him in a falsely passionate kiss. As the last name, Severus was taken aback and genuinely stumbled at her movement. Draco was so enraptured with the girl that he didn't even notice the sound of Severus hitting the wall and the door reappearing.

So, this is your plan, Severus mused, taking the distraction to open the door quietly and escape, leaving Hermione behind. He debated waiting outside for her, but he knew that if he were caught by Dumbledore, he would be in for a bout of rage, given his absence all evening coinciding with Hermione's.

Instead, he opted to take a shortcut outside and left the castle grounds to go for a walk. If all went as planned, the older wizard may assume he Severus was just out of the castle for the evening. The passageway he took was so far underground that the wards didn't touch him, so the Headmaster wouldn't know if he had come or gone, giving him enough of an alibi. When next he saw Albus, he would employ a bit of Legillimency and see what he knew of his travels that day, so he would not be caught in a lie.

Once outside the walls, he apparated to London and walked about the town. It was late, but not yet Saturday, so couples were still swooning about the streets. Severus was in no mood to be seen and get harassed by other witches or wizards in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley for his Valentine's Day plans. So, he decided on London. It was frigid, though not snowing, so he didn't mind the stroll, avoiding muggles as they puttered passed him either completely engrossed in their significant others or avoiding him entirely.

"Hey, you!" A cheery female voice caught his attention, and he looked up, taking in the hoard of muggles ahead of him. He hadn't been sure of the direction of the voice but didn't bother twisting his head to find the source as he continued walking, albeit a touch slower. "You! The man with the long dark hair!" At this point, he was certain it was coming from behind him, and that she was likely talking to him. He paused, pondering whether or not to turn around and acknowledge the foolish woman calling for his attention. The decision was made for him when the woman appeared at his side and spun him to face her. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again," she chirped breathlessly.

"Neither did I," he retorted, his tone even and unfeeling. It was the witch from the muggle bookshop who had sold him the tomes for Hermione. Her glasses made her blue eyes far larger than they were, though not quite to the extent of Professor Trelawny's.

"What are you doing out this evening? Don't you have a lady to woo?" She teased. Severus cocked an eyebrow at her and shrugged, moving to keep walking. The witch hurried to keep up with him and pressed her glasses up her nose as she fell in step with him. "I didn't mean to assume. It would be perfectly fine if it were a man you were wooing or other folk. I don't judge," she continued. There was a mix of teasing and seriousness in her tone that made him believe she was just nervous to be speaking with him.

"No wooing for me," he grumbled, staring off as he continued his pointless saunter.

"No? Shitty way to spend Valentine's, innit?" She commented, squinted her eyes in judgement.

"While I appreciate your aid in finding books to read, I don't believe I invited you to join my walk nor inquire as to my love life," he snapped. Before he finished his rant, the memory of Minerva's gossipy comment flashed in his thoughts. If Minerva thought we were dating, this witch could make for a wonderful alibi, he mused, looking down at her over his cheek. "However, you may join me on this walk, since you're already here." His comment made her sullen expression quickly morph into elation.

"Alright, I don't mind if you want a quiet walk. I can keep quiet. Normally a bit chatty but I can turn it off," she practically fluttered as she spoke. He sent her another sideways glare and she straightened slightly, motioning a zipping motion over her mouth.

They walked for a bit in silence, before he determined it was appropriate for him to speak. "Which school did you attend?" He inquired offhandedly, his stare not wavering from the point ahead of them.

"School? Well, I went to Hill Top Elementary in Birmingham, then we moved to France for a bit and I was there until I was 18. I just went to a local college for maths after that, but I hated it to be honest. My uncle owns the shop I work at and offered me the position when I dropped out," she rambled, but Severus was stuck on her years in France.

"Beauxbatons, then? In France?" He questioned, making her snap to look at him in awe.

"How did you know?" The shock was evident on her face, her wide eyes magnified by her lenses. The girl must have simply dreadful vision, he thought, staring back at them out of curiosity more than anything.

"I'm a Professor at Hogwarts in Scotland, I know a witch when I see one." Lie, his conscience barked, having only known of her magic from Minerva's assessment of the girl. "Why didn't you?"

"Why didn't I what?" She questioned, looking down at the pavement under her feet as she tried to walk in a straight line.

"Know I was a wizard," he clarified for the witch.

"I guess I just didn't. I was raised in a normal human family, though I was told my parents are Purebloods. It's funny, I was taken away as a punishment from the ministry, and they decided to place me with a... I guess you call them muggles... I was placed with a muggle family. They couldn't find a wizarding family to raise me? I still don't know who my parents are." She was one to rant, but everything she said only intrigued him more.

"Purebloods from France?" Severus investigated, watching her from his periphery. She was relaxed, even though she had only met him twice and he was not known to relax people. He thought briefly about her odd behaviour but brushed it off and continued their journey, eager to learn more about her history.

"England, that's why they put me in Beauxbatons, so I wouldn't accidentally meet my family," she explained with an almost melancholy tone to her speech.

"Ah," he attempted to get a better look at her features, given most Purebloods ran within his circle. That, along with the fact that she was taken as a punishment, led him to believe she was likely a Death Eater's child. She had noticeably blue eyes, which anyone would believe could be a product of a Malfoy but all of her features suggested otherwise. Her hair was brown but straight, and a rather average bone structure that did not lend itself to the Malfoy or Black genetic line. There was something oddly familiar about her. He had previously chalked it up to having had seen her before in the bookshop, but he was beginning to believe that it might be a case of familial relations.

"Can I come an' see it?" Her question roused him from his inspection of her features.

"See what?" He asked, believing he had tuned out long enough to miss the context of her question.

"Hogwarts." Of course, he mused, with a slight eye roll.

"Aren't you worried your family would recognize you?" He diverted, knowing it was likely she didn't just want to visit the castle tourist-style.

"That's what I'm counting on actually," she retorted, a slight smirk playing on her lips. It was fair that an adopted child would want to meet their parents, but it was quite likely that her parents weren't the sort of magic folk one would like to call mum and dad.

"What if they're evil wizards? Would you still want to meet them?" He baited.

"Who's to say I'm not evil?" She quipped to his surprise. Severus took a moment to register her retort and shrugged apathetically.

"Fair point," he said, wondering if perhaps she sought him out because of his association to the Dark Lord. Perhaps this is a test, he pondered, glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes.

"Are you?" She asked, looking up at him expectantly.

"Perhaps," he offered, hoping to remain neutral in case his suspicions were correct.

"There's a pub just a few blocks down this road, care for a pint?" The witch asked, motioning to the neon Pub sign just up ahead. He thought briefly to Hermione and decided the alibi was in her favour, to keep her safe. She was worth the torturous evening with the witch.

Severus shrugged. "Why the fuck not," he finally grumbled in response. She seemed to jump at his response and quickly turned to prance down the road. He followed after, already regretting his decision. They entered the establishment, and he was met with a strong smell of beer and hard liquor. He had gotten used to the burning sensation of Firewhisky and hadn't ventured to try muggle alcohol in a very long time. The scent, however, brought back memories of Death Eater raids on muggle villages when Voldemort first rose to power, and he was not pleased with the reminder.

Shockingly, she found a table and skilfully summoned a waitress, who hopped over nearly as excitedly as the witch had been when she found she had a date for the pub. "Two pints, please," she ordered, before turning to him and clasping her hands in front of them on the table. He attempted to do the same, hoping to appear comfortable when the only thing he truly wanted to do was return to the room of requirements for more books and tea with his witch. "So, what's your name?" The bookshop girl asked, nearly screaming over the sounds of people talking and what he assumed was supposed to be music.

"Severus," he replied, never raising his volume, but barking it forcefully in hopes she would catch it.

"I'm Tessa," she replied just as the waitress returned with two cups full of a lighter, bubbling beer. "Cheers!" Tessa exclaimed, raising her glass. With a forced and vividly fake grin, he raised his own and clinked it with hers. "Happy Valentine's Day, Severus."

-x-

Hermione straddled his hips, grinding against his cock painfully slow. He watched her, her face slightly obscured by her breasts. Severus leaned up to close the gap between them kissing her neck passionately and kneading her soft flesh with his palm. He groaned heartily against her skin, pulling her close to him. "Hermione," he whispered before trailing his lips down her collarbone...

He shot up quickly from the bed, a sudden rush of anxiety making his heart pound against his chest. There was someone in the room and he reached for his wand instinctively only to find it wasn't at his fingertips. He looked around the room to register who it was that shared his space and quickly realized he was not in his chambers.

"Morning sleepyhead," Tessa chirped. She was bent over, tying up the laces of some leather boots that came near her knee. "Who's Hermione?" She questioned, shifting her attention to her other boot to fasten its laces. He felt himself blanch at the question and quickly assessed himself. He was dressed, but he was tucked into a bed that had distinctly feminine sheets, and he couldn't quite recall all that had transpired the night before. Severus hadn't been hungover in a very long time and he quickly remembered why.

"She's someone I used to know," he lied, attempting to focus his thoughts to piece together their evening.

"Did she go to Hogwarts?" Tessa interrupted, making him sigh as he got himself out of the bed. A headache prevented him from fully standing and he ended up sitting on the edge of the mattress. He found his wand on the floor beside the bed and quickly gathered it, slipping it into the pocket of his robes.

"Yes," he answered vaguely. "It's Saturday, right? I didn't sleep right through the weekend?" Worry began to set in that perhaps he had made far too good of an alibi and there were going to be many questions flooding in when he returned. He knew that it was quite likely Albus or even Minerva would have been looking for him and noticed his being missing the whole evening.

"Only Saturday don't worry, nearly 11 though." And most of the morning, he mused. "I made some pancakes if you want some, and the kettle's on," she said pulling a coat from a hook near the door to the bedroom. "I have work in an hour, but do you think we could go there today?" She requested.

Unsure of her meaning, Severus enquired further. "Go where?"

"Hogwarts, I'm off at 6, you could pick me up from work and we could apparate over." Figures, he groaned, understanding he wasn't about to get out from under the request. She was a determined witch, he would give her that, and he was starting to see far too much of Hermione in her. Perhaps it was because he was so desperate to be with the girl that he could find her best features in more accessible witches.

"I'd have to check with the Headmaster first," he replied, straightening his back and stretching out the muscles he felt tightening from sleeping on an unfamiliar mattress.

"Oh. Would he say yes?" She questioned, hope filling her massive blue eyes.

"One can never know for certain with him," Severus offered honestly. He was beginning to doubt the soundness of Dumbledore's mind as of late, but he wouldn't mention that detail to Tessa.

"Oh," the witch exhaled in defeat. There was a moment of silence the wizard took to think back to their night's events. He remembered ordering a few more pints, and Tessa demanding he dance with her. He had declined, as far as he could remember, but much of the rest of the night was a blur. He remembered laughing though, genuinely, something he had not done in quite a long time before Hermione entered into his life. He wondered why it was that there was another witch who was able to elicit the feeling from him, but the thought hurt to ponder over.

"Did I- did we-?" He asked, hoping she could shed some light on the situation. He was in her bed, but he was clothed. It could have been that he redressed after- well he didn't want to think that he could have ever done such a thing to Hermione, drunk or otherwise. He had been celibate for years and he couldn't imagine that the first time he finally let a witch in he would screw it up by sleeping around on her. He had to be certain, and there was not a lot he could pull from his memories.

"No, we didn't, you passed out on the couch and I had to levitate you over to the bed," she explained. A look of dread must have been evident on his face because she continued. "I slept in the guest suite, don't worry. But if you end up crashing another night, I won't be as generous," she added with a wink. He nodded, not wanting to appear ungrateful for the favour but also hoping she wouldn't take it to mean it would ever happen again.

"I'll ask the Headmaster when I return. I will arrive at your work if he says yes, if not, I'll send an owl," he grunted, forcing himself to stand, and noticing a sharp pain in his knee. He flinched at the shock, bending over to nurse it, kneading it with his fingers.

"Ah, yes, dancing really isn't your thing, love," she joked. He offered another fake smile and put pressure on his leg again with a wince. "Not staying for breakfast?" Tessa pushed.

"I really ought to get back," he claimed, closing his eyes and rubbing his face as he imagined the entrance he would be in for.

"No problem, I hope to see you at 6 then," she rebuffed, fastening her jacket and moving towards the bedroom door.

"Sure," he added before apparating away to the front of the castle. While there was a bit of guilt for leaving without much of a goodbye, he was eager to get back to his comfort zone and nurse his hangover in peace. Though he knew there wouldn't be much once he arrived at the castle. He hobbled down the path and through the wards, sending Minerva a Patronus to have some pain relievers ready for him at the front entrance. When he finally reached the doors, he wished he hadn't. Minerva had brought along not only Albus, but also two Aurors, Mad-Eye and Nymphadora. "Great," he grumbled, hobbling the rest of the way up.

"Where on earth have you been, Severus? Gone all night. Not a word to anyone. Then a Patronus asking for pain relievers at the front entrance," Minerva chastised, meeting him part way up the stairs to shove a vial in his hand. He took it, and swallowed the serum gratefully, feeling the magic begin to work on his headache and twisted knee.

"Was it Tom? What did he want?" Dumbledore beseeched, hobbling down the stairs and reaching out to grab Severus' shoulder with his blackening hand. The older wizard retreated it immediately, once he noticed it, and tucked it in his pocket. Severus stepped back just a bit, attempting not to jar his knee too much.

"It wasn't Tom, there is no need for this greeting. I just-" he inhaled sharply, thinking of what he could possibly say to get them to stop worrying that wouldn't lead to more questioning and anger. "I had some drinks at a pub in London, didn't feel like hovering around horny teenagers all night." It wasn't a complete lie, though he would have much preferred the company of Hermione, who his colleagues would likely lump into his group of horny teenagers.

"For fuck's sake Snape, ya gave us all a right scare. We thought it was something bad," Mad-Eye barked, moving to hit him with his cane. Severus dodged it gracefully and stepped back once more. "The Aurory has set up positions in the castle, Tonks and I will be patrolling most of the time, with a few others rotating. Most of us from the Order."

"There was a meeting this morning, that you missed. We were all quite worried," Minerva added, watching Severus with concern. "Where were you?"

"I told you, at a pub." The younger wizard restated, attempting to prove the point he wasn't going to be sharing any more information about his whereabouts. He informed them that there was no reason for worry, and yet they continued to stare at him as though he were about to put forth horrible news and proclaim the beginning of a war. Oh, if only they knew, he lamented.

"All night? Surely there isn't a 24-hour pub!" Minerva disputed, attempting to coax the full story from him.

"I met someone," he added, knowing it would only lead to more question. The intrusive witch, however, was not about to let it live and he would rather get the discussion over with now than have to endure her constant badgering for the rest of day. At least letting her know now would give him some peace until dinner.

"You met someone?" The witch echoed.

"He had a date, Minerva," Mad-Eye interjected, a look of pride and intrigue sprawled on his features. It was hard to manage, given the damage to his face, but somehow, he portrayed the combination accurately.

"No!" The Irish witch gaped in shock, looking from Mad-Eye to Severus. "Well tell us about her!" She demanded, making Severus wince once more. If he was to do this, he was determined to let her see how it pained him to share.

"Not right now," he groaned, attempting to move past them but the Deputy Head Mistress blocked his path and shot him a glare.

"Right now," she asserted, glowering at him.

"She's that witch from the bookshop, I ran into her in London." Might as well get it all over with. "Speaking of which, she wants to visit the castle tonight. If it is all right with the Headmaster." They all turned to Albus who had a subtly enraged expression buried beneath his wrinkles. Severus watched as he debated the request, likely coming to terms with Severus being interested in anyone other than Lily. In all fairness, he hadn't confirmed Mad-Eye's suspicion, but he hadn't exactly denied it either. He was counting on his colleagues' vivid imaginations to do the rest of the lying for him.

"So long as we all get to meet her," the headmaster decreed, much to Minerva's delight. Severus sighed, having been hoping that the Headmaster would deny the request and he wouldn't be subjected to further time with the blathering witch from London. She wasn't awful, and of what he could remember of their night, he had had fun with her. Bookish, like his Hermione, and intelligent, but far chattier.

"Fine, she'll be here at dinner time." Severus resigned him to be the tour guide for Tessa that evening with a groan of disapproval.

"Sounds absolutely wonderful, oh I am delighted!" Minerva chirped, smiling as she glanced around the group, likely hoping for equal enthusiasm. Severus was shocked that Tonks had yet to interject, and frankly, the younger Auror looked lost. He didn't dare draw attention to it and looked to leave again.

"Am I free now?" He inquired with absolutely no courtesy. A nod from Dumbledore gave him the motivation to leave, storming up the steps and rushing to the Great Hall. Part of him wished he had taken Tessa up on breakfast, but he mostly considered it a way to avoid the grand entrance he just endured. Now he would be able to have a meal in peace. Or mostly peaceful anyway.

-x-

In his office, he was working through grading papers he had started in class the day before. This soured mood helped in harshening his grading, and he knew sooner or later he would be interrupted so the wizard was working through as many as he could before the knock on his door arrived. He had made it to the last one when the thudding filled the silence, and he grunted a short, "enter," never looking up from the parchment in front of him. The door squeaked open and he half expected Minerva's Irish tone to pipe up, but he was met with further silence. With an unfeeling visage, he glanced up to see who it was that was interrupting his Saturday. It was a very distraught looking Hermione Granger.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" He asked, knowing it was likely someone would be listening in. He wouldn't put it past the Headmaster to stake out his office in hopes of catching the wizard doing something against his decree. Dumbledore was becoming nearly as paranoid as Voldemort and it was both humorous and frightening that the old wizard couldn't see the parallels. However, Hermione did not answer him at first. She stepped forward cautiously, fidgeting with her hands. Her face was a sick shade of green and worry sunk into the pit of his stomach.

When she finally spoke, it was nothing but a quiet whimper. "I did something awful, Severus."