Saturday Evening
In the heart of London, Lucrezia's held court in a classical building just off the financial district. A former private dining club exclusive to members only, it had recently opened to the general public. While the first floor dining area offered a hip, casual atmosphere, it was the second floor salon that truly exemplified what Lucrezia's was all about - elegant, sophisticated yet unpretentious dining. The salon's romantic ambiance was complemented by the magnificent woodwork, the elegant fireplaces at each end of the room, the cozy booths lining one side with tea lights setting the mood at each beautifully set table.
Derek, with his cousin Eric in tow, had arrived promptly and flower-laden at the apartment; one point to the men. Underneath their robes, both wore tuxedoes; another point to the men. But the women were not taking this fashion challenge lying down.
Grace and Hermione had been more than a little flattered to see their dates' jaws drop upon seeing them for the first time. With her fair hair and complexion, Grace was divine in her dark blue velvet halter style gown with its plunging neckline. Grace presented a sexy yet elegant profile. Not to be outdone. Hermione's dress, with its sheer ecru bodice with black lace, revealing back and slimming skirt reaching just below the knee, exuded glamorous sultry magnetism. What the dress hid, it revealed. What it complemented, it enhanced.
By the time the foursome had apparated to Lucrezia's, Derek had ascended a few more notches in Hermione's estimation. It seemed to her that Derek was pulling out all the stops on this date. Derek was courteous and paid Grace all his attention. Grace was exhibiting all the characteristics of simpering feminine goo. Hermione found Eric to be shy and unassuming. After a bit of small talk, they had found that they were both well read and the small talk had become a real conversation. Blond with a runner's slim build, Eric probably had little trouble getting dates on his own.
They had been escorted to the second floor and an intimate booth by the back corner. The booth was slightly raised and had a commanding view of the entire room.
The server was clearing off their appetizers. While their dates were at the gentlemen's room, Hermione decided a change was in order. "Grace, switch seats with me,"
"Why?" Grace was starry eyed.
"There's a windy draft over here. This dress isn't exactly warm." She and Grace switched seats.
"Hermione, you have a great figure. I'm a stick figure next to you. I don't see why you don't flaunt it."
"I'm practically advertising it in this dress."
"Eric can't take his eyes off you."
"I hope he's not thinking this is anything more than what it is."
Hermione now had a clear view of the front entrance. She had just settled herself in when she glanced up and saw a stunning couple come in. The woman was tall and willowy with long, wavy red tresses flowing past her shoulders. Her movements and gestures bespoke of poise and confidence. As striking as the woman was, her escort was more than her match. Taller than the woman with a palpably masculine presence, the man moved with grace and economy. As he helped the goddess with her robe and took off his own, she caught a glimpse of his profile.
Hermione blinked a few times unbelieving what her eyes were seeing. Blinking did not clarify the situation. It was him and no other - Severus Snape. Severus and the mystery woman were being escorted to their table. Unfortunately, it looked like they were heading straight for her.
"Grace, switch seats with me."
"But we just did."
"Never mind that just do it again!" Hermione hissed out. Hermione slid over to her right while Grace stood up and sat on the far end of the booth. Severus and his companion were getting closer.
As luck would have it, they were seated in the booth next to her own. Unknown to him, Severus was sitting back to back with Hermione with only a tall partition of greenery separating them. As anyone with good hearing will attest, the ears can be just as easily deceived as the eyes.
About an hour later, underneath the elegantly set table, Hermione's linen napkin was slowly disintegrating. A tug. A tear. Another minuscule shard floated down joining its brothers and sisters by her feet. Above the table, Hermione was serenity personified. She kept up her end of the conversation easily. She smiled when she was supposed to. She laughed at the appropriate spots. She looked at ease and undisturbed.
Inside, she seethed. She had heard snatches of the charming, flirtatious words that fell from his lips. Every rich deep syllable undulated through her consciousness raising her awareness to a rousing pitch. The words battered her every nerve to raw and blistering awareness. Suspicion. Disbelief. Shock. Betrayal. They ate at her. She repeated her mantra: I am calm. There is an explanation. I trust him completely.
"Well, how am I doing?" That voice came from the booth behind her.
"With what?" There was no mistaking the speaker's gender.
"Small talk. I told you my skills in that area were unused. Do I get points for trying, Miranda?" said Severus Snape.
"Severus, you could be reading the classifieds of the Prophet and I would still be helpless. Helplessly, hopelessly enchanted," said Miranda Ross in a low husky voice that put fine aged whiskey to shame.
"And don't you forget it."
Hermione could easily imagine the teasing smirk that accompanied that last remark.
"I hope to help you with any other things you may be out of practice at. There will be ample opportunity to earn more points." Miranda held out her glass for a refill.
"Is that a promise?" Severus refilled it expertly.
"It's a guarantee." Miranda sipped her wine looking straight at him over the rim of her glass. ""I'm so glad we came here. After months of planning, I was losing hope this occasion would ever happen. Work always gets in the way."
"As if anyone could ever disappoint you."
"You do surprise me."
"In what way?" Severus swirled his wineglass letting the wine breathe.
"You've been so faithful tonight keeping to every letter of the arrangement. You have balked at nothing."
"How can you be surprised? I did say that I keep all my promises." Severus heard the tinkle and crack of broken glass then murmurs of obvious feminine apologies followed by reassuring masculine murmurs. It seemed to come from the other side of the partition. He thought nothing more of it and brought his attention back to his own dinner companion.
"Let's leave early shall we?" Miranda asked.
Severus topped up Miranda's glass. "So very anxious."
"It's been so long I can't wait."
"Far be it for me to delay your pleasure."
Miranda chuckled. She rarely met men who were not intimidated by her. She was discovering Severus Snape to be the exception and certainly a charmer when he applied his mind to it. She leaned into him lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Delay has its place but I have no patience for it tonight."
Severus excused himself to go to the gentlemen's. As he left their table, he mused on all that had happened so far. He had had many misgivings but Miranda had proven to be an articulate companion. She reminded him of a younger Minerva McGonagall. She was no Hermione but Miranda was amusing and not at all affected by her celebrity status. She had started this mock flirtation. He played along with each one of them trying to outdo the other in outrageous seduction and double entendres. It certainly made the time pass by.
I did say that I keep all my promises. With those words, Hermione's mantra of serenity shattered at last. Enough is enough. No man is worth this much humiliation. He could at least have broken things off with me before carrying on with another woman.
A small voice reminded her that there was no commitment like an engagement between them . How could he break something that was never there? She could at least salvage her pride. Gathering her dignity about her like a shield, she stood up.
Eric stood and slid off the seat to let Hermione out. "Are we all ready to go then?"
"I just need to settle a few things. I'll be right back." She replied. With that said she moved out of the booth and walked a few steps to Severus' table.
Drat! Where did he go? The man wasn't at his table. But his date was. Yes, she was his date and his lover. No use denying it to herself not after all she had heard fall from his own lips.
"Excuse me. I thought I had heard one of my teachers at this table. Is Professor Snape dining with you?" asked Hermione.
The drop-dead gorgeous woman replied, "Yes, he is. You're a student of his?"
"Was a student. I graduated just last year. Hermione Granger." They shook hands.
"Miranda Ross. A man like Severus must be a fantastic teacher."
"I learned so much from him. I'll always be grateful." Hermione could not help notice the sheer sophistication and graciousness of the woman before her. She must seem so childish by comparison.
"He should be returning very shortly and-"
"Oh, no, no. I don't want to intrude. Besides, we were just leaving." Behind her, Grace, Derek and Eric stood. They were all slightly awe-struck at the celebrity in their midst.
"Look at all of you!" Miranda smiled at them.. "It must be a special night."
"Yes, we're off to see As You Like It," Grace answered.
"It was nice meeting you, Ms. Ross, and give my regards to the professor. Please make sure to tell him what I said." Hermione had said the words with some finality and led her dinner mates towards the salon entrance. She didn't look back.
About a minute after Hermione and her party left Lucrezia's, Severus sauntered back to his booth. He had to give the femmes some credit. His evening jacket did suit him superbly. His current hair style was growing on him, too. It was still long but with subtle waves that kept his hair off his face. He approved.
"Well, curtain goes up in about a half hour, should we not be going?"
"Oh, right you are." Miranda gathered her purse. "Severus, you just missed a former student of yours."
"It wasn't Potter was it? Did any of them have red hair?"
"No, no." Miranda stood up and faced him. Both tall and slim they made a good pair. "She said her name was Hermione Granger."
"Herm, ah, Ms. Granger was here? She spoke to you? She knows I was here?" The last sentence came out breathlessly and slightly strangled.
"She came over and was looking for you in fact." Severus paled. Miranda ran a hand down Severus' lapel confused by his shift in mood.
"What did she say?" Severus mind was working at a trillion possibilities. He stood there unable to move. Several hundred synapses were now working frantically to keep him from hyperventilating. His board, well, they were mortified.
Gent: We should have told her about this.
Prat: It's perfectly innocent. She'll understand once we explain it to her.
Wolf: We should have checked out the restaurant first. Damn!
"She bade me to tell you that she had learned so much from you and would always be thankful for that. She seems a lovely girl."
To Severus ears the words "would always be thankful" sounded so final. "She was first in her class. The best student I ever had. Did ... did she say anything else?"
"Not that I recall. She came over from the next booth there and-"
"She was here next to me the whole time?!" Severus strode over to the now empty booth. His knees finally gave out and he sat in the booth. He could smell a hint of Hermione's unmistakable perfume. Unmistakable since he had prepared just that special batch for her last month. There was no doubt that she had been there.
"Apparently, she thought she had heard your voice and wanted to see if it was really you," Miranda explained. She moved to where he was seated and looked down on him. "Are you all right, Severus? You're sweating and your eyes look vaguely crossed."
Severus could see her lips move but all he could hear was a dull roaring in his ears. She had heard everything. Why didn't she come up sooner? What am I going to say to her? How am I going to explain?
Prat: Fall on your knees then your stomach and let her stomp on you for a while.
Gent: She may not even want to speak to you.
Wolf: Gent's right. We probably won't get within touching distance.
"Shut up! Leave me alone!" Severus had said the words out loud.
Miranda recoiled. "I'm sorry, Severus. I don't know what I said to upset you but-"
"I'm the one who's sorry. Sorry arse. It's not you." Severus ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Where is she? I need to talk to her."
"They said they were going to see As You Like It and then they-"
"Must be her roommates Grace and Madeline." His words came out mumbled.
Miranda looked at him and her eyes narrowed. Every one of her feminine instincts was telling her that there was something interesting going on. How many professors knew their former student's roommates by name? "I don't think it was her roommates, Severus. She was with another young woman and two good-looking blond young men. They were all dressed to the nines. It looked like a double date."
She had been expecting some kind of reaction but Severus' impassivity was more unnerving. Only his eyes showed any reaction. They flashed once and then seemed to sink into dead opaque pools.
"Severus?" It did not look like he was even breathing. Miranda placed her warm hand to his now cold, clammy face.
Prat: There has to be an explanation.
Wolf: Dressed to the nines, blond, younger man. It all adds up. She's seeing someone else.
Gent: Shame on me for thinking she was the one. They're all the same - faithless and fickle.
Severus blinked once and realized where he was. He took Miranda's hand and kissed it quickly. "I'm fine, thank you. A play awaits us, milady. Shall we?"
"If you're sure, Severus." She found his sudden mood swing very odd. "We can see As You Like It another time. You don't look well."
"It's nothing. If Minerva can suffer a convention of potions masters, I can manage a play." Severus offered her his arm. "After all, those were the terms of the deal - dinner, a play and some shopping. I'm here to make sure you have a good time."
"And we will," said Miranda.
"We certainly will." Severus smiled sweetly at his escort but his thoughts were murderous. Play me for a cuckold will she? Well, Ms. Granger, you are about to find out how ill suited I am to that role. I've given you lessons in love. Now, let us see how you take to a different kind of lesson.
