Late Saturday Evening
Severus and Miranda apparated a few blocks from the theater. After their filling dinner, a short walk was in order. Under the dim streetlights, they looked like any other couple out for a stroll.
"Do you mind posing for a picture or two, Severus? I've found it best to placate the press by giving them at least one picture," asked Miranda. "One or two pictures while we walk quickly in."
"They're here for you, why rush?" Severus whispered back. "Being seen with you will only enhance my reputation."
"Yes, you are quite eligible, aren't you?"
"Very."
"Ms. Granger, notwithstanding?" Miranda felt Severus flinch. A hit, a palpable hit!
"That was a mistake," he replied. "But educational."
"I've never heard an affair of the heart described as educational."
Severus stopped and faced her. "He who does not learn from past mistakes is doomed to repeat them. Ms. Granger is a lesson learned and soon forgotten."
"Soon or never?" said Miranda. "I have been around, too, Severus. Your reaction at Lucrezia's was not casual no matter what you say, how you say it or how often."
"Ms. Granger and I came together suddenly and under strange circumstances. Perhaps being so strange our union could not survive normalcy or our own true natures." Severus turned and hooked her arm back into his. "I have decided that what little of it that mattered is of no consequence."
As they began to walk towards the theater again, Miranda stole a few sideway glances at her companion. His face had lost its earlier animation. While not grave or serious, his face was mask-like neither revealing nor hiding.
She saw a man clearly in denial. "Well, let us see what I can do to help your aching heart."
"I said there was nothing to help."
"As you say. For the rest of the night, I shall strive to amuse and be amusing. And I hope to make you laugh again."
The Theater Royal had a long and illustrious history. Its stage had been graced by all the greats of the wizarding theater. It was a popular destination for celebrities so there was always a phalanx of press on duty in front of the massive entrance. Miranda Ross' arrival with her dashing mystery escort did not escape notice. The paparazzi shouted and whistled as they made their way to the entrance.
"Miranda, over here please."
"Is this serious?"
"You're Severus Snape, the war hero, aren't you?"
"A big smile now."
"Can you get closer together?"
Miranda and Severus paused for an instant and smiled for the cameras. Other theatergoers passed by them as they posed for a few pictures. One of those passersby was a wide-eyed Seamus Finnigan.
"Can you model that dress for us, Miranda?"
"How long have you two been seeing each other?"
After a few more poses, they entered the theater and went up the stairs to their reserved box.
The run of As You Like It had shown more than a little staying power. Even after three months, it still packed them in. The theater lobby was crowded especially near the bar.
"A gin and tonic for you, Derek. Two chardonnays for you ladies and a scotch on the rocks for me," Eric easily guided the floating drinks to their owners.
Hermione sipped her wine. "Eric, I thought you said you were in training for the Quidditch professional trials."
"I am but one night's indulgence won't hurt me much," Eric answered. "Life is too short not to enjoy the highlights."
"The theater is a highlight?"
"Meeting you is a highlight, Hermione," Eric said with an easy disarming smile.
From somewhere Hermione heard her name being called. Despite her anger and shame she could not subdue the sudden hopeful racing of her heart. Even as she scanned the milling crowd to see who was calling, she berated herself for such fanciful thinking. Stop being such a silly goose. It's done and over with. Ignore this rush. It's just the usual awareness brought on by the unfinished consequence. Ignore it. She heard her name again. She saw Seamus Finnigan weaving his way around the crowd with his date.
"I couldn't believe it was you." The two housemates hugged. Finnigan's date was a petite brunette with a sunny smile. "Hermione, meet Candice Taylor. Candice, this is Hermione Granger. Can you believe this place? Filled to the rafters."
"Seamus, this is my roommate Grace, her date Derek and his cousin Eric." Hermione introduced each of them. "Seamus and I went to Hogwarts together in the same year."
"You'll never guess who I saw outside," said Seamus.
"Who?" asked Grace.
"Snape. I mean Professor Snape. He was our potions master and an unpleasant one at that,"
"He didn't look all that unpleasant to me," said Candice. "Very attractive for an older man actually."
"Oh, he was at Lucrezia's, but we didn't see him there," Grace added.
"He would be pretty hard to miss especially with Miranda Ross hanging on his arm," Derek added.
"He's here you say, Seamus?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, we passed them coming in. They were posing for pictures for the press. Look, there they are."
A few meters away, Miranda and Severus were slowly ascending the stairs to the private boxes. One of his hands was placed protectively on the small of her back. Their heads were set close together and it looked liked they were laughing at a private joke.
"No professor of mine ever looked like that!" said Grace. "I wouldn't have had any difficulty staying awake in his class."
"None of us looked forward to his classes. Our potions NEWTs was impossible. Weren't they, Hermione?"
"Yes, impossible to forget." Hermione had an instant flashback at the mention of NEWTs. Her body echoed her recollections as it remembered the chilled dungeon classroom made chillier by her lack of clothing underneath her school robe. "Can we get to our seats now, please? I'd like to sit down."
Their box was off to the side with a great view of the stage and the center aisle. As fate decreed, Hermione and her party's seats were in direct line of sight to the private box reserved for Miranda and Severus. Eric held on to Hermione's hand while he led them to their seats. Before sitting down Hermione looked up and around.
Gent: There's your answer, Prat. Look at her. Dressed to seduce and brazen as you please.
Prat: So beautiful. She's looking for us.
Wolf: How cozy they look together. She's going to break his heart too.
She saw Severus. Severus saw her. Their eyes locked. Severus' grip on the railing tightened to knuckle white intensity. At that moment, he allowed his passion to turn into rage. It coursed through his body unimpeded - his brows furrowed, his eyes narrowed, his nostrils flared and his lips compressed to a thin line. Then, just as rapidly, he withdrew inward. The cold impersonal mask reasserted itself reigning supreme over his features once again.
She felt the heat of his gaze and for a second she felt passion anew. She blinked and the heat was gone. In its stead was ice, desolate and implacable. The windows to his soul, those obsidian pools, were shuttered tight against her, unreadable. She felt a hand gently pull her down to her seat. She sat down. Hermione risked a second glance upward.
Severus raised his chin and looked away. Lesson delivered.
"Are you comfortable, Hermione?" asked Eric unaware of the blank numbness radiating inward from her fingertips creeping inexorably towards her heart. Taking her silence for confirmation, he settled in to enjoy the play.
The house lights dim. The play begins. And life moves on. In a play, heroes rescue damsels, maidens find true love, wishes are granted and forgiveness is only an act or a page away. But real life doesn't grant wishes so freely while forgiveness can seldom overcome pride and anger. In life, heroes and damsels have to make their own endings. Some succeed and some do not.
At intermission, the audience streamed out into the lobby and terraces to stretch their legs and get refreshments. The night air was cool and lured many outside. As luck would have it, both Hermione and Severus found themselves on the side terrace. Severus spotted her first standing alone by the stone railing. He watched her for a while.
Wolf: Her date is not very attentive, is he?
Prat: Go on talk to her. What could it hurt?
Gent: You're the elder show her how these things are done. Make it a clean break.
Later on after some reflection, Severus blamed Wolf and Gent for what happened next. Here he was the wounded party and yet he hadn't torn into her. He should have been praising her as the epitome of infidelity and fecklessness. But instead he was trying to save face for both of them. Perhaps if he had been more volatile he could have gotten some reaction from her. An honest reaction would have been better than this stilted drama they were carrying out. He should have forsaken civility and embraced furious honesty. But that wasn't what he did.
He straightened himself, took a deep breath and approached. "Hermione."
This time when she turned to look who had called her name she had no expectations and no reaction. Hermione crossed her arms and looked up at him. She ruthlessly squelched the incipient sexual attraction that his presence triggered in her. "So, I do rate a goodbye after all,"
"We can be civil if nothing else." He sidled to her side careful to not invade her personal space. He took a deep breath filling his senses with her. He made a mental note to dispose of his current batch of perfume. No sense torturing myself needlessly. "We never said this was anything more than what it was."
Hermione bit her lower lip. She swallowed once then regained her strength. From where that strength came from, she didn't know. But it was there and right now it was the only thing she had. Her voice broke after his name but she got the rest of the words out somehow. "Severus, what about our game?"
"Allow me." Severus put his wineglass on the railing and transfigured it into a deck of cards. "Let's keep things simple. Cut cards. High card wins."
Hermione nodded. She moved closer to him watching him shuffle the cards expertly. As he placed the deck on the railing, she placed a hand over his and murmured the consequences spell changing the rules from poker to high card stakes. Severus and Hermione both steeled themselves against the familiar rush of sensual sensation. Their hands touched a little longer than necessary before he said, "Ladies first."
She cut the deck and turned her card over - the Queen of Hearts. He cut the deck and turned his card over - the King of Spades. Silently, they laid their decks on the stone railing. For something so strong, the consequence spell dissolved their link with no fanfare. It was there then it wasn't anymore.
"Free at last," said Severus in a tone dry as the Sahara. Once he saw her face though he knew that he had made a very big mistake.
Her face was blank, unreadable. Her voice was devoid of all emotion and nuance. "Congratulations, Professor, the game goes to you."
Severus Snape had learned to trust his intellect more than anything else. Logic told him that all the evidence pointed to one basic premise. She had found someone else. But his emotional instincts were coming to the fore all at once. Unfortunately, he had long neglected these instincts and had no idea what to make of the signals he was receiving. All he felt was his hammering heart and his tight throat. "Hermione, let's-"
"As far as I am concerned, Professor, the last few months never happened." Hermione stepped away from him.
"Hermione, please. This isn't- " he started towards her.
"Someone told me to enjoy the high points in life when I had the chance. After this low point, I can see the merits of that philosophy. I intend to enjoy life and all its many highlights from now on."
Severus could not think of what to say. If he were honest with himself, he would have admitted that he was terrified to say anything so he said nothing.
He watched walk back inside With one brush of his hand, he sent the cards flying over the railing.
When the play resumed, Severus searched for her from the box. Her seat was empty and so was the seat next to her.
