Chapter 15: Falling Into Routine
{A/N: Something light}
My thanks to all my readers and reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.
Snape's Quarters,Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts...
The days passed with relative ease as both Snape and Hermione seemed to be getting on well enough. Their morning routine of maintaining their respective Professor-Teacher roles when not together in the Slytherin Dungeons had become pretty easy. When alone at night they settled into playing husband and wife if only to satisfy the Ministry's weekly quota. Snape had been surprisingly good company as the hours passed. They either read or discussed philosophy, various cultures, Muggle living in comparison to wizard life. Hermione had been pleased that he shared some of her interests such as a love of reading, the same meticulous drive when focused on something important, She had even been stunned to find out that he had something of a sweet tooth, despite the fact that he tried to keep the knowledge of this hidden.
The bushy haired witch awoke in the middle of the night to find Snape had not been in bed. Concerned she climbed out and ventured toward the front room where she got a peek at him sitting at his personal desk eating what she had believed to have been a toffee nut bar. She almost burst into giggling fits when she saw more and more instances of Snape going to the same drawer at his desk when he thought either he was alone or she wasn't looking.
It amused her that even a snarky Potions Professor could exhibit human traits every now and then. Ever the clever little witch Hermione devised a plan to test her little theory. She made a trip to Hogsmeade and picked up a few toffee nut bars of her own and casually opened one while Snape was busy grading papers.
The Potions Professor had put up a valiant effort trying to ignore her as she nearly paraded around with the candy bar in his line of sight. The bushy haired witch made it a point to prattle on and on about the latest gossip about the castle and inquire about the up coming Pop quiz in Potions class knowing he could not tell her anything about it. Snape had only half listened. His obsidian eyes fixed on the candy bar she bit into. He had not been having a good week, it was a heavy grading week and he was out of his favorite candy bar. He had only looked into his usual drawer to find that he had gone through an entire months supply in days.
He had no idea why he had enjoyed eating toffee nut bars but oddly enough it was the one thing from his abusive childhood that had been any good. His obsession with them bordered on addiction due to the strain of the dark lord returning and all the unsavory things he had to do in his service weighed heavily on him.
Snape apparently could take no more of her teasing and got to his feet rather quickly. Hermione could do nothing but giggle as he swept her in his arms and wrestled the candy bar from her grasp. She smiled noting how he looked very much like a little boy set loose on an entire candy factory with the first bite he took he seemed to melt against her and they found themselves crashing onto the cold stone floor below. Snape could care less too busy with the rest of the candy bar.
Hermione continued to laugh not believing what she was witnessing with her own eyes.
"A chink in your armor Mr. Snape?" she asked.
"Quiet." he muttered still trying to ignore his own weakness for the blasted bar.
She continued to laugh.
"Something funny Mrs Snape?" he asked with an arched eyebrow.
She nodded still in between giggles.
"How interesting." said Snape.
He got to his feet and made his way over toward his desk.
"I stumbled upon these delectable little treats while escorting two love birds back to their respective dorms." he said coolly as he reached into his drawer.
Hermione's eyes widened as he pulled out a highly decorated box of chocolates. She had not understand how he figured out that she had a weakness for chocolate but all laughing ceased and she was inching toward his desk long before she could stop herself.
Snape smirked at her and reached into the box plucking a piece of chocolate from it's case and popped it into his mouth. Hermione almost whimpered as he continued taking a few more.
"Cherry." he said with a smirk.
Hermione's mouth dropped open in disbelief.
"How about a trade." she said finding her words.
"Trade?" asked Snape with an arched eyebrow. "What ever for?"
"The chocolate's for the candy bars." said Hermione.
"I don't think so." said Snape.
"Oh come on." said Hermione feeling the opportunity to get the chocolates she craved so badly slipping away.
"Well." said Snape. "I would hate to insult your Gryffindor sense of fairness considering I have eaten some of the chocolates."
"I ate one of the candy bars so it's pretty much even." she said.
"Really?" asked Snape still with an eyebrow arched.
"Yes really." said Hermione.
"Well, if you insist." said Snape. "We have a deal."
He summoned the bag of toffee nut bars to his hand magically and left the box of chocolates on his desk for Hermione.
"A deal is a deal." he said before making his way back toward the bedroom.
Hermione eagerly opened the box and found that Severus had eaten all the chocolates.
"YOU GIT!" yelled Hermione annoyed that she had been had.
Snape emerged from the bed room doing a bit of laughter of his own.
"That my dear is what you get for spying on a Slytherin." he said. "And being a tease."
He lazily flicked his wand and the other drawer of his desk opened and another box of chocolates floated into view. He walked away leaving Hermione to stare at the new box in wonder.
"Slytherin git." she muttered opening the new box.
To her surprise it was full of chocolate covered cherries.
Snape turned his attention back to his toffee nut bar.
It seemed that their comfortable routine was bearable at least.