One might say that Severus Snape had an overdeveloped sense of 'fight or flight'. One might also say that he was not particularly accustomed to touch as a sign of affection. These factors, along with some others, that even Severus did not wish to explore, could very well explain the strange action he took when Miss Granger's body made contact with his. Severus's sympathetic nervous system was suddenly flooded by natural chemicals and he reacted as many creatures do, under that kind of stress.
Severus Snape ran away.
It was not so much a run, as a very quick walk. With his blood pounding in his ears, Severus found his way down the stairs and out of the hotel. Nearly blinded by the sun he had successfully avoided for months, bedraggled, and cursedly sober, he careened through the streets of London.
He had not run away immediately- as a very confused Hermione would note in his absence. In fact, he might have stayed and endured her sudden display of affection, if it were not for one small factor.
Well, not particularly small.
It had been a very long time since any woman hugged Severus Snape. Even Minerva had demurred to a hearty handshake upon his acquittal. The closeness of a woman, any woman, willing to touch him had produced an unexpected reaction from his body.
Severus had begun to think he was completely above embarrassment until that moment. That long, mortifying moment, when Miss Granger gasped.
He had immediately put as much distance between them as his tiny room would allow. It was not enough. Not bothering to gage the disgust on her face, he stormed out, as though this were somehow her fault.
Severus reached a pub and cursed himself for not having brought any money. What he needed now was a drink. And then another. And then another.
He hadn't realized it until now, but since Miss Granger had wormed her irritating and persistent way into his life, he had been drinking less and less. Another thing for which he could assign her blame. Severus was never happy with his firewhiskey and his solitude, but at least he was comfortable.
When Miss Granger first came to his door, he had given her good reason never to return. Yet her visits continued. He could not explain it, nor did he wish to. Eventually, he simply accepted the role of host. There were certainly worse ways to spend an afternoon than taunting a former student/pain-in-the-arse into dealing with her grief. Without giving it any real thought, he began to buy more tea and biscuits and less firewhiskey.
This afternoon's interaction was forcing him to introspection, a task he hated even more when sober.
Had he invited Miss Granger in with an ulterior motive? To be sure, he had acknowledged her gender. He had even admitted, to himself, that when she remembered to eat and sleep regularly, there was something attractive about her. Not that he was one to judge the looks of others, he noted, as he caught his reflection in a store window.
Her questions aroused mainly annoyance. True, it had been a heady feeling to know that, though she despised him, she continually asked for his advice. At times, she had even made an astute observation or two. It changed his opinion of her very little, however. Her presence in his room merely helped him to lose track of the time.
Here he paused and leaned against a building, wishing he had had the common sense to start smoking like so many others with self-destructive tendencies.
Why was it so easy to lose track of time with Miss Granger around? When he was a teacher, he would count the seconds until a student left his office. Somehow, their syncopated exchange of earnest inquires, caustic replies, and silence often spanned over hours before either he or Miss Granger noticed. He dismissed that train of thought quickly. He had far fewer activities to occupy his days now and Miss Granger had simply learned not to jabber on quite as much.
The sun was beginning to set as he picked his way through side streets back to his hotel room. With something strongly akin to disappointment, Severus came to the realization that he had finally found the way to send Miss Granger away for good.
An accomplishment to be certain.
He should have bought more firewhiskey.