Chapter 7: In Which Conversations Are Had
"You did what?" Ron snapped his head towards Harry, changing his aim and sending the cue ball bouncing across the table and into the corner pocket. The two of them were having their weekly pool night and Harry had just told him about dinner with Snape.
"Yea," Harry said nonchalantly, as if having dinner with their most hated former professor was something they did every evening. "I mean it's not such a bad idea if you think about it. He's smart, and he's not exactly entitled to be picky about Hermione's looks right?" He nudged a ball into the side pocket with his elbow while Ron wasn't looking. "He might just be exactly what we were looking for."
Ron nodded slowly and thoughtfully, his eyes dancing with suppressed laughter; Harry was forever trying to cheat and never ever succeeding, but Ron didn't feel like calling him on it today. He took a long slow drink of beer, mulling over the thought of Hermione dating Severus Snape. He was surprised to realize he didn't mind at all if the two of them fell hopelessly in love and never recovered, in fact he sort of hoped that they would. Hermione had been his best friend for nearly ten years and she deserved to be happy more than anyone else he knew, except maybe Harry, but Harry had Malfoy. Hermione didn't have anyone. Finally he smiled, "So." he said, drawing out the word for full effect, "When should Lavender and I invite the pair of them over for supper?"
Harry's face lit up, he had been quite worried about how Ron would take the news. In school he was certain Ron hated the Professor more than Harry hated Voldemort, and the news that their best friend might be forming a rather intimate relationship with the man was something he had been hesitant to share. The invitation, even if it was simply hypothetical, told Harry that not only was Ron alright with Hermione's blossoming relationship, he was going to do his best to encourage it.
~
Hermione sat in her cozy, leather desk chair with her feet propped on the window sill, a mug of steaming herbal tea cupped in her hands, gazing pensively out the window and the dreary day outside. The week had been long and dull, and today was turning out to be the worst best day of her life. She snorted at her thoughts. In reality the week probably hadn't been all that bad, but Friday had seemed an age away as she tried to clam her restlessness.
A sharp knock at the door startled her, causing her to spill tea on her blouse. She cursed under her breath hoping whoever was at the door wouldn't notice the splotch. "Come in," she called, still wiping at the stain on her front.
"Hello." A deep, vaguely familiar male voice brought Hermione's head up.
"Neville!" she cried, rising to give the young man a hug. "How are you?" She poured him a cup of tea, "How's Ginny? Are you two about settled in? Did you like Italy?" She stopped suddenly, bringing her hand up to her mouth. "Sorry Nev, I didn't mean to babble. It's just we haven't seen you two in months."
Neville grinned at her. "I'm good. Ginny's good. We're almost settled. And I don't care if you babble all evening, it has been far too long." he replied imitating her rapid fire style of speaking, laughing at the shocked look on her face. "Seriously." He said. "Italy was terrific, but it's good to be home and amongst friends again. I actually came by to see if you were available for dinner tonight."
"I'd love to, but I can't." Hermione answered, giving him a wistful smile. Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom had dated from Ginny's sixth year onward. The previous May Neville had asked her to marry him, and the ceremony had taken place the following March. They had spent some time in Neville's home town before heading to Italy on their Honeymoon in early April. Now it was mid-May and Hermione realized that it had been more than six weeks since she had seen her friends. "What are you doing tomorrow night?" she asked.
"Tomorrow night it is then." Neville replied with a cheeky grin. "Gin will be ecstatic." His smile turned tender at the mention of his wife, and Hermione suppressed a sigh. It would be wonderful to be loved like that.
"Have you had lunch yet?" she surprised both of them by asking.
"Are you paying?" he joked, winking to tell her he was kidding.
The two school chums walked to quaint restaurant a block away from Hermione's office, catching up on news as they sauntered. They had only just taken their seats when Neville fixed her with a piercing gaze, "So, Hermione, who's the guy?"
"Wha-what?" Hermione was shocked by the quick subject change.
Neville laughed. "Oh come on "Mione! Just because I've been away for a couple of months doesn't mean I forgotten how to read you. Now stop feigning innocence and tell me who it is."
Hermione starred open mouthed at her longtime friend, "I'm not feigning anything." She insisted.
"So you're not seeing anyone?" Neville asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No. Well, not really." Hermione stammered, "technically no."
He continued to stare at her, one eyebrow raised, the corners of his mouth tightening as he fought a laugh. "Technically?" he gasped, a bubble of laughter escaping his lips as he gave in to the urge laugh at his friend.
She narrowed her eyes. "Yes technically Longbottom." She said sternly. "Technically I have not ever dated anyone I care to see again, and therefore there is no 'he'." She put emphasis on the final word in an attempt to make him understand.
"What about your dinner companion this evening?" Neville asked, having regained control on his laughter. "And don't try telling me it's Harry or Ron, since they'll both be at our house for supper." He grinned, sure he had caught her.
"Alright!" Hermione cried, "I give up." She gave him a long calculating look. "Just one thing, promise me you won't freak out."
Neville smiled comfortingly, "Just because I married a Weasley doesn't mean I can't control my temper."
She grinned at his joke. "I'm going to tell Ginny you said that." She taunted, sticking out her tongue in a decidedly childlike manner.
The waitress arrived to take their orders. Hermione asked for a salad and then turned to stare out the window, making a comment about the amount of rain the town had been getting lately.
"Ok. Enough stalling Granger," Neville leaned in towards her his expression serious, "Get on with the story."
"It all started with some ridiculous plot of Harry and Ron's." she began. Telling him in no small detail about the first blind date disaster, about Harry and Draco and then finally about dinner with Severus Snape. He listened with rapt attention, his facial expressions giving away shock when she spoke of Malfoy, and Snape. "Then he asked me out to dinner and I said yes." She finished.
"Harry set you up with Severus Snape?" Neville asked, sticking to what he considered the important part of the story.
She laughed merrily at the stunned look he had on his face. "Yes they did. And if I don't leave soon I'll never get any work done today." She had managed to eat several bites of her salad during her story, and pushed the half empty plate away from her. "It was wonderful to see you Nev." She said, rising and giving him a quick hug, "Have Gin owl me." He promised he would and she turned to walk back to her office. There were only five hours until her date and she wanted to get some quality work done.
________________________________________
AN: Thank you for reading! This chapter was a bit of a chore to write. I wanted to go straight to the Date, but there were still plot developments to be made. (stupid plot) :D anyway, I hope you enjoyed my effort. Next chapter we get to the good stuff. I think. A huge extra special Thank You!! To everyone who reviewed my last chapter!
tc: thank you! I felt so flattered! *hugs*
Kelek: In an interview, JKR gave Snape's year of birth as 1960. Harry was born in 1980, but I, and many other readers assume that Hermione's birthday on September 19 makes her a year older than her friend, which makes the difference in Hermione and Severus' age a mere 19 years. In my fic the trio has been out of Hogwarts for 3 years, making Hermione either 21 or 22, depending on the date. Which makes her more than one half Severus' age, not one third, which I don't find "yuk" at all.
Thanks again for reading, and, of course: PLEASE REVIEW!! (Constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated)
A/N2: Anyone who wants to be put on a "notify" list for this fic... Just tell me so in your review and leave an Email. :D
"You did what?" Ron snapped his head towards Harry, changing his aim and sending the cue ball bouncing across the table and into the corner pocket. The two of them were having their weekly pool night and Harry had just told him about dinner with Snape.
"Yea," Harry said nonchalantly, as if having dinner with their most hated former professor was something they did every evening. "I mean it's not such a bad idea if you think about it. He's smart, and he's not exactly entitled to be picky about Hermione's looks right?" He nudged a ball into the side pocket with his elbow while Ron wasn't looking. "He might just be exactly what we were looking for."
Ron nodded slowly and thoughtfully, his eyes dancing with suppressed laughter; Harry was forever trying to cheat and never ever succeeding, but Ron didn't feel like calling him on it today. He took a long slow drink of beer, mulling over the thought of Hermione dating Severus Snape. He was surprised to realize he didn't mind at all if the two of them fell hopelessly in love and never recovered, in fact he sort of hoped that they would. Hermione had been his best friend for nearly ten years and she deserved to be happy more than anyone else he knew, except maybe Harry, but Harry had Malfoy. Hermione didn't have anyone. Finally he smiled, "So." he said, drawing out the word for full effect, "When should Lavender and I invite the pair of them over for supper?"
Harry's face lit up, he had been quite worried about how Ron would take the news. In school he was certain Ron hated the Professor more than Harry hated Voldemort, and the news that their best friend might be forming a rather intimate relationship with the man was something he had been hesitant to share. The invitation, even if it was simply hypothetical, told Harry that not only was Ron alright with Hermione's blossoming relationship, he was going to do his best to encourage it.
~
Hermione sat in her cozy, leather desk chair with her feet propped on the window sill, a mug of steaming herbal tea cupped in her hands, gazing pensively out the window and the dreary day outside. The week had been long and dull, and today was turning out to be the worst best day of her life. She snorted at her thoughts. In reality the week probably hadn't been all that bad, but Friday had seemed an age away as she tried to clam her restlessness.
A sharp knock at the door startled her, causing her to spill tea on her blouse. She cursed under her breath hoping whoever was at the door wouldn't notice the splotch. "Come in," she called, still wiping at the stain on her front.
"Hello." A deep, vaguely familiar male voice brought Hermione's head up.
"Neville!" she cried, rising to give the young man a hug. "How are you?" She poured him a cup of tea, "How's Ginny? Are you two about settled in? Did you like Italy?" She stopped suddenly, bringing her hand up to her mouth. "Sorry Nev, I didn't mean to babble. It's just we haven't seen you two in months."
Neville grinned at her. "I'm good. Ginny's good. We're almost settled. And I don't care if you babble all evening, it has been far too long." he replied imitating her rapid fire style of speaking, laughing at the shocked look on her face. "Seriously." He said. "Italy was terrific, but it's good to be home and amongst friends again. I actually came by to see if you were available for dinner tonight."
"I'd love to, but I can't." Hermione answered, giving him a wistful smile. Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom had dated from Ginny's sixth year onward. The previous May Neville had asked her to marry him, and the ceremony had taken place the following March. They had spent some time in Neville's home town before heading to Italy on their Honeymoon in early April. Now it was mid-May and Hermione realized that it had been more than six weeks since she had seen her friends. "What are you doing tomorrow night?" she asked.
"Tomorrow night it is then." Neville replied with a cheeky grin. "Gin will be ecstatic." His smile turned tender at the mention of his wife, and Hermione suppressed a sigh. It would be wonderful to be loved like that.
"Have you had lunch yet?" she surprised both of them by asking.
"Are you paying?" he joked, winking to tell her he was kidding.
The two school chums walked to quaint restaurant a block away from Hermione's office, catching up on news as they sauntered. They had only just taken their seats when Neville fixed her with a piercing gaze, "So, Hermione, who's the guy?"
"Wha-what?" Hermione was shocked by the quick subject change.
Neville laughed. "Oh come on "Mione! Just because I've been away for a couple of months doesn't mean I forgotten how to read you. Now stop feigning innocence and tell me who it is."
Hermione starred open mouthed at her longtime friend, "I'm not feigning anything." She insisted.
"So you're not seeing anyone?" Neville asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No. Well, not really." Hermione stammered, "technically no."
He continued to stare at her, one eyebrow raised, the corners of his mouth tightening as he fought a laugh. "Technically?" he gasped, a bubble of laughter escaping his lips as he gave in to the urge laugh at his friend.
She narrowed her eyes. "Yes technically Longbottom." She said sternly. "Technically I have not ever dated anyone I care to see again, and therefore there is no 'he'." She put emphasis on the final word in an attempt to make him understand.
"What about your dinner companion this evening?" Neville asked, having regained control on his laughter. "And don't try telling me it's Harry or Ron, since they'll both be at our house for supper." He grinned, sure he had caught her.
"Alright!" Hermione cried, "I give up." She gave him a long calculating look. "Just one thing, promise me you won't freak out."
Neville smiled comfortingly, "Just because I married a Weasley doesn't mean I can't control my temper."
She grinned at his joke. "I'm going to tell Ginny you said that." She taunted, sticking out her tongue in a decidedly childlike manner.
The waitress arrived to take their orders. Hermione asked for a salad and then turned to stare out the window, making a comment about the amount of rain the town had been getting lately.
"Ok. Enough stalling Granger," Neville leaned in towards her his expression serious, "Get on with the story."
"It all started with some ridiculous plot of Harry and Ron's." she began. Telling him in no small detail about the first blind date disaster, about Harry and Draco and then finally about dinner with Severus Snape. He listened with rapt attention, his facial expressions giving away shock when she spoke of Malfoy, and Snape. "Then he asked me out to dinner and I said yes." She finished.
"Harry set you up with Severus Snape?" Neville asked, sticking to what he considered the important part of the story.
She laughed merrily at the stunned look he had on his face. "Yes they did. And if I don't leave soon I'll never get any work done today." She had managed to eat several bites of her salad during her story, and pushed the half empty plate away from her. "It was wonderful to see you Nev." She said, rising and giving him a quick hug, "Have Gin owl me." He promised he would and she turned to walk back to her office. There were only five hours until her date and she wanted to get some quality work done.
________________________________________
AN: Thank you for reading! This chapter was a bit of a chore to write. I wanted to go straight to the Date, but there were still plot developments to be made. (stupid plot) :D anyway, I hope you enjoyed my effort. Next chapter we get to the good stuff. I think. A huge extra special Thank You!! To everyone who reviewed my last chapter!
tc: thank you! I felt so flattered! *hugs*
Kelek: In an interview, JKR gave Snape's year of birth as 1960. Harry was born in 1980, but I, and many other readers assume that Hermione's birthday on September 19 makes her a year older than her friend, which makes the difference in Hermione and Severus' age a mere 19 years. In my fic the trio has been out of Hogwarts for 3 years, making Hermione either 21 or 22, depending on the date. Which makes her more than one half Severus' age, not one third, which I don't find "yuk" at all.
Thanks again for reading, and, of course: PLEASE REVIEW!! (Constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated)
A/N2: Anyone who wants to be put on a "notify" list for this fic... Just tell me so in your review and leave an Email. :D