Chapter nine: In Which Murphy's Law is Proven (Part II)
A swift loud knock brought Hermione to her feet. She smoothed her hair nervously with one hand, while straightening her dress with the other. Her high heels tapped a steady staccato on the wooden floors as she walked slowly and timidly towards the door.
Severus ran a nervous hand over his ensemble, admiring Draco's taste. He was dressed casually enough to fit in at a family restaurant, while at the same time being dressy enough for the fanciest restaurant he could think of. The black cords were immaculate, and Draco had spelled them to stay that way, and the shirt and coat were equipped with similar charms to keep them looking freshly pressed. His hair had been washed several times over, conditioned twice and then blow dried and styled until it met up to Draco's idea of what hair should be, minus extensive gel. He hoped Hermione would appreciate the effort.
The door swung open, and so did Severus' mouth. Hermione stood in the archway, light from inside shining behind her, looking resplendent in a red silk dress. Realizing he was gaping at her like a fish out of water he slammed his mouth firmly shut and cleared his throat. Twice. "G-good evening," he stammered.
Hermione smiled at him. She was still anxious about the evening, but seeing his reaction to her outfit made her feel slightly at ease. "Would you like to come in for a minute?" she asked, stepping back into her house so he had room to enter.
Severus swallowed yet again and stepped into the house, willing his legs not to shake. "Here," he said, holding out his bouquet of roses for Hermione to take, "These are for you."
Hermione took the gorgeous flowers with a smile, but did not smell them. She had a severe allergy to roses, and most other scented flowers. "Thank you." She led the way to her living room, "Just make yourself at home, I need to find a vase for these." She left him to his own devices and hurried to the kitchen. She knew there was a vase there, and she was certain she could find some kind of spell to remove the flower's scent before her nose and eyes swelled.
Severus sat down in one of the plush armchairs and looked around the room. It was very much how he would have pictured Hermione's home. There were floor to ceiling bookshelves covering the entirety on one wall, and then even more of them framing the large stone fireplace, in which a fire was crackling merrily. The furniture was sparse; two armchairs, a couch and a couple small tables; but the room didn't look barren. The low light levels and overstuffed plush furniture made the space seem smaller than it was and very cozy.
Hermione reappeared in the doorway, her nose had swelled slightly, and her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, but she told herself inwardly that it didn't matter, they would have fun regardless. She had been unable to find the charm she was looking for to remove the scent form the flowers, and had given up when she could no longer breathe through her stuffed up nose. She cleared her throat to get Severus' attention. "Shall we go?" she asked.
Severus turned when she cleared her throat and eyes her with concern. Her voice sounded stuffy and her eyes were incredibly bloodshot. Had she been crying he thought, feeling panic overtake him again. Was he so horribly unattractive that she was crying at the thought of them spending an evening together. He mentally shook himself, trying to clear out the unpleasant thought. She asked if they should go and he forced a relaxed smile, "Yes. Where are we headed?" He had told her to pick the place, but was now desperately wishing he had been able to select it, he could have brought a portkey and taken her somewhere that was as amazing as she was.
"I hope you like Italian," Hermione said, moving towards the door, "Il Bel Giardino, has terrific pastas, but they only offer Italian foods."
Severus' smile was for real this time, he adored Italian food. He rose to his feet, and awkwardly followed her out of the flat. "Can we apparate?" he asked.
Hermione cringed slightly, this entire evening was turning out to be incredibly awkward and it hadn't really even started yet. She hoped that thing would improve once they had food in front of them, but she doubted it. She had never had much luck when it came to dating.
The pair apparated to a designated spot only a block away from Il Bel Giardino. Hermione's heeled shoes clicked loudly on the pavement as the pair walked in silence towards to the restaurant, Severus constantly shooting nervous looks in Hermione's direction. Hermione was too busy fighting to keep composure under the stressful situation she found herself in to notice his scrutiny. She didn't know what to expect on this evening. Only a few years before this man had been her teacher, and now, here they were on a date.
They rounded the final corner and stopped in shock. Where the restaurant was supposed to be there was nothing more than an empty, smoking frame. Hermione gasped audibly, "Oh my gosh."
Severus turned to face her, noting the paleness of her face. "Hermione, are you all right?" She was trembling slightly and he took her arm gently in order to guide her to a nearby bench. "Here sit down for a moment." He instructed using the gentlest voice he could muster. Hermione sat without comment and Severus settled beside her. "Do you want to go back to your flat?" he asked, again using his gentlest voice and dreading that her answer would be yes. He didn't know what was going to happen between them, if anything, but he wanted a chance.
Hermione shook her head slightly, as if to clear in from some unseen annoyance. "No." She looked up at Severus and smiled faintly, "No, let's just go someplace else." She stood up and ran both ands over her skirt, smoothing out the slight wrinkles that sitting had caused.
"Do you have somewhere else in mind?" Severus asked, rising to stand behind her, he was so close he could smell the orchid in her hair. The faint scent was alluring and he forced himself to step away.
Hermione could feel his breath tickling her bare neck, the feeling sent tingles all over her body. She suppressed a delighted shiver. "No where particular. This is practically the only decent restaurant I frequent." She shrugged.
"May I suggest a place?" Severus asked, shocking Hermione with his concern for her well being. She turned to face him and nodded mutely. The intense look in his eyes sent another jolt through her body. They stood silently for a moment, just looking at each other. Hermione was the first to look away, embarrassed and frightened by the feelings she saw in his gaze. 'This is going too fast,' her mind screamed.
"I know a place that would be sufficient. It's a ways away, but we should be able to apparate somewhere fairly close to it." He could read discomfort in her expression and moved away from her, frustrated.
Hermione turned back to face him, "That will be fine. Where should I apparate to?" she paused in thought, "or would it be easier for you to direct me?" She raised one eyebrow quizzically. Apparating without a direction in mind wasn't difficult, but guiding another who was apparating was. It was a sign of how much she trusted Severus that she was even considering allowing his guidance.
"It would most likely be easier if I directed you." Severus said, feeling awkward. In order to direct her apparation they would have to be touching and he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable.
_______________________________
A/N: Thank you EVERYONE! For being patient and not sending me threats :P and for coming back after such a horrendously long wait. Chapter10 will be out ASAP. I have 300 words written, only ~900 to go.
Big "thank you"s to everyone who reviewed. Thanks Alcapacien, Alexial, QueenBonnie, and Amethyst9. My most sincere apologies to Random Death . I did intend to give dinner in Chapter 9, which is why it became a two part :P
A swift loud knock brought Hermione to her feet. She smoothed her hair nervously with one hand, while straightening her dress with the other. Her high heels tapped a steady staccato on the wooden floors as she walked slowly and timidly towards the door.
Severus ran a nervous hand over his ensemble, admiring Draco's taste. He was dressed casually enough to fit in at a family restaurant, while at the same time being dressy enough for the fanciest restaurant he could think of. The black cords were immaculate, and Draco had spelled them to stay that way, and the shirt and coat were equipped with similar charms to keep them looking freshly pressed. His hair had been washed several times over, conditioned twice and then blow dried and styled until it met up to Draco's idea of what hair should be, minus extensive gel. He hoped Hermione would appreciate the effort.
The door swung open, and so did Severus' mouth. Hermione stood in the archway, light from inside shining behind her, looking resplendent in a red silk dress. Realizing he was gaping at her like a fish out of water he slammed his mouth firmly shut and cleared his throat. Twice. "G-good evening," he stammered.
Hermione smiled at him. She was still anxious about the evening, but seeing his reaction to her outfit made her feel slightly at ease. "Would you like to come in for a minute?" she asked, stepping back into her house so he had room to enter.
Severus swallowed yet again and stepped into the house, willing his legs not to shake. "Here," he said, holding out his bouquet of roses for Hermione to take, "These are for you."
Hermione took the gorgeous flowers with a smile, but did not smell them. She had a severe allergy to roses, and most other scented flowers. "Thank you." She led the way to her living room, "Just make yourself at home, I need to find a vase for these." She left him to his own devices and hurried to the kitchen. She knew there was a vase there, and she was certain she could find some kind of spell to remove the flower's scent before her nose and eyes swelled.
Severus sat down in one of the plush armchairs and looked around the room. It was very much how he would have pictured Hermione's home. There were floor to ceiling bookshelves covering the entirety on one wall, and then even more of them framing the large stone fireplace, in which a fire was crackling merrily. The furniture was sparse; two armchairs, a couch and a couple small tables; but the room didn't look barren. The low light levels and overstuffed plush furniture made the space seem smaller than it was and very cozy.
Hermione reappeared in the doorway, her nose had swelled slightly, and her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, but she told herself inwardly that it didn't matter, they would have fun regardless. She had been unable to find the charm she was looking for to remove the scent form the flowers, and had given up when she could no longer breathe through her stuffed up nose. She cleared her throat to get Severus' attention. "Shall we go?" she asked.
Severus turned when she cleared her throat and eyes her with concern. Her voice sounded stuffy and her eyes were incredibly bloodshot. Had she been crying he thought, feeling panic overtake him again. Was he so horribly unattractive that she was crying at the thought of them spending an evening together. He mentally shook himself, trying to clear out the unpleasant thought. She asked if they should go and he forced a relaxed smile, "Yes. Where are we headed?" He had told her to pick the place, but was now desperately wishing he had been able to select it, he could have brought a portkey and taken her somewhere that was as amazing as she was.
"I hope you like Italian," Hermione said, moving towards the door, "Il Bel Giardino, has terrific pastas, but they only offer Italian foods."
Severus' smile was for real this time, he adored Italian food. He rose to his feet, and awkwardly followed her out of the flat. "Can we apparate?" he asked.
Hermione cringed slightly, this entire evening was turning out to be incredibly awkward and it hadn't really even started yet. She hoped that thing would improve once they had food in front of them, but she doubted it. She had never had much luck when it came to dating.
The pair apparated to a designated spot only a block away from Il Bel Giardino. Hermione's heeled shoes clicked loudly on the pavement as the pair walked in silence towards to the restaurant, Severus constantly shooting nervous looks in Hermione's direction. Hermione was too busy fighting to keep composure under the stressful situation she found herself in to notice his scrutiny. She didn't know what to expect on this evening. Only a few years before this man had been her teacher, and now, here they were on a date.
They rounded the final corner and stopped in shock. Where the restaurant was supposed to be there was nothing more than an empty, smoking frame. Hermione gasped audibly, "Oh my gosh."
Severus turned to face her, noting the paleness of her face. "Hermione, are you all right?" She was trembling slightly and he took her arm gently in order to guide her to a nearby bench. "Here sit down for a moment." He instructed using the gentlest voice he could muster. Hermione sat without comment and Severus settled beside her. "Do you want to go back to your flat?" he asked, again using his gentlest voice and dreading that her answer would be yes. He didn't know what was going to happen between them, if anything, but he wanted a chance.
Hermione shook her head slightly, as if to clear in from some unseen annoyance. "No." She looked up at Severus and smiled faintly, "No, let's just go someplace else." She stood up and ran both ands over her skirt, smoothing out the slight wrinkles that sitting had caused.
"Do you have somewhere else in mind?" Severus asked, rising to stand behind her, he was so close he could smell the orchid in her hair. The faint scent was alluring and he forced himself to step away.
Hermione could feel his breath tickling her bare neck, the feeling sent tingles all over her body. She suppressed a delighted shiver. "No where particular. This is practically the only decent restaurant I frequent." She shrugged.
"May I suggest a place?" Severus asked, shocking Hermione with his concern for her well being. She turned to face him and nodded mutely. The intense look in his eyes sent another jolt through her body. They stood silently for a moment, just looking at each other. Hermione was the first to look away, embarrassed and frightened by the feelings she saw in his gaze. 'This is going too fast,' her mind screamed.
"I know a place that would be sufficient. It's a ways away, but we should be able to apparate somewhere fairly close to it." He could read discomfort in her expression and moved away from her, frustrated.
Hermione turned back to face him, "That will be fine. Where should I apparate to?" she paused in thought, "or would it be easier for you to direct me?" She raised one eyebrow quizzically. Apparating without a direction in mind wasn't difficult, but guiding another who was apparating was. It was a sign of how much she trusted Severus that she was even considering allowing his guidance.
"It would most likely be easier if I directed you." Severus said, feeling awkward. In order to direct her apparation they would have to be touching and he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable.
_______________________________
A/N: Thank you EVERYONE! For being patient and not sending me threats :P and for coming back after such a horrendously long wait. Chapter10 will be out ASAP. I have 300 words written, only ~900 to go.
Big "thank you"s to everyone who reviewed. Thanks Alcapacien, Alexial, QueenBonnie, and Amethyst9. My most sincere apologies to Random Death . I did intend to give dinner in Chapter 9, which is why it became a two part :P