Chapter 5: In Which Our Protagonist Prepare For Their Date

"It should be easier than this," Severus said as he stared at his closet. "I was the spy for the Order of the Phoenix. I kept Voldemort from guessing my true loyalty. I…"

"Need to get some new clothes and a haircut," the redhead finished for him. She hovered behind Snape; who was looking at his array of black clothing.

He turned to look at her. "You again?"

"Of course, I'm always here. I'm what happens when you spend too much time alone talking to yourself. Come to the mirror." Snape walked across his room to his mirror.

"Look at yourself," she said. He did as she asked. The man looking back had long, lank, black hair, which was just starting to go gray at his temples. Most of his face was hidden by a black beard, also starting to show some signs of gray. Well, nothing that a good shampoo and a pair of scissors couldn't fix. He touched his chin. Still firm, maybe a shave is order as well.

"I like you better clean shaven as well," the redhead said, her hands on his shoulders.

"Hmmm." He continued looking. Nothing short of surgery was going to help his nose. The rest of his body was in decent shape, even if he was the one saying it. He pulled on a black shirt and trousers, and debated about where to go. A place had opened not too far from his London flat. It was in an expensive neighborhood, so that probably spoke well of the skill of the staff. Maybe one of them would even give him a shave as well as a haircut.

"New clothes?" Snape asked. The redhead nodded.

"You look like an overgrown bat in all of her memories of you. The first part of the challenge is getting her to see you as something other than Professor Snape, Greasy Git of the Dungeons. Once you've broken that image you can ease back into black."

But I look good in black.

"No, Sev, you really don't. You look dead in black, and will continue to until you get some more color." She smiled at him to soften the words.

"I'm not getting a tan."

"I didn't say you had to."

Hermione glared at her closet. She was fairly sure she owned numerous outfits, many of which were flattering and acceptable for going out for drinks with a member of the opposite sex. So why had they all vanished?

Ginny sat comfortably on her bed with Molly nursing contentedly. "Go for the green one. It compliments your hair and eyes well."

"I'm not wearing green to meet the former head of Slytherin House."

"The red robes?"

Hermione turned to glare at Ginny, who smiled innocently.

Ginny nodded at the left side of her closet. "You'd look smashing in the amethyst dress, plus it looks almost nothing like anything you would have worn as a student."

Hermione turned to the closet, pulled it out, and held it up to herself. "It looks nothing like anything I would have worn as a student because it shows off a whole lot of cleavage. He doesn't need to see my breasts tonight!"

"Hermione, if things go well tonight, you'll likely marry him. That's the point of this right? I mean, if you two get on, are you going to keep looking for anyone else?" Hermione didn't have an answer for that, so she turned back towards the closet. "Assuming you two get on, I'm fairly sure he'll be seeing your breasts at some point in the not-too-distant future."

It finally hit Hermione. This was for keeps. There was no wiggle room. It was find a husband, marry a friend, or move. And she had six months left to do it. She went to the back of the closet and pulled out something in a soft gray.

"Oh Hermione, no! That's too…" Ginny had been about to say boring until Hermione pulled it on. "Wow! I am borrowing that as soon as my figure is back. Where did you get that?"

At first glance, it was boring: a plain, nicely cut gray dress of a soft material. But once on, it changed. It clung to the skin, melding against curves and giving the illusion of being painted on. Every time Hermione moved, it flowed around her and resettled itself. It was horribly modest, unless you really looked at it. "I got it while I was in the US."

Ginny shook her head. "I love it, and you are getting one for me, but it's probably too much for a first date. This is Severus 'I-notice-everything-that-comes-my-way' Snape, he won't miss what that dress has to offer. Go for the green one; Slytherin be damned. It's not like you've got to wear silver jewellery."