Disclaimer: You know the drill: Give me an 'I', Give me a 'don't', give me an 'own'. What does that spell? I DON'T OWN!

A/N: GUESS WHO! I'm so so so so so so so so very sorry for taking this long! I've been in a major block, so it took ages to write this. Plus, when I had written 2 pages my laptop died and I had to get a new one, so the two pages I had struggled to get down was completely gone and I had to start a new :(

Chapter 14 // The Mentor

Her head snapped up in surprise when a small, neatly wrapped package suddenly obscured her view of the book resting against her thighs. She found him standing by her chair, peering down on her as his hands were fidgeting slightly in their clasped grip.

"Happy Birthday," he said quickly, a small, crooked smile showing briefly on his face.

"How did you know?" she asked in awe, taking the small package in her palm.

He shrugged slightly, fixing his eyes on the present instead of meeting her gaze.

"I picked up more at the Order Headquarters than you think."

"Can I open it?" she asked excitedly, looking up at him with expectation.

He raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"Of course. That's usually what presents are for," he commented, watching her remove the silver string with immense care.

She didn't take notice of the slightly dry comment, her whole attention now focused on the small object unravelling before her eyes. She stared at the silver rod with the translucent orb swirling at the end. It felt light in her palm as she moved it around in awe, staring dumbfounded at it as the orb swirled its misty grey substance.

"How...? It's a curse detector," she breathed, finally removing her eyes from it as she looked up towards him.

When he just smiled sheepishly, she turned her eyes back to the wondrous object resting in her palm.

"These are so rare, I've been trying to get one for ages. Thank you so much!"

She beamed at him as she rose quickly from her seat. With long steps she moved towards the fireplace and put the curse detector carefully down on the mantle.

"You're welcome. It's nothing big," he shrugged.

"Are you kidding me?" she exclaimed with a warm laugh. "You have no idea how long I've been searching for one just like that."

"Come have a drink with me," he suddenly said when she was working her way back to where he stood.

"Sure," she replied in surprise, giving a slight yelp when he grabbed her wrist and yanked her along.

She let him lead her out the door, feeling his hand slowly letting go of her wrist just to move downwards. His fingers ran gently along her palm before they laced with her own fingers. She looked up to find him staring straight ahead towards town, giving her a chance to study his sharp profile. It was strange how everything she used to find a distraction of symmetry in his features now seemed to compel her the most. Small quirks that used to trigger negative associations in her now seemed to be what made him so beautiful in her eyes. She found it so strange how different a person could look when you changed your opinion on them as a whole. There wasn't a thing about him she would change now. Everything about him played an equal part in why she felt so comfortable around him, why he attracted her so much.

She wasn't so certain Harry would ever see it from her point of view. To him the grey eyes were still cold and distant, and the sharp, aristocratic face still seemed hard and unwelcoming. Her friends didn't see Draco in a new light; they still saw what they had always seen. It wasn't at all strange that they couldn't understand why she would ever get involved. She fully understood how difficult it was, but she still felt a burning need to make them understand. They had always supported her, on every decision and in every aspect of her life, and the thought of losing their understanding now was completely unbearable.

"Stop thinking," he suddenly said, holding her hand tighter as he spoke.

She turned towards him again and raised her eyebrow questioningly.

"It's your birthday; give yourself a break from the never-ending worrying over things you can't change."

"How did you even know I was worrying at all?" she asked lightly. "Maybe I was thinking about my wonderful new gift."

He turned and looked at her with a disbelieving expression.

"You're not even fooling yourself with that one, love."

She shrugged, knowing it was a losing battle if she'd ever seen one.

"Worrying is my thing. It's what I do. It's what keeps my world in balance."

"I doubt the world would fall apart if you relaxed just this once."

"I wouldn't be so sure," she said gloomily, making him roll his eyes.

She tried to disguise a smile, but couldn't quite hide her amusement over his frustration.

He brought her to the barrels disguising the Wizard's Pub and muttered slowly under his breath. Seconds after he tapped one of them with his wand, the narrow staircase appeared and he gestured for her to go first. She smiled quickly and took the steps two at a time before landing with a graceful jump at the bottom. He eyed her with a distinct questioning look, but she just shrugged in answer and pulled the door open for him when he came to a halt next to her. They proceeded into the dark – and not quite clean – pub together, Draco keeping a hand at her back as he guided her towards a far corner.

He stopped her as she was about to sit down at a free table, and pointed out a table on her right.

"But that's already occupied," she replied in puzzlement, watching the figure sitting with his back to her, his back straight and his head facing straight forward.

"Yes, it is," he confirmed, but put his hand on her back nevertheless and guided her towards one of the unoccupied chairs.

Hermione remained entirely confused, as he placed her firmly into the chair. She turned around to look at him, looking for answers, but he didn't say a word.

"Happy Birthday, Ms. Granger," a voice to her left suddenly uttered.

Her head whipped towards him and her mouth fell open in complete surprise.

"Professor!" she exclaimed, a bright smile pulling on her lips. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"I flooed in for this very occasion," he told her, giving a slight nod of his head towards Draco. "I was tipped off by a slightly annoying, highly persuasive ferret."

She laughed, taking in the very alive image of her mentor.

"This is…amazing. I haven't seen you in years, where have you been?" she asked, fixing her eyes on him.

"Here and there," he answered cryptically, and she noticed how his face looked more drawn than the last time she had seen him. "I rarely stay long in one place."

"I heard you quit your job, but I had no idea where you went."

He gave a brief nod at that.

"I travel to where work is, at the moment. I do not get to keep in touch with many people, but I quite enjoy it all the same."

"Plus he doesn't have to see Harry," Draco added, looking slightly amused.

"A very valid point to add to my 'pro'-list. 'No Potter' is definitely up there."

Hermione rolled her eyes. She had grown used to Snape's comments about her best friend over the time of her internship.

"Don't think for a second we've forgotten how you helped him get to Voldemort during the battle," she reminded him, sending him a sugar sweet smile.

"You are never going to let that go, are you?" he inquired, looking un-amused.

"I wasn't planning on it, no."

She grinned, leaning lazily back in her chair.

"I'll go get us drinks," Draco said after shaking his head at them. "Behave yourselves while I'm gone."

"Hey wait; I'll give you money to pay for mine," she exclaimed, reaching into the pocket of her jeans.

"Don't be stupid, Granger; it's your birthday. I'm paying for your drinks."

"I already got a gift, remember?" she protested.

"So? Who says there's to be a maximum of one gift?"

"Look, I don't like being in debt..."

"It's not debt, you daft Gryffindor. It's a gift. Something given to you for free," he said slowly, as if talking to a three year old, while he waved his hand accordingly.

"Seriously, Malfoy, you don't need – "

"Oh, will you give it up? I would like a drink before my liver starts to un-shrivel again," Snape barked, making Draco roll his eyes before heading towards the bar while Hermione chuckled madly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to deprive your liver of its alcohol," she said, crossing her arms on the table in front of her.

"I do not have many joys in life."

"Maybe you could have if you didn't shut everyone out of your life," she added smartly.

"I am not having this discussion with you again, Ms. Granger."

She smiled gently at that, remembering all the times she had tried to soften him up over a steaming cauldron. Whenever she thought she had managed to make at least a bit of headway, he'd make sure she knew he was just as cynical as he was before she started as his intern.

"You know, Ms. Granger... I am an intelligent man," he began, putting his hands up behind his head, giving her a long look. "Some would even call me very perceptive and a good judge of character -"

"I'm not going to contradict it, if that's what you're waiting for," she replied with her eyebrow raised.

" – But I would have never imagined you actually falling for Draco Malfoy," he continued, without taking notice of her statement.

She grinned sheepishly, wondering if it was really that noticeable that she found herself more than mildly attracted to Draco Malfoy.

"Look, I know it's strange..."

"Congratulations," he said, cutting her explanation short.

She watched him in utter bewilderment, and found herself starting to wonder if she was caught in some strange dream.

"I have underestimated you," he admitted, his eyes briefly falling on Draco who was still at the bar waiting for their drinks. "I never thought you were the type to see past prejudice, when it all came down to it."

She said nothing, just looked at him as he cast yet another glance towards his godson.

"I always knew Draco had the potential to break free from the boundaries set on him and think for himself, but I have always worried that the people he would have to associate with once he switched sides would not understand his transformation, and certainly not see past his sometimes hostile facade."

"To be honest, he has done all the hard work," she said, following his gaze. "He changed his ways, and he opened up. He made it impossible for me not to accept him for what he really is. You should be proud of him."

Snape looked back at her, and their eyes locked for an instant. He didn't say a thing, but she knew what he wanted to say. As Draco came back towards their table with drinks in hand, his godfather nodded at her, and she was certain she saw the slightest pull at the right corner of his mouth.

"You two managed to not kill each other while I was gone?" Draco asked dryly, as he put their drinks in front of them.

"Honestly, Draco. When we managed to survive the two years of my internship, I think we can stay together for five minutes without strangling each other."

"You never know with Severus," he said, and flashed Snape a wide grin. "Well, then... I propose a toast; to Granger, who has turned out to be much less annoying and much less of a prude than I expected."

She stared at him as he raised his glass, her brows knitted firmly together. He released a nervous laugh, and sipped at his drink while looking at her over his glass.

"You thought I was a prude?" she inquired indignantly after a moment of silence.

Draco snorted ungracefully, and then coughed to hide his laugh.

"Well, I did. But you sure did prove me wrong, dear," he consoled, petting her arm softly.

"You two sicken me," Snape announced, making Draco roll his eyes.

"I'm sure you can handle happy people for just a little while longer, Severus. It is her birthday, after all."

So, because it was her birthday, Snape decided to tolerate 'happy people' for just a little while longer. She was, after all, the only intern he had taken under his wings in his entire teaching career, though he had no immediate plans to let her know that. Little Miss Granger still thought she was one in the line of many, and it was better that way. He wouldn't be able to stand the sappy sentimentalism that would follow the truth.

"I am sorry to say I must be heading off," he said about an hour later. "It was very...er...enlightening... to see the both of you."

He coughed, and stumbled awkwardly over the word 'enlightening', and then he rose from his chair in a quick motion. Hermione smiled warmly, knowing exactly what he meant but could not seem to articulate. After all, Severus Snape could not admit to being happy to see anyone, no matter who they were. She rose from her chair too, watching him grip his cane firmly.

"I'm so glad you came. Thank you, Professor," she said earnestly, holding her hand out for him.

He took it with his free hand, shook it firmly and gave a stiff nod.

"You should know that while I have been very busy travelling, I have still followed your progress, Ms. Granger. And you are doing remarkably well for yourself."

Her eyes grew wide at his words, hardly able to believe she was hearing him right.

"Thank you, sir," she answered breathlessly.

"So long, Draco," he then said, receiving a nod and a smile from his godson.

Hermione watched him as he turned his back to them and walked slowly out of the pub, leaning heavily on his cane.

"Draco, I can't believe you did this," she exclaimed, beaming from ear to ear. "I haven't seen him in so long!"

"I had to use the few contacts I have, didn't I? He's the only one I've actually kept in contact with since I moved," he admitted, swallowing the last sip of his drink. "Come, let's go."

As they walked she kept returning to what Snape had said about her and Draco. Was she really falling for him? And was it really that obvious? It was no longer a secret that she was attracted to him, but she had to admit it was moving beyond that. Just the fact that he had done this for her on her birthday made her heart soar. There was something about how he treated her, how he was so much more considerate than she could have ever imagined.

"Do you miss your job?" he suddenly asked, glancing sideways at her as they walked.

"I suppose I do," she admitted, giving a sad smile. "It's strange not going there every day. In one way it's very freeing not to have the responsibility, but I do miss it. Don't you miss working?"

"I've grown so used to this life that I don't really think of it much anymore."

She nodded, understanding how he felt.

"I used to really miss being in the Order. I missed all the action, the meetings, having a place to belong," he admitted, kicking a stone with the tip of his shoe.

"I missed it too for a while, and it's strange considering we were risking our lives so much of the time."

"I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"I know you would," she smiled, taking his hand in hers. "Cause that's who you are."

A/N II: Thanks to all reviewers, I am so sorry it took so long, but I swear the next one will come a lot sooner. Thanks for sticking with me :D