A/N: So, another day another chapter. Thank you to all of you who added me to your alert list or reviewed. It's nice to know you're enjoying my story. I own the plot, nothing more. On we go! P.S.

Something More

Chapter 3: Fraternizing With a Former Enemy

Hermione's lesson went off with only the expected hitches. Buttons with legs were difficult to catch, but catch them they did. One student, A blonde-haired, blue eyed, Ravenclaw named Alicia, had even managed the assignment on the first try.

Hermione had praised the girl's efforts, but was careful not to single her out. She understood better than most how difficult being a 'teacher's pet' could be. When the last of her students had left for the day, Hermione collapsed into her chair. Teaching was harder than it looked! One had to be both a friend and a disciplinarian, no easy task. Plus, some students needed extra help while others resented her for it.

All in all, it was still Hermione's dream job, but she realized she had been ill-prepared to handle the stress. The tension had just started to leave her muscles when the door opened. She opened her mouth to reprimand whoever it was about knocking, but the words stuck in her throat, and she smiled.

She couldn't have been happier to see the man standing in front of her. His platinum-blonde hair and gray eyes were a welcome sight indeed. "Draco!" She stood and embraced him warmly. "It's so good to see you!" He accepted her into his arms, before stepping back offering her a piece of German chocolate. "I'll bet you could use this", he said by way of explanation.

Her smile widened, "has anyone told you how amazing you are lately?" He grinned roguishly at her, "Why yes, daily in fact." She shook her head, some things never changed.

Anyone looking in on this scene would likely have thought at least one of the two were under the imperious curse. After all, it made no sense that the muggle-born Gryffindor princess and the pure-blood Slytherin prince would even stand to be in the same room, much less appear to be very good friends.

The truth was that once they had gotten out from under Lucius' iron fist, both Draco and Narcissa were amazingly adaptable. Though Draco's pure-blood breeding ran deep, after the war he'd been forced to work with Hermione to track down the remaining deatheaters, as one of the conditions of his freedom.

Narcissa for her part had thrown herself into the social side of things. She invited all of Wizarding London, muggle-born and pure-blood alike, to attend gala after gala at the Malfoy mansion on an almost weekly basis. Between the two of them, and with Lucius firmly imprisoned in Azkaban, the Malfoy name was mending both its reputation and influence nicely.

Hermione and Draco had slowly built a friendship on the mutual respect they'd had for each other. As time progressed, they'd even managed to find some common ground, and it was Hermione who had gone with Draco the first time he went to visit his father. She better than anyone else had understood the pain and sense of loss that Draco felt, and when they left the iron doors she'd simply stood there, arms open and ready to accept him.

As it currently stood, they were best friends. Harry and Ron had taken some time to convince, which is a polite way of saying Harry had gone to Ginny to rant and Ron had threatened to hex Draco within an inch of his life if he ever did anything to hurt Hermione, but they had come around, and life was peaceful, for the most part that is.

Draco pulled a chair up to Hermione's and grinned. He'd been teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts for a bit over a year now, so he understood her harassed expression. She took a moment to enjoy the chocolate he'd brought her before she started. She then proceeded to relay everything to him, including the incident with Snape that morning.

Draco's eyes were glowing with mirth as she finished. She gave him a disgruntled look, "it isn't funny!" Draco bit his cheek, but managed to make his features properly sympathetic for a moment. "No, of course it isn't. It's just that…" His eyes lit up again, and Hermione sighed. "Well, go on then, laugh if you must."

Draco chuckled, "it is awfully funny Hermione. I mean, I can just picture you standing there with that horrified look on your face..." He trailed off as though he were indeed picturing the scene. Hermione remembered the moment and the corners of her mouth quirked upward. "I suppose it was", she conceded.

In the dungeons, Severus was reading one of the latest books on potion brewing. Or rather, he appeared to be reading. In reality, he was having an argument with himself. Finally, he tossed the book aside, he needed to talk to someone, and who better than his godson?

Severus left the dungeons in search of Draco. He wasn't in his classroom, or his apartments. It was not until Severus heard voices in the Transfiguration classroom that Severus realized he'd found him.

"He'll come around Hermione", Severus heard Draco say. Who were they referring to? Though Severus rarely stooped to something as childish as eavesdropping, his curiosity won out over his maturity. "I know Draco, I know. He's just so frustrating sometimes." Severus had been aware of his godson's friendship with Granger; it had surprised him to say the least.

His mind ran through the possibilities, a boyfriend perhaps? Or maybe one of the other two-thirds of the golden trio had somehow fallen from Granger's good graces. Draco's next words broke into his reverie. "Severus isn't a bad man; he just takes some getting used to."

They were talking about him? Severus was torn between amusement and confusion. He hadn't been aware their exchanges actually bothered Granger, irritated her yes, annoyed her sure, but bothered her? He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Her response only confirmed Severus' thoughts. "I don't think he'll ever like me. He tolerates me, but being part of the golden trio, she spat out the words, might as well make me an untouchable to him.

Years as a spy told him that both were now standing, and quite possibly hugging. "Get to know him, Hermione. He will come around eventually, you'll see." As they separated, Severus could hear the smile in Granger's voice. "You know him better than anyone Draco, if you think it's worth a shot, I'll try."

They were moving toward the door, and Severus panicked, to be caught here meant he would have to admit to eavesdropping. He thought it best to just keep moving and pretend he had only been passing by.

This might have worked, had his godson not known him so well. Hermione had given him an odd look, but was apparently content to let it go. Draco, however, was not so easily placated. When Hermione was safely out of earshot, he rounded on Severus. "You were listening", he accused confidently. It was not a question.

Severus sighed, he knew arguing with Draco would be useless. "Yes", he said simply. Draco smirked at him, "how much did you hear?" Severus backtracked, "I believe you were defending my personality when I arrived", Severus intoned in his best no-nonsense teaching voice.

Draco was neither fooled nor impressed. "It really frustrates her that you won't even give her a chance you know", he said softly. "She's a hell of a woman, Severus." Snape simply nodded, refusing to show any emotion either way. Draco shrugged, "People change. You should know that better than most." Having said his piece, Draco excused himself on the premise of having papers to grade.

It vaguely occurred to Severus that it was highly unlikely Draco had given a paper on the first day, but he was grateful for the excuse none the less. Nodding to his godson, he excused himself, but Draco's words and his conversation with Hermione, followed him down the hall.

Sitting in a chair in an armchair in his living room, Severus continued to think over the day's events. He wasn't sure what Granger expected of him, he had never been a friendly man, at least not since…

No! He would not think of her, Could not think of her! He forced his mind back to the present, but his brief journey to the past had let its mark. He had always known, and fought the knowledge that Hermione shared a great deal in common with another know-it-all Gryffindor: Lily Evans.

To this day he refused to think of her as Lily Potter. He remembered her only as she had been at Hogwarts, a bright, loving, muggle-born witch, and his friend. His mind made the comparison without his consent, and he wondered briefly if he held against Granger more than just her status as one of the golden trio. Granger, like Lily had befriended a Potter. Though Harry was not the bully his father had been, seeing Lily's eyes, forever emblazoned in Potter's face, had rubbed Severus on the raw.

Both were exceedingly intelligent, kind, loving individuals, and for a brief moment Severus wondered what it would be like to count Hermione Granger as a friend, if it would do anything to repair the damage that had been done him over the years as a result of his break with Lily.

He squashed the thought immediately; no one would ever replace Lily in his heart. He wouldn't allow it. However, before he could silence the thought, it occurred to him that therein may lay the actual problem. It was not that he couldn't let go of Lily, it was that he refused to do so.

Severus dreaded attending dinner more than he had since he had shared a table with Delores Umbridge. However, attendance was a requirement, and after dressing as slowly as he possibly could, Severus did indeed attend.

Hermione Granger was determined. She understood that it was unlikely she and Severus would ever be good friends, but if she had to work with the overgrown bat anyway, she was going to make the best of it. She dressed in her robes, but rather than leave them black, she charmed them a deep hunter green. She knew she would probably catch some flak from Minerva and the Gryffindors for her choice, but she hoped Severus might take it as an olive branch of sorts.

When she arrived in the Great Hall, Draco was already there, and she took the chair to his left. He prodded her in the ribs gently and whispered, "I never thought I'd see the day when Hermione Granger was trying to impress a Slytherin."

Hermione flushed bright pink. "I am not trying to impress him" she replied emphatically. "I am just trying to make a point!" Draco held up his hands in a mock-defensive gesture. "Okay, okay, no need to get your knickers in a twist, Granger."He grinned at her and winked. "Here he comes", he murmured.

In spite of herself, Hermione was nervous, what if he thought her gesture was silly, or worse, what if he didn't notice it at all? She held her breath when he sat down, wondering if he had meant to sit next to her. She was immediately reminded of Ron's words regarding Viktor Krum. 'Fraternizing with the Enemy' he had called it, she wondered briefly what he would have to say about her current seating arrangements.

Severus had scanned the head table for Hermione almost without realizing he'd done it. There was something different about her tonight, and it took him a moment to realize what it was. He noticed after a moment that where all of the other teachers' robes were colored in some darker variation of the house they represented or supported, Granger's robes were an almost black, shade of dark green.

His mind reeled; it was obvious she'd done it intentionally, and equally as obvious that she would probably catch heat for it later. So why had she done it? The answer hit him like a bludger to the head: She had done it for him.

A/N: So, this chapter is a bit longer than the first two. I think I've finally found a good timeline for this first story. Reviews are welcome and appreciated; I might even manage to get another chapter up today. Thank you all for your support! - MWMS