-=JKR made great characters, I love manipulating them.=-

Cheap Thrills

Apologies

Dressed casually, they stumbled downstairs for breakfast. Tom approached the table they selected. The Innkeeper openly scowled at Severus. Hermione offended at such rudeness, "Tom, I'm really surprised at you. Everyone knows Severus, was on our side." She gripped Severus' protectively.

"Severus? Is it?" Tom mumbled.

Her glare was unmistakeable.

Not wishing to disoblige Hermione. "As the lady wishes. Would you like the house special, or something else?"

"Pot of tea, and toast." She didn't think Severus was going to answer, "double that, can I have honey with that please." Tom jerked his head and retreated to the kitchen.

"Severus," looked as though he was in a full-body bind. Except his eyes, which maintained a flat look. She brushed her lips up the curve of his ear, whispering his name. "Please, look at me. Please?"

He wasn't as rigid as a tombstone, when Tom's auxiliary dropped off the tray. Hermione dove in quickly to equip them both with tea. "Sugar? Honey? Cream? Lemon?" She tried with unabashed sincerity to return this uncomfortable silence to something less hostile.

Severus turned a familiar look on her, one that clearly asked, 'are you really that simple.' "Hermione, that man thinks I'm lecherous bastard for taking advantage of you. And the worst part is; I feel like one."

"Severus? Can we just please eat, I'm very hungry. I don't want to get sick as soon as I walk into the Apothecary. That place smells like, a vat of fermented, fungus-of-a-dead-cat."

Trying to shake off his bad humour. "Stop, you're making me hungry." Sarcasm firmly reattached, they ate and drank in silence.

Hermione was not in a pleasant mood as they strolled to the Wizarding Instruments Shop, before going to the Apothecary. Severus wouldn't hold her hand and refused to let her take his arm. Severus got the impression, he was the number one attraction at a freak side-show.

Furious at Tom's nonsense earlier, she'd said she was going to have a short word with Tom. This only served to make Severus more defensive and agitated. An afternoon shopper turned to see who the silent pair was behind him, and his little boy. Recognizing Snape, the stranger's expression hardened. Picking up the toddler, he muttered 'deviant,' walking on.

Hermione privately wondered if the little boy's presence, saved the stranger from being savagely hexed. Given the anger rolling off him in great breakers, she was sure he was capable of that and more. Hermione places a gentle hand on his bicep. He jerked his arm away from her, giving her a dirty look. "Hermione, I know what I am better than you. I'm not worthy, nor in want for your compassion."

Snape's swift movements had attracted some attention. A wizard grabbed the shoulder opposite Hermione. Pointing his wand in Snape's face, "leave the lady alone Snape. Girl, run a long, he won't hurt you."

Hermione had it with bull-headed wizards. "Girl?" She roared. Walked up to him and slapped him, "get your hands off him." Pointing her wand at his chest. She grabbed Severus' sleeve pulling him along. She huffed and puffed along as the wizard hurled insults at Severus. Not rousing Severus, he started taking pot-shots at Hermione.

If Hermione hadn't known better, she'd have guessed that a Dementor was nearby for the chill that descended on them.

Snape shook Hermione off. "Keep out of this Hermione, I'm warning you." His gate was deadly as he approached the red-faced wizard. Severus straightened his sleeves, ignoring Hermione's pleas. "I have some wand-less magic I'd like to demonstrate for you." The wizard only had a moment to look puzzled, when Severus hauled off and clocked the man. "You owe Ms. Granger an apology." He spat blood on Snape's boot. "Oh, you must have missed the first demonstration. How about we try a different teaching method?" Snape took the man's shoulder's, bringing the bloody man back down, kneeing him in the face. "Apologize!" Once Snape heard the barely coherent apology, he let the man go. "Good day to you sir."

Scourgifying himself as he walked back to Hermione. He felt good about the confrontation, relieving some his pent up anger. Smirking at himself, and I didn't even have to kill him. Muggles got one thing right, fisticuffs are very satisfying.

Hermione caught the smirk, "pleased with yourself are you? He's a bloody mess."

Peeked, Severus turned on Hermione. "He insulted you, he deserved everything he got. He won't mess with you again, or he'll get more of the same."

Slouching her hand on one hip, the other pressed to the back of her head, "was that really necessary?"

All business Severus peered at Hermione. "To my mind, yes. If you ask me, he got off easy."

Sarcastically Hermione clarified, "so anyone who tries to insult me, you'll make mince out of them?"

Considering Hermione's words carefully, "why, yes." He was gratified she had understood so quickly. "You shouldn't trouble yourself with that kind of scum."

"There's always going to be someone who tries to take the Mickey out of me." She added for emphasis, "I'm used to it."

"You needn't ever be subject to that kind of nonsense. I'll be willing to teach anyone an object lesson in manners, if need be." Snape appeared to have mastered his anger.

Hermione knew she wasn't going to win this fight, so stayed silent. She wanted to reason that Severus was only being protective, but couldn't.

Snape took in Hermione's silence. "You're angry at me."

"I shouldn't think you would need a seer for that insight." Balefully foreseeing the near-future.

"Sarcasm doesn't accentuate your beauty. I, on the other hand have no such worries." The stopped in front of the Magical Menagerie, a noisy place, they wouldn't be easily overheard. Severus held his arms, to keep from reaching out to Hermione. Public displays of depravity, wouldn't be prudent.

His crossed arms, put Hermione off. "The caveman act doesn't really work for me, and barking at me, isn't really on the top of my list either. You don't even want me to touch you in public. Do you have any idea how that feels?"

Hermione gave up her shopping trip for the day. She had three days left in her holiday, affording her plenty of time. Trudging up the lane until she reached the Leaky Cauldron. By the rubbish bins she transfigured her robes into a slouchy cable-knit jumper and dark straight-legged cords. Hermione rested her head against the cool brick. Severus wrapped an arm around her waist. "Severus what will people say?" Her loaded question hit its target. He flinched at her damning question.

"You care?" Hermione lashed out. "You, the Great Potions Master, imperturbable Severus Snape care what everyone else thinks? I can't believe it. This is too much for me right now. I'll see you later." Walking out into Muggle London.

Snape Apparated to Hogsmeade.