-=Thank you Jo, for kindly permitting us to play with your toys.=-

Cheap Thrills

Come Brandy, Come

*

Snape Apparated to Hogsmeade.

Her words hit home, leaving him feeling very wrong-footed. She wasn't afraid of public opinion, but he was. Very much to the detriment of whatever it was, they had.

Snape walked into the Hog's Head, "Aberforth, reasoned discourse is not in my plan today. Please bring me a large XO with tapas." The goat enthusiast pulled a face. "Yes, I know it's early. As it happens my day is already in the can."

Sliding the snifter onto the table, then carefully sets the tapas on the rim of the glass. "It's goat cheese on toast, today."

Snape laughed, "it's always goat cheese, on toast."

"Good goats, make good cheese, it's only natural." Aberforth shrugged and returned to the bar.

Snape gobbled his tapas up in three quick bites. Nice sour tang. Inhaling the deep aroma of the brandy, then hastily downed it. "Keep it flowing Aberforth, tapas too." Returning to his previous thought. What did they have anyway? After Hermione had slipped; that was the only way he could look at it, she never said what she wanted from him. Not a single perimeter, or guideline.

Certainly, she must have some expectations of him. He figured he had done the right thing earlier. No, I'm not a sensitive guy. I do as I see fit. She knows that, surely.

Round Two. The role of fledgling did not suit him. Not without irony; in role of suitor, it fit him perfectly. For the life of him, he couldn't decide if discussing it would have made matters better, or worse? Thus far, everything had been very visceral. Something would need to be said. He groaned just thinking how to head off her tirade.

Round Three. "Aberforth, you should give your goats a pay rise, excellent cheese." Pounding his brandy, wish I had someone to pound on. I'd like kick that arsehole in the teeth. See if he ever opens his mouth again. Severus smiled crookedly.

Aberforth set down the forth brandy, "what got you Snape? You look like you gutted someone and fed them their intestines." There's always tomorrow, I'll need to make sure Hermione wasn't there.

"You know Aberforth, that's an excellent idea. I'll have to put that on my 'To Do List.'"

"Right. I got some things to do, so drink this one slower, alright." Severus waved him off.

Round Four. Crumbs from the toast floated briefly, swelled, then sank. Caveman? Suppose she wants a dunderhead like Potter or Weasley? I'm not that. Oh, bugger. What if she wants some weakling, who'd just do as he's told? "I can't do that." Aberforth looked in Snape's direction curiously. "Nothing old man. But tell me something, if someone says, 'I'll see you later.' What do you think that means?"

"Spose, it means they'll see you later." Aberforth gave Snape a side-long look.

"Good point." Snape sighed into the cavernous opening of the snifter. Carefully Snape raised the glass and swirled its contents, observing how the alcohol clung to the inside of the glass. What am I going to do, she's mad at me. I scarcely did anything wrong. Hermione should be pleased enough that I care enough to defend her. "I was a hypocrite."

"Here eat this," The barkeep set down a plate of food, Severus couldn't figure out what he'd been given. "Wilted spinach, peas, and Mince Loaf."

"A lot of green." Snape observed.

"Slytherin colours, eat up." He tested the wilted spinach. Decent, just the right amount of rasher grease, though a little salty. Snape finished the plate quickly.

~*~

Snape stood in the stall ready to relieve himself, staring at his prick resting in his palm. Memories of the previous night flooded back to him. Her mouth, her smiling mouth. He pushed past his body's disinclination to urinate with an erection, it was painful but he managed.

Looking into the mirror, deadpan. I hope she doesn't turn me away tonight.

Round Five. "No more tapas, I'm good. Thanks." Palming the glass, ready to drink, he caught his distorted reflection on its smooth surface. What in Slytherin's small clothes does she want me for? She did want him, at least he was fairly sure of it. Would she still? More importantly, would she tonight. She was unusually patient with males, more so than any female he'd known. Maybe that counts for something.

Round Six. "Abnerdoerf, where's the floo?"

Aberforth gave him a flat look. "Next to you."

Snape looked over surprised, as though the huge fireplace had snuck up on him. "Thanks." He bumped the table getting to the floo. Tossing in the floo powder, "Leaky Cauldron, room six...Hermineme?" he adjusted his position on the dirt floor. "Good, I don't think I can fly. I'm at the Hog's Head, here...ok then."

Trying to get up, Snape only succeeded in falling backward. Aberforth shook his head. Hermione stepped out of the fireplace, dusted herself off. "Good evening Mr. Dumbledore. Has he been good?"

"Hermione, call me Aberforth. That mister-stuff was never my thing. As for Snape here? Gibbered at himself, mostly. He's fed, though he's had nothing to drink 'cept brandy. Two bottles Snape, cough up. 6 Galleons, 8 Sickles."

Hermione extended a hand to Snape, helping him off the floor. Snape extracted his money bag, couldn't get the purse strings open. "Hermione, you do it." She helped lower him into a chair, and accepted the bag.

Resigned she walked over to Aberforth. "Here you go, and here, for your trouble." She handed another Galleon to him.

"No trouble Hermione, Snape's a good fellow. Never gives me grief. Why'd Snape call you, though? I don't understand it a bit."

Hermione sighed, "Aberforth, it's a long story to be sure. Suffice it to say, we've been spending some time together. Not really sure what 'it' is myself. He thrashed some wizard in the middle of Diagon Alley, cause he was rude to me. Like that was a big deal."

Aberforth studied Hermione for a moment before speaking. "He hasn't said much today, I could tell something was up. I wager Snape's old fashioned in a way. I don't fancy you're a fool or anything, but he'll never really be tame. Bit like a billy goat, they'll gore you, if ya don't respect 'em for what they are; stubborn, territorial, and very nearly reek of feral hormones. But it's like I say, you got a good head on ya. So I'm sure you know what you're doing."

"Thanks I really appreciate it, you're very kind. I need to get him to the Castle, I don't think taking him back to the Leaky Cauldron would be the best idea I could come up with. It's nice to see you again, Aberforth. If it's ok I'd like to get the DA together here for a little end of year tie-on."

"Sure, sure. You lot are good for business." Aberforth come around the counter gave her a hug. They had been through so much since the night of the war. "You take care okay."

"Hey, Adendorf, she's mine. Don't make me hex you." Snape hollered blurrily from across the room.

"Thanks, Aberforth. Be seeing you." Hermione let him go. "Severus Snape you need to shut it, you're drunk. I'm taking you back to the Castle. If you don't behave, I'll take you to Poppy. I imagine she'll put you in your place." He looked affronted, she brushed his hair back. "Can you walk, or shall Mobilicorpus you back to the Castle?"

Lids at half-mast, Slowly, but indignantly his words came out. "I can walk."