A/N: Part Three!
November 15th, 2003, Evening
"…but Neville swore it would work, so I suppose I'll just have to give it a try." The witch sitting across the table from him paused expectantly and Snape realized abruptly that he had missed the entirety of her story, lost in his own thoughts.
Hoping that perhaps she hadn't noticed, he nodded and agreed with a gravelly "Indeed."
Her slim brow arched in an expression he suspected closely mirrored the same one he had given her uncountable times over the years. "Severus, I just told you Neville Longbottom is giving me potions advice and all you have to say is indeed?"
He could feel the colour rising in his cheeks and scowled as she continued, "You've been distracted all evening, are you feeling alright?"
His scowl deepened as he considered how to best explain, he had after all escorted her to dinner with the intent to discuss magical theory, what better theory than the inexplicable?
"Apologies, Miss Granger." He ignored her muttered correction of "Hermione" in favour of finishing his thought. "What do you know about Patronum Commutandum?"
A flicker of excitement lit her eyes as she mused aloud, "A Patronus changing form? Well it certainly happens, you remember Remus of course, but I don't recall ever seeing much academic material on the subject, only that it tends to indicate a strong connection to another magical person. Why?"
The man shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I…" He paused to clear his throat, opened his mouth to continue and instead pulled his wand from the inner pocket of his robes, sending his new otter patronus dancing in the air.
Hermione blanched, her eyes wide pools in her pale face, and stood abruptly. "I…I have to go, I'm sorry." With that, she hurried from the restaurant, leaving Severus staring after her.