Severus' Insight

Hermione set all her dates early to have the most time possible with the men. If she was only getting one more shot, she was going to make the most of it. By eleven, she was ready for her date with Severus and had already sent Ginny on her way.

Of course, Ginny insisted that she help Hermione get ready for all of her dates, Hermione suspected it was because she wanted to keep her calm. Hermione did have a tendency to freak out before important events, though she had to admit, with the exception of her date with Harry, she'd handled the previous ones well.

When she heard a knock on the door, she smiled to herself and quickly checked herself one last time in the mirror before walking into the front room to open the door. Her smile was gone instantly when she saw that it wasn't Severus standing there.

"Ron, I really don't have time to chat, I'm expecting..." she started, but was cut off when he pushed his way into her flat.

"I know exactly who you are expecting. You've made your point, now will you please stop being irrational?" Ron huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Hermione sighed. "Ron, we've been over this. You are the one who cheated. You are the one who was so unhappy with the way things were, so why can't you just get over it and leave me alone?"

"Look, Hermione," Ron said, trying a different angle, "the only problem with our relationship was that you didn't want to have sex. Obviously, you don't have a problem with that anymore, as you are prostituting yourself to a pack of Slytherins, so I don't see why we can't just get back together."

Hermione looked at him, wide eyed, for a minute. "Are you kidding me?" she nearly shrieked. "That wasn't the only problem in our relationship. It was a symptom of the whole problem. Which was much bigger than sex, Ron. Please leave. Severus will be here any minute."

"Severus, is it?" Ron spat. "The greasy dungeon bat, of all people! And Draco Malfoy, the ferret himself. Oh, and then my own best friend! Damnit, Hermione, don't you know how fucked up this is? It's not normal."

Hermione tried calming breaths. She tried counting to ten. But all she really wanted to do was rip his head off. Who was he to tell her what was normal? Maybe it wasn't, but it felt right to her, and she'd been happier in the last week than she had in a long time.

"Ron, get out," she said calmly. When he didn't move, she stamped her foot. "Get out!" she shouted, but before she could work a head of steam up, she heard the door slam open behind her, and saw Ron's eyes grow wider for a moment, before narrowing in anger.

"I believe she said she wanted you to leave, Mister Weasley," Snape's baritone voice wafted over her shoulder. It wasn't the voice he used on their picnic together. It was the voice she remembered from the potions labs back at Hogwarts, and she almost smiled when she saw the angered indecision on Ron's face.

"Who do you think you are?" Ron finally said, huffing like a child throwing a tantrum. "You aren't my bleeding professor anymore. I'm not scared of you."

"No," Snape said, moving behind Hermione and placing both hands on her shoulders. "I'm not your professor. Meaning we don't have Dumbledore to keep me from hexing your ignorant arse. Now, Hermione has asked you to leave, and as a gentleman, it is only right you respect a woman's wishes," Snape said, his voice calm but icy old.

"You really want him?" Ron scoffed in disgust.

"Yes, now leave. And if you every want to rectify our friendship, this is the last time you will behave like this, Ronald," Hermione said seriously. Ron battled with his own stubborn nature for several seconds before finally leaving with a huff. When he slammed the door behind him, Hermione sighed with relief.

"Sorry if I overstepped," Snape said, turning her around to face him. "I just heard you yelling and thought you might be in trouble."

"It's quite alright Severus," Hermione smiled. "While I could have handled it, you saved me the trouble of having to."

Snape smiled a rare smile at her before pulling a parcel from his pocket. Hermione's eyes brightened and she even giggled when he passed it to her. It was clearly a book, and a heavy one at that. "You know, you are going to spoil me if you don't watch it."

"I fear you may already be spoiled, Hermione," Severus said, following her to the loveseat as he waited for her to open the gift.

"Perhaps," she said, coyly, pulling at the black wrapping. She gasped when she saw was he's bought her. It was the newest edition of Potions for Halflings. She personally detested the title, but it was the foremost research text for potions dealing with non-Wizard magical beings.

"Severus, this is amazing. I wanted to get a copy, but with my schedule, I haven't had the time to look for one. Where did you find it?" It was not an easy book to locate. Since not many people were interested in the topic, not every bookstore carried it.

Snape rolled his eyes at her as he crossed his legs, getting comfortable on her loveseat. "Hermione, you are talking to a potions obsessed shut-in. Do you think I don't know where you can find any potions text on any subject?"

Hermione blushed and chuckled to herself. "True," she smiled at him, placing the book on the table. Turning back to Snape, who, she just noticed, looked impeccable in a deep green oxford shirt and a pair of black pants, she moved in closer.

"Thank you so much, Severus," she breathed, leaning into him, placing her hands on his chest as she pulled herself up to kiss him. He tensed for a minute against her lips, confusing her, but soon his arms snaked around her, pulling her in as he moaned against her lips.

"Merlin, you are going to make this so difficult," he groaned.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, looking up at him through heavy lidded eyes. He could turn her on with the smallest of touches.

"Hermione, we have to talk," Snape said, pulling back a little and unhanding her. Hermione frowned in confusion, but moved back to her own side of the loveseat.

"Why does this sound like I'm not going to like what you are about to say?" Hermione said, her frown set and her brow furrowed.

"You might not," Severus admitted, taking a deep breath and running a shaking hand through his hair. "Just let me finish before you interrupt," he said. "I know that will be almost impossible for you," he smirked, trying to lighten the mood, but it was of no use.

"As you know, I've wanted you for years. In fact, I think I wanted you even when I shouldn't have. You were so brilliant, and so free, and beautiful, that I think I wanted to possess you somehow." Hermione just nodded, urging him to get to the point quickly.

"When we were at Grimmauld Place together those months, and I got to know you outside of the classroom, I grew to respect you as well. I wanted more than just a possession, but I was an old man, and you were far out of my league." Hermione desperately wanted to cut in, but didn't want to prove his point about interrupting for him, so she kept her lips firmly locked together.

He sighed before continuing. "When you left and started seeing Ron, I assumed this was the natural order of things. When you stepped back into my life with this ridiculous auction, I thought it was my chance to have that time back. To see what would have happened." Hermione nodded. She knew this already, and felt the same way. So, what was with the dramatic monologue?

"The thing is, I would love nothing more than to possess you still. To have you, and keep you as mine, would be my greatest dream fulfilled, but it wouldn't be right," Snape said, looking directly into her eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked, truly confused. She felt her heart pumping in her chest with anxiety.

"What I'm trying to say, is that you need to be with Draco or even Potter. I gave it a lot of thought after I sent my letter of acceptance for a second date. Our lives would mesh perfectly, and yet terribly at the same time. I'd hold you back, and before you deny it, you know it's true," Snape said, stopping her protest before it escaped her mouth.

"With me as your lover, we'd spend all our time in the labs and at home. I wouldn't challenge you in any way but intellectually, and you know you've never needed a challenge in that department," Snape said.

"How can you be saying this?" Hermione asked, feeling the first prickling of tears in the corner of her eyes. "I thought...After our date, I thought you felt what I felt. I thought you were as attracted as I was. Why did you accept a second date if you didn't want me?" she asked, trying desperately to hold her tears in.

"Hermione, I want you more than I ever did, but I'm not a young man. I don't shoot from the hip. I am a former spy, former professor, and I have far too much life experience to run on instinct. I think things through, as you do. This would have been a beautiful thing, but I would have stifled you in the end, and you know it if you'd let yourself be objective," Severus said, cupping her cheek in a rare showing of tenderness.

Hermione sniffled, but was struck with the incredible feeling of not feeling enough. As sad as Snape's words made her, they didn't devastate her like they should have. "So, now we go back to the awkwardness that existed before?" She asked, sucking up her tears finally. "I don't see you for another five or six years?"

It was Snape's turn to frown. "I don't want that," he said. "Regardless of the sexual tension between us, we were a good match, and I wasn't lying when I told you I'd be more than willing to help you with the hospital ward. I've been looking for something to fill my time anyway."

"Are you giving me the 'let's be friends' talk now?" Hermione asked, her head a little light from the huge shift that had just taken place.

"Hermione, be honest about this. Do you see my point at all?"

Hermione's first instinct was to stubbornly dig in her heels. But as she considered it, he did have a point. While she was sure she could maintain her independence no matter who she was with, it was true that both of their reclusive natures would probably grow more acute if they were together.

"I see your point, but..." she said, sighing in frustration. "I can't help how I feel."

"Hermione, can you honestly tell me that your feelings for me are stronger than your feelings for my competition?" Snape asked, running his fingers lightly over her palm.

"Well..." Hermione said, "It's a bit...What I mean is, I can't really..." Hermione furrowed her brow again. "I don't know."

"Can I tell you what I think?" Snape asked.

"You will anyway, so go ahead," Hermione rolled her eyes, but Snape just smirked at her.

"I think that your feelings for Draco are new and exciting. I think you find yourself passionately attracted to him. You want to see that feeling grow and blossom, and see where it leads you." Hermione nearly gaped at him; he was so close to the mark.

"I think Potter..."

"Harry," Hermione corrected with a roll of the eyes. These Slytherin boys were pathetic.

"Fine, Harry," Snape said, "represents a future you have always been able to envision for yourself. You are comfortable with him, but not so comfortable, in this capacity, that you are bored. He's been the biggest part of your life for as long as you can remember, and you love the idea of incorporating him more intimately into your every day routine." Hermione did gape at that. What was he a Muggle psychiatrist? Or a mind reader?

"With me, I represent the intellectual stimulation you want, and of course, an intense attraction. In the end, I'm comfortable because you and I are not as different as we seem on the outside. It's for that reason that I think, ultimately, this wouldn't work out," Snape said. "Believe me, it is going against every one of my Slytherin instincts not to woo you anyway and take you for my own, regardless of the end result, but I do care about you."

"Wow," Hermione said, struck wordless for a moment. "You got it right. You got it all right."

Snape smiled warmly at her before pulling her into his side and kissing her on the forehead. "I'll always wonder what it would have been like," Snape admitted. "And I'm certain I'll kick myself a thousand times for this, but I think you and I both know it's for the best."

"Yes," Hermione finally admitted. "I think you might be right."

"So, he just pulled himself out of the running?" Ginny shrieked.

"I told you everything, Ginny. There isn't some twist ending here," Hermione huffed.

"How do you feel?" the redhead asked her.

"I don't know. Part of me can't believe it happened, and part of me is grateful. This decision was going to be hard enough as it was," Hermione said.

"If there is one part of you grateful, then I think you and he made the right decision," Ginny said smartly. "Just imagine if Draco or Harry had said the same thing to you. Would you be grateful?"

"Merlin, Ginny, you are right," Hermione said, wide eyed. "I never thought about it that way, but if any of the three dropped out, I would be least upset about Severus."

"See," Ginny said with a nod. "Your instincts and emotions will tell you most of what you need to know here."

"You are right. And he wants to work on the Ward. I won't lose him as a friend. Perhaps it's all for the best," Hermione reasoned.

"Of course it is," Ginny said. "Now, go home and relax. You have a very big date with Draco tomorrow."

"Okay," Hermione said. "Tell Adrian I'm sorry I missed him."

When she Flooed back to her own apartment, the first thing she noticed was that her television was gone, and had been replaced with a new one. Walking over to it, she furrowed her brow and pulled the note off the top of the brand new flat screen sitting in the place of her old television.

Hermione,

Please do not freak out. I promise I didn't pay a Knut for this. And I also didn't break into your apartment to leave it here. Let me explain.

Tomorrow, my date idea requires a functioning television, and as my father informed me that you were in need of the latest technology in that department, I decided to give you one of the company's extras.

I had Adrian leave it for you when you went to talk to Ginny. I know, it's a little crazy, but I knew you'd throw me out if I showed up tomorrow with a brand new television. So, please enjoy it, and I can't wait to see you tomorrow.

Draco

Hermione smiled to herself. She probably would have pitched a fit if he showed up with a new TV. Since he didn't pay for it himself, and it was basically not being used by anyone before he gave it to her, she assumed she could take it.

Sighing happily, she flipped the new TV on and spent the rest of the day on her ass, enjoying her new gift.