Seven Months Prior
December was a difficult month for Hermione, because of the Holidays. That Christmas was Hermione's third one without her parents.
After the war, Hermione, Harry and Ron hunted down her parents in Australia, with help from the new Minister for Magic - Kingsley Shacklebolt, along with the Australian magical government. Of course her mother and father were furious with her for modifying their memories, and risking her life as she had, but they hadn't stayed angry with her for long. After all, they all survived and had each other.
The summer after she had turned twenty-one, her life was forever changed. She received an owl in the flat that she, Ginny and Luna all shared, stating that her parents were killed in a fire. The Muggle authorities ruled it accidental; an electrical fire. The Aurors however, found signs of magical entry and foul play. It was suspected that some stray Death Eaters, or Voldemort sympathizers found them and murdered them. Hermione was devastated and still blamed herself, no matter how many times her friends and loved ones told her it was not her fault.
Ever since her parents passed away, she spent her Christmases at The Burrow, since Molly wouldn't dare let one of 'her children' spend the holiday alone. Which was why Molly, the rest of the Weasleys and Harry were all saddened to hear she would be unable to join them, since she volunteered to remain behind with the students who were there for the holidays.
That was what she told herself. It was for the students. Her deciding to stay had absolutely nothing to do with the man she had grown closer to the previous two months; the man she had come begun to care for and respect very much. The man she hadn't dared to tell anyone about her confusing and changing feelings for. It had nothing to do with Severus Snape.
Hermione was on her way to The Great Hall on Christmas Eve for dinner with the handful of students, and the few staff members, who had all stayed behind. She tried to push the memories of Christmas Eves from her childhood out of her mind. Thinking of her mother making tea and biscuits while her father hummed merrily, caused her to well up. She could almost smell the ginger and hear the Christmas music that would linger throughout her home.
When she arrived to the Entrance Hall she stopped for a moment to gather a bit of strength. Here she was Professor Granger and did not think it would be in her best interest to let herself fall apart in front of her students. Christmas at the Weasleys' was different; she was allowed to have time to become emotional, because she was surrounded by her surrogate family, who understood the fresh pain she had due to losing her parents at such a young age. But at Hogwarts, she knew she must contain herself, remain strong and appear jovial for the holiday.
The door to the Great Hall was cracked opened a hair, letting a small beam of golden light into the dark corridor she stood in. There were barely two dozen students who had remained, so the noise coming from the hall was much more muted than during term.
Hermione heard footsteps behind her and the unmistakable sound of robes swishing in the breeze. She did not have to turn around to know who was coming behind her. Even the sound of Severus walking had started to become very familiar to her.
"Good evening, Severus," she said without turning around.
The footsteps stopped right behind her.
"Hermione," he responded.
When Hermione spun around to face him, she gasped out loud. The bottom half of her body felt as if it had a Body Bind Jinx put on it. She could not move at all below her waist. Her feet were stuck to the ground! Her eyes opened widely and were filled with fright. Were they being attacked? She reached for her wand.
"Severus?!" she exclaimed in a terrified whisper.
He also seemed to be suffering from the same hex Hermione was under. The two of them were face to face; only inches apart. Severus bared his teeth.
"Fuck! This couldn't possibly be happening," he snarled.
Hermione's heartbeat sounded in her ears. She was beyond frightened upon seeing the anger in Severus' eyes.
"Lumos," she said, and the tip of her wand began to glow. She scanned the area checking for any sign of possible enemies.
How could anyone have entered the castle, she wondered as she looked all around her. Severus let out a loud breath.
When she looked at him, she noticed that he had not drawn his wand, but was glaring at something above their heads. Confused, Hermione aimed her wand in the direction he was looking. Suddenly her fear melted from her body and understanding took its place.
They were standing beneath a mistletoe.
Hermione could not help it and a nervous giggle escaped her lips. How absurd to think that she was stuck there with Severus Snape. Stuck unless they…
Cold fear once again crept up inside her chest. It was a different fear this time. Not the bone-chilling, fight or flight feeling she had a moment ago. Now it was more like a forgetting you had a test to study for kind of fear. A nervous, stomach churning, what-in-the-name-of-Merlin-am-I-supposed-to-do?-type feeling.
Severus narrowed his eyes.
"So glad you find this amusing," he sneered. "You do understand what this means, I'm sure?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. She was far from unintelligent and knew quite surely what the mistletoe was capable of. That condescending tone of his voice struck a nerve with her. It was as if he was speaking to a student he deemed a 'dunderhead.'
"That we're stuck here for all eternity, unless I throw away all dignity and snog you?" She shot back with a icy edge to her voice.
A part of her was a bit insulted - and mildly hurt - by the expression on Severus' face. The way his nose scrunched, and how his lip curled, made her feel as if he had been utterly revolted by the thought of her kiss. She wasn't that unappealing, was she?
Severus' left eyebrow arched. "It's good to know you understand our predicament." His voice was as dry the Sahara.
Hermione's fists clenched into balls; her blood could have melted steel.
"Surely there are worse things you could think of than a small, meaningless kiss between us. It's the only way out of this bloody mess," she hissed, while jerking her head towards the red and green abomination, which dangled above their heads.
"The Cruciatus Curse, perhaps? No. I'd be willing to wager that would be more tolerable," scoffed Severus.
To think they had been getting along quite well for weeks! Hermione ground her teeth in anger while staring into the cruel black eyes before her. He was nothing more than an insufferable git, she thought in a fury.
She couldn't bear one more moment of standing in front of him as he leered down at her. Her heart raced as she thought of what she was about to do to free herself from this unthinkable situation.
"Oh for goodness sake!" She growled as she took his head between her hands and brought her face into his.
The last thing she noticed, before placing her lips on his, was the flabbergasted and almost frightened look at Severus' face.
As she kissed him, she was surprised that his lips were as soft as they were. She would have imagined that they would have been dried and cracked. He didn't come off as the type who would take care of such a thing, as chapped lips. Slowly the lower half of her body regained the ability to move, yet she did not back away. Why, she had no idea. There was a part of her that found herself enjoying the closeness of another person. The closeness of him. She felt an electricity shoot through her that she had never felt while snogging any other man.
Severus, she didn't know if it was due to the shock of her kissing him without any preamble, or if he felt what she had as well, took her hair in both of his hands and pulled roughly. A small moan of contentment sounded in the back of her throat and she found herself move closer to him; she was hungry for more. He pulled her hair once more, and she felt her face flush immediately as she realized he was not pulling it out of passion, but rather to pry her away.
"That," he breathed heavily and took two steps back, "will never happen again."
Hermione bit her lip in embarrassment. The look he was giving her in that moment was beyond anything she had ever seen before. His eyes were almost entirely black and his nostrils flared. It was clear that Severus was absolutely livid.
Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but could not find the right words - something she never had difficulty with before that moment. He glared at her once more then quickly stormed away.
As he stalked away from her, Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes. She was hurt, confused and more than anything, extremely lonely. She had no idea why her body reacted as it had when she kissed him, but she couldn't deny it any longer. Hermione Granger had developed romantic feelings for Severus Snape.
When he reached the door to The Great Hall, he paused and turned back to look at her. He didn't seem quite as angry; he looked almost as if he was in pain. Severus did not say any more to her, but shook his head then turned to enter the hall. Hermione felt the tears glide down her face.
"Happy Christmas, Hermione," she whispered to herself.