A/N: This and the next two chapters are my most favourite! I'm sure you all will love this development! Warning: Love is in the air! :P
Chapter 44: Just A Little Longer...
Hogwarts was covered in white. The snow shone in apricity of the Christmas sun. Two Christmas trees welcomed the teachers and the remaining students into the castle through the Entrance Hall.
The Great Hall was decorated with seven trees this year. The candles floating by the ceiling were placed by Christmas fairies. Through the enchanted roof, one could always watch the snow falling and collecting in heaps.
The ghosts roamed the castle, often singing carols. Peeves had, in his Xmas spirits, burst loads of crackers in the Entrance Hall a night before the Hogwarts Express took the students home.
Hagrid and Professor Flitwick had together decorated the entire castle with garlands , stockings, golden bells and wreaths. Professor Dumbledore had outdone himself with the décor and his Christmas-themed costumes this year, unlike any other year.
Hermione smiled at the Charmed Angels as they fluttered their tiny wings and swept their way over her head in bunch. The Great Hall smelt of banana bread and freshly baked cakes so much that even after having her belly full of dainty dishes for breakfast, her mouth still watered. It was the most beautiful Christmas she had ever seen Hogwarts celebrate.
And sometimes, she wondered what was so special this year? Maybe the Headmaster wanted them to relieve themselves of the stress of the quickly approaching war.
She made her way back to the Gryffindor Tower where only a handful of students were residing. Almost all her friends had left.
"Good day, Miss Granger!"
"Good day to you, too, Sir Nicholas!"
She hoped it to be a good day, or at least bearable enough… After all, she was going to her house after six months.
Hermione changed into her Muggle clothes and collected her bag, carrying some essentials for the trip. She looked into the mirror and studied her reflection.
Balancing herself of crutches, she looked a bit slumped in her posture. The only remaining scar from her fall still stood clear on her face, from her right eyebrow to her hairline in a slant—that would be a permanent scar, she gathered. But it did not disconcert her. What annoyed her, though, was the old case of untameable hair that she somehow stuffed beneath her cap.
She shrunk her bag and pocketed it. Crookshanks butted his head on her shins. "Yes, Crooks, of course you're coming with me. Come on."
Her familiar followed her as she left her Dorn for the day. Severus would meet her by the gates.
UUUUUUU
The grounds were covered under several layers of snow. Severus' boots left deep footprints on the fresh layer fallen only last night.
A few younger students were making a ruckus, throwing balls of snow at one another. Although the commotion die down briefly when Severus passed by them. One of the Second year student had the audacity to gawk at their Potions professor who was dressed in Muggle clothing.
Severus threw a glare at the boy, resulting in his instant retreat behind a tree. Idiotic children.
The gates were decorated with garlands and wreaths, the entire Hogsmeade village was submerged in jingles and carols and Hogwarts stood in the middle, high in Christmas enthuse.
Albus had given particular instructions to each Head of House about decorating their common rooms in themes. The feast in the evening would be lavish, the word had spread. The kitchens were busy in preparation. Albus had been more disappointed than he had expected him to be when Severus had excused himself from the feast and the following gathering of the staff for celebration.
Yuletide was Albus' favourite time of the year and it was the old Headmaster's last Christmas. The last year when Hogwarts would elevate in the the Xmas enthuse under Headmaster Dumbledore.
From a distance, he spotted Hagrid's dog running along the lake. A familiar ginger cat chased the dog.
From the castle, Granger emerged, rushing after her cat, too hasty on her crutches. Severus eyed her warily in case she lost her balance.
He watched as she beckoned the cat to herself. Both the animals went running to the witch. Granger patted the dog on the head while the cat hissed in jealousy. Granger shushed the feline and made her way to him.
She was dressed in a pair of Muggle jeans and a sweater. Light blue complemented her complexion. Her curls were fighting to escape the bound of the woollen cap she wore, reaching the middle of her back and some of the more stubborn curls falling into her brown eyes. Severus suppressed an amused snort on spotting her nose quickly taking up a pink hue due to cold. Her woollen glove clad hands rubbed at her nose, leaving lint to slowly drift off her face.
There was something mesmerising in that moment, something he could not quite place a finger on. But against the snow-covered castle, in the middle of winter, Granger warmed him. It was so comforting that even after deciding to maintain distance from her, he found himself incapable of doing so.
UUUUUUU
Severus stood near the gates, waiting. Though she had seen him in Muggle clothing before, he struck her as refreshing.
There was a lingering smile on his face, giving her a hint of his jolly mood today. His hands were stuffed in the pockets of his dark grey overcoat. Instead of his usual dragonhide boots, he was wearing black leather on his feet, matching his black trousers. A grey muffler was draped smugly around his neck, flaunting his jawline—something she might have been staring at for longer than strictly required.
He looked different, he looked…handsome? Was it appropriate to admire him like that? She quickly looked down at Crookshanks, feeling blood rushing to her face.
Hermione fought to regain her composure before reaching him. "Good morning, Sir," she managed to say without making her thoughts obvious to him. What is wrong with you, Hermione!
"Good morning," he must have replied to her greeting for the first time, she realised. That simple fact, too, added onto the flutter in her chest—something she had been feeling since her little, revealing chat with Karly.
"I see you have decided to bring your familiar along," he commented, looking at Crookshanks.
"It was Crooks' home as well all these years," she shrugged. The concept seemed foreign to him.
"Very well," he cleared his throat. "Shall we?"
"Yes." She produced a old handkerchief from her pocket. "I had ordered for a Portkey to London." She checked her watch, "It will leave in about a minute."
"I am hoping you have brought your house keys along," he reminded her.
Hermione nodded. "I have everything. Uh, can you carry Crooks for me?"
He looked agape. "You want me to carry your cat to London?"
"Please?"
"Granger, I-"
"Please? It will be a great favour," she requested.
His eyes narrowed on looking at her familiar. "I shall shrink it."
"Him." She corrected. "And, no, it's not really healthy to resize a living being."
"Granger, I am not the most apt volunteer for this," he frowned.
"Please? The Portkey will leave anytime now!"
Reluctance clear on his face, he bent to pick Crookshanks into his arms. Hermione's familiar hissed in disapproval, to which Severus' nostrils flared and lips curled downwards. Hermione could hardly keep herself from laughing at their interaction. She could have easily carried Crookshanks in her familiar's backpack carrier. But the idea of asking Severus popped in her head as a small joke.
"Here," she quickly held out the handkerchief to him before he had time to object.
Holding a dissatisfied Crookshanks in one arm, he reached out to hold the handkerchief with the other. His fingers brushed against her gloved ones just for the barest of second, but left her gasping.
The Portkey activated itself at the designated minute, taking them with itself through the chilly air of winter, from Wizarding Scotland to Muggle London.
UUUUUUU
Severus landed comfortably on his feet and by reflex, reached to support Granger while she adjusted herself upright on her crutches. Meanwhile, the rattling cat hopped down from his hold.
"Alright?" He asked before letting go of her arm.
Around them, several other Portkey-travellers arrived from different places.
"I never knew London had a Portkey stand in the Muggle world," Granger said, looking around.
"From the outside, it is an abandoned hospital," he told her. "Come."
"Come, Crooks," she called behind herself.
They left the Victorian building to reach the main road. London streets were wet with sleet that December morning. Pedestrians were dressed in thick woollens. The shops were decorated with huge Christmas trees, visible through the glass windows.
When vehicles passed by speedily, Granger requested him to pick the infernal cat up again. Severus despised animals, but for some inexplicable reason, he found himself unable to deny her.
They stopped a taxi from around the corner of the street and settled inside. Granger informed the beefy driver of the address to her house. To Severus' relief, the beast of a cat hopped onto its owner's lap, leavings him in peace.
UUUUUUU
Hermione looked out from the misty window. London was adorned in Yule décor. She remembered attending the Church with her parents as a child and lighting a candle. In those days, Christmas meant milk and cookies, Santa and presents in stockings.
"How did you celebrate Christmas as a child?" She asked Severus.
He seemed at a loss to of what to say. "We celebrated it rather blandly. What about you?" Hermione caught a hint of hesitation in his nebulous account.
"I used to hang stockings by my window for Santa, or whom I assumed to be Father Christmas," she told him. "I always left a letter inside my stocking. Once, I had also left cookies for Santa, that year I had wished for the entire series of The Lord of the Rings and wanted to placate my gift-giver."
"Clever," he snorted.
"I got my wish," she smirked good-naturedly. "I used to go with my father to buy a tree. I loved putting stars for decoration, so much so that one year, our entire tree was adorned in only stars. And I hated to take the tree down."
UUUUUUU
While Granger narrated to him how her family celebrated the festival together, Severus felt out of place, holding onto bleak memories of his Yuletide days as a child.
Granger spoke with a sparkle in her eyes. He watched her elaborate her days blithely. Her laughter jingled in the air, causing him to often hide his smiles.
While she sat beside her in the taxi, a more educated part of him reprimanded him for taking the trip with her, instead of maintaining distance as he had decided. But there was a reluctance involved in the notion of distancing from her.
They reached their destination in about twenty minutes. Severus held the door of the car open while she adjusted her footing with the crutches.
Before them stood Granger's house, in a posh locality in the capital. Manicured lawns adorned the front of many houses, immaculate pavements ran along the streets.
Severus vividly remembered the last house on the street.
UUUUUUU
The red gate stood separating the boundary of white parapets from each other, atop which lush trees peeked on the street. Beyond, Hermione could see the main door to her house, her beautiful house that was home only six months ago. Where she had spent the first twelve years of her life and a part of every vaccination since. Her house, where her parents lived since their wedding, the house where they had Hermione. Not just a building of four walls, stood before her was the album of countless memories.
She extended her hand to feel the hard iron of the gate. It was slick with sleet, the wetness seeped through the fabric of her gloves. Hermione took her gloves off and ran a finger on the lock. She smiled as a memory of her parents arguing over the lost key, locked outside the house in the middle of the night, came back to her.
"Granger…"
She shook herself out. Hermione pulled the bunch of keys out from her sweater pocket. They jingled in her hand while she searched for the correct key. She could feel magic lingering on the lock and assumed it to have been locked by Severus himself when he collected her belongings from there. Despite the magic, the normal keys successfully opened the lock. The gates slightly creaked on their hinges, marking their old age.
"Come," she whispered to Severus and stepped inside. Crookshanks seemed just as hesitant as her, he crept close to Hermione while she ascended the three steps to the main door. In the small verandah, cane chairs and table had layers of dust accumulated on them. She dreaded to find the rest of the house in a worse state.
Hermione took the dull golden padlock in her hands. Again, it had traces of magic staining it. She ran a hand down the wood of the door. She looked at the doorbell and found herself desperately wanting to press it and wait for her Mum or Dad to open the door for her.
It had taken her six months to gather her strength to return to this house. If she turned away now, she feared she would never return.
Her hands shook to insert the key in it. How would she face an empty house, her empty house? Her parents were supposed to wait for her there, looking forward to welcome her home for vacation. But they were gone and she was left behind.
"May I?" A deep voice spoke from behind her. Severus' hand emerged in front of her, and almost automatically, she handed the keys to him. For once, she wanted to let someone else face her demons for her, if only for a while.
He opened the lock with a barely audible click. Hermione braced herself when he opened the doors for her. She closed her eyes tightly, as if when she would open them, it would be to find her life back to normal, piece by piece.
It was when Crookshanks rubbed his face against her leg that she finally opened her eyes.
She had expected to enter into a musty smelling house that had been locked for the last six months, layered with thick coats of dust and insects crawling on the furniture. But what she stepped foot in was…her house, the exact same haven she had left it to be, except the missing items that were stored safely in Severus' house.
The walls, though bare of any photographs, weren't going damp. The shelves, though bereft of books, were not covered in dust. Her house was just as clean as she had last seen it, in June.
In awe, Hermione took slow steps to the kitchen. Even the food that her father had last cooked in the kitchen, right before the attack, was stored without having gone bad. The dining table was still set for three people—the last errand she had ran in her house.
There was no blood on the floor or marks of having dragged bodies. The house looked lived in, as if the Grangers had just left the house for another day at work.
And then it struck her. "You have put a Stasis on the house." She turned to Severus, her vision blurring by the unshed tears.
"I am in a habit of casting the Charm in my house after every summer-"
"Thank you. Thank you so much!" She reached to hold his hand as if squeezing his hand would be enough to express her gratitude. "Thank you."
UUUUUUU
Severus stood stiff while Granger thanked him again and again for a petty Charm he had cast and forgotten about it, later.
He could feel his own calloused skin against her soft finger-pads and smooth, unmarked skin. Her long fingers, complete with slightly grown nails, clung to his broad ones for dear life. The lines on her cold but soft palm caught his attention against the sensitive spot of his palm that was once scorched rather violently.
In her eyes, tears swirled, restrained from shedding. She gave him a sad smile of gratitude. Her furrowed eyebrows almost disappeared beneath her cap.
And he knew he shouldn't be feeling the way he most certainly was; he knew he should snatch his hand away and avert his eyes, even walk away from her presence, her aura of fresh rain and old books and wet grass. But something stopped him, something whispered to him that he could wait just a little longer before distancing himself from her, just a little longer…
A/N: I can't believe this! It took me SO MANY chapters to do this! Gee. I was dying to write something like this. I know, I know, it isn't a kiss or anything... But I really hope you like this. Please let me know how you find this chapter! I have high hopes for this one and especially the next two and the coming ones!
The upcoming chapters will show Hermione and Severus coming closer than ever. I think it is prudent to say this chapter marks the beginning of their realisation and understanding of their feelings.
Yes, it took TOO LONG but we're talking about Snape and Granger, after all.
Eagerly waiting for a response! :)