Chapter 61: An Evening Of Promise
{A/N: Here's Another Update...}
My Thanks To My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.
{"Whole world could change in a minute...Just one kiss could stop this spinning...We could think it through...But I don't want to, if you don't want to...We could keep things just the same...Leave here the way we came, with nothing to lose...But I don't want to, if you don't want to...Never waste another day...Wonderin' what you threw away...Holdin' me, holdin' you...I don't want to if you don't want to..."} Want To, Sugarland
The Train Station, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...
An anxious mood saw to Hermione Granger being unable to stave off the anticipation of the upcoming Holiday, she'd been a ball of nerves ever since school let out and they were lead to the train station. Harry and Ron were excited to be leaving Hogwarts for the holiday as Ron was quite fond of spending time with his family and Harry right along with them. Hermione's mind had been elsewhere as she couldn't get her mind off being able to spend some time alone with her Potions Professor Husband far from the prying eyes of the Headmaster and her friends at school. He had promised they could go to Spinner's End and she was holding him to it although she worried about his recent trip to the lair of the despot and how it would effect him once he'd been released. The many nights she'd been aware of just how difficult his position had been as both a spy for the Order of Phoenix and a Potions Professor she couldn't help but admire him all the more. He risked life and limb on a daily basis to protect her and her friends and never had he received a measure of gratitude in regard for his efforts.
This time, she'd make it up to him.
She's show him just how much she appreciated his efforts and then some.
"Mione are you coming to Ron's for the Holiday?" asked Harry curious as to what his friend's plans were for the day.
"I have something personal to take care of, so it would be highly unlikely." she replied.
"Personal?" asked Ron with an arched brow. "What could you possibly have to take care of that's personal?, it's not like you have a social life."
The rage in Hermione seemed to boil to the surface as she noted the snide remark coming from Ronald Weasley's filthy mouth. He'd been chomping on a chocolate frog and the newly melted chocolate had been all over his teeth while he spoke. He'd been as disgusting as always as far as Hermione had been concerned and always an insensitive insufferable git to the likes of which she could hardly stand the sight of him.
For the most part she had taken to walking away or only dealing with Ron for Harry's sake.
Regaining her composure, Hermione decided that she wasn't going to let Ron's idiocy ruin her already pleasant mood. She was going to spend time with her husband after all and that was all that mattered in that moment.
Both Ron and Harry bid farewell to Hermione and boarded the Hogwarts Express. She turned her attention to her own means of travel when she noticed a lone figure standing amid the shadows as the train pulled away. She sighed in relief as she noted that it had been Severus waiting for her as he promised he would once the day came and he'd been back from his business with the despot. Much to her joy, she had not noticed a scratch on him as it appeared he left the meeting unscathed and seemingly in good spirits as well. She took note of the fact that he could have possibly been anticipating this day almost as much as she had.
"Severus." she said after reaching him as he pulled her into the shadows.
There they stood together at last far from the prying eyes of the public and her friends alike.
He had been of the mind to greet her with a kiss, pulling her closer to him still as she wrapped her arms around his neck. The contented sigh that passed through her lips as she pulled away to get a look at him made him look her over as well.
"You are pleased to see me I take it." he said in a casual tone.
"Of course I am." replied Hermione. "Why wouldn't I be, git."
Snape smirked, it was an all too rare boyish smirk that Hermione had only seen when they'd been alone and she caught him off guard.
This was her Severus.
She could tell by the relaxed manner in which he behaved when in her presence. The cold and cynical Potions Professor had been left in the dungeons for the time being and it was just the two of them like she wished all along. Upon closer inspection, she noted that he'd been dressed rather casual, a simple shirt and trousers befitting a man enjoying his manner of vacation even if it had been a brief one.
His raven locks seemed to compliment his over all look as well as conceal his identity from unassociated on-lookers as he let them curtain about his sallow pale face. Hermione couldn't help but smile in that instant. He'd been quite handsome in her eyes despite his protests to the contrary.
"Let's go." he said taking her suitcase in one hand and her hand in the other.
She'd been right about his eagerness to spend time with her, and one could never be too careful of whom might take an interest in their secretive affair. The two of them had parted the station with a resounding crack of thunder. Little had they known, a pair of twinkling blue eyes had taken in the view of their newfound affection in the distance.