First of all, I have to admit that I am not a native speaker, so there might be a few mistakes, but if you were so kind as to write me a message to tell me of them, I would immediately correct them.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to JK Rowling, and I don't earn my money with these stories.

This story was written during the National Novel Writing Month 2020.

Obstacles

Chapter 1 – Fear

The Great Hall was beautifully decorated, almost as wonderful as when the Yule Ball had been. The enchanted ceiling showed a clear dark sky with millions of stars, sunflowers and roses floated along the candles, and the tables had bundles of wheat, Russian violets, and other summer flowers. It looked more like a Scandinavian midsummer feast than a Graduation party, but Hermione loved it. She sat at one of the tables, wearing a lovely blue dress, a glass of orange juice in her hand, and watched her classmates dance gracefully, especially Ginny. Hermione was glad that she still had a friend in Hogwarts when she had decided to return after the War to complete her education, for Harry and Ron had decided to become Aurors straight away. Together with Ginny, Luna, Dean, and sometimes even Draco Malfoy (who had been much humbler after everything that had happened with Voldemort), she had had a wonderful year. But the best part of it stood in a shadowed corner and glared at the happy couples on the dance floor.

Hermione smiled when she detected him. Though the War was over, Voldemort defeated, and he himself fully vindicated, Severus Snape remained a dark, cynic man in black. Only towards her he had shown his better side. She had been the one who had saved his life in the Shrieking Shack when she had given him the snake antidote at once (of course, she had brought snake venom antidote with them on their journey, knowing that Nagini might be waiting for them at some point). As a thank you he had offered her to brew with him potions for the Hospital Wing and St Mungo's on the weekends since the Wizarding World had been in desperate need of any kind of medicine… It had been during these hours on the weekend that they had formed some kind of fragile friendship and it had been during that time that Hermione had begun to fall in love with him. Though she still knew almost nothing about him (except what she had found in her research of the Half-Blood Prince and what Harry had seen these two times in the Pensieve), she had the feeling that it could work between them when they worked in silent harmony.

Now he stood there, as formidable and unapproachable looking as ever, and her resolve to ask him out vanished slowly.

"Go over there, already," Ginny, who had come back to the table unnoticed, suddenly said. She was the only one Hermione had told of her infatuation with the Dungeon Bat and although Ginny might not understand her feelings, she had accepted them and now tried to help in any way possible. And that is what makes a best friend, after all.

"I don't know," Hermione replied downheartedly. "He'll probably say no."

"And what if he doesn't? You'll always regret it if you don't take this chance now!"

Hermione knew her best friend was right, but it was still difficult to find the courage to stand up and just walk over to him.

At that moment Blaise Zabini and Hannah Abbot, who co-hosted this evening, announced ladies' choice.

"This is a sign," Ginny grinned. "Go over there now and ask him to dance. If he won't even dance with you, you don't need to ask for more. But if he says yes…"

Slowly Hermione nodded and collected her Gryffindor courage. If she could help defeat Voldemort, she could also ask Severus Snape to dance with her! She put her drink on the table, smiled at Ginny, and then walked over to her former professor with determination.

He noticed her quickly and raised an eyebrow at her approach.

"Hello, Professor Snape," Hermione smiled politely.

"Miss Granger," he replied with a small nod. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" He sounded sarcastic but she tried not to falter at his words. She nowadays knew that he hid behind sarcasm and mean words when he was unsure or uncomfortable.

"I'd like to dance with you." Her heart beat quickly in her ribcage and she was sure there wasn't enough oxygen in the room, as she waited for his reaction.

"Do you?" he simply doubted.

"I do," she confirmed and tried to show him with her eyes how much she cared for him, that she wasn't lying or playing him.

He peered at her a few more seconds before he gave a short nod and offered her his arm. "Alright."

Hermione let go of the breath she had held and smiled at him. Trying to ignore the stares of her classmates, she concentrated on his presence. At the edge of the dance floor, he clasped one of her hands while putting his other on her waist, while she put her free hand on his shoulder. She tried to stay calm at their proximity and the intensity of his wonderful scent of herbs.

When the music started, he led her gracefully and she was glad she knew how to waltz.

"So, Miss Granger," Snape started their conversation after a silent minute – maybe he wasn't so indifferent to their dance as he let on. "Tell me why you chose me for this dance when there are at least ten boys that have been staring at you for the whole evening?"

Ignoring his sarcastic comment, she calmly replied: "I like being with you."

He merely frowned.

"And there was something I wanted to ask you."

"Go on."

"I have enjoyed working with you this last year and I have the feeling that we have formed some kind of friendship." She waited for him to deny it but instead he gave a curt nod. Encouraged by this, she continued: "I have also realised that I like you more than a friend. And therefore," she quickly added before his eyebrows could rise any higher, "I'd like to ask you out on a date." The word 'date' sounded rather immature, she knew, but she didn't remember a better word at that moment.

Snape stopped their dancing, took a step back from her, thereby losing physical contact with her, and looked at her seriously. He apparently needed a moment before he could speak but when he did, his words were composed and careful. "Miss Granger, I am honoured by your affections, but I must decline your offer."

She quickly shook her head. "You don't have to answer me now. I know there is much to consider before you can give an answer and I want you to have that time. I propose that we meet next week on Sunday at 3 pm in the old café in Dufftown. I want to try this, I believe it would work between us; we have so many things in common and we have the most intellectual conversations. But if you show up next week, it'll only mean that you are willing to try as well, nothing more, no strings attached. I know that this'll be difficult and with many obstacles in the path, but I am willing to walk along because I believe that it'll be worth it in the end." She smiled at him with all her fondness for him and hoped that it would persuade him to at least consider a relationship with her.

Apparently, it did, for he slowly inclined his head. "I'll think about it."

"That's all I'm asking," she beamed at him. "And if you don't want to come, you don't need to tell me. I'll be there, no matter what." She had a feeling that he would only decide at the last minute, so she wanted to give him that opportunity. "And now I will leave. I hope I'll see you soon." She made a small curtsy, gave him one last smile, and then turned around and left the Great Hall quickly before she could make a fool of herself. That went well, she smiled to herself, still noticing her fast-beating heart, and tried to calm herself by breathing deeply but her mind thought excitedly about all the possibilities if he showed up next week…