Chapter 18 – University Friends
In January, Hermione met with her friends from university in their favourite pub. Due to the exams before Christmas and then the holidays, she had the feeling she hadn't seen them in ages.
"You'll never believe what my boyfriend gave me for Christmas!" Amanda exclaimed as soon as they had settled down, her blond curls whipping in her excitement.
"A car!" Jonathan exclaimed, his arm around his boyfriend Max who grinned. Since Jonathan had learned from Hermione how cars worked, he was fascinated by them.
"Better," Amanda grinned and showed her hand which she had hidden in her pocket until now. It showed a sparkling ring.
"Is that-?" Hermione gasped.
"An engagement ring!" Amanda squealed.
"Congratulations!" everyone said and hugged their friend.
"That's amazing!" Hermione exclaimed.
"What did you get from your boyfriend?" Tessa asked. She was a rather quiet girl but quite observant and the perfect neighbour to Hermione's dorm room.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Max interrupted. "Since when does Hermione have a boyfriend?"
She shrugged. "Since August actually."
"Why have we never met him?" Jonathan wanted to know.
Hermione looked at her friends. Amanda had been in her year in Hogwarts, in Hufflepuff. Tessa had been a Ravenclaw a year above her, and though Jonathan had been to Beauxbatons before he had come to Edinburg, Max had also graduated from Hogwarts (Ravenclaw, three years over her). She thought it was time to tell her friends – they would find out eventually. She sighed and replied: "Because most of you know him and don't like him."
"Is this a Hogwarts thing?" Jonathan was quick to detect. They often talked about their time at Hogwarts and of course, all the teachers. And as expected Snape had been one of the main objects of hateful memories...
"Tell us," Tessa asked gently.
"Okay, I will, but you have to promise that even though you might not understand it, you can at least tolerate it. Because for me he is the best thing in my life right now."
"Oh come on!" Amanda asked excitedly. "Who is it?"
"Severus Snape."
The reaction was as expected: all former Hogwarts students' mouths clapped open, and Jonathan's forehead wrinkled.
Amanda was the first to recover. "What?!" she shrieked. "No way! That's a joke, right?"
"It's not," Hermione answered calmly though she was annoyed that she constantly had to defend him and their relationship. But in the end, it would always be worth it.
"But... what?" Max said eloquently, his eyes wide. "But he's a – bastard!" Then he realised that he had insulted Hermione's boyfriend and quickly added: "No offense."
"Wait," Jonathan said. "Can someone please tell me what's going on. Is this Snape the professor you've been complaining about the whole time? The Potions teacher?"
"The very same," Max nodded.
"But I thought he was... evil?"
"He's not evil!" Hermione said angrily. "He had taken on a role to protect us all."
"Why don't you tell us how you two became so friendly?" Tessa offered with a smile.
Hermione looked at her in gratitude and started to explain. What Severus had done before and during the War. How she had saved his life and became his assistant. How she had slowly realised what an amazing man he was – once you looked behind the mean facade. How they had slowly become friends and then something more. She told them of her graduation ball, how she had asked him, and how since then they had gradually moved forward – together.
When she was finished, her friends looked at her in awe.
"That's so romantic!" Amanda exclaimed with a huge grin. "I mean it's strange because it's… well Snape, but the story is really cool!"
"I think it's even beyond Gryffindor courage to go to him and ask him out," Max added. "And survive!"
"He's different with me than what you remember of him," Hermione said. "He's also a bit different with the students these days. He's still rather strict, don't get me wrong, but he's not mean anymore. And he's not favouriting the Slytherins anymore. Well, not so much at least." She smiled.
"Well," Jonathan said. "I don't know him, but the way you describe him, he seems perfect for you!"
Hermione smiled at him and soon the rest of her friends had at least grudgingly accepted her decision though she knew she wouldn't tell them a lot about her and Severus. It was just too strange for them.