A/N: This was written for the Potions & Parchment SSHG Holiday Gift Exchange 2022 challenge for dressagegrrrl at the Archive of Our Own. It was posted last year, and I never got around to posting it here. It's complete in six chapters, and I'll post a couple a week to get it finished before Christmas.
Thanks to AmortentiaInMyVeins for the quick and lovely beta work. I hope you enjoy this frustrating little romp between our two.
Chapter 1
Severus sat at the High Table, gazing out at the students. They were all a twitter with excitement for the new school year. The first day of classes was over, and everyone was discussing their subjects and teachers.
Hermione settled next to him.
"They seem to be chipper," she acknowledged as she looked out over the student tables.
Severus nodded before turning toward her. His heart skipped a beat as he noted how lovely she was. He especially appreciated her pert nose and beautiful curls. The witch always made him catch his breath. He'd mulled this over and over during the summer. They were friends. Had been for a bit now. But something changed at the end of last year. At least for him, it had.
He'd been puzzled by it and had gone the summer wondering precisely what it meant. Imagine his surprise when he woke up one night after a passionate dream involving her. He could no longer deny his feelings. He fancied Hermione Granger.
"What did you do today?" Hermione asked, bringing him out of his reverie.
He smirked at her. "Paperwork. Mounds of it. I almost thought I'd be buried by it."
Hermione laughed. "I would have offered to help, but I had classes to teach."
"And only I can sign all those mountains of papers. How were your classes?"
She looked out at the Hufflepuff table.
"Miss Harding and Mister Smythe are evidently in a new relationship as they could barely keep their hands off one another."
"Really?"
"Holding hands, stealing kisses. I had to chastise them to pay attention several times."
"I'm sure you instilled sufficient fear in them."
Hermione huffed. "For maybe five minutes! Other than those two, though, everyone else was attentive. The third-years who decided to sign up for Arithmancy seemed to be interested in the work."
"So, it will be a good year?"
Hermione looked at him and smiled. "I hope so."
He smiled back. Maybe he should take a chance and ask her to go to dinner tomorrow in his quarters… or Hogsmeade.
That summer, while mulling over his fancying her, he had come to the conclusion that if nothing was ventured, nothing would be gained, so he needed to pursue her. Just how to do that was what was puzzling to him. When it came to women, he would admit to anyone that he was a coward. He found it hard to believe that anyone could actually be attracted to or interested in him, and the thought of testing that theory by asking a woman on a date filled him with dread.
He knew it would be a long shot that she would accept, but he wanted to ask Hermione on a date and see if there was anything… more… than their current relationship. Perhaps now was the time to broach the subject with her. Putting down his fork, he turned to her.
"Hermione, I would like to ask you something."
"Of course," she said.
Just then, an owl burst into the Great Hall, garnering everyone's attention. The owl flew directly to Hermione and dropped a missive onto her plate. She carefully picked it up and wiped off the gravy that had splattered onto it.
"Honestly, you'd think they'd have better aim," she muttered.
Opening up the letter, her hand came up to her mouth, and she gasped, "My parents!"
"What, Hermione? What is it?" Severus asked.
"They were in an accident."
"But, how did the owl find them?"
"I have a trace on them. If anything happens to them, this letter comes to me by Owl. I don't know what happened."
She turned to Severus as she crumpled the parchment in her hands.
"Severus, I have to go!"
"Go, Hermione, please! I hope everything will be all right."
She bounded from the table. Severus watched her go, his intent forgotten as he worried that all would be well with her parents.
oooOOOooo
Using the trace, Hermione appeared in front of a hospital in Hampstead. She rushed in and went to the reception desk.
"Please, I think my parents were brought here."
"What are their names, dear?" the older woman asked.
"Edward and Jean Granger."
"Oh! Yes, they were just brought in. I'm surprised the orderly was able to reach out to you so soon."
Hermione shrugged. "What happened? They just said there had been an accident."
"And a big one, too," the woman relayed. "Car accident. Some drunk driver plowed right into them! Lucky to be alive, they are."
"Where are they? Can I see them?"
The woman studied the file. "They are still in surgery. You can have a seat there," she pointed at the waiting room. "I'll tell the doctors you're here, and when they're done they'll come out to give you an update on your parents' condition."
"Thank you, ma'am," Hermione said and turned to find a seat.
Settling in, she wished she'd brought a book or something. She knew it could be a long wait. Bending her arm on the chair, she rested her head on her hand and looked around. Several people were in the waiting room; one with quite a bloody towel wrapped around his arm. She looked away.
Finding the nearest wall, Hermione focused her concentration there. Worry coursed through her. She hoped that her parents would be all right. Muggle injuries from car accidents could be severe, and she was unsure they would come out of this alive. A tear fell down her cheek as she sniffed to control her emotions. She had to think of something else, and quickly before she broke down.
Her classes came to mind, but they were overshadowed by thoughts about the Headmaster. His jet-black hair and Romanesque features flooded her thoughts. She found him to be quite handsome despite everyone else's opinions about his features. Over the years that she'd taught at Hogwarts, she'd grown quite fond of the man. Very fond. She cared for him… fancied him… even wanted him. But it was all a lark. He could never be interested in her. Not like that.
Still, she had the desire to ask him on a date. Maybe if she didn't label it a date, he'd agree to accompany her. And then, if they spent a nice evening together, he might want to spend more time with her. She felt it was a long shot, but she was willing to give it a try.
Her musings were interrupted by the doctor coming out to her.
"Miss Granger?" he asked as he approached her.
She stood and nodded. "Yes, how are my parents?"
"Your father has a broken leg. The bone perforated the skin, which is why he needed surgery. We also had to repair some tissue and vein damage. He'll be able to go home tomorrow. As for your mother, she is still in surgery. She has several broken ribs, some internal bleeding, and a broken arm. They should be finished soon. Everything was going fine when I last checked in on them."
"May I see my father?"
"Yes, but he's just out of recovery and still groggy from the anesthesia."
She followed the doctor as he led her to her father. She entered the room and realized how small he looked in the hospital bed. Rushing over, she grasped his hand.
"Dad?"
Her father's eyes slowly opened and he turned toward her.
"Pumpkin? What are you doing here? What happened?"
"You were in a car accident. Are you in pain?"
"Flying high. What happened to me?"
"A broken leg. The doctor said you can go home tomorrow."
"Your mother?" he asked with worry.
"She's still in surgery. I think she'll probably be in the hospital a little longer."
He gave her a concerned look.
"She's got some internal bleeding that they're trying to take care of, but she's going to be okay."
Her father squeezed her hand. "I remember now. He came out of nowhere."
"You're going to be fine, and so is Mum."
"I'm glad you're here, Hermione."
She smiled at him and squeezed his hand back.
oooOOOooo
Hermione knocked on the Headmaster's door. It opened magically and she saw Severus at his desk.
"Hermione, come in," he said as he rose and rushed to her. "Your parents?"
She moved toward him. "They're okay. My dad has a broken leg, and my mum had some internal bleeding. She'll be in the hospital for a couple of days, but they'll be fine. I was able to talk to both of them."
She moved farther into the room, and Severus turned toward her.
"I'm glad. Is there anything you need?"
She smiled ruefully at him. "No, thank you. I'll need some time off tomorrow to gather my dad. I've arranged for an in-home nurse to take care of him, but I'll be with him most of the day. Once my mum is let out, I'll need some more time off."
"Take all the time you need. I can cover your classes."
"Thanks, Severus."
"I'm just glad they're all right."
Hermione nodded and turned to go. "I'll see you at breakfast. Thanks for your support."
"Of course," Severus replied as he watched her leave his office, worried whether her parents would truly be all right.
oooOOOooo
Hermione was back in Severus' office.
"Thank you so much for covering classes, Severus. My father was feeling depressed that my mum is still in the hospital, and he really needed my support."
"It's nothing, Hermione. I'm just glad he's okay. What about your mother?"
"The doctors say they'll need to monitor her for another two days to make sure there's no infection and that the repairs they did internally are healing well. If she's fine then, they'll release her because I have the in-home nurse. They said that both of them will need extra care for a few weeks."
Severus sighed. "Well, that is good news. Are you all right? This has had to be incredibly stressful."
"I was freaking out at the hospital last night, but after seeing both of them and having my dad back home, I'm much better."
"Good. You need to take care of yourself, Hermione. Take the evening off if you need to. Go do something you enjoy."
Hermione bit her lip as they both looked at one another. Maybe now was the time to invite him out?
"I was wondering…" she began.
Minerva came bursting into the office.
"Severus, there's been a fight in the Entrance Hall, and three students have been taken to the Infirmary."
Severus looked at Hermione. "Excuse me, please. I need to take care of this."
Hermione nodded and watched him burst from the room with Minerva close behind. She sighed.
Oh well, maybe this isn't the right time.
She felt awkward so she left his office and went to her own room, where she put off preparing for her classes for the coming week and instead curled up in front of the fire with a good book.