A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters

This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Word count: 994

Warning: suggestive language.

"Is that a potion vial in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?" Hermione asked, glancing at Severus, who had just opened the door of his chambers. He sighed seeing her standing there.

"What are you even doing here, Miss Granger? Haven't you aggravated me enough at the staff table?"

"I like you," Hermione answered with a shrug.

"Probably not your best idea."

"Actually pretty sure it's one of my worst. It's not really my fault I'm attracted to you, that I like spending time with you, that apparently you like seeing me outside your door at the crack of dawn, at least if the bulge in your robe is any indication."

Severus felt his face flush. The witch wasn't exactly wrong.

"It has nothing to do with you. I merely had an interesting dream, which you were not part of," he snapped. Hermione just smirked, not saying anything, but Severus could tell she didn't believe him for a moment.

"They're talking about decorating the trees in the Great Hall today. I thought you might be interested in helping?"

"I would rather be buried alive,"he muttered, stepping aside for some reason. Hermione took this as an invitation to enter.

"I want to bury myself in glitter, personally. There's this kind of food grade glitter that tastes like different things."

"And what would the point of that be?"

"Usually if one puts something edible on their body, they want someone else to lick it off," Hermione teased, watching as Severus' face reddened.

"And you know about this how, Miss Granger?"

"Do you really think I'd tell you every detail of my day, well, morning?" she asked.

"What did you do?"

"Why are you assuming I did something?" she asked.

"You have that look in your eyes, that mischievous streak of yours that never ends well. I was in the middle of making breakfast. Now, do you want to tell me why you're here?"

"My mornings are better with you around," Hermione answered, flopping causally on an empty chair. Severus ignored her.

"My mornings are better with coffee, don't you smell it in the air?"

"All I smell is burning," she commented. "I thought the elves brought you coffee in the mornings?"

"I have been trying to do it myself, without the help of what you call 'slave labor'," he replied. "Also, it's coffee if I say it's coffee."

"I say its burnt and no one ever taught you the proper way to make a pot. Here, where's your coffee maker?"

"As if I'd show you?" he asked, but Hermione was already on her feet heading to the small kitchenette.

"If you want a proper cup you will."

"It's over there."

"Right, here. Really? You use this stuff? It barely even qualifies as coffee."

"It's cheap."

"And just like that, we're going shopping."

"I can't believe this is happening. You show up in my rooms uninvited, judge my coffee and now are dragging me out to interact with the public. If I could, I'd give you detention, Miss Granger."

"You'd enjoy that a bit much, wouldn't you sir?"

"You are the most infuriating witch in existence!"

"And yet you seem to enjoy sparring with me," Hermione laughed, as the pair walked down the path to Hogsmeade. Soon they reached the village. Hermione pulled Severus into one of the shops.

"See, proper coffee," she stated, holding it up. "You'll probably also need a grinder, hmm, not sure they have those here though."

"There are spells I can use for that."

"Doesn't taste the same, I've tried myself."

"I know spells you could only dream of, there's more than one way to grind beans into powder. If they are treated as potions ingredients, that same principals should apply," he said, taking a in a deep breath of the aroma. A smile spread across his face. Hermione watched him, purchasing the beans, a couple bottles of flavoring syrup, and some fresh cream.

"True, maybe you could show me these more advanced techniques?" she suggested. Severus bit back a laugh as he noticed the cheery holiday music playing throughout the store. He couldn't stop himself from singing a few words. "I'm in a store and I'm singing. What have you done to me?"

"Only shown you the power of proper coffee," Hermione answered, wrapping her free hand around his. "Besides, it's not like people in the village are going to talk about us being here, us being together," she added.

"Do you really think no one is going to say anything?"

"We're both war heroes, teachers at the school, we're hardly the latest gossip. Maybe it's time we come clean? Drop the act?"

"Me, stop acting like you are the most inconvenient thing in my life?"

"And yet another reason you love me," Hermione teased, pulling Severus behind a snow laden tree and kissing him.

"Fine, you're right. I can't wait to tell people we're finally together. The expression on Minerva's face would be well worth nonsense I've had to put with from you these last few years."

"She already knows."

"How? No, that's impossible."

"She knows, she knows everything that goes on in that castle, do you really think we were that stealthy?"

"I was."

"You've been walking around with a stupid smile on your face every time someone says my name," Hermione laughed, pushing open the gate that led back to the castle. She and Severus slipped in, locking it behind them.

"Now you've got proper coffee, I've got to get to my own class before the students decide to transfigure each other into worms...again."

Severus laughed, kissing Hermione's forehead. She moved her face at the last minute so their lips touched.

"I'll see you at lunch," she added, kissing him again, before disappearing inside the castle leaving Severus standing there with a smile on his face, a bag of coffee in his hands, and a mental image of Hermione covered in Slytherin colored glitter.