07 Lucky bastard

01 January 2000

"Excuse me, I have an unusual question. May I use your mascara and lipstick? It's about a man in there I didn't expect to be around," Hermione asked the young woman with feigned enamored excitement. On peeping back into the café she saw that Severus was still enduring the two local nitwits. She actually wondered about both parties: Severus was not the socially enduring type and those men couldn't possibly feel well in his company.

She had walked straight into the restroom after her extended walk through this part of Manchester and now that she found herself next to a young woman, who refreshed her make-up, she came up with an idea. He would hopefully play along.

"Oh, Professor, how lovely of you to have waited for me," she flirted at Severus. "Charming, that you kept him company," she now addressed the two men at the table next to his, "I'm Hermione. I'm his student and probably his most loyal admirer," she added.

Severus simply looked at her with an impassive face. She looked stunningly with the make-up. Why was she wearing it? She hadn't when they had split up an hour ago. And more importantly: what was she planning?

There was no way for her to tell what he was thinking. The other two, however, seemed to be enchanted by her.

"This is my brother Daniel and I'm Robert. We live here and work in the factory down the river," the two dark-haired men returned with a beam. They must be about Severus' age, she mused while sitting down between their tables on the bench next to Severus, who seemed slightly uncomfortable. Hermione, however, moved a bit closer to him.

The two natives simply starred at them and not particularly smart.

"I'm afraid there is not enough time before our phone-conference with Berlin to companionably enjoy a tea here. But I trust we could as well postpone the tea and combine it with a little intimate celebration of our accepted proposal and my thesis," she said very flirty now and beamed at him.

Instead of drawing conclusions from what she unfolded before him, his distracted mind decided she looked gorgeous. Where did the make-up come from?

Going by the tension she felt from him, Severus obviously felt really uncomfortable now. Hermione turned to blink mischievously at him willing him to understand.

Suddenly the penny dropped and he decided to play along.

"The ever-optimist," he returned.

"Please don't hide your light under the bushel," she chided gently and turned to the gaping men, "I take it you know this genius from earlier times? Tell me, has he always been this humble?" she asked with excitement.

"Ahem, well, probably. We only went to primary school together. Just wanted to say hello actually," the taller man, Daniel, stammered.

"Oh, I trust the professor enjoys sharing some childhood memories. Must surely be ever so grounding compared to Heidelberg, where he can hardly walk the city without getting into discussions about his work. Brilliance comes at a cost," she said admiringly and squeezed his arm all the while smiling semi-imbecilic.

"Oi, we never knew about your famousness, Sev," the other man said.

"Famousness is probably said too much," he weighed-in and continued to sit very stiffly.

"Tsk, see, that's exactly why I asked!" Hermione now leaned towards the closer man and patted his hand on the table. "Magazine and Newspaper articles at least every other month, television interviews, talk-show appearances and official consultant for two large chemical plants and he still doesn't consider himself prominent. And in less than an hour, we'll get the official acceptance of the proposal from my PHD-thesis, which wouldn't have been thinkable without his brilliant mind," she leaned back to Severus again. "That's why all women in Heidelberg fall for him. It's his mixture of intellect and arrogant aloofness that on a closer look turns out to be noble modesty, which drives them crazy," she said snuggling up to him.

Now the two nitwits were literally gaping. Hermione was satisfied that their pennies also had finally dropped.

Severus was thankful for his well-developed and trained ability to show an unimpressed face when confronted with unexpected situations. He had meanwhile gathered what Hermione was doing and he couldn't deny being amused and flattered by her approach, but felt slightly irritated by her flirty physical contact.

"You're young for a PHD aren't you?"

Oh, one of the nitwits wasn't all dumb.

"Thank you! Yes, I am. But he took me under his wings and taught me so many things that I could excel myself," she addressed the two men before turning to Severus. "And I like to think that he sees something special in me, too, since he invited me to stay with him." She beamed now.

"I prefer to think that I didn't disinvite you, when you unexpectedly stood at my door," Severus now said.

"How good for you that I know you a bit and was able to interpret your reticence as invitation. You know you were secretly pleased!" Hermione said with ignorant confidence.

Biting her bottom lip, she put her hand on his thigh to squeeze it shortly and have it rest there.

"Your- domestic skills are- satisfying," he said with an ambiguous intonation, which forced Hermione to gather herself very shortly.

She giggled.

"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, they say, right?" she now rhetorically asked the indigenes with a telling look

Finally their faces prove that Hermione's and Severus' show had been successful. They both starred at him in awe. Mischief managed, Hermione thought, time to go before Severus' stress turned too strong.

"Sorry for having to steal him from you, but we need to go or we'll be late for the conference. I'll pay the bill. It's the least I can do given that you provide such lovely accommodation." Hermione got up. "Goodbye, guys, it was nice meeting you," she purred and twinkled at them.

When she had left, the closer man enthusiastically tapped the table.

"Sev! Hot and homely! You lucky bastard!"

Severus got up.

"And astute," he added and shot them a knowing look.

With his hand on her lower back he led her out of the café. When they were out of earshot, he started to chuckle.

"Impudent witch."

"Oh, you're too charming! I thought you'd go for meddlesome," she returned chuckling, "Sorry for my hand on your thigh. I kind of couldn't back-off from what the situation called for."

Hermione felt Severus' hand squeezing her lower back, very close to her butt, reminiscently.

"We're still in sighting distance."

"Call it even, I agree," she chuckled.

.o.O.o.

"Since we are now known in the Muggle neighborhood as the new semi-official couple-" Severus started, when they settled into the armchairs.

"Well, no! Sorry, but no! I know it's holidays, but I cannot tolerate your inattentiveness," she sighed and shook her head at him. "You are an irresistibly talented and famous chemistry professor with a hot - yes, I heard him - but stalking student, who you should better strictly tell off, but since you are in the end just a man, you keep falling for the temptation she provides and thus don't get rid of her. And now you are highly endangered of becoming an irrevocable part of a chemistry-nerd couple," she corrected him.

He starred at her in disbelief.

"Merlin, I cannot recall all you said, but I'm sure you forgot mental in the description of yourself."

"Stalking covered for that, but you may be right anyway, yes. To be sure, better check with Abe tomorrow for a proper list of our relationship details. Until then, I'd recommend not to mess with the potentially crazy chick."

At the sight of Severus, who had thrown his head back and laughed out loud at her comment, she couldn't help but to join in.

"Of course, how inattentive of me to have skipped the details. Since I'm very likely going to be shanghaied into being the irresistibly talented and self-sacrificing part of a chemistry-nerd couple, I'd like to give you something I made. Something, which is doomed to make a questionable impression in any situation, but this now is too good a chance to miss. In fact, it's a pity I hadn't brought it to the café," he said laboriously.

Hermione sensed the changed atmosphere. He was serious now.

"Okay-, you are making me nervous."

Severus felt a little like throwing up currently, but decided to just get it over with.

"Wizards and witches often make a piece of jewelry for their children to check how they are. They are usually birth gifts and can be necklaces, bracelets or earrings. And they are charmed so that when worn on skin, they reflect the bearer's mood to the corresponding counterpart and thus, they allow parents to see how their babies and toddlers are. Of course, this is not restricted to a certain age, but can basically be used by anyone, who wishes to," he explained and took out a delicate silver ring to show her, "I decided for inconspicuousness- and dubiety" he added.

Hermione carefully took the ring from him and examined it. It was formed by an otter and a stag or a doe with crystal eyes.

"My Patronus is actually an otter," she said slowly.

"I know."

She looked at him flabbergasted.

"What's yours?" she asked lowly-voiced although she was sure to know the answer already.

"A doe."

He wasn't sure what to make of her look. After she had first scanned his face she now starred on her palm with the ring resting on it.

A minute passed and Severus moved in his seat.

"I'm still processing," she gave him a small smile, "I'm- I don't know what I am, ahem, it might take some time."

"I shall leave you to it then," he returned, suddenly having problems to breathe. He had a very clear idea about the range of meanings that could be interpreted into this ring, but now that he saw her contemplative reaction to it, he wasn't sure anymore if he hadn't subconsciously really attached a very personal one to it. All those emotions he allowed himself to have since he had decided to open up to her, right now showed him how vulnerable they made him and also that he hadn't anticipated how sensitive he was to her reactions.

"No, please, you don't have to," she said fast.

"I agree. I must," he insisted and fled the room.

.o.O.o.

Hermione was not able to follow immediately. Instead she absently went into the kitchen to bake scones and let her thoughts and emotions on this flow freely. This small unobtrusive item did very many things to her. She was flattered by his effort to give her something to feel seen in her emotions and surely to be offered his time when needed. Even more so was she flattered by the fact that he even designed it using both their Patronuses, which was logical given their guardian character and the fact that he had the counterpart. He had designed a ring for her. She couldn't help but feel that this was even more of an intimate gesture than any shopped wedding ring would be, which after all was supposed to be the symbol of a promise for life. Wedding ring, Hermione, honestly, she mentally debated with herself. Well, of course, that was the occasion to present someone with a ring.

She examined it again. It was tastefully understated. What would it show? All emotions? Or could it be adapted? She would need to ask Severus. It was high time to search him, before his imagination ran wild and he would be all snarky and dismissive to keep her at bay. Deciding that the scones would do just fine on their own in the oven, she went upstairs.

Very lightly she knocked at the doorframe to his bedroom where he sat near the hearth reading and now looked up at her, face blank. Great, it had started already. Kids, Hermione mentally shook her head.

With what she thought could pass for a disarming smile, she carefully and slowly entered his room.

"Ready to announce the verdict?"

Hermione tilted her head.

"Hardly, since I'm not in the habit to decide verdicts in the first place. You're confusing me with someone you've probably silently debated with the last half hour," she softly said.

"Feel free to try again. And before maybe remind yourself, who you are talking to," he said darkly and Hermione understood it as the final proof of this really being a touchy subject for him. She reminded herself that she had once pushed her luck by showing him that she saw some parts of his real persona. He was very likely far too private to deal with something like this again on such an intimate issue. Because it indeed was this somehow and she was very aware of how much he had moved out of his feared teacher persona by making this for her: a student, a Gryffindor, a woman.

"I'm hoping to still not be talking to my professor but to Severus, who knows that I don't intend to make him brood too hard or even judge him superficially," she stepped a bit closer into the room, "Since the topic is on the table, I'd like to state for the record that I am aware you didn't propose," she tried to lighten his mood,

His face remained unreadable. "Imagine my relief!" he said unnerved, unable to relax into her humor and inwardly cursing himself for it.

Hermione was close to fidgeting and a sudden desire of closeness overwhelmed her, which made her hold her breath in astonishment.

"Severus, may I check up on something?"

"I shall not constrain research interest," he allowed.

Hermione took the book from his hands and settled herself sideways in his lap, well partly. Her bottom and feet were positioned on either side of his thighs and simply her legs were cocked over his lap.

Severus didn't even flinch, but seemed to have stopped breathing. Hermione ignored his unresponsiveness and simply snuggled closer, laying her head on his collarbone.

"What results, in Merlin's name, is this supposed to deliver?" he asked stiffly. Not that she hadn't been in his lap this week already and more than once, but then the situation had called for intense solace. This, however, did not.

"The absence of certain feelings-, and I can already say they are not there indeed," she simply returned.

"Hermione-," he growled warningly. He was not in the least ready to be rejected in any way. Especially not out of the blue and while being emotionally emaciated already.

"Don't anger the supposedly crazy chick by rushing to conclusions!" she said in a firm whisper and put her left hand on his chest and felt his heartbeat. "Severus, I happen to have daughterly experience and this doesn't feel daughterly to me-. Does it feel fatherly or something along that line to you?" she asked, unable to do so louder than in a whisper. Her heart sank. She couldn't believe that she had just enforced a conversation like this.

The man beneath her processed this with some shock, too. It was not about what he was feeling, he mused.

"I fail to have a proper possibility of comparison, but daresay no-. What are you aiming at?" he growled. He was torn between shoving her off his lap and pulling her close. Bloody hell! This whole situation was perturbing and pleasing on at least two levels.

She nodded slightly as if to herself and then held the ring up a bit.

"This tiny beauty does very many things to me emotionally," she admitted.

"It was supposed to offer surety and not to disturb you lastingly."

Hermione pushed herself away from his chest to face him.

"And yet, it has the incredible power of doing both, well, impress rather than disturb, but surely lastingly-, which makes it so stirring. It's so prudent and incredibly personal. It's very likely the most personal gift anyone ever bestowed me with. The power of the gesture and the effort of designing it yourself are overwhelming, but the symbolism of our combined Patronuses is overkill. I cannot really explain why, but I kind of needed to make sure where the two of us are- not located emotionally," she tried to explain.

Severus was awed by her perception of his gift and her openness regarding her feelings it evoked, his gaze however remained unreadable resting on her and Hermione suddenly blushed.

"Now that I hear myself saying it, I admit it sounds weird and I do understand I was a bit intrusive here. Oh dear, I apologize for crossing borders for the second time today-, although the situation admittedly didn't call for it this time, I'm sorry," she conceded meekly and tried to get away without touching him further and especially before he would have gathered himself again and have a go at her. Her sudden paleness under her blushed cheeks wasn't lost on Severus and before she could get up, he hugged her to him and kissed the top of her head. Definitely no fatherly feelings, he thought while letting go of her again.

"The situation did call for something and had I paid attention to the latest rumors, I would have expected my stalker to come up with something like this," he said and the grin was audible to Hermione, who just settled herself down on the thick carpet opposite him.

"Thus, we agree that your surprise is exclusively based on your lack of attention? Sounds plausible," she chuckled slightly. "Can the ring be adapted to only show certain moods?"

"It can and was already. It shows grief, fear and despair. I'm after all the self-sacrificing, not the stalking party in this," he said, feigning admonition.

Hermione theatrically face-palmed herself. "Right! How thoughtless of me." They both grinned.

"I take it, children rather wear necklaces?" she asked.

"Exactly, but they are not handy at night, especially not when purring. Thus, I thought a ring to be least intrusive," he said.

"Very thoughtful!" Her wide eyes locked with his. "May I really keep it?"

"Gryffindor!" He rolled his eyes at her and in a smooth movement got up and made his way to the door.

"I don't know how to appropriately express my gratitude-. Thank you, Severus."

He came to a halt in the doorway. "Had you paid attention to your words, you'd know that you've done already," he said smoothly-voiced without looking back at her, "impressively so. Excuse me, but now I'm going to stop my house from burning down and switch off the oven if you don't mind."

"Oh shit!" Hermione exclaimed in shock, jumped up and ran past Severus down into the kitchen. The amused laughter of the dark man followed her.