AN: I won't be able to post on Thursday due to holiday traveling. Merry/Happy Christmas to those who celebrate it! If not, have a safe and joyful week!

Thank you for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated!

Severus was a selfish man, something which became more obvious with each passing year. Being free of two masters had taught him to pursue his own goals and achieve whatever was within his grasp. When he wanted something, he calculated how to obtain it, made a plan of action, and attained what he desired. Once he obtained what he found desirable, he never released it.

This put his relationship with Hermione in a precarious position.

He wanted her. Of that much he was certain. Every night for the past week he'd gone to bed with the memory of her lips pressed against his. The dreams he had of her were the kind which would make most romance authors blush. Still, he did not know how she would react to such fantasies. Probably with revulsion. No, most definitely with pure revulsion. It would disgust her that a man almost two decades her senior found her sexually attractive. Worse, she would be disturbed by this man wanting nothing more than to cherish her forever, and be cherished by her for always.

Things needed to be kept in perspective. Tradition was the most likely reason for their three kisses. It was one thing to be caught under the mistletoe or want to engage in a New Year's ritual. Any man could have kissed her on those occasions, and she would have been happy. Being in a long-term relationship with someone like him was different, however. Over time, she would realize how selfish and socially inept he was, and would regret ever laying eyes upon him. After a few years, it would become clear to her that she'd made a mistake in feeling any affection towards the dour man. Soon, she would understand that he was too defective to be worthy of her love. Then, he would be without the best friend he'd ever had.

In his selfishness, he continued to converse with her as if the kisses had never occurred. Flying lessons continued, along with more intense training to help strengthen her protective shields and sharpen her reflexes. With each lesson, she was improving, much to their delight. Lessons did not end with a kiss, which was for the best. As he told himself every night, holiday traditions were fine, but they should not extend to the rest of the year, regardless of his heart's deepest desire to start as many new holiday traditions with her as he could.

Speaking of new traditions, a kiss on his birthday would not be unwelcome. In fact, it would be the only thing making the blasted day tolerable.

The day before his birthday found him in The Leaky Cauldron, awaiting Ms. Turner's appearance. He'd been ignoring her owls, and was only present because Minerva would not stop harping on the bet. If he had to hear her remind him of his ill-advised decision again, he would tear out his greasy hair. Besides, a professional contact was hard to come by. Best not to ruin it by avoiding her forever.

"Are you waiting for Hermione?" Rosmerta gave him his usual double shot of Firewhiskey.

"No," he exhaled. "I am waiting on Judith."

"Oh," Rosmerta's neutral expression became a frown. "Why?"

"She insisted on meeting me for my birthday."

"I thought that was tomorrow."

"It is, but on my birthday I plan to come here with Hermione."

"You do?" Rosmerta's eyes lit up.

"Indeed," he smiled as his muscles relaxed. "After we conclude our dinner here, we plan on having another flying lesson and returning to a place where we traveled on New Year's Eve. We quite enjoyed ourselves, so I hope she's receptive to returning."

"I think she'd go anywhere with you."

"Doubtful."

"Don't be so certain. She cares deeply for you."

"If she is, that will end when she realizes how damaged I am."

"She believes she's damaged as well."

"In that she is wrong. She is outstanding as she is."

"She'd say the same thing about you."

"I think she's a better judge of character than that."

"She's an excellent judge of character. The only issue is you won't tell her how much you care."

"The worst thing that could happen to her is if she realized how much I cared for her. I would only hurt her the way I have everyone else in my life."

"Don't talk about yourself that way."

Rosmerta and Severus turned to the woman standing across the table from him. He swallowed upon recognizing Judith.

"You are a fascinating man who is overcoming his less than stellar past. You've learned from your mistakes and are determine not to repeat them," Judith continued. "I admire that."

"There's little admirable about me," he warned as she sat across from him.

"Your CV says otherwise."

"I'm more than a series of academic accomplishments."

"I know, which is why I insist on getting to know you better."

"So you do," Severus muttered, already wishing Hermione was at the table with him.

"What can I get you?" Rosmerta asked.

"I'll take a butterbeer, please," Judith answered.

"Coming right up," Rosmerta strolled away.

Judith's eyes darted around. "Is Hermione here?"

"No," he drawled.

"Oh good," she exhaled.

"Why do you care if she's here?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"It seems that every time she's near me she creates a scene and storms off. It's become quite disconcerting. She may need to talk to someone about her emotional outbursts."

"There is nothing wrong with Hermione."

"Then why does she storm out on me so often?"

"She has been under a great deal of stress. Sometimes it comes out in odd ways."

"I can relate to that," Judith glanced at her coral painted nails. "I used to be a terrible nail biter. It almost ruined my appearance. Then I saw a life coach for tips on how to more productively relieve my stress. His advice did wonders. Hermione may want to consider a life coach, or at least a potion which relaxes her."

"Indeed," his muscles tightened.

"I will say it's nice to talk without her glaring at us. Women like her tend to make conversation difficult."

"What do you mean, 'women like her?'" He growled.

"I just mean there's a certain type of woman who cannot tolerate not being the center of attention. She throws a tantrum until all eyes are on her. Once everyone's attention is on her, she grows bored of the people watching her and she leaves, until she realizes she's being ignored again. Then, the cycle repeats until she exhausts herself."

"That does not sound like Hermione."

"Does it?" Judith asked. "Let me ask you, did Hermione have a problem with the other dates, or was it only when you started dating me that she began throwing these tantrums?"

"Hermione does not throw tantrums," he argued.

"But does she grow bored with the people in her life?"

"No, she would never grow bored with someone and abandon them."

"She wouldn't abandon them, unless they stopped giving her attention."

"She's not like that. She does not abandon people, especially those she cares for. She is loyal to a fault, even to those who do not deserve it."

"Is she that loyal?" Judith asked. "She doesn't seem that way to me."

"You don't know the first thing about her," he retorted.

"I know women like her better than you think," Judith argued. "The second I'm out of your life, will she continue to give you her affection, or will you only remain her friend until she finds a new person who will lavish attention upon her?"

"Hermione has stayed by my side the entire time she's worked at Hogwarts, even when I've been a git," his voice was beginning to falter. Despite his best efforts to remain firm in his resolve, the doubt creeping in that Judith may be telling him what he needed to hear.

"Past actions do not always indicate the future. She is capable of changing her mind about someone, especially if they no longer meet her standards. One minute, you're a comrade, and the next you are stupid. The whole change in attitude tends to," she paused, "Sneak up on you."

"I must go," Severus stood, his body temperature rising despite the nagging fear she was correct.

"Oh dear," Judith gulped. "I've made things worse, haven't I?"

"Infinitely." He hissed and turned to the door.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed. "I always say the wrong things at the wrong time."

"That is certain," he began to leave.

"I'm just at a loss of how to get to know you," she called. "I want to know you, but you push me away."

"Perhaps you aren't worth getting to know."

"Do you think that, or did Hermione tell you that?"

Severus spun around and glared at her. "Hermione doesn't tell me what to think."

"No, you just want to make her happy before she screams, cries, and later humiliates you."

"Hermione would never humiliate me."

"How certain are you of that? To me, she seems like the kind of woman who would humiliate anyone she perceived as no longer being useful to her."

"Why all the hostility towards Hermione?" He retorted. "You barely know her, yet all you have done this evening is insult her."

"Because I'm interested in you, and you won't even accept my gifts because Hermione was too busy pitching a fit over you so much as looking at me," Judith argued.

Severus opened his mouth, only to close it. Neville was correct in thinking something was amiss with Judith. Whatever was going on with her went deeper than him. If he dumped her now, she may find a way to hurt Hermione, one which he couldn't prevent. If he wanted to protect Hermione, he needed to discover what was lurking behind Judith's facade.

"Is it so bad that I've spent so much time working that I'm shite at dating?" A tear went down Judith's eye. "Is it so bad I want to get to know you and I keep getting thwarted by a woman in a wheelchair? Is it so bad that I just want to celebrate your birthday with you?"

"No," Severus answered in a soft voice. "It is not."

Her lower lip trembled.

"I apologize," he sat across from her. "I do not excel at dating either. In fact, I stumble about when trying to get close to anyone. Perhaps that is why I listen to Hermione. She's the only one who's ever been close to me of her own volition. That may have blinded me to some of her potential faults."

"You have me now," Judith took his hand. "You'll have me for as long as you need me. There's no need to depend on Hermione as your only friend anymore."

"I cannot say I need you," he twisted his lips together. "But I do want to get to know you."

"Oh good," she smiled. "I was so distressed that I'd done something to upset you."

"So long as you do not insult Hermione and make false accusations against her, I am amenable to getting to know you better."

"Fine," Judith answered as Rosmerta gave her the butterbeer."I will not say anything against Hermione."

"Thank you."

"No problem," Judith gritted her teeth, as if it was nothing but a problem.

If Severus had to spy again, it was not horrible to spy on someone such as Judith Turner. She was pleasant enough, not as pleasant as Hermione, but more pleasant than most. Dining with her was borderline enjoyable, at least enough that he would indulge in another double shot of Firewhiskey after the first.

"I hate to bring this up," Judith scratched the table. "But there is something that's been bothering me for some time."

"What would that be?" Severus' head spun from his buzz.

"Neville mentioned Hermione going up for the job as Defense Against Dark Arts professor."

"Indeed she has."

"Is she still in the applications process?"

"Yes, she is. Right now, she is at the stage where she will perform her demonstration."

"How did she get there? I mean, her physical limitations are well-known. I don't think anyone in a wheelchair has taught Defense Agains the Dark Arts before. How did she get so far along in the process?"

"Talent."

"Really, because I cannot imagine Minerva hiring someone with a physical condition such as hers without some reservation.."

Severus twisted his lips.

"Minerva does have her reservations," Judith's eyes gleamed. "Something else got her sped along in the process."

"It was her talent which ultimately got her where she is."

"But…"

"But," he swallowed and replied in a quieter voice. "I may have pushed the process along."

"How?"

"I forced Minerva to see reason."

"How?"

"My methods matter little."

"But Hermione owes her interview to you."

"More or less," he admitted.

"How fascinating," she muttered.

"She deserved to have her chance. I ensured she did."

"How?"

"Let's just say Minerva is a little more prone to gambling than many realize," he took another sip of Firewhiskey.

"Ooh, so Hermione has gotten as far as she has on a bet," she answered.

"She's gotten as far as she has on talent and hard work, but sometimes one needs a little push."

"Indeed one does," Judith purred.

Had Severus been more sober, he would have realized that he had just fallen into the trap he'd spent all evening trying to avoid.