AN: Thank you for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated!
February was Severus' least favorite month. Granted, every month had the potential to be unpleasant. January was a reminder he was growing older, though Hermione made his birthday a celebration of his life, not his inevitable death. April brought along too many chirping birds, though he did enjoy seeing Hermione's eyes brighten when he brought her a bouquet of the blooming flowers from the Hogwarts grounds. July was too hot for someone dressed in long black robes, though Hermione's letters always brightened his day. September was the restarting of school, though it was also the month in which he reunited with Hermione. December brought along inane holidays like Christmas, though somehow Hermione made them joyous occasions.
Yet even Hermione wasn't a miracle worker. Nothing could ever convince him that a month dedicated to flavorless candy hearts, half naked paper Cupids, and an obscene amount of love potion poisonings was worth celebrating. If he had his way, he'd sleep through the entire month and forget everyone except Hermione existed.
To add to the usual stress of the month, Hermione was running out of time to perfect her demonstration. With each session she improved her flight skills and fighting abilities. Still, this demonstration demanded perfection, something they had not achieved. The last thing he wanted was to give Hermione false confidence in a presentation which would not overcome the prejudices she faced. No, he would ensure she was prepared for her demonstration, and that they'd have no choice but to hire her once it concluded.
Minerva did not seem to share share his focus on the search for the next Defense Against Dark Arts professor. Rather, her great project was ensuring his next blind date was successful. Somehow, his dating life was her utmost concern, much to Severus' chagrin.
"Now you should not try too hard to impress her. Going overboard will do you no good," Minerva cut her slice of ham with a smile on her face. "Still Judith would appreciate something nice, something only a man who cared for her would give to her."
"Yes," Hermione muttered beside her, stabbing her ham with a fork as if it was Bellatrix, "Give Judith something nice. She'll love all that care and attention."
Severus blinked. For the last two weeks, Hermione had been behaving oddly. Their easy banter and pleasant conversations continued as usual, but at times a silence would fall between them. During those moments of quiet, she would glance at him, bite the bottom of her lip, and fidget. Sometimes she opened her mouth without a word escaping. Then, she would think better of saying anything and resume the discussion as if the moment had never happened. It was disconcerting. Yet he trusted that in her own time, she would tell him whatever she needed to say, or so he hoped. The last thing he needed was another angry woman in his life.
Despite his trust in her to say something, he meditated on her issue. What was happening to his best friend? How could he help her navigate whatever she was enduring? Did she need to speak with him? If so, why did she feel uncomfortable doing so? Was he doing something wrong? If so, what could he do to assuage her worries? If he was doing nothing wrong, why did she not trust him with her troubles? They could work through anything if only she would communicate with him.
"Severus has never given Judith anything for Christmas," Neville piped in beside Minerva. "The only person he has ever given a nice present to was Hermione."
Hermione paused before glancing down at the golden bracelet she'd worn every day since returning from Christmas break. There was a gleam in her eyes, as if she was remembering the minute Severus clasped it onto her wrist. It warmed Severus' heart to know he'd given it to the right woman, one who would appreciate it and care for the man who had given it to her.
"It's a wonderful gift, isn't it?" Neville continued.
"Yes, it's beautiful. I love it." She looked at Severus. "Thank you again for giving it to me."
"It was my pleasure," he relaxed. "I meant it when I said I couldn't imagine any other woman wearing it. I've always envisioned it on your wrist, accentuating your beauty."
She blushed.
"Yes, something on the level of that bracelet would be appropriate for Judith," Minerva ate a spoonful of mashed potatoes.
Hermione deflated.
"Or perhaps he should focus on making the most important woman in his life feel special." Neville winked.
Hermione's eyes widened.
"Perhaps for Valentine's Day, you could give your best friend another bracelet, or piece of jewelry," Neville continued.
"I have not cleaned out the Prince family vault as of late," Severus replied. "Thus, I cannot give Hermione another bracelet."
"I don't need another bracelet. This one is perfect." She took a sip of milk.
"Indeed," Severus' body warmed. "You deserve to feel like the most special woman in the world."
"I don't need fancy jewelry to feel special," she smiled. "You make me feel special every day."
"You do the same for me," his voice was just as tender.
"And isn't that what Valentine's Day is about?" Neville cut in. "Making the ones you care about feel special?"
"Yes," Minerva added. "Which is why you're going to need to give Judith something more than an old potions book and some chocolate you confiscated from a student."
"I'll have you know that some of those chocolate are delicious," Severus answered.
"They are good," Hermione added.
"He gives you the chocolates he's confiscated?" Minerva asked.
"No, but he does test the ones I've confiscated to make sure nobody has poisoned them."
"He does that for me too," Neville replied.
"How many chocolates have you three confiscated?" Minerva raised an eyebrow.
"Too many to count," they answered in unison.
"Over the years, the number of boxes I have confiscated has decreased," Severus grumbled.
"It's increased for me," Hermione replied. "The Ravenclaws believe I'm more lenient than he is, so they have taken to trying to eat them in my class."
"And they haven't figured out that you're just as capable of confiscating chocolates as he is?" Minerva asked.
"They seem to forget that even a witch with a walker can use an Expelliarmus."
"So she can," Though Severus did not smile, there was a spark of pride in his eyes. During her first year of teaching, he had warned her that either the students would run her ragged, or she would turn into him. At the time, she had laughed at him. Now, it appeared that he was correct.
"We get some very nice chocolates too," Hermione continued. "If there's one thing I love about a Hogsmeade weekend, it's that the chocolates are always of a higher quality than usual."
"True, the chocolate frogs are fresher than most other days," Neville answered.
"I still don't think Severus should give chocolates he has confiscated to Judith," Minerva took a bite of her mashed potatoes. "It would mean more if he went out and bought his own gift."
"Perhaps Severus doesn't need to focus on giving her anything," Neville cut his ham. "He can spend time and money on the woman he cares about the most, namely Hermione."
"With all due respect, he would care more for Judith if he spent as much time with her as he does with Hermione." Minerva took a sip of her milk. "The poor lass is going to think Hermione is competition for her."
"I don't think there's any competition between Judith and Hermione," Neville answered.
"Exactly, which is why Severus needs to begin behaving like Judith is first in his life."
Hermione pierced her ham with a fork as if it was the cause of all her problems. She muttered something under her breath he was sure wasn't appropriate to say in front of a roomful of students.
Severus cocked his head. What was wrong with her today? Had a student tried to douse her with love potion, or had one attempted to have a sword fight with extension cords? The students were in rare form today, though Hermione tended to laugh such incidents off. Could one have mocked her for her disability? If so, a few detentions were in order. If they were a Slytherin, the punishment would be much harsher.
He would help her if only she'd tell him what was wrong.
"Severus should spend time with the woman who cares the most for him," Neville argued.
Severus scowled as his muscles tightened. As if they understood his wants and needs. Of course he wanted to spend more time with Hermione. He would spend every minute with her if he could. It wasn't what she wanted though. She wanted to be friends, and nothing more. Thus he wouldn't push the issue no matter how many times he wanted to kiss her until she couldn't see straight.
"Severus will be doing just that if he can decide on the perfect gift for Judith," Minerva argued.
"Has it ever occurred to you that Severus should determine who he does and does not want to spend money on?" Neville asked.
"Fine, he doesn't want to spend money on her. He can make her an origami crane then. He needs to make sure she feels special though."
"Severus knows how to make a woman feel special."
Severus' muscles tightened.
"It's a skill he's learned to develop anyway," Minerva replied.
"He's perfecting it," Neville argued.
"He needs to perfect it with the right woman though."
"I'm right here!" Severus stood.
Everyone at the Head Table turned to him, as did half the students.
"Do you two have nothing better to do than meddle in my affairs?" He snapped. "I will buy whatever gifts I want for whoever I want."
"Of course, we just want to help you," Minerva began.
"Leave him alone! He doesn't need to buy anyone any gifts!" Hermione shouted. "Why should he do anything? Valentine's Day is just a stupid holiday. There's no point in celebrating it, so just drop the matter!"
"I thought you enjoyed Valentine's Day," Severus turned to her.
"I did before my leg began acting up," she huffed. "Now it's just a nuisance."
"At least someone understands my sentiments on the issue," Severus noted.
"So she does," Neville gave him a knowing look.
"Thank you both for your suggestions. I will handle Judith as I see fit. In the meantime," he turned to Hermione. "Are you going to be well?"
"I'm fine," she rubbed her left leg.
"Are you certain?" He asked. "An outburst from you during dinner is rare. Also, I'm surprised you haven't damaged your wrist from how forcefully you've been using your silverware."
"I'm fine, just," she exhaled. "I have had a long day and am exhausted. Talk of romance is wearing thin."
Severus motioned for her to follow him. She took a look at Neville and Minerva before grabbing her walker and following him out.
Once they were in the hallway a reasonable distance from the Great Hall, Severus asked, "What is troubling you? Has there been another story on Mr. Weasley?"
She shook her head.
"But you're thinking about him."
"I think about a lot of things," she admitted before glancing at the ground. Severus found a candy wrapper on the floor and pulled out his wand. Once it became a wooden chair, Hermione sat upon it.
"Would you like to tell me what is on your mind?" Severus asked. "And do not give me some asinine excuse. You have been behaving oddly these last few weeks. What is troubling you?
"I do not know if you should be concerned with this," she answered.
"If I wasn't concerned with this, I wouldn't ask you what was happening."
She hummed.
"You have been acting odd for the last few weeks. Could you please tell me what is troubling you so I can help you?" He was practically pleading with her to say something.
"I don't think you can help me. Nobody can."
"Perhaps I cannot directly help you, but I can be a listening ear, assuming you want someone to speak with."
There was that look and that lip bite again. She was on the cusp of saying what was on her mind, but something held her back. What could it be?
"What is on your mind?" He asked in the gentlest voice he could muster. "What do you need from me in order to make things a little better for you?"
She sighed. "I am, just frustrated on your behalf. If anyone knows what it's like to have people talk about them and their future as if they aren't in the room, it's me. Your situation is frustrating because I see myself in it. We're just toys to people, just something people can use and toss aside once they're done with us."
"I do share that sentiment," he admitted.
"I'm tired of it, not just for myself but for you. We both deserve better."
"Thank you for understanding," he relaxed.
"I'm only speaking the truth," her lips curled up.
"That cannot be the thing that has frustrated you for weeks though."
"No, but this job situation has been weighing on my mind, more than it should."
"Have I been putting too much pressure on you?"
"No, but I have been putting pressure on myself." She slumped. "I want this job more than I've wanted most other things in my life, and not just for myself. Yes, I want to prove that I can do defense against the dark arts as well as anyone else can, but we both know there's more to it than that. If I don't get this job, our new colleague may despise both of us; me for being disabled, and you for your history. You've been through so much already. The last thing you need is another colleague who holds your past against you."
He snorted. "I've survived a castle full of people who were plotting my death. I can survive another obnoxious co-worker."
"Yes, but you shouldn't need to survive anything. You should be thriving."
"I could say the same about you." He put a hand on her shoulder.
"Perhaps," she muttered.
"There is no perhaps," he argued. "You deserve to thrive. You need to believe that."
"I think I'm beginning to," she grinned.
"Good," he squeezed her shoulder.
"Do you ever," there was a gleam in her eyes. "Do you ever think about leaving Hogwarts and setting up a life outside of Hogwarts, perhaps somewhere sunny like Australia, or Arizona?"
"More times than I can count," he answered.
"If someone gave you enough money to live off of for the rest of your life, would you leave?"
"Would you?"
"Not without you," her voice was soft.
"I feel the same," he rubbed her shoulder. "I wouldn't leave without you."
"If I don't get this job…"
"We can begin playing the muggle lottery and planning our escape to sunny Phoenix." He began massaging her shoulders.
"Oh yes," she melted at his touch. "A warm place with no rain."
"It sounds like heaven, doesn't it?"
"If you were there with me, then yes, it would be."
For a few peaceful moments, he continued his ministrations. She relaxed into his touch. It was amazing how much this witch trusted him. Unlike most other women in his life, she did not recoil at the touch of his hands, nor did she complain about his sour moods and lack of social grace. How did he get so lucky to have her in his life?
"Out of curiosity," he kept his voice soft, even as his stomach tightened. "What would you like for Valentine's Day?"
"This," she shuddered.
"A massage?"
"Yes," she sighed. "A massage and for you to be with me."
"That's hardly a worthy Valentine's Day gift."
"It's enough for me."
"That is fortunate for me then."
"Why? Because you don't want to spend more money on bracelets?"
"No," he softened his touch. "Because all I want is to be with you."
She looked up at him with a genuine smile. For a moment, he considered leaning down and brushing his lips against hers, letting her know what he was terrified to put into words. The moment was too sacred to ruin with his growing sentiments though. It was best to savor each other's company, enjoying the closeness he'd never felt with another person, something akin to what one would call love.
Neither noticed that in the background, Neville watched, a gleam of determination in his eyes.
Somehow Severus and Hermione would be happy. He would ensure they finally confessed their feelings to each other, even if they hated him for it a few days afterwards.