AN: Thanks for all your lovely reviews and your support!

I don't own Harry Potter and don't make any profit.

They days between Christmas and New Year's went by quickly, Hermione being occupied mainly with studying for her apprenticeship, but also preparing some lessons. As she was taking advantage, that there weren't any students around to be taught or watched over, she spent her time mostly in the library and her time around Severus was limited. But every time they were in each other's company there was this new feeling she couldn't place. Somehow their relationship had changed. She couldn't quite wrap her mind around what was different.

It was New Year's Eve in the afternoon and she heard that students had arrived back at the castle, since the hallways seem to be filled with laughter and buzzing excitement due to the upcoming event. Hermione was sitting in her armchair cuddled into a blanket and reading a book on highly dangerous potions, when she heard a knock on the door.

Being absorbed in her book she didn't bother looking up, when she called, "Come in!"

"Always the ambitious apprentice," Severus chuckled stepping inside.

"Hi Severus, what brings you here?" She asked putting down her book and getting up.

"I want to talk to you about tonight. I have to apologise because I won't be able to meet you at your quarters tonight. Minerva asked me to oversee the arriving of the students at the ball tonight. So I will be happily waiting for you at the entrance to the Great Hall. I hope you don't mind? As a little compensation I want to give you this," he said and produced a beautiful pink rose from behind his back.

"Thank you Severus. I don't mind meeting you downstairs," she said taking the rose. When their hands met her heart seemed to skip a bit.

"It smells lovely," she whispered looking into his eyes. "Thanks again!"

"You're welcome. I'll see you later" he winked at her and left.

Merely ten minutes later there was another knock on the door and Neville dropped by.

"Sorry to bother you, I just thought I bring you back the book I borrowed," Neville said when his gaze landed on the rose, "Nice rose by the way. Did you know the colour pink in a rose stands for tender or awakening feelings? Let me guess you got that rose from Severus," he said with a grin.

When Hermione didn't answer but blushed instead, Neville chuckled saying, "I thought so. I'll see you later." He winked at her and left.

"What's with the winking and then leaving today," she grumbled quite annoyed and embarrassed due to what Neville had just said and suddenly it dawned on her that her feelings for Severus were more than just friendship.

Severus was standing at the doors to the Great Hall overseeing the students and just telling off some Slytherins for starting a fight, when he heard someone wolf whistle and saw a Seventh Year pointing up the main stair and whispering something to a friend. When he turned around he saw Hermione coming down the stairs. He gasped. She looked beautiful. He had a flashback of when she came down the stairs in her fourth year at the Yule ball. He also watched her then, but last time he didn't pay much attention, she was just one of his students. Thinking back now he noticed the difference. She had grown into a woman. Her face had lost its innocence, but gained self-confidence and strength. She wore a simple black dress, which was fitted on the top, but flowing around her legs beautifully. From her waist down it was embroidered with small silver flowers on one side. When she caught his eyes, she blushed and smiled. Their eyes locked and the world around them seemed to be forgotten. She gracefully walked down the stairs never taking his eyes off of him. Arriving at the last step he greeted her with a slight bow, took her hand and softly kissed it.

"You look breath taking Hermione," he whispered, not quite trusting his own voice.

"Thank you Severus," she beamed.

"I would ask all teachers to get ready for the entry," came Minerva's voice through the crowd.

Severus offered Hermione his arm, which she took. Minerva had already shooed all the Students in the Great Hall, which had been converted into a ballroom. The headmistress led the teachers on, being followed by Severus as deputy headmaster with Hermione at his side.

The ball started with a feast, Hermione been seated between Severus and Neville enjoying the light conversation. The three of them laughed quite a lot and were the centre of attention at their table. Unnoticed by them went the dark stares of a certain blond and blue-eyed wizard from the neighbouring table. After the feast was finished the tables were levitated to the side to make room for the dance floor.

When the musicians began to play Severus asked, "May I have this dance, Hermione?"

Hermione's heart was beating wildly in her chest and she nodded. Severus gently pulled her closer and they started dancing.

"You are a good dancer," she stated after a couple beats.

"Thank you!"

"Where did you learn it?"

"The Malfoys," he said somewhat uncomfortable.

"Oh!"

"So how was your day?" He changed the subject.

"It was good. I prepared some lessons and did some reading. Who is watching Elena tonight?"

"A couple of house elves and they will get me as soon as she wakes up. But at the moment she is going through a phase where she won't wake up until about two. So I hope we'll have a peaceful evening."

"It must be nice to have somebody you can love unconditionally and who loves you the same way," she smiled at him.

"It is nice," he said in a serious tone, looking deep into her eyes. Their dance got slower and slower until they stopped completely. Students and the rest of the world around them forgotten they kept looking into each other's eyes.

"Hermione can I say something?"

She nodded, not taking her eyes off of him.

"I like you. I like you a lot," he said quietly, bending his head down, softly placing a kiss on her lips. When he felt her kissing him back, he inwardly sighed in relief. They broke apart after a couple of moments smiling shyly at each other.

"May I take you out to dinner tomorrow night?"

"I would love that," she smiled at him.

"By the way I think you look really handsome tonight. I like that your hair is shorter nowadays," she said curling a strand of his hair near his ear around her finger.

"It was time for a change, after all these years," he grinned. When the band finished the song and started a slow one, Severus pulled her close and they started dancing again. Hermione's face was buried in the crook of his neck and she felt his strong arms holding her, making her smile. When the song ended, he entangled himself from her.

"As nice as this is I promised Minerva I would be patrolling the hallways around the Great Hall for the first hour. The ghosts are covering the rest of the castle."

"Can't I come with you?"

"It's going to be dead boring. Please just stay here and enjoy yourself," he smiled at her and kissed her nose.

"I would love to have this dance, since Severus is occupied otherwise," sounded Neville's familiar voice behind him.

"I would be delighted," Hermione answered and Neville instantly swept her away. Seeing his love safely in the arms of a friend, made Severus' departing, even if it was only for an hour, easier for him. Hermione enjoyed herself immensely dancing not only with Neville, but also with Hagrid and Filius, which was challenging size wise, with both men. She danced also with a couple of students, who dared to ask for a dance, mostly Gryffindors, amongst them the Head Boy John Bell.

After an hour Hermione went looking for Severus. When she turned a corner of a deserted hallway she heard a voice behind her, "Care for a dance Hermione?"

The sound of the voice made her shiver, since it had some dangerous undertone to it.

"No thank you Luke, I was just about to go look for Severus," she said as politely as possible.

"I don't know what you see in him! He is old, he doesn't come from a distinguished family, he is not even good looking and he is a Death Eater," Luke stepped closer, making her back away from him, clutching her wand.

Her eyes were cold, when she said, "But he is honest! And he cares for me a great deal. That's something I cannot say about you. You just wanted to shag me!"

"And would that have been a bad thing," he snarled quietly. Hermione backed away further suddenly feeling a wall behind her.

"Just let me show you a good time." In one quick movement Luke pinned her to the wall, his hands grabbing her wrists so hard she dropped her wand to the floor.

"You are hurting me Luke. Let go!" She pleaded with wide fearful eyes. He pushed her legs apart with his knee and leaned in on her, starting trailing wet kisses down the side of her neck. The evidence of his arousal pressing into her stomach.

Hermione kept writhing with disgust.

"Hold still Hermione, I'm sure you'll love it," Luke sneered at her.