AN: I don't own Harry Potter and don't make any profit.
"Step away from her," Luke heard an infuriated voice behind him.
"Snape don't you think I can take it up with you," Luke gave a sardonic laugh, turning around his laugh faltered staring at three different wands pointed at him and their mad owners.
Hermione quickly gathered her own wand from the floor.
"How stupid can one get, threatening Professor Granger you now have almost the entire school turned against you Jones," the Head Boy said with a snide voice.
"Mister Bell would you be so kind and take Professor Jones' wand away, take it with you and get the headmistress," Severus said in dangerously low voice.
"Certainly Sir," John Bell hurried to do as he was told. Hermione was leaning against the wall shaking.
"Neville can you maybe…" but Severus couldn't finish his sentence, when Neville already rushed over to Hermione sweeping her into an embrace holding onto her tightly, whispering in her ear soothingly. It wasn't long after that, the Head Boy came back with the Headmistress and Hagrid.
"Mister Bell filled me in on what happened. It goes without saying that this behaviour is not tolerated at our school and will have severe consequences. First of all you are fired here and now and I will make sure this will go before the Wizengamot. You'll be leaving this castle tonight. I will contact the Auror's office immediately they will decide what's going to happen to you. Is there anything you want to say in your defence Mister Jones ?" Minerva asked in a stern voice.
He lifted his chin and said, "I thought she wanted me. She egged me on."
Hearing these words Hermione snapped out of her torpor and mortification and pointed her wand at him yelling, "I WHAT? HOW IS THE WORDS 'I WAS ABOUT TO LOOK FOR SEVERUS' EGGING YOU ON? DID YOU THINK I WANTED TO HAVE THREESOME OR WHAT?"
"He is really not my type," Severus murmured, making Neville chuckle.
"I would ask you Hagrid and Mister Bell to escort Mister Jones to my office. I just need to let Filius know he is in charge of the ball for now. I hope that's fine with you Severus, I guess you want to stay with Hermione," Minerva said.
Severus only nodded.
The headmistress turned to the headboy saying, "I'm sorry Mister Bell to ruin your evening."
"Don't be! I would do anything for Professor Granger," he gave Hermione a warm smile and an admiring look. Severus cleared his throat.
"Sorry Sir. I would never act on that. You are a very lucky man," he said to Severus.
"Thank you John," Hermione with a trembling voice.
He winked at her and in a very harsh tone he said to Luke, "Let's go!"
When the three of them were gone, Severus rushed over and gathered Hermione in his arms, "I'm sorry Hermione. If I would have known…" his voice trailed off.
"Just hold me for a bit," she mumbled into his chest.
"We'll talk later Hermione," Minerva said softly.
"Come on Neville, I need to talk to Filius and don't forget you still owe me a dance."
And the two of them left aswell.
"What do you want to do now Hermione?" Severus asked.
"I would love to dance some more with you. If that's alright? Please don't leave my side tonight," she said her voice still a bit shaky. They made their way back to the Great Hall and danced for a couple of songs.
When the beat changed into something quicker, Severus and Hermione left the dancefloor, to get a drink and sat down next to Neville who was moaning, "My feet really hurt. The number of woman and men that belong to this staff is really unbalanced. It feels like I'm doing all the work, dancing with all the ladies."
"Oh you are one to be pitied," Severus said sarcastically, making Hermione chuckle.
Neville burst into laughter saying, "But still my feet hurt."
While Neville and Severus were joking around, Hermione kept quiet and it wasn't until John Bell and Hagrid came back announcing that the 'git' was gone, that Hermione livened up a bit.
"Thank you Mister Bell, that you came to my rescue, just like being one of my friends," she smiled at the student.
"It has been an honour to come to your rescue. After all you have been the one who helped to bring down the most evil wizard of the century," John said, causing Severus to roll his eyes at the solemn words of the young wizard.
"And if Professor Snape will allow me, I would love to have another dance with you Professor Granger?" The young wizard looked at Severus with pleading eyes.
The Defence teacher merely nodded, causing John's face to light up.
"May I have this dance, Professor Granger?" She smiled at him and nodded as well. Hermione was whisked off, by the handsome young Gryffindor, with nut brown hair and dreamy eyes.
"I am amazed you are just letting her go. I always thought of you of being the possessive kind, " Neville said.
"I don't think being possessive is the right thing to do in a relationship and moreover I trust Hermione and I trust Mister Bell. He is a kind and loyal person. He might have a crush on her, but I'm sure he won't act on it, like he said before. And after all we just kissed once, so that is not even a relationship yet."
After a couple of minutes John and Hermione came back.
"Thank you John," she smiled at him, "One day you will make a girl very happy."
Severus rolled his eyes again. John slightly bowed and left the three friends. Minerva came over to their table.
"Ah Severus, I know it's not befitting that I'm asking you but may I have this dance? That is if Hermione won't have any objections?" she looked at Hermione, who shook her head.
Severus and Minerva were waltzing around the dancefloor, while Hermione rested her head on Neville's shoulder.
"That has been a hell of an evening," Neville sighed.
"Thanks for helping me, Neville."
"That goes without saying. I actually saw him following you with that dark look, so I asked Mister Bell to come with me. Unfortunately we couldn't find you right away, but then we ran into Severus."
"I'm glad you found me in the end," Hermione sighed.
The hours until midnight went by quickly and after Severus and Hermione kissed at midnight and watched the fireworks that George Weasley had arranged for the school, Severus accompanied Hermione back to her quarters. When they said good-night at her door, Hermione suddenly broke into tears. Severus opened the door and gently ushered her inside. He warded the door and gathered her in an embrace.
"Shhh Hermione! My dear Hermione! He is gone and you are safe!" he whispered rubbing circles on her back.
"Can you stay with me tonight? I'm scared." She managed to get out between two sobs.
"Certainly. But I'm afraid you have to come to my quarters, because of Elena." he said.
They flooed to his quarters.
"Come on sit down," he helped her to the couch, when a house elf appeared.
"Is everything alright Flipsy?"
"Yes sir, Professor's daughter has been sleeping beautifully. No work at all."
The elf bowed low.
"Thank you very much. Can I ask you one more favour?"
"Anything sir?"
"Can you please fetch a dreamless sleep potion from Madam Pomfrey, for Professor Granger?"
"Flispy is already on its way," the elf disappeared with a faint 'pop'.
"I like how you are treating the house elves," Hermione said quietly.
Severus turned around and smiled, "They have always been nice to me even in the darkest times. Furthermore I think one can always tell how strong a society is on looking how it treats its weakest members for example house elves, squibs, but also children."
"Wise words," Hermione muttered.
"I was thinking of dividing my bed in to two, so you don't have to sleep on my couch and if you get scared, you just wake me. Okay?"
"Thanks that's very nice of you," she mumbled.
"Anything for you," he smiled.
Severus quietly sneaked into his bedroom, not to wake up Elena, pulling Hermione after him and divided his bed into two and enlarged them a bit.
"There you go," he whispered.
"Do you want to borrow a t-shirt and some boxers."
She nodded.
"Here you go," he said handing her a pair of black boxers and an old faded Rolling Stones t-shirt.
After Flipsy came back with the potion and Hermione drank it, Severus helped her into bed. He covered her with a duvet and said, "Good night my girl!"
He gently kissed her cheek and after crawling into his own bed he mumbled, "Nox!"
When Severus woke the next morning, he looked over to Hermione who was still asleep. Her was hair was all over the place making him smile.
"My girl," he whispered, when Elena started mewling in her cot.
"I know you are my girl too," he softly said and took her out of her cot and laid her next to him in his bed. They were playing with one of Elena soft toys, making her giggle every so often. The sound of Elena woke up Hermione, who blinked through sleepy eyes, unnoticed by Severus. Hermione watched them for a minute before Severus realised she was awake.
"Good morning! How are you feeling?"
"Better. Thank you!"
"So do you wanna have breakfast here or at the Great Hall?"
She sighed, "The Great Hall I think, I need to eat there at some point again, so I might as well get it over with."
"As you wish."
"Can I just quickly take a shower?"
"Sure there are towels in the chest of drawers."
When she came out of the bathroom she wore the dress from the ball again.
"I need to change," she stated.
"You look gorgeous in that dress," he said with an admiring look, but didn't dare moving closer.
"Thank you! Do I get a good morning kiss?" she asked shyly.
He rushed over to her, gathered her in his arms and mumbled, "You most certainly do, I just didn't want to put any pressure on you, thinking of what happened yesterday."
"Kiss me," she demanded and he happily obeyed. The kiss was full of passion, leaving them both breathless.
"Is it okay if Elena and I pick you up at your quarters in fifteen minutes to escort you down to the Great Hall?"
"That would be very nice."
When they arrived at the Great Hall, there were hardly any students around but when they passed the Gryffindor table John Bell was sitting there reading the Daily Prophet. He slightly bowed his head, when the couple passed him, but didn't say anything.
Passing him Severus rested his hand on the boy's shoulder for a second quietly saying, "Thank you Mister Bell!"
"You are welcome Sir," the young wizard replied.
"So are you still interested in going on a date with me tonight?" Severus asked when they sat down at the head table.
"Yes!"
After a couple of moments of silence, where she was buttering her toast, she mumbled to herself, "Wow I'm going on a date with Professor Snape!"
He chuckled, "You are cute! So what are your other plans for today?"
"Well I'll be spending my time in the library finishing the book on highly dangerous potions and then I want to make myself a chart with all the potions mentioned in the book. It's easier for me to remember them that way."
"Sounds like a plan."