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

It was 7 o'clock in the evening when Hermione was pacing nervously at Hogwarts' main gate.

"Hi, are you okay? You seem a bit stressed!"

"Oh! Hi Severus. Yes. No. I'm just a bit nervous. It's our first date!"

"You don't have to be nervous. It's just us. We are friends and we've known each other for quite some time now … But I've got to admit I'm a bit nervous too."

She sighed in relief, making him laugh.

"Shall we?" he asked. They walked down towards the apparition point, their hands brushing against each other every so often, when she finally gathered all her courage and took hold of his hand.

Severus beamed and like he couldn't believe it he whispered, "My girl!" and brought her hand up to his lips and softly brushed over her knuckles.

"So where are we going?"

"Ottery St. Catchpole. I read on the Prophet that a new restaurant opened there. It got very good reviews, so I took liberties and reserved a table there."

"Sounds promising," she replied.

"May I apparate us both?" he asked once past the apparition point. She nodded and he wrapped his arms around her waist and with a quiet 'pop' they were gone.

They arrived somewhere close to the Burrow, since Hermione could see the top floors of the skew building. She smiled remembering all the good times she had there with her friends and her second family. There was no light coming from the building which probably meant they were still away with Harry. The couple walked in silence for a few of minutes until they reached the small restaurant. Severus opened the door to let her inside and then asked about their reservation. A young waiter ushered them to their table, which was at a window overlooking the main square of the little village. Severus helped her out of her cloak and looking at her a slight blush crept over his face, she wore the same outfit like on the day she started teaching.

"The look on your face tells me I made the right decision choosing this outfit, " she quietly said looking into his eyes.

"You are killing me. You know that? But I've got a treat for you too" he whispered into her ear, his breath tickling her skin and when he took off his cloak revealing the tight dark blue jeans and the white shirt she bought for him months ago, it was her turn to blush and grinning she said, "Touché!"

He pulled out her chair for her and she sat down.

After they ordered Hermione asked, "So what have you been up to today?"

"I've been doing some research on a potion. With you as my apprentice I found my love for potions again. And I also did some preparing for my defence classes."

"So you do have to prepare your lessons, although you have been a teacher for so long?" she asked curiously.

"Yes I'm trying to be a good teacher, at least when it comes to the syllabus. I know I'm crap when it comes to didactics."

She grinned.

"And I think being a good teacher means being prepared. I've to admit there are lessons I've got to prepare more and then there are others, which hardly need any preparation."

"How do you like teaching? " He asked taking a sip of the red wine he ordered.

"I find it quite inspiring. There are a couple of extremely talented students and then some of them are real dunderheads. I wouldn't have thought that I would ever use that word. But there you go. The third years do real annoy me and it doesn't matter from which house they are," she huffed.

"The third years are normally troublemakers. It's the same every year. I think it has something to do with the hormones. You'll see it will be better next year and when they are fifth years it's all back to normal," he smiled at her encouragingly.

"Well we'll see about that," she said grimly.

"So tell me what are your favourite lessons?" Hermione asked.

"I think I enjoy teaching the sixth and seventh years most. Especially since I'm back I have the feeling I can talk to them more openly. I find the best lessons I had so far were the ones where I talked to them about my years as a spy or a Death Eater. They've been really alert and responsive. If that's followed by a practical part, the results are amazing," he explained.

"I'm happy for you," she said reaching out and resting her hand on his. He started caressing her hand with his thumb and was starting to loose himself in her eyes, when both of them heard the quiet 'click' of a camera. Severus closed his eyes, he felt anger bubbling up, but Hermione brought her second hand to his and held his hand with both of hers.

"Shh Severus! Ignore them."

"But it's gonna be on the Prophet by tomorrow and Merlin knows what they'll write about us," he hissed through clenched teeth.

"So what? You aren't engaged secretly, so I don't care what they write."

"I'm afraid they'll tear you to shreds," he mumbled, "I can already see the headline. 'The Gryffindor Slut. Hermione Granger's way from the Golden Boy to the Dark Mark Bearer.'"

She chuckled, "You should've become a gossip columnist."

Severus grinned, but his brow furrowed, when she sighed slumping her shoulders.

"What?"

"I still can't believe that I got involved with him," she said a stray tear escaping her eye.

He gently brushed it away and cupped her cheek.

"Nobody of us would've guessed that he was such a jerk. I wish I would have paid closer attention. But to be honest I was jealous, seeing you together. So I avoided you two as kind of a self-preservation. I might have prevented what happened last night. I'm sorry!" he whispered these last words.

"You came just in time and I'm very grateful for that and now onto happier topics. It is after all our first date, "she gave him a small smile.

They waiter came with their food, "Lamb chops for the lady and the Filet Mignon for you Sir. Please enjoy!"

"Thanks," they said in unison, causing her to smile and him to wink at her.

"It looks delicious!"

"That it does!"

"Thank you for taking me here. It's a really nice restaurant," she took in her surroundings.

The restaurant was tiny, there were only a couple of tables, yet it was elegant but not overdone.

"Mmh it also tastes delicious. This is going to be my new favourite restaurant. Not that I've been to many restaurants lately," she said.

The rest of the evening was pleasant, talking about literature and a-to-die-for chocolate dessert, made it the perfect first date, for both of them.

Again he apparated them both. When they arrived with a small 'pop' he didn't let go of her, but kept holding her in his arms, smiling at her and whispering, "That was an exceptionally lovely evening. Thank you!"

"You are an exceptionally intelligent, handsome and witty man to be with, that did add a lot to that lovely evening."

He cast down his eyes and mumbled, "Thank you. I don't know how I deserve you, my girl!"

She lifted his chin up with two fingers, placed a soft kiss on his lips and whispered, "Don't say that."

It took them nearly an hour to walk up to the castle, since the stopped every couple of meters kissing or hugging or just looking into each other's eyes. When Hermione was lying in bed she couldn't wipe the smile of her face and it took her longer than usually to fall asleep.