AN: I hope everyone had a restful and happy holiday season! If you celebrate Kwanza, Happy First Day of Kwanza! If you don't celebrate anything, I hope your week is restful, joyful, and fabulous!
Thank you for the support! It is very deeply appreciated!
No matter how hard Hermione tried to focus on her store, she couldn't expel the image of Severus staring at her from his counter, uncertainty and fear clouding his expression. What was he thinking when she waved at him? Did she see fear that he'd lose his best friend or fear that his new lover would discover that he'd kissed another woman? What if he thought that Hermione was now an impediment to him being with the woman he could grow to love? Did he need a best friend who was developing romantic feelings for him in his life, or would she become a liability?
It was becoming more difficult to fight her growing attraction to him. For years, he'd been the most important man in her life, the one she could not live without. It only made sense that she'd begin dreaming of spending her life with him and hoping he would remain forever by her side. Although she couldn't pinpoint the exact moment she had fallen in love with him, she imagined there was a piña colada in her hand and a gleam in his eyes.
How the hell would she ever be able to look at piña coladas if she lost him? They had become a symbol of everything that had gone right in her life. No matter how horrible her day at work was, if she could have a piña colada in the evening with him, her day was salvageable. The best moments of her life were drinking piña coladas with him while playing cards. How could she have almost thrown all that away for a kiss?
It didn't matter what happened or what kinds of feelings she had developed for him. Somehow, she had to make this right. She only hoped she wasn't too late.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped into his store, a book in hand.
"Hello." His smooth voice sent vibrations through her body. That man could do things to her body with his purr that she didn't dare speak aloud. What she wouldn't give to hear him whispering sweet nothings into her ear every morning as she was waking up and every night as she was closing her eyes.
"Hermione?" His voice was quieter.
"Yes, uh, hello." She cleared her throat. "Are you busy now? Is this a bad time, or should I come back later?"
"No, you may stay." His lips twitched upwards. "I'm never too busy for you."
"You aren't?"
"No." He folded his hands before glancing at the book. "Is that the latest translation of Cyrano de Bergerac? You mentioned it coming in soon, but I did not know that was out today."
"No, that book will come in tomorrow." She handed her book to him. "This is just something I thought you'd appreciate."
He glanced at the title before smiling. "The History of Puerto Rico As Told Through the Piña Colada."
"It just came in today." She grinned. "The second I saw the title, I knew you needed a copy."
"Thank you." He held it close. "How much do I owe you?"
"You already paid for it when you paid for the pizza on Saturday night, and you let me win a few hands at poker."
"I must be losing my touch if you won more than one game." He mused aloud.
"Or perhaps my books are helping me become a better player."
"Perhaps." He chuckled, sending warmth through her body.
"Anyway, I hope you like it. If you'd like." She swallowed as the playfulness evaporated from her expression. Uncertainty laced her voice. "I can read it too so we can discuss it."
"I would like that very much," his voice was tender.
"Great."
They stared at each other in suffocating silence. Part of her wanted to launch herself at him, capture his lips, and never let him go. Yet, that is what a girl would do, not a woman such as herself. This needed to be handled in the most mature way possible in order to preserve their friendship.
"Look." She exhaled. "I've thought about what happened on Saturday night."
"I have too," Severus answered.
"I know, but please, let me finish…"
"No, Hermione, I need to say this before I lose the courage to tell you this."
"Severus, please." She held up her hand. "I have to get this off my chest or I'll lose my nerve."
He closed his mouth.
"I don't want the kiss to make us awkward around each other. You meant too much to me for me to lose you over a kiss."
"I agree." There was a spark of hope in his eyes. "The last thing I ever want is for there to be a distance between us."
"We got caught up in the moment and kissed. These things sometimes happen. There's no reason to make a big deal over it."
"Was it not a big deal to you?" His throat was tight.
"It was a big deal. It was a huge deal. You're an outstanding kisser. I've never enjoyed a kiss as much as I did when I kissed you," she continued. "But we are complicated people who are in a complex situation. We also aren't the best at expressing emotions in a healthy manner. I think that's what Saturday night was about. We are friends who don't always know how to handle emotional intimacy, so we got carried away."
"What are you saying?" He choked.
"I'm saying we need to remain friends without dwelling on what happened Saturday night. We need to move forward as if nothing had occurred."
"In other words, you want to pretend it never happened."
"Don't you think it would be best?"
Severus glanced at the right side of his desk.
"Severus?" Her heart slowed.
"If that is what you want." He forced himself to smile. "I have forgotten the kiss already."
"You have?" She couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice.
"As far as I'm concerned, we have never done anything more than embrace each other."
"And given each other massages."
"Yes." His eyes glistened. "And you are outstanding at giving massages."
"I could say the same of you." The urge to kiss him again flared up in Hermione.
"Yes, and if you ever want one again, I can give it to you."
"Just as long as you never kiss me."
"I won't do that again." He swallowed.
"I promise you the same," she replied. "From now on, we will remain platonic friends who only give each other the occasional massage."
"Indeed," he muttered.
"I feel so much better." She exhaled. "Now that we have all that out of our systems, what did you want to say?"
He shrugged. "I forgot."
"You forgot?"
"Indeed, I forgot what I was going to say."
"That isn't like you," she noted.
"I can be very forgetful, like when I think about the people I've kissed. I don't remember any of them."
"Neither do I." She forced herself to chuckle. "I mean, how horrible would it be if I ruined a friendship by dwelling on a few kisses?"
"It would be tragic," he answered, pain seeping into his expression.
"Indeed." She took a deep breath. "So, do you want to play blackjack tonight?"
"Sure," he choked.
"Great, I'll buy the Dum Dums. I think we're running out," Hermione replied.
"Indeed we are." His grin was forced.
"I'm glad we resolved that." She exhaled. "Thank you for not holding anything against me."
"I could never do that." His eyes betrayed his honesty.
"Yes, you could, but you don't," her voice softened. "Thank you."
"The pleasure is all mine."
"I'll get started on that book so we can read it together."
"I'll begin reading it over my lunch break," he replied. "I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it."
"Thank you, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it as well." Hermione relaxed. "I will see you this evening."
"I will count the minutes until you grace my doorstep," he answered.
She gave him one last smile and waved goodbye. Then she left, resisting the urge to look back.
Had she looked back, she would have seen Severus pull out the letter he had written to Helen, the one in which he told her he could not love her the way she deserved to be loved and that he was breaking up with her. With the snap of his fingers, he incinerated the letter, leaving only a pile of black ashes. Then, a single tear fell from his eye.
"So he's been disguising himself as you?"
Ricardo nodded as he sat across from Draco and Ginevra. Although Starbucks was not his favorite cafe, the Malfoys were addicted to it, calling the drinks the most exotically delicious things they'd ever consumed. While he couldn't blame them for enjoying the occasional caramel macchiato, he wasn't sure what made caramel exotic. Must be a pureblood Brit thing.
"How?" Ginevra asked.
"He's been using my hair and taking a Polyjuice potion before each date," he answered. "He's pretending to be a man named Steven Turpin in order to seduce someone he believes to be Helen Belle."
"Helen Belle sounds like the kind of name Hermione would use as an alias," Draco noted.
"Yes, but who could she be disguising herself as?" Ginevra asked.
"According to Severus, Helen Belle is tall, has blond hair, blue eyes…"
"Melonie!"
Ricardo closed his mouth.
"Melonie is Hermione's next-door neighbor, the one who's always playing her music too loud." Ginevra snapped her fingers. "That sounds exactly like her."
Draco groaned. "Of course those two idiot geniuses would come up with the same plan to disguise themselves and start dating each other to avoid their feelings for each other."
"It's very Severus and Hermione." Ginevra sighed. "They overcomplicate things until nobody can see straight."
"They really are meant for each other." Ricardo chuckled.
"Indeed they are." Ginevra smirked.
"Now we just have to figure out how to clean up their mess." Draco shook his head.
"I say you beat them at their own game." Ricardo took a sip of his caramel macchiato.
"How?" Draco quirked an eyebrow.
"There's no way they could double date each other," Ginevra answered. "If they're forced into a situation where they'll be exposed, they may rethink their disguises and come clean to each other."
"It could work, at least on Severus' end." Ricardo scratched his chin. "I wouldn't give him a hair, nor would I impersonate him."
"Great, but how do we get Melonie on board?" Draco answered.
"I've seen her a few times," Ginevra replied. "I'm sure I can convince her not to interfere with our plans. There has to be something she wants that won't be difficult to give her."
"Sounds like a great plan," Ricardo replied.
"Yes, all they need is a credit card to pay for everything, for it to be made very clear they are to show up at the restaurant they need to be at, and they'll do the rest," Ginevra replied.
"Either that, or they'll screw everything up again." Draco frowned.
"I have a feeling they won't screw this up," Ricardo answered.
"Why would you say that?"
"Because Severus may be a dunderhead at times, but he loves Hermione. Somehow that will win out," Ricardo answered. "There may be a few twists and turns, but ultimately, they will find a way to each other. Somehow, their love for each other will conquer their insecurities."