The celebratory dinner goes about as well as can be expected. Severus drinks his whiskey and doesn't say much. Harry and Ginny talk Quidditch. Ron glowers at Severus, who looks back with disdain. But when they are levitating away the dinner dishes and bringing out the pudding, Ginny turns to Snape and says, "So when are you planning on stealing her away from us?"
"Ginny!" says Hermione, but Severus puts a calming hand on her back.
"Hermione will be going wherever she damn well pleases and doing whatever she damn well pleases. If I am lucky, she will allow me to accompany her." His face is dangerously, deceptively blank.
"But she can't stay here if she wants to be with you, can she?" Ginny doesn't back down.
"How is it that I have resigned my post as teacher at Hogwarts, and here I am still having to repeat myself for idiots?" Severus snaps. "Hermione can go wherever she wants, Miss Weasley. And if she were to ask me to, I'd snog her on the steps of Gringotts and tell the whole bloody British wizarding community to piss off. But have you ever thought that maybe she's had enough? Enough exposure, enough kidnapping, enough torture, attempted murder a few times a year and all the while the Daily fucking Prophet and Rita fucking Skeeter trying to turn the whole world against her while all she's trying to do is save everyone that isn't as smart as she is? Which is EVERY FUCKING WITCH AND WIZARD IN BRITAIN?" He snarls the last part out with so much venom that everyone visibly startles except Hermione.
"He just called her the most brilliant magical person in Britain, Ginny. Maybe you could ease up on him a little?" Harry gives her a nudge.
"Do you swear if she wants to stay here you'll stay with her? That she doesn't have to leave to be with you?"
"I swear it." His voice is monotone, his face unreadable.
"Swear it on your love for her," Ginny says, unmovable.
"I swear on my love for Hermione, that I will go wherever she goes, even if that means staying here." His voice is still steely, but when he says Hermione's name they all hear the emotion behind it.
"Okay," says Ginny. "Merlin, but you're a scary fucker. I nearly pissed myself." She digs into her pudding.
"It didn't show, Miss Weasley," Severus says charitably. And it's true. Being in a house full of sodding Gryffindors is exhausting for him.
"Anyone else want to have a go at me?" asks Severus politely, "Or can I eat my pudding?"
"Eat your pudding," says Harry, "And you will have survived a dinner with four Gryffindors. Honestly though, if we were in Slytherin we would be kissing your ass at the table and contriving to drive you two apart behind your backs. Or just drive something into your back. Isn't it easier this way?"
"With Slytherins," Severus says, his voice dripping with disdain, "I never have to repeat myself."
"That's because they're too cowardly to stand up to you," Ron says, finally joining the conversation. The irony of his comment isn't lost on Severus.
"Or too smart," Severus says darkly, between mouthfuls of pudding.
Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny all scoff openly at this comment. Severus gives them a little smirk.
After their pudding is finished, Severus gets up. "I think it's time for me to make my escape from this den of lions. Thank you for dinner and again for your hospitality."
"You're welcome anytime," says Harry.
Hermione gets up and follows Severus out into the hall. He takes her in his arms. "Are you angry with me, love?" he asks.
"No," she mumbles into his chest, "Why would I be? You were defending me. You called me the smartest person in Britain. Most of all you were just being Snape. Ginny knew she was poking a serpent's nest."
"Indeed," he says bending to kiss her. His kiss is slow, but demanding. Severus takes no prisoners. The sleeping coils of her arousal begin to unravel in Hermione's belly when his tongue presses into her mouth.
She pulls back from the kiss. "Severus," she says. "I need to be with my friends tonight, but- I don't want to wait too long."
"Wait too long for what, sweetheart?" he asks, knowing damn well what she means. He wants to hear her say it.
"To make love to you." She doesn't blush this time.
"Come over tomorrow morning and I'll have you for breakfast," he says. The look on his face is hard. Hungry.
Hermione gulps. "What time?"