AFTERWARDS

Hermione and Ginny were sitting in a small coffee shop in Diagon Alley, surrounded by parcels and bags. Most of the bags were Ginny’s, Christmas gifts for the family and some smaller items for the baby. Since moving into the refurbished house in Godric’s Hollow with Harry, they had spent most of their free time doing up the nursery. The baby was due in three months and Ginny was blooming.



‘My feet are so sore.‘ Ginny grumbled and pulled off a boot to rub at her foot tenderly.



‘I have a good lotion for that back at Hogwarts. I can ask Kreacher to bring it to you later if you like?’ Hermione had been taking a special interest in Ginny’s pregnancy from a medical as well as personal perspective as they had asked her if she would deliver their baby. Hermione had been overwhelmed and agreed without question.



‘That would be great. How are things up at the school? You can’t be busy, everyone has gone home haven’t they?’ Ginny shoved her foot back into her boot and grabbed a large cake from the plate in front of her that was just begging to be eaten.



‘I’m busy enough. Apart from sorting out the stores in the ward, going through all of the old records and updating the medical reference books, I’ve been working with Severus, making up Potions and sorting out his lab. He made the foot lotion, actually.’ Hermione lifted her coffee to her lips and sipped it gratefully.



‘Severus? He lets you call him Severus?’ Ginny paused between mouthfuls of cake and began to giggle.



Hermione rolled her eyes. ‘For goodness sake Ginny! It’s been 4 years since he was my Professor and we’re colleagues now, of course I call him Severus. He calls me Hermione when he’s not grumpy, too!’ Hermione grinned at Ginny.



‘I don’t think ‘Serious Severus’ knows how NOT to be grumpy!’ Ginny laughed and started to drink her hot chocolate. Pregnancy had given her a very sweet tooth.



‘I wanted to ask you about something, actually. Harry said some nasty things about him the other night, but I thought they’d made their peace. Did something happen I don’t know about?’ Hermione had been dying to ask about Harry’s outburst at the Yule Ball but didn’t want to pique Ginny’s suspicions.



‘God, yes! I wasn’t meant to say anything but I don’t suppose it matters now…Ron’s married to Lavender so it’s water under the bridge, I guess.’ Ginny took another sip of chocolate and looked at Hermione thoughtfully.



‘Well, you know that Snape has only just gone back to the school to teach this year? Well, before that, he had been working, secretly, for the Auror Office in the Ministry. It took him a long time to get really well again so he was only there a couple of times a week, but when he was there, he worked with Harry and Ron, giving them background information on the Death Eaters. There are still some die-hard Voldermort supporters floating about and it’s their job to stop any further action. You’d be surprised how busy they’ve been.’



Hermione was sitting open-mouthed. She hadn’t thought to ask Severus how he had been spending his time and the thought he had been working alongside Harry and Ron was incredible. She shook her head in disbelief.



‘But he left? Is that why Harry hates him?’ Hermione asked.



‘Harry doesn’t hate him, Hermione. He hates himself, I think.’ Ginny’s face clouded over as she remembered the conversation she had with Harry that night. ‘It was 2 years ago. Ron had told Harry he was meeting you and was going to propose…you remember that night I suppose.’ Ginny offered a small smile to Hermione, who smiled ruefully and nodded.



‘Well, Snape was walking into the office and overheard the conversation. He made some remark about ‘hoping Miss Granger had the good sense to say No’. Ron walked out without saying a word, he was so upset. And Harry, well, he’s so loyal to Ron he gave the Professor a piece of his mind, sticking up for Ron, telling him it was your choice and none of his business.’



‘Bet he just loved that… so he left and went back to Hogwarts?’ Hermione was jumping ahead.



‘That wasn’t the whole of it. Harry told the Professor he had no right to comment and asked what he knew about love.’ Ginny looked at Hermione sadly.



‘Oh no…’ Hermione gasped. ‘What happened then?’



‘Severus just looked at him and walked out. They haven’t spoken since and I think Harry is so angry with himself for being so thoughtless; he can’t bring himself to apologise. So he says he is angry because of what Snape said to Ron, but that’s not it at all.’



‘Poor Severus…’ Hermione stared into the distance and thought about how such a comment would have stung him, especially after sharing his innermost memories about Lily with Harry.



Ginny nudged her. ‘Time to go. Let me know about Christmas, OK? You’re more than welcome at Godric’s Hollow, it would be so lonely for you at the school.’



‘I’ll think about it, OK? And look out for Kreacher later, I’ll send him along with the foot lotion. Probably best not to tell Harry who made it though…’ She smiled sadly.



They stepped out into Diagon Alley, walked into the Leaky Cauldron and apparated.



*********

Hermione knocked on Severus’s door an hour after returning from her shopping spree. There was no answer. She knocked again and opened the door gently, knowing his wards were set to open at her presence. She peered in and saw no sign of him. Walking across to his private quarters she knocked gently but again there was no answer. Hermione opened the door and stepped quietly inside.



There was a fire burning in the grate, a book open on the sofa, but no sign of Severus. Hermione walked across to the other side of the room. The door to his bedchamber was ajar and she called his name softly, not wanting to wake him if he were sleeping.



‘Severus? It’s me, Hermione.’ She called a little louder and was rewarded in a nicer way than she had imagined when Severus stepped naked from his adjoining bathroom, his hair wet, clutching a small towel over his groin hastily as he pulled open the door. He was lean, his skin pale and smooth apart from a dark trail leading from his chest to his crotch, his legs long and muscular, his buttocks firm and round.



Hermione flushed with embarrassment. ‘Oh goddess, Severus, I am so sorry…’ She turned away and bit her lip, trying not to laugh.



‘Don’t turn around.’ He growled at her and marched to his bed, throwing on a long white shirt to cover his modesty.



‘Is it safe yet?’ Hermione giggled.



‘I am decent enough…’ He barked at her and she turned to look at him as he towelled his hair.



If anything, the white shirt was sexier than his nakedness and Hermione looked him up and down in appreciation, unconsciously licking her lips as her eyes fell on the darkened area where his crotch was just hidden.



Severus had been so shocked to see her, his reactions were brusque and to the point but in reality, he had missed her and thought idly what may have happened if she had walked in on his shower earlier. His anger turned to amusement as he watched her checking him out and he grinned.



‘I take it I meet with your approval, Miss Granger?’ He raised his eyebrows in mock surprise.



Hermione blushed but wasn’t going to let him best her. She looked at him coolly.



‘It’s better than I imagined, Professor, thank you for asking.’ She smiled at him sexily. ‘Although I may need a closer look at some point.’



Severus grinned at her. ‘Are you here for a reason or just to catch me naked?’



‘Well I would love to say the latter, but I would be lying, sadly. I just wanted some of that foot lotion for Ginny, is that OK? And to ask you to dinner tonight, if you don’t have plans?’



She smiled at him warmly. After hearing what had happened between Severus and Harry, her heart had gone out to him and she felt a need to comfort him in some way.



Severus walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, holding her close as he looked into her smiling face.



‘Dinner would be very acceptable. Is there a special occasion?’ He smiled a small smile as her eyes brightened. She was pleased he had said yes.



‘No occasion. I just love you. That’s all.’ Hermione tipped her face to his and wrapped her fingers in his damp hair. Pulling his face to hers, she kissed him slowly, pushing her tongue delicately into his mouth and smiling against his lips as she heard his small intake of breath. Hermione withdrew herself from his grasp and stepped lightly to the door of his bedchamber.



‘Dinner is at 8, I’ve linked up the floo’s between our rooms for tonight so we can be discreet, hope you don’t mind.’ Hermione smiled at him brightly.



Severus smiled. She had planned everything. He nodded and waved her away with the back of his hand playfully. ‘Out, Witch. I will see you later.’



Hermione giggled. ‘Oh and Severus…’ She peeked her head around the doorframe, glee in her eyes. ‘Might be a good idea if you let that go down before you decide leave your quarters!’ She nodded at his crotch.



Severus looked down and groaned. The front of his shirt was visibly tented by the huge erection hidden there. He looked up and Hermione was gone. He could hear her laughing as she walked away.


***********

If you sniff hard you can smell lemonade around the corner!

Thanks so much for all of the great comments, much appreciated. A couple of people asked some plot questions, I have answered these at the bottom of the previous chapter.