Goodnight, Demon Slayer

Sorry for how long it's been!! But, thankfully, the Snapey train is back on track and should be chugging along nicely (if not quickly =) ) from now on! Thank you so much to those who hawuireviewed; I'm sorry I'm too lazy to write individual replies this time around! Maybe later, if you're good... ;)


Goodnight, Demon Slayer
Chapter Four:
If You're Happy And You Know It, Go Away

Given the circumstances, Hermione never would have thought she would be looking forward to going home so much, but the longer she stayed at Hogwarts, the more she came to understand how truly insanely protective her friends were. Since "the kiss"- as it had come to be known among the student body- Harry had barely left her side long enough to use the toilet, and though he had hardly breathes more than a word to her, Ron was always hovering close by. At every chance Harry asked her if she needed to talk while Ron just looked upon her as if she had died and taken his entire family with her. To Ron's credit, Hermione knew he sincerely felt betrayed and yet was making every possible effort to be there for her. Ron was a true friend, and in any other case she would have liked for him to have been more. In fact, she could honestly say she loved him.

She just wished he'd stop being so bloody melodramatic.

Honestly, she was worried he was mere inches away from a drunken, tearful confession of love accompanied by flowers, chocolates, and a good quantity of fluffy toys. None of which he could afford, she reminded herself, which would only lead to a deepening of his depression and most likely a great deal more drinking.

To make matters worse, the last week of classes that year was quite possibly the worst Hermione had ever experienced. Everywhere she went there were snickers and laughs and pointing.

And then she had to deal with the students.

Her life was crumbling. The Dark Lord had a contract for her life, Malfoy was practically salivating over her, she had kissed the Potions Master and liked it, and worst of all, she had missed a point on her Transfiguration final.

Yes, Hermione had decided it was the worst year ever. She had not seen Severus except in a teacher-student kind of way since their performance in the entrance hall, but as the time to leave the school drew nearer, she knew she would have to see him sooner or later.

Sighing, Hermione headed toward the dungeons, free of her bodyguards- er, best friends- for once. She smiled to herself thinking of how she'd dispatched them; one mention of "girl problems" and the two had split before she could even finish her sentence. Boys are so predictable... Oh, well. She would have gone to see Snape even had they been with her, but now she and Severus would get to be alone.

And maybe he'd kiss her again.

Stop that! Stop thinking that, Hermione Granger! He is your fake boyfriend and nothing else!

As soon as Voldemort was vanquished, he would simply go back to being her Potions Master. Her Potions Master with terribly kissable lips and really, really talented hands...

And so with chaos running rampant in her head and, regrettably, through her... uh... nether regions, Hermione approached Snape's room.

"Severus?" Hermione knocked hesitantly on his chamber door. Now that their "secret" was out, she supposed it would be fine to simply walk up to his rooms nonchalantly. Right, this is me being nonchalant, Hermione thought as she felt the sweat begin to emerge on her palms. Anatomy was really terrible when you thought about it. Why sweaty palms? That's just gross.

Suddenly the door swung open, and a very Snapey looking Severus glared at her from the entry.

"Ah, Miss- er- Hermione. So good to see you. Please come in." Opening the door wider for her and allowing her entrance, Snape noticed a small smile play across her face. He hated smiles instinctively- they were usually indicative of someone mocking him or betraying him, so he narrowed his eyes and as soon as the heavy wooden door was closed, locked, and sound-proofed, he questioned her.

"And what are you smiling about?"

But this only made her smile more broadly.

"I was just thinking about how badly you wanted to tell me to go away just now."

"Oh, Hermione! Are you sure you do not possess the inner eye?" he drawled, sarcasm practically dripping from every syllable. Hermione regarded him cautiously for a moment before bursting out laughing.

"I hope that was a joke," cried Hermione, wiping her eyes free of the tears which had sprung up at her sudden outburst. "Because if it wasn't you are the most unintentionally funny man I've ever met!" Once again, Severus was astonished by her behavior. She was an odd mix of contradictions, at once nervous around him and yet comfortable enough to laugh and joke with him. Somehow this made Severus uncharacteristically comfortable and he wasn't quite sure he liked it.

"And with how many unintentionally funny men are you acquainted, Hermione?" questioned the Potions Master, an eyebrow arched inquisitively while the curl of his lip mocked her. Hermione didn't know really how she was supposed to answer that question, and to an insufferable know-it-all that feeling was quite disconcerting.

Oh well. Honesty's the best policy, right?

"Well, Ron does some stupid stuff, but I'd hesitate to call him a man." Severus watched her questioningly for a beat before forever shattering her illusion of the Potions Bastard by doing something entirely outrageous and unthinkable.

He laughed out loud.

It wasn't a long laugh or even a particularly heart-felt one, more derisive than anything else, but the fact remained. Severus Snape had laughed at something Hermione-The-Annoying had said. And he hadn't even been laughing AT her. She was astonished.

Slowly and in a very fluid movement, Severus came to sit next to her on the black leather sofa. Hermione was a bit surprised at their sudden proximity but more than happy to scoot over and allow him room.

God, he smelled good...

STOP IT, HERMIONE!

"For once, Miss Granger, I agree with you," he answered, interrupting her internal struggle. Severus' voice was all that Hermione needed, and she immediately relaxed, beaming him a bright, warming smile. He had never noticed that smile before. Well, except when Malfoy had cursed her teeth, but other than that...

It was going to be an interesting summer, indeed.

"Oh, it's back to 'Miss Granger' now, is it?" she questioned, batting her eyes teasingly. She had a feeling she might enjoy this. At her very core, Hermione was a very intelligent, sarcastic creature, but her friends rarely, if ever, got her jokes or quips. Perhaps she just needed someone intelligent and sarcastic enough to match her. Maybe she just needed someone to understand her sense of humor.

And with an inner cringe, she realized that that person may just be Snape. Yes, he was sexy- she would admit that. Not to anyone else, but at least to herself she would admit it. Yes, he was intelligent- extraordinarily so. Yes, he was funny- in a sarcastic, hurtful way. She could admit all these things freely and without question, but under no circumstances would she ever add those qualities up and see that, in essence, she and he were very, very similar.

Nope. Never going to say that. Not like Snape. Not in the least.

"Old habits die hard, you insufferable Gryffindor Know-It-All."

Holy Mother of God, did Snape just make a joke? Hermione was momentarily flabbergasted, but the woman that was just making itself known in her psyche had snatched control of her tongue and facial expressions. With a sly smile, she turned a bit to face him more fully and raised her eyebrows at him (she couldn't do just one. Maybe it was a Slytherin thing...).

"You're right. They do, Potions Bastard." Snape smirked at her cheek and also turned closer to her. In order to accommodate his new position, Severus had to place an arm on the back of the sofa, and Hermione's naive heart skipped several beats wondering if he was going to use that to segue into putting his arm around her. But as time went by, she lost hope as she realized he actually DID just need to rest his arm there.

Stupid television, always influencing her ideas of what really went on during dates. Damn you, Zack Morris and your infernal "pretend-to-yawn-then-put-your-arm-around-the-girl!"

"Now, Hermione, please inform me why I am so blessed by your unscheduled presence this afternoon."ce ace again drawing her out of her thoughts, Severus' voice forced her to focus on reality. Still cursing Zack Morris for getting her hopes up, she let out a little cough to clear her throat before continuing.

"Well, I was wondering what you'll be wearing on the day we go home."

"Why? Plan on matching?" Hermione rolled her eyes and made an aggravated face before continuing. What was to follow would fly by faster than a passing quaffle during a quidditch match, and afterward she would wonder how the two of them had even kept up with their own thoughts.

"I didn't know if you had any Muggle clothes."

"I don't, but why does that matter?"

"I think my neighbors might start to worry if they keep seeing me with a grown man dressed as a bat."

"How wonderful to have such attentive and caring neighbors."

"Anyway, I got you something."

"What?"

"It isn't much, but it reminded me of you, and I figured you wouldn't have any Muggle clothes." Severus watched her pull from her robes a large box she had somehow managed to conceal.

I must pay closer attention to her, Severus thought as he caught a tiny glimpse of her midriff.

Wait, no! I take that back! Don't think about the girl! Don't think about her!

"You got this for me? Why?"

"Like I said, it reminded me of you," Hermione answered, an annoyed tone to her voice as she handed him the box. "We can go shopping when we get home for more Muggle clothes." Slowly opening the box as if afraid the contents had either been born or hatched, Severus retrieved a black t-shirt. Holding the shirt up, he read the small white lettering aloud.

"'I'll Be Nicer When You're Smarter.'" Slowly, a smug grin crept to his face and he looked her in the eye. "Thank you, Hermione. It does seem to embody my personality quite well."

Suddenly shy, she lowered her eyes and gazed intently upon her hands, feeling the red rush through her cheeks.

"Um... You're welcome. Well, I... I'd better go," she stammered, standing and smoothing out her robes. Severus was almost shocked to see the sudden change in the girl but didn't let it show.

"Are you sure? I was just about to offer you tea."

"Oh, no. I mean, no thank you. I've got to go help Neville study for his Arithmancy exam. I'll... I'll see you later."

With that Hermione rushed from the room, leaving a very confused Severus wishing she had been able to stay. He was blissfully ignorant of the fact that, crumpled in a ball against his door was one Hermione Granger, sobbing with embarrassment, longing, anger, and an entire slew of emotions she couldn't even begin to name.

Sniffling, Hermione began to wonder if maybe she really was having girl problems.