In His Kiss

CHAPTER 6: Caught Cannoodling







Hermione still wasn’t in the best of moods when she awoke on Sunday morning. She showered and dressed in jeans and a button down shirt, as well as her comfy Uggs she had gotten for Christmas the year before. She brushed her hair, frowning when it fluffed uncontrollably and pulled it into a long ponytail. When she was finally ready, she stepped into the fireplace, flue powder in hand and called out to the burrow. In a flash of green, she was pulled through and into the Weasley living room.





It had become tradition that everyone would meet for Sunday breakfast at the Burrow. She enjoyed the break from school and the chance to visit with her friends. Though she feared she wouldn’t be the best company, she was still fuming over Severus’s rejection of her the night before. What man turns down an offer to spend the night with a young willing witch? Did he not understand what it had taken for her to make the offer? She had only had one lover in her lifetime, and it had only happened a couple of times before they realized that it wasn’t right.



“Mione!” Harry leapt up from the table and swept her into a big hug. “I have been dying for you to get here!” He said an odd glint in his eyes. He led her to the table and held out her chair. She wished good morning to Ron and Ginny and the rest of the Weasleys as she unfolded her napkin into her lap.





“So why is everyone so eager for me to get here?” She asked suspiciously.





“I tried to call you last night, you weren’t home.” Ginny said, smiling.





“Word from the grapevine is you were on a date.” Ron said, waggling his brows.





“Yeah, and rumor has it you were seen in the Warlock Inn.” George piped in.





“Canoodling with some dark wizard.” Fred added.





“Only thing we haven’t heard was who the wizard is.” Harry said, smiling brightly.





“Wow, rumors travel fast around here don’t they. Why are you all so interested in my love life?” She asked, filling her plate with eggs and bacon.

“Maybe because you don’t have one, or didn’t have one.” Ron said, laughing when Hermione stuck her tongue out at him.





“So, is it true then?” Ginny asked.





“Leave the girl alone!” Molly reprimanded, though you could see on her face that she was just as curious. Arthur was ignoring them all, looking through a Sharper Image catalog Harry had brought for him from muggle London.





“Um…..well yeah, I had a date last night. Are you happy now?” She asked, shoving a forkful of eggs into her mouth.





“Who was it?” Ginny asked. Hermione’s face flushed scarlet as she ducked her head and concentrated on her food. “Hermione?”





“It was…no one important.” She said, avoiding eye contact with anyone at the table.





“Do you often canoodle in public places with no one important?” Ron asked, one ginger brow lifted in a way that said he wasn’t buying it.





“Why won’t you tell us who you are seeing?” Harry asked. “Are we going to disapprove?”





“I don’t need your approval, Harry.” She said, frowning slightly.





“Are you embarrassed by him?” George asked.





“Is he horribly disfigured?” Fred continued with the interrogation.





“No, and no.” She answered, reaching for her tea and wishing it were laced with whiskey.



“Well tell us who he is then!” Harry said. Hermione stared at her plate for several long minutes.



“Snape.” She whispered.





“What’s that? I couldn’t hear you.” Harry leaned closer.





“Come on, spit it out, Mione, you know we are going to find out sooner or later, wouldn’t you rather be the one to tell us?” Ron said between enormous bites of food.





“Snape!” She shouted across the table, her short fuse becoming suddenly non existent. “I had a date with Severus Snape! I was canoodling as you put it, with Snape in the restaurant.” The room became so quiet Hermione expected to hear crickets chirping. Hermione looked around at all of their shocked expressions and sighed. She knew they would be surprised.







“Look at this! A torch that doesn’t need batteries, you just shake it up and it lights…what will the muggles come up with next?” Arthur said, oblivious to what was happening around him.







“Is that a joke?” Molly asked, the look on her face saying she was hopeful that it were a jest and not the truth.





“It’s not a funny one, that’s for certain.” Harry said.





“No, it isn’t a joke. Severus took me to dinner last night, it was our first date actually.” She answered. She didn’t like the odd looks she was getting from her friends, the people she considered family.





“What the….how did that happen?” Ron asked, his horrified expression almost comical.





“I don’t know, we work together and we sit beside each other at meals. I suppose we just like each other.” She said. She couldn’t explain the unusual pull that was bringing them together. She didn’t know how and didn’t understand it anyhow.





“But he doesn’t like anyone.” Ron was frowning, an odd smirk on his face.





“He likes me. We have a lot in common actually, and we had fun.” She told them, it was the truth, she had enjoyed her time with Severus, and her only complaint was that he hadn’t come into her rooms with her.





“So….you like him too?” Harry asked, not quite believing that snarky Snape could have a romantic interest in anyone, much less Hermione.





“Yes, I do like him, very much.”





“But…the gossip said you were snogging…” Fred looked like he might gag.





“Yes, don’t you kiss your dates?” Hermione asked.





“But…you kissed Snape?” George asked as though it never occurred to him that anyone would want to get close enough to the nasty potions professor to actually kiss him.



“Yes, I did. More than once.” She said, annoyed.





“How was it?” Ginny asked. She was the only one smiling at her. Molly swatted her on the shoulder.





“You can’t ask that Ginny!” But everyone could see that Molly was just as curious.





“It was….amazing.” Hermione said, nibbling on her lower lip and smiling.





“I say go for it. If he makes you happy….” Ginny shrugged.





“But Snape?” Harry asked. He just couldn’t see it.





“Why?” Ron queried.





“I can’t explain it. Just suffice it to say that we have a special attraction between us. He makes me feel special, and safe.”





“We just want you happy Mione.” Harry said, reaching out to clasp her hand.





“I’m fine. When have you ever known me to stay quiet about something that makes me unhappy?” She smiled slightly. Poor Severus. He probably figured she was a quiet little retiring flower of a woman. He was in for a shock, because she had not outgrown her outspoken nature, and this little witch had a temper.