Correspondence

She was sitting at her desk in the library, secretly rereading the last letter she had received from Severus. The loud sound of a book dropping on a desk startled her awake, and the book she was hiding the letter in went flying over her desk. She heaved a heavy sigh of annoyance at her jumpy behavior and stood up. She bent over the desk and reached down for the book, but her arm was just short enough that she couldn’t reach it. She pressed herself further forward, lying completely flat on the hard wood of the desk. Her fingers brushed the worn leather of the book, and she stretched that little extra bit to grab the spine and lift it up. A strangled groan came from the side of the desk, and she looked up to find Severus standing there.

“Hello, Severus. May I help you with something?” she asked with a friendly smile on her face.

“I’m… umm… just returning this book,” he stumbled, shocking her at the unheard stutter. He pointed to the aforementioned book down on the desk that had startled her and turned around, walking at a pace much quicker than his normal one.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, giving his retreating back an odd look, completely confused as to why he was acting so weird.

*

"Hermione!" She heard the familiar dulcet tones of Severus Snape from behind her as she was locking up the library for the night. She turned, and her eyes took in the sight of him moving towards her. She hadn’t seen him since the incident with the book earlier. He had skipped dinner.

He walked towards her, his boots stomping as he moved, the loud noise bouncing off the stone walls. His cape flipped in his self-made breeze, giving him his signature bat appearance. She couldn't help but giggle at the image he presented. She stood there, waiting to see what his next move was going to be. He reached her and stood close, his face mere inches away from her face.

"You will go to dinner with me," he demanded, his silky tone washing over her.

"Hello, to you too, Severus. How are you today? I am fine, thank you for asking, that was ever so considerate of you," she said, sarcasm filling her voice.

"Hermione, I will not do this anymore. I want you to go to dinner with me."

"Do what?" she asked, puzzled.

"Just be friends. There is something that is just not right. Something is missing. Go to dinner with me."

"Maybe you are just hungry. Food could be what is missing. Did you try eating?"

"Hermione, you are trying my patience."

"Well, I'm not really sure I understand what you are doing. You haven't asked me anything, so what are you wanting me to do?"

"I want you to go to dinner with me. What don't you understand? Why are you making this so difficult? It’s dinner for crying out loud, woman! Just say you will go with me!"

"What am I saying yes to?" she asked coyly.

"Will you go to dinner with me?" he asked with a heavy growl in his voice.

"Wow, Severus. What a way to sweep a girl off her feet. How could I possibly say no to such romance and sincerity? Yes.” She gave him a bright smile and stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. When she pulled back, his face was a mask of shock. She turned around and walked back towards her room.

*

“When?” she questioned him after they left dinner at the Great Hall the next day.

“When what?” he asked, his face twisting into a puzzled expression.

“When do you want to go to dinner? You asked me to dinner, but you never said when, or where. So I was simply wondering when and where?”

“Will this Saturday suffice? We can go to the new restaurant that just opened in Hogsmeade.”

“That sounds delightful, Severus. I will have to make sure that it is okay with Minerva.”

“Of course.” He gave a nod of acknowledgment and turned around leaving her standing in the hall.

She stood there and stared after him, completely fascinated by the enigmatic figure that was Severus Snape. She heard a gentle cough behind her that broke her from her reverie, and when she turned around, she met the gentle smile of Minerva.

“Is there something you needed to ask me, Hermione?” she asked sweetly, almost too sweetly.

“I’m assuming that you heard us, but would it be alright if I was gone for a few hours on Saturday? I can lock up the library or find someone else to watch it if you want me to.”

“There will be no need, I can watch the library for a few hours; it is not a problem.”

“Thank you, Minerva. You don’t know how much that means to me.”

“No problem. I am just happy to see both of you happy, and if that means watching the library for a few hours, I think I can handle it.”

*

She was looking in the mirror, her hands were gripped hard in her hair, and she was trying to figure out some way to make it look presentable. She blew a gust of breath into the curls covering her face and growled in frustration. She looked around her empty bathroom and chuckled at herself; she looked ridiculous.

A sharp rap on her door pulled her from her laughter. She froze and looked behind her, positive that the knock meant he was in her quarters with her. She realized how silly that idea was and called out to the front that she would be a minute. She threw her hair up in a tight bun and clipped back the few wisps of curls that were not behaving. She glanced in the mirror as she was leaving and nodded; it was the best she could hope to get out of the monstrosity that grew out of her head.

She grabbed her winter coat, putting it on and wrapping her scarf around her neck. She made her way to the front door and opened it slowly. Severus stood on the other side, a scowl on his face.

“Well, don’t look so happy to see me.”

He shook his head at her comment and met her eyes.

“Sorry, my mind was elsewhere. You look lovely, Hermione. Are you ready?”

“No, I’m merely standing here with my purse, dressed, and at the door for fun.” She gave him a smile and took his proffered arm, leading her out of her quarters, pulling the door shut behind them.

They made their way through the halls of the school. They passed a gaggle of students who started whispering, startled at the image the beautiful librarian and the dour Potions master presented as they swept out of the school and down the hill.

The icy wind blasted them as they made their way towards Hogsmeade. The snow was falling around them, large flakes landing on their shoulders and falling on their hair. Severus’ hair slowly was becoming white with the heavy blanket of snow that was falling. She looked over at him and let out a gurgle of laughter.

“And what may I ask is so funny?” he murmured, turning his head to look at her.

“Your hair is covered in snow,” she laughed, unable to hold it in. She reached her gloved hand up towards his head and brushed the snow off the obsidian locks that hung framing his face. Her fingers brushed the locks behind his ear, and her cloth-covered fingers traced the shell of his ear.

He released a gasp of surprise, and she realized what she had done. She quickly pulled her hand back, a profuse blush covering her already rosy cheeks.

“Sorry. You just looked so relaxed and calm. It was nice.” She turned and started walking again.

His quick steps caught him up to her rapidly.

“No, it is I that should be sorry; you just surprised me. I am not used to being touched; most people avoid me like the plague. It was nice though.”

“It was?” she questioned, turning towards him. She could feel her cheeks heating up even more.

“Yes, it was,” he said as he gently brushed his fingertips against her gloved hand. He lifted her hand to his mouth and gently bit the tips of each finger, slowly pulling the glove off one finger at a time. When her hand was free of the confining glove, he entwined their fingers and tugged on her arm, pulling her forward as they moved towards the village. He placed the glove in the pocket of his long coat.

They continued to make their way through the wintry landscape, simply enjoying the smell of freshly fallen snow and the brightness of the sun reflecting off the frozen surface. The wind whipped her hair around her flushed face, pulling the curls free from her hastily made bun. Her free hand reached up and pushed the curls behind her ear.