Breaking Down Walls

**All Characters contained herein are the property of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros, and Scholastic Books. No copyright infringement is intended. The author of this fan fiction story is not receiving compensation for this work other than maybe some reviews (hint hint) **

BREAKING DOWN WALLS
By: Wicked Witch
(Title inspired by Nethea, my sister.)

SUMMARY:
Hermione saw him for the first time in the long years that she has known him in that moment. He was offering himself to her. The man she has secretly desired for years was in front of her providing her with one night of endless possibilities. Moreover, if she accepted him, he could take the memory of this night away. Whether the feeling was not right, or by some off chance that embarrassment would ensue, she could forget it happened. However, what if she had the choice to keep the memory? What if she wanted to remember?

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“You have got to be kidding me!”

“No, Severus, I am not. Miss Granger missed the train, and, since her parents denied her stay at Hogwarts over the holidays, she is to return home this evening. I have a meeting with the Wizengamot and the other professors have their duties. I am afraid you are the only one free this evening. You will be taking her home.”

If anyone suspected Severus Snape to be a master at scowling as well as potions, the look he gave Headmistress McGonagall at that very moment would have been the proof they needed to confirm those suspicions.

“Not like that, I won‘t.”

Minerva smiled slightly, knowing this was tormenting the poor man. “You do have a license to drive a muggle automobile, do you not?”

“Yes, but that’s beside the point.” He crossed his arms in his usual indignant stance.

“It is entirely the point. You cannot floo into their house as they have…leticity…”

“Electricity,” he corrected.

“Yes, that. In addition, she is deathly afraid of flying on a broom. Her parents’ house is in a very public place and therefore Apparation is out of the question. You both could be seen,” she sighed as she completed her list of excuses. Taking a seat, she looked up at him. “I’m sorry, Severus. There really is no other way. I have called the Ministry and they have made arrangements for a car to pick the two of you up at precisely nine this evening after dinner.” She noted the defeated look on his face. “If anything, look at this expedition as a way to refurbish any supplies the muggles might have that could assist you in potions.”

Feeling a bit more tolerant at that suggestion, Severus slightly nodded and gestured to the door. “Yes, you may go. Do not forget! Nine exactly.”

Severus trudged to his quarters and began inventory of his muggle ingredients. He could very well get them at the local Apothecary in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley, but he was too fond of the quality of some of the herbs he found in pharmacies and home remedy shops in London.

Later that evening in the Great Hall…

“He has to take you? That’s absurd! Why can’t McGonagall?”

“Professor McGonagall, Ron. And since when did you use words like ‘absurd’?” Hermione narrowed her eyes at her redheaded friend.

It was the other redhead that piped up when Ron suddenly seemed to have lost his new vocabulary.

“He’s been studying with Susan again. I didn’t think they were studying. At least it didn’t look that way last night,” Ginny giggled.

“Sod off,” Ron said as he returned to his plate, clearly going red from embarrassment.

“Honestly, it’s just a car ride. A couple hours and I’ll be home and he will be gone. No big deal, really.” Hermione began dissecting her treacle fudge.

Harry turned and took Hermione’s hand in his own. “At least sit in the back seat, away from him.”

Hermione enjoyed the loving look Harry gave her. Their relationship at the beginning of the year was too rocky to continue, but she knew he still cared about her. They had remained friends and seemed closer than they had been before. Hermione knew she could count on him for anything. Including protecting her from the dungeon monster.

“Harry, I love you as a brother. You know that. But if you don’t give off about him soon, I will hex you to Tuesday. He was acquitted! You saw the proof Professor Dumbledore left behind. It was tested repeatedly to prove that it wasn’t tampered or fake. Pensieved ideas are very hard to mess with, Harry. You saw what the rest of us saw,” Hermione sighed into her plate, slowly pushing back the rest of her fudge.

“It’s still hard. I didn’t know they had a pact.” Harry ran his fingers through his hair, having sense to feel chagrined.

Hermione glanced around for a moment. Most of the tables were clear of students having caught the Hogwarts Express home for the holidays. Mr. Weasley was picking up Ron, Ginny, and Harry tomorrow morning. Nevertheless, Mr. Granger had thought that it would be best for Hermione to spend the holiday with her family this year; one in peace now that the war was over. She noticed only a few staff members at the head table. The headmistress was conversing with Professor Flitwick about how the decorations in the Great Hall would have made Albus proud; while Professor Snape was sitting back enjoying his strong, black coffee. He watched her glance around the room through strands of his hair.

“How am I supposed to be alone in the car with her for hours, knowing it will be the death of me?” He thought as he sipped from his cup again.

He left the staff table when his third cup was empty and strode across the room to the Gryffindor table. They did not see him approach, as usual; however, Hermione had a sixth sense of his presence.

Turning abruptly to meet his gaze, Hermione brazenly opened her mouth to speak. “I am ready, Professor. And before you ask, I have my luggage minimized in my pocket. Are you ready or do you need to get anything from your rooms?”

Caught off guard, he almost stammered, but caught her words. “Anything in my rooms, Miss Granger, is none of your business. However, I am prepared for our excursion. Do meet me at the front gates when you have said your goodbyes to your cohorts.” And he briskly swept out of the Great Hall, quickly conjuring a warm cape, scarf and gloves. Heating charms were often useless in muggle vehicles with drafty cracks and crevices. He found it more comfortable to be prepared than be cold.

“Well, I guess I better go. I’ll see you guys after New Year’s! I love you all! Happy Christmas!” Hermione took turns giving each of them a long hug and a thoughtful look before heading out the doors and into the harsh winter wind. Her mind was too focused on trying to keep her legs moving through the snow to realize that she was already to the gates before too long.

“Five points to Gryffindor for you expedience, Miss Granger,” came that low rumble that made her start every time she wasn’t expecting to hear it.

“Excuse me?”

“It is the holidays. And you have perceived my desire to make this evening as short as humanly possible correctly. Would you prefer I take them away for showing public displays of affection with Potter and Weasley just now?”

She glared at him. “No, sir.”

Severus caught that glare. He secretly reveled in the idea that he could evoke such fire in her. He secretly reveled in many things about her. Severus had pined for her ever since last year. The date was September 19th. Her use of time-turner in her third year advanced her age by a year. Severus had a keen sense of what was going on through his astute awareness of her schedule. Therefore, he knew that when her birthday came, she had turned seventeen; an adult in wizarding standards. The only thing holding him back was their teacher/student relationship.

Averting his eyes, he motioned for her to get in the vehicle. She did so swiftly, and they began their trek down the road. The air between them was silent for miles. Then it happened.

“What was that sound?”

Hermione opened her eyes from her nap and looked around. “I didn’t hear anything, Professor.”

A loud clunk and clang emitted from under the hood of the car as a billow of smoke erupted from the tailpipe.

Hermione twisted in her seat to see the thick black smoke pluming into the cold night sky.

“Looks like the engine blew.”

“Blew what?” Snape had begun looking slightly distressed, peering through different windows to see what was surely being flung into the air.

“The engine blew up. It’s a muggle vehicle, so it probably needed maintenance. I don’t know if the Ministry would have thought to check the fluids.”

He turned slowly to face the informative student. “And exactly what does that mean to us, Miss Granger.”

“We’re stuck.”

“Say that again?”

“We’re stuck here together.”

Severus kept rapt attention to her as she said that. He would be alone with her. He barely caught her head twirl away to look ahead.

“PROFESSOR!” She pointed.

Severus whipped his head around to see a large stag standing in the middle of the road. He braked, but the car had not lost its momentum and kept barreling down the ice-slicked road. He turned the wheel to avoid the animal but lost control in his panic. The car veered off the road and skidded down a slope, until a large wall of snow came crashing down from the embankment with which they collided.

“Miss Granger? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. You?”

“Acceptable.” He reached for the door handle, but it wouldn’t budge. “My door seems to have been pinned shut by the snow. Try yours.”

Hermione tried to no avail. “No. It won’t open.”

“What are we supposed to do now?”

“Well, flooing is out of the question seeing as that we don’t have a fireplace. And we need to stand to Apparate. We could send an owl, if we had one….”

“It was a rhetorical question, Miss Granger. Could you please keep you thoughts to yourself while I think of a way to get us out of this confounded situation?”

She looked to her lap twisting her glove-covered hands. “Sorry.”

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose in deep thought. “What about breaking the windows? Do you have anything hard enough to shatter glass, Miss Granger?”

“No, sir. Besides, it’s a Ministry car. They probably reinforced the windows to keep out spells.”

“Indeed.” Severus looked around for some way to get out of this mess. He was astounded that he could not think of something. He was going to be stranded in a car in the dark…with her.

“We might as well get comfortable, Professor. Shall I transfigure the seats to beds?”

His eyes shot up to meet hers. “Excuse me?”

Hermione just realized what she had said and decided that rephrasing the question would be best. “I only meant that we might need to sleep. I could take the back seat and you could sleep up here. I can make us a portable fire to keep the heat level in here more bearable if you wish.”

Severus sat for a moment. He could hear the words coming from her lips, but he couldn’t believe that she could be so calm about their predicament. He could swear she was almost enjoying this. He just sat there looking at her unable to form a conscious thought; completely enamored with her intellect and control.

“Since when did I think of a student as being enamoring?”

“Fine. You take the back. I will take the front. And I’m perfectly capable of transfiguring my own sleeping arrangements, thank you.” With that said Severus waited for Hermione to move to the rear of the car before tapping the seat with his wand and muttering a spell. The front two seats meshed into one full sized bed, expanding the interior of the car to fit it. Hermione did the same to the rear, but it only made a twin sized mattress. It never occurred to her how close the two beds would be to each other. They were touching enough for it to look like an oversized king. “Thank Merlin, I’m the only one who noticed that,” she thought.

Hermione pointed her wand at the interior compartment light fixture and conjured her bluebell flame to sit inside, emanating heat and light for the two of them. Taking her coat and sweater off, Hermione transfigured the two into a heavy blanket and comforter. She took one of her gloves and transformed it into a pillow. She took the other and did the same, offering it to Professor Snape, which he grudgingly accepted. The two of them gathered themselves in their respective sleeping arrangements and began to listlessly fall into dreamland. Severus took a vertical position, parallel with the line of the car; while Hermione took the horizontal, perpendicular to him. Severus stretched his arms over his head. Hermione curled up slightly facing the back window.

What seemed like hours had passed when Severus realized a lock of Hermione’s hair had somehow became entangled in his fingers. Oddly enough, when left with nothing to do, Severus Snape twiddled his thumbs. At some point in playing thumb war with himself, the cinnamon tendril twisted around his index and middle fingers. He paused only slightly in his ministrations with the curl, remembering his long waiting ache to touch her hair. To feel whether it was coarse and dry or soft like cotton and silky. To his appreciation, it was the latter. He fought himself to let go of it and sat up; his conscience having won.

Severus turned to look. The moonlight passed through endless flakes of new fallen snow. Its light gently filtering through the white blanket and landing on her face. He thought it cliché, but she had an ethereal glow in the night’s light. “Fitting,” he thought. “She’s more beautiful when surrounded by evening’s sweet touch.” He allowed himself a moment to drink her in, and then turned back to the ever daunting task of sleep.

It seemed to be morning, (according to the birds), when Severus stirred and stretched half-awake. His arm brushed that same lock of hair only this time it was beside him. He chanced a glance and saw two large amber eyes staring at him.

“I’m sorry. The heat was more abundant up here. I thought you wouldn’t mind since having a student freeze to death on your watch isn’t the first on your list of things to do today.”

“For once, you assume correctly, Miss Granger.” He noticed her chin quivering and her hands wrapped up in each other. “Are you still cold?”

“Yes. A little.”

He reached for her hands and surrounded them with his own. He pulled them to his mouth and let out a deep breath. The heat of it seared her fingertips, driving her blood to return. Her own breath caught as her finger lightly grazed his lower lip. He noticed, but didn’t let on. The feel of her touch lingered longer than her finger itself. He soon found himself in uncharted territory. Severus had been dreaming of warming her. He wanted her to feel the warmth of his skin against her. “Damn morals,” he chided himself.

“My apologies, Hermione. I’m sure you are capable of doing that yourself,” he said as he let go of her hands.

Hermione proved that she was and began exhaling against her knuckles. She almost turned over to face the window when the words struck her. “What did you say?”

“We are in a tight proximity. I don’t believe you have a hearing problem that I’m aware of.”

“No, I don’t. You said my name,” Hermione answered her own question with a bite of her lip.

Severus looked at her. Did he? He couldn’t remember the words spilling from his mouth, but by her reaction, he obviously had. “Shall I call you something other than your name? I’ve heard a few choice terms from Mr. Malfoy.”

The disdain her face almost took him by surprise. It was an underhanded tactic that he used often, however it was not appropriate in their given situation. He realized this. “Forgive me, Miss Granger. I am so used to having to deal with incompetent and asinine children most of the time who do not ever realize they have been insulted. You are neither incompetent nor asinine, and have a keen intellect.”

The reproachful demeanor she displayed faded quickly. “Was that a compliment?”

“Yes,” was his only reply.

Smiling slightly, Hermione turned to face the window once more. She couldn’t believe what she just heard. The feared bat of the dungeons, Slytherin Head of House Potions Master Severus Snape, paid Hermione Granger, Head Girl Gryffindor Know-it-all, a compliment. She pulled the blankets up to her chin and drifted back to sleep…peacefully.

A few moments passed. Severus found himself glancing at her sleeping form. He could see her breath slipping past her full lips in the reflection in the window.

“Miss Granger?”

He received no reply.

“Hermione?”

Nothing.

He gently prodded her shoulder and spoke her name again, but she did not move nor did she make a sound. He had to touch her hair again. He had to feel it entwined with his fingers, smothering his sense of touch with its suppleness. His found the feel of it intoxicating. Severus wrapped his hand around a large portion of her light brown curls. He savored the spring of her hair against his palm. His judgment left him for a moment as he leaned over to breathe in her scent. This made her stir.

Severus quickly resumed his previous position and closed his eyes feigning sleep. Hermione was never asleep.

She almost spoke when he called her name the first time, but she withheld. She was tired and didn’t want to start another conversation, or worse; be told to move to the back seat again. Her eyes fluttered for a moment when he spoke her name again. Her name was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard coming from his lips. However, she remained steadfast in her faux slumber. Then she felt his hand in her hair. The sensation of his fingers running through it drove the neurons in her spine to spark. “Oh, gods this feels wonderful,” she thought. She didn’t dare move for she knew he would stop his ministrations if she did, but her body wouldn’t listen. Of its own volition, her back arched to the pleasure of the moment. She rolled over to cover up her movement. She saw him lying back with his eyes closed.

“If he had the gall to touch me, why can’t I do the same?” That Gryffindor bravery will out.

She slowly moved her hand towards him. Her fingers outstretched into the cold air. Finally, she felt it. Shiny, pliable, smooth. Hermione dragged her fingers through the strands and marveled at how thick each hair was. She closed her eyes for a moment enjoying the feel of this part of him against her skin. She never saw his hand reach for hers.

With a small gasp, her eyes flung open to meet his gaze.

“I…you…I’m…,” she stammered, almost worried for her life or whatever suitable punishment he might dish out to her for invading his personal space.

“Miss Granger,” he began.

“Yes, sir?” Her doe eyes looked quite sheepish.

“Why did you do that?”

She was at a loss for words but not for long. “I felt you touch my hair. I wondered what yours felt like. That’s all. Simple curiosity.”

“You have a feline, Miss Granger. Is that correct?”

“Yes, sir.” She looked up at him again.

His eyes weren’t as hard as his voice, “Then I presume you know the old adage. Curiosity killed the cat.”

The boldness she embodied moments before came alive again. “It’s ok. A cat has nine lives, sir. It was worth dying once over.” She regretted saying it the moment it slipped from her tongue.

“What is this girl playing at?” he thought. “She can’t be admitting something. Can she? Why am I questioning it if she was? Fuck morals!” Never minding the fact that he still had her by the hand, Severus focused his eyes on hers. “Indeed it was.”

In the moment that Hermione closed her eyes to interpret his words, Severus closed the gap between them.

“Hermione, look at me.”

She obeyed.

“I am your professor. You are my student. However, you are of age. In addition, we are nowhere near Hogwarts, or Minerva’s watchful eye. I will ask this once and only once. If you decline, I will give you my honor as a gentleman never to bring this up again. If you accept, I can remove the thought from your mind. But I must be respectful to you by saying this. I have been watching you grow into a beautiful young woman. I do not know when it happened exactly, but it happened. I have thought about you more frequently than a professor should. So for now, I will set aside that title and become just a man…if you wish.”

Hermione saw him for the first time in the long years that she has known him in that moment. He was offering himself to her. The man she has secretly desired for years was in front of her providing her with one moment of endless possibilities. And if she accepted him, he could take the memory of it away. Whether the feeling wasn’t right, or by some off chance that embarrassment would ensue, she could forget it happened. But what if she had the choice to keep the memory? What if she wanted to remember?

The timer was ticking. She knew this wasn’t a man to be kept waiting. She moved the blanket from around her and shifted closer to him. If she could have him just once, then she was going to make it unforgettable, regardless of the use of Obliviate.

Severus swallowed hard. “Are you quite sure?”

She simply nodded as she lifted her hand again to reach for his hair. Split second thoughts of how to proceed streaked across her mind. She decided that a man as intense as he was needed to be loved with equal ferocity. With that in mind, she grasped the back of his head tight and pulled him hard against her. His body hesitated for only a infinitesimal second before his eyes registered the wanton desire in her face. Falling into her, Severus took her mouth with a fierce kiss. He could feel her lips curling into a smile, and he knew that this is exactly what she wanted. Hermione wanted to feel him. Not just be touched, not just kissed, but she wanted to be memorized, to be devoured by him. “Possibly in more ways than one,” he mused.

He felt her grip on him tighten as their tongues explored the curve of each other’s mouths. The light sweetness of her urged him to savor every centimeter. He wondered for a moment on the possibilities of actually overwhelming her. He wanted to envelop her. He wanted to consume her.

His hands began to go on an expedition of their own; tentatively discovering the unknown of her body. They trekked over her hills of her breasts, the valleys of her sides, and the flatlands of her stomach. As the kiss became slightly bruising, his hand found the holy land.

Hermione also found her hands roaming over his body. She could feel that he was sculptured under the layers of dark cloth he wore. It was too much to stand. She had to feel his flesh against her. Severus felt her hands tugging on his robes and incanted a disrobing charm. Hermione’s gasp brought a smile to his lips. He reinforced the flame in the light overhead to produce more heat then turned to her.

“Care to join me?”

“Something wicked this way comes,” she thought as she nodded enthusiastically.

And there she was. Hermione was lying bare with her Potions Professor on a bed surrounded by blue light and cold snow. She felt her nipples ache at the sudden chill, but was rewarded with relief as Severus lips found one and his fingers the other; the warmth of which against her areolas sent her reeling.

“I’m snogging a professor. Not just any professor, though. I’m snogging Professor Snape!” She couldn’t keep her mind focused on the man before her. “Oh Merlin! We’re both naked and he is kissing me, touching me, and sucking on my…OH MERLIN! Stop thinking, you idiot, and start doing!”

Hermione moaned as she felt his fingers move from her breast to her core. She didn’t really care that he was fast about it, because efficiency was this man’s forte. His direct approach and precise movements gave her all the pleasure she could possibly want. He knew how to satisfy a woman, and the realization of that fact drove Hermione further into ecstasy.

But she didn’t want to just lie there. She wanted to participate. To make him feel as good as she did. She got her nerve up to start moving her hands again. This time she didn’t stop at his lower back. She slowly began to descend to his posterior. “Oh it’s so smooth and soft,” she thought as she began to knead his cheeks. Hermione almost jumped when Severus’s voice dropped another octave into a low hungry growl. His mouth began to engulf the breast he was kissing. He was hungry for her. She could feel it. She wanted it. She wanted him to gorge himself on her. “Feast on me, Severus.”

He hesitated for just a brief moment until the words played out in his head over and over. His body responded most painfully, but he would take care of that in a moment. In the meantime, he would obey her command. He lifted himself slightly and lowered his body to the bottom of the transfigured bed. His hands caressed her from her chest to her abdomen and down her satiny thighs. He placed one palm on each and slowly moved her legs apart, kissing her stomach below her belly button.

“Oh My God! I said that out loud!” She blushed profusely as she realized that he was taking it to heart.

“No. Wait.”

Severus looked up at her. She stopped him in just the nick of time. She didn’t know why, but she didn’t want him there. She didn’t want him to be as familiar with the territory as that would entail. She wanted him to, yes, but she had never had that happen and would feel exposed whenever he was near. If he knew what she looked like, what she tasted like, she would never be able to face him if this night was indeed a mistake. She wanted to keep things as they were. Even if they did proceed to bigger and better things, she wanted to keep the memory and didn’t want to be embarrassed about anything. She didn’t know how to respond to his quizzical look.

“I’ve never experienced…that. I don’t know what to expect. I just want to feel you against me for now.”

Severus began kissing her thighs lightly, making the heady musk of her warmth intensify. But he did as she requested and forewent for the soft crease of her hip. Slowly, he made his way back to her mouth. His body was positioned in the perfect place; gently cradled in her parted legs. He was propped up on his elbows beside her with his hands running through her hair that splayed out on the bed. He was kissing her passionately. She could feel his arousal perusing the bounty in front of him. If he pushed just a little…

“I can stop, if you wish. We can stop this right here and right now and never have to speak of it again. Tell me what you want to do, Hermione.”

“I want to make love to you.”

And with those seven words, one word for each year he has known her, he plunged into her depths with slight force. It took a moment for him to realize what exactly he had done to her. The look on her face confirmed his fears.

He knew if he pulled out, she would be in worse pain. He had to stay lodged inside her to give her body time to adjust to the invasion. As horrified as he was about what he just stole from her, he couldn’t remove himself from her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

She opened her clenched eyes. She bit her lip through the searing heat of the pain. “I…it wasn’t brought up. I didn’t think to mention.”

More to himself than her, he muttered, “What have I done?”

She shook her head vigorously. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I wanted this. I wanted to give it to you.”

“You don’t know what you want. You’re just a…” He stopped before he said it. But possibly it was true. Perhaps she thought of this as a way to fulfill a school crush. How could he have been so blind? She was too young to know that this is what she wanted. She was too young to know what the consequences were.

“I am not a child! I am not too young to know that this is what I’ve wanted for years now. I may have been young by age, but I’m mature enough to know that I want to be with you.”

He wasn’t sure if it was her defiant voice, or her declaration for having wanted to be a part of him for so long that drove him. But soon he found himself kissing her again. Her passion. That’s what it was. She was passionate. He could get drunk from her. Slowly tip a glass of it back and drift off to euphoria.

“Severus, please. Keep going.”

He hesitated for a moment. But just.

“I will take things slow. It will take your body a moment to adjust to movement, but the pain will subside…” He was interrupted.

“Stop analyzing. Stop thinking.” She pulled him to her lips once more. To keep him from speaking or to simply enjoy his mouth against hers, she didn’t care. It was effective, nonetheless.

He took a deep breath between fervent kisses and nudged himself further into her core. She moaned slightly but nodded at his concerned face. He slowly removed himself relishing in the sensation of her walls tightening around him, as if coaxing him to never leave. Oh how he never wanted to leave. He reached the barrier he had broken just a few moments before, and, holding his breath more out of concern for her, pulled himself past. He lost the will to continue when she cried out, and he pulled away from her.

“No, I cannot do this. I cannot hurt you any further.”

He flicked his wand, and in an instant, they were both dressed. He regained his position on the opposite side of the car. A few brief moments later, in the still silence, he heard her whimper. The heart he thought he lost so many years ago began to break for her. He not only hurt her physically, but emotionally as well. He reserved himself and leaned over towards her tentatively reaching out for her. She shuddered at his gesture, but turned to him. He lifted her chin so that he could see her face. The tears were falling fast and hard. He wiped at them with his thumb as he cupped her face in his hands. He then reached one arm around her and pulled her close. He held her for a while. It wasn’t until the tap at the window some hours later that Severus realized they both fell asleep.

“Severus? You alright? Hermione? You two in there?”

There was scraping at the driver side door and window. The snow was beginning to thin out as their rescuer began shoveling it off the car.

“Hermione, wake up. We are rescued.” Severus gently shook her shoulder. She stirred and looked up at his face. It was no longer filled with emotion, but passive once again. Her eyes went wide as she looked past him through the window.

“Remus.”

The scraping continued for what seemed like only a few seconds. Of course, Remus was able to use magic to move the snow, so in all fairness it probably did only take seconds. However, it was not enough time for Hermione and Severus to realize the position they were in before Remus looked in the window to check on them.

Severus was lying in front of the steering wheel on a make shift bed with Hermione, his student, lying beside him slightly encased in his arms. She had her hand, arm, and most of her upper body draped across his torso. Remus was about to say something when he noticed the two of them.

“Should I come back later?”

“REMUS LUPIN! YOU WILL EXTRICATE US FROM THIS INFERNAL CONTRAPTION THIS INSTANT!”

Severus quirked his eyebrow at Hermione. Since when did she display Slytherin bravado?

A few moments later and the two ‘missing’ persons were out of the car.

“Mr. and Mrs. Granger owled Minerva. They said that the two of you never arrived. McGonagall sent me out to look for you. I believe the words she used were ‘sniff you out’.” Remus smiled as he looked from Severus to Hermione and back. He glanced over to the car and saw the conjured bluebell flame and the bed. “I take it you slept well?”

“Indeed. Not that my sleeping arrangements are any of your business, Lupin,” said Severus.

“Yes, well. Shall we get the two of you back to the castle? As you can see, there came a blizzard last night. Most of the roads leading away from Hogwarts are impassable. Minerva owled your parents and suggested the two of them come to Hogwarts for the holidays. They are to use a neighbor’s floo,” Remus explained.

Hermione momentarily nodded, but anger started swelling up. “What? Wait…Why couldn’t I have used the floo then? If they can arrive, why couldn’t I have gotten home that way?”

Severus saw the sense in her outrage. He, too, didn’t quite understand why she couldn’t have used a neighbor’s floo to get home.

“Ask her when you see her. I am just here to help you make it back. We will Apparate back to the main gates.” As he said the words, Remus reached for Hermione to take side-along, but Severus already had his arm around her waist and was twisting away.

Two cracks in the midday sun announced their arrival. The snow was much deeper in this area of the country, and Hermione found it difficult to stride through the drifts. Severus sensed her trouble and reached out to lend support. His movement did not go unnoticed by Remus.

Hermione began to take the front steps two at a time. Remus and Severus followed her. Once inside, Remus fell back and motioned for Severus to do the same.

Hermione stopped when the two men stopped. “Well, thank you for coming for us, Remus.”

“You’re welcome, Hermione.”

She turned to her Potions Master. “And thank you.”

He didn’t say anything but nodded slightly as she turned and went to Gryffindor tower.

“What in the name of Merlin’s bloody blue balls are you doing, Severus?”

Severus wasn’t about to get into this here, so he began to head to his quarters. Remus swiftly tugged on his arm and held him at bay. “I asked you a question. Why were you and Hermione cuddled up like that? Do you not have any scruples left in your head? You were almost sent to Azkaban for killing Albus, and now you want to be shipped off there for having relations with an underage student? Have you gone mad?”

Severus turned slowly to face him. “She is not underage. And regardless of what it looked like to you, body heat is the best way to stay warm when stranded in the frigid cold of winter. We were, as you say, cuddled together to keep from falling deathly ill or incapacitated by frostbite. Now, if you would be so kind to unhand me.” And then Severus jerked his arm out of Remus’s grip. He turned away from him so fast that he barely caught himself before plowing straight into the Headmistress.

“Severus, I am glad to see you have made it back safely. I met Miss Granger in the hall. I see the two of you are no worse for wear.”

It wasn’t the relieved concern in her voice that threw him; more like something familiar in her eyes. One of those knowing looks that he’s seen before was plastered on her face. “She inherited his damn twinkle,” Severus realized.

The next morning, Severus found himself at breakfast staring at Miss Granger. She was flanked by not only Potter and Weasley, but her parents were sitting nearby also.

“That would make for an interesting introduction. Hello, I’m Professor Severus Snape, your daughter’s Potions Master. I was to escort her home last night, but instead I took it upon myself to rip her virginity in two. It’s so wonderful to have you here at Hogwarts.”

“Professor?” Hermione had been standing there for just a moment. “I’ve never seen him daydream before.”

Severus broke from his inner tirade. “Miss Granger.”

“These are my parents. Mum, Dad, this is Professor Snape, my potions teacher.”

Severus stood from the table and shook hands with both Mr. and Mrs. Granger. “Welcome to Hogwarts, Mr. and Mrs. Granger.” He then promptly sat back down.

Hermione went down the table introducing her parents to the teachers. Mrs. Granger jumped back, but smiled gob smacked when Professor Flitwick conjured a carnation out of thin air and presented it to her.

“Oh, Professor, I’m sorry. I forgot to tell you. My parents are muggles. They don’t know a lot about magic.”

The pint sized professor looked up at Mrs. Granger. “My apologies, madam. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He bowed slightly for as much as a man his size can.

“Oh, that’s quite alright, Professor. I enjoy watching Hermione practice charms and transfigurations. It just took me by surprise is all. She has even become quite a cook. She said that cooking isn’t all that different from potions.”

Minerva thought Severus was going to fall out of his chair when she stole a glance at the look on his face. Hermione, of course, blushed but dared to look his direction as well.

“Mum, I think that’s enough. Let’s go finish breakfast and then I’ll show you around the castle.”

“Don’t you have homework to do?” Mr. Granger asked his daughter.

Hermione was closest to Severus so she alone heard him mutter, “That’s where she gets it.” He knew she heard him. He looked up to catch her scowling at him for all she could muster and walk back to the Gryffindor table.

“She scowled at me! She used one of my tricks on me!.” He smirked. “There’s that fire I love so much.”

Severus dropped his fork.

“What did I just say?”

Minerva looked over at him. “I didn’t hear you say anything, Severus. Talking to yourself, perhaps?”

Severus frowned at the Headmistress and stood abruptly. “Minerva, if you would excuse me, I need to check on some potions downstairs. Have a pleasant day.” And he strode out of the Great Hall through the side door he often used when wanting to make an unnoticed exit.