5. Courting Hermione Granger

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter belongs to JKR

A/N: Thanks to Southern_Witch_69. She is truly the best!

This is a response to the SW69 HP Chapter Challenge. See Chapter 1 for details.

Courting Hermione Granger

Hermione woke up early the next morning. She wanted to get started on making her pop-quizzes before Severus arrived. Wanting to be comfortable, she threw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, deciding to take her robes with her to throw on in case a student came looking for her.

As she was working on the quizzes, she found her mind drifting towards Severus. She found she really enjoyed spending time with him. Last night had been wonderful. She thought back to when she was a student of his, not that long ago really. On 19 September, she would be twenty, so it had only been four years.

During school, Hermione had never had any type of romantic feelings towards Professor Snape. She had respected him as a teacher and an Order member, but that was the extent of her feelings towards him, other than the fear all students regarded him with. When she thought he had killed Professor Dumbledore, she'd hated him for a time...until she realized what had really happened.

Now that she was being treated as an adult and colleague, she found him a little different. He was still Severus Snape, but rather than treat her as a lowly student, she found she had his respect and possibly something more. She was looking forward to seeing where this was leading.

As she was musing, Ginny and Ron knocked on the door and opened it before she could call out enter or put her robes on. She looked at them with disapproval for a second and then offered them a seat. "Hi. What brings you guys here at nine o'clock on a Sunday morning? Especially you, Ron."

"Well," Ron started, "we wanted to talk about the tea we were supposed to have this afternoon."

"But where's--" Hermione started, only to be interrupted by Ginny.

"Harry refuses to come today, Hermione. He is a little more upset than we thought. Just give us, and Harry, more time to come to grips with the fact you went out with Professor Snape, okay?"

Hermione was fuming. This was beyond ridiculous to her. "You know what, guys? Just forget it. I absolutely refuse to baby Harry. I love him and you guys, but that does not give either one of you the right to dictate whom I choose to spend my time with. His problem with Severus is just that, his problem, and I am not going to let his opinions sway me. I have opinions of my own, thanks."

Ron and Ginny were staring at her like they had never seen her before. Finally, Ron found his voice. "Let me see if I understand you, Hermione. You are going to let Snape, who has treated us like the dirt beneath his shoes the whole time he has known us, come between your friendship with Harry? Why?"

"Oh, grow up, the lot of you! He was a spy, for Merlin's sake! How else was he supposed to treat us? And, I have to say, you and Harry have never shown him much respect either."

Ron was starting to get angry as well. "Why should we? From day one, he has treated Harry with nothing but contempt, and you just expect us to forget that? Harry feels like you are betraying him; don't you see that?"

"Well, guess what, Ron? For once, this is something that has absolutely nothing to do with Harry Potter! This is about Hermione Granger! I like Severus. I enjoy his company, and I intend to continue to see him until that changes. You have Lavender, Harry and Ginny have each other, and I am supposed to be content?"

"NO! We want you to have someone too!"

"Oh, I see, but you want it to be someone you choose or approve of? What if I told you I wanted you to dump Lavender, or what would Harry say if I said I thought Ginny was all wrong for him? Would he break up with her?"

"That is not the same thing, Hermione, and you know it!" Ron was getting exasperated.

"It's exactly the same thing."

Ginny was starting to get worried. She didn't mean for this to become a shouting match. "Look, guys, that's enough." Turning towards Ron, Ginny said, "Ron, Hermione can date anyone she wants to. She is a grown witch." Seeing the smug look on Hermione's face, Ginny turned to her next. "And, Hermione, you can't just expect everyone to be thrilled you are dating Professor Snape. You know his past with everyone, and he did kill Dumbledore, no matter the reasons why. He is still not completely trusted by the Order either. So, if you continue to date him, you are going to have to accept the fact that there are going to be people who do not approve."

"Frankly, Ginny, I don't care if people approve or not. I have spent my whole time in this world being disapproved of by someone. I am going to date Severus as long as we both want to, and that is the end of it. When Harry, and you, too, Ron," she said looking over at Ron, "grows up, then we can talk. Until then, I have nothing to say. Please close the door on your way out."

After they left, Hermione sat down and rubbed her temples. She wondered if Severus was going through what she was and doubted it. Nobody would dare question him this way.

~~_~~_~~_~~_~~ ~~_~~_~~_~~_~~ ~~_~~_~~_~~_~~

Severus was not surprised, but he was a little disappointed, that Hermione didn't come to the main hall for breakfast. After the enjoyable evening he spent with her last night, he was looking forward to seeing her. After he finished his meal, he went to his office to get the list of things he wanted Hermione to complete this week and his list of supplies he needed from the apothecary.

Right before lunch, he headed down to the dungeons to gather Hermione. He was actually looking forward to another outing with her. When he got to her door, it was slightly ajar. Looking in, the sight before him took his breath away. There was Hermione...on her hands and knees...wearing nothing but scraps of denim, looking for something under the cabinet behind her desk. Severus had to control the urge to join her on the floor.

"Miss Granger! What do you think you are doing?"

Startled, Hermione jumped and banged her head. Scowling at her stern looking professor, she informed him, "I've dropped my favorite quill under this cabinet, and I am getting it. What does it look like I am doing, sir?"

"What if I had been a student, Hermione? You cannot parade around your office half naked and on all fours! It is not appropriate." Raising his wand, he said, "Accio quill!" Suddenly, the quill flew into his outstretched hand.

Agitated that she had not thought of that herself, she grabbed the quill and told him, "If a student had knocked, I would have put my robes on."

"The door was ajar. Any student who came here would have gotten an eye full. When in your office, classroom, or anywhere other than your private chambers, I expect you to be appropriately attired. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she said through gritted teeth.

"Good, I am glad that is settled. Now, here is your list of things for the week. When you change, we can go. I assume you are hungry, as you missed breakfast."

She smiled inwardly at the thought of him noticing she had not been present at breakfast. This drove away some of her anger with him. She shook her head and sighed, determined not to let this ruin the rest of the day. "Okay, Severus, just give me a few minutes, and I will be right out. Make yourself comfortable."

~~_~~_~~_~~_~~ ~~_~~_~~_~~_~~ ~~_~~_~~_~~_~~

The trip to Hogsmeade and lunch was a pleasant affair. Hermione was beginning to realize that outside of Hogwarts, he treated her as a man does a woman, not as an apprentice or even a colleague.

Hermione was disappointed that she didn't get to see Madam Rosmerta, as she was visiting a sick sister, but she enjoyed her time in the apothecary and bought a few items herself. Soon, they found themselves heading back to Hogwarts. Hermione had not put in an appearance at breakfast or lunch, so she definitely needed to attend the evening meal.

When she was seated, she looked to the Gryffindor table for Ron, Harry, and Ginny. Ron and Ginny slightly nodded and waved, but Harry would not even meet her eyes. She sighed. She felt like everything she did was a struggle.

She looked to the Slytherin table when the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and saw Draco Malfoy smirking at her. She knew just then that he knew of her problems with Harry and was enjoying her distress. Smug little bastard!

Severus noticed both exchanges, but he decided not to comment on either. Instead, he asked, "We are both free of hall monitoring this Saturday. I was wondering if you would like another outing."

"Yes, I would like that very much. How should I dress?" She was teasing him, and he knew it.

"I have enjoyed the Muggle opera before, so I should like to take you there. Dress should be slightly formal, I think." He smirked at her astounded expression.

"I tend to forget you are not a pureblood. I have a hard time picturing you at a Muggle opera while dressed in a Muggle suit." Hermione shook her head. She couldn't wait to see him in a suit.

"The opera is something my mother enjoyed. My father had introduced it to her early in their relationship, and from that point, she could not get enough of it. Later, he started to refuse to accompany her, so I began attending with her when we could save the money. Those are some of the fondest memories I have of my mother. But enough of that. If you can be ready by six, we shall dine beforehand."

"That sounds perfect, Severus. I can't wait."

"Neither can I, Hermione."

~~_~~_~~_~~_~~ ~~_~~_~~_~~_~~ ~~_~~_~~_~~_~~

Hermione thoroughly enjoyed the evening out with Severus. They didn't talk much this time due to listening to the opera, but she was content just being with him. About halfway through, he took her hand in his, and she was thrilled.

It didn't surprise her that he wore a solid black suit...what else would he wear?...but it did surprise her how attractive she thought he looked in it. Typically, Severus was not attractive, but the more she got to know him on a personal level, the more attractive he became to her.

When the evening was over, he walked her back to her rooms. She invited him in, but once again, he declined. He leaned down and kissed her goodnight, a little more aggressively this time. When he turned to walk to his chambers, he left a breathless and frustrated Hermione Granger in his wake.

Christy's Notes: Hermione and Severus seem to be getting closer and closer!

Southern's Notes: Ah, lovely. Glad she told her mates to sod off if they didn't like her decision. I want Snape to enter the chambers. Hehe!

Quote from OOTP: But where's--?