The Best Sort of Shopping Partner

Disclaimer: These aren't my characters. But these are my plot. Huh?

Chapter Thirteen: The Best Sort of Shopping Partner

-=+=-

"Do you have your list?"

"Yes, sir." Severus glanced at her briefly as she tucked her hair behind her ear, shaking the small piece of crumpled parchment she held aloft in one hand.

"Your cloak?"

"Yes." She patted the leather messenger bag that was slung over one shoulder.

"Your Muggle currency?"

"Mmhmm."

"And your wand?"

"Oh, for God's sake!"

"Miss Granger?" Severus raised one dramatic brow and the girl had enough sense to look contrite for a while, until she rolled her eyes and patted her left sleeve...he could see the faint outline of a thin willowy wand on the inside of her wrist. "Then we shall depart." He pivoted, his winter cloak whirling around his boot-clad ankles in the usual, Snape-like way, and wrenched open the heavy doors to the outside. A gust of snow hit him full on as the door creaked open, and his colourful slur was lost in the wailing of the wind. He turned to look at her and saw her stifling a giggle...one that he might've liked to hear, if not for his expense...and glowered at her.

Granger walked quickly over to him, an air of amusement about her, and whipped out her wand, pointing it at his face.

"May I ask..." He did not have time to finish, as a warm, fuzzy feeling coated over his face and through his hair, down to the collar of his cloak with her hum of a spell.

"Shielding charm."

"Thank you, Miss Granger."

"You looked quite ridiculous and frankly much less intimidating with snowflakes on your eyelashes," she stated, sheathing her ivy vine and adjusting her cloak so the hood covered her ears.

That was unbelievably kind... a thought floated to the front of his brain. He shook himself, only to see her look down again to check the time.

-=+=-

She pushed her right sleeve back and looked at the moving hands of her watch. "We're twenty minutes late."

In answer, Snape trudged into the blustery winter air and headed towards the main gates of Hogwarts. After a few moments of nothing but the wind beating against Hermione's eardrums, she saw him gather himself together and reply over his shoulder, "If you had not put up such a childish display in the kitchens earlier, we would not be twenty minutes late."

"I was perfectly fine with having breakfast...not a banquet!" She was in no hurry. She had imposed upon him with this request. He needn't stretch out the hours of torture... unless he was a borderline masochist.

Probably not.

"You haven't been eating," he barked back in the frigid cold, a puff of steam issuing from his mouth.

Again, just to rankle his nerves: "Prove it." She hoped he realized that she was just being difficult, now.

He only turned to face her when they had arrived at the main gates, complete with winged hog adornments.

She peered up into his face. "I hate eggs." I'm supposed to be eighteen, and I act like this?

"Well, I am dreadfully sorry about that," he spat.

"And I hate bacon, too." Oh, well. Serves him right for meddling. "Should've just served me dragon dung, for all the pleasurable taste it had."

"I'll keep that in mind." He smirked.

A smile crept across her rouged cheeks as she clutched her cloak closer, another strong gust of snow flitting about her face and neck.

"Miss Granger, would you like to leave and fetch your presents sometime today?"

"Oh...sorry." She readjusted her bag and tugged at the bottom of her pullover before looking to him for instruction. "Well?"

He had been studying her. Which was made no less awkward by the fact that she'd been staring at him only moments ago. What a lovely day this would be. He exhaled, "Right. We shall perform side-along now, I suppose."

Hermione frowned. "I can Apparate myself, thank you very much."

Severus growled exasperatedly, "Granger, I am under strict orders to keep you in my sight at all times. Therefore, I shall escort you, Side-Along, as is necessary."

"Aha!" She waggled a finger in his face. "As is necessary!"

"Granger, you are testing my patience," he snarled, although the effect was less terrifying than he would have liked. He gripped her forearm and Hermione felt a little jolt as he tugged her toward him, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and Disapparating on the spot.

-=+=-

"Give me some warning, next time!" Granger yelped as he pushed her away from him. She had felt too nice, and he hadn't wanted to let go, and that flustered him.

She staggered a bit, holding a gloved hand to her forehead, as he watched the world rebalance itself in her eyes. "Whew!" she breathed and leaned up against the alley wall.

As she closed her eyes and took a few gulps of icy air, he noticed the lovely craft of her gloves...black driving-gloves of the Muggle kind, which formed nicely to her small, tapered fingers. The aubergine jumper she wore, which looked incredibly soft to the touch, covered her wrists where the gloves disappeared from view.

"Take your time," he murmured, his eyes trailing appreciatively down her torso as her dizziness subsided. Her cloak covered what he had earlier seen...a modest, scooping neckline and a gold chain around her dainty neck, which cradled a tiny ring. Her jeans were nice and dark, and he was sure they'd have accentuated what little hip she had left after her four-month starving period...which he needed to ask her about, or rather, receive an answer about, soon...if the rest of her winter attire had not hidden it effectively. The snug jeans were tucked neatly into the tops of her boots, which were thick and had the appearance of comfort and warmth.

And he raised his eyes to her face, only to find her staring back at him with a questioning look on her face. "You ready, Professor?"

Damn it all to Hades! He pinched the bridge of his nose and cursed his fit of idiocy.

She took out her list and announced, ignoring his self-deprecating grimace, "Gringotts first."

-=+=-

Hermione did not know how the time passed so quickly, but by the time she'd received her Galleons and marched to Madam Malkin's to pick out her mum's present...The Moodified Mohair: A Different Hue for Your Every Mood!...the bell tower over Diagon Alley had struck eleven.

Snape followed along, a sort of silent buffer against the stares of pedestrians and the few brave reporters who were out on the scene. Though, Hermione wondered vaguely whether it was she or he who attracted more notice. Either way, she was not the one repelling their scrutiny.

As soon as the eleventh chime ended, he spoke from behind her as they made their way through the brimming byways of Wizarding London. "Miss Granger, we should have lunch within the hour if we wish to reach your Muggle store by the scheduled time."

"I have one more shop to get to, and then we'll be off. I promise."

"I don't suppose you could choose a place less obnoxious than Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes?"

"Why in the world would Head Girl go to a joke shop? Do you think I want to encourage bad behaviour?"

The professor chuckled. "No, I suppose not. But your past activities with Boy Wonder and Company beg to differ."

"Oh, sod off," she said benignly. "I was the one trying to talk them out of it."

"I suspect you've more of an adventurous streak than you let on," Snape tossed back, tucking his hands into his cloak pockets and looking down at his boots, an anomalous posture for the Professor. It seemed he was being casual again, which he had not allowed after the Halloween Ball, regardless of their little rendezvous. "So, where to, Granger?"

Hermione smiled inwardly at the almost endearing way he addressed her. "Why, Flourish & Blotts, of course!"

"Never let a bookworm go hungry," Snape said in response.

-o-

The shop was the same as it had always been, smelling of dusty old tomes and dried ink. Hermione had only to step halfway in for the scent to accost her like a brick wall to a blind bicyclist. Her eyes fluttered closed at the familiar smell, but only until someone promptly rammed her in the back, causing her to topple over with her heavy purse and gift bag.

She only heard a light chuckle as strong hands caught her by the upper arms, closing around them lightly and bringing her to a standing position again.

"Thanks," Hermione murmured sheepishly and turned around to see the genuine smile wipe cleanly away from her professor's face.

"It would do you well to pay attention," he said rather more sternly than Hermione felt was necessary.

"I'm going to look for a present for my father and Harry, if I can find any. Do you have anything to look for, Professor?"

He turned to her, making a shooing motion with one hand. "Go, Miss Granger. I'm sure I can find something in here that can distract me for the time being. Let me know when you are finished."

-o-

Hermione found what she needed immediately: The Audible Agenda, For Those with Migratory Mindfulness (for Edwin Granger); and 101 Astounding Aurors, Including Several First-hand Accounts from Current Officials (for Harry Potter). It left just enough time to browse through the various sections, and soon, she became quite lost in the Occasions category, in which she found a rather suitable gift for Professor McGonagall. She was examining the merits of said present, skimming through interesting chapters, when a deep voice rumbled from behind her.

"What is that atrocity?"

"What atrocity?" Hermione turned around, hugging the large book defensively to her chest."

"That garish, frilled rubbish you're holding. What is it?"

"It's a gift for the Headmistress, if you must know," she sniffed.

He raised an eyebrow, and Hermione briefly wondered how many times he did that in a day. "Gaudy Gifts and Dreadful Décor: No Better Way to Keep Unwanted Guests At Bay?"

Hermione looked down at the orange-laced thing with turquoise lettering. "Yes."

"Why in the name of Hades are you buying her that?" he sneered, folding his arms across his broad chest.

"It's a spur of the moment decision inspired by her... interesting decorations. She has a meeting with the Minister this afternoon, and she was taking full advantage of her creative liberty. Thought I'd help her out for next time."

"Splendid. More migraines," he grumbled, and looked to his right, where the Potions section was. He sighed and then turning to the left towards the Notable Witches & Wizards section, tread past it and into a far corner. "I'll be in Alchemy," he threw over his shoulder.

Hermione glanced over to where he had been looking before and spotted a rather unassuming black book with sterling embellishments of Celtic design propped up in the display section. She walked toward it and picked up the description card.

"Self-Recording Potions Journal and Inventory Calendar," she whispered under her breath and ghosted her fingers over the indented designs. It was simple, but elegant, and really quite useful...for someone who was a Potions master. "This is perfect."

She picked it up, looking around for the professor, then stowed it in her shopping basket. Everyone deserves some holiday cheer. She smiled, and if Hermione was going to be giving him migraines...though indirectly...she owed him something.

As she crept around to the counter to buy her gifts, she continued convincing herself it was a good idea. But, maybe, it might be better if he didn't know.

"Yes, that's a good idea," she said aloud as the cashier wrapped her gifts in brown paper.

"What is, Miss Granger?"

"Ummm... A Muggle place, for lunch, sir," she improvised. Close one.

"I suppose so. If we dine near your international bookstore, that will be more efficient than dining here, and then finding our way afterward, and then Apparating to Hogsmeade." He leaned on the counter as the cashier finished the transaction.

"That will be thirty-eight Galleons and seven Knuts, Miss." The withered old wizard behind the counter squeaked.

She gave him his money and then quickly followed Snape to the door, but he stopped and held it open for her.

"Thank you, Professor Snape."

"It's nothing, Miss Granger."

Hermione smiled.

"Really, don't mention it." He brought his collar up to his ears and turned to her, his cheeks already reddened by the December air.

She laughed, now. Yes, Severus Snape deserved a lot more than she could give him, this Christmas.

A/N: Did you like? The next chapter will be mainly/just Sevvie celebrating Christmas and New Years in the dungeons and will include memories from their time in Muggleland! Lots of love to those who review! And I might even reply...