Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The younger Snape sat next to Hermione the next day at breakfast. She turned and smiled warmly at him. He smirked at her. Hermione blushed.

"What are you doing tonight?" he asked her.

Hermione sighed. "I am supervising three detentions."

Snape moved closer to her. "Can you cancel them?"

Hermione's eyes grew wide. Severus Snape never cancelled a detention. Who was this man who had swept her off her feet so quickly these past few days?

"I can't," she answered regretfully. "I postponed it yesterday. If I postpone again, the students will think I'm a pushover."

Snape looked disappointed. "Tomorrow, then?" Anger crept into his voice. "Do you have a bloody detention to sit through tomorrow?"

Hermione felt her anger rise within her. She couldn't help it if her students needed discipline.

Snape clutched at his lower leg suddenly, and Hermione gave him a puzzled look. He winced and rubbed his leg, then sneered over his shoulder. Hermione wasn't quite sure that Severus was 'all there' this morning. Maybe he'd been hitting the firewhiskey?

Snape turned back to her, looking a bit sheepish. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you," he offered.

Hermione felt something hard drop in her stomach. She gaped at Snape incredulously. An apology? That was the last thing she expected from Severus Snape, especially in regards to a simple, snarky comment. Casting her astonishment away, she smiled at him. He was trying, and he deserved to be rewarded for that.

"I have no plans," she confided.

"Would you like to go dancing?" he asked.

Hermione leaned forward, unsure that she heard Severus right. "Did you just ask me to go dancing?"

Severus huffed. "Yes, is there a problem with wanting to go dancing?"

Hermione sat back and folded her arms in front of her. "I didn't think you danced."

Snape looked at her smugly. "I don't dance with a bunch of children at Hogwarts parties. I assure you, I enjoy a good dance just as well as anybody."

Hermione smiled. "I would love to go dancing with you, Severus. You're actually fulfilling one of my fantasies."

"You have a fantasy about going dancing?" Severus asked with a frown.

"No, I have a fantasy about dancing with you." She placed a hand on his leg. "I have the feeling that you are an amazing dancer."

Snape arched an eyebrow at her. He placed his hand over hers, but otherwise did not acknowledge her flirting. "Dress formally, we won't be going to a normal club."

"Where will we be going?"

Snape smirked again. "You'll see."

Severus raised his fist to knock on Hermione's door. He tried to calm himself before seeing her. He didn't think he'd ever been so excited... about anything. His attempt at changing the past was working, and now he had the opportunity to spend an entire evening with the woman he'd been longing for. Reality and trepidation sunk in as he realized that anything could happen in the next two years. All his hard work might be for naught.

Shut up, you fool! Just enjoy the evening with her. It may be the only one you get!

Severus mentally shook himself. The little voice within his head was right. This was the opportunity of a lifetime, and he would not waste one minute of it worrying about what the future might hold. He would enjoy Hermione Granger in the here-and-now, and the future would take care of itself.

His excitement returned as he gently rapped on the door. When Hermione opened it, Severus thought he would simply forgo the dancing and just spend the evening nestled in her arms. His eyes swept over her as she turned for him to view her entire ensemble. Her hair was swept up in a French knot. Her dress was a floor-length, black masterpiece that was cinched in front by a hollowed-out, oval, rhinestone buckle. The buckle pulled the fabric in from every angle, making the dress hug her curves and accentuate her lovely form. It had a v-neck, and the sleeves fell from the shoulders in soft wisps.

"Is this formal enough, Severus?" Hermione asked.

Severus reached out and grasped her hand, placing a kiss on it. "You look perfect," he told her with a bit of awe in his voice.

Hermione smiled brilliantly at him. "Let me just get my shawl, then we can go."

She turned and grabbed a cream colored shawl from the back of the chair and placed it around her shoulders. Her long, rhinestone earrings glimmered as she moved to place the shawl around her. He noticed a beautiful necklace that matched the earrings gracing her neck. She simply took his breath away.

Hermione came back over to Severus. "You look wonderful, Severus," she commented.

He had chosen black robes that resembled a tuxedo. The suit coat was long, as he preferred. Gone were the myriad of buttons. The coat lay open to reveal a white ribbed shirt and black bow tie. Severus had spent at least an hour on his hair, yet it still fell in curtains around his face. He really felt hopeless when it came to the troublesome head of hair he'd been forced to live with all his life. No matter how he treated it, it always looked the same... limp. Hermione, in any case, hadn't seemed to notice.

"Shall we?" Severus asked as he grasped her hand once again.

"Yes," Hermione said breathlessly.

Severus led her out of her room and down the hall.

Hermione stared at the old abandoned building, a look of utter disbelief on her face.

"You made me get dressed like this to take me to an old, abandoned warehouse, Severus?" she griped.

"Patience, Hermione. You forget we live in a magical world." He opened the door and let her pass through, following closely behind her. When she finally got a look at her surroundings she let out a great gasp.

"Oh, Severus, this is beautiful!" she cried.

"I see something more beautiful," he observed.

Hermione blushed, but continued to look around the ornate room. The room wasn't large, but it was big enough for a dance floor. A candle-lit table sat at the far end, awaiting their arrival. Severus had transfigured the warehouse into a 17th century ballroom. A cream-colored, square pattern with gold trim was plastered into the walls and ceiling. The dimly lit room displayed various sculpted fruits carved into the pattern along the ceiling. A huge crystal chandelier hung from the center of the room, its beads draping down and around, meeting with the candles that surrounded the edges of it. The light from the candles, although not overly bright, made the chandelier sparkle. Large, enchanted windows lined all four walls, draped with thick, golden draperies that were pulled back so one could see outside. The windows had been enchanted to show a beautiful, moonlit night by a lake. Mountains stood tall in the distance. Hermione gazed out onto them. Severus came up behind her and nuzzled her neck.

"You like it then? I wanted us to have a private evening... just the two of us."

Hermione turned and put her arms around his neck. "Severus, it's breathtaking!"

He grinned at her enthusiasm. "Good, that means the surroundings fit the beautiful lady in my arms."

Hermione blushed and looked down.

"Would you like to dance?" Severus asked her.

She looked up at him and nodded her head. He guided her to the center of the room as a waltz began to play. Soon they were twirling around the dance floor, arm in arm, unable to take their eyes off one another. They moved as one and seemed to float along. For Hermione, it was as if time had stopped. His black eyes pierced through her as she felt herself falling into them, becoming one with him. It was a place she never wanted to leave.

All too soon, the dance was over. Severus leaned in and whispered in her ear.

"Do you know the tango?"

He felt Hermione tense up before she told him that she did. Pulling back, he smiled seductively as the first strains of the dance began to play. Hermione gasped as Severus spun her, then pulled her tightly to him and began the intricate dance. He caressed her neck as he held it and dipped her, pulling her back up into the safety of his arms. He looked into her eyes intensely as they moved about the dance floor, arm in arm. Grasping her shoulders, he spun her so her back was pressed up against him. His hands caressed her arms, traveling down them seductively. He felt Hermione shiver as he caressed her, which caused him to involuntarily shiver also. He moved his head closer to hers and rubbed his face in her hair as they continued to dance. His eyes closed as he breathed in the smell of honeysuckle. Burying his nose in her hair, he grasped her around her front as they moved along.

Hermione turned in his arms and pressed her front against him now. She pushed him along, as they moved in turn, almost side by side in their motions. His hand lay at her waist, urging her on as they twirled and moved to the music. Grasping her hand, he pushed her away from him and then pulled her back roughly.

Hermione's eyes widened as she was thrust against his body again. Her hand automatically went to his neck as they moved backward and forward. Pulling his head forward, she tilted hers back. He kissed her neck seductively before he spun her around again. Once again they were moving along with her back pressed against his chest. He ran his hands around her waist and to her front. The rhythm of the dance was now lost on him. He reveled in her closeness, caressing her body as it moved with his. He bent and kissed her neck again as she leaned back into him.

Hermione turned into him again and let her head fall back. Severus' hands grasped at her back as his face caressed hers. He drew down along her cheekbone all the way down to her neck. His eyes closed as he reveled in her body. He nuzzled her neck with his nose and felt her hands tightening on his arms. He circled her neck with his lips, placing light kisses all along the edge of the necklace that graced it. Hermione moaned and pulled his head up even with hers. They swayed back and forth, not realizing the music had long since ended. Severus let her pull him to her and felt her lips on his, demanding entrance. He let her explore his mouth while he played with her tongue with his own.

They had stopped swaying now and just stood there, arm in arm, devouring each other. Severus couldn't believe that this goddess was letting him touch her. His hand came up, and he tangled it in her hair, caressing it as his lips moved against hers.

The current that was running through the both of them was electrifying. He had never felt this for anyone. Hermione made him feel things he never thought himself capable of feeling. The joy he felt at her attention was overwhelming. Her affection was the balm he needed to be able to heal after years of solitude and rejection. If she would only just keep feeling this for him, he could do anything. Just knowing that she cared for him, made all of his problems seem immaterial. He could overcome anything with her at his side.

Hermione pulled back then and hugged him to her. Her lips were close to his ear.

"Severus," she gasped. "That was simply amazing." Her hands were clutching his arms tightly, and she was still pressed up against him.

"Yes, you were definitely amazing," Severus murmured into her ear as he grasped her back.

She pulled back a bit and looked into his eyes. "I can't believe how amazing you are," she confided.

Severus smirked. "I'm glad you feel that way," he confessed.

She kissed him again, furiously. Pulling back, she smirked back at him. "That was so you never forget how wonderful I think you are."

Severus closed his eyes. His emotions were threatening to escape from him. He fought to keep control over himself. It would not do for him to show how much her words had affected him. It was too soon for him to declare his undying love for her... it would scare her off. He couldn't let her see how vulnerable he was in her arms... how completely lost he was over her. He cleared his throat. "Are you hungry?" he asked finally.

Hermione tilted her head. "I suppose. I'd much rather stay here in your arms."

Finally himself once again, he decided to answer coyly. "But then you would waste away to nothing, and so would I, as we stared into each others' eyes while wasting away."

Hermione giggled. "Okay, what's for dinner?"

"Come and see."

He led her to the table, and soon they were settled in over a tasty plate of prime rib and mashed potatoes. They chatted amiably, the seeming awkwardness of their last date having been forgotten. Severus decided he would suggest a calming draught for Snape for their next date. The man needed to learn to ease up. He knew that just one successful date without Snape having serious feelings of inadequacy would go a long way to loosening him up. Banishing all thoughts of his counterpart, he went back to admiring his date.

The evening passed quickly. Soon Severus found himself in front of Hermione's door with his date wrapped in his arms.

"Thank you so much, Severus. That was probably the best date I've ever had."

He looked down with worry. "Well, how am I supposed to top that, then?" he mused.

Hermione grinned at him. "Look, I enjoy your company. I don't really care where we are or what we do. I do appreciate the extra effort you took for tonight, though."

She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. Severus arched an eyebrow at her.

"That's it? After all of those passionate kisses in the ballroom, you leave me hanging with a peck on the cheek?"

Hermione shrugged. "Chalk those kisses up to losing my head over you." She got up close to his face. "I've recovered from your sexy charm now, Severus."

"Bugger my sexy charm..." His lips crashed down on hers as he gave her a 'real' goodnight kiss.

They didn't surface from each other for quite some time. The only reason they did pull apart was that Minerva had rounded the corner and caught them in the act.

"Goodness!" she cried.

Hermione and Severus pulled apart quickly and turned simultaneously to the Headmistress.

"Good evening... Minerva... I expect you're well?" Severus asked awkwardly.

Minerva eyed Severus. "I am," she answered simply.

"We... we were just... saying goodnight," Hermione stammered.

"I could see that, Professor Granger. So could any other soul who decided to come down this hall. Please keep your affections behind closed doors! This is a school for minors, you know!"

"Sorry, Headmistress," Hermione said.

Severus only scowled at her.

Minerva softened her stance. "Now that my berating in an official capacity is over, I'd like to congratulate the both of you for finding one another. You've both been tiptoeing around one another for so long that I was beginning to think you both were hopeless!"

Severus arched an eyebrow at Minerva. "Hopeless? I may be many things, but hopeless is not one of them."

"Of course not, Severus," Minerva said with a roll of her eyes. "You two have a nice evening, and take your kissing inside, where it belongs, please."

She went off down the hall to whatever her destination was.

"Goodnight, Severus," Hermione said as he gazed after Minerva's disappearing form.

His head snapped back to Hermione. "Oh... goodnight... Hermione."

She pecked him on the cheek again and then was gone, her door closing gently behind her. Severus put his hand on the door and stood there for a minute. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the door as well before pulling himself erect and walking proudly down the hall toward his room.