Chapter Thirty-One: A Date with Hermione

Chapter Thirty-One: A Date with Hermione

Saturday, 6 March 1999

When she returned ten long minutes later, Hermione was wearing a different jumper...two jumpers, in fact. One was a thin, sleeveless v-neck slipover, and the other was a cardigan, both of pale blue cashmere, and she had a light jacket over one arm. She had also put a different clip in her hair, drawing it back from her face.

"I saw Gareth and told him I didn't know when I'd be back. He said he wouldn't call the MLE and report me missing unless I didn't show up for breakfast," she said with a laugh.

Severus fought a blush. "I will have you home much before that, I am sure."

Hermione laughed again. "He was only joking, and so was I." She took his arm and walked him out to the hall. As they reached the door, she stopped and looked up at him. "Now, what I need to know is whether this is a first date or whether I might have not recognised our earlier ones."

Severus swallowed. "I suppose it's our first, if you want to look at it as a date." He wasn't sure he wanted to call it a date. That sounded much more threatening than simply taking Hermione out for a meal sounded. He hadn't been going to dive in; he had been going to give her hints of his interest, bring her little presents, and then see what her response was. He hadn't expected her to ask about dates.

"But if I wanted to look at it as, say, our third date, I could do that?"

"I...why would you want to do that?" Severus asked curiously.

"Well, Severus, think about it. There are certain things that are said about a third date." She opened the door for them. "And besides, if it's our third date, you don't need to be so nervous about it."

"I am not nervous. We have gone out and done things together before. This is no different."

"Third date, Severus. Think about it," she said, smiling at him and taking his hand. "I'll Apparate us from the garden gate. Come on."

The pub Hermione chose was in a town not far from where her parents were now living in Cornwall. She had Apparated them next to a skip in an alley off of a nearly empty car park, and they had to walk almost twenty minutes to reach the pub. She apologised, saying that it was the closest point she knew of to Apparate to safely without being noticed. Severus didn't mind; he enjoyed the walk with her, though he felt self-conscious when she took his hand. As they approached the busier district, Severus had the sense that everyone was staring at him and wondering what he was doing with such a young girl. Hermione didn't seem to notice, though, and chattered happily away about the museums she and Professor Gamp had visited that morning.

Finally, in a low voice, Severus said, "Do you mind not holding my hand just now?"

Hermione immediately released his hand.

"I'm sorry," Severus said softly.

"It's all right. You aren't used to it." Seeing his eyes, she said, "It really is all right, Severus."

"Everyone is staring at us, haven't you noticed?"

"I don't know as they are staring, but they do look at us...more at you, I think. You are dressed a bit unusually, Severus. You may not be wearing robes, but your clothes are not precisely ordinary Muggle day wear, you know."

He did tend to attract unusual glances when he was in Muggle areas dressed as he ordinarily did at Hogwarts, but he was sure that their glances were lingering longer, and he told Hermione that.

"I suppose it may be because we're together, but I'm not going to speculate about it," Hermione replied. "And after all you've been through, you shouldn't care, either." She smiled up at him. "I am very happy to be out with you."

Severus returned her smile. "As long as you are happy, then." He stopped, looking down at her. "You have the most beautiful smile I have ever seen."

Hermione's smile widened at that. "Thank you! You do, too, really, when you smile. I like it sometimes when you smile just a little, just the faintest hint of a smile around your lips, but your eyes smile more and your worry lines just drop away. It makes me happy."

Severus offered her his arm then, which she took gladly.

"We are impeding traffic here," Severus said. "Where is this pub?"

"Not much farther. You know, I never asked whether you had any Muggle money with you," Hermione said.

Severus stopped stock-still. His first date with Hermione, and he only had wizarding money with him.

"I hadn't thought I'd be leaving Hogsmeade today," he said. "I just have the money I was going to use to pick up a few things from town."

"That's all right. I have money with me, and I have my cash card, too, if we need more."

"I can't have you pay," Severus said in dismay.

"Well, it's either that, or we go hungry and we are both disappointed. I don't mind, honestly, Severus."

"Yes, but bringing someone out on a first date, asking them to go to dinner, and then not paying for it . . . . what a dunderhead!" he said, his face a picture of displeasure.

"All the more reason to see this as our third date, then," Hermione said practically.

Severus was about to ask why it would be more acceptable to be a dunderhead on a third date than on a first when they arrived at the pub. Unfortunately, it was a busy night, and as they didn't have reservations, there would be a twenty minute wait, which Hermione didn't blink an eye at.

"Twenty minutes isn't long," she said, taking off her jacket. "We can have a drink at the bar whilst we wait."

"For which you will also have to pay," Severus said moodily.

"Now look, Severus, if you are going to be that way about it, that's fine...if you want our date to be punctuated with episodes of irrational bad temper over something that can't be helped. If not, then I think we should not think about it again and just enjoy ourselves," Hermione said as she took a seat on a barstool.

"This was a mistake," Severus said, his voice hard.

"I don't think so," Hermione replied calmly.

"You don't want to be out with someone who has 'episodes of bad temper,'" he said. She might as well have called him a cry-baby who was having temper tantrums, he thought, glaring hard at the dark surface of the bar in front of him, as though it were responsible for all his troubles.

"I didn't say that. I said that was fine if that's what you wanted. I am glad to be out with you either way. I would simply prefer it if we both enjoyed ourselves."

She ordered a half of cider. When the bartender looked at him, waiting for his order, Severus felt like snarling at him. Instead, he just shook his head and said, "Nothing for me."

He half expected Hermione to ask him if he was sure that he didn't want anything, and he was ready with a stinging retort. When he looked at her, she was studying her coaster. It had a beer advert on one side and some kind of joke or quiz on the other. He sat down on the stool next to her. She put the coaster on the bar as the bartender returned with her drink.

Hermione took a sip of her cider.

"Are you ignoring me now?" he asked.

"No. Just thinking and waiting." She turned toward him in her stool, smiling slightly. "I am glad this date is so important to you, but you don't need to have it be perfect, and you don't need to ruin it if it isn't exactly the way you think it should be."

"This was a bad idea," he said, staring at the bar again. "I didn't even mean to ask you out tonight. And I didn't think you would see it as a date. It was just a bad idea."

"I don't think it was."

"I can barely manage a simple, civil friendship with you. This is too much."

"Well, why don't we say it's not a date, then? I think I can wait for a third date," she said softly.

He raised his eyes and looked at her. She had been happy it was a date. Gareth had been right about that. She was interested in him. He remembered Tarrant.

"What about Tarrant?"

"What about Tarrant?"

"I thought he was interested in you."

"His interest is irrelevant to our conversation," Hermione said, shrugging off the thin cardigan and draping it over the back of her chair.

Her other jumper was sleeveless, and Severus could see the lovely curve of her breast beneath the soft, clingy cashmere. He wondered whether Tarrant had seen her in it, whether he had touched her breasts through it or had slipped a hand beneath it. Perhaps he had seduced her and they had had sex, and a vision shot through his mind of Hermione naked, riding the strong, handsome young wizard, of him pushing her to a bed and thrusting into her, of the two writhing together, sweaty and passionate. He closed his eyes and turned back to the bar.

"What will he think if he learns we have been out together...out on a date?" Severus asked.

"It really isn't any of his business, and I can't imagine what he would think, but I don't particularly care," Hermione said.

"If this is a date," Severus said softly, "I don't want you to go on dates with other men." He looked over at her again. "That is, if we are going to continue. Having dates. If we aren't, if you don't want to any longer, that's different."

"It's definite, then," Hermione said with a smile. "This is a third date. Because if this were a first date, it would be far too early to suggest that we not see other people. Even a third date is a little early, but that's all right."

"So you'll tell Tarrant that you aren't going to see him anymore?"

"No," Hermione said. "I will make it clear to him that we are friends and nothing more, however. And I won't go on dates with him. But I might still go out with him as a friend."

Severus swallowed. He didn't see the difference. Tarrant would still have her time, and eventually, he would have her forgetting about him. She would realise that Tarrant was more pleasant to be with, more charming, more handsome...that wasn't difficult, though...and she would choose Tarrant.

"Severus, you don't need to worry." She reached over and touched his arm. "Do you think that I would lead you on? That I would pretend to be exclusively with you, but see other men?"

"Have you slept with him?" he asked hoarsely.

"What?"

"I shouldn't have asked that. I am sorry."

"No, you shouldn't have asked that." Hermione sighed and was quiet for a moment. "I don't know why you wouldn't trust me."

"I look at you, and I trust you; I look at myself, and I think you would have to be crazy not to want to be with someone else. I don't think you're crazy."

"It's a good thing I'm the one looking at you, then," Hermione said with a smile.

They heard the hostess calling out, "Snape."

"Our table's ready," Hermione said. "Are we still eating here?"

Severus nodded.

After they had been shown to their table, Severus excused himself to go to the lavatory. As he washed his hands, looking into the mirror, he thought about what Hermione had said. He had been a complete prat. It was as though he wanted their date to be a failure. He didn't, though, he really didn't. And he didn't want to drive Hermione away.

When he came back, he said, "I'm sorry, Hermione. I cannot promise not to have another episode of bad temper tonight, but I will try not to, and I do want to enjoy it and have a pleasant time for us both."

Hermione smiled. "That's good, then. I hope you don't mind, but I ordered us a couple appetisers. The waitress will be back for our entree order."

"That's fine. I also want to say that I'd like to start the date over, at least from the point where we walked in the door here. Just forget everything I said. It is too early for us to talk about not dating others, and everything else I said . . . can we pretend I didn't?"

"It was good that they had a table for us as soon as we arrived, isn't it?" Hermione said with a grin. "By the way, I have a solution for you. For your discomfort with having me pay."

She slid something across the table to him, and when she removed her hand, he saw there were three twenty-pound notes there. He blinked.

"That is surely too much for dinner."

"It is. It's a loan. I think if I paid for dinner and you paid me back, that would feel odd...to me, anyway...but if I loan you some money just so that you have some in your pocket and you happen to pay for dinner out of it, that's different. You can repay me when you take me out to dinner later this week."

Severus picked up the cash. It felt a bit peculiar, but it seemed a solution, and he was relieved. "Does that leave you with any money, though?"

"Enough. Other than having dinner with my parents tomorrow, I'm not planning on going anywhere in the next few days. And I have my cash card if I need it."

When the waitress arrived, Hermione ordered lemon sole and Severus ordered steak and kidney pudding.

"It's good to see you have an appetite," Hermione said.

"Yes, but if I am not careful, I might begin to gain too much weight," Severus said.

"Doubtful," Hermione said. "So, is this our third date?"

Severus looked at her teasing smile and found the corners of his mouth responding to it. "Yes, I suppose it is." Now that he thought about it, he seemed to remember that there was some tradition that after the third date, the woman would let the man take a liberty or two. "We will have to determine what our first two dates were, though, and come to some agreement about that."

"Yes, we will have to think about that very carefully," Hermione said with mock seriousness. "The first date is particularly important. We have to be especially sure about that one."

"Indeed. We have to start off on the right foot, after all," Severus agreed.

As they ate dinner, Severus found himself forgetting they were on a date and simply enjoying Hermione's company. They ordered coffee, but no dessert.

"How are your parents?"

"Good. I think they've adjusted to the changes in their lives, and they aren't bothered anymore by the memories of their time away."

"It must have been very jarring at first."

"You know that I considered not having them remember any of that time, but I thought that would be worse. I felt bad enough about altering their memories like that and taking them away from everything they knew, but it was the only way I thought they would be safe. They didn't have an easy time of it in Australia, either. There were all kinds of things that they didn't know, memories that they thought they should have but didn't. It was disorienting for them." Hermione sighed. "I did the best I could, but memory charms are tricky, and altering a person's entire identity and what they believed they knew of their past is even more difficult than I had thought it was."

Severus looked at her thoughtfully. "I know that what you did saved your parents' lives, but it was a very dangerous thing to do, especially for someone as young and inexperienced as you were, regardless of your talent, diligence, and intelligence."

"I know," Hermione said sombrely. "I could have damaged their minds irretrievably. But I was very careful, and I believed that they would be in greater danger if I didn't."

"If you had died, what would have happened to them?"

"They would have continued in their new lives, become more comfortable in them with each passing year. They would have been fine."

"They could not even have mourned you," Severus said softly.

They were quiet as they finished their coffee and Severus paid their bill.

"There are Muggle Protection Laws for very good reasons," Severus said as they left the restaurant.

The evening was very chilly, and Hermione shivered. She should have brought something warmer with her than the light jacket.

"There is always the temptation," Severus continued, "to do what we believe is best for them, but which really may be best for us."

"Would you have had me leave my parents vulnerable? To do all of that work, to fight so hard, and have my own parents killed?"

"No," Severus said softly. "Just to remember it. I don't think that saving your parents was wrong. But you are an exceptionally bright and talented witch, Hermione. You could be quite dangerous if you were inclined that way. You are not, but you need to remember yourself."

"I didn't do it lightly, or anything else I did in the war," Hermione replied, bristling slightly at the admonishment.

"Even leading Umbridge to the centaurs and that giant? To her possible death?"

"Of course not. It was expeditious. I admit that, but I didn't have a lot of time to consider our options. I still didn't do it lightly."

"You have intelligence, determination, and a strong, decisive will. I am very glad that you also have scruples."

"Ron used to say I was scary...brilliant, but scary." Hermione gave a short laugh. "Probably why he's out boinking blondes now. I'm sorry...that was crude of me."

Severus smiled. "But true, from the rumours I have heard." They turned down a path that led them across a park. "Potter was at the school this week."

"Was he? Why?"

"I don't know, but I know that he received permission to bring Miss Weasley out to dinner. When your name is Potter and you're the hero of the wizarding world, I suppose the rules won't ever apply to you." The words were bitter, but his tone was sad.

"You're a hero, too," Hermione said.

Severus let out a short laugh. "Perhaps to some, but the rules will always apply to me, and people will always be watching to make sure I don't break any, even the smallest."

"Professor McGonagall doesn't feel that way, I'm sure!"

"No, not Minerva, and not Albus," he admitted, "but for the rest of the world . . . yet I can't say that I envy Potter his position, either, really. The rules may not apply the same way, but people will always be watching him, too, and there will always be some who will be waiting to see him fail or act in a way that causes him public embarrassment. His children will be watched, too, if he ever has any. They will be expected to be as heroic and golden as their father."

"I suppose, but that's a long way off, and maybe by then, there will be something else to hold everyone's attention." Hermione took his hand and gave it a tug. "Let's sit a while."

Severus resisted the urge to pull his hand away, and he sat on the bench Hermione indicated.

Hermione looked around. "Do you think we could risk a Warming Charm?"

"I think I could cast one wandlessly if you're chilly."

"A little," Hermione said.

He looked over at her. A third date . . . "Or you could simply sit a little closer," he said.

Hermione smiled and slid over next to him as he gingerly put his arm around her shoulders.

"Warmer?" Severus asked.

Hermione nodded and leaned her head against him. "This is nice."

"It is," Severus said softly. "And completely incredible."

"Why did you ask me out to dinner? You planned to go back to the school."

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" Hermione asked, genuinely puzzled.

"You seemed happy to see me. I had a moment of courage, I suppose." He couldn't very well tell her that he had a moment of extreme attraction to her stimulated by memories of Gareth touching him when he was naked on the sitting room couch.

"I am glad you did. Now that the war's over, perhaps you could use that ample courage of yours in other areas more often."

Severus swallowed. It wasn't the same thing at all. It was like the difference between the physical threat that he had felt from Gareth the first time he met him and the emotional vulnerability he had felt that afternoon. It was very different.

Hermione placed her hand on his chest. He thought that perhaps he should respond in some way, but he didn't know what to do. What he really wanted was to pull her trousers down, unbutton his own, and fuck her right there on the bench. But what he wanted more than that was a relationship with her and, eventually, to make love to her. Right then, though, he couldn't do any of that. He was glad that it was dark and the nearest street lamp was a few yards away. He didn't think that his erection would be noticeable even in better light, but he wouldn't have wanted to risk having Hermione notice. He wanted to let her know he was attracted to her in a more subtle and romantic way than for her to see a bulge in his trousers.

"I think we should be getting back," Severus said. "I think that we can Disapparate from here if we step into the shadows."

Hermione agreed and stood, taking his hand. They walked toward a tree near some bushes where the shadows were deep.

"I will Apparate us together," Severus said. "I should see you home."

"That would be nice, but don't Apparate us directly to the front gate. Let's walk a bit."

Severus nodded and took hold of her arm. He Apparated them to the end of the lane, and they began to walk back to the house, Hermione placing her hand in the crook of his elbow. When they reached the gate to the short fence around the Gamp property, he stopped.

"Walk me to the door?" Hermione asked.

Severus nodded and unlatched the gate. When they reached the door, Severus turned toward her.

"If I understand correctly," he whispered, "the third date holds a particular significance."

"If you want it to," Hermione replied, looking up at him.

Severus slowly raised his hand and touched her cheek, glad that they were too close to the house to be seen from the windows, but glad, too, that he was still constrained by the proximity to it and its occupants. He could not forget himself, even for a moment, he thought.

"I had a nice evening, Hermione," he whispered as his fingertips grazed her cheek. "Thank you."

Severus bent his head and touched his lips to hers. He felt her arms come up around him. One of her hands was at the back of his neck, the other, on his shoulder blade. He kissed her very softly and gently, and as he felt her exhale, he kissed her again, bringing her lower lip between his own and sucking it once, gently, before parting his lips and kissing her again. He drew back and looked down into her face as she opened her eyes. In the scant light, he thought she appeared flushed. She certainly did not appear to be in any hurry to step away from him. He had kept one hand at her face and the other lightly resting at her waist. If after three dates, he could kiss her good-night, he wondered how many dates they would have to have before he could thrust his cock into her pussy; then, disgusted with himself, he pushed the question from his mind. That was not why he was there. He should not be having such crude thoughts about her. He was not some randy teenager, and Hermione . . . she was young and sweet and deserved to be treated with consideration.

"Would you like to have dinner with me on Friday?" he asked. "A late dinner, after dinner at Hogwarts? I could attend for a short time and then leave and meet you."

"Yes, I would like that. Would you pick me up here?"

Severus nodded. A girl liked to be picked up at home, he thought. "I think I could be here by quarter to seven. I'll try."

"You don't have any detentions scheduled for Friday evening?" Hermione asked with a smile. "That doesn't sound like you."

"No, and if anyone dares to misbehave between now and then, I will set their detentions for early Sunday morning. That should be punishment in itself."

"What should I wear?" Hermione asked. "Will we be staying in Hogsmeade or going someplace Muggle?"

Severus hesitated. Muggle might be better. Far less chance anyone would recognise them.

"Would you enjoy another Muggle evening?" he asked.

"That would be nice."

"Muggle, then," Severus said, stepping back. He wished there were some way he could ask her not to wear trousers. He liked the way they looked on her, but if on the fourth date, one was allowed more liberties . . . well, he supposed it was better not to think about that.

"I will owl you," Hermione said as she reached for the doorknob.

Severus nodded and watched as Hermione took her wand from her purse, then, holding the doorknob, she pointed her wand at the door and uttered what sounded like a string of nonsense words, but which was the current password that, combined with a certain wand-movement, would allow her to open the door.

"I'll see you in a few days, Severus. Thank you for dinner."

After the door closed behind Hermione, Severus walked to the gate, carefully closing and latching it behind him. He looked back at the house. There were lights on in Gareth's large front bedroom. Hermione's room was on the other side of the house.

He wondered if she had gone straight up to her room or whether she had stopped in the kitchen first. Or perhaps Professor Gamp was up, sitting in her study, reading or working, and Hermione went to see her. No, she probably would not have wanted to tell her about her date with him. But she may have stopped to say good-night. And then she would go upstairs. Would she tell Gareth that she was back? Joke with him about not needing to call the MLE? What would he say to her? Would he be dressed? Or would he be in bed, reading, perhaps nude? Hermione would knock on his door, and he would call to her to come in. He would be sitting up in bed, strong, muscular, and virile, only a sheet over him, and he would put his book aside. He would ask Hermione if she had a nice evening, and she would tell him something, something vague and polite, or she would tell him that he had kissed her good-night at the door, and McGonagall would say that if he had known she liked to be kissed good-night, he would have done it a long time ago. Hermione would tell him that she wouldn't mind one then, and she would walk over to the bed, lean over, and kiss him. He would pull her down onto the bed with him, and Hermione would feel his cock. She would pull away and stand next to the bed, but only long enough to tear her clothes off and join him. McGonagall would fuck her all night long, and in the morning, she would have completely forgotten him.

Severus shook himself and blinked. He saw a silhouette in the window. A man. McGonagall. Severus Disapparated with a crack.

NEXT

Chapter Thirty-Two: Disquiet

Saturday, 6 March – Sunday, 7 March 1999

Severus has many mixed feelings, and his worries escalate.

Rated MA.

Warning for some sexually explicit language and imagery, het fantasy.

Characters: Severus Snape, others

Author's Note: Updates may be erratic for a couple weeks, hence the second early update in as many days. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!