Chapter 9

DISCLAIMER::: Everything you recognize belongs to JKRowling and Warner Bros. I just love them so much I wanted to play with them a little.

Summary::: Professor Granger goes to the ball with Professor Snape.

New Beginnings

Chapter Nine

"You know, you could just knock. She will not mind if you are early," said the portrait to Hermione's rooms. "Besides, you are making me dizzy with your incessant pacing."

"If my presence here bothers you, you could always move to another frame. Otherwise, please cease your equally incessant whining," Professor Snape sneered.

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At exactly seven o'clock, Hermione heard a firm knock on her door, and called out, "Come in, Professor."

The Potions professor opened the door and stepped into the large sitting room, pulling the door closed behind him. As he glanced across the room, Hermione entered from the doorway on the opposite wall, and his breath caught.

'Merlin, she is stunning,' he thought.

Looking up into the black eyes of her former-professor-turned-colleague, she smiled. 'He looks amazing. Who knew he could clean up so well?' she marveled.

"On time, as always, Professor," she said.

"It would have been disrespectful to keep you waiting... Hermione," he said and bowed slightly.

At the use of her given name, her breath caught in her chest, and her mouth dropped open.

"Was it something I said that made you do an impression of a Hufflepuff being asked to brew the Wolfsbane?" he asked, smirking.

"I... I'm sorry; it's just that you called me Hermione. You have never used my given name before. Somehow, it's quite shocking coming from you."

"Well, I thought that since we are going on a date, calling each other professor all night would become tiresome. However, if you would prefer I not call you by your name I shall stop."

"No... no, it's fine. Please do call me Hermione, Severus," she said, testing the name on her tongue. She found that she liked the feel of it.

"Thank you, Hermione. Now, if you are ready, I believe we have a ball to attend."

Stepping up to him, she nodded, and he turned slightly, offering her his arm. Taking it, she allowed him to lead her out the door.

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Music was already resounding from the Great Hall when they made their way to the Entrance Hall. The several students milling around in front of the doors stopped talking and stared at the two professors arriving arm in arm as a perfect pair. Hermione's dress robes were of deep burgundy crushed velvet with black satin trimming at the hem and sleeves. Severus was in his customary black, but instead of the usual twill, his dress robes were of luxurious matte velvet with intricate silver embroidery around the collar and sleeves.

They looked simply stunning together.

Upon their entering the Great Hall, Minerva walked up and greeted them.

"Hermione, Severus," she smiled in welcome. "I did not know you two were attending together. Had I known, I might not have felt the need to invite some special guests."

As Minerva finished, two men stepped around the Headmistress and smiled warmly at Hermione.

"Hermione, it looks like you are feeling a little more like yourself," Draco grinned and swept her into a hug.

Severus glared at him, but said nothing. Once Hermione was released from Draco's embrace, she was swept into another hug, this one from the famous Harry Potter-Malfoy himself. Once again, Severus glared, but held his tongue.

"It is great to see you both," she said. Harry hugged her again at these words, and Severus could hold his tongue no longer.

"Mr. Potter-Malfoy, would you be so kind as to stop mauling my date? You are crumpling her robes," Severus growled.

"Now, Severus, there is no need to be rude. Harry is just excited to see his best friend. It has been more than a month since they last saw each other," Minerva interjected sternly.

Glancing coldly at Minerva, Severus took Hermione's arm and pulled her toward him, asking, "Would you care to dance? Or would you prefer to talk with your friends all evening?"

Hermione looked up at Severus and smiled, "Why, yes, Severus, I would love to dance."

He took her arm, and they made their way to the center of the dance floor as a familiar slow beat started to play. Spinning Hermione around to face him, he asked, "You do know the waltz?"

She nodded and their bodies melted together as they began to move around the floor as if they had been dancing together for years. Students and teachers alike stopped to stare at them, and a few began to conjecture about their probable relationship.

"It seems, Professor Granger, that we are causing a bit of a distraction for the students. I fear that your reputation will be in shambles by the start of classes on Monday," Severus said, never missing a step.

"Professor Snape, if I cared one bit about my reputation, I never would have accepted a teaching position here at Hogwarts. Any regard people held for me was lost the day I divorced Ronald," she responded honestly.

Hermione had been a pillar of the Hogsmeade community until that fateful night her ex-husband tried to kill her. She had worked very hard to hide the evil things he did to her, but when Bill Weasley walked into their home and found her so near to death on the kitchen floor, she believed her reputation as the most powerful witch of her generation was permanently lost.

"Hermione, you have not lost the regard of everyone," Severus whispered.

Then, Severus spun her around and she smiled again. Her eyes danced to a faster beat than her feet did, and Severus was delighted.

"You look simply amazing this evening, Hermione. Burgundy is definitely your color, but I would love to see you in a deep green sometime."

"Well, if I am to wear green for you, then you will just have to wear a color other than black for me," she retorted, her bright smile showing in her eyes.

"Hermione, I will only be wearing black until they make something darker," Severus said wolfishly.

The song ended, and Severus led her off the dance floor. They walked over to the refreshment table, and he filled two glasses with punch. Accepting hers, she was about to take a sip when a strange scent caught her attention. Sniffing her punch, she looked at Severus and said, "I believe we have a prankster amongst us. This punch has been spiked."

Bringing his own glass to his nose he sniffed and agreed, "Doubtless you are right, Hermione. I don't remember firewhisky being an ingredient in Paradise Punch."

Hermione pulled her wand out of her sleeve and vanished the punch with a quick flick. Then she summoned a house-elf and requested more to replace it. Taking a glass from this batch, she sniffed it before drinking and confirmed it was free of alcohol.

"So, who do you think it was? My money is on Mr. Llewellyn, as he and Mr. Berilo have a pranking competition going on. You did know about the competition, didn't you?"

"Yes, Hermione, I know about the competition. Who do you think approved the competition for Mr. Berilo?" he said with a smile.

"Oh, of course. The head of house must approve it. So, which one do you think it was?" she asked again.

"House allegiance suggests I should say it was Mr. Llewellyn, as he is from Gryffindor, but the truth is that it most likely was Mr. Berilo."

As if on cue, Mr. Bazeel Berilo walked up to the table with Miss Kallan Docker on his arm. "Hello, Professor Snape, Professor Granger. Are you enjoying the refreshments?" he said, smiling knowingly.

"Mr. Berilo, you will need to see me Monday after classes to discuss how you got the firewhisky into the castle and into the punch," Professor Snape answered. "And to discuss your punishment".

"How... why? It was just a prank. As long as no one is hurt, it falls into the rules of the competition," he said incredulously.

"Mr. Berilo, there are several first through fifth year students here this evening, and we as staff members cannot overlook you trying to get them drunk," said Hermione.

"That is the brilliance of the charm I used. It will only serve the spiked punch to students sixth year or older. I didn't want to get the younger students drunk. It won't even allow an older student to give any to a younger student, as the liquid will disappear as soon as the younger student touches the glass. Watch."

Mr. Berilo then held up the glass he was holding for his head of house to smell. Once Professor Snape nodded and agreed it was spiked, he passed the glass to his fifth year date. As soon as she took the glass from him the liquid disappeared.

"See? The charm will not allow any younger student to obtain the liquid," said Mr. Berilo.

"That is an amazing little piece of charm work, but it does not explain how you as a sixth year got firewhisky into the castle. You will still serve a detention with me on Monday evening," Severus said, before adding, "go about your business, you two. I am sure talking to your professors is not your idea of a good time."

"Thank you, Professor, good evening, " he said before he and his date scurried away.

"You handled that well, Severus. I don't suppose it has anything to do with him being a Slytherin, does it?" Hermione asked.

"Of course not, I do not play favorites with my house," he said sarcastically.

"Of course you don't," she responded gently.

Another waltz style song started to play. Severus took Hermione's arm and led her back out to the dance floor, where he proceeded to spin and dip her till she was breathless.

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They spent the rest of the evening dancing when they could and talking with their colleagues. Hermione chatted with Harry and Draco, when they weren't dancing, which wasn't very often. All in all, Hermione was having a lot of fun. It felt natural to be laughing with Severus. When the last student left the Great Hall for bed, Hermione and Severus bid their friends and colleagues good night and left themselves. As Severus walked Hermione back to her rooms, they did not speak. Each was too wrapped up in their thoughts.

'It is amazing how he has changed since the war ended,' Hermione thought, 'He never went near the dance floor at the Yule ball in my fourth year. I didn't even know he knew how to dance, let alone that he is so good at it.'

'She looks beautiful tonight. That radiant glow she has right now must be from all the dancing,' Severus thought.

They reached the portrait to her rooms, and she said the password. Then she turned back to Severus and said softly, "Thank you for a wonderful evening, Severus. I really had fun."

"I am glad you enjoyed yourself, Hermione. I had fun as well," he said just as softly. He looked as if he was trying to decide something, as several emotions seemed to flash in his eyes. With a slight incline of his head, he asked slowly, "May I kiss you, Hermione?"

Her eyes widened to the size of saucers, and Severus thought she would refuse him. Dropping his eyes to the floor, he nodded a goodbye and had started to turn away when she spoke gently, "I would like that very much, Severus."

He turned back, leaned down and brushed his lips lightly across hers. Before he could pull away completely, he felt her hand at the base of his neck. Looking into her eyes, his lips twitched in a slight smile as he leaned into her again. He pressed his lips to hers, and she moaned. Emboldened by her reaction, he opened his lips slightly and ran his tongue across her bottom lip, urging her mouth to open. When her lips parted, his tongue entered her mouth, and their tongues dueled. Hermione's free hand came up to join the one at the back of his head. Severus wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. Feeling her soft body pressed against his firm one, he moaned into her mouth.

The sound of his moan brought Hermione back to reality, and she slowly ended the kiss. Smiling up at him, she blushed furiously.

"Hermione, would you care to join me for lunch tomorrow? I can have the elves prepare a private lunch for us in my quarters," he asked, somewhat hesitantly.

"I would enjoy that very much, Severus. I will meet you for lunch at noon tomorrow," she said.

"That would be perfect. Good night, Hermione."

"Good night, Severus."

With that he turned and headed down the hall toward his dungeons, and she went into her quarters to prepare for bed and think about her evening... and for the day ahead.

TBC

AN::: As always I would like to thank my fabulous betas, Pixie, Allison and Piper. I would also like to thank everyone who has left a review. They have really made me happy. And, of course, I would also like to thank Piper for the use of the line 'I am only wearing black until they make something darker.' In the next chapter Hermione has lunch.

AN2::: IF YOU, OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW ARE BEING ABUSED Physically,mentally, or emotionally you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799 SAFE (7233)

AN3::: All of the student's names have meaning. I selected them specifically for those meanings. The only name not researched was Docker. I chose it to pay homage to a dear friend. She knows who she is. I just didn't want to use her first name, so I chose one that fit her last name. The names, origins, and meanings are as follows:

Berilo: (Spanish, Greek) means: "Pale green gemstone."

Llewellyn: (Welsh) means: "Like a lion."

Bazeel: (Greek) means: "royal, kingly."

Kallan: (Scandinavian) means: "flowing water."

Also, Mr. Greyadder's name, from previous chapters, was derived from 'silver snake.'