To Find a Girlfriend...

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Inspiration for this belongs to Vanityfair who wrote this brilliant list on her LiveJournal at the first of the year. JKR owns the universe.

6 Days, 19 Hours, 3 Minutes

It was Christmas morning. After taking Hermione home from the date from hell, Severus had not been able to sleep well. He'd tossed and turned. Visions of an obnoxiously dressed women with gold ribbons and done up like a holiday tree, complete with tinkling bells, had flittered in and out of his dreams. His torture was complete with an image of Hermione Granger wandering into each room, holding up a piece of parchment in one hand and a giant hourglass in the other; while she harped on him about how he was running out of time and was about to be turned into a house-elf. "Did you actually shag that woman, Severus?" dream-Hermione shrieked.

As was typical for him, Severus was out of bed and fruitlessly wandering the halls of his castle by five that morning. It was a pattern that he'd long ago acquired when he'd been working at Hogwarts, teaching dunderheads for countless hours on end and being forced to serve two masters. The only thing that had kept him from suicide at that time had been a vow to Dumbledore to see the end of the war. It had not been an Unbreakable Vow – what would be the point in that? – but a vow, nonetheless.

Once the end of the war had come, the tide had turned in Severus' favor; there had been no need to carry through with those suicidal thoughts. (Of course, that didn't take into account that he'd been exceedingly worried about his resolutions list during Voldemort's downfall... but that was besides the point.) From his point of view, saying that public opinion was completely in his favor would have been a bit extreme; but there was no doubt that some viewed him as a sought-after commodity, what with his war hero status and his improved appearance.

The fact that he was once again contemplating leaving this life – and with that came the risk of locking himself into an afterlife where it was exceedingly possible that he'd be forced to spend eternity with the likes of James Potter, Sirius Black, and Albus Dumbledore – certainly said something about how much Severus despised the consequences of not meeting the terms of the Resolution Contract. He'd spent the last several hours scouring his books on magical bonds, looking for any mention of Resolution Parchments and loopholes. Not that he hadn't done this a thousand times before, but Hermione had hinted the night before that she knew how to accomplish the final task. Severus had to admit that on some level it irritated him that the little know-it-all would practically taunt him with the fact that she knew how to help him, yet not divulge that important piece of information to him. No, instead the impertinent little witch demanded his presence at Potter's house today.

Then again, their date last night had been rudely interrupted, and Severus had not left Hermione with the best impression. Her taunting him with knowing that vital piece of information had obviously been her way of getting back at him for the embarrassment that she'd been forced to suffer: having her robes covered in chocolate mousse and coffee, after being propositioned for a threesome by Deirdre.

For a brief moment, Severus found himself wondering at Hermione's motivations at forcing him to spend time with yet more former Order members. (Hadn't he done that enough at Potter's party?)

Before Deirdre interrupted him and Hermione, he had been enjoying their date last night. He had taken pleasure in Hermione's company, her sense of humor, her intelligence, and their conversation, and he had to admit that she was a fair sight to look at. But after that fiasco, he found himself questioning what she even thought of him. He could not ask her outright, because Severus Snape wasn't the sort of man who allowed himself to be vulnerable. If she didn't potentially hold the answer to his problem, then he wouldn't even be bothering with her today; it would have been safer for his fragile ego that way.

"Bloody hell!" Severus swore out loud as he realized how stressful Christmas was going to be. He'd been so concerned about his cursed list all morning that he hadn't given a second thought as to what he would be expected to do today. The idea of not only spending the day with Potter, but also the sure-to-be-there Clan of the Redheads, was a nauseating thought. Thinking about it, Severus began to believe that anything would be better than spending the day with the Wonder Boy and his dopey sidekick.

Unfortunately, hiding was not an option, and looking at the clock on the wall he had... Bugger! He had less than an hour to ready himself for his day with Hermione, Potter, Weasley, and whoever else he was doomed to spend the day with. And it was at that moment that he realized that it was, in fact, a holiday. Not just any holiday, but Christmas.

Fuck.

Which meant he was definitely expected to bring Hermione a Christmas present.

Hastening his steps, Severus made his way to his bedroom to ready himself. He prayed that Albus was watching over him so that he might have enough time left over to find a suitable gift for the young woman, before he was expected to make his appearance at Grimmauld Place.

*** ~~~ *** ~~~ *** ~~~ ***

Severus checked and re-checked his appearance in the mirror before he left his home. He felt like he had when he was a sixth-year student meeting a fifth-year Ravenclaw in the alcove behind the tapestry of Romeo and Juliet up on the fourth floor.

Promptly at noon, he Apparated to the stoop of number twelve, Grimmauld Place, with flowers in hand. After patting his pocket to ensure that his gift was in the pocket of his robes, he knocked firmly on the door, just as he had the evening before.

Today, however, he was greeted by the smiling face of Hermione. She was wearing a green jumper (likely a gift from Molly Weasley) and a black skirt. Very Muggle, he thought.

"Happy Christmas, Severus."

"Hermione," he acknowledged with a nod as he entered the house and held out the flowers for her.

"Thank you. They're lovely."

Severus nodded again, uncertain of what else to say to her. He knew that the moment that the uncomfortable minute in the foyer was over, she would then drag him into the sitting room.

Hermione stood there staring at him, with the bouquet in her hands. Obviously she was waiting for the words that often followed a gift of flowers. Did she not know that purple hyacinths mean "I'm sorry"? Apparently not. He watched as her face slowly hardened. Severus dreaded the idea of her becoming angry again. It was not conducive to a tolerable day, nor was it helpful in completing his resolutions list.

With his ultimate goal clearly in his mind, Severus sighed and forced himself to speak the words that the young woman was obviously waiting for. "I wish to apologize for last night. I had no way of knowing that Miss Crowel was going to make an appearance. I am sorry that a scene was made and for any embarrassment that it may have caused you." There, that wasn't too hard. And it sounded convincing and somewhat contrite. It was only once he acknowledged this to himself that he realized that his apology was, in fact, sincere.

He decided it was best not to think on that right now.

Hermione smiled again. "I knew you had it in you, Severus." With a flick of her wand, she Conjured a vase for the flowers; and with a swish, she sent the flowers, now in the vase, sailing up the stairs.

"Shall we go?" she asked brightly.

"Go?" He groaned. This was just what he'd wanted. The only thing worse than spending the day at Grimmauld Place was spending it at the Burrow.

"Oh, your clothes!"

"My clothes?"

"Yes, we need to Transfigure your clothes," Hermione said.

"You will not!"

"But, Severus, you can't go there in wizard's robes," Hermione insisted. Her wand was still in her hand, and she was now pointing it at him with a calculated look on her face.

"I am quite certain that the Weasleys will not object to my clothes," he sneered, pushing her wand aside so that it was no longer aimed at him.

"The Weasleys?" Hermione crinkled her brow and frowned in thought, until she exclaimed, "Oh! We're not going to the Burrow."

Severus visibly relaxed. Not going to the Burrow. Thank Merlin.

"We're going to spend the holiday with Harry's relatives, the Dursleys."

So overcome with shock, Severus forgot to breathe for a moment. "WHAT?" Severus remembered Petunia Evans from when he'd visited Lily one summer between his fourth and fifth years at Hogwarts. She had been a horrid and insanely jealous person then. Since that time, he'd heard stories of Potter's time spent in the care of the Dursleys, and he had no desire to experience it first-hand. He didn't care what it cost him... he'd find another way to save his magic.

Wielding his wand, he turned his back on the young woman and headed towards the door. He missed the smirk on the girl's face.

"I am not going to spend my day in the presence of the Dursleys. Good day, Hermione," he said, reaching for the door handle.

"Oh, for pity's sake. I wasn't serious, Severus."

He turned around quickly and glared at her.

"I'm sorry," she then said, obviously realizing that she'd gone too far. "I just figured that if I told you it was something as horrible as that, then you would react better once I told you where we really are going."

From her words, Severus knew that he didn't want to know. It was far safer to just open the door, step out of the house, and Disapparate. The small voice in his head told him to at least hear her out, as it could possibly be worth almost anything if she could eliminate his final resolution. "Go on."

"Um. Well, I was going to take you to my parents' house." Her voice was tentative now, and Severus wondered what her motives were.

"That is still spending the day with Muggles. How is that supposed to be any better than Potter's family? You have the wrong wizard, Miss Granger," he snarled, turning back towards the door.

"Wait, please."

"You cannot possibly expect me to believe that spending the day with your family will help me accomplish my final resolution. I shall find some other way."

"Please, Severus. If I don't show up with someone, then I'll have to spend the entire day listening to my aunt and grandmother telling me how hopeless life is without a man in it, and that I really need a boyfriend. Then, starting as early as tomorrow, they will proceed to set me up on dates with every eligible bachelor that they know."

"How do you know that they'll do that to you? You are far too young for such dismal expectations."

"I know because they tried doing it last Christmas, and the only thing that got me out of it was when I showed them a picture of Ron. Don't look at me like that. My mother already told them over three months ago that Ron and I aren't together anymore. In their opinion, three months is more than enough time to be single, and they will be pushing me hard to get another man."

"That is the most ridiculous thing that I've ever heard."

Hermione nodded in agreement and sighed. "But my grandmother believes that marrying young will equate to a lifetime of happiness. Typically, I just sit and nod my head, playing along with her demands. Just please come with me and help me to fend them off. I don't feel like dealing with them today."

Severus paused, his fingers wrapped around the door handle. Hermione's family sounded completely loony. Who would ever think that marriage for someone who was barely out of her teens would equal a lifetime of happiness? Especially when that person was a witch and stood a decent chance of living well into her hundreds. But, on the other hand, he could understand not wishing to argue with her family and to "play along," as she put it. And it was highly unlikely that anyone, outside of her parents, knew that she was a witch. How many times had Severus played along with Dumbledore, or wished that he had someone to help him fend off the Headmaster's gentle and not-so-gentle nudges towards romance with the likes of Sybill Trelawney, Maggie Rosmerta, and at one time, Nymphadora Tonks. Merlin, Dumbledore had been a barmy old codger ... rest his soul.

"Tell me how to accomplish the final task and break free of that ruddy Resolution Contract," he finally said as he considered possibly conceding to her asinine request. Instantly, he could see the decision warring on her face. Feeling something on his arm, he glanced and saw her hand gently resting on the crook of his arm.

"Find a girlfriend. And keep her," she said.

He glowered at her cheek for quoting his own resolution to him. "Let me guess: 'Preferably without the use of chains or the Imperius Curse.' I know the bloody resolution! Or have you forgotten that not only did I manage to write them, but I've been staring at the same sodding words for the greater part of a year?"

Instead of snapping her hand away from him like he'd anticipated, he was surprised to feel her tentative touch became a firm grasp.

"Let me finish," she said firmly, causing Severus to turn and face her fully. He could no longer hold on to the doorknob in the hopes of an easy escape from the madness she was proposing.

"Think about your resolutions, Severus. They were all specific – you could do something to accomplish the item – except for that one. Although how you accomplished the new career task without becoming the new Minister of Magic or the next Dark Lord is beyond me."

Severus waved her off, in an effort to encourage her to continue. The puzzlement that had suddenly covered her features was now quickly brushed aside as she continued, "The nature of a resolution is that you've made a firm decision to do something. Well, anyway, my point is that all of the ones that you wrote could be accomplished or ticked off a 'to-do' list."

"You are beginning to babble, Hermione," he pointed out to her, with no restraint on allowing his irritation to show.

"Yes. Sorry. I tend to do that sometimes. But what you're failing to see is that many people make such resolutions without a time-constraint. For example, every year I make a resolution to eat better. Judging by the wording of the contract, like every other ill-conceived resolution, that particular one will expire at midnight on December 31st. For that one, you simply need to have a girlfriend at the time... it should count as keeping her. Even if you don't keep her in January, you've still met the resolution as of December 31st. Once the resolution is crossed off, it cannot become uncrossed."

Severus thought for a moment. It sounded possible, although it worried him to count entirely on just that single belief. And that still meant that he needed a girlfriend by next week. Not to mention that he was still puzzled at how he could determine that a woman truly was his girlfriend.

"Severus?" she asked, releasing her hold on him.

"How certain are you of this?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"There is no way to be certain. It's just logical, wouldn't you say?"

He narrowed his eyes at her and gave her his best glare. "You are basing my entire existence as a wizard on an assumption?"

"What else would you conclude? I've wracked my brain over this."

After a long silence, he finally nodded. As much as he hated to admit it, her answer made some sense. However simplistic, it did seem to be the most logical assumption. That, by no means, meant that he wasn't going to keep trying to think of something that would become more of a guarantee. Regardless, he could not accomplish this task alone. "And this girlfriend...."

Her cheeks suddenly turned a rosy pink. It was really all the answer he needed, but she responded nonetheless. "I am volunteering for the position."

Of course, he'd been planning on wooing the young woman all along. However, the words she chose made it sound as if he was desperate, which after brief consideration, he supposed that he was. Still, he felt it necessary to make certain she was aware as to what she was offering to do.

"Let us make some things clear, first. I am not some pity case, and you will not treat me as such. I have dated several women over the last several weeks and it was not because of their lack of interest that I broke things off with them; it was because of my own. I cannot tolerate dimwitted witches who care little about intelligence, who worship such trash as those bleeding afternoon serials on the Wizarding Wireless, and who waste their money on rags such as Witch Weekly."

She snorted. "I most certainly do not pity you."

Surprising himself, Severus had to admit that he believed her. She had, after all, spent countless hours at his bedside when he'd been a patient of St. Mungo's. That was even before he'd become an overnight celebrity.

"And I'm nothing like those gaggling women who listen to serials on the Wizarding Wireless and read every issue of Witch Weekly cover-to-cover."

"I do realize that."

"Then why did you make it a point to mention it?"

Severus ignored her question. "What do you think constitutes a girlfriend?"

"Oh, I don't really know. I suppose that I was thinking that we could see each other frequently over the next week or so and take things from there... allow things to go at a natural pace."

He scowled.

"What's wrong with that?"

"Again, I ask you if you are simply placing my existence as a wizard on such an ill conceived plan."

"What? You want us to push things quickly – start shagging today and get married tomorrow?"

Severus quirked an eyebrow at her, more in amusement than anything else. "I never proposed marriage."

He could swear that he heard a small growl come from the witch's throat. The look on her face was clearly one of frustration. "What are you proposing, then?"

It was then that he realized that he had to be honest with her. But he didn't relish the idea of giving up that information yet... if ever. This was the first time that he'd felt in control of much of anything over the last year. Although, it truly wasn't many cards that he was holding now. It was obvious that he required her help, or some other woman's help, to complete the final task. However, it couldn't be denied that she'd seemed a touch anxious to get him to go to her parents' house, and he liked the idea that she actually needed him for something.

"I only ask that you desire to make an honest attempt at this..." he motioned his hand between them. "This... whatever it is. Simply going through the motions will not work."

"I realize that. Give me some credit, please."

"Furthermore, simply allowing things to move at a natural pace may not be in our... my... best interest."

She just continued to stare at him, their eyes locked. When after a full minute Hermione still said nothing, he decided to risk showing her what he meant.

Reaching out his arm, he quickly and firmly grabbed her about the waist. Hermione let out a small yelp, but uttered no protests. In a rapid, smooth motion, Severus leant near her face and crushed his lips to hers. The kiss he bestowed on her was hard, fast, and demanding. Severus wasted no time as his tongue sought to explore her mouth. On his tongue's retreat, he nipped at her lower lip before sucking her lip into his mouth, eliciting a moan from the woman in his arms. She tipped her head back slightly, and he felt her hands move up his back before she thread them through his hair. With one final nip with his teeth, Severus decreased the suction on her lip as he slowly pulled away and broke the kiss.

"At times there can be an advantage to moving things along quickly," he purred.

He savored the flushed cheeks and slightly swollen lips of the woman still in his arms as she tried to get her breathing back under control.

"I suppose that something can certainly be said for moving things along quicker," she said, obviously trying to carry an air of nonchalance whilst attempting to catch her breath.

Severus released his hold, allowing her to step back. He smirked at her still, slightly dazed appearance.

After another moment, she continued, "I simply wished to point out that if we push things too fast, then this entire effort will be for naught. Especially if you and I are not after the same thing ... and I am referring to something beyond crossing off your final resolution. The final outcome does not entirely rest on me. And I am not doing this purely to accomplish your blasted list."

"Although I am loath to admit it, I will say that it is due to more than just my desire to complete the contract that I am allowing anything to spark between us."

She nodded and smiled up at him. "I had hoped as much. It was hard not to notice that you named me specifically in some of your resolutions."

Of course, she'd noticed.

"I have been wanting to get my hands on that library of yours ever since I came across your list," she said cheekily.

"Yes, well, that will happen soon enough. In fact, if you'd like to go now..."

Severus never had a chance to finish what he was going to say when he saw her brandish her wand at him. With a quick wave he was dressed in a Muggle black suit with a white dress shirt. Looking down at himself, he could recognize the fine Transfiguration job that the witch had performed. Until he noted his tie... with bold red and gold stripes.

Scowling, he wasted no time in wielding his own wand and changing the stripes to the more suitable green and silver from his own House.

Hearing giggles, he glanced at Hermione and glowered. Though it stopped her snickering, it did not stop her from placing her hand on his elbow and saying the words he'd been dreading. "Now, it's time to go to my parents' house."

*** ~~~ *** ~~~ *** ~~~ ***

Not more than five minutes later, Severus found himself being introduced to the Drs. Granger... Katherine and Steven.

Blessedly, both of Hermione's parents appeared to be at least ten years older than Severus. He still needed to ask Hermione what her parents' actual ages were once he was free of this place, but for now he wasn't feeling quite as much like a pedophile.

Her parents were both pleasant and polite, insisting that Severus call them by their first names and telling him that they'd heard quite a bit about him. To say that he was surprised that they hadn't had an adverse reaction to his age would be an understatement. But they both seemed rather pleased to meet him.

Next, he was ushered from the cramped entryway into the parlor where he was introduced to less than a dozen other people who he had found himself dreading to meet. Severus didn't even bother trying to commit the names to memory. He met aunts, uncles, and cousins. With only a few odd looks, most of which came from Hermione's uncles, he was led to the sofa where Hermione introduced him to her grandmother and another aunt.

After only a few minutes, Hermione did the unthinkable and excused herself to retrieve some refreshments. She refused Severus' offer to help, and it had been obvious from the nods of her head and the look in her eyes that she'd intended for Severus to stay seated on the sofa with her relatives.

The interrogation begins, he realized. It was time to fend off Hermione's relatives for her.

"So, Mr. Snape," the younger woman was now saying, "how did you meet our little Hermione?"

How to answer that question without sounding like he'd been lusting after the girl since she was eleven? (Or without telling the Muggles about the recent war.)

"We became associates after she left school," was his cryptic reply.

"Ahhh. And what is it that you do?"

"I am a pro ... chemist."

"A professional chemist? As opposed to an amateur chemist?" The question was heavily laced with skepticism.

"Yes," he answered smoothly. "I was just hired at a research lab. Before that I only worked in that field in my spare time."

"I see."

A still silence settled between them at that. Hermione's grandmother stared straight ahead, refusing to look at or acknowledge Severus, giving him an uneasy feeling. He was on the verge of excusing himself for a trip to the toilet or some other equally useful, but highly false, excuse when Hermione's grandmother spoke.

"I liked that Ronald bloke." The words were directed at Hermione's aunt, although the older of the two women had deigned to give Severus a cursory glance before making such a pronouncement.

"Mother," hissed the aunt, giving her mother a look of warning. "We never even met the boy."

"But we saw a picture. I liked his picture. It was almost as if I could see him waving at me."

Severus fought to appear impassive.

"You're being very rude." The younger of the two women said before turning her attention to Severus. "I apologize for my mother, Mr. Snape. She's never been one to hold her tongue."

Just as Snape was preparing to wave it off (despite his urge to fillet the old biddy alive) that same old biddy interrupted... again.

"Do not apologize for me! I saw a picture of that Ronald boy and I liked him. Nice smile. Nice face. A picture is worth a thousand words, some say." She stopped and looked at Severus full on. "I've never seen a picture of you."

"Oh for..." But Severus never had the chance to finish his statement when Hermione returned from fetching refreshments for them.

"Everything all right?" Hermione asked, handing Severus a mug.

He fought back a growl as he took a sip of his drink and sputtered. "What the bloody hell is this?"

"It's wassail."

Oh, yes... wassail. Of course. It couldn't have been something as simple as tea (with a large dollop of Firewhisky for good measure). Nor could it have been a cool glass of eggnog... heavy on the liquor. Instead, she had given him something that had most of the alcohol cooked out of it already.

"See, that's what I mean," the grandmother continued. "Hermione, we miss that Ronald fellow."

Severus had tried, honestly he had, but he could not hold his tongue any longer. "How in the hell could you possibly miss that annoying little whelp if you've never even met him?" he growled in a low voice.

Instantly, he felt Hermione's hand on his shoulder. He knew that it was an attempt to restrain him from saying all that he desired to. But in looking back up at the young woman he was surprised to see that she appeared to be nearly as angry as he felt.

"Grammy!" she snapped as she stood back up. "I brought someone here to spend Christmas with us and all you can do is insult him? I'll have you know that he is a very good man. I've known him for a very long time and I like him... a lot."

"Of course you do, dear. You're young. Young women are often easily enamored by gentlemen who are old enough to be their father."

Severus could take no more. Rather than annihilate the woman, as he so strongly wished to do, he pursed his lips tightly, stood from his seat, and walked purposefully out of the room to the foyer.

As he was walking he could hear Hermione's grandmother tell the girl that she was very disappointed in her. The last thing he heard before as he opened the front door to leave was Hermione's reply, "No, Grammy, I'm very disappointed in you."

With a forceful snap, he shut the door behind him and started down the stoop, intending to go to where Hermione had Apparated them when they'd first arrived.

"Severus, wait!"

He stopped and turned, watching as Hermione walked carefully down the icy steps and then picked up speed as she approached him. Both of their cloaks were draped over her arm and as she got closer, she offered his back to him.

"I'm very sorry. I had no idea they would respond like that."

His anger only on a thin leash, he chose to say nothing as he took his cloak back from her and donned it.

"I really am sorry. I told you that they like to control my love life. I just had no idea...."

"Of course you didn't." Severus couldn't help but to sneer at her. After nearly thirty years of people in the wizarding world attempting to make fun of him, degrade him, and otherwise try to destroy his moral character, why would he even think that things would be any different now. Perhaps he would do better in the Muggle world.

It was then that he remembered that it had just been Muggles who had treated him the same way that those in the wizarding world typically did. Although, he did feel justified in blaming Hermione for this latest episode.

"I didn't have any idea!" she insisted. "I don't often take someone into my home to meet any members of my extended family! I had no idea that Grammy would be so rude."

"Go back inside, Miss Granger. Spend the holiday with your relatives. When the day is done, go back home to the comforts offered by Ronald Weasley or someone else your own age. Above all else, leave me alone."

He turned and went back down the path until he felt a tug at his sleeve... followed by a much more forceful tug turning him back around to face the annoying wench.

"You are one of the most obnoxious and arrogant men that I've ever known, Severus Snape. How dare you lash out at me like that, as if you were some sort of wounded...." And then she stopped and stared for a moment, her mouth gaping open at him.

Severus snarled.

"How can I apologize for them hurting you like that, Severus? That certainly wasn't my intention. I wouldn't set you up to be... to be humiliated like that." She cast her eyes down as she said her last words.

In a flash, he walked up to her, still in a tower of frustration and anger. He tipped her chin up to force her to meet his gaze and spoke in a very soft voice laden with poison. "I told you, I don't want your pity."

"It's not pity, you great git."

She dared... dared to throw right back at him that which he had dished. Her bitter, dangerous tone was so soft and controlled that it spoke louder volumes than the high shrills which he was more accustomed to hearing from women. He couldn't help but show a bit of surprise and a modicum of respect for her.

"Then what would you call it, Miss Granger? You brought me here to embarrass me. I wouldn't be surprised if you were prepared to take your memories and share them with your little friends with that Pensieve that Potter now has. Or maybe you have that bug Skeeter somewhere on your person so that this can adorn the pages of tomorrow's Daily Prophet."

"Stop acting like a paranoid little prat, Severus. It doesn't become you. I've apologized for what happened. I am willing to make amends. What more do you want?"

He remained silent. After the silence had settled within them, growing increasingly uncomfortable, Hermione was coerced to speak again, although this time, her voice was quiet and calm. The emotion within was not filled with a toxin that would eat away at him and only serve to fuel his anger. No, this was worse; there was so much compassion behind her words that he was afraid that it would taint his very soul.

"I've cared about you for a long time, Severus. You may not be feeling the same things for me that I feel for you, and I understand that. I believe that it came from spending several weeks at your bedside. Perhaps, it was the moment that you saved me from Dolohov's curse on the battlefield, or when I protected you after you fell and got you safely to St. Mungo's once the major fighting had ceased. Maybe it began before that when you contacted me to be your liaison to the Order, and all of the meetings we had. Possibly it had even begun before then, I'm not really sure. I do know that somewhere along the way, it turned from admiration and hero worship to something much more.

"But despite what you may think, when one person cares for another, they do not wish to hear other people putting down the person that they lo...like. My family had no right to treat you that way, and the only thing I can do is apologize and be thankful that at least my own parents were polite."

Finished with her small rant, she stood there, nervously. Fidgeting with her hands, chewing on her lower lip, and now unable to keep eye contact with him.

Severus knew what typically came next after something like this, and then realization flooded him.... He actually wanted to do those things. He wanted to not only accept her apology, but he bloody well wanted to apologize to her for his behavior as well! The desire to kiss her, pull her up into his arms, and warm her from the bitter cold that was seeping through his suit, was overwhelming.

Loved.

She had been about to say "loved" – they do not wish to hear other people putting down the person that they loved.

Suddenly, he understood what she had meant earlier about moving things along too quickly, even if they would be forced to move things much faster than ideal. Damn, such a thought would actually imply that, even if he did not have a contract to fulfill, he would be interested in the girl.

For Severus Snape, nothing was harder than admitting that someone else was right. And not only was she forcing him to do that, but Hermione Granger was compelling him to admit a growing attraction and feelings that he wasn't yet ready to face.

It was as she said. She had been a much larger part of his life than he had even known up until a few days ago. And even before that, they had worked together frequently prior to the death of the Dark Lord. After the first several meetings then, they had built a comfortable working relationship... the sort that had typically taken much longer to build with most other people.

The knowledge of how much she'd been involved even after the battle was something which he had not given much more than cursory consideration to before now. He had, after all, only been learning these things over the last couple of days.

He had been silent too long. She had laid her feelings out for him to see, and Hermione was still waiting for his response. Seemingly, on its own accord, Severus reached up his hand, cupping her face and brushing his thumb across her cold cheek. She looked up into his face, and her brown eyes began to warm him from the inside out.

"You need to get back inside before you catch your death," he said softly.

Confusion clouded her eyes instantly. She opened her mouth to protest, but he halted her by moving his hand and placing his finger to her lips.

"I will be by Grimmauld Place tomorrow morning at ten o'clock to pick you up. Today is Christmas, and you need to spend it with your family. Even your aunt and your grandmother."

She frowned, but nodded her head nonetheless. "Perhaps if you just came back inside, I could..." her voice trailed off when Severus began shaking his head.

"I am not, what most people call a people person. I loathe crowds, I hate meeting hordes of new people, and once someone insults me, I have reached my limit." Oddly enough, the hurt look on her face now made him feel the urge to compromise with her. "But perhaps, later this week, I can have dinner with just you and your parents."

There was that beaming smile which had been absent from her face for the last two hours.

Severus leaned down and kissed her gently on the corner of her mouth. He stepped back and reached his hand in his pocket, and suddenly remembered the package in there. Glancing around him to be certain that no one else was watching from the Grangers' house, he pulled it from his pocket and handed it to Hermione. At the same time, with his other hand he flicked his wand and discreetly cast a Warming Charm.

She quickly removed the paper to reveal a wooden box. She ran her fingers over the walnut casing which had been elegantly hand-painted with what Severus knew to be a red crest, but had now become faded from spending too many years in a windowsill. Cautiously, she lifted the lid and peered inside, as the music box began to play Pachelbel's Canon in D.

"It's beautiful, Severus. The music is so clear, almost like I can hear the musicians playing. Wherever did you find it?"

He nodded. "It is a wizarding music box, Hermione. Not Muggle. It belonged to my great-grandmother."

Closing the lid carefully, she made to hand it back to him. "I can't accept an heirloom like this."

"I have other things that belonged to her. Keep it, please."

"But...."

"Hermione, do I seem like the type of man that would keep an heirloom with the Gryffindor crest on it?"

She stopped and looked back down at the box. Severus couldn't help the small smile from forming at the corner of his mouth. In truth, in his house he did have other things belonging to his great-grandmother, some of which also carried similar Gryffindor symbols. He just did not display them openly.

This music box had been the exception. His mother had kept it in the windowsill in her bedroom the entire time that Severus had been growing up, and he kept it there after his mother had died... even after moving into his new castle, he'd found a windowsill for it to set in. However, he felt unexpectedly pleased to see it in Hermione's hands now.

Standing on the tip of her toes, Hermione leaned up and kissed Severus on the cheek. She said a soft "thank you" in his ear before moving back to where she'd been standing.

"Tomorrow at ten."

"Yes, tomorrow at ten. Happy Christmas, Severus."

"Happy Christmas, Hermione."

And with that, Severus turned and walked quickly to the side of the house and Disapparated back to his home in Edinburgh. Upon entering his house, he didn't even bother to check his resolutions list. There was no way that the final resolution had been crossed off, but for the first time since this entire mess had begun, Severus finally felt as if completing the entire contract was at last within his grasp.

A/N: I am so very sorry about how long it took to get this story updated. To say that I became overwhelmed would be an understatement. This chapter was a bugger to write, mostly because there were things that had to happen so that I can actually finish the story. Also, I remind you that this story is written from Severus' POV, and the only thing that we have to go on is what she says and her action... and Severus' interpretations of these things.

Thank you to JuneW for her super-quick beta job! She is absolutely amazing. :) Any mistakes are mine and mine alone.