Transitions

Disclaimer: JKR owns it all. I'm just having fun.

Chapter Five

Transitions

Severus Snape leant against the counter of his apothecary, staring out of the window that overlooked the main street of Diagon Alley. The sky was blackened by a torrential rain, so the streets were mostly deserted – no one wanted to be caught in this downpour. Severus considered closing the shop and retiring upstairs to his flat; a glass of brandy, a book, and a warm fire sounded extremely appealing. He saw his wall clock reflected in the glass and smiled inwardly. She would arrive for work at any moment. Hermione had to know that no one in their right mind would be out shopping on a day like this; however, she was never one to stay home from work, no matter the circumstance. An errant thought crossed his mind – Perhaps she just wishes to see me. He snorted at the unlikely idea.

Severus walked around the counter and stood in front of the rain-soaked window, waiting for Hermione's arrival. It had been two months since she and Weasley had ended their romantic relationship. Severus had been relieved when he had heard the news – although Hermione's tears had tempered the feeling of satisfaction somewhat. He had not enjoyed seeing her in pain. He remembered the day vividly.

Severus was taking inventory when Hermione entered the shop. Her eyes were rimmed in red, her hair pinned up in a messy pile – so unlike the severe, pulled-back style she usually wore when she brewed. Her typically meticulous work robes were dishevelled, as if she had just pulled them on without a care for how they appeared.

Severus sat next to her, close enough for her to feel secure, but not so close that he would feel ... uncomfortable. Hermione's head was bowed, and she remained silent. He realised that, for once, he was going to have to be the one initiate a conversation with her.

Severus snorted. "Of course not. The idea is laughable." How anyone could confuse him for Charlie Weasley, Severus would never know.

Hermione accepted his arm and enthusiastically agreed to Indian cuisine as they left the flat together.

They now went to lunch together every time she worked, usually four days out of the week, either dining out or having a simple meal in his flat. They had become much more relaxed around each other over the past two months, their friendship deepening as he made a conscious effort to be more open with her. Hermione seemed to have recovered from the dissolution of her romantic entanglement with Weasley, aided in part by the fact that the two had remained on friendly terms. Now Severus' only concern was that Hermione appeared to still see him only as her employer and friend, rather than as a potential lover. How in Hades was he going to get her to see him as a man?

The sound of the bell over the front door broke Severus from his reverie, and he turned his head to see a wet and bedraggled Hermione Granger enter the shop. The sight of her Muggle clothes clinging to her body caused the blood in his head to rush to his groin in a surge so powerful he was amazed he retained consciousness. He felt the immediate response and quickly moved behind the counter in order to hide his current physical state from Hermione.

"Merlin's beard, woman, why didn't you cast an Impervious Charm?" he grumbled, turning away from her as he discreetly adjusted himself.

"I love walking in the rain!" she explained, laughing whilst wringing out her wet hair, the dripping water forming a small puddle at her feet.

Turning back around to face her, Severus caught a glimpse of her long, untamed curls before she twisted them up into the severe style he was accustomed to seeing when she brewed.

"Lovely day, eh?" She smiled at him, her eyes shining as she pulled a handkerchief from her ever-present rucksack. She put her back to him to peer out of the window at the storm, unfastening the top three buttons on her blouse before running the small piece of cloth over her neck and chest in an attempt to dry the wetness from her skin.

Seeing her reflection in the window, Severus felt his breath catch and barely suppressed a groan at the sight of her stroking her own flesh.

"Miss Granger, you are dripping on my floor," he stated disdainfully, one hand pulling at his sleeve.

"Stick a sock in it, Severus," she retorted cheekily.

His muttered Evanesco was followed by the sound of her tinkling laughter.

"You are nauseatingly cheerful today."

"I am, aren't I?" she replied, turning to face him. "I suppose I could always return home ...." Her eyebrows furrowed as she tapped her bottom lip with her index finger, pretending to consider her options. "Oh! I know! You should dance in the rain with me!" she exclaimed, struggling not to laugh at the image that popped into her head of the saturnine man frolicking in such a manner.

Severus rolled his eyes in response and cast a Drying Spell. "I think not."

"I knew you were going to say that," she said with a dramatic sigh, her own eyes dancing with mirth.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Severus heaved a sigh of his own. "How much longer do you plan on exuding this level of exuberance?"

"Am I annoying you yet?" she teased.

He glared at her.

Laughing, Hermione said, "Fine, fine! I shall try to restrain myself. Happy?"

"You have no idea," he drawled. "Are you ready to brew now?"

***

The brewing for the day had been completed in record time as no customers had interrupted their work. Severus was bottling the last of the Pepperup Potion whilst Hermione corked and magically sealed each bottle before affixing the phoenix-embossed label.

Once the potion was placed on the proper shelf in the front of the store, Severus turned to Hermione and stated, "I believe it is time for lunch."

Feeling hungry, Hermione readily agreed and, eyeing the continuing storm, suggested, "Let's eat in today."

"Agreed," Severus replied, leading her back to his private office after warding the front door. He tapped the stones of the wall behind his desk with his wand, causing them to shimmer and then disappear, revealing the hidden staircase to his flat.

They worked together in the kitchen as seamlessly as they did in the lab, passing condiments, bread, and ham back and forth until two mouth-watering sandwiches were made.

Hermione carried their plates to the table and sat down whilst Severus brought over two glasses and a bottle of wine. She raised her eyebrows in silent query – they rarely drank alcohol during work hours – but Severus only shrugged and poured the wine.

They ate in companionable silence; Hermione remembered the first time she had been in his flat, the day after her break-up with Ron. She had been impressed by the elegant furnishings and warm walls of the sitting room and with its large windows that allowed natural light to flood the room. She wondered if he enjoyed the light after so many years spent living in the dungeons of Hogwarts. Hermione had also noticed the lack of personal touches – there were no pictures, no portraits, no signs of family or friends. Her heart ached for his lonely existence. Severus was a wonderful friend to her, but she was aware he preferred to keep to himself, and she now understood his continued attendance at Order meetings – it was his only social circle, his make-shift family. His reason was much the same as hers.

Between work and their ongoing lunches, Hermione had been spending a great deal of time with Severus of late. Since that first day after her break-up with Ron, Severus had begun to slowly reveal more and more of himself to her, and she found herself intrigued by each new revelation. She now knew that he liked to play gobstones – he had learnt from his mother, of course – and that when he brewed alone, he had a tendency to hum. Granted, she only knew that because she had arrived for work early one day and caught him in the act. He had stood in front of her, his sallow cheeks flushed, one hand pulling on a sleeve, and proceeded to threaten to hex her if she were to ever tell anyone. Hermione smiled faintly at the memory.

"A happy thought?" Severus drawled, his voice interrupting her thoughts.

"Mmm," she responded, flushing slightly at being caught woolgathering. Feeling a bit flustered, she took a sip of her wine.

Severus' lips twitched, a sure indication that he was amused. "I was thinking of making an excursion to Muggle London on Saturday," he remarked suddenly.

Her curiosity instantly aroused, Hermione asked, "Really? Where in London?"

"Tate Britain."

Hermione's eyes flew to his in excitement. "You are? Oh, I love Tate Britain! My parents used to take me there at least once a summer – it was tradition, you know – and, oh, Severus, it's so lovely! All of the art and ..."

Before she could get too carried away, he raised a hand to stall her words, obviously pleased by her enthusiasm. "I would hazard a guess that you would not be averse to accompanying me, then? I have never visited a Muggle art gallery before, though I have wished to for quite some time.

"My mother often tried to convince my father to take me, but he was a ... difficult man. He felt museums, libraries, and the like were 'unmanly,' and I was forbidden from entering such places in the Muggle world. My mother attempted to compensate by smuggling me to wizarding museums." A small smile graced his face as he thought of his mother. "However, when my father discovered what she had been doing – well, let us just say it did not happen again.

"After that, I was teaching and spying – you know the rest. I have been preoccupied the past few years with Renevatio. I believe it is time to begin living my life as I see fit – to enjoy the fruits of my labour, so to speak."

Hermione was shocked, to say the least. She didn't believe she had ever heard Severus say so much at one time – outside of Potions lectures – and whilst he occasionally would discuss his mother, he had never mentioned his father to her. Hermione was thrilled to hear that he wanted to begin enjoying his life and readily agreed to play tour guide for the day.

"What time will you be picking me up?" she said, smiling widely.

A/N: Up next ... the visit to Tate Britain.

My continued gratitude to my fabulous betas!