Part Two, Day Two

Disclaimer: I make no money with this story.

Many, many thanks to my beta, Dacian Goddess.

The next day proved to be too busy to implement any plan of seducing Hermione properly. Breakfast was not even finished when Filch informed Severus that the caterer chosen for providing petit fours for the upcoming celebrations was at the school gates to discuss final details about prices and quantities. Severus would have gladly left that chore to his deputy, but Minerva had classes all morning. With an undisguised, disgusted sigh, he rose up from his place at the staff table in the Great Hall and, followed by Hermione, he headed to his office. Once there, he told Hermione that he trusted her to negotiate with the caterer while he went over some of his paperwork. "I'll validate your choices when you're finished with him."

Hermione beamed at him, grateful for his faith in her abilities; but before she could thank him, Mr Greedings was introduced into the office by an eternally grumpy-looking Filch.

"Miss Granger has delegation from me to choose that which she will deem acceptable for Hogwarts' guests," Severus told him. He led the caterer to the table where Hermione was already seated and went back to his own desk. For two hours, he heard murmurs of "elf-made Champagne", "warlock caviar", "sweet or savoury food", but he did not pay attention to the conversation per se.

"Severus?" Hermione called to him. "I've got three estimates to submit to you."

Without moving from his armchair, not even raising his head from his work, he waved his hand in the air. "Choose whatever you deem best. You know what the budget is."

"Well, Mr Greedings, I think we'll settle for this one." She pointed out the two hundred and seventy-one Galleon and one Knut estimate, opting for savoury food and elf-made Champagne, with Butterbeer, gillywater and pumpkin juice for those who could not stand Champagne. "All of this must be delivered on Monday next week by eight in the morning, and your waiters must be there before ten."

Mr Greedings had a very satisfied smile. He was still young in his job, and this contract would be good advertisement for his business. "Very well, Miss. All will be as you want."

Hermione presented the contract to Severus, who skimmed through it before signing it, and then the caterer left.

Severus looked at Hermione, who was standing in front of his desk, with approbation. "You have done well, Hermione."

She smiled at him, very pleased by his praise. "Thank you, Severus. I want to be worthy of your trust."

"You are. Believe me, you are," he whispered. He stood up and joined her in the middle of his office. All his being expressed a rarely seen intensity of feeling. His attention was focused on Hermione in a way the young woman had never seen before. The portraits all held their breaths, in a manner of speaking. Hermione watched him come to her, she herself bearing an intense expression of longing on her face. He was so close to her! He was leaning his head toward hers, and her lips parted in anticipation, when a hard knock rattled the door on its hinges. Stunned, Hermione and Severus turned their heads to the door and saw it open before a very excited Hagrid.

"Headmaster Snape, I wanted you to know Jenna started to foal! She's in the secon' cave after the sprin'," he boomed as soon as he was inside the study.

It took several seconds for a nonplussed Severus to remember he had asked to be told at once when the female Thestral would give birth. He regained his senses and answered the gamekeeper. "Thank you, Hagrid. I'll go and cast the protective charms in a few minutes." Thestrals were very rare, and each foal had to be protected against thievery. Hagrid seemed to realise then that Severus and Hermione were standing quite close to each other. He narrowed his eyes; would the rumours be true? Was Snape trying to seduce Hermione? Was he the reason she had broken off with Ron, putting Harry in the difficult situation of having his two best friends on non-speaking terms? The truth was that she did not appear to be bothered at all by the headmaster's proximity. Hagrid decided to shrug it off. Hermione had gone in hiding with Harry, staying with him even when Ron had defected. She had faced the Death Eaters, You-Kn... Voldemort's snake in Godric's Hollow, resisted Bellatrix Lestrange's torture... There was no way Snape could have influenced her if she had not wanted to be.

"See you later then, Headmaster, Hermione. I have a class in ten minutes."

Severus inclined his head in acknowledgement, and Hermione waved at him. "See you later, Hagrid."

When the half-giant was gone, Severus exhaled deeply. "Duty calls," he said in a blank tone.

"So it seems," Hermione answered in kind.

They made their way to the Forbidden Forest. At this hour, there was not a student in the corridors, and only the droning noise of voices lecturing could be heard behind the closed classrooms doors. Outside, the sun was playing hide and seek with the clouds, and the temperature on the ground varied depending on whether the sun's rays were within reach or not. It did not take long to them to find the mare. Thestral herds were very organised when it came to their offspring. Weeks before the birth of a foal, the animals collected grass and let it dry in caves until it was hay, which they used to build nests for their newborn foals and their mothers.

Jenna's foal was already feeding when they arrived. Severus circled mare and foal and wordlessly cast the customary protective spells.

"Can you explain me what you've just done, or is this supposed to be a headmaster's secret?" Hermione inquired on their way back to the castle. They did not walk very quickly; they were savouring their outdoors time together.

"It's not a secret, though only the headmaster can perform the spell. Until the spell-protected foals reach their adult size, only the headmaster and those he designates can touch them." Severus explained to her the functioning of the spell extensively. When they reached the castle, it was lunchtime. In the Great Hall, Hagrid stopped his conversation with McGonagall abruptly when they came in and looked away guiltily. The Transfiguration teacher tried to act as if nothing was amiss, but she was not that good an actress. The meal was awkward. It was obvious that gossip ran among the staff as wildly as a herd of hippogriffs. Severus and Hermione could not get away quickly enough.

Hermione stormed into the headmaster's office. "I wish they would stop doing that," she seethed.

"Doing what?"

"Gossip! Did you notice that all the teachers were glancing at us curiously while whispering? As if we wouldn't notice!"

Severus settled calmly into his armchair. He was actually rather amused. "And what would they gossip about that would involve us?"

Hermione blushed deeply, but glared at him. "You very well know. They gossip about us."

Hands steepled and elbows propped onto his desk, he asked her, "Elaborate what you mean by us, please."

Now redder than a beetroot, Hermione stammered, "Well, us. I... I think they... they suppose we're having an affair."

"Are we?"

"No..." But Severus heard the not yet as clearly as if she had uttered it. He finally took pity on her and elected to distract his aide's upset mind. As it was, they still had a lot of work to cover today. "Hermione, I suggest we go over the arrangements for next week's celebration one more time and that we then prepare the agenda for tonight's staff meeting."

Their afternoon was spent in quiet companionship above clutters of parchment.

As the teachers filed into the staff room for the weekly meeting, Hermione's discomfort returned with a vengeance. She felt as if each of them had spotted something that needed to be deciphered on her, and they all ogled her the way people usually ogled Harry. It was disconcerting to say the least. She glimpsed Flitwick and Truthiful, the new Defence teacher, leaning towards each other and whispering furiously while casting her what were supposed to be surreptitious glances. McGonagall's expression was etched with disapproval and curiosity. She was probably torn between morals and gossip. Hagrid was rather pensive and cast them a very appraising look. Madam Pomfrey was in fact the only one neutral, which was a good thing because she was usually the most informed person in the school. Hermione shuddered at the idea of Madam Pomfrey being Hogwarts' columnist.

"Good evening," Severus greeted his colleagues. "Tonight will be dedicated to the final preparation of next week's celebration of the Dark Lord's downfall. Hermione and I have reviewed everything this afternoon. I'm going to present you with what we have prepared for our guests and make sure the event is worthy of our school. Tell me what you think, and if you have last minute suggestions, now would be the time to make them. Each one of you shall be assigned a role as well."

The meeting was wrapped up in one hour.

"I must say, this sounds extremely well organised," Firenze admitted.

"O' course! Hermione's involved, after all," Hagrid said. He winked at Hermione.

After that, the teachers lingered for a little while to socialise, but soon the staff room was empty but for Severus, Hermione and McGonagall.

The Deputy Headmistress told them, "Congratulations for the way you've planned all of this. I'm sure it'll be a success."

"Most of the merit falls to Hermione, Minerva. She's an incredible planner."

McGonagall had a small smile. "I know. However, I wasn't aware you were that good," she said, addressing Hermione and giving her a speculative look. "You're even better than me."

That last statement puzzled Hermione, but Severus was stunned. Minerva had previously hinted at her fatigue and want for retirement. Had she just given her blessing for Hermione to take over her job?

"Thank you, Minerva," Hermione answered simply.

"You're welcome." And the older witch left them alone.

Severus yawned widely. "I think we should call it a night. What say you, Hermione?"

She yawned in turn. "I think you're quite right, Severus."

He offered her his arm and walked her to her quarters. At her door, he lifted her hand to his lips and gave it a kiss. "Good night, Hermione."

The fire in his eyes captivated her. She could not look away.

"Good night, Severus." And, standing on her tiptoes, she kissed his mouth. A long time later, they went to bed, separately.