Wake Up Call

A/N: It's not my stuff, just my crazy idea. Charmed Force is the world's greatest beta. You know the drill... Follow the links. There will only be one more chapter after this, folks!

It was a beautiful Saturday. Severus, however, would have much rather been spending the day working on his Potions research in the dungeons instead of escorting a bunch of dunderheads to Hogsmeade. He hadn't been able to go back to sleep after his run in with Miss – no, Professor Granger the night before. He'd had a good talking to his Slytherins that morning about not mentioning any of what they had seen, or heard, to anyone else. It was a private matter, and anyone wishing to share it with the uninvolved was risking detention with Mr. Filch for the remainder of the school year, and it was only September. He'd hoped that was enough of a threat. Honestly, he expected it to be around the school in a matter of hours.

In the meantime, however, he found himself walking the path to Hogsmeade with a talkative Hooch and Sprout to keep him company. They were going on and on about the latest Rita Skeeter article and some nonsense about a player on the Harpies team sleeping with her coach. He was hardly interested and found his mind wandering to the vision of Professor Granger in her pink nightgown. He could just imagine running his hands down her body, over the soft fabric to the hem where he would find skin. Then, slipping his hand up under the hem to see if her knickers were the same color as ...

"Severus, honestly, can't you keep your mind on a conversation?"

He looked up suddenly and realized what he had been thinking about. He quickly glanced at the box. It would not do for it to begin playing anything remotely like that song last night. Thankfully, it kept quiet. That would have had Hooch going. He blinked quickly and could utter only a quick "Sorry." Too distracted was he by the thoughts he had been entertaining and the fact that he was no doubt destined for more embarrassment if he didn't get it together.

The women rolled their eyes and continued chatting.

"Come on, Severus; let's get a drink," Hooch said as they steered their way to the Hog's Head. Severus just followed along thinking about as little as possible, counting footsteps and thinking he could really use a good hard shot of firewhiskey.

They found a booth close to the bar and ordered. Severus wasn't too sure why Albus even made the staff chaperone these Hogsmeade trips when it was a known fact they spent all their time in the bar. Perhaps if he were in his own dungeons, he could let his little fantasy play out a little further in his mind, bouncing white box be damned. As it turned out, he found himself having to control his thoughts with Occlumency-style strength. Try as he might to keep involved in the conversation with these two chatty women, for distraction's sake, he managed to let his mind slip back to what might have happened had his students not shown up at that very moment. Would he have kissed her? Did he really want to? Where the Hell did that come from? Did she want to? She sure seemed like she did, eyeballing him like a randy vulture. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that maybe he did want to. It didn't have to be anything serious or lasting, just a fling. But damn it all, he was getting tired of games. He was too old for this nonsense...stupid Muggle music boxes and saucy little females. She was too young, and he was too old, and he had been her professor for crying out loud! This was Hermione Granger of all people! She was intelligent, he couldn't deny. She was beautiful, that was obvious. She was way out of his league and had her whole life in front of her. He was old and bitter and... well, he wasn't really that old, and he had lost a lot of his bitter edge with the demise of the bad guys.

He was just beginning to think that perhaps it might be worth a go to see if anything could happen between them when the door opened and in walked a pink cheeked Hermione Granger on the arm of some large, handsome, older man. Well, we know she likes the older men, Severus thought to himself . Dirty tease. She would have had a go at me last night and here she is on the arms of another man. No, I think not. Suddenly, the box did its thing.

Click Here For Music By Maroon 5.

I didn't hear what you were saying.

I live on raw emotion baby

I answer questions never maybe

And I'm not kind if you betray me.

So who the hell are you to say we

Never would have made it babe.

He ignored it for the first few moments, despite the looks coming from around the bar, and then the chorus began. "SHIT!" Severus slammed his glass down and jumped up, thoroughly frightening the women at his table as he practically knocked it over in his haste to leave the bar. "Severus?" Hooch asked. He was not answering any questions. Especially questions as to why a song like this would be coming out of the box at that moment.

He quickly brushed past Hermione as she said, "Hello, Severus." But he ignored her and quickly left with his little box playing the silly song to which he could hardly stand to listen. It was stupid. She wasn't his. Why was he acting this way? Why was the box playing this damn song? He passed through Hogsmeade quickly, ignoring the curious glances he was receiving from the various Slytherins and the dancing heads of the various Ravenclaws. He wasn't in the mood. He marched his way back up to the castle, being sure to step on every bug he saw. Once in his dungeons, with the box silent again, he was able to think more clearly. This was irrational. Stupid. And done. He would not pursue Hermione Granger, sexy pink nighties or not.

(End Music)

Thankfully, Severus' sleep was undisturbed that night, and he awoke Sunday with a firm resolve to not even think about Miss Granger and to simply ignore the existence of the box. He went to breakfast early to be sure to completely avoid her. He sat down at the table and was pleased to see that there were crumpets that morning. He reached for one, smeared it with jam and dispatched it quickly. He reached for another, and the box began to spout profanity.

Click Here For Music By Britney Spears

Severus froze. Who the bloody hell was Britney? He dropped the crumpet and looked around. Minerva was snorting into her napkin. "Minerva, care to share what's so damn funny?" There was an annoying giggle that came from the box and from most of the females in the room.

"Come, Severus, even most pureblood Wizards know who this is!"

Severus stared blankly at her. He said sourly, "I'm sorry, Minerva, I tend to have higher standards than most wizards. Do tell?"

Minerva looked at him sharply and then glanced up at the box. "Britney Spears, Severus, honestly!" He just stared at her blankly. Ah. Severus did know the name only because he had confiscated various pictures of the girl from certain students...highly inappropriate pictures. No wonder the boys in the room were staring at the box so intently. Great, just what he needed, Britney bloody Spears. He could have handled a dose of that Ozzy person, but this was too much.

"Well, Severus," Minerva said, chuckling again, "apparently the box thought it amusing that you wanted more crumpets." She then began laughing openly, along with Flitwick and Sprout, who were seated next to her.

Severus heard the chorus at that moment. "Oh, for fuck's sake!" He threw his napkin down and put his head in his hands. "I can't even enjoy a quiet breakfast!"

Just then, Hermione walked through the staff doors and stopped. She smiled very broadly and walked over and sat next to Severus, who still had his head in his hands, rubbing his temples. "Why, Severus, I never took you to be a fan of Britney Spears! Who would have guessed?"

He slowly turned to her. "You. This is your fault."

His voice was not angry, but somewhat devoid of emotion. Hermione was taken aback. She looked around the room at the various students sniggering and even the professors sharing their table. They were obviously enjoying his discomfort, and Hermione realized then that he had good reason to be mad...no, livid...with her. But he wasn't. His face was a blank mask. Stoic even.

"Severus, honestly, I am sorry. I had no intention of it coming to this. I didn't know when I cast the charm how long it would last. Honestly, I am sorry."

Severus stood and looked around the room and then down at her. "Save it, Granger." With that, he turned and left in a flourish of black robes and pop music. Hermione just sat there and watched him go, ashamed that she had caused him so much trouble. She stood and left after him, but not following him. She needed to think.

(End Music)

Hermione knew she had to make it up to Severus. She truly didn't know when the charm would end and was almost certain that there was no way of knowing. When she had cast the charm, she was well and truly upset, remembering all of the times he had berated her and her friends when they were students. Now, she was regretting her rash move. She had always respected him. When she was a student, she developed a sense of curiosity about Professor Snape, Man of Mystery. One might have even called it a crush, though Hermione would disagree. Now her temper had gone and buggered it up. How was she ever going to win his respect? How was she going to win anything from him now? She had briefly thought that perhaps he could forgive her, that night he had come to her. Even in his anger she saw flashes of...well, what exactly? It must have just been the music affecting him. She knew she was hoping for too much. She was no longer a naive school girl but a woman. She knew what she wanted, but did not know how to get it. And Hermione hated not knowing. She figured she would just have to give him time. Perhaps the charm would wear off and he would forgive her. Perhaps.