True Love Ways

4 Renewing old acquaintences

After finishing his meal in the Great Hall Severus stood and with a slight nod at his fellow diners left as abruptly as he had entered - his black frock coat and cape billowing out behind him. Hermione watched him leave with a sigh. She noted how he almost glided away from his seat. She had hoped they could rekindle the friendship they once had but he'd seemed so cold and distant that for a moment she wondered if she'd made the right decision in coming back.

Firmly putting such negative thoughts to the back of her mind, she too stood and, bidding her fellow teachers a 'good evening', left the dining hall. She quickly and quietly walked towards the dungeons. The darkness enveloped her and the cold seeped into her bones. "Lumos!" She flicked her wand and its powerful light expelled the darkness in front of her. Soon she was stood outside the door of Professor Snape's chambers. She smiled at the familiarity of the door plaque that had been polished to a high sheen as per usual. She had missed standing here. She raised her hand to knock at the door but before she could, it swung open and there stood the Professor himself. Tall and brooding. An unfathomable sneer on his face and his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

"So here you are Miss Granger?" Severus stated rhetorically, to what was clearly the obvious. He opened one of his spider like arms and motioned for her to enter. He stood firm as she moved passed him, thus exaggerating their height difference. Oh how she'd missed the smell of him, Hermione mused. Sandalwood and parchment with a hint of vanilla. All so masculine and all so Severus.

Hermione stood in his once very familiar chambers. Nothing had changed. It seemed darker than she remembered; a little more foreboding. "Hello" she said in a small voice. Her smile belied the anxiety she was feeling at that moment. Severus did not break into a smile - his face was fixed giving away nothing of his inner feelings. His dark eyes bore into her.

"Sit". He motioned to her. She did as he bade and sat on a high wing back chair. Severus poured himself into the chair opposite. For what seemed like the longest time they sat in silence. His quiet but melodious baritone eventually broke the silence. "As the new Transfiguration Professor you will be on a six month probation." He growled "You will report to me every evening after dinner where you will submit your lesson plans and I will assess your progress. You have never taught before and whilst I always assumed you'd think teaching to be....beneath you, I am confident that you will become adequate in your field". His facial expression changed not one iota as he addressed her. Hermione realised he didn't want to renew their friendship and whilst this saddened her she decided to take it on the chin and treat him equally as coolly.

"Of course Professor" she lifted her head to meet his gaze "thank you. Will that be all for this evening?" He offered a curt nod and she stood up. She walked to the door and she felt her eyes watch her all the while. As her hand reached the door handle a quiet voice stopped her in her tracks.

"I missed you" was his almost inaudible statement. Hermione turned on her heel to face him.

"Severus" she replied, her voice heavy with unshed tears. "I....I had to leave. The castle..... the memories were choking me". Within two steps he was in front of her. She placed her small hand on his and squeezed it tenderly. He shut his eyes.

"Please go Miss Granger" he spat out at her "Go now!" He pulled his hand away from her. With a stifled sob she had turned and ran from his room. She got to her chambers and threw herself face down onto the bed and as the tears came. She didn't know why she was crying. Was it his rejection of their friendship, or a flat out rejection of her? Why was he being so damned cold? At last her final tear fell. Hermione drifted off into an uneasy sleep. Her nightmares came less often these days but her sleep did not refresh her.

.o0O0o.

Severus poured himself a large measure of fire whiskey and downed it in one. He grimaced as it burned the back of his throat. He sat and shut his eyes. Visions of Hermione flashed in his mind. She'd grown from a gawky teen to a beautiful woman. Her eyes were still the deep pools of burnt caramel that he had remembered from all those years ago. Her smile was still as warm and embracing. And he'd acted like a petulant child in front of her! Yes he was hurt that she'd left but could he actually blame her? Hadn't he wanted to leave on so many occasions? Hadn't his own fear and insecurities held him back? Severus you are an idiot, he scolded himself. His behaviour had made him cross and the fact that Minerva McGonagall had failed to tell him she was coming back made him even more annoyed. And where was her husband? Kids?? He needed answers and despite the late hour he wanted them now!

Minerva jumped as Severus 'floo-ed' into her study. "Merlin's beard!" She exclaimed "Severus you gave me a start!" His face was trying to mask his anger as he loomed in front of the elderly witch but was failing.

"What the hell is Hermione Granger doing here and why didn't you tell me?" He spat out.

"Oh Severus - calm yourself. Sit down dear" she had long known how to handle him, even when he was in one of his foulest of moods "Miss Granger needed a job and I needed a Transfiguration Professor. Et voila!" She smiled into the face of the man she thought of as her son. "Surely it's not that bad Severus?"

"Well where's her husband? Her family? Do we have a whole host of her French in Laws traipsing through the castle?" He raised an eyebrow at the elderly witch.

Minerva sighed "Sadly not" she replied "They have parted company after his... er... shall we say 'Extra Marital Dalliances'. Hermione has no children". Minerva detected what she thought was a glimpse of relief fall upon Severus' face after she imparted this piece of information. "She felt ready to return here and I felt ready to let her".

Severus 'floo'ed' back to his chambers with a lightness in his heart. She was single! Why was she now being a single woman so important to him? They had been friends before, never really anything more. Oh he'd wanted to try his luck with her on more than one occasion but she they were still broken from the war. They both needed to heal. He needed to get over his boyhood infatuation of the Potter boy's mother and she needed to get right away from Ron Weasley. Any relationship then would've been based on rebounds and broken hearts. He scoffed at the word 'relationship'. She never gave an indication that there was any romantic interest on her behalf. She was a kind soul Severus. She was only being kind....