Never Letting Go (Draft)

Chapter Seven

- Escape Reality -

"So you never answered my question." She said, as a round of tea was placed in front of them.

He chuckled breathlessly again, something else he does that she's noticed. She wonders if he's always laughed like that.

Dropping three sugar cubes into his tea he picks up his spoon and stirs it shaking his head in amusement.

"You must be beside yourself, tell me Hermione, has a question that you've asked ever gone unanswered?" As he sips his tea, he tilts his eyes up at her.

She clicks her tongue and shakes her head before diving into her own tea with a roll of her eyes.

"You're a very stubborn man." She said, stirring her tea a bit more.

"You're a very prying woman."

They're silent for a brief moment before they both burst into fits of laughter. She never thought it would be like this. So easy going, one conversation about sneakers leading into the weather, then leading on to where they are now. Small talk never seemed to be Professor Snape's forte, but here he was doing small talking.

"Come on." She nearly begged, obvious curiosity and pleading in her brown eyes.

"Ah fine," He said sitting his cup of tea on the table, "I own a book store not three minutes from here, it's a fiction book store."

"No non-fiction?" She asked, tilting her head.

"No because to me, the only reason I read is to escape reality and why read a book if it's purely realistic, it takes the fun from it." He explains, watching as she shifts in her seat.

"I guess that makes since," He hums at that, "But why read if you gain no intellect from it?"

"You can gain intellect in many other ways, but what better way to escape reality if only for a few minutes or a few hours than reading about unrealistic things in an unrealistic world." He said.

"I've never read for the fun of it, ever since I was in grade school reading was always about studying." She tells him, watching as he became amused.

"Well that's no fun, you're childhood must have been completely boring." He laughed.

You don't know the half of it. She wanted to say but thought better of it.

"So tell me, why are you in such a small town like Camden, if you're so high strung, why here?" He asked, curious by this woman who seemed so lost.

She chuckled shaking her head, "I grew up not to far from here, I was just passing through."

"Was?"

They made eye contact, his expression blank yet full of emotion at the same time. She was her own mystery it would seem. A mysterious woman, amongst so many other people yet she looks so alone.

"I'm thinking about staying for a while." She said, "I don't really have to much to get back to at the moment."

"You're more than welcome to stay with me." He proposes.

Her eyes bulge in her head, she can't stay with him. It wouldn't be horrible, but what if she did something or said something she wasn't supposed to and he realized who she was. To him she must seem like any other muggle. What if she by accident used magic in front of him, it would all be over for her in seconds, all that she's worked for.

"No," he laughed, "I didn't mean in the same room, I have an apartment and a guest room above my book store, you're more than welcome to stay there for a few days if you'd like."

Relief flashes over her face and she relaxes. It couldn't hurt, but she needed to talk to Harry about this. Would he think it was a bad idea? Of course it was, but really what did she have to lose? She could give it a go, she wants to find out more about him and this could be the only way. The quickest way rather.

"I'd love to." She smiled.

"Then it's settled," He mirrored her expression, "Oh but fair warning, the walls are thin so if you'd like to have a private conversation," He paused then smiled devilishly, "Don't."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Authors note: How was it? I know they're short but I can only write so much before my writers block starts setting in for the day. Lol. Feedback?