As it turned out, I wasn't very good at choosing clothes for myself. Every time I stepped out of the changing room, Ginny would grimace or give me a thumbs down. I thought the dresses were sweet and innocent looking. They were fine.
"You need something sexier." She'd say, throwing me a handful of other dresses. Dresses that were definitely NOT school friendly and teacher approved.
I rolled my eyes. "Gin, this is a staff Christmas party. I need to wear something respectable. Not something that is going to have every man jumping at me."
She giggled. "Why not? You're single. What harm can a little mingling do?"
I bit the inside of my cheek, hands on my hips. I fought with myself not to remind her that I had been engaged to her brother only a few months prior. I knew it wouldn't do well to bring up such stinging memories. She mistook my inner battle for hesitation and jumped on it. "Ooh, 'Mione! Are you seeing someone? Got your eye on them?"
I sneered, a nasty habit I'd picked up from my mentor. "Don't be ridiculous."
Her eyes widened, her hand lifted to her lips. "No way!" She whispered.
I waved off her comment and turned back to the racks of gowns and cocktail dresses. I already had a dress. What was I doing here? My train of thought was derailed when Ginny ran up to me and grabbed my hands. "It's him, isn't it?" She asked, eyes sparkling playfully. "You fancy Snape!"
I shot her a look and shushed her. "That's Professor Snape to you." I reminded. This only made her smile grow.
She hopped up and down, squeezing my hands. "I knew it! Why didn't you say anything sooner?"
I shrugged, stepping away. "Doesn't matter, does it?"
She sensed that I was trying to distance myself and followed me around the rack. "Why wouldn't it? 'Mione, if you feel something for him don't you think that maybe you should say something?"
I looked up at her, eyes watering. She didn't know. How could she? I hadn't told her anything recently. I'd been so cold toward her. "He was married," I whispered. "His wife is the Head of the Education Board. She hates me."
Blue eyes went wide. "Merlin... You sure know how to pick them, don't you?"
I ignored her jibe and turned back to the changing room, slipping out of the red dress I'd been wearing. It wasn't my style anyway, though the colour was lovely.
My redheaded friend stood next to me at the jewellery counter, sensing she had upset me. "I was only saying that you should say something. You seem to really like him. Even if it is..." She drifted off. "I'm not all that surprised, to be perfectly honest. You deserve to be happy. Do this for yourself."
She saw the pain in my eyes. The pain I had been trying to mask. I couldn't do what she was asking of me. It would crush me beyond repair. I'd already gone through heartbreak to last a lifetime. I couldn't make myself so vulnerable. Not again so soon.
She pointed out a necklace beneath the glass counter. "That one is lovely."
I shook my head and she frowned. "I have a necklace already."
I showed it to her, pulling it out from beneath the neckline of my dress. She gaped at it, as though she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "Merlin's pants! Where on earth did you get something like that?" She questioned. "It's gorgeous!"
I smiled at her reaction. She was so dramatic. I turned my attention to a pair of emerald earrings. "Those would match my dress." I mumbled, more to myself than anyone.
Ginny grabbed my arm. "Hold on." She said. "Are you telling me that I've been sitting here for an hour for no reason? Also, don't even think for a moment that our discussion about the diamond is over."
I walked to the shoe display and browsed through the different models. A pretty witch, perhaps a few years older than me stood next to it. "May I help you?" She inquired softly.
I nodded. "Yes, what would look nice with a green cocktail dress? I'm completely wretched when it comes to clothing."
She offered me a smile and disappeared into the back room for a moment. She returned with a pair of sandal stilettos. The entire surface of the shoe was decorated with tiny rhinestones. They glittered every which way as the light hit them. "Those are perfect." Ginny breathed. Before I could answer, she had grabbed the shoes from the witch's hands and skipped over to the cashier. I thanked the startled woman and followed my crazy Weasley friend.
"I'm buying you these." She whispered. "As a Christmas gift."
I shook my head, a smile gracing my face. "You're mental, Gin."
She grinned wickedly. "You need to look perfect if you're trying to catch his eye." My eyes widened at her insinuation. "You must show me your dress."
Once she'd handed me the bag and walked out of the store, I pulled her away from the ears of others. "Ginny, you can't go around saying things like that aloud. It isn't right. I could lose my post."
When she appeared sufficiently cowed to my contentment, I tugged her along. "Come back to the castle with me, I'll show you my dress."
After chewing me out for having kept it from her for so long, she happily agreed, walking by my side, her hand in mine. We'd almost made it back to the Leaky Cauldron, when we ran into the snarky professor himself, accompanied by none other than Ella Mitchell. He was standing outside Flourish and Blotts, a bag of books in his hand. His stance towards her seemed distant, cold. Perhaps my words truly had gotten to him.
I stopped walking, Ginny running into my back, slightly pushing me forward. "That's her." I whispered, gesturing to the blonde pressed up against his side, arm looped with his.
My friend gaped. "How'd a man like him snatch up a witch like that?" She caught sight of my face and blushed. "What I meant to say was-"
"I know what you meant to say, Gin. You know," I said, admiring him from a distance. "He isn't all that terrible. He can be quite charming when it floats his boat."
She gave me a playful nudge and pulled me toward the pair by the hand. What was she doing? I parted my lips to argue, but we had arrived before the black-clad Potions' Master and his stunning ex-wife. Her robes were pale blue, a colour similar to the summer sky. He inclined his had politely and she offered me a cold sneer.
Terrific.
I shot Ginny a look who stuck her tongue out at me. "Professor! Fancy running into you here. Getting some Christmas shopping done?" She asked.
He glared at the witch on his arm before turning his attention to us. "I was. Until I was graced with the ever so pleasant company of Miss Ella Mitchell." He could not have sounded more sarcastic than he did then. The insult went completely over Ella's head, she still clung to him.
I swallowed thickly, hoping I wouldn't have to go through anything traumatising whilst in her company. His eyes narrowed on me, something unspoken passing between us. He was looking for a way out. The reason why was beyond me, but I nodded clandestinely all the same. "Miss Granger, it's about time you show up. We have a great many things to attend to back at the castle."
I smiled, turning to Ginny. "Of course, sir. I only ask that Ginny come with me, seeing as she's helping me prepare my outfit for the Christmas dinner."
He nodded curtly. "As lovely as it is to have seen you again, Ella, I'm afraid we must part ways."
She pouted. "Pity, Severus, I really do miss seeing you. It's been a while."
He raised an eyebrow at her comment. "We both have places to be, things to take care of, children to mind." He emphasised the word, trying to get her to catch on.
She leaned in, pressing her lips to his ardently. To my relief, it didn't last long because he pushed her away, stepping back. "For Merlin's sake, woman, get your hands off of me!"
I heard Ginny giggle behind me. I hadn't been the only one.
Ella shot daggers at us and stood straight, flipping her curls over her shoulder. "What are you playing at, Severus?"
He rolled his eyes and I could practically see the words forming in his mind. 'Blasted, incompetent girl.' He might have said. Instead, he said the following. "We aren't married, Ella. Not anymore. You need to accept it."
With that, he took hold of my hand and disappearated. Thank gods I'd already been holding onto Ginny. It could've otherwise been disastrous to leave her in what was to become the wrath of Ella Mitchell. We landed just outside the gates of the school, Snape striding past us and up the hill.
Once we entered the building, we head down the stairs to the dungeons. Ginny had never seen my rooms and she was bubbling with excitement over it. I told her she was to be sorely disappointed, due to the fact that it was much smaller than a regular teacher's quarters. She eyed me, something sneaky in her look. "And how would you know?"
She didn't miss the flush of colour that heated my face. She gasped and giggled. "You've been in his rooms? Gods, Hermione, why haven't you told me anything?"
I shrugged, unwarding my door and opening it. "Tell me." She urged, as I attempted to pull the key from the lock. I frowned and she hopped up and down in the corridor, a few Slytherins giving her odd looks. "About the necklace, 'Mione! Who gave it to you?"
I took a deep breath, deciding to speak when a warm hand reached mine and twisted the key before pulling it out. "It sticks." He whispered against the shell of my ear, sending goosebumps up my arms. I was distinctly aware of how close his body was to mine, his smell quite literally ensnaring my senses. He stepped back and raised an eyebrow at Ginny, allowing me to lean against the stone wall to recuperate from the sudden onslaught of emotion. "Miss Weasley, it is dreadfully irritating to hear you whining from down the corridor. I insist you speak properly."
Her face turned pink, much resembling her brothers. "Yes, sir. I was only trying to get Hermione to answer my question."
The corner of his mouth lifted, a small smile appearing on his face and it took my breath away. Gods, he was so handsome when he smiled. He turned to me, offering to take my cloak. I slipped out of it, his hands momentarily brushing my arms and back. A shiver ran down my spine. He reached inside my rooms and hung it on the coat rack, he turned back to me, fixed the chain around my neck and stepped away. Ginny had watched it all in silent amusement and dare I say it, amazement.
He arched an eyebrow. "I did, Miss Weasley." He spoke quietly. "It matches her skin tone quite nicely." It was a jibe at our incident a few days prior. I blushed furiously, avoiding his gaze.
With that, he turned to cross the hall. "Wicked man." I mumbled.
Snape chuckled lightly, sending my heart soaring. "I try."
I stepped into my chambers after Ginny and closed the heavy door, leaning against it, as I let out a deep breath. She turned to me, arms crossed tightly over her chest. "Alright, what in the name of Merlin's droopy drawers was that about?" She didn't give me the time to answer before hitting me with another question. "He gave you a diamond pendant. Snape. The Snape. The one who hates everything Gryffindor."
"That's not true." I argued, defending him.
She grimaced. "I suppose that's fair. He certainly likes his women to be from the red and gold."
"Ginny!" I gasped, whacking her playfully with my scarf. "Don't say such things! What would he say if he heard you?"
She danced out of my reach, grinning wickedly. "He'd probably agree with me."
"Cheeky." I flicked her with my scarf once more before walking over to my wardrobe and pulling the doors open. Sending the bagged garment over to my bed with a wave of my wand, I ushered Ginny to it and allowed her to unzip the bag. "Go ahead."
She excitedly opened it up, gasping at the sight of my scandalous new dress. "Hermione! It's positively dreamy!"
I curtsied and offered her a bright smile. "I picked it up the day we went shopping with Minerva and Professor Snape." I debated whether I should tell her and then added quietly. "I saw him looking at it. Thought it couldn't hurt to try."
"Ooh, he's turning you into one of them." She teased. "Only four months and you're already thinking like a Slytherin."
I sent her a look. "Oh hush."