On the first day of Christmas

“You’re late.” Came the faux angry Hermione Granger as she s in in the foyer of Hogwarts, arms crossed as her two friends raced in the door.

She had been expecting them early this morning and they hadn’t arrived until now…almost the supper hour.

They looked to her with wide and eager eyes, scrunching up as they smiled at her earnestly ad rushing into the foyer towards her.

“Hermione!” Harry and Ron shouted in unison, pouncing to hug her as she met them in the chilly foyer of Hogwarts. She beamed, looking to the both of them with a wide smile on her face. The relief was evident to no one but herself…finally, she was again complete. No more lusting after professors and acting like a love-struck schoolgirl…which consequently she was.

“You’re late!” She repeated almost comfortingly, grasping the two of them into a large hug, their snow covered robes freezing her a moment while they boisterously went on and on about how much fun they were having in the burrow, and how they wished she had come.

“Sorry Hermione.” Harry said with a roll of his dark green eyes, “This one,” he motioned to Ron, “Felt the dire need to sleep in, and try to convince me we could catch a later train. What he didn’t know was that the next one left at four thirty in the afternoon instead of eleven in the morning.”

Ron offered a small smirk that Hermione had to grin at. Count on Ron to be that daft at times. Harry gave Hermione a quick peck on the cheek and told her they wanted to put their stuff in their rooms.

“We haven’t even been gone two weeks.” Harry said to Ron, who raised an eyebrow, “And already I missed it.”

“I sure didn’t.” Ron said callously.

“You wouldn’t.” Harry mumbled, “You have the burrow.”

Ron looked as if he were about to object when Hermione broke in on the start of an argument. “So, how’s the family then Ron?”

“Ginny sends her love.” Ron said with a boyish grin as they lugged their belongings up to the Gryffindor common room, “She’s off with that Turner fellow,” he rolled his eyes, “Girls and love…you’re lucky you don’t have to put up with that rubbish.”

Hermione stiffened, and then stopped herself and broke out into a nervous grin, she couldn’t let them know…ever. “Right. Course not.”

Harry gave his friend a calculating look and was about to speak when as usual, Ron had to speak up and whine. “We’re starving ‘Mione. When’s dinner?”

Hermione chuckled, she was genuinely happy to see them. “I think in a little bit…it’s the Christmas feast as you well know.”

“Oh we do.” Ron said hungrily licking his lips, then he paused looking to an equally uncomfortable Harry. “Err…does that mean that there’s just that one, long table for us all to sit at?”

Hermione nodded, what did they care? Not as if- Ron broke in her thoughts, causing her to almost flinch.

“So that means all the Professors’ will be there.” Harry added glumly, “Which means Snape.”

Her breath caught in her throat…SNAPE! How could she had forgotten? How could she face him?

“You must have detentions with him.” Harry said randomly, she felt her face flush as she coughed suddenly choking on her own fear and nervousness.

“You alright?” Harry asked concerned. Hermione gave him a quick thumbs up and took a deep breath.

“Fine.” She said amiably, “Perhaps we should go out for dinner to Hogsmeade, I mean if you’re so nervous about Snape and all.”

Harry and Ron laughed, “We’re not nervous.” Harry said bluntly, messing Hermione’s hair up with his hand as she pushed it off of her, “We just don’t want to see him is all.” He thought he saw Hermione’s smile falter a bit.

“Besides,” Ron broke in “I’m not giving up one of Hogwarts’ renowned free dinners. Snape probably won’t even be there, he hates eveing.ing. C’mon.” with that he took off down the stairs, not looking back. Harry looked to the agitated Hermione who gave him a shaky smile as they headed down the stairs.

Perhaps Ron was right. Snape probably wouldn’t be at dinner.
______________________________________________________

“Please pass the butter.” Snape muttered miserably as he sat at the table with the other random Professors and annoying brats. He was even snappier today than usual, some second year Ravenclaw had coughed beside him as he passed them and he had given them detention with Filch for impatience toward a teacher.

How he kept getting talked into attending these functions was beyond him. A bunch of bullocks is what this was. Plus…he had his reasons for attending, a Gryffindor reason in fact.

“Here you are.” Albus said, passing the butter plate towards a sulky Severus Snape. What was bothering the poor man? Surely Christmas wasn’t all bad? A small grin set out on his face, perhaps some Christmas cheer was in order.

The whole hall was loud, and annoying. Everyone was either exchanging presents or talking jovially about some nostalgic moment that had been triggered with the familiar scent of gingerbread that the elves made year after year.

He looked down the long table, everyone had a smile on their stupid, ugly faces, none of them looking to him…and to further prove his lack of popularity, two seats on his right side of him remained vacant, as Albus was seated at his left.

He sat sullenly and detached from it all…as usual. It had been different with her though…she had wanted to bring him into it…wanted to spread some Christmas cheer.

But Snape didn’t want any stupid Christmas cheer, he wanted something else. What was really bothering him was the fact that Hermione wasn’t here.

She wasn’t here, and he had been aching to see her again, feel that soft mouth under his lips. No. No that wasn’t it at all. He wanted to apologize for throwing her out of his classroom…it had been he that made the advance after all.

Stupid foolish thing to do too. A Professor and his student…like something out of a trashy muggle novel. rang a voice in his head that hadn’t stopped since the time he woke up.

“Feeling alr Sev Severus?” Albus asked him gently from the head of the table, quite close to the bored looking Snape. Severus shrugged lazily, looking nonchalont as he sighed heavily…Christmas was such rubbish.

He was about to excuse himself and go right back up to his chambers when she did walk in, bursting through those doors with…his stomach sank…with Potter and Weasely. Good lord, didn’t those two have anything better to do? The dream team was laughing and talking and making their way over to the crowded table, his heart started pounding painfully.

Dammit. Why was it doing that? Was it a reaction from the food? Damn the house elves damn them all. He felt his neck grow warm and he was increasingly uncomfortable. He snuck a look at a now looking away Dumbledore, and he was sure he had been staring at him.

He frowned at the Headmaster and came to the sudden realization that they’re weren’t three seats together. Bloody hell. Hermione seemed to notice this as well as she looked frantically around, sure not to meet his eyes.

Good.

He looked around tableable and viewed that there was a lone chair by some sixth years that Weasley evidently knew from Quidditch. He sat down with as Hermione and Harry bid him an awkward farewell, and were slowly making their way over the obviously disgruntled Snape, he didn’t dare look up.

Hermione had her dark brows furrowed nervously as Harry told her some joke she laughed at lightly. Snape surreptitiously glanced at her boredly and viewed that Potter had his hand linked with Hermione’s.

A twinge of obviously jealousy ran through him and he hated himself for it. How weak of him. He could smell her perfume from here and knew she was standing quite near…still he didn’t look up.

“Err…mind if we sit here?” Harry asked Snape awkwardlnapenape didn’t answer, merely went back to eating his dinner and not giving them a second glance. Harry nodded to Hermione as he sat on the second chair to the side of Snape. Hermione still stood, looking down to Severus’ dark head and trying to remain calm. She saw Harry give her a strange look as she sat down tentatively in between the two of them.

“Ah, my favorite.” Harry said eyeing the food and taking a little of everything. Hermione nodded, the food tasted quite sticky to her…she was unnaturally nervous right now.

She looked to Snape’s wrists and saw that he wasn’t wearing the cufflinks…what a prat. She blinked back tears, knowing full well Snape didn’t deserve them. Snape himself sat like a stone, regretting instantly that he hadn’t worn the cufflinks. He had decided that if he did it would be all too inappropriate, but wished that now, sitting next to her, he had.

Hermione dejectedly buttered her bread, suddenly angry that he had caused her all this anguish. Why the hell should he get to call all the shots? He had kissed her, tossed her and was currently ignoring her.

The minutes dragged on, Hermione knew he was watching her, and she tried to talk to Harry, imagining he wasn’t there.

“Have you been studying for your NEWTS?” she said softly, hoping that Snape wouldn’t hear her. Harry nodded halfheartedly.

“As much as I can.”

Hermione nodded, still blatantly ignoring Snape. She heard as he shi as as he leaned forward to grab a biscuit, and his knee brushed Hermione’s. She stiffened a bit, knowing full well he had as well. Both of them didn\'t move a moment. He didn’t know why the shiver went down him, and he wanted to do it again…but refused.

Hermione smirked suddenly, knowing full well how to affect Severus Snape. Right in front of the Headmaster who sat almost opposite to them. Hermione gently slipped one socked foot out of her shoes and waited for an oppoe moe moment.

It came soon enough, Snape had just taken a dejected swig of butterbeer from his mug and was in the process of swallowing when he felt a small foot snake up under the leg cuff of his trousers. Taking him completely by surprise he choked and spat out his drink…right into the face of a concerned Headmaster.

The people at the long table, Professors and students alike all grew quiet and Snape’s already pale face blanched.

“I apologize Headmaster.” He tried not to shoot an angry glare at Hermione who was acting as if she were horrified at what had just transpired. Her eyes were wide and she was staring at Albus.

Albus chuckled, wiping the drink from his face. “It’s quite alright Severus. Just remember to swallow next time.”

Uneasy laughter went through the hall and Albus nodded lightly, showing Snape that he was fine. The students around them resumed eating, some of them chuckling and other’s looking sort of happy that the git had felt fear for once in his life.

Hermione smirked at Harry and went back to eating her di, wh, when all of a sudden she felt a gentle stroking of her inner thigh, soft circling motions that caused her to shiver before she realized what wappeappening. Snape’s hand was covered quite discreetly under the tablecloth, and none were the wiser.

Hermione gasped at the contact and her knee automatically hit the bottom of the tabletop and she yelped in pain. Snape snatched his hand back just in time for Albus to look over.

“Alright Hermione?”

“Quite.” Hermione said wincing, my that had hurt. She glanced at Snape through her fringe and saw that the prat was grinning into his butterbeer. That’s the way he wanted to play did he?

Fine.

Now it was war.