Yuletide Potions IV
Title: Yuletide Potions
Team: Spy for the Order
Word Count: 7 x 100
Rating: G
Challenges: Santa Severus, Secret Wish
Characters: Severus, Hermione
A/N: Continuing this after the marvellous start sshg316, keladry_lupin and ginny_weasley31 made was quite nerve-wracking! Previous instalments: Part One, Part Two, Part Three.
By the time the Apothecary was ready to close for the day, Severus was feeling dreadful in spite of having downed three vials of the strongest headache relieving potion they stocked.
Things could not go on like this. The Christmas monstrosity Hermione had turned his - their - workshop into had to go. The strong scent he had so graciously provided was not helping, although it was very similar to the one he secretly enjoyed using himself now and then.
However, he just couldn’t tell Hermione that she wasn’t allowed to take what little happiness she could find in decorating the workshop.
* * *
He wondered, not for the first time during this interminably long day, if he should say something to Hermione.
Obviously he couldn’t reveal that he knew what was bothering her. Yes, there was the missing ring ... but could he really let her know that he had noticed something so - personal - about her? No, that would be quite improper.
And he didn’t want her to get the wrong idea. They were colleagues; he was the boss and she the employee. Certainly, they had a good working relationship, and she seemed to consider him something of a friend, but even so!
* * *
There had to be something he could do. There just had to be.
Severus Snape might have mellowed since the Dark Lord’s defeat (although the mere thought of becoming mellow made him sneer), but he was not the kind of man who would accept failure. Witnessing her hurt, seeing the tenseness in her shoulders, noticing how her smile, usually radiant enough to annoy him, was looking ever so slightly forced …
Besides, it really wasn’t in his best interest to let her suffer. Not just because it was giving him a headache. An unhappy employee was a less efficient employee.
* * *
Severus considered the options available to him.
He could go to Minerva and ask her for advice. Minerva was a Gryffindor; as her former Head of House she might have some ideas on what would make Hermione happy.
Then again, this was Minerva McGonagall he was thinking about. Even if he could bring himself to admitting his problem to her, he wasn’t sure he’d like her ideas. They would probably involve something jolly. Such as having him decorate his cottage and inviting both Hermione and Minerva over to sing and dance and get drunk.
He shuddered. No, strike that idea.
* * *
Hermione stepped into the workshop and slumped onto the closest chair. She closed her eyes and yawned, barely managing to cover her mouth with her hand.
‘Hard day?’ asked Severus.
There - this might be the opening he had been waiting for, his opportunity to get her to talk, now that she was visibly exhausted and her guard was down.
Not that he knew what to do even if she did talk. Pat her on the shoulder awkwardly, offer her a cup of tea and tell her it was going to be all right?
Hermione nodded, too tired to say anything.
* * *
Slightly disappointed that she did not seem to want to share her troubles with him, Severus decided that a cup of tea might do both of them some good.
Taking great care to prepare the awful green mixture just the way she preferred it, he pondered the other options he had. He could perhaps pay Weasley a visit - try and talk some sense into the boy. But … he was not sure it would help. Would she even want that? He didn’t want to make things worse. Besides, as far as he knew, Weasley didn’t even know he was alive.
* * *
He cleared his throat.
Hermione opened her eyes. Noticing the steaming cup he was holding out to her, she smiled at him. The smile might not have been radiant, but it was sincere.
‘Thanks,’ she muttered.
Severus nodded curtly and turned away.
There had to be something he could do.
Hermione could not be allowed to spend Christmas alone.
It really was too bad about her parents, he thought. If only she hadn’t botched that memory charm! Severus had never been close to his parents, but he knew Hermione still loved hers.
Could he do anything to fix their memory?
--
On to part five.
Team: Spy for the Order
Word Count: 7 x 100
Rating: G
Challenges: Santa Severus, Secret Wish
Characters: Severus, Hermione
A/N: Continuing this after the marvellous start sshg316, keladry_lupin and ginny_weasley31 made was quite nerve-wracking! Previous instalments: Part One, Part Two, Part Three.
By the time the Apothecary was ready to close for the day, Severus was feeling dreadful in spite of having downed three vials of the strongest headache relieving potion they stocked.
Things could not go on like this. The Christmas monstrosity Hermione had turned his - their - workshop into had to go. The strong scent he had so graciously provided was not helping, although it was very similar to the one he secretly enjoyed using himself now and then.
However, he just couldn’t tell Hermione that she wasn’t allowed to take what little happiness she could find in decorating the workshop.
* * *
He wondered, not for the first time during this interminably long day, if he should say something to Hermione.
Obviously he couldn’t reveal that he knew what was bothering her. Yes, there was the missing ring ... but could he really let her know that he had noticed something so - personal - about her? No, that would be quite improper.
And he didn’t want her to get the wrong idea. They were colleagues; he was the boss and she the employee. Certainly, they had a good working relationship, and she seemed to consider him something of a friend, but even so!
* * *
There had to be something he could do. There just had to be.
Severus Snape might have mellowed since the Dark Lord’s defeat (although the mere thought of becoming mellow made him sneer), but he was not the kind of man who would accept failure. Witnessing her hurt, seeing the tenseness in her shoulders, noticing how her smile, usually radiant enough to annoy him, was looking ever so slightly forced …
Besides, it really wasn’t in his best interest to let her suffer. Not just because it was giving him a headache. An unhappy employee was a less efficient employee.
* * *
Severus considered the options available to him.
He could go to Minerva and ask her for advice. Minerva was a Gryffindor; as her former Head of House she might have some ideas on what would make Hermione happy.
Then again, this was Minerva McGonagall he was thinking about. Even if he could bring himself to admitting his problem to her, he wasn’t sure he’d like her ideas. They would probably involve something jolly. Such as having him decorate his cottage and inviting both Hermione and Minerva over to sing and dance and get drunk.
He shuddered. No, strike that idea.
* * *
Hermione stepped into the workshop and slumped onto the closest chair. She closed her eyes and yawned, barely managing to cover her mouth with her hand.
‘Hard day?’ asked Severus.
There - this might be the opening he had been waiting for, his opportunity to get her to talk, now that she was visibly exhausted and her guard was down.
Not that he knew what to do even if she did talk. Pat her on the shoulder awkwardly, offer her a cup of tea and tell her it was going to be all right?
Hermione nodded, too tired to say anything.
* * *
Slightly disappointed that she did not seem to want to share her troubles with him, Severus decided that a cup of tea might do both of them some good.
Taking great care to prepare the awful green mixture just the way she preferred it, he pondered the other options he had. He could perhaps pay Weasley a visit - try and talk some sense into the boy. But … he was not sure it would help. Would she even want that? He didn’t want to make things worse. Besides, as far as he knew, Weasley didn’t even know he was alive.
* * *
He cleared his throat.
Hermione opened her eyes. Noticing the steaming cup he was holding out to her, she smiled at him. The smile might not have been radiant, but it was sincere.
‘Thanks,’ she muttered.
Severus nodded curtly and turned away.
There had to be something he could do.
Hermione could not be allowed to spend Christmas alone.
It really was too bad about her parents, he thought. If only she hadn’t botched that memory charm! Severus had never been close to his parents, but he knew Hermione still loved hers.
Could he do anything to fix their memory?
--
On to part five.