Work Text:
Romancing The Leech
“And why in all of Mouldy Voldies' ball sacks are we slogging up this hill in the sodden rain?” asked Hermione Granger as she followed the tall figure in front of her.
“Leeches, as you bloody well know,” barked Severus Snape.
“Yes, but why not yesterday. The view across thePhewa Lake was spectacular and the walking would have been so much easier and I would have dry feet and knickers and maybe have even seen the famous Peace Temple.”
Severus Snape snorted but continued to tramp upwards through the mud and rain. He used a machete and hacked at branches that got in his way. Hermione was glad she was smaller and tucked in alongside him.
“Be grateful we took a boat across the lake.” He was deeply aware it would have been easier the day before and the views of the temple would have been impressive. But they were here, in Pokhara, Nepal, to work, not as tourists. They may look and dress like tourists to fit in, even though he looked like bloody Indiana Jones.
The conditions had to be just right in order to hunt down the specific leech, the crucial ingredient in this, their first joint potions project for the Ministry of Magic.
“We could have used magic,” Hermione grumbled.
He had insisted they used no magic in this area. The leeches they were looking for were very rare and found only in the rainy season. He did not wish any magic interfering with their collection.
Severus turned abruptly and stared down at her. He inhaled deeply and glared at her with annoyance. They had covered this subject before and she knew it. He resumed their trek that little bit faster.
The rain pounded down even harder as they continued their trek upwards.
“Are we there yet?” Hermione asked for devilment. She was breathing hard as the climb up Ananda hill was steep. The going was much harder than she had anticipated. The mud clung to her boots, making them weigh much heavier. She knew she looked an utter mess, her hair hung like rat tails, that stuck to her face like glue.
Severus stopped and turned and handed her a bottle of water.
“Drink!” he commanded.
He looked as filthy as she but not as wet. His wide brimmed hat seemed to have kept most of the rain out of his face. She regretted going hatless now. Although his hat had a continuous waterfall of water running off its brim.
“I did not wish to come up here yesterday as it would have been swamped with tourists and possibly bandits too,” he explained, irritated. “The rain no doubt will keep both away today.” He replaced the water bottle back into his bag and set off again.
Hermione had heard about bandits but had dismissed it as a Muggle way to get tourists to pay up for taxi rides and the hiring of boats. She moved up close behind Severus, just in case.
They resumed their trek and the rain appeared to be easing off at long last. Hermione stood atop a hillock of mud. She was surrounded by the jungle and if it was not for Severus she would be completely lost. She turned to mention this to him when her foot slid from under her and she let loose a scream.
Severus had been checking the muddy ground for the signs of any leech, when he turned to see Hermione disappear from view.
Her scream had him up on his feet but he tottered as his feet slid into the mud and he tried hard to regain his footing and balance at the top for a few seconds before he too failed and gravity took over.
Hermione had regained her feet in time to see Severus Snape slide down the hill in the mud slide. She smirked - he screamed like a girl - she was not going to let him forget this day -ever!
Severus slid to a halt at her feet, he had lost his hat andlike herself was covered head to toe with a thick layer of mud.
“Buggering fuck, you bastard!” she hollered as she tugged a blacky blue leech from off of her arm.
“Stop! Granger, do not throw that away!” ordered Severus as she stood like a statue with her eyes wide and her fingers holding onto the leech.
“Well done Miss Granger outstanding!” He grinned from ear to ear. “You have found a prize specimen, it looks to be one of the rare type of leech we are seeking.”
Hermione’s eyes bulged with alarm. “Snape I think I have more than this one but it will not be so easily reached.” She panted as she felt something down the back of her jacket. She wondered how the fuck it had got in there. Then she wriggled - it was not alone!
Severus was in a happy mood. They had found what they had been hunting and apparently both had a few specimens attached to their bodies they’d get later but in the meantime collected others in the mud that surrounded them.
After they filled all of their specimen jars with leeches they headed back down the hill to pick up a boat back across the lake to their hotel.
+++
Hermione stood in her shower trying to remove and keep the leeches that had clung to her body. She knew they were crucial to their research and would also be priceless as a rare ingredient for other Potioneers.
She dressed and then headed towards Severus’s room.She knocked, waited then entered at his request. He sounded like her old professor. His voice in recent months had sent a shock of desire straight to her core when he spoke like that.
Severus stood half dressed and looked as if he had something on his mind as she entered his room.
“They seem to have had their fill of my blood for now,” Hermione said quickly, trying not to look too closely at him as she packed her leech collection into the cool bag he had set aside for all of their samples.
“Hermione, I have trouble removing a few leeches and do require your assistance.” He looked like he was blushing. “You know we cannot use magic to remove them or they will be no use to us?”
She nodded and admitted. “I have a similar problem. I was about to ask you to remove the ones I could not quite reach too.”
Severus pointed out to her the areas he had been unable to reach on his back and also in an awkward place on his head under his hair. She had been hesitant at first but soon had the buggers out. Severus’s head had bled a lot and she grew worried.
“Pineapple juice!” he said, standing up and heading to the drinks fridge. He opened a bottle of pineapple fruit juice and drank some then handed the bottle to Hermione with a wad of cotton wool.
“You want me to pour pineapple juice onto this?” She held up the cotton wool as he settled back down onto the bed again.
“Yes, the juice has anti-inflammatory properties as well as disease fighting antioxidants, and may assist with Immunity to anything else that the leeches carry.”
Later, when she had finished, he got up from his bed and turned to look at her.
“Your turn,” he said with a smirk.
She felt itchy as she laid down for him to give her the pineapple treatment. She carefully removed her shirt regretting now that she wore no bra. She sent a swift glance towards Snape but he had his face turned away.
“I like pineapple in my Pina Coladas, not on my back.” She sighed as his hands gently soothed her back and was surprised that the pineapple juice did stop the itchiness to her skin.
“Is it working?” e asked as she felt a puff of his breath from behind her. It sent a shiver down her spine in a very nice way. One she was not yet prepared to admit.
“Yes, thank you.” She got up as he had turned his back giving her privacy to pop her top back on. She dared not look at him - not yet until her blush faded.
Severus had also turned his back on Hermione for a similar reason and not just because of his blush, but because of the bulge in his trousers. He remained with his back turned as he headed to the mini bar once more.
Soon he had two glasses prepared and he turned to offer one to Hermione.
“You said you liked pineapple in your Pina Colada?”
“Yes, I do, why?” she asked, puzzled.
Severus held out a glass filled with spirits and pineapple juice to her.
“Oh!” she replied with a smile, her eyes wide with surprise after taking a tentative sip. “You made this Pina Colada from scratch?”
“Yes, I used to be a dab hand at making cocktails while at school. It was a muggle thing I picked up and it went down well with all of those pure bloods in Slytherin.”
“Yes I can see how that’d work.” Hermione sipped her drink down having enjoyed how he had made it.
They ordered room service as they were too tired to get changed to go down for dinner. They shared a delightful meal discussing cocktails.
Hermione had just finished her second Pina Colada, when she let out a mouth cracking yawn. She was horrified. She covered her mouth with her hand and stared at him. Then they both began to laugh.
He was also caught off guard and yawned just as wide as she had and both continued to laugh.
Severus walked her to her room. Both were exhausted after a long day out.
“We have an early start tomorrow, goodnight.” Severus said, then pressed a light kiss to her lips that caught them both off guard.
“Tomorrow?” Hermione said, confused by the kiss.
“Yes, tomorrow.” Repeated Severus and felt a tug at his lapel, as Hermione drew him in for another gentle kiss.
“Goodnight Severus,” she said with a big yawn.
They both began to chuckle, knowing this night was at an end. Both were too exhausted to do anything about what they really wished to do but that could wait - until tomorrow!
+++
Together Severus Snape and Hermione Granger worked to create a precise healing potion for the Ministry of Magic’s Auror Department.
They both went on to research the leeches further and developed a range of healing potions that saved many lives in and around the magical world.
The variety of potions were named the Pina and Colada ranges. Very few if ever understood the reference to the well known Muggle cocktail. The Pina Colada that brought Hermione and Severus together in not only a very successful working relationship, but in a romantic one too.