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Sitting at her desk, Hermione checked the time on her wand. It read nine-thirty in the evening. Aside from Severus and Hagrid, Hogwarts had been empty of children and staff since last week. She wasn’t sure how long she could take the silence.
It was her decision alone to stay over the winter holiday. She was stressed out with all the students’ assignments that needed to be graded. She had told the Weasleys that she couldn’t be there at the Burrow for the holiday this year, even though she’d miss out on Molly’s home cooking.
Hermione didn’t have a place to live while working at the Ministry, so she had asked Professor McGonagall for help. Professor McGonagall offered her room and board in exchange for her being her apprentice. Being Professor McGonagall’s apprentice seemed like an interesting offer at the time. However, Hermione hadn’t expected that she’d stay and enjoy her time at Hogwarts as a professor.
Becoming the Muggle Studies Professor hadn’t been Hermione’s first choice. Hermione had assumed Minerva would retire soon, given that she'd taken an apprentice but, to Hermione's surprise, Minerva didn't show any indication of retiring even after Hermione's apprenticeship had ended. Nevertheless, Hermione had never dreamed of becoming friends with Severus Snape. It took Hermione a while for Severus to ease up to her and become friendlier.
And so, here she was, stuck in her room, grading essay after essay instead of celebrating the holiday. Dropping her quill on her desk, she wondered what Severus was up to, knowing she wasn't fully alone. She couldn’t fathom spending time with Hagrid and having those rock-hard biscuits he always made, though she knew the last time she was at Molly’s for dinner, Hagrid was invited.
As another minute ticked by, she felt like she was getting lonelier by the minute. She grabbed her wand and headed to the kitchens, where she knew Severus Snape would be from those nights she’d bumped into him grabbing something sweet on the counter that was under a stasis charm. Once she opened the door, she found Severus leaning over the counter in the kitchen playing some sort of card game—maybe Solitaire? She noticed that he was also eating a piece of chocolate cake.
“Do you have enough slices for two?” Hermione asked, leading Severus to straighten up and turn to face her too quickly. It caused him to drop his coffee on the table, spilling its contents on the cards.
“Merlin, Hermione,” Severus grimaced as he used the Evanesco spell to dry the cards.
“Sorry about that, Severus.” She chuckled and sat on the stool next to him. She picked up his fork and took some of the chocolate cake.
After she ate the piece, Severus scowled and playfully slapped her hand. “Get your own!”
“Crabby,” Hermione grinned, rubbed her hand, and walked over to the counter to grab a piece of chocolate cake that was under a stasis charm.
“What are you doing here anyway? I thought you had a pile of essays to grade?” he asked as she walked to her seat and placed her plate beside his.
“I did…I do,” she sighed. She took a bite of the chocolate cake and placed the fork back on the counter. She glanced at him.“I was grading in my office when I thought I didn’t want to be so lonely.” She paused and tilted her head. “How do you do it?”
“Do what?” He asked before taking a bite of his chocolate cake.
“Stay in this huge castle by yourself,” Hermione frowned and spread her hands apart. “I need to socialize every now and then, even though I do love my books.” She took a bite of her cake.
Severus shrugged. “I’m used to it.” When she raised her right eyebrow in response, he added, “Hagrid’s here, and he’s usually in good company.”
“So Severus, what do you do to kill time while you’re here in Hogwarts, alone?”
“Besides grading papers and spending time with Hagrid?” He raised his right eyebrow. After she nodded, he smiled. He placed his hand on his chin to ponder her question. “I read and play card games like Solitaire.”
“Oh! I played Rummy with my parents as a kid!” She said excitedly. “I propose a game.” Hermione grinned. "Perhaps Rummy."
Severus broke eye contact while blinking a few times. “A game?” he looked at her with a curious expression. "Rummy?"
“Under one condition: the winner can choose something they wish for.”
“I’m sorry?” Severus tilted his head.
“Nothing illegal, and if the loser really doesn’t like it, there is room for discussion,” Hermione suggested with a smile.
His face lit up with excitement and he took out his hand to shake his. “Agreed.” He grinned. “You want to play now?”
“Now,” Hermione confirmed after she cast a spell to double the deck of cards and then handed them to Severus.
“Game on!” he said as she finished the last of her chocolate cake. “Seven cards per person, double the deck.” Severus smirked and shuffled the cards by magic.
“Who starts?” Hermione questioned as she grabbed her deck of cards.
“You’re first.”
Hermione grinned as she found a set she could start with. It was the numbers two, three, and four as spades. Sighing with relief, she started the game without needing to pick a card.
She watched Severus frown as he in turn picked a card.
Sometime halfway through the game, an elf dropped by and gave them hot chocolate and biscuits to nibble on.
___________________________________________________________
By the time Hermione was close to winning the game, all that remained on the biscuit plate was a pile of crumbs.
Hermione looked like she had a wild expression on her face, but she was glad Severus didn’t comment on her looks. She already knew what move to make for when it was her time. She was anxious for her next turn to start when Severus placed his last card on the table and grinned at her.
“Hey, no fair!” Hermione pouted. “I had something planned for my move.”
“Well that is Rummy for you.” Severus shrugged. “So about my prize.” He grinned.
She raised her right eyebrow and cautiously looked at him. “Am I going to hate it?” she asked while twiddling her fingers.
Severus tilted his head and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. “Only if you don’t consider me more than a friend,” he blushed. “You see…I have started to develop feelings toward you, however, I was afraid that if I said anything it would ruin our friendship. I have come to cherish our friendship.”
Hermione gasped at what he said. What was he trying to say? And how is this supposed to be part of his prize? “Severus, what are you —”
“A kiss,” he whispered.
Hermione gasped with surprise while feeling flustered not believing what she heard. He wanted to kiss her? He was never this open to anyone like that. She hadn’t realized the signs were there. When he was sitting close to her. When he was being playful toward her. That she wanted him to.
“I want you too.” She smiled.
Severus leaned forward and placed his hand over her cheek. Once their lips met, she gasped with shock. Her heart was fluttering while their lips were touching.
When they broke apart from their kiss, her face turned red. “Now I’m glad we are alone in the castle together,” she giggled.
“Really?” Severus said, looking amazed at her.
“Of course silly,” she kissed him back again and all was right with the world.