𝑮𝑬𝑵𝑬𝑻𝑰𝑪 𝑶𝑩𝑺𝑬𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑶𝑵 || 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟎𝟒.

Severus noted the presence of some of his 'fan club' as Hermione had termed them, but they didn't dare cross the line with her on his arm...he didn't let I show on his face but he was relieved. He wondered what she would think if she knew he was comparing her to a patronus in the presence of dementors.

He would never admit it, but he had no clue how he should handle such open admiration...especially since it wasn't based on anything close to reality. It seemed that having a beautiful, intelligent, accomplished witch on his arm was one remedy for the unwanted attention. He'd have to keep that in mind.

She watched the traffic in the hallway as he took down his extremely complicated wards.

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief once they entered the room.

"Did you see something suspicious?"

She smirked at him. "Well, I thought it was entirely suspicious that the entire hallway is filled with nothing but women. I wonder if the hotel charged extra for the rooms near yours."

He swore under his breath. "Probably. I'll need to have my office draw up some contracts to avoid this sort of thing from now on. It's getting rather ridiculous."

Hermione nodded absently as she used an extension charm to add a room to the hotel suite.

"I imagine that part of the problem is that you are so relentlessly private about your personal life that it has appeared that you've been single all these years."

He sniffed as he transfigured a bed for her out of a silk handkerchief. "I have been single all these years. I date occasionally, but I don't have the capacity to trust easily...and eventually women tend to want more than I'm willing to give."

She nodded but didn't comment, she was putting the final touches on an additional bathroom.

He was tired when they finished, but rather pleased. 'Her' bedroom was off the sitting room, and it was rather nice. He took her arm and guided her to the couch. He called out 'Pepper!"

A small house elf dressed in a neat tea towel with the hotel's insignia on it appeared.

"How may Pepper assist you sir?"

"Dinner for two, served here in the room, if you please."

The little elf eyed Hermione with approval. "Pepper will bring it. Were you aware sir, that there is a female clinging to the outside of the hotel, right outside your window?"

Hermione tossed back the drapes to reveal the blasted reporter from Witch Weekly...a least until the woman cast a hasty disillusionment charm. Hermione cast a spell to check, but it appeared that the witch was gone...at least for the moment.

Severus' swearing was no longer confined to under his breath. He furiously cast charms at the window to prevent anyone from seeing or hearing what was going on inside.

"Thank you Pepper. Dinner?"

"It will be served momentarily Sir, Miss..."

"Merlin's gallstones."

Hermione raised her brows.

"They're going to be wretched to you tomorrow."

She sniffed. "As if I read that rubbish. I learned my lesson fifth year, with Rita Skeeter."

He laughed at the memory. "Ah yes...I always wondered what you'd gotten on her...I could tell you were blackmailing the woman..."

She snickered. "She was an un-registered animagus."

Snape laughed but didn't comment as Pepper was back with a large dinner for them.

Hermione raised her domed lid and sighed. "Thank you Pepper, this was exactly what we needed."