Free

Chapter 45

The following months came and went and soon Hermione found herself packing her things into her suitcase as the school year would officially be over after the feast that evening.

"Hermione, can I come in?" asked Severus, standing in the door frame.

"Well, of course," answered the young woman, who put her old school uniform into her big suitcase.

"Where are you going to stay until term begins?"

"I was thinking about asking the Weasleys to take me in until I managed to get myself a flat," shrugged Hermione, stopping her activity and sitting down on her bed.

"I thought that, maybe, if you had nowhere to go, you would like to come with me? I mean, my home in Spinner's End isn't much, but the truth is, I'd love to spend some time with you without the students and school stress surrounding us at all times."

"I would love that very much," answered Hermione, smiling all the while.

"Now that that is settled, I should probably pack, too. We'll be leaving tomorrow after breakfast with the others if that is alright with you?"

Severus stood and was already halfway through the room when he said the last part.

"That sounds wonderful."

Severus nodded and walked to pack the belongings he'd be taking with him to Spinner's End until the start of the next term.

It was not long before the two of them had to go to dinner in the Great Hall, where the winners of the house cup would be announced.

After everyone had finished eating and the plates had vanished, Minerva stood from her seat in the middle of the head table to finally announce the winner.

"Dear students and colleagues, this has been an overall very good year with mostly good results in all the exams, which is very rewarding for us teachers. But now it is time for us to see which house won this year's house cup. In fourth place, there's Hufflepuff with 394 points and in third place, we have Ravenclaw with a total of 409 points which leaves Slytherin and Gryffindor as the possible house champions. Let me tell you all that it was a very close race this year.
The second place with 456 points goes to Gryffindor and this leaves Slytherin with 458 points as this year's winner. Congratulations!"

Loud cheering erupted from the Slytherin table and Severus smirked at Hermione, who scowled slightly, but not because Slytherin bested Gryffindor. No, that was not her problem. Her problem was the bet she just lost which she and Severus made in May after the points of both houses had been the exact same for 5 weeks. Whenever one house earned points, the other somehow caught up.

"I guess you've won this time - but don't get yourself excited, the next year is just around the corner," said Hermione, sounding a little bitter while also joking.

"Sure," answered Severus, trying to hide a smile at her scowling expression.

"Come, my little wounded lioness, shall we heal your wounds with a glass of wine and a good book in front of the fireplace?" asked Severus standing up while offering her his hand, still greatly amused.

She, however, didn't take it and instead walked ahead, putting a damper on his good mood before turning around again.

"My so-called wounds need no healing, but I'd never say no to a good book paired with a glass of wine," and with that, she walked out of the Great Hall, her head held high.

After some contented reading by the fireplace and a good night's sleep, they went to the last breakfast this school year.

Hermione took a seat between Minerva and Severus because he was still rather smug about the fact that his Slytherins had finally won the house cup again - and all fair at that. She could do nothing against it just like he couldn't do anything about Dumbledore favouring the Gryffindors and making them win all the time. In his opinion, it was high time for Slytherin house to be rewarded.

Hermione, however, knew that Minerva was obviously not happy about this, but she knew that the headmistress would stay fair no matter what. There was not going to be any favouritism despite her being headmistress and head of house which was something that has never happened before.

"Anything planned for the holidays, Hermione?" asked the older witch in between two sips of coffee.

"Well, I'm going to spend my holiday with Severus in Spinner's End, probably reading and relaxing, I think. Maybe I'll go over my lessons next year and plan, we'll see. Otherwise, I have nothing planned," answered Hermione truthfully.

"Has he made a move yet?" asked Minerva with a very quick and subtle glance behind her former student and the brown-haired witch knew instantly who she was talking about.

"Yes and no. I mean, there are days when I think that we're really making a progress, but then there are days when it's as though I was his student again. We've had some... longer and more passionate nights if you know what I mean, but then again there were days when we rarely talked, and it was as if he was avoiding me," whispered Hermione back carefully so that he couldn't hear her.

"I see. Maybe you should just give him time, he is a man after all and to say he's not accustomed to receiving and giving love would be an understatement. Spend your free summer with him and then we'll see."

Hermione nodded and finished off her breakfast which consisted of a toast with pumpkin jelly and some fresh fruits and a freshly brewed coffee.

"Before I forget it, I was wondering whether you'd want to take over as a head of house next year? I know that you are still rather new to being a teacher, but I don't think it's wise for me to be head of house and headmistress at the same time," proposed Minerva before Hermione was about to stand up and leave the hall to fetch her suitcase she'd be shrinking down to pocket-size.

"I'd love that."

She smiled and walked out of the hall. Minerva stood and sat down on Hermione's empty spot right next to Severus, who was contentedly staring and scowling at everyone who looked in his direction in the hall.

"Severus, I want you to listen carefully now. It's about time you told her what you want from her. The unknown is tearing her apart, and she'll eventually break and run away if you keep this up. I won't let you break her heart and yours neither by the way. If you want to live life to its fullest without having me as your enemy, you'd better clear this up once and for all. Trust me, you don't want to have me as your enemy. Now, I wish you a wonderful summer," exclaimed Minerva, her pointer finger digging into his left upper arm the whole time.

He figured that she was right though. He would have to clarify some things rather soon. He already saw some changes in Hermione the last few weeks and losing her was the thing furthest away from his plans.