Addicted to You

V

Hermione was fluttering about the kitchen, humming to herself again, when Snape popped behind her, seemingly out of thin air.

"Morning."

"Jesus! Would you stop with that already?" she exclaimed, narrowly avoiding the omlette mix from spilling out of the pan. He looked sheepish as he proceeded to pour himself some coffee.

"Look, about last night...I am sorry." he confessed, sighing. "All those years of spying on people... I'm afraid, I've developed somewhat of a nasty habit of lurking around. But I didn't mean to- I don't want you to think that I make a habit out of leering at women. That wasn't my intention- no. I didn't mean any offence..."

"None taken." she dismissed, not willing to drag the situation to the limits of awkwardness. "Aren't you gonna have something to eat?" she asked, while cooking herself some lunch.

"No, I'm fine."

"It's not fine. You already missed breakfast." She put her hands on her hips, assuming her bossy disposition. He had widely variant sleeping habits but she didn't disturb him at any time whatsoever. She wasn't foolish enough to rouse a slumbering dragon and risk facing its wrath.

He wordlessly indicated by raising his cup to say that was all the breakfast he was going to have. Hermione shook her head, dismayed by his behavior, so uncaring of himself.

"The human body can't survive on black coffee and self-loathing alone, you know." she remarked.

He took an especially large gulp of caffeine and sneered. "Not with that attitude."

Though she was in the mood to chastise, her lips curled into a smirk by his deadpan humour. She asked him whether it was okay that she would have to be away for the day and again go away for atleast a few more to handle her work. He reminded her with utter condescension that in case she didn't notice, he wasn't a child and had managed to go through most of his life without having a nanny.

Suddenly she remembered. "Oh, it's your birthday tomorrow, isn't it? I'm so sorry I can't be here. We could have done something-"

"I have never been keen on any kind of merriment and don't even get me started on birthdays." he said disdainfully. "Why do we celebrate birth? We mark the day of our own exile from the warmth of the womb to the frigidity of life..."

She exhaled out a laugh, unable to respond to that comment. "That has got to be the most supercilious and sardonic way to refer to the magic of child-birth!"

***************************

It had been almost a week and Hermione popped into The Burrow once, so as to not seem too suspicious. As soon as she arrived, Ron hogged all her attention before she could even exchange pleasantries properly with the others.

"You know, my dad recommended of you highly to the officers in your department," Ron said in between kisses. "It would be respectful if you'd actually show up at the Ministry."

It was true; Mr. Weasley had helped her secure the job at the Department of Regulation and control of Magical Creatures in the Ministry- not that she didn't have the necessary qualifications for it, but she certainly couldn't have climbed her way to the top this quickly. She was now assistant supervisor of her department, while Ron and Harry were still training as aurors in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

"Ugh, you know, it's been one of those weeks, where I've not been feeling upto anything." Hermione lied. "And besides, I hate my boss. Don't worry though, I have Sarah to cover for me. Anyway, how has your week been?"

"Good, good...you know the usual. Ginny is biting off everyone's heads- she's so excited about the wedding. Too excited if you ask me. Harry's happy. They're planning on moving into 12 Grimmauld place after that."