Say You Love Me

{5}

Hermione glared unerringly at the clock in her office, and it stared blankly back, not daring to give in to her wishes for it to move faster.

Kingsley was supposed to meet her right before lunch to talk over a little legislature, then she was off to see Severus Snape finally. Why she anticipated it so much was beyond her, but she was excited nonetheless.

Hermione was slightly disappointed when Kingsley arrived in her office and she began to cough again, letting loose one of her abominable petals that made even the Minister for Magic look disconcertingly at her. He'd inquired into it as any wizard in his right mind would, and she told him the same thing she'd told Harry. It was just a rogue hex that would ware off eventually, coughing up petals, just like she would slugs if that happened to be the hex. He took the explanation, but gave her the rest of the day off thinking it a one-time matter.

Hermione wasn't one to take advantage, but she would much rather have the day off and let the anticipation of the day to come increase. She was looking forward to a whole day of picking Severus Snape's infinite chasm of knowledge. As long as he didn't find her completely intolerable, that is, because she did need to fulfill her earlier excuse of werewolves and wolfsbane's affects.

She needn't worry of that, though, because she would only be around for a while, so bothering him wouldn't bother her conscience.

When Kingsley finally left, the floo downstairs could not have arrived before her in enough time, and the flames engulfed her immediately upon her entrance, the whir of travel exciting her. Then, with a wonderful sigh of relief, Hermione found herself breathing the most wonderful air that existed.

Taking a quick look, she saw Severus standing before her with a kettle, placing it on the table before him and looking over at the clock, then her. She was on time, she very well knew it, and he was going to find it was just like her to do such a thing.

Hermione took in her surroundings quickly before saying hello, the dining area and kitchen on her left, a sofa and set of soft chairs right before her in the sitting room, all facing the fire she just stepped out of. To her right was a wall, a door on the side of the wall with the fireplace, and lastly behind it all, was a wall of windows facing out towards the water. The sound of waves was evident with the open windows, and her lungs lifted like they had the first time she was there, clean and refreshed, no scratchiness to be found. Oh, how she wished she could stay here forever just to get the benefits of the air... and the quite spectacular view.

"Hello," she greeted, her silence enough. "You really do have a breathtaking view."

"Good afternoon, Hermione. The view is one of the many reasons I chose to retire here. Can I take your robes?"

She looked down at her ministry wear and sighed, nodding. The layer came easily with her wand, passed right to his own magic spell.

"Do you ever grow bored doing nothing here on the coast? Going from being a double-spy to a retired wizard must have been a shock."

She joined him at the table, surprised by his willingness to pull a chair out for her, then return to his own side of the table.

"It was well overdue, I think. For years I served my time twice over. Not that neither you nor Harry fought and died for the cause, but I never entertained the notion I would live to see the end of Voldemort. I only ever prayed that I got the rest of you there."

He began to pour tea with a practice she envied.

"Is that why you were so bitter?" Hermione pointed out, feeling as though her smug grin would give it away that it was a joke, but Severus seemed to take it seriously, putting the kettle down.

"I was bitter because there's only so much lying I could do to the Dark Lord," he explained slowly. "I was only so talented at Occlumency."

"He thought you were his servant until he died. I don't think he suspected you a bit, therefore I would say you were more than talented."

She dared to look him in the eye and compliment him.

Severus did little to respond to the compliment in terms of facial expressions, but he did seem to have a say in words.

"I do not think I deserve to be congratulated about anything I did in the war, but I will take the appreciation of my talent."

"A talent you couldn't teach Harry."

"He was more stubborn than his mother and father combined, it would have been a miracle if Dumbledore could have taught him, let alone myself."

Hermione laughed, hardly expecting not to have had the compulsion to cough yet. However, the sea air seemed to not stick to her lungs and make her want to tear them from her chest.

"Harry is planning on proposing to Draco," she said thoughtfully, not entirely caring it could be a secret. It wasn't like Harry wouldn't tell him eventually.

"About time," Severus commented wryly, "I thought I would never hear the end of Draco's whining about how long they've been with each other and nothing has come of it yet."

Hermione snorted. "Well, he could have just as well proposed to Harry."

The glare told her that her sarcastic comment did not go any further in its incorrectness.

"Will you be running for Minister one day?"

Nearly choking on her tea, Hermione had to be careful how she answered this question. She couldn't give away anything that indicated she wasn't going to, but she also couldn't lie and say she didn't want it. He was a very intuitive man, and while it was one of her greatest wants, to be the Minister for Magic, Hermione was nothing if not realistic.

"Possibly... one day if the situation arises. Kingsley might live forever, you know?"

This time, it was his turn to laugh, and the free and easy way he did it startled Hermione. She hadn't recalled him ever laughing in her presence before, which made total sense. It was... nice, to see a different side of someone so revered yet feared.

"I would think not. You would make a fine minister, I hope your occasion to run arises," he said with a slight tilt of his head.

Hermione wished the same, but she doubted it ever would.

"Thank you. So... what exactly is it that you do around here? You cannot mean to tell me that you sit around all day and watch the waves crash into the sand?" She wondered mindlessly, looking out at said waves that caressed the shore, retreating just as softly.

"I would give you the grand tour, including my many hobbies, but I fear you do not have time for such things."

Hermione looked back to him, feeling excited that he would be willing to open his house up to her.

"I got the rest of the day off, actually. Feel free to tour me to death." At least something good had come of her rubbish Hanahaki curse.

"Insatiable for knowledge, as always," he muttered under his breath, but it did not escape her. And neither did the slight smile he afforded.

"Nothing's changed," she quipped.

He stood from his chair, now casting black eyes straight down at her, as if assessing something, "I suppose not when it comes to your intellect."

Feeling as though he was most certainly hiding something, Hermione stood to get a tour of the house she was only mildly sure no one else had seen so much of. Why that hope was there, she yet to know.