Say You Love Me

{9}

Hermione could remember no better feeling than dipping her toes into wet sand, and once again, she found herself merely standing with her eyes closed. The water surrounded her ankles, welcoming her in.

"Swim, or I will be forced to carry you in myself," Severus warned from beside her.

Hermione only glared.

He was a sight, and if eleven year-old her had known that she would one day see him like this... so exposed and handsome, she would have never been able to find him intimidating. Ever.

Walking forward, the cold water wasn't welcoming any longer, and she cringed as it hit her mid section, then her chest, and finally she just ducked under, allowing her hair to soak for a moment, resurfacing to Severus Snape doing a perfect back float, even with the waves coming forward.

"You are something else."

"Quite," he replied, though it was more of a yell.

She laughed, attempting to entertain herself in the water as he showed off the fact that this had certainly been his home for the past few years, and his "only dipping his feet in" was an utter lie.

It felt wonderful to be supported by the cool waves, her lungs being in closer proximity to such refreshing air made the swim all that much better. She was surprised the normal pressure of the water didn't make them tingle more, but it was only the vague discomfort the water brought to her chest, no prickles of an ancient curse.

Eventually, not caring for his pristine form, Hermione wanted Severus Snape to amuse her.

Ducking under the water for a moment and propelling towards him, she came up in proximity to him, pushing water forward and startling him as it hit him. The best part about the whole thing was that she watched him reach for his wand which was probably somewhere way back inside.

She laughed, feeling a slight cough come up for the first time in his presence, but it did not develop into a petal. She could not have been more thankful to not have to explain that to him.

He stood in the water, nearly twitching with what she could only assume was a front of anger. Then he quickly disappeared as well, coming back up without any harm to her done, but she realized what he did only moments after.

Taken down from the tied-back manner, Severus had let his hair down, wet, black strands clinging to his neck, in a similar fashion to her brown curls. He was... sexy, and she killed herself for the adjective that popped into her brain as though she were a common trollop. Her thoughts of Ron were not gone, but there was a sudden newness of attraction to him that caught her attention and dominated it.

His smirk gave away the intention for it to catch her eyes, and they'd officially entered into a stage of flirting Hermione had no idea if she was comfortable with. But, that didn't matter because it was just flirting, and her last break-up was new, so certainly he would not try anything?

Shortly, he tired of the water, but told her to continue for sake of wanting her to enjoy.

Hermione only lasted a few minutes alone before needing someone to chat with. They would not flirt, she had decided all by herself, but she did enjoy his intellectual theory.

She headed back up to the blanket, brushing her feet off before stepping onto it diligently and sitting down, reveling in the sun's warmth. It wasn't often they got sunny days so free of clouds. Hermione did her best to indulge in the sun, especially now, but this was a rare moment where the indulging could be so consuming.

"I wish I lived somewhere like this."

"And what do you do with your stipend from your Order of Merlin?" He inquired bluntly, as though she were being wanton with her money and needed to scold her for it.

"I have a flat, Severus. Just not on the bloody coast."

"Ah, I see, you are being responsible with it... what a waste."

The way he said things should be a sin, because waste was not a beautiful word at all, but he had a magic to him that went beyond his being a wizard... the sun was really getting to her head now. Yet, on the bright side of it all, at least in his presence, her sorrow over Ron was not prominent.

But Hermione knew her mind needed to go elsewhere besides either man, and stay there!

"Draco and Harry are getting married in two months!"

"Yes, it would seem so."

Hermione sighed, attempting to get something from him besides a blunt answer.

"You don't seem so keen..." she led, pulling her hair back to wring it out over her towel.

"Do not mistake my lack of enthusiasm for disappointment in the union. I am rather happy for Draco and Harry both. They deserve to be happy... I merely hate bondings."

Hermione could tell, considering he couldn't even use the word marriage. It made sense to her, having not been a man of whom was known for his dalliances with love.

"I get that... I won't be getting married in my lifetime," she said lightly before realizing the ramifications of such a statement.

Severus looked over at her with furrowed brows, his hair the only visible sign he had been in the water with her at one point.

"You? Hermione, I mean not to offend, but if you wanted someone, I am sure all you would need do is ask. Weasley did not completely ruin every chance you had in finding someone to spend the rest of your life with."

Oh, how she wished that was her problem! Hermione really couldn't say if there were men out there just waiting for her to look their because she simply hadn't needed to. The idea unsettled her, even , because she never thought of herself as anyone but Ron's. And besides, there would be no marriage because there would be no her in two years, or she would simply never love. The decision still hung heavy in the air.

She was going to let him think whatever it was he thought, however.

"I guess I am just afraid to ask."

There was understanding, and Hermione watched him attempt to change the subject. She was surprised at how worn his emotions were considering he'd been a dual spy for twenty some-odd years.

"I just wish the two were not rushing their ceremony," he said, bringing it back to Harry and Draco's wedding, "It gives others so little time to prepare."

"Well, I know regardless it will be lavish. Only a handful of people are getting invited."

She turned her head and looked at him, his skin still pale despite the hour or so they'd been in the sun. Not even a hint of redness. How peculiar.

"Are you on the list?" He asked with a smirk, leaning back and finally resting his eyes solely on her, seeing as they'd been on the horizon for most of the time.

"Obviously," she attempted her best drawl.

The glare she got was worth it.

Hermione tossed herself onto her side and looked at him skeptically. "And are you on the list?"

She was pleased to watch his eyes wander away from her face, some old and ancient part of her liking the terrible attention that Ron hadn't provided. Even if it was just in the three months since they'd been split.

No... she could not like the attention, especially not from Severus.

"Naturally, I would be invited," he sneered, softening in an instant, "I am the closest thing Draco has to family until he is bonded."

"Well, I am very glad they are doing it so soon, I think if it's right. It's right," Hermione said, using her ever-so-familiar half-truths.

Something in those black eyes altered, and Hermione watched with avid fascination as he rose a hand to her wild hair. It was currently only becoming more frizzy as it dried under the influence of warm air alone. He placed a spindly finger against one lock and pushed it behind her ear, returning to his place on their blanket without any other words.

Hermione's heart stung in place of her lungs.